Waterblogged

So I wrote this latest post on SV Moms Blog for this morning and I'm now realizing that maybe the thing is, I'm most at home in the pool so as lots of folks are house-proud and into renovating their homes, I'm real into exactly how the pool looks and feels. Maybe. One thing's for sure, I talk about the temperature of the water to an extent that has got to be annoying for any non-swimmer and also some actual swimmers. Today the pool felt perfect. Yesterday, not so much. *warmup: 175, 150, 125, 100, 75, 50, 25 with last length of each done breast stroke *4 x 50's: breast kick, breast swim, fast free, DPS free repeat 4 times *4 x 150's free with 2 triple pull downs and one length breast kick *4 x 100's same way *100 fast free, 75 recovery, 50 breast kick, 25 underwater, 100 fast free

I have to swim to keep up with my two hoopster boys and the long hours of sports I am forced to play throughout the days. Here's a cute pic of the never-cold kids on the outdoor court with their tank tops on. Meanwhile, I'm still in a parka and Uggs and a sweater to continue defrosting from a morning swim. I am now so exhausted (at 3pm) that I can't remember this morning's workout, but I will say it involved pulling and some limited breathing.

After Xmas Eve's 75 x 100's we like light on the arms, so today's kicking sets were welcome. *warmup: (I missed the instruction but I think it was 3 x 250's) add fins for: *2 x 500's done as: 50 7 count, 100 one arm, 150 3 count, 200 free *2 x 500's done as: 50 fast, 100 7 count, 50 limited breathing, 150 right arm, left arm, 3 count, 50 fast and limited breathing, 100 backstroke *1 x 500's done as: 25 fast, 25 7 count, 25 fast, 50 right arm, 25 fast, 75 left arm, 25 fast, 100 3 count, 25 fast, 125 backstroke

I love fried potatoes. Merge them with sour cream and I can't stop downing them. This is why I love Hanukkah, which started last night. What I don't like is the constant smell of grease in the entire house for eight straight days as a result of cooking them (and that's even if you only cook them on the first night). Swimming is 100% necessary during this eating season. Thank goodness for Tim and his ever-interesting workouts! *warmup: 300, 200 stroke to free, 100 kick, 50 *25 scull, 50 streamline kick, 75 stroke, 100 fast free repeat 3x *100 scull/kick, 2 x 75's IM, 50 slow motion free, 2 x 25's fast free repeat 3x *2x100's fast free

It was cold out this morning but the perfection of the workout took care of my reluctance to be wet and in a bathing suit in 32 degree weather. Long uninterrupted (almost) free. Ahhh. 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100 follow each distance with a strong 50 of free work in a 200 IM and a 200 kick somewhere along the way

Today: great circuit workout. Thank you Tim for all the work you do to get us a fun, non-mundane workout. I wish I could take some of the $1000 my son's school spent on frosting and give you a big white sugary (monetary) bonus, because YOU deserve it. *warmup: 500 free *rest of time: circuits including breast kick, dolphin kick, fly, 25's sprint, 50's hard free, and lots of other fun stuff for five minutes each.

Duh, right? But what non-swimmers don't get is that it feels so GOOD to swim in the rain. The water is warm, the air is cold and the drops are like little gooey splats of inspiration tiptoeing along your bare back as you grind through the lonnnnng free set your coach has thrust upon you. Or at least that's how it was for me. And, rain on your back and warm water on your buoyed tummy feel especially good after you have fallen flat on your ass in a swimsuit before dawn, in front of the entire team. Yes, this morning, after slipping on a leaf while quickly attempting to change directions to listen to the warm-up uncharacteristically being explained under the awning, I fell. It didn't hurt but it wasn't pretty. Nothing sexy about a thirty-something year old mom in a black skull swim cap and red striped Christmas suit splayed on the slippery deck. Anyhoo. The workout: 1000, 800, 600, 400, 300, 200, 100, 75, 50, 25. yup.

Today's workout certainly worked off some of the icing I ingested while helping my kids build these gingerbread mansions. Thank goodness for swimming. *warm up: 3 x 250 *4 x 25's dolphin kick, 4 x 25's fly *4 x 50s' flutter kick, 4 x 50's free repeat with 3's, 2's and 1's (easier said than done) *200 fly with varying breaks at each 25 *4 x 50's fast free

I slept through workout this morning, but at least I woke up with a new niece! It is SO much less painful to get your sibling and his wife to birth a baby for you than to have one yourself. And I get to get right back in the pool tomorrow. Works for me.

