Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

FindingMyInnerFish — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 08:49:48 GMT

Hey Eric--definitely come east and do the bay swim! You won't regret it! They do such a great job with organizing it! When I did it, I got a long sleeve shirt, a cap, a beach towel, a finisher's medal, and later a HUGE free lunch spread! Also to my great surprise, I got an award for 1st female over 50--of course, honesty compels me to say that I was the ONLY female over 50! :) They really are wonderful people, the organizers! TS, it's SCY... the local h.s. pool--so I'll keep in mind your advice about turns/streamline. Orca, with the running on ice due to foot injury, I NEED to push hard in swimming to keep myself SANE! As for the 25s/50s... I've been doing various sets of those. Today I did (as part of something longer) 12x25 with decreasing rest between them. The last four, I stopped just long enough to look at the time and then keep going, and then instead of resetting my stopwatch after each 25, I'd simply stop it and start it again when I resumed swimming. (Pace clock was off, but then even when it's on, I can't see it very well.) The total time for these 4x25 just pausing in between was 1:53. But for some reason, when I did 100s in the same workout, I couldn't get them below 2:05, no matter what I tried. The race is on Tues. afternoon. What do you folk recommend for tomorrow? (I have a PT appt. in the evening related to the aforementioned running injury and likely a busy day w/ a noon work related deadline.) I'm thinking no swim tomorrow, just the PT session. Ha, probably overthinking all this, given the distance/goal, but it's one of those stubborn barriers that has given me something of a bee in the bonnet... or a bee in my swim cap? Whatever...

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

Former Member — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 08:25:17 GMT

Are we talking meters or yards? Short course or long? I found that my 100 SCY times really started improving when I worked on all-out 25s and 50s and on attacking the turns with tight streamlines. The 6-beat kick is crucial. If we're talking about LCM, I don't know. I find it really hard to hold onto the "explosive speed" feeling in a 50m pool.

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

orca1946 — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 07:07:17 GMT

Ande has a tip for everything! Try to speed up every 25 on sets in practice. Good for you to want to work harder!

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

Former Member — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:55:56 GMT

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

Former Member — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:53:43 GMT

Fish, Yes...I was a runner for 25 years...My first few years I a steady stream of breakthroughs, but alas, I actually had talent. In swimming, I have had to fight for every single second I get. Funny thing, sad thing is, I have not lowered my 50 free time (38) in 8 months. All improvement has been on the endurance end of it. I have scrutinized Ande's tips, I am game for most of them...just not the press on nails.

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

ande — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:09:59 GMT

you're welcome keep looking you'll find it (you're inner fish that is)

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

Former Member — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 08:06:48 GMT

Fish, We have a 5 miler out here in SD iwht a 4-hour cutoff as well...but I grew up on the Island...I would love to come home and do that one at some point.

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

FindingMyInnerFish — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:16:45 GMT

you're welcome keep looking you'll find it (you're inner fish that is) There's an "act as if" element in my username, come to think of it. It was four years ago that I chose it, and the same year, I did an ocean swim for the first time. Two years later, the aforementioned 5+ mile bay swim that I never thought I'd be able to do. I might have chosen "seeking my inner fish," and I can't remember if I considered that--I think I liked the alliteration of "finding" and "fish," and might not even have had in mind the positive outlook it suggested--that I was always finding it... and re-finding it. Perhaps the "inner fish" chose the username. :)

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

FindingMyInnerFish — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:01:23 GMT

