Relaxing

This has been a slightly boring week as I am in taper mode. Wednesday was a 30 minute bike ride. Very simple. Thursday was an easy swim much like Tuesdays. I was surprised how quickly I finished. Following that, I was on the treadmill for a half hour. I have to admit that I did not run much during this training period but I felt great yesterday. I got a couple miles in, just nice and easy, with a little walking as a warmup and cooldown. No pain this time. The taper period has been great. I am planning to go ahead with the program I just did for the second time. I think I will have a much better success rate from workout to workout.

Song in my head - "Don't Let Him Go" by REO Speedwagon of High Infidelity awesome guitar work by Gary Richrath. They get a lot of flak but that album is a classic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDIP1nUisUc

I did a triathlon today, in a way

Today was a good workout. I was scheduled to try all three legs. The workout has now made it to its taper phase where the workouts typically ease up in anticipation of a race. I am really off schedule because of the two week break so the easy workoutsw are fine with me. But anyway, I swam a 300 warmup, 6 50s, 6 100s, and a 200 warmdown. The workout was very easy but I still felt tired in my upper body. I then hit the bike for 15 minutes and ran for 15 minutes. I was supposed to go for 60 minutes and 30 minutes respectively, but honestly, all I wanted to do was get the blood flowing. I think I really shot myself in the foot at the beginning of the routine by going all out. Now my goal is to get set up for when the season begins in April. Therefore I want to maintain my swim pace, gradually build up my cycling and running throughout the offseason and be in position to really kick butt by April.

Song in my head "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses ("bah humbug")

Its been 14 days since my last confession...oops, entry

Well then, after a week of rest and a trip back East, I got back on the bike yesterday. The new fit felt great but I only did about a half hour. No pain, no soreness after a while. All good. I am sort of off program at this point, but I am not really worried. My program is winding down. I guess it would be in the taper phase so the workouts themselves would be easy. Tomorrow I am scheduled for all three but due to appointments I will lucky to get them in.

Two doors close, one opens

Its been said that, "We can't control the things that other people do or say, we can only control our reactions to what people do or say." That type of modus operandi is a lot easier said than done sometimes. Today was one of those days when I was on the recieving end of some seemingly unpleasant news when I was first waking up this morning.

My dilemma this morning was how to react to the news. What I wanted to do and what I knew I should do were opposites. I figured the best way to change my attitude was to hit the gym and do my planned workout. Perhaps at the end of the session I would feel better.

My swim was scheduled to be a long one. Warmup was 1000 yds followed 4 100s, 3 800s, 300 yd pull, and 8 25s, finishing with a 200 cool down. This was by far the longest I had ever swum at one time (4500 yds or about 2.5 miles). I went easy for the warmups. When I got to the sets of 800, I went for length; counting my strokes the whole time. I averaged 19 throughout the 2400 yds which was great. I was able to finish the 4300 (no cool down as the pool closed) in about an hour and a half.

My focus was on point. I started to mull over what had happened this morning, but was forced to forget it as the sets got more intense and much more focus was required. It started to creep back in my head throughout the workout and again had to cast it aside in order to focus on my form, my counting, and my breathing.

I can't say that I am completely over things, but I am in a much better place mentally, because the thing on my mind right now is how much my triceps hurt and how hungry I am.

Song in my head "Why Can't I Be You" by The Cure. They played it on Dancing With The Stars (Mary Anna is obsessed with that show her favorite dancer is Mel B. from the Spice Girls). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eCsS_-Hf9U

I'm Only Home In My Galaxie

Just got back from my friends, Odessah and Nannette's housewarming party. I wish I stayed all night. I was drinking some red wine and having a grand ole time but, it was time to leave. I am still off the bike. Each day I am feeling better, but, there is no need to rush because it is offseason, so I will wait. Thanks to Odessah, Nannette, Auntie Letty, and Uncle Ernie. What a party!

Song in my head Galaxie by Blind Melon off of "Soup" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfjjKzL5Id8

Much better

I had a good workout today. I swam 2900 yds. I started with a 300 yd. warmup, 4 200s pull, 8 100s, 200 kick, 6 100s, and a 200 yd. cooldown. Starting with the pull set, I just started stretching. I was hitting the wall on 15 and 16 strokes. As I kept going I kept getting 18s and 19s when I hit the wall. It wasn't a legendary performance but I felt back on track from Tuesday. I hate to say it but getting back on the Optygen may have been the trick. At least it put me in a better spot, mentally.

Also had my new seat installed yesterday. The fit is much much better. I have a few more days to rest it before I get back on, but I am very excited.

Don't want to but I have to...

