I haven't been in the pool for over two weeks. I was nervous to even give it a shot today, but I can't keep neglecting the water. It's an itch I desperately need to scratch. I rode the stationary bike first for 30 minutes and got a good sweat on, so swimming after was much more inviting.
When I walked on to the pool deck, Anita said I looked like I've lost more weight, calling me "skinny." I know I haven't lost more, although I've maintained it well for the past three months by not gaining, but her kind words still boosted my ego a bit. I started slow, because I did some weightlifting first, but after a few short sets I felt good and did some speed work for about 20 minutes. Good overall workout today.
Tomorrow's the long-awaited Mount Ogden Summit. I'm so excited!
Total distance: 1,400 yards swimming, 8.5 miles cycling
Showing posts with label Anita. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anita. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
"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
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
Monday, October 10, 2011
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.
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
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. |
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
Monday, October 3, 2011
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.).
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
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 |
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
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