Uncategorized

Had a little time before I had to take our two little ones to school. By the time I get in the water I only have about 40-45 minutes to get something in. Usually a recovery type swim or time spent on my long list of "needs improvements"

Pretty simple this morning.

200 swim
100 kick
100 drill
100 choice
4 x 75 (k,dr,swim) IM order

4 x 100 @ 1:30 FREE
100 ez w/bouy
4 x 75 @ 1:15 BACK
100 ez w/bouy
4 x 50 @ 55 BREAST
100 ex w/ bouy
4 x 25 @ 30 FLY

200 w/d

2300 scy

The only thing I worked hard on was the 75's back. I just felt pretty good so I decided to go with it. Even though it isn't much I really like doing these short low intensity swims.

Plan on doing a little P90 core after the girls go to bed.

An expected light crowd tonight which was expected. Only six of us showed up for practice. I got my own lane and a lot of extra coaching attention. Because of the slower intervals I was able to play with my stroke technique a little and get instant feed back from coach.

400 (200 free/100 IM drill/100 choice)

6 x 50 kick @ 1:20
4 x 150 w/bouy @ 2:30
5 x 50 kick @ 1:15
4 x 150 w/bouy @ 2:20
4 x 50 kick @ 1:10
4 x 150 w/bouy @ 2:10
3 x 50 kick @ 1:05
4 x 150 w/bouy @ 2:05
2 x 50 kick @ 2:00 (AFAP)

200 w/d

4000 scy

I felt long and very consistent. One of my teammates was really pushing me throughout the evening so that was fun to race him all night.

I am now officially entered for my first 400 IM ever. I have two months to get my self phyically and more importantly mentally ready for it. My "strategy" is as follows.

Fly: Survive without panicing. This is by far my worst stroke.

Back: Build this as much as I can without completely draining my legs.

Breast: Push this while remaining long.

Free: Give it all I have left in the tank.

This will definitely be a learning swim. My strategy may not be the best but I don't really know what to expect. I will evaluate the splits and how I felt to hopefully do it again.

I think we had done this main set a couple of months back. I used my tempo trainer and I think it definitely helped me out. I would drop down a notch every other distance.

300 Free
200 Back
100 Breast

300 Dolphin Kick w/fins
10 x 25 @ 30 6 SDK off of wall
odd back, even free

Broken 2500 w/10
(20,14,11,10,9........1)

100 EZ

10 x 25 @ 30
odd fly, even breast

500 for time

200 w/d

4700 scy

We ran out of time before we could get to the 500 for time so we actually only went 4200. I am not a distance person at all but boy did I feel good the entire way through the broken 2500. Nothing too intense.

After a much needed family vacation I am back home swimming with the team. I did get to swim twice while away but those swims were not very intense or long. Glad to be back home!

While on vacation I did manage to get myself recharged for what I need to do for my family, work, and in the pool. I have adopted a new attitude to not worry about a bad workout or swim like I have in the past. I have decided to just do my very best everyday and the results will follow. I am hoping that this will help me stay focused on my goals I have set.

Felt sluggish through the very middle of the workout but quite a bit stronger towards the end.

300 Choice
4 x 50 kick w/fins underwater R10
4 x 50 kick feet stay below surface R10
4 x 50 swim w/over kick & slow arms R10

Descend all of the following
6 x 50 pull @ 50
6 x 75 swim @ 1:10
6 x 100 pull @ 1:30
6 x 125 swim @ 1:50
6 x 150 pull @ 2:10

50 EZ

4 x through the following
100 w/bouy cruise @ 1:40
3 x 25 Sprint @ 25
25 recovery @ 60

200 w/d

4950 scy

Handled everything pretty well except for the 6 x 125s. I could not see the clock and missed my send off time on number three and tried to make it up and continue to get faster which didn't work very well. The short sprints at the end felt strong and fast so that was positive. I won't swim in a pool meet until the end of Oct. so I have plenty of time to work.

