Wednesday’s work-outs, July 5

Coach Steve wrote: “Swim 1900 - 300 warm up; 20 x 50 (5 each on 20-15-10-5'RI); 6 x 50 kick hard (20'RI); 300 w'dn”.

I biked to work like those old ladies you see, one speed, and it’s slow! Still, I was there. I kept thinking of reasons I couldn’t get to the pool. The clock was creeping past 17:00 (the pool opens for evening length swimming at 17:15), and I had urgent things to do.

I completed my urgent work things. What excuse would I give now?

I ran out of excuses. I packed up my bag, walked to the University Settlement Recreation Centre, and found myself in the 30°C (86°F) pool at 18:10.

But I was exhausted. What should I do? Coach Steve, despite my efforts to this point, clearly overestimates, grossly overestimates my swimming ability. 1900 m was out of the question, on several levels. But drills were not, especially as I thought I was seeing Coach Kelvin Friday morning (since cancelled). So I did drills, 4 lengths (100 yd) each of:

1. kicking on my back;
2. Total Immersion’s “fish” position;
3. TI’s “skate” position;
4. the TI drill where you start the overswitch, but never finish it;
5. TI’s “overswitch”, working on different aspects;
6. double overswitch (i.e., doing two overswitches before breathing);
7. straightforward freestyle (but see below); and
8. kicking on my back.

Total: 800 yards. The problem? I was wearing my Tyr SplitFins for all but drills 1 and 8.

I was nonetheless very tired, and very, very hungry. I barely beat 10 mi/h biking home, and ate myself to sleep.