I've been swimming for about 9 months. A normal swim day usually consists of anywhere between 16 and 24 laps. I'm ready to step up my speed and my form. Here is my sad story for the day.
Andrea and I met at the pool. I had a plan from BeginnerTriathlete.com that involved a buoy and a board. The website said that if I do these drills they would help with my speed. I had brought the workout, but I forgot the mechanics.
I tried to explain it to Andrea, who just looked at me like I was a moron and said, "I'm just gonna do some laps."
Warm up - one lap (up and back), freestyle - no prob.
Now came the board. I read on the website that the feet should paddle short and quick kicks, slapping the surface, and only about 6-12 inches into the water. You hold the board out in front. I was cool with that. I just couldn't figure out if I was supposed to keep my head in the water or hold it up. At first I tried keeping it down and taking breaths every few minutes but I began making an inchworm sort of motion and pretty soon the lap lanes resembled a wave pool. I decided to keep my head up.
I felt like I was actually moving at the SPEED of an inchworm. It was pretty hard stuff, lots of heavy breathing. I did this for 2 laps - that's all I could stand.
Next, I tried the bouy. I know it goes between my legs, I just forgot where. I started off with it pretty high. I couldn't remember if I was supposed to kick at all or just pull myself with my arms. So I was kind of trying to kick and swim at the same time with this bouy between my thighs. I stopped because it was so ridiculous. I put it lower. WAY lower, like between my ankles. That lasted for two strokes and it popped up out of the water. By now I'm sure the lifeguard thought, "This lady can't be for real"!!!
I put it between my knees and away I went. I lasted one lap because my arms were about to fall off.
NEXT...you're supposed to take a stroke and bring the arm down to the side while one arm remains above, kick 6 times, bring the arm back up and do the other side. I resembled a rolling walrus. Couldn't breathe, thrashed around...nixed that one too.
There is a video on the website on how to do the turn around. To learn, do a flip facing the wall in the shallow end. Gradually inch up closer to the wall until you are at an arm's length. During the last part of the flip, you can push off the wall with your feet. I did this about 8 times. I finally got close enough to the wall to shove off of it. That was fun, but I'm not sure I can do that in the deep end!
I had read about proper swim form. To get in position, float on your stomach, body relaxed. If your legs are sinking, you're not relaxed. Arch the back a bit and tuck the stomach. Or was it tuck the back and arch the stomach?!? I tried it. The legs sank. I re-adjusted - voila! I took off, trying to keep this form.
Time for some laps. I can swim freestyle pretty well, but I'm afraid I've probably developed some bad habits along the way - like only breathing on one side. I decided to try to breathe on my left side as well. More walrusness, as well as sinking and swallowing large amounts of pool water.
I finished my laps - ended up with 17.
We only have to do five for the race. Why am I making a big deal out of this? Because I want to use proper form, improve swim time, burn calories, be fit, and be the best I can! I think I need help. DUH!!!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Basement Workouts ain't all bad
After yesterday's day of rest, I was rarin' to get in that pool at the Y. Alas, the school day was dragging on with no end in sight (although it was a very good and productive day). By the time I could leave for the Y, the swim teams would be practicing and the huddled masses would be in full force. I don't do pool crowds if I don't have to. I didn't.
It was down to the basement for me. My trusty treadmill is there, complete with TV. I also have a few weights, a mat, and a stability ball. My bikes are there too - but it was raining, so running was the obvious no brainer.
This was my long run for the week. The next two times I run will only be 1-2 miles.
Ran 3 miles - walked 2 minutes after miles 1 & 2, and after 2.50 & 2.75, 5-6 mph.
Did sections of a core workout with P90X
Worked some bis and tris
Total time: 1:30
Felt really good about this workout! Afterwards, ate some Kashi cereal and some egg whites. (Not together.)
Glucosamine is my friend, keeping my joints lubed. Taking daily doses. Icing the knees tonight. They were pretty sensitive today.
Tomorrow, I SWIM! Woo hoo!!!
It was down to the basement for me. My trusty treadmill is there, complete with TV. I also have a few weights, a mat, and a stability ball. My bikes are there too - but it was raining, so running was the obvious no brainer.
This was my long run for the week. The next two times I run will only be 1-2 miles.
Ran 3 miles - walked 2 minutes after miles 1 & 2, and after 2.50 & 2.75, 5-6 mph.
Did sections of a core workout with P90X
Worked some bis and tris
Total time: 1:30
Felt really good about this workout! Afterwards, ate some Kashi cereal and some egg whites. (Not together.)
