So yesterday was my infusion of biologics at the hospital. It went well, but today I feel very tired, heavy and lifeless. With a headache in bonus. Nothing new. It always does that. The difference is that I'm trying something new. I slept 9 hours instead of 14, like I'd usually do. It was really hard to kick my butt out of bed this morning, but it's a great improvement over my previous "days after infusions".
I don't think sleeping the extra hours helped, because it used to take me about a week to get back to a normal sleeping routine after that. So now I'm trying to continue life as normally as possible and see how it's going to be. I don't feel any different than the other times, I don't feel more tired because I didn't sleep as much. I feel tired as usual.
The cool thing is that I've been following my training plan this week, even though I was not feeling at my best before the infusion. Yesterday, before going to the hospital, I hit the gym and the pool. I think this is a good combination for me, as the stress put on my joints by the weights is relieved once I get in the pool. And it makes me feel sooooo goood!
Today I feel it in my muscles, a sign I did something right. It's not crazy painful, just enough so I know I'm getting something out of it. I'm currently trying to convince myself that the easy 30 min biking on the trainer on Zone 1 is a great idea. It is! Really. As I said before, once I'm moving I feel good....so maybe at least I could accomplish something today.
So I guess, I'm just going to fill my bottle of water, put some gatorade powder in it, and once that is done, might as well setup the bike on the trainer...
Showing posts with label Training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Training. Show all posts
Friday, November 02, 2007
Friday, August 31, 2007
Getting Ready for the 2nd one
I got good news! My triathlon teammate's back didn't protest too much on his last run, and he thinks he'll be able to do it! I was really glad when he told me, although I hope he's not pushing it, and I've stressed many times that it was ok if he didn't feel up to it.
So tomorrow is the day (arggg)...and I know I'm not ready. I don't feel in great shape right now. I didn't for the entire week. And I didn't train as much as I should have.
I know I'll be able to finish, I can cover these distances without a problem. But it'll be slow. Also, I don't know the bike course. I will find out tomorrow morning. They say fast, rolling...The last (and only) triathlon I rode, it was totally flat. No need to change gears except 2 or 3 spots on the course. The problem is that I can't change gears when I'm in the aero position (that's going to be the next upgrade I get on my bike). I'll see how it goes.
As for the swim, I've had a good swim this week, where I averaged 2:01/100m, and I'm hoping to be around that or better this time. Hopefully I can go under 2:00/100m for long distance, for the first time since the high school swimming club! I'm not so worried about the swim...Last time the swim was canceled due to the water being too cold (56F). This time we should be good.
Here's the forecast: 9:00am 13C (55.5f) sunny, wind 10km/h. I don't know about the water temperature, but I think it's going to be pretty good, we've had a good weather and no rain lately, and other lakes around are good.
I'm not nervous, in fact probably not enough. I'm not ready, but I'll go for it, it's going to be another experience. I think the best thing that's going to come out of it is that I'll get a better idea of how to train and be ready and plan for the next season.
So tomorrow is the day (arggg)...and I know I'm not ready. I don't feel in great shape right now. I didn't for the entire week. And I didn't train as much as I should have.
I know I'll be able to finish, I can cover these distances without a problem. But it'll be slow. Also, I don't know the bike course. I will find out tomorrow morning. They say fast, rolling...The last (and only) triathlon I rode, it was totally flat. No need to change gears except 2 or 3 spots on the course. The problem is that I can't change gears when I'm in the aero position (that's going to be the next upgrade I get on my bike). I'll see how it goes.
As for the swim, I've had a good swim this week, where I averaged 2:01/100m, and I'm hoping to be around that or better this time. Hopefully I can go under 2:00/100m for long distance, for the first time since the high school swimming club! I'm not so worried about the swim...Last time the swim was canceled due to the water being too cold (56F). This time we should be good.
Here's the forecast: 9:00am 13C (55.5f) sunny, wind 10km/h. I don't know about the water temperature, but I think it's going to be pretty good, we've had a good weather and no rain lately, and other lakes around are good.
I'm not nervous, in fact probably not enough. I'm not ready, but I'll go for it, it's going to be another experience. I think the best thing that's going to come out of it is that I'll get a better idea of how to train and be ready and plan for the next season.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Icy Water
What is the lowest temperature in which you can swim? Personally, I don't know yet, but it's definitely above 46F!!!
Last night I had a group open water swim in Lake Ontario. I really wanted that last swim in before the race on Saturday, and by the number of people who showed up, I was not alone!
We've had a very nice weather in the last month, always close to 30C (around 86F), but I suppose it doesn't affect the water temperature that much. Maybe there was a storm on the lake the day before...or currents or winds...
A week ago, the temperature readings were around 70F. It was perfect. Not too cold for the extremities, not too warm for wearing a wetsuit.
Yesterday, the readings were at 45.9F. I should have checked before going (I'm not sure I would have believed it). But hey, water was perfect just a couple of days before! Apparently nobody checked, and we were all expecting a nice pleasant swim.
We arrived at the beach, about 20 ppl in their wetsuits, ready to plunge.
-20 people touch the water with their toes
-General reaction: Arggg! It's wayyy too cold!
-6 people get water up to their waist (including me)
-2 people turn back (including me), 4 try to start swimming (the tough ones)
-4 people try to jump in again (Including me...hey I really wanted to swim!)
-They all turn back
-And the 4 trying to swim come back after 2 minutes (the tough ones)
How does 45.9F water feels? It was definitely much colder than in June. I'm not sure if the reading was good, but was certainly not far from that. I've bailed out at 55 degrees, but it was more because of comfort rather than capacity. Yesterday, I knew I would not be able to swim at all in that water.
After 30 seconds with my feet in the water, I couldn't feel them anymore. After 1 minute, they were burning. When I tried to put my hands in the water, it hurt. I had to shake my hands out of the water to get them back to normal.
So bye bye the last open water swim before the race. Oh well, it's not like I've never done it...Now I just have to cross my fingers for a good enough water temp on race day! Please cross some fingers for me too! :)
Last night I had a group open water swim in Lake Ontario. I really wanted that last swim in before the race on Saturday, and by the number of people who showed up, I was not alone!
We've had a very nice weather in the last month, always close to 30C (around 86F), but I suppose it doesn't affect the water temperature that much. Maybe there was a storm on the lake the day before...or currents or winds...
A week ago, the temperature readings were around 70F. It was perfect. Not too cold for the extremities, not too warm for wearing a wetsuit.
Yesterday, the readings were at 45.9F. I should have checked before going (I'm not sure I would have believed it). But hey, water was perfect just a couple of days before! Apparently nobody checked, and we were all expecting a nice pleasant swim.
We arrived at the beach, about 20 ppl in their wetsuits, ready to plunge.
-20 people touch the water with their toes
-General reaction: Arggg! It's wayyy too cold!
-6 people get water up to their waist (including me)
-2 people turn back (including me), 4 try to start swimming (the tough ones)
-4 people try to jump in again (Including me...hey I really wanted to swim!)
