Wednesday - Jun 26, 2013 - AM Swim & Lunch Run

Wednesday - June 26, 2013

AM Swim

For today’s swim at the YMCA, I met my usual swim buddy and a new swim partner: a co-worker who would like to do a sprint distance triathlon this fall.  It was raining when we got there, but after we changed the indoor pool was completely empty.  The outdoor pool was also closed, but not one person was in the indoor pool when I got there.  Just the lifeguard. 

We each took our own lane.  My usual swim buddy joked about taking out one of the ropes to make a double-wide luxury swim lane.  My co-worker buddy was wearing “jammers”.  These look like bicycle shorts or triathlon shorts, but without the pad.  They compress the leg and have less drag than human skin.  He times his swims and said he noticed a 15 second drop in his 100m time while wearing these (versus wearing baggy shorts like I do).

We got to business and I believe him.  He was flying, plus he looked like a pro.  Needless to say, I’ve been shopping around for a pair!  Because my size is not common, I’ll go to Kast-a-way in West Chester and try some on one day to make sure I get a good fit. 

I was shooting for 100 laps again.  I looked over my old swim data (you shouldn’t be surprised), and I’ve swam 100 or more laps 4 times.  My first time was on 1/22/13, which I blogged about, and it took me 80 minutes with a pull buoy to do at the JCC.  At that time, I was beside myself over doing that.  Then, again on 3/2/13 at the JCC with the peanut but it took me 67 minutes.  Then I did about 108 laps with the BAM Racing team on 4/3/13 in 75 minutes, and last week’s 100 laps without a buoy was in 66 minutes. 

I was tired and sore from the back and bi workout yesterday, plus the rowing machine.  Oh, and climbing those three hills on the 27 mile AM bike ride.  While I was swimming the first 50 laps, I thought that if I stopped at 50 it was okay.  I was wiped out and no need to hurt myself.  Also, there was some gross stuff floating around in the water.  I tried not to gag thinking about someone’s scab or snot floating around in the very public and highly used pool.  I still get grossed out thinking about it now.  But, the second 50 felt better than the first.  At the end I was really enjoying the swim and cruising right along.  No big deal.  Today’s 100 laps, or 2500 yards, took 65 minutes.  I even stopped for a bit to watch my co-worker’s form (which looked great), and I probably adjusted my goggles 20 times.  Breaking an hour might not be too far away, especially if the jammers help that much.

Here are some jammers:

Lunch Run

Another co-worker is big on lunch runs and wanted to head out to the YMCA and try their “Par Course” trail run.  The Y is about 1.5 miles from work, and when I called the Y they said the trail is about 0.75 miles long.  He and I got to the YMCA with our first mile in 9:09mm, though it was cool from the rain it was still very hot and humid.  But the first mile was easy.  At the course, the trail is shaded by lots of trees and there is no wind!  It was hot.  We did some of the events on the route but found a stair set at the end that we ran up a few times.  There were maybe 40-45 stairs.  This about killed me, because on our way back to work I was dead.  Between the bike and swim, and having a small oatmeal for breakfast today (mistake, needed to eat more today), I was struggling. 

We finished the 3.5 mile run in 36:42, with an average pace of 10:49mm.  My average HR was 165 bpm, burning 492 calories.  Mile 3 was 9:50mm, and the trail and stair climbs took a while, throwing off our overall pace.  I’m concerned about tomorrow’s longer run in the morning.  I hope I can eat a big dinner and get to bed early, because I’m going to need all the help I can get.  Don’t be surprised if my 12 mile is either very slow or cut short to 10/8/6 miles, or both. 

Tonight, I’m looking at a used Precor 956 treadmill in Anderson.  I would love to have a treadmill in the basement.  If my wife and I are going to do longer races together, it’s a must.

Here is the Strava data for the lunch run: