G8r80's training / dieting / cycling / log

g8r80 said:
Swam again today 400 meters. This swimming stuff sure is taking away a lot of time and energy from other endeavors that would show more immediate gains, but I can't blow anyone away on the bike portion of a triathlon if I drown.

At this point, I am back to bilateral breathing and to focus on my technique, as weak as it is, I am recovering after each 25m length before resuming. Typically, this is takin 45 seconds, but I am hoping that will drop soon.

Inside, did 10x3 dumbbell curls before the wifey told me I had to go...

Hey FF, I was a little flat when I rode 40 miles on Wednesday, but I am planning on bringing it Saturday.
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I love your drive man! and that quote should be a bumper sticker:

"but I can't blow anyone away on the bike portion of a triathlon if I drown" hahahaa! There are many who feel like you! it WILLLLL get better, I promise. You are doing yourself a great service learning to breathe both sides. You never know when you might need to breathe that way in future open water conditions. I'm stoked for you!

Katie
 
NBS 4life said:
Yeah blow your air out your nose as flyinfree said. Also when you tumble turn if you simultaneosuly rotate and flip then it makes it a little easier to avoid water up your nose.
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BUT thats also bad form! :p

As you come to the wall take your last breath right after the black "T" on the bottom of the pool. Then take one more stroke without a breath before starting the flip. Begin the bubbles before you start to rotate and don't stop them even for a second until you're all the way rotated. Push off on your side or back with your hands up.
 
I'll give this a try today. I can remember doing something like this when I first started to learn the turn, but I would "run out" of air, so to speak, before I surfaced and had a chance to breathe with proper form. It kind of threw me off for a few strokes, but that was as a relative beginner and I did not have the lung capacity that I do now. It seemed to take a lot of volume going out in order to keep the water out, and I just ran out.

Thanks for the advice!
 
Flyinfree, his bud Eswardo (I think it's actually spelled Esuardo), I and a bunch of bike racers head out for a 50 mile jaunt. I am fine for the first 20 miles even after a couple of sprints to 28mph but my rear tire starts getting real wobbly and I am unable to maintain the constant 23 - 24 mph pace. I back off to catch my breath and assess the rear wheel and Flyinfree drops off to assist me. I had cannibalized this wheel from my backup bike after I destroyed my rear wheel and rear derailleur during the Horrible Hundred a couple of weeks ago. I rode 40 miles on this wheel on Wednesday and didn't notice anything but now half the spokes are loose, I mean really loose, like finger tight! I limp home and meet and chat with Esuardo. He tells me that for the first 4 months, this group dropped him every Saturday - just like I get dropped every Sunday on my Sunday rides.

The fact that Flyinfree hangs with these guys is a testament to his exceptional skills as a cyclist - even one who rode clipless pedals for the first time today...

Totals: 31 miles at 18 mph. The 18mph is deceptively slow as we were humming at 22 - 24 for much of it but made a couple of wrong turns which really hurt our average.

After my ride, I decorate my boat (actually I have 3 - a 25' Grady White cabin boat and two 17' Boston Whalers) for the Riverview Boat Parade. We come in 5th place out of 17 boats, but cash prizes are only awarded for the top 3 finishers. Oh well.

Finally, I stopped by the bike shop and picked up the wheels, Mavic Ksyrium Elites, to go with my Orbea Onix frame. I am buying a Sram Rival group set and then the local bike shop is gonna assemble it all, sell me the stem, seatpost, seat and bars and tape, and adjust it for me.

When all said and done, it will be very similar to the Onix TDF but with upgraded wheels .

No more broken derailleurs, no more broken spokes, no more loosened spokes, no more downtube shifters. I'm sooooo excited.
 
My avatar

I changed to this avatar of me (right) with three members, 2 original, of the Molly Hatchett band. They were a southern rock band out of Florida that was big during the 70s and was a contemporary of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
 
hey I know Ron Johnson- he owned the bar that Molley Hatchet debuted and played at weekly.

clipless peddles!! only because you gave a a pair of shoes! I forgot to add that to my log.

p.s. on this wim flip breathing refinement project-- you are swimming pretty fast. if you slow down a touch you will have more oxygen build up for the turn, then you can skip a breath like sparrow has advised. try to work your pace into a comfortable brethaing patter. At 45 second 50, i'd imagine you are in an oxygen deficit most of the time, hence your need to stop alot.
 
Sunday was a pack and fly day for me - Portland, OR - didn't get anything done. Monday I crashed after my class.

Tuesday: (2) 1/2 hour sessions on hotel stationary bike on highest hill setting (12 out of 12). Run 2 miles on treadmill at 9.5 min. miles - very boring, but too wet outside to run. 10x6 chest presses on hotel resistance machine.
 
