The Final Year of English Channel Training Begins!

How did it go?

It feels really good to be kicking things off. When I started thinking about how I would prepare for the Channel, I never expected to find training that was this perfect for what I’m working towards. I’m almost sad to be going to England in March instead of finishing out my training with all of the wonderful people around here who have been so generous and, well, awesome. But living abroad is a lifelong dream, and I can’t wait. And I’ve got 6 more months in NC to enjoy all of these fantastic swimmers and coaches. And I kinda doubt I’ll give up swimming once the Channel is done, so years and years more after that.

My kickoff started Saturday with a lovely swim in the Eno. We went about 7000 yards, and I was a bit sore the next day but recovered pretty quickly. I’m really working on recovery, since I know I won’t last the year without nailing it.

Then came age group practice. Can I just tell you? – over 7000 yards of kick in two days!! (And if you are thinking that you can’t stop me from telling you, you are exactly right. I won’t shut up about it.) Thank goodness there’s no practice today – a loosen at the lake instead. weak woot. no energy for strong woot.

Detailed recaps below:

9/5 – Had a really good swim with Heidi, Lorelei, Cooper, Sandra, Christine, and Meghan in the Eno on Saturday. My technology is being recalcitrant, so I’m annoyed at that instead of being excited to write about it. But it was a gorgeous day – gorgeous air temp, gorgeous water temp, gorgeous setting. Many thanks to Sandra for sending my the pics she took!

It is hilarious to me that, as I looked back just now at a post from the spring, at that point I thought the goggles were recording too few yards… now it seems like too many. I’m crazy in both directions. (Or other people’s watches are).

Heidi and I went the longest – somewhere between 6 and 7000 yards (probably) in a couple and a half hours. I wore fins for the second half, trying to take it easy before I start back with the kids.

My lats were reasonably sore the day after, and are still a bit sore today, but considering my longest practices in August were around 3000 yards short course, jumping up to 7000, even with fins and plenty of rest, was a bit of a leap. But I feel fine for now, so I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to start my 4 month block of training Tuesday.  Huzzah.

9/6 – Tubing on the Cape Fear River with the kids. It was a relaxing way to spend Labor Day and yet somehow also exhausting. Hope I’m recovered for practice tomorrow.

9/7 – First PreSenior practice. It went well, especially since I had a bit of a headache going into it.  It was around 3000 yards, half of it kicking. I did wake up at 3 in the morning and now it’s nearly 5 AM, so that’s not great. I hate changing schedules.

9/8 – Almost 4000 yards of kick. This is easing in, Coach?!? (You know I say it with love, Besch)

1000 yard kick  set

750 yard kick  set

1000 yard kick  set

500 yard kick  set

!!!

9/9 – I might be dying. My hip adductors no longer add.

W-up (1600, including 500 y kick)

10×100 fly kick on your back 2:00

10×75 back kick, hand at your sides 1:30 (missed 100 y in the bathroom. I swear I actually had to go)

10×100 free kick using pool buoy as a kick board 2:00 (but we didn’t make them, so let’s just call this 1000 free kick on a pull buoy

10×50 breaststroke kick using fins as a kick board and with a pull buoy between your legs (no words. I have no words)

I started this practice with a mild headache as well (typical for me the first week of a schedule change) and ended it feeling like every nerve in my body was firing pain receptors and that I might not be able to drive home. The thought that I had to come back and coach until 8:45 PM was, um, daunting. (nauseating, soul-destroying) But some dinner and time on the couch patched me back together enough to be driven to the pool by Eric and sit in a lawn chair. Not my best coaching, but the team was very understanding when I told them the sets I’d done. Especially when I didn’t make them do the same.

Oh! I almost forgot my internet-provided open water joke of the day! Missing out on humor like that would have been tragic!

Where do fish keep their money?

In river-banks!