ICELAND #1: SWIMMING IN ICELAND’S COMMUNITY POOLS

Posted on August 7, 2023 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

During the last half of July, Bruce and I traveled to Iceland on a small group tour with Overseas Adventure Travel. To begin my blog series on this wonderful country, I am copying in an article I wrote for the upcoming Georgia Masters Swimming Newsletter, as part of my “Elaine’s Tip of the Month” series:

ELAINE’S TIP OF THE MONTH: SWIMMING IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES

Is foreign travel in your plans? If so, don’t forget to pack your swim gear and caps! “Caps?” you ask? Wouldn’t I only need to bring one? Well, yes, but I’m not referring to the cap you will be wearing. I’m talking about all those swim caps you have accumulated from swim meets, fitness events, and charity swims. How many of those caps will you actually use?

I had tried to give mine away to coaches to give their age group swimmers, but nobody wanted them. They had plenty of their own to give away. Pleas on the USMS Community (Discussion Forums) and on the Georgia Masters Facebook page were dead-ends. This time, I had 21caps, so I took them with me to Iceland.

Iceland? There are public swimming pools in Iceland? Yes! There are 121(!) public swimming pools in a country roughly the size of Kentucky with less than 10% of Kentucky’s population. Even the smallest towns have a public pool with spas, which serves as the daily meeting place for the community—especially in the geothermal-heated spas where spirited conversations take place. Pools are a vital part of the typical Icelandic small-town community, and children are required to learn how to swim in early childhood.

That brings me to my first tip about swimming in foreign countries. (We’ll get back to those caps later.) First, check out http://swimmersguide.com to locate pools anywhere in the world.

Next (and this is an important one), research the swimming culture in your designated country, so as not to offend the locals. In Iceland, shoes are not permitted to be worn in the locker rooms for sanitary reasons. There are shoe racks located in the lobby outside of the locker rooms where you leave your shoes before entering. (Two of the pools I swam at had shoe trays, so you could place your shoes in your locker.) Secure lockers were also provided for free, so there was no need to bring a lock with me.

The shoe rack at the pool in Selfoss, Iceland.

They even supplied long shoe horns (on the chain) to make putting your shoes back on a little easier!

The children’s pool and spas had water temperatures posted. The pool in Selfoss had several spas, each kept at a different temperature. They even had a cold-water dunk tank. I passed on that one! After taking this photo, I learned that cameras and cell phones are strictly prohibited in the locker rooms and pool area.

Most importantly, it is required to shower WITHOUT your suit before you swim in Iceland, and the showers are not private. Naked women and children showered in the shower room without a care, donned their suits, and off they went, leaving their towels behind in the designated towel cubes rather than taking them out to the pool.

I was able to get in four late-afternoon swim workouts in three Icelandic towns during our two-week small group tour, in July. Although I left my towel in the locker room each time, I did bring my caps out with me to give away. It was a great conversation starter and a fun way to meet the locals—one of the most enjoyable aspects of international travel for me. I approached every swimmer I saw wearing a cap and asked if they would like to have a free cap from the U.S.A. A few were skeptical, but once they understood there wasn’t a catch, they were excited. Many of the swimmers took their own caps off and put on their new one.

As it turned out, one of the swimmers I met in Akureyri, Gudrun, was elected to the board of the Icelandic Swimming Association—the very organization I contacted about Masters Swimming in Iceland! We exchanged e-mails and are keeping in touch. (By the way, they are looking for coaches, so if you would like to coach in Iceland, let me know!)

Since cameras and cell phones are prohibited inside the pool area, I shot this photo in Akureyri from behind the glass at the street. And, yes, I tried out both water slides. Terrifying!

The pool in Stykkisholmur, photographed from outside the fence after the pool had closed. This slide wasn’t quite as terrifying.

Swimming in Iceland—and giving away my 21 caps—made my trip to Iceland so much more enjoyable than if I had left my swim gear at home. Give it a try next time you travel internationally and create some memories of your own!

Next up: I finally made it to Iceland!

Note: If small group travel is of interest to you, I highly recommend Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). Although Bruce and I travel together, they do not charge a single supplement for those who travel on their own. Singles also get their own room at hotels. If you book, you can get $100 off your trip by providing my name and customer number (Elaine Krugman, #3018126) as the person who referred you. I will also get $100 off future travel– a win-win!

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK & CANADIAN ROCKIES, DAY 4: RIDING THE RED JAMMERS ALONG GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD

Posted on September 11, 2022 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

Gazing out our balcony window towards the mountains, I could see it was probably going to be another gloomy day. After I shot the photo above, clouds enveloped the mountain peaks, and rain threatened to ruin our Red Jammer ride on the iconic 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road. At least that’s what we thought…

(For all pictures, click on the image to see full screen view.)

Our group of 24 divided ourselves into two “jammers,” but when Scott hopped into ours, he noticed there was room for two more. None of the other 14 in the other jammer wanted to budge, though, so we had a little extra elbow room, which was nice.

Fortunately, the rain held off so Zack, our driver, could roll back the canvas roof top, allowing us to enjoy better views of the mountain peaks surrounding us. We were riding in style!

In the early days, visitors experienced Glacier National Park on horses. When gravel roads were built, bumpy horseback rides were replaced by equally bumpy automobile rides. In 1914, White Motor Company touring buses began taking passengers through the park.

Fast-forward to today, and what has become the “Red Jammers” are part of the largest, longest-running fleet of vehicles in the National Park Service. From 1999 – 2002, Ford Motor Company refurbished the buses, each getting a new V8 bi-fuel engine and a new chassis atop its original wheel base. They are now a safer, cleaner, environmentally friendly, and more comfortable ride to go with that classically stylish look.

