The second week I decided to get to the pool again and crawl without legs -> crawl with bouy.
I was sore in my right shoulder after the HIM but decided to crawl for 30 minutes, if it would get worse than I would stay away from the crawl but it worked. And since then I have had 30 minutes crawl training.
I felt very relaxed when I was using the bouy.
The third week I did not use the bouy and now the stress came back.
I made a decision that I will try Swimrun next year and need to work on a few things.
Focus on the right shoulder
Be able to breath on both sides, important when I am not in the pool. There might be waves
Get faster
Crawl longer
Last week there was a big milestone. I could crawl longer without having to bring in backstroke. Felt great.
This week the goal was to crawl longer and continue with sprint. Since I ran a tough hilly race this weekend I was using the bouy. I could sprint two lapes (2x25m) and I didn’t get breathless afterwards.
It has started to happening things. I also had a more relaxed swimming yesterday. Pace has also improved lately.
I asked a running buddy of mine how it works with Swimrun and shoes. You use a bouy and have shoes with holes so the water get out. Need to understand where I have the bouy while I am running. I also have gotten information from Altra which Altra shoes is good for Swimrun.
This week the summer opening hours at the pool started which means that on Mondays they do not open til 8 am which means that I cannot swim before work. Usually I do not swim on Mondays but Wednesday I cannot swim so I decided that I would swim somewhere during the day.
Am a tester at a medtech company and started a run where I would do readoff after 1h, 3h and 24h so after lunch and readoff at 3h I could have a break and walked down to the pool and had 45 min crawl training
Distance 45 min
Warm up 100m choice
Gliding with streamline keeping the head below the arms, kicking with feet With buoy, gliding with streamline, the head below the arms, crawl with rotation With buoy, start to crawl longer and longer, rotate with head, some sculling Without buoy, start to crawl longer and longer, rotate with head
Backstroke 6 kicks, 3 crawls
Cool down:
Backstroke, Breaststroke, Crawl
So much nicer to crawl train now when I know how to breath. Still need some practice and at some point get up some speed.
After work it was time to have bike training on my Trainer
Saturday I got to the bike store and got my new saddle fitted.
Started with
Q – 75 min Threshold
Warm up:10 min
Main set: 20s All out 40s rest 20s All out 40s rest 5 min Zone 4/5 2 min rest 5 min Zone 4/5 2 min rest 5 min Zone 4/5 2 min rest 5 min Zone 4/5 2 min rest 20s All out 40s rest 20s All out 1 min rest
20s All out 40s rest 20s All out 40s rest 5 min Zone 4/5 2 min rest 5 min Zone 4/5 2 min rest 5 min Zone 4/5 2 min rest 5 min Zone 4/5 2 min rest 20s All out 40s rest 20s All out 1 min rest
Cool down: 3 min
Continued with
Q – 105 min Distance
Warm up: 7 min that wasnot registered (forgot to start my pulse watch)
Main set: 1 min high cadence 110 1 minhigh gear and low cadence 10 min Zone 2 20s all out 40s rest 20s all out 15 min Zone 2
1 min high cadence 110 1 minhigh gear and low cadence 10 min Zone 2 20s all out 40s rest 20s all out 15 min Zone 2
1 min high cadence 110 1 minhigh gear and low cadence 10 min Zone 2 20s all out 40s rest 20s all out 15 min Zone 2
Cool down: 20 min Zone 2
Training on a LifeLine Turbo Trainer
Might have to get more padded bike shorts. It was more comfortable than before I got the saddle fitted but it still was uncomfortable at the end
Sweaty tonite
Energy: 1l water and 2 bananas.
Total distance: 72.54K, total time: 3h and 10 min
Tuesday
Started this morning with crawl training before work.
Was not sure if I would be able to do everything that was on the schedule but the goal was to spend more time swimming and not have longer rests.
There were not a crowd at the pool so I could have my own lane which is best.
Session 2
Q – Distance 55 min
Warm up + Drills
25m crawl 25m backstroke 25m sculling 25m breaststroke (had to add this because the boyu was at the other end) 25m boyu 25m crawl 25m backstroke 25m sculling 25m breaststroke (had to add this because the boyu was at the other end) 25m boyu 20s rest
25m bouy 20s rest 25m bouy 20s rest 25m bouy 20s rest 25m bouy 20s rest 25m bouy 20s rest 25m bouy 20s rest 25m bouy 20s rest 25m bouy 20s rest 25m bouy 20s rest 25m bouy 20s rest
From the beginning it was 8x25m but I added two extra during the training
This was not part of the schedule but added these extra during training 50m crawl 50m crawl 50m crawl 50m crawl 50m crawl
Definately improving, can crawl more and more whole lanes. The goal is to crawl all those 1900m in September.
