Back On Track

You'll (maybe) be happy to know I have managed to stick to the training plan for the last 3 days. Mostly. This shouldn't be something to really brag about, but since it's so much better than what I was accomplishing I'll brag anyway.

Tuesday was a 2.5 mile run. I ran on the treadmill after work, knowing I was missing the beginning of the brouhaha over election returns but not caring very much. I got to see the final results and speeches, so I didn't miss much. I am really working hard to maintain cadence. or how frequently my feet turn over. (I would also be working on my midfoot strike, but it's hard to gauge on the treadmill exactly what's going on due to its squishyness.)

Side Note: I downloaded all these podcasts called Podrunner from iTunes; they're fixed tempo playlists of various speeds per set for walking/running/spinning/etc.

EDIT I was misinformed as to podrunner licensing. All is well at djsteveboy.com, the dj's original site. Direct from the horse's mouth:

I'm glad you're running with Podrunner, but please don't tell people that our site is down because I "didn't get licensing renewed." My site has always been djsteveboy.com, and all the mixes are still up there and on iTunes. There is no licensing issue. It looks as if something has happened to the server that forwards podrunner.com to that site. Regarding donations, all money donated goes entirely to overhead involved in keeping the mixes available to the community. Making this free for people takes a lot of work and a lot of money.

Thanks!

I have really been enjoying the few I have listened to. I am grateful he put them together as a fixed tempo so I don't have to try to figure out what my personal music is.

So for cadence, I have listened to two podrunner podcasts while running. "Strong", at 153 beats per minute (or 76.5 pair of footstrikes per minute), and "Running to Elysium", at 156 beats per minute (or 78 bpm per footstrike pair). I would just like to say how hard it is to run to this rythm, and I'm not even at the 85 - 90 bpm recommended for maximum efficiency! I limited to the treadmill between 4.0 mph up to 4.8 mph, keeping it on the slower side as I wasn't trying to concentrate on stride so much as foot turnover. I survived, but it was hard! Fortunately the new running style plus treadmill lower impact leaves me without injury, so I wasn't sore in place I shouldn't have been.

On Wednesday I tried to follow the 35 minutes of cross-training activity. Unfortunately it was so late by the time I finished work and got to the gym that I only had 30 minutes to do part of my spinning video. I'm not getting enough nutrients or I am way crazy out of shape or something because my muscles are becoming fatigued way too quickly. At any rate, 30 out of 35 minutes isn't bad, and my day job exertion has to count for something!

Today (Thursday) I managed to squeeze in the 2 miles mentioned in the plan, although I didn't have enough time to do the strengthening portion. (Again, doesn't my job count?) I listened to "Strong" today and just kept pounding it out. I averaged 13 min/mile which is pretty pathetic, but it's better than 15 min/mile for "running".

Tomorrow is a Rest Day (huzzah!). Saturday is supposed to be 50 minutes of cross-training and Sunday is supposed to be a 4 mile run. We shall see what I manage to accomplish. It'll be nice to get a long bike ride in, but I am going to go back to the flat path where it's easier. Unless I flip-flop the days and count hiking as my cross-training activity. We'll see. On Saturday I get to experience an Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy session - I'll report back on how I like it.

The Last Hurrah Before T-Day.

I very carefully followed the nutrition advice this time, and I didn't bonk on the bike! Hurray!

I woke up this morning and had a pretty big bowl of shredded wheat 'n bran. Four hours later I had a bagel with cashew butter and cherry preserves. I think for the tri itself I'll do it on regular bread so my yummy goodness doesn't fall through the hole. I didn't quite make it out the door and onto my ride until 2 hours later, but I figured I had enough stuff with me that it would be ok.

