Bows, Bubbles, and Bike Trainer

I'm sure you are wondering where I'm going with this title! Well, my computer screen gave out, so I've been out of commission. But now I have it hooked up to a monitor although it is still pretty strange typing on my computer and watching everything show up on a different screen! The weather was really cold this past week and weekend in the 20's and 30's (Fahrenheit) but today we finally had a GORGEOUS day! Ofcourse, it doesn't much matter as far as training is concerned during the week because I still have the kids and no magical and free babysitter appears when you want one.

This is what it looked like on Saturday outside!

Life on the farm 

Today was my bike day. Really it varies in the week depending upon what my coach has on my schedule. I picked up my kids from a homeschool science class and all of the kids from the class played at the park for hours and we had a great picnic. As I sat there on the picnic table basking in the sun I saw one biker after another passing on the road, having just climbed up the mountain. I sat there a bit jealous but knew I would hit the bike trainer once I got home.

Picnic with homeschool friends

Park Play!

So I got home, sent the kids out to play, and opened up the door to let in some fresh air and apparently cats since they decided to wander in as well. Luckily no chickens dared to enter.

Seriously - got chickens?

With the trainer facing the outside at the door I watched the kids play and enjoyed some fresh air while I biked. It was pretty great even if it was indoors! The great thing about a trainer is that you don't have to worry about what you wear. So I usually just come home and leave my hair how it was. This is where the bow comes into play. Who bikes in a bow anyway? I guess I did.

Post Trainer Ride - How I thought I felt

Post Trainer Ride - How I actually looked

While I biked the kids played outside with an assortment of bubbles and bubble toys. And hence the title: Bows, Bubbles, and Bike Trainer. 

Colored Bubbles = FUN!

If your weather was great today I hope you were able to get outside some! Happy Training!

Defying The Weather

We haven't given in to the winter weather yet and today after this week's snow storm we weren't willing to throw out our weekend bike ride. We weren't sure what the roads would look like and we only have road bikes so we spent much of the time picking our bikes up and carrying them over mud and snow and ice.

Husband Rob

No way I'm giving up the cool Carbon wheels during the winter!

We also spent much of our time getting on and off the bike because gates were shutting off various routes. We finally decided we would take the risk and ride up one of our local mountains on the Parkway (Mill Mountain) and the road was in great shape as long as you weren't too close to the sides! It was a super fun and quick ride to the top! I was hoping to ride further on the Parkway but it was closed off and loaded with snow!

It ended up being a short ride due to the road conditions but it sure beats being stuck inside on a trainer! My nickname for the trainer is SB. No, no, not what you are thinking! It's a sweat bath! That thing kills me!

Sweating to death on the indoor trainer

So, while we didn't have any accidents, it is probably safer to wait until road conditions are better. However, we still had a great time! Here is a peak at what the storm did to our local Greenway:

Tons of debris blocking the way on low lying bridges

Debris and garbage hanging on to the bridge

Let's hope the roads are clearer next week so we have less interrupted riding! If we had something other than a road bike it wouldn't be an issue. For those of you who are wondering, there is actually a group on the web who love to bike in the ice and snow called the icebikers: http://www.icebike.org/. There they discuss the type of equipment you need and how to handle your bike in those snow and ice conditions. I think it would be a fun thing to do with the right gear! Happy Training this week! 

The Off-Season Delusion

A stop at a store after a tough mountain climb with more climbing to come!

I was really looking forward to the off-season. I was looking forward to working on swimming, biking, and running. I thought miracles would happen during this time if I worked hard enough!  OK, I admit it: I am goal oriented and quite obsessive (FOR REAL) about triathlon. Yes, I have fun too, but I plan, make goals, and OBSESS. You might as well add in worrying here as well. 

My 2012 triathlon season was the year in which I got a coach and made huge leaps in triathlon. Since the end of the season I have biked every weekend even when it was bitter, freezing, and blustery outside except for one weekend when I had the flu; I swim three days a week with an amazing swim coach; and I have increased my running with runs three to four days a week with a long run on the weekends except for the last two weeks where I'm running in the water due to a run injury. I have probably biked, swam, and ran more than anytime before in my life.  I have made bike distance PR's and gone further and climbed more than ever in my entire life. 

We have had so many fun group rides with friends this off-season!
This is from Sunday JANUARY 13th! Notice the short sleeves!
It was in the 70's in January which is NOT a normal thing!
It was like having a vacation weekend! Loved it!

I have been building a base this off-season with some tempo work during the week. I haven't completed any run races so I'm not even sure how much faster I might be than last season. Until the moment I got a coach in May 2012, I ran on race day. I never ran or practiced, I just went and did it. It is probably a miracle I never had a run injury before now! My coach says I got by with a less deep aerobic base by simply guts, raw natural talent, and sport specificity after he started working with me in May. I'm hoping all of the slower base building will make me a stronger triathlete for the 2013 season but sometimes I'm not always convinced that the work I do pays off. My worrying self has bouts of negativity and doubt. Me worry? Shocking I know.

