Hashers and Mashers Part 2 - OPEN (Page 38)

Hi Coach, I enjoy my swimming and don't consider it a work out like running or cycling.  I go 3 times per week and swim with a group "Swim Fit" similar to a Master's group but not as hard core.  Your swimming will improve just keep at it and make it enjoyable for you.

Mike has it right.  Practice slowing down and have fun.  When I first started swimming my mantra while swimming a length was, "Slow down to go faster."  It took me a long time to actually do it but it was a big break through for me when I did.  If you're running out of air while swimming then you're probably swimming too fast. 

Nicole is probably right about the 100m pool.  I train with a fellow that sometimes swims in a 50m pool and at first he didn't like it but now that he's tried it he finds he likes it.  Doing fewer turns might save you some time.  Just don't let the length of the pool intimidate you. 

Carlo - Thanks for the positives.  I really enjoyed the run and I may run again tomorrow (weather permitting).

Hi guys, I've been a little out of the loop lately but I think I'm back to posting again now. I've been training happily, had 2 big weeks and now into an R&R week which is nice, sleeping in to 6am is a luxury!

Coach, the "slow down" message for the swim is spot on. Don't let the extra length  of the 100m pool mess with your head, if you need a bit of a break mid-length you can always get a bit of a rest with breaststroke, doggy paddle, flip over and float on your back, whatever is best for you. 

Good to see most of the calf injuries are healing! I'm watching mine pretty carefully at the moment, I'm starting to increase run and bike distance for HIM prep and I don't want to stuff it up.

Have a good weekend everyone! 

Maybe if I did that I wouldn't continually lose track of what lap I'm on! It's amazing, I cannot count to two while swimming!

Coach, I've done a fair amount of switching between 25 m pool and 50 m pool (although not for quite a few years). My first reaction when swimming the 50 m pool always is, "where the heck is the wall?!?" It's just a perception thing, if you're used to swimming the shorter distance, the length feels long at first. Probably also has to do with how your brain works. Maybe if you pay more attention to number of laps, it will seem shorter overall. My brain must be different from Nicole's.

A lot of good advice already given. How to mentally prepare? Hm... if you count strokes per lap, then you will have an idea of how far you've gone without having to stop and look. Just keep in mind your 50 m stroke count is not just 2 x your 25 m stroke count because you don't have a push off the wall in the middle. In terms of stroke efficiency, FWIW, I am a solid middle of pack swimmer and I do about 17 strokes in 25 yd. Sounds like a great step up! Enjoy!

So I got a new suit!

http://www.speedousa.com/product/index.jsp?productId=23419726#.U2zutM5nA1Y

Different from a tri suit in that there's no bike padding, but I think I could probably do a sprint in it. I'll have to try some transitions.

So anyway, decided to try it today. I did 8 x 100 yd free with 1:00 min rest to get the average. (This is how I track my swimming progress.) Last year, while I was training for a HIM, my average dropped from 1:56 to 1:47 over 3+ months. I got some help with form too. Not counting the last two weeks, I have done almost NO swimming since October. Today's average was 1:44!! WTF? So either this suit is amazing OR the 20 lbs I put on after my HIM give me some great buoyancy. (No one warned me about this post-race weight gain.)

Not saying gaining 20 lbs is a good racing tip. It comes back to bite you on the bike and run, that's for sure!

Happy Friday everyone! Have a great training weekend!

-R

MICHE!  17 strokes per 25yds excellent!  I've gotten close a few times but I mostly manage 24 per 25m and when I'm trying to swim fast I go up to 27-ish.  I can only manage the lower stroke counts when I swim really slow.  AND(!) you're fast too.  My best 100m so far was 1:55 and I couldn't do it twice.

How did your husband's race go?  Is he on BT?  Will he write a race report? 

Coach - While I was swimming yesterday I was thinking about your impending race (and forgetting what length I had just swum) and I thought I should mention you should consider a second pair of goggles with the smokey lenses in case you get bright sunshine on your race day.  Its less critical in a pool because sighting won't be as much of an issue but for OWS it is a good idea.

