Boxing Day Swim - 12,000 Yards

Got up at 5:30am to go swim at SDRC.

800 - 800 (200 kick-drill-IM-swim)
10000 - 25x400 Done in 5 sets of 5 (Only take water/food breaks in between sets of five)
set 1 = even kick, odd easy
set 2 = normal on 6:20 (6:00)
set 3 = pick it up on 6:10 (@5:48)
set 4 = fast on 6:00 (@5:40)
set 5 = fast on 5:50 (held 5:40 even though I was trying to go harder)

1200 - 6x200 easy. first one total recovery, 2-6 are 50 drill, 50 swim choice. :20 rest

12,000 yards total

A guy named Mark kept asking for advice during my 400's, but I spent the time he wanted when it was in between fifth sets. But gave him quick and short answers otherwise. I didn't really want to mess up the workout.

The 400's were tough especially the last two sets of 5. I tried going faster, but I just couldn't get the kind of intensity I wanted. But I didn't get slower and I didn't give up.

I was hoping to get this done just over 3 hours and it actually took me close to 4. Really took the first and second set probably too easy. Especially slow on three sets of 400 kick. Lower back a little tight.

Now for getting ready for the cruise. Hopefully I get some good swims in while there! We'll see.

800s

1000 - 4-4-4
3200 - 4x800 1 = pull w/ buoy (other equip optional), 2 = fins swim, 3 = alternating 100 fast, 100 normal, 4 = strong :30 rest
100 - 100 warmdown

Total 4300

The last set of the 800's I wasn't confident that I could go real strong, but just before starting the last 800, some high school kid on Christmas break got in and was doing 400 IMs and was trying to pass me. I kept him off me, so that forced me to go strong. Nice.

Merry Christmas. I'll get back in the water on Boxing day real early and go for 12k.

400s strong

600 - 300 free, 200 kick, 100 drill warmup
600 - 12x50 down drill choice, back free easy on :50
1200 - 12x100 pull pads w/ band on 1:30
1200 - 3x400 strong pace on 6:00

I did these at a great pace. I felt wonderful. I was really pushing these. Third set I sprinted the last 100 like it was a race. What a great workout. Just wish I had about about 6 more minutes to do a fourth one like I was supposed to.

200 warmdown

3800 Total

I was supposed to do 4x400's but I didn't have time to do it. I know what it's like late at night when people are still swimming and the pool is technically closed. It's really annoying for the lifeguard who wants to go home.

Pulling

I used to think that if my legs were cut off I'd probably be a better swimmer. Today's workout proves that isn't true:

500 - 10x50 warmup doing pushoff and 20yd sprint, rest easy, odds no pushstart 15yd sprint rest ez on :45
1000 - 10x100 pull on 1:25 (banked 6 seconds overall)
1000 - 5x200 pull no paddles on 3:05

It was tough keeping 3:00 so I ended up doing 3:05. Definitely faster with paddles.

1000 - 5x200 pull no paddles or ankle strap on 3:00
10x50 same as warm up

total 4000

Evening swim at SDRC while the boys play at WFTTC

I took Austin and Jacob to the Table Tennis Club and went for a swim while they played. Here's what I did:

1000 - 4x4x4
1000 - 2 x 500's kick with fins
2000 - 10 x 200's pull on 2:45
1000 - 10 x 100's free on 1:30 (Banked 10 seconds at the end)

What is "bank"? If you do a set on 1:30 and feel like leaving a little early, say five seconds less rest than prescribed, you "bank" that 5 seconds to be used later if you feel like taking just a little more rest. This gives me the option of working harder and then not feeling guilty if I am unable to maintain the killer pace and take a little more next time. The goal is to bank as much as possible by the end of the sets without "flying and dying". I've not heard of this before, but thought it might be a fun little thing to try, which it was.

300 - 100 breast, 100 back, 100 free

5300 yards total

Rewarded myself with 10 minutes in the steam room afterwards, man that was so good for my sinus'!

300s

200 warmup
3600 - 12x300 on 4:45 descend 1-3 hold 4th. (4:25, 4:12, 4:00, 3:53)

Successfully got goal on each set. Probably went way too easy on the first one (so I could get a good set time), but I made sure to get some serious improvement on each set.
200 warmdown 50 fr 50 bk 50 fr 50 bk

4000 Yards total

Slept in this morning and had to hurry to work right afterwards and skipped the shower. Now I smell like chlorine, but I like that smell. 6 months ago I couldn't really smell it that much.

Shiny fish

1000 - 4-4-4
2000 - 4x500 descend 1-3 and hold same pace for 3-4 (7:15, 7:00, 6:50, 6:51)
100 ez back
500 - 10x50 all strong pace on :40

On the first one I was able to get 5 seconds rest, next one 4 and so on down to the fifth one I had to start doing slow flip turns cause I didn't have enough time to stop or do an open turn to get the 40 second pace. But at least I was able to maintain the 40 second pace the whole time so that I ended exactly on the 40.

400 warmdown 100 kick drill pull swim

total- 4000

There is a "shiny fish" who I've noticed comes every morning and makes my swim a little less boring.

Catching up with Steve Roberts

This morning when I drove up to the SnS parking lot, Steve Roberts also pulled in. We talked a bit. He's training for the Boise Half Ironman in June as well. Made me remember that I need to get the bike down and put it on the trainer so I don't forget how to peddle. I need to be committed to my training plan. We shared a lane most of the workout cause it was a little crowded:

1000 - 4x4x4's (100's on 1:30, 50's on 1:00)
1000 - 2 x (400 kick drills with fins, 100 free with fins)
1000 - 5 x 200's pull on 3:00
50 ez
300 - 2 x (100 free fast on 1:30, 50 drill)
50 ez
150 free strong
50 breast

3600 yards total

4000 yards straight

Tonight I had to stay late to work, so I just stayed until 8:00 and then drove to the pool to swim before going home. My goal was to swim 4000 yards straight and hopefully get it done in the one hour I had. I did it in 56 minutes. I felt great. Went at a easy pace and bilateral breathed the whole time. I think the ability to exhale is really improving my performance.

4000 yards free

Back to normal routine

800 - 800 drill-kick-pull-swim x 200
2400 - 4x600 pull easy on 8:00
600 - 8x75 (odds 25 fast, 50 easy, evens 25 easy, 50 fast.) on 1:15
200 - 200 warmdown drill-kick-pull-swim x 50

total 4000

I can tell that I've taken a couple weeks off. My arms feel a little fatigued earlier, and I'm not as fast, but at least I can exhale! Feeling great!

Exhaling through my nose

I haven't been able to fully exhale through my nose while swimming cause the flow just wasn't clear enough to do so. But now after my surgery, I'm exhaling like a champ! Since this is my first swim since last Saturday, and I slept in too much this morning I decided to just swim for 1800 yards straight and get my time.

1800 Yards - 1800 Free

Finished at 27:44. Not bad for just going easy and not really pushing it until the last 50.

Warning - TMI: Afterwards during my shower I blew my nose and got a massive blood chunk out probably half the size of a golf ball. It felt great! I just keep getting clearer and clearer. I must have so much space inside my head now. Makes me wonder if I'm literally an airhead.