February Swims

[Veronica]

2100 yards for me today.

Warm up was a 200 swim, 200 kick, 200 pull.

Then I swam a 400, then 4 x 100, 300, then 3 x 100. The long intervals were an easy swim. I averaged around 1:50 per 100 on the long intervals. The 100s were all at about 80% effort. The fastest of these was a 1:35. The slowest a 1:38. I am extremely consistent I guess. I wasn't sure how much rest to take between 100s. I started off with 45 seconds and that wasn't enough , so I upped it to a minute.

My cool down was just a leisurely 100 yards.

Veronica

[Selkie]

Yesterday, the pool opened a little late because the manager's car got stuck in the snow---the crowd waiting out at the door was getting ugly by the time he arrived (it was about 19 degrees outside and some were wearing deck slides w/out socks!!).

This put me about ten minutes behind schedule, so I did my best to swim faster. Unfortunately, it was crowded enough that I ended up circle swimming w/two people who were actually slower than I, a first! I managed to get in my usual 2,000 yards but still ended up arriving at work a bit later than usual.

[Susan Otcenas]

I ended January with 17,100 yards. I'm amazed at how quickly it adds up.

2700 yards for me today - my longest swim workout yet!

Warmup - 500 (5x100 easy)
Mainset:
1 x 400
2 x 200 0:30 RI
4 x 100 0:20 RI
2 x 200 0:30 RI
1 x 400
Cooldown - 200 easy

I'm stoked that my 2nd 400 was only 1 sec/100 slower than my first 400! I was starting to feel tired by the end of that pull, but I managed to gut it out.


Lap Distance Time Rest min/100 free
Warmup 500 0:11:17 0:01:21 0:02:15 (5x100)
Lap1 400 0:08:08 0:01:01 0:02:02
Lap2 200 0:03:58 0:00:28 0:01:59
Lap3 200 0:04:01 0:00:48 0:02:00
Lap4 100 0:01:54 0:00:19 0:01:54
Lap5 100 0:01:58 0:00:20 0:01:58
Lap6 100 0:01:58 0:00:24 0:01:58
Lap7 100 0:01:58 0:00:42 0:01:58
Lap8 200 0:04:01 0:00:34 0:02:00
Lap9 200 0:04:04 0:01:48 0:02:02
Lap10 400 0:08:13 0:01:45 0:02:03
Cooldown 200 0:04:53 0:00:00 0:02:27
Total 2700 0:56:23 0:09:30
Elapsed 1:05:53


I really need to learn how to kick. My tri swim coach spent essentially no time on kicking. In fact, he kinda discouraged it, with the idea that our legs will get plenty of workout on the bike and run, so we should concentrate on simply keeping our legs up and not dragging. So maybe what I really need is to figure out how to drag them along more efficiently!

[GLC1968]

Had my third lesson last night. Not bad - again, she came with some new drills which were helpful, but when we asked questions, she really had no answers. Eh.

Anyway, the pool was crawling with kids, so we opted to not try and swim laps after our class. My total meters for the class was about 550 (in 30 minutes). I had on my watch to count/time laps, but with all the discussion/teaching between each lap or each 100, I kept forgetting to start/stop it. I do know what we did for drills and the few extra laps I snuck in before they pulled down the lane markers for water aerobics, so that's how I got the total.

I was also a sneazy, snotty mess again. I think the problem is that since this pool is primarily focused on children, they chlorine the hell out of it. The lap pool at 24-hour fitness was chlorine too, but it was MUCH milder and it didn't bother me at all - even after accidentally snorting in a ton of it up my nose at one point!

[Urlea]

Still battling the head cold, ugh! I'm trying not to overdo it so I've been taking more rest days. It's been close to 2wks of being sick now and I'm ready to be healthy.

Not the strongest swim today, but it was a swim! My body was pretty fatigued overall especially coming off of the bike & recovery run. I'm relearning to accept that not every part of my tri-brick is going to be great each time, but to celebrate the parts that are.

Susan- Wow that is a lot of yards for January!! Fantastic.

[roadie gal]

I went Tuesday for my second swim of the year. I did a workout that my coach gave me: 200 warm up, 500 various drills, 5 X 100 fast, 200 cool down. That 5 X 100 was tough at this early stage, but I surprised myself by forcing myself to relax and stretch out on the last one and actually went 5 seconds faster than the previous 100. Huh! I guess that was the point, right?

I go to the municipal pool again today and meet the coach on Friday.