I kept one of the gels taped to my frame from Friday, but it fell off on the trail. Oops! I stopped to pick it up but didn't consume it. I had one bottle filled with water/nuun, and one bottle filled with cytomax. I cycled for 22 miles. I was mildly contemplating making it a 30 mile ride, but stopped myself because the goal was to do a brick workout. I didn't quite calculate the time because I forgot to set my timer. I did 20 miles in an hour and a half, and didn't count the first 2 miles (probably add on 10-12 minutes). I finished both bottles before I got back to the car.

Hopped off the bike and put the bike on the rack, put the lock on the bike, and put on my running shoes in 2.29 minutes.

And then came the run. Oh man have I not practiced bricking enough! My legs did not love me. Also, I got bodywork from my friend Andrew on Saturday so my legs were still a little sore. He found a little tear in my gastroc, so every time my right foot landed I could feel that spot ache. I gave up on trying to run 6.5 minutes with a .5 minute rest like I've been doing for my 5 mile runs. I ended up with about 3 minutes with a .5 minute rest and every now and then a few minutes rest when I needed a break. I had three 7 oz flasks - two water and one cytomax. I consumed all the fluids plus one clif shot block either cranraz flavor or strawberry. (I need to pick up more of the margarita ones - they're yummy and have extra salt!) It took me 40 minutes to run/walk 3 miles. Not my best effort ever.

I was pretty hungry afterwards so I headed over to Panera to refuel my carbs/protein. I had half a chicken sandwich of some sort, potato chips, and a bowl of turkey chili. Delish! I did think it was funny when the cashier asked me if I'd just done a triathlon. Her cousin does them so she recognized the gear, I guess.

Then I came home and hopped in the tub for about 20-30 minute soak, mostly my legs, in cold water to help reduce inflammation. Brr! Ended my shower with a cold water bout too.

After Philly I am definitely going to practice bricking more. I just have to make sure I eat enough day of and get bodywork when I need it so I won't be injured or exhausted.

Whee! Training.

So Sunday's ride was horrible. Again. I am frustrated that I can't quite get my act together nutrition-wise. I decided to go the other way on the bike path. I started at Betzwood and biked towards Green Lane, going from the Schuylkill River Trail to the Perkiomen Trail. What I didn't know was that the Perkiomen Trail is mostly gravel, and not paved. Some people might have no issues with that, but I don't like gravel and I'm still not completely comfortable on my new bike so it was a very unnerving ride. I ran out of water and forgot my gels in the car so it was a bad time. I actually stopped and took a 30-minute rest/nap on the way back.

Monday I took a day off. I love rest days!

Tuesday I went for an hour long swim. I found it took me 45 minutes to warm up enough to do several freestyle laps in a row. I decided this week is going to be a much better week than last week, training-wise, so I redirected my attitude when I started feeling down about needing to do backstroke laps.

Wednesday I went for my 5-mile run. I did really well for the first 2.5 miles, but the last 2.5 were tough. I'm so looking forward to getting bodywork from my buddy this Saturday for my legs are in sore shape. At any rate, I finished so yay me! Even though it did take me 63 minutes this time.

Today I went for another long swim. It only took me about 30 minutes to warm up, in a way. I was feeling really proud and strong at the end. Although I think I need a new swimsuit - rinsing mine in the shower I noticed the lycra is really thin in the rear!

Tomorrow I am going to practice transitions, instead of worrying about the run or bike. I can't practice the swim-bike transition all that well, although I am going to try running barefoot to my towel to practice putting socks and shoes on. Wish me luck!

Philly Women's Tri Penultimate Training Week

So, this is my second to last training week before the Philly Tri. Meep!

On Sunday I took Violet out for a 20-mile ride. She is so much more fun than my old bike, especially coming up hills! I wasn't really faster, but that's all right. I had to stop a couple of times to drink water, eat some gel, and rest my hands because I am not familiar enough with road bike handling.

Monday I went to Haverford College's campus to run on the Nature Walk path. I ran for about 6o minutes before I stopped due to darkness and hunger. I was hoping that would put me about at my 5 mile mark, but the path is apparently 2.2 miles long, not 2.5. My calves are hurting again so I need to contact my buddy for more Myofascial Release.

