900 EZ at Sewickley + some hot tubbing and a massage Feeling a bit twitchy now, which is a good sign. But my legs aren't as rested as I'd like. There's supposed to be a storm in Boston on Saturday. Ugh. One year SwimStud and I almost killed ourselves driving around in a storm and tons of people scratched. I don't have as much rest as I'd like Sat anyway since my first event isn't until 12:25. On the other hand, it's good for me to compete in the afternoon when I usually train. Hoping for safe travels!
Swim/SCY @ Sewickley 1100 EZ, not one fast stroke. Spent more time in the whirlpool than the pool. My hamstrings are sore and tight. But I don't dare stretch too much. If you haven't been stretching, it just makes you sore. I have another catch up massage tomorrow, so hopefully that will loosen them up.
1550 EZ @ Sewickley Y with a few bursts and up tempo 25s. The good thing about Sewickley is that there is a whirlpool and hottub. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NE Champs is up to 496 swimmers and revised psych sheets come out tomorrow. No taper b*tchies yet and my legs don't feel rested. Trying to stay positive, so important during taper. My free times have been very fast in practice so I am keeping that at the forefront of my mind!
Swim/SCY @ Sewickley 600 various 100 scull 4 x 50 fly drills 4 x 25 shooter + 25 EZ 5 x 25 up tempo free + 25 EZ 100 EZ Total: 1550 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Had a very fun whirlwind weekend in NYC. Walked around a ton, which was bad for the resting of the legs. Lil Fort loves NY; she can't wait to go back. 4 more days of rest. Not really sure what to expect out of the meet. It has been a somewhat trying fall of training. I'm really hoping to get in some weights again this winter.
Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt 600 various 100 scull 4 x 50 fly drills 50 EZ 6 x 25 bust + cruise @ 1:0 150 EZ 3 x (25 AFAP from the blocked + 125 EZ) -- rolling on :50: fly (11mid), free (10 high), breast (14) 1 x 50 free w/fins, broken for :10 (19) 200 EZ 6 x 25 DPS free, working on breakouts 100 EZ Total: 2350 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Got a deep tissue massage yesterday and felt kinda sloggy at first in the water. But my times were fast. Psych sheets for NE Champs are out: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-m1...T2s/edit?pli=1 I'm seeded in the top five for every event and 1st for 50 fly and back. Now I'm having second thoughts about doing 50 breast instead of 100 back. I haven't trained at all for 100 back and will be well off my NR (where I was UW for an exceedingly long time), but easier to get the AA there than in 50 breast … Otoh, my breast has been very fast lately. Decisions, decisions … I should probably stick with my original plan. I received all my replacement swim gear today. I got a Speedo "lucky bag" in my backpack with mirrored goggles, a goggle case and a silicon cap. Sweet!
Updated December 5th, 2013 at 04:39 PM by The Fortress
Monday: 1750 EZ Tuesday: Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt Warm up: 600 various 100 scull 100 caterpillar fly drill 2 x (4 x 25 shooters w/fins @ :40 + 50 EZ) 50 EZ Main Sets: 4 x 25 burst + cruise @ 1:00 100 EZ 4 x 30 burst SDK + cruise back from the blocks 100 EZ 5 x (25 AFAP + 75 EZ), a few from the blocks 100 EZ 1 x 50 fly w/fins, broken for :10 (20) 300 EZ Total: 2500 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Started my taper. No easy speed yet. My times were fast, but my 50 fly felt kinda labored. I've decided what I'm going to swim at NE Champs. Sat will be 50 fly, 50 breast (instead of 100 back) and 50 free as a split request in the 100. I'm probably giving up an AA in the 100 back, but I don't want to swim that event close to 50 free. And I think I should bust out a 50 free on day 1 rather than waiting until after the 100 IM on day 2. Sunday I'll do 100 IM, 50 free (if I need to) and 100 fly. If I don't swim 50 free, I can swim 50 back at the end for fun. Now that I have taper meets on the brain, I was looking ahead to SCY. I will definitely go to Colonies Zones, but it's a poor order of events for me for a taper meet. 4 of my best events are on Sunday with 100 IM and 50 back back to back. And 100 back and 50 fly are very close with the 50 fly after the 100 back on Saturday. I have to find another meet to rest for and get some times. Any ideas folks? I might consider heading to Auburn in February.