-They all turn back
-And the 4 trying to swim come back after 2 minutes (the tough ones)
How does 45.9F water feels? It was definitely much colder than in June. I'm not sure if the reading was good, but was certainly not far from that. I've bailed out at 55 degrees, but it was more because of comfort rather than capacity. Yesterday, I knew I would not be able to swim at all in that water.
After 30 seconds with my feet in the water, I couldn't feel them anymore. After 1 minute, they were burning. When I tried to put my hands in the water, it hurt. I had to shake my hands out of the water to get them back to normal.
So bye bye the last open water swim before the race. Oh well, it's not like I've never done it...Now I just have to cross my fingers for a good enough water temp on race day! Please cross some fingers for me too! :)
Monday, August 13, 2007
5 Days Until my first race
I'm not really nervous, I would say I'm more excited. It's probably because I know I'm not going to be competitive, so there's no pressure.
The Toronto Islands Triathlon sold out earlier last week. That means 400 athletes for the main event, the triathlon (750m swim, 30km bike, 7.5km run). I'm doing the swim and bike in relay with a friend, who will do the running. It's going to be great to finally have an idea of what happens during this event. The only competitions I've been participating to before, were swimming (pool only), so it's going to be quite different!
Yesterday, we went to the islands to have a look at the course. Flat and Fast! I was able to average 30km per hour on my tri bike (when I didn't have to slow down for people walking around), which is pretty good for me, considering I haven't trained as much as I should have.
Also, it was raining and windy. It was my first training ride in the rain! I know, I'm a chicken, and I prefer to be comfortable! But at least I'll know how it is if we don't have a nice day on the 18th. I had a look at the beach where the swimming will be. Because of the wind, it was really choppy. Kinda ocean-like, with waves crashing noisily on the beach. Oh well, if it's like that, it's going to be like that for everybody else! :)
So far the forecast for next weekend is good, but we can't rely on that too much...
The islands are a huge park, where there are no cars, except for the maintenance crew. I suppose that there will be race officials clearing the path from people on race day. In that case I'm pretty sure I will have a good avg speed.
I'm a bit nervous about the drafting rules, but I think I'll be fine. Also, I'm more comfortable with the clipless pedals, I don't think it's going to be an issue. I might just look a bit weird mounting my bike after T1, because I still have difficulty to clip-in quickly, but at least I've got platforms to be able to pedal even if I'm not clipped in yet. :)
As for the position on the bike, I've done many adjustments to bring my weight back to center. It was too much forward and most of my weight was resting on my hands. That caused some trouble in my right index...you can read about it here. So I raised my handlebars, tilted my seat upwards a bit, and there's a huge difference. I still feel that my finger is not totally happy with that though (really not bad compared to the last time), so I think I'm going to tilt the handlebars to bring them horizontal (right now they're pointing slightly downwards).
Yesterday ended up being my first ride where I really enjoyed the tri bike. I still have to get into aero position, but I think I'll be confident enough to use them during the race. I was almost there, having my left arm resting on the aero bars, but I was a bit uncertain because of the people walking/biking around. I don't have brakes on aero position, so I'm being extra careful. It's something I might want to upgrade on my bike in the future.
Today is rest day. I did yoga, and the rest of the day is work, work work! tomorrow I have a swim planned, but I might cancel it to get to an open water swim on Wednesday. So maybe it's going to be bike tomorrow. I'll see.
I can't wait for next Saturday, it's going to be awesome! I will probably update my blog again before the race.
The Toronto Islands Triathlon sold out earlier last week. That means 400 athletes for the main event, the triathlon (750m swim, 30km bike, 7.5km run). I'm doing the swim and bike in relay with a friend, who will do the running. It's going to be great to finally have an idea of what happens during this event. The only competitions I've been participating to before, were swimming (pool only), so it's going to be quite different!
Yesterday, we went to the islands to have a look at the course. Flat and Fast! I was able to average 30km per hour on my tri bike (when I didn't have to slow down for people walking around), which is pretty good for me, considering I haven't trained as much as I should have.
Also, it was raining and windy. It was my first training ride in the rain! I know, I'm a chicken, and I prefer to be comfortable! But at least I'll know how it is if we don't have a nice day on the 18th. I had a look at the beach where the swimming will be. Because of the wind, it was really choppy. Kinda ocean-like, with waves crashing noisily on the beach. Oh well, if it's like that, it's going to be like that for everybody else! :)
So far the forecast for next weekend is good, but we can't rely on that too much...
The islands are a huge park, where there are no cars, except for the maintenance crew. I suppose that there will be race officials clearing the path from people on race day. In that case I'm pretty sure I will have a good avg speed.
I'm a bit nervous about the drafting rules, but I think I'll be fine. Also, I'm more comfortable with the clipless pedals, I don't think it's going to be an issue. I might just look a bit weird mounting my bike after T1, because I still have difficulty to clip-in quickly, but at least I've got platforms to be able to pedal even if I'm not clipped in yet. :)
As for the position on the bike, I've done many adjustments to bring my weight back to center. It was too much forward and most of my weight was resting on my hands. That caused some trouble in my right index...you can read about it here. So I raised my handlebars, tilted my seat upwards a bit, and there's a huge difference. I still feel that my finger is not totally happy with that though (really not bad compared to the last time), so I think I'm going to tilt the handlebars to bring them horizontal (right now they're pointing slightly downwards).
Yesterday ended up being my first ride where I really enjoyed the tri bike. I still have to get into aero position, but I think I'll be confident enough to use them during the race. I was almost there, having my left arm resting on the aero bars, but I was a bit uncertain because of the people walking/biking around. I don't have brakes on aero position, so I'm being extra careful. It's something I might want to upgrade on my bike in the future.
Today is rest day. I did yoga, and the rest of the day is work, work work! tomorrow I have a swim planned, but I might cancel it to get to an open water swim on Wednesday. So maybe it's going to be bike tomorrow. I'll see.
I can't wait for next Saturday, it's going to be awesome! I will probably update my blog again before the race.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
A race around the corner
I signed up for my first triathlon! Because I can't run (you can read here for more information about that), and there are no aquabiking competitions in my area, the plan was to get into a relay with my husband. Unfortunately, he was just starting to run, and didn't feel ready for it. I can't blame him, we've had an hectic month of July, and we both didn't have much time for training. I would have loved for my hubby to do it, but I'm sure he'll go for it next year. For now, he'll be part of the cheering squad! :)
It turns out I have a friend who's into running, and he accepted to do the running portion of the relay, so I could do the swim and bike without a DNF. The nice thing is that my friend doing the relay with me is also totally new in the triathlon world!
So we registered for the Toronto Island Triathlon relay, on August 18th. 750m Swim, 30km bike, 7.5km run. I know I can cover the distances. I just don't know how fast. I'm very excited and a bit nervous, but with less than two weeks from the event, there's not much more I can do to get ready. I practice open water swimming every week (I finally got my practice with waves and I loved it), I bike regularly, but I don't feel I've been training seriously enough with my tri bike. I've been doing more mountain biking this summer. However, I've had a good base training in the winter and spring, and the mountain biking was keeping me in higher HR zones, so I think it shouldn't be that bad.
