Category: swimming

Building it up again

Ironically, in 2020, I walked 10K on this date; it was before the pain became increasingly intense. Today, it was ok; I swam first:

900 of mixed drills 3 x 100 of side, back, 200 free, 100 breast.
300 of drill/swim with fins
9:40 for 500 straight (pathetic..but I am not swimming enough)

9:40 for 300 pull, 200 fins (includes equipment change)

Then the walk; PT prior to all of that.

Weight: 196.3 before swimming, 195.1 after.

Note: sunrise was gorgeous.

The walk: I started from the East entrance and walked around then did the usual 1 lower loop course plus a full “half loop” (included the median) of the non-hill part of the lower loop. Then heading back; swung wide and then also a little mini “roundabout” loop to make the full 5. Slow for the first 3 then could pick it up.

Onward to basketball season

Still up early; PT, swim (2200 yards); done a bit differently.
1000 of 100 side, 100 free, 100 back, 100 free (x 2) then 100 breast 100 free.
500 of drill/swim.
5 x 100 on the 2 (1:52, 52, 51, 53, 53) trying to get out of my laziness

50 back, 150 pull.
Weight: 196.8 before, 195.4 after.

Then a 4 mile walk; basically a modification of the 3 mile course, with a rectangle “to Cedar, around to Waverly then bag again, and an “almost lap” of Laura.

Saw some Bradley Basketball last night; men played Wesleyan and won 79-65. The lead did get to 20 at one point, and as close as 7 with 11 minutes to go. BU used everyone, worked on different things, etc. Place was kind of empty.

Different seats this year: next to nothing for these. I am at row 6 of the upper bowl.

You need to practice

PT, 2200 yard swim…my 250 swim, 250 pull set (20:02) was pathetic. It came after 700 yd of strokes (including some breast) and 500 of swim drills/swim with fins. My 1000 was easy..but 20??? That is where going to 1 swim a week got me.
Weight: 198.0 before, 196.8 after.

Then a 5K walk that went GREAT, I mean zero pain at all until 2.8 or so..then the side of the left hip ache came back.

Was it due to the increased pace?

Politics

To me, this came across as powerful. But notice what he did NOT do: he did not say that the loss/reduction of Social Security would be especially harmful for one demographic or another (e. g. “people of color”, “women”, etc.) as Democratic politicians tend to do.

IMHO, that made his message much more effective; it was aimed at everyone.

Moving forward..again

Today: weight 197.6 before swimming, 196.5 after. The swim itself: usual 600 of side/back, 400 of swim drill/swim with fins, then a very lame 250 swim, 250 pull in 9:40. I gave up; did 100 side, 100 back, 100 fins then finished alternating pulls, swim ..enough to get to 2200.

I need to swim more, and now without those morning doctor’s appointments, I might get to.

Then came the walk; tightness on the outside of the hip prior..so I went out at 15:40..then picked it up to 14:20 and then 13:30. That is the way to do it, I think.

I have a few days to get to the 100 mile for the month mark, something I have NOT done in about 2 years. This stabbing glute pain was vicious ..a very tough opponent to overcome, or at least keep at bay.

Back on track…maybe

Well, kind of down as I write this; dear friend has lung cancer. Don’t know the stage yet..probably 1.

Now..today: PT, then swim (2200 yards; usual 600 back/side warm up, 400 fins drill swim, then 1000 via 10 x 100, alternating pull and free..Jason got me today. 19:21 total. then 200 cool down.

Walk.

The walk: kind of stiff..not great, not terrible in the first mile, started to improve mile 2, felt great mile 3, and no real soreness afterward. Wore my Beasts (clunky shoe). That might be the trick: slow down at first.

Getting hot and heavy

Bottom line; course prep is quite the challenge right now. Yes, problems are interesting but..ugh…

B is improving by the day; pain is manageable and she is looking more and more normal.

Me: did PT, swim (2200 yd), and a 5K plus walk.

The swim: 600 of back/side, 400 of drill swim

1000 set: lackadaisical 18:41..did not catch Jason.
200 pull to cool down;

Walk: was going to do 2 but felt good enough for 3; 14:20 from MacArthur/Moss to home, so my mind did wander a bit.

This is one of my back stretches.

