One day after completing my Critical Swim Speed test, I returned to the pool for a much longer workout. Today’s session totaled 3,500 meters and combined freestyle and breaststroke throughout a series of 200-, 100- and 50-meter intervals.
This wasn’t intended to be another benchmark test. Instead, it provided an opportunity to put yesterday’s speed work behind me and return to the type of sustained swimming that will ultimately matter most for my primary Huntsman events: the 1500-meter freestyle, 800-meter freestyle and 200-meter breaststroke.
August 29 Workout Summary
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Distance | 3,500 m |
| Swimming Time | 57:56 |
| FORM Session Time | Approximately 1:10:53 including rest |
| Average Pace | 1:39/100 m |
| Normalized Pace | 1:39/100 m |
| Average Heart Rate | 121 bpm |
| Maximum Heart Rate | 145 bpm |
| sTSS | 87 |
| Intensity Factor | 0.97 |
| Calories | 770 kcal |
| TrainingPeaks Fitness | 59 |
| TrainingPeaks Fatigue | 64 |
| TrainingPeaks Form | -9 |
The combination of 3,500 meters at an overall 1:39/100-meter swimming pace makes this one of the more substantial endurance sessions of the recent training block. At the same time, the 121 bpm average heart rate indicates that much of the workout remained aerobically controlled.
How Today’s Workout Was Structured
The FORM data divides the 3,500 meters into six major sets:
| Set | Distance | Structure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,000 m | 5 × 200 mixed freestyle/breaststroke |
| 2 | 500 m | 10 × 50 freestyle |
| 3 | 500 m | 10 × 50 breaststroke |
| 4 | 200 m | 2 × 100 |
| 5 | 700 m | 7 × 100 |
| 6 | 600 m | 6 × 100 |
| Total | 3,500 m | Mixed endurance workout |
There was considerable mixing of freestyle and breaststroke, including within some of the longer intervals. For that reason, today’s overall 1:39 pace should not be interpreted as though I had completed a continuous 3,500-meter freestyle at that speed.
What the overall result does show is that I was able to sustain a fairly quick average swimming pace across nearly an hour of actual swimming while alternating between my two competition strokes.
The Opening 200 Freestyle
One of the clearest early freestyle efforts was a 200-meter interval completed in approximately 3:03.19, equivalent to about 1:31.6/100 m.
| 25 m | Split |
|---|---|
| 1 | 18.76 |
| 2 | 22.34 |
| 3 | 22.56 |
| 4 | 23.08 |
| 5 | 23.04 |
| 6 | 24.57 |
| 7 | 24.23 |
| 8 | 24.59 |
| 200 m | 3:03.19 |
There is a familiar pacing pattern here. The first 25 was extremely fast at 18.76 seconds, followed by a gradual settling of pace into the 23- to 24-second range.
This is consistent with something that has appeared repeatedly in my recent freestyle data: I have plenty of opening speed. The greater opportunity is learning to distribute that speed efficiently rather than spending too much of it at the beginning of an interval or race.
10 × 50 Freestyle
The dedicated 10 × 50 freestyle set provided a better look at repeatable short-distance freestyle speed.
| 50 FR | Approximate Time | Equivalent /100 m Pace |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40.81 | 1:21.62 |
| 2 | 42.09 | 1:24.18 |
| 3 | 42.33 | 1:24.66 |
| 4 | 42.79 | 1:25.58 |
| 5 | 42.22 | 1:24.44 |
| 6 | 42.76 | 1:25.52 |
| 7 | 43.72 | 1:27.44 |
| 8 | 42.61 | 1:25.22 |
| 9 | 43.40 | 1:26.80 |
| 10 | 44.67 | 1:29.34 |
The consistency of this set is encouraging. There was some slowing toward the end, but there was no dramatic collapse in pace. Nine of the ten 50s remained under 44 seconds, and even the final repetition was under 45 seconds.
The raw speed required for my freestyle events is clearly present. The continuing challenge is converting that speed into economical pace over 800 and 1500 meters.
Breaststroke Endurance
The 10 × 50 breaststroke set was generally in the low-50-second range, with many repetitions approximately 50–54 seconds.
The detailed length data again showed that I tend to swim the first 25 of a breaststroke interval considerably faster than the second. Many opening lengths were approximately 23–25 seconds, while the return lengths frequently moved into the 27–29 second range.
That is useful information for the 200 breaststroke. I don’t appear to need substantially more short-distance breaststroke speed. I need to make the speed I already have less expensive so that the second half of the race remains strong.
Today’s Pace vs. Yesterday’s CSS Test
Yesterday’s Critical Swim Speed test established a new training benchmark of approximately 1:39.5/100 m.
| Benchmark | Result |
|---|---|
| August 28 – 400 FR CSS Test | 6:25.34 |
| August 28 – 200 FR CSS Test | 3:06.25 |
| Calculated CSS | 1:39.5/100 m |
| August 29 – Overall Swim Pace | 1:39/100 m |
The similarity between those two pace numbers is interesting, but they should not be interpreted as equivalent performances. Today’s workout included breaststroke, rest periods and repeated intervals. I did not swim 3,500 meters continuously at CSS.
