Tag Archives: swimming

Fitness Friday-5/29

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New wrinkle to my basic week of running, swimming, and cycling. Shari and I do 4,000 yards on Tuesday mornings at 5:45a. Shari has all the attributes of a great training partner–dependable, friendly, fast. She kicks my butt during IM sets, she kicks my butt when pulling long sets, and I regain a little dignity by nudging her out on 50 yard sprint sets. There’s one downside, Shari can be stubborn when it comes to leading out the lane. Tuesday morning, after Shari, another friend named Hobb and I completed our 1k warmup, I suggested we do 400 free followed by 4x100IM, three times. After negotiating the intervals, I said, “You lead out.” To which she replied, “No way, I’m not leading out.” So I did what you would have done in my position, I yelled at her. “Come on! I don’t want you swimming up on me, don’t be a baby, lead out!” Didn’t work because she dug her heels in and so I went to Plan B, the stare down. That lasted all of three seconds because the large, red, relentless second hand on the clock was nearning the tippy top. She won and I think I caught her doing breakstroke briefly once as she swam up on Hobb who was drafting off of me.

In other fitness news, I had a great Olympia half marathon two weekends ago. Perfect conditions, it was fun to run with two friends, and I went a few minutes faster than I thought possible. Shelly took us through the first mile in 6:55 or a good 30-40 seconds faster than I had planned. At mile 2, I politely suggested she take off and she slowly opened a gap. It took DoubleS and me a good 4 miles to recover and settle into a sustainable groove. Meanwhile, we watched Shelly get smaller in the distance. At mile 8.5 DoubleS dropped back a tiny bit and I decided to turn it up, so we parted ways. The local fishwrap had a picture of him crossing the line “In the marathon, with a time of 1:34:24” so we’ve been teasing him about his world record performance. Surprisingly, going up the hilliest stretch, I started to close the gap with Shelly. My mantra, “The hills are our friends,” was paying off. At about 11.75 miles we turned onto the main downhill drag into town and the finish line. I was 20 seconds back and told Shelly’s husband, “I’ll never catch her.” (Note: Shelly’s husband is 6’6″ and was a Pac-10 high jump champion in the early 90’s. If he finds out I was locked on his wife’s turquoise blue shorts for well over an hour this may be my last post.) Surprisingly, I caught her fairly quickly and then it was ON. Shelly is way more talented than me, but less experienced, and my pacing savvy was the difference. We pushed hard over the last mile. In the end, I beat her by 2 seconds, thus proving, once and for all, boys rule and girls drool. 

I know what you’re thinking. “Ron, you really do need some help from eastern philosophy.” But the more I think about it, the more okay I am with my momentary lapses into competitive madness. I race a few times a year. Almost every other run is done at a moderate pace with friends. We (usually) wait for one another if someone is struggling. It’s fun to compete on rare occasion, because of the contrast. Besides, it takes me back to my youth when racing—whether on foot or bicycle or by popsicle stick in the creek or hotwheels on tricked-out tracks—was a way of life.

Fitness Year in Review

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I pity my running homies who don’t keep training logs because they don’t get to slice and dice the numbers. Hard to believe they’re content to maintain their physical and mental health with no clue about how this year compares to any other. I suppose they’re still good peeps. And my handy dandy GPS and I are happy to pick up the slack. Truth be told, they like my post run reports where I reveal how far we ran and sometimes even provide mile splits.

On the fitness front, 2008 was an excellent year, most notably because I was injury free and had a lot of fun. I’ve struggled with a balky lower back in the past so I don’t know if I’ve ever had as injury free a 12 month run. I even managed some decent workouts during last week’s bronchitis battle which was probably as sick as I got all year. I attribute my health to three things. First, living in icy Norway in February meant an unusually light second month with several off days. In hindsight, that forced rest was probably needed. Second, I didn’t make time to lift weights this year. I have decent weight lifting form, and lord knows I keep things very light and easy, but I still often accumulate aches and pains as a result of lifting. Third, I’ve done more push ups than normal which have strengthened my core. I need to get more consistent with push ups and planking in 09.

SWIMMING—241,600 meters.

A solid year highlighted by the recent PR in the 500 free. I’ve enjoyed doing more stroke work than ever before. It’s neat to see a little bit of improvement in the fly, breast, and back. The Black Hills triathlon swim was another highlight, but for the sake of kharma, I need to make a correction related to that race report. If you remember it, I talked about setting records for each split. I had an excellent swim, but upon further review, the swim and run were short. 

