The Rearview Mirror - Swimtober is over!

Another month and more swimming.  Swimtober or October is now over and with no swimming today due to rain I have finished up the month swimming 37,550 yards this month.  This doesn't count that itty bitty open water swimming thing. 

Past Months To Compare -

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 379,225 yards.


30 Minutes To Save The World Freestyle Workout.

Whatever I got "4 Minutes" stuck in my head.  So it's Sunday and since I gotta work I really didn't have much time to swim.  So I got up early and headed to the pool.  I do this for two reasons - 1.  I'm so not a morning person and need to workout to wake up or otherwise be a walking zombie and 2.  I need to swim more and faster.  Sunday I'm on my own since everyone else sleeps in so I can make my own workout.  Or at least steal a workout to swim.  This morning's grand larceny of swimming came from EE Workouts' "Quick Death... Happy Halloween"  Well at least the genesis of the workout.  Here is the workout they posted a 4300 yard workout -

Warm up
800 swim, 200 kick

Three rounds of:
1x300 - 4:15 pull
6x50 - :45 maximum effort (choice)

Kick ladder - :30 per 25
25, 50, 75, 100, 100, 75, 50, 25

12x50 - 1:00 no freestyle

1x400 EZ
=4300 SCY

And what I did...

Warm U:

200 Swim 200 Pull 200 Kick 100 Swim (700)

Main Set:

300 Free on 4:15

6x50's Free on 45

200 Free on 3:00

4x50's Free on 45

The main set was 1,000 yards.  I actually felt okay swimming today.  Wish I had more time to push myself.  I was slow with a 3:55 for the 300 and 2:30 for the 200 but I felt good.  No back pain like earlier this week.  I only had 30 minutes to swim so I had to stop.  I had planned to swim 6x50's fly and back to round up to 2,000 yards but I decdided to get out and get some breakfast.  But at least I got a workout in.


Pre-Halloween Relay Fun!

Well not me I was a judge!  But, Boy do I make a sad looking Aquaman!  Later I'll have to upload a picture of me as Aquaman and Luwdig "Willy" as a shark.  Before the 10pm Halloween Parade and Swim Relay I did my own little swim.  I wasn't really feeling up to it this morning but I did swim. 

Warm Up
500 then 200 Kick (700)

300 sad little swim then another 100.  It was suppose to be a pace 500.  My lack of food and caffeine started to give me the shakes.  I stopped and drank some gatorade. (400/1100)

10x50's on 60 (500/1600)

That was it.  An easy day at the pool.   I went home ate a good breakfast and showered.  Then put on my sad excuse of an Aquaman costume and headed back to the pool to judge.  I snapped a few photos with my phone. 

As you can tell everyone had fun.  I loved the Swimoutlet.com costume with one person being "A Plug for SwimOutlet" and the other being a "Swim Outlet" as in power outlet.  They had to be able to swim 50 yards in the costume!  You can see the pictures better in my gallery on Facebook.


Octoberfest - On The Road To Recovery...

Looking good, feeling great. 

Okay maybe not great but much much better.  I took Thursday off from swimming and slept all the way in till 8am.  Then after putzing around in the morning I was off to the gym.  Once at the gym I decided to go for a short run to warm up.  I ran just the 2 mile loop around the gym.  As I was almost done with my run a big giant Beer Stein drove by me.  Seriously!
Runke
When I was done with my run it was gym time for some weights.  Worked on chest and arms.  When I checked my phone Runkeeper sent me an email about my run.
Run_note
Run_best
At least it's a record for my very few Runkeeper runs.  This morning it was "Up And Atom" to go swimming.  My back felt a bit stiff when I woke up but I still headed to the pool.  I figured I'd just go slow.  But I was feeling pretty good and pushed myself for the 300's and 100's.  Not blazing fast but still not bad considering this week has been a bad week.  I didn't even start to do any flip turns to the 6th 50.  Was saving my back.  Now we were to kick 3x100's but I wasn't using fins and was so slow basically I kicked a 250 with no rest and stopped.

450 MIxed Warm Up
2x100's Kick then a 50 Kick (700)

Main Set:
6x50's on 55 (300)
2x300's on 5:00 (600/900/1600)
3x100's on 1:40(300/1200/1900)
3x50's on 55 (150/1350/2050)

And that was it.  My first 300 I was a bit slow.  I came in on about 3:57.  That gave me a minute rest but that's like 1:20 per 100.  My second I was a bit faster at 3:35.  I was shooting for under 3:30.  But considering I've had a bit of back pain this week it's okay.  My 100's were sad.  I did 1:19, 1:15 and a 1:12.  I was getting tired and my back was beginning to feel off.  I don't want to say I'm in pain but I can feel a bit of strain.  So I just took it easy.  And I really did see big giant beer stein as later I took a picture of it driving by... 434470381It was Octoberfest!  Today it's some gym time.  Just going to take Group Power but take it easy on the back.  No need to kill myself.


This Is Halloween. This Is Gagaween. This is Swimoween!

