Training Outside: It’s Only Cold ‘Til You Warm Up

I’m supposed to go for a bike ride on Wednesday nights but my bike isn’t working so great.  I put it together myself and the gears make a weird clicking sound.  Plus I hate the seat.  Everyone says I’ll get used to it but my butt disagrees.  I didn’t do much of anything on Wednesday which is unfortunate.

On Thursday I went for a run outside after work and let me tell you…it was COLD!  I put on my windbreaker, sweatshirt, sweatpants, thermal gloves, headband around my ears and heavy socks and was still chilly when I left the apartment.  Living a block from the ocean means it’s even colder here than it is most other places.  I’ve been dreading training outside in the cold but I had to bite the bullet eventually and get ‘er done!  Why not just run on a treadmill?  Because triathlons aren’t run on a treadmill.  They’re outside and I see a dramatic difference in my running from treadmill to street.  It’s way more difficult outside and those are the conditions I need to run in.

I typically run about 30 minutes through the neighborhood.  I go through the streets and then down to the boardwalk, along the boardwalk for a bit and then around and home.  About 2-3 miles depending on my pace that day.  Here’s the breakdown for Thursday evening:

2.22 Miles

29:58 Minutes

Calories burned: 225

Calories from fat: 23%

The first 10 minutes were pretty rough.  I was freezing and just wanted to go home and have hot chocolate.  I kept going and then all of a sudden I realized not only am I no longer cold but I was sweating.  I wasn’t uncomfortable at all.  The blood was flowing to the extremities keeping them nice and toasty.  I did realize I need to get better undergarments so that my clothing doesn’t get wet.  That’s just asking to get sick.  My pal Rich made some suggestions and said although it’s expensive it’ll be worth the cost of a good liner.  So I’m now looking into that.

Sometimes the fear of doing something builds up so much that when it’s actually done the brain thinks…”that wasn’t so bad at all.”  I’ve always been the type of person to jump in with both feet and worry about the details later.  Now training outside in the cold isn’t as scary as it was a week ago.  I’ve done it and I know what to expect.  Now I just have to keep doing it.

Accomplishing More by Doing Less

Just because I haven’t been blogging doesn’t mean I haven’t been training.  I started my new job on Monday December 5^th and so my schedule is all over the place.  Fortunately the company I now work for is pretty understanding about my training schedule.  They still don’t know why I joined up with Team in Training but I made it very clear in the interview that this is a huge priority for me.

If you’re up to speed on this blog (and I hope you’ve read my previous entries) you’ll know that the last time I posted was on December 3^rd after spin class and swim evaluation.  I like Coach Joe’s style because he’s all about technique; just like me.  Back in my pool playing days I could always go back to my fundamental techniques to find out why I was playing poorly on any given day.  I’m a firm believer that conscious technique is the only way to improve and be consistent.  Practice technique and it becomes subconscious.

I didn’t get any additional training after spin and evaluation until the following Tuesday night when I went out to swim with the team and Coach Joe at Suffolk Community College.  I had to get my fitness evaluation done and then figured I’d go back to Hofstra every Tuesday to train with those folks.  That’s not going to happen and here’s why.  The long version of course.

When I went to swimming at Hofstra Coach Steve was all about “do 4x25” (translation: 100 meters) or “do 6x25.”  Then we did drills.  Of course I found out on my video analysis that I could do drills all day long and not improve because my technique was awful.  Remember my shoulder pain?  This past Tuesday I went to SCCC and was told to count how many strokes it took me to go 100 meters.  I would count each stroke every 25 meters and then have 4 numbers at the end.  Like this:

25m = 24 strokes

25m = 25 strokes

25m = 22 strokes

25m = 23 strokes

So in the beginning I was averaging 23.5 strokes per 100 meters and it was taking me roughly 2:10.  Coach Joe told me to glide more and consider technique instead of strokes.  By the end of the hour I was able to go 100 meters using an average of 18 strokes and my time was 2:01.  So let me get this straight…I do less, make it farther and go faster?  I call that an improvement in efficiency.  I now plan on going out to SCCC every Tuesday to train.  It’s tough to find improvement when swimming and the fact that Coach Joe can quantify it and tell me where I am is immensely helpful in my mind.  It’s not for everyone but I like it!

While it takes an extra half hour to get to SCCC versus Hofstra from my apartment I think it’ll definitely be worth the trek.  After all, swimming a mile while hardly doing anything takes a lot of effort!

Back in the saddle...and pool.

Another Saturday morning rolling my butt out of bed at 5:30am.  I'm getting used to it and actually prefer it.  I feel like I get so much more done getting up early.  Besides, I'm starting a new job on Monday and I have to get up at 5am anyway to catch the train.

