Tri-filled Weekend

I'm not even going to try to structure this.  The following is a completely random list of happenings and thoughts from the weekend. 

Please feel free to interject with your own thoughts or advice!

CycleOps Joule 2.0
Awhile back, my sister found a CycleOps Joule 2.0 at one of my triathlons.  I contacted the race organizer and CycleOps to try and figure out who's it was - we all hate losing these things.  The race never had a report of it being lost and CycleOps said it was never registered.  So guess who now owns a CycleOps Joule 2.0?!  This kid!

Before I can use it though, I need to the mount unit, and a sensor.  The mount unit is easy.  The sensor might be interesting though.  I want a dual speed and cadence sensor, but at first I read that dual sensors don't work.  Then apparently a firmware update is required.  So if you have a suggestion for a good ANT+ dual speed/cadence sensor, I'm all ears! 

Wetsuits

I have a half Rev in early June and a full Iron in late October, so I thought it might be prudent to look into a wetsuit.  I went to the LBS and tried on a sleeveless 2XU ST:3 at the recommendation of their resident 12x Ironman. 

First off, these things are just as difficult to put on as they seem.  Yes, this was the first time I tried on a wetsuit.  The only problem I had was that the neck seemed tight.  I know it's supposed to be tight enough to keep water out and prevent chaffing, but if I put my head down, my face would have been beat red in a matter of 60 seconds.  I thought "maybe they're all like this."  For shits and giggles I also tried on a full sleeve TYR Hurricane C1 as well.  OMG, there's no way I'd wear a full sleeve at a race!  The only thing I did like of it was the neck; it was so much more comfortable. 

Do you have a wetsuit?  Are they all tight around the neck? 

LA Fitness & Swimming

After two full months of running and biking, I finally added swimming back into the mix.  It was between Bally's and LA, but in the end, LA has yoga classes as well as a better pool despite that it's a little further away.  But WOW am I out of swimming shape! 

Running Shoes
I've been running in the Pearl Izumi Streak IIs all this year and I've absolutely loved them.  I'm about 150 miles in and I know I'm going to need a new pair by mid-summer.  I've been debating though whether I might try a different pair.  I've been looking at different shoes and I really want to try the Pearl Izumi ISO Transitions. 

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Questions

1.  Any suggestions for dual speed/cadence sensors?  
Is the Garmin GSC-10 good or need I spend more money on something more mid-level?

2.  Do you own a wetsuit?  Is there always a tightness in the neck?  

3.  What shoes do you run in?  Has anyone tried the Pearl Izumi ISO Transition?


Swim fast.  Bike smart.  Run hard. 

Look What I Can Do!!

Look at me!  Look at me!

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Scissor Pose 

Yes, my front leg is supposed to be straight, but my flexibility hasn't quite gotten there yet.  

I was at Yoga class yesterday (Sunday) and our instructor - in one of his tangets of "oh, this would be fun" - showed us this Scissor Pose.  You can imagine that most of the class laughed thinking "Really?  You expect us to do THAT?"  But I'd say about half a dozen people gave it a try and I personally saw four of us managed it even if just for a moment.

I admit that I love yoga.  It's very relaxing at times.  It helps extend your range of motion and flexibility which is a personal favorite aspect.  It can also be a very good workout if you have the right instructor, video, or personal mindset.  I started yoga out of a pure interest in something new that everyone was talking about and I really think ANYONE can get something out of it no matter what type of workouts you do yourself. 

But anyways, back to me!  I think of myself as halfway decent at normal yoga, but I will be the first to admit that my weakness is balance poses.  If you take a class with me, scooch yourself over when we do balance poses; I may very well topple over into you.  So you can imagine how psyched I was when I was able to stick that pose yesterday morning!  I, however, was not a good blogger - I didn't even think of having Chelsea snap a picture right then.  So I had Kristin @ Cupcake Confessions take these ones after my three mile run today; hence the running gear.  

PS.  Shins are feeling better (obviously, I ran today) and I'm off in search of compression socks tomorrow morning since my ace bandage was a huge help this weekend. 

Questions

1.  Do you do yoga?  If so, why?  If not, why not?

I do yoga in order to increase my flexibility, range of motion, and muscle control.

