Ande's Swimming Blog

**jswim** · March 25th, 2005, 03:09 PM

quote:
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Originally posted by Fishgrrl

For instance, am I the only one who feels like they suck about half the time and wonder if I'll ever get the hang of this stuff?
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add another Nope to that! lol.. i'm with ya!

**newmastersswimmer** · March 25th, 2005, 05:57 PM

Thanks for the info on how the swimmers are invited to swim at the NCAA Div 1 Championships.......I was hoping for more swimmers to make it from my Al mamater (SMSU) this year since several swimmers made the B cuts......But Matt was apparently the only one invited this year (and I'm not sure if he actually swam or not?....I'll check it out on the results page).....I really thought they might have thier 400 free relay invited as well (they went 2:56.39 at thier conference meet)..but I guess they were Not invited for that one either......Maybe next year?

Newmastersswimmer

**craiglll@yahoo.com** · March 26th, 2005, 11:20 AM

Ande,

Sorry, I forgot that Illinois's masters state is much later thatn most states. Ours aren't until mid-April. I won't worry about stuff until April 1.

**ande** · March 26th, 2005, 02:27 PM

First, the other day I received my USMS all American letter for having the fastest time in the 40 - 44 age group in the 50 LCM FL, 100 SCM IM and the 200 SCM IM. I'm pretty sure there are other guys in my age group who could beat those times, they just didn't happen to swim those events last year. I'm honored just the same.

Yesterday I went swimming at the Aransas Pass pool in the afternoon just to stroke around and do drills. As I was walking out to the deck,
I heard a faint voice saying,
"sir" "sir" "sir"
A 20 something male life guard was trying to get my attention. He told me speedos are against the rules. Since I was wearing a speedo. We both walked over to the "Pool Rules" Board and showed me rule # 6 which read,

"Swimmers must wear appropriate swim wear
No SPEEDOS, jeans, cut off shorts or thongs."

So I reached in my bag and pulled out my drag suit and asked
"Is this alright?"
He said "yes"
So I slipped it on and went about my business.
I did a few easy laps and stroke drills.
Nothing far or hard, just keeping my feel for Monday.

This morning I went back to the pool.
(wearing the suit they approve of)
Swam easy, did some breastroke kicking stroke drills and
a few sprints.

Not sure If I'll swim tommorrow.
I definitely plan on it Monday
I'll probably do some fast stuff for time.

Ande

Wonder if we're going to see a new record in the 100 free?
It's possible on paper
add a second to 18.74 and you get 19.74,
then add 1.5 to that you get 21.24
19.74 + 21.24 = 40.98
Works on paper, lets see how reality plays out today.

**Peter Cruise** · March 26th, 2005, 06:37 PM

Ande- awesome swimming nevertheless, congrats- I am just cleaning the tea from my screen where a sprayed it while reading your Speedo experience; goodness gracious, we couldn't have such a vile display in a public pool- maybe a TYR would be OK...

**dorothyrde** · March 26th, 2005, 06:55 PM

Wonder if they would have stopped a woman wearing a Speedo?

**craiglll@yahoo.com** · March 28th, 2005, 10:23 AM

Ande,
Was your drag suit a SPEEDO?
Craig

**ande** · March 28th, 2005, 11:08 AM

hey guys,

thanks for your laughs on my speedo incident.
yes my drag suit was a speedo but it had much more fabric

I didn't swim on Sunday

This morning I slept late got to practice at 7:05 am
We swam long course meters.
Whitney Hedgepeth was coaching.

My lane had begun their main set.
they were doing 6 x 400
1, 3, 5 were easy
2, 4, 6 were free
2 was at 70%
4 was at 80% and
6 was at 90%
I went 4:57 on #6
kept it strong
though I think I was out under 2:25 for the first 200
I'm really near sighted and my googles were foggy. so I couldn't tell exactly.

next we did 8 x 125 with fins but I never wear fins
100 k 25 sw
I kicked most of it breastroke
I weighed 214 at the end of practice.
I hope to weigh around 210 at the meet.

10 days to go till zones,
I'm basically going to take it pretty easy
My plan this week is to do a little endurance work and some sprinting

I've entered the 400 IM on Friday April 8
Not sure if I'm going to swim it,
though the zone record is only 4:33

**ande** · March 29th, 2005, 10:22 AM

arrived at 7:00 am

the main set was
4 x [ 3 x 200 free on 2:30 held under 2:15 80% effort; rest 30 sec, 4 x 100 choice 90% 20 - 30 sec rest per 100 ]
I did it 3 times through then changed it up on the 4 time through to do the stuff below.

