Finally Back in the Swim of Things....
curly
Issaquah, WASenior Member
OK, I've been a little out of sorts lately due to COVID kind of wrecking havoc on our lives. I have not swum since mid February except for one quick dip in a lake in June. So today I took my first swim in around 5 months. So here's the damage report.
First, let me say that I probably could have gotten in the water sooner but there have been a few things that have put me in hesitation mode. I got going on a bunch of house projects that kept me pretty active and I know swimming would have diverted me from spending the necessary time. I completed my epic wood splitting project that I mentioned in another thread. I now have a few years worth of firewood split and stacked. I've had plenty of time for house projects because my business has been pretty much decimated. I keep thinking that maybe we are going to turn a corner, but I'm afraid I'm walking along a wall that has no corner. Past couple months have been dismal in that regard. House is looking pretty good though...
Secondly, I am always considerate of my kayaker, who is being very careful about social distancing and all the other things you have to do to prevent the spread of COVID. She has some interesting health characteristics that make her potentially risky in that regard. Not to mention that she has the most incredible luck. If something impossibly weird and disastrous can happen, it will happen to her. With that track record, we have been steering clear of our regular beach for most of the summer so far. Needless to say, it has been really discouraging to miss out on some pretty days on the water.
But today, oh happy day....! Yep, we packed up the trusty kayak and all our gear and headed for the beach. It takes about 15 minutes to get there, plus we take about 15 to 20 minutes to prep up and launch. We then headed out for the first swim of the summer. (At the end of July. Unprecedented.) I have to say, it felt pretty good. I'd been working on ironing out some technique issues over the winter and somehow all that work paid off and it stuck. Stroke was even and smooth and I've improved my (crappy) kick. Wife... er, Kayaker even noticed that it was looking pretty good. So I would swim for a few minutes and then, HANG ON THE BOAT!... You know, it's really weird to actually do that considering that when we train we specifically NEVER touch the boat.
We did a short stint and then a rest and rinse repeat until I thought that maybe it was time to turn around. I didn't want to push my luck on my first day. I noticed that stroke was starting to get a little sloppy and felt that it would be a bad idea to let that happen. Bad technique plus being out of swimming shape would be a sure fire way to create an unnecessary injury. So discretion being the better part of valor, we headed to the beach.
The whole swim felt wonderful and we were so happy to be out on the water again. Will be out there tomorrow and so forth. I checked my distance and time. First the good news. When I was actually swimming, my pace wasn't that far off of my usual all day pace. Yes indeed, I am a paragon of fitness. And in other news, I did a little over a half a mile and it took around 25 minutes! And that was my first workout of the year. It took longer to drive down to the beach, launch and pack up and return home. But every journey begins with a nice 25 minute swim.
I hope all of you are remembering that swimming is for the rest of your life. Ordinarily I'd be a little pissed that I just had a crappy little 25 minute swim. Today it was freakin' glorious.
Comments
Easy to appreciate the little victories, these days. I'm happy you're back in the water
@curly Glad to hear you're getting back to it! After nearly 4 months of very little swimming, it was a challenge to get going again. Being sore after 2.5K was depressing when I thought about the shape I was in while preparing for SCAR in February. Late June/early July was rough as I tried to get my frequency and distance back to a normal level while my new job assignment suddenly had me walking 20-30 miles/week. I spent a couple of Saturdays taking naps and generally being a sloth because I was so exhausted. I feel like I've finally turned a corner, getting in 5 swims a week and walking nearly 100 miles in July. I went for a four mile swim in the Harbor last Sunday with a couple of friends. It was windy, rough and exhilarating, with our return leg against the tide and wind. I was sore the next day, but I felt amazing about being able to punch out that swim at a good clip.
I hope you return to form quickly. LMK if you're interested in swimming around Seward Park with me some morning. I'm working there Tues/Thurs and have been swimming a buoy course with a youth swim team, but I believe they may be taking a break soon, so I'll be switching to going around the peninsula along the shoreline.
It's always a bad hair day when you work at a pool.
It's always a bad hair day when you work at a pool.
Update day 2. Went out today and doubled my time and distance. At this rate I will be doing a 10K by next week.
In all seriousness, I was pretty happy to double the workout on the second day. I hope I can continue to load it up in the next week or so. I have a bunch of routes that we like to take all over the lake and it's fun to look at the tracks that we record. It is utterly hilarious to look at the past two days efforts. I'm used to seeing us spread all over the map and we are just making these short little out and back line segments. But I'm really happy to see that getting back to speed will not take as long as I thought.
