TJ's Blog of Slow (but improving) Swimming!

Since I'm logging my workouts, I may as well log my extra-swimming workouts.
I had a 90 minute ride with mixed intensity. Pushed the climbs to a high heartrate and cruised most everything else to get a feel for my new bicycle. My legs were still sore from Sunday's ride since it was my first of the season. One of these days I will learn to ride over the winter so I don't have to endure the pain of getting back into riding shape.
It's steel, so it's not quite as hip as the greatest carbon stuff, but it has great feel, meaning that it absorbs bumps well and flexes in all the right spots!
Now, if I were an elite level mountain bike racer, I would probably choose the latest carbon bike since it would weigh less and be more rigid. But this frame will outlast 10 carbon frames.
Enough with my moronic rambling, here is the picture.

11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Elisa.

Warmup:
400 with every 4th length breast pull with a body dolphin

Main Set:
4 times through:
4x50 free on 1:00 with good form - stayed right about at :51s and used them as a recovery between br
2x50 breast on 1:10 - fast (:57, :55, :55, :55, :53, :53, :51, :52)

4 times through:
1x75 free on 1:35 - first 25 fast
1x75 free on 1:40 - negative split

Warmdown:
6x25 6 kick and roll free

2350 meters

Notes:
The breaststroke hurt by the end, but I managed to get faster as the set went on. I concentrated on pressing my chest down to get my hips up as I lunged forward.

11:00 AM to Noon at the Jamerson YMCA (SCY) coached by Elisa.

Warmup:
400 free - every 4th length, one arm free, breathing to side opposite working arm.
8x50 free on :55 - descend by 2s - I didn't do so well with the descending. I started out around :48s and dropped to :45s, then the last two I went about :40.

Main Set:
2x75 fast free - on 1:15, 1:30
4x50 free on :55 - form over speed

2x75 fast free - on 1:15, 1:30
3x50 free on :55 - form over speed

2x75 fast free - on 1:15, 1:30
2x50 free on :55 - form over speed

2x75 fast free - on 1:15, 1:30
1x50 free on :55 - form over speed

5x100 on 2:00 - 50 kick/50 free

Warmdown:
6x25
1-4 6 kick and roll
5-6 choice drill - I did backstroke 6 kick and roll

2550 yards

Wow, 10 days off hurts!

My first exercise since leaving for Germany a week ago last Thursday.
About 14 miles with nearly 2500 feet of climbing and some pretty tricky sections. It hurt.

11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Elisa "Stop Pulling on the Lane Rope During the Kick Set" Morton.

Warmup:
300 free
200 alternate 50 combo drill (wrist flip, fingertip drag, catchup, breathe every stroke)/50 free
3x50 free on 1:00 - went :52s
3x50 free on :55 - went :48s
2x50 free on :50 - went :43s

Main Set:
Three times through:
2x125 - 100 free/25 flutter kick on 2:45
2x25 sprint flutter kick on :45
2x75 free on 1:30
50 flutter kick on 1:15

Cooldown:
25 easy back kick
50 easy back
25 easy free

2500 meters

Notes: Well, my kick is still horrible, but I think it's getting better. Coach caught me pulling on the lane rope and shook her head at me (she's so mean)! Nothing notable about this workout other than that I felt really strong until we started kicking.

11:00 AM to Noon at the Jamerson YMCA (SCY) coached by Elisa "That Was NOT a Negative Split" Morton!

Warmup:
400 free every 4th catch up drill
100 flutter kick on side
6x25 - 6 kick and roll
8x25 free on :25 - descend 1-4 and again 5-8

Main Set:
3x100 free on 3:00 - Went 1:15 (missed third turn completely), 1:11, and 1:16
150 ez free
100 free on 3:00 - Went 1:11

4x200 free on 4:00 - odds were negative split (more like even split for me) and evens were good form
Last 200 was warmdown.

2200 yards

Notes:
The fastest 100 I've done in practice was 1:15, so 2 1:11s were awesome for me. I was spent on the third one, but the 150 recovery really helped me a lot. We finished early today, so I got some one-on-one help with my backstroke from another swimmer. I need to work on my roll, so she suggested and helped me with the drill where you watch your hands enter the water, so it ends up feeling a little like a 6 kick and roll. I also have to work on a wider hand entry because apparently I've started crossing over my axis of rotation with my hand entry.

