swimathon- swimming backstroke?

ladybird · 20-03-2011, 09:09 PM

I registered for a team swim for swimathon 2011. I have to swim 1k and I have been practising for a few weeks now but I still only enjoy and manage to do the distance in backstroke(1k in about 25 mins). I can do a few freestyles but I dont enjoy it and it just turns me off....

There isnt much time now and I am wondering if I should just do backstroke(although not particularly recommended) or just backout?

Verity · 20-03-2011, 09:29 PM

No go for it! so long as you swim in a disciplined way and keep to the correct side of the lane.

Spidey · 20-03-2011, 09:44 PM

Welcome, good question I have to say. Do you feel safe doing that much backstroke in a busy lane?

Dave_G · 21-03-2011, 11:34 AM

Maybe I am wrong, but I should have thought that one swims using whatever stroke or strokes one is best at, or most comfortable doing? When I did the Swimathon last year, I swam backstroke/Old English backstroke from deep end to shallow end, sidestroke/backstroke without arm movement in the other direction.

ladybird · 21-03-2011, 11:50 AM

@Spidey- I have been practising in fairly busy lanes for the last few weeks and I keep to my side of the lane always.

I do have to gauge how fast/slow the person ahead of me is before I make my go and normally if I find that there are a few slow ones in my lane then I swim in an order such that they are always swimming in the opposite direction(meaning in the other half of the lane) in my lane.

Is there anything else I should keep in mind?

@Dave_g- True, but I read the rules on swimathon page only yesterday and they do very clearly state that they do not recommend backstroke for Health and Safety reasons.

Having practised and built up my stamina and liking for backstroke I will be gutted to not even be able to participate.

Dave_G · 21-03-2011, 12:38 PM

I must confess, I haven't read that part about backstroke. Speaking personally, I would still swim backstroke, however, because to my way of thinking "do not recommend" is not the same as "it is absolutely forbidden". Indeed, there is a notice stating "swimming is not recommended" at one of my favourite river spots, one that is very popular with swimmers too, so the rule is clearly observed more in the breach than in the main! If you are happier swimming backstroke, I'd just go for it!

adamlelean · 21-03-2011, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladybird

@Dave_g- True, but I read the rules on swimathon page only yesterday and they do very clearly state that they do not recommend backstroke for Health and Safety reasons.

If the pool is regularly used, particularly by a swimming club, for swim training, then have words with the organisers for your pool, and see if they can put the backstroke flags in.

These will be flags 5m from the end of the pool, so that you know when you are close to the end of the pool. This should at least mitigate the health and safety issues a little.

Dave_G · 21-03-2011, 01:11 PM

Not being a competitive swimmer, I never new such flags existed. However, I think they are an excellent idea, speaking as one who has in the past swam full steam ahead into the wall at the end of the pool, an experience I definitely do NOT recommend!

Spidey · 22-03-2011, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladybird

@Spidey- I have been practising in fairly busy lanes for the last few weeks and I keep to my side of the lane always.

I do have to gauge how fast/slow the person ahead of me is before I make my go and normally if I find that there are a few slow ones in my lane then I swim in an order such that they are always swimming in the opposite direction(meaning in the other half of the lane) in my lane.

Is there anything else I should keep in mind?

@Dave_g- True, but I read the rules on swimathon page only yesterday and they do very clearly state that they do not recommend backstroke for Health and Safety reasons.

Having practised and built up my stamina and liking for backstroke I will be gutted to not even be able to participate.

Very difficult to pass slower swimmers I would say, trying to overtake and move to the middle of the lane would be dangerous to say the least. Would you get frustrated if that happened?

Matron · 22-03-2011, 09:08 PM

Ladybird, there's no straight answer here. It really depends on the individual Swimathon session which you are booked into. I (stupidly) did 5 Swimathons last year and the lane set up was very different for each one. You may find that if you have a quieter lane with only 3-4 people in it then it doesn't matter what stroke you do. However, if you have 8 people in your lane of mixed abilities then my experience was that it was difficult to swim any of the strokes (front or back) as the swimmers will be "bunching up" on every length and someone will always be wanting to overtake. For two of my swimathons last year I actually had a lane to myself, so I did quite a lot of backstroke.

I would suggest that you look at the Swimathon page for your pool and see how many spaces they have remaining. It is getting close to the closing date now so the number of spaces left will give you a good indication of how busy it is likely to be. I knew that a couple of my sessions last year were going to be really quiet as they had 33 spaces left when other local pools had 1 or 2 spaces left. You may be able to switch sessions if you are already booked into a busy session - I'm not sure about that, sorry!

In the busy sessions the lane etiquette was always such that people tapped the feet of the person in front and overtook at the end of the length though, not overtaking in the middle of the length.

lane 2 · 23-03-2011, 07:12 AM

A friend of mine is doing the swimathon all on BUTTERFLY!! Yes, she is mad.She is swimming at London Fields, open air, 50m pool. Best of luck Judith.

Dave_G · 23-03-2011, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spidey

Very difficult to pass slower swimmers I would say, trying to overtake and move to the middle of the lane would be dangerous to say the least. Would you get frustrated if that happened?

