IMKY13 finish!!
Okay, I survived my first open water swim….yea!!! However, the water was pretty choppy (the coordinators of it said it was choppier than normal…that it usually isn’t choppy at all), and I kept getting a mouth full of water when I turned my head to breath, thus breaking up any rhythm I had. Any tips/suggestions for not drinking half the lake next time I attempt this?
Fitness/weight goals for 2014
1) STAY INJURY FREE!!!
2) Get to 189 lbs by the end of July 2014...and stay there (as of 4-25-14 was at 203 lbs)
3) Complete Ironman Chattanooga in under 14 hours
4) Break 4 hours in a stand alone marathon (Goal race=Rocket City 12/13/14)
5) 4,500 total overall miles for the year:
Swim: 100 miles
Bike: 3,000 miles
Run: 1,400 miles
Choppy water sucks.
Short of lifting your head there isn't much you can do...that I know of.
IronMan ;)
Are you able to breath on either side? That often helps as the chop usually comes from one direction. Other than that I guess just be glad it was fresh and not salt water
Tri-Kev Here are my favorite links: My "kick @ss" running club ;) Swim 2.4 miles. Ride 112 miles. Run 26.2 miles. Then brag for the rest of your life. -Commander John Collins, Ironman Triathlon creator
I am trying to breathe from both sides, but when I breathe to my right, it feels very uncomfortable & I feel like I'm getting my ear filled with water (I do just fine breathing to my left). I really need to learn to breath bilatterally...I think that will be one of my swim goals during this upcoming off-season (I have a tri at the end of August).
Yes, definitely learn to breathe either direction. There are a couple reasons why (one of which Tri-Kev reminded me of or made me aware of).
1. choppy water (thanks Tri-Kev, as I've never dealt with that yet)
2. symetric swim pattern. By learning how to swim while breathing "the opposite way", you may realize some inefficiencies or biases with your arms pulling / pushing through the water. By being able to be symetric at any time during training in the pool, you'll be able to work out those biases and train your entire body to be efficient from the left and the right.
3. swim direction during race (hitting your spots). A couple months ago, I did a race that swam counter clockwise. I was a dominant right breather, and planned to swim breathing to my right. During training, I swam bilateral or to my right only (never to my left only). When swimming counter clockwise, it made it very difficult to find my landmarks. Whether it was a buoy locator along the route (always to my left) or the land that was to my left. The entire swim, I was challenged finding my bearings.
Life Goals:
#1: Do what I can do
#2: Enjoy life
Yes, definitely learn to breathe either direction. There are a couple reasons why (one of which Tri-Kev reminded me of or made me aware of). 1. choppy water (thanks Tri-Kev, as I've never dealt with that yet) 2. symetric swim pattern. By learning how to swim while breathing "the opposite way", you may realize some inefficiencies or biases with your arms pulling / pushing through the water. By being able to be symetric at any time during training in the pool, you'll be able to work out those biases and train your entire body to be efficient from the left and the right. 3. swim direction during race (hitting your spots). A couple months ago, I did a race that swam counter clockwise. I was a dominant right breather, and planned to swim breathing to my right. During training, I swam bilateral or to my right only (never to my left only). When swimming counter clockwise, it made it very difficult to find my landmarks. Whether it was a buoy locator along the route (always to my left) or the land that was to my left. The entire swim, I was challenged finding my bearings.
I would add to that 4) avoiding staring into the sun. My open water swims are all north-south and in the early AM, so I have to be able to switch.
I'm the same way. I breath every fourth stroke and that works out pretty well. If I'm going hard, I sometimes breath every third stroke so I'm bilatteral breathing. When I breath to my left, I feel like I'm sinking. By the time I get my face back in the water my entire body is under water and I have to fight toget my right arm out and in front of me for the next stroke.
The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.) - Jeff
2014 Goals:
Stay healthy
Enjoy life