Friday's Swim Report - How To Design The Best Speedo Ever. Add More Pink!

Lane 1 - The Post Games posts "One On One With Rebecca Soni."

Lane 2 - The Gloss posts "Ryan Lochte Has Designed A Hot Pink Speedo With Stars On It, Is Clearly The Greatest Designer Ever.  Although Lochte did wear the above Speedo about a year ago, what we didn’t know then was that the little darling had designed it himself!"

Lane 3 - NYDN posts "Ryan Lochte trademarks ‘Jeah!’ - his odd, vague, made-up catchphrase.  Olympic gold-medal swimmer wants to use the word on hats, swim goggles, T-shirts and more. He's already selling 'Jeah'-themed sunglasses on his website."

Lane 4 - Daily Mail posts "Tancock wants third go at the Games as Team GB swimmer eyes Rio 2016.  Liam Tancock will continue his bid for an elusive Olympic medal by swimming on to Rio in 2016.  The 27-year-old competed at his second Games in London this month when he finished fifth in the 100m backstroke and fourth in the 4x100m medley relay.  And the three-time world champion will bid to make it third time lucky by finally clinching a place on the podium.  ‘My plan is to go on to Rio,’ Tancock told Sportsmail"

Lane 5 - Herald Sun posts "Blair Evans hits back at critics of Australia's swim team .  LONDON silver medallist Blair Evans has challenged swimming's critics to spend a session at the pool with any one of the country's Olympians, rebuffing suggestions the team lacked a quality work ethic."

Lane 6 - Daily Mail posts "Incredible shot of US swimmer that perfectly shows the phenomenon of surface tension.  Put simply, all water has a 'skin' and in the photograph, Clary is breaking through that skin as he swims in the race which was part of his road to victory in 2012."

Lane 7 - The Telegraph posts "Rebecca Adlington terrified of taking plunge into retirement but admits Rio 2016 could be an Olympics too far.  Even if you mixed bicarbonate of soda with half a litre of vinegar, you would be hard pressed to create a cocktail more effervescent than Rebecca Adlington. “I’m a bottler, and then all of a sudden I’ll just explode,” she exclaims."

Lane 8 - The Australian posts "Cold water no bar to hardy swimmers.  VISIT any beach, bay or ocean pool on an early winter's morning and you're bound to find that hardy species, the year-round ocean swimmer, lapping up and down without a wetsuit as though it were mid-summer.  As a regular swimmer who hates being forced into indoor pools during the winter months, I decided to find out whether it was as easy as it looked."

30 Minute Wham Bam Thank You Swam!

Only had 30 minutes to swim this morning so I ran to the pool for a quick workout.

Warm Up
100 Swim
100 Pull

10c50's on 50 5 Pulling w/ Paddles / 5 Swim (500/700)

5x100's Swim on 1:30 (500/1200)

5x100's Pulling w/ Paddles on 1:20 (500/1700)

And that was it.  30 MInutes!  Well about.  Luckily my time ran out just when the rain started to come down. 

Yesterday after teaching 9:30 spin class I headed out with my visiting nieces and got a pedicure.  One of my nieces picked out a nice bright pink for my toes.  Gotta admit I think the pink made me faster in the water this morning.

Making My Sunday Swim 20% Cooler

Less Swim.  More Ponies!
Sunday's Swim Workout -Part One

Warm Up
200 Swim
200 Pull
200 Kick
4x50's on 55 Swim (800)

Main Set -
1x600 9:30
2x300 4:15
3x200 2:45
6x100 1:30  (2400/3200)

For the main set I wrote down my times but since the paper is wet I can't read the ink.  When it dries later I'll update this post.  I did take a break between the 200's and the 100's but not between the 600/300 and 200.  From what I can see my 2x300's I did both of them on 3:45 and my 200's on 2:27/2:28/2:28.    My 600 on 7:45.  My 100's I was 1:10/1:15/1:12 and then I can't read the paper still.  I sorta remember 14's.  Oh well.  Now that was Part One which was on my own.  So let's make this lame workout 20% cooler! The swim gang started to show up so I started to re-warm up.  100 IM Swim / 200 IM Kick / 4x50's easy free.  (500/3700)

4x100's 2 - kick / 2 drill/swim.  I did 350 yards due to a pee break (4050)

Main Set:

4x50's/200/400/200/4s50's (1200/5250)  I did these sorta-IM.  The 450x' fly/back, back/breast, breast/free and free.  The 200 was IM.  While the 400 was 100 IM / 100 Reverse IM and repeat.  I forgot the intervals but I was having plenty of rest. 

