Feel of the water

Currently, I'm swimming 100yd sets with focus on a particular movement or body part. Not really drills, but certainly not swimming repeated lengths merely for distance. The intention is to develop parts of my stroke in the hope that eventually the elements will fuse.

Midway through today's session I moved onto catch and tried to visualise small inward rotation of my arms, high elbows, a more open chest and a hold on the water. For two sets I was clearly aware of more resistance to my forearms and these sets were under two minutes. They were also more tiring as I was exerting more force. I suspect that my stroke rate had increased too, as unfortunately, my distance per stroke had reduced. Thinking back, it's likely that I was starting recovery too early as I wasn't focussing on that.

It's heartening to see sub-two minute 100 yard sets again as they didn't last for long. Next session I'll have to try to recapture that feeling and see if I can make it reproducible, and hopefully a habit.  

Second opinion

Six months into plantar fasciitis I have had a second opinion from the other physiotherapist in my local practice. According to a recent review I have a few predisposing factors including a high arch and calf tightness alongside regular running. Although my symptoms are fairly long-standing it doesn't seem sensible to progress to 'Phase 3' therapies when I've not systematically undertaken stretching and mobility of the tissues. Although I undertake calf-raising exercises in a runners' circuit I haven't, as yet, systematised this in the long term.

The currently suggested programme is centred on mobility of the foot and calf without focus on massage of the potentially-inflamed fascia. I'm also including toe scrunch and towel-lifts to activate the intrinsic muscles of the feet. Next week I'm also encouraged to do some very small rope skipping. Such pylometric exercises are generally discouraged in plantar fasciitis so I'll need to be on the look out for a worsening of symptoms.

 

Impact of heat and fatigue?

Tuesday's swim had some of the fastest sets I've ever swum and made me think I'd overcome a performance hurdle. However, on Wednesday and Thursday my pace progressively slowed. Not massively, but by today I was only able to beat 30s per length a few times, with no 100yd set in less than 2 minutes. 

I assume that I started the week with no accumulated fatigue but now I've some training load. It's also worth noting that we're in the 5th consecutive official heatwave of the summer and the walk to and from the pool is quite an effort at this temperature. Hopefully my achievement on Tuesday indicates an underlying ability which will re-surface after rest. 

Impact of Mathraki coaching

I've been to the pool a number of times since returning from Mathraki and tried to integrate points from the coaching. My plan has been to do short sets where I focus on an aspect such as:

• Hip rotation and core engagement
• Pushing past hips
• Legs high
• Leading with wrist

and then do a few lengths trying to do it all, with a bit of pace. My stroke has gradually felt more powerful and today I think I have seen a clear gain.

Although the pool wasn't heavily booked when I made my reservation, the lane was nearly full when I arrived.  This always encourages me to avoid being slow and blocking the lane, but has often simply made me less efficient. Today, however, I completed my 200yd set in 4:05 minutes which is definitely a PB. 

For subsequent sets I aimed to set off behind a convey to give me more space and time and hopefully feel less pressured. Some lengths included simple drills such as catch-up but through the session I managed to do 5 sets of 100yards which were under 2 minutes. Previously I have achieved sub 2 minutes for a set but not 5 in one session.

Perhaps technique and pace gains are being consolidated at last? 

SwimQuest Mathraki travel towards home

A proportion of the group met for a morning dip but I skipped this due to the tight timing of an early breakfast and boat transfer. 

The transfer by boat and minibus worked well despite both boats being temperamental at some point. The trip across to Corfu coincided with a misty haze lifting and gradually revealing the land.

The mist fading over the Ionian Sea

The reluctance of the boats added to the anxiety of those with early flights, but we did arrive at the planned time. Everything during the week ran on a relaxed, casual time but deadlines for travel were met. I chose flight times to fit the advertised connections but I'm not sure I'd recommend this as transfers were adapted to suit the participants’ flights. I'd suggest contacting SwimQuest if your optimum flight doesn't quite work to the publicised times to see what can be arranged.

I chose to wait a few hours in the airport to avoid the midday heat and moving luggage. Corfu airport was frantic, with large package holiday groups. However the various queues for security and passports worked well. There was a brief issue with passport control across Europe (unrelated to the much-criticised EU Entry/Exit System) during my wait but as far as I could tell, the staff handled it well and prioritised those needing to depart.

