2007 Camp Pendleton International Triathlon--Race Report

I was so nervous. The last tri I did was the 70.3 in late March. I got so sick afterwards. Plus, although I did this race last year, I remember it being hard. And hot. Knowing I wasn't in my best of shape and totally amped up, I decided my goal for this race would be to get through it and use it as a tough workout.

Woke up with my alarm Saturday morning. Took me no time at all to get ready. Even had a half cup of coffee. Even though I was nervous, I was excited too. Could it be that this pre-race ritual is becoming familiar? Got to Camp Pendleton's gates early, entered the base and found a primo parking spot. Pumped up tires, strapped on transition bag and carried Torch through the sand of the parking lot (not risking a flat here!). Rode Torch in the rest of the way once I hit the rode. Eased him into a gear I liked for the race.

Found a primo spot in the transition area next to a hula girl balloon. Nice. Set up my transition area, got body marked, made sure I could easily find my spot from the swim and the bike and realized I had tons of time to kill! Went to the bathroom. Went again later. Saw lots of people I knew and chatted. This was fun. I'm actually beginning to remember people I see at all the races! Headed down to the swim area with my wetsuit.

Swim:
After scoping out the confusing, circuitous swim route and watching the first wave, I knew this would be tough. I had a lot of time to kill since I was one of the last waves to go (I hate that). It seemed to take the fastest swimmer a long time go finish. Sigh. This was going to be tough. My swimming is definitely out of shape, and I've lost a lot of fitness in this department. However, I had done some 1500-1600m swims in the pool and ocean in the previous weeks for practice so I knew I could muscle my way through it. I reminded myself to find a relaxed rhythm and settle in. Be patient.

Once I got in the water, I was relieved I had worn my wetsuit. The water has been so warm lately (~70) that I almost went without. Especially because my hips are too high anyway. I don't really need extra help (although it does seem to help save my legs). At the last minute, I had decided to wear it (thanks to the recommendation of several friends). Once I stepped into the chilly water, I was so glad. It was waaaay colder than I had anticipated! I jumped up and down and ran in place to warm up. Peed. Put my face in, tested my goggles. Dove under to get a good funnel of water running through the wetsuit.

It took forever for the gun to go off. When it finally did, I started my watch and started swimming. Negotiated my way through a bunch of thrashing arms. My wave only had ~30 people so we spread out pretty quickly. I was surprised at how quickly I found a comfortable pace. I focused on relaxing, good technique, and counted strokes. 10 to the left, sight, switch, 10 to the right, sight, switch, etc. It helped me focus like never before. I knew it was going to be hard to sight because there were so many confusing buoys. I just focused on the big yellow triangular one up ahead. A girl to my right kept swimming into me, trying to push me to the left. I had to stop and let her go ahead. Where was she going? She continued to turn left, veering 90 degrees off course. I let her go, and focused on finding my rhythm again.

Had no problem reaching the first yellow buoy, turning left 90 degrees and focused on the 2nd buoy. Here, I started having a problem. I had planned on swimming straight to the 2nd buoy, like the lead swimmers had but everyone in my wave was veering to the left, next to the line of small, orange buoys that lined the way to the big one at the 2nd turn-around. Nervous and in race-mode, I followed everyone else, not wanting to be the lone swimmer to the right. This caused me to zig-zag significantly, adding extra distance. It was difficult for me to find my focus again. Finally, I remember picking out the telephone tower from land beforehand as a sighting target and started focusing on that. This helped a lot, and I began to straighten out. Finally reached the 2nd yellow buoy after forever and made the turn-around.

I thought it would be all downhill from here. The final leg of the swim seemed to take forever. I was experiencing a lot of fatigue in my arms and shoulders and couldn't maintain my form. I tried to focus but ended up zig-zagging a lot. I just couldn't seem to swim straight. Focused on the sail of a big boat near the end of the swim, and this seemed to help but I had to sight a lot more to make sure I didn't veer off course. I was too tired at this point to trust my stroke. Reached the last buoy on my right and knew I was near the end. All of a sudden, my stroke evened out and I picked up speed, feeling the final surge. Lots of people, seeing the shallow water, stood and began wading out of the water. I waited, still stroking. Touched land once. Touched twice. Managed a pathetic dolphin dive and rose out of the water, easily skipping up onto shore.
Time: 39:40
Much slower than last year! Argh. If I hadn't gone off course so much, my time would have been a lot better. At least I had some good moments where I could settle into a relaxed pace.

T1:
Remembering the long, 1/4 mile run to transition, I stopped on the beach and wriggled out of my wetsuit. Harder than I had thought. Slogged up the hill through the deep sand, huffing and feeling frustrated with the swim. Marine volunteers lined the path, cheering us on. One said, "I'd still be out there drowning, ma'am." That was all I needed. Such great encouragement. And so sexy too. Reached my bike, put my bare feet into the bike shoes, strapped on my helmet, put on my sunglasses and trotted off. That was easy! Smoothly clipped in, and I was off.
Time: ~3:30

Bike:
Focused on spinning easily the first few miles and hydrating. Ate a Cliff Shot. Yummy. No need to go crazy yet. Let a lot of people sail past at a maddening pace. About 2 miles down the road, got aero and began to pick up speed. Settled into a nice 20 mph clip. Torch felt so smooth and fast. I felt like a jockey on a racehorse. Saw the hills up ahead. I had ridden the course before so I knew what to expect. There were hills and they were steep but they were short and there were downhills on the other side. Because they were short and the bike was only 25 miles, I decided to push it up the hill. And I did. I threw heart rate and breathing out the window and throttled up the hills. Went redline. The Marines volunteering on the sidelines yelled at me last year to "Push It!" so I expected the same this year. Guess I was huffing pretty hard like I was going to lose a lung or something b/c this year, the Marines told me, "Take it easy, Ma'am." What? I don't think so! It felt soooo good to go sooo hard. At the top of each hill, I let my heart rate settle down a little, drink a little of my cocktail, and then gear up and get aero for downhill. I pretty much stayed aero the whole time--no back problems! It felt very comfortable. At about the 20 mile mark, I began to fade a little. I shifted down and spun a little to settle down, knowing I needed to save my legs anyway. Because the course wasn't closed, there were throngs of cyclists on the road, out for their usual Saturday morning ride. About 30 of them zoomed by me, waving hello and shouting, "good morning!" as I was flogging. Their energy was injected into me, and I snapped out of my reverie. My legs started turning over faster, and all of a sudden, Torch was cruising again. I didn't fade the rest of the time and actually felt I was still accelerating as we sailed into transition.
Hydration/Nutrition Side Note:
(Graphic description warning!)
My stomach always seems to act up so I had really been focusing on hydrating and getting calories in. I could tell it helped. I felt pretty fresh. I drank about every 15 minutes. Only problem was, after about an hour, my bladder started filling up and I was getting that bloated feeling. I have read over and over again that you need ~1 large bottle of water (32 ounces)/hr and 300 calories. My bottle had water + electrolytes +200 calories. By the end of my ride, I had only managed to drink about 2/3 of it and take down a 60 cal. Cliff Shot. Luckily, it seemed if I could burp a few times after each swig, the air went of my belly, and I felt more comfortable. Guess I swallow air as I drink. Bummer.
However, my bladder still felt full. How could this be possible? It was a hot, humid day. I had peed before my swim and at the end too. I was drinking less than the recommended amount? If I was hydrating properly, I shouldn't need to pee, right? I had heard on an Ironman Talk Podcast that the pros pee on the bike. I began to entertain the thought. It would save me a ton of time to pee on the bike and not have to waste time in transition. Plus, I could get instant relief. I decided to give it a try. I found very quickly, to do this successfully, you have to wait for a properly timed descent where you can coast. Spinning the legs and peeing at the same times is simply impossible. However, I was successful while coasting downhill and felt instant relief. Even though it was gross, I felt so much better and was able to maintain a much higher speed because of it. So the pros outweighed the cons. Learn something new every day.
Time: 1:24 (~17.5 mph)
(not too shabby)

T2:
Although I hadn't needed socks at all for the bike, I knew I need them for a 10K run so a I had to put them on. Laced up my shoes (still haven't switched to the quick ties) and ran out, putting on my visor and clipping my race belt with number on as I ran.
Time: ~4 min
(w.t.f.?)

Run:
Started out too fast. As usual. My legs always feel good off the bike. It just feels so good to be running! I love to run so this is the best part. My stomach felt good and my bladder was empty so I felt fresh and light. I reminded myself that I had 6.2 miles to run so I tried to slow down. It was hot and humid too. Some people zipped past me on the first lap and I let them go. Too fast for my pace. I walked quickly through the aid station to get some water down me. Took a 2nd cup and dumped it over my head. Aaah. Muscled my way up a short, steep hill and began picking up speed as a nice breeze hit me. I began to see lots of people I knew and waved to them and cheered them on as I went. They all cheered me on too. That's the best part. Especially in the run when you're hurting the most.

Hit the turn-around and began my 2nd lap. I felt very patient. Surprisingly calm. My stomach felt good, my hydration felt good, my legs felt good. I decided to pick up the pace a little. I began passing people. People that had passed me on the bike. People that had passed me on the first lap of the run. This only made me surge on more. It was so fun to pass people! Passed some of my friends. They said, "You are a good runner!" almost in surprise. I had told them running was my strongest leg but this was one of the first tris ever where I felt I could demonstrate this strength. I just felt good and the farther and faster I went, the better I felt. Someone asked what pace I was doing. I had no idea. I was just going with it. All of a sudden I could see the finish line. It appeared so quickly. I pushed for a final surge. Began to fade a little. Than a gal passed me. I glanced at her calf. 28. She was in my age group. I don't think so, sister! I began to sprint and passed her. She urged me on: "Go get 'em!" I crossed the finish line, out of breath, totally in the red zone, all out, and close to puking. It was FANTASTIC!!!!
Run time: 0:52:33

Total time: 3:03:30
I PR'ed!! Shaved 4 minutes off my previous year, despite my horrible swim!

It was a fantastic race. For the first time, Olympic distance was easily attainable, and I could actually push the pace instead of just slogging through the whole thing.

Things I Learned:
1. Being a little out of shape is much better than being overtrained. Really!
2. Riding the bike to the transition area from the parking lot is much better than walking.
3. Sighting on the swim is important (duh). Sighting when tired is really hard.
4. I don't need to drink as much as the "recommended" amount. Everyone is different.
5. If I drink too much, it is possible to pee on the bike. Even though it's gross, it made me feel so much better!
6. A pre-race Pepcid makes all the difference.
7. Riding carbon = fresher legs for the run!

