Lyric Revues

Kurt.Godel

Sun 2 hours easy turbo

Week 3|Swim|Bike|Run|Comment
Mon|2,750m Masters swim|||24x100 decreasing sets
Tue|||12k easy|Scenic run
Wed||2:30 easy turbo||Office multitasking
Thurs|1,900m Masters swim||40 min easy run|1,500TT in 23:15 (on feet)
Fri||2:30 easy turbo|8k run|with 2k steady (4:32, 4:25), seized up with breathing
Sat|||Easy 16k run|5:41/km av pace
Sun||2:00 easy turbo||
Overall|Swimming is going well, a better pull and position is paying dividends|All easy spins, no power, on the roadie|Finding it easier to run, but asthma is still an issue|12:40 for the week, easy base building

Kurt.Godel

Mon 2,800m Masters swim
Warm up
200 free
4x50 free 25kick 25fist 10s
Main set
2x200 free breathe every 5 20s
4x100 free 85% hard 15s
8x50 25choice/25free on 1min/15s
Repeat twice

The first set of 4x100 were in 1:23-1:26. The second were done with pull bouy, 1:21-1:26. So I'm now one of those swimmers faster with the pull bouy... I think this is linked to breathing. Everything is linked to breathing...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n2VSe_lja4

pgibbo

or body position

Kurt.Godel

pgibbo wrote: »

or body position

...which is very much linked to breathing, I believe. BE3/4 with the pull bouy, versus BE2 for the same effort without. The downside from using the pb (no leg propulsion) is being counteracted by the upside of less head turns.

Kurt.Godel

Tue "Rest" day
Busy all day, with budget figures. Remembering back 30 years, I've turned into my father.

Wed 60 mins easy turbo, 30min easy run 5min/km pace
Now this was more like it, partaking in budget impact webinar while on a turbo. Followed by a really nice golden foliage drifting Railway Walk run. (5 methods of locomotion in that last sentence).

Kurt.Godel

Thurs 2hr easy turbo; 4,000m Masters swim

No warm up
20x200 free
Odds on 3:15mins/ 15s rest (hard)
Evens on 3:45/ 30s rest (pace)

I really liked this session, three of us with similar ability in the lane, the hard 200's pinched just enough, and the easy ones gave just enough recovery to catch your breath and start again with decent form. The faster ones started at 2:53 but drifted out to 3:07 towards the end. Company is what made this session, you just kept plugging away until it was done. Thats always easier to do when others are doing the same, and you don't want to lose face by quitting.

Kurt.Godel

I'm going have to reconsider my Tri activities in light of ongoing breathing problems. 2:49 for a 200mTT this evening, gasping for air throughout... not a good return. Doctor beckons this week.

joey100

Hopefully you get it sorted Kurt. Good luck in the doctors.

Kurt.Godel

Cheers Joey. I woke up wheezing this morning, phoned the doc first thing and luckily there was a cancellation slot so got seen to immediately. Bloods taken again, and she prescribed another round of antibiotics... along with the stronger brown inhaler. Hopefully this will sort everything out!

pgibbo

A steroid inhaler I assume? If so, that should sort you. I know my OH had to take that for a while and it worked a treat. Speedy recovery.

Are the breathing issues purely related to swimming or all 3 disciplines?

Kurt.Godel

Breathing issues are really caused by exertion- I can swim, bike, run slow all day long, but if I up the tempo I'm soon gasping through a tube. Nearly died during a 2k tempo run last week! Added to that I've been very short of breath at nighttime lately... it just needs to be fixed.

The new inhaler is steroid based, and already seems to make a difference. Glad that it works for your OH. Incidentally, I had stopped using the blue inhaler except for sporadic use, after previous comments on my log relating to inhaler use by athletes (I should stress it was my own choice to do so). The doctor scolded me for that today, said that it had been prescribed for daily use and if it wasn't used daily it wouldn't be treat the underlying cause. Doctor knows best; be cautious of what advice you follow online, kids.

Dory Dory

You're not going anywhere. You're staying put in this tri forum with me until either all of our arms and legs fall off or we resume room temperature.

P.S. WTF??? Page 3 of a new log already???

Kurt.Godel

Dory Dory wrote: »

You're not going anywhere. You're staying put in this tri forum with me until either all of our arms and legs fall off or we resume room temperature.

