Next week, the pool is supposed to be shut down for repairs. Repairs? Yes. The builders installed something other than stainless steel railings, consequently the ones they did put in are corroding terribly in the salt water. So I won't have my liquid mistress next week.
What to do?
I plan to go the Delta State, back to the Mad Swimming Scientist and the old crew Tuesday and Thursday nights. The other days I will hit the weights extra hard and consider it a recovery week before cramming in all the yardage possible over the next seven cycles until the big meet on the coast.
This Wednesday I swam
2,100 37:44 (1:47)
4 X 50 decline 1 - 4
8 X 100 @2:05
1 - 5 swim
6 - small paddles
7 - 8 - medium paddles
total: 3,300 yards plus 250 kick with fins
At Plate City, it was bicep and shoulder day for me. Since I had some strange sensations in my right bicep tendon Tuesday night, I was wary last night and when I felt something funny there again, I stopped all my curls. All I worked was shoulders. Then after the workout, I took my shuffle, doing an 8:00 minute shuffle (to mimic the time it takes to swim 500 yards in the pool). I followed that with a 2:00 minute walk (to mimic the cool down) and finally, I added an additional 1:30 of shuffling to equal the 100. I am signed up for the 50, the 100, the 200, and the 500. I hope to build to an equal number of minutes shuffle as my events and their cool downs will take. I am only shuffling two days a week right now because I feel like my knee should be able to handle that.
My total shuffle for the day was .77. Not much, but something is always a thousand times better than nothing. Thank you, Jesus, for something. Thank you for everything.
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Tuesday
I already wrote about being off work for the snow storm that never had a chance. And I already wrote about Monday, in case you are wondering. Monday? But I didn't see that one, you protest. Newsflash: I don't put a link on Facebook to everyone of my blogs post. Hence, it you want to read them all, you need to go to the site sometimes.
I have been posting a lot this year. In fact, today in January the 30th and I have posted 35 times already. Yesterday, I posted three times but only put two links on Facebook. I like to write and just can't help myself. I already admitted to liking to hear myself type.
Tuesday, I went to the pool and swam
2,100 37:40 (1:47)
4 X 50 decline 1-4
500 for time 7:27 PR which included a 400 PR in 5:59
500 small paddles
200 cruise 3:16 (1:34)
200 small paddles
150 middle 50 fast
150 small paddles
100 easy 50 with fins
total: 4,150 plus 400 kick with fins
Of course Plate City followed. I did upper back and followed that with 4:00 on the exercise bicycle. It was a strong day of training. I look forward to another one today.
I have been posting a lot this year. In fact, today in January the 30th and I have posted 35 times already. Yesterday, I posted three times but only put two links on Facebook. I like to write and just can't help myself. I already admitted to liking to hear myself type.
Tuesday, I went to the pool and swam
2,100 37:40 (1:47)
4 X 50 decline 1-4
500 for time 7:27 PR which included a 400 PR in 5:59
500 small paddles
200 cruise 3:16 (1:34)
200 small paddles
150 middle 50 fast
150 small paddles
100 easy 50 with fins
total: 4,150 plus 400 kick with fins
Of course Plate City followed. I did upper back and followed that with 4:00 on the exercise bicycle. It was a strong day of training. I look forward to another one today.
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Monday
School, pool, and Plate City. That is the outline of a pretty typical day in the life of Zane Hodge right now. After my tour of duty, I come home and change into my swim jammer, grab a towel and my swim bag, and head to the pool where I get lost in the rhythms of my own swim stoke. That is why I always fish out the floating thermometer at Twin Rivers before I start my swim. Sometimes I zone out so much that I am swimming on autopilot, and then I hit that thermometer in the water. Not that it hurts, but I am so startled that I tighten up and am in danger of pulling something.
Monday when I got there, Linda Gail was doing her thing in the north lane, so I took my customary south lane and started doing mine which was
2,100 38:31 (1:49)
10 X 50 @1:12
300 small paddles
6 X 50 @1:16
4 X 100 medium paddle
total: 3,600 yards, plus 250 kick with fins
At Plate City, Trevor and I laid some more blocks while we lifted. It was bench night for me while Trevor benched and did some strongman stuff. I pressed
20 X 45
13 X 95
10 X 115
7 X 140
4 X 145
4 X 145
4 X 145
On the incline, I did
10 X 95
8 X 100
5 X 110
I also did squats and rotator cuff work. Plat City is looking good. I will post a video soon. Thank you, Jesus, for a good day.
Monday when I got there, Linda Gail was doing her thing in the north lane, so I took my customary south lane and started doing mine which was
2,100 38:31 (1:49)
10 X 50 @1:12
300 small paddles
6 X 50 @1:16
4 X 100 medium paddle
total: 3,600 yards, plus 250 kick with fins
At Plate City, Trevor and I laid some more blocks while we lifted. It was bench night for me while Trevor benched and did some strongman stuff. I pressed
20 X 45
13 X 95
10 X 115
7 X 140
4 X 145
4 X 145
4 X 145
On the incline, I did
10 X 95
8 X 100
5 X 110
I also did squats and rotator cuff work. Plat City is looking good. I will post a video soon. Thank you, Jesus, for a good day.
Cats
It is not true. They are not like that. You don't understand. Let me explain.
Cats are not aloof. They are not anti-social. They are not independent. They are misunderstood. Want to understand cats and have a better relationship with Fluffy. Then listen up, and I'll let you in on a few secrets.
Here is one of the secrets to cats. They are just like humans, and they want exactly the same things. They want others to notice them, acknowledge them, touch them, speak to then, and love them. Isn't that what you want? I do.
Here is another secret. Cats are socially awkward, they are painfully sensitive, and they can't bear embarrassment. Let that sink in. They want a relationship with you, but unlike with a dog, you have to understand them and you have to work at it. With dogs, it's practically automatic. With cats, it takes some time and understanding.
Let's apply these secrets. Your cat wants to get along with you, wants to be close to you but really doesn't know how. You come home from a long day at work, and Fluffy gets up from her nap and walks two steps towards you. Did you notice? More than likely you did not. That is your first mistake and one Fluffy will never forget. You just hurt her feelings. You ignored her. But surely, you say, she doesn't take it that way. That is exactly how she takes it, and it's exactly how you take it when people give you the snub.
Getting along with cats first of all involves awareness. You must be aware of what Fluffy is doing and any overture towards you by her must be noticed and responded to. This is where a lot of people miss it. I have had people do this to me. "Hi, Jenny, How are you?" I said with a wave and a big smile. She acted like I was invisible. I didn't speak or even look her way the next time we bumped into each other. This really happened to me and the name was not changed to protect the guilty. In fact, it has happened a lot just like it does to sensitive felines everyday. And they withdraw, become aloof, as we like to say, not because that is how they are, but because they are trying to protect their feelings and their dignity.
This applies when a cat follows you into a room. You must speak, reach down and touch the cat and invite her to follow you out. If a cat follows you into a room and you turn around and come right out (don't we usually do this?) you just embarrassed Fluffy. She is humiliated.
What to do when Fluffy gets at your feet and begins to meow over and over. This recently happened at our house. CC was doing that to Penny and Penny asked me, "What does she want?"
I answered, "She wants you to talk to her."
"I did, but she just kept on."
"Then you just keep on. Look her in the eye and tell her she's pretty."
Two lessons here. First, cats are more needy on some days than others. Second, cats love to be told they are pretty. Don't you? My wife scoffs at this and insists that a cat doesn't know what you are saying when you call them pretty. I beg to differ. I am absolutely certain they at least know they are being sweet talked and cats love being sweet talked. So do dogs. So do women. So do men. Do it to your cat. If she speaks to you, speak back over and over and compliment her or him on his looks. Tom cats especially love this.
In sort, it's really not complicated, neither cats nor our relationships with them. They are as sensitive and the most bashful introvert, and they will go to great lengths to protect their feelings. Make them feel safe. It doesn't happen overnight. Consistently show them acknowledgment and love and they will give it back to you in spades. I promise.
And one more thing. Sometimes they do want to be left alone. Just like you. When they are in that mood, let them be. Fluffy will come around when the mood passes, just like you do.
Cats are not aloof. They are not anti-social. They are not independent. They are misunderstood. Want to understand cats and have a better relationship with Fluffy. Then listen up, and I'll let you in on a few secrets.
Here is one of the secrets to cats. They are just like humans, and they want exactly the same things. They want others to notice them, acknowledge them, touch them, speak to then, and love them. Isn't that what you want? I do.
Here is another secret. Cats are socially awkward, they are painfully sensitive, and they can't bear embarrassment. Let that sink in. They want a relationship with you, but unlike with a dog, you have to understand them and you have to work at it. With dogs, it's practically automatic. With cats, it takes some time and understanding.
Let's apply these secrets. Your cat wants to get along with you, wants to be close to you but really doesn't know how. You come home from a long day at work, and Fluffy gets up from her nap and walks two steps towards you. Did you notice? More than likely you did not. That is your first mistake and one Fluffy will never forget. You just hurt her feelings. You ignored her. But surely, you say, she doesn't take it that way. That is exactly how she takes it, and it's exactly how you take it when people give you the snub.
Getting along with cats first of all involves awareness. You must be aware of what Fluffy is doing and any overture towards you by her must be noticed and responded to. This is where a lot of people miss it. I have had people do this to me. "Hi, Jenny, How are you?" I said with a wave and a big smile. She acted like I was invisible. I didn't speak or even look her way the next time we bumped into each other. This really happened to me and the name was not changed to protect the guilty. In fact, it has happened a lot just like it does to sensitive felines everyday. And they withdraw, become aloof, as we like to say, not because that is how they are, but because they are trying to protect their feelings and their dignity.
This applies when a cat follows you into a room. You must speak, reach down and touch the cat and invite her to follow you out. If a cat follows you into a room and you turn around and come right out (don't we usually do this?) you just embarrassed Fluffy. She is humiliated.
What to do when Fluffy gets at your feet and begins to meow over and over. This recently happened at our house. CC was doing that to Penny and Penny asked me, "What does she want?"
I answered, "She wants you to talk to her."
"I did, but she just kept on."
"Then you just keep on. Look her in the eye and tell her she's pretty."
Two lessons here. First, cats are more needy on some days than others. Second, cats love to be told they are pretty. Don't you? My wife scoffs at this and insists that a cat doesn't know what you are saying when you call them pretty. I beg to differ. I am absolutely certain they at least know they are being sweet talked and cats love being sweet talked. So do dogs. So do women. So do men. Do it to your cat. If she speaks to you, speak back over and over and compliment her or him on his looks. Tom cats especially love this.
In sort, it's really not complicated, neither cats nor our relationships with them. They are as sensitive and the most bashful introvert, and they will go to great lengths to protect their feelings. Make them feel safe. It doesn't happen overnight. Consistently show them acknowledgment and love and they will give it back to you in spades. I promise.
