My apologies. I thought I'd be able to provide ample insight into the training trials and tribulations, but to date, I've fallen short. To be honest, there hasn't been much to report. Maybe now things will pick up.
Booty Camp has ended, and I will miss it. I think I may sign up for one day a week in July, just to keep myself motivated to wake up and go.
I'm now torn on the gym membership thing. I cancelled my 24 hour fitness membership back in early May, but due to their chains, still have the membership unti Mid-July. That makes it hard to argue that I should get another more costly membership at 24, even though I prefer the AllStar pool, hands down. So I'm still trying to figure that one out.
Today is rest day, then tomorrow I'm going to do a temperature reading and run a 5K in the morning. I'll let you know how I fair. I'll also post my training schedule for the following week.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Day 82 - Time is flying.
Wow, it feels like the days are ticking away, and I've made little headway. Official training schedule starts Monday, and I'm still without the All-Star gym membership. It's on the schedule for Saturday.
The long weekend was nice, but usurped by more calorie consumption than calorie burning. Though we got in some good walks (40 minutes from campsite to main stage and back each day) that's surely not enough to make up for the beer. Still, I made it back to bootycamp this week, and plan to push myself hard these last 4 days.
So don't get discouraged, blogger fans. I'm not down for the count yet!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Day 87 - Punting
So this week has been kinda busy, with not much new/different or exciting to report in the training arena. I missed Booty Camp this morning, but will try to make it up tomorrow. Dan and I head out early Saturday to Sasquatch, so they'll be no working out beyond wandering around and sweating in the hopefully hot heat.
So I punt, and defer to information on wetsuits provided to me by my Danskin mentor. I have no idea yet whether I'll invest in one or something like it, but it's good to be armed with information. Have a good weekend, y'all!
____________________________________
The first thing to consider with wetsuits, is what type of races you will be doing and where. If you are doing races in hot climates most the time you may not even need a wetsuit. USAT's age group rules, make the wetsuit cut off water temperature 78 (25 C) degrees. This means if the water is above 78 degrees wetsuits are not allowed in order to be eligible for awards in the race. One can still use a wetsuit up to 84 (28 C) degrees but will be ineligible for awards. 84 or higher no wetsuits are allowed period. For Professionals on the ITU level the wetsuit temperature cut off is 68 (20 C).
To wear a wetsuit or not to? That is the question! There are no rules stating you must wear a wetsuit. There are many top swimmers who race in the ocean that never use wetsuits and race in water that is often under 68 (20 C). These swimmers however train their bodies to be use to cold water. Most triathletes train in pools and the majority of pools are 78 (25 C) or warmer. As a result, water even in the low 70's can feel cold.
Wetsuits are thus a good option to prevent getting chilly if not adapted to swimming in cold water. They are also useful to wear at the start of a race, when it can be cold, in order to keep warm. It is important to have the body warm to start a race to get right into a strong pace. Standing around shivering from the cold is less than optimal for a strong start.
In most cases a wetsuit will actually make an athlete faster. Wetsuits will allow for more buoyancy in the water. This then means that an athlete doesn't have to expend as much energy in supporting the rest of their body and thus can put more into forward propulsion through the water.
What is the best wetsuit? There are two main types of wetsuits, one option has full sleeves, the second option is sleeveless. Sleeveless wetsuits will allow for more shoulder flexibility which may be important if you lack shoulder mobility, or maybe you would just feel more comfortable in a sleeveless suit. The issue is that it can feel very cold for many especially when the water drops into the 50's (55 C).
A full sleeve wetsuit will keep you warmest. Using a full length wetsuit may mean that there is a lack of shoulder mobility. Many of the top wetsuits for triathlon use a thinner and more flexible material through the shoulders. Lots of full length wetsuits also have gripper type panels on the forearms designed to for gripping the water better.