Friday
I have been wanting to head up to Kullaberg to run a trail run there but due to the right knee I have waited.
This morning it was time.
Part of me didn’t want to go, when I left it was raining but that was not stopping me and when I got up to Kullaberg it was a bit windy in the beginning but then it got warm and the sun got out.
So nice to be back.
It did not take long til I had to take off my windstopper and keep the long sleeve.
I had a little accident on the bus when 3/4 of water from one of the soft bottles got out on the ultra back pack and my tights, I had toilet paper that I could try to dry my ultra back pack with me and realized I also had a dry long sleeve that also had to be used 🙂
My goal today was to run up on more hills and that worked.
Before I got to the first tough part I got lost, did not pay close attention and missed the narrow path that was not so visible and almost had a nervous breakdown but finally I found it.
It is so good to be able to follow the route on my pulse watch, especially when it is not a route based on markers all the time but ad hoc and at a place where I am a couple of times a year. Takes 2 hours for me to get up here when I do not have a car and am running solo. Would like to get up here more often, it is a technical difficult place that I like a lot.
Passed some trekkers.
Then it was time for the second toughest part, what a view when I got to the top
Getting up on those tough parts I walk, but I get a pulse for sure.
Since it was wet I took it easy where it was rocky down hill.
At the light house it was a lot of visitors but I had time to take some pictures
After the light house it was only 4K left, I realized that they had rerouted the red/orange route due to erosion
So nice to see Mölle, the little village where I started the run in the morning.
After work it was time for biking indoors. Invested in a new saddle that got loose Saturday so I tightened the saddle before I started my sessions.
Unfortunately it got loose again during the first session so I had to get off and tightened it.
Need to get the saddle adjusted correctly because it was not comfortable after a while.
Q – 75 min Threshold
Warm up: 10 minutes Zone 2
Main set:
20s Zone 5+ 40s rest 20s Zone 5+ 40s rest 8 min Zone 4/5 2 min rest 20s Zone 5+ 40s rest 20s Zone 5+ 1 min rest 20s Zone 5+ 40s rest 20s Zone 5+ 40s rest 8 min Zone 4/5 2 min rest 20s Zone 5+ 40s rest 20s Zone 5+ 1 min rest 20s Zone 5+ 40s rest 20s Zone 5+ 40s rest 8 min Zone 4/5 2 min rest 20s Zone 5+ 40s rest 20s Zone 5+ 1 min rest
Cool down: 14 min Zone 2
Q – 90 min Endurance
Warm up: 10 min Zone 2
Main set:
1 min low cadence 50-60 1 mineasy gears cadence 100-110 15 min Zone 2 1 min low cadence 50-60 1 min low cadence 50-60 1 mineasy gears cadence 100-110 15 min Zone 2 1 min low cadence 50-60 1 min low cadence 50-60 1 mineasy gears cadence 100-110 15 min Zone 2 1 min low cadence 50-60 1 min low cadence 50-60 1 mineasy gears cadence 100-110 15 min Zone 2 1 min low cadence 50-60
Cool down: 10 min Zone 2
Training on a LifeLine Turbo Trainer
Tuesday
Crawl class with Mikaela
Before work on Tuesday in May I am participating in a crawl class.
Warmup: 100 m free of choice
Some of the things we did, Mikaela pushed us hard.
Kicking with kickboard 1-4
Kicking, breathing, arms to the side. That was tough.
25m Kickboard as a buoy, crawling, 25m kicking with kickboard, 25m Kickboard as a buoy, crawling, 25m kicking with kickboard
At the end we were doing the toughest so far, 25 m crawl 1-4
Still a bit sloppy with rotation but if I just crawl relaxed it is working much better.
Wednesday
Crawl training on my own
Distance 60 min
I was focusing on breathing, rotation and keeping my head under water.
Warm up:
100m choice where I tried free swim on back
4x25m Kicking with kickboard
Gliding with streamline keeping the head below the arms, kicking with feet
With buoy, gliding with streamline, the head below the arms, crawl with rotation
With buoy, start to crawl longer and longer, rotate with head
Without buoy, start to crawl longer and longer, rotate with head
Crawling back and forth relaxed, breath and rotate
Crawling and free swim on back
Tried to breaststroke as little as possible
Cool down: crawling and free swim on back
Thursday
Usually I have a couple of rest days before I head out on my trail run but today is a red day in Sweden and I have an tradition to run a trail run this day.