Swimming Workouts

I've really regressed in my swimming. At my last race, I realized I could have broken the 3 hour mark for Olympic distance if my swimming was better. I started beating myself up about it when I realized the only reason I have been swimming poorly is because I work on it the least! I never swam competitively and only learned proper freestyle technique a few years ago. How can I expect to go faster overnight? I can't. I have resolved to focus on swimming more. How? GET IN THE POOL MORE!!! To help you all get better too, I'm posting a database of swim workouts.


Here is a comprehensive list of swimming workouts for everyone. I'm also curious to see what your favorite swim workouts are so please share! I will be archiving this under the "Tri Training Soapbox" link in the sidebar and updating it once in awhile so please check back! The idea is to compile this to motivate us to get to the pool. Pull one up, print it off, and take it with you!

Compiling your own personal swim workout:
Generally, the format is very standard.
1. Warm-up--usually encompasses some drill and technique work.
2. Main set--focused on a single theme (e.g. endurance, speed, strength, tempo, etc.)
3. Cool down--easy to forget but important to include!

Recommended by:
Angel Fire Swim Workouts
(These were categorized as "Beginner" workouts. Adjust up or down (more/less sets, rest time, intensity, speed, etc) as needed.

1. Triathlon Training Workout #1 (Build 100’s)
Warm up:
- 100 m swim
- 75 m kick (no board)
- 50 m drill
- 25 m hard swim
(repeat 4 times; set 1 and 3 are free, 2 is back, 4 is breast)
Main Set:
- 500 m swim
(build within each 100)
rest 1:00
- 5 x 100 m pull on 1:50
Cool down:
- 12 x 25 m free on 0:30
(nice long strokes)
- 200 m easy
Total Distance: 2500 m

2. Triathlon Training Workout #2 (“long course” workout)
Warm up:
- 4 x 50 m swim on 1:20
(alternate free and other stroke)
Main Set:
- 2 x 50 m drill on 1:20
- 2 x 100 m pull on 1:50
- 2 x 200 m swim on 3:40
(repeat set 3 times)
Cool down:
- 4 x 50 m kick on 1:30
(alternate strokes)
Total Distance: 2500 m

3. Triathlon Training Workout #3 (build and descend 100’s)
Warm up:
- 100 m swim
- 100 m kick
- 100 m pull
- 100 m kick
- 100 m stroke
Main Set:
- 2 x (4 x 50 m) on 1:20
(in IM order)
- 100 m steady swim
- 4 x 100 m free build on 1:50
- 3 x 100 m pull on 1:50
- 2 x 100 m free descend on 1:50
- 1 x 100 m IM on 1:50
- 1 x 100 m free - hard
Cool down:
- 2 x 100 m easy swim/kick
Total Distance: 2200 m

4. Triathlon Training Workout #4 (breaking into the “100’s”)
Warm up:
- 100 m free (rest 0:15)
- 100 m breast (rest 0:15)
- 100 m free (rest 0:15)
- 100 m back (rest 0:15)
- 100 m free (rest 0:15)
- 100 m IM
- 200 m free (rest 0:15)
- 100 m IM
Main Set:
- 4 x 100 m swim on 1:50
- 4 x 100 m pull on 1:50
- 2 x 100 m swim on 1:45
- 2 x 100 m swim on 1:40
- 1 x 400 m swim
Cool down:
- 3 x 100 m kick
Total Distance: 2500 m

5. Triathlon Training Workout #5 (LSD – long slow distance)
Warm up:
- 200 m free (rest 0:15)
- 4 x 50 kick (rest 0:15)
- 100 m IM (rest 0:15)
(repeat set 3 times)
Main Set:
- 500 m swim (rest 0:30)
- 300 m pull
(repeat set)
Cool down:
- 3 x 100 m kick
Total Distance: 2600 m

6. Triathlon Training Workout #6 (a bit of everything, “mish-mash”)
Warm up:
- 6 x (50 m swim, 50 m drill)
- 3 x (100 m swim, 100 m kick)
- 200 m swim
- 200 m stroke
Main Set:
- 2 x 300 m swim (rest 0:30)
- 150 m (50 m free, 50 m back, 50 m free) (rest 0:10)
- 150 m (50 m free, 50 m breast, 50 m free)
Cool down:
- 2 x 100 m easy swim/kick
Total Distance: 2300 m

7. Triathlon Training Workout #7 (the “toughie”)
Warm up:
- 100 m swim (rest 0:15)
- 4 x 50 m kick (rest 0:15)
- 100 m stroke (rest 0:15)
- 2 x 50 m stroke kick (rest 0:15)
- 100 m swim (rest 0:15)
(repeat set)
Main Set:
- 400 m swim on 7:00
2 x 200 m pull on 3:30
4 x 100 m on 1:45, 1:40, 1:35, 1:30
(repeat set)
Cool down:
- 200 m easy swim
Total Distance: 2600 m

8. Triathlon Training Workout #8 (Pacing)
Warm up:
- 4 x 50 m alternate free and drill
- 4 x 50 m alternate free and kick
- 4 x 25 m alternate easy and hard
Main Set:
- 3 x 100 m build on 2:00
- 800 m swim (rest 1:00)
- 600 m swim (rest 1:00)
- 400 m swim (rest 1:00)
- 200 m swim
Cool down:
- 3 x 100 m alternate free, back, and breast
Total Distance: 3100 m

9. Triathlon Training Workout #9 (Pull!)
Warm up:
- 200 m free
- 100 m free
- 100 m breast
- 100 m free
- 100 m back
Main Set:
- 6 x 50 m build on 1:10
- 3 x (200 m pull on 3:30, 2 x 100 m free on 1:45)
Cool down:
- 6 x 50 kick
- 6 x 50 swim
(first 25 m free, second 25 m stroke)
Total Distance: 3000 m

11. Triathlon Training Workout #11 (Speed and form 200’s)
Warm up:
- 4 x 75 m (odds: 50 free, 25 kick; evens: 50 free, 25 drill)
- 4 x 75 m (odds: free; evens: 25 fly, 25 back, 25 breast)
Main Set:
- 2 x (4 x 200 m free)
(First set on 3:30, 3:25, 3:20, 3:15; Second set on 3:15, 3:20, 3:25, 3:30)
- 100 m easy
- 2 x (4 x 50 m free)
(First set build on 1:00; second set build on 0:55)
- 100 m easy
Cool down:
- 2 x 100 free (alternate kick and swim) (rest 0:10)
Total Distance: 2800 m

12. Triathlon Training Workout #12 (Evil 6’s, 666)
Warm up:
- 6 x 50 m (25 swim, 25 kick) (odds freestyle, evens other stroke)
Main Set:
- 2 x (6 x 50 m, 600 m)
(50s descend 1-3 and 4-6 on 1:10; 600 on 12:00)
- 6 x 100 free on 2:00
100 easy
75 easy, 25 hard
50 easy, 50 hard
50 easy, 50 hard

25, easy, 75 hard
100 hard
Cool down:
- 6 x 50 swim (alternate free and stroke)
Total Distance: 3000 m

13. Triathlon Training Workout #13 (Pacing and building 50’s and 200’s)
Warm up:
- 8 x 50 m (alternate between free and other stroke) (rest 0:15)
Main Set:
- 3 x (2 x 200 m free)
First set build on 3:40
Second set build on 3:50
Third set build on 4:00
- 100 m easy
- 3 x (2 x 50 m free)
First set build on 1:10
Second set build on 1:20
Third set build on 1:30
- 100 m easy
Cool down:
- 3 x 100 m free kick (rest 0:15)
Total Distance: 2400 m

14. Triathlon Training Workout #14 (Counting strokes)
Warm up:
- 50 m free, 50 m kick
- 100 m free, 50 m kick
- 150 m free, 50 m kick
(repeat set with other stroke)
Main Set:
- 2 x (4 x 50 m free)
First set count on 1:20
Second set steady on 1:30
- 800 m free
- 100 m any stroke
Cool down:
- 4 x 50 m free kick (rest 0:10)
- 100 m easy
Total Distance: 2500 m

15. Triathlon Training Workout #15 (Pyramid)
Warm up:
- 100 m free
- 100 m back
- 100 m breast
- 100 m free
- 4 x 50 m alternate swim and kick
Main Set:
- 4 x 50 m free (rest 0:15)
- 3 x 100 m free (rest 0:15)
- 2 x 150 m free (rest 0:15)
- 1 x 200 m free (rest 0:15)
- 2 x 150 m free (rest 0:15)
- 3 x 100 m free (rest 0:15)
- 4 x 50 m free (rest 0:15)
Cool down:
- 200 m easy
Total Distance: 2600 m

Note: Make sure you start out at a comfortable pace and then increase the effort until you reach the “top”. The longest distance in the set should also be the hardest effort. Then as you come “down”, ease up on the effort. A good way of doing this is keep your speed and rest constant through the entire set. Remember to start out slow and use the clock!

16. Triathlon Training Workout #16 (Broken distances)
Warm up:
- 200 m swim
- 100 m kick
- 200 m pull
Main Set:
- 4 x (50 m swim, 50 m kick, 50 m drill, 50 m pull) (rest 0:10)
- 4 x 200 m swim on 3:40 (drop time by 1-2 sec each 200)
Cool down:
- 6 x 50 m alternate back and breast
- 100 m easy
Total Distance: 2500 m

18. Triathlon Training Workout #18 (Form, form, form)
Warm up:
- 4 x 25 m swim (stretch)
- 4 x 50 m swim (stretch)
- 3 x 100 m free (form)
- 2 x 300 m free (form)
- 3 x 100 m free (form and pace)
Main Set:
- 100 m free kick (strong)
- pyramid
50 free (rest 0:20)
100 free (rest 0:20)
200 free (rest 0:20)
100 free (rest 0:20)
50 free (rest 0:20)
- 100 m pull then repeat pyramid
Cool down:
- 100 m free (breathing every 2, 3, 5, 7 strokes for every 25)
- 2 x 100 m free (smooth)
Total Distance: 3000 m

Courtesy of TCSD:
http://www.triclubsandiego.org/

1. In Love with IM's:
Warm Up:
300 yards – freestyle
200 yards – 4 x 50 (25 yards kick, 25 yards swim) @ 5 sec rest. IM order (Fly-back-breast-free).
Main Set:
4 x 50 in IM order @ 5 sec rest.
2 x 100 freestyle.
200 IM
2 x 100 freestyle.
4 x 50 in IM order
Cool down:
300 yards – w/pull buoy. Breathing pattern of 3,5,7 by 100’s.
200 yards – freestyle.
Total Distance: 2000m

