Tag: swimming

plan B: mental conditioning

Power of thoughtsI read an article last week about mental conditioning and competitive athletes. The inspiration in this piece was a 2008 Olympic swimmer who missed the wall on her turn during a medal race.  This cost her important time, but she recovered and made the podium.  The author described how she was not just physically, but mentally prepared for this moment.  She had missed the wall in trainings before, had practice working through the experience, and had trained herself mentally to overcome the negative thoughts that typically come with such a mistake.

About 200 yards into my  warm up, this morning, my left shoulder came out of its proper track and I was in pain. I tried another couple of strokes to see if it was just a random tweak, but it wasn’t.  The shoulder wouldn’t stay in track and the pain was enough that I knew working through it wasn’t the best choice for my long term goal.

My immediate response was implosion.  I was mad and could only see all the time I had invested as a waste.  With this stupid shoulder, I’d probably never be able to swim fast enough to be competitive at the level I was trying for.  I felt cursed and like there was no longer any point.  I was going home.

Falling apart in the deep end was a good thing;  I needed to swim back to the other end, anyway.  I went slow, slow, slow. And in the quiet, defeated 25 yards, it occurred to me that I may not be the fastest, but I still could swim.  And even if I needed to stay at my previous speed, with my crappy old stroke, it wasn’t the end of the world or my goal. There are lots of people (Kayla Wheeler came to mind) who swim competitively with fewer limbs than I’m lucky to have.

I fretted in the shallow end for a while.  Mid-fret, I started to massage the muscles in my back, down my arm, and around my shoulder.  Everything was tight and the pain was sort of radiating.  I stretched and massaged my left side for 5 minutes or so.  Optimistically, I decided to try again and just see what happened. It pulled out of the track with sharp pain right away.  So, I flipped on to my back and fretted some more.

The article about the mental recovery of the Olympic swimmer came to mind.  My situation was probably more mental than physical – even though I could identify my shoulder and the pain as the problem.  This is my shoulder.  It just has structural issues that aren’t going to be fixed without surgery and it’s not really bad enough to warrant surgery.  It’s gotten stronger with 6 months of physical therapy, but it’s not cured. It’s possible, actually likely that this will happen again and during a race. It is the only left shoulder that I have to work with, so what did I want to get out of this training-this practice? I need to stop fretting about what I can’t do. I need to figure out what I can do.  What can I do,  when this happens, to finish as strongly as I can.   I need to figure out my strategy and practice it. During a race, I won’t have the shallow end for a 5 minute fret and massage. How do I want to respond when / if this happens mid-race? And then I’m going to start practicing my answer, so I can be able to respond more competitively in the future.

My new intents for this training became: 1. to figure out what I can do when this happens, 2. to start talking myself through the strategy, and 3. to practice the combination of the adapted swim and a new mental message.  Each stroke was very deliberate as I paid close attention to my shoulder and to trying to understand what the limits were today.

I realized that my  torso rotation had a significant relationship to the pain in the shoulder when the left arm was out of the water.  I also realized that I experienced no pain or dislocation when rotated fully and took a breath on the left side.  I could reduce the pain with more rotation when my right arm was out of the water, but not when I took a breath on my right side.  I experimented and tried as many things as I know to try (which isn’t that much), but today breathing on my right side wasn’t going to work.  So I swam breathing every four breaths on the left and every two when I got winded. After a short period of time, I felt able to maintain this rhythm without straining my brain too hard.

For the last set, I decided I wanted to glimpse what I could accomplish with the back-up strategy.

8 x 50 @ 1:05 (descend 1-4 and 5-8)
1 -4:
 :50, :49, :47, :45
5-8:   :45, :44, :42, :40

Trepidation is the best word I can come up with to describe what I felt in the first few 50s. Once I hit  :45, I knew I had a little more, without risk of additional injury or pain.  I was right.

Does this session mean I won’t shut down and throw my pool toys if this happens again? Doubtful.  I’m just hoping the practice of the stroke and the new mental strategy gets me back in the game sooner. And un/fortunately I’m sure there will be other opportunities to practice this.

There was one other thought that probably helped me get back in the game and deal with this.  I thought, if I can’t be a strong swimmer, then the bike is going to be even more critical to my time. Oh, crap, I’ve got to figure this out.  (I still hate the bike.)

