23 May 2022 When the wind blew and the rain flew on Saturday night knocking the power out to my Quebec City Airbnb, I didn't really think much about the implications on my swimming. I sent some blackout snapchats to keep my streaks alive with my siblings (a daily habit we started during the pandemic when we couldn't travel to see each other), flipped the light on my phone and read a book, then watched downloaded TV on my iPad. But, the power came back on for me before I wen

21 May 2022 How can you not love a competition where this is your warmup pool - The only real difference from this pool versus the competition pool is fewer stands, two less lanes (8 x 50 meters), the inclusion of diving boards and platform, making for an even deeper deep end. Throughout the competition so far, the facility has had a minimum of 4 lanes available for us, but most often 8 lanes. In an amazing feat of aquatic circusry, while our competition goes on in the main

20 May 2022 You really couldn't ask for a better pool setup for a national championship than the double-ended, 10 lane x 25 meter setup at the University of Laval in Quebec City: The meet kicked off this morning with the 1500 freestyle, so I was able to have a leisurely arrival after my first warmup elsewhere, then popped in during the fifteen minute break after those 1500s at the deep end (where the men's events will be held) for another 400 meter second warmup ahead of my f

20 May 2022 If my first experience swimming in a community pool in Quebec City is indicative of the well-ordered aquatic community here, I might just have to pack my bags and move. With the 1500 racing taking up the morning at the Canadian Masters Nationals, I decided to do my first warmup at a community pool near my Airbnb , the Lucien Borne Community Center. I didn't know what to expect for their 7:00 -8:30am Length Swim, especially as it appears that all community center

16 May 2022 As great as the swimming was in Tampa, the travel back home on Friday night was the opposite - so many Air Canada "operational delays" that I had to switch to WestJet to have any hope of getting home that evening, something much needed given that I needed to turn around to leave Sunday morning for another business trip. Typically, as part of my taper plan, I like to repeat my Pulse Plot / heart rate test about 5 to 7 days before the meet. That then gives me a goo

13 May 2022 With omicron and BA2 fading ... or with us in North America just selectively agreeing to ignore them in favor of getting back out in the world, I had a pre-pandemic like business trip the second week of May - flying down to Florida on Monday and back home to Canada on Friday, spending the time holed up in a hotel and my company's offices right next to the Tampa airport. And, like business trips of the past, I made the most of my time by adding three new pools! Dan

8 May 2022 While yesterday was a beautiful day to move my daughter across Hamilton, Ontario from her medical school apartment to her apartment for the next 5 years of her anesthesia residency, and while we worked smoothly and in harmony ... ... it was about six solid hours of moving that left my muscles aching in the pool this morning. With little energy and disappointing times, I cut my planned 2,500 yard workout far short at 1,650. Over the course of this first week of ta

6 May 2022 A year ago yesterday, 5 May 2021, I had gotten my second COVID-19 vaccine dose (Pfizer), so it seemed to make sense to celebrate the anniversary by get boosted today. I got my shot yesterday afternoon, after a morning workout of 2,500 yards which featured a main set of IM speed 25s. This morning, I was back at LA Fitness with a sore left shoulder and some residual fatigue (the only side effect I've ever had from the vaccine), but powered through a good taper wor

4 May 2022 As I ease into my taper, I took 10% off my Broken Mile test set this morning, by skipping the 4th round of 3 x 50, but this will be the last time I do a version of this set before I race. I also shortened my standard, long 1,750 yard warmup by dropping the round of speed 25s. My warmup speed was decent enough: 100s free - 1:12, 1:10, 1:05, 1:03 100s IM kick on back - 1:32, 1:30, 1:28, 1:25 50s build IM order - 31, 33+, 39+, 31+ So the "Broken Mile" was 1,500 yard

3 May 2022 I started back Masters swimming in 2001, twelve years after I had "retired" from the sport after my last Southwest Conference Championships meet in March of 1989. My wife encouraged me back in the water, principally because I was a stress case due to work, but I also knew I needed the sport physically. When I had finished up my collegiate swimming career, I weighed 185 pounds; by 2001, I was easily 205 and maybe pushing 210. I was heading in the wrong direction.