Arie (5), Eva (7), Patricia (an American Girl Doll), and Thijs (3) enjoying a winter's fire at home

We finally had snow! My horse has had fun rolling in it and doesn't look like a grey anymore!

It took me during this off-season to realize that improvement is a long and slow process. Getting this triathlon thing is going to take YEARS. I'm glad because I'm in it for the long haul. And no matter how much I worry and obsess, I really am having fun and love this lifestyle and I really, really love this sport called triathlon! So, while improvement is a slow process, I'm ready to accept that now, and realize I was a bit delusional entering the off-season. Learning sports specific technique and building a base is something that takes time. If it wasn't challenging and if I wasn't always learning something new, then it wouldn't be interesting or as much fun! Enjoy the rest of the off-season - a time of building and learning!

Appreciation

I love it when the award is a beer glass! That's me in the middle!

Nothing like an injury to make you really appreciate being able to swim, bike, or run or do anything really. I held back on blogging last week because I was afraid I might complain. I have been so bummed out about having a run injury that it has created so many worries and believe me, I am a bit of a worrier: 

1. What if I can't race to my potential by the start of the first triathlon in April?

2. What if I loose everything to this date that I have worked so hard for?

3. What if it doesn't heal quickly and I need to be in pain for potentially 9 months?

4. What if I can run but it remains painful?

5. What if I gain weight which will in turn affect racing?

On the left - coming down the red carpet finish!

What it has done is make me appreciate running. Maybe I needed this. I LOVE racing but I have never though of myself as a "runner". I'm not so sure I have felt a runner's high. I have good and bad runs. I don't always go out and think "Wow! What an amazing run!". I don't find it particularly comfortable. I forget to relax and enjoy it when I am doing it. I get quite bored. I usually look at it as something to get done and I what I like about it is that if I do it after swimming and biking, it is something that carries me home. 

I think it would be more fun to me if I didn't have such limited running options during the week. Running circles inside or in a cemetery just doesn't do it for me. I do like the way it makes me look and the way it makes me feel once I'm done. I find that I have good runs in the mornings but if I wait until the afternoon then I don't. It's like a big cloud that hangs over me during the day if I don't go get it done in the morning. 

Me and husband Rob

But after this injury and feeling so down this last week, maybe I realize that deep down I must actually love running. Maybe I needed this reality kick to make me appreciate something I usually do just to get done. For now I'm running in the water and actually enjoying it. Go figure! So go out today, tomorrow, this week, or whenever and take a moment to appreciate you are able to do it! 

Deep Water Running

At the Carter Athletic Center Pool

With a run injury I have resorted to yes, you guessed it by the title: 

DEEP WATER RUNNING!

It was actually kind of fun the first time I did it on Friday but today I ramped it up and it was T-O-U-G-H! I felt like a ton of bricks when I got out of the water! Pheeeeuuuuw! Ofcourse I had done weights for 35 minutes and swam hard for an hour before running in the water.

Deep water running is not only for the injured, it is beneficial for everyone for increased strength, speed, flexibility, and endurance; although some research says it only maintains your fitness instead of improving it. But it is said to maintain your level of run fitness for at least six weeks!

I believe it after only 32 minutes of it today! It works great because you have resistance on all sides which forces opposing muscles to work equally and impact is reduced by as much as 90% when you do it in the deep end versus the shallow water or land running. 

Deep water running is a great way to not loose your cardiovascular shape in a period when you are unable to run on dry land. Some research has shown that low to moderate intensities are more demanding on the cardiovascular system than running on land except for the intensity you reach when running a 3K or 5K. 

I found a 9 week deep water running program online if you want to see some sample workouts:

http://www.pfitzinger.com/labreports/9wkH2O.htm.

However, my coach says it is too aggressive for a triathlete and 2 - 3 times a week is enough for a total of 20 to 40 minutes. The beginning weeks of this 9 week program don't have you running for that long in the water and according to some research your run time in the water needs to be equal to your run time on land. After feeling how tough it is to run in the water I think you need to build up to your land run time. For the latest research on deep water running see: 

http://runnersconnect.net/running-injury-prevention/deep-water-running-for-cross-training/. 

So today I started following a workout from Pete Pfitzinger's 9 week deep water running program: http://www.pfitzinger.com/labreports/9wkH2O.htm. 

It was pretty entertaining and you don't run in the water for more than 34 minutes at a time in the first week. Today I did the following for a total of 32 minutes:

5 minute warm-up

5 sets of 1:30 hard followed by 30 seconds recovery

2 minutes easy

5 minutes cool down 

Clearly I did this before I spoke with my coach and he recommends 1 minute at tempo and 2 minutes down as this 9 week program is very aggressive.

