Waterblogged

I'm off to Tahoe today and will be missing some swimming but gaining some skating. Today's workout was a GREAT send-off, thanks Tim! *warmup: 10 x 75's, odd all free, even with middle length stroke *4 x 500's (yoiks!) first two "naked" descending 1-2; second two with pull gear descending 1-2 *5 x 100's done as 25's with 10 sec rest. First one all kick, add a length of sprint free at the start for each 100 so last one is full sprint 100

*warmup: 150 free, 25 back repeat 4x *10 x 50's with pull gear: 2 x one arm, 2 x catchup, 2 x 3count, 2 x regular, 2 x fast *50 five kick switch, 50 regular swim repeat 6x, odd freestyle, even backstroke *4x50's on tightest interval possible *4x50's drill *4x50's as fast as possible with 45 sec rest do as freestyle, then repeat with 3x for backstroke

Spring Break is here and it's time for all the working parents of school-aged kids to scramble to find coverage. Exciting! I am getting to take off for 3 days this week to hit Tahoe (first time ever for my kids actually), and that should be fun (except the missing swimming part). Speaking of missing swimming, I slept through Friday's practice and couldn't bring myself to endure a three hour intrasquad meet on Saturday, so today felt GOOD after three days off. warmup: 400 free, 100 kick, 100 IM, 100 fast *500 kick (YUUUUUUUUUGH!) Add pull gear for: *600, 300, 150 Remove pull gear for: *11 x 100's on the 1:25 but see how many you can make on the 1:20 (all of them in our lane, whoohooo!)

Just a weekly comment from my kid here. I am starting a new category, and trying to keep it up. I'm going to attempt to add something funny my kids say at least once a week. They say good stuff, and for me, really, these quips are the best part of life. They are unexpected little gems that make me laugh from deep down in my gut. And nothing, nothing, feels better than a genuine belly laugh. 5YO Ben on St. Patrick's Day, on the pot (been meaning to post this): "Mom! I'm DONE! Wipe me, I'm Irish!" today's workout: *warmup: 4 x 250's free, slight descend *3 x 400's at threshold, on the 6minutes (about a 45s - minute rest) *800 pull done as 200 strong, 100 easy, 150 strong, 100 easy, 100 strong, 100 easy, 50 strong *4 x 100's at faster than threshold pace, on the 1:30

You know how it is, when you're swimming, and all of a sudden a gulp of air or water delivers you a powerful memory from your youth? For me, it's usually in the form of a taste. A certain bizarre mix of chlorine or predawn morning air, and a slight residual of last night's dinner, or this morning's bubble gum - or whatever - often combine to slam me back in time. I don't know how it happens, but I love it. This morning after a particular flip turn, I was suddenly back sitting by the pool, waiting for my 9-10 yr old age-group race, eating Fun Dip. Go figure. The magic workout: *warmup: 400 free, 200 stroke, 100 kick *2 x 550's with a crazy easy/hard pattern *5 x 50's fast kick on the 1:30 *2 x 200's fast on the 5 minutes *2 x 100's fast on the 2:30

Yesterday was a good day. Had a great soccer game (and even scored a goal - DAMN that feels good!), watched my kid play a game, then had an early Easter celebration with my mom and my adorable nieces (and their parents). As you can see, we got some time in the "mini pool" and also hiking on the gorgeously green hills in the East Bay. Lovely day. But my legs are sore. And darn this morning's fin workout. *warmup: 300 free, 100 back, 200 free, 100 back with fins: *2 x 300's; 2 x 225's; 2 x 125's; 2 x 75's split each swim evenly as 7 kick switch, 5 kick switch, 3 kick switch first one of each length freestyle, second back with pull gear: *fast 100, 25 easy, fast 75, 25 easy, fast 50, 25 easy, fast 25, 25 easy *repeat 2x, first with free, second with back with no gear: *4 x 25's fast free *50 easy *4 x 25's fast back *50 easy

