Not taking the easy way

Date: Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Time: 5:45 a.m.
Short Course Meters
300 days to Trials!

300 warmup

400 IM on 8:00 -- 25 kick/25 drill

20x25 swim on :30, starting from the middle of the pool (no freestyle)

20x25 kick on :30 (no freestyle)

8x50 on 1:30 best average (breaststroke -- 37.1, 35.6, 35.9, 35.4, 35.6, 35.7, 36.1, 35.4)

200 easy

8x25 on :45 best average (backstroke -- held between 14 and 15 seconds each 25)

500 easy working on technique

Total: 3000 meters

Tuesdays are usually not very high on the amount swum, mostly because intervals are slower, but I was surprised there were two best average sets today. Usually, those are reserved for Wednesdays and Fridays. I wasn't prepared for the set of 50s, and as such the first one wasn't very good. I was trying to hold what I think would be a good pace for a 200 breast. Since I haven't done a 200 breast since 1998, and don't know when I last did a short course meters 200 breast, I figured I should hold three seconds off my last 50 in a 100 breast. If I had tried to go all out on the 50s, I would have done maybe a couple of them in the 32-high to 33-mid range, then fallen off considerably.

Before the set of 50s started, I thought about doing backstroke. I could have held a stronger pace, but it would not have done much for me in terms of trying to get into good breaststroke swimming shape. I am obviously focused on Olympic Trials, but along the way I'm trying to not lose what I have in my backstroke. I do have goals for my 100 back in the next few months, and I still need to work on that, but breaststroke will always take priority, no matter how much I don't feel like doing it.