Well, my sister-in-law is, and I consider her babies my babies too since she is having the girls for my brother, and I have taken care of the boys. Now that they live down the street in Los Altos, I'm pretty much set with my two boys and two girls-big family. It's nice to have a second set of parents to raise the girls. I'm so clueless when it comes to drama and girlie things - it's probably best that I spend the majority of my time playing tackle football rather than dress up. I think they'll name the baby Sophia, so here is a run-down of "Sophia's Swim" this morning. *warmup: 400 free, 100 back, 100 breast, 100 free, 100 IM add fins for: *5 x 100's kick *200, 225, 250 free on the 3M repeat twice *100, 125, 150 free on the 1:30 repeat twice warm down

It's cold this morning, but at least it isn't sub-40, about to snow, and just before I'm about to start a 5 mile turkey trot as was the case last Saturday in this photo. Jersey trot. Whoohooo! So today we did a lot of "sprint" fist free and sculling, which to me feels a lot like attempting to have sex on a loosely filled water bed. To attempt to sprint while removing the very things that push the water past you and create speed (your palms) is just not efficient, not quickly satisfying. But, I have faith in Tim of course...that these exercises are making me a stronger performer. In the pool of course. *warm up: 3 x 300's free with last 50 of each stroke *25 underwater streamline, 50 fast *2 x 25's kick and scull, 50 fast *3 x 25's half length fist free fast, half length backwards scull, 50 sprint Repeat 3 times *50 fast while doing these four things: a deck-out, a sommersault, a bottom touch (yes, I asked Gary if I could simply touch his), and a stroke...

Still on the East Coast. Here is a light dusting of snow that we treated like real Californians - went out and tested it with bare feet. I just cannot wait to get back to the pool!

Oh how I wish I was near the pool and just finished swimming the 50 x 100's. But alas, I am in New Jersey with in-laws. I went for a walk this morning. It was cold. I love California. And for Thanksgiving I am thankful that you will all forgive me for this two week hiatus from blogging about the chlorinated heaven we all love to inhabit. Busy times, surrounding holidays. I'll be back in action mid-week next week hurrah!

You know when Tim gets all into making us better swimmers? Usually I dislike that, as drills slow down my continuous long-free high. But today was one of those days when you actually get a tip that makes everything feel smoother. Thanks Tim for the backstroke help! *warmup: 250 (one length back), 200 (2 back), 150 (3 back), 100 (all back) *4 x 25's back drill (half length tap palm, half length "wave" drill) *50 fast free repeat three times but second round use 100 free, third round use 200 free add fins for: *2 x 25's back drill, 100 fast free, 100 fast back *2 x 50's back drill, 100 fast free, 100 fast back *2 x 100's back drill, 100 fast free, 100 fast back *I am blanking on the rest but I know it was more fast 100's and 200's of free and back, and back drill. Enjoy!

*warm up: 400 free moderate, 200 free stronger *dolphin kick: 75, 50, 25 *one arm fly: 75, 50, 25 *regular fly: 75, 50, 25 *12 x 50's free focusing on underwater off-the-wall work *12 x 25's fly *6 x 75's: fly, fast free, recovery *300 free warmdown focus on wall work

Another Saturday, another weekend filled with crazed activity. Real quick - here's the general workout from today: short, mixed stroke, mixed-up lanes, sprinting with fins. There ya go!

Dear PRESIDENT-elect Obama (woot woot!), I know you have some serious stuff to fix and you have a lot on your plate. What you may not know is that there are some swimmers in Menlo Park, California who need their pool heater fixed STAT. If there's anything you can do, please, do it quick. And Tim, though you didn't win a major historical election yesterday, this morning you won my eternal respect for keeping us moving through those waters. *warmup: bunch of free with couple stroke laps in there *5 x 300's: odd ones with 50's done fast/moderate, evens with 50's done moderate/stroke *3 x 300's broken at 75: 1 done as first and last 75 fast free 1 done as uhhhhh, brain freeze...can't remember 1 done as middle length of each 75 stroke in IM order jump in warm pool.

After you swim, swim, swim today. Yesterday was one of those workouts that just made me want to scream YES! in the middle of it...great long free pyramid in the near-rainy dark. Whooohooo! I see long free on the schedule again for this morning (it's currently 3:47 AM) and I'm hoping for another Whooohooo! just before I meet my crew at the polls at 7:15. Today should be a big, big day. Enjoy it!

I love Halloween. Long continuous freestyle, costumes, and then counting your candy in a pantless, sugar induced stupor. What could be better?

Becky Lavelle lives down the road in Los Gatos. She was an alternate on the 2008 Beijing Olympics Tri Team, and in 2007 she lost her twin sister and nephew to perinatal mood disorder, and has started an amazing organization called Jenny's Light . I wrote a post about it on SV Moms yesterday, and I wanted to post it here because we have so many swimmers who are new moms or about to give birth. Thank goodness we have the swimming to relieve some of the stress :) but sometimes that simply isn't enough... workout: *warmup: 6x150's free with last lap fly *75 dolphin kick (25 back, 25 side, 25 belly) *75 fly, free, fly repeat 6 times (total of 12 75's). first two of 6 rounds without fins, last 4 of 6 with fins *4 x 25's with one swimmer sprinting finless free, other swimmer chasing with fins/fly 4 seconds behind *100 easy *50 fly/breast repeat 4 times switching chaser each time.

One of my dearest friends did a gorgeous and well-run triathlon this past weekend in Marin. But, he had a near-death experience while attempting to round a buoy in a seriously strong current. So many of us do open water swims, with these buoys that are the size of Volkswagon buses. (I think race directors should make certain that there is a kayak by each buoy now, knowing what can happen). My friend's story was a good reminder for me to avoid getting stuck near a buoy (as I usually cut that turn super close to minimize my swim time), as well as to appreciate how dangerous the races we do are, in general, and to always be physically prepared when I go into a race. My friend is in top physical shape, does Ironman races and all that crazy stuff lots of y'all do :). I am so thankful he is in such great shape: he needed it to save himself yesterday. I'm sharing his story below because I think it is an eye opener for all of us open water swimmers! *** As I approached the 2nd buoy...

