A:
600 warm up (150 swim/50 kick, repeat)
6x50 @ :55 (25 fist drill/25 swim)
12x25 @ :30 (IM order, first 4 strokes FAST!)
50 easy
4 x [75 FAST! @ :60
      50 easy @ :60]
12x25 @ :30 (2 Tarzan drill/2 swim NO breath)
50 easy
4 x [75 FAST! @ 1:05 (fly/back/breast)
      50 easy @ 1:05 (free)]
12x25 @ :30 (with band only)
50 easy
4 x [75 FAST! @ :55 (pull)
      50 easy @ :55 (pull)]
400 swim (get out at each 25 and dive back in)
100 cool down
*4000 Total*

B:
600 warm up (150 swim/50 kick, repeat)
6x50 @ 1:05 (25 fist drill/25 swim)
8x25 @ :30 (first 4 strokes FAST!)
50 easy
4 x [75 FAST! @ 1:20
      50 easy @ 1:20]
8x25 @ :40 (2 Tarzan drill/2 swim w/1 breath)
50 easy
4 x [75 FAST! @ 1:15
      50 easy @ 1:10]
8x25 @ :40 (with band only)
50 easy
4 x [75 FAST! @ 1:10 (pull)
      50 easy @ 1:10 (pull)]
100 cool down
*3300 Total*

C:
600 warm up (150 swim/50 kick, repeat)
4x50 w/:10 rest (25 fist drill/25 swim)
8x25 w/:10 rest (first 4 strokes FAST!)
3x150 pull w/:15 rest (3/5/3 breathing pattern)
3x50 FAST! w/:20 rest
3x150 swim w/:15 rest (50 free/50 non-free/50 free)
3x50 FAST! w/:20 rest
100 cool down
*2300 Total*

Cougar Aquatic Club Workout

Pat Collins

Cougar Aquatic Team

www.cougaraquatic.com
Here's a set I did with our Senior 1 (National) Group. I thought it went real well, kids loved it, but were dead tired.
The entire pre-set was done on simply 15 secs rest after the leader of each lane would touch. Distance per stroke / cruising speed was expected.



Main Set: Our fastest two lanes did the first two 250s on 3:

A Kick Set That Burns

Ryan Woodruff

Follow @WoodruffRyan
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I like having our athletes kick for maximum distance in a specified amount of time. Like most teams, our range of kicking speeds

A:
200 swim/200 pull/200 kick/200 swim
4x200 @ 3:15 (25 kick/75 swim, repeat)
4x200 @ 3:00 (100 IM/100 free)
4x200 @ 2:45 swim (descend 1-4)
4x200 @ 2:30 pull (descend 1-4)
400 cool down (50 Frog/50 Sailboat/100 swim, repeat)
*4400 Total*

B:
200 swim/200 pull/200 kick/200 swim
4x150 @ 3:30 (50 kick/100 swim)
4x150 @ 3:00 (50 non-free/100 free)
4x150 @ 2:45 swim (descend 1-4)
4x150 @ 2:30 pull (descend 1-4)
400 cool down (50 Frog/50 Sailboat/100 swim, repeat)
*3600 Total*

C:
200 swim/200 pull/200 kick
4x100 w/:20 rest (25 kick/75 swim)
4x100 w/:20 rest (25 non-free/75 free)
4x100 w/:20 rest swim (descend 1-4)
4x100 w/:20 rest pull (descend 1-4)
200 cool down (50 Frog/50 Sailboat/100 swim, repeat)
*2400 Total*

Week in Review

22 Miles
2 Off Days
2 Lift sessions
1 Flywheel ride
6 mile "long run"

I can get used to this whole "running-for-fun" thing.  I'm running pain free (shin and glute), but yet I still have no desire to add any miles onto my runs.  I'm milking my down time to the extreme, and running exactly what I feel like doing on any given day.  Saturday's run at McAlpine marked my first run back with a large CRC group, and it reminded me of why I love Charlotte so much--because the people here are just so great.  We traversed the Boyce section of the trail, the only part accessible due to the Footlocker South races going on simultaneously.  By 10am, we sprinted from point to point to catch a fleeting glimpse of Alana as she raced by, before moving on to the next vantage points.  Alana may not have accomplished her goal for this race, but she showed some true grit and heart out there.  It was enjoyable to watch the prestigious race with a familiar face competing.

While I feel confident about my comeback plan--running less than 50 miles and lifting twice a week--an integral piece of this puzzle is chiropractic treatment from Dr. Greenapple and a trip to Alan Tyson from Architect Sports.  I'm sure that both of these things will help me pinpoint the heart of the issue to ensure that I don't get this sort of hamstring tightness (ever) again.  The key is to have fun during this unstructured training segment, get healthy and repair my wounded body and mind.  As for the fun part, I've got that covered:  watch out Raleigh, the CRC ladies are coming to town!  Michelle Hazelton is hosting what will be a fabulous bachelorette party next weekend.  I don't know what's better than a night out with friends and then a hungover run together the next morning.  Hey--at least the feeling is mutual, right?

Next week I hope to run 30-35 miles and gradually increasing my mileage to 50 by the end of the year.  I need to be in shape when all my Wake Forest teammates reunite at the wedding, where undoubtedly several miles will be run together.

