It’s about time!

OK…..it's been 6 months since I've last added to my blog, but now is the time to get my act in gear and update some stuff.

Several athletes have finished their seasons with some great results. To name a few? Sherry Dowdy at Worlds Long Course in the Netherlands – great PR for her; Ryan Strohl competing at 70.3 World Championships in November, and also representing the DC Tri Club at Nationals in Las Vegas later this month; Amy McKee placing top 10 overall in major Triathlon competitions in 08, invited to represent DC Tri Club at Nationals; Rob Falk dropping 20 min on his OLY Times at the DC Triathlon; Mary Mooney learning how to swim, and then finish the season as one of the fastest 50+ women in the state of VA; Daryl Chesley – again one of the top Clydesdale Triathletes in VA in the 39 + Under; Ruth Olson, Vicky Jasparro, Deb Durocher setting some PR's in several road races; Jack Morrison consistently placing in the top 10 in road races at the ripe old age of 49; Bill Rysanek tearing up the trails, and encouraging Runner/Triathlete Ed Sabo to do the same; Wendy Taylor dropping over an hour in her marathon time at Toronto…….the list goes on and on!

Let's bring on the rest of the season!

Most of us will all be finished with our races by the middle of November. Once that happens we take a short break, but then we continue to embrace our fitness so that we may continue to build on tradition!

On to Business

Core training . I can't say enough about how much this will help benefit your training, your performance, and also your prevention of injuries.

What is core training? It is anything that helps to strengthen your body between the shoulders and the hip flexors.

Where can you get core training? Pilates, Yoga, and other sources available! I highly recommend one-on-one Pilates to help you to LEARN how to access your core, so that when you are doing core exercises you are actually accessing the appropriate muscle recruitment, etc.

Here are some webs and blogs that will help you out:

www.cyclo-core.com

www.sagerountree.com

http://drtriblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.ptonthenet.com/clientcontent.aspx?m=69822 (my core program)

http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/core-strength-training.html

http://www.coreperformance.com/

Even spending only 10 minutes a day will allow you to be stronger, faster, and more likely to stay injury free!

So let's get to work!

(from www.coreperformance.com) "The next challenge in our office workout series is the front pillar bridge. The front bridge challenges the stability of your hips, torso, and shoulders, making it an essential bodyweight movement in Core Performance training programs. Best of all, anyone can do it.

When performed in a group, holding the pillar bridge for time becomes as much of a mental test as a physical one, which is why it's a tremendous workout challenge for your office.

Plan an office challenge for the last Friday of the month and use this 3-week plan to improve your ability to hold the front pillar bridge for time. The Core Performance staff will be competing in this challenge and following this plan with you. So let us know how you're doing.


Step 1: Put your pillar to the test.
Time how long you can hold a front bridge, according to the coaching keys below. Or watch this video to see a demonstration. Your time determines your training level for this movement, which will in turn affect your training plan.

COACHING KEYS

• To start, lie on your stomach with your forearms on the floor under your chest. Prop your body up so just your forearms and toes are touching the floor. Your upper arm and forearm should form a right angle, with your elbows directly beneath your shoulders.
  
• Keeping your head in line with your spine and your belly button drawn in, hold this position. There should be a straight line from your ears to ankles.
  

How to time yourself
Start a stop watch or have a partner time you. Stop the clock if your back begins to arch, your hips sag (on either side), or your shoulder blades are winged and protruding from your shirt.

How did you do?
Less than 45 seconds: Training Level 1
45–90 seconds: Training Level 2
More than 90 seconds: Training Level 3


Step 2: Start training.
Improve the stability of your shoulders and core, as well as your rotary stability—that is, your ability to resist rotational forces through your torso—with our 3-week training plan. Simply add these three exercises, or movements, to your current training program as prescribed below. Combined, they'll help you boost your front bridge.

1. Pushup Plus
How to do it: Just like a classic pushup, but at the top of the move (when your arms are straightened) focus on pushing your shoulder blades away from each other (your upper back shoulder round). Next, squeeze your shoulder blades together, as if pinching a pencil between your scapula, before lowering your body to the floor. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions twice a week. Perform this move before an upper body pushing movement, such as the bench press.

