Mad Manatees Mentor Group - VERY CLOSED!!! Sorry! (Page 31)

Indeed!

Surely the rest of us could borrow some children if need be? I'm sure the parents would be very grateful!

I wouldn't say so, or at least it isn't something I'd worry about at this point. There's several schools of thought regarding where/how hand entry should be, and I mean down to which finger in what position should reach the water first

If you feel like you're having to push the hand through the water or put any effort in it, try extending it a little further in air and see how that works for you.

Salient points and annotated stills! I'm so impressed. Thank you for taking the time, Skrat.

Guess what ... I've never paid attention to my "push" phase. It's definitely something I want to start out by being mindful of, self-observing if you will. My sister did point out that when I swim at speed I have less of a cross-over and my stroke seems shorter, so it *may* not apply ... but I really don't know whether it does or not, and I'd like to! For all I know my stroke gets shorter at the end, turnover is higher, AND I still have a push-up instead of push-back area.

And I definitely don't need to extend all the way. Before I worked with Sheila, I was a classic overglider ... too much reach, too much dead time, too much extension back ... long beautiful stroke that makes for fairly easy long-distance but not nearly as much power and speed as I was capable of. So I still need to work on the remnants of that.

As for the kick ... I did warn you ... I've worked on that with a number of different coaches, including Sheila, and despite how it looks, it really does work for me. I also switch between primarily 2-beat and 6-beat depending on the conditions, sometimes with a transition of 4-beat for several strokes. Something Sheila said resonated with me: to keep an eye on where my KNEES are relative to each other. If the knees aren't coming too far apart, (it's the lower legs) that's relatively a low energy cost than if you are using power to make the upper/whole legs move a lot.

Here's a couple random take-home points for others:

- video analysis is key. But whether you have/do it or not, you can begin by being mindful and trying to self-observe. For example, where DOES your hand enter the water? Spend a few lengths observing JUST ONE aspect of your stroke and being mindful of it.

- to identify dead spots (for me, for example, what may be happening during push), it's really handy to swim attached to swim cords with some tension. In order to stay in the same place, you have to be holding a very efficient, even stroke that has good momentum throughout. If you don't, you WILL go backward or back-and-forth bob.

Will you listen if someone does?

Take it easy and RECOVER! We need your wisdom around here...well, at least I do.

Rarely, but it's always worth a try. Thanks, Goody! Okay okay I know your name is Erin, but you know me--EVERYBODY gets nicknamed, sooner or later.

P.S. Ooh, and it's very inspiring you keep getting the workouts in--time and temperature or treadmill be damned!

X2. But I've noticed a change in methodology to your training anyway, so we don't even have to worry about you training while sick, do we? DO WE?????

WhathuhwhonowME? UmmmofcoursenotNEXTQUESTIONPLEASE ...

I'm a bad Manatee and didn't realize you were sick again .  Please rest up and feel better.  102 is kinda high...

Yeah, I didn't think so.

Not like I have been NO WAY NOT LIKE I HAVE BEEN NOT THIS TIME NO NO NO

I think the post-IM, post-crazy holidays "depression" was me getting sick; I just didn't notice the particulars until a low fever set in yesterday which has been spiking high today.

It's okay, the brief periods of feeling okay are quickly taken over by the WORST HEADACHE EVER or another fever spell. I'm very tired and need to rest but feel terribly restless. But I'm in bed, anyway.

Also, I'm not feeling run-over sick (yet) and really do not want to go there / put myself there (indeed, some old dogs CAN learn new tricks). Not having any respiratory or horrible-GI symptoms (I'd call 'em mild GI symptoms), so that's good. I really hope it isn't one of my teeth again, in hiding waiting to blow up.

Well, I think a tooth is better than a tropical illness...but a nice simple virus would be nice for a change.  You know, the kind you can get over with time and REST?

BAHAHAHA oh that was a real good LOL. Thanks, I needed that. And hopefully THAT is exactly what it is. Why does everyone keep capitalizing REST ... hmmm ...

Also, the Hobbit Maid has threatened to quit if I come back from major trips / don't go on major trips / really anytime get massively sick in a way she thinks I have contributed to.

For the newer Manatees, the Hobbit Maid is the Guardian and Savior of the Funny Farm. She is my Indonesian household helper / angel who keeps our Funny Farm and all its inhabitants in order (although I do drive her crazy because I'm essentially un-herdable). She also makes it possible for me to leave on extended trips for races, and primarily, to take care of things that crop up with my parents.

Everyone and everything always looks better when I come back. The pups have put on a slight layer of fat; their coats are sleek and shiny; the house doesn't look like a tornado has blown through, etc., all those little weird things like a dripping faucet or flickering light bulb have been fixed.

It just came to me ... I think I am going to move my long run to Saturdays permanently (I've been doing it the last two weeks) so that I am able to do a quality medium long run on Mondays (a day I typically have more time in my schedule)

So my week will be something like this:

Monday: Medium long (12-15 miles) there will probably be tempo in the middle of this

Tues: Am Recovery, PM Hills (10-12 miles total)

Wed: Track Workout (10 miles total)

Thurs: Medium Long (slower, more recovery like pace)  PM Hills (total of 14)

Fri: Recovery/General Aerobic (6-8)

Sat: Long run (16-23)

Sun: Recovery AM and PM (10 total)

Any feedback?

Safe trip home Jo! I'll see you on the 10th! (one of these days you'll catch on to that ... ) Hope you enjoyed the Burger King

Sigghhhh, I feel a little deja vu! 

Isn't there someone to strap you to the bed? C'mon now

Well, I think you should switch your track workout for your general aerobic workout to maximize your mitochondrial whoziemawhatsits. 

Oh, wait, I don't know jack about training for Boston.  Disregard.

Looks good to me!!

Flexibility, it ain't just for your muscles.

Was just thinking about you Jo!  Safe travels.

The track workout is the one thing I can't change, even for a  mitochondrial whoziemawhatsits

I actually think it looks really good. You're better at this than anyone I know, but remember as you keep increasing training load (volume + intensity) it's good to remain very religious about the specific purpose of each workout; e.g., Sunday really needs to be gentle trotting both am and pm. As you know, there's a fine line between the constructive "controlled injury" of training and overuse injuries. Be prepared to tweak with how long you do tempo in the middle of the mid-long Monday run, depending on how much you're still feeling Saturday.

If you're feeling stellar, you can always give a little bit more to the NEXT workout, if that makes any sense.

It makes me tired.

On Friday, is that Recovery/General Aerobic (6-8) non running? The (6-8) makes me think that you are running, but if that's the case, then you aren't taking a rest day at all?

I saw that.

May be time to call in some of the piglet troops for special favors. Like waiting on me hand and foot and rushing to fulfill my every little need, whim and desire.

Unfortunately they may get bored because I pretty much sleep all day right now.