James Tri Training

Couch To Triathlon Training – Week 5 Update – Triathlon Swimming

Hello Runner-

Sorry about the delay in the update. We did some upgrades behind the scenes to our website, and we were really busy making sure they were functional before wanting to add too much new stuff. Thanks as always for following the journey.

I am 100% healthy again, and have been hitting training pretty hard the past week. I jumped right back in on Monday with a fun, taxing swim, and then Tuesday, I tackled a killer bike ride that had me climbing about 600 feet over 5 miles. Similar to the path the actual race course will take me on. Add 2 runs, and one more day in the pool to that, and it was definitely a good week.

Let’s talk about the water (Triathlon Swimming)…

The one thing that people usually say to me when they find out I am training for a Tri is “I’d do that, but I just don’t like swimming.”

I think the real problem with swimming is that we spend most of our lives on land, and not in water that we’re not really comfortable when it comes to submersing our bodies in a liquid, and only breathing every few seconds.

If you’ve followed my training, you know I am pretty analytical, and spend a lot of my time reading and studying video to train more efficiently. This last week, I read that the Oxygen cost to increase pace by 10% during the three events in a Tri are as follows:

Running +10%
Cycling +25% to 30%
Swimming +60% to 80%

WOW… that’s a big cost to increase your swimming pace by only 10%.

The Big Takeaway…

The biggest takeaway for this is that you’re likely not going to win the triathlon during the swim, but you can lose it. Especially in a sprint Tri, it is a lot easier to gain 1-2 minutes on the bike, or during the run than it will be during the swim.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t focus on your swimming, but know that completing the swim efficiently and with extra energy will put you in a better spot than finishing as fast as possible, but completely exhausted.

So REEELLLAAAXXXX…

I concentrate much of my swimming training on technique, a two beat kick, and stroke length rather than stroke rate. And a huge amount of my triathlon swimming training focusses on relaxation.

I’m pretty comfortable in the water, my Marine Corps swim survival training forced me to be very comfortable in open water, but I still use a lot of time (25%-50% of training) practicing being comfortable in the water. This includes being “that guy” in the slow lane.

Walking, Coasting, or Sinking…

If you are struggling during a run, you can always walk… if you need a break on a bike ride, you coast, but if you are struggling during a swim, there is only sinking and drowning.

For a lot of people that is what they think, but, without practicing comfort in the water, there’s a state of instant panic that hits you even just entering the pool. Couple that with the other 100+ people swimming a race with you, and the swim induced panic attack can start even before you hit the water.

So, in my training, I spend a lot of time warming up on my back, as in floating. Practicing deep breaths, keeping my head streamlined, hands down by my side, and resting/floating on my lungs. This is my “walk” during the swim. If I find myself struggling, or my technique breaking down, I can roll over to my “safe” place and regroup.

It’s not how I a planning to do my race, but if something happens (get kicked, swallow water, kick someone else) it will help me keep calm and continue. It also provides that sense of safety and security knowing you have a way to be relaxed in a foreign environment.

I also do a lot of my training in the shallow end. I know this isn’t game day style training, but this helps a lot with my focus on efficiency. I know that if I am slapping the water, or picking my head up too much, my feet will go to the bottom, and it forces me to be conscious of my technique. It also allows me the opportunity to stop and adjust should I need to work on something such as my body roll, or breathing timing. The shallow end can be a crutch for some, but it can also be an important part of “perfect” practice.

Swim vs. Survive…

I know I spent all of this post focussing on the swim portion of the Tri, but again, it’s the one I’ve had the most feedback about, and the one people are most consumed with.

I also know that my approach may not be the one the magazines are writing about, or the way the elites are training, but it’s the way I see it, and the way I am approaching it. Making it to T1 with extra energy is the way I see my race happening.

We’ll see… if I survive the first Tri, I may train differently next time.

Until next time…

Just Keep ~~Running~~ Swimming

Couch To Triathlon Training – Week 4 Update

Hello Runner,

Well, week 4 is close to being over, and as an update, I am still sick, although recovering.

Wednesday I finally went to the doctor (after 11 days of sickness) and begged for something. My doc prescribed some decongestants, and an antibiotic o be taken only if I wasn’t getting better. To which I answered “I am not getting better, that’s why I am here. I am on day 3 of a strong 5 day antibiotic series, and I am feeling much better, although not yet at 100%.

So, today, it’s back to the pool, and finally getting back to training.

This brings up a fear of mine… The Worst Case Scenario…

Let’s be honest, my 2 week on, 2 week off training plan already sounds like a “What not to do when getting ready for a Triathlon” book, but there are still a lot of other worse things that could happen.

