Hammering it out

I must say I am getting faster and better with my pacing. Todays times were much closer to what I did back in 2008 than here recently. Tomorrow will be stroke work over a longer period of time.

The shoulders have calmed down, the left elbow is still a problem but if I remain diligent with the trigger point therapy, it should resolve as well.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

3 times thru
4x100@1:45 free w/paddles & bouy
200@5:00 back w/paddles & bouy
Round 1 went 1:35, 1:33, 1:32, 1:30, 3:01
Round 2 went 1:34, 1:32, 1:30, 1:28, 3:06
Round 3 went 1:30, 1:31, 1:30, 1:28, 3:16

500 free EZ

Total 3300 meters

I thought this would be my recovery day doing breast, not so. I used muscles in ways that I think I actually worked harder today.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

20x50@:10RI
#1-4 Breast pull w/paddles & board(rather than bouy)
#5-8 accordian drill w/snorkle
#9-12 scull drill
#13-16 breast pull w/zoomers
#17-20 breaststroke

8x100@1:45 free relaxed w/paddles & bouy holding 1:40's
200 free EZ

Total 3000 meters

I was going to just work on stroke and getting a complete follow thru but to my surprise I did so well that I just started pushing a little bit more.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

15x100@1:45 free w/paddles & bouy went 1:37, 1:36, 1:36, 1:37, 1:35, 1:35, 1:35, 1:35, 1:34, 1:33, 1:33, 1:32, 1:32, 1:31, 1:30 I didn't plan it that way it just sort of happened and felt good all the way

500 free kick w/zoomers
500 free w/snorkle EZ

Total 3500 meters

I am reserecting workouts from back in 2008 but I am not as fast as I was so this will be interesting. Another interesting note, the difference in speed between my right arm and left arm is even greater than before.

500 free

6x50@1:20 free right arm only w/paddle on right hand just made these
200 free kick w/zoomers
6x50@1:15 free left arm only w/paddle on left hand made these with 6 seconds to spare
there used to be only a 5 second difference between right and left but this was more like 11 seconds

500 free kick w/zoomers

6x50@1:00 free w/paddle on right hand 4 kicks on the paddle hand
200 free kick w/zoomers
6x50@1:00 free w/paddle on left hand 4 kicks on the paddle hand

400 free EZ

Total 3000 meters

I am not forgetting what I learned about my stroke Saturday. Going to apply it in my training.

1000 as 200swim/200pull/200swim/200kick/200swim
5x200@3:30 free w/paddles & bouy
4x200@:05RI kick w/zoomers #1&3 fly #2&4 free
200 IM w/zoomers breast w/fly kick
300 free w/snorkel & 4 beat kick
200 EZ

Total 3500 meters

New lighting, a cold pool at 83, cold for them. 2 hours of excellence.

On my 3rd round of free I kept a comfortable pace and worked the underwater pull which was much stronger.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

3 times thru
5x100@1:30 free descending w/paddles & bouy
200 back EZ
Round 1 went 1:23,1:22,1:21,1:19,1:17
Round 2 went 1:24,1:23,1:20,1:17,1:17
Round 3 went 1:20,1:19,1:18,1:17,1:17

4x100 back kick w/zoomers #1 fashion model #2 partial recovery #3 arms perpendicular #4 streamline

8x25@:45 fly scull w/monofin
200 1 arm fly alt rt arm/lt arm w/monofin
8x25@:45 fly 6 kicks then stroke w/monofin
200 fly kick w/monofin
8x25@:45 fly w/monofin

500 alt by 100 free/back

Total 5000 yards

My Monday-Friday pool at the CCAC will be Long Course thru the beginning of August and since I am only doing LC Nats this year I am getting excited. I tend to do better in Long course than short course because my alergies are not in play in August but they are in the spring.

I may have found a great solution for the spring. This year I am taking local honey 3 times a day and I have not had to use any allergy meds this year!!! Next year will show me if that is true or this year was just a fluke.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

800 IM each 200 is 50 rt arm/50 lt arm/50 kick/50 swim except breast which was 100 pull/50 kick/50 swim w/zoomers took them off for the breast kick and swim only
400 free w/paddles and bouy in 6:12

300 alternate accordian drill/streamline free kick w/snorkle
5x100@2:00 Free Relaxed

Total 3000 meters

Wonderful to be back in the cold water again. The other good news is next week we start LONG COURE every day. I am ready to prep for LC Nationals. Good luck to those doing SC Nationals this week!

Also played a game on deck with coach Walt we were trying to figure where in the 1976 mens olympic team photo was Bill Forrester. Bill had to tell us we would have never guessed.

Since I am resurecting my 400 IM and 200 Back this year I have to work on both. Especially my nonexistant breaststroke.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

10x100@1:30 free w/strapless paddles & bouy went 1:23, 1:23, 1:24, 1:23, 1:24, 1:23, 1:22, 1:22, 1:21, 1:20 felt good and loose

5x100@:05RI w/snorkle odds breaststroke accordian drill/evens streamline free kick (no fins)
8x25@:40 breast

300 free EASY

Total 3000 yards

I look forward to the cold lap pool opening back up. I don't know how floating on your back can be exercise. I guess it is like my mom thinking that playing golf is exercise, I tell her not if your in a cart riding around. Walk it!

Today was just another easy day. Too hot to really swim hard.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers
5x100@2:00 back w/zoomers as 25 rt arm/25 lt arm/25 kick/25 swim
300 breast kick
2x100@2:15 breast
5x100@2:00 1 arm fly w/zoomers alt lt/rt
500 free kick w/zoomers
400 free w/strapless paddles maintain 4 beat kick
100 free EZ

Total 3500 yards

This was a hot day today. Most of the hot pool swimmers said it was on the cool side. Ha!
I swam somewhat slower and found the snorkle was hard to use in this temperature. Other than that I was surprised that I was able to get as much in as I did.

