Milestone: Swim 100 miles in one month

So I was watching my mileage for this month and knew that I was coming close to swimming 100 miles in one month, so I made sure to get my yardage to where I could reach that milestone.  This morning I got up at 4:20 and drove to SDRC to do this workout so that I could get in early and still get to work at a decent time.  

I got this workout from Graham Wardell, who said that this workout is "A Real Killer!!"

1200 warmup - 3 x 200 free, 3 x 200 IM

800 - 1 x 800 free on 11:30

1200 - 2 x 600 free on 8:00

1200 - 3 x 400 free on 5:30

800 - 4 x 200's (1st free, 2nd 50 fly/150 free, 3rd 100 fly/100 free, 4th 150 fly/50 free)

1000 - 20 x 50's kick odd 25's steady/fast, even fast/steady on 1:00

400 - 400 pull (50 free/ 50 back) on 6:00

400 - 2 x 200's pull (50 free/50 back) on 3:00

400 - 4 x 100's pull (50 free/50 back) on 1:30

200 - 4 x 50's pull back on 1:00

Added this to the original "killer"....

400 - 400 free on 6:00

400 - 2 x 200's free on 3:00

400 - 4 x 100's free on 1:30

200 - 4 x 50's free on 1:00

1000 warmdown Long easy strokes

10,000 yards total

So my total so far on the Lake Huron swim is:  70.83% complete (311,650 yards or 177.07 miles total)  In order to complete my goal of finishing before Dec 31st, I'll have to swim only 73 more miles.  Something I should be able to easily do in December.  The rush is on!

Back home, but doesn't feel like it

I made it back to Layton since they were closed last week with a broken heater.  I guess my heart has transitioned over to SDRC as my "home pool".  The water felt fine.  It was cool.  But I just didn't have my heart in todays workout.  Don't get me wrong.  I swam hard, didn't feel like quiting, or had any pain issues,  I just missed my SDRC pool.  Its a much more inviting pool.  I think it might be the bubble. Anyhow, here is what I did today:

1000 free
800 - 4 x 200's IM on 3:30
3200 - 8 x 400's free odd easy, even fast on 6:30
800 - 16 x 50's free fast on 1:00 (hold :32)
3000 - 6 x 500's free (1 & 2 pull all equip, 3 & 4, no ankle strap, 5 paddles only, 6 no equipment)
1000 - 10 x 100's odd IM, even free on 1:45
200 grandpa swimming

10,000 yards total

My goggles have finally bitten the dust.  The plastic outer gasket has lost it's spring and my eyelashes are brushing the inside front.  So I threw them away and went with my backup pairs which I hate cause they fog like crazy.  Time for a trip to Big 5 for another pair.

After tonight's Lifeguarding class I got in and did 3000 yards free in 42:05

13,000 yards daily total

Drained

This morning I started my swim at 7:00am.  I was pretty drained right from the start, so today's workout was about just getting in and not being a bum.

1000 yards easy
2000 - 400 IM, 600 pull, 600 pull, 400 IM
500 kick (10 x 25 underwater dolphin, 25 back kick) with fins
500 - 5 x 100's odd IM, even free on 1:45
2000  pull
500 easy

6500 yards total

So this week was a record breaking week.  Swam 59,800 yards total this week.  I'm pretty happy with that.  I need to have a 40K average to get the Huron swim by the end of the year.  So I'm doing pretty good.

Long Black Friday swim

Since we didn't go to the cabin for Thanksgiving, and stayed home I was blessed with the opportunity to do a long swim.  I got up at 5:30am.  Cathi drove me to SDRC (where she continued on to Sandy to run with an old friend) and I was in the water at 6:30am.  Here was the workout I wrote on a piece of paper on the way:

1000 warmup
1000 - 1 x 1000 strong (14:15)
1800 - 2 x 900's (800 free immediately followed by 100 back)
2400 - 3 x 800's pull
2800 - 4 x 700's

Take a quick bathroom break and take a buzz bite for energy.

3000 - 5 x 600's
3000 - 6 x 500's kick odd w/fins, even w/o
2800 - 7 x 400's IM (fly one arm only)

Cathi showed right at the end of this set.  She was done running with her friend and also going to breakfast with her sisters in Bountiful.  She brought a book and was really supportive as she said she was willing to wait and read her book while I finished out the remaining sets.

