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Time for a New Adventure
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nice view that neady.
and while most here would praise their other halves for their tolerance to training schedules, not many would be calling two days climbing as a rosemantic few days away:)
He's coming back from injury so he's delighted to be able to do anything right now ..... it'll soon wear off
Is that one pic of Clew Bay looking towards Achill? And stunning pic of the church. My facebook profile pic used to be me on top of Croagh Patrick. Fantastic place...you are so fortunate. Have you ever climbed it barefoot?
That's it exactly, all the lil islands and Achill somewhere far in the distance, it's so pretty and the view is different every time I go up there.
I'm not tough enough to climb in barefoot but I've seen plenty do it- it's a real pilgrimage.0 -
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Woo hoo!!! Needy is swimming!!! I applaud you!!!
To your questions:
1) Water in ears - Well, try and shake it out one side at a time. You'll know when it shakes loose, you can hear it. I also strongly recommend keeping a solution of 1 part rubbing alcohol and 1 part white vinegar on hand, and placing a few drops in each ear as needed as a preventative to swimmer's ear. I've been using this solution since I was a young child, and it's the best damn thing since indoor plumbing!
2) Breathing, out of breath - Yes. It will get better as you get better in the water. I promise.
3) Swallowing water - Yes. It does happen to the best of us, especially the more turbulent the water is. And I know it's early days for you, but you should be thinking of the head movement as a turn, and not a lift. You're turning your head to breathe, not lifting your head to breathe. Again, early in the learning process for you.
4) How long and how many times to practice - Well, in Dory's ideal world, you'd practice this every day for 30 minutes....but....in the real world, I'd suggest 3 times a week for 30 minutes each.0 -
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Regarding what zico wrote above: If I am swimming easy, then I breathe every 3 strokes. However, if I am swimming with a purpose, then I tend to breathe every 2 strokes...and I breathe every 2 for the reason zico has indicated, which is, oxygen is good!!!
So, as zico accurately expressed, you should try and avoid oxygen debt. However, at this stage in the game I'm sure your head is swimming (pun intended!) with all the many mechanics and working parts of freestyle....it can be overwhelming and a challenge to get it all in synch. Therefore, in the short run it may be beneficial to hold your breath a wee bit longer than we'd like you to only to allow your stoke and kick to find some harmony without the annoyance of turning/rotating to breathe.0 -
Woo hoo!!! Needy is swimming!!! I applaud you!!!
To your questions:
1) Water in ears - Well, try and shake it out one side at a time. You'll know when it shakes loose, you can hear it. I also strongly recommend keeping a solution of 1 part rubbing alcohol and 1 part white vinegar on hand, and placing a few drops in each ear as needed as a preventative to swimmer's ear. I've been using this solution since I was a young child, and it's the best damn thing since indoor plumbing!
2) Breathing, out of breath - Yes. It will get better as you get better in the water. I promise.
3) Swallowing water - Yes. It does happen to the best of us, especially the more turbulent the water is. And I know it's early days for you, but you should be thinking of the head movement as a turn, and not a lift. You're turning your head to breathe, not lifting your head to breathe. Again, early in the learning process for you.
4) How long and how many times to practice - Well, in Dory's ideal world, you'd practice this every day for 30 minutes....but....in the real world, I'd suggest 3 times a week for 30 minutes each.
Thanks C for taking the time to answer at length and with such great advice. Will definitely give the solution a go because I can't be wandering around the place half deaf three days a week (will figure out how to work this into my training, probably with wattbike/swim combos).
I think next week she's going to work the head turn into the lesson but for this week she wants me to get comfortable with breathing and dispelling the panic that comes with it. I look forward to the day when I can concentrate on one thing instead of trying to remember to do all things at onceHuge kudos on starting the swimming. Nothing to add to Dory's advice but to be patient. Swimming is a very technical skill and is very confidence-dependent and that takes time. But there's no doubt you'll master it.
