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Up at the crack of dawn! Ran 45:00 in the crisp sweet smelling morning air! We're going to Chicago today for some relaxing, eating, shopping, and a trip to Shedd aquarium!
Yesterday's Solo Swim @ LA Fitness:

WARM-UP SET:
200 Freestyle
300 Choice Stroke (backstroke for me)
2 X 100 Stroke (Breastroke, butterfly)
MAIN SET:
12 X 200 Freestyle (I thought I was going to hate this but I got feeling smooth/good and descended all my times) I did the first 4 on 4:00 interval, second 4 on 3:45 interval, and third 4 on a 3:30 interval.
SECOND SET:
10 X 50 Freestyle on :55 interval (alternate paddle use)
COOL-DOWN:
I ran out of time so I did an easy 100 IM and crawled out!
3,700 a good freestyle workout for me! I always feel good the day after I swim long non-stop freestyle; not sure why.

Off to Chi Town....maybe I'll see Vive Bene out on the Ohio Street Beach!?

Well, my planned workout of 3,000+ yards got cut a little short. Ended up doing just 2,200. Did one of my favorite drill sets for getting my technique together on freestyle:

3 x 300 free drill with 45 seconds rest between each 300: 75 -3 strokes/12 kicks on right side/3 strokes/12 kicks on left side; 75 - 3 strokes/6 kicks; 75 - 3 strokes/3 kicks; 75 - regular free

Hit the track this evening for some speed work:

1 mile warm-up in 9:00
1600 meters - alternating an easy 200 meters with a hard 200 meters (held 200s between 37 and 42)
1600 meters - jog the curves and stride the straights
1/2 mile cool-down

A little bit of speed work hurts worse than running 9 miles at an easy pace, but I figure it is good for technique and good conditioning. The mile where I did the 200s took a good bit out of me. Didn't have as much left for the strides as I had hoped. I am hoping to do a running event sometime in the next week either on Memorial Day, my birthday, or next weekend.

Sent my entry in for the Athens meet. Should be interesting. I'll probably embarrass myself there enough to motivate myself to get in much better shape for Nationals.

Got a good 900 in for warm up. Felt fairly good.

The race itself I may have taken out too fast but I won't be sure until I see the splits. Since I had McKaylin my 11 year old swimmer and Jennifer my 16 year old in my heat I could not see how Jennifer was doing since she was on the other side of the pool. McKaylin was right next to me and she did a fairly good job keeping close to me.

I have actually never done the 800 free, only the 1500. So I did beat my split from my 1500, by going an 11:57.?? It was only showing my time until McKaylin came in at the 12:27.?? then came Jennifer.

Not bad for an old lady.

The kids were complaining about their shoulders hurting so I told them to warm down. We went a 300 and then it started raining so we got out and got dressed.

Total 2000 meters

500 W/U
4 x 100 BR Pull :20-30 RI
4 x 100 BR Kick :20-30 RI
4 x 100 BR Pull /Fly Kick :20-30 RI
2 x 100 BR 2:15
4 x 50 BR 1:30
4 x 100 BK Kick-roll (fins)/Swim by 50's :30 RI
4 x 50 Canoe drill (if I did it right?) :30 RI
4 x 50 Swim (I still suck) :30 RI
4 x 50 EZ

Very tired.

entered the following events for the

Texas Senior Circuit

Senior Circuit Long Course #3 Meet in
Austin, TX on
June 10 - 14, 2009

LCM
some of my entry times are SCY because each event has to have proof of time

Events :

04 400 Freestyle (2) 5:07.03 scy 500 fr
10 050 Freestyle 24.50 LCM

14 200 Freestyle 1:50.70 scy
18 200 Backstroke 2:21.04 LCM
20 100 Butterfly 51.80 scy

28 200 Individual Medley 2:24.08 LCM
34 050 Breaststroke (3) NT No Time in Data Base
38 050 Butterfly (3) 51.80 scy

11:00 AM to noon at the Downtown YMCA (SCM) coached by Jann.

