2000m

700s
400p
300k
3x100 IM
100scull
200s

Total: 2000m 1hr.

Made it to the pool between school and a private lesson. It's not much fun to swim with a stuffed up nose and a sore throat. I think the guy in the lane next to me was laughing cause I had snot hanging from my nose while swimming breaststroke. The pool's chemicals must be off with all the snot I keep blowing into the pool. It's gross, I know...but what can I do?? I'm hoping to get to the pool tomorrow and Saturday as well. At least to stretch our and keep my muscles moving before Sunday!!

KMSC 1550m

500s
100k
300p
4x50 medium-fast pace

Time Practice
50 Brst 46.08
100 Brst 1.41.03
100 IM 1.36.55

200s

Total: 1550m 1hr. 10min.

Yikes, my last Masters meet is this coming weekend. I am not prepared at all. But tonight we had time practice so at least I got to practice to swimming each of them. And I did them all kinda back to back. They didn't feel particularly strong, but hopefully on Sunday it'll be better. Wearing one suite and shaving down should help! I hope!

Sunday....I have to be at the hospital to meet the team before 645. Ugh!!!

Kurobe Road Race

Today was the 24th Kurobe Jimmy Carter Road Race. I ran in it two years ago. But this year I got asked to volunteer! Yippee!! It was a great job! I biked to the race, meet up with some of the Masters Swim Team members and stood on the sidelines and cheered. I got to sport the volunteers' blue hat, a bright yellow jacket while holding a red and white flag in case there was traffic that needed directing. I got to direct one car across the course between runners coming in one direction and the lead police car coming in the other. It was an exciting moment. Actually, the best part was seeing the shock on people's faces as the ran by and realized a foreigner was cheering for them. Lots of people nodded, waved, responded, and one guy even shouted out in English "thank you!"

Kurobe Marathon May 2005

The Nifty Volunteer Outfit

San Tache rockin' the 10K

And then after a long tea ceremony and lunch...I biked home.

In total 26km today! But Ms. San Tache is the real super star. She biked, ran, and then biked again!
Holy Moly!

1500m

500s
200k
500p
100brst
200s

Tonight was a struggle. I was out in the sun all day and my allergies are at their worst. i need to go to bed. unfortunately, the pool will be closed all weekend cause of the marathon on Sunday. So my next swim won't be till Monday! Bummer.

But I've been on my bike everyday this week!! It feels great!

Unazuki Ride

It's been beautiful this week, trying to bike as much as possible to as many places as possible! I rode up to Unazuki to check out the boxes that arrived for shipping my crap to the UK with a friend. We were both a bit worried they wouldn't be big enough....not an issue!! They are massive! I just wish I could pack my bike in one of the boxes!! That would be ideal!

Anyway, about 20km today.

1800m

700s
300p
4x25 fly on 1:00
4x25 bk on :45
4x25 brst on :45
4x25 fr on :30
100k
100scull
200s

Total: 1800m 45 min

Barely had time to get to the pool today, but went for it and was able to fit in 1800m. Not too bad. I tried to swim hard on the 25s. Feeling stronger, but not feeling fast. Not much time left. I missed the 'dash' and starts practice last night cause I was teaching. So next week is IT! Someday I want to take a serious start camp. I need to finally learn how to do starts well. It's embarrassing!

3700m

1000s
400k
600p
4x3x100 IM/Brst/Free (2:30/2:15/2:15/2:05)
200k
100scull
200s

I got to the pool with no plan as usual other than to try for more than 3000m. Just getting in felt great and I was feeling strong so I stretched out my warm-up a bit longer than usual. Since I'll be swimming IM/Brst in two weeks I knew I had to do something along those lines, hence the 12x100s. I was sharing a lane but he was pretty consistent and I could pass him pretty easily within 25m. The IM to Brst transition was always tight regardless of my interval, but I made each one. All the others were fine. I was still feeling good and had a bit more time so I did a bit more kick and scull. Today was the kinda of day where I could have done even more if I'd had the time. Felt great and I felt strong! Let's hope I can maintain that for the meet in two weeks! If nothing else, swimming with only one suit vs four, should be a piece of cake!!!

Kanazawa Castle Relay Marathon

Sunday marked my second Kanazawa Relay Marathon. Two years ago I ran on a team and managed to run about 8km or 4 laps. This time around we had bigger teams, thank goodness. I only had to run two laps, or about 4km. And that was plenty enough for me!! My time was exactly 10:51 for each 1.9km lap. I'm a little stiff and sore today after the run. And feeling no need to ever run again! Swimming and biking...those are my sports!