Once a song gets in my head when I'm swimming it stays in my head.  Sometimes it's an old favorite, sometimes it the last song I've heard on my iPod or the last song I heard before taking off the wall that is on the radio at the pool.  Then sometimes it's just a song haunting my mind.  This morning's song was Holiday themed with "This Is Halloween".

Maybe it's because it's a week before Halloween, or the fact that the pool is Leesburg doesn't have any lights in it so it's dark while swimming.  Well that and we only removed part of the pool covers so the deep end right next to my line was still covered.  I kept thinking that a gator from the lake would be under the covers.  It was creepy swimming next to this pitch dark pool of water.  Guess I shouldn't have watched Halloween last night.  Then again "This is Halloween" has always been a favorite of mine only to be spoofed this year in Gaga-fashion.

Hmm...maybe I should be Gaga as a mermaid for Halloween?

The Workout

1x450 loosen

4x100 kick with fins on 2:15 - can do the last 1 breast (400/850)

4x175 on 3:00 - catch-up on the odd lengths (600/1450)  I did flip turns for the first one but my back was acting up so open turns for the rest.  It wasn't a pretty swim today.  It was me stretching out hoping just to be able to swim.

6x100 descending on 1:40 (600/2050)  I did these backstroke and well not at all descending.  I did a 1:27, 1:22, 1:17, 1:19, 1:20 and a 1:17.  I was doing open turns for most of it.  Tried a few flip turns but boy they were ugly. 

4x75 pull with paddles, etc. on 1:20 (300/2350).  Slow as molases with open turns.  I was struggling.

50 easy (50/2400)

My back is better then it was yesterday but feeling just a small tweak.  I'm going to take it easy for the rest of today.  No gym time again.  Yesterday I fought the temptation to workout.  It's hard but I know I'll heal faster if I lay off working out.  Think I'll just sit on the couch with the dog and watch scary Halloween films all day long.  Maybe something about crocs or sea creatures.


Ouchie! The Problems Of Getting Old and The Pain That Goes With Them!

Last night I went to Boot Camp then Group Ride (Spinning.)  For Boot Camp I was doing okay but twisted my back the wrong way.  At first I thought it was no big deal.  Even with Group Ride right after I figured it was just a bad twist and it would go away.  Well this morning I woke up and boy I could hardly move.  I really twisted my lower back really good.  Getting dressed to go swimming was a challenge.  Once at the pool I was okay.  But getting dressed after swimming was a pain.  Wish I could spend the whole day in water.

Warm Up

450 Mixed

150 Kick

A very slow 600 warm up.  Talk about slow motion.  I felt okay in the water but flip turns were so not happening.

300 Swim 50 Free/50 Back.  I was trying to see if I was going to be able to swim the workout or not.  (300/900)

3x150's Push the middle 50 (450/1350)  Well more like just try to finish them. 

4x50's Free.  Easy down / Sprint back.  (200/1550)

And that was it.  I had to get out.  Like I said the swimming wasn't so bad but getting dressed and driving home was a killer.  Wish I could call in sick and just stay in bed today.


Monday is Freeday!

Yawn!  I so didn't want to get out of bed yet again.  These chilly mornings are making me super lazy.  But I did get out of bed and headed to the pool.   We had a bit of a late start this morning since the person opening the pool is one of the by the book types so we all had to wait while she checked us all in.  Whatever...

The Workout:

200 Swim / 100 Pull w/o Paddles / 150 Pull w/ Paddles / 50 Swim / 200 Kick (700)

Main Set:
3x200's Descend on 3 Minutes
6x100's Descend on 1:30 (1:17/1:15/1:13/1:10/1:08/1:06) all ish
rest 60
4x50's Fast on 60  (1400/2100)

Then I did a 20 easy.  So 2,150 yard swim.  I forgot what my 200's were but I did descend them.  I had another fast swimmer to push me this morning.  My first 200 was super slow.  Oh yeah, now that I am typing this I was like a 2:40ish, 2:30ish then a 2:22ish.  I think.  The last 100 I was just scrambling.  All in all it was a good workout.  I'm going to try and make it to the gym to do some weights.  Maybe.  Depends on how I'm feeling later.


Tardis Swim Workout

Last night I went to bed early with the intentions of running an easy 3 miles before heading to the pool but when the alarm went off at 5am I hit snooze.   Then hit snooze again and again till it was after 6am.  So no running today.  Grrr...I'm getting lazy.  Since I got to be at work at 9:30am I decided to do a quick workout.  Even after years of waking up early for working out I am so not a morning person.  In order for me to be awake and somewhat happy for work I need to workout before hand.  So I was at the pool at 6:45.  Luckily they had just opened the pool.  By the time I got my lane, the clock set up and my gear on deck it was about 6:50.  Now before I had left I quickly looked up old workouts from October 2008 via the Tardis (okay not really but I did use my blog.)  As I was looking at the workouts I had to skip down most of them just cuz' the intervals were way to fast for me.  I couldn't believe how slow I am now.  F!