Warmup:
400 free
200 IM drill

Main Set (work on great form and don't worry about speed):
Twice through:
1x150 free on 3:00
2x75 stroke on 2:00
2x75 dolphin kick on 2:00
6x50 free on 1:00 (I did odds back :-))

Warmdown:
400 free - alternate 100 swim/100 6 kick and roll

2500 meters

Notes:
I am down to two practices left after today's, so I was kind of sad. These intervals were not hard, but coaches instructions said good form and no speed worries. I tried to get that easy speed feel for backstroke. I felt like I was getting it a couple of times, but I still need to work on my endurance quite a bit. Back requires more kicking for me to keep a strong stroke. I'm just ecstatic that I am actually able to throw in some back from time to time on freestyle intervals!

Slept in alittle and by the time I arrived at the pool I was the only one there, but by the time I left it had filled up again.

Since I have the 800 tonight I was just swimming very easy so this is nothing to really emulate.

1000 free as 200 swim/pull/swim/kick/swim
500 Free kick w/fins & board
5x100 Back drills w/fins
#1-streamline kick #2-fashion model back #3-kick with partial recovery #4-underwater recovery 50 rt/50 lt #5-full back
500 Free pull w/small paddles & bouy
5x100 Free #1,3,5 swim #2 finger tip drag #4 straight arm

Total 3000 meters

SCM, Solo

Warmup
300 swim free
6 x 50 kick RI :10

Drill
8 x 50 as 25 drill/25 swim; odds stroke, evens free
8 x 25 free as:
#1-3 12.5 fast/12.5 easy
#4 easy
#5-7 12.5 easy/12.5 fast
#8 easy

Main
4 x 50 strong on 1:30
1 x 200 swim on 4:00, easy
4 x 50 on 1:20
1 x 200 swim on 4:00, easy
4 x 50 on 1:10
1 x 200 swim on 4:00, easy
(went :37-:38 on all 50's)

Cool down
4 x 50 choice on 1:15
2600 meters

Fri May 22nd, 2009

did some FR w FK today

[ame="http://forums.usms.org/showpost.php?p=181479&postcount=34"]my coach whitney is at USMS SwimFest '09 [/ame]


NEXT MEETS

Thu June 11 - 14, 2009
Senior Circuit #3
Austin, TX

Fri July 18 - 19 2009
USMS South Central Zone Long Course Championship Meet
Woodlands, TX


TODAYS SWIM PRACTICE

LCM
6:30 - 8:00
whitney Coached
TSC main pool diving well
swam with tyler, todd, mike varozza, doug nate, chris, marcio & larry


warm up LCM
15 minutes choice
did 50's on 50


MAIN SET

wore B70

400 fr fast
on 10:00
from a dive
went 4:41

swam easy 150


5 x 200 fr fast
on 4:00
went 2:13 the 1st one
thought we were only doing one
worked it way too hard
went 2:24, 2:22, 2:21, 2:19

10 x 100 fr fast
on 2:30
ave 66 or 7
went 61 on #10

100 fr easy

50 fr fast
went 27

50 easy

50 fl fast
went 26.9

150 easy

I went to Toronto to swim in the Canadian Masters SCM championships. Seven days before we had planned to go, my partner of 10 years told me that she is leaving me. No matter how much I begged, pleaded and cried, she would not go to joint counseling. She said she was unhappy and just had to get out of our relationship. Three days before I left, I found out there was another guy in the picture. Not only did she time her announcement in an attempt to ruin this meet for me, I found out later that she had invited this miscreant to our house for a party! I remember giving him a beer and making him feel welcome. Talk about being humilated in front of my friends and family - and not finding out until after the fact. I was completely blindsided by these horrible events.

It's no fun to try to race with a broken heart. I lost 10 pounds and my swim skin did not fit - it let water into the suit while I was swimming. I could not sleep soundly - waking up with night terrors or panic attacks. I was exhausted and could barely eat. My usually hearty appetite was replaced with the sensation of eating tastless cardboard. All the classic signs of depression. With the amount of stress hormones in my blood, I probably would have flunked a drug test!

We have been going to swim meets together for as long as we have been together. I really missed her and found myself saying "what would she do if she were here - and she would have really like this or that". Useless thoughts, but in times of stress, your mind has a tendency to get stuck in these weird cognitive loops.

