...was last night, and I felt really great in the water. At least for the swimming part. The ball-handling part, not so much. The team is playing together really nicely, and there are some darn fast swimmers who are coming to the workouts now (who I can just about keep up with), but again - while I can get down the pool quickly, once I get the ball I have no idea what to do with it. I think I turned it over like five times last night. Oops.
It was a nice 1.5-hour workout, and it was really nice that I wasn't thinking about the fact that it was a workout. I had fun playing a game instead of focusing on this tri thing.
Of course, today I am working from home (trying to finish a paper to submit! Yay!), and am going to SF this weekend (so will be missing the big TNT workout Saturday morning), so I took the opportunity to get in a bike/run workout. I repeated the ~22-mile Portola loop bike route from a few weeks ago, and added what turned out to be a 43-minute, 3.4-mile trail run. That's 12-minute-36-second miles for those of you paying attention! On trails! After a big bike ride! I have to say I'm happy with that performance, and with about 8 weeks to go I feel like I'll be ready for whatever this tri throws at me.
Except maybe heat and humidity, but I can't really train for that. Unless I put the treadmill/bike trainer in the bathroom and workout with the shower on so it's all steamy.
Or I'll just deal when I get to Hawaii.
P.S. Hawaii tickets are purchased! Anyone interested? We arrive Thursday March 25 and leave Tuesday March 30...
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The Hardest Miles
I went to an "extra" TNT track workout today. There were three workouts to choose from - a 3-mile, a 4-mile, or a 5-mile run, broken up into 800-meter (two lap) sections with exercises in between (crunches, lunges, etc). The trick - and oh what a trick it was - was that instead of doing a ladder set where we increase our distance (so a 200, 400, 800, 1200, 1600, and back down), the "ladder" was an increase/decrease in intensity. I've been running over 5 miles pretty comfortably, albeit not quickly, so I figured I'd do the 4-mile workout. However, after finishing the first two 800s I knew there was no way I would be able to finish a 4-mile workout at a faster pace. I'm not used to actively pacing my runs, and certainly not used to running a half-mile at a faster-than-normal pace.
The first 800 was at a pace that was comfortable to talk at (ha), or a slow jog. Slow jog is the usual for me, and I wasn't sure how I would increase my speed and maintain it. The second 800 (after some core-strengthening activity I am forgetting at the moment) was five to ten seconds faster than the first - at a pace that made talking difficult but not impossible. (Personally I find talking while running impossible at all times, but whatever.) The third 800 (after some crunches) was as fast as you could go. Then, thankfully, a 30-second rest (I may have extended this by another 30 seconds...) before jumping right into another 800 as fast as you could go. Then lunges and another 800 a bit slower, more core work and thankfully the last 800 at the casual jog pace.
I figured out that if I treat running like swimming I can actually get a real pace out of myself. I tried to lengthen my short little stride and to slow down my legs, so instead of frantically spinning my legs and taking short steps I was trying to take longer, slower strides. And believe it or not, it worked! My pace on the first 800 was about 5:30 (an 11-minute mile), the second was 5:03, and the third was 4:45! That's a 9-minute-30-second mile! Then, of course, I couldn't keep that pace up, and ended with something like a 5:10, a 5:20, and a 5:35, but there was actual pacing going on.
Now, my legs feel like they are going to fall off. Seriously, they hurt. They hurt badly. I'm afraid to go to bed and be inactive for the evening because I know when I get up tomorrow they'll be screaming at me.
8 weeks and counting! Woo!
The first 800 was at a pace that was comfortable to talk at (ha), or a slow jog. Slow jog is the usual for me, and I wasn't sure how I would increase my speed and maintain it. The second 800 (after some core-strengthening activity I am forgetting at the moment) was five to ten seconds faster than the first - at a pace that made talking difficult but not impossible. (Personally I find talking while running impossible at all times, but whatever.) The third 800 (after some crunches) was as fast as you could go. Then, thankfully, a 30-second rest (I may have extended this by another 30 seconds...) before jumping right into another 800 as fast as you could go. Then lunges and another 800 a bit slower, more core work and thankfully the last 800 at the casual jog pace.
I figured out that if I treat running like swimming I can actually get a real pace out of myself. I tried to lengthen my short little stride and to slow down my legs, so instead of frantically spinning my legs and taking short steps I was trying to take longer, slower strides. And believe it or not, it worked! My pace on the first 800 was about 5:30 (an 11-minute mile), the second was 5:03, and the third was 4:45! That's a 9-minute-30-second mile! Then, of course, I couldn't keep that pace up, and ended with something like a 5:10, a 5:20, and a 5:35, but there was actual pacing going on.
Now, my legs feel like they are going to fall off. Seriously, they hurt. They hurt badly. I'm afraid to go to bed and be inactive for the evening because I know when I get up tomorrow they'll be screaming at me.
8 weeks and counting! Woo!
Auction!
Okay kids, the auction is up and running! Check it out at:
http://tntauction-megan.blogspot.com/
ALL proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! Instructions for bidding are on the blog - auction ends on February 2nd at 10:00PM!
