New Date for the Philly Tri

Philadelphia goes all out for the 4th, and it seems there are too many events happening the first weekend in July and we got bumped. Now my first triathlon will be July 13, 2008.

The good news about this is that my friend S no longer has a scheduling conflict and can race with me! I'm still hoping M can sherpa for us, but I understand not wanting the 4 am wakeup call.

The bad news is that it's an extra week into the summer inferno known as July. Ugh.

Offroading on the Bike Path

On Sunday I went to the park for my workout. I needed to do 50-70 minutes on the bike, and 20 minute run for a brick. We've had some snow and freezing rain, but I figured the would plow the path. I'm fairly certain I've seen them plow in previous years.

Imagine my surprise when I got to the path and it wasn't cleared! I saw a few hardy souls making a go of it, so I started along. Parts of the path were so bad. I did manage to find a fair stretch of mostly clear road, but it was a very challenging ride. I felt like I needed an all-terrain vehicle. My poor bike just was not up to the challenge.

For once I am grateful I don't have toe clips - with as much sliding around as I was doing I am sure I would have fallen over if I couldn't get my feet out to counterbalance in time.

I only did 50 minute ride, partly because I mismanaged my time and I wanted to get to a tri workshop (which actually was not helpful for me). I did get the full 20 minute run in. I did more running and less walking this week.

I missed Monday's workout, but I'm not going to berate myself for it. I'll just make sure I get going again tomorrow.

No Updates, No Training

I've been feeling somewhat under the weather, so I haven't done much training lately.

I did manage to do about 50 minutes on the bike, followed by 10 minute walk with a teensy bit of jogging here and there on Sunday. I skipped the swim on Monday, had a rest day on Tuesday, did 35 minutes (when recommended 50-70) Wednesday on the bike, skipped Thursday's run, and am skipping today's swim partly due to snow.

Good news is I am finally feeling better. I may try to do a swim tomorrow. I am in the process of trying to arrange swim lessons, as I am really struggling with it. Hopefully some coaching will really help. I'll at least get back on the wagon with Sunday's bike/run.

Itai!

Wednesday's workout - 40 minutes of cycling
Thursday's workout - 30 minutes of running

I recently borrowed a couple of Spinervals dvds from my friends. I decided to use the easier one first. This medium-intensity workout is called Ride Strong with Team Clydesdale. I was proud of myself for making it all the way through the workout, unlike the spinning class I took in DC where I had to stop for a little bit, but man am I feeling it!

I think I'm going to get a few other Spinervals dvds, because I liked being able to participate in a spin class without having to actually attend a spin class. I got the video onto my ipod, then strapped the armband around the handlebar post so I could watch while spinning. It worked really well!

I don't understand the big chain small chain stuff, and I was on a spin bike with a tension knob so I just guessed where I should be from the perceived exertion percentage. I perceived enough exertion by the end of it, for sure.

I followed up with a swim, but I just wasn't feeling it. I need to contact the swim department about getting a coach.

Today I ran for 30 minutes. I took a few walk breaks, because I ran outside and that's usually what I do, but I did try to run for a good bit of it even though my thighs are killing me! Stairs are particularly fun. I used the Nike+ thing again today, but I set it for time and not for distance. I didn't have a chance to calibrate the measurements. Also, the training plan doesn't specify distances yet, just time.

I'm almost thankful tomorrow is a swim.

Monday & Tuesday workouts

TrainingPeaks Monday Plan:

• continuously swim 40 minutes
• run 25 minutes, with 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down

TrainingPeaks Tuesday Plan:

• Rest Day

PhillyTriGirl Monday Plan:
Fritter afternoon options away, leave office too late in the evening to do both swim and run, choose to do a run. Since I've been lacking in the running department, run a 5k with 5 minute warm up and cool down.

I figure this is a good time to try out my new Nike+ Sport thing to see how well it's calibrated vs treadmill. I don't have Nike shoes and I like my Saucony's, so I also got a RunAway thing to tie the transmitter to my shoe. Very handy!

I mistakenly have it count a 3k instead of 5k for my workout, but I just continued to run and let it count up to 5k. The Nike+ tells me I'm finished sooner than the treadmill does. It's not a great test anyway - I need to calibrate it on the bike path where the miles are marked, since I run completely differently outside than on the treadmill.

PhillyTriGirl Tuesday Plan:
Since I didn't get the swim in yesterday, I really ought to do that today. Which I may do, if I can get to the pool in time. If not, I'll just get a full AIS stretching session in.

It was supposed to be a brick workout

My TrainingPeaks plan called for 40-60 minutes on the bike, followed by 10 minutes of running.

Ah, hubris, you got me again.