So got up early this morning and lucky me no track work on the train tracks.
Had put on long sleeve, tights, windstopper, regular socks and altra lone peak 4 trail shoes.
Got on the train and bus to Frostavallen.
This morning it was time to increase the distance, not sure how long but follow the ”Tjörnarparen path” from Frostavallen, hoping to find the narrow path instantly.
Was a bit windy but not cold.
No trekking work so I could take the train and bus up to Frostavallen.
Did not take long til I had to take off my windstopper, gloves and hat.
Had really tired legs so after the highest top on white I had to stop and walk afterwards.
Nice to head in another direction on white to see how long the distance would be.
Today I found the narrow path instantly which felt great. Nice to follow the route on my watch.
There were some trekkers out and some dog walkers and then me.
Since I had really tired legs,did not have any rest days between the biking, swimming and running, I had to stop and walk from time to time.
Enjoyed the run a lot and will now continue running around 22K.
Walked most of the transport run back to the train station to rest my knee.
20s Zone 5 40s Rest 20s Zone 5 40s Rest 20s Zone 5 40s Rest 20s Zone 5
10 min Zone 4/5 2 min Rest 10 min Zone 4/5 2 min Rest 10 min Zone 4/5
20s Zone 5 40s Rest 20s Zone 5 40s Rest 20s Zone 5 40s Rest20s Zone 5
Cool down: 15 min Zone 2
Turned out that the total time and distance did not get registered properly. Based on the training time: 75 min and 40 s and at least 20 km/h, I calculated that I had biked 26K
Don’t like it when this happens.
Continued with biking stronger
Saved the first session while I still was moving the pedals on the bike.
Started my pulse watch again
Continued with the second session
Q – 90 min Endurance
Started with warm up: 10 min Zone 2
Continued with
Technique:
20s no hands and hold your back straight 40s Rest 20s no hands and hold your back straight 40s Rest 20s no hands and hold your back straight
Main set:
12 min Zone 2 20s Zone 5 40s Rest 20s Zone 5 8 min Zone 2 1 min Zone 4/5 where I was biking strong the whole minute, improvement from last week
12 min Zone 2 20s Zone 5 40s Rest 20s Zone 5 8 min Zone 2 1 min Zone 4/5 where I could bike strong once again
12 min Zone 2 20s Zone 5 40s Rest 20s Zone 5 8 min Zone 2 1 min Zone 4/5 where I biked strong once again
Cool down: 15 min Zone 2
Tuesday
Crawl class with Mikaela.
Even if i have to take the train to get the crawl class I enjoy swimming before work.
I have enough time before I have to bike down to the train station to make a café latte.
This morning we were 6 people who showed up and we also noticed that the water polo guys would exercise in the pool but the pool have several lanes so we would be at our end and they would be at their end.
Started with 100 warm up where we choose which swim technique we want to use individually. I breaststroked but tried to put in some crawl, realized that I was stressed with the breathing and tried to get the correct rotation.
Then we did kicks with the kickboard. I am still not relaxed with my ankles and have too much force, need to work on this some more. With the kickboard we did 1-4 which meant we started slow and increased the speed more and more for each lap. Tough at the end.
Then we tried gliding with streamline where we then started kicking but with our hands in front of our heads, then we tested doing the same on our backs but some of us sank so it was better having our hands to the side.
We got split up because some of us are ”hopeless” souls at the moment, no crawling experience and need to work more on basic technique and half of the group has crawl technique and could just crawl.
We hopeless souls tried Tarzand where we have our heads above the water and we made improvement.
I need to focus on relaxing my ankles and have my head under the water.
Mikaela thought that we did 1000m during this class.
Now I did not forget any equipment 🙂
Wednesday
Crawl training
I had decided that I would take it slow but got stressed from the beginning
Tested gliding with streamline, using the dolme, using the kickboard
Do not have to crawl the whole lap.
Tried to have relaxed ankles but need to work on that some more.
Also I was focusing on the rotation.
Saturday
Trail running
It did not go as I had planned. Found out when I got to the train station that it would be replacement buses today so got up to Höör’s train station at 10 am instead of 9 am, missed the bus to take me to Frostavallen so I walked. Started 1 hour and 10 minutes later than planned. Could not stretch on the bus and decided to head out without any stretching.
Think that is one of the reasons why I had some extra issues today.
It was a bit warmer so I had to stop and take off my windstopper and ran in my wool long sleeve the whole run.