Glucosamine is my friend, keeping my joints lubed. Taking daily doses. Icing the knees tonight. They were pretty sensitive today.
Tomorrow, I SWIM! Woo hoo!!!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
First practice
This is an indoor triathlon. Some of you have expressed concern because of my biking track record. No worries, I will be on a spin bike!
So Friday I decided to do the whole thing on my own to make sure I could actually do it. I was super excited! (Also super excited that I actually could fit it into my schedule!)
We get to pick the order in which we want to do the triathlon. I choose run/bike/swim. Why get wet first? After a swim, my legs always feel like lead anyway, why would I subject myself to even more torture?!? Even though we will only run 2.5 miles, that will definitely be my toughest stint, because of my knee problems. Running is 2.5 miles, biking - 12, and swimming - 6 laps. (A lap is down and back one time.)
I took off running, ipod inserted, towel on the side, treadmill set on 4.5 speed for the stubby leg warm-up light jog. The gym was like a sauna, and something I do NOT enjoy is exercising in a hot environment. I had my water though, and I paced myself. After the first mile, my legs felt like lead. I could feel the knee tenderness just a bit, and I tried to mentally block out the time. I had increased my mph after the first couple minutes. Usually 5-5.5 is very comfortable for me. I played with increasing the speed to 6, but didn't want to do any more damage, so didn't leave it there for more than a few minutes. By 2 miles, the legs were warm and there was no pain. Because of increasing speed, the cardio was getting a bit challenging, I paced myself for the remaining half mile. I was glad when that part was over. Time: 28.24 - lousy.
Next came the bike. All set to go to the spin room, I took off, tried the door - locked. Asked the girl at the desk if I could get in - no dice. Noone goes in unless there's a class. Now HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO PRACTICE ON THOSE BIKES IF I CAN'T GET ON THOSE BIKES?!? Looks like I've gotta go back for a class now. Instead, I took a stationery bike in the sauna - I mean gym. It took me a few tries to get the seat where I wanted it, the straps adjusted, my form just right. Actually, it took me about 20 minutes to do that. I'm sure that affected my time. The seat was very uncomfortable, and I missed my mountain bike! By the second round of 20 minutes, I was focused, even going as fast as 130 RPMS and 16 mph! Of course, by that time I was looking down, not forward, sweating buckets, just trying to get to the end of the uncomfortable seat! Total time: 54:53. Actually not bad for me, I've ridden 12 miles on my mountain and road bikes and it was always longer than that.
The swim will be the easiest part for me, as far as endurance. A typical swim for me is anywhere from 16-22 laps, but never having been formally taught, I know I don't have good form. I'm studying this now, and beginning tomorrow, hope to do some drills and techniques for better form and eventually, better time. I'm not a fast swimmer, either. I hadn't been in the pool for a couple of weeks, so the time was 10:30.
Total time for my own personal Triathlon: 93:07. I was tired and shaky, and won't go into the gory details of what happened later, but THRILLED to know I could do it! And guess what - Saturday, I wasn't even sore, just muscle fatigued! (I used that day to do upper body strength, it felt good!)
So Friday I decided to do the whole thing on my own to make sure I could actually do it. I was super excited! (Also super excited that I actually could fit it into my schedule!)
We get to pick the order in which we want to do the triathlon. I choose run/bike/swim. Why get wet first? After a swim, my legs always feel like lead anyway, why would I subject myself to even more torture?!? Even though we will only run 2.5 miles, that will definitely be my toughest stint, because of my knee problems. Running is 2.5 miles, biking - 12, and swimming - 6 laps. (A lap is down and back one time.)
I took off running, ipod inserted, towel on the side, treadmill set on 4.5 speed for the stubby leg warm-up light jog. The gym was like a sauna, and something I do NOT enjoy is exercising in a hot environment. I had my water though, and I paced myself. After the first mile, my legs felt like lead. I could feel the knee tenderness just a bit, and I tried to mentally block out the time. I had increased my mph after the first couple minutes. Usually 5-5.5 is very comfortable for me. I played with increasing the speed to 6, but didn't want to do any more damage, so didn't leave it there for more than a few minutes. By 2 miles, the legs were warm and there was no pain. Because of increasing speed, the cardio was getting a bit challenging, I paced myself for the remaining half mile. I was glad when that part was over. Time: 28.24 - lousy.
