I Swam! I Swam!

I can't believe it but I swam.  I took a mental health and injury recovery day from work. I have a case of extensor tendinitis from over teaching spin classes.  So this afternoon feeling bored decided to go swimming or rather pulling.  I haven't been in the pool in over a month and boy did I miss it.  I only swam for a short period.  Just wanted to get in the water. Basically I swam 10x100's then a few 25's.  But I did use my Pebble Watch and the Swim.com App.

Those times are horrible!  Really slow! I was doing the 100's on 2 minutes.  Boy am I out of swim shape.   I'm going to do my best to swim New Years Day and this Sunday.  I was hoping to take tomorrow off from work and swim but that isn't happening.  My New Years Resolution is to swim more.  

My Progress for Go The Distance 2014

Month Total Distance
Jan 2.76 miles (=4,850 yards, =4,435 meters)
Feb 4.15 miles (=7,300 yards, =6,675 meters)
Mar 5.82 miles (=10,250 yards, =9,373 meters)
Apr 7.41 miles (=13,050 yards, =11,933 meters)
May 13.59 miles (=23,926 yards, =21,878 meters)
Jun 5.60 miles (=9,850 yards, =9,007 meters)
Jul 2.44 miles (=4,300 yards, =3,932 meters)
Aug 4.15 miles (=7,300 yards, =6,675 meters)
Sep 2.22 miles (=3,900 yards, =3,566 meters)
Oct 2.64 miles (=4,650 yards, =4,252 meters)
Nov 2.67 miles (=4,700 yards, =4,298 meters)
Dec 0.63 miles (=1,100 yards, =1,006 meters)
Total 54.08 miles (=95,176 yards, =87,029 meters)

My 2014 Swim Year

I haven't been swimming much this year as you can see.  Hopefully 2015 will be a bit better.  

The Swim Off: Garmin Swim vs Pebble + Swim.com

Swim time!  If it's Sunday it's Swimday!  WIth work the only day I can get to the pool in the morning to swim with the gang is Sunday's at 7:30am so I woke up and decided to bring both the Pebble Watch and my old Garmin Swim to have a swim off.  Last week I posted LINK my first swim with the Pebble Watch.  It didn't go so well as the Swim.com software at this time only recognizes Freestyle and Backstroke.  For most lap swimmers or triathletes or just fun swimmers that is more then enough.  But for IM'ers or those who swim workouts with butterfly or breaststroke the Pebble doesn't cut it as of now.  So today I decided to switch watches in between sets to give them a side by side review.

Warm Up - Pebble Watch:

200 Freestyle Swim

100 Freestyle Pull w/o Paddles

200 Freestyle Pull w/ Paddles (500)Lots of information can be found with the Swim.com website.  Bascially you need to install the Swim.com app on the Pebble Watch and then on your iPhone/iPad install the Swim.com Pebble Uploader.  Pretty simple and all FREE.  The Dashboard at Swim.com is very easy to read but offers pretty much everything you need to know about your swim workout.  It is odd that for Stroke Type I get UKNOWN considering it only reads Freestyle and Backstroke.  

Drill Set - Garmin Swim:

4x125's 15 seconds rest w/fins

25 Pull

75 Kick

25 Swim  (500/1000)

Rut oh!  I accidently hit the wrong setting.  I thought I was in Drill Mode on my Garmin when I was in a Custom Mode.  Mind you this doesn't happen with the Pebble since Pebble doesn't have these modes.  I love DRILL Mode on my Garmin to track kicking and dreaded drill sets.  One other thing I noticed later on is sometimes with the Garmin watch I don't set the watch to start the next leg of a set.  The Garmin makes a low long beep to let you know when it's starting again while the Pebble has a short vibration to let you know it's starting again.  Pebble wins on the Vibration but Garmin wins on Drill Mode.

Main Set - Both Garmin & Pebble:

2 Rounds -

200 (50 Free / 100 Stroke / 50 Free) on 3:30

4x50's Stoke Descending on 1:30 maybe.  Somethine super easy

rest 60 seconds

50 Sprint.

First round the stroke was back, second round it was breast! (900/1900)

I started the 200 with the backstroke with the Garmin only to remember I could use the Pebble for the set so switched to Pebble.

 

The first graph/chart is from the Pebble for the 50's Backstroke.  Lots of information in a quick view.  Thne the next chart/graph is the Classic Garmin view of the 200 with breast in the middle.  The final chart/graph is the Modern Garmin view of the 50's breast.  The each offer differnt data points but enough for one to understand a swim set.  More importantly you can upload your Garmin Swims into Swim.com.  I've done it in the past but struggle to do that today.

