What's Up with the Sudden Swimming Endurance?

Triathlon Forum
1

Explain this one.

I’m a poor swimming. I barely started to learn good swimming form last August, following the DVD “Fishlike Swimming” and the book “Triathlon Swimming Made Easy,” by Terry Laughlin. Most of you are familiar with these products. My progress has been excutiatingly slow.

Even though I’ve run 11 marathons and completed one cycling century, I have (or had) no swimming endurance. None. Nada. Zero. But I kept perservering.

Then I got a skin fungus from swimming, and quit for 3 months. I swam two or three times, always gasping for air, prior to May 17, 2003 (just 11 days ago), when I did my first Olympic triathlon. Then at the Oly tri, I had a miserable swim. Had to stop many time, roll onto my back (with my wet suit bouying me up) and catching my breath. Half way through the swim, I decided my triathlon career was over. As soon as I completed the tri, I knew I wanted to keep doing triathlon. No, it wasn’t much fun during the race, but it was lots of fun having completed the race. I loved it.

So, this Saturday, March 31, I have a half IM–the Utah Half Ironman here in my hometown (Orem/Provo, Utah)–sooo I decided I better get some experience swimming in open water in a wet suit so I don’t die during the swim again.

So I went out in the lake with another tri-geek for a 40-minute swim last Saturday. And, to my absolute amazement, I swam without getting out of breath. I took a 30-second break at the 20-minute mark to turn around and swim back toward my car. But I had no problem breathing. I swam an estimated 1600 yards totally within myself.

Aha! I thought to myself. The reason I was able to swim like that was because I was warmed up (I had run 5 miles just before the swim). Is that the key? I need to get my fatty acid oxidation going before I start the swim? So today I decided to test this hypothesis. I went to the pool where I normally train, but without having run in advance, with no warmup. I took off swimming (my usual slow rate), with the goal of going a mile (actually 1800 yards).

And to my amazement again, I swam with no breathing problems. No gasping for breath. No need to stop every 100 yards to take a 20-30 second break to get air. In fact, I did the 1800 yards with essentially no breaks at all. I wan’t tired at all.

Can you explain the sudden turn of events? Is it just that I am now trying to concentrate more on form and steady gliding? Or did I suddenly sprout mitochondria in my upperbody muscles?

I’m still excrutiatingly slow, but you can image how happy I am. Shees, I might even finish my half IM on Saturday!

–Scott

2

I’ll take a stab at it and offer that your run prior to your open water swim relaxed you enough that you could finally take advantage of all the hard work you’ve put in. Having a couple of solid easy effort swims under your belt you’ve restablished the norm. You can do this…you’ve proved it twice. Plan B is always available to you…slow down catch your breath and go at it again.

For your 1/2 you might just want to do the mental preps around enjoying the day. Plan a break during the swim to check out the incredible event around you – you’ll have the best seat in the house! Focus on offering encouragement to others, you’ll find it bouying your spirits as well. The first one just helps you understand the learning curve anyway, and it should be there for the enjoyment. Sounds like the run is your strength. If you want to “race” any of the day wait until then. Regards, C.

3

I agree with the last poster. Entering the water without feeling stressed is what most likely has caused the transformation. Open water swimming can be stressful in itself. The simple act of relaxing will help you a lot

5

I had the same sort of experience when I started triathlon. I was unable to swim a stroke. Getting across the pool was a Zone 5 kind of effort for me. I plugged away with a master’s team, and one week before my first Olympic distance race, the swimming clicked. I relaxed, streamlined, and I was able to find a comfortable “stride” in the swim.

Swimming is all about moving smoothly and gracefully in the water. Our brains don’t want us to do this. They fight it. With enough training, they eventually give up and let us do it. That was the threshold you crossed. You probably wouldn’t be able to go back across it now if you tried. Kind of like riding a bike.

Flailing away in Florida,

6

As a swimmer, I have to agree with Art. You “found” the correct stroke mechanics/streamline positions, whereas before you were fighting the water, trying to beat it into submission. I remember a similar experience with learning the butterfly back in high school. After 1 1/2 years of trying (and killing myself), all of a sudden, I was doing it right. Once the correct sequencing and position gets imprinted on your brain, you’ll have it for life.

7

Chappy,

Thanks for the words of encouragement and advise. During the swim, I will indeed have the best seat in the house–at the back!