I had to tell the lady at the desk the hot pool was warmer than the showers today! The showers were ice cold.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers
10x100@2:00 free w/snorkle held 1:32's
500 free kick w/zoomers
4x200@4:00 free w/strapless paddles and maintain min. 4 beat kick
200 EZ

Total 3500 yards

They are clossing the lap pool for the next 2 days and I hope they will use the vacume on the bottom. I am tired of looking at white globs of junk on the bottom that floats once people get in and start churning up the water.

Since tomorrow I will be warm pooling it I had to get a good one in today.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

15x100 free w/paddles & bouy #1-5@1:35 held 1:27's, #6-9@1:30 held 1:23, #10-12@1:25 held 1:21, #13-14@1:20 went 1:17, 1:18 #20@1:15 went 1:17

200 back EZ
500 free kick w/zoomers
500 free w/snorkle maintain 4 beat kick
100 fre EZ

Total 3800 yards

Had the whole pool to myself the first hour. Got to love that. It was a little on the warm side 83-84ish.

Had a great free set, almost back to my old speed.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

10x100@1:30 free w/paddles & bouy
Went 1:23,1:23,1:23,1:22,1:21,1:21,1:20,1:18,1:18,1:17

8x25@:05ri fly scull drill w/snorkel & monofin
8x25@:45 shooters w/monofin
200 1 arm fly alt rt/lt w/monofin
200 dolphin kick on back w/monofin
8x25@:45 fly w/monofin

500 free kick w/zoomers
500 free EZ

Total 4000 yards

We all showed up expecting the usual Friday Long Course but it was set up for Short Course. After I got over my disappointment I had to change my workout.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

10x200@3:00 free w/paddles & bouy descend 1-10 went 2:52, 2:51, 2:50, 2:49, 2:46, 2:46, 2:42, 2:42, 2:39, 2:36

500 free kick w/zoomers
500 free EZ & slow

total 4000 yards

Somewhat sore today and just not rested. Still managed a decent amount of quality drill work on fly.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

200 fly scull drill w/snorkle & zoomers
200 fly torque drill w/snorkle & paddles
8x25@:45 fly w/paddles & zoomers by #4 I had my rythm back
200 1 arm fly alt rt arm/lt arm
8x25@:45 fly

200 free kick w/zoomers
5x100@1:30 free w/paddles & bouy perfect pull but easy pace held 1:22's

100 free
100 back
100 free
200 free w/snorkle EZ

Total 3200 yards

I don't know where this came from but it is refreshing to actually feel somewhat fast today.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

10x100@1:30 free w/strapless paddles & bouy went 1:21, 1:21, 1:22, 1:22, 1:21, 1:21, 1:21, 1:20, 1:21, 1:21 very fast for not having my red Tyr catalist paddles
500 back kick drills w/zoomers as 100 streamline, 100 fashion model, 100 arms perpendicular, 100 partial recovery, 100 streamline
10x50@1:00 back held :50's

300 free w/snorkle
200 free EZ

Total 3500 Yards

Yes today was a chance to work on my breaststroke some. I thought I was going to have a problem with my left knee but it settled down and worked out fine.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

200 breast pull w/zoomers
200 breast scull
200 breast kick
200 breast accordian drill w/snorkle
200 breast

500 free kick w/zoomers
5x100@2:00 odds EZ free evens breast strong

Total 3000 yards

This meet was a kids meet so I coached all morning and most of the afternoon, then around 6 pm was my 1500 free. I was tired before I started. I also did not have my normal prerace meal the evening before or breakfast. So needless to say I was hoping but not expecting anything.

I did manage to better my time from last year so I am please with that. Since the lane I was in did not have the times posted I only know the watch time which was 35:45.50. I'll want to trash that one at Nationals this year. My 100 Back was good too. Pleasantly surprised.

Today was more of a warm down from the meet. Since they used all 8 lanes for the 1500 there was no warmup/warmdown lane. I was really hurting. The showers just don't do it.


500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers
500 free w/strapless paddles, bouy & snorkle
500 free w/strapless paddles & bouy
500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers
500 free w/snorkle
100 back

Total 3600 EZ yards

I just had to atleast pull out the strapless finis paddles today for an easy swim. I will be swimming the 1500 Free tomorrow in a USA meet in Charleston, SC. Hopefully it will go well.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

10x100@2:00 free w/strapless paddles & bouy 80% went 1:44, 1:40, 1:40, 1:40, 1:39, 1:38, 1:39, 1:35, 1:31 I could help myself on the descend at the end, goal was to just keep it loose and comfortable felt great

500 free kick w/zoomers
500 free

Total 3000 meters

Since this is a recovery day no paddles today. Oh how I miss my paddles. This was short and simple. Just hold pace today.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

30x50@:55 free holding between 46-44

500 free kick w/zoomers
500 free EZ w/snorkle

Total 3500 yards

I think I was off on my post yesterday by a week the pool is being closed May 7&8. Beside that I really am needing a recovery day so here it is just nice easy focus on stroke swimming.

500 free
500 free kick w/zoomers

10x50@1:00 Back went 52, 52, 51, 51, 51, 51, 50, 49, 48, 48 another natural descend, it just kind of happens that I get faster later in the set
10x100@1:45 free w/strapless paddles, bouy & snorkle long and loose holding about 14 strokes per lap held 1:30's

500 free kick w/zoomers
500 EZ alternate 100 free/100 back good dolphin kick outs on all turns

total 3500 yards