I've been averaging about 27km/h on the trainer in HR Zone 2, so it might be around that speed on the actual course, considering that I'm going to push harder, but taking wind resistance into account. It's a flat course. I'm going to test it next weekend, and will have a better idea of what to expect.
I think I'm more worried about the transition. I really don't have any clue how it's going to be. I've read a lot about it in books, in forums, but I've never been a spectator to a triathlon, so it's all in my head right now...Oh well, I guess I'll find out, and learn!
My goal is really to just finish, have fun, and get to learn some more, so I can get ready for the next one. But, I think it's also good to set some time goals, because I'm the kind who needs numbers to keep moving.
So, here is what I would be happy with during the race. I think I'm being very conservative, but it all depends on the conditions (weather, other people around, and how my body feels) and I'm not attached to these numbers. They will change if I realize it doesn't make sense.
Swim: 750m 0:17:00
T1 : 0:05:00 (I just have to take off my wetsuit, to put my socks (no I can't bike
without socks), shoes, helmet on and I'm good to go, I have a tri suit)
Bike: 30km 1:10:00 (This is if I'm using the tri bike. I will ride the MTB if it's raining,
because I'm not confident enough with the tri bike)
Passing of
Timing Chip: 0:01:00 (I really have no clue...)
Run: 7.5km dunno (Not my call, and I don't want to put any pressure on my partner.
Even though I'm setting goals for myself, I'm not competing against
anybody, and a non painful finish is all I'm wishing for)
Total time: We'll find out!
It turns out I have a friend who's into running, and he accepted to do the running portion of the relay, so I could do the swim and bike without a DNF. The nice thing is that my friend doing the relay with me is also totally new in the triathlon world!
So we registered for the Toronto Island Triathlon relay, on August 18th. 750m Swim, 30km bike, 7.5km run. I know I can cover the distances. I just don't know how fast. I'm very excited and a bit nervous, but with less than two weeks from the event, there's not much more I can do to get ready. I practice open water swimming every week (I finally got my practice with waves and I loved it), I bike regularly, but I don't feel I've been training seriously enough with my tri bike. I've been doing more mountain biking this summer. However, I've had a good base training in the winter and spring, and the mountain biking was keeping me in higher HR zones, so I think it shouldn't be that bad.
I've been averaging about 27km/h on the trainer in HR Zone 2, so it might be around that speed on the actual course, considering that I'm going to push harder, but taking wind resistance into account. It's a flat course. I'm going to test it next weekend, and will have a better idea of what to expect.
I think I'm more worried about the transition. I really don't have any clue how it's going to be. I've read a lot about it in books, in forums, but I've never been a spectator to a triathlon, so it's all in my head right now...Oh well, I guess I'll find out, and learn!
My goal is really to just finish, have fun, and get to learn some more, so I can get ready for the next one. But, I think it's also good to set some time goals, because I'm the kind who needs numbers to keep moving.
So, here is what I would be happy with during the race. I think I'm being very conservative, but it all depends on the conditions (weather, other people around, and how my body feels) and I'm not attached to these numbers. They will change if I realize it doesn't make sense.
Swim: 750m 0:17:00
T1 : 0:05:00 (I just have to take off my wetsuit, to put my socks (no I can't bike
without socks), shoes, helmet on and I'm good to go, I have a tri suit)
Bike: 30km 1:10:00 (This is if I'm using the tri bike. I will ride the MTB if it's raining,
because I'm not confident enough with the tri bike)
Passing of
Timing Chip: 0:01:00 (I really have no clue...)
Run: 7.5km dunno (Not my call, and I don't want to put any pressure on my partner.
Even though I'm setting goals for myself, I'm not competing against
anybody, and a non painful finish is all I'm wishing for)
Total time: We'll find out!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
A reminder from my body
A lot happened since the last time I wrote!
We took possession of our condo early in July, and were working on patching, sanding, priming and painting the entire place. Then we cleaned, and we moved.
It was just my husband and me to load the truck. Fortunately, my brother-in-law came after his work to help unload at the new place. After that, we had to finish up at the other place, clean-up and make it ready for the transfer. Oh well, it is done now. The good thing is, I got some brutal strength and endurance training in! hehe
The past week was hard for me. My body reminded me that I'm not 100% healthy, that I have to stop at some point. I tried to ignore it, but my joints just decided it was enough...At some point I couldn't get up in the morning. I slept 12 hours per night for 3 days, and I'm still sleeping more than usual. My feet, hands and knees were pretty bad. It's almost back to normal now. It's all the walking and carrying heavy stuff, and also holding the paintbrushes that didn't help. So I've been taking my anti-inflammatory, plus Tylenol Arthritis twice daily since we started all of this. Usually, I don't need them...But it had to be done, and we're almost all setup at the new place, so we're good for another year or two! :P
Last week-end was the first week-end without doing anything related to fixing up, cleaning or moving stuff. So I got an open water swim on Saturday, and a very nice Mountain bike ride on Sunday. Except for a couple of easy bike rides between the two condos (about 15 minutes ride), and an easy 1000m in the condo pool to relax, I haven't done anything since July 2!
So on Saturday morning, I had my first swim in a long time. It was awesome! Plus it was my birthday! :) There's no better way to start a day like that! The Ontario lake temperature was much better than the last couple of times I went. No ice cream headaches this time. It was cool and refreshing, and no waves. Although I wish I could practice with some waves, it didn't happen yet.
Sunday we went to Albion Hills, my favorite mtb place in the area. It was hot, but under the trees it was perfect. We went for a couple of singletracks, and I felt much more confident than the last time we went. I had to put the foot down a couple of times, but it wasn't bad at all. And I felt powerful in the hills. I know I'm not back 100%, and I may have lost a small amount of endurance from doing nothing in the past month, but I'm sure it will be back by the end of this week.
So now I'm back into serious training, and regular updates!
We took possession of our condo early in July, and were working on patching, sanding, priming and painting the entire place. Then we cleaned, and we moved.
It was just my husband and me to load the truck. Fortunately, my brother-in-law came after his work to help unload at the new place. After that, we had to finish up at the other place, clean-up and make it ready for the transfer. Oh well, it is done now. The good thing is, I got some brutal strength and endurance training in! hehe
The past week was hard for me. My body reminded me that I'm not 100% healthy, that I have to stop at some point. I tried to ignore it, but my joints just decided it was enough...At some point I couldn't get up in the morning. I slept 12 hours per night for 3 days, and I'm still sleeping more than usual. My feet, hands and knees were pretty bad. It's almost back to normal now. It's all the walking and carrying heavy stuff, and also holding the paintbrushes that didn't help. So I've been taking my anti-inflammatory, plus Tylenol Arthritis twice daily since we started all of this. Usually, I don't need them...But it had to be done, and we're almost all setup at the new place, so we're good for another year or two! :P
Last week-end was the first week-end without doing anything related to fixing up, cleaning or moving stuff. So I got an open water swim on Saturday, and a very nice Mountain bike ride on Sunday. Except for a couple of easy bike rides between the two condos (about 15 minutes ride), and an easy 1000m in the condo pool to relax, I haven't done anything since July 2!
