Monday 19th November 2012
Running
(2.64 Miles / 00:10:24 per mile)
Another Monday, another Yasso (half mile) speed session.
This time the goal was 3 X half mile at 3mins 30 per set with a 3 minute recovery between sets.
I was unsure how this would go today given that my hamstrings were still a wee bit tight after the 10K race on Saturday but I decided to harden up and get out and do it.
The wind along the Ormeau embankment had picked up and given the curving nature of the embankment I always seemed to have a wind either in to me or really strong from the side. The second set in particular was very hard.
It is amusing that the first couple of hundred metres of each set when the legs are fresh or rested feels great – the legs feel light and the feet feel like they are floating and gazelle-like on the African savannah. (That’s the first time that phrase has been used in association with me I bet!)
Then the reality, and Lactic acid kick in and the Gazelle suddenly becomes a Buffalo and at the end the Lions have caught me and all that’s left is a big heap of an animal snorting and blowing, unable to take another step.
Despite that, I was pleased to knock the 3 sets out in 3.18 / 3.27 / 3.27. Pretty consistent running, although I must confess to feeling completely knackered after the 3rd one and just about managing a slow jog back to the gym to change.
A pleasing set and I know that this will do me good in the long run.
Next week I am supposed to step up to 4 of these at 3.30 per set – that might be a bit of a challenge but we’ll see how it goes. The Buffalo is getting faster – and that’s No Bull!
Swimming
(Tri Club – Sets and Drills – 50 Minutes / 1500M approx.)
This was probably the hardest set we have done at swim training so far.
The big focus was on bilateral breathing and technique to maintain form, rhythm and body position.
I found this really tough going on my bad side – breathing to my left. I normally only breathe to my right and changing to go to the other side was so hard. I honestly felt like I had forgotten how to swim and I was taking in huge amounts of water instead of air for a lot of the time when I tried to breathe to the left.
Sometimes the technique would click and I would get it for a few strokes or maybe a length, however, this didn’t last and as a bit of fatigue set in, the stroke completely went to hell.
Towards the end of the session my confidence was completely shot. I went from thinking of myself as an OK swimmer to someone who was really struggling to get the basics down.
I know that this is exactly what is missing from my training – the structure, discipline and technique focus that will lead to improvements for me and hopefully make my swimming more efficient and possibly faster. To be honest, at the moment I would take any sign of improvement over last night as a big success.
I have to take the knock from this session and lock in the learning and accept that while we are focussed on technique I am bound to find things a bit more of a challenge. It’s probably like trying to re-learn anything with proper technique – whether it’s a golf swing, running technique, even driving like we were originally taught – it’s all about going back to the basics that work and then build back up again.
What doesn’t make me drown will only make me stronger – although I might swallow a few gallons along the way!
No comments:
Post a Comment