the17thman

Friday Morning

Swimming this morning was a bit harder than it should have been. Of course I started off the wrong foot with some negative attitude right from the warm up.  Even after taking Wednesday off from swimming my arms are a bit sore from my weight training.  I had planned on adding one more day to my two days a week weight training routine but I may hold off.  I took the warm up a bit easy just swimming about a 350 mixed freestyle and backstroke. 

After our "on your own" warm up it was time for the warm up set.  I wasn't ready for that.  The set was a 200  swim on 2:45 then 4x50's kick on 55.  Then a 200 swim on 2:45 folowed by 4x50's drill on 45.  Then another 200 swim on 2:45 followed by 4x50's swim on 40.  Our coach said to mix in some stroke with our free as the workout would have both.  Well I started my first 200 backstroke barely making the interval.  Like I said I wasn't ready for the set.  I missed 2x50's kick to take a pee break as I usually do during the kick portion of a workout.  Then my 2nd 200 I did it 175 back with a 25 fly.  The interval was still too quick.  After the that I moved over to a slower lane for the rest of the set.  I continued doing stroke.  It turns out that the 200 should have been free and that was why I was having a hard time with the warm up interval.  I moved back to the fast lane for the rest of the workout.

Main Set:
150 Free on 2:00
100 Stroke or IM on 1:30
4x50's Free Fast on ??
take extra rest but no more than 20 seconds
150 Free on 2:00
4x100's Stroke or IM fast on 1:45.  The 1st 100 I did all back.  The 2nd 100 I did fly/back/back/fly.  The 3rd one 75 fly / 25 back.  The 4th one all fly.  We had the wall lane so I was did the pattern to do fly away from the wall. 
50 Free Easy on ??
take extra rest but no more than 20 seconds
4x150's Fast Free on 1:50
100 Easy on 1:30 Did backstroke
50 Easy Free no interval

Pulling:
200 Pull Breathing every 3/5/3/7 by 50
6x75's.  1st/4th first lap NO BREATHING, 2nd/5th middle lap NO BREATHING and 3rd/6th last lap NO BREATHING.  OY!  During the no breathing 25's I took one breath in all of them but one which I was able to do no breathing.  I only used paddles for 2 of the 75's one of which was the one I was able to make without breathing.  Pulling with paddles is easier but with our narrow lanes and being in the wall lane I didn't want to kill my lane mates.

And that was it.  Over and done with.  Another week of swimming is over with.  I want to hit a gym spin class either later today or tomorrow but we will see.  I haven't been to a spin class in months.  I figure I'm riding on the streets more running errands but that really isn't the same thing as a spin class.

Ugh. Insomnia and Swimming.

I don't know why but I couldn't sleep last night.  I tried and I even took 2 Tylenol PM's.  I watched a marathon of Season One of the canceled Showtime show "Dead Like Me".  I figured I'd fall asleep at some point.  Then around 4:40am I realized sleep wasn't happening so I made myself frozen waffles and some tea.  Time to get up and read the morning paper. 

On my way to swim I made a pit stop to the post office to send out some rentals back before the 6am pickup.  This ads a few blocks to my bike ride so no big deal.  I left a bit too early as I got to the pool before the lifeguard was even there.  Of course the lifeguard was late but I was also too early.

Warm up was pretty simple I did around a 450.  We all goofed off and chatted it up.

Then we did a warm up set.

200 Kick
50 Drill Free
50 Swim Free
rest
200 Kick
50 Drill Free
50 Swim Free

Main Free Set:
400 on 5:15 Pull
2x200's on 2:35 Swim
3x100's on 1:15 Swim
4x50's on 50 Swim

Main Stroke Set:
400 IM 50 kick / 25 drill / 25 swim no interval
2x200's IM on 3:10
3x100's IM on 1:45
3x50's (we ran out of time)  we did 1 fly, 1 back and 1 free.

And that was it.  Not too difficult.  I was feeling really good during the free set.  Not that I was feeling bad in the IM part but just felt better in the free.  Not bad for someone who didn't sleep!  Now I can rest for a bit.  But not after I watch the final episode of season one of Dead Like Me.  Then it's on to the 2nd and last season.

Monday Morning *cough* Swim

With the days of June almost at an end I figured I'd better get in another swim cold or no cold.  My goal this week is to swim today, Tuesday and Wednesday before I head up to Ojai on Friday for a Wedding.  This week will hopefully be my first week back at the gym in a few weeks.  Time to get back into dry land training and work on some muscle building. 

