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Diary of a Swimmer



Started swimming about five years back - never entered water before. Hardest part of swimming is initial days of learning. You tend to know how hard lungs has to work and just reaching 25 meters appeared to be a major feat. Training started as part of summer camp in my apartment complex. I continued my training after the end of the swimming camp and slowly built stamina. Before one year completion, I could do 40 laps in a 25 meter pool nonstop freestyle ( front crawl). All my swimming for the first two years confined to my apartment swimming pool. By the end of two years, I could push myself to swim nonstop for 80 laps (80 x25 m).

While doing this, I was neither improving in techniques nor getting challenged. My friend veteran swimmer of age 65 named Chandrasekar, introduced me to a coach Satish (Swimlife) in Bangalore. Swimming on my own and under the supervision of coach are two extremes. During the first month of coaching, it was as if I have never learnt swimming. Coach pushes you to perform in strict time and changes the kicking style with corrections. Your mind just want to give up and walk away!


After 5 years, I think I can call myself swimmer. We train 4 days in a week, run/ one day and cycle one day and mandatory one day rest for body to recover.

Current workout schedule is as follows

Monday, Saturday, Sunday ? Swimming Aerobic Zone (Monday 5:30 AM, Sat/Sun 6:30 AM)

Wednesday ? Swimming - Stroke correction. (5:30 AM)

Tuesday ? Running around 10 kms outdoor to be completed in one hour or less ? 5:30 AM Start)

Thursday ? cycling- duration varies. ? 5:30 AM Start)

Swim distance on Aerobic days varies from 2.5 km to 3 km ? Coach decides what drill we will do.

It has been an exciting journey for me. This has made lot of positive changes to my lifestyle and energy levels. I look forward to swimming. We are team of 8-10 people training hard.

I would like to share my experiences on an ongoing basis in this space. I will start with some of the recent events and how we training for those. I will provide details of the workout, diet on a regular basis.

Next post will be on my first open water swimming and Triathlon held at Thonnur (near Mysore)

Thanks
Rajan

During May 2014, we as team of 9, wanted to take our sport to the next level. What does separate us ?amateur swimmers from professionals? Age is definitely one ? but we have no control. Systematic training and hard work on and off water is one other thing we can control. While we compete in state meet, out interest is on endurance long distance swimming. It is a swimmers dream to cross English Channel by swimming. It is hard because the water is 16 degrees cold during Aug/Sep/Oct timeframe, currents are forceful.

We want to attempt to cross English Channel by swimming. All our practices are to be aligned towards that goal. Shortest distance between Dover to French coast is 42km and seldom could a swimmer cross in straight line. At the time of the planning the time we had for training is 18 months. Hence we booked our slot for Sept 2015 with Channel Swimming Association.

Our training will include many many open water swims along with strict training in the pool in a planned manner
The first one was ?Tri Thonnur? held on 10 Aug 2014 at Thonnur (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thonnur-Lake-Triathlon/258882474236941 )
Thonnur Lake is very close to Mysore and is one of the pristine fresh water lake. It is a large, deep water body. I would assume the dimension are 1.5 km breadth and about 3 km in length. During the summer time, the water is at 150 feet depth and during the wintertime, with water flowing from KSR, it reaches to about 250 feet. These numbers are approximate estimates.

Part of our team did Triathlon and few of us did Aquathon (I did not get bike at that time) . Aquathon requires 1.5 km of swimming in the lake followed by 10km of running. We did several replications of this distance during the training.

We started to the event on 09th. Our coach?s direction is that we first reach the lake and test the water before going to hotel room.

This is the first time, I am going to understand what open water such as this has to offer to an amateur swimmer like me.

Lovely !! look forward to updates in this thread. At one point I used to be an avid swimmer but laziness got the better of me.

[QUOTE] We want to attempt to cross English Channel by swimming. All our practices are to be aligned towards that goal. Shortest distance between Dover to French coast is 42km and seldom could a swimmer cross in straight line. At the time of the planning the time we had for training is 18 months. Hence we booked our slot for Sept 2015 with Channel Swimming Association.

All the very best ! :thup:

09 Aug 2014

We arrived at the shore of the lake and we changed to swimming attire to swim and test the water. The picture below is of the lake. What you see on the direct opposite side is island inside the lake. This island is positioned towards left. The right side is vast surface of water. The distance between shore and the island is around 500m. Our assignment was to swim to the island and be back to the shore. This would make total swim to be 1km helping us acclimatize with the water.

There are vital differences between lake and swimming pool (as obvious as it may sound …)

1. When you swim, with the face down in the water, you cannot see the floor. You will see nothing. In swimming pool, water is clear, depth is low, the blue line (lane) will be visible clearly

2. Swimming pools come in 25, 50 meters in size (in UK there are 30 m pools). As a swimmer, you are guaranteed to touch the wall after swimming for a minute or two. Unfortunately, there are no such walls in lakes.

