This morning's swim set was a building your base set with a focus on legs.
1. 5x200yds free with overkick (slow arms, big legs) the last 25, 25, 50, 50, 75yds, respectively
2. 5x25yd flutter kick with fins, fast (as Marcia says, "Try to beat somebody!")
3. 4x25yd fly with fins, fast
The 5x200yds was a great set to focus on distance, and the overkick at the end took more out of you than you would think. Then, anything with fins is great for me. With fins, I feel like I could race Michael Phelps. Well, maybe not really, but I could probably race my Cal Triathlon friend, Daniela, who is an amazing swimmer and overall athlete. Of course, she would not be allowed to wear fins or else it would not be a fair fight.
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| Daniela and I in our wetsuits before the Cal Poly Triathlon |
This evening, the lake was windy and the rain clouds looked menacing. Out on the water during practice, we had our SDCC eight with one substitute rower, 1 mixed quad, 3 Bay Blade singles, and 1 Bay Blade quad. We did a full lake loop warm-up in preparation for the main workout--3x1,000m pieces with starts, settle, and sprint at full pressure, simulating race pieces.
During the first 1,000m piece, our start, high strokes, and settle went off alright. Coming out of the finger, however, there was a strong crosswind and the boat seemed to lose its composure for a few strokes. We got most of the rhythm back, but there was still a frantic feeling in the boat. Right after we settled, I could feel the lactic acid that had accumulated from the start and high strokes, and I thought, "Oh, shit. I HATE racing. I hate the feeling of dying. I hate the noise and the coxswain who is asking for more. After this piece, this practice, this race, I am going to retire from rowing." Ha, retire. I know that these thoughts are the product of the pain, and like the pain, these thoughts too will pass.
On the second piece, we had a rough start with frantic high strokes. After the first 400m, we finally settled to a nicer rhythm, even with the cross wind. We did alright in the sprint. The last piece was solid with a sprint that managed to hit some of the higher rates that Chris has been asking for. I have great admiration for my friend, Amber. Amber and I rowed together on the Cal Lightweight Crew team before Amber had to quit the team for financial and academic reasons. Amber is a fighter and has always been an inspiration to me. After going through a rough patch recently, she said to me, "Life really sucks for me right now. But you know what? I am going to fucking win. Because if I do not keep telling myself that, life will win instead." In the last 500m of the last piece, that was all I could think of--I am going to fucking win.
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| Amber and me at my wedding |
To me, these interval pieces at high rates never feel good, but it does feel good to get a few under our belts for San Diego!
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