I think I might need to rename my blog, "The Adventures of My First Triathalon." I feel like that is going to be the topic of many of my upcoming posts. So, in advance, I apologize.
Today's post, for example, is about my first real day training for the swim. I'm not sure you could really even call it training. I had no specific plan in mind except to swim as many laps as I could in the time frame I had to swim at the gym. Since it was busy and people were waiting for an open lane I only had 30 minutes. With no real plan in mind, this is what I did: I swam a few laps, then got tired and short of breath, so I rested a second or two before starting again. Repeat.
During one of my breaks towards the end of my swimming, the man in the lane next to me stopped too. I had noticed he was swimming pretty much non-stop and doing so without a struggle, so I said hi and asked if he had any tips on swimming for me. At first he laughed and made some comment to indicate he was no professional. Then he said - without a pause - "But I did notice you kick from your knees a lot. You need to originate your kick from your hips to get more power." Let me just take this moment to say that I was not expecting a personalized training tip, I was just hoping for some general advice. I mean I'll gladly take it because I need all the help I can get, but was he seriously watching me swim while swimming his own laps?! If so, I'm not even upset. That's just impressive. And his advice didn't stop there. He went on to teach me a swimming drill that will help me extend my reach, which compresses my lungs in order to hold more air to give me more buoyancy....or something like that. I understand the logic of the drill, and how to do it; I just don't explain it very well. He gave me a few other tips as well, including what to wear during the triathalon swim portion. The fact that I'm even doing a triathalon came up because I thought at some point in the midst of receiving all this great advice I'd better slip it in that I am just swimming for emergency training for a triathalon. I'm not planning to go pro anytime.
Anyway, he was a very nice guy, Kevin, and he gave me lots of great advice. He jumped out of the pool after our conversation, and I took off on another set of laps trying to put into practice some of what he told me. I was concentrating so hard during that first lap that I noticed about half way through I had totally forgotten to take a breath! How one forgets that, I'm not sure, but I definitely did. Of course when I finally realized this important piece I was missing, I took a breath, and then it seemed everything else I was trying to do just fell apart. I never realized swimming was so complex, but apparently to really do it right is indeed complex. And it's harder than you might think to make your kick come from your hips rather than your knees. Next time you're swimming, I dare you to try it.
It took me about another 3 laps to get all the pieces working together: the breathing, kicking, and reaching that is. However, by the time I got it all together I was already in need of another break. Needless to say, I have a lot of practice to do in the next few weeks. And I realized I need to invest in a swim cap. I can't imagine they're that expensive, and I think my hair will really thank me.
So that's today's training escapade for you. I'm sure I'll have more to come.
And on a different-but-still-somewhat-related note, I've found another event to register for and partake in. I'm not going to lie, it seems like a lot more fun and a lot less work than this triathalon! Check it out: http://www.godirtygirl.com/. I know it's nothing compared to the real Tough Mudder events, but it still seems fun. And proceeds go to a good cause! Plus, the Colorado Tough Mudder is this weekend, and it's a length of approx. 9 miles with an elevation change of 4,250'. There's no way I'm ready to run that!
More later; bed for now. :-)
Today's post, for example, is about my first real day training for the swim. I'm not sure you could really even call it training. I had no specific plan in mind except to swim as many laps as I could in the time frame I had to swim at the gym. Since it was busy and people were waiting for an open lane I only had 30 minutes. With no real plan in mind, this is what I did: I swam a few laps, then got tired and short of breath, so I rested a second or two before starting again. Repeat.
During one of my breaks towards the end of my swimming, the man in the lane next to me stopped too. I had noticed he was swimming pretty much non-stop and doing so without a struggle, so I said hi and asked if he had any tips on swimming for me. At first he laughed and made some comment to indicate he was no professional. Then he said - without a pause - "But I did notice you kick from your knees a lot. You need to originate your kick from your hips to get more power." Let me just take this moment to say that I was not expecting a personalized training tip, I was just hoping for some general advice. I mean I'll gladly take it because I need all the help I can get, but was he seriously watching me swim while swimming his own laps?! If so, I'm not even upset. That's just impressive. And his advice didn't stop there. He went on to teach me a swimming drill that will help me extend my reach, which compresses my lungs in order to hold more air to give me more buoyancy....or something like that. I understand the logic of the drill, and how to do it; I just don't explain it very well. He gave me a few other tips as well, including what to wear during the triathalon swim portion. The fact that I'm even doing a triathalon came up because I thought at some point in the midst of receiving all this great advice I'd better slip it in that I am just swimming for emergency training for a triathalon. I'm not planning to go pro anytime.
Anyway, he was a very nice guy, Kevin, and he gave me lots of great advice. He jumped out of the pool after our conversation, and I took off on another set of laps trying to put into practice some of what he told me. I was concentrating so hard during that first lap that I noticed about half way through I had totally forgotten to take a breath! How one forgets that, I'm not sure, but I definitely did. Of course when I finally realized this important piece I was missing, I took a breath, and then it seemed everything else I was trying to do just fell apart. I never realized swimming was so complex, but apparently to really do it right is indeed complex. And it's harder than you might think to make your kick come from your hips rather than your knees. Next time you're swimming, I dare you to try it.
It took me about another 3 laps to get all the pieces working together: the breathing, kicking, and reaching that is. However, by the time I got it all together I was already in need of another break. Needless to say, I have a lot of practice to do in the next few weeks. And I realized I need to invest in a swim cap. I can't imagine they're that expensive, and I think my hair will really thank me.
So that's today's training escapade for you. I'm sure I'll have more to come.
And on a different-but-still-somewhat-related note, I've found another event to register for and partake in. I'm not going to lie, it seems like a lot more fun and a lot less work than this triathalon! Check it out: http://www.godirtygirl.com/. I know it's nothing compared to the real Tough Mudder events, but it still seems fun. And proceeds go to a good cause! Plus, the Colorado Tough Mudder is this weekend, and it's a length of approx. 9 miles with an elevation change of 4,250'. There's no way I'm ready to run that!
More later; bed for now. :-)
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