SBR Utopia ---- Permanently OPEN!! (Page 7)

Hi Crystal, welcome to the group and BT!

Lots of great info and advice from James already so I'll be brief.  I agree with him that step one for swimming is to just get to the pool and see where you are at.

Good luck, keep us posted and ask any questions you may have.

Hi Crystal, welcome! ^^^^ what those guys said

There's also really good (manageable) information for starting swimmers at the http://www.swimsmooth.com website, under the header BEGINNERS.

Ryan--killer swim improvement. Sorry if I haven't been keeping up, but what have you been doing differently last 2mo? Masters--frequency--program etc.? I too think you'll notice a difference in your running as well.

Just some brief notes on where I'm at / what I'm doing.

1) Nutrition. Trying to dump the 5.5kg I gained after IM Japan attempt. Whole foods vegan both for health and weight reduction worked really well for me during IMJ training so I'm back on the veggie wagon.

2) Swim. I'm repeating Sheila T's Swim Speed Workouts progression, this time REALLY paying attention to the personal directions she sends (yeah ... she probably does that for a REASON, duh) and executing all of the above more closely and consistently. I'll also be going to 2-3 coached squad (not Masters ... I wish!) workouts per week, both of them headed up by Olympians (good ones) and Olympics coaches. I am absolutely the slowest person in the slowest lane at both the Bali one and the Perth one. It's fantastic motivation.

3) Bike. Starting general (base) training back up with Jorge's cycling program. I'll also be doing some mountain biking with partners/groups in Indonesia and Perth.

4) Run. Starting BarryP 3-2-1 VERY low, as in 10min/20min/30min! However, I do want to get into RUNNING ... because of continuous major interruptions to training, I've always patchworked with aquajogging, powerwalking, run:walk.

5) Strength. I have arthritis (from one of the tropical illnesses) in a number of major joints so I'll continue being consistent and diligent about this. I do a custom yoga routine.

**** It's good for you. You know it

1:33 100 IM is no joke!  nice work Fred.  

What the heck is a Statue of Liberty?

Ah yes, I've done that.

Yards or not, it's still pretty good in my books.  You've got yourself a pretty good swim coach there.  

Need a suggestion, though I'm not sure an answer exists.  I've been sick the past 3 weeks or so, and while I'm through most of it I'm still suffering with congestion, but my issue is an elevated HR.  I start a workout 15-20 beats higher than normal, and then I'm hitting my "max" HR on efforts that should only be a Z3/4 effort, so I'm not doing the workouts at the level I would like to see.

Originally posted by TankBoy Yanti - I just cannot believe you get personal instruction from Sheila Taormina! If you are not out-swimming Arend by late April we may have to revoke your SBR Utopia card!!!!! (Nice to have you back, BTW )

She's highly delusional and probably demon-possessed. There's no other explanation for her interest in me (or her program, ha ... actually, it's really not that bad, amazingly effective for not a lot of yardage, but takes some serious focus).

Arend by late April? Game on. Especially since he seems to be using the weather as an excuse not to train INDOORS even ... ???

For the fishes, I'll occasionally post some of her comments--they are definitely pointy-end stuff and some of it is in regards to my swimming style/goals/etc. specifically, but it's next-level stuff, and, for the not-so-fishes, at least interesting reading and things to keep in mind.

After a long 6 weeks, ran today!   Yeah, it was only 2 2:00 segments out of a :30 treadmill, but it's a start.  Just making sure the injury is gone before starting true run training

Also hit a sweet spot trainer session, main set of 2 x 30 at 14 at 260, 1 at 290, 14 at 260, 1 at 300.   Tough but good

Testing this week.  ugh

I'm sorry ... ? (I think that's the right response ... I dread testing ... good luck and at least the pain will be over quickly)

Seriously had to talk myself into going to the pool today ... linkie to my motivation article (particularly good for winter, methinks):

www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=2166‎

My problem is usually being overmotivated/too much/too soon, so it was a bit distressing.

Here's how I got myself to go:

1. Gotta be faster than Arend by April (shame works for me ... )
2. If I'm going to try to swim like a sea mammal, I'd rather look like an orca than a manatee
3. Attending the Australian Swimming Awards on Feb 1 and a) would prefer orca look, b) especially next to the BF with his perfect chiseled bod
4. All I am really doing is putting the suit on, packing my (already laid-out) swim stuff and going to pool--if I want to turn back after all that, I can.

I had one of those workouts today that made me realize that my 2:35 Oly goal might just be within my reach.

My tempo run started out awful, and I couldn't get my HR up. It took until mile 3 of 5 to finally hit the HR... but my pace (Aside from that first mile) were all around 8:00. I just might be able to pull this off

Also, it was on tired legs - hiked earlier today, MTBed yesterday, and coming off of a BIG volume week!