And one more thing. Sometimes they do want to be left alone. Just like you. When they are in that mood, let them be. Fluffy will come around when the mood passes, just like you do.
 |
| CC hanging out with me on snow day. |
The Blizzard of 2019
I'm in bed, the coffee is good, and I have the day off. Thanks to the Great Mississippi Blizzard of 2019, I am planning to drink an entire pot of coffee, hang out with the cats, and swim like its Friday. But it's only Tuesday.
I feel I must preface the comments I am about to make with a couple of disclaimers. First, I am a big believer in and fan of meteorologists. I am NOT a weatherman/woman basher. I think they are professionals who do an amazing job and are right way more than they are wrong. Second, I like a day off work as much as the next guy. Scratch that. I like a day off MORE than the next guy. But I tell you right now, I am not making this day up on April the 6th when I am scheduled to swim in the Mississippi State Senior Olympics because someone else doesn't understand delta weather. I am not! School should never have been cancelled.
Flashback. A few years ago, the weather was predicted to rain overnight and the low was to get to 33. MDCC cancelled classes. I never knew why, but before the day was over, a makeup day was scheduled. To say I was pissed is an understatement. And the makeup day was put way back in the spring when the weather is good, the water warm, and I had swims to train for.
Fast forward to today. We were supposed to receive "significant accumulation of snow." I have lived long enough around here to know that when we are predicted to receive a "significant accumulation of snow," we get a mild dusting in about one in twenty of those predictions. When it comes to snow, I believe it when I see it. It just doesn't snow here. They get more snow in Jackson, way to our south, than we get in the delta. I heard a meteorologist explain it once, but I have forgotten all the details.
Not only that, but the weather forecast changed "significantly" over the last few days. The last forecast I saw, before classes were cancelled, predicted all of our "significant snow" ending in the wee hours of the morning while the temperatures were to be 35 degrees. Oh wait, we cancelled classes once at a predicted 33. It rarely gets as cold as predicted around here. And the last time I checked, water begins to freeze at 32. If the laws of nature have changed, I missed the memo, but I've missed lots of memos in the past. Someone bring me up to date. Please.
It did get cold after it didn't snow. But the roads are clear while the grocery store shelves are free of milk and bread. Good eating to all you gullible people. You deserve to eat milk and bread for a week. And thank you, Jesus, for the day off. I needed it.
I feel I must preface the comments I am about to make with a couple of disclaimers. First, I am a big believer in and fan of meteorologists. I am NOT a weatherman/woman basher. I think they are professionals who do an amazing job and are right way more than they are wrong. Second, I like a day off work as much as the next guy. Scratch that. I like a day off MORE than the next guy. But I tell you right now, I am not making this day up on April the 6th when I am scheduled to swim in the Mississippi State Senior Olympics because someone else doesn't understand delta weather. I am not! School should never have been cancelled.
Flashback. A few years ago, the weather was predicted to rain overnight and the low was to get to 33. MDCC cancelled classes. I never knew why, but before the day was over, a makeup day was scheduled. To say I was pissed is an understatement. And the makeup day was put way back in the spring when the weather is good, the water warm, and I had swims to train for.
Fast forward to today. We were supposed to receive "significant accumulation of snow." I have lived long enough around here to know that when we are predicted to receive a "significant accumulation of snow," we get a mild dusting in about one in twenty of those predictions. When it comes to snow, I believe it when I see it. It just doesn't snow here. They get more snow in Jackson, way to our south, than we get in the delta. I heard a meteorologist explain it once, but I have forgotten all the details.
Not only that, but the weather forecast changed "significantly" over the last few days. The last forecast I saw, before classes were cancelled, predicted all of our "significant snow" ending in the wee hours of the morning while the temperatures were to be 35 degrees. Oh wait, we cancelled classes once at a predicted 33. It rarely gets as cold as predicted around here. And the last time I checked, water begins to freeze at 32. If the laws of nature have changed, I missed the memo, but I've missed lots of memos in the past. Someone bring me up to date. Please.
It did get cold after it didn't snow. But the roads are clear while the grocery store shelves are free of milk and bread. Good eating to all you gullible people. You deserve to eat milk and bread for a week. And thank you, Jesus, for the day off. I needed it.
 |
| The great blizzard of 2019 |
Monday, January 28, 2019
1/21 - 1/27
The weekly rundown, in my best Jack Webb voice. "Just the facts, Ma'am. Just the facts."
Monday
Swam 3,199 meters
Lifted weights
Tuesday
Swam 3,656 meters
Lifted weights
Wednesday
Swam 2,879 meters
Lifted weights
Ran .56
Thursday
Swam 2,787 meters
Lifted weights
Friday
Swam 6,763 meters
Lifted weights
Saturday
Swam 3,742 meters
Lifted weights
Ran .55
Totals:
Swam 23, 031 meters
Lifted weights six times
Ran 1.11 miles
That's good training right there. I don't care who you are. Thank you, Jesus for some Beetsdown training.
Monday
Swam 3,199 meters
Lifted weights
Tuesday
Swam 3,656 meters
Lifted weights
Wednesday
Swam 2,879 meters
Lifted weights
Ran .56
Thursday
Swam 2,787 meters
Lifted weights
Friday
Swam 6,763 meters
Lifted weights
Saturday
Swam 3,742 meters
Lifted weights
Ran .55
Totals:
Swam 23, 031 meters
Lifted weights six times
Ran 1.11 miles
That's good training right there. I don't care who you are. Thank you, Jesus for some Beetsdown training.
Sunday, January 27, 2019
Saturday
Saturday was another good day: good training and some enjoyable experiences. The training started at the pool with
2,100 warm up in 38:28 (1:49), then
The Man Maker set
400 @7:43 in 6:09 (1:32) ties PR
300 @5:50 in 4:36 (1:31)
200 @3:55 in 2:59 (1:28)
150 @2:58 in 2:18 (1:31)
100 @2:00 in 1:28
100 @2:00 in 1:29
100 @2:00 in 1:28
100 @2:00 in 1:30
100 @2:00 in 1:30
50 @1:00 in :44
50 @1:00 in :45
50 @1:00 in :44
50 @1:00 in :43
50 @1:00 in :44
total Man Maker = 1,800 yards, then
200 small paddles cool down
Total: 4,100 yards = 3,742 meters.
Later in the day, I had an appointment to show a part of the land in Carroll County. That gave me some walking. After the showing, I did my shuffle for .55 in 8:11. Presently, I am only attempting to shuffle twice per week. I am tired of breaking down, and I plan to build extremely slowly. In fact, the running at this point is only to aid my swimming. With a 500 and a 200 in the pool in my future, I feel like the added aerobic capacity can only help me. I am breathing less heavily and recovering faster when I do my Man Maker set. But anything outside the pool, and I am huffing like an old man. You are an old man, you say. Maybe I am, but I am not giving in to old age yet. I'm fighting it like an ageing boxer getting his last crack at the crown. I want the belt, one more time.
When it got dark, I went out to Plate City for some weight work. It was my fifth weight session of the week and third workout of the day. I did some benching, rotator cuff work, dead lifting, bicep and shoulder work. It was a full day and an enjoyable one.
Thank you, Jesus.
2,100 warm up in 38:28 (1:49), then
The Man Maker set
400 @7:43 in 6:09 (1:32) ties PR
300 @5:50 in 4:36 (1:31)
200 @3:55 in 2:59 (1:28)
150 @2:58 in 2:18 (1:31)
100 @2:00 in 1:28
100 @2:00 in 1:29
100 @2:00 in 1:28
100 @2:00 in 1:30
100 @2:00 in 1:30
50 @1:00 in :44
50 @1:00 in :45
50 @1:00 in :44
50 @1:00 in :43
50 @1:00 in :44
total Man Maker = 1,800 yards, then
200 small paddles cool down
Total: 4,100 yards = 3,742 meters.
Later in the day, I had an appointment to show a part of the land in Carroll County. That gave me some walking. After the showing, I did my shuffle for .55 in 8:11. Presently, I am only attempting to shuffle twice per week. I am tired of breaking down, and I plan to build extremely slowly. In fact, the running at this point is only to aid my swimming. With a 500 and a 200 in the pool in my future, I feel like the added aerobic capacity can only help me. I am breathing less heavily and recovering faster when I do my Man Maker set. But anything outside the pool, and I am huffing like an old man. You are an old man, you say. Maybe I am, but I am not giving in to old age yet. I'm fighting it like an ageing boxer getting his last crack at the crown. I want the belt, one more time.
When it got dark, I went out to Plate City for some weight work. It was my fifth weight session of the week and third workout of the day. I did some benching, rotator cuff work, dead lifting, bicep and shoulder work. It was a full day and an enjoyable one.
Thank you, Jesus.
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Friday
If you read this blog, you know how I love Friday. I am off work, my wife is on her job, so I can play and have fun. I like to play. I am going through my second childhood. Right now, my favorite games are swimming and weight lifting. In the past, I have used the day to ride my bicycle 100 or more miles while exploring roads and finding good short order cooking in country stores. More recently, I have run for much of the day, again, exploring roads, building endurance, and having fun. I called them adventure runs, and you can scroll back though my Facebook albums and find some of them. They had names and I took pictures along the way and of my GPS watch at the end. I did marathons without having to pay an entrance fee. I got to start when I wanted to, and I always won, which made the experience even better.
Lately it has been swimming primarily because that is what I can do. I have been trying to exercise some restraint in my buildup to the Chicot Challenge. Since I now have more access to water than ever before, I am way ahead of schedule. I've never been in this kind of swimming shape this time of year. Friday is the day I go long. For most of the week, I train like a sprinter/middle distance swimmer. Fridays I train like a marathoner. Not with long sets, but I just swim, up and down, and down and up. Straight swims are good for building the low-end endurance needed for swimming all day. Not only do they build that endurance, but they develop the mental relaxation needed to swim nonstop for eight or nine hours.
Last week, I swam 7,250 yards. The week before it was 7,000 and before that it was 6,750. You see the pattern. Friday, I swam myself comfortable and just kept going for 2:08:30 covering 7,400 yards. I could have gone further, but later, that is for later. After my last Friday swim, I took some nutrition, rested awhile, and then lifted some weights. These double workouts make me strong. They also make me hungry. Penny and I went to Crystal Grill Friday night, and I got the beef liver and a baked potato. I ordered to potato plain, with no foil. I wanted and received it in the gravy. I ate it all and woke up weighing 173.4. Right now, that is a good weight for me. Lighter later. Thank you, Jesus.
Lately it has been swimming primarily because that is what I can do. I have been trying to exercise some restraint in my buildup to the Chicot Challenge. Since I now have more access to water than ever before, I am way ahead of schedule. I've never been in this kind of swimming shape this time of year. Friday is the day I go long. For most of the week, I train like a sprinter/middle distance swimmer. Fridays I train like a marathoner. Not with long sets, but I just swim, up and down, and down and up. Straight swims are good for building the low-end endurance needed for swimming all day. Not only do they build that endurance, but they develop the mental relaxation needed to swim nonstop for eight or nine hours.