"Sneaky "400IMs

Greg Johnson

Head Age Group Coach

Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club



Here's a great way to make your 10-13 year old age groupers conquer some solid 400 IM work (without groaning and whining...until the end):



6 x

2 x 50 fly @ 50 1 x 100 Bk @ 1:30

2 x 50 Br @ 50 1 x 100 Fr @ 120



Odd rounds swim order as listed above. Even rounds flip flop the 100s and 50s

1 x 100 fly

Avoid the Holiday Bulk-Up!

Ahhh, it is finally the best time of the year! Wow, how time flies. While I 'm sure everyone can't wait for the the cozy sweaters, Christmas baking, candles, lights, and happy music, it is crucial to not completely abandon the workout and dieting routine you have finally perfected!

Here are a few little tips to avoid the holiday "bulk-up":

Remember to keep your portions small! You don't need to avoid all of the delicious appetizers and cookies that make Christmas so wonderful, but do remember to enjoy them in moderation! If you know you are going to a holiday event on Saturday, save that day for your cheat meal. Using a small plate can be helpful (rather than hovering over the food and inhaling the entire thing before you even realize it).

If you can't make it to the gym, make time for an in-home workout! In fact, last year my amazing sister Paige bought me a kettlebell and workout book for a gift, which has been put to great use this year! Buy yourself a little Christmas gift: kettlebells, workout videos, yoga mat, or even a cute new workout outfit- anything that will motivate to stay fit during the colder months. For some reason a new workout tank gets me SO excited to exercise (must be a girl thing?) so treat yourself! And why not give a "healthy" gift to your loved ones? Maintaining your workout regimen will greatly benefit you, especially if you're indulging :)

why WOULDN'T you want to workout when you have these?

If you are cooking, opt for some healthier options! Instead of high-calorie dips and appetizers, bring a colorful vegetable plate, a colorful dip with pretzels, cute sliced-fruit desserts, or why not my delicious sweet potato recipe? Avoid cream-cheese dips (even though they are incredibly delicious)

fruit kabob- healthier alternative

New Year's Resolutions. Why not start them now? A gym membership or setting a new goal can be the perfect fuel to kick off the new year healthier than you ever have before, but why wait until January 1st? A healthy lifestyle is a DAILY routine, not an on/off habit. If you want to see results, you must dedicate yourself every single day.

Drink lots of water! Holiday drinks and celebrations can quickly add excessive calories to your intake, so be aware, and try to replace as much soda/juice/alcohol with water! 

how perfect is this?

Most importantly, enjoy your loved ones, and keep your body happy by staying healthy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! (soooo happy I can finally start saying that!)

Morgan

A:
500 warm up
4x150 @ 2:40 (50 kick/100 IM)
18x50 swim (4 @ :40, 2 @ :50, repeat)
400 pull (build by 100)
6x75 pull @ 1:10 (25 free/25 back/25 free)
50 easy swim
8x50 @ :55 (25 FAST!/25 easy/kick on wall until next interval)
5x200 @ 2:50 (rotating fast 50)
200 cool down
*4300 Total*

B:
500 warm up
4x150 @ 3:15 (50 kick/50 free/50 non-free)
12x50 swim (3 @ :50, 1 @ :60, repeat)
300 pull (build by 100)
6x75 pull @ 1:20
50 easy swim
6x50 @ 1:05 (25 FAST!/25 easy/kick on wall until next interval)
4x150 @ 2:45 (rotating fast 50)
100 cool down
*3500 Total*

C:
400 warm up
3x150 w/:15 rest (50 kick/50 free/50 non-free)
9x50 swim (2 strong w/:10 rest, 1 easy w/:20 rest, repeat)
300 pull (build by 100)
4x75 pull w/:15 rest
6x50 w/:10 rest (25 FAST!/25 easy/kick on wall for :10)
100 cool down
*2300 Total*

"VO 2sdays" with Rochester Aquatic Club

John Bradley

Senior Coach

Rochester Swim Club Orcas
Follow @SwimOrcas
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We did this set the other day - my kids call our Tuesday VO2 Max practices "VO Tuesdays."

Jon Doliana: New AAG Model

This athlete has every reason to smile. He is thoroughly fit, his physique is impressively sculpted, and in view of his built arms sleeves would only be in the way. Jon Doliana is a fitness model from the southeast part of the U.S. He's also a military guy, having done several tours of duty as a marine. Jon is relatively new to the world of fitness modeling and has also competed in a couple of physique shows. He's looking to expand his modeling portfolio and see where the industry takes him.


Stats: Height: 5'9, Weight: 175

You find many high quality photos and videos of Jon Doliana here on AllAmericanGuys.

Breaststroke Length/Tempo Set

Ryan Woodruff

Follow @WoodruffRyan
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This was a breaststroke set we did tonight that concluded with some good results. The 400 at the beginning is done with a

Flywheel Charlotte

45 Minutes of Flywheel
3rd Place

Since I'm running lower mileage, I thought it would be a good time to try something new.  Largely encouraged by the three free Flywheel "rides" that Smarty Pants promoted, I swiftly created an account for myself and Garrett and signed us up for a class taught by Steve Justice, a former All American Wake Forest football player.  This is slightly embarrassing that it took me almost six months to finally check out Flywheel.  Steve's wife, a former Wake Forest soccer player, had approached me about Flywheel back in the summer and, while I had heard so many great reviews about the place, I never found the time to check it out for myself.

