Hey all,
The Big Day is coming... August 3... for my swim across the Great South Bay (www.greatsouthbayswim.com).
Today I swam the full race distance, 5.25 miles in a POOL with kids splashing around on both sides and once getting into my lane, but nothing like learning to focus, ha!
I know I should probably get in some open water practice, but I don't live near open water, hence the pool swim.
Donna's been excellent with lots of tips, schedule thoughts and suggestions, so I've made much more progress than I ever thought I would!
Now the question is what about a taper... what to focus on, what kind of yards, things like that. Last two weeks, except for weekend swims, the yardage was low per swim (maybe 2000-2500) but my focus was on trying to hold my form while pushing a bit more. I noticed that it paid off today as my "tired" mile times are what my "fresh" times used to be. (Not fast, I should point out, but less slow than before!)
I do both swimming and running, and I wonder about your thoughts on that as well. My bf wants to do a five mile run a week before my swim, and I figure that would be too soon before the swim for me to be in such a run, I am considering signing up and just jogging it. But I wonder if even that might be too much that soon before the swim. (Anyone who runs/swims who can speak to that?) Alternatively, I'd just go with him to cheer for him and do a shorter run along the trail near the race--really a nice setting, so I enjoy going with him, even if not to race.
My arms and shoulders are muttering darkly at me now, but if the pattern of my long swims holds out for this one, they should feel pretty good in a day or two. I seem to have a lot quicker recoveries from long swims than from long runs. What I may not have is as much time during the week as on weekends, but I can work things in if ppl feel they are vital.
So there you are... and if anyone thinks of suggestions in areas not covered by this post, please feel free to share them.
I'm excited about this swim, and a little scared too, but I figure both the excited and the scared feelings are part of the process and mean I'm a real live person. :)
In any event, thanks all for your help/suggestions/ and hey, cheers are cool too! :D
Thanks for the good wishes, Sandra! I think the MIMS would be another lifetime or two away for me as well... Funny, though, how the mouse clicking fingers misbehave on occasion. ;)
Sounds as if you're really doing great with the distance swimming also!
As for antibiotics, well, guess what! Since I last posted, I developed a toothache, and have to have a broken wisdom tooth removed tomorrow. The dr. said it would be (I hope she's right) only a couple days' recovery. Fortunately, no root canal... and I need to get rid of what's causing the toothache--no good swimming five miles w/ that! Anyway, as it happens, I was prescribed antibiotics--preventively for the extraction, but I should be done w/ them in a few days. How ironic really that I mention them and then find myself getting them prescribed for something unrelated to my original reason for considering them.
Oddly, the two activities that give me relief are... running and swimming! Did 3 miles yesterday, despite the toothache. Gotta love those endorphins! :groovy:
That run/swim/run event sounds like fun! I did a swim/run two years ago and was thinking of coming back this year to do it, but realized that the price had gone way up for anyone who wasn't registered early enough--and I'm trying to hold on to money b/c of traveling in August after the swim.
I wish there were more run/swim only events in the Philly area... most are triathlons, and the bike part doesn't interest me. I don't even own a bike!
I likely will run that five mile race next Sat. but pretty easy, just to enjoy the scenery. Given the five year age groups and the sometimes low turn-out in my a.g., who knows, I might even still win something! But either way, I'll enjoy myself... it's more a social race than competitive for me this time.
Thanks for the good wishes, Sandra! I think the MIMS would be another lifetime or two away for me as well... Funny, though, how the mouse clicking fingers misbehave on occasion. ;)
Sounds as if you're really doing great with the distance swimming also!
As for antibiotics, well, guess what! Since I last posted, I developed a toothache, and have to have a broken wisdom tooth removed tomorrow. The dr. said it would be (I hope she's right) only a couple days' recovery. Fortunately, no root canal... and I need to get rid of what's causing the toothache--no good swimming five miles w/ that! Anyway, as it happens, I was prescribed antibiotics--preventively for the extraction, but I should be done w/ them in a few days. How ironic really that I mention them and then find myself getting them prescribed for something unrelated to my original reason for considering them.
Oddly, the two activities that give me relief are... running and swimming! Did 3 miles yesterday, despite the toothache. Gotta love those endorphins! :groovy:
That run/swim/run event sounds like fun! I did a swim/run two years ago and was thinking of coming back this year to do it, but realized that the price had gone way up for anyone who wasn't registered early enough--and I'm trying to hold on to money b/c of traveling in August after the swim.
I wish there were more run/swim only events in the Philly area... most are triathlons, and the bike part doesn't interest me. I don't even own a bike!
I likely will run that five mile race next Sat. but pretty easy, just to enjoy the scenery. Given the five year age groups and the sometimes low turn-out in my a.g., who knows, I might even still win something! But either way, I'll enjoy myself... it's more a social race than competitive for me this time.
