Brian and the Tri Tarts Group - Full (Page 10)

I picked the 22 week couch to sprint plan.  for now, i'm following it as prescribed.  I think it'll get me in good shape for my two 5Ks in Mar and Apr.  My tri is actually in 20 weeks...so at some point I need to figure out how to adjust it.  Well not adjust, but how make weeks 19-20 into a quasi taper.

Swimming is going well.  Randomly enough, one of the new articles is a question that asks about going from a 40 m comfortable swim to a sprint in a few months.  I'm feeling more comfortable in the water and trying to duplicate the drills we did in class during the week.  This week's goals are: maintaining streamline position (when I get tired, my head comes forward more than rolls side to side), proper roll during breathing, and kicking.  I am going to try to find some kicking videos on here b/c that is the hardest one for me to understand how to do properly right now. 

What is your issue with kicking? Mine was kicking too much to try to stay balanced in the water. I think some of the best kick drills come from Total Immersion.  They really are not kick drills at all, but teach you balance.  You can go to their web site and see all of the beginner drills.  I did these for what seemed like weeks and magically my kick got better because I was more balanced in the water.  That has allowed me to progress, albeit slower than most

I am by no means a kicking expert.  I get really fatigued and am very slow using a kickboard.

However, I've learned to become more balanced in the water with the "belly-to-the-wall"  or side-kicking drill, for which I used zoomers at first, but now can do without.  Now, whenever a work-out calls for "kick," this is pretty much what I do for at least 1/2 the distance.  If I'm going to be kicking, might as well do this drill to improve balance as well. 

I rarely use a kickboard now.

Also, one-arm-drill has helped a lot with kicking and body position.

At masters last spring, the coach discovered that my foot sort of flared out when I took a breath (every 3rd stroke).  I was using sort of a mini breaststroke kick/foot flare to keep myself up in the water when breathing.  We worked on rolling instead of lifting up my head and focused on keeping by toes pointed behind me.  This was really tough at first.  I got slower and more winded.  However, with time (only a few weeks) I got rid of the hitch in my giddy-up and became a more streamlined, efficient swimmer.

My main issue w/ kicking is that mine is really weak and doesn't do anything. I can kick w/ a kickboard and literally stay in the same spot. Same thing if I just put my hands out and get in streamline position and kick...I barely move. I kick harder and go nowhere either. I think this is a big reason why i'm so exhausted when swimming lap workouts. My legs are WAY more tired than anything else. My swim instructor said that my ankles are still too stiff, so i'm not really using them like I should. I asked her to show me...but I don't really get what she meant. B/c you are supposed to point your toes, right? So I wanted to watch some videos to see if I could get more ideas on what this means and maybe some drills to help correct. And I'm wondering if that's *really* the problem because it seems odd that my ankles would stop me from going anywhere at all (but i'm no expert...so who knows). I will check out the TI website for those videos.  I need all the help I can get!

Kim, this is not the first time I've heard of ankle flexibility impacting one's swim.  I think this is also my issue.  You may want to look into doing sets with some zoomers/fins to develop requisite strength/flexibility.  Check out this thread on kicking. 

Here's another great BT thread on kicking as it relates to swim performance.

Interesting threads...especially when the one post mentions coming from a running background and having poor ankle flexibility. That's the only sport of the three I have a background and experience in...so maybe that's it. Interesting. I don't have zoomers/fins...where is a good place to look into getting those (and by good, I mean the price is alright)?

Ooh googled and got these stretches: http://www.goswim.tv/drilloftheweek_comments.php?id=3959_0_20_0_C

I will def add these in a few times a week. 

Here is another article on kicking.  I don't think the runners kick was my issue and I have been running for 5 years. http://www.triathletemag.com/Departments/Training/2007/Developing_the_proper_freestyle_kick.htm

These are the fins I purchased: http://www.kiefer.com/Kiefer/product_family.asp?family%5Fid=89&gift=False&0=dept%2Easp%2Cdept%5Fid%3D88%26Tree%3D%2CCompetitive%20Swim&1=dept%2Easp%2Cdept%5Fid%3D5%26menu%5Fid%3D%26Tree%3D0%2CTraining&2=dept%2Easp%2Cdept%5Fid%3D48%26menu%5Fid%3D%26Tree%3D1%2CFins&mscssid=0C053989B71774E0CAAAC2E9D2653A37

You should check out the deals on the BT web site.  SInce you are a paying member you get a 15% discount at trisports.com (I think that is the name anyway)

PS. Brian, how do you rename your links so they do not look like the ones above?