Last week, I swam 7,250 yards. The week before it was 7,000 and before that it was 6,750. You see the pattern. Friday, I swam myself comfortable and just kept going for 2:08:30 covering 7,400 yards. I could have gone further, but later, that is for later. After my last Friday swim, I took some nutrition, rested awhile, and then lifted some weights. These double workouts make me strong. They also make me hungry. Penny and I went to Crystal Grill Friday night, and I got the beef liver and a baked potato. I ordered to potato plain, with no foil. I wanted and received it in the gravy. I ate it all and woke up weighing 173.4. Right now, that is a good weight for me. Lighter later. Thank you, Jesus.
 |
| Sorry about the icon in the picture. I can't seem to work my phone correctly. |
Thursday
Thursday marked four straight days of swimming and four consecutive days of lifting. Yee Haa! At the pool, I swam
2,050 37:56 (1:50)
5 X 100 @ 155
500 small paddles
total: 3,050 yards
At Plate City, Trevor celebrated his birthday by going for a PR on the Bench. He got it at 305. That is 305 for a 160 pound man who has been lifting since August. I think he is made for strength the way I am made for swimming long distances. On the bench, I pressed
13 X 95
12 X 115
12 X 120
11 X 122.5 (I had an imbalanced bar. I added a 2.5 to one side and forget the other side. No, I did not notice)
9 X 125
Incline bench press
10 X 95
10 X 100
Incline dumbbell bench press
16 X 30
I also did squats and rotator cuff work.
It was another good day and my weight keeps creeping downward. Thank you, Jesus.
2,050 37:56 (1:50)
5 X 100 @ 155
500 small paddles
total: 3,050 yards
At Plate City, Trevor celebrated his birthday by going for a PR on the Bench. He got it at 305. That is 305 for a 160 pound man who has been lifting since August. I think he is made for strength the way I am made for swimming long distances. On the bench, I pressed
13 X 95
12 X 115
12 X 120
11 X 122.5 (I had an imbalanced bar. I added a 2.5 to one side and forget the other side. No, I did not notice)
9 X 125
Incline bench press
10 X 95
10 X 100
Incline dumbbell bench press
16 X 30
I also did squats and rotator cuff work.
It was another good day and my weight keeps creeping downward. Thank you, Jesus.
Friday, January 25, 2019
It Ain't So, Sort of
I found out a little more about the upcoming swimming lessons. It's not all good, but it's not all bad. Someone talked to Debbie and then that someone called me to pass the information along. Thank you, Someone.
Allegedly there will be only one child at a time in the pool for lessons and one lane will be reserved for swimmers. That is good news and bad news. That means the swimmers aren't shut out, but there are going to be conflicts because one lane is not enough. I have been in the pool with four other people before. Fortunately, the other four were exercisers. Once there were three swimmers and a walker. We can make that work with both lanes. With one lane, however, at most two people can swim. Anyway, that is good news, and I am sure things will work out for us who swim.
Just in. The pool will close February 4th and reopen February 11th so the railings can be replaced with the stainless steel that was supposed to be installed the first time. So I will have to go to DSU that week and will still miss a lot of yardage. Oh well, maybe I need a drop week. I can hit the gym hard, swim hard at DSU, and blast the Swim Pull machine while pedaling my bicycle like I did today. That was tough, and showed me how week my cardio is right now.
Praise the Lord anyway.
Allegedly there will be only one child at a time in the pool for lessons and one lane will be reserved for swimmers. That is good news and bad news. That means the swimmers aren't shut out, but there are going to be conflicts because one lane is not enough. I have been in the pool with four other people before. Fortunately, the other four were exercisers. Once there were three swimmers and a walker. We can make that work with both lanes. With one lane, however, at most two people can swim. Anyway, that is good news, and I am sure things will work out for us who swim.
Just in. The pool will close February 4th and reopen February 11th so the railings can be replaced with the stainless steel that was supposed to be installed the first time. So I will have to go to DSU that week and will still miss a lot of yardage. Oh well, maybe I need a drop week. I can hit the gym hard, swim hard at DSU, and blast the Swim Pull machine while pedaling my bicycle like I did today. That was tough, and showed me how week my cardio is right now.
Praise the Lord anyway.
Wednesday
Hump Day was really Hump Day for us this week because we were off Monday and we are always off Friday. A four-day schedule is nice. A three-day schedule is extra nice. At the pool, I swam
2,050 38:02
5 X 50 @ 1:09
100 agility paddles
4 X 50 @ 1:12
150 small paddles
4 X 50 @ 1:16
200 medium paddles
total: 3,150 yards + 300 kick with fins
At Plate City, it was getting dark when Trevor showed up. Having rained all day and the humidity being as high as scientifically possible, the dreariness of the fading day draped like a wet towel over my motivation. Then I heard some honking and looked up to see geese flying high overhead. That made everything better. I worked on biceps and dead lifts.
Another good training day. Thank you, Jesus.
2,050 38:02
5 X 50 @ 1:09
100 agility paddles
4 X 50 @ 1:12
150 small paddles
4 X 50 @ 1:16
200 medium paddles
total: 3,150 yards + 300 kick with fins
At Plate City, it was getting dark when Trevor showed up. Having rained all day and the humidity being as high as scientifically possible, the dreariness of the fading day draped like a wet towel over my motivation. Then I heard some honking and looked up to see geese flying high overhead. That made everything better. I worked on biceps and dead lifts.
Another good training day. Thank you, Jesus.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Tell Me it Ain't So!
I am training with a vigor that I rarely see in myself. The news of the Mississippi Senior Olympics, and me sending in my money has me going to the pool with a purpose. Then Wednesday night, I read a post on Facebook that threw a monkey wrench into all my swimming and training plans. Starting February the 11th and running through March the 31st, Twin Rivers with be hosting swimming lessons for children from 10:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
WHAT!?!?!?!?!???!?!?
How am I going to train?
Besides me, there are several other people who actually swim in that pool. My guess is that we will all pile in there at 7:30. Bear in mind, the pool will not be clear by then. It never is. People will stand around and talk, etc, etc. Also bear in mind that there are only two lanes in that small pool. We can't all swim then. Maybe three can if someone swims down the center and tries not to crash into the others. What to do?
I know what you are thinking. Get up early in the morning. I probably will. One day per week or two. But I am not a morning person, and I have to be in Moorhead before 8:00 a..m. twice per week. So that is not going to work everyday. Of course I will have to swim big on Saturday and Sunday also. I never liked to workout on the Lord's Day because God knew what he was doing when he instituted a day of rest. My wife and I go the church on Sunday and rest. After our noon meal, we go home and spend the rest of the day and night in bed, napping, relaxing, watching TV. I hate to change that, but I see no other option. I may even have to go back to DSU the two nights per week and swim there. One way or the other, I will have to make it work. Not only is the Senior Olympics coming up, but the Chicot Challenge is on the way also, so I have to train or tap out to everything, and that is not an option.
Please pray for me and the other displaced swimmers, the water refugees. Thank you, Jesus for working things out. I haven't seen it yet, but I know you will.
WHAT!?!?!?!?!???!?!?
How am I going to train?
Besides me, there are several other people who actually swim in that pool. My guess is that we will all pile in there at 7:30. Bear in mind, the pool will not be clear by then. It never is. People will stand around and talk, etc, etc. Also bear in mind that there are only two lanes in that small pool. We can't all swim then. Maybe three can if someone swims down the center and tries not to crash into the others. What to do?
I know what you are thinking. Get up early in the morning. I probably will. One day per week or two. But I am not a morning person, and I have to be in Moorhead before 8:00 a..m. twice per week. So that is not going to work everyday. Of course I will have to swim big on Saturday and Sunday also. I never liked to workout on the Lord's Day because God knew what he was doing when he instituted a day of rest. My wife and I go the church on Sunday and rest. After our noon meal, we go home and spend the rest of the day and night in bed, napping, relaxing, watching TV. I hate to change that, but I see no other option. I may even have to go back to DSU the two nights per week and swim there. One way or the other, I will have to make it work. Not only is the Senior Olympics coming up, but the Chicot Challenge is on the way also, so I have to train or tap out to everything, and that is not an option.
Please pray for me and the other displaced swimmers, the water refugees. Thank you, Jesus for working things out. I haven't seen it yet, but I know you will.
Day after MLK Day
Tuesday was back to the pleasant grind, back to work and continued training. This time I swam first and lifted second. At the pool, I swam
2,050
3 X 150 r:15
250 small paddles
2 X 125 r:15
250 small paddles
5 X 100 r:20
250 small paddles
total: 4,000 yards = 3,656 meters.
You may notice that instead of going on a set interval, I had set rest intervals. The reason for this was I forgot my second watch. I wear two watches in the pool. One had my workouts programmed into it and the other records my distances, times, and other data. I can do everything with one watch, but I like having a firm record of everything. The Garmin won't go into the workout mode and swim mode at the same time, and since I always program more reps into the workouts than I usually do, I like to have the second watch for recording everything. So I did things off the cuff. I would do a rep and then clear the lap on the watch. It takes the watch eight seconds to clear, so when it cleared the lap, I would take two breaths or five breaths depending on if the rest interval was fifteen or twenty seconds.
At Plate City, I did upper back with Lat Pull Downs, T-bar rowing, pull ups, and the Swim Pull. Of course I also did lots of rotator cuff work. It was a good day and nutritionally, I only had fruit and my protein shake for supper. The weight is coming off. Slowly, but it is coming off.
Thank you, Jesus.
2,050
3 X 150 r:15
250 small paddles
2 X 125 r:15
250 small paddles
5 X 100 r:20
250 small paddles
total: 4,000 yards = 3,656 meters.
You may notice that instead of going on a set interval, I had set rest intervals. The reason for this was I forgot my second watch. I wear two watches in the pool. One had my workouts programmed into it and the other records my distances, times, and other data. I can do everything with one watch, but I like having a firm record of everything. The Garmin won't go into the workout mode and swim mode at the same time, and since I always program more reps into the workouts than I usually do, I like to have the second watch for recording everything. So I did things off the cuff. I would do a rep and then clear the lap on the watch. It takes the watch eight seconds to clear, so when it cleared the lap, I would take two breaths or five breaths depending on if the rest interval was fifteen or twenty seconds.
At Plate City, I did upper back with Lat Pull Downs, T-bar rowing, pull ups, and the Swim Pull. Of course I also did lots of rotator cuff work. It was a good day and nutritionally, I only had fruit and my protein shake for supper. The weight is coming off. Slowly, but it is coming off.