Tuesday I went for a swim, only I didn't quite leave the house with enough time for a full 60 minute swim. I did get a good solid 40 minutes in though. I increased the number of freestyle laps and decreased the number of backstroke laps.

Wednesday I thought I might check out the Forbidden Drive path in Fairmount Park since it's pretty close to where I'm pet-sitting. Unfortunately, I am ridiculously lame with map reading, so it took me longer than I expected just to get to a parking lot. I get out of the car and spy an entrance with a bicycle/horse/hiker pictorial sign so I figured that's the path I'm supposed to follow. I run for a little bit over gravel and boulders before I decide that I can't possibly be on the part suitable for running. (Trail Running is not my thing it seems; guess I won't be doing any Xterra Tris anytime soon.) I go back the way I came and follow the road a little more until I find the path by the Valley Green Inn. I run for another 20 minutes but then I have to get ready for work. I'm guessing I got somewhere around 2 miles in, but I'm really not sure. It's a far cry from the 5 I was going to run.

Thursday night I came back to the house and took my bike out for a little spin. I wasn't worried about mileage - I just wanted to get more comfortable on the bike. I think I did ok, actually. My tush was hurting on Sunday because of the new saddle so I got a gel seat cover from Target; I think it helped a lot. I came back, got the dog, and walked for about an hour up and down Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill.

I have allocated 60 minutes for a swim on Friday. I expect to get all 60 minutes in this time.

On Sunday I'm going to attempt to ride 25-30 miles followed by a 3 mile run. Here's hoping I make it!

Two Months To Tri

I'm a little less than 2 months away from my first triathlon. Meep!

I have continued to do more swim workouts than biking or running for fear of injury. On May 8 I visited my friend Andrew so he could use myofascial release to release the pressure in my calves. The words "why are you being so mean to me?" may have come out of my mouth, for it was a painful process. Necessary, but painful. Since then my calves have felt so much better! I need to follow up with him for more work, but just one session helped enormously.

On Mother's Day I went for a 20-mile bike ride. I didn't have food in the house so I didn't really eat beforehand, which was a dumb thing to do. I did have a vanilla flavored gel with protein at the 10 mile mark. It tasted like warm super sweet frosting. Yummy? I was very cognizant of my heel position, as I am not interested in screwing up my legs again. For the first 10 miles I was riding against the wind, so that was not quite so much fun. The return trip was much easier with the wind helping me along. Still, that last 1/2 mile was excruciatingly difficult to do! I completed these 20 miles under two hours, which is pretty good for me. I'm going to attempt to get all the way to Manayunk next time.

I started at Betzwood (number 3 on the map below) and biked a little bit past the Spring Mill train station (number 8 on the map) before turning back.

Yesterday (May 14) I did a little running on the treadmill. Earlier this week I bought some new shoes, to have backups when my Saucony's get too worn out (which I don't think they actually are yet). I got another pair of Saucony ProGrid shoes like my current shoes, and I opted to get a pair of Nike Structure Triax 11 shoes instead of the Mizuno Wave Rider(?) shoes. They both felt comfortable in the store, but the Nike's felt a little more comfortable I thought. Skip back to yesterday's run, and boy are those Nike's not comfortable! I don't know what the problem was, but my feet got very hot and uncomfortable. I stopped at one point to loosen the laces, then I stopped again to pull out the insole. Even that didn't really help. I ran about 3 miles all said, but they were the most uncomfortable miles for my feet. I'm going to see if I can take them back to the running store and exchange them for the Mizunos.

I bought some flippers, a nose plug, and some ear plugs last Saturday, which really helped my last swim session! I can even breathe while swimming, some times! I will keep plugging away at the swim; in fact I'll be swimming again today, and hopefully tomorrow. After that the summertime hours kick in, unfortunately.

