SBR Utopia ---- Permanently OPEN!! (Page 3)

You know, I've never really counted but I always feel like fins slow my turnover down.  I've read that before though - I must be doing it wrong.  Maybe it's because my kick sucks so bad that when I put fins on I kick more because it actually feels like it's accomplishing something!

I hear you on not letting over-focusing on one element get in the way - just trying to figure the swim out.  Here's what I found, for anyone interested.

I went and counted during a swim tonight and the 910 is, indeed, only counting one arm.  I was averaging 10 spl (so, 20 if counting both arms) during a super-steady recovery-ish 2,200 all at ~1:43 - 1:46, both on my count and the 910.  My spm rate is ~46 spm at that pace.  For previous OWS workouts (so, no walls - which makes a difference) it was within 2 spm of 60 (a bit higher for faster swims, lower for slower - but most of them were steady swims around 1:30/100yds +/-).

Interesting thing (to me) is that I went back and looked at some races.  

-Timberman HIM was 1,009 strokes in 30:07 or about 67 spm.  Faster turnover.
-Dover-Sherborn sprint (1/4mile) was 70 spm.  This was a gut buster and I almost blew up in the swim.
-Nantucket Oly was 628 in 19' for about 65 spm.  Swam a bit easier than Timberman, RPE-wise, so it fits.

In other words, I ratchet up the turnover in races, and more the faster I *try* to swim.  I think I might be able to actually lower the cadence a little in the races and swim taller and more efficiently…  This would be similar to what I'm trying to do on my run, keeping the cadence between 90-95 and running more powerfully.  Might have to experiment with what I see at different intervals over the next month.

At least gives me something to think about (not sure anyone else will make it through the gobbldegook above, as there is no wattage data).  

Matt

Ugh - I either have to follow Fred's lead and have my 11 and 9 year olds start giving me workouts to do in the pool, read a book, get a swim coach - or all three!

What the devil is a zoomer fin, anyway?  Off to ask the Google…  

So much to learn… I love it!

Matt

Fred, thanks so much for the kind remarks.  Yes, my group is still open...and likely will be for quite some time because there tends to be a big drop-off in participation after a few weeks.  I'd rather keep the group open because I don't mind if people pop in once in a while to ask questions.  If it's still OK, I would like to keep in touch with this group as well because the discussions are always top notch.

edited to add: oops, sorry...I just noticed Adrienne's response on another page so it sounds like my group isn't what he's looking for

That's great Fred!  No doubt your coach will want to continue on that path.  

Has anyone been peeking at their yearly totals to see if they need to squeeze anything extra in to hit any milestones?  (Made you look!)  I'm kind of glad I'm not really near anything that would tempt me.  Comparing to last year my swim time is very similar, bike is down a fair bit (but quality was way up) and my run is way up.

Yeah, I'm about that from 2500 KMs.  Not gonna happen!

Argh - you did make me look!  

About 7k yds away from a swim milestone for me, but not gonna get that in the next couple days is my guess.

All in, it was my best year of training yet, so I'm happy with it!

Hmmmm, I wonder if I'm closer to any milestones if I go metric.  

Matt

ETA: as my FIRST year of tri-training, it's not hard to be my BEST year, now is it?

I just cracked 7500 miles on the bike yesterday.

I'm 0.03 miles from hitting 1250 miles running.  Considering I haven't run at all since Oct 16th...not going to make that one...

Not really within striking distance of any milestones, though my totals are much larger than 2012 (though I just started logging in April, 2012, so that's an unfair comparison!).

Looking back, I think it's funny that I managed to spend 208 hours on the bike, but only went 1325 miles -- for a very pathetic ~6 mph average  I log most of my riding on the trainer and don't record distance, so it sure skews my calculated speed!

I also spent 8 more hours in the pool than I did running (walking for most of the year...).  Quite happy with the bike and swim volumes and hoping to be similar in those aspects for 2014, but really hoping to stay healthy enough to actually run this year.  The end of 2013 has been good in that respect, a couple weeks into the ST 100 runs in 100 days challenge.

Happy New Year all!   Turned a corner with my foot and am symptom free for a couple days.   One more week per PT, so i will almost have Matt's recommendation of two weeks with no symptoms before starting again.  It's hard, as Nicole said it's been in the 70s and beautiful here.   Just got back from a mountain bike ride with my brother.  I Climb better than him, he descends better than me 

Happy to start 2014 injury free and ready to try to hit my sub 5 goal at NOLA!

James - I saw you post re Hokas and metatarsals.   I have very high arches and as a result an abnormally high load on the second metatarsal.   I'd like to reduce the load, as this seems to be a good source for injury.  What is your issue and how do the Hokas solve it?

Used them for two runs last year and they seemed to cause a bit of a knee issue, but only ran in them twice, and no need to swap pre IM.

I'm so jealous!  Have a great time!

I've been researching warm places to travel to all morning.  lol

Awesome!  We've always wanted to check out Hawaii.  

We just booked a family trip to a different volcanic island with a strong tri community for February vacation, but a little closer to home - Nevis.  Not Hawaii (and that was on the list, but wooooooo is it pricey that week!), but special to us as we went there on our honeymoon what seems like hundreds of years ago.

Not racing, but I'm actually kind of psyched to check out the tri community there, too, as one of the guys we befriended back then (as pizz-poor grad students that barely made it down there and back!  Literally had less than $20 on landing in Boston) is now basically leading the tri scene.

Have fun in Maui (stoooopid thing to even say, but do!).  And Arend, it's got be getting close to freezing up there now - that qualifies as nice weather!  Kim just texted me to be careful on my run, as the roads are covered in black ice - eek.  

Matt

It's supposed to go all the way up to +2 today!  and some rain to get rid of some snow hopefully.  My big fear is that we then have 4 days of cold so if this rain only semi melts the roads and sidewalks it's going to be a giant mess when it freezes up.

I just glanced at my totals and was surpised at my totals.  They are actually somewhat comparable to 2012.  I really did not do much after we had our second child at the end of May so that is suprising.

I did 2 HIMs in 2012 and raced only 2 times total in 2013...an Olympic and Sprint. 

I have a feeling my volume in 2014 is going to be quite high for me...especially bike/swim at the start of the year.

Testing this week...Bike today and Swim on Thursday.

That is exactly what happened to us in the Midwest.  Warmed up for 2 days to 35-40F and now we have a high of 16 for the next week.  The subdivision roads are that crunchy ice that will break your ankle although main roads are dry.