Feet Don’t Fail Me Now!

PHOENIX, Arizona, September 23. 276 days to Trials!

Journal by Jeff Commings, Swimming World associate producer

Jeff Commings, who will be the second-oldest man to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials next summer, is journaling his daily training regimen on his personal blog. We are reprinting those articles here:

Today's workout:

Time: 5:50 a.m.
Short Course Yards
276 days to Trials

12×50 on 1:00
odd: swim/kick
even: kick swim
(averaged :45 each 50)

20×25 on :20
(This set was supposed to be kick with fins, but since I did not bring my fins, and because I couldn't make the interval with the fins I wear (or any fins, for that matter), I decided to swim freestyle. I held 15s on each one.)

8×50 on 1:00
odd: kick with arms in front
even: kick with arms at side

100 easy

9×100 on 1:45 — 75 swim/25 kick descend 1-3, 4-6, 7-9
(Descended from 1:15 to 1:02 freestyle. With my horrible kick, breaking 1:00 would have a minor miracle.)

Five minutes vertical kick, done as 30 seconds arm scull only, 30 seconds vertical kick (rounds three through five done while holding 10-pound medicine ball)

200 easy

6×50 on :50 non-free
Did 25 back/25 breast, held :32

Two minute break, then 75 fast from a dive
44.6 breaststroke

225 easy

Total: 3,300, not including vertical kicking set

As I mentioned in my previous post, I worried about doing tough leg exercises at the gym the night before a kicking-oriented workout. My fears were realized this morning immediately. Every time I pushed off the wall, I could feel the soreness in my hamstrings. Those "basketball jumps" that I did yesterday were the culprit!

By the end of workout, my legs were fried, but I did everything I could to swim that fast 75 under 44. I was doing well for 40 yards, then my legs stopped pushing water. I was taking eight strokes on the second and third lengths, which is one stroke more than usual. My arms felt fine, but I knew my distance per stroke was severely affected by lack of leg strength. This will all pay off in 10 weeks when I step up for my taper meet!

Yesterday after work, I stopped by the pool to say hi to the new head coach, Coley Stickels. He told my coach that he hoped I could find time to join him for the occasional workout. Since Coley is known for a different mindset toward training, I knew it was an experience I wanted to have on this journey. I picked a good day to visit him. Thursdays have a heavy breaststroke focus, and the people in the water (which included Roland Schoeman) were doing some interesting drills. So, I'll start working with Coley next Thursday, and continuing it every week for the foreseeable future.

I am very much looking forward to a day off tomorrow! I might be getting into the pool, though. I have to teach some swimming lessons in Tucson, and one of them is fairly new to the sport, and I'll have to get in the water as I show him how to push off the wall and stay balanced on backstroke.

Reprinted from Jeff's personal blog at commings.blogspot.com.

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