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TRI Week 01: Thursday, 2/2 - Swim February 2, 2006

Posted by Amber D. Evans in : Swimming, Blacksburg VA, Training Stats , add a comment

"Moving like an eel."

Context

City, State: Blacksburg, VA.
Location: Blacksburg Aquatic Center.
Course: Pool.
Terrain: 25 yards; 80 degrees.
Distance & Time: 1150 yards, 00:56:58 minutes
Pace: Avg 01:14.32/50y, Fast N/A, Slow N/A.
RPE: 6 (somewhat harder).
HRR: 134-163 (Aerobic Basic).
HR(avg.): 150 bpm.

Thursday, February 2, 2005

The Swim

Synopsis

Overall

Moving like an eel. Not all the time, but it came back to my during my last 250 yards. Rotate, rotate, thumb in armpit, chin tucked down, rotate, rotate. Slish, slish, slish. Cutting through the water. Oh, yes! This is what it's supposed to feel like! It feels so good!

Swimming isn't so bad after all. Hee, hee! Of course, longer sessions are to be in store for me … but I'll give it a month or so before I push it. I'm still training for the half marathon, so I have to keep the tri stuff somewhat in check until then!

RUN Week 13: Wednesday, 2/1 - Run

Posted by Amber D. Evans in : Running, Blacksburg VA, Training Stats , add a comment

"Great run with no drawbacks!"

Context

City, State: Blacksburg, VA.
Location: City & Trail.
Course: Course: 4-mile Runabout Sports Club Run [map]
Terrain: Hilly; paved.
Distance & Time: 5.75 miles; 00:53:41.
Pace, Speed & RPE: 9:20/mi; 6.4 mph; 6 (somewhat harder).
HRR: 154-174 (Aerobic High).
HR(avg.): 171 bpm.

Wednesday, February 1, 2006

The Run

Synopsis

Overall

Great run with no drawbacks! Not much more to say. Everything seemed to click and work. There wasn't any IB band pain. No "lazy lead legs" syndrome. I felt energized, fueled, and felt like having fun! Love these days!

TRI Week 01: Wednesday, 2/1 - Swim

Posted by Amber D. Evans in : Swimming, Blacksburg VA, Training Stats , add a comment

"Getting my feet wet, but not for long today."

Context

City, State: Blacksburg, VA.
Location: Blacksburg Aquatic Center.
Course: Pool.
Terrain: 25 yards; 80 degrees.
Distance & Time: 800 yards, 45 minutes.
Pace: Avg 00:56.70/50y, Fast 00:50.94/50y, Slow 01:16.38/50y.
RPE: 6 (somewhat harder).
HRR: 143-173 (Aerobic).
HR(avg.): ~165 bpm.

Wednesday, February 1, 2005

The Swim

Synopsis

Overall

Getting my feet wet, but not for long today. It's been two (more?) months since I've swam. It's been for a variety of reasons: grad school, work, moving, Xmas, financial. But mostly, I've had no excuse since I've arrived in VA except for the fact that I've been dreading going back to swimming. The longer I wait, the worse the dread gets. I was afraid to go swimming b/c I knew I was out of practice, and that it would be both a shock to realize how out-of-practice I now am and also because I know how much work I'll have to put in to get back into form. But, I went yesterday and Josh (my hubby) went with me.

He really helped put things in perspective for me. I have little to nothing to be complaining about. I can swim, and swim well (I just lack endurance right now). He can swim, too, but he's not had formal training, so his form is a bit awkward as so is his coordination (which is compounded by the fact that he wastes a lot of energy and gets tired, thus he begins to perform worse, like any of us). He was suffering bad leg cramps by the end of 8×50 and was exhausted and was asking me a million questions to which I hardly had any answers to give him. But, it did make me wonder. Was the fact that I've had swimming lessons and Jr. Lifeguard certification (back when I was 15 years old) still make that much of a difference in my swimming today? Would that always be the case? Is swimming like riding a bike?

He caught me at the end of my set, "You look so smooth. You glide through the water. How do you do that?"

Parental finances early in my life ensured I could swim well … Lots of swim lessons and practice, especially in the beginning, I was thinking. But the answer I gave him was, "Patience. Patience, lessons with a coach–not me–, and practice–"

"But you haven't been swimming in awhile. You still look fine," he blurted to me. Little did he know that inside I was gasping for air and fighting my reflexes to breathe every stroke. Little did he know I was worried about tiring and not rotating enough leaving me with a lungful of water–something that happens when I haven't the regular practice.

"Sweetie, thank you, but even I'm not all that great. I'm slow. I still lack a certain amount of form and technique, plus I tend to not push myself. And, I'm really hurting on endurance right now … I could swim 2000+ yards consecutively when I last swam in November. Today, I can barely swim a 50 without being completely winded." Pausing I continued, "We both have a lot of work to do in the water."

And so it is. I can no longer ignore it or pretend. I finally broke the limiter. I've resigned myself to the fact that I will need to start spending time in the water again. I plan to do some easy drill sets on Thursday for about an hour, then I'll start my regular training program on Monday, going three times a week and maybe another once or twice in the evenings for those "relaxing long-distance swims" I used to so enjoy. Time to get my groove-thang back on.