Swimming is getting Easier.

Obviously, the more you do something the better you get--at least usually. My swimming seems to have gone to another level. I think the main reason is that I am in much better shape. Despite the lack of any running for the past couple of months I could hammer the Mr. Flynn (me) that finished the Vikingman the beginning of June. I doubt it would take me too long to get the legs back to do the half marathon despite the lack of running too. Compared to me a couple of months ago I am lighter, faster, stronger,...sort of like the six million dollar man but without the bionics, the cool theme song, the super human strength--OK I am not at all like the the six million dollar man, but I am sure that I could kick Lee Majors butt these days.

Back to the topic at hand. Today was the normal Monday swim class. Because last Wednesday was a cake-walk I figured it would be tough. It should have been, but I felt great the whole workout. Behold, the work out:

200 yards warm up
Ten 50's at 1:15
Eight 50's at 1:10
Six 50's at 1:05
Four 50's at 1:00
Two 50's at 0:55
100 yards cool down

Total yardage--not including warm up or cool down--was 1500 yards

I tried to maintain a good pace that made me push a bit, but that I felt I could maintain for a long time. This worked out to be 55 seconds per 50 yards. So for the first set I had 20 seconds rest after every 50 yards, which felt easy. I held that pace up until the last set, the two 50's at 0:55 each. The idea of this last set is to see if we can actually make the times at all. In the past I haven't been able to do it because by this point I am too tired. Well, I was feeling pretty fresh so, I wanted to see what I had left in the tank. I decided to turn that set of two 50's into just one 100 yard length and go as hard as I possible without blowing up. I managed a 1:42 for that 100 yards, or 51 seconds for each 50. I felt like I could have gone faster too when I finished. I was just afraid of blowing up so that first 50 I took easier than the last one. Basically I felt great. My goal for the next timed 500 we do will be 9:00. That would rock and would give me some confidence going into this little sprint tri I plan on doing the end of this month.