04/29/2009 - T-minus 1 week

300 swim
300 K w/snorkel
300 IM 50 drill/25 swim
4 x 100 @1:30 descend to ~mile pace (1:12, 1:11, 1:07, 1:07)
4 x 50 @1:00 IM build to 400 pace
4 x 25 @45 FAST

200 back kick, arms at side
200 back - 25 R/25 L, opposite arm at side, armpit dry

100 back fast - 1:02.27
From a push. Started watch, pushed off, finished, stopped watch.

100 ez recovery

200 breast K - 50 on back, working on getting good knee bend without letting knees come out of water, 150 alt 25 hands back, trying to touch heels to hands/25 hands out front, trying to keep good flex in the kick
200 breast drill w/snorkel, alt coil+strike w/1 dolphin K, 1 breast K per arm stroke

100 breast fast - 1:13.40
Started off of the blocks. Started my watch, took my mark, then dove in.

200 ez

4 x 25 fly @1:00 rest - long, 400 IM stroke with good stretch on extension
NT, 15.57, 15.43, 15.70

50 breast fast - 35.65

warm down

Did more gross yardage today but about 1/2 yesterday's race pace yardage. I debated whether to do 200 pace on the 100s or just go for it. I went after it, figuring that the 100 speed work would be more beneficial at this point.

I'm glad I did because it forced me to get my turnover up higher on the back and breaststroke. Doing that, I lost some of the flow in both strokes and the timing felt somewhat off -- I felt spinny. That was sort of the point, though, to push that boundary of turnover vs. getting a good grab on the water. My breaststroke timing felt better than it used to, and judging by the time, it was. But it can still be better. I know because when I really hit the timing right on, I feel like I'm really surging forward on each kick/recovery.

Anyhow, I did a 50 breast at the end of practice and dialed it back just a tad. The timing felt better, still not totally in the zone, but if I can swim a 400 leg with that timing, I'll have one of my better 4IM breast split.

I really worked on keeping those 25's fly long. I really stretched forward toward the opposite wall on every stroke and it felt great. That's how I want to swim it going out on the 400 IM -- really getting a good extension forward and feeling a good stretch in my lats at the start. It's about the speed/feel I'm looking for, and it keeps me from turning over too fast. I was going 15.mids with 6-7 strokes per length. That'd be perfect. I just have to remember to breathe :)-- no breathing first stroke up, then 2 up, 1 down, 2 up, 1 down, repeat.