In that situation, I overtake swimming breaststroke or sidestroke, reverting to backstroke when it is safe to do so.

BIGBrian · 23-03-2011, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lane 2

A friend of mine is doing the swimathon all on BUTTERFLY!! Yes, she is mad.She is swimming at London Fields, open air, 50m pool. Best of luck Judith.

Our club did a charity swim last year, basically a T20 to see who could swim the furthest in 20mins, and raising money according to the distance swum. My daughter and her friend both decided to do theirs Fly. They swam 1350m and 1375m respectively!

Spidey · 23-03-2011, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave_G

In that situation, I overtake swimming breaststroke or sidestroke, reverting to backstroke when it is safe to do so.

Then it will not be all on Backstroke?

20-03-2011, 09:09 PM	#1
ladybird Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 2	swimathon- swimming backstroke? I registered for a team swim for swimathon 2011. I have to swim 1k and I have been practising for a few weeks now but I still only enjoy and manage to do the distance in backstroke(1k in about 25 mins). I can do a few freestyles but I dont enjoy it and it just turns me off.... There isnt much time now and I am wondering if I should just do backstroke(although not particularly recommended) or just backout?

21-03-2011, 11:34 AM	#4
Dave_G I must go wild swimming again soon. Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hillmorton, Rugby, England Posts: 2,496	Maybe I am wrong, but I should have thought that one swims using whatever stroke or strokes one is best at, or most comfortable doing? When I did the Swimathon last year, I swam backstroke/Old English backstroke from deep end to shallow end, sidestroke/backstroke without arm movement in the other direction. Last edited by Dave_G; 21-03-2011 at 11:37 AM.

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20-03-2011, 09:29 PM	#2
Verity Spineless toothless & can't care less? Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ebchester County Durham Posts: 1,993	No go for it! so long as you swim in a disciplined way and keep to the correct side of the lane.

20-03-2011, 09:44 PM	#3
Spidey Time is a healer Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Only 24 hours from Tulsa Posts: 10,810	Welcome, good question I have to say. Do you feel safe doing that much backstroke in a busy lane?

21-03-2011, 11:50 AM	#5
ladybird Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 2	@Spidey- I have been practising in fairly busy lanes for the last few weeks and I keep to my side of the lane always. I do have to gauge how fast/slow the person ahead of me is before I make my go and normally if I find that there are a few slow ones in my lane then I swim in an order such that they are always swimming in the opposite direction(meaning in the other half of the lane) in my lane. Is there anything else I should keep in mind? @Dave_g- True, but I read the rules on swimathon page only yesterday and they do very clearly state that they do not recommend backstroke for Health and Safety reasons. Having practised and built up my stamina and liking for backstroke I will be gutted to not even be able to participate.

21-03-2011, 12:38 PM	#6
Dave_G I must go wild swimming again soon. Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hillmorton, Rugby, England Posts: 2,496	I must confess, I haven't read that part about backstroke. Speaking personally, I would still swim backstroke, however, because to my way of thinking "do not recommend" is not the same as "it is absolutely forbidden". Indeed, there is a notice stating "swimming is not recommended" at one of my favourite river spots, one that is very popular with swimmers too, so the rule is clearly observed more in the breach than in the main! If you are happier swimming backstroke, I'd just go for it!

21-03-2011, 01:11 PM	#8
Dave_G I must go wild swimming again soon. Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hillmorton, Rugby, England Posts: 2,496	Not being a competitive swimmer, I never new such flags existed. However, I think they are an excellent idea, speaking as one who has in the past swam full steam ahead into the wall at the end of the pool, an experience I definitely do NOT recommend!

22-03-2011, 09:08 PM	#10
Matron Rent-a-swimmer Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 376	Ladybird, there's no straight answer here. It really depends on the individual Swimathon session which you are booked into. I (stupidly) did 5 Swimathons last year and the lane set up was very different for each one. You may find that if you have a quieter lane with only 3-4 people in it then it doesn't matter what stroke you do. However, if you have 8 people in your lane of mixed abilities then my experience was that it was difficult to swim any of the strokes (front or back) as the swimmers will be "bunching up" on every length and someone will always be wanting to overtake. For two of my swimathons last year I actually had a lane to myself, so I did quite a lot of backstroke. I would suggest that you look at the Swimathon page for your pool and see how many spaces they have remaining. It is getting close to the closing date now so the number of spaces left will give you a good indication of how busy it is likely to be. I knew that a couple of my sessions last year were going to be really quiet as they had 33 spaces left when other local pools had 1 or 2 spaces left. You may be able to switch sessions if you are already booked into a busy session - I'm not sure about that, sorry! In the busy sessions the lane etiquette was always such that people tapped the feet of the person in front and overtook at the end of the length though, not overtaking in the middle of the length.

23-03-2011, 07:12 AM	#11
lane 2 Established Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 246	A friend of mine is doing the swimathon all on BUTTERFLY!! Yes, she is mad.She is swimming at London Fields, open air, 50m pool. Best of luck Judith.

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