CRASH!

That is what happened at 2:30 yesterday afternoon.  I was enjoying my off day from the pool as I am training for the National Masters swim meet this coming week.  Yesterday I went to see Ted, the movie, in Hollywood.  I took my bike on Metro, and after the movie, I started to ride a bit.  Then I went the wrong way.  I started to follow a fire engine to a call and I deviated from being careful while riding and being so close to a major swim meet.  Traffic was starting to move again as I approached Sunset Blvd.  I was riding southbound between parked cars and the right lane.  I then decided to pull around the waiting traffic in the right lane and I hit a pothole.  Estimated speed of 5-8 mph.  I had gloves and helmet on.  I landed between the lanes, using my gloved hands to break my fall.  I hit my chin directly on the titanium insert.  The impact was probably dissipated on the plate.  I belly landed, and my lower body landed on the bike, except my left knee has road rash.  I really scuffed my shirt and have a bit of road rash on my belly.  My left wrist/forearm seems a bit more traumatized this morning. 

I ordered my RoadID yesterday after the mishap.  I got the slim model with 2 extra wristbands.

I felt it this morning.  A bit banged up.  Also felt muddy in the water.  Groggy.  Medication(s). 
500 swim
200 1 arm
100 back
225 fly
100
5x50 breathing patterns
10x25 hard ez
200 warm down

2000  short course yards, or less

Leave Me Alone, I'M TAPERING

I want that tee-shirt.  Check it out here.  I also reviewed both of the articles labeled taper at SwimmingScience.net

0616
600 swim
500 kick with fins
200 1 arm drills
4x100 free
1:12
1:14
 rest 60 seconds
1:14
1:22 ez
225 fly
ez pace, triple kick, touch turns
10x25 fly
last 4 with swimback all at 15
2300 yards short course

ez short weight room session
2x5 kip pull ups

Tomorrow is a rest day

Sharpen and Go

Therapy worked.  I iced, rested, and anti-inflamed the left shoulder yesterday.  I also did some thinking, or what I would call self counselling.  I swam pain free.  The shoulder irritation has dissipated.  I am also on my own for the next week.  I think that I need to go at it alone.  I need some personal time.  I think that I need to taper, or sharpen by myself.  I tried to go all the way with the coached taper, but I need to do it alone.  There are several reasons.  I cannot get properly focused in the group environment.  I also have a psychological issue about hurting myself in the group environment.  Any number of factors may be involved. 

0611

good warm up
some butterfly,
breathing pattern practice, 2up, 2down
touch turn practice
25 free with swimback, down to 13
2x100 free last one 1:10
warm down

50 minutes

Shoulder Psychological Exam

Needed. One shoulder psychologist.  Or a shoulder psychotherapist.  We need to provide a shoulder intervention.  Left shoulder.  Problematic.  Beginning after 50 breaststroke at Greensboro.  Backed away from all breaststroke movement since then.  Shoulder weakness demonstrated significantly this morning during 1 arm fly swimming.  Right shoulder works very well.  It is strong and asymptomatic.  Left shoulder/arm movement is demonstrated to be weakened by a significant factor.  Ill.  I caused left a/c impingement this morning.

0618
Analysis of today concludes I swam too fast too early in the morning.  I did some fast swimming after about 200 yards, sprinting with the polo team.  I think I tweaked.  Upon entering workout, I mentioned to swim coach that I needed to be careful to not cause injury or accidentally hurt myself.  I shut down after our warm up. And I got whacked with a swim-chuk.
400 swim
200pull
200swim


8x50 interval unknown, fast, ez
200ez I got out of the pool after 100, explaining to teammates it was better to get out and seek treatment than push myself.

Total includes 500 credit for early warm up.
1800 meters


Ice, NSAIDs


Got email(s) from head coach in Omaha.  Swimming 3 relays, including 200+ mixed free with Cheryl, Lisa and Dan.  Awesome.

