the17thman

Dara Torres Tweets Bruno Movie Review & Other Stuff

She walked out of Bruno!  Now that is breaking news from Nationals.  Oh and she is scratching the 100 Free in case you care about swimming.

NBC's Weekend USA Swimming Nationals Coverage

Check your local listings:

Saturday 1-3 pm on NBC
Sunday   2-3 pm on NBC
Also check out Universal Sports for more swimming.  That is a digital cable service so check with your local cable provider.

For up to date news check out swimnetwork.com and universalsports.com

Tony over at the SCAQ Blog is doing some great commentary about the various races so check him out LINK.

I'll try to continue to hunt out news off the beaten path.  You can read the results anywhere so why compete.  I'll just find the fun stuff. 

Michael Phelps 2009 Allen & Ginter Speedo Relic card from Topps.

You know swimming is big when swimmers get TOPS cards.  You know swimming is bigger when Phelps card gets a bidding war going:

The card is one of only a few that will have part of the Speedo logo on it — the rest will have just a plain white swatch. With nearly a week remaining in the auction, the bidding sits at just $27.99 after six bids. - source

Sandwich Salesman Breaks World Record, Consummates Stalkerish Relationship

Gotta love Deadspin!  The gossip sports blog posted "Sandwich Salesman Breaks World Record, Consummates Stalkerish Relationship" LINK.  The article talks about how Phelps broke the 100 M Butterfly record by looking at a picture of Ian Crocker every day:

Michael Phelps claims one of the few records he doesn't already own, breaking Ian Crocker's mark in the 100-meter butterfly. "Phelps taped Crocker's picture on his bedroom wall for motivation six years ago, after Crocker set the record."

Phelps Gets Sore Neck Drops 100-M Freestyle

From NYDaily News:

Phelps was supposed to swim in the last morning heat, but he was still in pain after waking up a day earlier with a kink on the left side of his neck.

“It was worse this morning,” he said.

Phelps said he swam through the pain in setting a world record in the 100 butterfly Thursday night. He received many treatments on Thursday and Friday.

“It wasn't fun swimming the 100 fly with that,” he said. “I could barely move my neck to breathe. I definitely didn't feel 100 percent.”

Read the full article LINK

USA Today: Michael Phelps Photo Gallery

Phelps photo gallery.  USA Today

Nationals Men's 100M Fly A Final - Phelps World Record!

Sorta A Swim Workout

I got to swim practice bright and early as I woke up pretty early.  After the gym last night with the running, lifting and spinning I was so beat I went to bed around 9:30.  It wasn't long before I fell asleep and now I'll never know if Mac Taylor and his band of CSI NY'ers ever solved the case.   Since I started to lift and do spinning (24 Cycle) on Thursday nights I have been skipping Friday morning practice and swimming Friday night.  That gave my body time enough to recover.  But I was up this morning so I figured I'd give swimming a go.  My legs started to cramp right after my warmup.  So I got out early.  I swam for about 55 minutes and did all the kick.

Warm Up
650 I used the pull bouy for this.

Warm Up Set:
This is were we did kicking and drilling.  Damn I can't remember the set.  I know it was 100's Drill Freestyle (25 Finger tip drag, 25 Fist, 25 6 count and 25 choice).
Then we did 50's kick. I think 6
Then we did 100's Stroke Drill or IM Drill
Then we did 50's kick. 
Wait the set had a pattern that was drill / 6x50's kick / drill / 4x50's kick / drill / 2x50's kick.  Maybe the drills were 3x100 / 2x100 / 1x100.  That sorta sounds right. 

3x75's Free on 1:10
4x50's Free on 40
3x25's Free on 30

Main Set:
2x150 IM no free
4x50's Stroke
And then I got out.  Next up was 100's Free then I think 25's then repeat the set. 

I just know that swimming the next morning after a night of running a 5k on the treadmill, weights and spin class all back to back doesn't work.  I'll start hitting the 7pm Friday night workout.  That way I'll have enough recovery time.