On Friday one of my coaches pointed out to me that my catch in my freestyle is really good but I really needed to work on my long axis.  Since I started to use paddles in my workout I've noticed that my catch is a lot better as using paddles has allowed me to work on my hand position and pull.  Now if I can only get some rotation and kick into it I'd be flying.  Or is that freestyling?  With that in mind my warm up today I did a 300 swim, 200 pull with paddles and a 100 drill.  The 100 drill was swordfish drill.  Swordfish drill is when you are on your side kicking with one arm in front while you are looking down.  You kick an x amount of kicks then pull switching to the other side.  It's a common drill called various other things.  It's goal is to get you to rotate.  As I swim pretty flat and don't kick it's one drill I need to work on.

After that it seemed our coach was reading my mind.  Our warmup set was a 125 kick with at least a 75 swordfish drill.  Then a 50 drill and then a 50 swim.  Somehow the lanes got a bit confused but we managed it.  Out of the 125 I did the first 75 swordfish followed by 50 kick with board which was the opposite of the other swimmers.  I found it amusing how many people gave up on swordfish and was pretty much swimming the portion of that drill. 

300 Pulling w/Paddles.  First 200 distance per stroke.  I took the whole 300 as an easy pull while working on hand entry and pull.  Pulling with paddles is such a joy for me. When I first started pulling months ago with paddles I found it a bit difficult then I started to focus on hand entry and the catch and over time it got easier and easier.  Somehow without thinking about the catch and pull it carried over to my swimming.  Now if only I could get that swordfish drill to carry over.

Then we went on to some pace work.  6x100's Freestyle swim on 1:15.  I was holding 1:08's.

500 SCY for time pushing off in the water.  I finished up with a 5:42.  At each one hundred I did my flip turn, stopped a moment and looked at the clock.  I am still working on the whole idea of pacing a swim.  Last week's swim meet was the first time the concept became a reality for me so I just gotta keep remembering to think about my swimming.  To know my pace and keep on it.  Before it was all a mad scramble to get from one wall to the other.  I will admit battling a cold and trying to hold a pace isn't easy.  My breathing was a bit labored and in the end.  I think if I had been feeling better my time would have been better.  But at least I was far ahead of anyone else.  Then again it was 6am and the uber "fasties" didn't show up.  Well one of them did but  he hasn't been swimming much so that doesn't count. 

After a 100 easy we did some stroke work kick/drill/swim.  After that we did a few 25's spring.  I think we did 6.  I did 4 fly, 1 back and 1 free.  I hate 25's.  I just get warmed up and it's time to stop.  The intervals were way to easy so my pattern of warming up and getting faster by each 25 wasn't happening.  I slacked off and then did a 100 warm down.

All in all not too bad considering I'm still hacking up lung.  I'm at the point of a cold that it's pretty much gone but still a little remains are lingering. 

Friday 6am Swim, Ugh!

As of late yesterday I had planned on sleeping in today and not swim at all.  Figured taking Friday and then Saturday will be enough time off to kill this summer cold.  I've pretty much slept most of the last two days so two more and I'd be my old self.  Then last night plans changed and I had to be at the practice at 6am to be the team ambassador to the Mike and Chris of Chlorination on swimnetwork.com.  So I set my alarm, got a good night sleep and woke up ready to swim.  Well not really swim but fake swim enough to get some camera time and leave early.  I figured they'd film and be done about 2/3 of the way into workout and I could slink out.  I ended up staying the whole workout.  After 2 days of mostly sleeping my body just wasn't ready for any activity at all.  The 2 mile bike ride alone was taxing.  I came to workout out of breathe.

Warmed up a 300 swim and a 200 pull.

Warm Up Set:
3x
75 Drill
125 Kick
I mixed it up butterfly, free and backstroke

Oh we had another warmup set.  Hmmm...it was 100 Free on 1;20 than some 50's stroke on 45 and then another 100.

Main Set:
4x150's
3x75's
2x50's
3x75's
4x150's
3x75's
2x50's

The first half was stroke and the second half freestyle.  I mixed it up with fly, back and some free.  The 150's stroke I did 25 fly / 25 back.  Actually that is how I did the first half then moved over to a back and freestyle for the second half.  I forgot the intervals.  75's were on 1:05.

