Some Days...

Brrrr…another morning in the low 40's.  As I tweeted earlier today "some mornings i wish the pool would come to me instead of me going to the pool."

Warm Up
200 Swim / 200 Pull / 200 Kick (600)

Dejavu Main Set
Three Rounds -
4x50's on 55 Fly/Back, Back/Breast, Breast/Free, Free Pull
200 IM on 3:20
Descending the 200's.  I was super slow at first and did get a descend down but still very slow with 3:05, 2:55 and 2:37.  I just knew I had to be below a 2:40 to be acceptable in my eyes/mind.  (1200/1800)

5x100's Pulling on 1:40 Breathing 5/4/3/3 by 25 (500/2300)

6x50's on 60.  2 Catch Up Drill / 2 Pace and 2 fast. (300/2600)

And that was it.  Nice and easy.  Well not so easy.  Well yeah easy.  I need to get my times a bit faster.  I was alone so it's tough to push myself when I have no one around to push me.  Grrr…some mornings I wish I had stayed in bed and leave the pool alone.

Oh I forgot about this earlier but when I was doing my 6x50's my shoulder blades / upper back was getting sore.  All that pulling I guess.  But the freaky part of it was that the song in my head at the time was the song from Group Power when we are working on that muscle group.  I think the pain and fatigue started first then the mind found the song that goes with the pain and fatigue.  Find my mind and how it works when swimming very interesting from time to time.

Well At Least I Tried...

Grrrr!  I really tried to get in a swim today.  Actually I did some but it wasn't much of a swim.  Now it was raining most of the day so I kept putting off heading to the pool.  Finally when I did attempt to make it to the pool it took three tries of leaving the house.  I kept forgetting stuff.  So I get to the pool, change into my suit, get my gear all

ready and get a battery for the clock.  But the damn closet/storage room was locked.  Damn it!  I guess the figured who would go swimming in the rain?  So no clock.  Grrrr….there goes my workout.

So I just did a lazy lap swim. 
200 Swim
200 Kick
200 Pull w/o padddles
200 Pull w/ paddles
4x50's Pulling w/paddles.  Breathing every 3 trying to get my distance per stroke down.  The first two 50's I was doing 13 strokes per 25 but with some exaggeration my last two I was doing 12 strokes per 25.

I had a 1,000 yards in the bank so now what?

400 IM Kick
2x50's fly down / back back.
4x50's butterfly

And that was it.  1,700 yards in under 35 minutes.  I wanted to swim more but I was bored.  Plus it was getting dark out with more rain clouds.  At least I got in the water.

Would You Like Some Ketchup With Your Freestyle?

Would You Like Some Ketchup With Your Freestyle?  Yup, today was all about drill work.  Well mostly trying to get my DPS (distance per stroke) down to what one would consider a normal or appropriate stroke count.  Right now I'm like 100 strokes per 25 yards.  Craziness! 

Warm Up
Mixed 450 then a 200 kick (650)

Main Set:
400 on 6 minutes (catchup for the first 200.  faster swim freestyle on second 200.)
2x200's on 3 minutes (catchup for the first 100 of each 200.  descending 200's.)  I did descend by 5 seconds.  I was pretty damn slow with a 2:55 then a 2:50. 
Took 30 seconds extra rest.
8x100's on 1:40 50 Catch-up / 50 Swim.  Descending.  The first four were more like pace.  I was doing 1:25's.  Then a 1:24 back to a 1:25 finishing up with a 19 and then a 15.  Catch-up is hard.  (1600/2250)

Did 2 easy 50's.  (100/2350)  Then worked on my turns.  The good thing about today's drill work was that it forced me to do some kicking while swimming.  Something I don't do much of normally.

Sixty Three Birthday 50's Workout!

Happy 63rd Birthday to my swim mate Nate.  So to honor the big day we swam 63x50's!  OY!  Now the coach sent me a workout to swim before the workout. But the snooze button got the best of me.  Well that and the cold cold weather.  Frost!  On the

way to the pool the golf courses were covered in frost.  It was a Florida Winter Wonderland!

Pre-63x50 Warm Up

200 Swim / 100 Pull w/o Paddles /200 Pull w/Paddles / 250 Kick (it was to be 3x100's kick but whatever) (750)

63x50's as follows
10 Warm Up Free on 45  (500)
10 Fly on 1:10 (500/1000)
10 Back on 60 (500/1500)
10 Breast on 60 (500/2000)  okay so the first five I did breast/free then the last all breast.  My knees were killing me. 
10 Free on 50 (500/2500)
13 Free on 45 (650/3150)

My goal for the last 23x50's was to swim at or faster then a 35 for the 50's.  I had my 1,000 Free next month in mind.  But we took rest in between each group of 10 and call it too much rest or me being tired and sore but I struggled for the first 5. After that I was okay and hitting 35 and better.    Total yards 3,900 yards in about 1:40 or so.  Not to bad for a Sunday Swim.

