Location: Indoor Lap Pool
Today I am up at 5:15am and into the pool for an early morning swim, a recovery swim is on the books after the 10km ( 6.2 mile ) swim yesterday, this morning I swim 3300 meters then am off to teach a jump rope class at 8:00am, later in the day I am due to meet Peter to check out his in water digital coaching tool, I know it has a touch pad and under water screen to view swim times, I am expecting Peter to lug in a big pile of equipment, he doesn't his system is neatly rolled up like a Yoga mat except smaller and much more compact, it fits easily into his duffel bag. Peter and I chat for a while about his timing system, within no time at all I learn how it records data and how I can view it both in the water and send it to my laptop, remember my problem of losing count of my laps in the lap pond during my 20 x 200's, number 5, number 5, was that number 5......not a problem today with this in the pool, I feel confident that I will not swim repeat number 5 three times, " excellent" lets give this baby a try.
Peter and I head out to the pool, the touch pad mounts easily onto the wall and is secured either side of the lane line with clips and the in water display screen is simple to set on the bottom of the pool.
I set off for a few hundred meters to warm up, as I do the display screen gives me my 50 split time each time I hit the wall, it is fun to have something new to look at on the bottom, I love having stuff to look at when I swim and this is even more fun because it talks to me...." hey slacker pick it up" I imagine it saying when my swim time slows to 41 seconds for my last 50. After a few hundred I stop and adjust the display screen, I move it further away from the wall and off to the side of the lane so I can see my time before I begin to execute my turn, when we set up we put the screen right at the base of the wall and I found myself picking up my head to look for the screen causing me to de-accelerate into the wall, a perfect formula for a slow turn, a quick reposition of the screen away from the base of the wall and problem solved, I easily see my time before the wall without lifting my head.
" Want to swim one of the preloaded demo workouts so you can try the interval count down feature?", YES I reply, any thought of recovery are out the window, this sounds fun, Peter talks me through how to pull up a workout on the touch screen, couple of touches of the screen and I have myself 10 x 100's on the 1:45 interval, " the interval may not work as I set the intervals for yards and this pool is meters" , no problem, I reply, "much more leisurely than my regular 1:30 interval, I am looking forward to an easy stretch, hmmm maybe I 'll swim one or 2 fast for grins" , I think to myself.
When I am ready to start I push the " game on " button, no turning back now, the display screen starts the countdown in big bold numbers....5 , 4, 3, 2 , 1, GO, an electronic beep sounds and I am off, first one hundred complete, my time 1:20.04, I enjoy the rest and before I know it I see the numbers counting down again, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 GO, I am off for the 2nd 100, I notice my first 50 split is faster than in my first 100, my time 1:20 flat. The clock is relentless keeping me on task, 5, 4 , 3, 2, 1 GO, off again and my body opens up, it wants to swim, my time for # 3 1:17.60, " I wonder if Peter wants to chat ", I think for a fleeting moment, the thought is quickly replaced by 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, GO, adrenaline starts to run and my body wants to play with this new enforcer in the pool, " OK clock lets see what cha got"...bam a 1:16.60, take that clock" , it did and quietly gave me a little time to savour the moment and then volleyed me back another command " bet you can't beat that one 5 , 4 , 3 , 2 , 1, GO Beeeeep " the starter sounds and I am off for number 5, well I think I am only swimming number 5 once today so I am going to give it heaps, my time 1:15.60, 5 x 100's are complete, a good time to pull up and talk to Peter, but I can't there are 10 x 100's listed on the commanding display screen and that is what I am doing.
I am off again, I decide to take the next 5 x 100's and descend them again, # 6 is a 1:22.30, # 7 is a 1;20.80, # 8 is a 1:19.50, # 9 a 1:18.10, and then it is time for the final 100, the last in a set like this is the sprint to France, the spin the arms fast and pull hard until you see the rocks on the bottom, French rocks, not much time to think now, my new little digital playmate is not waiting for me 5 , 4, 3 , 2 , 1 GO and I am off 100 meters to go it all comes down to this, I know I have to take my first 50 out hard and fast, my 50 meter split time needs to be faster than it was during repeat # 5 if I am to beat the 1:15.60 recorded from that swim, the first 50 meters my arms are spinning fast, as I approach the display I read 37.5, repeat # 5 read 37.8 at this time I am ahead, now I have to finish strong if I am going to beat 1:15.60, last 10 meters head down don't breath, pull hard and fast, punch the wall beat that time, bonjour 1:15.30.
That was a kick, with a tap of the screen I am able to look at my times, thanks to my new little friend under the water I got a good old fashion ass kicking, and with the starter beeper there was no chance of cheating by rolling off the wall early, good stuff.
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| Me, Peter and the in water display screen and touch pad |
Awesome! Glad you like this product by Peter. Peter came out to Chicago to show it to me and get my feedback (I am a triathlete and full time coach)....so this is great feedback, thanks!
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