During my Friday night masters workouts, once a month the coach times us on our 1000 meter freestyle set of the workout.
As my goal for the summer, I'd like to try to improve my PR from 20:44 to 19:59.
I think this goal is achievable, but I don't know where to start. Drills? Out of water exercises? Just swim more?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
-RB
RunningBehind - I agree with technique and turns suggestions but a suggestion I have is to try and do the following set in your workouts:
Swim a broken 1,000 as follows in your workouts (maybe do this when your coach asks you to swim the 1,000 straight):
10x100 on 2:10 interval and hold 1:59's or better all the way - this is what you should ultimately aim to do if you want to break 20:00. Since your best time now is 20:44 you are effectively going 2:05 pace. I suggest you first try this set as 10x100 on a 2:15 interval and see if you can complete it holding 2:05's. I do this set and for me the first 5 - 100's are "reasonably" comfortable and then it starts to get hard. Focus on finishing the last five and try to keep your stroke together and keep holding the same time. Another benefit to this set is it really teaches you how to pace and get a good feel for the race over all 1,000 meters.
Maybe when you do your 1,000 set you can alternate each week by doing the intervals and then the next time swimming it straight to get an even better feel for pacing a straight swim versus a broken swim.
Good luck!
RunningBehind - I agree with technique and turns suggestions but a suggestion I have is to try and do the following set in your workouts:
Swim a broken 1,000 as follows in your workouts (maybe do this when your coach asks you to swim the 1,000 straight):
10x100 on 2:10 interval and hold 1:59's or better all the way - this is what you should ultimately aim to do if you want to break 20:00. Since your best time now is 20:44 you are effectively going 2:05 pace. I suggest you first try this set as 10x100 on a 2:15 interval and see if you can complete it holding 2:05's. I do this set and for me the first 5 - 100's are "reasonably" comfortable and then it starts to get hard. Focus on finishing the last five and try to keep your stroke together and keep holding the same time. Another benefit to this set is it really teaches you how to pace and get a good feel for the race over all 1,000 meters.
Maybe when you do your 1,000 set you can alternate each week by doing the intervals and then the next time swimming it straight to get an even better feel for pacing a straight swim versus a broken swim.
Good luck!
