Rough Water

This morning I really had a hard time getting myself in gear.  Instead of biking to swim I decided to drive as I was feeling tired.  I avoided getting in the water for as long as I could so I ended up only doing a 200 for the warm up.  I seriously was standing on deck thinking of going home and taking a nap.  Then during the warm up set I was really just dragging.  We did 6x75's as a warm up with drill and swim.   Somehow I came to life for the main set.

Main Set SCY:

200 Free on 2:20
150 Free on 1:50
100 Free on 1:05
50 Free on ??
300 Pull on 4:45
4x50's Kick on 55
200 Free on 2:25
150 Free on 1:55
100 Free on 110
50 Stroke (butterfly) on 55
200 Pull on ??
6x50's kick on 55 (missed two for a pee break and to look at the intervals again)
200 Free on 2:30
150 Free on 2:00
100 Stroke (butterfly) on 1:30
50 Stroke (butterfly) on 60
100 Pull on ??
4x50's kick on 55
200 Free (don't think i did this on any interval)
150 Stroke (butterfly) on 2:40
100 Stroke (butterfly) on 1:40
50 Stroke (butterfly)

I was going to do all the free on a slower interval but decided for the first 3 rounds to keep on the fast lane interval.  The last round or the 4th round the 200 free I gave myself extra rest to get ready for the fly.  I'm glad that I didn't wimp out earlier in the workout and stuck with the faster pace. 

Even More Fly

Another Wednesday morning swim can only mean one thing and that one thing is a stroke workout.  After swimming mostly free at last nights workout it was time to jump in again this morning at 6am but this time for some stroke.  The overall theme of this mornings workout was worst/best. 

Warmed up a mixed 300 including a 50 butterfly kick with a pull buoy.  Last week I posted a video of a swimmer kicking fly with a pull buoy.  Then we did a series of warmup sets that we did both our best stroke and our worst non free stroke.  So I was doing butterfly and breaststroke.  That is till' I got sick of doing breaststroke and went onto backstroke and fly. 

Main Set:
200 Best Stroke on 3 mins. (butterfly)
2x100's Worst Stroke on 1:45 (did one breast and one back)
take 15 secs. rest
2x100 Best Stroke on 1:45
4x50's Worst Stroke on 55 (did these back)
take 15 secs. rest
4x50's Best Stroke on 50 (did these fly)
8x25's Worst Stroke on 30 (did these back)

50 easy

400 IM

4x25's on 45.  to the deep end underwater no breathing / to the shallow end sprint fast taking only  breathes.

50 easy

I biked to and from workout which was really tough as I am fatigued.  My legs are not having it so I coasted most of the way home.  As I was biking to the pool I noticed a gas station charging $4.19 for premium gas.  It's only a matter of weeks that regular unleaded will be at that level here in Los Angeles.  That is when it will be time to buy a bus pass and leave the car at home.  Right now I don't spend much on gas as I keep my driving down as much as I can but when the price of gas per month exceeds the cost of a bus pass I might start taking the bus.  Although when I took the bus last week a 20 minute drive turned into a  70 minute bus trip with the wait for the bus included. 

Tuesday Night Swim

After last nights swim it took me a while to feel comfortable swimming tonight.  I almost skipped swimming as I was tired when I came home from work.  I've been helping out in an office the past few days.  Still trying to figure out what to do next.  So I sat down at my computer debating with myself if I should swim or not.  I lost the debate so I got on my bike and headed to swim. 

Warmed up a mixed 300.  After that we did a series of warm up sets.  The first one 8x100's (evens 50 catch up / 25 fist / 25 distance per stroke and odds kick).  Then we did some 50's.  I don't remember the full warm up.

