I did a swim test at the pool this week, as outlined in my training plan. It involves warming up for 10-20 minutes. Then swim 3×300 with 30 second rest in between each. The goal is to attain the highest average speed possible for the entire set, and the time for each 300 should be within 15 seconds of each other.
Then you average the three times and divide by 3 to get your “T” pace, I guess the “T” is for test. This “T” pace is used in many of the workouts in Gale Bernhardt’s Swim Workouts in a Binder book.
March 2008, 25 yard pool:
1) 5:25; HR: 148/156
2) 5:33; HR: 150/158
3) 5:37; HR: 148/147
Average of all three = 5:32
T pace = 1:50 / 100 yards -OR- 2:01 / 100 meters
(I used this calculator to convert yards/meter pace)
So, then I took a trip down memory lane and looked through my old workout journal entries. I looked through two years worth of stuff and only found one other time that I wrote down these test results.
June 2006, 25 meter pool (luckily I noted that this pool was meters vs yards):
1) 5:48
2) 5:57
3) 5:58
Average = 5:54
T pace = 1:47 / 100 yards -OR- 1:58 / 100 meters
Two years of swimming and my “T” pace time has actually gotten slightly worse. ACK! Unfortunately, I did NOT wear a HR monitor during the test two years ago, so I can’t look back and compare HR for the test, and say “Well, at least I’ve gotten more efficient”. I think… I hope…that I have, but there’s no data to confirm.
In looking back in my journal for swim test results, I also looked for ANY swim entries where I wrote down a time, distance, and heart rate. If I could find some data, I could reproduce that same workout and compare HR. But, I found Nothing. I rarely wore my HR monitor for swimming, and when I did, I only wrote down the average number for the entire workout.
I did find lots and lots of places where I wrote “I suck” next to the swimming entry. LOL! I find this quite amusing! I even wrote down “Why do I even bother swimming?” on one page. (click image to enlarge).
When I was done with my entire swim workout, the friendly lifeguard, Chuck, commented that I’d had a good workout and I just kept going and going like the Energizer Bunny. Yes, that’s me, the energizer bunny. He doesn’t go fast, but he does keep going and going and going. There’s my reason for bothering to swim – so I can be the energizer bunny in the pool.
I wouldn’t beat yourself up over the swim times (and I definately would stop writing negative things)
The swim course I went on a while back reminded us that the objective of the triathlon swom was not to do it as fast as possible but to expend as little energy as possible.
If you can do the same time but spend less energy – that has to be a result
Maybe rpe should be added to your test results?
Bruno…no, unfortunately, not an improvement. The old test was done in a meter pool, and the new test was done in a yard pool.
Carol, quite an improvement in your swim test, hum?
Just heard from my friend who has a Garmin 305. She says:
My HR monitor for the Garmin is working wonderfully,
and I haven’t had a speck of trouble with it (knock on
wood). My only advice would be to lightly wet the
inner part of the monitor that goes around the chest
to ensure a good connection (I assume your blog reader
bought the Garmin new and has the chest
monitor…right?). My Garmin is my favorite
trinket!!! It is sooooo amazing.
According to my Garmin manual, it’s waterproof in 1 M
of water for 30 minutes. I haven’t chanced taking it
in the water, though. I use a totally waterproof Nike
monitor/watch that I was using before my hubby bought
the Garmin.
I have emailed my friend asking her what her experience with the Garmin 305 HR monitor is. I know she wrote to me in December and said she loved it. I will let you know what she says.
Until then, here are my thoughts:
Maybe different people’s heart is in a different spot, so try moving the chest strap up or down. As a woman with breasts, I can’t really put the strap in the perfect spot anyway – I have to pick above or below. Above works for me. Sorry if that’s TMI!
Also, do you limit your salt intake? Maybe lack of salt in your sweat interferes with the monitor. I guess if that’s the case, then gel may help.
Have you put the monitor on someone else to see if it works on them? I like playing detective!
I just purchased the 305 so I don’t think it’s the battery. I’m going to give Garmin a call and see what they say. It does give instructions that if the HR Monito does not work that I should Gel instead of water and also place the sensors on my back.
Brian – Have you tried a new battery in the strap? That should solve the problem. I can’t help with the question about using the 305 in the pool, but I am interested in Carol’s answer.
Carol,
You told me in the past that you use Garmin 305 to track your heart rate. I just purchased it and it’s great for everything but my heart rate. The brace that I rap around my chest does not get picked up even if I wet it down extensivley…any suggestions??..should I buy some gel for it?
Also, I’m a little weary on using it in the pool even though it states it’s waterproof but I need to track my HR in the pool. Hasve you had any issues with this?
Thanks
Brian