For some reason I miscounted in my head and thought I was only at 4750 yards.  So I swam 5x50's winding myself down.  (250/5500)

So 5,500 yard swim.  Good for me! 
I haven't been able to swim as much as I like due to work but have had plenty of time to join the Herd of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic show I've decided to post about Ponies!  Yup, the Daily Swim Report will be the Daily Hoof Stomp!  No more Ryan Lochte but all Fluttershy!  Posting swim workouts are okay but I need to make this site 20% cooler  Any only Ponies can do that!

AQUAview: Pink Valentine Speedo

Happy Pink Day! 

I See Everything In Pink! Pink Goggles That Is!

Sunday!  It's my morning for a nice long swim.  And this morning I got to try my new goggles. 

The Workout:

Warm Up
200 Swim / 100 Pull w/o Paddles / 200 Pull w/ Paddles
3x100's Kick on 2 minutes. (800)

6x50's Kick (300/1100)

3x200's Pulling with paddles on 3 minutes.  I alternated breathing every 3 and 5 by 50.  (600/1700)

6x50's Pulling w/o paddles (300/2000)

Then the other swimmers started to show up and I did about a 200 mixed kick and a 100 swim till everyone was ready to start together.  (300/2300)

3x100's Kick on 2 minutes.  I was flying on these with butterfly kick doing 1:35's.  Which is fast for me.  (300/2600)

3x200's Backstroke on 3:20.  I descended these and ended up at a 2:32.  I think.  It's a fuzzy.  I so need one of those swim watches to keep track of this shit.  (600/3200)

4x100's Breaststroke on some interval.  I actually felt okay with these and did a descend.  I think I ended up with like a 1:37 which is again fast for me.  (400/3600)

10x50's Butterfly on 55.  OY!  I was pretty much coming in between 35 and 40.  (500/4100)

And that was it.  I was beat and sooo hungry!  A banana on Sunday morning just doesn't cut it.  I felt okay during the last butterfly part except I had a damn Avril Lavigne or however you spell her name song stuck in my head.  That almost killed me!

 

12 Days of Christmas For Swimmers! Day 11: Splish Equipment Bag

On the 11th day I wished for a Splish Equipment Bag from splish.com!  Yeah, maybe if I had one I wouldn't have lost all those goggles this year and a pull buoy (which i later found!)  They even have a pink flamingo one...
Even if Santa forgets to bring me one I am gonna break down and finally get an equipment bag for all my swim toys!  check out splish.com

12 Days of Christmas For Swimmers! Day 10: Pull Buoy

On Day 10 I wished for...a new pull buoy.  Two days of pulling items in a row but I do love pulling.  I don't think I pull enough.  I actually never have!  The other day I thought I lost my pull buoy so I borrowed an old skool pull buoy which made me start to ponder what kind of pull buoy am I going to buy since it seems I lost my pull buoy.  Swimoutlet.com alone has over 30 different kinds!  WOWSER!  So I am going to watch this video from the fine folks of US Masters Swimming...

But you an never ever go wrong by going PINK!

Tuesday's Swim Report - Is That A Candy Cane In Your Speedo Or...

Lane 1 - Inside The Games posts "Swimming star Kirsty returns to Coventry.  Two-time Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry has returned to the city which shares her name following her first ever trip to the key London 2012 destination a year ago.  The 28-year-old from Zimbabwe, who won gold in the women's 200 metres backstroke at the Athens 2004 Olympics before retaining her title at Beijing 2008, has formed a strong relationship with the city, which will host several Olympic football matches at the Ricoh Arena."