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.

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.

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".

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder?

Sorry for the delay in updates. I have wiring issues from fingers and toes, I haz no internets wherever I goes! Between cranky computer issues and training/work I have not been able to post!

On Sunday I ran 6 miles. I like to run on the bike path in the Valley Forge Park, partly because it's is nice and flat, and partly because the bike path is marked every .5 mile. I wish I were faster. I at least was consistent with my time for the Jingle 10k race - 78 minutes. I bought some Muscle Milk the week before and finally tried it out. I put some in 1 of the flasks on my fuel belt, and kept the other 4 flasks water. I have come to the conclusion that muscle milk is kind of gross, even if it is chocolate flavored. Soy protein is just not something I think I will ever like. I do love water; 4 7 oz flasks is only just enough for 6 miles when I have to provide all my own water. I knew I should have filled the 6th flask! Fuel belt is still comfy, for those who were wondering. I also still love Jelly Belly Sport Beans for a quick jolt of energy and an easy mental reward. Much tastier than the Muscle Milk!

Six miles of running is really hard on my knees. For one thing I stink at stretching, even though as a massage therapist I yell at my patients when they don't stretch. On the plus side, I am taking a whole stretching seminar next weekend (Active Isolated Stretching) so I will not have that excuse for much longer. Also, running is just not kind to the body. I need to do better with pacing; I got slower and slower with each mile. All in all I was proud of myself, but for sure pretty exhausted and sore.

Monday was a rest day, because I forgot my swim suit at home and did not have time to go retrieve it.

Tuesday I got to the gym and had the intention of working on the bike, but I started on the treadmill to warm up and just kept going. I used the one treadmill that has quick buttons to jump between "jogging" at 4 mph and "running" at 6mph so I could easily go between the two. I generally run on a flat path as I am averse to hills, but since the treadmill is a wee bit easier on my body I decided to try to do interval training and increase the incline. I started at 5 minutes of jogging (=14 min per mile) at zero incline and then did 1 minute of running (=10 min per mile). I dropped back down to jogging, but increased the incline to 3, jogged for 5 minutes and then ran for 1. I repeated this for another cycle, except I kept the run at 2 minutes before dropping down to jogging. At this point I got bored (about 20 some minutes in) but I was close enough to 2 miles that I just decided to get to 3 miles and then quit. I lowered the incline, played with the speed, got t0 3 miles and quit. Drank some more water, did 5 useless minutes on the Stair Master (I have always hated the stair master, but thought I should do more than just run for some reason probably because I am insane), drank more water, and eased my way down to the locker room to change into my swimsuit.

I brought my mask and snorkel this time, hoping it would help with the swimming and breathing problem. Unfortunately all I discovered was a) I had to keep my face down for if I tried to look ahead at the wall water got in the snorkel, and b) I was doing hyperventilation breaths. As my legs already were a bit tired from the run it was fairly useless, as workouts go.

I do have a swimming-related question. Why, when I was the ONLY person in the pool until some guy came in, did he choose the lane right next to me for swimming? I chose that lane so I would be away from people, not to swim right next to people! He was a much better swimmer than I, so after a half-hearted attempt to try to get 10 laps in I just gave up. I think I sort of managed 8 or 9 laps.

I stopped by the library on my way to work and picked up a few books on swimming. Hopefully I'll learn something before tomorrow's workout. I'm going to bike first and then swim. Silly gym schedule so is not working for me. I would much rather swim first, but the pool is still only open from 12-3. Oh well, students return next Monday so the schedule should be more accessible soon.

I weighed myself on a friend's scale today. I need to get a new battery for mine. I was somewhat pleased with the result, but I have no idea what I was before I started training to know if I'm having much weight loss. Don't really care what the scale says, as I can clearly see more muscle definition in my legs!

Hopefully the phone lines (DSL) and computers will cooperate tomorrow. Stay tuned!