Graffeo, no gadgets for you. Swim times published here and they better be getting faster from week to week. Pace clock and counting will keep you busy. Check 910XT. They seem to have adopted similar idea from Finis. Need to see some sets here and soon.
@Robin, how the heck do you remember that poolside? I think the chlorine burns my brain, because I can't ever remember much beyond one set and it really helps if that is a nice, even, low number.
When I'm coaching, I just write on the big white board and then inflict the workout on everyone else as well as myself (although sometimes I confess, I find myself wondering "Who makes up this @#%!" in the middle of a tough workout, and can only curse myself...)
But if I'm training by myself, I bring the workout printed out on a piece of paper. Grab a spare kickboard and prop it up at the end of the lane, wet down the piece of paper and stick it to the kickboard.
Brian- I did a swim lesson in Oct on the Big Island and for some technique stuff the instructor put me into a center mount snorkel. Might not be a bad idea for you to spend some time with one also.
Mon- did 2500 yds in 55 min, I'm Oct OS so mostly trying to swim M-F at this point but planning on adding a day. Probably still wouldn't hit 50 miles in 50 days though. The ROI is worth it for me because of 7 races I did this summer 4 were ocean swim races and my deterioration in swimming became incredibly painfully obvious by my worst ever 2.4 mile North Shore Challenge.
Posted By Aleksandar Tasic on 08 Nov 2011 09:05 PM
Graffeo, no gadgets for you. Swim times published here and they better be getting faster from week to week. Pace clock and counting will keep you busy. Check 910XT. They seem to have adopted similar idea from Finis. Need to see some sets here and soon.
Love it! I'm on a strict no swim diet between now and the Philly Marathon on the 20th. My 50 days will start right around Thanksgiving, so I'll start working on the Tasic plan and posting then. Thanks for keeping me accountable!
3600 yds Mon + 4000 yds this morning. Going for about 16,000 this week in 5 swims, then 20,000 the following week for a personal record. After that, swimming has to take a back seat to biking and running until mid Feb (will try for 8,000 to 10,000 a week).
Currently I'm doing the last two weeks of workouts for IM AZ, and adding 35 minute swims 2-3 other days a week. Those swims are ALL about technique, meaning I only go as fast as I feel comfortable, paying close attention at all times to the two things I am working on now: proper longitudinal body roll and perfect entry and catch, especially with my weakened right forearm. I use a combination of swimming, pull buoy and small paddles for that. I use EITHER the pull buoy or paddles on about half of the yards, just swim the others. I throw in some breaststroke as well, as I think that stroke in particular relies heavily on an excellent catch, high elbow, and use of forearms for grabbing and pulling against the water.
First effort today. 500 w/u and then 15x100 on 2:00. First one was 1:37 down to 1:50 on the last. Near linear decline over the set. 2000y total.
That doesn't sound good. One thning you can use this stretch of training for is to ingrain better consistency. Next time, consciously treat the set of intervals as if it were a race, one in which you want to be metering out your energy. Just as in an IM marathon, you should think about doing the first 3-6 intervals at a much easier effort level, then gradually increase that effort level, such that the times are all consistent. Or another way to think about it: use the first 5-10 intervals as a time to focus on form, and only after interval 9 or 10, do you start to think about effort.
While I am not a fast swimmer, I have been doing intervals for 50 years now. It is second nature to me to be able to do all intervals within a set within less than a second/100 of each other. Since we're training to race, and our races are 1500-3800 meters long, not 100 meters long, we need to learn how to measure our effort over the long haul, not see how fast we can go for the sprint distances of pool swimming.
@Al. Totally agree. I usually take the EN message too much to heart with regard to avoiding swimming. Probably only done about 10 legit workouts in the last year. When moderately trained I can usually hold close to 1:30 for this set. The initial 1:37 felt like it was fairly easy, but I still trailed off a ton. Usually I get back to my baseline pretty quickly within a couple of weeks of steady effort, but then plateau. I expect next week will be much better.
Total of 10K yards last week. 3K last night. Trying to use the Tasic guidelines for workout design. Going pretty well. Much more even on pacing of 20x100 last night with the last one being fastest this time.
