Hi, I just joined USMS last month. I swim for fitness, and I have been doing this for a long time. I am working on lowering my time in the 500 free because I would like to swim in meets someday. I train on my own almost exclusively, except for an occasional workout with a masters team. I have 2-3 hours a week to practice except during the summer months when I have a lot more time to train due to having summers off from my job as a teacher. My current time in the 500 free is 8:40. My goals are to bring this time down to under 8 minutes by the end of the year and to under 7 minutes by the end of next year. I am 6'1" and weigh 193 lbs. Any suggestions that will help me reach my goals are appreciated!
Yesterday I swam the first 100 in 1:30, but I dropped off the pace after that; I couldn't hold it for any additional 100s. So, after the first 100 I adjusted the time on my Tempo Trainer Pro and also swam 6 75s after the first 2 100s. The set I had set out to do was 10x100 on 3:00 holding 1:30s. My times per length after the first set ended up being between 23.25 per length and :25 per length. The last 2 100s were on 1:40. If only I could hold that 1:30 time for 5 100s! That would put me at 3:00 for the 200 and 7:30 for the 500. I will count the number of strokes I'm taking per length next time, too.
I'm not sure if you completed your 10 x 100 set or not, though it seems like you didn't. I think you need to adjust your pace to something you can sustain for a full 10 x 100, and adjust your sendoff interval to something that gives you closer to :15 to :20 of rest. For instance, 10 x 100 @ 2:00, holding 1:45's for each repeat. If that is too easy then adjust to holding 1:40's. This will give you some aerobic base and muscle endurance to improve your 500 and 200 times. You can still do some pace work but I think you need to do some base building work as well.
The same principle would hold true for the USRPT I mentioned earlier in this thread. You need to select a pace that you can sustain for a number of efforts.
Yesterday I swam the first 100 in 1:30, but I dropped off the pace after that; I couldn't hold it for any additional 100s. So, after the first 100 I adjusted the time on my Tempo Trainer Pro and also swam 6 75s after the first 2 100s. The set I had set out to do was 10x100 on 3:00 holding 1:30s. My times per length after the first set ended up being between 23.25 per length and :25 per length. The last 2 100s were on 1:40. If only I could hold that 1:30 time for 5 100s! That would put me at 3:00 for the 200 and 7:30 for the 500. I will count the number of strokes I'm taking per length next time, too.
I'm not sure if you completed your 10 x 100 set or not, though it seems like you didn't. I think you need to adjust your pace to something you can sustain for a full 10 x 100, and adjust your sendoff interval to something that gives you closer to :15 to :20 of rest. For instance, 10 x 100 @ 2:00, holding 1:45's for each repeat. If that is too easy then adjust to holding 1:40's. This will give you some aerobic base and muscle endurance to improve your 500 and 200 times. You can still do some pace work but I think you need to do some base building work as well.
The same principle would hold true for the USRPT I mentioned earlier in this thread. You need to select a pace that you can sustain for a number of efforts.
