"Don't Stop Believing" Journey to Ironman

MIT Wind Tunnel Testing Podcast

As a number of tri friends get into the thick of training for Coeur D'Alene there's lots of talk about aerodynamics and position on the bike. Their thinking gets me thinking about aerohelmets, water bottle placements, to Bento box, or not to Bento box, etc.

I came across this podcast about the MIT's Center for Sports Innovation wind tunnel testing results. It's a great adjunct to the article originally published in Bicycling Magazine. MIT cycling team member and triathlete Mark Cote explains the features of the wind tunnel, the testing, and results.

For me, this is the highlight of the podcast:

When Mark was asked if he would give up power gains or aerodynamics he said he'd give up power. He explained, if you gain 40 watts in power over a season, you may lose 28-30 watts of that gain overcoming drag. OTOH, a 10-15% in aerodynamics is very real--free speed. Said Mark, it's "the biggest edge you can get. It's very real science."

More On Eating Better and How It's Going

I'm the first to admit I sometimes have an unconventional slant on things, but I also know that after decades of dealing with eating issues (i.e. sweets), things like will power, deprivation, diets, guilt, negative self-talk, et al DOES NOT WORK! So I have been on the search for what does.

I read Eckhart Tolle's "A New Earth" a couple of years ago, and it has been a guiding force to such a positive degree I cannot even express it. In fact, I think it's possibly one of the best athletic mental-training books you could ever read--that, and "The Power of Now." It can help you pull together a LOT of mental threads that lead to powerfully positive places in life and training. But I digress.

On Oprah's special webcast with Eckhart this week, they talked again about overeating, and eating things you shouldn't. (I posted about their previous eating discussion here.) Eckhart revealed how this kind of eating really is about the unconscious part of each of us that is always restless--seeking, seeking, and never satisfied. That energy can get transferred to the body, and it can manifest in overeating. The Mind wants it, but if you CONSCIOUSLY listen to the Body, it often doesn't.

They talked about how if you do eat the "bad stuff," make it very, very conscious. Feel it, sense it, enjoy it, but when the pleasure of it stops, just let it go. Stop. That's the body saying, "no more." It works.

I'm telling you, this shift in thinking has made HUGE, positive changes in my life feel relatively effortless. We are all works in progress, and I never really applied this mindfulness to my eating until this year, (AHA moment) and my relationship with food is now getting to where I know it needs to be. I'm doing better and better.

Slow Technique Work, Pull, and Kick = Faster Swimming

The March 20 New York Times ran a great article on swimmer Ryan Lochte, "the best American male swimmer not named Michael." While it was interesting to read about his training, the best part of the piece was how we, mere mortals, can incorporate some of his training techniques to our own advantage. The article cited three things that Ryan does that any swimmer can emulate:

* Slow things WAAAAAY down when working on technique.

* Use a pull buoy to work on body position. (I could kiss this kid for making the pull buoy more than a crutch!)

* Work on kicking. As they said in the article, the top coaches have found that less volume with more kicking = world records.

I know as triathletes we have to balance the ROI in kicking sets vs. exhausted legs for tomorrow's ride or run. But I can tell you that kicking is now a major emphasis on my boys' club team, and it's made a huge difference in my kids' race times.

Here's the link to the article.

Free Webcast: Training and Racing the Half Iron/70.3 Distance

My boys at Endurance Nation, coaches Rich Strauss and Patrick McCrann, did it again in this FREE hour-long webcast on "Training and Racing the Half Iron/70.3." As promised, the presentation covered:

• How to structure your training

• Key workouts to execute

• Race day strategies

• Pacing guidance

• Racing as an “A” race or as Ironman preparation

EN members were invited to take part in the live audio/web presentation on Sunday evening through a conference call. Then we had the chance to ask individual questions at the end. That event was also offered FREE to EN members. These hour-long talks with the coaches are just a small part of the ongoing services we athletes get over at Endurance Nation.

Click here, and you can download the audio and PDF presentation. You can also try out their free two-week trial membership, but that is not required to download the webcast. Have fun planning a great '08 season!