Type text as you would normally.  Highlight the text you want to link.  press the button that looks like three chain links.  Then, paste the link URL into the designated field.

enders_shadow - 2008-01-16 8:30 AM So I'm thinking of doing a duathlon...3 run/18 bike/3 run...I've never done one before, mostly because I thought I would never learn to swim if I did one. Now I know how to swim and I'm looking for stuff to do. Only con with the du is that it is a week after a 10K I'm doing. What do you think? mid-March ... 1/2 mary April 5 ... 10K April 12 ... Duathlon and then nothing until June. Am I biting off too much? (I seem to go on race binges...tri one weekend, 10K the next; tri another weekend, 50K bike ride the next...but maybe this is a train I should get off?) Hope everyone's doing great!

I'm with Suzy, in that you could definitely do both.  Although, it is an individual thing.  I would mostly just "recover" between the 10k and Du.  It will depend on how you race the 10k.  If I put everything I have into a 10k run (maintain LT pace throughout),  I'd probably be pretty sore afterwards and take a few days off from running.  I do find swimming is a nice way to recover from a hard run.

hey everybody

this week has been the week from who knows where.  the last few days of work have been LONG work days...getting in at like 6:30/7 and getting home at like 8.  it's not the normal thing...just a project that has kind of popped up and is now gone.  the sucky part is that i have spent a lot of time in my car and eating on the run and not hitting the gym.  i just got home about 30 minutes ago...and have been up since 5am.  i'm pooped.  i'm glad it's the weekend b/c i'm planning on resetting, starting with a good swim class tomorrow morning.  and now that all of that is over, i can get back on my schedule.  i know it's bad that i ended up with a 3 day impromptu break...but hopefully i didn't loose too much.  i did do a lot of walking and stairclimbing in the different offices i was in and from far distant parking spots between meetings (hence the lack of internet access)...so i just have to suck it up and jump right back on track tomorrow.  

sorry i disappeared...but i'm back and in full force! 

Those kinds of week happen to all of us at different times.  Sounds like you did everything you could to stay active with using stairs instead of elevators and all that jazz.  RELAX, enjoy the process of getting healthier.  If it's adding a stressor to life it's no longer fun to train.

Have a great swim calss today!

yay on signing up for the du

i hope everyone has had a good weekend.  i didn't do much of anything except hang out with  my boyfriend, have lunch with some friends in the city, and just relax.  it's been amazing.  i'm revitalized and it's an awesome feeling.  i don't have off for the holiday tomorrow, but i'm hoping the gym will be a little quieter after work since some people will and the weight room will be peaceful. 

enders_shadow - 2008-01-20 10:19 AM Whoo whoo! Got the go-ahead from the powers-that-be (also known as my hubby, who has to watch the Monkeys while I race...especially since April is soccer season for Elder Monkey) to sign up for the Du...so my spring schedule is set: March 16: 1/2 mary April 5: 10K April 12: Duathlon (3/18/3) And then I'll probably get back into tris in June...pending scheduling right now. I'm so psyched and so happy to focus my training on run/bike this off-season. Have a great week, everyone!

Kristen

Not having kids I am new to the art of negotiation for races.  What does one have to give up in return? or shouldn't I be asking that in a public forum??  

Suzy,

 I don't know what Kristen had to negotiate BUT I can tell you my races and entry fees etc. have cost me: him going on a 4 day golf excursion with some friends in Myrtle Beach next month Hmm, I think he owe me another race or 2 here about now but the fall marathon will be penned in after I get through the half mary this spring. Plus the OLY in Sept. will require overnight hotel and food...I think that will put it even   Not to mention the new driver he just bought and the training driver we got him for his birthday... Yeah, I go to the bike store he goes to the golf store...

Suzy,

 I don't know what Kristen had to negotiate BUT I can tell you my races and entry fees etc. have cost me: him going on a 4 day golf excursion with some friends in Myrtle Beach next month Hmm, I think he owe me another race or 2 here about now but the fall marathon will be penned in after I get through the half mary this spring. Plus the OLY in Sept. will require overnight hotel and food...I think that will put it even   Not to mention the new driver he just bought and the training driver we got him for his birthday... Yeah, I go to the bike store he goes to the golf store...

oops, double post

Interesting topic...

My wife is a runner too.  Still, we have to work out our schedules.  We did the Columbus marathon together last fall and sprung for her Mom's room to watch our kids.   For most other races, we bring the kids along and whoever is not racing that day takes care of the youngsters.

We do put our schedules together each Sunday night to plan out our training weeks.  We typically get a sitter or my in-laws to watch the kids on a weekend mornning so we can do our long runs together.

Hey Kristen

Nice job on the weight loss! What was your strategy? diet and exercise mainly?  I just talked to a woman who lost 150 lbs over 3 years by eating better and starting to run.  She looks great and has kept it off for 2 years.  She is 100% reformed in her approach to life. Very cool.

Suzy