Inspired by my HS kids

 Today's workout and a lot of it was spent thinking about the various HS kids and their inspirational work ethic and drive.  Found myself trying to work on various things as a result.

Warmup:

• 300 Easy
• 200 IM
• 400 kick with fins/snorkel

Main: 

• 2 x 5 x 50's freestyle fast on :50
• Work on reaching and maximizing each stroke while keeping a fast pace.
• 6 x 100's odd - IM, even - non free stroke on 2:15
• 4 x 200's pull on 3:15 
• work on strong 1st quadrant swimming and keeping stroke count to 7 cycles per 25
• 400 kick with fins
• 800 snorkel free
• Thinking about awards banquet and what/whom should get recognition for what....

200 Easy cooldown

4,200 yards

Yesterday's meet went well.
Here are some details with video

Coach's Coin

 So apparently Clearfield closed their comp pool for a month, cause this morning there was a larger group of swimmers.  There was a group of 4 youth that were all in one lane being coached by their Dad.  Here is what I did this morning:

Warmup:

• 300 Easy
• 2 x 200's IM
• 6 x 50's free on :50

Main:

• 1500 Pull
• 100 easy
• 1500 snorkel free

100 cooldown

4,200 yards total

My Coach's Coins came into today.  They turned out pretty good.  Here is what I am prepared to share with the Seniors tomorrow during a private coaching chat with them before the swim meet:

35 years ago, I was at the same stage in life as you are today. I had a coach who motivated and inspired me to dream big. At that time, many seeds were planted in my mind about what I wanted to do with my future.

Over 20 years later, one of those seeds flourished. I trained hard and maintained a high level of discipline to achieve my goal. An inspirational man once said, “Nothing great is easy.” Today, I want you to plant seeds in your minds about where you want to go with your lives. I am giving each of you a token to remind you that you can achieve anything you set your mind to if you embrace three things: dream big, work hard, and stay disciplined.

Plant this coin in a deep coat pocket where it won’t fall out. When you find yourself in a dark place, needing encouragement, or searching for warmth in life’s cold moments, reach into that pocket. Feel this coach’s coin, and let it spark hope and determination within you—a spark you can nurture into warmth and motivation.

Later in life, when you have the chance to share your talents and skills with the next generation, seize that opportunity. Help them fulfill their own dreams so the cycle of greatness can continue.

The Fumes Are Killing Me

 Today I got to the pool late cause I had to drive Cathi to the Jr High. Yesterday I put a "Choose your own adventure type of workout where the swimmers got to choose whether they were in a speed lane, or an endurance lane.  Link to the workout.  Today's workout was patterned after the sprint option from that workout:

Warmup:

• 3 x 50's kick on back
• 3 x 50's kick on side focus on streamline on both

Main:

• 5 x 100's free on 2:00 (get under 1:30 on all of them)
• 5 x 100's Back on 2:30 (get under 1:50 on all of them)
• 5 x 100's Breast on 2:30 (get under 1:50 on all of them)
• 10 x 50's free fast on 1:00 (get under :38 on all of them)
• 10 x 25's bilateral breathing fast on :30 (get under :17 on all of them)
• 10 x 25's sprint with minimal breathing on :45
• 1000 snorkel free pull

400 IM cooldown

4,200 yards total

Halfway into the workout I smelled like a glue smell and remembered that yesterday they were repainting the "No Running" signs on the cement deck with red spray paint.  The fumes were pretty bad on the east side of the pool.  Reminded me of this scene in one of my favorite movies.  On A Clear Day

No breathing off walls

 Another day of thinking more intently on taking no breaths off the wall.  

Warmup:

• 3 x 100's easy

Main:

• 4 x (200 free strong, 150 IM (50's of stroke, no free), 150 kick with fins/snorkel
• 500 pull focus on no breaths off wall.  Got mentally lazy and forgot on one turn. But got it in 7:19

Cooldown:

• 400 IM

Total: 4,200 yards

I'd rather see a sermon, than hear one any day

 There was a poem that as a student of Coaches Corner Pickleball school I had to memorize.  Here is a little video I put together to help with the strategy to memorize it.  That poem is all about not being the kind of coach who doesn't practice what he preaches.  I mean it's like a spiritual leader who commits serious transgression while preaching to people about the damnation of it.

\

Yesterday I really expressed how strongly I feel about breathing right off the wall after doing a flip-turn, or right off the blocks and into the finish.  With all that in mind, I made sure that I followed that same charge for every single turn in today's workout.  My mind was soft on one turn and I had one goof up.  Which out of over a hundred flip turns, is a 99%.  Need to do better and get 100%  But here is today's workout:

Warmup:

• 300 easy
• 300 kick
• 300 IM
• 100 Build

Main Set:

• 10 x 50's free fast on 1:00 (Under :38)
• 12 x 100's free all on 2:00
• 1-4 descending (1:30 -> 1:23)
• 5-8 Pull w/large paddles (1:20 -> 1:14) 
• 9-12 IM on 2:00
• 1000 Snorkel Freestyle

Cooldown:

• 100 Trudgen
• 100 Back
• 100 Breast
• 100 one arm fly
• 100 Free

Total: 4,200 yards

Isaac stood me up

 This morning I was supposed to swim with Isaac for the first time, but he stood me up.  Here is the workout I did starting at 7:30

Warmup:

• 400 IM
• 400 kick with fins and snorkel

Main:

• 10 x 200's
• 1-3 free on 4:00
• 4-6 Pull free on 3:30
• 7-10 - stroke IM order with fins (fly kick on breast)
• 1000 snorkel free

Cooldown

• 400 IM

4,200 yards total

Endless Pool Swim (Kind of)

 Today and yesterday I swam with the resistance band in the Princess Discovery boat pool early (7am) before all the kids got there.  Felt good, and it was fun.  Swam 1 hour straight which I estimate is about 4000 yards both days. 

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Happy Thanksgiving swim

 This morning I got in the pool at Deck 16 Midship of the discovery Princess. I brought my rubber tubing band setup which I use for games with the swim team for doing a tug of war in the water but strapped one end to the metal grate at the end of the pool. Swam straight for 50 minutes and then a kid got in and I felt obligated to disconnect but then swam a few laps and then the kid got out. I resumed to another 4 minutes with the tubing and then another kid got in. 

So I called it quits at 59:30. Felt awesome. Got in over 21 miles according to the GPS. :) But hard to say since it was a resistance band swim. 

 

Mexican beach mafia

 So Austin and I wanted to swim out to a small island off the beach of La Isla de la Casa Cardon to Isla Cardones. About a one mile round trip. But after swimming only a couple hundred yards we were stopped by a banana boat driver who wasn’t even wearing a PFD that said we weren’t allowed. Pissed me off. I was wearing an orange cap and had a safe swim device with me. But no. Butthole. 

Apparently Mexico is not a free country. So we turned back. Only got in 300 yards. Sucked cause I was really looking forward to it.

Thinking about next week

 Next week (the week of Thanksgiving), I will be on a cruise so my swimming will suffer a bit.  There are pools on the ship, but nothing big enough for doing laps.  So I got some long rubber tubing, and a couple of clip belts, and plan to take that on the ship for some swimming with resistance instead of doing laps.  I actually got this for a game for today's workout with the high school kids, but since I've got it, I might as well take it on the ship and use it myself and see if it's really worth doing.

Here's today's workout:

Warmup:

• 300 Easy
• 400 kick with fins & snorkel

Main Set:

• 1200 Snorkel free pull with finger paddles
• 400 kick with fins
• 4 x 200's pull
• 5 x (100 free fast, 2 x 50's fast)
• 100 easy

Total: 4,200 yards