Of Swimming Bondage

After disappointing swims earlier in the week, then an encouraging, but tough B70-aided swim yesterday, I wasn't sure what to expect today on my attempt at a 5K workout with a tough main set. As a cold, rainy front moved into Arizona last night, I had to abandon my own pool and head up to a VERY crowded Lifetime pool. For a bit during warmup, I was sharing a narrow lane with another woman; fortunately, she was a "real" swimmer, so it wasn't bad. As soon as the next lane opened up, though, she jumped into it. That timing worked perfectly for my attempt at Chris Stevenson's 30 x 100 test set (from NOVA coach Brent St. Pierre):

• Warmup sets (1,700)
  
  • 1 x 600: 150 free swim, 300 IM k/d/d, 150 free drill & swim mixup
  • 4 x 100: on 1:40, gentle descend free from 1:19 to 1:11
  • 4 x 100: on 2:00, IM kick descend
  • 1 x 50: easy
  • 8 x 25: on 0:30,
    
    • odds DPS
    • evens alternate Spin, then AFAP
    
    
  • 1 x 50: easy
  
  
• Brent St. Pierre Test Set (3,100 SCM total)
  
  • 3 sets of 10 x 100 with 2:00 rest between rounds (in which I did a 50 easy)
  • In each round, #1 to #3 are cruise free on 1:40
  • #4 to #10 were best average w/about 30 seconds rest from target time
  • My goal was to hit my goal 400 IM pace
    
    • Breast: goal was 1:22/1:23
    • Back: goal was 1:11
    • Free: goal was 1:03+/1:04+
    
    
  • Round 1: went breast on 1:55 and was 1:26+ to 1:25
  • Round 2: went back on 1:45 and was 1:16 on 1st 4, then my legs started cramping and went 1:17, 1:18, 1:19
  • Round 3: went free on 1:40 and was 1:07+, 1:06+, 1:05+, 1:05, 1:05, 1:05+, 1:05+, 1:05
  
  
• Wrapped up with 4 x 50 easy

TOTAL: 5,000 SCM


Commentary:

• Though I didn't hit any of my goal times, those freestyle swims at the end marked one of the best sets I've done in awhile.
• I've got to start paying attention to my stretching, as well as need to drop any alcohol from my diet. Even though I'm not a lush these days, 1-2 (occasionally 3) drinks a day dramatically increases my incidence of cramping. Dr. Brundage's orders between now and Greensboro:
  
  • Daily stretching
  • Teetotaling 6 of 7 days each week.