How Crazy Is This?

RE: How Crazy Is This?

Former Member — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:25:57 GMT

The best I have done in a "real" pool (25 meters short course or long course) is 10X100 on 1:20 pull training fresh and rested. I can almost match that swimming at 10X100 on 1:25 if I am fresh. I have always found yards swimming to be a bit of a mystery. There is a big difference between doing 10 x 100's on 1:25 in LCM v. SCM but either way you are doing a pretty darn good set. And 10x100's on 1:20 pull is outstanding. I once saw two kids do 7x700's on 7:77 (8:17) and thought that was pretty impressive and mildly creative.

RE: How Crazy Is This?

Former Member — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:11:17 GMT

Still, the guy is knocking off times that I could not meet when I was nineteen and at my peak. Heck, he pulled off a low 58 for the 100 meter back; my best time ever was 59.3 short course meters at the 1981 NAIA Championships, when SFU were still Savage's Raiders. I would love to know how he trains and how he juggles the rest of his life as well. Granted, the day he handed me my suit, he was gunning for the World record of somewhere in the mid 56 zone. He was dead on track up to about 85 meters too, and then his legs gave out. One thing though: it may be all grey, but I have more hair than him.:D Hes the Canadian Chris Stevenson! Check out Stevensons blog - I would imagine Wellys training is something along those lines. Good luck with the times and training - keep us updated. M

RE: How Crazy Is This?

Former Member — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:22:46 GMT

Not a 55 yard pool like at UBC then? You mean Empire Games Pool? That ego buster? Its just a bit longer than 50 meters and that always puts training times just a bit out. You don't want to slow down your rep times, but it costs you about 1 to 2 seconds on the hundred. I grew up about fifteen minutes from that pool. Great training pool. It looks like youre well on your way - but why so much pull? Youre not going to be using paddles/pullbuoy in a race, and it seems to be racing that youre interested in, yeah? Just a thought. I love pull. I always have. Even back in the late seventies as an age grouper, but that was pretty common back then: coaches were pushing us to keep up with the Soviet Red Army and they were logging 20 to 30 K per day. One way to do that is to fry the shoulders and log the meters doing front-crawl pull. I even custom made my own paddles back then. I have come to my senses now: pull is rarely more than 25% of any session. Dropping the pull did nothing but improve my swimming. And dont feel bad that you got your ass handed to you by Welechuk at provincials - he does that to everyone - does it to me all the time! Still, the guy is knocking off times that I could not meet when I was nineteen and at my peak. Heck, he pulled off a low 58 for the 100 meter back; my best time ever was 59.3 short course meters at the 1981 NAIA Championships, when SFU were still Savage's Raiders. I would love to know how he trains and how he juggles the rest of his life as well. Granted, the day he handed me my suit, he was gunning for the World record of somewhere in the mid 56 zone. He was dead on track up to about 85 meters too, and then his legs gave out. One thing though: it may be all grey, but I have more hair than him.:D

RE: How Crazy Is This?

Former Member — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:13:00 GMT

Its a little crazy to think youre going to be catching the age groupers, but I like the enthusiasm. Pace yourself... As for training ideas, check the top of this page for the "Blogs" option. Read around - theyre awesome. Keep in mind that a lot of the blogs on there are in scy, this taking place in 'merica and all (although that may be different in the summer, I think a lot of them are lcm right now). Under no circumstances should you allow yourself to be discouraged by some of the speed and distances you will read about on there - some of those dudes are incredible. When you say "hold 1:15 repeats" are you saying that this is your interval time? If so then you are currently going under 5:00 for a 400 free. As for breath control, I have no idea - I'm a total air pig.\ Sprints = good Aerobic = good Anaerobic = good Lactate threshold = good Slow technique empahasis = good Work it all. good luck M

RE: How Crazy Is This?

Former Member — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:37:54 GMT

Not a 55 yard pool like at UBC then? It looks like youre well on your way - but why so much pull? Youre not going to be using paddles/pullbuoy in a race, and it seems to be racing that youre interested in, yeah? Just a thought. 10x100 @1:25 SCM aint too shabby, and I think youll easily get your goal times, but you need to rest before meets (and maybe ease back on the throttle a bit - youve been back into swimming how long, and youre already thinking about swimming with the age groupers?). Youre a ripper, that much is obvious, but I think youve got to work into it a bit. And dont feel bad that you got your ass handed to you by Welechuk at provincials - he does that to everyone - does it to me all the time!

RE: How Crazy Is This?

Former Member — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:37:10 GMT

When you say "hold 1:15 repeats" are you saying that this is your interval time? If so then you are currently going under 5:00 for a 400 free. M The 1:15 repeats were actually done last week in a wierd old 50 yard outdoor pool doing pull. With paddles and pull buoy on, I can almost match my teen-age times. The best I have done in a "real" pool (25 meters short course or long course) is 10X100 on 1:20 pull training fresh and rested. I can almost match that swimming at 10X100 on 1:25 if I am fresh. I have always found yards swimming to be a bit of a mystery. Racing I tend to have performance anxiety. I rarely rest before meets and I often feel like manure from the first length. If I am on, I can be really on. If I am off, well, then nobody should really wait for the end of the race because it is going to be a while. I notice that you train out of Vancouver, my old stomping ground. I see Graham Wellbourne is still ripping up the pool out there. He was amazing when I trained with him back in the late seventies. Its like the guy does not age. I am heading out to Vancouver in late July and August. I hope to get my dose of outdoor training down at my favourite outdoor pool: Kitsalano. You should post a picture of that monster here so everyone can froth. One hundred and thirty-seven point five meters of training in one length. Twelve lengths to the mile and you can actually think of doing sprint-swim training within one length and expect to reach exhaustion.