11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Elisa "Quick Whistle" Morton.

Warmup:
300 free
100 breast stroke with a body dolphin
100 bk kick
100 br kick on back with hands at sides and kicking said hands with heels
100 br on 2:30 build
100 fr build

Main Set:
10x50 br on 1:05 - I held 1:00 for these, but I had to switch to free on #5 and #10 to recover
10x50 - 25 br/25 fr on 1:00
12x50 free on :55 - I was wiped after all the breaststoke, so I was only able to maintain :51s and :52s.

Warmdown:
50 free
50 back

2500 meters

Notes: This practice hurt more than any in recent memory. I have NO breaststroke endurance! I tried the good glide excuse with the coach when she yelled at me about pausing at the top, but she was having none of it! What a hard ass!

11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Elisa "I Will Beat You With My Whistle" Morton!

Warmup:
200 free
100 one arm fly
100 one arm back
100 free
6x25 fly choice drill on :35 - I did 1 arm right, 1 arm left, 1 full stroke for these
6x25 back choice drill on :40 - I didn't do drills as much as I just tried to over exaggerate my roll and get a good catch
6x25 free descend 1-3 on :30

Main Set:
2x150 on 3:35 - alternate 25 fly/25 free
2x150 on 3:35 - alternate 25 back/25 free
2x150 on 3:45 - alternate 25 fly/25 back
2x150 on 3:05 - free (last one is a warmdown)

2150 meters

Notes:
Well, I re-read the article on fly kick timing in the USMS magazine from a year or so ago and tried to wait on my first pull until after I finished my first big kick. The 6x25 drills felt pretty good and the first 150 felt pretty good. I fatigued on the 2nd lap and switched to one arm. I WILL figure out this stupid stroke. My backstroke feels like it's improving a lot. I was actually able to notice that I pause a little bit when I extend my right arm and it causes me to sink. I concentrated on starting my pull just a bit sooner and it seemed to even out my stroke. Overall, it just felt much stronger than it has in the past!
So, progress is evident, just not enough for me in the fly. But it will come.

11:00 AM to Noon at the Jamerson YMCA (SCY) coached by Elisa.

Warmup:
4x75 - 50 fisted fr/25 free on 1:40
4x75 - 50 fisted fr/25 free on 1:35 - I held 1:10 to 1:11 for all these while trying to really work for a good catch on the fisted free portion. My left arm feels like I get a good catch, although the coach tells me my catch is too wide now!:-(
4x50 free on :50 descend - went :47, :45, :41, :38

Main Set:
4x75 free on 1:20
4x75 free on 1:25

4x75 free on 1:20
4x75 free on 1:30

4x75 free on 1:20 - I held 1:08s for the 1:20 interval 75s.
4x75 free on 1:35 - I used the slower 75s as a little bit of active recovery, and stayed around 1:12-1:13

4x50 free on :45 - I held :42s
12x25 free on :25 - Hold streamlines past flags - These were more challenging than they looked - I started out at :22s, but my stroke fell apart and I dropped to :23 highs

Warm Down:
2x50 free on 1:00

3200 yards!

Notes:
I know that this type of workout won't really make me any faster, but I love the sense of accomplishment after finishing an aerobically intense workout. When I swim more often, my stroke stays intact for longer and I am able to concentrate on it more and my speed in these types of workouts. But hey, it's getting to be outdoor sports time anyway! And just for Chris, I'm going to root for the Tar Heels since I want them to crush the Spartans...AGAIN! Dang uppity Michiganers beating up on my Huskies!

11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Elisa.

Warmup:
4x75 free on 1:30
8x25 breast pull/dolphin kick on :45
4x50 choice free drill on :50
150 breast kick on back working on 'skinny' knees by keeping hands at side and touching heels to hands.

