Swim Challenge - Midwest (Page 11)

No sandbagging here Jennifer.  Like Triman said, a few of us will be leaving town for holidays and will be getting most of our swimming in during the first part of December.  I had to lower my intial goal because of a Christmas trip to Chicago.  Between that and four coach meetings, which lower my daily mileage, I set my total goal higher than what I thought I could do just to push myself to swim more.  If the YeeHaw's win you can call us any name you want, but until then, zip it and get in the pool.

Rabka:  Don't let the landscape in my picture fool you.  Omaha is very hilly.  We are situated on the edges of the Loess Hills, which stretch though Iowa into Nebraska.  The only flat spots around here are around area lakes, which is where we ran our 10 miler.

Outside of Omaha most of Nebraska is flat, with the exception of the sandhills near SD.

Welcome Vortmax and your 8000 meters!

Come on in, the water's fine (maybe a little cold).

the swim is my weak point, so it's up to you guys to Kick my *** into gear motivate me. Only have 5000 m more to go by sunday!

Vortmax - I'll add you to the logs and welcome aboard! Let' go kick some Canadian butt!

Hey Blizzards! Guess what I woke up to today? About 4" of new snow and it is still falling! Looks like it is a good swim day to me!

The swim is my weak point as well.  I just learned to swim from scratch about 10 months ago.  My first Sprint distance triathlon I swam one length of the pool and water-jogged the way back.  I did this the entire 500 meters because I couldn't swim more tha 25 meters at a time without exploding.  Now I'm swimming 3-4 miles a week in preperation for my first IM next Sept.  I may be super slow, but atleast I'm no longer water-jogging. 

Glad to have you as part of the team Vortmax.  No go get in the pool.....

 

I bunch of good points here on "sandbagging". Before the challenge I pretty much was not swimming or only swam 1 mile at a crack. Because of this challenge and seeing the yardage that some people in the group were planning, I chose to pick a swim number matching the largest (someone added a bigger one after me).

So once I chose the yardage, I created a plan to go after it, 2 miles each time. I had never even done 2 miles once, not to mention 7 times in one month. Once I actually went into the pool I started to push the 2 mile yardage (when I have time) and got to almost 4 miles once. In my wildest dreams, I would not have ever thought I could have done that, without a lot more training.

So here I am, mentally comfortable with more than I ever imagined all because I joined a meaningless challenge with a group of virtual friends. My stroke is better, my confidence is high, and I will place well in the swim category in my next tri.

So if anyone else is a sandbagger like me; I'm proud of you! Sandbag on!

I don't think it's possible to sandbag swimming during December. No one should be belittled for getting in the pool in the winter. I'll say the same thing during January and February.

I'm all for smack talk, being the Queen of SmackTalk, but I have never cared for accusations of sandbagging. We are all should be presumed honest participants.

Edited by Renee 2005-12-14 10:17 AM

Thanks for the PM hikergerb. Now we are down a bit I am heading to the pool.

Anybody watching me swim my 1200 today would be more worried about me dragging a sandbag then being a sandbagger! After shoveling all morning (work and home) My shoulders were dogged before I hit the pool (not to mention I lifted weights last night - am I insane!). Bottom line was it wasn't pretty but it was done and put in the bank!

I think in order to win this thing we will all have to meet our goals. Team Utah only has 7 or 8 people who have small yardage plans. They look to pretty easily meet their goals. Thus to tie for first we have to be perfect. Perhaps a tie breaker could be ave yards/person or average percent of goal (more than 100%)

For those still working on your stroke (this is everyone really). You will work much less if your stroke is longer. Do the drill of counting strokes per lap and trying to stretch out and push your arm all the way back, accelerating as you go back. A longer stroke will require less O2 and thus make the swim easier. Just for reference I do about 24 (counting each arm stroke), I'm 5' 10".

Anyone else want to comment on drills?

Team UTAH appreciates the notice!  On that comment about small yardage plans, I believe that for virtually everyone on our team the yardage committed will be a personal high!  No sandbagging here!  Just out trying to get better!

On the other hand, I will honestly say that the Blizzards are doing awesome.  Even though TEAM UTAH is my team, I want the Blizzards to do well also, having recently moved to Utah from Blizzard Country (Minneapolis).  I think we should form an alliance and Kick the Canucks and everyother team!

I read something that said you should try to be swimming smoothly in the water-yes, duh, I know, but the point was that you should take several laps to just listen to your stroke-are you loud and splashy? Mabye there's something wrong with your technique and you are probably not being very efficient.I try to do that every time, just slow down and focus, and think about my stroke being smooth and efficient.

did my 1500 meters. Spent the first and last 250 going really slow trying to focus on my form. It seemed to help a lot. I tried bilateral breathing for the first time and it made me faster. I was having to slow my pace because breathing every 4th stroke was too long, but every 2nd was too short. When I switched to every 3rd, it was just right. That and making me roll my body to the right to breathe really helped me feel that whole hip rotation thing you guys keep talking about.

Way to go Triman!

Bruise,

Some of us on the Midwest have pretty modest goals. Not sure what Renee has planned for a tiebreaker between 100% teams.

Tommorrow I am shooting for 5,000 yards baby. Cross my fingers, and well see how the shoulder does.

Good luck smokey! I have shoulder concerns as well. My 6300 Meters just got bested by "So fresh so clean" with team Canada (7000 yards/6400 meters). I'm sitting comfortably at my desk planning out 5 miles (8250 meters) to once and for all put it out of reach. I know that I'm getting a big head but am probably stubborn enough to give it go anyway.

I'm thinking if I make it easier by adding in some other strokes besides free, add a swim cap, perhaps some kicking laps, use the walls better; that I can make it if I get into a grove. Maybe. I will swim tomorrow, and make it a good work out, just how far is the question.

Way to go Triman! I think in the event of a tie breaker, Renee will go back to the smallest team with the biggest mouth and most frequent smack talk....um that would be us, the GC Wahoos!

Triman is the Rudolph to the rest of us reindeer. Nice job leading the way, man...

I want to be dancer, huh huh can I?

Shouldn't you be cupid the way you're out there making the old ladies melt?

I'm done too!

10650 yards this month.