Week 08 Update

Well, I ended up taking both Tues and Wed as rest days. I don’t necessarily feel too bad about it; the thing in my neck is still bad. I’m going to physical therapy next Tuesday and I don’t plan to do any weights until the physical therapist tells me what is and isn’t a good idea.

Thursday I ran about 4 miles. I did a warmup, and then 3mi worth of 0.5mi hard / 0.25mi easy intervals, then cool down. Doing the intervals I made a point of focusing on effort rather than speed – the route I run for a 4mi run is hilly out and downhill back, so I focused on perceived exertion level and heart rate instead. Especially for the rest intervals – something I have trouble with; I focused on jogging not walking but going easy enough that my heart rate actually came down. It was one of those runs I didn’t expect to feel as good as it did; it was hard while I was going but I felt great afterwards.

Friday (today) I went back to the pool, and swam for 40 minutes. I got myself a cheap waterproof watch, so I was able to structure a workout a little better this time:

• 5x100s free on 2:00 easy as warmup (10:00)
• repeated twice, 20:00 total:
  – 5×50 free on 1:00, hard (5:00)
  – 25 breast, 25 back/kick drills, easy, 200 yards straight (5:00)
• 25 breast, 25 back/kick, 25 free, easy, for 500 yards in 10:00

1900 yards total. Longer than Monday’s swim. Like I said, I’ve noticed that what I have trouble with is my breath, not my endurance – if I stop to catch my breath in between each 50 I can keep going and going, and when I’m doing easy back/breast/free I can keep going and going for 10 min with no stopping. I am pleased with all of this. Also pleased because my body has that overall tired feeling from a good workout, without any pain. No sharp stabs or deep aches. I just feel like I had some really good exercise. is this what working out is like for other people?

Nothing now until the Warrior Dash on Sunday — I hope to update with some photos!!

Week 08: In the Pool

Yesterday I visited the new gym I am looking at – as a guest/visitor – and swam ~30 min of laps. The basic workout I did was this:

4 x [4 x 50 freestyle + 1 x 50 backstrone/kick drill + 1 x 50 breaststroke]

1200 m total (48 laps)

I didn’t go hard, and I didn’t go fast: I’m not out of shape overall, but I’m out of practice as a swimmer. I still remember a lot of my mechanics: how to do good freestyle, how to rotate your body during backstroke, the usual. But my breathing is ridiculously out of whack (which makes sense… you don’t have to hold your breath and breathe in periodicity when you’re running) and that makes me tire early (although after catching my breath on each 50 I always had the energy to do another 50 – I just had to catch my breath first).

I’m surprisingly sore today. I realize that with any new workout, you’re going to be exhausted easily, but my upper body feels like I’ve done something new and unusual with it (which I guess I have).

I really think this is a great solution for the time being. Tuesday is a rest day, and then Wednesday I’ll do a 4.5 mi run. Thursday I’d like to swim again, if I can.