The “Jammer” part of their name comes from the bus drivers who were affectionately known as gear jammers, because they had to jam the buses into gear so frequently.

Zack, our driver, did a great job of sharing what he had learned about the jammers and the sites we saw during our ride. Whenever we were about to approach a beautiful vista or a roadside waterfall, he slowed down and announced, “Prairie Dog!” giving us permission to stand up and take pictures through the rolled-back roof. Bruce and I looked at each other simultaneously and said, “Meerkat!” in memory of one of our favorite critters at the San Diego Zoo.

Our adventure took us from St. Mary Village west to Lake MacDonald, with a stop at Logan Pass, the highest elevation of the road at 6,646 ft. Until we arrived at Logan Pass Visitor Center, it was, indeed, a gloomy ride. The fog had lifted enough to catch some views, but it was a bit depressing.

As Bruce, Scott, and I hiked the trails behind the visitor center in search of spotting a big horn sheep (as Scott was sure we would see), I lamented to Scott that Bruce’s and my luck of having great weather during our previous travels had run out. Not more than two minutes later, magic! The clouds began to lift, we could see the glaciers, and my sullen mood brightened along with the beautiful blue sky. (We never did see a mountain goat, but we did spot this squirrel—wildlife!):

The windy, hairpin-curved road down from Logan Pass to Lake MacDonald was spectacular, making Going-to-the-Sun Road a must-see highlight of Glacier National Park. The road was the first to be recognized on the National Historic Registers as a Place, Landmark, and Civil Engineering Landmark. It crosses the Continental Divide, which marks the border between the eastern and western portions of North America. Rivers originating east of the divide flow into the Atlantic Ocean, while rivers with headwaters west of the divide flow to the Pacific. The panoramic views of the mountains and glaciers along the road was breathtaking!

Our ride terminated at the Lake MacDonald Lodge, a beautiful location for our lunch break. While others dined in the lodge’s restuarant or skipped lunch, we parked ourselves on a bench behind the lodge to enjoy the panoramic views of the lake and enjoy the remainder of our huge grab-and-go breakfast. The setting was lovely, and it was a perfect end to a morning spent on one of the most beautiful roads I had ever traveled.

David, our bus driver, met us at the lodge and drove us the remainder of the way to the Grouse Mountain Lodge, in Whitefish, Montana; our home for the next two nights. As soon as I walked into the lobby and saw the massive rock fireplace with the carved wood mantel, I immediately loved the place. Besides, it had a pool—tiny, but large enough to prepare for some upcoming swim meets by doing a modified workout, and logging some yardage into my U.S. Masters Swimming Go the Distance fitness log. At just 30 feet long, the biggest challenge was trying to remember my lap count!

Grouse Mountain Grill was where we savored our included group dinner to put an exclamation point on the day. The veggie option on our limited menu was grilled cauliflower, bok choy, (and more), in a coconut-ginger curry sauce. Salmon or chicken was an optional addition, so we extended our salmon streak and thoroughly enjoyed every bite.

We got a kick out of the dinner served to a couple in our group. It was Flinstone-sized full rack of ribs for each of them! They happily enjoyed the remainder of that rack throughout the following day.

The dessert, however, was what those of us who ordered chocolate torte raved about throughout the remainder of our tour. It was simply amazing. What a fabulous end to a wonderful day!

Next up: A Bird’s Eye View of Whitefish, Montana

NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES IN LOCAL NEWSPAPER

Posted on June 29, 2019 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

As a follow up to my last blog post about the National Senior Games, I was in today’s sports section in our local newspaper, Griffin Daily News, along with local cyclist, Bruce Reid. We were the only two athletes from Spalding County, Georgia to compete in the 2019 National Senior Games, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In case you are wondering, the “Submitted” was me. Several people from my community suggested I write an article and send it in to the newspaper, so what the heck?

GDNSports-NSW1

NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES GOAL (FINALLY!) ACHIEVED

Posted on June 25, 2019 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

I remember the moment vividly. It was the summer of 2004, and we had just retired to San Antonio, Texas. The previous November, I had undergone a serious four-hour operation for thoracic outlet syndrome. My surgeon, Dr. Richard Braun, had assured me that if the surgery was a success, I would be able to swim again. In fact, he encouraged me to take the sport back up following my post-surgery rehab.

Our San Antonio community had a 20-yard pool, so I gave it a go. Once I got back in condition, I timed myself in the 50-yard breaststroke, my favorite event when I competed on my high school swim team. Out of curiosity, I looked up the National Senior Games race results for the youngest age group, 50-54 years old, and surmised that in six years, I had a good shot at a medal. It was that moment I said to myself, “When I turn 50, I am going to start competing in the National Senior Games.”

Five years later, we moved to an active retirement community in Georgia, and I competed in my first state senior games meet, Georgia Golden Olympics, the state qualifying meet for the National Senior Games. I medaled and qualified in all my events; however, I opted not to attend the national meet in Cleveland. In retrospect, I regretted that decision. The National Senior Games take place only in the odd years, and I was unable to participate in the following two Games due to hip surgery and a shoulder injury. Missing out on Minneapolis and Birmingham, even though I had qualified for both meets, burned a hole in my heart.

When I qualified in Alabama, in May of 2018, for this year’s National Senior Games, I was more determined than ever to succeed in my goal of competing in Albuquerque. As I waited for my turn on the blocks for my first event, the 100 Yard Butterfly, I had tears in my eyes as I realized I was about to achieve my goal. I gave that race my best effort, so not only had I succeeded; but, I shaved time off my qualifying swim and swam my fastest time in three years, placing 5^th for a ribbon (awarded for 4^th thru 8^th place finishes). Later in the day, I raced my fastest 50 Yard Breaststroke in five years, finishing 12^th in a tough field of 21 swimmers. I couldn’t have been happier, even though I had no ribbon to show for it.

