CuttingWater

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

7 Seven's, 7 suits

Breaking up the weeks as we get closer to the travel date. The flight is booked, June 16th.

Day 1, Monday, no drag

1000 (** 1st 25 of each 250, MCU)
20 x 50 (:45)
2 x 500 **
20 x 50
4 x 250 **
20 x 50
5 x 200 **
= 7,000 yards

Day 2, Tuesday, Drag
2 x 500 (**1st and last 25: MCU)
1000
2 x 500 **
1000
2 x 500
1000
2 x 500
= 7,000 yards / 14K




1 & 0's make 7 (very tired today)
1000 (1st 25 MCU) (15:15)
10 x 100 (1:30)
1000 (25 MCU, 1 & 10 lengths)
10 x 100
1000 (MCU, 1, 10 & 20th length)
10 x 100
1000 (MCU: 1, 10, 20 & 30th length)
= 7,000 yards / 21K


Feeling better with some drag today
1000 (MCU: 1st 25 of each 250) (15:30)
2 x 500 (7:30)
1000 (**MCU: 1st, 19, 20 and last 25)
4 x 250 (3:45)
1000  **
5 x 200 (3:00)
1000 (MCU: final 25 of each 250)
= 7,000 yards / 28 K



TGIF
5 x 150 (2:15)
3 x 500 (7:20)
5 x 150
2 x 500 (7:30: MCU 1st and final 25)
5 x 150
3 x 500 (7:15)
5 x 150
= 7,000 / 35K


Waking up the lifeguards
A very quiet day, had the pool to myself for the 1st hour.

7 x 1000 
 Odd numbers: (15:30) w/ MCU integrated
 Even numbers (15:00) full stroke
final day with drag.

= 7,000 yards / 42K

Pyramid with a belly ache
So glad today is over, I think I ate something yesterday, that didn't agree with me. I got through the workout, but the aches in my muscles and joints intensified, I couldn't wait to get home and sleep.  


7 x 50 (:45)
        7 x 100 (1:30)
                  7 x 150 (2:15)
                            14 x 200 (3:00)
                  7 x 150
         7 x 100
7 x 50
= 7,000 yards / 49K

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

A Ladder Week

This has been a very busy week, not being able to get to log in everyday, I didn't forget, just going to put all 6 workouts in one post.
It was a fantastic week on the water, gradually adding a1K of yardage each day and rotating the type of practice,
Day 1 & 4: Toys, 2 & 5: Drag suit, 3 & 6: No Toys or Drag.

Short with Toys
Buoy: 800
Swim: 3 x 500
RevPad: 2 x 400
BigPad: 4 x 200
Pad: 8 x 100
Swim: 3 x 500
Tube: 800
= 7,000 yards

 Drag 
800 (MCU every 8th length)
20 x 50
800 (MCU every 7th length)
10 x 100 (1:30)
800 (MCU every 6th length)
10 x 100
800 (MCU every 5th length)
20 x 50
800 (MCU every 4th length)
= 8,000 yards

Good and Easy (just swimming)
10 x 150 (2:15)
1000 (14:45)
10 x 150 (2:10)
1000 (14:30)
10 x 150 (2:10)
1000 (14:15)
10 x 150 (2:15)
1000
= 9, 000 yards

Lots of Thinking (Toys)
Swim: 1500
8 x 200 (1-4: Buoy, 5-8: Tube) (3:00)
Swim: 10 x 100 (1:25 / 1:30)
6 x 200 (1-4: RevPad, 5&6: Pad)
Swim: 5 x 50 / 500 / 5 x 50
4 x 200 (BigPad)
Swim: 1000
2 x 200 (Pad)
Swim: 10 x 150 (2:15)
= 10,000 yards

The Ditch (Drag)
1000  *(1st and final 25 : MCU)                                   10 x 100
  9 x 100                                                                  900
    800 *                                                              8 x 100
      7 x 100                                                    700
         600 *                                              6 x 100
            5 x 100                                    500
               400 *                              4 x 100
                   3 x 100                   300
                      200 *               2 x 100
                          100    >    100 * ^
= 11,000 yards

