Tuesday Night Swim

In just a few short hours the temperature in LA dropped like a rock.  Waiting on deck for the 7pm workout to begin the wind crept in the cooler temps.  It got to the point that after workout I was rubbing my arms to keep warm on my way to the locker room.  Riding home on the bike I was pretty chilly.

I think I'd rather have it too hot than too cold outside.  I know that by morning it'll be back to shivering on deck.  Although I don't know if I'll swim tomorrow morning as I need to be in Marina Del Ray in the morning.  I may just go for a quick run and if later in the day if I'm up for it go and swim at a lap swim.  Who knows.

As for tonight workout started pretty slow for me.  I was feeling tired and just not into it.  Warmed up a 400 Swim, 300 Pull then a 100 Kick.  Then we went right into a kick set.  A series of 12x50's on 60.  Every third 50 was kicking butterfly n our back. After that we had a warm up set 4x75's 0n 1:15 50 Drill  25 Swim then 4x75's on 1:15 25 Drill  50 Swim.

Main Set:
4x150's on 1:10 Freestyle
Rest a minute
4x150's IM minus Freestyle on 1:20
Rest a minute
4x150's Choice on 1:20
By the last 4x150's I moved over to my own lane.  The first one I did backstroke, the second one fly, the third one backstroke again and the last one 50 fly / 50 back / 50 fly.

Sprints
12x25's on 30
1 easy
1 underwater one breath
1 sprint

After that I warmed down just a 50.  It was cold and I just wanted to get my clothes on.  During the main set I came alive and worked them all.  I guess I just had to get past all the warm up crap.  I hate to miss swim tomorrow but if I go I'll have to leave early anyways. 

Recovery Swim

After swimming yesterday I decided to swim this morning but use the workout as a stretched out recovery swim.  Not that I had much choice as my body could only go so fast.

Warmed Up about a 400

Warm Up Set:
3x
50 kick / 50 swim
50 drill / 50 swim
100 swim
round one free / round two butterfly / round three backstroke

4x200 Free on 2:40 rotating a 50 fast from the front to the back
4x200 on 2:55 rotating a 50 stroke fast from the front to the back.  Did butterfly stroke.

400 Free pulling breath control every 3/5/any/7 by 50

400 Free swim.  Descend by 100.  My first 100 I did it in a 1:14 and my last 100 I did a 1:04.

That was it.  I so wasn't fast today.  My fly was pretty sad and painful.  Kicking was just a no go for me.  My last 200 with a 50 butterfly fast I had to pull the free part just to save my legs.  Somehow during the 400 I was able to rally myself into a 1:04. 

I still feel a bit dehydrated from yesterdays swim so today I'm going to relax and drink plenty of liquids.

Friday Morning Swim

I need to start sleeping in on Friday and swim the evening workouts at least till I get use to running 5 miles the night before.  Friday's are always tough and this morning I just wasn't having it.  I was tired, my legs didn't want to do any kicking and my arms wanted to fall off and take a nap.  Good thing I was in the fast lane with people tapering for Nationals. 

Warmed up a 300 freestyle.

Warm Up Set:
8x75's 50 Drill / 25 Swim Reverse IM (2 free / 2 breast / 2 back / 2 butterfly)

Kick Set:
200
75 Fast
4x50's
75 Fast

Main IM Set:
3x
150 (25 stroke / 25 free / 50 stroke / 50 free)
4x75's Stroke
50 Fast Stroke on 60
Round one  I did all the stroke butterfly, second round backstroke and the last round some back and breast.  I forgot the intervals but it was pretty fast.  Touch and go.  I just know the 50 fast was on 60 having some rest.

Main Free Set:
4x100's Free 1:10/1:15
Okay even though the set wasn't much more than this I did a 100 out of 2x200's and got out.  I was tired and just not feeling it. 

Plan on relaxing tomorrow for my recovery day then swim at the UCLA meet on Sunday.  Will be deck entering the day of the meet so who knows what I'll decide to swim.  I know I'll do the 500 Free and after that it's up in the air.

Hitting The Wall

If you read this blog on a regular basis you know a few weeks ago I was in a funk when it comes to working out.  Then as soon as the funk started it also ended and I started to feel good about swimming.  With the good times comes the wall.  That time in training when you body is ready for a day off.  Today during the 6am workout I hit the wall. 

Warmed Up a 300 swim.

200 Pull

300 Pull (25 Fist Drill  50 Pull)

5x100's Free on 1:15 Pace (I did them between 1:06-1:08)

a quick run to pee

500 Free Fast.  I did it in a 5:52.  A bit slow.  I was hurting.  Not enough rest between the 5x100's and this set.   The last 100 was a sad swim.  I had nothing left.  This is when I hit the wall.  Actually on  lap 18 I hit the lane line with my hand as I was going into the turn to lap 19.  That turn was a sad thing to watch.  The last 50 was me just swimming and not giving up.

easy 50

5x100's Free on 1:15.  In theory.  I made one of them and got slower and slower on each one.  I think that last one was slower than a 1:20.

