Steiner this time

It will be a big push to get all my miles in for the year.  I have ~21 miles left and only 7 days to do it in, excluding Christmas day since now pools are open.  That means I need at least 5250 each workout.  Today and yesterday I swam 5,000 each day.  It is tough but I can get that in about 75 minutes if I swim really long without breaks.

Yesterday's workout:

3,000
2,000

Today's workout:

2,000
1,500 pull
1,000
500

Now I just need to add 250 to each of these and I will make it.

Hot Tub Workout

Okay, so it wasn't really a hot tub, it was Holladay Lion's Pool.  I don't know what temperature they keep it at, but I was bright red after my 40 minute workout.  I much prefer a pool that is too cold versus one that is too hot.  I think next time I go for a night swim, I will take the extra time to drive to Steiner.  They might even be open later. 

Today was pretty much just me swimming as long as I could before a water break.  So I ended up doing two 800's and one 850 (that is when I got kicked out of the pool).  Not too much fun.  But I did get a little better at counting.

A lap swimmer stopped me and was very complimentary about my beautiful stroke.  She also asked for my advice for her stroke.  Then in the locker room, I heard her talking about me.  It is quite the moral booster to hear such great things about me. 

So the workout was not as long as I needed, but at least I got some yards in (2,450) and I decided that this pool is definitely just for fun and NOT for working out in.

Family Fun at the Pool

We have been lifting weights in the garage for a couple of nights this week.  I am so sore!  We also had an amazing, wonderful, outstanding, magical night at the pool yesterday.  After dinner we decided to all go to the Holladay Lions Rec Center.  I love their play pool!  It is not so good for working out because it is pretty warm for that. But the temperature is perfect for playing and relaxing.  It was so much fun.  They baby had a blast the entire time.   It made my day to see her so happy.  We all really enjoyed ourselves and I would love to do it again!

 I like working out with the Fairmont masters, but I never get in enough yardage.  I need to buckle down and swim every weekday.  Then I will just be in the routine and expect to do it.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I would get my workout in and the other days I could swim with other people.  So my goal for this week is to swim both Thursday and Friday mornings.  That will be tough to get up so early.

Here is this morning's workout:

500 warm up (300 free/200 breast)

8x50 @ 1:00 closed fist

4x50 rest :15 focus on rotation
4x50 rest :15 focus on early catch
4x50 rest :15 focus on strong legs (six beat kick)

8x100 rest :20-:30 descend 1-4 (1:21, 1:18, 1:14, 1:10; 1:25, 1:17, 1:14, 1:08)

700 Cool Down

3,000 yards total

Busy Night at the Pool

Apparently the 4-7pm time frame is THE PRIME swim time for every swim team possible. The pool was packed.  I ended up splitting a lane with the water aerobics class.  "How does that work?" you ask.  Well, they took the shallow end and I got the deep end.  It was pretty tricky swimming to half and turning.  Luckily I only had to share this way for the warm up.  I am pretty sure I did 600 yards warm up, but it was hard to count by 12 1/2's.

Here is this evening's workout:

600 Warm up (more or less)

2x400 100 kick/100 swim (with fins)

2x100 moderate @1:30
2x100 fast @1:30
100 recovery
2x200 moderate @2:45
100 recovery
2x200 fast @2:45 (pull?)
200 recovery

4x75 build by 25 @1:05

300 Cool Down

3,600 yards total

I just broke the 100 mile mark for this year.  Only 30 left to go!

Long Sunday Workout

I got a long workout in this afternoon!  It was 4,000 yards and I am feeling it now.  I am amazed how every muscle in my body is still shaky.  I feel good, just tired.  I also realized that I prefer to swim on my own, rather than with a team or group.  I can do whatever I want to.   And have been surprising myself by really pushing myself and doing extra yardage.  It makes me happy to swim again.  

Here is what I came up with for today:

600 warm up

700 pull (tight legs down/relaxed back)

4x50 @:55
4x50 @:50
4x50 @:45
4x50 @:40

200 recovery (100 breast & 100 free)

3x100 @1:30
100 recovery
3x100 @1:25
100 recovery
3x100 @1:20

600 cool down (100 free/50 breast)

4,000 yards total

My pattern today was 600, 700, 800, 900 because that makes 1,000 yards.  I was able to hold all the 50's under :35.  The 100's were not as consistent, but I was about 1:11 to 1:12 on the first of each round, and about 1:13 to 1:14 on the rest of them.  Boy were they hard, especially the last 3! 

I got our Christmas tree set up last night.  I think it looks beautiful!  I am very excited about Christmas this year.  I want to try to be ready early to eliminate holiday stress.  That way I can enjoy it more.

Post-Thanksgiving Workout

I haven't been swimming for about three weeks.   Matt got sick, then I got sick, then he went on a business trip, then I was in lazy routine.  So I did some figuring, and I can still reach my goal of 130 miles for 2014 if I swim 4 days a week and each workout is at least 3,100 yards.  That is a lot of swimming.  That is why I decided to swim today.  I just finished and I have to tell you, afternoon swimming is the best.  The pool is nice and bright and hardly anyone is there. 

When I come up with workouts while I swim, I have to come up with a pattern so I remember what I am doing.  I have found that 600 is a good base to start from.  It is a great warm up length for me and it divides up so nicely...2x300, 3x200, 6x100, 12x50.  Here is today's workout.  I did change a few things as I went, all for the better/longer workout:)

600 warm up
3x200 @ 2:45
100 easy
2x300 @4:15
100 easy
8x100 @1:30 keep them all under 1:20 (I was only going to do 6 but decided to do 2 more and I kept them all between 1:15-1:17)
600 cool down (since I had done the 2 100's easy earlier, I was only going to do a 400 here, but I stepped up and did extra!)

3,400 yards total

Saturday morning swimming is wonderful

I like swimming on Saturday mornings.  There are few people at the pool and they open later, so I don't have to get up as early.  Plus, the drive home is much nicer since I didn't have to compete with people who are on their way to work. 

Here is what I came up with for this morning:

Warm Up:
600

12x50 (straight through, no rest)

    1-flutter kick
    2-dolfin kick
    3-breast-swim

Main Set:
5x300 @4:30
get faster on each one
(these are my times:  4:12, 4:00, 3:52, 3:46, 3:47)

500 cool down

3,000 yards total

I tried getting my resting heart rate afterwards, but I came up with 100bpm and that seemed fast. I will have to practice that one.  I would be interested to see and compare my resting heart rate to when I am working hard.

Trick or Treat Swim

We got to pick Trick or Treat.  After all was added up, we got Trick...that means a harder workout.  It was a lot of butterfly.  And I am proud to say I did all of it without breaking stroke!  Even on the warm up.  Max showed us the Treat version after the workout and I am not sure it was something he was really going to have us do.  It was a pull set (unspecified) and then we would create a synchronized swimming routine to Thriller.  I wanted the treat, but majority ruled.

Here was the workout, it was pretty fun:

Warm Up:
400 reverse IMO
200 IM Kick (I did it with fins and did breast last w/out fins)
200 inverse IM (upside-down)
200 free

4x25 under water @1:00

Main Set:
2x100 BATerfly :20 rest
8x25 mummy kick (skulling) @:40
2x100 BATerfly :20 rest
8x25 zombie fast @:30
2x100 BATerfly :20 rest
8x25 vampire swim (no breath) @:30 (on 1 of them I had to take a breath)

400 cool down

2,700 yards total


On another note, I finally got my ballot filled out.  I am officially a voter.  I would recommend to anyone to get a mail in ballot.  It is so nice to be able to do research on the candidates as you are filling in your ballot.  Either way, please vote.  As it turns out, Utah has the lowest voter turnout of any state in the union.  Let's make a difference!

No Coach

I am not sure why there wasn't a coach this morning, but one of the other swimmers wrote the workout.  I had already done my own warm up and we added the 100's pull because we had more time.  I am feeling so great that I got up.  I have gotten really good nights sleep recently.  That is right multiple nights sleep.  I think last night was the third one!  I am so lucky.

Here is what I did today:

Warm Up:
400 Swim
400 50 kick/50 breast (last 100 was all kick for me)
100 pull

Main Set:  All IM
100
200
400
200
100
100

6x100 @1:30 pull, descend 1-3

Cool Down:
400 Swim

3,100 yards total

I have been using the FLOG program on USMS to track my yardage.  I set a goal for 425 miles to swim in 2014.  I am no where near making it.  So I revised my goal to 130 miles.  I think that is more realistic.  I am still behind the pace, but I am starting to catch up.  I am also tracking it in Excel.  I am not sure if I will be getting a USMS membership next year, so I want to be able to track my progress on my own.  I just realized that I can probably create a graph to go with it!  That would a nice visual.  Anyway, I have just under 91 miles completed.  I should be at about 107.  So I am not too far off.  Especially if I can get in 3 workouts a week.