Thanks C I appreciate it and really look forward to the day when I can cross that line into the deep end with confidence.I'm going to make some assumptions here, so apologies if some of them are wrong. You mentioned getting more distance out of your first breath. That to me implies you are breathing when you run out of breath, which isn't what you should be doing. Breathing needs to be regular and done often enough, so that you don't go into oxygen debt. I've started breathing every second stroke this year and I think Dory does the same. Everyone of us would swim faster, if like a dolphin, we had a breathing hole on the top of our heads. Unfortunately, we have to turn to breathe, which throws your body out of alignment. The more desperate you are to get air on board, the more rushed this turn is going to be. If you're desperate for oxygen and rushing the breath, It's going to be harder to think about what needs to be done to keep your body aligned. All you want is air, how to swim properly isn't of any concern. You need to incorporate the breath into your stroke and not think of it as something separate to actual swimming.
Also you talked about 'reaching out' with your hand. You've a coach on deck, so listen to them first and foremost. But when exactly does she mean for you to reach out? Or when do you think about 'reaching out'? Is it before or after your hand enters the water? I went to a Total Immersion course and from other stuff I read, I thought this 'reaching out' was a critical part of swimming properly. After my hand entered the water, I would spend too long stretching my arm forward, to get the maximum reach out of my stroke. This 'glide' is not essential to swimming efficiently and is actually counter productive in the open water. Having not seen you swim, I can't say this is what you are doing. But starting out learning to swim, it is something you need to be mindful of. Once bad habits become ingrained, it's very hard to get rid of them.
Thank you Zico, actually this helps a lot especially with the breathing technique. I was breathing out completely and almost gasping for my next breath, lifting my head too high and dropping my legs down into the water. She did initially tell me to breath after six kicks (I was holding the float so no stroke) but I wasn't doing well with counting kicks, remembering to keep head in water, legs high and all the other bits so eventually she told me to get comfortable with breathing my own way first.
When she said reach out, it was because I was making a fist with my hand when it was entering the water so instead of a fist, flat hand and reach in front of me. Will keep what you're saying in mind though and hope to keep these classes going until I get everything right and get good habits.Well done Neady, great to see you in the water.
As you get your confidence it will get easier and you'll practise more.
Thanks Sean, hopefully it will make life easier when I fall out of the Kayak in ITERA (not tomorrow though , there will be no falling out tomorrow )Regarding what zico wrote above: If I am swimming easy, then I breathe every 3 strokes. However, if I am swimming with a purpose, then I tend to breathe every 2 strokes...and I breathe every 2 for the reason zico has indicated, which is, oxygen is good!!!
So, as zico accurately expressed, you should try and avoid oxygen debt. However, at this stage in the game I'm sure your head is swimming (pun intended!) with all the many mechanics and working parts of freestyle....it can be overwhelming and a challenge to get it all in synch. Therefore, in the short run it may be beneficial to hold your breath a wee bit longer than we'd like you to only to allow your stoke and kick to find some harmony without the annoyance of turning/rotating to breathe.
I really underestimated how many different things there are to think about when in the water (and I haven't even gone into the deep end yet). I'll get some practice in over the weekend and again before next week. I'll try to work on one thing at a time before putting them all together.
Thanks everyone for the help, it's much appreciated 0 -
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Friday
60mins Wattbike (27km)
Very very easy spinning just to wake the legs up.
5mins of plankity plank
Saturday
Causeway Coast Adventure Race, Boyle (5hrs 30mins)
Team ARSE decided to travel up for this on Saturday morning as a warmer upper for the rest of the year.
After getting into an argument with a pothole in Claregalway, busting my tyre (after just putting 4 new tyres on
), warping my alloy, waiting for nice callout man to change tyre and check that I hadn’t busted anything else, driving back into city to get new tyre fitted and wheels switched around, taking the MTB in and out of the car a bazillion times, having to regale everyone about the race I was heading to in Roscommon (was told I was stone mad) and them kindly rushing around to get me back on the road again …… I finally made it to the GAA grounds in Boyle at 10:05am. Bolted to registration to sign in and learned that the race was being stalled until I got there. Apologise like a mad woman and thank as many as I can for holding the whole show up for me, a banana while I’m going to the loo and before I know it, we’re off.
