That's all folks (well for 336 days anyway)

So with a bit of a whimper and a couple of pretty severe attacks of cramp, the February Fitness Challenge came to an end.

I know I have a propensity to be an anorak so here's just some of the stats. 29 days and 29 swims (although a couple were by the skin of my teeth.) 7 different pools,  93,600 metres, 24.3% of my 2012 total completed, at cost of £72.70 (not including travel costs).

Although I swam everyday I was about 8400 metres shy of last year's total. I'm really looking forward to a couple of chlorine free days. Here's how I finished it off.

400 warm up
2 x 200 66 drill, 33 sprint @ 20 sRI
100 steady @ 2mins
2 x 66 @ 80
3 x 33 @ 40
7 x 200 @ 3.30,
no 1 steady,
no 2 33 hard 166 steady,

In respect of this year's February Fitness Challenge

no 3 66 hard 133 steady
no 4 100 hard 100 steady
no 5 133 hard 66 steady
no 6 166 hard 33 steady
no 7 200 hard
200 kick
4 x 133 @ 2.20
no 1 3 hard, 1 steady
no 2 2 hard 2 steady
no 3 1 hard 3 steady
no 4 easy
200 pull
3 x 66's
no 1 steady @ 2 mins
no 2 33 steady, 33 hard
no 3hard
200 swim down
4000


For now anyway!

Penultimate Plunge & World's Shortest Post?

Nearly there! can't wait to have a day off, the enthusiasm for this challenge is waning rapidly but a swim at Consett tomorrow should finish it off (and me.)

600 warm up
6 x 200 @ 3.30 progressive 1-3, 4-6
8 x 25 @ 40 backstroke
12 x 100 @ 1.45 odd numbers dps/stretch evens 25 swim 50 catch up 25 swim
4 x 50 @ 70s backstroke
12 x 50's @ 65 1-6 up fly 2 strokes, 4 strokes, 6 strokes, finish off free
7-9 up back down free, 10 -12 up breast down free
8 x 25's breast kick @ 40s
200 swim
4400 metres

An early Bite in the Bum

The February Fitness Challenge is the one time each year that I get to put everything else on the back burner and try and give swimming a bit of priority, the upshot of this is that usually in March everything I've studiously ignored starts to scream at me.

It's started early this year as a confluence of administrative rubbish, practice management and clients who wont be fobbed off any longer caused mayhem with my schedule today and left me less than 30 minutes for lunch. 

I nipped out and covered 800 metres before returning to the fray. Aargh....... It all gets a bit too grown up doesn't it.

800 metres    

The Gospel according to Evil Mutant Swim Coach 1.0

And it came to pass that whilst earnest and committed masters swimmers joyfully turned out on the traditional day of rest to toil in pursuit of their goals, he, the Evil Mutant Swim Coach 1.0 decreed "forsooth but tis Sunday and you must show great loyalty to me and swim this set of one hundreds, for you did not partake of this toil last week".

And thus the turneth around of the great white board revealed what a sadistic person of uncertain parentage Evil Mutant Swim Coach 1.0 truly was.

And verily I was truly knackered and swimming pants.

200 free
2 x 100 alternate 33 free, 33 back
133 free
2 x 66 alternate 33 free, 33 brst
66 free
2 x 33 fly all on a 15 s RI
3 x 100 @ 1.45 steady
3 x 100 @ 1.45 33 max, 66 steady
3 x 100 @ 1.45 steady
3 x 100 @ 2.00 66 max 33 steady
3 x 100 @ 1. 45 steady
3 x 100 @ 2.14 max
3000 metres

Enter Evil Mutant Swim Coach 3.0

Quite a surprise when I got to the pool today to be met by our new coach, enter Evil Mutant Swim Coach 3.0.

Mr Graham Bradley (formerly known as Big Belly Bradley but the BB has disappeared over recent months as he has submitted himself to a harsh exercise regime with equal amounts of time spent in the Gym and the Tudor Rose in Dunston) had volunteered to take some of our sessions.

A shadow of his former self Graham was more than a match for the half a dozen or so of us who turned up this morning. He was impressed (not) with my Thursday Tesco set and suggested that his sessions would be "Spice Girl Sessions" "Just tell him me what you want" (what you really really want") and then he proposed to ignore that and tell us what we need!