I'm still logging or flogging my workouts for the Go The Distance at USMS.  But gotta get it out of my mind worrying about yardage and think about quality swims.  Need to get my pacing down.  I did enter a race for Feb 11th and 12th.  Well actually only the 11th.

 I swam this meet last year and had an okay swim.  My times were slower then they had been in the past.  So went entering the meet for this year I just used my times for last year.  Which were very much slower compared to my best times.  I do think I'm in better shape then I was last year but wonder how that will translate to my times in the pool.  Only time till tell.  So yeah I sandbagged in theory just a tad for my first three events and totally sandbagged my 400 IM.   I've never raced the 400 IM so I really made up a time.  I should in my mind be at least 2 minutes faster if not a whole lot more.  But I just wanted to swim it and not feel any pressure.  It's a fun swim for me.  Another item on the ol' bucket list!  Maybe I should do the Check Off Challenge?

Moving Target - Lowering 2012 Swimming Goals

Oy!  Mornings are not getting much better!

Warm Up:
Mixed 450 with some butterfly and back towards the end.  Then a 200 IM kick.  (650)
300 IM Kick/Pull/Swim Reverse IM order (300/950)

I was feeling pretty stiff during the warm up.  Yesterday's Group Power Class killed my shoulders.  In a good way but still.  Now I've been taken Group Power about 3x a week since mid-October and I gotta say my shoulders, triceps and biceps are the most developed they've ever been.  Not over developed but defined.  Once I warm up in the pool I feel a bit better and less stiff.  Hopefully this muscle will help me next month at my first meet in many many months.

Main Set:
4 Rounds -
4x50's on 55 (Fly/Free, Back/Free, Breast/Free and Free)
200 IM on 3:15.  Descending each round.

Okay so that was the set as given.  I did all the yardage but tweaked the intervals a bit.  The 50's I kept on 55 but taking an extra 5 seconds before the 200 IM.  As for the 200 interval mum….that went out the window. After the first round I took a pee break.  Adding about 2 minutes extra rest maybe.  The last 3 I did them on 3:45.  I did descend but when you start off slow you can only get faster.  I was 3:00, 2:55, 2:47 and 2:41.  Still damn slow but whatever.  I was all by myself for this set.  I should be use to swimming while doing my own thing but I miss having lane mates and swim mates pushing me to go faster.  (1600/2550)

Did a 50 easy knowing in my head I was in a 50 yardage mark so 2,600 yard swim this morning in about 40-45 minutes including my pee break and chat breaks. 

Since I've decided to attempt to swim the 400 IM at a meet for the first time next month I really need to get cracking on my IM.  My walls are horrible.  I've so gotten in the habit of holding on the wall at my turns and transitions.  At the end I was trying to clean up my breaststroke turns.  So much to clean up with so little time.  Feb 11th is closing in so fast. Speaking of challenges...I've lowered my Go The Distance 2012 Goal from 365 miles down to 300 miles.  Mainly cuz' after swimming 5 days in a row I was still behind in my goal pace.  I figured if I kept it at 1 mile per day at some point I'd be so far behind I would stop logging my workouts.  Lowering the goal will allow for too cold to swim mornings, bad weather mornings, hung over mornings, recovery days and anything else that would prevent me from swimming.

A dolphin is swimming at 250 km per hour, the water is flowing at 150 km per hour, and he is trying to get to his destination 500 miles away. How long will it take him to get to his destination?

Grrrr….so tired.  At least that was how I felt this morning.  Woke up and just didn't want to get out of bed.  Didn't want to go swimming either.  But I forced myself.  Don't know how smart that was as I was a slow poke in the pool.

Warm Up
500 (200 Swim/100 Pull w/o paddles/ 200 pull w/paddles)
200 Kick. 

Then right into the main set.  Get your abacus ready!

500/400/300/200/100 Interval on a 1:30 base.

