Saturday, March 28, 2009

Saturday Seems Like Sunday

I slept till 0800, but was up several times after 0500. I was a little slow getting a warm up in about 300 before the workout commenced. John led the way again and
3x100 kick 2;10
3x100 kick/swim 1:45
3x100 swim 1:30
8x25 :30

Main set is 3x200 broken time trials
100 20s, 100
100 20s, 2x50 10s
4x50 10s
59-100 easy between

400IM swim
200 broken
10x25
5x50 easy
looks like a low yardage workout, and I did not keep close count of my warm up or extra session yards.
about 3200 yards
I am now going to order the last blue seventy kneeskin at swimoutlet. I hope it is still available. Otherwise I may have to go with the WCM team order, but it may be difficult to send it back if it is not the right size.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Much To Do

Stopped by Petaluma on the way home from work this morning. I had a chore to finish so I took a walk and had a cup, then did my chore, went to the doctor at 1030 and walked to Ridgway from home. I took a long time to get going I swam about 1000 before joining in with the Friday noontime sharkfest. There were about 15 of us, I would say 4 lanes. Tony from the PHS workout group was there.

1000 choice
8x75, choice warm up on 1:20

Main Set, from John Morales
3 Sets
3x150 no fly IM on 2:20, 2:15, 2:10
6x25 fly on :30
200easy
100 easy
3x50 easy

I modified along the way, using fly in place of back, alternate stroke/free, all free for the 150's,
I talked with Liz this morning. She is swimming at the new fitness club in Petaluma and she said there are about 15 that swim in the morning workout. I think it is a coached workout and she says the pool is good.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Lobster Pot Thursday at Marin Y

Whew, it is warm in the pool at Marin YMCA. 85.5* is just too warm to swim hard. All the same, it is an active recovery swim day because of yesterday's 4500 yard workout. I am very comfortable here, I am getting familiar with many of the regulars, but I don't think that I will be using their pool anymore this season as the Terra Linda Recreation Center Pool opens on April 6, and I still will be swimming as many of PHS workouts as I can.
1000 swim
500 kick
1000 ladder all freestyle(50, 100, 150, 200, 200, 150, 100, 50)
10x50 free, 1-5 on 1:00, 6-10 on :55
5x50, 25 fast/25recovery on 1:00
5x25 no breathing on 1:00
125 ez out
3500 yards

OMG, The Whole Workout

Yesterday I received the workout that was supposed to be swum at the PHS Wednesday masters workout, but I was informed that the pool was going to be closed and work was being done on the chlorine system. I got to do the workout at Finley in the morning after work. DeaAnn emailed me the workout.
warm-up 1000 choice
scull/swim or pull/swim 8x50 on 10 rest(I kicked this)
swim 9x50 descending 1-3 on 1:00, 4-6 on :55, 7-9 on :50
swim 8x(200fast on 10 ri - 100ez on 20 ri)
for me, the 200's should be IM on the odds and free on even
swim 12x25 on :30
100ez out
Rest intervals were somewhat modified, especially for 12x25
I was in the water for about 1h45m and I didn't do the last 100ez
total is 4550 yards
Note 200 frees were around 2:45-47
This is the longest single workout of the year. I was planning to do dryland this afternoon/evening but I did not need to, and I was tired!

Monday, March 23, 2009

PHS

It is nice to swim with the swimmers at PHS. The water is warm and clear. We had a really long workout planned by the coach but as usual we ran out of time due to work commitments. I did swim 370o yards, although we only made it through almost two of the three rounds scheduled.
500warm up before 0530
8x50 drill/swim, kick/swim

three rounds
round 1
400swim
2x200, kick
200, 2x100, IM
16x25, 2 on fastest interval, 2 on fastest+10sec
round 2
400kick
2x200, swim
16x25, 2 on fastest interval, 2 on fastest+10sec
Due to time constraints, I had to pass on the 200, 2x100 rep and the last round
3700yard total

I asked DeaAnn if she will email me Wednesday and Friday workouts.

And I did 40 minutes on the treadmill this morning at work.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Sunday Morning Edition

