the17thman

The Fitter & Faster Tour Presented by SwimOutlet.com!

CLASSIC: Later Gator!

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August Rearview Mirror: Who Likes Wet People? A Month of Swimming & Sorta Running

Well I'm a wet person considering I swam 42,900 yards in August.  That seems pretty much what I've settled down to swim per month. 

Past Months To Compare -

In July I swam 29,550 yards.

June I swam 42,000 yards

May I swam 47,950 yards.

April I swam 44,950 yards.

March I swam 62,125 yards.

February I swam 41,750 yards.

January I swam 42,300 yards.

In 2011 I've swum 300,525 yards.

I looked back at older posts and the high 40's is what I use to train at.  Of course I was swimming at faster intervals.  Hopefully as the water and air temps fall I'll start to amp up my intervals.  Actually in today's workout I felt like my body was adapting and I was ready to go faster.  I've had a few false starts like this in the past few months so hopefully I can keep at it.  I'll find out in October at my next meet.

As for my running in August I gotta say is pretty bad.  After having hip issues in June and July I really was hoping to get back into running.  I even tried to motivate myself into running by making of goal of running 16 miles in August.  Well I didn't make it to 16.  Blech!  For the month I ran 11.03 miles.  I will admit to a dumb accident which left my ankle and foot injured for a week.  But compared to a year ago I have no base to start training a half or full marathon.
With that said I won't run the Disney World Marathon in 2012 or the half.  Thinking that I'll continue to run and at the end of September have a 1/2 or full marathon training program.  Maybe to a spring 2012 event.  My goal for September will be to run 16.5 miles.  Yeah, not a big goal but hopefully doable.
Compare with
At least I'm running and swimming.  That is something in itself.

Wednesday's Swim Report - Master and Commander of the Party

L:ane 1 - Haute Living has "Michael Phelps Parties at Marquee.  Sixteen-time Olympic swimming medalist Michael Phelps parties at Marquee Dayclub.  Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps spent his Saturday at a pool, but not swimming laps. He partied at Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas taking in the sounds of DJs Matt Darey and Larry Tee. Phelps drank tequila and ate a Kobe burger at the hot spot.  On Saturday night, he dined at Tao Asian Bistro at the Venetian, enjoying pork pot stickers, Yellowtail jalapeno and Buddha chicken before heading upstairs to Tao Nightclub where he was later joined by fellow Olympian speed skater Apolo Ohno."

Lane 2 - Perth Now has "New international swimming event for WA.  AUSTRALIA will take on China and South Africa in a new international swimming event to be held in Perth from 2013.  The BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series, slated for January 2013, will combine a festival of elite and mass participation of aquatic sport, headlined by the Australian Swim Team taking on the might of China and South Africa."

Lane 3 - North-West Evening Mail posts "Take plunge and join Big Splash campaign.  SWIMMERS across the Barrow borough will be able to make a Big Splash as the Park Leisure Centre becomes part of the nation’s biggest ever swimming campaign.  The Park Leisure Centre has joined forces with British Swimming and the BBC to deliver the Big Splash and inspire the nation to swim."

Lane 4 - ESPN W has "Janet Evans inspires today's stars.  In 2007, American swimmer Kate Ziegler broke Janet Evans' 1988 world record in the 1,500-meter freestyle. Ziegler calls Evans 'a mentor, hero and legend.' One year later, U.S. swimmer Katie Hoff broke Evans' 1988 U.S. record in the 400 freestyle. Hoff calls Evans 'the best distance swimmer ever.'  At the 2012 Olympics in London, Ziegler, 23, and Hoff, 22, may be calling Janet Evans 'teammate.' One of the most decorated distance swimmers in history is making a comeback. At 40 years old, Evans is once again trying to do the impossible."

Lane 5 - The Reporter has "Vacaville dad, daughter set to swim from Alcatraz.  At home in the water as well as the soccer field, 15-year-old Rachel Blackman of Vacaville will put her sea skills to the ultimate test on Sunday when she dives into the icy depths of San Francisco Bay during a competitive 1.25 mile open water swim from Alcatraz.  Thrilled about participating in the challenging 16th Annual Alcatraz Invitational Swim, the Vacaville High School sophomore is equally enthused about her swim partner, who also happens to be her father."

Lane 6 - The Canberra Times has "Eamon Sullivan: A talent out of the water.  Swimmer Eamon Sullivan is serious about food, an interest that began as a child in training.  You wonder whether Eamon Sullivan would ever have won Cleo's ''bachelor of the year'' award in April if the women of Australia didn't know he could cook. As one of the country's best swimmers - he won silver and bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics - Sullivan already had a solid fan base. But when he served up his chocolate delice on Celebrity MasterChef in 2009 he won the hearts, or perhaps the stomachs, of a whole new audience.  Sullivan is just back from the FINA World Championships in Shanghai, where he won gold as part of the 4x100m freestyle relay team. He's barely had time to dry himself off and he's out there promoting his latest venture, a cookbook, Eamon's Kitchen."

Lane 7 - The Manly Daily posts "Master and commander of 1500m swim.  MEET the swimmer who is so darn good that he recently achieved not one but two state records in the same race.  Peter Kaupert, 69, swam the race of his life on Sunday when he came first in the 70-74 age category - which includes the year of birth, making Kaupert eligible - of the 1500m race at the NSW Long Distance Short Course Championships."

Lane 8 - Gary Hall Sr posts (w/video) over at Slowtwitch "What do I do with my hands while swimming?  t seems like a simple question. Yet, I am surprised by how many people don’t quite know what to do with their hands either underwater on the pull or above water on the recovery. For both parts of the stroke cycle, it is important that you know."

