04/23/09 - "taper" time

300 swim ez
400 IM K w/snorkel
200 scull/drill breast
2 x 100 @1:30 desc to pace (1:14, 1:09)

2 x {
300 swim
rest 20s
100 faster, around 400 IM pace (1:05?, 1:03)
}
Set 1 pull the 300, set 2 swim

100 ez

4 x 200 @60s rest, strong (HR 160+)
1.) back - 2:25
2.) IM - 2:30
3.) breast - 2:49
4.) IM - 2:28

200 ez

8 x 50 FAST @2:00, 4 each short axis, 4 long axis fast turns, good breakouts
br - (36.57, 36.02)
fly - (30.00, 30.07)
bk - (31.55, 31.30)
fr - (28.54, 27.89)

8 x 25 choice working on breakouts, finishes

warm down

I was only going to do 4 short axis 50s at the end, but I felt pretty good after the first 4 so I tacked on 4 long axis as well. I swam the first free swim with more of a stretched out stroke and then tried for more turnover on the 2nd, just pinning my shoulder blades to my spine and trying to start the pull immediately after my hand dropped in the water. On the 400 IM, I'll need both styles (hopefully). I want to build that last 100 starting with the longer stroke for 50 yards or so and get into the last 25-50 where I really go to more of the sprint stroke (hopefully with just enough energy left to pull that off).

At the state meet, I tried to floor it right away on the last 100 and it cost me some time. I think I'm better off building that swim.

I tried to keep a more relaxed hand on the free swims because Lani told me I'm keeping my hand too tightly closed. It feels better in general to swim with my hand more relaxed -- I can get a better grab on the water. It seems to ease some forearm tension too. It does come with a higher cost of strain on my lats right now because they have to pull more water that way. That's a good thing though.

It's taper time. The yards dropped by ~1000 or so today and I didn't have as big a main set.