P1270117

P1270146

My longest race of the meet, the 400 Individual Medley, proved to be a difficult challenge due to the high altitude of over 5,300 feet. Although I was winded during the race and was unable to clock a good time, I was awarded a 6^th Place ribbon for my efforts.

100FlyAwards3

The following day, I raced the 200 Butterfly, the most physically demanding event for female Masters swimmers in pool competition. I was one of only 19 women across all age groups to compete in the grueling event. This race, as well as the 200 IM and 200 Breaststroke on my final day of individual races played out much the same as my 400 IM. At the 100-Yard mark, I was winded in a way I had never experienced at sea level. Comparing notes with several of the other swimmers at the meet, I was not alone. Most of the gals had to stop at the walls during parts of their races to catch their breath. Misery loves company, and most of us were in the same boat—uh, make that “pool!”

Getting winded during the most painful 200 Butterfly I had ever swum was well worth it in the end, because I won a bronze medal! (Hey, you have to show up to win!) I really, REALLY wanted one of those medals, because I thought the design was fantastic—a wonderful souvenir of my accomplished goal. Check it out below. Instead of a propane tank to inflate the balloon, it’s an Olympic torch. The “flame” is a red chile pepper and green chile pepper, which, like the hot air balloon, are the iconic symbols that characterize Albuquerque. In addition to the Albuquerque logo on the front, the backside of the medal depicts the National Senior Games logo and motto.

P1270181

On the final day of swimming competition, Mixed Medley and Mixed Freestyle relays were added to the events for the first time. As in the individual events, the swimmers competed in their own age group; however, the age was determined by the youngest swimmer on the team. I was determined to organize both relays with just swimmers from Georgia to represent our state, so I put out a plea on the Georgia Masters Facebook page. I received an immediate response from Randy Russell (58), and after I was unable to nail anybody else down, he recruited Barbara Ingold (60) and Lane Schuckers (66) during the weeks leading up to the meet. I was able to get a practice run in with Randy during a relay at an April United States Masters Swimming meet at Georgia Tech; however, I had never met Barbara or Lane.

Based on the (accurate at the time) seed times I submitted for our relays, we were in for a fight for a bronze medal. All of us ended up swimming faster than our seed times in our individual events, though, so our hopes were up.

In the Medley Relay, Barbara led off with backstroke, I swam breaststroke, Randy followed with butterfly, and Lane anchored with freestyle. It was a come-from-behind race, but all of us swam our fastest splits of the meet, and we nailed down a bronze medal! Watch it here.

Barbara, Me, Lane (burgundy shirt) and Randy (red hat) receiving our bronze medals.

Then came the Mixed Freestyle Relay with our closest competitor in the neighboring lane. We kept the same race order, and by the time I (the slowest sprint freestyler on our team) finished my leg of the race, we were more than half of a pool length behind. All Barbara and I could do was hope Randy and Lane could make up the deficit. Randy, gold medalist in the 55-59 age group in the 50 Yard Freestyle, closed the gap further; but, what we saw next was simply amazing. 50 Yard Freestyle silver medalist in the 65-69 age group, Lane, swam his heart out! He later said that when he spotted the neighboring swimmer during his flip turn, he put this head down and sprinted the entire last 25 yards without a breath. I never yelled so loud in all my life! As they touched the wall at what I thought was simultaneously, I looked up at the electronic board and saw we had won by .08! Another bronze medal! What a way to finish the meet! We were so excited, we didn’t even swim down after the race. Instead, we gathered in the warm-up pool and celebrated! Want to see something amazing? Check this out!

What a fun and exciting experience these National Games turned out to be. Over 13,700 athletes showed up for the Games, shattering previous attendance records. A couple of World Record holders as well as several USMS (U.S. Masters Swimming) All-Americans and Top Ten swimmers were among the 800+, 50-100-year-olds racing at the West Mesa Aquatic Center. As a result, many National Senior Games records were broken.

That night, Randy and I, along with our spouses, met up at the Celebration of Athletes. Marching in with other Georgia athletes when our state name was called was an exhilarating moment I will never forget. I truly felt like a Senior Olympian!

Georgia swimmers, Chip Woody, Me, and my relay teammate, Randy

The New Mexico contingent handed out state flags during the Parade of Athletes.

On the jumbo screen: 103-year-old, Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins (gold medal winner in track), being welcomed to the Games by the 94-year-old founder of the National Senior Games. Later in the evening, while the band played, she danced enthusiastically, swinging her hips back and forth! I want to grow up to be just like her.

My husband, Sherpa, videographer, photographer, and greatest supporter, Bruce, with me following the Celebration of Athletes.

We attended a free event, Growing Bolder’s “Launchpad to What’s Next Live” at Kimo Theatre. It was an educational and inspirational program on healthy and active aging. Watch the short video about it here. I’m in it towards the end! https://www.growingbolder.com/our-favorite-moments-from-the-national-senior-games-3059650/

P1270202

Three-time Olympic Gold medalist and the face of United States Masters Swimming, Rowdy Gaines, was one of the excellent speakers at the event.

Me with Rowdy Gaines

Journalist and World Record Holder (Masters swimming), Marc Middleton, is founder of Growing Bolder.

New friends:

Kari and I first “met” on the USMS Discussion Forums

Samantha Martoni encouraged and cheered me on in my 200 Butterfly. I returned the favor when she followed me in the fastest heat. She won a silver medal, and I won bronze.