Level 1: Perform the standard pushup plus.
Level 2: Do the movement wearing a 10-pound weighted vest.
Level 3: Complete the movement with a 20-pound weighted vest and perform up to 15 repetitions.


2. Quadruped - Opposite Hold
How to do it: Get on all fours, on the floor or on a Power Plate, and keep your belly button drawn in toward your spine. Lift your right arm and leg until they're parallel to the ground and hold them there for the prescribe time (below). Return to the starting position and switch sides.

Perform this movement during your movement prep routine. If you don't have access to a vibration platform, perform the move on the floor or with stability trainers placed beneath your knee and hand to decrease your stability, thus increasing the challenge to your core.

Complete 3 sets of 20-second holds on each side, two to three times a week.

Level 1: Set the power plate to 30 hertz, low setting.
Level 2: Set the power plate to 35 hertz, low setting.
Level 3: Set the power plate to 40 hertz, low setting.

3. Pillar Bridge Front
Perform the front bridge two to three times a week at anytime during your training session, or anytime during the day for that matter.

Level 1: Aim for two sets of 30-second holds. Too hard? Try the move with your knees on the floor.
Level 2: Do two sets of 30-second holds wearing a 10-pound weighted vest.
Level 3: Do two sets of 30- to 60-second holds wearing a 10- to 20-pound weighted vest.

Get your pillar bridge training plan for week 2 and week 3 here."

 

Until next post!

 

 

DAY 1 – USAT Level 2 Clinic

So what did I learn today?

First speaker of the day was Bobby McGee for both the mental aspects of the athlete and then for running form technique. Lot's of old stuff that I already knew, but it was a great refresher. The new stuff is what is really going to help with running form technique issues that some runners have.

1. Lean will determine cadence. Trick is to make sure that the athlete is leaning from the right position so that the hips stay over the feet and the shoulders are inline with the hips. In other words – lean from the ankles. Which is where ankle flexibility and calf flexibility is important. Quick test – feet shoulder width apart, now sit down on your haunches without raising your heels. If heels lift off the ground chances are you have Achilles issues, PF issues, and also will not be able to actively use the feet for adequate 'rebound' for the run. So practice sitting on your haunches.
   
2. Another way to teach lean, especially with women is to take two mountainbike tubes and a piece of a smaller tube, have the athlete put one tube on as if it was a jacket (behind your head, arms, and in front of the stomach. Next in back tie the tube together with the other small bit of tube (about 10 inches worth). Now put the other tube into that area and pull back on the athlete – forcing the athlete to lean into the tube and try to run away from you.
   
3. Or stand in front of athlete – hands on their shoulders/chest and have them lean into your body (keeping things inline) and push – it's a way for them to see how important body position is for a stronger push off the foot (or rebound).
   
4. Hands stay inside the elbows.
   
5. Imagine you have a pierced hole in your ear that has a string running through it – grab that string and (forms a triangle with the arms) and swing from the elbows.
   
6. Muscles can only pull…they can't push – so don't actively push off the feet.
   
7. If your feet splay outwards while running? Imagine that your KNEE going through a straight line.
   
8. Lean from the ankles
   
9. If you lay down and your feet turn out quickly (splayed) – then you have week glutes.
   
10. If you do the side plank and the thing that hurts first is the top hip (not the core side you are working on that is at the bottom) then your glutes (med/minimus) are weak.
    
11. How to strengthen them? Side Plank, Tubing around both knees – bend at knees/hips and ankle – feet a bit more than shoulder width apart and take tiny steps to the side.
    
12. Quiet and Quick are what you want for your running.
    
13. Drills – pony step, running on thin ice (pitter patter), fall forward, push the road.
    

The Body does not determine the limitations….the Mind does!

Then we talked all about creating mentally effective athletes.

More on that later!

Swim workouts 3/31-4/6

Got a busy week planned ahead! Leave on Thursday to attend the USAT Level 2 Coaches Certification Seminar down in Chapel Hill. So hopefully I'll be learning some new and exciting things that I can give my clients. One of the guest speakers is Bobby McGee (author of 'Magical Running') so I'm looking forward to meeting him and picking his brains.

