Brrr...That's Too Cold To Swim & Other Excuses

Yeah, I haven't been swimming in weeks!  Holy crap!  It's been too cold on the mornings when I don't work then sick with a cold for a week.  I could have swam after my run today but oh well.  Enough is enough.  Hopefully I'll be back in the water sometime this week.  Even though I've been out of the water I'm still spinning 10+ hours a week.  The last few weeks I've been subbing for other instructors and really have been spinning like a mad man.  As for swimming not so much...

Jan    6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters)
Feb    6.25 miles (=11,000 yards, =10,058 meters)
Total    13.21 miles (=23,250 yards, =21,260 meters)

Let's Try This Swimming Thing, Again.

Today was a good day for swimming.  It wasn't a fast workout or a long yardage workout.  It was a workout.  A workout just to relax, swim and not worry about a billion little things in my head.  As a great man once said "Relax. What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind!"

I gotta admit that I almost did sleep in and skip swimming.  Snooze was too strong of a force.  But I knew I have to swim.  So I did get to the pool a bit early so I'd get some pool time.  A small group of the regular swimmers was there as well as the Coach.  So I swam in his lane and did the workout he and another swimmer was doing.  Nothing too hard but that is all right with me.  Gotta start somewhere.  Plus it kept me honest sticking to a set and interval.  Also swimming in his lane made me think more about my stroke technique and not worry about intervals and the set itself.  It was good for the mind.  I only drifted off once during the swim otherwise I kept thinking about my swim.

Warm Up:

400 Swim

300 Kick (700)

Main Set:

4x75's on 1:20

6x125's on 2:10

4x75's on 1:20

Distance:     1,350 yd
Pool Length:     25 yd
Time:     23:12
Avg Pace:     1:16 min/100 yd
Calories:     279 C

Not the greatest swim but I really thought about my swimming.  I even tried to think about my pacing once I got swimming.  At first the 75's felt a bit slow to me.  Then during the 125's I was glad to be swimming with others.  If I was on my own I never would have finished. 

1    1:00.0     75     1:20
2    :59.8     75     1:20
3    :59.6     75     1:20
4    :59.1     75     1:19
5    1:38.0     125     1:18
6    1:37.1     125     1:18
7    1:36.3     125     1:17
8    1:34.5     125     1:16
9    1:32.6     125     1:14
10    1:29.7     125     1:12
11    :55.6     75     1:14
12    :54.1     75     1:12
13    :53.3     75     1:11
14    :50.9     75     1:08

As you can see from above I was able to descend the set for the most part.  (1,350/2,050)  I then cooled down a 50 to get to 2,100 yards.  Not great but once again I'm sort of starting all over.  Yet, another reboot.  I think I'm on my 1,245 reboot in my swimming.  It's okay as I gotta keep telling myself I do this for fun!  Of course swimming slow sucks but whatever I gotta keep telling myself "Relax. What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind!" I'm not going to even let the Go The Distance thing bother me anymore.  It's just another way to keep track of my swims and nothing more.  This is just for fun!  FUN, damnit!

 

It's Never Enough When You Hardly Even Start

I'm still way out of swim shape.  Not only that I'm out of proper swim technique.  Those two combinations are killing me when I'm trying to swim.  I can feel that I'm swimming wrong but it's hard to correct when I'm so out of shape.  I'm not out of land shape as I'm working out at the gym.  I've already taught 12 spin classes.  But that isn't helping my swim right now.  Mind you when I was swimming on a more regular basis and was spinning I did feel the difference in my breathing and my endurance.  But right now my body is tired.  So for now I've decided to just swim when I can.  Even if it's for 30 minutes.  Hell, even 20 minutes.  Maybe that way when I do get back into swimming more regularly and harder it'll be a bit easier.  Of course finding the time and then finding lap swim time at the same time is a challenge. 

I don't always use my Wahoo Bluetooth Monitor when I teach or sometimes I wear it but forget to turn on the app as I'm talking to members or what have you.  But you get an idea looking at the picture above that I'm spending more time spinning and less time swimming.  I wish our gym had a pool but then again I'm glad we don't or I'd never leave that place!

Today's Swim!  I started to do this week's workout from Joe D LINK.  Started being the key word! 

