the17thman

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Fins

It was Drill & Toy Day at the pool.  Well at least that was the make up of my workout.  Which for me is good and bad.  The good is Paddles!  Wahoo!  The ugly and bad are FINS!  Drowning!

Warm Up

Mixed 500 (swam 200 / pulled 200 / swam 75 back & 25 free

300 Kick w/fins (300/800)

The Meat of the Workout -

400 Fist closed 1 Finger Pull for 1st lap of each 100 (400/1200)

3x200's on 3:00 w/ Paddles breathing every 3 (600/1800)

6x100's Fins.  Fist closed 1 Finger Pull for 1st lap of each 100 on 1:40 (600/2400)

6x50's  ALL IN!  Paddles and Fins!  Easy/Fast on 1:00 (300/2700)

Now even with the toys it was a bit of a challenge.  Tired from work yesterday and working out.  I flounder during the 1 finger pull drill.  But that just reminds me to use my full arm as a paddle.  As I was swiming the 400 I kept thinking I need that arm thingy for this.  I think the actual technical thing via FINIS is "Forearm Fulcrum Sr. - Achieve an Early Vertical Forearm (EVF) and increase stroke efficiency with the Forearm Fulcrum. An EVF position utilizes the entire forearm during the pull, from the fingertips to the elbow."  It seems to do what the coach is trying to get me to do.  It's the whole The whole "Alexander Popov. .... The arm is shaped as if you were reaching over a barrel."  Which I am doing more of but still gotta work on the intial catch.  One thing I did notice while using the paddles I seem to over extend my arm locking my elbow before my catch.  Was feeling some tennis elbow coming on.  But I don't have these toys so it was paddles and my yellow Zoomers.  Now I'm not a big fan of fins.  Not really a kicker.  Fins are like two lead weights attached to my feet.  So I really had to engage the core while swimming with the fins.  Luckily I've been working on my core on dryland and really started to feel the benefits of my core work.  It's getting easier to tuck into a ball at my turns.  My biggest thing that kills me everytime at the wall is the fact that I don't tuck into a ball.  My legs just come flying around and splash down. 

So all in all it was a back to basics let's break out the toys workout.  Something I need.  As the summer months brings warmer pool temps it'll be something that will move into the forefront.  So I might buy some new swim toys.  Now for my Go The Distance I'm slowly coming back.  Only 14,025 yards to go to 100 MILES!  Looking at my work/class agenda I may only swim 6 more times this month.  Not including a small swim meet this Sunday.  I'm swimming 400 IM, 400 Free, 200 IM and 50 Back.  So let's do some math.  14,025-1000=13,025.  13,025/7 = 1,860 yards.  So the next 7 swims I need to swim at least 1,875 yards!  Easy!  IDIOT!  14,025-1000=13,025.  13,025/6= 2,170.   So the next 6 swims I need to swim at least 2,175 yards.  I'm also chipping away at my YTD deficit.  I was behind 25 miles in pace and now only about 19 miles behind.  Not too bad!

Daily Candy: Let's Get Physical

 

A few swim related suggestions to Get Physical from Daily Candy -
Holy Xmas Batman!  Speedo Hydrospex Candy Cane Goggles - via daily candy.
Lite Bright!  They'll see you coming in TYR's Kaleidoscope Cap - via daily candy. Don't Get Lost!  Check out this dizzying Speedo Dazed Maze suit - via daily candy.
Kick It!  You'll be zoom zoom in Finis' Zommers Fit Fins - via daily candy.

Saturday's Swim Report - Swimming, Yup There's An App For That

I'm On A Bike!  Here is some swimming stuff while I'm spinning my heart and ass away...

Lane I - MSNBC posts "Dead bodies to be burned to heat UK swimming pool.  Dead bodies will be burned to heat a swimming pool in the U.K. -- and the British government is considering adopting the idea across the country."

