January Swims

[Susan Otcenas]

First swim of the new year!
____
swim = tempo 2100 yards
warmup: 300 choice then 200 kick (alt between 25 yards dolphin/25 free)
main set:
10 x 100 as:
first 5 100's = negative split. (:20 RI)
second 5 100's do as a TT (:20 RI).
then:
400 FR as (25 sprint/50 tempo/25 recovery) do continuous.

Cooldown 200 yards kick set with TYR fins.
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So said my coach. I've never done a dolphin kick before, so I had to watch some youtube videos. I couldn't seem to get the hand of it on my warmup. So after my main sets, I tried it on the cooldown with my fins and it was much easier to get the hang of. But, every time I came up for air, I came to a dead stop. Couldn't seem to keep the undulation going while breathing.


second 5 100's do as a TT (:20 RI). was really TOUGH! I held my times fairly well, but man are my shoulders tired.

[Selkie]

Did you dolfin underwater for a distance? I haven't tried it yet but it's on my list of many skills to master or at least attempt.

[Bike Chick]

01/04 (Monday)
Got to pool late and only got 400m in before swim team showed up and took over lanes I wasn't a happy camper. I won't be able to swim tonight because of another commitment. Doesn't look like a good week for swimming.

[Urlea]

Bikechick You aren't the only one having a poor week for swimming. But at least you got 400m in! Such a bummer about the swim team taking over though & it's hard to give them the "evil eye" when you are wearing goggles.

I was supposed to start my HIM training plan this week. Hasn't really happened other than the running. Between car repairs (one car household) & another blizzard today I just haven't been able to make it to the gym.

Tomorrow is a run + Brazilian Jiu-jitsu day, so here's hoping that Friday will be the ticket!

[kacie tri-ing]

My IM training started this week, and right now I am just doing some base endurance training, so I just got in the pool and swam for 45 minutes. No counting, no drills yet, just remembering how it feels to be in the water, since I have been avoiding it for some time It actually felt nice to be back in it!

[GLC1968]

Swam for about 40 minutes last night. NO IDEA how many laps because for whatever reason, I am completely deficient at keeping track. Seriously, I'm thinking of bringing in a laminated card and a grease pencil in the future. Overall, the swim was good. I discovered that I MUCH prefer the stretch of the pool that is over the deep part (the lanes cross into the diving area where it gets super deep) - it's much more peaceful out there and easier for me to avoid distractions. I'm easily distracted and that screws up my tenuous grasp on breathing rhythm!

I also ran into another co-worker. He came in just as I was finishing up. Apparently, he swims the same time frame but hasn't been doing so the past month or so (when I have been there!). Funny. I tried to watch him swim a bit as I was leaving and he makes it look effortless. I aspire to be like that someday.

[Susan Otcenas]

Did you dolfin underwater for a distance? I haven't tried it yet but it's on my list of many skills to master or at least attempt.

I did. I could make it about halfway across the pool before surfacing for air. It would be kinda cool to get good enough at it/fit enough to make it all the way across, without drowning....

A friend who is an *amazing* swimmer recommended doing it on my back, on the surface, arms at my side. (some of the videos showed that method)
Builds beautiful abs! There was also a video showing an even harder version of that, which is holding your arms up out of the water, perpendicular ot the water. Apparently you have to work really hard to keep your head above water, and its an amazing core workout.

[kacie tri-ing]

There was also a video showing an even harder version of that, which is holding your arms up out of the water, perpendicular ot the water. Apparently you have to work really hard to keep your head above water, and its an amazing core workout.

I can barely even imagine this!

[Susan Otcenas]

1950 yards this morning.

The last 200 I did dolphin kick, arms at my sides, on my back. What a GREAT workout. I could feel it throughout my entire core, front and back. And even though it wasn't only 200, it was really tiring. I'm going to try to incorporate this into all my workouts for a few laps.

I've always wanted nice abs.

[GLC1968]

I've always wanted nice abs.

Ahem - you already have nice abs, woman!

But that dolpin kick thing on your back sounds like fun, I might give it a try tonight. If I don't check in tomorrow, I probably drowned!

[Susan Otcenas]

I can barely even imagine this!

Here's the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA3wI...eature=related

[Veronica]

I'm checking out a new gym so I actually swam today. Nothing major - 500 swim, 300 kick, 200 pull.

I'm such a geek that I kept track of my 100 splits on the swim though, just to kind of gauge where I'm at: 1:40, 1:48, 1:50, 1:54 and 1:50. Not too shabby for just hopping in and not working too hard. The last time I swam was in September when I did a sprint tri.

This gym has some coached swim times, which has some appeal. I had been thinking I'd use the city pool when it opened back up in Feb., but their open lap times just don't mesh with my schedule.

So as long as I don't wake up with a runny nose, I'll be joining a new gym.

Veronica

[Susan Otcenas]

I'm such a geek that I kept track of my 100 splits on the swim though, just to kind of gauge where I'm at: 1:40, 1:48, 1:50, 1:54 and 1:50. Not too shabby for just hopping in and not working too hard.

I keep all my times in a spreadsheet. Yup, geeky here too!

BTW, I would LOVE to have those times!! My best 100 so far has been 1:52. Consistently doing 1:55 these days and I WORK to get those. Eight weeks ago was more like 2:05 to 2:10, so I'm making progress. (BTW, these times are yards, not meters....)

[Veronica]

BTW, I would LOVE to have those times!! My best 100 so far has been 1:52. Consistently doing 1:55 these days and I WORK to get those. Eight weeks ago was more like 2:05 to 2:10, so I'm making progress. (BTW, these times are yards, not meters....)

Thanks! You'll get there. Just remember tris aren't won on the swim. I have yet to watch one on tv where the first person out of the water was first at the end. I'd just like to get my three events a little more evenly balanced.

Yards for my times too.

Veronica

[Susan Otcenas]

Just remember tris aren't won on the swim.

So true!

I took a tri-oriented swim class last year. His stated goal was NOT to make us faster. Rather, he wanted to make us more efficient at a given pace, so that we would feel fresher at the end of the swim, thus enable us to better get through T1 in better shape and to bike & run well. I thought this was a very practical approach.