Dirk's Junkie group - CLOSED (Page 26)

This cracked me up.  During my run Monday evening (it was dark, 34 and raining), I was singing out loud to check my pace.  I ran by some guy on his porch talking on a cell phone, and I heard him say - "Hey, some lunatic just ran by with a light on his head and singing."

But the BEST kind of lunatic!

Good news continues on the swimming front.  Today marked the 5th swim practice in a row in which I've swam at my highest level ever.  I'm officially past my surgery (regarding triathlon) and currently sit in better shape than I was at this point last year.

While not fast by swim standards, I was swimming these types of numbers today (translated to yards for your comparison):

50s repeating on the :50, coming in on the :40 with no degredation of speed through the set

100s repeating on the 1:40 coming in on 1:25 without slowing

Also repeated a couple of 500s and never got lapped by the fast guys.  A year ago they lapped me in 200s.  Oh, and I was lapping a lady that's been faster than me since we started the swim team 4 years ago.

I agree 100% - I'm just not consistent enough to actually achieve anything. I can't hold a drill for a couple of lengths before being so tired it all falls apart. It also stops you looking at the clock and trying to push to hard to make a certain time.

My plan is to go with this until I can get the distance, then move on to some of the swim workouts people have posted, using t-pace, technical drills and more intensive clock work!

John

I was the bad kind of lunatic runner last night.  As soon as I finished my LTHR run test last night, all I could do was let out a number of expletives at the top of my lungs.  All of that pent up pain made me swear like a sailor for some reason.  Of course there was someone going by at the time...I hope I didn't scare them too much...

Well it sounds like there are a few of us lunatics around right now including the "swearing lunatic" in from Brookfield (Curtis).

I was running a few months ago, during my marathon focus,and a staple route goes down a lightly traveled road.  As I ran by I overheard a guy on his cell phone say something like; "that guy's running again."  I had wondered what people thought until that point because I was running some often and I guess I got my answer.

Curtis, How did your test go?  Did you get numbers that you think will help you in your training?  Hopefully it was dark and you won't be recognized as the "swearing lunatic" in the future.  I guess if the next time you run people don't try to cross the street or trail to get as far away from you as possible you weren't recognized.

Those are some pretty crazy times.  I can hold :40 for the 50's about 3-5 sets depending on the day and about the same times for count for the 100's.  Then I start adding time and my stroke starts suffering, sometimes pretty badly.

I'm glad your recovery from surgery has come as quickly as it has.  What about the other shoulder?

I had another post-op follow-up appointment a week ago.  I explained to the surgeon that I wanted to wait until next fall to deal with the left shoulder for a few reasons:

• It's non-symptomatic (mostly)
• between now and then my right shoulder won't be strong enough to be lifting in a way that is going to be an issue for the left side
• It's been this way for many years so it's safe to assume it's stable
• I want my summer racing season and would like to time this one exactly like my right side

He said that sounded reasonable and to contact him a couple of months prior to me wanting the surgery date so he can re-examine it.

Okay, John, so my friend got back to me about the high max HR.  This is what he gave me:

If someone is in good shape and they are well hydrated for a run 208 is a bit high - if it comes down linearly - like 10-20 beats a minute when he stops it is likely not anything too nasty... If it does not come down like that but goes from 205 to 150 in a few seconds it could be an arrhythmia. So that is one question for him. If he is new to running - then maybe it is just time he needs to build a base which then will drop his HR. Anemia, thyroid disease, infection, dehydration can all shoot up the HR as well as a quadruple shot latte pre-workout. So it may be a quick check for basic labs. And make sure there is no heart murmur.  His resting HR is normal.

I hope this helps.  I think based on his response (as long as you don't have the abnormal decrease in HR) that you're good to go.

haha!!!  whoa there crazy pants!  How did it go anyway?

Jeff - those are some nutty swim times.  I would say your shoulder is better.

Curtis - man, keep it down, that was a family neighborhood!  What were the results of the test?  Sounds like you pushed hard enough!  Your paces are pretty impressive so it looks like you're in line for quite a season.

I'm off to a Brazilian jiu-jitsu tourney with my son tomorrow.  He's a little tweaked since he's moving way up in weight with a recent growth spurt and also moving up in class since he won his last beginner level tourney.  We'll see how it goes.  Hopefully I'll get some pics to post.