KMSC 1650m

350s
8x50 k
2x50 scull
6x50 25 r arm/25 l arm
6x50 brth every 3/5/7/3/5/7
200 cool down

Total: 1650m 1hr.

Wow, it was like a real workout tonight. I showed up late, so I barely got a warm-up in. But as soon as the clock struck 7:40 we were off the wall and doing 50s. I wasn't watching the interval, but we were leaving on an interval. Wow! That's a first! And everyone was almost making it. We only lapped two people by the end of the kick set. Impressive. The drill set was kinda boring, but again, we stayed on time. And the breath control set was fine. We swam more than we've ever swam before and we kept our heart rate up. Of course everyone was complaining and saying the two young swimmers were the only ones enjoying it. And it's probably true. The young coach was actually swimming tonight and I was right behind her. We were enjoying it!!

I got asked to help volunteer at the upcoming road race. Not to run...to help with traffic control!! Sweet!! So anyway, I had to exchange digits with a woman after practice...the woman who is always looking me up and down and calling me sexy. So tonight in the locker room, we are exchanging numbers and she announces my birthday. Ehh?? How did she know that? She said she's in love with me. And then I asked if she knew my address and she said not yet, but when she finds it she'll send me love letters! Whoa!! This is funny for a few reasons...1) Japanese people rarely joke about gay relationships 2) rarely does anyone joke like that with me because of the language barrier 3) she seems just slightly serious and I love it but 4) I know she's not serious at all!! Man, oh man, if and when this country starts coming out...it's gonna be wild!

2300m

500s
100bk
200brst
4x25fly
300k
4x100 brst on 2:05 and 50fr on 1:00
400p
100s

It's a rainy cold day today. I'm glad I decided to take my computer to work and drove instead of biking. I would have been really wet riding home! Instead I just went to the pool and got wet. San Tache showed up a few minutes later. So we gabbed and swam! I was still feeling really full from lunch--dry curry, butter rice, ham sesame salad, fried squid, egg seaweed soup, apple jelly (like jello) and milk! It was huge! And then I started having a sneezing attack--damn allergy season! But it was an okay workout....Sunday is the big run! ;(

KMSC 1875m

500s/500p
2x4x50 IM order 75%
4x50 IM order 1/2dash 1/2 easy, stopping at the wall if needed
3x25 sprint relay starts
200s

Total: 1875m 1hr. 15min.

The schedule this month is labeled as 'speedo' month. And it isn't referring to the swim brand. So tonights workout was much faster paced than usual, but after every mini-set, everyone stared at each other and said, "Well, what do you want to do next?" I tried to stay out of it tonight. Seriously people...shouldn't someone be in charge of setting the workout before the workout? And I was told during the 50 IM order set that my butterfly kick was anything but smooth--more like uncontrollable and extremely jerky in her reenactment of it for me. Thanks, it's nice to get some honest feedback, I guess.

I finally got a video tonight. I think it's from last summer's session. Should be interesting to watch!

24km & 1600m

Bike to Ducks 4km
Bike to pool 10km
500s
200brst
200bk
4x25fly on 1:00
100brst
300k
200s
Bike home 10km

Total: 24km bike, 1600m swim in 2.5 hrs

San Tache and I headed to the pool again today on our bikes! Another windy day, but it was nice and warm. Unfortunately, so was the water!! But felt good to be on the bike and in the pool two days in a row. My breaststroke is feeling stronger! I need to do some breaststroke sets in the next few weeks! And now it's time to pack the car for the flea market!! Eek!!

20km + 1050m

A beautiful sunny day....so San Tache and I got on our bikes and rode to the pool. Yippee!!

10km
500s
100brst
100bk
4x25fly
200p
50s
10km

Total: 20km bike & 1050m swim in 2 hours

It felt great to get in a double workout, even if the swim wasn't very long! And it was a beautiful day for a ride, although a little windy! I'm feeling the attempt at running in my legs today! If the weather holds out...maybe I'll attempt all three tomorrow! Maybe!