Everyone had a great weekend of racing – couldn't be happier!

Group A	Group B	Description/Rest Interval	Distance (a/b)
6 x 100	3 x 100	25 swim, 25 kick on side, 25 drill, 25 swim – RI is 15 Sec	600/300
5 x 200	5 x 100	Good steady effort – free w/30 SR	1600/800
10 x 100	10 x 50	Odds Free fast, evens choice stroke – no free please – w/30 SR	2600/1300
800	400	Pull w/paddles – long strokes, and focus on control and rotation of the hips	3400/1700
200	100	Cool down by drilling	3600/1800

 

Workout #2

Group A	Group B	Description/Rest Interval	Distance (a/b)
10 x 50	6 x 50	25 swim, 25 drill (see below) w/10 SR	500/300
3 x 1000	3 x 500	As follows: #1 – every 4th 25 is backstroke, #2 – every 4th 25 is FAST free, #3 is for A group – 500 IM by 25's (100IM+100IM…etc), then 500 free quick . B group is 250 backstroke/250 freestyle quick – all with 1 MR between	3500/1800
8 x 50	8 x 25	FAST FREE w/30 SR – blast it	3900/2000
200	100	Cool down drills	4100/2100

 

Drill of the week – Catch up freestyle with undulation (no real free kick) – start off by undulating off the wall (think dead man float with dolphin kick – in other words you will be ON TOP OF THE WATER). For undulation focus on pressing the chest down each time your hand enters the water (hands in, chest down, hips up). Both arms are in front in superman position (remember to look for criminals at the bottom of the pool) – press chest, stroke with one arm, breath to the side, hand recovers back to superman, now do the same with the other arm!

Swim workouts 3/24 to 3/30

Workout #1

Group A: 400 warm up, then do 5 x (500 free at quick pace + 100 Drill + 50 sprint free + 50 non-free) – 30-45 sec rest between all, cool down 100

Group B: 300 warm up, then do 4 x (500 free at quick pace + 100 Drill + 50 sprint free + 50 non-free) – 30-45 sec rest between all, cool down 100

Group C: 200 warm up, then do 3 x (500 free at quick pace + 100 Drill + 50 sprint free + 50 non-free) – 30-45 sec rest between all, cool down 100

Distance: A=4000, B=3200, C=2400 (if you normally do workout B, do C this week)

Drill of day: 4 Stage Freestyle, and Zipper drill (25 both side) – kick on side, hand is leading. With free hand that is on hip you will pretend you have a zipper up to your ribcage (zip, then unzip). Breath between zips (breath, head back down, zip up, unzip, breath….etc)

 

Workout #2

Group A: 3 x 200 (swim, kick, pull) warm up. 3 x (10 x 100) as follows: Set #1 is at moderate pace (L3) w/15 SR, Set #2 is at (L4) w/ 30 SR, and set #3 is 50 back/50 free w/15 SR, 400 cool down easy

Group B: 3 x 150 (swim, kick, pull) warm up. 3 x (7 x 100) as follows: Set #1 is at moderate pace (L3) w/15 SR, Set #2 is at (L4) w/ 30 SR, and set #3 is 50 back/50 free w/15 SR, 300 cool down easy

Group C: 3 x 100 (swim, kick, pull) warm up. 3 x (4 x 100) as follows: Set #1 is at moderate pace (L3) w/15 SR, Set #2 is at harder pace(L4) w/ 30 SR, and set #3 is 50 back/50 free w/15 SR, 200 cool down easy

Distance: A=4000, B=2850, C=1700

Back to running?

Back to some slight running this week. Due to all the pain being gone now, I finally ventured out and ran 10 min on the track on Wednesday. How did it feel? Well, the foot was fine, but the rest of the body was like "WHOA"! You forget what it feels like to begin again after running for so many years.

