SwimQuest Mathraki My travel day

I've booked into SwimQuest's "Technique and Explore with Cassie Patten" for additional freestyle coaching and to do a little openwater swimming in warm water. Coldness has previously been a limiting factor for me. It's around 8 years since last flying abroad and I wasn't looking forwards to the travel. I flew a day early to ensure I was ready for the transfer from Corfu Town to the island.

Fortunately,  after a 3am start everything went well and I reached the hotel, an easy walk from the airport, late afternoon.  The weather wasn't as warm as I'd expected and I was even caught in a brief rain shower.  I made a small tour of the town but didn't queue for the old fortress. There were 4 cruise ships docked and I presume their thousands of passengers contributed to the busy-ness.

Alleyway in Corfu town

The town varied between busy, upmarket restaurants and basic urban areas. A few streets back there's a non-tourist commercial area where I bought bananas and water for the next day or so. I found the island's only vegetarian restaurant on the border between those areas and I ate a good evening meal. Even with the traffic noise, both cars and aeroplanes, I slept fairly well.

The Cross Bay Walk, Take 2

This afternoon we walked across Morecambe Bay, partly in the fundraiser for Grange Lido, and partly because it's a fabulous experience. Some years ago I did a 13 km run from Silverdale to Humphrey Head, this time we walked from Arnside to Grange-over-Sands. The distance was an easier 10km.

It's worth stressing that although there is a Byway across the bay, and in general much of the foreshore in the UK is publicly accessible, it's very unwise to venture far into the area without a competent guide. Quicksand areas are common and the tide rises rapidly, resulting in the Arnside Bore. 

Section of OS map showing the northern part of the bay

The 'safety briefing' before the walk was not confidence-inspiring but one had to accept that the guide is experienced and will want to get to safety as much as any of us. When we mentioned the walk to friends beforehand there were plenty of disapproving looks and comments about how dangerous the bay is. Just over 2 decades ago around 23 workers died in the bay in one night  and, of course, such incidents are remembered, and many people have 'near misses' every year. So, there is a risk..

We were blessed with good weather, perhaps a little too much sun, but really you don't want bad weather whilst in the bay. This is one of few places in England where the scenery is flat for miles and underfoot neither farmed nor industrial.

Just starting to leave the security of Arnside peninsula

The walk took just over 3 hours, including a couple of short breaks. On both occasions I've found it tougher than the mere distance and elevation would suggest. There are a few streams to wade which can vary from ankle-depth to waist-depth, dependent on the day.

Our route across the bay

The texture of the sand and its softness sap energy and give legs a work-out. Only a few walkers needed a little ride on one of the accompanying tractors and there was clearly a sense of achievement as the large party came ashore.  

I'd recommend a bay crossing to any keen runner or walker. I think a fair risk assessment is that a journey with a guide is sensibly safe, remembering that we take risks everyday, often for no good outcome (I was going to put a link in here but decided to leave you to think of your own examples!).

 

Back into progress

Three weeks ago my session in the endless pool was unproductive, and unfortunately the next day I had shoulder pain and needed to book in with the physio! With hindsight I think there was a combination of holding a streamline position at the limit of my range of movement, a general lethargy of unknown origin, and no doubt an element of overtraining. Any one of these may well have been manageable in themselves but together they were too much.

After another endless pool session, some ordinary swims, another physio session, and a less busy week I felt back on track. Yesterday's endless pool session felt like a step forwards, my lead arm is usually facing forwards, my shoulder dive to the right is reduced and with concentration my head swinging disappears. When the pool speed was increased above my comfort zone I re-adopted some poor practices. I must remember to focus on the coaching tips even more when I need the power.

Today's 'ordinary' swim was more evidence that the coaching and focussed practice is working. I recorded a 200 yard PB of 4:10 minutes and two sets of 100 yards in 2:01 minutes, so not PBs, but demonstrative of consistency. Perhaps I was a little less efficient than for my last PB as my stroke average was 13 today, although some lengths were completed in 12 strokes (which of course means some were 14!).

