As it Stands

We've come to that special time of year when I sacrifice writing about my favorite hobby to get out and actually do my favorite hobby. The weather's starting to clear up in Kansas (not counting the week of thunderstorms and rain we've had), and I've been out enjoying it!

Thanks to everyone who commented on my race report; I love the sense of community we're all able to enjoy online. I would never have the chance to meet such a diverse and interesting group of people if it weren't for the whole blogging scene, and for that I'm grateful.

That said, I've been doing an absolutely attrocious job at keeping up with it. Haven't read blogs, haven't commented. It's not that I've been busy, exactly; it's just that there are always about 20 other things to do. And in the battle between blogging and yoga, yoga has been winning out.

Speaking of, I feel like I'm falling apart at the seams. Seriously. My hip hurts. My hamstrings hurt. My shoulders are sore. I was afraid I had a hernia on Monday (I don't). I bruised the toe mound of my right foot swimming on Wednesday (and who the hell hurts their foot while swimming?). I've really ramped up my yoga, taking more challenging and longer classes, and I don't think it's doing for me what I need it to be doing. I need yoga for restoration and range of motion and relaxation, but my yoga time has become just another kind of strength workout! I may have to back off my yoga practice, taking easier classes, fewer classes, and incorporating more joint opening into my home practice.

The real news, though, is that I'm leaving for vacation on Sunday! I'm heading up to Ohio to visit my aunt and uncle. They live near Mansfield, and I'll be taking advantage of their hospitality to run my own private training camp. Planning to bike and run in the backwoods of Ohio, swim in Charles Mill Lake and at Ashland University's rec center, practice yoga everyday, and generally relax. I don't know if I'll have internet access, but if I do you can expect a few posts from me, as well.

Thanks for staying with me, friends. Happy training!

Race Report: Emporia Spring Migration '09

Pre-race

I drove up to Emporia alone, this time. It's never as much fun to be heading to a race alone. But it did give me time to be with my thoughts, which is always valuable for me. The day was cloudy, cold, and windy, which I had expected. If anything, it wasn't as windy as had been forecast--or, I should say, it wasn't as windy as I had anticipated from the level of anxiety I'd witnessed at the KSRVTC meeting the day before. Still, it was not ideal weather for a race, and I spent most of my drive north hoping that the conditions in Emporia weren't as bad as they were in Wichita.

Emporia is about an hour and a half from Clearwater, so I left around 6:30. Arrived just after 8, and was a little frazzled. Would one hour be enough time to get registered, bodymarked, set up transition, and warm up?

Turned out it was plenty of time. Registration was a breeze, there was no line at bodymarking, and transition was simple: one pair of shoes, one hat, bike, helmet, and some nutrition. Shoes and water were already on the bike. I decided against arm warmers, leg warmers, skull cap, and jacket; I didn't want to waste the time in transition.

Transition area at this race is on ESU's track, so I warmed up with 4 laps on the rubber. This was my first race in my new Zoots (did I mention that I got a pair of those Zoot flats?) sans socks, so I was concerned about blisters, but they felt fine in the warm-up. I took my bike out on the road just long enough to get my shoes on my pedals. Then I headed into the pool to warm up there. Oh, and I should mention that I was really concerned about hydration, so I made several pee stops during this time, as well (because that's obviously such a vital part of this race report).

I did a few laps to warm up, trying to practice my flip turns at both ends of the pool, including the turn under the lane line. I flubbed every single one of them. And I should have been smart enough at that point to know not to try the flip turns. The issue was that Emporia's pool is stainless steel and my feet kept slipping on my flip. Also, Emporia has a deep end, which threw me off; I couldn't tell how close to the wall I was, because the T at the bottom of the pool was so far away. So two issues that should have convinced me during the warm up to just cave and use the open turns.

Swim: 400 m, 7:35, 1:53/100 m ('08 was 7:50)
This swim starts like a time trial, with a racer leaving every 20 seconds. Which isn't so bad if you're number 52 (which I was), but is probably kind of a bummer if you're number 208. If you're number 208, the fastest racers are finishing up by the time you're starting. That's gotta be kind of depressing.

My swim went pretty smoothly, except for the fact that I could not get my flip turns going. I think I could have swam a couple seconds faster if I had just nixed the flip turns at the beginning. Because I messed up every single one that I tried, and the ones where I tried to flip turn under the lane rope were even worse. After the third 50, I just gave up on it and switched to open turns. And I was swimming way off pace, at that point. I think it was during the fifth 50 that the guy right behind me passed me. And I couldn't have asked for anything better than that, because I got to draft off of him for the rest of the swim. Really, that couldn't have been any better if I'd planned it (which I didn't).

T1: 52 seconds

I got out of the water right behind number 53, passed him on the way out of the pool, and managed to get out of transition before him. This transition seemed to take forever, but I guess it wasn't that long. I'd rather see it at 35 seconds, but I'll take it under one minute.


Bike: 20 km, 40:30, 18.41 MPH ('08 was 17.95 MPH)
So I said it was windy, but I didn't tell you how windy. According to the Weather Underground, the wind speed was around 22 MPH from the north at around 10:00 a.m., but with gusts up to 30 MPH. That's frickin' windy. The Emporia course is set up as an out-and-back with the first half due north and the second half due south.

