My Once A Week Barely Swimming Swim Workout

With all best laid plans that start in the morning my Sunday Plan was delayed due to the snooze button.  Once up we had a short rain burst so that let me procrastinate a little bit more.  Then once at the pool is started to drizzle so I took my time getting in the pool.  Once I got swimming it was slow…

Warm Up
200 Free Swim
200 Free Pulling no paddles
5x50's Pulling w/ paddles.  (650)

8x50's Stroke/Free by 25  Fly/Free, Back/Free, Breast/Free then Repeat.  I stopped at 8 to jump in with the other Sunday Swimmers.  (400/1050)

5x100's 3 all Kick and 2 Swim/Kick/Pull/Build (500/1550)

Main Set:
400 Negative Split.  I messed up stopping the watch.  It was like a 5:20.  I did negative split by a few seconds.
Then…
2x200's on 3:30 Descending
1    2:38.8     200     1:19
2    2:30.0     200     1:15
Ouch!  I'm so out of swim shape.  (800/2350)  Really this was a lot harder being out of the water.  Swimming once a week isn't working!

6x50's on 1:20 Drill 25 / Fast 25 2 Fly, 2 Back and 2 Breast (300/2650)

Did a 50 cool down (50/2700)  This was 3rd swim workout for the month of October.  Ugh!  I didn't even want to swim today. 

My Progress for Go The Distance 2013
Month    Total Distance
Jan    6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters)
Feb    6.25 miles (=11,000 yards, =10,058 meters)
Mar    2.50 miles (=4,400 yards, =4,023 meters)
Apr    7.02 miles (=12,350 yards, =11,293 meters)
May    7.10 miles (=12,500 yards, =11,430 meters)
Jun    12.10 miles (=21,300 yards, =19,477 meters)
Jul    13.44 miles (=23,650 yards, =21,626 meters)
Aug    8.96 miles (=15,775 yards, =14,425 meters)
Sep    12.07 miles (=21,250 yards, =19,431 meters)
Oct    3.24 miles (=5,700 yards, =5,212 meters)
Total    79.64 miles (=140,175 yards, =128,176 meters)

I've given up on my little goal of 25 by 25 in which I'd swim 25 miles and run 25 miles between Sept 25th and Dec 25th.  I may make the swimming but I haven't ran at all.  I'll push pack that goal and come up with something for 2014. 

25 Miles By December 25th:

Swim 8.125 Miles

Run 0 Miles

A Swim Just 2 Swim So-Called 20 Minute Workout

More like a warm up set then a workout but I only had about 20 minutes in the pool.  Oh well at least I swam...

100 Easy Free Swim

8x50's Pulling NO Paddles on 60  Trying to breath every 4 strokes.

1    :40.0     50     1:20
2    :39.4     50     1:19
3    :36.9     50     1:14
4    :38.0     50     1:16
5    :35.6     50     1:11
6    :34.1     50     1:08
7    :33.4     25     2:14
8    :34.3     50     1:09

4x75's Pulling WITH Paddles on 1:15.  Trying to breath every 3 strokes.

1    :56.3     75     1:15
2    :55.6     75     1:14
3    :58.3     75     1:18
4    :57.6     75     1:17

Finish with a 200 Kick for 1,000 yards.

My Progress for Go The Distance 2013
Month    Total Distance
Jan    6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters)
Feb    6.25 miles (=11,000 yards, =10,058 meters)
Mar    2.50 miles (=4,400 yards, =4,023 meters)
Apr    7.02 miles (=12,350 yards, =11,293 meters)
May    7.10 miles (=12,500 yards, =11,430 meters)
Jun    12.10 miles (=21,300 yards, =19,477 meters)
Jul    13.44 miles (=23,650 yards, =21,626 meters)
Aug    8.96 miles (=15,775 yards, =14,425 meters)
Sep    12.07 miles (=21,250 yards, =19,431 meters)
Oct    1.70 miles (=3,000 yards, =2,743 meters)
Total    78.11 miles (=137,475 yards, =125,707 meters)

Wow.  I've only swam twice this month and only have put in 3,000 yards.  So sad!  At this rate I won't even get to 100 miles this year!  I gotta get my swim together!  At least I'm in shape out of the water with my spinning and gym stuff.  Speaking of which it's time to head back to work.

