Pretty quiet here in the fishes thread this month, and their gonna close my pool after this weekend for 3 weeks as usual. Will travel far and wide to get in one or two a week, just so the New Years isn't a start from scratch..

So did my last meet of the year this past weekend, went as well as I could expect. Dropped a bunch of time from the same type of meet the month before, so looks like I felt bad there, and then felt pretty good here. It was a defacto championship meet in meters, short course. Not swum much in this country, so kind of the red headed step child of swimming here in the US. But lots of really fast folks showed up, looked like a dozen world records were broken along with lots of national ones too. A 50+ team from my club broke the medley relay world record, so that was fun to watch..

I did 11 races in 3 days, here are the stats, meters short course:

200IM--2;53
200Breast--3;12
100free--1;07
50fly--33;3/33;05relay
400IM--6;14
200free--2;39(really slow on relay)
100Breast--1;27
100fly--1;21(died a horrible death last 20 meters)
100IM 1;17
50free-31flat

So all in all not a bad meet for me, got 2nd through 5th in most events, and we won 4 or our over 65 relays, but two due to DQ jumps by the winning teams. Really shitty too, as their leadoff broke the record in the 200 free and now it doesnt count because of a twitchy jump. Really sore and got in today and did this one as a kind of recovery;

6x500 as 2 buoy@7;30(7;09/6;56)1frog@9;30(9;06)2pull@7;00(6;28/6;19)1 frog@9;30(8;58)
3x100p@1;30(1;20/20/19)
4x50@1;00 (41/39/39/36)3x50 kick
3650SCY in 59;30

Great work on the meet - that is some decent effort on a nuber of events and you hit better times than the last meet so what more can you ask for. I reckon if you had fewer events you could take a few seconds off each of those 2 and 4 IMs - what do you reckon?




Been swimming a bit and saw my self on film earlier this week. I was horrified. I am now trying to work on starting my catch earlier, particularly on my left side, so I don't catch up too much at the start. Its a strange thing swim technique as I was leading the lane and we were holding 116 pace over 200s and 100s for 1.8km leaving on 125s, which is an improvement on where I was a few months ago but still it must have been ugly as heck....

I asked one of my mates and he said it looked fine but he makes a habit of never giving any feedback on technique

I can do the gallop stroke quite naturally, but I find that if I do not start my catch earlier on the left side I gallop. If I start the catch earlier I flatten out a bit. I have got a lot of swim strength in the stroke at the more catch up position, so just need to spend some time finding the groove at a slightly different timing. If you see videos of Keiren Perkins Daniel Kowalski and Grant Hackett that is the style I am trying to go for - at 20 seconds per 100 slower :) so it is right side breathing, four beat kick, quick pull through on right side but an early catch starting on the left side to avoid a massive gallop

3500m ish free this AM, more meters kicking, and a little indoor rock climbing
shoulder ok right now, hoping it doesn't hurt later (that happens sometimes)

something like
600, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100, 200, 300, 400 with 50 kick between them
4 x (50 swim, 50 kick)
100 swim
a couple more 50s?
kicked for a bit

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

At the high and very hot pool today, did my short brute and was cooked well before the finish:

3x200buoy@3;10(2;54/50/46)200frog@4;00(3;41)
4x100IM@2;00 easy descend(1;26/25/24/22)
300p easy(3;50)
mini brute-100fly/200IM/500free no breaks--(11;36---1;30/3;04/5;02)
5x200p@3;00(2;39/36/36/35/32)
200frog@4;00(3;35)
4x50buoy@1;00(41/40/39/38)2x50flutter/dolphin@1;15(56/54)
3800SCY in 71 minutes

anyone got any experience with elbow pain? when I wake up it is a bit sore but once warm it is fine. any strengthening exercises?

an easy one today as fly out to indonesia for a week tomorrow

600 easy
10x100 5 seconds rest, 60%
400 easy
1k hold 124-125s
600 holding 128-129 straight into 4x100 on 120 (14,15,15,13)
500 floating and easy mucking around sculling and no oggle swimming

On the tendon, tennis elbow?

Our 50m is closed for 2 years for structural maintenance, we switched to a 25m, but not enough lane space so have now hired a 25m pool that is used for babies, rehab, therapy etc and the temp is a sizzling 34 C (93F). It's insane. My HR is through the roof and I feel sick during the mainsets. I've shaved my head to help.

that's cooking and also pretty unsafe tbh.... earlier in the year I swam in 30 degree waters just ambling and floating around snorkelling and after an hour I was feeling pretty ill.. let along training. Yeah its the equivalent of tennis elbow - on the funny bone part

sounds like tendonitis. Get some voltaren - OTC anti inflammatory that my orthopod has suggested to me when I have tendon issues that are near the skin.
PM me for the name of a swim specialist PT (also a triathlete and a very fast one, but he swam in college) who works w people online if you want to try that. This is the guy that suggested I might have a nerve issue - he's super smart. I'm sorry you've got a niggle. Keep us updated as to how you are, ok?

