December 2003 Archives

With the warm weather over the weekend, Kris and I went on a short bikeride to get the legs warmed a bit. It was seven or so miles and refreshing all at the same time.

Christmastime at The Obscure Store and Reading Room brings us the:

• Good: "Christmas miracle": Cat returns home after missing for two months,
• Bad: Man playing Santa suffers heart attack in classroom, and the
• Ugly: Loser of Christmas lights contest rips down winner's display

Happy Holidays!

Tonight was the celebrated 25th Annual JMM Alumni meet. The Alumni beat the varsity and the junior varsity teams for the fourth straight year. I swam fly in the 200 medley relay (27.71 - surprisingly well), 50 free (25.20 - a bit disappointing as I wanted to be in the 24 area), and the 400 free relay (55.60 - also surprisingly well).

The training definitely helped the long-term recovery. I was pretty wiped after each swim, but felt much better afterwards than in years past. The big revelation was that I can’t sprint anymore. I think I forgot how to get the muscles working that fast. So next year, we’re training for the 200 free. Teddy G. has a $50 bet to go better than 2:02 and I think I am going to help him realize that dream. (Because it really is a dream.)

The next step on the ladder is the Crazylegs Run in late April. Five miles through UW Campus. Then, a half-marathon in the Mad City Marathon May 30, 2004. Throughout this, we’ll get a bike and start riding. Fun, Fun, Fun.

I tapered this morning. The NAT closes today for winter break and that's my official excuse. (Really, it's because I was lazy.)

• 2x200
• 2x100
• 2x75
• 2x50
• 2x25
• 8x25 hard on :30
• 200 down

1300 yards & 210.8 pounds, which was pleasing to see.

It was off right from the start. The shoulder hurt from the time I lifted my arm to turn off the alarm. All of the parking meters were out of order, and I knew a ticket was headed my way. The water really didn't loosen me up at all and I struggled to maintain any sort of pace throughout.

• 200 warm-up
• 12x75 on 1:15
• 12x50 on 1:00, kick down/ez back
• 200 down

2000 yards total - 211.8 pounds. (Did you know a wet towel weighs 1.5 pounds?)

I'd had hoped to finish the pattern with 12x25, but schedule precluded me to do so. It was only in the shower when I added up the distance, and found myself quite pleased with what had transpired, despite how I felt. Basketball had quite the effect.

When I returned to my car, I saw the enforcement parking me in. Shit. $20 gone. But, much to my surprise, she was fiddling with the meter in her truck and backed away as I got in my car. No ticket. Sweet. Maybe this will be an on day.

Update: It wasn't. The WAN at work was off all day.

A while back, I went to go pick up some Topper's Sticks after a football game. Within one block of our apartment, a police car pulled up directly behind me. I normally don't get nervous around cops, but when he changes lanes with me, maintains a close distance, and his visibly speaking into his radio, I get nervous. My mind immediately bagan to race. "Maybe I did accelerate too fast from that last signal?...Did I cut him off?...Does he think I am drunk?" The bottom of my stomach drops when he makes the same turn as me. Finally, I change lanes, making sure it was between intersections, and used my signal. He speeds by without a second glance. Phew.

But, I know I did nothing wrong. I know that he had nothing on me. Why do those that "Serve & Protect" instill so much fear? Could that be part of the problem? I may just freakishly impose the fear on myself, but why do I fear the people that are supposed to protect me. Maybe it's because they'll "kick my ass."

Second basketball practice. Felt good...for about ten minutes. Never rested during first game, but it went downhill after that. Nearly puked Qdoba after some contact to the gut. But the soak in the tub felt good at home.

It's wicked cold here. 2°F this morning. Not too easy to get out of bed this morning. But a swimming we must go. Eleven days to the Alumni Meet.

• 2x200 warm-up
• 50, 100, 150, 200, 150, 100, 50 Long & Strong on :30 rest
• 200 down

1400 yards - 212.1 pounds

The alarm went off. "What am I doing here?" I had just gotten back from some black abyss where sleep was overwhelming and welcome. I wanted to go back. But, I went to the pool.

• 300 warm-up
• 1x300
• 2x150 on 2:30
• 3x100 on 1:45
• 6x50 on 1:00
• 12x25 on :45
• 200 down

2000 yards total & 211.3 lbs.

I totally forgot. I'm Secret Santa again.

ABCNews.com writes that It's Never Too Late to Exercise. The story centers on someone that is exactly where I am: 28, 30 pounds overweight, too many carbs, too little exercise.

To my credit, getting into the regular workouts have helped. Two weeks from Tuesday is the Alumni Meet, and then I hope to start running on the days I don't swim. Maybe a half-marathon next Memorial Day, and then on the bike.

