unironedman

A rather short post.

I arrived a little early at the pool this morning, but as one session runs into the next and both were open to members, I was able to get a head start on what has become the usual mile-long swim, or 66 lengths of our pool.

So, despite feeling a little sluggish after the decent run in the park and woods yesterday, I managed to do 80 lengths in about 50 minutes or so, which is 2k. I can’t recall the last time I did that sort of distance. Happy out, as they say. And I felt fairly good too.

I know for real swimmers, this is what is called a ‘warm-up’ but for me, well… I’m happy with that. It bodes well for the future, not least knowing I can get going a little earlier, and add to the overall volume. I still just get in and swim, mind you.

I don’t have many gadgets and gizmos for the pool. Somewhere lurking in the bowels of the swim bag is a little doohicky that clips onto your thumb for lap counting. It’s totally manual, so you have to remember to press the button each lap. If you can do that, you may as well just remember what lap you’ve done. Which is what I do.

The other item in the bag is a set of paddles. They do offer a great work-out for the arms, but I admit to not using them that much, as it rather banjaxes you for a session. I don’t have pull-buoys, or do sets, or do odd things like swimming with closed fists. I’m sure I should, and my swimming might benefit. But for me, it’s about getting in and getting out at the other end, and then getting on the bike.

Oddly enough, I tend to enjoy the swim the most out of the three events, despite it being my weakest (though that’s not saying that much really). But when I think about cycling and running training, notwithstanding the various speed and interval work you do for both, you tend not stick things on your legs or hang parachutes out your back when you’re doing either of those activities. So why swimming is bedevilled with such chicanery is beyond this lesser mortal. Swim coaches are welcome to inundate me with answers…

The other thing I still can’t do are tumble turns. This would add an extra few lengths to each session, as I’ve noticed when lane swimming that if I’m beside someone with similar ability who can tumble turn, then they invariably get ahead by a good few metres at the turn, and after half a dozen lengths or so, are a full length ahead. Clearly not an issue for open water swimming, but probably a useful tool to have in your kit back. But then again, you do LOOK like a tool when you’re practising them… I have tried, and ended up with a mouth full of water, a face full of snot and heading off perpendicular to the lane. None of these are edifying spectacles. I can never get the pool to myself to get over the hump of looking like an idiot, so for now, it’s touch, turn and go for me. Old dogs, new tricks, and all that…

In other news, this just arrived in the post…

As you can see from the logo, it’s an Osteomat. I’ll skip all the sales guff and direct you here. It’s for Saoirse, and hopefully will provide some relief for her back pain. It has had its first outing and apparently produces trance-like states, and S reckons it explains a lot about the general demeanour of Indian fakirs.

More on this anon. I will give it a go too, though in general my back is okay.

Now, off to my Pilates class. Laters.