What is the best suit for you then? The one that works for you! Try them on. If possible, swim in the wetsuit before you buy it. Make sure they are as tight as you can get them. Excess room in your wetsuit will fill up with water and slow you down. Baggy spots in a wetsuit can also chaff which is never fun. At the same time you want to have as much flexibility as possible to allow for your stroke to feel natural.
I'm a big fan of some of the wetsuits that have air bubble type panels through the chest, torso and thigh regions. This type of bubble technology is great at providing more buoyancy in the water. Brands such as Orca and Xterra use this type of technology in their top suits. In general, I advise athletes to go with a wetsuit when ever possible as they will almost always make you faster. Any extra speed you can gain is a bonus.
So I punt, and defer to information on wetsuits provided to me by my Danskin mentor. I have no idea yet whether I'll invest in one or something like it, but it's good to be armed with information. Have a good weekend, y'all!
____________________________________
The first thing to consider with wetsuits, is what type of races you will be doing and where. If you are doing races in hot climates most the time you may not even need a wetsuit. USAT's age group rules, make the wetsuit cut off water temperature 78 (25 C) degrees. This means if the water is above 78 degrees wetsuits are not allowed in order to be eligible for awards in the race. One can still use a wetsuit up to 84 (28 C) degrees but will be ineligible for awards. 84 or higher no wetsuits are allowed period. For Professionals on the ITU level the wetsuit temperature cut off is 68 (20 C).
To wear a wetsuit or not to? That is the question! There are no rules stating you must wear a wetsuit. There are many top swimmers who race in the ocean that never use wetsuits and race in water that is often under 68 (20 C). These swimmers however train their bodies to be use to cold water. Most triathletes train in pools and the majority of pools are 78 (25 C) or warmer. As a result, water even in the low 70's can feel cold.
Wetsuits are thus a good option to prevent getting chilly if not adapted to swimming in cold water. They are also useful to wear at the start of a race, when it can be cold, in order to keep warm. It is important to have the body warm to start a race to get right into a strong pace. Standing around shivering from the cold is less than optimal for a strong start.
In most cases a wetsuit will actually make an athlete faster. Wetsuits will allow for more buoyancy in the water. This then means that an athlete doesn't have to expend as much energy in supporting the rest of their body and thus can put more into forward propulsion through the water.
What is the best wetsuit? There are two main types of wetsuits, one option has full sleeves, the second option is sleeveless. Sleeveless wetsuits will allow for more shoulder flexibility which may be important if you lack shoulder mobility, or maybe you would just feel more comfortable in a sleeveless suit. The issue is that it can feel very cold for many especially when the water drops into the 50's (55 C).
A full sleeve wetsuit will keep you warmest. Using a full length wetsuit may mean that there is a lack of shoulder mobility. Many of the top wetsuits for triathlon use a thinner and more flexible material through the shoulders. Lots of full length wetsuits also have gripper type panels on the forearms designed to for gripping the water better.
What is the best suit for you then? The one that works for you! Try them on. If possible, swim in the wetsuit before you buy it. Make sure they are as tight as you can get them. Excess room in your wetsuit will fill up with water and slow you down. Baggy spots in a wetsuit can also chaff which is never fun. At the same time you want to have as much flexibility as possible to allow for your stroke to feel natural.
I'm a big fan of some of the wetsuits that have air bubble type panels through the chest, torso and thigh regions. This type of bubble technology is great at providing more buoyancy in the water. Brands such as Orca and Xterra use this type of technology in their top suits. In general, I advise athletes to go with a wetsuit when ever possible as they will almost always make you faster. Any extra speed you can gain is a bonus.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Day 90 - Pedal to the Metal
So the weekend didn't turn out the way I had planned, but plans are meant to be broken :) Our Saturday morning hike turned into a Saturday afternoon stroll around downtown Seattle. My Sunday morning swim turned into an impromptu Sunday bike ride.
