According to Ned Denison, one of the great open water swimming champions, it takes long swim practices to prepare for long swim events. Duh. So, I'm following his advice, scheduling long swims each weekend with two of those being really, no-I'm-not-kidding, seriously long swims.
Sunday, I'll spend the day swimming 22,000 yards at the Y. That's about 17,600 strokes and 660 flipturns. I expect it will take me about 7 hours with feeding breaks. This distance is nearly equivalent to 20K and close enough to the 25K I'll be swimming on May 18 in Pensacola. I will probably get in another 15K swim and a few more 10K swims before that event.
And, it should put me in a good place for the swim camp coming up April 24-28 in LA. Of course, while these long swims are good physically and somewhat mentally, they are not much for preparing me for open water swimming in the cold ocean with wind, tides and varying waves. But, it's the best I can do with what I have for now.
I think I'll go ahead and have another mini Snickers.
Isn't there a 50 m pool in Devaney? Don't you know someone to get access to that? 660 flipturns makes me feel dizzy just thinking about it.
ReplyDeleteNope. Devaney is a 25 yard pool, too.
ReplyDeleteWoods Pool is the only 50m pool in town but it's only open for three months and it's tough to get time in it.
ReplyDeleteActually, Devaney is 25 yards in one direction and 25 meters the other and can be swum either way. Word on the street is that it'll be turned into a sand volleyball court in the next 5 years.
ReplyDeleteWhat we need is a decent aquatics center with a 50-meter competition pool, lap pool, swimming lesson pool and splash park for kiddos. I don't ask for much.