September 2016 Week 1 Session 3

Session 3 in this block focuses on pace and needs a Finis Tempo Trainer Pro to guide the time for each length. Julian set a goal of 1:54min/100m for 100m sets based on me being able to achieve 1:52min/100m with him. I set the metronome to 38seconds per length and left to beep all through today's session which was only slightly irritating. I didn't bother timing the rests as I aimed to set off on a fast set with the next beep.

I found that, once settled in, I could achieve the first length within the time, the second was tough and the third unachievable.

Thus in the middle of the routine I managed to beat 2:00min/100m for both individual lengths and 100m sets a number of times but couldn't do this at the end of the session when I'd covered 2000m. Of course there are timing errors as starting the watch and setting off at 'three beeps' takes time and indeed stopping the watch at the end too. Late in the session the lane was getting busy and I stopped to wait to focus on a single fast length rather than completing  a slow 100m set. This seemed the best approach as the goal was pace.

The first week in a block has always been the worst as I don't know how to adapt and I've not trained into it so I hope that I'll be able to achieve the 1:54min/100m goal so that I can move onto the next block feeling that I've succeeded.

It's a small point, but I found wearing a cap (to hold the metronome) rather unpleasant and tight around my head although perhaps it kept water out of my ears. It certainly dulled my hearing.