Recovery Week in Review

Overall, the week was relaxed.  I didn't get to ride the bike this, but I did swim and run.  I felt a little sluggish in the pool this week, but got through the workouts.  The weather was a bit cold, which made getting out for a run a bit challenging, but I got out there.

February will get tougher.  The previous two months were base building, this month is the first month I'll focus on strengthening, speed training, and technique.  Hopefully I'll see some significant improvement in all three events.

Two months left until the March 28 tune-up triathlon in Manassas!  Three months left until the main event, St. Anthony's in Florida!

Saturday Bike, Sunday Swim & Run

Saturday was a great day to bike, on the chilly side, but the day warmed up nicely.  I was afraid that we wouldn't be able to bike because it rained the day before, and it was freezing cold Saturday morning.  The group was much smaller than the previous week, but still a great turnout.  We went on a 90min bike ride in Rock Creek Park, in Washington, D.C.  We made it to the end too quickly, so, the leader made us climb an enormous hill to the Mormon temple.  Eventually we made it back after a total of about 90 mins.  Average speed was just under 18mph, average cadence was 79rpm for about 25.22 miles.  The funny thin was, one of the coaches after the ride basically told me I was going to fast for the workout, that we were supposed to be in Zone 2 which meant an easy ride at about average speed of 16mph.  He encouraged me to just take it easy, and that soon, we'll be starting interval training, which is where we'll build up speed.  What can I say, I like to go fast :)

Sunday I made it out for a 30min swim at Spring Hill RECenter.  I didn't get through the entire workout, but got through most of it, and then I drove to the trail and ran for about 29min for about 3 miles.  The weekend was tiring, I was beat after both workouts Saturday and Sunday.

I can't wait to start the interval workouts.  I will probably be more tired, but I can't wait to start building up speed.

Swimming Thursdays!

Christine came out with me early Thursday morning, 5:10am to be exact, to workout while I joined my team for a swim workout.  A great workout, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sustain the workout because of my shoulder, but my shoulder held up, and actually felt ok.  We did about 1800+ yrds, but our sets were definitely longer distance.  Instead of doing sets of 50 or 75 yrd swims, we were doing 100s and 200s.  I think back to how far I could barely swim (winded after 25 or 50 yrds) to today (swimming 100's at a time), and am thrilled to see how far I can go in the future.

At the end of practice, we did a 200yrd timed swim and a 5min open swim.  The results?  The 200yrd swim was ok, I swam it in about 3:30min, but I think I could have gone faster (closer to 3 min) if I was out front in my lane.  As for the 5 min swim, I swam about 300 yrds - just about 1:40 min per 100 yrds - slightly faster than the 200yrd swim time.

This weekend will be a 90 min bike ride with the team.  Unfortunately, my mentor and pack lead won't be there this weekend, hopefully there will be someone there who will push it hard so that I can push to keep up.

Run and Core

29:33 min run today around the neighborhood for about 3.1 miles.  Still running a mile in just under 10 minutes.  I ran a 5k cold (no training) in 30 minutes, which is why I'm a bit frustrated with this performance.  After the run, I did a P90X core workout.  Starting next workout cycle, I'm going to try and work in some set running and sprint exercises, build up some speed, strength and endurance.

Funky workout week

The last few days have been a bit different.  My left shoulder has been bugging me a little, so, I wanted to avoid swimming.  Work has been kind of crazy, so I couldn't make it out on the bike yesterday.  So, what did my schedule look like?

Sunday, worked out with Kelly and Nick in the pool.  It wasn't my typical 30' swim workout for Sundays, instead, I just did some exercises with some friends in the pool.

Monday, couldn't make it out on the bike.

Tuesday, made it out on the bike for a 54:31 minute bike ride, about 14.88 miles, average speed about 16.4mph, average cadence about 82rpm.  It is much easier to ride out there when there are others riding with you and you're not constantly dodging people on the trail or stopping for cars.  It is what it is.

The rest of the week is going to be slightly different, today I may go out for a run, or do some core workout, or both.  Thursday will be my typical 60' swim.  Friday will be a rest day.  Saturday and Sunday, will be different too, not sure yet what that looks like, we'll see when the weekend gets closer.

