Wednesday Morning Workout - Candy and Iron Edition

Grr...June Gloom and your bloody rain showers. While the rest of the country melts in acrecord breaking heat wave here in LA we are having a bit of a cold snap.  The good news about that is that I've been sleeping with the windows closed and sleeping the whole night.  The homeless man in the alley, drunkards arriving home post clubs and the various sounds of the city were vanquished into the night.  My alarm went off right on time and I hit snooze once but then rolled out of bed before the second snooze alert.  I got on the bike and cycled in the drizzle.  I will admit I was running a bit late due to Cafe World on Facebook.  Damn those games!  But the water pH level was still being played with in the morning so we couldn't get in the water right away.

The workout was a stroke workout and I got to lead the fast lane.  I got in the faster fast lane just to push myself today.  Figured I'd go last but that didn't happen.  Will admit my shoulders were still feeling sore from yesterday's weight training.

Warmed Up a 350.

We did a bunch of short warm up sets.  Don't think if I can remember them all.

We did 3 minutes of ab work in the deep end.  20 seconds side to side and 20 seconds back to front.

2x200's 25 Pull / 25 kick using pull buoy as a kickboard.  (I took a pee break so I missed a 100) (300/650)

Hmm...we did something  free/back then again later fly/breast.  

I know we did 6x50's of something.  (300/950)

I think they fly/breast was 2x200's 25 fly drill / 25 fly swim / 25 breast drill / 25 breast swim and repeat.  Or was it 1x200?  Meh...I can't remember which it was or the other parts so let's say 2x200's.  (400/1350)

Main Set:

6x50's Choice Stroke 50 / Free 45 (I did backstroke) (300)

2x75's on 1:05 Stroke (I did backstroke) (150/450)

100 Stroke on 1:40 (I think) (I did backstroke) (100/550)

6x50's Choice Stroke 50 / Free 45 (I did backstroke) (300/850)

2x75's on 1:05 Stroke (I did backstroke) (150/1000)

200 Stroke no interval (I did backstroke) I came in on 2:33.  I was shooting for under 2:30 but at lap 5 was feeling tired so slowed up then went fast on lap 6 then easier on 7 and faster on 8.  Should have planned it out in my head before I started swimming. (200/1200)

then a 50 easy before doing a broken 200 stroke fast.  Resting after each 50 for 10 seconds.  I finished my 200 fly on 2:54 so minus 30 seconds rest was 2:24.  Not too bad actually.  Pretty shocked about it.  Thought I was going slower with my turns.  (200/1400/2750)

I know we did more then 2,750 yards but that is all I remember.  I felt good if a bit stiff from weight training.  Overall it was a good workout.

Six years ago this morning I woke up at 5am and started an epic journey.  Well not so epic but after 17 years of not swimming I joined my current masters team.  Now when I was a kid in age group I wasn't that fast of a swimmer.  In fact I really didn't like swimming much at all.  But my sister was a pretty good swimmer so my parents dumped me off at swim practice with her.  I shouldn't say dumped because they were trying to instill hard work and competition in me.  As a kid I tried a few sports and a musical instrument but grew board and quit.  My parents weren't about to let that happen again so swimming was what I'd do.  Mind you I sucked at swimming.  In age group swimming Saturdays were the time trails and Sundays were the finals and let's just say I never had to ever swim on a Sunday.  Wahoo!  Then in high school when I was old enough to make up my mind I quit swimming.  Felt so good to lay down the kick board and pick up a pack of Marlboro Lights.

15 years of pack a day smoking went by so fast and I quit smoking in August of 2002.  It would take another year and a half before I would start to workout.  Luckily at the time I was dating a pretty active person who got me to start running.  Mind you a mile of running at the time was tough.  Then around March of 2004 I joined a gym on my own and started to workout (it was an Easter Sunday).  My first few adventures at the gym were comedic at best and sad at the very worse.  I forget the order of events but I attempted a spin class and after about 20 minutes pretty much gave up.  But no one told me that it helps to stop the pedals before you remove your foot from the harness on the bike.  I still have a  scar from when the pedal hit my leg on it's return.  After the class I puked my guts out.  The first few times at the gym I puked my guts out.  Even after just 20 minutes on the elliptical machine I puked my guts out.  So I decided I'd hit the pool.  I knew how to swim so how hard could it be?  Right?  Well after my first workout of swimming 20 laps I puked my guts out.  

