Week 18: Getting Stronger

Date: 9/25/13
Yards: 2200

Time: 64 min.

Stroke count: 14-15

Felt: Great

Challenges/Progress: Focused on driving hand flat into water and doing a straight pull as Clint recommended.  This felt comfortable and easy to switch to.  Also learn how to do a side kick drill.
Fears: None
Emotion: Pleased.
Learned:
1) Am going to keep going three days/week on my own and complete the endurance training on Pace Club.
2) Will continue with endurance workouts, but looking forward to training for increased speed.

Date: 9/27/13

Yards: 2350

Time: 70 min.

Stroke count: 15-16

Felt: Great

Challenges/Progress: Focused on driving hand flat into water and doing a straight pull as Clint recommended.  This felt comfortable and automatic.  Need to learn how to do a head lead drill, something my workout called for.

Fears: None

Emotion: Proud, because my mom came in to watch me swim, after having seen me either miserably pregnant or sick with Graves disease for the past 5 years.  Mom was so happy at how much my health has improved and that I am more back to my old self.  She told a little boy and the coach of the swim team that I'm training to swim the Straight of Gibralter ... Anyone who would listen!

Learned:

1) Am going to keep going three days/week on my own and complete the endurance training on Pace Club.

2) Will continue with endurance workouts, but looking forward to training for increased speed.

Week 17: Upton Lake

Date: 9/16/13

Yards: 1800

Time: 57 min.

Stroke count: 14-16!!!

Felt: Winded

Challenges/Progress: Swam one mile.  Felt the need to rest more frequently than usual.  However, technique was better.  Swam every length in 14-16 strokes. I'm pulling more water per stroke and expending less energy bringing my hand over.  I stuck to one kick to position while gliding and two hard kicks when pulling.  Not sure if this is right, but it certainly seemed to work. Bilateral breathing quite automatic now.  

Fears: Have been afraid lately, wondering whether my thyroid is going to go hyper again.  Being so winded made me worry about this more. Worrying doesn't do any good, though.  Felt critical of myself for only having swum one day last week, due to having gone out of town.  Natchez has no Y.

Emotion: Happy with stroke count, but dissatisfied with need to catch breath more frequently.  Will need to see how I do when I swim again on Wednesday. Will try to do more continuous sets with flip turns, while also trying to keep stroke count down.

Learned:

1) Decided to wait until spring to reconsider joining Masters.  Am going to keep going three days/week on my own and complete the endurance training on Pace Club.

Date: 9/19/13
Yards: 2000

Time: 57 min.

Stroke count: 14-15 when not pulling

Felt: So tired when I started that I almost didn't go to the Y.  Then, felt great during the workout.

Challenges/Progress: Technique remained good.  Swam every length in 14-15 strokes when not pulling.  When pulling, 18 strokes.  Had pain in left shoulder. Pushed through it.
Fears: Afraid of pain I felt in left shoulder.
Emotion: Relieved that I did not get winded during this workout, which was more challenging than Monday's.  Proud that I have swum twice this week already.  As long as I swim on Saturday, I will stick with my goal of 3x/wk.
Learned:
1) Am going to keep going three days/week on my own and complete the endurance training on Pace Club.
2) I can now handle swimming 3x/wk.
3) I do need to swim on Wednesday mornings and not put it off until Thursday.
4) My speed, technique, and endurance are all getting better!

9/21/2013

Today, John, Clint, Silena and I went with Claire and Juliet to Upton Lake.  We were so grateful to the Uptons for allowing us to "borrow" their lake for a couple hours for training!

I felt only a little nervous before the swim, not nearly as nervous as last time.  I learned a few things from the last time.  For instance, I ate more for breakfast, remembered to bring water, brought a robe and stretched out a good deal more before swimming (since there are no walls at which to stretch every 25 yds.).  I knew I wouldn't be as fast as Clint, but my goal was to be faster than last time.  I was!

On our first length, I felt a bit stiff, but just focused on technique and reaching out as far as possible on each stroke.  I had no trouble staying on course.  I practiced Clint's sighting tips, which helped.  My neck and shoulders did not cramp up at all.  I stayed with Clint about a third of the way, and then he pulled ahead of me.  I didn't get tired, but couldn't go faster and still meet the distance.  Once I caught up, we both treaded for a while.  The second length back felt a little easier.  I liked the water temp: not as warm as last time ... perfect.  It was an overcast day with a little rain, but no thunder or lightning.  When we reached the house, it was neat to see John and Silena on the dock waiting for us - and Claire and Juliet!  We got out and drank water, but didn't rest too long.  By this point, we had swum over half a mile. My time: 23:19

We went across the lake again.  I had a song in my head and felt relaxed.  I tried to go as fast as I could, although not expecting to match Clint.  Tried to stick with him as long as I could and then follow his bubble trail until it disappeared.  Then, I would use him as my focal point when sighting.  This helped me stay on course.  Clint made it to the dam and treaded while I caught up. We treaded for a little while and then headed back!

I had been breathing bilaterally and evenly all the way along, but a few times on this last length, I had to breathe every one, like catch-up breaths.  Form was good.  None of my muscles cramped!  I kept trying to do the "kick kick", which helped.  In a rhythm.  Daydreaming.  At the other side suddenly.  My time: 24:54 (bit slower than the first lap). 