My own workout

 Today I got up and swam a little later than usual.  I was in the pool by 6:40am.  There wasn't a team practice, so I made one up on my own.  I had planned to do  a 600 warm up, but evolved into 2 400's.  Also, I was going to do 8x100's.  It makes me happy when I change workouts to increase yardage rather making it easier.

 Here is what I came up with.

400 Warm Up

400 50 Kick/50 Breast

8x50 build @:50 (alternating back & free)

12x100 @1:25 (I started by holding ~1:20 and ended up around 1:16)  You want :05 to :10 sec. rest on each

200 Cool Down

2,600 yards total

I should not have tried to do fast backstroke.  I felt it when my shoulder/back/neck muscle pulled.  It has been hurting so I am not surprised that it happened again.  I need to take it easy.  As soon as it happened, I started breathing every 4th stroke to the left.  That seems to help.

I didn't swim last week. Of course I have plenty of excuses. Monday I held a backstroke clinic at Olympus.  I was too lazy on Wednesday to get up for practice, then I realized that I should have because the pool had different hours due to UEA.   So no swimming last week for me.

I did a few walks this week though.  And Matt and I biked Amelia up to the park one day after work this week.  That was fun.  Yesterday Amelia and I went for a walk up through the school, over the field (major thorn warning!), and then to the upper park.  It was a lot of fun.  I was surprised to see so many families there since it was Sunday.  I would like to do that every week.  We were there during the 3 o'clock hour.  Maybe we can find some new friends.

So here is this morning's workout:

Warm Up:
300 Swim
200 Kick (I did 50 kick/50 breast)
100 Pull (I just swam)

4x100 @2:00  kick down/swim back

Main Set:
4x200 descend @3:00
4x100 pace :15 rest (I held 1:20's)
4x50 fast @1:00 (I held ~:36)
4x100 pace :20 rest (I held 1:18's +/- :02)
4x200 negative split @3:00 (I did the last one cool down)

3,600 yards total

I was going to try for 4,000 but we ran out of time.  I also pulled something in my back.  I am pretty sore on my left shoulder blade.  It helped when I was breathing every 4th stroke to the left.  I think I am pressing down in a funky way with the left arm when I breath to the right.  I thought about it during the cool down and it really helped.

Fitness Friday

Today's workout was not a lot of yardage, it was a fitness day.  The main set was similar to circuit training.  If you have ever done Spit Fires, you will know what we did.  We had four lane and went down one lane, did an exercise,  swam back in the next lane , did an exercise....and so on.  There were 8 exercises in all, so a 200 swim for each round.

650 Warm Up

10x75 Kick/Swim/Kick by 25 @ 1:20

50 Easy

SNAKE (I made it 3 1/2 times through) 200 yards each round
Swim down each lane one way and do a fitness excercise at each end.
6 push ups
10 squats
10 Pull ups on backstroke bar
10 streamline jumps
6 Pop ups (like you are trying to get out of the pool)
10 Crunches
10 tricep dips
30 sec. plank

2,150 yards total

Fitness workouts are hard for me.  It is easy to float around in the pool.  I can tell which exercises I need to do to strengthen my lower back...PUSHUPS! 

Group Swim

There wasn't practice this morning, but a group of us got together and swam at Fairmont at the usual 6am.  I hope that there are lanes available for lap swimming when the high school teams start practicing in the mornings.  It was a fun, basic workout.  I think I could have made the times on the 100's if I were in better shape.  I was lucky if I made the 1:15's.  On the first round I went way too fast on the 1:10 and paid for it the rest of the 100's.  

It was great swimming with Jamie again, this might be the last time I swim with her.  I hope she comes back and swims with me regularly.  I will miss her.

Here was the workout:

[8x]
75 IM @ 1:10
50 Free @ :50

7x100 
(all times are + or - base time: sample times are on base 1:20)
     +5          1:25
      -5          1:15
   +10          1:30
    -10          1:10
  base          1:20
     -5           1:15
   -10           1:10

200 easy

Repeat the 7x100

400 Cool Down

3,000 yards total

Don't forget to include a warm up.  I came a little late and missed it.  Also, I think right now I might do the 100's a little differently.  I struggled with the -10's.  I would probably either do them as -5's or change my base pace to 1:25.

Back at it, again!

I actually got back in the pool last Wednesday for the first time since the Bear Lake swim.  It felt really great to swim again.  I got 2550 yards in.  I don't really remember the workout though.  I also swam this morning (thanks Jamie for texting me last night!  I will really miss swimming with you)

Here is this morning's workout:

400 Warm Up
6x100 drill @1:40
8 minute timed swims (3 or 4 times)
     I did 600 yards in each.  The first one was about 8:20 and got about 10 sec. fast each time.
50 cool down

3,450 total (this will change depending on how far you go on each of the 8 minute swims)

BEAR LAKE MONSTER SWIM!

Last Saturday was the Bear Lake Monster Swim.  I had a blast and did a fabulous job!  My goal was to swim it in less than 3 hours and 30 minutes.  I did it in 03:09.13.  I got 6th over all and I was the 4th woman to finish.  You can see the results here.  I was also number 13 which is my lucky water polo number!  It was a great day and although I was pretty nervous before the start, once we got going I relaxed.

It is amazing how clear this lake is.  And I got to stare into it for three hours.  It is a gorgeous blue-green.  The water temperature was around 70 degrees and it was perfect.  I was one of the 19 swimmers who did not use a wetsuit.  The best way to describe this water was crisp.

I was one of the straighter swimmers.  There was one other who followed us, Matt and me, but only for a little ways.  Then they followed everyone else who went farther south.  Matt had his gps and we had our mountain sight directions.  I don't know why everyone else went so far south?  I am pretty lucky in that I swim pretty straight.  I just find my marker (usually a specific notch on the mountain) and aim my head towards it.  I am glad that Matt had his gps, we might have gone with the others if we weren't so confident.  Matt measured us at about 6 1/2 miles.  But I will still call it 7. 

Right around 4.5 miles it got really hard.  I kept swimming and it felt like we had gone so far.  Then I would ask Matt and it would be only about 1/2 mile.  So I would put my head down and plow through again.  We stopped several times throughout the race.  Matt was the best support kayaker!  He was really good at keeping me on track both in my direction and timing.

I drank water and eat a couple of those Stinger gel packs.  They were not too bad.  This brand just tastes like you are eating a packet of honey.  I did have one before the race that had some caffeine in it.  But the others didn't.  I also had a chocolate one that I eat after the practice at Deer Creek the weekend before.  That one was like eating a packet of frosting, yuck!

The hardest part was the last 1 1/2 miles because I could see the big red arch that was the finish.  Then I started seeing little dots that were people.  They all slowly got bigger and bigger.  That part seemed to drag out forever.

The finish was pretty rough.  It was rocky, but that wasn't the hard part for me.  I just could not stand up.  I wasn't dizzy or anything like that.  I had just been swimming in a horizontal position and had not been putting any weight on my legs for three hours.  So they were not used to it and refused to support the rest of me.  It took me about 3 tries to stand up and crawl out of the water.  Here is a photo of me getting out (and Matt was right next to me, cheering me on). Click here.

I had a blast!  Thank you to the SLOW (Salt Lake Open Water) team for hosting such a great event!

Misadventures at Deer Creek Reservoir

Yesterday was the day that Matt and I planned to practice as a team (kayaker & swimmer) at Deer Creek.  We got the kayak from Shawn.  Unfortunately, I don't think it is going to work for us.  The spot we went was perfect!  I pushed Matt off the shore then dove in and set straight away to swimming.  When I looked back, Matt was floating around in circles.  He could not get the kayak to go in the proper direction because it had a flat bottom without any keel or rudder!  After about 10 minutes of us trying to get it to work, Matt finally had to bail out.  The boat was full of water!  I powered us to shore.  I had to do breaststroke, yuck!  It was a very bad experience for Matt.  He almost threw in the towel.  But when we got home he found a good kayak at REI to rent and we picked it up.

So this morning we went again.  The beach we found was even better than last time.  It is in the same area but at the end of the inlet. The new kayak worked perfectly!  We went up and back the inlet twice for a total of 4 miles.  My lower back kept cramping and spasming.  But if I stretch at every mile like I did at Deer Creek, I think I can make it across Bear Lake.  I really hope that we can am well and only go 7 miles instead of 8.  4 miles was tough enough for me!  I am a bit nervous about the 8 but now I have some good open water lake swims under my belt and I am feeling more confident!

Here is a link to the bay we went to.  I believe it is called Wallsburg. 
 https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4115778,-111.4914632,15z

I have a kayak for the race!