As much as it was great not to have to think about what comes next, I'm not so sure I enjoyed the kick set, I hate kick anyway and he then proceeded to set down some rules! As we worked our way down the set the repeat times had to be faster then the average split time in the preceding repeat. God I HATE KICK particularly FAST KICK.

Now as much as I may rant on about this I think that I actually need to do some proper kick and a bit of pace work as well, and after all the wingeing, muttering  and moaning I really enjoyed it, it does make a difference having someone encouraging and taking the pi** in equal measures on the pool side. So thanks Graham

400 free loosen
4 x 150 @ 3.00 (50 fly, 50 back, 50 brst)
6 x 100 @ 1.50 progressive 1-4 and hold for 5-6
200 kick @ 4mins
2 x 100 @ 2.15
4 x 50 @ 1.15
8 x 25 @ 45
100 easy
2 x 100 @ 1.40 increasing effort per 25
2 x 150 @ 2.30 25 hard 25 steady
2 x 250's steady @ 20s ri
500 swim down
4,000 metres

One Life to the rescue.

Missed my lunchtime swim session today and was dreading another Endless pool set when I was saved by blagging my way into a One Life Tri session at Hexham whilst Teenage Triathlete was doing her run session.

It was pretty low key although I didn't really appreciate the "8 minutes kick" bit. Apart from that they were a friendly bunch and it made such a nice change to have someone actually putting out kit for you and then clearing it away. (even if the Kiefer paddles we were supplied with were pants)

350 warm up 75 free, 25 choice
350 kick ( 8 minutes kick!)
100 steady @ 2.30
100 pull @ 230
100 pull with rubber band @ 2.30
100 pull, paddles and rubber band @ 2.30
100 pull a 2.30
100 steady
2mins rest
100 steady @ 2.00
100 pull @ 2.00
100 pull with rubber band @ 2.00
100 pull, paddles and rubber band @ 2.00
100 pull a 2.00
100 steady
8 x 25s @ 40 secs
150 swim down
Total 2250

A Tesco set saves the day

After a really bad day at work, (last client kicked out of the office at 7.25 pm) I'd well and truly missed the session at Gateshead Leisure Centre.

The last thing I wanted to do was swim, however with encouragement from the Teenage Triathlete and Bob, I dragged myself into the pool for a quick 400 metres. Hardly worth getting wet for but it keeps the challenge alive.

400 metres

200th Blog Post and Typical Men

The 22nd day of the February Fitness Challenge brought up my landmark 200th post. A really busy session in Consett, which was back to swimming in the storm surge. I was late for the start having foolishly taken a telephone call as I parked up outside the pool.

Clarkie and I were hanging off the back of the fast lane, survival swimming and arguing about who should go first, he finally caved and said "ok I'll go first but I won't last for long" he caught my "typical man" retort and couldn't swim for laughing.

We spent a good 5 minutes at the end trying to calculate how far we had swum, and all gave up. We're a really bright bunch!

200 warm up kick 66, pull 66 swim 66
3 x 33 @ 45
2 x 66 @ 90
1 x 100
1 x 200 @ 3,30
1 x 200 @ 3.30
2 x 166 @ 2.20
1 x 200 @ 3.30
2 x 166 @ 2.20
5 x 66 @ 1.10
1 x 200 @ 3.30
2 x 166 @ 2.20
5 x 66 @ 1.10
12 x 33 @ 35

Swim down

100 swim

66 swim 33 kick

33 swim 66 kick

100 kick

300 swim down

Shrove Tuesday

As a result of going swimming I missed teenage triathlete's culinary efforts in making pancakes, which looked pretty good, from the photos on my iPad.
Unfortunately I didn't miss the mess she left behind in the sink after her efforts.

Three weeks of continuous swimming is beginning to extract a significant toll on my body, Proudy and I were discussing our respective pains in the neck (literally) as we survived the kick set (only just even with fins). A massage on arriving home was excruciatingly painful but my neck and shoulders feel better.

It nearly looks like we had a plan tonight for this work out but there was an awful lot of standing around and very little inspiration.

