Happy Christmakwanzukkah!
Congrats to everyone who ran the Christmas Light Run. I'm taking a break out of
my rigorous training schedule of eating baklava and playing Euchre to send this
out, so when the eggnog wears off turn your mileage in.
In this newsletter:
Training tip
Need more people
Training opportunities
Links
Training tip:
Two week swim drill progression
By Brad Culp
Triathlete Magazine
Nov. 26, 2007 -- Swim coaches around the world are always preaching about the
importance of drills. For every flaw in an athletes stroke, there’s a drill
that can fix it – or at least make it a little less pronounced. The problem is,
for most novice swimmers, their problems aren’t as simple as a minor stroke flaw
or two. Many swimmers, especially triathletes, are unable to make small
corrections because their body position causes their whole stroke to be out of
line. Proper body alignment is the first criteria that needs to be addressed
before one can begin to make fine adjustments in their stroke.
Just like training for an Ironman, the only thing you need to improve your body
balance is time – and lots of it. Winter is the perfect season to dedicate to
improving your swim position, as you most likely have some time away from
rigorous training and Old Man Winter makes the pool more inviting than hill
repeats in sub-zero temperatures. Try this two-week drill progression this
month, so you won’t dread the swim in your first race of 2008. The progression
requires at least three days a week in the pool, with an optional, drill-free
day, where you do a long, base swim.
WEEK ONE (Do both drills three times this week)
Dead Man’s Float – If you’re a Type-A triathlete, you’ll hate this drill. It
requires about as much physical exertion as watching Monday Night Football, but
it’s a critical first step in the drill progression. This drill is best done in
a 50-meter pool, but if 25 yards is all you have, then it will have to do. To
perform the drill, start with a strong, underwater push off the wall, with a
tight streamline as you make your way to the surface. Take three strong
“break-out” strokes (with moderate kicking) and then immediately go back into
the streamline position. You hands and ankles should be pressed together as
tight as possible and your shoulders should be pressing firmly against your
ears. Contract your abdominals be pressing down slightly with your chest, so
that your hips don’t sink. Your hands, head, upper-back hips and feet should be
on top of the water. After you’ve glided to a complete stop, try to hold the
streamline position for as long as possible, without tipping over to one side.
The tighter your body position, the easier this will be. Then swim easy to the
wall. Do this drill for 400 yards/meters (16 or 8 lengths, depending on pool
length). This drill is best performed after a brief warm-up, before a main set.
Side Kick with Fins – Slip on a pair of medium-length fins and push off the wall
with your hands at your sides and head looking directly at the bottom of the
pool. As you reach the surface, begin kicking moderately and keep your head
looking straight down. Every three seconds roll your body onto one side, while
maintaining your head position (try not to breathe much). Make sure you roll
completely onto each side. Your eyes should be looking directly at your
shoulder (your right shoulder when you roll onto your left side) and the
opposite shoulder should be pointing directly at the ceiling. Kick just enough
to keep you legs and hips riding high on the water. Switch sides every three
seconds or eight kicks. When switching sides, do so as smoothly as possible,
without jerking your body to the other side. This drill is best performed
either immediately before or after your main set. Do 300 yards/meters, without
stopping at each wall.
WEEK TWO (Do each of the above drills twice this week and each of the new ones
three times)
Side Kick with Arm Extended – This is very similar to the last drill with one
minor change. This drill is best performed without fins, but if you find your
hips sinking, then you can do it with them. Push off the wall in a streamline
position and take two break-out strokes. After your final stroke, leave the
extended arm in front of your body (either arm is fine) and maintain the same
head position as in the last drill. Your eyes should still be looking directly
at you shoulder, but this time, your arm should be fully extended in front of
your body. Kick the entire length of the pool on one side (breathing minimally)
and then do the next length kicking on the other side. Do 8 50-yard repeats,
resting 15 seconds between each 50. Do this set immediately after the Side Kick
with Fins.
Three-Pull Switch – This is simply a faster version of the last drill. Push off
the wall with a tight streamline and perform three break-out strokes. At the
end of the last stroke roll onto your side, with your arm extended, in the same
manner as the last drill. This time, after two seconds of kicking on your side,
take another three strokes and kick for two seconds on your other side. Do 8
50-yards repeats, resting 15 seconds between each 50. Do this drill after the
Side Kick with Arm Extended drill.
Continue to do each of these drills twice per week throughout the winter. Be
sure to do some slow, quality swimming at the end of each workout,
concentrating on maximizing the body control and roll that you’ve been working
on with these drills. As a triathlete, your goal should be to make each stroke
as long and effortless as possible. Less strokes on the swim mean more energy
for the rest of the race. When you’re doing your normal swimming, concentrate
on rolling on your side with every stroke, to ensure maximum water catch and
distance per stroke. Always breathing on both sides of your body will also help
your balance.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Triathlete's Associate/Interactive Editor Brad Culp has been a competitive
swimmer for 17 years. He has an Olympic Distance swim PR of 17:45, which is way
faster than his 5K run. Feel free to submit any swim-related questions to
brad@triathletemag.com
Need more people:
We still need about 10 people to field a full second team.
Time to peer pressure your friends into signing up.
What are the eligibility requirements?
You are a paid member of DC Tri.
You do NOT have to be a USAT member.
How do I sign up?
