Halloween Swim

 Today I swam:

Warmup

• 200 easy 

Main:

• 4x50s free on 1:00
• 3x100s IM on 2:15
• 4 x 200s pull on 3:30
• 2x300s kick with fins 
• 400 snorkel free
• 2x300s pull
• 2x200s build on 3:30 
• 2x200s IM and free with costume
• 100 easy

Total: 4000 yards

Here is a little video of my shark costume swim: 

Increasing to 4K

 Today I planned out a slightly longer workout (10% increase):

Warmup:

• 400 Easy
• 400 Kick with fins

Main Set:

• 2 x (
• 400 IM, 
• 100 Easy,
• 300 -  4 x 75s Rolling IM, 
• 100 Easy,
• 200 Free Pull,
• 100 Easy
• 100 Breast/kick
• 100 Easy)

Cooldown:

• 400 Pull with Snorkel

4,000 yards total

Kinda felt Meh today. My shoulders felt pretty stiff.  Gonna take tomorrow off.  Got up early.  It felt good to complete 4000 yards before I even got into the pool on normal days. Was in by 6:40 and got out a little after 8am.

Being the bird of the water

 Today's workout: 

Warmup: 700

• 300 Easy
• 400 IM

Main Set: 2600

• 500 Snorkel freestyle
• 3 x 200's Free descending (3:20, 3:00, 2:46)
• 2 x (200IM, 100 Kick, 50 fast)
• 8 x 100's Desc 1-4 on (1:32, 1:28, 1:23, 1:17) on 1:40

Cooldown: 300

• 300 Snorkel freestyle easy

Total: 3,600 yards

Tread :30 with brick completely above water.  Goal was to do this 4 times, but only 10 seconds into the second set, my legs started cramping.  Need to do this more often, or do it near the start of the workout.  

• Today's Monday Motivation is the idea that we as swimmers, are the birds of the water for aquatic life.  They are looking up at their sky, and may be lucky to one day find someone up there at the surface swimming, looking down at them.  We live above the water in a realm that they can't survive in.  When we swim, we are passing through a barrier into their world.  We are the birds to them, which they may be in awe of. Be an awe-deserving bird.

Dude, don't be ashamed!

Marshy woke me up with his dog whine to go out at 6:20, so I got out of bed at 6:30 and got to the pool a

little early.

Warmup: 400 

• 300 easy
• 100 kick no board with fins

Main: 2800

• 3 sets of rolling 75's IM (fly/bk/br, bk/br/fr, br/fr/fl, fr/fl bk) on 1:30
• 1000 Free with snorkel (loved this)
• 3 x 200's pull on 3:00 (Got all on 2:40)
• 6 x 50's free - odd sprint! (:33, :33, :32) even active recover breast stroke

Cooldown: 400

• 200 IM easy
• 200 free easy

3,600 yards total

Last night I had a dream that I was asked to share a brief discussion on my religious beliefs at a MASSIVE event that Salesforce puts on called "Dreamforce".  I don't know why I was asked to do this, but I felt like it was a giant set up.  This would not be a topic at Dreamforce, but I definitely didn't feel saying "No" was an option.  Despite Salesforce having an equality group "Faithforce", I still felt like the company in general when I was working there was filled with a bunch of left-wing nutballs. And along with that a certain level of worldliness and cynicism. 

I could bear my testimony.  It's not like it was going to be a two-way conversation where there would be any kind of disputation going on.  Anyway, I was super nervous about the whole thing with the expected audience.  I woke up before I was able to deliver the address.  But was disappointed in my initial reaction. I should have been stoked to have been given that opportunity.   At some point in time every single person will know Jesus and the reality of his deity, mercy, and love.  Why was I scared to share that belief on such a huge scale?

Coaches Coin Concept

 One wonderful thing about swimming that I definitely don't experience while playing pickleball is that swimming allows me to meditate and think while I'm doing it.  When I'm playing pickleball, my mind can't wander and think calmly and conceptualize stuff.  You're completely focused on every aspect of the game.  Swimming laps is different.  I can think and meditate, and I absolutely LOVE that!

