A swim club, all teenaged boys and girls, was working out in the three lanes next to Jan and I last night at SUNY Brockport. They seemed to float through the water with smooth strokes, body up, while I beat on it, dragging my legs along.
Since I'm having thoughts of competing in the Shoreline Triathlon in two weeks, seeing if I could swim 1/2 mile, without my buoy for support, seemed like a good idea. Also the 50 meter lanes, instead of the usual 25 yards, was a mental block that I needed to overcome to build some confidence towards swimming in open water.
Of course I timed myself. After three laps I didn't know if I would finish and was worried about how pathetic I looked compared to the kids flying by me. By lap five I decided it didn't matter how I looked and started to relax a bit. After lap six I knew I would finish, but my time would probably be slow. My first lap, as usual, was the "fastest", a 2:28 for 100 meters, overall I averaged 2:42, for a 21 minute 800meter (about 880 yards) total. The kids were doing 100 meters in 1:25! Even with a wetsuit I couldn't come close to that. Last year at Shoreline I raced the 1/2 mile in 16:40, with a wetsuit, or about 2:05 per 100.
Friday - Canandaigua Lake swim, with Jan, Eileen, Lou, Mike and Joanne for support. I can't wait, especially with a stop at McGregor's afterwards.
The Erie Canal, Running Paradise
Showing posts with label SUNY Brockport Pool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SUNY Brockport Pool. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Solo Pool Swimming
An advantage to the semester ending at SUNY Brockport is that the pool is less crowded. Last week I was the only swimmer for about fifteen minutes until 5 or so people straggled in. Having my own lane is nice and a luxury you don't get in most open swim time pools.
A new "season" began yesterday (Monday) so I arrived at the college early to get our swim passes for the summer (May 17-August 27). Jan was still at work, so I was flying solo. At $35 per person (alumnus rate) I think this is a bargain. The lifeguard was in the office and said she would see me at the pool in a few minutes.
It turned out I was the only swimmer, and I use that term loosely. Yes, two years ago I couldn't swim a lap without stopping and 200 yards was a long night for me. Now my longest swim is 2400 yards (still miniscule for real swimmers working out). But, like running, the effort for me to swim a mile is probably the same as a talented swimmer going at least two miles.
The poor lifeguard dutifully sat there watching me slog back and forth, legs dragging behind/below me for 35 minutes while I swam. I apologized a number of times and can only imagine how she felt watching some old, balding, skinny man struggle across the pool. I tried to use imagery and think of myself as Michael Phelps, but it didn't help. After 800 yards I used the pull buoy, which sped me up to being able to do 50 yards in the time a swimmer can do 100. Of course I don't do flip turns, which speeds up laps for some people, but would only cause me to begin drowning.
After 1500 yards I crawled out of the pool, the lifeguard handed me my pass, and I profusely thanked her for letting me swim. I think she mumbled something about needing to go out and have a drink and get the mental image of my hairy, lanky body out of her mind, but I could be mistaken.
I remember my grandfather leaving me in the boat while he swam for awhile in the middle of Canandaigua Lake, or at least at 8 years old it seemed like the middle. He glided effortlessly along while I watched. No life vest, pull buoy, wetsuit, just swim trunks, I'm not even sure if he wore goggles. Grandpa swam in lakes and the Y until his late 70's. It's an example I would like to follow. Maybe someday I won't swim like an upside down V.
A new "season" began yesterday (Monday) so I arrived at the college early to get our swim passes for the summer (May 17-August 27). Jan was still at work, so I was flying solo. At $35 per person (alumnus rate) I think this is a bargain. The lifeguard was in the office and said she would see me at the pool in a few minutes.
It turned out I was the only swimmer, and I use that term loosely. Yes, two years ago I couldn't swim a lap without stopping and 200 yards was a long night for me. Now my longest swim is 2400 yards (still miniscule for real swimmers working out). But, like running, the effort for me to swim a mile is probably the same as a talented swimmer going at least two miles.
The poor lifeguard dutifully sat there watching me slog back and forth, legs dragging behind/below me for 35 minutes while I swam. I apologized a number of times and can only imagine how she felt watching some old, balding, skinny man struggle across the pool. I tried to use imagery and think of myself as Michael Phelps, but it didn't help. After 800 yards I used the pull buoy, which sped me up to being able to do 50 yards in the time a swimmer can do 100. Of course I don't do flip turns, which speeds up laps for some people, but would only cause me to begin drowning.
After 1500 yards I crawled out of the pool, the lifeguard handed me my pass, and I profusely thanked her for letting me swim. I think she mumbled something about needing to go out and have a drink and get the mental image of my hairy, lanky body out of her mind, but I could be mistaken.
I remember my grandfather leaving me in the boat while he swam for awhile in the middle of Canandaigua Lake, or at least at 8 years old it seemed like the middle. He glided effortlessly along while I watched. No life vest, pull buoy, wetsuit, just swim trunks, I'm not even sure if he wore goggles. Grandpa swam in lakes and the Y until his late 70's. It's an example I would like to follow. Maybe someday I won't swim like an upside down V.
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