2. 3 F's (Form, Firm, Fast)
Warm Up:
300 yard – freestyle
300 yard – 6 x 50 yards (hard w/30 sec rest).
Odds are under 25 (ie, shooter – no breath for as far as you can go while dolphin kicking) and over 25 (swim your choice of stroke.)
Evens are the reverse – over 25 followed by under 25.
Main Set:
900 yards – 9 x 100 yard freestyle in groups of 3.
The first 3 are “form”, the next 3 are “firm” and the final 3 are “fast.”
Cool Down:
300 yards – put on pull buoy
3,5,7 breathing pattern by 100’s.
200 yards free
Total Distance: 2000m

3. Mix & T.I.P.
Warm Up:
200 yards – freestyle warm up.
300 yards –6 x 50 yards as 25 kick, 25 stroke/drill.
The odds are freestyle.
The evens are your choice of stroke other than freestyle.
Main Set
600 yards – 3 x 200 yards.
#1 and #3 are freestyle.
#2 is anything, but freestyle.
Do these on 5-10 seconds rest.
Build your speed throughout each 200 so you are very fast for the final 50 of the 200
50 yards – easy freestyle
500 yards – 5 x 100 yards freestyle TIP (tightest interval possible.)
Select an interval that you can make for all 5, but barely make because you need to make these fast.
Cool Down
300 yards –pull buoy. 3,5,7 breathing pattern by 100’s.
150 yards – freestyle warm down.
Total Distance: 2,100m

4. Active Recovery
Warm Up:
300 yards – freestyle warm up.
200 yards –4 x 50 yards. Kick for 25 yards on your left side and 25 yards on your right side. Interval is 1:00.
Main Set:
1,000 yards – 200 yards freestyle, 3 x 100 yards.
Repeat this for a total of 2 times through.
Pace should be easy.
Do the 100’s as 75 freestyle swim, 25 IM stroke.
Thus, the 1st 100 ends with butterfly, the 2nd 100 ends with backstroke, the 3rd 100 ends with breaststroke.
Cool down:
300 yards –pull buoy and paddles. Breathing pattern of 3,5,7 by 100’s.
200 yards – freestyle warm down.
Total Distance: 2000m

5. IM II
Warm Up:
300 yards - freestyle warm up.
200 yards - 2 x 100 yards kick.
Do these as 25 butterfly kick, 25 backstroke kick, 25 butterfly kick, 25 freestyle kick.
Interval is 5 seconds rest.
Main Set:
300 yards - Do this as 100 freestyle, 100 IM, 100 freestyle.
Interval is 5 seconds rest.
400 yards - 4 x 100 yards. Do these in IM order.
The first 100 will be 25 freestyle, 25 butterfly, 25 freestyle, 25 butterfly. The second 100 will plug in backstroke.
the third 100 will plug in breaststroke.
the final 100 will be all freestyle.
Do these on 5 seconds rest.
300 yards - 3 x 100 freestyle.
Do these on a fast interval providing 5 seconds of rest or less.
Cool down:
300 yards - put on pull buoy and paddles. 3,5,7 breathing pattern by 100's. 200 yards - freestyle warm down.
Total distance: 2,000m

6. 25s & 50s
Warm Up:
300 yards - freestyle warmup.
300 yards - 4 x 75 yards.
The odds are 25 kick on left side, 25 kick on right side, 25 swim.
The evens are all kick (any way you want.)
Do these on 5 seconds rest.
Main Set:
600 yards - 12 x 50 yards freestyle in groups of 3.
1st set easy, 2nd set harder, 3rd set hard (TIP--tightest interval possible).
400 yards - put on pull buoy. 4 x 100 yards.
Use a breathing pattern of 3 for the odds and 5 for the evens.
Do these on an interval of 5 seconds rest.
200 yards - put on fins. 8 x 25 butterfly. The odds are drill. The evens are fast.
200 yards - 4 x 50 yards freestyle descending (swim these as form, firm, fast and very fast).
Cool down:
200 yards - freestyle warm down.
Total distance: 2,200m

7. Hypoxia
Warm Up:
500 m free (easy)
(kick 50; free 50; kick50) x3
Main Set:
descending set--100x6
hypoxic sets--6x100 (breathe every 5)
6x125 (breathe every 3,4,5,6,7)
Cool down:
200 free easy
Total distance: 2975 m


8. 10s & 50s
Warm Up:
form focus--500m free
10x50s--25 drll; 25 swim
Main Set:
10x25 fast
10x50 fast
4x100--25 ea--drill-free-kick-free
400-300-200 short pyramid steady paced
Cool down:
50 ea back-free-breast
Total distance: 3200


9. More IM
Warm Up:
500 m free (easy)
Main Set:
4x200 m free w/last 50m kick each set
4x200 IM (fly, back, brst, free)
Cool down:
200 m free--long and slow
Total distance: 2300 m



10. Long and Hard
Warm Up:
200 free easy
200--50 kick; 50pull; 100free
Main Set:
1x400
1x600
1x1000
Cool down:
4x50 easy free--technique focus
Total Distance: 2600 m

Select Workouts from Swimming World:
http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/swim-cgi/

1. Builds
Warm-up :
500 drill/swim (ea 50) by 100
5 x 50's drill
4x 50's build
2x 50's kick
Main Set :
5 x 100's (build @15 sec rest)
3 x 100 I.M. (@15 sec rest)
Warm-Down:
200 free easy
Total Distance: 2050 m

2. Speed & Pace
Warm-up:
800 meters crawl 50 meters kick
Increase pace every 200 meters
Main Set:
400 meters crawl 50 meters kick
Increase pace every 100 meters for the 400 (1st 100M 25% - 2nd 100M 50%, ETC..)
ONE MINUTE REST after 50M kick.
200 meters crawl 50 meters easy
Increase pace every 50 meters for the 200 (1st 50M 25% - 2nd 50M 50%, ETC..)
TWO MINUTES REST after 50M easy.
5x50 meters freestyle all out
5x25 meters freestyle all out
Warm-Down:
100 meters easy swim
Total Distance: 1875 m

3. Speed Fix

Warm-up:
200 Free 200 IM 100 Kick
Easy
Main Set:
1st five are freestyle 2nd five are IM order

10 x 100

10 x 75
10 x 50
Fast!
Kick Set:
10 x 25 Free
4 x 100 IM (no board)
Warm-Down:
200 Free
Easy
Total Distance: 3600 m


4. Perfect Mix
Warm-up:
4x200 SKPS (50 Swim/ 50 Kick/ 50 pull/ 50 swim) nice'n easy IM order
Rest 15 seconds between each one
12 x 50 IM order first 25 drill, second swim
Main Set:
4 x 100 Free @ 30 sec rest
3 x 75 Free (3,5,7 breathing) @ 15 sec rest
2 x 50 Free all out @ 15 sec rest
Do set 3x
Warm-Down:
200 swim, 200 kick
Easy pace, stretching out
Total distance: 2575 m


5. Drills, drills, drills
Warm-up:
300 Kick 300 Pull 300 Swim
Do them at your own pace!!
Main Set:
10x100 Freestyle Alternating the breathing every 3 strokes or every 5 strokes
Pull Set
1x(50-100-200-300-200-100-50)
Rest 2 Min. in between
Drill Set
8x75 Freestyle Right Arm down Left Arm Back Full Stroke
10 seconds rest in between each 75
Kick Set
6x25 Freestyle with fins
:25
Warm-Down:
300 Anything but freestyle
At your own pace!!
Total distance: 3950 m

6. Broken 100s
Warm-up:
100 Free swim 200 Free pull with buoy 200 Free kick 100 Free swim
10 x 25 Choice of strokes pull with buoy Practice fast turnover
Main Set:
4 x 200 Free broken
#1: 100/100
#2: 100/50/50
#3: 100/50/25/25
#4: 100/25/25/25/25
All breaks :10 Rest 1:00 between 200s
100 Free easy
3 x 100 Choice of strokes broken (all 1 stroke, no free)
#1: 100
#2: 50/50
#3: 25/25/25/25
All breaks :10 Rest 1:00 between each set
Kick Set: 6 x 25 Kick 5 each stroke
Warm-Down:
100 Free
Swim-down
Total distance: 2300m


7. Bit of Everything:
Warm-up:
500 m (200 swim; 100 stroke drill; 200 kick)
1 min apart
3x(200 easy, 100 hard kick)
15 sec apart
Main Set:
4x300(100 fast 100 easy 100 fast)
1 min rest
4x50 free
Warm-Down:
6x50 drills
100 freestroke with breastkick
Total Distance: 3200 m

8. Sets of Four
Warm-up:
4 x 100 free descending
Rest 20 seconds between each 100. Last 100 at 80% effort.
Main Set:
4x150 free
4x100 alternate free and back
4x50 free
4x25 alternate free and breast
4x150 on 2:15
4x100 on 2:00
4x50 on 1:45
4x25 on :30
Warm-Down:
Kick Set: 200 kick
4x50 choice
4x50 free
Total Distance: 3500m


from UCSD master's swimming (Sickie):
http://recreation.ucsd.edu/mstr/index.html?op=dtl&cs=act&id=5628

1. Mix It Up
Warm up:
2X (200 free-100 butterfly-100 kick)
12 x 50 (4=free, 4=stroke, 4=50s)
IM @:10 rest
Main Set:
6 x 200 free on BASE (Desc 1-3 & 4-6)
8 x 75 (25 kick- 50 swim choice) @:10 rest
4 x 100 choice FAST @ ez 50 swim between each
Warm down:
- 100 swim-100 kick- 100 drill- 100 swim
Total Distance: 3800m

2. Fast 50s
Warm up:
- 300 free- 200 stk- 100 kick- 100 choice
20 x 25 @:10 rest (5 of each stroke)
Main Set:
6 x 50 free BASE -:05 (these will be fast)
400 free pull or swim (alternate breathing)
4 x 50 free BASE -:05 (these will be faster)
600 free pull or swim (alternate breathing)
2 x 50 free BASE -:05 (as fast as you can go)
400 free pull or swim (alternate breathing)
Warm down:
400 IM Workout
Total Distance: 3600 m

3. Negative Splits
Warm up:
300 free
200 IM
100 kick
Main Set:
12 x 50 (25 kick-swim) 3 of each stroke &:10 rest
5 x 100 BASE +:15
800 free pull or swim (negative split 500's)
8 x 75 choice (desc 1-4 & 5-8) @:10 rest
300 free pull or swim (negative split 250's)
Warm down:
3 x 200 (50 kick-drill-100 swim)
Total Distance: 4000m

