What a difference 3 degrees makes!

 This morning I got in the water at 8:15 and noticed the water was much cooler.  It was 82 degrees. Three degrees cooler than yesterday.  It was perfect.

Warmup:

• 200 IM
• 400 kick

Main Set:

• 8 x 100's free with tempo belt on 1:45
• 8 x 75's Rolling IM w: 10 rest
• 18 x 50's pull strong w: 10 rest
• 1400 Snorkel free

Total: 4,300 yards 

The lifeguard as I was getting out and was on her way back to the front mentioned that the 82 report up front was correct this time.  I laughed and said "Awesome". It really did feel good compared to yesterday.  No issues at all. 

Swimming in a hot tub

When I jumped into the pool this morning @ 6:15am, I was shocked with how warm it was.  After starting my warm up, I realized today was gonna be a struggle.  The water felt like it was 85 degrees.  Here's what I swam:

Warmup:

• 400 IM
• 6 x 50's Kick with fins

Main Set:

• 8 x 50's back/free
• 10 x 50's Pull on :50
• 16 x 50's Snorkel on :50
• 10 x 100's
• 1 - 4 IM
• 5 - 8 Desc
• 9-10 Kick with fins
• 6 x 100's desc with finger paddles

2 x 200's IM Cooldown

4,400 yards total

On the way out I read the thermometer, and sure enough, it was 85 degrees.  When I made it out the locker room I looked at the whiteboard which claimed it was 82 degrees.  I laughed and said shaking my head, "Ha, no way is it 82". Apparently the water was cold on Saturday and some folks must have complained, cause they have over corrected.  Today I missed my endless pool.  

Early morning swim

 I flaked out last Saturday on my swim, so when the alarm went off this morning at 5:30am I was so sleepy, but got my big butt out of bed.  Swam the following:

Warmup:

• 200 Free
• 400 kick with fins

Main:

• 600 - 3 x 200 IMs
• 800 Snorkel Free
• 300 - 3 x 100's freestyle strong
• 500 - 5 x 100's Freestyle desc 1-5
• 700 - 700 Pull
• 900 - 450 Kick with fins, 450 - 2 x 200 IMs with extra 50 free

4,400 Yards total

6:15 - 8:15am

Feeling good

 Yesterday I took the day off swimming and rowed for an hour instead. And lifted weights.

Today I did the following:

Warmup:

• 200 easy

Main:

• 400 kick
• 800 pull
• 1600 snorkel free
• 4 x 200 aims
• 400 kick with fins 

Cooldown:

• 200 strong

4,400 yards total 

Felt good. No issues. Wonderful! Coaching HS right after and then going to pick up Cathi from the airport. She spent the week down in Arizona with Debby doing a week of marathons. She ran 2 as she was struggling with her own physical issues (her left knee)

The total mileage of swimming for 2024 was pretty weak. But better than the years before.

97.18 miles in the pool 

2 miles open water

Just under 100 miles total for the year. I remember swimming over 100 miles in one month back in the day. Man I must have been majorly motivated.

Failed attempt at 100x100s

 I put together this workout:

But only got to 5000 before having right shoulder issues. So I did 300 more to get 5300 total (3 miles)

Disappointing and concerning that my distance days may be over.

Back to the Grind

 I've been a real slacker.  Last week I gave up my Friday swim because of Summer Sampson's wedding.  Saturday I slept in (no excuse).  So this morning I absolutely couldn't talk myself out of it.  Especially given that at 10am was the joint HS swim practice and immediately following at 11am was the Surfers practice which I signed up for.  So it makes sense to get in my swim right before the 10am kick off. Here's what I did:

Warmup: 

• 300 Easy
• 400 kick

 Main:

• 12 x 100's 
• 1st Free
• 2nd IM
• 3rd Back
• 4th Breast
• 3 x 200's descending 1-3
• 1000 Snorkel Free
• 5 x 100's free pull on 1:30

200 easy cooldown

4,200 yards total

Coaching was fun today.  Had to push the intermediate group since I had three very full lanes (total of about 20 kids).  And then for surfers only had 4 beginner swimmers which was fun.  Worked on Freestyle breathing, kicking, and backstroke.  Fun stuff. 

Christmas Eve Swim

 This morning I was in the pool at 7:30ish and swam:

Warmup:

• 200 Easy
• 400 Kick with Fins
• 400 IM

Main Set:

• 4 x 100's build on 1:45
• 800 Snorkel
• 800 - 4 x 200's descending 1-4 pulling
• 4 x 100's fast on 2:00
• 8 x 50's IM order on 1:15
• 400 Pull

200 Easy Cooldown:

4,400 yards total

The Loss of a Pool Buoy

 This morning I slept downstairs on the couch with the ailing dogs with all the turkey bones and skin they ate yesterday.  Poor Marshy was whining to get let out and after a few times of that, I just slept on the couch to ease the burden of it.  Because of that I missed my 6 am alarm, but instead got up at 7:30 am and was in the pool at 8am.

Warmup:

• 200 Easy

Main Set:

• 16 x 100's - 4 sets of:
• IM
• Backstroke
• Freestyle
• Kick with finsbu
• 4 x 400's
• 1st - Pull with pads, Buoy and snorkel
• 2nd - Pull with paddles and snorkel
• 3rd and 4th - just snorkel

200 Cooldown

Total: 3,600 yards

After the first set of pulling, I threw my buoy up on the deck.  When I got out, it was nowhere to be found.  Someone had to have picked it up mistaking it as their own.  Can't recall if I put "Gords" on it or not, but it's long gone.  It was quite busy today.  Ended up circle swimming about half the time.

Right shoulder giving me grief

 This morning I was in the water at about 8:15 and did the following:

Warmup:

• 400 Easy
• 400 IM

Main Set:

• 8 x 75's Rolling IM
• 6 x 100's Pull Descending 1-3 on 1:45
• 800 Snorkely Free
• 2 x (200 IM, 200 Kick with fins)
• 6 x 50's fast Build on 1:00

Cooldown:

• 100 Easy, 25 Underwater, 50 free easy, 25 Underwater, 50 free easy, 50 Grandpa swimming 

4,200 yards total

My right shoulder was giving me grief near the end of the workout. Make me worried that I might more chronic pain with the rotator cuff.  Glad I'm not gunning for a big swim.  Might have to cut my yards down a bit to like 3,600 on a typical day.  We'll see. Need to keep an eye on that.  I don't want to have to go in for another round of surgery unless I absolutely have to. 

Got up early for a long workout, but ended up being a normal distance

 Got up at 5:30 and was in the pool at 6:15 to do the following:

Warmup:

• 100 Easy
• 200 IM
• 300 Build
• 400 kick with fins

Main:

• 500 Snorkel free 
• 600 - 3 x 200's desc (3:15, 300, 2:45) on 4:00
• 700 2 x (100 easy, 250 strong)
• 800 - 8 x 100's pull large pads on 1:30 (1:12)
• 700 2 x (100 easy, 250 strong)

I prescribed to go all the way back down to 1 which would have given me over 6K, but at that point was at 4.3K so I called it. I was pretty tired at that point and didn't want to push it cause I would like to swim tomorrow.  

4,300 yards total

This evening is the last swim meet for HS before the Christmas Break.  I issued a challenge to the new 500 swimmers tomorrow.  If they do all 19 flip turns they can win $10, if they do not breathe on the breakout for all 20 lengths they get double that.  It's a fun little challenge that if they can do it, definitely deserve.