Time Trials - Great way to train for your next triathlon

I got into racing time trials several years ago by a woman in my cycling club. I really didn't know what was involved, but quickly figured out that it was a great way to train for a triathlon or aquabike race. A TT as it's called provides you with a safe way to go full out for 18-40K which simulates what you'd have to do in a Tri.

The basics of a TT are this:
- Takes place on a road as either an out and back or large circle course.
- Sometimes the course is closed to traffic, other times you share the road. But the sponsors have people at the corners and intersections to make it safe.
- Racers go out every 30 to 60 seconds to spread you out safetly over the course
- You can NOT draft (unless you are a team in a 2 person or 4 person TT)
- When you pass you cannot hang in the persons draft in a while. You need to go around the left and pass.
- Unlike road races and crits, you cannot touch another rider. I liked this rule as I have no desire to be bumped while on a bike going 20+ mph.
- Most common are individual, 2-person and 4-person TT. I've done both individual and 2 person TTs. There is a huge mental factor on the 2 person as you have to be so alert and in sync with your partner at all times. When you are going at high speeds only inches from your partner's rear wheel, you can't let your mind drift for fear of crashing. I found the 2 person TT exhausting both mentally and physically. I wont even consider a 4 person TT.
- In the winter months they hold TT indoors on trainers. The person who goes the farthest during the specified period of time wins.
- Competitors are broken up by age group, sex and masters categories. So you are not competing against someone 20 years younger.

The only draw back to TT is that they are usually held somewhere far out in the country away from high traffic areas. So my normal commute is 1-2 hours to get to the race. And then you are only racing 18-40K. Many people will purchase two slots. The first is a "warm-up" ride. The second they go full out.

So if you are looking for a great way to simulate race day in a safe and controlled environment, I can highly recommend a Time Trial.

Enjoy the ride,
Sheri

Variety is the spice of life

When it comes to working out and actually life in general, I love to try new things. And sometimes I end up dragging my friends along. But to be honest they are always great sports and don't need much prodding. Love them for that!!!

As a cyclist and swimmer, you tend to do everything in one plane. It's always good to wake up those muscles you don't necessarily use and incorporate some lateral movements. Last week I had a girls night out to try one of the newest types of workouts. It's called Lagree Fitness. I thought it looked interesting as I've done Pilates for years. Sebastien Lagree has taken the traditional Pilates workout on the reformer and transformed it into a unique exercise experience. It fuses the elements of core, strength, cardio/circuit and stretching into each of the movements. I called it a chihuahua workout because your whole body shook as your muscles were taken to total fatigue. It was a feeling I've never experienced before...that night and for three days afterwards...yes I was sore!! But a good sore. Right?

Check out one of the local studios in Highland Park, IL that offers this workout - The Studio. It is nice because it is a full body workout that's low impact. As we all get older, low impact is nice to have. The studio is far from my house and expensive, so not sure I'd go back. But if they open one closer, I'd definitely reconsider. Lagree is taught all over the world, even in Hong Kong where one of my friends is living and enjoys this workout.

Another great workout I've found is at Title Boxing. It's an hour cardio class that works your whole body....core, legs, chest, arms and that lateral movement I so need. This is the second year I've been a member at Title. I start about October and then put my membership on hold in April or May. It is a franchise so that if you travel, you can go to any club in the US.

Pole dancing was another workout we tried a few years back. I have to say, it was fun to do once but I have no need to do it again. It was an amazing workout and you really had to be strong. I just kept getting bruises on my thighs from the pole. But it was definitely good for some great laughs while getting a good workout.

Finally, another time we tried aerial yoga. This I wasn't too enthralled with. I found many of the positions painful as the yoga silks would dig into your hip bones. Even the instructor said it is painful but you get used to it. Some of my friends even got motion sickness from swinging upside down. My favorite move was at the end when you cocooned yourself in the silks like a hammock and took a 5 minute nap. All in all it was fun to try.

So get yourself out of the same old workout rut, grab a friend and try something totally new. It will wake up your muscles that have been laying dormant and "shock" your system. This is also a great way to lose weight. As your body gets used to the same old workout day after day, it learns to adjust. But throwing something new into the mix "shocks" the body and can triggers weight loss.

Share with me what you've done to bring variety to your workouts.

Enjoy the ride,
Sheri

Mastering the Open Water Swim

It's April, Lake Michigan is still mostly frozen and it's 48 degrees outside. So how can you even imagine jumping into a lake for an open water swim? It may not be warm enough but you definitely have to start planning and preparing.