Email me:
Your first name
Your last name
Your age on December 1, 2007.
Training Opportunities:
Keep in mind some of these places will be closed this week.
You do NOT have to swim with the club for your mileage to count.
However, should you wish to do so:
When: 6:30 AM
Where: Eastern Market Pool
When: 6:00 AM
Where: Washington and Lee
When: Mondays at 630 for December
Where: Takoma Recreation Center
When: ???
Where: Chinquapin
Links:
USAT NCC website
http://www.race-tracker.net/usat/index.cfm
USAT has a blog to keep everyone informed. I also heard we will be able to post
on it, say to taunt San Diego's tri club.
Just remember, comments are hard to un-post, so stay classy DC.
http://usatncc.blogspot.com/
DC Tri NCC page
http://dctriclub.org/staticpages/index.php?page=usat_ncc
DC Tri forum thread
http://www.dctriclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=20&showtopic=29211
Happy Holidays!
Happy training!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Newsletter 12/17/07
Happy Monday,
Congrats to everyone who ran the Celtic 5 miler this weekend. When your fingers thaw, turn your mileage in.
In this newsletter:
Training tip
Need more people
Training opportunities
Links
Training tip:
Exercises to Prevent Swimmer's Shoulder
Swimmer's shoulder may primarily be prevented by using proper freestyle stroke.
By Jen Adley
For Active.com
Swimmer's shoulder is an inflammatory condition caused by the impingement of soft tissue between two bones that meet in the shoulder. Repetitive overhead arm motion of the freestyle stroke can cause this overuse injury, but there are ways to prevent it. Strengthening shoulder and upper-back muscles and stretching shoulder, chest and neck muscles will help to prevent a swimming posture that is more susceptible to injury. The muscle imbalance and inflexibility that typically occurs in swimmers contributes greatly to impingement. The following exercises and stretches specifically address these areas.
Shoulder Stability
The external rotators of the rotator cuff muscles play a crucial role inshoulder stability. These muscles are also inherently weak and are often the cause of rotator cuff impingement. By strengthening this group you will have a more stable shoulder joint. Using a stretch cord or cable, hold your arm so your bicep is parallel to the ground and your elbow is bent at a 90 degree angle. Pull your hand forward until your forearm is parallel with your bicep, making sure not to move your elbow.You can also do this with a dumbbell, resting your elbow on a bent knee and rotating your forearm up and down at a 90 degree angle.
Balancing Out
This exercise promotes stability in the scapular region and prevents muscle imbalance associated with swimming. These muscles promote postural alignmentand aid in shoulder stability. In swimmers they often become lengthened. Lie face down on an exercise ball. Holding a barbell with both hands, raise ituntil your arms are outstretched in front of you. Remember to keep your backstraight.
Building a Neutral Shoulder
This exercise strengthens the rear deltoid and mid-back. Swimmers often have shortened pectorals and front deltoids, causing a shoulder joint that internally rotates. By strengthening the muscles of the back and rear deltoid you maintain a more neutral shoulder. Leaning face-forward on an incline, hold a dumbbell in each hand and raise them up past your body. Keep your arms straight.
Flexibility Options
These stretches address tightness and shortening in the shoulder, chest and back that arises from swimming. A tight shoulder capsule will prevent proper reach and form in the water. Hold each stretch for about 30 seconds. You may progressively increase the stretch slightly every 10 seconds (within the 30seconds). Swimmer's shoulder may primarily be prevented by using proper freestyle stroke. The hand should enter the water with the tips of the fingers first and the palmfacing downward. When the hand enters the water it should not cross the middle of the body. For further stroke instruction, seek the advice of an experienceds wimming coach.
Jen Adley earned her BS in Biology and a Masters degree in Physical Therapy. She is a practicing board certified physical therapist for Body Pros Physical Therapy and is coaches athletes for The Sport Factory. She is licensed by USA Triathlon and USA swimming with over 10 years coaching experience. Jen has three times received an honorable mention ranking from USA Triathlon. Visit www.thesportfactory.com to learn more about Jen or email her atcoachjen@sportfactory.com.
Need more people:We still need about 10 people to field a full second team. Time to peer pressure your friends into signing up.
Training Opportunities:
You do NOT have to swim with the club for your mileage to count.
However, should you wish to do so:
When: 6:30 AM
Where: Eastern Market Pool
When: 6:00 AM
Where: Washington and Lee
When: Mondays at 630 for December
Where: Takoma Recreation Center
When: ???
Where: Chinquapin
Links:
USAT NCC websitehttp://www.race-tracker.net/usat/index.cfm
USAT has a blog to keep everyone informed. I also heard we will be able to poston it, say to taunt San Diego's tri club.Just remember, comments are hard to un-post, so stay classy DC.http://usatncc.blogspot.com/
DC Tri NCC pagehttp://dctriclub.org/staticpages/index.php?page=usat_ncc
DC Tri forum threadhttp://www.dctriclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=20&showtopic=29211
Happy training!
Congrats to everyone who ran the Celtic 5 miler this weekend. When your fingers thaw, turn your mileage in.
In this newsletter:
Training tip
Need more people
Training opportunities
Links
Training tip:
Exercises to Prevent Swimmer's Shoulder
Swimmer's shoulder may primarily be prevented by using proper freestyle stroke.