There's some great stuff on there, including two-night stays at hotels in San Francisco, a one-night stay in a fancy hotel in downtown San Jose, a basket of hair products and a gift ceritificate for services from an amazing salon in Saratoga, a Keen bag, and women's cycling clothes and wetsuit! Go forth and bid!
Good luck!
http://tntauction-megan.blogspot.com/
ALL proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! Instructions for bidding are on the blog - auction ends on February 2nd at 10:00PM!
There's some great stuff on there, including two-night stays at hotels in San Francisco, a one-night stay in a fancy hotel in downtown San Jose, a basket of hair products and a gift ceritificate for services from an amazing salon in Saratoga, a Keen bag, and women's cycling clothes and wetsuit! Go forth and bid!
Good luck!
Swimming in the Rain (again!)
There was a "Captain's Swim" last night at the Santa Clara pool - I might join their Master's program after this is all over. There are three pools, one (the kids' pool I believe) covered by one of those awful "bubbles," and two outdoor - one is a diving tank so is quite deep. They have 1 and 3 meter springboard diving boards and the full set of platforms (5m, 7.5m, and 10m). Last night there were a ton of people swimming with the Master's group, some age-group (under 18) swimmers, divers, and a synchronized swimming team that were all practicing at the same time. It was totally fun to watch - I forgot how much I love aquatic sports!
We hopped in after everyone else was out, at 7:30, and swam 2650 yards in about an hour. I was in the fastest lane and led the lane (that makes me happy, mostly because I pay more attention to what I'm swimming when I go first and am "in charge" of the timing and how much we have left to go!). It was a good set, with lots of drills at the front end and some middle-distance at the back end. I didnt' swim very hard but was focusing more on my stroke technique, which is something I tend to ignore. The workout as as follows:
400 warm-up
6 x 50, drill/swim
6 x 75, kick/drill/swim
Ladder set of:
50, 100, 200, 400, 400, 200, 100, 50
Total yardage: 2650
I have also rediscovered the joy of my big fuzzy inside/waterproof outside blue-and-yellow water polo parka from college (thank goodness I saved that thing!). So warm! Last night after the workout I didn't even shower, I just put the parka on right over my suit, threw on my fuzzy slippers and hopped in the car to drive home and take a real shower. It was great!
I finally found the new workout calendar online and have it posted by my desk at work to stay motivated. Today is a track workout, tomorrow I'll finally go back to water polo, and Thursday morning I might come to work late and do a nice long bike/run in the morning. Friday morning I'll likely run, then we head to San Francisco for the weekend with some friends to see Wicked! Hope there's a gym at the hotel so I can get on the treadmill!
We hopped in after everyone else was out, at 7:30, and swam 2650 yards in about an hour. I was in the fastest lane and led the lane (that makes me happy, mostly because I pay more attention to what I'm swimming when I go first and am "in charge" of the timing and how much we have left to go!). It was a good set, with lots of drills at the front end and some middle-distance at the back end. I didnt' swim very hard but was focusing more on my stroke technique, which is something I tend to ignore. The workout as as follows:
400 warm-up
6 x 50, drill/swim
6 x 75, kick/drill/swim
Ladder set of:
50, 100, 200, 400, 400, 200, 100, 50
Total yardage: 2650
I have also rediscovered the joy of my big fuzzy inside/waterproof outside blue-and-yellow water polo parka from college (thank goodness I saved that thing!). So warm! Last night after the workout I didn't even shower, I just put the parka on right over my suit, threw on my fuzzy slippers and hopped in the car to drive home and take a real shower. It was great!
I finally found the new workout calendar online and have it posted by my desk at work to stay motivated. Today is a track workout, tomorrow I'll finally go back to water polo, and Thursday morning I might come to work late and do a nice long bike/run in the morning. Friday morning I'll likely run, then we head to San Francisco for the weekend with some friends to see Wicked! Hope there's a gym at the hotel so I can get on the treadmill!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Putting it all together...
I feel like I have the individual components down - I can certainly swim 1500 meters no problem, probably even in open water in Hawaii, I can bike 24 miles (we did ~26 on Saturday!), and I can run 6ish miles. However, I worry about putting it all together - especially the run. Especially in the heat that will be Hawaii (compared to San Jose in the winter Hawaii will feel, well - tropical!)!
My goal for the next couple of week is to try and fit in a few really long workouts where I combine two of the three elements. So far my longest double workouts have been a 1000-yard swim followed by a 26-mile bike, and a 22-mile bike followed by a 20-minute run. I have a busy week through Wednesday, but am going to try and take either Thursday morning or Friday morning off and get in a long bike and a long run to try and improve in the running-after-biking area. That is definitely my weakest part and because the run is last, I am scared. I will be tired, it will be hot...
I'm in better shape than a lot of people who are doing this, but I still don't feel 100% comfortable or quite ready. Thank goodness for the remaining 8 or so weeks of training. I think they'll go by too quickly for my comfort!
