Go Girl Cycling

Saturday I drove to Coral Spring to compete in a swimming meet. The drive reminded me of traveling from San Antonio to Houston but not as far.  Coral Springs is a very nice area west of Miami.  The aquatic complex was extremely nice. It had two pools, one was LCM, the other was SCY and a diving well in between with tramps and a drive board area. 

There was a synchronized swimming practice going on and those coaches work those young girls for LONG hours. They were in the water for about 3 hours with no break. Some of the girls had their faces covered in white sunscreen. It was entertaining to watch them kick their legs in the air and listen to the coach count...1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 at about a 32 beat per minute count. 

The meet was okay for me. I felt very tired. Maybe it was from Friday's practice.  The first event was the 200 Free and I did manage to drop 1 second even though I felt very sluggish and tight.  That was the only event that I improved in time. I swam the 50 Free for the first time, and that was okay, but not great, just breaking :30.  I was glad I competed to get more racing under the belt.  

The Go Girl Cycling is a shop in Ft. Myers that hosted a Specialized Women's Ride. They offered 3 different distances as well as swag.  About 40 or so women showed up to ride from the shop.  I was so excited to meet and ride with other women cyclists.  Our group did the 45mile ride.  Our ride leader, Tina is the Manager of the shop.  She did a great job keeping us all together. The rule was to maintain 18mph.  We were doing just fine about 11K miles into the ride, when a group of girls were having trouble keeping up. Oh dear, that's not good since most of us were not in our big rig and spinning the prescribed pace.  

Tina went to the rear of the group, and that's when a small group 3 and myself decided to continue on up the road at our own pace. We were really glad we did.  Even though the route was not marked, Jennifer had a picture of the map on her phone, plus most of them knew the area. We rotated well together and maintained a constant speed.  It was really fun to be with a group of women that knew how to ride well.   The day really heated up to the upper 90's so we were all thankful to return to the shop before noon. 

I look forward to future rides with these ladies!  Go Girl Cycling is a fabulous bike shop, so be sure to 'like' them on FB!

Happy Trails!

Freaky Fast Friday

Here we go with coach Kevin's (UNC alumni swimmer) speed challenge set.  I was thinking of doing less since I plan to race tomorrow, but I was having too much FUN!!

Friday 5/29/15

Warm
6 x 100 @ 1:40 free
6 x 75 @ 1:20 fl/back/br drill (sounds familiar!)
6 x 50 @ 1:00 (odds stroke/evens free, descend in pairs)
6 x 25 @ :35 odds breakout/evens 15 under water

Main
3 xs
3 x 100 @ 1:25 hold best possible or better than 1/3 of 300 pace (rest :30)
4 x 50 @ 1:00 odds stroke/evens cruise free (work #1 and #3)
8 x 25 @ :40 drill stroke/choice

2x (only time for 1x)
6 x 50 @ 1:00 paddles and snorkel
4 x 25 :40 no breather, round 1 right paddle/left fin, round 2 switch

Happy Laps!

Big Kick!

It's ironic that this weeks focus for two workouts in a row are related to improving our kicking skills, given the fact that FIFA is getting a big kick in their integrity. Also considering how FIFA treats woman soccer players by making them play on artificial turf for World Cup... the best part is.....a woman is kicking their ball(s).  Yes, I said that! 

Moving on.....

Wednesday 5/27/15 with coach Mike

Warm
600 Free (breath 50R/breath 50L) + 400 IM (free) + 200 kick

Preset:
8 x 25 @ :40
Single Arm Free: breathe opposite side x 4, then breathe same side x 4

Main (entire set with or w/out fins)
20 x 50 @ 1:00
Moderate:                                      Fast:
1 x 50 Swim                                   4 x 50 kick
2 x 50 Swim                                   3 x 50 kick
3 x 50 Swim                                   2 x 50 kick
4 x 50 Swim                                   1 x 50 kick

Main
12 x 150 @ 2:15 for swim and 2:00 for pull
Moderate:                               Fast:
1 x 150 free                            3 x 150 pull
2 x 150 free                            2 x 150 pull
3 x 150 free                            1 x 150 pull

100 ez

12 x 25 @ :40
odds double arm back
evens no breather

200 warm down

Thursday 5/28/15 with coach Mike

1200 (100 choice swim + 100 IM drill) 

12 x 75 @ 1:20

odds fly-back-breast Drill (need to work the drill to make the interval)

evens back-breast - free Swim

12 x 100 @ 2:00 (NO fins, can use snorkel to keep hips high)

75 kick/25 swim (Strong Kick!)

