08/31/08 dryland

Bench (Smith) - 12 x 155, 9 x 165, 4 x 185, 10 x 145
Lat pulldown - alt back/chest - 12 x 105, 10 x 105, 10 x 105
Db Rows - 12 x 35, 10 x 40, 10 x 45
Straight bar trap raise - 10 x 75, 10 x 75, 7 x 95
pull-ups - 4, 4, 3, 3

standard abs

08/31/08

SCY
100 wu
2 x (150 alt breathe, 150 - 25 fr/25 bk, 150 - 25 br/25 fr, 150 IM no free) @15 sec rest per 150
2 x (
4 x 25 fly K, work SDK @35
4 x 25 bk K @35
4 x 25 br K @35
10 x 25 alt @20, @30 - I went hard on the @20s ~13s on fly/back, ~18 on br
)
3 x 40 sec vertical K w/elbows out of water/40 sec rest
5 x 75 descend @1:50 (I did br - 1:05, 1:04, 1:00, 57, 57)
25 ez
8 x 125 @1:45. I did 200 br w/br fins then 2 x 125 (50 bk/75 fr), 4 x 125 fr
250 wd

4000 yds

I felt like my breaststroke was flowing pretty well today. I was really shooting the hands forward and felt like I was getting pretty good turnover without spinning. I might have been 56 on the last fast 75, but it was too hard to tell b/c the clock was on the other side of the pool.

Weekly Total:
24232 m
26500 y

Monthly Total:
109382m
119622y

08/30/08 - dryland

Hiked Mt. Bierstadt with Erin, Roscoe and some friends.

~ 7 miles
2390 ft. elevation gain

08/29/08 - dryland

40 minute run
Decline(Smith) - 12 x 155, 12 x 165, 7 x 185
Seated Row - 10 x 95, 10 x 105, 8 x 115
Front Db Raise - 8 x 10, 9 x 10, 10 x 10
Overhead Db Tri - 12 x 40, 10 x 45, 10 x 45
Db Curl - 11 x 25, 6 x 30, 7 x 30
Pull ups - 5, 4.5, 4, 2.5
Standard Ab Set

08/29/08

SCY
250 wu
4 x 250 (1. 50 alt breathe/50 swim, 2. 50 bk/50 free, 3. 50 br/50 free, 4. fast free)
2 x (
100 bk/50 fr
100 br/50 fr
100 fly/50 fr
) @2:20 per 150
6 x 150 fr @2:00, 1-3 desc (1:50, 1:50, 1:48, 1:54, 1:51, 1:45)
4 x (75 K @1:30, 75 choice @1:15) I did a lil of everything
8 x (25 @30, 25 @20) I did 4 fly and 4 bk on the 20 sec ones
250
200 slow drill swim.

4500 yards

My kick is getting back in order and it makes a big difference. It sets up my body position, something that's hard to do without my kick. It also makes my easy speed rhythm a lot smoother.

I backed off on the breaststroke today after working it for the last few days. My shoulder was complaining a bit on some of my breaststroke swims, so I thought I'd take it easy on breaststroke today. Still managed to do some "butt-head" drills on the first 250s, but that was about it.

08/28/08 dryland

45 minute run

08/28/08

SCY w/Jeff
400 swim
400 pull
500 K IM order
16 x 25 @40 odds drill, evens swim
4 x 400 negative split each 400 and descend. I did odds IM, evens free and descended within each. I worked the IMs. 400 IM, went (2:45)5:25, (2:35)5:14; 400 Free went (2:32)4:58, (2:30)4:54.
8 x 50 @1:00 mod/fast by 25
100 wd

3800 yards.

I felt pretty good about the IM swims. I can tell that my base has been improved greatly over the summer. My breaststroke split on the second was ~1:29. Still needs to get faster, but it was a pretty good practice swim considering my 100 breast times in practice are ~1:25 avg.

My freestyle pull has gotten better also. I was counting strokes early and was about 12 strokes/25 average. Sometimes my right arm doesn't seem to be getting as much water as my left, but it has improved. When I breathe, I'm keeping my elbow up better now instead of sweeping my arm out to counterbalance my head.

