100 MILES! Happy Halloween!

Today I hit my yearly swim goal. I started swimming in late April and set a goal to swim 100 miles by the end of the year. It's kind of cool that I did it on the last day of the month and on Halloween no less. Now I need to see how much I can surpass my goal by in the final two months of the year. I'm gonna shoot for 30 more miles.


Me in the pool today. I was exhausted and truly felt like a zombie.

Anyway, today Jen went with me to the gym again and I pushed myself fairly hard. First I ran a 5k on the treadmill, while cranking up the incline for the last mile. Then I jumped straight on the bike and sprinted 4.5 miles as hard as I could. By the time I was done with that, I was pretty exhausted. I knew I needed to do at least 1.5 miles in the pool in order to hit the 100 mark, but I wasn't sure if I'd have enough energy. Fortunately, I did, but I truly felt like a zombie (pun absolutely intended) in the water. Afterward, I was wrecked. A little bit of barbecue with Jen after the gym pepped me right up, though. Here's todays' totals.
Warm up
200 free
Core
2,400 free
Cool down
100 breast

I was running out of time and had to really gut through the last 400 yards or so in order to get the yardage I needed to hit my yearly goal, but I finished just as lap swim ended. Great way to finish the month!

Total distance: 1.53 miles

My wandering mind

Sometimes, when I swim, I have a hard time focusing on my stroke when I'm thinking about other stuff. Today was one of those days.

When I got to the gym I pumped out a quick eight miles on the bike and did a few light abdomen workouts. Then, I jumped in the pool, warmed up and started my sets. About halfway through one of my 500s I lost count of my laps because I couldn't stop thinking about things. By things, I mean life in general, such as bills, work, Jen, football, the World Series, etc. Anyway, here's what I did today.

Warm up
200 free
Core
250 free
2 x 500 free
1,000 free
2 x 50 sprints
Cool down
200 breast

I didn't finally get focused until about half-way through my 1,000-yard set, so by the time I felt like I had a nice efficient stroke I was already running out of gas. It ended up being a productive day in terms of total yardage, but I don't think I really improved my conditioning or stroke all that much. I need to focus better.

Total distance: 1.56 miles

A sweaty afternoon

I got up earlier than I normally do today, so I could get a head start at the gym. I wanted to have enough time to do a long bike workout before I swam. I'm glad I did, because today was fairly productive.

My view from the stationary bike upstairs.

Normally I bike anywhere from 3-10 miles at a leisurely pace, but today I wanted to crank it up a notch in preparation for my sprint triathlon. This way, I could simulate some of the more difficult hill climbs that I'm not accustomed to. I set a hill climb program and it absolutely kicked my butt. I usually sweat a great deal when I do land training, but today it was at a whole new level. I was seriously pouring. The cardio and weight rooms have a nice view of the pool below us, so that provided extra motivation to power through my workout as quick as possible. The cool water never looked so inviting.

I finished with about 8.8 miles after my cool down and I was very relieved to hit the pool. Here's what I did once I got in.

Warm up
200 free
Core
250 free (ladder build up)
500 free
1,750 free (one mile)
2 x 50 sprints
Cool down
100 free easy
100 breast

Overall, I'm starting to feel a little more confident heading into the Masters meet. My speed hasn't increased significantly, but my cardio feels solid and I'm still dropping pounds, so the workouts are starting to get a bit easier.

Total distance: 1.70 miles

Working off the long weekend

Today was a tough day. I didn't end up making it to the gym as many times as I wanted last week, partly due to a power outage on Friday that kept me from getting in the pool. Also, my wife and I celebrated our two-year wedding anniversary over the weekend, so I ate a lot of crap, drank a few beers and celebrated with reckless abandon.

However, I did go running with Kelly and his wife Jessica up at Weber State on Saturday, pumping out three miles in preparation for my first sprint triathlon, which is scheduled for November 18, just a week after my big swim meet.

That being said, I hadn't swam in almost a week when Kelly and I hit the pool today and I was definitely feeling it.

First we ran for a while, but all I could manage was a measly 2.4 miles before my knee started hurting.

Here's today's workout.
Warm up
200 free
Core
5 x 300 free on the 6:00 descending
100 IM sprint
2 x 50 sprint, 25 hard, 25 easy
Cool down
200 free

I was sucking wind on my warm up and knew I was in for a long swim, but on the 300s I started to loosen up and picked up my pace a bit. Eventually, Kelly and I ran out of time when lap swim ended before we could do additional sets.

Total distance: 1.20 miles

NEW PERSONAL BESTS!!

Today was a very encouraging day at the gym. I personal bests in both my one-mile swim and my one-mile run. I slept in and wasn't feeling particularly great, but once I got in the pool that all changed.

Here's today's swim
Warm up
200 free
Core
1,750 free (1 mile)
500 free easy
4 x 50 sprints on the 1:00
Cool down
150 free easy
150 breast

My previous best on the one-mile in a pool was 29:51. I was really sucking wind after the first 1500 and really pushed it down the stretch. I ended up finishing in 28:36. I knew I was going to beat the time, but I was shocked to see that I shaved off a full 1:15.