400 free
300 alternate free, back, free, breast
3 x 400 @ 6.40 progressive 6.20, 6.05 & 5.55
5 x 200 @ 3.50 flyless IM's
8 x 100 @ 1.45 pull with paddles
6 x 100 @ 2.20 kick with fins
8 x 50's @ 60 secs
300 swim down
5000 metres

Just another Manic Monday

No mercy from Evil Mutant Swim Coach 1.0 this evening, although he did finish the session early leaving us to do an extended swim down. (must've been something good on the telly)

Tonight's work out was pretty busy and consequently the water was really choppy. It was like swimming in a storm surge. I spent most of the session being buffeted against the lane ropes and the guys in the next lane and swallowing gallons of water.

When I got in I couldn't work out which was the fast lane, and inadvertently chose the wrong one, having to hang off the back of the guys (and the mighty Morgan) in my lane.

I'd also missed lunch and gone straight from work to the pool, so I was starving and also completely inappropriately dressed, skirt, tights, shoes etc for the blizzard like conditions outside the pool.

200 warm up
2 x 33 @ 45 secs
1 x 66 @ 90 secs
2 x 33 @ 45 secs
400 free @ 7 min
333 free @ 5.50
1 x 66 @ 90s hard
266 @ 4.40
2 x 66 @ 90s hard
200 @ 3.30
3 x 66 @ 90s hard
133 @ 2.20
4 x 66 @ 90s hard
66 @ 1.10 steady
5 x 66 @ 70s
400 steady
400 pull swim down
100 kick
3700 metres total

It's Sunday and something's missing (WOT NO 100's)

Blimey a Sunday and no hundreds!!!! what is going  on here.

With all of this swimming am I now completely chlorine logged and hallucinating? or am I dreaming? better yet has Evil Mutant Swim Coach 1.0 lost his marbles? or finally found his grey matter?

Not that the ensuing session was any easier, "this is all about back end speed" EMSC 1.0 explained. I initially had to chuckle at the thought of amphetamine suppositories (I've obviously been watching too many re runs of The Wire).

I soon realised I was on the wrong track and he was talking speed endurance (more chemically mind altering imagery there as well.)

Back to reality; as you've probably guessed the aim of the main set was to swim the 4 length repeats at a constant time and then push the pace a bit on the 2 lengths.

I felt pretty jaded but after a couple of 2.04's for the 133's I settled down into a steady if not spectacular 2 mins, and took the 66's down to 54's then threw in a couple of 53,s and 52's towards the end (and yes it hurt). Queenie Reid and I were discussing how hard this was and winging about our various ailments in the showers after. Our conclusion; probably we're too old for this!

400 warm up
266 free 66 pull, 66 swim,
133 66 kick, 66 swim
3 x 166's @ 2.30 holding same pace throughout the set
1 x 66 @ 2 mins hard
3 x 166's @ 2.30 holding same pace throughout the set
2 x 66 @ 2 mins hard
3 x 166's @ 2.30 holding same pace throughout the set
3 x 66 @ 2 mins hard
200 swim down
2800 metres

Free Saturday

Bliss a free Saturday, finished my swim, finished my breakfast and the rest of the day is stretching out in front of me, because teenage triathlete is off to a triathlon academy session accompanied by triathlon dad .(previously referred to in this blog as Bob)

Not quite sure what to do  with myself probably catch up on the housework. Saddo.

So only 11 swims left this month, I had been swimming pretty well up till today but this morning was just bleargh.

Even my  favourite set (the 125's pull, kick swim) couldn't bring any va va voom to the session. It was hard work and I am really stiff.

9 x 100 alternate as 100 @ 1.40 free, 100 @ 2 mins back, 100 @ 2 mins IM
8 x 125s @ 2.30 50 pull, 25 kick, 50 swim
8 x 50's fly breakout @ 60s  1-4 and 5-8 as
no 1 3 strokes fly, no2 4 strokes fly, no 3 5 strokes, no 4 6 strokes, then easy swim finish 50
1 x 25 @ 30
1 x 50 @ 55
1 x 75 @ 80
100 @ 2 mins hard
1 x 75 @ 80
1 x 50 @ 55
1 x 25 @ 30
1 x 25 @ 30
1 x 50 @ 55
1 x 75 @ 80
100 @ 2 mins hard
1 x 75 @ 80
1 x 50 @ 55
1 x 25 @ 30
1 x 25 @ 30
1 x 50 @ 55
1 x 75 @ 80
100 @ 2 mins hard
1 x 75 @ 80
1 x 50 @ 55
1 x 25 @ 30
1 x 25 @ 30
1 x 50 @ 55
1 x 75 @ 80
100 @ 2 mins hard
250 swim down
4000 metres

Bermuda shorts, crowded pools and a Tesco session.

