Since Nov 1, I've done 50K of swimming in 27 days. Even though I am not swimming every day, nor am I making "50 miles in 50 days", I AM accomplishing my goal, which is to regain my swimming strength after my accident knocked out some of the internal spinal cord connections to my arms. Over the past year, I have been slowly reducing my swim times back to what they were before the accident. This week, my weight (i.e., muscle mass) is *finally* back to where it was in April of 2010, but not yet up to where it usually is this time of year.
Today, I did an accidental 1000 yard swim test. I warmed up with 1000 yards, not trying to swim for speed, just bilateral breathing. I haven't been timing myself in the water since IM AZ 4 weeks ago, but today I hit the watch at the start and decided to hit it again when I finished the 1000 yards. I went 16:38. This compares to my best recent test of 15:29 in May 2010, another test 10 months ago, when I started swimming again, of 18:52, and a test in August 2011 of 16:53,. My goal with this current swim focus is to get that 1000 yard test under 16 minutes, and hit 15:30 by next summer. Heck, just breathing every other stroke instead of every third is usually good for 1-2 seconds/100 yds for me, to say nothing of what might happen if I tried to swim fast.
WIth my personal 50/50 swim focus rolling to a close next week, I felt good enough on he way to the pool today to throw down a 1000 yard test. First, 50 easy warm up, then 50 easy with paddles to get a good feel for the water. Then, have at it. I went 15:57, down almost a minute from last August, and 3 minutes from last Feb when I started this project to regain my swim strength/fitness. I'm still on target to get back to my 15:30 by the summer and call myself healed.
I was was in/out/in/out on this then my local club had a January Swim Challenge so I decided to do 30 miles in 30 days. I got it done. 53,150 yards, or 30.2 miles.
I also swim one day 13,500 yards averaging 1:44/100 yds. 7.7 miles. Was epic.
Glad that is done. Time to shorten things up and do some speed work. :-)
Comments
Since Nov 1, I've done 50K of swimming in 27 days. Even though I am not swimming every day, nor am I making "50 miles in 50 days", I AM accomplishing my goal, which is to regain my swimming strength after my accident knocked out some of the internal spinal cord connections to my arms. Over the past year, I have been slowly reducing my swim times back to what they were before the accident. This week, my weight (i.e., muscle mass) is *finally* back to where it was in April of 2010, but not yet up to where it usually is this time of year.
Today, I did an accidental 1000 yard swim test. I warmed up with 1000 yards, not trying to swim for speed, just bilateral breathing. I haven't been timing myself in the water since IM AZ 4 weeks ago, but today I hit the watch at the start and decided to hit it again when I finished the 1000 yards. I went 16:38. This compares to my best recent test of 15:29 in May 2010, another test 10 months ago, when I started swimming again, of 18:52, and a test in August 2011 of 16:53,. My goal with this current swim focus is to get that 1000 yard test under 16 minutes, and hit 15:30 by next summer. Heck, just breathing every other stroke instead of every third is usually good for 1-2 seconds/100 yds for me, to say nothing of what might happen if I tried to swim fast.
WIth my personal 50/50 swim focus rolling to a close next week, I felt good enough on he way to the pool today to throw down a 1000 yard test. First, 50 easy warm up, then 50 easy with paddles to get a good feel for the water. Then, have at it. I went 15:57, down almost a minute from last August, and 3 minutes from last Feb when I started this project to regain my swim strength/fitness. I'm still on target to get back to my 15:30 by the summer and call myself healed.
Good work, Al.
I was was in/out/in/out on this then my local club had a January Swim Challenge so I decided to do 30 miles in 30 days. I got it done. 53,150 yards, or 30.2 miles.
I also swim one day 13,500 yards averaging 1:44/100 yds. 7.7 miles. Was epic.
Glad that is done. Time to shorten things up and do some speed work. :-)
Rock on, everyone!