Hey Swimmers! Want to have a distance challenge?

swimmermama
swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
edited September 23 in Fitness and Exercise
I was considering keeping track of how far I swim during the month of February and then trying to increase that in March. Anyone else want to keep track of and share their distance each day?

My goal for February is between 40 and 45 laps in a 50-meter pool twice a week. That means 350 laps in February, which equals 17500 meters or about 11 miles, if my math is right.
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Replies

  • samdawes1986
    samdawes1986 Posts: 1
    Hi

    This sounds good to me, I've just got into swimming so gives me something to aim for!

    I only do about 30 lengths of a 20meter pool 3-4 times a week so not as far but will be good to keep track!

    Samantha
  • loxleys
    loxleys Posts: 230 Member
    you should sign up for the swimathon if you're in the uk, you can do a 1.5, 2.5 or 5km swim for charity in april. I did the 5km swim last year, 200 25m lengths and 2 hours later I finished - hardwork but good to do and a little bit different than a half marathon.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    I'm in. I'm trying to swim 100 miles for the year.

    I have never swam competitivly, but am no stranger to swimming and the pool. We joined the YMCA last week. In 8 days I logged 1.5 miles. Going to attempt another half mile tonight.

    My biggest obstacle is getting my schedule to sync up with the lap pool's schedule.

    If I want to stay on pace for my yearly goal I need to log 9 miles in Feb. Better to aim high, and hit low I always say.
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    you should sign up for the swimathon if you're in the uk, you can do a 1.5, 2.5 or 5km swim for charity in april. I did the 5km swim last year, 200 25m lengths and 2 hours later I finished - hardwork but good to do and a little bit different than a half marathon.

    I would love to find something like this in my area! My husband is doing a half marathon soon and I am so jealous of him!
  • mapnerd2005
    mapnerd2005 Posts: 363
    I swim 2000 yards a day (80 lengths of a jr. olympic (25 yard) pool), six days per week = 48,000 yards, or 27.25 miles. Jimmini Crickets, I've never done the math before. My goal is to work up to swimming 2400 yards per day by the end of February, so hopefully my actual number will be higher. I like this challenge! I started swimming again about 10 months ago and could barely swim 900 yards...
  • dothompson
    dothompson Posts: 1,184 Member
    Hey, I'm in. I've been wanting to increase my swimming and this could do the trick.

    I'm going to commit to 1/2 mile twice a week, so 4 miles in February.
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    I swim 2000 yards a day (80 lengths of a jr. olympic (25 yard) pool), six days per week = 48,000 yards, or 27.25 miles. Jimmini Crickets, I've never done the math before. My goal is to work up to swimming 2400 yards per day by the end of February, so hopefully my actual number will be higher. I like this challenge! I started swimming again about 10 months ago and could barely swim 900 yards...

    I am so jealous you get to swim every day! I would give anything to swim every day but with work and a baby, it is only twice a week. What a great goal!
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    I'm with you--although instead of increasing total distance alone, I want to increase my intensity--specifically my butterfly.

    I swim a medley of strokes to increase the variety of muscle groups I'm working, but right now I can really only fly about one length (25 yards) at a time right now before I completely lose form. My goal is to work up a lap (50y) of fly by the first of March.

    My routine is 50 laps (2500 yards) twice a week (or 5000 yards=2.84 miles). With 4 weeks in Feb = 11.3 miles/month.
  • bonniecameron68
    bonniecameron68 Posts: 16
    most standard pools have a distance of 25 metres so when you say your goal is to swim 40-50 laps, what are you considering a lap? do you count one lap as there and back at 50m or there one lap 50m I hope I am making sense. 40 laps at 25m per lap is equal to 1km which is what I swim right now. I just want to check my distance with yours so I know what to strive for. My goal then would be to swim 2.0km by the end of February.
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    I'm with you--although instead of increasing total distance alone, I want to increase my intensity--specifically my butterfly.

    I swim a medley of strokes to increase the variety of muscle groups I'm working, but right now I can really only fly about one length (25 yards) at a time right now before I completely lose form. My goal is to work up a lap (50y) of fly by the first of March.

    That's great! I would love to be able to do more breaststroke. I can do a 100 (two laps) of breaststroke without too much trouble but I would love to be able to do a 500 (ten laps) eventually. Maybe as a sub-goal I will keep track of how much breaststroke I am doing!
  • novatri
    novatri Posts: 262 Member
    Do any of you do Total Immersion swimming, or have heard of it? I'm looking to do a Triathlon at some point and swimming is my weakest leg. I hear this is a great way to swim and not use all your energy so I can go on to bike and run.
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    most standard pools have a distance of 25 metres so when you say your goal is to swim 40-50 laps, what are you considering a lap? do you count one lap as there and back at 50m or there one lap 50m I hope I am making sense. 40 laps at 25m per lap is equal to 1km which is what I swim right now. I just want to check my distance with yours so I know what to strive for. My goal then would be to swim 2.0km by the end of February.

