RR for the fishes, and for me to look back on in years to come(hopefully) and have a record of things done right or wrong..
SO last meet before cracking the 70 barrier, and had slightly elevated expectations because of my training leading up from the last meet 2 months ago. More gym and my running took a big jump in pace when I got up to ver 10mpw, even had a trailing 7 day of 19 miles. 3 days out took off swim, ran first day, nothing 2nd, and easy warm up with few light high paces day before.
Thing with this meet is that each day they start with a distant free event, so day one was 1500 and I dint have to even be at pool before 11am. 200IM first event up, my best event personally and what I truly work on. First meet events are funny though, you have no idea about your taper, if it hit, or how just in general you will feel.
Fly went well, relaxed and a 38. Push off to back and right away calf cramp starts coming. I have had this before and just let it go and swim through it, but that entails tearing my calf muscle, and then weeks of rehab. So I do what I do in workouts, point toe up and try and swim with a rudder, with no real back kick. Really shitty feeling since I have been working so hard on my back, last meet I went my best split ever with a 47, so was thinking 46 was easily in the cards. Rudder split was a 49, ugh. Breast went well as that motion had no cramping issue and bested my last race by a second and a 49. Free felt pretty good and got back same as fly, 38+. Overall was 2;55 flat, a few 100th’s faster than world senior games 2 months ago. But for sure I had a 2;52+ that day in me, so at least felt good about the taper and things to come. 24 guys in the 65 to 69 age group at this meet, time got me 3rd.
Next up was 200 breast, 3;16 was the target to beat. Felt good out in 45, then high 49’s for a 3;13 flat. Very happy with time, netted me a 4th in the AG.
Day 2 started with 200fly and made a big mistake at my buddies house where I stayed, and drank his full strength coffee, and even had another big one on the drive to pool. It had been awhile since my pacemaker went off like that, I just forgot about this trigger and the entire warm up it was pinging me. So I made a strategy to just float the race and see where I was at with my breathing. Did a 3;11 earlier but survival was the goal. Taking it down a notch saved me, basically did my breast stroke splits and ended up with same time 3;13. As this event is avoided like the plague by old men, it got me my first win, but not really happy with how this morning played out.
3+ hours later was the 400IM. I was dreading it, but it did seem the caffeine had passed through my system and heart seemed to beating on its own. Same strategy, go out conservative and see what’s up. Last meet I had pacemaker going off with this event(as it was first of meet early in morning after too much coffee) and muddled through with a 6;37. My goal going in was sub 6;28, as that was 4th best in the nation and a time I could actually reach. Fly. out in 1;34 which went well, then all that back work finally showed up and I split a 1;38. For comparison both 50’s in this race were faster than my 200IM split, so that validated my 2;52 probable in that swim. 1;45 in breast was solid and came home in 44 and 41 for 1;25. That last split for free is usually better, think I eased too much into that first 50. Total time 6;24, so moved up one slot in nations top 10 to 4th. Happy with result and 13 seconds faster than my pacemaker swim earlier.
Last day started with 100 fly, just felt terrible and struggled at 75 meters. Did 1;25 earlier, but last year went 1;19 here, so that was the goal. Out in 38+ back in 43+ for 1;22. I know something off when I do the same opening 50 here as I did on a relaxed 200IM. No explanation, have to think about this.
Last event hours later is 100IM. It is a fun event for me and I just love to swim it. Did a 1;18.1 earlier, so was looking for low 1;17 or even a sub. Fly felt good and out with field, and bam, back calf cramp again and up pops the rudder again. All come good on breast and felt fast on free, for 1;18 high. Not happy with time of course but once again handicapping with cramp, was going to be a good swim.
So a mixed bag of 6 races, two 1st, two 3rd, a 4th and a 5th. Last year I was high point champ in the AG, but so many things had to break my was for that to happen. This year was kind of in the hunt, but new guy in AG from Oregon took it down with 108pts, then two guys at 102 and me in 4th at 101pts. As a last meet I will take it, showed that over the 5 years in SCM I didn’t fade too much and even probable best time in that 200IM.
Now have to hold, build, and navigate the gauntlet to 70+. My times now are all podium there, and if I can scratch out a few more tenths I could even be fighting for national bests here and there. Thanks for supporting once again, you guys are my lane mates in my empty world of swimming alone..