Swim
Distance:     400 yd
Pool Length:     25 yd
Time:     5:15
Avg Pace:     1:19 min/100 yd

Kick
Distance:     200 yd
Pool Length:     25 yd
Time:     3:55

Pull (w/d-band but w/o paddles)
Distance:     300 yd
Pool Length:     25 yd
Time:     4:09
Avg Pace:     1:23 min/100 yd

Drill
Distance:     100 yd
Pool Length:     25 yd
Time:     1:23

Oy!  I felt it during that first 400.  My arms were all over the place and my hips were all over with my legs fishtailing behind me.  It was not pretty.  The pulling seemed even worse!

Even though I had my doubts I really was going to do the full workout.  Although I was looking for an excuse to not do it all.  Luckily I did find my excuse.

Main Set:

5x100's Pull w/paddles and w/ d-band on 1:30
4x50's Back on 50

Distance:     550 yd
Pool Length:     25 yd
Time:     8:04
Avg Pace:     1:15 min/100 yd
1    1:15.0     100     1:15
2    1:14.7     100     1:15
3    1:13.3     100     1:13
4    1:16.4     100     1:16
5    1:14.6     100     1:15
6    :47.9     50     1:21

I stopped after 1x50 backstroke.  It was lap swim time and although I looked before sharing a lane with someone for the swimmer who seemed to be a swimmer we did have an slight accident.  We were both swimming backstroke and she was all over.  Eventually she ran into me.  We had a few close calls before that.  So that was my excuse to get out.  It was getting on my nerves!  So 1.550 yards in about 30 minutes or so.  Like I said I'll be just swimming to swim for a few weeks when I can. I don't even want to start ranting about my Go The Distance!  Oy!  I've been using Rocktape for my various workouts this week and today did both knees.  I picked knees to wrap up today because sometimes when swimming they seem to bother me.  Today no problems at all.  Of course no breaststroke but still no pain or anything on my pushoffs.  I'm still not 100% perfect on getting the tape on.  My second knee was better then my first. 

Click here to download a PDF version of this application. This app can be used for Achilles tendinitis. AT is tendinitis of the Achilles tendon, generally precipitated by overuse of the affected limb and is more common among athletes training under less than ideal conditions. Simply move the app over the area where you feel the most pain. These directions may be different than the video; feel free to experiment. If you’re still not getting relief we recommend you contact one of our Rock Docs for medical consultation.

I'll be updating on my non-pool time with Rocktape this weekend with my next running post!  Till then, tape it up!

DISCLAIMER:  The fine folks at Rocktape gave me a roll of the PINK tape to try out.  All the comments and idiotic review of the product is my own dumb  comments and not of the fine folks at Rocktape.

Go Longer, Go Stronger Swim Workout: Day One of My Week With Rocktape

I couldn't get use to this one swim workout a week thing at all.  Yeah, it sounds all nice just swimming one day a week.  But when I do actually get to swim it's like I haven't swam in months.  How can 400 little yards hurt so much?  Now I was sort of smart before I even got in the water by using some Rock Tape on my lower back area.  What's Rock Tape?

Rocktape (www.rocktape.com) is a thin, stretchy hi-tech athletic tape that can be used to treat a wide variety of sports injuries such as shin splints, IT band, plantar fasciitis, achilles tendon, runner¹s knee and a host of others. It is the "Gold Standard" in Kinesiology Tape. It's lesser known use (to non-Olympic athletes) is that it can also can enhance performance by bringing blood flow to the taped area and creating muscle stability.

Rocktape can stay on for up to 5 days even with showering and swimming (for real).

In the past when I haven't swam and start swimming it's my lower back and shoulders that bother me.  I didn't use the Rocktape on my shoulder mostly because I'm still learning how to put the tape on and didn't have anyone to assist me putting it on.  Which I feel is the only thing that keeps me from using Rocktape more often.  But with more practice on my own I'm sure I'll get to use to self applying

As for the workout itself.  I printed up Joe's 4x's The Charm Workout LINK.  It seemed easy enough.  Well if I had been awake and read the workout properly I would have thought a bit differently.  You can read the workout and explanation HERE but in a nutshell:

The workout is 4 times through the following:
800 pull (or swim)
2 x 200 IM

As for my swim…mum…sad and pathetic. Had my Garmin Swim on and deck clock on and ready to swim. 