So on Saturday morning, I had my first swim in a long time. It was awesome! Plus it was my birthday! :) There's no better way to start a day like that! The Ontario lake temperature was much better than the last couple of times I went. No ice cream headaches this time. It was cool and refreshing, and no waves. Although I wish I could practice with some waves, it didn't happen yet.
Sunday we went to Albion Hills, my favorite mtb place in the area. It was hot, but under the trees it was perfect. We went for a couple of singletracks, and I felt much more confident than the last time we went. I had to put the foot down a couple of times, but it wasn't bad at all. And I felt powerful in the hills. I know I'm not back 100%, and I may have lost a small amount of endurance from doing nothing in the past month, but I'm sure it will be back by the end of this week.
So now I'm back into serious training, and regular updates!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Fun at the beach
Was I sunbathing? No! Playing volleyball, playing fetch with the dog, having a picnic? No!I was with the other 10 people crazy enough to get an open water swim in a 60 degrees (or less?) water, and 64 degrees air near the waterfront, at 10 am on a Saturday morning.
And I had fun :) The water was so clear that I could see the bottom almost everywhere we swam. Not that it's so cute down there...Lake water...you know...Clear usually also mean cold, and it was! Yet another ice cream headache for the first two minutes of swimming. After the first minutes, I could enjoy how good it feels to be out there.
I was not really fast today. It must be because I haven't been doing a lot of stuff this week...Just a swim and two sessions of Yoga. It's recovery week, and I think it was welcome. I felt like I had no gas left. But I might have slacked a bit too much, because restarting the engine was kinda hard today.
But the motivation is there, and I can't wait for the long bike ride tomorrow or on Monday. We usually do it on Sundays, but it's a long week end. Hurray for Canada Day! So it pretty much depends on my husband.
By the way, he is doing very good in his training, I'm so proud! He's been improving his swimming a lot, and we're getting closer to the same speed in our HR zones, so soon we might be able to ride together. It always improves faster when you're just starting. We'll see if he can catch me :) (I'm sure he will)
Monday, June 18, 2007
First Open Water Swim
I did it. Lake Ontario, 60 degrees. It IS cold! Even with a wetsuit. Especially the first couple of minutes in the water. Filling the wetsuit with water was a shocking experience.
After waiting for the water to warm up in my wetsuit, I started to get used to the cold on my hands and feet. Then another shock. My face! Arg. For two minutes I get an ice cream headache. Probably my brain trying to tell me this is not such a good idea. But I ignored it and pushed to get to that first buoy.
Once I started swimming, I forgot about the cold. All that was in my mind is the openness, the fresh air, the smell of the water. Anything else than chlorine is good! And my goal, different from usual, getting to a buoy, swimming straight. How wonderful it is not to look at a line at the bottom of a pool, feeling the waves and trying to be in sync with nature. This is how swimming was meant to be.
It might sound weird, but my first experience with open water swimming was far from being scary. Just a bit cold. So I did only about 1100m, which I think is acceptable for a first time, and in 60 degrees water. I really enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to the next group swims, I'm actually thinking about going twice a week, when my initial plan was once a week in the lake and twice in the pool.
I have to say this boosts my swimming motivation, which was extremely down lately...
After waiting for the water to warm up in my wetsuit, I started to get used to the cold on my hands and feet. Then another shock. My face! Arg. For two minutes I get an ice cream headache. Probably my brain trying to tell me this is not such a good idea. But I ignored it and pushed to get to that first buoy.
Once I started swimming, I forgot about the cold. All that was in my mind is the openness, the fresh air, the smell of the water. Anything else than chlorine is good! And my goal, different from usual, getting to a buoy, swimming straight. How wonderful it is not to look at a line at the bottom of a pool, feeling the waves and trying to be in sync with nature. This is how swimming was meant to be.
It might sound weird, but my first experience with open water swimming was far from being scary. Just a bit cold. So I did only about 1100m, which I think is acceptable for a first time, and in 60 degrees water. I really enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to the next group swims, I'm actually thinking about going twice a week, when my initial plan was once a week in the lake and twice in the pool.
I have to say this boosts my swimming motivation, which was extremely down lately...
Thursday, June 07, 2007
My First Clipless Ride
I said I would come back to that short and not so sweet ride. So here it is.
It was about a month ago, when I decided that it was about time to take my tri bike out for a first ride. Let's see. First ride on something that is not a mtb, first ride with clipless pedals. Mmmm calls for some scratches and a bit of pain.
So, that day, I figured, because it was an easy ride in Zone 1 that it was the perfect time for a non-stressful ride. HeHe (sarcastic)
I thought that slow was equal to low heart rate. Errr no. Stress = high heart rate. So my low intensity training was gone. Oh well, at least I'm learning to use the clipless pedals! Everything was perfectly fine, I was able to unclip/clip properly, until I arrived at a cul-de-sac.
I stop and put one foot on the ground by unclipping successfully. Hurray!
I start to pedal again, with one pedal clipped in, only to realize that I forgot to set my bike to a lower gear. Oh No!
My leg cannot rotate with enough strength, I need my other leg. Quickly. Arggg!
I cannot clip my second leg. Cr*p!
I have to stop and put my unclipped foot on the ground. I said my unclipped foot!
I'm leaning on the wrong side! Nooooo!
I wipe out at 1 km/h. Even if I had one foot unclipped. Great! First reaction: Get back up as quickly as possible, and make sure nobody saw me. Second reaction: Go back home as quickly as possible, before it happens again, avoiding humiliation in front of high school students heading out home.
Oh well, I bet I'll be careful about leaning on the right side the next time! I hope at least you've had a good laugh on that one! :) I am still laughing about it myself!
It was about a month ago, when I decided that it was about time to take my tri bike out for a first ride. Let's see. First ride on something that is not a mtb, first ride with clipless pedals. Mmmm calls for some scratches and a bit of pain.
So, that day, I figured, because it was an easy ride in Zone 1 that it was the perfect time for a non-stressful ride. HeHe (sarcastic)
I thought that slow was equal to low heart rate. Errr no. Stress = high heart rate. So my low intensity training was gone. Oh well, at least I'm learning to use the clipless pedals! Everything was perfectly fine, I was able to unclip/clip properly, until I arrived at a cul-de-sac.
I stop and put one foot on the ground by unclipping successfully. Hurray!
I start to pedal again, with one pedal clipped in, only to realize that I forgot to set my bike to a lower gear. Oh No!
My leg cannot rotate with enough strength, I need my other leg. Quickly. Arggg!
I cannot clip my second leg. Cr*p!
I have to stop and put my unclipped foot on the ground. I said my unclipped foot!
I'm leaning on the wrong side! Nooooo!
I wipe out at 1 km/h. Even if I had one foot unclipped. Great! First reaction: Get back up as quickly as possible, and make sure nobody saw me. Second reaction: Go back home as quickly as possible, before it happens again, avoiding humiliation in front of high school students heading out home.
