February 20, 2011

Spiritual Prep:

When you swim long distances, technique is the key.  In fact, the harder you try,  the worse you do and the harder it is to swim.  Breathing is key as you might expect but there is a method which allows you to swim effeciently , effectively and breath at the same time.  Other than using the proper method will be a disaster.  You end up fighting to the point of exhaustion and that doesn’t have a good ending.  Your heart rate goes up and you suck air in all cavities and it doesn’t help because you are using more oxygen than you can take into your lungs.  Sometime fighting sin and the world can be as exhausting.  Like swimming, sometimes it is about knowledge, technique, practice and time.  And after you build your stamina your can go the distance to finish the race.   2 Timothy 4:7

Training Prep:

As you might tell I went swimming yesterday.  I have been considering doing a sprint triathlon.  I have worried most about the swim.  Had to do it if I was going to do one.   Thrashed around for a while until my coach (son in law Franklin Baker) gave me some technique.  I learned how to swim with an even stroke and breath at the same time.  It was much easier than plowing through the water.  As I tried to put together two laps, it was harder to hold the rhythm and technique necessary to make it.  Now the key is to get in the water again and practice the technique over and over until I can do 20×25 meter laps (that’s the distance for the sprint).  Seems a long way off before I can do it but I have felt what it feels like to do it right.  It feels good and it is a workout.