Birkierunner's group - CLOSED (Page 6)

on counting laps, I got lucky and have an incredibly supportive wife that loves to buy me gadgets!  I used to struggle and look at timing and use my stopwatch, and always forget during long sessions.  It bugged me and I'm sure that I rarely had a swim session that was aligned with the intended goals (not sure how much that mattered since that year was my best year of swimming yet)...

... then came fathers day last year and my Swimsense, and with the recent upgrade to the autolap functionality and the user definable fields, I don't even think about it anymore.  A quick glance tells me current set distance, and current set time, and inbetween, a quick button push gives me total distance and time. 

Not a perfect, easy or cheap solution, but it works for me!

X2....I kind of know where I am in relation to time.  I usually count each 100 (or 4 lengths of the pool in a 25 yd pool).  If I am somewhere around 1:45-2:00 for each 100 I know I haven't screwed up my count.

As far as cramping and the other posting, I also agree with Birkie on the electrolyte thing.  I rarely experience cramping in my legs....ever.  But all of a sudden I started getting them in my arch when I swam.  I narrowed it down to the push off from the wall and even started to experiment without pushing off at all and suddenly they went away.  I gradually built back to where I could push more aggressively and no longer have that issue.  I think the more you swim, the less you will have that problem (if at all).

OK...lets post some pics......favorite race pic of yourself, favorite training routes/swims, pic of your bike...whatever

I tried to do that the other day... and I couldn't figure it out. Is there a secret? Is it one of the formatting icons?

Here's a tip I just started using...

I just started using the best method, because I have the same problem. I count laps by letter, going alphabetically. So 40 laps (1000m) would be A-Z and then A-N. I think of words starting with the letter of the lap I am on while I am swimming, and it turns into a sort of mantra. 

A- achieve

B-be better

C-challenge yourself

D-dont stop

Etc

etc.

I had some major cramping in my iron man swim as well.  My Masters coach says it's from lack of flexibility in my lower legs, calves and feet.  I now

Swimsense....I knew there had to be an expensive way for me to figure out how many laps I swam (is that a word?)!!!  Excellent. (Sarcasm)  Before I buy something like that, does the Garmin 910 do the same thing?  I have a 610 and was thinking about getting the 910.

Pics.....I think I have one.  How do you post pics...cant figure it out.

oh goll, counting laps...  I've tried the alphabet thing, it actually distracts me and I find it harder to know how many laps I have left (it makes me happy to know the "laps left" number is going down!)  So I've reverted to just plain old counting.  It distracts me, but not so much that I can keep track.  I usually get a beat going (like saying twen-ty-one over three strokes repeated down the whole length) and I know that down is odd and back is even so that helps me know I haven't skipped any numbers.  It gets boring on those long slow days when you have to count to 140, but thank goodness that only happens about once every 2 or 3 weeks

I like smoothies after workouts too.  I use frozen fruit, full fat yogert or full fat COCONUT MILK (try it - delish!) (just a little bit, though - the fat is a good thing, but in moderation) and then add my recovery/protein powder and juice to get it to the consistency I like- YUM!!! (I also like ramen, kraft spiral mac and cheese and mtn dew on those LONG bike or run days - kinda my reward and I crave the salt - so satisfying, but kinda naughty!)

Ok, I'll get the ball rolling.  Posting and linking pictures is not very intuitive in BT and then on top of it they have a limit on the size of the picture (which I can't remember what it is).  So if you picture is too big you have to resize it using microsoft picture editor or some other tool.  The picture needs to reside somewhere online (BT or some other photo site) and then you post the picture by referencing the URL for that picture.  Kind of a PITA process that I am hoping they change in future releases of this site.

Anyway, here is a picture from my Ironman 70.3 at Racine.  I am coming out of Lake Michigan and what I really enjoy is the super-masculine-looking pink swim cap they gave me for this race! 

 Nice!  How do you like your xterra?  I just ordered one....dont know much about wetsuits but have heard good things.  

Love the xterra wetsuit....you'll love it.  Can't beat the deal on those suits and the company is very reputable and reliable.  It's a good purchase my friend....can't go wrong. 

When you are creating the post, on the toolbar there is an icon Insert/Edit image (looks like a little tree).  When you click that you get a popup that contains a field called "Image URL".  Just put the URL in there and you are good to go.  It'll ask you to save a description or some other nonsense which you can ignore.  Let me know if that works?

PITA is an understatement.

I use one as well and absolutely love it.

I'll try posting a pic this evening after I load some onto a website. Currently, I only use Shutterfly to order photos and photo books, but I'm not sure that counts as a photo sharing site like Flikr or similar. What do you guys use to share pics online?

I started my bridge run training group last week after missing the first week. We did 400 meter repeats with 400 meter recoveries. It was great! I tell you, I would never... and I repeat... NEVER run that hard unless there were people around watching me. So this class is great for me, because I really give 100% and try to do my best every time.

Another man in our class (who I remember from class last year, too) is an avid marathon runner. I saw him last weekend at the Charleston marathon, and he told me about how for the past years, he has just maintained his conditioning to the point where he could do a half marathon any time, and then he ramps up his training from Sept - December to be marathon ready from Dec - spring. He looks to be around 65 years old, and his running style is not loose and fluid, rather more stiff and forward-leaning. But he can book! I was using him as my pacer for the 400 yd repeats, and it was all I could do to keep up with him. So anyway, I just found it inspiring to talk to someone a bit older who is such an avid runner.

I might be able to fit in a swim tonight. I hope so.

Here's a pic of me dismounting my Felt DA just before the bike dismount line coming into T2 at Timberman (MN) Oly in 2010.  The camera guy caught me at just the right moment.

The 910 does keep track of laps, similar to the Swimsense.  From what I have read, it does a very good job at it as well.  (This is one of the features that I am using as a reason to upgrade)

That being said, another option is the Finis Lapmate - Cowboom is just Best Buys warehouse type store, so it is reputable.  I just ordered this the other day when it was the deal of the day for 5 bucks, have yet to test it out, but plan on firing it up next week.  A heck of a lot cheaper than the other options, it just doesn't allow you to upload the data if that is what you are into.

Nice looking bike and and I'm sure your riding will be much more enjoyable with that vs something for a 6" man!  I just noticed you are in West Bend.  I'm just south of you in Menomonee Falls.  Small world it is.

That's a good looking bike!

Me finishing the Mighty Hamptons Triathlon, my face says it all. had a tough bike ride but managed to have a solid but very tiring 10K run

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I meant to comment on this a while back.  Let us know how you like it.  I am most interested in the features and functionality of it in the water.  Does it also do a lot more on the run/bike than say, the 305 I have?  Keep us updated because that is one slick unit.