Today I was thinking it would be really nice to give all my swimmers at the end of the season a "Coaches Coin".  I've designed it and sent on the idea to OakCoins in Kaysville which will give me a proof and a quote.  I'm pretty excited about it. 

Here's today's workout:

Warmup: 700

• 300 easy
• 8 x 50's IM Stroke, Free

Main set: 2600

• 2 x 5 x 200's
• 1st Kick with fins/snorkel
• 2nd IM
• 3rd Freestyle
• 4th IM
• 5th Pull
• 600 Snorkel freestyle - It's these long sets where my mind really is able to go.  I miss doing long sets like this! I need to do more of these.

Cooldown: 300

Total 3,600 Yards

100 free sprint test today

 This morning I did the following.  A bunch of 400s:

• 400 Easy
• 400 Kick with fins/snorkel
• 400 IM
• 4 x 4 x 100's 
• 1st set of 4 free strong (1:28-1:29) on 2:00
• 2nd set IM on 2:15
• 3rd Free - kick with fins/board - no snorkel
• 4th  set 1st/3rd one sprint (1:10, 1:09), 2nd/4th free fingertip drag drill
• Very please with the 1:09 especially with the in water start, and I'm wearing a drag suit. 
• 400 free pull snorkel no fins (Freestyler paddles)
• 400 cooldown

3600 yards total

I acknowledge today that my body fat percentage must be prettay dang high.  I can float without even moving.  It's not like I'm in the GSL.  I feel good, but my fat amount should allow me to do some decent cold water exposure stuff this winter.  Gonna go fill up the ice pool in the back.....

Early Morning Swim

 This morning I took Cathi to the airport to catch an early flight to Houston to see Charlie. I dropped her off at 4:45am, so I drove straight to the pool afterward.

Warmup: 600

• 300 Easy
• 300 Kick with fins/snorkel

Main: 2400

• 2 x 5 x 50's finger drill free (start with 4 fingers, then 3, then 2, then 1, then fist swim) Slow but sure makes you glad you have fingers.  Amazing how much propulsion you get just having fingers.
• 2 x (200 IM, 50 kick, 200 Pull)
• 10 x 100's free on 2:00 Build

Cooldown: 300

Total: 3300

When I got out it was 6:45.  Most days that's when my alarm goes off and here I am getting out of the pool at that time.  Awesome!

Saturday 2 mile swim

 Here's the workout I did this morning:

Warmup: 900

• 3x300's - 1st Free, 2nd IM, 3rd Kick with snorkel

Main: 2600

• 
  4 sets of (300 pull, 200 IM, 100 free, 50 kick)

Drill:

• 4 sets of treading with 10 pound brick for :30 seconds.  
  
• I had originally prescribed a minute, but scratched it out as I realized how tough this really is.  

Cooldown: 100 free easy

3,600 yards total

Feeling really good.  I was able to hold under 4 minutes on the 300 pulls (under 1:20 pace).  Granted this is a pull set, but still for me at this early stage of coming back, felt pretty good about that pace.  Eventually, I'll get pull sets under 1:15, but I'll take it. 

Dude, I'm feeling firm

 I noticed that my chest and biceps (and probably my butt) are feeling more firm than they used to.  I've

been going for nearly three full weeks and I'm feeling GREAT!  I'm on a hole on my belt that I haven't been to in a while.  I've got a long way to go, but I'm heading in the right direction. 

Today's workout:

Warmup: 350

• 250 Free
• 100 kick with fins

Main: 1,750

• 10 x (100 free on 1:45, 50 back/breast on 1:15, 25 kick)

Drill: 900

• 6 x 150's pull with snorkel - focus on 1st quadrant being nice and controlled, streamlined with a glide.  Descending on these.  Do these on 2:30 intervals.

Cooldown: 300

• 200 IM Easy
• 100 IM Easy

One of my HS swimmers was swimming in the next lane over and I could see she was working on her flip turns. At the end of the workout, I gave a few tips that should help her. It's great to see a swimmer come in on a fall break to work on swimming.  When a swimmer comes in when they don't really have to, it makes me think they like it.  You could be sleeping in on a day off.