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Thank you. Will get some massage on it and hope it comes good.

For the ow lovers check out this skill in the surf. Retiring after 18 years in the game

Lani pallister is a world class distance swimmer - expecting her in 1-2 finals in Paris - and she can’t hang with her on the wave

https://youtube.com/...?si=swVfU4hCIl6NXBNQ

you can buy an ultrasound like PTs use for about $100 online. Much cheaper than seeing a PT for it.
The fact that I know one can just buy those and do it oneself is some combo of far too many experiences with injuries (which I've a good deal of shame with, in terms of the running ones - this swim thing for me isn't caused by overexercise, but rather just bad luck with decades of semi high level swimming), and out of the box thinking :-)

I've had tennis elbow from swimming before but it has been a very brief thing for me, like it'll set in at the end of a long swim, I'll get out, and it will go away. So as far as that being a swim injury, totally not uncommon.

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Def a slow month!! But nice meet Monty!

That was a lot of racing. Well done.

I have not been in yet, I miss it more than you know, and am aching to get back into the pool. The ankle is healing but oh man, that was a very deep wound. I think I might be able to get in next week sometime, if I can not walk around too much with it. But the wife has other ideas w going to NYC this weekend so, that might set me back. Sadly.

Otherwise the shoulder seems to be back. If I reach that right arm across and try to scratch over the top of my left shoulder it will let me know that it is not happy. But I have spent 4 of the last 5 days in my gym in the basement doing strength work. Step ups and push ups. Im up to 20 min straight through of 12 push ups on the even min and 10 single let 20" step ups (no extra weight) on each leg on the odd minutes. Gets the HR up and keeps me engaged. Then Ill do some other stuff to just not be a total waste.

But its now 3 weeks and day from being in great shape in the pool and on the bike and in the gym to basically starting over. UGH!

I also need this ankle to heal for skiing and skinning!

Enough complaining... keep the swim posts coming!
Happy Holidays everyone. Whatever you celebrate, CELEBRATE! Life is short.

daved

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http://www.theundergroundcoach.com

thanks, that is some master-class wave riding.. kinda funny to watch, the rest of the field disappears as the first three catch the wave..

4x400IM 7:50 to 8 on 9min, dragging great anchors. My friend Carl has torn rotator cuff and biceps tendon, surgery and six months off, so I"m just grateful to be swimming..

Been watching Courtney race for the past 15 years, she has just been so solid(and easy on the eyes too!!) And Lani is certainly the class of the swimming field, but as witnessed from this video, folks that would be a minute behind her in the 1500 can hang, and even beat her on a wave. And honestly a lot of holding that wave is just blind luck, the spot Lani was in hit just a little deeper water, while Courtney's section was the exact spot that it doubled up and went to shore..

Of course what is not seen is that those two were kicking about 35 second 50m speed at that moment, and holding their breaths until their lungs were bursting..But that is what you do, and then hope you get to recover while riding later on, and not having to swim in completely busted after falling off..

Looks like Lani will be in some events in Paris, hope she can close the gap just a bit closer to Katie and get on the podium. Is she going for the OW races too there?

Great summing up there. Courtney was about a finger nail off falling off that one

For Lani her best chance at a medal is probably OWS but she’s swimming a great 800 at the moment. She’s only a few seconds away from a podium. There are a couple of racers after Katie who are all fighting for it - titmus, quadarella and Lani spring to mind.

I haven’t seen her in any ows races to qualify for Paris in that - there is a strong argument for her doing that after Paris

I would have thought hat Lani would have qualified for your OW team for the games, is that team set as of yet?

And for going that direction afterwards, isn't there pretty good money still in the lifeguard racing scene? She has done well in Ironmans(lifeguard) and with her swim fitness, seems like she had many more years to perfect the crafts too. Look at Courtney, a great swimmer who learned the crafts, and I believe has made a great living for the past 15 years or so?

Or is it just the men there that make the big $$? Been a long time since I was involved with surf racing, but it was quite lucrative back in the 80's/ 90's and later on as I recall. Perhaps it took a tumble in there, looks like different title sponsors have come in over the years to fund the series..Shaw and Partners still in there?

There is a process for qualifying for OW down here which involves something like point scoring from key events. We’ve got one who has already qualified Chelsea gubecka when she beat Kareena lee who got bronze at Tokyo at the last qualifying event

That’s a good call re lani after retiring from Olympic swimming

I know they can get pretty good sponsorship and speedo steps behind some of these athletes. I am not sure if they get a fee on top of equipment and product to know how that works. I reckon many do a bit of part time work and only the top guys can do this professionally - many would be doing some uni / college part time too

They train 2-3 x per day - they do professional training and some of the elites look to really be more clued into sports science now as they are in top shape carrying some muscle


It was a massive series in the 80s and 90s and they were house hold names. One thing that changed is they don’t show the racing on free to air tv anymore. It used to be on every weekend on the box.