Saturday Group Bike Ride

Today was an awesome day to go out riding.  Here in DC, we've been hammered with freezing cold temperatures and snow.  Today turned out to be a great Saturday for any outdoor activity, for me, that activity was a group ride with my TNT teammates.  We started off in Rock Creek Park, Pierce Mill Parking Lot, Washington, D.C.  It was a relief to get on the road with some people for a mostly continuous ride.  The route was mostly uphill in the beginning, a very slight 1-2 degree incline with one or two steeper hills, the trip back was more down hill, with a steep hill or two.

Last time I road, I was a bit disappointed with my performance.  Today was much better, and I attribute that to having company on the road.  Today was supposed to be an 80 minute ride, but we flew on the way back that it ended up being only about 75 minutes.  Stats: about 22.6 miles, average speed of about 17.9mph and average cadence of about 81rpm.  I felt great after the ride too, I felt so good that I thought I could run too afterwards.  Overall, the ride was great, looking back, I thought I could push myself more in some parts.  I just tried to keep up with someone who knew where they were going.  For now, I think my goal would be to hit an average speed of 20mph and also up my average cadence, longer term is to do 25 miles in an hour.

Tomorrow will be a 30 min swim and a 30 min run.

Starting two a days...

Tuesday I did my first two a day - ran for about 17 minutes, then swam for about 60 minutes.  Definitely a challenge, and definitely want to take it slow.  The swim was hard, as to be expected after a run.

Wednesday, I got out of work late and ran out of daylight.  I missed my bike workout to help some friends pickup some tables from a store.  Don't forget to take some time and socialize, it'll keep you sane :)  Great food and great company at Maple Ave Restaurant in Vienna, VA. 

Today is another two a day, I joined the team this morning for a 60 minute swim practice  for about 2000+ yards.  It's always good to practice with friends, a little competition always keeps people honest.  I also just returned from what was supposed to be a 60 minute run, but was only 57 minutes for about 6 miles.  I'm so impatient, I want my run times to improve like yesterday!

Friday is supposed to be my rest day, and I think I will respect that, especially if I plan on going on a long 80-90 minute bike ride with the team on Saturday.  Gotta rest those muscles.

Afternoon Ride

Today's ride was decent.  I bundled up like I did Saturday, except this time, I was sporting the Castelli Narcisista Shoecover I wrote about yesterday.  I was out on the bike for about 43 minutes, average speed of about 15.4mph, average cadence of 83rpm for about 11.23 miles and an average heart rate of about 142.  The stats should serve as a good baseline, I can only improve from here.  I'd like to get some more power in my pedaling, increase my speed and bike endurance, but that will all come with practice.  I may also think about replacing my stock saddle with a new one, and see if the folks at Conte's think I should get refitted since I have clip on aero bars.  Not sure if it was the cold or my position, but I felt a little tense in the shoulder and neck area while down in aero position.  I'm thinking it might be the cold, since I've been down in aero position before without many issues, during the summer.

Back to the Castelli Narcisista Shoecovers.  I definitely noticed a difference wearing the shoecovers while riding.  I was out for 10-15 minutes longer than I was out on Saturday, and my toes felt much warmer.  They were protected from the wind, and the shoecover was insulated, keeping the feet warm.  The Castelli's not only work well, but they look great too.  My only issue with it is, the reflector piece on the heel already started to rip, because you have to stretch the shoecover to get it on and over the shoe.  It is a tiny rip, and I probably won't try to get it exchanged, since I feel like it is inevitable.  But for the price you pay for the shoecovers, I would expect them to be more resilient from damage.  The Castelli shoecovers will set you back anywhere from $50 to $70.  The range for shoecovers can fall anywhere between $20 to $100, take your pick.  You can find cheaper ones, but you can definitely tell the difference in design, craftsmanship, and material.  The more expensive ones I saw, had what felt like a soft leathery material on the outside.  Another alternative to shoecovers are toe covers, instead of covering the entire foot, the insulated toe covers would keep the toes warm and protect them from the wind.  Happy riding!

Saturday Biking Fun!