Next came the bike. All set to go to the spin room, I took off, tried the door - locked. Asked the girl at the desk if I could get in - no dice. Noone goes in unless there's a class. Now HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO PRACTICE ON THOSE BIKES IF I CAN'T GET ON THOSE BIKES?!? Looks like I've gotta go back for a class now. Instead, I took a stationery bike in the sauna - I mean gym. It took me a few tries to get the seat where I wanted it, the straps adjusted, my form just right. Actually, it took me about 20 minutes to do that. I'm sure that affected my time. The seat was very uncomfortable, and I missed my mountain bike! By the second round of 20 minutes, I was focused, even going as fast as 130 RPMS and 16 mph! Of course, by that time I was looking down, not forward, sweating buckets, just trying to get to the end of the uncomfortable seat! Total time: 54:53. Actually not bad for me, I've ridden 12 miles on my mountain and road bikes and it was always longer than that.
The swim will be the easiest part for me, as far as endurance. A typical swim for me is anywhere from 16-22 laps, but never having been formally taught, I know I don't have good form. I'm studying this now, and beginning tomorrow, hope to do some drills and techniques for better form and eventually, better time. I'm not a fast swimmer, either. I hadn't been in the pool for a couple of weeks, so the time was 10:30.
Total time for my own personal Triathlon: 93:07. I was tired and shaky, and won't go into the gory details of what happened later, but THRILLED to know I could do it! And guess what - Saturday, I wasn't even sore, just muscle fatigued! (I used that day to do upper body strength, it felt good!)
Jumping in with both feet?
My friend Andrea is always encouraging me to better myself. She was the reason I did my first (and only) 5k a couple years ago. Since that time, I developed a year long bout with plantar fasciitus, a torn meniscus, and Lyme disease. The Lymes increased my knee pain and general joint pain throughout my body.
The comeback from the Lymes and torn meniscus has taken a full year. It took a long time to even regain enough strength to do a weenie workout, let alone the kind of strength and cardio I used to do. As a personal trainer, I had pretty high standards for my exercise regimen, but I had to drastically lower them to find a bench mark from which to begin. I decided to try alternative cardio, so I took up swimming. I've always been scared of water, so this was a great undertaking. Once again, Andrea was there, cheering me on, giving me tips (I called her coach). I couldn't believe how far I came in just a few short months! My first day in the pool, I could only swim 3/4 of the way across before stopping, gasping for breath! After four months, I could swim 24 laps in one setting!
Then came spring and summer, and I decided to learn to bike! These adventures are mentioned in my blog "My Novice Mountain Biking Adventures" so I won't go into that here, but it has indeed been another new challenge to learn!
I gingerly began to run on the treadmill again. At first it was pretty painful, but I've been able to work through it, ice the knees, and add time each week. I used to run 3 miles daily, 6 days a week. That's not a lot to a runner, but you have to understand that I used to hate running. I developed a real love for it, but I don't have the body of a runner (short, stubby legs)! I can now run three miles again. It is still a stretch for me, usually I run a couple of times a week, only 2 miles each time.
A couple weeks ago, Andrea texted me saying I should do the triathlon at the local YMCA. I decided to try the route first, and if I did it, then commit!
In my next post, I'll tell how that went - my own personal triathlon in one afternoon!
The comeback from the Lymes and torn meniscus has taken a full year. It took a long time to even regain enough strength to do a weenie workout, let alone the kind of strength and cardio I used to do. As a personal trainer, I had pretty high standards for my exercise regimen, but I had to drastically lower them to find a bench mark from which to begin. I decided to try alternative cardio, so I took up swimming. I've always been scared of water, so this was a great undertaking. Once again, Andrea was there, cheering me on, giving me tips (I called her coach). I couldn't believe how far I came in just a few short months! My first day in the pool, I could only swim 3/4 of the way across before stopping, gasping for breath! After four months, I could swim 24 laps in one setting!
Then came spring and summer, and I decided to learn to bike! These adventures are mentioned in my blog "My Novice Mountain Biking Adventures" so I won't go into that here, but it has indeed been another new challenge to learn!
I gingerly began to run on the treadmill again. At first it was pretty painful, but I've been able to work through it, ice the knees, and add time each week. I used to run 3 miles daily, 6 days a week. That's not a lot to a runner, but you have to understand that I used to hate running. I developed a real love for it, but I don't have the body of a runner (short, stubby legs)! I can now run three miles again. It is still a stretch for me, usually I run a couple of times a week, only 2 miles each time.
A couple weeks ago, Andrea texted me saying I should do the triathlon at the local YMCA. I decided to try the route first, and if I did it, then commit!
In my next post, I'll tell how that went - my own personal triathlon in one afternoon!
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