Remembering When I Considered Myself A Swimmer

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!  Sunday is my day!  In that I can sorta sleep in and don't have to work.  Wahoo!  So, I can work out for me as in swimming!  But cuz' it's Sunday it is so hard to get out of bed.  Almost impossible.  So even though I went to bed early last night I hit snooze over and over this morning.  I finally made it to the pool to swim with some mates.  If swimming is what you call what I am doing these days.  It's more like floating then swimming.

I was the first to arrive but not for long.  My Garmin Swim seems not to want to work so I don't really know what I did for a warm up.  A little bit here and a little bit more. 

Main Set:
100
200
300
300
200
100
On a 1:40 interval and second half being faster then the rest.  Luckily I can see my info on my watch so I did:
1:17
2:36
3:51
3:38
2:25
1:08
So I was faster on my second half but nothing to write home about.  (1200)

Oh so now my watch is syncing!

So I did a 150 then a 325?  must be 350.  A 50 and a 0 Yard.  Oh that was a 50 kick but I didn't press drill option on watch so it didn't count.  Then a 50 easy.  650 yards goofing off for warm up.  So 1,850 yard workout.

Main Set Breakdown:
Distance:     1,200 yd
Pool Length:     25 yd
Time:     14:55
Avg Pace:     1:15 min/100 yd
Calories:     244 C
Avg Efficiency :     30
Avg SWOLF :     28

Time:     14:55
Moving Time:     14:55
Elapsed Time:     19:28
Avg Pace:     1:15 min/100 yd
Avg Moving Pace:     1:15 min/100 yd
Best Pace:     1:04 min/100 yd

Avg Strokes:     9 / length
Total Strokes:     437

Interval Time  Distance  Avg Pace
1    1:17.1     100     1:17
2    2:36.4     200     1:18
3    3:51.5     300     1:17
4    3:37.8     300     1:13
5    2:24.8     200     1:12
6    1:07.6     100     1:08 I know I won't reach 250 miles for 2012 but hopefully I can swim at least 9 more miles this year so I can get to 200 miles.  To think I thought that I could easily do 300 miles before realizing that wasn't going to happen.  I'm just so out of shape, swim shape that is!

Quick 45 Minute Swim

Two swims in one week.  Woah, I'm almost sorta a swimmer.  Sorta a swimmer is key.  Since today is Tuesday I teach spinning at 5:45am and 7am then I'm mostly done for the morning.  So I try and make it to 10am swim practice.  But today I was running late and missed it.  I think it was subconscious.  So I did get in a nap instead.  Then hit the pool for the lap swim at 12.  I knew that I only had to 12:50 when the lap swim was over.  So I figured I'd just swim to swim.

I warmed up a 200 swim before switching to something a bit easier and quicker. 

10x50's Pulling w/o Paddles on 55 (500/700)

1    :42.1     50     1:23
2    :39.6     50     1:19
3    :39.1     50     1:18
4    :38.2     50     1:16
5    :36.8     50     1:14
6    :37.4     50     1:15
7    :38.3     50     1:17
8    :36.9     50     1:14
9    :39.0     50     1:18
10    :38.8     50     1:18

Then 5x50's Pulling w/ Paddles on 50 (250/950)

1    :38.7     50     1:17
2    :38.6     50     1:17
3    :39.6     50     1:19
4    :38.9     50     1:18
5    :39.9     50     1:20

I was going to do 10 but I was bored.  That is why I hate lap swims.  I get bored easily.  Easily distracted by time, water and my thoughts.  Definatly no eyecandy. 

5x100's IM on 1:55 (500/1450)

1    1:27.2     100     1:27
2    1:24.0     100     1:24
3    1:23.4     100     1:23
4    1:24.4     100     1:25
5    1:22.2     100     1:22

Pee break. 

