Taper day 1

today I was a little late getting to the pool but I figured it was fine because I had a taper work out and would still miss the water aerobics. I hopped right in the pool and this is what I did.

Warm up
400 Free 100 Back

main set
4 x 100 free on 1:40
rest 1 minute
4 x 200 free on 3:00
rest 1 minute
2 x 400 free on 5:50
rest 2 minutes
4 x 100 free on 1:30

Cool down about 60% effort
 200 yard back
100 breast
100 free

total 3,300 yards

Gords warned me about feeling guilty after this work out and to tell the truth I really do. I have been pushing myself so hard that I felt like today was a age group work out and feel like I am missing something. I am sure I will make up for it come Friday.

Day before taper

Got to the pool at 3:45 this morning and this is what I did

1st set
1 x 25 kick @ 40
1 x 50 free @ 45
1 x 75 free @ 1:20
1 x 100 free @ 1:45
1 x 75 free @ 1:20
1 x 50 free @ 45
1 x 25 kick @ 40
1 minute rest

Second set
1 x 50 kick @ 1:10
1 x 100 free @ 1:35
1 x 150 free @ 2:40
1 x 200 free @ 3:30
1 x 150 free @ 2:40
1 x 100 free @ 1:35
1 x 50 kick @ 1:10
1 minute rest

Third set
1 x 100 kick @ 2:30
1 x 200 pull @ 3:00
1 x 300 pull @ 4:30
1 x 400 pull @ 6:30
1 x 300 pull @ 4:30
1 x 200 pull @ 3:00
1 x 100 kick @ 2:30
1 minute rest

Fourth set
1 x 200 kick @ 5:00
1 x 400 free @ 6:30
1 x 600 free @ 10:00
1 x 800 free @ 13:00
1 x 600 free @ 10:00
1 x 400 free @ 6:30
1 x 200 kick @ 5:00
1 minute rest

Its the same workout I did last week and I really pushed it this time looking forward to my taper that starts tomorrow for my 11 mile swim. at this workout rate I have been teased at work that I'm going to swim my arms off.

Also for those of you interested here is the link for my Spot GPS that will be live when I start my swim Friday Morning      http://tinyurl.com/ChadsD2DSwim

Pineview

I talked to Gords over the weekend and we decided that we would meet up at Pineview about 4:30 this morning. I left my house about 10 minutes later than I wanted to so I got there about 20 minutes late, because I drove right past where we were meeting. This was my first time actually stopping there and I had no idea where I was going. I hurried and got changed and met everyone down at the water. Gords gave me a light stick and we were off. the water was really warm and fishy tasting. I kept getting a little in my mouth and that was all I could taste was the fish. we did a buoy route down to the the line that keeps you getting to close to the dam. when we got to the line we sprinted to the other side of the lake. I was keeping up with everyone for the most part but found myself stopping and making sure I was going the right direction. I was also having trouble keeping my glow stick stuck in my goggle band and had to stop to actually tie it to my strap. we swam up the shore line to the no wake buoys and then back across to the other side, then back down to where we started from. when we got back to the starting point there were 2 other swimmers there to meet Gords so he was going to paddle for them. I said good by to Goody, Sara and Gords and thanked them for meeting so early. Sara said that we should do this every Monday morning until I swim the Channel. we all laughed about trying to swim on the ice during the winter . I got back to the truck and called to work because I was going to be late.

I was a awesome swim, first time swimming in Pineview total distance was 2.64 miles

here is the link to my GPS   http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/551545810

Rest Day

Chandra and I was out really late at the Soccer game last night, we were fortunate enough to get tickets to the Rio Tinto Suite. I also have my kids for the rest of the weekend and Colton had to be at work the same time I did so swimming was out of the question for this morning. I was supposed to go to the swim trek at Flaming George with my SLOW swimming friends but it doesn't look like that is going to work out either. Not really happy about it but with the family reunion next weekend, the Dam to Dam swim and saving funds for my EC swim it probably wont happen. my plan is to get up early tomorrow morning and do the work out I messed up earlier this week and see where it goes from there.

Pioneer Day Workout

Holy Butt Kicker Batman!

I finally got some good sleep and went to the Gym this morning at the normal time. I decided I wanted to do the meter pool again and really push myself, and to not get stopped at 5:45 when water aerobics started. here is the work out that I did.

500 warm up
200 drill ( 50 one arm drill 50 other arm drill 50 touch and pull 50 finger tip drag)
200 kick with fins
100 back stroke

2000 main set: 4 times thru 1st free 2nd IM 3rd back 4th free
    200 with :20 rest
    150 with :15 rest
    100 with :10 rest
    50 sprint
      rest :30 between each rep

Distance work: this is where I had my butt handed to me because of the length of the pool and trying to do them on my CSS time.

 800 free on 13:20 (CSS pace 1:33 + 7 = 1:40)
 600 free on 9:50 ( CSS pace 1:33 + 5 = 1:38)
 400 free on 6:25 ( CS pace 1:33 + 3 = 1:36)
 200 free and try to land exactly @ CS pace (1:33)
 Rest one minute
400 free on 6:25 (CSS pace 1:33 + 3 = 1:36)

It happened water aerobics started and I was getting kicked out I really wanted to finish my work out and not wait around for an hour to do it. I know this set was supposed to be challenging  to me and get my heart rate going so I did what I do best....I joined the class. I worked as hard as I could during the class to keep my heart rate up and when the class was over I finished my work out, so here is the completion.