3,300 yards total

Sprint work

 Got in the pool by 8 am and did the following:

Warmup:

• 400 Easy
• 200 kick with fins

Main:

• Snorkel kicking with fins: 4 x 150's alternating dolphin, flutter, swim by 50
• 4 x 100's - first 2 flutter with arms at side, second 2 flutter on back arms at side

Sprints:

• 10 x 25's free on 1:00, try to hold :16 or better (Success)
• 8 x 25's back on 1:00, try to hold :21 or better (Success)
• 6 x 25's breast on 1:00, try to hold :21 or better (Success)
• 4 x 25's fly (not one arm, the real thing) on 1:30, try to hold :16 or better (Success)

I was actually really surprised I was able to hold those 16 second 25's on the fly.  It didn't feel very clean, but the clock doesn't lie.  Excited to think of the possibility of what I could get once I get stronger.

Distance:

• 800 pull with buoy straight

Cooldown: 200 IM easy

3,300 yards total

I'm feeling a little pain in my left shoulder, so I really need to monitor that and don't overdo it. I think I'll stick to 3000 or so and not feel inclined to increase. I need to be mindful not to put a lot of torque on the shoulders. I'm not a young buck anymore, and another torn rotator cuff is definitely not worth it.

Every Breath Feels Good

 Today during the sets of using a snorkel, I REALLY enjoyed those sets.  It's as if every time I breathe while swimming with face looking down in the water instead of breathing off to the side, it's as if each breath has a little more sweetness to it.  It actually felt really good to breath.  I think with my lungs being able to breath at will while swimming instead of having to time my inhale/exhale in rhythm with my stroke made the act of breathing feel wonderful.  

Here's the workout:

Warmup:

• 300 free easy
• 2 x 100's kick with fins
• 2 x 150's free with snorkel

Main:

• 4 x 100's IM
• 4 x 150's Snorkel freestyle
• 4 x 50's kick 
• 4 x 200's Pull Build ( was able to get these around 2:50 which isn't great, but given the first two I'm intentionally holding back just a bit, and then building to strong on the 3rd and 90% effort or so on the last 50)

Drill:

• 6 x 25's free - first 2 only get 4 breaths, second 2 get 3 breaths, last couple of 25's get 2 breaths
• That was not that difficult actually. Didn't really have to hold my breath very much.

350 cooldown

3,300 yards total

Supplemented my Swim Gear

 I recently acquired new swim gear:  

• Speedo Pull Buoy
• Speedo Snorkel
• Speedo Training fins

I decided to put them to good use this morning.  Here is the workout:

300 Warmup

4 x 100's Kick with fins

500 Free w/snorkle

600 - 3 x 200's pull on 3:15

500 - 2 x 100 IM, 100 free, 2 x 100 IM

400 - 100 free, 100 kick, 100 breast, 100 back

300 cooldown

3000 yards total

Yesterday I felt some strange sensations in my shoulder which made me wonder if I'm aggravating my left rotator cuff.  Gotta be mindful of that.  But today's swim felt fine.  Got used to the snorkle, and really like it now. 

Saturday Morning Swim

 Last night I slept out on the trampoline with Cathi (and the dogs).  That was a lot of fun.  Comfortable temperature, and no mosquitos.  Set an alarm for 6 am and got to the pool right as they opened the door (7am on Saturdays).  Got in the following workout:

300 easy

800 - 4 x 200's Build on 4:00

600 - 6 x 100's odd back, even free

200 - 4 x 50's kick breast

900 - 12 x 75's fly/back/br, back/br/free, br/free/fly, free/fl/back

200 easy

3,000 yards total

Felt good.  After the swim, Cathi and I headed down to SLC for Annie May's funeral (Shirley's mom).  