Lane 2 - Way 2 Go 2 Rob of RobAquatics who brags "You Might Recognize Someone in USMS Swimmer Magazine This Month…"  Hmmm…who could it be?  Gotta love all the PINK!

Lane 3 - Sowetan Live posts "Top SA swimmers in Dutch tune-up.  FOLLOWING the success of Chad le Clos, Swimming South Africa is creating more opportunities for their swimmers to fine-tune themselves ahead of the 2012 London Olympics."

Lane 4 - Congrats to my High School Swim Coach!  From The Valley Breeze "Recognizing four decades of service.  He didn't get a gold watch.  All Pawtucket native and Tolman High graduate Bruce Calvert got when his job as swimming pool director and swim team coach at Cumberland High School was eliminated was a certificate of appreciation.  n 1974, after the CHS pool was installed, Calvert, a Pawtucket native, was hired by the School Department to oversee and maintain the pool, provide swim instruction as part of an expanded physical education curriculum, and became coach of the school's first swim team.  Initially, there were only boys teams, with a girls' program added a few years later, and Calvert coached both.  Under his direction, the swim teams became a Rhode Island and regional powerhouse. Each recorded eight state championships, and there are two New England championship banners hanging in the pool area.  Calvert is a 1987 inductee into the Rhode Island Aquatics Hall of Fame and was the 2001 Rhode Island Interscholastic League Coach of the Year."

Lane 5 - Gizmodo scares the shit out of me with "This Photo Really Gives a Perfect Idea of the Terrifying Size of a White Shark."

Lane 6 - It's my favorite time of the year, SANTA SPEEDO RUN SEASON!  Toronto.com posts "Santa Speedo Run" - A fundraiser for Sick Kids Toys and Games Fund.  The offbeat Christmas tradition has brave participants run in nothing but red Speedos to raise funds for Sick Kids."  The Times Union of Albany has "Santa Speedo Sprint seeks ice sculptors.  The Santa Speedo Sprint, an annual centerpiece of the Winter WonderLark celebration in Albany, is seeking people with a skill in ice sculpture to participate in an ice-carving competition during this year’s WonderLark event, scheduled for 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, on Lark Street in Albany."  Oregon Live reports "Santa Speedo Run announced for December 3, 2011.  This event is a fund raiser for the Ethiopia Project, which collects gently used shoes and running gear to donate to young runners in Ethiopia."  And Project Q Atlanta posts "Gay packages prepping for Santa Speedo Run.  Wearing less to give more at the Atlanta Santa Speedo Run has only grown in popularity among gay spectators since its 2009 inception. This year, DJ Chris Griswold is just one of the gay participants to brave the elements.  A big draw among dance crowds for years, Griswold (top photo) most recently spun a set at the Boo-T Ball Halloween fundraiser. Setting his headphones aside momentarily, he joins the “The Long Johns” team in stripping down to raise eyebrows and funds at the Dec. 10 event."

Lane 7 - Perth Now posts "Shark attack saviour awarded Pride of Australia bravery medal.  A RELUCTANT hero who risked his life to save a Rockingham dolphin tour guide has won an Outstanding Bravery at the Pride of Australia Awards in Sydney tonight.  Trevor Burns expected October 30, 2010, to be a special day - he was heading out with wife Julie and daughter Megan, 24, to swim with dolphins with local tour company Rockingham Wild Encounters."

Lane 8 - 95-106 Capital FM posts "LMFAO: "People Don't Like Our Speedos".  The 'Party Rock Anthem' duo say the skimpy underwear they wear in the video for 'Sexy And I Know It' video has not been popular."

Pacing. Pace Swim, Pace Car. It's all the same.