For my mental preparation, I “rehearse” what I’ll do and how I’ll feel. Most of the mental rehearsal has to do with relaxing, with taking the swim at my own pace and concentrating on a smooth, rhythmically rotating, arrow-like body in the water, and with riding the bike within my ability (I’ve pushed to hard on my first two triathlons on the bike, and ended up paying dearly during the run, which should be my best event (at age 58, I’m a 44-minute 10K runner). I’m also prepared for taking in lots of calories during the bike ride, something very important to me to avoid bonking or hitting the wall. I’ll carry my own fuel as well as stop at the aid stations for bananas and other things that I’m used to eating during my long training rides.

But most importantly, as you mentioned, I’m going with the attitude of having fun the whole day and not let me competitive juices start to flow. (I’ll let 'em rip in future triathlons.)

Thanks again for your input.

8

Art, I can’t say that I swim particularly smoothly and gracefully in the water year, but I’m getting there. I hope that, during the offseason (winter), I can take some swimming lessons with a good coach and video feedback.

So how’s the training in Florida? I lived there 1969-73 while I did my Ph.D. in chemistry at Florida State, but I wasn’t an athlete at the time so I just worked my head off and got fat. In the dead of winter here in Utah, I sometimes wish I could go back to the “good ol’ days in Florida.” But then spring happens here and I wouldn’t trade the scenic training rides and runs here in Utah for anywhere on earth.

9

You may not be smooth and graceful, but you are now relaxed enough to be able to breathe and not panic. That is the key. Relax and breathe.

Florida has a lot of advantages. I am probably going to sell my Computrainer since I hate riding indoors and I can always ride outside. It is really hot and flat here. I have to leave the state to ride in the hills. I can’t do long rides right now. After an hour and a half it is hot and I just don’t want to do it anymore. That cycle is not a good thing when you are getting ready for Lake Placid.

I imagine Florida looks pretty good to you in February. But winter ends and when it does you are in a beautiful place. Think long and hard about moving here. Everyone has gray hair. It does get to you after a while.

Graying in Florida,

10

Scott,

I suspect your stroke is cleaning up, but I have another thought as well. Perhaps one of the things that’s helped is that fact that after that 52* water at Yuba, everything else seems nice and comfortable. Might just be a factor that’s helping you relax, eh?

11

Lloyd,

I’m sure the water temperature had something to do with it. Which is good, because at the half IM on Saturday, the water temperature will be 72-74. I’ll be as relaxed as an embryo in the womb.

Tonight, I picked up my race number. Actually numbers (plural): one for the bike, one for the helmet, one for the back of the biking jersey, one for the front of the running jersy, and one written on the swim cap.

Can’t I just use the same number for the bike and run? I have a race belt, which I can turn so the number is in the back during the bike ride, and then turn it around so the number is in the front during the run. Should work, shouldn’t it?

–Scott

12

That’s not a problem. As long as you have a number with you for each segment, you’re fine. I commonly use just the one number in exactly the manner you’ve described. Good luck on Saturday; we’ll watch for you.

13

Performance anxiety is THE worst race day enemy. I’m telling you…your body knows when you are stressed and it will react accordingly. My best races have been those where* *I just went out had fun, with a “who gives a shit” kind of attitude and raced. Without being concerned who my competition was or what time I needed to beat for a PR. Being relaxed is key.

My worst races, despite being well prepared are the ones when I used to stay up at night wondering how fast I’ll be, and being constantly on edge before the gun goes off. Now I sleep well the night b4 and go out and do the best I can.

I think swimming as with any sport is the same thing. Just relax and enjoy. You’r body will come thru in the clutch. And you will surprise yourself.

14

I agree about relaxing. I did a 10k on Memorial day (bolder-boulder) after a hard week of working out. I went in with no expectations and tired legs. I surprised myself and did quite well.

15

I’m betting your breathing problems are stress related. I doubt your sudden “found” endurance has anything to do with improved stroke mechanics. There is something about the gun going off and the start of the swim that gets everyone’s heart rate going!

Hyper-ventilating in the water is common, and after 15 years of racing, it still happens to me on occasion. I raced last weekend and it happened to me in the first 2 minutes of the race but I was able to calm myself down and get into a rhythm. With more racing experience you will also be able to calm yourself down.

When you go to your next race, don’t be alarmed if it happens again. Try to position yourself towards the side of the wave so you can pull up and breast stroke as needed until you calm down. You will get past this with more experience - don’t give up!