I have noticed on the last trail runs that I at the end feel that my right calf get very stiff and then the issue gets over to my right knee, might explain another reason why I have issues with my right knee. The stiffness sits high up close to the back of my right knee.
So some walking due to both the calf and knee but overall satisfied.
Slower pace but did not feel more tired in my legs than usual.
The cows were out but left when I got closer and then again there was geese crossing the path when I was on my way back to Frostavallen. They also get scared of me
Before work Thursday morning it was time for my first crawl training this week.
Right now it is not one of my favorite sessions since I still am struggling with the breathing but not keep going is not going to help.
Got to the sportscenter where the pool is before 6.30, was a bit windy but survived outside til they opened.
Here is what I did:
Q – Distance 60 min
Warm up and drills:
200m breaststroke
25m one arm change every 25 m 25m one arm change every 25 m 25m crawl 25m one change every 25 m 25m one change every 25 m 25 m crawl 25m one arm change every 25 m 25m one arm change every 25 m
Struggled with my breathing
25m sculling 25 m crawl 25m sculling 25 m crawl 25m sculling 25 m crawl 25m sculling 25 m crawl 25m sculling 25 m crawl 25m sculling 25 m crawl 25m sculling 25 m crawl 25m sculling 25 m crawl
Struggled with my breathing
Main set:
50m crawl 50m crawl 50m crawl 50m crawl 50m crawl 50m crawl 50m crawl 50m crawl
Calmer with my breathing. Got at the end 3/4 of the pool before I had to breaststroke. Could crawl 12 times when I got air on every 3rd crawl til I was very breatless and had to continue with breasstroke
Cool down: 2x50m kick with kickboard
Even if I struggled with my breathing, major improvement was that I was not a sinking stone, my belly was sucked in on auto
Total: 1300m
I have felt that 5 crawl classes would not be enough for me to get all the knowledge how to crawl.
Crawl coaching
Decided that I would also combine with crawl coaching and Friday at lunch I had my first meeting with openwatersimclub.
We had a talk before I got into the water and I said that I had problems with the breathing.
So first I was just going to warm up and I breaststroked. I was told to float a bit after each stroke, felt a bit weird and for me it was not more relaxed.
Then I was going to put my hands in front of my face and put the face under, then just float til I felt that I was sinking then start to ”paddle” with my feet.
Learned that I had to rotate my hips and have my head straight forward and breath on every other crawls. Found out that breath to the left worked best for me.
Tested a dolme, had tried it myself but thought that I would ”paddle” with my feet but they should just be there and then tried crawl.
Using the kickboard was not working for me.
I have to say that this was my calmest training so far. Started to get the hang of the breathing.
In the end I ended up crawling 20m without stress.
So I will take it slower from now on and focus on technique and hips.
Headed to the pool (very close to work) before work.
Equipment: Kickboard, pull buoy, swim goggles
Needed to continue working on the technique and breathing
Q – Technique 60 min
Warm up + drills:
200 m breaststroke 2x(4x25m drills)
Kick with board, 2&3 catch-up, 4. Crawl) rest 20-30s
Main set: 2x
4x25m – 25m one arm change left/right per 25 4x100m pull with just pull buoy 4x75m: 25m catch-up + 50m crawl, rest 30-40s between everything. 100m crawl
Cool down: 100m mix of breaststroke and crawl
This was my original plan.
Was struggling with the breathing. Gasping for breath and had to stand and cough. Since I wanted to focus on the breathing and felt that it was necessary I changed the training to the following:
200 m breaststroke
First set
25m kick with board 25m catch-up 25m catch-up 25m crawl
Rest 20-30s
Second set
25m kick with board 25m catch-up 25m catch-up 25m crawl
4x25m – 25m one arm change left/right per 25
Different exercises with board, one arm change, catch-up, buoy. When I didn’t stress I could breath so much better but I still need to continue working on the breathing
Cool down: 100m on my back and breststroke.
Lost track of the amount of lanes when I had more focus on the breathing.
Crawl training session 2
Warm up + drills:
200m breaststroke
2x25m one arm right/left + 20 s rest
2x25m kick on your side
Main set:1x (second round with paddles and pull buoy)
A few crawls with paddles, did not work, decided to not use them, buoy was not used
4x100m crawl rest 20s
4x50m (mix crawl fast and easy) rest 30s
Cool down:
10×50 mix
Focus on breathing
Still had issues with the breathing, I seem to have started to get the hang of it breathing over the water surface, but under the water surface is a struggle.
Next week I will have my first coaching and I will let the coach know that I cannot breath properly.
