I swim, therefore I am

SCY@FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 74, pool at 82, 75% water clarity.
Sunny skies with humidity at 62%


Warm up:
1x500 FR
5x50 FR/K on 1:00
1x250 BK/FR

*Set 1*
4(1x50 on 1:00, 1x100 on 2:00, 1x150 on 3:00, 200EZ)

1. 32, 1:06, 1:38
2. 32, 1:05, 1:37
3. 31, 1:04, 1:36
4. 30, 1:03, 1:34

200EZ BK/FR

*Set 2*
8x100 Fly on 2:00

• 1-3-5-7: 25/RA-25/LA-50S
• 2-4-6-8: 50 1RA/1LA/2S, 50S

500 BK DPS with compact streamling turns

*Set 3*
100-200-300-400-500 Ladder Pull FR on 1:30/100: Desc pace

• Paddles-Tube-Bouy
• Did: 1:15, 2:26, 3:40, 4:51, 5:54

Warm down: 200 EZ Swim

Comments:

• Warmup - Water was really warm.
• Set 1 - The 150s were harder than expected, really had to work the 3rd 50.
• Set 2 - Worked on fly drills.
• Set 3 - Was glad I could descend my pace

SCY@FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 68, pool at 80, 100% water clarity.
Cloudy overcast skies with humidity at 62%

Warm up:
1x2000 as 200 FR/200 BK

*Set 1*
5x200 BR on 1min rest, done as 50K,50S

• Kicking; alt 50s as kick w/bd and kick on back
• Swim; narrow kick, press legs together, tuck chin, hold streamline into the pull.

200EZ BK/FR

*Set 2*
5(2x50 on 1:00, 1x100 on 2:00) results:

1. 32, 32, 1:05
2. 32, 32, 1:05
3. 32, 31, 1:04
4. 32, 32, 1:04
5. 31, 31, 1:03

500 BK DPS with compact streamlined turns

*Set 3*
10x50 on 1:00 SDK w/fins as 25/backside, 25/frontside
Focused on 15+ yds underwater, tight streamlined arms behind head

• 1-5 did 35s
• 6-10 did 36, 35, 33, 31, extra :30 rest, 29

Warm down: 400 EZ FLY 25K/25DR/50 Swim

Comments:

• Arrived to the pool feeling tired & sore, but after warm up I was ready to try making a good effort.
• Warm Up - The usual moderate smooth pace with a focus on technical stroke details.
• Set 1 - My BR Kick is becoming stronger so I can do more breaststroke, Coach adjusted my body position with more streamlined extension off the kick transition to pull.
• Set 2 - Working on extending the smooth, controlled :32/50 pace into 100s, and later 200s. Did 1 min & 2 min intervals for enough recovery to get HR back down to 11/6 and keep technique as best possible. The progress so far is good considering this is my 3rd week of higher intensity swimming with intervals.
• Set 3 - Joel and I did these together, hence the descending times as we were flat out racing each other on the last two 50s.
• Warm Down - I have been doing different strokes in recovery and and warm down swims to get in more exposure to all the strokes.

SCY@FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 76, pool at 79, 100% water clarity.
Sunny skies with humidity at 48%

Warm up:
1x1200 RIMO by 300

*Set 1*
4x400 IM Swim/Kick
Each 400 as 4(50 Swim "Strong"/50K "Steady", 1min rest)
4 rounds:

1. 50FLY/50k-BK
2. 50BK/50k-BR
3. 50BR/50k-FR
4. 50FR/50k-FLY

200EZ

*Set 2*
10x100 SDK w/fins

• 1-5: 2(25/back, 25 front)
• 6-10: 2(25 R/side, 25 L/Side)

200EZ

*Set 3*
6x200 on 3:00 as 50BK, 50FR

• 1-3: 2:25, 2:19, 2:17
• 4-6: 2:19, 2:17, 2:14

Warm down: 200 EZ

Comments:

• Same ongoing sore muscles, and tired legs, but also beginning to feel some strength gradually evolving.
• Warmup - Swam all the strokes smooth and long, in the fly only 25s 1&7 were drill.
• Set 1 - The 50s swim were about 200 IM race pace effort, into steady kicking (not recovery pace)
• Set 2 - My friend Joel likes to doing SDK with fins, so we did this together
• Set 3 - Was going to pull these 200s, but paddles straps broke. Went way more harder and faster then intended working hard to stay with Joel who was doing free pull with paddles.