2400 - 8 x 300's pull strong

Take a buzz bite

1800 - 9 x 200's free on 3:00
1000 - 10 x 100's odd IM, even free on 1:45
100 - 2 over unders

23,100 yards (13.125 miles) in 6:25

That's a new PR for the most yards in one day.  I felt great.  I definitely could have kept going but Cathi was waiting for me.  Actually she fell asleep up in the stands, but the kids were home and already broke the record and didn't need to be a deadbeat Dad the day after thanksgiving.  So now I'm off to play games and hang with the kids!

Pre-Thanksgiving swim - 10,100 yards

This morning my swim went much better than yesterday.  I was able to get into meditation mode within the first 1000.  My last set with IM's in it was also very good.  Got some good speed and strength on those even though I had already swam 9000 yards.

3000 yards effortless free
1000 - 2 x 500's kick w/fins
2000 - 2000 pull w/ankle bands
3000 - 3000 effortless free
1000 - 10 x 100's odd IM, even free on 1:45
100 - 2 over unders

10,100 yards

Felt great, no joint issues, or weakness.

I'm very thankful to have the health that allows me to do what I want to do - SWIM!

Swimming right next to an old friend - Sarah Hansen

I wasn't sure if Layton was closed again or not so I went straight to SDRC this morning.

Sarah Hansen was in the next lane over.  We never talked cause we were both doing laps and I don't think she recognized me.  That's one thing about swimming.  It is definitely not a social sport (unless your a slacker and just chatting it up at the wall).  

My arms never got into power mode, but I was able to get through it. I think most of the problem today was yesterday I didn't eat all that much and didn't have enough calories to power up for this morning's swim.  So today I'll stop at Smiths and load up on stuff for tomorrow's swim.  Then I'll take Thu/Fri off and then do another long swim on Saturday afternoon.

3000 yards free
3000 - 2 x 1500 yards free
1000 - 2 x (400 free right into100 back)
2000 - 4 x 500's free
1000 - 10 x 100's odd IM, even free on 1:45
100 - 25 breast, 25 free really easy, 25 underwater, 25 free really easy

10100 yards total

Acting dumb

This morning I got up early for a long swim, but Layton Surf N' Swim was closed due to the heater going out and the water being "too cold".  I was like "It's probably just right then since it's usually too warm anyway."  But the lifeguard wasn't having it.  So I drove to SDRC.  Thank goodness for a backup plan.

When I got to the pool Tim was there and asked, hey are you swimming alone?  I said well Yes.  Then I was like "I don't have a membership yet and wasn't sure how much the charge was for Masters.  So how much is it?"  I didn't want to say, Look I'm going for yardage today and don't want to work on short speed sets.  So I played dumb and just swam in the Northern lanes by myself.  Here's what I did:

4000 yards free strong
1000 - 2 x 500's kick with fins
3000 pull w/ ankle strap
1000 - timed 1000.   Go fast (13:52)
1000 - 10 x 100's odd IM on 1:45, even free on 1:30

10,000 yards total

Felt great!

Long swim after High School Thanksgiving Invitational at SDRC

The pool was closed until 3pm as there were probably a dozen high school swim teams at a meet at SDRC.  I got there at 2:20 and watched the last two events which had 5 heats each.  It was the female and male 400 yard free relay.  There were some fast kids!

I got in at 3:10pm and did the following:

4000 yards free strong

get a drink of gatorade

2000 yards free
1000 yards - 2 x 500's kick with fins
2000 yards pull w/ankle strap

get a drink of gatorade

3000 yards free strong with tempo trainer getting faster each 1000.

12000 yards total

More than halfway across lake Huron.  Hope to finish that before end of year.

Feeling great!

This morning I got up at 5:10am and got to the pool at 5:40am.  I was able to have a very relaxing, yet strong swim.  Alot of my swims included lots of prolonged reach before pulling and more focus on the pull:

5000 yards free straight no stop (Noticed that at the one hour mark I was at 4280 yards which is awesome.

