Monday, March 26, 2007

Time Trial Sunday

Sunday morning was time trials. I spent the week metally preparing, getting myself in the right mindset so I could relax (I tend to tense up and have huge difficulties on the longer time trials), then I forgot my ventolin. Seems to be a theme for March. Which means I'll stop doing it as of Monday - yay!!!

Asthma drugs are pretty key for me at Lord Byng Pool, it's so hot and humid I usually have serious breathing issues. Luckily for me Amy is asthmatic and organized so I could scam some of hers. I assume that means she gets a big part of the credit for my results.

We did 100m then 500m, we'll save the best for last.

My 500m time was 9:57 with a (neglible) negative split of half a second. 2min/100m meters is about where I was at last year so I'm okay with the time. I think I could have gone faster - no, scratch that - I know I could have gone faster but I'm still leary of going out too hard and I also didn't feel aggressive enough to pass Marnie after she passed me (she speeded up every time I started to pass, it was quite funny).

My 100m time, however, was a whole different story.
25 Mar 100m time - 1:37
Previous best - 1:45

When Rob, who was timing me, told me I'd done 1:37 I exclaimed "Holy S***!" He was new to the group and I'd only just learned his name prior to the 100m swim - nice first impression Alison!

We did the 100m first so I was a little let down with the 500m time. I'm at the point with my swimming where I need to push myself on the longer pieces. Forget what Alan and Andrew say about negative splits, I'm too conservative on the swim and instead see how fast I can go and what the tipping point is.

I'll have to find the Calvin & Hobbes cartoon in which Calvin's dad explains how load limits are set for bridges: "They drive heavier and heavier trucks over a bridge until it collapses then they build a new bridge with the limit being the weight of the last truck to make it over." Hmm, it's funnier the way Bill Watterson drew it. My joke-killing abilities aside, I will be embarking on the C&H swim intensity program - keep pushing myself in the swim until I know my limit.

1 comment:

Amy said...

That's the way to learn. push to find your limit. Best to do this in practice then in a race. The way I do it is to build over the distance. I know I can push my limit for 200m so I start at 80% and work up to 95% at 300 or 325 and then just hang on (not 100% but pretty darn close). The mental battle you have to face with your muscles screaming at you is the real challenge. You'll be surprised what you can do in the water even when you feel like lead if you are strong in the head.