GrooveTime!group - CLOSED!!! (Page 100)

Hey all-

Love the comments regarding the 100 Miles to Nowhere - it is a fundraiser for the LiveStrong Foundation.  YUP, it is going to suck, especially if it is nice outside!

I should probably explain a little of my craziness.  LiveStrong and Susan Komen Foundation were really helpful to my SIL Becky in her 6yr fight with cancer that sadly, she lost last April.   So, I am doing this for her - riding 100 miles nowhere is like a hangnail compared to what she (and others) went through.  Both foundations have also helped 2 of my friends who are survivors as well.

Believe it or not, this was capped at 500 people and it sold out in under 24 hours.   

Cheers! I think it will be the trainer and 6 movies.  The votes are in. 

Mandy

OMG, I almost fell out of my chair laughing.... Glad it worked, I am going to try it out Friday!   

Here I am! 

This is my last post tonight, promise!

STEVE A! Feel better.  So sorry to hear that the run might not happen, but maybe, like Steve B said, IMSG is the gold nugget you are saving yourself for.  Chin up - your hard work and awesome reports are an inspiration.

TRACEY - I haven't spent much time in the Whites in the winter...I have been to Tuckerman's in April, that is about it.  I have thought about it a few times, but then I get a chance to go to Baxter or to the 10th Mtn Huts in CO and end up changing plans.  It is so bad, the Whites are so close, I need to spend more time there.  Pretty hard core stuff there in the winter. Depending on where you go, you need to be really aware of avalanche protocol and know where you are going.

Cheers!

Mandy

Edited by midlifeinsanity 2010-05-25 7:26 PM

STEVE,

So sorry to hear about your leg.   It is refreshing to see someone who admits how they feel when things like this happen;   you have such a 'healthy' approach to life - being sad versus angry and having the mental discipline to know the right thing to do may be to ditch the run.  

As SteveB mentioned, many IM participants do an aqua/bike in prep for the big one.    One of our series up here, actually added that as a legit event so people didn't have the 'let down' of just stopping the race after the bike.  

You mentioned massage didn't really help.     Are you able to get into a good PT to get the problem diagnosed?   They could recommend the speediest approach to recovery which doesn't necessarily mean total rest.    There are some pretty cool machines they can hook you up to which help speed the healing process.  

Take care,

THARPISM #2 (from Louis Tharp's "Overachiever's Diary" ; Tharp was the swim coach for the West Point triathlon team)

On warm-ups:

"Warm-up is about critical thinking regarding your stroke. Speed up for a few strokes. Note how easy or hard it is and then check through each component of your stroke to find out what can be improved. Your stroke is constantly changing; sometimes this is good and sometimes it isn't. When you discover something that will make you more efficient or deliver more power, you will need to imprint this in your neuromuscular system. Acknowledging it and then moving on isn't enough. Your brain and body need more than that in order to add your discovery to your stroke. Replicate it and examine what's happening. Get to know it. Welcome this new improvement the way you would welcome a new person into your circle of friends. When you let your brain and body know you are looking for improvements - and that you will value any improvement - it will occur. It is possible to learn something new every time you get in the water if you create the environment that welcomes change and improvement.

"We've talked about letting speed come to you, and warm-up is where you can work on this principle. When you create room for speed, it will be there. Chasing speed doesn't work, especially in a warm-up. Relax into your stroke so your brain and body can become perceptive and sensitive, able to make conscious and unconscious changes, and operate as a cohesive force.

"When is warm-up over? About halfway through your practice. How do you know if you have warmed-up prorperly? You'll be energized halfway through the practice. You'll be ready to go faster. You'll be confident. Your heart rate will be consistent at the rate you choose.

"Warm-up is a whole-body and mind-focused activity. If you warm up properly, you will have a descending-time practice. This means your final set will be fatsewr than your first. It doesn't mean you won't work hard. It means you will embrace the challenge, not chase it. It means you will induce stress in order to reach new proficiency levels and not feel defeated because you didn't go faster. It means you will be able to manage your body and mind in the water. It means you've created a productive learning environment.