After two months of swimming laps I slowly remembered how to swim and was able to swim more laps each time.  I decided swimming on my own was okay but I needed coached swimming.  I remembered as a kid waiting for the "old" swimmers to get out of the pool for our age group swimmers.  I don't exactly remember how I knew to look up masters swimming but I did.  And then I found West Hollywood Aquatics.  I looked at the website and read every past newsletter available online.  I felt comfortable enough that I could swim on a team.  So I printed up all the information and waited for the first of the month to join.  With the 4th of July holiday I started to swim on Wednesday the 7th.  That was 6 years ago today. 

I will admit at first I gave myself a month to try it out.  After the month went by I gave myself to the end of the year.  That all seems just like yesterday.  I don't know how much longer I will be swimming but I'm glad for these past 6 years.  It's been fun and I've met a bunch of great swimmers and coaches.  One thing this goes to show is that you are never too old to start exercising and getting back into shape.

Oh and one more thing the tradition 6 year anniversary gifts are candy and iron.  I prefer Nerds and Dark Milky Ways.  Thanks!

Double Double Monday Swim

I dont' know what is going on with me and sleeping.  I've seem to be dealing with insomnia of late.  Maybe it's just that I've become a light sleeper and the sounds of summer with the sliding door open wakes me up.  From the folks coming home at 2:30 in the morning in the back alley or the homeless man who lives in the alley and yells at the moon.  Soon it'll be too warm for the windows to be open and hopefully the light hum of the air conditioner will lull me into a full night sleep.

I woke up at 5 am after a night of tossing and turning.  After hitting snooze two times I got out of bed and struggled to get my swim bag together.  Once at the pool I slowly woke up despite the gloomy clouds made it feel like it was much earlier then 6am.

Warm Up:

200 Free Swim / 200 Free Pull / 100 IM Swim

150 Kick

Warm Up Set:

50 One Arm Drill

200 Pull

50 Fist Drill

200 Pull (500/1150)

Main Set:

4x100's on 1:20 (50 DPS / 50 Build)

4x50's on 50 (25 Breakout freestyle, sprint and fast turn then recover 25)

4x100's on 1:20 (50 Build / 50 Fast)

4x50's on 50 Fast

I misheard the coach and thought we were doing the above and then taking 15 seconds and doing it again.  But in reality we were suppose to take 15 seconds after the first 4x50's and before the second 4x100's.  I did it straight through.  I didn't really need the rest.  I felt pretty good swimming the set.  I was all by myself in the wall lane with the other lane on a slower interval.  It was the first time in a while I wanted someone next to so I could be challenged.  Oh well.  The first round of 4x100's I held a 1:11 and the second round of 4x100's I head a 1:10. (1200/2350)

100 recovery non free (100/2450)

3x100 (50 Drill / 50 Swim) Stroke.  15 seconds rest. I did fly/back/fly. (300/2750)

Main Stroke Set:

2 Rounds

100 Stroke Build on 1:40

2x50's Stroke fast on 50

I did butterfly and then backstroke (400/3150)

then I had 4x25's fly on 25 (100/3250)

75 easy (75/3325)

Then we did 2x50's off the blocks in a relay.  (100/3475)

Then I did a 75 warm down.  A mate was still doing his relay breaststroke leg so I swam along him in the next lane cheering him on.  (75/3550)

After that I had the internal debate of swimming a double.  Since I had thought the freestyle set was longer than it was I was pacing myself for the second round.  When I looked on deck and realized that it was a low turnout for the 7:15 workout I decided to stay and at least do the freestyle set all over.

Warmed Up 300 Swim / 200 Kick (500/4050)

Warm Up Set:

50 One Arm Drill

200 Pull

50 Fist Drill

200 Pull (500/4550)

Main Set:

4x100's on 1:20 (50 DPS / 50 Build)

4x50's on 45 (25 Breakout freestyle, sprint and fast turn then recover 25)

15 seconds rest

4x100's on 1:20 (50 Build / 50 Fast)

4x50's on 45 Fast

the only difference this time around was that the extra rest of 15 seconds and the 50's were on 45.  I swam at the other wall lane by myself again but had two fast swimmers in the lane over from me pushing me.  My first round of 4x100's I did 1:10's and my second round of 4x100's I did 1:07's.  So I was happier with this round.  Since I felt okay enough I stayed in for the full workout. (1200/5750)

100 recovery (100/5850)

3x100 (50 Drill / 50 Swim) Stroke.  15 seconds rest.  I did the rounds back/fly/back (300/6150)

Main Stroke Set:

3 Rounds this time!

100 Stroke Build on 1:40

2x50's Stroke fast on 50

I did butterfly and then backstroke and then 100 IM / 50's fly! (600/6750)

then I had 4x25's fly on 30 (100/6850)

75 easy (75/6925)

2x50's off the blocks relays.  I did free and fly.  (100/7025) If this was a meet I would have dq'ed.  The person before me was swimming breaststroke into the wall and glided a bit almost to a stand still in the water.  It was close if he had touched or not.  I had to pull back on my start. 