Yeah, I was quite embarrassed, but it was another runner, so if they do high intensity training, I have a feeling that they understood (hopefully).

My run testing was quite close to what it has been in the past.  LTHR is at 162.  I had never done a LTHR test on bike before, and LTHR was 152 - quite a bit lower than what I thought, so apparently I've been training more intensely than I should have been.  Not a big deal so far with only endurance and the occasional tempo workout, but starting in 2 weeks, I'll be in my base 3 phase, and I have zone 4 and zone 5a intervals.  Without doing the testing, I would have been training too high of HR, over-baking myself, and not able to recover for the next day's workout.

It never ceases to amaze me what we are able to accomplish when we put our minds to it.  I never trained this hard for anything back in the day.  Now I'm almost 40 years old and I'm running all out in 28 degree weather in the dark in January in Wisconsin, just to test myself for future training.  Triathlon is a crazy, crazy mistress.

Jiu-jitzu?  Very cool!  Please post some pics.

Curtis

Run HR - I like HR on my long runs, especially if running by myself- I can keep HR in range - and I feel much better afterwards. HR up, and I feel punk. I also like HR on my "speed" days - to make sure HR up and I'm making proper effort. But---my oldest college XC/track son gives me hell if I wear my HR on easy days. I think he is correct. I just run as I "feel" on the easy days, no HR. Fun runs are usually the best.

Run Shoes - I stayed with what I have. I'll try a lower platform shoe in May, since after my spring HM's I switch to more speed focused training for summer tri's. I should be good to go if I train for a fall marathon.

Swimming - opinions on Total Immersion? Anyone attend? My swimming needs help - video not a good option at 5am when I swim ---(maybe I can con a guard to video??) I see where TI will be in town in March - I'd need to miss a HM I really like - but it may be worth it in the long run???

I saw this article this morning and thought that it had some good tips for beginner swimmers.  One of the points is about imagining swimming through a tube, like one of you had recommended before.

http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/Swimming-Technique-Ways-to-Improve-Your-Form.htm?cmp=17-1-1962

Matt, this is probably the most common issue with swimming.  Body position is a huge contributor to swimming faster.  The issue is that when you are not horizontal in the water, the surface area that you have to pull through the water becomes your whole body.  When you are horizontal, all you have to pull through the water is the surface area of your head and soulders.  Everything else is just in the "slipstream".  So one drill you can do is to lie face down on the top of the water with your arms out above your head.  If your feet immediately fall, adjust your arms up or down (most likely up) to balance yourself.  Also, when you are in this position, lift up your head.  You will see that your feet will immediately fall.  Take a mental note of the position that keeps you close to floating even in the water.  You want to try to mimic this position while swimming.

Another drill you can do to practice staying horizontal while breathing:  Practice rotating and looking at the underside of the water when you breath.  If you cannot see the underside of the water right before you breath, you are picking up your head.  Remember from your drills that when you pick up your head, you feet fall?  Well, each time your feet fall in the water, you slow WAY down and then have to use that left arm to start speeding up again.  So that left arm stroke feels like it's doing nothing at all. 

Anothing thing that I do when I get tired:  I start my stroke with my arm stretched way out in front of me (which is good), but then I push straight down until my arm is literally straight down, pointing to the bottom of the pool.  If you think about it, I just made a big arc, pushing water down towards the bottom of the pool when I really want to push that water back and towards my feet.  You want to "grab" a piece of water out in front of you and push that piece of water straight back towards your feet.  Don't push it down to the bottom of the pool.  If you do that, your body will come up a little bit and your feet will fall a little bit.  So again, you lose your position in the water.

So to review:

1.  Body position is huge.
2.  When breathing rotate your head using your neck, don't pick your head up.
3.  Grab a piece of water with your hand and forearm and push it directly towards your feet.
4.  Get us a couple different views in a video.

Paul, first, video is VERY eye opening and an invaluable tool when looking at your stroke.  I will try to find some video that I took of myself when I was getting started so you can see when I look for when I try to fix stupid things that I am not aware of when I am actually swimming.

