Quiet posting period, still swimming

No time for too much blogging or passing comments on forums recently. Have been working a few more extra hours/days to pay for the swimming and holidays which are fast approaching which has reduced my training time as well as finger tapping time. Weight wise I have been keeping between 15.12 and 16.03 for the last 5-6 weeks so no real dramatic losses. Still have my October target of at least 14.13 by end of Oct. Training has been ok June managed 45,550 giving me 283,250 metres (171 miles) at the half way mark of the year. The next couple of months will be key to keeping the training going as I have two separate weeks holidays and a few weekend breaks planned which will defiantly reduce training opportunities but hopefully I will be able to keep the metres up around 40k per month. Good swimming at Blackpool yesterday at the North West Masters Sprints. Season best for 100IM of 1.15 ish so getting closer to my old suit time. A PB for my 100 back, 1:19.3, beats my old suit time but bear in mind I have not swam much backstroke through my shoulder problems over the last 2 years. Finally season bests for 50 fly and 50 free although not quicker than my LC converted times at Sheffield, pretty close though. No more meets til September now so train, train, train.

Planning the rest of the year!

Another longer than needed gap in my postings. Hopefully the blogs will be fresher and not as repetitive as they sometimes have been. My weight loss has not changed much. Managed to put on the 7 lbs from the week before the British and the following 3 weeks. Since then have not eaten very healthfully but have managed to lose 4 lbs of the increase. The target is to reduce to something starting with 14 stone by October in time for the Nationals at Sheffield. Currently 16.02 so a minimum of 17 lbs in 5 months. Training has been going really well, finally feel somewhere near natural, although still takes some time for my shoulders to loosen up. For the first time in three years I have managed to train through the period from December to June with no major breaks or new parts of the body falling apart. The shoulder although not likely ever to be back to full flexibility has recovered and I can still swim all four strokes. Hoping to improve my 100 back later in the year. This time last year I had managed to train only around 132550 metres by the end of May. This year I am up to 237700 metres. 2012. Jan 48900, Feb 49925, Mar 41600, April 48050, May 49625. Way above my original target so I have reevaluated my target to 500,000 metres for the year. Just hope I can carry the swimming through the rest of this year and into next. So far this year I believe I am getting fitter which is improving my 100-400 metre events but my sprinting is currently slower. I have now started to work on improving my stroke technique for free and back. Am completing drills during every session so hopefully the speed will return eventually. Lastly have been trying to put together a programme for the rest of the year. It's very difficult when the number of events during the summer months are few and far between especially as one conflicts with my summer holiday in Spain. The plan is to swim at the North West Masters at Blackpool end of June and then a gap to the Midlands masters in Sept as well as the Barnet distance in the same month building to the Nationals in October. Just need to keep fit and healthy.

British Masters extra post!

Spent the last three days in Sheffield at the British Masters Long Course. Should be a guide to how my improved training regime and loss of weight is letting me swim faster (or not). In summary the Championships were very successful for Gloucester Masters and me with one or two provisions. My 100 and 200 times are getting faster which is great news, but I am still struggling to get any more speed over 50metres sprints. I have come to the conclusion that I need to change my technique to improve my 'catch and pull' through the water. Overall everyone from Gloucester had at least one medal. I managed two silver and a bronze with two 4th's. In addition I was part of the 4x200 freestyle relay (200+) which won with a new British Record. My fitness is improving but not as fast as I would like. I did manage to swim a 200 free followed by a 200 IM within 30 minutes this morning which for a swimmer who last year would only manage two events in one session if at least one was a 50 and the other a 50 or at best a 100m. In terms of comparison to this time last year my sprints are similar speeds. My 100's about 1-2 secs faster and 200's 5-6 secs faster. Looking forward to a summer of training and improvements through to the Nationals in October. Then will be a better comparison of how well I am doing. My problem is identifying which changes in my life are helping the most, weight, training, change of diet, type of training, stroke technique and so on. Next target stroke technique. Any suggestions let me know please..

Deserted my Blog for nearly three weeks

Well I really did have not much to say!! A quick summay of the last 2 weeks. Held my weight at 15.12/13 for the first week and since then it has crept up to 16.01. A bit pissed at this but won't be doing anything drastic to cure it until after the British Masters this weekend. Training has been good over 10K for the last two weeks . 48K for April and 142,780 metres for the first 4 months of the year. Last week saw an increase in sprinting with this week as a taper for the forthcoming weekend. This is the first time I have had a 'proper' planned taper before an event so time will tell if it does any good. At my last competition I seemed to be lacking 50m sprint speed and as the 50 is normally my best chance of medals I have been concerned. Swimming 50, 100, & 200 Free, 50 Fly, 200 Medley and another 200 free in the 4x200 relay. A busy weekend for me so I had better not get on the beer Friday or Saturday night. (Maybe one or two halves!) The only negative I have is a sore and stiff neck muscle for the last two weeks. Not sure what has caused it but the Doc said today to use heat packs and sports massage, no link to the shoulder surgery which is good news.must make sure I warm up and down well for the weekend. Will post results on Sunday or before if I remember to toe the iPad with me.

