Tuesday Night Sprint Workout

I'm beginning to like Tuesday night swim practice as it is becoming the least attended workout of the week.  With that said the workout was pretty easy and I loafed off for most of it.

Warmed Up

100 Free Pull

200 IM Pull

100 Free Pull (400)

Then we did some drill work.

2x25's Drill Swordfish

2x25's Modified Swordfish with an underwater recovery

2x25's ummm..."Headly"?  Basically with arms on side you rotate from left side to right side while kicking. (150/550)

4x75's with a 25 of each of the drills listed above (300/850)

I think we may have done some other drill work.  I know one arm swims.

4x25's Fast on 30? (100/950)

Then we went into 8x100's Free Fast on 1:20.  Because we were doing drill work and then I got out to pee right before this set I was a bit sluggish at first.  I didn't feel warmed up and just didn't have anything yet.  By the end I was coming in on the 1:05's. (800/1650)

Then I think we did more drill work.  Swimming Fist

2x25's Fist (50/1700)

Then 3x75's (25 fist / 50 distance per stroke) (225/1825)

Then it was sprint time again.  8x50's off the blocks.  Now this was sorta interesting.  I had one person in my lane so we just did a relay.  He'd come in from his 50's and I was off on mine.  So it was like having a minute rest.  My last 50 I did fly. (400/2225)

Then I did a 25 to the other end. (25/2250)

8x25's on 35 Did them all fly (200/2450)

Then ummm...I think 2x50's fly.  I think.  (100/2550)

Warmed down a 100 (100/2650)

I know we did a little more then 2650 but not much more.  It was good to do the drill work but with the air getting chilly I didn't enjoy waiting in between.  As for the starts I do feel we need to do more of them but once again why not all summer when it's warm and we don't mind being on deck.  But hey it was another workout in the pool.  So it was all good.

Swimmers Gift Giving Guide

The Doggy Bag.  Not the kind you get when you leave a restaurant this kind of doggy bad is a mesh carry-all for all your swimming equipment.  When I first started to swim on my own besides goggles and a swim suit I went and purchased a kick board, a pull buoy and swim paddles.  I also was swimming at the gym so I'd pack all of that except the kick board into my bag and then unload the stuff in the locker room and trot downstairs to the pool with my stuff.  Hoping not to drop anything on my way down the stairs.  If only I had a doggy bag.  Not only would I be able to carry them downstairs I could then bring everything home, toss the bad with everything in it in a dry spot and not have to repack my swim pack again with the equipment and clothing.  These days I only bring paddles and my own pull buoy but I see a few other swimmers bring more swim tech toys to the pool.  All of which they carry in one of these doggy bags.  At $10.50 at tyr.com it's a perfect little gift for the swimmer in your life.  Oh and it comes in various colors, I just like the pink one.

Sunday Afternoon Swim

Today it was back to swimming after taking Saturday as a recovery day.  I jumped in the water and took my time doing a very lazy 250 warm up.  Then we had a warm up set:

2x
150 Kick
50 Spring Kick
3x50's Swim

I don't remember the intervals.  Too fast if you ask me but that is the story of the whole workout.

Main Set:
200 IM
1x100 IM or Stroke on 1:20 (i did backstroke)
200 IM
2x100's IM or Stroke on 1:25 (i did backstroke)
200 IM
3x100's IM or Stroke on 1:30 (i did backstroke)
I don't remember what the 200's were on but it wasn't all the much rest. 
After a bit of rest we moved on to the rest of the set.
200 Free on 2:30
4x100's Free on 1:15
200 Free on 2:30.  We ended up taking an extra 30 seconds rest.
5x100's Free on 1:15

By the 5x100's I was beat.  After a 50 easy I moved on to the rest of the workout.  I was the only one remaining.

2x
200 Pull breathing 3/5/3/7 on 2:40
150 Back or Breast swimming on 2:45
4x25's No breathing on 30.

And that was that. Not bad for a Sunday afternoon.  Lot's of stroke and very little rest.  And that was the last swim practice for November.

Friday Morning Swimming

Due to the holiday we only had one swim practice today from 7am to 8:30am.  Warm up started off pretty easy.  I did about a 400 freestyle.  We then did a warm up set:

6x150s  75 Kick / 50 Drill / 25 Swim.  Evens free / Odd stroke

Then we moved to the middle of the pool and did a few flip turns. 