The other email describes our workouts until USMS Summer Nationals next week in Omaha.
Coach Chad has asked all Nationals swimmers to follow our 0630 workout schedule.  It looks good.  One day is missing.  I shall ask either Patrick or Cheryl tomorrow.

I rode about 10 miles easy to get a sandwich at Langer's.  The Police Chief, Charlie Beck, was there.  He was probably getting a sandwich too.  He does a really good job, as LAPD Chiefs go.

Tapering Again?

Yesterday, which was Sunday, June 24, I did NOT swim.  It was the first day in about 3 weeks that I did not enter a pool.  I swam on Saturday on my own in the rec pool.
I warmed up for about a half hour.
I swam 10x100 free without a clock, easy.  Last 2 were 1:18 and 1:15 still easy.
10x25free on 30 seconds, easy mostly 17, down to 16.
Today Monday June 25

0615

600 warm up
3x200
1. 200 fly, building from one arm switch to full stroke
2. 200 fly broken at 100 and 150   3:37
3. 200 free broken at 100 and 150   2:47

warm down
3x200 free descend on 3:30
3x200 free ascend on 3:30

2400 meters

Countdown to USMS National Championships, 10 days

I will be able to swim at the championship venue July 3rd from 4-7PM and July 4 from 3-7PM.

I am trying to locate the awesome fireworks display in Omaha.

Mental Day

I just know that the workout/swimming did not go real well this morning.  Mediocre yardage less than enthusiastic participation on my part.  We did some turn/wall work, I did not do very good.  Poor examples all.  We did some kicking with and without fins.  We did some swimming too. 
200afap 2:50

Taking the rest of the day off. 

Start Thinking Taper

It is a nice feeling to be in good shape.  I had a discussion with my left shoulder and we are good.  After workout this morning, I took it through a typical weight room session including 3x5 pull ups with no problem.  I am so happy with it that I think I will swim some butterfly tomorrow. 
We are on schedule.
Extra kicking began Monday and shall continue until June 28, well into the beginning of supervised taper.  Kick sets will be 15-30 minutes in duration.

June 20

0615
300swim
200pull(1 arm fly)
100kick

4x100 free 80% 1:45
4x25sdk on 60sec
200ez
100free 1:05
200ez
150free to lactate threshold 1:50/145hr
600warm down 25scull/25swim

Swam workouts Friday, Monday and Tuesday.  Additional kick sets started Monday.

36 baskets of disc golf on Saturday.
400 swim down

Bike to RBAC
800 swim

Ballgame at Angel Stadium on Monday.  Giants 5-3 winners.  Jeah!  There were many gamer babes from Giantsland.

Last 2 A Day

AM

0628
400 swim
200 drill

4x50 kick o 1:10
4x100 fly on 2 minutes
4x100 free on 1:45
4x100 IM on 2 minutes

12x50 free on 1:10
1-4 descend
5-8 descend
9-12 ascend

2400 meters


PM

1222
600 mixer warm up

6x
2x50 kick on 1:15
100IM on 2:15

there was a bunch more on the board, but after that set I was done...

1800 meters

4400 meters for the day, just fine

FINA World Masters Championships

Rose Bowl Aquatics Masters swimmer and teammate Dan Stevenson is the 2012 World Champion in the 100 Meter Freestyle.  Congratulations Dan.  I will see you in Omaha.  Hey, is Robert Strand there too?  I'll see him in Omaha too.  Swim fast, stay healthy.  Same goes for me.  And Walter too.  But wait, I need to log the workouts from the past several days.

Saturday
 I was pretty much pooped.  I just did a basic lap swim, although I did some serious dolphin kicking with my fins.  I was in the pool for an hour.

