Just an Average SKIRT

Another fabulous day in the life of me. 5am wake up followed by the coffee/bagel protocol. Hit the pool at 6:30 for an 1850 yd swim. My main set was 3×100 at all out pace plus 50 (for the 1st), plus 45 (for the 2nd) and plus 50 (for the final 100). I thought, ‘why is this was so easy’? Swim a 100 in 2:05 minutes. Please Craig, I’m not in bubblers anymore, I’m training for an ironman. I consult with my training bible (bj), he tells me that you are supposed to go all out and then rest for the remainder of time. And over the course of our training schedule the rest times will become shorter so practice the faster pace. Ok, makes more sense.

I started swimming, I felt solid but not so light. Got through my warm-up and preset…time for the main set. Not too daunting really, it was only 3 but I need to practice my 1:35 pace. I also need to practice swim start simulation by sprinting the first 12.5 yards head down, no breath. I’m sure this 12.5 will grow to longer sprints but for now, this is what Craig is telling me to do. I head out for the first 100 - finish with a 1:23, out of breath but rested for 42 seconds, ready for another. Hit a 1:27 for the 2nd 100. Definitely out of breath but I know I only have one more. I’m thinking you must come in under a 1:30 because you can’t drop that far off your second (and you only have three, so suck it up and go sister). I’m 75 yards into the last 100 and I cannot breath, I mean I cannot begin to get enough breath into my lungs in one breath. I wanted to stop and catch my breath but instead I think ‘make it worse’. So I took myself out of the pool and visualized being socked in by other bodies, arms, legs in my face, on my feet and in my space. I decided to practice the panic attack most often experienced in triathlon during the swim. Instead of stopping, take a few breast strokes and catching my breath, I just slowed my cadence, pulled stronger and even though breathing remained difficult I finished the final 100 in 1:29.  I didn’t have many more of these in me but it’s February…..let’s see where I am in May.

Followed up this swim with a wonderful day in my practice and then all you can eat pasta at Cafe Gondelier with my valentine.  Thanks for the date hon, I love you in my life!

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 14th, 2008 at 9:20 pm and is filed under Triathlon. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.