Location:  Magothy River, Ulmstead Beach in Arnold, Maryland-open water swim
Time: 7:00-8:30 am
Total miles: 2

AH FINALLY back in the open water. It's been way too long. Always enjoy swimming with my ABC friends. They've been so supportive with my situation with my son with Autism. They helped raise a large chunk of the $13,500 for Nate's service dog. I have such gratitude for these friends. 
So, as real swimmers do, woke up before the sunrise this morning. 5:00 am. Left for Naptown around 5:30 and pulled up to the beach at 6:55. Gorgeous morning with the sun shining. Always my concern are the jellyfish. Call me a wimp, but I hate them. Like HATE getting stung. Guess no one likes it but really ruins the fun for me. I'm high maintenance. What can I say?
I had asked my good friend, Bill if there are any jellies these days. I got a definitive "no" answer.
Anyway, we got in and started swimming our usual route to Laura's dock. (about a mile there). 
I'm always kinda the lost soul in this bunch. There are always the really fast swimmers. Almost always the dudes trying to out swim one another. Then there is me.....I can always keep them in sight but never can stick with them. Then there is usually another group behind me. I'm always feeling like I'm out there with no one to watch for me....Boat traffic can be heavy on Labor Day too. Anyway, made it to Laura's dock. The dudes informed me they had all gotten stung by jellies. Ugh. Wasn't happy to hear that. Felt sluggish and my lower BACK was really bothering me. I think I'm having some female ovarian cyst issues that I will be getting checked out for next week. So thinking this is the cause of the back pain. However, I do tend to get lower back pain a lot swimming open water. I probably did sight too much today. My goggles keep fogging up and can't see where the heck I'm headed. I need to let go of some of my negative thoughts and excuses and just relax. Boats can be heard.

Anyway, so then we headed back to the beach. I expected to feel the jellyfish stings at any stroke. Felt a few of the jellies themselves but somehow managed (once again ) to escape the sting of the damn things. Looked at my Garmin and said 3.89 miles. I was thinking..cool. That was easy!! Well, OPPS. I had it in "Run" mode. Damn. Only really swam about 2 miles. I really had hoped to swim more miles. It's too far of a drive for an hour swim. But knowing that the jellies were high in abundance and waiting to wrap their nasty tentacles around my flesh, I decided to call it a day.

My goal is to continue to swim outside in open water this season as long as possible before winter hits. Sans wetsuit of course. Not sure if I should swim longer and include the wetsuit or not. Not a huge fan of the wetsuit but hey, allows me to stretch the season out longer (Gordon? What are your thoughts?)

Plan to do at least one long swim in the pool before this Labor Day weekend ends. I REALLY need to up my yardage.

I do miss the open water though. The jellies will be gone soon (where they go, I just don't know!) But can't wait to get in a long open water swim soon.....Life is always good when you can start your day with an open water swim.

(swam August 28, 2013)

Location:  Western YMCA, Wilmington, DE, SCY Outdoor Pool
Time: 12:30-1:20 pm (yes another express swim with limited time)


Another day of rushing around. My son with Autism had a Speech Eval that morning. So after his appointment, drove him across town to get him to school, had to go get my Iphone looked at. Was told internal water damage. Ha? What? Wonder if me throwing it in my swim bag had anything to do with it? Nah....
So anyway, I was rushed and stressed out. Hate swimming feeling this way. Guess it just life! Wonderful, cooler water temp. Love this pool.

600 Warm Up. Moderate pace free
300 Fast (around 4:00)
500 Pull
200 Strong (2:30 barely)
400 Build Free
100 Sprint (under 1:10 was the goal..didn't make it. 1:20)
400 Cool Down

=2500 yards

Location: Western YMCA, Wilmington, DE, SCY Outdoor Pool
Time: 9:15-10:45
Fuel: Luna Bar prior, Gatorade during

Feeling tired after surviving getting kids back in school (the mornings are crazy!). I think swimming four consecutive days is my max before I need a day off. Didn't feel wonderful in the water today but I think one of the biggest challenges of swimming or any sport for that matter, is doing things you don't always feel like doing. Pushing yourself to keep moving. I think having a good person to train with is key too. I'm still looking for a compatible partner to train with. Someone who is consistent. Sometimes I go and try to find someone that looks fast (usually a young kid) and I swim next to them. Worked for about 20 minutes today, then the guy left. Drat.

