ahh warmness!
6o degree weather today. good!
600 warm up
5x100 IM
4x50 kick each stroke
200
yup thats all i did in between my work...
tonight is the big spring transition..11pm -8am...yes! i love spring clothes.
merry christmas i love ya all!
j
allow the moment to happen.
inspiration
i've been thinking a lot about when we get back together in elsah and i was starting to get fearful. so, i decided to attack that fear and to find out what seemed to be at the root of it. what i came up with is that without brian peticolas, the team has stopped moving as one. we've adopted our own ideas of what we should do, and have been moving as individuals instead of as soldiers being led by a leader.
once i started thinking of us as soldiers, i got really excited. and it was freeing, too, because i realized that i didn't have to feel that i was carrying any part of the team or any responsibility for our accomplishments this season. instead, as a soldier, all i have to do is to carry out the tasks that my leader (God) tells me to do.
i really liked this verse from hymn 264:
Like a mighty army, moves the Church of God: Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod; We are not divided, All one body we, One in hope and doctrine, One in charity. Onward, Christian soldiers, Marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus Going on before.
We are the arm of God and as that, we cannot fail.
Fill your life with experiences, not excuses.
sending you thoughts of florida... :)
i got in the pool today!
hey guys,
i went to the YMCA today and was practicing some of the new drills. mostly though, i was realizing how out of shape i am! i should get in with you and swim...although, that would take away my vantage point from the deck which makes me helpful to you! anyway, i have been sorting through a lot of different swimming books and learning a lot about how different coaches practice. i'm really excited for the rest of the season and for helping you guys to get faster than ever!
lots of love to you,
oh and anyone who knows kathleen moyer, she sends her love.
jenny
ps - ryan, are you dead?
char - i am glad you feel better. i tried to call you the other day, but no one answered the phone! love to you. and tell your cousin i say hello.
Let's get together....
Q: What time should we be back on December 28?
A: Somewhere around 6:00 pm would be fabulous. That would give us time to have dinner together in the Rackham rec room and still make it to church!
I can't wait to see you all!!!
Lots of love,
Jenny
inspired...
alright..we all have a choice. period. disregard everyone else, outside influences, other pressures...who are WE? what are our motives?
we have a choice to demand strength and freedom in this..
i like hymn 196...steph..right on. A CLOSER BOND OF UNION IN A BLEST LAND OF LOVE..think about this...
onward...upward...OUTWARD......godward.
Take these moments. find serenity..find peace, freedom, joy, and love.
lets surrender our battles to love. give into love...aaa.what a relief!
love.let.be!
jd
We need help
For anyone who is still reading this blog, I've been bombarded with emails and calls today from individuals concerned with how our season can go on. Let's handle this metaphysically. None of us asked for this, but to give up would only be to admit defeat. I know that's not what I'm about and that's not an attitude that will let us win any races. Please get on top of this metaphysically and record what you learn here. I'm serious. We need this.
Get on board and let's all fight for the expectation of harmony and success that rightfully belongs to us and with which this season started.
Way to go!
Keep up all of the great work! I'm proud of those of you really trying to do the yardage! And Steph, I'm glad to hear you have a count down to return to the season! I know I can't wait!
Love you all!
Jenny
Keeping it going
Team, Jamie. Masters today went a little something like this:
400 swim free
300 kds
200 kick
8 x 50 choice on :50
4 x 500 on 8:00 (ouch! making the interval wasn't hard, but just doing the yardage was!)
16 x 25 kick w/fins on :30
Ladder set (this was really cool!):
first part build up, second part descending
1 x 25 on :30
1 x 50 on :50
1 x 75 on 1:10
1 x 100 on 1:30
30 sec rest
1 x 100 on 2:00
1 x 75 on 1:20
1 x 50 on 1:00
1 x 25 all out
4200 total
We only did the ladder set once because of time, but it would have been a great one to do two or three times. It's a great drill for working the last parts of races, and it's actually really fun. I think this is one the team might want to try sometime. MA, Jenny, all you guys, what do you think?