If I Swim Any Slower I'll Be Swimming Backwards Workout

Luckily this morning I was able to remember where the pool was located.  I haven't swam in about 11 days due to work and then having a cold.  Normally 11 days of no swimming is pretty bad but considering I wasn't swimming that much before these 11 days and you get a very slow and sore swim workout.  UPDATE:  NOT 11 Days but 13 Days!  Last time I swam was two weeks ago tomorrow!  Oy!

Warm Up:
400 Swim
200 Pull
200 Kick

Main Set:
6x200's Free Descending.
- 1 & 2 Straight 200 yard swim on 3:00
- 3 & 4 Broken at 100 yard with a 10 second rest on 3:10
- 5 & 6 Broken at 50 yards with a 5 second rest on 3:20
It was a lot of math for my pretty little head.  Luckily my Garmin Swim keeps track for me.
1    2:49.9     200     1:25
2    2:44.7     200     1:22
3    1:19.9     100     1:20
4    1:18.9     100     1:19
5    1:17.7     100     1:18
6    1:16.4     100     1:16
7    :37.7     50     1:16
8    :37.2     50     1:14
9    :37.1     50     1:14
10    :37.8     50     1:16
11    :35.1     50     1:10
12    :35.7     50     1:11
13    :35.6     50     1:11
14    :34.4     50     1:09
Somehow I was able to descend them but those times are super slow!  A 2:49 for a 200 Free?  OY!

My Progress for Go The Distance 2013
Month    Total Distance
Jan    6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters)
Feb    6.25 miles (=11,000 yards, =10,058 meters)
Mar    2.50 miles (=4,400 yards, =4,023 meters)
Apr    7.02 miles (=12,350 yards, =11,293 meters)
May    7.10 miles (=12,500 yards, =11,430 meters)
Jun    12.10 miles (=21,300 yards, =19,477 meters)
Jul    13.44 miles (=23,650 yards, =21,626 meters)
Aug    8.96 miles (=15,775 yards, =14,425 meters)
Sep    12.07 miles (=21,250 yards, =19,431 meters)
Oct    1.14 miles (=2,000 yards, =1,829 meters)
Total    77.54 miles (=136,475 yards, =124,793 meters)

25 Miles By December 25th:

Swim 6.022727 Miles

Run 0 Miles

I really need to get running!  Pretty much got 2 1/2 months to run 25 miles and swim another 19 miles.

Don't Wake Me Up, I Can Swim In My Dreams Workout

This morning I tossed and turned and hit snooze for almost an hour before getting out of bed.  Then I putz'ed around on the computer before heading to the pool.  My body was telling me I'm tired!  I've been busy at the gym this week and not taking care of my body like I should.  So today was like the reset button for my body.  A swim then a day on the couch reading and finishing up some homework. 

At The Pool...

Warmed up a mixed 400

I thought I had deleted this but guess now.  (400)
1    2:57.1     200     1:28
2    1:32.0     100     1:32
3    1:24.1     100     1:24

Then a 100 followed by 4x25's.  I think I was pulling these, maybe? (200/600)
1    1:23.6     100     1:23
2    :20.8     25     1:23
3    :20.8     25     1:24
4    :20.8     25     1:23
5    :20.5     25     1:22

6x50's IM Switches.  FLY/BACK, BACK/BREAST, BREAST/FREE, FREE/FLY… (300/900)
1    :44.7     50     1:09
2    :50.4     50     1:41
3    :47.6     50     1:35
4    :38.9     50     1:18
5    :43.2     50     1:26
6    :48.2     50     1:36