Pulling
300 on a 1;20 base breathing 3/5/7 by 50
200 on a 1;25 base breathing 5/7 by 50
100 breathing every 7

And that was it.  Afterwards I was interviewed.  i was tired from the workout and on top of that battling this cold so I dread watching myself.  I'm too shy for that shit!  Well at least with them on deck it made me stay in the pool the whole workout.  Now I can rest till the next practice on Sunday in the afternoon.

Easier Morning Swim

After swimming last night I woke up at 5:10 and decided to swim again.  My throat is still sore but I still say that it isn't a cold.  Then again only time will tell.  I figured if I'm not sick by the end of the day the sore throat thing is from breathing chlorine in all week.

Warmed up a 300.  I was chatting it up with other swimmers.  This morning we split the workout between those who wanted a "distance" free workout and those who wanted a stroke workout.  I was in the distance free workout.  The only problem was I was the only fast swimmer so I swam with 2 others but went on a different pace.  Luckily they were very low key people and we worked it all out with passing. 

We started with a 200 kick while the coach gave the stroke lanes the first warm up set.  Then we went on two 4x75's broken 50 drill / 25 swim.

Main Set;
100 Swim
400 Pull
200 Swim
300 Pull
300 Swim
200 Pull
400 Swim
100 Pull

My intervals were on a 1:25 base but I was getting too much rest so for the 400 swim I went on a faster pace.  The coach changed the interval around the 300 swim but I had to change it from time to time so I wasn't leaving on the feet of the other two swimmers. 

I still feel like I'm in meet mode with really fast swims in workout.  Which is a good thing but I just dread when i revert to my old practice pace.  One thing that I notice from this mornings work out that has carried over my the swim meet are my streamlines.  I'm really for the first time actually keeping streamline off the walls.  Not so much last night as this morning.  The easier intervals allowed me to think more about my swimming then just trying to rush my swimming to make intervals.  Tomorrow is my no swim day.  I plan hitting the gym and then run tomorrow night.  It's been a while since i ran so I may just run 3 miles and work on building from that.

Back At Workout

Yes, I dove right back into the pool and made it to workout tonight.  At first it was a bit rough.  I was tired.  With the traveling and swimming all weekend plus a bit of fun my body is tired.  I slept 12 hours last night and did nothing all day so it was time for something.  And swimming is something.  Plus i told myself I'd take it easy tonight.  Famous last words.

Warmed up a 400 pull without paddles, a 200 pull with paddles, 100 swim and a 50 kick.  We then had a kick set which I took some time off for a long pee break and chit chatting with the lifeguard.  Nothing has changed since this weekend I still hate kicking.

Then after the kick set we did a warm up set of 4x75's one of each stroke.  50 drill and 25 swim.

Main Set
3x200's Free on 2:40.  I went in the slower fast lane.  The fast fast lane did them on 2:30.  These were descending.  I did them all too fast.  My first one was on 2:15, then 2:12 and the third one was on 2:09.  Yeah, my body is still in swim meet mode.  These are SCY as usual.
4x50's Breast on 50.  Oy!  These were tough.
2x200's Free on 2:40.  Descending again.  I was doing 2:17 and 2:12.
4x50's Back on 50.  Easy.
1x200 Free.  Fast.  I did a 2:12
take some rest
4x50's Fly on 50.

easy 50

Next Set:
6x100's Pull on 1:25.  1-3 breathing every 3/5 by 50.  4-6 breathing 3/7 by 50.

Then it was a warm down.  I was feeling pretty strong.  My sore throat felt good till then end.  The cholorine seemed to help it.  Which is what I think caused the sore throat to begin with.   We will see how I feel tomorrow.  My reason for swimming was that I'm either getting sick and will wake up in the morning and miss swimming so I should go tonight just in case i can't swim for a few more days.  I don't have any other symptoms so I can't tell if I'm getting sick.  If I had I'd skip swimming as not to infect my fellow lane mates.  But I'm guessing it's all the inhaling of chlorine and yelling all weekend that is the cause.  Then again who knows.  I'm no doctor.

Taper Swim

Panic is in order as I fly out in 10 hours.  Oy!

Warmed up about a 400.  Hard to really warm up in a lane of 6 swimmers in a 25 yard pool.

3x
50 kick
100 broken 50 kick / 50 swim
150 broken 50 kick / 50 swim / 50 kick

12x75's  broken in sets of 3 
1.  free
2. 50 free / 25 choice
3. all choice

12x50's

Sorry I can't remember it all.

Then we did 3x100's Pace freestyle and warmed down a 100.