My last break was back in 1996-97 when I tore my plantar fascia a bit at the Richmond 8k. With that I took off a few weeks, tried to run again, aggravated things, and then went off of it once and for all for about 6 weeks. With that injury I learned all about active isolated stretching and reflexology, and that for every injury there is a cause. To heal an injury you need to figure out what has caused it.

I found out that most doctors treat the symptom. They truly don't the time to figure out what caused the problem, and for some doctors I'm sure they really don't care as long as you pay them. Why? Because most people just want a quick fix, and that's what doctors have learned. They might have wanted to find the cause, but have since discovered that most people don't care. They just want to be fixed…..NOW. And our society and it's commercialization is to blame. But I kind of get off track.

That last injury was caused by doing too much racing and training, not enough stretching (and I'm sure core strength), and my calves were getting tighter and tighter. So my foot injury was caused by my dereliction to duty, and my poor calves had no recourse but to engage some of the foot muscles to the point where they also said 'no more please!'

Our body is one big kinetic chain of events. I can compare it to a classroom with happy kids. The teacher walks in, but she's in a grouchy mood, and before you know it her angst has infected the otherwise happy classroom. Now everyone is grumpy and acting up. Just like the unhappy human body. When you abuse one part of it, sooner or later the rest of the body will react, and not in a positive manner.

So what caused my stress fracture? It's a long story, but I believe it has to do with a purchase of a pair of shoes back in April of 2007.

The Newtons (you can almost hear Seinfeld – "Newman")

The latest and greatest invention to help you become a more efficient runner (read faster here). Concept is good, but what if you are already efficient? Anyway, I wore the shoes, and as the weeks went by my feet started to get tighter and tighter in the forefoot area. I massage my own feet, and get my good friend (chiropractor by trade) to loosen the joints. This helped.

I race. I race a lot. Did I stretch? Did I work on my core during this period? Nope. I just raced and trained a lot.

In July I am at a race when all of a sudden I feel my left calve muscle getting tight. Finish the race (no problems), and then I spend the next week working on stretching and rehabilitating the leg. And then I race on it again. Everything is great until one mile to go on the run when it really starts to tighten up. I finish the race strong, cool down on the bike, and the next thing I know I can hardly walk. My Achilles is talking in a VERY LOUD WAY.

So….2 plus weeks off of not running later, and it's at a time I'm supposed to be in full blown IM training. Well, at least I can still bike and swim.

I fix this injury (90% of it at least), and continue to train, and then finish my 'A' race in November. No real issues, but then again there is still that little nagging soreness down at the Achilles to remind me that things still aren't quite kosher in Israel.

I take a week off, do some fun training, and then get back into the swing of things a month later. And with this new training I also engage in some fun, explosive, plyometric exercises with my swim team one too many days in a row.

Now I decide to fix this Achilles issue once and for all, so I visit our local ART doctor. He starts to work on the Achilles, and then the next day I feel part of my foot feeling like it is cramping. What happens is sort of like watching an egg roll off of a table. You see it happening, but you don't do anything to stop it.

I keep running, and before you know it that cramping feeling moves over to the middle of my foot and BANG! Now it's swollen at the top of my foot. I research to try and figure out what it means. I find out that all the symptoms suggest that I now have a stress fracture on my second metatarsal (second toe). And this means at least 6-8 weeks off of running. I finally get talked into seeing a doctor to confirm this, and two sets of x-rays and a bone scan later I find that 'yes, Virginia, you have a stress fracture!'.

One boot later, and some ultra-sound treatments daily, and it looks like I'm up and running again. Although 10-15 min isn't much. It's about all I can take right now.

What did I learn from this?

1. Shoes are not magic, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Although I do like the cushioning of the shoes, I am going to forego buying another pair (I have three by the way)
   
2. Plyometrics are good, but only in small doses.
   
3. That ask the doctor to use the tuning fork before prescribing a bone scan. Why spend a lot of money when the damn fork will tell you it's stressed out? (this is something I need to ask the doctor about).
   
4. It now takes an extra 2-4 weeks for things to heal now than it did back in my late 30's.
   
5. I have more patience now than when I was 35. I know I'll run again, and taking this past 9.5 weeks off is probably not a bad thing in the long haul. After all, the most I've taken off in the past 20 years (after Max was born) was 6 weeks.
   