Then I joined in with the gang.
4x100's 2 kick / 2 drill & kick.  I took a 50 off for a restroom break (350/1250)

Main Set:
300 Get your act together find your pace
2x200's On pace
5x100's Descend. 
All on a base interval of 1:40.
1    3:56.6     300     1:19
2    2:35.1     200     1:18
3    2:32.0     200     1:16
4    1:15.1     100     1:15
5    1:29.2     100     1:29  NOTE: MESSED UP WATCH.  It was like a 1:14
6    1:12.3     100     1:12
7    1:40.0     100     1:12  NOTE: MESSED UP WATCH
MESSED UP WATCH, AGAIN!  I forgot but it was below 1:10.  I don't know what was with me and the watch today.  I just kept hitting all the wrong buttons!  (1200/2450)

That was it.  My body was sore.  I really gotta eat better this week and drink less wine.  I really felt a week of bad behavior all added with my gym time of spinning and everything having an effect on my muscles.  As they say you gotta feed the machine and I didn't do that this week. That isn't that much.  Not a good thing at all! 

Month    Total Distance
Jan    6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters)
Feb    6.25 miles (=11,000 yards, =10,058 meters)
Mar    2.50 miles (=4,400 yards, =4,023 meters)
Apr    7.02 miles (=12,350 yards, =11,293 meters)
May    7.10 miles (=12,500 yards, =11,430 meters)
Jun    12.10 miles (=21,300 yards, =19,477 meters)
Jul    13.44 miles (=23,650 yards, =21,626 meters)
Aug    8.96 miles (=15,775 yards, =14,425 meters)
Sep    12.07 miles (=21,250 yards, =19,431 meters)
Total    76.41 miles (=134,475 yards, =122,964 meters)

25 Miles By December 25th"

Swim 4.886363 Miles

Run 0 Miles

Failing A Swim Benchmark Swim Set

I've decided to make my quick and short Wednesday morning swims into "Benchmark" Swim Set Workouts.  By "Benchmark" I mean I'm going to do sets of 10x100's or 5x200's to see where I am in my training.  Sometimes this will be Free sometimes this will be IM or another stroke.  I'll mix it up.  Although after swimming my IM this morning I don't know if I should be doing this.  I'm really slow!

Warm Up

300 Swim.  I know not a whole lot but I only had about 20 minutes to swim.  Not even that as I helped put in one lane line.  Oy!

Main "Benchmark" Set:

3 Rounds -

150 Stroke in IM Order 25 / Free 25.  Think of it as fly, free, back, free, breast and free by 25.  On 2:30

200 IM on 3 minutes.

1    2:09.5     150     1:26
2    2:53.4     200     1:27
3    2:08.1     150     1:25
4    2:52.4     200     1:26
5    2:09.0     150     1:26
6    2:50.5     200     1:25

The 150's were to meant to set technique and do a bit of prep and recovery.  While the 200's were to be fast and descending.  I didn't think I was decending but it looks like I did.  Yeah, the only thing was that my times were slow.  I think I should have been 20 second faster on each one.  I know I didn't get much warm up so maybe sometime when I have more time in 8 weeks I'll do it again but warm up a bit more. 

Total workout 1,350

My 25 By 25 (25 miles by Dec 25th)

Swim 3.494318 miles

Runnning 0 miles.

Well time to head to class.  I'll get to a Swim Report hopefully this afternoon...

Every Yard Counts Swim Workout

It's almost my manta of late "EVERY YARD COUNTS!"  Hey, it's better then "Any Swim Is Better Than No Swim."  E.Y.C. is actually catching on at least in my visitors to this little blog.  I guess I'm not the only person not on a masters team or swim league who has limited time.  Today's time was limited to 20 minutes.  I really only swam 18 minutes but close enough.

