G8r80's training / dieting / cycling / log

Be sure that even with the zoomers you are keeping good form. Putting your head down so you're looking at the bottom of the pool (so legs have a fighting chance to stay up), rotating and extending fully with each rotation and pull. Its easy to depend on some of these "enhancements" so that when you get rid of them, you actually swim worse than if you'd just not used them at all. They do serve a purpose, but they're not forever :)
 
How long is a yard in metres?

I have a few pool workouts that we get given for surf lifesaving if any of you swimmers are interested? Just another perspective from another country. I know I have learnt alot off you american folk.
 
Sparrow, one thing I started doing which is paying off is making deeper kicks. I used to have short, quick kicks which would tire me out. Now, I go a little slower and deeper and that seems to help. I try to make my feet hit the water, at least occasionally.

There is no doubt that with the zoomers it would be easy to let them take over and lose all form, as if you were snorkeling. So, I concentrate even harder when I have them on. I try to keep my head low by looking downward or no more than about a couple of meters in advance, while keeping the high elbows (my latest crusade) and listening to how my arm enters the water. If it is quiet and my hand makes few bubbles, I am pleased.

I think my pull buoy sessions have paid off as my shoulders and biceps have been going through a dull tiredness for much of this week, so it is time to take a day or two off.

For the first time since I started this endeavor, I can say "I'm pleased with my progress"! Now, I feel comfortable participating in a fresh water wetsuit-legal triathlon and will take another try at salt water swimming before this summer is over.

NBS, I have some swim plans that my coach gave me but I'd be interested in seeing how ya'll do it down under. A meter is 1.10 x yard, 10% more than a yard.
 
g8r80 said:
Rode 4 miles to YMCA on mountain bike.

1200 yards in the pool using the blue Zoomers. These wear me out faster than the pull buoy but I go faster - 25 seconds / 25 yards. Then, 100 yards with nothing and I remembered how bad of a swimmer I am without "enhancements", i.e., pull buoy, Zoomers, or a wetsuit.

lat pulldowns: 10x3
bench press: 135x6, 155x6, 135x6
33 minutes on stationary bike - busted my @$$ but was 2 minutes off my pb on this particular ride - rats!

Rode 4 miles home.
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NOW you are finding the "multi-discpiline" groove baby! VERY nice! It's a lifestyle and you have the "bug."

ride withour your shirt, and let the cat calls begin!

XOXOXOXO :luxlove:
FF
 
Todd, I don't know how many cat calls my 49yo scarred body is going to elicit...

Yesterday was a travel day. I am in Anchorage, Alaska this week.

Today: 4.5 miles to YMCA on bike, 1650 yards (1500 m) in pool (with zoomers but no wetsuit), 6.2 miles on treadmill, 4.5 miles back, 16 miles on stationary bike in hotel = Olympic length triathlon. My first as a practice run.
 
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I was burned out Wednesday and fell asleep in the hotel. I guess I earned that.

Today, I was motivated to make up for yesterday. I ran 5K on the treadmill (29:30) in the morning before work. After work, I rode 5 miles to the YMCA, swam 1 mile in 50 minutes (2:05/100 yards + :10 rest) with the zoomers, ran another 5K on the treadmill (just under 28 minutes). and rode 5 miles back to the hotel. Hamstrings got real tired with the zoomers, so I guess the zoomers are doing what they're supposed to do, i.e., helping my legs "remember" how to kick when I stop using them and developing the musculature for a better kick without sacrificing my bike and run "legs".
 
Today was a weight and run day.

Lat pulldowns: 120#x10x3

Chinups: 4, 3. These were the first I had done since my surgery and I paid the price. My chest hurt afterwards and I don't know if it's the sternum or the musculature, so to play it safe, I won't do these again until October 4, the 6th month anniversary of my surgery.

Bench press: 135#x10. Left rotator cuff started hurting like a mutha so I stopped. I think my shoulder is sore from the swimming, but ironically my shoulder doesn't hurt when I swim. I tried some pushups and the shoulder hurt with those also.

