Plotting swim map.

noeleoreid

Could anyone offer a bit of help please.

Having difficulty gauging distance whilst swimming. I need to plot a distance of 1500 meter for an olympic swim practise. Im in galway and do all my OW swim training in salthill and always start at blackrock tower, just at the bottom of threadneedle road.

The problem with using any of the plotting software on the net, IE- map my ride, is u need two landmarks in which to plot a distance between. As this is cannot be done when looking at a map of the sea ... im looking for suggestions on how to gauge the distance.

Alternatively, if anyone knew somewhere else in the west side of galway that could be used to train for an olympic tri distance , between two points, it would be very much appreciated.

Any other suggestions also welcome...

Killgore Trout

If you use http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ you can select the manual option to manually record points

okane1

Can you drive the distance in your car or cycle it to get your required distance. Use some nearby building, point as your reference to 750m and swim back. I think the road follows the shore line so you should get a fairly accurate distance.

martin6651

Hi, If you swim at blackrock ask the life guards if you can go into the mens changing room. I have pined a chart on the wall which gives distances from the steps to different points along the way. There are outcrop of rocks from the beach 1st set of rocks 150m(opposite end of threadneedle rd), 2nd 240m, 3rd 370m, 4th grey wall(this is where the life guards hut is distance 480m, 5th rock 570m(this is the long concrete path type wall on other side of small beach.) palmers rock 900m.
Hope this helps. I swim there every day 4pm. and can explain more if needed.

noeleoreid

martin6651 wrote: »

Hi, If you swim at blackrock ask the life guards if you can go into the mens changing room. I have pined a chart on the wall which gives distances from the steps to different points along the way. There are outcrop of rocks from the beach 1st set of rocks 150m(opposite end of dalysford rd), 2nd 240m, 3rd 370m, 4th grey wall(this is where the life guards hut is distance 480m, 5th rock 570m(this is the long concrete path type wall on other side of small beach.) palmers rock 900m.
Hope this helps. I swim there every day 4pm. and can explain more if needed.

By the 'long concrete path type wall'... do you mean ladies beach which is the first beach to the left after the main car park as you are walking towards blackrock from seapoint??

I plan to go there this wednesday for a session, starting at blackrock as usual. I might go down at at four and get more of an idea of the distance points you mentioned. How will I recognise you? I wear a blue crested orca equipe wetsuit myself.

martin6651

Yes that's right as you look at the beach you have the life guard hut on the right and straight out from that there is a large concrete base. On the left side is the long low walk.

noeleoreid

martin6651 wrote: »

Yes that's right as you look at the beach you have the life guard hut on the right and straight out from that there is a large concrete base. On the left side is the long low walk.

And that marks the 750 meter point is that correct??

martin6651

No thats 570m mark

noeleoreid

jesus, sounds like ive a good bit of work to do to make up the 1500 distance so.. :eek:

martin6651

If you do Palmers Rock and back is 1800m. Its the boat slip opposite the Cocco Cafe where the traffic lights are. There is a large bright orange float about half between the low wall and palmers which might be about 750m mark.

martin6651

I have just done a check on my chart and if you go as far a leisureland were the float is approx. you will have done 750m

martin6651

Just remembered I wont be there this Wednesday, Sorry.

noeleoreid

martin6651 wrote: »

Just remembered I wont be there this Wednesday, Sorry.

Thats fine martin , thanks for the information , I have a fairly decent idea of the distances now. Very useful info. cheers again.

martin6651

Well how did your swim go ?

noeleoreid

martin6651 wrote: »

Well how did your swim go ?

Not as well as I had hoped , .. it was very choppy today due to wind and I only went out to the second outcrop of rocks and back to the tower, did this back and forth three times...

Struggling a little with confidence issues in the sea , I know I can do the distances and have swam up to 1000 meters before but something seems to hold me back from going down the prom further as I feel very exposed in the open sea and get a little edgy....

I tend to feel more confident doing laps between the outcrops of rocks and the tower and back again a few times...

Need to work on the confidence about going down the prom further.... :mad:

martin6651

All it take's in confidence, once you get relaxed in the water you will be ok. If you feel uncomfortable in the water there is no shame swimming ashore and walking back I have done it myself. The main thing is to enjoy your swim.

sconhome

It can get very unnerving in the chop so you are not alone in that feeling. Fair play on sticking with it and doing the repeats to the tower. The more of that kind of swim you do the better you will feel.

Swimming the prom can be tricky with the breakwaters all along. You need to give them space so as not to come up on the rocks and that can push you out further than you are comfortable.

Walk the prom on a clear day at low and high tides to get a feeling for the markers and how different the water looks at the varying times of day. At least you can then visualise whats going on when you are in the water.

Keep it up!

noeleoreid

yeah the confidence issue is a strange one, as I know if it was a race situation and there was 200 other people in the water with me I would just get on with it and be totally relaxed... I swam up the shannon during tri athlone and felt very confident, also did salthill COPE tri and felt very confident... but the open sea can be daunting when your by yourself.

I have no issues with being 200 meters off shore swimming parlell , but some of them bouys in salthill are a good 400 meters off when the tide is in and it just puts the hee bee jee bees in me a little wen I look up and see how far away the shore seems... even when I know I am a strong swimmer and I will make it back grand...?? Doesent make a hole lot of sense I know..? I do be a bit parnoid as well of meeting some of the sea creatures .. and I think facing these guys is half the battle as well..

So for now .... repeats between the 2nd outcrop of rocks and the tower is the order of the day.. and maby in the coming pratcise sessions ill be able to get the courage up to go down the prom further.... hopefully.

martin6651

As you are a wet suit swimmer you should not have a problem with the jelly fish. You probably wear goggles when swimming so they can be seen quite easily. The brown(compass jelly fish) ones are the only ones you need to worry about and they are at a lower depth. I don't wear goggles and can see them with no problem. Always remember if you are swimming parallel to shore and are a good swimmer you are only within 200m from shore or closed if you want to be able to stand in the water. I do all my swimming on my own and do think what IF bla bla happens but i just keep going.

noeleoreid

martin6651 wrote: »

and do think what IF bla bla happens but i just keep going.

Easier said than done but ill get there ...

martin6651

Noele Passed Blackrock at 9.00 and the bay was flat not even a ripple except those made by the swimmers. You should enjoy if you can make today.

martin6651

Noeleoreid Have not heard from you in a while so I was wondering how the swimming is going ??

noeleoreid

martin6651 wrote: »

Noeleoreid Have not heard from you in a while so I was wondering how the swimming is going ??

Allrite chap, goin very very good. Got my first jelly fish sting on the face which funny enough got me past the fear off them...... ha ha Wasent near as bad as i taught it was going to be. ..

Managed to get down to the orange bouy today in calm waters with lots of other swimmers around and back to nearly the first outcrop of rocks (as if heading away from blackrock) before heading for the shore and walking back by the beach, so that was about 200 metres short of the 1500 I need. Very happy with that.

Confidence building ......

martin6651

Glad to hear you are doing well and I bet you didn't feel foolish walking back along the beach. Keep up the good work. I think Thur. evening is the day the wet suit swimmers do their long distance training.