After a few easy sets, I hit the bike for a little over 4 miles and then jumped on the treadmill. I was feeling sort of euphoric from my swim and decided to try and run my fastest mile, although my previous plan was to run a slow and steady 5k. In the end, I did it in 8:36 which was 21 seconds faster than the last run I timed it in a few months ago. That's not very fast and probably not my all-time personal best (I'm confident I ran it much faster in high school), but it's the fastest since I began my weight-loss regiment eight months ago.

Great day!!!

Total distance: 1.68 miles

Swim/bike combo

Last night I stayed up way too late reading a book I've been caught up in, so I was a little sluggish getting to the pool today. It only took a cold shower in the locker room to wake me right up and I was ready to go.

Here's today's swim.
Warm up
200 free
Core
500 free on the 9:00 (10 second break in between sets)
200 free
150 free
100 free
50 free
500 free on the 9:00 descending
100 free
100 free
100 free
100 free
100 free
4 x 50, 25 head out, 25 three breaths
4 x 50, 25 hard, 25 easy
Cool down
200 free/breast

I did my first 500 in 8:25 and my second in 8:14. They aren't great times, but the fact that I could still descend and cut that much time on the second ladder was encouraging. Some time this week I'm going to time my 500 and really push it to see what a realistic seed time would be for the South Davis Masters Meet in a few weeks.

Right after swim I went upstairs and sat on the bike and did 5.5 easy miles in about 25 minutes. Admittedly, I was reading the same book I stayed up all night with and didn't focus on pushing myself terribly hard.

Total distance: 1.59 miles

No breakfast = Sucking wind

Jen and I hit the gym for the third time this week and I made the mistake of not eating anything before we left the house. I usually just eat half a Clif bar so I have some calories in me, but I don't do anything heavy or else I cramp like crazy. Today I ate nothing except some Vitamin Water and I paid for it.

Thank you, Gu Gel. You saved my life today.

First, I ran on the treadmill. I ran steadily for about 2.5 miles and was feeling pretty good and then I tried some alternating walks/sprints. Basically I walked a minute than would sprint for a minute. I lasted for 10 minutes before I ran out of gas and ended up finishing with 3.4 miles.

By that point my body felt like it had nothing left to give. Not having any calories in my system was causing a major crash, so I sucked down a gel pack, which thankfully, I had stored in my gym bag for such occasions. That gave me a needed boost so I could at least log a few yards in the pool. However, I didn't last too long, for those gels only pack about 100 calories each.

Here's today's swim
Warm up
200 free
Core
200 free (sprint ladders, 10 second rest in between)
150 free
100 free
50 free
500 free (easy)
4 x 50 sprints (on the :45)
Cool down
100 free
100 breast

During my warm up it felt like I was swimming through honey. It didn't feel like I was getting anywhere, but eventually I started to loosen up and was able to gut out a ladder set and a few sprints. By the end I was out of gas though. Jen and I treated ourselves to some Warrens right after we left and I inhaled a french dip sandwich. Yumm.....

Total distance: 0.91 miles

Bonus workout

I generally don't work out more than four times a week, but today Jen and I went to the gym together again. Given I'm on pace to work out every day this week, I took it relatively easy today and considered it all a bonus workout. Extra, if you will.

My shoulder was still in significant pain from yesterday's swim, so I figured I'd just try and establish a seed time for the 1,650-yard freestyle at the South Davis Masters meet in November and call it good.

Warm up
150 free
Core
1,650 free
Cool down
100 breast

I swam the 1,650 in 28:03.75, which I consider to be a so-so time, but it was still encouraging given my shoulder was on fire for the first 800-900 yards or so. That should give me a decent goal for the big meet. I hope to do it in under 27 minutes.

After the swim, I joined Jen upstairs for a light session on the bike. I did 5.5 miles in 25 minutes and then we both worked on some core/abdomen exercises for about 10 minutes. Nice little workout indeed....

Total distance: 1.08 miles

Shoulder pain with an audience

Today is the first day of my week off from work. Jen and I took some vacation time to just relax and she came with me to the gym today, even though she has a membership at a different gym.

First I jumped on the treadmill. I ran about 1.5 miles before my shins were starting to hurt from the impact, so I lowered the speed significantly and raised the incline a bunch, so I was still increasing my heart rate without the smashing on my legs. I ended up finishing with about 2.7 miles.

Jen snapped a photo of me on her phone just as I finished cooling down.

I skipped the bike, because Jen was using the only good one at the rec center so I went down to the pool. Here are the sets I did.