My goal for the next couple of week is to try and fit in a few really long workouts where I combine two of the three elements. So far my longest double workouts have been a 1000-yard swim followed by a 26-mile bike, and a 22-mile bike followed by a 20-minute run. I have a busy week through Wednesday, but am going to try and take either Thursday morning or Friday morning off and get in a long bike and a long run to try and improve in the running-after-biking area. That is definitely my weakest part and because the run is last, I am scared. I will be tired, it will be hot...
I'm in better shape than a lot of people who are doing this, but I still don't feel 100% comfortable or quite ready. Thank goodness for the remaining 8 or so weeks of training. I think they'll go by too quickly for my comfort!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Eddie Izzard and My Arms
Last night Rob and I went to see Eddie Izzard in Oakland - the show was amazing and he had the crowd laughing for three hours straight. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
Before the show started, I was waiting in line for the restroom, and the woman behind me asked if I was a swimmer. I said yes and asked how she knew, and she told me I had great arms (I was wearing a sleeveless top - and my new size 8 pants! Woo woo!)!
It was very validating to get a compliment like that from a total stranger - made my night!
Before the show started, I was waiting in line for the restroom, and the woman behind me asked if I was a swimmer. I said yes and asked how she knew, and she told me I had great arms (I was wearing a sleeveless top - and my new size 8 pants! Woo woo!)!
It was very validating to get a compliment like that from a total stranger - made my night!
5.8 Miles!
...of running, that is! Sorry for the boring post, this is mostly for my records.
I was worried about my running so I went for distance this morning and felt pretty darn good doing it! I tried to get my splits every time I turned, so here are some distances:
I walked ~0.4 miles in about 6 minutes as a warm up, then ran the following:
1.48 miles in 17 minutes and 3 seconds (~11 minute 30 second mile time)
0.665 miles in 7 minutes 56 seconds (there were hills; ~12 minute mile time)
0.168 miles in 2 minutes 6 seconds (~12 minute 30 seconds mile time, again big hill!)
0.67 miles in 8 minutes 6 seconds (HILL! ~12 minute mile time)
0.77 miles in 8 minutes 24 seconds (10 minute 54 second mile time, clearly this was downhill)
0.92 miles in 10 minutes 38 seconds (11 minute 30 second mile time)
0.66 miles in 6 minutes 59 seconds (10 minute 30ish second mile time)
Total distance = 5.8 miles (including my warmup walk)
Average speed = 11 minute 36 second miles
Not too bad - I've been claiming I run 12-minute miles so that's pretty good!
I was worried about my running so I went for distance this morning and felt pretty darn good doing it! I tried to get my splits every time I turned, so here are some distances:
I walked ~0.4 miles in about 6 minutes as a warm up, then ran the following:
1.48 miles in 17 minutes and 3 seconds (~11 minute 30 second mile time)
0.665 miles in 7 minutes 56 seconds (there were hills; ~12 minute mile time)
0.168 miles in 2 minutes 6 seconds (~12 minute 30 seconds mile time, again big hill!)
0.67 miles in 8 minutes 6 seconds (HILL! ~12 minute mile time)
0.77 miles in 8 minutes 24 seconds (10 minute 54 second mile time, clearly this was downhill)
0.92 miles in 10 minutes 38 seconds (11 minute 30 second mile time)
0.66 miles in 6 minutes 59 seconds (10 minute 30ish second mile time)
Total distance = 5.8 miles (including my warmup walk)
Average speed = 11 minute 36 second miles
Not too bad - I've been claiming I run 12-minute miles so that's pretty good!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The Science of Cycling
The scientific question posed:
Is it possible to get frostbite/hypothermia while cycling?
Hypothesis:
Yes.
Experimental evidence:
Two weekends in a row, two long bike rides, both times the front halves of my feet were so cold they were completely numb and took an entire hour to defrost fully. Additionally, because I sweat so much, post-ride I shiver uncontrollably even though the heat is on in my car full blast.
I got off the bike just after noon today. It is now 2PM. I just now feel relatively warm, but I am wearing fleece everything and a wool hat and the heat in the house is cranked.
We began this morning with a lovely swim at 9AM. Somewhat surprisingly, I was the fastest one in the pool. Swimming is the only part of the triathlon that I'm good at, and it's disproportionately the shortest part. Damn. Anyway, the swim was pretty short - I think we got in maybe a hair over 1000 yards today and it wasn't that hard - definitely geared towards non-swimmers, but a good fast workout nonetheless.
However, then we hopped on the bike for our out-and-back ride of 55-60 minutes each way, which turned out to be about 26.2 miles for me. It took me two hours, so I can safely assume the ride in Kona will also take about two hours (that sounds hard). The route is below:
It's been raining like hell here and so was wet and the bike lanes were full of detritus (lots of downed pine needles and branches and such), and there was quite a bit of traffic, which was exciting. I rode out with the "Fastest" group, using my same logic that I'd rather start early and get passed than start later and finish much later. I still don't know why they send the fastest group out first...
