Sunday 3/17 UCI Meet

So I went into this meet with 2 goals, low 59 i the 100 back and under 59.7 in the 100 IM.   Those are the team records, and both within my reach.  The 100 IM should be the easier of the two, if that's such a thing.  Within the past year, for the IM, I have been 1:00.00 last year, and 1:00.3 at this year's Pentathlon.  And last year some time I went a 1:01 something in the 100 back.  

My first event was the 100 back.  I warmed up well and felt I was popping out some good pace times.  I figured I needed to be out in sub 29 and back in 30.  Right from the start, I really felt like I was NOT catching the water.  It's not that the swim didn't feel great, but now that I think about it, it didn't.  It felt rushed.  I flipped at the 50 mark in 29.5.  How can I expect to be sub :59.0 if I only go out in 29.5?  I cam back in 30.54, for a total time of 1:00.04.  So basically one whole second off my goal.  I can't complain, as it's the fastest yards swim I have done in masters, although some meters times convert to be faster, but those may not be mid season.  Regardless, knowing how it didn't feel great, gives me some hope of a better swim at UCLA in a few weeks.  Time to brush it off and try for the 100 IM.

I swam the 100 breast in between, but swam it nice and easy.  For the 100 IM, this was something I had a better shot at the record. A few weeks ago at CalTech I went 1:00.35 I believe, going out in 27.65.  This time around I went out in 27.75, but came home faster to finish in 1:00.04 (the exact time I went in 100 back).  But again, I just missed the record.  I know I could get it next time, but I'm done trying.  It was fun trying to get it, but it's not my focus this season.  That belongs to the 100/200 back and the 200/400/800 free at IGLA.  That means no more 100 IM at UCLA.  Also, I'm not going to go for the 200 fly at UCLA as well to get the record, although I'm signed up for it.  Instead I'm going to change my events and do the 200 free, and then the 100 and 200 back and maybe one other event.  But those 3 are what I want to focus on, and if records happen, great.  Ideally, for UCLA, I'd like to be sub 2:00 in the 200 free, 59 low in the 100 back, and sub 2:10 in the 200 back.  I have a few weeks, so my goal is to no longer deal with fly and breast, and see what I can do.