Wed. Feb. 15; stroke and kick

I did about 2500 yards; had a headache so got out a little early. Did the 1750 in 29 min. I feel kind of tired today, hope I am not getting sick.

I maintain a 19 stroke per 50 yd. count, never seems to change a lot. Think my kick is getting a bit stronger, tho, that should help.

In freestyle a swimmer has either a 2, 4 or 6 beat kick. That means the number of kicks per arm stroke. Distance swimmers usually have 2 or 4 beat kicks, while sprinters have 4 or 6. I have always had the 6; freestyle is like a waltz to me. I can't seem to relearn this. My book says that the big muscles of the legs use more oxygen, so they should work less than the arms. However I think about long hikes and how my legs do all the work all day, so I am not really afraid of tiring my legs. My quads can get a little sore, but my triceps are what gets really sore from swimming. A good sore though: like they have worked. I do have a good stroke, keep my elbow high and pull with the entire forearm; so many swimmers I see have the typical dropped elbow.

Blogging is great. As I told my friends, what better way to blather on endlessly about your favorite topic, your own self?