Tag: backstroke

She hits the wall

swim gogglesToday’s workout: humility

In previous posts, I’ve presented some of my initial challenges with swimming on my back: Does your neck hurt when you do that? 

I’ve also celebrated my progress and ability to predict the end of the pool by watching ceiling tiles: Procrastination & BTTW

Today, my neck was in a great position.  I was swimming in a reasonably straight line – tracking with the ceiling tiles.  I easily spotted the broken tiles which signaled the end of the lane. I completely failed to extend my arm.

Bam. Right into the wall.

I kid you not.

procrastination & BTTW*

Balls to the WallArriving to the pool at 5:45 is feat in itself.  For me, it means everything has to be packed and laid out and ready to go.  Fins, goggles, cap, water, nutrition bar, inhaler, towel – everything needs to be packed and at the back door. The alarm needs to sound at 5:10 – and I need to roll out of bed and not give myself space to think about much at all.  This morning, it was like clockwork, no thinking, and I was at the pool right at 5:40.

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of arriving at the pool in the dark, only to realize that your swim bag didn’t make the trip.  It was packed. It was ready. And it was still next to the back door. ugh.  Luckily, I had been meaning to clean out my backpack since sometime in August. So procrastination saved the swim.  I had a pair of old, crappy goggles and cheap yellow race cap.  I was still in business. “Crisis averted” – my husband would say.

Leaky goggles are no fun, but I was able to do the workout. It was a heck of a workout. I was exhausted when I finished.  My legs and ankles were tired from: 8 x 25 kicks on back w/ arms in tight streamline @ :15 rest (odds = easy, evens = FAST).  I am making some progress: 1. my head wasn’t cranked up like an otter, 2. I didn’t drift into any other swimmers AND, 3. I discovered two broken ceiling tiles just before the wall, one at each end of the pool.  So, still no flags, but an effective proxy.

After fatiguing my legs, I got to practice some BTTW intervals: 12 x 50 @ 1:30 [4 x (2 x 50 easy/ 50 BTTW. Before hiring coach Kelsey, I’d never heard of BTTW.  *For anyone else who might not know, it means “balls to the wall”.  I think I may rename it, “IMP” (I might puke). With the short distance, 50 yards, I gave it everything – I felt like an arm flailing beast.   For the easy intervals my swim time was :50 & :40 for my BTTW. I’m not sure that was fast. BUT…one of the flip-turn swimmers asked if I was doing intervals.  I thought this was confirmation that I at least looked like I was trying to swim at varying speeds. Awesome.

After a few easy sets I was ready for another bttw set: 12 x 25 @ :10 rest [3 easy/ 3 bttw/ 2 easy/ 2bttw/ 1 easy/ 1 bttw]. The bttw 25’s were consistently :20, until the last one.  I think this was my true bttw level – all out.  I “beasted” out a :17/:18 (hard to see the swim clock, and I don’t want to overestimate my bttw speed).

I’ve heard from just about every flip-turn (experienced) swimmer I’ve met that runners are known for their lack of kick.  This fact and the fact that running doesn’t translate to biking power either, frustrate me endlessly.  But it is what it is.  I want to be a faster swimmer and I need a stronger kick to get there.  This is how I’ll get there, not more running.

“Does your neck hurt when you do that?”

Kicking Back…asked a young high school swim team member as I finished my first 100 yards of backstroke, ever.

“No, not really.” I replied. Then realizing  she was being incredibly polite I asked, “If I keep swimming like this, will it?” 

“definitely.”

I think I modeled my head position after this otter.  It seems reasonable.  These little guys can swim like crazy and they look cute.  But according to the Milford High School swim team, when humans swim backstroke and crank their heads and necks up this high, it leads to bad things.  The team graciously demonstrated a better head position.

As I attempted to swim like the demonstration, I got completely clear on why I had cranked my head up the first time.  I have no idea where I’m going  and I don’t swim straight going backward.  There are no lane lines in the pool.  Nothing prevented me from swimming right into other swimmers and lanes.  Luckily, it’s a very friendly pool and a few apologies kept me in good graces with my fellow swimmers.

My second backstroke lesson of the day was about how to swim backstroke safely and in a straighter line.  I use the ceiling tiles as my visual guide line.  I use my peripheral vision to look for the ladders which signal that the wall is coming soon.  I always keep one arm up to protect my head from tagging the wall first.

Huzzah! 100 yards of backstroke that felt pretty good.   I understand why my coach has added this stroke to my training.  The workout felt great on my legs and a is nice change from all the freestyle.  The view is going to some getting used to.

“When the student is ready, a teacher will appear.”