08/27/08 #2

500 wu
2 x 250 IM (50 fly/75 bk/75 br/50 fr) @30 sec rest
4 x 100 @1:30 I did #1 & 2 breast on 1:21, 1:25, #3 ez free/bk, #4 breast on 1:25
8 x 75 K/Drill/Swim by 25 I did all breast, alternating butt-head drill, br pull w/free K, fast hands drill.
2 x 50 breast fast descend @1:00 - went 39, 38
100 wd

2200 yards

"Breaststroke hands are a fast scull." I don't know where I heard that, but keeping it in mind helps me visualize how the pull should be.

08/27/08

SCY
300 wu
6 x (50 choice @3rd person, 25 K @3rd person)
75 IM (fly/bk/br)
225 free
75 IM
175 free
75 IM
125 free
75 IM
75 free
75 IM
25 free
3 x (125 free @1:40, 3 x 75 choice (6 SDK/turn) @1:10)
4 x (25 underwater @30, 25 fast @30, 25 ez @30)
6 x 150 pull @2:10

200 ez
400 IM K
100 br K w/pull buoy
100 ez

4800 yards

Not sure about my shoulder.

08/26/08 - dryland

20 minutes on stepper, 10 minutes HR 140+ (last few minutes HR 160)
Bench(Smith): 14 x 145, 8 x 165, 5 x 175
Lat pulldown: 11 x 105, 8 x 115, 6 x 125
inverted row: 10, 7, 10
front db raise: 10 x 10, 6 x 15, 4 x 10, 15 x 5
pull ups: 5, 4, 4

standard abs

plank: 1:15
dips: 15

08/26/08

SCY
300 wu
16 x 50 @1:00 (4 free, 4 stroke, 4 K, 4 choice)
500 Pull
400 Reverse IM
300 Pull
200 Reverse IM (went 2:35)
8 x 25 (odds titanic drill, evens backstroke "slap" drill)
12 x 25 (odds fast/ez by 12.5, evens ez/fast)
200 wd

3200 yards

My breaststroke 50s were all around 40. My breaststroke has improved over the summer. Freestyle still needs work.

08/25/08

SCY. LCM season is done :(
250 ez
700 - every 3rd length K, every 4th stroke
4 x (75 - L/R/Both Free by 25; 75 - ez/fast/ez by 25) @4th person RI
100 IM @1:40
2 x 125 @1:40
6 x 50 choice @55
100 IM @1:40
3 x 125 @1:40
4 x 50 choice @55
100 IM @1:40
4 x 125 @1:45 (I did 1. 75 fly/25 fr/25 fly, 2. free, 3. breast, 4. 50 fly/50bk/25 br)
2 x 50 choice @55
4 x (25 fast K @30, 25 ez) I worked my SDK, tried to get close to the flags on each
200 wd

4000 yards

I felt fast on the IM stuff today. I started working on turning my hands out toward the walls on my breaststroke (as per the "early catch hands drill" on goswim). It seems to be helping my stroke quite a bit and gives me better control over my turnover.

I've also started working on sneaking my breaststroke breath in after I start my pull.

08/24/08 - SCM Meet

SCM
200 swim
200 snorkel
400 IM K
200 swim
2 x 25 w/start 25 ez
100 ez
4 x 50 IM order @1:15 fast (38, 39, 41, 35)
200 swim

200 breast - 2:56.10 (no splits)
100 ez
50 breast - 37.9
100 ez
400 free - 5:02 (1:13, 1:16, 1:16, 1:16)
100 ez
100 breast - 1:22.85 (39, 43)
100 ez
200 IM - ?? (34.7, 35.5, ?, ?)
250 ez

3200m

My breaststroke felt pretty good today. My 200 IM felt good. Hopefully they'll post the final time, b/c I only got the first 100 (1:10).

