Birthday Swim

A couple of years ago at our post BSC training camp party I heard the most unexpected thing come out of my husband's mouth.  After a couple of Shanetinis he decided to tell the QueenBSC herself that he wanted to swim 100x100 and earn his BatShitCrazy swim cap.  I quickly responded with something like, "are you kidding me?" "Why on earth would you do that?

I often wondered if that workout would ever show up on my Training Peaks calendar.  But then, months went on, and before we knew it we were flying to Kona for our next training camp experience, this time swimming and Ocean 10k.  After that crazy swim that ended with me dry heaving between swells and on the beach I was officially never swimming that far again... 

I should really learn to stop saying, "I will never."

I digress.  Each year for my birthday I like to do some sort of fun birthday workout.  It always includes my age x 100s in the pool, some sort of age/ bike and run miles and most definitely some tequila to top it all off ;)  I don't know if it was my body needing some rest on the legs after IMAZ, or something wanting to keep off the holiday lbs, but I sent an email to Michelle and told her I wanted to swim 100x100 for my birthday, and just like that the plan was made.  I immediately tried to start recruiting friends for this crazy adventure and pick a date.

Being in the middle of holiday parties, picking the time and date was actually not the easiest task.  I settled on a Saturday hoping to recruit more friends, and picked a time that was early enough to not waste the whole day, but also not too early that people who were at parties taking random jello shots and sipping on Fireball would still make it.

I have to admit, it was quite entertaining being the sober one at the party!! 

At 9am one brave friend and two of my athletes hopped in the pool with me and started the epic workout.  Robin, the super swimmer took her own lane and started on a faster sendoff then I could hold so I was on my own to pace for the first 2400. 

 12x100's @1:45 super relaxed/easy w/u

12x100's @1:45 where you do a 25 fast within each 100, alternating where that 25 comes... so #1 first 25 fast, #2 2nd 25 fast, #3 3rd 25 fast, #4 last 25 fast; repeat for 3 rounds.

held ~ 1:30's pretty easily for the first 2400.... definitely worried, could I hold this?

 

4x (2@1:45, 4@1:40, 2@1:35). Fine to use buoy on this set if you prefer.

a few more friends showed up so I finally got my way and got to hop in behind Robin & Lewis who stopped taking pictures and joined in on the pool party.  This set flew by, now coming in < 1:30's with the draft

 

6x100's pads/bands only- choose an interval that gives you 15" rest.

This was the hardest set of the entire workout!!  My upper body started to get a little achy and crampy.  Lewis and Robin were flying through it so I stuck with their send off of 1:40

 

Use PBB for this part:

3x (3 @1:40, 7@1:35, 1 super easy/relaxed). Rest an extra 30" between rounds.

Now this is where the FUN began!  I love me some toys.  We were coming in ~ 1:20-1:25 on these so newly named BSC'er Robin decided we should do the last 10 with a 1:30 send off.  I was in no position to argue and we killed it!

 

5x100's as 25 kick/75 swim easy c/d rest 15"

This last set is where MY true BSC came out.  After absolutely nailing the last set I wasn't ready to just flop cooldown so I suggested we go all out.  After a quick check to make sure we weren't going to cramp we put on our fins, switched the send off to 1:25 and finished STRONG.

After a 100 flop cooldown I had officially completed my longest pool swim to date, 10,100yards.  I had this weird sense of crazy accomplishment and honestly felt great!  I can't thank my crazy friends enough for joining me and helping me celebrate another year.  

Abby, you are an absolute rock star for doing the entire swim on your OWN so you could finish before us and have cupcakes ready and on deck.  Robin.  THANK you for not making me do this alone, I don't think the day would have been nearly the success it was without you.  Lewis, thanks for finally stopping your procrastinating and hoping in for 7500 and most importantly, keeping our math straight :)  

And with this last swim of the year I have officially completed my furthest swim distance to date in 2014!!!  537,883 total yards.

Cheers to another year of BSC!