Waterblogged

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