Impact of Mathraki coaching

I've been to the pool a number of times since returning from Mathraki and tried to integrate points from the coaching. My plan has been to do short sets where I focus on an aspect such as:

• Hip rotation and core engagement
• Pushing past hips
• Legs high
• Leading with wrist

and then do a few lengths trying to do it all, with a bit of pace. My stroke has gradually felt more powerful and today I think I have seen a clear gain.

Although the pool wasn't heavily booked when I made my reservation, the lane was nearly full when I arrived.  This always encourages me to avoid being slow and blocking the lane, but has often simply made me less efficient. Today, however, I completed my 200yd set in 4:05 minutes which is definitely a PB. 

For subsequent sets I aimed to set off behind a convey to give me more space and time and hopefully feel less pressured. Some lengths included simple drills such as catch-up but through the session I managed to do 5 sets of 100yards which were under 2 minutes. Previously I have achieved sub 2 minutes for a set but not 5 in one session.

Perhaps technique and pace gains are being consolidated at last? 

Back into progress

Three weeks ago my session in the endless pool was unproductive, and unfortunately the next day I had shoulder pain and needed to book in with the physio! With hindsight I think there was a combination of holding a streamline position at the limit of my range of movement, a general lethargy of unknown origin, and no doubt an element of overtraining. Any one of these may well have been manageable in themselves but together they were too much.

After another endless pool session, some ordinary swims, another physio session, and a less busy week I felt back on track. Yesterday's endless pool session felt like a step forwards, my lead arm is usually facing forwards, my shoulder dive to the right is reduced and with concentration my head swinging disappears. When the pool speed was increased above my comfort zone I re-adopted some poor practices. I must remember to focus on the coaching tips even more when I need the power.

Today's 'ordinary' swim was more evidence that the coaching and focussed practice is working. I recorded a 200 yard PB of 4:10 minutes and two sets of 100 yards in 2:01 minutes, so not PBs, but demonstrative of consistency. Perhaps I was a little less efficient than for my last PB as my stroke average was 13 today, although some lengths were completed in 12 strokes (which of course means some were 14!).

I like to think that the plantar fasciitis is resolving slightly but the rate of improvement is so slow that I also wonder if I'm just hoping that to be true.

Progress being consolidated

This afternoon's swim session was a little busier than usual, which makes me try a little harder so as not to be a blockage in the lane. In the past, that effort seemed to be pointless arm spinning with little effective impact on pace. Today however it felt, and measured, a bit different.

My 200yd set took 4:16 minutes which must be a PB, I doubted my reading of my watch as I peered into the screen without my glasses. But it is uploaded and crystal clear. I did some catch-up drill sets and focussed on reach to catch transition on some lengths. All whilst trying not to bob my head. With a good time and some 'work' under my belt I tried a 100yd set. I pushed, but not too much, I knew that form had to exceed effort. 

1:56min for 100yds

I was rewarded with a clear sub-2 minute set. Now that's 10% less than 200m, at the same pace I'd have hit 2:07 minutes for 100m. To achieve 2 minutes for 100m, each 25 yards must be completed in 27.4s. That goal pace is looking achievable. As mentioned previously I don't trust my sub-2 minutes achievement in the 18m pool...

Metric mile again

I felt in the mood to do a slightly longer swim today especially as I wasn't sure that I wanted to drive to Doncaster tomorrow (put off by last week's failure). My plan was to take it easy so set off at 59SPM, raised to 60 after 7 lengths and then 61 after around 25 lengths. Even with the slight increase in cadence my pace faded slightly but not terribly and nor did I feel worn out by the end.

I lost count of lengths and the watch didn't record accurately but pushed on for another 15 or so to exceed 1500m. My timings were:

1000m 24:10 minutes equating to 2:25min/100
1500m 36:37 minutes including a 3 second pause and thus 2:26min/100m

I'm very pleased with this as a personal best by a little at 1000m:

19/07/19  2:25 min/100m
02/02/18  2:28 min/100m (24:39 minutes)
18/01/18  2:32 min/100m
05/03/17  2:42 min/100m
04/01/16  3:02 min/100m
26/02/15  3:40 min/100m

A month ago I tried too hard to do a PB 1000m and didn't manage to sustain a decent pace. The metric mile was a PB too:

19/07/19  2:26min/100m
09/03/18  2:30 min/100m
16/02/18  2:32 min/100m
06/02/17  2:38 min/100m
04/01/16  3:02 min/100m
05/03/15  3:35 min/100m
26/07/14  3:52 min/100m (estimated)

All this was done with RHS breathing whilst trying to make an attempt to rotate nicely. Very satisfied.