The Workout:

200 Swim / 200 Pull / 200 Kick (600)

3x100's 50 Drill / 50 Swim (Fly/Back/Fly) (300/900)

Main Set:
3 Rounds -

3x50's on 60 Fly/Back, Back/Breast and Breast/Free

100 on 2 minutes IM

I tried to descend the 100's.  My first one was slow at 1:25 then 1:22 and finished about 1:15/16.  I was doing to do this set another round as my goal was to be under a 1:15 for the IM.  But I wanted to get home and have relaxing time and breakfast before going to work.  (750/1650)

So a somewhat quick and easy workout of 1,650 yards.  After my shift I'll do a weight training workout.  I'll be working so no Group Kick (kickboxing) for me today.


When Did 50F Become Freezing?

Summer is over.  Fall is over.  The Winter Tundra Ice is apon us!  Maybe for you midwestern folks 50F is summer but for me it's winter.  This morning I bundled up in my swim parka, put on my gloves and headed to the pool.  Brrrrr.....

Warm Up

Mixed 450 then 4x100's (Pull/Kick/Kick/Swim) one of each stroke (850)

At this point I knew I was stiff.  My shoulders and arms just didn't want to move.  It was too damn cold.  My butterfly was sad almost remedial butterfly.  I just couln't get my arms out of the water.  My shoulders wanted to stay under the water and never feel the cold cold air.

6x150's (125 then a 25 sprint)  25 Fly/50 Back/ 50 Breast stop then 25 Sprint (fly/back/breast and repeat) (900/1750)

And that was it.  It was almost too cold to chat after the swim.  It was hop out of the water and run to the heated locker room.  I hate winter!  After work today I'm heading to Target to buy a knit cap and some warmup pants.  Do they make battery operated heated pants?


I Ran, I Ran Not So Far. Couldn't Get Past Lazy.

Okay so I'm butchering a great 80's classic.  But I did go on a run yesterday.  My goal yesterday was to wake up at 5am and go running before swimming.  Now I did wake up at 5am but it was pouring outside.  So I turned off the alarm and slept in.  Little did I know at the time that the rain would stop by 6am.  Oh well.  So I didn't swim in the morning.  The rain did stop and the sun sorta came out and then it rained some more.  But of course it didn't start raining again till I was out on my run later in the day. Runke_wed
I dropped my stuff at the gym and hit the bricks as they say.  Well part of the run is on a cobblestone path so I can say bricks.  As you can see on my Runkeeper map above I ran to a point well a dead end and headed back.  I thought a street cut back but it turned out to be a dead end into a parking lot.  Oh well.  It was raining a bit at this point so I just ran back to the gym. Nike_wed
The difference between Runkeeper's GPS report on my Android phone and the Nike+ Sportband without GPS isn't all that much.  Now why do I use both then?  Well cuz' I like charts and graphs.  USA Today you had me at little colored infographics!  I have some friends on Nike+ and some on Runkeeper.  Then on top of that I also use DailyMile and now FitocracyDailyMile I can input or sync my Nike+ runs or if I had a Garmin I could import those runs.  While Fitocracy I can only sync Runkeeper.  At some point I'll hafta decide on one or another.  Note noone uses the Adidas miCoach app or device so that has falled off my radar and my phone.  Which is a same cuz' Adidas miCoach isn't so bad.  I'm rambling on about all this because for the holiday's I'm hoping to get a new training device.  And I'm a bit confused and overwelmed by all the choices.  My options right now are the sorta new Nike+ GPS Tom Tom Watch, Garmin Forerunner 910XT or the new Motorola MotoACTV.  Then on the other hand I can just continue using my Nike+ Sportband without GPS so I can continue on with Nike+ and Dailymile but for swimming but the FINIS Swimsense watch which can be synced with Runkeeper.  Too many choices!

Anyways, the point is that I did run yesterday.  And I ran with my new sneakers!  I now am running with Zoot Advantage 3.0's.  After my run I was back at the gym doing weight training focusing on arms and chest.

This morning it was swim time.  And boy was it chilly outside.  I heard reports that it was 48F while I see now that it is 50F.  Cool air but warm water with a pool temp of 83F.  Ugh.  Hate that! 

Warm Up

Mixed 500 followed by 300 Drill/Kick/Swim.  (800)

Main Set:

4x100's on 1:40

400 on 6:00

4x50's on 50

200 on 3:00

4x50's on 50

200 no interval

No extra breaks in between but had plenty of rest.  Almost too much rest.  I was getting chilly in between.  The deal was to get faster during the set.  The 100's were to be descending or pacing then the 400 would be swam at the faster pace.  The 4x50's were to set our pace again and the 2nd 200 was faster then the first 200.  Okay I did that.  My 100's were not descend but pace doing 17's and 16's.  My 400 I can in on 4:57 so had a minute rest.  My 50's sucked but my first 200 I did a 2:25 and my second a 2:15.  Not great but okay.  I was stuggling.  I could feel the cold air on my recovery and my arms were not liking that.  I felt sore by the last 200.  And not sore cuz' I was working hard but sore cuz my muscles were getting tensed up from the cold.  (1600/2400)

I then warmed down a 100 and called it a day.  Total workout 2,500 yards.  Would be interesting to see the swim in infographics via Swimsense.