David W Cochran

After driving to Charleston, SC last Friday night, I cam e down with a nasty head cold. So, my thoughts of swimming with the Charleston Masters group went by the wayside as I just needed to rest. Came home on Thursday and thought about swimming on Friday, but ended up planting a garden, etc. Today I was a little more determined to swim, so after mowing the yard, finishing the laundry, etc. I made it to the pool around 2:00. I could feel the effects of being out of the water for a week. Had a pretty good workout, but my arms and shoulders are sore. At least Monday morning will be easier now!

3x200 Free on 3:00 (2:47's)
6x100 Back on 1:45 (<1:30)
3x100 Kick
5x100 Free on 1:30
5x100 Back w/paddles on 1:35
6x100 w/paddles - Odds - Free on 1:30; Evens - Back on 1:40
200 Kick
3x200 Back w/paddles on 3:30 (3:00's)
100 Kick
5x50 Free on :50
5x50 Back on :50

4500 yards
90 minutes

I have slipped back into a distance mode - partly because of water temp and partly on purpose. We have Spring Break next week and I'll be on vacation. So, i decided to swim yards and go back to speed after vacation - and hopefully when the water is cooler.

I did a different type ofset today. I was looking at some of the men in my age group on Go The Distance. One, Steven Clancy, is a coach and on the Memorial Swimming web site it talked about his famous "w" workout. So, I did a "W" workout.

5x100 Free on 1:35
"W" Set - at 1:30 interval per 100, extra 30 seconds rest after the 2 50's
400 400
300 300 300
200 200 200 200
100 100 100 100
50 50
Wanted to try and hold a pace - swam the 1st 400 in 5:35, the last in 5:45

200 Kick
Mini Hill - 100/200/300/200/100 Back w/paddles
200 Kick
4x200 w/paddles - on 4:00
Free - 2:45
Back - 2:50
Free - 2:35
Back - 2:45
2x100 Free

5800 yards
103 minutes

Swam by myself again today. Water was 86 degrees. Wanted to swim harder today, but not sprint. So, after a 1000 warm up, I did a bunch of 200's around a 500. You can tell when I the water temp hit me - after the 500 Back, that took it out of me. There was no rhyme or reason to what I did - I just did it.

2x500 on 7:30 (7:00's)
200 Back - 2:54
200 Kick
200 Back - 2:50
200 Kick
200 Free - 2:37
200 kick
200 Free - 2:37
500 Back w/paddles - 7:04
200 Free w/paddles - 2:40
200 Kick
200 Free - 2:50
200 Back - 3:00
200 Back w/paddles - 2:50
200 Free w/paddles - 2:40
200 Kick
200 Free w/paddles - 2:45
200 Back w/paddles - 2:50
200 Kick
200 Free w/paddles - 2:40

5100 yards
100 minutes

The water temp at Dublin is still 87 degrees. Someone mentioned they were having baby lessons and wanted the water warmer. Someone else said they were having a hard time with the temperature swings - 20 degrees one day, 70 degrees two days later. Who knows? Any way it was warm, but did not feel as bad as Friday.

Peter, Dave, Dave, Ray, and Keith were there, but I swam on my own and never got synched with them. Had a decent workout.

5x100 Free on 1:45
5x100 Back on 1:45
5x200 Free on 3:00
200 Kick
5x200 Back w/paddles on 3:00
200 Kick
5x100 Free on 1:30
5x100 Back w/paddles on 1:30
200 kick
5x100 Free w/paddle on 1:30
200 Back w/paddles - 2:45

5300 yards
97 minutes

Swam at the Huntsville Nat this morning - water temp 81 degrees What a difference!!! Dave B and Peter were there along with Mary, Bob and Bob. Jumped in and water felt so cool. Then while swimming it felt real good. Don't think I have ever appreciated cool water so much . Brook was there so we had one of his workouts! A good workout - swam it hard and had some good sets.

3x200 Freeon 3:00
2x100 Back on 1:45
3 times through
200 Free w/paddles on 3:00 (swam 2:31's)
3 x 50 Back on :50 (1st time w/paddles others without)
Free w/o paddles
1st time - 6x100 Free 1st 2 on 1:30, 2nd 2 on 1:25, last 2 on 1:20 (1:16's)
2nd time - 12x50 Free 1st 4 on :50, 2nd 4 on :45, last 4 on :40
3rd time - 16x25 Free 1st 4 on :35, 2nd 4 on :30, 3rd 4 on :25, last 4 on :20

3 times through
1st - 4 x 100 Free w/paddles on 1:30
2nd & 3rd - 4 x100 Free switching to Back on 1:30, 1:35, 1:40, 1:45

200 Back
150 Easy

5000 yards
97 minutes

Missed Wednesday to stay home with my daughter while my wife and other daughter went on a field trip. Men's group yesterday. And, today I had a meeting at 9, so I had some extra time. Stay in bed 30 minutes longer and planned on swimming a little longer to get some yardage in to make up for Wednesday. Turned out to be an ok plan. The water temp had crept up to 86 degrees and sprinting just didn't seem like a good idea. So, swim steady, about 80%, not a lot of rest between sets.