CYCLING—2,318 miles.

I was most surprised by how well I rode in the summer/fall without any real spring build. How to explain that? I guess I’d credit the bit of base I’ve built over the past four summers. Turns out there was some money in the account when I went to make withdrawals. It was fun mixing it up in the front of the club and riding nearly as well as friends who had more miles in their legs. My cycling season is in two parts, pre-RAMROD and post-RAMROD. I ride much better in August and September because of the spike in fitness I get from drilling myself on Mount Rainier in late-July. It serves as a booster shot. This year my 100 mile solo tune-up before Ramrod was THE single most important outing of the year. Thanks to that effort, RAMROD wasn’t a complete sufferfest. After RAMROD I enjoyed hanging on club rides without completely shelling myself and pushing the pace on occasion. 

RUNNING—1,489 miles.

I was privileged to run in new locales abroad including Norway, Berlin, Munich, through a Tuscany vineyard, and even a hotel dreadmill in Tallin, Estonia. I also enjoyed training with PC, The Malamute, and Double S. I did my best to elevate our Saturday morning conversations, but can’t say I was too successful. The Portland Marathon and Seattle Half both went well and were fun in a “that was painful, glad it’s over” kind of way. I most enjoy trail running and one silver lining of the recession is all of the development that was planned in our area is on hold; as a result, our trails are still intact. One difference this year was the utter lack of speed/track work. Just didn’t make it a priority. 

2009

After years of slight increases in volume, I don’t plan on committing any more time to physical activity in 2009. Now the question is what’s the best swimming/cycling/running balance? This year I anticipate swimming a similar distance, but borrowing some from running in order to add to cycling. Beyond that my frame of mind will be similar—remember life is fragile and appreciate and celebrate good health.

Postscript

Three favorite memories from the year. The first was a spontaneous March day of cross country skiing with Tore in Norway. Tore was patient and encouraging and the conditions and scenery were off the charts. Epic in the truest sense of the word. The second was a very tough, very steep May run/hike up a fog-covered side of the Swiss Alps in Grindenwald, Switzerland. I was serenaded by cow bells in absolutely beautiful scenery. Third, the final bike ride on a few different Mount Rainier passes on an unusually nice October day. After a maximum effort to bridge up to a strong group of climbers, I pushed the pace on one of the final segments just short of the top. Once we got to the top, and were able to talk, an amateur racing friend turned to T and me and said, “You guys should be racing. Why aren’t you racing?” I thought to myself, it doesn’t get better than this. Five friends taking turns inflicting pain on one another surrounded by unrivaled beauty. My answer is, as long as I have my health, good friends to push me, and relatively safe natural settings to train in, I’m good.

T’s persistence has paid off in that this year I will post a much shorter fitness update or random thought every other Friday. Look for the first “Friday’s Fitness Footnote” next Friday. Yes, I like alliteration.

Swim Meet Addendum

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At the Rudolph’s Plunge swim meet I also won the 50 fly, 50 back, and 50 free. The 13 year old girl who touched me out in the 50 breast looked like she was on the juice. And she left right afterwards before any samples could be collected.

I’m just sayin’.

I also was the only person disqualified in an event (200IM),  and I did it with style, actually earning a double DQ. Apparently, you’re not allowed to roll onto your stomach during backstroke turns. My excuse was I’m a triathlete. I thought I had won a Dairy Queen coupon.

Despite my victories, I was not the swimmer of the meet, not by a long shot. That honor had to go to Evelyn a 90 year old dynamo who did the 25 fly, then the 25 back, then the 25 breast, then the 25 free, then to cap it off, a 100IM. She’s beyond inspiring. Best of all, she had to leave right after swimming to get up to Seattle for a dance competition. Her partner is a young man in his early 70’s.

Evelyn is intelligent, personable, and friendly as all get out. Longevity, we’re talking triple digits, runs in her family. Given her present physical and mental health, her fitness routine, and her joy, I expect her to continue rewriting the Masters swimming record book for years to come.

Keep moving.

Damn, where did that old lady come from?

Damn, where did that old lady come from?

Natural Order Restored

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You may recall that in October my 16 year-old daughter shattered my 500 yard free time (6:21 versus 6:28). Last weekend, at the Third Annual Rudolph’s Plunge, I attempted to reclaim the title that is so integral to my identity: family’s fastest distance freestyler.

