Super Mini Tri? (Not so super)

You're such a good writer Malvey! Love your humor and perspective on the struggles we all encounter. I've been a little out of the loop on this website lately, as I had a 2 week trip to sea-level San Fran and have been busy at work since my return... excuses... but I found when I got back to CO that I felt so out of shape in the pool. My arms were getting tired more quickly, my breathing was weaker. I can barely get a half second glide off my flip turn before I'm popping my head up for air! I'm on week two of being back at one mile high and am finally getting back into the swim of things.

Swim advice: well, I do think that endurance in the water feels different than when running or biking. There's some carryover, but being in great shape for one doesn't always translate into easy breathing in another. That's the beauty of triathlon and cross-training. I have a competitive high school swimming background, and with that comes a familiarity with laps, hard workouts, and years and years of habits, both good and bad. I spend one day a month working on technique, practicing my form, and trying to be conscious of establishing better swim habits. So I am a firm supporter of TI and drills. However, I also think it's helpful to add in some sprint workouts and get used to being really pushed and winded in the water. There can be a different sense of panic when you're short of breath AND your head is underwater. It's good to get comfortable with that and know your limits, so that you know that if you swallow 100% water on one breath, you'll really make it ok to the next one without stopping. Or, if someone swims over you, you'll come out of it ok even if you can't touch the bottom. Your background with treading water, waterskiing, and being in lakes is helpful with some of those fears. If you're able to add in one open water swim a week, that will be the best practice for the uniqueness of open water swimming and its uncertain conditions (wind, waves, sun, temperature).

Here are some concrete ideas for pool workouts. Warm up with 200 swim, 100 pull, 100 kick. Just easy pace. Take 20 seconds rest or so, then swim a continuous 100 free- neither slow nor sprint- and note your time. You can use that for your base time. At this point you are still relatively fresh. Now, do 5 x 100 free and try to maintain the same interval. Add 10 seconds to your base time and leave on that interval for all 5 100s. By the 4th and 5th ones you'll probably feel it. I know repetitive sets can get boring, but they're really helpful. If you have access to a masters swim group, it's fun to swim with friends. But even on your own there are ways to mix it up. I sometimes type my whole workout in my logs, so you can see some swim workout examples there. I'll remember to do that more consistently now so others can use the workouts too. Just adapt the distances and times to your own situation. Instead of aiming for 3 x 200's, try for 3 x 150. Really, it's going to be hard, but that's how you improve. If you notice your stroke is going out the window, give yourself an additional 5 seconds for each segment of the set and slow it down just a bit. The idea isn't to churn the pool up and go as fast as you can, but to find your cruising pace, and just push it a bit from there, with some workouts focusing on distance, others on sprinting, and maybe once a week max focusing on drills.

You'll do great Malvey, and are smart to be practicing the open water and transition pieces now. You've got the bike and run down pat, and have been dedicated in cultivating your good swim technique. It's a journey, and consistency and sticking with it are 70%. (I should take my own advice and apply it to my running )

Let me know what you think.... enjoy... Kim

You make this sound awfully appealing. I'm so glad I'm already registered for Pigman, or I'd probably be rationalizing my way out of it right now.

If it's really going to be 50 degree water in Palo I guess I'd better get a wetsuit or convince the US to convert to celsius pronto.

About the swim cap in open water--- I forget what they're called, but they do make a wetsuit type swim cap that covers your ears. My friend used his in the Colorado Spring Chill triathlon last weekend. I don't think booties are allowed during races, but this nifty cap is.

Tells me that there's nothin like the real deal to REALLY train, eh ? Give you LOTS of credit for even DIPPING A TOE in to do that swim !!(lol) wetsuit or not !!!! Thanx for telling the story !! (so....is your wife on board now ??!!)

oh my God, I am craking up just reading your account of the day! I only wish I could be there with Janelle on race day! Thanks for the chuckle and I hope you're not too sore from your spill.

So did Janelle race right out and sign up for the race too?

Yeah, I have to admit, my husband has that "look" mastered as well. Sort of a "there goes my crazy wife again", accompanied by bemused shrug. Maybe the SOs should have their own site - TriAnon? "Tips and community support for dealing with the addictive personality in your family", that sort of thing.

Malvey! That was fun--thanks for the pick me up story! I can't believe your wife isn't convinced yet!! :-)

BTW--Kimber, next time you are out this way for work (and you have time) you better drop me an e-mail so I can take you somewhere and feed you!!

I'm shocked (shocked!!) that you would come out this way and not find a fellow BTer!!

;-)

Dana

You're right Dana! I wasn't even thinking- that would have been fun. I did spend an evening walking around Berkeley with an old friend of mine. She's Tibetan so we ate at the Tibet Cafe, it was a fun time and such a nice place to live!

Don't know if she will jump in on this or not Ellen - but I think she's of the opinion that she is going to run out and sign up for one of these just as soon as she figures why it is so much fun to freeze and to fall off a bike with your feet locked in! She liked the idea of a support group for SO's - TriAnon sounds good.

I've been thinking about this. The TriAnon site could have features like the Triathlon Expenditure Calculator where people could figure out exactly how much their SO has spent on tri gear, races, coaching, etc., and what that $ would be worth today if invested in a nice mutual fund. You'd have to balance it of course with the health care savings and life span increases achieved by all of us getting off our butts. The TriAnon people could organize their own tents at triathlons. This could be big.

Hey Carrie,
I would like to talk with your husband sometime about getting this group going. I think it would be alot of support for those of us who don't "GET IT" as they say. I will be signing up for a triathlon just as soon as I figure out the great fun Malvey says it is. You would have enjoyed the little words he was saying as he was trying to pull that wetsuit off. That really looked like fun!! And then the little tumble with elbow bleeding, oh so much fun!!!! But being the wonderful SO, I still support him anyway!!
I did think the park was fun and enjoyed the beautiful scenery!! ;-)

Hmm... sounds a little co-dependent. You are definitely ripe for TriAnon!! (o:

Dana

I think that it was Bingham who said that there is nothing better than a race to humble yourself and sometimes, training can be a humbling experience.  Even though you had a great time teilling your story, it is still evident that you learned a lot from the experience.  Keep up the great work!

you know, as great as this sounds....I don't think I want hubby adding up all of my race expenditures. So far this year we have 6 race entries, 1 wetsuit, 1 trisuit, 1 swimsuit,1 set of tires, handlebar tape, running shoes, biking shorts, Y membership and I'm sure there will be plenty of other odds and ends as the season progresses. Nope, no need to add all that up! But I wonder, how close to a two-pack-a-day cig habit is it?? That's always my line of defense if I need one. Good thing I didn't have to buy a bike.

I never realized how much help and motivation my husband provides until I had to do a tri entirely without him because he was gone on business. Everything was much more stressful and tiring, and it wasn't nearly as much fun getting to the finish line without him there waiting for me. Now I'm trying to show my appreciation more!

Yup - In spite of all the joking around, my wife is my biggest fan and support. I don't know anyone else who would put up with a pigheaded Irishman like me  She and my daughter are my motivation. (Now, If I could just upgrade my Shimano gearing a notch or two - maybe next year ay?)

I haven't read all the responses so please pardon any duplicate information.

Don't worry about the hill in transition, they don't allow you to mount your bike until you're out of the transition area. By that time you are on level ground.

Spray Pam cooking spray on your wetsuit from your ankles to your knees and your wrists to your elbows before the race, the suit will slip right off in T1.

And the water will be over 60 by race day.

Edited by JoeR 2004-05-15 2:03 PM

Actually - this was all tongue in cheek Joe - I use body glide - that works well - uphill??  Gotta try it once don't you think