Here's my workout for the day

200-4 x 50's free on :45
1000 - 1 x 500 easy, 5 x 100's alternating IM and free
900- 6 x 150's pull (left shoulder is starting to hurt..grr..working on rotating more and actually pulling using my arms less)
300- 4 x 75's drill/sprint/drill
100- 4 x 25's Sprint IM order
100- easy
300-kick with fins
100- easy
500- pull easy (felt really good)
500-easy swim with fins (concentrating on head position).

=4000 yards in 1:30
 

Location: Western YMCA, Wilmington, DE, SCY Pool
Weather: Started out super cloudy. Ended up gorgeous and sunny! High 70's
Time: 9:30-10:30 am
Fuel: Gatorade

Before

Kids first day back to school today. My younger son, Nate, with Autism and his service dog, started 1st grade. My older son, Alex, started 6th grade today.
Didn't think of swimming today. My mind was set on relaxing and enjoying some quiet time. But I knew I'd regret it as the day went on, not swimming, so off I went.

600 Channel Pace swim (working on long strokes and bilateral breathing)
300 Fast (goal was to make 4:00. Didn't happen..4:20)
500 Pull (my happy time)
200 Strong (not sure I even made 2:30..)
400 Odds IM, Evens Kick with Fins
100 Sprint (1:10 goal...1:25 was reality...I need to work on sprints badly!!)
600 Channel Pace swim
200 Pull
100 Easy

=3000 yards

AFTER!!!!

 

 

Location:  Western YMCA, Wilmington, DE, SCM Outdoor Pool
Weather: Another GORGEOUS Day. Couldn't ask for more perfect conditions
Time:  12:30-1:45 pm
Fuel: Gatorade

In a much better mind set today. Didn't even expect to swim today with my hubby out of town but he surprised me coming home early!
I love coming to this pool in Delaware on the weekends in the summer. 10 Lane, SCM pool. I think I'm always able to grab my own lane.
My goal is to ramp up my yardage as the week goes on. With the kids back in 
school I will have more time! :)

600 Free (about half way through my ear bud got lodge in my ear..spent 10 minutes trying to get the darn thing out...)
1000 Kick with fins (no kickboard. Just kicking 6 beats and switching)
1000 - 10 x 100's pull on 1:45
1000- 1 x 500 Free Build, 1 x 100's alternating stroke and free
200 fun, relaxing, gazing at the sky, cool down

=3800 meters



 *Felt really good today. Mostly mentally. I tend to get into a negative mindset as my swim workouts continue. Something I'm realizing on I can work on and change. I'm thinking I'll want to swim this swim in Utah sooner than next September.

Swim location: Western YMCA in Wilmington, DE, 10 lane outdoor SCM pool
Weather: Gorgeous, clear, sunny skies. Air around 80 degrees, Water temp was a perfect 75 degrees.
Time:  11:15-12:00 pm
Fuel: (Lemon-Lime ) Gatorade

Started this first swim of my blog to Bear Lake a little crazy. Mother- in-law watching my son with Autism, while I rush across town, for a good swim. Half way there I realized I forgot my swim suit!! (I see now why my swim friends have smelly cars; they leave their suits stashed in their cars for this reason!) It was too far to drive back home to get my suit. Hunted around town, with the clock ticking. After many failed attempts, I drove a bit out of the way to a sporting goods store, ran in and grabbed the first two suits off the rack.
Bought them and rushed back to the pool. (luckily one fit the other is going back!)

Physically a little sore (mostly my calves) from going to the gym yesterday. I did run/walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes, followed by a 20 minute stationery bike ride and then on to some free weights and stretches.

Mentally I was not in a great frame of mind. Just a little frazzled I suppose from all the rushing around. Plus I knew with only 45 minutes til I had to leave, I wouldn't be finishing the practice my coach had given me.


1000 - 3 x (100 back/breast/free) + 100 IM easy (this went ok but I really hate backstroke...)
1000 kick with fins (this is a crap load of kicking. Biggest challenge is counting correctly)
1000 - 2 x 500's pull on 7:15 (Pulling is my fav....made them with a minute to spare).
500 - 5 x 100's free on 1:30 (** I did not do this set due to lack of time!**)
200 easy

= 3200 Meters