It had been a while since I had been on my bike, so I decided to take advantage of beautiful weather and the lack of a gym membership (forthcoming) to test my brakes. They are squeaky, most noticeably down massive down hills from my house down to Seward Park. I drive this route every morning to Booty Camp, but on a bike it's a whole 'nother thing. (Picture below is from Seward Park looking south - can you see Mt. Rainier?)Anyways, upon arrival at the park, I was pleasantly surprised to find I had stumbled on to Bicycle Sunday. I may have to make this my regular Sunday workout. I followed Lake Washington Blvd. up to Leschi, stopping along the way to visit the locations for the Triathlon.
The left picture is Genesee Park, the transition site for all the legs of the race. This is where I'll hop on my bike after traversing the swim, and where I'll drop the bike to head out on the last leg - the 5k run. Imagine it filled with almost 4,000 bicycles!
The left picture is taken from Stanley Sayer Memorial Park - where the swim will take place. I stopped and stared at the water for a while, while listening to kids hopping around in it complaining how damn cold it was. This will be daunting, but I'll stare it down, and then swim it down.
I continued my bike trek north, taking a breather and enjoying a glass of water with Anne and her friend Jen. After the break, I headed back south to Seward Park, then headed further south to avoid the hills I had tackled on my way there in favor of a gradual climb. I'll admit, throughout the trek, I got off my bike twice. Some of these hills were intense.I got home beat. Dan and I ended up calculating the ride - 14 miles. 2 miles more than what I'll have to do on race day. Granted, race day will be a whole lot different, but to know I can do it, that's kinda reassuring.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Day 92 - Sleepin' In
Well, our plans for today's workout have gone arry. Anne and I had intended on taking that last great hike, but Friday evening festivities translated into Saturday morning sleep-ins. I don't mind. I enjoyed the extra sleep! But now it's time to find an alternative workout. Impetus for getting signed up at All-Star. I'll let you know how it goes.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Day 94 - Dragging
Today finished out Week 2 of Booty Camp, and boy was it less than awesome. The weather in Seattle has been shit-tay, and it makes waking up, nevermind running, a serious drag. I woke up the last two morning at 5:52am - thus 5 minutes late to Camp, missing the warm-up run. Once present and accounted for, I just simply haven't been meeting the workout with the same kind of vim and vigor displayed in previous weeks. My fear is that I'm growing tired, and tired will beget non-activity. Gotta pep up!!
So let's mix it up a bit. I'll take my Friday rest day, but then Saturday take to the hills with Anne. It's bittersweet, as she's hauling arse south to places where the sun actually does shine, so our Adventures in Bear Scat will go with her. So we'll do this final hike together with positivity, energy, and certitude. Sunday I'll rest my creaky joints (they do seem creakier these days) and hit the pool with Lori.
So hopefully, by Monday, I'll be reinvigorated. A dry morning workout wouldn't hurt either.
So let's mix it up a bit. I'll take my Friday rest day, but then Saturday take to the hills with Anne. It's bittersweet, as she's hauling arse south to places where the sun actually does shine, so our Adventures in Bear Scat will go with her. So we'll do this final hike together with positivity, energy, and certitude. Sunday I'll rest my creaky joints (they do seem creakier these days) and hit the pool with Lori.So hopefully, by Monday, I'll be reinvigorated. A dry morning workout wouldn't hurt either.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Day 96 - Admission of Omission
My brother and I chatted about the blogging experience during my visit in LA. In true writer form, he insists that it be all-telling, leaving nothing out. More than just a log of exercise, it should include my weird insights along this journey. So here's one I included, and then omitted due to embarrassment:
Along with the weird guy in the tinted window sedan, we have a new visitor to our workout. The first time we noticed him was one of our rainy days last week, so he was maybe 200 feet away. This individual rolls up in a minivan at 6:15am, hops out, and proceeds to march around under one of the picnic shelters chanting to himself with a blanket over his head. From that distance, this looked like odd behavior. He seemed to be watching us. I was a little sketched.