Thank you, Jesus.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
MLK Day
A day off always feels like a gift from God. They are. For MLK Day, Penny and I lounged around the house a couple of hours before I learned that Twin Rivers was putting chemicals in the pool, and I couldn't swim until 3:00 pm. So I went outside and finished a project I had been working on moving the T-bar and building a plate tree. Of course I lifted. On the bench I did
11 X 95
10 X 115
5 X 140
5 X 140
5 X 140
On the incline bench I did
13 X 95
9 X 106
6 X 117
I also did some squats and a bunch of rotator cuff stuff.
At the pool, I swam
2,050
3 X 150 @ 5:30
550 small paddles
total: 3,500 yards plus 200 kick with fins.
The 3 X 300 was a new set. I wanted an endurance set that worked heart rate and threshold, so I guessed at the interval and hit it just right. The 5:30 turnaround was perfect. I did the 300s in just under 5:00 minutes so I had about :40 of rest which was enough to bring my heart rate down but not to full recovery. I will do this set a lot and variations of it. One variation I am considering is adding another 300. Anther variation is to cut the rest time a second per week. But for now I will leave it alone and repeat it a few times.
I usually swim first and then lift. Lifting first usually wrecks my swim, but I felt pretty good in the water despite the amply weight session. It was a good day. Thank you, Jesus.
11 X 95
10 X 115
5 X 140
5 X 140
5 X 140
On the incline bench I did
13 X 95
9 X 106
6 X 117
I also did some squats and a bunch of rotator cuff stuff.
At the pool, I swam
2,050
3 X 150 @ 5:30
550 small paddles
total: 3,500 yards plus 200 kick with fins.
The 3 X 300 was a new set. I wanted an endurance set that worked heart rate and threshold, so I guessed at the interval and hit it just right. The 5:30 turnaround was perfect. I did the 300s in just under 5:00 minutes so I had about :40 of rest which was enough to bring my heart rate down but not to full recovery. I will do this set a lot and variations of it. One variation I am considering is adding another 300. Anther variation is to cut the rest time a second per week. But for now I will leave it alone and repeat it a few times.
I usually swim first and then lift. Lifting first usually wrecks my swim, but I felt pretty good in the water despite the amply weight session. It was a good day. Thank you, Jesus.
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
1/14 - 1/20
Another good training week is in the bank, and I am beginning to feel fit. Swimming fit that is. Running, not at all but I have not given up. I did shuffle twice last week for a grand total of .74 of a mile. It's a start. In the pool, I swam
Monday - 3,350 yards and lifted weights
Tuesday - 3,900 yards and lifted weights
Wednesday - 3,000 yards and no weights
Thursday - no swim, but I lifted lots of weights
Friday - a 7,250 yard straight swim, and I also lifted weights
Saturday - 4,500 yards and lifted weights.
For the week, I
swam - 20,106 meters
shuffled - .74
lifted weights five times.
Thank you, Lord. I enjoyed it and praise you for it.
Monday - 3,350 yards and lifted weights
Tuesday - 3,900 yards and lifted weights
Wednesday - 3,000 yards and no weights
Thursday - no swim, but I lifted lots of weights
Friday - a 7,250 yard straight swim, and I also lifted weights
Saturday - 4,500 yards and lifted weights.
For the week, I
swam - 20,106 meters
shuffled - .74
lifted weights five times.
Thank you, Lord. I enjoyed it and praise you for it.
Monday, January 21, 2019
Plate City Latest
Plate City has been under constant remodeling since August of 2018. The latest thing we did is to move the T-bar from inside the original power racks to outside. I have plans for inside the old power rack. We have accumulated more weights than we had a place to store them so instead of using two small post to attach the T-bar to, we put in two tall ones and rigged them up like a tall plate tree. Below is a short video that gives you a glimpse of the best backyard gym in America. Enjoy.
Chicot Challenge 2019
I usually start writing about, talking about, and planning Chicot Challenge right after the first of the year. In Bruce Buffer's voice, "It's T I M E!!" It's time to think, time to train, time to plan, time to promote. This year's Challenge is set for June 1 and is titled Chicot Challenge VIII, The Comeback. After a year of pain, idleness, and despair, God has graciously granted me the ability to swim again. Last year, due to an injury (my right arm fell off in June of 2017), Wilson Carroll, Spence Carroll, and MJ Staples all graciously stepped up swam Chicot for me, for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, and for children and adults of Mississippi who have Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.
This year, I plan to swim a "one way," that is a swim from the Lake Chicot State Park boat ramp to Ditch Bayou. This is a twelve-mile journey, the same distance as last year's Chicot. I hope Wilson, Spence, and MJ swim also. They are welcome to swim as little or as much as they like. I hope Spence and Wilson, since they are Mississippians, promote their swims and raise some funds accordingly. Our fundraising was down last year, under $2,000. I hope it is up this time around and that we set a record. In 2017 we raised $4,000.
Training for me is going well. I have a partner at the gym, Trevor McLean, and Plate City is better than ever. This means I am lifting more weights and lifting more consistently than ever before. Does that help swimming? One person I follow on YouTube, Mark Bell, always ends his videos with this statement: "Strength is never a weakness." Not only that, but I now have daily access to an indoor pool. Consequently, I am in better shape in January than ever. Nevertheless, I plan to keep the swim at 12 miles instead of doing something really crazy. I still want to do a crazy swim, but that will be later, another occasion. Twelve miles is easier on the crew. In the past, I have always begun to feel guilty late in the swim because of what I was putting my friends through. They give up a day of their lives to take care of me while I do something I want to do. The one-way swim is about an eight to nine hour affair. That is a long day but not an overly long one. Last year, I enjoyed my whole time on the lake. I had rather have been in the water, but I enjoyed my time of the boat, and it was interesting to work the other side of a swim.
Please keep up with the Chicot Challenge. I will write often and post on this blog with links always posted to Facebook and Twitter. Pray for us, the crew and the swimmers. Pray for good weather, and please plan to donate. Once per year I ask people to give. Once. Every dollar donated to the DFM says in the State of Mississippi and helps educate Mississippians and advocate for diabetics. It also aides people with supplies and helps fund Kamp Kandu for kids with Type 1 Diabetes. Do more than give. Educate yourself on diabetes, lose some weight, eat a more healthy diet, and exercise.
Thank you.
This year, I plan to swim a "one way," that is a swim from the Lake Chicot State Park boat ramp to Ditch Bayou. This is a twelve-mile journey, the same distance as last year's Chicot. I hope Wilson, Spence, and MJ swim also. They are welcome to swim as little or as much as they like. I hope Spence and Wilson, since they are Mississippians, promote their swims and raise some funds accordingly. Our fundraising was down last year, under $2,000. I hope it is up this time around and that we set a record. In 2017 we raised $4,000.
Training for me is going well. I have a partner at the gym, Trevor McLean, and Plate City is better than ever. This means I am lifting more weights and lifting more consistently than ever before. Does that help swimming? One person I follow on YouTube, Mark Bell, always ends his videos with this statement: "Strength is never a weakness." Not only that, but I now have daily access to an indoor pool. Consequently, I am in better shape in January than ever. Nevertheless, I plan to keep the swim at 12 miles instead of doing something really crazy. I still want to do a crazy swim, but that will be later, another occasion. Twelve miles is easier on the crew. In the past, I have always begun to feel guilty late in the swim because of what I was putting my friends through. They give up a day of their lives to take care of me while I do something I want to do. The one-way swim is about an eight to nine hour affair. That is a long day but not an overly long one. Last year, I enjoyed my whole time on the lake. I had rather have been in the water, but I enjoyed my time of the boat, and it was interesting to work the other side of a swim.
Please keep up with the Chicot Challenge. I will write often and post on this blog with links always posted to Facebook and Twitter. Pray for us, the crew and the swimmers. Pray for good weather, and please plan to donate. Once per year I ask people to give. Once. Every dollar donated to the DFM says in the State of Mississippi and helps educate Mississippians and advocate for diabetics. It also aides people with supplies and helps fund Kamp Kandu for kids with Type 1 Diabetes. Do more than give. Educate yourself on diabetes, lose some weight, eat a more healthy diet, and exercise.
Thank you.
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Saturday
Saturday was a good day, an enjoyable one and somewhat productive. Penny and I had talked about us going to Jackson, but she changed her mind and that suited me. The day started slowly, my favorite way to start a day: coffee, cats, talking, just taking it easy. About 11:00 I made it to the pool. There I warmed up with
2,050 36:18 (1:45)
Then I did the latest addition of my Man Maker set which went thusly:
400 @7:45 in 6:12 (1:32)
300 @5:51 in 4:32 (1:30)
200 @3:55 in 2:56 PR (1:28)
150 @2:58 in 2:14 (1:29)
100 @2:00 1:28
100 @2:00 1:26
100 @2:00 1:28
100 @2:00 1:29
100 @2:00 1:25
50 @1:00 :44
50 @1:00 :45
50 @1:00 :44
50 @1:00 :44
Total for the Man Maker = 1,750 yards in 34:29
After that, I swam an easy
300 small paddles, then
4 X 25 @ :40, followed by
6 X 50 medium paddles @1:06
total practice = 4,500 yards.
This was a better set than the last two. Last week, my watch, because its storage was full, didn't record my data. I remember swimming the 200 in 3:01. The 100s were all 1:30 or slower, The week before, all the times were slower than today probably in part because I was still a little ill. Today I was strong and felt more fit than I have since resuming training after the big injury. I added to the set and cut a few seconds off the front, Eventually, I will cut the 100s by a second or two. Next week, the set will change some more but the changes will most likely be more modest from here on.
I ate lunch and took a nice nap. Then I went out in the cold and drizzling rain to attempt to finish up the latest project at Plate City. I did get the T-bar mounted and some more weights off the ground. I had to cut some 2 X 6s and it was too wet to get the power saw out so I did it the old fashion way. While working, I lifted some, not a lot but some. On the bench I pressed
23 X 45
15 X 95
I did five sets of T-bar and some really light squats. Another good training day in the books, which topped off a strong week. Thank you, Lord.
2,050 36:18 (1:45)
Then I did the latest addition of my Man Maker set which went thusly:
400 @7:45 in 6:12 (1:32)
300 @5:51 in 4:32 (1:30)
200 @3:55 in 2:56 PR (1:28)
150 @2:58 in 2:14 (1:29)
100 @2:00 1:28
100 @2:00 1:26
100 @2:00 1:28
100 @2:00 1:29
100 @2:00 1:25
50 @1:00 :44
50 @1:00 :45
50 @1:00 :44
50 @1:00 :44
Total for the Man Maker = 1,750 yards in 34:29
After that, I swam an easy
300 small paddles, then
4 X 25 @ :40, followed by
6 X 50 medium paddles @1:06
total practice = 4,500 yards.
This was a better set than the last two. Last week, my watch, because its storage was full, didn't record my data. I remember swimming the 200 in 3:01. The 100s were all 1:30 or slower, The week before, all the times were slower than today probably in part because I was still a little ill. Today I was strong and felt more fit than I have since resuming training after the big injury. I added to the set and cut a few seconds off the front, Eventually, I will cut the 100s by a second or two. Next week, the set will change some more but the changes will most likely be more modest from here on.
