Today's Workout

Since Coach Erica is at a swim meet today, I'm running the noon practice. It's ok. I've done this kind of thing before. Although I'm totally no help, if anyone has a stroke problem. This is the biggest, most involved workout I've done in the last couple of weeks. I'll probably be ready to die, by the time it is over! Here's what's on today's agenda:

Warm Up:
200 swim
200 pull
200 kick
200 swim

Main Set:
4x100 IM (30 sec. rest) (IM order: butter, back, breast, free)
4X100 free (pace yourself/not too slow but not too fast) (30 sec rest)
4x50 choice (first 25 medium speed/second 25 all out sprint) (60 sec. rest)
200 choice easy
4x50 back (medium speed/20 sec. rest)
4x50 breast (medium speed/20 sec. rest)
4x25 choice SPRINTS (25 sec. rest)

Cool Down:
200 choice

Total: 2700

Since When Do I IM?

It seems that Coach Katie is going to make me into an IM swimmer. Both practices this week have focused on IMs. I'll admit, it's made me work on learning fly so it's good. I'll admit that I really do like changing strokes. Once I learn fly, I think I could get into it (please, nobody tell Katie). Here's today's butt kicking workout.

This workout focuses on smooth transitions.

Warm Up:
200 Swim
100 IM Kick
100 IM Drill
200 Swim
100 IM Kick
100 IM Drill
200 IM

Main Set:
2 x 100 50 Fly/50 Back
100 Free
2 x 100 50 Breast/50 Free
100 Free
3 x 100 IM FAST
2 x 75 Fly, Back, Breast
150 Free
2 X 75 Back, Breast, Free
150 Free
2 x 200 IM FAST

Cool Down:
300

Total: 3200

February 1st Workout

Warmup:
200 Swim
100 DPS
100 Kick
100 Pull
3 X 100 IM

2X:
2 x 50 Kick Descending
2 X 150 Fly, Free; Back, Free; Breast, Free
2 X 100 Kick No Board/Swim
200 Stroke

2 Minutes Rest

3X:
50 Kick/Drill
50 Stroke
50 Least Favorite
50 FAST

300 Cool Down

Total: 3300 yds.

Doubling Up!

Since the first of the year, Katie has been increasing our yardage. Last week, I swam nearly 10,000 yards! That's unheard of for me. It's really been great, though. It's pushing me past my comfort zone, and it's paying off. I'm feeling much stronger and more in control. I feel that I've come such a long way, even from the time of the Louisville meet in November. I'm trying to psych myself up for the Auburn meet in February. I'd really like to improve my times by at least a second or two.

Here's today's workout:

Warmup:
200 Swim

100 Monkey Drill (freestyle; flip every 5th stroke)
100 Sideways Fly Kick
100 Fingertips Drill
2 x 50 2 Turns (Go to middle of the pool and start. Flip on both ends, finish in middle.)
150 Kick
150 Pull

4X:
75 Free
75 Stroke
75 (Back, Breast, Free)
75 Kick No Board

2X at Even Pace:
100
200
300

300 Cool Down

Total: 3300 yards.

Butt Kickin'

Today's totally butt kickin' workout brought to you by teammate Katie, Wave Diva!!

Warm Up:
300 Swim
200 Pull
100 Kick
150 sw/dr


Main Set:
Times 2:
6x50 on 1:00
4x25 on :30
100 Choice
50 Sprint

Post Set:
150 Kick
200 Cool Down

I think I'm ready for a nap!!

Post Thanksgiving Practice

We had our first practice, since Thanksgiving today. I'm really starting to work on my speed. I'm not exactly a fireball in the water, but I do like to try. Anyway, our coach is starting to give me workouts to improve my speed. I really enjoyed having a goal to work to in practice today. Here's today's workout:

Warm Up:
150 x Swim, Kick, Pull, Swim
150 x 3 free/3 backstroke drill

Main Set:
3 x 100 on 2:50
6 x 50 choice R.I. 20 sec.
4 x 25 builds
4 x 25 Underwaters

200 cool down

Can't wait for practice tomorrow. I'm looking forward to the workout! Our next meet is the Red/Green meet on December 11th.