There is a kayak sitting in Matt's truck right now.  Thanks to Shawn for letting us borrow it for the Bear Lake Race.  I am getting really excited for it.  My shoulder randomly started hurting over the weekend, but it is better now.  Matt and I plan to go to Deer Creek to practice this weekend.  It should be a lot of fun!

Here is the workout we had this morning:

300 Choice
200 Drill (3 strokes/6 kicks)

8x75 (25 sprint/50 recovery)

9x100 [3@1:35/3@1:30/3@1:25]
*do groups of 3 on the same time, to figure your time take your fastest possible 100 interval for the last round then add 5 for the second round and 5 more for the first round

500 pull

200 Cool Down

2,700 yards total

Tuesday Masters

I coached yesterday but didn't have time to enter the workout.  I cannot quite remember what it was.  I will think about it an try to post it later.

I have been having shoulder pain.  My right shoulder hurts when I put pressure on it when my arm is extended.  And other times too.  This could be very bad for my swim across Bear Lake in less than two weeks.  It felt okay when I was swimming this morning, as long as I focused on the second half of my pull.

Here is the workout Jamie gave us this morning:

300 Warm Up

3x100 build @1:30

20x25 @:20

300 Kick

14x25 @:20

100 Kick

6x25 @:20

 2,000 yards total

I would recommend adding some cool down in.  I didn't have time for it though.

Open Water Pool Practice

Shawn gave us two great workouts in a row (Tuesday and today).  Yesterday was a bit of a sprint workout and today was open water training.  This morning all the lane lines were out and he had made some buoys out of water polo balls.  He gave us some great pointers on how to swim in open water.  Don't be afraid of touching people or being touched.  Only lift your head a little bit to sight your path.  Avoid breathing in a wave.  It was a lot of fun!  Although I didn't really get to measure my yards, I am going to put down 2,000.  It is amazing how much harder it it to swim open water style.  There is a video on the Olympus Aquatics Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/olympusaquatics. And yes, I am the one in the front with the blue cap!

Here is what I remember of yesterday's practice:

Warm Up:
200 Free
200 Choice
100 Kick

6x[50 free; 25 fast]

Main set (twice~the second time we went through in the reverse order.)
100 moderate
25 Fast
75 moderate
50 Fast
50 moderate
75 Fast
25 moderate
100 Fast
@25 sec/25yd base

10x25 a random mix between fast kicking and breath control

200 cool down

2,400 yards

*I think that I remembered the whole workout!

Deek Creek open water practice

Thanks to Karen, Mandi, & Gerald!  We spent the afternoon practicing our open water swimming skills at Deer Creek Reservoir.  I had a blast!  I was expecting to feel some sea sickness or fear of the open water, but I had no issues at all.  In fact, there were times I couldn't stop smiling while I was swimming.

At first I tested out with the wet suit.  It is a sleeveless one I am borrowing from Mandi (just like my wedding dress).  I was fast at putting it on.  I think the trick is to roll it up.  I got it on my ankles, right where I wanted it.  Then I rolled it up to my knees, and so on.  It was really fast. 

When I walked into the water I couldn't even feel the water on my legs.  It was a strange and cozy feeling.  The wet suit was very comforting and felt like a security blanket wrapped snugly around me.  I was surprised that I liked it so much.  And boy does the wet suit make you buoyant!  And warm.  My ear canals were cold at first, but that was it.  Everything else was just fine.  But the water was a bit warmer than I thought it would be.  I tried it for a lap without the suit too.  If the water at Bear Lake warms up, I might just be able to do it without the wet suit after all.

I did not keep very good track of how far I swam. But I swam for about an hour or so with some small breaks throughout.  I think if was somewhere around 1 1/2 miles.  That is pretty good.  I was definitely slower without the suit on.  I am hoping that Matt and I can do another practice swim in the next couple of weeks. 

Afterwards, they treated me to a wonderful little cookout with some delicious potato salad and chicken kabobs.  All in all, it was a wonderful experience.  And we when home through Provo Canyon.  I was surprised how nice, green, and beautiful it is. 

It sure doesn't feel like Friday

I have not had any problems waking up to swim this week.  That has been a nice blessing.  But the week has been an odd one for my schedule, so it sure doesn't feel Friday-ish to me.  That means that the weekend will be a pleasant surprise. 


I have a few things I really want to do:

1. Pick raspberries (maybe make jam)
2. Climb on a ladder and pick cherries (do something excellent with them~I still need to research the best thing to do with cherries, I have never had a cherry tree before!
3. Plant my basil
4. Organize the playroom

That being said, I am also swimming at Deer Creek Reservoir tomorrow.  This is the second attempt at open water practice.  It should be good and cold!


Here is this morning's workout:


Warm up:
100 drill
200 50 kick/50 choice
300 build


6x50 reverse build (start each one FAST and finish easy) @:50


Main Set (8 times):
100~~~25 SPRINT/75very strong (85-90%) @1:45 (2:00/2:15)
25 Recover @:30


12x25 @:30
1-half easy/half fast
2-all fast
3-half fast/half easy


8x50 @:50 Cool Down


2,600 yards total

Yet another distance day

This morning was another distance day.  It is actually good for me to get this kind of workout in. 

Wes' workout:

300 Swim
200 Back
100 Drill

2x50 fast/easy  easy/fast (I got in late, but if you have time, do more of these)

Main Set:

3x200 @3:00
3x200 @ 2:50
3x200 @ 2:40

10x50 @:50 cool down

3,000 yards total


We are still set up for Saturday at Deer Creek.  I am excited and anxious at the same time.

What! Two days in a row!

This is the second day this week that I have actually gotten myself out of bed and into the pool.  We did another long distance workout, but not like yesterdays.  Admittedly, I could really use these fitness building, endurance workouts like Laura gave yesterday.  But I love breath control sets, and we did one today.


Here is Shawn's workout:


400 Warm Up


6x [25 no free @:30 then 50 free @:50]


Main Set:
100 Stroke
50 Kick
200 Free
50 Kick
300 Pull
50 Kick
200 Free
50 Kick
100 Stroke
Go through it straight through, take rest when/if you need it.


14x25 breath control @:30
6 breaths down to 0 breaths then repeat


200 Cool Down


2,400 yards total


Shawn also took a poll of people who might be interested in some organized open water swims.  That would be awesome!  I am pretty nervous about swimming in a lake rather than a pool.  The last time we (Mandi, Karen, and I) tried to go out something came up and we couldn't go.  We are planning to go this Saturday, probably to Black Ridge in Herriman.  Let's hope this really happens.  Also, Shawn offered to lend me his kayak for the Bear Lake swim (and before to practice).  So a big thanks to him for that!

Less than a month left!

There is less than a month until the Bear Lake 7+ mile race.  I need to hit the pool (and lakes) hard!  Today was a great workout for that.  It was long and endurance based.  Let's see if I can be more consistent for the next 4 weeks.  I need it!

Laura's wonderful endurance workout:

400 SKDS (I only did 300)

8x50 Choice stroke; Drill/Swim @:50

Main Set:

6x300 Pull (I just swam them) @4:15; 100 fast/50 Easy

12x25 kick @:30; every third fast (I used fins)

200 Cool Down

3,100 Yards Total

Finesse Friday

Today we focused on the finesse of swimming freestyle.  Basically, the rotation and body position.  In freestyle, you should be rotating your entire body along your long (or vertical) axis, as one unit.  Most beginning swimmers rotate their upper bodies (from the hips up).  So today we practiced a progression into freestyle.


300 Warm Up (your choice)

6x25 kick on your side (take one stroke and switch sides at half)  When you need to breath, turn your head and then bring it right back down to face the bottom of the pool.

6x25 6 kick drill (kick ~6 times on your side, take one slow and thoughtful stroke, take 6 kicks on your other side, repeat)  Make sure that when you breath you take quick breathes that flow with your stroke

6x25 3x6 drill (take 3 slow and thoughtful strokes, kick 6 times on your side, take 3 slow thoughtful strokes, kick 6 times on the other side, repeat).  By thoughtful strokes I mean pay attention to every possible detail of your stroke especially your body rotation.

Main Set:
6x100 75 Fast/25 Recovery @2:15

5x50 cool down (aim for the exact same time each 50)

1,600 Total yards


This was not a very long workout, but if you have more time it would be easy to add in a pull set such as 4x200 negative split or descend or built. 

Thanks for reading/attending practice and I hope you are enjoying the post, however sporadic they may be at times.

Shorter swim but quality sprinting.

Today Shawn wrote a workout geared towards quality rather than quantity.  We focused on two main parts in the main set.  They were some 25's and 50's fast.  As long as we did those ones right, we accomplished the goal of the workout.

