New 3,000 Yard Swim PR

Sweet, I just got back from a 3,000 yard swim at lunch-time today. Not only is it the first time that I have done this distance in a while (my 8:00 AM Saturday morning "long" swims usually top out at around 2,500 yards because the 9:00 aquaerobics class participants start gathering and giving me "the eye" at 8:50 or so), but I also set a new PR for this training distance! Total time of 1 hour, 1 minute, and 31 seconds (about 20 seconds faster than my previous record from almost exactly a year ago).

My 500 yd splits:

• 1st 500 yds: 10:29 (warming up)
• 2nd 500 yds: 10:16
• 3rd 500 yds: 10:12
• 4th 500 yds: 10:27.5 (getting a little tired)
• 5th 500 yds: 10:23 (picking it back up)
• 6th 500 yds: 9:44 (pushed hard right to the end)

For that last set, I alternated between 25-yard lengths of breast-stroke (for recovery) and then of fast free-style (the push). With the extra breaths and use of different muscle groups during the breast-stroke laps, I was definitely able to go MUCH faster for my free-style swimming.

I probably should have be resting today since I have 15.5 miles of running tomorrow - the Tour Des Fleurs 20K in the morning and then the Run In The Dark 5K in the evening. Oh well, the swim as a good cross-training workout so no regrets!