[Tom Pamperin]

Thanks for this thread--I'm enjoying it. Today I tried a variation on AWP's idea of alternating different SPLs intentionally--no TT:

10 x 50 @ 13 SPL (tune-up, relaxed recovery/elbow lead focus)

Then, the SPL stuff:

5 x 50 @:

14, 14, 15, 14, 14 SPL on 1:00--14s at :50 or so, 15 @ :48
15, 15, 16, 15, 15 SPL on 1:00--15's @ :47 or so, 16 @ :45

Then varied that a bit:

16, 15, 16, 15, 16 on 1:00--16's @ :42, 15s @ :45
15, 14, 15, 14, 15 on 1:00--15's @ :44, 14's @ :45

Very interesting--alternating this way seemed to help me keep some of the easy relaxed feel of the lower SPLs on the higher SPLs, and helped me keep some of the speed and firmer feel of the higher SPLs on the lower SPL repeats--if that makes sense.

In other words, I got faster by :03 on the highest SPL counts, by :04 on the mid SPL counts, and by a whopping :05 on the lowest SPLs. All without noticable difference in exertion--though I was focusing very hard mentally.

These are not my fastest times--I can manage a sub-:40 50m swim, and a 1:20 100m. But they are definitely faster than my best guess at my sustainable cruising pace for my 10 miler in July.

I'm definitely going to play around with this concept. This was just one set--will work to include similar ideas in different sets and longer repeats.

Thanks!