2.  Do you consider yourself flexible?

I've always found it extremely odd that many adults consider flexibility a characteristic of childhood that you more or less grow out of.  I can't do splits anymore, but I still hold a fair share of my flexibility and I refuse to let it go. 

Stay Fit.  Stay Healthy. 

Does Anyone Else Notice a Disconnect?

I still have some pain in the shins today, so I opted for another running-rest day.  I might get some help from a world class marathoner though (more of that possibly to follow up in the future).  In the mean time, I went to the gym for a bike and swim this morning and while working out I came to a perplexing thought...

Yesterday was my rest day.  When I hopped on the bike for a short 10 mile ride, I felt fresh.  My legs were able to push through the higher intensity moments with greater ease and I didn't have to battle thoughts of easing off.  I think most people would expect that response the day after resting.  I then jumped in the pool and immediately felt less in shape than last time.  My stroke wasn't as strong, I was fatiguing quicker, and I had to pay more attention to my technique in order to keep it in line.  This effect I also know has been constant over 9 years of competitive swimming; after our day off on Sunday, Monday's practice was always the biggest struggle of the week. 

Does anyone else notice a disconnect there?

Why when I take a single rest day does my cycling and running feel stronger and smoother while my swimming seems to take a hit?  Does this mean that cycling and running require shorter time periods for tapering or is it simply that the "fitness" portion of each is different enough to have that separate an effect?  Any thoughts?

As a change up in my schedule today, I went to a yoga class this evening after work.  I've only been to a hand full of classes, but I've always liked it.  I'm a fan of getting being and feeling strong in a wide range of motion.  They recently switched up the yoga class schedule at my gym, so I decided to give it a try. 

We sat down and the instructor seemed to know a number of people in the class, which seems typical for all the classes I've been to myself.  His name is John (or Jon, however he spells it).  Since he knows there a few new people in the room he opens the class by informing us that he is an intense instructor (I like this guy already!).  Tonight he deemed the class a "demo" because it was a new time slot, so we changed around a lot doing a few poses of all the genres instead of focusing on just one, but he says that the classes are normally more intense (what he means is it is not as much focused on stretching and relaxation, but stretching and muscle work).  I can't do a balance pose if my life depended on it, but I seem to be generally flexible and good with holding other poses because John came over to me twice asking if I could do something "a bit more advanced."  Apparently I'm a "natural" (again, NOT including balancing).  I liked the class and I was happy to hear that his Sunday morning class is his more intense since that fits much better with my schedule.  So from now until I say differently, Sunday morning is reserved for Yoga!

Tonight's food piece is...  Chalupas!  These come as a secondary link to A Runner's Fuel's quesadilla post.  Remember the craving I had for quesadillas?, and how I forgot the chicken?  This time I made the chicken with taco seasoning as well as rice and combined it with fresh green pepper, fresh mushrooms, and muenster cheese on flat bread delivered straight from NYC itself (no joke, my roommate buys "stocks" for us when he goes down to the city).  All together, they made some very good chalupas! 

There was plenty left over today for lunch and there's even more left for another round tomorrow.  I've become a big fan of having lots of leftovers.  With as much as I eat and my self-packed schedule, it's easier to cook a LOT all at one time and have leftovers for those rushed meals throughout the week.

Today's Workout

1.  10 mile bike ride (30 min on Random, level 15)

SWIMMING
1.  500 warm up (free, back, breast)
2.  10 x 50s free on 0:50 - pacing
3.  10 x 50s drill down (catch up), swim back free on 0:55
4.  5 x 1,2,3 with 5s rest and 30s rest between sets - maintain pace of initial 25 (this really pushes you to test how long you can hold a pace and later, how to pick out a distance pace from the start)
5.  500 Cool down (free, back, breast)
TOTAL = 2750 yrds (1.56 miles)

EVENING
1.  Yoga (1 hour class)


Questions:
1.  How do you feel after a day of rest?  More fit, less fit, or no real change?
It seems to be different depending on the sport for me. 

2.  Have you done yoga before?  If so, are you a fan or not?  If not, is there any reason you haven't?
I tried yoga for the first time last fall when a fellow student offered a free class and then I've taken free classes through my various gyms.  I love yoga, but I'll do it at home before I go pay for a separate class. 

3.  What is your take on leftovers?  
I know some people can't stand having leftovers.  Some people (me!) live on them.  Where do you fall?