Warm up
200 free
Core
500 free on the 9:00 descending (did it in 8:36)
200 free (10 seconds rest between sets)
150 free
100 free
50 free
500 free on the 9:00 descending (did it in 8:10)
200 free
100 free
100 free
100 free
4 x 50 (25 head out, 25 three breaths only)
4 x 50 (25 hard, 25 easy)
Cool down
200 alternating breast and free easy

Overall, I felt pretty good and recharged from the weekend. My shoulder was hurting quite a bit during the first 500 and I had to sub out for a few breast stroke sets on my first ladder in order to give the pain a rest. But it felt better as I kept going.

During my second ladder, I looked up and saw Jen on the pool deck chatting with Anita and taking pictures of me in the water. It feels strange swimming in front of my wife, and on some sort of subconscious level, I feel like I need to show off and push myself harder, which I think may have helped a little today.

Total distance: 1.59 miles

Sprints with Kelly

Today my friend Kelly joined me for a workout. He and I had been swimming together regularly for most of the year before he started school this fall, so it was nice to get in and do some sets with a partner.

First we went upstairs and I biked for 5 miles at a nice easy pace. Then I ran three miles on the treadmill with a gradual increase of speed until I was going all out for the final quarter mile.

By that point I was already beat, plus we didn't have a ton of time before lap swim ended, so Kelly and I decided to work on some sprints, although I already did that once this week.

Here's what we did:
200 free warmup
100 IM sprint (1:16.11)
500 free on the 9:00 (much slower than earlier in the week)
200 free
150 free
100 free
50 free
4 x 50 25 head out, 25 four breaths
2 x 50 25 hard, 24 slow
50 cool down

Kelly was looking pretty good, but I think he had a hard time with the sets due to his long absence from the pool. Hopefuly, he can swim with me more often.

I might do some more running tomorrow, but I only managed 3.24 miles in the pool this week. That's well off my normal pace, so I'm gonna have to go above and beyond next week to make up for it. Perhaps I'll just do the distance sets and cut out the sprints, so I can pile up some yards.

Total distance: 0.94 miles (whoopie...)

Wake-up call

Yesterday, I received a pleasant surprise in the mail. I opened up the envelope and it was a new swim cap from U.S. Masters Swimming. As a U.S. Masters member you get free stuff in the mail for reaching certain milestones in the pool.

The cap was an award for swimming 50 miles, a milestone I reached on August 8.

Anyway, today my plan was to work on my starts. I haven't done them since I was in high school and boy, I forgot how hard those suckers are to master. Anita probably helped me work on them for about 30 minutes before I did a few sprint sets, so I didn't pile up very many yards in the pool today.

However, because I didn't get too many yards done in the pool, I went straight upstairs and knocked out six miles on the stationary bike before running two miles on the treadmill. Overall, I feel like I got a solid, although not great cardio workout today. My technique on the starts and my times on the sprints weren't encouraging, though, so I know there is still a ton of work to be done.

Today was quite a wake-up call.

Total distance: 0.6 miles

Long distance training ... kind of.

For most people, finding motivation to do things is usually hardest on Mondays. Not for me, though. I tend to fall apart by the end of the week and after taking a breather during the weekend, I look forward to starting my weekly exercise goal on Mondays.

Today, however, I did get off to a late start. I had to take my car to get the windshield replaced at 9 a.m., so I didn't get to the Roy Recreation Center until about 11:15. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I will usually run, bike and swim, but given my late start, I skipped the run and bike and hopped straight in the pool (lap swim only lasts until 1 p.m.).

Roy Recreation Center pool, my home away from home

I'm currently training for the South Davis Masters Swim Meet in November and it will be my first official swim meet since I was in high school. Although I've been swimmming a lot during the past 6-7 months and have already competed in a few open water marathons (1 mile and 5k), I'm still incredibly nervous and feel somewhat unprepared.

My events are the 1,650-yard freestyle on the first day of the meet and the 500-yard free and 200-yard free on the second day. All three are short distances compared to what I've been doing (1-2 miles per swim), but my speed and technique are a major concern, not to mention I haven't done a start or a flipturn in almost nine years.

Anita -- a lifeguard at the Roy Rec Center, who also happens to be the Roy High swim coach -- gave me a few workouts to increase my endurance over short distances, as strange as that may sound. My long-distance endurance isn't too bad, but to cut out two-thirds of my normal swim and increase the pace ten-fold, it requires a different type of training and endurance.

Here's what I did today.
Warm up
400 free
Core
500 free broken set time: On the 8:00 rest 10 seconds after each distance
200 free
150 free
100 free
50 free
500 free broken descend time from above time
200 free
150 free
100 free
50 free
4x50 pull 25 head out, 25 two breaths only
4x50 free 25 hard, 25 easy on the 1:00
Cool down
200 free

Eventually, I'm supposed to be able to do the 500 broken sets three times, but right now, I can only pull off two and still finish the other sets. I did the first 500 in 7:58 and the second barely a second faster at 7:57. The 50 pull, head out, 25 two breaths only completely gasses me. Sprinting and swimming at a much harder pace is something I'm certainly not used to. Low and slow is usually my game. We'll try it again tomorrow.

Total distance: 1.7 miles