Saturday, February 22, 2014

Swimming Log

I thought I should continue again to post some work on my blog. I have been very busy in the last three years. I have been directing a short film at Nickelodeon called "Level 15" and was busy developing it into a series. Unfortunately it just got cancelled.

So time for a new adventure. I do have another passion besides animation and that is swimming. I do train up in Pasadena with a great group of people with the "Masters" at the Rosebowl Aquatic Center. I don't really feel like a master, but it is fun to train and to improve technique, endurance and speed. I will be listing some of the training-sessions we do during the lunchtime-workout. I usually swim up to three times a week. I would love to go more often, but my busy schedule doesn't always permit it.

My goal for this year is to swim 1000 meters under 15 minutes. that is a 1:30 minute pace average on 100 meter. I swam the 1000 in training this year already in 15:05 minutes, so I think it is a goal I can reach.

Here was our training session from Friday:

warm-up:
200 freestyle
200 drill
200 choice

4x100 1:40
8x50 (50 free / 50 drill) 1:05

200 easy

16x100 (1-4 decent / 5-8 ascend / 9-12 build / 13-16 (too tired to remember)) each at 1:40

I actually enjoy when it gets tough. A voice tells you to stop after the first 8x100. But you push through and just go until you feel you might black out. You'll get through it at the end, and that moment creates a real high, that lasts pretty much the entire afternoon.

That's why a lot of swimmers have that silly grin on their faces. They still have a swimmer's high and that makes them feel good.