Personal Best

After a difficult few months of training interrupted by a bout of bronchitis, rhomboid tendinitis, and then last week a kidney stone, I was very pleased to swim a personal best in practice today for a set of 8 x 100s: 1-2 @ 1:10 (1:04/1:06), 3-8 @ 1:15 (holding 1:10-1:11).  I shared a lane with David and swam next to Steve, Jeff, Anthony, Stefan, and a guest from Santa Clara also named Steve.  James coached.

500 swim
2 x (4 x 25 fly @ :30, 4 x 50 @ :50 IM order, 4 x 50 kick @ 1:00)
8 x 100, 1-2 @ 1:10, 3-8 @ 1:15; this was a personal best for a set of 8 x 100
500 easy, pulling without paddles
3 x (1 x 150 @ 2:15, 3 x 50 @ :40, 1 x !00 @ 1:30, 2 x 50 @ 1:00); averaged 1:46 on the 150s, 35s on the 50s @ :40, went 1:12, 1:12, and 1:08 on the 100s, held :34 or better on the 50s @ 1:00.
200 easy

Tuesday March 20, 2012

Swam at Nitro this morning with Steve, David, Kirk, Jeff, Tricia, and Jill.  Jordan coached.  I left early because of a meeting which I decided to skip.

400 swim, 300 pull
4 x 200 Indiana IM @ 3:15, averaged 2:50 on these and felt tight
4 x 200 pull @ 3:00, held 2:16s and felt pretty strong
4 x 200 kick @ 4:00, did two of these and then swam down 200 easy

Monday March 19, 2012

I was only able to swim three days last week but returned to Nitro this morning and felt strong in the water.  The pool was set up long course.  Stephen coached.

500 swim
4 x 100 drill
4 x 100 kick with fins
4 x 50 pull
4 x 100 pull
1 x 500 for time; I missed this because I was paged
5 x 100 @ 1:40, held 1:21-1:22
4 x 100 @ 1:30, held 1:21
3 x 100 @ 1:20, made the first two, touched on 4:04
100 easy

Friday March 9, 2012

Swam at Nitro with David, Anthony, and Jackie.  Tom coached.  The four of us chose the distance option.

300 swim, 200 kick, 300 pull, 200 swim
6 x 100 @ 1:25, swam these moderate and averaged 1:15-1:16
1 x 600, negative split, went 7:40
12 x 50 @ :40
1 x 600, build by 200, went 7:31
1 x 100 easy
1 x 600, negative splite, went 7:32
100 easy

 Plan to begin tapering for the Senior Games in ten days.

Tuesday March 6, 2012

Swam at Nitro this morning with Steve, David, Jeff, Tom, Zach, Tricia, and Jean.  Jordan coached.

200 swim, 200 kick, 200 back, 200 pull
4 x 100 @ 1:30, 25 IM order/75 free
4 x 75 @ 1:20, 50 IM order, 25 free
4 x 50 @ :50 IM order
4 x 200 IM @ 3:00, averaged 2:44
4 x 75 pull @ 1:10, held :48s and felt very strong
4 x 100 @ 1:20, averaged 1:08s
200 easy

What I liked best

If life imitates art, then when we die an angel who bears a striking resemblance to Nicholas Cage will ask us what we liked best.  On my list I will have to include Sunday morning swims at Barton Springs.  Yesterday's swim was perfect.  When we arrived the air temperature was 39 degrees, so there was a generous layer of mist over the water.  From the very start my stroke felt strong and smooth.  I swam over one large fish who stayed with me for a bit and passed several ducks who didn't seem at all fazed by our presence.  Later, as the sun rose over the Austin skyline, sunlight began streaming through the blue-green water creating an ethereal effect.  Since there were only one or two other swimmers, we raced our ninth lap without fear of collision; in the end I was able to hold off Anthony and finished half a body length ahead.  All of which begs the question: what's the point of becoming a proficient swimmer if you only swim in pools?

This morning I swam at Nitro with Anthony, Tom, Steve, Jeff, Tricia, and Jordan.  Stephen coached.

500 swim
5 x 100 kick with fins @ 1:30
5 x 100 @ 1:30, averaged 1:12; swam this as a transition set
5 x 100 kick with fins @ 1:30
5 x 100 pull @ 1:20, averaged 1:08s
1 x 500, swam this moderate (En2) and went 6:13; I was very happy with this swim
5 x 100 @ 1:15, held 1:10-1:11, felt strong on the first four
100 easy

Saturday March 3, 2012

Missed yesterday's practice because of an early morning meeting downtown, which is unfortunate because Tom's Friday workouts are very challenging.  Swam this morning at Nitro with David, Tom, Jean, and Tricia.  Stephen coached. 

400 swim, 400 pull
20 x 25 kick @ :35
4 x 200, #1 free, #2 breast, # 3 back, #4 fly/free by 50, no interval
20 x 25 dolphin kick @ :35
14 x 100: odds IM @ 1:40, evens free @ 1:20, averaged 1:22 on the IMs, 1:10 on the free
200 easy