Stepping out of my comfort zone...
And plunging in to a masters swim class! :eek:
So lastnight I was at our community tri club meeting. A guy there mentioned that he does a masters class at the gym I go to. So afterwards I pulled him aside and asked him about this. He said "we workout tues, thurs morning at 9:00 am. Be there"... YES SIR! :D
I explained to him that I'm a two hour IM swimmer, so I need LOTS of help, but he didn't seem daunted.
So this morning he had me hop in lane 1... Yeah, the slow lane. We did drills, and more drills, then some kickboard sets, ugh, kick board sets, a ton of sets of 100 mixed in, and oh yeah... more drills.
He was VERY helpful in giving me tips on my stroke. Seems I'm not completing my pull at the back end. Also I need to work on balance/ hip roll. I'm a flat swimmer- a barge, when I need to be like the hull of a racing sailboat...:rolleyes:
Bottom line, it was TOUGH! But I could feel myself getting a bit faster. It was also tough stepping out of my comfy box and actually DOING something to improve rather than just kibitz about it. Knowing that you are going to be the slowest girl there isn't easy. Walking out to the pool deck I felt very self concious. But I sucked it up and told myself to just worry about me, and improving MY swim- which sometimes means going slower in the begining. Go slow to get fast... Funny but true.
yep...I feel your pain...
We do not have a master's group around here, but late this winter I was in the pool one afternoon, and in comes the remnants of our swim time. By remnants, I mean the kids left still swimming and on their way to states. The really good swimmers.
So I say hi, and try to disappear and do my thing. Finish, go home. The next day I am in homeroom, and one of the girls that was at the pool says...hey, we critiqued your stroke last night...
Great....I KNEW it.....
She says...I think we can help you. Great...I KNEW it.....
So the coach emails me and says...come to practice with us. ARE YOU CRAZY????? Come to practice with the boys and girls swim team? NO WAY!
I was horrified at the thought. But then I said, well, free coaching....
Well, my desire to improve outweighed my modesty and I went. It was really hard for me to do, but in the space of an hour, they made some subtle adjustments that made a huge difference.
So yes RM...I feel your pain, but stepping out of the box and in to the pool helped me. I am now getting out of the water at the front of the pack. So soak it all up( no pun intented)
And let your inner sloop emerge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
About to step WAY out of my comfy box!!
Ok, so today at masters I talked with Claudio (the instructor) after class. He's such a nice guy! His wife is a lucky woman I'll tell you what. Anyway, it seems that he has picked me to be his pet project.
First he told me about his saturday morning ride/run transition workouts that he does with a group. It's a ride/run/ride/run/ride/run/ride/run brick. Sounds tough-yet ohh so fun! A challenge, and I LOVE challenges!
Once again he gave me a time and said "be there". Yes sir! :D
He then told me that he thinks I can take 30 mins off my IM swim time. He said by November I should be ready to start working on distance. I guess he see's something in me that I don't?? But heck, I'll take it.
And lastly, I asked him if there were going to be any groups training for IM. Of course giving the stock "I know I'm not on your caliber, but...".
He then said very matter of factly "NO. You will train with us this year. I have seen you the last two years train all by yourself (Really? He knew who I was??) and that's not going to make you faster. You need to train with a group that will push you. That's how you get faster. You will be faster this year".... Alrighty then!! :D I guess I have found an ad hoc coach of sorts....
He then told me that his wife who has no special ability did IMAZ in 13 hours, and she walked most of the mary. He said she had only been swimming 2 months before the race- and riding for 4! AND she had never done a marathon?? Hmmm... Maybe there is hope for me yet. I don't need 13 hours, but 15 sure would be nice! I'd LOVE to be the one on the otherside of the barricades cheering on the midnight finishers AFTER I had finished, cleaned up, and had some dinner!! :p
Soooo stay tuned ladies. These next few months should be interesting!
Imagine if I could pull off a 1.5 hour swim, 6 hour ride, and 6 hour mary (5 would be nice but I know my reality!)?????!!!!!
What's that 50's song...Life would be a dream- sha boom, sha boom, life would be a dream sweetheart.... :D