1000 - 2 x 500's kick.  First 500 w/fins, second 500 without.
2000 - 2000 pull.  Long deliberate strokes with a little extra glide
2000 - 2000 free no equipment but with Tempo Trainer set at 1:00
400 - 4 x 100's first 100 IM strong, second 100 free strong, 3rd IM sprint, 4th free sprint  :20
100 easy

10,500 yards total

No joint or energy issues, swam strong the whole time and never felt like giving up.  Best swim in a LONG time!

Smiling Underwater

Last night on the way home from Lifeguard class I was thinking about things I'm thankful for. I kept thinking about Cathi and our life together. I was overwhelmed with love and gratitude for that woman. So I spent a few hours last night scanning pictures and narrowing all the good ones down to about 40 pictures and put this video together:



This morning I watched the video before coming swimming to appreciate the work I did last night. So I kept thinking about Cathi while I swam and often found myself smiling underwater while I was exhaling!

4000 yards straight strong (58:45)
1000 kick with fins
2000 free pull
100 free swim backwards

This was tough getting the breathing down. You actually swim front crawl backwards as if you were watching front crawl in reverse. Fun stuff!

1000 free with tempo trainer set to :97
100 IM strong

8200 yards total

Ladder #7

700 - 1 x 700 free easy
1200 - 2 x 600's pull on 8:00
1500 - 3 x 500's free descending 1-3 on 7:30
1600 - 4 x 400's long strong strokes on 6:00
1500 - 5 x 300's odd choice, even free on 6:00
1200 - 6 x 200's 3 kick no fins, 3 drill on 4:00
700 - 7 x 100's free fast on 1:30

8400 yards total

Felt like giving up at the 5th step, but kept on going.  Saw a couple ladies in my neighborhood doing some walking laps in the shallow end:  Kristi Sparrow AND Debbie Woodrow at the pool this time.  All they needed was to get Judy Hall there and then it would be a Primary Presidency meeting.

Day 2 of NW Zone SCM Championships meet - 400/200/50 M free

Here's the results from yesterday's 1500 M event.

I stayed up a little late last night watching "Gremlins" in my bed with the kids laying all over the floor.  But I knew I could sleep in a bit this morning considering I normally get up 5-6 to swim.  I love a meet that starts at 9am.

Swam the 400 M Free in 4:58.37 (new PR).  Second place overall.

A couple of events later I joined Tim Shumate, Dennis Tesche, and Pat in a 200 Free Relay.  I was the last leg and I did a 50M free.  We got 1:52.

Then several events later I swam the 50 M Free.  I seeded 28.31.  I got 28.29.  Those who get the closest to their seed time get a swim suit ( I was .01 off last year and got the suit).  This year I was off .02 and won again.  If I can't improve by very much at least I can win something.

About 30 minutes later I also participated in a 200 Medley Relay where I did the 50 free leg at the end again.  Overall team time: 2:08. (2 second faster than projected)

Then about 15 minutes later I had to do the 200 M Free.  At this point my arms were already pretty numb from the 50 sprints.  I wanted under 2:15.93 and ended up going 2:17.31.  So of all my individual events I got PR's on two and barely missed on the other two.  I'm pleased.  I didn't bomb on anything and came in first in my age group for all the events I did.

Swam 2000 yards total today including warmup/downs.

Now back to some serious yardage!

Day 1 of NW Zone SCM Championships meet - 1500M free in 20:44.73

Tonight I swam the 1500 M free.  My converted short course yards to meters came to 20:39.  I was aiming for 20:30.  I ended up getting 20:44.73.  


Here are some split stats:

I was doing great until I got to around 500 M and then I could tell I was starting to tire just a tad.  Not a ton, but enough to bring my sub 1:22/100M average to more like 1:23/24.  I'm not heartbroken though. I really haven't been focusing on speed very much in my workouts, just distance.  Some would call that garbage yardage.  I call it training for marathon swimming.

Anyway my yearly membership at Layton Surf N' Swim expires the end of this month.  Just in time for me to get hired on at SDRC and get my free membership there.  Once I do, I'll be swimming with the masters team there, so I should definitely get my speed work in there.  They don't do tons of yards, but they do work on technique as well as speed.

I swam 600 yards before as a warm up.  So today I ended up swimming 2250 yards total.  