I got a comment on my 4 suits today from a masters swimmer. He leaned over from another lane and asked, "Are you wearing 2 suits?" I said "No, four!" He looked shocked and asked why. I said it was for training and it made swimming more difficult. And then we started talking about the upcoming meet in June!

an attempt

the pool is closed on Wednesday and it was cold and rainy today. so after the rain let up I decided to attempt a short run. the attempt was successful but it was very short!

i hate running! but need to do a little before that damn relay i signed up for on the 13th! what was i thinking?

total: ~10min 1km

3500m

700s
500p
300k brd
100k brst no brd
16x100 on 2:00 (#4,8,12,16 brst)
100k
200s

I'm loving vacation time! I went to the pool today with no plan other than to swim. I started the 100 set as 8x100, but after #8 I decided to keep going. And #12 didn't feel like a good stopping point either. It's not a great way to do a workout, but I felt good, so I kept swimming. Luckily, there was another serious swimmer in my lane. She was also swimming 100-200s so we kept out of each others way for the most part. Hurray! I'm hoping to make it to the pool Thurs/Fri too! Add in a few bike rides on top of that and maybe a run! Should be a good week!

Oh, and yesterday I went for a light hike around a lake...nice and flat, but it was at about 1500m. It felt great to be outside and it was so so beautiful!!!

2400m

700s
200brst
100bk
100fly drill
200k brst
200k fr
~400 lunges in the walking lane
200p
100s

Total: 2400m (including the walking) 1hr.

San Tache and I headed to the pool today. Originally, I was hoping to bike and go for a little mini-jog/run, but the weather is nasty and I woke up with a sore throat. So we just did the pool. I was feeling a bit tingly in my limbs and short of breath. We tried the walking lane today. I've never done it before. Not sure it is very effective, but let's see if I can feel the lunges tomorrow. I hope so!!

I have the next week OFF!!! My goal is to get to the pool a lot and hopefully by bike!! The next meet is just over a month away. And I signed up for a relay marathon in two weeks...i'm nutz!!

Congratulations Mad Ducks & Dogs

This is a little late, but a huge congrats to my college swim team for it's 9th & 6th straight Mid-West Conference Championship! When I joined the team in 1996, it has been a few years since the team had won and with a new coach, the team was still re-building and growing. I was there when the winning streak started and it was so exciting to watch and be apart of...even if I wasn't part of the scoring swimmers! I honestly believe that one of the reasons we were so successful was because our team-spirit was was contagious! It was a full-time job cheering for swimmers and divers. If you weren't warming-up or cooling down, you were at the end of the lane or at the side yelling for someone! And before every home meet, the team stands around the pool and leads everyone in pool hokey-pokey. The lyrics are almost the same, but adjusted a little: right foot, left foot, right hand, left hand, head, butt, and mad dog/duck (use your imagination).

I miss the team-spirit. I hope someday I'll be able to join a more competitive and team-spirited masters team. Hmm...I wonder if there are Masters teams in the Middle East?

(I found these pics on the internet...thanks someone)

1500m

500s
200k
300p
4x4x25 IM
200s

I've been so so tired all week! Struggled to get to the pool tonight...the only reason I did was to sign up for the Masters Meet in June. I'll be swimming the 100Brst and 100Medley. I gotta start really swimming!

~1200m

I can't remember everything I did, but it was nice and relaxing after the long pull on Thursday! After the swim, a friend and I went to a hot spring and sat for about an hour! It was wonderful!

2500m

500s
1000p
400k IM
4x100 IM
200s

Total 2500m 1hr.

Overall a good swim. The kids team was in the pool and took up4 lanes, leaving 2 lanes to ALL the lap swimmers. This looked to be a problem, but another Masters swimmer and I bullied most everyone out of the 'fast' lane. That was part of the reason I decided mid-swim to do a 1000p..."I'm not stopping for ANYTHING-MOVE OVER OR GET OUT!" Motivated to keep people out of my lane, I tried to keep a hearty pace tonight.

Have I mentioned that the entire kids swim team has matching practice suits?? And the their coaches/swim teachers who are all on the Masters team also wear matching suits (albeit different suits than their team suits or their team practice suits). Sometimes I think..."Wow, what a good idea, promote team spirit and also a sense of equality among everyone." And then my mind shifts to a scene: standing in front of a group of parents in North America and suggesting all their kids wear the same suit...and I bust up laughing! I can't imagine trying to get North American parents to go for something like that! And that's exactly the reason why I wear 4 suits instead of going out and buying a new suit that matches all the other Masters swimmers!