I swam easy then did a few 100's
where I swam an easy 50 back
followed by a fast 50 breast for time on a watch.

I went 33.8 36.1 on the first one and 34.1 35.3 on the second

Weighed 213
9 days till zones
I haven't been lifting weights this season and feel like I need to be stronger to swim breastroke faster.

**ande** · March 30th, 2005, 10:14 AM

Arrived at 7:00 am and trained SCY in the diving well,

3 x 200 free on 2:45
200 easy
10 x 100 free 5 on 1:25; 5 on 1:20
150 easy
10 x 50 free 5 on 40; 5 on 35
100 easy

did a few fly kick sprints
weighed 211
8 days till zones, they begin Friday April 8.
I think I'm going to start taking it really easy and kick into major taper mode.

This morning I edited my swim faster faster tip # 25 about Fast Pools, some of it was adding verbs and using better language. I also added a comment on water jets. Crappy pools have water jets blasting away that interfere with swimming, the swim center has jets on the bottom that go up like a half inch and force the water to flow out flat on the bottom.

Fast pools tend to provide plenty of room to warm up for races, swim down after races, and stretch out and rest between races.

Today I asked Jill Sterkel, UT's women's coach the question,
What kind of fastskin suits do her distance swimmers wear in big meets?

the gist of Jill's answer was,
Some wear regular suits, Others wear fast skins to the knee, and
A few wear fast skins to the ankle.
She said the more fabric a swimmer wears, the hotter she's likely to get in her race.

**ande** · March 31st, 2005, 10:02 AM

400 fr
4 x 25 fl half length sprint 2 & 4
300 fr
4 x 25 bk half length sprint 2 & 4
200 fr
4 x 25 br half length sprint 2 & 4
100 fr
4x 25 fr half length sprint 2 & 4

4x50 fr
4 x 25 fl sprint the 4th 25
3x50 fr
4 x 25 bk sprint the 4th 25
2x50 fr
4 x 25 br sprint the 4th 25
1x50 fr
4 x 25 fr sprint the 4th 25

zones is a week away, it's time to start really resting.
I'll probably do some fast stuff for time
Friday, Monday and Wednesday

weighed 212

**ande** · April 1st, 2005, 09:53 AM

2 x (5 x 150 fr on 2:10 easy followed by 100 easy)
I modified the main set to fit my taper needs

25's for time
25 free easy speed / roll start / time 10.1
easy 125
25 free sprint / roll start / time 10.0
easy 125
25 breast sprint / roll start / time 13.2
easy 125
50 swim 25 free easy speed / 25 back sprint for time
11.5 / 13.4
easy 125

Weighed 213
Zones begins in 7 days
I'm probably going to not swim on Saturday and Sunday
World trials begin today can't wait to read the results.

**Rebecca** · April 3rd, 2005, 08:37 PM

Ande,
Thanks for the blog and the swimming faster tips. I'm new to competition--just started 2 years ago, at age 49--and it's really helpful to me to read what you do to improve and taper for the big meet, and the specific details about your workouts are great. Our Pacific Northwest Zones are also this coming weekend, so your blog is very timely. Last year I didn't taper for meets, and my times got progressively slower over the season--this year I've been learning how to taper and to train for specific events, and my times are improving at every meet. (Hope that trend continues at Zones!) Anyway--thanks for sharing your expertise.
Rebecca

**ande** · April 4th, 2005, 09:46 AM

hi rebecca,

you're welcome
I'm happy to share and I wish you well.

Ande

Originally posted by Rebecca
Ande,
Thanks for the blog and the swimming faster tips. I'm new to competition--just started 2 years ago, at age 49--and it's really helpful to me to read what you do to improve and taper for the big meet, and the specific details about your workouts are great. Our Pacific Northwest Zones are also this coming weekend, so your blog is very timely. Last year I didn't taper for meets, and my times got progressively slower over the season--this year I've been learning how to taper and to train for specific events, and my times are improving at every meet. (Hope that trend continues at Zones!) Anyway--thanks for sharing your expertise.
Rebecca

**ande** · April 4th, 2005, 10:08 AM

Monday April 4th

I did not swim on Sat or Sun and I took it easy today.
Zones begin Friday. I still haven't decided if I'm going to swim the 400 IM. Right now I'm leaning towards skipping it.