Stay fit.  Stay healthy. 

More Yoga!!

Who loves yoga?!  

I'm becoming a fan for sure, but I must say that I seem to be starting at an intermediate level.  By that I mean I'm generally pretty flexible, though I suck at balancing.  So if I was at more of a beginner level, I'm not sure how I would feel.  But either way, Yay Yoga!  It's good for your flexibility, good basic cardio and aerobics.  I enjoy it as a flexibility and stretching session, but also a cool down; I feel much better at the end of a workout if I've done yoga (I've only done that twice though, so I shall see if it continues).  I have five more yoga classes to attend at Malibu Fitness. 

Now onto today's events:
1.  2.0 mile run (morning run)
2.  Treadmill (2 min [4.0 speed], 8 min [7.5-8.5], 2 min [4])
3.  Bench Press (6,10,10 reps with 130,110,110 lb)
4.  Seated Bicep Curl (10 reps with 40,50,50 lb)
...Repeat #2-3 for a total of 3 sets

5.  Lat Pull Down (10 reps with 60,70,80 lb/arm)
6.  Tricep Bench Dip (30 reps)
...Repeat #5-6 for a total of 3 sets

7.  Military Press (9,8,10 reps with 70,60,60 lb/arm)
8.  Bicep Curl Machine (10 reps with 40 lb/arm)
...Repeat #7-8 for a total of 3 sets

9.  1 hour of Yoga

Tomorrow will be a longer workout, but yoga won't be again until Thursday.

Malibu Fitness

I did it!!  I got my roommate into a gym.  It's officially a success.  We went down to Malibu Fitness in Farmington, CT with a couple two week passes that I had received at one of my Oly triathlons.  

So we have until the 28th of November to make use of the passes.  Unfortunately, we will both be away for Thanksgiving in the middle of the two weeks, but it's still a start.  We plan on hitting up Big Sky gym in Newington, CT for their 7-day free trial after this.  I'm still paying my dues at Planet Fitness, but at least I'm getting some friends into fitness and also experiencing some other gyms and opportunities.  For example, Malibu has free classes for members.  I'll be making use of the three yoga classes each week!!  I just have to go pick up a yoga mat somewhere; first class is tomorrow evening. I doubt I will switch gyms because Planet Fitness is the cheapest by far, but they also do not offer any classes.  People could make arguments either way, but I will wait to pass judgement.

Either way, today was a start-up day; getting used to where the machines are, finding out what equipment they do or don't have, and trying to figure out what the code of conduct is for different things (wiping down equipment, use of equipment, changing around of seats/benches, etc.  Tomorrow (as long as I get my yoga mat) will be my first yoga class there and I'll most likely do a short workout before hand - maybe an hour or a bit shorter.  I'm psyched to get some "free" yoga classes.

I didn't really do a set workout today, more of just doing a set here, a set there.  I'll edit this post tomorrow with the actual workout, but overall it was quite relaxed.  Tomorrow I'll do a more regimented workout.

Ciao!

Yoga!!!

Sorry about not posting last night.  It just got too late, so below is both yesterday's workout as well as today's.

YESTERDAY:

This was a day that would be a whole new experience.  I had previously signed up for a yoga class, but still didn't want to give up on my lifting since it wasn't my day off.  So I gambled and did both.  I went to the gym about 3pm and assumed I'd be out, showered, have eaten, and rested by 5:30, ready for my yoga class at 6pm.  Well, it turns out it was 5pm when I left the gym, so I hurried home, munched on some peanuts, changed clothes, and ran over to yoga thinking "Oh God, this is going to be bad!"  It turns out it wasn't as physically bad as I thought it would be.  It was a one hour class offered for free by a med student at school who recently completed her yoga training class and needed to fulfill so many classes before getting a position.  About 40 minutes into the one hour class, I was beginning to feel the burn.  My legs were getting a little shaky and I definitely couldn't hold the positions as well as some of the others.  I'll attribute that to having worked out beforehand.  Overall, though, I enjoyed the class and will definitely go again if it's offered in the future.  If I find a cheap yoga studio or place in the meantime I'll see about doing that too. 