Anyways, on Tuesday at 6AM, I finally got a chance to see what this frenzy for Flywheel was all about. Flywheel is a studio dedicated solely to stadium spinning classes in a high-energy, super-cardio kind of way.  I've done several spinning classes before, at the YMCA, at the SIU Rec Center, but this is different.  First of all, you get to reserve your bike online, so I was able to reserve a seat right next to Garrett.  Once you get to the studio, all the steps you're supposed to take to check in are easy to figure out, even for a newbie like me.  I logged onto a computer to check myself in, grabbed my pair of (clean) shoes from a cubbie with my bike number on it, and made my way over to some lockers located just outside of the "spin room."  Garrett and I shared a locker (how cute), because they were that big, and headed into the stadium.

Garrett and I adjusted our seats and started a light warmup as we waited for Steve to bring on the pain.  Right on time, Steve walked in, gave us some instructions, and the lights went out, with a spotlight just on him.  The music started bouncing, our bodies started bouncing, and our heads bobbing, all in rhythm with the beat.  And I was sweating in less than a minute, but then again I sweat when it's 0 degrees outside.

Like any spinning class, you can make it as easy or as difficult as you'd like it.  However, at Flywheel, I think it's more difficult to cheat because the instructor provides torq and rpm ranges to ride to, which provides a great way to maintain the effort level.  So, if you do want to cheat, you'll inevitably feel a lot more guilty and feel less inclined to lower that tension on the bike.  Oh, and to add onto that, they have some convenient screens above head that allow you to see where you place in the rankings against everyone else in the class.  Don't worry, if you don't want to sign up to be on the "torq board," you don't have to.  But, you can use a secret screen name so no one knows who you are.  Mine is conveniently "meowmeow."  Of course, I wanted to win, but I only came in third place, just missing first by about 10 points.  Despite getting third, I was still breathing like a banshee the entire class.  Did I mention that I'm a marathon runner?

The biggest surprise of the class was when we grabbed two bars from the bottom of the bike and started lifting them over our head.  Honestly, this was the hardest part of the workout for me since my arms apparently have the strength of a 10 year old girl. I thought we would be done after doing some arm lifts, but I was so wrong--the workout continued for the entire duration of 45 minutes, and then we did an additional five minutes of cool down.  I definitely got what I (didn't) pay for (since this was a free class).

Needless to say, Flywheel gets two thumbs up from me.  They do a good job of differentiating themselves from a standard spin class offered at any other gym.  They are staffed with friendly instructors and keep things clean (the shoes are washed!).  To top it all off, you leave feeling like you just completed 20x400m all out on the track.  This is great cross training method for us runners and also a great way to burn some calories.

If you haven't already, go ahead and sign up for Flywheel.  The first ride is free, and then they have packages or individual rides you can buy.  Like I said, through December, you can get two free classes on top of the other free class (that equals three for my mathematically challenged readers) by clicking on this link and following the instructions.

Greg Plitt: Abdominal Assault Workout

His washboard abs are mind-blowing: stone-hard, sculpted to the max, simply perfect. When Greg Plitt teaches how to build them, the top cover model applies his unique mixture of knowledge, dedication and philosophy, and begins: "You must believe in yourself enough to be the person now that you want others to remember you for later." Get ready to go through the pain today for tomorrow's betterment, as Greg leads you through his Abdominal Assault Workout. Greg takes you through 20 ab exercises you have never seen before in this brutal assault on yours abs. This all-out ab battle plan combines body weight exercises, to build tone and get the cut factor, with weighted exercises, to get the deep valleys and depth between the abs. Greg assures: "If you are ready to be the person today that you'll wish you were tomorrow, my Abdominal Assault Workout is ready for you!" The thrilling preview video:



The full Abdominal Assault Workout is available at www.GregPlitt.com.

GregPlitt.com Members Testimonial Video 2012:

A year in review for those who joined the ranks in 2012, www.GregPlitt.com has fueled the fire of personal transformation for thousands of people, inspiring and motivating them to not only transform their body physically, but also unlocking their mental potential and self confidence to help them build a better life. This video shares just some of the impressive transformations people have made physically and mentally while fueled by the www.GregPlitt.com Members Section. GregPlitt.com exists to provide the truth and uses the gym environment as a metaphor for life, providing the education and motivation to help you take charge of your destiny and become your own master!