Still, being able to produce an overall swimming pace near yesterday’s calculated CSS across 3,500 meters of mixed work is another encouraging indication of my current endurance fitness.
Current Huntsman Benchmarks
Today’s workout was an endurance training session rather than a race-distance benchmark, so my current best times remain unchanged.
| Event | Training Best | 2025 Silver | 2025 Bronze | 2025 4th | Most Attainable Target | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 FR | 24:04.84 | 23:39.43 | 25:04.75 | 25:06.88 | Silver | +25.41 sec |
| 800 FR | 12:40.25 | 12:16.56 | 12:32.85 | 12:56.76 | Bronze | +7.40 sec |
| 200 BR | 3:27.54 | 3:38.74 | 3:39.92 | 4:00.27 | Silver | -11.20 sec |
| 100 BR | ~1:42 | 1:28.57 | 1:32.97 | 1:37.95 | 4th | ~+4.05 sec |
The table continues to support the direction I have chosen for the remainder of Huntsman training. The 1500 freestyle, 800 freestyle and 200 breaststroke remain my priority events.
The 100 breaststroke will probably remain on my competition schedule, but it is no longer driving the design of my workouts.
Two Very Different Training Days
The last two days have provided very different training stimuli.
| Date | Distance | Primary Purpose | sTSS |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 28 | 1,600 m | Critical Swim Speed test | 39 |
| August 29 | 3,500 m | Mixed endurance | 87 |
| Two-Day Total | 5,100 m | Speed testing + endurance | 126 |
Today’s 87 sTSS makes this a significant training day. Combined with yesterday, I have accumulated 5,100 meters and 126 sTSS in two days.
That matters because I have recently been dealing with right upper-arm and shoulder discomfort. I don’t want to repeat the pattern of accumulating training simply because I am capable of completing another workout.
August Training Ledger
Today’s 3,500 meters raises my August swimming total to 62,700 meters, approximately 68,570 yards.
| Date | Training | Swim Distance | August Swim Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2 | Swim | 5,000 m | 5,000 m |
| August 3 | Swim | 2,500 m | 7,500 m |
| August 4 | Swim | 2,500 m | 10,000 m |
| August 5 | Swim | 2,500 m | 12,500 m |
| August 6 | Swim | 3,000 m | 15,500 m |
| August 7 | No Swim | — | 15,500 m |
| August 8 | No Swim | — | 15,500 m |
| August 9 | Swim | 6,000 m | 21,500 m |
| August 10 | Swim | 2,500 m | 24,000 m |
| August 11 | Swim | 2,500 m | 26,500 m |
| August 12 | Swim | 2,500 m | 29,000 m |
| August 13 | Swim | 2,500 m | 31,500 m |
| August 14 | Run / Dryland | — | 31,500 m |
| August 15 | Swim | 2,500 m | 34,000 m |
| August 16 | Swim | 2,500 m | 36,500 m |
| August 17 | Swim | 2,500 m | 39,000 m |
| August 18 | Swim | 2,500 m | 41,500 m |
| August 19 | Swim | 2,500 m | 44,000 m |
| August 20 | Swim | 2,500 m | 46,500 m |
| August 21 | Rest | — | 46,500 m |
| August 22 | Swim | 3,000 m | 49,500 m |
| August 23 | Swim | 3,100 m | 52,600 m |
| August 24 | Swim | 2,500 m | 55,100 m |
| August 25 | Run / Shoulder Recovery | — | 55,100 m |
| August 26 | Swim | 2,500 m | 57,600 m |
| August 27 | No Swim | — | 57,600 m |
| August 28 | Swim – CSS Test | 1,600 m | 59,200 m |
| August 29 | Swim – Endurance | 3,500 m | 62,700 m |
The 75,000-Yard Goal Is Suddenly Close Again
At 62,700 meters, I have now completed approximately 68,570 yards during August.
That leaves approximately 6,430 yards, or about 5,880 meters, to reach the original 75,000-yard goal.
With August 30 and August 31 remaining, the goal is mathematically attainable with approximately 2,940 meters per day.
But I am not going to allow that calculation to determine the next two workouts.
Today’s 3,500 meters came one day after the CSS test and produced 87 sTSS. I have also recently dealt with right shoulder and upper-arm discomfort. If recovery indicates that another large workout is a bad idea, then the 75,000-yard goal will remain secondary.
Today’s Takeaway
Today’s workout reinforces something that has become increasingly apparent during August: I have plenty of short-distance speed. The challenge isn’t finding a faster first 25 or even a faster first 100.
The opportunity is learning to make that speed economical and sustainable.
That applies to all three of my priority Huntsman events. For the 1500 freestyle, I need to distribute effort over 15 consecutive 100s. For the 800 freestyle, I need to turn my current speed into eight strong and consistent 100s. For the 200 breaststroke, I need to prevent the speed I clearly have in the first 25 and 50 meters from costing me too much during the second half.
Today’s 3,500 meters at an overall 1:39/100-meter swimming pace was another productive step in that direction.
It was also a substantial training day. With 5,100 meters and 126 sTSS over the last two days, what I do next should be determined by recovery and the larger Huntsman objective—not by how many meters are left on the August ledger.
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