A clean slate...

Yesterday I bought something that I have been rather coveting ever since I first learned of its existence - a dive slate! Really I have a lifelong obsession with writing implements (and in fact my new book project is at the stage where I need an extravagant visit to a stationer's to buy the exact right pens and writing tablets and charting materials that this particular project calls out for - it is on the agenda for my New York trip in July), and though I can remember the swim workout, I cannot keep track of the times I'm swimming on each interval - a waterproof slate is exactly the ticket...

I set out to do a modified version of a workout Wendy suggested to me last week - basically a long set of freestyle hundreds. The water feels very warm indeed once one is doing harder-effort swims, and I clearly went out too hard at the beginning of my second ten - I deliberately chose the instruction "strong" rather than "hard" because I didn't think I could maintain "hard" for the whole set, but even with that mental cue, I didn't do well with pacing. Live and learn...

20 x 100 on 2:30 (:30 extra rest after the first five and the second five)

1-5 relaxed: 2:18, 2:18, 2:16, 2:16, 2:18

:30 rest

6-10 descending: 2:14, 2:12, 2:05, 2:04, 2:04

:30 rest

11-20 strong: 2:03, 2:05, 2:07, 2:09, 2:10, 2:10, 2:10, 2:10, 2:10, 2:12

1:30 rest

Then 100 all out: 1:58

100 easy breast

2200 meters total

I did manage to take the turn at the traffic light on the way to the pool, but I couldn't quite nerve myself up for the negotiations required to get into the middle lane and turn into the parking lot on the way home - I will see if I can do it next time...