View RSS Feed

I swim, therefore I am

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Rate this Entry
9 Comments
by
USMS Memberfdtotten
, March 6th, 2013 at 04:33 PM (381 Views)
SCY@FGCU Aquatic Center
Air temp 67, Water temp 79
Dark clouds, windy with intermittent rain, turning to...
Blue skies, sunny and calm

Warm Up
Dryland band stretches 10 min
200 FR DPS-6
600 FR 3(50K/scull, 50 CU, 50 DPS-6) w/snorkel
4x50 on :45 desc 1-4 *32-31-30-29

*Set 1*
5x200 on 3:00, desc 1-5
*2:14, 2:12, 2:10, 2:09, 2:08
---300 as 50BK/50FR DPS-6

*Set 2*
4x200 on 3:00, desc 1-4
*2:13, 2:11, 2:09, 2:07
---300 as 50 BK kick, 50 FR Swim

*Set 3*
3x200 on 3:00, desc 1-3
2:11, 2:09, 2:07
---300 FR w/snorkel-agility paddles

*Set 4*
2x200 on 3:00
*2:06, 2:05
---200 as 50BK-DA, 50BK DPS-6
---Dryland band stretches 5 min

*Set 5*
T60 FR Swim, simulate OW start and finish
Time starting 500, strong steady state swimming (no lap count), time 500 finish.
*5:50, 5:48

Warm Down
200 FR DPS-6

Comments:
I had a choice to do Sets 1-4 twice (second round w/toys) or either a T90/T120. None of the options were a compelling choice and heavy rain appeared to be imminent.

FCGU Coach Neil had a group of swimmers doing a workout but lanes were available, he looked at my workout and then put me in a lane next to a lane with a freshman walk-on distance swimmer who did sets 1-4 with me. I had to work so hard all the way to try to stay close to her as she was finishing about 2-3 seconds ahead of me.

After Set 4, I did not think I could manage another round, and since the college swimmers were leaving, I chose to do a T60, timing the first 500 and the finishing 500. I am glad I did it, because I had not done an hour straight swim since early January. I feel stronger in the water from doing quality swimming sets, but I still need to get in some longer straight swims more often in preparation for the USMS National 5K in Lake Miramar April 27.

My arms ached so much for about two hours afterwards, then calmed to nearly normal with an assortment of recovery activities, food and liquids. The dark clouds that seemed about to unleash the next 40 days of rain simply went away and the sun was shining with blue skies, birds singing, etc., when I started the T60.

Submit "Wednesday, March 6, 2013" to Digg Submit "Wednesday, March 6, 2013" to del.icio.us Submit "Wednesday, March 6, 2013" to StumbleUpon Submit "Wednesday, March 6, 2013" to Google

Categories
Swim Workouts

Comments

  1. pwb's Avatar
    That is cranking, but perfect prep work for the 5K. I totally forgot about that race happening this year. One of my colleagues retired near there and he's into triathlons; he's not a hardcore swimmer, but he told me it is a great lake to swim in. You should be well prepared for it.
  2. fdtotten's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by pwb
    That is cranking, but perfect prep work for the 5K. I totally forgot about that race happening this year. One of my colleagues retired near there and he's into triathlons; he's not a hardcore swimmer, but he told me it is a great lake to swim in. You should be well prepared for it.
    Thanks. I swam the same race last year (last minute decision, entering just before the deadline) when the USMS Masters 5K followed the USAS National 5K Championships. With many potentially participating swimmers at USMS Nationals during the same time, I was able to place first in my age and a third for masters men overall. This year I expect a lot more competition, so need to prepare as best possible.

    The course is a three lap dog leg loop, where depending on the time of day and weather circumstances, a strong wind can whip up the wave chop going into and returning through the narrow channel between lakes, which was the case last year. I like swimming in choppy wavy water and swam through a lot of it in previous OW swims many years ago.
  3. StewartACarroll's Avatar
    Terrific set of 200s. I think descending 200s are the toughest distance to do. They are partly mental and partly physical. Also the 200s seem to build and hold lactic acid like no other distance. Really great set Frank. It looks like your preparations are progressing really well.
  4. fdtotten's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by StewartACarroll
    Terrific set of 200s. I think descending 200s are the toughest distance to do. They are partly mental and partly physical. Also the 200s seem to build and hold lactic acid like no other distance. Really great set Frank. It looks like your preparations are progressing really well.
    Thanks. I fear repeat quality 200s more than any other distance. The interval of 3:00 is very challenging for me swimming at 2:10 and faster. When done, I thanked the young lady who swam the set with me for pushing and leading me to do all of them with such an effort.
  5. jaadams1's Avatar
    T60 - wow. Reminds me of a swim-a-thon I did a couple weeks ago! YIKES!!
    Nice job on the 200s as well.
  6. fdtotten's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by jaadams1
    T60 - wow. Reminds me of a swim-a-thon I did a couple weeks ago! YIKES!!
    Nice job on the 200s as well.
    Thanks. I am now faster doing freestyle in workouts for 200s and over than I was in high school swimming, but I do not expect to ever come close to what I could do in college.

    I remember that swim-a-thon where you did over 5000 under 60, that was a great swim something like a 1:10/100 pace including several brief stops. Your potential for OW swimming is excellent with your training. There must be some great lake swims in Washington.
  7. joel schmaltz's Avatar
    Impressive workout!! Those are some nice 200 times and then to top it off with a T60. I'd say you will be well prepared for your race. Nice job!!
    Updated March 7th, 2013 at 03:06 PM by fdtotten
  8. fdtotten's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by joel schmaltz
    Impressive workout!! Those are some nice 200 times and then to top it off with a T60. I'd say you will be well prepared for your race. Nice job!!
    Thanks! On race day, I want the confidence that I am well prepared.
  9. jaadams1's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by fdtotten
    Thanks. I am now faster doing freestyle in workouts for 200s and over than I was in high school swimming, but I do not expect to ever come close to what I could do in college.

    I remember that swim-a-thon where you did over 5000 under 60, that was a great swim something like a 1:10/100 pace including several brief stops. Your potential for OW swimming is excellent with your training. There must be some great lake swims in Washington.
    There are quite a few swims available, though a lot of the lake swims are high altitude and/or glacier fed lakes, so they tend to be on the cold side. Last summer was unusually warmer, so that helped out a bit on the water temps, and I was able to do 3 OW swims. I wasn't in the greatest shape for any of them either, and that's probably why I don't "like" OW swimming. I'm sure if I was in good shape during that time of year, it would be better.

    A fun one to do, is the Sandpoint Long Bridge Swim. Last year it had something like 900+ people in the swim. It's 1.76 miles across Lake Pend Orreille in northern Idaho. You get to parellel a bridge the whole way, so sighting isn't a major issue. Last year we had quite a lot of chop coming from the direction we were headed, so it made progress a bit slower than usual.
    http://longbridgeswim.org/
    The only negative is that it's over a 4 hour drive from here to there. Lots of variables as well to worry about that time of year...mostly work.