Sink or SWIM! with WittyCityGirl - CLOSED (Page 28)

When I teach young swimmers I tell them to "peak through the bushes" when they swim breaststroke.  Not sure if that helps you at all!   With breaststroke, the hardest thing for people to do is NOT pull their arms alllllll the way back.  Your pull is all out in front of you.  So, if you start with your hands together, arms out straight in front of you, palms down, then "pull around the edge of a pizza" to under your chin then "slice the pizza in half" with your hands together, you'll get the general pull for breaststroke. =)

That'll be a nice workout for you!  Do you do anything to strengthen your core muscles?  When I finally went to physical therapy for my sports hernia, they said I had week lower ab muscles and hill work wasn't a good idea.  Which is funny, since I read in sports magazines that hill work is essential to performance!  Keep up the great work Suzanne, I really like reading how you're a go getter.

'Bout darn time, Tim!   That first sprint race will be good for your to see where you need to improve as far as readiness for a race goes because an Ironman is a completely different animal.  If you ever want to chat about my IM experience, feel free to PM me or check out my race report from IMLP 2010.  =)  That's so exciting that you've found someone to "coach" you through it.  I've followed BT plans for HIMS and the IM and so you can certainly use that as a back up, too.  The hardest part is being consistent about training, but once you get into the groove you'll appreciate having that consistent piece in your life. =) 

Awesome! I'm looking forward to the RR, Simon!

Awesome! I'm looking forward to the RR, Simon!

Mike_D - 2011-05-17 10:37 AM Managed a 3.7 mile run/walk this AM. It was mostly run, which was nice. Couple of big hills at the end which just killed me, but in a good way . I did a '8 min run/3 min walk' combo. Will likely do this again this week, then decrease the walk interval.

Mike

Smart plan, Mike!

Another idea, if you have time twice/week, to throw in walking or walk/running twice a day.  Say, your regular planned work out either in the a.m. or p.m. and the other is a super low, wicked casual just get moving to get your body used to extra time spent being physically active.

So, group!!! I've been able to catch up on everyone's progress!  Hurray!!!

This past weekend I had a pretty disappointing 85 mile bike ride.  I'm a pretty slow cyclist, but wanted to see how long I could push myself over hilly terrain.  Well, my legs were fried about 30 miles in, but by 43 miles I was still maintaining 17mph (I need to maintain 16mph for the Harpoon Brewery to Brewery ride, which starts near Mike's part of the world, in order to stay in it the whole distance).  On the way home I averaged 13 mph and was in a bit of pain.  Last year I developed a sports hernia (thinned abdominal muscle/scarring in my lower left abs/groin area) and had it surgically fixed at the end of December.  Most painful experience I've ever had was recouping from that surgery.  So, it's frustrating that I'm having the same pain in the right side now.  My plan is to build endurance and not worry about speed until the day of the race.  I find that when I try to maintain my rpm's at 85+ I get the "warning twinges".

So, that's where I am at.

My plan for the group is to be more active with sending inspires.  I think if we all try to send one/week to each other we'll be able to hold each other accountable and get to know each other a little better.  It's really nice to log on to BT and see _ new inspires!

What are your thoughts on this?

I like this idea! This is something I really need to do--I always appreciate seeing inspires when I log in, but I never have sent one--I think I'll do that after I'm done writing this reply!

Last night was tri class--we had to take it indoors due to cold and rain (REALLY?!?! 58 degrees and rain in California!??! IN MAY?!?!?!) so instead of the bike ride I was looking forward to (a new route--I was super excited about it...) we ran on the treadmill and then hit the pool--Now on the running, I was quite happy with it--we ran for 45 minutes total (1st 10 min was walking warm up), but after the warm up, I RAN the entire time! That is a first for me--I never have run continuously for more than 20 minutes! According to the treadmill, I went a tiny bit over 3 miles--I'm happy with that--its longer than the Auburn route will be! We then hit the pool; I did ok, around 800 meters, mixing of laps and drills--One thing I've noticed--in open water (at least last Weds. when I swam it), I was able to go quite far without gasping and wheezing--yet in the pool, I go for 50 meters, and I am wheezing at the end of the laps! The only thing I can really figure is that is some weird mental thing regarding the actual walls of the pool...who knows?