200 easy free swim
200 easy pull NO Paddles
1    2:52.4     200    
2    2:52.6     200    

I then only had time for a quick set.  Since I taught 2 spin classes this morning and gotta go back to work I decided to give the legs a break and pull.

8x100's Pulling w/ Paddles on 1:30
1    1:19.0     100     1:19
2    1:16.2     100     1:16
3    1:16.1     100     1:16
4    1:15.4     100     1:15
5    1:15.5     100     1:16
6    1:15.3     100     1:15
7    1:16.8     100     1:17
8    1:17.0     100     1:17

I was just swimming to swim.  Not thinking of pace or descending.  It was a non-thinking workout.  Just some time in the water to keep swimming.  Hey, every yard counts!

1,200 yards.  Speaking of yards my GTD:
Sep    9.91 miles (=17,450 yards, =15,956 meters)
Total    74.25 miles (=130,675 yards, =119,489 meters)

Now as for my 25 miles by December 25th

Swimming 2.72 miles

Running 0 miles!

The Unbalanced Race Pace Slow It Down Sunday Swim Workout!

Swim Word of The Day - Unbalanced.  That is how one can describe my swimming right now.  My stroke is a mess.  I'm relying on my right side more then my left side.  I even tried to alternate breathing sides to get balanced.  But with everything at the gym including Spinning, Core, Power and Centergy my swimming stroke has taken a hit.  Some of it is just adjusting to my new body shape and part of it is just lack of swimming.  Spinning is giving me strong legs with bigger calves and thighs.  But to me it's odd when I'm not spinning.  It's like having new legs to swim with.  Enough excuses and on to the workout...

Warm Up:
2x100's Free on 2 minutes
2x150's Free on 3 minutes
2x200's IM on 4 minutes
I give myself intervals otherwise I'd be hanging out and doing nothing.    (900)
1    1:31.4     100     1:31
2    1:25.1     100     1:25
3    2:06.1     150     1:24
4    2:06.8     150     1:25
5    3:04.9     200     1:32
6    3:04.7     200     1:32

I think I pulled this…either way I f'ed up.  But it's the damn radio stations fault.
2x75's on 1:30
100
I pulled with paddles.  (250/1150)
1    1:04.5     75     1:26
2    1:03.9     75     1:25
3    1:24.6     100     1:25
I lost track of what I was doing and it's the radio station's fault.  They teased that they would be playing a song from one of those 1960's years that was then recovered in 1990.  So I was trying to think of the song.  It turned out to be something dumb and very sleepy.  Ugh! 

6x50's on 55. 
Hmm…maybe this was the pulling or not.  It was free I guess, looking at my Garmin Swim. (300/1450)
1    :42.4     50     1:24
2    :42.3     50     1:25
3    :40.4     50     1:21
4    :41.6     50     1:23
5    :41.4     50     1:23
6    :40.8     50     1:22

200 Kick 4:00.6  (200/1650)

6x50's on 60 Free/Breast, Breast/Back and Back/Fly  (300/1950)
1    :49.0     50     1:37
2    :50.1     50     1:40
3    :41.6     50     1:23
4    :47.6     50     1:35
5    :49.9     50     1:40
6    :42.0     50     1:24

The gang started to arrive so I started to swim with them for a bit.

4x75's Kick on 1:30 2x75's Drill/Kick/Swim  (450/2400)

Now we are cooking, the real work.  Pacing!  This was all about setting a pace then descending at the end.