1 x 400 pull with paddles and snorkel

I got out after another 100 cool - since I had a race Sat. but if you want to finish the practice, this is a nice set:

3x:

4 x 25 @ :30 (1 free + 3 stroke)

4 x 25 @ :35 (2 free + 2 stroke)

4 x 25 @ :40 (3 free + 1 stroke)

200 cool

Happy Laps!

                 

Memorial Day Swim

Monday SCY with coach Paul

Challenging 200 set.
Warm:
400 swim, 300 kick, 3 x 100 pull

5 x 100 Kick @ 1:50 (fins)

1 x 300 (25 free/25 back/25 free + rest 15 - build to fast)

4 x 150 pull (odds breathe 3/5/4 by 50, evens strong)

7 x 200 Free
4 @ 3'
3 @ 2:50

200 swim down

Tuesday LCM with coach Jenna

Nice change of pace today..
Warm 
300 swim, 200 kick, 200 pull
Preset:
4 x 25 scull
4 x 25 doggie paddle
8 x 50 odds catch up and 3/4 catch up / evens free

Main:
400 breathe 3/5 by 50 @ :15 rest
3 x 100 pull strong @ 1:30
4 x 50 odds ez/ evens fast @ 1'
400 breathe 3/5 by 50
3 x 100 pull strong
6 x 50 odds ez/ evens fast @ 1'
400 breathe breathe 1-7 (adding a stroke each time)@ :15 rest
3 x 100 pull strong @ 1:30
8 x 50  odds ez/ evens fast @ 1'

cool 200 

Happy Laps!

9 Arm Starfish

Starfish come in many varieties. I have seen the bright blue kind on the bottom of the ocean while swimming in Guam.  SW Florida has had a recent influx of the 9-arm starfish, seen here being held by a young girl. Unfortunately, all the fishes arms are not in tacked. Apparently, just before I arrived to the beach to enjoy a nice relaxing couple of hours, there was a family of 4 adults and too many kids to count that were 'collecting' these creatures onto the beach.  

I didn't realize and see until a few moments after taking this shot, that they children had placed about 30 or so of these small starfish onto a body board. It was quite sad, as they had removed them from the ocean and left them in the sun to dry.  Oh dear. I heard one of the parents tell the children, "stop doing that, there is a lady that is getting upset."  The comment was repeated, and later a staff of the hotel and beach club, came down to the shore, to say that they cannot be doing this, and she proceeded to take the belly board and return the sea creatures to their habitat.  The kids were confident that they did not mean to cause any harm, and wanted to help.  Another gentleman approached the parents, and had stern words to convey to them, which of course did not go over well with the parents, as they were offended that a stranger had the nerve to discipline their child.  Oh vey, so much for a relaxing time on the beach.  Before the entire incident broke out, I was sitting immediately adjacent to the large group of parents and without exaggeration, they were quite loud and obnoxious. Evidently were from NY based on their accents.  

Back to swimming at T2

Friday LCM 5/22/15 (coach Paul Y.)

700 warm (2swim, 2pull, 2swim, 1pull)

Preset:
4xs pull set
50 strong
100 perfect
150 breathe control (3/5/7 or 4/6/8)

Main set:
9 x 200 swim
3 @ 3:40
3 @ 3:30
3 @ 3:25

100 ez

9 x 50 fins every 3rd. fast
cool 150
(4,400M)

Saturday 5/23/15 (coach Paul)
LCM

Warm:
400 free
300 kick
3 x 100 pull (rest :30)

Preset:  - this was tricky to remember
12 x 50 "thirds" swim each 3rd. of the 50 in this order.
#1 free, drill, build 
#2 drill, build, free
#3 build, free, drill

Main set: 
I swam this on a generous interval with the lane I put myself in. I probably could have swum the 100s. on 1:50.

6 xs
2 x 100 @ 2'
2 x 50 @ 1:10
*descend 2nd 100 1-3 and hold
*descend 2nd 50 1-3 

100 ez

6 x 50 fins @ 1'
3rd. one fast!
1-3 kick
4-6 swim

100 cool

This weekend there was an age group swim meet at the Norris pool. There is a need for more USA swimming officials in the area, and I thought that will be a good thing to do. 

There is a process to be an official, which starts by sitting through a 2 hour class given by the regional director for region 5 from Florida Swimming. The class could have been easily streamlined, by being made into a video. After the class, you are required to take the on-line test on the USA swimming website, followed by doing 20 hours of on deck apprenticeship. There are other requirements needed by USA swimming, such as a background check and watching the athlete protection video, which you must update every 2 years. I am current for the background and video until 12/15. :-)  Being a swimming official is strictly a volunteer position. It's rewarding yet demanding work.   You may be required to stand for long periods in the heat or rain, and you must pay close attention to the progress of the meet. The entry level position begins with the stroke and turn official duty.  Looking forward to working the FL meets! 

