Topic: Swimming Thoughts
Haven't done very well lately in posting workouts or anything else related to swimming. I've been so preoccupied I keep forgetting. One thing I am a bit concerned about is my performance on longer distances since I've been doing more of the team's workouts and less of my own. Their definition of distance sets is a bit different than mine, ie theirs is shorter than mine since I am truly a distance swimmer at heart which makes me absolutely insane. They complain about having to swim a 500 straight through in practice when in my own workouts I swim 800 straight through just for my warm out. The team's workouts are shorter in total yardage and generally focus on shorter distances and shorter sets as well.

Naturally it's helped keep up my speed so that my times haven't deteriorated in the long distances (ie the 500, 800, and 1650 freestyle) ... but my times haven't improved either like they would if I was still continuing doing the long stuff in practice. Well at least my consolation is that my times in the shorter distances 100/200 freestyle and 200 backstroke have improved.

After my workout today, I feel more confident about my ability to do all the events I entered for state in two weeks ... although I would feel better if my long-distance strength/endurance was better, like where it was before I started doing all these short-distance workouts. Even though I'm still able to make time, I've noticed my arms feel more tired after long distances than they used to.

Ho hum ... random swimming thoughts at a god-awful hour of the morning because I can't sleep because I drank two coffees tonight thinking I'd be doing schoolwork but changed my mind.

Topic: Workouts
Today
800 yd freestyle (14:38)
4 x 500 freestyle (8:56, 8:34, 9:02, 9:25)
200 swim
500 kickboard
TOTAL: 3500

Last Monday 03/21/05 with the swimteam
500 warm up
4 x 250 progressive IM (25 fly, 50 back, 75 breast, 100 free)
4 x 125 freestyle
250 swim
Total: 2500 yards

Topic: Swimming Thoughts
I think I am okay for the state meet in April with all the events I want to enter, except for the 200 butterfly. I want to take a shot at it, but after today I've confirmed the obvious. Currently I don't have the strength and stamina for it, so it's going to take a bit of work for me to be able to finish it without dying or completely embarrassing myself.

I was already planning to do the 1650 yard freestyle (ie 1 mile) and the 400 I.M. anyway, and for those who do the 1650 FR, 400 IM, plus the 200 fly at the state meet you get a prize ... and yeah I like getting awards. :)

I know that sounds sooooo superficial, but I guess that does make me slightly competitive. I'm hardly considered cut-throat by any means, but I am competitive in that I always want to do the best I can and I always TRY to win, but if I don't win it's not the end of the world. As my brother told me once, there's always going to be someone who's better than me and someone who's worse than me so all I can do is the best I can do. I always remembered that since what I got out of his message was that regardless of how badly I think I've done, it's not the worst that's ever been done.

On some odd chance someone is reading this and wants to know what events I'm going to enter and what my submitted times are:

200 freestyle (FR) 3:18.45
500 FR 9:05.27
1650 FR (1 mile) 31:27.19
200 backstroke (BK) 3:28.45
200 butterfly (FLY) 4:18.49 (not including rest breaks)
400 I.M. 7:05.13

Don't worry, they're all spread out over three days ... otherwise I wouldn't consider taking on so many events that are such long distances.

The swim meet will be Friday, 8 April - Sunday 10 April at the Denver University Pool. As a kid I was never able to go to state because we always had to have certain times, so now as an adult it will be a lot of fun to be able to do something like that. And it also sounds really good when I'm talking to other swimmers, ie "hey I went to state and got 2nd place in my age group" LOL.

Topic: Workouts
Thursday, 10 Feb, 2005
I know I did something but I don't remember what it was. I can't remember that far back as far as swim workouts are concerned. :)

Wed., 16 Feb.
400 warm up
2 x 250 I.M.
25 fly, 50 back, 75 breast, 100 free

1100 yards of who knows what, somewhere in here. I don't remember what it was. I just remember that the following 5 100s, 10 50s, and the 500 were the last things we did.

5 x 100
1,3,5 something other than freestyle
2,4 freestyle
10 x 50 freestyle
500 swim

Today (Feb 18, '05 - Friday)
800 warm up (14:34)
200 butterfly broken up into 100 x 50 x 50 since I couldn't finish the whole 200 without breaks.
--
3 x 200 backstroke
300 freestyle
descend each 100 (ie getting faster)
---
do this set three times:
100 back
100 breaststroke
300 freestyle
---
100 swim/float/whatevever
---
500 on the kickboard

Topic: Workouts
400 warm up
4 x 125
1 & 2 100 moderate/25 fast
3 & 4 75 moderate/50 fast
6 x 200
every 4th length-fast
5 x 100 (5 sec between each)
10 x 50 freestyle
TOTAL: 3100 yards

Topic: Workouts
300 warmup
8 x 100 I.M. order
50 kick / 50 swim
6 x 200 free
1 & 2 50 easy/100 fast/50 easy
3 & 4 build
5 & 6 100 easy/100 fast
10 x 50
odd - stroke
even - free

Total: 2800

Topic: Workouts
01/12/05 (today)
300 warm up
4 x 200 free
4 x 100 free
4 x 50 free
-----
100 I.M.
150 100 free/50 stroke
repeat 3 more times
-----
2 x 100 free
8 x 50 free
4 x 25 free
-----
4 x 75 free
200 cooldown

Total: 3700 yards

01/10/05 Monday
800 free
5 x 200 I.M.
50-100-200-300-200-100-50 free
200 swim
500 kick
Total: 3500 yards

Topic: Workouts
Monday, 1/3/05
800 Warm up
5 x 200 IM
4 x 250 Free
200 swim
500 kick

Tuesday, 1/4/05
800 warm up
--
3 x 200
3 x 150
3 x 100
3 x 50
---
5 x 100
200 swim
500 kick

Wednesday, 1/5/05
300 warm up
5 x 100
---
200
2 x 150
3 x 100
4 x 50
---
4 x 100 odd free/even choice
8 x 50 I.M. order

Tomorrow it'll be two weeks since I've last been in the pool and between my week-long vacation to Calgary and Christmas-type activities since then, it's been pretty impossible. Tomorrow will be my first day back in the pool and I can tell I've gained a few pounds too with all the junk food and desserts I've been eating during the last two weeks. When I go tomorrow I plan on becoming officially registered with the swim team (I've just been going on a trial basis so far) and ask if the team is registered with COMSA, the USMS's local governing organization for the state of Colorado. You don't need to be registered with COMSA to be conducting organized workouts, but if you want to represent the group in swim meets, that's when the group has to be registered. I've got a feeling that I'm going to end up being the official team representative since I'm the one volunteering to register the group, and if anyone else on the team is going to swim meets like I am, I also get to be the team manager. :-) I'll just have to make sure I show up a bit early tomorrow morning before we start swimming to make sure I've got a chance to chat with the coach.

Now Playing: The Cosby Show
Topic: Workouts
600 warmup
300 descending 75s
5 x 250 odd-freestyle, even-progressive IM
8 x 100 alt. fast freestyle/50 choice 50 easy
200 cool down
500 kick
TOTAL: 3400