Lane 2 - USA Swimming posts "Coaches in the Know: Tim O'Brien.  National Group Coach Tim O'Brien of Nitro Swimming talks about the success of Nitro Swimming, the importance of well rounded athletes and his passion for steering athletes towards college swimming." via youtube

 

Lane 3 - ILMSA posts "S.W.I.M. - Streamlining Weightloss In Masters Fitness Challenge.  Attention all Masters Swimmers! Are you looking for an exciting new kind of fitness challenge? Do you need motivation to lose weight? Are you looking for another way to improve your life in and out of the pool?"

 

Lane 4 - ABC posts "Swimmer critical after being hit by jet ski.  A man is in a critical condition after being struck by a jet ski while swimming south of Melbourne yesterday."

 

Lane 5 - ChipChick posts "FINIS Releases Hydro Tracker GPS For Swimmers.  The Hydro Tracker GPS from FINIS works a lot like other fitness accessories – it can map routes, track movement, and record fitness statistics. This one might be one of the first to be specifically designed for swimmers, though, as it is fully waterproof and can be attached to a pair of swimming goggles. Statistics are saved online, and can be accessed using the free online FINIS Streamline Training Log."  Wait isnt' that the SwimSense or the or the AquaPulse or the Tempo Trainer Pro but not the Tempo Trainer?  So confused. Someone from Finis tell me which is which and does what...

 

Lane 6 - This Is Hampshire posts "Proposal is a splash on TV.  T WAS a romantic gesture – and it was watched by thousands as a Basingstoke man popped the question to his girlfriend of five years on television.  Will Gay organised the surprise proposal to Kirstin Younger at Basingstoke Aquadrome, where a team of synchronised swimmers performed a specially choreographed display for the occasion.  The 28-year-old, who works at the Aquadrome as a contract operations manager, was watched by viewers of BBC3’s Don’t Tell the Bride to Be – The Proposals, preparing the grand proposal without Kirstin finding out."

Lane 7 - Wink News posts (w/video) "Olympic swimmers training in Naples.  The Summer Olympics are back this year. But if you don't have a ticket to see the games in London, you may still get a chance to see some Olympians! World-class swimmers, including an Olympic medalist, are training right now in Southwest Florida."

Lane 8 - USA Swimming posts "A Conversation With Madison Kennedy.  National Team member Madison Kennedy took a brief break from training to talk about her her training, challenges heading into the 2012 Olympic Trials and preparation for Omaha." via youtube

Opps...sorry the headline is misleading.  I had a story that inspired the headline but the website was a bit of a mess so I decided to skip it.  Stay tuned to lessons in PR dip shits.  Till then, deal with it.

12 Days of Christmas For Swimmers! Day 9: The Inner Tube

On Day 9 I wish for an inner tube for pulling.  But since they don't seem to be in fashion anymore I'll go with the FINIS Pulling Ankle Strap.  Growing up we all used these small innertube things around our ankles during pulling sets.  I've spent years searching for them to no avail but a former lane mate of mine actually used a small tube from a wheelbarrel tire. "The Pulling Ankle Strap is a rubber strap that is worn around the ankles to eliminate kicking. Ideally used with the Rangs or standard pull buoy, the Pulling Ankle Strap shifts the focus so that the swimmer can build upper body strength. The Pulling Ankle Strap comes one universal size that fits all ankles." - finisinc.com      THEY SEEM TO BE OUT OF STOCK BUT TRY AMAZON

12 Days of Christmas For Swimmers! Day 2: The Swimsense®

Day 2 brings me the SwimSense® Performance Monitor.  $199.99 at finisinc.com

"The Swimsense® (Powered by SportSense® Technologies) is a groundbreaking training tool, which captures critical performance data."

I Ran, I Ran Not So Far. Couldn't Get Past Lazy.