Alas, two days later we were able to work out in our normal spot on the road, much closer to this individual's pacing shelter. It was then that I realized that this man was not potentially nuts and weird, but rather praying. See, the Seward Park neighborhood has an enclave of Orthodox Jews, and the blanket - not a blanket at all, but a prayer shawl, or tallit.
I was a little mortified at my initial reaction. Though the combination of my perception of the facts and my lack of coffee made my deduction seem reasonable, my cultural insensitivity embarrassed me enough to not even report my error. But now I'm reporting it. Please pardon me.
Along with the weird guy in the tinted window sedan, we have a new visitor to our workout. The first time we noticed him was one of our rainy days last week, so he was maybe 200 feet away. This individual rolls up in a minivan at 6:15am, hops out, and proceeds to march around under one of the picnic shelters chanting to himself with a blanket over his head. From that distance, this looked like odd behavior. He seemed to be watching us. I was a little sketched.
Alas, two days later we were able to work out in our normal spot on the road, much closer to this individual's pacing shelter. It was then that I realized that this man was not potentially nuts and weird, but rather praying. See, the Seward Park neighborhood has an enclave of Orthodox Jews, and the blanket - not a blanket at all, but a prayer shawl, or tallit.
I was a little mortified at my initial reaction. Though the combination of my perception of the facts and my lack of coffee made my deduction seem reasonable, my cultural insensitivity embarrassed me enough to not even report my error. But now I'm reporting it. Please pardon me.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Day 97 - Recovery
Recovery is an essential part of any good workout routine. I'm allowing that to be my justification, based on my abnormal weekend experience.
Dan and I went to LA to visit my brother David and sister-in-law Kerry and my not-so-new niece (5 1/2 months, but new to me!) as well as see my mother and father for Mother's Day. It was good to get out of town, spend time with family and friends (and the cutest baby in the world!), and see some of the sun that we've been sorely lacking in Seattle this spring.
Little did I know that David would invite me to join him in his workout ritual - Krav Maga. According to the KM Association of America website, this is the official self defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces. While we didn't do any grappling, ground fighting, or hand to hand combat, it was quite a workout, consisting of jumping on irrigation boxes, doing squats with kettle bells, and beating the hell out of a heavy bag with fists and kicks. Though I felt the workout, I had no idea how sore I would be later, and am actually kind of surprised, considering I had worked out the 5 days beforehand consistently. Still, we didn't do a lot of stretching either before or afterwards, which is not good. I woke up Sunday only mildy crippled, but after a 2 1/2 hour plane flight, bee-lined it to the grocery store on the way home from the airport for some Epsom salts for a soak.
The bath was good, but not enough. Sadly, I woke up this morning with enough of an ache in both my lower back and quads to justify a morning off from Booty Camp. I feel mildly guilty, but again, it's about recovery. We don't want injury taking me out this early in the game.
Picture 1: Me @ Krav Maga before the workout. Note the grappling in the background.
Picture #2: After the workout, giving the thumbs up to our instructor, Mark. Thank goodness, he's sweating too!
Picture #3: A posed action shot - that's an 8lb kettleball I'm holding above my head. And yes, I'm gritting my teeth.
Picture #4: Sibling bonding.
Dan and I went to LA to visit my brother David and sister-in-law Kerry and my not-so-new niece (5 1/2 months, but new to me!) as well as see my mother and father for Mother's Day. It was good to get out of town, spend time with family and friends (and the cutest baby in the world!), and see some of the sun that we've been sorely lacking in Seattle this spring.
