Mike's Not Quite Weekly Report

I was reluctant to write anything for fear I wouldn't follow through. But I have. I have managed to swim at least 1,500 yards every other day for the past 10 days. I haven't lost any weight but I feel so much better that I have to wonder why I didn't do this earlier. I also wonder what we all felt like when we were younger (i.e. Marc and Corey's age).

I remember running with Skip and Phil nearly every day at La Jolla Shores; from the pier to the Beach and Pig Club and back to the pier. I suspect this was one mile each way. We would jog (pronounced "yog," I think) the first mile, talking and attempting to plant our feet at just the right angle to splash a little sea water in the face of a tourist. On the return mile, our collective competitiveness would kick in and, without saying a word to each other, we would race the last mile.

I don't know what went through everyone's mind, but I know we stopped talking to each other and began a game of seeing who could get out ahead of the other. Then it was always a final sprint to the end. I think Phil won most of them because he had that running track kind of gait about him, but Skip and I always pushed him. Oh, and did I say the run was usually after swim or crew practice?

After we had to get jobs (unfortunately), we ran less and less with each other. About two years later, the three of us met up at the beach and decided to do the usual run. On the second mile, I actually got winded and was certain I had a horrible medical condition. Surely if I couldn't sprint the second mile without huffing and puffing, I had to have cancer, right? At least that's what I thought. I know now that I was just getting only a little bit out of shape.

Imagine (especially Skip and Phil) how good of shape we were in that we don't even remember feeling winded after a two-mile race. Do you think we can get there again? No? What if we used cars or one of those Segways?

So here is my swim workout schedule for the past few weeks:

Most of the days:

Warm-up: 200 swim, 200 kick, 200 pull
400 IM ladder (i.e. 25 fly, 50 fly/free, 75 breast/free, 100 IM, 75 breast/free, 50 back, 25 fly.
Easy 50
400 free ladder (same as above only freestyle .. obviously).
Easy 50
4 X 50 IM order on 1:00 (unless the piano is clearly on my back)
100 swim down
Puke
Total: 1,800 yards, or 1,600 yards without the 4 X 50 set.

Last night, however:
Warm-up: 200 swim, 400 kick, 400 pull,
200 swim DPS (DPS = distance per stroke)
400 IM (I grabbed the wall and gasped for 20 seconds at 200 yards)
400 pull
150 swim down
Puke
Total: 2,150 yards.

Tonight I am doing my first back to back workout as trouble looms since I am traveling to Texas for four days and don't know how I will find the time to work out. Any ideas on exercising while traveling? I will do sit ups and push ups in the hotel room as I watch soft porn for $15 per viewing.

More later ....