What Can You Lose?

Date: Thursday, March 22, 2012
Time: 3:15 p.m.
Location: Orlando, FL
Short Course Meters/Long Course Meters
95 days to Olympic Trials

Short Course Meters:
300 warmup

6x150 free aerobic on 2:30 (avg. 1:54)

6x50 breast on 1:10 -- 25 pull/25 kick

4x50 on 1:20 -- 15 fast/20 easy/15 fast 

100 easy

Long Course Meters:

Two rounds on about 6:00:
25 breast fast from dive/25 easy on about 1:15
50 breast fast 
100 easy
(Round 1: 25 breast 13.9, 50 breast 33.9)
(Round 2: 25 breast 13.8, 50 breast 33.7)

100 easy

25 back fast from start/25 easy
50 back fast (30.5)

300 easy (with stretching)

Total: 2,700 meters (70 minutes)

I cut today's sprint set short by one round. I had planned to do four rounds of that broken 100, but time constraints led me to only do three. But they were three very good rounds!

I have to thank Gordy Westerberg, the head coach of Vipers of Albuquerque Swim Team, for helping me with the main set. He was there with a watch -- and some much-appreciated advice -- on the breaststroke rounds. On the second round, he suggested that I do something a little crazy on the fast 50. He suggested that I build the 50, instead of making it an all-out sprint, which is what I usually do on push 50s.

What could I lose by trying something new today? If it didn't work, it was worth trying. The strategy worked, since I went two tenths faster and took one less stroke. It felt strange holding back on the first half of that 50, but it did pay off on the second half, as I had more control of my stroke and was able to actually sprint in the final 10 meters.I will have to continue working on that pacing strategy in the next three months. It will not be easy controlling my emotions on the third 25 of the race in Omaha, especially if I'm swimming well in the first 50. But that will be the key to finishing the race well, and I am very thankful to Gordy for his advice, especially if it pays off in Omaha!