Swam 1 km. I really concentrated on form and think I held good form today. I had to really gut this one out. Unfortunately, now that I have set a new PR I will be compelled to match this from now on :bncry:

Deadlift: 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x1, 295x1, 305x2. I have never done dls before, so I didn't even know at what weight to start. I think I can do a lot more than 305, but was worried about injuring my back.

Squats: 135x6, 185x6, 185x5

BP: 135x6, 155x6x3, 185x1

Barbell curls: 50x10x3

Stationary bike: 30 minutes at level 13/20
 
sparrow said:
BUT thats also bad form! :p

As you come to the wall take your last breath right after the black "T" on the bottom of the pool. Then take one more stroke without a breath before starting the flip. Begin the bubbles before you start to rotate and don't stop them even for a second until you're all the way rotated. Push off on your side or back with your hands up.
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Yeah thats what I said. BLOW YOUR AIR OUT WHILE YOU FLIP AND ROTATE SIMULTANEOUSLY :D which is what you said in more word lol :beerchug:
 
I was beat from flying back from Portland, OR, on the red-eye last night / this morning with only about 5 hours of sleep and I am getting up early tomorrow AM to go riding.

But, I worked on my swimming in my own 9m pool. Obviously, I can't do laps, but I went back to the drawing board and thought about my swimming and why I am so winded after about 40m:

1. My upper body muscles are fatiguing and demanding too much oxygen. Certainly true. This is a longterm improvement. Nothing to do in the shortterm.

2. I am not able to supply enough oxygen from my breathing. I think I will improve here, but I think my breathing is okay, if my muscles don't demand too much oxygen.

3. My kick doesn't provide enough propulsion. I tried various kicks across the pool with a boogie board, i.e., no arm strokes, and counted the kicks. Deep kicks to the surface cut the number of kicks needed. I think I was making short, choppy kicks below the water that didn't provide propulsion nor kept my legs up and made my body more hydrodynamic. The tough part of this is it doesn't feel natural, but I will concentrate on it.

4. My legs are demanding too much oxygen. I think my kicks have been inefficient, but my legs are not used to that stress. At night, I am going to practice kicking across the pool behind a boogie board with my head under water in a streamlined, swimming position.

I am still planning on using a swim coach, but I am eager to improve now.

What say ye, Sparrow? FF? NBS?
 
Rode 52 miles today at a 19.5 mph pace and hit 31 on the flats, but I felt lethargic and like crap the whole time. I think I am coming down with a cold and I need to fight that off. Throat is a little scratchy and I have that telltale white tongue. Ugh.

My cycling has not progressed over the last few months - as expected. The time and energy I have put into running and swimming have come from my cycling time and energy. This was my only ride this week, other than 1.5 hours on a stationary bike.
 
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This has been a lousy week for me with a perfect storm of depressing news.

First, I always get depressed at Christmas.

Second, I fought off a cold on Saturday through Monday.

Third, my older son had a major bout of depression yesterday that created a nasty stressful household yesterday evening and night.

Fourth, I am leaving the house at 6am and getting back at 8pm. When I. - walk in the door, dog-tired, the wife and daughter have pent-up plans for my evening when all I want to do is sleep.

Fifth, this is the historically slow time my business but all my bills come due at this time.

Sixth, I have two more days to go this week.

Finally, I have had no energy or time to work out this week.

Ughhh
 
I let my class go a little early and headed for the YMCA in the adjoining building. Flipped a coin whether to do weights or swim as I was behind on both. Swam. 1000m. Rested 30 - 60 seconds after every full lap (50m). By far my best showing to date.

I dropped off the Orbea frame, Sram Rival group, Ksyrium Elite wheels, seat and carbon fiber seatpost. The local bike shop is assembling the bike, adding the remaining components, and fitting it for me on Thursday and then I can ride her home. I'm sooooooo excited!
 
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I let this class out a little early as well and decided to hit the weights and then the pool.

Bench press: 155 x 6 x 3
Smith Machine: 180 x 6 x 3, 225 x 1
Squats: 135 x 6 x 3 (pathetic)
Bicep curls: 55x10, 65x10, 75x10x2 I think these were personal bests

Swam 400 meters. I was definitely upper body fatigued from the gym stuff and probably from yesterday's 1000m. Rested 15 seconds at each half lap (25m) and 30 - 60 seconds at each full lap (50m).
 
g8r80 said:
I let this class out a little early as well and decided to hit the weights and then the pool.

Bench press: 155 x 6 x 3
Smith Machine: 180 x 6 x 3, 225 x 1
Squats: 135 x 6 x 3 (pathetic)
Bicep curls: 55x10, 65x10, 75x10x2 I think these were personal bests

Swam 400 meters. I was definitely upper body fatigued from the gym stuff and probably from yesterday's 1000m. Rested 15 seconds at each half lap (25m) and 30 - 60 seconds at each full lap (50m).
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you are really sticking to thei G8r- mucho koodos to you. It is not easy to get into the pool and keeep trying. I did it to recover from an injury, but you are doing it out of sheer will!

