I'm finally getting my knee checked out as absolutely nothing (excess rest, rolling, stretching) has improved the distance I can run without exquisite pain and knee failure. So Friday I should have the start of an answer. Or at least a referral to someone who can give me an answer.
Other than that, I missed the Ras na hEirren because it was daylight savings time this Saturday. So my clocks didn't get moved forward Saturday night, and I woke up an hour late to the race. Oops. But probably just as well since every other weekend I've tried to run a 5k distance things went to crap pretty quickly. I got my t-shirt at least. Oh yeah, it was downpouring all day. (Which resulted in our basement flooding with a 1/2 foot of water, but that's another story). Not fun to run in anyway, so I avoided that wet mess.
I am seriously excited to get this knee business solved though.
On another positive note, it's only 57 laps in the pool to swim a mile and it really flies by. I'm becoming a better/faster swimmer every day. By around lap 30 my form just feels really smooth, natural and powerful - like I'm a fish! The kind of wish that has to breath at the surface though - which I've seen before at an aquarium, but I can't recall what it was, although it was cute. I'm even getting better with a really shallow side breath too, so I'm not slowing my pace by sticking my face too far up. It's just not as sweat-pain inducing as running though - not remotely the same level of satisfaction. I don't know how long I'd have to swim for to get that. Maybe 2-3 miles? Ha, if I didn't turn into a prune. Although if the knee problems keep up, endurance swimming could be kinda cool... 3-4 hours of swimming...
Showing posts with label swimming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label swimming. Show all posts
Swimming Day 2
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 injury, swimming
I got back into the pool again, it's the least I can do and today it felt great! I really got into the rhythm of swimming a lot faster than yesterday. The crawl just came naturally and no knee pain whatsoever.
I swam 1 mile in what was a ridiculously slow time - something like 1:08 or so. However, I again started with legless strokes which puts a huge damper on my speed. Of course, right before I ended, a male swimmer came in and was basically lapping me with his stroke. It was a little annoying. But I'm not a swimmer, I'm a runner. I need to remember that. Although by the end of this winter I might be a swimmer.
Today I did the following:
15 laps legless backstroke
10 laps legless breaststroke
5 laps breaststroke
27 laps full crawl
A member of the gym staff was testing the ph of the water, so she got me the lengths of the pool. It's 14m long, and 57 laps to a mile. It's a small pool, salt water. The backstroke flags are improperly and inconsistently strung - obviously not 5 meters, but not even a shorter or equal distance on each end. Our outdoor pool is official length. I believe 25m. I refuse to do backstroke out there, however, since there are no flags whatsoever I've swum into the wall more than a few times.
Anyway, today I swapped my older googles for the tinted outdoor goggles, which proved to have far better leak prevention. The only problem is that my bony eye sockets now feel bruised. Literally. The pain from the goggles was distractingly bad at the end. I think I'm going to need to either look for a better fit pair or alternate the days I swim. The length of the straps are irrelevant with this pair. It just has crazy suction power around the eye pieces.
Note to self: Hair in a ponytail is more comfortable under the swimcap than side buns.
I swam 1 mile in what was a ridiculously slow time - something like 1:08 or so. However, I again started with legless strokes which puts a huge damper on my speed. Of course, right before I ended, a male swimmer came in and was basically lapping me with his stroke. It was a little annoying. But I'm not a swimmer, I'm a runner. I need to remember that. Although by the end of this winter I might be a swimmer.
Today I did the following:
15 laps legless backstroke
10 laps legless breaststroke
5 laps breaststroke
27 laps full crawl
A member of the gym staff was testing the ph of the water, so she got me the lengths of the pool. It's 14m long, and 57 laps to a mile. It's a small pool, salt water. The backstroke flags are improperly and inconsistently strung - obviously not 5 meters, but not even a shorter or equal distance on each end. Our outdoor pool is official length. I believe 25m. I refuse to do backstroke out there, however, since there are no flags whatsoever I've swum into the wall more than a few times.
Anyway, today I swapped my older googles for the tinted outdoor goggles, which proved to have far better leak prevention. The only problem is that my bony eye sockets now feel bruised. Literally. The pain from the goggles was distractingly bad at the end. I think I'm going to need to either look for a better fit pair or alternate the days I swim. The length of the straps are irrelevant with this pair. It just has crazy suction power around the eye pieces.
Note to self: Hair in a ponytail is more comfortable under the swimcap than side buns.
Swimming
Monday, February 8, 2010 injury, it band, knee pain, swimming
I spent the majority of Sunday limping around. This morning hurt less, but still not up for any kind of knee-bending activities. Instead, I took to the pool. I swam the following:
15 laps legless backstroke
15 laps legless breaststroke
10 laps legless crawl
5 laps full crawl
I went mainly legless since even with the 5 laps in a crawl my IT band was achy. By the end my goggles were oddly leaking as well. Annoying. I was using the older indoor pair, which a little more generic, a little cheaper.
While I felt good to have gotten in some "cardio", its not remotely as satisfying as running. I feel crippled and frustrated. Cardiovascularly I can run for 20+ miles without too much trouble. This shouldn't be happening. I will give jogging another shot on Wed or Thurs.
15 laps legless backstroke
15 laps legless breaststroke
10 laps legless crawl
5 laps full crawl
I went mainly legless since even with the 5 laps in a crawl my IT band was achy. By the end my goggles were oddly leaking as well. Annoying. I was using the older indoor pair, which a little more generic, a little cheaper.
While I felt good to have gotten in some "cardio", its not remotely as satisfying as running. I feel crippled and frustrated. Cardiovascularly I can run for 20+ miles without too much trouble. This shouldn't be happening. I will give jogging another shot on Wed or Thurs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