4. Aerobic Intervals
Warm Up:
450 (breast-back-free 50 ea. X3)
50x16 in 4 sets (1--free; 2--25 back/25 free; 3--25 breast/25 free; 4-25
fly/25 free)
Main set:
1x250 free
4x50 stroke (back)
2x250 free
3x50 stroke (breast)
3x250 free
2x50 (kick--breast)
1x250 free (fast)
Cool down:
1x50--back
Total Distance: 3500m

5. Intervals of 400
Warm Up:
easy 100
600 free
Main Set:
50x3 free
400 free
50x3 br/fr
400 free
50x3 back/fr
400 free
50x3 fly/fr
(200 fr; 50x2 kick--fr;br)x2
Cool down:
200 easy
Total Distance: 3000 m

My Personal Favorites:

1. Ladder
Warm Up:
Repeat 4x(50m each-breast-back-free)
Technique (4x) 50m each pull-kick-drill-free
Main Set:
Descending Ladder (increase pace as sets get shorter; rest 30 seconds b/tw):
1x500
1x400
1x300
1x200
2x100
4x50
Cool-down:
Golf Swim (try to omit 1 stroke each 50m): 4x50m (slow)
Total Distance: 2400m

2. Builds
Warm Up:
500m
4x100(25 kick/25 free/25 drill/25 stroke)
Main set (build):
4x200(50 easy, 50 med, 50 med-hard, 50 hard)
4x100(25 easy, 25 med, 25 med-hard, 25 hard)
4x50(24 easy, 25 hard)
cooldown:
3x50 (long and slow strokes, reducing by 1 each 50 )
easy 50 breathe every 4th stroke
stroke 100
total 2500 m


3. Medium Intervals
Warm Up:
300 yds
6x50 drill/choice
Main set:
5x200 on 15 sec rest
5x100 on 15 sec rest
Cool down
300 pull
200 easy moderate
Total distance: 2600m

4. Builds II
Warm Up:
500m free
drills (kick 50, drill 50, back 50) (x2)
count drill 50x3
Main Set:
4x200 build: (easy; harder; steady; hardest)
4x50 hard sprint
Cool down:
2x75--breast,free,back; 1 easy free
Total Distance: 1500m

Sample workouts from beginner triathlete's IM Training Plan:


1. Speed Day
Warm Up:
400 continuous, last 50 in each 100 is kick
Main:
8x100 EBEH (each 100=25 easy, 25 build, 25 easy, 25 hard)
Cool Down:
6x25, each slower and longer than last

Total Distance: 1500m

2. Sets of 400
Warm Up:
4x75, last 25 in each is backstroke
Main Set:
3x400 (1 is RPE 3, 2 is RPE 4, 3, is RPE 5)
Cooldown:
150 easy

Total Distance: 1650m

from trinewbies.com Intermediate Half Ironman Training Program:

1. Quality swim workout
Warm Up:
500 sw, 200k , 100 sw
6x 50s build, 15 sec rest
Main:
5x100s hypoxic, breathe every 3
5x100 fast with easy 50 when resting
cool down:
easy 200
total 2300 m



Great websites for swim workouts:
http://ruthkazez.com/50swimworkouts.html
http://www.swiminfo.com/swim-cgi/
http://forums.usms.org/forumdisplay.php?forumid=95
http://www.trinewbies.com/category.asp?catID=3
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=528

Update

I've been so busy lately, I haven't had time to breathe. But it's good busy. Here's the scoop:

1. Acupuncture is awesome. It's been helping Jason with his inner ear/vertigo thing. He's still not back at work but at least he's not bedridden anymore. And he's eating! I started getting acupuncture too for back and stomach pain. Weird, wacky and wild stuff but I'm sold. It's for real.

2. After my killer 4th of July bike ride, went for a swim with the tri club on Friday in the cove. Had a blast. Swam a mile without feeling dizzy and sick afterwards. Yipee! Sighting a landmark on land helped. So did the pre-swim Pepcid.

3. Biked with the club Saturday morning. Took Torch. Had so much fun, I accidentally went 50. Oops.

4. Went for my long run with my awesome running group Sunday. Felt awful the first 4 and then hit my stride coming back. Got that "floating" feeling and was able to pace with the leaders. Felt strong and awesome. Finally got my running mojo back.

5. On my 6 mile mid-week run last week, saw a gorgous Great Blue Heron on the railroad tracks. So majestic. Gently shooed him away to a safer place.

6. FINALLY got back into my master's swimming class this morning. Made myself get in the pool even though I didn't want to, and it felt good. I've gotten SLOW!!! Argh. Coach timed me formally--2:25 for a 100, a good 25-30 seconds slower than I used to be (which was slow). Crap. Guess bad can get worse. He gave me a brief evaluation of my stroke. Turns out my legs are too high in the water, and my head is too low so my ass is sticking out in the air. Who does that? Why do I have the opposite problem of everyone else? I have to focus on swimming with my head up like a water polo player. Weird.

Camp Pendleton International is this weekend!!! Torch's debut! Gotta make sure he's ready. I'm stoked.....

Hope everyone is having a great week.

Scripps Ranch Old Pros 4th of July Bike Ride

Happy Independence Day everyone! Hope everyone got to do something special today. I went for a 50-mile, very hilly bike ride. An organized ride with other cyclists, aid stations, and SAG support is always hard to turn down.

I almost chickened out and opted for the 28-mile ride, especially after the "warning" on the entry form:

"The 50-mile course is for serious riders who've been in training for some time. We don't suggest you attempt this ride unless you are in top condition. Grueling is the word of the day here."

I knew I wasn't in the best of shape. Plus, the weatherman called for extremely hot temperatures, especially inland, which was where I was headed. But I had already signed up for the 50-mile ride, and I decided to (gulp) go for it. I would just take it slow and use it as a break-through workout.

I polished up Bluebell and took her instead of Torch (tear) since it was a HILLY ride with lots of other cyclists. I also stripped her of her clip-on aero bars, officially making her my purist road bike. She looks a lot better that way (and is a bit lighter in front).

It was hard to get up at 5 a.m. but I didn't clean up Bluebell and freeze 2 sports drink bottles for nothin'! We all lined up and took off. I hung out in the back and just spun easily the first 5 or 6 miles. No use in burning up now. It was extremely foggy, misting up my sunglasses and making it difficult to see--virtually pea soup! However, I relished the cool morning mist.

We rode easily for the first 25 miles, through beautiful Rancho Santa Fe, littered with gorgeous mansions, lush gardens, perfectly manicured lawns, immaculate horse stables, with gorgeous, sheen, muscular horses, frolicking in the cool mist. I could smell hay, fly spray, and manure, all of which I love, since I used to be avidly involved with horses and riding. Orange groves, golf courses, and a pasture full of the most adoreable mommy and baby Shetland ponies I've ever seen. It was a picturesque ride.

Luckily, the fog really didn't burn up until around 9 a.m., which of course, was around the first major climb. Near Escondido, we begun the first major climb up to Lake Hodges. Near the top of the first big climb, the western edge of Lake Hodges appeared. Steam was rising off the water, and it was a mystical, breathtaking sight. The beauty of the lake took my mind off the pain of the never-ending climb.

My quads and calves were already tight from my run and weights the night before. I concentrated on finding a rhythm and tried to keep spinning. The whole time, I kept wondering wear my low gears had gone, even though I was in the lowest one. It seemed like everyone passed me, even the old guys, and I definitely began to hit my low point around mile 30. One woman told me to "push it" as she passed me, and I wanted to strangle her. What did she think I was doing? Funny thing was that I wasn't breathing all that hard. I know my heart rate was up but it wasn't in the red. My legs were just screaming with battery acid. I simply couldn't turn my legs over any faster. I have no power.

I talked myself into a better mood. I reminded myself that it was normal to have low points during any long workout, thinking back to what Mark Allen had said about doing Ironman (basically, he said there will always be tough moments and really bad periods you have to get through). This calmed me down. In addition, my performance wasn't a suprise. I knew I was out of shape and had no power. That's why I was doing this. My goal was to pace myself, finish and get a good workout, and that's what I was doing. Once I reminded myself of the point of being out there, I turned my mood around and began to focus again. My stomach felt good, and I was hydrating, salting, and eating well (still low for most but good for me--at this point, I only seem to be able to get down about 150 calories/hr--work in progress).

I refueled at an aid station and tried to spin the next 15 miles of rollers. I felt sooo slow but focused on RPE. Luckily, I had just changed the batteries on my computer and hadn't set the circumference correctly so the speed was way off...on the high side. It kept reading 20-40 mph. Yipee! I'm Lance! So I had no idea what my pace was--just a rough estimate based on the clock. This actually helped a lot. I'm thinking of not looking at my speed at all for awhile. I think it forces me to run in the red waay too much.

At another low point, someone asked me if my bike was brand new. Bluebell is definitely not new. I had just been thinking about all the nicks and dents in the paint last night and all the particles of sand in crevices the rag couldn't reach. Plus, the "hubcap" on one of the cranks had fallen off, which I only discovered last night. I actually had to consider whether she was even rideable! (Another trip to the bike store is in order). However, she rode very smoothly and took great care of me. It felt really good to have someone compliment my bike. I take pride in my rides.

I had been anticipating the final big climb at mile 45, the "Pomerado Bomber", was what the other experienced cyclists were calling it. Luckily, another cyclist had started chatting with me as it approached. She was complimenting my riding form, saying I rode very smoothly, making it look easy. That made me feel sooo good since I felt like I was really suffering. We were riding about the same pace so we rode up the Bomber together. This way, I was able to push myself a little, and it was over in a snap. Ah, the beauty of group rides.

Suddenly, I was coasting downhill and on the way to the finish (although the last 2 miles seemed to take forever!). My legs were really cramping, and even though it was at the end, I popped another 2 salt tablets. The cramps subsided within 5 minutes. Guess that stuff really works! At the finish, I was tired but happy. I didn't feel too thirsty or too hungry. Nor did I feel that tired. I picked up the t-shirt for Jason, a bagel omelet with bacon for me and headed home for a shower, meal, and nap...in that order.

I've been focusing on recovery the rest of the day. I feel tired but good. Definitely got a lot of lactic acid going on. I'm glad I did it. I still got it, baby! Plus, it was so scenic, and the other cyclists were so friendly. Very fun. Why is it we think grueling workouts that last for hours where we suffer in exquisite pain are so much fun?

BREAKING NEWS!!!!

Hope everyone had a most awesome weekend. Before I go any further....