Here is the workout:

300 Warm Up

8x100 25 kick/50 swim/25 kick @1:50

4x
[50 @75% on 1:00
 25 @90-95% on :30]

4x
[100 @80% on 1:45
 50 @95-100% on 1:00]

200 Cool Down

2,200 yards total


This Saturday, I am going with a couple of friends to swim at Deer Creek Reservoir.  We are both kind of nervous about open water swimming.  So this will help us get comfortable with it.  Thankfully, Mandy is coming to help us train.  She is quite the open water expert. 

Two fer One workouts

So I forgot to post yesterday's workout.  I know that I am forgetting some of it.  But here are the two (or most of them) from yesterday and today.  That makes 3 workouts this week.  Goal achieved!

Wednesday's Workout (what I remember of it)
Warm Up: 400 skds?

10x25 fast/easy

Main Set (2 times)

50 fast
100 recovery
150 pull buoy
200 pull
150 fins
100 recovery
50 fast

300 cooldown

2,600 yards total


Thursday's Workout:
250 Warm Up

5x50 drill/swim

5x75 (+25) IM

500 choice

5x100 descend 1-3 then hold the fast pace for 4-5

15x25 @:25

2,300 yards total

8 Weeks left! (a post I forgot to publish last week)

So there are only about 8 weeks left until the Bear Lake swim.  That means I need to step up and get my swim on!  I have not really been swimming much in the last 6-8 weeks.  Plus, I have been having some back problems.  Hopefully that will be resolved when we get our bed back and stop sleeping on an air mattress.  If I buckle down, and swim regularly, I think I can still be ready for the race day.  I really want to get at least two open water practice swims in.  One that is about 45 to an hours long and the other somewhere between 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Amelia has been sleeping through the night for over a week now!  That means I need to step up and wake up to swim.  I started today.

Here is the workout from Shawn:

Warm Up:
100 Free
100 Reverse IM
100 Stroke
100 Kick

10x
     50 Free @ :50
     25 Stroke @ :30

8x100 odds IM @ 2:00; evens free @1:45

8x25 Kick various styles and intensities

300 Cool Down

2,500 yards total

Long Distances

This was Tom's last master's workout.  Laura will be taking over for him.  I am glad that I went.  It wasn't anything fancy.  But I am still trying to get back into things.  I have to make sure to swim at least 3 times a week up until the race.  I think if I can do that, I will be fine.

Warm Up:
400 SKDS

4x75 left arm/right arm/swim @1:20

4x50 build @1:00

1000 for time (I went 13:23)

100 recovery

4x50 catch up @1:00

500 Kick (w/board & fins)

2,700 yards total

Memorial Weekend comin' up

I was very pleasantly surprised to have 10 swimmers this morning.  It is usually slower when there is a holiday weekend.  We are definitely getting a great, fun group that is coming to Olympus for masters.  I am loving it!

Here is the workout from this morning (I apologize for any misspellings, I am not wearing my glasses and my eyesight is getting worse the older I get.)

500 Warm Up
     [200 swim, 200 kick, 100 swim[

16x25 Breath control
   #1 you get 3 breaths
   #2 you get 2 breaths
   #3 you get 1 breath
   #4 you get NO breath
   Repeat (do 4 rounds total)

5x100  50 back/50 Breast (this is to get your breath back) @2:00

Main Set (2 times and do the parenthesis for the 2nd round)
50 Sprint (Stroke)
100 IM (Sprint Free)
150 Pull (Neg. Split)
200 Neg. Split (Pull)

8x25 IM (or Stroke) Sprint @:30

200 Cool Down

2,800 yards total

Internet at last!

So, we finally have internet at our new house.  I was going to write up a few workouts, but I cannot remember very many.  So you will get today's and maybe Tom's from Tuesday, if I can remember it.  Unfortunately, I woke up late today.  I felt really bad for being late to practice this morning, so if you came, I am really sorry.  Thank you so much to Joel for saving my butt and getting out to coach in my stead.  It is amazing, Amelia only woke me once and I got a ton of sleep!  But I still woke up late...

Here is today's workout:

400 Warm up SKDS (swim/kick/drill/swim)

12x25 kick (descend 1-3)

8x50 stroke down/free back @1:15

Main Set (6 times through):
50 sprint stroke (85-90%) @1:00
25 recovery @ :30
100 sprint free (95-100%) @2:00
25 recovery @ :30

12x25 @:30 (:25)
    1-first 1/2 sprint
    2-all sprint
    3-second 1/2 sprint

200 Cool Down

2,800 yards total



I think this was Tom's Tuesday workout:

400 warm up SKDS

16x50 kick IM in groups of 4, no board

16x50 stroke drill/swim by 25, IM in groups of 4

Main Set:
25 Fly
50 Back
75 Breast
100 IM
75 Breast
50 Back
25 Fly

200 Cool down

2,600 yards total

Lacking Internet

I don't currently have internet.  I will post a few workouts from the internet-less time in the next week or so, hopefully.  That is if Century Link ever gets the phonelines connected correctly.

Okay Workout

We are starting to get things packed up for the move this weekend.  I need to do more than I am right now.  Maybe I can take a load up to the new house today. 

Here was Shawn's workout from this morning:

Warm Up:
200 Free
100 Kick
100 Choice

10x100 @2:00  
[25 back (overkick)
10 sec rest
50 free
10 sec rest
25 back (overkick)]

4x200
[1-IM
2-Free
3-Pull
4-Choice (I pulled)]

12x25 @:20

200 Cool Down

2,800 yards

Revisiting Granite High

Saturday we went back to Granite for practice.  There was a big high school water polo tournament at the new pool.  I had one of my old swimmers from Murray come.  It was so great to see him!  I hope that he decides to swim with us in the future. 

Here is the workout from Laura. 

Warm Up:
200 Free
100 Kick
200 Stroke
100 Build

Main Set:
100 swim
2x200 kick
3x300 pull
2x200 kick
100 swim

2nd Main Set:
6x100 @1:20
6x50 @1:00 80%/90% by 25 (stroke coming back)
6x25 @:30 Sprint

Cool Down:
200

3,800 yards total (I was so close to 4,000 but I just didn't have it in me to do more.  I was definitely done)

Back at Granite

We were back at Granite this morning (and tomorrow too).  There is a water polo tournament at the fancy new pool.  I am not sure if everyone got the message, though.

Here was today's workout:

400 Warm up

12x25 descend 1-3 @:30

300 swim ~ kick hard every time you breath

Main Set:
8 (12)x125 75 fast/25 recovery @2:00 (2:30)

6x50 cool down finger tip drag drill @1:00

2,400 total yards

Great long free!

This was a great workout from Wes.  I thought the main set would be kind of boring.   But I had to think so much about when to go that it wasn't boring at all.  I averaged about 1:15's on the 100's

500 Warm Up

4x75 kick/drill/swim by 25 (I did this whole set IM) @1:20
4x50 kick/drill by 25 @1:00
4x25 Fast Swim @:30

Main Set:
100 @ 1:40
100 @ 1:35
100 @ 1:30
100 @ 1:25
2x100 @ 1:40
2x100 @ 1:35
2x100 @ 1:30
2x100 @ 1:25
3x100 @ 1:40
3x100 @ 1:35
3x100 @ 1:30
3x100 @ 1:25

This was a tough set to count.  I am really glad that I had a round clock to use instead of the digital ones.

I am back in the pool!

It has taken me about 3 weeks, but I am back in the pool.  Thanks to Amelia for getting her sleep under control.  It also helps that I only have 3 months to get ready for Bear Lake.

Here is the workout from Joel:

400 Warm Up SKDS

200 Swim/Kick by 25

8x25 Thumb-Slide Drill @:25

4x100 round-a-bout kick (stomach, side, back, other side by 25)

10x50 @:50 (I started at :38's and went down to :35's)

2x100 IM Kick

400 Cool Down

 2,300 Yards total

Here is an interesting tidbit, we are signing papers on our new home on Wednesday!  We are moving back into my old stomping grounds~Canyon Rim.  I am so excited and thrilled!

Middle Distance day

I promise, I will swim again.  I just have not been getting any sleep at nights.  Amelia has been waking up all night, and crying for hours.  I think it is her new tooth.  The last few nights have been better, so I should be able to swim next week.  I am avoiding swimming tomorrow because the SL Marathon is going past our house and I really want to be here to watch it!  We watched last year and it was a blast!

Warm Up:
500 choice

4x  3x25 fast kick @ :30
        1x50 easy kick @1:15

 200 build 70% to 90% by the end

Main set:
 6x150 Rotating 50 Fast (1st, 2nd, 3rd 50 then repeat)
@2:30 (3:00)

16x25 Stroke @:30  drill down/swim back

Total Yards:  2,500

Day before the meet

Tomorrow is our swim meet.  You can still sign up at the meet.  If you want to swim the 200 Breast, 50 Back, or 1650 you need to come and register by 7:45 am (meet starts at 8am).  The rest of the athletes must check in by 9:30am.

