Rearview Mirror: Swimming in 2009

These year end numbers are not exact as I may not have logged every workout into my ongoing log totals.  But from what I have logged I have swam a total of 533,344 yards for 2009.  That is using a total of yards and meters and then having the log on the USMS website figure it all out for the Go The Distance login. 

The year itself was an okay year for swimming.  Swam at the USMS SCY Championships and had an okay swim meet.  Had a few personal best times.  Had some okay times.  But I swam and didn't get DQ'ed which is half the battle.  For SCY Season I ranked 10th in the 1650 for Men 35-39 in USMS Swimming.  Not too shabby.

Then I sat out LCM season with no swim meets.  Not that I swam many meets in 2009 in any pool length.  I swam at 4 SCY and 2 SCM meets.  That is more then enough.

When SCM season rolled around I gotta admit my swim meet swimming started off pretty bad and kept on getting worse.  I swam a meet at UCLA and in my 100 back and 100 fly did some of my slowest swims ever.  I alsn my 1500 i did my 2nd fastest time but it was so far behind my best time that I wasn't happy.  My 400 free, 200 fly and 200 back were also not very fast times for me.  On the last day of the meet I finally got into my grove and did a personal best in the 800 free.  Guess 2009 was the year of the 800 free for me. It'll be a few months before any Top 10 times are released but looking up my rankings I have a few but those can and may change as meets are still being loaded into the USMS database. 

Overall it was a good year.  As for 2010 and my goals you can read that post LINK that I typed up on my flight to Florida last week. 

3100 Sunday Morning Swim

Warmed up a 400

4x150's (25 kick / 50 drill / 50 swim / 25 swim) I did them fly / back / fly / free (600/1000)

Main Set:
100 IM on 1:45 (100)
3x50's Fly on 50 (150/250)
2x50's Back on 50 (100/350)
1x50 Breast on 50 (50/400)
2x100's Free on 1:30 (200/600)
rested a bit as we regrouped
100 IM on 1:50 (100/700)
3x50's Fly on 1:05 (150/850)
2x50's Back on 1:05 (100/950)
1z50 Breast on 1:05 (50/1000)
2x100's Free on 1:30 (200/1200/2200)

400 Pull (200 breath control by 50 3/5/3/5 2nd 200 breath control by 100 3 an 5) (400/2600)

8x25's on 30 Free Kicking like crazy (200/2800)

2x50's IM (100/2900)

8x25's warmdown on 30 (200/3100)

I gotta admit I'm feeling a bit better in the water.  Last night while playing Nintendo I started to feel pain in my shoulder / neck again.  I took some ibuprofen and went to bed.  While swimming this am I'm not 100% better and do feel a slight tinge of pain but it's bearable.  Plus I'm swimming on slower intervals so it makes it easier. 

Later today I plan on running a bit and do some weight training.  Not going to knock myself out but slowly pushing myself bit by bit towards a full recovery.  This summer has been a bit of a non-swim season for me.  First I was hit or miss after SCY Nationals.  Then came the flu and now this pain issue.  With that I've decided to take this summer as a recovery summer. 

MTD Yardage: 21,575
YTD Yardage:  335,800
YTD LCM 5,000

Getting My Ass Kicked In The Pool

I knew that swimming on a Tuesday night is an ass kicking workout.  Combine that with 24 Cycle this morning and my first circuit weight training in what seems like forever and you get one sore guy.  About an hour into the workout and by body started to let me know that it was time to get out.  At the very end every time I pushed off the walls my thighs felt super tight.  Not cramping but my legs were letting me know they wanted to go home and watch tv in bed.  My arms and chest weren't doing much better.  So I called it a night after 60 minutes.  I figure I need to ease back into my hard workout days.

Warm Up
600 mixed swimming and pulling

Kick Set
200 on 3:40
2x100's on 1:50
2x75's on 1:25
I was a bit surprised in my kicking.  All those spin (24 cycle) classes are paying off.  (550/1150)

Drill Set:
6x75's on 1:10 Odd's Stroke / Evens Free (450/1600)

Main Stroke Set:
4 Rounds (the stroke was to be the same stroke all four rounds)
25 Stroke on 30
25 Free on 25
75 Stroke on 1:05
25 Free on 25
25 Stroke on 30
Each round the 75 was descending.  I did backstroke. (700/2300)

Main Free Set:
4x75's on 1:05
200 FAST on 2:50
4x75's on 1:05
200 FAST on 2:50
This is were I got out.  The set was actually 4 rounds and I only did 2 rounds.  (1000/3300)

At the end I was doing open turns and just struggling to hang on.  I know I just gotta keep at it and I'll be back in shape soon enough.  Normally I think I would have loved the main free set but tonight my body was telling me to go home.  On my two 200's I think I was faster then what I swam on Monday.  I "think" as was having issued with clock math and remember when I left.  So at least that was an improvement.  Small steps...small steps.