Main Set:
4x150's Free on 2:00
75 easy on 1:15
50 Fast on 40
75 easy on 1:15 (missed a 50 for a pee break)
3x150's Free on 2:00
75 easy on 1:15
2x50's Fast on 40
75 easy on 1:15
2x150's Free on 2:00
75 easy on 1:15
3x50's Fast on 40
75 easy on 1:15
1x150 Free on 2:00
75 easy on 1:15
4x50's Fast on 50
75 easy on 1:15

100 easy

4x50's Over/Unders on a minute.  First one 2 breathes / open turn / 2 breathes,  1 breath /open turn / 1 breath, 1 breath / flip turn / 1 breath, on your back kicking / flip / 1 breath.

I was going to ramble on about this workout but I'm beat.  Time to eat and watch some Simpsons. 

Daylight Savings Swim

After work tonight I hoped on the bike and rode to swim.  It's nice riding in daylight for a change.  Well yes when I ride on Sunday it's daylight but whatever.  Warmed up about a 300.  I wasn't really keeping track.  Since the heater at the pool broke last week we had a re-do of the 10x100's set.  Those who read this blog know all about it if you are new click on the category Ten 100's Breakthrough and read about it. 

We did a bunch of 50's and 25's warm up sprints.  But first we did 3x(50 Drill / 50 Swim / 100 kick) before moving on to 2x200's.  First one breath control and the second one just working on technique.

Then it was time for the 10x100's.  Before the workout the coach asked me what I usually do for butterfly for this set to which I responded I usually just do them all free.  Some people split them and don't do them all free.  Some do the first 5 of one stroke or IM and the last five free.  The coach suggested I do the first five butterfly.  OUCH!

10x100's SCY on 3:00

1st 100 Fly 1:05
2nd 100 Fly 1:06
3rd 100 Fly 1:07
4th 100 Fly 1:09
5th 100 Fly 1:10
Oh well there goes the idea of the set to be consistent. 
6th 100 Free 1:07
7th 100 Free 1:06.5
8th 100 Free 1:06.5 (i did one open turn on this one)
9th 100 Free 1:05
10th 100 FLY 1:09

After this set my body was so beaten.  Biking home was hell.  What was worse was getting off the bike and walking.  I'm going to sleep in tomorrow!  I need it!

Sunday Swim

With daylight savings time and generally nice weather it was a perfect day to hop on the bike to get to an afternoon swim.  Practice was actually pretty busy today.  Guess everyone comes out in the sun!  Warmed up about a 350 mixed on my own.

Warm Up Set:
800 Broken 100 Kick / 50 Drill / 50 Swim (200 of each stroke reverse IM order)

6x25's Swim / Descend 1-3 and 4-6

Main Set:
2x400's on 6:30 (1st 400 100 Free / 100 Back / repeat, 2nd 400 100 Breast / 100 Fly / repeat) 
6x25's 3 and 6 Fast
3x200's on 3:00 (1st 200 Last 100 Fast Stroke, 2nd 200 middle 100 Fast Stroke, 3rd 200 first 100 Fast Stroke)  The easy part I swam backstroke while the fast stroke I did butterfly)
4x25's 2 and 4 Fast
6x100's on 1:40.  First one easy free, 2nd one all fly last 25 fast, 3rd one all back last 50 fast, 4th one all back last 75 fast, 5th one all free all fast, 6th one IM easy.
2x25's FAST

easy 50

12x50's.  4/8/12 Sprint (did these fly).  All on a minute except 3/7/11 take an extra 10 seconds so 1:10.

warmed down a 100.

I did a 50 during the warmup kicking butterfly with a pull buoy to work on my fly motion.  Kicking with a pull buoy is not as easy as one would think.  During the 800 I also used the pull buoy while kicking the 100 fly.  I'm going to try to use it again tomorrow morning.  I figure I need to do more than a 150 to get use to it.  I found the drill on goswim.com and you can see the video in the preceding post.

6am Swim

Okay so now that I'm in an office at a computer and off the bus I can type the morning workout.  Typing on the iPhone is difficult when the bus is shaking and rattling. 

Warmed up a mixed 350. 

