aztimm's training blog
Saturday 06/05/2010: East Valley Summer Invite Meet
by , June 5th, 2010 at 06:47 PM (1850 Views)
aztimmI did make it out for my team's East Valley Summer Invite Meet today.
Arrived at the pool somewhere around 7:15, and it was fairly dead. water was a bit on the warm side, Paul said 80, but I'd say closer to 82. I warmed up in my usual training brief and drag suit. after verifying (and showing Laura) that my old Fastskin brief was ok to wear, I changed and wore that for all my events. After I got settled, I got in for the following (LCM)--
700 gradual build
8 x 50 @ 1:00, goal to hold :45 on each (wasn't a problem)
100 easy
while the 1500 was going on (I may like distance, but that just seems extreme), I got in a nice 400 to warm myself back up.
due to both some computer problems and a freeway closure, they delayed the start of the meet a bit. maybe 20-30 min I'd guess. I took my watch off before I got in the water and didn't put it back on until I left.
all of my seed times were pretty much pulled out of the air. I used some practice times, but purposely didn't even look at my prior times since they are so old.
the entire MAC coaching staff was on-deck in some capacity. Paul and Laura running around making sure things were as they should be, and they both swam a few events. Sheila was officiating. Laurel sat in the bleachers mid-pool, cheered people on, and got all splits (even for 50s!). Jon was there, helping Laurel and guiding with any questions.
my 1st event, 800 free
seed time: 12:40
I've swam this event at meets twice that I know of, in 1999 (final time was 12:15), and 2002 (final time was 12:12).
today's time: 11:31
thoughts: while my seed time was based on a 1:35 base, I secretly hoped I could do a 1:30 base. the idea to do the 50s holding 45 was a great one, and I'll keep that for the future. Just before I started, Lindsay told me to break it into 4 x 200s...settle into the first, mostly easy on the second, build the third, and fast on the last. I mostly tried to do that. Just a few weeks ago in workout, I tried to hold a 1:30 base for a 600 but was just over, so I'm very happy with this time.
Thanks to Patrick for counting for me! Hopefully I didn't splash him too bad.
after the 800, I went back to the warm-up lane, got in a nice easy 200. then I thought I should warm-up my breast a little for my 100. initially there was supposed to be a 30 min break between the last heat of the 800 (mine) and the next event, 100 breast, but due to the late start that went down to 10 min. so I got maybe 20 min rest.
my 2nd event: 100 breast
seed time: 1:36
past times: in 1999 1:33, in 2002 1:29
time today: 1:29
thoughts: I've done little to no breast training, but for some reason I've done much in the past and have a good base. I'm happy I at least matched my past time, and I know I can go faster if I actually swim it once in a while.
I had no one even near me, which didn't help too much. Laurel said my splits were around :41 and :47, so I have something to work on.
I did about 200 easy and had about 20 min again until my next event. I did stop at the bulkhead to watch some of the fast guys swim the next heat of the 100 breast...good stuff. Jeff Commings looks like he doesn't even have to try. And Patrick did around 1:21. Had I put in a more accurate time, I think I would have been seeded with them.
my 3rd event: 100 free
seed time: 1:18
past times: 1999 1:15, 2002 1:16
today's time: 1:12
thoughts: just before my heat, Laura ran by and asked how I'd do. I said 1:15, and she said she expected a 1:13. This is something I've worked a little on, so I'm happy that I improved over the years, and I think I can drop another 1-2 sec with some form improvements. I probably took too many dolphin kicks off the blocks (I'd guess 9 or 10). But again, I was seeded in a slower group, no one near me, so I was out on my own.
my shoulders were starting to get a little tight after the 100, so I think I did at least 400 meters easy swimming, threw in a little breast. I did watch some of the fast people swim in the last heat of the 100. had a longer break, maybe 30 min before my next event.
my 4th event: 50 breast
seed time: :43
past times: 1999 :41.82, 2002 :40.55
today's time: :41 (don't have the exact time)
thoughts: I should have been DQ'd. I went off the block (very high with blocks on the bulkhead), did a nice deep dive, followed by at least 3 dolphin kicks before I realized what I had done. rather than push things too much, I just kind of did a relaxed stroke down to the other end, expecting an official with a DQ slip. But that didn't happen. I got very far out ahead of the crowd, could have been through poor seeding, or those dolphin kicks, I didn't see a soul near me.