So I could lie and say how I got up at 5am and was ready to run but the rain was pouring down so hard I decided to skip running.  Yeah, that's the ticket, the rain was pouring so I stayed inside so I wouldn't slip and fall.  Or I could tell you the harsh truth that I just hit snooze.  Yup, that is what I did.  I hit snooze and skipped yet another morning run.  But at least I got up in time to go swimming.

Warm Up

500 Mixed.  3x100's Kick / 1x100 Kick/Drill (900)

Main Set:

5x50's on 50 Free pace. 

Squared up clock to the 60/top

500 Negative Split.  I was doing 1:20's for the first 300 then 1:15's.  I took 1:30 rest.

5x100's descend on 1:30.  I was 1:17, 1:15, 1:14, 1:12 and 1:10.  Nothing great but not so bad.

Then after some rest and chit chat finished up with 5x50's Freee on 60.  (1500/2400)

So not a bad swim.  2,400 yards.  The pool is much much cooler at 85.7F.  Funny how I should be bitching how hot it is but months of 90+ temps have changed my perceptions.  I can only hope we get a few more cool rainy days to bring the temps down even more.  Is 82F too much to ask?  I hope it isn't as I have a 1,000 in workout that will be all about pacing and lots of math. 

(about the image in post - "Chevrolet plans to do more with its NASCAR Camaro pace car than merely slow the field down. For the next two races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Richmond International Raceway, a Camaro doused in pink to support breast cancer research will lead the field. As if the hue weren't enough, when the safety car comes out, Chevrolet will donate $200 per lap to the American Cancer Society." via autoblog)

Wednesday's Swim Report - It's A Mutha f-in Flying Shark

Lane 1 - When I'm wrong, I'm wrong.  I've always hated teh 3-3-3 butterfly drill but now that I've been proven wrong by the best I guess I'll do it more often.  Speedo USA "Butterfly 333" via youtube

Lane 2 - Disability Scoop has "Michael Phelps, Special Olympics Join Forces.  Swim champion Michael Phelps is teaming up with Special Olympics to help people with intellectual disabilities become more comfortable in the water."

Lane 3 - From US Masters Swimming "Olympic Gold Medalist Misty Hyman previews the 2011 USMS Summer Nationals in Auburn, Ala. This great facility boasts two 50 meter pools along with a 25 yard warm up pool. Sarah Stallkamp, the aquatics director for Auburn University, comments about how great it is to have a premier masters swimming event in her facility." via youtube

Lane 4 - The Australian has "Hot James Magnussen most valuable since Ian Thorpe.  NEW sprint king James Magnussen returned home last night as the most valuable member of the Australian team after a sensational week at the world championships in Shanghai. He is now the fastest man in the pool, after clocking the three best times in history over 100m freestyle (without a polyurethane swimsuit), leading the Australian 4x100m freestyle relay team to victory on the first day, and ending with a flourish when he hauled the medley relay team from fourth to a silver medal with a spectacular anchor leg."

Lane 5 - Kiefer has the ultimate in Shark Week swim aids with "SwimFin.  Ideal for beginning or special needs swimmers. The SwimFin replaces traditional arms bands that inhibit range of motion. A dynamic new teaching tool that helps develop stroke technique and confidence by maintaining optimal body position in the water."  Oh and you can get a PINK one!

Lane 6 - NY Daily News has "Shark Week: Andy Samberg becomes 'Chief Shark Officer' for Discovery.  'Saturday Night Live' regular Andy Samberg realizes he's not exactly the first person you'd associate with sharks.  That made it a no-brainer when the folks at Discovery called and offered him a chance to take on the totally bogus title of 'chief shark officer' for this year's Shark Week, which kicked off Monday."  Wait a minute, what ever happened to that contest they had to find the Chief Shark Officer?  I think someone was ROB-bed!

Lane 7 - Check out the "Awesome Flying Shark 4ch Brushless EDF Ducted plane" via Nitroplanes.

Lane 8 - Texas Sports has "Texas-Ex Brendan Hansen claims U.S. national title in 100-meter breaststroke.  Brendan Hansen wins national crown in just his third competition since the 2008 Beijing Olympics."