Category Archives: Swim

Stimulating Swim Set

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Given my recent rant about the uselessness of boring swim workouts*, I find it interesting to note that the main set from this morning’s swim workout was based on only 100m’s. BUT it was certainly not boring. It was probably one of the harder swim workouts that I’ve ever done. Given that I was never a swim club kid, I’m still in a bit of shock that I can swim these paces, repetitively.

Main Set = Speed Work
1x100m @ 1:45 on 2:10
2x100m @ 1:40 on 2:10
3x100m @ 1:35 on 2:10
1 min rest
3x100m @ 1:30 on 2:30
2x100m @ 1:25 on 2:30
1x100m @ 1:20 or faster

There was also a bunch of warm-up/cool-down stuff in this workout with the total distance up around 2700m. Good stuff for a Friday morning. Now that the school term is over (which means the end of Thursday evening classes), I’m looking forward more energy at these Friday swims.

*luckily, this rant was not recorded anywhere – except perhaps, by poor Torbin who had to listen to me spout off last weekend… but once I let it out, I don’t think it stuck around for too long.

Cuddly Friends

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Overall, it was a busy week with Xmas parties canceling workouts during the week.  The weekend involved the Vanoc 2010 volunteer training, so I only managed the bike commute downtown.  Because of the Vanoc workshop, I ran my long run on Saturday. My route to MacDonald Beach was awesome!  Almost 30km, right from my doorstep, with almost all of it on trails.  I’ve got this pile of old socks and spare running gloves that I’ve been saving.  This week (and weekend) I finally found some time to put them to use.  These cuddly friends are going to be secret santa gifts… if I don’t fall too much in love with them first.

Weekly Totals – Dec 1-7th, 2008

swim bike run core/stretch
1hrs – 3200m 1h15 3h40m ~38km 1.5hr Yoga

Totals: 5:55 + 1.5h Yoga

Week Highlights

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This week the highlights included a big day of spin/swim on Wednesday and two runs with Penney.  She’s becoming quite the runner.  Friday’s swim included a 100m TT where I pulled off a 1:24.

swim bike run core/stretch
2hrs – 4.7km 3h25 4h ~40km 2hrs

Weekly total = 9:25 + 2hrs core/stretch/yoga

On the weekend, some wet mountain biking with Bronwyn and Clayton was in order. On Sunday’s run, I went much longer then I would have by myself thanks to good company. Thanks, Andrew. It was a flat route with perfect running weather, misty and warm. A good solid weekend of training. A couple of naps, and I’m feeling pretty good.

Reverse Training

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“I’ve got a new secret weapon… and it’s called reverse training!” After 4 workouts for the whole of March, I had a great time trial weekend. “What’s this?”, you say. “Joanne’s got a new secret weapon called reverse training. Tell me more!” Reverse training is where you put life on hold and you ignore training completely. You do no workouts. None at all. Except maybe once a week, when “as a treat” you allow some time for yourself and you head out for the Sunday workout. Reverse training works best when extenuating circumstances leave you no spare time at all – and in my experience it’s best if you’re completely emotionally and physically drained every day. Continue reading →

Blue in the Water

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I tried out my new rash guard for a little extra warmth (and added UV protection) during my swim at UBC outdoor pool. It worked well. I’m not quite at the stage of pool accessory mania but my outfit IS very blue. I cut the swim short today. I’m still not feeling 100% from the flu like symptoms of my wasp sting reaction.

swim
warmup 400f, 2x50dr, 100p, 100f
12 x 100f @ 30sR @ 2:05 pace
45min total

Pool Schedules

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Why is it that I can’t read pool schedules? I think swim schedules must be in a different language or something. After deciphering all of the footnotes and special closures, I had determined that the only pool open at UBC today was the indoor pool. 3km indoors flipping every 25m, sigh. Why oh why? I wasn’t looking forward to it, to say the least.

You can imagine my surprise when I discovered the empty outdoor pool. 50m, a lifeguard, and only two other swimmers. I had no sunscreen. For a millisecond, I worried about my perfect two piece tan lines that would be screwed up by my indoor only racing suit. [chuckle] Then I stepped outside, ah heaven! I rattled off this workout feeling good, but a little rushed for time. That’s the problem with swimming in the middle of your work day. I had to skip the 7th 300m rep, and cut the cool down a little short.

swim
w/u 400f, 2x50dr, 100f, 100p
6 x 300f @ 30sR
c/d 100f
total distance = 2600m

Snakes Make Me Sprint

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The grey morning light switched to a brief rain storm at Sasamat today. Swimming in rain is interesting. The splashing drops mix with your spraying water on the calm lake top. 1hr 20min is a long time to swim. I did two big loops. I kept catching glimpses of the other caps but decided to take the outside solo route. A good swim, and no sore shoulder.

