August Rearview Mirror: Who Likes Wet People? A Month of Swimming & Sorta Running

Well I'm a wet person considering I swam 42,900 yards in August.  That seems pretty much what I've settled down to swim per month. 

Past Months To Compare -

In July I swam 29,550 yards.

June I swam 42,000 yards

May I swam 47,950 yards.

April I swam 44,950 yards.

March I swam 62,125 yards.

February I swam 41,750 yards.

January I swam 42,300 yards.

In 2011 I've swum 300,525 yards.

I looked back at older posts and the high 40's is what I use to train at.  Of course I was swimming at faster intervals.  Hopefully as the water and air temps fall I'll start to amp up my intervals.  Actually in today's workout I felt like my body was adapting and I was ready to go faster.  I've had a few false starts like this in the past few months so hopefully I can keep at it.  I'll find out in October at my next meet.

As for my running in August I gotta say is pretty bad.  After having hip issues in June and July I really was hoping to get back into running.  I even tried to motivate myself into running by making of goal of running 16 miles in August.  Well I didn't make it to 16.  Blech!  For the month I ran 11.03 miles.  I will admit to a dumb accident which left my ankle and foot injured for a week.  But compared to a year ago I have no base to start training a half or full marathon.
With that said I won't run the Disney World Marathon in 2012 or the half.  Thinking that I'll continue to run and at the end of September have a 1/2 or full marathon training program.  Maybe to a spring 2012 event.  My goal for September will be to run 16.5 miles.  Yeah, not a big goal but hopefully doable.
Compare with
At least I'm running and swimming.  That is something in itself.

Happy 66th Birthday Themed Workout

It was Coach G's 66th Birthday today so our workout was based on the number6! 

Warm Up was the usual 500 followed by 6x50's on 1:10 (4 kick / 2 drill/swim) (800)

Main Set:

6x150's on 2:30 Freestyle.  I was handicapped with a 25 kick.  I could put the kick anywhere in the 150.  I decided to kick the first length.  I descended the 150's also.  The first two were a bit rough but my body came alive during the third one.   (900/1700)

Hey we got past the 1650 of 66 lap mark. 

Then 6x50's on 60.  Fly/Back, Back/Breast and Breast/Free.  It's odd to be working so hard on breaststroke for a change.  It feels better but a lot of work to be done still.  (300/2000)

Everyone got out but I did a few 50's.  I lost count as I was pulling but working on my distance per stroke.  So let's say I did 4x50's although it may have been 5.  (200/2200)  So 2,200 yards.  I could of stayed and continued to swim since I was feeling pretty good in the water but alas I'm lazy.  The pool was even cooler then it has been dropping to 88F!  They better turn the heaters on!

Yesterday was leg day at the gym.  I started off on the eliptical.  I was only going to do 10 minutes but noticed Days of Our Lives was up on one of the tvs so I plugged in my earbuds and watched to the end so about 18 minutes.  That is one way to keep me on a machine!  Then I did 10 Rounds of Wall Chair.  The first 5 on 60 was 15 seconds holding ball into chest, 15 seconds out front of me and 15 seconds back holding into chest.  Rested a bit did 5 on 1:15 same as the previous.  The 10x10 box jumps on 60.  Then I did some leg weight machines.  Finishing up with an easy 1 mile run on the treadmill.  I haven't been running and boy did I feel it.  I need to motivate myself in the morning to run again. 
That is a lame run.  Maybe I should be watching Days on the treadmil!

A Million Pieces In The Pool

Grrr...day two of snooze-fest.  So the last two nights I attempted to go to bed early.  Last night all I had was milk and brownies.  After falling asleep I had a night of tossing and turning.  That's two nights in a row. So waking up at 5am to go on a very short run didn't happen again.  But I did wake up at 6 to go swimming.

Warm Up

500 then 200 Kick

Then a 350 Free stretched out.  Well when the water is 89.7F all one can do is stretch a swim out.  I was stuggling to get my act together.   (350/1050)

6x100's broken 75 Drill/Kick/Swim then 25 Sprint. (600/1650) I did these freestyle.  

After I just swam a 50 to round out the swim for 1,700 yards.  I could of stayed a little longer and did some more swimming but I left with everyone else.  I know I'm trying to get myself in some sorta shape for a meet in October but I'm struggling.  Hoping that I can pull myself together soon.

Waiting For the 400 IM

Since I used Sunday as a full recovery day it was tough getting back in the swim of things this morning.  My swim workouts have been a bit sporadic which is mostly my fault.  I really need to apply myself more.  But at least I'm swimming.

Warm Up

Mixed 400

200 Kick

4x50's Kick/Swim

I did the 400 free but the rest IM.  (800)

Main Set:

2x200's IM on 3:20

Rest

4x100's IM on 1:40

Easy enough.  The water was 90.1F so after a while I was getting a bit tired.  After my last 100 I was having a hard time breathing.  The humidity is making the air so thick.  I felt like I just couldn't breath in at all.(800/1600)

I then did a 200 breast warm down.  I'm working on my breast right now.  Thinking of swimming the 400 IM yet again.  It's a goal for me to swim the 400 at a meet for time.  Maybe this year it'll happen. Total yardage today was only 1,800.  I could of stayed and swam on my own as the pool was empty but decided to come home and eat some breakfast instead.