Alright, back to the capstone. Love to all! -J
Prin Swimming
Heads up to the STL crew
Hey guys, I wanted to let you all know that I'm planning on keeping up with the masters swimming this week. It goes 9:30-11:00 T-F, we do about 4000-5000 yards in that time, and any of you who want to come are welcome to join me. It costs $4/practice, but the people are really nice and it's not usually that crowded, and the sets are decent. Give me a call if any of you want to come with. Peace and good dreams, all. -J
Ryan, there's no one quite like you!
I laughed for a good five minutes! You are so hilarious!
I'm headed home to Wisconsin tomorrow and Andrew is flying to Wisconsin on Tuesday!!! I have a six hour drive tomorrow, so any of you should feel free to give my cell a call if you want to chat! 414-418-4264. Have a fabulous weekend and those of you still getting in the pool, let's hear what you're up to. I can't wait until we're all in Elsah together. Oh, and would you let Mary Ann and I know your travel plans for after Christmas? We'll have dinner in the Rackham rec room on Dec. 28!
Love to you all - even the clothes-stealing snowman!
Jenny
YESSSSSSSSS
team, JOY
and the SNOWING begins...STL has about 3 inches as i sit here looking out the window.
the roads...eekkk. my car doesnt like it so much..
OK..so keep up the good work. Looking over the yardage that people are doing, i am impressed with the committment that we have. AWESOME. keep it up.
think about New Years and what we would like to do. We have a few options...stay in ElS or have a party in STL and stay over..we dont have to decide now..just keep it in mind...
American Eagle discounts anyone????
love!
just for a little change of pace. i didn't want anyone to get bored. what do you think of it?
travel shirts
Ry -
Nothing is going on with the travel shirts if you guys like the ones we have. I just felt like in the past people complain about them and don't like wearing them. Personally, I always liked them, so I was just checking with others. The only comment against them that I've heard is that some people want them to be short-sleeved. I'm not sure if we'll do anything about getting different ones or not, we're just taking a poll.
STL was up at 6:00 am for practice!!!
6:00 am for lactates! That's dedication! Way to go STL!
Charlie,
That last post was so funny. When I read your comments, it was like you were standing right in front of me telling me how you love to swim in the rain. Funny. I'm glad you're having such a great time.
Ryan,
Thanks much for posting your yardage. Have you been using Charlie's practices or making up your own?
It's interesting because from reading the practices that you guys are posting, it seems like your coaches are also focusing more on drill and taking the stroke apart than I ever felt like we did. But after doing our research, Mary Ann and I have also come to the conclusion that stroke drill and more efficient strokes are more important than doing millions of yards. This is much to Jamie's dismay, but wait until you see how different and smooth his stroke is getting.
Mary Ann has been doing wonders with our breast strokers. Ask Joy - she's thinking of converting :) j/k. Steph, you're in for some fun, focused attention!
We have some videos and techniques we've been working with. Ryan and Charlie, and anyone else who feels so inclined, you might want to check out totalimmersion.net. They have some logical and efficient stroke ideas.
Anyway, before I type a book, I'll post our practice from this morning:
Dec. 7 (Pearl Harbor Day! Maybe we should take a trip to Hawaii in honor of the attacks... ok that didn't make much sense.)
800 choice (every 4th length balanced kicking)
4 x 50 stroke kick
8 x 50 build (stroke)
:55 or 1:00
6 x 125 lactates on 6:00 (all-out sprints from the blocks)
75 easy between each one (even though they were tired, we still had some best times!)
300 pull
8 x 75 w/fins 25kick on right side - 25 kick left side - 25 swim
400 cool down
Have a great Thursday!!!
