Swimming

Pay the lifeguard in beer to count you.

Counting lengths is the next thing to learn after breathing. You'll get there. I always do something on the tenth length, sometimes it is take it easier, sometimes it is do it as a fast as possible, whatever, just mark it and go again.
Two hours though is a very long session, mentally as well as physically. You won't get any benefit that you wouldn't get in doing a 45 minute session if you do the 45 minute session right. Do two hours now and you will soon be sick of swimming. (well I know I get fed up with it) unless you have a real structure. Plus you risk injury doing a session that long when comparatively new to it.

Sorry, wasn't clear- two sessions of one hour each are planned for midweek.

Likely Tuesday and Wednesday.

I shall endeavour to crack the counting thing.

Just do it yourself, Neil. :)

I'm completely unable to keep a count of how many lengths I've done- any hints or tips for keeping this in mind?

If you're doing distance sessions I wouldn't bother counting, it just makes the whole enterprise seem dull and like watching the clock, it seems to make it last longer. Plus you'll inevitably lose count. Your method of going for a duration based on an average pace is bang on I'd say.

Although when I was training for a distance event a few years back i played a game to keep myself amused, if my session was going to be say, 100 lengths, I'd start in the year 1910 and try and think one thing I knew about that year in the first 25 metres, and so on up to 2010.

These days almost all of my training is in sets dictated a coach and I tend to stay mid-lane so I'm not leading and don't even need to count. Also I tend to do the sprint stuff as the variety is more fun. I really should do some distance stuff too. I used to really enjoy cruising up and down for 90 mins or so.

I did a mixture today, 10 lengths of crawl, then 10 lengths of (slow, crap) breast-stroke, then crawl again etc etc.

1,500 metres took 35 minutes, after which I contented myself with tootling up and down for a bit, before discovering that if you do three strokes then breath in breast-stroke you go a lot faster than stroke/breath/stroke/breath.

Did an hour in all, another hour tomorrow, then some gym time and then a longer swim on the weekend.

anyone got any ideas for getting back into a training routine after a couple months off. i went last night, did 1100m but lost focus pretty quickly.

i'm blaming it on the lifeguard who i am convinced looks like Professor Greens little brother...

I would avoid just ploughing up and down.

Swimsmooth.com has a load of set you could try.

An easy set to follow would be

4 x 100 warm up (4th length anything but fc)
4 x 100 drill sets of choice - catch one day, roll the next, recovery etc...
8 - 12 x 100 or 4 - 6 x 200 off whatever your threshold pace is - I'll do 100 off 2 minutes, my threshold pace being 1:25
2 x 100 warm down

Urgh Otter tonight. I really have lost my will to swim lately.

Nick-Nack are you still on here? I got sent the Cally Masters AGM minutes last week (I'm still a member, I think once you sign up you're you there for life) and they're looking for a coach. Not sure if you'd be interested in coaching a "team" but thought I'd mention it. They really are a proper motley crew. One lane of competitive masters swimmers and five lanes of cheerily hopeless recreational swimmers. They need a leader!

Hey you little schwimmers !

Dooks, I am totally struggling at the moment, it seems october arrives and i go into, booze and laze mode... not good.

Been cycling alot more and now have a dog to walk too so swimming is being pushed back which i also hate myself for...
Drank 3/4 bottle of rose last night so dont feel like swimming today, havent been since tuesday... taking too longer breaks in between ! eughh. hummmpffff.

Must swim tomorrow and sunday ! someone force me please..... ?!

Not bothered about pushing myself atm. Just happy to maintain until the new year arrives and i can focus again.
Dont want to put on weight or loose swim fitness though.

on the plus side my IM's are better.
It turns out rest is good when doing more fly... whodathought !?

Having a rest from the teaching.... a full time job is enough for me atm.

Dooks, am not coach qualified, though am only too happy to boss people around regarding swimming (or anything really)

My suggestion; more relay races.... everyone loves a relay race !

Awesomeness

Sun Yang Technique - multi angle camera - loop - YouTube

Swim meet up anyone ? Might force me to actually swim !

Somewhere open air but heated ?

Isn't Brockwell heated?

Definitely not. I think it's closed now till spring.

Isn't Brockwell heated?

Definitely not. I think it's closed now till spring.

Not heated, as shown here:

https://www.lfgss.com/thread42536.html

London Fields is heated, though.

I really need to go again sometime. I haven't gone swimming since Dunwich. :)

Hampton too.

Hey. Same here with the hibernation booze fest brought on by the clocks going back. Am keeping gut in check by running but yep swimming is suffering.

Went to Otter last night for the first time since the 100m handicap f*ck up two weeks ago and guess what? it was club championships night. Eurghh. I hate racing. Did the 35 min warm up and got out. Celebrated avoiding race based humiliation with meatballs and a whole bottle of rioja. Mmmmm.

Weirdly, I felt strong in the warmup and seriously considered going up a lane. Although i've been rubbish at getting to the pool I have at least been doing stretch cords and push ups when getting in after runs which seems to be paying off in terms of upper body strength.

I'll get back into it i'm sure. It's only natural for these things to ebb and flow right? I've decided not to worry too much and to stop beating myself up about it.

balance is better ^
serious athletes often beat themselves up, and do way better training performance than races anyhow.
main reason for a great focused swim session for me is to be able to lie around after in the sauna.

Ahhh Dooks, you never fail to cheer me up and make me laugh !

Yeah, I always seem to do this when autumn comes.... going out in the dark to strip off and plunge into cold-ish water just doesnt feel that inviting... where as a bottle of plonk and a snug sofa.................

How are you now j.m.f ? Sounding fit and well ! :)

I would avoid just ploughing up and down.

Swimsmooth.com has a load of set you could try.

An easy set to follow would be

4 x 100 warm up (4th length anything but fc)
4 x 100 drill sets of choice - catch one day, roll the next, recovery etc...
8 - 12 x 100 or 4 - 6 x 200 off whatever your threshold pace is - I'll do 100 off 2 minutes, my threshold pace being 1:25
2 x 100 warm down

going to have a look on there and try this next time i'm up at clissold.

London fields is the only outdoor heated pool i'm aware of in london. i don't think it being heated would be enough to get me out there right now though. /wuss

Hampton court?

I would avoid just ploughing up and down.

Swimsmooth.com has a load of set you could try.

An easy set to follow would be

4 x 100 warm up (4th length anything but fc)
4 x 100 drill sets of choice - catch one day, roll the next, recovery etc...
8 - 12 x 100 or 4 - 6 x 200 off whatever your threshold pace is - I'll do 100 off 2 minutes, my threshold pace being 1:25
2 x
100 warm down

As long as you don't warm up on breast stroke.

oasis leisure centre in holborn has a heated outdoor pool