Speed sets kicking my a$$

A week ago, I received the newest issue of Swimmer in the mail. There was a fun little article about developing a sense of pace and getting better at negative splitting long sets. With only five weeks left until the Great Salt Lake swim, I figured it's probably time to work on my speed a little more, now that my distances are on the rise. Doing one mile is no sweat now. I'm actually almost back up to three miles again. But I want to smash my time from last year's GSL 1-mile swim, so I'm going to focus on speed a little more, at least for the next month or so.

The newest edition of Swimmer.

A few days ago, Gordon blogged about Brandon Slaugh, who won the GSL swim with a time of 26:17 last year. That's pretty dang fast and the dude did it backstroking the whole way. I finished in 33:39 (13th out of 23, and 8th out of 15 non-wet suit swimmers). I'd love to be able to get around 28 minutes this time, perhaps finishing in the top 10 overall and top 5 in the non-wet suit category..

Warm up
200 free
Core
10 x 100 free (on 1:30, rest 20 seconds)
4 x 200 free (on 3:15, rest 20 seconds)
250 sprint
Cool down
300 breast and free (alternating every 50)

The sets were seriously tough. There's a huge difference between being able to go long distances at a leisurely pace and being able to do those same long distances quick and getting faster as you go. Today was a big wake-up call. Just the 100 free sets were difficult to keep my time. Twice I ascending to 1:31, which isn't good, but once I descended down to 2:49. I kept the rest of them consistent, though. However, I was able to negative split the 200s, doing 3:16, 3:15, 3:15 and 3:13. Still, that's only 1800 yards (about a mile) and I had 20-second breathers between them. I need to be able to drop those times a bit and slowly eliminate the breathers.

Total distance: 2,550 yards

Hidden Valley hike with Wes

Wes and I finally tackled the Hidden Valley Trail this morning. He's already been up a few times this year, but we wanted to go up and see if it would be a good spot for an overnight camp. It's graded as a difficult 2.5-mile hike with an elevation change of 2,046 feet and "difficult" it certainly was.

Nice little map of the trail. It's a pretty dramatic elevation increase.

We made it up in fairly good time (about an hour and 20 minutes) and added stones to the rock cairn to mark our reaching of the end of the trail. It was a tough hike, but it was short enough that I think we can certainly haul 50-60 pound packs up there within a few hours to stay overnight. The scenery, as usual, was beautiful and we made it back down within 30 minutes or so. I'm excited to go back up to camp.

Wes and I about half way up the trail, before we reached the valley.

The rock cairn at the end of the trail.

Raccoon Man!

Jen makes fun of me whenever she sees me after a swim. I keep my goggles on pretty tight, so for about an hour after I get home from the pool, I have a dark outline around my eyes from them. She says I look like a raccoon. So obviously, after longer swims, the outline sticks on my face for a little longer. And today, I set two new 2012 marks for distance, so I should just be called Raccoon Man for now.

That's me, looking fierce after a swim

Warm up
200 free
Core
4,000 free (1:11.24)
Cool down
150 breast

My shoulder felt FANTASTIC during my swim (I apologize for using all caps). At first, it felt like I was swimming through glue, but after about 2,000 yards I got into a groove and actually increased my pace for the tail end of my set, really focusing on a long smooth stroke. My last high was 3,300 straight and I only planned on doing 3,500 today, but said, "What the hell," and went for 4,000 while my shoulder still felt OK. Good day.

Total distance: 4,350 yards (new 2012 high)

Hiking, getting lost and more hiking

Trying to keep pace with the beautiful weather we've been having over the past few days, Wes, Kelly, Jessica, Jen and I all went for a hike this morning. Well, it started out this morning and ended up lasting longer than three hours. We took an 'alternate' route up Waterfall Canyon and ended up hiking for an hour before we even found the correct trail. By the time we reached the top, Jen and I snapped a few photos and went straight down.

Early in the hike, trying to find the right canyon

Thinking the other three would catch us fairly quickly, we went on without them. Big mistake. Jen and I ended up at the bottom of the 29th Street trail head when our car was parked at the 31st Street trail head. We humped through a golf course before finally running into Wes, Kelly and Jess. Apparently they took a much faster route down. By then, Jen and I were exhausted, so we all met up at Noodles & Company for some chow and went home. All-in-all, it was a nice hike right up until the end when I got lost. By then I was starving and pretty cranky. Hopefully the next hike will be a little less chaotic.

