Hi all,
All winter I have been swimming in an indoor 25m pool. I have build up from about 2000 to 4000m per workout over the course of 4 months (April-now). So this summer I found an outdoor pool which I swim in from 6-7:30 pm. I think the water is cooler than the indoor pool, and there are no lane ropes that cut down on turbulence (though there are very few people swimming laps there at this time). I do tend to go to the indoor pool about an hour or so earlier because of the crowd and because the outdoor pool has all-lap-swimmers at that time. But that shouldn't affect anything.
The problem is that I always lack motivation and I have *yet* to finish a workout in this pool--for example, yesterday I was supposed to swim 3800m but only swam 1250 before I got tired and actually quit--and I've done this every time in that pool. I tried swimming the indoor pool the other day to test, and I swam the whole workout--4000m--without issue.
What's the problem? Is it the water temp, the turbulence, both, neither, or something else? Or could it be mental? I love the outdoor swimming idea but if I can't swim my workout, I don't know how to fix it.
Suggestions?
:yawn:
Former Member
My workouts are best if the other people in the pool are swimming for exercise, not just splashing around or socializing or noodling (or all 3).
The first few times I ever swam long course I was daunted by how long it seemed and I really missed having turns to rest on.
Turbulence demotivates me. I don't like swimming in chop whether it's due to lack of lane lines, butterfliers, people diving/jumping in. It makes it harder to feel the water and it kills my speed.
If conditions are otherwise sub-optimal it also clobbers my motivation. Temperatures, water taste, wind/rain, being hungry, swimsuits or equipment that acts up, interference from other swimmers, funny water currents, odors, you name it. I also don't like swimming backstroke outdoors especially if there are no lane ropes.
I don't even like swimming backstroke indoors, but outdoors, I can imagine two major issues: no line on the ceiling to follow (more or less) and (on bright days) sun glare, which I doubt even tinted goggles can adequately correct.
There are some concrete peninsulas and ladders in one outdoor pool I swim at that project into the outside lanes. They really hurt if you swim right into them. Even if you can go straight, the other backstrokers in your area may still run into you.
for me different pools make a difference. i am a better long course swimmer.(less turns). well ok, on im or breasstroke sc is preferable
however, if the temp is 2 degrees warmer or the chemicals are off, i am miserable. i used to swim outdoors and have been in for about 2 1/2. if about killed me at first.
Be patient with yourself and build up gradually.
Tomorrow head to the lcm with a 2,000 meter workout in hand and finish it.
If that goes well do it again the next time.
Gradually add meterage to your total and before you know it you will be okay.
I have heard some great swimmers say in their blogs that they do no more than 3 lcm workouts a week because it really wears them down. If you are swimming fast that could be true for you.
Once you get used to lcm you will love it. I feel like a REAL swimmer in a long course pool, sometimes I feel like a ping-pong ball in short course yards. :agree:
I have the same issues. I could swear that my outdoor pool is a few feet longer than 25 yards b/c I tend not to make all my sets like I do indoors. I think I just don't have the same motivation w/o my lane buddies and coach pushing me.
So, admitting this, I tend to work on other things when outdoors, like kicking, drills, or distance. Instead of frustrating myself with 20 100s on a fast pace, I might do 20 100s on a slightly slower pace, giving myself more rest. Just get the yardage it, even if its ugly.
I find the beginning of my workout to be the harshest regardless of the pool. Like I struggle to do my slow 35 sec 50m. Water being cold just takes the air out of my lungs.
By the end I can easily do what drills at the beginning gave me trouble.
Swimming in a 50m pool is humbling, all right. I've been doing it once a week for the last three months and my stroke count is only just starting to come down to where I think it should be.
One day when I got there they didn't have the lane ropes up and I had two near-collisions with a fellow who decided to swim cross-wise, since he wasn't strong enough to go 50 meters. (There were 25m lanes available in the other pool that he could have used.) Finishing another lap that same day, I emerged to find a teenage boy wearing my paddles at the end of the lane. Now I only go when I can be sure it will be set up for actual swimming, with actual lane ropes.
I don't know about outdoor, but I do find that swimming in a 50m pool which is also wider seems harder than a 25m one. The water doesn't seem so "tame". Perhaps it's because the lane lines are further apart from each other thus more turbulence? Prior to my recent vacation I made a plan to practice longer distance in a 50m pool and was very excited about it, but as soon as I was in the pool, the feelings were completely unexpected, swimming was hard (partly due to the pumps), and I barely swam for 20 minutes before I got out. Not to mention that I had wanted to show off to some people about my swimming progress! In the following swims in that pool I think I never swam for more than half hour. When I returned to the 25 yard pool, my swim returned to "normal"; how I wish the people whom I wanted to show off to were here! :shakeshead:
According to Archimedes' principle, buoyancy has nothing to do with the depth of the pool. But when I swam in a 50m pool, which is not only larger but also deeper than a 25y pool, I felt more buoyant, but at the same time it took more strength to move forward. It seems as if the huge volume of the water body (the entire pool) surrounding me has an impact? It's a little intimidating to see the vast pool bottom during a lap, especially near the ends where the bottom slopes to deeper.
What pools are you referring to? I'm in the same area as you, and may have some insight on a particular pool...
Are you training for anything in particular (meet, triathlon, OW swim, weight loss, etc.)? If not, I would recommend you set some finite goals. It is hard to train by yourself, but if you're having a rough time either getting to or actually swimming at the pool, having a goal like that will help you through the rough patches.
Personally, telling myself things like " isn't going to swim itself" and "you need to work off those 10 cookies you ate last night" help encourage me to make time to swim and to keep plugging away while I'm there.
Also, if you're not using Go-The-Distance, check that out. Seeing the workouts you do (or don't do) in a calendar and getting total mileage is a great motivator, especially if you're not interested in meets or OW races. Simple goals based purely on mileage in the pool or days in the pool will help get you back on track!