The first half, to say the least, was unpleasant, but not unbearable. Unbearable is when you could swear that the wind is out to get you. Unbearable is when the weather becomes personal, when you're convinced that Kansas has a vendetta and you are its chosen target. This wasn't on that level. There were several points on the north-bound course that were sheltered by trees or hills, and so the wind was tough, but not vicious. The last mile and a half before the turn around was completely unprotected, though, and that's where I saw my speed drop steadily, finally bottoming out at 10.9 MPH on an uphill combined with a fierce gust. It was shortly after that, however, that we turned south.


And then I flew.


If you've never had the benefit of a 25 MPH tailwind, let me tell you: there's nothing like it. I found my biggest gear and was spinning at exactly a comfortable pace. I watched my speed climb from 27 to 28 to 30 to 33 MPH. It was amazing. I had saved myself through the whole first half of the bike portion, bowing to the wind and watching my speed slide south, saving myself for the big ring and the tailwind. And it totally paid off. I caught number 53, who had passed me shortly after we got onto the main road. I passed a few of my fellow female competitors. Most importantly, with about 2 miles to go, I passed Emily McVay. Emily McVay works at the Derby Rec Center; she's in charge of the annual Derby Rec Center Tri. And she's enough faster than me that one of my goals on the day was to beat her. And I passed her with just over a mile to go! I was ecstatic.


T2: 57 seconds
Again, longer than it probably should take me to get through transition. I managed my flying dismount without a hitch (no scrapes or bruises to add to my growing collection) and did everything I needed to do quickly and efficiently. I honestly don't know what took me so long. Maybe the time is off a little bit; maybe a few of those seconds belong on the run time (although I'm perfectly happy to leave them classified under T2).


Run: 5 km, 25:48, 8:17/mile ('08 was 9:07/mile)
I swear that I remember every single foot of this run course. It's nothing compared to Wildflower, or any other race in a place that has real hills. But for a Wichitan, this course is nothing short of brutal. The run course begins with a long, leisurely climb out of campus. It climbs steadily, then tops out as soon as you get off campus. You cross over into residential Emporia, and quickly face another hill. Downhill for a brief respite (although it's not really a break, you know, because the downhill takes it out of your legs in a whole different way), then back uphill again.

It was right about this point that Emily McVay passed me, and flew away from me. She ran away at a pace I could not possibly hope to maintain, and I let her go. While struggling up the next hill, another woman passed me, along with a few men. But this race is interesting in that you have no idea where people are going to place, because everyone starts at different times. For example, I started my race 17:20 after number 1. I could finish the race 17 minutes after number 1, and still have beaten him or her by 20 seconds, even though I never saw or passed him or her on the course. So it's easy not to get too caught up in passing or being passed (except as a mental exercise to make you run faster) and just run your own race. Which is what I did.


The whole course is rolling, but I kept plodding along. I tried this new (to me) trick where I picked a point up ahead and counted the number of footfalls it took to get to that point. It really makes the time and distance pass, although I found it sort of monotonous. Most significantly, at one point sometime after mile 2, I found myself thinking, "I am not at my peak fitness." I had never felt that so distinctly, before. I knew that I could go faster, could do better, but I just couldn't do it yet. So that's exciting to think about what I might be doing later in the summer.


I didn't have much left for a final kick; I felt like I paced myself really well, and didn't have a lot left in the tank for one more push to the finish. But I still managed to pick up the speed, a little bit; I may have been like a really small plane coming in for a landing.


Final: 1:15:42; 1st F 20-24; 6th F overall ('08 was 1:17:36, 7th F overall)

Emily McVay was 5th, but only by 50 seconds.


I was pretty happy with this race. It's the first time I've had a tune-up race that actually felt like a tune-up race (I guess my training program must actually be doing what it's supposed to do, this year). I raced with new running shoes, new biking shoes, and a new bike, and all the equipment worked out fine. I nailed my nutrition. I did well with my pacing. I had one of my best run splits ever. I didn't quite beat Emily McVay, but I'll get her next year.


In short, I'm confident about the rest of my season. I feel strong and capable, and I'm learning all the things I need to do (i.e. don't work so hard this year that I burn out, do drink water and eat, don't treat a B priority race like an A priority race). My one concern is that I don't really want Lawrence 70.3 to be my A race, but that's where my training program is supposed to peak. I was thinking about this on the ride back home (and talking about it with a teammate), and I've decided that I want to try to peak about two weeks after Lawrence, and try to carry the peak for a full month. That month will encompass Shawnee Mission and Mudwater, and after Mudwater I think I'll take some time off before trying to finish the season in September. That way I'll be peaking for the small, short races--the ones I have a better chance of winning--and I'll still be getting my first 70.3 under my belt. Now I just need to do some reading and some research to figure out how to do that . . .

Pre-Race: Emporia Spring Migration '09

I'm sitting here nursing a few injuries . . .

 

  

  

The first two are from a little wipe out I had this morning while doing a cornering drill at a cycling clinic. We were using water bottles for cones, and I cut it a little too close. Hit the water bottle dead on and completely slid out. So I got a little road rash on my hip and elbow. The third picture is from last week's transition clinic. I was practicing a flying mount (with all of my athletes watching, of course). Missed the seat and landed on the back wheel. Ugly, ugly bruise on my inner thigh, wrapping all the way around the back of my leg. You should see it in person; it's epic.