And with that another month ends...

MTD Yardage:  31,450

MTD LCM:  3,000

And at the 1/2 way mark of the year...

JAN Yardage:  64,440

FEB Yardage: 49,950
FEB LCM: 9,800

MAR Yardage: 63,000
MAR LCM:  10,500

APR Yardage: 53,300
APR LCM:  3,700

MAY Yardage:  38,875
MAY LCM:  0

JUN Yardage:  31,450

YTD Yardage:  314,225
YTD LCM 5,000

Monday Morning Swim

Slowly swim by swim I'm feeling better in the water after being a bit sporadic this past month in swimming.  This mornings workout was mostly freestyle and even though my swim workout times were a bit slower than I'd like they were at least consistent.  

Warm Up
500 (i broke it up as a 200 swim/200 pull/100 swim)

5 Minutes Kicking.  The coach would blow the whistle and you'd kick fast then she'd blow it again and you went slow.  I think it was 20 secs fast and 40 secs slow.  I did a 300 total.  Some of the slow parts I barely kicked and just floated.  (300/800)

3x100's 50 Drill / 50 Swim Drills: One Arm, Fingertip Drag and Fist (300/1100)

Main Set:
4x200's on 2:45 1st 200 the last 100 was fast, 2nd 200 the first 100 was fast, 3rd 200 the middle 100 was fast and the 4th 200 was fast.  I was coming in at 2:21's for these.  Plenty of rest but the time was pretty slow.
rest 1 minute
8x100's on 1:25 Same pattern as above but by 50.  I was doing 1:11's.  A little off my workout time for a set like this but at least I was consistent.  (1600/2700)

1x75 kick / 50 drill / 25 swim Choice of Stroke / Non Free.  I did this backstroke (200/2900)

3 Rounds:
50 on 60
4x25's on 30
I did all three rounds backstroke.  Since I've been out of the water of late my butterfly is pretty bad.  Something to work on in July.  (450/3350)

I then warmed down a 100.  (100/3450)  Working out in June has been a bit sporadic so my goal for July is to get back on track.   I haven't done weights in ages so that is another thing I need to get back on track.  Spinning (24 Cycle) is something I know I can skip so I want to get back to swimming Tuesday or Thursday nights.  Those workouts can be a bit harder then the morning workouts so I need to hit those up more.  A new month is almost here so new goals.  Swim more and faster then June.

MTD Yardage:  28,150
MTD LCM:  3,000

YTD Yardage:  310,925
YTD LCM 5,000

Afternoon Swimming Fail

I walked to the West Hollywood pool thinking that summer started next week and they'd have a split lap swim with recreational swim.  But when I got to the pool I found out it was only a recreational swim.  Doh!  So I figured I'd hit the gym pool.  I only planned on swimming about 2,000 yards today so the gym pool would be okay.  But since I didn't have my gym lock I had to go home and get it.  When I got to the corner of SMB the bus pulled up so I decided to be lazy and bus the 2 minutes home.  I know, lazy.  So I get home get my lock and walk down to the gym.  It's not that all gym pools suck but most gym pools suck except for LAAC but that is a whole other fish.  I get in and after a 100 I start to change my 2,000 yards down a bit.  The pool is way too hot and very shallow.  The sun just fries you as the rays hit you on your back and reflect off the shallow bottom.  The design of the pool is a bit odd as they had to work with a triangle sized lot.  The swim lanes are staggered so each lane starts about 5 feet from each other.  With no flags you'd think you could use the lane lines to judge the wall when swimming backstroke.  Well the lane lines are old and have about 5 yards without any plastic lane line markers.  It's just string.  Because it's a gym pool swimming is a free for all as people just swim in any lane.  The guy I shared the lane with had a very wide stroke so he must have hit me about a half dozen times.  That was pretty much my final straw and got out after swimming 1,050 yards.  I figure a swim is a swim.  I've skipped swimming so much of late I just needed to get in the water.

My workout:

200 Swim
200 Pull
200 Kick
100 Swim
100 Pull
100 Kick
100 swim

50 Swim

1,050 yards. And i think I have a black and blue mark from that other swimmer.