Oh well, I bet I'll be careful about leaning on the right side the next time! I hope at least you've had a good laugh on that one! :) I am still laughing about it myself!
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Lazy Swim
Yesterday I had a 2500m swimming workout scheduled. Usually, I would go in the morning, right after yoga. But I had a tight schedule and I decided to wait for my husband, who had a scheduled 1 hour swimming when he comes back from work.
We hit the pool around 7:00 pm. I knew before touching the water that it would be hard. Not hard physically, but mentally. I just couldn't push myself to go harder. And I couldn't keep a proper form. It's the first time I felt so lazy in the water. I had to call it a day, and jump back in the whirlpool...It would have been useless to just continue swimming lazily without an acceptable stroke form. So, that was it.
A 300m warmup, 200m fist drill, 200m look forward drill, 300m straight. A loooong 29 minutes 15 seconds 1000m, for a terrible pace of 2:55/100m. Ok, it was mostly drills and warmup, but still, it doesn't look good!
Oh well, at least I did my modified (to give my finger a break) strength training, including legs and core, and also yoga.
Today I have a short bike ride schedule, I should go very soon. I promised I wouldn't go outside with my bike until Sunday, to make sure my right index finger is not too stressed by impacts. So it's indoor training for now.
Talking about my finger...it's a bit better, but it starts to feel like an inflamed tendon, a problem I've had before and where I had to have a cortisone injection right in there (ouch). This is arthritis related, and I guess it's part of the stuff I have to expect from time to time...
At least my morale is good, and we are planning a mtb ride to Albion hills on Sunday (pray for a nice weather!!), where I will be able to try my wetsuit in the lake! Can't wait!
We hit the pool around 7:00 pm. I knew before touching the water that it would be hard. Not hard physically, but mentally. I just couldn't push myself to go harder. And I couldn't keep a proper form. It's the first time I felt so lazy in the water. I had to call it a day, and jump back in the whirlpool...It would have been useless to just continue swimming lazily without an acceptable stroke form. So, that was it.
A 300m warmup, 200m fist drill, 200m look forward drill, 300m straight. A loooong 29 minutes 15 seconds 1000m, for a terrible pace of 2:55/100m. Ok, it was mostly drills and warmup, but still, it doesn't look good!
Oh well, at least I did my modified (to give my finger a break) strength training, including legs and core, and also yoga.
Today I have a short bike ride schedule, I should go very soon. I promised I wouldn't go outside with my bike until Sunday, to make sure my right index finger is not too stressed by impacts. So it's indoor training for now.
Talking about my finger...it's a bit better, but it starts to feel like an inflamed tendon, a problem I've had before and where I had to have a cortisone injection right in there (ouch). This is arthritis related, and I guess it's part of the stuff I have to expect from time to time...
At least my morale is good, and we are planning a mtb ride to Albion hills on Sunday (pray for a nice weather!!), where I will be able to try my wetsuit in the lake! Can't wait!
Monday, June 04, 2007
Rest Day
Last week was great! I followed most of my training schedule, except for my 2nd strength training session. Not that I didn't want to, but that nerve in my hand was pretty bad after my bike ride on Friday so I decided to let it recover.
For the first time since a couple of months I did all my planned swimming workouts! After my 5000m charity swim, I lost some interest in the pool (by lack of goals, or by boredom...probably a bit of both). But since I got my wet suit, it gave me some sort of boost to be consistent with the swimming part of my training. Being consistent with biking is not so hard, as I'm really enjoying it (especially outside!). New straight-swimming pace: 2:03/100m for a 2500m swim. I can't wait to go under 2:00/100m.
Yesterday was the long bike ride, and it was the nicest long ride ever for me. The Becel Ride for Heart is a charity bike ride (my husband and myself chose the 50km route). They close down the highway in Toronto, and it's all bikes! Great landscape, no cars around, lots of people (around 10,000 every year) and an acceptable weather!
It was also my first time doing a mass start on the bike. It wasn't so bad, surely because people were rather relax...it's a ride, not a race! There were just a couple of road racers who were cutting in way too close, flying at high speed through the mob within 1 foot or so from other bikers. This was not really nice and rather frustrating...
Anyway, including yoga, bike, strength and swimming, it's a total of 8 hours and 40 minutes of training for the past week. And that was a recovery week.
Next week: 9 hours and 45 minutes planned. But, I don't think I'll do strength training, as my nerve in my right hand isn't back to normal. I'm starting to think I might need to have it checked...It's not numb anymore, but when I move in certain ways or apply pressure on certain spots, I can feel jolts of electricity in my index finger. It's not painful, but really annoying.
At least riding my mountain bike doesn't affect it, so that's my mountain bike I took for the ride yesterday. Even with my hand being OK, I don't think I would have taken my tri bike. I'm certainly not ready for a mob ride with clipless pedals! He He
For the first time since a couple of months I did all my planned swimming workouts! After my 5000m charity swim, I lost some interest in the pool (by lack of goals, or by boredom...probably a bit of both). But since I got my wet suit, it gave me some sort of boost to be consistent with the swimming part of my training. Being consistent with biking is not so hard, as I'm really enjoying it (especially outside!). New straight-swimming pace: 2:03/100m for a 2500m swim. I can't wait to go under 2:00/100m.
Yesterday was the long bike ride, and it was the nicest long ride ever for me. The Becel Ride for Heart is a charity bike ride (my husband and myself chose the 50km route). They close down the highway in Toronto, and it's all bikes! Great landscape, no cars around, lots of people (around 10,000 every year) and an acceptable weather!
It was also my first time doing a mass start on the bike. It wasn't so bad, surely because people were rather relax...it's a ride, not a race! There were just a couple of road racers who were cutting in way too close, flying at high speed through the mob within 1 foot or so from other bikers. This was not really nice and rather frustrating...
Anyway, including yoga, bike, strength and swimming, it's a total of 8 hours and 40 minutes of training for the past week. And that was a recovery week.
Next week: 9 hours and 45 minutes planned. But, I don't think I'll do strength training, as my nerve in my right hand isn't back to normal. I'm starting to think I might need to have it checked...It's not numb anymore, but when I move in certain ways or apply pressure on certain spots, I can feel jolts of electricity in my index finger. It's not painful, but really annoying.
At least riding my mountain bike doesn't affect it, so that's my mountain bike I took for the ride yesterday. Even with my hand being OK, I don't think I would have taken my tri bike. I'm certainly not ready for a mob ride with clipless pedals! He He
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Elliptical Tentative
As I said in my previous post, my husband started triathlon training about 3 weeks ago. Because he was running on the treadmill at the gym, and I was feeling particularly great and wanted to spend more time with him, I decided to follow him in his debut of running, by using the elliptical machine.
I figured that the reason I can't run is because of the impact it has on my joints (ankles and knees), therefore the elliptical should be good for me! The first couple of shots were great, as I was going for about 15-20 minutes at a generally slow pace. I felt the new range of muscles working, and of course I liked it!
Then the first disappointment came.