Okay so I'm butchering a great 80's classic.  But I did go on a run yesterday.  My goal yesterday was to wake up at 5am and go running before swimming.  Now I did wake up at 5am but it was pouring outside.  So I turned off the alarm and slept in.  Little did I know at the time that the rain would stop by 6am.  Oh well.  So I didn't swim in the morning.  The rain did stop and the sun sorta came out and then it rained some more.  But of course it didn't start raining again till I was out on my run later in the day.
I dropped my stuff at the gym and hit the bricks as they say.  Well part of the run is on a cobblestone path so I can say bricks.  As you can see on my Runkeeper map above I ran to a point well a dead end and headed back.  I thought a street cut back but it turned out to be a dead end into a parking lot.  Oh well.  It was raining a bit at this point so I just ran back to the gym.
The difference between Runkeeper's GPS report on my Android phone and the Nike+ Sportband without GPS isn't all that much.  Now why do I use both then?  Well cuz' I like charts and graphs.  USA Today you had me at little colored infographics!  I have some friends on Nike+ and some on Runkeeper.  Then on top of that I also use DailyMile and now Fitocracy.  DailyMile I can input or sync my Nike+ runs or if I had a Garmin I could import those runs.  While Fitocracy I can only sync Runkeeper.  At some point I'll hafta decide on one or another.  Note noone uses the Adidas miCoach app or device so that has falled off my radar and my phone.  Which is a same cuz' Adidas miCoach isn't so bad.  I'm rambling on about all this because for the holiday's I'm hoping to get a new training device.  And I'm a bit confused and overwelmed by all the choices.  My options right now are the sorta new Nike+ GPS Tom Tom Watch, Garmin Forerunner 910XT or the new Motorola MotoACTV.  Then on the other hand I can just continue using my Nike+ Sportband without GPS so I can continue on with Nike+ and Dailymile but for swimming but the FINIS Swimsense watch which can be synced with Runkeeper.  Too many choices!

Anyways, the point is that I did run yesterday.  And I ran with my new sneakers!  I now am running with Zoot Advantage 3.0's.  After my run I was back at the gym doing weight training focusing on arms and chest.

This morning it was swim time.  And boy was it chilly outside.  I heard reports that it was 48F while I see now that it is 50F.  Cool air but warm water with a pool temp of 83F.  Ugh.  Hate that! 

Warm Up

Mixed 500 followed by 300 Drill/Kick/Swim.  (800)

Main Set:

4x100's on 1:40

400 on 6:00

4x50's on 50

200 on 3:00

4x50's on 50

200 no interval

No extra breaks in between but had plenty of rest.  Almost too much rest.  I was getting chilly in between.  The deal was to get faster during the set.  The 100's were to be descending or pacing then the 400 would be swam at the faster pace.  The 4x50's were to set our pace again and the 2nd 200 was faster then the first 200.  Okay I did that.  My 100's were not descend but pace doing 17's and 16's.  My 400 I can in on 4:57 so had a minute rest.  My 50's sucked but my first 200 I did a 2:25 and my second a 2:15.  Not great but okay.  I was stuggling.  I could feel the cold air on my recovery and my arms were not liking that.  I felt sore by the last 200.  And not sore cuz' I was working hard but sore cuz my muscles were getting tensed up from the cold.  (1600/2400)

I then warmed down a 100 and called it a day.  Total workout 2,500 yards.  Would be interesting to see the swim in infographics via Swimsense.

Wednesday's Swim Report - OMG! Be Bright Pink!

damn Group Kick!  I can't get you out of my head…Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, Ohh my gosh!

Lane 1 - The Naperville Sun has "Swimmers fight breast cancer.  Cross-town rivals came together in bright pink swim caps to compete and to raise money for a relatively new organization that provides awareness, education and resources for women who are diagnosed with breast cancer." bebrightpink.org

Lane 2 - Ubergizmo posts "Finis Positive Drive Fins.  Swim like a fish, or so the saying goes. While even the best of us out there such as Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps are able to leave the rest of the competition in their wake as they take to water, they are but mortals when compared to fish. Still, that doesn’t mean our human spirit is about to give up on improving ourselves, which is why we’ve developed tools since time immemorial to help us out in our everyday tasks. The Finis Positive Drive Fins is said to be able to help one go further and faster with less effort, where they were specially designed for correct propulsion with all swim strokes."