Joe's Round 1:  there’s no warm up so right off the bat, the 800 is just your warm up, so make it whatever you want (I did a 200 swim/50 scull for 800 yards).  The IMs are:  #1 drill, #2 drill/swim by 25.

Joel's Round 1:  200 swim, 200 pull no paddles, 200 pull w/paddles, 100 something, 100 easy free then then 2x200's.  Oh yeah that something was 100 swimming with fins.  My normal back ache swim.  I felt pretty good with the tape.  But didn't want to push it with lots of butterfly coming up in the workout. 

1    3:02.3     200     1:31
2    3:03.9     200     1:32
3    2:49.4     200     1:25
4    1:23.4     100     1:23
5    1:23.2     100     1:23
6    3:07.3     200     1:34
7    3:00.0     200     1:30

Joe's Round 2:  the 800 is free is pull or swim.  As ‘always’ focus here is on a consistent pacing (I broke mine miserably!!!) and maintaining.  Watch the clock a bit (or use your watch) and maintain your pace for each 100.  The IMs are:  #1, kick, #2, swim/drill by 25.

Joel's Round 2:  DOH!  No data!  Yeah, I forgot to start my Garmin Swim and didn't notice to the 18th lap.  I looked at the clock around lap 16 and it was about a 5:30 on the deck clock. I was trying to do the math which prompted me to look at my Garmin Swim.  I stopped in frustration realizing I wouldn't have my data.  Rested a bit, contemplated continuing, giving up but finally decided to jump to Round 3.

Joe's Round 3:  the 800 is broken at the 400 for 20 seconds and then negative split (so faster than the first half).  The intention as with any negative split/descend/build is to make sure that there is still EFFORT on the first half so you can really feel the burn on the second half.  The IMs are:  #1 Reverse IM (ouch) #2 IM (yes, two 50s fly in a row)

Joel's Round 3:  Call it frustration or boredom or just me being a wimp. 
1    5:26.8     400     1:22
2    5:22.7     400     1:21
But I sorta felt discourage and unmotivated.  I skipped the 200's and went into Round 4.

Joe's Round 4:  the 800 is broken again, this time as 100s.  Alternate 100 SPRINT / 100 smooth on 2:00.  Do what you can to really work those SPRINT 100s.  Even if you need a little extra rest.  The smooth 100s should be recovery but not too sloppy.  The IMs are:  #1 Drill (yes, a bit of recovery) #2 IM, broken at the 50, 50s are build to hard then 5 seconds rest.  On the last IM work on controlling  your breathing in between each 50.  Big deliberate breaths to help return your oxygen and ‘theoretically’ get your back ready to go faster.

Joel's Round 4:  Ummm…I suck at this swim thing.  Or at least swimming alone.  I don't know how people do it.  I need someone on deck or in my lane holding me accountable for my swim.  I gave up after 4x100's.
1    1:11.6     100     1:11
2    1:20.7     100     1:21
3    1:13.5     100     1:14
4    1:23.2     100     1:23

Now I haven't been swimming much this month and last and the previous year.  So this swim isn't horrible.  Almost horrible.  Just a base for me to improve on.  2,850 yards isn't bad for someone not swimming much.  This month I really haven't been swimming at all 4.18 miles (=7,350 yards, =6,721 meters.  I really got to sneak in some swimming this week.  I can't finish a month below 10K yards!  I'm subbing in a few spin classes on Monday and Tuesday but after that I should be able to squeeze in swimming.  I gotta do it.  As of now I'm probably going to NOT swim at any swim meets this year.  Well maybe that small local meet in Ocala.  But no IGLA in Seattle, no PanAm Masters in Sarasota or anything like that.  I'd be too embarrassed to swim slow times.

As for the Rocktape I gotta give it good review.  I haven't used it as much as I like.  Two swim workouts, one run and one day at the gym.  It seemed to do it's trick this morning with my back.  Usually swimming with fins I feel a tweak in my lower back.  Today nothing.  Mind you it was only a 100.  But and I hate to say that I have this really bad habit when tired in distance swimming but I do this odd butterfly kick into the wall and lift my head to breath before diving in to do my flip.  Yeah, it's really bad form and a killer on the lower back.  But today in my laziness I was doing it and no issues.  I'm going to continue trying it out all month in swimming and running.  I'll be back to running next week.

Rocktape - How to tape for general lower back pain LINK

DISCLAIMER:  The fine folks at Rocktape gave me a roll of the PINK tape to try out.  All the comments and idiotic review of the product is my own dumb opines and not of the fine folks at Rocktape.