3. Swimming regularly in pool, we get used to the smell of the water (chlorine). Our brain understands where we are and recognizes it as a safe environment and lets us do our job. Lakes or any other open water has its own smell. With each stroke, rotating the head sideways to take breath, we will feel the smell. It is foreign environment. Brian would recognize this as a threat. This is exactly why we wanted to test the water to get used to the place

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Instruction given by coach is to swim to island and return back. We will swim as one group. As I looked the water, I am sure my pulse rate was racing. I do not think I was afraid but was surely stressed out. We were given “go” and we started.

I started very fast and for some time, I could see my friends with me.

With no reduction in speed, I raced forward but each time, as I took a pull, and my pulse rate would raise out of control. I have drifted away from my friends and going at 45 degree angle completely away from the island. I could see neither the island nor any other human. There was a point, palpitation was too much, I could not swim anymore. My main stroke is backstroke and hence, I turned back floating, trying to calm myself. Idea is to do backstroke and reach the destination. I was talking to my own self, instructing my brain on what has happened and controlling breath to get back to normal. I was telling that all will be ok and still keeping the sanctity of the swim strokes. Later I understood what has happened to me is called ‘hyper ventilation’

At this point, I hear a voice “Rajan – Are you doing ok?”

It was my coach. He found out that I am missing and came rushing towards me. The distance to cover for him is pretty long.

I told him, I am not doing ok and I want to get back. He was counselling while I was floating trying to bring by panic level down. He did to some extent. I told him in the middle of the water that “ I am done with swimming and todays swim back to the shore will be my last and I am not qualified to be a swimmer”

He quietly told me that he is fine with that and we will return back.

With calming nerves, we both swam back to the safety of the land. I was just sitting on the stone thinking what just has happened to me!

Later he spoke to me that what has happened is not very unusual and competition is tomorrow and think about it we can discuss towards the evening..

All of my team members were extremely supportive and did their best to bring my confidence back.

As day progressed, towards the end of the day, I told my coach that I am ready for ”Aquathon” that starts with 1500m swimming in the very same lake at 7:30 AM

Congrats. I am just like you. I do nearly 100 laps (25m) non stop 4-5 times a week but it takes lot of time and I do it at my own pace. Its neither challenging nor fun any more. I just get bored at 100 laps and stop.

For you its english channel, my goal is crossing Ganges. I am sure if I go without training I will panic as well. Look forward to your posts.

10 Aug 2014

We all have gotten up at 5:00 AM and started from the hotel at around 5:30 drive to the lake (race Venue). We all have to do short swim in the lake to get used to the morning cold water. My coach told me that he will swim with me. Initial task is to swim 50 meters (approx) and back.
We both swam together and back.

Next he asked me to swim alone 100 meters. I did. It felt very good.

There was no signs of yesterday. It was a good swim on a beautiful morning.

Aquathon starts with 1500 meters of swim (1.5km) and 11 km run (normally 10lkm ? but it was 11 here)

We all had to keep the shoes in the transition area. We all got orientation on how the timer works. RFID band in each our hands while swimming and we will remove and put it in our legs before starting the run.

I have been running for past 10+ years but this is the first competitive run. We have had focussed training for this event. I always felt, after 1.5km swim, body is fully warmed up with high level of energy, it was actually hard to start running slowly. The running course is in between the sugarcane fields (roads) covering villages with so much greenery around us (Mandya area).

Now, getting ready to swim?

At the start sound, gotten into the water started swimming. I kept checking if there are any signs of panic, palpitation etc, - none whatsoever. I started with my normal pace and continued. It was a beautiful swim. I even tried to do swim without taking breath for 4 to six strokes. I was enjoying the open waters. It took me 48 minutes and 44 seconds to complete the full 1500 meters. It was not my best time. But I had no complaints.

Finished the swim and started the run. It was so refreshing. I completed 11km in 01 Hr 10 Mins 57 Sec

1.5 Km Swimming + 11 KM Running

Timings
Overall rank :- 18
Gender rank :- 13
Swimming Net Time (1.5k) : 00 : 48:44
Transition Time : 00:03:44
Running Net Time (11k) :01:1O: 57
Net Time :02:03:25


All these were around 5 months back. The whole event is still fresh in memory. We have done lot more hard labor in the pool since then, built more strength, getting better at techniques.

But this one event taught me a lot. Confidence is good but overconfidence is not. Understanding the environment, what we are dealing with is critical. At work, we may get fired for making mistakes but in water it is life threatening. Swimming requires lot of concentration ? strong mind and clear thinking all the time is vital.

Certificate @ Aquathon

Absolutely fantastic..kudos to you !

RajanS - Congratulations!
I read your blog yesterday and was eager to know the rest of the story last night.

Please do keep writing your adventures.
Good luck!

Overall rank 18, Gender rank 13. You mean 5 girls actually beat you in this race? Congrats on finishing the race.