Catch a wave...Or the swimming thread

[kelownagirl]

I went swimmin' this afternoon. I didn't think I was going slow, in fact, I thought I was swimming more steadily than normal, but I ran out of time and didn't finish my swim plan. I wonder if I lost count and did more lengths than I thought - I do that a lot. How do you keep track of how many lengths you've done? I must be so distractible...

[alpinerabbit]

Alphabet soup.

I swim either one or two lanes with the letter "a" rotating in my mind. Then b... and I calculate ahead of time where I will end up.
It's easier to keep track of letters than numbers. Like this, I can remember my lanes even in a 25m pool.

[Wahine]

I do something similiar except with digits. Right hand first: Thumb, index, middle... You get the idea.

[Pika]

I just keep repeating where I am as I turn this is 50 this is 50, etc then I always look at the timeclock- it gives me some idea of where I'm at too esp useful if I am repeating sets.

[chickwhorips]

I break it down to 500s which I only count when I hit the wall I started on up to 10 and then start over again for the next 500. I'll even lose count when I'm counting to 20, but for some reason I can figure out where I'm at by doing that.

[KSH]

I wonder if I lost count and did more lengths than I thought - I do that a lot. How do you keep track of how many lengths you've done? I must be so distractible...

At every 50, after my flip turn, I call out under water, "50"... "100"... "150".

For some reason, saying it outloud, even if underwater... helps me keep track.

I also have a workout written on an index card in a plastic baggie propped up on my water bottle. So, I might be doing 3,000 yards... but I have sets. For example, 4x100. So, that is 400 total. But I don't have to remember ALL the yardage I have done. It's written down. I just have to know where I'm at in the workout.

Now, when I have had to do like... 10x100... I put pennies out on a kickboard and I move a penny each time a 100 is done.

But for long sets... like a straight 1,000.. I just call out underwater.

[HillSlugger]

I use a SportCount (can never have too many gadgets!)

[chickwhorips]

I saw that sportcount! One of the girls at the pool had that and I thought it was pretty dang neat. I want that and the underwater mp3 player for long continuous swims.

[HillSlugger]

I have the one that counts laps and nothing else.

[Pika]

That sport count looks neat but I think it would drive me crazy.. I can't even stand having my watch on since it feels different side to side- guess I'll have to keep counting in my head too bad since I LOVE gadgets
Managed to get 3000 m in today- only the last 400 was a pain since we got squished into 2 lanes since the aquasize class started at 8.30- thank goodness we were pretty much finished by then.

[kelownagirl]

I want one. Just call me Madame Inspector Gadget.

I was late getting to the pool because my dentist appt ran late so I only got 25 minutes in. Did a warm up then decided to see how many lengths I could do in the last 10:00 (or how many I could do before I had to stop for a breath. I managed to do 300m in 10:30. Unfortunately it was 6pm by then and I had to get out. I'm sure I could have done at least another 100m. I can't wait until Wednesday. I'll try for 400m then.