Joe is training for a triathlon log

[Charger]

A little background first. I decided to start training for a triathlon on Oct. 24, 2008 (my 29th birthday). About 2:00 that day I remembered I didn't know how to swim and I didn't have a bike. But I decided screw it I could figure all of that out later. I bought the Total Immersion book and the TI DVD, and started to learn how to swim. It took a couple of months of practicing 4-5 times a week, and in December I started to be able to do 25 yards swims without fins or other helpers.

I bought a road bike a few days ago, so now I'm ready to start training for real. I plan on swimming Monday and Friday, running Tuesday and Thursday, lifting on Friday, and Saturday will be a bike and run day. With school and 3 young boys at home this is schedule is not set in stone.

[Charger]

January 1st,

Run:
Distance - 3.2 miles
Pace - 8:32

Comments:
This run was a bit slower since it was at 7:00 a.m following a night a heavy drinking. But I was proud of myself for waking up and running. I also got to see a drug deal (our hotel wasn't in the best area of Nashville).

[Charger]

January 2nd,

Swim:
Length (yards), Rest (seconds)
100,30
50,30
50,30
50,30
25,60
25,30
25,60
25,30
25,60
25,30
25,60
25,30
25,60
25,30

Comments:
It may seem like long rests, but my form goes to crap pretty quickly if I don't take rests. I'm working on increasing the length I can swim without rests. Hopefully I can add a lap (25 yards) each week. Then I'll be able to work on speed.

[Charger]

January 3rd,

Run:
Distance - 4.28 miles
Pace - 8:43
Total - 37:20

Comments:
I was pretty disappointed in my pace. I'm using the Nike+ Sportsband, and every time I checked my pace it was around 8:15. But, it appears that around 2.5 miles I'm slowing down a good bit. I'll have to pay attention to that next time.

[Charger]

January 4th,

Run
Distance - 4.28 miles
Pace - 7:45
Total - 26:23

Comments:
I began using ChiRunning last week, so I'm currently trying to use their focuses. I was happy with the results of this run, but looking at my speed after the fact I saw it was very erratic. This may have something to do with coming in and out of focusing on ChiRunning techniques. Next time I'll probably focus on one specific part of my technique per mile. We'll see how it goes.

[BamaDave]

Hey Charger,

Good luck with your triathlon training. Your running looks good!

[Charger]

January 5th,

Swim:
Length (yards), Rest (seconds)
125,30
25,60
50,120
50,60
50,60
50,60
50,60
25,60
25,30
25,60
25,30
25,60
25,30
25,60
25,30

Comments:
I was able to add the extra lap in for this week, but it was tough and probably slowed me down for a while. I'll be doing drills on Wednesday, so hopefully I'll be able to find what I'm doing wrong.
------------------------

Thanks Dave. My running has been going much better than I thought. Originally it was the part I was dreading the most, but now I actually look forward to my runs.

[LisaS]

Are you using someone's specific tri plan or something of your own devising?
Do you have a race date and/or distance in mind?

[Charger]

There is a sprint tri in Knoxville, TN in April that I'd like to do. Currently I'm just waiting to see how my swimming improves. If I can't do the 400 meters, then obviously I'm thinking it's a waste of time. I have the latest Total Immersion freestyle DVD on order, so hopefully that can help me improve my technique. If I get that down, then April should be no problem.

There is also a sprint tri in July about 30 minutes from me, and one in the city I live in in August. Hopefully I'll be able to do all three of those this year.

[Charger]

January 6th,

Lifting:

Squat
135 X 12
135 X 12
135 X 8

Pull-ups
8
7
7

BB Lunge
95 X 12
95 X 12
95 X 6

Good morning
95 X 12
95 X 12
95 X 12

Cable Chop
60 X 12
80 X 12
80 X 12

DB Lat Raise
15 X 12
20 X 12
20 X 12

DB Shoulder Press
25 X 12
25 X 12
30 X 9

Comments:
I had planned on going running, but it was raining pretty hard, so I figured I'd do my weekly lifting. This is my first attempt at the full body workout I'll be doing, and if anyone has any suggestions I'll definitely listen. I'm trying to do a bit of everything since I'll only be hitting the weights once a week.