Uppity daughter couldn’t fathom that possibility so she finagled an invitation to a Seattle concert. Fortunately the other two members of my posse were among the thousands (or tens) packed into the Water Cube (or Briggs YMCA) as I stood on the block.

I am not a talented athlete by any stretch of the imagination, however, I have developed a reservoir of endurance as a result of consistent training over the last 15 years. Another asset is an intuitive feel for even pacing. Case in point, the Seattle Half Marathon. The marathon website provides three pages of stats for each runner based on their timing chip. One graphic said that from mile 6.2 to 13.1 I passed 233 people and 6 passed me. I ran 7:20’s for the first half of the race and 7 flats for the second, hillier section. The art of the slow build.

Oddly, my Rudolph’s Plunge 500 may have been the worst paced race in my life. I don’t know why, but I went out WAY too fast. Long story short, I faded big time over the second half, but still finished in 6:17.5. L said at one point the announcer said I was on a 6:02 pace. Opps. It’s no fun going into oxygen debt and then not being able to recover.

Reminds me of a Prefontaine quote, “The only good race pace is suicide pace and today looks like a good day to die.”

I thoroughly enjoyed posting a 6:17 sticky note on A’s mirror that night before retiring.

And at the end of a quiet circle in Northwest Indiana, my sister just shook her head in disgust.

Even though A was recently named co-captain of next year’s team, I suspect she’ll just quit the sport now that the natural order has been restored and the family record is out of reach.

Swim-Bike-Run

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The past week at a glance. Every workout, except half of Saturday’s and all of Sunday’s, completed before sunrise.

Friday, running day, however, I felt like I returned to the regular running schedule a bit too quickly post marathon so I decided to swim instead. I was invited to join the Masters so I chased Geraldine for 75 minutes.  650 warm up. Main set 6×300, descend 1-3  and 4-6 on 5:00. Not sure of my splits, but Geraldine kept putting 20 yards into me. 50 easy then 3×200 on 3:20. Again, I wasn’t getting my splits. I like Mel’s rest intervals better than my own. Then a 4×100 pull set and a 100 cool down. Classic Mel, no strokes. Total, 3,600 yards, but I always record meters, so 3,330m.

Saturday, 10+ mile run in 1:19+. First time I felt normal post marathon. Lots of trails, Woodland, Watershed, LBA. Surprise, surprise, M and I got into a heated argument which always leads to a quicker pace. I don’t understand economics or taxes because I’ve never sat in a boardroom, yet he routinely criticizes public school teachers. Usually, I can manage the irritation, but about once a year, I completely snap. I’m good until 2009. I apologize for my language if you were anywhere near LBA park last Saturday morning.

Sunday, cold weather cycling experiment. 35 degrees, can I hang? I decide to give it a try, and if I can’t cut it, I’ll bail before joining the group at 4 miles. Craft base layer, medium weight base, expedition weight base, long sleeve jersey, arm warmers, long bottoms under long bibs, two pairs of socks, toe covers, two pairs of gloves, hat under helmet. I produced a large load of laundry, but proved the Norwegians right-there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. The suggested route called for an early climb and about 40 miles in total. Perfect, until we went straight when we were supposed to go left. Three, five, seven extra miles. . . times two. Are we ever going to head north again or are we taking the train back from Portland? 55 miles later, the mercury climbed to 46. The only thing I took off all morning were my arm warmers. Mission accomplished. 1,500′ of climbing at a relaxed 18+mph.

Monday, 6.16 mile run in 47+ for a 7:41/mile average.

Tuesday, solo swim. 1,000 yard warm up, every fourth alternate back then breast, 15:45. Kick 200; one arm drill 100; fingertip drag 100; 100 easy. 4×300 on 5:00 in 4:25, 19, 17, 3. 5x100IM on 1:55 in 1:36-1:37, last 1:33. 100 cool down. Total, 3,300 yards or 3,000m.

Wednesday, 6.75 mile run in 51:31 for a 7:38/mile average.

Thursday, solo swim. 1,000 yard warm up straight free, 14:45. Kick 200; one arm drill 100; fingertrip drag 100. 2×200 back then breast two times on 3:50, back in 3:27, 3:27; breast in 3:30, 3:30. 5×200 on 3:20 in 2:55, 51, 45, 38, 55. 100 cool down. Total, 3,300 yards or 3,000m.