Shake, shake, shake …
This morning I dropped in on a swim program I’m thinking of signing up for in the New Year.
Shake, shake …
In earlier posts I had mentioned that I thought I’d do my swimming on my own with help from a colleague with a swim background but I don’t think that’s going to work out (read: I can’t get motivated enough to get my ass in the pool). Also, the public lane swim times for the pools in my area SUUUUUUUUUCK.
However, if I sign up and pay for this program, you better dang well believe I’m going to get in the pool and get my money’s worth. Plussss, the program gets prime swim time (M/W/F 6-7am) and is located near my office.
Still, it’s pricey so this morning I wanted to check out the coach and the other members before I decided to commit – and see how hard it would be to get up at 5am (to be on deck for 6am).
Shakeshakeshakeshakeshake …
Outcome:
- Coach was very welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable.
- Members were very welcoming and friendly.
- Members also varied greatly in their swim level and (small victory) I wasn’t the slowest J.
- Getting up at 5am … not horrible. (Snooze button is my enemy!)
This morning’s workout:
Warm up – 200 m front crawl, 100m legs only
Drills – 100 m zipper drill (Drag your arm up your side – like a zipper – on each arm stroke. This enforces proper body rotation).
Core – 5 x 300m, 1 min rest in between
Shake … shake …. shake …
Outcome:
- A black eye. Ok maybe not a real black eye but my googles, with their (a little too awesome) suction, gave me some nasty popped blood vessels around my left eye leaving me with what looked like a tiny bit of a shiner.
- Legs are fine. Arms need work. Left shoulder is weaker.
- Zipper drill will be key because when I don’t focus I stop rotating my body and end up just wind milling my arms.
- A black eye. Ok maybe not a real black eye but my googles, with their (a little too awesome) suction, gave me some nasty popped blood vessels around my left eye leaving me with what looked like a tiny bit of a shiner.
- Legs are fine. Arms need work. Left shoulder is weaker.
- Zipper drill will be key because when I don’t focus I stop rotating my body and end up just wind milling my arms.
- Need to breathe less. (I breathe every two. Would be better if I could breathe every 3 or 4 even).
- Need to learn how to properly do a flip turn at the end of a pool length to make my turnarounds more efficient.
I didn’t finish the 5 x 300m. I definitely got 4. Maybe 4 and 100m. (Anyone got any tricks for keeping track of lengths?) I’m pleased because that means overall, in an hour (with some breaks) I managed to complete 1700m. That’s half the ironman swim distance. And the time cut off for the swim is 2 hours 20 min. So from the get go, I’m under! (Although this is in a pool, and the ironman will be in open water – but shush! – let me have my moment J)
SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE …
Now if I get just get this damn water out of my ear.