By Jen Adley
For Active.com
Swimmer's shoulder is an inflammatory condition caused by the impingement of soft tissue between two bones that meet in the shoulder. Repetitive overhead arm motion of the freestyle stroke can cause this overuse injury, but there are ways to prevent it. Strengthening shoulder and upper-back muscles and stretching shoulder, chest and neck muscles will help to prevent a swimming posture that is more susceptible to injury. The muscle imbalance and inflexibility that typically occurs in swimmers contributes greatly to impingement. The following exercises and stretches specifically address these areas.
Shoulder Stability
The external rotators of the rotator cuff muscles play a crucial role inshoulder stability. These muscles are also inherently weak and are often the cause of rotator cuff impingement. By strengthening this group you will have a more stable shoulder joint. Using a stretch cord or cable, hold your arm so your bicep is parallel to the ground and your elbow is bent at a 90 degree angle. Pull your hand forward until your forearm is parallel with your bicep, making sure not to move your elbow.You can also do this with a dumbbell, resting your elbow on a bent knee and rotating your forearm up and down at a 90 degree angle.
Balancing Out
This exercise promotes stability in the scapular region and prevents muscle imbalance associated with swimming. These muscles promote postural alignmentand aid in shoulder stability. In swimmers they often become lengthened. Lie face down on an exercise ball. Holding a barbell with both hands, raise ituntil your arms are outstretched in front of you. Remember to keep your backstraight.
Building a Neutral Shoulder
This exercise strengthens the rear deltoid and mid-back. Swimmers often have shortened pectorals and front deltoids, causing a shoulder joint that internally rotates. By strengthening the muscles of the back and rear deltoid you maintain a more neutral shoulder. Leaning face-forward on an incline, hold a dumbbell in each hand and raise them up past your body. Keep your arms straight.
Flexibility Options
These stretches address tightness and shortening in the shoulder, chest and back that arises from swimming. A tight shoulder capsule will prevent proper reach and form in the water. Hold each stretch for about 30 seconds. You may progressively increase the stretch slightly every 10 seconds (within the 30seconds). Swimmer's shoulder may primarily be prevented by using proper freestyle stroke. The hand should enter the water with the tips of the fingers first and the palmfacing downward. When the hand enters the water it should not cross the middle of the body. For further stroke instruction, seek the advice of an experienceds wimming coach.
Jen Adley earned her BS in Biology and a Masters degree in Physical Therapy. She is a practicing board certified physical therapist for Body Pros Physical Therapy and is coaches athletes for The Sport Factory. She is licensed by USA Triathlon and USA swimming with over 10 years coaching experience. Jen has three times received an honorable mention ranking from USA Triathlon. Visit www.thesportfactory.com to learn more about Jen or email her atcoachjen@sportfactory.com.
Need more people:We still need about 10 people to field a full second team. Time to peer pressure your friends into signing up.
Training Opportunities:
You do NOT have to swim with the club for your mileage to count.
However, should you wish to do so:
When: 6:30 AM
Where: Eastern Market Pool
When: 6:00 AM
Where: Washington and Lee
When: Mondays at 630 for December
Where: Takoma Recreation Center
When: ???
Where: Chinquapin
Links:
USAT NCC websitehttp://www.race-tracker.net/usat/index.cfm
USAT has a blog to keep everyone informed. I also heard we will be able to poston it, say to taunt San Diego's tri club.Just remember, comments are hard to un-post, so stay classy DC.http://usatncc.blogspot.com/
DC Tri NCC pagehttp://dctriclub.org/staticpages/index.php?page=usat_ncc
DC Tri forum threadhttp://www.dctriclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=20&showtopic=29211
Happy training!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Newsletter 12/10/07
Congratulations on the inaugural DC Tri swim meet! Most of you have turned in your mileage, but if you haven't, get it in!
In this newsletter:
FAQ's
Strategy
Olympian swim workout
Need more people
Standings
Training opportunities
Links
Movie quote trivia contest
FAQ's:
Does trainer mileage count?
Yes! Take your average miles per hour and the time you spent on the trainer tofigure it out. Ex.: 15mph 45 minutes on the trainer = 45/60 * 15 = .75 *15 = 11.25
If you need help with this, just email."DC Tri: Putting the athlete in Mathlete"
Do miles walking count?
Yes! If you put up effort it counts!
Should I send you all my mileage, or just swimming?
All your mileage.
What format should I send it in?
Send it in Swim/Bike/Run format in MILES.
How often should I send my mileage?
As often as you accrue it.
Strategy:
Quite frankly, it is not likely that we will hit the 500 mile benchmark first. However, we have the opportunity to meet other goals including: beating SanDiego, having the athlete with the most mileage swum in the month, and accruing the most overall mileage. As some of you have figured out, you can sort of game the system to win the most mileage in the month by just logging insane bike mileage. Clearly, this is San Diego's strategy. You all are welcome to go that route if you desire. However, please remember the real competition is at the races in the regular season and most of us will benefit from added miles in the pool more than we will from added miles on the bike. And no matter what you do, train safely. And we can put a pretty serious dent in other clubs' leads just by you all reporting your mileage.
Olympian Swim Training:
Not for the faint of heart, use your common sense.
