Sweet Briar College: 2012 Training Trip Blog - Last Day

by Josh Huger (MrUtopia)

Sweet Briar College: 2012 Training Trip Blog - Last Day

SBC's Emily Jones will provide us with daily updates on the Vixens

Last Day:

The Sweet Briar College 2012 Florida Training Trip has been officially conquered!  In the words of 2010 swimming graduate, Victoria Marshall: “We came; we swam; we conquered.” 

On the morning of January 14, 2012, we swam at our usual morning time after a few abdominal sets led by Coach Catherine.  Our warm up 4x225s 50 swim and 25 drill on repeat.  Next we grabbed our snorkels and paddles for 8x150s steady swim, focusing on our streamlines and breakouts.   Our first main set was 3 times through 10x50s, the first set focusing on a steady race rhythm, second set focusing on streamlines and rhythm, and the final set focusing on rhythm and streamlines as well as our kick outs off of and into every wall.

Next we flipped to our backs for 20x25s fast kick.  Our second main set was another 3 times through 2x25s drill followed by 3 50s fast.  We swam a 50 easy in the middle of each time through.  After a 300 warm down, we were done for the morning.  Only one more Florida practice to go!

The teams from Fairmont left after morning practice, so we were on our own for the afternoon practice.  The packing began and the scramble to scarf down our food and not be wasteful commenced as well.  Some went out for lunch and some just slept; what else do we have to do!?!?

We drove to afternoon practice and started with stretching.  After Coach Catherine led another 20 minutes of dryland (including running backwards; very challenging for people who are only coordinated in the water!)  We hopped in the water for a straight 1000 warm up.  Next we swam 10x100s IM, drilling butterfly and breaststroke on the odds, and backstroke and freestyle on the evens.  After 12x25s drill we split into three different groups for our main set(s).

3 swimmers went to the IM group and swam 4x400 IMs.  They were told to concentrate on their weakest stroke and really work on their feel of the water each time they swam that stroke.  The sprint/stroke swimmers swam 3 times through 4 broken 100s. The first 100 was 25 fast, 75 steady.  The second 100 was 50 fast, 50 steady. Third 100 was 75 fast, 25 steady.  And the last 100 was all fast.  The first time through the set was best odd, the second time through was free, and the last time through was choice.  The distance swimmers swam 2x1000 all even paced race. 

After 12 more 25s drill we swam our final Florida set.  It was 2 times through a speed play/ lactate set.  We swam a 25 fast on 30 seconds, a 50 fast on 1 minute, a 75 fast on 1 minute 30 seconds, and a 100 fast on 2 minutes.  After two times through we were sent on another 300 cool down and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Training Trip 2012 was a complete success.  The coaches have nothing but positive things to say about our training; we overall crushed it in the water and on the deck for dryland.  It’s a bittersweet feeling; I (Emily) have completed 4 training trips now, and it’s almost all over.  Everything from the beginning of this trip is for our Championship competition in February.  So, we still have a few weeks of training and competitions before we begin taper, but we feel good.  Our team looks good.

We’re ready! Up Up Sweet!!!!!

See more of Emily's posts here