A Change in Plan

There are some forced changes planned for my Europe to Africa Swim...

Long swim after technique work

Second long swim back after Rottnest and it seemed easier than usual and I think I know why.

For the last 4 weeks I have been working hard with Andrew and Suzy on improving my stroke to improve efficiency and relieve some right shoulder tension. With an increasing training load coming up for the Gibraltar Swim starting in October now is the time to do this much needed technique work.

So it's been a few weeks of changing the angle of my right hand entry and eliminating my trademark right arm stretch before starting my catch. It was a weird feeling to start with but as the weeks rolled on the feeling became one of 'just been' normal.

All the training has been short sharp sessions designed at getting the feel before getting tired. There was strictly no long sets or no speed work until I could instantly feel if I reverted back to that 'old stroke'.

So today was the first long session where a 10km swim was planned. I decided to break the swim into 6 x 1km and then a 4km swim once I started to get tired. I decided it was about completing the swim and forgetting the times. Lucky, as my watch was showing some terrible splits. But I walked away from the set feeling full of energy and best of all no shoulder joint pain.

So it's onto the 10km Roughwater swim in Sydney next weekend to give my new stroke another good work out before going back to the pool for the winter.

Time out for technique over Winter

With my right shoulder giving me grief its time to take a few months out over winter to fix this ongoing problem up.

After the first lesson it is was clearly obvious as to why this injury reoccurs. Here is Andrew's summary:

• the time taken to complete my right arm stroke is slightly longer than my left arm stroke
• my right arm glides then surges directly forward
• this also creates a slight deadspot which,
• means considerably more pressure on the shoulder as i start the catch

The cure is really pretty simple but getting an old dog to change is challenging. However, after two swims by myself I can now start to feel an improvement.  Best of all i have very little shoulder pain after both swims, although both swims were only 2.5km.

So what are the techniques to fix these stroke issues:

1. To even up the stroke rate. I have borrowed a stroke beeper that makes a noise every 0.X seconds. I am practising entering the water with both arms at exactly the same time. This has helped enormously.
2. Feel as though i am diving my right arm into the water not placing it ontop of the water
3. Resist surging forward with my right arm before catching
4. Use the freestyle snorkel as much as possible; this helps to 'just' focus on the arms.          

Maintaining a Training Base

So, feeling as fresh as a daisy i am back into training.  The next 6 months or so is about maintaining a base level of swim fitness whilst working hard on technique with the aim of improving efficiency. So its back into the pool for 4 sessions a week:

• Tuesday: 30 min aerobic swim followed by squad training
• Wednesday: 5km strength work (paddles, band, etc)
• Thursday: same as Tuesday
• Sunday: Longer Sets at Swim Squad

Swimming this 15 to 20km per week is a breeze compared to the milage i was doing in the months leading up to Rottnest.  About October i will lift the time spent in the pool...in preparation for the opening marathon swims in late November.

Next dream has started - only just though

Today i started to put some effort into learning about what it will take to swim the Straits of Gibraltar.  There appears to be a bit of information out there but its one article i have found the most helpful and its titled "No BS Guide to Swimming the Gibraltar Straits" on one of my favourite websites: Marathon Swimming Forum.

So what i have read today it appears as though most of the planning will be done in early 2015 for a swim in July/August.  I have sent an email asking a few questions including the chance of booking a July or August neap tide.

I also came across one of the more unusual attempts to cross the Straits by two Australians...Hamish and Andy. I actually listen to these two comedian podcasts whilst swimming my longer Wednesdays sets, quite ironic!