Setting our pace

I don't think I get your premise. I can do 100s on 1:20 for ever and a day. but as soon as I go down to 1:15 I'm huffing and puffing and barely making it...(I can probably make just about 10 at that pace at the moment on a REALLY good day) but...my ideal goals for repeat 100s are as follows: 20x100 @ 1:15 (currently can hold 1:06s if they are on 1:20) 10x100@ 1:10 (Currently can hold 1:03-4s if they are on 1:15) 5x100 @ 1:05-just make them (5:25 500free) (Currently can hold 1:02s if they are on 1:15) When you do 100y repeats on a 1:15 interval are you "barely making it," or are you "holding 1:03-4s" and thus getting more than ten seconds' rest on each one? To me, "barely making it" is what I do at a 1:15/100y pace: I bring each one in around 1:12. I can do that on a good workout day for 1000y, maybe 2000y, and I usually race the 1650 at about a 1:12 pace. (To bring down my 1650 time between now and May, I will work both on increasing the overall amount of work I can do in practice at a 1:15/100y pace and also, especially next year, on swimming more on longer intervals but with higher effort.) If you want to improve the duration for which you can work right at your aerobic threshhold (which you would if your goal were a fast 500/1000/1650), and if you can do 10 x 100y on 1:15 holding under 1:05, then it's probably time to tighten up your interval to 1:10, or to dial back the swimming just a notch so that you can make 1:15 for 20 reps. If you can do 20 x 100y on 1:20 holding 1:06, there is no way you can't make 20 x 100y on 1:15; you just don't know how yet. Maybe try pacing with a teammate?

Try going a set of 100's like this... 1 on 1:40 1 on 1:35 1 on 1:30 Repeat 4 times. I will try that. It sounds like a good idea.

Well here's an update for you all: I opted out of going to Florida with my team for our winter training trip--needed some time away from the regular coach and boy am I glad I did! We have this amazing coach--that we met for the first time when we got back here on the 27th for our first practice. We have been doing amazing workouts (harder, faster, longer) than anything we've done before. It's an amazing feeling to swim for 5 days like this a see and feel the differences in my conditioning and watch my times shave down. I did 21x100s on 1:15 this morning. Which was one of my goals. Granted...I barely made them--less than 5 seconds rest on each one by the end...but it was at the end of practice...so I am pretty dang happy with that. I also did 10x200s this morning holding 2:20s which is a big step up for me as well. ((I am NOT a practice swimmer) (and even more so since there is no competition--there are only 3 of us here training and i've been doing my sets on different intervals than the other two who are a tad slower)

way to go Morgan!:cheerleader::weightlifter:

To me, "barely making," an interval is less than 3 seconds rest. My lane regularly gets intervals of 100s on 1:30, 1:25, sometimes 1:20. Occasionally we'll get them on 1:15....on a good day, I'll, "barely make," a 1:15 interval (touch + turn). On the extremely rare VERY GOOD DAY, I can do maybe 3 to 5x100 @ 1:10 (when the stars are in perfect alignment, I've had the perfect amount of rest, etc). Its been a while since I've timed a fast 100, but I did a 1:03 during a practice once last year. On an off day, I usually won't even make the 1:20 interval, unless I put on some toys, which I try to avoid. Our 100x100s (yds) is this Sat, it will be interesting to see what kind of intervals we're given (still haven't decided if I'll do it, depends how I feel when I wake up Sat morn).

Our 100x100s (yds) is this Sat, it will be interesting to see what kind of intervals we're given (still haven't decided if I'll do it, depends how I feel when I wake up Sat morn).We are doing our 100 100’s tomorrow. The plan is to have one group do: 1) 6 on 1:40 2) 6 on 1:35 3) 6 on 1:30 4) 6 on 1:25 5) 1 on 2:00 or 3:00 (extra minute if potty break needed) Repeat 1-5 4 times. Group 2: 6 on 1:35 6 on 1:30 6 on 1:25 6 on 1:20 1 on 2:00 or 3:00 The swimmers can mix and match kick pull and stroke as we go. Note – by doing these in groups of 6, each group always starts on the top or the bottom making it easier to keep track.

I hold everything on a 1:10 base, seems to work for me. So, basically if I do lets say 5x300's they are on 3:30 and normally just hold between 3:10-3:15 at a nice cruise speed. 15 seconds seems like and eternity at times and to much rest, usually I like the 5-10 seconds of rest between intervals. greg

In order to improve I think you have to vary your intervals. Short rest intervals are good for some practices, but you need to do some intervals with longer rest, holding a faster pace. Gradually you will be able to swim the faster pace with shorter rest. For example, if you swim 15 x 100 on 1:30 maintaining 1:20, you should try 5 x 100 on 1:40 keeping your swim time under 1:20. When you can keep your repeats under 1:20 for 10-15 100s, shorten the interval. It's amazing how much progress you can make in a few months.

I am realizing over this winter training--since we've been doing more long stuff since I am being converted into a distance swimmer apparently, that I probably always was a more distancey time swimmer, because while I do have fairly good times for a sprinter in the 50-200, I really excel at maintaining my paces, and finishing long swims fast (negative splitting).. While I can do 7-10x100 @115 now (the first 5 I can get like 5 seconds rest, the last couple are more of a touch and go kinda thing--1:17 is probably my ideal pace at the moment but thats very hard on the mind to think of the intervals) when I do 200s and 300s my times are on the 110 or 115 interval and I always have plenty of rest...I can easily swim a set of a couple 200s holding 220s and going on 225 or 230, and a set of 300s I have been doing on 330 and coming in on the 315 or faster... I just naturally like to build sets, even in my 100s I build without even thinking about it...imagine how fast I could hold 100s if I would kick for the first 50 haha.

I really excel at maintaining my paces, and finishing long swims fast (negative splitting).. ...I can easily swim a set of a couple 200s holding 220s and going on 225 or 230, and a set of 300s I have been doing on 330 and coming in on the 315 or faster. Yes, you're obviously a distance swimmer since you can only maintain a 1:10 pace on 200s, but a 1:05 pace on 300s! :)