Sunday
Pasadena Senior Games Swim Meet
20 minute warm up(1000)

400 free  5:50
warm down(200)

100 free 1:11.5
warm down(200)

200 free 2:45.8
500 warm down

2600 meters

Monday

Warm up was late, then I got to workout at 0645
4x50 10 kick switch 1:10
4x50 breast(fly)drill, I did over/under recovery with butterfly kick

100 back 1:31
2x50 back 1 minute rest 41, 43

300 warm down
that is only 900 meter without warm up, they must have done a long warm up(800)

Well On The Way To Omaha

 I received an email from Dr.  G. John Mullen as I was sent a defective dvd and we need to get that issue fixed.  I have been reading the new chapters in the Swim Coaches Bible,Volume 2 since I received it yesterday.  The chapter from Coach McKeever on backstroke is very interesting, as she is describing a new backstroke philosophy/technique.  She is the 2012 USA Olympic Head Coach!  I will listen to her.  I hope what little I learned will help my backstroke.  Are there any other writings, chapters, articles, etc, that she has authored?  Good positive re enforcement  in the chapter titled 'Mastering Swimming".  Is there also a book by the great Olympian, Jim Montgomery, by the same title/  Let me check.  Whoops, can't do that because I am in a motel...!!!  My apartment flooded last week, from the sink in the kitchen at night, I woke to a flooded dining room and kitchen.  Yech, what a mess.  New carpet, underlayment, new kitchen cabinets and counter at sink, probably a new sink.  I am out of a stove for 3 weeks.  I am out of the apartment for at least another week.  This does suck.  I think the grease blockage came from upstairs.  They are large people. Grease eaters.  Eew.  I am really good with my waste, right.  Duh.  I let it solidify, and then throw it in the garbage.  Before that, I would have a grease can, where all bacon grease and frying oil would stay until thrown into the rubbish.

Training is going well.
I ran out of swim towards the end of the yesterdays noon practice.  Tired, and my knee told me to stop.  Point pain on the top of the patella.  Weird.  To balance, point pain on the right clavicle.  Looking ahead to tomorrow, Thursday.  It will be a double dipper, two a day day.

Wednesday
Short course
0623

600mixer

4 times through
4x25 kick, IM order on 35sec(with fins)
50 fly, back, breast(fly), free
200ez

4x50 fly
4 minutes rest in between

200 warm down

Notes:  I swam old fly 3 times, then I remembered what coach said.  4th time was easier and just as quick as first 3.

I just came across a note on complete recovery sprinting in the SCB Vol 2, chpater 16, The Art of Training Sprinters, by Dave Marsh and Bill Pilczuk.  Cool. 

Full weight training session beginning at 9:30 for 1 hour.

Surprise Saturday Backstroke Clinic

Very nice workout this morning, although when Coach Chad said there would be a surprise at workout this morning, I thought maybe a guest star swimmer, or maybe some treats left over from the previous night's bash at the pool.. but no, it was a backstroke clinic, complete with drills, instruction, methodology, theory and fun.
Long Course
0630
600 warm up swim
8x50, back/free on 1:05
200 ez

6x backstroke drills
100 meters each

zombie, kick with rotation, hands on chest or abdomen
10 kick switch backstroke
1 arm backstroke, switch at 25 meters
1,2,3 backstroke drill, 1 stroke with first arm, 2 strokes with second arm, 3 strokes with first arm,
double arm, alternating kick
oh oh, forgot one here, is it the cup balancing on forehead?  We did it!  I went 50 meters!

5x200
200 free
150 free/50 back
100free/100back
50free/150 back
200 back

300 warm down

3100 meters

May 30
Short Course swimming Wednesday
We swam sprints with parachutes

Thursday May 31
Double Day
Morning
0617
700 warm up
4x50 Kick no fins on fast interval
8x100
4 at 1;30 pace on 1:50
2 at 1:25 pace
2 at 1:20 pace
warm down
2200 total verified

Noon Swim
lots of long butterfly, 200 style
I think the set was:
2 times through, different stroke for each distance only fly, back and free, pace times were given but...
50
100
150
200
warm down includes 100 fly at 200 pace
probably 2000 meters

Friday
0621
600 warm up
10x50 drill down, swim back
on 1:45, what did we do,,,
4x100 build
200 warm down
1600 meters