Little did I know that David would invite me to join him in his workout ritual - Krav Maga. According to the KM Association of America website, this is the official self defense system of the Israeli Defense Forces. While we didn't do any grappling, ground fighting, or hand to hand combat, it was quite a workout, consisting of jumping on irrigation boxes, doing squats with kettle bells, and beating the hell out of a heavy bag with fists and kicks. Though I felt the workout, I had no idea how sore I would be later, and am actually kind of surprised, considering I had worked out the 5 days beforehand consistently. Still, we didn't do a lot of stretching either before or afterwards, which is not good. I woke up Sunday only mildy crippled, but after a 2 1/2 hour plane flight, bee-lined it to the grocery store on the way home from the airport for some Epsom salts for a soak.
The bath was good, but not enough. Sadly, I woke up this morning with enough of an ache in both my lower back and quads to justify a morning off from Booty Camp. I feel mildly guilty, but again, it's about recovery. We don't want injury taking me out this early in the game.
Picture 1: Me @ Krav Maga before the workout. Note the grappling in the background.
Picture #2: After the workout, giving the thumbs up to our instructor, Mark. Thank goodness, he's sweating too!
Picture #3: A posed action shot - that's an 8lb kettleball I'm holding above my head. And yes, I'm gritting my teeth.
Picture #4: Sibling bonding.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Day 100 - The official countdown begins!
Phew. I made it. That was tough. Thank you all for following my journey.
OK kidding, of course. I did not let myself down, and made it to the pool this morning. Tried the bilateral breathing thing - it's awkward. Practice practice practice, I guess. Today was the last day of my trial membership at All-Star. It's a nice pool, and convenient, so I think I'll join.
I doubt I'll get any kind of workout in while in LA, but will get back on the horse Monday with Booty Camp.
Must go pack now!
OK kidding, of course. I did not let myself down, and made it to the pool this morning. Tried the bilateral breathing thing - it's awkward. Practice practice practice, I guess. Today was the last day of my trial membership at All-Star. It's a nice pool, and convenient, so I think I'll join.
I doubt I'll get any kind of workout in while in LA, but will get back on the horse Monday with Booty Camp.
Must go pack now!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Day 101 - 5 years!
So today was uneventful workout-wise. Boot camp consisted of the usual sweat and toil. Today also marks 5 years that Dan and I have been together. Not married (that's a little over 2 1/2) but together. We rejoice!
Tomorrow we head to LA to visit family and friends, and couldn't be more thankful for both. Dan just timed himself - he can pack in 3 minutes. Granted, that's just a pile on the bed. I get to put it all in suitcases :)
So I have good intentions of hitting the pool early tomorrow morning - Day 100 (same schedule - 6am-7am) before flying out. We'll see if I hold up the bargain (blogging begets accountability, right?).
To answer M's Q, I have no real swim workouts that I stand by. Just getting back in the pool right now, so I'm simply going for distance, though I'd like to reinstitute some old trends. Warm up, followed by 20 lengths of free, then kicking with Zoomers (not an advantage - the resistance means your legs work a little harder), then just arms with a pull bouy, then some IMs, then more free, then some cool down. Distances are as you see fit.
Re park activity - the dude in the tinted window sedan drove past at one point, blasting Benny and the Jets of all things. I want to think he/she is just someone getting off of a weird work schedule and waiting it out before he/she heads home to the family. We can only wonder...
Tomorrow we head to LA to visit family and friends, and couldn't be more thankful for both. Dan just timed himself - he can pack in 3 minutes. Granted, that's just a pile on the bed. I get to put it all in suitcases :)
So I have good intentions of hitting the pool early tomorrow morning - Day 100 (same schedule - 6am-7am) before flying out. We'll see if I hold up the bargain (blogging begets accountability, right?).
To answer M's Q, I have no real swim workouts that I stand by. Just getting back in the pool right now, so I'm simply going for distance, though I'd like to reinstitute some old trends. Warm up, followed by 20 lengths of free, then kicking with Zoomers (not an advantage - the resistance means your legs work a little harder), then just arms with a pull bouy, then some IMs, then more free, then some cool down. Distances are as you see fit.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Day 102 - Random insights
So Dan says that I should post something, even when there's little new to report. So I'll do just that. I'd like to keep this blog tri-specific, but there's no doubt it will have its tangents. Bear with me.
