Yesterday was a big swim workout — 2000 yards, which didn’t sound like a lot until I realized it was 40 laps in my apartment complex pool. I don’t think I’d ever done that many laps there before. I was a little intimdated, to tell the truth, because the meat of the workout called for 2×500 with only a one minute break between the two sets. I’ve swum 500-yard sets before, but never doing freestyle the whole way.
I’m happy to report that all this working out is still paying off — I did the two 500-yard repeats in just under 11:00 each, without much of a problem! After that it was 4×25 backstroke (random), followed by another 500 yards of cooldown. For the cooldown, I messed around with all kinds of stuff. Some breaststroke, some freestyle, some drills.
The other interesting item of note was that during my 400-yard warmup, I never got winded. The schedule called for using a pull buoy (a floatation device that you hold between your legs so you don’t have to kick — like the opposite of a kickboard), so I was only pulling with my arms. I wasn’t going hard, obviously, since it was warmup. But man, I could have done laps like that forever! It was interesting to notice how much more tired you get when you have to involve your legs in the stroke as well.
When all was said and done, I’d done 2000 yards (400 warm up, 1100 workout, and 500 cool down) in 50 minutes. 2000 yards is 1.25 miles, which got me thinking about something else…
I’d like to do a Half Ironman. That’s a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. It’s been in the back of my mind, and I know there’s the Ironstar in Conroe at the end of October, but I’d always been sort of thinking about it for next year. 2007. Not 2006. Last night though, I started toying with the idea of trying to do it this year. I mean, by the end of August I’ll be halfway there — doing bike rides of 35 miles, runs of 8 miles, and swims of 2200 yards. I could sign up for On The Run’s next tri training program, which begins right when the current one ends. The Ironstar’s cutoff time is 8 hours, which I can do — a reasonable estimate for me would be something like 45 minutes for the swim, 3:30-3:45 for the bike, and 2:45-3:00 for the run, which would leave me with half an hour to an hour to cover transitions and a bad day.
I could wait until next year, and start all over again. Or I could build on what I’ve already started. Hmm.
Vic says
I say go for it. That will be awesome. Then I can tell all my friends about my rocket scientist, ironwoman friend.
Christy says
A half ironman would be an awesome goal! Sounds like your swimming is going great…gee, I am just trying to work up to 1 lap without swallowing water. 🙂
Barbara says
Do it now! You never know what’s going to happen in 2007 that might make you wish you’d done the half ironman in 2006.
Easy for me to say!
michelle says
Go for it, Sarah!