Terrible Twos

The workout wasn't terrible at all, in fact we all really liked it. But "terrific 2's" sounded too corny and the graphic for terrible was much more fun than the graphic for terrific. And let's face it, negativity sells sometimes. In a macabre way, more people will want to read that we had an awful workout than we had a great workout. Especially those who chose not to come to practice today. Well guess what? We had an awesome swim and nobody had a tantrum!

warmup on own
200 swim descend
150 drill/swim/drill
100 kick/stroke
50 fast
100 stroke
2 x 25 fly :25
2 x 25 back :30
2 x 25 breast :35
2 x 50 fly :55
2 x 50 back :60
2 x 50 breast 1:05
2 x 25 fly :25
2 x 25 back :30
2 x 25 breast :35
3 x 200 swim (second 50 fast) on 2:50
3 x 200 descend by 50, :5r at each 50; last 50 on 1:05
3 x 200 pull on 3:00
3 x 200 descend by 50, :10r at each 50 (we only did 2 of these)

I'd say that was a pretty sneaky way to get in 11 200s today, and we all really liked it. We laughed, we cried, it was better than Cats. Good job IW, E, Dr. Bob, and M.

Writer's block

I have to apologize to my lanemates and readers worldwide for slacking on the blog lately. I think I have some post-traumatic stress from all of the academic writing I have been doing and it seems too much just to post the workout. But I will be better, though I don't know if my creativity is 100% back. No matter, I will pledge to diligently post the workouts even if they don't come with some innane daily reflection on my part. Okay? Today's workout was one that I will definitely add to my "favorites" list - nice intervals and good mix of short and long. Here it is:

Warmup on own
6 x 75 odds kick/drill/swim, evens stroke, swim, drill
2 x 100 easy
10 x 25 build
3 x 100 on 1:30
2 x 300 pull on 4:45
3 x 100 on 1:25
2 x 300 on 4:30
3 x 100 on 1:40
2 x 300 on 4:15

I had to bolt before the last 300 so I am not sure what else they did. Good job pace setting by E,and well done by KBB, M, and kind of by SB would left too early. :)

Favorite workout

I have lots of favorites in my life - my favorite pair of jeans (old), my favorite food (ice cream), my favorite running trail (Lincoln Woods), and my favorite font (Calibri). I also have a small list of favorite workouts, and today was one of those. Unfortunately, I did not get to swim with all of my favorite people because the lanes were getting crowded. But my favorite pool setup (long course) is coming in one month, so all will return to normal then.

Warmup 150 on own
2 x 100 drill swim
50 underwater/swim
2 x 100 stroke/swim
50 underwater/swim
Main set: 5 x 500 going:
500 swim steady on 8:00
500 pull hypoxic by 100 3,5,7,3,choice on :60r
500 negative split on 7:45
5 x 100 IM or stroke on 2:00
500 fastest of the day

The generous rest helped a lot. Pacing was important on this set so you could really fly on the last one. Great job by all - BB did something like a 6:05 on the last one!

Carpe Diem?

We all get up very early for swimming. Some of us, like SB, around 4:30am. So when we get to the pool we're all pretty tired and logey. It is at that point that our day can take one of two paths: The good path or the bad path. The good path is when you jump in and the refreshing water wakes you up, you begin to sieze the day, looking forward to the challenges ahead. Your lanemates are funny, have good lane etiquette, and coach Bill's workout is just what you needed to get going. Then there is the bad path. That's when you jump in and realize that your body is exhausted, that the water isn't refreshing at all but feels more like swimming in oil, and the workout is a chore. Worse, you get out and are more tired/sleepy than when you got in. On the spectrum of good and bad, today was a little more on the side of bad path than good path for me. Or, to repeat a phrase I heard recently, I was more of the statue than the pigeon.

Here is our workout! I may have missed a part of the warmup.

150 swim
8 x 25 scull/swim
8 x 25 drill/stroke
6 x 50 count strokes
400 going 25 fly/75free, 25 back/75 free, etc. on :60
400 negative split pull on :60
400 going 50fly/50free, 50 back/50 free, etc. on :60
4 x 100 on 1:40 fast
4 x 100 going 25fly/25free/25fly/25free, back, breast, etc. on :60
16 x 25 fast down, easy back

Happy weekend, everyone!

Down by the river...

I recevied a sign today that I need to return to blogging. I was driving into practice and the Standells' "Love that Dirty Water" was on the radio just as the sun was coming up along the Charles. Days before, we got word that the Charles River swim is on for July. So if that weren't enough to motivate me to get to practice and post our workouts, my friends have become confused. I get emails like "how many yards did we do today?" and "what was the workout on Monday?" and "how did Sputnik motivate research and technology in American higher education?". Wait. Maybe I am the one who is confused. So to help me return to normal I am back after taking a few weeks off to focus on schoolwork. A little worse for the wear, but excited to start getting back in shape!

300 swim on own
200 drill/swim by 50
200 stroke/free by 5-
2 x 150 drill/swim
2 x 200 pull on 3:10
Main set: 22 100's!!
1-5 fast on 1:20
6-9 fly/back by 50 on 2:00
10-14 free going fast 3rd 50 on 1:25
15-18 breast/free on 2:05
19-22 hold pace on 1:30

Tiring!!! But a good job by all. Enjoy the 85 degree day ahead.