The GregPlitt.com Members Section contains over 200 hours of video, including 60 instructional workout videos, $9.95 a month for full access.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gregplittpage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/gregplitt

A:
500 warm up
6x75 @ 1:20 (25 right arm/25 left arm/25 swim)
100, 200, 300, 400 swim @ 1:25 per 100
400, 300, 200, 100 pull @ 1:20 per 100
300, 200, 100 swim @ 1:20 per 100
100, 200, 300 pull @ 1:15 per 100
6x150 @ 2:20 (50 kick/100 swim)
200 cool down
*4800 Total*

B:
500 warm up
6x75 @ 1:45 (25 right arm/25 left arm/25 swim)
100, 200, 300, 400 swim @ 1:50 per 100
400, 300, 200, 100 pull @ 1:45 per 100
6x150 @ 2:20 (50 kick/100 swim)
200 cool down
*3600 Total*

C:
400 warm up
4x75 w/:15 rest (25 right arm/25 left arm/25 swim)
100, 200, 300 swim w/:15 rest between each
300, 200, 100 pull w/:15 rest between each
4x150 w/:20 rest (50 kick/100 swim)
100 cool down
*2600 Total*

A Charlotte Marathon Weekend

While I did run for 30 minutes today completely pain free, this is one small feat compared to the slew of other accomplishments all of my speedy running friends achieved yesterday and today at various races. So many of my friends ran their little hearts out this weekend to achieve some pretty amazing times.  Some shout-outs go to:

Thunder Road

• Billy Shue for finishing Thunder Road Marathon in just over 2:40 on a windy day, all alone on a tough course, even after he felt rough after 12 miles.
• Caleb Boyd for shattering his marathon PR by over 8 minutes in a near (female) Olympic Trials qualifying time of 2:46:58.
• Jamey Yon for breaking the NC State marathon masters record at Thunder Road when he apparently didn't even prepare or plan for a marathon.
• Stephen Spada for achieving for what he set out to do at Thunder Road (like he always does!)
• Jay Holder for surprising Lauren in the middle of her FIRST marathon and probably spending an ungodly amount of money on a plane ticket to be here for less than 24 hours.  Love is priceless!  Oh and also for hanging out with me and Garrett for almost 2 hours on Saturday.  Besties!
• Lauren Holder for running her first marathon at Thunder Road and destroying it in 3:52:04, even after the emotional letdown of NYC Marathon being cancelled.  
• Not Thunder Road, but...Megan Hovis and Val Matena for running the JFK 50 Miler and finishing 7th and 12th respectively! They are happily crazy doing those long distances

Philly

• My bestie, Meagan Nedlo, for achieving a 2 minute PR at Philly, even though she was in no man's land after 14 miles.  She has PRed in every single marathon she's done, and I'm hopeful that she can continue this trend!
• Dalena Custer for absolutely CRUSHING her PR (by over 9 minutes) to run an almost Olympic Trials Qualifying time in a blistering 2:46:02.  Watch out, world, she will qualify for the Trials in 2016.  I just know it!
• Brad Belfiore, who got hit by a car while cycling and broke his elbow back in June, and still managed to achieve a 4 minute PR at Philly by running just over 2:40.  He ran for two months with one arm hanging limp at his side.
• Eric Bilbrey, who took almost 6 weeks off due to a virus, for achieving huge half marathon PR in 1:18:x with a nice negative split
• Pezz for getting yet another half marathon PR just 6 weeks after her debut marathon and placing third for some prize money
• Chad and Danielle Crockford for going to Philly and still competing!  Chad ran a marathon a couple weeks ago and was still able to run 4 minutes faster.  
• Of course, Matt Jaskot for running 3:03 in an American Flag robe, shorts, and socks.  Amazing!

Of course, many more congrats and kudos go out to so many other runners, both near and far, but these are the ones that I share a personal connection with on a daily basis.  Someone asked me if tracking the Philly runners made me sad since I backed out of a fall marathon, and I only had to reflect on the question for about 2 seconds before answering with a resounding "No." Instead of feeling pity on myself, I was so happy that all my friends who had worked so hard over the past year had achieved their dreams.  In a small way, I was involved in their preparation somehow or another and it was fun to see everything come together.  This weekend should just encourage everyone to get out there and run!

Recovery Week(s) in Review

Week of 11/5

0 miles

7 Days off

0 Doubles

0 Workouts

2 Days in California

Week of 11/12

8 Miles

5 Days off

0 Doubles

0 Workouts

3 hours rollerblading or dancing

As promised, I took an entire 11 days off from running.  I haven't taken off more than 5 days of running in a row since 2008.  Mainly instigated by the fact that I had sore muscles above my shin and a pain in my ass, days off were much needed.  Not only did my body need to heal, but so did my mind.  For the first week off, I didn't even miss running.  I quickly became accustomed to a lazy lifestyle of sitting at a computer all day to only continue that pattern once I got home.  What little movement I had consisted of ten short steps to the kitchen or bathroom, whether in my house or at work.  With my excess free time, I didn't even allot much time to wedding planning.  In fact, I did a whole lot of nothing, and it was pure bliss.  That's a true indicator that a break was much needed.  The only downside of the first week off was that the muscles over my shin were so sore and painful that I could barely walk up and down stairs, let along attend my dance classes as I had hoped.  By the end of the week, the tendons had calmed down and I was able to walk without a slight limp.

After a whole week off, I started to get the itch again.  No, not that kind of itch.  The itch to run!  I fought every urge to lace up my Nike Pegasus and head out the door for a breath of fresh  air with the excellent company of my friends.  I missed the salacious Charlotte gossip that inevitably is discussed on runs.  I missed the guiltless ability to eat as much as I want just because I ran.  I missed shaking off the stresses from the day during my run.  So, finally, on Friday, I acquiesced to Running, who lured me back without much persuasion.  Fueled by the rare opportunity to run with my high school coach Holda--who I've known since I was 5--I headed out for my first run with my fingers crossed--that my shin tendons would be healed, that my breathing wouldn�t be too labored, that my form wouldn�t be too crippled.  Quite frankly, it sucked.  My left leg was dragging in such a way that I thought I was going to be out on the disable list for another couple of weeks.  The strangest thing was that my hamstring nor my glute hurt.  Everything was out of whack, especially with my leg lift, which also caused my left foot to strike the ground a couple of inches in front of my hip line, instead of right below.  Because of all of this, I cut the run short at 21 minutes and followed it up with some glute strengthening exercises and foot drills.  