By Alex Kostich
Active.com
Try the Grand Prix with Olympian Cristina Teuscher
Cristina Teuscher has certainly swum her share of challenging workouts, and they have paid off for her. A gold medalist in the 800-meter free relay at the 1996 Olympic Games (and a bronze medalist in the 2000 Games in the 200-meter individual medley), she is one of the world's most versatile and well-rounded swimmers. With a reputation as not only a fiercely tough competitor but also as a well-spoken and good-natured "class act," Cristina welcomed the opportunity to contribute a World Class Workout to this column. She supplied several workouts that she considers her favorite or most challenging, but surely the one that stands out is a set she calls the Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix is 8,900 meters (or yards, depending on your pool) of madness, combining endurance with all four strokes while balancing pace work with sprinting--all with minimal recovery time. It is certainly not for the faint of heart or the uninitiated, but the following column will offer suggestions and ideas for adapting this super-set to your own needs and abilities.
Unabridged, here is Cristina Teuschers World Class Workout:
The Grand Prix
3,000 swim (timed)
1,500 pull
800 individual medley
400 stroke (no freestyle)
200 fast freestyle
100 easy
200 fast freestyle
400 stroke (no freestyle)
800 individual medley
1,500 swim (timed)
Total: 8,900 meters/yards
As with all great sets, the Grand Prix offers unpredictability with a certain level of repetition; a tough mix to achieve but one that makes the time pass quickly while challenging the swimmer in various, unpredictable ways. The first block, the 3,000-meter swim, is both a warmup and a pacesetter for what is to follow. Try to negative-split the distance so that your second 1,500 is faster than the first half of the set. Remember these two split times. The 1,500-meter pull is an extension of the warmup set, designed to put in some upper-body work while stressing endurance. By the end of this second block, you will have completed over half the entire distance of the workout, with only one break between the 3,000 and the pull set.
Mixing it Up
With the warmup, endurance, and upper-body portions of your workout behind you, it is now time to get down to business with some faster swimming and some cross-training with different strokes. The 800 individual medley (200 butterfly, 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 200freestyle) and 400 stroke is the first opportunity to swim a stroke other than freestyle, and this is an essential part of a well-rounded swimmer's daily routine. Regardless of their preferred competitive stroke, Olympians and world-class swimmers always incorporate additional strokes into their training sessions. Triathletes and open-water freestylers should follow their lead; there are definite advantages to swimming strokes other than the crawl, even if you only compete in that stroke. First, stroke training breaks up the monotony of swimming the same stroke each and every day, each and every workout. Second, it stretches and conditions muscles that are more or less dormant during your preferred stroke (this is necessary to maintain flexibility and increase endurance in the favored stroke). Third, swimming different strokes provides better cardiovascular conditioning (as anyone who has ever attempted a few laps of butterfly can tell you). Regardless of your ability, I highly recommend peppering your swim workouts with butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke. It will certainly not hinder your performance and can only improve your overall ability.
Speeding Things Up a Bit
The 200 fast freestyle repeats, separated by a 100 easy, are designed to test your speed and get those slow-twitch muscles to respond to a pair of medium-distance sprints. While a 200 is hardly considered a sprint in sprinter's terms, its the shortest and fastest repeat in this endurance-intensive set. Really push yourself in these two segments to get down to race pace, and try to get your heart rate above (at least) 150 or so. The 400 stroke and 800 IM may look familiar; they are repeats from earlier in the workout. This time, attempt to beat your finish times (not easy given the fatigue you should be feeling). Eventually, doing this entire workout should teach you to pace yourself so that you have enough energy left toward the end to complete the last few repeats without fading. In mastering this type of endurance, you will find yourself relying on back-half race strategy to overcome your competitor's--always a good thing.
Endurance Check
The icing on the cake (or the last straw, depending on your frame of mind) is a 1,500-meter swim for time. The all-important goal is to beat both of your 2x1,500 splits from the opening 3,000-meter freestyle. If you can do this, you should have all the confidence in the world that your endurance is a force to be reckoned with. The first few times you attempt this workout, you may not even make it this far. If you do, but find that your muscles are screaming out in pain, forget trying to beat your earlier times and instead really focus on keeping your stroke technique together. Take care not to drop your elbows, slap the water, or shorten your stroke (all things that result from fatigue or bonking towards the end of a tough swim). The more capable you are of keeping good form, the closer you will get to beating your initial splits and eventually, in a race, overtaking your competitors. Always try to maintain proper technique, especially when fatigue and soreness take over. Of course, this set (unabridged) may only appeal to a small percentage of endurance swimmers and hard-core triathletes. There are ways to modify it to your abilities while still taking advantage of its drills and benefits.
For instance:
Mini-Prix Workout
1,000 freestyle
500 pull
200 IM
200 stroke
100 sprint
100 easy
100 sprint
200 stroke
200 IM
500 freestyle
Total: 3,100 meters/yards
Substantially shortened, the above example of a Mini-Prix can be tried by athletes who may only swim a few times a week, 3,000 yards per workout. The gist of the Grand Prix is still maintained, however, in that the swimmer should negative-split the opening swim, focus on race pace during the 2x100 sprint, and then attempt to beat the split 500 time in the last 500 meters. Stroke work is still included with 2x200 IM and 2x200 stroke, but these shorter distances allow novices to experience new strokes without being exhausting.