Main Set:
2x200 Free on 2:40
3x100's IM on 1:40
4x50's Non Free on 55 did backstroke
30 seconds extra rest
I ran to the rest room for a pee break and missed my send off so I went last in the lane for the beginning of the set then lost 15 seconds to move back to being 2nd in the lane.
2x200's IM on 3:15
3x100's Stroke (forgot interval) did backstroke
4x50's Free on 40
30 seconds extra rest
1x200 Stroke on 3:15.  i did backstroke
3x100's Free on 1:20
2x50's Stroke on 55.  I did backstroke

The intervals weren't really hard today.  But that is okay.  It's Friday.  Since it was the only workout of the day it was a bit crowded. 

Wedensday Drizzling Swim

When my alarm went off at 5am I had to make the decision of getting up and checking the rain situation or just sleeping in.  For some reason my body wanted to get up.  So I wake up and while grabbing the morning paper I noticed that it wasn't raining.  After that I decided to go swimming.  Of course once I got to practice and was on deck it started to rain but luckily it stopped in less than 5 minutes and the sun broke out by the end of workout.  What makes swimming outside in the rain even worse is that locker rooms don't have any real roof besides the gate rooftop so the locker room was wet.

Warmed Up about a 250 or was it a 350.  I don't know it was rather slow.  I was feeling last nights workout.

Then we did 3x150's.  50 drill / 100 swim.  The drill was modified swordfish.

I'm skipping something here.  Hmm...oh a pull set.  I think it was a series of 100's.  the first 15 yards of each 100 was suppose to be the head lead drill (Press your buoy, head lead: freestyle kick face down arms at side, kicking  gently and press your chin and chest towards bottom of pool.)

Next up was 7x100's keeping on a pace you'd think you do for a 1650 SCY.  The interval was 1:20 and I held 1:14's.

500 holding that pace.  I was able to do that doing 1:14's on each 100.  Well I can only guess that as I did poke my head up after each 100 to look at the clock and I finished it on 6:10 which would be equal t a 1:14 pace.

5x100's on 1:20 50 pace / 50 build. I was holding 1:11's. 

Then we did 8x25's on the coaches send off.  1-4 the first 1/2 fast then 5-8  the second 1/2 fast.

Finishing up with two practice starts. 

And that is it.  Tomorrow is Thanksgiving so we don't have practice.  So I have a day without swimming for the Holiday.  Cheers!

Swimming In The Drizzle

Image via WikipediaTonight's workout wasn't so bad.  Even with 6x50's breaststroke all in all it was a descent workout.

Warmed up a 400 swim, a 300 pull w/paddles, a 100 pull w/o paddles then I think it was a 50 swim.  I was avoiding the kick portion of the warm up set which was 400 swim, 300 pull, 200 kick and 100 swim.  That is if you get in the water on time which I never do.

After standing around while the coach read Holiday swim schedule and what not we started our warm up set.
4x75's Kick Choice but all the same stroke
4x50's Drill
4x25's Swim
4x75's Kick butterfly
4x50's Drill butterfly.  I did two as I took my pee break.
4x25's Swim butterfly.
I don't remember what the intervals were.  As it was the warm up set I started last and took my time warming up.

Main Set:
30x50's
6xChoice on 50.  I did backstroke
6xFree on 40
6xBreast on 55 (I'm so proud not only did I do all 6 but I was able to continue to lead the lane)
6xBack on 50
6xfly on 50
These were descending in each set of 6.  Both fast lanes did the same interval for this set and entire workout.  No loafing around tonight.  Out of habit we segregated ourselves into our normal faster and just fast lanes.

4x150's Pulling on 2 minutes.  Breathing every 5th stroke and negative split each 150.  Okay that is just way too much math for me to handle in one small set.  I just took the 1st 75 easy and built from that.  Screw finding my split. 

12x25's on 30.  1 easy / 2 fast and at least 4 of the 12 should be underwater.  I think I might have only done 3 underwater.  I kept losing track of what was what.  I didn't look like anyone was sprinting any of the 25's. 

During the workout the big rain storm held back with one small drizzle at one point during the workout.  I may swim tomorrow morning depending on the weather. 

Redemption Workout

Image via WikipediaAfter the pool closing this morning and my horrible experience swimming at the gym I headed back to swim tonight for some redemption.  Monday night is normally a lightly attended workout but with the holiday coming up and various pool closures this week everyone must have decided to swim tonight.  As usual we had two fast lanes one with four faster fast swimmers and one with four just your run of the mill fast swimmers.  I jumped in with your run of the mill fast swimmers in the wall lane.  Ugh!  The faster fast swimmers NEVER get the wall lane.  But after this mornings gym swim really nothing in tonight's swim was about to bother me.