Tonight's practice was all about the dolphin kick. No intense swims only concentrating on the kick. I am not the strongest kicker in the world but I understand the importance of a strong kick. I will admit that even though I may not like it, I need to do more kicking.

300 Choice
8 x 25 BR pull w/dolphin kick @ 40

300 dolphin kick
alternate front and back by 25

12 x 50 @ 55
3 of fly, back, free
4 dolphin kicks off each wall

600 dolphin kick w/fins on stomach
12 x 50 swim breast @ 1:15
...concentrate on the dolphin movement
600 dolphin kick w/fins on back
10 x 50 FR @ 55 four SDK off walls
...Went 500 pace
300 dolphin kick (25 front/25 back)


200 w/d



4300 scy


We didn't have time to get in the last 300 kick and my oldest daughter was with me tonight and I needed to get her home. She swam in the therapy pool while I practiced. Driving home at 8:00 and it was still in the low 90s.

I had a freestyle revelation last night. During warm up my coach and a team mate both noticed that my right arm was pulling almost straight down and not catching much at all. I have been concentrating on my left arm because it enters very close to my head.

This was the perfect workout for me to try and work out my stroke issues.

400 choice (bouy and snorkel for me)

12 x 25 w/10
3 of each stroke
2 drill, 1 swim w/strong finish

3 x 50 + 100 + 25 sprint r/60
3 x 50 + 100 + 50 sprint r/60
3 x 50 + 100 + 75 sprint r/60
3 x 50 + 100 + 100 sprint r/60
I did the swims at 500 pace

10 x 50 @ coaches send off
Start in middle of pool
12.5 build to wall
25 underwater kick
12.5 EZ

4 x 200 pull ( bouy only for me)
Breathe 3,5,7,9 by 50

300 w/d

3550 scy

Small turn out at practice today. I think there was only eight of us at the pool this morning. I guess everyone has crazy schedules with company coming in town or getting themselves out of town.

The format of todays workout was a little different then usual. It was fun to mix in the toys and get a little bit of stroke work and some speed.

400 choice

Kick w/fins
6 x 100 build then verticle kick for 1:30
-- I really worked these, legs were fried

1000 Pull (I went bouy only and felt strong)
1 length fast , 1 ez
2 fast , 2 ez
3 fast , 3 ez
4 fast , 4 ez
4 fast , 4 ez
3 fast , 3 ez
2 fast , 2 ez
1 fast , 1 ez

8 x the following
75 (fl/bk/br) @ 1:30 90%
50 fr @ 50 90+%
25 fr @ 30 ALL OUT
75 choice @ 2:00 active recovery

300 w/d

4100

Not a whole lot to say except that I am so glad that the weekend is here. The house is now clean again so now it is time to get myself and the kids out of it before it gets destroyed.

It was in the high 90s today with the heat index above 110 and I worked outside all day long. Needless to say after work I was definitely lacking energy. I guess this is SC in July.

Thankfully we did some short swims tonight. I don't know if I could have survived anything much longer than we did.

300 Choice

12 x 50
3 kick @ 1:05
3 descend stroke count @ 55
repeat

6 x 25 @ 30 finger tip drag
6 x 75 @ 1:20 descend 1-3 & 4-6
6 x 25 @ 40 one arm
6 x 75 @ 1:10 swim strong
6 x 25 @ 30 catch up
6 x 75 @ 2:00 SPRINT
6 x 25 @ 30 smooth w/bouy
6 x 75 @ 1:05 w/buoy
6 x 25 @ 30 breathe 1/5
6 x 75 @ 1:00 pull

200 w/d

4100 scy

After I said that we don't do many 25s the other day we got some more tonight. I actually felt pretty strong considering what my body went through at work. Time to rehydrate and get some rest to do it again in the morning.

I started the day out yesterday with some weights before work and then swam with the team afterwork. Took it a little easy in the weight room but could still really feel the effects in the pool.

In the pool.....

