Swimming for fitness (part 4). Everyone welcome.

[TheOrigRightsofwomen]

Old thread here

Anyone interesting in swimming for fitness welcome here.
Newbies, experiences, the fast, the slow - we're all sharing, learning and most of all supporting each other.

[boxcar]

8FencingWire Well done. I did my second aquathlon this morning. I did just under 9 mins for the 400m swim and that was about mid table out of a field of over 90 competitors. My run was dire this morning though. Couldn't get my breathe after the swim & felt extremely woozy for the first 1.5k. I relaxed after that but ran at long run pace, nowhere near my 5k pace. I think that was just tiredness though (had a busy & stressful week). I ran better the first time and was consciously holding back then as I didn't know what to expect.

[TheOrigRightsofwomen]

Welcome Meg
Everyone is welcome!

I am all for finding and sticking to the sport you most enjoy.

I'm afraid I have never experienced such reaction from the chemicals and don't really know what to suggest. I'd keep an eye on things though. I guess if it's something that goes away between swims then it's nothing to worry about too much, but if it goes on for a while then apart from being very uncomfortable, I'd be concerned about it affecting the delicate balance which keeps things healthy, which may lead to further discomfort.

[TriSkiRun99]

Hope you find a solution Meg it’s not a problem I’ve had from swimming in multiple pools.

Been away back last night so got a run and swim in last night felt good to stretch out. Back muscles aching though as I’ve tweaked my stroke different muscles are working.

[tizwozliz]

Total of 6.6 km swum this week - this should put me on track for my yearly target.

Also treated myself to a new swimsuit, it's technically a girl's age 16 so half the price despite being the same size as some women's costumes

[tizwozliz]

Trying to motivate myself to go out swimming tonight. Pools round here close for the bank holidays which is very irritating.

[missmartini]

Swam 3 times (a mile each time) this week and, happy with that and hoping my pool is open on Sunday morning so will head then too. Also went to an Aqua HIIT class for the first time this week. Was so much harder than I thought it was going to be 😂

[Jenny2014]

New to this thread. I’m back to swimming after maybe 15 years but have made an effort twice this week to swim for about half an hour-ish. I think I swam 40 lengths x 25m pool but found my brain wouldn’t focus enough to count (5yo and 2yo plus long day at work, mind drifts but it’s nice to switch off really). Any top tips on counting / counters? I tried counting normally, in sets, and tried alphabet; the 40 is anything between 36 and 44 because I’m a few laps out for sure. Much to my disappointment I don’t feel the muscle pain like I would do a gym class, but did vary stroke, arms only, legs only, front / back - not quite brave enough to try a length of fly just yet (or a tumble turn!) Our pool have swim cards with suggested sessions - may give them a go. Any hints / tips welcome.

[Bayleyf]

Jenny To remember how many lengths I've done i do maths with the number I'm on- work out the percentage of my total that I've done, square it or whatever.

It helps me remember the number, and it makes my brain switch off from whatever else I am thinking off (which is a good thing!).

I'm aware this is probably very odd...

[missmartini]

@Jenny2014 I use the clock to help me count round, I'm trying to up my fitness (haven't exercised for a long time) and I know I can do 2 lengths of my pool in around 1 minute, I look every few even number lengths if that makes sense so I know roughly in 10 minutes doing front crawl I would have done approx 20 lengths...20m pool for the record so a bit quicker than a usual 25m one. Once I keep an eye for my first 20 minutes I can average the rest of my swim, I usually try to go for an hour my best has been 100 lengths in 59 minutes. I know most posters would smash that out of the park but it's a target for me to beat!

[lljkk]

Funny chat this morning right after lanes. Talking with a slow-lane swimmer (woman of mature yrs, but takes her swimming seriously, wants to get her lengths in).

She referred to many in the slow lane as "flotsam" (just bobble randomly rather than swim lengths). She tries to wave her swimtag at them, to hint they shouldn't stand in the way, but they don't get the message.

I said a fast lane problem was gassy sprinters: sprint like crazy then stop at shallow end to chat for 10 minutes. The gassy sprinters clog up the wall so you can't reach it to push off.

"In my lane, " she said, "the ones who just stand at the end are barnacles. Grey with lots of crusty hairs!"

Made me laugh :).

[CorrigansDoorKnob]

It’s the end of the open water season here, I’m doing the last race next Sunday. I can’t decide whether to wear a wetsuit or be brave and go bathers/race suit.

I splashed out on a full leg race open water race suit this year. Has anyone ever attempted putting one of these things on?? It took a whole bottle of talc and two wooden spoons (to get the suit over my butt). I took all the skin off my little finger and broke a nail!