This is the Sunday morning edition. Technical swimsuits, SCAM meet, shoulder problem, preliminary results from Steiner Memorial, and updates on upcoming events will be blogged today.
Strawberry Canyon Aquatic Masters(SCAM) again hosted the Spring Break meet at Spieker Aquatic Center on the UC Berleley campus. There are many reminders of the great swimmers who have swm here. There is the wall of swimming Olympians who swam at Cal, each with a plaque. It needs to be updated with the swimmers who swam at Beijing 2008. The pool is good, but there is a serious problem with sighting the bulkhead. A swimmer swam directly into it yesterday, I heard that he needed medical attention. I heard that other swimmers had serious sighting problems. R. Meyerhoff injured his wrist, he was icing it during the day, E. V. Boer crashed his backstroke turn, I don't know how bad he was hurt, and I am fairly familiar with the bulkhead, and it is like a solid surface and it seems to be like 1/4 inch plate steel and the surface is slippery, and the water was a bit cloudy so it made the turn treacherous.
The meet was much more comfortable than the previous two at Rinconada and CC College. The weather was cool and overcast throughout the day, and it did drizzle a bit around noon, but the locker rooms were open, warm, carpeted, and the showers are hot, so we all could keep warm. The meet was well attended, and there were several swimmers from the Central Valley. I saw several swimmers that were sporting Central Valley All Stars swim caps. I saw Clovis, Fresno, and Modesto swimmers. I had a good day, considering the weather and my shoulder. I swam all 5 events that I entered, I swam well and did not miss turns. I did mistime a few at the bulkhead. Best swim was 100fly. See the results at www.pacificmasters.org/results.
I do not think it is necessary to count my yards from yesterday.

Today Warren led the workout and we did some more backstroke and IM work
6x100back pull on 1:40 I did this for my warmup, with some 1arm fly and finishing last 3 with 25fly.
2x(4x200, reverse IM order, first 100kick)
4x50free between
2600 yards

I did 6x100 free, alternate breathing, dps
Total32o0 yards

I have retired my first Fastskin. It has deteriorated, not only at the zipper, but in the front crotch area. With the new one suit rule, I could not wear a speedo brief under the Speedo original Fastskin. I am in anticipation of possibly buying a Blueseventy. I am waiting to see if the new TYR is available in time for the PMS meet in two weeks. I would also like to send Speedo an offer they may like. I am willing to wear their LZR Racer if they could be kind enough to let me wear one.

I think I have decided what events I would like to swim at Zones. I think I have a good idea for Nationals too. I think I am going to wait and enter later, closer to when the meet entries are due, in case I change my mind about events.

I am proud to see that the teams that i am closest to have won the Jon Steiner Memorial Postal 1650, put on by TAM. TAM won the large team division, SRM won the medium team, and PET, Petaluma Masters won the small team division, with 100%! Outstanding.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Two for One

I forgot to record yesterdays workout. I was had a time issue, as the refrigerator serviceman was due between 10AM and 1PM, so I thought I would try the Sonoma Family Y, but it was way too slow, I only got wet. I did make it to Ridgway soon thereafter. First day back in the water after a 48 hour shift and I was dealing with the cramp issue, but I managed to swim through it. I did not keep close track of yards. All yardage is approximate:
1000swim
2x200fly, slow
2x100 fly
4x100fly/free
about 10 50 free/fly
this looks like about 2500 yards
The butterfly felt good.

This morning I went to PHS for workout and was in the water to warm up at 0515.
500swim
15minutes tread water
75easy free
6x50 drill/stroke
each lane gets to choose a favorite 500 set.
5x100, 75free/25breast on 2 minutes
10x50free 25texas style/25free on 70 seconds
4x125IM, but I only did 2, with 50 fly and 50 back
I am swimming at Berkeley tomorrow, I did not want to push it too much. I want to have a good meet, although the weather may not be cooperative again.
2000yards, pretty wimpy, but just about right for the day before a meet.
I hope that I do not have to perform any stupid fireman tricks today, and I hope that we sleep all night, no calls please. I hope I did not bring upon us any bad karma by making this statement. We will see.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Men At Work

I swam yesterday before work and did a weight training session in the afternoon. No pain in the recently injured shoulder/clavicle, although I did not use too much weight. It was a good session, and I did not feel too sore this morning or through the day. I also walked on the wall for about 45 minutes in the morning. Today, the second shift of the set, I only walked for 2 miles on the treadmill, and I did walking intervals for about the last 10 minutes. I speed up the track to 4.4mph for a minute and then drop down to 4.0 for a minute. It was good. I checked in on the Santa Rosa Masters website, and I found an image or two of me, I posted one here, and I am posting their link too. I am trying to decide what events I will swim at SCY in Pleasanton and Mission Viejo, if I do go south. I need to fill out my entry for Nationals too.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

I Can (Butter)Fly Again

It is Tuesday and I have to visit the Marin YMCA this morning. I am in the water before six with 3 other people in the lane, so I swim a slow 1000, and then a slow 500 back.
I am still moving slow and I do
250 easy breast kick
250 easy breaststroke
100 easy free
10x50 free, easy, hard descending both easy and hard
100 free easy
5x50 fly, alternating one arm with full stroke
5x50 free/fly
100easy
3300 yards
I seem to be recovered from my shoulder strain, it is just slightly irritated, no more than the left shoulder problem that I think is caused by my freestyle hand placement which at times is too far medial. I did some easy butterfly and I had little trouble, except that it is butterfly.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Stupid Fireman Tricks

