how can I make peace with swimming?

Blues or boredom?

If I need to I can swim 3 days a week, but honestly I rather like 2 days a week. My time isn't that much faster if I swim more... so I really don't see the point of swimming 3 days a week. My time is better spent training for the bike and run.

I mean, in a Sprint or Oly, even in a HIM.. you aren't doing to save THAT much time shaving :10 off your per 100 yard time... ya know? How much work do you have to do to shave that time off? Probably more than :10 is worth, if you ask me.

I also realized that I'm pretty picky when it comes to where I swim. Specifically, I hate cold water. HATE IT. I was having to go to a pool with water so cold (to me) that it would take me 10 minutes to inch in (jumping in is even more miserable). Not to mention if I stopepd swimming for a couple of minutes I would start to shiver.

I then got a membership to a Lifetime Fitness near my apartment. It's close and THE WATER IS WARM! I don't DREAD the idea of swimming now. Now I just get lazy and don't want to go... HA!

Have you thought about getting an MP3 for swimming? Maybe that will help motivate you?

FUNNY!

Hey, is that a good thing or a bad thing? Cause after what I posted about what I do if people swim over me in OWS's, sharing a lane with me might be a bad thing!


PS- to the OP... I also found that swimming with people can make it more enjoyable. Maybe you can find a group or a friend to swim laps with?

Apparently I need to read all the posts before I post! Haha. Well obviously I'm with KSH on this point! MP3 for swimming is making me excited about going swimming just to use my new stuff!! Its working ALREADY and I don't even have it yet!

I hear bells as I step out on the pool deck.  Like the ding ding ding of a boxing ring.  I love to swim.  I probably over train in the swimming (or at least when I train I prefer to be swimming)!

Here are my Killer Whale views of the water:

Always shower before getting into the water.  Even if it is a hot shower, it will make the transition onto the pool deck and into the water better.  Not to mention keep the pool cleaner.

Change up your workout.  Nothing is as boring as swimming a mile nonstop.  Especially if the only thing you are staring at is the nasty bandaid you pass over somewhere around stroke 14.  Do long sets, do short sets.  Do sprint sets until you puke.  Do something other than freestyle.  Do something silly.  Do drills.  There are a lot of workouts on the web. 

Change up where/when you swim (if you can).  I love swimming in outdoor pools durring the summer- my local outdoor pool is open for lap swim from 6-7am.  Today was the first time I swam at that time in that perticular pool.  I was amazed because at 6:10am I realized that I needed to HTFU and I should of ridden my bike there- like all the other triathletes.
I vary my swims between a lake, 2 outdoor pools and an indoor pool.  Never a dull moment.

Do push ups every day that you don't swim.  Maintaining upper body strentgh will help you plow through the water.

Start thinking like a Killer Whale.  Or otter or dolphin or insert various other water creature here.  Stop thinking of the swim workout as "UGH!  I HAVE to go to the POOL".  I know it's hard to enjoy something you don't like.  When I first started I didn't like the bike and yes somedays it hurts my @ss....but I haven't labled my bike as that "@ss chewing torture device".  Frame of mind.  My husband will ask me not to ride too far on nights that he wants pizza though!

It sounds funny but especially doing an OWS I offer a sort of prayer to Poseidon.  It kinda goes with the Athena/Greek theme.  I also think the sun striking the pool water is beautiful.  And oh hell I sure like the scenery at the local lake- there is always some random hot guy to brighten my day.

Thanks guys..... I do have groups to go to.. I go to either Masters in the evenings or AM - but that AM means 6am-7am... getting up at 5:30 to try to eat a small something.. One of my rewards has been using Members plus at my YMCA which is a changeroom only for 19+ women where they have private showers and nice changerooms, blow dryers etc... I also can go to another pool with my coach and his other people- they tend to lap me, but we all have different goals. Either workouts I get feedback etc....... but I think the difference is in the pool we go back and forth and stare at the black line..... when running or swimming the scenery changes etc...

