Yes, you have the description right. The actual pace is very much like what my aerobic pace would be. Trouble is that the delta between my short swims and long ones was so big, it wasn't based on physical endurance alone. My ability to remain focused would break down along with my technique. For this reason, by forcing myself to consistently hold hr, sr and spl consistent, the hope is that I can develop good pacing over longer distances. My habits have improved, but still, my catch gets lazy(especially my left arm), my kick gets lazy(especially my right foot), my core is less engaged. This takes quite a bit of focus, much more so than erg mode on my bike or using the treadmill where I have to keep running or I fall off the back of it. This deliberate swim practice reminds me a lot of learning to golf.

At this point every week, I am changing something small. Either rest interval, sr or rep distance. Going to be a long process, but hopefully 10k/week will be enough to get it done. I'm enjoying the process, though I miss flip turns.