Sabbath Prayer

Date: Thursday, May 31, 2012
Time: 5:50 a.m.
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Long Course Meters
25 days to Olympic Trials

5x100 on 1:45 descend to 1:20

1000 free (13:29)

4x50 on 1:10 -- 25 drill/25 swim

5x100 free breathing every 5 on 1:45 (avg. 1:23)

4x25 breakouts

400 kick

Total: 2,700 meters (70 minutes)

Yes, I did a straight 1000. The workout called for a straight 3000 (or it could be broken up), and there was no way this sprinter was going to do that, especially so close to the end of the season. I should have done more after the 1000, but my mind was mush after having to count to 10 (as in 10 100s), and I couldn't think of much to do. I could have done 10x100 free breathing every 5 instead of five, but I stopped at five.

The title of today's blog is the song I had in my head during the 1000 on an endless loop. It was the last song I heard in my car on the way to the pool this morning. My iPod is set on shuffle, so I'm at the iPod's mercy in terms of what I listen to. I like it that way. The song kind of had some relevance to the swim, in a small way, based on this lyric:

May the Lord protect and defend you.
May the Lord preserve you from pain.
Favor them, Oh Lord, with happiness and peace.
Oh, hear our Sabbath prayer. Amen.

I wasn't trying to make the 1000 an all-out swim, but I did take out the first 200 a little too fast (2:35), and felt it at 500 meters. I managed to get through the final 500 meters and even split the swim, splitting 6:45 at the 500. I was feeling the burn in my shoulders and upper back, and in my legs in the final 200. But I was happy that my heart rate didn't get too high (162) and I recovered pretty well from it -- physically, at least. I averaged 1:21 on the swim, which is right at my aerobic pace. Since I only got 500 meters of warm-up before the swim, I had no intention of going faster.

Combined with yesterday's fast 100 breast and today's 1000, I think I've done enough "long" stuff for the remainder of the season. I planned to have this week be the start of working on short bursts of speed and focusing on the first 25 of my 100. I haven't really had the chance to do that this week. Maybe tomorrow, after all the vertical kicking Mark has planned for us.