In training, I'm just modifying what the team is doing to fit my needs

Today's Practice was:

700 250 swim 100 back 250 kick 100 back

500 free easy

400 free easy

3 x 50 easy

2 x 50 easy

1 x 50 easy

Today I weighed 213

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This weeks training plan is:

Mon Easy

Tue Sprint 25's / race pace 50's

Wed Easy

Thu Sprint 25's

Fri Easy maybe swim the 400 IM

Sat Zone Meet

Sun Zone Meet

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

**ande** · April 5th, 2005, 09:59 AM

Tue April 5, 2005

arrived at practice 7:35 am, it started at 6:30 am

100 easy

8 x 100 IM on 1:25
I cruised 6, skipped # 7, and
swam # 8 in 1:00 , out in 29 back in 31

400 easy

50 breast fast 34.5
started the watch when my hand touched the wall on a back to breast IM turn

100 easy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

this week end in my 200 IM
I hope to split
34 something on breast and
27 something on free
to do this I must
take it easy on fly and back and
save my legs for breast and free

Wed easy
Thur fast
Fri easy

I'm still on the fence about the 400 IM
the zones record is only 4:33
which I feel I can easily do

3 days till zones.
weighed 214

**ande** · April 6th, 2005, 10:24 AM

Today I decided to skip practice and sleep in.
My wifes been sick with a terrible cough and fever, I took her to the doctor yesterday and she's been coughing constantly.

Tommorrow I need to do a little speed work
Then Friday morning I'll just take it easy.

I'll probably swim the 400 IM Friday evening
My focus events are

Saturday 100 IM 50 Bk

Sunday 100 BK 200 IM

2 days till zones

**SwiminONandON** · April 6th, 2005, 12:01 PM

Ande,
I think you should swim the 400 IM. I am no where near the swimmer you are and I'm doing it for fun ... maybe fun isn't the right word ... I'm doing it for teampoints and for experience. I highly doubt that this will become my race (way too long for me) but I know it'll make the 200 IM seem like a breeze.

Good luck, let us know what you decide!

**ande** · April 7th, 2005, 10:16 AM

This morning Whitney was coaching,
I warmed up with easy 25's, maybe like 30 or so, mostly free.

then I did

4 x 50 on 1:30 IM order working on easy speed.
Whitney timed me on these
Fly 28.2 really cruised it, barely kicked
Bk 29.1 easy
Br 34
Fr 25
But here's the thing
My right groin hurt when I kicked breastroke on that 50.

After the 50's I swam down some. My breastroke kick felt better.
then I did an 50 breast starting with an IM back to breast turn,
I went 34.1 but my groin hurt again, because of this I've decided to definitely NOT swim the 400 IM, I'm considering bailing from the 100 IM. Depends how I feel on Saturday, but I definitely plan to swim the 200 IM on Sunday. It's the event I've been training for all year.

I weighed 212, I hope to hit the meet at 210
Just one more day to go.
At this point it really doesn't matter if I swim or not on Friday.
If I do swim, I'll just do drills, I won't go far or hard.

Yesterday I spoke with my friend Peter Nunan. He was on a business trip to Boston and was training with a masters team there. Ethan Salnier, a former UT distance swimmer was there. Peter brought one of his fast skin suits and gave it to Ethan to try. Ethan put it on. Peter asked Ethan to swim a 50 yard free trying to go 35. He told him to barely press on the water. Ethan swam that 50 in 28. Ethan was shocked and excited. He has his zone meet this weekend, Ethan plans to wear the suit.

I wonder how fast Ethan will swim his 500 free?
Stay tuned.

**ande** · April 8th, 2005, 03:39 PM

I showed up for morning practice, swam easy,
probably did less than 1,000,
Did some breast stroke and my groin didn't hurt, but I didn't go fast.

Zones begin today
I'm thinking I'll drive down to SA and check out the pool,
since I only live 40 or 50 miles from the pool I plan to drive home each day versus staying in a hotel in San Antonio.

I'm hoping to split my races well and improve last years times
which were:

100 bk 54.27 split 26.05
100 im 54.76 split 24.56
50 bk 25.78
50 fl 24.49
100 fr 49.53 split 23.69

again I've been training all season for the 200 IM
In Jan I went 2:01.80
In Mar I went 2:00.85
I'm hoping to swim a smarter race and go under 2:00

wish me luck, thanks for reading this.

ande