I am on a desperate search to find the sneaky person who somehow keeps flipping off the pool heater at night. I will hunt them down and hold them in a large bucket of ice for one full hour if I can find them. Let's hope I don't. The chilly workout today included: *warmup: 200 free, 2 x 25's choice repeat 3x *50 kick, 25 catch-up, 25 scull, 1 x 100 free fast broken at 25 *50 kick, 25 catch-up, 25 scull, 2 x 100 free fast broken at 25 *50 kick, 25 catch-up, 25 scull, 3 x 100 free fast broken at 25 *25 no breather, 50 float, 25 feet first scull, 2 x 100's fast broken at 25 repeat 2x *3 x 100's free

On Sunday I ran a half marathon with my two best friends (so of course today was a fin day). I highly recommend the Nike race (and racing with your two best friends). I was shocked to find myself actually getting teary eyed with sentimentality as we all set off to jog through the most gorgeous course I've ever run. The tears had nothing to do with the joy of running (I suck), and a lot to do with the happy-sad feeling of seeing all the athletes with "In memory of" signs - tributes to kids and other loved ones who had died of cancer (the cure for which the race benefited), with feeling heart-sick for them and joyful for myself...for the luck and happiness I have with my own two healthy kiddos and these two dear friends I've had for twenty-five years. I am so very, very lucky. today's workout. *warmup with 2 x 150's and 4 x 75's free add fins for: 2 x 100's kick, 4 x 50's fast kick 4 x 300's with fins. quick swims, long rest 6 x 50's free wit...

This morning when I got out of the shower my watchdogs (those that had exited the shower before me) alerted me that some random lap swimmer had perused my swim basket and filled up her own plastic shampoo container with MY coconut milk shampoo! Far from making me angry, this has been making me laugh all morning. I am constantly surprised by the ballsy things people do/think they have the right to do. At a certain point it just becomes funny. Like when someone shops your personal toiletry bucket for shampoo then helps themselves to copious quantities of it in front of a whole gang of fellow swimmers. Hilarious. I guess it's only funny because my shampoo is so damn cheap. And because I was high from the awesome workout: *warmup: 6 x 100's free *100, 200, 300, 400, 400, 300, 200, 100: descend up then down *3 x 200's free descending Shampoo thief or no, that was a feel-good workout.

Today is Yom Kippur and I am fasting, except of course, for my Borrone coffee after swim practice (some sacrifices are simply barbaric and going without my Americano is one of them). This whole fasting (and frankly, whole religious practice) thing has just never really spiritually gelled for me (let's be honest, I'm not sure there is a God), but I do like Yom Kippur "fasting" if for no other reason then for a sort of "Juice Fast Cleansing" sort of a day. And of course, I think it's always good to go without food for a day to remind ourselves of what so many people do not have. (Also the five or so bagels loaded with cream cheese and lox at the end of the day don't taste bad). Back to the swimming: *warmup: 400 free, 2 x 100's stroke and kick big set with paddles: *800 done with 200 repeating pattern of 50's (3 count, limited breathing, build and fast) *2 x 100's quick *600 *2 x 100's quick *400 *2 x 100's quick remove paddles for:...

*warmup: 250 free, 150 free to stroke *200 free fast, 4 x 25's breast, 100 IM mellow *200 free mellow, 4 x 25's fly, 100 IM fast *200 free fast, 4 x 25's back mellow, 100 IM fast *4 x 100's IM: fast to easy, easy to fast, all easy, all fast *4 x 100's free: fast to easy, easy to fast, all easy, all fast *4 x 25's to finish

This movement is sweeping the nation. Go Tim ! There's an effort to elect an unknown random person as President... and it's someone we know! Watch this online video about the surprising new nominee:

Off to play a soccer game this Sunday AM, where I hope THIS won't happen.

Just a good clean swim to start the weekend: *warmup: 400, 2 x 100, 2 x 50, 2 x 25, all free *5 x 200's free best average swim *6 x 100's free best possible interval *7 x 50's free odd ones fast *8 x 25's free all fast *250 free first half light touch, second half 3 count

The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo .

*warmup: 125 free, 25 breast, 125 free, 50 breast, 125 free, 75 breast, 125 free, 100 breast *8 x 50's breast odd with buoy even without *8 x 50's free odd with single paddle sculling, even without *100, 75, 50, 25, 25, 50, 75, 100 descending on way down, ascending on way up *4 x 100's breast done as 25 3-count, 25 double kick, 50 swim

Monday morning: sore all over from first co-ed soccer game of the season yesterday, sleepless from a 3AM bed wetting accident (my son's not mine), and THEN a workout full of fin kicking. Jumping into the week big time. *warmup: 600 free, 400 free with every 4th length kick *500 fin kick done as easy to hard rotation *lots of sprints I can't recount (I was cold and aching)

This morning's workout was one of those I just love. Drafting and long yards. Yay! Speaking of things I love: books. Bill Dawson just passed along another MM book list to me and I'm sharing it here. This one is Mark Simon's and here are his favorite reads! Lonesome Dove – Larry McMurtry The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald Hardball – The Way the Game of Politics is Really Played – Chris Matthews Mornings on Horseback – David McCullough The Maltese Falcon – Dashiell Hammett And now, the workout: *warmup with 500 easy, 300 swim to drill, 100 "crisp" (thanks to my lane mate for mentioning Krispy Kremes right at that moment so that for the ENTIRE workout I was thinking about donuts). *600 drafting and changing leaders by 200 *900 drafting and changing leaders by 150 *1200 drafting and changing leaders by 100

20 mile channel swim? No problem. Check out Mike's story .