Weekly Total:
19300m
6000y
---------
24786m
27106y

08/23/08

SCY
200 EZ
400 IM K
2 x 25 breast fast
150 ez

800 yards

08/22/08 - dryland

3.75 mi run w/Roscoe :)

Bench(Smith): 11 x 155, 7 x 165, 3 x 185, 9 x 145
Seated Row: 12 x 95, 10 x 105, 7 x 115
front db raise: 3 x 6 x 15
overhead db tricep: 12 x 40, 10 x 45, 9 x 45
straight bar trap(smith): 12 x 75, 7 x 95, 12 x 75
pull-ups: 4, 3, 3

standard ab set

08/22/08

LCM
600 wu
2 x 200 @3:00 (went 2:50s)
4 x 50 @1:00 IM order
2 x 200 @2:55 (went 2:45,2:46)
4 x 50 @1:00 IM
2 x 200 @2:50 (went 2:44, 2:43)
4 x 50 @1:00 IM
6 x 100 @1:40 (I did 2 sets of 1.) IM, 2.) back, 3.)free)
400 IM K
100 br K w/buoy
2 x 50 br drills (25 free K w/breast pull, 25 br K)
200 br w/snorkel, worked on breathing timing
50 breast for time - went 48
50 ez swim back
50 breast for time - went 46
50 ez swim back
100 wd

4100m

I still think my breaststroke timing may be off. I did the 200 snorkel swim to try to figure out where my breaths should be taken and felt like I didn't really find "the spot". Lots of work to do yet on breaststroke. Yarrrgh! My nemesis, breaststroke. It seems to help a bit if I start exhaling right as my head goes down, but still doesn't feel really smooth.

I did feel like I was starting to get a smoother rhythm in my 200 free swims. I think the kicking I've done lately and focus on re-integrating my kick helps.

08/21/08 - dryland

Did weights today with Jeff and Steve at Northglenn Rec Center.

woodcutter (medicine ball): 20 x 15#, 10 x 15#, 10 x 15#
twists (medicine ball): 3 x 20 x 15#
pull-ups: 4, 3, 3, 2.5
curls (straight bar): 15 x 43, 10 x 48, 10 x 48
dips: 8, 7, 7
lat pull-down: 7 x 10, 10 x 9, 8 x 10
back extension: 10, 10, 10 (last one w/8# medicine ball)
Shoulder Db raise: 10 x 30 (only did one set b/c elbow was not feeling good)

3.75 mile run w/Roscoe

08/21/08

SCY
500 swim w/snorkel
500 pull
500 K
7 x 100 IM @1:30 (held 1:19-1:20)
3 x 400 desc @6:00 (went 5:15, 5:00, 4:44)
300 wd

3700 yards

Getting back to some fast swimming. I'm trying to decide on the LCM workout at 11 today...

08/20/08

LCM.
The LCM days are winding down :(.
200 wu
400 free
100 stroke
300 free
100 stroke
200 free
100 stroke
100 free
100 stroke
350 ez free
300 fast free (went 200 free @2:40, 100 bk @1:28)
250 ez free
200 IM (2:57)
150 ez
100 breast (1:40)
50 ez
12 x (50 K, 50 overkick free, 50 stroke) all 50s at 3rd pers RI
400 ez
400 IM
100 ez
300 K - (fly, breast w/buoy, flutter)
200 wd

5000m

I originally thought about busting out the second set (350, 300, etc) again with the second practice group, but my elbow was feeling funky so I warmed down and left. I've been doing some more fast swims the last few practices now. That's good, since I'm starting to transition to SCY season. My kick is getting better again. That helps, especially since my arms were pretty tired from lifting yesterday.

On the 50s overkick, I started to notice that I felt a lot smoother and faster when I'd make sure that my entry was farther out.

Trying to keep the hips up and get a good extension.