Gym Night

After swimming this morning I hit the gym tonight creating my own mini-tri workout.  I started off running a 5K on the treadmill.  Then hit the weights.  Finishing up with the 1 hour 24 Cycle (spinning) class.  Now I'm beat!

Must Read: How Swimmers Ruin Kick Sets

The blog Swimtelligence has a post entitled:  "How Swimmers Ruin Kick Sets"  I believe it is a must read for all swimmers and coaches.  You can read the full post LINK but below are a few highlights:

Here is one that I'm sorta guilty of:

5. Not Taking Kick Sets Seriously
Many swimmers look at kick sets as a chance to rest between swimming sets rather than chances to improve. With that attitude, the swimmer is guaranteeing that is all the set will be.

Yes in the past and I'm sure in the future I have and will blow off kick sets.  Although when I do lap swims on my own I do more kicking and work at it.  With spin classes and running I'm getting to be a faster kicker.  A few things I find frustrating in kick sets is that not being a strong kicker I usually don't make the intervals.  Also I've still yet mastered how to kick and swim at the same time.  I've worked up to a one beat kick.  A 4 or 6 beat kick seems like the impossible dream. 

2. Pulling Into the Turn
In a race, using the legs to kick hard into all turns (particularly in backstroke and freestyle) is important to maintain one's momentum and execute the turn at maximum speed.

I've just started doing that when kicking with the board.  I've seen so many people do it over the years that I just decided why not.  So when I get to the wall I use my kickboard in one arm as one giant paddle and reach for the wall with the other hand.  As for backstroke I'm 60/40 of swimming into the wall from the flags.  If I'm in the lane with others who are doing it I'll swim into the wall.  But if I'm comfortably ahead of the next person I kick into the wall and do the old fashioned backstroke turn of touching the wall and pivoting around.

Read more about How Swimmers Ruin Kick Set at Swimtelligence.  And what is your top way to ruin your kick set?

AQUAview: Michael Phelps

This picture is a really good shot of Michael Phelps body position during butterfly.  Photo from Universal Sports

Eric Shanteau On Swim Suits

Ryan Lochte Interview

Michael Phelps - Nationals Men's 200 Fly A Final

Aaron Perisol - Nationals Men's 100 Back A Final - World Record!

IM Workout

I headed to the 6am morning lap swim at the WeHo Pool and ran into a team mate of mine.  I love it when that happens as we eventually take over a lane and swim a set together.  Also it just happens to be someone who I really enjoy swimming with makes it so much easier. 

Warm Up
500 Swim
4x75's Kick
400 Pull (1200)

IM Set:
2x25's Fly on 30 (50)
2x50's Back on 55 (100/150)
2x75's Back/Breast/Free on 1:20 (i think) (150/300)
2x100's IM on 1:40 (200/500/1700)

4x50's Kick on 60 (200/1900)

4x25's Fly on 30 (100/2000)
4x50's Back on 55 (200/2200)
4x75's Back/Breast/Free on 1:20 (I think) (300/2500)
4x100's IM on 1:40 (400/2900)

8x25's Kick on 30 (200/3100)

8x25's Pull on 30 (200/3300)

Then I did a 50 warmdown (50/3350)

Overall it was a good workout.  I felt pretty sluggish in the stroke but I haven't been swimming much stroke in my regular team workouts.  The Thursday morning lap swim is a ghost town.  For the first 30 minutes only 3 swimmers were in the pool.  Guess most people don't know the summer hours are yet!  Hopefully it'll stay that way.  I'm going to try more morning lap swims from time to time this summer. 

MTD Yardage: 14,600
YTD Yardage:  328,825
YTD LCM 5,000

Quick Lap Swim

Since I forgot to set my alarm last night I didn't make it to swim practice this morning.  And with Wednesday having no evening practice I decided to hit the lap swim.  I figured it would be a bit busy and swimming would be annoying.  And I was right on that point I just didn't realize how busy it would be.  Luckily I was able to get in a warm up before the lanes got too crowded.