I have some news. There's been a new addition to my family. Last Friday, I brought home the sickest, coolest, most wicked, brand spankin' new TRI BIKE ever!!!! My new KUOTA K-FACTOR!!!
I've already named him. Jason came up with it, and it stuck:
TORCH

After Fantastic Four's the Human Torch, of course. Flame on!

I took Bluebell in to B&L Bikes 2 weeks ago for a fitting. Here I am, out of shape and being told my back pain is from too much time, too soon in the aero bars. Hmmm, I need a new tri bike. Well, not need, want. I admitted that, at least. So I told them my price range and they showed me this slick, sexy beast for $1000 less than my budget! Props to the bike shop. They don't try to rip you off, and treat you with respect, from the average age grouper to the pros (I saw Kate Major's bike, resting on the bike, waiting for a tune-up, as she recovers from the flu after IM-Japan). Anyway, since they had fitted me so well to Bluebell, they kind of knew what would work best for me as a tri bike. They suggeseted a 54 cm Kuota K-Factor, which got awesome bike reviews, and apparently would work well for long-legged, short-torsoed gals, toothpick gals like me. They had a red one (my favorite color), still in the box. They took some measurements and I came back the following week for our first date.

Our first date:
I was so nervous. I didn't know if I would be able to shift it! Also, I didn't know how twitchy it would be. Maybe this would be too much bike for me to handle. This was my first time on a tri bike and my first time on a carbon frame. After a quick spin on the trainer and some adjustments to the seat post and aerobars, I was heading down Coast Hwy during rush hour. Talk about pressure. I circled behind the store and headed up to a short light to turn left and head north. It was a short light, and I had to sprint to make it. Normally, when I have to sprint for a light, it's like Barney Rubble spinning his legs in the Flinstone-mobile. Not on this steed. I thought "Go" and I was going. All I had to do was think "Faster" and the speed was there. Talk about energy tranfer. Also, it was comfortable! Seeing a bump up ahead, I tensed up, anticipating the harsh vibrations. Over we went and...nothing. Smooth as butter. Comfortable and fast? Impossible!

When I got back to the store, I had made my decision. Normally, I shop around. A lot. Debate and ponder my decision. However, I knew there were a lot of bikes out there, many of which would work. But I really wanted to get the bike from a bike shop I love, and I really like and trust B&L. Plus, the bike was so slick. I couldn't think of any reason not to get it, and I knew if I had tried more bikes, I would still return to this one. So I bought it. Done and done.

They took more measurements, and I stipulated what I wanted to it. Like I'm such an expert. Yet, I knew I wanted compact cranks. And a more comfortable seat, which they swapped out with me for free. Look pedals. Also, I got the fanciest, most aero, most expensive, carbon water bottle cages they had. Silly, I know but only the best for my new Ferrari (with a Cadillac feel). Also, I ordered a CatEye wireless, rear mount computer that does speed, cadence, AND heart rate (so I can use it on the trainer). Picky. They scribbled down notes furiously and also changed seat posts (still carbon but one that could be adjusted to my correct height) and took more measurements. They ended up sawing down the aerobars to adjust them to the proper length (and putting spacers underneath since I can't handle too aggressive of an aero position at this point).

I called on Friday to see if it was ready. They said they had it in pieces and were putting it back together. In pieces! That freaked me out but they totally know what they're doing. I came by later that afternoon. Another spin on the trainer to make sure it fit right, and off I went on the road (again rush hour on Coast Hwy). I felt pretty bad-ass.

Sunday, I took Torch on our inaugural ride for a course preview of the upcoming Camp Pendleton International Tri (July 14th--Torch's debut) with the Tri Club. It was wicked fun. A much smoother ride. I felt more efficient. Easier to pick up speed and maintain it. Guess that energy transfer thing they always talk about is for real. Also, in a headwind, I wasn't suffering as much; it was simply work. I could hunker down and keep going. I was sore by the end of our ~25 mile ride from maintaining the aero position for so long but that's mostly b/c I'm out of shape. I guess in the end, I still have to pedal the damn thing, right? However, I'm totally in love. Bluebell will still get worked. She'll be my roadie companion for hilly races, training rides, and group rides. Torch will be the hell's bells, lay the hammer down, lightning fast racing bike.

So that's my big news! Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Other weekend workouts:
Friday: evening pool swim 3x500 after a 450m w.u. I felt like an elephant swimming through mud.
Saturday: early morning 8 mile beach run with my group. I bitched a lot going up the hills. After a big breakfast (eag and bacon croissant, anyone?), I took a nap. Upon waking, took Rocky through Rose Canyon in the heat of the day behind the apartment. It was supposed to be an easy workout but it was hot and hard although totally a blast. Mountain biking is hard!!! I about fell 2 or 3 times but got the hang of jumping little ditches and soft pedaling through loose gravel. I still got off to walk the bike when things got dicey (narrow trail, steep drop off on one side--no, thank you). I also had to carry Rocky (luckily, she's not too heavy) as a tightrope walker carries a balance beam (twice!) as I negotiated my way across a creek on a rickety plank that threatened to topple over. Felt like an adventure racer for a moment. I wanted to keep going...the explorer in me came out...where does the trail go? Just another minute further. It was so much fun. Can't wait to hit the trails again. Then, rushed to the acupuncturist for my first appointment (for stress). I have huge hicky-like marks on my back from that. Was very relaxing though.
Sunday: After ride on Torch, followed up with a 3 mile brick run on wooden legs. Big breakfast, nap. Then, hit the beach for a quick swim at high tide at Torrey Pines. Lots of HUGE waves! Felt like I was in Santa Cruz. Got out past the waves and swam back and forth for a recovery swim (only 20 minutes). Even did it in my string bikini, pooch and all! I figure, if I don't don a bikini now, when will I ever? The beach was pretty crowded--families and all but many of them started to leave as the sun set and the tide came in. It was fun to hang out and watch the waves and the surfers. I forgot how relaxing it is to lie under the sun and get all sandy. Only thing is that my shower drain is perpetually clogged now b/c I keep bringing the beach back with me. Got a pretty good tan now, even with all the sunblock! Shoot. Anyway, I think I'm sufficiently pooped.

This week was supposed to be a recovery week. Hmmm. Maybe next week.

Tri College 101--Today's Lesson--Freestyle Technique

I've been doing a lot of reading lately and listening to podcasts so I'd thought I'd share some of the information on my blog. At the very least, it will be an archive I can refer to to help optimize my training. I plan on covering any and all topics. Please let me know if you have suggestions on what to cover.

Swimming has been on my brain lately. It's my greatest limiter, and I've been throwing myself in the pool a lot to try and work on my technique. The thing I like to start with is thinking about my form. I break it down into pieces and swim several laps, focusing on that part of my body until I can incorporate it into a whole piece. What to think about?

Body Positioning:

Most important and best place to start. You want to be streamlined, everything aligned, in 1 unit. Balance is key. You want to float equally from your head to your toe. You also want to be efficient in this streamlined position on either side.

1. Head down.

The head is the heaviest part of the human body. Our instinct is to raise our head (for breathing purposes) but this pushes our legs down, causing drag. By focusing on keeping my head down throughout the stroke, it allows my legs to remain in the same plane as my torso so I'm more streamlined. I like to pretend there's a laserbeam on the top of my head, and I focus on pointing the laser at the wall.

Drill: kick (no kickboard) while focusing on streamlined, head-down position. Turn to side to take breath as needed. Try 1st with arms by sides. Then, try with arms out in front.

2. Press the buoy.

Because our lungs are filled with air, this tends to raise our torso up, further pushing our legs down. To counteract this, I like to focus on pushing my chest down into the water, as if a big weight was tied to it. When done correctly with the head down position, my feet raise up and break the surface of the water. I get a "downhill" feeling as I swim, allowing my shoulders to feel free and a snappier, easier recovery. In effect, it's a double-whammy because I'm more streamlined, and my upper body is more free to generate power in the stroke.

Drill: Repeat as in #1, but add imagery of weight tied to chest.

3. Body roll

I'm more streamlined on my side than on my stomach. In addition, by twisting from side-to-side, I generate more power by recruiting the larger muscles in my core and back. I also create less strain on my shoulders this way. I like to think about twisting as one unit from hips to shoulders (the power is generated in the hips) as if I'm impaled on a skewer, a corkscrew, or a board, turning back and forth. As I twist, my legs twist too so I'm kicking while on each side. My head remains in the same position; it's the twisting from the hips that lifts the head out of the water to breathe. I only need one eye out of the water to be able to breathe. I don't need to lift my head. To ensure this, I make sure I can feel my head "resting" on my shoulder as the hips rotate my head for a breath.

Drills: 1st kick on left side. Then, kick on right. 3rd, start on left, take breath, and twist to right side (take 1 stroke), focusing on using core to move to other side. Repeat to return to left side. 4th, begin stroking slowly, 3 at a time (start on left-then stroke to right-left-right), again, focusing on using core and hips to turn body as 1 unit.

4. Bilateral Breathing:

Symmetry will make you a more efficient, faster swimmer. Practice breathing every other stroke (also good for lungs). Practice side kicking drills while on either side.

5. Kick:

Focus on maintaining a small flutter kick, emanating from the hips. Your feet shouldn't come far apart, which prevents drag. The kick mainly helps maintain body position but doesn't add much for speed, especially for triathletes, who need to save their legs for the bike and run (and don't need to kick much at all with the extra buoyancy of a wetsuit). Practice kicking on either side to ensure body position is maintained efficiently.

The Stroke:

Now that, we've worked on body positioning and we have the basics, what do we do with our arms (and core and back!) during the stroke? There are 4 phases: recovery (before next stroke begins), entry (where the arm enters the water), catch (entering arm extends fully), and pull (other arm begins propulsion towards hips to generate power).

6. Recovery:

Stroke finishes with hand fully extended by side and leaves the water, pinky finger up from hips. It feels like you are taking your hand out of your pocket, or "zipping" up a jacket. The elbow should be bent and raised high, while the rest of the forearm is relaxed and limp. The recovery arm is then thrust forward, led by the shoulder and lats. I need to focus on keeping my arm relaxed during recovery, a common mistake. Also, swimmers often focus on a "quick" recovery because it's the "dead" part of the stroke where speed decelerates until the next pull begins.

Drills: There are a ton of options here. I particularly like the "zipper"drill and the "limp noodle" drill.

Zipper drill: Swim on side, lower arm extended, as for side kicking drill. After breath is taken and head is down, practice recovery arm leaving side from hip, pinky finger up, elbow high, as if you were taking your hand out of your pocket. Drag fingers up as if you were zipping up a jacket. Once arm reaches eyeline, dip fingers into water, where you would proceed with entry. As you feel hips "falling" (normally you would thrust here for entry), turn back and return to original position to repeat.

