Time To Shake It Off and Do The Damn Thing!

[ironteam2009] coaches e-mail week 8

Hi Team,

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and have fun, safe plans to ring in the new year. We are starting a recovery week so enjoy the shorter less intense workouts and let your body relax a bit.

We have one swim workout during the week (details below) and our first team open water swim next weekend!

Things you need to know for Saturday: We will meet at Lake Del Valle in Livermore http://www.ebparks.org/parks/del_valle . at 9am. The website has directions and please note that a $6 per car entry fee is charged so I suggest you carpool. (If you want to become a member of the parks for $50 per year you will not have to pay park entrance fees – this includes Shadow Cliffs which is a great place for open water swimming as well.)

What we are doing: OPEN WATER SWIM (bring wetsuit, goggles, body glide, towel, optional - gloves, booties, squid lid)

***ALSO PLEASE PLAN ON CHANGING CLOTHES COMPLETELY AFTER THE SWIM SO YOU START THE REST OF YOUR WORKOUT DRY AND WARMER***

We highly recommend bringing a thermos with something warm to drink after the swim as well. There will be bathrooms to change in.

SPIN (bring bike, trainer, etc for a spin workout)

RUN (shoes, hat, run gear)

NUTRITION for a 5 ½ hour workout which includes plenty of fluids (bring your own refills), bars, gels, and recovery food! Plan to bring a recovery drink (for immediate consumption) and a lunch size meal for post workout as there are no convenient places to buy food nearby.


Nancy, Dave, Wayne and Alex



Swim Workout

Tuesday Focus- pacing while sighting

Warm Up

200 (G2=300, G3=400) L3

4x50 (CU,S) L4 10*RI

2x50 (Scull,S) L4 10* RI

Main Sets

6x100 L5 15* RI pay attention to your times and try to keep them all the same with a nice relaxed stroke

(G2=7x100 G3=8x100)

4x100 L5 15* RI sight once each lap and make sure you focus on something (pick an object before you start)

(G2=5x100 G3=6x100) *Check your times on these as well. Notice how much of an impact sighting has.

Try sighting with a different method on some of the 100s (1-crocodile crawl – barely lifting your eyes above the surface 2-lift head forward to sight, turn head to side to breath, then back down 3-turn head to side to breath, swing it forward to sight, then back down)

Warm Down

200 L4 Focus on a swimming with perfect technique. You can incorporate drills and/or other strokes in the warm down if you wish

Totals: G1=1700 G2=2000 G3=2300

Just feeling like im in a little slump....

Maybe it's the holidays and being away from the people that I love. The new year will start soon and the focus and determination will return...

First Meltdown

Tonight was the very first time since the start of training that I had a meltdown. I questioned my sanity, my capability, my commitment.. whether or not I could actually complete my ultimate goal of finishing a full Ironman. I fell apart completely during the coached swim workout. I was overwhelmed with a sense of panic...sobbing in the pool, unable to control my tears. I had never been so challenged physically. If I already feel like I may drown in the pool... then how in the hell am I ever going to be able to swim 2.4 miles? I actually allowed myself to admit that was scared to death that I would not be able to complete the swim. Thankfully I have great teammates. I was given words of encouragement and shared stories of personal experiences. Tonight was a tough night but tomorrow brings in a new day to try again.

Please remember im doing my part. I won't quit ... if you promise not to quit on me. Together we can make a difference. Please choose a cause and donate today. With love and many happy wishes for the holidays, Belinda

This Weeks Swim Workout

SWIM WORKOUTS:

MONDAY

Please try to make the coached workout but if you absolutely cannot – do the following:

Warm Up

200 (G2=300, G3=400) L3

4x50 (CU,S) L4 10*RI

4x50 (Scull,S) L4 10* RI

Main Sets

4x25 L4 10*RI Focus on how each phase of the pull feels, 1-the beginning or catch, 2-the pull, 3-the transition from pull to push, 4-and the finish (push)

4x100 L5 15*RI feeling the water in each of the phases as in the previous set

4x100 L5 15*RI Check your times and try to make them all the same- record your “normal” time in your log

(G2=6x100)

(G3=8x100)

4x25 L5 20*RI Breath control (3 breaths on first 25, 2 on second, 1 on third and 0 on fourth) if this is too difficult, stick with the # of breaths that is a challenge on all 4

200 L5 straight swim alternate breathing (every 3, 2L-2R, by lap, or every 3 on odd lengths then every 5 on the even lengths)

