Waterblogged

It never ceases to be refreshing to get back in the pool after a long weekend away, even when I spend it doing things as fun as swinging on a sunny beach. What a gorgeous weekend! Today's workout: *400 free *4 x 100 free descending add fins for: *400 (rest 15 sec) *50 fast with first 25 underwater (rest 5 sec) *100 recovery on back (rest 30 sec) repeat 3 times, descending each round take fins off for: *2 x 300 on the 4:10 (L2) put fins back on for: *2 x 300 on the 4:00 (L2). match the amount of rest you got on first round of 300's with amount of rest you get on this round.

I've been thinking about doing this race . Thinking, at first, that I've been there and done the regular Alcatraz swim twice, why not do something more...challenging? It looks impressive, and I love being able to say I did something impressive. I know I could make the swim. Well, I think I could, despite the fact that the website says scary competitive things such as: "For the first time, the 2008 Summer Olympics will have an Open Water Swim category. The Swim Around the Rock © event is a tremendous training ground for competitors for the Olympics. Some of the world’s best swimmers are expected." Hey, I'm no Olympian but I wouldn't mind swimming behind some. But, there are two things (besides the "great training for Olympians" comment and the sharks) holding me back from signing myself up to trudge 3.25 miles through currents and freezing water. First, the race costs $350. I understand why--each swimmer has their own personal kayak that follows them ...

This really happened. Back at the pool tomorrow morning. Yippieeee!

Or you haven't even noticed that I'm gone. Either way, I'm not around and while I am having swimming withdrawal symptoms (turning my head to the side to breathe and feeling my eye sockets strain with the desire to be goggled), I did have an enjoyable time lying next to the pool here at this lovely Canyon Ranch Spa in Orlando yesterday. Today it was back to the grind at the big trade show where my company launched our new baby bottle . Whoohooo. All you swimmer babes out there that need a bottle for your own swimmer baby, see me at the pool. I'll give you one to try.

Great workout this morning and glad to have you back Tim. This "wind" and "cold" we have here this week must seem mild to you after braving the Boston Nor'easter but for uber weather wimps like me, it's effing freezing. This is the end of April which is almost May which means summer is around the corner for F's sake. Could we get some warmth? At least the pool was it's reassuring 80 degree self (which of course is still not warm enough for me). I'm currently huddled over my coffee in a heated office with my Army jacket on. What would become of me if I ever left California to live in a colder climate? Oh what's the point in asking that question: I'm not going anywhere. Ever. This morning: *300, 200, 100 free *8 x 100 kick with fins (done as 4 x 100 repeated twice) 1: back dolphin kick 2: side flutter 3: mostly underwater 4: sprint kick repeat *5 (yes FIVE) x 300 free descending by 3 seconds each time *600 straight with paddles (first 100 D...

This is fun. I don't get to swim on Wednesdays so here's some (mostly) non-swimming information about me that I hope you will not use inappropriately against me. It's really fun to answer these questions if only for yourself. Do it. Then post them here because I'd love to know more about all of you! 1.) Q. Can you cook? A. Well, I can read, so I can follow a recipe. Can I make anything without a recipe? Yes: Cinnamon toast. 2.) Q. What was your dream growing up? A. To be happy. 3.) Q. What talent do you wish you had? A. I wish I could sing, big time! 4.) Q. Favorite place? A. California (home) 5.) Q. Favorite vegetable? A. Sweet Potato 6.) Q. What was the last book you read? A. To my kids: The Important Book, to myself: Slow Man 7.) Q. What zodiac sign are you? A. Sagittarius, but I put zero stock in signs 8.) Q. Any tattoo's or piercings? A. Yes, both 9.) Q. Worst habit? A. Never cleaning out my car 10.) Q. If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a...