I finally made it back to the water today. I encountered a rough spot along the way last Thursday. For some reason, we went to 2nd and B Street in San Rafael and changed the old Greenberg hydrant, I think it was a double, for a double steamer Clow. The street valve was very stubborn, and I hurt my right lattisimus while turning it off. For some reason, public works did not cut the concrete around this job, so the Captain broke it out with a sledge. It needed to be dug out, too, so we could unbolt one of the oldest hydrants in the city. The last bolt, of course, was upside down. We muscled all of them off, and then doubled up on installing the new hydrant, because we retrofitted the flange with a thimble. We needed to tighten and re tighten the bolts. My arms were sore later, and then the real pain set in, in the right subclavian area. It went south soon thereafter, conpensating for the lat strain. I wrote it up and went to Synergy on Friday. It was not good, 8 of 10, mainly upon movement. Very compensated swimming, I swam 1000 easy yards, and could not swim a stroke of butterfly. Kicked 500 and tried to swim a broken 200.
The Rinconada meet was Saturday. It was a cool, overcast day. I suited up for the 50 free, swam it poorly, and then scratched the rest of the meet.
I rested Sunday.
Today I woke up ready to go to PHS, but thought it wiser to swim at Finley. I was early! I swam with the Finley workout group, including Carol, Jessie, Mary, Dennis, Mark, and Paul. Paul teaches elementary school at Proctor Terrace Elementary, Jessie is a principal at another school, Carol sells real estate, and Mary is a nurse in Sebastapol. There are several others joining in the workout this morning. Warren Schenstrom sometimes swims with this group, but not today. I think that I have joined this group on occasion, but today I swam their complete workout.
Warm up until 0620 and that was about 750, I did not count laps
quick set, free on 45
quick set, IM 50 fly,100 breast 150back, 100free, 2x50IM. I did 25 1 arm fly and 15 breast,10 free
500 kick, w/fins on back
10x50 easy hard, on 60 easy @40, hard @33-4
500 warm down
about 3200 yards, easy, still too early for fly, but the workout went real good, the shoulder felt real good, the lat started getting irritated towards the end of 50s.

Just a note about the meet in Palo Alto on Saturday. These meets for the most part are conducted with the utmost respect for our sport. They are officiated and administrated professionally by dedicated volunteers. Occasionally when there is a rule infraction, they must rule in a consistent and fair manner. A rule infraction occurred and was dealt with on Saturday. The infraction may have seemed insignificant to the participant, but in fairness to everyone and to the integrity of the sport I believe it was dealt with in the proper way.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

0415 Comes Early

It was a bit harder getting out of bed today, but I was on the road at 0450 and I arrived at PHS at 0510 and I think I was in the water at 0515 but I only got 500 yards of warm up, but it was nicer today, I wasn't too sore or too fatigued.
8x50 hypoxic, under over
5x100 on 1:40
8x25 easy on 30
4x100 on 1:35
8x25 easy on 30
3x100 on 1:30
8x25 easy on 30
2x100 pm 1:25
8x25 easy on 30
1x100 on 1:20
8x25 easy
6x25 race car. Start at flags, sculling, then kick in place until start of sprint to wall.
3050 yards and 500 warm up totaling 3550
I walked the seawall at station 5 first thing in morning when I got to work. I walked about 40 minutes and I hope to get a dry land session this afternoon.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

On My Own

After three straight workouts with someone else leading the way, I was on my own again today. I was eal slow and kind of fatigued from the three straight days of good workouts. I tried to put something together, but it wasn't very good.
10 plus minute warm up, about 500 yards
5x100 breast, counting strokes, long pull outs off walls.
1000 free
4x200 broken at 45 sec, but barely making 42-43s
5x100 IM continuous easy
3200 yards

I got an email from the coach and we are on for tomorrow morning at PHS.
Please check the posted results for the USMS 1 hour postal swim. I am listed ahead of Mark Spitz.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Monday Morning Soreness

Daylight savings time is upon us and it seemed like I woke up at 0415 this morning. I was at the pool at 0510 and in the water at 0515, but I was very sore, almost stiff, but I did manage to loosen up after500 or so yards. We progressed to the workout which was

10x50 stroke/free, descending the stroke on 60 seconds
8x100 free, 10 seconds rest
200 alternating stroke/free IM
6x100free, 10 seconds rest
2x200 alternating stroke/free IM
4x100free, 10 seconds rest
1x200 alternating stroke/free IM
The rest of the set would be 2 more 200 and then 2x100free with 4x200, that would be 4 sets of 1000 yards with a 500 warm up set...
my total, since I need to get to work was
3100 yards plus 500 yards warm up for a total of
3600 yards

