The training begins here (& hypoxic breathing)

Got my swimming programme so off I trotted with great enthusiasm on a wet n' windy Wellington night to my second home (aka. Freyberg Pool).

This is where the training really begins I thought to myself - milestones, commitment, dedication.

3.7kms - 1hr 25 mins. Least no google leakage this time !

Anyone heard of hypoxic breathing (i.e. no of strokes per breath ?) How does 6/8/10 strokes per breath sound ? I was puffing big time esp. on the 10s but kept my body position and felt more relaxed as a result. Is my coach crazy or does he really know what he's doing ?

Should end up with the lung capacity of Godzilla.

My hair feels like straw and my skin like a lizard. Ah the joys of swimming...

Note to self: make laminate training cards - water, chlorine and paper don't mix !

A gentle lunchtime swim

Went to my second home that is Freyberg Pool at lunch (well late and pre-lunch as swimming and lunch don't really work...).

Focussed entirely on length and efficiency of my stroke and relaxing arms and shoulders to avoid fatigue which ends up in short, inefficient strokes. By the end of the session had number of strokes down to a tidy 26 per length with only the slightest push off at the end (honest ! Freyberg is a 33m pool). Length done in 35 secs wich would bring me in at a 17min 30sec kilometre.

Only challenge now is to sustain this for approx. 8 hours in the sea !!

I know there is room for improvement in the efficiency of my stroke.

Time for a swim lesson

Philip puts me in touch with Dougal, an infamous Wellingtonian swim coach.

I arrive late (not a good start) in amongst his Clients - mostly kids learning to swim !

By the end of the session Dougal has deconstructed my short, inefficient stroke into a long easy one by asking me to reach for the end of the pool on each and every stroke. Result shaves 10 strokes per length (read: energy efficient !).

I'm gonna need all the energy efficiency I can get !