See, I haven't really be running much, so I figured I'd do more like 3 miles instead of 10 minutes. No big deal, right? I put my running tights on, and my bike shorts over that, a tank top, a long sleeve dri shirt, and my long sleeve bike jersey. I couldn't find my hat, but I don't like it under my helmet anyway and figured no big deal.

I heard the news about the wind advisory for today, but didn't pay it much mind. (You read the part above about hubris, right?) So, I get to the park, and yeah it's a little chilly (which is actually the only reason I took some gloves) but it's still close to 40F degrees. I forget to bring my sunglasses, but I'm already cycling so I decide it isn't worth going back to the car for them.

The title of this post was going to be "I think the spin workouts are really helping", at least for the first 20 minutes of my ride. I'm doing really well, I'm feeling really good, and so I decide to turn around after 6 miles. Know what I hadn't counted on? The frelling wind! I could barely move forward, the wind was so strong. I was so disheartened. I stopped from time to time, sometimes for some water. Know what I discovered? The mouthpiece was frozen, and there was ice in the bottle I'd already almost consumed! Made me glad I went with the gloves after all. The wind was really stinging my eyes, particularly the eye I hurt last year. (Well, my kitty hurt it after she spazzed and popped a paw in my eye. So much for the blinking reflex.)

It took me almost twice as long to get back to my car, so I decided to bag the run. I just couldn't face it. It took me about 2 hours to warm up. My eye still hurts. Hopefully I still have some eye drops left.

Oh pride, how you let me down.

Follow Up to Massage Post

Anonymous said...

Good tutorial, but how would I determine if I wanted "rolfing" (which sounds like something involving a porcelain appliance after excess alcohol intake) or deep massage?

The answer to this is not as simple as one might think.

Quick caveat - I have never been through any Structural Integration programs (Rolfing, Hellerwork, etc). I have not referred people either because I'm not familiar enough. I do know people who have gone through Structural Integration and liked it, but don't use it as their primary bodywork modality probably because they come to me.

The beauty of bodywork is that there are many different styles and techniques to choose from. The downside is that there are many different styles and techniques to choose from. How do you know which to get? Mostly through trial and error or personal recommendations, I would think.

I usually get deep tissue massage, mostly because that's what I do so I know it and like the benefits. I give Pfrimmer Deep Muscle Therapy but don't get a chance to receive it very often. From time to time I get Myofascial Release because my body loves it even if I am not good at using MFR on others. I refer a lot of people to my MFR therapist because I think the work is fantastic. However, it isn't my first choice of bodywork because I like to get my muscles rubbed, not just moved. Same with Shiatsu. I enjoyed my sessions, but shiatsu works on correcting energy flow and my muscles were jealous and ached.

Pfrimmer Deep Muscle Therapy , Myofascial Release, Rolfing, Strain Counterstrain, Trigger Point Therapy, Deep Tissue Massage, etc all aim to release fascial strain, but they all do it differently. Which will you like best? Beats me!


I'm sure this isn't a terribly useful answer, but it's the best I can offer.

Training Update

My training hasn't been that great for the last couple of weeks; there was too much going on! However, I'm attempting to get back in action. CGI Racing partnered up with Cadence something or other and gave us free triathlon training plans through TrainingPeaks.

I missed Monday's scheduled activities, Tuesday was designated as a rest day, and I flip-flopped Wednesday and Thursday's.

Yesterday I ran for 20 minutes because that was all I had. I upped the incline to at least give me more resistance. Stayed at a slow pace though.

Today I cycled for 30 minutes. The workout could have gone up to 60 minutes, but I was already feeling it so I stopped. I was going to follow up with a swim, but I forgot about the limited pool hours. It wasn't on the schedule, I've just been feeling behind. It's been 2 weeks since I was in the pool.

Tomorrow's task is to swim 30 continuous minutes. I haven't managed to swim more than 1 lap without needing to come up for air, so I'll be curious to see if I can manage it. I bought a boogie board to hopefully help with drills, and I expect I'll be using it tomorrow just to stay afloat!

How to find an appropriate Massage Therapist - a primer

Sometimes I see blog posts or hear comments on training injuries or general body soreness so I want to share some tips on how to find a massage therapist. If you are in the Philly region obviously you should come to me! Since that isn't always feasible, here is my advice:

What should you know before you start looking for a massage therapist?

1. Determine what kind of massage or bodywork you would like to receive. There are many different forms, including relaxation, sports, rolfing, etc. If you really want to get a deep tissue massage but you go to a person who does relaxation only neither of you will be happy with the results. From a triathlon training perspective I recommend you search for sports massage, deep tissue massage, and anything involving stretching or rehabilitation.
   