I want to cycle in the worst way, but I am staying off for a few days. I am still getting a little pain in my knee and want it to heal fully before I get back on. It is really annoying to be training for next summer without actually training. Fortunately I can swim. No soreness from yesterday, which figures because I sucked. In the meantime, I am clearing off my desk of extra work in hopes to get back on the bike next week. Maybe I will run a bit. Probably not.

Ann Murray song my head today "No I Don't Think Time". Slow day.

One Step Backward

After my elation of last Friday, I took the weekend off. I am not sacrificing fitness by doing it, and I am hoping to eliminate the pain in my knee. It's still here but perhaps getting better. I refuse to get on the bike until I am pain free.

Today I was back in the pool for 2600 yds. The first set was 4 200s, followed by 500 yds, then 6 200s at race pace. Again I didn't want to get in the pool but made it there. I can only describe the workout as SLUGGISH. I usually get to the wall at 19 strokes or less. Here 19 was the best I could possibly do. Most times I was hitting at 21 or more. I literally felt like someone was pulling me back or that the wall getting further and further away.

But how could that be? Friday was so great. During the swim I was searching for answers. Was I dogging it? No, I was working my a$$ off! Was I tired? Yeah but that's no excuse. Lazy? Sure, always. Was it because I had little breakfast? Maybe but not very likely. The only answer I could come up with was I had stopped taking my vitamins and Optygen for a few days since last week. I sort of slack off on the weekends as far as vitamins. I kind of vedge-out during football Saturdays and get distracted with church and family stuff on Sundays. No more. This is crazy. I'm back on the vitamins and the supplements religiously from now on.

Song in my head "Do You Love What You Feel?" Rufus and Chaka Khan "Stompin' At The Savoy"

I'm toast

Just got back from the gym. Very relieved to be finished and I feel great. Saying I did not want to go was an understatement. I went kicking and screaming. The whole thought of a swim workout was nauseating. Having to go to the gym, signing in, undressing, showering before the workout, then walking onto the pool deck freezing from the shower, getting into the cold pool and warming up all sounded awful to me. Plus, I had to complete the workout which, no doubt, would wear me out. My only positive thought would be how good it would feel going into the weekend knowing I completed two good cycles and a really good swim workout.

The workout went swimmingly. My warmup was 300 yds plus 300 yds as a drill (I chose fisting). My main set was to be 8 100s followed by another 8 100s at the best avg time of the previous 8. I then had to do 400 with just arms and a buoy and a 200 yd warmdown. In all 2800 yds. I had no stopwatch, so instead, I focused counting my strokes.

Because I was so anti-workout today, I decided I would lengthen my body as much as I could and go easy. The key today was smooth. My first warmup laps got me to the wall at 19 strokes. I had to have counted wrong, I thought, because I usually avg about 21. But it kept coming up as 19. As I got to my main set, I was regularly getting to the wall in 18 strokes very easily. So I then started to challenge myself and shoot for 17. I stretched and stretched and started hitting 17s with regularity. As it was happening, I started to get over the drudgery of the swim and really started to enjoy myself and the challenge of hitting 17s. I would say my average for the day was 18. As I got a little more tired, I started to get 19s and even a 20 or so on an easy lap.

But the workout was a success nonetheless. Counting strokes is one of the best ways a swimmer can use to achieve optimum form. Although it's never possible to have perfect form in the water, you are always trying to go further, faster, with less effort, and in the most efficient manner. That is, you should strive to glide like a fish rather than thrashing like a dog. A 17 stroke lap means that I was getting a good push off the wall, I was stretching my arms straight, and using my triceps to propel myself. It also means I was breathing by twisting my body rather than pulling it out of the water.

I am very happy with my performance today. 17 stokes was probably a number I hit only a few times before. I used to try to strive for under twenty. Now that I have a new goal, that's attainable, I can strive for making that my new norm, and thereby, ensuring better and better swim technique. Alright no more typing, my triceps are killing me.

Song in my head "Big Girls Don't Cry" Fergie but since that sucks I'm going to switch it to "Become the Enemy" Lemonheads because you gotta listen to their new album, its a masterpiece.

Whoever says "in shape" people don't get sick...

...is a liar. I got a cold out of the blue Tuesday. I spent Wednesday with tissue up my nose (but I still cycled). Thursday was a swim day but I still felt like crap so I stayed away from the gym. Now I am scheduled to rest, but I am off to the gym. I have to admit, I do not want to go. The minute I got up, I did this morning yoga thing with Mary Anna to wake up. Then I just put my clothes in my bag, and took my vitamins. I also made my drinks the night before. These things help make the decision to go to the gym less cumbersome because everything is set up eliminating any excuse not to go. So I am dragging myself off to the gym. I DO NOT WANT TO GO! Just in case you did not know already.

The focus for the day, slow and smooth.