I ate lunch and took a nice nap. Then I went out in the cold and drizzling rain to attempt to finish up the latest project at Plate City. I did get the T-bar mounted and some more weights off the ground. I had to cut some 2 X 6s and it was too wet to get the power saw out so I did it the old fashion way. While working, I lifted some, not a lot but some. On the bench I pressed
23 X 45
15 X 95
I did five sets of T-bar and some really light squats. Another good training day in the books, which topped off a strong week. Thank you, Lord.
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Friday's Training
Yesterday I wrote about my early morning Friday, how I felt, and what I hoped to get done. Now it's time to talk about what I did get done. I mailed the letter, my registration and fee for my first Senior Olympics, went to Walmart and bought whey protein, and bought the bolts I needed to finish the Plate City improvement. Then I went to the pool.
The ladies aerobics class was just clearing out when I arrived at at ten minutes after 10:00 0'clock. I went in, got things set up and began to swim. The plan was to do no sets, just a straight swim for over two hours. But since my left shoulder has been a little gimpy lately, I knew I heeded to listen to my body and tap out if anything began to hurt. I swam for thirty minutes, then forty and slowly the time approached an hour. Everything felt solid and my pace was pretty good for not trying to swim fast. I make an hour and fifteen minutes, then an hour and a half.
Slowly the time and yardage kept creeping up. Besides the physical changes that happen in the body because of swimming for a long time, there are changes that take place in the mind as well. The main change in the head is that the mind learns to relax and not tell you to stop. Just a few weeks ago after a little over an hour of straight swimming, my mind was screaming at me to stop. And I wasn't even tired, but the brain was not used to being continually occupied with anything for that long. Each week since, the body has more endurance and the mind better accepts a long swim. Last week I swan 6,600 straight in 2:01:50 before I stopped and did some paddle work to bring the entire practice up to 7,00 yards in 2:06:50. This week I wanted to swim farther and longer. At 6,600, I was still several minutes from two hours. I made the full 7,000 which equaled last week's total, and kept swimming until I made 2:07, one minute longer than last week's total time. It took me 7,250 yards to get it. I still felt like I had a little juice left when I stopped.
I went home and ate lunch while watching an episode of In the Heat of the Night. After that I went outside to play. I lifted, focusing on biceps, shoulders, and rotator cuffs, and of course I did lots of dog petting. And I worked on our improvements on the gym which I hope to finish tomorrow and have some pictures. I also shuffled .4 of a mile in 5:30. Right now I am only trying to run enough be an aide to my swimming. The 500 takes me between 7:30 and 8:00 to complete. So I want to build to 8:00 running just to improve my cardiovascular efficiency for the pool swims. I am going to do everything possible to get in my best shape of my life for the pool meet. Thank you God for the goal, the health, and the opportunities to dream, to train, to compete.
The ladies aerobics class was just clearing out when I arrived at at ten minutes after 10:00 0'clock. I went in, got things set up and began to swim. The plan was to do no sets, just a straight swim for over two hours. But since my left shoulder has been a little gimpy lately, I knew I heeded to listen to my body and tap out if anything began to hurt. I swam for thirty minutes, then forty and slowly the time approached an hour. Everything felt solid and my pace was pretty good for not trying to swim fast. I make an hour and fifteen minutes, then an hour and a half.
Slowly the time and yardage kept creeping up. Besides the physical changes that happen in the body because of swimming for a long time, there are changes that take place in the mind as well. The main change in the head is that the mind learns to relax and not tell you to stop. Just a few weeks ago after a little over an hour of straight swimming, my mind was screaming at me to stop. And I wasn't even tired, but the brain was not used to being continually occupied with anything for that long. Each week since, the body has more endurance and the mind better accepts a long swim. Last week I swan 6,600 straight in 2:01:50 before I stopped and did some paddle work to bring the entire practice up to 7,00 yards in 2:06:50. This week I wanted to swim farther and longer. At 6,600, I was still several minutes from two hours. I made the full 7,000 which equaled last week's total, and kept swimming until I made 2:07, one minute longer than last week's total time. It took me 7,250 yards to get it. I still felt like I had a little juice left when I stopped.
I went home and ate lunch while watching an episode of In the Heat of the Night. After that I went outside to play. I lifted, focusing on biceps, shoulders, and rotator cuffs, and of course I did lots of dog petting. And I worked on our improvements on the gym which I hope to finish tomorrow and have some pictures. I also shuffled .4 of a mile in 5:30. Right now I am only trying to run enough be an aide to my swimming. The 500 takes me between 7:30 and 8:00 to complete. So I want to build to 8:00 running just to improve my cardiovascular efficiency for the pool swims. I am going to do everything possible to get in my best shape of my life for the pool meet. Thank you God for the goal, the health, and the opportunities to dream, to train, to compete.
Friday, January 18, 2019
Back to Friday
Friday morning feels like a new pair of boot socks on a cold night at bedtime. We worked last week, and I missed my day off terribly. Now I am in bed after taking breakfast, coffee sits on the nightstand, and a cat is curled up close and purring. The day lies before me like a country road on a Spring day. I'm happy.
Yesterday I had to work late, until 4:00 o'clock. Now I am down to the real schedule which is the best one I have ever had. I am out of class and off office hours by 1:20 each day. I never had it so good. Just the thought of it makes me smile. Thank you, God, and thank you Renee Moore. Not only is the schedule good time wise, but I am teaching Old Testament Survey and Film as Literature both in the same semester. This is a first.
After getting home Thursday, I went to Ace Hardware to buy some bolts and nuts for a project Trevor and I have going at Plate City. We are moving the T-bar, and I have already dug the holes to set some posts it will be attached to. The posts are old telephone cross posts and are about seven and a half feet long. We are going to attach some parts from a plate tree I salvaged off an Olympic tree and add some 60 penny nails so we can get our plates better organized and off the ground. It has taken longer than I expected, but it will be a nice addition to the gym. Plate City has made huge strides over the past few months. I'll shoot a video soon and post it here.
I got home and went out to work out and dabble with getting the post set up. The bolts are too short. I will get some more bolts today, mail and letter, and swim. Right now, I am in no hurry. The ladies water aerobics won't clear the pool until about 10:15. I plan to leave the house about 10:00, mail the letter, which is my registration for the Mississippi Senior Olympics, and buy the bolts. I hope to then get in a long swim and then rig up our posts at Plate City.
Thursday night I lifted alone and stayed out of the pool to save it for today. On the flat bench, I did
22 X 45
12 X 95
10 X 100
10 X 105
10 X 110
10 X 115
8 X 120
On the incline bench I did
8 X 100
8 X 105
5 X 110
3 X 115
I also did some squats and pedaled the stationary bicycle that Gerald Johnson gave me. It was a good day. This one looks better. Thank you, Jesus.
Yesterday I had to work late, until 4:00 o'clock. Now I am down to the real schedule which is the best one I have ever had. I am out of class and off office hours by 1:20 each day. I never had it so good. Just the thought of it makes me smile. Thank you, God, and thank you Renee Moore. Not only is the schedule good time wise, but I am teaching Old Testament Survey and Film as Literature both in the same semester. This is a first.
After getting home Thursday, I went to Ace Hardware to buy some bolts and nuts for a project Trevor and I have going at Plate City. We are moving the T-bar, and I have already dug the holes to set some posts it will be attached to. The posts are old telephone cross posts and are about seven and a half feet long. We are going to attach some parts from a plate tree I salvaged off an Olympic tree and add some 60 penny nails so we can get our plates better organized and off the ground. It has taken longer than I expected, but it will be a nice addition to the gym. Plate City has made huge strides over the past few months. I'll shoot a video soon and post it here.
I got home and went out to work out and dabble with getting the post set up. The bolts are too short. I will get some more bolts today, mail and letter, and swim. Right now, I am in no hurry. The ladies water aerobics won't clear the pool until about 10:15. I plan to leave the house about 10:00, mail the letter, which is my registration for the Mississippi Senior Olympics, and buy the bolts. I hope to then get in a long swim and then rig up our posts at Plate City.
Thursday night I lifted alone and stayed out of the pool to save it for today. On the flat bench, I did
22 X 45
12 X 95
10 X 100
10 X 105
10 X 110
10 X 115
8 X 120
On the incline bench I did
8 X 100
8 X 105
5 X 110
3 X 115
I also did some squats and pedaled the stationary bicycle that Gerald Johnson gave me. It was a good day. This one looks better. Thank you, Jesus.
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Wednesday Workout
Wednesdays are usually a little tight for me. Most of the time, Trevor gets off early and that pushed me in the pool. That's OK. You need some modulation in training, that is some up and down, some hard and easy training. I went to the pool as soon as I could and began to swim. Looking down at my watch, as I often do, the numbers didn't look right. I stopped. I was in Swim Mode and the GPS was turned off but the distance said, .26 of a mile. It should have read 400 or 450 yards. I cleared it, rebooted, and started over checking the numbers after a few laps. I worked correctly. Later when I looked at history, the numbers were in yards. Go figure. So I swam
450 8:19 (1:50)
1,600 29:25 (1:50)
4 X 50 @ :55
100 easy, small paddles
4 X 50 @ :59
100 easy, Agility paddles
25/25 breast, swim
4 X 25 fast
200 easy, medium paddles
total: 3,000 yards = 2,742 meters.
Nice swim. At Plate City, Trevor worked on strongman stuff while I worked biceps, shrugs, and rotator cuffs. It was a good day and this morning I awoke to the scales reading 172.6. That is the lightest of the year and the lightest of 2018. That is not good that I am this heavy, but I am losing and that is good. I need to be below 160. In 2018, I hit 190 so I am better than I was, but still too soft, too heavy, too out of shape aerobically.
Trevor is probably going to be out today, and I am even thinking of skipping the pool and upper body weights and just squatting and doing some bike trainer work as well as work on the gym. My left shoulder has been a bit gimpy following a mere three ball slams I did a few weeks back. Three ball slams with a six pound medicine ball. Amazing that such a small thing could cause a problem. A few years back I did a ball slam and tire hitting workout that left me unable to swim for a while. My point in trying this is to attempt to awaken my fast twitch muscle fibers in my upper body in order to get faster at swimming. That is assuming I have some fast twitch muscle fibers. Maybe I don't. But anyway, it was a good day, one I praise the Lord for.
450 8:19 (1:50)
1,600 29:25 (1:50)
4 X 50 @ :55
100 easy, small paddles
4 X 50 @ :59
100 easy, Agility paddles
25/25 breast, swim
4 X 25 fast
200 easy, medium paddles
total: 3,000 yards = 2,742 meters.
Nice swim. At Plate City, Trevor worked on strongman stuff while I worked biceps, shrugs, and rotator cuffs. It was a good day and this morning I awoke to the scales reading 172.6. That is the lightest of the year and the lightest of 2018. That is not good that I am this heavy, but I am losing and that is good. I need to be below 160. In 2018, I hit 190 so I am better than I was, but still too soft, too heavy, too out of shape aerobically.
