Rearview Mirror - Swimming

Another month of swimming has gone by.  I actually feel sorta sluggish as I haven't swam since Friday.  I have a little bit of an ear infection so trying to stay dry.  So I'm on a mini-break.  I'm going back to swimming most likely tomorrow but we'll see.  As for this past month I've swam a total of 39.350 yards.  Well sort of.  I did race one day at a Masters swim meet which was a 1,000 free, 200 fly and 200 back.  Plus warming up and down.  So add in another 2,400 yards.  So 41,750 yards in the pool.
 
Past Months To Compare -

January I swam 42,300 yards.

December I swam 22,050 yards.

November I swam 34,375 yards

October I swam 2,700 yards.

September I swam zip, nada, nothing

August I swam 25,000 SCY

July I swam 49,900 SCY

June I swam 43,650 SCY and 4,000 LCM

May I swam 55,000 SCY

April I swam 46,050 SCY

February I swam 53,250 SCY

January I swam 46,750 SCY

Infraspinatus? Is That Anything Like A Empanada?

Last night while lying in bed I started to get twitches or muscle spasms.  I was just lying trying to get some shut eye when it started.  I streched whie sitting up in bed and rolled my shoulders.  Finally it stopped and I went to bed.  This morning when I was at the pool warming up I could feel the area that was twitching starting to feel a bit tight.  After swimming it felt okay but I didn't want to push it.  So I swam the basic 1 hour workout and got out.  No need to kill myself, at least not today.  When I got home I had to look it up to see which muscle it was and I'm guessing it was the Infraspinatus.  Yeah, I never heard of it either.  According to wikipedia the Infrasinatus is -

In human anatomy, the infraspinatus muscle is a thick triangular muscle, which occupies the chief part of the infraspinatous fossa.[1] As one of the four muscles of the rotator cuff, the main function of the infraspinatus is to laterally rotate the arm, and stabilise the shoulder joint.

I don't know if I'm guessing correct but at least I learned something new today.  As for empanada, well I'm just hungry!

Warm Up

300 Swim / 100 Pull / 50 Catch Up Drill / 50 Swim (500)

5x100's on 2:20 3 Kick / 2 Kick/Swim (500/1000)

10x100's on 2 Minutes.  1-5 IM Descending / rest 30 seconds / 6-10 Back Descending BUT starting at the pace of the third one previously.  So I did a 1:20 for my third IM so I had to start my backstroke descend from 1:20.  The other two swimmers did this freestyle in my group while the two other swimmers did set sof 4x100's at an easier interval.  I finished my IM descend on a 1:13 and my back on a 1:12.  I'm okay with that.  Not earth shattering fast but okay.  (1000/2000)

I warmed down a 100.  I actually was going to swim a bit more but I had to pee.  And since I have to walk all the way to the restroom I can't be bothered coming back.  So I got out.  Let my infraspinatus rest.  Since today is my 4th day in a row swimming I plan to take tomorrow as a recovery day.  Wahoo, sleep in! 

'B' is for BUILD.

Last night I posted this mornings workout LINK and didn't know what the B was in 3x100 on 1:40 - s, k, p, b.  Well the S is for Swim, K is for Kick, P is for Pull and the B is for Build.  Ahhh!  So glad it wasn't Butterfly or Butterscotch.  I don't like Butterscotch.  I hope I never get old enough to enjoy Werthers Originals.  Anywho...

1x500 loosen (500)

6x50 kick on 1:00 (300/800) Since I've yet to buy a pair of fins I do the kicking without fins. So my swim mate asked if I wanted an easier interval but said "no, the minute will make me kick faster and not lollygag".  Which just meant I had little rest but kicking with a kickboard at least let me breath comfortably.

3x100 on 1:40 - s, k, p, b (300/1100)

We rested a bit before going into the next part...

