Sunday swim

Micah and I got in the UCSB long course pool Sunday for some dynamic apnea. Not tons of noteworthy stuff was done except 50m no-breathers with the long fins. I did a ton of those, kicking on the surface to slow down my heart while staying warm between underwater lengths. Slow lengths with breathing is way better than sitting around to catch my breath while getting cold.

finned apnea lengths at UCSB

Friday I decided to hit the UCSB pool in the evening for some freediving work. Long course 50m lengths with the long fins proved too much on the 2:30, of which maybe 1 length in 30 minutes was no breath. So, I slowed it down to 3:00 - 4:00 minute rest. Then I did a few no breath, not super comfortably, and left. That much rest makes me cold. Probably some mellow lengths on the surface during rest intervals is a good idea.

swimming be good

Something I've always liked about swimming is how much better I feel the instant I hit the water. I know no matter how tired, bored, cranky, etc. I am things will get better as soon as I get in. That's true for lakes, rivers, oceans and pools. For example, yesterday I had to go in to work at 3:30 AM, had expected to get up at 5:30 to swim, instead worked until 10:00 AM then met Micah at the UCSB drink at 11:30 AM. Circumstances were not inspiring me - I was tired and grumpy. But I had spent the previous evening pumping myself up for a morning pool workout, a short day at the office, followed by more pool where I'd do some fin and apnea work. Plans changed so that I could either pool it up in a less than optimal state or pout at home. As soon as I hit the water I felt great and had a rad workout. the numbers:

• 200 free
• 3 x 200 free @ 5:00
• coming in around 2:55
• 4 x 100 @ 2:30
• coming in around 1:20
• 200 fly drill
• 200 kick
• 200 kick w/ short fins

The 200s and 100s were brutal. By the time I got to kick drills my legs were cramping bad - both legs, quads, hams and calves. Best workout yet. Micah did the same sets with me, also felt brutalized.

first water

Fred Hatfield would be proud. Well, that's probably saying too much. But morning workouts are my thing now. Today I swam in the UCSB short course. It's the kiddy pool, sure, but I'm working hard (seriously) and feel my day at the big boy pool is close. Sundays are the exception. The fish that show up for mid-week morning swims are fast. They don't show up at 11:00 on Sunday. That's when I do long course work. My day is coming though. Today saw my 100m times around 1:15. I'm not going to say that's not bad. But it's not horrendous. The super motivating thing about the UCSB pool is there's always a population of strong swimmers there, at least in the morning, and the two pools are about 30' apart. And most mornings there's a team taking up most of the long course lanes, which is good and bad. The good part is I get to see their work outs. The bad part is they make me feel like a wanker.

the numbers:

• 300m free
• 10 x 100m free @ 3:00
• OK, 3:00 is a lot of rest. My focus here though, is to be fast. I believe fast sets promote good technique. When learning (or re-learning) strokes, or developing technique in general, I believe a swimmer needs to feel fast water, and feel all the tiny adjustments that reduce drag and stretch out a stroke.
  
• 100m times here were between 1:15 - 1:20.
• 100m fly drill 
• 100m free kick
• 100m free/fly kick w/ short fins, alternating 

Sunday swim

I meant to do a real routine today, a 1000m with short fins, but opted to wuss out instead. I just was not feeling it. After a 300m warm up in the long course I started the 1000, only to bail out after 250m. Inspiring, I know. So instead of a workout I slowed things down, did some kick work with the long fins for 300 or 400m, eventually working up to no-breath 50s streamline. This was fun. 50s with the long fins are rad. Curious about my current long course pace I timed myself on a 100m free - 1:35. Improved.

first water

Rowdy Gaines appeared on my TV yesterday to talk about his gold medal performance in the 100m freestyle at the '84 Olympic Games. Rad. Though I won't be competing at Beijing this year I get psyched hearing about these Olympians, their training and competitive drive. And with that thought I went to the UCSB pool this morning. Rowdy would not have been impressed, though this is a substantial improvement for me. 200s on the 5 minute, my longest sets to date, had me coming in just over 3:00 and breathing like a football fan.