Warm Down

200 L4 Focus on a swimming with perfect technique. You can incorporate drills and/or other strokes in the warm down if you wish

Totals: G1=2000 G2=2300 G3=2600


Tuesday Focus- Feeling the pace

Warm Up

200 (G2=300, G3=400) L3

4x50 (CU,S) L4 10*RI

2x50 (Scull,S) L4 10* RI

Main Sets

6x150 (50-L6,100-L5) 15* RI Swim 50 yards at L6, then back off the intensity to L5 for the remaining 100 yards – no rest between - maintain nice long front quadrant (1/2 CU swimming)

(G2=7x150 G3-8x150)

4x50 descend (L4-5-6-7) 15*RI keep the form the same, just raise the intensity a little with each 50. Check your times and they should get aprox 2 seconds faster each 50

Warm Down

200 L4 Focus on a swimming with perfect technique. You can incorporate drills and/or other strokes in the warm down if you wish

Totals: G1=1800 G2=2050 G3=2300


Friday

Warm Up

200 (G2=300, G3=400) L3

4x50 (CU,S) L4 10*RI

(G2=4x50 (choice drill,S L4 10* RI)

4x25 L4 10* RI for each 25 focus on powerful execution of one of the 4 phases of the pull as taught on Monday night (1-catch, 2-pull, 3-transition, 4-push)

Main Sets

3x200 L4 30*RI keep the effort easy and go through your skills inventory in your head (balance, rotation, 1/2

(G3=4x200) CU, extending in front, alternate breathing, exhaling completely, face and jaw relaxed, etc.)

Track your times (add them together excluding the 1 ½ minutes of rest you had)

600 L5 Ironman pace - straight swim should be faster than the 200 times added together

(G3=800)

Warm Down

200 L4 Focus on a swimming with perfect technique. You can incorporate drills and/or other strokes in the
warm down if you wish

Totals: G1=1900 G2=2200 G3=2500

BONK DAY

Well I survived the day with minimal injury to myself and others. As I said in my last post, we were instructed to stop any intake of food after 6 pm on Friday night... prior to Saturday's 6 1/2 hour training day. I can honestly say that I did not cheat... even though I was tempted by all the yummy foods my coworkers were eating at our annual holiday dinner. I was famished the entire evening and even in my sleep.
The objective was to teach us how to evaluate our bodies ... to be aware of how we may feel if calories were low or depleted during our event. And how to prevent and or recover from the feeling of being "BONKED". During the first half of the morning we did 40 minutes on the trainer performing various drills and then ran for 20 min. This exercise was repeated 3 times. We were limited to only liquids and electrolytes as our intake. During the trainer/run session I didn't feel any changes until the 2nd run. My calves started to feel a little tighter as I ran but I pushed through. I finished the run and hopped on the bike for the 3rd and final session. It was at that point that I could feel a low grade headache starting just at the back of my head. Then during the final run my body just felt really cold. I wasnt sure if the temperature had dropped or if my body was starting to feel the effects of the calorie depletion. I have never been cold on a run.. if anything I have always felt too hot.. thats why I always run with only the minimum on.
Luckily the last run signified that the first half of the long training day was ending. We were then allowed a 30 min break to have lunch. I had never been so happy to have packed an actual cooler for myself. I just sat there in the parking lot of Sports Basement with all my yummy food.. I felt like I had won the Lotto.. pure contentment!
The remaining half of the day involved evaluation of bike skills and a session of core/strength training. I actually enjoyed the bike skills aspect. We had to do slow drive bys to pick up water bottles from the ground or just the opposite... to set water bottles upright onto the ground. We practiced switching water bottles from various cages on our bikes, handing off water bottles from person to person, riding with no hands.. we even practiced slow speed controlled skills. We were maneuvered our way through an obstacle course... attempting tight turns with minimal speed on our bikes. The idea was that we try t maintain control of our bikes as we followed the course ahead. I did the drill several time... once successfully, another time running over a few cones... and a 3rd time where I ended up just flopping over onto my side on the asphalt. It was a a pretty tame fall.. I was almost at a standstill by the time I fell over. I ended up falling in such a way that I jabbed myself in the ribs with my own elbow. It took my breathe away.. and all I could feel was a very sharp pain on the left side of my rib cage. I managed to recoup, catch my breathe and pushed myself through the rest of the day.
I still have pain but its tolerable.. I think I may have just bruised myself badly. Its really annoying because it slows my ability to follow the scheduled training... grrr. I have a Coached swim workout this evening... should be interesting..