I touched on it a bit in my first or second post… what about worst case scenarios. What if I get a flat tire during my bike ride, or get kicked in the head during the swim, etc… some of those problems I can prepare for, but others, which likely happen more frequently, are difficult, if not impossible to train and prepare to avoid.

Knowing how to change a tire on a bike is a start, and I know how to do that. I need a small kit to carry on my bike to do so. Getting kicked in the head during the swim is another story. I’ll have to ask Sarah about some things that may happen… she really helped me out on my transition questions in her last post here.

Only 8 weeks left… YIKES…

I’ve only been at this thing for two weeks, and then effectively sick for week 3 and 4, so in looking at the training schedule, I am way behind. My focus now is to get the most out of my training time. No wandering or waiting, no taking extra time at the pool to get training aids, or wait for the interval clock to point straight up (although that helps).

Starting week 5 in the training plan, we are switching from a time based training to a distance based. This is great, as it will be a better preparation for the actual race. The distances (600M swim, 12 Mi. Bike, 3 Mi run) are what I am training for, no more, no less. I don’t think there is any reason to train for a longer run, or bike.

It would, however be nice to know that I could swim 1000-1200 meters in one session, being that I will have to get right into the bike after the swim. It would be a good psychological advantage to know that I can handle 1000-1200 meters on race day when I only need to go 600. I’m not worried about the swim, but I know I’ll need energy left over afterward.

To maximize my training time, I am going to push, while focussing on technique. For me this means no music (there’s none on race day), and a mental switch to being conscious of what my body is doing. I can’t “check out” for 10 miles on the bike. I really need to focus on my technique and maximizing my time… I still may sneak some music in… But no more text messaging in the pool…j/k.

Let’s Get Moving…

I’ve been pretty dormant for 2 weeks, as whatever I have/had has forced me to rest a lot. It’s time to get moving. Although I know that I may not be tops come race day, even in my age group, I still want to put on a good showing… Then I can share all my accolades… just like the video below:

Until next week…

Just Keep Running

Couch To Triathlon Training – Week 3 Update

Hello Runner,

An interesting thing happened this week… I got sick. As in body-ache, sore throat, dizzy in-bed kind of sick. This did not play well into the 12-week training plan we had setup to be ready for the Dechutes Dash on July 18. I really wanted and need to train, but my body was telling me no. So far, it’s been 5 days of sickness, and I am going to attempt a light bike ride tomorrow assuming everything goes good today.

In talking to people about my sickness and training plan, they all came to the same conclusion I had… When you put your body under stress training for an endurance event, something has to give, and many times your immune system may be weakened as your body recovers from training. (I’m not a doctor, but that’s what I’m told, and it makes sense.)

It was really frustrating not being able to train this week. I had 2 weeks of great training, and getting the routine and schedule down. The swimming was coming along nicely, and all of the sudden… BANG… out of commission for 5 days.

Luckily, it is not event week, or it did;t happen the day of the event (knock on wood if you got it). I still have 9 more weeks to train, and I’ll likely be adding an extra swim session in each week to make sure I can get the technique learned and honed to precision by event day. Sarah put together a great technique post earlier this week, check it out here.

Let’s Talk Newbie Tips:

It’s been amazing to me how much there is to learn just simply going from running events to a triathlon. To start with, I’ve never changed clothes (twice) in any running event I’ve ever done. I’ve always started and ended in the same shoes, and never had to start barefooted.

I picked up the latest edition of Triathlete Magazine last week, and in my sickness, actually had a little time to sit and read it. It had a great little article about some mistakes to avoid. They were simple tips, but really are great… I don’t want to show up at my first try looking like a total idiot.

Here were my 3 favorites mistakes to avoid (Thanks Triathlete Magazine):

1. Don’t park your bike in a big gear. (Make sure it will be easy to get started out of T1 by leaving your bike in a higher gear.)

2. Don’t put your timing chip over your wetsuit. (Put it on under the wetsuit so you won’t struggle t get the wetsuit off.)

3. Don’t wait to put sunscreen on. (Put the sunscreen on before they inscribe your number on you, or else you’ll smear black stuff all over your body.)

These are some little things, but these are things I didn’t think about at all until reading this article. I do have some common sense, but in the chaos of event day, I could have made all of these mistakes.

Let’s Talk Transitions…

We’ve talked about training for the course before, so we have to also prepare for the transition areas that are provided.

