Swim Workouts

[Try-Chick]

OK, so I got the Mike Pigg's Triathlon software and am set up with pre-planned workouts, but I'd like to be able to write down my swim workout and bring it with me to the pool deck so I can reference it there while I swim. Anybody have any ideas on how to do this? Is there anything out there I can buy commercially that will allow me to do this? I don't want to put it in a baggie and have to deal with wet baggies. I'm thinking coated paper and a grease pencil sort of thing...

PS I also finally found my swim groove. I used to have to stop after 100 yards and catch my breath and let my HR come down, but last week I had an epiphany I guess and found my groove! I went for 30 minutes non-stop and today was on a roll for 45 minutes. I felt great!

[Trekhawk]

OK, so I got the Mike Pigg's Triathlon software and am set up with pre-planned workouts, but I'd like to be able to write down my swim workout and bring it with me to the pool deck so I can reference it there while I swim. Anybody have any ideas on how to do this? Is there anything out there I can buy commercially that will allow me to do this? I don't want to put it in a baggie and have to deal with wet baggies. I'm thinking coated paper and a grease pencil sort of thing...

PS I also finally found my swim groove. I used to have to stop after 100 yards and catch my breath and let my HR come down, but last week I had an epiphany I guess and found my groove! I went for 30 minutes non-stop and today was on a roll for 45 minutes. I felt great!

You could try using a small whiteboard some even come with little legs so you could have it standing at the end of your lane and only have to glance at it when you swim down for the turn. Im talking small here about the size of a magazine (you can normally find them at toy stores). A couple of ladies I use to swim with in Aust used this and it seemed to work well for them.

[luv'nAustin]

I like the white board idea. Last year I used clear packing tape and taped it to my water bottle. It never smeared because it was kind of "laminated" onto the bottle.

Glad to hear that it clicked for you this week. I only learned to swim last year for the Danskin. Thank goodness they allow swim angels, I couldn't have done it without her by my side.

[VenusdeVelo]

Funny...I used to sweat on my workout routines I had taped to my spinner bike when I taught class and of course, smeared notecards. So I laminated them (they have that clear contact paper you buy in an ofc store). Then I could also write on them if I wanted with that dry erase type marker.

Made me happy as I was tired of re-writing my 3x5 card routines!

Congrats on the groove! I've never been a swimmer so I am still at that swim 100 yards, catch by breath phase!

[Jones]

I use the same workouts more than once so I write it on paper and stick them in a ziplock bag. I've never had a problem. Jones

[wabisabi]

Totally unrelated to the subject of your post, but I had to mention that Mike Pigg lives up here (does real estate), and I am always so impressed when I seen him out on a Sunday bike ride with spouse and young kids, just puttering along, I think that speaks so well for him.

[Melissa36]

I have about 10 different workouts that I use. I have them printed on regular paper and then I use a plastic sheet protector. I keep them all together in the same one and pull out the one I will be using that day. That way I keep them all together. I prop it up on a kickboard so I can see it when I am in the pool. I also spend a lot of time while swimming laps trying to dream up other clever ideas to keep them dry!

[SadieKate]

Kinko's usually has a self-serve lamination machine that is pretty reasonably priced. We've use it for copies of health insurance cards to carry on the bike which reminds me that I need to update them.

[Try-Chick]

Someone on Tri-fuel suggested using a diver's slate and pencil. I thought that was a great idea too. Then you just write your workout on it big enough so you can see it easily. I went to a scuba website and ordered one to see how it works. Will let you know.

[Lise]

Hi, all,

I know Total Immersion sells a set of workout cards already laminated, so it seems you could do that, as others have said, at Kinkos, or with those self-laminating sheets.

Congratulations on finding your groove in the pool! That's the hardest part of the tri for me. Gotta get back in there...winter in Illinois is not an inspiring time to swim. I got my first full wet suit, and when the ice floes break up on Lake Michigan, say, about June, I'll get in the big water! In the meantime, you're inspiring me to get back in the pool at the Y. Lise

[Melody]

You can also use National Geographic's "Adventure Paper". This is a (supposedly, never actually tried it) water-proof tear proof paper designed for inkjet printers:

http://www.ngmapstore.com/shopping/p...=75&itemID=351

National Geographic sells it since they recommend it to people who use their "Topo!" product (Topographic maps of the US) which is an excellent product btw. My husband and I have used it to produce routes and with Topo! Streets & 3D Views, you can use it to track via roads. What's pretty cool is that you can get an elevation profile so you can see how bad a route is before going out on it.

Mel

[Nanci]

Instead of the dive slate, which gets icky and hard to clean, you could get one of those underwater notepads- they're yellow, any dive shop should have it. I have things written in those, with pencil, that have spent hundreds of hours, literally, underwater, which have not faded or degraded.

Nanci

[Surlygirl]

Nanci you're killing me, too funny

[triflor]

Most stores with camping supplies, or with first aid supplies, should sell note books of waterproof paper. Its pretty normal to keep in a first aid kit, and doesn't get ruined if it rains or a canoe tips... so you shouldn't have a problem using it by the pool.