Spinning My Way To The Pool Drain

Well at least I got some swim time in this morning.  That's twice in one week.  I'm on a sad little roll.   This little swim was very little and more like a warm up.  I'd love to swim more but work, work and more work.  So far I taught 8 one hour spin clases and 3 half hour classes.  That's a bit of spinning.  So swimming just isn't happening.  I don't always remember to use my heart rate monitor so I don't have every class posted to Garmin but trust me I've done them.  My body knows I've done them.  Thursday when I was done I was beat.  Even with a nap my body was telling me "no more".   After yesterday mornings class I just came home and watched bad tv on the couch.  So I figured I had to get up and do something before I head to teach spin. 

The swim "workout" or warm up...

200 Swim / 200 Pull / 300 Kick.

I then had this great idea for a set.  Yeah, I was making it up as I was swimming.  I had a printed workout but I left it way over at the other end and it's 50F outside.  I'm not walking outside in these cold temps!  The plan was to swim 2x50's, 2x100's, 2x200's, 400, 2x200's, 2x100's and 2x50's.  I got as far as the 100's.  But I did four of them instead of two.  I was pulling the first part and started to swim the last two 100's. 

1    :42.4     50     1:24
2    :43.5     50     1:27
3    1:23.4     100     1:24
4    1:24.0     100     1:24
5    1:21.1     100     1:21
6    1:20.2     100     1:20

I was just feeling horrible in the water.  My stroke was horrible and I just had no motivation to swim.  So I switched to 50's hoping my body would wake up and I'd be motivated to swim fast.  Yeah, well, that didn't happen.

1    :38.6     50     1:17
2    :38.9     50     1:18
3    :38.7     50     1:18
4    :38.9     50     1:18

So I said to myself, let's try some IM stuff maybe that'll do it.  Once again, NOPE!

8x25's on 30 reverse IM by 25.

That was it.  Done!  1,600 yards. To see how little I'm swimming one only has to look at the graphic above.  This year I've only swam 16,750 yards.  And easy slow yards at that!  I'm not a happy camper!-

The Hardy Boys & The Case Of The Long Lost Swimmer & His Lost Kickboard!

Ahh...Sunday my day off from work.  Which means it's my day!  Not my day to sleep in but my day to do my workout stuff.  Ya know, running and swimming and swimming and more swimming.  Although of late one may wonder if I swim at all anymore and I admit I really haven't been.  Not enough time, to tired, to cold outside, to this and not enough that.  Excuses, excuses, excuses and then...self defeat starts to set in.  Why bother swimming today it's not like I'm swimming any other time so why swim today?  Ugh!  Self defeat in swimming is winning over my thougths.   This past week has been the anti-swim week in my mind.  But I'm moving past that.  I'm going to embrace the few times I can swim.  And with that today was one of those days.  I was going to swim with the gang around 8:30/45 after my run but I was freezing after that run so I put off the swim.  More on the run later.  When I remember to use my Wahoo HR Monitor I can track my spinning classes.  Of course I forget to put in on me or even to turn the app on most of the time.  Last week I even forgot to put it on for my run.  Doh!

Let's talk swimming!  After my second breakfast or very early lunch I relaxed a bit.  Then hit the pool after 11.  I figured everyone would be way gone by then so I wouldn't have to explain how I'm busy and lazy and just don't swim to anyone.  I had a printed workout and figured I'd go with that.  So that it what my plan was. Got to the pool and realized I didn't have a battery for the deck clock but did find my Speedo kickboard that I left behind a few weeks ago.  Funny cuz' it wasn't around in the storage room last Sunday.  Glad someone returned it.  I almost bought a new one yesterday!

Warmed Up

200 Swim

200 Pull w/o Paddles

200 Pull w/ Paddles

Garmin Swim registered an extra 25 yards for some reason.

4x75's Kick w/ fins on 1:30  (300/900)

3x100's w/fins - swim/kick/pull/build on 2:00.  The Garmin Swim registerd each as a 75 ignoring the 25 kick.  (300/1200)

Crazy Time!  Motivation Time!  I keep telling my students in my spin classes to push themselves to break out of thier comfort zone.  So today I decided to do that myself.  I was going to swim or pull a 1,000 but decided I'd pull a 1,650.  I used all my toys:  pull bouy, paddles and d-band pulling band.  I wasn't going for speed I just wanted to prove to myself that I can swim a 1,650.  I needed something to motivate me. 