Anyway, I'm nursing my injuries, packing my bags, and preparing for the first real race of the season: Emporia Spring Migration. 400 m swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run. The swim is in a pool. The bike is flat and fast. The run is ridiculously hilly (um, for Kansas). Last year, I did 1:17:36, 1st F 20-24, 7th F overall. I really want to do better this year, and I think I can. Maybe knock 30 seconds off the swim, a couple minutes off the bike, a couple minutes off the run. I think I can come in under 1:15, if I have a good race.

Forecast is for 52°, possibility of light rain, and winds from the northwest at 13 MPH. So it's probably going to be chilly. That's my main concern. Warm clothing takes time, and I don't particularly want to spend that time in transition. I'm hoping that adrenaline and exertion will keep my body temperature high enough that I won't need arm warmers, leg warmers, or a jacket.

For the rest, I'm just going to go out tomorrow and do my best. First race of the season. We'll see how it goes.

Edited to say:

You know what I'm really wondering? I wonder if I have what it takes to race tomorrow. I've been getting faster and faster in all 3 sports. I did a 1650 yd time trial in 29:31 on Monday; that's 1:47/100. I've been biking at 20 MPH. I ran last weekend at an 8:40/mile pace for a full 10k. But what if I get into the pool tomorrow and just don't have the get up and go? What if I fail to access that very special intensity? What if I can't get in the zone? What if I find myself unable to do much more than coast through? And what if I end up unable to match last year's performance?

The questions don't matter; the result is the same. I rest well tonight, prepare myself as best I can tomorrow, then get out on the course and do what I can do. My preparation has been in line; now I just need to withdraw on the deposits I've made up to this point.

Eight Great Alternatives to Plank

Don't get me wrong, here--there's nothing wrong with plank. It's a great abdominal/core exercise (even though it's somewhat misunderstood). But if you're tired of spending long minutes on your elbows and toes, here are some alternatives. I've ordered them from easiest (i.e. use them to work your way up to plank) to most difficult. I've also tried to include exercises that are especially applicable to triathletes. So without further ado . . .

Quadrupedal iso abs
Begin on all fours. Make sure your knees are directly under your hips, hands directly under your shoulders. Make sure that your back is in a neutral curve (not extended or arched). In one movement, tighten all the muscles of your abdominals and back without allowing your position to change (i.e. maintain neutral alignment of the spine). Hold for 10-20 seconds, relax the muscles (again, without changing the shape of the spine). Repeat 3-6 times.

Bird dog
Begin on all fours. Make sure your knees are directly under your hips, hands directly under your shoulders. Make sure that your back is in a neutral curve (not extended or arched). Maintaining the neutral position of your spine and pelvis, extend one arm in front of you and the opposite leg behind you. Hold for just a second, return to the starting position, and switch sides. Repeat 8-15 times.

Plank + Dolphin
First, go here and here and read all about how to do Plank and Dolphin properly; a full explanation of those poses will take more time than I want to devote to just one exercise. Focus on keeping the serratus anterior (muscles just below your armpits on your sides) engaged by thinking of wrapping your shoulder blades around your rib cage. This exercise is equally useful for increasing shoulder stability and flexibility (helpful for swimming), which is why I include it. Hold each position (Plank and Dolphin) for 10 seconds each. Switch back and forth 3-4 times.

Side plank
As you can see in the video, there are several variations of side plank. The easiest is to balance on the knees and elbows; the most difficult is to balance on one arm and one leg. Whichever position you choose, make sure your arm is directly under your shoulder, because stacking your shoulder over your arm/elbow will encourage you to use the strength of your core rather than your arms or shoulders. Also be sure that your hips are perpendicular to the floor and that your body makes a straight line from your head to your feet/knees.

Plank w/ one arm/leg variations
This one can be performed either from the elbows and feet or from the hands and feet. Begin by making sure you can hold a standard plank position with the spine and hips in neutral extension; if your back sags or arches when you try this one, you need more work in plank first. From the plank position you can raise one arm, one leg, or the arm and the opposite leg. The key is to prevent your back from changing shape and your hips from rotating--that's where you really get good work for core stability.

Twisting plank
This is a variation of side plank, which means that you need to be able to hold sideplank from the hand and the side of your foot properly. Begin on hands and toes, as if you are about to do a push up. Rotate the whole body to one side so that your torso is perpendicular to the ground and your arm is reaching up towards the sky. Rotate back to the starting position and without setting your arm down, reach your hand under and across. Repeat 8-10 times on each side. Note that the hand does not touch the ground until the set is over.

Downward Facing Dog + plank series
Begin in Downward Facing Dog (that means you need to know/learn how to do it), and walk your hands back until your heels are flat on the floor. Raise one leg straight up behind you, forming a straight line from your hands (on the floor) to your heel (in the air). As you exhale, bring your leg forward, aiming the knee towards the elbow. Return to the one-legged dog position on the inhale. On the next exhale, bring the knee towards the opposite elbow, then return on the inhale. Finally, bring the knee forward towards your shoulder on the exhale, and back on the inhale. Repeat 3-4 times, then switch sides. Note that your body should move forward over your hands as you exhale; this brings you from Downward Facing Dog into more of a Plank position.

Bakasana (Crow/Crane) into Plank
Again, this assumes that you know how to do Bakasana. If you can't do that pose, then this exercise is out for you. From Bakasana, pull your pelvic floor powerfully up into your body and float your legs back to land in Plank. That's really the best explanation I can give; this one you've just got to try! Do this one 3-6 times, then rest and stretch your wrists by slowly moving your hands in a circular pattern.