Anyway, I'm glad I went with the fastest group because I rode the same distance that they all did - longer than the other groups. It's fun - even though I get passed, I always seem to end up with someone who's just about my pace and try to keep up with them. It's a nice challenge, keeps me focued on actually pedaling hard, and makes the time go by much faster. They also have a "SAG wagon" (I have no idea what that stands for or if I'm even spelling it right) - essentially a couple people pile into an SUV and drive the route over and over to make sure everyone's okay and to offer encouragement in the form of honking and yelling "WOO!" out the windows. Makes me laugh.
Because the roads were so wet, everyone was covered in dirty splatter - my legs were covered, I have a gritty face, and we all have the "racing stripe" of dirt up our backs from the back tire. That was fun when I went to Baja Fresh afterwards; it's hard to stand with your back to the wall while enjoying the Salsa Bar and refilling your Diet Coke. I think people were staring. Lots of people had flat tires too. Apparently I have better detritus-dodging skills because my tires returned intact. That's especially good because I have no idea how to change a flat.
Finishing the ride is the best part - today the sun finally came out and it started to warm up. There was a "Hang with the Gang" after the workout, but I skipped out because I was ravenous and afraid I might try to eat the leather on my running shoes for lack of anything else. Those little Shot Blocks just don't cut it after a two-hour ride! So off to Baja Fresh for me, then home, where I had to strip in the garage so I didn't track mud into the house. I wrapped up in a fuzzy robe and another blanket, ate my burrito, and watched some figure skating, which didn't help me warm up at all.
Tonight Rob and I are going to see Eddie Izzard in Oakland - very excited! Tomorrow is another bike ride but I might skip it and go for a run instead - I have a lovely 6-mile loop that I might try to crank out in the morning. I'm also trying to get Rob to buy a bike - he has some knee problems and biking might be the perfect solution - so am hoping tomorrow I might get to shop vicariously... Then we can do bike workouts together in the garage (he'd need a trainer too) - how funny would that be?!
Whew. I need a nap. And maybe another snack...
Is it possible to get frostbite/hypothermia while cycling?
Hypothesis:
Yes.
Experimental evidence:
Two weekends in a row, two long bike rides, both times the front halves of my feet were so cold they were completely numb and took an entire hour to defrost fully. Additionally, because I sweat so much, post-ride I shiver uncontrollably even though the heat is on in my car full blast.
I got off the bike just after noon today. It is now 2PM. I just now feel relatively warm, but I am wearing fleece everything and a wool hat and the heat in the house is cranked.
We began this morning with a lovely swim at 9AM. Somewhat surprisingly, I was the fastest one in the pool. Swimming is the only part of the triathlon that I'm good at, and it's disproportionately the shortest part. Damn. Anyway, the swim was pretty short - I think we got in maybe a hair over 1000 yards today and it wasn't that hard - definitely geared towards non-swimmers, but a good fast workout nonetheless.
However, then we hopped on the bike for our out-and-back ride of 55-60 minutes each way, which turned out to be about 26.2 miles for me. It took me two hours, so I can safely assume the ride in Kona will also take about two hours (that sounds hard). The route is below:
It's been raining like hell here and so was wet and the bike lanes were full of detritus (lots of downed pine needles and branches and such), and there was quite a bit of traffic, which was exciting. I rode out with the "Fastest" group, using my same logic that I'd rather start early and get passed than start later and finish much later. I still don't know why they send the fastest group out first...
Anyway, I'm glad I went with the fastest group because I rode the same distance that they all did - longer than the other groups. It's fun - even though I get passed, I always seem to end up with someone who's just about my pace and try to keep up with them. It's a nice challenge, keeps me focued on actually pedaling hard, and makes the time go by much faster. They also have a "SAG wagon" (I have no idea what that stands for or if I'm even spelling it right) - essentially a couple people pile into an SUV and drive the route over and over to make sure everyone's okay and to offer encouragement in the form of honking and yelling "WOO!" out the windows. Makes me laugh.
Because the roads were so wet, everyone was covered in dirty splatter - my legs were covered, I have a gritty face, and we all have the "racing stripe" of dirt up our backs from the back tire. That was fun when I went to Baja Fresh afterwards; it's hard to stand with your back to the wall while enjoying the Salsa Bar and refilling your Diet Coke. I think people were staring. Lots of people had flat tires too. Apparently I have better detritus-dodging skills because my tires returned intact. That's especially good because I have no idea how to change a flat.
Finishing the ride is the best part - today the sun finally came out and it started to warm up. There was a "Hang with the Gang" after the workout, but I skipped out because I was ravenous and afraid I might try to eat the leather on my running shoes for lack of anything else. Those little Shot Blocks just don't cut it after a two-hour ride! So off to Baja Fresh for me, then home, where I had to strip in the garage so I didn't track mud into the house. I wrapped up in a fuzzy robe and another blanket, ate my burrito, and watched some figure skating, which didn't help me warm up at all.
Tonight Rob and I are going to see Eddie Izzard in Oakland - very excited! Tomorrow is another bike ride but I might skip it and go for a run instead - I have a lovely 6-mile loop that I might try to crank out in the morning. I'm also trying to get Rob to buy a bike - he has some knee problems and biking might be the perfect solution - so am hoping tomorrow I might get to shop vicariously... Then we can do bike workouts together in the garage (he'd need a trainer too) - how funny would that be?!