As far as pace goes. try to find your pace. YOUR OWN PACE. When i swim hard, I can continue swimming and rest in "my pace."

Find "your pace"- Not relative to anything except where your mind body and spirit line up and allow you to swim continuously. think of things like how many strokes does it take me to cross the pool, verses how long. Think about letting your belly loose to get decent breaths, think about rolling your body to breath nice and smooth. Chill out a lil bit. consider being stranded out in the bay 5 miles out. would you sprint and rest, sprint and rest, or would you try and "settle in."

there is a very nice meditative place, peaceful quiet, water, womb type place to be found in endurance swimming. Try to find that place for you. Then you can increase the pace of "that place."

settle in g8r80- you can... allow yourself to breath easy.

trying to help free you up,
FF
 
good advice FF...the breathing is a lot easier with the proper rotation.

80...you may not think so, but it's hardcore to keep up with the training when you have what most others would consider an excuse to stay out of the gym or pool.

And DON'T ever consider your lifts pathetic. Over the course of your threads, you strike me as someone who lifts with proper form. Squats done properly blow the half squaters (not to mention the non-squaters) out of the water at double the weights. We all have our days. I know for me, lower split day is particularly difficult after a long swim...swimming really fatigues my abs and legs much more so than my upper half for some reason, and my squats and deadlifts usually suffer.

Keep it up! Your steadfastness is inspiring.
 
flyinfree said:
there is a very nice meditative place, peaceful quiet, water, womb type place to be found in endurance swimming. Try to find that place for you. Then you can increase the pace of "that place."

FF
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Well put and right on. Its just like anything else. You don't necessarily hop on a bike for the first time and go out as fast as you can, or strap on the running shoes and sprint right off the bat-you ease into it and go steady for a while until you have a good endurance base, THEN you start playing with some speed. Swimming is much more enjoyable when you can find that settling place where you can just kinda zone, enjoy the bubbles and the chaos of the world they drown out. It goes by much faster too. I too am proud of your dedication and sheer will in getting through the things you don't necessarily enjoy right now. You're tough.

As for the moods-I think a good majority of people are struggling with pieces of the same kind of depression. FF and I were talking about that fact the other day. This time of year is not only hard just because of the strong emotions and memories it brings up (good and bad), but also just cause its colder, darker and sort of that stark empty spot of the year before things rev up again in spring. Everything feels dead and dreary, including our own energy.

Anyway, just know you're not alone. I personally have already been hit with some of those blues myself.

Great job, keep it up!
 
Thanks for the words of encouragement, FF, Krodad and Sparrow. I appreciate it. One difference I find between cycling, running and swimming is that I while cycling or running, I can always slow down to 12 mph (cycling) or a 12min mile pace (running) to recover or finish. I feel that if I do not go at my current pace of 1 m/s (25 m for one length), my feet will get too heavy and I will lose hydrodynamics. Is it possible to swim slower than this and not get leg heavy or have to kick like crazy and exert more energy?

Krodad, yes, I try to practice good form - the last thing I need is to fall and hurt myself. I was focusing on weights for most of this year, until I met FF and he got me interested in triathlon training and Sparrow sealed the deal! I realize it is very hard if not impossible to learn to swim, maintain or improve your cycling, improve running and make lifting gains simultaneously. I am okay with this. As my training improves, I will find more energy and time to devote to lifting.

On the personal front, my older son's depression was a one-day thing and now he is fine. My 13yo daughter is excitedly counting the days until Christmas. And I put on a pair of 34" Wrangler jeans yesterday and was able to pull them down off my hips. I tried on another pair of 34s that I bought a couple of months ago and was not able to wear and am wearing them right now. They are a little snugger than I prefer, but I am getting close to my target pant size of a legitimate 33.

FF, I haven't played racquetball but once or twice this year. But, I'll go a round with ya. PM me for times. I should be available most of this week.

Richard
 
i only have a minute and i am off to a party.

Now we are talking. Yes you will "seemingly" sink in the back end. My feet rarely make a splash, except when i am pumping long strokes in a row, or when i am sprinting. BUT, that does not men I am sinking. Start stretchin the limits a bit and you may be surprised. Swim without using your feet at all. You really want to feel like you my sink?- bend you r knees all the way, heels on butt, and see what happens - you float better-- IT's amazing..

what i mean is try some stuff:

taking a long hard stroke and see how far you can glide. see how your lower back and abs can sustain your water angle. try and see how you float a bit higher when full of air, verses when empty. when you do a stroke, keep your next hand out front for a while. Play some, drag a finger accross the top of the water as you forward stroke... open your fingers as they dig thru the water, close them, cup them, feel the difference in pull.

bottom line- YOU are 80% water. Accept it! you are not a boat with a cpuple of oars on the side and a motor in back.

oh,, and with all these other things to think of and try, you may find you have put in quite a few laps without a "fight."

yes- I may get nekked and hum at some point ;)
 
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