Swimming and Rowing Indoors

The Sonoma County Family YMCA is a nice community center featuring activities for all ages. Their aquatics programs, along with the many fitness classes and activities make the Y a very nice experience. A common complaint among more skilled swimmers is that the water temperature is a bit warm. This is true and there are several reasons that many aquatics facilities do keep the water warmer. The warmer water temperature allows bathers to stay active in the water for a longer time. There are various physiological reasons besides. I know that if a skilled swimmer is not acclimated to the conditions present, whether it be colder or warmer, turbulent or murky, problems may occur.

I am extremely happy that USMS and PMS have scheduled a conference on the pressing issue of safety in the open water arena. There appears to be quite a line up of speakers and I will be in attendance. Mark your calendar, March 18-20 in San Francisco.

The indoor regatta, also known as the Golden State Indoor Rowing Championships, is next Saturday, February 5. I am excited as this will be the first competition outside of Masters swim meets in almost 20 years. I think I did my final triathlon, the Santa Cruz Sentinel Triathlon, in 1992. Finished my triathlon career on a high note. I went under 2:20, like 2:16, just missing the hour mark on the bike leg be 3 minutes. Like 20 minutes for the swim, 1 hour 3 minutes on the bike and 42 minutes for the run. I like to see that in print. Like 3:02.26, my best marathon.

I am thinking of the next swim. It will be in SPMA territory.

There Are No Sick Days

Rest days are important. I believe they must be scheduled into a training program, and just as important, your athlete in your body may tell you to take a step away from the program and give in to a healing day of rest and recovery. I am telling myself this because I may have pushed it a bit this past week, beyond the normal expectations of my body.

I have a specific kink in the right lumbar which may be contributing to the numbness in the right foot.

There is a developing issue in my right shoulder that I hope will be remedied. There is pinpoint pain in the deltoid with associated issues traversing to the right clavicle and into the right biceps. I seem to remember a similar pain issue in 2009 which prompted an arthroscopic procedure in Summer 2009. This pain issue has prompted me to take a restful, healing day away from physical training.

I am having some painful joint issues. There is sharp pain in my wrist knobs, and epicondylitis is starting to bother my elbows. I started to swim a flatter breast stroke recently, but that may be contributing to both the back and elbow issues. I have stopped attempting to swim breast stroke, again.

The C2 rowers were very busy yesterday, so I did a pre row swim of short duration.
1000 swim easy
Several aggressive laps of free, watch technique, etc.

30 minutes of variable erging. It took 10 minutes to row the right lumbar loose, did some chatting with Jules(Julian), did some intervals, no set workout.

Erging Across The Indoor Pond

I have some DOMS today. Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness from the back to back sessions on the C2. Perhaps I should get another log card and a card reader this time. I should look for interesting indoor rowing gear at the SacState Indoor Regatta on February 5. Qualifying times are posted for the opportunity to compete at the Crash-B worlds in Boston later next month. I understand there are 4 round trip tickets for winners of divisions as long as they meet the qualifying time. Times for my age group is just under 7 minutes for both light and heavy cats.
I will be happy with a very good row(7:30-45). My PR for 2K is 8:04, several years ago. I self tested about 2 months ago, spontaneously, at 8:30 and will test again this week.

I am still swimming too. Today I did a recovery swim, recovering from the erg sets of the past 2 days.
1000 swim, slow and not too neat either,,,
10X75wacky IM straight
Several 25 free, build

I have decided that I should no longer attempt the breast stroke as I am noticing deficits in my right lumbar as well as possibly irritating the epicondyles of both elbows.

Crash B Sprints

What is it you may ask?

Apparently, Crash B Sprints are the standard of indoor rowing, also known as erging amongst indoor rowing enthusiasts. 2000 Meters on the Concept2 indoor rowing machine, also known as an ergometer. The root of the word, erg, refers to energy.

I believe the competitions are known as indoor rowing regattas. I will enter the Golden State Indoor Rowing Championships planned for early February.

There is the goal where I need to focus my training. I did look at the Concept2 for the basic training and rowing tips and whatever advice there is available and I receive tweets from the rowing community which are helpful.

I may also visit Florida in April. The Y Masters Nationals in Fort Lauderdale is the same weekend of the Pacific Masters Champs.

Yesterday and Today

I need to please learn to log from the ipad, I think I did it once, but as to remembering how, well it is the learning curve issue. Did I swim yesterday? Yes. I swam at the SCFY, Sonoma County Family YMCA. I rather keep a steady mindful set while swimming at this time. I do not do flip turns, nor do I do kicking, or any short axis swimming. I have also experienced lingering effects in the lumbar region after the small amount of speed work I have practiced. I apparently have developed my own theories and techniques similar to the great Texas sprinters such as Garrett and the rest of Randy's sprinters. I believe strongly in speed play, in all forms and variations. Varying speed, including pace and tempo, are vital to developing strength and power in the water.

I have been swimming for time, as I swam over 30+ minutes on Friday.

Saturday I swam for over 35+ minutes.

JBT was a wonderful show at the Fox Theater in downtown Oakland. It was the culmination of their tour. Encore was a complete set. Good guy.

Ramping Up to Rant

But first, yesterday's activities at the Y, which included erging 25 minutes(5K), talking with another rower for the first 10 or so minutes.
Just swim baby, how much, how long, I forget. That is the main reason that I need to log the damn workouts, I forget. My body remembers, but my brain forgets.

Then I went for a quick walk at hte noon hour, just downtown and back. I developed a strained right lateral gastrocnemius. Go Swim.

Purposeful, Mindful,

Quick, I need to log yesterdays swim and then go.

What, 2ooo yards,
Wind sprints, including no breathers, 30 second goes, change of pace, and builds.
Correcting, watching head and hand entry for streamline body position through propulsive actions.