I then just did a 25 warm down (25/7050)

The second time around I felt better in the water.  During the 6am workout I took my time in the 50 drill / 200 pull so when I got to the main set my heart rate was pretty low.  The 7:15 workout I was blasting to go from the beginning. 

I don't remember the last time I swam a double.  I am glad I did and with today being a Holiday I can take the day to recover.  This is also my 6 years of swimming anniversary week.  I'm saying week as when I wanted to join the team I waited to the first of the month.  For reasons I don't remember I decided that I wouldn't start on Friday the 2nd I'd start on Wednesday the 7th.  The Monday was like today and was the 5th and I think back then the team didn't have a practice or I was umm...recovering from the 4th.  Whatever the case may have been this week is my 6th Anniversary of Swimming Week.  It seemed fitting to do a double. 

Some Fly & A Bit Of A Cramp

Insomnia strikes again!  Last night after swimming and a quick run on the treadmill I went to bed a little after 11pm.  Around 2:45ish I woke up.  I tossed and turned but never did fall back asleep.  Since I was already up I decided to swim at the 6am workout.  Considering my lack of sleep I gotta admit I felt okay in the pool.  Well till the end when I got a cramp.

Started off with a 10 minute warm up.  I mixed it up and I'd guess I did at least a 400.

Kick Set:

4 Rounds

100 Kick on 2:00

4x25's Kick on 30

Round 1 & 3 Free / 2 & 4 Choice.  Too a pee break and missed the last 100. (700/1100)

Drill Set:

6x50's on 50 Fly/Back/Breast and repeat. (300/1400)

Main Set:

4x150's Stroke on 2:30 Descend

50 easy on 60

3x150's Stroke on 2:30 Descend

50 easy on 60

2x150's Stroke on 2:30 Descend

50 easy

and the leg cramp.  actually it started in the last of the 2x150's.  Thought the 50 easy and an extra 30 seconds rest would fix it but nope.  Started to do the 1x150 FAST and just cramped up.  I was going to do it all butterfly.  The 4's I did the first 3 of them 25 fly / 25 free and the 4th on all fly.  The 3's I did all backstroke.  The 2's I did 25 fly / 25 free.  I really was looking forward to swimming a full 150 fast fly but my leg cramp was too much.  (1500/2900)

I think there was a pull set afterwards but I had already gotten out and changed.  At the very least I got in a descent workout.

A Swim and A Run

I skipped weight training today.  I was just lazy.  I woke up but decided to stay in bed and watch some tv.  So I forced my lazy ass to go swimming tonight.  I swam for 60 minutes of the 90 minute workout. 

Warmed up about a 500 on my own.

Warm Up Set:

3 Rounds -

150 Kick

100 IM Drill

100 - 50 Fist Drill / 50 DPS

During one of the sets I took a pee break and missed a 50 kick.  (1,000/1500)

Pulling Set:

300 Breath control 3/5 by 50

200 Breath control 3/7 by 50

100 Breath control 3/9 by 50

It was on a 1:20 base plus 5.  (600/2100)

Main Set

200 Free on 2:30

50 Fly on 45

100 Free on 1:20

50 Fly on 45

50 Free on 45

50 Fly on 45

Square up clock to the next top / 60.

200 Free on 2:30

50 Back on 45

100 Free on 1:20

50 Back on 45

50 Free on 45

50 Back on 45

Square up clock to the next top / 60.

200 Free on 2:30

50 Breast on 50

100 Free on 1:20

50 Breast on 50

50 Free on 45

50 Breast on 50

Square up clock to the next top / 60.

We had one more round with the 50's being free.  But I just started to swim the 200 and gave up after a 100.  I was tired.  (1600/3700)

3,700 yards isn't too bad.  I should have stayed and finished the free round but I'll swim tomorrow.  When I got home my roommate was heading downstairs to run on the treadmill and asked me to join her.  So I ran an easy run for 30 minutes including warm up and warm down.  Maybe July will be the month I start running again!