New Year's swims

[ViveBene]

What fantastic, diabolical, all-energy-systems-exhausting swims do you have planned for New Year's Day breakdown/throwdown? Or, if you come to the thread later, what workout did you do?

I'll be crafting my own, and will seek appropriate inspiration here!
:)

VB

[anita]

I will be standing in front of my Y banging on the doors, waiting to be let in. Since I will need to wait 24 hours until they open, I figure I'll get a great upper body workout.

[That Guy]

Last year I heard about The Cumberland*, where you do a 1500 for time, as follows - 500 free, 400 IM, 300 back, 200 breast, 100 fly. I haven't tried it yet but New Year's Eve or New Year's Day seems as good a time as any.

* No, I don't know why it's called that

[tjrpatt]

I am pretty sure that my Y is closed on New Year's Day and I doubt that Villanova will be open. I might take New Year's Day off and maybe swim at this other Y if that is open. They could be open on New Year's Day. I know that they were open on Labor Day. On New Year's Day, I will be lucky if I can get in a pool.

[Blackbeard's Peg]

Probably no swimming on new years day, but for new years eve, there's the Terrapin Masters Swim in the New Year (http://www.terrapinmasters.org/NY09.htm)

[amswimmer]

We're doing 100 X 100's long course on 1:30. I've done it twice before--once when I was 40 and once when I was 50.

[pwbrundage]

My daughters (ages 5 to 12) do our Arizona version of the Polar Bear jump: into our backyard pool which is unheated and will be in the 50s most likely. I know for the hardcore o/w folks that that's not really cold, but it is for us. Hot chocolate (with schnapps for me) post-dip!

I don't know if any of our Masters teams will be open for workout that day in Arizona, but hopefully someone will and someone will be doing a 100 x 100 set. If not, I'll go to the fitness club and make up some funky combination of sets that somehow feature 2009.

[srcoyote]

Last year I heard about The Cumberland*, where you do a 1500 for time, as follows - 500 free, 400 IM, 300 back, 200 breast, 100 fly. I haven't tried it yet but New Year's Eve or New Year's Day seems as good a time as any.

* No, I don't know why it's called that

300 Back?! Are you trying to kill me?!

[LonghornbackinTX]

My pool is not open on New Year! :(

[Michael Heather]

Last year I heard about The Cumberland*, where you do a 1500 for time, as follows - 500 free, 400 IM, 300 back, 200 breast, 100 fly. I haven't tried it yet but New Year's Eve or New Year's Day seems as good a time as any.

* No, I don't know why it's called that

Another sissy set. Butterfly is always the least swum stroke. Why is everyone (including coaches) afraid to do more than 100 yards/meters of fly in a set (ok, 200 in this set)? Sure, you get tired, but look where it got Michael Phelps!

[knelson]

Another sissy set. Butterfly is always the least swum stroke. Why is everyone (including coaches) afraid to do more than 100 yards/meters of fly in a set (ok, 200 in this set)? Sure, you get tired, but look where it got Michael Phelps!

I agree. Here's a fun fly set I did last month: 25, 50, 75, ...200 fly, take 15 seconds rest between swims through the 100, then 30 for the rest of the set. It's a total of 900 fly.

[Michael Heather]

Excellent! That is a tough set. And it doesn't take all day to do, just all day to recover from. I wonder if Scott Lautman has done this set?

[knelson]

I wonder if Scott Lautman has done this set?

Hell, Lautman probably just does a 900 fly straight :)

[That Guy]

Another sissy set. Butterfly is always the least swum stroke. Why is everyone (including coaches) afraid to do more than 100 yards/meters of fly in a set (ok, 200 in this set)? Sure, you get tired, but look where it got Michael Phelps!

I typically do 300-600 fly every day. So, yah, after the cumberland I may have to do some extra fly to get the numbers up to par.

I've raced Scott Lautman several times and it's always a blast. Kudos to him, he's a first-class competitor and nice to talk to before and after the race.

[ViveBene]

It's coming! (Besides the swim calendar and the video of an elegant, record-shattering fly): the New Year's Day swim! (Any swim done around that time, and not at other times in the year, that would qualify as tres difficile et amusant...)

