1000 with Jeff

This morning I got up at 4:20 and was in the pool at 5:30.  Swam

2000 free

then joined Masters with:

300 - 100 free, 100 back, 100 kick
450 - 9 x 50's kick
800 - 4 x 200 IM's on 3:40
800 - 4 x 200's pull on 2:45
400 - 4 x 100 IM's on 1:40
400 - 4 x 100's free no equip on 1:25
250 - 10 x 25's 6 fly, 2 back, 1 breast, 1 free

Then stayed after and Jeff joined me for:

1000 free.  Pace was at 1:27/100yd nice and easy
He took off and I continued with:

2000 - 2 x 1000s on 15:00
500 pull
500 kick


9400 yards total

Met Maurice.  He's an older gentleman who I often see there.  He's a retired accountant.  He uses a rolling walker and I see him in the leisure pool with his wife.  Nice guy.

Meeting with Lynn de Freitas

This morning I met Lynn de Freitas, the Executive Director of Friends of Great Salt Lake.  I also met with KUED Producers Nancy Green and Natalie Avery.  We met at the Oasis Cafe for breakfast to talk about the GSL length swim for any potential in doing a documentary.  I was surprised at how much money is needed to really put something together.  Wow!  I would need Cathi to help me by focusing on fund raising and let me do my training.   Anyhow I enjoyed meeting with them and am eager to do my part in drawing more attention to the lake.  It really is something that doesn't get enough attention given it's vastness and beauty which most people fail to recognize.

Todays workout began at 2:30pm since SDRC was closed to the public this morning due to another high school regional swim meet.   I carbed up like crazy the last couple days knowing I'd be doing a long one today:

20,000 - 10 x 2000 yards odd sets free, even pull on 30:00
1000 - 2 x 500 kick with fins
400 IM easy

21,400 yards total in 5:15

Had some minor aches in the shoulders, but nothing major.  I could tell at 18K yards that I wasn't getting enough water as I felt my hands were getting all shriveled.  I forgot to stop and get a Gatorade on the way in and my water at that point was warm and gross so I didn't get hydrated as much as I should have.   But I swam strong and I really enjoyed the pulling.

I really bruised up my right arch in my foot.  Three different times when I did a flip turn I pushed off the wall and my foot slid up the wall and pushed against the edge of the gutter which really hurt the arch of my foot each time that happened.  I need to push off the wall a little deeper to prevent that kind of crap from happening.

But today's workout went well.  I had originally planned on 20K, but put in a little extra to round up the yardage to a whole mile amount - 12 miles exactly.

Getting pushed out of the pool by the high schoolers

Got up early and was in the pool at 5:15am.  Swam

2000 - 2000 free in 28 minutes
1000 free just in time for Masters workout:

300 - 6 x 50's drill/swim on :50
300 - 6 x 50's kick free/fly on 1:00
500 - 10 x 50's free build on :50
500 - 10 x 50's back on 1:00 every 4th one all out!
500 - 10 x 50's desc 1-3 three time, 10th one easy
500 - 10 x 50's pull on :40

5600 yards total

The pool was all setup with chairs, timing system pads, posters, you name it.  Made me wish I was in high school.  Didn't get to swim after 7am cause they were going to open the pool to warm ups soon.  Will get in a long swim tomorrow.   Aiming for 20,000 yards (that is if Cathi will let me have that much time on a Saturday)

Lifeguarding Mr. Rogers

Today was my last day working at SDRC as a lifeguard and there is one guy there who is no kidding a clone of Mr. Rogers.  He wears a solid blue jammer and does laps at a leisurely rate.  If he came in there with a sweater and sat down to take off his shoes, I'd love it!

I noticed the other day that my PR for doing a 4 mile swim is 1:42:59?  I can certainly beat that!  So I kept track today of my time which was:

6000 - 3 x 2000's free stop only to tread for :15 and get a drink from the water bottle, then continue:
1200 free strong

7200 yards total in 1:39:40

So there you go!  A new PR for 4 miles.  If I tried swimming 7050 straight I'm sure I'd break the record again.