@wendyv34 I will keep that swim in mind. I'm sort of sticking close to home at the moment, but it might be nice to branch out. Don't know if I want to mess with those young speed demons though...
Glad to learn others can schedule their workouts!
In Spain, specifically in Barcelona, rules regarding access to beaches and pools come and go every few weeks. Besides, both beaches and pools are crowded, and access is limited, so it's impossible to stick to any schedule (at least with my work timetable). I figured this out in June, so I accepted the situation and got used to the idea that swimming this summer would be really lousy. I've managed to do a few workouts, but very inconsistently. And it seems that Autumn will be the same, so I don't expect I'll be able to swim on a regular and consistent basis in the next months. I bike and run, instead.
I just hope I'll be on time to train properly for some swims in Summer 2021 (the ones which were re-scheduled due to the coronavirus).
dieciseisgrados.com/
Today's update: 1.7 miles in 57 minutes. Two cool things. I wanted to get out to this landmark point and really wasn't going to take no for an answer. And gosh darn it, I did it. It's shy of a mile and I swam continuous the whole way. It felt pretty good. Took a break at the turn around and then one halfway back just to enjoy the scenery. Other cool thing is that I'm pretty excited to see how fast I'm progressing. I guess it is just like riding a bike... although my kayaker couldn't resist commenting on how slow I was. She has no mercy.
Im happy for u and welcome back in water!)
But for me this covid vacancione was great! No swimming just watching tv and relaxing! Cool times!
But now im hungry for swimming!))) And happy to swim again!
This sunday i swim my first (hope no last) 2020 ow race!
Great swim! 5km but have all
Jally.big wave.wind.sun and lots of fun!)))
I feeling great.but when go to the sea i realised that i dont want compet! Wana swim for joy!) But all in all was unbeliv!
Im 19 from 250 swimmer!)
Wish healt and all the best to all
And u family!
OK, this will be the final progress update for a little while. Nothing bad, I just don't want to make this into a boring thread about my dumb workouts. However here's the latest report. Today I hit the first milestone that I wanted to get under my belt. I hit the two mile mark! Just a tad over an hour.
My plan now is to knock off some two milers for maybe another week or so. I'd like to get my time back down to a somewhat respectable level so we will start focusing a little more on speed for the next few days. This is a pretty good distance for putting together halfway decent workouts.
I need to get the speed up a bit because I'm putting my kayaker to sleep. She just sort of drifts along next to me, so I've got to keep her engaged. I think she likes it when I go a little faster so she can sort of paddle and not completely rot in the kayak. With any luck the beach will stay open and we can get some good swim and paddle time in during the rest of the summer.
Anyway, I'm pretty pleased with the short term progress here. Got up to a 3K workout pretty quickly after a 5 month layoff. To me, that's kind of astonishing. I honestly expected a long and grueling path back, but I appear to be exceeding my expectations. Also, the pace has been consistently improving each time. I'm looking at small little increments in time and distance because it helps to put this into bite size chunks. It would be a bit depressing to be proud of a 2 mile swim in early August, but given the overall picture, I'm pretty psyched.
It's the little things...
I'm in the same situation now in Hong Kong. All pools and beaches are closed and fenced to prevent people getting in. The announcement is made week by week according to the trend so I really can't plan anything. Fortunately Karen is still holding lessons of limited group size in the sea outside of the beaches so I will do them. I hope she can bring my open water speed up, which is my primary concern now.
My swimming is also very inconsistent as well. In some weeks I'm doing up to 7.5 km in a single swim, 10 km in total, but in some weeks I have more than a week with completely no swimming as well. August is my off season which I reduce my swim training to take time to learn other stuff. This year I'm working to get a pleasure boat captain licence, hoping that it will be useful in the future to help the marathon swimming community.
If not because of my channel slot booked in 2021 (which I now regret) and a race rolled over, I would have probably stopped swimming by now.
The situation here is really bad that the hospitals are nearly overloaded and at the edge of collapse. It started because the government left a hole at the border which allowed risky people slipping in the territory without quarantine.
I also want to buy a 2nd hand bike and do some triathlons later in the season (I don't bike and run now because it is too hot) before I emigrate next year but I don't know if they will happen.