Lane 3 - The Swimmers Circle posts "Florida Women Get Huge Verbal from Top Sprinter.    Gregg Troy and the Florida Gators received a huge verbal committment yesterday when CollegeSwimming.com’s #13-ranked Natalie Hinds made a verbal committment to swim for the Gators in the fall of 2012."

Lane 4 - Star Africa has "Swimming/World cup (25m- Dubai) : Chad Le Clos, Dubaï prince.  With six victories the South African became the undisputed champion of the first stage of short course swimming played in Dubaï. He ruled on butterfly and 4 strokes.  Besides the medals, Chad Le Clos had wonderful time clock on 100 m butterfly of 50 "66 and 1'52" 14 and ranked 55th of 200 m in the same category. On his side, the Kenyan Jason Dunford  also stood out by winning two gold medals in 100 m Nl and 50 butterfly. The next outing for these swimmers is scheduled from 15 to 16 October in Stockholm (Sweden)."

Lane  5 - CBS Marketwatch posts "ALFA Helps Fight Ageism with New Partnership Promoting Senior Olympics Documentary.  ALFA, the leading voice for professionally-managed, consumer-driven senior living communities, is partnering with the PBS documentary Age of Champions to spread the film's uplifting message to senior communities across the country.  Age of Champions is the inspiring story of a group of athletes--a 100-year-old tennis champion, an 86-year-old pole vaulter, a pair of swimming brothers, and a team of basketball grandmothers--all chasing gold at the National Senior Games. The film is available to ALFA members as part of a nationwide "Host a Screening" campaign to help battle ageism and encourage the highest quality of life for seniors."

Lane 6 - Engadget posts "European blue Wii bundle takes Mario & Sonic to the Olympics, sends US gamers home without a medal.  You didn't expect the Olympics to land in London without a video game tie-in snapping at its heels, did you? Of course not, but did you expect it to be bundled with a powder-blue console? Here's the skinny: Nintendo's Mario & Sonic at the 2012 Olympic Games Limited Edition Pack..."

Lane 7 - Business Week posts "Walsh, Sanders join Kellogg Olympic campaign.  U.S. Olympic Committee sponsor Kellogg Company will feature Kerri Walsh, Summer Sanders and five others as part of its campaign leading into the 2012 London Olympics…Sanders won four medals for swimming at the Barcelona Games. They're highlighted in a campaign that will focus on the importance of eating a good breakfast as part of a sound strategy for success.  Other athletes on "Team Kellogg" are Juan Agudelo (soccer), Michael Landers (table tennis), Rebecca Soni (swimming), Casey Tibbs (paralympics) and Dwight Phillips (athletics)."

Lane 8 - The Examiner posts "Shark Attack in St Pete!!  A local 19-year old woman was swimming behind her home in the waters of Boca Ciega Bay when a shark grabbed her.  Swimming only 10-12 yards from her own backyard dock she was attacked by a shark in the murky water."

Hobo Workout Plan: Schwaggle - 50% Off FINIS Swimming Equipment and Gear ($166 Value)

Active.com has a great Schwaggle Deal today! 
So it's a bit limiting.  But for years I've been wanting the Lap Track.  Now it's only $53.00!  Of course I don't have $53 right now so I think I'm going to pass.  Also the Circuit Trainer looks pretty cool too.  Right now the links to Finis aren't working guess it's the over demand from Active.com. 

Sunday's Swim Report - Tea Party "Patriots" Aim To Kill Manatees

Lane 1 - Yahoo News reports "Swimming - Checking supplements is athletes' responsbility - FINA.  Swimming's governing body FINA has insisted athletes are responsible for monitoring their own dietary supplements as it prepares to appeal a decision by Brazil not to sanction four swimmers who tested positive for a banned substance."