Even the strongest swimmers can have anxiety when swimming in open water. Several years ago I talked my swim coach into doing her first open water swim race. When we got to the lake she already started nervous chatter. I thought she was just joking around because she's an amazing strong swimmer with world records in masters. But I found out post-race her nervous chatter was real. I had already competed in many open water events and was quite comfortable lake swimming. In fact, I prefer it to the confines of a pool. So shame on me not to share some tips and tricks with her to help ease her nerves. Live and learn. So I thought I'd share a few tips on mastering the open water swim.

Preparing:

- Head Up drill - When you are swimming in open water you need to learn to sight. Don't try and sight forward and breathe at the same time. This will mean lifting your head too far above the surface of the water and your legs will sink. Instead, time your sighting to happen just before you're going to take a breath. Lift your eyes out of the water by pressing down lightly on the water with you lead arm. Only lift enough to get your eyes just out of the water. Doing 100 yds of the head up drill can make you feel more confident come race day. Work this into your routine once a week.
- Swim with your eyes closed - Most lakes aren't crystal clear and I have yet to find one with a lane line down the middle. So simulate swimming in a lake by closing your eyes when you swim. You'll also get to know if you are left or right side dominate and drift to one side.
- Ask a friend to hit you - Well actually ask a friend to swim in your lane and simulate the crazy stuff that goes on in a race. Have them pull on your foot, bump you as they pass you in the lane, swim in front of you. Yes, in open water swims, there are always a handful of people who swim perpendicular to the course. Hmmm, can you tell they aren't sighting.
- Hypoxic breathing drills - This helps with breath control. Swim a 300 and breath every 3-5-7 stroke changing every 50 meters. So first 50, breath every 3rd stroke, second 50 every 5th stroke, etc.
- Bilateral breathing - This means breathing on both your left and right side. It not only keeps your stroke symmetrical, but in open water it's easier to see what's going on around you.
- Practice drafting - Yes, you can draft in the water...and it is legal. While a friend who is a bit faster than you swims, position yourself behind them or just slightly to the side and behind. You save up to 25% energy by drafting. Just never impede the swimmer you are drafting behind.
- Wear your wet suit - If you plan on using a wet suit, wear it a few times in the pool. You want to get used to the feeling and pin point any areas that might chafe. You'll want to be sure to add some Body Glide to the area that chafes. The last thing you want on race day is to be halfway through the swim only to be rubbed raw by your neck or arm pit.
- Buy tinted and clear goggles - You'll want to bring both clear and tinted goggles with you on race day. It will give you a choice when there's bright sun or overcast skies. Be sure to wear both during practice so you aren't trying to fit them correctly come race day. Also having multiple pairs of goggles with you is good in case one breaks. I've seen panicked swimmers who have a strap break just prior to the race starting.
- Sign-up for open water training and/or races - Many communities offer open water swim training sessions during the summer. Also there are races just for the swim. Sign-up for some of these so you get some exposure to swimming in a lake and with a large group of people.

Race Day:
- Count buoys - Stand at the shoreline and look at the course. Count how many small buoys there are in between the big ones. It will help you pin point when you need to turn the corner.
- Look for key landmarks on the shoreline - It can get disorienting out there, so having some trees, flags, a house...something that doesn't move...to help you site during your swim. Also the swim is usually very early in the morning and you have to deal with sunrise. At times you might be going directly into the sun. Having something on shore to look for may help guide you.
- Jump in and warm up - Go for a swim prior to the race starting. It will help you relax, get familiar with the water temp and clarity as well and get the blood flowing to your muscles.
-  Position yourself wisely - If it's a mass swim start, position yourself towards the back and to the side. This will help you avoid the crazy people trying to get out front. Also you will be less likely to get kicked or hit. You'll be able to settle into your race pace quicker by avoiding the chaos.
- Relax - If during the race you get tired, stressed or cramp, just flip over on your back and float. Just catching  your breath for a minute might be all you need. Then just flip back over and continue swimming. There are always spotters in boats, kayaks, and rafts watching the swimmers. Never hesitate to call one over if you are in distress. Better safe than sorry.
- Peeing in your wetsuit - Nerves and cold water can make you want to pee during your swim. If you own the wet suit, pee. If you borrowed or rented it, pee...just don't tell anyone. Keep it your little secret.
- Stripping - As you run out of the water and to T1 (first transition), unzip your wet suit and pull it down to your waist. Once you get to your bike, remove the rest of your wet suit. Sometimes stepping on part of the wet suit leg will help peel it off easier. But be sure to spray Pam or Body Glide on prior to getting your wet suit on. That will make the stripping much faster and easier. I'll cover transition tips in a future post.

Open water swimming can be a lot of fun. Being prepared will make you more relaxed and helps to insure a faster time. If you have a tip please share it.