MTD Yardage:  24,700
MTD LCM:  3,000

YTD Yardage:  307,475
YTD LCM 5,000

 

Cloudy With A Chance Of Swimming

Earlier today I got a team email announcing that the WeHo pool will be closed Sunday for some issues with chemical balances.  This was to be the last Sunday afternoon practice till the fall so I was looking forward to one last Sunday afternoon swim.  So no more Sundays unless I do a lap swim as I am not in the mood to drive to Van Nuys early on a Sunday morning.  I decided since I might not swim to Monday I'd hit the one hour evening workout tonight.  Once I was in the water it only took a 25 yard swim to realize that something was wrong with the water as it was cloudy.  After practice I was pretty itchy.  Here is the couldy workout:

Warm Up:
200 Swim
200 Pull
200 Kick (600)

3x
100 IM Drill
then something else followed by something else.  damn I hate it when I can't remember. (300/900)

Main Set:
4x100's on 1:30 2 & 4 Fast.  I did these all backstroke (400)
50 Kick on 55
50 Free swim on 45
50 Kick (150/550)
4x75's on 1:10 2 & 4 Fast.  I did these freestyle (300/850)
50 Kick on 55
50 Free swim on 45
50 Kick(150/1000)
4x50's on 50 2 & 4 Fast.  I did these backstroke. (200/1200)
50 Kick on 55
50 Free swim on 45
50 Kick (150/1350)
4x25's on 30 2 & 4 Fast.  I did these butterfly. (100/1450)

50 easy (1500)

After that we did 3 sets of blast offs.  Which was you jumped vertically 5x in a streamlined position then swim into the wall fast, flip turn and then easy for the rest of the 50.  (150/1650)

MTD Yardage:  23,650
MTD LCM:  3,000

YTD Yardage:  306,425
YTD LCM 5,000

Out Of The Rut & Into The Pool

We all get in our own little ruts from time to time.  Over the last few weeks I sort of fell into the sleep in and skip swimming rut.  First the pool was closed for a week so instead of waking up and swimming laps at the gym pool or the Culver Plunge I just slept in.  I'd tell myself that I'd go swimming later.  Later would then become tomorrow and tomorrows started to count up.  One after another.  Then I had a bout with the flu and that took me out of the water.  I tried one lap swim then took a day off after that.  Then I swam Friday night.  That workout killed me.  It wasn't that the workout was tough it was mostly that coming back from being sick I wasn't tough enough for the workout.  Saturday came and I did get in the pool.  Although I only maybe swam a 200 at the most while my friend Amy did some laps.  Sunday morning came and went as did Sunday afternoon.  Amy wanted to do some laps so we did head over to the pool but the pool closed early due to a lack of lifeguards on duty.  Monday morning came and went with the promise that I'd swim in the evening.  Seven o'clock would roll up and I'd make another promise for tomorrow.  It was easy to get in the rut.  But that is over.  I'm back!  Well I'm back in the water.

This mornings workout was a "distance free" workout in name only as it was mostly sprints and pacing.  The intervals were easy enough that it was a doable workout for someone just getting back in the water.  Here is the workout:

Warm Up:
200 Swim
200 Pull
4x75's Kick
3x100's 50 Drill / 50 Swim (1,000 yard warm up)

Main Set:
400 Pull (1st 200 Breath control by 50 every 3/5/any/7 then the 2nd 200 was just dps) on 5:20 (400)
8x100's Pace on 1:20 (800/1200)
200 Pull on 2:35 (200/1400)
8x50's Sprint on 55 (400/1800)
200 Pull on 2:35 (200/2000)
8x25's on 30 (200/2200)
400 Pull (1st 200 DPS / 2nd 200 b.c. as above) (400/2600/3600)

100 Easy some other stroke then freestyle (100/3700)

400 IM 25 kick / 25 swim (400/4100)

50 warm down (50/4150)

Then we were suppose to do a 200 for time but we were running behind so the coach said a 50 for time instead.  I decided that I was in no shape to do anything for time.  So to save face from anyone watching me flounder in the pool I got out.  I figure by Sunday I should be up to my own pacing and swimming.  During the 8x100's pace i was coming in on consistent times although I was only swimming fast for a 50 and then drafting for the 2nd half. 

MTD Yardage:  22,200
MTD LCM:  3,000

YTD Yardage:  304,775
YTD LCM 5,000

Friday Night Swim Live

Well this is my first official swim practice in almost two weeks and boy am I out of shape.  Between not swimming and coming down with the flu it was a challenge of a workout when it should have been so much easier.  I should have moved down a lane but that would have meant the fast lane would have one person and the next lane down would have had 5 people.  So I sucked it up and struggled.  Figure what doesn't kill us only makes us puke...I mean stronger.