Tomorrow I plan on cycling along the Thunder Road course to cheer for several of my running partners and one of the athletes I coach.  I may try to run a stride or two to test out the leg, but we'll see.  Assuming I'm healthy, I plan to take all runs easy until after the wedding.  I want to build a solid base of miles and strength work before throwing in any workouts.  While I am excited by 5k workout ideas, I don't want to jeopardize any of my performances next year by jumping back too quickly. I need to ensure I have the strength in my lower body before hiking my mileage up.  I don't want to risk an injury, so my new weight program will be an integral piece to my training regimen starting in December.  Until then, I've got the opportunity to live vicariously through my friends over the next couple of days as I'm confident they'll achieve some great new PRs at Thunder Road and Philly.

The Importance of Emotional Health- In Loving Memory of Kaitlin Marie Augusta Beske

When you think about health and fitness what is the first thing that comes to mind? Naturally, I picture exercising, people at the gym, and dieting. However, "fitness" is comprised of not only physical health, but emotional, mental, spiritual, and social health. These are important aspects that are often forgotten about. While I know this is a very different post for me, its been weighing on my heart that I should share HOW important emotional health and concussion awareness is.

This is dedicated to my best friend of 20 years, my gorgeous and radiant angel now in Heaven, and our "quadruplet". 

Kaitlin Marie Augusta Beske

Incredible photo by Ashley Lemke

The story all began when Kaitlin and I were 2 years old. Somehow my parents picked the perfect neighborhood, Jupiter Way, for us to build a house and grow up in. To our luck, we were blessed with the Beske family living down the street- little did we know the incredible impact Cindy, Chuck, Kaitlin, and Andrew would have on our lives! Kaitlin quickly became our favorite neighbor, our best friend, and shortly after, our "quadruplet". (If anyone reading didn't already know, I am a triplet with my sisters Paige and Lauren. Kaitlin became one of us!).

Quadruplet Stuffed Animal Slumber Party :)

Our days consisted of running back and forth between our neighboring houses, playing with baby dolls, Barbies, and stuffed animals for hours on end, and sharing WAY too many giggles. Kaitlin grew to be the very first friend and best friend I've ever had. Our bond was unbreakable.

Luckily for us, our friendship was not limited to our younger years as many friendships turn out. Despite my family's brief move to Texas in second grade, Kaitlin and I wrote back and forth to each other and maintained our adorable 8-year-old friendships through letters. One year later when my family was fortunate enough to move back to Minnesota and into our SAME house on Jupiter Way, Kaitlin and I were ecstatic! I'm pretty sure my sisters and I went to the Beske's house before starting to move back into ours. :)

Limited Too matching plaid pants... yup.

We were inseparable. Our friendship flourished through junior high school as we both made the "Starliners" which was the Lakeville Junior High Dance Team, started our own daycamp for young girls called "Dance, Fun, and More", and watched Bruce Almighty way too many times. I won't dare post all of those embarrassing pictures!

Beske front and center :)

love you Kait.

As time quickly passed, we spent endless hours together on the Varsity Cougar Dance Team in high school, on weekends at competitions, and on weeknights when we needed a "lazy movie night with cookie dough." Like I said, Kaitlin was like our sister.

so many incredible memories!

best-friend Henna tattoos :)

Before we knew it, we were graduating high school. Kaitlin would be attending Bethel University in Minnesota, and while I initially attended Winona State University in Minnesota, I had plans to transfer to the new and exciting city of Boston. (But not before the Bergs and Beskes took our amazing senior spring break trip to Cancun!)

Cancun 2009: Quadruplets :)

My sisters and I were so lucky to have Kaitlin as a part of our family..... and for us to be accepted into the Beske family as if we were one of their own!

Although 1,000 miles seperated us once I moved to Boston, Kaitlin remained my best friend. My future bridesmaid and lifelong sister. I am so blessed to have made incredible memories with her when I was home at the end of August this year. Kaitlin, Paige, Cindy, and I went to the Twin's game (my first time at the new stadium) and had way too much fun.

I will forever cherish these pictures.

already looking like a real-life angel :)

Unfortunately over the next few months, Kaitlin encountered a few concussions causing head trauma. Due to complications and a few months of struggling, this head trauma resulted in Kaitlin taking her life. I will never forget the phone call I received from my sister late at night on October 21st. How could the happiest, most bubbly, vivacious, faithful, and incredible friend have felt so helpless?

While we cannot spend the rest of our lives questioning how such an incident could have occurred, we can cherish the incredible memories Kaitlin shared with us. We can also realize how important emotional health is in our own lives! And this was the point of my post. It is my hope that whoever is reading this knows that life is so precious. You are SO cherished here on Earth, and if you are ever feeling down, please at least know that I am here to listen! I am 100% confident that Kaitlin felt loved, but she was not the same after her concussions. This brings up another point: take care of yourself while exercising, and if you encounter an injury, make sure you and your family are aware of the symptoms, just as the Beskes were. While we can't bring Kaitlin back, we can educate others to be aware of the dangers concussions can bring, and live in her memory!