Main Set:
12x25 free on :45 - every 3rd fast - I went :18 high to :18 low for the fast ones
150 breast on 4:00 - negative split - I went 2:49 with 1:23/1:26 split (stupid negative split;-))
150 breast on 4:00 - negative split - I went 2:50 and did not negative split again:-|

Warm Down:
2x50 br on 1:15
4x50 fr on 1:15

Notes: My breaststroke feels worse and worse, but my times are steadily improving. Coach says I still pause between pull and recovery for an unacceptably long time! Gotta keep working on that. Only doing breaststroke once per week doesn't build much endurance and it showed on the 150s. The last 50 of each was painful!

So, today is my birthday! In honor of my special day, our coach (who also happens to be my wife) gave us an extra special kick set since she knows how much I love to kick! Here it is!
11:00 AM to Noon at the Jamerson YMCA (SCY)

Warmup:
350 Free
50 back kick

Kick Set:
1x50
2x50
3x50
4x50
All 50s were on 1:00 with an extra :20 between mini-sets. I am horrible at flutter kicking and I know that I need to do something about it if I hope to improve my swimming much!

Main Set:
4x75 free DPS on 1:20 - ~1:05s
4x75 free on 1:15 - ~1:09s
4x50 free on 1:10 - I cruised these while trying to keep a long stroke - ~:48-:49s
1x100 free on 1:30 fast - 1:17 low
4x50 free DPS on :55 - ~:50s
4x50 free on :50 - ~:43-:44s
4x25 free on :45 - Didn't look at the time, I just relaxed in preparation for the final 100
1x100 free fast - 1:16 low

Warm Down:
200 mixture of fingertip drag, free, and backstroke.

Kick sets hurt!!! But hey, Happy Birthday to me!

11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Elisa.

Warmup:
500 free - every 4th length is one arm back working on getting non-pulling shoulder out of the water with each recovery of the pulling arm and a good hip roll
10 minutes of flutter kick - every 3rd length fast - I probably did 250 or maybe 300 meters (I'm really slow:-)).

Main Set:
24x75
odds - free on 1:30
evens - 25 free/50 back on 1:35
I finished the odds all in ~1:10 and the evens all in ~1:20-1:22
The last one was supposed to be an easy warmdown, but I worked right through it!

Notes: I finished them ALL. Yay! I concentrated on trying to break the surface with my toes on the kick and trying to keep a strong hip and shoulder roll. It's still not great, but I'm happy that I was able to finish all the intervals. I also notice that I don't have to concentrate on pressing down on my shoulders and upper back to keep my hips up, it just seems to happen now, which means that I can concentrate on some of the other stuff (nice run-on sentence eh?).

11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM), coached by the coolest coach (and toughest) ever, Elisa! Oh yeah, it's also our puppy's first birthday. Not the boxer of my avatar, but the cute little yellow lab that used to be my avatar until Geek made me change it!

Warmup:
200 - alternate one arm fly and free
150 drill - right arm fly/left arm fly/two strokes breast - breathe only on the one arm fly strokes
50 back kick

Main Set:
3x175 free descend on 3:30 - 3:08, 3:04, 2:58
4x50 fast fly on 1:10 - I tried, but ended up doing one arm fly for this whole set.
3x150 free descend on 3:00 - 2:35, 2:30, 2:19
4x50 fast breast on 1:10 - I went :55 or so for three of these. I very nearly got sick on #3, so I stopped and swam easy free back to the wall.
3x125 free descend on 2:30 - 2:15, 2:05, 1:57

Warmdown:
100 alternate ez free and one arm fly

2250 meters

Notes: Fly is a little discouraging to me. I feel like it's just a matter of timing. I am pretty certain that I'm strong enough to swim the stroke, but I struggle to get my arms out of the water. I'll keep working on it.
This workout seemed innocent enough, but the intervals were longer than we're used to. We typically see 125s as the longest interval, so the 175s and 150s were quite painful. The fact that I had to skip a breast stroke interval made me a little sheepish since I am that guy who always gives others a hard time about slacking off!

11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Elisa.