For swimmers that only swim freestyle:
Free-Prix Workout
1,000 freestyle
500 pull
300 freestyle
-- 20 seconds rest
200 freestyle --
10 seconds rest
100 sprint
100 easy
100 sprint
200 freestyle
-- 20 seconds rest
300 freestyle --
10 seconds rest
500 freestyle
Total: 3,300 meters
This workout is for freestylers who just refuse to (or can't) swim any other stroke. Slightly different in its make-up, it tests a swimmer's endurance and forces one to pay attention to finish times more closely in the workout. The consecutive 300 and 200 freestyles (essentially a broken 500) should be swum fast enough to beat either 500 of the first 1,000. After the 2x100 sprint, the goal is to swim even faster on the next 200 and 300, beating your previous broken 500. Finally, the last 500 should be the fastest 500 of all. The Free Prix version challenges you to swim a total of 5x500 throughout theworkout: two in the warmup, two broken ones in the middle of the set, and one last one at the end of the workout (all descending and increasing in effort and speed). Cristina helpfully offered some insight into how she gets through such daunting workouts every day."I just think about [the workout's] purpose, where it's going to get me, and how few people do this stuff," she said. "I also try to just view it as a challenge and nothing else. If you don't have it that day, relax and motivate for thenext day. Hard workouts always get me excited and make me look forward to tomorrow." She is quick to add that even on an off day, there are ways to get better and make the most of the set."I think of keeping my rhythm and relaxing when I do a hard set. I do it piece by piece. Sometimes all you need is one great 1x100 in a workout to think the session was a success." Judging from her track record, Cristina has clocked enough great 100s in her career to ensure her a solid place in swimming history. By partaking in some ofher world-class workouts, you too may end up at the front of the pack.
Need more people: We still need about 10 people to field a full second team. Time to peer pressure your friends into signing up.
What are the eligibility requirements?
You are a paid member of DC Tri.Y ou do NOT have to be a USAT member.
How do I sign up?
Email me:Your first name Your last name Your age on December 1, 2007.
Training Opportunities:
You do NOT have to swim with the club for your mileage to count.
However, should you wish to do so:
When: 6:30 AM
Where: Eastern Market Pool
When: 6:00 AM
Where: Washington and Lee
When: Mondays at 630 for December
Where: Takoma Recreation Center
When: ???
Where: Chinquapin
Links:
USAT NCC websitehttp://www.race-tracker.net/usat/index.cfm
USAT has a blog to keep everyone informed. I also heard we will be able to post on it, say to taunt San Diego's tri club. Just remember, comments are hard to un-post, so stay classy DC. http://usatncc.blogspot.com/
DC Tri NCC page http://dctriclub.org/staticpages/index.php?page=usat_ncc
DC Tri forum thread http://www.dctriclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=20&showtopic=29211
If you have a blog you would like me to link, shoot me an email.
Movie trivia contest: XXXXXX was the winner of last week's contest with a prompt response of Bull Durham, Crash Davis. The first person to reply with the charater and movie title wins a gel. Not terribly exciting, but a reward for reading the whole newsletter nonetheless. Here's this week's:
"I wish I could say something classy and inspirational, but that just wouldn't be our style. Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory... lasts forever."
Happy training!
In this newsletter:
FAQ's
Strategy
Olympian swim workout
Need more people
Standings
Training opportunities
Links
Movie quote trivia contest
FAQ's:
Does trainer mileage count?
Yes! Take your average miles per hour and the time you spent on the trainer tofigure it out. Ex.: 15mph 45 minutes on the trainer = 45/60 * 15 = .75 *15 = 11.25
If you need help with this, just email."DC Tri: Putting the athlete in Mathlete"
Do miles walking count?
Yes! If you put up effort it counts!
Should I send you all my mileage, or just swimming?
All your mileage.
What format should I send it in?
Send it in Swim/Bike/Run format in MILES.
How often should I send my mileage?
As often as you accrue it.
Strategy:
Quite frankly, it is not likely that we will hit the 500 mile benchmark first. However, we have the opportunity to meet other goals including: beating SanDiego, having the athlete with the most mileage swum in the month, and accruing the most overall mileage. As some of you have figured out, you can sort of game the system to win the most mileage in the month by just logging insane bike mileage. Clearly, this is San Diego's strategy. You all are welcome to go that route if you desire. However, please remember the real competition is at the races in the regular season and most of us will benefit from added miles in the pool more than we will from added miles on the bike. And no matter what you do, train safely. And we can put a pretty serious dent in other clubs' leads just by you all reporting your mileage.
Olympian Swim Training:
Not for the faint of heart, use your common sense.
By Alex Kostich
Active.com
Try the Grand Prix with Olympian Cristina Teuscher
Cristina Teuscher has certainly swum her share of challenging workouts, and they have paid off for her. A gold medalist in the 800-meter free relay at the 1996 Olympic Games (and a bronze medalist in the 2000 Games in the 200-meter individual medley), she is one of the world's most versatile and well-rounded swimmers. With a reputation as not only a fiercely tough competitor but also as a well-spoken and good-natured "class act," Cristina welcomed the opportunity to contribute a World Class Workout to this column. She supplied several workouts that she considers her favorite or most challenging, but surely the one that stands out is a set she calls the Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix is 8,900 meters (or yards, depending on your pool) of madness, combining endurance with all four strokes while balancing pace work with sprinting--all with minimal recovery time. It is certainly not for the faint of heart or the uninitiated, but the following column will offer suggestions and ideas for adapting this super-set to your own needs and abilities.