I'm into my third week. This week, I'm counting my IM swim at Arizona. I went 1:16:XX, which @ 2:00/100 meters compares unfavorably with the 1:50-52 I was doing before my accident last year. And, though I didn't totally lose it like I did in Coeur d'Alene, I did significantly lose my stroke/form in the last 20-30 minutes. I was just flailing to the finish, not swimming. I think I've got all the speed I'm going to get back for a while, until I get a bit stronger, so I need to emphasize putting more "far" on my "fast" in swimming. As a life long swimmer and (rather poor) HS and college swim team participant, form and terchnique is not my issue, just slogging some miles. I'll start back in the pool this afternoon, and my wife announced she wants to swim Thurs morning at 7 AM, so I guess I don't get Thanksgiving off!
@Al. Have fun tomorrow. I got in 1500y quickly this morning before the University pool closed for Thanksgiving break. I'm going to have to scrounge around for a pool for the next few days and might be out of luck until Monday. Tomorrow morning I'm meeting a group of friends for a dog run. Enjoy Thanksgiving!
Ok...I'm in late but I'm in. Starting tomorrow since I have no pool near me open today. I wasn't going to jump in on this challenge but saw Al's thoughts on not necessarily swimming daily! Sounds good. I was depressed and sedentary all summer with a move to a new part of the country and starting a job that has been awful so this will be a good way to jump start the OS and training for Wisconsin!!! Thanks Al for all your input to this thread....you are to receive credit or blame....not sure how I can categorize it yet. Biggest challenge is that when we move into the new place on Dec 2nd, I will be at least 30 minutes from any swimming. I think I need an endless pool!!!! Think santa can fit that in the stocking?
First swim today, done in a 20 yard pool at the hotel. warmup plus 10 x 80 (swam as if it was 10 x 100's) on 10s rest. Felt good to get back in the water. All told probably about 1500 yards swam. Looking forward to getting back in the pool again in the morning!
Okay, falling behind, but still swimming much more than usual (which is like none). 10K the first week, 7K last week, and 5K so far this week. Going to try to get up to 13K this week to pull the 3-week avg to 10K yards. Mostly doing 2000scy at a time. Intervals varying between 100's and 500's. Already seeing big time drops just in 3-weeks.
I hit 8 days in a row today, but now I'm in SanDiego until Monday, so I'll switch to starting my 30 runs in December on Dec 1. For swimming, I;m slowly working my way up to 2200 meters daily, I'm @ 2000 yards now in 40 minutes. If I swim 6 days a week in Dec, that would be 33 miles in 30 days. I'm making sure to end each session with 50s (25 fast/25 easy) on a minute, and hope they help my form and speed just as strides do for running. After my IM AZ swim, I now know how much improvement I need - I was 8.5% slower than before my accident. It's my TT speed that is gone, not my endurance. I swam both 2010 CDA and 2011 AZ at a pace 93% of my 1000 yard TT; my TT wass 8.4% slower in 11 than in 10.
Swim #2 this morning. Probably about 1300-1500 yards (wasn't counting). Did 20 x 25hard/25easy on about 15 seconds recoveries (no big clock at the hotel). Felt good. Getting back on touch with the water. Even started to breathe to the left a bit!
I'm on day 6 of the challenge!!!! I sucked in some people outside the haus to participate with me. In all, there are five of us. I'm at 5.28 on day 6. I'm using the outseason swim protocol posted last year and making up the difference on 4 other days so that I can be swim free on Sunday!!! Thanks to whoever started this challenge!!!! I needed a kick in the arse to ramp the swim. I also signed up for the Spinerval 31 day spinerval challenge. Interesting that a lot of Troy's stuff seems to mirror EN Coaching. Today's video was a threshold test. Anyway...thanks for the challenge!!!
Well my week #3 didn't bode well for swimming (or anything other physcial activity). With my brother's bachelor party, Turkey day and then brother's wedding - all of which required me to travel and serving as best man - I only got in one swim for 1 mile (ouch) and ran 3 miles in a 5/mile turkey trot (stopped to make sure my 73 yr old non-running folks were doing ok - they made it!). Oh well - it is what it is. This week should prove better - and I felt great in the pool today (like I actually belong in the water).
