Week 7 - "Cross Training"

"I believe that the so-called 'writing block' is a product of some kind of disproportion between your standards and your performance ... one should lower his standards until there is no felt threshold to go over in writing. It's easy to write. You just shouldn't have standards that inhibit you from writing ... I can imagine a person beginning to feel he's not able to write up to that standard he imagines the world has set for him. But to me that's surrealistic. The only standard I can rationally have is the standard I'm meeting right now ... You should be more willing to forgive yourself. It doesn't make any difference if you are good or bad today. The assessment of the product is something that happens after you're done it."
William Stafford, Poet


After yesterday’s beating on the treadmill and leg weights at lunch, a swim was welcomed. Minimal impact on the legs, swimming with a group of strong swimmers and testing out LTF’s commitment to starting to get the pool back to normal.

First thing, I noticed on the pool deck this morning was a shiny new vacuum. It was on the pool deck but the assumption has to be that Mike of Brian pulled it from its duties in order for us to swim. 1 for LTF and good for the customer.

The second thing I witnessed it the pool water. Opaque. The water was a light white milky color which made the bottom pool lane lines that are black a light gray in color. Strike 1.

The temperature of the water was elevated a couple of degrees and the chlorine levels in the pool were above normal. As I sit here, typing away my skin is irritated, scratchy and has a slight burning sensation. Strike 2.

I know they have until the 15th to rectify the problems in the pool, but you would think that after Tuesday’s meeting the Aquatics Director would have taken control and accountability to get the ball rolling to appease his customers.

Deadline is March 15th.

The pool conditions may not have been ideal, but the swimmers I swam with today made up for it. In Lane 5 we had, Melissa, Brian, Evan, Chandalynn and Jeremiah.

Coach Mike’s Workout:
400M Smooth
3 X100M I.M.
200M Non Free

3 X 400M
100M – Free
100M Kick no fins
100M – I.M.
100M – Free
5 X 200M

100 meter split pace:
1. 1:45-1:50
2. 1:40-1:45
3. 1:35-1:40
4. 1:30-1:35
5. Sub 1:30

300M Smooth
200M Kick

After the initial warm up of 900M’s we started in on the 400’s. The interval was set at 7:30’s. Evan lead us out on the first one. After the 100M free, he tailed off on the kicking and I took the lead. We ended up coming in as a group at 7:50. The 7:30 was a bit aggressive for the group with having a no fin kick. We decided to leave the time and just complete the sets at a hearty pace but wait for all the swimmers to finish and rest before we went off again. This worked out well for everyone.

The next set of 200’s were designed for control. Looking at the split times I knew that every swimmer in the lane had the ability to hit time 1 thru 4. It was #5 that was going to be the challenge. If we took the times and managed them then I was certain that the sub 1:30 could be achieved or at least everyone could come near it.

Melissa lead us out on the first 200M. She was a little fast in the beginning but settled in and brought us in a couple of seconds fast in the end, but it was the first one and the first one is always fast.

Chandalynn was next on deck to take us out. Again, she went out fast and at the split she was ahead of pace by 3 seconds. I said to her to let up a little on the last 100 and she easily brought the group within the set time.

Next was Brian. With his ability to hold a pace, I had Melissa back him up and go second. I hung in the back of the pack with Evan so Brian could lead us in on the mark.

On the 4th 200, it was Jeremiah’s turn. The time was 1:30-1:35. His first 100 was 1:25 which was way too fast for the group. I stopped at the wall to have him ease up a few strokes to hit the last 100 at the split time. He took control of his stroke and brought us in on time.

The last 200 was an all out to hit a sub 1:30 split. I had Evan in the back of the pack on the last two 200’s because he wanted to lead on the sub 1:30. The draft in the back would conserve his energy to bring us in at the goal time. The clock hit the top of the minute and he took off. I was right behind him to make sure he hit the split. The first 100M he was at a 1:24. As we rounded the wall and headed out for the last 100 he started to fade a little. I gained a stroke on him and then two and by the third stroke I was on his feet. We were 5 meters from the wall and I slapped his feet to indicate to him the pace had fallen off. He hit the wall and made up some ground. With the thrashing in the cloudy water, I could not tell where the rest of the pack was at this point, but I saw the clock as the turn into the last 50 meters inches from Evan’s feet. To be under 3:00 he needed to push it in order to hit the last 50 in a sub 40. I was on him the whole 25 meters until the turn into the home stretch. I counted the ghostly images within the cloudy bubbles, 1,2,3 and then 4. When I saw the 4th image go by I pulled out into the lane and kicked it into overdrive. I knew Evan would see me and crank it up. I gained ground on him as we both touched the wall at 2:55.

The goal was sub 3 and we got under the 3-minute mark. The rest of the group was on our heels and every one made a good time on the last 200 of the day.

We started the cool down and ended with us going our separate ways to start the day.

Good swim, excellent swimmers and I main goal was to make it challenging for everyone which I think was accomplished.

Upper body workout at lunch will end the work week of training as tomorrow is a rest day.