Not quite a 1000m personal best

This evening I set out to do a well paced 1000m set. Initially I set a SPM at 61 and after 200m moved up to 62SPM. This was hard work and my pace showed a decline from under 2:20min/100m to approaching 2:30min/100m. I'm sad to say that at 900m I stopped for a break as my chest felt as though it was going to explode! After 20seconds or so I put the final effort in and finished the set.

Excitingly even WITH the pause the time is a PB of 24:13minutes, ahead by 9 seconds. If I could have completed the set in one go it would have been a stunning 30 seconds taken off. No wonder I was finding it hard work. I'm fairly happy with 9:24minutes for the first 400m with RHS only breathing. This isn't a PB but I know that I lost a few seconds in the lane and it wasn't a 400m CSS set but the start of a longer set.

Fast & slow

The last 10 to 14 days have been mixed. I've struggled to be enthused to swim after work as every day has felt too long and too stressful. So I arrived at last Sunday under-exercised and felt energetic on my usual run from Whirlow to Oxstones.

I reached Oxstones in a 2nd fastest time and after a very brief pause pushed on along Houndkirk Road. At my turn I was please to have reached it in under 45 minutes - often it's closer to 48minutes. Turning around I noted that the wind still wasn't in my face. Often if I do a good pace along the byway I discover that I've been wind-assisted and then have resistance in the other direction. I kept up the effort back to the car park and achieved a PB of under 1 hour 20 minutes.

Everything wasn't good though as in the afternoon a develop marked pain in my left heel very close to the symptoms described online for achilles tendonosis. To be fair, the issue has been bubbling under for a few weeks. I blame it on running to a meeting I was late for in my Vivobarefoot boots. Luckily on Monday I had a physio appointment. Indeed my putative diagnosis was correct and I was advised off running for a few days at least. It's likely that a fast run on a background of too little training was just too much. I feel it is improving now but not sure I should run tomorrow.

Meanwhile my swimming has got slower and slower. Unlike running, where I can achieve a good outcome after a 'rest', swimming ability seems to ebb away day by day. Today's 'spike set' was incredibly slow and my pace dropped off markedly across a mere 1133m. I was making a distinct effort to take the rest sets genuinely slowly and gently but even when trying to be faster I didn't achieve much pace. At least I did make the effort so perhaps I've been able to halt the swimming decline?

Steady working

Over the weekend I'd been working under the floor so started the week feeling worked-out. I committed to a 1000m set at a 'steady' pace using 60SPM set on TempoTrainer to keep my mind on the process. It gradually became hard work and I felt my stroke failing. The pace data shows an overall fading.

The SPL increased gradually too from 21 to 24. Nonetheless I kept focus as much as possible and completed in 24:22min a pace of 2:26min/100m. This is equal to my PB and barely a percent improvement on where I was last year:

04/02/19 2:26min/100m
02/07/18 2:26min/100m

02/02/18 2:28min/100m

18/01/18 2:32 min/100m
05/03/17 2:42 min/100m
04/01/16 3:02 min/100m
26/02/15 3:40 min/100m

That's a success seeing that I had a few months break after this peak in July 2018 and then had to work my way back. Last year I did say that "I wasn't really trying", this time I was making an effort.

After this main set I experimented with bilateral breathing for jus 2 length sets. Taking a steady 59SPM I was slow and struggled to breath, almost with a dead spot. A higher cadence of 66SPM felt more balanced although the effort felt considerable. 63 to 64 seems best and with less leading-arm droop.

Trying a bit of pace

I needed a change of approach today and didn't have any aids with me to hope the session pass. I decided to alternate single length fast intervals with two lengths of bilateral breathing. The speedier lengths were pretty good, and I managed 1 in just under 40seconds which I think qualifies as a personal best equating to 2:00min/100m. Just as a note, in previous blog entires I've mentioned achieving this pace but that was WITH a pullbuoy.

For the 'rest' sets I focussed on bilateral breathing with a roll and trying to keep a relaxed style and not rush. Admittedly that distance seemed enough to feel comfortable but I was happy with a pace of around 2:20min/100m.

Using a web swim watch viewer  that displays SPM it was clear that I increased SPM to do the fast intervals beyond the warmup. However I also needed a faster arm turnover for the bilateral breathing sets related naturally to higher SPL. This shows inefficient strokes and probably a panicky approach to breathing with a falling leading arm.

Anyway, progress is occurring. Let's hope elbow is OK tomorrow.

