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 2009-01-21 6:40 AM in reply to: #1917682 |
Champion  10618   |  Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPENGENERAL INFORMATION FOR EVERYBODY I'm about to respond to Mindy about some swim stuff, and her mention of Total Immersion got me thinking about other swim programs and resources I have used. So, I'll just mention a few of them here, in case any of you are looking to jump-start your swim programs. www.totalimmersion.net - Several videos and books, and they run clinics nationwide. (If for no olther reason, go to the main page on the ie website for the "Swim For Pleasure" photo of the mom and baby.) The T.I emphasis is on balance and becoming "fishlike", and the program is heavily drill-based. There is lots of controversy about T.I., but for beginners who are willing to diligently do the drills, it can work wonders in making one feel comfortable and move efficiently in the water. www.swimsmooth.com - Run by Paul Newsome, a youngish Aussie. He offers a great 3-DVD set called, prosaically, the "original", plus a new one called "Learn-2-Swim". I have not seen the new one. I think Paul has moved back down under, but if he is advertising clinics in your neck of the woods, try to attend. I did a one-on-one with him, and what I received a week or two after the clinic was a DVD with loads of video footage of me shot both from above and below, with his voice-over pointing out the goods and the bads. So, it's something that can constantly re-enforce what was covered/taught/discussed at the one-on-one, just by flipping it in my machine. Outstanding service! www.goswim.tv This is a terrific website, offering scads of info (on all strokes), plus a number of DVDs and books. Because I'm on sloth-speed dial-up, I don't go there as often as I should just because it's such a drag listening to my life tick away while I wait for stuff to download, but for you on high-speed this site is full of inspirational footage. www.multisports.com They have a short-but-to-the-point video titled "Ultimate Swimming". There is absoultely no wasted time in this one, and it covers the fine points of freestyle swimming through lots of underwater footage. (Note: There is one viewer recommendation for the video, and it was written by me in '00. I mention this only so that if any of you go here and see it, you might think that I'm just a huckster for them. That is NOT the case! I think the video is good, and it was a real eye-opener at the time, but I have never worked for them or, actually, contacted them since that time. Honest!) That's just four of the websites that can work as good resources. Enjoy! |
| 2009-01-21 7:00 AM in reply to: #1896958 |
Regular 111 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN NAME: Grace STORY: I'll be 34 this year and it has been a whole year that I have been in remission from a rare autoimmune condition similar to lupus that affects the kidneys. I was on immunosuppressant steroids for 10 years prior, and now that I am steroid-free I want to reclaim some of my 'lost youth'! I used to bike, swim and run in my teens, and continued to be active throughout my illness, but I always had to consciously avoid overexertion during that time. I don't have to hold back now, and I have marked a date in June for my first Sprint tri. My husband will be racing with me, which is great, but I feel I need more accountability and a mentor who has tri experience.
I look forward to actively participating in this group and have enjoyed reading everyone's posts. Peace, Grace |
| 2009-01-21 7:40 AM in reply to: #1917682 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN MINDY - "....but most comfortable UNDER the water." Ah! Spoken like a true fish! Your post set me to thinking about swimming resources, which I have elaborated on above. But as for your own situation, I'll add some other stuff here. You sound very much like me - comfortable in any type of water, but not a good technical swimmer. I have spent gazillion hours working at swimming, and in general my progress has been as leisurely as the drifting of the continents. (Apologies to T.C. Boyle) That is NOT to say that everybody is doomed to slow progress or no progress; in fact, I know lots of people who have whipped right through all the benchmarks of swimming proficiency en route to becoming outstanding swimmers (they make up the bulk of my voodoo doll collection.....). I have never golfed, but I hear that golfers are always working through a mental checklist of what their body is doing at every degree of every swing, and that's close to what I do with every stroke in the water. Swimming isindeed technical! My intro to serious swimming, back in '00, was through the T.I. drills, and I think they helped me a lot. One thing they say about head position is that you should lead with the top of your head, not your forehead or - if you are indeed looking back towards your feet - the back of your head or maybe even your top vertebrae! The T.I. stance is to be as "fishlike" as possible, eliminating drag and being "slippery" in the water. They feel that by leading with the top of the head, one is presenting the least amount of that surface (the head) to the water. Holding one's head that way, the view would be straight down, as opposed to looking backward or forward. (That said, many poeple insist that leading with the forehead is the right way to do it, and that the viewline should be slightly ahead!) Another part of the T.I. mantra is "swim tall", and if you are looking slightly back toward your feet, you are not making yourself as tall in the water as is possible. Yes? You say that it is hard to get used to breathing in that position, and that too might be telling you something. In the great wide world of swim-technique controversies, here's another one for you to mull over. Most people tell you to, as effortlessly as possible, as your body rotates when you do your pull and come up for air, to just "allow" your face to break to the surface as you catch the breath. I said that poorly, but the idea is that there should be no extraneous movement of one's head, that it should "roll" to the surface in concert with the body's flowing rotation around its axis. Doing it this way, as one breathes they should be looking right to the side of the pool - not in front, not behind. HOWEVER, the late and great instructor, Doug Stern, once told me in a one-on-one session that I should be looking slightly to the side AND ahead when I catch my breath - kind of at a 45-degree angle forward of my path through the water. Confusing information? That's what I think. What I do, then, is what comes most naturally and is most comfortable, which is allowing my head to rotate naturally with my body along its long axis. That's in the pool. In race situations, however, I (and most people) spend a huge amount of time with my viewpoint forward, both when my head is in the water and when I breathe. I try not to sight forward other than every 8th stroke or so, as lifting one's head requires the rest of the body to drop down - angle down - into the water, thus creating more drag, but it's clear that what I practice in the pool often gets jettisoned in a race situation. Moving on, breathing bilaterally is good is you can do it, but if it's not coming naturally then let it go for now. There are lots of folks who can breathe bilaterally in the pool, but then in races they will resort exclusively to breathing on their "natural" side. The big argument for learning to breathe bilaterally is that it helps with even-ing out body rotation, which allows for better balance and which creates much less potential stress on the shoulder opposite to the side on which uni-lateral breathing occurs. I try it on occasion in the pool, but it remains a very meagre part of my swimming arsenal. I would say that breathing every 6 strokes is not often enough, especially if you are feeling that stamina is an issue. I breathe to the right, so every time I pull with my right arm, as part of my rotation I catch a breath. That would make it every two strokes for a breath, as opposed to bilateral, which would be every third stroke. The advantage to breathing less is that it allows the body to better maintain its optimal streamlined position, as even breathing as part of the rotation breaks the streamlining to some extent (and those who really "yank" their head out the water, break the streamlining more dramatically). Work at breathing every second or fourth stroke and see how your stamina responds, okay? Finally, I don't do flip turns, either. I know they look cool and studly and all, but as long as my races are all open-water events, I so no need to learn to flip. In a pool tri, or a straight swimming competition, of course, they are of critical importance, but right now all they would do for me is make my times for given sets slightly more impressive. I just think my time is better spent working on technique and mechanics, rather than learning to flip. (Plus, I have a fear of misjudging the wall and cracking my heel on it; my problematic feet have no interest being compromised any further!) I hope some of the above helps. And, I hope I have not written so much as to make things just all that more confusing (too much static over the airwaves?)! |
| 2009-01-21 8:06 AM in reply to: #1917928 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN PATRICIA - Did you enjoy the chili? I made a new one - "Fiery Tofu with Red Chiles, Orange, and Ginger". It was great, although in the future I would downplay the orange and up-play the ginger. TA-DA! Congrats on registering for Panama City! Isn't that just the most empowering, liberating feeling there is? Yeah, I think researching wetsuits is in order for that place, that date. Maybe start by going to the website and seeing if they are having a tri-supplies operation that will be on site race day. More and more races are now providing a way for competitors to rent a suit for the race only, and that's a pretty good option for peole who are a bit cash-strapped. If you're looking to buy, however, there are loads of good options in all price ranges. That said, research is definaitely a good idea, and having a palce where there are several models is very useful. Remember that tight is good - it may not feel that way, but tight is good! If you've never worn a wetsuit, DEFINITELY try one first before race day - even if it's to just pad around the house in. The constriction takes getting used to, and for people who rent at a race, then change into the suit, then swim, it is often a anxiety-ridden experience. Honestly, I wore my first suit around the house frequently (okay, every so often), as I bought it well before any sane person would consider venturing into open water. Some companies, such as Tri-Zone, will allow people to gently try a suit in a pool, and if it doesn't work it can be returned. Using a wetsuit in a pool is pretty wicked (like a fighter trying to cut weight before a fight by wearing a rubber suit in a steamroom), but it beats buying a suit and then realizing that it doesn't fit right. Maybe get the number from their website (www.tri-zone.com) and give them a call and see waht their current policies are. Jeff and Gayla are their two main people, and they have always been hugely helpful for me. And let me know if you want some more specific thoughts on wetsuits once you start lesarning more about what all is out there. You've inspired me to re-examine the roll Crossfit can play in my life. I watched the initial kettleball video on the website, but as my gym doesn't have actual kettleballs, I'm trying some of the manuevers with a weight plate that is "spoked", kind of wheel-like. That seems to be working okay. I also watched the basic jumprope video, but jumping rope was never part of my skill-set as a kid, and I still can't do it now! Good day! |
| 2009-01-21 8:39 AM in reply to: #1896958 |
Veteran 481 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN Wow - that is a wealth of information on swimming and I look forward to trying it out this weekend. We have the TI DVD, but I've never actually watched it. My "training" consists of my husband watching me swim for about 5 seconds and then telling me to put my head down. I will definitely try to beathe more often. Since breathing is a little awkward (I always seem to get out of my "position" I'm up to 4.5 miles on my running days and am sticking with the bike distance (13.5) on my bike days. It is difficult to walk after being on the bike that long so it will be interesting when I graduate to bike/run back to back in my training... Today is a rest day! |
I was trying to minimize it. I'm curious to see if it helps my staying power. Thanks again for the tips, will let you know how it goes.| 2009-01-21 8:48 AM in reply to: #1917998 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN BECKY - All you Georgia people! (Are there three or four of you from Georgia? I gotta check that.) I've always been partial to the Braves, because before they moved to Atalnta, they were in Milwaukee, and before that they were in Boston, where I'm from and where my dad spent most of his life. He grew up liking the Braves more than the Red Sox, but, alas, the Braves moved in '53 when I was only four, so I never really knew them to really love them --- but there is that residual soft-spot for them...... I hope that Inside-Out can provide some service or ideas for you that will get you on to a path towards a bike. Please let me know what they tell you. As for the 13-minute run, I understand your quandary! I'd try the 13 minutes straight to begin with at the front of your mind. Maybe somewhere in one of those sneaky crevices in back, carry the thought that if you feel absolutely terrific after the 13, that you MIGHT want to walk for a bit, then run a bit more (the term "bit", as used here, is subjective and highly personal). I would not recommend settling on a compromise position based on increased speed, as even though your head and heart might be saying "Bring it!!", your skeletal-muscular system might have different ideas. If you are not currently conditioned for semi-serious running, theings like your achilles tendon or hamstrings might object to more speed than they are accustomed. The basic rule of thumb for all of this is "listen to your body" ---- but sometimes the body doesn't let on to what it's feeling until after the fact, at which point it's too late. Overall, a schedule won't work if it doesn't work, and that can be in terms of time or interest, along with other factors. And as my former coach, Erik Cagnina, used to say, this is an art, not a science. That is, no two given people are going to design the exact same workout, and while one might say that every Tuesday should be the short run day, someone else will say that there should be two short run days, Monday and Thursday. At this stage, as you're wrestling with how a schedule can best suit your needs, you might be best served by examining the bigger picture - nature of the workouts, volume of training - and paying less attention to the smaller picture (excatly what to do, and exactly when to do it.) Again, you need a schedule that WORKS for you, and that means satisfying your interest (so it seems) in keeping your options somewhat open and going with some spur-of-the-moment decisions based what the heart says it wants to do. (That's my quickish answer for now, but I'll think about it a bit more.) As with the bike stuff, please let me know how your first runs go! Fiannly, as to mountains and hills, remember that what is one thing to one person is another thing to a different person. I live in the flat farmlands of eastern Ontario, so my everyday perspective on hills/mountains is generally "flattened". So, what is a mere hill to you and your brother and Isaiah, likley comes across as a mountain to me! (Fortunately, for some reason I climb well, both on my bike and also on the run, so even though hilly courses can initially intimidate me some, they ultimately work to my advantage.) Keep me posted about the bike and the 13-minute run(s)! |
| 2009-01-21 12:08 PM in reply to: #1919638 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN GRACE - Yikes! You almost got lost in the shuffle! While I was merrily writing replies, you stealthily posted your bio and it got sandwiched in between all the other stuff. I will get back to you as soon as possible, likely later this evening. Besides, it's going to take me about that long to lift my jaw off the floor, where it unceremoniously clattered after I read about the Eco-X Sprint Adventure Race. New Dimensions in Honeymooning. Mercy!! Bye for now. |
| 2009-01-21 2:13 PM in reply to: #1896958 |
Veteran 135 Portland | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN Hello Steve, My name is Trevor, 36 years old, and I am planning to enter my first triathlon this summer. I was moderately athletic in high school, and blessed by a high metabolism through my twenties. This (alas) began to fail me as I proceeded through my thirties, and I reached a max weight of around 195 on my 5'11" (and holding) frame. I dieted this down into the 180's by 2007. Spring of 08 I began bicycling to work, 8.5 miles each way, and dropped to 170 by late summer (I've got 5 lbs. of Christmas Turkey and beer with me now, but I suppose that's not too bad). My commute follows a very good bike path, and I can get the distance down in under 30 minutes when I'm pushing it. My interest in the triathlon came about through my brother, who is planning to run the Portland Oly at the end of August. Being siblings, I obvioulsy want to finish ahead of him. He has always been the jock, but I think he's in my wheelhouse now with an endurance rather than "ball" sport. So, not the purest of motives to start, but as I've thought about it more I've become very excited for the experience itself. I've decided to shoot for a sprint tri at the end of May as a warm up, then have the summer to train for the Olympic in August. To cut the rambling short, I'd love to get some advice regarding training programs as they fit with my commute. Perhaps this is a silly question, (though you being a teacher, I suppose there is no such thing) but would it be reasonable for me to ignore cycling portions of programs and just schedule runs and swims? If I am planning an "off" day, should I stick to my commute or plan another transportation method? I'm sure that most of this will become clear as I progress in training (Holy Cow! I can't move my legs! I should take the bus!), but any advice you may have would be greatly appreciated. Regards, and happy belated Birthday. Trevor Gray Portland, OR |
| 2009-01-21 2:38 PM in reply to: #1896958 |
Member 51 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN Hello Steve- My name is Eric Lindquist, and I'm an almost 37 year old first triathlete. My first race will be a Sprint distance in August of '09. I'm running a half-marathon in 3 weeks (my longest distance has been 8 miles up to this point) and have a couple of other running only races planned for the year. I live in Merrimack, NH and work at a local hospital as a Respiratory Therapy/Sleep Lab/EEG director. I've been a runner on and off since I was 14 or so. I've been taking a karate/mixed martial arts class over the past 15 months which is a lot of fun and great cross-training. Push-ups, sit-ups, and stretching are the instructor's favorites for us. My weight has increased from 163 to 184 (5'11") since last summer, and my mile times have slowed accordingly. Swimming is my weak point, as I spend the least amount of time working on it, but I have a YMCA pool near my house I try to get to once a week. I'd like to join your group and look forward to learning what I can from everyone if you still have room? My training log is up to date as of the start of this year. Thanks, Eric Edited by elindquist 2009-01-21 3:11 PM |
| 2009-01-21 7:22 PM in reply to: #1919638 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN GRACE - My jaw is back in place, but I'm still in awe of what must have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity --- or do you do that sort of thing regularly?? As for the goal of the sprint in June, well, given your past athletic histroy and your current drive and determination and incentive, I'd say it is highly attainable! I'm sure that between now and then you can shave a few minutes off the 5km time, and having a bike in place already is a real positive. It sounds as if you are already spending time on it, at least if you've experienced that sinking feeling that comes from being halfway through a tumble and realizing you are still in your pedals. Oops! Crash! But don't let this deter you at all, as with time it will become second nature to do that little heel whip thing and kick-out in a heartbeat. (That's mostly true. In October, at the race in which I DNFed [did not finish], I was so devastated by getting a flat that as I pulled off the road to change it, I forgot I was clipped in and tumbled over. I think it was because I was already mentally working through what I would have to do to change it as quickly as possible. Still and all, it was embarrassing!!) Maybe you know this, but the tension on the pedals can be adjusted with an Allen key. The screw is usually on the bottom, but sometimes is on the back. You want the system to be tight enough so that your cleat doesn't come out readily, but loose enough so that snapping out is not an act that requires Herculean effort. For the swim part of the tri, don't worry about race day panic and pandemonium. There are a number of ways to work through/around that, and mostly you are in complete control of how the possible pandemonium affects you. But, being comfortable in open water is a big first step towards avoiding unnecessary panic. As the race approaches, and if you continue to be nervous about the swim turmoil, I'll give you some tips and advice on how best to avoid it. Your plan to volunteer at a race beforehand is a great idea. Try to grab a position where you are in and around the transition zone, as opposed to being at an aid station midway through the bike. If you can, see how different people set up their space, and imagine which arrangement makes the most sense to you. (There is no "correct answer" to this, as it's all individual.) If possible, be in a position to watch people as they do their transitions. A lot can be gained by watching how the good transitioners systematically and efficiently work through the process. (Now you see 'em, now you don't!) Your confidence is quite impressive, and you have 4.5 months to work on putting it all together. Are you currently following any training plan, or simply getting in workouts wherever and whenever you can? Weight training sounds like a wise option for you, given your physiognomy and your osteoporosis. (My wife is also osteoporotic bordering on certifiable osteoporosis, and has several medications that keep things mostly in check.) Do you work hard at getting enough good protein into your system? Rappeling! What a cool thing! I spent a summer ('76?) doing peregrine falcon surveys in the arctic, and this involved being flown in a helicopter to try to locate nests on cliffs, and then if we found one, we would land about a mile away, then I'd walk to the site and rappel down to the nest. I never got entirely comfortable with the process, as it goes against anything your mother ever told you, such as "Never step backwards over a cliff, dodo!" But it was a hoot (in hindsight).......although I can't imagine doing it under the duress and pressures of a race situation. Did you have previous experience with rappeling ---- I hope?!? That's it for now, and welcome aboard, Grace! |
| 2009-01-21 7:55 PM in reply to: #1919777 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN MINDY - I was disinclined to swim today, but after writing to you earlier I thought it might be a good idea to hit the water and see exactly what it is I do, especially where my head sits in the water. For me, my sightline is slightly ahead, say, maybe three feet. When I tried to look straight down, it felt awkward; looking back towards my feet gave me vertigo! What my position allows me is a good glance forward that requires very little movement, thus very little upsetting of my equilirium and whatever profile I am carrying through the water. I've been told that my position is good, that I ride reasonably high in the water, so I definitely don't want to lift my head any higher than necessary and consequently cause my hips and legs to drop. You say that breathing is a little awkward as it puts you out of position, and working through that would be an excellent idea. For starters, practice some on dry land, right at home. Bend at your hips, keeping your legs straight and your upper body at a right angle to your legs. Now, just sloooooowly go through the motions of swimming, starting with one arm straight out in front of you. As you do the pull (air has so much less resistance than water!), allow your torso to rotate some, and as it rotates on your breathing side, allow your head to "flow" with the torso's rotation. Aim at keeping the movement as subtle as possible. (The image I have is of a "rotisserie chicken", moving as one unit on the spit.) The goal here is really just to start working at keeping your body roll as "contained" as possible, reducing the movements that cause you to fall out of position when you go for a breath. PLEASE TELL ME IF THE ABOVE DESCRIPTION IS HOPELESSLY CONFUSING!! If it is, I will try again! When you hit the pool again, emulate Popeye. You know how Popeye the Sailor always has one side of his mouth skewed to the side? Well, that same mouth position might help with your breathing. If you can make the side of your mouth that is on your breathing side with as small an opening as possible, then that is what you are aiming to breathe throough - that small opening at the very edge of your skewed mouth. I you can do this, then it will require less of a head swing to grab a big wad of air, and it might be that pronounced head swing that is causing you to get out of your position. Finally, and again in the pool, give a shot at the "one google" approach - that is, aim to turn your head so minimally that when you breathe, just one lens of the google is out of the water. Doing this, of course, minimizes head movement, and as you might imagine it is best accomplished when trying to emulate Popeye when you breathe. Oh! And make sure you exhale FULLY underwater, so that everything you do (which should be as quick and minimal as possible) as you bring your head out of wahter is devoted to to just inhaling. Those are just a few quick ideas that might help with your breathing. Don't try to master all of them - in fact, it might be that for now none of them will seem doable. That's perfectly fine, they're just food for thought and something to mess around with. DO, however, have a quick romp through the T.I. video, especially the parts in which they have put all the drills together to successfully create a fluid, efficient swimmer. Watching how the "models" move is very instructive, and given that a picture is worth a thousand words, what is shown on the screen is many times more clear than what I have tried to describe above. Bye for now! |
| 2009-01-21 7:57 PM in reply to: #1905752 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: Stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN NEIL - How are you feeling? Did you get the massage today? Feeling comfortable and confident? What are you planning between now and Sunday? |
| 2009-01-21 8:47 PM in reply to: #1896958 |
New user 3 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN Hi Steve - Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I'm a mixed animal practitioner here in Whitehorse, so I see pretty much anything that shows up - mostly dogs and cats, but also horses and exotics (I'm starting to accumulate some snake patients). I lived in Ottawa for a summer working for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and I loved it. The farming communities around Ottawa are so beautiful. It's actually unseasonably warm in Whitehorse right now - it was plus 10 on Sunday! The weather is supposed to return to normal this week and get back to around -30 or so (yuck). Where I'm at right now - there's 2 other friends of mine that are going to try and complete the sprint triathalon with me which is great - it's awesome having friends to motivate me. We went swimming this morning and I was a bit disappointed in how I did but I'm motivated to try and improve. We didn't really have a game plan so we just did laps for an hour with a 3 minute break about halfway through. I felt completely exhausted if I tried to do more than 50 m of freestyle in a row (this is really embarrassing to admit but I know you can't help me if I pretend I'm better than I am) so there was a lot of breaststroking in between. Another man at the pool told me that it looks like I twist my hips too much when I'm rotating to breathe, so that's one thing I'm working on. Do you have any recommendations for drills or anything at this point to try and improve my form? One of my friends is a swim instructor so I was going to see if she could spend some time with me and give me pointers on my form, since it could probably do with some improvement. I was reading a post on here earlier about how often to breathe during freestyle. I adhere pretty rigidly to breathing after every 3 strokes because that's what I was taught, but it seems like lots of people go longer or shorter. What are your thoughts on this? When I'm not swimming, I've been trying to do 30 minutes of cardio continuously (either running on a treadmill or on the elliptical) to work on my endurance. Any tips on this? Any tips on how to train on a treadmill? I'm probably not going to be able to run outside until March at the earliest since it takes a while for breakup here. I've also started weight training - not much to say here except I'm trying to hit all the major muscle groups. I was thinking of hiring a personal trainer for a session or two just to make sure I'm doing the exercises correctly and not setting myself up for injury (or embarrassing myself in front of everyone else at the gym). So that's an introduction to me - please let me know if you need to know anything else or if you have any advice at this point. Thank you so much for taking the time to help me.
- Jess |
| 2009-01-22 6:28 AM in reply to: #1921482 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN JESS! I'll get back to you more fully later on, but for now I want to answer the question about a trainer for weight work with a pretty emphatic "YES!" I'm hitting this one now just in case you are planning on hitting the gym again soon. I NEVER lifted in a gym until February '05, as I sensed it would be both foreign and intimidating. So, I hired a trainer, and that was a brilliant thing to do. He was very patient with me, and completely thorough in his explanations of all aspects - machines, free weights, body-weight work. (He was perfectly willing to assist with cardio stuff as well, but that wasn't what I needed.) He was very aware of why I was there (functional strength for triathlon), and kept his focus and emphasis on that. I have since become a lover of the gym, but that would not have happened without having someone guide me through it all first. I had 10-12 sessions with him, and then he set me loose; countless weight-training hours later, I have yet to injure myself (well, beyond the getting-back-to-it stage once race season is over....) - and, glory be, I never embarrass myself! Proper lifting is technical. In a note to Mindy yesterday, I referred to the mental checklist that is required (at least for me) when swimming, and I find the same applies very frequently with lifting. In order to achieve the desired results, as well as avoiding injury, it is necessary to execute correctly, which involves not only what you do with the weights (or machines), but how you position your body. And, as much as it might seem useful to watch people at a gym, there are just so many of them that execute the work poorly (which would include lousy body position, skewed lifting mechanics, poor choice of weight loads or settings, speed of the movements, among other errors). I'm no expert, of course, but I've been doing it long enough and seriously enough to recognize how many people have poor-to-horrific mechanics when lifting or working on the machines; these are not the ones who should be viewed as models of proper technique! So, if you can afford a trainer, Jess, then I recommend it. You likely won't need 10-12 sessions, and maybe just a few will serve your purposes. Make sure the trainer knows the goals of your larger picture, just so he/she isn't spending time on a body group that isn't really applicable. Have fun with it. Heave-ho! I'll return later to address your other questions/concerns. |
| 2009-01-22 7:14 AM in reply to: #1920652 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN TREVOR - Yup! Climb aboard! In my perfect world, I will be at the Portland Tri with you and your brother. The RD, Jeff Henderson is also RD of the fabulous Musselman Triathlon, as well as Fly-By-Night Duathlon. He runs awesome races, and the overwhelmingly "green" emphasis of the Portland tri is very laudable. I spent the summer of '73 at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology near Coos Bay, and fell in love with Oregon. As much as I am trying to practice a bit more austerity with my racing seasons, it has crossed my mind that this year, as I've turned 60, I should "treat" myself to a fine tri-trip, and heading out there to do Portland is at the top of my list. (That said, I don't think this will sell well with my more intelligent and more fiscally-prudent wife!! Like I said, "in my perfect world....." Sigh.) ANYHOW ---- Portland Triathlon is a very attainable goal for you, and especially if you precede it with a "warm-up" sprint at the end of May. Your plan, in fact, is admirably conservative, with the 3-month span between races devoted to training for the oly. My guess is that if you follow that plan, and train reasonably diligently during the summer, you will have a knockout race at Portland Tri. Not only is your brother "in my wheelhouse now", but it sounds as if he's right in the middle of your crosshairs as well! Sibling rivalry, much? For now, the daily commute can suffice for the cycling portion as you work at swimming and running. You're closing in on a year of the 17 mile/day bike commute routine, and thr fruits of that are the additional weight you lost in the process. What kind of bike are you using for the commute, and is it the one you are planning in racing on? As for the off-day question, that's an interesting one. It sounds as if the bike commute is pretty much part of your routine, and as many of us get all agitated and squirelly when our routines are upset, I wonder if that might happen to you if you had to go seek alternative arrangements just to satisfy a day-off. What do you think? One approach might be to begin "mixing it up" some with the commutes, wherein you work harder, or on different aspects of pacing, cadence, and technique, on some of the commutes, thus allowing your "off-day" to be another ride, albeit a leisurely, unfocused one. Having said all that, if you are feeling pressed for time to get in swimming and running, and if finding another way to commute will gain you some extra time, then that is something to look at seriously. Your legs are likely is fine shape right now -- but that's nothing that a bit of committed running won't "cure"! ;o) Really, though, let me know how your bigger-picture schedule looks. Do you have a job with decent lunch hours -- and a compassionate boss? Is there ready availablity to a pool, either at home or at work? And, in general, where are you at with running and swimming, in terms of ability and confidence? Let me know as soon as you can, okay? Thanks for the belated birthday thought. I used my birthday to justify ordering a couple of books from Powell's, right there in Portland! That's the good news, but the bad news is that just last month I read that Powell's, venerable bookseller that it is, is feeling acutely the pressures on the publishing industry, and that it is teetering quite a bit. I would hate to see Powell's shut down, but that was the implication of the article I read. Alas and woe. |
| 2009-01-22 7:40 AM in reply to: #1920711 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN ERIC - A fellow New Englander! Hot diggity! (I grew up near Boston, lived in Maine for a couple of years, taught at Derryfield School in Manchester from '81-'83.) Just curious -- Is it Timberman sprint that is going to be your August race? If so, you've picked a great one! (If not, which one are you aiming for?) From what you say, it solounds as if you are of two minds about your fitness. You seem to rue somewhat the weight gain and the subsequent drop in mile times, but you sound very pleased with the fitness gains you have made with the karate and MMA work. Am I correct in figuring that part of the weight gain since last summer is muscle mass from those classes? (As I said to Isaiah in a post above, I have tremendous respect for MMA guys for the discipline and mastery they have to attain in so many areas., one of them being strength.) As for the August sprint, if you're running up to eight miles now and currently getting into the pool once a week (and even though you don't mention cycling, there you are bedecked in a bike helmet!), with some solid training between now and then you'll be more than ready for it. You sound slightly apologetic about the swimming, but don't be - even as you acknowledge that it is your weak area, you are at least making the effort to do it. Reading through the posts above, you can see how many of the ten of you have swimming concerns, so you are not alone if you find the pool somewhat daunting, or unsatisfying, or simply less-than-appealing to get yourself to. But believe me -- It's good that your pool is close to you, and it's good that you're getting yourself there! How are you feeling as the half-marathon approaches? That distance of 13.1 miles is not that far off from the 8 miles you are doing now, and as long as your body is feeling pretty good right now, you'll find that the quiet joys of adrenaline will do wonders to help bridge that gap between the final distance of your longest run and the 13.1 miles. Are you currently planning on extending the longest run distance a bit further, or do you feel completely comfortable with where you're at right now? What do you have for a bike, and how often do you get out on it? Do you have any winter options (trainer or rollers), or do you just spend the winter looking at it wistfully? Finally - and I gotta ask this - you're not one of those New Englanders who has somehow grown up being a Yankees fan, are you? Please say no!! |
| 2009-01-22 9:13 AM in reply to: #1921949 |
Member 51 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN Steve- Very good guess, yes it will be the Timberman sprint in August. From what I've heard and read, it seems like a great race. I've also joined a team through BT recently to do the 200 mile Reach the Beach relay in September. Right now my legs, especially shins, seem a little more sore than I would like. I was hoping to be ramping up mileage, but am weary of shin-splints which I haven't had in years. I'm backing off a little right now for shorter 2-3 mile runs to try and heal some, and will hopefully ramp up to a 10 miler a week or 2 before the half marathon. Some of the weight gain does seem to be muscle, yes. With the variation and amount of sit-ups I do, my stomach should look like a cheese grater by now, but I always have an inch of "insulation" in the way it seems. My affection for brownies and chocolate-chip cookies is probably the cause... ;-) I have changed my diet to avoid sugars more since the holidays, so that should help. I do have a wind-trainer for my bike, but a new treadmill is taking up the space where it used to be. I only have a mountain bike now, so will be looking for a road bike in the spring. I lived on a bike when I was young, and grew up in Vermont with all the hills to pedal up, so it's always been comfortable for me. No, not a Yankees fan, but I've been to their stadium twice to see the Red Sox play there. I followed the Sox faithfully everday in the early 2000's, even the Hot Stove reports in the winter months, but have been disappointed by the dramatic increase in Fenway tickets, and the lack of them also. I used to be able to drive there after work and by a ticket at the gate, now you're lucky to get 2 seats together mid-week if you buy them in March! I was at the Derryfield School a few weeks ago watching my girlfriend's daughters (ages 3 and 6) at their ballet recital, it's a beautiful school. Thanks for the advice. I'm enjoying reading everyone's comments. -Eric Edited by elindquist 2009-01-22 10:14 AM |
| 2009-01-22 9:31 AM in reply to: #1896958 |
Veteran 481 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN Steve, I am kicking around the idea of doing an all-female sprint tri as a warm-up to the one in June. The drawback is that it is a month earlier in May. Doable? For some reason 4 months to train seems a lot better than 3 but it looks like a lot less participants in this one so it might be a better one to do first. A friend would do it with me so that is a plus. Also, I hope to look at a used 2006 Lemond bike tonight for possible purchase. Any thoughts on that brand? Thanks, Mindy |
| 2009-01-22 4:23 PM in reply to: #1922176 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN MINDY - Not only would I think it is doable, but I think it would be good for you because (1) less participants, (2) all women, (3) a friend with whom to do it. My reason for (1) is because of the concern you expressed a day or two ago. My reason for (2) is that there is a compelling mass of women who swear by th benefits of all-women races, especially for the first one. My reason for (3) is for any of the reasons that appeal to you in having a friend to experience/share it with; mutaul support, I would guess, is paramount. Lemond is a time-honored bike company. You will get a road bike as opposed to a tri bike, but there is a lot to be said for going that route in a first serious-bike purchase. (My first serious bike was a road bike, and that's what I raced in my first year doing triathlons.) The geometry of road bikes is more user-friendly for most riders, and it is easy enough to retrofit (I think that's the correct term) one with some tri-features, such as aerobars. Make sure that it is the correct size for you. If you are uncertain about how to judge this, do a quick Google search to get information on how you and a properly-sized bike should ideally line up especially if you are looking to buy it privately. (If it's through a bike shop, then they can help you with all of this. Also, ask them if they can "fit" you as part of the purchasing process.) Good luck, and happy shopping! |
| 2009-01-22 8:49 PM in reply to: #1896958 |
Member 8 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN Hello Steve, The chili was great, Thanks for asking. But the one I made was a little more unhealthy than yours I am afraid. I had hot italian sausage in mine. Well today was a pretty good day. I did the crossfit workout this morning (Boy, am I sore), followed by a short run (I am beginning a 5k in 5 week program) and a short swim. I was trying to do crossfit in the morning after work and my swim, bike, run in the evening before work, but I wasn't always making it for the evening workout, so now I am just going to suck it up and do everything in the morning so there are no excuses. I looked around online and I found a few websites that rent wetsuits and so I am looking into that. I figured it will be better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Plus I am extremely cold natured and even for a short time in that cold water I would freeze. I am a true Floridian, if it gets below 70 I turn into a popcicle, and right now I am stationed in Mississippi which is pretty similar. I wouldn't be able to survive in your neck of the woods. Now my next adventure will be finding a pair of cycle shoes. I want to get plenty of practice with them before my first race. Have a great night. Patricia
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| 2009-01-22 9:13 PM in reply to: #1896958 |
Master 1547 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN Steve,
Yeppers! I got the massage...all tapered up...ready to go for Sunday. WIll be heading down Saturday night for the pasta dinner. I am looking forward to the marathon and hope #1 to finish. to complete it without walking would also be awesome...I am not gonna get too wrapped up in the time, but I will give it all I got and shoot for x:xx:xx. |
| 2009-01-23 3:55 AM in reply to: #1896958 |
Extreme Veteran 314 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN NAME: Nathan Hangen
FAMILY STATUS: Married for 7 years to a wonderful, patient, and understanding wife. 2 kids that love to go to races.
2009 RACES: Depends on when I get back exactly, but right now I've got the REV3 Tri, Augusta, and 4-5 NCTS races. I'd also like to do a marathon or two. I like to race, and I'm the type of guy that likes to overtrain and over-race.
I'd really like to find a place where I can ask questions without going through the "flaming" typical of a lot of tri forums. I've got more passion than experience, and because of that I'm wondering what skills lie dormant within. Eventually, I want to make Kona and I am not trying to take my time. I'm willing to do the work needed to get it done, but I need focus. I'm hoping I can join the team. |
| 2009-01-23 6:57 AM in reply to: #1924213 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN GENERAL NOTE FOR ALL Yowzers! Fair bit of action since I was last on the computer about 12 hours ago, and lo and behold, I have been cyber-swiped! I still owe comments to Eric and Jess, Patiricia and Neil have made appearances, and Nathan is the newest member of the cabal. I will get to all of you as soon as possible, starting in a few minutes. Within the next day or so, I will post a list of you all, just kind of to collect you in one place and "introduce" you all to each other. At present, I believe there are 11 of you, 6 girls and 5 boys. (From an ex-teacher perspective that's a decent ratio; more girls than boys is a more favorable recipe for classroom sanity. HOWEVER, there was one year in which I had 20 grade 5s - 17 boys and 3 girls. And the boys that year were quite "active", which is a teacher euphemism for, uh, any number of things! Women, can you imagine how awful that would have been for you at that age??) Remember, group, that using each other as resources will likely yield good rewards. For those of you who have been keeping up with members as they have appeared, you will know that there is a huge amount of experience (athletic, medical, life-in-general) represented by the 11 of you. If you sense you share the same rough goals with another member, or are going through similar struggles, hten just post a question or comment to them. That will start a different dialogue into which others may want to jump with both feet. Okay! Its off to ericjesspatricianeilnathan! Have a happy Friday, all! |
| 2009-01-23 7:41 AM in reply to: #1922129 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN ERIC! Hope to see you at Timberman! My initial plan was to do both this year - sprint Saturday, half Sunday - but as part of my austerity plan I will not do the half. I just can't see $230 for a half, especially since going to Clearwater, if I qualified for it, is not in my economic plan, either. I have done the half twice - '01 and '04. In fact, it was my first half, as well as the first year for the race. The RD, Keith Jordan, puts of phenomenal races, and you are in for a real treat in terms of, well, everything. If you can, avail yourself of as many of the surrounding "events" as possible, which means the various meals and whenever the pro athletes are speaking or are part of panel discussions. You'll love the course, too, which has a very user-friendly short-ish (.3 mile) swim, a rolling bike course for whuich your Vermont childhood will have conditioned you, and a nice out-and-back run, generally a gentle climb out and the decline coming back. And if you place in your age group, you will receive a bottle of maple syrup in a beautiful glass bottle that has been engraved with the race logo and all. I guess I'v egotten four or five of these at various of Keith's races over the years, and I still love looking at them; two of them still are unopened, and glow with that beautiful syrup! I have yet to sign up for the sprint (see my note to trevor above, re Portland Tri, but really T-man is far more likely than getting out to Portland!), although a few months ago I reserved an isolated tent site at Gunstock for the Friday and Saturday nights, figuring at that time that I would be doing both races. So, right now I have the accommodations, but no financial commitment to either race! Take care of those shin splints, or whatever it is that is ailing your shins. You might want to back off entirely for a few days, keep them iced as much as you can, and then work back into things early next week. It's possible that even with shortening your runs to 2-3 miles, the shins might be enough "on the edge" that you never get the hoped-for 10-miler in before the race. I'm figuring that your overall run fitness is pretty solid right now, and that taking a few days off won't do anything to set you back. Like most everybody else, I hear that chorus of raucous voices howling at me to keep up with my plans, even when my Sensible Mind is telling me to back off and acknowledge and respect injury, illness, or fatigue. Another way to think of it - and this is often hard to separate out adequately - is to keep in mind the Big Goal. In your case, is it to enter and complete the half-marathon, or just to train for it. At various crunch times, when problems are rising as race day approaches, I FORCE myself to take time off by using this approach; for me, it's a real slap-upside-my-own-head way of dealing with things. (Cautionary tale: I had registered for a Nov. '02 marathon as a hoped-for qualifier for Boston. I trained hard all fall, but about 2-3 weeks out from it I messed up my hamstring. The first thing I did wrong was to continue with that particualr run. The next thing I did wrong was run again on it a few days later, wherein it was fine for a bit, then began aching. I then struggled with taking a minimal number (2? 3?) of days off, and went back at it again - same results. I repeated this process until finally, with only a few days left before the race, I knew there was no way I could do 26.2 miles. I felt pretty well devastated, and on race day I was SO agitated that I was at home while the race - my big A-priority goal race!! - was proceeding in Maryland without me! Hindsight being 20/20 and all, it was clear that I had done my "homework" up until the hammy problem, and that with judicious rest I could've still pulled off a decent race.) I'm just sayin'. Admittedly, hamstrings can be awful when they act up, and as long as you shin splints are toatally debilitating, you will oprobably be fine. But think about eliminating at least one of the short runs in favor of a bit more rest and ice. Maybe? Quick little story. For a while in '69/'70, I drove a taxi in Boston. One of the companies was McCann, which I think is no longer in business. Their garage was in the residential area known as The Fenway; I believe it was on Gainsborough Street. Anyhow, it was less than a 5-minute walk from Fenway, and frequently on game days (and that was back when about half of a team's games were during the day) I would start my shift early-ish, 4 a.m. or so, and finish early so that I could make it over to Fenway and buy a bleacher seat for $1. Lots of space was available out there in those days, and I'd sit about 8 rows from the front of the bleachers, but with my back against the "extension" of the big green monster - a great place for watching that lovely arc of a ball as it travels fro the bat into - or over - the screen. And with that thought, I gotta tell you that I will never fully forgive the organization for turning the screen into seats. I will remain feeling betrayed by that move until the day I die! Take care of the legs! |
| 2009-01-23 8:25 AM in reply to: #1921482 |
Champion 10618 | Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group OPEN JESS! Definitely don't be embarrassed by feeling exhausted after just 50m of freestyle. I dare say that all of us who are coming at serious swimming as adults have gone through what you are experiencing. (For me, it was feeling exhausted after 25m, so you're having twice the early-days success that I had!) Really and truly, this is such a constant refrain amongst triathlons who have "made it" -- that back when they could not conceive of ever being able to cover any significant amount of distance in the water. For most poeple, even if form and speed don't develop optimally, endurance does. I think you will find that soon! It was nice of that guy to point out the potential hip-twist problem, and it's somehting you should keep in mind. Books refer to it as "snaking" through the water, and it is a less proficient/efficient way to swim than is being "fishlike". The Total Immersion people emphasize something like "slipping through the smallest possible hole in the water", and of course when you're allowing too much "play" through your hips, the hole in the water through which you are moving has to expand, and then you are alos working with more drag in the form of your over-acting hips. As I suggested to Mindy above, focus on breathing as part of your body's rotation, that your head will naturally roll to the surface as the body rotates as part of the underwater pull phase. An important part of all of this is initiating your rotation from your core, and I suspect that what that guy observed was you initiating your movements from your hips. Snakelike movements can come from hip activity, while smoother fishlike movements will be generated from the core. Don't be afraid of resting often, maybe evn every 25m. This will allow you to think about what you have just done for the 25m, how you felt, where your activity was centered; in a way, it can regroup you for the next length. It will also maybe help to eliminate some bad habits before they can become entrenched. I am not at all good about shutting down my swim workouts when I am well aware that fatigue is setting in and my form is falling apart. I'm sure that over the years I would've been better served by getting out of the water early, when my form was still intact and my body could sit and cogitate over how it felt to do that particular technique, or refinement, or set CORRECTLY. So think about starting off slowly in the pool, maybe shorter sessions wherein you're spending almost as much time thinking about what you just did in that last length as you are actually completing the next length. The downside to this is that it makes something that should be physically fun into soemthing that can be too serious and cerebral, but if you can make it work for you to some extent, I think it will help you in the long run. As for breathing preferences, I do it every other stroke. By that I mean that every time my right arm pulls (the underwater phase), I breath of that side. Usually, breathing every third stroke is waht a bilateral breather wil do. When I breathe every fourth stroke, then, I do it every OTHER time my right arm pulls. I just opt for getting maximal option, although I recognize that every time one breathes, it causes a disruption in achieving the most efficient streamiled position. There are "tricks" that can be used to still breath every two strokes and two of these - "Popeye" and "one-goggle" -I mentioned to Mindy, above. Breaststroke is fine to do on an as-neede basis; don't be embarrassed! One thing you can try while breaststroking is to "pitch" your arms a bit differently than normal so that you are almost sculling rather than simply bringing them back through the water. The idea is to, once your arms are straight in front of you, to bend your elbows and bring your arms back along your body with the elbows high. What you should be looking for, or feeling for, is the constant prssure of the water against your forearms and hands. Optimally, with freestyle you should be feeling the water pressure at these points, and when people talk about fist drills, or closed-hand drills, this is where that drill is going - to develop the proprioreception (I think I've messed up that word) to recognize when you are exerting maximum force against the water. So, even in a recovery breaststroke mode, it is possible to still recover while working on your feel for the water. More on treadmill stuff later, but I've got a bunch of things that need doing (run and lfting amongst them, plus skiing with the dog). Bye for now! |
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