Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/30/2013 08:18 AM |
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Eurochien, i hear ya. I had a brief feeling of panic 2 years ago in another Sprint. Looked around at the guys in my age group as we lined up and thought "I can swim with these guys". Promptly went out too fast and blew up. Completely out of breath and desperate to do some breaststroke to recover. But I was in the middle of the pack and couldn't (at least not without kicking someone in the face). I could feel the panic building, but managed to get through it. Not fun.
Didn't you do Boulder Peak, too? How did that go?
Back on topic - I think this is one of the reasons why tri is growing so much lately. You can still compete, but you are in control of your own efforts. You aren't dependent on being able to hold wheels. You decide on your own personal level of discomfort. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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BuffFan
Posts:53
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| 07/30/2013 10:07 AM |
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| "the reasons why tri is growing so much lately. You can still compete, but you are in control of your own efforts. You aren't dependent on being able to hold wheels."
EXACTLY why I got into tris... if work or life gets crazy and I don't have the time to train as much as id like, you can still "compete" |
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eurochien
Posts:163
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| 07/30/2013 02:54 PM |
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This is a bit of thread hijacking, sorry.
CK, Boulder Peak was fun. 13th of the 45-49, 180/overall. As usual my swim was terrible, went off course to be out of the way so I swam extra! But the bike and run are coming together nicely and I don't spend 10 minutes in transitions anymore (still don't know how people can be out of T2 in 40 seconds but whatever). This last tri though, I couldn't believe this freak out in the water. I've done plenty of wreck diving and never ever once had any bit of anxiety 120 feet under water in some dark wreck, yet for the first 5 minutes of this open water swim portion of the rocky mountain tri I thought I was going to have to drop out to save my life, until I reasoned myself and started breaststroke and only then I could resume putting my head in the water and start swimming freestyle again, at which point I started feeling good and passing people who had swam by me minutes before. I've read up on this a bit now and it's not uncommon at all so I'm not worried this is going to last. I live near Chatfield Reservoir south of Denver and I think I'm going to hit the pond a few times before my next oly (Rattlesnake) and 70.3 (Harvest Moon).
I personally got into tri's because I had been curious for years (always have run and swam a bit for some conditioning/cross training), but as a competing roadie for many years, I never wanted to divert my energy in other sports. As I got older and going around in circles in crits started becoming stale, and as I was not getting any faster, I figured the time was right to switch to a new challenge and pick up triathlon. So far I've been enjoying it tremendously (I'm on my 3rd season).
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79pmooney
Posts:3180
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| 07/30/2013 04:04 PM |
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"Float, Hammer, Jog" Thanks, C.K. My tri out. I can't. Float? Me? Only on some other planet.
Ben |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/30/2013 05:00 PM |
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*continues threadjack*
You are correct....it is pretty common. Sounds like you handled it well, though. Did you get a chance to warm-up in the water before Rocky Mountain? I have found that to be tremendously helpful in not only getting the HR up before time, but just getting myself settled as well. Face in the water, get used to the temps (warm or cold), etc.
I have been doing a swim program called Finding Freestyle the last month or so and it has been a MASSIVE boost in my swim. Like most Adult Onset Swimmers, my kick was horrific (I am actually slower if I kick) and my body position was really bad (legs sinking, etc). Since wetsuit swims are the norm around here, I usually just pull way through the swim and don't kick.
This new program has helped me actually develop a kick that has some propulsion and my body position is significantly improved. I can send you some of the workouts if you are interested.
13th in the 45-49 age group in Boulder? Damn dude.....that's pretty freakin' good!! |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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CERV
Posts:151
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| 07/30/2013 05:33 PM |
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| So, I'm getting the sense you guys are trying to tell me this is the start of my inevitable decline into triathlon?!? |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/30/2013 05:55 PM |
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Come to the dark side.....we have cookies.
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/30/2013 06:28 PM |
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| They have corn chips and guacamole in the land of riding slow up big hills - way more fun than splashing around in cold water with 100s of other doofuses trying not to drown. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/30/2013 08:33 PM |
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Guacamole is vile.
;-) |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/30/2013 09:34 PM |
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No, no, gatorade and energy bars are vile. Avocados are good for energy, corn chips good for balancing that sodium in summer and the cerveza that goes with it good for hydration. it all makes sense :-)
(k well off topic now) |
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eurochien
Posts:163
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| 07/30/2013 11:20 PM |
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| I had a chance to get in the water before the start... and I did not take it. But I will next time, I've learned my lesson.
The challenge with swimming is that it's so technique intensive. It's pretty funny when you compare to cycling with all the gizmos that we buy for our bikes yet the technique (get low and aero, good rpm's) is not that special - particularly for triathlon. Then for swimming you have a 20-dollar investment in a pair of goggles and twice that for a pair of trunks and you just have to work your ass off to shave 30 seconds off a 400m.In a way it's a great equalizer, much as I hate to admit it.
Boulder's full of crusty old bastards that are fast. And the women aren't much slower either! |
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pabiker
Posts:80
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| 07/30/2013 11:43 PM |
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| cyclocross racing is horrible. watts/kg are very important because of the frequent accelerations from low speed - I'd rather race a ITT. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/30/2013 11:48 PM |
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The great debate in swimming seems to be "technique" or "volume". Some will tell you to just swim lots while others will tell you to do drills so you can refine your technique.
Let year, I followed the volume option and became very dependent on my swim buoy and wetsuit. This year, with the Finding Freestyle program, I am doing a ton of drills and it is really paying off. There is a Guppie Challenge going on right now on Slowtwitch with Dan Empfield working with a bunch of newbie and slow swimmers. The workouts are also very drill centered and available to see for anyone who wants them.
I was thrilled with my swim on Sunday, and that was only after one month on the FF program. Last year, I sent 6 months training my ass off in the pool and was not as "fast" as where I am now.
Have you looked into any Masters programs in Boulder (although I would imagine that is a bit more daunting there than here for guys like us!!!)?
Lemme know if you want some f the FF workouts! |
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BuffFan
Posts:53
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| 07/31/2013 02:40 PM |
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| oh man, the pond, rattlesank tri and harvest moon.... that brings back memories! man I miss CO and racing..... I need to stop lurking and get back on the horse. |
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BuffFan
Posts:53
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| 07/31/2013 02:43 PM |
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| PING CK... check your email (work I believe) |
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