A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned how everyone has a ‘safe one’. This works two ways, everyone also has the fear factor when it comes to one of the disciplines, the one they know they need to work on, but almost try to avoid. We do the standard sessions, getting the distance in, but how often do we take a step back and ask the question, ‘is this the best I can be?’
We know the answer, of course, we can be better, faster, stronger or fitter, but we know the work needed to be better, actually takes us away from that Holy Grail of covering the distance – therefore we tend to ignore that nagging question – and plough on relentlessly.
For me, and for many, the swim is what brings the biggest anxiety. The event is only a 400m swim, so it isn’t necessarily the distance that puts the coils in the stomach, but the knowledge that my technique is awful and therefore what I don’t want to happen is that all my energy is expended in the swim and then I spend most of the bike recovering.
So I asked that question, is this the best I can be? The answer is no.
So, I decided to do something about it. On Monday, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to have a swim session with elite triathlete,
Lucy Hall and Alan Rapley, a member of the British Triathlon support staff here in Loughborough, working with our elite athletes on all things swim and high-performance related.
Alan is a man who certainly has the credentials; he was Captain of the Great Britain 1996 Olympic Swimming Team none the less!
Lucy Hall had a breakthrough year in 2011, winning the British Triathlon Junior Super Series and also raced side-by-side with world champion
Helen Jenkins in the GE Strathclyde Park Triathlon. If anyone could help, these two could.
Alan’s session
I was joined in my hour of need, by two fellow writers, Liz Barrett from 220 Triathlon and Tim Heming who writes on triathlon in The Sun. Check out the images above, someone said it made me look younger – at times it felt like years were being taken off me!
Introductory warm ups of 4 x100m
Or in my terms, race off too quick, way beyond my pace and generally get to the end of the warm up already feeling it. Note to self: a warm up is called that for a reason!
Measuring the stroke length
Something I have never thought of before, was counting how many strokes it takes to complete 25m. What a great marker to see how you are performing.
We all did another batch of 25m reps, counting our strokes as we went. Whilst counting was simple at first, as we took a breather, and some words of wisdom, the ability to multitask on the next length was not my strongest skill!
Trying to reduce the number of strokes per length
Once we each had our markers, we then aimed to lengthen the stroke, each length aiming to reduce the number of strokes by one.
My outcomes
Whilst initially apprehensive - my compatriots were pretty good swimmers - Alan gave me some great individual pointers to name but a few:
- Lower my head in the water, breathing far too high.
- Really putting in some real effort to propel myself through the water.
- Try breathing from a different side – this worked a treat, and despite drinking a few pints of water as I got used to it, eventually it smoothed out.
What did I learnt from the pro’s?
Besides actually looking at elements of my stroke, I learnt so much from both Alan and Lucy. The benefits of having someone in the know, looking at your stroke, cannot be underestimated.
Something that both Alan and Lucy focussed on was the development of technique. “The perception is that by just doing the miles, you will be ok, but actually, technique is so important. If you can get the technique as efficient as possible, it really does pay off,” said Lucy.
Lucy also reminded me of the importance of the remembering to work on my kicking, “in swimming, the kick is an important part of the stroke. It propels you through the water and is something that really helps me,” Lucy said.
Every swim session I have done, has always focussed on the distance and never the technique or the actual structure of each session. After talking with Alan, he stressed how important it was to mix up sessions and challenge your body and its muscles.
The old adage of doing the same old thing, gets the same old results is certainly true. I have to admit, I am actually really excited about my next swim session, and putting into practice what the pro’s have taught me. With less than two months to go, my goal gets nearer and so does the desire to face that fear and say ‘yes’ to that proverbial question.
Notes from a novice will be published on the Triathlon England website, as I plan to tap into the expertise amongst the Home Nations to help me achieve my triathlon challenge!
Notes from a novice by Tom Goldspink, British Triathlon