Happy 66th Birthday Themed Workout

It was Coach G's 66th Birthday today so our workout was based on the number6! 

Warm Up was the usual 500 followed by 6x50's on 1:10 (4 kick / 2 drill/swim) (800)

Main Set:

6x150's on 2:30 Freestyle.  I was handicapped with a 25 kick.  I could put the kick anywhere in the 150.  I decided to kick the first length.  I descended the 150's also.  The first two were a bit rough but my body came alive during the third one.   (900/1700)

Hey we got past the 1650 of 66 lap mark. 

Then 6x50's on 60.  Fly/Back, Back/Breast and Breast/Free.  It's odd to be working so hard on breaststroke for a change.  It feels better but a lot of work to be done still.  (300/2000)

Everyone got out but I did a few 50's.  I lost count as I was pulling but working on my distance per stroke.  So let's say I did 4x50's although it may have been 5.  (200/2200)  So 2,200 yards.  I could of stayed and continued to swim since I was feeling pretty good in the water but alas I'm lazy.  The pool was even cooler then it has been dropping to 88F!  They better turn the heaters on!

Yesterday was leg day at the gym.  I started off on the eliptical.  I was only going to do 10 minutes but noticed Days of Our Lives was up on one of the tvs so I plugged in my earbuds and watched to the end so about 18 minutes.  That is one way to keep me on a machine!  Then I did 10 Rounds of Wall Chair.  The first 5 on 60 was 15 seconds holding ball into chest, 15 seconds out front of me and 15 seconds back holding into chest.  Rested a bit did 5 on 1:15 same as the previous.  The 10x10 box jumps on 60.  Then I did some leg weight machines.  Finishing up with an easy 1 mile run on the treadmill.  I haven't been running and boy did I feel it.  I need to motivate myself in the morning to run again. 
That is a lame run.  Maybe I should be watching Days on the treadmil!

Dara Torres "Get Crackin" Ad

I Can Haz Swimsuit? Cat Swimsuit

via ufunk

Tuesday's Swim Report - "It's the army, bro"

Lane 1 - This video is all over the interwebs but Speed Endurance Swimming Blog's headline speak volumes "If Ever There Was An Advert For Learning to Swim... And Paying Attention In Class…"

Lane 2 - From the Daily News "Sunday Q-and-A: Asking the age-old questions ofOlympic gold medal-winning swimmer Janet Evans.  Believe it or not, Janet Evans turns 40 today."

Lane 3 - ABC has "Eamon Sullivan gets cooking for life out of the pool.  You may be used to seeing Eamon Sullivan swimming up and down an Olympic swimming pool.  If you're not a sports fan, chances are you wear underwear and you'll have seen his face smiling from a billboard or an undie tag.It turns out Eamon Sullivan is also a passionate foodie. He's just put together his first cookbook which includes recipes of everything from hot pepperoni pasta to spinach pie.  Eamon Sullivan talks with Ross Solly about his cookbook "'Eamon's Kitchen'." 

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 click above to listen to mp3 of the interview

Lane 4 - swimming.org has "DAVID WALLIAMS SET FOR 140-MILE THAMES SWIM.  Little Britain star and swimming supremo David Walliams is set for his biggest challenge yet – to swim 140 miles of the Thames for Sport Relief.The challenge is part of the UK’s largest swimming campaign, the Big Splash, and will see the 40-year old swim from Lechdale in Gloucestershire to Big Ben in London."

Lane 5 - Parisian Boys has "M8MATE swimwear, toujours aussi sexy !"

Lane 6 - WLKY has "Ironman Participant Dies During Race.  Athlete Taken To Hospital During Swim Portion.  One of the competitors in Sunday's Ironman Louisville died during the competition.  Ironman officials said the athlete experienced cardiac arrest during the swim portion. of the event and was taken to University of Louisville Hospital." 

Lane 7 - Just Jared has "Sara Paxton & Alyssa Diaz are 'Swimming with the Sharks'.  Sara Paxton and Alyssa Diaz are visions in white as they attend the Swimming With The Sharks pool party to celebrate the release of Shark Night 3D held at the Shangri-La hotel in Santa Monica, Calif."

Lane 8 - Brisbane Times has "Shark spooked locals before fatal attack.  A man's body was mauled by tiger sharks in waters avoided by locals because the predators had been circling since a whale carcass was discovered in the area a few weeks ago."

A Million Pieces In The Pool

Grrr...day two of snooze-fest.  So the last two nights I attempted to go to bed early.  Last night all I had was milk and brownies.  After falling asleep I had a night of tossing and turning.  That's two nights in a row. So waking up at 5am to go on a very short run didn't happen again.  But I did wake up at 6 to go swimming.

Warm Up

500 then 200 Kick

Then a 350 Free stretched out.  Well when the water is 89.7F all one can do is stretch a swim out.  I was stuggling to get my act together.   (350/1050)

6x100's broken 75 Drill/Kick/Swim then 25 Sprint. (600/1650) I did these freestyle.  

After I just swam a 50 to round out the swim for 1,700 yards.  I could of stayed a little longer and did some more swimming but I left with everyone else.  I know I'm trying to get myself in some sorta shape for a meet in October but I'm struggling.  Hoping that I can pull myself together soon.

USA Swimming: Elizabeth Beisel - Gators Swim Club

"Coming off an impressive persormance at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Shanghai last month, Elizabeth Beisel recently took part in a traning camp with the University of Florida at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Elizabeth took a few minutes to chat wish usaswimming.org between sets. She shared some memorable moments from World Championships and also talked about looking forward to 2012." via youtube