Half Ironman Training Starts This Week

Training began on Monday for the Patriot Half Ironman I'll do as part of my prep for Ironman Florida. The race in on July 5.

So far the weather is NOT cooperating. Runs had to be moved around this week to avoid bone-chilling high winds. Back-to-back bike sessions that are supposed to happen on Saturdays and Sundays have been messed up due to rain and snow. Thursdays are long run days, but that won't happen tomorrow due to the weather (not to mention work complications). So the bike will get switched again, and the long run moves to Sunday. Sheesh. I want spring.

Here's my workout week. The next 16 weeks will be versions of the same with distances on the bike and run getting a bit longer, and sometimes more intense. I'm so looking foward to doing this training.

Monday--Swim, about 2500m. Lots of drills and swim golf.

Tuesday--A.M.: Functional Threshold Intervals on the bike. 3 x 8' reps.
               P.M.: 50 minute run with 3 x 5' at Z3

Wed--Swim, 2700m. Main set was 30 x 50m. Odds hard, evens easy. This was tough, but I got into a   rhythm after a bit and ended up enjoying it. Some drills and pull sets build in.
       --Run 30' on the tready right after. Started off feeling really hard, then it worked in.

Thurs--Instead of long run, I'll move (and shorten) one of the weekend bikes to this day. On the Computrainer. In the bike dungeon, I mean the basement.

Friday--Swim, same as Wed.

Sat--Long indoor ride--about 2 hours with at least 40' of that at functional threshold, broken up into 4 x 10' reps. 50' of the ride spent at "work," or 85% of threshold. This is a good solid ride.
--Brick run after of about 30'

Sun--80' long run with some pace work built in.

This will be a very respectable training week, but I wanna ride outside!

Macbeth, March Winds, and A Smile

Today I shared a short elevator ride with a very elderly, but quite dapper, gentleman. He told me he was 92. We chatted about what a pleasant day it was. (We New Englanders are desparate for spring, and 40 degrees and sunny now counts as "nice out.") I mentioned it was very blustery with a chilly wind--quite appropriate for March. He looked up from his cane with eyes as young and clear as a man in his prime and said, "Ah but, the March winds make my heart a dancer. That's from Macbeth, you know."

I have no idea if it's from Macbeth or not, nor does it much matter. We shared a big smile, a lovely thought, and a chance encounter that brightened the day for both of us.

Power Tap on Order!

I've been training with power (by watts) on my Computrainer since I signed up with Endurance Nation in October. Now that teaches you how to ride a bike! I've drunk the Kool Aid, and am totally convinced of the effectiveness of training and racing with power. Once you understand it and experience it, there is no going back. It's a total paradigm shift, and a look into how the pros train and race.

Since I am now a watt-aholic, I just ordered myself a brand new Power Tap Pro. It comes will be here in within  two weeks. I can't wait! I'll post ride and progress data as I go along in my training, particularly improvements at functional threshold power. With any luck I can be back riding outside by the time the Power Taps arrive. Been stuck in the bike dungeon--I mean basement--since October, and I am anxious to get back outside!

A New Relationship with Food

I read Eckhart Tolle's "A New Earth" a couple of years ago, and loved the book. I recommend it to anyone who wants a deeper--and kinder--understanding of themselves and those around you. While the read can feel somewhat ethereal, I have found that once you internalize the concepts, it leads to a much more content way of being. I also found the precepts in the book very helpful to me in business and training by teaching me to be in the moment and clear. There's lots of power that comes from that state of being, whether it be trying to influence a colleague or take that run up another notch.

As you may know, Oprah is doing a 10-week series with Eckhart on "A New Earth." It's every Monday night at 8 (EST), and it runs for 90 minutes. (I download it and listen to it the next day.) I absolutely love it. To hear Eckhart expound on his thoughts has been incredibly illuminating for me. You can find out more at the Oprah web site.

On the latest program, Eckhart, Oprah, and a caller had a discussion about weight loss, which I was able to apply directly to my sugar addiction. In brief, they talked about how dealing with such things are actually spiritual at the core. If you "allow yourself to be fed by the energy in your body"--the good energy, the powerful energy, the real core energy--then you are more likely to give your body what it needs. Overeating or stuffing bad foods is actually a substitute for the sense of "aliveness" that is basic to who we are. By being truly conscious and in touch with your body, you almost don't have to think about what to choose to eat. It can be a treat or an apple, but it will be what it needs to fortify you body and soul--no more, no less.