5x100's IM on 1:50 (500/1950)

1    1:22.2     100     1:22
2    1:20.4     100     1:20
3    1:21.2     100     1:21
4    1:23.0     100     1:23

I missed the 3rd one with my watch.  I thought I hit the button but I guess not!  Doh!  And that was it.  It was almost 12:50 and the 1pm water volleyball players were arriving.  Figured it was time to go!  So 1,950 yards.  Nothing to be excited about but as always "a swim is a swim."  Since I'm teaching 4 classes on Thursday morning I doubt I will swim at all.  We shall see if I get up tomorrow morning and swim.  I want to but I should sleep in.  Now if you are still reading this...CALLING ALL COACHES!  I'm looking to add some Guest Blogging Posts to the17thman.  I had an idea of coaches submitting a Swim Set with detailed explanation of what is expected of the swimmer of the set and why do it.  So if you are a coach and would like your .15 seconds of swim fame email me.  Besides having your own indvidual post I'll in a different post will try to swim the set per instructions. 

Broken Goggles and Broken Promises

Ahh...swimming.  Not that I"m complaining, oh wait I love to complain.  In face I love to bitch, moan and complain!  It's more of a hobby for me.  Anyways, I haven't been able to swim that much due to work.  Which is good, I think.  On Thursday I didn't swim since I taught spinning (group ride) at 5:45am, 7am, 9:30am and 10:45am then taught group power (a cardio weight training class) at noon.  Then Friday morning I taught group power again at 5:45am and spinning at 815am.  I slept in on Saturday and taught the 10am spinning class.  So I'm getting workouts in just not swimming workouts. But all this spinning is giving me super strong legs!  The above picture is from Halloween.  It's a bit blurry but I was Superman! 

I keep promising myself that I'll swim more and more.  It's hard to do but I can if I try make a couple of 30 minute swims.  But alas the snooze button seems so nice in the morning.  But after this week mornings are getting easier.  Since I've been doing more and more morning classes I'm getting into the routine of going to bed earlier and earlier.  Last night I was in bed around 8:30pm.  That was a Saturday night.  I was beat.  I also wanted to get up and swim today.  I set a few alarms for times after 6am.  Figured I'd get to the pool at 7:30am and swim an hour before my swim mates arrived.  I pretty much had the pool all to myself today.  Which is good and bad.  I'm not as motivated to swim when I'm alone.  I sorta just relax in between swims.  Now I had a workout to swim with me but being alone I kept on changing it.  Even with the whole pool to myself I got in the wall lane.  It's a bit wider then the other lanes and I figured that way no one would bother me if others came and swam. The water was actually not too warm.  The air temp was in the mid-50'sF,  I did an easy 500 warm up.  I swam some of it, then pulled without paddles then finshed with paddles. 

Then a 200 kick easy with fins.  The first 25 felt great.  Then my legs didn't like having to workout.  I pulled out an old workout and modified a drill/kick/swim set.  I did 2x100's 25 Catch Up Drill/ 50 Kick / 25 Swim all with fins.  (900)

2x300's on 4:30.  The first one was pullng w/o paddles the second one w/ paddles. 

1    4:10.7     300     1:24
2    3:59.8     300     1:20

I was feeling okay.  Not great but okay.  Being alone I took some rest.  (600/1500)  The workout I was going to do had me doing 4x75's pace free on 1:15.  I decided I didn't want to do that so I did 4x50's Fly/Free by 25 on 1:05.  (200/1700)

2x200's on 3:00.  The first one was pulling w/o paddles the second one w/paddles.

1    2:46.0     200     1:23
2    2:34.7     200     1:17

Once again just okay.  No motivation really to go much faster.  (400/2100) 4x50's Back/Free by 25 on 1:05 (200/2300)

2x100's Free.  The first one pulling w/o paddles the second oen w/paddles.  I sorta messed up and went too slow on the first one so by the time I put on the paddles I missed the 2 minutes so did it on 2:30.  Yeah, I'm that slow these days.  (200/2500)

4x50's Breast/Free by 25 on 1:05 (200/2700)