I'm considering 6 x 24 IM for the austere beauty of it, the pure righteousness, knowing full well I would be on fins for the last half and have never yet done 100 fly and lived.

[quicksilver]

Sure, you get tired, but look where it got Michael Phelps!

Most masters I know of (without a swimming background) usually revert back into the cocoon stage after a 200 fly.

It often looks like a controlled drowning... as their movements literally have no resemblance to any stroke known to mankind.

[Michael Heather]

The 200 fly is tough, I have yet to tame it entirely. But for the most exquisite of pains, I cannot imagine anything like the 200 breaststroke. Both legs and arms feel like rubber (and on fire) at the end. Or am I doing something wrong?

[matysekj]

The 200 fly is tough, I have yet to tame it entirely. But for the most exquisite of pains, I cannot imagine anything like the 200 breaststroke. Both legs and arms feel like rubber (and on fire) at the end. Or am I doing something wrong?

Nope, you're doing it just right then. Your legs should be shot and your forearms should burn like crazy after a 200 breast. It should be hard to get out of the pool as a result. Of course, if this happens a little too early in the race, it will be hard to finish that last 25.

[pwolf66]

Nope, you're doing it just right then. Your legs should be shot and your forearms should burn like crazy after a 200 breast. It should be hard to get out of the pool as a result. Of course, if this happens a little too early in the race, it will be hard to finish that last 25.


Um, this happens to me at the 75. maybe I'm doing it wrong??? :angel:

[gull]

My pool is not open on New Year! :(

Join us at Nitro in Cedar Park, less than an hour from where you are. We will be doing 50 x 100 long course beginning at 7:30 am (we have to clear the pool by 9:00 but will have ten lanes until then).

[funkyfish]

I planed on swimming 10,000yds for at least a couple of days over the next two weeks. The 100 x 100s sounds pretty cool and I think I'll give it a shot.
:bliss:

[lynnwa]

Is anyone doing the Polar Bear Plunge in Lake Michigan New Year's Day? It's 50 degrees here today; not sure about the forecast for Thursday...

[ViveBene]

Is anyone doing the Polar Bear Plunge in Lake Michigan New Year's Day? It's 50 degrees here today; not sure about the forecast for Thursday...

Per NOAA's general forecast, sunny with a high around 34 deg. F.

Several Chicago groups do the plunge. They are roughly divided into those that get drunk before and those that get drunk after. Most plunges occur around noon. I have offered to hold the towels if anyone in my Local wants to jump in. Probably will not do so myself.
:)

"funkyfish," 100 x 100 does sound cool. Looking forward to a description of the stages! ("and then I passed out...").

[Typhoons Coach]

Another sissy set. Butterfly is always the least swum stroke. Why is everyone (including coaches) afraid to do more than 100 yards/meters of fly in a set (ok, 200 in this set)? Sure, you get tired, but look where it got Michael Phelps!

LOL...I wouldn't word it as a sissy set, but I have to say that my assistant age group coach hates coaching my fly practices. Apparently, the kids just absolutely hate life after those days....oh well, the proof is in the pudding with dropped times!

[Typhoons Coach]

Here is our New Year's workout for our age groupers since our Master's doesn't have practice during the holiday season:

Warm Up
500 Choice

12 Months in Year
12 x 100 IM Order @ 80% on :15 rest
*strong technique

4 Weeks In A Month
4 x 200 IM @ 85%
*1 & 4 on :20 rest
*2 & 3 on :15 rest

7 Days In A Week
7 x 100 on 1:40 @ 90% on :20 rest
*Odds = 7 SDK's
*Events = 5 SDK's

24 Hours in a Day
24 x 50
*1 - 10 on 1:00
*11 - 15 on :55
*16 - 20 on :50
*21 - 24 on :45

60 Minutes in an Hour
60 x 25 on :45 @ 100%

New Year's Resolution
4 x Your Favorite Race @ Race Pace on 2:00 Rest

Recovery
200 Choice

Hope this helps "inspire"!

[qbrain]

For the 100x100ers, how are you planning on breaking this up, or are you just doing all free on a fixed interval?

[qbrain]

New Year's Resolution
4 x Your Favorite Race @ Race Pace on 2:00 Rest


It would suck to be a miler.

[Typhoons Coach]

It would suck to be a miler.

