Back in the saddle?

The old saying "don't count your chickens before they hatch" is one that I take to heart. Particularly this week, when I began my slow return to swimming with my friends at MIT masters. And even when the chickens do hatch, as I witnessed last week when I was at the Museum of Science, the little guys stumble around and run into the walls and generally seem bewildered at what just happened. That kind of describes me at the pool today, but hey, we all have to start somewhere!

Warmup:
12 x 25 on :30
4 x 150 odds free on :20r, evens all stroke on :20r

Main set:
(Three times thru)
3 x 100 on 1:30 descend
50 easy
2 x 75 stroke on 1:25
50 easy
then...
4 x 25 fly
4 x 25 back
4 x 25 breast
4 x 25 free

It was fun to be back, to see coach Bill (and hubba, hubba, does he look great!) and all my friends. Wonderful to swim with E, and there was an extra special treat in seeing BB and his friend Pat. I am cautiously optimistic.

Coach for the day

Coach Bill is in Austin today and asked me to coach. He took full advantage of the fact that I am injured and have nothing better to do at 6:15am than sleep. The truth is, I'm pretty sure all of his reputable backups were busy, so he while he wasn't to the point of begging me to do it, I could sense his urgency. I said yes. But let me tell you, I have a newfound respect for Coach Bill and his management of the workouts. It's a lot harder than it seems! You have to create the workout, make copies, figure out times for the lanes, and then manage the workout. Not to mention the complaints. I mean, really, who in their right mind would complain to a COACH about an interval? Let's just say, I may be a reformed swimmer after this experience. But I got the chance to do one of my favorite workouts and I think people liked it. They certainly got a LOT of yards in! Here it is:

Warmup
5 x 200 (Yes, this is warmup set)
All on :30 rest
1.200 swim easy
2.200 drill/swim by 50
3.200 pull hypoxic (7,3,5,3)
4.200 IM/stroke choice
5.200 kick (tee-hee)
(1000 total)

8 x 75’s
Going:
1-4 stroke choice
5-8 free
1,2: 1:20
3,4: 1:15
5,6: :60
7,8: 1:05
(1600 total)

Main set:

2 x thru:
300 swim (or pull) on 4:30
2 x 150 IM order no free on 3:45
4 x 75 descend choice on 1:05
50 easy on :60
Rinse and repeat
(3500 total)

4(4 x 25’s)
In this order:
1st one is sprint on :35
2nd one is stroke on :45
3rd one is no breath under h20 on :45
4th one is ez on :35

(3900 total)

200 kick
(4100 total)

My intervals were a bit aggressive for all lanes, particularly with the IM and stroke, so we worked it out by the main set. Not all lanes could do the entire set, but most got through all of the main set. With regard to intervals, I guess my philosophy is to let people adjust for more time rather than give them a free pass with too much rest. I had a lot of fun, but would really prefer to be swimming rather than on deck. Maybe soon.

Add to favorites

I mark the dates of my favorite workouts in the off chance that I'll need a workout to swim alone. With one or two exceptions, none of those workouts are stroke workouts. It's not that I hate stroke, it's just not usually my thing. But today was an exception, and I now have a fun stroke workout to add to my fave's repetoire. Coach Mariah was on deck so we knew it would be a tough day.

250 on own
200 swim on :15r
4 x 100 drill/swim by 50 :15r
300 pull
16 x 100 going:
100 free
75 free, 25 fly
50 free, 25 fly, 25 back
25 free, 25 fly, 25 back, 25 breast
100 back
75 back, 25 fly
50 back, 25 fly, 25 breast
25 back, 25 fly, 25 breast, 25 free
100 breast
75 breast, 25 fly
50 breast, 25 fly, 25 back, 25 free
25 breast, 25 fly, 25 back, 25 free
100 fly
75 fly, 25 back
50 fly, 25 back, 25 breast
25 fly, 25 back, 25 breast, 25 free
2 x 100 on 1:30
2 x 100 on 1:25
2 x 100 on 1:20
20 seconds rest
100 all out!
50 easy

Good job today, and we had nearly all original members of L3! BB, KBB, E, R, C, IW. K was in other lane. Missing were SB and Dr. Bob

Note to self: when the contact lens solution container says "do not put solution directly into eye" don't put it directly into your eye. Your eye will burn as if you threw acid into it and will be red and puffy all day. Next time, read the label and get the right stuff idiot.

Babies? What babies?

Our friend Rachel returned to swimming today, fresh off of having TWINS! If you didn't know any better, you would have a hard time believing that she did this just a few months ago as she looks great. It was so good to see you, Rach, and hope you can come to swim more regularly! Here is our workout - great job all, especially BB who cut his travel time to the airport to finish the 500s strong.

200 on own
4 x 100 work on various aspects on :20r
2 x 50 fly on :55
2 x 50 back on :60
2 x 50 breast on 1:05
2 x 50 free on 1:00
8 x 25 kick (it was 12, but we saw Rachel so stopped to talk!)
3 x 500 on 7:30 going:
1st one pace
2nd one pull
3rd one fast get time
Two times thru:
75 (50 fly, 25 back)
75 (50 back, 25 breast)
75 (50 breast, 25 free)
5 x 100 on 1:40 BUT total time of all has to be faster than your fastest 500!

I need a vacation

It's true. The first official day back to work and school and I officially need a vacation. I am not the only one. BB apparently also needs one; E too. You see, we just happened to have the best summer weather in recent memory here in Boston, and today is another gorgeous day and we are all locked in our offices. It isn't fair, coming back to work for four days straight (and it is only day 1). So, I propose to the president and congress that we have a phase-in of fall. I mean really, they voted to change daylight savings time, so why not this? Week 1 should be a two day workweek, week 2 a three day workweek, etc. so that we gradually build up to five days. I think this idea is a good one. I've just convinced myself.

400 warmup
6x50 count strokes on 1:00
4x50 stroke on 1:00
4x75 going underwater, easy, free on 1:20
5x250 on 4:00 keep pace
2x50 easy on 1:00
4x200 keep pace on 2:55
2x50 easy

So this is going in my file of favorite workouts. I love 200s, and 250s are pretty darn cool too.

Dropping like flies

As the intervals dropped during our main set today, so too did most of the swimmers of lane 3. We started out six strong, and ended up with just 2. And it would have been one as E nearly bailed when she saw the main set. Short post today, students and parents have descended on campus!



400 warmup
4 x 50 free on :55
4 x 50 stroke on :60
4 x 50 free on 1:05
6 x 150 hold pace on 2:20
15 x 125 going:
1-3 descend on 2:00
4-6 hold steady at 1:55
7-9 descend at 1:50
10-12 hold steady at 1:45
(13-15 descend on 1:40)
we did 300 pull hold 1:20s instead

Zen workout

Apparently nobody from Lane 3 showed up today. And apparently, according to the coach and a swimmer who will remain nameless who swam in Lane 3, the practice was "zen", "surreal", and "balanced". Really? Come on, folks. If you want surreal and balanced, go to a yoga class. That just doesn't sound like fun to me. Coach Bill might like serene, quiet, obedient swimmers now and then but truthfully, he would get bored without the electricity of L3 swimmers. But to show that we are truly team players, I think we all should try our best to be quiet, docile people for awhile. And by awhile I mean at least through the warmup, SB. :) Here is what they did today, looks like fun!

400 warmup
6x75 dr/sw/dr 20R;
6x50 IM order no free 15R
600 think technique
2x300 pull breathe 3/7/5 @4:45, 2nd faster;
600 fast
4x150 as 75 cruise 10R + 75 @1:10
300 fast
150 cooldown
4000 yds total