Drills - Garmin Swim:

4x75's w/ fins IM no free (300/2200)

Sprints - Garmin Swim:

4x25's IM order on 60.  (100/2300)

Then I did 4x50's easy free pulling to play with the Pebble.  (200/2500)

I'm not done with the Pebble yet.  I'm going to swim one more time this week.  Do I like it? YES!  The screen is big the numbers are big!  My old eyes can read it!  It stays Bluetoothed to my phone so I get text, twitter and other alerts right on my wrist.  For swimming I'm mixed as it yet to read strokes only Freestyle and Backstroke.  But I think for lap swimmers who are looking for a watch this is the one to get.  IM'ers or swimmers to do stroke work may want to hold off or get the Garmin.  Either way upload your workouts to Swim.com.

My Progress for Go The Distance 2014

Month Total Distance
Jan 2.76 miles (=4,850 yards, =4,435 meters)
Feb 4.15 miles (=7,300 yards, =6,675 meters)
Mar 5.82 miles (=10,250 yards, =9,373 meters)
Apr 7.41 miles (=13,050 yards, =11,933 meters)
May 13.59 miles (=23,926 yards, =21,878 meters)
Jun 5.60 miles (=9,850 yards, =9,007 meters)
Jul 2.44 miles (=4,300 yards, =3,932 meters)
Aug 4.15 miles (=7,300 yards, =6,675 meters)
Sep 2.22 miles (=3,900 yards, =3,566 meters)
Oct 2.64 miles (=4,650 yards, =4,252 meters)
Nov 2.67 miles (=4,700 yards, =4,298 meters)
Total 53.45 miles (=94,076 yards, =86,023 meters)

At least I swam more this month so far then last.  Got one more swim in to go, hopefully!

Skipping A Pebble Off The Lane Line Swim Workout

Ugh!  I swam.  I set my alarm and got up and actually went to the pool.  It seems that I'm getting to swim once every three weeks.  I was excited to swim today to try the Swim.com app on the Pebble Watch.  Everything seemed to go okay when swimming with the watch, I sync'ed after my swim but now my workout is lost.  Ugh!  I'll have to search for it later, I'm sure it's user error.

Warm Up

500 yards, I guess.

300 Kick. The Swim.com app doesn't have a "DRILL" setting like the Garmin Swim so it just registered a time. (800)

Main Set:

2x275's Free on 3 Minutes (350)

6x125's on 2:20 (750/1100)

25 Back / 25 Free / 25 Back / 25 Free / 25 Back

25 Free / 25 Breast / 25 Free / 25 Breast / 25 Free

25 Free / 25 Breast / 50 Back / 25 Fly

Repeat

4x75's on 1:15 (300/1400/2200)

So that was it.  If I can get my splits uploaded I'll post them later.  2,200 yards isn't much unless you haven't been swimming like myself.  I was dogging the breaststroke 125's.  But really worked the IM one and then the 4x75's Free.  Looking at the Pebble I did a 56, 56, 54 and 55.  Not fast but not bad for someone not swimming.  I'm in great shape just not swim.  I gotta make more of an effort getting to the pool at least on Sundays.  I figure I can also get Tday in the pool.  

My Fitness Log Events

My Progress for Go The Distance 2014

Month Total Distance
Jan 2.76 miles (=4,850 yards, =4,435 meters)
Feb 4.15 miles (=7,300 yards, =6,675 meters)
Mar 5.82 miles (=10,250 yards, =9,373 meters)
Apr 7.41 miles (=13,050 yards, =11,933 meters)
May 13.59 miles (=23,926 yards, =21,878 meters)
Jun 5.60 miles (=9,850 yards, =9,007 meters)
Jul 2.44 miles (=4,300 yards, =3,932 meters)
Aug 4.15 miles (=7,300 yards, =6,675 meters)
Sep 2.22 miles (=3,900 yards, =3,566 meters)
Oct 2.64 miles (=4,650 yards, =4,252 meters)
Nov 1.25 miles (=2,200 yards, =2,012 meters)
Total 52.03 miles (=91,576 yards, =83,737 meters)

UPDATE:

I wrote to the fine folks at Swim.com about the Pebble working with the Swim.com app and here is the conversation: So in other words only swim freestyle with your Pebble Watch.  I'll be writting more on the Pebble Watch later this week.  Maybe I'll get in an all Free workout on my own next Saturday.
         

Another Attempt To Reenter The Pool Swim Workout

Brrr...50F.  First swim in 2 weeks and of course the temp drops to way too cold!  I set my alarm last night so I'd get up and be at the pool by 7:30am.  I hit snooze a few times but made myself swim.  I just needed to get in the pool even with my shoulder acting up a bit.

Warm Up:

600 Yards.  I'm saying 600 cuz I just swam and swam.  My Garmin Swim say's 525 yards but I was having human error tech issues with the watch.  These errors continued all workout.  Guess I need to swim more to use it right.