I wish to thank Karyln Pipes-Neilsen and Don Graham for taking me under their wing during this meet. Their fellowship, sympathy, kind words and insights were particularly comforting.

Everyone knows KPN and what a wonderful swimmer she is. Some people are jealous of her accomplishments, her enthusiastic joyful manner and her perfect lifestyle - globe trotting to put on swim clinics, living in Kona and just unbelievable talent.

Well, I'm here to tell you that she has a heart of gold to go along with all of those other attributes. She is a great listener and she had a lot of insight into my problems. As I got to know KPN, I found that she is a really special human being who has overcome a lot of difficult life challenges. She is a true champion in every sense of the word.

Don Graham has been a long time rival in the backstroke and IM races - he is primarily a butterflier (and a pretty good one at that). I really did not know him very well until this meet. But once I told him a little about what I was going through, he immediately opened up and let me pour my heart out. Don had some of the most insightful and thoughtful words that gave me great comfort. Without the help of these two very special people, I don't think I would have made it through the meet.

Now that I'm back, I have many questions and no answers because the only thing she wants to talk about are financial arrangements. It is very painful and difficult to even see her at the pool. Unfortunately, the only time I can train is when the masters swimming team is in the water. I'm going to try to swim as far away as possible, but it will still be very difficult.

Eventually, I will get through this and I know there is always another swim meet.

Thursday Swim: 30 minutes in Lake Barcroft in Falls Church (with a friend who lives there and has a pass so it's legal!). Used a full sleeve wetsuit thinking it would be cold. The temp really wasn't too bad. I am no longer worried about being too cold at my 1 & 2 mile non-wetsuit swim races this weekend. The water was great to be in, but once we turned around the sun was right in our faces. I tried swimming without goggles because I could actually see more when I sighted, but most times all we had to sight off of was the sun because we were headed straight for it. I felt great in the water, like I was just gliding effortlessly through it.

Looking forward to the Reston swims on Sunday!

I am having a rough week. I won't bore you with the mundane details but no time or motivation to blog. I have fit some much needed swims in late.

Tuesday: I forget the exact workout. It was one of Jeff's quality workouts. I am nothing but a "distance dog" so quality workouts are discombobulating for my natural eb and flow. (but I think I need to do them for sure!) I will even say "physical training" should disrupt the body's natural eb and flow; that's how you get physiological changes , or the training effect.
Anyway, I was gassed.

Thursday (tonight): After 2 picture perfect, blue sky Indiana days we got to swim outside Long Course Meters in the Forest Part Pool! What a delight! The water was 76 crystal clear degrees! It was sunny, calm, and the air had a snickerdoodle cinnamon type scent lingering somehow. The plan was to swim from 5 to 7, then have byo brats and beers on the deck afterwards. Unfortunately for me, life (job) got in the way and I didn't make it to the pool till 6:00 p.m.. I hadn't been home since 6 a.m. so I had nothing for the pitch in. I decided I needed a zen-like soothing swim more than I needed beer/brats so I swam 4,000 LCM straight. Total time 1:10. It was a wonderful swim. I got into a smooth rhythm and grooved it out.

Here's a question for some of you great distance swimmers: I would like to do a long swim (75 to 120 minutes) 1 time per week. I like distance. I like to race 5K OW, and anything long in the pool. Next summer I am planning to do an ow 10K.
I have had a couple people tell me this is not a good idea and that I am just training myself to swim slow. What do you think? I would compare these swims to what I used to call a lactate threshold run; not in o2 debt but slightly uncomfortable. Will this train me to swim slow, or will it make me stronger in the long swims? (I would swim at least 4 other times per week with total yardage 14-18,000 yds)
Thanks in advance for your opinion.
Time for after I read everyone elses blogs and catch up!
Oh, it's a bummer about the tech suits. I'm going to wear my point zero in a 5K in mid June. If anyone says anything to me I'm going to act like I don't speak english.

Well, I've bought my airplane tickets to Indy for LC Nationals. Not sure yet exactly which events I'll swim, but right now it looks like the 50s (even breaststroke) and 100 free. I'm going to the Athens, Georgia meet in a couple of weeks just to get an LC meet in before Nationals. Won't do any tapering until Nationals because I don't have anything to taper off of at this point. I doubt I'll lift or run the day before Athens, but I will earlier in the week.