I have no idea what this race is about, what the disciplines are, all I know is we’re running around a pitch and next thing we’re running around the town of Boyle like lunatics collection points. Honestly, the locals hadn’t a clue what was going on, talk about a quick fire way to see a town.
Next up, on the bikes and hit for Wynnes Viewpoint with some nice climbing to be done. On the way here we were beginning to see one of our ARSEs fade, our bike navigator was looking very poorly. He had said earlier that he had ‘manflu’ while away with work the week previous but it was full blow flu and he was still quite sick. He turned around when we got to Wynnes Viewpoint, a tough decision but the right call. And then there were three.
Next up was a climb up a hill to the Caves of Keash and what a sight these were. Rock caves carved out of the side of a hill, the most amazing sight and we were getting the chance to go in and explore one of them. There was a nice steep climb up this hill and my calves were on fire. We got in and were directed to go into this tiny hole in the inside of cave, loop around and come back through. There was nothing for it but down on my hands and knees to crawl through the sheep s**te. It was the most fun I’ve had in ages, what an adventure. It was a slippery job coming down the trail and then we were off again. It turns out Sconhome and MCOS decided to take the most direct route down …. Arse sliding down, can’t believe I didn’t see that
After some more cycling, being chased by the cutest boxer puppy dog, getting stopped by some locals to ask if we were all lost, we were cycling up a hill to get on the South Roscommon Heritage Trail. We were met by a special task here, to decode a page with ogham (?) writing- yikes, engage brain.
Up the hill we plodded and holy moly, my calves were burning like never before, yikes, I was paying for Croagh Patrick and my hill repeats this week. We dibbed in at the style and decided to march on for two bonus points further on the trail. We made an error here and didn’t stay on the trail because we didn’t spot the trail markers and instead hit for the hills cross country style. We felt we were following a trail but it was a soft boggy sludgy one. We couldn’t find the cliff, where one of the bonuses was on the map and knew we were gone wrong but we also knew if we took a bearing and carried on we’d catch the next bonus point at the tomb stone on the summit. After walking for quite a bit we did find the massive mounds of stones on top that covered some majestical tombs. What an adventure. I looked at my watch and god dang it, the time had flown by, we only had an hour to get back to Boyle.
Zippity zip down the side of the hill through all sorts of trees and bushes, onto the trail and back to get our bikes. Pedal pedal pedal back to Boyle by which time my thighs were on fire, I was really feeling it on the bike. I was able to keep up but it was hard going. I may definitely have overcooked the legs and not taken enough recovery these last few weeks.
We got back to Boyle after 5 and a half hours but missed the kayak section. A tough but unbelievably fun course that gave us the opportunity to go places and see sites that we probably never would have seen otherwise- I’d have loved another hour or two on the course to finish it off properly. This is why adventure racing is so great.
One thing is for sure, the pothole conspired against me but the service man, the guys in the garage, the kind and patient race organisers and racers and all the great people we met afterwards including some awesome boardsies showed me just how great this country and the AR community is Well done to Sean and Mike, those guys rocked it
3.2miles @ 12:18/mi
Back to Galway and himself was mad to get out running, he finds it hard to train by himself so guilted me into going out with him while I still had my gear on. The last thing I wanted but I enjoyed it all the same and man did I sleep afterwards.
5mins of planking
Sunday
3miles Recovery @ 10:42/mi
Another run with himself. It was just as well because I could not go a second faster, this served me well as a recovery from yesterday.
30mins Swimming
I followed up my run with a dip in the pool and practiced everything my swim coach thought me last week.