Here is what we did the day before the meet:

300 Free
200 Drill-no free
200 kick

6x75 6 kick drill/straight arm/regular (focus on longitudinal rotation)

Main Set: :15-20 sec rest on longer, :05-10 on shorter
300 ~75%
250~80%
200~85%
150~85-90%
100~90-95%
50~95-100%

10x50 pace @1:00

cool down

2,350 yards total

Online Meet Entries Extended!

We decided to extend the online registration for the Championship Meet (that this Saturday) until Thursday at noon.  That gives people plenty of time to register online (rhyme-time).  Go to www.olympusaquatics.com or https://www.clubassistant.com/club/meet_information.cfm?c=2168&smid=5374. It will be at our fabulous new pool.  I swam there for the first time this morning.  It is AMAZING!  Except I could not figure out how to make the showers warm.  Come join us...even if you just want to see the new pool.

Here is Tom's workout from this morning:

Warm Up: 
 400 SKDS

4x75 kick @1:20
4x75 drill @ 1:20 (fingertip drag/sail/swim)
4x75 build @1:20 (70%/80%/90%)

Main Set:
20x25 @:25
10x50 @:45 (held :35)
5x100 @1:25 (held 1:08-1:10)

Cool Down: 
300 easy

Last Masters At Granite High!

It was our last Masters practice at Granite High.  It is kind of sad, because I love that pool.  But it will be wonderful to be in the brand new Olympus Pool!

Warm Up:
300 Swim
200 Kick
100 Drill

4x50 Drill

Kick Set (4 times)
Descend
100
75
50
25
(I did the rounds different kicks)

Main Set (2 times)
Pull & Descend like before
200
150
100
50

Cool Down
100

2,800 Yards Total

If I was to do this main set again, I would start with a 300 or 250.  That would be a really easy way to add 500-600 yards.

All by myself...

This is the first, and hopefully last, time I swam in the Granite pool completely by myself.  I didn't feel very comfortable about it but I was up and it had been a tough time getting there.  So I stayed to swim.  I am sorry to any masters who came, I was not there until 6am.  Starting on Monday we won't have any issues like this because there will always be someone there to open the new pool!

Speaking of the new pool, there have been some questions about parking. I have not been able to ask Shawn about it; however, I plan to park in the lot that is on Lincoln Lane.  That is the south side of the campus.  The front door to the pool is on the east side, just around the corner from this parking lot.  I think you can park in the big parking lot, but the high schoolers might be vying for those spots by the time we get out, and I want to avoid them as much as possible.

Here is what I did this morning:

500 Warm Up

10x100 Free
    4 @ 1:30
    3 @ 1:25
    2 @ 1:20
    1 @ 1:15

100 Recovery

300 dolphin kick w/fins

100 easy

500 pull

2,500 yards total

Back to Business

I am back in the pool and loving it!  This is the first time I have gone to Joel's workouts.  I was amazed how well you can work your abs just by focusing the workout.  Great job, Joel!

Warm Up
400 SKDS (Swim/Kick/Drill/Swim)

8x50 @1:00  drill (straight arm/6 kicks/double entry/zipper)

4x50 @1:05  right arm down/left arm back

4x100 @1:45  dolphin kick w/fins on back

Main Set: 2 times (last 25 of each is sprint - 5 sec rest before sprint)
25
50
75
100
100
75
50
25

 3x100 dolphin kick

300 Cool Down

3,000 yards

Sprint Strokes

I have not been posting as often as I like lately.  I have not been swimming very consistently.  I have a cut that I really do not want to get infected, so I have avoided the old Granite pool in hopes of staying healthy.  I will start up again on Monday. 

Here is today's workout I came up with:

Warm Up:
200 Free
200 IM or Stroke Drill

~300 Kick (I randomly said when to sprint and when to go easy)

100 Easy

Main Set (4 times thru--IMO by round)
2x25 Sprint
50 easy
2x75 Sprint
50 easy

Cool Down at least 200

2,100 Total Yards

IM Saturday

It was quite the IM day today.  I really enjoyed it; however, it was very hard.  And my back is a little sore. My core (abs and back) are not as strong as they used to be.  I will have to work on that.

Here is the workout from Laura (I swam with her at the U and love her workouts!)

Warm Up:
300 Swim
200 kick
200 Choice (Breaststroke)

12x50 IM drill @1:00

4x200 1-Back, 2-Breast, 3-Free, 4-IM

Main Set:
2x100 IM @1:45
2x100 Fly @1:50
2x100 IM @1:40
2x100 Back @1:50
2x100 IM @ 1:35
2x100 Breast @1:50
2x100 IM @ 1:30
2x100 Free @1:30

Cool Down:
300 Free

4,000 yards total

On Thursday we had a wonderful fly class from Tom.  It has helped my fly tremendously  I don't know if I am faster, but I am definitely more comfortable, fluid, and relaxed with it.  Here is a great video of Michael Phelps swimming fly.  The quote is from my friend Jamie.  I couldn't describe it better so I will just quote her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd67PMryIT0

"This is a great view of butterfly.  Head is down before hands come around and enter the water.  Look how far he pushes his chest, head, and sternum down into the water to make his hips rise to the top.  BUT in that position, notice the arms and hands are still on the top of the water, ready to get powerful leverage on the next pull.  Takes a lot of flexibility."

Sprinting!

The workout I created today was a sprint workout.  We do a lot of sets aimed at long distance swimming.  And it is important to remember to sprint.  Sprinting means going all out for a short distance.  It also means that when you are done with that short distance, you should need to recover.  The best recovery is dynamic recovery in which you are moving.  So when you have an "easy 100" after a fast one, the easy one should be recovery and your rest.

Here is the workout:

Warm Up:
200 swim
200 kick
200 drill

16x25 @:30
Sprint starting at
1-the far flags
2-the half
3-the near flags
4-the whole thing

5x50 kick @1:10 (:55 if you use fins)
1-all sprint
2-3/4 sprint/last 1/4 easy
3-1/2 sprint/1/2 easy
4-1/4 sprint/3/4 easy
5-all easy

Main Set 2 times:
2x50 drill @:50
2x100 negative split @1:50 
1x200 build (start at 85% end at 100%)

Cool Down

2,250 yards total (plus cool down)

Butterfly ~ I like it...now!

It was very tough to get up this morning.  But I am sure glad I did.  It had a great workout and I feel amazing.  I wish I could feel this good all day long.  Tom gave us a really good workout and then he gave us an amazing training on butterfly.  I have never felt so comfortable with this stroke before.  It was great!  I hope he does it again and often!

Here is the workout and my short notes about the butterfly session:

300 Warm Up Swim/Kick/Swim

Twice @:30 sec base:
2x75 6 kick drill
2x50 skulling w/staight arms in front (like a mummy)
2x25 build

20x50 holding pace (:35 or faster)@:50 (I held :34 & :33)
    The goal here is to hold your race pace until you cannot do it any longer.  If you miss your pace for two 50's in a row, you should stop.

175 easy

Butterfly Breakdown:
50 kick (stomach down/on back back)  focus on head being neutral
50 kick on stomach arms out front ~ focus on stretching arms and chest and getting butt in the air
8x25 progressive fly  start with 2 second glide, 1 sec glide, regular
**think about head coming up when hands start to pull.  Get your chest and head down deep each stroke.  Get your butt in the air each stroke.  Head and chest act as weight on a lever to get strong kick.

I wish you could come to Tom's class.  It was the best butterfly training I have ever had.  I have always struggled through fly.  Today made it very easy and relaxed.  I definitely need to strengthen my back muscles.  That and my arm to chest flexibility would really help my fly. 

I finally swam again!

 So, I took about a week and a half off.  I just have not been getting enough sleep to wake up at 5am.  But my beautiful daughter has been sleeping better at night.  That means I get more/better sleep.  Besides, I need to step it up since I signed up for the Bear Lake swim already! 

This was yesterday morning's workout from Tom.  It was kind of a lot of distance freestyle, but I guess that is what I need.


400 Warm Up

400 Kick (every 4th 25 fast) w/board

4x50 finger tip drag @1:00

Main Set:
4x100 free @1:20
2x200 w/pull buoy @2:40
400 paddles & buoy @4:20
2x200 w/pull buoy @2:40
4x100 Free @1:20

8x50 cool down @1:00

Remembering back to Saturday

I didn't get a chance to post Saturday's workout before I left for the Internet Restricted Zone that is my parents' house.  It was a funtastic weekend!  So I might forget some of the workout, since it has been a few days.

Workout
200 swim
200 kick
200 stroke
200 swim

8x50 15 yards fast/35 yards easy @:50

100 easy IM

5x300 100 fast/50 easy @4:15?