Quads Fo Life <3

While Kaitlin may not be physically present on Earth anymore, I can feel her around me every day. Her positive spirit, contagious laugh, and pearly smile could brighten any room. It is my hope that everyone reading this takes time to evaluate their health and well-being after reading this. Life is too short.

Rest in Peace my beautiful angel. Prepared to live each day to the fullest for you every day forward! You will never be forgotten Kaitlin.

Thanks for letting me share,
Morgan

A:
500 warm up (NO Walls, Turn at the "T")
12x25 @ :30 (2 drill, 1 FAST!)
300 pull smooth (3/5 breathing pattern by 50)
3 x [25 @ :20 FAST!/25 @ :30 easy
     50 @ :40 FAST!/50 @ :60 easy
     75 @ :60 FAST!/75 @ 1:30 easy
     100 @ 1:20 FAST!/100 @ 2:00 easy]
300 pull smooth (3/5 breathing pattern by 50)
12x25 @ :30 (1 easy/1 RACE from a Dive!)
500 cool down (NO Walls, Turn at the "T")
*3700 Total*

B:
500 warm up (NO Walls, Turn at the "T")
12x25 @ :40 (2 drill, 1 FAST!)
300 pull smooth (3/5 breathing pattern by 50)
2 x [25 @ :30 FAST!/25 @ :30 easy
     50 @ :60 FAST!/50 @ :60 easy
     75 @ 1:30 FAST!/75 @ 1:30 easy
     100 @ 2:00 FAST!/100 @ 2:00 easy]
300 pull smooth (3/5 breathing pattern by 50)
8x25 @ :40 (1 easy/1 RACE from a Dive!)
400 cool down (NO Walls, Turn at the "T")
*3000 Total*

C:
500 warm up (NO Walls, Turn at the "T")
12x25 w/:15 rest (2 drill, 1 FAST!)
300 pull smooth (3/5 breathing pattern by 50)
2 x [25 w/:10 rest FAST!/25 w/:10 rest easy
     50 w/:10 rest FAST!/50 w/:20 rest easy
     200 easy pull (3/5 breathing pattern by 50)]
300 cool down (NO Walls, Turn at the "T")
*2100 Total*

Mission Viejo Distance Freestyle Set

Chloe Sutton

Mission Viejo Nadadores



@csutswim, 10/04/12 16:08



"Follow your honest convictions, and stay strong" Getting ready for this practice!



http://pic.twitter.com/Fhqery8D

http://twitter.com/csutswim/status/253949825777815553

Chloe Sutton Freestyle Workout

Chloe Sutton!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");
Mission Viejo Nadadores

@csutswim 10/24/12 17:26


Here's my workout today! Total: 10,200 yards. http://pic.twitter.com/RaEtzC26

"Beat the Beep" Race Pace Set

Ryan Woodruff
Follow @WoodruffRyan

This set uses the Tempo Trainer Pro to help our swimmers swim at race pace for 200 yard events. The beauty of using the Tempo Trainers is that the swimmers can focus on tempo, technique, etc. without having to listen for times. They simply listen for the beep and try to keep up with it.

We set the Tempo Trainers for a swimmer's average pace for a 25 in a 200

Mix It Up: Beating Salad Boredom :)

When training for an event or trying to become more healthy in general, I'm sure we all know how salads seem to take over as a staple meal. Packed with nutrients, vitamins, and fiber (and hopefully minimal fats), salads work wonders in achieving goals..... unless you get sick of them. I've been on a salad-kick lately, and I started forcing myself to be creative because I could not eat the same thing over and over. Here we go:

MIX IT UP!

Lettuce! Use whatever lettuce floats your boat. After all, its the goodies you put on top of the salad that makes or breaks it! Romaine, Spinach, Spring mix, you name it. Spinach is my favorite since it is SO nutritious, and honestly you can hardly taste it when it is mixed in with everything else.

Vegetables! LOAD EM UP. I find that salads are the easiest way to get all my veggies in for the day (duh) so get creative! I like red/yellow/orange peppers, tomatoes, avocado, corn, shredded carrots, cucumbers, onion, ANY vegetable you can tolerate!

Need a little sweet or salty? This is my favorite part (wow, I sound like such a salad nerd...)! I love adding a small amount of sunflower seeds or raw almonds to my salad. Dried fruit can be delicious too, but try it in small amounts since it tends to be SO high in sugar. I enjoy a small sprinkle of dried cranberries, better known as Craisins. Sometimes I add 1/4 teaspoon of brown sugar to my Balsamic Vinegar to give it a little more "sweet".

Protein should be incorporated into every meal of the day. As mentioned before, I've heard trainers say you should be eating 1g for every pound of body weight.... if you're 150lbs, shoot for 150g of protein per day. It is difficult, but it helps you to build and maintain muscle while keeping you full. Especially if you are eating salad, incorporating protein is crucial (otherwise you will be hungry in 10 minutes since spinach and lettuce aren't all that caloric). Grill a chicken breast, shrimp, or salmon. Shred up some deli meat or toss some black beans, chick peas, or edamame on! Delish.

