I swam two marathons in 2002 and 2006. I swam two more in March and April of 2010. I now question whether I have the stuff – mentally, not physically, to swim more marathons in the future.
Posts Tagged ‘open water swimming’
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on June 8th, 2010
Learning to swim butterfly as an adult can be an exercise in Problem-Solving, Challenging Assumptions and Deep Practice, rather than Working Harder. This benefits both brain and body.
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on May 20th, 2010
There are four key metrics in swimming – Efficiency, Effort, Tempo and Time. Most people use only one. That limits improvement and increases potential for frustration. Expand your perspective and you have more opportunity to improve.
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on April 14th, 2010
Easy swimming isn’t lazy swimming. It brings the greatest benefit when you strive to reach a higher level of efficiency and a greater sense of harmony with the water. In many ways it should be your most demanding form of practice.
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on April 2nd, 2010
Yoga teachers regularly remind us to smile – and it works. My yoga improves when I smile. In recent months I’ve learned smiling improves my swimming too.
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on March 19th, 2010
Your potential in most things (but particularly swimming) is almost certainly far greater than you imagine it to be. If you strive for continuous improvement, you WILL improve continuously.
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 25th, 2010
The faster pace you maintain across the English Channel the better your chances of making it to France – and the less your chances of being caught in one of the Channel’s infamous tidal switches, which have frustrated the dreams of thousands of would-be Channel swimmers. But when you’ll swim for 12 or more hours, what does “speed” mean?
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 16th, 2010
Consistent pacing is a core competency of successful distance swimming. I improve my awareness of pace by training with Stroke Count and a Tempo Trainer, rather than a pace clock.
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 12th, 2010
Speedskaters use virtually uniform technique to master the challenge of “delivering force to the ice.” Swimmers, who face massively greater challenges in “delivering force to the water” are far less uniform and far more idiosyncratic in their technique. Why has the community of swimmers not achieved more agreement on the most efficient way to swim?
by Terry Laughlin
Posted on February 11th, 2010
Today’s practice sample shows the value of getting the right kind of feedback from practice sets. Data that lets you know if you’re improving — and how and why.

Easy Freestyle:
Outside the Box:
O2 in H2O:
Breaststroke for Every Body
Backstroke for Every Body
Better Fly for Every Body
Triathlon Swimming: Made Easy
Extraordinary Swimming for Every Body