31Mar12

Wanted to get something in today and Kim has yet to ever be in the GSL.  So a perfect opportunity arose.  I am not feeling that great so I wanted to keep it short.  Kim wouldn't be able to handle much anyway.  We drove out there and were ready around 1530.  After a quick safety briefing we got in.  I adjusted quickly but my face seemed to take MUCH longer today.  The sides of my head were hurting pretty bad too.  I just thought it was because I didn't have a cap on and my sinuses are a bit stuffy.
Kim did fantastic.  She got in and really did good for her first real cold water swim.  I had put my thermometer in the water and left it alone.  I figured it was around 55 like the past week so I just left it there.
Kim kept moving to stay warm and I kept checking on her then showing her some cool stuff like how easy it is to float out there.  We did get some swimming in but nothing big.  Just easy strokes.
When I got out I checked the temp.  It was 50!  wow  guess it dropped a few more degrees with this storm coming in and all the high winds today.  Oh well  fun regardless!

30Mar12

I forgot to bring a recovery drink with me yesterday for the drive home after GSL.  I did some short sprint sets against the current as fun while there yesterday.  I even ended my swim doing a sprint.  Well this morning when I did my warmup, my shoulders were solid iron.  I felt pain with each follow through.  It was muscle pain so it didn't worry me but man it was tight and sensitive.  Modified my workout since I knew there was no way I was going to make what I had planned.
Did some IM's today nice and easy.  Did some backstroke sets and some hypoxic sets.
Ended up doing 2500.  I'm still ahead of schedule for my weekly yards/miles quota so I didn't feel back cutting back a bit today.  Plus I plan on doing another short swim at GSL today to stretch out some and get some more time in cold water.  It just feels so FREAKING good once I get adjusted swimming in colder water.
2500 today.....for now!

Went out and met Josh today at the Marina.  This will make 3 days in a row I've hit the GSL after work.  I was happy he was able to come and we just did a nice easy mile.  The current was really strong again heading south so going north I just did DPS drills and going south I just relaxed and enjoyed the push.  The water inside the marina read 55 but outside it was definitely colder.  Some currents crossed us that I know were near just 50 degrees.  It got COLD real quick when these came around.  It was real fun when we were heading back in and a boat passed us going into the marina.  That made the entire rest of the swim in freezing cold water.  fun fun.

Another mile in GSL today.

29Mar12

Went to the GSL marina today for our weekly Thursday swim.  It's no longer a polar bear swim but now just a training swim.
I got there a bit late and there were a bunch of people there.  7 total today.  Woo-hoo a record!!

Chad, Josh, me, Jim

Me during my adjustment period.

Swam out with Josh and Chad and we just did a safe buoy route near the marina.  Current was strong heading south.  Going north was a challenge and the current kept Chad and me banging into each other.  He accidentally punched me twice and I knocked his goggles off.  Oops.   We laughed about it since we didn't mean to keep running into each other.  The way back to the marina was FAST.  We got to the last buoy before I even realized we had gone anywhere.  I took a few strokes and tah-dah, THERE!  Fun part was cutting cross current at a severe angle to make it back into the marina.
Water was 55 again and I felt fantastic.  We figured we did around 1300 yards.  I was in longer than 30 minutes so I'm happy more with my ability to handle the cold over time and distance out there for now.
Love these swims...LOVE THEM!!!!

28Mar12

Another good day today.  It doesn't look like Kim will be able to come on Wednesdays anymore so I was solo today.  Considering I'm going to be taking Wednesdays off starting next month, that should solve the problem.
Felt good today but some interval times Marcia wanted me to hit I just could not.  I was doing 100's and going really hard but I was hitting the times that I was supposed to be leaving on.  Oh well!  If I went any faster, I'd be too tired to make the rest of the set.
Got 5k in today though.  I think this might be the next standard for morning swims.  It used to be 4k but if I get there right on time, minimize chatting and with how well I'm swimming, 5k can be done.
One more piece of good news, I hit another milestone in my training.  I am at 20.38% for my yearly goal of 500 miles!  This means that today I hit 100 miles. HOORAY FOR ME!!!  I'm pretty happy about this.  Considering last year I did 278 miles TOTAL, I'm well ahead of where I was before.  This year is already turning out to be a good swim year and I haven't done any major swims yet!

Gordon sent me a text earlier asking if I wanted to join him at the Antelope Island marina for a swim at the GSL this afternoon.  Got permission from the boss and I met him at 1800.  For some reason, I was a bit nervous.  I found it comical really.  Got greased up as he helped his daughter Lucy get the kayak ready.  I got in and felt REALLY cold.  I guess 2 weeks away from cold water swims catches up to you.  My body adjusted really fast except the bridge of my nose.  I was wearing my Swedes today so I get an extremely sharp pain there when it gets in cold water.  It took about 1 minute for my body to adjust and about 8 minutes for the "spot" on top of my nose to adjust.  I felt GREAT in the water and I was completely warm.  Gords and I decided to stick inside the marina area at first and do a lap.  I was pulling well and feeling fantastic.  We kept chatting about how good we felt and despite the fact that it was 55, we could have been comfortable for hours.  We ended up doing exactly one mile.
1 mile in 55 degree water.  I felt really good and wished it was sunnier.  Clouds kept my back cold but in the water I felt warm.