5x100 Free on 1:30
5x100 Back on 1:40
50/100/150/200/250 - :45 /50
2x300 on 3:00
2x300 on 3:30
200 Kick
3x200 Back on 3:30
200 Kick
4x250 on 4:00 w/paddles
200 Kick
500 Back w/paddles - 7:30
5x100 Free w/paddles on 1:30
200 Kick
100 Free

6450 yards
120 minutes

They turned the heater off and the water was better today - not quite where it usually is, but a lot better. That made swimming hard a lot easier!

On a side note, today would have been my parent's 58th wedding anniversary. Mom was visiting her sister in Terrell and my uncle was there, too. So, Mom was not alone - a hard day, but she is doing ok.

Started with an extended warmup. Then joined Peter, Dave, and Dave with there sets. That meant it turned into a sprint workout. I seem to be getting faster and am pleased with my timed swims.

15x100 Free on 1:30
200 Kick
4 times thru
2x50 on 1:00 1st easy/2nd at :35 or better
2x100 on 1:30 1st easy/2nd hard at sub 1:10 (couldn't make the 1:10 - did 1:14; :13; :13 and :12 - not bad for no paddles)

50 Back
50 Free
200 timed Free w/paddles - 2:23 (6 seconds faster than last week - almost my race pace)
200 Kick
3 times thru
100 Back w/paddles Hard on 1:30 (1:22; 1:20; and 1:16!!!)
100 Back Easy on 2:00

200 Kick
2x200 Back w/paddles on 4:30 (2:42 and 2:35!!!!)
200 Free w/paddles - 2:30
100 Free w/paddles - 1:11
100 Back w/paddles - 1:15
100 Free
100 Breast
100 Back

5300 yards
108 minutes

Got to the pool early despite the time change and Dave, Dave, and Peter waited to watch me jump in. It was jumping in a hot tub - the water was 90 degrees. It was like why swim in this? Afterwards, I asked one the guys at the pool why the water was so warm and he had no idea that it was 90 degrees. Someone left the heater on.

Went ahead and swam anyway, particularly since I will miss Wednesday again this week. It was a 200 type of day.

4x200 Free on 3:30
4x200 100 Swim/100 Kick on 3:30
50 Back
200 Free - 2:38
150 Back
100 Free
6x200 Free w/paddles on 3:00 (2:38; :37; :41; :43; :45; :41)
50 Back
200 Back w/Paddles - 2:47
50 Free
400 Back w/Paddles - 5:45
200 Free w/paddles - 2:45
200 Kick
200 Free w/paddles - 2:46
200 Kick
200 Back w/paddles
200 Kick
100 Free w/paddles
100 Back w/paddles

Peter, Dave D, Dave M, and a couple of the Huntsville group were there. Matt provided a workout heavy on IM and they were doing some fast intervals. So, I had a lane to myself and I did my own workout. While not a speed workout, it was still a pretty good swim.

5x100 Free on 1:30
5x100 Back on 1:35
2 times through
Ladder 25 up to 100 and 100 down to 25 by 25's - 5 secs rest each break
Free (1st - 7:15-:35=6:40; 2nd - 7:15 = 6:40)
Back (1st - 8:00-:35=7:25; 2nd 8:08-:35=7:33)
200 Kick

500 Free - 7:07
3x200 Back w/paddles on 3:00
5x100 Free w/paddles on 1:30
4x100 Hard on 2:30
100 Backw/paddles - 1:17
100 Free w/paddles - 1:10
100 Back w/paddles - 1:14
100 Free w/paddles - 1:08
4x50

5600 yards
105 minutes

Came home early from work on Tuesday and pretty much just went to bed and stayed in bed Wednesday morning - just feeling to bad and figured rest was the better course. Went to the pool this morning and found out that Dave B had been out and Peter was now out - scrud is going around.

Hardly anybody was swimming this morning and lanes were open. I joined Dave B, Dave M, and Danny did a short warm up and joined their sets. Since the first set involved 100's on 1:15, I put the paddles on because that was the only way I had a chance of making the intervals. After that I just kept them on.

300 Free
3 times through
4x25 Back w/paddles on :30
4x100 Free w/paddles on 1:15
100 Back w/paddles
100 Kick

50 Back
50 Free
8x100 on 1:45 Up/Down Kick w/:10 sec rest (had vever done this before - basically you start w/ a 100 swim - if you have more than 10 sec. rest you do 25 kick/75 swim - then if you have more than 10 sec rest you do a 50 kick/50swim and so on; made it to a 100 kick then had to add swims back in)

100 Free
5x100 Back w/paddles on 1:35
5x100 Free w/paddles on 1:30
10x50 Back w/paddles on :50
10x50 Free w/paddles on :45

5400 yards
102 minutes

Was concerned about my shoulder being sore this morning - had softball practice last night with my daughter's team and threw a lot. It felt a little sore but not bad and held up ok during my swimming.