08/19/08 dryland

1/2 hour bike ride

bench(Smith): 11 x 155, 8 x 165, 3 x 185, 7 x 145
lat pull-down: 11 x 105, 9 x 115, 8 x 125
military(Smith): 10 x 105, 8 x 115, 5 x 125, 5 x 95
seated rows: 12 x 95, 10 x 105, 8 x 115

standard abs

08/19/08

LCM
10 x 50 @?
2 x 150 @2:15
6 x 150 @2:10 (held under 2:05s)
12 x 50 (25 K/25 Sw) @55
18 x 50 IM order @50
200 wd

3400m

My free was fast today. I'm getting better at keeping a more forward balanced position and it helps, I think.

08/18/08 - #2

SCY
1100 drills/kick
2 x 50 breast - went 40,41
200 drills
2 x 50 breast - went 38,39
100 wd

1500 y

Erin went swimming tonight with the Broomfield Masters team. That's cool.

I put in a session working mostly on breaststroke technique. On the first 50, I tried to turn over my stroke as fast as I could. On the second, I took more of a 200 stroke w/long glide. On the 3rd and 4th ones, I tried to get my elbows high.

08/18/08

LCM
300 wu
200 pull
200 K
300 alt free/stroke by 50
4 x (25 fast/75 mod free, 50 stroke, IM order) @4th pers RI
3 x 150 fast/ez/fast by 50
4 x 50 drill (fly K, double K br, bk catch-up)
2 x 150 fast/ez/fast by 50
6 x 50 drill
1 x 150 fast/ez/fast by 50
8 x 50 drill
200 wd

3600m

Tried to keep my body forward on the free again. Legs were tired today, though, so it was a little harder. I worked the fast swims today and went pretty ez on everything else.

08/17/08 - dryland

Forgot, I did dryland yesterday:
Run ~3.75 mi
Exercise Ball Workout
Standard Abs

08/17/08

LCM
3 x (200 @3:20, 100 @1:40 2x50 @45)
4 x 150 @2:40 stroke. I did odds breast(2:30), evens back(?)
2 x 150 did free(2:00), back(2:09)
4 x 50 K @1:20
4 x 50 non-free @1:20, did fly, bk ,br, br
4 x 50 K @1:20
8 x 50 @1:10 - did (fly, back, br, br) x2
200 wd

3700m

weekly total:
23800m
3600y
--------
27092m
29628y

08/16/08

LCM.
400 wu
100 stroke @1:50
2 x 50 @45
100 stroke @1:50
4 x 50 @45
100 stroke @1:50
10 x 50 @45
200 @ 2:50
2 x 400 @ 5:50
100 @ 1:20
100 @ 1:50
200 @3:00
2 x 300 @4:30
100 @ 1:20
100 @ 1:50
200 @2:40 (went 2:43)
2 x 200 @3:00
100 @ 1:15 (went 1:19)
100 ez
12 x 50 choice @1 min
200 ez

5300m

Balance. The main 3K set started out rough. Then I remembered *extension*. That, and I adjusted my balance forward a bit. I was sitting way back toward my hips instead of forward on my chest.

08/15/08

LCM
400 wu
7 x 200 - @15 sec rest
1. all free
2. 100 fr/50 br/50 fr
3. 50 fr/50bk/50br/50 fr
4. 200 IM (I was a shade under 3:10 on 4 & 5)
5. 200 IM
6. 200 pull
7. 200 pull
6 x 100 @1:50 odds IM, evens free
3 x (2 x 50 @45, 2 x 50 @1:00). I did bk & br on the 1:00 50s
---
400 swim w/snorkel
400 IM kick
1200 m drills, snorkel, etc.

5000m

It was more like 3000m of workout, then 2000m of kicking and drills. I worked a lot on my catch. I kinda forgot about my extension for a while, I have to get back to that. Also, I tried to keep track of my stroke count as much as possible. I was going between 34-38, depending on how tired I was getting. Pretty whipped today from a big day yesterday.