FIsh (Again) Can I ask what your 5 mile time was? I considered myself too slow to swim that distance, but I guess not. I love endurance stuff, but have to figure out how to swim 4 hours without having my shoulders fall off. You DEFINITELY could do it, Eric! I wasn't sure at first if I should attempt a swim like that, since I hadn't a lot of ow experience and not a lot of speed--but it took place near an old family vacation spot so had that appeal--a kind of homecoming. For the distance of 5.25 miles, my time really pleasantly surprised me: 3:25:12! I finished second to last, but that was of no importance to me. I just wanted to make the 4-hour cut-off. I thought it would be close based on doing the same distance in the pool in training and going over four hours at that point. But my thought was "swim until I finish or until they stop me." As it turned out, there was a tide assist for the first half of the swim, and I was able to make some time due to that. However, the assist was off-set somewhat by the chop in the last couple miles. I was pretty green at the gills by the time I finished--but also flying high just having done it! Didn't wear a wetsuit either... haven't ever worn one for any ow swim I've done. Anyway, it would have been too warm, I think b/c the water temp was in the seventies and it was a pretty hot day. Should mention, it was the Great South Bay Swim, and the web site is greatsouthbayswim.com. Haven't checked the site in several days so not sure if it's been filled for this year, but it's an annual event and very, very well organized! I might go to volunteer--don't have the distance training to do it this time around but definitely want to do it again!

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

Former Member — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:56:13 GMT

Thanks for posting , Fish. I am 50 with no previous swimming background. After 17 months I am just barely approaching 90 seconds for 100SCY. I have been too embarrassed to post a time like that here. Thanks for the courage. The other day...10x200@5.00 holding 3:29...as good as it has been for me...maybe when I can do a ^@$#&^$ing flip turn...

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

Former Member — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:53:33 GMT

It's difficult to say where you could improve the most without having seen a video of you swimming. However, if you were to increase your stroke rate, I am certain you would have a good shot at breaking that barrier. Two minutes sounds very do-able but then it is going to depend on your age, swimming history, physical condition, etc. It would be great if you could post a video (if you had one). Good luck.

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

Former Member — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:26:29 GMT

If you can do a half decent dive and swim your on controlled race you'll break that time! Stay calm and don't rush out of the gate too early.:chug:

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

FindingMyInnerFish — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:06:45 GMT

p.s. to Ande--I browsed through your various tips, and they're a great mix of technical advice and motivation! Loved the "act as if" tip! I'm going to apply it not only to swimming! Nice collection!

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

FindingMyInnerFish — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:51:31 GMT

Thanks everyone for the replies! Ande, as usual, you offer a wealth of info! Thanks for the links! Rich, my dive is a little rusty. I'm thinking I should get a little practice during the weekend to refresh my "muscle memory"--and my courage. On that block I feel as if I'm fifty feet up--but I worked in late 2007 w/ a very helpful coach who helped me with the dive. Also, just for you, I might add a 50 breaststroke just to get some practice in it, but that won't be beautiful. ;) Syd, I have a vcr tape of my freestyle, not recent--haven't gotten around to converting it to a dvd so as to put it on the computer. The masters' coach has done a good job in giving me feedback, which has been very helpful in improving my workouts. I'm female, 58, and began masters' swimming in 2005, although I'd been swimming a good part of my life and would do lap swimming when running injuries hobbled me. Getting into a masters' group made a HUGE difference though in improving my stroke, etc. I wasn't consistent the past few years in the group workouts, but I tried to at least keep going on my own when my schedule didn't allow joining a group. Two years ago, I completed a 5.25 mile open water swim across the Great South Bay in NY. That was TRULY exciting for many reasons! But I've been doing shorter workouts now, trying to develop a bit more speed--I hope to return to the long swim again, but this is a nice, fun break. Eric, I'm ENVIOUS of your times! I figure I'll work my way down in 5-10 second increments per hundred and maybe in another 5-6 years, I'll be at 1:30. Luckily, I'm enjoying the journey--my first swim coach always headed his workout sheets, "Do the best you can do. Don't worry about what others are doing." It's advice that's good for lots of pursuits, not only swimming!

RE: Very modest 100 freestyle goal--tips appreciated

ande — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:22:04 GMT

these should help you find your innner fish and get your 100 WAY under 2:00 Swim Faster Faster will help you read them and apply them. Help My Speed is Horrible! Help My Flutter Kick is Horrible!