I got myself (another) new toy yesterday afternoon -no, not another camera! this time it's to improve my swimming (I hope!) : I got Speedo training fins - I tried Mandy's not long ago when I had my wetsuit on and wanted to get up and down the pool faster while taking photos ... I didn't have them on long enough that day to realise that swimming with training fins gives you quite a workout! actually I'd even go as far as to say that swimming in them is (bloody) hard work! But the good news is that all that kicking pays off! Sue and Chris who swim much faster than I do were way ahead of me when I got in ... not for long though! I swam 4 speed(0)y :) lengths but felt absolutely exhausted :) I took the fins off and swam 2 lengths just to get my breath back and recover! It felt as if I was also kicking more without them on; so that must be a good sign...?! I'll just have to use them every day for a while and see how much I improve... if the entire truth be known, I also got the fins so that I can smoothly move along in the water while keeping both hands free to take photos with my liquid mask camera ... I'll probably give that a go tomorrow ...
It was funny though to get Chris and Sue's reaction once they realised it was me (who normally can't keep up with them) just cruise past :)
Eddy getting ready ...
Almost there ...
... and off ... up the pool
and back :)
Gus looking positively refreshed after his mile, sauna, plunge and shower! What a schedule!
Sue Bairstow enjoying the liquid pleasure
Doc Andy gave Betty a lift to the Lido this morning ( their car was in for a service ...) walking down pool side, past the cubicles, Betty seemed in a real "rush" ... way ahead of Andy who jokingly said he would have to get rid of his "second wife" as she doesn't wait for him.
Once in the pool, it was a different kettle of fish ... Doc Andy was way ahead on Betty and swimming past on his back he called out : "I'm not waiting for her now!"
Betty doing her best to keep up with "you know who!" :)
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Dear Flo/Elizabeth, I'm not sure that being able to kick more is a good thing. Several people have told me that for anything other than sprint crawl, it's better to use the legs less and get into a roll. As the legs use up 80% of the energy - maybe also why you were so tired? If you just want to get fitter why not? You might also find using your legs fish style to be fun in flippers. lol Carl aka Mark. btw still love the blog...but the early hours you keep!
ReplyDeleteHey Carl - good to know that you are still following the blog! you not swimming these days? haven't seen you power up and down for your 22 lengths! or maybe you are on a different shift :)
ReplyDeletere kicking of legs - sure the rolling is what I "normally try" to do - and I'm not as tired /out breath as I was today, that's true .. but why is it that I'm not faster? what am I doing or not doing that makes me so much slower than Sue, Margy, Chris, other lido swimmers and off course uuuuuuu?!
maybe it's more my upper body that needs building up :)
it's fun to use the fins for butterfly kicks too-not that I'm great at it .. yet ... but willing to practice and learn
C u soon- PS:how did the move go? where did you move to?
Elizabeth - moved to Lee/Catford borders. Only about 20 mins away from the lido by motorbike, but unfortunately too much of a long trip by public transport. My time in the pool varies considerably - sometimes early morning, sometimes mid morning, sometimes lunchtime. Managed 22 lengths yesterday and thought i could do more, but wanted to get in the sauna before 1 o'clock. My aim is 30 by the end of the month, but think I might up this to one hour or 2 miles.
ReplyDeleteHappy to give you some crawl tips/drills when it gets a bit warmer. Or I suppose I could bring the wetsuit?