For each section the coach gave me a "target" pace.  If I recall and I might be slowing up the pace markers a bit but 20/17/16/13 and 10.  Now I was way off all the pacing except the very last 100 when I did do it on the 1:10.  Now I did sorta keep track of what I was doing and all that while swimming in my own math challenged way.  So I guess I could do the math but in case I'm wrong here it goes…

So I left on the 60 for the 500 and came in on the 45 so I had 45 seconds rest.  So on a 1:30 base the 200 was on 3 so double that for 6 for the 400 plus 1:30 making the interval 7:30 minus 45 giving me a 6:45.  Now according to an online "Swimming Split Calculator" that is a 1:21.  I know my first 100 and second 100 I was doing 1:25's so I must have made up some time later on.  I forget know but I used my 400 split to make sure I was faster in the 400.

In the 400 I left on the 30 and came in on the 45 giving me 45 seconds rest.  If a plane left Wyoming and landed two days later in Ohio…wait that isn't the math question I'm working on.  The 400 was on 6 minutes so minus 45 seconds we or I get a 5:15.  The magic "Swimming Split Calculator" tells me that is a 1:19.  Okay so a bit faster.

Now the 300 I came in on the 25.  Now I left myself a bit of a note with the number 37.  My 200 split was a 2:37.  Ouch!  That's slow.  Now if I left on the 30 and came in on the 25 giving me 35 seconds rest since I'm on a 4:30 interval my time was…3:55.  So the handy dandy online "Swimming Split Calculator" gave me a 1:18 pace.  Hey I'm getting faster if not on what the coach wanted.

For the 200 I did a 2:34 or a 1:17 split.  Still faster.

The 100 I did a 1:10. 

So to sum the set up my paces were 1:21/1:19/1:18/1:17 and 1:10.  So not too bad.  Not what the coach wanted but I did it in theory if not in time.  I think he was a bit too optimistic in my times.  But whatever.  So this set was 1500 yards plus warm up gives me 2200 yards.

After the pee break and writing down my math problem for the day I started my last bit of pacing.

3 Rounds of 4x50's on 45 pacing each group in a round then descending each round starting at a 40.  I think it was.  I was just yo-yoing back and forth between 35 and 35's the whole set.  (600/2800)

So instead of warming down I just stood in the water slowly watching the rain drops fall faster and faster on the water.  It started with one droplet,  then the droplets came in groups then a bit faster.  Got out of the pool before the rain really started.  So 2,800 yards in 50 minutes.

Oh and the answer to the cute dolpin swimming is 8 hours according to the Math Forum.

Swimming Back To Square One

A little of this and a little of that.  Yesterday was Monday so I hit up the Group Power Class at noon.  Afterwards I was a bit lazy so instead of going out for a run which was in the plan I just got on the elliptical for about 30 minutes.  All in all not a bad afternoon at the gym.  Hey, I got to watch Days while working out for 30 minutes.

This morning's swim…

Mixed 450 with some stroke work in before a 200 kick (650)

4x200's on 3:20 25 Fly/25 Back.  I struggled for the first two.  My arms just didn't wanna do any butterfly.  I felt better by the third one and was able to descend all four of them.  Not happy with my final time but meh.  (800/1450)

5x100's Pulling with Paddles on 1:40 Breathing every 3 (500/1950)  It wasn't till the 4th 100 that I was able to pull my stroke together.

6x50's  on 50 Descending.  Umm…not really a descend.  Went out too fast on the 2nd one.  But still was able to keep my freestyle stroke together as I went a bit faster and held it fast.  (300/2250)

So 2,250 yards done.  I liked the alternating fly and back as this is almost what I was doing when I started to train to swim the 200 butterfly.  And let's face it in some ways I'm back at square one so it's all good.  I think tomorrow will be a freestyle semi-distance workout.  As for today I just have some Group Ride (Spinning) later in the afternoon.  Nice and easy day!

The Perfect Workout If I Was A Perfect Swimmer

It's mornings like these when I find out how out of swim shape I really am.  This workout nearly killed me.  I could use the excuse that the water is too warm at 82.6 but really it's me.  The workout was perfect for me if only I was in shape.

Warm Up
500 Mixed / 200 Kick / 3x100's Drill/Kick/Drill/Swim on 1:45 (1000)

5x400's Descending! - on 6 minutes
1 & 2 No Break
3 Break at 200 for 10 Seconds
4 Break at 100's for 5 Seconds
5th Break at 200 for 5 seconds

So my first one I just slowly woke up.  I came in on like 5:30.  The second one I came in on 5:05.  A big drop.  I really had to pull myself together.  After that it was very small descends of a second or two.  I so can't remember the times right now but I think it was like 57, 56 and 54.  Although it might have been slightly faster.  (2000/3000)

I then did an easy 100 for 3,100 yards in about 45 minutes.