If you swam this morning you saw two cameramen. Yup, my new job is moving along and we're producing a web show that is integrated with a super cool site and user generated content (called JuiceBoxJungle), and today we were covering parents who get exercise into their crazy daily schedules (which is all of us MMasters who have kids!). The show will air in January but I promise to share a clip as soon as I get it. Thanks to everyone for being "extras"! And crap! Kicking? Here is my one shot to be filmed and Tim creates a workout specifically designed to make me look incredibly slow and ungainly. Ah well. *warmup: 300 free, 100 kick, 200 faster free *lots of kicking kicking kicking spotted with freestyle

If you're not for Obama after last night, don't tell me. I don't want to have to grab your feet in the pool and hold you under until you come over to the bright side. If you didn't see the speech - this important moment in history for all Americans - go here and watch it now. And then go swim at noon for some good old fashioned American butterfly.

Because I still haven't fully recovered from the Alcatraz swim/run last weekend. What's the deal - it's been four days - shouldn't I feel no more pain? Maybe, but I'm still dragging, which only makes me more obsessed with Dara and Michael. How in the world do they recover from those swims...at his level of racing and at her age? *warm up: 200 free, 100 back, 100 breast repeat *2 x 150's free followed by 4 x 25's in IM order *2 x 100's free followed by 4 x 25's in IM order *2 x 50's free followed by 4 x 25's in IM order *the dreaded 3 x 200's IM for time *600 done as 2 lengths free, 1 length stroke glide

...is that when you wake up the next morning for swim practice you KNOW it's going to be easier than jumping into this.

Hey Friends, it’s Judy Strauss. I’ve recently become a volunteer with Swim Across America (SAA). SAA is a national non-profit organization that raises funds for cancer research programs in major cities from coast to coast through high profile swimming events. In the Bay Area the funds raised go directly to the UCSF Children’s Cancer Survivorship Program and to Children’s Hospital Oakland. ( ~83% of the funds raised go directly to the designated beneficiaries.) There are two events in the Bay Area this fall. One is next month and it’s a pool event. Here is how it works; groups of people agree to raise money and collectively swim 3000 miles, the distance from coast to coast. The event is all month long. You can have as many people contributing miles as you wish. Each person is asked to raise a minimum of $50. The other event is a bay swim on October 18. The participants will be dropped off of a ferry boat at the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, then swim about 1.5 miles to Crissy F...

Here's a poster. Hell, I might hang it on my wall. Today's workout: *warm up: 6 x 100's free followed by IM order 25's *fin kick: 3 x 50's flutter, 2 x 50's dolphin repeat twice *without fins: 300 free, 100 IM *with fins: 300 free, 100 IM repeat three times *without fins: 3 x 100 IMs

So I've got the big Alcatraz triathlon coming up this weekend (thank G-d I'm doing it as a relay and only have to do the swim and the 2.5 mile run to the bike), and I guess I'm off my game since Phelpsi finished kicking the rest of the world's ass because I slept through my alarm yesterday and then when I tried to slip in a nooner the pool was closed. This morning the stars aligned to get me a swim so that I won't drown in the Bay. And here it was: *warm up: 300 free, 2 x 25's fly, 200 free, 2 x 25's fly, 100 free, 2 x 25's fly. wonder how in the hell those Olympians do the 200 fly so fast. I can barely get my arms out of the water after a fly warmup. *8 x 100 free on the 1:30 (lotsa rest) *8 x 100 free on the 1:30 broken at 50 for 5 sec *3 x 50 fly on the minute (lotsa rest) *3 x 50 fly on the minute broken at 25 for 5 sec *100 done as 50 free, 25 fly, 25 free repeat

What more can we say about Michael Phelps? I feel like I should be talking about his accomplishments in some big way, but how can I add to the already crowded MP fan club that the Internet has become in the last week? People everywhere are writing about him , his mom and sisters , how his mom raised this phenom, his training practices, etc. But here's my question. He seems pretty into that music he's always listening to. So what is it? I recently wrote a post about my music habits (and my kids') on SV Moms Blog and I'm pleased to see today that I'm listening to the right stuff to win some gold bling. Here's what Michael says about his music (found in some obscure article I googled): "I have walked out to race with my headphones on throughout my whole career and listen to music until the last possible moment. It helps me to relax and get into my own little world. What do I listen to? Eminem is great [Phelps had Eminen's 'Till I Collapse' playi...

So was Michael Phelps. Great post and related articles about Michael as a kid and how his mom treated him right and got his energy focused on something positive.

*warmup: some combo of free and back (missed most of it due to Olympic viewing) *3 x 200's free, 3 x 100's back repeat twice *200 free broken at 50 *100 back *200 free broken at 25 should be hot this afternoon - enjoy your lunchtime swims!