Yeah...thank God we don't have any of them, though!

[That Guy]

My best events are the 200 fly and the 400 IM. I don't think either of those would work, because there's no way I'd be able to repeat race pace with only 2 minutes' rest. (Unless this is supposed to be a crash and burn set?) I think I'd probably go with the 100 fly. Or if I was tired, the 50 fly :D

[Rykno]

our team only has two groups that get to practice during the winter break.

luckily for me the head coach said I could train with the older kids if I wanted to. I was happy to hear that I was going to get some swimming in during these 3 weeks.

I missed the entire first week because of work, but swam twice on my own. I found out yesterday that they did 30x400m. for the last practice before xmas.

so for me there will be no extreme new years work out, but I will swim 12 times (2 hrs) in two weeks instead of my normal 3 times (90 minutes) a week. so I will be exhausted come sat the 10th. then back to normal work outs week 3.

[Typhoons Coach]

our team only has two groups that get to practice during the winter break.

luckily for me the head coach said I could train with the older kids if I wanted to. I was happy to hear that I was going to get some swimming in during these 3 weeks.

I missed the entire first week because of work, but swam twice on my own. I found out yesterday that they did 30x400m. for the last practice before xmas.

so for me there will be no extreme new years work out, but I will swim 12 times (2 hrs) in two weeks instead of my normal 3 times (90 minutes) a week. so I will be exhausted come sat the 10th. then back to normal work outs week 3.

It's good that your head coach is flexible with the swim schedule for you!!

[CreamPuff]

New Year's eve day we'll do 100x100 broken up by sets of 20. I heard 50% of them are fast. I'll see what that means.

Today's Distance practice was more long than intense. I was last in the slow lane. The fast lane did 1:15 and 1:10 pace. I was in the most orderly lane EVER. We all left 10 seconds behind and we all made the entire set. No one cheated. I felt like I was in the land of OZ! AWESOME! No one dropped out from my lane. Only one or two dropped out from the other lane.

Long Course Meters 2 hrs
300 Warm Up Choice
6x200 150 FR/ 50 BK
6x50 FR @ :55
8x25 IM Order @ :30

DISTANCE DAY - All Swim FR
5x100 @ 1:20
5x100 Odds: 1:25 Evens: 1:15
5x200 @ 2:40
5x100 Odds: 1:25 Evens: 1:15
5x300 @ 4:00
5x100 Odds: 1:25 Evens: 1:15
5x400 @ 5:20

8500 meters

Was so worth it when one of the little girls (she's 15) told me, "You did good!"

[CreamPuff]

Sake Bomb - The most feared set by the National Team.

1x100
1x200
1x300
1x400
1x500
1x1000 - Optional if you are distance OR depending on the coach's mood
1x500 - Optional if you are distance OR depending on the coach's mood
1x400
1x300
1x200
1x100

All FAST for time. Not sure what the intervals are. Will find out.

[pwolf66]

DISTANCE DAY - All Swim FR
5x100 @ 1:20
5x100 Odds: 1:25 Evens: 1:15
5x200 @ 2:40
5x100 Odds: 1:25 Evens: 1:15
5x300 @ 4:00
5x100 Odds: 1:25 Evens: 1:15
5x400 @ 5:20

8500 meters

Was so worth it when one of the little girls (she's 15) told me, "You did good!"

1:20 base? LCM? For the WHOLE practice? Yikes. I would say you did better than 'good'. I might be able to do that practice SCY on those intervals, SCM and LCM? Not a chance.

:applaud: :applaud: :applaud: :applaud: :applaud:

:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

[tjrpatt]

New Year's eve day we'll do 100x100 broken up by sets of 20. I heard 50% of them are fast. I'll see what that means.

Today's Distance practice was more long than intense. I was last in the slow lane. The fast lane did 1:15 and 1:10 pace. I was in the most orderly lane EVER. We all left 10 seconds behind and we all made the entire set. No one cheated. I felt like I was in the land of OZ! AWESOME! No one dropped out from my lane. Only one or two dropped out from the other lane.