Reps & Weights:
Warm up: Elliptical; 1 mile forward, 0.2 mile backwards, 0.2 mile forward, 0.1 mile backwards (heart rate up to ~155/160)
1.  Bench Press Machine (3 sets of 10/10/7 reps with 90, 110, 120 lbs)
2.  Leg Press (3 sets of 10 reps with 170/210/230 lbs)
3.  Sitting Leg Curl (3 sets of 10 reps with 90 lbs)
4.  Sitting Leg Extension (3 sets of 10 reps with 90 lbs)
5.  Sitting Calf Extentsion (3 sets of 40,40,30 reps with 80 lbs)
6.  Pectoral Fly Machine (3 sets of 10,10,8 reps with 100,120,140 lbs)
7.  Back Leg Extension (3 sets of 10 reps with 90,110,130 lbs)
8.  Adductor (3 sets of 10 reps with 150 lbs)
9.  Abductor (3 sets of 10 reps with 95,95,85 lbs)

** Stretching **

10. Crunch Ups (4 sets of 10 sit-ups and 10 crunches)
11. Side Plank Twists (15 reps on each side)
12. Military Press (3 sets of 10,10,9 reps with 60 lbs)
- Cool Down:  Treadmill; 1.0 mile run, 0.5 mile walk
- Yoga: 1 hour


THEN TODAY

Today I woke up and definitely felt some tension/soreness in my legs, which I didn't feel last night.  The lifting and yoga certainly did a good job of working my legs out!  Today thankfully was an upper body day, so my legs got a bit of a rest in that respect.

Reps & Weights:
Warm up: Elliptical; 1 mile forward, 0.2 mile backwards, 0.2 mile forward, 0.1 mile backwards (heart rate up to ~155/160)
1.  Dumbbell Press (10,10,9 reps with 55 lbs/arm)
2.  Bicep Curls (10/5&5/5(5) reps with 30,30,30(25) lbs)
.....** Repeat 1 & 2 for a full three sets

3.  Gravity Rower (10 reps with 50 lbs)
4.  Horizontal Overhead Lat (10 reps with 40 lbs)
5.  Trecip Bench Dips (30 reps)
.....** Repeat 3-5 for a full three sets

6.  Pull-Down Triceps (3 sets of 10,10,6 reps with 60 lbs)
7.  Vertical Overhead Lats (3 sets of 9,10,10 reps with 60,50,50 lbs)

**Stretching**

8.  Crunch Ups (4 sets of 10 situps & 10 crunches)
9.  Side Turns (16 reps)
10. Military Press (3 sets of 10,9,5 with 62.5 lbs)
11. Pectoral Fly (3 sets of 10 reps with 90, 110, 130 lbs)
Cool Down:  Treadmill; 1.0 mile run, 0.5 mile walk

I've been happy to add the treadmill into my workouts.  It's the first step to getting back out onto the road.  I won't push it any further than the warm up or cool down for now, but when I feel comfortable with it, I'll get on the road and start testing it out a mile at a time.  I haven't decided what to do for shoes just yet (go with a new pair of running shoes or dive into the Vibram Five Fingers), but I should at least go check out some shoes here soon since I've already stepped up onto the treadmill. 

I've also been doing some reading on how to transfer your metabolism from a high to low carb-to-fat ratio (teaching your body to prefer burning fat over carbs).  I got the idea from a video I watched from Tim Van'Orden, the guy that runs RunningRaw.com.  The benefit to this option is that while fat offers less energy punch per unit, it is essentially unlimited.  You could run for days on the fat on your body if your body is ready to burn it.  On the other hand, most people will "bonk" after 2 hours of carb burning because that's about as long as the reserves in your body last.  So naturally, as many of you would notice for yourself, switching over to fat burning is really only advantageous for endurance athletes; people who train or race for over two hours).  While it would make no sense for me to switch for the spring triathlons, it will certainly help for the marathon and half Ironman races next year.  I'm going to keep looking into it and hopefully come next spring start working on it in preparation for those races.  I must admit, it's fun learning how your body works and how to manipulate it to perfect what it is you want to do.  I'll keep you posted on what I find. 

Tomorrow will most likely be a mixed lifting day.  I got bored again today with the upper body workout, so I know I shouldn't do that one again.  Based on that fact alone, I may take it as a sign to take some time off of the upper body lifting focus; it's not like I really want to add bulk anyways.  We'll see.

Ciao!