Finally
1000 *( MCU 1st and last 25 of each 500)
2000 (29:00)
1000 * (15:00)
8 x 500 (7:15)
1000 *
2000 (29:00)
1000
=12,000 fastastic yards

Total this week 57,000 yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed

Friday, April 15, 2011

What a great Friday

Amanda Lawrence, fun underwater... Fantastic Triathlete
My hip and back felt great, the power in core was strong and helped make an effortless 9K, well it wasn't effortless but I was a happy swimmer. Thank you Dr. VanHoewyk for the advise and treatment, even though it was painful.

Long and Strong
- No drag or toys.

1000 (14:30) <***1st and final 25 per 500, Modified Catch up; fantastic loosener>
3000 (42:30)
1000 ***
2 x 1500 (28:15)
1000***
= 9,000 yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Looking forward to seeing my Chiropractor

Looking forward to Shakespeare Beach
Yesterday the weather was drab and very raining, my back was killing me.... I can't wait for my appointment with Dr. David VanHoewyk, a caring chiropractor who has helped my spine heal and get me back playing golf and swimming with less pain.

This afternoon, I had a wonderful treatment, painful but I know this going to help my right hip. He showed me some stretches for my sacro-iliac joint.
We'll see tomorrow how the swimming is.
Today went fine, a good 9000 yards.

Feeling good Thursday
Swim: 1500 (22:30)
BigPad: 20 x 50 (:45)
Swim: 3 x 500 (7:15)
BP: 10 x 100 (1:30)
Swim: 5 x 300 (4:20)
BP: 20 x 50
Swim: 10 x 150 (2:15)
= 9,000 yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Drag Day

Birthday boy on right
A day of Drag with no Toys.
Celebrating an old friend from high school days and life-guarding at Globe Hollow.
Glenn Eagleson was always a really nice guy, I think he turned 49 today but I did an extra 50 if he is 50 years old today. We had so much fun life-guarding.

Fun practice, nice to have Ken show up FINALLY, and John is back today.

Drag Birthday

900 (  MCU 1st and last 25 per 300)
20 x 50 (2 on :45, 3 on :50)
900
10 x 50
900
20 x 50
900
= 6100 drag yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

All by myself

Strange day when my friend, John Lennard doesn't show to swim. We (all the regular swimmers) wonder when John misses a day, he is even more a regular fixture at Mansfield Community Center than I am.
It must have been a crazy Monday evening.

So I managed through the time without any company.

No drag today
Tube: 1000
Swim: 15 x 50 (:45)
RevPad: 2 x 500
Swim: 5 x 150 (2:15)
BigPad: 4 x 250 (3:45)
Swim: 5 x 150
Paddle: 5 x 200 (3:05)
Swim: 15 x 50
Buoy: 10 x 100 (1:30, 1:35, 1:40)
= 8,000 yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed

Monday, April 11, 2011

1st day of Golf

Yippee, the weather has finally cooperated and today will be a good day to head to Skungamaug. Not to say I played great, I really didn't expect to, but the play wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I didn't make my points, but the season starts officially in 1 week.

Good to hit the back 9 with Janet and Bertha.

The day did start with a swim, 3/4 with the drag skirt.

Monday Golf

Swim: 3 x 1000 (15:30)  (#2 lots of Modified Catch-Up Drill)

Drag Skirt
Buoy: 10 x 100 (1:30, 1:35, 1:40)
RevPadd: 20 x 50 (2 on :45, 3 on :50)
BigPadd: 4 x 250 (4:00)
Paddle: 20 x 50
Tube: 10 x 100
= 8,000 yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Sunday drive

Day off, after 64,000 yards last week. Feeling VERY good, can't say I stayed awake for much of last night, but that's beside the point, I'm an early bird, not a nightingale.

Road trip to New Jersey to visit Mom aunties, Catherine and Ursula. Uneventful ride in both directions.
Wonderful visit, good to see the older generation.