 Dressing: the most obvious, best choice for dressing is Balsamic Vinegar. No, not vinegarETTE. Although it isn't all that flavorful, I've come to really like it, just make sure to use it in VERY small amounts. A little goes a long way and you don't want your salad to be too acidic! I always do less than 1 tablespoon and that is plenty. Mix it up with olive oil if you want, and if you really can't handle balsamic vinegar, shoot for a dressing that is low in fat. I also really like Newman's Own "Lite" collection.. Lite Roasted Garlic Balsamic Vinegarette or the Lite Low Fat Sesame Ginger.

What to avoid: any dressing high in fat... I'd highly recommend avoiding ranch/ thousand island/ bleu cheese. These dressings can make a salad worse than a cheat meal.  

Long story short: mix it up and don't get bored. Remember how easy it is to PACK A LUNCH, and they even sell tupperware that comes with a little salad compartment that hooks into the top lid... no more excuses about "hating soggy salad." Now go enjoy another salad (and don't forget about your cheat meal once a week!)

Morgan

IM Feelin the Need for Speed (1-hour workout)

Ryan Woodruff
Follow @WoodruffRyan





Standard Warmup (ours takes 18 minutes)9 x 50 free1 @ :401 @ :351 @ :30

200 free B3 with 4+ dolphin kicks off every wall @ 2:309 x 50 breast1@ :451@ :401@:451@:351@:451@:351@:451@:401@:45

200 breast with double pullouts @ 3:009 x 50 back1 @ :451 @ :401 @ :35

200 back with steady kick and 4+ kicks off the wall @2:509 x 503 Fly/Back @ :45,:40,:403 Back

Another Pre-Olympic Trojan Speed Set

Dr. Dave Salo
USC Trojans
Follow on Twitter @Sprintsalo

06/11/12 Final set for London+

Liam Hemsworth workout and diet secret

Liam Hemsworth workout and diet

What you need to know

Liam Hemsworth workout routine and diet Plan

Liam Hemsworth fitness secret and diet

Liam Hemsworth workout and diet. Liam was born 13 January 1990 is an Australian actor. He is Famous for his roles in Neighbours and in The Elephant Princess and The Hunger Games is his latest film. His elder brothers are Chris and Luke are also actors. He is 6' 5? in height and having a weight about 200 pounds. He is having one of the hottest body in Hollywood. He takes much care of his body and follows a strict training program. Let us talk about his workouts.

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Pre-Olympic Trojan Speed Set

Dr. Dave Salo
USC Trojans

Follow on Twitter: @Sprintsalo


Recommended set for June 11 in lead-up to Omaha/London

Broken 200s Workout

Ryan Woodruff
Follow on Twitter: @WoodruffRyan


Pre-Set:

12 x 50 @ 1:00

Sprint 2,4,6,8,10,12 cycles on #1-6 and repeat



Main Set - 1 hour set

4 x 200 free @ 3:00 w/fins and paddles1:00 restBroken 200 choice (50, 100, 50) w/:10 rest at break points2:00 rest4 x 200 @ 3:00 w/fins and paddles1:00 restBroken 200 (50, 100, 50) w/:20 rest at break points2:00 rest4 x 200 @ 3:00 w/fins and

Breaststroke Cord Work

Coach Ryan Woodruff
Follow on Twitter @WoodruffRyan

The cycles of kick, pull and swim were done with stretch cords anchored 8 ft above the edge of the pool. 200s were regular swim breaststroke. We got some good times on the last round.






Additional info: The picture below shows how our cords are attached to the railings at the front of the balcony overlooking the pool. It is approximately

Tempo and Underwater Work

Coach Ryan Woodruff


This workout was performed in a 20 yd pool.

The Long and Winding Road to (Not) Run a Marathon

Back in April of this year, Aaron, Jay, Meagan and I all decided to run the Philadelphia Marathon together in hopes of breaking 2:40 together as a pack.  I used my persuasion skills to prompt several other Charlotte runners to sign up as well--Dalena, Brad, Phillip, Matt, Eric, Jess, Chad, Danielle�and the list gets even longer.

Why did we choose Philly?  Well, Jay had just finished a gutsy 26.2 miles at the hottest Boston Marathon ever in 2:41:12.  Despite all of his workouts that indicated he could run a 2:34, the heat prevented him from achieving one of his biggest goals of the year and he was ready to give the distance another go.   Meagan and I had just come off the Olympic Trials marathon, and we were both hungry to reach our next goal of 2:3x.  Aaron, well, he's just getting old.  He will officially be a masters next year, so he wanted to take advantage of the group atmosphere and run with his friends before he loses his young gusto.  Over the course of the next four months, Meagan, Aaron and I all embarked on our respective training plans, running between 85-100 miles a week for almost 4 months straight. 

Then, things started to fall apart for the original Philly fan club.  Jay got hurt for basically the entire summer.  Aaron backed out of Philly in favor of Marine Corps Marathon, one that is easy for him since his parents live in the DC metro area.   Then I had low ferritin levels.  Then my hamstring started to hurt.   Then my mental outlook spiraled downward, out of control.  Fortunately the list of people affected was only limited to Aaron, Jay and I. Everyone else can boast about a very solid training block over the last couple of months.  For their positivity going into Philly, I am so grateful! It's been great to follow their accomplishments leading up to the big day. 