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Active Recovery, Modified

Good morning, welcome to Sunday at Ridgway, Warren Schenstrom leading. Paco, Dave, Mike C., Leslie, Hermine, Sarah J., Don, and Mike the coach guy. 300yard warm up
4x200 free on 3:00 down to 2:42, modified, the set was supposed to be backstroke, but I did free
100 easy
4x(2x125, 150, on 1:45), modified 150 to 100
4x200 kick
100 easy
6x50 easy warm down
3500 yards+300 warm up

Saturday, March 7, 2009

NEM scy psych sheet posted

The preliminary psych sheet for the New England Masters SCY is posted, and I placed a link to it in the link section. Very well attended and it is closed to entries, although they are still receiving and processing many, due to a typical last minute food of entries. It is at Harvard. I believe the Colonies Zone has a championship meet in addition. I will check into that. We have plenty of meets now that masters competition is becoming more popular in SoCal.
Warren led the pack this morning in deference to John Morales we did a Morales IM set
Short warm up, 300 yards
10x50 back on 60, dolphin off turn 1,2,3,,,
7xMorales IM,250 yards modified to 200
25fly on1:15
50breast 1:15
75back 1:15
100free 1:15
I modified this set by alternating 1 lap fly and stroke, and dropping middle 50 of 100, swimming fly.
Then we swam some kick relays, free,,fly, same with fins
Only 2300 or so yards.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Too Warm in Marin

the swimming has been warm to past two workouts, too warm. I was sore and tired from yesterday and it took a good deal of effort to do a complete workout today.
500 easy swim
500easy kick
5x100 easy on 1:45 from 1:25 to 1:15
400free easy
10x50free broken at 20 sec on 60 interval
100free easy
2x200 broken at 45sec average 38-35
100free warm down
3000 yards

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

too warm

PHS is broken, I got a call from DeaAnn last evening. Very nice of her, as I was going to swim with her this morning. Instead of driving to Petaluma, I walked to the Y and it is warm today, too warm. 86* on the board and it feels like the Marin Jewish Community Center(JCC) indoor therapy pool at 88*. Glenn said that the staff will not post the pool temperature on the board above 86* when it is above. I swam accordingly and had a fairly good sprinters workout and I am very tired after. I invited Glenn to the Saturday Ridgway workout.
500swim
5x200free on 3min
100free
400IM@630
10x50 texas25/swim on 1min
10x50speed play
10x50 broken@20sec on 60 last 25 hard
close to 3500, not exact from speed play to end of workout

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Ice Cream Imagery

A picture is worth a thousand words, or ice cream for the crew when it is a picture of you at a fire. Interesting day because at precisely 0800the SRFD made the transition from its stand alone dispatch center to the county communications center and at 0801 we received our very first dispatch and we responded to a structure fire up in the hills of San Rafael. Everything went very well, except for some minor command errors and some confusion about the radio change over, but all in all the fire was easy to contain and extinguish. That is me looking into the room of origin after the fire had been extinguished. I owe ice cream.

I am not as beat up as I thought I was going to be after the fire. Workout was uneventful, and I was a bit slogged from Monday morning workout. I made it 3000 yards today.
500free
500kick with fins on back(KFB)
6x50 25biondi/25free
4x50 biondi drill
2x200IM slow
100free easy
5x100free descending to 1:14 on 1:45
5x50free descending to 32 on 60sec
250broken on 45, 36,37,38,38,35

Monday, March 2, 2009

Station One, Murphy's Law

Hi, this morning I was in the water before 0515 and I swam at least 800-900 yards warm up before the workout started.
10x50 kick/swim-odds, drill/swim-evens
100IM
100IM/200back/100IM
100IM/200back/300kick/200back/100IM
100IM/200back/300kick/400free/200back/100M
that is all I had time for before the 0630 group was finished totaling 3200 yards plus 800 yards warm up for 4000 total.

I was at the meet at Contra Costa College yesterday, Sunday. It was cold and rainy all day and there was not very much space where it was dry. The locker rooms were also spartan and the showers were minimal and not too warm. The meet started about 30 minutes late and there was a bit of a problem getting the heat and lane assignments right for a while. I bet there were more than a few no shows. The pool was not certifiable either, apparently when it was resurfaced recently, it turned out to be 5/8" too short. Lots of shivering swimmers, and I had a near miss when I slipped on the starting block at the start of the 50 free, my final event. I swam all my events in a speedo brief, no fastskin today. Besides the 350 yards of competitive swimming I warmed up about 400 yards, swam down about 300 yards between events and swam about 1500 yards at the end of my 50 free, mostly back/breast. i guesstimate that I swam a total of 3000 yards during the day. My times were slow, due to several factors including a cold, wet and rainy day, my being cold and wet and no speedsuit. 2:37 200IM, 34.57 50 breast, 29.5 50 fly and a ripping 26.99 for the 50 free. the meet was over at around 12:30.