Continue with masters or swim on my own?

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2009-03-18 11:47 AM

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Subject: Continue with masters or swim on my own?

My first ever triathlon (a sprint) is on April 19th.  I started swimming with the masters group at the end of February and am paid through the end of March.  It is the first and only swim training I have ever had in my life.  My swimming has improved a lot.  The coach spends a good amount of time with me and has me doing drills on all different strokes.  My only complaint is that sometimes he is focusing so much on the various strokes that I don't get to work on building up distance as much as I would like.

So my question is this... in these last 2 weeks building up to my race...do you think I should pay for April and continue to work with the masters or just swim on my own and work on distance and endurance? 

 

Thank you! Smile

2009-03-18 11:51 AM
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Subject: RE: Continue with masters or swim on my own?
Amanda M - 2009-03-18 9:47 AM

My first ever triathlon (a sprint) is on April 19th. I started swimming with the masters group at the end of February and am paid through the end of March. It is the first and only swim training I have ever had in my life. My swimming has improved a lot. The coach spends a good amount of time with me and has me doing drills on all different strokes. My only complaint is that sometimes he is focusing so much on the various strokes that I don't get to work on building up distance as much as I would like.

So my question is this... in these last 2 weeks building up to my race...do you think I should pay for April and continue to work with the masters or just swim on my own and work on distance and endurance?

 

Thank you! Smile

Just, you know, a thought...have you asked the coach about it? It sounds like you have a good one, they aren't that common.

John



Edited by tkd.teacher 2009-03-18 11:51 AM
2009-03-18 11:53 AM
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Subject: RE: Continue with masters or swim on my own?
Can you do both? It seems to me that you're getting a lot out of Masters, but some longer straight sessions in the pool might give you more confidence for your sprint.
2009-03-18 11:56 AM
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Subject: RE: Continue with masters or swim on my own?
I would stick with the master program. The sprint will probably only have a 1/4 mile swim. Getting your stroke inline is much more important at this point. How many yards are you swimming during your workouts?
2009-03-18 12:12 PM
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Subject: RE: Continue with masters or swim on my own?

John... I thought about that too.... that maybe I should just let him know what I need to do and see how he can help me.

TheSchwamm...I could do both probably, but based on the expense I was leaning towards one or the other.  (My gym does not have an indoor pool, so I would have to pay to swim each time AND pay for the masters).

Brian... I haven't really been keeping good track of my distance (but decided this week that I needed to!).  I tried yesterday and I think I came up with about 1400m overall.  The farthest I have gone all at once is 300m.  The race is a 500m lake swim.

 Thanks for your thoughts everyone!!

2009-03-18 12:21 PM
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Subject: RE: Continue with masters or swim on my own?
I would echo what's been posted already. If you can, try to add in some longer swim sets on your own. If you talk about your plans for the tri with your coach, mention any of your own swims too.

Stick with your coach, and be sure to thank him.

Edit: cross posted with you

Edited by Micawber 2009-03-18 12:38 PM

2009-03-18 1:40 PM
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Subject: RE: Continue with masters or swim on my own?

Stick with the masters program.  The "other strokes" and being pushed by a group are beneficial to your triathlon swimming.  You'll get faster with Masters than on your own.

That being said, master swimming fits well into my tri training schedule only twice a week.  I swim another time on my own during the week, focusing on longer distance intervals (4x500 for example) that we don't do a lot of in my masters group.

Brian   

2009-03-18 2:05 PM
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Subject: RE: Continue with masters or swim on my own?

Thanks for the input everyone.  I was leaning towards sticking with the masters and I think I will.  I'm sure I can squeeze in a few other swims on my own!

 

2009-03-18 4:28 PM
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Subject: RE: Continue with masters or swim on my own?
Good decision Sounds like your masters coach is good.  And you'll stay way past April won't you to keep swimming with them in preparation for your next tri and next and next
2009-03-18 7:57 PM
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Subject: RE: Continue with masters or swim on my own?

I convert almost everything in our masters workouts to free. Our coach is fine with it and doesn't push the other strokes.

I also do longer sets and more drills in my extra workouts. I'll also change the normal 200 cool down to a 600 or so if I'm not too gassed after the masters workout.

2009-03-19 6:21 AM
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Subject: RE: Continue with masters or swim on my own?

Thanks again for the input everyone!  This swimming stuff is so new to me it can be intimidating!!

 I talked with my coach after I got out of the pool today and he had some good ideas for distance training!  Yay!  I'll be in Nashville next week for work and then will have the next couple weeks to focus on endurance and distance! 

 I can't wait until April 19th!!!!!!!

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