Loss of pace

After work my elbow felt pretty good so I decided in favour of a swim; even though over the weekend I'd thought I might quit for the whole of July. I thought that a continuous swim was needed as I've become far too used to stopping for sets or intervals and lost the feeling of just keeping going.

The image tells the story as my pace showed a tailing off from start to finish. For the first 20 lengths I felt fine but I was well aware that the last 12 were a struggle. Nonetheless a scan of my blog suggests that 24:22min for 1000m is a PB with an average pace of 2:26min/100m.

02/07/18 2:26min/100m
02/02/18 2:28min/100m
18/01/18 2:32 min/100m
05/03/17 2:42 min/100m
04/01/16 3:02 min/100m
26/02/15 3:40 min/100m

During and after the swim my shoulder and elbow felt good so maybe I am healing?

Short and 'fast'

I had under 20 minutes for today's afterwork swim. So I started off sensibly on a 400m set and finished with a bit of a push. I was very satisfied to record 9:04 minutes with a negative split for the final 100m.

After that I finished off with 200m and 67m sets. I'm very pleased that 'sensible pace' is now well below 2:30min/100m.

Importantly I tried to focus on a good vertical forearm and pressing through my upper arm so as not to load around my elbows.

Short swims

My shoulder felt much better during today's activity and I had time to do a short swim so that worked out well. I didn't plan to do anything from my programme, just do a few sets to loosen my arms nd keep some technique.

Anyway, today's personal best for a 200m of 4:21 minutes knocked off over 10 seconds. This shows that I might be usually fatigued for training and that keeping a good form with focus can give a good pace without a rushed feeling. I suspect that this time will take a while to beat!

New longest swim

This morning's long swim was my longest unaided (no pullbuoy etc) pool swim at 3000m. I started a little too fast in the first 1km and trying to maintain that for the second 1km was too hard and I felt as though I 'hit the wall' as is described for running. I committed to a more sedate third 1km and also that I would break it into 10 length sets. I appreciate that I won't be able to stop on my 10km swim but each of these long swims is a stretch currently.

Toward the end of the session I aimed by reach deeper into the water and I think that was helpful; I wonder if I've let it creep too close to the surface recently?  I also dropped the pace, settling into  restful rhythm which felt considerably easier and more sustainable.

A rest day

It isn't often that I feel that I really mustn't exert myself, but today has been one of those days. After work on Friday I completed the week's long swim of 2733m. The pacing was poor in that I slowed progressively and the average was tardy. But it was done and that's the main thing. I think it's the longest swim I've done without wetsuit (record of 3486m) or pullbuoy (record here is 3866m); each week that should be the case now.

On Saturday I worked in the garden for most of the day, digging, lifting and sawing until I was really tired. Nonetheless on Sunday morning I walked to the gym for a CSS set and found that I couldn't develop much power and my pace was way off the mark. I was a good 10 seconds per length slower and needed 1 or 2 more strokes per length. Still fatigued then. Just to be sure I shovelled hardcore and worked to get a smooth gradient across 20m² of dirt with a hand-sized rammer. Maybe it would have been worth hiring a compactor?

Anyway the gardening job seems OK thus far and a day in work wasn't too bad without a swim or run. I wonder if I'll be OK for paddles tomorrow?

A good long swim

After work I leant my shoulders into the week's long swim and was happy to complete 2067m. It was tiring and for 50 minutes or so of exercise surprisingly tough as I don't run with anything like this level of effort.

The outcome was good though as although my pace varied a little I managed 2:30 min/100m for both 1500m and 2000m; both personal bests. I believe I saved 8 minutes on the 2000m since last year's equivalent session which is a significant improvement.

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of today's swim is the rather dull observation that I managed my pacing well as the first 1000m was at 2:30min/100m too. I have to reveal that the two final, 'bonus' lengths were a little slower!

Snow Week

The Goodwin pool has been closed for some of this week due to bad weather and actually I've simply wanted to get home on those evenings. This morning therefore I went to nearby Heeley pool which was clearly stating that it was open. As it's a mere 25 yard pool I planned to do 2000 yards as this week's long swim. I forgot to start my watch and so lost data for the first 20 lengths. Then, as the lane swimming session was coming to an end I lost count and cut short by 2 lengths.

Overall I swam 1950 yards which is only 1783 metres. The pace was practically 2:30min/100m which is OK, although I'd have hoped for better in a short pool.

The first (recorded) 1000m (43.7) lengths took 24:35 which is a PB but I'm reluctant to highlight a drop of 4 seconds (a fraction of a percent!) when it was achieved in a short pool. The 1500m pace is also a PB, but the same caveat about pool length applies although, the pace was around 1% better.