Got in the pool yesterday and did 2500 yards. Interesting how emotional things can make you feel like you've run a marathon. I was tired, so I did not do much intensity. One of my favorite sets to do when I'm just trying to get some time in the water is 4 x 100 dolphin kick with no fins on 1:45, trying to hold each one under 1:30. I also did a 500 free with paddles which is always very relaxing to me.

Today did weights followed by yoga. Here is what I did in the weight room:

Bench press: 85 x 10, 95 x 6, 105 x 2, 110 x 1, 115 x 1
Lat Hi Row: 3 sets of 130 x 10
Tricep pulldown: 3 sets of 40 x 10
Alternating hammer curls: 3 sets of 15 pounds in each hand x 10

20 push-ups
8 pull-ups with 40 lb. assist
15 push-ups
8 pull-ups with 40 lb. assist
10 push-ups
50 good morning darlings
5 push-ups
50 bicycle crunches
2 sets of 25 crunches with 10 lb. medicine ball

Decided to put the hip add/abd machines back into my routine since I'm not doing much biking and because I just like doing them. I'm blessed to be strong on these, but the reason why is somewhat odd. My podiatrist says that since my ankles are so weak and cause my feet to roll inward more than her example on her office wall, for most of my life, I've had to overcompensate with my hip muscles to be able to walk properly. I have an imbalance between the hip adductors and the hip abductors with the former being somewhat stronger. Need to get more balance. Here is what I did today:

Hip adduction: 120 x 10, 130 x 8, 140 x 6
Hip abduction: 110 x 10, 120 x 8, 130 x 6

Planning to hit the pool tomorrow morning for a 3,000+ workout.

I didn't do too good with today's workout. I wasn't able to swim this morning because of an early appintment and I always seem to be short on time when I do noon swims. I didn't sleep very well last night and that seems to always affect my workouts. Also, I just started on some new meds and that might have been a factor also.


Lots of drills today
SCM, Solo

300 free
200 pull free with p&b
200 kick on back alternating dolphin/flutter by 25

Fly - 2 x 25 of each drill:
1. kick on stomach with arms at side: try to time the breathing at the right spot so your head is coming up at the upkick and down on the downkick
[I used fins for this. even then my rhythm would break each time I would breath]
2. kick on back with streamline (10 kicks underwater, rest of the 25 on the surface): hold the streamline as long and tight
3. single arm fly, non-pulling arm in front (25 right arm, 25 left arm)
4. single arm fly, non-pulling arm at side (25 right, 25 left)
5. triple kick fly: this is really regular fly with one extra kick at the catch.
[no problem with these, didn't use fins.]

Then:
swim 4x50 on 1:00 alt. free/fly by 25: build the fly
[was coming in around :45 on these]

Back - 2 x 25 of each again:
1. kick on back with streamline (long/tight): w/6 sdk off each wall
2. single arm (25 right/25 left): work on driving into the catch, bending the elbow, and pushing through past the hip
3. 2 right/2 left: work on the transition between arms like it's a regular stroke, thinking about #2 above
4. spin drill: pick head up and go 10 strokes fast, then drop it back down and go 10 strokes easy

Then:
swim 4 x 50 back on 1:05 descend 1-4
[held these close to 45. it's tough to descend these. No flags up yet and I'm slowing down and looking for the lane line to change color on each end.]

Breast (2x25 of each again... I know we need more, but we'll spend a whole day on short axis next week):
1. kick on back with streamline (long/tight): keep the knees inside the hips, and don't let the knees come out of the water
[had some problems here. My quads started to cramp at the extension of each kick.

2. kick on stomach with arms at side: kick back after head comes back down; don't use the kick to bring the head down
{no problem with the timing here but still cramping and kick was really weak]

At this point it was almost 12:30 and I usually need to be out by 12:40 in order to get back to work on time so I stopped, swam a 200 cool down and got out.