Lane  2 - Engadget posts "Aquapulse heart rate monitor finally ships, misses out on Michael Phelps fervor.  FINIS, a world leader in technical swimming products that maximize your fitness potential and technique, announces the immediate availability of the AquaPulse™ Heart Rate Monitor, an audible heart rate monitor for swimmers and water fitness enthusiasts. The AquaPulse™ Heart Rate Monitor is a small workout accessory built for swimmers looking to get the most out of their workout through heart rate training."  The Aquapulse is priced at $149.99 at Finisinc.com.

Lane 3 - Check out some eye candy over at Gawker with "Totally Gratuitous Shots of Celebrities in Their Swimsuits."

Lane 4 - Yahoo Sports has "Jessica Hardy of the US attends an early morning training session at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre in Brisbane on July 15, 2011. The US swimming team are in a training camp on the Gold Coast in preparation for the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai from July 16."  Look at those blocks!  What are those handle thingies?  First the kickstand now those grip thingies.

Lane 5 - Gizmodo looks at "See Like a Shark With These Fish Scale Goggles.  While they don't come with gills, these goggles are good enough for any trip to the beach. Because they're made out of actual fish scales. Unique! Designed by Erik de Laurens, they're part of a project he calls Fish Feast."

Lane 6 - From The Swimmers Circle "Rowdy Gaines Breaks Masters World Record in Japan.  Earlier today, at a Masters competition in Osaka, Japan, Gaines broke the 50-54 Age Group record in the long course 100m free in 54.6."

Lane 7 - GayGamer.net reports "Speedo Sponsors The Michael Phelps Swimming Game.  Speedo is synonymous with swimming and the inclusion of the Speedo brand in-game brings further realism to the game. As one of Michael Phelps' long standing partners, we are delighted to have them as part of this, commented Ian Howe, President, 505 Games, North America."

Lane 8 - Gawker posts "Tea Party vs. Manatees: It’s On.  Boaters in Kings Bay, which was featured in Jacques Cousteau's manatee documentary Forgotten Mermaids, have killed 13 manatees over the last decade with their aquatic death machines. The Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to pass permanent rules protecting Kings Bay as a refuge…Edna Mattos, 63, leader of the Citrus County Tea Party Patriots, in an interview 'If some of these environmental movements had been around in the days of the dinosaurs, we'd be living in Jurassic Park now.'"  Huh, what? 

Saturday's Swim Report - Some Nudity For The Weekend!

Lane 1 - Speedo's Speedo's Speedo's!  6 Unstopable minutes of Thierry Mugler's Brothers of Arcadia.  Oh it might be NSFW but it's FASHION DAMNIT! via youtube

Lane 2 - People ask "Joel, why does your hair always look so good?"  Well the folks over at Swim Brief have given away my secret with "Swim Brief Blogger Contest: Rebecca Boston - The Martini Treatment for Swimmer’s Hair." Oh nevermind it's not about actually ingesting the vodka.  Boo!

Lane 3 - Billy Rose Aquacade Show 1939 New York World's Fair via youtube

Lane 4 - The Age reports "Swimmer to face assault civil case.  SWIMMER Nick D'Arcy will be forced to face fellow athlete Simon Cowley again in court over an assault which shattered the sporting ambitions of both."

Lane 5 - 50 Free in 4 Seconds - Club Wolverine "Freestyle in four seconds! Watch the power of CytoSport's Muscle Milk go to work." via youtube

Lane 6 - Omaha.com posts "Fans’ energy may flow to swimmers.  hey wear goggles but not ear plugs. Thus they hear.  Rowdy Gaines said the noise generated by 10,000 to 12,000 fans most nights of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials had to at least play a part in what happened at Qwest Center Omaha, when numerous records were broken and some upstarts pulled off surprises."

Lane 7 - From The Wobbly Block "UPDATE: Aaron Peirsol found to be 'really, really, really enjoying' his retirement."

Lane 8 - From the Finis Blog "Swimsense® Now Integrates with RunKeeper.  As many Swimsense® users know, we have been working with activity and training log providers to integrate data collected by the Swimsense with other activity data. We are pleased to announce that Swimsense users can now send their swimming data to RunKeeper."