Some of the larger Triathlons (IronMan, etc.) have avery involved transition process which includes warming tents and separate changing areas for men and women. Some events have single transitions (where you will go from swim-bike, then return to go from bike-run) and others will have 2 different transition areas.

There’s also some transition operations that give you a bag, and your clothes that you want to change into are in the bag, and when you leave the transition area, you drop your bag off with all the clothes you changed out of in it.

In the case of the Dechutes dash, there are two separate transition areas, so I’ll have to have a setup for swim-bike, and bike-run as they will not be in the same place. It looks like, by reading the website that there will not be a bag system, and I’ll be able to both lay out my gear, as well as leave my gear when I leave the transition.

What I put in my transition bag is another story. Obviously, there are things that I will need (running shoes, etc), but what about things like sunglasses, fuel, sunscreen? I’ll have to have a talk with Sarah, and she can post that on the blog next week.

Thanks for checking out the progress. I am feeling a bit better right now, and if all is good, I will get out for a training session tomorrow.

Until next time, Just Keep Running,

Couch To Tri – Week 2 Update

Hello Runner –

Well, week 2 of training is almost over, and it’s hard to believe that we are already only 10 weeks from event day. Plenty of work still to do. Check out week 1 update here…

Big swim day today. Even though the training plan had only one day of swimming included this week, I’ve been to the pool twice so far, and will be heading this afternoon as well. The first two days were totally technique based, and were spent working on efficiency in the water.

After last weeks training, I did a lot of research on triathlon swimming, and came upon a fellow named Terry Laughlin who teaches “Total Immersion” swimming. I won’t bore you with the details, but I have bought his book, and will be self-teaching/emulating his style. You can check out Total Immersion here, or you can do a search on YouTube.

Let’s Talk About Gear.

Sarah talked a lot about gear last week, you can go back and see it here.

Since this is a first Tri, I am not planning to purchase a lot of gear. I do want to be comfortable, and I want to make sure I am not wasting energy (efficiency). My old adage says that Michael Jordan could beat me one one one barefoot, so $200 shoes probably won’t help me. (technique and repetition will.)

During the swim i’ll likely get a wetsuit. I know for many Tris, the event, or someplace will offer rental wetsuits. We’ll get to that when we get closer to the event. I did however invest ($25) in a european style swimsuit (Speedo like) for training. I found that swimming in a regular suit felt like a parachute was dragging behind me. I’m slow enough in the water as it is.

As for the bike, I have a $200 Schwinn I got from Walmart a few years ago that rides well, and will be my bike of choice. I did but some used aero-bars on eBay that will eventually replace the commuter style handlebar on the bike. I also will be wearing regular shoes with no clips or cages or anything on my bike. For the time it may gain me, it is not worth the investment. Also, It will save me time in changing on the transition from bike to run… I’ll wear the same shoes.

For the run, I’ve got my shoes and don’t need much more. I’ll have a nutrition sampling at T1 and T2 (Thanks StrideBox) that will be there when I transition, so I can pick up something if I want, or leave it. I like the option to carry something. I may also just down a gel and some water while in transition and that should carry me the final 3 miles.

Let’s talk about the course…

I’m lucky as I chose a Tri that is in my local area, and I want to be smart and efficient, so I am training for the course. The river where the swim will take place is about 2 miles from my house, and because I have access, I will likely swim, bike, and run the actual course, although not necessarily at the same time. You can see the course here. Every event (the good ones at least) should have a page like this that will show all the course info for you before you arrive.

But if the course isn’t near you, check it out before you arrive. I know the swim is in a relatively calm area of the river, but will take the time to learn where the strong current runs. I know the first 6 miles of the bike has an elevation gain of 500+ feet, but the downhill is -500 feet, so I am training accordingly. The run is pretty flat, but also half paved, half flat dirt trail, so I will be training on both surfaces.

Questions for the week ahead…

One thing that I have noticed is that I am very disoriented getting out of the pool after a training swim. Sarah told me to try earplugs during my swim to see if that helps. I really would hate to jump out of the swim on event day only to wander around like I would during a dizzy bat race. So I’ll give that a try next week.

Also, I am wondering a little about what to wear on event day. Is a wetsuit needed? The event is July 18, middle of summer, but the river is fed by snow melt, so will likely be in the 60 degree range. I also don’t want to restrict my movement, or take extra time getting out of a wetsuit at the transition. (Will my socks be wet the whole time?)

What about worst case scenarios? Say I get kicked in the head during the swim? Or what if I get a flat tire? What is someone steals my water bottle at t2? I’m sure Sarah will get into that at some point.