Total: 1850 meters

Woke up. Had coffee. Had more coffee. Checked to see the status of tech suits. Drank water. Searched Fort Son's luggage for prohibited performance enhancing substances (lol) and then dropped it off at school for his trip. Then ... finally got around to:

Holding the plank for 1:30
push ups, 3 x 25
crunches on yoga ball, 4 x 25

Run:

3.5 mile trail run. Calves still sore. If I'm going to carry on with running, I think I'm occasionally going to have to stick my calves in an ice bucket at night.

Swim/SCY/Solo:

Warm up:

700 variety warm up

10 x 25 UW shooter on back @ 55, no fins

8 x 25 easy speed fly @ :45, focusing on pull

Main set: Swim-Kick Mountain

After doing Patrick's workout and a lactate set, decided it was a day for aerobic work. So did a combo swim-kick mountain. (I'd probably fall asleep if I swam the whole thing.)

100 back @ 1:30
200, alternate 50 br-dolphin w/MF and 50 MF dolphin kick @ 3:00
300 dolphin kick w/MF, alternate on back & w/board by 100s (didn't see the interval, as I changed lanes after this)
400 IM, drilled the fly @ 6:30
500 fartlek dolphin kick, alternate on back & with board (200, 200, 100)
400 IM, drilled the fly @ 6:30
300 one arm fly drill w/MF @ 5:00
200 alternate 50 br-dolphin w/MF and 50 MF dolphin kick @ 3:00
100 back @ 3:00

100 EZ

Total: 3750

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tentative Meet Schedule:

June 14, FISH Invitational at GMU

Sent an email to the meet director. Asked to enter the 200 back. Entered at my converted time + 2 seconds. (I hate the Swimming World converter; I'm not a kid and don't covert like one.)

June 21, Terrapin Cup at U of Md

Got an email notification from Muppet today that the Terrapins are holding the Terrapin Cup again this year at U of Md. Really happy about that. Glanced quickly at the lineup and will probably enter the 50 back, 100 back, and 50 fly. I will likely do a 3 day mini taper for this meet. I'm a little paranoid about Indy being my only meet for LCM times. As Ahelee noted on the forum, what if you're sick for your focus meet? It'd be nice to have some back up times, as well as the racing experience.

July 19, Junior Champs at U of Md

Will probably enter the 100 fly and 50 free on Sunday

August 5-10, LCM Nats

Will probably enter the 50 breast, 50/100/200 back, 50 fly and 50 free + relays

I've booked my hotel and plane.

Tech Suit Quandry:

It appears that, at this moment, B70s are still legal for USMS sanctioned events. Neither USMS or FINA has stated whether these times will be valid for TT. This is rather critical information. I certainly don't want to risk a DQ or time invalidation. If B70s are legal and the times count, I will wear mine at the USMS meets this summer. If they're not, I'm in need of new tech suit, probably a primary and back up suit. Right now, my tech "suitfolio" consists of one old FS Pro with a small hole -- not exactly a safe bet at a meet.

I've been in contact with Rocket Science about the Rocket Skin. Along with apparently 100s of other masters swimmers. They are sold out in the small sizes of women's suits until late June, when they will get another supply. It's unclear whether that supply will meet current demand. For any ladies interested, I find the sizing charts confusing. There seems to be a disconnect between the measurement criteria and the height/weight criteria. In any event, I'm told I'm a women's extra small. Must be vanity sizing.

I noticed that there are some Pros available at swimoutlet. I would also consider buying a LZR for Indy if the B70s are banned and I can't get a Rocket skin. But my understanding is that LZRs are few and far between too. Mr. Fort could be aghast (tho maybe not), but he is buying a bike for Savageman, so he can hardly complain!

If the B70s are illegal, I'll probably try to get away with wearing my old Pro at my June meets. I looked at my Pro & B70 times in the events I'll swim for comparison:

50 back LCM
Pro, 33.4
B70, 33.4

100 back LCM
Pro, 1:14.1
B70, 1:13.4

50 fly LCM
Pro 31.6
B70, 31.1

If I swim in my Pro, I would wager that at least in the backstroke events, my Pro times this summer would be faster than my B70 times from last summer -- absent illness or some intervening factor. I guess we'll see ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leaving for NJ in the am, since my son's race isn't until mid afternoon. Lot of driving tomorrow. And, very sadly, I'll miss the initial stampede of people and young children arriving for Memorial Day festivities at my house on Friday afternoon.

