May 24: Swim - 50m pool, 6:20-7:10pm

It's been a while since I wrote my blog but I've been to 25m pool and 50m pool, twice each. I swam 1.2km each. In 25m pool, 750m was the longest swim in one go, and 500m for 50m pool.

Today, the pool was relatively empty so it was easy to swim. Usually I swim first 200m and take a break, checking my body and how busy it is. However today was pretty empty so I decided to see how long I can swim in one go.

In the next mid-speed lane (mine is a slow lane), a young lady was trying to beat me, so I put some power in to my arms and tried to increase the speed, but still slower than this lady. So I used my legs. I avoided getting cramps by putting some power into my thighs and not to my calfs. Then I was faster than her. In the last 25m, I was able to beat her. And this was so interesting, after the turn, I continued to use the similar technique to my legs. It doesn't get too hard in terms of breathing, but I can feel the water around my face is flowing faster. It felt like when I put fins to my feet in Belgium, and I can feel my body is floating. It was almost 500m point so I slowed down to 2 beat speed and swam the rest of it. Sometimes when the lane gets stuck, then I turn at 25m pool but managed to keep the speed and swam 1km. This meant that I've achieved my goal. As I thought, when I swim continuously, the body get adjusted to the water. Therefore, I think I can swim longer.

From now on, I'm going to focus on my legs and manage to keep 2minute for 100m speed. I'll have to search for the ways to make my legs effective.

For the last 200m, I managed to swim in 38 strokes for 50m. This is a great news. I'm going to aim for 2 beat legs and make an effective speed.

Since I managed to achieve 1km swim without a break, my focus will be to swim 100m in 2 minutes.

May 8: Swim - 25m pool, 7:30-8:30pm

The doctor visit on May 7th ended up finding out that with googles, I am permitted to swim, so it has been 2 months since my last swim on March 3rd. Initially they told me I won't be able to swim for 3 months, so I'm very happy :) I assumed that my muscles and stamina has reduced dramatically so I swam slowly and counted how many stokes I had for 25m, and it resulted as 16 strokes. Yes I have lost stamina (muscles). For a while I swam 50m each by confirming the form, and then swam for 500m. It took 11mintues which is not so bad as I thought. The target is to swim 1km non-stop in 50m pool, and by end of July, swim 750m in 15minutes or so. It might be a challenging target, but since I have no idea where I'll be for running due to my knee, I thought I'd have the swim target higher anyway.

Result: 50m x 6, 500m x 1, 200m x 1, total 1km

April 25: Many things happened

On March 5th, I injured my finger (cut my left thumb almost in half!) so I couldn't swim for a whole month.
On March 11th, due to Japan disaster, most of the pool has closed for a whole month due to electricity outage and saving electricity.
On April 19th, I had an operation for cataract and have been told not to swim for 3 months.

So from one to another, hardship came to me as if it was trying me to give up the triathlon. Although the harder it is, I usually increase the motivation. On April 3rd and 16th, the neighbourhood pool opened so went there to swim and confirmed that I can swim 800m continuously.

I already have plane ticket so I'll need to prepare bicycle, clothing, wet suits. Also it'll be difficult to train right beforehand (i.e. open water experience with wet suits), so I'll be doing it on the day, and I hope it will be a good experience. It still remains as my task to increase stamina and muscles.

My son now can swim over 1km so he is also taking part, hence there will be 2 people participating from Japan. The photo link for the Sterke Peer Triathlon is here:

http://www.wezelopdefoto.be/p486564210

It looks so much fun!

Mar 3: Swim - 50m pool, 6:15-6:45pm

It's freezing cold today and I should've brought my gloves. I ended up swimming very fast in the beginning but still it took 2 minutes to swim 100m. After slowing the pace, I was able to swim 1km without stopping. First 100m took 2'20'' so 1km would be in 23 minutes. Afterwards, I focused on paddling with my arms in a slower pace, and the time said 100m in 2 minutes. I noticed that my swimming form was getting rusty so going to start improving it. On the way home, the cold breeze felt really nice. The relieving atmosphere surrounded me with my tired body and release from the body movement.

Result: 1km, 100m, 100m, total 1.2km.

Feb 27: The knee pain

My nephew is taking part in the Tokyo Marathon on Feb 27th so I'm going to support him. I met him the day before for registration. I walked about 5 hours that day and felt something in my knees but it wasn't painful. Actually I wasn't really walking too much in terms of distance since I've been stopping and checking some exhibitions. Although the following day I can't bend my knees due to the pain. So I forced to bend it (by tolerating the pain) and stretched the muscles then I'm able to walk for a while but ending is the same. I cooled my knees and did some stretch and manage to finish the day, which ended up 7 hours of walking and standing. I suppose the total distance is about 10km.

Feb 25: Swim - 50m pool, 3:30-5pm

I took a day off today to get my eyes checked at the hospital. I wanted to get it checked because my eye sight has dropped down. Initially I thought it'll only take half day, but it was very crowded and every single check ups took time so in the end it took 6.5 hours. Apparently I have cataract and will need to have an operation. So I had to cancel Saturday's airline health check appointment. Therefore I probably won't be able to fly for a while, but want to be ready to fly by August.

It's my first time to go to the pool on the weekday daytime, and it's pretty empty therefore it feels good. There are only about 3 people in a lane. And this is in 50m pool, so it feels like only single person is there for 25m pool. I started swimming slowly and somehow managed to swim 750m without stopping. I wasn't expecting this so it felt weird. It's a shame I didn't measure my time! Then I swam 100m and it was 2 minutes so noticed that I have been swimming pretty slowly. I think it was like 2'20 pace. I should measure it next time. I feel so good that I was able to swim 750m.

Result: 750, 100, 200, 500, Total: 1.5km

Feb 20: Swim - 50m pool, 7:50-8:15pm

Today I swam in the pool in the 'hood. There wasn't much time and and it was freezing when I got into the water so I swam pretty fast. Around 200m point I slowed my pace and swam 500m. I feel it's easier than swimming in the 50m pool. It's probably the breathing and kicking during turn makes it easier.

Took the break for 10 minutes and swam another 500m. After that, I swam 25m each reviewing 14-stroke-front-style.

Result: 500m, 500m, 25m x6, 100m  Total: 1.25km