Archive for May, 2009

Here’s what the swimmers at the Brandywine YMCA did on Saturday:

W/U 500 Swim Choice

Kick w/ fins: 5 x 100 @ :15 rest. Choice.

Pull: 5 x 100 @ :10 rest, alternate back and free

Main: 5 x 100 IM @2:30/2:45/3:00
IM’s can be any configuration depending on strokes known

W/D 2 x 50 slow and easy.

2100 yards (some did fewer laps: 1700 min.)
Considering that we started out at 350 in January, I am proud of these swimmers! What keeps them going and me too is their genuine interest in each other’s progress. That comraderie is a huge motivating tool. I’ll write about other motivational tips soon.

Sad news for me: intense shoulder pain followed my own swimming on Saturday. It is time to bite the bullet and get into PT (again!). But today I did Yoga, and it was really a work out. And, yes, I warmed up on my Power Lung pre-yoga, and felt the better for it! I think it is going to be my universal warmup. Which is how I am going to use it now before I practice the flute. Guests for our picnic arrive in 1.5 hours. I can get something in! Happy Memorial Day!

It is hard to believe it is Wednesday already. I had a stomach bug Sunday and Monday and have just about caught up with things. Saturday’s workout was with my swimming group, and I did the warm up with them: 6 x 100 free/back, 100 each swim kick drill. Then 4 x 50 free @ 1:00. After coaching the group, I swam 8 x 50 more: free on 1:00 and breaststroke on 1:15 and that was enough! Kinda hard remembering the 5000 workouts of a few years ago, but that’s what got me into trouble….Power Lung was there with me, and I used it to warm up before and warm down after. It means that those first few hundred yards are much more pleasant and relaxed, and somehow I feel more buoyant. Feels great to smell like chlorine again! We have a new swimmer in the group-a former French National team member. The ladies really perk up when he comes in! I always swim better when I am next to him because I can see what he does under the water, and talk about a great line. This week’s schedule is weird, so may only get back in the water again Saturday. Definitely not enough water time! Till next time..

OK-so I did 800 yards. And it was time to get out. Legs shaking. But no shoulder pain! And the breathing was better than I had thought it would be. I did 4x 200, mixing it up, and not using any equipment (fins, pull buoys, or paddles). In the middle I did 6 x 50 on 1:00. I made the intervals. Will get back in maybe Friday early AM, but will limit the distance to 800. Looking forward to it, actually!

I did it!  Swam 650 yards on Saturday AM after I coached my masters group.  Felt great.  Just long, slow easy, with my swimmers checking it out.  Never occurred to me that I would have an audience!  

I know the first time in after a long absence can be deceptive, but I have to say that the element that made re-entry so difficult in the past was not there.  And that is shortness of breath.  Because the breathing was not a struggle I could really think about line and quality of movement.  For that I have Power Lung to thank.  And my good friend Jason for recommending it to me.

Plans include a swim tonight and one Saturday.  Must reign in the impulse to go too far too fast, so tonight’s swim will be 700 yards.  If I say it here, I will most probably keep it to just 700.

Nothing like “eau de chlorine”!