I hope confetti tossing is allowed here...
I started swimming on October 12th of this year. The first time out, I would do one length (25 yards) of *** stroke and need an oxygen tank at the end of the pool. Trying a freestyle lap got me about 1/4 the way across before I felt like my lungs were going to blow.
So I kept with it. I do endurance building things M and W and then 'marathon swims' on Fridays where I am adding 50 yards each week until I get to a mile. (72 laps). I had to do nothing but freestyle recently because of my groin pull, and have been taking it easy. My goal was to start with one minute between a 25 yard lap of freestyle and decrease that time 5 seconds per week until I was at 0. This week, I was supposed to be at 25 seconds. Anyhow, today, out of nowhere, I went for my first freestyle lap, got to the end of the pool and said to myself, hmm...I'm not tired...so flip and keep going! So I flipped and went back the rest of the way! I didn't have to stop!
I couldn't believe it! If I hadn't gotten creeped out by the covered deep end of the pool and its creepy drains and creepy lane lines hanging into the water looking like dead legs, or other body parts, I think I would have been able to go farther - I tend to swim as fast as I can out of the deep end which wears me out. I was the only one in the pool or I wouldn't have creeped out. Long phobic story that dates back to my childhood, spared for another day and another topic.
Anyhow, I am very pleased that I have made such progress. Swimming rocks and it has made my chiropractic adjustments less frequent, my muscles stronger and longer, and a leaner me - with a resting heart rate of 53 now. WOO HOO!
(Letting my Roomba vacuum up the confetti now)...
-Marian
Congratulations on your progress. Your experience is one of my favorite parts of swimming, the ability to constantly see improvement in speed, endurance, technique, and general proficiency. I went from 400 yards in an hour to 1650 yards in 35 minutes over the course of 3-3.5 months and I was ecstatic with myself. Of course I rained on my own parade with a foolish stretch that strained a rotator cuff but I am getting better slowly and I am once again working back into my endurance so that I can beat the 30 minute mile mark. My ultimate goal is to break the 25 minute mark. As your endurance grows you will start to look for ways to lengthen your stroke and reduce the effort required to swim a lap; this is the best way to build endurance, swim smarter and not harder. I worked on stroke length, my catch, my kick, body roll, hand entry point, etc., etc.. Have fun!
EDIT: I think I might even splurge and pick up a FSII Jammer once I break the 30 minute mile mark! Why not give myself something to shoot for.:)
Congrats!
I've always been a swimmer but didn't really swim any laps for over 7 years due to lack of a pool, and although I could always do breaststroke, late August when I found a good lap pool, after 25 yards of freestyle I thought I was about to die. So I started swimming freestyle one way, breaststroke the other way, increasing it little by little to the point I was doing sets of 100 yards, swimming a total of 500 yards per day. Until one day in September I wasn't so tired after 100, so kept going and stopped at 800 yards when it was time to jump in the shower and go back to work (I was swimming during my lunch time). Now I swim 2000 yards per day, and although I do have some intervals, it's been a while since I've felt completely out of breath when reaching the other side of the pool.
I can definitely relate to your story and know how good it feels, congrats!!
Alright, another swimmer. You're doing great. Swimming is the best. Even if the water's too cold or too warm or I'm really tired or I have a headache or I just don't want to go, I swim anyway and feel ever so much better for it. Welcome to the pool.
I began swimming again in September. I swam two years in college in the late seventies and then on and off with unorganized groups.
After working out mornings this time around, my days were a waste: I was so worn out. I began feeling good about November and i hope to swim my first meet in April. I hope I can keep it up.
I'm so pleased...usually on Fridays I see how far I can swim in 15 minutes. BUt when I got to 15 minutes, I couldn't see why I should stop, so I kept going. *** stroke marathon. I kept going ... and going... and going....I got to lap 40 (in a 25 yard pool) and said okay that' s 1000 yards. Let's do some more. Kept going....I hit 1100 yards....hmmmm I've been in the water 28 minutes. Oh what the hay.....kept going....then realized the member on deck watch needed to get into the pool.
I stopped at 34 minutes of continuous swimming with 48 laps, all flip turns.
I am so stoked! I came home and tossed my lap counter to my husband. "Okay, 48." I said yes...and without a stop. He said "Oh right!" I said it was true. I felt like I could have gone another 24 laps (to get to that coveted mile)!
What a long way I've come...from October 12th when I did one length and wanted the oxygen tank brought in.....
Now when I can do 100 yards of FREESTYLE without a stop, I'll be jumping for joy again!
It was quite an interesting swim, as we had gale force winds making choppy water. I had a pine needle across my goggles and face at one point when I went to breath (new fashion statement).
Marian
Originally posted by mbriones
It was quite an interesting swim, as we had gale force winds making choppy water. I had a pine needle across my goggles and face at one point when I went to breath (new fashion statement).
Marian
Outdoor pool, I hope!
:)