Today I did my 2nd spin class.  My aforementioned butt did better this time around on the seat but I still don't understand why they have to be so damn uncomfortable.  Everyone insists I'll get used to it but I'm not so sure.  I wear padded bike shorts and use body glide to reduce chafing and I'm still having trouble making it through and entire one hour class.  I know...just stand up, right?  That works for a while but then my quadriceps start to burn and my heart rate skyrockets and I have to sit back down.  Plus the bike ride for this triathlon is 26 miles so I better learn how to deal with the seat fast.  I haven't been on my bike in a while but I recall it didn't bother me as much as the seat on a spin bike.  Hopefully soon I can get my indoor trainer and start riding.  Or just suck it up and ride outside in the cold.

After spin class I headed out to a swimming workshop/clinic/evaluation.  This was really interesting.  Coach Joe talked about technique and how using our arms and legs to swim is actually a big fat waste of energy.  Yeah, I said that too.  How do we move forward?  This is where I start to re-re-relearn how to swim.  Again.  We watched a video and it started to make sense.  Then the cool part came.  We got into a tank about 3 feet deep that had mirrors on the floor, cameras and this really neat current creating machine that we would swim into but not move forward.  Holy hell, yes, I want one!!!  Great training tool.

I jumped in the pool and then looked up at the video monitor.  There in HD in a room with 3 men was my derriere.  In my bathing suit of course but no real woman needs to see that.  I had jumped in the pool exactly where the main camera was mounted.  I made a hasty retreat to a neutral corner and hoped no one had seen.  You know, on the 60" screen TV right over the pool.

When it was my turn to swim Coach Joe turned the current machine to where I was comfortable and I started "swimming."  I felt like I was doing okay but was still concerned about my right shoulder since I know it's a technique issue that caused the trouble to begin with.  The beauty of video is that I saw exactly why my shoulder hurt.  Thank you, Roger Neilson.  I don't roll my hips enough and my right arm swings way out putting stress on the shoulder plus I'm trying to pull myself through the water, which is a no-no.  Wiggle, don't pull.

Another thing I saw that I was doing horribly is something I honestly believed I was doing perfectly.  My legs were lower than my head creating what's known as drag.  One important component of swimming is being as level as possible so the body glides through the water unimpeded.  I thought I was level.  I'm actually swimming uphill and had no idea.  According to Coach Joe's calculations I go .77 meters every time I stroke, which is about average.  Coach Joe goes 2 meters for every stroke.  The moral of the story?  I'm way slower but some simple corrections in my technique can put me over the 1 meter per stroke goal I now have in my overly competitive mind.  I know I can get there with help and practice.

I didn't make it to yoga since I had other errands to run and the last class was at 3pm.  I'm planning on going tomorrow instead.  It's great to be back on track and training again.  I feel good and had a great workout.  I think I have a pinched nerve in my back but I'm icing it and taking ibuprofen to hopefully make it better.  The tightness in the shoulders has subsided but the one spot to the left of my spine has me concerned.  The chiropractor is on standby.

As a triathlete, it seems something always hurts.  Shoulders from swimming, legs from running, ass from the saddle, back from everything combined.  Put ice on it, get some sleep and get back to it.  I always go back to Aubri.  Yes, I hurt.  But every week she's subjected to needles and poison to fight what's wrong with her.  We can't put ice on cancer and make it better.  It's a brutal regiment that's difficult on her 3 year old body and on her parents and siblings as well.  I think of her and I keep going.  For me it's painful and inconvenient.  For her, it's another day fighting cancer.  It humbles me and I thank her for being such an inspiration.

To make a donation to leukemia research in Aubri's honor, click this link or if you'd like to mail a check email me at bizechick@aol.com for the address.

Vacation. That's my excuse this week.

Okay, so I spent 6 days during the Thanksgiving holiday in the Midwest drinking beer, eating poorly and having a fabulous time!  I did do a hot yoga class and a step class while I was away but other than that there was no real training.  I haven't done a damn thing since I got back 3 days ago but tomorrow gets me back on track.  Yes, I broke the three day rule but anyone who knows me understands my feelings about rules.  Tomorrow's schedule looks like this:

Spin class from 7-8am
Swim workshop from 9-11am
Swim evaluation and pointers from 11-12pm
Yoga from 3-4:30pm.
I may throw in a run for good measure

The good news is the training schedule was slightly padded with an extra three weeks.  The better news is those three weeks are up and it's time to kick it into gear and stop messing around.  Gonna make that baby girl proud when I blow across that finish line in April!

Aubri's counts were great at her last appointment and she got her two weeks off without chemo but she goes into a really difficult phase starting this Monday.  Her courage gives me all the motivation I need to get moving again.  Playtime is over.  Time to get back on track.