In reviewing the week I have had many new swimming experiences without serious travel problems. It's worth noting that there's only around 2 hours of planned swimming per day. This works out, for me, around 6.5km in total. Some of the group did extra dips, and of course, swam further on occasions, but I didn't feel a need as even this amount is vastly more than my normal swim training load. The technique, or coaching, element was personalised to ability, age and previous experience and I have made concrete, albeit small, improvements in my stroke. Cassie is a keen observer and effective communicator and clearly loves helping people learn to swim. Our guides worked at least 12 hour days to keep everything on track and make sure we had a safe and enjoyable holiday. My only criticism would be that I'd have liked more individual time on technique in a given session.

The restaurants on Mathraki are very capable of providing vegan fare and I couldn't say I'd ‘missed out’ significantly. The non-vegans (so everyone else) praised the meals too. Greece is as hot as you'd expect but the water may not be. I was the only wetsuit wearer but two other swimmers commented on being cold at the start of the week. I think a shorty wetsuit or rash vest would be advisable for many, both for warmth on the occasional cool mornings and to keep the sun from burning back and shoulders.

SwimQuest Mathraki Fifth and final swimming day

Today's weather had returned to Greek normality, hot, with only the lightest of winds through the day. We started with a boat trip into the ‘middle’ of the sea. The sea was a deep blue, with shafts of light seemingly emitted from underwater, the aureole effect. We floated, did a few strokes under water and, in my case, climbed out once cooling. I soon heated through in my poncho under the sun.

Swimming through rays of sunlight

The boats then took us to the small islet of Platja for a loop of 500m, or for some, nearly two loops. The going was mostly good, just a small rough spot at a pole of the island. My shoulder survived and I was warm enough in the 26 degree water.

In the afternoon we returned to the bay at Mathraki for some coaching observation and short videos. After half an hour I thought my shoulders had enough wear and sun. In the evening Cassie reviewed the video with us and pointed out improvements in:

• Rotation of hips
• Less elbow drop, although still obvious
• Good body line, with slightly higher kick, my heels distinctly breaking the surface

Small improvements in technique

Some points to work on:

• Keep right angles in the catch, don't make hands go under body
• Keep recovery wide, this may help avoid shoulder problems. No need for idealised high elbow recovery especially when older

My roommate, who was sleeping on the beach each night, pointed out a distinctive blood moon to me. 

Not a true 'blood moon'

It seems that this isn't a true blood moon, one due to a lunar eclipse, as they are occurring in March and August this year. Most probably the redness was due to the moon's position close to the horizon. However 'genuine' it certainly formed a memorable closure to the week.

SwimQuest Mathraki Fourth swimming day

I awoke a little earlier than usual and conscious of last night's talk about sunrise I nipped out and tried some photos before another doze.

Sunrise seen from near the hotel, just like a sunset...

Today we really did go to Arillas, a busy seaside resort on the ‘mainland’ of Corfu (the website shows how the village has become busier over the last 40 years). On the way we stopped in yesterday's sheltered spot and explored the rocky margins, including a small sea cave. Once warned of sea urchins I didn't put my feet down. We practiced rotation again before a few hundred metres into less sheltered waters. Before leaving the island we had a brief tour of its cliffs in the powerboat.

One of the boats nudging into the cliffs

Arillas wasn't great. It has bars, an ATM (which had run out of cash) and a pharmacy. It was also very hot and busy; reasons I've not visited Greece previously. I tried a walk but after a 10 minutes I just had to return to the covered bar area.

Our technique session on the beach was on ‘catch’ after a reminder to think about an engaged core. Not easy to concentrate on both. Need to:

• Hinge arms after a light touch reach
• Just do a right angle, avoid deliberately going under your body
• Only apply force under your body after a successful ‘hinge’ and follow through
• Think about leading with wrist, not hand

On the return journey we completed another island swim, this time I was brave and managed without wetsuit. In the warmer water I was more limited by shoulder discomfort more than chills. Worth noting that a wetsuit reduces the risk of sunburn too.

After a brief tour of the Church of St Spyridon by Georgios, we ate at the adjacent ‘locals’ taverna uphill of the hotel. It was nominally a BBQ but started with the usual salads and giant beans. I was served with a lovely mushroom casserole as the guides had let the cook know that I'm not keen on aubergine (they've so much to do to look after us all). The omnivores did receive a stack of various barbequed meats.

Some chose to take the minibus back to the hotel

Tonight was full moon, we had an atmospheric walk back to our hotel, not easy to photograph well.