2. Determine how much money you are willing to spend. Check out your local massage school if your budget is very tight - frequently massage schools have student clinics so that the students can gain real world experience but still be under the guidance of the school, and the fees are quite reasonable. Spas tend to be more expensive than other options as generally people go to spas for the ambiance as much as for the services. From a sports injury perspective, plan several visits into your budget because usually one visit alone is not enough unless you are already getting massage on a regular basis. Sometimes insurance companies will cover massage, especially if through chiropractic or maybe phyical therapy treatments. This varies widely, so don't count on it. If you have a Flexible Spending Account massage therapy should come under a legitimate health expense, ask for a receipt for service in order to submit for reimbursement.
   
3. Determine what minimum skill level/training you will accept. Only some States have licensing/certification requirements. Here in Pennsylvania we are not "required" to have a certain level of training. Feel free to ask a prospective massage therapist where they went to school and how much experience they have. (Please keep in mind that even though a person might be new to the field does not mean they aren't capable.)
4. Determine if the gender of your therapist matters. For some this is a huge issue. Others may be more ambivalent.

How can you find a massage therapist?
I'm going to point you first in the direction of the two national professional organizations because it's easy to find a therapist from their databases. This is by no means the only way to search, but it's an easy way to start.

AMTA - The American Massage Therapy Association. This one is first because I am an AMTA member. Click on the handy Find A Massage Therapist link to get started. You can select particular modalities, which is why I suggested you determine what kind of bodywork you want to receive.

ABMP - Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. Hidden at the bottom is a link to Find A Massage Therapist. I personally think this website is not as user friendly, but you will get different results as I don't think many therapists are affiliated with both groups.

If you just don't like anyone through these searches, widen your search. Places you might find massage: spas, salons, gyms, chiropractor office, massage clinic, wellness centers, college/university athletic or health departments, private homes, corporate campuses, etc.

Note: Please disregard those "massage" ads in the back of the local newspaper. If the ad specifies hair color, ethnicity, or body shape it's probably not a legitimate massage endeavor.

What should you do if you are disappointed with your massage?
I suggest you get a few massages from different people if you are a massage newbie, because every therapist has a unique style. Massage is such a subjective experience, and you will not have the same experience twice even if it's with the same therapist! Also, you may find you really like deep tissue even if you thought you wanted relaxation, or you may find you want more stretching and less massaging, or you may find you don't really mesh with a particular therapist.

Suggestions for remedying a bad experience:

• If you really hated the style and weren't keen on the therapist, please find someone else.
• If you liked the style but not the therapist, please find someone else.
• If you really like the therapist but not the style, please ask the therapist to make some changes to suit what you'd really like. If the person can't accommodate you, please find someone else.

One last thing: Massage Therapists are NOT mind readers. We can gauge quite a bit from your reactions but sometimes you fool us. Speak Up if the massage is not to your liking. We can alter speed/tempo, depth of pressure, lighting, conversation, etc but only if you ask. If I am getting a massage from a new to me therapist I will ask up to three times for alteration (usually for pressure). If they can't comply I know I won't bother to see them again, but at least I have given them the opportunity to cater to me.

Superbowl Sunday

I should have spent some time outdoors biking or running today because it's sunny, but I didn't.

Instead, I spent some time perusing TRImapper, daydreaming about which triathlons I could do while visiting people at the same time. Yes, I am crazy. I need to complete my first season before jumping off the deep end, but I can't help myself. For example, I think it would be neat to do the Paris Triathlon.

Tomorrow starts up with more training and less thinking, for I have not made much progress in the last couple of weeks. Shame on me. Today, however, will be RD's birthday celebrating football watching madness.


Feb 5 2008 Edit: My birthday is in October. Superbowl birthday celebrations were for a friend whose birthday is today. Joyeux Anniversaire, RD!

Active Isolated Stretching

So I had my 3 day intensive seminar, and I am very excited about the AIS method. I learned that I have practically no good strength, but I also learned exciting ways of reducing neuropathy, those dowager humps, forward head posture, and more! I also got exciting new products, including seatbelts, a foam ball, and a rope (to use for leverage). I can't wait to hear all the comments when I strap people down.

I have not really implemented AIS at work yet as I am taking this week to decompress a little. I did manage to get one of the dvds converted for ipod use, so I can take my rope with me to the gym and follow along. I still have to get the Assisted one copied, as well as the Strength dvds. This way I can play the videos during sessions, too, if I need to show an example. I originally scoffed at the idea of video ipods, but now I can see how useful it might be!

I still need to get some rope/karate belts as well as some Specific Stretching for Everyone books so I can loan stuff to people to do this on their own. It won't be effective if people don't keep it up! I need to have it all ready to go so there won't be excuses for not doing the "homework".