2500m

Warm-up
500s/500k (no brd)/500p/100s

Set
4x100 25free/75 brst rotate the 25 free through the 100
:45 sec rest

200k

Cool down
300s

2500m

Warm-up:
500s/300k/500p/100s

Sets:
10x50 s 1:00
100k
3x100 IM :15 sec rest

Cool Down:
200s

Total: 2500m about 1hr.

2000m

Warm-up:
500s/200k/300p/100s

Sets
4x200 IM (25drill/25 swim)

Cool down
200s

Pathetic! But I've been sick with a cold and attending so many christmas parties, I have been destroying my body lately! The holidays are cruel--wine, beer, chocolate, etc.! Not sure when I'll be back....more holiday parties to attend!

5300m

Warm-Up
500s/400p/300k

Sets
20x50 s 1:00 (10-15 sec rest)
200 k (100w/brd 100 w/o brd)
10x100 alt IM/free (15-30 sec rest)
100k
1500p 25 min
100k

Cool down
200s

Total 5300m 1hr 55min

2400m

Warm-up
500s/25ok/250p

Sets
10x100 (s/brst/s/p/s/IM/s/IM/s/IM)
200k

Cool-down
200s

After the JLPT tomorrow, hopefully I can get back into a more frequent routine! This sucks!

5000m

Warm-up
500s/300k/500p

Sets
20x50 free 1:00 (10-15 sec rest)
strong, but not fast
200 brst k, no brd
6x100 alt IM/Free 2:15 (15-30 sec rest)
200k
1500p

Cool down
200s

Yikes! I haven't been to the pool since the swim meet (2 weeks ago). Today I got in the water thinking I would swim about 2-3000m. As I was getting close to 3000m, I decided to push for 4000m. And as I was approaching 4000m, I thought, why the hell not? I'm going for 5000m today! I might not get to the pool again until next weekend, and I was feeling good! Yeah!!! The brillant thing about being your own coach, is that if you start a set thinking "Oh, I'll keep it easy 2x250 pull. That sounds like a good way to end the workout." And then as you finish your 250, you just decide, why stop? And the 500 comes and goes and your still feeling good, so you just keep pushing it! It's great! But, these days are few and far between. Usually it's the other way around. Usually, I have high hopes and wimp out early on! Gambattemasu!

Nyuzen Senjouchi Marathon

The Toyama crew after the Nyuzen Marathon. "Marathon" is a little mis-leading if you don't live in Japan. It simply means a running race, not a full 26.2 mile marathon. Our group ran the 5k and 10k. I'm not sure any of us had stellar races, but we all did it in the cold and rain! And maybe it will motivate us to get my butt in gear for the next one (Kanazawa Ekiden)! Although, until I get my hip fixed, I won't be doing anymore running. I'm so NOT a runner!

Post-run onigiri, or rice balls, and nabe, a stew made with miso, tofu, pork, and veggies. It's hot, salty and super tasty! The perfect post race food!

After slurping up our stew, we headed to an onsen, hot spring, to bathe our tired sore cold bodies! And Linea treated us to some special homecooked goodness later that night! Yum!

Many of my junior high school students were also running in the 5k race. And I think they ALL beat me. But they train hard-core!! I on the other hand, have only run twice in the last 4 months! The students who didn't run volunteered along the 10k and 1/2 marathon course. I'm gonna miss them when they graduate in March!

Back to the pool for me!!! It opens Tuesday!

Running

Agh, the pool is closed this week for maintenance! And I signed up to run the Nyuzen 5k on Sunday. So that means I have to run this week. I haven't been running since last spring because my right hip hurts. It's been feeling better so I went for a run last night....10 minutes into the run it started hurting again. And today I'm limping! I'll drug up before Sunday's event and then see a chiropractor next week!

I ran to the expressway and back!

30 min./approx. 5k

Kurobe Community Swim Meet

Today Linea, Amy, Lydia and I participated in the Kurobe Community Swim Meet! We were a bit of a spectacle, being the only foreigners there. But it was fun and got my adrenaline going! And hopefully I made some new friends at the pool instead of making more enemies (lane traffic issues)! It was my first swim meet in almost 6 years! Wow! Kinda makes me want to join the Masters Team (maybe)! Here are the pics from the meet:

Me, Linea, Lydia & Amy ready to race!

My competition & I after my first race, 50 breast!

Crazy face Linea & Cute face Kazu!

Lydia & Amy in line for the 25 free with the kiddies!

Surprise you're swimming breaststroke!

Linea in lane 6, rockin' a race!

Warm-up:
750s/p

Races:
50 m Breaststroke 42:98
50 m Freestyle 34:24
25 m Freestyle 15:79
25 m Butterfly 18:70

Total: ~1000m

After the meet was over and we picked up our certificates (now proudly placed on the fridge), we went to the Unazuki Beer Gardens--buffet for 14ooY! It was oishii yo!! And we stuffed ourselves!

Next we headed further up the gorge to enjoy the leaves and a hot steaming onsen! The view from the onsen is spectacular--the blue-green of the Kurobe River, the orange and red leaves dotting the mountains, and the snow covering the peaks!

It was a great day! Excercise, food & a hot bath!