Coveting Superpowers

I slept in this morning a little but I still made it to the pool at 6:00am sharp.  I started right with the Masters team:

300 warmup choice
200 - 4 x 50's choice drill/swim by 25
2500 - 5 x 500's Odd 500 swim, even - 5 x 100's on 1:20  I pulled the 3rd 500 and was able to stay with Josh. That guy is fast and pulling strong was all I could do to keep up with the guy.
200 - 4 x 50's descending free on 1:00 (:36, :34, :32, :30)
100 - 2 x 50's off the block sprints (Both :28)
100 easy

Then I did:
800 kick with fins
4000 - 2 x 2000's free 1st one pull (under 26:30), 2nd one no equip(27:15).  Go strong!
200 - 100 back, 50 breast, 50 free easy

8400 yards total

I felt so good today!  I sometimes get worried that if I really push myself with masters, that I'll die out and won't be able to get my 8-9K for the day with much quality, but today proved that theory wrong.  I swam really strong with Masters and didn't bonk for the distance sets in fact I did pretty well.

During my swim today I kept thinking "What if I were given a free superpower but only one?"  You can pick:

1. The ability to fly
2. Super strength
3. The ability to breathe underwater 
4. Lightning speed
5. Be the object of desire around the world by silly girls.

I would definitely pick #3!  I felt like a fish today!

Being lapped, and being the lapper

After I guarded from 5-7 this morning I got in and did:

4200 yards free straight
15 sec rest while treading to get a drink
3000 yards free - last 150 sprint!

7200 yards total

During the first hour, coach Steve had three of his fastest boys doing sets of 400 and during those sets I would get lapped once.  The got out and during the second hour of my swim there was a bunch of other guys where I was the one lapping them every 400 yards.  But then again I was going straight and not doing any particular sets.

I placed the flyer for the greatsaltlakeopenwater.com race on the bulletin board at SDRC.

Last Saturday

I'm excited that today is my last Saturday working as a Lifeguard.  

Got in the pool at 6:05 am and did:

2000 yards free

2000 pull

500 Choice easy

Then joined Masters:

300 - 100 free, kick, pull

200 - 4 x 50's free easy

900 - 3 x 300's on 4:00

100 kick

900 - 6 x 150's on 2:10

100 kick

800 - 4 x 200's pull on 3:00

100 kick

800 - 8 x 100's free on 1:20

25 kick

8725 yards total

Had to get out early to get on duty on time.  

Only one more week of being Mr. Nice guy

On my way to my swim this morning real early I was texted a request to cover a 7-9 shift.  My initial response is no way, that's my swim time, but then I though well, I only am going to be working there for one more week, and I'll already have about 7000 yards at that point, so what the heck!   Doing something like that really puts pressure on me to hurry and not dilly dally.

2000 yards free strong :15ri go right into:
2000 yards pull strong

Joined Masters and did:

800 - 4 x 200 IM's
200 - 4 x 50's free on :45
300 - 3 x 100's free on 1:30
300 - 2 x 150's free on 2:15
200 - 1 x 200 free on 3:00

300 - 2 x 150's free on 2:15

300 - 3 x 100's free on 1:30

200 - 4 x 50's free on :45

6600 yards total

Less than I wanted in yardage, but I pushed the Masters workout and swam fast.  Only 5 more days of being a lifeguard there, then I will go back to getting like 2 texts a month and no more phone calls or emails requesting to guard.  I'll be in the water swimming the workouts that I want to get!

Treading during feeds

Today I got in after a two hour shift of lifeguarding.  Started at 7:06am and did:

6000 - 3 x 2000 free :15 ri just enough to get water while treading and go!
1200 free

7200 yards total

Felt great!  Did the whole thing in 1:45

APB for Utahn Marathon swimmers

So the Antelope To Blackrock Beach race on June 11th already has 4 registered swimmers, 3 from California and 1 from Colorado.  We need some Utah representation!  This morning I slept in a bit and started right at 6am with the Masters:

300 - 100 Swim, 100 Drill, 100 kick
500 - 2 x (25 drill breast, 50 build free, 75 drill fly, 100 build back)
600 - 4 x (100 pull, 50 kick)
200 - 4 x 50's drill/free fast on :45
600 - 3 x 200's fast on 3:40
800 - 200 IM, 4 x 100's free on 1:20, 4 x 50's free fast on :50
200 easy

Then did 2 x 2400 free only stop for quick drink between sets.


8000 yards total