Warm Up
200 Swim
400 IM broken 50 kick / 25 drill / 25 swim (600)

Then we did flip turn drills.  We started off with 2x15 meters in which we swam into the wall did a flip but stayed on our back without pushing off.  Then we did this other flip turn drill swimming off the wall just doing a sombersault at the 1/2 way mark.  Then we did 5x50's (one for example and 4 on 60 seconds) in which we pushed off the wall, sombersaulted about 1/2 way, swim into the next wall doing a flip turn, another sombersault about 1/2 way then finishing with a flip turn but not pushing off the wall.  (400/1000)

Main Set:
4x25's on 25 Stroke. (I picked breaststroke as it is the lesser of 3 evils) (100)
2x100's IM on 1:40 (200/300)
4x50's Free on 40 (200/500)
4x50's on 50 Stroke (i picked butterfly as I'm so outta shape and in each of these stroke part of the sets you couldn't repeat any strokes) (200700)
2x100's reverse IM on 1:40 (200/900)
4x50's Free on 40 (200/1100)
our lane wasn't told to rest 30 seconds after each group of 4x50's so since we missed the first round we took 60 seconds this time)
2x75's on 1:10 Stroke (I did these backstroke) (150/1050)
2x100 Relay order IM (that is back,  breast, fly and free) on 1:40 (200/1250)
4x50's Free on 40 (200/1450/2450)

I then just warmed down a 50 to round up my yardage to 2500.  Looking at these intervals I am amazed how much it pained to swim tonight.  Easy intervals with lots of rest and I just slowly died.  But I'm back swimming and it won't take long before I snap back. 

MTD Yardage:  18,050 (i won't even reach 1/2 of my average monthly yardage this month.  but that is okay)
MTD LCM:  3,000

YTD Yardage:  300,625 (wahoo crosses the 300,000 mark for 09')
YTD LCM 5,000

Lap Swim @ 12ish

I haven't been feeling that hot the last 24 hours.  After a restless night with very little sleep I decided to skip the first swim workout in West Hollywood in over a week.  Instead I figured I head over to a lap swim.  Ease myself back in the pool.  I really didn't think I could hack a real workout.  Good thing I made my choice as I could barely hack the lap swim.  I gave up after a short lap swim as I thought I was going to be sick.  After the swim I had some tea and some soup and feel better.  I may try to hit the 24 Cycle tonight at 7pm if I can rally by then. 

Warmed Up
300 Swim
200 Pull
200 Kick
100 Swim (800)

Since I was sharing the lane with 2 other lap swimmers with each one of us doing something different the rest of the workout was basically just 50's and a few 100's.  I'd catch up to one person and would hold up to let them continue if they were working on an interval. 

I did 8x50's kick reverse IM.  (400/1200)

Then it's all a blur.  I did a couple of 100's and a 50 or two.  (200/1400)  I really did feel like crap.  Figured it was best I just get out.  I may try a lap swim in the morning tomorrow before attempting Friday workout.  Which I may go at night as it is only an hour and shorter distances ie. a sprint workout.  It might be a good choice helping me ease back into swim workouts. 

MTD Yardage:  15,550
MTD LCM:  3,000

YTD Yardage: 298,125
YTD LCM 5,000

Monday Morning Swim

Today was the last day swimming at the WeHo Pool for a bit over a week as the pool will be closed for Pride. 

Warmed Up
200 Swim
200 Drill
50 Drill
50 Swim (500)

Then we did a kick set.  Basically it was an endless kick set.  You just kick and when the coach blows the whistle you go fast.  I didn't count laps or even know how long it was.  But I really worked it and kept up with a fast kicker. 

Free Set:
200 Pull on 2:30
4x100's Pace on 1:20
200 Pull on 2:30
4x100's Build by 25 in each 100 on 1:20
200 Pull on 2:30
4x100's Descend on 1:15 (1800/2300)

easy 200 (200/2500)

200 Fast (200/2700)

100 easy non-free (100/2800)

200 Butterfly 50 Kick / 50 Drill (200/3000)

9x25's 1 fly on 35 2 free on 30 repeat (225/3225)

I then warmed down a 75 (75/3300)

Tomorrow morning a few of us are going to head to Culver City for the 6am lap swim.  Get in a decent LCM workout in. 

MTD Yardage:  14,150
MTD LCM:  0

YTD Yardage: 296,725
YTD LCM 2,000