Whew. I need a nap. And maybe another snack...
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Running, Biking, and "Swiiiimming in the Rain!" (Sing it, you know you want to!)
Tuesday night was the TNT track workout - it was wet and cold, but thankfully we were spared the rain for the duration of the workout. After the requisite standing-around time (which I tried hard to avoid by staying in my nice warm car - but I still stood for about 10 minutes before the workout actually began), we had a ten minute warmup jog (which I am counting as part of the workout). I wore my watch and timed it - I ran a mile in about a 10 minutes and 30 seconds, which felt really fast for me. My legs are not what they were pre-Costa Rica, so I was pretty impressed with that. My goal was to actually run the entire workout, no cheating, and to complete the entire thing.
After the warmup we did some drills: 50 yards of butt-kicks (just what they sound like) and 50 yards slow jog, 50 yards of high knees (I find that one especially hard and the tops of my thighs are screaming after this one) and 50 yards of slow jog, 50 yards of "fast feet" and 50 yards slow jog, and 100 yards of buildup to a sprint (I am a slow distance runner but a fast sprinter for someone who's 5'2", so I have to say I took no small amount of satisfaction from blowing by everyone near the end of that part!). So that's 400 yards (or one full lap, or one-quarter mile) of drills to get the heart rate up.
Then - the main set! We had a ladder set of 400, 800, 1200, 1600, 1200, 800, 400 (or 1 lap, 2 laps, 3 laps, 4 laps, 3 laps, 2 laps, 1 lap) for a total of four miles. In between we walked or slow jogged 1/4 lap as "active recovery," then started the next set. Our goal was to keep our pace pretty constant.
My pace - slow and steady! Every lap was between 2:45 and 2:55, which puts me between an 11-minute and 11:40-minute mile - not too bad! I've been claiming 12-minute miles, so I'm happy with that pacing. And I was consistent.
However, I was determined to do the entire thing - there were people lapping me, but there were also people (walkers, mostly) I was lapping. At 50 minutes, the coach told us we could stop, but I had a lap left. Almost everyone else threw in the proverbial towel at that point and was drinking hot chocolate on the sidelines while a few of us were still running. Because I am stupid about this stuff, I got annoyed that the walkers were finished first. I know, I know - not a competition! It's hard, though, to watch people lap you and finish so early, then to watch the people you've lapped also finish early... But I was proud of myself that I did the entire thing - without cheating or stopping! My legs felt like they were going to fall off, but I did it! It was 5.25 miles total (with warmup). I think I'll get my legs back rather quickly, at least I hope so!
Last night was supposed to be water polo or a TNT swim workout - both of which were cancelled due to electrical storms. At home, feeling motivated (mostly not wanting to cook dinner and looking for other things to do), I hopped on my bike in the garage and put on a Spinervals DVD - it was 50 minutes of a workout designed to help your sprint, which means it was a bunch of quick hard intervals with "lots" of rest in between. For example, you shift to a hard gear and pedal like hell for ten seconds, then shift to an easy gear and spin for 50 seconds. Sounds like a lot of rest, no? After then tenth one 50 seconds feels like nothing and 10 seconds hurts like hell! Near the end of the workout they have you hop off the bike and put on running shoes and do plyometric jumps. Essentially you put your hands behind your head, squat down, and then jump as high as you can, over and over and over, for 3 sets of 30 seconds with two minutes of light pedaling on the bike in between - "to flush the lactic acid out of your legs." How bad can 30 seconds be? I was dying ten seconds into the first one - apparently my leg strength is not great. And as for the lactic acid flush - there is definitely some lactic acid in my legs today. Like so much it hurts to go down stairs so I'm trying to do it stiff-legged. I look very graceful.
I came off the bike (skipping the last two minutes of the cool-down) and hopped right onto the treadmill for a 22-minute (or one episode of Entourage, my new favorite show) run that included some brisk walking when I thought my legs might shatter and fall off. I came inside and as I was stretching Rob said, "Looks like a good workout - look at that sweat!" Made me feel very attractive.
Today it's raining like hell but I was determined to get a swim in, so I called the pool to make sure they were open, set up some reactions, and walked down there in the rain. My pants got soaked and my waterproof jacket's limits were tested, but it's not freezing cold and I actually enjoy swimming in the rain. The pool was extremely empty, and for a while I was the only person in there. It's really meditative to just concentrate on your breathing, listen to the whoosh of the water past your ears, and to feel the plink-plink of water droplets on your arms and head as you swim. Very fun. And, to my extreme surprise, I felt just great in the water! The initial pinching I feel in my shoulders as I warm up took longer to go away, and it was clear that my endurance has suffered, but my pacing was spot on and I did a longer workout much faster than I thought I would be able to. Because I wanted to get yardage under my belt and work on pacing, I did the following workout:
All freestyle:
800 yards
2 x 400 yards, 15 seconds rest between
4 x 200 yards, 15 seconds rest between
8 x 100 yards, 15 seconds rest between
Total yardage: 3200!
