Just measured my arm span six feet, six & three quarters of an inch and 6' 2" in height. Phelps 6' 7" arm span. When they tested my lung size in 1953 they said I had the largest lung capacity they had ever tested until that time. It must have helped. Minimal training about 800 yards a day and raced against the best of my time.
George Park www.swimdownhill.com
Parents
Former Member
My 800 yards a day was a consequence of being sick from 1952 until 1960, if I swam hard for 500 meters I would go unconcious. For some reason after 1960, I no longer went out after 500 meters of hard swimming and I started swimming marathon races of 10 miles to 30 miles and was ranked in the top 5 for10 years after that. In training for the marathon swims I would swim in open water 1hr, 2hr, and 3 hr work outs some times twice a day. I would do 1 hr 5 min for three miles, 5 miles in just under 2 hrs. Everyone thought I should train more when preparing for the Olympics etc. it just was not possible.
George
My 800 yards a day was a consequence of being sick from 1952 until 1960, if I swam hard for 500 meters I would go unconcious. For some reason after 1960, I no longer went out after 500 meters of hard swimming and I started swimming marathon races of 10 miles to 30 miles and was ranked in the top 5 for10 years after that. In training for the marathon swims I would swim in open water 1hr, 2hr, and 3 hr work outs some times twice a day. I would do 1 hr 5 min for three miles, 5 miles in just under 2 hrs. Everyone thought I should train more when preparing for the Olympics etc. it just was not possible.
George