6. There are worst things in life than a stress fracture. Seriously, this is a flea bite in the scheme of things.
   
7. I am more competitive then ever, and ready to rock and roll! (cross your fingers)
   

Slow going from here on out, but that's all right! As Roy Rogers sings….."I'm back in the saddle again!"

Swim Workouts 3/18-3/23 + NCAA’s

Talk about an exciting meet! Saw some really fast swimming this past weekend, probably one of the fastest D2 meets in the last 4-5 years. The University of Missouri (in Columbia) is a pretty nice college town. They have this great rails to trails course where it seems everyone in the community uses it, not to mention all the other parks that connect to it. Plenty of places to run (too bad I still can't run).

Final tally for Max though:

2^nd in 1000 free – 10:14

4^th in 400 IM – 3:58

5^th in 500 Free (.6 separated him from 3^rd)

6^th in the 1650 – 15:42 (13 sec time drop)

Top scorer for his team, and his team took 3^rd Place! Coach paid him $20.00 to carry his teams trophy (big butt piece of work) and not scratch it on the plane, etc today.

Note to self for next year – when working with Fly/Breast turns to make sure that the athlete starts with hands on walls, kick really fast, and perform the turn really fast – good drill

Workout #1

Group A	Group B	Description	Distance (A/B)
300	150	Easy swim – throw in drills	300/150
5 x (300 + 200 + 100)	5 x (150 + 100 + 50)	Group A: 300 is at LT – free, 30 SR, 200 is 50 swim/50 drill, 30 SR, 100 is all out, 1 MR (repeat set 5 times).	3300/1650
		Group B: 150 is moderate effort free, 100 is drill choice, 50 is FAST – all w/30-45 SR
200	100	Cool down easy drill or swim	3400/1750

 

Workout #2

Group A	Group B	Description	Distance (A/B)
400	200	Warm up – 25 swim/25 drill choice	400/200
5 x 100	3 x 100	25 kick w/board + 50 swim free + 25 kick w/board (you drop the board off at other end of pool at the end of the first 25) – 20 SR	900/500
15 x 100	15 x 50	In sets of FIVE (3 x 5) Set one is 50 ez/50 fast, set 2 is 25 ez/75 fast, set 3 is hard effort – all w/20 SR, 1 MR between sets	2400/1250
		Group B: Set #1 is easy, Set #2 is 25 ez/25 fast, set #3 is 50 fast – all w/20 SR, 1 mr between sets
3 x 200	1 x 300	Pull w/paddles – breath every 3rd to 5th stroke (alternate)	3000/1550
200	100	Cool down easy	3200/1650

Swim #2 for 3/10-17

Here we go guys! It's probably same temps as in VA today here in Columbia, MO. Max doesn't swim until tonight J

Group A	Group B	Description	Distance (A/B)
400	200	Easy swim	400/200
8 x 25	6 x 25	FAST swimming – get the lead out – 30 SR	600/350
4 x 100	4 x 100	#1 75e/25f, #2 50e/50f, #3 25e/75f, #4 100 F – 30 SR	1000/750
200	100	Easy swim	1200/850
4 x 100	4 x 100	A – repeat 4 x 100 set, B is pull for 4 x 100 – same rest interval	1600/1250
200	100	Easy swim	1800/1350
6 x 100	0	Pull, breath on 3, 5, 7 w/30 SR (b is done)	2400
200	0	Cool down	2600

 

Get HR up in the 4 x 100 set – for those of you who know your HR zones get up into Zone 4 during these sets.

Swim workouts – 3/10-17

Time to go to Missouri on Tuesday to see the boy swim. Hopefully all his hard work will have paid off……and if it has then I am in trouble as I told him I would buy him a Tri Bike if he placed top 5 at Nationals. Keep your fingers crossed that I'll be closer to broke next week.

Congrats to all who did their local 8k's – From Ryan's 27:04 up in DC to the crew in the Burg who braved the cold temps to do some great times (Ruth 1^st overall, Bob and Bill at 30 min, and too many great times to mention!) Good luck to those doing Shamrock next weekend!

