The Immersion Process: Getting Into It

On Wednesday, I attended a lecture on swimming with our coach Sheila Taormina.

On Friday, we enjoyed a 2-hour ‘Call The Suit’ pool session. This included instruction, correction of strokes, swim drills and video capture. With Sheila’s encouraging approach and our open-mindedness, we allowed ourselves to feel the watery. I must admit that having fun was a new aspect of the swim training equation. We learnt to analyse and focus on one thing to improve at a time.

On Saturday morning, I supplemented my pool session immediately with an open-water session with six others at the beach opposite Big Splash@ East Coast. We learn to go around buoys, sighting (forward then head turn for breathing), drafting in a pack, taking turns to lead, and some drills (Weissmuller/Tarzan drills). David Greenfield of Elite Customs reminded us that muscle memory takes place in 23 days through repetition.

What I learnt from my session were:

1)    I can and will enjoy swimming in the future. Always begin with a proper streamlining posture.

2)    Specific drills must be done in order to correct ineffective and inefficient strokes.

3)    Focus on high elbow pulls.

4)    Feel the water at the pals, wrist and forearms.

5)    Form vortices (whirlpools) with sculling drills, as well as with a good high pull.

6)    Press palms against the water upon completion of the pull.

7)    Use swimming bands to practice on land; linear return at completion of stroke (not simulate the overhead return).

8)    Watch videos of the best swimmers and remind ourselves of the high elbow pull, and feel of the water.

9)    Eliminate gliding as it adds time to the stroke. Stroke X Rate = Speed.

10) Coaching well leads to heightened self-awareness and motivation to progress and improve.

Photo-credit: Edwin Low of Elite Customs (Sheila interviewed by MediaCorp Radio 938 Live in 'A Slice of Life')

Snapshots of Runaway Moments

This Friday, our group of regular swimmers will enjoy an evening swim clinic with Olympic gold-medalist, Sheila Taormina. She will be hosted by David Greenfield of Elite Customs – customized bike manufacturer and master-bike fitter. We interviewed Sheila last month, and her interviewed earned one of our largest readerships of all time. The former-triathlon world champion will be on a world tour for her swim clinics.

My legs and feet were stiff and sore when I awoke this morning, since it was less than 24 hours after ceasing all intense activities. Despite one mild bloody blister on a right toe, I had zero abrasions. The Elite Customs (Panache) bicycle-top I wore under my water-pouch protected me from any welts or chaffing. I have been feeding my body with high calories from a wide variety of food groups, drinking antioxidant-loaded berry drinks, and ginger (for its anti-inflammation properties). I did some walking (skipped the three bus-stops altogether as the wait was longer), and deep stretches and succumbed to a well-deserve nap. According to an episode of ‘The Doctors’, it appears that pure tart cherry (for making pies) juice does wonders in reducing muscle soreness. I bought a bottle of POM Pomegranate Juice as it has the highest antioxidant value from Giant supermarket and consumed a glassful. I also supplemented my nutritional needs today with ginger and raw salmon.

My thanks go to Freddy Yeoh for his aid-station where I got a photograph, two cans of Coke, and iced-water. I endeavour to return the favour to this enduring endurance athlete and his thoughtful friends in the future. Ironman Austria finisher, Roger Chow also staked his shop at Water-Point 4 where he offered me iced-cold Milo and some savoury food – thanks, buddy!

Here are some photographs taken by our caring and alert photojournalists during the TNF100 run yesterday. These shutterbugs braved the often-sheering heat and heady humidity to capture a moment in each runner’s personal challenge. They do it out of their passion for immortalising memories, and recognition for the participants. I think it is synergy and synchronicity at work.

Do you give credit where credit is due? The least we can do when we use intellectual copyright materials is to make a request for use, or provide a mention. There are many generous people in our social network who render their help on their own accord. Yesterday, I witnessed runners stopping to assisting badly cramping runners at the side of the running route. These displays of consideration were priceless within a physically tough day.

They say that photographs are a mirror of one’s sides. Here are some perspectives of our especially long day, yesterday. Thank you all the lens-people for making what we do feel important.

Photo-credit: Joe Cheung (Me giving the Double-One as I earn my second wind)

Photo-credit: Chris Voo (Me traipsing through the abundant greenery)

Photo-credit: Andy Ng (With my faster run buddy, Hui Koon, #127)