SCY@FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 76, pool at 79, 100% water clarity.
Cloudy skies with humidity at 60%

• Swam with Joel, my friend visiting from Ventura, CA, a professional beach lifeguard. We match up well doing different kinds of swimming in the same set. It is always fun and challenging when we swim together.

Focus - Freestyle, Backstroke,Pace

Warm up:
1x2000 FR/BK S done as
4(1x300 FR, 1x200 BK) Build effort 1-4
200 EZ

*Set 1*
10x100 FR S on 1:40 =< 5:30 500 pace

• 1-3; 1:07, 1:06, 1:05
• 4-7; 1:07, 1:05, 1:04, 1:05
• 8-10; 1:06, 1:06, 1:05

200EZ

*Set 2*
1x1000 FR/BK S, alt by 25, Broken as:
4x150 on 2:15, 4x100 on 1:30, desc each 1-4

• 150s; 1:48-1:41
• 100s; 1:12-1:07

200EZ

*Set 3*
3x400 Kick w/fins, Swim, rest 1 min each, as
1 each: Fly, Back, Free (50K/f, 50S/f)
Did the 400 free as 8x50 on 1:00 50K/f-50S/f

• 50s S/f: 26, 26, 26, 25

Warm down: 200 EZ

Comments:

• I am continuing to make progress with the dryland program and higher intensity swimming with intervals. Still having some sore muscles, and tired legs, but there is enough energy to make a good effort each session.
• Warmup - Working on the front end of freestyle, and alternating with backstroke.
• Set 1 - Trying to swim a strong controlled pace with with consistent front end technique, effortless streamlining turns, and steady, smooth, but not hard kick.
• Set 2 - More of free/back combination swimming.
• Set 3 - Conditioning for fin swimming later in season in sprint sets.

SCY@FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 60, pool at 79, 100% water clarity.
Sunny skies with humidity at 50%

Focus - Freestyle, Pace

Warm up:
200 EZ Free

*Set 1*
1x1200 FR, build as 3x400
10x50 frK on 1:00

*Set 2*
12 (100 as 50 FR strong, 50 Bk smooth) on 2:00

• 50s FR did 30-29

*Set 3*
1x1200 FR Pull w/paddles, bouy, tube
Build as 3x400

*Set 4*
1x1600 IM, 400 each stroke
do as 50K/fins, 25S/fins

Warm down: 200 EZ DPS FR

Comments:

• Warmup - I came into the workout with tired legs and arms, but I am making progress with the dryland program and my second week of doing higher intensity swimming with intervals.
• Set 1 - The 50 frK were :47-46, because I took extra :30 after #4&7.
• Set 2 - Wanted to continue doing 30/29 50 pace with controlled stroke.
• Set 3 - Started out slow, being tired from the 50s, and built to better pace to do about 4:40 last 400.
• Set 4 - Coach said backstroke looked good today, I was trying to stay away from the lane lines as the sun was really bright.
• Warmdown - A good effort, I was glad to be done.

SCY @FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 64, pool at 78, 100% water clarity.
Partly cloudy gray skies with humidity at 55%

Focus - Freestyle, Pace

*Warm up*
1x500 FR
6x50 frK
1x400 frP

*Set 1*
10(100 FR swim, 50 K on 2:15)

• 100 FR Swims; (1-4)1:09-08, (5-8)1:08-07, (9-10)1:06
• 50 K ave 48

*Set 2*
1x800 DPS FR/BK by 100
2x200 BR K50,S50 w/Snorkel
3x100 Fly as 25 drill, 25 swim

*Set 3*
4(4x50 FR on 1:00, EZ 200)

1. 30, 30, 30, 29
2. 30, 29, 29, 29
3. 29, 29, 29, 28
4. 29, 29, 28, 28

*Set 4*
1x1000 Pull w/paddles,bouy,tube as:
500 DPS, 500 as 50 smooth, 50 strong

Warm down: 200 EZ DPS FR

Comments:

• Warmup - The 50 frK were 47-46 (my best so far this training phase)
• Set 1 - With doing fin swimming yesterday, swimming the 100 pace of 1:08-07 felt more controlled & steady, than as hard effort.
• Set 2 - Recovery
• Set 3 - Coach wanted to start at 32, but as I started, doing 30s felt doable without hard sprinting, so I kept at it. However by the 4th round, I was pretty much depleted, Coach cancelled the 5th round (Thank You!)
• Set 4 - Was able to find my stroke again, and the last 500 felt great.
• Warmdown - I am really trying to clean up my underwater off the the turns and first breakout stroke, so extra focus there on both the warm up and warm down, while of course trying to best implement during the training sets.

SCY @FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 68, pool at 78, 100% water clarity.
Cloudy gray skies with humidity at 65%

IM
Focus - IM, Pace

*WarmUup*
1x1200 RIMO

*Set 1*
4(8x50 on 1:00) as 50K,50S; IMO by round

1. Fly: 50K @50, 50S @37
2. BK: 50K @52, 50S @38
3. BR: 50K @53, 50S @43
4. FR: 50K @51, 50s @32

*Set 2*
1x1200 Pull wPaddles/tube as:
3x400 desc on 5:00

1. 4:50
2. 4:46
3. 4:41

1x200 BR Kick w board

*Set 3*
4(8x50 on :50) as 50K/fins,50S/fins; IMO by round
Fins - Sporti Training

1. Fly: 50K @37, 50S @33
2. BK: 50K @36, 50S @34
3. BR: 50K @37, 50S @38
4. FR: 50K @38, 50s @27

Warm down: 200 EZ

Comments:

• Set 1 - Swam all strokes smooth building each 50.
• Set 2 - Some old fashioned pulling, and it certainly gave my shoulders a workout.
• Set 3 - This how I would like to swim without the fins! But swimming with fins does make it fun.

SCY @FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 66, pool at 78, 100% water clarity.
Cloudy gray skies with humidity at 57%

Focus - Freestyle, Pace

*WarmUup*
1x1000 FR 500 EZ, 500 Build

*Set 1*
5(2x50 K on 1:00, 1x100 S on 2:00)

• 50s K @52-49
• 100s S desc 1:10-1:06

*Set 2*
5(1x100 on 1:30, 2x50 on :45, 5x25 on :25, 100ez on 2:00)
Held steady pace:

• 100s - 1:08
• 50s - :34-33
• 25s - 15-16

1x300 stroke drills

*Set 3*
3(1x200 on 3:00, 4x50 on 1:00)

• 200s - 2:20
• 50s - 33-30

Warm down: 100 EZ

Comments:

• Felt ok in the water, but not great, stroke still feels awkward swimming at a faster tempo.
• Set 1 - Kick/Swim set
• Set 2 - First two rounds felt tired, but the last three rounds were slightly faster, and with seemingly lighter effort.
• Set 3 - Would like to start going under 30 as easily as I did last April/May
• Warm down - glad to be done, not a great session, just need to keep at it.

SCY @FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 66, pool at 78, 100% water clarity.
Sunny blue skies with humidity at 49%

Focus - Freestyle, Pace, Endurance Base

*Warmup*
1x500 Free - last 200 build by 50
10x50s FR K on 1:00 - held 51

*Set 1*
1x1200 FR broken pace set as
12(2x25 on :30, 1x50 on :45)
Results;

• 1-3 25s@16, 50s@:34
• 4-6 25s@15, 50s@:33
• 7-9 25s@15, 50s@:31
• 10-12 25s@14, 50s@:30

*Set 2*
3x200s on 4:00 do as
50Dr,50S: one each, Fly, Bk, Br

*Set 3*
1x1200 FR broken pace set as
4(3x100 on 1:30, :30 rest)
Results:

1. 1:12, 1:09, 1:07
2. 1:11, 1:09, 1:06
3. 1:10, 1:09, 1:06
4. 1:10, 1:08, 1:05

*Set 4*
1x1000 FR Swim, done as
2(300 Smooth, 200 Strong, 100 Fast)

Warm down: 100 EZ

Comments:

• Moderately sore/stiff, still adapting from the initial interval pace sets earlier this week.
• Set 1 - Continuation of pace adaptation in preparation for straight 200s, 300s in future weeks.
• Set 2 - Recovery
• Set 3 - I will do this set or a variation several more times, then drop the interval to 1:20 for awhile hopefully leading to 1:15 sometime in Q1 2013.
• Set 4 - What I like to do best, straight swim changing pace.