Skim the Surface: A complimentary drill to emphasize high elbows in recovery. Drag tips of fingers across surface of water during the recovery.

Limp Noodle: To emphasize relaxed arms, visibly dangle the forearm from the elbow during recovery phase. You'll look ridiculous but it really helps.

Lat/Shoulder Throw: To emphasize leading the recovery with the shoulders, lead with the shoulders. Overexaggerate by "throwing" your arm (from the lats) forward. Emphasizes a quick recovery.

7. Entry:

Hand enters water at eyeline or a little out in front with high elbow. Because you're on your side, gravity wants to push you in the direction of your entering hand. Let it. Use the thrust from your hips and core to "help" gravity drive the entering arm down and forward. I used to want to keep my arm out of the water for way too long, entering out way too far in front. However, the sooner I enter the water, the sooner I can propel myself forward. Time out of the water is time wasted.

8. Front-quadrant swimming:

I used to swim like a helicoptor. When 1 arm was out of the water, the other 1 was directly below. It's much more efficient and more streamlined to leave the leading arm out in front and "wait" for the other arm to enter the water before dropping the other arm. Balance drills are key here (swimming on side with lower arm extended) since the recovering arm pushed our torso down. The natural instinct is to lower the leading arm to counteract this but it's much more efficient to leave it out in front. It also allows us to be tall and lean. The taller we are in the water, the more distance we can cover. Not only are we more streamlined, but waiting for the other arm gives us more power. Instead of having to drag our pulling arm through the water, now we have the other arm as a fixed point for leverage to help us out. That allows more recruitment of large, stronger muscles like our lats and core, which gives our shoulders a break (preventing overuse injuries). When done correctly, it feels like climbing a rope. Also, you should feel like a corkscrew with an engine in your belly.

Drill: Catch-up--a favorite of mine. Leave extended (lower) arm in front until recovery arm enters the water and "tags" the extended arm before beginning the pull.

9. Entry:

After entry, the arm fully extends, making you feel tall and lean. To become even taller, at this point, twist to your side so you are looking at the side wall. Make sure your extended arm stays somewhat relaxed. I had been focusing on "tall and lean" so much I was hyperextending my shoulder. Bad. Also, focus on extending your arm in the plane directly in line with your shoulders and hips. Straying out of this line causes drift (and shoulder strain), and we want to swim as straight as possible (most efficient--shortest distance between 2 points). I picture 3 lines, 1 down the midsection, and 1 at the outer edge of each hip. As I turn, I point the extending arm towards the opposite hip, as if I were skating down railroad tracks. (I tend to extend my arm too far away from my body. Some people cross the midline, which is just as bad. Helps to know your personal swimming habits since form focus and drills is a highly individualized activity depending on your needs.)

Drills:

Long & Lean/Body Roll--Extend arm fully as if you were reaching on tiptoes for something on the top shelf. Turn fully on side and look at side wall as you do this.

Skating--pretend the line down the center lane is the middle of the railroad tracks. Align with the center of your body. Focus on lining extended arm up with the tracks as you swim so you swim in as perfectly straight a line as possible.

10. Pull:

The most elusive part of the freestyle stroke (because it's underwater and hidden from view) for me and also the most important because it generates the power that propels us forward. After the recovering arm has entered the water, it's time for the extended arm to begin the pull. It has "caught" its place in the water, the extended arm has reached above it, higher on the rope, and you will now "climb" up the rope. Begin with your pinky finger. Yes, your pinky. Sounds weird but ends up generating the most power. With high elbow, bent, begin pull with pinky, hand down and facing wall behind you (pretend you're going to slap it). Begin propelling your hand towards your hip. When done correctly, forearm makes a serpentine ("S") shape under your chest. Here, you don't want to take a straight line since that will be the least time under the water. More time, means more power can be generated. Your elbow, forearm, and hand create a paddle, like an oar, which is why it's so important to have a bent elbow. During the pull, your hand is accelerating throughout so that it is moving the fastest at the end when it reaches your hip. When done correctly, your hand should feel as if it's "flinging" out of the water. You should feel "slippery" or "silky." You should not feel tired or lots of resistance. This indicates you aren't recruiting your larger core and lat muscles and instead are relying more on your arm and shoulders.

Drills:

Closed-fist swimming: Simply swim with a closed fist instead of normal open hand. Emphasizes how important "paddle" part of forearm is in creating power. Also gives you a great feel of water when your return to normal swimming.

Carry the barrel: Pretend you are carrying a barrel under your arm as you pull. This encourages the high elbow feel so important in the pull.

Hip Brush: To ensure fully completing the pull, touch your hand to your hip before your hand leaves the water.

This completes the stroke! Remember, imagery is everything. If you lose that slippery, downhill feeling and the water suddenly becomes "heavy", you're muscles are tired and your form is deteriorating, which is your body's way of telling you, "Enough!" Swimming beyond this is going past the point of diminishing returns.

Helpful websites:

http://www.totalimmersion.net/

http://www.triswimcoach.com/

http://www.swim.ee/models/_free_swim1.html

http://www.limmatsharks.com/svl_swim_like_a_fish.html

http://windnseaswim.com/index.html

Discuss amongst yourselves...

This month in Triathlete's Point-Counterpoint, Cameron Elford and Rebecca Roozen discuss whether "serious athletes should receive special treatment on race day, or should everyone just lighten up for Pete's sake." This struck a chord with me, and I was curious on your opinions as well. Do you think slower ("less serious") athletes slow you down on race day, or are you more annoyed by the hard-core ("more serious"), aggressive athletes yelling at you to get out of the way?

Elford writes, "practically all of us have been thrown off, perhaps even frustrated, by a fellow competitor (and I use the term here loosely) as he or she lollygags through the race without a hint of urgency, content in the serene, peaceful state of being a fool."

On the other hand, Roozen argues, "if you haven't made the cut and aren't carded as a pro, turns out you're just like the rest of us age groupers. So you might as well loosen up and have a little fun."

I have to agree whole-heartedly with Roozen. Triathlons are intimidating enough with the slick space-age tri bikes, disc wheels, and rocket helmets. I wish it were more beginner-friendly. I want more people to see what I've discovered--how fun it is to be healthy. The world would be a better place (and certainly a lot lighter) if we all participated in triathlon. It's nerve-racking enough on race day without the hard-core pro-wannabes elbowing at the swim start and yelling aggressively on the bike course. I may not be fast, but I certainly train as much as the next guy, and I like to think of myself as a "serious" athlete. When I'm out there on the race course, I'm suffering just as much as the next guy. Only thing is...I just may be having a little more fun. What's my secret?

I had to swallow my pride a long time ago as fellow tri club members zipped past me on the swim, bike, and run. If I were in this to win, or even PR at every race, I would have given up a long time ago. In fact, I had to dig a little deeper and find out the true meaning of why I go out there and race. It's become more of a spiritual journey and an adventure than a race to win.

I was listening to an interview with Chris (Macca) McCormack (Ironman Talk) and he said confidently that he shows up on the start line expecting to win. He then retorically asked why other athletes show up if they don't expect to win. Of course, Macca is gifted so he hasn't had to search for an alternative reason for racing. But I don't show up expecting to win the race, not even come close. I show up on race day expecting to have fun, get some good exercise out of it, and maybe even learn something about myself or my place in the world through the struggle of getting to the finish line.

Then, I listened to an interview between Roman Mica and Mark Allen (on 3/30/06 at http://www.everymantri.com/), an absolute legend. In the first part of the interview they talk about spirituality and triathlon, and it really hit home for me. He said that most athletes are preoccupied with their lactate threshold, heart rates, and VO2 max but that on race day, none of that matters. How you will perform is up to you, as a person. Mark Allen comments on the importance of mental toughness: "Especially in the longer races, like an Ironman. You have a thousand moments where you want to quite and a thousand moments where you don't feel good. You question what you're doing out there and what your motivation is. Being able to draw strength from somewhere in those moments to make it past them is really what peak performance is all about."
Fit Body Workshop

To hear an Ironman legend like Mark Allen speak about the spirituality in triathlon made me actualize why I'm out there every day, kicking my ass (slowly). It's not about the speed. It's not about the finish line. It's about the adventure along the way.

Congrats!!!

Congratulations is in order!

To all those who did IM-CdL this weekend!
http://www.ironmancda.com/
You guys rock! You are Ironmen!
(e.g. fellow blogger Jodi--http://joditris.blogspot.com/)

To all those who did San Diego International this weekend!
http://www.kozenterprises.com/Triathlons/interdf84.htm
Ack. I'm envious. Sorry I didn't make it this year.

And to Jason and me, albeit a little self gratuitously.
Yesterday was our 7-year wedding anniversary.

Data Alert!!! Training Plan Reassessment Time

I can hardly believe it myself, but I guess I've been making an attempt to get back into shape for 6 weeks now. I still feel like I'm kicking my own ass but I decided it was time to evaluate where I am. (Gulp!) So, per my full disclosure policy, here are my stats:

Analysis:
I'm focusing more on time rather than distance but I have to stay, I'm pleased since I've been told that consistency is the key. After a false start for the first 3 weeks, the last 3 weeks have been SOLID. I guess I needed a "pre-prep" phase. (Actually, week 3 was the scary week that Jason was in and out of the hospital.) I've been following my plan as best as I can for these last 3 weeks, which means, folks...I've earned myself an R&R week!!! Well, hold on a minute. Because I'm still just getting back into it, for this R&R week, I will try to maintain the same frequency of workouts while dropping the intensity waaay back. That means more ocean swims and time on Rocky (the very lonely mtn. bike). Anyway, my overall goal during this Prep phase was to get my body used to working out again. I feel I'm almost there. Very close.

My first race is July 14th, an Olympic distance race. I want to get my swimming back to being comfortable for a 1 mile steady swim. I won't be able to really race this race since it's too soon. But I hope I can use it as a good workout and finish feeling strong.

My Limiters:
When I look at the specifics (broken down by sport), I can see my swimming needs more attention. Because this is by far my greatest limiter (hmmm, do I even have any strengths?), I will make sure I get 3 swims in during my R&R week, 2 of them pool swims (1 ocean), so I can continue building my swim endurance and form. I will be signing up for Masters swimming in the am again. It helps like nothing else even though it wipes me out. Plus, I think I may recruit the masters coach for some privates to work on my form.