I decided not to swim the third lap with Clint.  I really wanted to keep going, but I knew that, although I could make it across, I would struggle on the way back.  I remember how I barely made it back on the third lap last time we swam in the lake.  I decided to stay on shore while Clint swam the third lap by himself.  My goal is to up my workout distances to between 45 and 60 laps, so that the next time we go to the lake, I won't feel hesitant to do three laps "long-course".  I also plan to practice what Clint taught me, and start making sure my hand is entering the water flat, not thumb-first, to reduce the out-of-date S curve.

Bottom line: I absolutely loved this swim.  I felt stronger, and my times improved over last time.  I felt way more comfortable in the water and much less apprehensive.  I also was not sore at all the next day, just tired, whereas after the last lake swim, I felt as if I had been hit by a truck. 

We swam the equivalent of 40-42 laps.  Counting the swim as a 2000.  Total time: 48:13

Week 16: Get It Out

Date: 9/9/13
Yards: 1600

Time: 45 min.

Stroke count: 20

Felt: Left shoulder felt sore.
Challenges/Progress: I had a hard day with Claire, who seemed extra passive-aggressive and disobedient today.  I was so angry when I started swimming.  Swimming helped me get it out and calm down.  Despite having a sore shoulder, I kept going and added an extra 250 to the assigned 1350 workout, for a total of 16.  Did drills, in which I woul breathe every 6 strokes. I really love this, as it is even more rhythmic and relaxing.  
Fears: The typical one about blowing out my shoulder(s). Not really rational.  Makes me afraid to push myself. But if I don't push myself, what is the point of having shoulders at all?
Emotion: Very angry, but became less and less angry as I swam.
Learned: 
1) Just because I am hurting, doesn't mean I should stop the workout.
2) Good thing I calmed down. Claire was only acting that way, because she had a fever!  When I found that out, I felt guilty for having allowed myself to get mad!

Week 15: Child Free!

Date: 9/3/13

Yards: 1600

Time: 47 min.

Stroke count: 19-20 - Clint needs to tell me more about measuring stroke count by time, rather than distance, which he says is more relavent to open water swimming.

Felt: Good. Need to practice overkick. Felt clumsy.

Challenges/Progress: The girls have started preschool. Claire will go M-F. Juliet will go MWF.  This gives me a huge break.  Time to get errands done. More time to swim!

Fears: None

Emotion: Calm

Learned:

1) Now have no excuses.  Will swim 3x/wk starting now!

Date: 9/5/13
Yards: 1900

Time: 43 min.

Stroke count: Didn't count. Just tried to be constantly aware of form.

Felt: Great.

Challenges/Progress: Did Week 2/Workout 3.  This involved a main set, in which I had to swim 10x100 with :10 rest between each, trying to maintain a consistent time.  My times varied between 2:10 and 1:55, with an average time of 2:01 per 100.  This is a big improvement from where I started.  Also, I got faster overall, not slower like I used to do!
Fears: None
Emotion: Calm
Learned:
1) Felt good during first week of swimming 3 times!  Will maintain this until I complete the 8 weeks worth of endurance workouts on Pace Club.
2) May join Masters swim team, because I would get individual coaching every Tues and Thurs at noon, while Claire stays for lunch bunch.  This may help me with form/endurance.  I would also meet other open water swimmers, mostly triathletes.  Thinking about it...

Week 14: Three Months

Date: 8/30/13
Yards: 2400

Time: 66 min.

Stroke count: 19-20 - Clint needs to tell me more about measuring stroke count by time, rather than distance, which he says is more relavent to open water swimming.

Felt: Very strong.  Am now off Tapazole.  Started taking vit D for deficiency.

Challenges/Progress: So pleased that I am able to do 48 laps and feel this good!
Fears: None
Emotion: Elated
Learned:
1) Need to swim 3 days/week!!  This will become easier to do, once the girls start preschool :)

Tiny Swimmer with the Rushing Heart

My mother wrote this poem for my daughter, Claire, a few months before she was born.

On the birth of Elizabeth Claire: poem from a new grandmother - by Carol Hanson

June 24, 2009 at 9:22pm

It seems I just heard about you.
Now you are here,
tiny swimmer with the rushing heart,
thrust from your watery element
into our air and light.
Going where?
Oh, what things will you see?
and what will you do?

Already your tracks have pressed
into my heart & mind,
long before you were born.
For a second skin of softness
(against that which nothing can be softer)
each stitch I knit furiously into the night
with wonder & thoughts of you

Fair beauty of the nether lands,
small goddess blonde and blue?
Little Levantine, darker, exotic?
a miniature of my Taurean father
translated into the feminine?
facsimile of an elusive Native ancestress?
Could anyone predict?

Memories of babies born,
mine, not mine,
swirling in my brain,
hands racing, needles clicking,
garments flowing out of fiber,
pondering the human race,
how it continues,
in spite of everything.

In spite of everything,
or perhaps because of it,
you have been born.
Now I can see you,
hold you, love you.
If you are cold or hungry
Don't be afraid
Just cry
Someone will come to fill your every need,
Faster than your heart can beat,
Or you could ever swim.

Little sweet one,
you cannot know,
how everything has become so different,
nothing is the same nor ever will be,
no one around you is untouched, unshaped,
by the simple fact of your existence.

The very air is different
an atmosphere heavy with joy.
It boggles the mind how
someone so helpless can have such power
to create our most intimate world anew
and set our hearts to dancing.

Identities are redefined on your arrival.
There are new names for us.
Your awaiting gifts shine from shelves
Even our music is transformed -
Oldies, country, rock, what have you -
Into the slow, dreamy melody of lullabies.

All of us will wait now.
Through the hours, days, weeks, months
of your cries
and of your silence,
until that day
when you first can speak
and tell us
what is in
your young and rushing heart.