• warm up
• 2 x 100 free
• 5 x 200 free @ 5:00
• Coming in between 3:00 - 3:05.
• 8 x 25 free kick
• 8 x 25 fly kick w/ short fins, no breathe

Being in the water, especially first thing of the day, is ultra rad. Why I ever stopped swimming is beyond my comprehension.

first water

Had a good swim this morning. I would have liked to get in a long course lane but in the interest of avoiding a confrontation I opted for the kiddie pool. My lungs feel a little stiff the past couple days, I guess from Sunday's swim session. Today felt much better than Sunday though. Short course times are much quicker and the workouts less intense, I feel. For example, Sunday's 10 x 100s had me coming in between 1:40 and 1:50. This morning's same set put my 100 times between 1:20 and 1:25. Sunday I couldn't even finish the set without fins for the last half. Today I did it all. And it was hard.

• 1 x 100 free
• 10 x 100 free @ 3:00
• 20 x 25 free kick

For the last kick sets I used short fins, streamline position and focused on reducing breaths. The last few lengths I wasn't breathing at all, felt rad.

water, not first

I went swimming with Micah and Bridget today. It was, of course, rad. Got a late start, 1:00 PM, due in part to a late night, and it's Sunday. If you don't like chicks smoking you in the pool, don't take 10 years off and don't swim with Bridget. She's fast. I did, however, swim a mile today. That was a goal. And I swam long course, the 50m UCSB pool. 100s long course kicked my ass. I was struggling through the 10 x 100, STRU-GLED. Then Micah and I did some breath hold work in the 17ft dive tank. To my pleasant surprise I worked my feeble lungs up to 65 second static holds. Micah had a couple 2 minute dives. On what was maybe his first real attempt at static apnea this is awesome.
Here's the numbers:

• warm up
• 100 free
• 10 x 100 @ 3:00 free
• First 5 were hard, real hard. Breathing was labored, real labored. I was coming in between 1:40 and 1:50.
  
• Second 5 I used fins, shorty swim fins that is. These were fun and I think the extra speed is good training for form. I concentrated on stretching out my pull, smoothing out my streamline.
• 100 breast
• Got cramps in both quads. Had to stop halfway back.
• 4 x 100 dolphin kick drills

Today is for you, Bob. Though not undeniably heterosexual this is clearly an improvement.

first water

Day 2 of my new swimming routine. Or, I should say, my revived swimming routine. The UCSB pool was kinda crowded today. Odd because Tuesday morning it was almost empty. Maybe everyone's doing the Monday/Wednesday/Friday thing. Anyways, I felt a little better today. Probably I'll see improvements daily for the first couple of months. I should. I frickin' suck right now. For instance, here's what I did:

• 10 x 50 free @ 2:00
• 1 x 50 free kick w/ kickboard
• 1 x 50 breast kick w/ kickboard
• 1 x 50 breaststroke

That's a total 650 yards. Sad. And yes, that's 50s on the two minute. I remember doing 50 50s on the :50 in high school. If I could see me now. I'd kick my own ass. Whatever, I almost died this year. And I'm going to keep using that excuse for the rest of the year. Maybe longer. That's what you get to do when you almost die. Sort of like a reward to compensate for all the misery you endured. What? You didn't almost almost die this year? You better get out there and crank, dude. No excuses.

swimming is good stuff

I swam this morning. Loved it. Something about being in the water is rad. At the risk of sounding unmanly I feel I should have been born an otter or something. Something that swims around a lot like maybe a seal. Anyways, getting in and cranking out some laps felt really natural, like it hasn't been 10 years since I've done that. On the fitness end, however, things did not feel so smooth. One lap is about my limit. I did a 4 x 50 that killed me. Impressive, I know. This was at the UCSB pool. There's tons of space, like 12 long course lanes and 12 short course, with not a lot of people. The folks who show up at 6:30 AM are not sucky swimmers though. Unlike myself. There is no doubt I am leagues suckier than them which only adds to my frustration. In summary, swimming is great, I love it, I plan to do much more of it, probably incorporate it in to my training regimen, but I suck at it right now.