15,500 yard practice...

Sure, the question of "why" is always a good one, and the answer as to why someone would do 100 x 150 on 2:00 is actually pretty simple... preparation.  Because Barbara and I have entered the Kingdom Swim, preparation is something that can't skip a day.  While regular training is to improve a time, or to avoid defeat, training now takes on a totally different atmosphere... long, smooth, but still fast enough to be intriguing.

My friends at Annapolis Breakfast Club were swimming the annual Marueenavator, which takes the last two digits of the current year, and adds 100 x 100 to it... so this year, being 2010, means the set was 110 x 100 on 2:00.  I thought this would be a good opportunity to practice some long swimming.  Instead of 100's, I'd do 150's which would require I stay consistent, smooth, but not go so slow so that I couldn't get enough rest to get something to drink.

I think I made it to #65 before my calf started to cramp, which reminded me to not push off the wall so hard, or so far... landing the feet flatter on the wall helped.  Anyway, that was about all the drama there was.  Pretty smooth set, swam a meet with some friends later that afternoon, and even went to hear one of my favorite guitarists play that night.  Stroke seems to be settling in nicely.

Thanks to my Finis Swimp3 player, I was able to pretty much zone out.  The tunes are varied but mostly stuff that gets me moving.  iTunes links included.  :)  If there are some songs that seem a bit rough... sorry.  Many of these songs have age warning... but don't worry, I'm old enough.

1)  Extraordinary - Liz Phair
2)  Family Reunion - Saliva
3)  Superstar - Saliva
4)  Broken Sunday - Saliva
5)  Glasgow Kiss - John Petrucci - (video below... love this song)
6)  One Step Closer - Linkin Park
7)  Learn to Fly - Foo Fighters
8)  I Believe in a Thing Called Love - The Darkness
9)  Hunt You Down - Saliva - This one reminds me of Jason Lezak
10)  Figured You Out - Nickelback
11)  In The End - Linkin Park
12)  Rest in Pieces - Saliva
13)  Pedal to the Metal - Kazzer
14)  A Man I'll Never Be - Boston
15)  And the Cradle Will Rock - Van Halen
16)  Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
17)  Enter Sandman - Metallica
18)  Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
19)  The Distance - Cake
20)  Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zeppelin
21)  Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin
22)  Inside The Fire - Disturbed
23)  Indestructible - Distrubed
24)  Jamie's Crying - Van Halen
25)  Jump Around - House of Pain
26)  Jump - Van Halen
27)  Big Time - Peter Gabriel
28)  Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
29)  Red Light - Green Light - Limp Bizkit with Snoop Dog
30)  Rock and Roll - Led Zeppelin
31)  Survival of the Sickest - Saliva
32)  Ain't Talking 'Bout Love - Van Halen
33)  Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
34)  Your Time Will Come - Led Zeppelin

There may have been a few more, but I'll never tell.  :)