Each of these sets can be done 2-4 times, depending on how much time and energy you have. Obviously, these exercises won't translate directly to your standard "Knee-up crunches, 3 x 20" ab routine, but you should be able to insert them in your training plan where you would normally do core work, and particularly where you might do Plank.

In addition to preventing boredom in your ab routines, these poses will (I hope) give your abs a kick in the butt. Your muscles get used to routine exercises, so if you throw in something unusual, you'll get a better training response as your muscles try to adapt to the physical stress of an unfamiliar exercise.

Also note that there are variations in how you can do plank--with arms straight, from the elbows, with arms bent (as in Chaturanga Dandasana). Some of these alternatives and variations require a particular beginning position (for example, Dolphin), but you can also experiment with different arm positions to add even more options to your abdominal routine (for example, you could try side plank or twisting plank from your elbows).

Do you have any further ideas of plank alternatives? Please share in the comments!

Race Report: Easter Sun Run 10k

Do you realize I've never done a 10k before? I mean, I've run a 10k at the end of an Olympic distance race. And I've run 10k in training. And I've run way farther than 10k. But this race was my first-ever 10k race.

Consequently, I was a little bit nervous. I've been hammering the run this year, working hard to increase my speed all winter long. I'm definitely faster than I was a year ago, or even three months ago. I'm improving all the time. But I had no idea about how to pace myself for a 10k, and I had nothing against which to compare it. So I wasn't sure what to expect.

The Easter Sun Run is the first big road race of the season for Wichita runners, and there are lots and lots of people from the community, as well. So the starting line was jam-packed. I seeded myself about halfway back. The first minor annoyance was two very tall guys who came and stood right in front of me. It was like a large, red and yellow wall decided to move directly in front of me and stop. Frickin' tall people.

Anyway, the race was pretty uneventful, and I don't have much to report. I held way back for the first 5k, watching people pass me and thinking for sure that I could keep up with them, but not wanting to blow up later in the race. There were a couple times when I drafted off of faster runners, then reminded myself that I wouldn't be able to hold their pace for another 7k.

At the halfway mark, I started negative splitting my kilometer times, getting progressively faster. And it felt great! In retrospect, I'm sure it hurt, but not too bad. I was pushing it, but not to the point of wanting to throw up or pass out or anything.

Around the 7k mark, I passed this skinny little high school boy, all arms and legs, huffing and puffing up a hill (by which I mean a bridge that we had to run up for a few yards). Dropped him and thought nothing of it. Just a little after the 9k mark, I see him again. He sounds like he's still hurting, but he's definitely outpacing me. I go with him. Skinny little bastard's not gonna pass me in the final kilometer! We were probably at least 400m from the finish, still; maybe 600m. But I cranked it up anyway, dropped his skinny ass, and ran for home. By the end, I was absolutely yelling with the effort, and it felt incredible. I don't know how much time I put on him, but I didn't see him at the finish line. I'm going to assume that I ran so fast that he disappeared in a big, blue cloud of my awesome.

Final time was 54:07, according to the official results; 54:03, according to the pace clock at the finish line; and 53:55, according to my heart rate monitor, which takes into account the time it took me to get to the starting line after the air horn sounded. So we're going to go with 53:55 and say that I ran my first 10k in under 54 minutes.

You wanna talk about strange, though? I finished 301 out of 602, at the very, very bottom of the top half. Weird. And the other strange thing (to me) is that my age group isn't that fast. Top F 19-22 time was 47:05. That's not that fast; I think I could run that, eventually.

But by far the best part of this race is that my family was there. My dad (who is kind of a runner) came out for the 10k (which he finished in 1:10:20, but he could have done way faster if he hadn't been keeping another runner company). My mom did the 2-mile walk, which is a big deal because she's significantly less active than my dad and me. My brother had band practice all morning (he played the bass for Easter service at their church). And equally significant was that my client, Kim, did her first ever 10k! She said she ran kilometer 8 for me, and every time she wanted to stop and walk she told herself, "No! I'm not gonna quit on Jamie!" The cool part is that I got to see her and cheer her on near the beginning of that kilometer.

So all in all, a great race. I'm happy with my performance (8:40/mile! Hell yes!), but I still think I can do better. I'm proud of my family, and of my clients, who did a great job. It was a great race and a (surprisingly) beautiful day.

Note: My mom is the one in the picture by herself; Kim is in the picture with my dad and me. I know; it's weird. But look at the facial features! It should be clear which two out of those three people are my parents.

As It Stands

So . . . training is not going well. I mean, it's not going poorly. But it's certainly not going well.

All last week, I felt like I was right on the edge of overtraining. I don't know if I tipped over the precipice; I've just been trying to take it easy. I'm wondering if the 5 hours of indoor riding on my new, shiny bicycle last weekend was simply too much.

The weather has also been famously uncooperative. After last weekend's blizzard (no, really. blizzard), I was hoping that winter had had its final roar and would shuffle meekly out the door. But no. Oh no. Snow on Sunday, as well.