Happy Laps!

Touche' Turtle

While riding in Pelican Marsh on Monday evening, I saw this giant turtle in the grass that had crossed over 4 lanes from the water.  I had never seen a turtle such as this, so I looked it up. It's a Florida soft shell. It also might be described as a spiny soft shell, and you can see the little spines on the shell. It's pretty big, and has a funny snout at the end. I wanted to make sure he returned home safely so I waited for it to cross the road, and alerted any on coming vehicles. One guy slowed downed, and he said it was a snapper, which is incorrect. 

Here he/she is checking for traffic. 

Safe arrival into the pond.........

Didn't swim Wednesday. My ear was rather painful, and I could not hear, so I knew I had a good case of otitis externa.   I was able to to locate medicated drops in the house, and those are helping. 

Thursday's practice was a nice mix of IM and free. The water temperature was 85 degrees, which made it difficult to breathe.  

If you followed my hippy tale blog, I had a THP a little over a year ago. Just before the operation, my orho surgeon was changed hospitals and was under investigation. The update to the investigation revealed yesterday that Michael Clarke, who performed my THP, was fined $10,000 (slap on the wrist) and a 3 yr. probation for inappropriate behavior in the operating room.  He is an excellent surgeon, and has a very high patient satisfaction rate, as well as positive outcome, and least complications.  Obviously, if patients are anesthetized, they really have not idea what is going on in the operating room. I think that he didn't mean to offend anyone, and someone had it out for him. Every once in a while, people need to realize that what they say and do affects everyone else. He is a very kind and considerate doctor.  

Top news story today is not about Dr. Clarke, but about the oil spill in Santa Barbara CA. It's devastating to wildlife and will affect them for months or even years to come. 

Thursday 5/21/15

4 x 200 (swim/kick/im/pull)

16 x 50 @ 1:00  - stroke = IM order

#1 all free

#2 1/3 stroke + free

#3 2/3 stroke + free

#4 all stroke

4 x 200 pull with paddles @ 3:00

cycle through fast 50s:

last 50 fast on #1, . 3rd. 50 fast on #3,  2nd. 50 fast on #2,  1st. 50 fast on #4

12 x 150 (50 back/50 breast/50 free)

1 @ 2:35, 3 @ 2:20 break

2 @ 2:30, 2 @ 2:15 break

3 x 2:25, 1 @ 2:10 (did not make!)

150 - 200 cool

Happy Laps!

Tired Tuesday

Drove to Cape Coral on Monday to meet with our pool builder and take a look at the progress on the house.   In order to have the pool built after the house has closed, there are many approvals to be met between the home owners association and the city of Cape Coral.  The house is coming along, and looks like they are ready to put the tile down on the floors.  I will be happy to see our roof on!  

Tuesday LCM practice with coach Jenna is a day that we can really spread out, as the Masters has the entire pool till 7am.  There were four of us in two lanes swimming the same interval for the main 3K set, except the guy leading my lane, never seems to go on the correct interval, and leaves whenever he feels like it.  Since the set was a mix of EZ and fast, you could bank on more rest time by rolling right into the EZ 100 from the fast 100, as long as you remember when you left!  Which he did not, so then I was 5-10 sec. behind the other lane, which annoyed me. Plus, I felt that if the 100s were to be quality and consistent, then we needed to go on a 1:45 base and not 1:40.  I was doing 1:40 after my lane mate, left late on the 2nd set of 3.  I got out after 5 sets to pee. Started back up in the middle of #6, and things were still screwed up!  Very frustrating. Oh well, so much for 'happy laps' this morning.  "It's not what happens but how you react to it that matters."

I was pretty exhausted since I have not rested in a few weeks, plus my ear is sore. 

I presented the female gate attendant with her son's get well card. She was thankful. 

I also brought brownies this morning to practice for anyone that wanted them, however, since no one took one, I left them for the Lifeguards. I am sure they will appreciate them. 

Tuesday 5/19/15 - LCM

Warm
300 swim/ 200 pull / 100 kick

Drills:
4 x 50 human drill (recover under water)
4 x 50 catch up
4 x 50 LA/ RA (single arm)

Main
10 rounds @ 1:40
1 x 100 EZ
1 x 100 breath every 5 
1 x 100 fast

100 cool

Happy Laps!  (in progress)