SCY@Fort Myers Aquatic Center
Air temp of 66, pool at 80, 100% water clarity.
Cloudy skies with humidity at 63%

IM - Stroke Technique, Endurance Base

*Warmup*
3x400 with 1min rest

1. 400 RIMO Swim
2. 400 RIMO Kick
3. 16x25 on :30, 4x25 each stroke IMO

*Set 1*
3(3x200 IM on 4:00) done as:

1. 4x50 K IMO on 1:00
2. 1x200 IM on 4:00
3. 8x24 S IMO (2x25) on :30

*Set 2*
5x200 FR on 4:00, as
2(2x25 on :25, 1x50 on :50)

*Set 3*
1x1000 IM Swim as: (EZ 100, desc effort towards 25)

1. 100 FLY, 75 BK, 50 BR, 25 FR
2. 100 BK, 75 BR, 50 FR, 25 FLY
3. 100 BR, 75 FR, 50 FLY, 25 BK
4. 100 FR, 75 Fly 50 BK, 25 BR

Warm down: 100 EZ

Comments:

• Not much energy today.
• W/up - Ave pace on 25s: fly/16, bk/17, br/20, fr/15
• Set 1 - Legs need work, ave 50 K pace: fly/49, bk/53, br/53, fr/52, IMS were 2:45-40, 25s slightly faster then warm up
• Set 2 - Trying to re-acclimate my FR stroke to faster swimming pace: 25s/15, 50s/32-31, steady strong tempo, but not a sprint
• Set 3 - IMO turns, desc 100-25 ladder 4x250.

SCY @FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 59, pool at 79, 100% water clarity.
Sunny blue skies with humidity at 43%

*Warm Up*
2x500 FR on 1min rest

*Set 1*
1x2000 FR broken as:
2(10X50 on :45, 5x100 on 1:30) Did:

1. 50s 1-5 @ :37-36, 6-10 @ :36-35, 100s 1:12 - 1:10
2. 50s 1-5 @ :36-35, 6-10 @ :35-34, 100s 1:12 - 1:09

*Set 2*
2x200 BR kick w/Snorkel
6x100 FR kick on 2:10, Did:

• 1-3: 1:55-1:49, 4-6: 1:52 - 1:44

*Set 3*
1x1000 FR broken as:
5(2x50 on :40, 1x100 on 1: 40) Did

1. 34/1:08
2. 34/1:07
3. 34/1:07
4. 33/1:07
5. 33/1:06

*Warm Down*
100 EZ

Comments:

• While I felt I was making headway with basic swimming fitness, I knew in my heart I would have to break the ice with doing "real training", with interval based sets.
• The result from my most recent straight 5000 yard swim was 1:03.10, so my aerobic base 100 pace at this point appears to be about 1:15-16.
• Set 1 - I was disappointed in the truth of my times, but at least it is a starting point. It was more effort than I expected to do those times. Also - the warmup needs to be different including more pace/tempo swimming.
• Set 2 - Did some BR kick for the IMs. For my freestyle, I feel that with a steady kick I have better balance and overall stroke, so might as well begin to condition the legs to be there all the way.
• Set 3 - Made an effort to finish the workout with a more quality and encouraging swim. Doing the FR kick set earlier led me to hold on to it in my stroke more with this last set. It felt better overall, and I will be more prepared for my next workout.