What's even worse, though, is that we have all the negative aspects of spring and none of the positives. Crazy winds? Check. Wind speed on Friday was a constant 25-30 MPH. Saturday was even more epic, with wind speeds holding steady in the 30s and gusts as high as 50 MPH. Allergies? Check. I can still smell without too much trouble, but I can't seem to drink enough water to keep my throat moist. But we haven't yet encountered the slow, soaking rains, the epic thunderstorms (not great for training, but very majestic), not to mention the warm temperatures that April should bring. So thanks a lot, Kansas.

Really, though, the issue is that I'm doing too much without affording my body the proper time for rest and recovery (not to mention a frickin' social life). And stress is stress, whether it comes from training, lack of sleep, or demanding/unreliable/obnoxious client relations.

So I'm stressed, guys. And it's messing up my training!

Runner's High: With Friends

You guys have already heard me grouse (twice) about how the training gods jealously foiled my first date with my new bike. And I wasn't the only one (although TriGreyhound did manage to get out on his new ride this weekend).

Of course, other Wichita triathletes were equally bedfuddled by the nasty weather--we all had long bikes and/or runs planned. So one resident tri buddy (who coaches for the Wichita YMCA) organized a spinning soiree in one of the Y's (small, poorly-ventilated) aerobics studios.


And let me tell ya--that was a blast.


Last night, when I was spinning to my own music and watching the NCAA men's tournament, I had trouble keeping my heart rate above 130; today, 145 felt effortless. I got to meet and talk with a bunch of relative newbies I'd never met. One of the athletes I coach was there and we ran and swam together after a couple hours of trainer time.


Working out in a group (even for an introvert like me) is just better. Solo workouts are great too; but they can't match the ease and intensity of swimming, biking, and running with friends.

By Request

:-)

 

  

  

  

  

  

 

By the way, this weekend brought 3 inches of ice, another 4 (or so) inches of snow, 50 MPH wind gusts, and snow drifts a foot deep. Also, today our power went out (we think a combination of ice and snow) for several hours, leaving us with no heat or running water. But I still managed to get a two-and-a-half hour ride in on the trainer. So it turned out okay.

Kansas: A Pictorial Tragi-comedy

Yes, the gods have smiled on me, and I have made a very important addition to my family.

But the gods are fickle. Where they blessed me with this weather for riding last week:

Today, they handed me and my new love this:

Shit, Kansas. Seriously, WTF?!

Beginners' Guide: Stretching

If you're new to the sport and wondering if you need to stretch on a regular basis, allow me to enlighten you.

You do.


I know some elite athletes who advocate a no-stretching training plan. I've heard about studies that reveal that top runners have compromised flexibility in some areas. So when you win Ironman Wisconsin (after completing Ironman Louisville the previous weekend) or can call yourself a "top runner," you may discontinue stretching.

Until then, this is very, very important.

The tough part is knowing what stretches to do. Besides the stretches you learned in grammar school gym class, that is. Here are some areas of particular concern to most of us swim/bike/run specialists.


Hamstrings
Backs of the legs. There are three hamstrings--one that's more towards the outside of your leg, two more towards the inside, so try to work in stretches at multiple angles.


IT Bands
The IT band isn't actually a muscle; it's a long band of fascia that connects the tensor fascia latae to the knee. It gets really tight in runners and cyclists, so what does that tell you about how it must be in triathletes? It's hard to stretch, so you may also consider rolling it out on a foam roller.



Hip Flexors
This one will get particularly bad if you spend a lot of time seated (i.e. at a desk, driving). Tight hip flexors can throw off your whole posture. They'll make kicking in the pool more difficult, and can contribute to the problem of overstriding when you run.


Deep Hip Rotators/Glutes
These muscles (the piriformis, in particular) took me out for 4 weeks last season, giving me only 2 weeks to prepare for my first race of the year (took me out again in the fall, spoiling my marathon training). Tight hip rotators and glutes can cause low back pain; a tight piriformis can lead to sciatic pain.



Calves (Gastrocnemius/Soleus)
Tight calves are very common among triathletes. This can cause a problem when you get off the bike (which uses quite a bit of calf engagement, if you're doing it right) and start running. Tight calves can also aggravate your achilles tendon. To stretch the gastrocnemius, perform a calf stretch with the knee straight; to get more into your soleus, bend the knee slightly.


Anterior Shoulders
Most Americans are very overdeveloped in the anterior muscles, again because we spend so much time sitting and hunched forward. This problem is exacerbated in triathletes because we primarily swim freestyle. It's extra important for us to stretch these out, though, because it improves our posture (particularly crucial for running) and prevents overuse injuries.


Rhomboids
Ever get tightness or pain in between your shoulder blades? It's probably these muscles.


Erector Spinae
Spinal extension muscles. I've got a "Stop Slouching" article coming soon that specifically addresses these. Triathletes have a fairly unique problem, because we have to shorten these muscles to look up and forward when cycling. There's really no way around that, so it's vital that we stretch these muscles on a regular basis.



Those are the basic stretches that I would recommend. Alternatively, you could join a good yoga class that emphasizes flexibility (if you're trying anything with the words Vinyasa or Power in the title, you're probably barking up the wrong tree). I advise stretching for around 20 minutes a day, but I know that's not gonna happen for most of you. Let's just say pick 2-3 stretches to do after each workout, planning to get through all of them every couple days. If you'd like a second opinion you can check out this guy's stretching routine.



Just try it for a while. You can always give it up, if you want, once you turn pro.

Note: I'm working on photos/video of my favorite stretches. I would prefer to present that at this point, but it's just so damn time-consuming! It'll show up when I can grab the time (and a camera monkey) to film it.