Had a lane to myself and joined Ray and Keith for the first 200's and 50's. Then swam by myself until I joined Peter and Dave M. for the last set of 100's. The 200's were ok, but I wasn't really pushing them. The 50's were a little better. Then the 200 backs were just ok. But I picked it up on the 5 100's and then pushed the last 100 set and finished really strong.

250 Free
2x200 Free on 3:00 (2:45, 2:50)
5x200 Free on 3:00 (2:40, 2:42, 2:41, 2:40, 2:40)
50 Breast
50 Back
10x50 Free on :50
200 Kick
4x200 Back w/paddles on 3:15 ( really wasn't feeling that good here - 2:50 -2:55)
200 Kick
5x100 w/paddles on 1:30 (1:15's - a little better)
7x100
1st,3rd,5th and 7th - 100 Free w/paddles on 1:20
2nd, 4th, and 6th - 100 Back w/paddles on 2:00

Was concerned about making 100's on a 1:20 interval, so I used paddles. Then I pushed the free's hard and was surprised as I got stronger thru the set. Went 1:11, 1:10, 1:08 and 1:05 - chasing Peter helped!!!

150 Kick
100 Free
100 Back
100 Free

5300 yards
100 minutes

Passed 100 miles today - about a day behind last year, but that's ok since it's fewer workouts and I have cut back my yardage the las two weeks.

Swam a 1000 yard warmup. Been doing that lately as opposed to a couple of hundred yards and I think it makes a difference. On the first 200 set swam with Ray and Keith. This may be my best 5x200 set - especially without paddles. Then on the 100 set, they wanted to do a 1:45 interval so I put on paddles and swam a hard back set - faster than I have ever swam 100 backs. Rested after that and gabbed som. Then when I started to swim again, I had tightened up. So, I had to try and loosen up. Didn't feel very good at first, but I did finish up with some good 100's.

5x100 Free on 1:30
5x100 Back on 1:40
200 Kick
5x200 Free on 3:00 (2:35, 2:37, 2:39, 2:41, 2:34)
100 Back
5x100 Back w/paddles on 1:45 (1:15, 1:19, 1:18, 1:17, 1:16)
100 Free
200 Kick
3x100 Free easy
100 Breast
100 Easy
2x200 Back w/paddles on 3:00
200 Free w/paddles - 2:37
100 Back w/paddles - 1:15
100 Free w/paddles - 1:09
100 Free w/paddles - 1:08
100 Back w/paddles - 1:12
50 Free

4650 yards
100 minutes

Was a little slow getting to the Nat this morning. Our church youth choir has a Dessert Night Out every year which is similar to a talent show. My daughters did a skit last night (and again tonight). So, we had a easy dinner - pizza - and then went to church and had dessert. I tried to practice portion control. I had the small portion down. The problem was the number of different portions. Tonight will be a repeat. Oh well, that's part of the reason I swim.

Anyway, once I got to the Nat this morning, I was sharing a lane with Dave M. and trying to stay up with him, Dave B. and Peter. I wasn't sure what intervals we were swimming or what was coming next for a while.

200 Free
2x100 Free
300 Free
3x100 Free
200 Free
5x100 Free
5X100 Free
4x75 Kick
100 Kick
7x50 Back Easy
3x100 Free 1:40
5x100 Back w/paddles - 1:20's on 1:40
5x100 Free w/paddles - 1:15's on 1:30
200 Back w/paddles - 2:39 (under 2:40!!!!)
100 Free w/paddles - 1:10 !!!!
2x50 Free

4650 yards
90 mintes

Started off swimming on my own. Then I joined Peter and Dave for a descending set. I am trying to pick it up. Still not where I can swim with the Dave's and Peter (or Danny or Roger - who happens to be on a mission trip to a place we leave unnamed - think eastern island). But they keep encouraging me so I keep thinking about it.

I am also trying to do a fast free and a fast back at the end of the workout to track my improvement, if any.

5x100 Free on 1:35
5x100 Back on 1:40
200 Kick
100 IM - 1:33
Ladder set - 2x25, 2x50, 2x75, 2x100 with 5 seconds rest between each swim
Going Up - 7:12 less :35 - approx a 6:37 500
Down - 7:12 less :35 - approx a 6:37 500
5 seconds rest is not much - look at the clock, take a breath and go
200 Kick
100 IM - 1:32
100 Back w/paddles - 1:22
4 times through - taking 5 seconds off of the 100 intervals each time
3x100 - Kick on 2:00 (1:55, 1:50, 1:45)
IM on 1:40 (1:35, 1:30, 1:25)
Free on 1:20 (1:15, 1:10, 1:05)
25 on :40
50 on :40
25 on :40
I did IM the first round, Free/Back/Back/Free the 2nd and 3rd, Free the 4th
I also added paddles for the 3rd and 4th times through
On the 3rd 100 Free I came in at 1:12 and on the 4th I just kept swimming and rested after the 25
200 Back w/paddles - 2:42 (faster than my Auburn time)
200 Free w/paddles - 2:29 (first time I've gone under 2:30 in practice)
100 Free

4800
95 minutes