Sunday 31 October 2010

Day 67 Oktoberfast Challenge Results, and swimming thoughts

Despite the initial muddle about hours this morning - the clocks went back last night - I made it to the pool. And to finish off this very good week, in fact the only good week in the whole month of this challenge, I did 32 laps, or half a mile of swimming.

My challenge for the month was to swim 10.5 miles (16.8 km) and to walk 5x for around 90 minutes.
I have swum 4.375 miles or 7km. Of which 2.875 miles or 4.6 km was swum since Weds 27 Oct...and I've been on 3 walks of differing times - 90mins, 25 mins, 60 mins.

Consistency over the last month, it seems, HAS not been my strong point. However, I am so glad that at least in this final week, I have made a good showing. :)

Consistency, as a lady I chatted to in the pool after my swim today said, is the key. I was gently moaning about my sore back (from my 1 miler on Friday), and she suggested twice a week for more than half an hour might be better than every day... There is sense in that statement. However, I do like to surprise myself on occasion, and when I go everyday I do feel better, so maybe I will do a combination of the two, with something similar to the pyramid training that weight-trainers do: 32 laps one day, then 40, the next, 48, 56, 64, day of rest, then back to 40, 32, and up again. or back down, and up again...heh. That way I won't get bored, every time I go I will be doing a different combination of laps, strokes, and maybe by the end of November I will feel strong enough to attempt front crawl.

I have a problem with front crawl, in that I never seem to get enough breath, so it is a stroke I seldom attempt for more than half a lap. So I'm going to start practicing breaststroke with breathing instead of doing the currently sedate head out of water stroke I'm doing. That will help me with the anxiety about lack of air, and train my lungs to get enough breath! My backstroke has improved so much in the last week, just by doing the kick from the hip instead of the knee, and thinking about the streamlining of my shape as I pull back my arm. Hmm - maybe it is time to start looking at swimming videos and pick up some proper swim habits!

I still have that goal of doing a mile in less than an hour to achieve. Having shaved off 7 minutes since 1 Aug. That's my Grail, the object of my quest. "Onward then Brave Knight Pinkvision, and let not any impediment sway thee from thy vow."

Heh - just for amusement - this is me at Warwick Castle in 2006... ;)

'THE GREEN KNIGHT...'
I've always thought those old medieval stories of chivalry were rather skewed - I wanted to be the knight, riding off in search of exciting adventure instead of the stay-at-home maiden...

For the other side of Oktoberfast - I have a couple of new beers to choose from to sample today to celebrate the end of Oct - Bath Ales' Golden Hare, brewed in the Cotswolds and Thwaites's Wainwright, brewed in the Lake District, and named after the famous fell walker. I also have Theakston's Old Peculier, a good Yorkshire brew, as well as my favourites, Fuller's London Pride and Guinness Stout, populating my fridge...

FINE ALES
I think the rest of today is going to be an indoor day. Dull, grey and wet out. Radio is playing lots of golden oldies... A good accompaniment to clear out some junk from my house, and make room in my life for the new! :)

1 comment:

  1. email me at flygirlh2o@gmail.com... give me twenty minute on the phone and I can start you on some drills in regards to breathing and face in the water swimming. Progression is best built on proper muscle memory and you are so motivated you will pick it up in no time.

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