Struggling to make these posts fresh every week.

Nothing really different or exciting this week and no meet performance to pass on to the viewing masses who look forward to my Saturday ramblings. I guess the main reason for my blog is not to entertain the masses but to use it as a tool to ensure I stick to my targets of training and don't give up on the diet. I will be a little embarrassed if I fail in either endeavour. The final piece of the jigsaw to swim faster hopefully will be a result of achieving the first two targets. I am swimming at my home clubs Masters event tomorrow so may see some results based on where I am so far this year. Anyway now for the boring bits. Diet was OK. After my record 5lbs loss last week I managed to stay the same at 15.13. Good to keep it under 16 and not fall down totally. Too many bread based Snacks this week but will be going for a a good diet week starting today. Very good training week, best metres total of the year so far at 14500 over two club sessions and four public lane sessions. Did a little more sprinting this week to try and sharpen up as I have managed to enter all sprint events tomorrow. 100 and 50 free, 50 breast and 50 back. I would really like at least a couple of PB's (post suit). not ready yet to post targets for all to see yet. I feel fairly quick but not showing in competition yet. Away from my favoured events to my devils stroke of breast stroke. I have changed the technique slightly and expect to to get under 40 secs tomorrow for the 50M. I managed a 38.?? with a suit 3 years ago but not broken 40 since. Managed 41.0 for long course at Swansea so fingers crossed. Will blog results early next week (Good or Bad).

Work and training don't mix but does help the diet.

Mrs T asked me to look after the incoming goods warehouse for the week. The only disadvantage (and quite a major one) is that I do not have a fork lift licence. I could though call on guys from the shifts when I needed to off load deliveries or move pallets around. The problem Was that empty and full pallets need moving all the time so I spent a lot of time with a hand pallet truck pulling heavy pallets or moving piles of empty ones around the storage yard. This was excellent excercise but was really hard work for this old man and then of course I decided to try and train in the evenings. Travelled all the way to Gloucester on Tues night for a club session and had to finish the session after 30 mins as my feet and legs were cramping continuously and no amount of steady swimming would work the cramps off. I do think the work helped with some core fitness though. Still managed around 9K in the week, below where I should be but a good on par result. This week also saw me targeting some improved weight loss as I felt recently that I had been slipping away from my healthy diet and eating too many treats and crap. We made two batches of really good vegetable soup which made up my main meal each day (with no bread). Breakfast was a big bowl of porridge . These I found very filling and snacked in-between with fruit and yogurt. Anyway it seems to work and I managed 5lbs loss this week which took me below 16 stone for the first time in At least 25 years. 15.13. Another stone to go and I think I will be fairly happy. Now to see if this weight loss transfers to faster swimming. No competitions this weekend but our own Gloucester's Open Masters Meet next weekend. Will be looking for a fast 100 Free and 50 back. Entries in for the British Masters (LC) at Sheffield this week. Only 4 weeks away.

A Steady Eddie Week, Feeling Good.

A steady week in deed! Struggled to train at my best while working on my feet all day but managed to work three days without missing any planned sessions. In fact metres wise my best week this year at 14450 metres. The month was down from around 49k in Jan and Feb to 41600 in March. So after the first quarter of the year 140025 metres, way ahead of my original plan. I just need to make sure I keep a good quality training going and not do metres for the sake of achieving a high total. Thought I would lose at least 2 lbs this week but only managed a single lbs loss to take me to 16.04. It is taking me along time to get down to Under 16 stone but should get there in 3-4 weeks.. No swimming meet this weekend or the next one. Gives me the chance to build as much training as I can between now and the British Champs at Sheffield in May. Coach tells me we are doing a weeks taper for this event and keeping the long taper for the Nationals also at Sheffield in October. I have my personal warm weather training in July. We have booked a friends Villa for a week in Spain which has a shared 25 metre pool. Hoping I can swim evenings and mornings with plenty of room. Will be asking the coach for 8-9 sessions to follow. Am working Mon to Fri next week so training will be a challenge. I admire anyone who does a physical role and trains full time as well. I am lucky that generally I only work 2-4 days a week so have energy left for training most of the time.