is the name.
After reading some race reports and Ann's report of breaststroking 2/3 of her dip, I figured I better get jiggy with the breaststroke. So I gave it alot of attention today in the pool. I will say it seemed to get a little better by the end. It really makes my arms tired, especially my forearms. In fact, typing is not so easy.
I lost count of lengths but I did somewhere between 500 and 750 m. But alot of stopping. I'm not sure that I am really THAT much slower with the breaststroke than the freestyle, but it feels like it. I consciously made myself slow down today because I think before I tried to do it too fast, really wearing myself out.
I think if I have to do much of it in open water, I will sorta freak out because you can see just how incredibly far you have to go every time you breathe. It's not like I am trying to make any kind of time, I am more concerned about just covering that distance without really being able to stop.
Earlier today, I went on a 15 mile ride, which took about an hour. It really cuts into your average speed when you have to stop for lights, slow down for stop signs, etc.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Finally those history degrees pay off ...
| You Are a Smart American |
 You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed. Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be. |
hot run
I didn't get going too early and I didn't want to wait around and run later, so I went out at about 1 pm, when it was nearly 90 and very sunny. A course that usually takes 39 minutes took 43 but that's OK. Better to walk a little than have heatstroke. I think I'm building a heat tolerance. The first 20 minutes were OK.
Then I went to see 'La Vie en Rose' a movie about the life of Edith Piaf. My latent Francophilism is stirring up, with watching the Tour and seeing this movie. Next year, bike tour through France. None of this silly training for triathlons. Well, maybe some of it. But I would love to do a week long tour on bike. The movie was a little ... grim. I really didn't know anything about her before. She had a bit of a tragic life and died at 47. It was a very French movie .. it just sorta ended. No over the top Hollywoodish emotions, no neat little package at the end.
Then I went to see 'La Vie en Rose' a movie about the life of Edith Piaf. My latent Francophilism is stirring up, with watching the Tour and seeing this movie. Next year, bike tour through France. None of this silly training for triathlons. Well, maybe some of it. But I would love to do a week long tour on bike. The movie was a little ... grim. I really didn't know anything about her before. She had a bit of a tragic life and died at 47. It was a very French movie .. it just sorta ended. No over the top Hollywoodish emotions, no neat little package at the end.
grumpy melonhead ...
At least I was last night until I finished my ride ....
I found out that the open water swim will still be at SMP for the next couple weeks so I don't have to go further away to a new place. And I can ride after the swims.
Last night I went to SMP and thought maybe I could swim in the actual swim area and then ride. The swim area is big enough, I guess, but they have it divided in 3 areas with ropes between them so you have to duck under. The very back of the swim area is deep enough that I cannot stand ... well stand and still breathe anyway. So I dorked around swimming for awhile. There was a very cute family enjoying a play day at the beach there as well but no one else. I didn't think I really did much but my arms are a little sore today. I felt a little goofy swimming around in there while they were tossing the beach ball around.
Here is something I don't get: how is the breaststroke a 'resting' stroke? I understand why people swim it in open water, because you can see where you're going. But I find it exhausting and painfully slow. So I guess my task for the pool this weekend is to do more breaststroke. That should wear my little arms down to a nub.
Then I grumpily went back to my car, sans towel that I had left in the car, and cleaned off a little and moved the car over to the marina lot where the cyclists park. Sigh, it's by the mountain bike trails and most everyone there had a mountain bike. I think Tuesday I'll bring that bike, I have hardly gotten to ride dirt this year.
So I took three laps again. The first one counterclockwise, second one clockwise. I think it's equally hard in both directions. My average speed for the first two was 16.3. It felt pretty hard though. Then my last lap was a little slower. I felt strangely whupped, even though Thursday was an off day.
A 'tri suit' is going to be necessary. There is no way that you want TWO layers of wet spandex and a little bike short pad all crunched up in your crotch for 14 miles.
I found out that the open water swim will still be at SMP for the next couple weeks so I don't have to go further away to a new place. And I can ride after the swims.
Last night I went to SMP and thought maybe I could swim in the actual swim area and then ride. The swim area is big enough, I guess, but they have it divided in 3 areas with ropes between them so you have to duck under. The very back of the swim area is deep enough that I cannot stand ... well stand and still breathe anyway. So I dorked around swimming for awhile. There was a very cute family enjoying a play day at the beach there as well but no one else. I didn't think I really did much but my arms are a little sore today. I felt a little goofy swimming around in there while they were tossing the beach ball around.