Trevor is probably going to be out today, and I am even thinking of skipping the pool and upper body weights and just squatting and doing some bike trainer work as well as work on the gym. My left shoulder has been a bit gimpy following a mere three ball slams I did a few weeks back. Three ball slams with a six pound medicine ball. Amazing that such a small thing could cause a problem. A few years back I did a ball slam and tire hitting workout that left me unable to swim for a while. My point in trying this is to attempt to awaken my fast twitch muscle fibers in my upper body in order to get faster at swimming. That is assuming I have some fast twitch muscle fibers. Maybe I don't. But anyway, it was a good day, one I praise the Lord for.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Tuesday 200s
I always cringed in the past when I heard that term, Tuesday 200s. There has to be a better reason for doing something other than alliteration. However, Tuesday I decided for reasons other than the way it sounded to hit the 200s in the pool.
My decision started with the release of the Senior Olympic dates, the specific dates of the swimming events. Those will be held April 6th, and participants can sign up and compete in a total of four events. I think I will do four. The date is good news for me because it will give me time to peak for the pool and then train for Chicot. Not counting this week and the week of the meet, I have ten weeks to bring my body to its best in terms of speed, endurance, and lactate buffering capability. That knowledge gave me the kick in the pants to hit the water for some real intervals. Its easy to just go up and down the lane at a comfortable pace, but to do the hard work needed to swim fast over a few hundred yards is no easy task. I swam
2,000 warm up 35:59 (1:47), and then
7 X 200 as
1 - moderate (3:18)
2 - 1st 50 fast (3:19)
3 - 2nd 50 fast (3:18)
4 - 3rd 50 fast (3:16)
5 - 4th 50 fast (3:14)
6 - 1st and last 25 fast (3:12)
7 - all fast for 2:57 (ties PR at 1:28/100)
While I was still breathing hard from the all-out 200, I put on the small paddles and swam an easy 500 for a total of 3,900 yards. Then I did 400 kick with fins. So it was a good swim and one that gave me some stress but not so much that I can't train the next day.
Trevor came over and we hit the weights pretty hard. For my rotator cuffs, I have lately been doing overhead external rotations with light plates. Tuesday, I brought out the cords for the first time in a few weeks and was amazed at how much strength I had lost on that move which involves the same muscles. Consequently, I plan to rotate that part of my training to make sure those muscles are the strongest they can be in anyway they can be moved.
So I now have another good day in the books, or to use a banking analogy, I put more money in the account, both accounts. By having two accounts, swimming and lifting, I can eventually transfer some funds from the weights to the water. Thank you, Jesus, for another fine day of life.
My decision started with the release of the Senior Olympic dates, the specific dates of the swimming events. Those will be held April 6th, and participants can sign up and compete in a total of four events. I think I will do four. The date is good news for me because it will give me time to peak for the pool and then train for Chicot. Not counting this week and the week of the meet, I have ten weeks to bring my body to its best in terms of speed, endurance, and lactate buffering capability. That knowledge gave me the kick in the pants to hit the water for some real intervals. Its easy to just go up and down the lane at a comfortable pace, but to do the hard work needed to swim fast over a few hundred yards is no easy task. I swam
2,000 warm up 35:59 (1:47), and then
7 X 200 as
1 - moderate (3:18)
2 - 1st 50 fast (3:19)
3 - 2nd 50 fast (3:18)
4 - 3rd 50 fast (3:16)
5 - 4th 50 fast (3:14)
6 - 1st and last 25 fast (3:12)
7 - all fast for 2:57 (ties PR at 1:28/100)
While I was still breathing hard from the all-out 200, I put on the small paddles and swam an easy 500 for a total of 3,900 yards. Then I did 400 kick with fins. So it was a good swim and one that gave me some stress but not so much that I can't train the next day.
Trevor came over and we hit the weights pretty hard. For my rotator cuffs, I have lately been doing overhead external rotations with light plates. Tuesday, I brought out the cords for the first time in a few weeks and was amazed at how much strength I had lost on that move which involves the same muscles. Consequently, I plan to rotate that part of my training to make sure those muscles are the strongest they can be in anyway they can be moved.
So I now have another good day in the books, or to use a banking analogy, I put more money in the account, both accounts. By having two accounts, swimming and lifting, I can eventually transfer some funds from the weights to the water. Thank you, Jesus, for another fine day of life.
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Monday Funday
My students are writing and so am I. That is one thing I love about my job. Classes at MDCC started yesterday, and I am as happy as a dead pig in the sunshine. I only have six classes so my money will be down for months, but that gives me more time to train. Not only that, but for the first time in fifteen years, I have the two courses I love the most: Old Testament Survey and Film as Literature. These are course I love to teach, courses that make me want to get out of bed in the morning. And I have them back to back on Tuesday and Thursday on the Moorhead campus. Thank you, Jesus and thank you, Renee Moore.
Monday after work, I went to the pool and swam
2,000 38:33 (1:55)
11 X 50 @ 1:12
250 small paddles
5 X 50 @ 1:09
250 small paddles
total: 3350 scys + 3,061 meters.
That was a nice swim and the kind that will make me faster. I have gotten a little lazy on the 50s lately and it has shown up in my times.
Trevor and I hit Plate City. He is training for a strongman competition and I am training to swim so our lifting is diverging from each other more and more. However, we still do a lot of the same things. Monday is normally bench day and I did
10 X 95
10 X 115
8 X 135
8 X 135
8 X 135
4 X 140
Incline BP
6 X 95
10 X 100
10 X 105
On the dead lift, I pulled
10 X 55
3 X 100
That's pretty wimpy stuff, but it is a start, and I need a start and a slow one. Last week I began to do a little. I have not dead lifted in a long time. It is an important lift that produces functional strength. But a few years ago, I hurt my back doing that move. I had built up slowly over several months and had warmed up thoroughly that day. When I pulled and something pained in my back, it caused quite a fear in me. It turns out that it was only a pulled muscle, but it was a couple of weeks before I was sure of that. I hadn't dead lifted since until recently. Now the weights are super light, but I will rebuild.
After Trevor left, I did a shuffle. Not much of one because I am starting over again for the 168th time. I went .34 of a mile at over 14:00 minutes per mile. Terrible, but I am grateful to God to be able to do that. Thank you, Jesus.
Monday after work, I went to the pool and swam
2,000 38:33 (1:55)
11 X 50 @ 1:12
250 small paddles
5 X 50 @ 1:09
250 small paddles
total: 3350 scys + 3,061 meters.
That was a nice swim and the kind that will make me faster. I have gotten a little lazy on the 50s lately and it has shown up in my times.
Trevor and I hit Plate City. He is training for a strongman competition and I am training to swim so our lifting is diverging from each other more and more. However, we still do a lot of the same things. Monday is normally bench day and I did
10 X 95
10 X 115
8 X 135
8 X 135
8 X 135
4 X 140
Incline BP
6 X 95
10 X 100
10 X 105
On the dead lift, I pulled
10 X 55
3 X 100
That's pretty wimpy stuff, but it is a start, and I need a start and a slow one. Last week I began to do a little. I have not dead lifted in a long time. It is an important lift that produces functional strength. But a few years ago, I hurt my back doing that move. I had built up slowly over several months and had warmed up thoroughly that day. When I pulled and something pained in my back, it caused quite a fear in me. It turns out that it was only a pulled muscle, but it was a couple of weeks before I was sure of that. I hadn't dead lifted since until recently. Now the weights are super light, but I will rebuild.
After Trevor left, I did a shuffle. Not much of one because I am starting over again for the 168th time. I went .34 of a mile at over 14:00 minutes per mile. Terrible, but I am grateful to God to be able to do that. Thank you, Jesus.
Monday, January 14, 2019
12/7 - 12/13
I had a pretty solid week especially considering it was a recovery cycle to get me set for another buildup.
Monday, I rested after work to help recover from the illness my wife and I have been dealing with.
Tuesday I swam a mere 2,200 yards.
Wednesday I lifted weights.
Thursday I lifted weights and swam 2,600.
Friday I did the big one with a 7,000 yard swim.
Saturday I swam 4,250 yards and then lifted weights.
For the week, I swam 14,668 meters and lifted weights three times. I also shuffled .3. I am on the road back.
Thank you, Jesus.
Monday, I rested after work to help recover from the illness my wife and I have been dealing with.
Tuesday I swam a mere 2,200 yards.
Wednesday I lifted weights.
Thursday I lifted weights and swam 2,600.
Friday I did the big one with a 7,000 yard swim.
Saturday I swam 4,250 yards and then lifted weights.
For the week, I swam 14,668 meters and lifted weights three times. I also shuffled .3. I am on the road back.
Thank you, Jesus.
Sunday, January 13, 2019
2019 Lineup
I always like to look at a lineup of planned events at the start of each year. For the upcoming year, all I have is swimming contests since my running is once more on the rocks. I do hope to get my running back to some extent. But for now, all I have on my "Plan to Do" list is swimming.
First up is the the Senior Olympics on the coast sometime in late April and early May. I knew nothing about this until Gloria Hathcock told me about it while we were chatting in the indoor pool at Twin Rivers. The seed she planted sprouted immediately, and I went home and started googling. They don't offer any long swimming events. The longest race listed is 500 short course yards. But I am super excited about getting involved. I have never competed in a pool meet before, with the exception of a couple of triathlons that held their swims indoors. But I have never done a swim meet. Speaking of meets, I may look into some USM (United State Masters) events which also uses an age-group format. Besides the 500, if scheduling allows, I might also swim the 200 and maybe even the 100 and 50. I am definitely not a sprinter, but just for the experience, I might swim every free style solo event they offer.
Of course the Chicot Challenge is on the calendar for June 1, the day before my 63rd birthday. After doing six Challenges, last year I had to watch while some of my friends swam in my place. It was fun working the other side of an open water swim, but I wanted in the lake, I missed the effort, the challenge. Now I am on the road back after the worst injury of my swimming life. This time I am only planning to swim 12 miles. Though long, that is a whole lot shorter than the 20+ I did for For Chicot V and VI.
I won't be able to do the whole Heart O' Dixie Triathlon (last Saturday in July), but I have an invitation to swim for a good athlete, and we have a real shot at winning the rely division. The swim there is only a half a mile, but the kind of training I will have to do for that is something that will be good for me. Speed and VO2 max is what that kind of swimming is all about. That entails some serious pool pounding, the kind I am reticent to do without a strong goal. With the Senior Olympics in mind, I have already started working on speed and the kind of sets that make a pool swimmer.
I did Gator Bait once several years back and won my age group. But I have not been back, and it is not to my credit that I haven't. We have virtually no venues for open water competition around here so I should support the one open water race that we have in the state. The longest event there is one mile, but if it is still done the way it used to be, I can compete in more than one distance. Then there was a half mile followed by a quarter mile all following the miles swim. To do them all at the kind of effort required at those distances will be a real workout. I think this comes off in May so there might be a conflict with the SOs. If so, I will go to the coast and do the Olympic thing. I'd like to do both.