Made a lunchtime session at Consett today the decision was a bit of a double bind really, swim in a public session dodging the hordes or later in the Endless Pool.

As I walked into the pool, the manager came out of his office and recommended that I didn't go in "have you seen it in there Binge?". (well he actually called me Verity but there's some artistic licence here)

With some trepidation I changed and ventured in, it wasn't nearly as bad as I was imagining.I did however spend a large amount of time zig zagging across the pool avoiding such obstructions as a family with a beach ball, a couple of toddlers in arm bands and rubber rings, a group of teenagers choosing to "hang out" in the middle of the pool, and that guy with a screw kick and hideous Bermuda shorts.

I did get a bit of a respite when they switched the slide on.

So a bit of a Tesco session.

1200 warm up 66 swim 66 catch up
6 x 33 kick @ 55 secs
6 x 33's pull @ 40
1600

School Shoes, Red Vans And Teenage Triathletes

It's half term and in the course of a discussion about needing a pair of new school shoes, teenage triathlete suggests that she goes and buys a pair at the metrocentre during the week.

Saves me a job I think, so the day dawns and she asks me for money to buy shoes and without thinking or even more foolishly discussing the matter further I hand over 30 quid.

To my horror she turns up about 5 hours later thrilled with her new pair of red Vans! What about the school shoes?  I ask, "you never said anything about school shoes when you gave me the money" Why do I feel like I've been conned!

So tonight's session, arrived late missed half the warm up and it was eyeballs out for the rest of the time.

4 x 50's @ 50 secs
4 x 50's @ 45 secs
100 IM @ 2 mins
200 IM @ 4 mins
400 IM @ 8 mins
200 IM @ 4 mins
100 IM @ 2 mins
8 x 100 free @ 1.40
300 swim down
2500 metres

Kennedy Conspiracies and the Magic Bottle Theory

Well the box of frogs saga see this post and this one finally reached it's climax this afternoon in Peterlee Magistrates Court, when my girl who has spent the last 6 weeks luxuriating at her majesty's pleasure got the chance to test the prosecution evidence. I was expecting the witness (her husband) not to turn up but he did and so to battle.

My girl faced a common assault charge, the allegation being that she had thrown a Babycham bottle at her husband which had hit him on the head. (and yes "I'd love a Babycham", or am I giving my age away here).

Now whilst she freely admitted, recklessly throwing a Babycham bottle in her lounge (as you do) she denied that the bottle had ever come into contact with his head or that she was intending to throw it at him.

There were some lovely moments in the evidence notably when the husband confirmed he'd suffered a glancing blow from the offending object and was asked by the prosecutor how that felt. He paused for thought and then uttered "well it's like being hit in the head with a babycham bottle".

Having elicited the relative positions of the protagonists when the bottle was thrown, it appeared that my girl was sitting on the sofa and hubby was sitting on the floor approximately 3 to 4 feet to her right, mysteriously he asserted that he had been hit on the right side of his head (actually he gave three different locations for the assault).

This evidence allowed me to make a closing submission that the court was no doubt familiar with the Magic Bullet theory from the Kennedy assassination, well it appeared we had the Consett equivalent "the Magic Bottle" theory which flew from my clients hand swerved around the back of his head clobbered him on the right side and then carried on forward ultimately coming to rest between the television and the christmas tree.

Clearly persuasive as she was acquitted and free to go, it was quite touching really as hubby waited till she was released and they then travelled home together in a taxi paid for by victim support! A happy ending? but she still served 6 weeks in prison for an offence which even if she had been convicted would never have merited clink....

