Break on through to the other side

Although I have never been on a swim team, I have been a swimmer my whole life. My parents thought it was important that my sister and I learned how to swim and we started early. My first swim lesson started when I was six months old and I took lessons every year until I was twelve when I exhausted all the classes. I also took a summer of diving and a summer of lifesaving. My sister took her swimming to the next level and joined the high school team holding the backstroke school record for a year.

For the last year I've been swimming consistently for once or twice a week. Although I've done drills and speed, most swims were for recovery from running. When I tested speed, I would never get below 1:45 per 100 meters (Dave and I are lucky to swim in a meter pool). For the last six weeks I have been doing nothing but drills: one arms, kicks, finger drags, fists, catch up. You name it; I've done it. Today we got to swim for speed. We did 9 X 100 with increasing speed or as it's so apply named: descending 100s. During the last 6 X 100 I was able to drop down to 1:36-1:40 per 100m. Yeah! What a breakthrough!