Elbows Up Elbows Up

February is a tough month to rack up swim mileage in Michigan. With 10 inches of fresh snow on the ground Monday (snowday!), by the time I made it to the pool, my toes were numb from the drive. It was an especially chilly swim and my toes never really regained color. Maybe looking through the glass windows at the mounds of snow kept me chilled. So far the month has brought some decent sets, a lot of stress and some fun hosting our club's masters swimming "Super Swim Meet" on Super Bowl Sunday morning (104 masters swimmers participated). On February 8, I got in some morning PT and the afternoon workout brought a main set of 24 x 200 with a long warm-up and cool down. 6 @ 3:20 (SCM), 6 @ 3:15, 6 @ 3:10 and 6 @ 3:05. I think I fell asleep at the kitchen table that night during dinner. On February 13, I did my first 10k, or 6.2 mile pool swim of 2011: 33 x 300s (every 6th backstroke), and one 100 easy.  This morning's swim was a rough one as most of us dove in late, and I only got in 1,300m with a cranky back. Took my anti-inflammatory for the back and headed to the cool pool this afternoon for another 5,800m including a decent set of 10 x 300s free on 4:45 and 10 x 150s back on 2:30.  Had a great time at another wonderful Sheila Taormina swim clinic on February 13. Sheila told everyone to get real good at maintaining high elbow position for a 50, 100, 200, 1000, or even 30 miles. Ha!  Some days I find my mind saying "elbows up elbows up" and my right shoulder saying "elbow down elbow down."  Whew--stayed awake to 8pm tonight to get this blog done. Buchberger shoulder exercise/PT/core work tomorrow at 5:30 a.m.