Long Course Meters 2 hrs
300 Warm Up Choice
6x200 150 FR/ 50 BK
6x50 FR @ :55
8x25 IM Order @ :30

DISTANCE DAY - All Swim FR
5x100 @ 1:20
5x100 Odds: 1:25 Evens: 1:15
5x200 @ 2:40
5x100 Odds: 1:25 Evens: 1:15
5x300 @ 4:00
5x100 Odds: 1:25 Evens: 1:15
5x400 @ 5:20

8500 meters

Was so worth it when one of the little girls (she's 15) told me, "You did good!"

Doesn't that feel great when a younger person says that you are doing good. That is pretty amazing that you can do these intervals with no problems. I think that if I did this set, I would have to add 10 seconds on the 100s, 200s and 300s, and probably just 10 seconds on the 400. Way to go.

[aztimm]

My team usually does a 100 x 100's set for the new year, but usually not until 2-3 weeks into Jan.

I did it for the first time last year, and it really wasn't too difficult. We did them in sets of 10, I think we started on a 1:30 interval, and varied it...down to 1:25, 1:20, then back up to 1:40, 1:35, 1:30, 1:25, 1:30, 1:25, and I think we did the last 10 on 1:15.

I think we started at 9AM, and my group finished in maybe 2 or 2-1/2 hours. I had a PB&J sandwich around 7 or 7:30 that morning, which provided plenty to carry me through the set. I had my usual water bottle on deck, and drank around 1/2 of it during the set, the remainder on my drive home (visited the water fountain when I got out).

Haven't yet decided if I'll do this again in 2009...

[Paul Smith]

My team usually does a 100 x 100's set for the new year, but usually not until 2-3 weeks into Jan.

I did it for the first time last year, and it really wasn't too difficult. We did them in sets of 10, I think we started on a 1:30 interval, and varied it...down to 1:25, 1:20, then back up to 1:40, 1:35, 1:30, 1:25, 1:30, 1:25, and I think we did the last 10 on 1:15.

I think we started at 9AM, and my group finished in maybe 2 or 2-1/2 hours. I had a PB&J sandwich around 7 or 7:30 that morning, which provided plenty to carry me through the set. I had my usual water bottle on deck, and drank around 1/2 of it during the set, the remainder on my drive home (visited the water fountain when I got out).

Haven't yet decided if I'll do this again in 2009...

It'll be happening again this year but this coming Saturday at noon instead (1/3)...for those who would like the option of something substantially "harder" in half the time I will be coaching the Cactus workout from 7-8:30am...or you have plenty of time to catch a nap and do both!

[CreamPuff]

1:20 base? LCM? For the WHOLE practice? Yikes. I would say you did better than 'good'. I might be able to do that practice SCY on those intervals, SCM and LCM? Not a chance.


Tom and Paul, awww shucks. :blush: Seriously, it was no big deal. In fact I welcomed the 1:15 intervals just to get more sprint-y type work in. And the kids make me look like 1 year old molasses - so frankly, thank you for putting a little more air in my already trampled ego! Looking forward to doing some mid D or sprint workouts (well, after tomorrow's insanity of 100x100s.) Not sure I really need to do all that. Perhaps I'll shoot for 2 hours and call it quits.

[want2beafish]

New Year's eve day we'll do 100x100 broken up by sets of 20. I heard 50% of them are fast. I'll see what that means.


Kristina, is the entire group going to do 100x100 tomorrow, or is it just the distance group? I SO do not want to tell my son! He doesn't know, or he would have complained to me by now, I think. Better for him to get there and literally jump right in, than to dread it for the next 15 hours! :afraid:

[CreamPuff]

Kristina, is the entire group going to do 100x100 tomorrow, or is it just the distance group? I SO do not want to tell my son! He doesn't know, or he would have complained to me by now, I think. Better for him to get there and literally jump right in, than to dread it for the next 15 hours! :afraid:

Hey Kristin,

Well, I of course got this information from a couple of the national team gals who have been swimming with Chris for the past 2 years. So take this info with a grain of salt although I must say that locker room gossip is often right on.

Was told that Chris likes to start the New Year off right by doing the 100x100s. This year could be different of course, but evidently for the past 2 years, National/ Senior have done this together as a group. 100x100s - mix of drills, free, different strokes and some fast stuff (over 50% of it fast - that scares me?!)

I recommend not to tell him anything. Just jump right in. BTW, masters did 60x100 a couple of years ago and I did not find it to be bad at all. . .

[want2beafish]

Hey Kristin,

Well, I of course got this information from a couple of the national team gals who have been swimming with Chris for the past 2 years. So take this info with a grain of salt although I must say that locker room gossip is often right on.

Was told that Chris likes to start the New Year off right by doing the 100x100s. This year could be different of course, but evidently for the past 2 years, National/ Senior have done this together as a group. 100x100s - mix of drills, free, different strokes and some fast stuff (over 50% of it fast - that scares me?!)

I recommend not to tell him anything. Just jump right in. BTW, masters did 60x100 a couple of years ago and I did not find it to be bad at all. . .
Ah, would make sense, considering that practice is from 7-10. Just about the right amount of time for 10K LCM. I'll keep my mouth shut, and will hope that he gains a sense of accomplishment when it's over. I did tell him that we'd get his choice of bagels or donuts afterwards.

Actually, 60x100 doesn't sound all that bad... I was planning on doing my own 50x100 SCM at the gym during your practice tomorrow!

[SLOmmafan]

Our groups workout, 9000 m (yay 2009). Pretty random overall, but the practice is well attended so should be fun.





Warm Up
- 800 swim, every 4th lap no free
- 600 pull broken at 200’s
- 400 kick w/ fins
- 200 drill/swim by 25

Set 1: Easy-medium

- 10 x 100 on medium interval, mix of strokes

Set 2: Hard

5 x ( 200 Pull, DPS
100 swim build to 90%
2 x 50 fast free)

Set 3: Easy

- 300 swim, reverse breath
- 4 x 50 speed bump to 80%
- 300 swim, choice of stroke
- 4 x 50 speed bump to 80%

Set 4: Medium

- 1 x 400 @ 75-80% pace
- 5 x 200 on interval
- 5 x 100 on slightly faster interval
- 100 easy

Set 5: Hard

4 x (50 kick w/ fins @ 100%
100 choice of stroke easy
50 kick w/ fins @ 100%)

200 warm down

[That Guy]

I did The Cumberland* today. For those that didn't see the original posts earlier in the thread, it's a 1500 for time done like this: 500 free, 400 im, 300 back, 200 breast, 100 fly. I was swimming alone in a Speedo Endurance practice suit and no cap. Coming into it, I was most concerned about the free portion (and the fly following it), because I haven't been training free much at all. I started off smoothly enough, but my form started falling apart around the 400 mark. The 100 fly following that was terrible. Stroke counts were high, SDK's were low, and I was breathing way too often. Once that painfest was over, I spent the next 800 yards trying to swim strong while shaking out the lactic acid in time for the last 100 fly. I've been training plenty of distance backstroke so that was no problem. I held 6-7 strokes per length on the breaststroke portions; those are good numbers for a bad breaststroker like me. The final 100 fly was much easier than the first. I was far smoother and able to sprint the final 50. I finished in 19:36, right in line with what I figured I would do. To improve on that, I will need to train more free. I'm not sure if it's worth the tedium...

Michael Heather: After an easy 100, I did follow The Cumberland** with a set of 50 flys.***

* I still do not know why it is called that
** Nope, still nothing
***:banana:

[ViveBene]

Polar plunge! :eek:

OK, I lived. Will post pics on the "Where we swim OW" thread when I get some of our group/me.

The bikinis were a nice touch! :D

Water temp a touch above freezing, air temp dunno; wind chill was 9 deg F when I last looked. We did not have to push floating islands of ice out of our way.

[Chicken of the Sea]

Hi,
I did the Polar Plunge too! Very liberating!

[jim thornton]

One of the benefits of freezing water is that the algae doesn't grow quite so well, and it is less likely to hang from one's swim suit!

[Donna]

Started the year with the traditional Savannah Masters set of 100x50 @ :55
but I used to do this on 1:00, had to make it a little more challenging.