5x200 100 IM/100 Free @3:15

100 easy

8x50 15 yards fast/35 yards easy (I did these reverse IM)

200 Cool Down

Total:  4,500 yards

Stroke Work

I know that at most masters practices we usually focus on distance freestyle.   But today we did some stroke work.  A little IM, a little choice stroke.  It was a nice change.  And everyone was very good-spirited about it!  Here is what we did:

Warm Up:
300 choice
100 kick

8 (10)x75 IM order [kick/drill/swim by 25] @1:30 (1:20)

6 (9)x100 50 worst stroke/50 best stroke @2:10 (1:50)

2x300 free negative split (1st half moderate~2nd half fast)

2,200 (2,750) yards total!

There were a record 9 swimmers today!  That is a record for a Friday!  Thanks for coming to practice today!

Holladay Lions Pool

I do not have any clue what temperature they keep their pool at, but the Holladay Lions Rec Center is way too hot!  It is great for playing and water sliding, but terrible for any form of actual exercise.  And it is pretty expensive.  It cost me $5.50 to swim for about 45 minutes.  That seems excessive to me.  But, I haven't been going where the temperature is normal and I can go for free.  So I had to do a night swim in a hot tub.  I still got 3,000 yards in!

500 free warm up
500 250 back/250 free
500 100 kick/25 free
500 reverse IM (I actually did a 125 straight fly!)
1000 swim (I think I was averaging about 1:18's per hundred)

Hopefully I will get my butt out of bed tomorrow morning.

Amelia is a swimmer!

I brought Amelia with me this morning, she was wide awake.  So Matt suggested that I bring her swimsuit so we could go swimming together.  The pool was a bit cold but she still swam and had fun with me.  I am so glad Matt thought of it.  I cannot wait until Thursday when we start the Mommy & Me class!  I hope the pool is warmer by then.

Here is this morning's workout from Jamie:

100 warm up

8x50 thumb slide drill @:05 rest (use lots of kicking)

Main Set: (do stroke until you need to switch to free--you can do 50/50 too if you want)
3x100 @ 1:40 Back
3x100 @ 1:35 Back
3x100 @ 1:30 Back
3x100 @ 1:25 Free
3x100 @ 1:20 Free
3x100 @ 1:15 Paddles
3x100 @ 1:10 Fins & Paddles

250 easy

Fly Progression Set:
4x25 right arm fly
4x25 left arm fly
4x25 3 rt/3 lt/3 reg
4x25 regular fly

100 Cool Down

"4x" Workout

Today I came up with the "4x" theme.  I think it is one that I would like to have done.  I guess that is usually how I write my workouts anyway.  Here is the workout:

Warm Up:
100 Kick
200 Drill Stroke
300 free build by 100's

Main Set:
4x25 no breath (or 1 if you need it) @:35
rest ~:45
4x50 overkick down/regular swim back@1:00
rest ~:45
4x75 IM without the free @1:40
rest ~:45
4x100   50 moderate (~85%)/50 sprint (~95%+) @1:50
rest ~:45
4x200 Pull (strong front catch and back finish) @2:50

4x125  IM ~ Rotate the 50 stroke throughout (ex: #1--50 fly, 25 back, 25 breast, 25 free; #2--25 fly, 50 back, 25 breast, 25 free; etc.) @2:15

2,900 total yards

I get to play water polo tonight with the Olympus High team.  It will be fun to play in a more relaxed setting.  Masters pick-up is a little too aggressive for me.  Besides, a lot of the players like to show-boat and don't pass very much.  So this should be a lot of fun!

Seeds Planted!

I believe that spring has started, these are the first flowers of the year. (Feb. 25, 2014)

I got my first set of seeds started today.  I had planned to do them a few weeks ago, but I made sure to get it done today.  I was hoping to follow the "moon" planting times that I got from the Farmers Almanac (http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/UT/Salt%20Lake%20City) but I didn't quite make it. 

I planted about 20 peat pots of seeds.  Here is the list:

celery~2
eggplant~2
green onions~1
cabbage~1
bell peppers~4
jalepenos~3
roma tomatoes~8
beefsteak tomatoes~2

I still want to get some Sweet 100 Tomato and yellow bell pepper seeds.  I have some cherry and pear tomato seeds, but I really like the sweet taste of the Sweet 100's.  This is just the first two groups of seeds.  I have a few more to plant in the coming weeks.

And yes, Momma, I did start some for you too.

Here is a photo of my awesome greenhouse that my husband made me. 

Hard Swim

This morning's workout was very hard.  I am so tired.  I am not sure how I will make it through today.  Good thing I don't have to work.  Maybe the BEBE will take a nice long nap like she did yesterday.  Then I could too! 

Warm Up:
400 S/K/D/S ~ this means swim/kick/drill/swim by 100

6x75 kick descend 1-3 @1:30

6x50 drill (3 right~3 left~3 double) @1:00 The arm you are not using stays in front and try to keep it in the correct position for a normal stroke

Main Set:
3x300 @ 4:00 (had about :14 sec rest)
3x200 @ 2:40 (2:24, 2:26, 2:26)
1x100 @ 1:20 (1:09, 1:10, 1:11)

200 Cool Down

I am struggling a bit right now.  I have a friend I swim with that is faster than I am, and it is frustrating me.  It helped when I couldn't see her.  So I swam right by the lane line and looked at it when I breathed.  That helped me swim my race and not try to compete with her.  I know that she swims much more than I do, so she should be faster.  But I still feel disappointed that I am not faster.

FInally Swam this week

I had to rush to work this morning, so I didn't have a chance to post my workout.  Our team president coaches on Wednesday, Shawn.  I like his workouts.  He tends towards the long distance, though.  Here is the workout:

Warm Up:
 200 Free
100 Kick
200 IM
100 Kick

16x25 (2 Free @ :30 ~ 2 kick @ :40)x4

Main Set:
4x25 @:25
2x100 @ 1:45
4x25 @:25
200 IM @ 2:50
4x25 @:25
300 Pull
4x25 @:25
400 Pull
4x25 @:25

100 Cool Down

2,600 yards total

There should be another good one tomorrow.  Tom coaches and his workouts are always interesting.  I have to get up early the rest of the week because I slacked off and didn't go once until today.  I cannot have another 4,000 yard week.  I hope to make up some of the missed yardage in the next couple of weeks.  That means I had better get up on time!

Homemade Deodorant ~ Day Two

I finally did it. I made my own deodorant.  I used this recipe:  http://www.budget101.com/tips-tricks/chemical-free-homemade-deodorant-4166.html.  It was super easy.  And thanks to my friend Jamie, I didn't have to buy any vitamin E or Lavender oil to test it out.  I will definitely be buying some in the future! Make sure to use cooking tools separate from your food tools.  Although none of it is bad to eat, the beeswax is very challenging to remove.  I used a new steel bowl as a double boiler and it work like a charm.  But it will definitely not be used for food cooking...just cosmetic cooking.

Here are the ingredients and instructions:

"4 Tbs. Coconut Oil
12 drops Lavender Essential Oil
3 drops Vit E Oil (or the contents of 1 vitamin E capsule, just prick it with a needle & squeeze)
2 Tbs. Baking Soda
2 Tbs Corn Starch or arrowroot powder
2 tsp Grated Beeswax or beeswax pellets
1 Empty Deodorant Container

In a small saucepan combing the coconut oil and beeswax over very low heat, alternatively you can use a double boiler, but don't use the microwave for this one. The coconut oil will melt quickly, the beeswax will take a few moments.
Remove from heat, cool slightly, and stir in baking soda, cornstarch, vitamin E and lavender essential oil. It is imperative that you use True Essential oil and NOT a fragrance oil. The lavender offers antibacterial properties in addition to a great scent. The beeswax will help your finished product stay firm in the container. The vitamin E is a natural preservative."
**this is directly taken from www.budget101.com.**  I think I might also try adding some tea tree oil next time.


So far the results have made me pretty happy.  Admittedly it is only the second day, and it is winter.  But I am always hot, and the ladies at work really like the heat up.  The first day I put it on as usual, after I put my shirt on.  I usually do this to keep those nasty deodorant lines from showing up on my nice shirts.  Well, that doesn't work with homemade deodorant.  I also used too much.  So I ended up getting an oily mess on the armpits of my shirt.  This also left me smelling a bit tropical.  At least Matt thought I smelled like coconut.  I thought I smelled like a strange mix of lavender and beeswax.

Today I made sure to put it on lightly and before my shirt.  I gave my pits plenty of time to absorb the healthy coconut oil.  I didn't have any problems this time with oiliness.  I also do not smell tropical.  Most importantly, I don't have that sweaty armpit smell either. 

I have looked into this many times before.  The problem I always have is that there are too many recipes and options to choose from.  This time I got the recipe from my cousin Stephie.  And I just went for it.  I hope that I keep loving it so much!