Anyway, I have class (OWS yay!) tomorrow, then its only Wii fit or yoga on Thurs, Fri, and Sat....I'm thinking if the weather ends up okay this afternoon, I will try to do some biking... Its kinda neat--I have completely fallen in love with biking again--I feel so at peace when I ride now--actually, I'm feeling that with running and swimming too--Who knew I would find my stress relief through triathlon? That makes me HAPPY! Okay, off to 'Inspire'!

Is your hernia fully healed now? Is there a possibility of getting one on the other side? Maybe get it checked???? I hope it's just that you're working hard with your training

I like the idea of inspires and like Kate, I need to get in the habit of sending them. This group deserves a lot because everyone is working hard.

Just got back from my run. It was a 10 min w/u with strides, 20 min tempo run at 5K pace and 10 cool down. I ran 4.11 in 40 min so I was very happy to get under 10 min miles. My 5K time was 29:58 and I think that's the first time I've broken 30 min, Yea me!

Johanne

Thanks for the encouragement.  I will be okay on the bike.  It is only an 8 mile bike ride and relatively flat.  My problem will be the run, but I'm going to try and run everyday until the race.  I'm really just looking at continuing starting to build my base/fitness for my A race in September.  I had wanted to improve my time on the Sprint from last year, but I'm over that. I'm just going to enjoy the race this year without all the nervousness from it being my first every tri last year.

Sara - I really enjoy getting inspires, and I'm going to try very hard to give more.

ETA: I forgot to mention that I just got back from just over 2 mile run.  I walked a lot, but it is the heat of the day down here in Florida, but I felt good to get back out and run during lunch. Last year, I ran everyday at lunch.

Tim

Hey MG group!  I have been sort of AWOL for a while.  I did not get into the race I wanted to run later in the year(my wife did though) so I was trying to figure out Plan B.  So, I found another race and a training plan and I am back in business.

Johanne - Congrats on breaking the 30 minute mark!  Nice work.

Sara - I will be better about the inspires as well.  When I hear your symptoms on the bike I immediately thought of you over extending (seat too high) thus pulling more on your abdomen than you should.  Just a thought, I have nothing else to go by  When was your last fitting?  Good luck on the bike training.

Chet

Sara - Thanks. I actually lookeed it up on youtube the other day and I think I can do it. It's just being able to do it for 2 laps, lol. I'm thinking I may do 1 with a kickboard to get the kick right (that's what I really need to work on) and then 1 properly. I didn't actually get my hill work in last night because my legs were sore when I first got off the train and got worse when I was going back to it (class is about an hour away by train) but I'm thinking I'll just call it an RD and go on with my schedule as I decided to do it. As for core work, no I don't do anything yet - I've got a yoga kit (mat, band, block and dvd) on lay by (like you're lay away) though so that's what I'm looking at using eventally.

Sara - sorry the ride didn't go so well. Hope the right side warning twinges are just that

Kate - WTG on the running. Could it be you're going too fast in the pool or not breathing properly? I'm sure some of it's mental though - I'm sure the only reason why my longest swim was 50m is cos that was the length of the pool, lol

 Johanne - almost forgot your h because I'm not used to it, sorry. Congrats on the new speed and getting under 30 min for the 5k

Tim - sounds like a good plan

Chet - sorry you didn't get in to the race you wanted - Hope your wife goes well - but good work finding a new race and working towards that

Me - today I'm planning to do my endurance swim plan - the one I posted earlier - so we'll see if the - 50m because it's the length of the pool - is a mental thing or not - I'm going to throw in a couple of laps of breastroke (probably one kick and one proper) to re-learn it in place of the pull stuff but other that that I should be ok if I can work out how to do the turns. I looked up touch-turns last night and they look easy but that's probably because the guy doing them is a great swimmer, lol. Oh well if worst comes to worst I can do the stand, turn, swim thing as the turn around will be in the shallow end.