Group A	Group B	Distance
400 w/u + 100 drill	200 w/u + 100 drill	500/300
5 x 400 at LT (level 4) + 100 drill – 1 MR between	5 x 200 at LT (level 4) + 50 drill choice – 1 MR	2000/1250
5 x 100 PULL – breath on 3, 5, 7 w/15 SR	5 x 50 pull – breath on 3, 5, 7 w/15 SR	500/250
200 Drill	100 Drill	200/100 (3200/1900)

 

More to follow tomorrow – I'm pooped!

Swim workouts 3/3 to 3/9

Sweet and simple this week!

Workout #1

Group A	Group B	Description	Distance
200 swim, 200 kick, 200 scull/pull by 25's	100 swim, 100 kick, 100 scull/pull by 25's	Warm up	600/300
6 x (300 swim + 50 kick no board) w/30 SR	6 x (150 + 50 kick) w/30 SR	Swim is done at LT effort (zone 3 or level 4)	2100/1200
800 pull, every 4th 25 is scull w/paddles	400 pull, every 4th 25 is scull w/paddles (or without)	Smooth effort, but use the paddles to get a feel of the sculling motion	800/400
			3500/1900

 

Workout #2

400 easy swim	200 easy swim	Warm up	400/200
400 swim	200 swim	First 150 is long and smooth, pick up last 250. B group, first 50 is long, pickup last 150	400/200
2 x 50 back + 2 x 200 free w/20 SR between all	2 x 25 back + 2 x 100 free w/20 Sr	Focus on good technique with the back, and then when doing free first ½ is long and smooth, then pick up the pace to hard effort for the last ½	500/250
2 x 50 back + 4 x 100 IM	2 x 25 back + 2 x 100 free	All w/20 SR – focus on long strokes for all, keep HR below L3	500/250
150 easy	100 easy	Loosen up	150/100
6 x 125 Pull w/paddles w/20 sec rest	6 x 75 pull w/paddles w/20 sr	Good steady effort	750/450
8 x 25 fast! w/40 SR	4 x 25 FAST w/40 SR	FAST Free!	200/100
200 easy cool down	100 easy cool down	Throw some drills in here	200/100
			3100/1650

Rob’s Question

What is multi-planar core training? It seems that even as Triathletes or just Runners we have a tendency to only move in one plane (or direction) and that is straight ahead. We do very little of the kind of training that works the whole body, or even better we seem to have not been able to keep our stabilizing muscles strong – the ones where when you plant your foot down while running that our body can be stabilized and not twist/rock/roll and totally screw up our body.

We really need to focus not only on the abdominals and back, but also the hip flexors, and primarily the Gluteus Medius. Here is a link that you can read a bit more as long as you don't mind the blatant advertising. http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/core-strength-training.html

Multi-plane core exercise can be anything from throwing a medicine ball around with a friend, to going down into lunge position and reaching sideways with arms, to standing on one leg and holding small weights and working on the arm motion of running.

 

Core and Diet

This week I've been able to attend two lectures (for lack of a better word) on both core and nutrition at the FARC and Tri-Fred open meetings. Both had awesome speakers – E.J. O'Malley (core) and Donna Hetrick (nutrition).

I can honestly say that of the two….they both are so important to the sport of running, swimming, and riding. To be stronger and faster you need fuel, and to help you stay injury free you need a strong core (not to mention it will help you get faster).

So what did I take away from both talks?

Nutrition – really need to focus on my protein intake a bit better. I was good for awhile, but I started to slip in the past couple of weeks.

Core – really need to work on my stability. Which means focusing on developing a stronger gluteus medias, and doing some single leg squats with multi-planar movement. This way when I get back running I will be more prepared to handle the load to not only my feet, but also my knees which have grown 'creaky' the last 8 months.

Tomorrow go to the Doc to see if I am 'healed'! AMEN.

Swim workouts – 2/25

Going to try something novel for the next few weeks! Bear with me on this guys.

