The crawl, butterfly and Winter Sonata

Tuesday 21-Apr-2009
Came a bit early to the pool today. My swim coach BL Lee already there with his young charges. I got the feeling that I'm the oldest person in the pool every time I come here. I have been practicing the breathing technique all week (on dry land), now it’s time see how it work in the pool. Did couple of laps doing freestyle to warm up, but I am still struggling with my breathing. Freestyle is all about rhythm, and the perfect rhythm still eludes me. 4 strokes for one breath (4/1) should be quite basic, and I can only sustain that for 100 meters, then I have to go back to 2 strokes per breath or else I might risk drowning (at least that how I feel).
Coach Lee put up the lane ropes to make it easy for me to do the distance, and to not colliding with others (which I still did later). He then asked if I can I do 1 km. Of course I can't say no. Last week I clocked 22 minutes for this distance, but with a pair of fins! So no swim aid today. Started off the first 100m applying the right technique; 4/1 breathing , full arm extension, keep palm flat and fingers close, thumb first when catching the water, synch the pull and recovery, everything goes by the book. This is another problem with me, I am too much theory oriented. You can't develop your swim rhythm if you were thinking too much. By the end of first lap, I'm struggling again with my 4/1 breathing. So I have to resort to 2/1 breathing every time I'm out of breath. Half way thru, there is strong urge for me to turn to breast-stroke, which is my recovery stroke every time I feel tired. But one thing I learn today, the crawl or freestyle is all about will and determination. For the first time I resisted the temptation to resort to breast-stroke. Well I did continue the crawl, with mixture of2/1 and 4/1 breathing. In the last 200 meters, forced myself to do 4/1 breathing all the way, and somehow it work. Yes there is strong feeling that I'm going to drown, but I did hold it till the fourth stroke. That feeling could be mammal instinct due to changes of breathing pattern. It could be more mental than it is physical.
Finish the 10th lap (1 km) in 34 minutes. Nothing to brag about, but this is better than the time I clocked a month ago. Did couple of laps later with the pull float, working on my strokes and breathing. Today, coach introduced me to the butterfly. Try it for half a lap, it's actually more difficult than it looks. Well, I’m not ready to pick up a new stroke just yet.
Before I exit the pool, coach reminded that I have to do 2 km tomorrow night. Now that a little tough. That would be my first time doing 2 km. If I can do this under 1 hour, then I’m ready for Putrajaya…

Today swim: 1 km in 34 minutes.

A little bit off topic. After the kids all went to bed, sit at the piano and work on “She” that I have downloaded (the sheet) last week. The melody is easy, all in C-major, but I’m little slow is on the bass-clef and the arpeggio. Will work on that later. I have forgotten quite a few by now, used to play Endless Love by heart, but forgotten half of it. Have completely forgot Winter Sonata (now where’s the piano sheet) Still remember the fingering for Fur Elise, but have forgotten the 3rd part, and I have never play the 4th. Beethoven must have purposely made that part so difficult. There are few on my to-do list, and some have been a ‘work in progress’ for many years. Top of the list, Ballad Pour Adeleine (clayderman), Mirae (japanese), Love story, … and there’s a classic I heard my daughter play few weeks back, could be Johan Sebastian, chopin.. I don’t know.
No, this blog is not about piano. I better stick to triathlon.