Saturday was opening day for all the kids' baseball teams. Here are just a few pics to show how excited the kids were. I'm excited too. While baseball might be my least favorite sport, spectating while watching baseball on warm spring evenings with a beer in hand is not bad. And the morning workout was GOOD: *warmup: 200 kick, 400 pull, 800 swim *1650 broken in this way: 5x200's 5x100's 3x50's rest 5 seconds after each *3 x 100's done as free, back kick, breast (I think - that part I'm a little fuzzy on)

It's been too long since I posted, but it's never a bad time to post the fun Oscar pics from a week or so ago. For years (here's the 2007 post from way back when!), my BFFs and I have been dressing up and getting silly, and it just doesn't get old. Wish I could say more and postulate about the years upcoming, but I'm just too darn busy to write much right now (boo). However, good things are coming from JuiceBoxJungle, and they are local fun things, so stay tuned. Today's workout: *warmup: 300 free, 100 kick, 300 free to stroke *6 x 150's pulling *6 x 50's kick (no fins) *4 x 300's free at threshold *feel like i'm forgetting something but...

So, this high schooler lives down the street from me and has been tearing up the soccer field for years. Today, she's on the US Soccer home page (she's the one with the Haitian player resting on her chest), and is part of an amazing story about the US U-17 women playing against Haiti. It gives me chills, so read it. (And wow. I mean, wow. To be that talented at soccer, and have that experience? I am in awe.) Back to swimming, here was the morning's workout: *warmup: 300 free, 200 kick, 500 pull with gear more pulling: *3 x 100's *2 x 200's *1 x 400 without the gear: *10 x 100's hold 1-6, descend 6-10 *5 x 50's: kick down, stroke back

I've put on some weight this winter, and I'm planning to keep it on until winter subsides. According to Punxsutawney Phil , winter is in effect until at least March 16 (that's right HOG stay in your HOLE!). This gives me two more weekends, including this weekend's Oscar extravaganza, to blissfully continue feeling plump. I have to say, it's helping my swimming. Do NOT underestimate the bag of TJ's sweet potato fries paired with hefeweizen and followed by chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream as an effective carbo load. It kicks in right about 20 minutes into the workout. That stuff wants - begs - to be worked off, and damn if it doesn't help me along. *warmup: 4 x 200's. 1 all free; 1 175 free, 25 fly; 1 150 free, 50 fly; 1 125 free, 75 fly add fins for: *2 x 50's moderate kick *2 x 50's build flutter *2 x 50's build dolphin *2 x 50's build flutter *2 x 50's build dolphin remove fins, add pull gear for: *10 x 100's free on the 1:2...

You can't, in my book, get sweeter than this: my younger son spontaneously made this card for my older son yesterday morning before school. It's a good thing I took a picture of it too, because last night he twisted it up into a "pole" and "fished" with it in his brother's glass of milk. Why? "Just cause, Mom. Duh." Okay. Well, love is shown in a variety of ways. Speaking of variety, Tim wasn't kidding about putting it in the workouts this week. Today's workout really ran the gamut of tasks, and right during a deluge of rain. It was good. *warmup: missed the instructions, followed along *50 kick easy, 25 backstroke kick strong repeat 6x add pull gear for: *800 broken at the 200 for 10 seconds first two swims even, rest descending remove pull gear for: *2 x 200's backstroke, first broken at 50, second broken at 25 first two swims even, rest descending *800 free, broken at the 100 for 10 seconds first two swims even, rest descending *...

And I am sad to see February's long sets go. Just yesterday we did 6 x 600's and still had 10 minutes left in the hour. Now that's my kind of workout today though? Well, back to variety. *warmup: 250 free, 2 x 50's kick, 250 free, 2 x 50's breast *125, 100, 75 done with first length kick, last length breast repeat 3x add pull gear for: *150 DPS, 100 hard, 50 backstroke repeat 3x remove pull gear for: *100, 75, 50, 25 *75, 50, 25 *50, 25 *25 repeat 2x, first time with breast, second time with free