Also, tracking my trainings, what’s the best? What goals should I be hitting? Where should I expect my times to be? How slow will my run be compared to just running?

I’ve added a few things to my training bag as well, so maybe I’ll lay that out next week.

If you have any questions for us about my training, or Sarah’s plan, leave a comment below, or tag us on Twitter with #sTRIdeBox.

Until next week, Just Keep Running.

Couch To Tri – Week 1 Update

Hello runner,

This is James, for those of you who don’t know, almost three years ago, I launched StrideBox, and since then, it’s grown quite a bit, and although the endless hours, and many sleepless nights have helped it grow, they have also led me to a somewhat less active life than before. No time for training, no events, etc… In other words, all work and no play makes James a dull boy.

So in a fed up fit, I decided to get back to training and “competing” in events (participating is more like it.) I’m still working hard to grow and improve Stridebox, but as the saying goes… I don’t find time to run, I make time… It’s time to make time.

If you read Sarah’s kickoff article last week, you’ll know I’m starting with an event I’ve never done, a Sprint Triathlon… if you haven’t read and seen the training schedule, Click Here to read it.

Okay, with that into out of the way, I’ll be chiming in every Friday (from here on out) to give an update to the week, how my training went, and raise any questions about Triathlon training, fueling, racing, and anything else. I invite you to send your questions to us on twitter using the hashtag #sTRIdebox. If you don’t follow us on twitter, Go Here.

This Week – Balance and Efficiency

In these updates, I want to share a couple of struggle points for me, and how I’ve overcome them, plus any Tri-related questions I am running into. Please feel free to provide some feedback, and look for Sarah’s answer on the Monday edition.

The first one is balance…

…As in work/life/training balance. I know this is one many people struggle with, and I hit that head on this week with training. Even though it was only a paltry 3 days last week, I found it hard to squeeze in the training to fit the schedule.

Between getting the kids to school, putting in precious family time, and getting the next month’s StrideBox planned and put together, there were small bits of time, and getting changed, and getting on a bike or getting to the pool, or finding a good route to run was taking up much of the training time.

So, here’s what I did about it going forward:

#1: Scheduled workouts for certain times and days. I’m so easily scheduled for meeting, I will just treat this like a meeting and have it pre-scheduled. That way the times are always available.

#2: Packed any and all workout stuff in a bag that I’ll keep with me. This includes goggles and swimsuit as well as a change of underwear, running shorts and socks. That way, I’ll have no excuse to getting out and doing something even if only the shortest time window opens. As the boyscouts said, Be Prepared.

#3: Got the kids in swimming lessons. Being that I don’t have a pool in my backyard, I was wondering how to get my swimming time in. Well, my wife and I put the kids in swimming lessons. This gets them in the pool an hour a day 2x/week, which gives me some time to head to the lap pool to get my training in.

#4: I quit worrying about the perfect swim/bike/run, and just went. In between starting StrideBox and now, we moved to a new city, and I have no idea of the good running/biking trails around here. I also know that the pool will be crammed at times, and getting a perfect swim in may be out of the question. But I know the endurance will only come with time, and along the way, I am sure I’ll find the awesome trails and top secret swim times at the pool.

Big focus/question – Efficiency

In my past in the Marine Corps, we had a saying, “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”*

During my training sessions this week, I struggled a bit with them, but not a lot. I do know though that if something doesn’t change, I’ll be in trouble come July 18th.

It’s because my technique is bad. There, I said it.

The swim especially. Making through a 15 minute swim was OK, I used to be a great swimmer (Thanks Marines), but I haven’t swam a lot lately, and knowing that I’ll have to get out of the water, and jump on a bike for 12 miles, then run for 3 miles. I know I’ll need some extra energy.

The swim is a downriver one, so I am not concerned about choppy waves, but I have to streamline my technique to make it as efficient as possible in order to keep up, and have the energy to jump out and with to bike mode. Same goes when switching from bike to run. Efficiency will be everything.

This week, I will still be pulling the week 2 schedule that Sarah posted HERE. But I will put a lot more emphasis on technique in the run, bike, and swim. I think doing this early will lead not only to more efficient racing, but also more efficient training. Figuring out the places I can save energy while not sacrificing time will be a big help on race day.

See you next Friday!

That’s all for this update. Like I said, I’ll be updating you on the progress all the way through race day on July 18. If you have any questions or help, feel free to send us a note on Twitter with hashtag #sTIRdebox

Until next time, Just Keep Running.

* We likely stole this from the SEALS.