In order to benefit you have to have a correct form:

1. Stand tall in the water and don't scrunch up your back;

2. Pull your knees up higher than when jogging at about hip level;

3. Keep your arms bent at a 90 degree angle and swing your arms from the shoulder;

4. Close your hands in a relaxed fist or they will get tired quick, and slice the water, don't cup it;

5. Try to keep a normal run cadence although it is difficult to run as fast as you would on land, and a faster cadence is more beneficial than a slower one;

6. Keep your chin at the water level;

7. It doesn't matter if you are standing still or moving forward and the goal is not to move forward quickly through the water; and

8. Some recommend leaning forward but more recommend standing straight up so you also work your core and it is more of a natural run position.

Here is a video and more information on deep water running with the leaning forward technique,

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1078,

and here is a video with the more upright run position,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eePfVj6ARvU. 

I love my pink shoes!

So the great news is that there is a run option if you have an injury and it isn't so bad once you get the hang of it! Happy Running - in water or on land! 

Running Injury Spotlight: Plantar Fasciitis

The Friday before New Years I went out for a training run. Within half a mile the back of my heel started to hurt. I have never had a running injury before but the first thing that came into mind was a running injury. I ignored it for that run but then my feet were hurting bad enough to not run the next day. Then on New Year's day I went on a nice run and ignored my hurting heels hoping it would be fine but then that night my heels felt really strange, painful, and swollen - so much so that it was difficult to sleep. So I started reading about run injuries and my symptoms quickly matched DA-DA-DUM, you've got it: plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common complaints related to the foot and mostly affects men between the ages of 40 and 70. It occurs in 2 million Americans a year and 10% of the US population over a lifetime. I feel like SUCH a statistic, except for the man part. 

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot, called the plantar fascia, and this connects the heel bone to the toes creating the arch of the foot. This can occur when the fascia are overused or overstretched. Many things can be a culprit including: 

1. Foot arch problems (flat feet or high arches)

2. Poorly fitting shoes including shoes with poor arch support or soft soles

3. long distance running - particularly down hill or on uneven surfaces

4. Tight calves (tight achilles tendon which attaches the calf muscle to the heel)

5. Sudden weight gain

Well, I realize it was the holidays and I was feeling a bit like Santa running after all of the holiday cookies and beer, but I'm pretty sure #5 was not the culprit. I also really don't think it was my running shoes that caused this but I sure did wear those cute flat knee high black boots around Christmas time ALOT. I was in them way more than my tennis shoes around the holidays. And yes, it seems like they made my feet hurt, but they were cute and isn't that how it always is with cute girly shoes? So, sadly I have ditched the cute knee high boots and replaced them with cute black boots with more support. Sigh. 

Ah, Goodbye cute knee highs worn through the holidays!

The symptoms include sore heels and it is particularly painful on that first step in the morning and quite painful to walk. Right now I wouldn't be able to run into T1 barefoot that is for sure! I have spoken with many people who have suffered from this. Some recovered within two weeks while some took 8 months and still don't feel completely better. Apparently most people feel better within 9 months. Gheez, plantar fasciitis is like having a baby? 

The remedy includes:

1. Heel and foot stretching exercises: (See this website for descriptions: 

http://www.heel-that pain.com/plantar_fasciitis/exercise/plantar_fasciitis_exercise.php)

a)      Towel curls.  Barefoot, sitting on a chair on a hard surface floor.  Lay a towel out in front of you and place your toes on the towel…heel on the floor.  Use your toes to scrunch up the towel, bringing the far end closer to you.  Keep your heel in place and lift your foot slightly as you scrunch the toes bringing the towel toward you.  Add some wt. (shoes, cans of food, etc.) to the end of the towel for extra resistance.  Maybe 5-8 sets of this…2-3 x per day.  Obviously any real pain…stop, stretch, ice.

b)      ABC’s.  Barefooted…in the air, draw out the abc’s with your big toe.  Make the motions deliberate and controlled.  The more pain free motion the better.  Go through the complete alphabet 1-2 x…2-3 x per day.  This will help keep your muscles working and give you some stretching in the ankle/foot complex.

2. Stretching the calf muscles (you can do this with a foam roller) to reduce the pressure on the fascia
3. Warming up your heels before your run by rolling a tennis ball on your heel and you can follow up afterwards with this as well
4. Night Splints to sleep in (special socks designed to stretch the fascia)

5. Resting as much as possible for a week (like this could ever happen for anyone in REAL life)

6. Wearing supportive shoes (gheez, feeling my age now)

7. Icing 10-15 minutes twice day

And if this doesn't work:

8. Wearing a boot cast for 3-6 weeks (now that would look cute - NOT)

9. Custom made shoe inserts

10. Steroid shots or injections in the heel
11. Platelet rich plasma - injections of your platelets from your blood directly into the fascia (It takes so long to heel because the fascia do not have a blood supply and this may speed up the healing process)

So, I have continued running but finally gave in this week and realized I need to deal with this pain and let it get better. That means water running in the pool for me! More to come! Yay! 