I just hope that I'll be on time to train properly by November for my 2021 races (which has been rolled over from 2020) and channel swim. Apart from that I'm hopeless.
I love your kayaker, Curly. She sounds like my boat guy. 🤣
@miklcct This is how positivity looks. Small, incremental progress. Controlled progress. Making the best of the situation that's handed to you. Positivity. Try it. It's infectious.
OK, I wasn't going to say anything about this week, but what the heck, I just can't shut up...
As planned I was sticking to two milers and working on the speed aspect. I wanted to get down to at least doing two miles an hour. I'm very pleased to say that my time continually dropped during the week. Had to skip Wednesday due to my kayaker having far more important things to do than push me around a lake. So we got four halfway decent workouts in.
And I still haven't busted an hour... grrrr. Yesterday it was a 1:02. I will say that typically we had quite a bit of a headwind on the way out. Which then of course died down on the way back, so I constantly got ripped off for the tailwind. But I'm definitely feeling stronger and when I want to dial it up, I can definitely pick up the speed. I still can't keep a strong effort going the whole hour.
So here's my question: My current plan is to keep doing the two milers and just keep working on strength and speed. I do this by dialing up the effort and then slowly dying out. When I notice that I'm plodding along again, I dial up the effort. At this point I'm wondering whether to start stretching out the distance and maybe that will help bring the speed along. Or do I just keep focusing on speed and keep the distance short? Would adding distance help bring the speed up by building strength?
It's a bit of a quandary because I really don't see doing any long swims this year. I also wonder if I'll be swimming in late fall and winter, so I don't want to build a huge distance base only to leave it behind in the lake this winter. Personally, I really like feeling strong and fast and it might be fun to just do these two milers for the rest of summer and get where I can blast it. (Sprint sets!
)We do have some 5k routes that we enjoy, but they will take us too long at my current leisurely pace. So hence, my quandary.
Curly u swim 2miles in lake!
U are lucky and must be so happy!
I like a lot lake swim.but swim only in 25m pool!))
I really dont understanting something.why most OW swimmer looking for speed?!?
Why not just swim for relax and joy? More slow swim ( mile.km or hours) more joy and fun!
This is my opinion!
I feel best and feel extremely strong when swim slow but more in distance!
My longest ow swim in past few years was 30km in sea. I decite training for speed. Pyfff so boring for me!((( i do this training 2 weeks and stop! But increase km! And.. Miracle!)))
I swim this maraton so fast .with smile and joy!.... and was first from alll 40 swimmers!)
But i know this maybe work just for me. For another is somthing diferent!
But all will be ok if we swim with joy!
I training slow and swim fast!
Wish healt and all the best for all)
Hi Open h2o. Fair questions. First I should point out that I don't think most OW swimmers are looking for speed. And of course, speed is a relative term here anyway. Personally, since I have been out of the water for so long, my speed was way slow. So my recent aim is to get my speed back up to a reasonable level. For me, that is doing sub :30 miles. My all day pace is typically around 27-29 minute miles, depending on conditions. Of course in bad conditions it's far slower. So my focus on speed was a near term goal, which I actually achieved today, with a couple of sub 30 minute miles! So it was a good day and for me, that is part of the joy of swimming. I love it when I feel like I'm cruising at a good pace. And now I will start to add some distance.
Looking at your longest swim and your recent race, I would say that you are probably both fast and strong. Being first among 40 swimmers is not based on luck, it's based on your skill and speed. I also think that there is merit to the idea of swimming bigger distances, which will actually help you be fast. You are evidence of that. I just didn't want to add distance while I was still swimming slow (for me). I feel that if I get used to plodding along slowly, I will slip into that rhythm and it will be a tough habit to break.
Plus part of the joy and relaxation for me is to be able to turn on the jets and blast along when I feel like it.
Hi Curly
U are right!
When i back in my memory i think u 100% right! Speed is something. Make our swim ( pool or ow. For joy or comp) very diferent!
Know u Curly i back and think something! How i feel? if i swim more slow?!? I really dont know! Is i will be happy and will swim with same joy? Maybe in my relax day swim. Yes! But in race ow swim? I dont know! ( i have one ow swim so important foт me. This race will be on top in my heart forever!I swim 18 years to date and have luck one time to win this race overall ! Not just in my age group! This swim and after few years same i go ahead to one of the best in past prof ow swimer ! All both 2009.2014 and 2016 ( i was secont overall - 21 y older from 1st place and 25 years from 3 place)) and few more times.without speed i will be lost!) ) If i not feeling the water! People can feel the water.really only if they lhave good speed! my opinion. but the 100% true for me!