Main Set:
100 Drill on 1:35
6x50's kick on 55
25 Fly on 30
3x100's Free on 1:15
50 Fly on 50
2x100's Free on 1:15
75 Fly on 1:10
100 Fast Free
I really fucked up on this set.  The intervals were suppose to be slower by 5 seconds.  Opps!  I was in the slower fast lane but went on the faster fast lane intervals.  Then I missed the 100 drill and went into the kick 50's.
4x50's kick on 55
25 Back on 30
3x100's Free on 1:20
50 Back on 50
2x100's Free on 1:15
75 Back on 1:15
1x100 Fast Free
The backstroke round went without a hitch. 
100 Drill
2x50's kick
25 Stroke
3x100's Free on 1:20
50 Stroke
2x100's Free
75 Stroke
I fucked up the intervals on this round also.  The 2x100's I did on 1:20 instead of 1:15.  The stroke I did fly for the 25 and 50 but back for the 75 and I just waited to the 2nd guy in the lane caught up. 

warmed down
150 pull / breathing 3/5/3 by 50
100 pull / breathing every 5
50 pull / breathing every 7
1x100 Free Fast

I could bitch and moan about the temp of the pool the lack of lane etiquette of my lane mate but the flat tire stressed me enough to let all that pass.  I did take Thursday off.  Slept in and missed running in the morning then at night just went home after work ate dinner and napped on the couch. 

83 Degrees Now

I don't know much about pool heaters but we've gone from 73 degree on Monday morning then to 77 degrees last night and then this morning 83 degrees.  For me I want the pool to be around 79 degrees.  83 is just too hot.

Warmed up a 200

Warm Up Set:
4x
75 Kick
50 Drill
50 Swim

400 IM.  25 Swim / 25 Kick / 25 Drill / 25 Fast Swim

Main Set:
4x
100 IM on 1:30
50 Easy Free on 1:00
1x25 Stroke on 30
1x25 Stroke on 45
I did the 25's butterfly.

50 Easy

Then we did a set of 50's working on push offs, streamlines and sprints.  I think we did 8.  Two round of one 50 of each stroke.

Then we did 3x25's Sprints off the blocks.  I did these butterfly.

I think that was the workout.  As we are in training for a swim meet this weekend that I wont be going to we have been doing a lot of IM work.  These weekends meet is a fun meet.  You do a 50 of each stroke and then a 100 IM.  They take all your times from all your events and rank you overall.  I don't know how exactly it works as I only swam it once.  It's all 50's and you are forced to swim a 50 breaststroke so I can't be bothered.  I really don't like swim meets so it's this one is an easy skip.

76 Degrees and Rising

With the heater on the mend the pool temp is going up!  Way up from yesterdays 73 F to a reading of 76 or 77 F depending on who you talked to.  I did get out a little early tonight which I try not to do.  I didn't really care for the last set and I'm going to swim tomorrow morning anyways. 

Warmed Up
400 Swim
300 Pull
50 Kick

Warm Up Set
4x
50 Kick
50 Drill
75 Build
I did a round butterfly/backstroke/breaststroke and finished up butterfly.

Main Set:
4x200 IM on 3:15.  I was getting at least 30 seconds rest on each one.
4x75's on 1:15.  I did these backstroke.  The direction by the coach was that these should have been our weakest stroke.  Which should have been breaststroke but I don't do breaststroke out of IM's.
4x100 IM on 1:40
4x75's on 1:15.  I did these butterfly.  The direction by the coach was that these should have been our strongest non-free stroke.

50 easy

I did a 200 pull warmdown and got out.  Enough is enough.  The set would have been 4x200 pull breathe control by 50 every 3/5/7/7.  Ugh. 

I rode my bike the 2 miles to and the 2 miles home.  I'll be getting up in the morning and will bike again.  I'd like to run but I know that won't happen.  Too cold and dark in the morning. 

On a different note I'm glad Hillary not only carried my current state of California but my home state of Rhode Island.  Go Little Rhody!