Swim 300
Kick 300
Pull 300

The after that I kept mixing it up as I was only able to do a 50 at a time.  I ended up swimming a total of 2250 yards.  The other fast lane was a bit more organized then my lane as everyone in that lane swam together doing sets.  But that lane was even more crowded and I would have been on the last person's toes after a 50.  Either way I got in the water and got a mini-workout in.

MTD Yardage: 11,250
YTD Yardage:  325,475
YTD LCM 5,000

More Dumpster Diving - The Lap Pool For Everyone

I posted before about an British dumpster pool before LINK but now the Yanks in NY have dumpster pools.  I gotta admit that turning old dumpsters into pools is an idea that hopefully will catch on.  Read more about it and check out more photos at ReadyMade.com

Lunchtime 24 Cycle Class

I didn't set my alarm for swim practice this morning so I was itching to do something.  So I headed over to the WeHo 24 Hours for the noon 24 Cycle class.  As for swimming I may hit the lap swim tonight at 5:30.  At the very least I'm going to the lap swim tomorrow morning.

Run, Gym and Spin

I hit the gym and started off on the treadmill.  At first I was just going to run 1 mile but I ended up running 5k (3.2 miles)  Since I didn't plan enough time to run a 5k I had to cut back on my circuit weight training.  I just figured I'd hit the core areas and skip a few things.  After that it was time for 24 Cycle.  Tuesday night is one of my favorite classes so I'm trying to go more often. 

Subway's Mini-Phelps Website

Subway has put together a mini-site promoting Michael Phelps as a Subway Celebrity "Friend".  The mini-site has a gallery, downloads and flavor "tips".  That way you can eat just like Phelps. LINK

Michael Phelps SUBWAY Commercial

Funny.  I just saw that Rob also posted this ad on his blog.  He like me thought at first the Gold Medal Mel was in the spot but it was only Jared.  Which reminds me of my fav Simpsons quote:

"I'm a member of this club where if i eat five submarine sandwhiches i get a free submarine sandwhich. you may have seen him on TV, the guy who used to be fat but now he's just ugly..."

Universal Sports: H2O Giveaway

Universal Sports and H2O Audio present Train Like a Champion Giveaway

During each day of the USA National Championships and FINA World Championships, H2O Audio will be giving away one of their Surge Waterproof Headphones.  Just go to Universalsports.com and watch all the Swimming Tips from World & Olympic Champion, Natalie Coughlin.

Then tell Universal Sports which Swimming Tip was most helpful.

Contest runs from July 7 – 12 and continues July 17 – August 2.  This is a great way to learn from a champion and win a great prize.

I Only Need One Reason To Hate You. Keep Your 15!

Guilty On One Count.  Counter charges On 15 Other Counts.

If you read my blog you know that from time to time I bitch, moan and just say what's on my mind about my lane mates and team mates.  Sometimes in all out full on rants and sometimes just a sentence in a workout post.  Over time I may have hurt one swim mates delicate feelings.  Or some mates feel that I shouldn't be airing dirty laundry in such a public forum.  Well today the gloves have come off.  I've always been kind enough not to mention names.  But that has all changed.  After reading a newsletter down by the local kindergarden art class or our team newsletter I've decided that it's all fair game. 

Once a month our team enlists a local kindergarden class to work in MS Word 98 and put together a team newsletter.  A few years ago when I was on the board I tried to move this crude format to a blog but as B.O. said in a board meeting "I don't get the blog thing".  So after my tenure the blog was moved back to a MS Word format document that was sent out as a pdf.  Yeah, I know fire up the 14.8 KB modem to Compuserve to read the newsletter.  For me if it's not available to my RSS reader it doesn't exist.  But I do enjoy looking at the artwork of kindergarden classes so I do open the WH2O Newsletter when it does arrive.  It reminds me of the site "I Am Better Than Your Kids" LINK.

