Dreaming of Hawaii

Well Masters officially began today. 5:30 felt very early but I rallied and it was great to be back in the pool with everyone. Over the last few weeks I have been thinking about what I want to do this season. I won't necessarily have more time but I will have more mental space to think about swimming as the my big exams I took in April and August, and that took up SO much time last winter studying, are behind me.

1. Make the most of my push offs and do all freestyle push offs with a strong butterfly kick. Do it in practice ALL the time.
2. Do some weight training, with weights and therabands. Build my core with situps.
3. Consider some changes to my stroke (a Shoulder Shift )?
Watch Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen's video.
4. Break 26 in the 50.
5. Break 58 in the 100.



And I have been dreaming of Hawaii... Kona, Hawaii.

No not the Ironman!

My dream is to go to Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen's training camp in Kona, Hawaii for a week and work on my technique. Her program sounds awesome. She currently holds over 50 FINA World Masters records in swimming and was just inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame -- my new hero. Oh and she is 46 years old! That is even older than my other hero Dara Torres. Anyways I am ready to make some changes in how I am training and swimming and this seems like a pretty good place to start.

I am also trying to do some things a little different nutritionally. I am drinking chocolate milk after every workout -- something about the carb to protein ratio is good for helping muscles recover after a workout. I don't understand the bio-physiology of it yet but maybe someone out there can enlighten me? So far it is working. I don't get headaches later in the day after working out. And hey it is also recommended by triathlete extraordinaire Ange so it has got to be good.

My other conclusion is that our team has to get an underwater camera. How else can I do all this stroke refinement and analysis?