So, my goal is to swim a mile in freestyle, continuously, no stopping at the wall at all. Flipturns, consistent pace, developed lung capacity, and endurance is what I am going for right now.
I already swim over a mile in my long swims. I have about doubled my distance from a couple of weeks ago. Although, I've still struggled with swimming freestyle continuously. When I showed up for my long swim yesterday, I couldn't get past the 100 meter distance. I have been hitting this wall for weeks with minor improvement. I've had several lessons to help me correctly flipturn (I'm doing that), strengthen my nondominant side (still working on that), changed my stroke and breathing pattern (that is getting better), I realized how I was dragging my body in the water (corrected that), and I discovered I was pacing incorrectly (still a struggle).
Well, I was so down on myself. (Granted, I've only been back in the water about 7 weeks, but I'm in the water almost 4 hours a week, quite often more, with dryland workouts in between. This should be getting better.) I left the swim exhausted and disappointed in myself.
So, early this morning, I went back. I was going to do my best to work on my pace, keep my body at a proper alignment on the water, and enjoy those awesome flipturns of mine.
AND I DID IT!
I interval swim with freestyle for part of my workout, and this is how it would usually go: 25 meters, feeling good . . . (rest for 10 seconds) swim 50 meters, I'm okay . . . (rest 10 seconds) swim 75 meters, okay-I'm pushing it . . . (rest 10 seconds) swim 100 meters, I AM GOING TO DIE! . . . (rest 10 seconds) swim 75 meters, why can't I get this . . . (rest 10 seconds) swim 50 meters, thank heavens I am almost there . . . (rest 10 seconds) swim 25 meters, I don't I'll ever get to a mile.
And, this morning I increased the interval distance (no, not very logical) hoping that my positive thinking and my determination to pace appropriately would come together. Here is what happened (resting for 10 seconds or less between each distance):
50 meters (m). . . 75 m . . . 150 m . . . 200 m . . . 150 m . . . 75 m . . . 50 m---and I ONLY stopped because I was done with the interval and needed to switch to drills. I wasn't winded. I could have gone much, much further!
YAY! I doubled the distance with ease. If I can keep this up and not increase it too fast, putting too much stress on my shoulders, I might still make my monthly distance goal.
There really is much to be said about the power of positive thinking.
(And, over the next four weeks, my access to the pool will dramatically decrease, but hopefully I can keep my dryland workouts intense and not lose too much momentum.)
