Saturday Swim (4400 yards)

Had a good swim Saturday.  Andy wrote the basis for this workout, and I then bastardized it a bit for my own purposes.

Warm-Up

10 x 100 easy swim

 -- 4 @ 1:35

 -- 6 @ 1:30

200 kick

10 x 50 @ :45 breathing every third

Main Set (Andy's idea)

2 x (9 x 100 descending in sets of 3)

 -- 3 x 1:30

 -- 3 x 1:25

 -- 3 x 1:20

 -- 3 x kick @ 2:00

 -- Rest 1:00

100 easy

3 x 100 @ 1:15 tempo

100 cool down

Total: 4400 yards

I ran twice while I was up in Albany last week, but this was my first swim in a full seven days.  I therefore started with a long warm-up, worked to keep my stroke long, and eased into it.  By the time I got into the Main Set, though, I was in the zone.  

I held around 1:15/100 through the first series and about 1:20/100 through the second, though I accelerated for the last 3 @ 1:20.  That was pretty good.  The last set on 1:15 was also Andy's idea.  I was about 1:11, 1:12, 1:12, and swimming fast but loose.  Honestly, I think I could have held that pace for another 200 yards.

I should note that when Andy did this set, he added 3 x 100 backstroke @ 1:40 after the 100s kick.  I cut that because 1) I started running short on time, and 2) adding that bit of stroke-work would have changed the set completely for me because my stroke is butterfly.  Before I started, I'd considered doing 50 fly / 50 free by 100s at that spot, but the way it actually played out worked perfectly.

I should also maybe note that Andy said he put down a 1:02 for a 100 free from a push at the end of this workout.  There is NO CHANCE I'm gonna put that kind of speed together, but it's good to see that the Sprinter can still sprint.

After I got out of the water, I went and took Sally's Balance and Flex Together class.  It was quite an experience.  We started with some easy warm-up movements, but pretty soon we started doing Warrior Squats and various dynamic pose progressions that have had me a little sore ever since.  I can use the training, don't get me wrong, but it's unusual for me to do that much quad and especially groin work.  Sally led us through one progression, from Table to a Low Lunge, up to Warrior 2, and then through Crescent and back down.  It didn't seem like it would be that hard, but I'm still feeling it.  We also did a whole series of balance poses, starting with Prayer, then Tree, and around to Warrior 3.  As with the first progression, that one was also much harder than I thought it would be.  I usually don't think of balance poses as difficult.

To be fair, Balance and Flex Together isn't exactly a yoga class.  It's more yoga/Pilates, which is why it was so dynamic.  I really enjoyed it, but you have to know your poses to follow it effectively.  You're not still.  The class is about movement.