P.S. WTF??? Page 3 of a new log already???

Who is this newbie???

Yes, we're all in this together, no-one is going nowhere, everyone staying put, nets cast wide for prodigal sons and daughters to return Welcome back, little twist!

Dilbert75

A friend of mine buys old cars, salvages the good bits and makes several into one good car. Perhaps we can start doing the same with triathletes? :P

Glad it's under investigation and hopefully soon to be under control.

Neady83

Hope you're seeing some improvement already Kurt

mossym

ah the truth starts to come out. little worried the russian bears were going to out you next were you?

Kurt.Godel

mossym wrote: »

ah the truth starts to come out. little worried the russian bears were going to out you next were you?

WADA came knocking to say I'd been using inhalers for weight loss benefits... took one look and said they had the wrong house...:D

The lungs are much better today, antib's and inhaler doing their stuff. No training until tomorrow though.

Kurt.Godel

Wed 90 mins easy turbo
A big improvement in breathing, I slept through the night and the lungs felt better upon waking. This turbo was kept at a mild level, though.

Thurs Masters swim
200m Step test:
400m warm up
7*200 on 5 mins, aim for in on 3:28, 3:27, 3:14, 3:07, 3:00, 2:53, 2:46
200m warm down

The fundamental number in this test comes from the 200mTT on Tuesday night (2:49). Each 200m was to be done within a 5 minute window, and should finish on your TT time, with an increase in pace for each one. The first three felt very easy, and everyone struggled to keep the pace so slow- most came in well under the first few. I managed to control the pacing better from the middle one onwards, and hit the times for the rest. The main take-away from this set is just how easy the faster paces feel- when you up the effort by increments you don't notice the effort so much, and it seems easier to control technique this way. I was helped throughout by being able to breath- such a huge difference, and the fact that I could match Tuesdays TT time at the end of a set tonight, says it all really. Breathing is the fundamental element to swimming.

Kurt.Godel

Sat 11k easy

Easy wheezy japaneezy

Sun 2:10 bike
With company, a great crisp morning for a spin, some great country sides around these here parts.

Mon Masters swim
400m warm up
30x100 on 1:40 (in 1:30)
200m warm down

My breathing has got much better since I started on the steroid inhaler. This was a tough session, hanging by halfway and just plug away, but breathing was much better and thats the main thing.

Kurt.Godel

Tue 50 min treadmill, 30 min exercise bike

To the Gyme! Donning my unblemishmost shoethings, some stationary sweating to while away the evening. The World continued its wayfaring, and so my work was Relative.

Dory Dory

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

Thurs 60 min easy turbo; 3,200m Masters swim

Warm up
8x50 free 25kick25swim 10s
Main set
8x400 free
Odds hard 45s rest (6:09, 6:09, 6:12, 6:20)
Evens pace 45s rest

How do you catch a fish? Let's try to find her with some swim Q's as bait... The first fast 400 was perfect; tumble turned, managed to breath on 3 for most of it, held good form... ditto the second. So BE3 was working well (albeit moved to BE2 towards the end of each). The 3rd and 4rd rep I was tiring, and did the 4th BE2, with touch turns. I tried to push it but was aware of slowing through the water. I know that Katie Ledecky and others have been offered as examples of why you should BE2 for 400+ distances- but is that because they so streamline anyway? In that I find lifting the head often to BE2 seems to disrupt form. Should I force myself to BE3, and focus on better streamline?? Am I back to early winter overanalysis??? Rhetorical questions I guess.

Hello darling. Better late than never.

My first thought is you should ask your on deck coach what he (I believe it's a he, but if it's a she, then add an "s" before the "he") thinks about your breathing technique, if it is slowing you down. Now I've actually been in the pool with you and seen you swim, and from memory I don't recall your breathing to be concerning to me at the time...therefore it will surprise me if that's the issue, unless your form goes to pot as you tire.

Which brings me to my next suggestion. Perhaps the next time you do this set, try breathing on 2 from the start - and I mean, FROM YOUR VERY FIRST STROKE. See if that extra oxygen (which is actually a significant increased amount) makes a difference in your sustainability and performance. Of course if your breathing really is crap, then this will be a bust. I'm a total believer in breathing on 2 for distances of 200 or more. For me it works. I get into a rhythm that is effiicient, comfortable and sustainable, even at a distance of 2.4 miles. Find your rhythm, Kurt. Find your beat. Take any stroke momentum you can find and use it to help cheat fatigue.