Runner's High: PR

10.21 miles.

1:35:01.

Average pace? 9:18/mile.

I have never gone that far that fast. Ever.

And the split for my last mile was 8:38.

This is how I feel about that:

I've said it before--this is going to be a breakthrough year for my running.

Know What I Mean?

"In sport, a good opponent can bring out the best in a man; the existence of a close rival focuses attention on technique, piles on the pressure, and the constant threat of being beaten keeps ambition burning. In an ideal world, a man would choose his rival, selecting him as carefully as he would a friend but, in reality, circumstance makes the decision for him."

- from The Crossing by Kathy Watson

As it Stands

Today is my first day completely off work in months. Literally months.

I've been a little overworked, to say the least. I'm getting used to it, but every now and then the stress will creep up on me. Like this week, when I'm in my last week of build before recovering, when I was really on the edge. Let's just say, it's a good thing that nothing went badly on Thursday, or I may have quit my job right then and there.

During this time, yoga has been hugely helpful to me in my recovery. Like amazingly so.

Anyway, today is great, because I don't have to go to work at all. I went to breakfast with my family, went shopping, went to a bike store to drool, and headed out for a 2-hour bike ride. The ride ended abruptly with a busted tire. I could have borrowed my dad's front wheel (I don't have any spare tires, currently, excepting my CX tires), but I decided instead to take the flat as a sign that I should stay home, mellow out, and enjoy my day off. I can't decide whether to be bummed out or not, because the weather is so great today. It's not too hot, not too cold, and there is absolutely no wind. Do you have any idea how rare it is to have a day like that here? It's shocking (especially since yesterday we had 20-degree temps and freezing rain)!

But I have decided simply to sit on my deck and read a book instead of biking or running on this glorious day. Tomorrow is going to be a big day, training-wise (and I do have to work), so today's rest will probably enable me to get through the 10-mile run, 1800-yard steady swim, bike class, and yoga class without pooping out. And it's not like this missed 2-hour ride is going to totally throw off my training. But you get into a groove, you know, and hate to miss workouts.

I joined a local masters swim group this week. There are only half a dozen people who regularly attend, so I'll get lots of individual attention (but not much competition, speed-wise). Also trying a new running group for the first time tomorrow--ten miles with the Derby running club. And there will be some very exciting developments on the bike front this week, as well.

So that's where I stand.

The Dumbass Chronicles: Plank

If you've never done a plank, I will eat the bike shorts I wore for tonight's spin class.

This is the kind of bad ass exercise that we all want to be able to hold for at least 5 minutes. I know some coaches who swear you don't have core strength unless you can hold plank for a minute solid. I've had people in the gym say to me, "Wow! You've been doing that through three of my sets!" Holding plank for what seems like an eternity gives us a great burn. We feel it throughout the gut ("high" abs, "low" abs, "deep" abs, etc.), and it completely exhausts us. Must be a pretty good exercise, right?


Here's the thing, though: it doesn't work.


You know the idea of specificity, right? Basically, it means that if you want to get better at doing what you do (i.e. swimming, biking, running), you have to do what you do. In the case of weight lifting, it means strengthening movements and muscle engagements that you would use when you're swimming, biking, and running (hence "sport-specific" training). The reason it makes sense to most of us to hold the plank for ten minutes at a time is that that's what you're doing when you're swimming, biking, and running--holding your abs tight for sometimes hours at a time. Right?


Not really. Try this: Put one hand on your upper back just below your shoulder blade (lats) and one hand on your lower back just above your hips (QL). Now try walking around holding perfect posture and actively engaging your core. Feel those muscles flexing with each step? When you take a step, your muscles engage on the opposite side to stabilize your body. Now put a hand on either side of your spine about halfway between your shoulder blades and hips and walk around. Feel that? You should feel each side of the muscles along your spine contracting as you take steps.


Those muscles--the QL, the lats, the multifidus--are all parts of your core. But they weren't engaged the whole time, right?


What I'm getting at is that you don't hold the muscles of your core tight the whole time you're running, biking, or even swimming. Those muscles are constantly flexing and releasing to stabilize your body; they are anchoring against whatever's available--bike seat and pedals, ground, even the rest of your body--to provide you with stability and power. The key point is that they're constantly engaging and releasing. Not engaging and holding. Hence the limited specificity of holding plank for a full song on your iPod.


Does that mean that plank isn't useful? Not at all! Plank does get really good engagement through your core musculature, from the superficial abdominals and back muscles to the deep abdominals, spinal stabilizers, and legs. However, the key to using plank in your training is the initial firing of those muscles simultaneously. In short, you want to make those muscles better at working together, firing in concert with each other. So the most important part of plank isn't the last 30 seconds; it's the first 2.


My suggestion is that you hold plank for no more than 20 seconds at a time. The way I'm currently doing plank (when I do plank) is in a Tabata format: 20 seconds on, 10 off. Repeat that 8-10 times, and you should be sufficiently fried.


By the way, as long as I'm on the topic, I'll post a guide to proper form and a few alternatives to plank. I'll try to get that up within the next two weeks.