It took me a while to figure out that 31.5 to 34.2 was in km per hr, haha! I first thought, dang, who averages that fast?!

Anyway... maybe he just had a good day. In my experience it's all about volume and building on a base. But I'm pretty slow, so...

But yes, regular ways to track progress is a good thing to do. A mile run on a track, 8 x 100s in the pool, a standard relatively flat bike course are what I have been using to track progress. There may be better/alternate ways.

 Thank you! Swimming has always been my strong sport of the 3.

Hahaha, no hubby is not on BT. That's way too organized for him. He keeps track of workouts by writing his times on a piece of paper taped near his desk.

Coach - It sounds like you're making great progress in the pool.  Fantastic!  Don't worry about your dependence on the pull buoy, when you start swimming in open water in a wetsuit you'll find it gives you much the same advantage.  I find I'm about 10 - 12% faster in my wetsuit in an OWS than I am in the pool (without a pull buoy).  I found it interesting that your eyes are light sensitive because mine are very sensitive as well (blue eyes).  When I was young I had issues every winter with snow blindness.  At times I'd go outside and I couldn't even open my eyes.

Carlo - I haven't run since Wednesday and I was supposed to run today but my calves were sore today after my bike ride yesterday so I put the run off to Wednesday and Friday will be a big test because I'm supposed to run for 1:30.

Chris - I do understand your frustration with your friends progress.  It is important to keep track of what you do so you can see your own progress but I also find that improvements seem to come in small leaps forward rather than a gradual predictable progression.  Just trust that so long as you keep working at it you are progressing even if you can't see it or quantify it.  However, I do love to see some positive quantification, eh.

All - I've had some fun swims over the last few days.  I've been swimming with a couple friends (within a larger group).  There's Lisa who is very similar in pace and ability to me but lately we've been swimming with Prudence (I can't say her name without hearing the Beatles "Dear Prudence").  Prudence is a huge inspiration.  I can't remember her exact age but she is very near but not over 84(!) and today the three of us were swimming in circles in the same lane and every time I looked back as I turned at the wall I'd see Lisa coming and right behind her was Pru keeping up with us every stroke of the way.  She also did Ironman Canada a few years ago (I think she just swims now).  She's pretty phenomenal and I'll be really happy if I can swim like her when I'm her age...in a few weeks....okay not that soon but pretty soon.

Cycling tomorrow.

Maybe build your own plan? You know where you're at, where you need to be, and how long you've got. I found Mike's spreadsheet (link way back in the earlier pages of the group) very useful in planning out my training as none of the pre-made plans I found suited my timetable and weaknesses. I do a 2x swim, 2x bike and 2x run per week most of the time, basically 1 long slow and one shorter more intense workout in each discipline each week. I have an overall calendar to tell me my goal distances for the long ride and run, sticking to the 10% rule, and I juggle workouts according to time available.  

Just my 2 cents, but it seems to be working for me.

OK, trying to stretch out the run distances I'm doing at the moment, and practice nutrition at the same time. 12k run for me this morning, experimenting with various foods. The energy gels I've tried don't sit too well with me, and I hate getting sticky hands, so I'm trying real food. So far dates are good, and fig rolls and pretzels, while a little dry, also seem to go down OK and help with fuelling. Anyone got any other favorites? 

Banana and peanut butter cookies are what I used during HIM. Banana fits well in the cleavage out of transition, haha. But I do most eating on the bike and then rely on calories in my drink on the run. I have to be real careful with my tummy while running...

I haven't tried it yet, but here in the US we have all these pouched baby foods. Like apple sauce in a pouch-you can unscrew the cap and suck it down. We have some left over that my 2 yr old won't eat anymore so I'm going to try them at some point. Anyone else try these?

Here's an attempt to attatch some pics of where I often ride. Open country roads last Sunday morning

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