Disaster At 73 Degrees Fahrenheit

After biking to swim practice I found everyone standing around as the lifeguards announced that the pool's heater wasn't working and the pool temp was 73 Degrees Fahrenheit and dropping.  That is pretty cold!  Swimming yesterday the water was a bit brisk but in a good way.  Brisk is not how I would describe swimming at 73 degrees.  Frozen Feat is how I would describe it.  Now I've swam before in cold water and in the past have done really well so I decided to stay and swim.  After our warm up sets it was time to do our ten 100's sprint on 3 minutes.  These are all out sprints so we get lots of recovery time.  The only thing was that I never really did get warmed up and my arms felt like crap.  The muscles in my arms just weren't ready to push me.  As you'll see in a bit my times were off from a second to a few seconds.  I just couldn't get myself in gear. 

Warmed up a 500 mixed.  Then we did a warmup set 3x25 kick / 25 drill / 50 swim.  Then we did 2x200's split between kick/drill and swim.  Then a few sprint 25's to get going.

Then on to the 10x100's.

My times:
1:02
1:01
1:02
1:02
1:05
1:04
1:07
1:04
1:07
1:05

After that I did about a 300 warmdown.  I was debating on staying for the second workout.  I thought I might warm up but to be honest my feet were so cold I just got out.  The bike ride home was just painful.  With the heater on the fritz it'll be interesting to see if we will be swimming the rest of the week or not.  Stay tuned.

Sunday Swim / 5,000 SCY Workout

It's a new month and since I'm trying to streamline things a bit a new category for all my swimming for the month of March.  After doing one category for 2007 I found it hard to find certain posts so I figured I'd break them up.  For 2008 I started with a Jan-Feb category but for the rest of the year will do one for each month.  With that out of the way here is the 1st Post for March:

After chit chatting I got in the water about 6 minutes after workout started and just was able to do a 200 warmup.  No biggie.  Figured in a 90 minute workout (80 minutes actually) I had time to warmup.  So I pretty much blew off the 10 Minute warm up.

The warmup set was a 200 Swim, 4x100's Kick on 1:55 and then a 200 Swim.

Right from the warm up set we jumped into a 4,000 Yard Set.  When the coach gave it to us it sounded easy enough.   After finishing swimming the set it didn't see so easy. 

200 Free on 2:35
150 Free on 2:15
150 (100 Free / 50 Stroke) on 2:15
150 (50 Free / 100 Stroke) on 2:15
150 Stroke on 2:15
50 Easy on 60
100 FAST choice (no interval)
50 Easy (no Interval)

We did this 4 times.  One round of each stroke (butter, back, breast, free).  The 100 Fast choice I did IM.  The fly round was sorta easy, the back round super easy, the breast round impossible and the free was once again easy. 

Tomorrow swim includes 10x100's all out sprints.  It's our monthly benchmark set.  On Friday we got an email from our swim rep regarding this set, here is what was said:

A reminder that this coming Monday (March 3) will be our monthly ‘Breakthrough Set’, consisting of 10 x 100s @ 3 minutes, all at race pace.

In a race/meet environment, our bodies produce higher levels of lactic acid, higher heart rates and inevitable fatigue. ‘Breakthrough Sets’ call for high-intensity repetitive swimming on a specific work-to-rest ratio, giving our bodies enough rest to recover partially, but not completely, between each of the 100s.  Breakthrough Sets, when pushed to our personal maximum speeds, improve our ability to perform consistently for an extended time at high speeds, despite this increased level of lactic acid. 

These sets are designed to be difficult and should be painful (in a good way). With that, if you plan on attending one of Monday’s ‘Breakthrough Sets’ workouts, please mentally prepare for a challenging and valuable practice.

I gotta admit I really don't look forward to this workout.  Like kicking I really don't see much benefit to it.  Give me a 1,000 for time and I'll be happy but broken up and I hate it.