Day 15

Great day swimming!

• Swam 25 laps, all but one of them freestyle - each a new record.
• First attempt at breathing every third stroke (on alternating sides).
• Sore/fatigued afterward to an unprecedented degree.

So I eclipsed the 1km mark by a good margin (1143m), which pleases me.

I'm more pleased, however, at the latter points.

Changing my breathing rhythm gave me less air, but since i run such a huge air deficit and have to stop constantly anyway it wasn't as crippling as you'd think.  Moreover, the extra "head down" stroke let me do more swimming and less breathing, which felt right.  I had been concerned about my asymmetry when swimming (biasing toward my right side), so hopefully this will even that out.

The last point may be because i swam more, or because of lifting twice this week, or maybe the extra head-down stroke letting me push a little harder (it did feel more strenuous in the water, in a good way).  I am hopeful that the fatigue indicates i'm doing something right.

Day 14

I did the weight routine again today, with a couple minor variations -

• added 5 lbs to the crunch weight
• added 12 reps on the ab-twist machine at 90 lbs, since last time i didn't feel much in my core.
• I did the bicep curl with dumbbells and 5 fewer pounds on each side (instead of the machine).*

It was a good day - the deadlift again was not a big challenge, but i felt like i executed it well.  I look forward to trying the additional reps next time.  The arms again were a challenge- the tricep push hurt, and the curls were awful.

* - I moved to free weights because i feared my stronger right arm was illicitly helping my gimpy left arm.  Sure enough - on the dumbbell my right arm did fine, while my left arm struggled then faltered.  I felt very puny being unable to curl a 20lb dumbbell 12 times with my left arm.  Room for improvement.

An hour or so afterward I felt a pleasing soreness in my middle back, which I attribute to the lat pull-down machine -- I don't think i felt it before, so perhaps having my hands a little wider on the bar helped.

Day 13

Swam 21 laps (a new personal best).

I would have been satisfied with 20 except that i learned the pool is 25 yards long rather than 25 meters, which means 20 laps is not a kilometer, but only .9144km.  21 laps is still not a kilometer, but it's closer (.96km).  Next time i'll shoot for 22 which crosses the 1km mark.

I talked to another swimmer today who offered to critique my technique.  He said it was actually pretty good, but did offer a couple pointers -- things i'd heard and read and thought i was doing but apparently wasn't.  He also strongly recommended spiffy swimming duds saying the reduced drag makes a huge difference (particularly to new folks).  I have now talked to two other swimmers and they both strongly recommended different clothes -- maybe there's something in it.

I'm not very sore from yesterday's lift -- very mildly, but nothing even remotely like last week's crippling debilitation.  So I'll try it again tomorrow -- i'm curious if i'll be able to.

Day 12

I repeated the 9 exercises * 1 set * 12 reps weight-lifting routine I began on Day 9 - the legs seemed easier while the arms seemed harder.  I'm not sure what to make of that.  The question now is whether I'll be as sore as last time (in which case I doubt i'd be able to repeat the day after tomorrow), or if i'll recover more quickly.

I also did 5 minutes of warm-up walking and 15 minutes of cool-down walking (plus a cool-down to the cool-down!)  Some lady used my normal machine and the one I chose had no heart-rate monitor.  A manual sampling had me around 160.

I updated the data and the metrics page now shows week 3 stuff.

Day 11

Swam 20 laps today, all but two freestyle - each new records.  I think the pool might be 25 meters, so that's a kilometer!

Last Thursday's lift was a killer -- I was still very sore on Saturday, a little sore on Sunday, but back in business today.   I can't wait to do it again tomorrow.

I've continued to focus on my freestyle technique:

• I'm asymmetric in my strokes, obviously favoring the side that i breathe on (I breathe every other stroke, and always on my right side rather than the more mature approach of every third and alternating sides -- I just need more air).
• I can use core muscles: in addition to rotating in the water to to reach further and breathe, I can turn my hips for extra power.  I think i read about this but finally sort of stumbled into it as i swam today.
• I can stroke more slowly to last longer - i think i started too aggressively and was burning myself out.  A more leisurely pace let me swim more laps, although i do still have to stop to catch my breath after every length.

That breathing is annoying -- initially i wanted to swim to get into better shape.  Now I want to get into better shape so i can swim without constantly stopping.  Jogging may be a good way - there's a lot of air in most jogging areas - but i hate jogging.

I'm encouraged by my progress but apprehensive about having to keep up with it next time i swim.

Week 2

Week 2 has seen the introduction of science and data to my fitness program.

I've started researching the exercises i'm attempting to improve the technique or routine.

Even after only a couple such applications I feel my swimming has improved and my weight-training is more comprehensive and effective.

To assist this verbal log of progress, I have added a 'metrics' page to the blog this week.  I will probably tweak it for a while until it shows things i care about in meaningful ways, but it represents some more detailed quantitative information i'll be keeping on my progress.

I remain on track - 10 for 10 in days attended and the intended exercises executed.  Importantly, my enthusiasm and hopes remain high.

Day 10

Swam 17 laps today - a new record - all but 3 being freestyle (also a record).

I am very sore all over from yesterday's new weight-training routine, but even though i had trouble standing up and getting dressed it somehow didn't impact swimming.  Once I was in and thrashing about i didn't feel any stiffness or soreness -- perhaps my desire to breathe eclipsed such mundane concerns.

The increased number of laps is probably attributable to

• improving technique (I constantly think about and try to apply what i've read while swimming)
• having a little more time this morning (I'd rather swim than work).
• some fitness kicking in, maybe?  I don't really know how long it takes.

I was tired after only about 6 laps, possibly due to yesterday's exertions, but having the goal of 15 (i don't want to go backward!) kept me going (stopping frequently to catch my breath) and it didn't get much harder.  I do think i hit my limit at 17, though, I struggled to finish the last length.

I got side cramps for the first time today too - i interpret it as the weakness in me dying.