I am very fortunate to live near two pools. Freeport Recreation Center is literally a mile from my home with an outdoor Olympic size pool (in the summer) and a standard 25 meter pool for the rest of the year. Eisenhower Park hosts the amazing aquatic center in the photo with lots of 50 meter lanes and several teams to work out with. For years I worked out with TTT (Team Total Training) but due to schedule constraints, I recently had to search for another group. Enter Excel Swimming and a batch of new coaches.
This entirely new approach has me completely undone but I trust it will improve my swimming in the long run. Logistically I have to get used to the new schedule. This means a few extra early mornings as I swim with a Masters group at 6 am. So much for my 6 am wakeup (which is considered "sleeping in"). Now I have to be at the pool at 5:50. And then there's half a dozen new coaches to get used to. These are swimmers, not necessarily triathletes and they take their sport very seriously. I recently read if you want to improve at some aspect of triathlon, hang with the single sport folks. In other words, swim with swimmers, cycle with cylists and run with runners.
Suffice it to say, they are revamping my stroke, have me working on bilateral breathing and breathing from my belly button.... no, really. It is awkward, clumsy and slow but I can see where this will pay off by next season.... I hope.