3x50's one fly fast  / one easy free / one fly fast

50 warmdown.

No swimming to Friday.  Plenty of recovery time.  Then I'll swim Friday morning, rest on Saturday and swim on Sunday.  Sunday I plan to swim at a small meet at UCLA.  Nothing to serious.  Will deck enter so I don't know what I plan to swim yet.  Most likely the 500 free and 100 fly with some time fillers in between.  The UCLA meet is a fun and quick meet.  It's close by and then I can go get cookies after.  Also it's the LA Times Book Fair so I can spend the day.

Tuesday Night

Quick update on tonights swim...

Warmed Up:
400 Swim
300ish Pull

Warm Up Set:
3x
200 Kick
2x50's Drill
100 IM
I took a pee break and skipped a 100 kick.

Main Set:
10x100's
2 Free on 1:40
1 Choice on 2:00 FAST.  I did it fly and did a 1:09
1 Free on 1:40
1 Choice on 2:00 FAST.  I did it fly and did a 1:10
1 Free on 1:40
1 Choice on 2:00 Fast.  I did it fly and did a 1:10
2 Free on 1:40
1 Choice FAST.  I did it fly and did a 1:09

50 easy
10x50's on 60 (i did them all backstroke)
2 easy
1 fast
1 easy
1 fast
1 easy
1 fast
2 easy
1 fast.
The fast ones I was doing 33's.  Give or take a second.

And that was it.  Gotta go finish cooking dinner.  I do plan on swimming at 6am.

Monday Swim

I slept in this morning so I headed to the 7pm swim for a change.  Monday nights aren't as busy on Tuesday which was a good thing.  Warmed up around a 500.

Warm Up Set:
4x100's Kick
2x100's 50 Drill / 50 Swim

Main Set:
100 swim with paddles on 1:25
200 swim
300 pull middle 100 breath control every 7
400 FAST (i did this on 4:30 keeping a 1:10 base)
300 swim
200 swim middle 100 breath control every 5
100 swim

2x
4x50's on 45 descend
2x25's on 25

50 easy

then we did some kicking and drilling 50's this time stroke

2x
4x50's stroke on 55
2x25's stroke on 30
The first round I did backstroke and the second round butterfly.

We finished up doing some warmdown over/unders.  Those are 50's swim to the deep with x amount of breathes and then back underwater with x amount of breathes.  Round one was 3/2, second was 2/1 and the last one was for me fly down with 1 breathe turn taking a breath and back underwater 1 breath.

Sunday Workout: Stroking It

When I show up at workout I never know what kind of swimming mood I'll be in.  My mood can be so random based on the heat of the pool, how many people in the lane, which lane I swim in, who is in my name and that's just a few variables.  Today I just didn't feel like swimming freestyle.  So when the workout was given and we were told we can swim stroke as long as we met the interval I decided to split my workout between butterfly and backstroke.  Needless to say I wish I was in a slower lane with a slower interval.  Oh and don't ask me the intervals since I have no idea.  I know the 200's were on 3:10 and the 150's on a fast interval with little rest let's say 2:15 or 2:25.  The 50's were on 50 except the first round which were sprints on 60.  It's one of those workouts that intervals change and the workout set's rotate.

Warmed Up a mix 300.

4x100's Kick
4x75's broken 25 Drill / 50 Swim

Main Set:
it's a long one..
200 on 3:15.  Did this backstroke
2x150's.  Did the 1st one Fly, the 2nd one backstroke.
3x100's.  Did the 1st one Fly, 2nd one backstroke, 3rd one IM
4x50's Fast.  I think I did them all back.  Doh, can't remembe
r
4x50's.  Took a pee break.  Missed one.  2 and 3 did breast and the 4th free.
200 on 3:15  Did this backstroke
2x150's. Same as before 1 fly and 1 back.
3x100's. I know I did at least one fly.  The second one back.  Can't remember maybe the 3rd one fly.

3x100's.  Jeez' I don't remember my pattern.  I'm sure one fly, one back and maybe one more back.
4x50's Back
200.  Back
2x150's.  Did one fly and one back.

2x150's.
3x100's.  I think I did them back/back/free
4x50's
200 Butterfly.  Did it on 2:25.  Which is a fast 200 fly for the end of workout.