26Mar12

I had a "come to Jesus" talk with my lungs Sunday and I pretty much decided that it's time to start training hard again so they might as well get on board!  The talk worked.
Got to the pool at 0430 and was eager to get in.  I wanted to see if I could get 5000 today since I might have to start making all my morning workouts that distance pretty soon.
Did a long warmup and was feeling really good.  Did several sets of 100's on specific times.  One pull set I was going so strong, I actually cut my rest time down to make my intervals faster.
The 2 weeks of rest/recovery did catch up to me eventually.  Around 4000 my shoulders started to give out.  I was still swimming okay but I could definitely feel that I had not done a real workout in awhile.
My times slowed down and I was nowhere near as strong as I was earlier.  I kept chugging along anyway.  I got to 5000 which made me really happy.
Lungs are 100% and it's a good thing too because next week I add another day of swimming to my schedule.

5000 today

24Mar12

Easy day today.  Got to the pool and just did 5000.  Mainly sets of 500's with some kicking sets and some mixed stroke work in between.  Nothing too strenuous and it was nice to get a decent swim in.  Gords has invited me to join him at the GSL today but wife is out shopping with her sisters so I have kids.  I really wish I could go. 

5000

23Mar12

Better day today.  I got to the pool at 0430 and was ready to go.  Lungs feeling a bit better but I decided not to go crazy yet.
Did 1000 WU of 500 swim 300 kick then 200 pull
10 x 100 on the 1:45
500 pull
500 swim with fins
300 kick then 200 CD

3500 total.  Longest swim since I've been sick.  Didn't cough much during the swim.  Going to take it easy today and maybe....MAYBE hit the GSL tomorrow.

21Mar12

Missed the morning swim so I had to go after work.  I was planning on doing 40 x 100 on the 1:45.  I was doing fine until I got to around 1500.  My lungs started to bug me again.  I'm still not 100% over this cough.  My body feels fine but if I strain my lungs too much, I start to cough and it gets painful.  Sure enough, once I got to 2000 I started a coughing fit.  I took a break and on the next 100 I started to cough again and felt some pain.  Now I'm pissed because I am done.  I am so F-ing sick of this cough and my lungs not being where they need to be.  I don't know why it's taking so long for them to get over whatever the hell they need to get over but I'm done with it.  I know if I push it, it will only make it worse and take longer to recover but I feel like my training is going backwards.  I wasn't even going very hard or really pushing it.
My lungs need to get in gear because this is starting to REALLY piss me off.

2100 total

19Mar12

Easy day today still.  I feel good but my lungs have that little tickle on the bottom where if I breathe too deep, I automatically start coughing.  So I can swim but just can't inhale a lot or I cough.
500 swim
500 kick
5 x 100 on the 2 min
5 x 100 on the 1:50
5 x 100 on the 1:40
300 kick
200 easy CD

Took my time today when swimming.  Whenever I picked it up a bit, I'd start coughing and have to stop.  I just focused on my stroke and holding a decent pace.

16Mar12 - back from the dead!

The flu I caught was one of the worst ones I've ever had.  I've been extremely sick and weak this week and not only did I have NO energy for swimming, it would also have been unwise.  I spent all day Sat, Sun, and most of Monday in bed.  Tuesday I was good enough to get to work but regretted the decicion when I got there.  Wednesday was small improvements and yesterday I still wasn't well enough to consider swimming.
This morning I got to the pool at 0500 and met with Kim.  She had done a long workout Wednesday and didn't mind a slow easy day to stretch herself out.  It felt nice to be in the pool again but it clearly had been a week.  I am still not 100% yet so I took my sweet time.  I just did some 50's nice and slow for awhile then some slow kicking.  I kept having to stop and cough for the first 20 minutes.  The longest set I did was 150 and even that was at an extremely cautious pace.  I also mainly had to breathe every stroke.  Lungs aren't ready for bilateral yet.  Still too wet inside...yuck!

1650 total. 
I'm hoping tomorrow to get a few thousand in but I plan on going slow like this until I'm positive I'm back to 100% healthy.  My coach keep politely warning me to be wise on my return and don't push myself until I'm ready.  That will set me back even more!

10Mar12 - Swimming when you're dead

I got "lucky" enough to catch the cold/cough my 1 year old has.  My throat felt a little warm last night and I was lightly coughing.  When I got up this morning it was on fire.  It was one of those pains where every time you cough, you wince from the pain.  My lungs had garbage in them too.  I figured if Lasse Viren could shove tubes down his throat when he had pneumonia so he could keep training for the Olympics in Track and Field in 1972, then I can swim while sick.  I went to the pool and swam despite how I felt.  It wasn't so bad in the beginning but the more yards I did, the slower and worse I got.  I stuck it out anyway and finished with 10k.  I'm glad I did it but it really beat the life out of me.  I felt like I was dead a few times near the end and I'm sure there was more than one occasion where it took me longer than a minute to do a lap.