Bicep dumbbell curls: 25# x 10 x 3

Cable flies: 45#x10x3. Didn't hurt chest, so I will do these to work on my pecs.

Shrugs: 50# x 10 x 3

5k run 27:57. 141 avg., 150 max. I want to be down to 27 flat in the next month or so.

I was gonna ride the stationary bike at the gym and was gonna do 10K, but I was flat worn out. This was a hard week.
 
Yesterday, I was busy with business stuff, so let's call it a rest day.

Today, the alarm went off at 6am and I was gonna ride with the fast guys. But after breakfast, I just didn't have it in me and if you don't bring your A game (or even if you do), these guys will drop you like 3rd period French.

So, instead I did a spin class. 45:00. This was my first post-surgery class and I didn't go as hard as I could as I didn't feel I needed to. (I do 8 - 12 hours of hard cardio per week.) Then, swam 1800 yards in 34 minutes with the blue Zoomers. I took a :10 rest after each 100 yards and felt fine. (By comparison, in October, it took me over an hour to do 1000 yards and had to rest :30 after each 25 yards). I was pleased with this time.

There is a local sprint tri on August 16 that I am considering. It will not be wetsuit legal but is salt water. I have not had pleasant salt water open swimming experiences before but I am gonna go to the beach next weekend and if I can go 600m without drinking too much salt water, I will register for that tri.
 
g8r80 said:
Then, swam 1800 yards in 34 minutes with the blue Zoomers. I took a :10 rest after each 100 yards and felt fine. (By comparison, in October, it took me over an hour to do 1000 yards and had to rest :30 after each 25 yards). I was pleased with this time.
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Huge congrats on the improvement on the swim. I am in the same boat now that you were in October. I hope to get some improvement soon. That is really great getting in 1800 yards in only 34 mins!
 
Thanks Drex. That was with the blue Zoomers. I am okay as long as each swim is Zoomer legal, pull buoy legal or wetsuit legal!;)

I was real busy with my business stuff the last two days and didn't get any workout stuff done.

Yesterday, I missed lunch and only had a peanut sandwich before I went swimming and it showed in my performance. I was gasping and struggled to get started, but once I got going, I felt okay. I was gonna do 1800 yards but they shut down the pool because of lightning after 1700 yards. Total time: 44 minutes.
 
Sounds like you are pretty in tune with your body and listen to it. VERY SMART!!! That's one reason you'll continue to improve and likely do it without injury.

Keep up the impressive work. I hope ole JDie knows what he had gotten himself into, hehehe.
 
This was a tough week for me. When I do a local training class it is harder than when I am out of town as I come home and have familial responsibilities.

Yesterday: all work

Today: 1800 yards in pool, the first 600 with blue Zoomers and the last 1200 with a pull buoy. The Zoomers wear me out! Also, I have been doing some stretching procedures to improve my kick.

Then, 14 miles on the mountain bike.

Then 5K run. Avg. HR 137, Max 146
 
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Nice workout G8R. It is so hard for me to focus on working out when I'm at home. Take your workout stuff to your local trainings then go to the gym from there. Simply too many distractions/obligations at home.

Off to post in the team journal.
 
Great progress G8r. Running and swimming are really coming along. You are getting so strong!
 
Thanks Sparrow. That means a lot to me coming from you...

Today at the gym:

- db bench press: 35(x2)x10, 50(x2)x10, 50(x2)x10, 50(x2)x6 (to fatigue - dropped the left db)
- supinated lat pulldowns: 150x10, 180x6x4
- 19.5 miles on stationary bike,. Kept bike in higher gear than I am comfortable with to develop power, my weakness on the bike.

Practiced 200 yards in home pool with sleeveless wetsuit for next Sunday's tri. I will practice some more with the pullover as well to see which will work best for me. Water will be 72F.
 
Yesterday and today were tough work days. I was too tired yesterday but managed a 30min stationary bike 5k brick workout tonight.
 
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