last water, IM progress

This evening's pool session felt alright. Of note was the 4 x 100 of IM strokes I did, which started with my first 100m of fly in long course. Well, 2-kick fly, but that's still progress. What by all indications should have been a flat swimming day turned in to a good workout. Just getting in the water was a challenge after the weekend's epic between the Tor and Pine Mountain. But, as usual, I'm glad I motivated to train. In total, the workout was 1500m, with focus on IM strokes and kick, 500m of kick to be exact.

first water, IM

I thought I would mix things up by taking a break from freestyle to work on the other strokes, especially butterfly. It was rad.

da numbers:

• 100m easy free
• 200m fly stroke drills
• 200m backstroke
• 200m 1/2 length fly then free
• 100m breaststroke
• 100m kick

total distance: 900m

first water

Felt good this morning. Finally. This week has been alternating days of good and bad. IMs had me breathing like a maniac but I stayed loose and kept good form; good for me, anyway. Even butterfly is starting to feel good. Not so good that I can finish two lengths with 1-to-1 kick, but better than days past, maybe better than ever.
da numbers:

• 2 x 100yd free
• 2 x 100yd free/zipperswitch
• 100yd fly kick
• 16 x 50yd IM alternating laps @ 1:30
• first 3 sets of 4 x 50 IM, fly lap, was 2-to-1 kick
• last fly lap I died 10yd from the wall on the way back
• this whole set was hard, from beginning to end
• last 50 free was fast, right at 30 sec - shoulders felt loose, arms were catching quick
• 200yd fly kick
• 4 x 50yd fly/back alternating lengths @ 1:30
• 300yd breast/fly kick
• 400yd apnea drill w/ short fins

total distance: 2400yd

first water

Today was hard.
da numbers:

• 2 x 100yd free
• 10 x 100yd free @ 2:00
• coming in between 1:20 - 1:25
• 300yd fly kick
• 3 x 100yd IM @ 3:00
• coming in between 1:40 - 1:50
• 4 x 100yd pull w/ paddles @ 2:00
• coming in between 1:20 - 1:25
• 200yd apnea drill w/ short fins

first water

I know my workouts are getting long when I dread having to type it out.
da numbers:

• 2 x 100yd free
• 4 x 200yd free @ 4:00
• coming in between 2:47 - 2:55
• 300yd fly kick
• 3 x 100 IM @ 3:00
• coming in between 1:50 - 1:40
• 400yd pull w/ paddles
• 200dy fly kick
• 200yd apnea drill w/ short fins

total distance: 2400 yd

first water

IM is hard. Finishing this morning's requisite yardage was hard. Not a super motivating day in the pool. But I did some butterfly for 100yd distances. Well, kinda. I pulled once for every 3 kicks and I paused between lengths. But no more one-arm stroke drills. That's good, I suppose. Closer to good anyways.

da numbers:

• 2 x 100yd free/zipperswitch
• 100yd fly kick alternating back/front
• 8 x 100yd IM strokes @ 3:00
• 4 x 100yd zipperswitch/free alternating lengths @ 2:30
• 300yd fly kick alternating back/front
• 400yd apnea drill w/ short fins

total distance: 2200yd

first water

I've been doing IM sets with 50yd for each stroke. Today I increased that to 100yd. And it was hard. My strokes are coming together though. Butterfly is even kinda working. After the IM sets I did tons of dolphin kick yardage.

da numbers

• 2 x 100yd free/zipperswitch
• 100yd fly kick
• 8 x 100yd alternating IM strokes @ 3:00
• coming in under 2:00, usually around 1:45
• Fly was tiring. I cheated a bit and threw in some lengths of kick
  
• of note: my second 100yd free was 1:11
  
• 400yd fly kick
• started to feel a better kick
  
• 300yd fly kick w/ short fins
• by this time my legs were hammered
  
• 200yd apnea drill w/ short fins
  

first water

Maybe it's not me. Maybe the Carpinteria Community Pool is fast. I gotta say, the water feels thick. And my times are inexplicably quicker. Either that pool is fast or the GVAC pool is slow. I prefer to think GVAC is slow. Yesterday's IM set at Carpinteria was actually enjoyable.
da numbers:

• 2 x 100 free/zipperswitch
• 20 x 50 IM strokes @ 1:30
• Felt good, concentrated on stroke mechanics, especially for fly. It's time I graduate to full on butterfly and not the variation I've been doing.
• 3 x 100 pull w/ paddles @ 2:00
• coming in between 1:15 - 1:20
• 200 dolphin kick w/ short fins
• 100 apnea drill w/ short fins

first water

Swam some IM at GVAC this morning. IM's are tough, man. I try to stay relaxed as I get tired, resist tightening up, which is good for my stroke but hammers my lungs. I'm just panting like a dog during sets. Gotta be good for me, I suppose.

da numbers:

• 2 x 100m free/zipperswitch
• 16 x 50m alternating IM strokes @ 1:30
• tons of rest between 50's - I'm never coming in after 1:00
• 50m free's had me coming in between :30 - :35
• all strokes felt better today
• 200m free /w paddles
• 200m dolphin kick w/ short fins
• 200m apnea drill w/ short fins

first water

Today was an easy pool session, IM sets mostly, and at a slow pace. This worked out because I could tell I was a little flat to begin with.

da numbers:

• 200m free/zipperswitch/dolphin drill
• 20 x 50m alternating IM strokes @ 1:30
• 4 x 50m free w/ dolphin kick drill
• 200m dynamic apnea drill w/ short fins
  

first water

IM-athon. Did a bunch of IM stuff today in an effort to mix it up. IM stuff hammers my breathing. I was panting like a dog after a couple cycles. And it came to my attention my butterfly form needs some work. There's definately a rythm to the fly and I definately don't have it.

da numbers:

• 200m free/zipperswitch
• 20 x 50m alternating IM @ 1:30
• 200m fly drill
• 200m short fin kick