On to more mundane things Consett session this evening,

6 x 133 @ 2.45 even no's 33 swim 66 pull 33 swim, odd no's 33 swim 66 kick 33 swim
3 x 33 @ 40 first 25 metres hard rest steady
100 easy
3 x 33 @ 40 last 25 metres hard
100 easy
200 free @ 3.30
8 x 100 @ 2 mins hard * 82-83's
133 recovery
200 free @ 3.30
6 x 100 @ 2 mins hard **83,s & 84's
133 recovery
200 free @ 3.30
4 x 100 @ 2 mins hard *** 86's and 85
133 recovery
200 swim down
4200 total

Valentine's Day 6 K

How was your Valentine's Day? I suppose as a divorce lawyer the irony is not lost upon me as I spent most of today persuading people to be more reasonable in there approach to their ex significant other and now insignificant other!

Bob and I had almost a Valentine's day bypass, although I presume he was responsible for the dozen red roses which appeared on the dining table this morning.

We spent the evening swimming next to each other in adjoining lanes as we ground out our own sessions. I was chuffed when I made it to 6k in the session, it's years since I've covered that distance.

600 warm up change stroke each 25
main set
800 pull with paddles @ 14 mins *
2 x 200 IM @ 4 mins
2 x 400 free pull @ 7 mins **
4 x 100 IM @ 2 mins
4 x 200 @ 3.30 ***
extra 60 secs rest
8 x 50 IM order @ 65
8 x 100 pull with paddles @ 1.45
16 x 25 @ 35 secs
600 swim down
6000 metres

* 11.45
** 6.05
*** 3.20 - 3.05

Nearly half way through

Day 13 and a really solid swim with the guys at Consett, I was hanging on at the back of the fast lane in a pretty relentless and remorseless main set.

The encouraging thing was that like last Wednesday I was swimming very comfortably  under 30 seconds per length, and even churned out a 2.50 for 200 free along the way.

13 consecutive days of swimming is beginning to take its toll on my body and I am wrecked. Its also half term this week so public swimming will be seriously dodgy and probably a bit of a no go area.

8 x 100 @ 1.45
8 x 33 @ 45s odds 25 hard rest easy
                      evens last 25 hard
66 @ 70 free
133 @ 2.20 free
200 @ 3.30 free
266 @ 4.40 free
200 @ 3.30 free
133 @ 2.20 free
66 @ 70 free
1 min rest
66 @ 70 free
133 @ 2.20 free
200 @ 3.30 free
133 @ 2.20 free
66 @ 70 free
1 min rest
66 @ 70 free
133 @ 2.20 free
66 @ 70 free
1 min rest
66 swim
200 pull @ 3.30
133 pull, 66 kick
66 pull, 133 kick
233 swim down
3,900 metres

Day 12 Traffic SNAFU

Today's swim was always going to be a bit problematic, as Consett's session was cancelled. My options were limited as public sessions on a Sunday are normally pretty busy and I really didn't relish a second endless pool swim.

I was saved by the thought of gatecrashing the lunchtime session at Newcastle. Their supremo Peter French okayed my request and I set out in what was normally more than enough time to park up and make the session.

The difficulty was I hadn't counted on or been aware of the closure of the central motorway in Newcastle and I spent a pretty frustrating 40 minutes trying to cross the Tyne Bridge. Pete French's view that it was all part of a greater conspiracy to derail my FFC.

So a pretty truncated session and £5.70 for 50 minutes parking in the nearest multi-storey to the pool; ouch such dedication, On the positive side I covered best part of a mile to keep my years tally moving forward.

150 @ 3.00
4 x 100 @ 1.35
2 x 200 @ 3.05
12 x 25 @ 60 secs
450 swim down
1700 yards

Day 11 Boring Post

Playing a bit of catch up here yesterday was thankfully smooth and free of turmoil. Awesome Emma turned up (pretty late) so we were able to compare notes, she's also determined to hit every day and we're both pretty even having swum all 11 days this month and covering on average about 3K per day.

