T24 - Sprints Getting Better - Swim

Gainesville

Swim: speed day
wu: 250 alternating each 50 swim and kick
main: 400, 4 x 100, 300, 3 x 100, 200, 2x100
long intervals are RPE 4, 100s are at RPE 7-8

2 Lipodrene
I was definitely not looking forward to today's workout, as in included 9 100 year sprints, which I do not enjoys. Something about doing 4 lengths as hard as you can is just not something I'm mentally equipped to do at this point. So earlier in the cycle, I had decided to take it easy on these. But today, I figured I may as well try doing them, since I can only get better if I keep trying.

The short sets went well, after the warmup. I was able to do those effectively. I did the first 50 yards of the first 100 at top speed, and then slowed down the last 50, but not going slow. I took this as a sign that I was getting better at these sprints, and did the rest of the 100s at a higher RPE. Maybe not the one suggested in training, but I certainly got my heat rate up and was going faster than I was on the longer sets. I think bit by bit my speed training in the pool is going to get better. As long as I keep at least going a little harder each time, by the end of the cycle, the sprints may become second nature. We shall see.

Tomorrow is my first long workout of Base 1, the first real phase of Ironman Training. It's gonna be a tough week since I'm going to California on Wedneday and have a wedding and a trip to Reno scheduled in there. I'm not sure this week will get done in 7 days, but this is why I give myself extra time.