GPS data from swim

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I got a new to me GPS system to track swims.  I'll do a full review of it in the future, when I've used it a bit more, but here's the data from this week's swim and a little about why it is interesting. (really, when is data not interesting?)

First, the GPS provides a map of the swim, with a heat map for pace.

The swim was a simple out-and-back to the third staircase. I was just shy of 800m with 16 "laps" of 50m each (the last one was 47m).

I like seeing how straight my swim was, and where I turned around (a bit past the third stairs). I would like to be able to zoom in a bit more. Which the ap doesn't seem to have the ability to do.

Now the more interesting stats:

That's my pace (in yellow) and my stroke rate (in pink).  Even if you can't read the numbers, you can draw a few conclusions about my swim.  The biggest one is current.  Knowing I turned around half way through (out and back swim) you can see what the current did to my pace. Sloooooowed it down!!  And, to compensate, about 100 m later, I picked up my stroke rate.  I must have realized I was going slower, or just wanted to finish.

I find the very high stroke rate for the first 100 m also very interesting.  That must be a response to the cold and wanting to just MOVE to warm up.  I don't think I realized it was that dramatic. I will want to see if that data is repeated in future swims.

I was having such a good time out there, that my 32 min earned me the "last swimmer" out there award this week.  Here's a shot a friend got before I got out.