Warmup:
450 - Alternate 100 free/50 one arm fly
150 kick on side - alternate dolphin/flutter
3x25 breast stroke with dolphin kick
3x25 two fly/two breast drill - two strokes of each trying to keep the same rhythm.
4x25 fly descend on :40
4x25 breast descend on :40
4x25 free descend on :35 - 1050

Main Set:
75 free all out on 1:20 - went 1:02
2x25 fly all out on :45 - went :25 and :28
50 free all out on 1:00 - went :45
2x25 fly all out on :45 - did one arm fly and went ~:30
175 free recovery on 4:00

75 free all out on 1:20 - went 1:08
2x25 breast all out on :45 - I think I did :24 for the first and about :30 for the second
50 free all out on 1:00 - I could barely see by this point, so I have no idea of how slowly I went.
2x25 breast all out on :45 - went about :28s
175 free recovery on 4:00

6x50 sprint half way and cruise in to the wall - I alternated fly/breast

Warmdown:
100 - alternate 1 arm fly and free

2250 meters

I was told that I have a good dolphin kick, but my fly still doesn't feel right. Coach says I need to relax!:-( I don't know how to relax any more! Oh well, I'll keep working on it.

11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Elisa.

Warmup:
400 free - every 4th length 6 kk and roll back
4x25 1/4 arm lift back drill

Main Set:
6x75 free on 1:30 - descend by 2 seconds each - Hit the first on 1:20 and descended down to 1:05
4x100 fast back on 2:20 - I went 2:00 or slightly under for all four, but I only did open turns since I was gasping for air at each end. Considering the fact that not long ago, I could barely do a 50 back, I'm pretty happy for making all four 100s, even though Chris and Fort could finish a 200 in the same time I finished a 100!
6x75 free on 1:30 - Held 1:10 to 1:12 for these
3x125 free on 2:30 negative split - I finished all three right on 2:00, but did not get split times. Coach says I negative split visibly on the first and last.

Warmdown:
25 free easy to get to the right end of the pool.
100 IM drill
100 easy free - I ran out of time so I cut this off to 150 mix of free and IM drill.

2450 meters

Yippee, I made all my backstroke intervals. The coach says that I look stiff as a board and don't roll my shoulders at all. I'll have to start concentrating on that since I seem to have my body position somewhat corrected.

I

11:00 AM to Noon at the Jamerson YMCA coached by Elisa.

Warmup:
12 x 75 Free
1-4 on 1:15
5-8 50 drill/25 swim on 1:30 - drill is 4-2 (four seconds per side with a 2 second recovery - concentrate on breathing early and getting your face back toward the bottom of the pool)
9-12 descend on 1:15

Mountain Kick Set:
25 kick on :30 with an extra :15 between sets
1-2-3-4-5-5-4-3-2-1 - My kick is getting stronger. I held :20s for the first three, then had to resort to taking a pull or two, and then finally to alternating kick/swim.

Broken 125s:
10 125s free on 2:15 as follows:
1-4 broken at 75 with 5 seconds, last 50 fast
5-9 broken at 50 with 5 seconds, first 50 fast
10 easy free warmdown

2550 yards

Notes: I felt pretty strong once I got warmed up, which took a while today. The 125s felt pretty relaxed and I was consistently finishing them in 1:45.


Rare Evening Workout
6:30 to 7:00 at the Jamerson YMCA
We had a photographer come in to take a team picture as a memento for our departed coach. Since I put on a suit and got in the water, I figured I'd swim a little bit.
200 warmup split between free and back
Picture
100 - 25 ez/25 fast
50 all out from a push - I went 32 mid
100 ez warmdown and home for dinner
Notes:
I had a conversation about weight loss with Paul Wolf recently and the topic came up about the fact that I was pretty skinny in HS. I dug up a couple of pictures from HS and am posting them here,
The first is from track season in my senior year of HS. Wow, we wore some really short shorts back in 1988!

The second is from the day before graduation, still in 1988 in case you were wondering what was up with the tank top and the feathered hair.

11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Elisa.

