Monday, November 24, 2008

Descending workout

Fun workout today.

6 x 75 pull, one less stroke per length
300 kick, 50 ez 50 fast

5 x 100 on 1:50, 1:45, 1:40, 1:35
8 x 25 fly on 35
4 x 100 on 1:45, 1:40, 1:35, 1:30
8 x 25 back on 35
3 x 100 on 1:35, 1:30, 1:25,
8 x 25 breast on 40
2 x 100 on 1:20

200 kick
100 s/d

I was psyched to make the last 2 100's on 1:10. I'd like to be able to do that for a whole set. Then I'd really be in shape.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Search terms

Here are some of the more interesting search terms by which readers have found my blog. Not sure what that says about the blog except that Arnold is popular.

why do i get so tired while swimming
peaks to portland swim
where do arnold come from
alcatraz boy
arnold schwarzenegger tards out
cold water swimming

I couldn't swim Wednesday morning as my husband was away. I have to say one day off really messed with my brain. I got up this morning at 5:20 trying to convince myself to just sleep in and questioning what was so great about swimming anyways. I'm okay now. One workout fixed me, but just goes to show me that taking days off is BAD!

We did 2800 yards with some pretty fast 75's, the last set I couldn't make.
3 x 4 x 75 1:00 rest between each group
first group on 1:05
second group on 1:00
third group on 55 (only made the first 2)

I am so enjoying doing lots of fly now and I think it has really helped strengthen my back muscles in the right places which alleviates all the trouble I have been having with typing and driving. I still need to do some weights and bands for more strengthening as well as some core stuff, but it is a start.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Erswell Masters Meet at Bowdoin pictures

Thank you Jennifer for the great pictures!


Bowdoin Pool


The Team! We were the largest team at the meet with 25 swimmers.


Nancy, Julie, Lynda and Coach


Much of a swim meet is sitting around, conserving energy, staying warm and getting mentally psyched for your next event.


Coach enjoying a good swim


Deb in the 50 breaststroke


Ted, Carrie and Coach watching a close finish


Oliver and Julie


Looking at the "psyche sheets"


Matt and Claire (notice the fine print on the shirts)


Our kid crew of cheerleaders


Ted checking the heat sheets -- he's happy about something


Ann and Lisa


Deb in her Hawaiian suit

Friday, November 14, 2008

My favorite: A knockout

From where I sit I can hear the foghorn blasting a lonely echoing call in its own rhythm. And just a few minutes I enjoyed the low deep horn of a big tanker going by. It is a foggy misty warm November night. Better enjoy it while it lasts. We'll soon be buried in snow.

We had a great workout this morning. It is my favorite one. We do it once a month and it's called the knockout set. We start out doing 100's on 1:30 and with 100 that we complete the interval drops by 2 seconds so the second 100 is on 1:28, the third on 1:26 etc. until the interval drops so low that you can't make it anymore. Then you rest one interval out and continue on doing 75's until you can't make the interval anymore and then you do 50's, finally getting down to 25's. Coach let's us know when to go by blowing the whistle or yelling at us (much more effective). I love this set because it is a good fast continuous swim and I get to race the clock.

At the end of the workout a few people did no breath 25's and I thought let's do a knockout set of no breath 25's. We could start on 1 minute and work our way down til we can't make the 25's anymore. Great aerobic training.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Nerves

Well I really did intend to write a "long" version of my race report sooner. I have been waiting for some pictures of the meet to post but I'll go ahead and post those later...

Okay so I'm 38. Swimming in a dinky Masters meet. Why on earth should I be nervous?

Well I was. And I think I didn't appreciate how much until after the 50 free. True I had not been doing any major workouts. Our team had been doing almost all stroke work. So I shouldn't have expected to go much faster than last year, right? Wrong. That competitive spirit never dies. After the 50 all was well and I did loosen up a bit. Things got even better after the 100. On the 50 my coach said I was tense and tight on the start and got off slow after the gun. To make matters worse I was in a heat with all men going sub 23 seconds. Coach said I was behind their wave all the way. I couldn't feel it but he said it probably slowed me down. On the 100 I actually felt exhausted on the last 25. Age. I took a breath off the last wall. Ugh. Much room for improvement. But after that things got better. I whipped off a fast 50 fly and it felt great. I was going to scratch in the 100 fly because I was so tired and was swimming a relay immediately after. I wanted our team to go really fast and didn't want to go in exhausted. But then I figured what the heck? I am 38 and swimming in a dinky Masters meet. Who cares if I am tired? Who cares if I don't do a PR? And then of course, I did a PR! I dropped a second from my time. That felt good.

So nerves. I think I used to be better at managing them. I admired my friends Mary and Ange this weekend and how they handled their nerves. The easiest way to just say it doesn't matter how you do. But sometimes it does matter. You have to be nervous, because you care. But you have to let it go and observe the nervousness, not be driven by it. As I get ready for some bigger meets -- like the New England Championships -- and the Alcatraz swim next August, I have got to get better at handling my nerves. While I have never been a long distance swimmer until my forays into open water swimming recently, I find it so much easier to deal with my nerves in this forum. Every race is different due to conditions. Not so much in the pool. And not so easy to overcome nerves in 26 seconds compared to 30 minutes or 50 minutes.

How do you conquer your nerves? Does it matter if it is a pool swim, open water swim, a tri or a run?

Friday, November 7, 2008

Ironman World Championships 70.3

For all of you who have been reading my blog for a while know that I love watching my friends compete in triathlons. Tomorrow my good friends Ange and Mary will be competing at the World Championships in Clearwater FL. This is a big race for both of them. The race starts at 7:35am and live video and athlete tracking is available at www.ironman.com.

They are both amazing athletes who have been TRAINING hard, are MENTALLY TOUGH and ready to take this race down!
I am so proud of them both. GOOD LUCK you guys -- we'll be watching and cheering!

GO MARY AND ANGE!!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Bowdoin results: short version

I'm exhausted. Getting old sucks. I don't have the stamina for 5 events in a meet anymore. Here's the short version of my races. Full version later.

50 free - 26.9
100 free - 59.65
50 fly - 29.36
100 fly 1:08.11

I went more than a second faster in my 50 and 100 fly commpared to last year!
I went slower in the 50 and 100 free, but not by too much.

200 free relay - 1:55 !! Go team DEB, CARRIE and KAREN!! I think this might be a record!