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Triathlon Swimming: Made EasyThe faster pace you maintain across the English Channel the better your chances of making it to France – and the less your chances of being caught in one of the Channel’s infamous tidal switches, which have frustrated the dreams of thousands of would-be Channel swimmers. But when you’ll swim for 12 or more hours, what does “speed” mean?
Archive for the ‘Marathon Swimming’ Category
Exact Pace Awareness – without using a pace clock
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 16th, 2010
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 16th, 2010
Consistent pacing is a core competency of successful distance swimming. I improve my awareness of pace by training with Stroke Count and a Tempo Trainer, rather than a pace clock.
What does “High Pain Threshold” Mean?
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 10th, 2010
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 10th, 2010
High Pain Threshold – a combination of constructive thinking and reframing an unpleasant experience with positive associations. And why these are critical elements in my training to swim the English Channel.
Speed “Happens” . . . while Focused on Efficiency
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 10th, 2010
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 10th, 2010
I hadn’t planned on a “quality” set today, but one sort of snuck up on me as the beep on my Tempo Trainer got faster . . . while I tried to keep my stroke unhurried and long.
Slower Strokes produce Faster Times. How so?
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 8th, 2010
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 8th, 2010
A slower stroke can produce faster times . . . IF you use the extra time in each stroke to propel more effectively – i.e. travel farther, and perhaps even faster.
An “Effortful” Practice Example: To swim the Channel FASTER.
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 6th, 2010
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 6th, 2010
Most of my practices are designed to imprint efficiency – to help me cross the English Channel more easily. This one was designed to improve pace-holding capacity – to help me cross the Channel faster . . . without sacrificing efficiency.
Stroke Counting Grows Brain Cells . . . which may be critical to swimming the Channel
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 3rd, 2010
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 3rd, 2010
It’s obvious that efficiency is critical to success in open water marathon swimming. So is being able to exert control over what and how you think for hours and hours. Stroke counting in the pool while training for an open water marathon may be the best way to improve both.
Sample #1 of “Practices that Grow Brain Cells”
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 18th, 2009
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on December 18th, 2009
Most distance and marathon swimmers believe the most important thing is to “get the yards in.” I believe there’s much unexplored potential in shorter, well-crafted practices that actually create more direct benefit than long grind-it-out sessions.