8th swim since restarting

 Today I brought my new 10 pound brick to the pool to do a little video of my freestyle to see what I'm doing:  Here it is

300 Easy Warmup

1000 - 5 x 200's pull on 3:30

400 - 4 x 100's Odd Back, Even Free on 2:00

900 - 12 x 75 Rolling IM's:  25 fly/back/breast, 25 back/breast/free, 25 breast/free/fly, 25 free/fly/back

200 easy

2,800 yards total

Followed by 45 seconds of treading with a brick above water with two hands.  Going for 1 minute, but started cramping in my hamstrings.  Need to keep practicing this!

Felt strong during this workout.  It was a good one.

Descending work

 600 warmup - 400 IM, 200 kick with board

1000 - 2 sets of 5 x 100's pull descend 1-5 on 2:00 (1:32, 1:30, 1:28, 1:20, 1:18)

500 - 2 sets of 5 x 50's free (no paddles) descend 1-5 on 1:30 (44. 40. 38, 36, 35)

300 - 2 sets of 6 x 25's free descend 1-6 on :45 (:20 - :15)

400 - 2 x 200's easy cooldown

2,800 yards total

Feeling stronger and faster compared to last Monday, that's good.  I'm enjoying it and my arm is thanking me.  I've been nursing a very sore right arm with some serious Tennis Elbow. 

3s

 Today was a play on the number 3:

300 Choice

300 - 6 x 50's kick

3 sets of : 300 free, 200 IM, 100 Back or Free, 50 kick or breast

300 Cooldown

2,850 yards total

First official day of Northridge practice

 This morning I lifted BEFORE swimming. I followed the workout given to me from an app.  A bit of chest workout.  Here's my swim workout:

400 Choice

 2 x thru each stroke:

    100 Stroke, 50 kick, 50 free

400 - 4 x 100's pull desc 1-4 (1:32, 1:28, 1:25, 1:18)

200 - 4 x 50's sprint (38, 38, 39, 38)

200 Easy

2,800 yards total

Here is the Monday Motivation I'm putting out for the Northridge swimmers today.

Another Conference talk involving a Seventy who nearly drowned as a kid

 This morning I got up at 7 and went to Layton SnS for the following workout:

250 Choice Warmup

4 sets of: 

    200 pull, 2 x 100's free on 2:00, 2 x 50's kick (no board)

On each of the 200's go faster.  First 2 x 100's I landed on around 1:40, and the last 2 ended up landing on 2:24 which was pretty dang good given how slow I am.  Felt good about that.

At this time I saw Joe Linford get in and we shared a lane for the last bit was the drill/cooldown:

10 x 25's sculling with pull buoy.  Use just hands, no cheating with forearms.

250 choice cooldown

Total: 2,750

Went home and listened to the General Conference and as soon as I heard one of the Seventies from Chile, Elder Villar explain how he as a child followed his older brothers into the surf at the beach.  I knew where he was going with this story right away.  Another near-drowning story.  Sure enough, as expected he explained that he was overcome by the power of the water and was saved by his older brother just in the nick of time when he thought he was done for.  It amazes me how common this is in talks at Conference.  Reminds me that water safety and drownproofing are so important unless you want to tie it into a spiritual lesson and share it with people at Conference.  Talk Summary

IM day - 2500

 300 warmup 

1000 - 400 IM, 300 IM, 200 IM, 100IM rest 1:00 between each

Repeat 1000 set above, but kick on last 100 IM portion

200 free cooldown

2,500 yards

After this I immediately left for a meeting at DSD Kendall building where the new 50 M pool design was being discussed.  That should be pretty awesome if it gets approved by the board.  There are a lot of details to get through, but it was refreshing to hear that the priority is that this is a top-notch competition pool, and the attributes of the facility are to draw competitive swimming from all over and have this be the go-to for championship swimming.  

Embarrasing

 Today's workout was slightly longer than yesterday's and tougher.  It was quite clear today how slow I really am.  I was averaging 50 free in about :40 or more.  Terrible!  Embarrassingly slow.

400 warmup

3 x 50's backstroke

4 x 75's breast/free/breast

5 x 100's free descending (1:40, 1:30, 1:28, 1:25, 1:23)

6 x 150's pull freestyle paddles

400 IM easy + 100 IM easy

2,750 yards total

My upper back is also feeling it.  Today's workout was tough for me mentally.