« February 2006 | Main | June 2007 »
200 free warm-up
4x50 IM order on 1:00
3x400 IM on 6:15
3x375 free on 5:00
25 free
3x250 IM on 3:45 (100 fly on first IM, 100 back, 100 breast)
3x150 (50 fly, 50 back, 50 breast) on 2:30
3x75 (25 fly, 25 back, 25 breast) on 1:15
25 free
2x50 free cool-down on 1:00
3x50 under-over
Total yardage; 4500
Went cross-country skiing again for perhaps a little less than an hour. The snow conditions are getting really bad, leading to very slick ice/snow and quite a bit of difficulty going in a straight line or snowplowing. This made hills terrifying, so I tried to stay in the tracks as much as possible because they could guide me more than the slippery surface could.
There was one hill where the curve at the bottom was pretty sharp so my gurus advised me to not take the tracks and to snowplough down the hill instead. It was rather steep, and as I stepped up to the top and tried to get the hang of digging in my skis like a madwoman before I actually stepped into the cruel, unforgiving grip of gravity, all that I could hear was the panicked physicist in my head screaming "G SINE THETA! G SINE THETA!" This, of course, would have been the acceleration that I experienced just before death if I messed this hill up.
Digging in my skis one last time while attempting to point in some semblance of a straight line down the hill, I figure, "what the hell!" (I know, famous last words) and give myself the tiniest prod down the hill with my poles. In about 1/30th of a microsecond I'm going three times the speed of sound in a direction that is distinctly not straight down the slick slope, trying desperately to bend the ice to my formidable will, and attempting even more desperately to stay upright and navigate not only the hill but the sharp turn at the bottom -- all so I don't die.
Somehow, I prevail. It isn't pretty, but I stay upright with a minimum of flailing. I'm not sure how this happened -- I was so sure I was going to wipe out. Elated, I ski on, feeling accomplished and distinctly not dead.
So the moral of the story is to make sure snow conditions are favorable when you are learning a sport that, as evidenced by the fact that your survival depends on the planks of wood that you strap to your feet, is as dastardly as cross-country skiing.
BONUS: I saw fresh moose feet on the trails! In several locations! And on the drive into the park where we skied I definitely saw a moose chowing down on some bark. Be patient, Mr. Moose, the grass is starting to show through the snow and soon will be the season of plenty!
400 free warm-up
100 breast kick
100 dolphin kick
4x50 IM order on 1:00
4x100 on 1:30 (repeated 1:15)
2x200 IM on 3:15 (repeated 2:55)
Total yardage: 1600
At this point I got kicked out of the pool because the lights wouldn't stay on, so they had to close. This was ok by me since I'm pretty tired from everything I've been doing -- swimming and cross-country in the same day, two days in a row can make one tired. That certainly doesn't mean I'm not going to double up tomorrow tnough -- the snow is disappearing fast and I intend to take advantage of it while it's still here!
400 free with paddles
100 breast kick
4x50 IM order on 1:00
4x100 fly on 1:40 (repeated 1:25)
4x100 back on 1:45 (repeated 1:20)
4x100 breast on 1:50 (repeated 1:30)
4x50 fly on :50 (repeated :40)
4x50 back on :55 (repeated :40)
4x50 breast on 1:00 (repeated :45)
200 cool-down
Total yardage: 2700
Not a huge number of yards, but they were definitely quality. I took my heart rate about four times -- once it was 160, every other time it was 180. I was working really hard. That's one good thing about having The Adversary there -- I always push harder when I'm swimming against her. Apparently I'll even push myself to the point of puking. There was one 100 breast where, upon finishing, I just collapsed sideways against the wall and didn't move until it was time to go again. Most of the time I stand up, but not this time.
Felt pretty good after doing the cross-country skiing yesterday. I was a little sore in my back muscles, but it was nothing that a good warm-up in the pool couldn't work out. I have a hunch that the skiing uses a lot of swimming muscles so picking up the sport is not going to be terribly enlightening in the "Ha! You didn't know you had that muscle before, did you!" way. Very fun though.
Later than morning: an hour-plus of cross-country skiiing again. I repaid my "I didn't fall at all on my first time skiing" karmic debt by falling twice today. It's a damn good thing that one of my favorite pastimes is laughing at myself!
300 free warm-up
100 breast kick
4x50 IM order on 1:00
4x400 IM on 7:00, strong pace (went 5:45, 5:43, 5:50, 5:46)
50 easy
4x200 free on 2:45 (repeated 2:35)
4x50 easy on 1:00
5x100 free on 1:30 (repeated 1:15)
4x75 free on 1:00 (repeated :55)
4x50 free on :45
4x25 free on :30
Total yardage: 4350
The fly in the 400 IMs hurt. I think that leg was responsible for my lackluster third IM. It's been oh, three to four weeks since I've gotten some quality butterfly in, so it's no wonder that those were killing me. So on the fourth I made a real effort to really swim it strong with good technique and pace -- I was exhausted by the end but it seemed to have paid off in my time. I definitely need to put in some quality distance butterfly time -- perhaps after practice tomorrow will be a good opportunity.
Jack made some recommendations about my flip turns -- I push off too deep. I've known that but hadn't realized that it was forcing me to really pop up my head when I start swimming, which kills my momentum. He noticed that my chin was tucked way too much on my push-off and that I should get my head back to where they should be, streamline-wise. It made a huge difference.
It's so awesome to have someone helping me with my stroke again!
That afternoon: went cross country-skiing for the first time. Was out for about an hour -- great fun! I seemed to have picked up the rhythm and such pretty quickly.
500 free warm-up
4x50 IM order on 1:00
3x400 IM on 6:15 (repeated 6:05, certainly not my best effort)
325 IM (300 IM + 25 free) on 5:00
5x150 on 2:00 (repeated 1:55)
5x100 IM on 1:45 (repeated 1:25)
8x75 -- 25s IM order, staggering starting stroke on each 75)
6x50 on 1:00 (2 fly, 2 back, 2 breast)
4x25 cool down
Total yardage: 4475
When I was doing breaststroke today I really concentrated on keeping my head still (addressing my bobble head issue) and it made a huge difference. I felt like I was actually moving forward instead of up and down and my recovery was easier and faster. Sweet.
Tried really hard to narrow up my butterfly catch, but had some issues with timing my breathing. I'm not distraught over this though since it will take a couple more days before my fly is up to snuff.
Total yardage: 4475
Skipped yesterday because I didn't think I would be able to drive into practice safely.
Today:
400 free warm-up
100 breast kick
4x50 free on 1:00
3x
{
75 - 25 stroke, 50 free
75 - 25 free, 25 stroke, 25 free
75 - 50 free, 25 stroke
75 - 50 stroke, 25 free
75 - 25 free, 50 stroke
75 stroke
}
Fly first time through, then back, then breast. All were on 1:15.
8x50 idiot IMs on 1:00
200 breast kick
Total yardage: 2450
Later that day: 55min on elliptical
Got back in the water for the first time in... a long time. Since 24 February, it looks like.
Did a nice, long warm-up, freestyle with paddles and breaststroke kick of uncounted yardage.
4x50 free on 1:00
5x
{
2x75 free - interval varied, repeated :55
1x50 free on 1:15
1x150 free - interval varied
1x50 free on 1:15
}
The 75s started on the 1:05 and increased by 5 seconds on each time through, ending on the 1:25
The 150s started on the 2:40 and decreased by 5 seconds on each time through, ending on the 2:20
(I thought there was a sixth time through, but the intervals aren't working out in my head)
4x50 free cool-down
Total yardage: 2400 (possibly 2800), excluding warm-up.
Felt, well, like a fish out of water. My stroke was weak and misguided -- really had to concentrate on reigning it in and making it follow the right path.
More tomorrow.
That night at work: 50 minutes on elliptical.
The last couple of weeks have been very bad from a fitness and eating standpoint.
It's funny how you can't make it to the gym the day that you receive word about your dog's and grandmother's deaths. Admittedly, I made a batch of cookies and ate a huge number of them instead of working out that day and was so busy making hurried preparations to leave town a couple of days early and then go directly to Korea that both my eating and fitness habits went down the drain until departure. I knew that once I left food and fitness situations were going to be sketchy, so I had sort of planned for that lapse. I hadn't planned for getting some sort of Korean Death Flu while I was over there that is only just not started to give up its grip on me.
So, with all that, I unfortunately have only gotten to use my new gym membership once, which prompted a "motivational" email to by sent to me by them. Yeah, thanks for assuming it was a motivational problem instead of a death in the family/traveling abroad/illness problem.
Enough is enough, I say! I've gotten out of shape and have gained a noticable amount of weight in the last couple of weeks, which is mildly depressing and demotivational. But in three and a half hours I will be heading out the door to go to swim practice. For some reason I haven't missed the pool but I have missed my friends. Maybe I'll even stop by the 24-hour location after work tonight too.
Sounds like a small step, but I know that just a workout or two is enough to change up my attitude, movtivation, and body image and hence my momentum. I'm also making a willful effort to snack on things like broccoli, strawberries, and Cheerios instead of Cadbury Mini-Eggs (ohh, beloved seasonal candy!). The working out will help with this too, as I always crave healthier foods when I'm active.
A turnaround is looming ahead of me. Time to get back on track!