Hold On To Your Socks....Mega Rant Approaching

I so feel like Nickie Finke announcing a future post.  But I got a rant in me and the alcohol all queued up.  Stay tuned.  Just think PDF, Compuseve, Kicking and Pee Breaks.  Oh my!

NBC & Universal Sports Swimming National's Coverage

More swimming coming up this weekend.  The Swimming National Champs!  See information below:

COVERAGE ON UNIVERSALSPORTS.COM:  UniversalSports.com and swimnetwork.com will provide a live webcast each evening of the Swimming National Championships finals, from July 7 – 11, at 6 p.m. ET.  Two-time Gold Medalist Mel Stewart will be hosting a 30 minute preview show at 5:30 p.m. ET before each day of competition only on-line.  More information, as well as highlights, full-length videos, photos, breaking news and more available at UniversalSports.com/swimming.

COVERAGE ON UNIVERSAL SPORTS and NBC SPORTS:  Universal Sports, available in 45 million homes, will present live coverage of the first two nights of the National Championships finals.  NBC Sports presents delayed coverage of the July 9 – 11 finals this weekend.

Date          Event                              Time (all times ET)         Network
July 7        DAY 1    FINALS             6 – 7:30 p.m.            Universal Sports
July 8        DAY 2    FINALS             6 – 7:30 p.m.        Universal Sports

July 11        DAYS 3-4 FINALS             1 – 3 p.m.        NBC
July 12        DAY 5    FINALS             2 – 3 p.m.        NBC

Easing Into A Swim Week

Rise and shine!  Summer is here and it's nice and sunny outside around 5 am these days.  It's nice enough that I can wear shorts and a tee shirt on my walk to the pool.  I leave early enough so that I can take my time walking to the pool as I slowly wake up.  It's a nice way to ease into the day.

Warm Up
500 Swim (I broke it into a 200 swim / 200 pull / 100 swim)
75 Kick followed by a 25 kick.  This is when the coach stopped us for annoucements.
4x75's Kick 10 seconds rest.  Since the three of us in my lane were at different parts of the warmup I started from the beginning and ignored my 75 and first 25 and we all did the 4x75's together.
3x100's 50 Drill / 50 Swim One Arm, 3 Stroke Free / 3 Strokes Back, Fist (1200)

Main Free Set:
12x100's on 1:20 (1-4 Pace, 5-8 Descend and 9-12 Fast) (1200/2400)

12x25's on 30 (1-4 streamline, 5-8 build in each 25, 9-12 Fast) (300/2700)

50 easy (50/2750)

Stroke:
200 Kick Reverse IM
200 Drill IM (400/3150)

2x
100 on 1:45
50 on 55
25 on 35
25 (400/3550)

Then we did a 50 Sprint.  And I finished up with a 50 easy. (100/3650)

MTD Yardage: 9,000
YTD Yardage:  323,225
YTD LCM 5,000

I felt pretty good in the workout today.  The shorter distances was a nice way to ease back into swimming.  My freestyle 100 swims were all over the map time wise but I was following another swimmer.  So at times I'd catch up to him and have to pull back a bit.  The guy who lead have very close times to me at meets.  Some events I'm faster and some events he is faster.  We also seem to yo-yo each other.  One meet he'll kick my ass then the next meet it's my turn.  So it's difficult when we swim together.  If we go 5 seconds apart no matter what we are going to be all over each other swimming.  But swimming with him is good because it gives me the extra something to push myself to stay with him on days when I don't feel so good.

AQUAview: Ryan Lochte

Sunday Afternoon Lap Swim Workout

I went to the afternoon lap swim thinking that I'd be more goofing off thenm swimming'  But when I got to the pool I ran into two swim mates and actually did a short workout.  Nothing too hard but a swim just the same.

