December & 2011 Rearview Mirror - Swimming

It's been a month of not much swimming it seems.  In December I've swum 30,950 yards.  Past Months To Compare -

In November I swam 51,550

In October I swam 37,550

In September I swam 41,150

In August I swam 42,900 yards.

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 461,625  yards.  Not too bad.  It's a bit more then what I swam in 2010 which was 351,750 yards.  Of course I took almost two months off in 2010 but whose counting?

Almost Swimming Nekid!

What a morning!  I forgot my bathing suit and one fin.  The fin is no big deal as it fell out of my bag but no bathing suit?  Normally in the morning I put on my suit and then my pants/shorts over it.  So how I forgot to put on a swimming suit is baffling.  Luckily I was able to borrow one from a mate.  I was going to skip swimming but no such luck.

Warm Up
400 SWim
4x50's Kick on 1:10
4x50's Kick/Swim on 1:10 (800)

10x100's on 1:40 - 3 Rounds 1 IM / 1 FRee / 1 Back and the very last one all fly.  (1000/1800)

Not a bad workout.  Didn't feel great in the water but I did it.  One last swim for 2011 with 1,800 yards.  Sometime this weekend I'll add my totals up for the month and the year.   Yesterday at the gym I got in one hour of Group Ride.  So more time on the bike!

How To Make A Frozen Swimmer In 30 Minutes or Less!

Wahoo!  46F!  A Heatwave!  Headed to the pool for a quick swim.  Gotta be at work early today!  Well earlier then normal.  So early for me.

Warm Up
200 SWim / 200 Pull / 200 Kick / 200 Swim (800)

2x400's on 6 minutes. Negative Split and Descending.  So I did that.  For my 200 splits  I was 2:40/2:35 for 5:15 for the first 400.  Then I was 2:30/2:19 for a 4:49.  Was trying to push the last 200 a bit faster but that didn't happen.  (800/1600)

Warmed down a 100.  (100/1700)  I only had like 30 minutes to swim so I'm glad I did squeeze in the morning swim.  Felt good in the water today.

Donuts Sunday!

One of our neighbors dropped off donuts last night so guess my breakfast was an easy choice!  And yes I ate the pink one!  I was shocked that we got into the pool a bit early today with everything else being closed.  But we did!

Warm Up
Mixed 500 Then 200 Kick.  (700)

3x100's on 2 Minutes (Swim/Kick/Pull/Build) (300/1000)

Main Set:
4 Rounds -
200 Breathing every 3 on 3 minutes
100 Catch Up on 1:45
100 Fast on 1:15

Descending the 100's Fast.  I was 1:12, 1:09, 1:07 and a 1:04.  (1600/2600)

4x50's on 1:10 fly/free, back/free, breast/ free and free.  (200/2800)

An nice an easy 2,800 yard workout.  I got to admit after I was done I had really bad stomach cramps.  I should have been drinking more water!  Grrrr.....

12 Days of Christmas For Swimmers! Day 11: Splish Equipment Bag

On the 11th day I wished for a Splish Equipment Bag from splish.com!  Yeah, maybe if I had one I wouldn't have lost all those goggles this year and a pull buoy (which i later found!)  They even have a pink flamingo one...
Even if Santa forgets to bring me one I am gonna break down and finally get an equipment bag for all my swim toys!  check out splish.com

The lack of speed in this one is disturbing!

The lack of speed in this one is disturbing!  Or at least that is how I felt this morning. 

Warm Up
500 Mixed then 200 Kick (700)

Main Set:
6x50's on 50 Pace
300 FAST on 4:30
4x50's on 50 Pace
200 FAST on 3:00
2x50's Pace on 50
100 FAST on 1:30+30
4x100's IM Descending on 1:45 (1600/2300)

Oy!  I was feeling super slow at first.  I was in the low 3:50's for the 300.  The 200 I was 2:30 and the 100 on 1:04.  Those were all free.  The IM's I was 1:35, 1:25, 1:20 and 1:11.  Not the greatest times but not bad.  It wasn't to about the 100 fast free that I felt okay swimming.  For the most part it was a struggle.

Warmed down an easy 100 for 2,400 yards. 

Yesterday I got in a really hard Group Ride (Spinning Class.)  Oy!  That was all I did since I had a very early morning at work.  Taking any class at all was a miracle.  Today I have Group Power at noon.  This weekend with the holiday I'll be swimming both days and that is it.  Monday it's Power and Swim while Tuesday I'll be taking 3 Group Ride Classes in a row.  OY!

When The Wheels Fall Off The Bus or When I Swim Breaststroke.

When The Wheels Fall Off The Bus or When I Swim Breaststroke.

Last night I went to bed early and without a drop of wine.  I was just wiped out.  So I was hoping to have a good morning swim today.  But for whatever reason my body just couldn't wake up.  It wasn't a struggle to swim but during some of the breaststroke swimming I felt like the wheels had fallen off the bus.  My stroke was a mess and I was just sloppy at times.

Warm Up
Mixed 450 / 200 Kikc (650)

Tune Up
5x50's on 50
400 Pace

My 400 pace was about 16/17.  I was aiming for 15's.  Nothing too fast since I felt like I was still warming up.  I just couldn't muster any speed out of my arms today.  (650/1300)

IM Set
6 Rounds - 100 on 2 Minutes followed by a 25.