**A teammate did manage to BONK. He was doing really well and then all of a sudden while on the bike he felt light headed, lost feeling of the muscles in his legs, and he was shakey and cold. The coaches recognized the symptoms and immediately had him stop and take liquids, electrolyte and food. He managed to recover and continue on with the rest of the training.

Saturdays 6 1/2 Hr Training Day

**I just received this email this evening. We were not informed about the dietary restrictions until now. Needless to say im upset because I have an office holiday dinner to attend at 6 pm Friday and another "casual, hello, have a drink," TNT reunion gathering after that.. Im still going to go to both functions... I just wont be able to enjoy the yummy food. Bummer :-(

Presidio Sports Basement @ 8:45 AM
610 Old Mason St. SF, CA 94129

Summary of Workout:
8:45 AM arrival. Prepare for 9:00AM start.

NO BREAKFAST FOR ATHLETES other than water and electrolytes. Last meal is previous evening prior to 6pm.

ROTATION ONE: 9:00-12:15, Group A does effort 1, Group B does effort 2

ROTATION TWO: 12:30-3:30, Group A does effort 2, Group B does effort 1

Effort 1: Bike skills, running, stretching and strength workout: You need to arrive in ride gear ready to ride, HELMET, tires pumped up, water bottles full, clothes on by 9:00, not starting to get geared up at 9:00.

Effort 2: Bike spinnerval/run workout: You need to have spin trainers set up by 9:00 AM, not starting to set up at 9:00 AM. We start the workout at 9:00 AM.

Group A: Kristie, Caesar, Ferdinand, & Sedonia’s mentor groups (Captains: Jess, Helen)

Group B: Marin, Joan, Hez, & Beau's mentor groups (Captains: Yi, Judy)

Groups switch at around 12:30 PM for second rotation of same activities listed below after a short recuperative lunch. Everyone should be hungry by now given no breakfast, and no food during first rotation effort.

Details of Workout:
Effort 1 details, first rotation (total of 3 hours 15 minutes, plus 15 minutes for changing/breaks):

1 hour 15 minutes in the parking lot. This group will split into 2 sub-groups.
Drills are as follows:
1. Counter Steering seminar
2. Slow speed cone work

Switch sub-groups after 1 hour and 30 minutes roughly
1. Water bottle exchange, everyone bring at least 3 water bottles
2. Slow speed bottle pickup
3. Gear Changing and braking overview, on bike and off bike

Run 20' level 5 (aerobic) warmup for stretching and strength training
Stretching 20 minutes
Strength 40 minutes

Effort 2 details, first rotation (3 hours 15 minutes, plus 15 minutes for post effort stretching)

3 x (40' spinnerval, 20' run)

Nutrition Details:
NO BREAKFAST FOR ATHLETES other than water and electrolytes. Last meal is previous evening prior to 6pm.

No food for the first rotation with both groups, athletes are meant to work without caloric intake, only water and electrolytes. No liquid or solid food. Second rotation they are encouraged to eat what they are experimenting with.

Small lunch at 12:30 when groups switch.

Wet weather alternative if parking lot is super slippery:

We will forgo the parking lot bike exercises and dig into an all team spinnerval/run, lengthening the run to 40' each repeat and then adding stretching and strength training at the end of the entire workout. We will not split the team if it is raining.

Our most recent email from the head Coach.... OOFA!

Team,

Yes Virginia there is a heart that benefits from repetitive aerobic
effort in that chest of yours.
Tomorrow is your day off from training. Take advantage of that. From
Tuesday the 16th through Sunday the 28th of December you are an
IRONMAN machine, churning out physical efforts day in and day out.
The efforts are not hard, but they are efforts. Listen to your body
and if you require a day off in there somewhere then be honest with
yourself and take the day off. The evaluation of your ability to
sustain effort over those 13 days comes down to three categories.
Pain....Discomfort....Fatigue.
If you are in pain, stop. If you are in discomfort, monitor and if
your form is faltering due to the discomfort then stop. If you are
fatigued, suck it up and keep going. Fatigue makes you stronger,
discomfort tunes your body to your mind, but pain sets you back.
Don't endure pain, listen to the discomfort and drive through the
fatigue.

If you have any questions, let us know.