3x100 on 1:40

1x300 on 4:30

4x50 on :50

1x200 on 3:00 (1000/2100)

My 3x100's were okay. Basically I was trying to get to my pace interval for the 300 and the later 200.  But like yesterday my 300 was craptastic!  I just was struggling to get into a pace.  Then again looking back at my longer distance swims it isn't to about the 300 were I fall into my pace for the rest of the swim.  But need to work on getting there a bit earlier for workouts.  I don't remember how I did for the 200 but I do remember being "meh" about it.

Then regrouped.

5(4x50 on :45) xxxx gets his fins. You have the option of doing specialty on the last 2 sets on :55.

Swim the 50s like a broken 200 - each set a little faster.

rest 30 sec between each set (1000/3100) 

I swam the 4x50's like 5x200's as per the above notes on the set.  I pretty much stuck to 34/35/35/33 or faster on each round.  Well I was a bit faster on the 3rd and 4th 50 of the 4th round since it was my swim mates last round.  I swam the 5th round on my own.  Since the 4th round was my swim mates last round he went faster so I had to go faster.  Well I didn't but I wanted to stick with him.  I used this set to work on keeping my head down and not breathing coming into the wall at the end of my 50.  Luckily the lane I swam in has the filter things on the bottom of the pool and I used one to know I was were the flags would be so I'd try to not breath from that point in.  During my swims I thought I was keeping my head down but the coach said at times I was still bobbing my head all over the place.  When I swim fast or trying to swim fast I know sometimes I keep my head tilted as if I'm mid breath or I just don't return my head all the way into neutral after my breathing.  Ugh!  So much to remember to do when swimming.  Head in neutral, pivot hips, elbows up and most of all BREATH!  So much stuff to remember! 

I then just did 6x25's very slow kicking and got out.  I had to go to the bathroom so I just gave up and got out.  (150/3250)  So 3,250 yards in about an hour if not a bit less.  Not to bad. 

 

 

 

Best Laid Plans Don't Always Mean Longer Workouts

Yesterday I was so motivated to swim after I was done with my sluggish morning workout.  Well motivated in that I was going to push myself and swim like mad today.  Then last night I was more on the fence.  I still wanted to swim but just not so hard.  That must have stuck somewhere in my head as when I woke up this morning it was a chore to just get out of bed.  I had zero motivation!  Well not zero because I told myself that I'd feel better and be happy after my workout.  So I dragged my ass to the pool.

Warmed Up a mixed 550.  I felt pretty good.  Shockingly my body was waking up.

200 Kick (200/750)

4x50's Kick/Drill (200/950)

Set:

4x50's Swim on 50 getting warmed up and on a pace (200)

2x100's on 1:40 pace (200/400/1350)

rest a bit

300 Fast (300/1650)

My first 100 I came in about a 1:10 and my second a 1:06.  I figured as long as I came in between those two times I'd be okay.  I ended up swimming a 3:23 for the 300.  Which isn't bad but not great.  My first 100 I was out in a 1:06.  Then I got lazy and my stroke fell apart from time to time.  I had to keep thinking about my head position and self correct myself.  I don't want to say I was tired but swimming sloppy.  And it showed in my times. 

Easy 199 (100/1750)

we then did 4x50's drill / swim by 25.  I did these butterfly since I'm working on my stroke.  (200/1950)

I then swam an easy 50 after all that.  So 2,000 yards.  My plan was to stay in and swim another set on my own but well I didn't.  I got out with everyone and headed home.  Just didn't have the morning motivation to push myself.  Luckily tomorrow's workout may be more of a challenge.  We will see. 

Swimming Like A Slug

It was my reboot day.  A day to start all over.  After Sunday's long swim I took yesterday off.  Which all lead to a stuggle of a swim today trying to get back into it.  My warm up was a mixed 500 doing the last half drill/swim.  Then we did a 300 kick. 