Time to sleep and ready for next week, lower yardage, but adding some drag tomorrow.

Dream, Prepare, Succeed

Saturday, April 9, 2011

So nice to swim with friends

The final day of my self-prescribed 'hell week'. Up early for my drive down to Brookfield. After a glitch with the pool being closed, we made our way over to the YMCA. Running a few minutes late, 10K workout seemed to fly by, rotating the leader and the distances.

 Today is my young friend, Nicholas Caines 18th birthday, we met him in 2009 in Dover after his successful crossing at the young age of 16. I definitely wasn't thinking about the channel at 16, but the internet has opened so many eyes.

18 base with friends

1000 warm up
18 x 200 (3:00)
18 x 150 (2:15)
18 x 100 (1:30)
18 x 50 (:45)
= 10,000 birthday yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed

Friday, April 8, 2011

One set at a time

If I judged my swim on the 1st 15 minutes, I would , "it sucked", but as I continued, my lats and deltoids loosened and the morning flew by quickly and without pain,
faster than expected.

Take 1 off and add one.

1000 (15:00)
1 x 100 (1:30)/ 900
2 x 100/ 800
3 x 100/ 700
4 x 100/ 600
5 x 100/ 500
6 x 100/ 400
7 x 100/ 300
8 x 100/ 200
10 x 100.
 = 10,000 yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Take away 5 = 10K

It's getting better, I guess I'm just getting into shape, the more I swim, the easier it gets.

2000 (30 min)
20 x 150 (2:15)
1500 (22:30)
15 x 100 (1:30)
1000 (15 min)
10 x 50 (:45)
500
= 10.000 yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Let it Fly

Over 1/2 way done for the week. Some may say today was a boring workout, but the 1/4 and 1/2 miles just seemed to flow. Learning to just let go and let the body fly.

Just let it FLY

2 x 500 (7:30)
Easy 250 (4:00) *** <25 MCU (Modified Catch-Up)/ 75 free/ 50 MCU/ 75 free/ 25 MCU>
3 x 1000 (14:45)
2 x 500
Easy 250 ***
2 x 1000
2 x 500
Easy 250 ***
1 x 1000
2 x 500
Easy 250 ***
= 11,000 yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

It's your birthday... Mom and Abby


2 more birthdays, big and small numbers. Mom turns 81 and my niece Abby turns 14 today.
A tough start, working out the tightness from yesterday, but as I worked into the final 1/3 of the workout, swimming became easier.

Two special numbers, 81 and 14

14 x 50 (:45)
25 x 100 (1:30)
easy 250 ***(25 MCU/ 75 free/ 50 MCU/ 75 free/ 25 MCU)
31 x 100
easy 250 ***
25 x 100
14 x 50
= 10,000 special yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Mike's Birthday

As everyone gets older, these workouts are getting tougher, and my weekly goal numbers are rising.
Mike Oram, my pilot and friend turned 64 today. Mike has escorted me for all of my 10 crossings, I will miss him when he decides to retire.
I thought this would a good week to push up the weekly yardage to the highest for this year, 64K by Saturday.
Today's numbers jump started the task with 13,000, the only problem is staying awake as I type. As soon as I finish, I'm off to ZZZland, even though I'll miss the big National Championship game between Butler and UCONN, I just can't keep my eyes open and I have another good workout tomorrow.

Pilot 13K

64 x 200 (2:55)
easy 200 Modified Catch-up
= 13,000 Happy Birthday Yards.

Go UCONN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Cleopatra

Day off from the water, rest before a very BIG week.
Enjoyed my Sunday by waking at 6am (sleeping in), coffee and baking a birthday cake for Mom, while listening to my favorite Sunday show on NPR, "Being" with Krista Tippet.

After getting a breath fresh spring air and raking out 3 gardens, I was looking forward to spending some time with Mom and my sister, Teresa. Dinner and a movie, 'Cleopatra', with the late Elizabeth Taylor, but we had no idea how long the movie would run, 4 hours.
We decided to finish the movie after watching 2 hours.

