Apples and Honey

Today I'll be celebrating Rosh Hashanah with my kids home from school, a trip to Stanford's Hillel services to hear the shofar blow, and hopefully a large stack of apple and cinnamon pancakes with honey dripping off of them (to usher in a sweet new year). I don't do much religious stuff, and I certainly don't know what I believe in (aside from the pool as the highest temple of worship), but I love holidays (and good long swims, which we had this morning).

For all of you who wonder why there are a few Jews missing from work or school today, here's a little tutorial. Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "head of the year" or "first of the year." Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. This name is somewhat deceptive, because there is little similarity between Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year, and the American midnight drinking bash and daytime football game.

There is, however, one important similarity between the Jewish New Year and the American one: Many Americans use the New Year as a time to plan a better life, making "resolutions." Likewise, the Jewish New Year is a time to begin introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year (like the mornings you slept through workout) and planning the changes to make in the new year (like making more morning workouts). These holidays are always so great for me because they remind me that I really have NO resolutions to make. I am so lucky to feel that I live my life daily the way I want to, and have little to repent for (IMHO) or plan to change. For that I credit a lot of things and people, including SWIMMING and the positive mojo I gain from our team. So, thank you. If only the coming year is as sweet as the last for me, I'll be more than blessed.

Happy New Year!

workout:

*warm up with:
300 free followed by 50 DPS
200 free followed by 50 DPS
100 free followed by 50 DPS

add pulling gear for:

*500 free straight followed by 100 DPS
*500 free broken for 15 at the 250 followed by max speed 100 free
*500 free broken somewhere we missed for 5 seconds followed by 100 DPS

*5 x 100's free descending
*100 back easy

remove pulling gear for:

*4 x 50's free holding pace and stroke count
*50 back to finish