3 times through
150 choice @ 2:30
2 x 50 drill @ 60

8 x 50 @ 60 scull/swim by 25

4 x 100 w/fins @ 1:35 build within 100
-- 4 to 5 sdk off of each wall

200 EZ

2 x 100 @ 1:30
2 x 200 @ 3:00
2 x 400 @ 6:00
2 x 200 @ 3:00
2 x 100 @ 1:30
This set was only at 80% but I think I put a little more effort into the latter part of the set.

200 w/d

4400 scy

Side note....

Don't ever do P90 AB RIPPER with your 8 year old gymnist daughter. I was struggling while she was laughing saying "Is this ALL we have to do Daddy?" I was very humbled.
I am getting old!

As I glanced at this mornings workout I thought we would be in and out rather quickly. We never do sets with too many 25s mixed in.

The yardage kind of crept up on me. The intervals were not intense and I love doing workouts with a lot of stroke involved even if it only 25s. I am a IMer wannabe!

400 choice

3 x through the following

6 x 25 fly @ 30 (200 pace)
50 fr @ 45
6 x 25 bk @ 30 (200 pace)
50 fr @ 45
6 x 25 br @ 30 (200 pace)
50 fr @ 45
6 x 25 fr @ 25 (200 pace)
50 fr @ 45

4 x through th following
Descend each set
100 IM @ 1:40
100 IM @ 1:35
100 IM @ 1:30
100 IM @ 1:25


200 w/d

4600 scy

We only made it through three rounds of the last set. I was getting very sloppy by that point anyways.

Finally after about a month of feeling bad in the water I felt pretty good tonight. I have had one shoulder bothering me a little especially while swimming freestyle. Tonight was different though. I was back to my old self.

Tonight we used a lot of toys and mixed in some stroke work with it. The intervals allowed for some high quality swims. I love a workout that has has you switching between strokes, kicking, and pulling.

300 swim
200 pull
100 fly kick

20 x 25 w/10
odds w/dolphin kick
evens w/flutter kick

8 x 125 @ 2:15 (90%)
75 free/50 stroke
odds back
evens breast

20 x 50 pull (increase effort through set)
1-5 @ 45
6-15 @ 50
16-20 @ 55
I went bouy only

Swim w/fins 5 x 100 (25 kick/25 swim) @1:40
odds went back
evens free

100 EZ

400 pull @ 5:00
used paddles but should not have

4 x 100 stroke @ 1:45 (90%)
evens went back
odds went breast

100 w/d

4600

Plan on doing a short swim in the morning if I can shake my tail out of bed. I need to take advantage of not having to take the kids to school for the remainder of the summer with some extended workout time in the morning.

Work has really been kicking my butt these past few weeks and my swimming has really suffered. I just don't have any energy left at the end of the day. I have also had a hard time getting out of bed which has never been a problem in the past. Maybe my body is still getting use to the 100 degree days (not including the heat index). Maybe I am just getting old.

My first LCM meet is this weekend. The nerves have kicked in a little this morning only because I have not been swimming fast at practice. I need to keep telling myself that it will all be fine. Looking forward to it though.

300 Choice
2 x through the following still warming up
100 BA
50 FR kick
100 BR
50 Fly

400 pull cruise

2 rounds of the following
6 x 125 @ 2:00
Odds stroke strong effort
Evens EZ free
2 x 200 pull @ 2:40
6 x 75 @ 1:20
Odds stroke strong effort

Evens EZ free

200 w/d

Went back for round one of the main set and breast for round two.

4700 scy

Only a couple of more days to get my act together in the pool. After this meet I probably won't swim in another meet until the fall. That will give me some time to make some changes to my strokes and train hard since so far this summer has been hit or miss for me.

Had no energy tonight and don't really know why. I guess not every workout is a great one but I did stick with. Towards the end I really had to concentrate on keeping my stroke together. I know that everyone has to do this when they get tired but tonight was absolutely terrible. I'll take my lumps and move on from here.