Penny Noyes is an All-American USMS swimmer (age 65) I had met previously at Atlanta area meets. She won 7 gold medals, including one in the triathlon, as well as a relay bronze medal and a 4th Place relay ribbon.

Ted and I met in the warm-up pool and encouraged each other throughout the meet.

Relay teammates, Lane & Randy

This photo was taken of fellow USMS “Forumite,” Kurt Dickson, at the conclusion of the meet. Kurt broke National Senior Games records in all six of his individual events, including the 500 Freestyle, where he shattered the record by 20 seconds. He then won gold medals in the mixed medley and mixed free relays. The entire pool area had emptied out, and he was sitting by himself waiting for his wife to pick him up. (She competed in cycling.) His jug of milk had turned warm, but he was powering down a bowl of Cheerios as he waited.

Alabama Senior Olympics

Posted on May 16, 2018 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

On May 2, I competed in the Alabama Senior Olympics to qualify for the National Senior Games that will be held in Albuquerque, in June of 2019. (Qualifying years are the even years, and the National Senior Games take place in the odd years.) It was my first time traveling to Hoover, Alabama for their state games, because I usually swim at the Georgia Senior Golden Olympics, in September. After three times competing under the hot sun in warm water at a poor facility, though, I was ready for a new experience.

What a nice surprise! The Hoover Recreation Center was beautiful. I had never seen such a nice, well-equipped locker room at a city facility, and the deck area was comfortable for competitors and guests alike.

Although the pool was warmer than the recommended competition temperature of 78-80, it was still a few degrees cooler than the Warner Robins pool in Georgia. Nice! They also had electronic touch pads, which is more accurate than hand-timing a race.

The best part about the meet was the fact that it ran a whopping 3-1/2 hours faster than the Georgia meet, and that includes the one-hour medals ceremony at the end! In addition, the staff and volunteers were fabulous!

A special thanks to Deanna Pack, Program Coordinator for the Governor’s Commission on Physical Fitness and Sports, for shooting photos at the meet. I especially appreciated this, because the photos were made available for the athletes to download and keep. (Since my husband shoots video of my races for me to analyze and learn from following each meet, I don’t have any nice photos from my competitions.) Deanna did a nice job on these, and she has allowed me to post them. This is what she wrote when I asked permission:

“I am so glad to hear you enjoyed the photos! You have my permission to use any photos you would like, but there is no need for credit.

We hope you enjoyed your time with us and will return in 2020!”

Deanna, I am giving you credit anyway! THANKS!

Only two of us gals competed in the 200 Yard Butterfly, so they combined us with the only man to compete in that race, my teammate, Bob Cutrone. We all won golds, because we had no competitors in our respective age groups!

I was happy and relieved to have won six gold medals in the 400 IM, 200 Butterfly, 200 Breaststroke, 200 Individual Medley, 100 Butterfly, and 50 Breaststroke– all in about two hours of time!

Leslie Landey and Stacy Fox were the other two from Georgia to travel to Alabama for the meet. Stacy and I competed against each other in the 50 Breaststroke in the 55-59 age group. That’s Bruce in the background looking over the heat sheet.

INJURIES AND OBSTACLES: MAKING THE BEST OF BOTH AS A SOLO SWIMMER

Posted on February 13, 2018 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

Note: This article can also be found at Swimspire.com. This is the fourth in a series dedicated to the solo swimmer.

Just when you have gotten into a great groove with your swimming, you get injured in a bicycle accident or it’s time to embark on that ocean cruise you booked last year. Your routine is disrupted—again. Don’t let injuries or obstacles derail your swimming. Make the best of both!

Making the Best of Your Injury

The advantage of being a solo swimmer when you have an injury is that you don’t have to worry about not being able to do the coach’s dictated workout or keeping up with lane mates. Instead, you get to call the shots. Following are tips and ideas to keep you in the pool.

First, before you swim another lap with that injury, visit a doctor for an accurate diagnosis, and follow your doctor’s orders. Your doctor may allow you to swim with waterproof bandages covering open wounds, but make sure to ask about this and any other work-around ideas you may have for your injury.

For many types of injuries, such as those involving muscles and joints, a visit to a physical therapist for an evaluation may be recommended by your doctor. If not, ask if it would be appropriate for you. After a physical exam of the injury, a physical therapist can show you strengthening exercises that will not only get you healed and back in the pool again, but could prevent further injury. Make sure to follow your prescribed exercise program to the letter! Then, even after you are fully recovered, keep doing the exercises as part of a regular dryland routine to help avoid reinjury.

If you are not sure whether it would be safe for your particular injury to do some of the proposed adaptive swimming ideas outlined below, do a Google or YouTube search and show a video clip of it to your doctor or physical therapist for approval. For example, after my stitches were removed following a hip labral tear repair and hip flexor release, my doctor didn’t want me to do any kicking for two months. I showed him a video clip of swimming with a pull buoy, and he approved it for easy freestyle and sculling drills, but no pushing off the walls. I was also given the strict order, “Let pain be your guide!” My swimming was severely restricted; however, I was back in the pool two months earlier and was able to keep my healthy shoulders strong while my hip healed.

Four Limbs, Four Strokes, Unlimited Possibilities!

Aren’t you glad you’re a swimmer rather than a runner? As a runner, you won’t get too far with a lower limb injury; however, (most of) us swimmers have four limbs, four (competitive) swimming stroke options, and unlimited possible combinations.