My 2nd greatest limiter is my strength on the bike. San Diego is very hilly, and I feel exhausted after every ride. I just need more time on the bike, honestly. A little riding around here, and, wallah! No hill repeats needed! Also, religious time in the weight room, which I've been very good about doing. 2x/week--whole body exercises including glutes, quads, core, back, lats, chest, shoulders, triceps, etc. I'm going to be HUGE! Well, hardly. I don't build muscle easily, which is why weight training is SO important for me. I also got a(nother) bike fitting this week because it's been extremely uncomfortable in the aero position. They tweaked a few things (raised the bars up so I'm not so crammed down) temporarily until I get back into shape again.

My Specific Body Type:
I've been learning a lot about myself in general these past few months. I have a long, lean body type that doesn't gain weight easily but also doesn't gain muscle easily. Not only that, but muscle I build disappears verrry quickly without maintenance through weights and training. For me, weights will always be a critical part of my program. In addition, I tend to need more recovery time after a hard race or a hard workout. I needed a good month after the half-IM. Because I ignored this and tried to train for a marathon simultaneously, my body broke down, forcing me to take off 2 and a half months. I will need to make sure I have 1-2 rest days/week without fail and an easier R&R week every 3rd week as well. I simply break down without it. I may not have a lot of power on the bike, and I have a lot to learn with my swim technique (I can lollygag around out there forever but have no speed or zip), but I always feel strong on the run. At least I have that going for me.

Anyway, I've been revising and shaping up my training plan. Reading lots of books, listening to lots of podcasts. Definitely psyched!!! I even started wearing a HRM again, and I tend to hate extra gadgetry. However, I want to get better and have heard so many coaches advocate HR monitor training that I can't ignore it anymore.

My Goals:
Right now, get used to training again without feeling the need for extra recovery time. I feel I need 1 more Prep period before going into Base training. Basically, I try to get the workout frequency down in the Prep period, while keeping the intensity and duration fairly low; e.g. make it fun. This is the time to keep it inviting so I keep wanting more.

Then, I will begin a long Base (re)building phase in preparation for the Half IM in late October. All races in between will be "C" races--for fun, freshness, experience, and training. I will focus more on my heart rate during the early part of the Base building (~6-8 wks) and ensure it is kept below aerobic threshold to teach my body how to utilize fat for fuel more efficiently than glucose. It will be tough because the intensity will feel too "easy" but if I go slow now, I can go fast later. Also, everyone else will be in a different cycle since their season is going full swing and mine is starting over. So it will take some discipline and restraint on my part.

I will have more detail into the specifics of the training plan coming soon, but until then, I leave you with the latest from my workouts:

I've been focusing on each workout as an individual puzzle piece lately. Each workout has a purpose. During my last 2 runs, I finally felt as if I regained my running stride. I have renewed strength in my legs. I could actually feel my toes gripping the road like fingers pulling myself up a rope. It was such a strong, empowering feeling. I heard the frogs croaking from a creek, not quite dried up yet, on my evening run, and it made me smile. Frogs in southern California? For a moment, I was back in Wisconsin among the prarie grass, Queen Anne's Lace, robins and cardinals. But then a lizard darted across my path and a hummingbird zipped from tree to bush, and I was pulled back into the SoCal environment.

I swam in the Cove on Friday night and saw several tri club members. The water was calm, although the current was flowing its typical direction--out. I had picked a route from the grass so as to avoid the massive kelp beds, which weird me out. Neon green and pink swim caps dotted the wide "lane" between the 1/4 mile and 1/2 mile buoys. The massive numbers of swimmers wriggling in and out of wetsuits on the grass and swimming in clusters in the water reminded me that summer was here. Friday night is "the" night that all the triathletes come and swim at the Cove. The swells tend to make me really queasy but I was able to keep it under control on this swim. Going out, as usual, was easy. I reached the 1/4 mile buoy. I wanted to swim out to the 1/2 mile buoy but it looked so far. So far. This used to be easier. I decided to err on the side of too little and headed back. Next time. I could feel the water rush past my hand as it entered the water, as the current surged around me. However, the strength of my stroke pulled me through the water, little by little. My sighting has definitely improved. A line of pelicans flew overhead into the setting sun on their evening food patrol. Ocassionally, a tern dove into the sea with a "plunk", attempting to spear a fish. Sea lions barked from the rocks by the caves. I was able to avoid the seaweed and follow my pre-visualized route. I've been working on breathing every other stroke--bilaterally--I find the slowed breathing in open water helps calm me and forces me to focus on form and rhythm. As I came back in, dozens of little to medium sized fish swam with me, coming up to the surface to feed. I swam tentatively, fearing my arm would accidentally snag one of the many bright orange Girabaldi swimming alongside me. They, however, were much better swimmers than me. I didn't even come close to touching one as they expertly darted around my limbs and fingers.

Hot Songs for Your Next Workout:
First off, if you're into podcasts, check out the Cadence Revolution and PodRunner. Both are pretty awesome.

1. My Friend--Groove Armada
2. The Adventure--Angels & Airwaves
3. This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race--Fall Out Boy
4. Say it Right--Nelly Furtado
5. Galvanize--Chemical Brothers
6. Check on It--Beyonce & Slim Thug
7. Into the Ocean--Blue October
8. You Know--Chris Cornell
9. You Had Me--Joss Stone
10. 24--Jem

Sad News for Tri Club San Diego

I just found out our club president died of a sudden heart attack on Wednesday. I'm shocked. He was young, vibrant, and healthy. He will be missed by so many. He did so many incredible things for our club. His poor wife...

http://www.triathletemag.com/Departments/Features/
http://www.competitor.com/article/?Guid=103a782c-c546-439a-8baf-291e6df49dce

"We all lose friends.. we lose them in death, to distance and over time. But even though they may be lost, hope is not. The key is to keep them in your heart, and when the time is right, you can pick up the friendship right where you left off. Even the lost find their way home when you leave the light on." -Amy Marie Walz

Hanging in There II

First, I've been updating my blog (hence all the quotes) so I can get everything into the archive. I've also added some new links to my sidebar, including some awesome podcasts I've become addicted to. I'm currently working on swim/bike/run workouts that I like to put up for everyone's use. Sometimes, it's nice to print one off and go rather than think of an excuse why not to do one.

Jason's off the prednisone and just as sick as before. Back to square one. They put him on a 2nd course and scheduled an appointment to put tubes in his ears. The doc doesn't know if it will help but it's the least invasive procedure to try. From what I've read about Meneire's that's about all we can do right now. So he's at home, bedridden and miserable. He's lost another 5 lbs, bringing the total up to 20 lbs. He begged me to turn the ceiling fan off this morning because it was exacerbating his dizziness. He's been too dizzy to even shave lately. Poor thing.

I had minor surgery on one of my dental implants on Monday. A 1.5 hr procedure turned into a 3.5 hr ordeal, leaving me with an insane headache from a sore jaw, funny neck contortions, and vibrations from the drill. Ugh. I'm stuck with a temporary crown that's for "smiling, not eating beef jerky." Okay, but what about swimming, biking, and running? It's only a matter of time before that damn piece of crap falls off. Yippee. I'm a 29-year old that needs denture adhesive.

Anyway, I've been slogging through my workouts. I'm still in the Prep phase but I can't believe how out of shape I've become. I know I took 2 months off because of my sinus infection but I feel like I've lost everything. Plus, everytime I pick up a tri book or mag, I feel like Joe Friel is there quoting me all the stats on how much your VO2 max decreases after 48 hours off. It's totally depressing. I can't have lost that much, can I?

I haven't given up hope completely. The workouts feel good. I'm hoping in a few weeks time, I will start to feel better. Believe it or not, I'm feeling the worst on the bike. I have NO power. No umph. And with all the hills around here, I'm getting annihilated. My neck and shoulders have been KILLING me so I'm back to the bike shop for a(nother) bike fitting this afternoon. Sigh.

Anyway, just when I'm feeling miserable and depressed about how out of shape I am and how slow I am, I go back to a previous draft I'd been working on and realized I can take a different perspective on all this:

I'm enjoying this Prep phase. I have enough experience now to know my fitness will come back. I'm enjoying the journey. This is becoming much more of a spiritual adventure for me. One thing that hit me the other day is that as triathletes, we are always trying to better ourselves in a lifelong quest for improvement. We hold ourselves to a higher standard. We wake up and expect the best from ourselves and take the best care we can of our bodies so we can perform a little bit better each day. And it feels good. It's such a rewarding process. I love how we're always learning and striving to improve. Those are the things I crave as someone who's adopted the triathlete lifestyle. It's that "superhero" feeling that our lives are nothing but ordinary and we are unique individuals with the capability of doing amazing things.

So I'm going back out there because it's easy to improve when the only direction to go in is up.

Quotes Galore

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

--Confucious


Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.

--Mary Kay Ash


"One ceases to recognize the significance of mountain peaks if they are not viewed occasionally from the deepest valleys."--- Dr. Al Lorin

"The gun goes off and everthing changes... the world changes... and nothing else really matters."
--Patti Sue Plummer

"Give me somewhere to stand, and I will move the earth." -- Archimedes

"The journey is the reward."
--Chinese Proverb

“Mind is everything; muscle [mere] pieces of rubber.All that I am, I am because of my mind.”
- Paavo Nurmi

"Sometimes winning has nothing to do with being first across the finish line"
--John Bingham

"Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible."--Doug Larson

All you have to do is look straight and see the road, and when you see it, don't sit looking at it - walk.
-Ayn Rand

Every little bit

I finished another solid week of training. I am kicking my ass right now. Every workout wipes me out. I keep forgetting how much fitness I've lost after 10 weeks of rest. However, I'm having a lot of fun. Just trying to get it done. Every little bit counts. It just feels so good to be out there doing it and enjoying it. Plus, I love that it only takes me an hour to get a solid workout in as opposed to the 3 hour+ bike rides that I was doing. There are some benefits to being out of shape! Mainly how quickly you start to gain fitness.

Monday and Tuesday were rest days. I got a massage and some much needed recovery from the week before.
Wednesday, I ran with a new running group. They go fast and push me so it's a great tempo/speed workout mid-week. Afterwards, I lifted weights. I've also been stretching a lot.
Thursday, I swam after work. I need to join a masters swim group again so I can get this over with in the morning. I had a solid swim but only lasted 40 minutes before my form began to deteriorate. After dinner, I hopped on the trainer for a short 30 minute ride.
Friday, I did weights and a fun, little recovery 4 mile run with a friend from work.
Saturday, I felt very sore and tired. Even though I did so little, I felt like I was bordering on overdoing it. Can I seriously be this out of shape? Anway, I settled for a late afternoon, short 15-mile ride. Then, I got an urge to get into the ocean and ran down to the beach for a sunset swim.