Unabridged, here is Cristina Teuschers World Class Workout:
The Grand Prix
3,000 swim (timed)
1,500 pull
800 individual medley
400 stroke (no freestyle)
200 fast freestyle
100 easy
200 fast freestyle
400 stroke (no freestyle)
800 individual medley
1,500 swim (timed)
Total: 8,900 meters/yards
As with all great sets, the Grand Prix offers unpredictability with a certain level of repetition; a tough mix to achieve but one that makes the time pass quickly while challenging the swimmer in various, unpredictable ways. The first block, the 3,000-meter swim, is both a warmup and a pacesetter for what is to follow. Try to negative-split the distance so that your second 1,500 is faster than the first half of the set. Remember these two split times. The 1,500-meter pull is an extension of the warmup set, designed to put in some upper-body work while stressing endurance. By the end of this second block, you will have completed over half the entire distance of the workout, with only one break between the 3,000 and the pull set.
Mixing it Up
With the warmup, endurance, and upper-body portions of your workout behind you, it is now time to get down to business with some faster swimming and some cross-training with different strokes. The 800 individual medley (200 butterfly, 200 backstroke, 200 breaststroke, 200freestyle) and 400 stroke is the first opportunity to swim a stroke other than freestyle, and this is an essential part of a well-rounded swimmer's daily routine. Regardless of their preferred competitive stroke, Olympians and world-class swimmers always incorporate additional strokes into their training sessions. Triathletes and open-water freestylers should follow their lead; there are definite advantages to swimming strokes other than the crawl, even if you only compete in that stroke. First, stroke training breaks up the monotony of swimming the same stroke each and every day, each and every workout. Second, it stretches and conditions muscles that are more or less dormant during your preferred stroke (this is necessary to maintain flexibility and increase endurance in the favored stroke). Third, swimming different strokes provides better cardiovascular conditioning (as anyone who has ever attempted a few laps of butterfly can tell you). Regardless of your ability, I highly recommend peppering your swim workouts with butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke. It will certainly not hinder your performance and can only improve your overall ability.
Speeding Things Up a Bit
The 200 fast freestyle repeats, separated by a 100 easy, are designed to test your speed and get those slow-twitch muscles to respond to a pair of medium-distance sprints. While a 200 is hardly considered a sprint in sprinter's terms, its the shortest and fastest repeat in this endurance-intensive set. Really push yourself in these two segments to get down to race pace, and try to get your heart rate above (at least) 150 or so. The 400 stroke and 800 IM may look familiar; they are repeats from earlier in the workout. This time, attempt to beat your finish times (not easy given the fatigue you should be feeling). Eventually, doing this entire workout should teach you to pace yourself so that you have enough energy left toward the end to complete the last few repeats without fading. In mastering this type of endurance, you will find yourself relying on back-half race strategy to overcome your competitor's--always a good thing.
Endurance Check
The icing on the cake (or the last straw, depending on your frame of mind) is a 1,500-meter swim for time. The all-important goal is to beat both of your 2x1,500 splits from the opening 3,000-meter freestyle. If you can do this, you should have all the confidence in the world that your endurance is a force to be reckoned with. The first few times you attempt this workout, you may not even make it this far. If you do, but find that your muscles are screaming out in pain, forget trying to beat your earlier times and instead really focus on keeping your stroke technique together. Take care not to drop your elbows, slap the water, or shorten your stroke (all things that result from fatigue or bonking towards the end of a tough swim). The more capable you are of keeping good form, the closer you will get to beating your initial splits and eventually, in a race, overtaking your competitors. Always try to maintain proper technique, especially when fatigue and soreness take over. Of course, this set (unabridged) may only appeal to a small percentage of endurance swimmers and hard-core triathletes. There are ways to modify it to your abilities while still taking advantage of its drills and benefits.
For instance:
Mini-Prix Workout
1,000 freestyle
500 pull
200 IM
200 stroke
100 sprint
100 easy
100 sprint
200 stroke
200 IM
500 freestyle
Total: 3,100 meters/yards
Substantially shortened, the above example of a Mini-Prix can be tried by athletes who may only swim a few times a week, 3,000 yards per workout. The gist of the Grand Prix is still maintained, however, in that the swimmer should negative-split the opening swim, focus on race pace during the 2x100 sprint, and then attempt to beat the split 500 time in the last 500 meters. Stroke work is still included with 2x200 IM and 2x200 stroke, but these shorter distances allow novices to experience new strokes without being exhausting.
For swimmers that only swim freestyle:
Free-Prix Workout
1,000 freestyle
500 pull
300 freestyle
-- 20 seconds rest
200 freestyle --
10 seconds rest
100 sprint
100 easy
100 sprint
200 freestyle
-- 20 seconds rest
300 freestyle --
10 seconds rest
500 freestyle
Total: 3,300 meters
This workout is for freestylers who just refuse to (or can't) swim any other stroke. Slightly different in its make-up, it tests a swimmer's endurance and forces one to pay attention to finish times more closely in the workout. The consecutive 300 and 200 freestyles (essentially a broken 500) should be swum fast enough to beat either 500 of the first 1,000. After the 2x100 sprint, the goal is to swim even faster on the next 200 and 300, beating your previous broken 500. Finally, the last 500 should be the fastest 500 of all. The Free Prix version challenges you to swim a total of 5x500 throughout theworkout: two in the warmup, two broken ones in the middle of the set, and one last one at the end of the workout (all descending and increasing in effort and speed). Cristina helpfully offered some insight into how she gets through such daunting workouts every day."I just think about [the workout's] purpose, where it's going to get me, and how few people do this stuff," she said. "I also try to just view it as a challenge and nothing else. If you don't have it that day, relax and motivate for thenext day. Hard workouts always get me excited and make me look forward to tomorrow." She is quick to add that even on an off day, there are ways to get better and make the most of the set."I think of keeping my rhythm and relaxing when I do a hard set. I do it piece by piece. Sometimes all you need is one great 1x100 in a workout to think the session was a success." Judging from her track record, Cristina has clocked enough great 100s in her career to ensure her a solid place in swimming history. By partaking in some ofher world-class workouts, you too may end up at the front of the pack.
Need more people: We still need about 10 people to field a full second team. Time to peer pressure your friends into signing up.
What are the eligibility requirements?
You are a paid member of DC Tri.Y ou do NOT have to be a USAT member.
How do I sign up?
Email me:Your first name Your last name Your age on December 1, 2007.
Training Opportunities:
You do NOT have to swim with the club for your mileage to count.
However, should you wish to do so:
When: 6:30 AM
Where: Eastern Market Pool
When: 6:00 AM
Where: Washington and Lee
When: Mondays at 630 for December
Where: Takoma Recreation Center
When: ???
Where: Chinquapin
Links:
USAT NCC websitehttp://www.race-tracker.net/usat/index.cfm
USAT has a blog to keep everyone informed. I also heard we will be able to post on it, say to taunt San Diego's tri club. Just remember, comments are hard to un-post, so stay classy DC. http://usatncc.blogspot.com/
DC Tri NCC page http://dctriclub.org/staticpages/index.php?page=usat_ncc
DC Tri forum thread http://www.dctriclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=20&showtopic=29211
If you have a blog you would like me to link, shoot me an email.
Movie trivia contest: XXXXXX was the winner of last week's contest with a prompt response of Bull Durham, Crash Davis. The first person to reply with the charater and movie title wins a gel. Not terribly exciting, but a reward for reading the whole newsletter nonetheless. Here's this week's:
"I wish I could say something classy and inspirational, but that just wouldn't be our style. Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory... lasts forever."
Happy training!
Newsletter 12/03/07
Everyone has done a great job getting training in and mostly on turning in mileage. A huge thanks to people who organized swim sessions for the club.
In this newsletter:
FAQ's
Teams
Need more people
Training opportunities
Links
Movie quote trivia contest
FAQ's:
In this newsletter:
FAQ's
Teams
Need more people
Training opportunities
Links
Movie quote trivia contest
FAQ's:
Should I send you all my mileage, or just swimming?
All your mileage.
What format should I send it in?
Send it in Swim/Bike/Run format in MILES.
How often should I send my mileage?
As often as you accrue it.
Teams:
In order to make it more fair for smaller clubs to compete, larger clubs were asked to split into teams of 75 people maximum. So if you go to the challenge website you'll see two teams for us: DC Tri Red and DC Tri Blue. DC Tri Red is totally full, DC Tri Blue could still use about 10 more people.
Need more people:
The above noted, we still need about 10 people to field a full second team. Time to peer pressure your friends into signing up.
What are the eligibility requirements?
You are a paid member of DC Tri.
You do NOT have to be a USAT member.
How do I sign up?
Email me:Your first name Your last name Your age on December 1, 2007.
Training Opportunities:
You do NOT have to swim with the club for your mileage to count. However, should you wish to do so:
DC Triathlon Club Swim Meet!
When: Sunday December 9th - 7:00 am start (6:10 pool opens for warm-up)
Where: Lab School Pool, 4759 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
Who: Open to all DC Tri Club members. You DO NOT have to be registered with Masters swimming.
Cost: $5 entry up to four events, including relays / $1 each event thereafter(to cover pool expenses - collected at the meet)
Why: Swimming motivation, National Club Challenge, and to HAVE FUN!
Contact: Joe Coyne
After: Brunch in Georgetown - Booeymonger
There will be multiple heats for each events, where you will be competing against those with similar times. The more people that sign up for the meet, the more people you will have to swim with. Try something new! We're all hereto support one another and have a good time.
It doesn't matter if you swam inthe Olympics or started swimming this year, we want you HERE!
Awards:-1st/2nd/3rd in respective events, heats, and teams (DC vs. MD vs. VA residents)-Giveaways (goggles, caps, swim lessons)
Other places you can swim with the club:
When: 6:30 AM
Where: Eastern Market Pool
When: 6:00 AM
Where: Washington and Lee
When: ???
Where: Takoma Recreation Center
When: ???
Where: Chinquapin
Links:
USAT NCC websitehttp://www.race-tracker.net/usat/index.cfm
USAT has a blog to keep everyone informed. I also heard we will be able to post on it, say to taunt San Diego's tri club. Just remember, comments are hard to un-post, so stay classy DC.http://usatncc.blogspot.com/
DC Tri NCC pagehttp://dctriclub.org/staticpages/index.php?page=usat_ncc
DC Tri forum threadhttp://www.dctriclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=20&showtopic=29211
If you have a blog you would like me to link, shoot me an email.