My downward spiral started after the Greek Fest 5k on August 18th.  In my athleticore log that day, I wrote that "my left hamstring felt awful tight."  Nothing crazy, because I was able to run 100 miles the next week and feel pretty good doing it.  There was some residual tightness to be expected from a 5k race, but nothing that I couldn't run through.  Then September came around and I was having difficulty running 6:20 pace.  I got my iron checked, and, sure enough, my iron was low.  Still, I trudged through my training, trying so hard to keep my spirits up as my training went down.  Staying on top of your mental game is really tough when you aren't running where you know you should be.  Even my own mother could sense something different in my tone.  She urged me to reconsider my marathon plans and was convinced that I had spread myself too thin.   I wanted to prove both her and myself wrong, and kept at it.

Typically, I pride myself in my mental tenacity.   I was anything but tenacious this cycle.  Believing in my fitness was draining in itself. I didn't believe it.   I wanted to give up on most workouts.  My only shining light was my long run, which somehow managed to be absolutely awesome every single time.  I  had some of the best long runs I've ever had in a marathon training cycle.  This was a clear indicator that, despite everything else, that my fitness was still indeed there! 

October came.  My hamstring flared up again after a workout, and this time it wasn't something that I could ignore.  Dr. Greenapple got me in to some ART, dry needling, and cupping.  I went to DC for the Army Ten Miler, performed some hip swings prior to the race, and felt my hamstring pull as I tried to bring my leg to hip level.  I finished Army Ten Miler, in a respectable time, but nowhere near where I wanted to run.  I believe that my hamstring, combined with my lack of confidence, prevented me from maintaining a faster speed.  In hindsight, I probably should have just shut down after that race, but those long runs had me holding on to the one last sliver of hope and belief that maybe, just maybe, I could still run a marathon in PR time.

Then I found out that I would most likely have a work trip to Beverly Hills the week of Philly.  Perhaps this was the world's way of telling me that it was not in my cards to do a fall marathon anymore.   I already had my flights booked out of Charlotte, and the travel back from the left coast was going to impede on those US Airways tickets, which of course could not be rescheduled, unless I wanted to pay $150 dollars.  So, I switched to Santa Barbara, scheduled for November 10th.  My sister lives in the area, so I figured it'd be perfect.  I got a plane ticket for 20,000 miles and $5 and was set.  

The long and winding road was about to come to an end�right at the start line of Santa Barbara, and I was going to race it.  However, right before I approached the final taper, a fork appeared in the road.  One path took me down the road to recovery, without any running for the next week or so to heal my hamstring.  The other took me to Santa Barbara, but left me with an injured hamstring that I would have to nurse back even longer than I need to now.  I talked with Alice Rogers, who struggled with a tight hamstring after the 2011 LA Marathon.  She hasn't been able to run consistently or pain free for over a year and a half.  She told me that I need to be smart now, and take the road to recovery to ensure that I can continue doing the sport that I love most, at the level that I see fit.  The marathon is a fickle beast, and in order to defeat it, you have to be mentally and physically prepared, and I don't feel confident that I am prepared in either of those categories.  I don't want to run a marathon just to survive, I want to run a marathon to own and destroy it.  And with that long story, you now know why I decided to withdraw my plans to run a fall marathon.  I've put in a tremendous amount of work that I am sad to see go to waste, but I trust that this is what's best for me, both mentally and physically.  I am sad to miss an opportunity to race with Meagan Nedlo, but I'm sure we have plenty more to come.

Despite the negativity that flowed out of the paragraphs above, I am happy that I learned so many things this year.  One thing that I do love about training for a marathon is that you always learn something new, both about your training and about yourself.  I learned that it's pretty difficult for me to run 100 miles a week and to work full time.  I also learned that I can be a huge positive influence for my running friends, even when my own running is faltering.   I'm apparently really good at guessing people's marathon times when I believe their goals are not realistic (ex: Jason Martin was unsure he could break 3:00 at Chicago, and I told him he could run 2:58.  He did.  I told Charlie that his goal to break 3:00 was soft and that he could run 2:52.  He did.)  I've also enjoyed these past months being engaged to Garrett and planning our wedding together.  My relationship with Garrett takes precedence over my running, and I hope that I can find the balance next year to be a good wife and still run as I wish!   Finally, since I'm not doing any marathon, I now have the opportunity to cheer for Billy, Caleb, and David at the Thunder Road Marathon and see their hard work and training come to fruition with (hopefully) huge PRs!

Miranda Kerr workout and diet secret

Miranda Kerr workout and diet

What you need to know

Miranda Kerr workout routine and diet plan

Miranda Kerr fitness secret and workout

Miranda Kerr workout and diet. Miranda was born on 20 April 1983 is an Australian model. She is one of the most appreciated and best earning models of the moment. She is the famous and most charming model of Victoria's Secret. She is having a very tone and desirable body. Her toned body is a result of her long hours at gym and She is very careful for her diet. She is 5' 9" in height and her weight is about 135 pounds. She is dedicated to her fitness routine and diet created by her trainer Justin Gelband. Let us See her workout.

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