Last night we finally relented and let W play in his first league basketball game. All I can say (besides what I've already said in this post ) is thank G-d I still do my own athletic endeavors. I'll try to swim and soccer out my tendencies to re-live my competitive youth through my kid (because nothing could be less attractive), with my every dip in the pool and sprint on (my own team's) soccer field, because last night I felt the "Soccer Mom" demon that must live in every doting mother, rumble deep down inside and I never ever want her to get out. I ache inside whenever I think of my kids suffering parental pressure to succeed. I am so lucky my own parents never put one ounce of athletic pressure on me. This preserved my love for sports, and I hope to preserve that love for my sons as well. Today's Workout: *4 x 200 (first 150 of each is free. last 50 of #1 is stroke, #2 is different stroke, #3 is kick, #4 is fast stroke) *2 x 500 free with easy 50 free betw...

Just as Mary Posey (and other MM?) are waking up with sore muscles from competing in a day long Ironman in Arizona, Tim and crew are gearing up for the Boston marathon start (7AM our time) amid wind and rain in a Nor'easter storm that promises a high of less than 50 degrees for the day. I was glad to see that Mary finished the race (I'm never convinced anyone can actually complete one of those things) in a great time of 14.5 hours and with a phenomenal total of $11,000 raised for charity (GO MARY!). As she is luxuriating (or moaning in pain) after her race with (I hope) a late sleep in and some sort of body pampering spa service, the folks listed below are hopping around in freezing weather ready to sprint for 26 miles. I, on the other hand, am just about to hit the pool for a leisurely one hour swim. Today, it's gonna feel easy. Go Boston Marathoners!!!!: Tim Sheeper Mike Osmond Tracy Fujieda Lennard Hackman Greg Johnson Kirsten Kempe

Just a neat watery pic from my trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium this week. Swim on!

Today I was late. I did not do the warm up, I admit. I was wrapped up in writing a post for my other blog at 5:15 AM, which stretched to 5:35 AM, and then I pried myself from the computer. I finished that post later. But it got me thinking, "I wonder what everyone else does in the morning before the 5:45 AM swim." So, what do you do? How long before you have to get into the car do you set your alarm to go off? If you allow wiggle room between the alarm and the drive, what do you do during that "wiggly" time? My alarm goes off at 5:15. I have to get in the car at 5:30 if I want to help with the pool covers. I don't ever want to help with the pool covers. I'm a bitch that way. But, I know I should help with the pool covers, and sometimes I can force myself to actually arrive at 5:40. On those days I pat myself on the back (and let this be an official virtual pat on the back for all of you who do covers regularly. Kudos to you. I'll get better now that I...

My dearest friend's husband, Michael, (who is also my dear friend), is doing his first Ironman this weekend in Arizona . I know a lot of you crazies do these slow death races regularly, and I'm still not sure how. I can't imagine a 9 to 5 working, single (read: time to work out as much as one desires) person training for, traveling to and actually completing a race that takes a full eleven or twelve hours. (Has anyone told you people this is a WHOLE DAY?). So my awe of Michael goes even deeper. He has one-year-old twins that he co-parents (shares nearly all responsibilities with their mommy for), is running his own start up business, and makes time to enable his wife to work out and do things like weekend-trip down to LA to see her dear friends. Did I mention he has been training for an Ironman? There are just some people who have enough positive energy to thrust them through nearly any endeavor they choose to embark on, and Michael is one of them. He's the bomb. As thi...

Well, I left my shiny red suit in the locker room today. Again. Apparently once I order a new suit , I am done with the old. However, during the product shipping time, this leaves me with a little bit of a problem. Good thing I never, ever, throw away a suit until it has hung in my laundry room (much to my husband's dismay) for at least one full year. In other words, I have backups. This is a good thing because I think I'll need another few days of swimming this week before I come down off the sugar high from yesterday's sticky buns, homemade chocolate waffles (yes, my dad does Easter right), Draeger's quiche and little yellow Peeps (which DO add up even though they are a "fat free candy" and look so nice and soft and harmless). They are not harmless. My dad's back yard resembled a park in Amsterdam's biggest coffee house district yesterday afternoon, with various children coming down, quick and harsh, from the effects of the sparkly yellow fluff. This...