This week we are again going to focus on backstroke technique, and if you do have any questions please contact me asap (before you go swimming).

Workout #1

A	B	Description	A	B
8 x 75	4 x 75	25 swim, 25 drill (4-stage free), 25 swim w/15 SR	600	300
6 x 100	4 x 100	Drill backstroke for 75 then swim 25 (see drills below) w/20 SR	600	400
8 x 50	4 x 50	25 free to 25 back at good effort (at LT) w/10 SR	400	200
6 x 200	3 x 200	At slightly below LT (use HRM) w/20 SR	1200	600
8 x 50	4 x 50	At Hard effort w/30 SR, get HR up there in above LT zone (level 5)	400	200
Easy 200	Easy 100	Cool down	3400	1800

 

Drills:

1. " I-L-I" - Hand lead kick, with head up (looking at sky/roof). One hand at side, other in the lead (I position), then bring arm up that was at the side and point to the roof (L position), then bring it back down to the 'I' position. – change sides every other 75 (one 75 work on right side, other 75 on left side)
   
2. Freeze Frame: 'I' position (hand lead kick). Point to the roof ('L' position) hold for 1-2 seconds, then bring the arm back and at same time stroke with the hand/arm that was in the lead position. You've switched sides - now repeat the I, L, pause, and Switch/stroke
   
3. LA Combo – 4 strokes backstroke/3 strokes freestyle – this is sort of a modified corkscrew. Key is to try and swim in a straight line, keep the tempo the same between strokes.
   

In backstroke – the actual stroke underwater is one where you imagine you are scraping the sides of the pool with your fingernails. Pinky finger enters the water first, then you reach down about 8" below the surface and pretend that you are taking those fingernails and scraping the sides of the pool (or that you grab a handle and pull yourself through the water). Elbow is facing the bottom of the pool, and your arm should be bent at a 90 degree angle at this point.

Remember to exit the water with your thumb first.

Workout #2

A	B	Description	A	B
300	200	50 swim, 50 drill – repeat, choice drill	300	200
400	250	Swim at below LT – 15 SR	400	250
375	225	Swim at below LT – 15 SR	375	225
350	200	Swim at below LT – 15 SR	350	200
325	175	Swim at below LT – 15 SR	325	175
300	150	Start to crank it up a notch – at LT w/30 SR	300	150
275	125	Same as above	275	125
250	100	At LT – 30 SR	250	100
225	75	At LT – 30 SR	225	75
200	50	At LT – 30 SR	200	50
175	25	At level 5 – 45 SR	175	25
150	100	A – at level 5 45 SR, B is cool down	150	100
125		At Level 5 – 45SR	125
100		At level 5 – 45 SR	100
75		Drill – easy 10 SR	75
50		SPRINT – 1 MR	50
25		Sprint – 1 MR	25
200		Cool down w/drills	200
			3900	1675

PSAC Champs – Day 2 & 3

Max wins 1000 free only 3 days post-Flu. Unfortunately the effort wiped him out for the 500 free where he ended up making it back into the consolation heat (much to his disgust). This is all a learning aspect for him. He has to realize that when you are sick like that it will take time to recover until you are 100%, and you can't blame your mental attitude for everything. Fortunately tonight he felt much better swimming, winning the consolation heat, and would have placed 5^th overall if he had swim that time in the morning. Even so….he still has the 400 IM tomorrow, which is probably his favorite event.

In the meantime I am day 8 in wearing the boot. Foot is getting a lot better, all the swelling seems to be gone. Today did a 25 min run in the hotel pool in the 'deep' end. Better than nothing!

Rest of meet o.k. - Swims one of his worst 500 times of the year. Body is still wiped out from previous nights race and still in flu-recovery mode. Ended up in Consols, finished first there, but still wasn't the outcome he had originally hoped for before he got sick.

400 IM - wins this event by the hair on his chinny-chin-chin, but he can check this off his list also. Then he was given the news that he would be swimming the 4 x 200 relay (free). As lead off leg he finally looked and felt like he wanted to all weekend - swam one of his best times in 1:42.7, and gave his team a much needed lead to end up winning with an NCAA -A cut.

