Swim-based question of the day: do you prefer open water or the pool?
Is that a daft question? I hope not. I prefer open water (as long as it is a fresh water lake) because I otherwise get focussed on the tiles on the bottom of the pool or something really inane and it annoys me if I haven't hit a certain tile once I've pushed off by my first stroke. In open water I can just swim without stopping for a long distance. And I am less concerned with my time, I just swim because it feels nice and relaxing. However, my friend whom I train with much prefers the pool as he doesn't like not being able to see what's beneath him. Neither is the 'right answer' of course, it's personal choice, but do you have a preference and if so, why?
AW/Vent: there is a woman in my tri club who has poor lane control and I have to actively avoid colliding with her. I've tried to laugh it off by saying hey, we nearly had a head-on back there, LOL! but she isn't getting the hint that she's literally crossing the line. She always laughs and apologises but it still happens. My AW is that I am down to 2:04/100 average over 2000m now. My goal is 2:00/100. Getting closer!
Good question! If I can see the bottom of whatever body of water I am in, then I love open water. But I grew up swimming on a team and with a lap pool in the back yard, so I love me some pools, too. I am joining our aquatic center next week and look forward to adding some exercise that will hopefully not make this little man so angry with me. I cannot wait to swim laps again!
I swam competitively in pools from 7 to 22 (when I graduated from college), and I'm kind of over it. I just burned out on the 0.01 second precision, and I don't like seeing the times I swim in the pool now and comparing them (totally unfairly) to when I was a student athlete.
Open water is so freeing for me. Every course, even the same course on a different day, is different so there's no direct comparison. So much less pressure.
I also just love being outside. I spent 4 summers in college as an ocean lifeguard, and did all my training in the ocean while I was there. It makes my heart happy.
I know how to swim, but never really knew how to do proper rotary breathing until last August. I started swimming back in August and wasn't really able to swim a full mile until October. By then, the water around here was too cold for open water swimming. It's sad there aren't many open water swimming locations in this area. I'm planning on joining some sessions come May when they start back up. I'm looking forward to it. We're also planning on going to Maine this summer and spending a week on a lake. I'm really excited about trying out some open water swimming there too.
AW: I PRed my mile. I've been trying to do a mile straight every 1-2 months to gauge my progress. Last month, I was disappointed when my mile was slower than the first mile I ever did in October. I had an inkling that I had added a lap in there somewhere, but had no way to confirm it. This time I used my Garmin and lapped each 50 (which is annoying but effective) so I could keep track of my laps. I got 46:33, not that fast compared to some amazing ladies here, but I'll take it.
I know how to swim, but never really knew how to do proper rotary breathing until last August. I started swimming back in August and wasn't really able to swim a full mile until October. By then, the water around here was too cold for open water swimming. It's sad there aren't many open water swimming locations in this area. I'm planning on joining some sessions come May when they start back up. I'm looking forward to it. We're also planning on going to Maine this summer and spending a week on a lake. I'm really excited about trying out some open water swimming there too.
AW: I PRed my mile. I've been trying to do a mile straight every 1-2 months to gauge my progress. Last month, I was disappointed when my mile was slower than the first mile I ever did in October. I had an inkling that I had added a lap in there somewhere, but had no way to confirm it. This time I used my Garmin and lapped each 50 (which is annoying but effective) so I could keep track of my laps. I got 46:33, not that fast compared to some amazing ladies here, but I'll take it.
No need to be embarrassed - one is not better than the other. I only got into swimming properly last year as well and it took me a long time to get any non-stop distance under my belt. It's a really tough discipline. I usually apply brute force and ignorance to whatever I attempt, but I can't do that with swimming - technique seems to be key! Well done on PR-ing your mile!! That time is fantastic! Congratulations!
Swim-based question of the day: do you prefer open water or the pool?
Open water, for sure. I can swim steadily and lost in thought and before I know it I've gone 2500yds in open water. Counting laps and 100s in the pool is mindnumbingly boring and by the time I get to 2500 I'm sooooo over it.
So I use pool toys for the first time yesterday. I have paddles that i've used a few times before, but only occasionally. I never use anything else. Yesterday in the interest of preserving my marathon legs and working my upper body, I did 1000yds with paddles and a pull buoy that binds my ankles together - so zero kick. It was amazing, my shoulders and arms feel like I got an amazing upper body workout at the gym! I should do that more often!
I've never done open water, so pool. the first sprint I'm doing is pool swim, which makes me less nervous. I don't know how I'll feel about open water, mostly because lakes creep me the fuck out.