After doing Swim the Suck four years in a row, I dropped that event when I no longer could afford to make the trip. The lack of raises on my job and the slow, steady impact of inflation, made the Suck untenable to me a few years ago. Now that I have my wife's truck paid for, I can once more afford to make the trip. Not only that, but Randy Beets' trash talking on Facebook and his mother's snide comments have convinced me that he needs a good whipping at the race that started it all for him and for me.
I wrote the preceding paragraph a few weeks back. Since that time, I have rethought the Suck. I contacted my old nemesis, Randy Beets, about renewing our rivalry at the Suck, which he has falsely accused me of ducking him in for the last few years. He told me about a new swim coming up in North Carolina, Best Dam Lake 5K, 10K, and 15K Swim. This looks like a beautiful lake and a new challenge. Since the 15K is only a relay event, I will most likely opt for the 10K. Somehow that appeals to me right now more than the 10 miles of the Suck. It is still a pretty long swim, but not an all day affair. This event is set for mid July and my wife and I are already planning the trip so we can have a vacation and I can defeat Randy Beets one more time.
Swim around Hobbs Island in Huntsville, Alabama is set to come off in mid-September. They offer a one mile, two mile, and five mile option. This swim takes place in the Tennessee River, and the five miler features some up-current swimming. WHAT!?!?!?!? I want in.
In addition to these formal events, I hope to also do some really big pond swims just for fun. I miss those all-day outings with the dogs at the fish farm where I would swim and run and lift until I was flogged out. I want it again. So there you have it. Not a big slate, but large enough to keep me busy enough and swimming enough not to get too fat. I hope. I will also be poking around the internet looking for other swims, both pool and open water. Anything I do will be reported here.
Thank you, Jesus, for the health to think and dream and plan.
First up is the the Senior Olympics on the coast sometime in late April and early May. I knew nothing about this until Gloria Hathcock told me about it while we were chatting in the indoor pool at Twin Rivers. The seed she planted sprouted immediately, and I went home and started googling. They don't offer any long swimming events. The longest race listed is 500 short course yards. But I am super excited about getting involved. I have never competed in a pool meet before, with the exception of a couple of triathlons that held their swims indoors. But I have never done a swim meet. Speaking of meets, I may look into some USM (United State Masters) events which also uses an age-group format. Besides the 500, if scheduling allows, I might also swim the 200 and maybe even the 100 and 50. I am definitely not a sprinter, but just for the experience, I might swim every free style solo event they offer.
Of course the Chicot Challenge is on the calendar for June 1, the day before my 63rd birthday. After doing six Challenges, last year I had to watch while some of my friends swam in my place. It was fun working the other side of an open water swim, but I wanted in the lake, I missed the effort, the challenge. Now I am on the road back after the worst injury of my swimming life. This time I am only planning to swim 12 miles. Though long, that is a whole lot shorter than the 20+ I did for For Chicot V and VI.
I won't be able to do the whole Heart O' Dixie Triathlon (last Saturday in July), but I have an invitation to swim for a good athlete, and we have a real shot at winning the rely division. The swim there is only a half a mile, but the kind of training I will have to do for that is something that will be good for me. Speed and VO2 max is what that kind of swimming is all about. That entails some serious pool pounding, the kind I am reticent to do without a strong goal. With the Senior Olympics in mind, I have already started working on speed and the kind of sets that make a pool swimmer.
I did Gator Bait once several years back and won my age group. But I have not been back, and it is not to my credit that I haven't. We have virtually no venues for open water competition around here so I should support the one open water race that we have in the state. The longest event there is one mile, but if it is still done the way it used to be, I can compete in more than one distance. Then there was a half mile followed by a quarter mile all following the miles swim. To do them all at the kind of effort required at those distances will be a real workout. I think this comes off in May so there might be a conflict with the SOs. If so, I will go to the coast and do the Olympic thing. I'd like to do both.
After doing Swim the Suck four years in a row, I dropped that event when I no longer could afford to make the trip. The lack of raises on my job and the slow, steady impact of inflation, made the Suck untenable to me a few years ago. Now that I have my wife's truck paid for, I can once more afford to make the trip. Not only that, but Randy Beets' trash talking on Facebook and his mother's snide comments have convinced me that he needs a good whipping at the race that started it all for him and for me.
I wrote the preceding paragraph a few weeks back. Since that time, I have rethought the Suck. I contacted my old nemesis, Randy Beets, about renewing our rivalry at the Suck, which he has falsely accused me of ducking him in for the last few years. He told me about a new swim coming up in North Carolina, Best Dam Lake 5K, 10K, and 15K Swim. This looks like a beautiful lake and a new challenge. Since the 15K is only a relay event, I will most likely opt for the 10K. Somehow that appeals to me right now more than the 10 miles of the Suck. It is still a pretty long swim, but not an all day affair. This event is set for mid July and my wife and I are already planning the trip so we can have a vacation and I can defeat Randy Beets one more time.
Swim around Hobbs Island in Huntsville, Alabama is set to come off in mid-September. They offer a one mile, two mile, and five mile option. This swim takes place in the Tennessee River, and the five miler features some up-current swimming. WHAT!?!?!?!? I want in.
In addition to these formal events, I hope to also do some really big pond swims just for fun. I miss those all-day outings with the dogs at the fish farm where I would swim and run and lift until I was flogged out. I want it again. So there you have it. Not a big slate, but large enough to keep me busy enough and swimming enough not to get too fat. I hope. I will also be poking around the internet looking for other swims, both pool and open water. Anything I do will be reported here.
Thank you, Jesus, for the health to think and dream and plan.
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Big Friday
It's no secret that I hate working on Fridays. So when my boss said, "Leave," she didn't have to twist my arm. In nothing flat, I was out of the building, in my truck, and headed east to Greenwood where I had cats waiting at home and a pool sitting idly at Twin Rivers. I'll have time to get a big one, I thought as I sped down the highway, freedom feeling good as always.
I hadn't done a big one this week. Monday I took off due to not feeling well. Tuesday I swam a paltry 2,200, and Wednesday I lifted but doubted my ability to add a swim and stay well. Thursday I pootled a little farther, 2,600. Now I was feeling well and had hours unfettered.
At home I quickly changed clothes, grabbed my swimming stuff, and headed for the pool. I never make hard plans when it comes to swimming. You have to listen to your body and sometimes it says no. Friday it said yes. I started my long, slow warm up, as usual, and began to think of different ways to structure the swim. I decided after my usual 2,000 to just keep swimming. I went on to 3,000 then 4,000, and then 5,000. Eight days ago, I went 5,300 before stopping to do sets. I'll do 5,350, I thought. At 5,350, I kept going.
There were other people in the pool. I didn't mind. We made it work, all four of us in a tiny two-lane pool. Eventually, they got out, and I had it to myself. Two hours, I thought. I need to go for two hours, and that's what I did stopping six seconds over two hours at 6,600 yards. I still felt strong. It was time for something different, though, so I did 4 X 50 medium paddles and then cooled down with 200 small paddles giving me a total of 7,000 yards in 2:06:40, my longest of the year, of two years, and my longest ever in January. In the past, 6,000 is the most I have ever done at Delta State because of time constraints.
I could have done more, but that is for another day. It is still a long time from Chicot Challenge VIII which I need to write about soon. I have plans; I hope the other guys have plans also. I hope our plans match God's. If they do, we will be successful. Thank you, Lord.
I hadn't done a big one this week. Monday I took off due to not feeling well. Tuesday I swam a paltry 2,200, and Wednesday I lifted but doubted my ability to add a swim and stay well. Thursday I pootled a little farther, 2,600. Now I was feeling well and had hours unfettered.
At home I quickly changed clothes, grabbed my swimming stuff, and headed for the pool. I never make hard plans when it comes to swimming. You have to listen to your body and sometimes it says no. Friday it said yes. I started my long, slow warm up, as usual, and began to think of different ways to structure the swim. I decided after my usual 2,000 to just keep swimming. I went on to 3,000 then 4,000, and then 5,000. Eight days ago, I went 5,300 before stopping to do sets. I'll do 5,350, I thought. At 5,350, I kept going.
There were other people in the pool. I didn't mind. We made it work, all four of us in a tiny two-lane pool. Eventually, they got out, and I had it to myself. Two hours, I thought. I need to go for two hours, and that's what I did stopping six seconds over two hours at 6,600 yards. I still felt strong. It was time for something different, though, so I did 4 X 50 medium paddles and then cooled down with 200 small paddles giving me a total of 7,000 yards in 2:06:40, my longest of the year, of two years, and my longest ever in January. In the past, 6,000 is the most I have ever done at Delta State because of time constraints.
I could have done more, but that is for another day. It is still a long time from Chicot Challenge VIII which I need to write about soon. I have plans; I hope the other guys have plans also. I hope our plans match God's. If they do, we will be successful. Thank you, Lord.
Friday, January 11, 2019
Thursday
Hades week is approaching its end, and things haven't been too bad. I did my first double since being sick yesterday, and this morning I am no worse for wear. By "double" I mean two workouts, which for me right now means weightlifting and swimming. Trevor and I lifted starting about 5:00 and I had only been home minutes when he drove up. Since I did benches Wednesday, I pulled last night, doing seated rows, lat pull downs, the Swim Pull, and the T-bar. Not only that, but I also hit the external rotations for the rotator cuff muscles. I can still tell a difference between my left and right arms. The left is stronger. Will they ever equalize?
Because I only swam once this week and a short one at that, I felt like I had to go to the pool. Besides feeling the need, I had some new toys. For Christmas, my son, Forrest, gave me a gift certificate to SwimOutlet.com and my order had come in the day before. Although I like to swim and lift afterwards, I lifted and then swam. I didn't do much in the water. Just like de-loading with the weights, I am in the recovery phase with my swimming, hoping to re-peak in late May/early June. I swam
2,000 warm up
3 X 50 with Finis Freestyler paddles
This is a paddle I had wanted for a long time and now I own. From everything I have read about them, they are designed not for resistance but for getting the stroke right on freestyle. The paddles have a fin on the bottom which discourages all those funny side-to-side underwater movements you see some people make who are usually trying to look good but don't know what looking good in the water looks like. If you do any of that goofy stuff with these paddles, the fins will start pulling them off your hands. Since I don't do that goofy stuff, they stayed on my hands. What I found surprising was the amount of resistance I felt. They do work your strength although that is not supposed to be their designed use.
