About Me

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Austin, Texas, United States
I'll make you laugh, or break my neck trying. This is usually accomplished with daily bouts of swimming, biking and running. A former "chub-a-holic," I got fit and healthy the good old fashioned way and went from a mid-pack athlete to top age group runner and triathlete. I'm a Writer and USAT Level 1 Certified Triathlon Coach. I guess that makes me part Tina Fey and part Jillian Michaels. Visit my coaching site at www.fomotraining.com

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Always Get a Second Opinion

I've been swimming with T3 for about 1 1/2 years consistently (well...sort of consistently) and I've made some darn good improvements in that time. A 100m repeat used to take me about 2:20 and I was taking 35-40 strokes per length. No jokes. Freakin' windmill, I tell ya!
I've since gotten those 100's down to 1:55-2:00 and my stroke count is in the low to mid 20s. My endurance has also improved as I can hold that time for several repeats.

Trouble is, I've been at this plateau for several months and I'm ready for a breakthrough.

I decided to have a 30min private swim session with another Austin swim guru, Amy Marsh. Don't get me wrong...I dig my T3 coaches, but I wanted a new set of eyes to look at my stroke. Perhaps she would see something new or explain something a little differently that may click in my little peabrain.

I know without a doubt that my kick is a weakness of mine. I despise the "kick w/ board" drills and any other drill that involves feet only (without fins). She duly noted that I have pretty inflexible ankles...typical for runners. It's just hard to move fast when your feet are essentially flexed most of the time.

Other than that, everything looked pretty darn good according to her. Body Rotation...good. Arm and Catch Positioning...decent...High Elbow Recovery...good. 

Her advice?? Just Swim More. 

Damn...I was afraid she'd say that.

____

Heading to Ohio for a week to spend time with family, friends and food. I'm hoping to score several swims and a couple of runs while we're there (even if it is 9 degrees...ewww)

Happy Holidays to All!! 

8 comments:

Michelle said...

I can totally relate on your swim plateau. That's been me for a long time now. Getting nowhere fast (or slow)! It's getting pretty darn irritating!

Colleen Renee' Wilson said...

swim more. Don't you love that...I am ramping things up come January...I am thinking 3-4 times a week to swim. read Phelps new book, no limits and read about his swimming to be the best in the world...then you will want to swim more.

Richard said...

Mmm.... two minute 100s.... just a few months ago those sounded impossible. But how on earth did you manage to take 40 strokes in a single length? I don't think that I could do that if I tried, and I'm a total crap swimmer!

Amytrigirl (aka Amybee) said...

"Just swim more". Music to my ears in the summer.

Not so much when it is below zero here. (Yes, I know the pool is warm. It is the GETTING in to the pool that I dread).

My kick problem is not so much my ankles but that I have a "runner's kick". I kick from the knees not from the hip.

Just swim more.

Oh yeah.

Happy holidays to you. Enjoy Ohio.

greyhound said...

Yeah, I'm afraid that's my prescription too, along with "swim harder" and "don't be such a puss."

Nice.

Garry said...

Hear ya' about hitting a plateau. I have been that way for awhile and can't seem to bring myself to swim more. The extra effort for the minimal payback doesn't seem worth it. I am better off spending more time on the bike! : (

Dionn said...

swam with Amy for a summer. SHE ROCKS. love her.

But yes, sometimes you just have to swim more.

And look what swimming more has already done for you.

40 strokes per length!! Talk about endurance! You ARE an ironman!

ShirleyPerly said...

Bummer ... I know I have lot of things that need fixing in my swimming so hopefully I won't be hearing that for a while.