Phelps: 'It's time to change'

IRVINE, Calif. -- At the conclusion of the 2010 Pan-Pacific Championships, Michael Phelps and his coach Bob Bowman echoed one another.

"I think there is a little bit more of a clearer image in what exactly needs to be done for World Championships next year for me," Phelps said.

Noted Bowman: "I think I have a clear picture of where he's at and what we need to do to be ready for the World Championships next summer."

Clearly the pair is on the same page when it comes to Phelps' swimming. Following a spring and summer that saw Phelps skip practices and play golf instead, he was still able to win two individual events and earned gold with all three relay teams here in Irvine at the biggest meet of the season.

Moving forward, Phelps said he's going to play golf for a week or two in California before returning to Baltimore to start training again.

He was especially serious about the latter part.

"It's time to change," Phelps said Saturday night after the medley relay. "The quicker I can get into shape, or stay in some kind of shape, try not to spend too much time out of the water, things will get better in the long run. I think I can say that this is my last break until after London."

Of course he was referring to the 2012 Olympics in London, which he has said will be his last Games.

Phelps swam at two Grand Prix meets and also the Paris Open entering the U.S. Championships earlier this month. His post-meet synopsis each time was that he was not in shape and he was unhappy -- even though he was able to win eight races in that span.

At Nationals, which also took place in Irvine at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Complex on the campus of Irvine High School, Phelps was displeased with how he swam.

Phelps was under-impressed with himself at Pan-Pacs but he managed to smile about it and admit that he's got a lot of work to do.

"Going out a three or four tenths of a second slower the first 50, I wasn't too happy about that," Phelps said of his 100m butterfly victory. "But I was able to close really well. That's another thing that needs to get worked on is some front-half speed."

He laughed as he said "another."

The swimmer of the meet was clearly Ryan Lochte, who won six gold medals (four individual). He won both individual medleys, races that historically Phelps has owned. Phelps withdrew from the 200m IM on Saturday citing fatigue, and he was unable to make the A final of the 400m IM two days prior.

Will Phelps try to reclaim his IM prowess next summer leading up to the 2012 Olympics? Bowman said his training should prepare him for it.

"Our program's based on IM training anyway, so he's basically gonna train a 400 IM whether he knows it or not," Bowman said.

Wonder if swimmer and coach are on the same page with that one?