February Swims

**GLC1968** · 02-04-2010, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by mickchick

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.

Those things look like my worst nightmare! I would bet money that they don't make them big enough to fit on my thighs.

**sgf726** · 02-05-2010, 07:04 AM

I need to try that Dolphin Kick - looks like fun!

Susan's post made me go add up my yardage for January - 14,100 yards better than I thought since I was traveling 2 weeks of the month and was only able to swim once/week on those weeks.

I am at week 4 of the program I have a mix of drills and intervals, ~1500 yds each 3x per week. I can really feel some improvement in my stroke, but I still don't feel like my legs are synched up. My stroke count for a length is almost the same for straight swim and using the pull bouy. I haven't been timing my laps as just been focusing on form. Once I get the form down then need to work on speed. The 1500 yds takes about 40 minutes which includes short breaks between intervals.

Sharon

**roadie gal** · 02-05-2010, 01:18 PM

I am really enjoying my new coach. I met with him for the second time today. Like last week, he got in the water with me and paced and watched my form. He had me work a lot on my kick today, not as a means of propulsion as much as a way to balance my body better. And I got it! I found out (probably a DUH to you fish) that a small, fluttery kick is so much better than a big thrash. I could actually FEEL the improvement in my balance. Wow. Then he paced me 5 X 50 yds, with 30 seconds rest, at a pace that's 5 seconds quicker than my normal 100 yard pace. I forced it through the first 2, then discovered that if I relaxed and paced myself I could go the same speed without killing myself. Another epiphany. Seriously. I've been fighting the water to try to go faster. I learned today that if I relaxed and stretched out my stroke I went faster and easier. We did that 5 X 50 again and I was still able to hold the pace. We finished with a 200 yd cool down that almost killed me. I couldn't believe I was so gassed after only about 1200 yds. But it was a great lesson!

**tribogota** · 02-05-2010, 03:22 PM

The main set today was 15 x 100, my coach gave me a break, usually 20, so I tried to do my best, did the first 15 on the 2 minutes exactly, each of them in 1:38 with 22 seconds rest, then for the last 5 couldn't keep it up, and did it in 1:45 with 15 seconds rest. Funny how mentally doing 5 x 100 less changed how I did the 15. When I do the 20 I usually stop and take rests and dawdle.

**Selkie** · 02-06-2010, 05:44 AM

Anticipating the Big Snow, I went in for early bird swim yesterday. Swam 3,500 yards with 100 kick. Got out of the pool with pleasantly sore shoulders/back

A good thing I worked out hard because the pool will be closed through Sunday (at least) due to the snow storm.

**GLC1968** · 02-07-2010, 05:03 PM

Had a good swim yesterday.

I did 1100 yards in about 50 minutes or so. I was doing my best to cut down on rest time at the walls. I just recorded my times from my watch, and I had 10 laps where I rested only 30 seconds between them. My goal is to eliminate those rests, of course, but I'm damn pleased with the progress I've made. My overall 50m avg time is about 1:10, so I do think I've found a comfortable pace for me (for now).

The downside to yesterday's swim? It was the last straw for my husband. He's decided to withdraw from the tri.

**Jones** · 02-08-2010, 03:47 PM

I swam in my first swim meet yesterday and it was a lot of fun once I got over being nervous. My first event was the 100IM and I did really awful. First we had a false start so that was a weird adrenalin rush, calm back down start again, weird. On the real start I dove too deep didn't dolphin kick enough so did more butterfly then usual. My back stroke is not my strongest stroke 'cause I swim crooked lines but it went as well as I could expect. I was really bummed when I made a bad Back Stroke to Breast Stroke turn and completely missed my pull down, which is my favorite part of Breast Stroke. I think a 100 IM is a really hard race to be a first swim meet ever race. Anyway time for my IM was 1:38 which I was thrilled with I wanted to go under 2:00.
The 100 free was much better. I swam my own swim instead of getting too caught up in the racing and did a 1:20 my goal was faster than 1:28 which was my fastest 100 ever in practice. My next event was a 50 free and it seems like you are hardly in the water and the race is over any way I didn't have a goal for this event but my time was :35.
Adults at adult swim meets are much friendlier than adults at kids swim meets. A lot of people knew each other but were still warm and welcoming, everyone cheered and had fun. I would do it again.