And it means you'll get to cool-down."

THARPISM #3:


WHY GLIDE?

--It's a triathlon

--It's free speed

--It's the cube root

--It's how you stay fresh mentally

--It's how you stay fresh physically

--It's 1/3 of your warm-up


(Note: "It's the cube root" refers to drag versus power. Resistance increase by a factor of nine when power is applied.)


((All of the above is taken from Louis Tharp verbatim. I say that because I don't for the life of me understand the cube root part. SHAUN might, but I sure don't!))

GANG!

I gotta start practicing what I preach --- or, really, what Louis Tharp preaches. I have never approached warm-ups with the intent-of-purpose and sense of commitment that Tharp recommends, and truth told, I seldom ever anymore do any kind of serious warm-up.

So, I head off to the 50-meter pool shortly, and I do that with a good deal of enthusiasm and new-found optimism. We shall see what we shall see!

Steve:

I DO remember those posts! One of my biggest issues back then is that I had no "easy" pace. There was no such thing as easy swimming for me. No matter how slowly I swam, I still felt exhausted after 2 or 3 laps. For a while there I really wasn't sure if I'd be able to get where I needed to be to swim the 1/3 mile for the race.

I definitely realize how far I've come and am grateful for that every day! I think I can even say now that I actually enjoy swimming. It's become almost a relaxing activity for me because when I'm in the water I feel like I'm really "in the moment", as they say. My mind often wanders when I'm doing others sorts of activities, but I feel pretty focused when I swim.

Now, if I only could say the same for running!!

Tracey

Ya my husband is kind of hard-core. He says he likes the winter hikes because there are no bugs, but I think he secretly craves the challenge.

Steve:

The discussion of imprinting in the first paragraph is very timely for me. I've been struggling with that technique where you keep your recovering hand gliding in front of you until the other hand meets it for the start of its recovery (I hope I explained that clearly). My brain and body just seem to want to keep doing more of a "windmill" motion (to borrow SteveA's term from a few days ago). The TI coach at my clinic last weekend reminded me 3 or 4 times as she watched my stroke. But it's like I can only do it if I really, really concentrate (and sometimes even then I don't do it). For some reason, the other TI techniques (hip rotation, slicing the hand into the water), got imprinted pretty quickly and I now do them without thinking. But I'm going to have to really work at practicing this hand thing. Through experimentation, I've seen that it really improves my swim if I do it consistently so I need to get it down.

Tracey

I just finished reading the Idiot's Guide to Triathlon Training, and just started the Triathlete's Training Bible. Quite a difference in the two books! The IGTT was an easy read (admittedly there was a lot of basic information that I already knew). The TTB is a bit overwhelming with all its information and the level of detail. But I'm going to make the most of it that I can.

I was skimming through it last night and my favorite part is a daily chart showing that you should take a nap every day at mid-day, and be in bed by 9:00 at night. HA! Whose lives are they envisioning there? I admit that a mid-day nap would actually be a possibility for me since I work from my home, but I doubt there are many bosses who would agree to their employees taking a quick snooze at their desks every day. (Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where George set up a napping area under his desk...)

And being in bed by 9:00? Sometimes my son isn't even asleep by then...

Tracey

Steve, this is AWESOME.  I've always wondered, "what the heck is a swim warm up or cool down?  I only have one speed!"  Can't wait to put it to work.

Spirit: Willing
Body:  Giving me the finger
Update!

First, the good news:  The swim is REALLY coming along.  I've all but  bagged the idea of "sets" in my swims at this point.  Not sure if it's a good idea or not, but I'm no longer doing the 10x100 or 6x250 sets.  I'm pretty much going long every session and so far, enjoying it.  Yesterday was the longest yet, hitting 3800m in 2 sets (2,500m w/ 30-seconds rest; 1300m).  Did it in just over 70 minutes.  Just 2 months ago when I got back in the pool, I was very afraid of the swim, thinking I had lost too much training due to pool closures, but ironically, this is the one leg of the race I am now least concerned about.  Let's hope the pool translates well to the open water.  I'm rationalizing that the wetsuit in open water will balance the moment of rest you get in the pool while turning, and it all washes out.  We'll see. 

Also, realized at the pool yesterday that I have a ton of great coaches around me at all times.  I find in the pool that to pass the time, I'm surveying the lanes next to me as I swim and I keep finding coaches.  Every time someone stops at a wall, I'm hearing a coach tell me, "you're not tired, you're just bored, keep going", and I keep going.  If I see someone doing something really well (kicking technique, breathing, reach, catch, whatever), I hear a coach in my head asking me about my own stroke and whether it's where I want it to be and  start thinking, "what am I doing, and am I doing it as well as they are?" and try incorporating some of what I see and seeing if it works for me.  And when I look over and see someone dragging their feet, or turning their head rather than rolling for air, etc., I'm saying to myself, "not like that."  Anyway, if nothing else, it passes the time.  Man, laps are BORING!

Trainer for 30 minutes last night.  Leg felt OKish, but started to ache a bit, so I shut it down.  Strain seemed to extend up the inside of the left hamstring, toward the middle of the thigh.  Area down near the knee felt much stronger though.  But, to be safe, I just shut it down, wrapped the entire leg from calf to mid thigh in ice and plopped down on the couch with it elevated.  Whole leg feels much better this morning, and less "clicky" in the knee.  Walking gait seems to have smoothed out some.  Starting to feel almost optimistic. 

Probably the major taper, but this morning on the way to work, felt like I was going to bounce out of the car - so much energy and really psyched up about this weekend - I really want to get out there and race!  Chomping at the bit!

I LOVE this.   It SO validates what I do in my swim practice.   I have been starting to doubt myself because my swim partners, and most others I see at the pool, will get in the pool and do their w/u literally racing.  

Tracey - that will come soon.  Just keep applying the methods/process that you have in swimming to running.  Focus on form, pacing, be willing to rest, slowly extend efforts - it's all the same thing.  The run will come!

Also, (just based on what I experienced), as you improve your swim, the bike and run will benefit.  Every past season, my run never came around until my swim did.  I find that the swim does so much in helping me manage my breathing.  It's taught me how to relax my breathing, how to be more rhythmic about it, and it's translated well for running and biking. 

THARPOPHILES --

Those who enjoyed, benefitted from the Tharp piece --- I'm glad! I enjoy him so much partly because his thinking is a bit unconventional, but mostly due to the converstaional tone. I think much of the book is taken from emails he sent to the team, and none of it seems a tenth as pedantic as what appears in most "instructional" books.

There's plenty more where that came from! (I just have to be organized enough to remember/locate/transcribe it!)

TRACEY -

The final 10 or so years of my teaching career featured my class having their Mohawk language class from 1:00- 1:40. This was held in the room of the Mohawk teacher, which meant my room was kidsless........which meant that I could nap if I wanted to. Most days I did this for about 5-10 minutes, after I had photocopied, yakked with other teachers, whatever. I became really adept at the quick and effective power-nap, which was mostly necessary to smooth over-fatgue created by lifelong lousy sleep patterns, a 45-minute commute each way, and the wee matter of training demands!

STEVE -

I can relate to the idea of long swims, as that is virtual all I do from mid-June to mid-October. Wetsuit - open water - long swim. The way life should be!

I think the wetsuit will more than compensate for whatever quick breather you're getting at the end of each length. Be generous in allowing it to do as much of the work for you as it wants to do!

Once you discover those cerebral coaches, it opens up a whole new world at the pool, doesn't it? I have to somehow make note of this page for future reference, as the way you phrace it all is terrific. Sounds like something out of the Louis Tharp playbook, almost!

One of the things that undermines many well-intended tapers is exactly as you describe it, the combination of doesn't-want-to-be-bridled energy and the whole PSYCHED! mentality. Keep the reins tight, though, keep 'en tight!

Finally, that is a very promising report on the leg/knee situation. May the recovery continue apace!

STEVE again -

Good comments, too, to Tracey about the how the swim translates to improved bike and run performance. I like it!

TRACEY - I know what you mean about the Training Bible.  I think it is a great resource, but some of what he recommends isn't very compatible with life.  At least not mine.  The first time I looked through it was when I was thinking of doing my first tri and I was completely overwhelmed....I picked it up again after my 2nd tri and there is some great stuff, but I almost use it as an encyclopedia - if I have a question, I check it out.

STEVE B - LOVE the Tharp stuff.  Is that from one of his books?  Which one?  I am very intrigued.  Love the discussion of warm up and "discovery of your stroke"

STEVE A - You always have great comments - spot on about the run being better when your swim and bike are strong.  Sorry your body is giving you the finger, I am sure you are chomping at the bit to be moving.  Have you tried compression on the hamstring?  Might help this weekend.

Happy Friday!

Mandy

MANDY -

The book is "Overachiever's Diary", with the subtitle "how the army triathlon team became world contenders". It was published by Total Immersion in 2007. I first mentioned it before you joined us, and I think someone found it on Amazon, or maybe right through TI.

Looking at the book right now, what I said yesterday is accurate -- it is essentially "a compilation of emails....to cadets on the tri team". It's sort of fun to come across names of the cadets, which just adds to the converstational tone of the book:
-- "While you're at it, ask Rob how easy it is to keep your hips high if your head is not."
-- "If you find the path of maximum resistance with a low elbow and low shoulder (see John Leatherman's former stroke), you will eat your supraspinatus."
-- "This also reduces your stroke count (as Tracy can attest)."
-- "But that was November and nobody is on crutches (since Andy threw his out a week ago)."

(By the way, the four quotes above are not connected as a flowing train of thought or instruction, although they were found in the same section of the book.)

It's just full of revelations for me, from different takes on technique to a pile of workout plans that are interspersed throughout. The revelation yesterday was reacquainting myself with his emphasis on a deep "anchor" hand -- he recommends about 45 dgrees! That's deep, but it sure prevents a "floppy" hand near the surface, or one that points slightly upward, resembling a traffic cop signaling "Stop!", which in effect is what it is doing by creating resistance. And both of those -- floppy and Stop! - are problems I have at times, so anchoring deeper is a good thing to work on. It's difficult, but worthwhile!

Thanks SteveA.

With the swimming, I was determined to conquer it, so I was at the pool at least 3 times a week, sometimes 4, with 45-60 minute sessions, just working on form and going as long as I could taking rests when I needed to. You're right that I probably need to have the same focus for running now, as much as I don't want to! I'm only running a couple times a week right now, maybe 2 miles tops. I should perhaps step it up a bit as I did with swimming, and maybe it will all fall into place eventually as it did with swimming.

Tracey

THARPISM #4

Louis Tharp talks a LOT about the hips, and the following is a small protion of it. Mostly it is just a hint of the hip stuff, and more specifically is addressed to those swimmers who are not naturally buoyant. This helps explain what he says in the last three sentences.

"Keeping your shoulders at the surface does not mean becoming the team barge as you flatten out and plow through the water shoulder first. It means you get to learn all about body torque before the floaters do, and you'll learn it because it is the difference between breathing air and growing gills. Keeping your shoulders high keeps your head close to the water for breathing, but if you don't torque your body, you'll lose all the benefits of core power generation. So while you'll keep your shoulders flat, you'll rotate your hips. The twist is in your middle back. Keeping your shoulders high is easier if you keep your elbows high, too. High when you're taking your stroke and high during recovery. This particular move -- high elbows, high shoulders, and a torqued mid-section -- is difficult becasue you have to learn it all at once. Floaters ahve the luxury of learning it at their leisure. You get to experience the magic of a steep learning curve."


I will post more on Tharp's thoughts on hips, so the above is just a teaser for that. Mostly, I like that paragraph because it belies the idea that many of us have that good swimmers are either born that way, or that once they get good there are no problems with their swimming. What comes across clearly in his book is that even with a pile of talented and generally highly-successful young athletes, not all of them are natural-born good swimmers. For many, in fact, they need to bring it back to basics and build all over again.

Keep the faith, swimmers one and all!

Glub, glub!