I did my long run with Jean-Yves, Alison, Chung, and Bronwyn. We had a little rain in the parking lot and enjoyed some sun breaking through on the way back. I showed them the transcanada trail route that I found when I decided to run home a couple weekend’s back. We saw a snake. It was pretty funny. I jumped out of my skin – very entertaining for everyone.

We ran out for 1.5hr and were back by 2hr 42min (damn those negative splits). To finish up, we ran around the back side of the lake trail. All in all, another great long day of training for the books. After a protein shake at Coach Drew’s place, then lunch with Bronwyn and Alison in Newport Village, I even had the energy to grocery shop on the way home.

swim
1h20min, 2 loops around Sasamat = 4km+
run
3h15min, out/back on transcanada trail route

Friday Night’s

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Normal people meet up for drinks after work on Friday nights! Me, I met up with my IMC training buddies then bike commuted home from Kits to Steveston. Alison, Chung, Andrew and I enjoyed a good ocean swim. My shoulder was sore and my body generally felt tired. Even so, I think we’ve got the better Friday night plan.

morning commute to work
57:23, 21.8km
Avg Sp 22.9km/h, Max 47.1
Avg Cd 84, Max 100

after work bike to Kits
24:55, 8.8km
swim
40min swim at Kits Beach
bike home
53:14, 19.0km
Kit’s beach home to Steveston
112 HR Avg, Max 137
Avg Sp 21.5, Max 48.3
Avg Cd 79, Max 96

The Peach

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This is a hard race report to write. Why? Because the results suck. I had a bad day. On top of all that it was provincials and I could have won my age category. It was an important day, though, because I learned that even the worst of days can be turned right side up with the right head space.

What happened? I got up in the morning feeling sick. I thought the 5am start was the reason I had trouble eating my breakfast. But on the warmup ride into Penticton, the waves of nausea started. Before the race, I sat in transition desperately trying not to puke. With the cool water of the swim, I started feeling better. But then, I puked as soon as I came out of the water. I took a really long T1, sipped some water, and then got on the bike. I felt terrible on the bike. It was horrible. I felt horrible.

Bronwyn came up beside me and said, “What’s up?” I felt like crying as I responded, “I’m having a bad day“. She said, “Follow me!” and with those few words my head changed from focussed negativity and self pity to, “OK, how am I going to get back into this. Follow Bronwyn, sip some water, sip some more water. Eat once you’re ready.” I was now in full on recovery management mode. By the time I hit the half way point on the bike, I was back. Not at full strength, but back. I jogged the run at a steady pace, and managed to cut my losses for the race.

What did I learn? Even a bad day at the races is still pretty damn good day. Why did it happen? WHO CARES!! The point is that when something goes wrong, figure out how to get over it. Don’t focus on what’s going wrong, focus on the solution. This said, I don’t think I’ll eat cereal with milk for breakfast on race day ever again. The trigger caused by Bronwyn’s, “follow me” proves that even when it’s physical – it’s all still mental.

swim 1.5km, 26:50
bike, T1, T2 1:21:51
run 10km, 49:38

bike stats from my computer
2:17:10, 63.1km, Peach ride + to/fro Summerland
Avg HR 142, Max 168
Avg Sp 27.6, Max 70.4
Avg Cd 92, Max 121
1201Kcal (4 gels, 1L gatorade = 700) – breakie barf

Street Vendors with Smokies

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I should have stopped. Imagine a beautiful Friday night in English bay, people walking, people talking, sunshine, beach. I’m cruising through on my way to repeats of the Stanley Park loop and the smell hits me. Barbequed onions, cheap smoky hotdog smell, mmmmm, sweet summer. How did I resist? There must have been at least five street vendors with BBQs that I passed on my bike. Next time, I’m going to stop.

I guess I was on some kind of mission. I usually bike commute on Fridays but not today. Instead, I did a couple of loops of Stanley Park. I was supposed to ride for 2.5hr but I knew it was time to stop when I almost did a full speed head on into one of those big white movie trucks (the truck was going the wrong way in a blind corner on the one way loop of the park). I can take a hint. Actually, I count myself lucky that I wasn’t seriously smucked. My last minute decision not to turn in for another loop of the park probably saved my life.

After the bike, I met up with Alison for a swim at Kit’s beach. Another hot sunny day, so the bikini babes were out at Kit’s. We looked out of place in our full wet suits. The swim was seriously choppy. I went kind of like this, “Stroke, stroke, weeeeeeee, smack”. The “weeeeeee” was riding the crest of the swell and then the “smack” was your face hitting the ocean. At times, it was so choppy that it had me laughing. Good times, good times.

bike
1.5hr Kits beach, two loops Stanley Park

swim
35 min Kits beach