Sources:
AKUTHOTA, V., A. FERREIRO, T. MOORE, and M. FREDERICSON. Core stability exercise principles. Current Sports Medicine Reports,Vol. 7, No. 1, p. 39-44, 2008.
Fredericson, Michael and Tammara Moore. Core stabilisation training for middle- and long-distance runners. New Studies in Athletics, Vol. 20, No. 1, p. 25-37, 2005.
McGill, Stuart. Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance. Wabuno Publishers, 2004.

The Opening Half

What is that gorgeous building? That, my friends, is the venue for my second pre-70.3 tune-up race.

I've got the first half (give or take a month) of my season planned out, now. Three races: Emporia Spring Migration, Boathouse International Triathlon, and Lawrence Ironman 70.3.

It's on, kids.

"Runner's High": Gracie

Gracie is not technically our dog. She belongs to the neighbors ("neighbors" in rural Kansas means anyone residing within 3 miles of your house). But she might as well be ours. She came to our house to hang out with Blazer (R.I.P), our golden retriever. We fed her and loved her and put blankets out for her in the winter. She doesn't come around much anymore, because Blazer is no more. But every now and then, she'll hear me running past and come out, tongue lolling, panting like crazy and run home with me. She whines and wags her tail, pushes her head into my hand for a rub. She's not the best pacer, but she is a great listener. And she's done everything from 2 miles to 10 miles and has never pooped out or slowed me down.

Most importantly, when it's Friday afternoon and I'm coming down from a long work week, she makes my run bearable. She puts a smile on my face and a spring in my step. And if I slow down, she stops and looks back at me as if to say, "What do you think you're doing? C'mon!"

Thanks, Gracie, for being my run buddy.

Barefoot Wednesdays

I was looking through old posts, and I don't think I ever blogged about my barefoot running phase.

You know, that phase where I was all over this site and all into the idea of shoeless running. That phase when I tried to do a barefoot track workout at noon in a Southern California spring and blistered my feet so badly that I could barely walk for a week. Yeah. That phase.

The phase ended shortly after I incapacitated myself with my own stupidity. But I've always kept barefoot running in the back of my mind.

Two things happened this week that brought it once more to the forefront. First off, there was an article in Triathlete about running in minimalist shoes. Second, I went to an all-day clinic on Functional Movement Screenings, and the presenter (who, as many professional fitness clinicians are, was an asshole) made a few remarks about how humans weren't designed to run on mattresses (incidentally, he didn't look like he had done any running in the recent past).

That reminded me of how good running barefoot felt (when I wasn't rubbing all the skin off the bottoms of my feet, of course). And the biology seems to me very sound, although I suppose it really depends on your point of view. If you believe that humans were meant to run, then of course you think we should all be able to run barefoot; natural selection didn't take Nike Shox into consideration. On the other hand, if you believe that most people weren't meant to run, that it takes a specific kind of genetics and biomechanics to make a good runner, then why the heck are you on this site anyway?

All that to say that I've instituted Barefoot Wednesday. I had been doing my track workouts on Wednesdays, but I've moved those to Thursday so I don't have to do them alone (because they suck). Which leaves me with two cycling classes on Mondays, recovery on Tuesdays, and a serious yen for running on Wednesdays! Enter barefoot running.

I begin with an easy (shod) mile. Then I find a grassy knoll, remove my shoes, and proceed to alternate running and walking in the grass (5 x 1 minute running + 2 minutes walking). My feet are tender. They weren't too happy about all the dry, prickly, dead grasses stabbing between their toes. I even have a couple of cuts on my feet from some really sharp grass.

But you know what? Without shoes, I land perfectly on my midfoot. I don't overstride. I get better extension after my toe off. And it feels awesome; I feel like a good runner.

So I'm going to keep running barefoot. I'm going to work up to where I can run a 5k barefoot. And then maybe I'll switch to a very minimal training shoe (either one of the special "minimalist" offerings coming into the market or a lightweight trainer/racer). Or maybe you'll see me running barefoot at my next sprint tri, ahead of the rest of the pack because I didn't have to change my shoes in T2.

Also, I once ran into Barefoot Ken Bob at a race. It was the CSULB Reverse Tri. Saw him, noticed the lack of shoes and blackened toes and humongous beard. Sort of put it together from there.

Runner's High: He Will Make A Way

I've made no secret of the fact that I'm not exactly religious. My church is the Church of the Long Run. And I'm okay with that.


I used to be. I grew up as a conservative, Evangelical Christian. Amazing how coming out of the closet throws a monkey wrench in all that.

I'm finding my way back, slowly but surely. Actually, I prefer to think I'm finding my way forward. Because if I just go back to what I was before, what was all the suffering and confusion and questioning and all that for?

At any rate, I still retain some of the edifices of my former belief in my everyday life: a desire to reflect, a sense of fairness that I just can't shake, and Christian songs in my running playlists.

There's one song that keeps coming up, run after run. I mean, of course it comes up; it's on the playlist, it's gonna come up. But it always sticks with me, gives me encouragement to run a little faster, and (dare I say) kind of speaks to me. Don't know what it is about this song; it's sweeping and epic and the lyrics are exactly what I want to hear in the last 2 or 3 miles. Here it is.