I fell asleep last night just before THE relay. Anyone who missed it should check it out here immediately. Just watched it and I'm nearly in tears. Today we did short stuff with fins. I think that sums it up.

Well, I wasn't sure whether to bust a link to this out, up in here, but the ladies in the locker room this morning insisted. Caused a mini controversy there in the mom space. Funny eh? This morning's workout: *warm up with: 200 free, 100 breat, 50 kick repeat twice *4 x 100's free *4 x 100's free with breast pulldown on each wall *4 x 100's breast *4 x 100's free with breast pulldown on each wall *3 x 200's free

Simply put, by a fellow MM who sent me this image and the story that goes with it. 'Nuff said.

I've finally set myself up on Flickr, and I'm adding swim pics as quickly as I can. Scroll down and check it out. Gary, I'm sorry, I just couldn't NOT add at least one headshot of you from your modeling days. Okay so I originally published this post at around 8 this morning. Since then, I got a great email from Wallace, so I'm republishing to include it. This is why I love my lane. *** Sarah, Richard Petty: "I need to pit. I have been pulling Wallace around this track since this race started and ain't got no gas left. Let him lead the rest of this. I need new front tires, two turns of wedge on the right side and a fuel topper." Crew Chief: "The King's gonna pit. Rusty, bring it home." Rusty Wallace: "I need to pit. I have been chasing Petty around this track since the race started and ain't got no gas left. Rear tires are way loose, and I need a fuel topper." Crew Chief: "Drivers..." A NASCAR interpretation of ...

You just have to read this book . Nothing to do with swimming. Lots about sex in Menlo Park. Today's workout: *warmup with a smooth 6 (600 free) add fins for: *4 x 300's with increasing # of laps done as kick (2,4 then 2,4,6 then 2,4,6,8) *2 x 400's with streamline to 3rd blue line, then 4th remove fins for: *4 x 250's done by 50's as: free, catch-up with strong kick, free, kick, free

So my son turned 4 this weekend, and we had a party and all on Sunday. But I was thrilled to see that what he really truly loved was still the simple things. He was never happier than the day (Friday) he received 10 cards in the mail from Grandpa, and then followed that up with the best gift ever: ice cream sundae making fixin's brought over by his and Wilson's best friend Oliver. Ice cream sundaes are infinitely better gifts than plastic Power Rangers IMHO. And today's workout: *Warm up I just followed. Was late. Party hangover. *2 x 300's, 2 x 100's, 2 x 250's, 2 x 100's, 2 x 200's, 2 x 100's phew (with paddles) *75 DPS, 50 fast, 25 back recovery repeat twice

Yesterday we said goodbye to a couch we'd had, jumped on, slept on, peed on (not me of course), snuggled on and just plain lived on for ten years. Building Futures Now needed a couch for a family, and we were looking to replace this one just for kicks, so Noah and I hoisted it out of our family room and into the driveway yesterday morning after I slept through practice. Tim picked it up in a Suburban, and now someone else has our couch. May it be as well-loved as it was here! Incidentally, here's what I love about Tim as a coach and a human being (aside from his swim-studliness of course): he picked up the couch. He got Menlo Masters into this whole Building Futures Now thing with a huge heart aimed at helping EPA kids and families, and he is still willing to spend the middle of his day driving around picking up donation items. Most organizers of huge efforts such as BFN would delegate and send an email to the team "Anyone have time to deliver...?" Instead he does it...

If I have to be back at work and workout, at least it kicked off with one of my favorites. *warmup: 3 x 250's free, natural descent *straight 1,000 done as: 250, 50, 200, 50, 150, 50, 100, 50, 50, 50 (50's backstroke, other freestyle) Repeat 2x *4 x 100's descending, each with a 50 fast afterwards 100's on the 1:30; 50's on the 45 *200 warm down

This morning I swam with a fish that changed my opinion of purple. I hate purple. Or hated. When I see purple I think of my bedroom during my eleventh year: a disgusting display of pre-teen pastels, unicorns, rainbows and a big life-sized poster of Bon Jovi. The Bon Jovi part was at least tasteful in a retro hip kind of way. But purple. Yuck. Words like whimsical and magical flash by my brain when I see it--words I don't like. But this fish...this fish was like an electric technicolor kaleidoscope. No pastel rainbows about it. And it swam with me until I stopped, mid-stroke, just to look. Then it swam away. Done with me. Then other fun fishies surrounded me. One with pink lipstick. One with some sort of Chanel-looking makeover mistake that turned into a gorgeous shmear across its body. Aloha to the fishies. I'm off on a red eye flight back home tonight. Mahalo.

Here's my son's version of swim workout here in Ko'Olina. I'm off to do mine. Hope you are all enjoying the pool, and to be honest I can't wait to get back so my mouth won't be puckered up like a raisin after my workouts (but that plus Tim's stellar workouts will be the only plus of being back :).