More on Swim Pacing

Set back to come backAfter reading my last swim post, “All in a winter’s swim“, my coach commented,

Pacing takes practice.

She also included the following link to a great blog post about the value of swim pacing.  http://www.feelforthewater.com/2013/12/but-i-was-just-chasing-ray.html.  (for those of us who love data this article will not disappoint.)

Reading this completely confirmed my summary: Finally, in hindsight I can figure out that …this means I went out faster than I could maintain.

Coincidentally, the next workout my coach had planned was a perfect opportunity to test this hypothesis (and my willingness to slow down to go faster).

Workout #1: Swim
Planned Duration: 0:45
Description: (warm-up) 3 x 100 @ 1:45 100 easy (25 backstroke/ 25 free) 3 x 100 @ 1:45 100 easy (25 backstroke/ 25 free) 100 BTTW FAST

My Post Workout Comments:
Rather than focusing on speed, I focused on good form and being strong. Specifically: “head down, don’t lift head on breath, relaxed hands, core engaged like vacuum exercise, rotate, & kick from butt” –  repeat

1st 3×100@1:45: 1=1:30, 2=1:38, 3=1:40
ok – still went out too fast on the 1st 100 – regroup, try again.
2nd 3×100@1:45: 1=1:35, 2=1:35, 3=1:37  YES!
What struck me most was that both sets actually averaged 1:36.  BUT…I wasn’t as fatigued on the second set AND I felt like I could have kept going and maintained the pace for another 200 yards.  I can only imagine this bodes well for wishing to ride a bike and then run after a swim, as well. I was incredibly pleased with the results.
100 BTTW fast: 1:25 (a personal best)

I was thrilled with a PB on this 100, but even more so with having maintained my even pace.  This feels like amazing progress for me.

Swim Smooth logoOn a side note.  The website, Swim Smooth, that Kelsey sent me to is a fantastic resource for swim information. This is another great post on how the most improved swimmers made the greatest improvements in 2013.

All in a winter’s swim

Lap pool5:00 am: Wake up. Check the pool website.  Yes! The pool is open for morning swim. 

5:05 am: Tip toe downstairs in the dark. Praise the joy of a remote car starter. Oh, right…the car is covered in half a foot of new snow. First workout: shovel to and remove snow from car.

5:25 am: Car is clean enough.  I can see out the windows and won’t be “that SUV” that dumps snow on all the cars behind me. (not sure of the risk this early, but I feel like a good citizen)

5:45 am: Arrive at pool. Run out of car. A fellow swimmer has slipped and fallen in the snow. It is one of the pool’s “most experienced” swimmers.  She has someone helping her up, but I stay with them to make sure she’s ok.  She’s not hurt badly.  She shares that the most damage was to her pride. The first inspiring moment of the day: Here she is at the pool in the dark before 6 am.  There’s over half a foot of new snow on the ground.  There are only 4 other cars in the lot. She has dusted herself off and is heading in to do the swim she came to do. She just turned 87 and she is so AWESOME! (I make a mental note to be this awesome when I’m 87)

5:55 am: Enter the water. Wow! It’s so warm, almost hot. It’s like bath water, very relaxing, but I note that it feels problematic for the time I was hoping to get for my “cruise-finder” this morning.

6:05 am: Notice that my fellow non-flip-turn swimmer, Jeff, is becoming a flip-turner. I watch him somersault in the deep end several times.  I then witness him complete 2 very smooth turns in the deep end. I applaud. The second inspiring moment of the day: I am so impressed by his tenacity and by how well he’s executing the turns. If Jeff can be brave enough to try, maybe I will. He is so AWESOME! (I make another mental note to be this awesome soon)

6:15 am: 1000 yard warm-up complete. Dave’s ready with the stopwatch and the lap numbers at the far end of the pool. I go. The first 100 felt smooth, I felt good, but warm. The second 100 felt okay.  The third, I just felt sluggish and anything but smooth or coordinated. I start repeating in my head, “I’m a strong swimmer, I’ve got this, I’m a strong swimmer.” Things came back together. I felt more coordinated to the finish, but didn’t get much speed from my BTTW finish. I didn’t hold back. I was exhausted. Not as fast as I want to be, but spent.

