down to the short strokes

Etymology
Possibly an allusion to painting, in which a painter typically finishes a work with short, careful, finishing strokes of the paint brush, or to golf, in which a player concludes each hole by making short strokes with a putter. In swimming competition, as a swimmer nearly reaches a wall to turn or to finish, the competitor might take a shorter stroke to start the turn smoothly, or to finish faster.

Adjective

 * 1)  In the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.

Adverb

 * 1)  To the final steps or decisive phase of an undertaking, especially one which has been lengthy or laborious.