Going into the Fall 50, I knew there would be a certain amount of pain associated with finishing. I just didn't realize the worst of it would come some five weeks after the race.
Beginning with preparations for the Green Bay Marathon, my swimming took a back seat most of the summer. Though I swam during workouts with the youth tri club, and hit the pool a few times, my swim totals for the past several months have been pretty close to zero (something around 130K total yards for the year). With the start of the USAT National Challenge Competition, the Evotri Ironman Challenge, and the off season swim focus, that is changing.
Several of the blogs I read have stories about long absences from the pool and the ease with which people got back into swimming. Apparently, that applies to people who were already good swimmers. Me, not so much. After nearly six months of minimal swimming, it's been an interesting few days.
One thing I have learned is that while aerobic base picked up in the pool translates well to biking and running, the reverse isn't true. My base from training for and completing my first ultramarathons is pretty solid. Somehow, that didn't make my arms and core uber-strong.
Translation? I kind of stink in the pool, right now. Oh well, that's what they make drawing boards for, right? So we can go back to them. Since the December focus of the USAT Challenge is swimming, I'll be working on my 30 swim month.
Week 1 is basic training. I will use 1000-1500 yard swims to remind my body what it feels like to swim long distances. Week 2 will be form drills with the goal of reminding myself that good form does a lot to improve both endurance and pace. Weeks 3 and 4 will be dedicated to practicing skills from the SwimSmooth DVD. Watching highly proficient swimmers has been a huge benefit in the past.
By the end of the month, I will have more yards in December than all of June through November combined. If I really push, I might be able to throw May in there, and swim nearly a third of my current total for the year.
Of all the Christmas gifts I might give myself, getting back into proper swim shape is probably the best I could do.
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