Week Day Running

With three children with me ALL the time (which is a very wonderful thing), I have limited run options during the week. Our local YMCA will let me run outside - in the cemetery. It is better than a track or a treadmill option for me and I would much rather run outside in most types of weather.

What my treadmill looks like and how it gets used.

Cemetery Views

The cemetery is beautiful, quiet, and has very large hills. 

And to top it off I get to run by many relatives. I think I might see them more now than I did when they were living! My great grandmother, great grandfather, great uncle, grandfather, and my great aunt and her husband can all be found here! Sadly I had not visited the cemetery since I was child and didn't even know where they were buried until I started running here.

My Great Grandfather and Great Grandmother - They had NINE children - CANNOT IMAGINE!

My Great Uncle Clyde - He lived fast and hard and was apparently quite the character!

My Great Aunt Catherine and Uncle Charlie - Now there was a woman in overdrive ALL the time!

My Grandfather David who passed when I was three -
Sadly I don't remember him but apparently we were tight
and my first word was "grandfather".

While I would much rather not be "stuck" in the cemetery running, it is much better than being stuck inside and with it I have learned more about my relatives who mostly died when I was young. Happy Week Day Running!

Swim Speed Secrets Revealed For Swimmers and Triathletes by Sheila Taormina

As a Christmas present to myself I ordered Sheila Taormina's 

Swim Speed Secrets For Swimmers and Triathletes. The basic premise of her book is that the pull is the most important aspect of fast swimming along with the following equation:

Time = (Number of Strokes) x (Rate of Turnover). 

Meaning, if you want to get fast you have to reduce your number of strokes and increase your rate of turnover from the point your arm enters the water, pulls, recovers, and touches to re-enter. And, in order for that to happen you have to move through the water with more power which comes down to an effective pull. An effective pull comes from a high elbow catch along with a diagonal element and the "feel" of the water.

Bath County, Virginia

Sheila Taormina gives you drills in order to develop the underwater pull and many of these drills incorporate bands/exercise tubes into your workout routine. However, in reality, I will loose my mind if I incorporate anything else into my training schedule. 

While I understand the first 1/3 of the pull should be a high elbow catch, after that I am completely lost and more confused than when I started reading the book. Somehow after that 1/3 of the pull there is a diagonal element and an element in which you are supposed to feel the water and continually "find" the water while you are pulling. I have to be honest that the explanation was not clear enough for me to understand how you are supposed to "feel" and "find" the water. 

The book also discusses some of the history of the thoughts and changes in swim theory. This helped me understand some of the drills present and prior coaches have incorporated into our lessons. It also tells me that the latest research shows that some of the drills and theories have been shown to be ineffective. 

Luray, Virginia

So what I did get from this book is that we should be spending more of our time working on pull technique and that pull technique will pull us through the water faster and therefore decrease your strokes. However, you have to break down the pull slowly at first. The top swimmers range from 1.15 to 1.6 seconds per stroke cycle (hand entry, pull, recovery, and hand back in the water). I'm pretty sure I am taking a nap in my pull after reading these numbers. 

The book was a quick and interesting read with scattered humor. Sheila Taormina is one interesting athlete as well. She is only 5' 3 " so there is hope for people like me (not quite 5'2"!). She is a USAT Hall of Fame Inductee and considered one of the world's best athletes. She has competed at four Olympics in three different sports: swimming, triathlon, and modern pentathlon (shooting, fencing, horse eventing, and running). She won silver at the 2003 Pan American Games, gold at the 2004 ITU World Championship, and podium finishes at 10 ITU World Cups in which three were overall wins. Talking about super woman! Pentathlon sounds kind of cool. She even sold her house and moved to train for Pentathlon. Now if we could just come up with the sport: swim, bike, run, dressage, quad skate, ------I would be in serious love. 

Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia with Eva, Arie, and Thijs

Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

In conclusion, I am extremely happy I have such an amazing swim coach. I'm hoping to discuss Sheila's techniques with my coach to see if she can further explain the "feel" and "find" of the water. I know my swim coach Eva Steib is always saying "you have to feel the water". On New Years Day I did take a moment to reflect on my swimming progression during 2012 and I did make huge leaps and bounds. I guess I'm always so busy trying to improve that I never realize how far I've come! In January 2012 I had lost 47 seconds on a 100 and after the season was over I had lost even more time with Eva's help at about 10 seconds per 25, so about a 40 second improvement on a 100!   Now I'm going to go put Sheila Taormina's principles into action to see if I can pick up more speed! Happy Swimming and Happy Reading if you happen to get this book!