6:25 am:  My 500 time was 8:40. 5 seconds slower than my time from 5 weeks ago. I feel very disappointed. My 100 split times told the same story as my feelings.  (1=1:34, 2=1:42, 3=1:55, 4=1:44, 5=1:45)I was hoping for a little progress. A sign that the hard work was paying off. Today, the sign isn’t going to come from my time.

6:30 am: I start my 400 yard cool down of choice. I know I need to shake it off. I know that I am getting stronger and feeling stronger. My disappointment feels like slime, like defeat. I focus on how the water feels moving over my skin and I keep moving.  I’m calming my thoughts. Like with all disappointing results, I shift into analytic mode. +5 seconds. It’s only 1 second per 100.  It’s not awful.  What did I really hope for? I didn’t know. I hadn’t been clear. I just knew I wanted “better.” Crap.

7:00 am: Drive home. I’m now in determined mode.  I want to ask my coach for specific interval drills to remedy this.  My speed/endurance needs practice.  I’m back into intent. This result isn’t a setback; it’s feedback.  What I do with it is my choice.  And I choose to harness it as motivation to get faster.  The third inspiring moment of the morning: This was becoming one of my fastest recoveries to date. I drive home, still thinking and analyzing. Still doubting my abilities and frustrated. But I also know that it’s in me to get faster. It occurs to me that this is actually the exact motivation that I need for my swimming. This is so awesome!

Now am: Sit down and look at split times. Finally, in hindsight I can figure out that a second faster per 100 would have felt like good progress to me. And this means I went out faster than I could maintain. With less disappointment, I can see that 4 of 5 100s were better than this target. I can also see a whole lot of progress since last spring. (I make a third mental note: remember that I do better when I know my goal, clearly. )
Here it is plainly: I will swim 1:43 per 100, for 500 yards. (I’m still working on when)

Monday morning swim, not.

Pool in the dark The 5:10 alarm was unwelcome this morning.

The bed was warm and cozy and begging me to stay.  The grinding sound of the salt trucks gave me hope…maybe a school cancellation…? Then the pool would be closed.  No luck.

The driving wasn’t too bad. I was happy to see that the parking lot was just sparsely covered with cars.  I figured I was about to reap the benefits of my dedication and maybe have an entire lane to myself.

We waited. And we waited. Our numbers started dwindling and then it occurred to me that all of the die-hard, AM lap swimmers were missing. Wait a minute – something was up.

So it turns out, there is a website for the community use pool:

Lap swimming cancelled

Oh, how I wish I had just given in to the call of the flannel sheets this morning.

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.

Thanksgiving Workout

WOW! That was cold!Your Workouts for Thursday, November 28

Workout #1: Crazy Polar Bear Bippy-Freezing!
Type: Other
Description: Have fun, crazy lady!
Pre-Activity Comments: WOW! That was cold!

The 34th Annual Thanksgiving swim. I’m not sure why the tradition began.  Duxbury beachThe swim takes place at Duxbury Beach in Massachusetts (New England cold). Our swim location is a stone’s throw from where the pilgrims set ground, before being able to make their way into Plymouth harbor.  I’m sure some of the pilgrims fell in the water and got cold. So possibly we’re re-enacting?  This is doubtful.  It’s certainly the result of mixing beer and otherwise clear thinking 35 years ago.

The 2013 swim was one of the coldest.  Many years the air and water are actually warm enough for people to run in 2 or 3 times.  We have scads of photos through the years of people hanging out on the beach afterward and socializing. (One of my favorites is of my dad, in his bathing suit, talking to my grandmother in her big, warm winter coat.)

Thanksgiving SwimWhy swim? It’s impossible to make this seem like a wise choice, but there is something wonderful about a group of people rallying early on Thanksgiving morning to spend time together.  There’s something special about hanging out with a gang of all ages (from 8 to 70 this year) that counts to three then runs into the freezing ocean roaring like polar bears. It’s not for everyone, but it works for me.

Workout #2: Happy Thanksgiving!
Type: Other
Description: Thank you for being an awesome, inspiring athlete and thank you so much for giving me the honor of coaching you!

Workout #3: Gratitude, Play with Family
Type: Other
Description: Play, play, play, play. Love life!
Pre-Activity Comments: Mission complete.  A wonderful holiday and many, many reasons to be grateful.  Happy Thanksgiving 2103.