Not a bad little canyon hike, once you find it.

Rare weekend run

I joined Kelly and Jessica for a run at the Ogden River Parkway this morning. My knee hasn't been hurting so much, so I decided to give it a try. We got off to a late start, so it was already pretty warm outside when we hit the trail head. Kelly went ahead of us, because he was doing a 13-miler, which is a light run for his current marathon training standards. But Jess and I went nice and easy, stopping every one-half mile to do calisthenics such as push-ups, crunches, etc.

By the second mile I was starting to feel discomfort in my knee, as usual. By 2.5 miles it was starting to hurt, so we turned around. We were both getting kind of worn out from the sun already. I think it was in the mid 70s by 11 a.m. We stopped at mile-marker one and walked the rest of the day, so it wasn't a terribly long workout, but a decent one. Plus, it was such a nice day outside. I think the two of them are going to join Jen and I for a short hike tomorrow morning if the weather is this good again.

Total distance: 4 miles running

One-mile improvement, plus a short bike ride

It's such an awesome day outside! I wish Pineview Reservoir was warm enough to swim in, so I could enjoy the weather a bit more. The pool and gym had to suffice, though. First, I did a short 30-minute cycling session upstairs while reading my book. After working up a bit of a sweat, I went down to the pool.

Warm up
250 free
Core
1,750 free (28:47)
Cool down
150 breast

I knocked some serious time off my 2012 one-mile pool time. I even came within 17 seconds of my personal-best time. Perhaps, if I really push it, I can beat it next week. I didn't do a ton of yardage today, but all-in-all it was a good week, coming just 400 yards short of 10,000. Who knows, perhaps I'll jump in tomorrow morning for a bonus swim...

Total distance: 7.25 miles cycling, 2,150 yards swimming

Ladders and Five Guys

I was a little sluggish when I arrived at the gym this morning, but started to wake up a bit once I started my warm up in the pool. I wasn't sure on what sets I wanted to do, so once again, I kept things fresh and tried something different. I did ascending ladders. See below ...

Warm up
250 free
Core
250 free (30 seconds rest between sets)
300 free
350 free
400 free
450 free
500 free
550 free
600 free
Cool down
150 breast

I'm not sure I'll do it again, because the constant stopping slowed down my progress and I wasn't able to hit 4,000 yards before lap swim ended. I probably would have done it with ease if I just swam it all consecutively. Oh well ... lesson learned.

I don't feel guilty one stinkin' bit.

Anyway, I met Jen for lunch after my workout and totally blasted any of the calories I burned by eating at Five Guys. As always, though, it was totally worth it. Plus, I don't eat there too often so I don't feel super guilty about it. I effing LOVE Five Guys!!

Total distance: 3,800 yards

Mock hiking

I wasn't able to make it to the gym today in time for lap swim, so I decided to try something a little different. My knee has been hurting when I run lately, so instead I put the treadmill on a fast walking pace and amped up the incline. I started it out on a 5.0 gradient and gradually worked my way up to 11.0. After 48 minutes, the machine said I covered only 2.75 miles, but I burned 411 calories. I normally burn around 100 calories per mile, so that's a pretty significant increase. And I sure felt it. After the mock hike on the treadmill, I did some shoulder work with free weights to work on my tendinitis issues... you know... strengthening the tendons and all.

After getting all hot and bothered from today's workout, I am pretty excited to "cool off" and hit the pool for an intense swim tomorrow morning.

Total distance: 2.75 miles running (well, kind of)

A hair over two miles

I'm not feeling terribly wordy today, so I'm going to keep it short. My shoulders were still feeling sore from last Friday's weightlifting, but I went for a swim anyway.

Warm up
250 free
Core
3,300 free
Cool down
100 breast

I didn't plan on going for a new 2012 mark today, but after the first 1,200 yards or so -- during which my shoulders were very tight and felt like bags of sand -- I felt like I could go the distance and up my distance a bit. I finished strong with 3,300 yards, which was 300 yards longer than my last mark, and I probably could have kept going. I didn't want to press my luck, though, and I am currently icing the crap out of my shoulder now.

Total distance: 3,650 yards

Brief break for shoulders

I was planning on swimming today, but my shoulder has been a bit achy since Wednesday, so I decided to give it an extra day to rest. Instead, I hit the bike for the first time in a while. I went for about 45 minutes while reading my book and followed it up with some light weight lifting. The focus was on my triceps, biceps and chest today, while being careful not to aggravate my shoulder. Not too shabby. I'll hit the pool tomorrow morning for one last swim this week.