This was a tough workout for a stroke workout.  I wish I could remember the pattern I swam it but I did it sorta random towards the end.  The last round I tried to keep it back and freestyle till the 200.  I knew all along that I would be swimming a 200 fly at the end but I kept forget the middle of each set.  Overall it was a good workout.  I'm happy with my last 200.  The only thing that I didn't like was how crowded the pool was.  I was doing butterfly with 3 other lane mates on the wall lane.  ugh!  The only good part was 2 left after 60 minutes and by the 200 fly I had the lane to myself.  I think swimming fly in a crowded lane sucks as you have to switch to one arm as you swim along others.  So you get in a groove swimming then stop and then pick it back again.  It drives me crazy and I think is more work than just swimming whatever the set is all fly with both arms.

Well that is it.  I kept telling myself to go running but I'm glad I didn't.  I would never had the legs to do all that butterfly

Friday Morning Swim

On the way out on my bike I took a tumble and fell into the grass.  After brushing myself off I got back on the bike and headed towards the pool.  Luckily the grass broke the fall and I only have a very small bruise near my knee.

Once at the pool our warm up was cut short due to the fact that the lifeguard was late and was taking the pool covers off to about 6:05.  I ended up doing a mixed 350 yards swimming free and backstroke.

Warm Up Set
100 Kick
100 Swim
2x75's Kick
2x75's Swim
3x50's Kick
3x50's Swim

After running yesterday my legs weren't in any mood for any kicking.  I did all the kicking butterfly which I think is the easiest kick to do and maintain.

Free Set:
2x200's on 2:35
3x150's on 1:55 (i think)
4x100's

Stroke Set:
2x150's
3x100's
4x50's

Finishing up
2x100's.  One easy.  One fast off the blocks.  Did the fast one butterfly.
3x50's easy/fast/easy.  Fast one off the blocks once again I did butterfly
4x25's fast/easy.  fast two off the blocks once again I did butterfly

warmed down a 125.

More Stroke In The Morning

After biking to swim this morning it was time to hop in the water for another swim.  Even with weights, running and swimming last night I felt okay in the water.  A little stiff but good.

Warmed up a mixed 400.

400 Reverse IM 50Swim / 50Kick / 50Kick / 50 Swim
400 IM 50Drill / 50 Swim / 50Swim / 50Drill

Main Set:
200 Stroke on 3:10 (did this butterfly came in at 2:31)
2x100's Free on 1:25
4x50's Stroke on 50 (did these backstroke)
rest
200 Free on 2:35
2x100's Free on 1:25
4x50's Free on 45
rest
200 IM on 3:10
2x100's Free on 1:25 (I did both on 1:03)
4x50's IM order on 45

Then we warmed down and did some deep end kicking.  It is amazing how swimming back to back is easier than one would think.  It's almost like the first workout is just a warm up for the the second practice.  I'm going to rest today with nothing else planned.  Let the body recover for the next round.

Tuesday Night Swim

It's almost 5am and I've been up for some time reading the morning paper so I figured I'd post last nights swim. 

Once again Tuesday night seems to be a popular swim practice.  The warm air of spring brings out the swimmers.  Well that and we have one lane of fast swimmers who are going to Nationals in two weeks.  Having 6 or 7 people in a 25 yard lane isn't fun.  Especially during warmup when everyone is doing a different thing at the same time.  I warmed up around an 800.  I have up counting around the 600 mark.

Warm Up Set:
3x
200 Pull on 2:45
100 Kick on 1:50
2x50's Stroke

I took my time on the warmup set going last in the slower fast lane.  I figured I'd take a pee break during the kick part at one point so I'd just go last and take my time.

1st Main Set:  All Freestyle
50 easy on 60
100 on 1:15
50 easy on 60
2x100's on 1:15
50 easy on 60
3x100's on 1:15
50 easy on 60
4x100's on 1:20

I lead the fast lane although I didn't want to but was far enough ahead for most of the set that it made sense.  The first three round of 100's we did them on 1:15 and I was holding 1:05's getting 10 seconds rest.  Some of the lane wasn't making the intervals so the coach gave us the 1:20 option so I took it for the last round in which I was holding 1:07's.

After my first day of weights in over a month I was feeling a bit sore but the more tired I got the more I pushed myself. 

50 easy

6x50's Stroke 1-3 Back / 4-6 butterfly

2nd Set: Stroke/IM
50 easy on 60
100 IM on 1:40
50 easy on 60
2x100's IM on 1:40
50 easy on 60
3x100's IM on 1:40
50 easy on 60
4x100's on 1:40
For the IM's I was getting 20 seconds rest.  On the last round I did them butterfly/backstroke/backstroke/butterfly.  My very last one I ended up on 1:11. 

50 warmdown.

About to head to swim in a bit.  I feel a bit sore but we will see how I feel once in the pool.