So. Here I am in paradise. It would be so even if there weren't four man made lagoons like this one, restricted for swimming only, all in a line with beautiful grass in between then for running. But, that exists here too, so, I'm in heaven. I will bet my life that my workout this morning beats yours, even if you did long freestyle back at home :) *warm up: stretch on the beach to attempt to work out the coco loco drinks consumed last night. *cross one lagoon - jump out run to next lagoon. repeat four times. *do laps across lagoon #3 for 20 minutes, with push-ups at each end. *have coffee and go decorate coconuts with the kids to send back home

Okay obviously these are images of our "better swimmer selves", Michael Phelps, Amanda Beard (check out the not-oft-seen dragon tattoo!), Aaron Piersol, Ryan Lochte (he and Phelps are in perfect, what I like to call "David and Gary form" there), and Dara Torres, but we can dream right? It's just so cool that they are working out down the street. These are pics from last Saturday, courtesy of Peter. Thanks Peter! Today's workout: *warmup: 5 x 125's free with last 25 kick add fins for: *12 x 50's decreasing by 5 seconds after each 3 *2 x 100's fast free followed by 3 x 50's (back, stroke, whatever) repeat 3 times *I strongly believe there is more I am not remembering but it did involve fins, all of it!

p.s. (pre-script in this case: Fave My Blog with the green button on the right, por favor!) I'm off to Hawaii tomorrow night for a much needed vacation (albeit WITH kids :) and it's a good thing. I'm still sore from last Friday's deck-out extravaganza and I'm looking forward to swimming with the more laid back Hawaiians (such as my step-dad and his family pictured above) for a bit, in water that looks like seaglass. Especially after today's sprints. Oy! *warmup: 400 free, 100 kick, 100 drill, 100 IM *100 broken at the 50 fast, 150 chill, 50 broken at the 25 fast repeat 3 x *5 x 100's: streamline for 4 blue lines, kick for 4, sprint for 4, sprint full broken at 25, chill repeat 2 x *final fast 100

I think Haim suggested this a few days ago, and Texido just sent me the link as well. Hey, lots of us own Priuses (or is that Prius') and as good as Tim is at swim clinics, it would be totally freaking cool to have a piece of female Olympic history there to give us tips (let's face it, if we win we'll just have a post-Olympic party with her at the pool, no?). I'll bring the beer. Anyway, click here to get us some votes. Here's what I put in: "We are a team of mostly Prius-owning parents :) that does much more than just swim. Our coach Tim Sheeper is a world-class triathlete who has spearheaded numerous community outreach programs and who keeps us all inspired every day, in the pool and out. We think Dara would love our club, and we all look up to Dara." You can just write "we want to win" in your comment post if you want of course.

Check out the story on Eric Shanteau here . Yet another American swimmer going to Beijing to beat all the odds.

So yesterday we did those deck-outs and minute-long push-ups and band pulls to make us look very toned and fast and this morning not only was I sore and struggling to complete a full freestyle arm rotation but my brain could not retain more than one set element at a time. I have therefore concluded that deck work is hazardous to our mental health and should be eliminated from all future workouts. On a less serious note, I've been meaning to tell the crew that my current swimsuit is on sale at PA Toy and Sport for $35. It's a Speedo FlipTurn and I love it. I mention it because I have gotten quite a few compliments, not because I think everyone wants to wear the same suit as me. Today's workout: *warm up: 250 free, 150 kick, 250 pull, 150 stroke *4 x 25's done as fast kick for 12.5 then fist free *2 x 50's first 50 fast, second 50 recovery *2 x 100's first 100 fast (broken at the 25 for 5), second 100 recovery repeat 2 times *100 fast, 25 easy back, 75 swim drill ...

So last night I took three fired up little boys to see the USA v. AUS water polo match at Stanford. I called three times during the week to inquire about tickets which didn't seem orderable online. The peeps there assured me there would be tickets at the door. In my normal anally on-time fashion I arrived an hour early...to a sold out game. Many tears (not mine, I swear) and an hour of people watching (this was like a gathering of the Valley's most toned, bronzed swim obsessed folk so it wasn't hard to watch) later, Ryan Lochte emerged from the gates of the pool, clearly fresh out of his work-out and ready to eat. If this guy isn't washing all of his shirts on his stomach then his Maytag is doing unnecessary work. Even amid all the swimmercandy on campus last night, Lochte (shirtless, thank you Ryan!) looked like some sort of past-age prince of the pool. I know he's 24 and I'm not and all but if Dara can still swim in the Olympics at 41 I can still drool over Ol...

After a week of inspiring Olympic swim trials and feeling like "hey, if Dara can train that hard for 30+ years, I can make a simple swim practice" I'm tired. And today's workout helped push me over the tired edge. As I said when asked if I wanted to go ahead of another swimmer this morning: "I'm barely still in the pool." *warmup: no idea - just followed the dude in front of me *pyramid from H*ll: 200, 300, 400, 500, 400, 300, 200 (usually one of my favorite sets but today? Not so much). *less H*llish pyramid: 25, 50, 75, 100, 100, 75, 50, 25 COFFEE

Happy 4th Dara! Wow. Read her story and be inspired!

