Notes
I made have made a small break through this morning, although maybe not in the right direction.
Forced into the kids pool by the crowd I was practicing my breathing. Diverging a little from the TI technique, but by starting to pull earlier I effectively pull myself into a better position to get a breath.
Another key is to feel like I'm diving back in a little as my hand enters the water and reaches forward. Previously this step was messing me up because I was continuing to reach for the air with my underwater hand still fully extended and for some reason I still don't really understand this led to my head rising and my body bending and the bottom half of me sinking, followed by the feeling the my head was about to follow it down like the titanic. It was either bend and lose my balance in the water (head up, legs down), or never find enough air in the time I needed to fit it in. Maybe that means I swim too deep in the water?
Anyway, the idea of starting to pull with my hand a little earlier is enough to get to the air as my recovery hand comes through and as long as this hand leads the roll back into the water it seems sustainable. At least for a length or two. I'm still using a lot of energy doing this though, but maybe it's a place to work from. Did almost 200yds like this in the lap lanes (with half fins).
I guess this highlights my basic problem with TI: if I maintain the scating position, I can't surface for air fast enough to fit in a stroke. In fact I can't really get myself from that positon up for air without almost rolling onto my back (SS) and then bobbing back up, breath, roll back down... not really swimming..
Actually, I know this is the wrong direction... who am I trying to kid? Mary, probably you...