I have a bit of a quandary with my upcoming 1-hour Postal swim. As I've been training for it, I've concentrated on hitting certain yardage (meters) at specific times. However, for whatever reason, at the SCM pool that I swim at about 99% of the time, there won't be a Postal swim conducted this year. I had to sign up for a time-slot at another nearby pool...that I've never actually swam in. It's a rather new facility at a local college. I was under the assumption that it too is a 25 SCM pool. So no big deal. But I just found out that it's a SCY pool. So my question is...other than the obvious of doing the math to convert from meters to yards to determine where I want to be at certain times...is there anything else that I should be considering? Should I just throw out my planned time/distance milestones from the SCM pool and just "go for it" in the SCY pool?
Dan
11507
My advice is just get in and start swimming and don't overthink it. If you've been training for it you must have a good feel for the pace you can hold. Just start swimming and don't worry about the clock.
I just did my 18th one hour postal. I used to try to have my counter flash me signals if I was above or below a certain pace. There were cowbells involved and the red and black side of a kick board. Also, there were instructions for standing at certain time markers. Through all this, I found I was confusing my counter and pissing myself off...so for marital harmony, I just go out in a pace I think I can hold and am appreciative she has a distance (or time for the other postals) for me at the end....and eternally grateful she has not left me for all the nonsense I put her through.:)
My problem last year as a newcomer was no one to record it for me. I have a Swimovate watch that records laps very accurately, but it's not acceptable unless there's someone else to sign that they watched me do it.
the school's swimmers are volunteering to do it for donations to their team (good idea).
I agree. I did this as a 'fundraiser' for my kid's team one year I was feeling particularly generous. Anybody that beat me, I donated $100 dollars and any "notable" efforts received $25-50 dollars. Surprisingly, I only was out about $250, with only one beating me. I brought donuts and gatorade (great vomitus combo BTW). I thought I was being nice but the kiddie swimmers were definitely not too interested in swimming an hour straight and were certainly hating me. Good intentions I guess.
Good luck with your swim.
My problem last year as a newcomer was no one to record it for me. I have a Swimovate watch that records laps very accurately, but it's not acceptable unless there's someone else to sign that they watched me do it.
Last year was my first year too. The coach (longtime friend) at my usual swim group/pool did the counting for me last year. But at the pool I am swimming it in for this year...the school's swimmers are volunteering to do it for donations to their team (good idea). I've also thought about baking some cookies for my personal lap counter. A nice snack to enjoy during the hour. My "suggestion" will be that if they lose count while enjoying the cookies during my swim...to 'round UP' to the next lap.
Dan
Just about every year I've swum it I've paired up with someone else who wants to swim it. That way one of us swims while the other records splits and vice versa.
My advice is just get in and start swimming and don't overthink it. If you've been training for it you must have a good feel for the pace you can hold. Just start swimming and don't worry about the clock.
+1. Don't make it too complicated. Swim at the perceived effort you've trained at and let the distance be what it is.
