Pat, the lifeguard at the Hotchkiss pool, has a reputation for being a good swim instructor. I asked her today for some comments on my stroke, and after watching me for a few laps, said my arm position, head position, body position are all fine, but that I barely kick my legs at all. She said if I kick more vigorously (like kicking off a shoe) my legs would rise to the surface and I"d move much faster. (I'd have to - my usual pace of 6 lengths in 5 minutes - equivalent to 1 mile an hour) would get me disqualified from one of the triathlons I'm considering!) I tried it and yes, I moved, but tired very quickly - I'm going to have a lot of work to do to get used to this! But I'm glad - I needed to know what I was doing wrong! Now I have something to focus on when I swim, which I hope will help me overcome my anxiety.
I also spent a half-hour or so trying to research what might be wrong with my foot - I have now added the words "sesamoid" and "hallux" to my vocabulary. It seems I had best visit a podiatrist or orthopedist sooner rather than later, before it gets worse and needs more intensive or invasive treatment. There is a sports medicine / orthopedist in town, but he doesn't take my insurance.
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Races in 2009:
Sharon Road Race (about the same time as always) ...a 5K in Chatham, NY (90 heat in April!), the Sharon Triathlon (ran the 4/1 mile run in 56 minutes...)
Races in 2008:
....didn't keep track...about five 5ks, the Sharon 5 mile road race, The Harvest Heart 10k, and the Philadelphia Half-Marathon, completed in about 3:15.
Races in 2007:
Sharon Classic Road Race (5-miles) - May 5 - DONE - 61 minutes 20 seconds (12:16 run pace)
Races in 2009:
Sharon Road Race (about the same time as always) ...a 5K in Chatham, NY (90 heat in April!), the Sharon Triathlon (ran the 4/1 mile run in 56 minutes...)
Races in 2008:
....didn't keep track...about five 5ks, the Sharon 5 mile road race, The Harvest Heart 10k, and the Philadelphia Half-Marathon, completed in about 3:15.
Races in 2007:
Sharon Classic Road Race (5-miles) - May 5 - DONE - 61 minutes 20 seconds (12:16 run pace)
Pawling Triathlon (.3/12/3) - June 2
Finished my first tri!!! Hooray!!! in 2:07:54.
Harlem Valley Rail Ride - July 29 - did the 30 mile ride. Sore for a week!
Nutmeg State Sprint Triathlon, Lake Waramaug (.5/9/3.1) DONE in 2:07:22
Harvest Heart 10K in Salisbury, CT, 10/7/07, Done in 1:20. (12:58/mile avg)
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4 comments:
So many different muscles are used when swimming I guess all of them need strengthening up. Good you've had some sound advice on your swimming technique but you'd better try and get your foot checked out before you do to much exercise...just in case it would cause any damage.
Rx
the way it was explained to me was flicking your leg from the hip, not the knee - hope that's not confusing!
take it really easy until you get your foot sorted, eh?
Good luck with the foot! I personally don't like to kick but I know I must :-(
Glad you got some advice on your swimming. IF you need to work on kicking, maybe spend some of your pool time with a kickboard.
And as lbtepa said, kick from the hip, not the knee. Be a fish!!
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