Warmed Up a 200 free

4x150's Free
1 Pulling no paddles
1 Pulling with paddles
1 Swimming with paddles
1 Swimming (600/800)

5x100;s IM
1 all kick
1 75 kick / 25 swim
1 50 kick / 50 swim
1 25 kick / 75 swim
1 100 swim (500/1300)

6x75's odd freestyle to the deep / backstroke to the shallow end (450/1750)

4x50's 25 fly / 25 free (200/1950)

100 backstroke (100/2050)

MTD Yardage: 5,350
YTD Yardage:  319,575
YTD LCM 5,000

Sunday Routine

Went to the gym and jumped on the treadmill to run a little over 5K (3.4 miles to be exact).  So trying to get back in the habit of running at least three times a week.  I swear this is the week I'm going to get on track with that. 

After the run I did my circuit weight training.  Which is pretty boring.  Luckily the gym wasn't too busy so I didn't have to skip around that much. 

Later this afternoon I'm going to the pool for the later lap swim.  I only planning on swimming 30 minutes while I give pointers for about an hour to my friend Amy.  We haven't had one of her lessons in a long time.  So I know she is chomping at the bit to swim. 

Happy 5 Years Swimming With USMS

Today is my 5th Year swimming on a USMS Team.  Before that I'd swim a little bit on my own at the gym.  I remember I started swimming in the slow lane for my first swim.  Then on to the medium lane my second swim.  It was a few weeks before I was in the fast lane.  But struggling in the fast lane.  This was after 17 or so years of not swimming.  I'm so glad I'm back in the pool.  With that said here is a video of West Hollywood Aquatics on Chlorination from the Swim Network.  You get a glimpse of me from last summer.

null

blueseventy: the water is open

I'll just copy/paste from the pr sheet:

blueseventy has launched an innovative new web site dedicated to open water swimming, www.thewaterisopen.com.  The site covers world-wide news, events, results and hall-of-fame members. A new ranking list for open water swimmers is set to also be launched, scoring athletes based on performances around the world.

“We’ve listed organised swims around the world. Events like the Waikiki Roughwater Swim in Hawaii are steeped in history, it’s the swim that launched the Ironman distance, and we want to promote and celebrate such events through the new site.”

Check it out.

Michael Phelps 100 Fly Final: Montreal 2009

WeHo Pool's Summer Lap Swim Hours

Summer is here and with that many of the pools switch from lap swim times to recreational swim times.  Since I've already went to the pool thinking it had a lap swim I decided to post the updated summer lap swim hours for the West Hollywood Pool.  That way I will remember and every so often people write me asking about them.  So here are the summer hours:

LAP SWIM

Effective June 27 to September 6

Morning Sessions
Tuesday and Thursday 6:00am-8:30am
Saturday and Sunday 7:00am-9:00am

Evening Sessions
Monday through Friday 5:30pm-7:00pm
Sunday 4:30pm - 6:00pm

Phelps Subway Ads To Air This Week

A little after the Olympics Subway had a press conference with Michael Phelps to announce he would become a spokesperson for the fast food chain.  Then game the bong incident and Subway put it the ad campaign on hold.  On hold till tomorrow at least.  Starting this week Michael Phelps will appear on tv in ads for subway.  Here is a bit from the LA Times

TV viewers will learn Sunday that Phelps favors a meatball sub with jalapenos. Pace said it's likely the company will use Phelps in promotions even during periods when he's not competing. - source

So far none of the ads have leaked onto YouTube but when the do I'll post them here. Update according to AdWeek the ad will debut in primetime on Sunday.  Adweek also wrote:

That ad, titled "Be Yourself," is designed to play up how easy it is to personalize sandwiches at Subway and provides a humorous contrast between the lifestyles of its two stars, the client said. - source

Can't wait till this ad pops up on youtube.

Happy 4th Of July