5mins planking
Weekly Totals
Running: 4hrs 10 (25miles)
Hiking: 5hrs 15
Circuits: 2hrs
Wattbike: 3hrs
Swimming: 1hr
MTB: 3hrs
Plank: 35mins
Total: 19hrs No wonder I feel pooped0 -
Bungy Girl wrote: »Pinch your nose, tilt your head to one side and jump up and down on that leg until the water comes out (i.e. if you tilt head to the left, you're jumping on the left leg) then repeat on the other side. Works a treat!
As for the rest of it, I'm exhausted just reading about your training :eek:. In awe of those circuits. And the rest.
I read this and my first thought was, ah here, she's having a laugh as I imagined myself in the changing room with my nose pinched, my head tilted and hopping on one leg- but then I figured that I could do it at home It worded a treat today, thank you.
I love my circuits but there is no way that I would ever do that training on my own, no discipline for that and sure the rest is all slow enough, just tipping away. Thank you though, I appreciate it 0 -
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Monday AM
30mins Wattbike (17km)
Easy spinning an still very tired legs
30 mins “swimming”
Practicing all my drill so I’m good to go for next lesson
5mins of planking
I usually do three hours of training (with one or two hard sessions) on Mondays and Tuesdays, feeling fresh after the weekend of good sleeps but I was pooped today. I donated blood last Thursday and that coupled with the race at the weekend knocked me for six so I’m stepping it way back this week. Monday evening was spent on the couch craving all sorts of sweet treats but they’re off limits so I had to make do with brown bread and jam. Why is it when you’re feeling low on energy that you crave sugar, chocolate, crisps and chips?
Tuesday AM
Circuits: 10 stations @ 4x50secs
Can’t remember any of this except that Enda told me in the nicest way possible that I should have stayed in bed. I laughed my way through this and was not at all able to put any effort in.
Tuesday evening was spent on the couch followed by a 9 hour deep deep sleep. Not content with brown bread and jam, I turned to making pancakes, nom nom nom.
5mins of stoopid planking
Wednesday PM
After a lie in (until work time), a return to some sort of energy level normality this evening.
6.6miles @ 9:07/mi
I did this in Dangan before circuits, started at 9:45/mi and increased the pace as I went. Legs feel like they’re coming back around.
Circuits: 6 stations @ 3x100secs each
Enda was trying out a new format tonight so after a vigorous warm-up we did high reps but with 3 – 4 variations of the same exercise on each station
1. Barbell: 5 rows/5 squats/5 rows/5 squat and press
2. Bench: 10 high knees/5 push-ups/10 high knees/5 tricep dips
3. Sliders: 50 secs mountin climbers/50 secs slider reach outs
4. Kettlebell: 10 swings (16kg)/5 kettlebell row (10kg)
5. Dumbbells: Clean & press (7.5kg)
Tough tough class but I loved the new format.
5mins planking – is it nearly the end of the month yet?
Thursday
On the road early for work so only time for my swimming lesson and some practice after.
60mins swimming
SWIMMING – yes, swimming, a whole half a length (25m pool but I’m still chuffed with myself), with the stroke and the kicking and the breathing to the side and all whoop whoop whoop AND I was in the deep end. For the first time in my life I touched the wall in the deep end. Mind you I had a float as I was practicing my kick and I was hugging the wall but I was down there
It’s great to have someone point out that my legs or dropping or correct my stroke. I used the pullboy for the first time. Such a great feeling though I swallowed way way too much water Kate says I have the tools now, I just need to keep practicing and gain confidence, confidence is where I’m lacking.
5mins planking
Done with a full belly of chlorinated water, yuk.0 -
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Friday AM
45mins Wattbike (21km)
Easy spinning – absolutely no go in my legs and no energy or enthusiasm in my body, bleurgh.
30mins Swimming
10mins with the board practicing my kick
10mins with the pullboy practicing my stroke
10mins putting it all together and swimming, yeaeeee
I was in the wide lane where the non-swimmers/trainee swimmers go but there were two others there swimming and it was a bit congested. This kind of unnerved me for some reason so I didn’t enjoy the last 15 minutes as much as I usually do.