I managed to break my target time of sub 60 mins for this swim (3.6k), which I was really pleased about www.busseltonjettyswim.org.au/

I also did these two races as a team. One day I’d like to do it solo...
rottnestchannelswim.com.au/
porttopub.com.au/

Well done on your times at the Masters tizwoz. I’m going to swim at the State Championships next month. I’m also going to enter a few NF races, but it’s really difficult working out an estimated time as I don’t swim them often. I’m hopeless at Butterfly so I won’t even attempt that!

[sproutsandparsnips]

Missmartini I do the same but with fractions!

[TriSkiRun99]

Two sea swims already this weekend - I’m novice at swimming in the sea but i went quite a way out with couple of others but then felt really panicky and had to use all my calm thinking and mixing it up with kicking on my back and FC to get back to shore. It was only on dry land I realised we had got picked up a bit by current and drifted a lot off. So it was definitely a lesson learnt! Went again today only a couple of miles down the coast but it felt 5-10c cooler brrrr got ice cream head trying to do a few strokes of FC so didn’t last more than 10-15mins this time. Hope to go tomorrow too making the most of the sun, but still swimming in a winter wetsuit

[Cherrypi]

Ooh I'd love a sea swim. Going to try and go for my first pool swim of the year this week. Don't know why I've left it so long.

[Bayleyf]

50 lengths in a blissfully empty pool earlier today.

Everyone else must have been in the sunshine, which was fine by me.

[lljkk]

Swimming yesterday there were only 1-8 of us in the pool. I've been outside for hrs last few days, so also delighted to have the place to empty.

TriSkiRun99: do you put your face in the sea water to open water swim there. I hate salt water in the mouth. Blech!!

I waded thru around a river today. I suspect not safe to let that water in my mouth either, though (too many germs) :).

[TriSkiRun99]

Yes lljjk I’m working on full face in FC in water hence the ice cream headache feeling as despite a hat it was 🥶 we have one beach pebbly that’s clear water but colder and another sandy warmer one but it’s murky which I find abit freaky and I don’t like not seeing very much. I only started last year swimming in the sea a bit but I’m keen to build up to doing more if I can build up my confidence as it really is lovely and my DD is keen to do more too.

[MajesticWhine]

I'm new to the thread. Looking for motivation to exercise more. I'm lucky enough to have a 50m outdoor pool near work so going to go this week. I'm fairly slow I reckon and I can't manage every length doing front crawl because my stamina is not up to it. Hopefully can build it up though.

[TheOrigRightsofwomen]

Hello Majestic

Do you need a kick up the backside and a stern talking to or something more meaningful like how fabulous the endorphins will make you feel after you've swum?

Either way, you are very welcome here - we err on the side of nice I think.

Where do you live to have such a wonderful facility?

I have not swum for a couple of weeks due to work and school hols, but hope to get back to twice a week from now.

[EmmaPea]

What a coincidence, I brought a swimming costume yesterday and then came upon this thread today.
I love swimming but haven't been in quite a while. I'm 6 months post baby and the biggest I've ever been (over 19 stone), so am really really nervous about going swimming. My aim is to get into wild swimming once we move in a few months (nowhere to do it where I live) so will start in the local pool! Hoping to go either this or next week.

[TheOrigRightsofwomen]

Hello Emma and congratulations on your new baby.

What are you nervous about? That you haven't been in a while or that you are bigger than you should be and you feel self-conscious?

In my experience the only thing people care about most when they go to the pool is that they can actually do what they want ie swim without dickheads getting in the way and that they don't turn up to find the pool closed, or they've forgotten their swimsuit (or knickers!).

The women only session in our pool is very popular with those who I think are a little intimidated by some. Also, I find the pool less busy if I go at the end of a session. But I guess with a 6 month old you won't have much flexibility with times.

[missmartini]

Hi @EmmaPea

Please don't feel self conscious, I find the swimming pool to be a much friendlier place than the actual gym in my opinion (and just my experience I don't mean to offend anyone who are avid gym goers as well as swimming). You'll do absolutely great! Keep us posted when you go for the first time! Congratulations on the little one as well! I have 2 DC and work full time and love my swimming as a bit of "me" time.

@MajesticWhine wow! That sounds an amazing pool!



Well back at it for me starting tomorrow! I finished my 22 miles swim challenge over 12 weeks for charity on Saturday so I enjoyed my weekend with chocolate eggs and gin! Haha! Back at it tomorrow aiming for a mile swim after work then Aqua HIIT class after that!

[jewel1968]

Does anybody else get kicked by typically male swimmers doing breaststroke. I have quite a few bruises. They sometimes apologise but seem incapable of containing their stroke to their side of the lane.

[MajesticWhine]

The 50m lido i mentioned is in north london - Crouch End area. It's heated too so it's absolutely lovely - I went this morning. My stamina definitely needs to improve - and probably technique too - but it was a lovely swim. As well as the benefits of exercise really helped improve my mood too. Going to go at least once a week now.

[Cherrypi]

Ooh I'd love a lido in my town. Right going for my first swim of the year this morning. Means a greasy haired school run. Oh well.