200 Challenge: Goal time, roadmap and status updates

Goal Update. This weekend was my SCM taper meet. Last year I swam 2.09.5 in the meet, but I had a better 200yd (converted) swim in the meantime. Positives going into the meet: Consistent workout regime and yardage, good progression into speed lactate work, no serious illness or major aches and pains. Negatives going into the meet: unable to swim fast enough in workout to hit pace goals (eg in broken 200sets), weak tune up meet performances with no 200s, 200free late in the meet (2nd day of meet after 2 swims earlier in the morning). So, excuses made, my time/splits: 29.26, 32.60, 33.37, 31.94: 2.07.17 (Highly ambitious) Goal pace was 29.5/31/31.5/31 +/- for a 2.03+ Analysis: 1st 50 goal pace, 2nd 50 1.5 sec below goal pace, 3rd 50 -weak- nearly 2 sec below goal, 4th 50 1 sec below goal. My wall work was poor in the second half of the race. So, goals going forward - strengthen mid section of the race by working closer to race pace in workouts (easier said than done). Also need real focus on 200, but I'm still in generalist mode. I can get good drops at the taper meets, but I need to be much closer to goal pace leading up to meet. Overall very happy with my meet performances, but the 200free was one of my weaker swims.

Goal Update. This weekend was my SCM taper meet. Last year I swam 2.09.5 in the meet, but I had a better 200yd (converted) swim in the meantime. Positives going into the meet: Consistent workout regime and yardage, good progression into speed lactate work, no serious illness or major aches and pains. Negatives going into the meet: unable to swim fast enough in workout to hit pace goals (eg in broken 200sets), weak tune up meet performances with no 200s, 200free late in the meet (2nd day of meet after 2 swims earlier in the morning). So, excuses made, my time/splits: 29.26, 32.60, 33.37, 31.94: 2.07.17 (Highly ambitious) Goal pace was 29.5/31/31.5/31 +/- for a 2.03+ Analysis: 1st 50 goal pace, 2nd 50 1.5 sec below goal pace, 3rd 50 -weak- nearly 2 sec below goal, 4th 50 1 sec below goal. My wall work was poor in the second half of the race. So, goals going forward - strengthen mid section of the race by working closer to race pace in workouts (easier said than done). Also need real focus on 200, but I'm still in generalist mode. I can get good drops at the taper meets, but I need to be much closer to goal pace leading up to meet. Overall very happy with my meet performances, but the 200free was one of my weaker swims.