    A lap to me is there and back. So one lap is equal to 50 meters!
  • vzepol
    vzepol Posts: 131 Member
    It sounds like a plan. I currently swim 90 (2,250 yards) laps 2 - 3 times a week. My Goal for Feb is 13 miles.
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    It sounds like a plan. I currently swim 90 (2,250 yards) laps 2 - 3 times a week. My Goal for Feb is 13 miles.

    Do you mean 90 laps (there and back) or 90 lengths? Just want to be clear :)
  • vzepol
    vzepol Posts: 131 Member
    90 lengths or 2,250 yards
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    you should sign up for the swimathon if you're in the uk, you can do a 1.5, 2.5 or 5km swim for charity in april. I did the 5km swim last year, 200 25m lengths and 2 hours later I finished - hardwork but good to do and a little bit different than a half marathon.

    5k is great swimming. The furthest I ever bothered was 2.5 miles (open water) but to be honest I get bored. LOL

    If you run as well, all you need is a bike and pop into the triathlon thread. :wink: :flowerforyou: :drinker:
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    Do any of you do Total Immersion swimming, or have heard of it? I'm looking to do a Triathlon at some point and swimming is my weakest leg. I hear this is a great way to swim and not use all your energy so I can go on to bike and run.
    Although I haven't tried it, I lap swim with a couple of triathletes who have taken total immersion training, and from what they tell me, the emphasis is on lengthening the stroke and increasing streamlining or "gliding" between strokes so that you use as few strokes as possible to get across the pool. They refer to it as "zen-swimming"--focused more on body posture and flow than on going fast fast fast.

    From what I understand, many triathletes have very little body fat, and so swimming is that much harder for them because they have no "float assistance" like I do (thank you, curvy boobs and butt!). You may actually swim SLOWER using immersion swimming--but when you finish, you shouldn't be completely wiped, and the idea is that you can make up the time in the bike or running events.
  • Lozzielol
    Lozzielol Posts: 78
    I'd love to join in. I am a slow swimmer, so I'll aim for 150 lenghts of my pool. Not sure how big a pool it is, but I will find this out!

    Swimming is great :D
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
    From what I understand, many triathletes have very little body fat, and so swimming is that much harder for them because they have no "float assistance" like I do (thank you, curvy boobs and butt!). You may actually swim SLOWER using immersion swimming--but when you finish, you shouldn't be completely wiped, and the idea is that you can make up the time in the bike or running events.

    We also tend to swim quite upper body dominant with only a tiny flutterkick to stabilise, but we don't really use the legs in the swim very much, as they need to remain as fresh as possible.
  • elpete
    elpete Posts: 12
    Sure. How do you track it?

    I usually log all my mileage on other sites. Is there something similar here?
  • schnarfo
    schnarfo Posts: 764 Member
    we used to teach the total immersion techniques when i worked as a swimming instructor. they really work and do help you to improve your techniques without wasting loads of energy making you more efficient
  • safetypins
    safetypins Posts: 70
    I'm down!
  • nehptune
    nehptune Posts: 138
    i'm in!
    i haven't been in the pool for a couple of months, but i start a pre-masters swim workout program next week, so i'll start logging plenty of yardage then :)

    i might just have to jump into the pool this week to make sure that i still know how to swim! ha ha ha!

    planning on completing at least one 2+ mile open water swim this summer, so i'd better hold my nose and put up with the chlorine for a few months until the ponds warm up.
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    i'm in!
    i haven't been in the pool for a couple of months, but i start a pre-masters swim workout program next week, so i'll start logging plenty of yardage then :)

    i might just have to jump into the pool this week to make sure that i still know how to swim! ha ha ha!

    planning on completing at least one 2+ mile open water swim this summer, so i'd better hold my nose and put up with the chlorine for a few months until the ponds warm up.

    I've never done an open-water swim. I bet it's fun!
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    Just a check in. I did not get into the pool yesterday. I didn't want to tempt fate with the approaching snow storm.

    I will attempt a mile tomorrow. I say attempt because I'll be swimming after running 5K, last week when I tried this I came up 6 laps short because of cramps. I'll hydrate a little better starting today.

    I don't know how long the pool is. I just know 35 laps is a mile, and do the math from there.
  • nehptune
    nehptune Posts: 138

    I've never done an open-water swim. I bet it's fun!

    you should definitely give it a go!
    i enjoy open water swimming much more than pool swimming... although pools are much better for intervals and drills
    :)

    i did a swim for charity last summer: www.swimacrossamerica.org
    they organize swims all over the US to raise money for cancer research. it was a great experience.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    I got in my 50 laps in-- 2500 yards, or just a skosh short of 1.5 miles.
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    I wasn't able to swim this morning - the nursery was too full to leave my little one there. But I did get to swim this afternoon! 52 laps (2600 meters) in 65 minutes. Here's what I did, in case anyone is interested:

    750 meters of warm up (free, pull, and kick)
    5 x 50 sprints (free, breast, free, back, free)
    5 x 100 sprints (free, breast, free, back, free)
    500 free
    300 breaststroke
    400 free cool down
  • vzepol
    vzepol Posts: 131 Member
    I was able to get my swim in 45 laps (2,250 yards) in 41 minutes. Closing in on a Mile and a Half.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    Pool has been closed for a basketball tournament W-F. Will have to make up the laps next week!
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