Secondly, total immersion is an excellent program that I used when I was first beginning.  I didn't actually take the course, but the ladies who taught me used a combination of those techniques.  One of the major things it helps with is awareness of the body in the water.  The basis of total immersion is teaching techniques that balance the body in the water and puts a focus on efficiency thru the water.  Some very important points.  With that said, I think that any lessons at all in the beginning are absolutely worth it.  I would budget swimming lessons as much as I would budget a bike.

Jonathon, those are all good swim tips.  I need desperately to get someone to the pool with me to video my swims a couple of times.  I would like for someone to get my technique at the beginning of my WO and at the end to see how bad I get as I get tired.  Maybe I can get my daughter to the pool with me in the near future to provide a little coaching and video assistance.

Paul,  I don't have an opinion about TI because I haven't really watch anything from them.  I know Warren says there is a lot of debate over their videos and instruction but I haven't followed up on any of that either.  I will say that I think Jonathon is right, any instruction early on should be a benefit, then as you progress you can start checking other means to better your stroke.

________________

On a personal training note:  I am having to dig REALLY deep to get any motivation the past couple of days to get any training done at all.  Fatigue from the mid week "over nighter" I think is a bit of a culprit but I think I need a race to get my competitive juices flowing again.

I have spent considerable time this morning trying to get a tentative race schedule outlined and I am getting close.  I will have a couple of races that will be fillers with my "A" race in September.  I have pretty much decided that I am doing the Rev 3, Cedar Point.

I am considering a tri rather than a HM but I can't decide.  I would like to do a HM to set another PR but I don't know????

I have a question for Jeff and Jonathon.  I am looking to try to get some kind of sponsorship but I am unsure how to go about it.  I would be willing to take just about any form of support. Be it funding for races, coaching, nutritional supplements, etc.  How do I go about finding sponsors?  Jeff, I know you are sponsored by Rudy Project.  How did you pull that gig?

Every company has a sponsorship coordinator.  I think a lot of companies have you fill out an application stating your race results, your involvement with the triathlon community and your social media prowess.  I would think that discount race entries would be tough.  Rev 3 is a sponsor for the Wattie Ink team, but they are not on my schedule.  The other issue becomes that maybe a company like Rudy or Zoot may sponsor you, but you have to buy their stuff at a minimal discount and wear it during the event.  So you may get 20% race entries, but have to spend another $100 on gear.  What about racing for the power company or something?  Jeff, what's your take? 

I ran in this week's Frosty Fun Run/Race this morning. A friend from work was running and he is a little weaker in the run so I ran along with him to help him through it. Today's course was a pretty flat 6k. We came in right at 9:01 min per mile pace which is right where he had hoped to finish, so good result there. Plus it gave me a good reason to slow my pace a bit and get easy miles in.

I received my new running shoes last night (Brooks Adrenaline GTS 11). I really wanted to run in them this morning but I stuck with the GTS 12's that I've been running in since November for the fun run. After I got home from the fun run I felt so good that I went out and did another 2 miles easy as a first run in the new shoes. They were great. Now I'll be alternating runs between the 2 pairs.

Social media prowess?  I can read a newspaper article or article on fb. LOL  I am not really sure I have any social media prowess.  If I get 20% discount off their gear that's probably off retail I suppose and definitely not worth much.  But I know Jeff gets a little more than that.  His discount would make it worth taking advantage of.

My company is definitely NOT in the sponsorship business.  They don't even sponsor smaller little league type things in the local areas.  I actually think it's kind of lame really.  I don understand that a large company would have to accumulate a large number of request too, so trying to dispense money could be pretty difficult.

Sounds like a good training day for you Vero.  A couple of easy runs all in the morning while feeling nice and fresh.  Nice!

Me on the other hand, I had to do some pretty intense mental discussing with my desire to not go run today.  I wish I had run yesterday when it was 40 degrees and calm because it was 32 and 26-39 mph winds today when I left.  Once I was running I felt alright but was still not into it.

Well, I'm back up and running (not really running yet). Finally kicked this cold and feel about 90%.

I went for a swim this morning. Felt great! Right now I'm not going by distance, but (as per my physical therapist) by how my body feels and working on keeping my form. I've really had to change my whole position in the water. Right now the focus is keeping my back straight and my abs tight. She wants me to keep my focus on my core so i don't inflame my lower back. About half way through my 30 minutes, I wasn't thinking about form and it just happened! I was quite happy.

I have to say that this group is great! Lots of great info being brought up and it's great to see everyone working hard.