Swim trilogy

Tomorrow will mark the year since I had the annoying accident that left me with three breaks, foot, arm and hand, on opposite side of course. it has been a struggle back to fitness but I am feeling ready now for my big 75 Mini Triathlon Challenge. These two training poems might help with your swimming.

 

Open Water Swimming 

Try to breathe without lifting your head

Keep flat and breathe to the side instead

Relax in the open water that you meet

As you roll your body and kick your feet 

Give yourself to the water and its silky flow

Keep the rhythm and timing long and slow

Make sure you calmly settle your breathing

In regular mode hand movement wreathing 

A paddle action in your mind evoke

Be sure to fully exhale with each stroke

Keep to your own comfortable pace

Don’t swim too fast as if it’s a race 

Keep flat in the water let your body roll

From side to side with confident control

Breathe in and fill you lungs to capacity

Slip through the water with cool tenacity 

The water will like strong arms your body hold up

Stretch forward and turn your hand into a cup

Catch the water pull it back and through

Take it past to your hips and away to strew 

Don’t be afraid of the strong current moving

You will soon find swimming peaceful and soothing

You don’t hold your breath as you skim along

Movement and rhythm become the sweetest song 

Breath exactly the same a walking in the street

Propelling yourself with arms legs and feet

Every repeated stroke performed so gracefully

With strength the body is exercised gratefully

 

Swim with Hiawatha 

Here’s another swimming visualization

This will last through the set to its full duration

You are Haiwatha’s birch wood canoe

Your arms are paddles you know what to do

Smooth as smooth travel along the river

Sharp as an arrow and slim as the quiver

It helps a bit if Hiawatha’s song you recite

Fire the soul with a poem and the spirit ignite

“By the shore of” (it all comes back to me)

A waterway called “Gitchee Gumee”

Course you won’t know all the words, who would

Just a few lines here and there is good

Try the tempo of this famous poem

Smooth as wine from a jeroboam

Fabulous pace to swim for a while

Makes a change and lends some style

“By the big sea shining water”

Minnie Ha-Ha that lovely daughter

If you cannot swim to so sweet a pace

Then hide your face in shames embrace