Every year, as Easter rolls around, I think of my Grandma Wilson (my mom's mom). Before you get confused, yes, I'm Jewish. But I haven't always been, and my Southern Baptist grandma from Savannah, GA certainly never was. (However, she was the most loving, accepting, altruistic and politically progressive person I've ever known, save her husband, my grandpa, who was her equal. They were not your typical Right Wing Southern Baptists. In fact when I married N, a Jew, and my mother asked my grandpa what he thought about that, he said "Well that's just fine, just fine. Our Lord Jesus Christ was Jewish, and he was a wonderful man." While I wouldn't equate N to Jesus, he is a good guy. And so was my grandpa). Easter was a bigger deal to my grandparents than Christmas ever was. And why not? After all, everybody gets born. Not everybody is reputed to have risen from the dead and saved the souls of all who choose to take Him as their Lord. Never mind that I had...

My boys picked this out at the library last night (how proud was I?) and all four of us watched it with chills of excitement. Having dedicated a good portion of my life to soccer, I couldn't be happier that the kids are interested in the sport, and in women's soccer particularly (especially since they are male). Aside from all the great soccer and inspirational bootstraps story the movie provides, it shows how the women on the team succeeded as some of the most incredible professional athletes ever, while also raising families on the road. This movie will touch you on a "I want to be a rock star just like those girls" level, as well as on a "You go girl" feminist level. This morning my boys woke up and asked to watch Chastain score the winning goal one more time. Never mind that they had devilish little smiles which I knew meant that, specifically, they wanted to see Brandi take off her shirt again. Never mind. W followed up that smile with "Her goal is...

My son threw up all night last night so I didn't make it to the pool this morning (sigh). I've already put in an official request for a swim tomorrow morning. Not sure yet if it has been approved by the husband. Anyway, this morning I had to settle for reading about swimming, which I did, in the new SI that came yesterday. You can read the article here . My favorite quote is from Australia's Libby Lenton (five gold medals, the most of any woman in Melbourne) who had a not-unreasonable suggestion for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing: "To be fair, let's have three teams," she said. "America, Australia and Michael Phelps." Go Mike. If anyone would like to post the workout from today, that'd be swell. Hope to see you tomorrow!

Happy Pesach people. If you non-Jews want to see what Jews do tonight (and last night), instead of Easter (or, in my case, in addition to Easter - I like bunnies and I grew up with candy filled eggs and I'll be damned if I'm giving those up just because I don't believe Jesus rose from the dead), get the story here . Don't worry, religious people scare me too. I promise I am not linking you to an in-depth explanation of why you should convert to Judaism. Speaking of Passover, I'd have liked to pass right over the workout this morning. No-breathing freestyle, butterfly, underwater dolphin kicking and sprint kicking are numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 on my Top 4 "Strokes" I Hate list. But I'm not complaining (much). Frankly I like to mix it up, and hey what about those obstacle course-like workouts we used to do? Pull outs and push ups and egg beaters with arms in the air...I'm ready for another of those mornings. Any other fans? Today's Sedar Swim *warm u...

After leading the first 2/3 of the workout this morning I had to abdicate control and give Emmit his wings. The guy does have "Leadership" tattooed across the back of his neck, so forgive me if I think it's okay to demand that he lead when I'm dying up front. Just before we started off on our 8 x 50's Emmit told me the leadership tattoo was acquired after completing his Masters thesis on the topic, "Leadership Is Art". I'd like to read that. After the 8 x 50's and just before the fast 400 he gave me (as, I can only suppose, salve for my now-drafting ego) my new favorite quote for all future instances when I want to give up the lead at practice: "Too much leadership in one area and you die a martyr." No martyrdom in the pool for me, thanks. More on Emmit's tattoos in future posts. I can't go into more detail about them until I get photos. Today's Workout: *comfy 600 free warm up *not so comfy 2 x 200's followed by a 400 m...