Monday Morning Taper Swim

After taking Sunday off as my recovery day it was back in the pool this morning.  With my first coached workout since Thursday night.  Friday and Saturday I did a very quick lap swim doing around 2,000 yards for each workout on my own.  Today's workout was a taper swim.  I know taper swims are good for me but i just can't get use to them.  I've conditioned myself so well in goofing off for the first 30 minutes of workout so know when tapering my body just can't get going.  Plus those Tuesday nights that I swim after doing weights in the morning are usually when I feel my best and then the swimming the next morning on Wednesday I feel warmed up and ready.

At least the 1,500 is on the first day so it is like a warm up for the rest of the meet.  Plus i do planning on getting one more workout in before I leave. 

Warmed up a mixed 400.  Then the taper lane did a 100 distance per stroke.  After that we did a series of broken 200's.  Four rounds of 50 kick / 50 swim / 50 drill / 50 swim / 100 swim.  Taking 5 seconds between each 50.  The first two rounds i did free.  The third round backstroke and the fourth round butterfly.

Then we did a 400 easy pace working on technique.  I was going to try to pace the 400 out but the other two swimmers in my lane were slower so as I caught up to them I had to slow up to the next wall to pass them.  So each 100 was at a different pace. 

16x100's.
First four were sprinting the first 1/3 of the 50.
Second four were sprinting the middle 1/3 of the 50.
Third four were sprinting the last 1/3 of the 50.
Last four were sprinting the whole 50.
In each round i did 3 freestyle and 1 fly.

Then we did a 25 easy before doing some starts.  I think I did 3 starts.

And that was it.  I biked home.  Showered then biked to get a haircut, dropping off Netflix dvd's at the post office and to the bank to get quarters for laundry.  Done with my day all at 9:30am.

I own the lane, out of my way.

If I am ever to get another tattoo I want "I own the lane, get out of my way" all over me for when I swim at lap swims.  Before I ramble on about lap swims here was my morning.  I got up a bit after 6am.  Got my swim stuff together.  Got on my bike.  Headed to 7/11 to break buy a bananna, water and get $5.00 cash to pay for the lap swim using my ATM with cash back.  Get back on my bike and ride the 2 miles to the Weho Pool.  I was running late and got to the pool at 7:15.  As I ride up I notice lots of cars and people.  Hmm...that is odd for a Saturday morning.  Well the pool was hosting some age group swim meet.  So no lap swim.  I pull out my iPhone and look at the Culver City Plunge lap swim times.  Great it's from 7-9.  I'll ride to the pool and get there about 7:45ish.  So i head back down Robertson and take side streets to Venice to Overland to the pool.  Get to the pool, lock up my bike, pay my $3.00 and change.  As i walk on deck i see that it is long course.  No biggie.  But also they have an age group team in 3 lanes and more lanes are taken up by scuba diving leaving 3 lanes for the lap swim.  I find the fast lane and get in. 

The lane had about 6 people in it.  Not bad for lap swimming in a long course pool.  The bad news was that everyone but one other person should have not been in the fast lane.  I realized that when i was swimming but also when I was kicking and was passing people who were swimming.  Umm...normally when we are doing a kick set at workout the medium lanes are kicking my ass in kicking.  i suck at kicking.  So if i'm kicking and passing you when you are swimming you are not a fast swimmer and should move down.  I did get in about 2,000 long course yards in.  It was just very frustrating after 40 minutes I got out.  I couldn't deal with it.  I'd give someone a 25 yard head stop and I'd catch up to them.  I tired to do some butterfly but that was worse.  Eventually i got sick of saying fuck and just got out.  But at least I got some water time in.  Tomorrow i won't be swimming at all so I needed to swim today.

With the biking back and forth i got in about 9 so overall a good workout with the quick swim.

Friday Morning...Coaching?

This morning my alarm woke me up at 5:10.  After 30 minutes of reading the paper and getting my stuff together I got on my bike and headed to swim.  On deck I did a bit of socializing before getting in the pool a tad later.  As time went on the coach wasn't on deck.  I continued to warm up stopping every so often to check on the status of the coach.  After about a 400 it was about quarter after the hour so I got out and became coach.  I was hoping that he'd show up or at least someone would by the 7:15 workout so I could swim.  But that never happened and I was the coach for both workouts.  Not that I did any real coaching.  I just put a workout on the board and answered questions.  The workout was a modified version of last nights workout and after running out of time to do it in the 6am practice I modified it again for the 7:15am.  I'll try to head out and swim later today either on my own or the 7pm practice.