200 Kick (800)

Main Set:

2 Rounds of the following

6x100's on 2:20

1-3 25 Pull / 50 Kick / 25 Swim Backstroke

rest 30 seconds

4th 100 50 easy / 50 fast

5th 100 50 fast / 50 easy

6th 100 all fast

rest 30 then do it all over again this time breastroke on 2:30.  except I changed my stroke. on the drill part I did the 1st 100 then did the first 50 of the second 100 then switched lanes to do butterfly.  Then the slow 50's I did free and fast 50's fly.  Finishing up with a 100 fly. (1200/2000)

Then...

200 easy pull (200/2200)

8x25's on 30

IM Order 25 Drill / 25 Swim (200/2400)

 

My Progress for Go The Distance 2014

Month Total Distance
Jan 2.76 miles (=4,850 yards, =4,435 meters)
Feb 4.15 miles (=7,300 yards, =6,675 meters)
Mar 5.82 miles (=10,250 yards, =9,373 meters)
Apr 7.41 miles (=13,050 yards, =11,933 meters)
May 13.59 miles (=23,926 yards, =21,878 meters)
Jun 5.60 miles (=9,850 yards, =9,007 meters)
Jul 2.44 miles (=4,300 yards, =3,932 meters)
Aug 4.15 miles (=7,300 yards, =6,675 meters)
Sep 2.22 miles (=3,900 yards, =3,566 meters)
Oct 2.64 miles (=4,650 yards, =4,252 meters)
Total 50.78 miles (=89,376 yards, =81,726 meters) 

So October sucked for swimming.  I swam twice but at least I beat September!  November has 5 Sundays so I should swim 4 of them.  I'm going to a TRX Trainer Summit one of those weekends so that means 4 possible swim weekends.  Notice I didn't post any times/splits cuz' boy do I suck in the pool.  I did have to pull back a few times on my stroke speed when I felt a bit of something in my shoulder.  I was babying myself.  I so wish we had a pool at the gym so I could at least get in some easy lap swims but alas we don't.  Oh well at I say from time to time "At least I got a swim in."

Time to eat, recover and get ready for 9 holes of golf this afternoon.

Been So Long I Forgot My Backstroke Lengths To The Wall Swim Workout

I got that swimming feeling today.  I actually went to the pool and got in a workout.  Boy am I out of swim shape.  I'm fit as I teach spin classes and weight training classes and do personal training but that isn't swimming.  The only thing that kept me going in the pool was that I was just plowing along using muscle.  Technique was just not happening.  Luckily I met up with the guys for the Sunday informal workout.  

Warm Up

500 Free

Then we did 4x125's with fins (25 drill 2 Right Arm / 2 Left Arm, 75 Kick and 25 Free) (500/1000)

Main Set:

6x100's on 2:00 minutes as follows 50 Fly/50 Back, 50 Back/50 Breast, 50 Breast /50 Free then 3xreverse IM's (600/1600)

1 1:23.2 100 1:23
2 1:31.5 100 1:31
3 1:28.8 100 1:29
4 1:21.6 100 1:22
5 1:20.9 100 1:21
6 1:19.2 75 1:27 9x50's IM Switches on 1:10 (Fly/Back, Back/Breast and Breast/Free) (450/2050)

1 :38.4 50 1:16
2 :45.5 50 1:31
3 :44.6 50 1:29
4 :39.2 50 1:18
5 :44.5 50 1:29
6 :42.7 50 1:25
7 :37.7 50 1:15
8 :43.2 50 1:26
9 :55.0 50 1:27

3x50's Fly on 1:20 i think.  (Drill/Pace/Fast) (150/2200)

1 :43.1 50 1:26
2 :42.2 25 2:49
3 :33.6 50 1:07

Then swam down to the other end to get my kick board and kicked back (50/2250)

Oy!  2,250 yards doesn't seem like much but when you don't swim it's a bit.  I've used muscles in different ways.  I'm a bit sore right now.  That one hour hurt more then a week of teaching classes.

My Progress for Go The Distance 2014

Month Total Distance
Jan 2.76 miles (=4,850 yards, =4,435 meters)
Feb 4.15 miles (=7,300 yards, =6,675 meters)
Mar 5.82 miles (=10,250 yards, =9,373 meters)
Apr 7.41 miles (=13,050 yards, =11,933 meters)
May 13.59 miles (=23,926 yards, =21,878 meters)
Jun 5.60 miles (=9,850 yards, =9,007 meters)
Jul 2.44 miles (=4,300 yards, =3,932 meters)
Aug 4.15 miles (=7,300 yards, =6,675 meters)
Sep 2.22 miles (=3,900 yards, =3,566 meters)
Oct 1.28 miles (=2,250 yards, =2,057 meters)
Total 49.42 miles (=86,976 yards, =79,531 meters)

I gotta swim a few more times this month.  Really need to at the very very least swim 50 miles this year.  God, I remember when I was aiming for 300 miles or 200 miles a year.  But I really want to at least swim 2.5 miles for the month.