Waterblogged

So, as my best friend was completing the Lavaman in Hawaii this weekend , I was in bed with a fever. Fun times! I'm fine now, but it sure makes a pull set more difficult. Alas, I'm back in the water, and my kids posed unprompted for a photo on the way to school. All good. *warmup: 200 free, 50 fast free, 50 stroke repeat 3x add pull gear for: *2 x 150's moderate, 100 fast, 50 easy *2 x 150's moderate, 2 x 100 fast, 50 easy *2 x 150's moderate, 3 x 100 fast, 50 easy *100, 1 x 50 fast *100, 2 x 50 fast *100, 3 x 50 fast

Oddly, just an hour later, all I can remember is the main set. Here goes: 100 IM, 2x75's free, 3x50's IM transitions, 4x25's anything you want, 3x50's IM transition, 2x75's free, 100 IM After each swim, vertical kick with hands in the air until last person arrives. Then continue vertical kicking as a "family of kickers" (nice term, Tim) for an extra 10 seconds before shoving off. Enjoy!

Welcome to the week, with paddles and all. *warm up: 3 x 150, 2 x 100, 1 x 50 strong add paddles for: *50 scull, 100 dps, 200 strong, 100 back *50 scull, 100 dps, 2 x 200 strong, 100 back *50 scull, 100 dps, 3 x 200 strong, 100 back remove paddles for: *2 x 100's strong *25 scull, 50 dps, 25 back *1 x 100 strong *25 scull, 50 dps, 25 back

So, the pool is back in action just in time for some assumed rain that was slated to cancel my soccer game today. Fortunately the rain stopped and the game is on. Unfortunately I assumed it would be off and did a hard core fly workout (thank you Judy) this morning. Hoping not to collapse later tonight...

The performance pool is 68 degrees: TOO COLD. The bubble pool is 85 degrees: TOO HOT. Where is my JUST RIGHT pool? (Don't worry Tim, I'm being patient and swimming in the lesser of two evils, the TOO HOT pool of course). I'm shocked I don't see anyone else in the hot pool. Where are you? Should I be alerted the MP Police that there are a bunch of REALLY grumpy swimmers who have not been in the water in 7 days roaming the streets? Get in here - it's not so bad. *600 every 4th length back *500 IM/free by 100's *400 strong/easy by 50's *300 every 4th length back *200 IM/free by 100's *100 strong *4 x 100's: IM/free

I actually sweat (sweated? sweater? this all sounds wrong) this morning in a pool. The heater is still broken in OUR pool but Tim was nice enough to open up the bubble for us as we are about to expire due to swimlessness. It was hot. And not in a good way. But better than being cold! Speaking of hot, check out my latest on SV Moms Blog if for no other reason than to see this amazing photo of me I can't believe I published. *warmup: just get in *50 swim, 50 kick repeat 4x *build from 25 to 200 kick/swim by 25 *build from 25 to 100 sprint/kick by 12.5 repeat 3x *break down from 100 to 25 kick with last length sprint

No pool for a week. Not the worst thing that can happen to a person, just the worst thing that can happen to a swimmer. Here's the update: No progress has been made. Morning masters workouts are cancelled for Friday 3/13. Noon workout is still on. Morning water temperature is 69 degrees with air temperature of 39. Afternoon water temperature is 71 degrees with air temperature of 63.

Okay I'm getting desperate. Must. Have. Swim. Today I planned to go to a spin class and somehow slept through it, only to have to do a very boring Precor workout in my garage as pennance. Methinks if the pool is not ready by Friday (and I know it won't be), I'm going to bust out my wetsuit and make my kids come watch me suffer. After all, its about time I started teaching them about hard work :).

Hey, help a fellow artist out: Save Sunday afternoon, March 29, for Dana Shields' FIRST art opening. ;-) She’ll be showing paintings done over the last few years in various classes. The paintings will be up for a month. There will be drinks and snacks provided by Café Zoë. Children are welcome. Sunday March 29th . 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Café Zoë , 1929 Menalto Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025 650.322.1926

Water temperature is currently 74 degrees. Best case scenario-repaired by Wednesday, 3/11. Worst case scenario-repaired by Monday, 3/16. Madhuri Yechuri a brave swimmer on our team did the Lake Tahoe Polar Bear Swim a few weeks ago. 15 minutes in 40 degree water. We will still have Masters workouts if anyone is interested. I will keep the team updated on our repair progress.

I knew that coming to practice the day after the first soccer game of the season was risky (Mondays usually involve kicking, and my legs feel like I've been treading water for hours), but I didn't count on kicking sets plus a broken pool heater. Bzzzzzurrrrr. At least I have this dude to channel whenever I feel like the going is rough. *(un)warmup: 700 free *100 with a few strokes of fly, 75 free, one arm fly, free, 50 fast free, 25 fly repeat 2x *leap out of the pool, freezing, and jump in the bubbled pool for kids set at 85 degress. after sweating a bit, do: 500 free 5 x 100's alternating free/IM 500 free

Back after a week of strep throat - whooohoooo! The rest of the team is still at the pool finishing the workout, but I had to get home to hang with Grandma and prep for the 2pm Mardi Gras party we have today. It takes a lot to prepare for drinking at 2pm. *warmup: 600 free, 4 x 100's free descending *4 x 25's kick, 4 x 25's stroke, 100 IM, 200 free done 4x as fly, back, breast then free

Overheard today in the showers from two veteran moms to one new mom: "Do as we do, not as we say. What we've done ain't pretty." And it struck me as the crystalline truth. Heck, I will tell people as far and wide as my voice can be heard that TV is a waste of time for kids, but come to my house on a rainy weekday when some work needs to get done and guess what? Spongebob reigns. I can tell you I believe in consistency and always making sure your kids know what to expect to prevent tantrums, but come to my house when I make a last minute decision that there will be no dessert after dinner and you'll see an uprising I am not equipped to defeat. On our team, in the women's locker room, we watch each other get married (showing off their gorgeous swimmer muscled arms), have babies (stretching out their previously gorgeous and flat tummies), and become grandparents (luxuriating in all the time in the world to SWIM!). We give advice and knowing glances when one of us...

I said no to a timing chip today, in a race . (Pause for all of you triathletes to take collective sharp breath IN). It's not like me either, believe me, but this race, this time, was just meant to be run slowly. I think my heart was too heavy to move much faster than a shuffle. Becky Gibbs Lavelle, a local (Olympic) triathlete, lost her sister (Jenny) and nephew (Graham) to PPD and a hastily purchased gun about a year and 3 months ago. Now, she's organizing races and events to raise money to spread awareness of PPD and to prevent others from having to go through the pain she felt at losing her twin. I don't know how she does it. I didn't know Jenny at all, and I get chills and a feeling like the world is about to explode every time I think about what she must have felt like as she bought that gun and turned it on herself and her child. The level of pain and disorientation she carried is unfathomable. And so preventable. If we know what to look for. Back to the race......