Richardson Zoo: February 2010

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Saturday, February 20, 2010

I've got a lot on my plate (athletically) this spring. I'm back in training for two new 5ks. One is in late March and the other is in mid April. Both of them are pet friendly 5ks, so it looks like Indiana will be training with me. That, alone, will probably trash my time, but that's o.k. I'll enjoy having him with me on the runs. I hope that he will eventually be my regular running buddy for 5ks and afternoon runs. He's got LOTS of energy, so I'm not sure what distance that he'll top out at.

I'm also training for my first "real" swim meet at the end of May. It's the U.S. Master's Swimming Short Course Nationals Championships. I'm only going to swim about 3 events, since I won't be going to lots of other meets to qualify. I'm nervous as a cat about it, though. I have SO MUCH that I need to improve on. I'm hitting the team practice for the first time this semester this coming Thursday. Hopefully, I won't embarrass myself. I've lost a lot of conditioning, since I was sick over Christmas and New Year's. It's taking a frustratingly long time to get my endurance back. I'm sure that running will help with that. I should also be meeting with my coach, one on one, on Tuesday. I've got a lot of diving block work to do. I just hope to stay healthy for the rest of the year now. Unfortunately, after swimming laps midday today, I have water in my left ear. I guess that I need to break out the vinegar, when I get home. Here's a few videos of me swimming. Casey did the taping with my new camcorder that he got me for my birthday. Like I said, I have LOTS of work to do.

1. Strengthen my flutter kick.

2. Work on my freestyle pull and catch.

3. Build my endurance doing flipturns.

4. Stop over rotating on my breaths. Remember to rotate my body more.

Practicing my backstroke flipturns.

First time doing freestyle flipturns with fins.

Breaststroke. I haven't learned breaststroke turns yet. I need to keep my arms closer and work on my starts with this one.

Freestyle, no fins.

More freestyle with fins.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day, Ya'll!!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Celebrating

I know that a lot of folks don't really care for Valentine's Day. I'll admit, since Casey and I have been together for 19 years, it has lost just a bit of it's luster. This year, for the first time in quite a few, we have Valentine's dinner reservations. We are going to one of my very favorite restaurants, The Omni Hut. It's a little, home owned Polynesian restaurant. We haven't been there in several years, and I'm really excited!! I also got my presents from Casey a few days early. He got me a new Speedo swim bag, and some of my very own training fins. He supports me in my goal to go to the U.S. Master's Swimming Short Course Nationals this coming May. I have LOTS of work to do to get ready.

Another treat that I'm getting tonight, is he's agreed to watch Romeo and Juliet (The 1968 version, my fav) with me again tonight. I just can't seem to celebrate Valentine's Day without it!!