Distance:     1,650 yd
Pool Length:     25 yd
Time:     22:19
Avg Pace:     1:21 min/100 yd
Calories:     314 C
Avg Efficiency :     30
Avg SWOLF :     27

Grr…I can't see a 100 by 100 since I didn't hit the pause button at every 100 of the 1650.  I can only assume I was on a steady pace.  I felt like it.  Tired at the end but controlled.
This chart is damn fucking useless pretty much like the Garmin Swim.  I can sorta see highs and lows and if I place the cursor at the peaks and valleys I get sorta splits but not real ones.  My slowest average pace was 1:34 and fastest 1:05.  Meh.  I'm going to use this workout as my "Base Workout Set" and do it in theory once a month to see how I'm doing in swimming.  I may actually do it again next Sunday and try to go faster.  Not that one should compare swim meet times to workout times but the last time I swam the 1650 I did it with a time of 18:06.41.  So I'm 4 miutes off.  That is horrible!  Oh!  (1650/2850)  I then did an easy 50 for 2,900 yard workout. Jan    6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters)
Feb    1.65 miles (=2,900 yards, =2,652 meters)
Total    8.61 miles (=15,150 yards, =13,853 meters)

I think that might be an all time low for a month!  12,250 yards?  Holy no longer a swimmer batman!  I gotta snap out of this! 

So running.  I ran again this morning with a run mate.  A few of us at work are going to run a 12K in April.  Most of us are pretty active and in shape but none of us are runners.  I'm the most experienced with a few runs under my belt but haven't ran much in 2012 if at all.  So a few of us run together on Sunday mornings at 7am.  It's damn cold at 7am!  Almost too cold! So I can do this.  7.4 miles or 12K.  Hopefully all of us will be able to do this!  My run today was different then what I planned out for everyone else.  Mostly cuz' I got to the Polo Fields early and was so cold I decided to warm up a mile first. After I mile I paused and waited for everyone to run.  Then I ran another 3.7 miles.  At the end I didn't run the full loop but cut through the half way point which is the polo viewing stands. One loop around the Polo Field is about a mile.
Splits
mi     Pace (min/mi)     Elevation (ft)
1     11:53     0
2     9:07     4
3     9:08     -1
4     9:29     -3
5     10:01     1

I took a pee break in the portajohn which is why I slowed up after mile 4.  Forgot to pause the Wahoo HR Monitor app.  You can see the two breaks in the red line on the chart above. 

Overall it was a good day.  Swimming and Running.  Now I got the day to relax and watch House of Cards and Downton Abbey.

Trying That Swim Stuff Again.

To swim or not to swim is not the guestion.  The guestion is how do I find the time and energy to swim.  Spin, spin, spin is my mantra these days.  Teaching 10 classes in a week is taking it's toll on my swimming.  I love to teach spin but I gotta at some point get use to spinning and find time for swimming.  It's the 27th of the month and I had only swam 6 times with a wimpy total of 10,000 yards.  Which I'll admit I was thinking this morning while swimming that I better at least swim 10,000 yards this month.  But before I went swimming I went running.  In 3 months a few of us will be running a 12K together.  So we are getting together Sunday mornings and running.  This morning I was 4 miles. 4 miles use to be nothing but these days it a bit long for me.  Actually mile one felt bad after that it was okay.  I could have ran 5 miles.  On my last lap around the Polo Field I kept thinking how I miss the Thursday night Nike Run Club at the Beverly Hills Nike store.  That way I ran at least 5 miles once a week.  I need to get to that again.  Just for cross training reasons.  But then again when do I find the time.  I do need to let my body recover from spinning and weight training.  OY! 

The Swim!  So after running I stopped at home to change and get more water/G2.  Grabbed my gear and headed to the pool.  I was the only person there at first.  I filmed a quick vid on Vine of the empty pool.  By the time I got my gear to my lane and filled in some liability paper work for swimming in 2013 other swimmers started to show up.  I got in a 700 yard warm up mostly pulling without paddles. 