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

Tue 50 min treadmill, 30 min exercise bike

To the Gyme! Donning my unblemishmost shoethings, some stationary sweating to while away the evening. The World continued its wayfaring, and so my work was Relative.

That's some sexy talk there Mr. Godel.

Kurt.Godel

Thanks Dory! Sage as ever. Your answers reach a lot further than the scope of my question; needed nutrition with yummy flavo(u)r... very very very glad you are back

Coach reckons I need to kick more... I can see where he is coming from, as I also see where you are coming from. Kicking produces nice form, but with a high oxygen ask... which can lead to oxygen debt, which produces bad form...

The key is balance- I will try more BE2 for the longer stuff, and see if I can maintain the 6-beat flutter kick so beloved of pool coaches.

Balance between breathing and kick- when last week I said the key was breathing- already progress has been made. I remain, indebted to your advice!

Kurt.Godel

Wed60 mins easy turbo

Thurs Masters swim
300m warmup
10*(50 dive start on 45 including 10s rest, 100 easy on 2:30)

Wow! Sprints... grab the air from wherever you can, electric eyeball poppin' screaching sharp white pain, try and hold off foot cramp, dream through the easy 100's drift, before doing it again.

I gave up counting after 4 reps. These are just intense enough so you forget about the hurt pretty quickly. Most in 34/35 (cramped for a couple of 37's), before finishing with a 33. Nice sharp session.

Dory Dory

Your dive start reference reminded me of something we used to do in swim practice back in the day - Width Wednesdays. We'd get in teams of 3 swimmers and do the entire 90 minutes of practice (well, maybe there was a warmup and a cool down, but there were no lane lines in the pool) as a modified continuous relay, the width of the pool. 2 swimmers on one side, 1 swimmer on the other. All dive starts....and trust me, pulling yourself out of the pool over and over and over again was/is quite a workout. Thanks for the "fun" memory!!!

Kurt.Godel

And an absolute killer on the knees! Great workout alright- I imagine the pool manager can still hear those Width Wednesday screams:D

Kurt.Godel

Qs:
What do you do
when your 14 year old son
brings the family PB
for the 100 free
down to 1:04?

Ans:

drink the PB beers for him

Dory Dory

Congrats Junior!!! Did he have a sip????

Kurt.Godel

Dory Dory wrote: »

Congrats Junior!!! Did he have a sip????

No! Plenty of time for that in later years (if he's anything like his dad:rolleyes:!)

Yesterday's time was anchor of a relay, which I made at 1:04.7. Today was a straight 100 in 1:05.9, he lost time on the turns. Its early in the season though, and its still a good chunk off last Mays time so he's very happy. And I'm very proud! Such talent up there at the NAC.

Sun 1:20 turbo
I skipped sessions this week, coming off antibiotics is a time to step back. Next week begins the years proper training.

Dory Dory

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

No! Plenty of time for that in later years (if he's anything like his dad:rolleyes:!)

Yesterday's time was anchor of a relay, which I made at 1:04.7. Today was a straight 100 in 1:05.9, he lost time on the turns. Its early in the season though, and its still a good chunk off last Mays time so he's very happy. And I'm very proud! Such talent up there at the NAC.

Sun 1:20 turbo
I skipped sessions this week, coming off antibiotics is a time to step back. Next week begins the years proper training.

The only true leg of a relay (for time) is the lead out. I'm not sure how you got the 104.7 (meaning, when you started your watch), but it's not typically considered an accurate time do to the rolling start, etc. - it's typically a faster split than reality. No matter - 104.7 for a relay and 105.9 on its own are fantastic!!!

Kurt.Godel

Dory Dory wrote: »

The only true leg of a relay (for time) is the lead out. I'm not sure how you got the 104.7 (meaning, when you started your watch), but it's not typically considered an accurate time do to the rolling start, etc. - it's typically a faster split than reality. No matter - 104.7 for a relay and 105.9 on its own are fantastic!!!

Yeah, I figured the relay time couldn't really count (I took electronic time 3rd lad hit the wall from overall time to get Juniors split). He lost a lot of ground on his last turn today, something to work on. Always something to work on!

The main thing is Junior leaving the NAC happy with the time, and eager to bring it down next time. And dad eager to close the gap!