Prin Swimming
Prin Swimming
The one problem with masters practices is that on weekends (and in this case monday as well) they don't exist. That made Sunday a nice day off, though. Here's what I did this morning:
3 x 300 (1 swim free, 1 k/d/s free, one choice)
18 x 50 (6 sets of 3: 1 k on 1:05; 2 sw on 1:00)
3 x 250 free on 4:00 (made 3:35)
4 x 75 k/d/s on 1:30
8 x 100 on 1:40
4 x 75 swim on 1:30
2 x 250 on 4:00
1 x 150 easy
4600 total
As Jenny mentioned, I'm working a lot with rotation and adjusting my technique to be longer and smoother--unfortunately, this is pulling my intervals down a bit, which is frustrating, but I am taking quite a bit fewer strokes per length, and I am confident the speed will return as I grow more comfortable. At least, that is what I keep telling myself. I know I have all of your support, though, and that helps a lot. I'm so excited to see you all again after Christmas, too. Hanging with the STL crew rocks, don't get me wrong, but it will just be amazing when we're all together again. Keep up the great work!
Much love to all. Goodnight! -J
Monday's practice
The Practice for Dec. 5
20 minute whistle swim (working on finish to wall, front rotation, shark fin)
18 x 100 stroke on
1:25 (B&J)
5 x 50 moderate – 50 build to finish
100 easy
5 x 25 build – 50 hard – 25 swim
100 easy
5 x 75 build – 25 hard to finish
100 easy
OR
15 x 100 stroke on
1:40 (T br-fr by 50 & J IM)
1:45 (M fr) 1:50 (L br-fr & A br-fr)
4 x 50 moderate – 50 build to finish
100 easy
4 x 25 build – 50 hard – 25 swim
100 easy
4 x 75 build – 25 hard to finish
100 easy
4 x 125 streamline kick (50 right side – 50 left side – 25 back) with fins on 2:30
2 x 20 x 50 stroke
Ben and Jamie holding 35 or below
5 x :55
5 x :50
5 x :45
5 x :40
100 easy
Trey (fr)
10 x :55
100 easy
5 x :50
5 x :45
100 easy
(br)
10 x 1:05
100 easy
5 x 1:00
5 x :55
100 easy
Joy (fr)
10 x :55
100 easy
5 x :50
5 x :45
100 easy
(fly-ba, 2 x ba-br, br-fr, fr-fly)
10 x 1:05
100 easy
5 x 1:00
5 x :55
100 easy
Molly (fr x 2) holding :40 or below
10 x 1:05
100 easy
5 x 1:00
5 x :55
100 easy
Lindsey & Ashley (fr) (br)
10 x 1:05
100 easy
5 x 1:00
5 x :55
100 easy
400 cool down
I think that's about 6100 yds.
NEW Travel shirts???
Hey guys, IF we get new travel shirts, what would you like to be different about them from the long-sleeved polo shirts that we currently have. Would you like short-sleeved, a different color, a different style? This is today's informal poll. Please place your comments here and let me know what you think or if you think the ones we have are just fine!
Jenny
the first snow in Elsah - Steph, it's good you're in Cali!:)
Ok St. Louis, here's our schedule for the rest of the week
Tuesday: 5:00 - 7:30pm (Trey 4:30)
Wednesday: 6:00-8:00 am
Thursday: 9:00 - 11:30 am
Friday: 9:00 - 11:30 am (I think)
And to the rest of the team, please get in touch with Randi. She hasn't gotten in a pool since we last saw her.
Also, Leslie could use moral support. She's swimming, but misses you guys and could use encouragement.
And I still haven't heard from Chris Amber - Steph is he alive?
Let's get on Jeff Ball's back. too.
And Ryan, tell Jeff T. he better be swimming.
Brittany, I hope Canada is nice! Maybe it's cold there! Do you have snow?
thats
supposed to happen remember..
if you can't walk up the steps then you're right on track!
good work all of you!
Lactates...
Hey Ry,
Lactates are fast swims that are meant to simulate race events. So, they're basically all-out swims with a lot of rest. Hope that makes sense!
Jenny
about that...
thats what i said..wait until you try them and maybe then they will sink in....
Way to go STL!