Quick Saturday Morning Swim.

Since I hadn't swam since Wednesday I made a point of waking up early this morning and going swimming.  Well, sorta.  My intention was to wake up and go running then a quick swim but that snooze button is so attractive.  So I skipped out on running and just swam.  

Warm up was the usual 500 but as follows (200 Swim / 100 Pull / 150 Pull w/ Paddles / 50 Swim)

Then 3x50's Kick on 1:10 and 3x50's Drill/Swim.  Did the drill/swim one of each stroke minus the freestyle. (300/800)

Main Quick Set:
6x150's on 2:30.  Middle 50 Stroke IM Order.  I took a pee break after the 3rd one.  I was doing this set on my own so it wasn't a big deal.  (900/1700)

Then I got a chance to work on some breaststoke.  Just a few strokes with corrections from the coach.  Then a 50 free easy so 1,750 yards.  Now for a quick breakfast and then to the gym.  Going to do some weights and attend the 10am Yoga Class.  I'm not a big fan of Yoga but the instructor asked me to come since this week the 10am Saturday class is now hers.  So I'll show support at least this week. 

You Had Me At Free Ice Cream and Cookies!

Today was an early morning for swimming.  Wednesday is Leesburg day for swimming at 5:30am.  Which means leaving the house before 5am.  Now we might not be doing much of that for the next few weeks due to availability/access to the pool.  As for today's workout -

1x500 loosen

3x100 kick with fins on 2:00 (300/800)

4x125 on 2:30 - R, L, P, K, S.  I did them back/free/back/fly (500/1300)

rest

6x50 on :50 good pace (300/1600) Did them free and was a bit sluggish coming in around 36's.

rest

6x50 on :55 faster average pace (300/1900)  Did these also free and took a bit before getting back into swimming after the rest break and was coming in around 35's.  Now the water was cooler then last week but still feels so warm that it's like swimming in syrup.

rest 6x50 on 1:10 - one easy, one fast (300/2200)  I did the easy 50's free and the fast 50's butterfly.  I was actually faster in my fly 50's then my free 50's. 

rest

25s with insightful commentary.  Did these freestyle pulling so I could get my hand position correct.  I'm over correcting my hand entry drop.  I use to just automatically just drop my hand so then I was trying to let it float out front before the catch but of late I'm over thinking it and while my hand is sinking start to push it up before doing my catch.  So another thing to watch in my swimming. 

Workout was about 2,200 yards.  Not bad for the really hot water.  This won't be my only swim today.  Later on today I'm heading over to a local pool for a fun relay contest of the local high school vs the retired folks here.  I'm on two relays.  I think I'm only doing a 50 fly and a 50 free.  I was bribed into swimming for the free ice cream and cookies after the relays.  Wahoo! 

As for the gym I was able to do a spinning (Group Ride) class then finished my gym time off with arms/chest weights.  I may hit the gym before the relays or possibly after.  But maybe not.  It depends on how lazy I am!

Cooler Than Thou

91.2F!  Good god it's just boiling in the pool these days.  It baffles me to think that when building the pool no one thought about chillers.  Grrrr...With that said it was an easy workout.  I was struggling just the same.  I warmed up what I think was a 500.  Then the regular 200 kick.  I'm still sticking to one fin since my left foot is a bit sore.  Which reminds me that I shouldn't have taken the Group Active Class yesterday at the gym.  Group Active is 30 minutes of Step and (Group Step) and 30 minutes of weight training (Group Power.)  A great class but not for someone that still has a few black and blue marks on thier foot and ankle. 

Main Set:

400 - 75 Catch Up Drill / 25 Swim.  I did it on 6:10.  Well I didn't have an interval but the other swimmers swam either a 200 or 300 and left at what would have been my 6 minute interval but decided to take and extra 10 seconds rest before moving on to...

5x100's on 1:40 50 Catch Up / 50 Swim.  Descending.  Well, I sorta descending some of them.  I did a 1:19, 1:20, 1:18, 1:15 and a 1:10.  Not really fast times but hey the pool is 91.2F! (900/1600)

Then some rest and chit chat before 6x50's Pulling on 55 breathing 5/3 by 25.  Then since everyone got out at 7:40 I got out also.  Well I sorta swam another 50 of cooling down and unhooking the lane lines.  I only did the two lanes lines as a lap swimmer was using the other lane line.  At 8 am is Aqua Fitness and I usually try to help out with the lane lines.  Total workout was only 2,000 yards but that was enough. 

Monday Morning Attempted Swim

After yesterday's swim I quickly was out the door in my failed attempt to get my hands on a HP Touchpad.  I figured for 99 bucks it was worth the hunt.  But without landing one I was on to the gym for some weight training.  This morning is was all about the swim.   Crappy swim for me but it was all about the swim just the same.

Warm UP

I guess a 500.  I wasn't counting.

3x100's Kick on 2 minutes.  I used a fin on my right foot.  My left foot big toe is still bothering me a bit so decided not to wear a fin.  (300/800)

Main Set - descend the 2nd one of each set

2x200 on 3 minutes

2x150's on 2:15

2x100's on 1:30

I was able to descend a bit.  My first 200 I did a 2:30 then a 2:22.  Which is very slow.  I had a fast swimmer next to me for motivation but I just didn't have anything to bring to the pool.  By the time we got to the 2x100's my stroke was messy.  I was slapping around and I could feel myself just falling apart.  I really gotta work on my endurance. (900/1700)

We rested a short bit before doing 12x50's on 60 Fly/Back, Back/Breast and Breast/Free.  The first 50 was a mess.  The fly was horrible! (300/2,000)  So it was a challenging workout even though it shouldn't have been.  Then again the water was 90F!  But at least I had a fast swimmer to push me more then I would have without them around.

I'm Going So Slow My Workouts Are Growing Mold.

Ahh...Sunday!  The last time I swam was only two full days ago (Thursday) but it seemed like it had been a week.  After Thursday's workout I did get one gym workout in.  That afternoon one of the trainers at the gym had to film themselves doing the Group Kick Class for certification and well he needed people to do the workout with him.  So I offered to take the class again even though it was two days in a row taking that class.  You'd think by taking the class two days in a row I would have mastered some of the moves but hell no.  I'm rhythmically challenged.  Then that was it for working out till this morning.  I had a bit of an accident so had to chill for a bit.  But I'm feeling better and in the water this morning.  Since I am short for time I only swam for about an hour.  At the pool I pulled out the workouts out of my ziplock bag to figure out what to swim.  Some of the sheets of paper are starting to get moldy so I tossed them away.  As I started to swim I kept changing what I'd be swimming.  So I made up the workout on the fly.

Warm Up

200 Swim / 200 Pull w/o Paddles / 200 Pull w/ Paddles / 200 Kick (800)  The odd thing is that I found my missing paddle in my bag.  Huh?  I guess it was in my bag the whole time I thought it was lost?  Or I'm going senile or something like that.

4x50's on 55 Free (200/1000)

Main Set:

4x50's on 60 Fly/Back, Back/Breast, Breast/Free and Free

2x100's on 2 mins.  (fly/back and breast/free by 50)

200 IM on 3 mins

400 IM (1000/2000)  Damn I forgot what I did the 400 IM on.  I gotta admit the butterfly felt great but everything else felt horrible.  The water had to be at least 89F and I was burning up by the last 100.  Afterwards I got out and walked around the deck to cool off.  In my mind this was going to be a pyramid set but I was cooked. 

8x50's Pulling to warm down.  Yeah, like I needed to be warm.  (400/2400)  That took a bit less then one hour.  I gotta go into work today so I figured I'd do some weights before hand.  No super long Sunday swim this week.  But I'll be swimming Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week.  Thursday I have to be at work at 5am so that will be a no workout day. 

Twelve 150's Is A Lot of Swimming Math In The Morning.

Yesterday after swimming I hit the gym for the noon time Group Power Class.  Figured I'd do the class and then do some weights on my own but after the class I got hijacked.  Well not hijacked as much as being asked to attend one of the trainer's/groupX instructors Group Kick practice session.  I've never done Group Kick so I was a bit leery.  What is Group Kick?  Well it's easier to copy/paste so "Group Kick® brings it on! This electric 60 minute fusion class of martial arts and boxing movements will kick your cardio fitness to the next level while defining and shaping your body and self confidence! Energetic music, awesome instructors and a group environment will keep you punching, kicking and smiling! Group Kick will knock you out!"  It was a lot tougher then I expected.  And even if I was a bit unsure of myself and the moves I am going to take the class again.  Watching this video is giving me flashbacks of the class and my legs are afraid of the video.

Now for today it was swim, swim and swim.  I was late getting in the pool well I was on time but they got in early.  So I only warmed up a 350 before our 200 kick.  After that I was all alone doing the main set:

12x150's!  Oy!  So much to count for one person!  The first 3 were swimming freestyle on 2:15 while the second 3 were pulling on 2:15.  I then rested about an extra minute before swimming 3 fly/free/back/free/breast/free (modified IM) on 2:30.  Resting once more before doing the modified IM again.  (1800/2350 I think I'm too tired to do math.)

Then we had to get out for the Aqua Fitness folks.  The best part of the workout for me besides the 150's was after the workout.  With my body dysmorphia (i'm not really dysmorphic but more blind to my results) I was so happy that a fellow swimmer commented on how much more defined I am then I was a few months ago.  I don't see it so it was nice to hear it.  At least all that cross training at the gym is making me more defined in my old age.  Guess the article in the Globe and Mail was right "Surprisingly, the limited evidence available on how elite “masters” endurance athletes train (the definition of masters varies from sport to sport, but often refers to the over-40 age group) suggests that they typically spend proportionally less time on strength training than younger elite endurance athletes, says Joe Baker, a kinesiology professor at York University and co-editor of the book The Masters Athlete: Understanding the Role of Sport and Exercise in Optimizing Aging."