Updated December 3rd, 2013 at 05:28 PM by The Fortress
My second Y meet is in the books. I made it out to Sewickley even though I wasn't super excited to race; I would have preferred a workout. Perhaps not the best idea to have done a sprint workout yesterday, but I was viewing this meet as a speed workout. I did a longer warm up than usual. 50 fly, 26.7 Ew, badly executed race. Breakouts were bad again, I scraped the bottom coming off the turn on the 3 feet deep end and then banged my hand on the lane line after correcting for that. Felt kinda awful too. I didn't even expect to break 27, so I guess the time isn't too bad considering. I swam in Water Rat's lane since he decided to skip the meet. I wish there was someway to correct my breakout issues. I just can't sense the water on my back/arms and have to lift my head slightly to see, which causes serious drag. My fly has felt great in practice, so I need to put this race in the rear view mirror. 25 free, 11.6 Technically, this is a PR. But there was manual timing for the 25s, so that could have factored in. Legs felt tired. 50 back, NS Skipped 50 back bc I had no interest in hitting the bottom off the turn. 25 breast, 14.6 This is likewise a PR and faster than my 15.0 from the Sprint Classic. But again, I may have benefitted from manual timing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This may be my last Y meet this season. I just can't stand the shallow water. Today, I flinched slightly during every start where the pool goes from 12 to 4-5 feet deep abruptly about 10 yards from the start. Maybe I should stick with free or breast at these meets. Jim and I did 10 x 50 EZ @ 1:00 as a warm down when the meet was over. I'm glad it's now taper time! 12 days to NE Champs. I'm going to rest hard. My body needs it as I haven't really had any quality rest since I started training more seriously in early September. I'm going to NYC next weekend with friends to goof around and see some shows. Not the best timing with a taper meet the next weekend, but life is important too. So far, there are only 313 swimmers signed up for NE Champs, which about 200 less than last year. I hope more people sign up. I like this meet because there is so much rest. I'm more tired than I should be right now ...
Updated December 1st, 2013 at 05:57 PM by The Fortress
Had a rotten day yesterday. I went to coach a masters practice Friday am between 9:30-11:00. When I came back out, my car had been vandalized, brick thrown through window, other damage and my backpack stolen. Neither my purse or wallet was in the car; no idea why someone would vandalize a car in broad daylight for just a backpack. And I was parked right behind the pool, not in one of the really creepy city neighborhoods. Unfortunately, I'm out over $1000. In my backpack was: a spare Speedo LZR Elite tech suit (from my last meet), Tom Ford sunglasses, a new pair of Speedo LZR Elite goggles worth $75 that USMS had given me to product test, new arena cobra racing goggles, 3-4 pairs of speedo speed sockets, caps including my Aqua V racing cap, nose clips, my new fins and $100+ of toiletries. Probably several thousand dollars of damage to the car. Really really sucky. At least my training suit and shammy towel were on the drying rack at home. I guess I'm going to have to pay for parking from here on out, which will really add up on a daily basis ... Jerks!!! As a result of that fiasco, I didn't get to swim yesterday and had taken Thanksgiving off. I made it to Sewickley today. I had a single pair of goggles at home. Kind of a desultory swim. I was still grumpy and there was a huge kids party taking up most of the pool. Swim/SCY/Solo: Warm up: 600 various 4 x 50 scull 4 x 50 caterpillar fly drill 4 x 25 shooter + 25 EZ 50 EZ Main Sets: 8 x 25 burst + cruise 100 EZ 3 x (50 @ 100 pace + 100 EZ) 3 x (25 AFAP + 75 EZ) 4 x 50 DPS free 100 EZ Total: 2600 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm signed up for the Sewickley Y meet tomorrow. I'm not really in the mood for racing. But I'll go to the meet just to get in the water since Pitt is still closed. I will probably scratch the 50 fly unless I can get into an earlier heat. I'm in lane 1 with three ladders sticking out in an all male final heat.
Updated November 30th, 2013 at 06:10 PM by The Fortress
Swim/SCY/Solo @Sewickley 600 various 4 x 50 scull w/agility paddles 4 x 50 caterpillar fly drill 4 x 50 chest press fly drill 6 x 25 breast drills 7 x 25 shooter + 25 EZ 50 EZ 4 x 25 no breathe free 10 EZ Total: 2150 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just did an easy recovery workout today and plan to take tomorrow off. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt Warm up: 600 various 4 x 50 scull 5 x 50 fly drills 50 EZ 4 x 4 x 25, 20 Y UW shooter w/fins @ :30 + 50 EZ kick @ 1:00 100 EZ Main sets: 8 x 25 burst + cruise @ 1:00 100 EZ 8 x (25 AFAP + 75 EZ) @ 3:00 100 EZ 3 x (25 AFAP kick + 25 EZ) kick @ 1:15 100 EZ 4 x 12.5 SDK off the blocks w/chute, cruise back 50 EZ 4 x 25 w/chute 100 EZ Total: 3600 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I had planned a recovery workout today. But I had Fort Son with me (dropped him at the gym) and he wanted a longer workout. So I decided to try a third day with some speed in a row. I've been doing lots of broken 75s and 100s, so decided just do do some blast 25s with mega rest. I was pleasantly surprised with the time -- I even saw a glimpse of 9s on all my 25 frees. Unfortunately, Pitt is closed for rec swim Wed-Sun. Masters still have practice on Wed night and Friday am, but no open hours. I'm hoping the Sewickley Y is only closed on Thursday.
Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt Warm up: 600 various 100 scull 4 x 50 caterpillar fly drill 3 x 4 x 25 @ :30, UW 20 Y + 50 EZ @ 1:15 100 EZ Main sets 8 x 25 burst + cruise @ 1:00 100 EZ 4 x 50 free, descend to 100 pace @1:00 100 EZ 3 x 4 x 25 fly w/fins (11s) @ :35 + 100 EZ 2 x (10 x 25 over kick free w/zoomers) + 100 EZ 10 x 25, AFAP dolphin kick to 15 m + cruise @ :30 100 EZ 6 x 25 w/chute 100 EZ Total: 3950 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That workout felt harder than it should have … My body still feels like it needs a recovery week. I can't tell if I'm just getting old or if it's something else. Looking back at my flog, I seem to be doing more yardage than I was last spring and fewer pure recovery workouts. My GTD goal was 350 and I'm at 339 even though I was only swimming 3x a week through the summer. It also looks like I was resting more for meets, and of course there are no meets in Pittsburgh … I need more meets! I want to swim a SCY meet besides Zones. I guess I'll have to travel for one …
Swim @ Sewickley with Jim & Bill 900 various 4 x 100 smooth free @ 1:45 4 x 100 descend by 25s @ 1:45, did flutter kick with fins & board 100 EZ 5 x (50 @ 1:00 + 25 AFAP @ 1:00) 125 EZ 5 x 50, 15 m AFAP @ 1:00 50 EZ 5 x 50, 25 @ 100 pace + 25 EZ @ 1:00 75 4 x 100, add :5 to each 100 as break, keep 100s at same time or less @ 2:00 50 EX few backstroke starts -- going to swing arms sideways at Sewickley meet so I won't go too deep Total: 3600 ------------------------- Felt pretty dreadful today after two days out of the water and weights. Hamstrings are sore. I wanted to swim yesterday, but Sewickley and Pitt were both closed. One more week until taper starts. It can't come soon enough!
Wednesday: Got a deep tissue massage. I mentioned that my left hip had been bothering me for almost a month. I thought it might be hip bursitis. Nope, he says it's the piriformis muscle. This is a glute muscle located at the top of the hip joint. It is important for lower body movement bc it stabilizes the hip joint and is usually a runner's issue. I am guessing all my dolphin kicking is the culprit. (Good to know I'm kicking from the hip though!) I alternated ice and heat last night and will keep doing that. I probably also need to be stretching the hams and glutes. I just haven't been making time for that. Thursday: Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt Warm up: 600 various 4 x 50 scull w/agility paddles 4 x 50 DPS free @ :50 3 x (4 x 25, UW 20y @ :30 + 25 EZ @ :30) 75 EZ Main sets: 8 x 25 burst + cruise @ 1:00 100 EZ 2 x (AFAP 50 frees w/fins, break :10 @ 25 + 150 EZ) -- 20s, say a glimpse of a 9 on one 25 5 x through: 3 x 25 AFAP @ :30 + 75 EZ -- did 3 IM and 2 kick 100 EZ 6 x 25 w/chute & paddles @ 1:00 100 EZ 2 x (25 AFAP + 25 EZ @ 1:30) -- started getting calf cramps, so desisted 100 EZ Total: 3450 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The large pool at Pitt is closed for the next three days for a college invitational meet. I guess I'll be swimming at a Sewickley. Can't wait -- Fort Son is home from college on Monday!
Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt Warm up: 600 various 3 x 50 scull 6 x 50 fly drills 50 EZ 4 x 25 shooters w/fins @ :40 50 EZ Main sets: 8 x 25 burst + cruise @ 1:00 -- 4 fast hands, 4 SDK 100 EZ 8 x 30 SDK from the blocks, cruise back -- worked on 100 pace SDKs, gliding a bit after the dive 100 EZ 6 x 25 fly w/fins @ :35 -- wanted to do 10, Rushall style, but wasn't happening 100 EZ 5 x 4 x 25 @ :30 + 50 EZ @ 2:00 1st 3 25s = UW 15 m 4th 25 = 100 pace 100 EZ 4 x w/fins 1 x 25 @ 100 pace :15 rest 1 x 25 shooter 1 x 50 EZ @ 2:00 -- this was a Tall Pall set he recently posted. not easy 100 EZ Total: 3500 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Laid off the AFAP work today, trying to give my body a little break, and focused on 100 pace with some breath control. I have a massage tomorrow, so hopefully my body will be ready to go on Thursday with about 10+ more hard training days to go before I taper for NE Champs. I'm going to do the same taper I did before Indy last year, which was shorter than usual because I knocked lifting off early. Despite almost no lifting for months, my upper body seems just as stacked and tank-like as usual. I've been having fin issues lately. I've used Water Gear fins for years. But when finally ripped and I tried to replace them, my new ones didn't fit. One size is too big and the next size down seems too tight. I've been using the tight ones and wondering if maybe that was contributing to some cramping. I ordered a pair of Sprint long blade fins and they look just perfect. Going to try them out tomorrow. Interesting article of passive vs active rest for sprinting: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15778899. Though who goes 60% during active recovery? Not me.
Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt 600 various 100 scull 100 evil kick 5 x (25 shooter + 25 feet first scull w/fins) 50 EZ 6 x 50 fly drills 6 x 50 DPS free @ 1:00 50 EZ 2 rounds of: 20 x 25 w/fins @ :30, all 25s done 15 m UW odds = free evens = back kick 100 EZ between rounds Total: 2950 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just did a recovery workout today. I'm really sore from training and the meet. Looking at my flog, I've done 3 weeks of hard training, so my body probably thinks it's time for a recovery week. But I hate to take one now bc I'll start tapering for NE Champs in two weeks. I may just work on short speed tomorrow. I checked the results of the meet. They had my 25 back listed at 12.94, which is what I thought I saw on the electronic timing, rather than 12.38. It's still a PR though and very good for a so-so pool and no rest. Looking ahead to the Sewickley meet on Dec. 1, I'll probably swim 50 fly, 50 back, 25 free and 25 breast, though it might behoove me to swim the 100 IM. I met John Kuzmkowski at the Y meet. He's swum 2000+ miles already this year and is aiming to break the record.
Swim w/Jimby @ Sewickley Y Warm up: 600 various 5 x 50 scull drill Main Sets: Jimby did 6 x 150 @ 2:15 I did 6 x 100, done as 75 smooth + :10 rest + 25 @ 100 pace (free, breast and kick 2x) 100 EZ 5 x 100 free build to fast @ 1:45 1 x 50, 20 Y AFAP kick + cruise 2 1:00 1 x 50 EZ @ 1:15 100 EZ 8 x 25 @ :40 odds = burst or 100 pace (free or SDK) evens = EZ 100 EZ 6 x 25 w/chute @ 1:00 8 x 50 free @ 1:00 -- breath control -- Jim is better than me! 50 EZ Total: 3550 25-30 min foam rolling + RC/scap ex ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Whew, kinda tired after that. Probably still tired from yesterday, which was a much harder workout. Will just cruise tomorrow. Then I have my mudhole meet this weekend. Naturally, and to my great delight, I am in the last heat of an almost all male heat in an outside lane. I don't see my 25 back on the psych sheets. I hope that can be fixed. I can't miss a chance to swim a 25!!! I entered NE SCM Champs. I'll make a decision about 100 back or 50 breast on Sat and 100 fly or 50 back on Sun closer to the meet. But I'm leaning toward 50 breast and 100 fly. I do have a 50 back time already, and having 50 back as the very last event of a meet sucks bc it's such a leg intensive event for me. Swim Meet Events Event Number Gender Distance Stroke Time Date 9 Female 50 SCM Fly 0:29.50 12/14/2013 11 Female 100 SCM Back 1:12.00 12/14/2013 17 Female 50 SCM Breast 0:37.40 12/14/2013 21 Female 100 SCM Free 1:05.50 12/14/2013 35 Female 100 SCM IM 1:12.50 12/15/2013 39 Female 50 SCM Free 0:27.91 12/15/2013 45 Female 100 SCM Fly 1:11.00 12/15/2013 47 Female 50 SCM Back 0:30.65 12/15/2013