I timed each 100 in each set and was pretty impressed with how close my times were, even for the later swims where I was tired. The last 8 100's were tough - I ended up with 100 times of 1:27.30, 1:28.17, 1:28.72, 1:31.15 (I got really tired here!), 1:29.63, 1:30.72, 1:30.03, and 1:26.02 (I gave myself an extra ten seconds of rest before the last one to try and have it be my fastest - and it was!). I was within four seconds on each one, and was just shocked that I was able to do that after three-plus weeks out of the water. Yay swimming!
I'm planning on doubling up my workouts today and getting back on the bike when I get home today for a less-intense for "distance" focused workout. Of course, all of my biking DVDs are sprint ones, so maybe I'll just do those but decrease the intensity a bit.
Feeling good! Back in the swing of things!
After the warmup we did some drills: 50 yards of butt-kicks (just what they sound like) and 50 yards slow jog, 50 yards of high knees (I find that one especially hard and the tops of my thighs are screaming after this one) and 50 yards of slow jog, 50 yards of "fast feet" and 50 yards slow jog, and 100 yards of buildup to a sprint (I am a slow distance runner but a fast sprinter for someone who's 5'2", so I have to say I took no small amount of satisfaction from blowing by everyone near the end of that part!). So that's 400 yards (or one full lap, or one-quarter mile) of drills to get the heart rate up.
Then - the main set! We had a ladder set of 400, 800, 1200, 1600, 1200, 800, 400 (or 1 lap, 2 laps, 3 laps, 4 laps, 3 laps, 2 laps, 1 lap) for a total of four miles. In between we walked or slow jogged 1/4 lap as "active recovery," then started the next set. Our goal was to keep our pace pretty constant.
My pace - slow and steady! Every lap was between 2:45 and 2:55, which puts me between an 11-minute and 11:40-minute mile - not too bad! I've been claiming 12-minute miles, so I'm happy with that pacing. And I was consistent.
However, I was determined to do the entire thing - there were people lapping me, but there were also people (walkers, mostly) I was lapping. At 50 minutes, the coach told us we could stop, but I had a lap left. Almost everyone else threw in the proverbial towel at that point and was drinking hot chocolate on the sidelines while a few of us were still running. Because I am stupid about this stuff, I got annoyed that the walkers were finished first. I know, I know - not a competition! It's hard, though, to watch people lap you and finish so early, then to watch the people you've lapped also finish early... But I was proud of myself that I did the entire thing - without cheating or stopping! My legs felt like they were going to fall off, but I did it! It was 5.25 miles total (with warmup). I think I'll get my legs back rather quickly, at least I hope so!
Last night was supposed to be water polo or a TNT swim workout - both of which were cancelled due to electrical storms. At home, feeling motivated (mostly not wanting to cook dinner and looking for other things to do), I hopped on my bike in the garage and put on a Spinervals DVD - it was 50 minutes of a workout designed to help your sprint, which means it was a bunch of quick hard intervals with "lots" of rest in between. For example, you shift to a hard gear and pedal like hell for ten seconds, then shift to an easy gear and spin for 50 seconds. Sounds like a lot of rest, no? After then tenth one 50 seconds feels like nothing and 10 seconds hurts like hell! Near the end of the workout they have you hop off the bike and put on running shoes and do plyometric jumps. Essentially you put your hands behind your head, squat down, and then jump as high as you can, over and over and over, for 3 sets of 30 seconds with two minutes of light pedaling on the bike in between - "to flush the lactic acid out of your legs." How bad can 30 seconds be? I was dying ten seconds into the first one - apparently my leg strength is not great. And as for the lactic acid flush - there is definitely some lactic acid in my legs today. Like so much it hurts to go down stairs so I'm trying to do it stiff-legged. I look very graceful.
I came off the bike (skipping the last two minutes of the cool-down) and hopped right onto the treadmill for a 22-minute (or one episode of Entourage, my new favorite show) run that included some brisk walking when I thought my legs might shatter and fall off. I came inside and as I was stretching Rob said, "Looks like a good workout - look at that sweat!" Made me feel very attractive.
Today it's raining like hell but I was determined to get a swim in, so I called the pool to make sure they were open, set up some reactions, and walked down there in the rain. My pants got soaked and my waterproof jacket's limits were tested, but it's not freezing cold and I actually enjoy swimming in the rain. The pool was extremely empty, and for a while I was the only person in there. It's really meditative to just concentrate on your breathing, listen to the whoosh of the water past your ears, and to feel the plink-plink of water droplets on your arms and head as you swim. Very fun. And, to my extreme surprise, I felt just great in the water! The initial pinching I feel in my shoulders as I warm up took longer to go away, and it was clear that my endurance has suffered, but my pacing was spot on and I did a longer workout much faster than I thought I would be able to. Because I wanted to get yardage under my belt and work on pacing, I did the following workout:
All freestyle:
800 yards
2 x 400 yards, 15 seconds rest between
4 x 200 yards, 15 seconds rest between
8 x 100 yards, 15 seconds rest between
Total yardage: 3200!