2000m

Warm-Up
500s/500p/200k

Sets
4x50 brst 1:00
4x50 free 1:00
4x25 fly 1:00
100k

Cool Down
200s

Total: 2000m 50min

Today was a taper workout. Ha ha ha! Can you have those if you haven't really been training and you only taper for a day?? Oh well! Tomorrow is my first race since college! I haven't done a start in ages. Yikes!

4000m

Warm-up:
500s/400k

Sets:
2100p (~31 minutes)
100k
7x100 IM :20-30 sec rest (depending on lane traffic)

Coold-down:
200s

Total: 4000m 1hr 25min

2100m

Warm-Up:
400s/300k/400p

Sets:
8x50 alt brst/free 1:00
100k
3x100 25fly/50brst/25free

Cool Down:
200s

Total: 2100m 55min

I wasn't in the mood today. I hadn't eaten since lunch and didn't get to the pool until 7pm. All I could think about was dinner. But at least I got there! Tomorrow I'll try to do a bit more.

2700m

Warm-Up:
400s/400p/300k

Sets:
10x50 on 1:00 medium pace
2x4x100 1st 25 IM order FAST, last 75 ez free on 2:00
100kick inbetween IM sets

Cool Down:
200s

Total 2700m 1hour

3000m

10 min wake up run

Warm-up:
500s/500k

Sets:
5x200p :30sec rest

4x25 fly on :45 (80%)
100 fr ez
4x25 back on :45
100fr ez
4x25 brst on :45
100fr ez
4x25 fr on :45
100 kick

Cool Down
200s

Total: 3000m 70min.

2500m

Warm-Up
1000s/200k

Sets
8x100p 1:50 (20 sec rest)
3x4x25 :30 fly/ezfree/brst/ezfree fly/brst=fast

Cool Down
200s

Total: 2500m 55min.

A recovery swim after a hard-core weekend! And I was also on a tight schedule today. But I turned in my application for the upcoming Kurobe Community Swim Meet. I'm going to swim the 50m breast, 50m free and 25m fly. I need to work on speed and not distance the next few weeks!

4000m

Warm-up
500s/300k/200s

Sets
1500p
10x100 alt IM/Freestyle 15-30sec. rest
4x25 fly fast 30sec. rest
4x25 brst fast 30 sec. rest
4x25 back fast 30 sec. rest

Cool Down
200s

Total: 4000m 1 hr. 30min.

And Linea and I got invited to a city swim meet next month. Competition always motivates! Plus it's free. Sign me up!

2750m

Warm-up
500s/300k

Sets
7x200 alt pull/IM :30-45 rest (depending on how many others were in the lane)
7x50 k 2free/1 brst 1:20

Cool Down
200s

Total: 2750 55 minutes

Getting time and energy during the week to swim is a challenge. But I made it to the pool, and that's what counts! Even though I didn't get lots of meterage (is that a word) in, I was trying to keep my heart rate up with the IM set and the kicking set literally kicked my ass! Maybe I'll try again tomorrow!

4900m

Another exciting friday night at the pool!! My focus tonight was breathing every 5 strokes (when I wasn't trying to always pass the extremely slow kickers in my lane). I've gotten lazy and breathe every three in my old age. Plus I always breathe off the wall. It's gotta stop!

Warm-up
500s/400p/300k/100s

Sets
20x50s medium pace on 1:00 (15 sec rest)
200k no board
5x200p 30 sec rest
200k no board
4x200 IM (first 3 IM's: 25s/25k, last IM all s)

Cool down
200k/200s

Total: 4900m 1hr 55min

4500m

A lucky lucky day. My school let me out 2 hours early, so I had just enough time to get a swim in before my after work activites/schedule started! I haven't swam this much in ages, and it felt great!

Warm-up
500s/400k

Sets
1500p
100k
8x100 fr/brst/fr/IM (x2) w/ 15-20 sec rest
200k
10x50 alt easy/b-up on the 1:00 (10-15 sec rest)
200k

Cool-down
300s

Total
4500meters, 1hr. 30min

Failed Attempt

I tried to swim today, but I got to the pool and it was closed. My schedule is so busy this week, I won't be able to go again until Friday! Shit!

3150m

Warm Up
400 s/200 k/400 p

Sets
10x50 alt b-up & easy on 1:00
200 k
6x100 alt 100 IM & 100 easy 15 sec. rest
200 k
550 p

Cool Down
100 s

Total: 3150 meters, 1 hr 10 min.

From the Beginning

I've been swimming since before I could walk and talk. And I'm a pisces, so I love being in the water. I can't ever remember a time when I didn't look forward to swim lessons or going to the pool with friends. And whenever we took trips, I always requested a hotel with a pool. After I finished swim lessons, I joined the swim team. When I wasn't swimming I was lifeguarding, but I was always at the pool.


I continued swimming and lifeguarding at Grinnell College. I have NEVER been a star or super fast, but I always loved it. Although I haven't always loved practicing, but no pain, no gain! I've never been fast, but swimming is one thing I have done my whole life. And I love it. It's a sport I plan to continue the rest of my life. I'm hoping by keeping a record of my workouts I can challenge myself to swim more, swim faster and keep a competitive edge with myself even if I'm not competing.

In college, the women's mascot was a duck, and we called ourselves the "Mad Ducks."

I will forever be "A Mad Duck."