Home Meet Wrap Up

Well, I survived the home swim meet!! I stuck it out, and swam every event I entered. I also overcame a HUGE obstacle. I did my 50 Breaststroke off the block!! I've had a big mental thing with the blocks, since I've never really learned to use them. Coaches Erica and Katie gave me a crash course last Wednesday and Thursday night. I felt comfortable enough, after that, to use it on Saturday. I can't wait to get up there and go again. I can't wait until the next meet in Knoxville this December. So much that I can do now!! I'm happy to report, that I took first in all my events and dropped all my times!! I'm not terribly fast, but I sure do put a lot of effort in it. Counting the 200 mixed medley relay that I did, I swam a total of 5 events. Last year, that would have ensured a trip to the hospital. The bootcamp has been wonderful! I can tell SUCH a difference. I bettered my time in the 200 Back with so much less effort than I put in it last year. Bootcamp is one investment that certainly has paid off. I'll make sure that I'm there in that class, every time I get a chance. It's back to regular practice tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm just waiting to see what Coaches Erica and Katie have planned for me now!

Fall Home Swim Meet

Every time, I let the time get away from me. I ended up finishing the summer very strong. I feel so much more comfortable in the water now. The fall semester has started, and I'm doing a juggling act this year. I'm back in school, heading the swim club, training for a new job position, on the vestry at church, and several other things. So to say I'm busy is an understatement. Club recruitment went extremely well this year. We've gained a lot of good, active members. I'm happy to see so much enthusiasm. Our fall practices have been scattered, due to meetings and football games, but we are doing the best we can with what we've got!

Our home meet is this coming Saturday. I've signed up for the 200 Back, 100 Back, 50 Back, and the 50 Breast. I'm the most worried about the 200 Back. We haven't had a chance to do a lot of sprint training, so I'm nervy. I guess it will work out just fine. Turns out, I'm the only one, out of the whole meet, to sign up for that event. It's going to get lonely out there. I think I'm more nervous about swimming in front of everyone alone, but it looks like I can just make it a really good warm up. Hope I don't regret it later. Everyone cross their fingers!

BIG Update!

This has really been a wild past few weeks. Casey and I took a quick, weekend trip to Destin a week or so ago. We took the 3 puppies to the kennel, and Mom took care of the rest at home. There was a bad incident, while we were gone. One morning, Mom let Shiloh out to potty. She was right on the side of the street and the yard. A car came flying up the street and hit her on the side of the road!! They didn't even stop!! So, we had to let our sweet, sweet Shiloh cross the Rainbow Bridge. We loved and miss her very much!!

RIP Sweet Shiloh



Despite the bad news, as soon as we got to Destin, we tried to have a good time anyway. Here's some shots from the trip.


Public beaches at Destin.




Beach at Henderson State Park.




Casey napping on the beach.

Me attempting to go Boogie Boarding!


On Saturday night, we had dinner at McGuire's Irish Pub. It was absolutely delicious! We had the 18 cent Senate Bean soup and the Shepherd's pie. We also had their yummy, home brewed Raspberry Wheat beer. The entertainment was hysterical, and everyone was signing old, Irish drinking songs. I really can't wait to go back there!

Enjoying the brew at McGuire's.


It was a very short vacation, and we were soon back home and back to work. The following Saturday, I had my annual Fenton Payne & Fred 5K race. All summer I've been swimming and doing circuit training, but I really haven't been doing any distance running. I ended up being faster than last year!! I really have improved my endurance the past year! This is always my very favorite 5K, and I had a great time! I again ran for Special Kids as a part of Team A.S.K. My child partner was Olivia, and she was such a sweetheart. Olivia suffers from a rare lung disease called NEHI.

Here's me and Olivia.


Race shots.
Just crossed the finish.




School starts tomorrow, and I'm back in school. So, I'm definitely going to have a busy fall with Celebration Pet Day, School, and swimming Blue Wave Raiders Masters Team again this year! We've got 2 home meets scheduled this year; one for Fall and one for Spring. So, it's busy, busy, busy for me!!

Frustrated

Ever since Tuesday this past week, I've felt like utter crap in the pool!! I can't swim my usual 500 freestyle warmup without getting winded. I'm not quite sure what's up. I took Wednesday off as a recovery day. Did my dryland/running routine on Thursday, took Friday as a recovery day and was back in the pool today. I was crappy again. Granted, I was sharing a lane today and had to stop to monitor the weather status at the outdoor pool, given by the lifeguards every few minutes. We finally moved inside, and while it did get a little better, it still didn't feel good. I DON'T like it, when I don't feel good in the water. I hate workouts, where I feel like I'm struggling every stroke. What's wrong with me?

The only thing I can figure is I've ramped up my exercise routine the past 3 weeks. For the past 2 weeks, I've worked out/swam 6 days a week. Maybe I just crashed this week. Here's hoping for a better week next week. Now I have to decide whether tomorrow is a workout day or not? Anyone have any experience with this kind of thing?

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

Just Keep Swimming!

I went to my dryland training "Boot Camp" for the 2nd time last night. I really liked last night's sets. We were in the weight room. We had 2 stations for ab/core work; one stop on the bench with the medicine ball, and one stop with the giant exercise ball. Then we did the lat pull down machine, the thigh press, the arm press, and the arm/fly press. We did 4 sets. In between each set, we went out to the track and ran laps. I really do like circuit training! I ended up running nearly a mile, just in class last night. Since we really concentrated on our upper body, I'm not nearly as sore today. It's amazing how swimming has strengthened my arms, back, and shoulders! I'm looking forward to next week's sessions!

I had spent the earlier part of the week concentrating on recovery swims, since I was SO incredibly sore from the first session. I spent the better part of the week in pain. I did manage to get a double in on Tuesday, but the yardage ended up being about 3000 or so. Today, I finally got my first "real" swim in of the week. I realize that I've got to push myself. One of my favorite swim quotes is, "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable in practice." I had to keep repeating that in my head today, while I was swimming. My flipturns are off kilter, because of the stomach pain from the tough ab workouts this week. I just have to make myself keep flipping hard and fast through the pain. I KNOW it will get better!

Here's what I did:

Warm Up:
200 Swim
100 IM Kick
200 Pull

Main Set:
100 Swim
100 IM
200 Swim
200 IM
150 Swim
3 x 100 IM
4 x 50 Kick FAST
4 x 25 Underwaters

Cool Down:
250

Total: 2100

Not a massively big workout, but it's definitely a start!

OUCH!!

Yesterday, I started an intensive summer dryland program. I seriously need more core strength. I wanna use the core strength for better, faster flipturns. Anyway, my local Rec Center has a "Boot Camp" class that is run by a personal trainer. It's a very small class and is held three times a week.

I got to class last night, not knowing quite what to expect. Last night's class was A LOT of circuit training. We'd got through a set targeted to a specific body part, then head out to the track for some running. Then back to the cardio room for more sets. It was a great all over body workout. We did a lot of squats and lunges off of the steps last night too. Both good for explosiveness off the wall! There was LOTS of core work too! If I sit for any period of time today, it takes me a while to get up and get going! I'm used to running and swimming, but this class was truly a challenge for me. I never thought I would use running to catch my breath!

I'm so sore today that today's lunchtime swim was a recovery workout. Swim, kick, pull for 3 sets, all done slow and easy. I'm going back tonight for another thousand, just to keep from getting so stiff. I have my online class tonight, so I'll be sitting in my work chair for a long time today. Probably around 13 hours, so I need that second swim!

I have another dryland class coming up on Thursday. I'm just praying to keep up and not die!!