Next, I swam
3 X 50 with my new Agility paddles.
These are those strapless things that everyone is raving about. So I bought some and swam in them last night. I can tell you very concisely what they will do. They will reveal any dead spots in your stroke. If you are not pulling water, they start to separate from your hand. For me, they showed that I glide on the front end. But really, I already knew that and even designed it into my stroke. It is an all-day swimming adjustment that slows the stroke slightly and actually gives some rest while swimming. With the agility paddles, however, I found myself pointing my hand back sooner in the stroke to keep the paddles firmly against my palm. I think that should be good for speed but for open water swimming for miles and miles and miles, not so much.
I also did
4 X 50 kick with fins
While doing this, I played with another one of my new toys: a snorkel. I put the snorkel on along with fins and started down the pool. All was well. Then I did a flip turn and of course I almost drowned. Yes, I knew it would fill with water, but I thought I blew it out only I didn't blow hard enough. Then after resuscitating, started back and everything was working when I realized I had no nose covering. In other words, I was breathing through the snorkel with my mouth. Because I was congested, no water was coming through my nostrils. But just the realization that it could gave me a severe case of the creeps. I stopped. I could not keep going. So I will either get a nose clip or tape up when I use the snorkel in the future (notice I did not say "going forward." You're welcome). The reason for kicking with a snorkel is to do kick sets without a board so your body position is better, like it is when you actually swim. Anyway, I will play with that some more later.
Finally, I finished with
600 medium paddles.
I don't think anything will ever replace my tried and true Speedo Power Paddles. I love those things and rarely go to the pool without swimming something in one or more of my collection of various sizes. Since my comeback, I have swum so much with the small pair that I don't feel them in the muscles anymore. Now I am focusing on the medium pair. I hope to lose my feeling of them too. Then I will be bad.
My total swim was 2,600 yards. Not too much, but enough to keep me from sliding too far down the hill. I hope maybe Saturday that I can do something longer, stronger, and faster and then begin to build again next week.
Thank you, Jesus.
Because I only swam once this week and a short one at that, I felt like I had to go to the pool. Besides feeling the need, I had some new toys. For Christmas, my son, Forrest, gave me a gift certificate to SwimOutlet.com and my order had come in the day before. Although I like to swim and lift afterwards, I lifted and then swam. I didn't do much in the water. Just like de-loading with the weights, I am in the recovery phase with my swimming, hoping to re-peak in late May/early June. I swam
2,000 warm up
3 X 50 with Finis Freestyler paddles
 |
The Freestyler on the left and the
agility paddle on the right
This is a paddle I had wanted for a long time and now I own. From everything I have read about them, they are designed not for resistance but for getting the stroke right on freestyle. The paddles have a fin on the bottom which discourages all those funny side-to-side underwater movements you see some people make who are usually trying to look good but don't know what looking good in the water looks like. If you do any of that goofy stuff with these paddles, the fins will start pulling them off your hands. Since I don't do that goofy stuff, they stayed on my hands. What I found surprising was the amount of resistance I felt. They do work your strength although that is not supposed to be their designed use.
Next, I swam
3 X 50 with my new Agility paddles.
These are those strapless things that everyone is raving about. So I bought some and swam in them last night. I can tell you very concisely what they will do. They will reveal any dead spots in your stroke. If you are not pulling water, they start to separate from your hand. For me, they showed that I glide on the front end. But really, I already knew that and even designed it into my stroke. It is an all-day swimming adjustment that slows the stroke slightly and actually gives some rest while swimming. With the agility paddles, however, I found myself pointing my hand back sooner in the stroke to keep the paddles firmly against my palm. I think that should be good for speed but for open water swimming for miles and miles and miles, not so much.
I also did
4 X 50 kick with fins
While doing this, I played with another one of my new toys: a snorkel. I put the snorkel on along with fins and started down the pool. All was well. Then I did a flip turn and of course I almost drowned. Yes, I knew it would fill with water, but I thought I blew it out only I didn't blow hard enough. Then after resuscitating, started back and everything was working when I realized I had no nose covering. In other words, I was breathing through the snorkel with my mouth. Because I was congested, no water was coming through my nostrils. But just the realization that it could gave me a severe case of the creeps. I stopped. I could not keep going. So I will either get a nose clip or tape up when I use the snorkel in the future (notice I did not say "going forward." You're welcome). The reason for kicking with a snorkel is to do kick sets without a board so your body position is better, like it is when you actually swim. Anyway, I will play with that some more later.
Finally, I finished with
600 medium paddles.
I don't think anything will ever replace my tried and true Speedo Power Paddles. I love those things and rarely go to the pool without swimming something in one or more of my collection of various sizes. Since my comeback, I have swum so much with the small pair that I don't feel them in the muscles anymore. Now I am focusing on the medium pair. I hope to lose my feeling of them too. Then I will be bad.
My total swim was 2,600 yards. Not too much, but enough to keep me from sliding too far down the hill. I hope maybe Saturday that I can do something longer, stronger, and faster and then begin to build again next week.
Thank you, Jesus.
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Holiday Fever (Posted very Late)
I have it in spades. Holiday fever. It is almost here and I am like a little boy waiting on Christmas to get my first BB gun. Currently, MDCC is in our penultimate week of school. Next week we have exams and then we are out for a few weeks. I have been telling all of my students who owe me work it get it in because I am going into the Witness Protection Program as soon as I enter grades next Wednesday morning. I can't wait for a number of reasons.
One reason is I will get to swim a lot. Over the break, I plan to set of couple of records for the year. One record is my weekly total. This year, my biggest week of swim training has totaled 20,000 meters. I hope to top that since I will have the time to swim as well as the time to rest to get it done. Volume is always important in building endurance and even speed. Not only do I want to set my week's distance record but also the day's record distance. Right now my largest training day has been 6,300 yards set just last week and I hope to re-break this week. But I also want to push that up one more time. Furthermore, I plan a lot of testing, that is swimming some key distances for time. I hope I can break my recent 500 time, swim a 400 for time, and bring down my recent 100 and 50 times. That is what I have been working on lately, trying to get those sprint time lower. When they come down, so does everything else.
Not only do I plan to do a lot of swimming, but weightlifting is on the agenda also. With the added time, I plan to add sets to all my key moves, the ones that make me stronger in the water. I also have on the agenda to make some improvements to Plate City Gym. I am most of the time scheming on something to do to make better the best back-yard gym in the county.
Walking even makes the list. Once more, I am rehabbing my left knee, my good one. My good knee is now my bad one. That's not good news but unfortunately, that's the way the ball sometimes bounces. Walking and lifting should put me back to shuffling by the end of the break. I need to run to lose weight and boost my cardio for the pool. It make a difference, especially for the middle distance events like the 500 which is the longest swim the Senior Olympics does in the pool. I wish they had a mile or longer, maybe a 5K. But I guess they think us geezer jocks can't handle the distance.
Besides swimming, lifting, and walking, writing is high on the list of things to do while out of school. I have become pretty addicted to scribbling in here whether anyone ever reads it or not. Surprisingly, however, I find out from time to time that more people read that I think. Every now and then, I'll bump into someone who asks me about something I posted in here. More often than not, however, someone, (several people) will ask me about something they would know the answer to if they even glanced. For instance, around May people will start asking me if I am doing the Chicot Challenge this year. I think, duh, I write about it every week in the blog and on Facebook. But I always politely answer.
Cats, how can time off work, not include cats. Of course most days will be slow start ones, ones where I drink coffee, peck at a keyboard, and hang out with the felines. They love it when I am home and we have fun just taking it easy. Cats are wonderful nappers and hangers. I learn from them to relax and not worry the small stuff. And to cats, it's all small stuff unless you forget to fill their food bowl.
One more thing on the list is hunting. I don't do a lot of that anymore, but Pee Wee and Bear have been yearning to get in that truck and go somewhere. Pee Wee is constantly hunting even in the backyard. He is looking, sniffing, trailing, and barking. If he can't find something to bark at, he will bark at nothing. He is a super high energy dog and he needs more room than he has at the rear of 333 West Monroe. We will make some trips to Carroll County to chase squirrels and maybe a trip or two to the fish pond where he loves to run and get after ducks.
So there you have it, what I plan, yearn to do after next week. Thank you, Jesus for giving me the time to play like a little boy. I guess at base, that is what I am.
One reason is I will get to swim a lot. Over the break, I plan to set of couple of records for the year. One record is my weekly total. This year, my biggest week of swim training has totaled 20,000 meters. I hope to top that since I will have the time to swim as well as the time to rest to get it done. Volume is always important in building endurance and even speed. Not only do I want to set my week's distance record but also the day's record distance. Right now my largest training day has been 6,300 yards set just last week and I hope to re-break this week. But I also want to push that up one more time. Furthermore, I plan a lot of testing, that is swimming some key distances for time. I hope I can break my recent 500 time, swim a 400 for time, and bring down my recent 100 and 50 times. That is what I have been working on lately, trying to get those sprint time lower. When they come down, so does everything else.
Not only do I plan to do a lot of swimming, but weightlifting is on the agenda also. With the added time, I plan to add sets to all my key moves, the ones that make me stronger in the water. I also have on the agenda to make some improvements to Plate City Gym. I am most of the time scheming on something to do to make better the best back-yard gym in the county.
Walking even makes the list. Once more, I am rehabbing my left knee, my good one. My good knee is now my bad one. That's not good news but unfortunately, that's the way the ball sometimes bounces. Walking and lifting should put me back to shuffling by the end of the break. I need to run to lose weight and boost my cardio for the pool. It make a difference, especially for the middle distance events like the 500 which is the longest swim the Senior Olympics does in the pool. I wish they had a mile or longer, maybe a 5K. But I guess they think us geezer jocks can't handle the distance.
Besides swimming, lifting, and walking, writing is high on the list of things to do while out of school. I have become pretty addicted to scribbling in here whether anyone ever reads it or not. Surprisingly, however, I find out from time to time that more people read that I think. Every now and then, I'll bump into someone who asks me about something I posted in here. More often than not, however, someone, (several people) will ask me about something they would know the answer to if they even glanced. For instance, around May people will start asking me if I am doing the Chicot Challenge this year. I think, duh, I write about it every week in the blog and on Facebook. But I always politely answer.
Cats, how can time off work, not include cats. Of course most days will be slow start ones, ones where I drink coffee, peck at a keyboard, and hang out with the felines. They love it when I am home and we have fun just taking it easy. Cats are wonderful nappers and hangers. I learn from them to relax and not worry the small stuff. And to cats, it's all small stuff unless you forget to fill their food bowl.
One more thing on the list is hunting. I don't do a lot of that anymore, but Pee Wee and Bear have been yearning to get in that truck and go somewhere. Pee Wee is constantly hunting even in the backyard. He is looking, sniffing, trailing, and barking. If he can't find something to bark at, he will bark at nothing. He is a super high energy dog and he needs more room than he has at the rear of 333 West Monroe. We will make some trips to Carroll County to chase squirrels and maybe a trip or two to the fish pond where he loves to run and get after ducks.
So there you have it, what I plan, yearn to do after next week. Thank you, Jesus for giving me the time to play like a little boy. I guess at base, that is what I am.
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