He Will Make A Way
Kathy Troccoli
I know that you're discouraged
But you're not alone
There is absolutely no situation
Out of his control
One door may close
Another will open
Jesus is healer of all that is broken


He will make a way where there is no way
He will bring his peace where there is no peace

Watch him put together what's been torn apart
He can soften up the most hardened of hearts
He will make a way where there is no way


Don't you go believing lies
He's not forgotten you
There's gonna be another higher, greater place
He will take you to


Watch him move mountains, ride you through the way
He can deliver in the darkest of days
He will make a way where there is no way
He will bring his peace where there is no peace
There is no war he does not will
When you're at your end he's just beginning
He will make a way where there is no way


Our only hope is in him
No matter what this life can bring
Jesus stands alone
As the god of impossible things


He will make a way where there is no way
He will bring his peace where there is no peace

Watch him move mountains, ride you through the way
He can deliver in the darkest of days
He will make a way where there is no way
He will bring his peace where there is no peace

Beginners' Guide: Cold Weather Gear

My first winter training in Kansas, I half-heartedly looked for a guide to how much money I would have to drop for cold weather gear. I asked schoolmates from colder climes (i.e. Chicago) what they wore while running in the winter. I looked for articles on Trifuel and Ontri. I browsed forums. I wished for a blogger who would tell me all I need to know.

So to prevent my newbie readers from having to work so hard, I've collected what I've learned since returning from Southern California (where "cold" was anything below 60* and "windy" was gusting to 8 MPH).

Swimming
Even with a wetsuit, don't bother. The water is going to be too cold for any but the most brazen, and there's no reason for you to swim in the open water, anyway (other than earning valuable badass points). Stay in the pool and work on your technique. You can wear your wetsuit there, if you want to (if you have one).

Biking
Ah, the gear required for biking--it makes paupers of us all. Presented in order of importance (in my experience), with options for those of you who have no money (or who spent it all on your bankruptcy-inducing bike).

1. Tights. Cheapskate option: wear a pair of running tights (or two or three) over bike shorts.

2. Hat/ear warmers. Cheapskate option: wear an old stocking cap, if you don't care about moisture control.

3. Full-finger gloves. Cheapskate option: wear a pair of $1 knit gloves over cycling gloves.

4. Toe warmers. Cheapskate option: put plastic bags (like the kind your newspaper comes in) inside your shoes to block the wind.

5. Balaclava. Cheapskate option: tie a scarf or bandana snugly around your face, and pull your ghetto stocking cap down all around it.

6. Wind vest/jacket. Cheapskate option: any wind-resistant jacket will do the trick, although most won't breathe as well as technical apparel.

And if it starts snowing? You're screwed anyway (for road biking, anyway; there are plenty of people who ride in the snow, but not usually on road bikes).

Running
Possibly the least pleasant activity to do when it's cold and windy (right behind swimming and cycling). Most of the equipment you'll need to run comfortably (or rather with as little discomfort as possible) can cross over between bike and run. The one thing on which I strongly advise you to drop money is a pair of quality thermal tights. They should be fuzzy on the inside (you might want two pairs: one thermal and one light). Layering is a must. Smart Wool is, well, smart. Gloves, stocking cap, balaclava, all can be used for biking and running. If you're dealing with a nasty wind chill, wear pants and a jacket that will cut the wind (I wear a pair of $20 Adidas warm-ups when it's windy out). You might want to wear two pairs of socks (both wicking! not something that you can skimp on!), and the plastic bag trick works for running too.


Note on safety
Snow is okay; ice is not. If the road is slick, suck it up (buttercup) and get on the treadmill or the trainer. I know, I know, it's super boring. You can alleviate the boredom by downloading one of my (awesome) podcasts, though! Hurray! In all seriousness, be sensible. If you're going out when it's cold, bundle up, use common sense, and (always always always) let someone know where you're going and when you'll be back.


The coldest weather I've braved for running was temps in the teens with a negative wind chill; the coldest I've been out on the bike was in the high twenties. It can be done, and with relatively little up-front investment, but you kind of need a badass mindset to begin with. If you don't really, really want it, you're never going to get outside and run when it's below freezing. Then again, if you don't really, really want it, you probably wouldn't be doing this crazy sport.


I should also mention that Kansas has had a run of unseasonably warm days. By which I mean it's 10:00 p.m. and 60* F (with no wind, WTF?). So if all else fails, you can come visit me.


And I'm not (by a long shot) training in the coldest weather here (although I'd bet money that I get the worst winds). Northerners, Bostonians, residents of Lake Wobegone, what do you think? What are the best cold-weather investments for newbies' money?

Why I Hate the Girl Scouts

Let's ignore, for a moment, my bad experiences with the Girl Scouts. Let's pretend that my troop leader's daughter was not an overachieving twit who always sold like a thousand boxes of cookies. I'll set aside the fact that said troop leader liked to publicly compare our relative achievements. ("Oh, looks like Jamie only sold 199 boxes of cookies; not quite enough to get [whatever the hell prize 200 boxes of cookies entitled you to]. Too bad.") And we can totally forget the fact that my dad was into camping and we did way more fun/cool stuff (camping! shooting GUNS!) as a family than I ever did in stupid scouts.

Why I really hate Girl Scouts is that every February, when I'm feeling down and draggy and really, really ready for spring, those damn be-sashed young women come bearing the comfort food of all comfort foods.


Those bitches bring cookies.

And between my pig-out on Oscar night (cheese! crackers! cosmopolitans!) and the boxes and boxes of cookies at my house (I got six, my brother got six, my parents each got four), I am going to gain back the five pounds I've lost in the last four weeks.


I'm off to the 24-hour Walmart to buy a padlock for the frickin' freezer.