I have same base speed. from my younger years ! And work for me now.when i find money and go for some ow swim! But if i havnt(endur speed!. For money all is clealy! Always is not enought) ) I too will looking for speed training!
Hey Curly i will stop. I dont know is right writing here or in personal!? And on other hand my english is not for everyone!
Hard for reading and more hard for understanding!)))
Ok maybe will have chapter 2 for speed and slow swim!) Some days( will sey my training sets when swim with clock! Few monts ffor 11 years !))) )
Tomorow will say my opinon for goggles!
All the best to all in forum)
I would say that your English is probably better than if I attempted to speak your native tongue. I used to know some useful phrases in a number of languages when I was younger. But you have to use it or it disappears, like any other skill.
Have you ever used google translate? If you have a working knowledge of English, you could write in your native tongue and see what the English translation says. Then you can see how well your English version compares to the google version. A great way to learn. Also keep posting on English speaking sites like this one because it will increase your skill bit by bit.
Regarding competition and swimming for fun, I like both. I used to compete far more seriously and found I didn't like it so much. Now my competition is just personal goals and sometimes races where I know one or two of the top swimmers and I try to beat them. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't. But it is no longer life or death. Maybe I have gotten wiser as I get older.
Ha ha ha)))
No use google. Not for me! This kind of study!
Back in swimming questions)
Today i have time to swim 30min ( 25m pool) feel great and think to our discussion!
100% if i havnt ow compet in futute i will swim slow and for telax! So pleasure to swim slow like eskimos!)
But for race .i Dont know maybe will must do training for speed!
Nevermind fast or slow. Most important to have time and mood to swim...with smile!)
Ps have u same big ow swim dream?
I have one! Top ow dream! For so many years ! Every time when jump in water think for that few min or few hours)))
One day to have luck to try swim Catalina! I hope! I think if i swim one day.maybe will wish
To swim 20h hours. Slow and feel my dream.which come true! No wish to be quickly finish my dream swim....6 or 7 hours!))))
Health and luck to all
As a slow swimmer, I'm impressed by both @curly and @Openh2o --you both would leave me in your wake ha!
That said, I enjoy mixing things up. Some days, I swim at a relaxed pace open waterand enjoy the scenery. While swimming Spuyten Duyvil, I had to stop here and there to take in the beauty of the Hudson. I wasn't in that swim to race, just to experience it. Yes, near the back of the pack, but fortunately, Mother Nature lent a hand with a generous current assist, so I was well under the cut-off.
In my recent Schuylkill River 8 mile swim, no way was a sprint going to happen, but for fun and variety, I'd sometimes pick up the pace, then settle back in to a "let's just keep moving" pace. At one point, I had to stop to enjoy the heron lifting out of the water! In the last 1/2 mile, I noticed clouds getting dark, and I wasn't about to be stopped by a thunderstorm after all that time, so I pushed a bit more (not that my pace would be competitive at all!--although interestingly, my coach, who came out to meet my kayaker and me, told me I looked strong considering how long I had been swimming).
OTOH, I can enjoy pool workouts and swim meets, going breathless in a 50 or 100 freestyle.
Sometimes in my master's workouts when everyone is faster and my slower pace stands out much more, I can feel discouraged. But I have to remind myself that no one is forcing me to be there. I'm there bc I love swimming, and especially during this time of covid, I'm fortunate to have the opportunities I do.
Yes, indeed. I enjoy the competition when it's competitive. If someone is way faster than me, then I don't care, because I can't do anything about it. If we are close, then I'm racing. If I'm way faster, then I don't care, because really, no one else cares either. But regardless, being able to get out and enjoy a nice swim is really the whole point.
And to bring home that point. Tonight, my kayaker and I were enjoying a pleasant evening dinner on our back deck. Within about 5 minutes, suddenly smoke from the wildfires blew in. Washington state is kind of battling a bunch of wildfires East of here and the winds decided to shift and share the wealth. So we are suddenly smoked out. Which means that this weeks swims are probably in jeopardy even though the weather was predicted to be perfect. I was looking forward to a relatively quiet lake and now we might be forced inside.
If the COVID don't get you, the wildfires will. What a year....
What a year.....!))))
I hope next be more exciting !))
With more swimming adventure!)