Enjoy the ride,
Sheri

Quieting the Negative Chatter in Your Head

Ever find yourself trying to hang on at the back of a paceline for dear life, struggling to finish a crazy tough workout without puking, or even wondering how you'll make it across that finish line? It's those instances when the pesky voices start the negative chatter in your head.

On Monday nights I have computrainer class. This past Monday I showed up already both mentally and physically exhausted. I had ridden my new bike over the weekend for 76 cold, windy, hilly miles. Then my work day started with a 7am conference call and continued with back to back calls until 5pm. Finally I packed up my gear bag and bike to drive 40 minutes in rush hour traffic to train. I walked in and two people immediately commented how tired I looked. And those voices in my head started their negative chatter. I knew this was going to be a tough workout. In all my years doing Vision Quest, there never is an "easy" workout.

I knew I had to silence those voices and turn them into positive affirmations. Working out and training for all these years, I developed tricks and games to play in my head. Monday night was no exception.

So how do I quiet the negative chatter in my head?
- Remind myself of my ultimate goal or goals
- Think how good I will feel once I finish. Gotta love endorphins.
- Remember how great it feels to accomplish something I didn't think I could
- Knowing it will make me stronger and I'm stronger than I think I am

But Monday night as I warmed up on my bike and saw the workout up on the big screen the negative voices got louder. The 75 minute workout look unachievable considering how tired and sore I was. So I used those voices in my head and played a little game that I've developed over the years. I took the workout and broke it up into small achievable chunks. The first chunk was the warm-up. Anyone can ride their bike for 10 minutes. Right? Then the next chunk was the three VO2 max pops. And so on. I wont lie to you, it was brutal to get through, but I did it and survived.

Breaking up a workout or a race into smaller chunks is very similar to what I do for project management at work or day to day life. Looking at the big picture can be daunting and paralyzing at times. But seeing it in smaller pieces makes it manageable. This is actually how I made it through my very first century ride years ago. I just thought of it as four 25 mile rides. It worked!

Embrace the voices in your head. They do keep you company on a long ride, swim workout or even a race. But don't let the negative chatter defeat you. Turn it around and let it help you...bring you strength.

So what do you do to quiet the negative chatter in your head? Share your secrets. Medication is not an option here.

Enjoy the ride...and the chatter,
Sheri

The Need for Speed... in the Water

Not everyone who does triathlons is a strong swimmer, but there are ways to increase your speed in the water. Speed is determined by distance/stroke and tempo. Therefore, covering more distance per stroke and increasing the speed of those strokes will in turn enable you to go faster.

To determine your distance/stroke, count on average how many strokes it takes for each length of the pool. Count each arm stroke as 1. For a distance swimmer 18-22 strokes/25 yd pool is a good goal to set.  So how do you decrease this number?

- Decrease drag
   - improve your body position - make sure head, body and feet are all parallel to the surface of the water. Don't drag your feet lower than your head.
   - point your toes - reduces drag and increases propulsion. Do ankle flexibility exercises and incorporate fins in your workouts will help with toe point. 
   - strengthen your core for better stabilization - hmmm, isn't this a topic discussed in an earlier post?

- Increase propulsion
   - Improve your kick - toe point and strengthening your legs. Fins and kickboard swimming will help with both
   - Improve your "catch" - Make sure you are "catching" the water correctly (anchoring the hand and forearm after entry into the water) and pulling your body forward. This is more efficient than pulling the arm back through the water. A very tough concept to grasp but oh so rewarding when you get it right. Check out the many videos online demonstrating the correct way to "catch" or ask a swim coach to look at your stroke.

- Increase tempo
   - Reduce rest between intervals
   - Swim with a group - as with cycling, swimming with others will push you to go faster
   - Incorporating a metronome will force you to keep a specific tempo (see Feb 20 Post)

Hope this helps you get more speed from your swim stroke.

Enjoy the ride...or swim,
Sheri

Getting to the Core of Your Core - Part 3 - The Dreaded Medicine Ball

I "enjoy" using the medicine ball at the gym and finally broke down and bought one for home. Figured it would be a great way to work out when I'm watching some TV or a movie. I usually use an 8 lb ball but opted for 10 lbs since "I'll grow into it." Yikes, there is a big difference in 2 lbs when you are doing Russian Twists. Oh well, I'll grow into it. 

As my series of posts have been focusing on core work. I thought I'd review some great exercises that strengthen your core using a medicine ball.

- Basic crunch - Lay on the floor with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Do crunches holding the ball at your chest with both hands.

