Getting back to my training roots... of sorts

I've had two great days of training since returning from Atlanta. Tonight I was at a community pool yet I got to bask in the glory of being the only person in the pool... no distractions :)

I was thinking back to how I was training in late 2007, early 2008. Arguably some of my fastest swimming in recent years. I wasn't training with a single other person regularly, sometimes a friend here and there. No team, no coach. To me, it's crazy to think about what I accomplished without any direction from outside sources. Back then I remember isolating arms and legs quite a bit along with general weights 3+ times a week. The last 2 days of training have been just that. I do a 500 warmup, a 500-1,000 kicking set, a 500-1,000 pulling set and a few short speed sets. All in all, totaling about 3,000-4,000 yards/meters.

It's exciting to think about getting back into this groove.

Another topic on my mind is making my mark on the 25-29 Masters age group records before I cross into the next bracket of 30-34 (I can't believe I'm going to be THIRTY!.. whoa). No records last forever, but I'd like to achieve a few that I've had my eye on the last few years. Namely:

50 Back SCY National Record - I had it for a few months at 22.78 but it was lowered to 22.71, then 22.48 then 21.46 by Adam Mania from the Poland 2004 Olympic Team! This one is gonna be tough to get! It was within reach before Adam SMASHED it with a mid 21 second swim (Damn Suits). I'm gonna have to up my game in a big way if I want that record considering I'm a 23.48 right now!

100 Back SCY National Record - I went a 49.84 missing the National Record of 49.83 by 0.01 seconds last year. It was recently lowered to a 45.95 by Adam Mania from the Poland 2004 Olympic Team! Same with this one, in the best shape of my life I was a 48.51, this is quite a stretch for me!

100 Back LCM World Record - The record is a 57.42 or so, I'd like to be back down in the 57's this year.

50 Back LCM World Record - I broke this record last August with a 26.64 and it was broken (again) by a 2008 Olympian from Japan with a 26.18. I'd like to get it back :)

I think some of these goals are within reach and some are not within reach, that's not gonna stop me from trying though. I have about 6 months to train for the SCY and SCM races, far less for the LCM races. Time to do some weights!