08/14/08 dryland

Decline (Smith) - 12 x 155, 10 x 165, 5 x 185, 10 x 135
Lat Pull down - 12 x 105, 10 x 115, 8 x 115
Db Row - 10 x 35, 10 x 40, 10 x 45
Front db raise - 3 x (10 x 10)
Db Curl Standing - 7 x 30, 9 x 25, 8 x 25
Db Overhead Tri - 12 x 40, 8 x 45, 12 x 40
Standard Ab Set

08/14/08 - #2

LCM
4 x 200 (1. Free, 2.Free/Bk by 50, 3. Free/Fly by 50, 4. Free)
9 x 50 @45 Free
150 @ 2:20 (went 2:10)
9 x 50 @40 Free. I made the first 3, then missed one, made one, missed 2, made the last one.
150 @2:20
7 x 50 K @1:10
150 @2:20
7 x 50 Choice fast @1:10. I did 2 fly, 2 back, 2 breast, 1 free
150 @2:20
300 wd

3300m

My free felt pretty good. I tried to count my strokes on the 200s and 150s. I was around 34-35 per 50. Not too bad. I should've tried to keep track on the fast 50s.

08/14/08

SCY.
150 ez/drill
1000 swim. Focused on DPS. Was ~12-13 strokes per length.
6 x 100 K @ 1:45
50 ez DPS
6 x 200 - odds choice fast, evens free ez. I did breast on odds, went 2:55, 2:54, 2:54
200 wd

3200 yards.

I really have to focus a lot on trying to point my right elbow to the side of the pool. I haven't exactly found the best position for it yet, but my DPS was better at about 90 degree elbow bend. On the 1000, my elbow bend was ~60 degrees. I think closer to 90 is better. It feels like it is, anyway. I'll keep working on it.

I was pretty happy with my breaststroke 200s. They're about as fast as I was swimming all out 200 breast in practice last April/May, and I did 3 of them in the 200 set on 3:15. Still a lot of work to be done here.

Today I realized that it will take a long time for me to really realize improvements in breast and free. I keep expecting that one day I'll go to practice and the stroke work I've been doing will just magically cause me to drop 2-3 seconds per hundred. As if something will just click in and I'll just get faster instantly. But I don't think it really works like that. It will take many focused swims in practice and in meets and will happen in small, nearly imperceptible, increments.

And I'll need to keep working, year in and year out. Life will throw things at me that cause me to take breaks, but I have a goal to try to get back in the pool on a consistent basis from now on. No more 8 year rest periods.

08/13/08

LCM
300 wu
4 x 100 IM (fly K, bk, br, overkick free)
4 x 150 @ 2:20
2 x 50 @ 1:00
3 x 150 @ 2:15
2 x 50 @ 1:00
2 x 150 @ 2:10 (went ~2:05)
2 x 50 @ 1:00
1 x 150 @ 2:05 (went 2:03)
2 x 50 @ 1:00
3 x (50 fly @55, 100 bk/br @1:55, 50 fr @50)
100 wd

3700m

I felt ok. My elbow has been hurting since the 10K, so I couldn't work my catch like I have been trying to do

08/12/08 - dryland

bench(Smith): 12 x 145, 8 x 165, 5 x 175, 10 x 135
lat pulldown: 12 x 95, 10 x 105
db curls: 11 x 30, 8 x 35, 8 x 35
overhead tri: 10 x 40, 8 x 45, 10 x 40
9 pull-ups

standard ab set

08/12/08

LCM
6 x 50 (odd - breast, even free) @ 1:00
2 x 150 mod - did backstroke
1 x 100 ez @ 2:00
4 x 200 FAST @ 3:40 I did 1.)IM - 2:59, 2.)Back - 2:50, 3.)IM - 2:57, 4.)Free (w/25m breast) - 2:45
3 x 100 @ 1:40 mod
3 x 100 fast @ 2:00 I did breast, went under 1:40 (hard to tell, couldn't finish to wall).
3 x 100 @ 1:35.
4 x 50 K @ 1 min
200 wd

2800m

I was fast on those 200s. Probably b/c I took an ez day yesterday. And my free is better. In fact, my change in free has affected other strokes, I think, because I'm starting to get a better feel about how to use my forearm better.

08/11/08

SCY

400 yards really really ez.

I just got in to stretch out my burnt muscles today. Then took a good steam and went to work.

