Go the Distance

Date: Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Time: 5:50 a.m.
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Short Course Yards
117 days to Olympic Trials

300 warmup

8x50 on 1:00 drill choice

3x(4x100 on 1:45)
1. fast turns
2. 15 breakout/35 easy
3. 25 fast with turn
4. aerobic choice
Rounds 1 and 3 back, round 2 free

150 -- 25 drill/25 free with one breath

4x25 no breath on :30

4x25 back fast on :30 (avg. 13.5)
100 easy on 2:30
2x50 back fast on 1:00 (26.8, 27.1)
100 easy on 2:30
4x25 free on :30 (avg. 12.5)
100 easy on 2:30
2x50 free fast on 1:00 (25.0, 25.0)
100 easy on 2:30

3x50 :15 rest -- 25 scull/25 swim

50 back fast (26.0)

150 easy (with stretching)

Total: 3,300 yards (75 minutes)

I was happy with the times on my fast swims today, but my strokes did not feel very strong. It felt like I was not exerting as much force on the water as I should on all-out swims, even though the times are as fast or faster than usual. I know I've been pushing my body to the limit and it's not always going to respond the way I want, but I had expected to be able to have a quicker tempo on backstroke and more propulsion on freestyle.

I had an entire lane to myself today! I arrived to the pool a little late, and when I walked toward my usual lane, there were already four people in it. I won't swim in the lane next to the wall (a lane I dub "the whirlpool") unless I have to, and my other alternate lane looked crowded as well. I went to the other half of the pool and did the entire workout as written, with the exception of the first 700 yards. The sets seemed to be constructed well, and I had no issue with the rest intervals in terms of adequate recovery.

Why didn't I do any breaststroke today? If you look at yesterday's workout, you'll see that I did more than enough breaststroke today, and will do an insane amount tomorrow when I swim with the kids on breaststroke day. I needed a break from breaststroke, and I didn't miss it at all. I've been neglecting my other strokes in the past two weeks, and I should not forget that I am racing in the 100 back and 200 IM (as well as a few relays) at the sectional meet. I want to do very well in those events, too!

Tonight's dryland session with JR Rosania was the toughest yet, but apparently will be the hardest workout I do with him as we begin the final phase of dryland training. Today I did more repetitions on some exercises, and more sets than ever before. I wasn't sure I'd be able to walk out of the building at the end of the workout, but the sheer thrill of finishing was able to override any pain I was feeling. My lower back was in knots, since I had to do more repetitions of the dreaded leg extensions exercise. After that, I felt like this would have been less painful!

JR did give me some words of encouragement as I was preparing to leave today. He reminded me that I have come a long way since I started working with him about five months ago. Many of the exercises I do with relative ease now were quite strenuous back then. I do feel happy about that, and I'm glad JR gave me that note of confidence as I was leaving. Otherwise, I might have wondered if I wanted to come back for more next week!

Even though I am resting in the pool in the days leading up to sectionals next week, I might not cut back on dryland. I don't want that part to be difficult when I return. Maybe we'll cut back a teeny bit, though, if I can convince JR to do so.