2020 threw us a real curve ball. We were all in top shape – ready to go for the April Championship meet at Federal Way. Then sadly, everything went COVID and closed.
Some good did come out of 2020, as evidenced by many USMS Top 10 2020 rankings:
Zena Courtney achieved two SCM Womens 60-64 USMS Top Ten rankings:
800 Free – 4th – 11:24.72
1500 Free – 5th – 21:26.31
Carl Haynie achieved two LCM and four SCM Mens 60-64 USMS Top 10 rankings :
100 LCM Back – 1st – 1:10.95
200 LCM Back – 1st – 2:36.53
50 Free – 9th – 30.71
50 Back – 5th – 34.91
100 Back – 2nd – 1:07.58
200 Back – 1st- 2:29.97
Jason Koppelberger achieved one SCM Mens 45-49 USMS Top 10 ranking:
1500 Free – 7th – 25:18.36
Tamara Koppelberger achieved one SCM Womens 45-49 USMS Top Ten ranking:
1500 Free – 4th – 20:48.26
Scott Neuhaus achieved (count them) six SCM Men 65 -69 USMS Top Ten rankings:
50 Free – 5th – 32.44
100 Free – 6th – 1:18.25
50 Breast – 5th – 42.86
100 Breast – 6th – 1:37.55
200 Breast – 3rd – 3:29.08
100 IM – 5th – 1:32.38
Kathy Pelham achieved one SCM Women 45-49 USMS Top Ten ranking:
1500 Free – 5th – 21:35.52
Valerie Thompson achieved four USMS SCM Women 65 – 60 USMS 2020 Top Ten rankings:
200 Free – 10th – 4:30.15
400 Free – 10th – 9:30.72
1500 Free – 7th – 36:09.04
100 IM – 8th – 2:55.97
Dan Underbrink achieved six SCM Mens 60-64 USMS Top 10 rankings:
400 Free – 10th – 6:10.32
1500 Free – 10th – 25:28.34
(And might I mention this 1500 was swum after Dan the Monster Man ran a 1/2 Marathon!)
100 Back – 7th – 1:36.66
200 Back – 8th – 3:25.45
100 Breast – 9th – 1:37.04
200 Breast – 6th – 3:29.12
Colleen Wahlstrom achieved one SCM Women 40-44 USMS Top Ten ranking:
1500 Free – 2nd – 19:16.68
And she knocked this one out of the water. What a fantastic swim it was in her home pool the Bellevue Club.
Thomas Walker achieved three LCM Mens 70-74 USMS Top 10 rankings:
50 Breast – 2nd – 1:13.788
100 Breast – 2nd – 2:39.99
200 Breast – 1st – 5:41.56
So see, 2020 wasn’t all bad! TWIM still managed to rock it. That’s the TWIM way.
Due to pool closures happening, most of us stopped swimming and tried to keep up our mojo by cross training. I say most because I’m sure a few of you, like myself, tried to continue swimming in open water or where ever there was a puddle.
I don’t know about the rest of you but it was tough. I lost endurance and the strength I worked so hard to achieve.
Coming back has been hard. The first time back in the pool, I felt weak and out of breath after a 50!
Now the Centralia pool is pretty much back to normal operations. However, our swimmers are scarce. One day I had 6 swimmers but most of the time it is just a couple of us.
So coming back is hard. Just ask Carl:
I think the hardest part about coming back to swimming is getting back into the routine of getting to the pool at zero dark hundred hours and jumping into a cold, wet pool. Let me tell you, though. It feels good to get in and stretch out. Start out slow. For the first week just get in and swim a 500. Then build up from there.
Let me give you a few sample sets that you can modify to fit your needs (see below).
Now let’s get to it!
See ya all real soon,
Coach Koppelberger
Workout #1
500 warm up
8 x 25 Free Drill on 10 SR
6 x 50 Free on 15 SR
4 x 75 Fr ez/fst/ez on 20SR
2 x 100 Fr on 2:00
100 cool Down
Workout #2
500 Warm up
Set 1:
Focus on good streamline off every turn with a strong kick.
Breath Control Set 15 SR after each
100 Fr breathe every 5th
75 Fr every 7th
50 Fr every 9th
25 Fr 1 breath or less
25 Fly every 3rd
50 Back 10 dolphin kicks off walls
75 Breast Double Pull-Outs
100 IM Every 3rd, 10 dolphins, double pullouts, every 5th
Set 2:
4 x 150 Fr on 2:30
4 x 100 Fr on 1:45
1 x 50 Ez Choice
Set 3:
4 x 75 Kick on 2:15
1 x 50 Ez Choice
Set 4:
4 x 150 NO Fr on 3:30
4 x 100 NO Fr on 2:30