I did a modified IM - 25 fly/25 back/ 50 breast then 1 25 rotating fly/back/breast.  By the time I was in my breast rounds of the 25's I was feeling the wheels fall off the bus.  So my 3rd 100 I did it IM and the 6th I did 50 fly/ 25 back/ 25 breast. (750/2050)

Then I just warmed down an easy 150 to round up the yardage to 2,200 yards. 

Yesterday I did get some good gym time in with the noon time Group Ride (Spinning) followed by a quick run outside, 18 minutes on the Precor Crossramp (while watching the end of Days of Our Lives) then finished up with 30 minutes in another Group Ride class with my boss. 

As for the run it really wasn't much.  I wasn't feeling like going running so I had to force myself.  I went into an area I hadn't been before.  I really should map these out before I go outside running. I'm trying out a few alternate routes around the gym that have less traffic as the snowbirds return in mass in about a week.  For the next month or two the population explodes around here and it has been already ramping up.  My last time running I had to dodge a bit of traffic and it was frustrating.  So I need to find the less busier and wider streets to go running.

Today I'll be taking Group Power at noon.  Other then that it's all up in the air.  Tomorrow I'll be skipping swimming as I have an early morning at work.  But I'll get in a Group Ride tomorrow. 

Wake Me Up After You Defrost Me Swim.

These 47F mornings suck!  I'm beginning to hate the steam rising from the pool as it really makes me cough up a storm. Breathing in those chemicals can't be good!  Luckily I had a swim mate to push me today even if he did wear fins.  The guy is fast enough without fins but with fins I gotta push myself just not to be crushed by him every time.

Warm Up
Mixed 500 / 200 Kick
300 IM Reverse order Pull/Kick/Swim (1000)

Main Set:
6x200's on 3:10 (Free, Back, IM and repeat) (1200/2200)

I was okay in the 200's.  I wanted to be a bit faster but whatever.  My free I was 2:30 then 2:25.  My back I was 2:35's.  My IM's blew.  Damn breaststroke. 

We then did 4x50's Free pace on 50.  I was 34, 34, 35 and 35.  We were going to do 3 rounds but the other swimmer had to go so I just got out.  (200/2400)

So 2,400 yards.  Today it's just Group Power for me and that is it.  This week I'll be swimming everyday but Thursday and Saturday.  Gym time will be more of the same with Group Power Mon/Wed/Fri but Tuesday and Thursday are up in the air.  Guess some cardio of some sort.

Frozen In The Pool

Brrrr!  47F!  It was a chilly morning on deck and in the pool.  So didn't feel like swimming this morning.  I shouldn't say that cuz' I did feel like swimming till I got in the water.  I was on my own and just not motivated.  I had a workout given to me but I sorta couldn't hack it on my own.  I ended up modifying it then just not even finishing it.

Warm Up
500 Mixed
200 Kick

Then 6x50's on 55 Breathing Every 3 going down and building coming back.  (300/1000)

5x100's on 1:20. They were suppose to be descending but I was 1:17/1:17/1:12/1:14/1:12.  Grrr…this is when I modified the workout or tossed the rest of the workout away.  (500/1500)

500 Pulling.  I was breathing every 3 for 2 lengths then breathing normal for 3 lengths.  (500/2000)

2x100's on 1:20.  I was a 1:12 then a 1:10.  (200/2200)

That was it I gave up.  Here is what the workout should have been after the 50's -
5x100 descending on 1:20

rest 40 sec

5x100 on 1:20 at the time of #5 above

rest 40 sec

5x100 on 1:20 - # 1 faster than above, #2 pace, #3 fastest yet, #4 pace, #5 faster

easy 200 back

6x50 on 1:00 with fins - swim fast

loosen

OH well.  Another time.  Actually I sorta didn't read past the 100's so never did see the easy backstroke and the last 6x50's.  Oh well at least I got in 2,200 yards this morning.

In other news from the US Masters Swimming website "Final Top 10 Lists for 2011 LCM season 12/16/2011.  The final Top Ten listing for the 2011 long-course meters (LCM) season is now available; this season ran from Oct 1, 2010 to Sept 30, 2011."  I did okay.  I got 10th in both the 200 butterfly and 200 backstroke.
I guess that is better then getting none.  Hopefully I'll do better next year.  Still upset that I was 11th in the 1500 for my age group.  But it was 8 seconds difference so I really have my work cut out for me next year.

Spin Baby Spin

After yesterday's swim I headed to the gym for the noon time Group Ride.  After the class it was time to run. 
Just 3.92 miles.  It wasn't the greatest run but felt better then my last run on Wednesday.  I'm hoping to get another run in this weekend.  This month I've run 16.5 miles.  I was hoping to be at 20 miles by now.  But whatever.  I'm running for crosstraining not for any race right now. 

This morning it was swim time.  Quick workout.  Had a 8am appointment to get my hair cut so had to cut short my swim.

Warmed up 400 swim / 200 Kick (600)

500 Breathing every 3 (500/1100)

3x200's on 3 Descending and Negative Split (600/1700)

3x50's easy warm down (150/1850)

Okay so it was a pretty bad slim.  Too much wine and not enough sleep.  Good thing I had to get going out of workout early.  But at least I got a workout in.  Today at noon will be Group Power so strength training before the weekend.