600 free on 9:50 ( CSS pace 1:33 + 5 = 1:36)
800 free on 13:20 (CSS pace 1:33 + 7 = 1:40)

200 free cool down

Total for today 6500 SCM

this was my favorite work out so far. it really pushed me. I did not make any of my splits that I needed to make. I was told to just keep swimming if I couldn't. I did that for the first 2 sets and then decided to take 30 seconds rest in between each set. while I was swimming I was pushing it really hard to get as much out of it that I could and I feel like I did a good job of that. I will need to be tested at the meter pool for my CSS time so I can stick to my splits like I need to do. other than that I feel like I am making some progress in the water, I have been really trying to improve my stroke to get more out of it. At this rate I will be ready for the English Channel when I need to be. Thank you Gords for everything you have and continue to do for me.

P.S. Advil and Deep Blue is my Friend right now!

No Sleep

Today I was kicked out of bed by Chandra at 3:15 I hurried and ate and was out the door. I realized I was going to be late so I went to the pool closest to my house so I could get my full work out in. I got to the gym and was in the water by 4:05. here is the work out that I did today.

600 warm up

400 - 8 x 50 free Drill/Swim by 25
500 - 10 x 50 @ :50 odds EZ evens hard
1200 - 3 times thru:
    4 x 100 free increase interval on each 100 (descending intensity)
      1 @ 1:25 rest :30
      1 @ 1:30 rest :20
      1 @ 1:35 rest :10
      1 @ 1:40 rest :05
rest 1 minute
4 x 200 free (ascending intensity with more rest) really focus on my form during this whole set
    1 @ 3:30 (get under 3:15)
    1 @ 3:40 get under 3:10
    1 @ 3:45 get under 3:45
    1 SPRINT get under 2:50

600 - 12 x 50s on :50 odds hard evens easy

900 cool down

Total 5000 SCM

I had forgot that I was in a 25 meter pool today and was really down on myself for not hitting a lot of the times I found myself sprinting most of the workout trying to catch up. by the end of the work out my shoulders were burning and I was fighting cramps in my legs. all in all its a great work out I just need to adjust the intervals for a meter pool.

Second structured workout

I rolled out of bed this morning at 3:10 and ate a quick bowl of frosted flakes and was out the door to the pool. I got in the water at 4 am and started my workout that Gords had made for me. It was my first time doing a Pyramid set and it went like this.

1st set
1 x 25 kick @ 40
1 x 50 free @ 45
1 x 75 free @ 1:20
1 x 100 free @ 1:45
1 x 75 free @ 1:20
1 x 50 free @ 45
1 x 25 kick @ 40
1 minute rest

Second set
1 x 50 kick @ 1:10
1 x 100 free @ 1:35
1 x 150 free @ 2:40
1 x 200 free @ 3:30
1 x 150 free @ 2:40
1 x 100 free @ 1:35
1 x 50 kick @ 1:10
1 minute rest

Third set
1 x 100 kick @ 2:30
1 x 200 pull @ 3:00
1 x 300 pull @ 4:30
1 x 400 pull @ 6:30
1 x 300 pull @ 4:30
1 x 200 pull @ 3:00
1 x 100 kick @ 2:30
1 minute rest

Fourth set
1 x 200 kick @ 5:00
1 x 400 free @ 6:30
1 x 600 free @ 10:00
1 x 800 free @ 13:00
1 x 600 free @ 10:00
1 x 400 free @ 6:30
1 x 200 kick @ 5:00
1 minute rest

200 free cool down

Total 6,200 SCY

I really liked this work out. The pull sets really kicked my butt and towards the end of the last set I had a hard time keeping pace. my mind was wandering and I could not remember where I started on the clock and part of the time I found myself looking at my watch to see how many laps I had done because I was loosing track. all in all it was a great work out with them progressively getting thought the rest of the week!

Bear Lake Swim and a New Coach!

I swam the route for the Bear Lake Monster swim with Gords on Friday Morning. It was a great swim. I felt pretty good in the water  for not swimming for quite some time, but I was slow... really slow compared to Gords. I have been in a mental funk for quite some time trying to figure out what the heck was wrong and it hit me like a ton of crap. I just need to pull my head out of my butt and get to work. Bear lake was the kick that I needed and now I have help from a great Friend and a true Open Water Legend Mr. Gordon Gridley!

Last night I was emailing Gords back and fourth and he was going to meet me at 24 hour fitness to help me out. I got there at 4 am and Gords was shortly behind me. We went in and did 1000 warm up and then he asked if I had ever done a CSS test. I had read about it for Josh's post and then I did the test. it goes like this

400 timed swim fast (5:55)
recover set 300 drill (I had to ask what he ment by drill)
200 Back
4 x 75's free on 1:15
200 timed swim fast (2:48)

My CSS time worked out to be 1:33

now Gords said we were going to do a variation of the Red Mist Work out and this is what I did

1800 - 3 x 600's CSS + 6 (10 minutes)
1600 - 4 x 400's CSS + 5 (6:30)
200 easy

Total 6000 SCY

I really am happy that Gords has taken time from his busy schedule in order to help me succeed in the Channel. I truly am blessed to have awesome people in my corner who are there for me. P.S. this was the first structured work out I have done since High School and it really kicked my BUTT. I am now looking at picking up some needed speed and get I higher stroke count.