10,000 today.....now to sleep!

9Mar12

Woke up this morning with the alarm going off and my wife hitting me.  She then informs me that it's 4:20.  My head was groggy but it took only .1 seconds to realize that I'm late.  I'm late getting up, I'm going to be late getting to the pool, and my workout is now cut short.  So now I'm in a pissy mood.
Got to the pool late and not ready to go.  Body was not ready either.  I did get to try my new Splish swim briefs with "Catalina or bust!" on the.  They are great!
Did 200 swim 300 kick for warmup
200 pull, 300 swim
500 pull then 500 hytoxic swimming
500 kicking then 500 CD....or something like that. 
3k total   I need to do more than normal tomorrow to make up for the shorter swim today.  I'll prob do about 10k.
Glad I swam but just don't like being late and I really don't like having to cut my workout short.

3000 today.

8Mar12

I was on Facebook last night and I was able to chat with Douglas.  He told me he is coming to my swim and my coach Marcia really wants to come too but it will depend on some scheduling.  Then this morning I got news from Josh that he is a definite!  I'm beyond excited.  I can't wait to meet Doug and swim with him.  I also can't describe how much I want a fellow Utah swimmer (one that I train with and have a lot of respect for) to be the first one on the beach to share the moment of accomplishment.  I also plan on having Josh swim up to the beach ahead of me and clear it out of people in case some are there so no one touches me.  :)  So for now it looks like my crew is my wife, dad, Douglas McConnell, Rob Dumouchel, and Josh.  I'm waiting on word from 2 other people that can paddle for me and a strong possibility my coach will be there.  Sounds like a good crew to me.  I'm just a bit nervous about finding paddlers.  I know Josh and my wife can do it but then I need to hunt down 2 kayaks!
I'm eager for the swim this afternoon.

Update....Went to the GSL this afternoon.  Gords, Jim and I were ready to go.  Water temp was 45.
I didn't go last week so I knew the water might be a bit of a shock.  It was when I got in but my body adjusted quickly.  The biggest problem I had was my breathing.  It took a LOT longer than normal to get under control.  I forgot my asthma meds today which might have done it also but I could tell a difference.  My hands and feet hurt pretty bad but my chest, back, and legs felt great.  I swam out to the marina entrance with Jim then we went out about 5 feet into the GSL.  We both headed back in.  I contemplated going out to the buoy but voted against it.  I wanted time in today and not distance.  Finished with Gords and we got in and got out at the same time.  9 minutes.  I was tempted to do another shorter lap but Gords and I started chatting and it quickly left my mind.  Maybe next week.  It's time to start adding some real time and distance to these swims.  I really do think I might be able to become a member of the IISA this year or early next year.  

7Mar12

Overslept today so I had to go to the pool after work.  Was not happy when I was going there but once I got in I felt better.  Forgot my workout so I just did ladders by 50's up to 450, repeat then back down.  I got done and it was 4500.  It broke my heart seeing 90 on my lap counter so I just HAD to do another 10!  100 laps and 5k done today.  Felt good.
My buddy Douglas McConnell sent me some of his Infinit drink.  I kept making sure I had a stomach full of it today and no problems.  I'll try it again on Sat when I do my longer workout.

5Mar12

Today was a mental day for sure.  I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning and was making excuses for why I should go home and back to sleep the whole time I was driving to the gym.  If it wasn't for Kim, I probably would have caved.  That's one of the biggest benefits of having a training partner, you don't want to let them down by not showing up.  Makes you look like an inconsiderate jerk when you do.
Today I made up my own workout.
600 warmup with kicking and drills mixed in.
 8 x 100 pull
4 x 200 free with various amounts of effort depending on the set.  One set I hit 2:40 and the fastest set I hit 2:34
2 x 400 pull with buoys at ankles for 2nd set
800 swim pacing at 1:30 per 100.
200 CD

4000 total
I looked at my total for last month and did 18 swims totaling over 70,000 yards.  That is nice but I soon realized that it only goes up by each month.  I think This month I need to get over 100,000 yards.
I'm also at 15% of my year end goal of 500 miles.  I'm on track!

3Mar12

Got a good nap yesterday after coming home not feeling well  I woke up in time to eat a good dinner, watch the Jazz game some then back to bed.  Woke up this morning feeling a LOT better.  My workout today came from one Gords posted a few days ago with some modifications.
2 x 1000 warmup.
600 of 12x50 down drill and back swim
20 x 100 1-10 on the 1:50  11-20 on the 1:40
1000 of 4 x 200 swim then 50 breast
20 x 25 odd sprint and even swim easy
Then I just kept doing nice easy laps to get to 160.  Felt good today.  Muscles got a bit tired in a few spots but I just kept on chuggin along!

8k today

2Mar12

Not feeling well today.  My stomach is really bugging me but I tried to ignore it anyway.  Got in the pool after work today and ended up only doing 1000.  Really pathetic but when you are convinced you are going to barf every other lap, it's probably a good idea to not swim.  I'll rest now and hopefully I feel better tomorrow.  I need a long swim.

1k today   blah  :(