I've done several marathons, and am currently training for FLM, but have also signed up for the London Triathlon after trying a mini-triathlon in La Santa a few weeks ago.
I'm currently spinning and swimming once a week to try and get my hand in with the other disciplines on top of the marathon training.
The swim is my weakest point. Today I swam 3 x 500 and am trying to work up so that I can do the 1500 non-stop. What should I do next? I'm planning to have some lessons once the marathon is over as I know I have to work on my technique. Is there any point in me doing drills, etc, if there's no one to watch me and tell me whether I'm doing them right/wrong?
Any suggestions on where to go next gratefully received.
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Three suggestions for swimming
1) join a tri club or swim club to get some professional coaching.
2) buy 'Total Immersion' book. It seems to be the bible for swimming and definitely helped me get more streamlined and efficient.
3) read articles and forum stuff on tri websites. I like trinewbies.com or tritalk.co.uk
Good luck with it.
At the same time you will benefit from becoming swimfit.
And it'll be a lot more fun when you feel like you're doing it right!
The funny thing is I'm not really all that bothered. I exercise for myself and know I'll never really be competitive in a running or triathlon race. So by being slow at swimming it will mean when the Summer Tri's come round I'll be last out of the water and I'll have loads of folk to try and chase on the bike and run legs.
The biggest problem is I'm so slow that if I ever do step up the distance for UK Half Ironman (next years plan) then I'll have to improve otherwise I won't make the time cut off. So I'll have to get lessons at some stage.
Keep plugging away Supershifter and remember you're not alone.
PPB.
Drills
Drills
If you are fit enough to run a marathon you are fit enough to swim for extended periods. As has been said swimming is primarily about technique and the way to improve technique is to do drills.
Drills are sets of exercises that isolate a small part of the stroke and help you perfect than one small part – doing lots of various drills helps you improve your whole stroke and when you get it you will find that as you are already fit you will be able to do length upon length upon length …
Find an instructor that can teach you the drills you need to do, to help improve your technique, then include drill sessions into your visits to the pool and over time you will notice how much better your straight swim has become
PS _ I went on a Total Immersion weekend – not cheep but good
Good Luck
WW
one-arm swimming
closed fists
trailing fingertips over the water
'zippers' when you pull your arm right up your side from thigh to armpit
'flipping' the water out behind you on each stroke.
Alternate breathing - breathe every 3rd then 5th then 7th stroke (if you're over 50 then just do 3rd and 5th).
But you really need to shell out for a couple of coached sessions, or better still join a tri club that has regular coached practices.