Posts Tagged Training
Heart Rate Training for Triathlon
I have mostly avoided the whole heart rate training thing. I’m not big on wearing the chest strap, and though I have a Garmin 305 that includes a chest strap, I just don’t wear it and I don’t monitor my heart rate. I train by pace and perceived effort, mostly.
Well, at some point I will probably look into the whole heart rate thing. Here is a good article on the topic that seems to go into quite a bit of detail and I will want to come back and review it again. Seems balanced. Pros/cons. Alternatives. Etc.
Triathlon Training Principles: Heart Rate Training | Trifuel
Cycling Drills
Posted by sheila in Tips and Advice, Training on April 6, 2010
Here’s an interesting article at Active.com that discusses some good cycling drills to help you learn better control on your bike. I really like some of these suggestions and am sure it would help me to practice them:
Bike Handling Clinic: Drill That Skill
First Swims in my New Wetsuit
Posted by sheila in Tools and Gear, Training on July 2, 2009
Me on the left & Nina (Twitter friend) on the right at Santa Monica Ocean Swim.
So I bought an xTerra Vortex 3 last Friday, June 26, 2009. And I was eager to try it out. Wanted to make sure it fit properly and was easy to move around and swim in it. So I planned to go to Huntington State Beach on Monday and get in a short ocean swim.
The original plan was to hit the beach before noon, short swim, picnic lunch with Jenny on the beach, play and relaxation time before heading home. Unfortunately, due to a comedy of errors, we didn’t actually get to Huntington until 3 PM. I talked to the Life Guard briefly, put my wetsuit on, and ventured out.
In watching the surf before I suited up, the breakers hadn’t looked too large to me. So about 20 minutes later I was wading into the surf. Life guard had said water temp was 62˚. It didn’t feel cold to me at all, especially with the suit on. Waves still looked ok, and I proceeded out to my chest. I felt the cold water coming through the suit at the zipper on the back. Just interesting, not a problem. Kept going and got out past most of the breakers. But there was one row left to get past, and they seemed pretty big. I was not comfy with it. I decided to go back in and try ocean swimming in my suit another day.
Triathlon Training Resource – Gym & Coaching
So come to hear there’s a new gym in Irvine, California with a focus on triathlete training. Special facility with equipment designed to assist in training for a triathlon, coaching staff with extensive experience and qualifications in triathlon, etc…
Irvine is a bit of a drive for me, so not sure I would get down that way too often. They have monthly membership, but they also have non-member rates as well. So it’s something to keep in mind. Their “Endless pool” seems interesting.
Track Running for your Training
Posted by sheila in Tips and Advice, Training on May 28, 2009
For running, speed work is generally recommended for increasing your speed for racing, for going for that PR, for lowering your pace. Here’s an article at RunnersWorld.com that has more info on how to start speedwork, how to incorporate it into your training, and various types of speed work.
Swimming – Training with Drills
Posted by sheila in Tips and Advice, Training on May 28, 2009
So, as someone who is passably competent at swimming, I would still like to improve my swimming speed for triathlon events. Right now I’m just working up some basic yardage. Up to an easy 1500 in a workout right now. Will be dropping back these next few days as I approach my first triathlon on June 7th.
But after that is past, I will want to work up and improve my swimming and speed. I have seen recommended several times to do drills. Drills I’ve seen recommended for beginners are kick drills done on the side with no kickboard, shark fin drill, and also DPS (Distance Per Stroke).
So here is a nice site that has some explanations/suggestions for swim drills:Drills & Drill Tips | WSU Masters Swimming
They explain at the site above the side-kicking drill and the shark fin drill. The DPS is just the idea that you want to lower the number of strokes it takes you to get across the pool. By rotating your body in the pool from side to side while you stroke, having long strokes that pull, and you glide. Get fewer strokes to get across the pool.
So I guess after I finish up this tri coming up I will try to incorporate some drills into my swim training.
Motivational and Effective Running Tips
Posted by sheila in Tips and Advice on May 12, 2009
From Active.com. 27 tips for better running, better motivation for running, better injury prevention/treatment.
27 Ways to Run Better Every Day | Active.com
I especially like:
#8: recommendation for cross-training. Cross-training has benefitted my running immensely.
#19: Take a trip. This is what we do. We plan a few trips each year around races we’ve entered.
#20: Stay flexible. Yes! Stretch, do yoga or pilates. It’s a must!
See link above for the rest of these very good tips.
Open Water Swimming – Gotta Train for it!
So, this past Saturday I went running with my club. One of the guys I ran with, Sal, is a triathlete. I mentioned I wanted to do a practice open water swim on Sunday (which I’ve never before attempted). He suggested “The Cove” at La Jolla. It seems to be a great place, sheltered, relatively warm water, with life guards and buoys that mark 1/4 mile distance and 1/2 mile distance from the shore, respectively. Apparently a very popular training area for open water swims. If only it weren’t a 2 hour drive from my house. There is also a La Jolla Cove Swim Club, which could be another source of information or support.
Anyhow, things didn’t work out on Sunday, and I wasn’t able to go for an open water training swim. I did some web searching, though, and found that the Orange County Tri Club and also the Inland Infernos club, both do open water swim training at Corona del Mar, which is much closer, so I will consider that as well.
So, I guess we will try to do that again in another couple of weeks. In the meantime, I will go swimming a few times at the 24-hour fitness club, which I have not been doing regularly for quite a while now. Gotta get back into the swim of things. :p
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