When I started to go over 30 minutes, the ball of my foot was starting to be painful, and if I continued, it would evolve in a throbbing pain where my toes would become numb. So I did some research to find out what I could do about it. I got inserts for my shoes and tried them the next day. I saw the difference in my left foot. But for my right foot, nothing improved. The pain disappears after the workouts, but on the mornings, I generally felt like I had been hit by a car during the night. This is typical of arthritis flares, and is something I didn't experience so much lately, due to a very good medication and a good level of fitness. That told me it was enough.
There are a couple of problems I see, some I could do something about it others I can't do anything.
First, my shoes are totally inappropriate for running, which I just found out. I know elliptical is not exactly like running, but the movement is very similar, and with my sensitive foot, I need a rocking shoe.
Second, my feet are so different, that insoles are no good to solve the problem on both feet at the same time, I would need orthotics (read more $$$). If you want an idea about how different they are, my left foot is about 3/4 inch shorter, and with a pronounced arch, and claw toes, thanks to arthritis! My right foot looks totally normal, with a normal to low arch.
Third, one of the first joints that got diagnosed with arthritis when I was 5 years old, were the metatarsal joints (ball of the foot joints). There's nothing I can do about that one. There might be permanent damage in these.
For these reasons, I decided to give up the elliptical until I can talk about it to my Rhumatologist (arthritis specialist) in July.
The good news is that I was able to continue with my training, and I started to do yoga regularly again, as it helps a lot with my joints.
Oh well, another learning experience! I'm getting to know my body's limits better!
I figured that the reason I can't run is because of the impact it has on my joints (ankles and knees), therefore the elliptical should be good for me! The first couple of shots were great, as I was going for about 15-20 minutes at a generally slow pace. I felt the new range of muscles working, and of course I liked it!
Then the first disappointment came.
When I started to go over 30 minutes, the ball of my foot was starting to be painful, and if I continued, it would evolve in a throbbing pain where my toes would become numb. So I did some research to find out what I could do about it. I got inserts for my shoes and tried them the next day. I saw the difference in my left foot. But for my right foot, nothing improved. The pain disappears after the workouts, but on the mornings, I generally felt like I had been hit by a car during the night. This is typical of arthritis flares, and is something I didn't experience so much lately, due to a very good medication and a good level of fitness. That told me it was enough.
There are a couple of problems I see, some I could do something about it others I can't do anything.
First, my shoes are totally inappropriate for running, which I just found out. I know elliptical is not exactly like running, but the movement is very similar, and with my sensitive foot, I need a rocking shoe.
Second, my feet are so different, that insoles are no good to solve the problem on both feet at the same time, I would need orthotics (read more $$$). If you want an idea about how different they are, my left foot is about 3/4 inch shorter, and with a pronounced arch, and claw toes, thanks to arthritis! My right foot looks totally normal, with a normal to low arch.
Third, one of the first joints that got diagnosed with arthritis when I was 5 years old, were the metatarsal joints (ball of the foot joints). There's nothing I can do about that one. There might be permanent damage in these.
For these reasons, I decided to give up the elliptical until I can talk about it to my Rhumatologist (arthritis specialist) in July.
The good news is that I was able to continue with my training, and I started to do yoga regularly again, as it helps a lot with my joints.
Oh well, another learning experience! I'm getting to know my body's limits better!
Hubby is in!
I have been working out more regularly in the past 6 weeks. I decided to incorporate a strength training program in my routine, following Crucible Fitness's Triathlon strength training plan.
I've been doing just fine, even enjoying the strength training. The only problem I have with strength training, is that my arthritic fingers don't enjoy it so much. I found out it is worse with free weights, so I'm trying to keep the exercises to the machines as much as possible. It seems to help tremendously.
Then, 3 weeks ago, my husband decided that he started triathlon training! Wow! I was so glad, plus, I didn't even try to get him to do it!
He said that the main reason he started is because he wants me to be able to participate in local triathlon and not get a DNF. How sweet!!! There are no Aquabiking competitions in the Greater Toronto Area. The closest is about 400 km away from here. For me, that means traveling for each competition, or register for a full triathlon here and DNF.
My husband's solution: Relay! I do the swimming and biking portion and he does the running. Wait a minute, why is he training for the whole thing? Well, hopefully the triathlon series here will include Aquabike to their competition sometime soon, and I'll be able to compete by myself. At that point, my husband might be interested in doing the whole thing, or not. We'll find out. But he seems to really enjoy it, which is great because I can talk about my biking and swimming stories and worry less about annoying him.
So it looks like we might register for a sprint this summer, for the Toronto Islands Triathlon. We'll see, I don't want to push him too much, he's just starting running, and I want him to feel comfortable. And to say that last year he was a smoker!!! I'm so proud of him!
In fact, he's the reason why we started biking last year, and that escalated into Aquabiking for me. He decided to buy bikes after he quit smoking, as a reward for his decision (yes, I got rewarded even though all I had to do was endure his bad temper for a couple of weeks. My husband is spoiling me a lot. No complains here!) After that I started swimming again, and heard about aquabike competitions. Since then, there has been ups and down, but my motivation is still there, and I'm really hoping for a first competition this summer.
I think the biggest problem is money! God it's expensive! There's always something missing, or nice to have. And now we're two. But hey, there are other hobbies that are expensive too, and it occupies most of our time, it's a healthy lifestyle, and it's very satisfying. So why not?
I've been doing just fine, even enjoying the strength training. The only problem I have with strength training, is that my arthritic fingers don't enjoy it so much. I found out it is worse with free weights, so I'm trying to keep the exercises to the machines as much as possible. It seems to help tremendously.
Then, 3 weeks ago, my husband decided that he started triathlon training! Wow! I was so glad, plus, I didn't even try to get him to do it!
He said that the main reason he started is because he wants me to be able to participate in local triathlon and not get a DNF. How sweet!!! There are no Aquabiking competitions in the Greater Toronto Area. The closest is about 400 km away from here. For me, that means traveling for each competition, or register for a full triathlon here and DNF.
My husband's solution: Relay! I do the swimming and biking portion and he does the running. Wait a minute, why is he training for the whole thing? Well, hopefully the triathlon series here will include Aquabike to their competition sometime soon, and I'll be able to compete by myself. At that point, my husband might be interested in doing the whole thing, or not. We'll find out. But he seems to really enjoy it, which is great because I can talk about my biking and swimming stories and worry less about annoying him.
So it looks like we might register for a sprint this summer, for the Toronto Islands Triathlon. We'll see, I don't want to push him too much, he's just starting running, and I want him to feel comfortable. And to say that last year he was a smoker!!! I'm so proud of him!
In fact, he's the reason why we started biking last year, and that escalated into Aquabiking for me. He decided to buy bikes after he quit smoking, as a reward for his decision (yes, I got rewarded even though all I had to do was endure his bad temper for a couple of weeks. My husband is spoiling me a lot. No complains here!) After that I started swimming again, and heard about aquabike competitions. Since then, there has been ups and down, but my motivation is still there, and I'm really hoping for a first competition this summer.