300 choice
200 kick
8 x 75 (drill,swim,build) @ 1:30 IM order

3 rounds of the following 1:30/100 base
2 x 200 buoy and snorkel
400 swim descend 1-3
2 x 50 non free @50

4 x 125 @ 2:00 sprint
odds free
evens stroke

200 w/d

4400 scy

Round 1 was a mess and I needed to get my head back in the game. Round 2 was a little better but not good enough. Round 3 was the best so at least I finished that set on a positive note.

I had forgotten that we had the 125's to do at the end and I struggled through those. I plan on doing a recovery swim in the morning and will maybe do some snorkel work to stretch my stroke out.

Less then two weeks till my first LCM meet as a masters swimmer. Really looking forward to it and feel like I have nothing to lose. I need to have a few really good practices before then just to get my mind right.

Our team just finished a week of free swim lessons while participating in the Swimming Saves Lives program. We had three sessions each night from 5:15 till 8:00 each night. I have to admit that some how it wore me out but it was all worth it! We tried to target children and adults that normally would not have a chance to take swim lessons. I still think that the team had more fun than the students.

Numerous people have signed up for lessons next week and throughout the entire summer. My favorite comment that I heard was from a man that was so proud of himself that he said he going to take a picture of himself with his certificate and post it on facebook. I recieved numerous hugs and even a note written in crayon that said "I love you."

What a AWESOME program!!!

Anyways, I was hoping for a light practice this morning and was what we got.

400 Mix up
5 x 50 Br swim
4 x 50 Br kick
Alternating Genie drill and holding a weight


3 x through w/fins
2 x 150 Fl kick
1. On back holding a weight
2. On stomach
2 x 25 AFAP kick on back

5 x 50 fly
4 x 100 back
3 x 150 breast
2 x 300 free

200 w/d

3800

Just what I needed to finish out a busy work week along with the fun lesson schedule. Genie drill is when you fold your arms in front of you and then just kick breast stroke. The goal is to keep you hips up and head down. You move slow but it works.

I would love to have a nap but since I have not had one since my girls entered the world I will go on with my regular Sat. chores.

Got in a little stroke work this morning. Nothing very intense, just concentrating on the little things. I wasn't really feeling it for the first half of it but was glad I got in my little swim.

We have been giving free swim lessons each night this week to anyone that can get themselves to the center. What a blast!! We have had people ages 7 through 80 come to participate. I think our swimmers are having more fun than the students. Day four starts tonight.

300 drill/swim by 25
200 kick build
200 pull
4 x 50 free build @ 50

4 x 100 free @ 1:35
4 x 75 ba @ 1:20
4 x 50 br @ 55
4 x 25 fl @ 30

The following was with 15 sec. rest @ 80%
25 fr
50 br/fr
75 ba/br/fr
100 IM
150 ba/br/fr
200 IM
150 ba/br/fr
100 IM
75 ba/br/fr
50 br/fr
25 fr

200 w/d

3200

Nothing too exciting. Was able to really work the walls on the small IM ladder. Still trying to get comfortable with my back to breast turn.

Well I started the week off by getting up a half a hour too late. I did make it to the pool and got a quick swim in. Felt really good once I woke up. Shortened my planned workout and decided to really work the stroke portions. I have been too close to the wall lately on my back turns and my legs have been scrunched up. I am blaming it on the fact that my underwater work has improved.

300 Choice
200 Pull
4 x 50 @ 60 Kick Descend

50 free
2 x 50 bk
100 free
2 x 100 bk
200 free
200 bk
2 x 100 free
100 bk
2 x 50 free
50 bk

100 EZ

200 breast build

200 w/d

Spent the entire day with the team today. After practice they all went to breakfast and then to the beach for the day. I skipped breakfast because I needed to get home to help the wife get my two girls ready plus two friends that were going also. Have you ever tried to get out the the door with five women?

I really felt the my lack of swimming lately at practice today. School is now out so I will have more time to refocus myself. I have three weeks to get it all back before our LCM state meet. Plenty of work to do!