5mins planking
When I got home there was a letter from the blood bank waiting for me. The more accurate testing of the blood that they do in their labs revealed that my haemoglobin levels were below the cut off that allow me to give blood (12.5) and I gave a pint of blood (because they’re reading on the day showed my haemoglobin levels to be above the cut-off) so now my iron levels are quite low, poop. I’ve been feeling rubbishy, tired and with no motivation for training all week so at least I know what’s causing it. I ran into my doc at the polling station, and he said to take two iron tabs every day with vit c and folic acid, cut down on caffeine, eat iron rich foods and rest and I should be as good as new in a few weeks.
The blood bank say that I can’t give blood for another 6 months and I figure that I shouldn’t give blood until after ITERA so I’m going to convince as many people as I can to give blood to appease my conscience
Saturday
2.7miles @ 8:38/mi
I was doing this with my two brothers but it got cut short because one of them ceased up. Seven suckey calves made an optimistic break for freedom earlier in the day and as if planned they headed in three different directions so the three of us had some cross country sprinting done earlier. I rounded up a wild red lil fella and by the time I caught him, he was panned out and very obediently walked home in front of me but when we got to the shed, he made another bid for freedom but we eventually got him and the others rounded up. So there was about half an hour of heart in your mouth running done earlier
5mins planking
Sunday
Michael Egan 5mile, Quilty- second in the Clare run race series (39:45)
I wasn’t sure about doing this because even after 10 hours of sleep, I still felt tired and had no energy. But my brother kindly offered to stay with me and make sure I was ok so we decided to go nice and handy. We started at the back of about 600 runners with the sun beating down on us.
We took it nice and handy, passing out people while chatting away and enjoying the views of the Atlantic. I felt ok, legs were moving well and my breathing was fine but there was no energy in my legs, no zip in them. By mile 3, I was beginning to struggle and really felt the lack of energy especially when we had the smallest of inclines (70ft). I told Gerard to push on and that I’d be fine but he stuck by me and kept me going, I probably would have stopped but for him.
Splits were 7:56, 7:41, 7:50, 8:10, 7:48.
Happy to have got in under the 40 but way off where I should be. I was in a right heap after, pale as a ghost and had to nap before traveling back to Galway I’ve the Kinvara half next week so I’m not sure what I’ll do for that. Another easy week and do a LSR or switch to the 10km.
5mins Planking
Weekly Totals
Running: 2hrs (14miles)
Wattbike: 1hr 20
Circuits: 2hrs
Swimming: 2hrs
Planking: 35mins
Total: 8hrs0 -
Ugh. I've been down the low iron road before, so I know how tired you must be feeling. Please do take care of yourself and really consider what the best thing for you to do regarding the half marathon is. I've made just about every mistake in the book over the years and the one thing I've FINALLY learned is an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Obviously do what you feel is best for you while also keeping in mind there is no shame in resting a few days and/or going easy for the next few weeks to give your body a chance to catch up. No sense adding insult to injury. And it's also okay if you decide giving the half marathon a pass this weekend. And if it makes you feel better, the next time the Red Cross comes to my little town, I'll donate a pint for you! 0
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Ugh. I've been down the low iron road before, so I know how tired you must be feeling. Please do take care of yourself and really consider what the best thing for you to do regarding the half marathon is. I've made just about every mistake in the book over the years and the one thing I've FINALLY learned is an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Obviously do what you feel is best for you while also keeping in mind there is no shame in resting a few days and/or going easy for the next few weeks to give your body a chance to catch up. No sense adding insult to injury. And it's also okay if you decide giving the half marathon a pass this weekend. And if it makes you feel better, the next time the Red Cross comes to my little town, I'll donate a pint for you!How are you feeling?? What did you decide about the half?
