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Archive for May, 2008

Triathlon is making me a hippie

Sunday, May 11th, 2008

Granted, I was never some super conservative hummer-driving war monger and I’ve always leaned a little bit to the left politically, but I feel like I’ve gotten way more hippie-ish in the six months since I’ve really started taking triathlon seriously and made it more of a “lifestyle” than just a hobby that I trained for whenever I felt like it.

I’ve started a little herb garden outside my kitchen window. I completely stopped drinking coffee and switched to herbal tea, sweetened with stevia instead of sugar. I take cod liver oil every morning with chocolate soy milk, two things that I NEVER thought I would ever do. I’m planning to start commuting to work by bike at least once a week this summer and am way more conscious about the energy that I use. I also started running to my gym instead of driving since it is less than 2 miles away and it saves me from having to want to claw my eyes out when stuck running on the treadmill. I’ve even started re using plastic grocery bags, or getting paper, at the grocery store.

I’m not exactly sure what is going on, but it is just weird to see all these changes so quickly in my daily routine after I had been stuck in my old ways for so long. No real deep reflection here, sorry. Just an interesting observation I decided to share.

Oh, and I went on the longest ride of the season so far and it was aaaaaawsome. Almost 55 miles through the woods Concord, MA. It was a pretty nice and easy pace, but let me play with my nutrition and hydration a little bit so I can have a better idea of what I need for the Providence 70.3.

1) Straight Gatorade is not enough and at least one GU or pack of Clif Blocks an hour is a good idea.

2) Only two water bottles for a +3 hour ride isn’t going to cut it. I’ve gotta plan out some places to stop and refuel along the way.

3) My legs are whiiiiite. I got a little bit of a burn today, and probably could have used some sun tan lotion, but hopefully now that they have seen some sun, it won’t be too much of an issue for the rest of the year.

| Posted in Cycling, Training Log, Triathlon | No Comments »

Swimming Breakthrough

Sunday, May 4th, 2008

After spending any amount of time doing any sort of training, you are bound to come across a big breakthrough. I have yet to pull off that 20+ mph bike ride or that sub 20 minute 5k run (at least since I was 18 )  yet but yesterday I did something that I decided needed some celebration.

I have pretty good swimming form, but there is always one thing that has plagued me no matter how many stupid drills and techniques I tried. bi-lateral breathing.

Sure, I COULD breathe on both sides, it just isn’t pretty. On the right side? I’m as good as gold. But when my head turns to the left, all of a sudden I go into some weird spasm, my arms start slapping the water, I start choking on water, and my kick goes all sideways. Not a pretty thing, at least until yesterday.

Yesterday I went to a swim clinic with my triathlon team and I got some much needed critique on my form. After a few new drills and realizing that I do this weird cross over and quick correction with only my right arm, that makes it really hard to breathe on the left side without lifting my head out of the water, all of a sudden breathing on the left side is SO much more comfortable.

I know seems like a pretty small step, but I’ve always tried to breathe on both sides, especially so I can sight better in open water and not go as far off course in open water swims,

Bilateral breathing? Check. Now on to that 20 mph average bike and sub 20:00 5k….

But first, I might actually want to think about working out again since the few hundred yards of drills that I did yesterday is the closest thing I’ve done that resembles a workout since last Sunday, exactly a week ago.

Being Sick Sucks!

I’m feeling really good and have finally fully recovered, but am still going it pretty easy with a nice light treadmill run this afternoon.

Happy training everyone.

Tags: , | Posted in Swimming, Triathlon | 4 Comments »