Sara - on the inspires - I sort of do them on here most of the time but I'll see what I can do.

Wow! Sounds like you have a lot of great stuff going on!

After about 3 weeks of misery things are getting better. Had a nice swim this morning, but it was really difficult getting up so early. So glad I did it. Yesterday planned on a 4 mile run, but ended up doing 2 because of the weather. If I wouldn't of had the kids with me I would of did all 4, but they too have been sick, and I didn't want to keep them out in the rain.

I signed up for a local 5k this Sat. The weather is should be perfect.  I did this run 2 years ago, it was my very first one. I walked it the first time, and now I'm running it. Sometimes I can't believe how far I've come, but I  still know that I have a lot more work to do.

Sara-I'm all for the inspires. I love getting them, I've never sent one but will start.

Tracie

Love the idea on the inspires -- definitely provides a dose of energy.  Took yesterday off / first day off in about two weeks.  Really wierd in that I've managed to get myself hooked on exercise and now feel strange taking a day off!!!  That said, it was -- and is -- the right thing to do.  All that I've read suggests that the days off are when we make our gains (i.e. the body heals and grows).

Looking forward to the race reports / everyone getting in to the season.  Reading them is just as much fun as getting the inspires as there's always a great story on how folks deal with the challenges.

That's awesome about your run time!  It's a magical moment to consistently break the 10 min/mile pace!

The side that I had surgery on isn't fully healed, so the lower abs on the right side could be compensating for it.  The surgeon said I only needed to take 3 months off and I can't make it worse, so I'm just sticking to ibuprofen and ice for now... I try to do the strength training exercises that I learned in PT, but I'm so bad about doing it!

Anywhooo, keep up the great job with training!

Good luck getting your base built back up.  I don't know how people can train in heat and humidity!  I start melting when the temps get over 65-70*!  I looooove running in upper 40* temps <- crazy, but true!

Uh oh, Chet is keeping us in suspense about the new race! I'll have to check your profile for the deets!

Thanks for mentioning the seat thing, I was going to fiddle with it last night, but couldn't find the tool to do so.  I was fitted last May-ish, but thought about visiting a different bike shop for a second opinion if I couldn't fix it myself.  The weirdo thing with my bike is I think it's a little too big for me (hubby bought it as a suprise and wasn't sure how tall I was) and it's a road bike with aerobars clipped on, so it was a little bit of a challenge when I got fit last year.  I think since my main focus is to get through the 148 miles, I should have the bike set up for comfort rather than speedier aero position.

Oh yeah! I remember you mentioned the yoga stuff, when can you pick it up??

You should be SO proud of yourself! Swimming is the hardest of the three disciplines to build endurance in.  So it's great that you swam the most you've ever done.  I know you mentioned swimming costs $ each time you go, but you'll see the best results the more often you go.  Do you pay per visit or per day?  If you can get in the water 3 days/week you'll REALLY see your fitness improve, but it may be hard to get the time and money to do so. Keep up the good work!

Great work everyone

Sara - I should be able to pick it up some time next month when I pay it off - still need to get started on the room so I have somewhere to do it, lol. As for the swimming I pay every visit but I'm thinking about getting a 10 visit pass if I have the money next week - have to pick up my cocktail dress and get a new bra to go with it so that will seriously hurt things - I'm also looking at buying my own kick board and was wondering if the bouy would be of any help considering the "sinking legs" thing I had today to sort of train my body back to it again or should I just work on it by myself? I remember I tried some sort of yoga thing a while back that helped (sort of replicating one of the moves while moving through the water) but can't remember it right now. So what do you think?

Good morning, everyone!

I woke up this morning with very sore legs, so I don't think I'm going to get my run in today, but I'm going to walk this evening and may try just a leisurely ride also.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Tim