Hey guys,
I just want you all to know how hard the St. Louis group worked this week. They did an AWESOME job! I can't wait to get you all in the same pool and see how much improvment and growth you've accomplished. If we were choosing swimmer of the week, I know that this week would have to be Ben. Wait until you see him. His stroke has finally clicked and now it's just fun to watch him do all the sets. He is amazing! You'll know what I mean when you see it. Also, Ashley did a great job working on her breast stroke kick. Molly and Jamie have been working hard on body rotation. Joy's butterfly in our first set of lactates today was gorgeous and Trey's last set of breast stroke was definitely on. Lindsey has been doing really well at lengthening her stroke - perhaps flip turns are for next week:).
I'm so excited to get going with practices on Monday! I miss and love you all! Here's the practice we did in STL this morning.
Dec. 3
800 choice (every 4th length streamline kick)
4 x 50 stroke kick w/o a board
12 x 50 build (stroke)
(4 x :55, :50, :45 or 1:05, 1:00, :55)
100 easy
6 x 125 lactates on 4:00 (all-out sprints from the blocks)
75 easy between each one
These were theoretically on 4:00 but with two heats, they ended up being on 8 minutes, so lots of rest!
300 pull
8 x 75 w/fins 25kick on right side - 25 kick left side - 25 swim
300 cool down
So about 5000 yards this morning. After a round of stretching, of course!
Have a great weekend! And Stephanie, thanks for posting. Welcome to the blog!
- Jenny
FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY OUCHIE OUCHIE OUCHIE!!
a...ry you think you are sore...i believe you.
beware to have MA and Jenny kicking the living daylights out of you..dang practice was hard and am def. feeling it.
(I think i am feeling the LONG 8 hr.work day with no break too..stupid managers...thats another story)
ANYWAY..STEPH I BELIEVE YOU..good work.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK--I MISS ALL OF YOU..AND BEWARE..to be blown out of the water when you return...
love!
friday, friday, friday, friday, friday
team, ryan
1500 warm-up
500 free 400 im 300 kick 200 pull 100 free
32x25 sprint 8 each stroke on :30
4x
3x200
odd free on 2:40
even im on 2:50
---i was working this set trying to make each one faster
6x50 warm-down
i think i should have swam more.. :\ ehh
..im pretty sore from this week and its just getting colder and colder here. no excuses though haha i just want to COMPLAIN!!! ok. i hope you all are having as much fun as i am, i miss you all i can't wait for 3 days after christmas!!! haha ok talk to ya all later
pc out
READ THIS Please!
Thank you to those of you who are really getting into the spirit of this blogging thing. Charlie and Ryan, especially you guys.
For the rest of you, you need to be in touch with us! It's impossible that you wouldn't have any new inspiration or exciting life discoveries to tell us. I think we should think of this as not only a tool to give each other an idea of the workouts we're doing, but also if we have any break through days or ideas, those need to go on here, too.
And please be checking this daily. It's important that we're all mentally in tune with each other! Captains, get on the phone and start talking to people we haven't heard from. It's up to all of you not to let anyone fall behind!
Thanks!
Jenny
I'm ahead of the game today...
STL people Mary Ann and I will see you at 5:30 pm. And remember we have practice Sat. morning 9:30 -12
The Practice for Dec. 2
2 x 10 minute whistle swim (working on kicking on back, finishing stroke, finishing to the wall)
3 x { 5 x 125 free on 2:00 (1-4 fast by length, 5th all fast)
OR 100 free on 2:00 (1-4 fast by length, 5th all fast)}
100 easy
4 x {5 x 50 stroke Ben/Jamie :55, :50, :45, :40
Trey (breast) 1:05, 1:00, :55, :50
Joy (fly-ba, 2 x ba-br, br-fr, fr-fly) 1:05, 1:00, :55, :50 Ash, Linds, Mol (br-fr) 1:05, 1:00, :55, :50 }
100 easy
10 minutes turn work/ freestyle finishing stroke drills (200 drill, 6 x turns)
3 x {4 x 50s (2-turn 50s from the middle working the turns)
4 x 25 (working on the finish - kicking for 10 sec at the wall on the finish)}
300 Relay ( Ben, Jamie, Trey x 50 v. Joy, Molly, Lindsey, Ashley x 25)
300 cool down
total: 6125 if I added correctly!
sorry ryan!