Later on in the meet, Laura Winslow (Patrick's coach) told me that I just wasn't pacing this for a 50, I was doing a 100 or even 200 pace. Then I told her why, and she agreed.
If I have a brain and don't screw this up, I think I could easily do this in :38, especially if I do more breast training.
got in 200 after the breast, relaxed a bit on deck, had maybe 20 min before my last event.
my 5th event: 50 free
seed time: :33
past times: 1999 :34.01, 2002 :34.66
today's time: :33 (again don't have exact)
thoughts: this time I did take the deep dive, then around 10 dolphin kicks. Probably too many. and I wasn't first, it was annoying that the gal in the lane next to me was just a hair ahead. push as much as I could I just couldn't catch her, but she did make a great rabbit to try to catch. I was tired, sore, and pretty much just fried.
went over to the warm-up lane and did a nice easy 400. I did throw in a little breast (maybe 100 total), but mostly just wanted to get my free relaxed, and my shoulders relaxed.
total distance swam (for my GTD): 4100m
General thoughts--
* Paul and Laura put together a great event! I registered very spur of the moment and very late, but they were very flexible with everything. Funny story, one of the reasons I decided to finally do another meet was all the discussion about tech suits, and how some people felt I wasn't qualified to give an opinion since I didn't race (one person posted a link to this event). Well now that doesn't apply.
* Turnout wasn't as big as what I remember at past meets, but those were the official 'state' meets, this seemed more like a team meet. Sure we had some Sun Devil Masters there, Phoenix Swim Club, a couple people from Tucson, and the odd visitors, but I'd guess 75% of the people who swam were from my team.
* We also had a great turnout of officials, timers, and other volunteers. I was so surprised to see so many people I swim with.
* As for my swimming, I guess I did as expected. I'm not a sprinter, and shouldn't even fake it. The limit was 5 events, and Laura told me it would be short (I didn't realize so short, all of my events took place in 3 hours). I did consider some 200s and even the 400 free, but with such a short time, after an 800...I decided against it.
* I really need to work more on my breast. Before I started with masters groups, I wasn't too comfortable swimming free and would swim on my own whole sets of breast. One summer in college, a lifeguard refined all my strokes, and she really cleaned up my breast. After I started masters, I'd do it once in a while, but it is just so easy to do free when intervals are tight. With getting back into running, my legs sometimes just can't handle breast. But I have a good base, and did decent in it. I could fake a 50, even a 100...but a 200 requires training, and I didn't feel ready for that yet. But a 200 breast is my best shot of reaching an NQT, so it is something I need to work on.
* Now Paul wants me to do more meets, of course. The Phoenix Swim Club is holding a 'state' meet in about a month. This is a 3-day setup, with distance events Friday night, and other things Sat-Sun. Ideally, I'd like to do the 800 (or even 1500) on Friday, and do 1 day of the meet where I'd get in a 200 breast (if I'm ready), and some other stuff. We'll see how that fits into my schedule.
Overall, it was a great experience. Just a few hours, I was home by 12:30. And it was nice to meet Patrick, see others who I hadn't seen for a long time, and it was just a generally fun experience. If nothing else, I will do some of these team meets periodically. Weather wasn't too bad, it was about 100 when I left.
Ideally, I'm hoping to get out for a run tomorrow morning. Nowhere near the 15 miles I did last week, but 12 would be nice, but I'd settle for even 10. Our temps are getting up there (high near 110 tomorrow), so it will be an early start.
Go to Profile
Mark as Read