Main Set: (1350/1950)

9x150's as follows -

1-3 on 3:40 IM (50 fly / 50 back / 25 breast / 25 free)

4-6 on 3:30 75 fly / 75 back

7-9 on 3:20 25 fly / 25 free / 25 back / 25 free / 25 fly / 25 free

Oy!  I was beat!  I then did some 1/2 laps butterfly to get feedback from the coach and that was it!  So tired and sore.  Like I said I swam like a slug today!  So if my math is right which I doubt since I'm a zombie I swam about 2,000 yards.

 

If It's Sunday It's Killday!

I decided that Sunday is going to be my weekly high yardage workout.  Since everyone sleeps in and then comes and swims at 8:45 I figure I can get up and swim before our workout.  Plus that will give me some time to work on my speedo tan line!  So I woke up and hit the pool at 7:15 and finished up around 10:00. 

Warm Up

200 swim / 200 pull / 200 kick / 200 swim (800)

4x200's on 3 minutes descending.  Which I know I did but forgot what my times were.  (800/1600)

400 Pulling w/ paddles (400/2000)

4x100's on 1:30 descending (400/2400)

5x100's Kick on 2:05  (500/2900)

4x50's Kick butterfly on some interval (200/3100)

4x50's fly swim on some interval (200/3300)

Then it was time for the swimmer to start the morning workout.  I got in a 400 during the warm up.  (400/3700)

8x50's 4 kick / 4 kick 25 swim 25 (400/4100)

6x100's Free descend on 1:40.  I did okay on these and got down to a 1:04 on the last one.  I was shooting for a one double o'.  (600/4700)

4x75's Pulling (300/5000)

12x25's drill/kick/swim I did these butterly (300/5300)

Then that was it besides a 50 warm down that I did.  (50/5350)

Considering I haven't been doing that much yardage in ages I feel pretty good.  Of course I'll be hurting later.  But after swimming last weekend it was clear that I need to increase my yardage and speed up my interval training.  So one step at a time.

 

 

 

Saturday Morning Swim

Getting up on a Saturday morning to work out is hard enough never mind getting up after a night of little sleep.  I went to bed sorta early but damn I kept waking up off and on all night long.  So it took all three alarms that I have set to get me out of bed!  Even once I was out of bed it was slow going while I played Cityville instead of grabbing my swim stuff.  I gotta admit that my original plan was to wake up and drive to the pool a bit early.  Leave my stuff but run a very short run down the fitness trail near the pool.  But that didn't happen!  I need to get back into running but so not motivated.  I figured if I can squeeze in the run in the morning before swimming I won't keep finding excuses not to run.  Tomorrow I will run before swimming since we swim later!  Really!  Well I'll try...

I forgot that on Saturday the pool opens earlier then weekdays so I was late and missed warm up.  I started at the 200 kick portion of the workout.  Then it was right into the first set.

4x200's IM on 3:15 (or was it 3:30?)  Descending!  Since I didn't warm up the first one was a bit rusty.  But that was okay.  It helped me with my descend! (800/1000)

5x150's Free on 2:15.  These were free descending.  I pulled the first three and swam the last two.  The first one was to be stretched out with an almost catch up like stroke.  The second one only the first 100 was to be stretched out with an almost catch up like stroke.  And the third one only the first 50 was to be stretched out with an almost catch up like stroke. (750/1750)

4x50's Pulling w/ paddles on 1:15 descend. (200/1950)

50 easy (50/2000)

Since I had the pool to myself at this point I just did 5x100's Pull with paddles.  No interval.  Just swam them and rested for about 10 seconds.  Nice and easy.  (500/2500)

And that was it.  An easy Saturday morning workout. 

Swimming And Salsa Don't Mix!

I had salsa and chips with my lunch today and then when swimming later in the afternoon I so thought I was going to puke salsa in the pool.  I actually decided to cut my swim short before I puked.  Besides that it was an easy swim in the sun. 