Thanks C On a scale of 1 - 10, I'm about 6 or 7 so getting there. I'm slowly starting to build an appetite for training again and walking up a bit earlier each morning.
I am heeding your advice, thank you, prevention is better than cure and I'm taking almost every second day off, though to be honest after a day of training I'm pooped and have no appetite for training the following day BUT I'll be back at full tilt in no time if I keep this up.
Oh, the person who gets Dory blood will probably turn into the most dedicated hard working athlete of all time Thank you, I appreciate that.
Oh and Kinvara - I did, I decided 10 minutes before the start that I'd do it very easy. I was the most unprepared that I've ever been for a race but hell, I enjoyed it 0 -
Monday: Rest
Tuesday
Circuits
Lots of sprinty stuff and pushing heavy things along the ground. Still tired ☹
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday
AM: Circuits
Lots of planks and lunges – kept the weights light. Energy just a little bit improved.
PM: Derroura MTB: 1hr 45ish, 667ft elevation gain
One of the ARSEs was up in Galway and had the evening free so we headed to Derroura after work to do the loop. My first time out there but Bryan knew the route well.
We got the first half of mainly climbing done while it was bright and just pulled up on the exposed section overlooking Lough Corrib as the sun was setting. We wondered whether the ITERA route would have us kayaking down Lough Corrib.
The rest was done under the light of our bike and head torches. It got god dang Baltic cold as soon as the sun went down and then it started to snow – quite magical really.
It’s a nice natural route, a bit waterlogged at this time of year but much more rugged than the trails in Ballyhoura. There’s many more pointy stones waiting to catch ya. Not a bad way to spend an evening even if it did take me until Friday to thaw out
Energy levels were around 6/10
Friday: Rest
Saturday
Kinvara Half Marathon: 1:51:21
I still hadn’t decided whether I was going to do the 10km or the half 30minutes before the start of the race but in the end I decided on the half and I decided that I’d do it at an easy pace so as not to crash and burn at 10 miles.
I was the most ill prepared I’ve been for any race ever. Forgot to bring a t-shirt or a wind breaker – just a long-sleeved t-shirt but it was threatening rain so I got a very fetching wind breaker from GottaRun and stuck it on over the Kinvara top that I got at registration (breaking every rule in the race prep. book). Gloves on, hit the start button and stuck the watch in my pocket as this was gonna be run to feel. I started with the 2hour paces and kept a small distance in front of them.
Up the first hill and the sun was blazing, took off my gloves and cursed myself for over dressing as I was sweltering. Had the best chats with people as I trotted through the crowd. I kept on passing people but was still keeping the pace nice and handy. Legs good, check, breathing good, check, can I chat to people, check.
Then we turned into the breeze and I was on my own from there, passing a person here and there but overall there was no shelter from the wind. After the next turn right we got a shower of rain and I could not feel my legs or my fingers – was dam glad then to have my layers on then. Even though I wasn’t able to have a proper crack at it and was 2mins from my PB, I really enjoyed it and was glad I had a crack at it.
Energy levels were 7/10 and there was absolutely no kick in me. One thing I did learn is that I much prefer the longer distances to the shorter. Having the time to look around, enjoy and have brief chats made it very fun.
Sunday: Rest and lots of foam rolling
A measly 6 hours of training this week. Booooooooooooooo0 -
Nice going in kinvara. To be only 2 minutes off your pb on that course when your still anaemic is very good. Don't be worrying about the 6 hour week. You were well due a down week anyway. Rest up well now we want you in top form for the weekend 0
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career move wrote: »Nice going in kinvara. To be only 2 minutes off your pb on that course when your still anaemic is very good. Don't be worrying about the 6 hour week. You were well due a down week anyway. Rest up well now we want you in top form for the weekend
Thanks CM, I appreciate that. After the marathon training and a good Jan and Feb, I was hoping to eat into my PB *throws all my toys out of my pram*
I'll just have to have another crack at a half later in the year.
SHARTS Really looking forward to a fun night with you guys 0 -
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