The exercise is the easy part. Now, about those carbs. That's a part of my life that I have a very difficult time cutting out. I keep telling myself to bring my lunch, which would help not only economically, but I gotta think it's better than Quizno's every other day. I just have to get into a habit like I have with working out.

But, as you & I watch the scale, keep in mind that it's a journey and not a sprint. The ultimate goal is the 2005 Ironman, and that's a long, long way off. In the mean time, we'll keep trudging along.

I started this book while waiting for the installation of new tires on our car at Sam’s Club. The book's been around for a while, but I just received it as a gift. A delightful little diddy, Luther’s tale of excessive Christmas spending/celebrating and how wonderful his life would be without it, made me laugh outloud and gave me perma-grin for the whole book.

The stress of the holidays was especially appearant at Sam's, as I watched shoppers pile unreasonably large-sized boxes into their undersized blue plastic carts, while I was left comparing Luther’s ankle numbing puddle jumping with my own butt-numbing of a three-hour delay, and then another hour and a half wait for our tires to be installed. There was so much truth to Luther's crazy Christmas that I was mulling over - ever so briefly - that it would be cool to pull skipping christmas off. At a minimum, I convinced myself that Amazon will get more business from me than last year.

However, there was one issue that I couldn't get out of my head: Why isn't this a movie yet? It's set up to be the most cheesy Hallmark Hall of Fame story ever, so I thought I'd check. And lo and behold...It is!

When swimming next to a person, regardless of skill level, something competitive happens. Jason noticed it when swimming with the guys at JMM. Even though he was just making the workout, the guys in the next lane would quicken their pace to match or pass Jason. It’s not like they’re really competing, but they are. I notice myself doing it many times in my workouts. But, this morning, I saw the worst case of competitive/non-competitiveness. A rather cut swimmer was in the next lane. He wasn’t bashful about his stroke either. Obviously a sprinter, he splashed his stroke and pretty much drowned the woman sharing the lane with his wake. I switched to the other side of my lane just to avoid him as much as possible. But, every time we were next to each other, his pace would quicken, kick a bit more, and pull ahead of me. He would leave two seconds before I would from the wall.

But the best part came in the locker room after practice. I caught him (twice) standing and mimicking sit-ups, checking out his abs as he brought his legs up. At least he made me laugh.

• 2x200 warm-up
• 6x150 on 2:20 (held a 2:00 pace)
• 6x100 on 1:40 (struggled to keep 1:10 pace)
• 5x50 on :50 warm down

The last set of 50s was supposed to be 6 total at a hard pace, and then warm down, but the parking meter was running short and I was tired.

2000 yards, 211.4 pounds

This morning, like most others, I let my mind wander a bit while I was swimming. I got to thinking about how much of a mental sport swimming is. I put it to the test and found myself swimming much better when I thought about where I was in the water (stroke-wise), and pushing myself to go harder. At the same time, I concentrated on maintaining my stroke as I progressed through the workout. Along with cheering myself on, I picked my head up, took longer strokes and watched my time improve throughout the first set. By the end, I was tired but satisfied with the way I felt. It was a breakthrough workout. I finally am begining to notice the first inklings of being in shape.

• 2x200 warm-up
• 5x:
• 100 on 1:30, hard (times: 1:10, 1:10, 1:10, 1:07, 1:06)
• 50 on 1:30, long and strong
• 5x:
• 75 on 1:30, long and strong
• 25 on :30, hard
• 150 down

1800 yds. - 213.4 lbs.
Finally, the pool temperature was back to normal. Still a bit of a shock to the system at 7 AM, but just right after a few laps.

Our first basketball pracice, and all the guys were geeked up about playing full court. Full court demands lots of running. Running that's fast paced, aggressive, and tiring. After the swim this morning, the legs were pretty tired. And it doesn't help carrying an extra 30 pounds, mostly in my gut. I need to lose some weight.

Once again, the water was frigid. This time, I lost my breath as I jumped in. I could barely feel my body as I struggled through frozen joints and iceburgs. (I think I saw the Titanic and Leo on the bottom.) The worst part about the cold water is that it's even colder outside. I go from a warm bed, to a cold bathroom, to a frigid car, to a warm locker room, to the Arctic Ocean (aka the pool), to a warm shower, back out to the frozen car, and home again. Just once it would be nice to actually be able to work up a sweat in the pool.

• 150, 125, 100, 75, 50 Warm-up
• 5x100 on 0:20 rest, build the set (1:10 on the last one - woo hoo!)
• 5x50 kick on 0:20 rest - all hard.
• 150 down

Only 1400, but it's hard swimming through iceburgs. 213.4 on the scale. Tom Turkey didn't get me too bad. First basketball practice tonight.