Total distance: 12.15 miles cycling

Baby boomers bouncing on my last nerve

I was in a good mood when I showed up at the pool today. I was planning on a nice short swim before meeting Jen for lunch. However, I let something that's been irritating me for a while boil to the surface when I walked out on to the pool deck. The water aerobics class is supposed to end at 9:30 every day. The time window is very narrow after that for those of us who want to get in some laps. But almost every day, five or six old people continue to do additional water aerobic exercises after their time is up, clogging up half the lanes in the pool, when their is a perfectly good shallow section off to the side for them to do any of that stuff.

Water aerobics is over, now get out of the bloody lap swim lanes...

It's usually just a mild irritation, because the remaining lanes aren't always full, so I can at least squeeze in and share a lane with a few others until the oldies clear out. But today, there were a few of us waiting to get in and lap swim and we asked the ladies if they'd move over to the shallow section to 'finish' up their workout so we can lap swim. They all kind of scoffed at us and one had the nerve to tell us to "be patient, we don't have too much more left." At that point, I sort of snapped and pointed out that lap swim goes from 9:30 to 11 and it is now 9:40 and I'm getting in whether you like it or not. I jumped in the water and plowed ahead and two of them slowly scooted out of my way as I approached. They gradually flocked to their designated area after that.

I don't mean to generalize, but I often find that senior citizens have a false sense of entitlement and a very jaded view on their role in society. Every person is different, but some act like I should coward at their feet and kiss their asses at all times just because of their age/status. The whole respecting your elders thing is a terrible quote, because I'm a firm believer in showing respect to everyone, even though I will always have room to improve in that department. Their attitude sometimes mirrors a disrespectful teenager, who also thinks the world owes him/her everything. I wonder if people in their 30's, 40's and 50's look at younger folk and older folk in the same annoying light. Meh...

Anyway, here's what I swam after bullying the old ladies out of the lap swim lanes

Warm up
200 free
Core
1,750 free (29:31)
5 x 100 free sprints
Cool down
200 breast

I knocked another 31 seconds off my one-mile pool time this year. My best time last year was 28:36, and I hope to smash that before June. The GSL open water race is inching closer every day.

Total distance: 2,650 yards

"You're getting it back, Matt!"

What a wonderful day it has been thus far. The weather is beautiful, I don't have to work at my crappy new job and I got in another fantastic swim. Jen took my car to work today, so I walked to the Roy Rec Center, which is only about two blocks from my house. It was such a nice day out, I was glad to go for the walk.

Here's what I swam. I tried something different again. Haha.

Warm up
200 free
Core
4 x 500 free (1 minute rests)
4 x 250 free (30 second rests)
4 x 100 free (on 2:00)
4 x 50 free (on 1:00)
Cool down
200 breast

During my rest on one of my 100's Anita looked down at me from her tower with a big smile on her face and said, "You're getting it back, Matt," referring to the long road back from my shoulder injury. She really boosted my confidence and made my day. The descending ladder was kind of fun and I'll probably try to work a few more of those into my workouts every now and again. I also hit another new 2012 high for total yardage in one day. I enjoyed the short walk home and reveled in today's accomplishment and Anita's kind words.

Total distance: 4,000 yards

Too tired to blog

I'm exhausted after tonight's swim and a long day at work, so I'm gonna keep it short.

Warm up
200 free
Core
3,000 free (53:16)
Cool down
200 breast

New highs in total yardage and single swim for 2012 again. Huzzah!

Total distance: 3,400 yards

Underwater Cosmic Bowling

I hit the Clearfield Aquatic Center tonight and really needed a nice swim. My mind is in a million places right now and nothing helps take care of that problem more than swimming. Tonight was especially cool, because they turned off the lights and the ones in the bottom of the pool were in various colors, so it was just like cosmic bowling in the dark. They also had the music bumping really loud, so I could hear the beat to songs underwater to help pace me. I heard this song several times and I really liked swimming to it's beat.

Here's what I swam.

Warm up
200 free
Core
1,000 free (3 minutes rest)
2 x 500 free (1 minute rest)
2 x 250 free (30 seconds rest)
Cool down
100 breast

Total distance: 2,800 yards