B/t/w - I am doing more like an OS - fast before far. I don't like swimming long sets when my form goes to crap half-way thru. So most everything has been short intervals 100s/150s/200s/250s with lots of leg drills. The drill where you lie on your side and kick really seems to help. It allows me to conrtrol my rotation more efficiently - and I feel like I can stay on top of the water throughout the stroke - especially when I turn to breathe. I already see that I can do more total distance in an hour (less breaks/rests) then when I started a fews ago.
Was going to swim today...didn't swim today. That means I'm doing 2 x 2 mile swims over the weekend. Oh well, had good bbq with the husband before he heads to Minnesota to meet with the movers and bring all our stuff back!!!
Kids Day???!!! Kids Day???!!!! The pool is closed for lap swim because its kids day? I asked somewhat peevishly last night at 8PM poolside at Nazareth College after driving there on a Friday night with a rare weekend evening spousal pass. So no swim for me.
LOL..I suppose Kid's day is better than when I couldn't get a lane because they moved the Water Zumba class to the big pool due to mechanical difficulties in the little pool.
Man...had a hard time making myself finish today. Do you ever just get sleepy when you are swimming??? I was struggling to keep going and not giving up. I'm trying to do over a mile when I swim so that I can take Sunday's off. Messed up my routine yesterday and had to swim today. Listen to this....my friend (not in the haus) that I cajoled into joining the challenge swam 3.5 miles on Friday because he knew he wouldn't swim all weekend. This guy does ultra marathons and rides 45 miles round trip daily to work yet feels he can't complete an Ironman. Really??? Insane.....puts me to shame. Anyway...another day done, slightly over 7 miles after 8 days. I'm gonna have to make up some distance somewhere in the next 42 days.
To stay in the game, as the instigator of this insanity, I think it's OK to go for 50K in 50 days as a minimum. The whole idea is to improve technique thru frequent swims, not slog massive yardage for its own sake. Besides, I'm missing days from last week recovering from the IM, and this week out of town at a conference.
Just to report in - last week I wrapped up my 4 week mini-swim month with just over 10,000 meters. For the month about 36,000 meters (hair over 22 miles). Nothing awesome but glad I did it. Only problem was, with all the drills I did, especially kicking drills my hammy's took a big strain (not for propulsion, but to assist in form, rotation, etc. cause believe me - I am NOT a kicker by any means). They blew up on me on a Sunday run. Taking this week off to rest / recover before OS. The hammy's never felt too bad when doing the drills, knew they were working hard, but I guess I failed to stretch/recover effectively after each swim? Or my kick is so bad that I used my hammy's in way never used before and should've took it more easy w/the drills? Trying to kick from the hip, not the knee, probably invoked the hammy's alot more than I usually do when just swimming laps. Anyone have similar hammy issues?
I'm still plugging away, I think I'm at about 28 K in 26 days. Since I added the 30 runs in December challenge to myself, I doubt I'll actally make 50 miles in 50 days, BUT, I certainly will get 50 miles in 50 days when I actually swam! And I will get about half way between 50K and 50 miles in the 50 days prior to Jan 6, when my own personal swim focus ends.
I know I'm super late to the party here, but Sheryl mentioned it in the women's forum and I think it's great! I totally blew off swimming last year bc of IMFL swim-induced burnout the year before... and my swim time was around 3-4 minutes slower (could also be that I got pretty beat up)...
Regardless, I can't run this OS... at least not for at least another month, so I have zero excuse not to put the time in at the pool... So I need to circle a date on the calendar and get it done. Anyone else lurking want to join in? I suspect I'll start with swims around a mile and be building up over time... which will be good bc I really don't think I'm gonna be swimming 50 days in a row, that's just crazy talk. :-)
thanks for the idea, Al!
Oh, did you ever start a spreadsheet? I think I'll look for some sort of gag gifty type thing (a plastic fish or something) and everyone who completes it should get one... or perhaps we can make a t-shirt?! :-) I need some extra motivation!
