07-10-2026 Hike/Swim

Slept a little fitfully, maybe because I had a nap the previous afternoon. I got up in the night and read for a while before finally getting back to sleep. I woke up and got up around 5:30, getting ready for a hike through the neighborhood with my backpack loaded with weight. Walked a little less than an hour and got back before 7:00, where I had a little time to do some prep work for the backpacking trip before getting ready for a swim at the WWC with Avi. It was busy at the opening again, but we were able to get lanes 3 and 4. I was feeling sluggish on this day, in lane 4, not sure what all of the reasons were. But my stroke length was definitely lower. We swam a warmup 250, then on Avi's suggestion we swam the pyramid drill, which was definitely a workout for me. He was very nice, slowing his pace down to match my own, even though I know he could have swum much faster. After this drill I cooled down with another 250, this time with the pull buoy, focusing with some success on lengthening my stroke and reducing my stroke count. Here are the times for the different intervals:

Warm-up 250

    4:42

Pyramid Drill

    50    0:47

    100  1:45

    150  2:40

    200  3:37

    250  4:40

    200  3:41

    150  2:43

    100  1:43

    50    0:46

Cool-down 250 (with pull buoy)

    4:46

Avg pace = 1:49/100 yds (Video, not counting pauses)

Total distance = 1750 yds

Elapsed moving time = 31:50 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 138 bpm (Zepp, possible)

Relative Effort =  45 (possible)

SWOLF = 39

Avg stroke rate = 22 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.29 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/19257895394

So, not great. Lots of work needed here after I get back from my backpacking trip. I got caught up on blogging after I got home and had some breakfast and coffee. I ordered more inner tubes from Amazon, watched a World Cup match in the afternoon, read, and had a nap. Also organized my food for the camping trip and loaded most of it into a transport bag. In the evening I rode over to Jalapeno's and had a burrito for dinner while Ann was out with Caleb, Emily, and Jen for their Mother's Day musical. Watched some more TV after I got home, read more, and went to sleep.