As far as this session went, I'm pretty sure they made the weights heavier since I last lifted 2 months ago. The squats in particular seemed tougher than I recall. Overall I think it went well. I'm hoping I didn't over do it, so I can swim tomorrow. I'll be doing drills, so there will be more time to rest if necessary.

[Charger]

January 7th,

Swim:
30 minutes drills.

Comments:
I worked on breathing to my right side today, which for some reason is very awkward. Currently I'm swimming with taking a breath to my left every other stroke. I'd like to be breathing once every three laps, so I practiced that as well. My legs were a bit sore from lifting yesterday, and breathing once every three strokes seems to tire me more quickly. I believe I'm not turning my body enough when I'm going to the right, and that forces me to lift my head. Which then leads to my legs dropping. I'll need to keep working on this before it comes naturally.

[Ogedei]

Bilateral breathing I think is a pain to learn for everyone. I took swim lessons as a kid, I could swim when I started back in the pool in my late 20s (off and on, nothing long term) I couldn't breathe on both sides till I was looking to do a triathlon and forced myself to learn. I am happy I did.

I don't have TI, but I have read a lot of their freely available stuff. Swimming as I am sure you know new is hugely technique oriented, work on it. Screw speed at the moment, it will come.

How often were you breathing before? You said once every three tired you out.

NOW. Pick your triathlon and SIGN up for it. Nothing is motivational like having a date you are going to race. Planning on signing up for one is not the same. If you want to do one, pick one or more and sign up.

P.S. I would love to breathe only once every three laps as well.

[Charger]

Normally I breath every other stroke. Hopefully with a bit of practice I should be able to breath on the right side.

[Ogedei]

Learning bilateral breathing was among the most difficult things I taught myself. It was just weird to me, and I take it to a lot of people seeing how many people do not do it.

I believe it is totally worth learning, it will benefit your form, since you won't need to break it as often. By every other stroke I imagine you mean: Right stroke (breath), left stroke, right stroke (breath)

[Charger]

Yes, you're correct I'm "Right stroke (breath), left stroke, right stroke (breath)". Hopefully I should have that down pretty quickly. I think it's just going to take some practice.

[LisaS]

These types of discussions are quite interesting to me.
It has been so long since I've done any head down distance swimming (since as a kid) - but I cannot for the life of me remember noticing when or how often to breathe. We just put our heads down and took a breath when we needed one. To me this all sounds like someone counting steps while running to figure out when to breathe (but I do understand intellectually why you pay attention for sport reasons). In open water, I've always swum heads up. I might have to try this now and see when I breathe.

[Ogedei]

Well you can only breath a couple places during the stroke. I used to breath every second one, it was easier to breath on that side and I couldn't wait through till the next cycle.

I don't count steps when I run, but I do breath in a pattern. For me swimming is all about numbers. Number of laps, time, strokes, I usually forget what lap I am on by the time I am done. Lap 12, 1..2..3 breath, 1..2..3 breath, Wait, am I on 12...or am I done 12 after this? Crap. How many strokes was it this length? hahhahha.

[Charger]

January 9th,

Swim:
Length (yards), Rest (seconds)
150,120
50,60
50,60
50,60
50,60
50,60

Comments:
Had to cut today short because of a meeting that was scheduled for most of my day. Of course by the time I got back to the office it was canceled. I was able to increase my initial swim by another 25 yards. I'm going to change my goal to add 2 laps per week instead of my previous goal of 1 lap a week. So far this week I've heard a very overweight person tell me they can swim all day without stopping, and another guy told me he'd like some help in the pool because he can only do 1000 yards. Making my 150 yards today look like chump change. Not to mention today one of the instructors teaching a water aerobics class asked if I was OK when I was taking a rest, I must have looked like I just ran a marathon or something. I believe my legs aren't staying up as high as they should, so on Wednesdays when I'm doing drills I plan on mainly working on that. Maybe if I can decrease my drag I can add a couple hundred yards to my swimming.

I guess if this were easy everyone would do it.