The last great thing about this was that I needed beeswax...which I didn't have.  So I got to visit Sprouts Farmers Market for the first time.  What a great store!  It reminds me of Whole Foods when it was Wild Oats.  Small and unique.  I loved the bulk bins and the coffee was on sale!  I will definitely be going back there! 

Bonus~there is an emergency supply store next door which is also pretty cool...they have some dehydrated water.  All you have to do is add water....get it? Just add water...I thought it was hilarious, once I realized it was joke!

Next cosmetic project is lip balm!  Orange maybe?  What flavor would you choose?  Any recommendations?

4,000 Saturday

I am way behind on my yardage this week.  Amelia got sick and Matt was on a business trip.  So today was the first and only time I swam this week.

Here is what Laura gave us to do:

300 Warm Up

8x50 IM down/Free back @ 1:00

4x125:  25 easy IM/75 moderate free/25 Fast IM @2:00

Main Set:

400 pull free
4x100 80% stroke @1:45 (I held ~ 1:22)
300 pull free
4x75 90% stroke @1:20 (I held ~ :57)
200 pull free
4x50 95% stroke @1:00 (I held ~ :35
100 Free
4x25 100% stroke @:30 (I held ~ :15)

50 easy

8x50 kick w/fins @:55

400 Cool Down

4,000 yards total

Only pool day this week

So far this is the first day I have been to the pool all week.  The little baby got sick for the first time and the husband was on a business trip.  Needless to say, I didn't have a lot of free time this week.  So here is the workout from this mornings practice.  I will be swimming tomorrow morning if anyone wants to join me. I love Saturday workouts. Maybe it is the later time.  But it might be the longer hour and a half that I like.  Probably both!

Warm Up:
 300 choice
100 kick
200 stroke (no free)
100 kick

6x75 @2:00 (1:30) Kick (focus on using the big thigh muscles!)

  by 25  1--small kicks
             2--big kicks
             3--regular fast kick

Main Set: 10x100 (or 14)
4 @ 1:55  (1:45)
3 @ 1:50  (1:40)
2 @ 1:45  (1:35)
1 @ 1:40  (1:30)

Or if you are doing 14, do 4-4-2-2-1-1

50 Easy

2x200  Pull (1st 25 of each 100 fast/75 moderate) @:30 rest

2,600 yards total

Killer Saturday!

I know I am working hard when my legs and hands start to tingle.  I really enjoyed Jamie's workout today.  I like Saturday practices because they are not too early and they are 1 1/2 hours, so I can get more yards.  I am up to 9,900 yards this week!  Pretty good for me.  Here is the workout:

400 warm up

16x25 IM Drill (five of each except one of free)

Main Set: (I did about 200 easy in here too broken up after the fast free 100's)
*4x100 Free @1:20 (I held about 1:12-1:14)
4x50 Rolling IM @:50
*3x100 Free @1:25 (I held about 1:11-1:12)
1x200 50 Stroke/50 Free @1:40
*2x100 Free @1:30 (1:07 & 1:06)
1x100 IM Fast (1:14)
*1x100 Free Fast (1:04)
*My base pace was 1:20 you can choose one that works for you, then add 5 sec. each round but swim faster as you get more rest)

200 Easy

3x300 pull descend

4x50 kick

200 cool down

4,000 yards total

Distance Day & RV Shows

Today was a bit of a distance day, with the main set being 500's.  We also worked on breath control.  There is a meet tomorrow at Fairmont.  Today is the last day to sign up for it.  I will not be swimming, but I will probably come at the end to watch. 

Warm Up:
300 choice
200 reverse IM drill
100 kick

12x25 @:30  Back or Free
      focus on streamline off the walls and dolphin kicks
      1-at least 1 dolphin kick
      2-at least 2 dolphin kicks
      3-at least 3 dolphin kicks
      etc. up to 12 dolphin kick on the last one

Main Set:
3x500 @:30 rest
   1~breathing every 3/5/7 by 50 (or 2/4/6/ or 3/5/5)
   2~strong pull ~85% effort level
   3~fast negative split (you can pull if you want to)

4x75 @1:45
by 25
     kick
     stroke other than free
     sprint (choice of stroke including free)

Cool Down

2,600 yards total + cool down


We went to the RV Show yesterday.  I liked it, but Matt was hoping for more pop-up trailers to look at.  There were a few.  But most of the ones there were HUGE.  It was nice to see them in person and get a feel for what they are like. 

The show is mostly for older people who can drop ~$100-200K on a fancy "home-to-go".  Some of those trailers and RV's cost more than our house!  It is incredible what they are putting in them these days.  I saw one with a master suite, fireplace, and washer/dryer!  It was amazingly opulent.  I am not sure if it is even considered camping anymore?  I was having a hard time finding a pop-up trailer that didn't have a shower.  (They take up too much room!)

Now we have some good ideas and maybe we will get a new camper trailer this year.  Let's go camping!

Rockin' 200's

Today was one of Tom's workouts.  I really liked it.  I think I might be a 200 free swimmer after all!

Warm Up
400 swim/kick/drill/swim (I was late as usual, so I did this after the main set)

4x50 @1:10 8 kick on your side while slowly sliding your arm up
4x50 @1:00 golf--stroke count + time = as low as possible

Main Set:  6x200 @2:50
1-positive split (I did ~1:12 on the first 100)
2-all arms
3-all legs
4-perfect arm/leg balance
5-negative split
break
6-ALL OUT (I went a 2:17!)

50 easy

10x50 @:50 stroke (I did backstroke)

Grand total of 3,000 yards

Finally a Monday workout!

I have been having such a hard time getting up on Mondays for practice.  But I had to today because Matt was supposed to go out of town (he has a bad cold so he is not going).  Today my friend coaches and she happily watched Amelia while I swam.  It was a bit distracting for me.  It you know me well, you will know that I am a worrier.  But she did great and loved hanging out at the pool with Jamie!  I was surprised she didn't go back to sleep,but she did on the ride home.  Here is today's workout:

8x50 stroke drill/free by 25 (I did all breast)

4x125 pull @ 2:00 last 25 back

8x100 focus on kick @1:45
   1-40%
   2-60%
   3-80%
   10 sec. break
   4-100%

2x300 :30 rest
  [100 free, 100 IM, 100 fast free]

400 cool down

(Of course the 400 was supposed to be warm up, but I got in late)  I am up to about 5.5% of my goal for number of miles to swim in 2014.  I am participating in the USMS Go the Distance event.  I got to set my own goal of 425 miles.  I am way behind pace~and the program tells me every time I enter a workout.  But I am not worried.  With my Bear Lake swim training schedule, I will be increasing my yardage soon enough!

On that note, I am excited to say that registration for the Bear Lake Monster Swim opens on March 1st.  I cannot wait to sign up!

Late-Start Saturday

Yeah!  We started the later Saturday practices today.  I didn't have to get up super early to swim, and it was phenomenal!  Amelia woke me at just before 6 am.  I wanted another 20 minutes or so, but I had no problem staying up after feeding her (she has been have a rough time at nights lately because of her first tooth coming in).  We had a new coach today named Laura.  I swam with her at the U.  I think she gave us a wonderful workout!

Warm Up:
300 swim
200 Kick
100 Drill
(150 Swim--this was extra because everyone else was still warming up)

12x50 IM/Free @:55

Main Set:
500 (50 fast/200 pace)
(I think this is where I did the extra 50 easy)
10x50 @:50 descend 1-5
500 (25 fast/75 pace)

8x75 Kick/Stroke/Free @1:20

5x100 @1:20 Strong (I averaged 1:12)

200 Cool Down

4,200 yards total

One last thing about swimming.  Tom gave me the suggestion of trying to kick bigger (wider) when I want to kick faster/stronger.  I didn't think it would work; however, I felt much faster and stronger.  Now, I didn't watch my time, I just went off the way it felt.  I was surprised how much harder I was kicking.  I know becaues my legs are still tired!  I definitely used my leg muscles better.  Thanks, Tom!

IM Day!

I love IM!  I wish I could have gotten in with my swimmers today.  I had one new swimmer, she is the mother of my swim-friend from long ago!  I love when people come visit me like that.  I think that she will make Fridays at Olympus Masters a regular event.

Here is the wonderful IM day.

300 choice warm up
200 kick

8x25 fast-easy/ easy-fast @:30

Main Set (4 times-IM order by round)
25 Fast @:30
50 Drill @1:00
75 Build to ~85% @1:30
100 Fast @2:00
:30 rest after each round (you can drill or use fins on the fly if necessary)

2x300 pull (swim them by the following pattern [by 50])
       1-Stretch
       2-Build
       3-Hammer (all out)
       4-Nail (everything you've got!)

