ffflllooowww.....
Obvious or not, I've been tardy in my blog entries. Purposely.
Following the Columbia Oly distance race (see ‘humbled & depleted - but not deterred’) I needed to regroup, evaluate performance, and get in the groove. The latter being the most important. I remain simply astounded as to the importance of the mental game and its role on race day.
Yesterday was mid-week of my peak interval week. Then taper for two weeks before the Morgantown 1/2 iron distance. A planned morning swim was 4x400's at about race pace with 1:30 rest/recovery interval between each work interval for 1600 meters or about a mile total. I completed the first work/rest interval slightly winded, but okay. I started the 2nd interval and was a few laps in when things started to...fffllllooowww. That elusive sensation we all strive to hit. I felt like I could have gone on forever – so, I did. Lap after lap after lap, hyper focused in the immediate moment. At an average stroke rate of about 17 per 25m, it was nothing less than blissful. No fatigue and breathing perfectly in sync with my stroke. After logging 31,680 meters since January 3rd, I FINALLY feel what it's like to effortlessly slip through the water. I've worked so hard on the swim to get to this. I stopped at 168 laps (4200m or little over 2.5 miles) only because I'd be late for work meeting (the kind you do NOT want to be late for).
What was suppose to be a fast, intense, high HR 30 min training session turned into a one hour and twenty minute aquatic orgasm.