I teach fitness and I enjoy motivating others and loosing myself in the workout... before you know it it's done!

I have one MP3 player but not for the pool... maybe I'll wish for one of those for Christmas... what do they cost?

Heather

I too, am stuck in a "2x per week" swim routine. Not because I don't like to swim...I actually love to swim...definitely more so than running, that's for darn sure! With me, it's more about schedules, not having enough time to fit everything in, feeling rushed and hurried ALL THE TIME! My swim days are Wed & Fri morning, because that is when my schedule "gels" with the lap swim schedule at the pool. On those days, I hit the gym early right when they open at 5:30am...do an hour of cardio (usually a 3 mile run and 30 min. Stairmaster or elliptical), an hour of strength training, and some quick abs and stretching. I do a quick change in the locker room into my swimsuit and outta there no later than 8:45am. It's about a 15 minute drive to the outdoor pool...lap swim starts at 9-10:15am, so I'm usually one of the first few people there...which is nice because I have my pick of lanes and it's not too crowded for the first 20 or so minutes. I basically do a straight freestyle non-stop swim of 2000 - 2500 meters, which generally takes me anywhere from 50-60 minutes to complete. Then it's back home to eat, nap, shower, and get ready for work. Rinse & repeat on Friday! It's a tight schedule and it always makes me feel like I'm a chicken running around with its head chopped off!!! But once I actually get to the pool and get into the water...that is when I can "make peace with swimming".

I just bought a waterproof armband and headphones set, not a new MP3...check out http://www.h2oaudio.com/

I love my swim MP3 player..I see folks struggling with ones with cords and ear phones don't stay in these you just put next to your check bones and hear it that way...this really has worked well for me last two years.

I used to struggle with swimming more after 3-4 years I still was slow and not improving and doing most of the workouts and it annoyed and frustrated me. This year I've made peace with it. I do the best I can, accept I'm me and not KSH or some of my fast fish friends. I took lessons yet again this winter and found a better swim coach. My tri coach gives me very interesting workouts that I find mentally refreshing compared to my old workouts.

I no longer dread swimming or am much less frustrated with it. I'm more at peace with it and interesting I've improved. I did extra swims in the winter as I had time and I "socialize" when I swim..see same older folks and chat a little. Running and biking do 99% alone. My kids tease me as they think everyone at the Y knows me...I chat a lot.

I struggle with pool swimming too and it's so weird because even though my mind will try to come up with many excuses not to swim, once I'm in the water I am so glad to be there. I try to swim in the ocean at least once a week and in the pool twice but my pool schedule suffers. I find the open water far more appealing for long swims. In fact, my weekly ocean swim is currently my favorite planned workout. Do you have an open water option? It's the same thing for me with running though. If I'm hitting the trails I'm excited for my run. If I'm hitting the treadmill it seems I try to come up with excuses.

I'm a little biased because I grew up swimming competitively so I have some crazy love for it.

However, I definitely have my share of days where I dread the boredom of a long, monotonous workout.  As others have said, coached swim practices make a hell of a difference in enjoying a swim workout.  I like a variety of sets, some distance, some sprints.  Gotta mix it up and keep it interesting!  I also like to take a few minutes sometimes and just lay back and enjoy the feel of the water against my skin.  As someone else said, think of yourself as a graceful being that belongs in the water and try to swim that way.

One other thing that really helps my swimming is strength training with heavy weights on a regular basis.  We women do not bulk up the way men do so don't be afraid to lift heavy.  Check out "The New Rules of Lifting For Women" if you haven't read it.  It is a really easy, interesting read and will provide you with a 6 month lifting plan.  Lifting has made me lean and strong, and my swimming speed and the point at which I reach muscle fatigue have noticeably improved.

GL!!

Edited by happyshoes 2009-07-29 9:27 PM

try smoking some mary jane before hand.