8x50's on 60 (4 kicking / 4 kick/drill)  (400/1100)

Main Set:

2x175's Odds Catch Up / Evens Swim on 3 Minutes

4x125's Pace on 2:30 (maybe?  i forgot the interval)

4x75's Swim on 1:20.  1st one sprint last 25, 2nd one sprint middle 25, 3rd one sprint first 25 and last one all fast) (1,150/2,250)

Distance:     1,150 yd
Pool Length:     25 yd
Time:     18:53
Avg Pace:     1:18 min/100 yd
Calories:     227 C
Avg Efficiency :     31
Avg SWOLF :     28

1    2:28.0     175     1:24
2    2:20.1     175     1:20
3    1:35.2     125     1:16
4    1:32.7     125     1:14
5    1:33.3     125     1:15
6    1:35.6     125     1:17
7    :56.8     75     1:16
8    :58.1     75     1:17
9    :59.1     75     1:19
10    :52.7     75     1:10

Meh.  So 2,250 yards.  Not great but better then nothing.  Haven't swam in over a week.  I am so out of swim shape.  So sad!  At least I am swimming.  But since I'm not swimming very much and not at all close to fast I'm skipping the Valentine's Swim Meet I've gone the last two years to down in Clearwater.  I'm saving myself the horror of finishing dead last!  I was thinking of going just to see how I'm doing but I know that answer.  BADLY!  Something has got to change next month or I'll be skipping IGLA this summer and I really don't want to.  I gotta find the time. I need to swim at least 15,000 yards this month.  Anything less is just sad!  Note to self:  Wake up Wednesday and swim!

Oh in other swim related stuff.  The fine folks at Swim Spray has sent me a little care package of Swim Spray to test out and blog about.  So after I was done swimming I used Swim Spray in the shower.  Now one use isn't going to be enough for me to judge the product on but so far I like it.  I don't have the smell of the pool on me.  Usually that is all I can smell.  In fact my hair smells sorta nice and I didn't even use conditioner.  I'll be using it for the next 30 days so I'll be posting about it and giving my final okay or no way verdict then. 

Barely A WarmUp But At Least I Swam

What day is it?  My alarm went off at 6:15am and all I could think that I had overslept.  That today was Sunday and I had to meet up with folks at 7am to go on a run.  Soon after bolting out of bed I realized it was Saturday.  I debated on going back to bed but decided to go and try this swimming thing again.  So I slowly got my act sort of together and headed to the pool.  Once at the pool I was shocked at the turnout at the pool.  Every lane was packed.  I was invited to circle swim with two other swimmers but I declined as I'd be catching up to them every 50.  I went home figuring I'd come back in 30 minutes as most of them would be gone.  So I got back to the pool at 7:30.  Which meant 20 minutes to swim before aqua fit classes. 

Warm Up
200 Pull w/o Paddles
200 Pull 2/ Paddles

8x50's on various intervals as I kept moving over lanes hoping to escape the fate of having to get out as they took the lane lines out of the pool. 
1    :37.7     50     1:15
2    :37.1     50     1:14
3    :37.4     50     1:15
4    :36.0     50     1:12
5    :36.5     50     1:13
6    :37.5     50     1:15
7    :36.0     50     1:12
8    :39.1     50     1:18

I gotta teach spinning at 10am today.  So maybe, just maybe this afternoon I'll go back to the pool.  I doubt it cuz' I'll be lazy.  Tomorrow it's running at 7am and swimming around 8:30ish.  Then that is it for swimming till Wednesday morning.  Unless I get in the mood on Monday, yeah right!

Cherry Picking Those Pesky and Way Too Fast Swim Intervals

Swimming?  Remember that thing I use to do four times a week?  Yeah, me neither.  But I remember a pool being around here somewhere so I headed over to it this afternoon after napping and lunch.  Before heading over I printed up an old workout from WH20's Friday night 60 minute workout from 2007/8ish.  Once at the pool I found it empty which it stayed the whole time! I skipped the deep end kicking since the pool isn't deep enough for deep end kicking.  Here is the main set:

Main Set takes about 30 minutes   
               
150    2x75 - 50 free/25 fly    110/115/120
100    2x50 - 25 back/25 free    45/50/55
100    4x25 breast    30/35/40
100    100 IM    130/145/200
100    100 free    130/140/200
       
150    2x75 - 50 free/25 back    110/115/120
100    2x50 - 25 breast/25 free    50/55/100
100    4x25 fly    25/30/35
100    100 IM    130/145/200
100    100 free    130/140/200
       
150    2x75 - 50 free/25 breast    115/120/125
100    2x50 - 25 fly/25 free    45/50/55
100    4x25 back    25/30/35
100    100 IM    130/145/200
100    100 free    130/140/200

So I sorta did the medium lane intervals with a few of the slow lane intervals.  In fect I think I fucked up the intervals more then once and even went slower then the slow lane intervals.  Oh well!  I was alone with the Garmin Swim Watch which is pretty damn pointless!

