Category Archives: Swimming

Bike-Swim-Bike

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Jeff Mather

My exercise week during the summer (ideally) looks something like this: Monday: Swim in the morning Tuesday: Bike to work (about 18 miles), run off the bike (about 3-4 miles). Bike home from work. Wednesday: Swim in the morning. Run … Continue reading →

Posted in Cycling, Diabetes, Reluctant Triathlete, Swimming | Leave a comment

Executing My Plan: 2014 NE Season Opener

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Jeff Mather

I originally wrote this on the 13th . . . of May. Oops! Somewhere between drafting it and adding the pictures, a month passed. Sorry to keep you waiting. I love racing! That’s all there is to it. I’m pretty good (but not … Continue reading →

Posted in Cycling, Reluctant Triathlete, Running, Swimming | 1 Comment

Swimming to a Better Place

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Jeff Mather

After years of doubting and denying it, it’s time to fess up: I’m pretty OK at swimming. Sure, I can find lots of aspects about my technique and speed that I wouldn’t mind improving. Bilateral breathing and flip turns? Still … Continue reading →

Posted in Life Lessons, Swimming | 1 Comment

On Your Left

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Jeff Mather

Last week a few people I know linked to “The Great Bilateral Breathing Controversy.” (Hi, Céline!) For those who don’t know, most swimmers have a preference for which way they turn their heads when they breathe while doing freestyle. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Reluctant Triathlete, Swimming | 1 Comment

Jet Lag and Swimming Anxiety… Saturday 5:30AM

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Jeff Mather

It’s a bit after 5:30 on Saturday morning as I type this by tapping away on my phone’s little keyboard. Jet-lag has been working its power over me for the last hour and a half. Its mojo is strong this … Continue reading →

Posted in General, Life Lessons, Swimming | 1 Comment

World’s Best Swim Technique

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Jeff Mather

What does one of the best distance swimmers look like when setting a world record at the 1500m? I edited down the 20 minutes of television footage (of which 14:31.02 is actually the race) and it looks a little like … Continue reading →

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And So It Begins

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Jeff Mather

Today is the first Monday of the new year. What better time to restart triathlon training? Actually I was going to restart last week, our first week home after vacation, but I had a strange tightness in my hip, probably … Continue reading →

Posted in Cycling, Reluctant Triathlete, Running, Swimming | 1 Comment

Polar Plunge

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Jeff Mather

On the 20th, Alex and I decided that we would go for a quick dip in the Ashland Reservoir, where we swim in the summer, on the first morning of the new year. Sure it was going to be cold, … Continue reading →

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Flip Flip Flip Flip… Wednesday, 6:00AM

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Jeff Mather

Before I left the house I decided that today was going to be a “screw around” day at the pool. My plan is to start some structured base training in January, and until then I’m going to enjoy myself (the … Continue reading →

Posted in 101 in 1001, Life Lessons, Reluctant Triathlete, Swimming | 2 Comments

The Workout Card… Friday 5:45AM

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Jeff Mather

“That doesn’t look like sprinting.” Jennifer, the fastest masters swimmer at the pool, had just hopped in to share a swim lane with me this morning. (As long as we don’t try to circle swim, there’s never a problem with … Continue reading →

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2.4 Miles

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Jeff Mather

“No school, no pool.” That’s been the rule for whether the high school pool will be open for morning lap swim. So we were all a little surprised—and quite pleased—when Pool Guy said he was going to open up the … Continue reading →

Posted in 101 in 1001, NaBloPoMo, NaBloPoMo 2013, Reluctant Triathlete, Swimming | Leave a comment

Punching the Pool

Posted on November 23, 2013 by Jeff Mather

In a kind of multitasking, I’ve been watching YouTube videos about triathlon while riding my bike on the trainer. Sometimes it’s a bootleg recording of the Hawaii Ironman World Championships from a couple decades ago. Other times it’s advice from … Continue reading →

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Backstroke

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Jeff Mather

My swim-peep/friend/sometimes-lane-mate Alex is learning backstroke. The results are amusing.

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Dreaming and Swimming

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Jeff Mather

I had an interesting dream this morning. I think I’m too tired these days to dream very much, so I was surprised by how vivid and cinematic this particular first-person dream was. The subject was also unusual: swimming. I’m not … Continue reading →

Posted in NaBloPoMo, NaBloPoMo 2013, Swimming | 1 Comment

In Praise of the Wetsuit

Posted on August 22, 2013 by Jeff Mather

My good friend and fellow type-1 triathlete Céline recently wrote about how she is too stubborn to wear a wetsuit during triathlon. I started to write a response on her site, but it quickly became a post all of its … Continue reading →

Posted in Life Lessons, Reluctant Triathlete, Swimming | 7 Comments