I had forgotten how crowded it gets in the summer at La Jolla Shores. I keep forgetting it's summer. I remember in January having to psych myself up to get in with a wetsuit, booties and hoodie. It sucked. I keep expecting the chill of the water to shock me but I was hot in the sand with my wetsuit. The air temp was about 70 and the water temp felt like upper 60s. Amazing what 10 degrees difference makes. I only swam for a little bit before hopping out. Every little bit counts. Then, I shed my wetsuit and ran back in. The water felt like silk around my skin. I love swimming sans wetsuit! It's so freeing. I hopped out over the waves past all the surfers and swimmers. It felt so quiet and peaceful. I bobbed gently with the surf and watched the sun peak through the evening clouds rolling in. The water sparkled like it was on fire where the rays hit the ocean. Pelicans dove into the water like missiles, fishing in the setting sunlight. Everything felt just right. That's when it hit me that summer was here. And even though the beaches were crowded, all I needed was enough room for my bag. Being able to jump into the ocean in just a swimsuit was worth it. And I could find solace just a couple hundred feet off shore, where few dare to venture. I felt so cleansed when I got out. Now, if only I get all the sand out of the shower...

Sunday, my running group and I ran the 8 mile Low Tide Ride 'N Stride from Imperial Beach to Coronado on the Silver Strand State Beach. It's a great annual event held at the lowest tide of the year. Part of the run goes on the beach by the Naval Seal base, which is normally closed to civilians but they open it up for this run, which makes it way cool. Not a lot of people do it either, so it's very serene and meditatitive. Not only that, but the sand is glittery and gold as if someone smeared body paint all over. Only thing, I forgot how hard it is to run 8 miles in the sand! Mentally, it's tough too because it's just you and the sand and the ocean with nothing changing for miles and miles so it feels like you're getting nowhere. I just took my time and had fun with the group. Afterwards, we enjoyed a big breakfast at a local eatery in Coronado. I had a great omelett, latte, and fruit. Yum.

Then, we went back to the beach and I jumped in--no wetsuit again. The waves were big and there was a red tide, which apparently is safe for swimmers. Guess I'll find out. I didn't realize how choppy it was until I got out. After the breakers, I spotted a buoy about 1/4 mile out and decided to go for out. The current was in the absolute opposite direction, and I was getting pushed and pulled every which way. I did a lot of alternating breaststroke and freestyle to keep my bearings but I made it. Coming back was a lot easier. I tried to body surf in but the wave broke wrong (and they were big!) and I was right in front of it as it broke. I tried to position myself correctly and shut my eyes and held my breath. It pummeled me, and I got knocked for a loop. I felt like I was in the spin cycle of a washing machine. All I could see was froth. I wasn't sure which way was up. I stood up and realized the ocean had stolen my goggles and a contact. Have I mentioned how much I HATE contacts? I had to drive home with one eye shut. Anyway, despite my messy reentry, I still had a blast and felt very relaxed after I got out.

Hanging in There

Well, Jason is still sick but he seems to be having less severe episodes. Since the condition has become chronic, I'm continuing to fight to take him to doctors but also fight myself and prevent myself from wallowing in frustration. I've been trying with all my might to maintain routine and a sense of normalcy, simply by trying to eat healthfully at regular intervals, work out regularly, and go to bed at a decent time. I've also been working my ass off in lab, which helps get my mind off of the situation.

Back to Training:
Meanwhile, I've found solace in training again. I've been working out with my training buds, and that has been wonderful therapy. Also, I'm following my new and improved training plan, which will be up soon for all to see. I've also signed up for races to get me excited, and I am. Actually, I'm stoked. In addition, I think I'm going to start investing in some new toys, starting with a tri bike, which I've been meaning to get for awhile. Time to start getting out there and taking some for a test ride!

Prep Training:
These past few weeks have been a "Prep" period, in which I'm introducing my body to regular training again (vis a vis Joe Friel). Since I'm still sore after most of my workouts, I'm trying to work on frequency and back off on duration and intensity until I don't feel so trashed the next day. At that point, I'll know my body is ready for the next step. I think I'll probably stay in Prep phase for a few more weeks to be safe.

Prep Specifics:
I'm training about 6-8 hours a week with 1-2 days off/week. I've also started regular stretching and weight training, which has been wonderful for injury prevention. I've also started doing Yoga and am signing up for some classes (more for peace of mind) at a studio by my apartment. I'm also getting weekly deep tissue massages.

Basically, I've been doing weights 2x/week (1 hr total body--mix of free and machines), running 2-3x/week, swimming 2x/week, and biking 2-3x/week. Basically, I've found when I run 3x/week, I only get to bike 2x and vice versa so I've been swapping each week with a bike-heavy vs run-heavy one. For now, this is all I can manage. I'd like to get back to doing each 3x/week. Especially with the bike, where I've lost power, and the swim, where I've lost everything.

To address my limiters, #1, I need regular incentives to follow my plan. Group workouts are awesome for this.

Running:
Weekly Goal--3x--tempo, long, and track or R&R (total mileage ~20 mi or ~3.5 hrs)
Wed and Sun, I run with a group. The mid-week run is my tempo run and Sunday is my long run. I really look forward to these. For my 3rd run, I can do a track workout with the tri club on Tuesdays, or run on my own for recovery. I've been opting for the latter lately given how out of shape I am (also I'm not sure how useful track time is for my long-term goal of Ironman, although I think it would be useful in the beginning when I'm up to it). Anyway, running I have down pat. It's easy for me and my strength. I really haven't lost too much here.

Biking:
Weekly Goal: 3x/week ~50-60 miles (~3-5 hrs) (trainer session--strength/drills/intervals; mid-distance tempo ride; long ride)
For biking, I have decided to go out with a group on the weekends for my long ride. There are tons of options in this area. I'm trying a new group this Saturday. Gulp! We'll see how it goes. During the week, I like to spin on the trainer to a Spinerval DVD for 1 workout, which kicks my ass and builds muscle. My 2nd mid-distance workout during the week is usually a much-needed solitary ride up the coast for about 30 miles, which ends up being a tempo/interval ride with some hills and some aero time. I've lost some endurance and definitely strength/power on the bike but I think it will come back quickly. I do need to get a bike fitting again because my aerobars have become incredibly uncomfortable all of a sudden. Go figure. Of course, once I get a tri-specific bike, my current bike will be solely a road bike so maybe I won't have that problem. However, a bike fitting is in order in the meantime.

Swimming:
Goal: 3x/week (2 masters classes; 1 ocean swim; ~4 hours or ~4000-5000m)
This is still and has always been my biggest limiter. To make matters worse, I like it the least so I spend the least time doing it. It's not that I hate swimming. It's just that the pool is rather boring and I'd rather be biking or running. However, I do love the ocean. I think I could even swim 4x/week if 2 of those swims were ocean swims. Maybe I should consider that. Having said that, I improved the most when I swam in a masters class. I'll sign up for the morning classes and get it out of the way to pave room for the evening running and biking session. Sigh.

Bricks/Tris:
Every other week, I'd like to do a practice triathlon. Either in a race situation or staged myself. Ideally, I'll do all 3. At the very least, I'll build in a brick bike/run mid-week (so I have enough recovery for my long weekend sessions).

That's my plan in a nutshell. Build back up. Use this framework as my backbone and go from there. Here's my tentative race schedule:

6/17 Low Tide Ride 'N Stride (low key 8 mile beach run)
7/4 4th of July Scripps Bike Ride (50 miles)
7/14 Camp Pendleton Olympic Distance Tri
7/29 Solana Beach Sprint Tri
8/19 America's Finest City Half Marathon
9/30 Mission Bay Sprint Tri
10/28 Soma Half Ironman (Tempe, AZ) GULP!!!
4/13/08 IRONMAN ARIZONA GULP!!! GULP!!!

Meniere's Disease

I know it's been awhile. Life keeps throwing darts in my path. Jason has been seriously ill these past few weeks, and all my attention has turned to making him better. It now appears that he may be suffering from Meniere's disease (see link in title), and we are trying to get it under control. It's caused by excess fluid in the inner ear, making you feel as if you have constant, intense motion sickness, even while laying down. At first, we didn't know what was happening and took several trips to the ER to have a bombardment of tests run to determine that whatever was going on was not life threatening. Baffled, the doctors seemed to shrug their shoulders and kept sending him home. Meanwhile, he wasn't eating and lost 15 lbs. I kept calling doctors, researching his symptoms, making appointments and demanding more tests until we could finally pinpoint something with his inner ear. Unfortunately, Meniere's is a lifelong disease with no cure. It's not very well-understood. It's also possible that he may have viral labryinthitis, which causes the same symptoms as Meniere's but eventually goes away. I'm praying it's the latter. Until then, he's on a myriad of drugs to treat the dizziness, nausea, and headaches. I've gotten him to eat again, although small bits--mostly gingerale, Ensure, and unsalted tortilla chips (he has to be on a low-salt diet) so he hasn't lost any more weight and is drinking enough fluids to prevent more trips to the ER.

It's been a crazy few weeks. The first week, I couldn't leave his side. The second week, I hesitantly returned to work (he's had to take temporary disability until we know more what's going on). I also forced myself to resume exercise because it's the only way I know to release the build-up of stress and help me sleep at night. I've also been scheduling more frequent massages and drinking more herbal tea (I haven't had to "share" his Valium (to treat the dizziness)...yet).

The exercise helps a lot. I ran with my group yesterday. They coaxed me into a slow 10 miles. At the turn-around point, in a cute little park, I saw a bluebird. A bona fide bluebird. He was so gorgeous. Phew! I'm out of shape! Afterwards, I went for a delightful ocean swim. For 20 minutes as I played in the waves, I felt like I was on vacation. I slept like a baby last night.

Jason seems to be getting a little bit better every day although the progress is slow. He can get out of bed for longer periods to shower and brush his teeth. He can watch t.v. without feeling naseous now. This weekend, I could walk with him in the park, and he felt okay. Tonight, he had a small episode but nothing as severe as last weekend. I'm worried after the Prednisone wears off, the dizziness will increase but I'm hoping for the best.

I saw a hummingbird at our feeder a few weeks ago when Jason was in the throes of one of the worst episodes of dizziness ever. I remember feeling so hopeless. Then I saw the hummingbird at the feeder. That feeder has been up since January, and I haven't changed the food once. I have never seen a hummingbird at that feeder until that day. I immediately ran to the store and got fresh food, washed out the feeder, and put out new nectar. I've seen at least one hummingbird at that feeder every day since then. Every time I see one on our balcony, it gives me hope.