08/10/08 - Horsetooth 10K

10K - 2 hrs, 31 minutes, 9 seconds.

1:30.69 per 100 meter pace.

I don't think I could have swum it much better on this day. Buuttt, rehashing the swim today makes me realize that I still have work to do on my stroke.

With 1.5 miles left, I think I really found my stroke. At that point, my upper body was just burning and all I could think of was holding form. Good extension, streamline, elbows out, pull through. I let my right elbow drop for a while when I'd get tired for the first few miles. I kept it high for that last mile and a half, though, and really started to feel my right arm getting good water.

My legs were not tired at all when I was done. I need to start doing more kicking during workouts and try to re-integrate my kick back into my full stroke.

Weekly Total:
18500m
5000y
----------
23072m
25232y

08/09/08

SCY

300 swim ez DPS, perfect stroke
100 K
300 swim ez DPS, perfect stroke

I was getting 10 strokes per length on some 25s. That was with a very long glide though. Averaged 12 strokes per length when I'd swim at a regular training pace.

I messed around with head position some today. My natural position seems to be with my eyes looking diagonally, slightly forward. For longer swims, though, it seems more comfortable to look straight down. I found no difference in DPS between the two.

08/08/08

LCM.
1000 drills, some w/forearm fulcrum, snorkel
2 x 100 Golf (add strokes + time) \
1. 1:20 (65 strokes) - 145
2: 1:24 (68 strokes) - 152
500 drill/snorkel - 32 strokes on last 50 (w/liberal coast at the end)

1700m

All pretty long and easy. Worked DPS all day. My stroke count goes down by 2-3 strokes/50m when I kick. I've neglected my kick for most of the summer, it's showing. In the fall, I plan on doing more kicking and adding it to my (hopefully) improved pull.

Swimming Energy Zones

Per USS

I like the tables for constructing sets targeted to certain zones.

08/07/08

SCY
300 swim ez
100 kick
300 swim w/forearm fulcrum
200 swim
100 K
~1000 swim. Did about 600 pace then dropped off and worked stroke drills, DPS.
200 ez

2200 y

I might have done too much w/the 600 pace. Oh well. I'm going ez tomorrow and easier than ez on Saturday. I took it out in 1:11 and cut back a little bit. My right lat started feeling it at 600 so I went really ez/drill from that point on. I took it as a good sign that I was getting tight in my right lat and would've worked the swim more if not for the 10k coming up.

I was rolling too much at times today. Need to stay flat and keep that extension. The right motion reminds me of cross country skiing, as if I'm sliding my extension forward while my other arm is going back.

08/06/08

LCM
200 wu
4 x 150 (25 K, 50 drill, 75 build) @ 3rd pers.
3 x
{
50 stroke @ 55
100 IM @ 1:45
150 build (went 2:10, 2:05, 2:10)
200 strong. (I went 2:44,2:44,2:45)
}
3 x (100 K, 50 slow/fast, 50 fast/slow) I did breaststroke on the 50s
200 wd

3100m

Extension man. It's making a huge difference in my stroke.

My plan for the next few days:
tomorrow: ~2000y, 4-5 pace 100s, rest ez/drill
Friday: ~1500m, 2-3 pace 100s, rest ez/drill
Saturday: ~500m all ez/drill swimming
Sunday: 10K race.

08/05/08

I ended up biking quite a bit more than I'd planned on today, about 12-15 miles. I was hoping to have to do 3, but the auto shop that was holding my car was less than swift.

SCY
900 ez + drills, worked DPS
400 IM K
4 x 100 pace @1:30, work DPS. I went 1:10, 1:09, 1:10, 1:05 (~11-12 strokes/length)
400 drills, work DPS

2100 y

Took it easier and did 1 set of pace 100s as prep for the 10K. I worked on DPS for the entire workout and just focused on getting good extension. I was getting 10-12 strokes per length, and averaged about 12 on the pace 100s (a few lengths were 11 strokes on that set, but most were 12).