And that was it.  Oh I took some extra rest at various points then when my goggles broke I had to get out and grab another pair.  My favorite pair.  Gone!  They are from an New Zealand company called Ministry of Swimming.  I've had them for about two years so I can't complain.  Over time I've used other goggles but when they fail I kept going back to these.   They are called Zombie Racing Goggles, how can you not like anything  ZOMBIE?  And yes they are very much like Barracuda HydroBat Racing Goggle Mirror.  Very very much like except I had a pair of Barracuda HydroBat Racing Goggle Mirror that last me less then three months while the Ministry of Swimming last me two years.  Go figure!  I guess it's time to order more goggles.  I may go back to my cheapo bungie swedes.  Once again my lack of swimming has me way way behind in my Go The Distance goal yardage for 2012.  This is even with me downgrading from 300 miles to 250 miles.  At least I'm close to 200 miles.  I guess this will give me something to beat next year!

Jan    26.14 miles (=46,000 yards, =42,062 meters)
Feb    21.68 miles (=38,150 yards, =34,884 meters)
Mar    19.36 miles (=34,075 yards, =31,158 meters)
Apr    14.29 miles (=25,150 yards, =22,997 meters)
May    18.67 miles (=32,853 yards, =30,041 meters)
Jun    11.16 miles (=19,650 yards, =17,968 meters)
Jul    17.97 miles (=31,625 yards, =28,918 meters)
Aug    21.08 miles (=37,100 yards, =33,924 meters)
Sep    17.59 miles (=30,950 yards, =28,301 meters)
Oct    17.99 miles (=31,659 yards, =28,949 meters)
Nov    3.52 miles (=6,200 yards, =5,669 meters)
Total    189.44 miles (=333,412 yards, =304,872 meters)

We Need To Do More Fist Drill Smack Someone In The Head!

A swim.  A swim.  It's been a week since my last swim and I really didn't want to swim today.  I am beat and it's only Tuesday.  It's most likely the only swim I'll get in till Sunday, iff I can drag my ass out of bed on Sunday.  In general swimming on Tuesday's is not easy since I teach spinning at 5:45am and then 7:00am.  I really enjoy the 5:45am class.  And have been doing it for a month.  It's perfect since I can come home eat and rest before swimming at 10am.  Now, I took over teaching the 7:00am class last week from another instructor.  I gotta say it's not going so well since the folks are creatures of habit and don't like change.  The class size is a lot smaller then it use to be.  Also today, I heard some rumblings after class about me so even though I was tired I needed to go burn off some frustration so I went swimming.  Was hoping we would do some fist drill freestyle so I could punch the water but alas I just pushed myself in a few 200's freestyles.

The pool temp is on the rise.  But it didn't feel so bad today.  Maybe cuz' it was a tad chilly in the air.  Luckily the workout wasn't so hard that the heat would get to me.  Wamed up a 450 (100 putting in lane lines / 350 pull.)  Then 300 Kick.  Followed by 3x100's (25 Right Arm / 25 Left Arm / something, something) (1050)

4x200's.  100 Catch Up / 100 Build.  I forgot the interval.  I also forgot to hit the watch to start one of the 200's.  I hate that cuz' if I can't track it then I didn't swim it.  Well I did but don't know how well or fast I went: (800/1850)

1   2:35.1    
2    2:30.3
3    2:26.5   

6x100's.  1st length breath every 5 / 75 build.  Forgot interval.  Doh!  Also forgot to start watch on one of them.

1    1:50.2    
2    1:11.8
3    1:11.9    
4    1:11.6    
5    1:10.2   

Correction I didn't stop it after my 1st 10o and the interval was 1:50. (600/2450)

Stroke stuff.  I know I kicked a 100.  (100/2550)
9x50's on 60 1 Fly/Back, 1 Back/Breast. 1 Breast/Free Repeat.  On the third round I screwed up and did a 50 breast instead of back/breast.  (450/3000)

Then we did some 25's.  Some free with fins going dps then sprint.  Oh I think that was 6x50's.  (300/3300)

Meh, more 25's.  Maybe 4 or 8?  Let's just say another 200 so I can get to 3,500 yards.  That was it.  I'm done, toast, finished...