A pull buoy became my best friend following hip surgery, and it can become yours, too, if you have a lower limb injury. For proper usage, search “pull buoy swimming drills” on YouTube. Just keep in mind that eliminating your kick in swimming will put increased reliance and stress on your shoulders; so, leave the paddles at home, use proper stroke technique, and reduce yardage throughout your recovery to avoid other injuries. The same applies with any injury and any adaptive swimming you do to compensate. Again, let pain be your guide, and don’t overdo it! You won’t know how much your body can withstand of your new routine, so stay flexible with your workout plan, yardage, and duration.

For an upper limb injury, this will be the time to focus on incorporating kick sets with lap walking in the shallow end of the pool mixed in. Using a kickboard puts stress on the shoulders, so opt instead for a front-mounted snorkel and kicking with your arms relaxed by your side (or out in front if your injury allows). If you are like me and dislike snorkels, roll to one side to breathe or take a quick breath in front. (Note: A snorkel is your best option for neck injuries.)

Kicking-BreatheFront-Edit

Kicking options include flutter or dolphin kicking face down, on your side facing to the left, facing to the right, or on your back. Breaststroke can be kicked face-down or on your back with your arms either above your head or by your side. To avoid overdoing it, try mixing them up in various combinations for each set. An example would be kicking a 100 Individual Medley on the first and third repeat, and flutter kick face down, to the left, to the right, and on your back on the second and fourth repeats, resting for a set interval in between each 100. Mixing in one-minute egg beater kicking in the deep end or water walking (forward and side steps) in the shallow end can give your legs much-needed variety as they get fatigued.

You may also be able to swim some one arm drills, depending on your injury. Show the following video, “Swimming—Freestyle—Single Arm Variations” to your doctor or physical therapist to see if this would work for you.

Another option is to combine the upper half of one stroke with the lower half of another. When my hip flexor gets fatigued, I like to swim breaststroke pull with an easy dolphin “kick”—more like keeping my legs together and letting them flow behind me, keeping my hips loose.

Again, if you have any question about whether these ideas would work for you, bookmark videos of swimming drills on your phone ahead of your doctor or physical therapy appointment, and run the videos by them for approval.

In addition, if you are reading this prior to sustaining an injury, go ahead and get somebody to shoot some video of your swim strokes. Not only could you use the videos for stroke technique analysis, but they might come in handy someday if you need to show them to your doctor or therapist for clearance to swim with your injury!

Overcoming Obstacles

Rather than an injury, perhaps you have been faced with an obstacle that is conspiring to keep you out of the pool. Maintaining consistency is important for fitness, well-being, and staying race-ready (if you are a competitive swimmer). If your regular pool has been closed for maintenance or you are going to be traveling, a terrific resource for locating an alternate pool is Swimmers Guide. According to their website, “Swimmers Guide contains the only international, descriptive directory of publicly-accessible, full-size, year-round swimming pools you will ever need…” I utilized this site to successfully locate pools throughout the northeast United States, so I could swim throughout a seven-week road trip I did with my husband.

What if you have access to a pool during your travels, but it’s tiny like this riverboat pool?

AQPool

If the pool is too small for stretch cords, you can still get a great workout by kicking face down with you hands up against the side. For breaststroke, push off with your hands, allow yourself to float backwards, and then do a kick back to the wall. Repeat several times before switching to flutter kick again.

I worked on strengthening my hips by pushing off underwater and streamlining to the other side, and then quickly turning around underwater and pushing off again. Going back and forth underwater not only worked my legs, but it worked my lungs as well! Mixing in vertical streamlined jumps off the bottom added variety.

For an arm workout, I stood facing the side with my feet on the bottom and toes up against the side. Leaning back slightly, I did fast repetitive breaststroke pulls, going as quickly as I could for one minute. This is a great way for improving turnover speed and aerobic endurance. Doing all of these drills in fast succession, I was out of breath as if I had done a sprint workout!

Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and these tips and ideas can help! The swimming routine you have developed is too important to let injuries and obstacles keep you from the fitness, well-being, and endorphin rush that swimming provides. Next time an injury or obstacle conspires against you, get creative and make the best of it!

ElaineKrugman

SIX SUGGESTIONS FOR THE SOLO SWIMMER

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

Note: The following article appeared on Swimspire.com in September of 2016 and was adapted for the Georgia Masters Newsletter in December, 2016:

936

Are you a solo swimmer? If so, welcome to my world! For many of us, swimming solo rather than with a workout group or team isn’t a preference; it’s dictated by circumstances. In my case, the nearest U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) team is located quite a distance away, so the community pool just one mile away is the more convenient option.

Although swimming solo may have its disadvantages, I have discovered ways during my six years as a lone Masters swimmer to overcome them and make the most of my swimming experience. Hopefully, the following suggestions will do the same for you.

No coach? No problem! Learn to coach yourself with video.

The most frustrating thing for me training solo was not having a coach on deck to evaluate my strokes on a regular basis, so I bought a waterproof camera and enlisted the help of my husband to periodically shoot video of all four strokes. Having to kneel down on the deck to record underwater views was a knee and back buster, so I rigged up a camera mount on a PVC pipe. Now, my husband can stand up straight to shoot underwater video. He simply twists the pipe to pan the camera as I swim by, or he holds it still at the end of the pool for front views.

In order to shoot video myself, I use reusable rubber-coated twist ties (available at Home Depot) to attach the PVC pipe to the pool ladder or railing.

Next, I upload the videos to my computer, and compare them to instructional videos right here on Swimspire. I also compare my stroke videos to “Go Swim” and “Total Immersion” videos viewed on YouTube.

Alternatively, the U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums (www.usms.org) are a great place to have your stroke video evaluated by other Masters swimmers. Just upload your video to YouTube, and post the link on the Forums. (You don’t have to be a member to sign up for a free account.) Every time I have done so, other “Forumites” have responded with great advice. Often these online “coaches” have been actual swim coaches or world-class Masters swimmers!