4x50's on 60.  Find your pace for the next part
200 Pace on 3 minutes I think or was it 4?
6x100's.  Odd's keeping with that pace / Evens descending from the pace.
OY!  (1,000/3400)
1    :37.7     50    
2    :37.5     50    
3    :37.1     50    
4    :37.3     50    
5    2:31.0     200    
6    1:14.6     100    
7    1:10.3     100    
8    1:13.8     100    
9    1:06.6     75    
10    1:14.2     100    
11    1:07.8     100      
It wasn't pretty.  My freestyle was right sided dominate.  I tried to balance my swimming out with rotation but it was just not happening.  I was struggling.  After a little rest it was time to finish with 4x50's fast on 60.  (200/3600)
1    :33.8     25     2:14
2    :33.4     50     1:07
3    :34.3     50     1:09
4    :34.3     50     1:09

Oy!  That was a sad swim.  3,600 yards and just pain everywhere.  Oh well that is what I get for not swimming.  On the flip side  I was going to run before swimming but it was raining out.  I gave myself two 25 in 25 goals.  One is to run 25 miles before December 25th and the other is to swim 25 miles before December 25th.  It's a goal that shouldn't be too hard but just enough to make me not be too much of a slacker!

Running - 0 Miles

Swimming - 2.045455

My Progress for Go The Distance 2013
Month    Total Distance
Jan    6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters)
Feb    6.25 miles (=11,000 yards, =10,058 meters)
Mar    2.50 miles (=4,400 yards, =4,023 meters)
Apr    7.02 miles (=12,350 yards, =11,293 meters)
May    7.10 miles (=12,500 yards, =11,430 meters)
Jun    12.10 miles (=21,300 yards, =19,477 meters)
Jul    13.44 miles (=23,650 yards, =21,626 meters)
Aug    8.96 miles (=15,775 yards, =14,425 meters)
Sep    9.23 miles (=16,250 yards, =14,859 meters)
Total    73.57 miles (=129,475 yards, =118,392 meters)

Hey,  atleast I'm ahead of most months.  I need to beat June and July.  Something to push me this month.  And the 25 in 25 plus one week should get me to 100 miles this year.  Which isn't that much.

Super Short and Quick Swim Workout

My firest swim in a week.  Work has been hectic so swimming has been on the back burner.  I've been subbing in Spin and other classes then had a Core training on Saturday.  Plus a few other things.  I actually taught and filmed a Centergy (Yoga and Pilates inspired class think Les Mills Flow) this week for certification.  So I'm working out just not in the pool.  Now I have a sit down actual learning class on Wednesdays at 9am so I can get in a quick workout in the morning.  Here it is for this week...

Warm Up
350 easy swim.  Why a 350?  Cuz' I stopped to say hi to a fellow swimmer.  So then I decided to move on to a set.

Main Set
5x200's Pulling w/ Paddles on 3 minutes.  An easy interval!  I had in my mind I'd descend them but hit a bit of a hiccup on the 4th one.
1    2:42.3     200     1:21
2    2:37.7     200     1:19
3    2:34.2     200     1:17
4    2:35.6     200     1:18
5    2:29.0     200     1:15

Cooled down a 50.  So 1,400 yards in about 25 minutes.  Now breakfast and off to class.  Hopefully I'll get to a Daily Swim Report in the afternoon.  I got a few hours break from work later.

My Progress for Go The Distance 2013
Month    Total Distance
Jan    6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters)
Feb    6.25 miles (=11,000 yards, =10,058 meters)
Mar    2.50 miles (=4,400 yards, =4,023 meters)
Apr    7.02 miles (=12,350 yards, =11,293 meters)
May    7.10 miles (=12,500 yards, =11,430 meters)
Jun    12.10 miles (=21,300 yards, =19,477 meters)
Jul    13.44 miles (=23,650 yards, =21,626 meters)
Aug    8.96 miles (=15,775 yards, =14,425 meters)
Sep    7.19 miles (=12,650 yards, =11,567 meters)
Total    71.52 miles (=125,875 yards, =115,100 meters)

My swim goals this week is to swim at least one more time and then on Sunday  We shall see how that goes. 

Quick 25 Minute / 1500 Yard Morning Swim Workout

Ugh!  It's so dark in the morning!  Woke up at 6:10 and debated internally if I should swim or not.  Usaully if this happens I stay home but today I decided to go swimming.  I knew that I can only swim for about 20-30 minutes depending on when they let us in so it'll be a short swim.  No one was really there so I was on my own this morning.  Sorta made up a set in my head and was off.  Warm Up

200 Swim

4x50's Pulling NO Paddles on 50 (400)

Main Set:

All pulling with paddles.  Hey, I got to teach 3 spin classes today so no morning legs! 