Saturday, TNT hosted their first group bike ride.  Unfortunately, it snowed Thursday night/Friday morning.  The trails were still icy and snowy.  Rather than turn the 9am ride into a run, the coaches decided to keep the ride on, by riding the local roads of Vienna.  The morning was clear, 27 degrees with  12.7 mph north westerly wind.  It was COLD!  Unfortunately, due to the challenges of riding on local streets and traffic, my ride was cut short, so instead of riding 50 minutes, I only road about 35 minutes for about 9 miles, which was fine with me because my toes were about to fall off.  So, what can you do to keep warm on some of your coldest riding days?  These are my suggestions.

Cover your head! A beanie is great, but when riding outdoors on a cold and windy day, the face can get really cold.  I have a beanie I wrote about in a previous post that I wear for running, and wear on cooler rides, but for a windy cold day like Saturday, I chose to wear the Under Armour (UA) Hood or balaclava, that covers the head and face.

(Courtesy of Sports Authority)

By the end of this post, you'll think I'm some Under Armour spokesman :P  The hood keeps the head and face warm, while allowing you to wear your helmet.  To keep my arms and torso warm, I wear UA Cold Gear longsleeve mock, a regular short sleeve bike jersey, and the Cannondale.

UA Cold Gear Longsleeve Mock

 

Cannondale Enduromax LE Jacket

I can't say enough great things about this jacket.  The guys at Conte's Bike Store in Bethesda, MD suggested this jacket, and as I was paying for it, people in line kept commenting on the jacket saying - "ooo, you're getting a good jacket" or "ooo, you'll be warm."  The jacket is not cheap, it will set you back anywhere from $180 to $210, but it will keep you dry and warm.  I have worn a sweat suit top before to block the wind, but the problem with that is, it doesn't break, and its too thin.  The UA longsleeve and this jacket is enough to keep my body amazingly warm without a ton of layers.  The jacket sports two zipped pockets and two zip vents in the front, an open pouch in the back and a zipper pocket in the back.  I'll be honest, I was a bit hesitant about my purchase, but after being out on the bike with the jacket, I am now a believer.

I wrote about the Pearl Izumi Barrier Lobster Gloves that Christine got me for Christmas.  Saturday was my first day out in the cold with these gloves on.  They were super warm, kept my fingers close together.  The material and thickness keep the wind off my fingers, and the fleece interior kept my hands and fingers warm.

All I wore below my waste was a pair of Sugoi bike pants and UA compression long pants, with wool socks and bike shoes.  It is was the lack of proper gear below my waste that made the 35 minute bike ride not as comfortable as it could have been in the 27 degree cold.  The wind would pierce through my UA pants because the pants were not wind proof.  The legs though were bearable, because they were getting worked.  It was the feet that started to make the ride tough.  I would suggest getting a pair of insulated booties like

Castelli Narcisista Shoecover

 

or a pair of insulated toe covers like

Castelli Dolomite Toe Warmer

Just for the record, I haven't tried either ones.  Just make sure, if you're getting it for the winter to get insulated ones.

That's all for now! Next group ride will be about an 80 minute ride, I'm hoping the weather is better, meaning, no snow or rain!

Group Swim Practice

Today is Friday, glorious REST day.  My muscles need the rest, I may try breaking out the P90X stretch video, and do some stretching today.  After all, flexibility is important for improving athletic performance.

Yesterday was a TNT group swim practice at Spring Hill RECenter, a fairfax county park facility.  Nice pool, but too many people.  There appeared to be 1 level 1 lane, 2 level 2 lanes, and 1 level 3 lane.  I'm not yet comfortable swimming with the 3's, so I stuck with the 2's.  Even among the level 2 lanes, one was faster than the other, but there were already 5 people in it, so I swam in the other level 2 lane which only had 2 people, which was also considerably slower.  Not the best workout since I've started training, but I think the end of the workout was telling of how far I've come along since I started swim training.  We had to do 1x200yrds and 1x300yrds.  I felt good swimming both lengths, back to back.  I lost count in the 1x300, and I actually think I ended up swimming 350yrds.  At the end of practice I asked the coach what she thought I could improve on, and the one piece of advise she had for me was lengthen my stroke.  She thinks my stroke pace is about 20 something strokes per lap, she says that the goal should be in the teens, and the way to get there is lengthening the stroke.  I'll get into the technicalities in another post.