Warmup:
200 free
200 alternate fisted free/free by 25s
150 back kick (hands at side, roll from side to side every 3rd kick working on balance and good hip roll)
2x125 free on 2:20 - 1st build from slow to fast - 2nd build from moderate to really fast

Main Set:
4x50 back AFAP on 1:00 - I did 1 and 3 back and went right around :50 for each - 2 and 4 were slower free and I did :46 or so for each
1x150 free recovery on 4:00
2x25 free sprint on :45 - I went :17 and :18
4x50 free AFAP on :50 - Ouch! I held :40s
1x150 free recovery on 4:00
2x25 back sprint on :45 - I went ~:22s for these
50 free recovery

Mountain:
1-2-3-3-2-1 50 fast free on :55 with :20 extra rest between each set - Coach said give them everything I have left - I started out with :42s and slowed to :47s/:48s (due to a miscommunication, we did the first and second as a 25 rather than a 50).

Warmdown:
150 free

2350 meters

Notes: My backstroke is feeling significantly stronger. However, it still takes a lot out of me, so I had to swim #2 and #4 50s free so I could recover from trying to go fast on the backstroke 50s!
I thought I might get sick on the way back down the mountain. Interval 2 on the second set of 3 just about did me in. But I finished!Turns out that sometimes the coach uses the term "sprint" to get us old people in gear. Today was mostly a lactate tolerance workout, which I kind of like because I'm ill in that way!

11:00 AM to Noon at the Jamerson YMCA (SCY) coached by the best looking coach I know, my wife!!!

Warmup:
200 free
100 catchup free
100 free
4x50 - 25 fisted free/25 free on 1:05

Main Set (twice through):
2x100 fast on 1:45 - went 1:20 for both on both sets
4x75 descend on 1:30 - went 1:05, 1:04, 1:03, and 1:00
2x100 fast on 1:45 - go faster than the first two - went 1:18 for both on the first set, 1:17, 1:18 on the second set
2x50 fast on 1:00 - went :38, :39 on the first set and :39s on the second set
4x25 with a big 6 beat kick on :25

Warmdown:
175 free
3 walk arounds from the blocks - did the first two back and the last fly.

2650 yards

Notes:
I think that taking the weekend off from swimming was just what the doctor ordered. I felt better today than I have in a couple of weeks. There was a time not long ago that swimming a 100 in under 1:20 was pretty much all out for me. I swam the 100s today fast, but controlled and relaxed. That tells me that my stroke is getting more efficient. The fisted frees are getting much easier too and I feel like I am getting a good catch. Anyway, I'm looking forward to Wednesday which is a sprint back/free day!

11:00 AM to Noon at the Downtown YMCA. Perhaps some sympathy following Wednesday's practice!;-) Coached by my wife!!!

Warmup:
400 free - every 4th length drill in IM order
8x50 on 1:10 - 2 drills of each stroke in IM order
4x25 build - stroke in IM order

5 minutes of fl/br turns from mid-pool
5 minutes of some crazy drill - dead man float, pull your knees to your chest and use that momentum to continue the flip. I am uncoordinated!
4 more turns concentrating on pulling knees to chest and staying low in the water.

4x150 IM with no free - 50 of each stroke - on 4:00

100 warmdown

I'm struggling with my swimming right now. We went 1600 meters and I couldn't even finish the IMs! I don't know what's going on!

11:00 AM to noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by my wife!:-)

Warmup:
400 free - every 4th wrist flip and fingertip drag

Main Set:
Twice through
200 free on 4:00 - negative split
200 flutter kick on 4:00
4x75 free on 1:30
12x25 free on :25
100 free on 2:15
150 free on 3:15 (last time through is warmdown)

2900 meters

Notes: My wife has agreed to take over the Masters practices until Priscilla comes back or until the Y finds a permanent replacement. This was an extremely challenging workout. The 25s on :25 are just at my threshold, so I was only getting 2-3 seconds rest. I don't think I was cut out to be a great distance swimmer because the pace sets in which you're only supposed to get 2-4 seconds rest are beyond me! This workout was written by Priscilla and I think she wanted to leave us something to remember her by! I think I have made this comment before, but since I've started working on getting a good catch, my deltoids and traps fatigue much sooner than the rest of me. I also felt today's practice in my chest, which I normally don't feel too much. I can't decide if I'm just fighting off a bug or if I've changed my stroke that significantly that it's hitting different muscles! Until Friday...