I timed each 100 in each set and was pretty impressed with how close my times were, even for the later swims where I was tired. The last 8 100's were tough - I ended up with 100 times of 1:27.30, 1:28.17, 1:28.72, 1:31.15 (I got really tired here!), 1:29.63, 1:30.72, 1:30.03, and 1:26.02 (I gave myself an extra ten seconds of rest before the last one to try and have it be my fastest - and it was!). I was within four seconds on each one, and was just shocked that I was able to do that after three-plus weeks out of the water. Yay swimming!
I'm planning on doubling up my workouts today and getting back on the bike when I get home today for a less-intense for "distance" focused workout. Of course, all of my biking DVDs are sprint ones, so maybe I'll just do those but decrease the intensity a bit.
Feeling good! Back in the swing of things!
Monday, January 18, 2010
"Running"
I spent an hour on the tradmill today and man was it rough. Apparently my running legs are the first things to go. Actually, I get back in the pool tomorrow (heated, thankfully!) so I'm sure I'll be feeling it there as well.
I was supposed to go paly water polo tonight but it's cold and raining and miserable outside and I just plain didn't want to go. Wednesday for sure.
Tomorrow is a swim in the late morning, then a TNT track workout tomorrow night, plus a full day of work! Woo! Back in the swing of things already!
I've just about finalized my auction list and it includes some really cool stuff - everything from hotel stays in SF and San Jose to a cut/style at a great salon (plus products!) to spa gift certificates... Very cool and should raise some good money for the cause - I think it's going to be an online deal so keep your eyes peeled for the site and how/when to bid! More later... Now it's time for pajamas and a good book...
I was supposed to go paly water polo tonight but it's cold and raining and miserable outside and I just plain didn't want to go. Wednesday for sure.
Tomorrow is a swim in the late morning, then a TNT track workout tomorrow night, plus a full day of work! Woo! Back in the swing of things already!
I've just about finalized my auction list and it includes some really cool stuff - everything from hotel stays in SF and San Jose to a cut/style at a great salon (plus products!) to spa gift certificates... Very cool and should raise some good money for the cause - I think it's going to be an online deal so keep your eyes peeled for the site and how/when to bid! More later... Now it's time for pajamas and a good book...
Sunday, January 17, 2010
That was a bad idea.
I would say the water in Quarry Lakes was about 45 degrees. I wore my wetsuit, which was lovely, but my hands and feet instantly went numb. Actually, that's not quite true: they hurt like the devil and then they went numb. I was thankful for numb. The best part, besides getting the water into your wetsuit so your body can warm it up, was swimming head-down and finally putting your face in the water. Apparently, your face and head do not like to be that cold and react not by going instantly numb, but by hurting so much it feels like someone is cutting off the various parts of your face. You also get a ragin headache from the cold that only goes away after a couple of "laps" and you are finally, thankfully, numb.
Jeezus.
We couldn't swim "open water," but there was a cordoned-off area for swimming that was at the shore of the lake. You know what hangs around the shore? Ducks! You know what ducks do? They poop all over everything and it gets in the water! The water was green and so murky all you could see was the murk floating in front of your goggles. I was actively spitting to avoid swallowing even the tiniest bit of water, and probably only swam between 500 and 750 yards. Apparently the practice was for sighting, which means picking an object on the shore while swimming and every few strokes lifting up your head to make sure you are still aiming at it. Open-water swimming results in lots of zig-zagging, so sighting helps you stay on target.
Had I know the whole goal was to practice sighting and not to really get a workout in, I would have skipped it. I got out of the water - oh, did I mention it was raining?! - and walked to the car with big goose-steps as my feet were so numb they felt like boards and I was afraid I was going to trip and fall. I left my towel and clothes and parka in the car (thankfully!) so they were all dry, and I stripped off the wetsuit in the parking lot (as we were all doing) and just put my big blue-and-yellow college water polo parka on and drove home. It took about fifteen freeway miles before I could feel my feet - I was driving barefoot to get maximum heat on those toes - and even after a hot shower I am shivering a bit.
Winter swimming is not my thing, clearly. I guess I'm glad I went. At least I can say I've worn my wetsuit now!
Tomorrow is either water polo or a swim with TNT, haven't decided yet. And maybe a morning run, we'll see. I'm starting to feel behind and am freaking out a little bit!
Jeezus.
We couldn't swim "open water," but there was a cordoned-off area for swimming that was at the shore of the lake. You know what hangs around the shore? Ducks! You know what ducks do? They poop all over everything and it gets in the water! The water was green and so murky all you could see was the murk floating in front of your goggles. I was actively spitting to avoid swallowing even the tiniest bit of water, and probably only swam between 500 and 750 yards. Apparently the practice was for sighting, which means picking an object on the shore while swimming and every few strokes lifting up your head to make sure you are still aiming at it. Open-water swimming results in lots of zig-zagging, so sighting helps you stay on target.
