Gordo Byrn's Group - FULL (Page 22)

GREG.  enjoy your afternoon nap.  its well deserved after such a super workout!  good goin'

1:15 min. on the trainer today.  

Mornin guys and gals.

Well I picked up the rollers this weekend.  Still haven't been able to let go of the wall for more than 30 sec or so, but each ride is better than the last.   I really didn't think they would take this much getting used to, who knew.  Also getting in my runs and trying to work my core some more.

Fridays started out at HR (69)

WU 1mi @ 3.5 for 17:13 (106)

Sat:

Still learning rollers. Went for about 30 sec without holding the wall, Each ride is a little better than the last.

5 @ 4.5 (139) 10@ 4.5 (143) 15@ 4.5 (144) 20@ 4.5 (147) 25@ 4.5 (148) 30@ 4.5 (152)

WU .75@ 3.5 f/12:57 (106) WD .5@ 3.5 f/8:45 (120) 1@ 3.0 f/18:40 (109) 1.5@ 3.0 f/28:45 (101)

Weather is still crazy. They are actually predicting 2-4 inches of SNOW here tonight. Great. The city will be completely shut down tomorrow...

30 minutes on the trainer. Wind is gusting 30+ so I'm wimping out.

Average Heart Rate 132

Z1 (115-128):  1:57

Z2 (128-142): 25:27

I rode my bike for the first time yesterday around a nearby college campus - mostly flat, no hills. After a half mile, my heart rate and breathing were extremely high, so I stopped and rested. I rode another half mile, HR went crazy again, so I ended my ride. (I don't have a HR monitor so I don't have specific numbers.)

I could have kept doing this half mile/rest routine for a while (I wasn't in pain or having a heart attack), but I was definitely working very hard and I thought low intensity was the goal. Was there any benefit to this workout? Should I keep doing it, or should I be doing something else to increase my bike endurance?

Good afternoon,

 Now that I have confidence in my swimming, do you have any work outs that includes drills?

 Sure -- more in the Swim section of the library accessed in my sig file... :-)

 TIPS

 Think of three things:

 Ideas:

This sounds unusual -- if it persists then I would recommend a trip to the doc to explain the issue and rule out anything that might concern you.

If you are breathless with high pulse rate at low effort then I would slow down.

To confirm, you were riding easy, on the flat, and felt what you describe?

 g

Well, I was trying to keep my cadence around 90, so I don't know how "easy" it was. And when I say no hills, I don't mean completely flat. It's roughly a half-mile loop, and the point where i rested was at the top of a ~50 foot long rise of maybe 15 feet.

 Writing this out makes me feel stupid for asking - of course it was hard after climbing a hill. I'm going to try it again and keep going next time. Like I said, it wasn't painful and I wasn;t light-headed, it was just difficult. My main question is if I should be so focused on low HR that I shouldn't do any activity this hard.

Gordo - I skipped my strength workout tonight. Was feeling pretty worn out and run down so I did the 'if in doubt' thing...

Should I add this back in later in the week, or just let it pass and keep to the plan the rest of the week?

went back to the track to tackle HR, WOUT the 'interference' of the running group.

figured it would be 'good practice' to work all the logistics out on my own ie where my pace needed to be Wout the help of the read-out of the TM BEFORE i got back w the group.

the one thing i realize now is that i wasnt mindful of my distance so im not certain what my pace was throughout the workout.

what i DID realize during the course of the workout is that its a whole heck of a lot easier to maintain a consistent pace when you are on the treadmill.  um.  hello.  push a few buttons, and THE TM DOES IT FOR YOU.

since i do most of my training on the TM, im realizing the value of these non-treadmill runs, esp when it comes to race day - maintaining a pace 'on my own', maintaining my HR.

lessons learned.

so heres the raw data.

HR DATA 21 min run 1/19

START:  74  started walk w a purpose

10 MIN:  126

5 MIN:   142/128

11 MIN:  141/131

17 MIN:  142/135

21 MIN:  139/133

4 MIN:  106

when i looked over my numbers from my previous runs, all TM runs, im not too far off, HR-wise.  not gonna sweat the 'smallstuff', but gonna work on getting those numbers down early on in my run -  but at least my HR was hovering in the high 140s low 150s the whole time, like on Sat.

it was a most excellent learning experience today.

as usual, onwardandupward!

hoping to do another descending ladder tomorrow 300, 200, 100 relaxed, 3 stroke breathing throughout.  (thanks G. for the swim tips.  very timely)

and btw, YEAH STEELERS!  TAMPA HERE WE COME!

g,

Recently I was listening to your pod cast with Bobby McGee on Endurance Corner.  The discussion of the run/walk protocol was VERY interesting (thanks to you, as a beginner I could really relate to the discussion).  Outside of employing HR based training, the run/walk protocol has been the single biggest epiphany for me.  I’m sold.  So, in the spirit of “not getting enough of a good thing” I was wondering if there were similar “reset”techniques that should be employed on the bike or in the water?     

