aber4 - 2008-01-11 4:48 PM
coldheat - 2008-01-11 3:45 PM
I know exactly what your problem is! You aren't pacing propperly in the first lap, and probably aren't breathing full complete relaxed breaths
I'm not sure about the pacing part...I seem to be really trying to focus on going slow. The breathing I'm sure is part of it as I don't think that is very relaxed, in part because of technique. Everything I read says don't lift your head out of the water and I think my roll is so poor that I don't have much choice...which kills any momentum each time I breath.
Sorry so long ahead of time...
You sound so much like where I am right now, it's scary. I do all right my first 25 to 35 and then - BAM - I'm dying for air. Even when I go really, really slowly and do bilateral breathing every 3rd stroke, it doesn't seem to help. I also end up having to take my head pretty far out of the water, too.
I just finished reading Eric Harr's book "Triathlon Training in Four Hours a Week" and I may have figured out my problem. Most of what gets us forward is with our arms, yet I'm still kicking pretty heavily - even when I'm going slow. Also, and I haven't tried doing this 'cause I haven't been to the pool since, but you're supposed to swim from your hips. As a former softball player, the analagy he gave made sense to me. When you throw a ball, you use your hips and rotate into the throw. Now, imagine that sand is covering you right past your waist and then try to throw. You wouldn't throw very far. Now I just need to figure out how to rotate in water! Ugh! :-
)
It could be you and I are expending energy in the wrong places. Even if I were doing better, though, I think I might still have breathing problems. To counter that, I've started yoga and after the first lesson I was aware of how much "breath potential" I'd been missing out on. Hopefully, with all this in mind, I can begin to improve.
I sure do hope this helps you in some way. We WILL get past this...!