It is a bonus that I am training under a coach who is so passionate about open water swimming. Pauline Pratt has successfully coached several English Channel teams of 6 swimmers, children and adult teams plus solo swimmers completing the Rottnest Channel, The English Channel and Manhattan Island events. This year Pauline is very busy training two school teams (6 swimmers in each team) to swim the English Channel in July 2009.
Coach - Pauline Pratt
The 2008/09 Open Water Swims Calendar events commence in Perth early November so now is the time to develop swim skills in the pool. There are about 33 events in metropolitan and country venues - link http://www.mastersswimmingwa.asn.au/ I intend to make training more fun and to have a more lighthearted approach, at the same time make a real commitment to do the up and coming training sessions of smart swimming, hard work and dedication needed to this vital lead up to my English Channel goal. Along the journey I will select the longer swim events from the Open Water Calendar as extra training and to practice various feeds.
Because distances in the open water are not accurately measurable and conditions can vary greatly, the best place to develop cardiovascular conditioning is in the pool. As distance training is mostly done by the swim group, I/we count the number of strokes taken per length of the pool, making an effort to gain the greatest distance per stroke.
During training I need to:-
- Stay focused and motivated
- Be positive - say no to negativity
- Work on my weak areas eg bi-lateral breathing!
- Fine-tune skills, techniques, pull etc
- Kicking, I love to kick - dolphin kick sets on back and front are great ab. exercises
- Stay streamlined
- Practice DPS - distance per stroke, long strong strokes - stretch
- Mental skills - visualisaton, self belief
- Work on speed, strength and endurance
- Get the diet right
- Dry land exercises - improves strength and performance...repetitive training with light weights, stretch cords, fitness ball. Walking. Meditation. Stretching for flexibility.
There is no time for boredom and I hope that most of the time, all the above will be done with fun and passion keeping in mind it will be setting a good basis for the coming open water season and my EC goal.......relax !
Just keep swimming - A breathtaking experience.