Practice went like this...

300 Choice

12 x 50 @ 60
1-6 fly/back by 25
7-12 breast/free by 25

5 x 200 @ 2:40 (90%)

100 EZ

10 x 100 @ 1:30 (90%)

12 x 50 pull
1-4 back @ 60
5-8 free @ 50
9-12 fr @40

200 w/d

3900

Our team is participating in the Swimming Saves Lives program next week by offering free swim lessons to those would need it. I was surprised at how the slots filled up so quickly. I am really pumped to be a part of this. Because of this my plan is to shake my tail out of bed and get my pool time in before work since I will be busy with lessons each night after work. It is a shame that people don't know how to swim especially living so close to water. Can't wait!!!!

I had not been in the the water since Sat. and boy did I feel it. Personally, I do much better by swimming five or six times throughout the week even if two or three of them are not very intense. Just couldn't get it going and felt like I was a foot below the water surface. School is out this week so I won't have to take the little ones to school for awhile. This will free up my mornings a lot.

I sent in my entry for the South Carolina Long Course State Championships today. I have not been in a 50M pool since I was 18.
I am now 41.

I am actually really looking forward to it. Signed up for a bunch of events just to see how I'll do.

Practice went as follows:

2 x 200 swim, 100 kick

10 x 50 @ 60 drill/swim by 50

8 x 100 pull @ 1:35 breathe 3/5 by 50

6 times through
100 strong @ 1:30
50 all out sprint

4 x 200 w/fins kick/swim by 50
odds backstroke
evens free

250 free done as
50 mod,50 sprint,50 mod,50 sprint,50 mod

200 w/d


Kind of a bunch of different things and I was glad that that it was not a killer. Looking forward to doing some serious training now.

Yesterday, a crew of us made the two hour drive down to Mount Pleasant to take part in a 2.4 mile swim in the Cooper River.
http://www.lowcountrysplash.com/race...ace_Course.htm

Even though open water swimming is not my "gig" I had a blast with this swim. Good company, very well organized event , and a awesome party afterwards to top off the day. I didn't wait around long enough for the results but I think I had a time of low to mid 40 min. My only complaint about the event is that it takes forever for the results to be announced and posted online. I needed to hit the road to get back home.

There is a strong current as we catch the tide rolling out. However, the wind was blowing pretty good directly into our faces which created choppy waves throught the entire race. Very hard to get into a groove with your stroke.

Over 500 swimmers in two waves. The first mile and a half I tried not to use my legs much. Felt great and was still passing people which took my mind off of how much I had left to go. Once I got next to the Yorktown I found a bit of a groove and kicked the legs in.

Afterwards I didn't feel like I had pushed it hard enough but my legs were pretty drained.

This was strictly a fun event for me to participate in. Absolutely no pressure or nerves. Looking forward to doing it again next year.

I actually borrowed a workout from SJ Black and trimmed it down to fit within my short time frame this morning. I only have roughly 45 min. of pool time when I go to the pool in the morning. A great time to work on some little things though.

200 Swim
200 Kick
200 Pull

4 x 250 w/20
odds pull
evens swim

12 x 25 w/10
Went IM order
1. count strokes
2. faster & hold stroke count
3. faster & hold stroke count
repeat

200 w/d

2100

I had posted earlier that I was planning on getting back into my old dryland routine. Maybe if I put it in writing here I will be more motivated to really stick with it. It worked last summer.

M am. weights (high reps)
pm. team practice

T am. solo pool time
pm. P90 core

W am. weights (high reps)
pm. team practice

T am. P90 yoga
pm. P90 abs

F am. solo pool time
pm. P90 choice (kempo, cardio, or plyo)

S am. team practice
pm. P90 abs

S P90 stretch (my favorite!!)

I have to do it now that I have posted it. Except for practicing with the team I try to workout mostly when the kids are asleep. Either early in the morning or after bed time at night. We will see.