800 drill every 4th length
6 x 100 @ 1.45
400 free
25 metres to change ends
4 x 100 @ 1.50
400 free
100 swim down
8 x 50's @ 55
2 x 50's @ 60
2 x 50's @ 55
2 x 50's @ 50
2 x 50's @ 45
100 free time trial  1.21.5
475 swim down
4100 metres

TGIF but only 800

Things just went from bad to worse today following the early morning refuelling snafu. My business partner's car conked out, leaving me to step in and deal with a court hearing in the local magistrates.

Grabbing the file I set off to represent a feisty but delightful and selectively hard of hearing (specifically couldn't hear the unpalatable bits of advice ) 94 year old who was being victimised by the DVLA. They had the audacity to revoke the individual's driving licence.

I was eventually saved after 90 minutes of getting nowhere by my business partner turning up to relieve me.

As often is the case lunch time seemed to disappear without me noticing, and be the end of the day I'd well and truly had enough and was desperate to collapse on the settee with the Friday night ritual of Beer, Pizza and Trashy Telly! Teenage Triathlete insisted I took a swim so I dragged myself into the pool for 800 and actually felt better for it, so 10 days 10 swims the challenge is still on

800 free

Binge drops a very big bollock.

Now how's this for karma, if Binge was undergoing the Foster effect in training on Wednesday night, with her average of sub 30's for 33metre lengths, it was quite clear that Mark Foster received a huge dose of the Binge affect as he scored an astounding perfect score of 30 for his first dance on the third night of the Strictly Tour in Newcastle.

Significantly better than I'd imagined he was going to be. I was there with teenage triathlete, treating both grandmas and grandad Jim to a late Christmas present. I know I've mentioned that I have a propensity to be a sad individual so I'm cool with admitting I thoroughly enjoyed my evening...

That is until driving my mother in law home I stopped for petrol at a garage on the Felling bypass, I'd put about 40 quids of unleaded in the tank when the sickening realisation dawned upon me I was in Bob's car and it's a diesel! Oops I'll not elaborate on the following events but I eventually got home around 12.30am and Bob (in full cavalry role) arrived with the car (being towed) about 2 and a half hours later!

Realising I was going to miss swimming I had fortunately found time for Thursday's workout at lunchtime,

1000 metres warm up alt 33 swim 33 catch up
2 x 400 @ 7 mins
6 x 66's up breast down free
6 x 4 x 33 IM @ 2.45
6 x 33's brst
600 swim down
3600 metres

Binge and a nearly close encounter with Mark Foster

Things started to look up today, my cold abated, teenage triathlete was out of the house in time for the early bus, and I had a relatively stress free morning and leisurely drove into Newcastle for a court hearing late this afternoon.

Now the walk from the Quayside Car Park down Broad Chare to the court, whilst architecturally extremely appealing is usually inhabited by Newcastle's barristers and the detritus of the crown court system.

The latter particularly are usually shaven headed and adorned with such works of art as Love and Hate across their knuckles not to mention frequent proclamations of their love for the "Toon" on any other exposed part of their bodies, and that's just the women. So it is unusual in the extreme to see anything remotely attractive on the journey.

But on looking up from my mobile there he was. I had to blink in disbelief as walking down the other side of the street was none other than Mark Foster of "you look like a God but dance like a Geek fame"* (and a notable swimmer in his own right of course). Wow, I was too shy to speak to him and by the time I thought to take the above photo he had wandered off down the riverside, see the above. (I know he's in town for the Strictly Tour)

Well it made my day, and the Foster effect obviously carried on into the swim session tonight as although Evil Mutant Swim Coach 1.0 had set a ridiculously complicated warm up with way too many words and changes of pace for my liking, we all sort of settled down and ground out the main set which was 3K swimming on average less than 30 seconds a length....result (maybe the clock wasn't wrong yesterday.)

10 x 133's ' 2.20s (complex set)
5 x 166's @ 3.20
4 x 133 @ 2.30
3 x 100 @ 1.45
2 x 66 @ 1.10
1 x 33 @ 33
1 x 166 @ 3.20
2 x 133 @ 2.30
3 x 100 @ 1.45
4 x 66 @ 1.10
5 x 33 @ 35
100 swim down
4500 metres total


*B Tonioli

Day 7, Binge develops serious Lemsip habit.

Day 7 and I'm in survival mode, with this raging cold, I was even closer than yesterday to wimping out and not going, but decided that I'd do about 20 minutes.