I think the biggest problem is money! God it's expensive! There's always something missing, or nice to have. And now we're two. But hey, there are other hobbies that are expensive too, and it occupies most of our time, it's a healthy lifestyle, and it's very satisfying. So why not?
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Swimming Form
I forgot to mention that my husband filmed a small part of my performance during the 5000m charity swim on Sunday. So now I know a couple of things that need to be improved!
1-My hands seem to cross over the half of my body. This certainly slows me down.
2-Every 6 kicks or so, I give a bigger kick. I don't know why, and I don't know if it's always the same leg. I'll need a bit more filming to find out more.
The good news is that I can keep the pace throughout the entire swim, and my arms move in a regular motion, both arms are synchronized, and my gliding seems pretty good. My breathing is also good, and I don't precipitate the recovery, meaning that the amount of time that my arms are in the air when I breathe is the same than the other strokes.
I'm pretty happy overall, especially since I haven't had swimming lessons in over 10 years and was afraid I would just be reinforcing bad habits. I will have to ask my husband to film me from time to time to make sure I'm improving!
1-My hands seem to cross over the half of my body. This certainly slows me down.
2-Every 6 kicks or so, I give a bigger kick. I don't know why, and I don't know if it's always the same leg. I'll need a bit more filming to find out more.
The good news is that I can keep the pace throughout the entire swim, and my arms move in a regular motion, both arms are synchronized, and my gliding seems pretty good. My breathing is also good, and I don't precipitate the recovery, meaning that the amount of time that my arms are in the air when I breathe is the same than the other strokes.
I'm pretty happy overall, especially since I haven't had swimming lessons in over 10 years and was afraid I would just be reinforcing bad habits. I will have to ask my husband to film me from time to time to make sure I'm improving!
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Feeling Alive Again!
Yesterday, I went for a long bike ride. Outdoor!!! It was my third bike ride not in front of the T.V. since the start of 2007. 10 perfect degrees (50 f). Lots of wind (40km/h, 50km/h gusts) that seemed to change direction to face me all the time. No sun. Just spring shades of grey and brown.
2 hours and half of pure pleasure. I was far from being fast, averaging 16km/h. I didn't put a lot of miles in (38km, or 23.6 mi). But feeling the wind on my face, getting to see different landscapes, moving and getting somewhere made it the best ride I've had since last summer. I find it's much easier to give a physical effort when you're distracted by other things around you. Don't get me wrong, I pay attention to the road, obstacles, my heart rate, the time and distance. But it's so much easier to push yourself outdoor. Indoor, my demons are catching up too easily with me: "Arg I can't hold that for too long!" Outside, they can't catch me. They vanish in the air. Maybe the wind helped to hold them back yesterday :)
Unfortunately, the next couple of days will not be as nice. Rain and/or snow. So I'll go back to my TV. Oh well, at least I have something to look forward to!
2 hours and half of pure pleasure. I was far from being fast, averaging 16km/h. I didn't put a lot of miles in (38km, or 23.6 mi). But feeling the wind on my face, getting to see different landscapes, moving and getting somewhere made it the best ride I've had since last summer. I find it's much easier to give a physical effort when you're distracted by other things around you. Don't get me wrong, I pay attention to the road, obstacles, my heart rate, the time and distance. But it's so much easier to push yourself outdoor. Indoor, my demons are catching up too easily with me: "Arg I can't hold that for too long!" Outside, they can't catch me. They vanish in the air. Maybe the wind helped to hold them back yesterday :)
Unfortunately, the next couple of days will not be as nice. Rain and/or snow. So I'll go back to my TV. Oh well, at least I have something to look forward to!
Friday, March 09, 2007
Swimming technique
My throat and ear were almost back to normal on Tuesday. I didn't swim on Wednesday (worked for about 12 hours and was exhausted when I arrived home at night), but the rest of my week went normally. biked Tuesday and yesterday, and swam today.
For my swim, I concentrated on my technique and decided to make it very short. I stopped swimming when I realised I was not able to think about what I was doing anymore. It ended up being a very relaxed workout, 1000m instead of my usual 2500m, but one of my fastest 100m swims all the same. Which tells me I'm doing things wrong when I'm not concentrating on my stroke. I usually swim around 1:54/100m, going the fastest I can. I don't go under 1:50/100m. Today, I swam a 1:44/100m, without pushing. All my 100m were below 1:50/100m.
I have to start realising what I'm doing, instead of just doing it. This will make a huge difference in the long term. I still want to train on endurance, especially with my 5000m swim coming in April, but I will have to make sure I break these bad forms habits. At least it's encouraging: I seem to know a couple of things I'm doing wrong when I'm not thinking, so I'm hoping that with a lot of practice I'll get the right movements in my muscle memory!
I'm also thinking about changing my training schedule. Currently my long ride is on Saturday and my straight swim is on Sunday. My rest day is on Monday. I find that Saturdays seem to be bad for my long rides. I always have stuff to do and I'm pretty busy with work as well. I'm thinking of taking Saturdays off and do my long ride on Sundays (especially convenient for long group rides) or Monday, and Swim most likely on Monday if my long ride was on Sunday. I don't really know yet, and it seems a bit brutal to do my long ride right after a rest, instead of building my workout week up to the long ride. I suppose I will have to experiment...
I am considering joining the triathlon club very soon, as I need some advices and also I need a place where I can have group rides and be allowed to use my aero bars! Joining the triathlon club is probably the best thing I should do, as I feel right now I'm just picking information on the internet and try to put it together. I just don't want to spend any money on coaching at this point.
Oh well, I'm learning, and the most important is that I'm enjoying it!
For my swim, I concentrated on my technique and decided to make it very short. I stopped swimming when I realised I was not able to think about what I was doing anymore. It ended up being a very relaxed workout, 1000m instead of my usual 2500m, but one of my fastest 100m swims all the same. Which tells me I'm doing things wrong when I'm not concentrating on my stroke. I usually swim around 1:54/100m, going the fastest I can. I don't go under 1:50/100m. Today, I swam a 1:44/100m, without pushing. All my 100m were below 1:50/100m.
I have to start realising what I'm doing, instead of just doing it. This will make a huge difference in the long term. I still want to train on endurance, especially with my 5000m swim coming in April, but I will have to make sure I break these bad forms habits. At least it's encouraging: I seem to know a couple of things I'm doing wrong when I'm not thinking, so I'm hoping that with a lot of practice I'll get the right movements in my muscle memory!
I'm also thinking about changing my training schedule. Currently my long ride is on Saturday and my straight swim is on Sunday. My rest day is on Monday. I find that Saturdays seem to be bad for my long rides. I always have stuff to do and I'm pretty busy with work as well. I'm thinking of taking Saturdays off and do my long ride on Sundays (especially convenient for long group rides) or Monday, and Swim most likely on Monday if my long ride was on Sunday. I don't really know yet, and it seems a bit brutal to do my long ride right after a rest, instead of building my workout week up to the long ride. I suppose I will have to experiment...
I am considering joining the triathlon club very soon, as I need some advices and also I need a place where I can have group rides and be allowed to use my aero bars! Joining the triathlon club is probably the best thing I should do, as I feel right now I'm just picking information on the internet and try to put it together. I just don't want to spend any money on coaching at this point.
