Where are you getting out of the water as it stands?
That’s just it. Not much. Sure, I could do more intervals and get my pace down a few more seconds/100, but why? I’d have to log so much more time and get back into doing 5x per week and I’m just not wanting to put 20,000 yards in per week to get there. Yet, I feel like there are huge gains to be had in OWS. For context, in school I was clocking a 0:55 100y race and doing 100s on the 1:15. As a fat old lady I’m racing at 1:13 and can hold a 1:20 10x100. Since I’ve burned out on keeping that up my race speed has dropped to 1:17 and 1:30 interval. Yet in OWS the speed wasn’t translating to closer to FOP out of the swim.
Honestly, I’ll shave more time off by focusing on my run than on my swim, so why bother getting in top swim shape?
I guess I probably won’t do as much butterfly in the ocean…
Sounds like you’ve answered your own question! That’s someone who swam on teams from age 6 till 20, I understand the burnout.
I don’t think doing a little bit less pool workout woukd hurt somebody with your background as much as it hurts an adult onset swimmer who can barely make it across a pool, if at all, as long as you put in enough yards to maintain Basic Fitness. Seems like your form is already pretty well established.
I swim in the sea all year - the only pool where we live is just 13yds long and open very restricted times.
It gets challenging over the winter once the temperature fals below 50degrees and you start to need gloves, socks, extra neoprene vest …
When do you consider it too cold? My ocean is usually 56 - 61 and I’m in either my zoot or xterra, neo cap with silicon cap on top and pool goggles. When it gets colder I switch to large goggles to get more face covered. I don’t know that my ocean gets down below 52. I surf year-round so I know the cold cycles and have been fine in my 3/5 with an undershirt + hoodie, booties and gloves. Do you wear surf booties and gloves? My surf gloves are stupid thick. Like marshmallow thick.
It gets down to around the mid forties here. I use Blueseventy thermal gloves, socks and hat during the colder months which help a bit. It’s still more of a quite mile and out during the winter than anything planned or longer. However having also been put off swimming for nearly forty years by endless hours in the pool as a child it’s good to be back in the water.
It gets down to around the mid forties here. I use Blueseventy thermal gloves, socks and hat during the colder months which help a bit. It’s still more of a quite mile and out during the winter than anything planned or longer. However having also been put off swimming for nearly forty years by endless hours in the pool as a child it’s good to be back in the water.
Hot damn. Mid-forties. You win. Still beats a pool, though, eh? I think the coldest I’ve swam in was 50 (we argue about whether it was 49 or 50). It seems like each degree colder is exponentially colder. We need a Richter Scale for OWS where 49 is 10x colder than 50. I was in a surf suit (and surfing) so I don’t know how it would feel sticking my face in and swimming. I love being in the water. It is like magic.
Given your statements, go for it.
OWS however is far more dangerous and carries a greater risk of picking up water born parasites/bacteria/viruses.
Given your statements, go for it.
OWS however is far more dangerous and carries a greater risk of picking up water born parasites/bacteria/viruses.
Now we need a thread for this topic…