Here is something I don't get: how is the breaststroke a 'resting' stroke? I understand why people swim it in open water, because you can see where you're going. But I find it exhausting and painfully slow. So I guess my task for the pool this weekend is to do more breaststroke. That should wear my little arms down to a nub.
Then I grumpily went back to my car, sans towel that I had left in the car, and cleaned off a little and moved the car over to the marina lot where the cyclists park. Sigh, it's by the mountain bike trails and most everyone there had a mountain bike. I think Tuesday I'll bring that bike, I have hardly gotten to ride dirt this year.
So I took three laps again. The first one counterclockwise, second one clockwise. I think it's equally hard in both directions. My average speed for the first two was 16.3. It felt pretty hard though. Then my last lap was a little slower. I felt strangely whupped, even though Thursday was an off day.
A 'tri suit' is going to be necessary. There is no way that you want TWO layers of wet spandex and a little bike short pad all crunched up in your crotch for 14 miles.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
midweek update
I don't have such impressive daily updates as some ... sigh.
Let's see, I will have to work backwards as I'm old and my memory is fading.
Today was spin class. Hard since I had a double workout less than 12 hours previous. But that will be all for today.
Yesterday, the forecast in the morning did not look good for OWS later so I did not even bring my stuff with me. However, the storms missed us and it was sunny and warm after work. I went to the nice clean pool and did 2 x 500 m. I did the first one in 14:09, not great but if I could even manage that in open water I'd be thrilled. The second one I did not time as I did some breaststroke and practiced some other things. I can swim faster than a 70-something Asian lady at the pool Of course, she probably swims for an hour without stopping.
Anyway, then I went home and ran. It wasn't easy. I was thirsty but did not want to drink much because I didn't want it sloshing around. I ran an easy 29 minutes on the TT.
Let's see what was before that... Monday: spin class and yoga.
Sunday: got out early for a 14 mile ride before it got hot. Not as fast as I had hoped. I would really like to get faster on the bike and I'm sure I could.
Let's see, I will have to work backwards as I'm old and my memory is fading.
Today was spin class. Hard since I had a double workout less than 12 hours previous. But that will be all for today.
Yesterday, the forecast in the morning did not look good for OWS later so I did not even bring my stuff with me. However, the storms missed us and it was sunny and warm after work. I went to the nice clean pool and did 2 x 500 m. I did the first one in 14:09, not great but if I could even manage that in open water I'd be thrilled. The second one I did not time as I did some breaststroke and practiced some other things. I can swim faster than a 70-something Asian lady at the pool Of course, she probably swims for an hour without stopping.
Anyway, then I went home and ran. It wasn't easy. I was thirsty but did not want to drink much because I didn't want it sloshing around. I ran an easy 29 minutes on the TT.
Let's see what was before that... Monday: spin class and yoga.
Sunday: got out early for a 14 mile ride before it got hot. Not as fast as I had hoped. I would really like to get faster on the bike and I'm sure I could.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
indoor 'dip and dash'
Friday was a much needed rest day. I met some friends for dinner and the k.d. Lang - Lyle Lovett concert at Starlight. k.d. played first for about an hour. She puts on a great show and has an incredible voice. Lyle played for about two hours, with his very Large Band. I had never seen him in concert before. It was a good show, he did alot of more ballad type songs and some bluegrass, which is OK in small doses. Then he finished with a very rousing version of "Church."
Yes it was mostly old people there. Probably not many under 40.
Then I could not sleep for anything last night so I didn't make it mountain biking this morning. I don't know that the BRP trails were that great anyway, since they are still drying from the storms on the Fourth. I mowed and did a thorough front porch cleaning.
Then I went to the gym to swim and run on the treadmill, both of which bear little resemblance to their outdoor "offroad" counterparts. But swimming 500 m (22 lengths) seemed pretty easy. I didn't really stop. My arms and shoulders are a bit sore, though.
Then I ran 4 miles on the treadmill. I really don't like the treadmill at all but it was in the 90's and I didn't want to wait and run late. It was a good tempo run, all except the warm up and cool down at sub-9 minute pace.
Yes it was mostly old people there. Probably not many under 40.
Then I could not sleep for anything last night so I didn't make it mountain biking this morning. I don't know that the BRP trails were that great anyway, since they are still drying from the storms on the Fourth. I mowed and did a thorough front porch cleaning.