Short workout and shave down

Got up at 6:30 and swam this short workout:

1000 yards easy
500 - 10 x 50's on 1:00 (odd 25 fly sprint/25 breast recover, even 25free sprint/ 25 breast recover)
300 backstroke
200 - 4 x 50's drill free
1000 yards easy

3000 yards total

Then shaved my arms in the showers.   I'm a little concerned that I've been so focused on marathon swimming, that my speed has suffered.  A little nervous about hitting my goal times tomorrow and Saturday.  I'm not going to beat myself up if I fail.  I'll do my best and if I don't hit the target, I can continue to focus on my marathon swimming.  The GSL swim is the ultimate goal and I have to keep that in mind.

Old dusty workout

I wrote this workout one night just before bed, but left it on my dresser by my bed for weeks.  I didn't end up doing it because it was lower in yards and I was trying to pick it up.  But this week I need to cut back cause of a meet on Fri/Sat at SDRC, so I ended up doing this workout today:

1000 yards free

My triceps, shoulders and upper back were all sore and stiff.  No joint issues, just muscles were stiff.  By the end of the 1000 I was feeling a little better. 

1200 - 12 x 100's free fast (get all around 1:10) on 2:00
1000 - 20 x 50's free fast (get all around :36) on 1:00
800 - 4 x 200's free strong on 4:00
500 pull

4500 yards total

Those 100 sprints were tough!  I took my HR on the last set and had it up to @170.  Tomorrow I'll plan to do around 3000 and thats it.  Then Friday I do the 1500 Free.  My seed time is 20:39.24

On Saturday I do: 400 M Freestyle, Seed Time 4:58.84
50m Free, Seed Time 28.31
200m Free, Seed Time 2:15.93

My goal is just to beat my seed times (which are all PR's converted from SCY to SCM)

Getting blown off by an Airheaded Aggie

Last week I had hoped to swim 10K yards on Saturday at the USU HPER pool.  So I called last Thursday to the pool to confirm the hours on Saturday and that there weren't any conflict.  Everything was a go.  I show up on Saturday at 10:45am fully geared up and ready to put in a three hour 10K, but guess what, there was a high school swim meet and they said it would be going pretty much all day.  I was a little pissed off to say the least.  I said,  "Man!  I call early in the week just to make sure, and I'm told 11-2pm is fine."    I guess next time I call I'll have to be extra vigilant in making sure the caller isn't just trying to tell me what I want to hear, but what the truth is.

I went to the Community center to see if they have a pool and they don't.  So I didn't get in my long swim on Saturday.  I was very frustrated. But today I felt the need to make it up a little so I did 10K this morning:

2000 yards free easy
1000 - 4 x 250's :15 ri
1000 pull
1000 kick with fins
1000 - 10 x 100's free on 1:30
1000 - 10 x 100's IM on 2:00
2000 - 2000 free with TT on :57
1000 - 500 free pull (50 pull w/ankle band, no buoy, 50 drill), 500 pads only

10000 yards total

After Lifeguarding class I quickly did another 2000 yards straight in 30 minutes.

Total for the day: 12000 yards

Lynn's workout

Nice workout from Lynn from the Issaquah Swim team:

1800 yards free pull - I added this little gem to get in a distance set.
1000 - 400 free, 4 x 100's IM (25 kick, 50 drill, 25 swim), 4 x 50's desc 1-4 on 1:15
1000 - 2 x (4 x 100 IM on 2:00 + 100 free on 2:00))
1600 - 16 x 100's free descending by set.

1st 5 - get HR between 24-26 on :10 count.  On 1:40

2nd 5 - get HR between 27-29. On 1:50

3rd 5 - get HR between 30-32 On 2:00

Last 100 get HR over 33

I was really disappointed with my inability to get my HR over 29 even at the hardest pace.  I felt like I was pushing it, but I just couldn't get my HR into the 30s like I wanted.  I don't know what's up with that.  Let's 30 HR for :10 means its a 180+.  Looking at the Max HR for a 38 year old is 182.  So I guess this workout is intended for kids with those numbers.

350 - (50 kick on :50, 75 drill on 1:15, 100 swim on 1:35, 75 kick on 1:15, 50 drill on :50)
250 - 50 kick on :50, 75 drill on 1:15, 100 swim on 1:35
25 easy
6000 total

Had to cut my workout short cause I needed to be to work already.  Will swim at USU HPER pool tomorrow.