I guess that if I was a bloke this would be a very serious dose of man flu.

A bit like yesterday I felt better in the water than I have all day and hung on for about an hour and a half before calling it a day.

I followed Marie-Helene who set a great pace and
as we worked our way through the set I was encouraged by the rep times and the comfortable way we were making the turn around time.

We were both particularly impressed by a 5.55 for the 400, and absolutely crushed when we realised that the pace clock was out by about 4 seconds per 100!

250 warm up
4 x 100 @ 1.45
2 x 200 @ 3.30
400 @ 7 mins
2 x 200 @ 3.30
4 x 100 @ 1.45
4 x 50 @ 55
2 x 100 @ 1.45
200 @ 3.30
2 x 100 @ 1.45
4 x 50 @ 55
16 x 25 fly (I did them drill) @ 40s
150 swim down
3800 metres

February Flu and bunged up Binge

I was just thinking that I hadn't suffered from a cold for well over a year, when aargh I was smitten with an interminably runny nose, sore throat, bunged up feeling and temperature.

Feeling like death warmed up, I seriously thought about giving the pool a body swerve today, but, I was out and about before lunch and had to drive past the pool on the way back to my office so it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up.

I picked up my gear (blast I've lost a paddle) and very gently put myself through  the following somewhat leisurely set simply concentrating on my breathing patterns and long strokes.

Actually it felt much better than moping and sneezing around the office. Cocoa and an early night for me and maybe I'll feel better tomorrow.

Warm Up 1200 metres alternate 100 swim, 100 catch up
800 pull @ 13.00 mins, breathing every 6 strokes
600 pull @ 10.00 mins, breathing every 6 strokes
400 pull @ 7 mins, breathing every 6 strokes
2 x 200 pull @ 3.30, breathing every 6 strokes
200 swim down
3,600 metres

Day 5 and Consett Carnage Mark 2

Now I've previously commented upon the capacity of Consett Masters for drink; remember here well yesterday was Clarkie's 40th birthday (an event I unfortunately had to miss in favour of a retirement do.)

Of course with any excuse for a pi** up the rest of the squad enthusiastically turned up in force to help him celebrate, which is more than can be said for their turn out this afternoon at training.

The double whammy of hangovers and the match meant that there were only three of us lined up to suffer the agonies that Evil Mutant Swim Coach 1.0 inflicted on us this afternoon and yes there were more of those bloody 100's..... Although on reflection I quite enjoyed them and my times were quite encouraging.  5 consecutive days of swimming in now only another 24 to go!

400 mixed swim drill warm up
1 x 100 breast kick  @ 2.20
1 x 100 66 kick 33 swim @ 2.10
1 x 100 33 kick 66 swim @ 2.00
1 x 100 swim
1 x 100 @ 1.40 hard *
1 x 100 @ 2.00 recovery
2 x 100 @ 1.40 hard**
2 x 100 @ 2.00 recovery
3 x 100 @ 1.40 hard***
3 x 100 @ 2.00 recovery
2 x 100 @ 1.40 hard****
2 x 100 @ 2.00 recovery
1 x 100 @ 1.40 hard*****
1 x 100 @ 2.00 recovery
500 swim down
3100 metres

*1.25
** 1.24, 1.24
***1.24, 1.23, 1.24
**** 1.24, 1.25
***** 1.21.9

More FFC Info here http://www.barracudas.org/pool/febfitness/ffc.htm

Day 4 Alien attack attempts to derail Binge's challenge

Having spent half the night in Durham nick unsurprisingly I didn't make training this morning. I was bushed.

Pretty good session at Blaydon with the triathletes this afternoon which included a teenage hotshot, Binary Callum (I call him that because he has to work on zero's amd fives).

When I came out of the pool the much predicted snow had arrived, or partially, and brought with it a rather peculiar phenomena (captured on my iPhone) which may well have been an alien death ray.