Boot camp - good, again. First time since I started that I actually woke up late (5:50am), so had to haul arse to the park to make it in time. Good thing I lay out all my workout clothing in advance. Missed the warm up jog (boo hoo), but participated fully in the upper body workout. All I can say is that I hate - HATE - tricep dips. Almost as much as I hate push-ups.
It's strange what park activity takes place early in the morning. There is this one guy (I assume male, as I've never actually seen him/her) who is there before we arrive at 6am, parked in his tinted window sedan, who never comes out, but is there. Who knows what he's doing in his vehicle while we run and squat and crunch, but you can take a guess. Our instructor has taken down his license number and notified park authorities, but technically, he's doing nothing wrong. Dan assures me - there are strength in numbers, and we are strong indeed!
Tomorrow finishes week 1. I'm determined to have perfect attendance for the full 4 weeks, unlike last session, when a nasty flu (not swine) knocked me out for an entire week. Then we're off to LA to finally meet my adorable niece Dahlia and celebrate Mother's Day with the 'rents. Maybe my brother will want to run with me, though with his long legs and my rather slow pace, it may be more like a walk for him. Still, it could be a nice untraditional Scarpa bonding experience. The offer is out there, bro.
Boot camp - good, again. First time since I started that I actually woke up late (5:50am), so had to haul arse to the park to make it in time. Good thing I lay out all my workout clothing in advance. Missed the warm up jog (boo hoo), but participated fully in the upper body workout. All I can say is that I hate - HATE - tricep dips. Almost as much as I hate push-ups.
It's strange what park activity takes place early in the morning. There is this one guy (I assume male, as I've never actually seen him/her) who is there before we arrive at 6am, parked in his tinted window sedan, who never comes out, but is there. Who knows what he's doing in his vehicle while we run and squat and crunch, but you can take a guess. Our instructor has taken down his license number and notified park authorities, but technically, he's doing nothing wrong. Dan assures me - there are strength in numbers, and we are strong indeed!
Tomorrow finishes week 1. I'm determined to have perfect attendance for the full 4 weeks, unlike last session, when a nasty flu (not swine) knocked me out for an entire week. Then we're off to LA to finally meet my adorable niece Dahlia and celebrate Mother's Day with the 'rents. Maybe my brother will want to run with me, though with his long legs and my rather slow pace, it may be more like a walk for him. Still, it could be a nice untraditional Scarpa bonding experience. The offer is out there, bro.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Day 103 - Athletic Goddess?
Not really much to add. Day 2 of Booty Camp was very wet - we had some crazy weather that brought torrential rains (it rains here, but does not normally downpour) and high winds. So we convened under a picnic shelter and worked lower body, with intermittent soggy runs.
As far as triathlon stuff goes, I'm looking into gear and books, being wary of excessive investment in this process. I'll likely be consulting Danskin participants past to find out if the wetsuit/skin is really necessary.
I did learn one thing of interest in my online journey - that there's a name for ladies like me: Athenas. Athena athletes are generally women over 150 pounds. I guess this a more official designation for high-profile triathlons where weights are actually taken at the beginning of races. Still, a community has formed around larger women who do tris (or just choose to be athletic in general?), and I think that's kinda cool. I also think Athena for women seems much kinder than Clydesdales for men, which is the parallel category. You be the judge.
As far as triathlon stuff goes, I'm looking into gear and books, being wary of excessive investment in this process. I'll likely be consulting Danskin participants past to find out if the wetsuit/skin is really necessary.
I did learn one thing of interest in my online journey - that there's a name for ladies like me: Athenas. Athena athletes are generally women over 150 pounds. I guess this a more official designation for high-profile triathlons where weights are actually taken at the beginning of races. Still, a community has formed around larger women who do tris (or just choose to be athletic in general?), and I think that's kinda cool. I also think Athena for women seems much kinder than Clydesdales for men, which is the parallel category. You be the judge.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Day 104 - Booty Camp begins again.