Many I've spoken to about doing triathlons, always talk about swimming being a handicap.  Some didn't know how to swim which is understandable, but for others, they didn't have the endurance to do even 50 yrds.  To those I say, it's like any other training - whether your lifting weights, running, or even biking.  The first few weeks are going to be hard and discouraging, but with a little patience, a proper workout program, and commitment, anyone can improve their athletic performance.  I've been there, I was there five/six weeks ago.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday - COLD!

After a blistering cold run with the team on Saturday, I did a simple 30 minute swim workout on Sunday.  Glad I was indoors, 'cause it was freezing.  Every Sunday workout serves as a baseline workout - to see if I've improved from the week before.  I don't do a swim workout every Sunday, since I can choose between a swim or a run.  I have done probably about 3 Sunday swim workouts since I began training, maybe more, but didn't really track my time.  All three times, I've seen improvement in my 100 yrd times.

1st Sunday Swim - roughly 2min 10sec
2nd Sunday Swim - roughly 1min 55sec
3rd Sunday Swim (the latest swim) - roughly 1min 43sec

I'm happy with that, and I hope I continue to see improvement over time.  Just to give you some point of comparison, the fastest time I found on a quick google search was a D1 swimmer from Auburn swam the 100rd freestyle in 40.92sec.  I have a long ways to go :)

Monday was freezing, again!  I didn't get out of work early enough to go out for a bike ride, so, I stayed in and worked on the trainer for about 35 mins.  We ended up purchasing a bike trainer, the CycleOps Fluid2 Trainer for the home.

Source: CycleOps.com

Great piece of hardware to have at home.  We bought the package that came with the mat, bike thong, and two climbing blocks.

Source: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/419obv5ZEcL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

The trainer offers a great workout, and the bike thong does come in handy, because I guarantee in the first 5-10 minutes of your bike workout, you will begin to drip with sweat.

Finally, Tuesday - I got home just in time after work to get a good run in before the sun went down.  Went out for a 45 min loop around town.  I've been trying to work on my run technique, I must be doing something right because my arches and calves are sore.  But I also know I'm missing something, cause my heel is sore, meaning I'm putting more force on my heel than I should be.

I'm pooped, I hope I can get out of work early enough to get a bike ride in.

Running Technique

Happy New Year!

This week was a bad week for training - holiday parties, 'nuff said!  I managed to fit in workouts here and there - Tuesday Swim, Wednesday Bike, Saturday Run!

Today's post, I want to focus on the run.  Last post, I mentioned the POSE method briefly, which is a running technique.  From my perspective, the POSE method is just a label for proper running technique.  Today, I had a group practice with my TNT teammates.  Aside from the blistering 27 degree and windy weather, the run was good.  I felt comfortable, and finished strong.  Prior to our run workout, we had a run clinic led by former Amateur World Champion and 2008 US National Triathlon Team Member and owner of Potomac River Running on run technique.  Check out their website for run clinics, if you're wanting to become an efficient endurance runner, the clinic serves as a great introduction to running technique.

Most people don't realize how much technique affects endurance and efficiency.  Studies of elite runners yield much of the same results that the "POSE method" talks about.  Three things to keep in mind to become a more efficient runner:

1. Forward Lean - a slight forward lean allows gravity to help move the body forward
2. Leg Extension/Angle - extending the leg ahead of the body causes runners to plant the heel into the ground, which is essentially putting the breaks on, and forces the body to work hard to pull the body in order to move forward.  Instead, while maintaining a forward lean, shorten the stride, and keep a tighter knee angle so the foot lands underneath the hips and not in front
3. Foot Strike - another bi-product of no-forward lean and wide knee angle is where on the foot a runner strikes the ground. Extending the leg causes runners to land on the heel, but I've learned that runners are supposed to land on the mid-foot

Active.com also has a list of "Fundamentals of efficient running techniques" that is worth a peak.

When you put all those things together, hopefully, you and me can become better, more efficient runners.  I'm not an expert by any means, just a few things I've picked up.  I have never had my stride analyzed, I'd be very interested to see where I stand in terms of efficiency.  Margie made sure to make this point, adapting ones running technique is a SLOW process, and any runner who plans on working on his or her stride should approach the process with patience and determination.  Trying to adapt too fast could result in injuries (calves, foot, etc). The last few times I went out running and consciously adjusted my technique, my calves and arches got really sore, so, take it slowly.