- Russian Twist - Sit on the floor, knees bent about 90 degrees. Beginners can leave their feet on the floor. As you advance raise one foot, then keep both feet off the ground. With your body in a V-shape and holding the ball out in front of you, twist your upper body in one direction touching the ball to the ground near your hip, then twist in the other direction. Tips...keep your back straight, abs engaged and slower the movement the better.

- Toe crunches - Laying on the ground, bring your legs up straight in the air. Hold the ball with both hands and arms straight at chest level. Lift your shoulders off the floor aiming to touch the ball with your toes. Hold at the top position for a few second and back down. To further challenge yourself, do 10 reps as described and then a quick 10 pulses without letting your shoulders touch the floor. Feel the burn.

- Downward chop - Stand with feet hip width apart. Holding the ball with both hands over your head. Slightly bend your elbows and knees. As you slowly squat, bring your arms over your head and in front of your body towards one side. Your arms should end up outside by your left foot if you twisted left. Return to starting position and repeat on the other side. You can do this move like chopping wood and winging the ball down between your legs and not to the side.  Tips...keep back straight and abs contracted.

- Side chop - Kneel with knees about shoulder width apart. Hold the ball with both hands above your right shoulder. Bring the ball across your body and down to the outside of your left knee. Bring it back across your body and back to the starting position. To fatigue your muscles, do one set on your left then switch to your right.

- Push ups - Put one hand on the floor and the other on top of the medicine ball. Do a push up and then while in the push up position transfer the ball (by rolling) to the other hand. Keep passing the ball back and forth between push ups.

- Planks - Put both hand on one medicine ball and hold a plank position. The instability of the ball adds and added challenge to your core. If you want to really challenge yourself, use two medicine balls (one in each hand). Then do push ups lowering your body until elbows are at 90 degree angles.

There are a number of medicine ball exercises that can be done with a partner. Explore the many ways to challenge your core using a medicine ball. It's an inexpensive tool to add to your workout room.

Enjoy the ride,
Sheri

Getting to the Core of Your Core - Part 2

When doing some reading on core exercises, I was really surprised to discover that cycling engages your core but it doesn't work it. I always assumed I was working my core when I rode. Hmmm, learned something new and it will definitely change my in season workouts to include more core moves.

So what are some of the best core exercise to do? Here are some of my favorite as a cyclist. What's nice is that most of these you can do without any equipment so it is ideal for home or when you travel.

- Planks - Yep, these are the ones you love to hate. But the key is to do them right. Don't be poking your butt up in the air. You should be in a nice straight line from your head to your heels. There are all sorts of planks.
    - Elbow/Forearm Planks
    - Hand Planks
    - Side Planks
    - Planks on a stability ball (forearm or hands)
    - Planks on a medicine ball
    - Planks on a Bosu ball

To make planks more challenging as you get a stronger core, try lifting one leg. Then try lifting one arm out in front of you. To really challenge yourself...opposite leg and arm at the same time. But stay in good form to avoid back injury.

- Push Ups - These are one of those total body exercises that builds both upper body strength and core. This compound exercise works the chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs and legs. Good form is essential, don't sag in the middle and don't put your butt in the air.
   - Basic Push Ups
   - Push Ups using a medicine ball alternating hands
   - Push Ups on a Bosu ball
   - Push Ups with your feet on a stability ball

- V-Sits - This is a great ab and core exercise that also engages your hip flexors.

- Hip Lifts - Lay on your back, knees bent with feet close to your butt. Raise and lower your hips. To make this harder, lift one leg up towards the ceiling and then raise and lower your hips.

- Oblique or Russian Twists - This is best done with a medicine ball. If you are new to this exercise, bend your knees and leave your feet on the ground. More challenging is to raise your feet off the floor.

- Lunge with a Twist - The twist helps to build balance and engage core. Using a medicine ball, lunge with your left foot forward and then with  arms in front of you twist to the left slowly. Slow is good here. I like to do these as walking lunges.

- Swimming or Superman - Lie face down on a mat with your arms stretched above your head (hence the Superman analogy). Lift opposite arm and leg in a swimming motion. Be sure to engage your abs to support your back.

- Scissors Kick - On your back, hands under your lower back, legs raised about 4" above the ground and then scissor your legs. Be careful to support your lower back.

- Pilates Roll-ups - This exercise is said to be equal to six regular sit ups. If you haven't taken a Pilates class, here's a video that takes you through the proper way to do a roll-up.

I found a good podcast on core strengthening for cyclists and an overall good site for cycling information.

Do you have a favorite core exercise? I invite you to share them with us. I'll be continuing my series on core strengthening in future posts.

Enjoy the ride,
Sheri