100 on 1:30

200 on 3:00

300 on 4:30

400

My goal was to descend or speed up my base pace.

1    1:19.6     100     1:19
2    2:34.4     200     1:17
3    3:41.7     300     1:14
4    4:57.7     400     1:14

Not bad but not great. 

100 cool down to get 1,500 yards in.

Month    Total Distance
Jan    6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters)
Feb    6.25 miles (=11,000 yards, =10,058 meters)
Mar    2.50 miles (=4,400 yards, =4,023 meters)
Apr    7.02 miles (=12,350 yards, =11,293 meters)
May    7.10 miles (=12,500 yards, =11,430 meters)
Jun    12.10 miles (=21,300 yards, =19,477 meters)
Jul    13.44 miles (=23,650 yards, =21,626 meters)
Aug    8.96 miles (=15,775 yards, =14,425 meters)
Sep    6.39 miles (=11,250 yards, =10,287 meters)
Total    70.72 miles (=124,475 yards, =113,820 meters)

Every little yard counts to my GTD.  At least I'm up compared to Feb and March!

Another Wham Bam Swam Workout.

I had the pool all to myself today!  I so wish I could have swam all day alone! I wanted to but I didn't.  Two things prevented that with one being that I'm out of shape and secondly the Bromine in the pool was making me itch and burn like crazy. It wasn't to the end of my workout when I started to get itchy.  I thought I had gotten bitten by something.

Warm Up:
400 Swim.  And not my usual swim a 50 relax, swim another 50.  I swam the full 400 slow but non stop.  Total time 5:42 with a 1:25min average pace.
300 Pulling no Paddles.  A bit slower at 4:22 with a 1:27 min average pace.

Main Set:
12x75's Free pulling w/ paddles on 1:10
1    :59.4     75     1:19
2    1:00.5     75     1:21
3    :59.2     75     1:19
4    :56.8     75     1:16
5    :58.9     75     1:19
6    :59.2     75     1:19
7    :55.5     75     1:14
8    :55.8     75     1:14
9    :56.1     75     1:15
10    :55.6     75     1:14
11    :54.2     75     1:12
12    :55.0     75     1:13

I was at 1,600 yards so I was thinking I'd swim 2,000 yards and call it a day.  Hey, lunch was calling.  I already taught two spin classes this morning.  I started to swim 8x50's backstroke.  But my left side was getting itchy and sorta like the skin was being pulled.  After swimming 4x50's I got out.  In the locker room I searched for a mark or something but nothing.  When I showered I could tell it was the chemicals.  Ick!  So 1,800 yards.  Better then nothing.

My Progress for Go The Distance 2013
Month    Total Distance
Jan    6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters)
Feb    6.25 miles (=11,000 yards, =10,058 meters)
Mar    2.50 miles (=4,400 yards, =4,023 meters)
Apr    7.02 miles (=12,350 yards, =11,293 meters)
May    7.10 miles (=12,500 yards, =11,430 meters)
Jun    12.10 miles (=21,300 yards, =19,477 meters)
Jul    13.44 miles (=23,650 yards, =21,626 meters)
Aug    8.96 miles (=15,775 yards, =14,425 meters)
Sep    5.54 miles (=9,750 yards, =8,915 meters)
Total    69.87 miles (=122,975 yards, =112,448 meters)

Well it's the 10th of the month and I'm already ahead of March.  I should get one more swim in this week.  This weekend it's only Sunday as I have a training thing on Saturday.  That will be 8 hours of core work…maybe I'll find abs under my box of wine.  The rest of the month should get to me to at least 10 miles.  I'd love to beat my 13.44 but we'll see.