Are you lost as to how to design your own workout plans? Check out the Internet!

The USMS website is THE place to find a variety of excellent workouts to suit your needs. Sign up for that free account, and check out “Workouts” in the “General” section of the Forums. Swimming workouts are posted on a daily basis by top-level Masters swimmers that are geared for sprinters, long-distance swimmers, triathletes, stroke specialists, and more. There are even swim workouts specifically written for expectant mothers and those with limited mobility!

There are plenty of other options for swim workout ideas, too. Google “swim workouts,” and there will be numerous options for ideas.

I copy and pasted my favorite workouts into Word Documents, custom-formatted them in larger font for easy reading through goggles, and printed them out. They are kept in a three-ring binder in plastic sleeves, and I place a selected one in a jumbo Ziploc bag to keep it dry at the pool.

I also record my results (such as my practice “race” times) on a plastic SCUBA slate using a pencil. After recording the information online in my USMS Fitness log, I use toothpaste and water to scrub it clean.

Be a sociable solo swimmer.

Many swimmers love the solitude of swimming solo, and escape to the pool to alleviate stress. If you’re an extrovert like me, though, I enjoy being around people; so, I make an effort to be sociable when I’m at the pool.

Regardless of your personality type, there are advantages to getting to know others where you swim.

Over the years my friendliness towards others at the pool has come back around in ways I had never expected. I get asked about upcoming competitions, receive a lot of encouragement, and get congratulated when I return to the pool following a meet. There are several people who even offer to move (or just automatically do it) if they are using my favorite lane when I arrive for my workout. (The other narrow swim lane has two ladders that are not built into the wall—painful for my fingers if the butterfly recovery isn’t timed perfectly.)

Striking up conversations with others at the pool has led to some wonderful friendships, too. We already had one thing in common when we met; we loved to swim!

Become a “Forumite” on the USMS Discussion Forums.

Joining USMS, and being active on the Discussion Forums has also led to cherished friendships over the years. One “Forumite” (a FINA World Record breaststroker) who had viewed my posted stroke videos and responded with advice did something for me I will never forget. At my first USMS Short Course Nationals, just two months after joining USMS, he surprised me by watching me race, and then meeting me at my lane to provide stroke feedback. Hearing what I did well and how I could improve helped me going into my next race. This “Forumite” has been my valued online coach ever since, and I am one of his biggest fans!

At another national swim meet the following year, my husband and I got to know the guys from another team sitting next to us in the bleachers. When it came time for my 200 breaststroke race, I heard a booming, “Go, Elaine!” echo from the bleachers as I stepped up onto the starting block. That jolt of inspiration propelled me to swim a personal best time!

Besides learning a lot from the other Forum contributors, many of them have become real friends—unlike the so-called “friends” many people make on Facebook (that they may never meet face-to-face). When I compete at swim meets—especially USMS National Championships—I get to see and spend time with my Forum friends. One of them even traveled across the country to visit me in Georgia, and participate with me at an upstate meet. It was a blast!

Overall, the swimming community is a friendly, open, and supportive one. Become a part of it, and you will be happy you did!

Volunteer.

Are you a non-competitive fitness/recreation swimmer? You will be welcomed with open arms if you go to a local swim meet, and volunteer to time races, count laps during distance events, or assist the meet director! It’s a great way to meet other swimmers, and become a part of your local swim community, even if you never swim a race.

When I was unable to compete following hip surgery, I timed races at a meet. I had so much fun cheering my teammates on and socializing with the others.

Are you considering becoming a competitive swimmer, but a lack of self-confidence in your abilities is stopping you? Do you feel intimidated by the thought of competition? Volunteering at a local Masters or Senior Games meet is a great opportunity to see what it’s really like. Watch the other swimmers, and see how you compare. At a recent local swim meet, there were swimmers of all levels; from a three-time 1980’s Olympian to a swimmer who appeared to struggle with completing the race. Nobody paid particular attention to either one; we were all there to race against the clock and achieve our personal goals. As always, the atmosphere was fun, friendly, and supportive.

Share your skills.

Related to the last suggestion, sharing your skills with other swimmers will bring joy in unpredictable ways. When I complimented a new resident at my community on her freestyle stroke, she lamented the fact she hadn’t been coached since her age-group swimming days; so, she wasn’t sure how her stroke looked. I offered to shoot topside and underwater video of her stroke, so we met up the following day for a video session, and I recorded her stroke from several angles. I then uploaded the videos to YouTube and sent her the links. She was so appreciative that she treated me to lunch! We had a great time, and a new friendship was formed.

I also write a monthly “Swimmer Profile” column for the Georgia Masters Newsletter and contribute photos I shoot at swim meets. In addition, I periodically submit meet recap articles. I enjoy the writing process, and interviewing profile subjects has been a great way to get to know other area swimmers. Friendships I’ve formed have deepened, and the compliments on my writing have been gratifying!

Think about your skills and how they could benefit other swimmers at your pool or your local swim club. It will be a rewarding experience!

Putting these six suggestions into action is sure to make your solo swimming experience more enjoyable. Give them a try and see for yourself!

GEORGIA GAMES PRESS RELEASE: THE TABLES WERE TURNED!

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

I’m used to submitting press releases rather than being the subject of one! After writing press releases for several Griffin-area non-profits over the past eight years and submitting them to Griffin Daily News, I’ve gotten quite used to contacting the editors of our local newspaper. The tables were turned, though, and I received a request from the assistant editor for a photo of me to accompany a press release somebody else was submitting about me!