Shaw and partners still in the sponsorship game for it

The summer surf series is still a thing but as was said isn't as big as it was back in the 90's (same as the F1 Tri series) but it is still shown on 7+,one of our subscription TV channels..

The first of the local races was last week and is on 7+ but hasn't been uploaded to the YouTube channel yet. The popularity of the Surf Ironman and Ironwomen really depends on where in Oz you are. I actually work part time in a surf club and while the NIppers are a big thing for us the is almost no adult competitors which is strange as Noosa is only 22k away to the north and Alexandra Headlands and even closer to the south.
2023/24 Summer of surf – Over $600,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs across four iconic locations! | Summer of Surf
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Here are last years Ironwoman and Ironman finals. (No cancelled swims here) :-)

I have seen those ironman vids from last year, but when you find this years, would appreciate them. You seem to have an inside track on athlete vids..(-;

Had a 3 day off weekend with kids and amusement parks, did my 2 hours + of driving today to get in a swim at the far pool. Only 83 and lots of O2, and probably was tapered, and lost my training suit and wore fast suit. So pretty good swim overall:

6x(2x100swim or buoy@1;40/100 back or breast@1;40)swims/buoys(1;25 to 1;20)back(1;28/1;26/1;25)brst(1;34/32/30)
3x(200p@3;00/2x50fly or free@1;00)pulls(2;34/33's)fly(38/37/37/37)free(34/34)
4x(2x50frog@1;10/1;20/50fly/bk or brst/free@1;00)frogs(53 to 50's)fly/bk(37/36)brst/free(37/36)
4x100p@1;30(1;18/18/16/15)2x50flutter/dolphin(61/57)100SD
4000SCY in 72 minutes

Really gonna try hard not to let this 3 week pool closure wreck my swim fitness, and start the new year with fresh goals...

1250 scm straight and easy
6.23 mi run in 65 min (that’s my pace right now)

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

2700 scm free and 450 kick
6.14 mi run in 65 min

Goal of swim right now is pain free, idgaf about the pace. Working on hips up, head down, and making breathing to the R more natural.

4 x (500 sw, 50k) desc 831, 17, 15, 10
4 x (100 sw, 50k) desc 1:36, 35, 34, 34
300 sw, 50k

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Pain free is a good goal when coming back from injury, and really, a good goal all the time..

Did the big drive today and got my monies worth from the yardages:

7x500as 2 buoy@7;30(7;18/7;02)1back@8;30(7;59)2pull@7;00(6;34/6;31)1 breast@9;00(8;24)1p@7;00(6;43)
10x50@1;00, odds breast/evens buoy-best(47/47/47/46/45(buoys(43 to 39)
10x50 kick@1;10, odds frog(56 to 51)evens flutterer/dolphin(61 to 58)
4x50 buoy@1;00(43 to 39)
4700SCY in 80 minutes

Yesterday ran 6.7 mi in 66 min, then 60 min easy stairmaster
1200 scm free today and 150 kick, then 6.33 mi in 65 min

500 824
50k
500 808
50k
200 316
50k

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Sorry for the lack of posts -- haven't been hitting it hard in the pool and trying to get some running pain under control.

Anyway, here are my workouts on swim days so far this month:

12/4: 3000scy
2x[300 swim, 4x50 drill]
2x[500 pull, 2x100IM, 100 kick, 200 swim]
Pull was 200/50 breathe 3/5


12/6: 3000scy
2x[200 swim, 4x50 drill]
all on 1:20/100y, descend starting just slower than threshold pace

3x400 4:34-31-24
3x200 2:16-14-10
3x100 :107-05-03
2x50 easy

+ 5k on treadmill

12/8: 2500scy
2x[200 swim, 4x50 drill]
4x50 25 sprint/25 easy
testing for max speed:
2x[200 hard, 4x50 easy] first 200 @ 2:00, second one @ 1:58
2x[100 hard, 4x50 easy] both 100's @ 56
2x50 drill/dps

+ 4.5mi run including 8x1min hard

regular pool is closed this week, but yesterday managed to get to another YMCA where it's hot and full of currents so I was miserable (also sore as hell from building back my weight lifting/strength workouts)

12/14: 3100 scy
2x[200 swim, 4x50 drill]
500 cruise, 5:46
4x100 on 1:20 threshold-ish (1:05-06)
500 cruise, 5:49
4x50 on 45, strong (~30s)
500 cruise, 5:46
4x25 fast on 30 (~13/14s -- there is a current very noticable when only doing 25's)
2x50 easy

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