Warm Up

400

300 (swim/kick/pull)

So a total of a 700 warm up

Set:

2x50's on 50 Pull (100)

100 Swim on 1:20 (100/200)

4x50's on 50 Pull (200/400)

200 Swim on 2:40 (200/600)

6x50's on 50 Pull (300/900)

300 Swim (300/1200/1900)

Now the set is only half of what the set was to be.  I had done this set but all swimming on a slower interval a few weeks ago.  I was toying with the idea of doing the set again starting with the 2x50's but making the 50's swim on a faster interval and the distances pulling.  But I wasn't in the mood for that.  So then I was going to do easy 50's and IM for the distances.  I ended up doing 2x50's free pull on 50 and 1x100 IM before giving up on the set.  I so need others to motivate me.  I then warmed down a 100.  So another 300 yards.  Total swim was just 2,200 yards.  I plan on getting up and swimming tomorrow morning.  Hopefully I'll be motivated by others!

Swimming Through The Smoke Filled Air

It's a pretty crappy morning here in Florida.  We got some grass fires going causing the air to be filled with smoke.  On top of that it's very foggy so the air is smokey and wet.  Not a fun thing to be inhaling while working out outside.  Luckily it was an easy morning workout.

Warmed up a mixed 550.

4x100's on 2 minutes.  first 2 all kick / second 2 kickswim (400/950)

3x200's on 3:10 descending breathing every 3 (600/1550)  I was slowly waking up during this part of the set.  After taking two days off I felt sluggish and so not into swimming. 

4x100's IM on 1:45 Descend.  I don't want to say I was struggling but I was a bit slow today.  Mind over matter, tired, smoke...take a pick.  Just wasn't into the swim I guess.  (400/1950)

did a 50 easy (50/2000)

then did a bunch of swimming half way and back to work on my butterfly with coach. 

then i did a stretched out mixed 200 (200/2200)

So not a hard workout at all.  Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back into swimming and get some more yardage in. 

No Excuses But A Starting Point.

No Excuses But A Starting Point.

Yesterday I was highly negative on my swimming as my times were not what I wanted them to be.  But after a day of thinking about the swims I have a new outlook.  A positive outlook.

Looking back at my best swim times they were all swum in one of the now banned tech suits.  Yesterday my first swim which was the 1,000 freestyle was swum in a very old pre-tech suit speedo brief.  The suit was so old and worn out it was a bit scandalous when wet.  It was tossed out after my 1,000 swim.  My two other swims were swum in a everyday workout Splish swim suit.  Not a racing suit by any means.  Now I'm a huge fan of the swim tech suits and really think in Masters Swimming they should be allowed.  We old folks need something to keep our fat in place!

Tapering and shaving down has yet another factor in my times.  I didn't shave down for this meet at all and my taper wasn't much since my yardage before hand wasn't much.  I didn't swim at all in September after my move to the east coast and since then have been hit or miss.  Some of my previous times were when I was training a full throttle for months and then was tapered and shaved down.  That is also a big big factor.

Also my training.  Yes, I am swimming.  Yes, my strokes are getting cleaned up and stronger.  But my yardage and interval training needs to ramp up.  Yesterday I swam the 200 backstroke and 200 butterfly but before yesterday hadn't swam them in maybe 8 months if not longer.  So the fact I was able to get in the water and swim them is amazing.  As for the 1,000 I also haven't swam more then a 600 in practice. 

I need to start weight training which I haven't done since August.  I've lost some of my muscle mass which has turned into let's say small pockets of fat.  I have less muscle and weigh more now.  Bad eating and alcohol consumption all have been a factor.  I'm not saying I won't indulge in alcohol but will be more sensible from time to time. 

To sum it up yesterday wasn't a bad day it was a starting point.  I know were I am in my training and can make changes.  A good nights sleep really helped me put it all in perspective.  Yeah, my times weren't great but that is okay.  We all have bad days, days to learn from.  Just as long as we get up, dust ourselves off and make changes.