Training Log: 4/8/08

Today's Training
Swimming

100 free warmup

25 minutes continuous swim (10 sec or less RI, minimal use)
(1000 yards/25:00 = 2:30/100 pace)

50 breast cooldown

Total Yardage:1150

Today I wanted to test my endurance - so far I feel like I've been doing better at the drills, and my 400's are coming easier to me. I decided to just swim continuously for 25 minutes, at a decent pace, and see how far I could go. This is a good way to gauge your training - I will do this again in about six weeks I think, and hopefully my yardage goes up in the same amount of time. Either that or I will extend the time and just decide to swim X yards no matter how long it takes.

My training plan says a 25 minute swim should be around 900-1200 yards, and I fell right into that with 1000. I will have to start increasing my distance soon - I will start throwing 800s pretty regularly now - and I'll work up to a second 800 so I do 2x800 with probably a 2 min RI...then start putting it all together. Once I've got that going, I can work into a "fast" 800 if that's all I'm doing, so I can pump my speed up for the tri.

By the math, I was averaging about 38 seconds per length (25 yards). Last week when I did my descending 100's, my first length was 34 - and I thought I was swimming slow. I definitely slowed down toward the end of the 1000 - my arms were tired and I was losing form. I will definitely need to do some recovery/drill work next week so I can up my yardage without killing my form, arms, or time. Endurance first, then speed.

Bike weather is coming up...I haven't NOT been on my bike in April since before I started triathon. In other words, NEVER. I need to get some cold weather rides in before too long - the spring winds and hills make for great force and endurance workouts. Will also make the transition to outdoor runs soon. That's tougher for me - running is easily my hardest challenge.