Had I know the whole goal was to practice sighting and not to really get a workout in, I would have skipped it. I got out of the water - oh, did I mention it was raining?! - and walked to the car with big goose-steps as my feet were so numb they felt like boards and I was afraid I was going to trip and fall. I left my towel and clothes and parka in the car (thankfully!) so they were all dry, and I stripped off the wetsuit in the parking lot (as we were all doing) and just put my big blue-and-yellow college water polo parka on and drove home. It took about fifteen freeway miles before I could feel my feet - I was driving barefoot to get maximum heat on those toes - and even after a hot shower I am shivering a bit.
Winter swimming is not my thing, clearly. I guess I'm glad I went. At least I can say I've worn my wetsuit now!
Tomorrow is either water polo or a swim with TNT, haven't decided yet. And maybe a morning run, we'll see. I'm starting to feel behind and am freaking out a little bit!
Back in the Saddle!
Yesterday was a bike/run workout at La Cañada and Edgewood Roads in Redwood City. Of course, workout at 8:30 means people congregate at 8:30 and we roll around 9. It's cold, too, so while standing there I can feel my fingers and toes getting colder and colder, and I just want to get on the bike and ride already! They handed out maps of a ~22 mile ride that went down Cañada to the 84, then left on 84 and a quick right on Whiskey Hill Road (actually not a bad hill), left on Sand Hill, right on Alpine, right on Portola, then back to Sand Hill/Whiskey Hill/84/Cañada. Here's a map of the lovely ride:
After the bike it was a quick change into running shoes (I destroyed my good ones in Costa Rica, thankfully I have my old backup pair so I wore those, but had to order another pair of my faves) and a 10-minute out/10-minute back run.
THAT was hard. My legs are NOT what they used to be, and the uphills were deadly. I had to walk parts of it, which made me a little sad.
There was an extra run today that I am skipping in favor of the open-water swim at Quarry Lakes in about an hour. I have a wetsuit and am water-ready and am excited to see how badly my swimming has suffered as well. Rob has cleaned the hell out of the garage so the treadmill is accessible and I'll probably hop on that later today after the swim to try and jump start my legs back into some kind of running shape!
It's frustrating to feel like I've lost fitness, but I have a feeling I'll get it back quickly if I just focus on getting in all the workouts I need to get in. I have to fit them around some short travel plans coming up as well - San Francisco in January for the weekend to see Wicked, maybe Palm Springs in February... At least it'll be not-too-hot and I can run at both places!
It was rolling hills and while a bit chilly the sun was out. It really was a nice ride, and I felt shockingly strong after my two-plus week hiatus. They have us roll out in three groups: fast, faster, and fastest (as there are no slow people in TNT of course). I figured I'd go out with the Fastest group since I was cold just standing there and let people pass me. However, there weren't that many people that passed me, and I hung with the fastest riders (not all of them, but I wasn't at the back of the fastest group!) pretty well. I was also one of the first to return - I don't understand why they don't send out the slowest group first since that would get us all back around the same time? Whatever, it was great to get back and I rode in with a mentor named Meggen (she wishes her name was spelled like mine, she claims), who turned out to be a really fast rider and I had a hard time keeping up with her. Great workout though!
After the bike it was a quick change into running shoes (I destroyed my good ones in Costa Rica, thankfully I have my old backup pair so I wore those, but had to order another pair of my faves) and a 10-minute out/10-minute back run.
THAT was hard. My legs are NOT what they used to be, and the uphills were deadly. I had to walk parts of it, which made me a little sad.
There was an extra run today that I am skipping in favor of the open-water swim at Quarry Lakes in about an hour. I have a wetsuit and am water-ready and am excited to see how badly my swimming has suffered as well. Rob has cleaned the hell out of the garage so the treadmill is accessible and I'll probably hop on that later today after the swim to try and jump start my legs back into some kind of running shape!
It's frustrating to feel like I've lost fitness, but I have a feeling I'll get it back quickly if I just focus on getting in all the workouts I need to get in. I have to fit them around some short travel plans coming up as well - San Francisco in January for the weekend to see Wicked, maybe Palm Springs in February... At least it'll be not-too-hot and I can run at both places!
Wish me luck in what is sure to be a freezing cold open-water experience!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Return
I survived the holidays and two weeks in Costa Rica! However, my grand plans to do short runs were squashed by the heat and humidity (and by not knowing a good route to run and really not wanting to get lost in spandex in a Spanish-speaking country when I can pretty much only ask for another beer and where the bathroom is). I haven't done a thing for about three weeks, and I'm jumping right back in on Friday with a TNT bike/run workout.
I'm scared!
There's also an open-water swim on Sunday that I'm going to try to go to, since I own a tri wetsuit I have worn exactly zero times. It sounds cold, but I need the practice. Monday is either a swim workout with TNT or water polo, haven't decided yet.
At any rate, I am trying to get back in the swing of things after a small hiatus that involved eating and drinking too much. At least tonight I'm not getting into the wine. Yet...
I'm scared!
There's also an open-water swim on Sunday that I'm going to try to go to, since I own a tri wetsuit I have worn exactly zero times. It sounds cold, but I need the practice. Monday is either a swim workout with TNT or water polo, haven't decided yet.
At any rate, I am trying to get back in the swing of things after a small hiatus that involved eating and drinking too much. At least tonight I'm not getting into the wine. Yet...
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