Then I went to the gym to swim and run on the treadmill, both of which bear little resemblance to their outdoor "offroad" counterparts. But swimming 500 m (22 lengths) seemed pretty easy. I didn't really stop. My arms and shoulders are a bit sore, though.
Then I ran 4 miles on the treadmill. I really don't like the treadmill at all but it was in the 90's and I didn't want to wait and run late. It was a good tempo run, all except the warm up and cool down at sub-9 minute pace.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
my waterloo
Maybe I need to just have Abba in my head when I swim. I don't really enjoy swimming in the pool, but it doesn't scare the crap outta me like the mucky lake.
After Tuesday's relative success, I thought maybe I could conquer the real open water course at SMP. Well... then I got there and it seemed soooooo far out. I thought, ok, I'll just go out to the first buoy and back. It really wasn't that far. Further than along the back of the swim area but probably not much. I asked a woman who had been there before if that was cool and she said that plenty of people just did laps around the first buoy to get comfortable.
So I headed out there. There were some other people around but not many. Now ... it takes me awhile to really warm up while swimming. At the pool, I find that it takes 10 minutes or so to really get into a rhythm. So I'm swimming, doing my sighting, thinking that the buoy seems way the hell out there and I sorta panic. I did a little breaststroke but it feels like I'm just not moving when I do that. I got on my back and ended up with a mouthful of water. I was maybe 2/3 - 3/4 of the way out there to the buoy and I just bailed and headed back. Like a big ole baby. And of course, the shore seemed miles away.
So I stood there for awhile, contemplated just going to ride my bike, which seemed like heaven after that. But I didn't. I did some laps along the back of the swim area. I took more breaks than I should have but I kept at it for 35-40 minutes.
I am just not very comfortable in that water. My family never did any water activities, in fact neither of my parents can swim. I did have swimming lessons at an early age and was always able to swim and play around in the pool but I've never really been on a lake in a boat or kayak or anything. I swam enough laps 20 years ago to do a little pool-swim triathlon but that's been it until recently.
I guess it's OK to take it slowly but I only have a month ....
Anyway, I was soooo happy to get on my road bike and hit the road around SMP. Almost everyone who goes out for the open water swim rides or runs afterwards. I learned some important things about how maybe to do that transition and what to wear. Anyway, almost 14 glorious miles in the oxygen at a nearly 16 mph average clip. Not bad for me, especially since I was pretty tired and hungry starting out. And I didn't realize the road around SMP was so hilly. There are a couple good climbs around there.
After Tuesday's relative success, I thought maybe I could conquer the real open water course at SMP. Well... then I got there and it seemed soooooo far out. I thought, ok, I'll just go out to the first buoy and back. It really wasn't that far. Further than along the back of the swim area but probably not much. I asked a woman who had been there before if that was cool and she said that plenty of people just did laps around the first buoy to get comfortable.
So I headed out there. There were some other people around but not many. Now ... it takes me awhile to really warm up while swimming. At the pool, I find that it takes 10 minutes or so to really get into a rhythm. So I'm swimming, doing my sighting, thinking that the buoy seems way the hell out there and I sorta panic. I did a little breaststroke but it feels like I'm just not moving when I do that. I got on my back and ended up with a mouthful of water. I was maybe 2/3 - 3/4 of the way out there to the buoy and I just bailed and headed back. Like a big ole baby. And of course, the shore seemed miles away.
So I stood there for awhile, contemplated just going to ride my bike, which seemed like heaven after that. But I didn't. I did some laps along the back of the swim area. I took more breaks than I should have but I kept at it for 35-40 minutes.
I am just not very comfortable in that water. My family never did any water activities, in fact neither of my parents can swim. I did have swimming lessons at an early age and was always able to swim and play around in the pool but I've never really been on a lake in a boat or kayak or anything. I swam enough laps 20 years ago to do a little pool-swim triathlon but that's been it until recently.
I guess it's OK to take it slowly but I only have a month ....
Anyway, I was soooo happy to get on my road bike and hit the road around SMP. Almost everyone who goes out for the open water swim rides or runs afterwards. I learned some important things about how maybe to do that transition and what to wear. Anyway, almost 14 glorious miles in the oxygen at a nearly 16 mph average clip. Not bad for me, especially since I was pretty tired and hungry starting out. And I didn't realize the road around SMP was so hilly. There are a couple good climbs around there.
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