I never fathomed that I would ever become someone who would wake up at the crack of dawn to go workout outside. Well, that's what's happened.
I rose bright and early (5:20am) to munch a banana and then head off to Booty Camp. We are roughly 15 women who meet from 6:00-7:00am for 4 mornings a week for 4 weeks in Seattle's Seward Park. I've really grown to enjoy the group, but also really love this park, and am learning it inside and out - the trails through the woods, the loop along the water, the wildlife. I will try to get a shot of the bald eagles one of these mornings. They were there today, actively building a nest and making their usual nutty noises. And all of this within 10 minutes of my house and in Seattle city limits. The Pacific Northwest rocks for reasons like these.
Booty Camp started with a shock to the core. We did lots of crunches and crunch-like things (100s, reverse crunches, push-pulls, side crunches w/10 pounds of weights). For those of us not new to the Booty Camp, we got to run some distance (maybe 1/2 mile?) while our instructor Theresa did some assessments with the newbies (plank, push-ups, sit-ups). All in all, it was a good morning with no rain. My arms ache a little from yesterday's swim, but nothing so bad that it will keep me away from tomorrow's workout.
Finally, to respond to previous comments, indeed technically the 100 days to Danskin have not yet started, but 107 days to Danskin just doesn't have the same ring to it. Also, I'll technically not start the true training regimen until the beginning of June (11 week plan), but figured I'd use the interim time as opportunity to plan, build strength, motivation, and endurance. I'll still swim and bike and run between now and then, and report on it for anyone who's "listening".
I rose bright and early (5:20am) to munch a banana and then head off to Booty Camp. We are roughly 15 women who meet from 6:00-7:00am for 4 mornings a week for 4 weeks in Seattle's Seward Park. I've really grown to enjoy the group, but also really love this park, and am learning it inside and out - the trails through the woods, the loop along the water, the wildlife. I will try to get a shot of the bald eagles one of these mornings. They were there today, actively building a nest and making their usual nutty noises. And all of this within 10 minutes of my house and in Seattle city limits. The Pacific Northwest rocks for reasons like these.
Booty Camp started with a shock to the core. We did lots of crunches and crunch-like things (100s, reverse crunches, push-pulls, side crunches w/10 pounds of weights). For those of us not new to the Booty Camp, we got to run some distance (maybe 1/2 mile?) while our instructor Theresa did some assessments with the newbies (plank, push-ups, sit-ups). All in all, it was a good morning with no rain. My arms ache a little from yesterday's swim, but nothing so bad that it will keep me away from tomorrow's workout.
Finally, to respond to previous comments, indeed technically the 100 days to Danskin have not yet started, but 107 days to Danskin just doesn't have the same ring to it. Also, I'll technically not start the true training regimen until the beginning of June (11 week plan), but figured I'd use the interim time as opportunity to plan, build strength, motivation, and endurance. I'll still swim and bike and run between now and then, and report on it for anyone who's "listening".
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Day 105 - Back in the Pool
It's been some time since I 
hit the pool for a good long lap swim (partially because I lost my favorite suit, and partially because the 24 Hour Fitness pool left something to be desired). So today I joined my friend Lori for a free membership trial at All-Star Fitness to test out the lanes and my stroke. After 40 lengths in the 25M pool (if my calculations are correct, that's over a 1/2 mile), I noticed a few things:
Hasta!
hit the pool for a good long lap swim (partially because I lost my favorite suit, and partially because the 24 Hour Fitness pool left something to be desired). So today I joined my friend Lori for a free membership trial at All-Star Fitness to test out the lanes and my stroke. After 40 lengths in the 25M pool (if my calculations are correct, that's over a 1/2 mile), I noticed a few things: 1) I love to swim.
