December 22, 2015

Dear FMSC swimmers,

Thanks for another great month of training, stretching and social gatherings!

The Christmas party was a grand time, and Barb, your breakfasts and hospitality continue to astound.

I am sending this note before the holidays for those of you who are off on travels, as I’ve included a few training sessions on the second page. Enjoy! For those of you in town (but not ‘out on the town’) I will see you tonight at 5:30 for a stretch, 6:00 in the pool and 7:30 at Tipperaries pub. I had mentioned that there would be a few times here in Calgary when Jan and I will be swimming over the break and would love to have company. Those times & places are Thursday the 24th, 7am at Foothills, Sunday the 27th, 8am at Shouldice and Tuesday the 29th, 7:30 at Shouldice. We will swim the sessions on the next page and I will also post them on the facebook page that I administer, Zip Line Swim, if you would like to join in a virtual way!

Thanks again to Jen for the snorkel order, we’ll be including snorkels in some sets once they come, and as most of you have noticed, we’ll be using FINS more for some kicking, strong aerobic and speed.

With our swim meet on the horizon on January 23rd, we’ve spent a bit of time on starts and turns. Of course we will continue into January and get as technical as you’d like. Please let me know if you’re swimming in the meet, if you need some encouragement to enter (I have it in abundance) and if you’d like to be on a relay.

I’ve talked with some of you already about this link on our shoulders. Sharing here:

For those poetically inclined at this time of year, I’m leaving one of my favourite poems by Robert Francis.

The Swimmer (of course):

Observe how he negotiates his way

With trust and the least violence, making

The stranger friend, the enemy ally.

The depth that could destroy gently supports him.

With water he defends himself from water.

Danger he leans on, rests in. The drowning sea

Is all he has between himself and drowning.

What lover ever lay more mutually

With his beloved, his always-reaching arms

Stroking in smooth and powerful caresses?

Some drown in love as in dark water, and some

By love are strongly held as the green sea

Now holds the swimmer. Indolently he turns

To float – the swimmer floats, the lover sleeps.

To all of you who are so good at making ordinary days merry and bright,

Merry Christmas!

Amy

400 (free, back, free, IM by 100s)

10x50 (4xfree, 3xback, 2xbr, 1xfly) on 10 sec rest

8x25, IM order 4xdrill, 4xswim, 15 sec rest

6x150 (odd 100IM + 50 free, even free) on :15 sec rest

500 pull (100 free/100back repeat)

Total - 2,500m

1000 straight (100 free/200IM repeat – IM is 1st one drill, 2nd one drill, 3rd one swim)

12x50 – (1 kick, 1 k/swim, 1 swim repeat) on 5 sec rest

4x100 IM descend 1 to 4 on 15 sec rest

3x200 – (1 kick , 1 swim choice , 1 pull) on 10 sec rest

Total – 2,600

20x50 – (4xfree, 4xback, 4xIM order drill/swim, 4xback, 4xfree)10sec rest

400 (100kick/50 swim choice, repeat, and desc 100s kick 1-3)

6x100 free or free pull on :10 sec rest

12x50 – variables on :20 sec rest

100 easy

Total – 2,700