My warm up was at least a 400 but I know it was more.  I stopped counting and was just swimming lap by lap to we held up.  After we had our warm up set:
4x
75 Kick (when i kick i feel like the girl pictured above)
75 Drill
75 Swim
Reverse IM order.  I went 4th in the lane and completed the freestyle before taking a pee break right on cue for the breaststroke.  I ended up only missing a 50 of the kick and a 50 of the drill.  And then cheated my ass off for the rest with a series of butterfly kicks about 3/4 of the 25 yard pool.  Once we got to the backstroke I moved up to 2nd and by the butterfly was leading the lane.  Which is my normal modus operatus as I pretty much goof off till I warm up.

Main Set:
4x100's Free Descending on 1:20
200 IM on 3:15
3x100's Free Descending on 1:20
200 IM on 3:15
2x100's Free Descending on 1:20
200 IM on 3:15
1x100 Free Fast on 1:20
200 IM on 3:15

The fast lane did the 100's on 1:15 and the 200 on 3:00.  I really need to bite the bullet and move up to the faster group.  I was getting way too much rest.  In the 200's I was getting at least 30 seconds and the 100's around 10 seconds.  Even if it means the lanes will be unbalanced with the number of people.  Over the last few weeks it's become clear that I'm faster than the group I've been swimming with.  I just worry that I might not be able to hack the extra few seconds less rest in some sets.  I've given myself to Jan of 2009 to move up.  Also this will relive my issues with people who skip butterfly during 200 IM's even though I do the breaststroke.  Seriously if I can do a 50 breaststroke everyone should be able to do a 50 butterfly.  Also in the faster lane except for one person in particular everyone pretty much does the entire set.  Not like tonight that someone took several parts of the main set off up to a whole 350 at one point.  Although tonight it didn't bother me too much as I like my lane mates tonight.  It's funny how if someone does something annoying but you favor them over another it becomes less annoying.  Lane mates, can't swim with them, can't swim with out them.

After that we did a sprint set:
2x
100 easy free on 1:30
4x25's sprint on 30 choice (i did backstroke)
100 easy free on 1:30
4x25's sprint on 30 butterfly
100 easy free on 1:30
4x25's sprint on 30 choice (i did backstroke)
100 easy free on 1:30
4x25's sprint on 30 butterfly

Then I warmed down a 100.  I should have done another 100.  I'll be feeling it tomorrow.  Luckily I'm skipping my 6am LCM lap swim and will only be swimming at night. 

Worst Pool In Los Angeles: LA Fitness La Cienega!

Image via WikipediaI woke up at my normal 5am time and after 30 minutes of getting myself together including briefly scanning the morning newspaper I headed out on bike to the pool.  Well after 2 or 3 false starts forgetting my bike helmet and such.  I ride the 2 mile bike ride zig zagging along the morning traffic breaking a few traffic laws and such but being careful that no cars are even close by as I jot against lights.  At 5:40am without much traffic I bend some of the traffic rules, just a bit.  I get to the pool only to find out the chlorine levels are still high.  Something is wrong with the machine that reads the pH levels which then puts chlorine in the pool.  I decided to head to my gym to swim instead.  I did think of heading over to Culver and pay for a lap swim but I figured I'd do a quick workout in the hope that the pool will reopen by tonights 7pm workout.

So I bike to the gym, lock the bike up against the stairs as the LA Fitness doesn't seem to have a bike rack.  Seriously how much would it cost the gym to install a bike rack?  It's a gym, a place that healthy people go to get healthy.  Put in a damn bike rack.  I go to the locker room, get my gear out and head down to the pool.  I shower on deck and then find a lane.  I pick the middle lane with the older lady who has a kickboard, zoomers, another set of fins, a pull bouy and paddles.  I figured she knows what she is doing.  I get in and wait for her to swim to the wall and let her know I'd be swimming with her would she like to split the lane.  We agree and I start my warm up.

Warm up would be a good description of the pool's water.  After my first 100 my body temperature is already rising as the pool is about 85 degrees.  I ended up chatting with the lady lane mate and she said that this was one of the cooler days that the pool is normally around 88 degrees.  She went on to tell me she heard that the water was 86 degrees F today.  We continue very briefly to bitch together and she commented that the swimmers complain all the time but the blue haired social stand in the pool and do nothing seem to have more power over the pool temps.  Later in my swimming a man attempted to swim in the blue haired social stand in the pool group lane and was bitched out by the old crabby folks.  The man was brave and continued to swim.  I was about to come to his defense and tell the old crabby standies off but at that point I was too frustrated to swim any futher and just got out. 