So, all this time, since Peter has completed the first ever successful double crossing of the Maui channel (10 mile stretch between Maui and Lanai), I've been unaware that the Peter in my lane is the MAUI PETER. For nearly a month I've been seeing this guy, who has set a world record, in his Speedo, practically naked, pre-dawn, and what have I been saying to him? Not "Holy crap, you did it! Way to go! I'm so jealouswishIcoulddothat" but, "You want to lead or me?" and "Leave on the 30?" and "Okay, later that's a rap." Lanshin finally enlightened me yesterday, just in time to hear that famous L2 boy is moving to San Diego. Great. Just as I find out I'm rubbing shoulders (or crashing paddles) with a world class open water swimmer, he preps to leave. If I had just known his last name, I could have enjoyed my proximity to greatness longer. So, I'm instituting a last name "make sure you know who you're swimming with...

Since last Wednesday I've been wanting to write down the workouts, plus a few other things, and just not getting to it. Time waits for no man, and as I like to say...it runs like hell from every mommy. Anyway, I'm the proud mommy of two newly made racers. The boys did their first running race in Sunriver Oregon this past weekend - part of the Pacific Crest Triathlon weekend. Phew, I did the 5K and boy was I glad I wasn't doing the Half Ironman. It was hot hot hot, and hard enough to get through the little run in order to jump in the river afterwards. This river swimming is just about as good as it gets in life for me, and we played, mudslide surfed, skipped rocks and did swim challenges in cold water for three heavenly days. We drove the 8.5 hours home very dirty and tired, and I am still ranking this trip very high on my list to do again. If you haven't been here, go soon. Still, a good old fashioned pulling workout in a pool felt pretty good today. Rivers are refreshi...

So, we're off to Sun River Oregon this weekend which should be gorgeous, and the Pacific Crest Tri happens to be happening there this weekend. Of course, I learned about it way too late to train for it, so instead I'll be running the 5K and salivating over the river swim. But, my six-year-old will be running his first race as well, and that promises to be a photo finish. Can't wait. Today's workout: *warm up: 250 free, 2 x 50's breaststroke kick repeat twice *2 x 25's high elbow, 1 x 200 free moderate *2 x 25's high elbow, 2 x 200 free harder *2 x 25's high elbow, 3 x 200 free fast *2 x 50's; 25, 50, 75; 2 x 50's breaststroke kick *4 x 25's fast free, one 50 breaststroke kick recovery repeat 2x

...is, of course, immeasurable. And, my mom and step-dad's value increases exponentially on days like yesterday. They arrived mid-day after I'd spent the morning doing the reluctant first drop off at summer camp for one kid, followed by a multiple hour long butts up tourney (if you haven't played butts up yet, you're in for a treat. I promise to post the rules soon.) with my youngest and a few neighbors I agreed to watch. Sure, I love taking a morning with the kids, but by noontime on my non-swim-morning days, the pool beckons. I missed the noon workout and thus scooted over to crank out 3,000 yards on my own in 45 minutes. Boring as hell, but efficient to say the least. Next time you need a self-imposed workout, try this one, as it seemed to fly by painlessly: *warmup: 500 free *600 free done as 100 free/stroke, 100 drill, 100 basic swim (repeat twice) *2 x 300's free descending by 100 *400 free, done as 100 free/stroke, 100 basic (repeat twice) *2 x 200's free...

I wasn't able to attend the official dive clinic Tim set up but luckily Mike Texido put on his own dive clinic at the meet last Saturday. This photo was from the front page of the Palo Alto Weekly. The meet was such a great success - incredibly well run and FUN. Major kudos to Judy and everyone involved in pulling it off! Yesterday we had a nice leisurely "recovery" Sunday practice, and today we were back to normal long hard sets. Yay. *warm up: 400 free, 2 x 50's kick, 2 x 50's stroke, 2 x 50's fast free *3 x 200's descending 1-3 repeat 3 times *2 x 100's descending 1-2 repeat 2 times

Back in the pool with injured toe just in time for a taper for this weekend's meet. I'm really looking forward to sucking wind in the 400 free. If you are racing against me, have mercy. My kids are watching. Today's workout: *warm up: 400 free, 100 back, 200 free *50 breast, 100 free repeat 6 times, first 3 without fins, second 3 with fins (or fin if you have a sliced open toe like me) *200 IM kick, 50 breast (? not sure I'm remembering this one correctly - I get hypoxic after IM kicking with one fin), 50 free repeat two times *100 fly (broken at 25), something, something

I approached the pool with great excitement this past Sunday morning - my hubby had been gone for half a week and after no spare time to swim (without kids) I was desperately needing a work out. I guess that explains my overanxious early arrival at the pool, and thus unavoidable participation in pool uncovering. Bad move. On the last cover we had to remove I stupidly stood right in front of the sharp little bugger of a thing that one screws into the ground to keep the roller stationary just as Peter gave the roller a good shove toward the next lane. My toe sliced open like a fresh bagel in a bagel slicer, and that was that. I'm out for a week (doctor says) but at least now I've had my tetanus shot updated. I'm dying just being out of the pool for a week - how do people live without swimming I ask you?

