Precisely how my ass was kicked yesterday.

I should be doing some grading, so I'll have a jump on that but let me just say this first: ow ow ow ow ow.

I slept so well last night, because of my big swim yesterday and also I am using a brand-new set of earplugs, which means, What outside world? Snoring, meowing, car engines, meowing--all are outside my world. That rocks.

But STILL, I am hurtin'. Not so much that my muscles are sore, but I just still feel tired. So much of my training usually happens in the morning, and having a big afternoon swim means I still feel it the next day. I hope I will be over by 2:30 when I go and do it all again.

Here are the two big main sets from yesterday (in yards):

MAIN SET #1
6 x < 150 (50kick/50drill/50swim) + 100 swim fast
odds = breaststroke
evens = freestyle
[these were on a rest interval: 20ish seconds after the 150 and then 30ish seconds after the 100]

MAIN SET #2
6 x < 100 smooth free swim + 3 x 50 swim descend
odds = 3 x 50 breaststroke
evens = 3 x 50 freestyle
[these were on a 1:40 for the smooth free and then 1;05 for each of the 50s]

These were excellent training sets for me, as both emphasized quality swimming into the second half of the 200 breaststroke, which is the event that I need the most work on before May. In the first set, the 150 of mechanics (which are the same stroke as the 100) kind of simulates the fatigue you feel from the first 100 in the 200. Then you can really work to keep the pacing and stroke quality up in that fast 100. In the second one, 100 smooth free is kind of a recovery but kind of not, since I had to keep up at least a moderate pace in order to have a little rest before the 50s. Then the 50s descending are like the 2nd 3rd 4th 50s of the 200.

In all it was a great workout. Total yardage 6200, which was enough for me, thank you.

So now to see what the pain is like today....