2) My hiatus from the pool and slow down in upper body strength training means my arms had to work pretty hard. I'll feel that tomorrow.
3) My workout regimen over the last year has focused more on jogging, squats, lunges, and all that horrible stuff, but it has left me with some strong tree trunks for legs, which means my kick seems stronger.
4) I've got a few things to work on. Lori, having done Danskin 2 years ago and rockin' it, is going to share her wisdom with me about many aspects of the race, including sighting and breathing techniques. I've never been good at bilateral breathing, and the sighting thing is totally new to me. We'll practice that, and test it out in Lake Washington once things warm up a bit.
Lori also shared with me some insight she got from her naturopath, including adding salt to the diet. Not a ton, but without it, you likely sweat out any hydration, so including things like Emergen-C in your workout water bottle can improve your hydration. She also highly recommends using a road bike over my hybrid - a few ounces of weight can make a huge difference. Lori is going to be a wonderful resource, and I can't wait to spend LOTS of time with her working out and catching up. You are amazing, L!
Some other notes:
-- Danskin is a sprint triathlon, consisting of a 750 m(0.47 mi) swim, a 20 km (12.4 mi) bike, and a 5 km (3.1 mi) run.
-- Stats: I'll post periodically anything I notice, such as time improvements, pants size adjustments, etc. I don't want to become preoccupied with this becoming a weight loss regimen, but can't imagine it not bringing on such benefits, unless I choose to replace my diet with pasta breakfasts and many cake o'clock breaks at work.
Booty Camp starts tomorrow and I'm excited. We work out in a spot where bald eagles nest, and seeing them fly overhead while we crunch and plank really is inspirational.
Hasta!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Day 107 - Getting Ready
The next 3 1/2 months will be tough. While I've been pretty good at maintaining a workout regimen of late, including drinking the Kool-Aid that is early morning Booty Camp, I can only foresee a major uphill climb to triathlon finisher.
Baby steps - I've made contact with my Danskin mentor, a woman seasoned in the ways of sprint triathlons. We're slated to meet with other women preparing for the race, which will be a good support group. I start up booty camp again on Monday, so will consider that a good start. I'm drafting my workout schedule, which I'll post.
Concerns:
Knees, as always. Heredity is a b*tch, so it's glucosamine and braces all the way. I'd like to be able to walk when I'm done :).
Open water swimming. My younger days of competitive swim teams (Go Dolphins!) have made swimming a favorite workout, but Lake Washington is a whole different ball of wax. Expect reports on open water swims throughout this expedition (and how much lake water I drink).
Vacations. Slipping in workouts while camping at the Gorge, lounging in Wisconsin, etc. Potentially challenging. How can a run compete with Claudia's homemade cooking?
Goals:
Finish. That's it. If I benefit otherwise along the way (maybe lose a pound or two), excellent. But this is all about finishing something I started.
And with that, I start.
Baby steps - I've made contact with my Danskin mentor, a woman seasoned in the ways of sprint triathlons. We're slated to meet with other women preparing for the race, which will be a good support group. I start up booty camp again on Monday, so will consider that a good start. I'm drafting my workout schedule, which I'll post.
Concerns:
Knees, as always. Heredity is a b*tch, so it's glucosamine and braces all the way. I'd like to be able to walk when I'm done :).
Open water swimming. My younger days of competitive swim teams (Go Dolphins!) have made swimming a favorite workout, but Lake Washington is a whole different ball of wax. Expect reports on open water swims throughout this expedition (and how much lake water I drink).
Vacations. Slipping in workouts while camping at the Gorge, lounging in Wisconsin, etc. Potentially challenging. How can a run compete with Claudia's homemade cooking?
Goals:
Finish. That's it. If I benefit otherwise along the way (maybe lose a pound or two), excellent. But this is all about finishing something I started.
And with that, I start.
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