SCY @FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 58, pool at 79, 100% water clarity.
Sunny blue skies with humidity at 45%

IM
Focus - Stroke Technique, Endurance Base

*WarmUup*

• 1x400 Free
• 2x200 BR kick w/snorkel 1:00 rest

*Set 1*
1x1000 IM done as

• 4x250 RIMO Swim

*Set 2*
3x400 IM on 1:00 Rest

1. 75 cruise 25 strong by 100
2. 25 cruise 25 strong by 100
3. 50 build 50 strong by 100

*Set 3*
1x2000 K/fins done as

• 400 Fly: 4(75 dk/back, 25 swim fast)
• 400 BK: 4(75 k, 25 swim fast)
• 400 BR: 4 (75 dk/back, 25 br pull w/dk)
• 800 FR: 4 (100 kick/board, 100 Swim strong)

*Set 4*
1x1000 FR Swim/paddles, broken with :45 rest, done as

• 4x250 - 100 smooth, 100 strong, 50 firm pull, steady 6k

Warm down: 100 EZ

Comments:

• Once again, tired/sore from previous day 5K and weights the night before.
• Set 1 - Extension of a warmup - swam straight except did several 25s of the fly as RA/LA
• Set 2 - The last 400 IM was really the challenge to do with legal and correct turns.
• Set 3 - Did not cramp in my toes, and kept the freestyle timing the same as without the fins
• Set 4 - After the first 250, the remaining three were good - but I need to get new tubing for my paddles. I have been considering trying out the new Finis Agility paddles.
• Warm down - after a lap of sculling and eggbeater kicking my strokes felt pretty good with the paddles off.

SCY @FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 65, pool at 79, 94% water clarity.
Sunny blue skies with humidity at 48%

Freestyle
Focus - Stroke Technique

*Warm Up*
1x400 FR Drills

*Set 1*
1x5000 FR Swim, done as

#1) 1000 as 2x500: 250 Smooth, 250 Strong

#2) 1000 as:

• 400 - EZ legs, smooth pull
• 300 - moderate 2k, steady pull
• 200 - firm 4k, stronger pull
• 100 - steady 4-6K, firm controlled pull

#3) 1000 as 2x500: 300 Smooth, 200 Strong

#4) 1000 as:

• 400 - EZ legs, smooth pull
• 300 - moderate 2k, steady pull
• 200 - firm 4k, stronger pull
• 100 - steady 4-6K, firm controlled pull

#5) 1000 as:

• 400 - moderate 2k, steady pull
• 400 - firm 4k, stronger pull
• 200 - steady 4-6K, firm controlled pull

Warm down: 100 EZ

Comments:

• Thinking of my family in Princeton, NJ and the entire eastern seaboard as Hurricane Sandy passes today, tomorrow, and Wednesday.
• A Fall/Winter day in SWF with temperatures in the low 60s up to 65 by the time of my swim.
• The 5K was a good swim with two days off this weekend, I enjoyed the challenge to work on the variable pace, effort and stroke technique.
• The approximate 100 yard pace when using a steady kick and firm pull was 1:07-8 glancing at the clock before the flip turn.

Swam High School-NJ, NCAA I-CA (2ys), and USMS (PMS - SF Bay Area) OWS on/off from about 1981 to 1998. Swam in Shanghai, China as available, returning to Princeton NJ in September 2006. After job a 2008 relocation to Evans, GA started lap swimming in 2010 at the Augusta Aquatic Center, GA averaging 3-4K SCY/LCM as available 4-5 time weekly. Moved to Fort Myers, FL June 2011 continuing to swim laps at the Fort Myers Aquatic Center. Began interval training February 2012 at FGCU (Florida Gulf Coast University) with LCM/9 months of the year and access to an experienced coach.

Currently doing workouts towards 5K Open Water events, One Hour Swim, and 1650/1500 and/or 400 IM at a local pool meet. No specific goals at this time. So far I have participated in the 2012 USMS Master 5K at the Open Water Festival at Lake Miromar, Fort Myers.

SCY @FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp of 79, pool at 78, 100% water clarity.
Cloudy dark gray possible rainy skies with humidity at 70%

Freestyle
Focus - Stroke Technique

*Warm up*
1x400 FR Drills

*Set 1*
1x2000 FR
Swam 5 rounds of:

• 200 EZ legs, smooth pull
• 200 moderate 4k, stronger pull

*Set 2*
200 BR Kick with Snorkel
200 BR 50 K/bk, 50 Swim

*Set 3*
4x500 FR on 1min rest or HR=>11/6
Swam each as:

• 400 EZ legs, strong pull
• 100 steady 4-6k, firm controlled pull

*Set 4*
1x1000 FR w/paddles
Swam 5 rounds of:

• 150 EZ legs, strong pull
• 50 steady 4-6k, firm controlled pull

Warm down: 100 EZ

Comments:

• Today is the best day of this week because my wife returns from two week business trip to Shanghai, China - we get to pick her up at RSW airport tonight. Hurray!
• Before getting in the water, I had planned to do some basic early season intervals: 400 cruise on 5min, 4x50s on :45 @33-34 pace, 2x100 on 1:30 @ 1:07-08 pace, 1x200 on 3:00 @ 2:16-18 pace, perhaps 3-4 rounds continuous.
• During the warmup - I felt like trash. The week of swim workouts along with wk #1 of weights & core work at night had taken more of a toll than expected. I will have to work up to it again, like I did last spring. Really - what was I thinking...
• Set 1: A basic cruise doing the best form and technique possible in a tired state. My coach said it would be good for me, so I did it.
• Set 2: A break from Freestyle
• Set 3: A broken version of Set 1, but to make sure there was sufficient recovery for maximum stroke focus.
• Set 4: This was actually fun. I like swimming with paddles (medium size, just slightly larger than hands) because it helps my feel of the water, reinforces stroke technique, and it is always good to swim faster, even with a little help.

SCY@Fort Myers Aquatic Center
Air temp of 84, pool at 80, 100% water clarity.
Cloudy skies with humidity at 68%

IM
Focus - Stroke Technique, Endurance Base

*WarmUup*
1x400 Free

*Set 1*
1x1600 IM done as

• 2(4x200 IMO 50 drill/50 swim)

*Set 2*
1x2000 K/fins done as

• 400 Fly: 4(75 dk/back, 25 swim fast)
• 400 BK: 4(75 k, 25 swim fast)
• 400 BR: 4 (75 dk/back, 25 br pull w/dk)
• 800 FR: 4 (100 kick/board, 100 Swim strong)

*Set 3*
1x1000 FR Swim/paddles, broken with :30 rest, done as

• 2x300 - desc effort by 100
• 2x200 - 50 cruise, 50 fast

Warm down: 100 EZ

Comments:

• Tired/sore from weights the night before.
• Set 1 - Was going to do 400s straight, the changed it after doing the first 100.
• Set 2 - More challenging due to leg fatigue from air squats and leg extensions from the previous day.
• Set 3 - First 300 was awkward, second 300 better, but sloppy - 200s were almost in a groove
• Warm down - great~!

SCY @FGCU Aquatic Center.
Air temp of 82, pool at 78, 100% water clarity.
Cloudy skies with humidity at 65%

Freestyle
Focus - Stroke Technique

*Warm up*
1x400 FR Drills

*Set 1*
2x1000 on 15min
do each one as

• 500 EZ legs, smooth pull
• 300 moderate 4k, stronger pull
• 200 steady 4-6K, firm controlled pull

*Set 2*
2x500 on 1min rest, do as

• 250 EZ legs, smooth pull
• 250 steady 4-6k, stronger pull

*Set 3*
3x400 on 1min rest, do as

• 200 EZ legs, strong pull
• 200 steady 4-6k, firm controlled pull

*Set 4*
4x300 on 1min rest, do as

• 200 EZ legs, strong pull
• 100 strong 4-6k, firm controlled pull

*Set 5*
5x200 on :30 rest, do as

• 100 EZ legs, strong pull
• 100 strong 4-6k, firm controlled pull

Warm down: 100 EZ

Comments:

• The coach looked at my FR stroke last week, and once again, the truth about one's stroke flaws stings a bit, and corrective progress gradually evolves unevenly over weeks of practice. Last April/May I swam reasonably well because I finally got in pretty good swimming shape and became relatively stronger with consistent weight training (not surprising as I did not do any strength activity other than pushups the last 12 years).
• The endurance and strength I enjoyed at that time also appeared to moderately mask my more obvious stroke flaws. What is most apparent at this point, is how quickly I can LOSE hard earned endurance and strength in eight weeks!
• The three biggest errors in my FR are; 1) head goes out of alignment on left side breathing (my favored side), 2) breathing too late on left side, and 3) the right hand drifts out laterally past line of shoulder before the catch.
• With Coach patiently providing visual/verbal feedback (I am nearly deaf in the water), I was able to calm my head position minimizing breathing motion and looking more downward to the lane line. By cropping my arm/shoulder recovery closer to my head in front of ears, I was able to keep the extension of the hands and arms more linear directly into the catch. So for now Coach approves of my progress.
• So having said all that, in the workout today, the focus starting each swim was to cruise just a bit faster than warmup but implement the desired stroke technique and then complete the swim with a slightly stronger pull but same form, with the support of a solid streamlined flutter kick.
• It was harder to do than expected; after completing many of those 500s to 200s my HR was typically about 27/29 for 10, or 15-16 for 6. Last March/April after Coach challenged me weekly with several lactate level fast swimming sets LC where my HR was up as high as 19-21 for 6 (some of those swims were really painful), by the end of April I was able to swim almost an hour of straight and broken swims where my HR would average about 15-17 for 6. The effort was not that much easier, but I just got used to it.

SCY @FGCU Aquatic Center.
Air temp of 80, pool at 78, 100% water clarity.
Blue skies with humidity at 58%

IM Day - SCY
Focus - Stroke Technique

*WarmUup*
1x400 IM Drill

*Set 1*
1000 IM Rev Order as 4x250

*Set 2*
3x400 IM: 100 K choice after #1,#2

*Set 3*
1200 Kick wFins: as 5x200

1. Fly - Swim lengths 3-6-8 (swims are fast, but not sprint)
2. Bk - S 3-6-8
3. Br - DK/back, BRpull+DK 2-4-6-8
4. Bk - S 3-6-8
5. Fly - S 3-6-8

*Set 4*
3x500 FR w/Paddles on 1min rest
Technique Focus - steady head, linear rotation

1. Snorkle, steady tempo
2. as 250 steady, 250 strong
3. as 200 steady, 300 desc by 100

Comments:

• The slow fly feels great, going faster later will be the problem.
• At the end of each 400 IM my HR was 24-25/10, and I was running out air on the underwater push offs and transitions.
• Using the snorkle is really useful in LC, but not as fun in SCY
• I definitely feel the need to get back on the weights after using the paddles today.

I am back! Summer schedule and family activities resulted in about 8 weeks down time from swimming. Returned to the pool after Labor Day to begin again.

SCY @FGCU Aquatic Center.

• Air temp of 80, pool at 78, 100% water clarity.
• Blue skies with humidity at 62%

*WarmUup*
1x300 FR

*Set 1*
5x1000 FR on 15min

• Build effort each 1000 as 500/300/200
• Not timed
• Stroke Tech

Comments:

• The coach is back on the deck Mondays and sometimes also Fridays. Working aerobic volume and stroke technique in Freestyle and IM up to Thanksgiving.
• Currently I feel that I am about 75% of the fitness level of May 2012. I have not yet added the core or strength training as my time has been consumed by a wide range of obligations and I was tired of the pool work. But now I am recovering faster and feel back to normal soon after doing a strong 5-6K workout.
• This summer in SWF was hot, humid, and long. Now I so happy to go out in the morning and the temperature is starting out 72 or 74, and soon will be in the mid 60s just after dawn.

LCM @FGCU Aquatic Center.

• Air temp of 86, pool at 79, 96% water clarity.
• Partly cloudy skies with humidity at 67%

*WarmUup*
1x300 FR

• as 100 EZ DPS, 200 desc by 50 1-4

*Set 1*
1x2000 FR Swim

• Desc effort by 500, 1-4

*Set 2*
1x1000 FR Swim/paddles

• Increase pace by 200, 1-5

*Set 3*
5x200 FR Swim/paddles on 3:00

Results:

1. 2:36
2. 2:34
3. 2:32
4. 2:26
5. 2:24

EZ 200

Comments:

• My daughter said she wanted to finish her Nancy Drew mystery book, so we ended up at FGCU this morning.
• Swimmig LCM felt really great after only SCY for the last six weeks.
• I was cruising most of the swimming today, and then had to work 200s #4 & 5 pretty hard because two young ladies from the FGCU College Swim Team were teasing me that I was swimming too slow, and on the last two 200s that I had to swim at their pace! Later I learned that Coach Neil put them up to it! It was hard, but fun to try and stay with them.