Back In the Pool

Well, I finally got back to the pool yesterday. It was my first day back in, since the big meet in Louisville last weekend. It felt GRRRREAT!! I always miss the water, when I don't get to go. I got quite a bit of yardage in yesterday. I just took my time and took it slow and easy.

I was back in today too. I did a more typical workout today. I also included some underwaters and drills. This is what my workout looked like today.

Warm Up:
150ea x swim, kick, pull, swim
Main Set:
250 Backstroke
250 Kick with fins, alternating dolphin and free
5x50 3 free/3 backstroke drill
4x25 underwaters
5x50 pull choice
300 choice cooldown

Our next meet is on December 11th. It's the Red/Green meet with Music City Masters. I'm really looking forward to it. Can't wait to get back to practice with the team this week!!

I've Got Work to Do!!!

Well, this morning's practice went really well. I'm having less and less trouble with my back, which is encouraging. The workout sets went really well. Then, the ugly truth was seen. It was our first timing session of the season. We only timed today in what we plan to swim for the November meet. I've decided to swim the 100 back and the 50 back. I timed my 100 first. I actually swam my 50 split in the 100 faster!! My 100 time ended up being 1:51.3. Not too bad for never having competed back, but bad for qualifying for Nationals. For Nationals, I need at least a 1:14.03. I need to trim 37 secs off of my time! I did only start from the wall, though. When I do my real start, I'm sure some time will come off. I think, I can't remember exactly, my time for the 50 was :51.8. That was BAD, but it was at the end of practice and I was tired and a little anxious. We'll see how much time I can drop between this week and the first of the month. I'm going to be doing a lot of speed training between now and then. I just don't want to embarrass myself at the meet!!

Inspiration

I was back in the pool all week this week. The first two days, I suffered from really stiff back muscles. So, I kept the yardage low and swam slow. Yesterday, I was back at practice. I got there about 30 minutes early, and put an easy 1000 in to get warmed up. I completed the workout with a couple of substitutions just fine. I ended up with over 2500. I found that the longer I worked, the looser my back muscles became. My back feels great today! I'm glad that I'm finally to the other side of this. Now, hopefully, I can work on training for our first meet, which is November 21st. I plan on swimming the 100 and 50 back.

I got the link for this video this morning. It's just the inspiration I needed for my training.

Thursday Workout

Warmup:

100 each:
Swim
Kick
Pull
Swim

Main:
150 Free (RI 10 sec)
150 Choice

4X25 Free & Choice (RI 15 sec)

4X25 IM Kick (free, back, breast, fly) X 2

4X25 IM (back, breast, fly, free) X 2

150 Choice cooldown

Our yardage was a lot shorter, but we worked really hard on stroke technique.

Thursday Practice Workout

Today's workout:

warmup: 100 swim, 100 kick, 100 pull, 100 swim
4x - 50yds switch between freestyle and choice -- Resting Interval (RI): 10 sec.
6x - 25yds (build..start slow and finish in a sprint) switch between freestyle and choice -- RI: 5 sec
200 ladder swim - start freestyle at 50yds then 100, 150, 200 then start choice 200yds then 150, 100, 50 -- RI: 15sec
4x - 25yds underwater swims (try to make it to the other side with one breath)
Cool Down- 200yds freestyle

Fall Swim Practice

Our team practice starts today at 4:30 p.m. I'm already having a case of anxiety. We only have 2 lanes for the whole team, and that makes me nervous. I worry that I won't swim fast enough for the others, and I know with the anxiety today that I'm not EVEN trying the flip turns!! Open turns, here I come!! Anyway it was such short notice, that I may be the only one there. It may not even be an issue today. Our coach, Erica has seen me swim many times, so I should do fine with her. I do have my video camera today to video any teammates' strokes, if they need it. This should be interesting and hopefully fun by the end. Here's to fingers crossed and thinking good thoughts!!