Is it safe to go back in the water now?

So many memories. This is just sad.

Distance Swimming - Like Marathon Training

I've been thinking a long time about how I got into swimming distances. It didn't just happen. I sort of eased into it - doing a little bit more every couple of months. I stumbled across an article about running, which in some ways covers the approach I took to swimming. It's an interesting read (especially for runners). If anyone has a good one on swimming, send me the link.

Hot Pools - Where'd my Sweat Go?

Cold? That was the description I got today from the guard as I dipped my toe into the water in the indoor pool I’ve been using since late September when they finally closed my little bit of heaven. Can’t blame them - oh, yes I can and I do - it got down to about 65 degrees and they were worried we’d develop hypothermia - yeah, right. Anyhoo, I’ve been inside since then - uhg! Today was 82 - a bit warmer than 65 you might say. I really enjoyed the cold. My body seemed to thrive in that temperature. No overheating to worry about and the top layer was just perfect with the morning sun heating it up. Now that I’m indoors I have to do the serious scrub thing in the shower to get the sweat scum off - it builds up in the water and then solidifies on the skin. You don’t even see it until you start scrubbing with an abrasive sponge, then it starts coming off in little nodules. Gross! At least it’s been purified by all the chlorine!

Is Swimming Practice Necessary?

This story seems to confirm anyone can learn anything if they try hard enough. So I say, let's apply this to swimming. The crux of the story is deliberate practice. Understand what you are doing, watch others and learn from yourself and others, then apply, apply, apply.

Navy Seals Rule

Come up. Come up. OK, really now! Come up! That's what I'm thinking as I saw a video of a group of guys trying to qualify for Navy Seals. They were doing what I've never really considered possible - swimming 50 meters underwater. Ever since I saw that show, I've wondered what their qualifications were. Well Splash Dog stumbled across this a few weeks ago and now that I'm back I thought I'd share what I've found. They do some amazing stuff. Some of it quite doable, the rest well - this 50 meter thing is one of them.