why am i so sloooooooooow? i've been swimming since i was 21, i'm now 30. When i was 21 i basically taught myself to swim and with a few tips here and there from lifeguards, i was able to swim 3 miles in the pool at approximately 35 minutes a mile.
fast forward a few years, i would consider myself a much better swimmer now, i've gotten a few lessons with coaches and i've been told my technique has gotten better. but my speed has BARELY improved!!! i'm talking major changes in technique and training, and it still takes me 34 minutes to do a mile! that's a 1 minute improvement over the time when i had taught myself to swim! it's ridiculous. and i swim so much...i swim in open water and have been doing master's for 7 months now.
is it possible that i was just born slow, or do you think i need further refinement to my technique? none of it adds up--i work very hard in the pool, my technique sounds like it's decent, and i am physically in very good shape. i can swim 9 miles in open water, but i just cannot bring up my speed! it's ridiculous. i don't want to be fast, i just want to be somewhere near 30 minutes per mile!
Interval training is a great way to learn how to swim and improve at distance swimming. I was a sprinter but by swimming with a team that focused on distance I eventually learned how to hold a pace. My first mile I think I held 45 sec per 50 yards. Over time I learned to drop it by a second, then another second until currently I am holding 39 seconds. This year I will try to hold 38 seconds per 50.
If you find your turnover is always the same pace you might try finding a song you like with a faster beat and try to swim to the beat in your head or an SwiMP3 player. In a race I will sometimes have the same song in my head for 21 minutes.
You might try some strength training or you could do what I love and use paddles to help build strength. Another thing you can do is push yourself alittle out of your comfort zone. If you do it in practice you will be more likely to do it in a race.
Interval training is a great way to learn how to swim and improve at distance swimming. I was a sprinter but by swimming with a team that focused on distance I eventually learned how to hold a pace. My first mile I think I held 45 sec per 50 yards. Over time I learned to drop it by a second, then another second until currently I am holding 39 seconds. This year I will try to hold 38 seconds per 50.
If you find your turnover is always the same pace you might try finding a song you like with a faster beat and try to swim to the beat in your head or an SwiMP3 player. In a race I will sometimes have the same song in my head for 21 minutes.
You might try some strength training or you could do what I love and use paddles to help build strength. Another thing you can do is push yourself alittle out of your comfort zone. If you do it in practice you will be more likely to do it in a race.
