Workout Interpretation

Workout:
60 min. swim; 1300 yards

On Monday, Kieth told me that if I was going to skip one workout this week, Wednesday would be the day to do it. It would be better to have a break in the middle of the week, rather than on Thursday or Friday. So when my alarm went off at 4:30 my first thought was "Kieth said I could miss today!" which of course is not entirely true. But, half asleep, it sounded logical. I tried to figure out how to re-set my alarm and sleep in an extra hour: should I just hit snooze a bunch of times, or should I actually change the time? Then I thought I should text him and let him know I wouldn't be there. Then, the thought of not being there made me feel guilty...and by that time I was awake, and had talked myself into getting up.

So, here was my workout for the day:

At first, I didn't know what the heck it meant either, other than the warm-up. Kieth had to explain each part to me as I went along. Here's an interpretation:

The warm-up (200): Each lap is 25 yards...so 200 is 8 laps. But, they are broken into 4 x 50 with a 30 second rest, so that means two laps, followed by a 30 second rest, four different times.

Main set (1,000): I actually love drills! They're easier than just swimming. 4 x 25 means one lap of each drill. Piece of cake! Drill #1 (9-3-9) is kicking with 1 arm leading 9 times, 3 strokes, then other arm leading. Drill #2 (FTD) is the finger tip drag, when I swim but drag my fingers along the water to practice keeping my elbows up. Drill #3 (rotation kick) is a drill in which I have my head in the water, arms at my side and kick. When I need air, I rotate on to my back and continue to kick with my arms still at my side. Drill #4 (catch-up freestyle) is the hardest of the three for me. I swim, keeping one arm in front of me at all times, alternating arms.

200 pull - This is also relatively easy/fun: I place a pool buoy between my legs which helps my lower body stay afloat without kicking. It's 1/2 as much work. Then, I pull myself with my arms, practicing on form. Kieth pointed out that my right hand/fingers are not hitting the water first. Possibly due to the fact that I am not rotating enough...imbalance left over from running?

12 x 25 free @ :45 - breathing every 3 strokes - Now this was difficult! Interval training, in the water!! Who knew there was such a thing???? It's 25 laps, 45 seconds each lap. I completed each lap in about 35 seconds, so I had 10-15 seconds to hang out on the wall and catch my breath. There's a huge clock visible to everyone that starts as soon as we get in the water, and I use that to time myself. I have been favoring my right side when I breath, and breathing every 3 strokes forces you to alternate. However, when I become tired, I start breathing every other stroke - always on the right, because I just don't seem to get enough air when I wait until every third.

400 free- with as few breaks as possible- this was the most difficult, especially because it is 16 laps, and I had just completed 12! When Kieth told me to complete it with as few breaks as possible, I told myself I would try not to take any. Just like with running, I tried to pace myself. Instead of trying to swim fast, I tried to slow myself down, as if I were starting out a run. After 6 laps, I had to rest for awhile, and I rested several other times before I was done...probably for about a minute total. I ended up completing 16 laps in 12min., which isn't too bad, or so he says. It averages out at 3min per 100, and I completed my first timed 100 in 2:11. But here, there were more of them.

I'm really glad that I did manage my butt out of bed, and didn't talk myself out of going in my sleep-induced stupor.  =)