So far, I've shaved 5minutes off my 1500m swim time and it's my 8th week into the training given by Coach Cheng Qiang. I've did today's 24:45 1500m with a pull buoy and without any kicking.
I am very very satisfied and very very happy with the progress but I have to keep myself in check because I know the progress gonna halt really soon if I don't take care of myself and my technique. Also, the rewards will eventually slow down to 1-2 seconds gain in a month or so's time because of something call "Plateau".
Honestly, the progress was way less painful than I expected it to be. Maybe I've a little more tolerance for mundane solo training and thus the RPE is always a little lower. Except last week when I was asked to do repeats of 400s. It was just very uncomfortable to go at a "comfortably uncomfortable" state and for the most part, I was too bothered by my timing rather than focusing on my effort.. Reason was I was just very excited to improve to an avg 1:41 pace for each 100 in the 400 repeats.
Monday: 6:53, 6:42, 6:44, 6:45
Wednesday: 6:42, 6:42, 6:40, 6:39
Eventually the constant hard exertion caught up to me on the 3rd training (Last Friday Morning) and my timing increased drastically. It hit me pretty hard in my morale but I kept telling myself to have faith, nothing comes easy and Coach always tell me "When you hit a phase where you feel tired and fatigued, you have to push past it constantly to breakthrough. That's when your fitness will improve.".. I kept replaying that sentence in my mind like it's my last life-line.
Friday: 6:44, 6:54, 6:56, 6:54
Last friday evening I approached Coach to have a word and I found out he actually wanted me to train again on Sunday instead of resting the weekend to prepare for Monday's session with him. It was a little shakening because I felt pretty tired from the 3 days of 4x400 on 8 minutes... the morning's 4x400 was shitty to say the least and then now I gotta do the 4x400 AGAIN on SUNDAY?
When sunday came, I could choose to workout in the evening at Sam's place but I decided to skip lunch to do it in front of Coach when he is on LG Duty. Well, I arrive the pool pretty worn and I told myself "look, if you're gonna give yourself more rest, it'd be the same as before you met him. Do not disappoint. Just do your best, like he said, RPE at 80% is most important, not the timing. As long as you do each 400 on 8minutes, it'll be good enough."
Sunday: 6:53, 6:48, 6:46, 6:43
As I went through the first 400 and saw my watch, I was like "sigh.." for 5 seconds and then immediately I caught a glimpse of the tallest figure on the pool deck watching me. Snapped right out of it and upped my tempo throughout the last 3 and I am so glad I got my flow back despite the fatigue.
It felt just like what it was: A Breakthrough.
Upon reviewing what happened in those 400s that went 6:53 and above, I was too focused on maintaining a high elbow and stretching in front that I glided instead of doing the kayak stroke. I felt that gliding stroke is so tiring to swim fast with because I couldn't move my arms relaxedly through the recovery and catch phase to rest them actively.. holding the stretched out position became a very annoying chore. As to why I turned to that on Friday's swim, it was probably because I was becoming tired and when I tried focusing on the high elbow and stretch, I couldn't maintain the continuous pull motion.. and that led me back to my old swim ways.
This week's swim was supposed to be 1.5km everyday.. however I took a rest yesterday to prevent any mental burnout because too much of that is just no good at all even if I get some results from the burnout. I want to do this long term and I got a long way to go to get my swim to 1:10 per 100 or less. I need to manage my own emotions, motivation and spirit/morales a little better.
Monday 1500m: 31:49 with breaks in between a few hundreds as Coach stopped me to correct some stuffs.
Tuesday 1500m: 26:37
Wednesday 1500m: 25:14
Thursday Rest
Friday: 24:45
I know I can go faster if I add the kick and that was not my best effort but I gotta save for the 10x25sprint 25easy and 400m Kick at 25sprint 25slow after the 1500.. besides, the instruction was strictly 80-85% except the last 200 for each 1500.
Looking forward to next training. It's gonna get tougher.. I need to get ready.
Cheers
KK
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