[artifactos]

I just started swimming yesterday (hoping to compete in my first sprint tri in late April). My boyfriend is (luckily) a very competitive swimmer, so he worked with me a little bit on my stroke. Right now, I just need to get comfortable in the water.. so I'm going to go make an attempt at swimming again today. Ugh, I'm afraid I'll never get better!

[Urlea]

Artifactos- Given practice you will most definitely get better! And you're fortunate enough to have someone to help instruct you, which is great. When I started training for my first sprint tri I couldn't swim an entire lap without having to stop, the year after that I swam across a lake & back (2miles). Just keep at it & you'll get more comfortable and things will come together. It's crazy how much confidence you have in the water effects your performance.

[Susan Otcenas]

so I'm going to go make an attempt at swimming again today. Ugh, I'm afraid I'll never get better!

You will! Time and practice. Be patient with yourself. You *will* get there! Really.

---

Coach gave a 2200 yard endurance workout this morning.
warmup: 5 x 100
mainset: 3 x 500 1:00 RI
cooldown: 200 easy

No surprise, my best 500 was the first. I kinda lost my mojo on the 2nd. The 3rd was alright.

I used my "cooldown" time to work on the dolphin kick on my back with fins. It's hardly a cooldown. But I like to visualize the pretty abs that are just waiting to develop....

[GLC1968]

I think I turned a corner last night. Normally when we swim, my first 2 to 4 laps are HARD for me - I can't get my breathing into a rhythm. I know it takes me awhile to warm up my heart when cycling too (god forbid I have a big climb less than 30 minutes from the start or I'll struggle more than usual)...so I'm sure this is part of it.

Last night was different though. I was craving a good swim because I'd had a very frantic day at work and for whatever reason, when I got in the water, everything clicked. First 100 warm-up was almost zen-like. Each effort after that was ok when we were doing unusual drills, but when there was a lull in instruction, I cranked out extra 50 freestyle laps and each one seemed almost effortless. I managed to get times on two of them. One was my first one after the warmup and one was my very last one - both were at 1:08 exactly, so I'm learning my pace.

We were also 'taught' dolphin kick. I already knew how to do it so I did a couple of laps while she tried to help the others learn it. When I got back to the wall, I suggested they try it 100% underwater without the kickboard because it's easier that way and that was the trick for the girls. My husband never quite mastered it. I don't think he'd be capable of belly dancing either.

I really, really wanted to stay late and swim after the class, but we had errands to run. Bummer.

[artifactos]

Well, I managed 800 yards today over about 30 minutes.. alternating freestyle and breaststroke (helps even out my heartrate and breathing) every 25 yards (short pool) and taking short breaks every time my heart rate got a little too high. I really feel like I have no idea what I'm doing.. heh. I suppose I'll eventually learn.

[Selkie]

It's been a weird week at the pool. Monday, late opening because the manager got stuck in the snow; Tuesday was more crowded than usual; Wednesday the pool was closed because of snow; and today, another late start because the manager was a no show. Regardless, I did a longer swim today--2,250 yards---which took me an hour. I savored every minute in the water.

Everyone is doing great with their swimming! Susan, check out GoSwim's featured Technique videos for this week and last http://www.goswim.tv/ When I saw these, I thought of you. What is the secret to doing the dolphin kick?

[Selkie]

By the way, check out this pull buoy! http://www.swimoutlet.com/ProductDet...ductCode=18905

Looks kinda cool. They come in "junior sized" for smaller legs.

[Susan Otcenas]

Susan, check out GoSwim's featured Technique videos for this week and last http://www.goswim.tv/ When I saw these, I thought of you. What is the secret to doing the dolphin kick?

I just watched it (without sound, since I'm at work). I'll watch it again later and listen to the instruction.

One thing I noticed is that they never show her come up for air when she's facing down. MY biggest problem doing it facedown was that whenever I came up for air I came to a dead stop. And it was hard to get going again.

On my back I can move continuously and breathe. Also, I only do it with fins. I don't have the strength in my core to do it without them yet. Today I started doing it with my arms extended (instead of at my side) and I found it easier to stay afloat. With arms at my side I felt like I was sinking too much.

Clearly, I don't know the secret yet either!!

Susan

[GLC1968]

I love dolphin kick! As a kid, we used to pretend we were mermaids and we'd tie our legs together at the ankles and that's how we'd play in the pool for hours. Doing dolphin kick totally reminds me of that!

Susan - if you read the text under the video screen, it says what the announcer is staying on the recording. Makes it easier to follow when at work.

When you do it on your back, are you underwater except when breathing? Or does your face stay up the whole time? I tried to do it with my face up and I kept getting water up my nose, so I must be doing something wrong.