As it turns out Georgia Games staff member, August Lynch, submitted the following release:

gdn-07172017ElaineKrugmanGeorgiaGameGoldMedalarticle.jpg

YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP TO WIN!

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

It sure feels good to be back!

Ironically, just after submitting this article to Swimspire, my body decided to crap out on me all at once. After putting in several months of good training in the pool where I was feeling great (and racing my best breaststroke times in four years), my body rebelled. One day I felt great after a terrific workout, and the next day, I didn’t. That following day, an elbow injury from February and a shoulder repetitive stress injury from March—both land-based injuries that had not affected my swimming at all—decided to join me in the pool. For the trifecta, I aggravated the scar tissue in my hip—again. (Oh, and did I mention autoimmune issues returning with a vengeance?)

A visit to my orthopaedic surgeon resulted in a diagnosis of elbow tendonitis, shoulder bursitis, and a knowing smile about my hip. We both knew that it took two months to heal last time I aggravated the scar tissue, and it will take two months to heal again. “Don’t sweat it; you’ll be fine,” we both said with that smile to each other.

Meanwhile, I kept thinking to myself, “How do I listen to my body if it doesn’t give me any warning?” It sure makes training iffy.

It has been over two months since my body took a dump on me. I’ve been very diligent about doing the PT exercises Dr. Andrachuk prescribed. (Knowing I’ve had quite a past history in physical therapy over the years and was always diligent about doing my exercises, we both decided I would be fine on my own.)

Fortunately, I have mostly recovered– perhaps about 80%. I saw Doc at the end of June and received a positive report. Other than wanting me to lay off full butterfly and backstroke for awhile longer (I just started back at breaststroke), he said my prognosis was good for a complete recovery. “Let pain be your guide,” my past physical therapist always told me.

Although I missed the National Senior Games and will not compete at U.S. Masters Swimming National Championships, I did a few test swims in the pool to see if I could handle swimming (not exactly “racing”) an open water 1K race. I was fine, so I competed in the 1K at the Georgia State Games Open Water Meet, today. (I usually swim the 3K and 1K; however, I knew not to even THINK about that yet!)

ElaineKrugman

What a blast! It’s always one of my favorite events of the year; I LOVE open water swimming! It felt great, and I was able to kick it up a notch to about 75% race-pace effort without repercussions. What a glorious feeling to be back in the groove again! I won a gold medal, too!! (I will admit, however, that I was the only one in my age group. Hey, you have to show up to win!)

It has been tough (both physically and mentally), and I am still very unsure what my body will be able to handle in the future. I am fearful of injuries– especially since they almost always come without warning. (For example, I’ve had two spontaneous floating rib dislocations and one at the sternoclavicular joint. WTF?)

Whether I will be able to TRAIN to RACE in the future remains to be seen, but even if my future means “swimming” my races rather than “racing” them, it feels GREAT to be back!

STAYING SELF-MOTIVATED AS A SOLO SWIMMER

Posted on May 29, 2017 by Elaine-iaK's Travels

After writing two articles for Swimspire , I was asked by Julia Galan to continue with my “Solo Swimmer” theme and write a series of articles for her website. The following article was recently published, and appears here:

Whether you swim with a team or solo, all of us swimmers have had our issues staying motivated at one time or another. Being a solo swimmer can make it even more difficult if there isn’t anyone around to encourage you. Self-motivation is the key to happiness and success when going it alone as a swimmer, so read on for tips on how to stay fired up to keep on swimmin’!

Why do you swim?

First, it’s important to answer this basic question: Why do you swim? It’s very difficult to stay motivated to do anything you don’t really want to do. Are you swimming just because your doctor told you to swim for health reasons? Is it because you love running and cycling, but you have to swim to compete in triathlons (your latest New Year’s resolution)? Or, do you love the way swimming makes you feel, both mentally and physically? Maybe it’s because you swam as a kid, and you want to do it as an adult on your terms, rather than having a coach constantly barking orders at you. Hey, maybe it’s even for several of these reasons.

The bottom line is this: If you know why you swim, it will help keep you motivated to get wet.

Embrace habits that make you happy

Are you a morning person or a night owl? What time of day are you more likely to make swimming a habit? Work, family, and other commitments will dictate your available time slot for swim workouts; but, if you have a choice, swim at a time you are most likely to stick with on a regular basis. This is one of the advantages of being a solo swimmer – we have more control over our swim schedules than team or workout group swimmers do.

For me, I find it easiest to stick with a routine of swimming first thing in the morning. I’m not necessarily an early riser, but swimming is my first appointment of the day. Nothing else gets scheduled on any day until the afternoon, whether it’s helping my husband with his part-time business, doing volunteer work, scheduling appointments, or running errands. My friends also know I don’t check e-mail or make phone calls until after I return from the pool. Besides, I don’t function optimally until after a workout, so it’s just as well! I’m a much happier person during and after a swim!

Set flexible goals

By now, you have probably heard and read plenty about the benefits and how-to’s of setting goals; but I’ve learned a few things about my personal goal-setting that puts a different spin on the well-known S.M.A.R.T method of setting goals (Specific. Measurable. Achievable/Attainable. Realistic. Time-bound. There are variations on this acronym, but you get the picture.)

I add an “F” to my acronym. S.M.A.R.T.F. isn’t a word, I know, but the “F” is the most important part of my goal-setting: FLEXIBLE.

Until I added “flexible” to the equation, nothing took a hit to my self-motivation more than the constant frustration of failing to achieve my specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound goals!