The whole idea of using your energy as a guide really resonated with me, and this week has proved it works. By being tuned in to my energy and how I want it to support me in my athletic and personal goals, it has naturally led me to better eating. There have been some treats, but they have been eaten without angst or guilt. The salad rather than the pizza has been eaten without feelings of deprivation. I have lost 2.5 pounds of those stubborn 5 I haven't been able to shed in 18 months. Seriously, I think I might be onto a new life-long relationship with food.

One other thing...Eckhart Tolle, who doesn't exactly look like an athlete, mentioned several times how understands and values intense physical activity. He feels the kind of training we do helps people learn the power of "being in the moment," which gets you in touch with the part of yourself that is very, very powerful. The part that cannot be accessed by thinking and ideas. I know for myself, once you learn that power, there's no going back. The guy has the soul of an Ironman, for sure.

Technique Tweaking II--The Swim Video

Here are the before-and-after swim videos of the technique changes I made at the swim clinic I yammered on about yesterday. Coach Patrick McCrann has a great voice over critique of what he sees needs fixin' and how I incorporated his suggestions. Maybe you'll find something of value in the pictures and/or the words that will help with you own swimming.

I LOVE TO SWIM!!!!

BEFORE

AFTER

Technique Tweaking in the Pool

I love to swim.

I love to swim, but I there is always an element of struggle in that part of training. In short, I never seem to have enough air! After years of feeling the same way swimming, I felt that fighting that breathlessness was just the way it was. Then I went to a swim clinic with Patrick McCrann.

Now mind you, over the years I have had private lesson after private lesson. I have done the Total Immersion weekend. I have been part of a masters team for five years, with a coach who willingly tries to help with technique. I've been trying and trying to make a breakthrough, and it seems that this one clinic did it.

For me, the changes I need to make boiled down to three things: quiet head, strong breath, deep hands. Maybe some of these tips will help you:

strong>Quiet Head
For better body position, I needed to pick up my chin a teeny-tiny bit. I need to look a little straighter ahead, rather than so far down. I can now see my hands just after they enter the water, rather than not seeing them at all.

Strong Breath
By strong breath Patrick means that as soon as the hand of the recovering arm is entering the water, you begin exhaling forcefully. That way ALL the air is expelled so you can take a full breath when you turn to breathe. What that has meant for me, is that I now breathe bi-laterally much more effortlessly. I found that on the left side, I was breathing much to late, and still exhaling when I needed to be breathing IN. I do it correctly on the right side. I've always been hugely breathless trying to bilateral breathe for any length of time. By breathing sooner and more forcefully on my left side, it is making it much, much easier for me to breathe bi-laterally. This is going to take some practice.

Deep Hands--For Me, This is Key
The "deep hands" has gotten my arms off the surface of the water, where there is nothing to "pull." It sets me up for the catch and pull in a way I never felt before. I literally have to dive my hands down deeper as the enter the water, rather than just reach out shallowly on the surface. Diving the hands down also gets my hips UP and in a much better body position. I LOVE swimming like this. It makes for ease, yet with propulsion. Below is a video from the free Endurance Nation Swimming Ebook. It shows how Rich "dives" down his hands and fixes his head position to tilt up just a bit. It's what I'm trying to replicate.

I am not going for speed right now, but just drilling and working on what I need to change. As I swim, I find myself thinking "Is this what they mean by easy swimming????" "Can it really feel this effortless???" "I'm not feeling winded, but going faster without trying." OMG, I'm amazed. I'm also sure that I don't have it all cemented in place. I have another session with Patrick in two weeks. By then I'll see what's improved--and what else/still needs work.

I encourage all of you to get some good swimming help if you think you need it. Try an instructor, if you don't make progress, then try another. This endeavor is 70% technique, 30% speed. Proper instruction really can make a difference. It's taken me years to find it, but what a difference it is making.