8 x 50's @ 10s RI 25,swim 25 drill
4 x 100 @ 20s RI 25 kick 75 swim
8 x 25 @ 20s RI  15 hard 10 easy, 10 easy 15 hard
200 hard @ 3.50
200 175 hard 25 easy @ 3.50
200 150 hard 50 easy @ 3.50
200 125 hard 75 easy @ 3.40
200 100 hard 100 easy @ 3.40
200 75 hard 125 easy @ 3.40
200 50 hard 150 easy @ 3.40
200 25 hard 175 easy @ 3.40
200 steady
100 recovery
8 x 100 with fins @ 2 mins 25 hard kick 75 swim
12 x 25's @ 10 s RI drill*
500 swim down
4500 total


* no 1 catch up
   no 2 fists
   no 3 kayak
   no 4 finger trail

Oops Day 3 and nearly missed out

What a day! madness and mayhem, starting with a telling off from my assistant "oh for god's sake stop fannying about". (Would you put up with that sort of abuse from an employee?)  and ended with my naive belief that courts are there to dispense justice and fairness well and truly shaken. (I can't really believe I've just written that.)

You would think that after over 25 years in this job I would have learnt my lesson and adopted a more cynical and jaded approach, but no, I still think that courts will aspire to be fair and do the right thing.

Just shows how much I know!, or maybe I'm just losing my touch, or even quite possibly I'm right with my conclusion that all magistrates are numptys completely devoid of any compassion or innate sense of what's right.

Well the upshot of this truly black Friday was I made it back to the office for 4pm having missed lunch and just as the public session at Consett ends. Dashing my hopes of a decent swim to take out my frustration on the water.

The only alternative I had to keep this challenge going was an endless pool session. I wasn't really enthusiastic about this prospect as I hate training on my own but I plunged into 22 degree water and covered a paltry 1300 metres.

I just collapse on the settee for the traditional and very boring Friday night fare of beer, pizza, sofa and TV when the phone goes, my business partner's gone off to play 5 aside football and forgotten to take his phone and he's on call oh and by the way there are two cases outstanding at Durham nick..... return home 2.30am Saturday morning.. post blog!

12 x 100 @ 1.50
50 breast kick
50 free
1300

The link to the February Fitness Challenge website is
http://www.barracudas.org/pool/febfitness/ffc.htm

Day 2 and counting

I spent a couple of hours late afternoon attending a career's fair with teenage triathlete, and secretly quite enjoyed the talks on "how to get into med school" and "what it's like being a doctor" although I think it might be a bit premature as she's only 14 at the moment.

I of course played the role of pack horse as she managed to collect about 50 prospectuses (or is it prospecti) which I dutifully carted around for her. Ah well a bit of unscheduled weight training and an impressive waste of trees.

As I was down on Tyneside anyway I dropped into the session at Gateshead Leisure Centre; where we blasted through the following rather unimaginative set.

Day 2 of the February Fitness Challenge and so far so good. Awesome Emma let slip that she'd managed to swim both days and this was her second session of today, I think she's trying to live up to her Blog listing.

600 Warm up 25 free, 25 alternate back or breast
2 x 300 @ 5mins
4 x 150's @ 2.45
6 x 100 @ 1.50 progressive (in my dreams)
4 x 50's up IM order down free @ 60s
200 swim down
2,800 metres

The link to the February Fitness Challenge website is
http://www.barracudas.org/pool/febfitness/ffc.htm

February Fitness Challenge Starts Here

Where did January go to? almost before you know it we're into February and it's frog time again.

A sleepless night, and a hectic day meant it was touch and go as to whether or not I made the session, but I arrived at the pool and realised that there was no towel and costume in my rucksack.

A quick detour to the office (where I'd left the aforementioned items drying on my radiator) and I made the session some 10 minutes late.

It was a pretty busy night with 15 of us in two lanes, as usual the crack was good, I'm not so sure if there was any real difference between the aerobic 200's and the harder 100's but it was a smooth and steady start to this month's toil.

200 free
100 pull
100 free
3 x 33 @ 35
2 x 33 @ 35
1 x 33 @ 35
2 x 200 @ 3.30 steady
4 x 100 @ 2 mins hard
2 x 200 @ 3.30 steady
3 x 100 @ 2 mins hard
2 x 200 @ 3.30 steady
2 x 100 @ 2 mins hard
2 x 200 @ 3.30 steady
1 x 100 @ 2 mins hard
500 swim down
3700 metres