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Today I checked the FINA Masters World Records for the first time since USMS Long Course Nationals in August. I was excited to see this:

Thanks to my photographer!

A friendly challenge from Tim led me to time trial a 100 Back on Friday night. I was really sore from overlifting on Thursday so I knew it wouldn't be very glorious. I swam a short warmup and jumped in at the end of the night session for the time trial. As soon as I began underwater kicking I could tell that it wasn't going to be pretty... I just felt lethargic, just not moving as fast as I should have been. I touched the wall in a very disappointing 52.64. I literally laughed out loud when I saw the clock. A 52.xx swim is on par with my Junior year of HIGH SCHOOL...

After a few days of training, and a full body weight workout, I imagine this is how it feels to get hit by a truck.

I'm probably swimming either a 100 Free or a 100 Back later today at the EMU December Invite. This marks the 2nd annual time I swim in this meet when I have no right being there. I can't imagine I'll be very fast today. I'm out of shape and very tired. I'll give it everything I've got though!

Just when I thought I had my weekend figured out, a friend Tim gave me a friendly challenge to time trial at the EMU December Invitational tomorrow. It will be either a 100 Free or 100 Back. If my schedule will allow it, I'd love to bust out a good race in my alltime favorite pool! I may still swim the meet in Lansing on Saturday.

I love masters swimming because you can deck enter almost any meet! Since Chicago didn't work out, I'm considering a meet near Lansing. Its going to be a crazy weekend so I'm not sure what will actually happen.

I dug up a swimming video last night from when I was 12 years old! I'll have to post it on the site sometime

After a challenging week of training, I took today off as my day of rest. I'll be back in the pool bright and early along with a good ab workout later in the day. I'm feeling really positive about my training. I feel myself getting stronger and smoother in the water. My weight training has been progressing and I'm also stepping up my dryland training. Since I probably won't make it to Chicago for the TYR Grand Prix meet in early December, I'll try to make it to ether the Dewitt meet or perhaps simply time trial somewhere locally to get a few benchmark swims.

Over the holiday, my best option is to train with a local High School. I swam around 3,500 yards with them yesterday. It was a solid workout for me with a few challenging intervals on an IM set. Overall it was a good workout. Later in the day I did weights at home and some ab exercises. I feel empowered lately. My renewed interest in serious training along with my personal victory in training on Tuesday by dropping 4 seconds on my animal kick set has left me with a very positive outlook for my future swimming career!

I've mentioned many times how much I enjoy "benchmarking" sets because they help me determine where I am in my training. Yesterday I surprised myself. Every so often I do an "Animal Kick". A set I learned swimming for Peter Linn at EMU:

10x100's Kick @ 1:30

My athletic motivation is on fire lately. I have a totally renewed interest in becoming the best swimmer I've ever been. I have some interesting training ideas I'll be implementing. Ideas I've personally never heard of anybody trying. I find myself thinking about swimming and training just as much as I was leading up to the 2008 Trials. I see the differences in my daily life, I make time to lift, to stretch, to rest and to swim. I'm excited to see what else I can accomplish :)