Go UCONN, too tired and the girls play too late tonight, but I hope their dream continues, I will find out the result tomorrow morning..

Dream, Prepare, Succeed

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Working on the temperatures

Finishing off the week with an easy 4,500 yards, and finishing the week with 40K.

Now is the time to start working on getting ready for the extreme temperatures. Because it remains too clad to swim outside, I'm using hot showers and the Therapy pool as tools to get ready for a big temperature difference.

After my worl out, I took a quick HOT shower and then jumped into the lap pool (80.5 degrees), then I went down to therapy pool (90+ degrees), then jumped back into the Lap pool.
It's nothing like being outside, but it is a start.

 Easy Saturday

Bouy: 800
Fulcrum: 200 (modified catch-up)
RevPad: 800
Fulcrum: 150
BigPad: 800
Fukcrum: 100
Paddle: 800
Fulcrum: 50
Tube: 800
= 4,500 easy yards

Dream, Prepre, Succeed.

April Fool's Birthday Friday

Facebook has helped me honor my close friends and family, and also made it easier to make up a workout.

L>R: Louise, Freda, Barry and Irene
April 1st, is my British massage therapist and friend, Louise Kent's, 46th birthday, a very good number to work with.
Happy Birthday Louise and see you soon.

4's and sixes (Han's Paddles)

RevPad: 600 (25 Catch-up/ 50 free)
Swim: 23 x 100 (1:30)
RevPad: 600
Swim: 4 x 150 (2:15)
Paddle: 600
Swim: 23 x 100
Paddle: 600
East 400 (1/2 length, no breathing/ 1/2 length Modified Catch-up)
= 8,000 Bday yards

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

2015 ... Swimming for Homes for the Brave

After spending the past 20 years paddling from Dover to France, it is time to venture into new waters, while helping some special people.
Soon, I will be traveling with my A-team to Scotland to swim the length of the famous Loch Ness.
As always, I try to help a Foundation raise funds and awareness and I thank you for interest and support.
I am deeply troubled with the thought of homeless individuals, especially in our US Veteran population.

That is why I am teaming up with our Connecticut-based “Homes for the Brave”. Can you imagine not having a place to call home?

Here is more information about Homes for the Brave! -Facebook pages – https://www.facebook.com/pages/ABRIHomes-for-the-Brave/199613606735630?ref=hl

- Annual Appeal with more information about our financials and programs- http://www.homesforthebrave.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/HFTB-2014-Annual-Report-FINAL.pdf

-Check donations can be mailed to the following address:
Homes for the Brave
655 Park Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06604

- Donations can be made online as well: https://homesforthebrave.isecuresites.com/products/index.php?type=1110

Please write “Loch Ness Swim/Marcy” to track your donation.


I will always be dedicating my swimming to all those battling cancer and in the memory of 4 special people in my life. Cancer first hit my family when I was young. My grand-aunt Eleanor Kersavage, passed away with uterine cancer and my Auntie Bea Halchak battled with brain cancer.

On January 1, 2002, our LEHY family lost Nikki Giampolo to bone cancer, just turning 16 years old. Her spirit still lives on in our East Hartford swim team.

In July of 2009, my brother-in-law, Gregory Allen Urban, who passed away, after a valient battle with lung cancer. I can see him now, talking about cars and projects around the house, music and his family.

I know Aunties, Eleanor and Bea, Nikki, Greg and all the angels will help me CUT through all this water this summer.

The St. Vincent's Medical Center Foundation, based in Bridgeport, CT provides financial support for the needs that Health insurance companies don't cover, in addition to providing affordable cancer screening, wigs, medication and other things to make life easier for those suffering with cancer and their families.

Please make a donation, and thank you.

Online donations can be made at: http://give.stvincents.org

or you can send a check through the post to:

Swim Across the Sound
St. Vincent's Medical Center Foundation
2800 Main Street
Bridgeport, CT 06606
(203)576-5451

Thank you so very much, peace and good health to all.