Wayne





SWIM WORKOUTS FOR THIS WEEK:

Tuesday – Focus: Back to Basics: Balance and Rotation

Warm Up

200 (G2=300, G3=400)L3

2x50 (CU,S) L4 10*RI

100 Pull only with pull buoy if you have one (they may be available to borrow at the pool)

100 Pull only without pull buoy and try to find the same balance by pressing in the chest

Main Sets

2x500 L5 1’RI First one focus on balance (head, shoulders and hips at surface by pressing chest in)
Second one focus on rotation -from the hips, as a unit, as you extend your reach

G2 only 3x100 descend (L4,L5,L6) 15*RI (each swim gets faster by about 5 seconds)

G3 only 2x(3x100) descend 15*RI

Warm Down

2x100 L3 20*RI Focus on a swimming with perfect technique. You can incorporate drills and/or other strokes in the
warm down if you wish

Totals: G1=1700 G2=2100 G3=2500


Friday –Maintaining focus

Warm Up

200 (G2=300, G3=400) L3

4x50 (CU,S) L4 10*RI

Main Sets

2x200 L5 20*RI Focus on ½ catchup and extension in front of the stroke
(G2&3=3x200)

2x100 L6 15*RI try to maintain the long ½ catchup stroke you had in the 200s at the higher effort level
(G2&3=3x100)

2x200 L5 20*RI alternate breathing (every 3, 2L-2R, or by lap)
(G3 only =3x200)

2x100 L6 15*RI try to maintain the alternate breathing with the higher effort level
(G3 only = 3x100)

Warm Down

200 L4 Focus on a swimming with perfect technique. You can incorporate drills and/or other
strokes in the warm down if you wish

Totals: G1=1700 G2=2100 G3=2500

What a week!

I guess I ate my words after my last Blog. Apparently I injured myself after last Sundays swim and run workout. Trying new and different swim drills, we practiced an open water swim sighting exercise. Basically we had to swim a "fast doggie paddle".. while at the same time keeping our heads above water and focusing on an object ahead. I guess the strain of keeping my head up was too much for me. Later that night my neck began to get stiff... especially on the right side. Needless to say.. I didn't train all week and I was popping Flexiril (muscle relaxer) before bedtime. But by Saturday my neck seemed almost completely back to health, I even road 30 miles on my bike. I will definitely be more cautious as to which swim drills I choose to participate in. My mentor mentioned that I will have to be able to sight during the race.. and I completely understand that. Of course, I will take the time to be aware of my surroundings so that I don't swim off course. But swimming in that position for that long is unnecessary. For those of you that didn't know.. I was in a bad car accident in the Spring of 2007. My neck was what was injured in the accident.

Now as for the picture above.... as you can see that is my bike.. without a rear wheel. On Saturdays ride I got my very first flat tire. I had never changed a bike tire before. Thankfully I was with two other women that knew what to do. Under their guidance and with numbed fingers and a runny nose, I managed to successfully change the tire.. TWICE! Yes.. I said TWICE. The first time we took it all apart and could not find neither a tear or a hole. We thought it was because I had not checked the tire pressure before the start of the ride. I felt silly.. because all I did was "check it" with my fingers and it seemed hard enough. YES... sometimes I can be a real blonde about things...(no offense to blondes). So lesson learned.. always check the tire pressure EVERY TIME before the start of a ride. So we managed to piece it all back together and refilled the tire air. We were only about 1/4 of a mile down the road and again I got a flat in the same tire. This time around we decided to just switch out the the old tube with a new one and it worked. I guess there was tear after all that we had missed. With every new training day there is always something to learn... And now I know how to change a bicycle tire!

An Inspirational Video

First Month of Training Pics

Recovery week .. End of week 4

Some of my Ironman Teammates


Yay.. it has been officially 1 month since the start of my training! Im a leaner and meaner fighting machine! Okay... not so much but I really have improved. Lets see...

SWIM: When I first started I was gasping for air so much that it sounded like I was having a heart attack. Now.. I just sound like the sex fiend who breathes heavily into the phone. My swim stroke has improved tremendously but cardio wise, I still have a long way to go. The nausea issue has improved but still not all gone. I have an appt. with a neurologist on Dec. 15th to see what my problem is. Please cross your fingers that there's nothing physically wrong. But I guess we will cross that bridge when and if we get there. Until then I will continue to swim and strive for improvement.

BIKE: You should see my legs.... No joke, they are really getting stronger and more defined. Im starting to lose the "runners legs" and and am now getting the sexy "cyclers legs". Now if I could just bulk up my arms so that my arm warmers would stay up!

RUN: Im just enjoying this aspect of the entire process. Its my thing.. im in the "zone". Im not fast but im definitely steady. LOVE IT, LOVE IT and LOVE IT MORE!

** 7mos, 24 days and 14 hours left to Vineman - Ironman **


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