Everything follows from the extension, I've found. It sets up my catch, makes my kick more effective, and decreases my DPS. When I wear the forearm fulcrum now, it stays on like it should. Extension, extension, extension! I'm focusing on that until it's firmly ingrained in my stroke.

08/04/08

LCM
300 ez wu
400 alt free/stroke by 50
400 IM kick
2 x 75 free drill
2 x 75 stroke drill
4 x 75 free descend
all @ 3rd pers RI
200 mod non-free
5 x 50 @ 1:05, dropping 5 seconds per 50 (so, 1:05, 1:00, 55, etc)
150 mod non-free
6 x 50 @ 1:05, drop 5 secs per 50
100 mod non-free
7 x 50
50 non-free
8 x 50
200 ez wd

3700m

The clocks were out of sync by 3-4 seconds, so I don't know what times I was doing on the 50s. That's just as well because my whole goal today was to focus on getting a good extension and getting nice and long on my strokes. I did that, and I noticed that I swim more straight when I work the extension.

thought for this week

I need to only focus on one thing in my stroke at a time. For a while it's going to be: EXTENSION.

08/02/08

LCM
2 x (250 free @ 3rd pers, 150 Fly/Bk/Br)
2 x (200 free @ 3rd per, 100 Stroke). I went 2:47, 2:49 on the 200s
8 x 100 @ 1:30
3 x
{ 100 K fast, 100 free @ 30 sec rest
3 x 50 @ 30 sec rest fast stroke. I did IM order, went 45s on breast!
1 x 50 recovery
30 sec rest
}
12 x 50 (1 @ 45 sec, 3 @ 50 sec)
200 ez

200 snorkel
500 stroke work
200 DPS, work long extension. (by 50: 33 strokes, 33 strokes, 34 strokes, 32 strokes)

5100m

Best swims for this practice were the 50's breast that I did on 45 and the last 200 DPS. On the breaststroke swims, I felt like I was getting a good quick backward pull and quick turnover.

ON the DPS swim, I really tried to just get a good extension and nothing else. Considering that I was at 35+ strokes/50 a month ago, I was pretty happy with this last 200. I think I need to just work the extension for now and not worry about anything else but getting nice and long and pressing my chest down a bit more. When I get that down, I'll worry about the other phases.

After I went to SwimLabs, I started out just focusing on that extension, really feeling my lats and side stretch out. I had some initial success with it and then started focusing too much on my catch position after less than a week. I think that screwed me up again. I need to return focus on getting that good long extension for a while--more than 5 days, to be sure :).

Weekly Total:
24800 m
4700 y
-------------
29098m
31822 yards

08/01/08

LCM.
600 ez/mod
2 x 200 (150 free/50 stroke) @ 3:20
2 x 200 (150 free/50 stroke) @ 3:10
2 x 200 free @ 3:00
2 x 200 free @ 2:50 (actually went on 2:55)
3 x 50 @ 1 min
1 x 50 @ 45
150 @ 2:25
3 x 50 @ 55
1 x 50 @ 45
150 @ 2:25
3 x 50 @ 50
1 x 50 @ 45
150 @ 2:25
4 x 50 @ 45
150 @ 2:25
500 pull mod

200 ez
100 @ 3:10 (went 1:25)
2 x 200 (150 stroke/50 back) @ 3:00. I went 2:55
1 x 100 @ 3:00, went 1:20
1 x 200 @ 3:00, didn't go too hard, went 2:55

5100m

So now. For most of practice my freestyle was crap. I felt tired and was not getting a pull. Partway through the 500 pull, though, I made my pull deeper and felt like I was getting a lot better DPS. In fact, the last 2 swims with the longer pull were the best swims I had all practice. I went as fast on the last 200 (2:55) as on the first set where I was using the much shallower pull. So, for next week, it's going to be deeper pull. No more screwing around.

Tomorrow, no swimming. I need a break.

07/31/08 Stroke and Stride

1500 swim - 11:23, 23:41(12:19)
5k run - 22:56 (7:24 pace)

Not too shabby. I got a great butt, hamstring, and back massage after the race. My legs feel good today.