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

Warmup:
450 free - alternate 100 free/50 6 kick and roll
400 im - dr/kick/dr/swim
12x25 build on :40 - 4fl/4bk/4br


Main Set:
12 x 3/4 length sprints on 1:00 - 4 of each stroke (no free)
25 easy free
8x100 free on 2:00 - 50 pull/50 swim - I held 1:35s except for #4 and #5, where I slowed to 1:38s
2x75 free on 1:30

Warm Down:
100 easy free

1950 meters

To quote Bill Sweetenham: "Dryland training should complement the work done by the swimmer in the water; under no circumstances should it replace water work. If swimmers are not attending swimming training to the required level because they are substituting dryland training for swimming training, the coach must get them off land and into the pool."

This week I know for certain that my dryland and weights are hitting the exact muscles I use for swimming; I dont know Im sore until I start that first stroke.
Ive definatly hit the uphill grade in my training, this is area that one chooses to continue on to the next level or surrender and be content with "lap swimming" I choose to continue.

Bill Sweetenham would call this the "competitive swimming twilight zone"

Again, another chopped Pat Cantrell w/o (The dream of completing one of Pat's murderous workouts remains unrealized..)

Warm up
300 swim, 300 reverse IM drill, 200 kick, 4x 50 free build

2x 300 free, 12x 25 (2 fly, 6 back, 4 breast)
4x 150 free, 4x25 back

100 BK ez
200 w/d

2900 yds....

Right now Im in awe of people who can do a full workout in the gym, then pound out a 4-5k workout...

Thu May 21st, 2009

Did some freestyle with fly kick (FK fr) when I'd usually use a 2 beat kick.

Left thigh hurts a little from leg press

NEXT MEETS

Thu June 11 - 14, 2009
Senior Circuit #3
Austin, TX

Fri July 18 - 19 2009
USMS South Central Zone Long Course Championship Meet
Woodlands, TX


weights at world gym

lat press 8 x 40 8 x 45 8 x 50

lat pull 8 x 165 6 x 205 4 x 215

bench 8 x 135 5 x 195

leg press 8 x 270 5 x 320


TODAYS SWIM PRACTICE

LCM & SCY
6:30 - 8:00
whitney Coached
TSC diving well
swam with tyler brandon, amy,
beside chris, ned & marcio


warm up LCM
3 x (100 fr, 50 non free, 100 fr, 50 k on back)

400 easy


main set

20 x 100 on 1:15
80% hold steady pace, around 64's
did fr with FK on first 10

800 done 300 k 100 IM

15 x 100 on 1:10
held 64's & 5's

100 easy

This is one of those days you just want to stay in bed, especially at 4:30 am. Did finally make it to the pool alittle late. I am trying to get my shoulders recovered. Tomorrow night I will be swimming the 800 Free with my kids team and 2 of them will be in my heat, oh how fun.

500 Free relaxed & loose
5x100 @ 2:00 Free middle 3rd sprint from 15 meter mark to 15 meter mark

200 Free kick w/fins & board
200 Free kick w/fins alternate rt/lt side each 50
200 Back kick w/fins and good rotation
200 Fly kick w/fins 10 kicks right/stomach/left/back rotation
200 Back kick w/fins good rotation & partial recovery

5x200 @ 3:30 Free w/paddles & bouy held 3:20's and felt loose but might have pushed more than I realized

500 Free every 3rd lap back could tell I might not have gone as easy as I should have on the pull set

Total 3500 meters

Gym-
Instead of increasing weights, I decided to increase number of reps from 3x8 and 3x12 to 3x15 for all and drop the weights back to the original value.
Combining the upper and lower routines together on M-W-F and doing the stability ball, bands and pilates at home everyday;
Crunches and back extensions at 3x20.

Pool schedule is now;
M-SCY-Aquasol Masters
T-LCM-Sierra Marlins Masters/or SCY solo
W-Optional SCM solo-(No time and little sleep today)
T-SCY solo
F-SCY solo
S-Optional SCY solo