Updated November 15th, 2013 at 10:41 AM by The Fortress
Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt Warm up/Transition 600 various 5 x 50 scull drill 4 x 25 no breath free @:35 50 EZ 4 x 25 shooters w/fins @ :40 100 EZ 4 x 30 burst SDK + cruise back from the blocks 50 EZ 4 x 25 burst right side SDK from a push + cruise 100 EZ Main Sets: 1 x 25 AFAP fly from the blocks (11) 75 EZ 2 x 25 AFAP fly w/fins @ :40 (10s) 100 EZ 1 x 50 fly/back @ 100 pace 100 EZ 1 x 25 AFAP back from the blocks (13) 75 EZ 3 x 25 AFAP back w/fins @ :45 (11s) 125 EZ 1 x 75 fly/back/breast @ 100 pace 175 EZ 1 x 25 AFAP breast from the blocks (14 high-15) 75 EZ 4 x 25 AFAP breast w/fins & paddles @ :50 (12 highs) 150 EZ 1 x 100 AFAP IM w/fins, 4 x 25 @ :30 (45) 200 EZ 1 x 25 AFAP free from the blocks (11) 75 EZ 3 x 25 AFAP free w/fins & paddles (10s) @ 1:00 -- I had intended to do more, but I was done 175 EZ Total: 3375 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I liked this workout. With the bursts, it was almost 725 yards of race pace work. I gave my team a highly modified version of the main sets (no real sprinters on my team). I also discovered a TT backstroker on my team. I knew she was good, but she threw down a 31 in an AFAP 50 back starting from the gutter. She hadn't even thought to check the event rankings! I am hoping I can cajole her and some others on the team to go to Colonies Zones in early April. I suspect that will be my SCY taper meet because I'm not jazzed about Santa Clara (for obvious reasons!). But I need another meet besides that to get some more times.
Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt 600 various 4 x 50 scull w/agility paddles 9 x 50 various fly drills 50 EZ 6 x 25 shooters @ :40 50 EZ 20 x 25 free w/zoomers, 1 breath @ :30-35 100 EZ 3 x (4 x 25, UW 20 y, @:30 + 50 EZ) 100 EZ 5 x 50 DPS free 50 EZ Total: 2950 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just did a recovery workout. Tried to work on breath control. Mine stinks right now. I think allergies are interfering. I love our new puppy, but I am definitely allergic to her. After I hopped out, one of the lifeguards (a varsity diver) said I do "the most intense workouts she's seen." I chuckled over that because there are always 3-4 college swimmers in at the same time I am. But they aren't doing HIT; their workouts are always 7,000+.
Swim/SCY/Solo @ Pitt Warm up/transition: 600 various 5 x 50 scull/drill 8 x 25 power kick @ :45 8 x 25 over kick free @ :45 100 EZ 4 x 25 burst ADK + cruise @ 1:00 50 EZ Main Sets: Pyramid 50 frees 9 x 50 @ 2:00 -- 6/7/8/9/20/9/8/7/6 fast stroke, then cruise 200 EZ 4 x 50 breast @ 2:00 -- 3/4/5/6 fast stroke -- I wanted to do 9 of these, but my calves were constantly cramping 100 RZ 6 x (25 AFAP kick + 25 EZ) -- 3 fins, 3 no fins 100 EZ 6 x 25 w/chute, fins & paddles -- sprint 12.5, EZ 12.5 100 EZ Total: 3100 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I read with interest in Water Rat's blog that David Marsh's sprinters often do 3200 in 3 hours. Shows the importance of rest to maintain and work on top end speed! Just a recovery workout for me later today.
Swim/SCY @ Sewickley Y Warm up: 600 various 100 scull 4 x 50 fly drills Main sets: Jim and John were doing steady state 1 x 400, 2 x 200, 4 x 100, 8 x 50, 16 x 25, mostly on a 1:30 base. I followed along but modified as follows: 6 x (25 shooter + 25 EZ) @ 1:05 2 x 200 flutter kick w/board & fins, alternating 25 up tempo + 25 EZ @ 3:00 4 x 100 DPS free @ 1:30 6 x 50 flutter kick w/board & fins @ 200 pace 50 EZ 16 x 25 @ :40 odds = fast fly w/fins evens = EZ 100 EZ 8 x 75, done as 50 EZ @ 1:15 (John and Jim did 75s) + 25 fast @ :45 100 EZ Total: 3550 Hottub & steam room -- best feature of the Sewickley Y! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I did enter my first mud hole Y circuit meet next Sunday afternoon. I wasn't wild about the schedule for that day, so just entered 25 back, 100 breast and 25 fly. Hopefully, I won't crash on my backstroke start.
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