Every triathlete has that moment when they realize what they need to do to perform better in their races. I had my moment, in my third year of participating in triathlons, during my swim Saturday evening.
Adam and I had gone over to the pool after purchasing new swimsuits, googles and a new swim cap. Since I hadn't practicing swimming in a few weeks, we were going to just see what I could handle. We adjusted the strap on my new googles, but then when we were trying to stretch out the swim cap, it split right down the middle of the top of the cap! Since I didn't have any extras with me, I was stuck swimming with my hair just pulled back into a ponytail. OK, well I could still get in a good workout -- it just would feel different without the cap. So we started out really easy, paused after each lap, just trying to get used to the water. I kept getting water up my nose, though, and was getting frustrated. I still hadn't found my rhythm that I've heard other swimmers talk about. I had improved my time from when I first swam a 1/2-mile two summers ago, but I always felt I was struggling against the water. That's when Adam showed me what the problem had been all along -- my breathing technique.
He had shown me in previous swim practices how to rotate your body and breath to the side after you bring your head out of the water. I had always gotten water up my nose or in my mouth, though. This time, Adam spent a lot of time just taking me through the motions and I finally realized I wasn't turning my body enough to lift my head up enough to get a full breath in! Once I got it, I was so excited, I didn't want to stop swimming. Of course, my endurance isn't quite on the same level as my excitement, so I could only do 100 yards without stopping. But I felt like it was one of the best swims I'd had because I was learning something basic, but so essential to becoming better at the sport. Though we took a lot of breaks, we got a lot of laps in while we were there for a little more than an hour.
Friday, I also got a good run workout in! I measured this loop around adam's neighborhood, which is .8 miles. So early Friday afternoon, I ran around the loop 4 times. I did do some walking throughout the workout, so I wasn't working on my speed, just endurance. I had an average heart rate of 175, which is kind of high, but I think the time of day might have been a variable in that. The early afternoon can be one of the hottest times of the day, but its the best time that fits in with my schedule, so it's just something I'll have to adjust to!
Now back in Champaign, I'm hoping to get a pool membership at the Urbana Park District, which my dad found out has some pretty good rates and decent lap swim hours. I'm hoping to get in a swim tomorrow so I can keep up with my breathing techniques -- now that I've learned it, I need to practice, practice and practice so my old habits are gone and I'm gliding through the water with more ease!
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