Stick at it, build it in as part of your routine and you'll be back to normal in no time.

I had the same problem - and I used to worry that swimming fasted and right out of bed was going to give me a bad work training session. Now that I'm used to it, and as long as I'm fuelled/rested correctly I can swim either morning or evening with no worries (My preference is for morning though, as I feel my technique is better after sleep)

For me, it's about being warmed up before the swim. If I go right from sleeping, a nap or inactivity then my breathing is noticeable as if I were starting a run or a ride with no warm up. A brisk ten minute walk, yard work, etc. seems to get my breathing right regardless the time of day.

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Indoor Triathlete - I thought I was right, until I realized I was wrong.

Well, its more about adjusting to the routine. Once you start swimming in the morning prior to work, your body will adjust to that and later you will start enjoying it.

I personally prefer swimming after work, as it let me body relax after a day's work in front of the laptop. But I prefer light stroke and floating.

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- Renuka

Im good in the morning and at lunch. If I wait till after lunch or in the afternoons on weekends, I have a horrible time. I have to swim before noon or I struggle to get a 1500 yard set done.

You probably just need a good long warmup with progressing efforts. End the warmup with some all out short efforts to really open up the lungs and bloodstream.

Yeah, I need more warmup if I swim first thing in the morning than if I swim later in the day. I save the "all out" efforts for the main set(s), but I will throw an set of "build to fast" 50's in after my regular warm up. Depending how sluggish I'm feeling, it might be as few as 4 or as many as 10.

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"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

Hot shower, some pushups, run in place, jumping jacks, etc.

get that blood flowing. Also try to get a bit more sleep. then just wait a few weeks for your body to get used to waking up early and expecting it work.

Also it was 57 degree this morning - sooooo my morning swims are done until spring time haha

I feel much better when i swim in the morning than in the evening. In fact my times are better at the same perceived effort in the morning than in the evening... but I believe is all due to my body being used to it. So, recommendation: stick to it if that's what your schedule demands, sleep well the night before and don't eat heavy. Perhaps you need some breakfast beforehand to (I don't, can either eat a small meal or go with nothing in my stomach and it works pretty much the same). Bottom line, routine will fix it.

Yeah agree, should have clarified that short efforts aren't usually even a full 25. Build 50s are perfect.

It's about when you're used to swimming, or anything. When I ran in the afternoon and swam in the evening, morning workouts went poorly. Now I'm used to doing both in the morning and feel like a clumsy oaf (or more so) in the afternoon or evening. Give it a few more weeks and you'll be fine.

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The point is, ladies and gentleman, that speed, for lack of a better word, is good. Speed is right, Speed works. Speed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.

In contrast to your first 10 responses, I'm going to say that it all depends on whether you are a morning person or an evening person. I swam for four forking years in the morning, and I NEVER got used to it, still always had my best swims in the p.m. Same goes for running or cycling or anything else physical before being awake for 3 hours or so. Now I do all my training from 3 p.m. onward unless absolutely forced to train earlier. It should be obvious from this that i am a true night person, and have been that way my entire life; one of my earliest memories is of feeling dazed and confused at the breakfast table b/c i had to get up earlier than normal for first grade. :)

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"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

I never swim and i feel great

Thanks all. Will try to get the body moving before I get into it.

I expect that I will still have my better swims later in the day, but I just don't want to feel so bad in the water..!!

n+1 on warming up and just getting used to it. Myself, I have a policy to only swim in the AM and run after noon (cycling interchangeable) only because that's when I would be swimming/running on race day. Most people do take some time to warm up on race day so your training should include the same.

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

I am a morning person, and i prefer to swim in the am if i have access to an indoor pool. it is tougher imo in the dark and cooler winter to swim in the am outside..that is my situation these days