Movie trivia contest:Last year I put a pirate jokes at the end of the newsletter but I'm out of funnyones for this year. As per your input I'm doing movie quotes this year. The first person to reply with the character and movie title wins a gel. Not terribly exciting, but a reward for reading the whole newsletter nonetheless.
Here's your first one:"Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring!Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic."
Happy training!
Friday, November 23, 2007
Red forces vs. blue forces
In order to make it more fair for the smaller clubs we trounced last year. Larger club (this would be us) have to split into teams of 75 or less.
We have one full team of 75, and we need about 60 more people to sign up to field another full team of 75.
So get your friend, neighbor, or in/significant others to sign up.
Did I mention there will be fabulous prizes?
We have one full team of 75, and we need about 60 more people to sign up to field another full team of 75.
So get your friend, neighbor, or in/significant others to sign up.
Did I mention there will be fabulous prizes?
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Putting the SAT in USAT
USAT changed the rules this year to make it more fair for smaller clubs. Clubs with more than 75 people participating have to split their participants into teams of no more than 75.
Here's the SAT question:
How do we want to split the teams?
We currently have 86 people signed up. It would obviously be to the most advantage to have as close to 150 as possible so we have the most people we can have on a team to log mileage.
As a club aiming to win, I can put 75 people on one team, and 9 on another. I don't know how many people will actually check their mileage on the USAT website, and if anyone would be upset to be on the team of 9.
Here's the SAT question:
How do we want to split the teams?
We currently have 86 people signed up. It would obviously be to the most advantage to have as close to 150 as possible so we have the most people we can have on a team to log mileage.
As a club aiming to win, I can put 75 people on one team, and 9 on another. I don't know how many people will actually check their mileage on the USAT website, and if anyone would be upset to be on the team of 9.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Changes to the Challenge rules and reward structures
New guidelines- these are a shift based on feedback from last year.
- Clubs with more than 75 participants will be broken into Red, White and Blue teams to even the playing field. Teams will have no more than 75 participants each. For the bigger clubs, this can help with strategy and friendly competition.
- The time zone is determined by your club location. Cutoff of mileage entry for each session will be based on your local time zone.
- Individual awards will be given to the top performing individual regardless if they are in a club or competing on their own.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Join the bandwagon!
We have about 60 people signed up for the challenge so far and space for plenty more!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
How to join the challenge
I need the following information to register club members:
Your first name
Your last name
Your age on December 1, 2007
Email them to me.
DO NOT POST THEM HERE OR ON THE CLUB WEBSITE, this is for your own security.
Your first name
Your last name
Your age on December 1, 2007
Email them to me.
DO NOT POST THEM HERE OR ON THE CLUB WEBSITE, this is for your own security.
National Challenge Competition
As the days get shorter, the weather gets colder, bikes become one with trainers, relationships with treadmills are rekindled, and suddenly it is not quite so appealing to jump in the pool and knock out those laps. As crazy as triathletes are, even the winter days can deter many triathletes from training and competing. And USAT will stop at nothing to foster that competitive edge year-round. That is why the National Challenge Competition is back with a vengeance for the second year and will kick off on December 1st!
The NCC will last for three months (December 2007 through February 2008) and is composed of three separate month-long sessions. Each session will focus on one of the three disciplines of a triathlon and will have a benchmark for each athlete to reach. In December the focus is swimming, in January it is cycling and in February it is running. The first club to beat the benchmark will earn first prize for that session. That club will also receive 10 entries into the overall session prize raffle. There will be additional individual awards as well as club runner-up prizes allotted throughout the competition. The club awards will vary with club size and mileage. Prizes and awards will be announced closer to the beginning of the NCC.
Club members can sign up with the club liaison and the liaison will enter their information online. If your club likes to train, likes to compete and is good at trash-talking, you won't want to miss out on the National Challenge Competition. Not only is it a greatway to fuel your competitive fire through the dead cold of winter, but it is a chance to "race" against the rest of the country in the comfort of your own facilities. Get your club signed up today. And remember, USAT has the cure for your wintertraining blues! For official rules and procedures, visit our website: www.usatriathlon.org
The NCC will last for three months (December 2007 through February 2008) and is composed of three separate month-long sessions. Each session will focus on one of the three disciplines of a triathlon and will have a benchmark for each athlete to reach. In December the focus is swimming, in January it is cycling and in February it is running. The first club to beat the benchmark will earn first prize for that session. That club will also receive 10 entries into the overall session prize raffle. There will be additional individual awards as well as club runner-up prizes allotted throughout the competition. The club awards will vary with club size and mileage. Prizes and awards will be announced closer to the beginning of the NCC.
Club members can sign up with the club liaison and the liaison will enter their information online. If your club likes to train, likes to compete and is good at trash-talking, you won't want to miss out on the National Challenge Competition. Not only is it a greatway to fuel your competitive fire through the dead cold of winter, but it is a chance to "race" against the rest of the country in the comfort of your own facilities. Get your club signed up today. And remember, USAT has the cure for your wintertraining blues! For official rules and procedures, visit our website: www.usatriathlon.org
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