So here is my morning workout:
300 Swim
300 Pull without paddles
300 Pull with paddles
100 Swim

2x100's Free on 1:30
2x150's Free no interval

10x50's back on 55

At least it was cooler doing backstroke.  But not much.  Now back to the pool itself.  Whoever at LA Fitness who designed this pool is an stupid smuck.  The pool has three lanes which are very narrow.  Swimming side by side or even swimming in opposite directions you are way too close to your lane mate.  Not hitting them even accidently is a chore.  The pool is 25 yards and luckily the lane lines are standard as other than the lane lines markings there are no backstroke flags or other marks for backstrokers.  Now the T at the LA Fitness pool the T is just for decoration.  Who ever painted the lines to mark the lanes and turns obviously didn't know what they were doing as the T ends about 1 inch from the wall.  I had figured I'd swim an easy workout but work on technique including turns and streamlines.  That plan went out the window as I had to relearn at which point to begin my turn plus I had to keep my head up to find the wall and avoid other swimmers.  At one point two of the three swim lanes had 3 people in each lane so I was dodging other swimmers. 

Now that I'm out of the pool I have a irritated throat.  God knows what was in that pool.  The water was hot and murky and as I was leaving an older gentleman was getting in the pool in his underwear.  Yeah, you read that right a man was going to join the swim pool in his underwear.  Not a swim suit, trunks or any other water type clothing but just regular dirty old briefs.  Damn LA Fitness on La Cienega this is the last time I swim at the pool again. 

Odd...no violations from the LA County Dept of Public Health on the pool but they did have violations in the showers and elsewhere.  Of course they only test the pools once a year and in this case it was in April of 2008.

 

That may change as someone might have reported this pool online as a violation.  That someone may have been me.

Sunday Review

This morning I biked over to the gym and did some weight training for about 46 minutes then rode home.  Then I had planned on swimming this afternoon as I got my stuff and rode the 2 mile ride to the pool on the bike.  But the pool was closed do to chemical levels.  Doh!  Oh well and extra day off.  I figured I did bike about 5.5 miles today and did weight training so all is not lost. 

Friday Morning

Another day and another swim.  This mornings swim felt better than last night but the body felt a bit fatigued.  At least a good nights sleep pushed the blah feelings away.  Today being Friday only means that I have some time off to let the body recover.  I'll hit the gym and then swim on Sunday.  So at least I have about 36 hours to let my muscles and body recover.

This morning I warmed up about a 300.  I wasn't really counting but I'm think it was a 300. 

Then we did a warm up set:
2x
200 Kick on 2:50 (well that was the assigned time I did it on 3 mins)
100 Drill (I think, some sort of drill thing.  I'm guessing a 100 as the coach gave us 4 drills to do if we did freestyle)
2x100's Free on 1:25 (okay the assigned time was 1:20 but this is warmup)
I think that was it.  Might have missed something.  After 7 swims in 6 days the workouts are blurring together. 

Main set:
200 Swim Freestyle on 2:40 (once again I stretched the assigned interval with was 2:30)
6x100's Swim as follows (100 free on 1:20, 50 free / 50 stroke on 1:25 and 100 stroke on 1:30.  1-3 my stroke was back and 4-6 my stroke was fly)  I kept to the assigned intervlas for these
200's Swim freestyle on 2:40
6x75's Swim IM on 1:15, I think. (i did the 1 & 2 all back then for the rest alternated strokes minus breast.  they assigned rotation was fly/back/breast, back/breast/free, breast/free/fly repeat.  I did more of a fly/back/free, back/fly/free, free/fly/back and i think back/fly/free.  Hey, I had my own lane.
200 swim freestyle on 2:40
6x50's on 55 descend 1-3 & 4-6.  I did 1-3 back and 4-6 fly.

Then I did a pull set which I messed up so here is what I did as I still don't recall what was the assigned set.
100 Pull breathing 3/5/any/7
4x50's Pull breathing 3 down / 2 back.

Warmed down a 200.

Overall it wasn't my best swim workout but I stuck it out and finished it.  My last 50 fly I tried to go fast but was only able to must a time of 32 seconds scy.  I took my time at the turn and did a very shallow push off which was basically me never really streamlining.  Hey, I was tired. 

I did use my new goggles.  I still have two pairs of swedes but also another new pair that I'll be talking up soon.  Another post for another time.  Just a little hint in the picture above.