200 Cool down

2,500 Total yards

Thursday Morning & Revisited Project

I was lucky to get up this morning.  The baby-girl is getting her first tooth and keeps waking up every 3 hours.  Luckily last night it matched my sleep schedule exactly.  Well, almost.  After the 3am feeding, I couldn't fall asleep again until after 4:30am.  I almost got up and kind of wish I had.  But it all worked out to me swimming this morning.

Workout
200 Warm Up Swim/Kick/Drill/Swim by 50

800 Kick w/fins every 3rd 25 fast

6x50 Kick streamline under water down/swim back @1:00 (I actually did the last one on my back!)

6x75 swim focus on kicking (this was a difficult challenge for me, I don't think about my kick very much)
     1: 40%  Increase your kick force each 25
     2: 60%
     3: 80%

6x100 odds easy @ 1:40/evens fast @1:20 (1:06, 1:07, 1:04--these were great times for me! I was aiming for under 1:10 and I blew that goal out of the water!)

 150 Cool Down

2,600 yards total

Project Revisited
 My little girl is not so little any more.  She has outgrown all the cloth diapers that I made for her.  I am trying to figure out what do to.  The Thirsties inserts fit so well.  I might just make a few in size one and then a couple in size two.  I also want to make them single layers.  That way I can add them together if I want to.  I have thought about changing the material that I have been using because the Thirsties are made of fleece and hemp(?) and they absorb so well.  But I have a package of larger cotton diapers that I need to use.  I have been trying to work on this project for weeks.  It has been my excuse to why I have been using so many disposables (that and working).  I don't think it is a very good excuse (neither of them).  I should change that.

I will post photos when I have them done, hopefully this weekend.

Phase 2 begins and a healthy breakfast

Today was a good practice with a new coach.  He has his own triathlon club/business.  So this will be good for me.  He will have some good insights into open water and long distance swimming.  I also start my second stage of my training this week.  That means that I will swim 3 days a week and aim for 10,000 yards per week.  I am not sure if I can make that many yards, but I will try.  I should also start doing yoga to increase my flexibility. 

Warm Up:
300 Free
200 Stroke

8x75 Kick on side/drill (shark fin)/swim @1:20

Main Set (4 times) all on 2:50
200 fast
200 recovery (the first one was a 150)

8x25 sprint @:30 backstroke

150 Cool Down

3,000 yards total


So, I also wanted to give my breakfast routine.  I cannot go without a big breakfast.  I eat the most healthy in the mornings, if only I could stay this healthy throughout the day!

This is how I eat in the mornings:

On the way to swimming:
1 glass of 1% milk with 3-4 tablespoons of Carnation Instant Breakfast

 On the way home from swimming:
a big banana

At home:
delicious oatmeal (here is a link to my recipe:  http://thelewisfamilyrecipeclub.blogspot.com/2014/01/kims-favorite-oatmeal.html )

Friday's missed workout

I was a little too busy to post Friday's workout on Friday.  So I will do it today.  I tried to make a workout that was not too hard, but had some good elements to get ready for the meet on Saturday.

300 warm up

12x25 drill (1-straight arm drill/2-scorpion/3-catch up)

12x50 Kick 1-fast/easy; 2-easy/fast

Main Set: make the fast really hard and the easy recovery (:05-:10 rest on the short ones and :10-:15 on the longer ones)
25 fast
50 easy
50 fast
100 easy
100 fast
150 easy
150 fast
200 easy
200 fast

cool down

2,425 yards

Ground Hog Meet Completed!

We hosted our very first Masters Swim Meet today!  It was a blast and although it went really fast, I had fun and swam pretty well.  We had about 35 swimmers.  We even had a few from out of state.  I made a new friend with a gentleman named Chris with Mountain View Masters in California.  I was super excited to have such a great meet with all the Utah Masters swimmers. 

So, my races didn't go quite as planned.  I thought the 1,650 would be good and the 100 IM and 50 Back would be rough.  It was quite the opposite.  I don't think that I warmed up enough for the mile.  And I haven't swam in a meet for a long while, so I was extra nervous.  My times were all pretty decent though.

Warm up:

~400
5x50 pace

Before the 50 Back
~150

Races:
1,650
100 IM
50 Back
(I also swam the 50 Free in the medley relay)

Next meet will be in April at the new Olympus pool!  I will plan a much better warm up for that one!

Oh, my husband and baby daughter counted for my mile.  I loved it!  It was wonderful having them there to support me.

Tuesday Morning

I actually got myself up to swim in the first half of the week!  Unfortunately the coach didn't show up.  So Shawn and I wrote the workout.  He did the first half, and I did the main set.

Warm Up:
100 swim
100 kick
100 drill
100 swim

8x75 @1:20/1:30 free/stroke/free by 25

Main Set 4 or 5 times through:
5x50
round 1 @:55
round 2 @:50
round 3 @:45
round 4 @:40
round 5 @:35

To set your times, think of what you can barely make for your last round (I really only made 2 1/2 of mine), then count back to find your first round time.  The first few rounds should be easy.

Cool Down of your choice (I usually recommend at least 200 yards--the goal here is to make sure you are lowering your heart rate and breathing. Make sure you are not breathing hard by the end)

2,300 yards plus cool down

We are working on setting up the Masters Championship Meet in April.  We will be hosting it at the new Olympus High pool.  Very exciting!

PS  Apparently I will be swimming tomorrow morning too, because I left my wallet there!

1 and 1/2 Workouts

I was swimming this morning and trying to remember what workout I set up yesterday.  I couldn't remember any of it!  I finally remembered that I focused on Backstroke.  Then I remembered the main set, and the drills I had them do.  But that was all I can remember.  So today, I will post 1 1/2 workouts (1/2 of Friday's & all of today's).  I got pretty chatty this morning, so I didn't swim all of it.  But I did get over my 2,500 yard goal.

Friday's 1/2 Workout:

300 Warm Up

7x50  Drill--hand slap down--2 right 2 left back
          (on the hand slap, make sure to keep your arm in streamline position while you do the recovery, recover your other arm until it points to the ceiling, bring it back to slap the water, finish the stroke normally--it is very important that while your one hand is recovering twice, that you keep the other hand above you.  This will help you get the right timing and reach for your backstroke)

*6x25 descend 1-3 (this is getting ready for the main set, so really sprint the 3rd and 6th ones) @:30

Main Set (do it 3 times):
(on the odd rounds, do the sprints half back/half free--on the even one, it is your choice)
2x25 sprint
50 easy
2x50 sprint
100 easy

*I just remembered this one.  I think I am just missing one set and it might be 75's?)


Saturday's Whole Workout (I was lazy and late-I am sure you can do better than I did)

5x100 (warm up)

8x50 kick @:55 (I used fins and probably could have done them on :50)

 4x150 Build by 50 @2:30 (it was too slow and next time I will do them on 2:10 or 2:!5)

Main Set:
500 Long & Strong (pull)
300 Negative Split (pull)--this one is fast and make sure to make the second half faster than the first!
400 Long & Strong
200 Negative Split--see the 300 for details (I was too busy chatting away to get this one in)

6x75    25 fast kick/50 swim
            50 fast kick/25 swim

Total yards:  3,350 (I only did 2,650)

Finally Swam this Week

I finally got by butt out of bed to swim this morning.  I have been trying since Monday.  My bed is just far too comfortable!  Here is the workout that Shawn gave at Olympus Masters this morning.  I haven't done so much IM for ages.  My forearms definitely got a workout, they could barely handle the pull that came after.

100 warm up (I got in late the actual warm up was 4x100-swim/kick/drill/swim by 100)

24x25 2 free/2 stroke @:25 (other lanes did fewer in groups of 4 on slower times)

(I squeezed a 50 easy in here)

Main set (all IM)
4x25
4x50 (Fly/Back, Back/Breast, Breast/Free, Free/Fly)
4x75 (without Free)
4x100
200

600 Pull

Cool Down (I did 250 to make up for the warm up that I missed)

Total yards:  2,800

Great workout!  Thanks, Shawn.

Random find

Matt ordered something from backcountry.com.  Inside the package was a freebee.  It just happened to be the best toothpaste every.  It was fated to be...it is called Tom's of Maine.  It is a natural toothpaste and quite good.  I like all their earth and human friendly policies and practices.  I thought that a "natural" product would not work as well as the Aquafresh that I usually use.  But it actually works much better!  And it tastes great and natural, not chemically at all.  They only use peppermint oil to flavor it.  My mouth feels so clean.  I love it!  I think it might be available at Fresh Market and it is certainly available at Target.  It is a little more expensive than the other stuff, but I had a coupon (and one more in reserve) which saved me a dollar.  Here is the website to their company:  http://www.tomsofmainestore.com//webstore/store/tomsofmainestore/home.do

Just make sure you get the kind you want.  I first bought the fluoride-free kind and had to go back.  I might save it for when the little one finally gets teeth.  I couldn't find the Simply White in the store, but they have a Whole Clean that I like just as much.