All in all it was a learning lesson for him this week.
a. That the flu takes a lot out of you, and you do need to adjust some of your goals.
b. Needs to change his pre-meet meals because between nerves and the milk - the milk doesn't like the nerves.
c. It ain't over until the fat lady sings.

Another day with no wheels

In other words – no running or riding. We leave today for PSAC (penn state athletic conference) swim meet championships. Max is swimming the 1000, 400 IM and 500 Free. Should be interesting as he had the flu on Fri-Sunday, and returned to practice Monday afternoon (for brief 1500). Haven't heard from the boy since Tuesday morning (said he felt fine in practice), but let's just hope he hasn't tapered down as he has nationals in 3 weeks.

Anyway – swim yesterday and tried a novel approach (novel for me anyway). I actually used my HRM during the swim, and did what my coach said to do in terms of going into specific training zones. Something I probably should have done long ago, but for some reason I sort of poo-poo'd it for swimming. I use it when running, and occasionally wear it for riding, but only occasionally because for some reason it is real work to get to my zones on the bike. Which means I should wear it more. When I get back on the bike.

Swim workout was this:

200 w/u, 10 x 200 at just below LT (about 143-147 bpm), then 10 x 50 at LT (did these backstroke), then 10 x 50 (5 at below LT, and 5 above LT). cool down 100 easy. Had to get to appointment. Otherwise a good swim.

Time to pack and hit the road!

Swim Notes from 2/19/08

Did a nice workout with Ken at the YMCA yesterday where we did:

10 x 50 free swim on 1:00 easy

10 x 50 drill back w/10 SR – Did the I-L-I drill first to focus on getting ready for Freeze Frame. Ken learned that by doing this first it helps to teach the other swimmers to keep that hand leading during the 'L' position, so that when we do Freeze Frame we can really work on the timing of the stroke. Also did some fist closed to get a better feel for the water by setting up the stroking arm better. I must remember to bring fins to Masters swim on Monday for those who could use some short fins for these drills.

Then we did 4 x 500: 100 swim, 100 kick, 100 fast swim, 100 drill, 100 swim fast – focused on good body position. He noticed that when I breath to the right I crunch my body up a bit – so fixed this by keeping the head steady and looking directly to the side or slightly in front of me while breathing on that side.

20 x 25 – odds fast free (counted strokes – averaged 18-19), and then slow count your strokes for the easy – averaged 12-13 strokes.

Then a 600 of 75 pull/25 scull – all with paddles. It was here that Ken came up with the sculling pattern to get ready for fly – a sort of front scull, but you don't work the insweep. You just press down with the chest, and then rotate the hands/paddles with the thumb going down to face the bottom of the pool. This really helped to set up the stroke, improve body position so that the core gets more involved (and less arms) and also helped ME to keep my elbows up – or in a fixed position.

In fact this was the key phrase for me today with freestyle – keep elbows in fixed position during stroke.

So you want to be a Triathlete

Starting in March I am helping to create a competitive Triathlon team for athletes aged 14-22 years.

I hope to be able to set up at least 2-3 practices each week where me and other experienced triathletes can help to teach these young athletes all about the sport, and also how to succeed at it. I know that the Fredericksburg area has a ton of GREAT athletes. Now we just have to coax them to come out and play!

First meeting will be on March 18, location/time to be determined later. All athletes will need to have a bike to train on, bike shoes, helmet, and the ability to swim at least freestyle adequately. This is not going to be a lesson for beginners, but a full out triathlon training program.

More later!

Stressed out!

OK...screwed around with the high school kids and end up with a stress fracture in the 2nd metatarsal of my right foot. Haven't run now for 40 days, and am about to go stir crazy.

The good news is that I have been put into a boot to keep me from doing anything else crazy, and no riding now for 2 weeks. They also gave me a bone stimulator to help with the healing.

5 days later and it is starting to feel way better, and the swelling is going down. Hopefully in another 9 days I will be out riding my bike, and the week after that I get to start running.

I will have only 3 months to prepare for Worlds. Well....at least I won't be burned out by then from training!