Week 13: Confidence Boost

Annah:

8/24/2013

Today was a wonderful day.  Clint, Silena and I went with Francie to Upton Lake, a 1/2-mile x 1/4 mile, family-owned lake in Alabaster.  Mr. Upton was so generous to invite us to practice there.  He and his lovely family were spending the day at one of the lake houses.  It is a beautiful, man-made lake, clean with a gravelled bottom.  We had gorgeous weather.  Best of all, no alligators!

I felt surprisingly nervous before the swim, but mostly just excited to be swimming in open water, finally!  This was the first time Clint and I had ever practiced together, and I knew he would be faster than me. This didn't bother me; I know I have the time and motivation to work on speed.  But I didn't want to hold him back.

On our first length, I realized I should have stretched more and warmed up before starting. I felt stiff and tired.  I had trouble staying on course, and had no experience sighting.  I was amazed at how different it feels to get winded ... but not be able to stop at the end of a lap lane!  I also realized I should have eaten more than a small piece of toast for breakfast.  Clint quickly pulled ahead of me.  I wasn't surprised at the difference in our speeds.  I didn't feel anxious at all, because I have so many memories of swimming in Lake Castle in Madison, MS.  Plus, I knew if I truly got exhausted, I could always just float!

Once he made it to the other side, he waited for me and treaded water, something we'll have to do a lot of, in order to be able to "feed" during swims.  Once I caught up, we both treaded for a while and reviewed.  The second length back felt much easier.  I was more warmed up and confident.  I really enjoyed the water, which was in the high 80's - almost too warm!  I still wasn't relaxed and wasn't really stetching out my strokes, yet.  We got out, and I drank all of Silena's water, because I had forgotten to bring my own - another mistake!  By this point, we had swum over half a mile.

Clint said, "Ok, here's what I think we should do.  We should swim all the way across and back without stopping and then do it again, no stops."  I felt pretty confident I could go across and back with a stop at the dam, but did not think I could go farther than that, stops or no stops.  But, I said I would try!  We went across and I stayed closer to Clint's speed than I had before, although he did pull away once in the middle of the lake.  I stayed in a much straighter line during this third length, especially while following his bubble trail.  I kept better track of the point on the shore I had chosen to sight.  Clint made it to the dam and treaded while I caught up.  Then, I flip-turned and kept going!  But it wasn't easy!

I kept breathing bilaterally and evenly during the fourth length.  Form was good. But shoulders and neck got tired. In a rhythm. Daydreaming.  At the other side suddenly.  My time was becoming a couple of minutes slower on each length, according to Clint's watch.  We stopped for only a few minutes on the shore.  Clint said we should keep going. He said I could always get into the pontoon boat with the Uptons, if I had to.  (The pontoon was near the dam.)  This convinced me to keep going, even though I didn't think I could make it to the dam.  During this fifth length, I struggled to keep going.  I counted, "one, two, three."  I sighted by: side breathing on the right and then looking straight ahead as my right hand entered the water.  When talking to Clint later, I found out this is backward, so I was probably wasting energy.  Toward the end of the length, I had to backstroke.  I made it to the dam.

I called to Clint, "I'm getting in the pontoon boat!"  Clint called back, "You're not getting in the pontoon!  You're gonna do this!  That's not the shore of the lake!  That's Morocco!"  So I kept going ... out of pride.  We headed back to Silena and Francie.  I was even slower during this sixth length.  Twice, I had to switch to backstroke, because my shoulders were so tired.  But ... I made it!!

At first, Clint and I thought we had swum about 1.5 miles.  It turns out that we swam 1.76 miles!  That is 3,150 yards.  That is the equivalent of 63 laps in a pool, but without flip turns and kick offs.  That is the equivalent of 31.5 football fields ... with resistance.  That is pretty cool.

Week 12: Intermediate Level

Date: 8/17/13

Yards: 1850 - my farthest yet!

Strait #2 Progress: 2.0 of 10.2 miles
Length of time to complete Strait #1: 64 days
Length of time on Strait #2 (so far): 12 days

Time: 45 min.
Stroke count: 19-20 - Clint needs to tell me more about measuring stroke count by time, rather than distance, which he says is more relavent to open water swimming.

Felt: Much needed, but difficult, because still feel like I have this cold! And swimmer's ear!

Challenges/Progress: Breathing, whether it was every three or every four, whether it was on right or left, felt way more natural.  Am so glad the Y is now on its Fall schedule, so there are way more lap lane times.  The whole place is less crowded.  Fist drill felt more natural.  As part of Endurance, Intermediate, Week 2, Workout 2, I had to swim for 10:00, tracking my distance. I was disappointed it was only 425. I had hoped for 500.  My pace is still on the slow side. However, considering I couldn't climb the stairs in my house 6 months ago (Graves disease), I have made so much progress!  All in all, I'm so pleased and grateful to be able to swim again!
Fears: None
Emotion: Determined
Learned:
1) Need to swim 3 days/week!!  This will become easier to do, once the girls start preschool :)
2) I'm coming down with a cold.

Week 11: Amelia Island

Date: 8/6/13

Yards: 1600

Time: 48 min.

Stroke count: 18

Felt: Challenging, because have been sick with a cold all week and on antibiotics.

Challenges: Was being hard on myself, because I hadn't swum in a week. But I've been sick and on antibiotics. Still am.  Swam Endurance, Intermediate, Week 2, Workout 1. However, added 200 yards to make total distance 1600, my new minimum.

Fears: None

Emotion: Determined.

Learned:

1) Need to swim 3 days/week, 1600/workout, at least.

2) It took me an overall period of 64 days to complete Strait #1.

John and I left for Amelia Island on the 8th, our first trip without kids in three years.  We went to the beach on two evenings and swam for almost an hour in the surf.  Well, John collided into waves as he loves to do, and I swam.  I was surprised at how easy it was ... and how hard it was.  The current near the shore was pretty strong, and I swam where the waves were cresting.  I was able to breathe well on both sides, adjusting my rhythm even when waves crashed over me.  On the other hand, I didn't go anywhere. I would look up, expecting to be far out at sea, and John would be only a few yards from me, still.  No matter what, I loved it, even when one wave slammed me on the ground and tore my goggles off my head!  On a third evening, John and I went to the beach at 1:00 a.m., but we didn't swim.  We watched a meteor shower!

Open Water Begins

Thursday, August 8, I spent the afternoon swimming at Upton Lake.  It was the Restoration Academy faculty retreat and while my coworkers lazed around I made everyone uncomfortable when I put on my jammer and headed out into the lake.  It was my first training swim in open water and, now that I have done it, I am not looking forward to returning to tile walls and black lines on the bottom.  It was the most amazing feeling to be able to really stretch out my stroke and cut through the water and having sunshine, trees, and birds passing by when I took a breath instead of time clocks and a sleeping lifeguard.  (I usually swim around 5:30 each morning.)  I swam 2.3 miles and I can't wait to see that distance increase! 

Week 10: Completed Strait #1

Date: 7/30/13

Yards: 1800

Strait #1 Progress: 9.7 of 9.7 miles - COMPLETE!
Length of time to complete Strait #1: 64 days

Time: 48 min.
Stroke count: 18

Felt: Challenging, because very tired.

Challenges: Focused on rotation, breathing every fourth stroke.  On right on way down and on left on way back. Still some difficulty on left. Perhaps left arm is weeker, since it is not my dominant side. Less rotation on left side. Had chiropractic adjustment that morning ... first one in 4 weeks ... so back sore.
Fears: None
Emotion: Determined
Learned:
1) Need to swim 3 days/week.
2) I'm coming down with a cold.