**Veronica** · 02-08-2010, 04:12 PM

That sounds like so much fun Jones. Where was the meet?

Veronica

**artifactos** · 02-08-2010, 04:42 PM

I managed another 800 yards or so today, after purchasing goggles. And they made a big difference in my comfort in the water! Unfortunately, they're pink AND mirrored, but they fit the best of all of the models at ****'s. Sigh.

Also got into a solid running groove for a mile and a half following the swim, so I at least have a solid place to start from for the sprint I'm aiming for in April. It's only a 400 yd swim, so I think I can handle it.

First Olympic distance will hopefully be at the end of June, otherwise I'll be aiming for mid-July.

The stars are apparently for the name of a big chain sporting goods store.. silly filters.

**Susan Otcenas** · 02-09-2010, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by GLC1968

The downside to yesterday's swim? It was the last straw for my husband. He's decided to withdraw from the tri.

Oh no!! Really? That's really really too bad. I think Nathan's class would have helped him alot. Nathan's taught many adults how to swim pretty much from the ground up.

Well, let him know that if he pulls out, we'll draft him to be our course photographer and tailgate party chef.

Susan

**Susan Otcenas** · 02-09-2010, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by tribogota

The main set today was 15 x 100, my coach gave me a break, usually 20, so I tried to do my best, did the first 15 on the 2 minutes exactly, each of them in 1:38 with 22 seconds rest, then for the last 5 couldn't keep it up, and did it in 1:45 with 15 seconds rest. Funny how mentally doing 5 x 100 less changed how I did the 15. When I do the 20 I usually stop and take rests and dawdle.

This was my mainset today too. 15x100. But if you looked at my times, you'd have thought I was swimming a pyramid.

They went up over the first 7-8 and then slowly came back down, with the last being the same as the first. I think I got kinda "lazy" in the middle. Once I started paying more attention to my form (especially extending my reach) my times came down - 10 seconds between the middle 100 and the last.

Inspired by the dolphin video, I also gave the dolphin kick another try, face down. I think if I work on it a little more, it will start to feel a little more natural. Today was better than the last time I tried it that way, at any rate.

2200 yards total today.

**roadie gal** · 02-09-2010, 01:55 PM

The main set of my workout today called for 5X50yds, 50 second lap with a 10 second rest. I had to do that twice. I was able to *just* make it on the first set, but had to extend the rest to 15 seconds on the last 2 laps of the second. When I was with my coach, at the pool in Carson City, elevation 4500 feet, I did the laps in 47 seconds. Here, at 6000 feet, it was all I could do to hit 50. It's just amazing how much the altitude affects swimming.

**Jones** · 02-09-2010, 01:57 PM

Veronica,
The swim meet was in Palm Desert http://www.desertseniorgames.org/, although this was not a USA Masters meet I have been told that USAMS have meets all over the USA. You have to join USAMS to compete but you do not have to work out with a masters team.
It's a good week for events in the desert. The Desert Senior Games had a 5k and a 10k on Sat 2/6 then the swim meet on Sun 2/7 and in Palm Springs the Tour de Palm Springs is on Sat 2/13 and the Palm Springs Half Marathon is on 2/14. Sadly I have to work so I can't participate in the Palm Springs events so am currently shopping for another half marathon.

**Wahine** · 02-09-2010, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by Susan Otcenas

Oh no!! Really? That's really really too bad. I think Nathan's class would have helped him alot. Nathan's taught many adults how to swim pretty much from the ground up.

Well, let him know that if he pulls out, we'll draft him to be our course photographer and tailgate party chef.

Susan

I've been out of the loop. Which race are you talking about?

**Susan Otcenas** · 02-09-2010, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by Wahine

I've been out of the loop. Which race are you talking about?

I suckered (erm, uh, convinced...) GLC and her husband to do the Canby Gator Grinder Sprint Triathlon in May. Most of my staff does it every year. Over the years, we've drafted in friends and family. This year, at least 10% of the participants (maybe more if I go back and add it up) are TE staff, friends or family! WOW!

We have a tailgate party between the time we finish and the time awards are given out. It's a ton of fun. And, it's a great, low-stress season opener too. I've done Canby 4 or 5 times now, and I've never had a more fun, friendly experience. The organizers and volunteers are amazing.

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