Case in point: After nailing U.S. Masters Swimming National Qualifying Times (NQT’s) in the 50 Yard Breaststroke at a September of 2010 meet, I thought a S.M.A.R.T. goal would be to aim to achieve NQT’s every year. Congenital physical issues led to a series of repetitive stress injuries (mostly non-swimming related), though; so, my goals were constantly derailed. Ultimately, I had hip surgery in late 2014, resulting in a multi-year succession of failed S.M.A.R.T. goals. Can you say, “FRUSTRATION”?

The moral of the story? Write your goals in PENCIL! Being flexible will help you stay motivated. If a road-block conspires to keep you from achieving your specific goal, reassess your situation, shift gears; and, start the S.M.A.R.T. process over again.

Although my hip injury prevented me from making NQT’s, I still wanted to compete at a swim meet that took place just a few days before my hip surgery. I was unable to kick breaststroke (or kick much of any other stroke for that matter), so I needed to reassess my situation. Rather than miss competing at one of my favorite meets of the year, I got my surgeons approval to compete, and then asked him to write a medical excuse to the chief official explaining I couldn’t kick breaststroke. My breaststroke races were swum instead with an in-pool start, breaststroke pulls, and no pull-outs, while my legs flopped behind like an injured frog. The 400 Freestyle was swum without a block start or kicking, and no hard pushes off the walls at each turn. My race times suffered tremendously, but I still won the points I needed to achieve one of my other goals of winning the Georgia Grand Prix Series for my age group. Had I not raced that day, I would have failed at a goal that took the entire year (and several meets) to achieve; and, I would have missed out on a trophy that I now enjoy as a symbol of my perseverance.

Set long-term and short-term goals

What do you hope to gain from swimming? For me it provides so many physical, mental, and social benefits that my long-term goal is a no-brainer: I want to be able to swim and compete for the rest of my life. In order to be able to achieve that goal, I need to stay healthy and avoid injuries that force me out of the water. Working backwards from there, that long-term goal dictates how I set all of my short-term swimming goals. I may have a goal to make NQT’s in breaststroke; but, if my hip starts feeling the effects of my training schedule, I need to reassess, switch gears, and adjust my goals until I’m ready to ramp up again.

Often, my workout goal (a very short-term goal) changes multiple times in a single workout. I may go to the pool on “Fast Friday” with the goal of conquering a USRPT (Ultra Short Race Pace Training) set of breaststroke, but if my hip is fatigued or sore, swimming multiple race-pace 50’s of full breaststroke is out of the question. Out goes the kick, and I swim it as breaststroke pulls instead to avoid injury. Then, the remainder of my workout gets adjusted accordingly, depending on how my body feels.

What is your long-term goal? Keep it in mind as you work backwards and break it down into shorter segments; and, remember that flexibility is key!

Variety is the spice of life!

Are you having a difficult time staying motivated because you are bored or burned out with your current swimming routine? Adding variety will help keep things fun and challenging—keys to staying self-motivated.

If you are a lap swimmer who only swims freestyle to stay fit, but you get bored staring at the black line on the bottom of the pool as you swim lap after lap, consider learning another stroke. In addition to taking adult swim lessons or hiring a coach by the hour to teach you, there are plenty of free resources available to teach yourself backstroke, breaststroke, or even butterfly. My favorite videos are at http://www.GoSwim.TV (you can subscribe for free), but there are also many other good ones on YouTube.

How about entering a competition? Although I highly recommend joining U.S. Masters Swimming for their numerous motivating resources (and to be able to compete at USMS swim meets), there are other options available. YMCA has excellent swim programs and competitions, or you could check with your local recreation department. Another option is to compete in your state’s annual pool or open water swim meet that is open to all ages (stategamesofamerica.com). If you are 50+ years of age, check out your state’s Senior Olympicsprogram. None of these organizations require you to be an expert swimmer, and you will find competitors of all skill levels and ages at these meets.

Having a competitive event to look forward to will keep you motivated to train and give you a built-in goal to shoot for.

On the flip side, if you are a burned out competitive swimmer, how about changing it up a bit to fire up your motivation? If you are a stroke specialist, give yourself permission to take a year (or season) off from your best stroke and focus on a different one. Can’t decide which stroke? Train for the individual medley, and you will get to add three other strokes to your specialty! This give you plenty of training options and adds a lot of variety to your training.

Are you a sprinter? Try long distance events, and add an open water race into your meet line-up for the year. If you are an open water swimmer, see what it’s like to race between the lane lines and add a flip turn to your freestyle.

Perhaps your motivation has reached such a low point that you don’t even want to get out of bed to swim. If that happens, just think about how good it feels after a workout. You’re energized and feel a sense of satisfaction afterwards, right? If you skip your workout, you will deprive yourself of those great, healthy feelings! Get up and just go swim for ten minutes. If after that time your motivation still hasn’t kicked in, try doing something fun. Join the water walkers at the shallow end and socialize with them as you walk laps in the pool, go for a walk on the beach or bodysurf (if you’re at the ocean), or get out on deck and do some yoga. ANY exercise will feel better than NO exercise; and, perhaps you will regain your motivation to swim a few laps. If not, don’t beat yourself up; tomorrow is always another day!

Remember, as a solo swimmer, you have complete control over what, where, when, and how you train and swim! Just never take your eye off your long-term goal and forget the “why”, because “why” you swim is what will keep you motivated to take the plunge, time after time.

Elaine Krugman is a U.S. Masters Swimmer (55-59 age group) and writes articles for the Georgia Masters Newsletter. She also writes a blog about three of her passions: travel, swimming, and chocolate; and, she’s happiest when the three intersect! Check out Elaine’s blog here!

Elaine-iaK's Travels: A Traveler's Tales of People, Places, Photos, Pools… and CHOCOLATE!

Category Archives: Swimming & Pools