Don't forget the nutrition!

I realized halfway into this mornings workout that I only had two pieces of french toast for dinner last night. I had to go directly to Scouts when I got home from work, and then when I got home it was too late to vote, so I felt like a slacker community citizen.  I didn't get a dinner so this morning I felt way sluggish, but I told myself.  "Gords, if you can just get through the prescribed plan today, you can reward yourself with a couple of bagels and a 2L bottle of the pineapple/orange juice you love".   Right on! I said, and I kept it going!

1000 free warmup - felt great once I got to around 700 yards into it.
2800 - 16 x (75 fly/back/breast by 25s, 100 free) on 3:00
2000 - 5 x 400's pull on 6:00.  Focus on long strokes and good form
1000 - 10 x 100's free fast on 1:30.  I was getting these around 1:26 which is terrible, but I was able to stay with the program with hardly any rest.
1200 choice easy

8000 yards total

Lifeguard class at SDRC tonight was kind of boring.  Talked about coverage, the lifeguards role, entry in the water and how to deal with patrons.  Swimming only consisted of about 100 yards worth of stuff using the rescue tube, so I won't count any of that as yardage.  But after class was over (again we were let out early), I swam 2050 yards straight, nice and loose, strong and in 28:53.  That's a pretty good time for 2050 yards.

Total daily yardage: 10050

Trying to stay ahead of the pack

So unless the swimmers who aren't reporting are keeping dirty little secrets, I'm in first place position in the Lake Huron Virtual Race.  Looks like I'm going to have to step it up just a tad, to stay ahead of Matt Hooper, who I'm sure he is going to try catching up, so I'll have to anticipate that and also put in more.  Thing that makes me feel a little comfortable is that for a whole week in October, I pretty much was out of commission with a bad lower back.  So if I don't have that issue anymore, my yardage in November will naturally be quite a bit more than Octobers.  Yippee!

Here's today's workout:

200 free
300 IM drill
2000 - 10 x 200's first 100 IM, second 100 free recovery on 3:30
900 - 12 x 75's 25 kick, 50 free fast on 1:30
500 swim easy :20-:30 ri
500 kick with fins :20-:30 ri
500 - 5 x 100 IMs fast on 2:00
500 pull :20-:30 ri
500 swim strong (beat first 500 time by :30)

Ended up beating it by :25 (7:10/6:45)

1000 2 x (2 x 100's on 1:30, 2 x 150's on 2:15)
100 - 2 x 50 over unders (25 under water completely, 25 free recovery) on 1:15

7000 yards

And Then Some...

I've been feeling sleep deprived lately, so I slept in a little this morning even though I got lots of sleep this weekend.  I also thought of the title of my book, when I finally write it:  "And Then Some".   I'll expound in the book obviously...

Here's today's workout that I came up with on the fly:

2000 - 2000 yards straight.  Moderate and stretch out stroke
400 - 4 x 100's kick no fins
200 free easy
400 - 4 x 100's IMs odd fast, even drill
2000 - 4 x 500's pull using tempo trainer.  :58, 1:00, 1:02, 1:04 last 50 of each 500 no paddles on 8:00
1000 - 4 x 4 x 4 - make the 100's descend on 1:30

6000 yards total

Tonight I went to the Lifeguard Training class at SDRC.  Craig Barnes was there and was giving me a hard time for training be a lifeguard.  Dude, its my personal key to staying young.  I want to be able to understand my 14 year old with all the cool new jargon and what better place to be embedded in the young crowd than at the pool as a lifeguard?

Anyhow, today's "test" for whether I'd be a decent candidate for the class consisted of:

300 yards (100 free, 100 breast, 100 free)
50 yards ( swim 25 yards to the deep end, dive down 12 feet, pick up the black rubber brick with two hands and keep both hands on it at all times and then swim back to the shallow end.

What a piece of cake!

Then we went to class for about an hour and discussed negligence, abandonment, and Good Samaritan laws. Then they dismissed since we didn't have books and they didn't have a video machine.  So I went back to the pool and swam 1650 yards more.

Total daily yardage: 8000 yards