Ryan, I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to post this! We went out to Round Robin for dinner and I got home late! Ben had a great practice and I think that these drills and some he was working on with Dan Sheets have really made his stroke click. Ben, if you read this, maybe you'd want to tell them about yesterday.
Here's what we did. We did about a 30 minute dryland before getting into the pool. It was a circuit of stuff that Mary Ann does - including squats, pike ups, push ups, and superman. Our goal for the rest of the season is not to focus on how long our practices are (yardage wise) but to focus on how we're doing each yard. So, we're going to be doing a lot more drilling and working hard to get people to workout mentally in addition to their physical work out. OK, enough rambling. Here's what we did last night:
The Practice for Dec. 1
500 s – 400IM – 300 kick – 200 pull – 100s
12 x 25 kicking on your back, side, and front to work on feeling where your body naturally floats (not really hard kicking, just what feels natural) this works on balance
3 x 3 x 250 stroke with 100 easy between each set of three
Jamie 3:35 3:30 3:25
Ben 3:30 3:25 3:20
Molly(200s) and Lindsey 3:25 3:20 3:15
Trey (br) 4:20 4:15 4:10
Joy (IM) 4:20 4:15 4:10
Ashley (br) (200s) 3:45 3:40 3:35
100 easy
8x25 freestyle finishing drill (breaking apart the freestyle stroke and working on flicking your hand at the end of each stroke - accelerating into the finish and then a natural arm recovery)
500 cool down
Have a great day!
Jenny
NO MORE FLY
ALL FLY?!?!?! SAY IT AINT SO CHARLIE! SAY IT AINT SO!!!
any ideas?
.... hum de dum .. just waitin around for jenny to post some workouts that you all do tonight in stl.. la de daaaaa.. very bored..... hhhuhuummmmmmmm lllaaaaaaaaaa!
Lee Suarez sends support
I'm excited to see that you all are keeping up with your workouts and I'm excited to see your progress when you get back in late December. Keep up the good work. Keep up the metaphysics! And we're here to support and we do care.
- Lee
"The time for thinkers has come."
team, ryan
good stuff here. im glad to hear that we are all staying in the pool. heres my workout this morning, and im going to rock the good old, annoying, dryland this evening. yes, 1:15 on :15 off. well heres my make up set.
5x400 warm-up
1-3 on 6:00
4-5 on 5:30
8x125 pull on 1:45
bp 3,5,7,5,3
kick set 1 each stroke:
4x
1x100 on 1:50
2x50 on :50
4x25 on :30
2x500 with 1 minute rest
alternating 100 free 100 back
200 warm-down
you can do the math, because .. im too lazy to do it now. haha
ok, i did it real quick .. 5400, i think. :)
hope this gives some good ideas. that kick set was killer.
pc out fer now
way hey, and up she rises, early in the morning
Prin SwimmingHey all, another good 4500 yards with masters this morning (should have been over 5K, but we had to cut it short b/c of time...it's a high school pool and our use of it is somewhat limited)
400 swim choice
400 IM k-dr-k-sw
12 x 100:
1-3 k-dr-k-sw on 2:00
4-6 descending by 100 on 1:40
7-9 dr-k-dr-sw on 1:50
10-12 same as 4-6
6 x 200 on 3:10 (held 2:40 or better)
3 x 50 k-dr on 1:05
8 x 125 on 2:00 (held 1:40 or better)
3 x 50 dr-sw on 1:00
Oh, and yesterday's total for the day was 10,000 even.
I love how excited we are all getting about these different practices and keeping in contact. Just knowing you all are working hard is helping me to work even harder...thinking about Ryan and Rachel and Charlie getting up for practice got me out of bed, in the car and over to the pool this morning. :) So thanks for all the postings, keep up the great work! Love, J