Thanks,

Jeff

 Any workout that you miss should be treated as "gone" -- don't worry about it.  What you can do is consider if you need to dial things down a bit to help you hit it next time.

 We all miss workouts, keep on truckin'

 g

Matt,

 Thanks for writing it out -- you are experiencing clarity, more than silliness.  Writing things out is a big aid for me.

 With intensity -- yes, you should moderate your approach.  You will find that a moderate approach will be a lot more beneficial to you over the next 6-10 weeks.  Settle in, let the fitness build.

 g

 Jeff,  

Good Q

 In swim training... 10-50 meters/yards of backstroke // that's the one that I use a lot.

 In cycling, you can change you muscle activation by changing your position (TT vs hill vs standing) -- now you need to train the standing because most people's HR goes SKY HIGH when then stand.  You can do this with blocks of standing (similar to what I recommended with the higher cadence work).  I build so that I can comfortably/efficiently ride for up to 30 minutes while standing.

 g

 Sure -- more in the Swim section of the library accessed in my sig file... :-)

 TIPS

 Think of three things:

 If I understand the Q correctly... then yes, your arm is straight when you use a swing recovery.  Check this out:

 http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/premium/tips_on_technique/free-2005-03-30.asp

 A good example of what I'm talking about.

 This is an effective stroke for crowded, open water swimming as well as folks with limited range of motion in their shoulders -- basically all of us, triathletes.

 g

Thanks G I think I get it now. So my arms recover as straight arm then are already extended for entry to the water and immediately begin to pull. During the pull is my arm supposed to remain straight or should it flex at the elbow to get a better catch as most swim coaches seem to say. This is the bit I am confused about. Agree the straight swinging arm for recovery is excellent in OWS.

thanks again

hello everyone!

great workout today!  62 min spinning and 39 min swim.  still working on extending my relaxed swimming endurance envelope, had a fabulous swim this morning.  like few are reporting, it was actually 'enjoyable' 

thanks Gordo for the tips - hand entry, wrist, pull - was mindful of them as a swam - still VERY inconsistent.  gives me something to work on.  keeps me engaged.  always something to perfect.  i enjoy the process....

still my priorities were:  RELAXATION, BODY ALIGNMENT, AND 3 STROKE BREATHING THROUGHOUT.

im happy to report i did 1600 yds of swimming with 1 MAYBE 2 breaks in 3 stroke breathing the entire time!  yeah me!

heres the raw data:

62 min spin HR data 1/20

START:  100

10 MIN:  133

20 MIN:  140

30 MIN:  129

40 MIN:  135

50 MIN:  138

62 MIN/END:  108

AV:  124, PK:  161

as for the swim, i dont have any HR data, but heres how the workout 'broke down'  im most pleased w the 'ascending ladder' and of course, the 3 stroke breathing throughout.

4x50 warmup

2x50 catchup

2x50 kick

2x50 fist

'ascending ladder' 1x100, 1x200, 1x300 :10 rest 3 stroke breathing throughout.  woohoo!

1x100

2x50 catchup

2x50kick

2x50 cool down.

gettin' more proficient.  onwardandupward!

1100 (26 min) in the pool.  Had to make it short due to a noon meeting.  Got R dun though! 

20 min. on the drainer....increasing speed and effort. 

Morning - Run - 20 Minutes

HR

Z1 (115-128) 3:35

Z2 (128-142) 15:11

Z3 (142-155) :29

Lunch time - Swim 35 minutes/1300 yards

6x200 + 1x100. 1 min rest between 200's

*** Actually did the entire swim with 3 stroke breathing. Breakthrough! ***

My best swim ever. 2000m in 39:34. Relaxed 3 stroke breathing the whole way and could have kept going.

I am definitely getting the hang of this swimming

 A lot of people 'bend' at the elbow, which results in losing the water -- think about an arm shaped like 'walk-like-an-egyptian' -- rather than the elbow remaining above the wrist.

 To avoid the tendency for the elbow to drop, push straight back with a straight arm -- that is how it will feel.  The actually pull pattern and arm position will end up slightly different.  If you shoot video then I would be happy to review a YouTube clip.  I'm not planning on filming swim technique clips until early spring.

 The over-the-barrel and other tips that you hear (as well as elite swim video clips) -- they are technically accurate, but biomechnically nearly impossible, for adult swimmers.

 1 - swing recovery

 2 - enter down

3 - pull straight back

 I like to make it as easy as possible to remember.

g

 +++

 Monica just sent me this... which is another coach's view (ie her view): 

Again to sum up where we are trying to get.

Finger to palm entry at surface of water. Wrist drops straight down  towards the bottom of the pool, elbow raises, pull forearm toward you  and straight  back keeping elbow up. Arm will then pull straight down  and back with a finish down by your upper thigh. ( not hip )

A very circular motion.