A little bit further

My training plan is requiring progressively longer swims and there's quite a way ahead of me to be ready for 10km.With the advice on high elbow I've very much taken a step back on distance especially as I'm working without the full buoy currently. Nonetheless today I needed to exceed 1500m. Reaching 1667m was quite struggle, especially trying to keep good form. After the first fast lengths my pace settled down and was maintained pretty much through the set; the final two lengths averaged the same as the overall average pace.

From the data I think this is a PB time for the first 1500m as a pool set, I don't think I have an equivalent 2017 swim. Although each week seems to show little progress, data across a few years is quite remarkable.

16/02/18  2:32min/100m
06/02/17  2:38 min/100m
04/01/16  3:02min/100m
05/03/15  3:35min/100m
26/07/14  3:52min/100m (estimated)

In Hatfield, wearing my Alpkit wetsuit, I've certainly not had a pace close to this although in Costa Brava (i.e. salt water advantage too) with the HUUB wetsuit I managed this pace, that is all reasonable as a good wetsuit should make an average swimmer faster.

Pullbuoy timetrail barrier smashed

Whilst working with Julian in London I'd tried a few time to break 8:00minutes for a 400m set with the pullbuoy and whilst I'd come close a year ago I hadn't made clear gains on this over the previous year.

For the last month I've barely used the pullbuoy and have been focusing on the catch phase and have increased my pace remarkably for both single lengths and up to 1000m. Last night I thought I should be able to break the 8:00minute barrier now and today's swim seemed the perfect opportunity.

After a 200m warm-up I set to the trial trying to focus on the catch and hoping the pace would follow.  It was great to rest my legs. Anyway, at the end I could see from my watch that I'd done a great time:

There was some loss of pace towards the end of the set including one length below target pace with some excellent times in the middle the outcome was secure.

After this set really I'd done enough, my arms were tired and working without the pullbuoy felt laborious, but after such a great success the final few lengths weren't psychologically important.

Yet another PB

Around 3 weeks ago I achieved a PB for 1000m by focussing on CoachMorg's high elbow advice. Today I knocked another 40 seconds off to record 24:39 minutes for the first 1000m of my set without really trying. That's a pace of 2:28min/100m, nice to get below 2:30!

02/02/18 2:28min/100m
18/01/18 2:32 min/100m
05/03/17 2:42 min/100m
04/01/16 3:02 min/100m
26/02/15 3:40 min/100m

I've a plan to increase the distance of my 'long swim' so I suspect this won't keep happening as this session really should be about total time rather than pace.  However it's no bad thing to develop pace too as I don't want to be in the water longer than necessary for the 10km I'm training for.

Short pool PB, still making gains

In St Annes YMCA pool this morning I managed another PB without trying all that hard. It's only a 25m length so easy to shave a few seconds but managing 4:40 minutes for 200m is worth noting for me.

I also did a 100m set with bilateral breathing which was OK, a little collapse of leading arm and loss of high elbow, but a fair start. I'm not sure which set it was in my records so not clear on the pace, but that's not important. Across the whole session the pace was fine, although the recorded average pace is incorrectly low due to missed turns (the Garmin 935 isn't as good as the Swim for recording lengths).

I put a fair bit of effort into these short sets and was pleased to see that my pace was better than my estimated CSS suggesting that the CSS may be approximately right.

Trying 1000m

I couldn't stay in 200m sets any longer and so today I went a little against instructions and set out to do 1000m with my new technique. Despite thinking that I was starting slowly the first few lengths were at CSS pace, although I soon settled into a sustainable rhythm. Towards the end of the set I noted that my stroke was becoming scrappy and this is shown in the figures by a progressive increase in SPL from 21 to 26. I refocussed and managed to finish with a final length of 22 strokes.

Over the first 200m (i.e. my usual warm up) I took 4:54min which is clearly below 5:00 minutes although by no means a PB. That makes sense as I had my mind on the longer task. The 1000m took 25:25mins which is a PB pace of 2:32min/100m. Two seconds less will make a great goal!

Some collation of data:

18/01/18 2:32 min/100m (ie 4% better than a year ago)
05/03/17 2:42 min/100m
06/02/17 2:38 min/100m
04/01/16 3:02 min/100m
26/02/15 4:00 min/100m with pauses (moving pace 3:40min/100m)

Looking back over 3 years it is very clear that I've made substantial progress even though week on week gains seem erratic or negligible.