I like to think that the plantar fasciitis is resolving slightly but the rate of improvement is so slow that I also wonder if I'm just hoping that to be true.

Endless disappointment

After some months of feeling an increasing confidence in both my freestyle stroke and working in the endless pool, today's session was a disappointment. I arrived on a positive note with documented evidence on improved distance per stroke and pace, helped along by a trouble-free journey to the pool. The session was in a different sequence which didn't seem to be a problem at first as I'm fairly happy to swim with the snorkel now. I noted an absence of head wobbling, which is a positive to take away, although my shoulders felt tired very soon.

Quickly, we moved onto some kick drills with my arms as much in a streamline pattern as they'll allow. I think this is where my problems started as even now, 10 hours or so later, I can feel my shoulders as unduly stressed. With fins off, my legs felt so heavy and ineffectual and I couldn't reconnect with good form in my arms. A few minutes with a pull buoy restored a little improvement in form but even then my legs felt to be a massive anchor. It's always tough to swim without fins after wearing them for a few minutes but today it seemed impossible. 

Altogether, today wasn't a productive session, fortunately I've enough positive experiences in the pool to consider this an 'off day' but must keep a weather-eye for overtraining. I've certainly been there for running, and with a current running injury I must be careful not to go down that route for swimming.

Progress being consolidated

This afternoon's swim session was a little busier than usual, which makes me try a little harder so as not to be a blockage in the lane. In the past, that effort seemed to be pointless arm spinning with little effective impact on pace. Today however it felt, and measured, a bit different.

My 200yd set took 4:16 minutes which must be a PB, I doubted my reading of my watch as I peered into the screen without my glasses. But it is uploaded and crystal clear. I did some catch-up drill sets and focussed on reach to catch transition on some lengths. All whilst trying not to bob my head. With a good time and some 'work' under my belt I tried a 100yd set. I pushed, but not too much, I knew that form had to exceed effort. 

1:56min for 100yds

I was rewarded with a clear sub-2 minute set. Now that's 10% less than 200m, at the same pace I'd have hit 2:07 minutes for 100m. To achieve 2 minutes for 100m, each 25 yards must be completed in 27.4s. That goal pace is looking achievable. As mentioned previously I don't trust my sub-2 minutes achievement in the 18m pool...

More video analysis

The videos of last week's endless pool session arrived this evening. My technique has clearly improved, most importantly stability of my leading arm. However, progress is insanely slow and I can still see all-too-common faults. On the positive side, I am noticing improvements in pace, and probably more important for long term success, I can now 'feel' effective pressure on the water. This 'feel' acts as instant feedback on technique and is one of the few ways a swimmer in the water can critique their own stroke as they swim.

Still obvious elbow lead associated with lack of a vertical forearm

Things I need to think about:

• I'm still bobbing my head side to side, especially as workload increases 
• My right arm is tending to curl towards the surface as I reach, 'putting on the brakes', seems to occur as I roll onto the lead arm. Elbows up!
• Still some elbow lead even though it's higher
• My left arm is now often looking tidier than the right now I've largely resolved the crossover and wide stroke tendency

Perhaps a PB that indicates solid progress?

Yesterday I was back in the endless pool, or 'The Tank' as I've come to call it, where I was able to report that I could feel improvement in pace, stroke count and that so elusive feel. Today my first set, theoretically a warm-up,  illustrated that.

Less than 4:20 minutes for 200yds is a personal best

For some weeks this first set has been around 4:30 which is fine. Today, I didn't push, but tried to focus on the list of points for good technique. It appears to have paid off, and I believe that this is represents a personal best. I'm not counting my nominal sub-2 minutes for 100m in an 18m pool as I believe the push-offs compensated for poor swim pace, and I'm not even sure that I believe the timing.

But back to today. Importantly my average stroke count was 12 strokes per length across the 8 lengths. Reviewing previous data, in November I swam an opening 200yds in 4:50 with 14 strokes per length average. A year ago I had a 200yd set in 4:36 but with 15 strokes per length. I can't expect these gains every week but it is harkening to see such an increase in efficiency.