@ Pete - I was in the last week of my swim focus when I blew a hammie/glute gasket in a Thanksgiving 5K. I never thought to associate it with my swimming, but I dropped back to 3 days a week, and I'm starting to recover. Hmmmm.
Comments
Graffeo, no gadgets for you. Swim times published here and they better be getting faster from week to week. Pace clock and counting will keep you busy. Check 910XT. They seem to have adopted similar idea from Finis. Need to see some sets here and soon.
When I'm coaching, I just write on the big white board and then inflict the workout on everyone else as well as myself (although sometimes I confess, I find myself wondering "Who makes up this @#%!" in the middle of a tough workout, and can only curse myself...)
But if I'm training by myself, I bring the workout printed out on a piece of paper. Grab a spare kickboard and prop it up at the end of the lane, wet down the piece of paper and stick it to the kickboard.
Mon- did 2500 yds in 55 min, I'm Oct OS so mostly trying to swim M-F at this point but planning on adding a day. Probably still wouldn't hit 50 miles in 50 days though. The ROI is worth it for me because of 7 races I did this summer 4 were ocean swim races and my deterioration in swimming became incredibly painfully obvious by my worst ever 2.4 mile North Shore Challenge.
Lynne
Love it! I'm on a strict no swim diet between now and the Philly Marathon on the 20th. My 50 days will start right around Thanksgiving, so I'll start working on the Tasic plan and posting then. Thanks for keeping me accountable!
And I do like the look of that 910xt!!!
That doesn't sound good. One thning you can use this stretch of training for is to ingrain better consistency. Next time, consciously treat the set of intervals as if it were a race, one in which you want to be metering out your energy. Just as in an IM marathon, you should think about doing the first 3-6 intervals at a much easier effort level, then gradually increase that effort level, such that the times are all consistent. Or another way to think about it: use the first 5-10 intervals as a time to focus on form, and only after interval 9 or 10, do you start to think about effort.
While I am not a fast swimmer, I have been doing intervals for 50 years now. It is second nature to me to be able to do all intervals within a set within less than a second/100 of each other. Since we're training to race, and our races are 1500-3800 meters long, not 100 meters long, we need to learn how to measure our effort over the long haul, not see how fast we can go for the sprint distances of pool swimming.
Mon: 2050
Tue: 1900
Thur: 2250
Fri: 2000
Sat: 2000
Total: 10200 (6.4 miles)
My 100m pace has dropped 3 seconds so far - some progress. Left shoulder, the weaker one, I have been working on alot w/drills so it sore.
@ Robin - I tried some your drills just to spice things up a bit. Changing speeds within sets is not as easy as it would seem.
My weeks #3 & #4 will be tough with my brother's wedding and the holiday - but I started it today w/2600m at 20 x 100s + drills.
I'm into my third week. This week, I'm counting my IM swim at Arizona. I went 1:16:XX, which @ 2:00/100 meters compares unfavorably with the 1:50-52 I was doing before my accident last year. And, though I didn't totally lose it like I did in Coeur d'Alene, I did significantly lose my stroke/form in the last 20-30 minutes. I was just flailing to the finish, not swimming. I think I've got all the speed I'm going to get back for a while, until I get a bit stronger, so I need to emphasize putting more "far" on my "fast" in swimming. As a life long swimmer and (rather poor) HS and college swim team participant, form and terchnique is not my issue, just slogging some miles. I'll start back in the pool this afternoon, and my wife announced she wants to swim Thurs morning at 7 AM, so I guess I don't get Thanksgiving off!
Ok...I'm in late but I'm in. Starting tomorrow since I have no pool near me open today. I wasn't going to jump in on this challenge but saw Al's thoughts on not necessarily swimming daily! Sounds good. I was depressed and sedentary all summer with a move to a new part of the country and starting a job that has been awful so this will be a good way to jump start the OS and training for Wisconsin!!! Thanks Al for all your input to this thread....you are to receive credit or blame....not sure how I can categorize it yet.