Data gathering

I am still learning as to what works and what doesn’t with my back. I have to watch my sitting posture: “arch” is “no good.”

Today: extensive PT, swimming 2200 yards: usual 600 back/side warm up, 400 drill/swim, then 250’s alternating swim/pull: 18:43. Kind of slow; neither Jason nor I had a lot of energy today. then 200 cool down (some with fins)

Shorter exercise walk due to a meeting (14:40’ish pace, sort of stiff), and another commuter walk after.

Football: very excited about the upcoming Iowa at Illinois game. Last one I saw in person (2020 was “no fans”) ended 63-0 Iowa. And there was that trip with Tracy to watch Ohio State get bombed by Iowa 55-24.

But this year: horrible offense. So, on paper, Illinois *should* win, but college teams lay eggs all of the time.

flare ups

Well, on Sunday I had a minor flare up and while it is better today (Tuesday), it did affect me. I feel the radiating pain in my left glute with some loss of power, for a while. It mostly affects me when I lay down in bed and then try to get up.

This is nowhere near the worst I’ve had and I’ve managed without extra pain stuff; I was careful with my workouts though.

Monday: got up early, started full PT by 5:30 mixed with push ups (6 sets of 15, 1 of 20), and I also had 2 sets of 5 single pull ups
Then enough pull up reps to get to 40 total; very careful with the back. Some were “single/wobble board step up” (sets of 10)

Then a fairly brisk 2 mile walk.

Then 5 negatives, 5 singles to get t0 50.

Downstairs: bench: 10 x 134, 10 x 134, 4 x 155, 5 x 155 (watching the radiating pain)

curls: 3 sets of 10

Lunch: commuter walk.

Tuesday: PT, then off to swim. 600 of back/side, 200 of 25 kick, 25 swim (fins).

Jason was there so I let him get a half length lead and I went after him. Almost caught him, he pulled away, and then I got right to his feet but could not close:

4:37, 9:16, 14:02, 18:21 (really kicked it in on the last 250)

4:37, 4:39, 4:46, 4:19..kind of wonder about the last 2 splits. But the 18:21 was real, and my best in a long time.

200 cool down, then 200 pull.

Then came a slowish 3 mile walk (prior to taking B to the hand doctor)

Quickie

This Thursday feels a bit like Friday. Founder’s day tomorrow..so 1 class for me.

Started PT at 5:30 and still didn’t get it all done by 6:25 (banded walks) so I did those after swimming.

Swim: 600 of 100 side, 100 back

400 of 25 drill, 25 swim with fins.

7 x 50 on the 1:20 (49, 49, 48, 48, 49, 48, 48)

150 back, side, drill/swim

1000 in 18:41 (4:42, 9:28, 14:13, 18:48 (4:42, 4:46, 4:35, 4:35)

So, this was 2500 yards, more than normal.

The walk: broken sidewalk..some back and forth to get to 5K..but the back felt great.

Weight: 199.5 before, 197.7 after (the swim)

My back has a budget

This is more about my attempt to recover from neurogenic claudication (stabbing glute pain due to a nerve root impingement at L5)

I’ve been able to increase my walking from a rather sorry 0.5 miles at a time to, now, about 25 miles a week. It is mostly a diet of 1 mile commuter walks (M, W, F), 2 mile training walks (M, W, F) and 3-5 mile walks (Tu, Th, Sat, Sun) Pace varies from 11:30 mpm on my fastest training walks to 16:30 on my commuter walks; most is in the 12:30-14:30 range.

Today: 2200 yard swim via

600 of 50 side, 50 back, 50 breast

400 of kick drills/swim with fins

1000 in 19:11 (4:52, 9:42, 14:32) or 4:52, 4:50, 4:50, 4:39. I had the pool almost to myself so no one to push, and I didn’t feel that perky.

200 pull

Weight: 201.0 before, 199.5 after.

Then I did a 3.18 mile walk; I had to dodge some construction and I was a bit heavy legged at first.

This was one of my slower training walks, but I was fatigued. AND..I had some tingles/discomfort (nothing like the bad old days) in the 3’rd mile. First 2 miles were fine.

But …I felt this a bit during my YMCA walks..where there was a hill that I blamed.

I am wondering if the swimming is part of the reason; walks are always harder after swimming. I think that my back has a “done at one time” budget and swimming deducts from said budget.