I warmed up a 200 pull w/o paddles then a 200 pull w/paddles.  Both using the d-band pulling band which I still think is the best invention since slice bread! 

Then I did the set above.  I used the Garmin Swim but what it recorded is all fucked up!  Damn that thing!  Unless you are swimming freestyle and never stopping the thing works.  If you stop a lot for intervals and do different strokes then it is pointless.  Piece of shit!  I still recomend it for lap swimmers but other then that I wouldn't bother. 

I did all my 75's on 1:15.  I messed up the first round and went from 50's to 100 IM then realized I skipped the 25's I did them before the 100 free.  The 100 free intervals sorta were me just rounding the clock to the top so one was 1:40 and one at 1:50.  The breast/free 50's I just couldn't remember when I left so I think I did two of them on 1:05.  The last set the first 50 I did back/free instead of fly/free.  My mind was elsewhere.  I kept thinking to myself how bad it was that I was swimming and struggling on medium lane times!  OY!

Winter Swimming Blues Hits Hard!

WARNING RAMBLING AHEAD:  First swim in a week.  And it wasn't much of a swim.  More like a warm up swim.  I'm a bit frustrated of late.  Swimming really has taken a back burner in my life and I miss it.  I've had opportunities to swim but with everything else I just don't have the energy when I have the time and I hardly have the time.  I taught 13 spinning classes so energy for swimming was very rare.  So swimming happens or barely happens when it happens on a very rarely occasion.  Like today.  Sunday!  I ran with a coworker this morning at 7am.  Just a bit over 3 miles.  I figured I'd go right to the pool after the run.  But I had a slight cramp in the leg and since it's easy to find any excuse not to swim I had one. So I went on with my day.  After a trip to a local sporting goods store I purchased a swim gear bag.  I told myself earlier today that I could get in a quick 20 minute swim Monday and Friday morning before my 8:15am spin class at the pool near the gym.   I get the gear bag in hand and head towards the register when a text comes asking me to teach the 6:45am class.  Needing the money and loving spinning I said yes.  Which meant no swim tomorrow.  So do I still buy the bag since I'm only buying the bag to eliminate carrying my big swim bag and then my big gym bag?  Figuring the mesh gear bag is smaller then my other bag.  The whole point of buying the mesh gear bag was to only carry that and my gym bag and not my swim and gym bag.  Wait, how many Speedo bags do I own?  OY! That is enough to give my mind a cramp!

I did get the bag and decided to head to the pool this afternoon to get in a quick workout. 

Started off a bit ambitious with 5x100's freestyle on 1:40.
1    1:17.2     100     1:17
2    1:12.6     100     1:13
3    1:11.8     100     1:12
4    1:10.2     100     1:10
5    1:08.7     100     1:09

It wasn't a planned set it was just something I started to do and continued with.  I was just there as an excuse to use my mesh gear bag.

6x50's Kick on 1:05.  No Fins.  Nice and easy!  (300/800)

4x75's Pulling with Paddles and d-band on 1:10.  (300/1100)
1    1:02.3     75     1:23
2    :58.5     75     1:18
3    :57.3     75     1:16
4    :59.6     75     1:19

Now in my mind I had this great set planned.  But well I'm lazy with no motivation.  I have no upcoming meets, sort of.  It's SCY season and I really prefer SCM or LCM.  I was going to do this Valentine's Day meet but I teach on Saturday and was asked to sub the earlier class so that means I'd be only swim on Sunday.  I guess I could swim that one day.  Meh, I'm not motivated to swim.

So the set that I started was...

2x50's on 45

1x100 on 1:30

and I called it a day.  So 1,300 yards.  Guess it's better then nothing. or is it? I'll just blame it on winter blues.  Of course it's Florida so it's not really winter.  Let's call it fuckin' I'm lazy as shit!  That sounds better!