Biggest challenge is that when we move into the new place on Dec 2nd, I will be at least 30 minutes from any swimming. I think I need an endless pool!!!! Think santa can fit that in the stocking?
I hit 8 days in a row today, but now I'm in SanDiego until Monday, so I'll switch to starting my 30 runs in December on Dec 1. For swimming, I;m slowly working my way up to 2200 meters daily, I'm @ 2000 yards now in 40 minutes. If I swim 6 days a week in Dec, that would be 33 miles in 30 days. I'm making sure to end each session with 50s (25 fast/25 easy) on a minute, and hope they help my form and speed just as strides do for running. After my IM AZ swim, I now know how much improvement I need - I was 8.5% slower than before my accident. It's my TT speed that is gone, not my endurance. I swam both 2010 CDA and 2011 AZ at a pace 93% of my 1000 yard TT; my TT wass 8.4% slower in 11 than in 10.
I'm on day 6 of the challenge!!!! I sucked in some people outside the haus to participate with me. In all, there are five of us. I'm at 5.28 on day 6. I'm using the outseason swim protocol posted last year and making up the difference on 4 other days so that I can be swim free on Sunday!!! Thanks to whoever started this challenge!!!! I needed a kick in the arse to ramp the swim. I also signed up for the Spinerval 31 day spinerval challenge. Interesting that a lot of Troy's stuff seems to mirror EN Coaching. Today's video was a threshold test. Anyway...thanks for the challenge!!!
B/t/w - I am doing more like an OS - fast before far. I don't like swimming long sets when my form goes to crap half-way thru. So most everything has been short intervals 100s/150s/200s/250s with lots of leg drills. The drill where you lie on your side and kick really seems to help. It allows me to conrtrol my rotation more efficiently - and I feel like I can stay on top of the water throughout the stroke - especially when I turn to breathe. I already see that I can do more total distance in an hour (less breaks/rests) then when I started a fews ago.
Was going to swim today...didn't swim today. That means I'm doing 2 x 2 mile swims over the weekend. Oh well, had good bbq with the husband before he heads to Minnesota to meet with the movers and bring all our stuff back!!!
LOL..I suppose Kid's day is better than when I couldn't get a lane because they moved the Water Zumba class to the big pool due to mechanical difficulties in the little pool.
Man...had a hard time making myself finish today. Do you ever just get sleepy when you are swimming??? I was struggling to keep going and not giving up. I'm trying to do over a mile when I swim so that I can take Sunday's off. Messed up my routine yesterday and had to swim today. Listen to this....my friend (not in the haus) that I cajoled into joining the challenge swam 3.5 miles on Friday because he knew he wouldn't swim all weekend. This guy does ultra marathons and rides 45 miles round trip daily to work yet feels he can't complete an Ironman. Really??? Insane.....puts me to shame. Anyway...another day done, slightly over 7 miles after 8 days. I'm gonna have to make up some distance somewhere in the next 42 days.
To stay in the game, as the instigator of this insanity, I think it's OK to go for 50K in 50 days as a minimum. The whole idea is to improve technique thru frequent swims, not slog massive yardage for its own sake. Besides, I'm missing days from last week recovering from the IM, and this week out of town at a conference.
I'm still plugging away, I think I'm at about 28 K in 26 days. Since I added the 30 runs in December challenge to myself, I doubt I'll actally make 50 miles in 50 days, BUT, I certainly will get 50 miles in 50 days when I actually swam! And I will get about half way between 50K and 50 miles in the 50 days prior to Jan 6, when my own personal swim focus ends.
Regardless, I can't run this OS... at least not for at least another month, so I have zero excuse not to put the time in at the pool... So I need to circle a date on the calendar and get it done. Anyone else lurking want to join in? I suspect I'll start with swims around a mile and be building up over time... which will be good bc I really don't think I'm gonna be swimming 50 days in a row, that's just crazy talk. :-)
thanks for the idea, Al!
Oh, did you ever start a spreadsheet? I think I'll look for some sort of gag gifty type thing (a plastic fish or something) and everyone who completes it should get one... or perhaps we can make a t-shirt?! :-) I need some extra motivation!