[Paul Smith]

Here is our New Year's workout for our age groupers since our Master's doesn't have practice during the holiday season:

Warm Up
500 Choice

12 Months in Year
12 x 100 IM Order @ 80% on :15 rest
*strong technique

4 Weeks In A Month
4 x 200 IM @ 85%
*1 & 4 on :20 rest
*2 & 3 on :15 rest

7 Days In A Week
7 x 100 on 1:40 @ 90% on :20 rest
*Odds = 7 SDK's
*Events = 5 SDK's

24 Hours in a Day
24 x 50
*1 - 10 on 1:00
*11 - 15 on :55
*16 - 20 on :50
*21 - 24 on :45

60 Minutes in an Hour
60 x 25 on :45 @ 100%

New Year's Resolution
4 x Your Favorite Race @ Race Pace on 2:00 Rest

Recovery
200 Choice

Hope this helps "inspire"!

I loved this idea and adapated it a bit for this mornings group I coached at cactus. We had only 3 lanes and about 10 per lane.

LCM
- 10 minute warm-up
- 12 x 75's @ 1:30 50 swim/25 power kick
- 4 x 200's @ 3:00 descend 1-4
- 7 x 100's - odds IM fast @ 1:50/evens free recovery @ 2:00
- 24 x 50's descending 1-6
1-6 @ 1:00
7-12 @ :55
13-18 @ :50
19-24 @ :45
- Finish w/60 seconds of vertical kick because we were right at 90 minutes

[kellys]

Thanks to everyone for the different New Year's workouts. I used a couple with my high school team this week. The "Cumberland" was a real hit. They enjoyed the challenge and our winner was not decided until the last 50! I look forward to using these in the future.

[Michael Heather]

Thanks to everyone for the different New Year's workouts. I used a couple with my high school team this week. The "Cumberland" was a real hit. They enjoyed the challenge and our winner was not decided until the last 50! I look forward to using these in the future.

Sissy set or not, I stand in recognition of the popularity of the Cumberland (or is it really a cummerbund?). Perhaps I should try it some time. Now if someone would be so kind as to explain the origination of the name? In return, I will explain the B.S. set.

[That Guy]

Thanks to everyone for the different New Year's workouts. I used a couple with my high school team this week. The "Cumberland" was a real hit. They enjoyed the challenge and our winner was not decided until the last 50! I look forward to using these in the future.

Cool! The virus is spreading... from its, uh, unknown point of origin :dunno:

Michael Heather: I'll see if I can find out. I've sent email to the guy that told me about it.

[Ahelee Sue Osborn]

Nova Masters finished up the last of the 3 swim practices which make up The Triple Crown for our "New Year's Swim".

Triple Crown:
Part #1 = 50 swims @ 1:30
Part #2 = 75 swims @ 1:20
Part #3 = 100 swims @ 1:15
(your lane chooses the distance or rotation of distances for each swim)

Photos are here under the "Practices" Gallery:
http://multisportsoc.smugmug.com/Nova%20Masters (http://multisportsoc.smugmug.com/Nova%20Masters)

We had a record this year of 128 swimmers participating in the TC practices. It is quite a scene - and social event for the team. Brunch following is well attended.

But it is long and very difficult if you choose to push the distances hard. Last year I vowed never to do it again.
Today I am saying the same thing. But it is easy to forget - and get caught up in the frenzy of masters swimming excitement around the pool deck especially when it is your own team :)

New Year's day of course we were down at the Pacific Ocean for a Polar Bear Swim.

Happy New Year Discussion Group!

[orca1946]

No, just water into my system!!

[That Guy]

Cool! The virus is spreading... from its, uh, unknown point of origin :dunno:

Michael Heather: I'll see if I can find out. I've sent email to the guy that told me about it.

The response I got is that Cumberland is the last name of a swimmer who really liked that swim. Probably. Maybe.

[funkyfish]

I planed on swimming 10,000yds for at least a couple of days over the next two weeks. The 100 x 100s sounds pretty cool and I think I'll give it a shot.
:bliss:

Well…I got my 100x100s done earlier today:bliss:

I did 9000 of it on a 1:40 interval and the last 1000 on a 1:45. I wasn't trying to push very hard as I'd never swam 10,000yds straight through before. Most of the swim went well although the yards between 7,000 and 8,000 I was feeling chills, which seems odd. I wasn't sure what was going on but it went away eventually. I'm kinda proud of myself for having swam almost 6 miles in under 3 hrs. I plan on doing another set like this in a month's time and will attempt a 1:35 interval.