I rode to the pool today, which is about 5 miles away. I started off by doing a 500 yard swim. That was a little tough. I did it in about 11 minutes. For comparision last year I was doing them in about 9:30. But at least I was able to swim that far without a break. Then I swam six 100's, each in 2:30 including rest. For the first four of those 100's I was swimming them in about 2 minutes and so I had around 30 seconds rest. I needed it. Then I decided to slow it way down to see what happened.

I ended up having a much better time of it. I wasn't so out of breath and after the end of the set of six 100's I kept swimming almost continuously until it was time to get out of the pool becuase lap swim was over. I ended up swimming 1750 yards and could have gone quite a bit further. I estimate that I was swimming those slowed down hundred in about 2:15 and it felt so much better. I didn't even need the rest any more.

Lesson learned: For distance I need to slow way down from what we are swimming in class. I think that the 45 minute class is better for sprint and maybe olympic distance swims than anything longer. In the past he pushes us quite a bit, which I adapt to. But when trying to go longer, I have to go much slower.