[Charger]

January 10th,

Bike:
Distance - 5.8 miles
Total - 18:03

Run:
Distance - 2.94
Pace - 7:40
Total - 22:26

Comments:
This was the first time I combined sports into one workout. I think it went well all things considered. The route was a loop around UA Huntsville. It has some decent hills, so I think I got a good work out in. Running was tough at first going from the bike, but after a mile it seemed like any other run.

I'm pretty doubtful on the actual distances for these. I used Google maps to track it had this route down as 2.6 miles, so the bike would be 5.2 miles and the run 2.6 miles. The 2.9 miles came from my Nike+ Sportsband. The Sportsband has had similar mileage on other routes, so I'm not sure what was different this time. I may do the route again next weekend, so I'll see what the distance is then.

[Charger]

January 11th,

Run:
Distance - 3.57 miles
Pace - 7:33
Total - 27:00

Comments:
I'm getting wary of the distance of on my Sportsband. This run was two laps of my neighborhood. Next time I run at home I'll see if it at least matches up.

[Ogedei]

Have you checked out this site, I am thinking you might have.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

You should be able to plug in your route and see how close your band is recording.

[Charger]

Yes, I've been using that site as well. Not sure how accurate it is though. Hopefully this weekend I can find a trail that's marked with miles this weekend and calibrate the Sportsband.

[Charger]

January 14th,

Swim:
Length (yards), Rest (seconds)
175,30
25,30
50,60
50,60
50,120
50,60
50,60
50,120
50,60
50,60
50,60

Comments: I wasn't able to get to the gym on Monday or Tuesday because I was working a proposal. I was able to increase my first swim by 25 yards, and should be able to do another 25 yards on Friday.

[Charger]

January 15th,

Lifting:

Squat
135 X 12
135 X 12
135 X 12

Pull-ups
9
8
6

BB Lunge
95 X 12
95 X 12
95 X 12

Good morning
95 X 12
105 X 12
105 X 12

Cable Chop
80 X 12
80 X 12
80 X 12

DB Lat Raise
20 X 12
20 X 12
20 X 12

Dip
8
8
6

DB Shoulder Press
30 X 10
25 X 12
25 X 9

Comments:
I forgot to bring my training log to the gym, so I was pretty surprised everything matched up about the same. I did add dips in to the workout towards then end. I figure this adds a bit of chest and some more arm work to this routine. I'm looking forward to swimming tomorrow and hoping I can get to 200 yards.

[LisaS]

what's the limitation on the swim yardage - is it a time constraint - e.g. you have a fixed amount of time available and you try to crowd in more laps as you get faster & need less rest?

[Charger]

Swim yardage is constrained by how much I can do without dropping into bad form or stopping for a rest. I've been using my first effort to see how far I can go with decent form. I'm pretty sure my legs are dragging. I'm hoping once I get the new TI DVD that I'll be able to use those drills to correct it.

I'm doing a total of 600 yards, with rests for each workout.

[LisaS]

cool.

[Charger]

January 16th,

Swim:
Length (yards), Rest (seconds)
300, 120
100,60
100,60
100,60
100

Comments:
I started off doing drills, which I believe was key. I was going for 200 yards today, but when I got there I noticed I could keep going. Got to 300 yards without much trouble. I'm pretty sure it's at a slow pace, but it works for me. Also I added an extra 100 yards since I had time. I think I should be able to get 400 yards next week. I received the new TI video this afternoon, so I'll be going over that this weekend and drilling in the pool next week.

[BamaDave]

Looks good! What trails are you going to run on? I remember a trail along a greenspace area somewhere in South Huntsville, but I'm not sure of the location. It's part of the Huntsville Half Marathon course. Can't remember about mile markers, though - probably not!

The trail at Point Mallard State Park in Decatur has markers and is fairly nice... although COLD along the river!

[Charger]

January 17th,

Bike:
Distance- 5.2 miles
Total - 20:30

Run:
Distance - 2.6 miles
Total - 22:42

Comments:
This was the same loop as I used last week, but this time I tracked the mileage with my truck and GoogleMaps and it came out to 2.6 miles. So I've calibrated my Sportband, and hopefully it'll work a little better now. As far as the run it went pretty well. It was in the upper 20's for the run and it hailed for a bit. So I'm going to assume that's why I ran a bit slower today. Tomorrow's run I'll be picking up the pace a bit.