Now it being Monday I had another faster swimmer then me so I really had to work it.  Even though I didn't want to.  My last 400 the wheels were falling off.  I felt horrible.  I need more workouts like today!  This is a wake up call for me for 2012.  I really need to step up my game. Today's swim slowly brings my GTD up but still behind in my goal.  I figure by the end of this week I'll be ahead by a very small amount of yardage. 

I Can't Swim 55! Swim Mate's Bday Themed Workout.

2 Hour Swim Day!  Wahoo!  Feels like ages since the last time I had a Sunday to just swim.  Since I don't have anything to do today I was able to get in some extra swim time.  The workout via emial…

1x500 loosen

1x300 kick with fins

6x50 on :50 with fins kick/fist closed 1 finger

1x400 fist closed 1 finger 1st 100, catch-up on the 2nd, build the 200

6x100 descending with paddles on 1:40

rest 2:00

10x50 on 1:15 - descend in pairs. Pick your final times and add 10 sec for the first 2.

Loosen 100 bk

So my 500 was 200 swim / 100 pull w/o paddles / 200 pull w/ paddles (500.)  Then my 300 was very easy and slow for kicking (800.)  The closed fist 1 finger drill bores me and is frustrating.  I alternated my 50's Fist and Finger Tip Drill (300/1100.)  For the 400 I was fist/catch up then building  (400/1500.)  The 6x100's I pulled them with paddles.  I descended them even if it was a slow swim.  Finished with a 1:04 (600/2100.)  My 10x50's were okay.  Umm…everyone was slowly arriving for the 2nd half of my swim or the sunday swim workout.  So I was stopping after every 2x50's and chit chatting (500/2600)  I then did an easy 100 before joining up with the rest for a birthday swim (100/2700.)

Happy 55th Birthday Finish!  One of my swim mates turned 55 so the theme was 55 today!  Next week someone turns 63!  OY!

Shit…what did we do.  We did some kicking.  I don't remember.  I think 5x50's.  That sounds about right.  I did some fly underwater for speed.  (250/2950)

5x125's Drill/Swim/Drill/Swim/Drill on 2:30.  I did the first two 50Fly/50back/25 free.  The rest I did some sort of IM switches.  (625/3575)

5x75's Free breathing every 5.  I had to take a quick pee break so I missed a 50 so it was 325 yards for me (325/3900)

15x25's with 1 To Grow On!  I did the first 8 doing IM then the last 8 all fly.  (400/4300)

And that was it…so 4300 yards if my math is correct in 2 hours.  Not bad.  Need more of these Sunday workouts.  Glad I have the whole month to swim on Sundays.  Well as of now. Holy Crap I'm behind my Go The Distance Goal for 2012 and it's only the second week.  Gotta get some more swim time in this week!  Need to bank some yards now in case work gets in the way later this year. 
At least by logging this workout in over at Fitocracy I got a new Victory!  I Am Ironfish!  Wahoo!

A Swimmer Should Never Swim Longer In Time Then The Outside Temperature!

Brrrr….34F outside!  I swam for about 45 minutes.  That is 11 minutes too long!

And that is after a warm up from yesterday!  Luckily I was teaching the 6:45am and 8:15am Group Ride (i.e. spinning) Classes yesterday so I didn't swim in the sub-freezing weather.  It was a win-win day.  Got in my cardio and didn't have to freeze!  Wahoo!  I actually then later in the day attended my regular Group Power Class.  Didn't want to give up my normal habit of Mon/Wed/Fri.

Today's Swim -
200 Swim / 150 Pull w/o Paddles / 150 Pull w/ Paddles
Then 200 Kick with fins.  So warm up, ha!  In theory and not in actually reality the warming up was 700 yards.

3x300's
First 300 was on no interval but was Swim/Kick/Pull/Build by 25 for 3 rounds.
2 & 3 300's were on 4:30 and were to be descended.  I think I screwed up and did them on 5 minutes.  I was horribly slow.  I know my first 200 of the second of three 300's was about a 2:50.  I just couldn't get any speed.  So cold!  It's all a blur what all the other times were.  (900/1600)

8x100's on 1:45
2 Rounds -
1 - 50fast/50easy
2 - 50easy/50fast
3 - Pulling
4 - FAST.  2nd Round faster.  I did a 1:12 then 1:07.  I think.  I sucked.  My left hand was cramping.  It was like carpel tunnel or whatever it's called.  I blamed the cold.  (800/2400)

I goofed off / warmed down a 100 for 2500 yards.  A swim is a swim.  That sums it up.  I was the only fool to swim in the pool.  Which really made it hard to be motivated to swim fast.