Well, I know members of Team Sheeper are off to Hawaii for the Half-Ironman, and I wish them good luck. In solidarity with the team I participated in too many 200's with pull gear on this morning. Consider that my official good luck send-off! *warm up: 100 free, 25 stroke, 100 free, 25 kick repeat 3 times *4 x 200's pull (on fairly loose interval) 100 easy *4 x 200's pull (reduce interval by 5 sec) 100 easy *4 x 200's pull (reduce interval by 5 sec again) 100 easy

Pshaw! to those who didn't show up for yesterday's duathlon. You missed something I've always wanted to see - a bunch of drenched men running barefoot (mostly) through Burgess Park with Speedos on. I've also always wanted to see someone race in one of those old time flowered caps, and I was able to check that off my list as well yesterday. Flowered caps look best on tattooed men, FYI.

Well, we did 3 x 200 IM's today but that wasn't the hard part. Yikes. *warm up: 4 x 150's free with last 50 stroke *4 x 200's free on *tight* interval with the following "caveats": 2 lengths begun with 7 underwater dolphin kicks on back, 2 lengths begun with 7 underwater dolphin kicks on tummy, 2 lengths begun with 2 breaststroke pull-downs. Yes, this was the hard part. Seriously? Hardest thing I've done all year. *4 x 100's easy free (feel the anticipation of something nasty to come) *3 x 200 IM's fast (something nasty) *3 x 25's choice, 2 by 50's transition, 1 75 fast

From time to time, my best and oldest friend Debbie visits from Central CA. Sometimes she comes for the weekend, and sometimes she is just passing through to or from SFO on her way to or from one of her many trips. Always, she comes to stay and swim with me. Often we only see each other on the ride to the pool and for coffee afterwards (she needs to get home to her kids and work, and me to mine), but knowing she is there in the water with me, a few lanes away, suspended in the same pool of people after all these years of our lives together, is, like, spiritual. We met when we were twelve, and now, rounding the corners toward 40, we are still like sisters. Being together feels like being at home, and I am infinitely grateful that we share so much, including swimming. I am also infinitely grateful to Tim and all my teammates for welcoming her every time she comes. Her visits and our swims together are a part of my life I could not do without. And now, the workout (which was not as good, ...

If for no other reason, than to allow your kids to see you loose gracefully and cheerfully, like me here in this photo at our last meet :). You may have to be persistent, as the online meet sign ups didn't actually allow me to process my registration, but I'm going to keep trying (400 Free whooohooo!). Speaking of whoohoooo, today's workout was: 500 warm-up with 1 length fly, 1 length breast, 1 length back 1000 with 10th length fly, 20th length back, 30th length breast 800 with same pattern by 8's 600 with same pattern by 6's and finally, 6 x 100's fast with one length stroke

Okay, yes, I was impressed with myself and the whole crew this morning when we knocked down multiple 500's, 400's, 300's, 200's and 100's (and a 600 warm up!) with paddles to total 3600 yards. But, more impressive even...are the team's results from Nationals (Jana - give someone else in your age group a CHANCE will ya?) and Wildflower. I have the results from Nationals below, and aside from knowing that Kelly Couch was fourth female overall (WOW) with a time of 4 hour and 45 minutes, Wildflower results are on their way. 2008 USMS Short Course Nationals =========================================================================== Pl Name Age Club Seed Time Final Time Points =========================================================================== Women 45-49 200 Freestyle 1 Matena, Jana 45 MELO 2:01.41 1:58.79 11.00 27.40 57.36(29.96) 1:28.10(30.74) 1:58.79(30.69) Women 45-...

Go swim today. Love it! *warmup: 400 done as 50 free then 50 back to breast, repeated 4 times *500 free, 5 x 100's free repeat 2x, improving second round *3 x 100's done as 100 broken IM, 100 strong IM, 100 comfy free repeat 3x

Okay people, Tim has sufficiently pumped us all up for the Blue v. Gold meet tomorrow morning...and I think I will have my kids paint their faces blue for support of MY team. Kidding. But I think Tim should paint his face half blue and half gold just so we can be sure he's unbiased and isn't unfairly helping Gold (after all, Sheeper begins with S). As always with these meets, I'm already nervous I won't get enough of a workout, so I'll be there at 6 to do my normal thang. Also I have to leave by 7:30 because I have a hair hilight appointment. Priorities. I'm hoping I can help Blue out enough in those 45 minutes to earn my keep. Go Blue! Today's general workout: *warmup: some free, some back (i was late) *75 free, slow medium fast by 25; 50 stroke with last 12 yds fast; 25 kick with first 12 yds fast repeat 4 times *50 stroke with last 12 yds fast; 25 kick with first 12 yds fast repeat 4 times *25 kick with first 12 yds fast repeat 4 times add fins for: *200 ...

Well, Haim posted this article by Tim in a comment to a previous post, but I've decided it deserves a full posting (followed by a workout of course). Today's workout: *warmup: 4 x 175's free *8 x 25's kick split the pool between the Blue Team (last names A-L) and Gold Team (last names M-Z who have decided to be cocky as all hell and create a tagline: "Blue is a color. Gold is our attitude.") Pshaw! Go Big Blue. Anyhoo... Race to see which side finishes first Team Blue: 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 with paddles Team Gold: 500, 400, 300, 200, 100 with paddles Winner: Blue Easy 250 with stroke Race between teams again Lane 1-3 Swimmers: 4 x 100's Lane 4-6 Swimmers: 3 x 100's Winner: Gold (of course, it was just a small set at the end. The Gold folks are able to "attitude" their way through something like that). Did I mention I'm a last name starts with A-L person?