Bad Swim No Roll

I went for swim tonight although I was supposed to not do anything this week after a 'bone-setting' session on Fri. My hips were still aching. But we were having term break next week - ie. 2 weeks of no swim! So I showed up for class. Oh gosh, it was rather tough with an aching back and pelvic.

I realised that I could not roll properly or kick hard. So I dutifully stayed behind as one of the last few swimmers in Lane 1. Did not bother to time my laps. Really bad. At this rate, I would lose my cardio power soon! Crap....

Oh recovery.... it was not happening. :(((

Another Disappointing Jog

Canterbury attempt.

First 30min, ok. Then tension. Light stretch.
40min. Tightened, stopped to wait for Alber as he did a second loop. Thorough stretch.
20min jog back to club, with intermittent 5min tighten-stretching routine.

Frustration to irritation to depression to what-the-heck....

Swimming in the Rain

What a hardcore group of fish we were. The skies opened up in the late afternoon, and slowed to a steady drizzle in the evening. And of course, our group of diligent fish was in the pool, splashing our way through the night. The light drizzle became steadier and heavier. In the far far away distance, we spied lightning. But no, there was no thunder nor lightning threats where we were. And so the good 'ole Coach continued with what he did best - .... And Go! Each time I finished a lap, I wondered if class would be halted. No, he donned his yellow rain jacket and went on.

Drills - some combination of bilateral swims, and 10 sets of 4-pulls-1-breath (or was it 6-pulls). No matter, giddying.

Swim - 7x 200m @ 5min
4:55, 4:55, 5:02, 4:59, 5:09, 5:10, ... 5:10 (?) almost non-stop

Easy 2x 50m - ??

Sprint - 10x 50m, almost following Lane 4's cue. Non-stop, not even reaching the end of the lane, and the first swimmer had started on the next lap, and it was almost a messy collision. With an equally messy time recording:
1:06, 1:08, 1:10, 1:12, 1:12, 1:21, 1:16, 1:20, 1:05, 1:03

The drizzle continued throughout the night.

Solo Ride

I pulled myself out of bed (well, not literally since it was already 1030am) and made a pact with myself to go cycling. Not being able to run was getting on my nerves, daily. It had been an irritable week, and I could feel my fitness plunging.

Proven right, because when I got on my bike, it felt strangely heavy. Or maybe it was the weather, midnoon sun. I took Bt Batok Rd to Ten-Mile Junction and headed to Mandai. 12km. Then a loop. At the Seletar Reservoir, I managed to learn how to cycle in a straight line while standing on my bike. A cheap thrill of learning a new trick. Almost completing the loop, I went over an uneven road surface just before the Shell station, hard. And my toolkit flew out of its cage, and spewed its contents all across 3 lanes of the road. Luckily traffic was very light along that stretch. But I could not run in my cleats, so I had to go shoeless across the road and retrieve everything. My carbon handpump was lying in the middle of Lane 2, and a car came by. Arghhh! A hugh relief when it safely went under the car, rather than its tyres. Whew. I managed to pick up everything. 38km.

The weather was hot, and it would have been a mental 2nd loop. I decided to take Kranji-Neo Tiew, and cut through Brickland Rd to get home. 51km to the start of the windy flat stretch outside the cemetries. The headwind was strong, nothing to draft, no shade to hide. I was going at about 20kmh, on a flat. So encouraging... And meanwhile, my phone was beeping non-stop because I was trying to arrange some appointments, and it was very disruptive.

I got to BB West Ave 8, stopped at Shell for a drink, and made my way home. 67km.
Darn, could not even hit 70km....

Another Test Run

Getting most frustrated. I put on my shoes and headed for a neighbourhood test jog. It was about 1030am, but the weather was beautiful today. The kind of perfect race-day weather, overcast but no rain, cooling. Also the kind of perfect training weather.... Sigh.

I attempted an easy trot. It was the kind of recreational jog, the get-fit routine that middle-aged aunties and uncles do weekly. On normal days, it was have been my warmup jog. That made it even more frustrating to me.

Out of my house, up Toh Tuck steep slope, wound through the private estate, followed on to the prata eateries along Upp Bt Timah Rd, back down to Old Bt Batok Rd/ Jln Jurong Kechil, BB St 25, and home.

I went very slowly. Initially, it felt really good to be out there, pounding the roads in my runners. Ahhh that familiar carefree running feeling, the feeling that I could go on and on and run forever. About 20+ min into the run, legs still felt ok. Perhaps a little tension around the knee or the hip. But ok, did not have to stop and stretch. Or rather, a deliberate decision that I could go on without stopping to stretch.

Finished the jog in 37min. It was such a short distance, probably 5km?

End of run. Felt good to generate some sweat, but still half-hearted disillusioned.

Spin Reacquainted

I did not want to be at the track tonight and watch others run while I sat there sulking. Sandy offered me a free pass to the spinning class that she was conducting. Such a last minute arrangement but thankfully I had the right gear with me. So I took up her idea.

The last time I sat on a studio spinning bike was almost 2 years ago. Although it was a different bike, that familiar spinning setup and feeling came back instantly once the music started. A little short-breathed from the sudden intensity but it was good fun. And good sweat. Coincidentally, Andy was there as well, right on the bike next to mine.

The nice thing about spinning was that it loosened up my back (unlike running which was a stiffening sport), and I could spend time after class for a nice long stretch. Which I did, setting my bent legs on the saddle and 'sitting' down to thoroughly stretch those butt and hip muscles.

It was fun!

A Giddying Swim

There was a drill we did tonight that left me all breathless and giddy - 2 pulls, 1 breath, 4 pulls, 1 breath, 6 pulls, 1 breath, 4, 2, 4, 6, 4, 2, 4, 6, etc.... I diligently pulled through the first set, but had to cut corners on the subsequent ones. The lack of oxygen was making me light-headed, exacerbated by the rolling action underwater.

Swim:
4x 200m @ 5:30min - 5:02, 4:57, 5:10, 5:15
1x 100m - 2:31min

4x 200m @ 5:30min - 5:00, 5:09, 5:15, 5:17
1x 100m - 2:38min

Some random easy 50m

Sprint 6x 50m - 1:08, 1:12, 1:09, 1:14, 1:06, 1:06