Oh well, I'm learning, and the most important is that I'm enjoying it!
Friday, March 02, 2007
Oh Summer, where are thou?
I don't train outdoors during winter. Maybe I'm a chicken, or maybe I have good reasons, like my joints don't like cold and humid weather and usually won't cooperate. I have to say Toronto is not so bad during winter, it could be worse. But it could be better.
I also don't have equipment to ride during cold weather. So I've been biking on my fluid trainer since November! At least it's still training with my bike, but I really miss the wind, the trees, the sun on my (protected) sooo white skin. At this time of the year, because of the lack of sun, my skin is usually so white it's almost blueish. This year doesn't seem to be as bad, maybe it's because I'm more healthy that I used to be. I miss the sun still. And no, I can't get canned sun, my medication doesn't allow for it.
But the thing I miss the most, is warmth. I love warmth. When it's 35 degrees and everybody is searching for shade and AC, I really enjoy it. Actually, the perfect weather I found so far (I haven't visited so many places in my life), was in Palm Springs, CA. 45 degrees during the day! Loved it! Except for the weird sensation of the skin in your face wanting to crack open when you smile! he he, but I could get used to that! My joints could get used to that too, I felt 100% for the time I was there! I suppose that's why this place is so popular for older people...The warmth and the hot springs.
Oh well, at least I feel good right now, and my joints are ok with all my training so far! :) I'm just hoping that this snow will melt (got some more yesterday) very soon, and that I'll be able to hit the trails! Can't wait for that!
The Groundhog was sooooo wrong! :(
I also don't have equipment to ride during cold weather. So I've been biking on my fluid trainer since November! At least it's still training with my bike, but I really miss the wind, the trees, the sun on my (protected) sooo white skin. At this time of the year, because of the lack of sun, my skin is usually so white it's almost blueish. This year doesn't seem to be as bad, maybe it's because I'm more healthy that I used to be. I miss the sun still. And no, I can't get canned sun, my medication doesn't allow for it.
But the thing I miss the most, is warmth. I love warmth. When it's 35 degrees and everybody is searching for shade and AC, I really enjoy it. Actually, the perfect weather I found so far (I haven't visited so many places in my life), was in Palm Springs, CA. 45 degrees during the day! Loved it! Except for the weird sensation of the skin in your face wanting to crack open when you smile! he he, but I could get used to that! My joints could get used to that too, I felt 100% for the time I was there! I suppose that's why this place is so popular for older people...The warmth and the hot springs.
Oh well, at least I feel good right now, and my joints are ok with all my training so far! :) I'm just hoping that this snow will melt (got some more yesterday) very soon, and that I'll be able to hit the trails! Can't wait for that!
The Groundhog was sooooo wrong! :(
Monday, February 26, 2007
Stiff fingers and headaches
As I was saying in my previous post, I'm used to pain. I just have to adjust to different types of pain.
When I started training, I knew my biggest challenge would be my fingers and wrists. That might sound weird, but hey, I have big joints problems. Knees, elbows, ankles, I can deal with. As long as I can reinforce the muscles around my joints it is not a big deal. My knees are doing great, because my leg muscles are supporting them, so that the pressure doesn't go directly to the joint. The wrists are not so bad, because the exercises I'm doing don't require too much movement from these joints. But how do I reinforce muscles in my hands? HeHe
For strength training, I have to be careful. I still have to find a way to incorporate weights in a way that won't hurt my wrists and fingers. I was thinking of buying wrists/ankles weight straps to perform the same exercises as with weights, or the wrist wraps with hooks in the palm to help hold the weights... I believe this would be the best way to avoid pain. The fingers would be spared as well: the painful part of weight lifting for me is not muscle pain, but finger pain from holding the weights. Or when I try push ups, I can't go over 20. My wrists usually hurt too bad for me to continue for more than that, but my arms are just fine! Very annoying, cause I know I could do much better, it's just my joints aren't cooperating.
Also, when I swim for more than 2000M, my fingers get stiff. I know it's because of the way I'm forcing my fingers to stay together, but I can't do otherwise, or else I'll loose a lot of speed. I'm hoping it will get better with time. Is it a normal thing? I'm not sure this would be due to arthritis...
Another thing...I am getting a couple of bad headaches lately. I don't think it's anything serious, but I'll have to be careful and monitor how long they last, and if they occur only after hard workouts...Yesterday my head was pounding so hard, I cancelled my 2500M straight swim. Just the idea of having goggles around my head sounded horribly painful! Oh well, this is an extra rest day for me. Today is my actual scheduled rest day.
Even though all this stuff doesn't sound very promising, I'm doing great, and I really enjoy it! I actually can't wait to jump on my bike tomorrow. I suppose I just have to be extra careful about what my body tells me. And I am more attentive than I used to be, so I think I'm going in the right direction! Oh, and I try to get more sleep as well. This helps tremendously! As stated on a Trifuel post, sleep is NOT overrated!!
When I started training, I knew my biggest challenge would be my fingers and wrists. That might sound weird, but hey, I have big joints problems. Knees, elbows, ankles, I can deal with. As long as I can reinforce the muscles around my joints it is not a big deal. My knees are doing great, because my leg muscles are supporting them, so that the pressure doesn't go directly to the joint. The wrists are not so bad, because the exercises I'm doing don't require too much movement from these joints. But how do I reinforce muscles in my hands? HeHe
For strength training, I have to be careful. I still have to find a way to incorporate weights in a way that won't hurt my wrists and fingers. I was thinking of buying wrists/ankles weight straps to perform the same exercises as with weights, or the wrist wraps with hooks in the palm to help hold the weights... I believe this would be the best way to avoid pain. The fingers would be spared as well: the painful part of weight lifting for me is not muscle pain, but finger pain from holding the weights. Or when I try push ups, I can't go over 20. My wrists usually hurt too bad for me to continue for more than that, but my arms are just fine! Very annoying, cause I know I could do much better, it's just my joints aren't cooperating.
Also, when I swim for more than 2000M, my fingers get stiff. I know it's because of the way I'm forcing my fingers to stay together, but I can't do otherwise, or else I'll loose a lot of speed. I'm hoping it will get better with time. Is it a normal thing? I'm not sure this would be due to arthritis...
Another thing...I am getting a couple of bad headaches lately. I don't think it's anything serious, but I'll have to be careful and monitor how long they last, and if they occur only after hard workouts...Yesterday my head was pounding so hard, I cancelled my 2500M straight swim. Just the idea of having goggles around my head sounded horribly painful! Oh well, this is an extra rest day for me. Today is my actual scheduled rest day.
Even though all this stuff doesn't sound very promising, I'm doing great, and I really enjoy it! I actually can't wait to jump on my bike tomorrow. I suppose I just have to be extra careful about what my body tells me. And I am more attentive than I used to be, so I think I'm going in the right direction! Oh, and I try to get more sleep as well. This helps tremendously! As stated on a Trifuel post, sleep is NOT overrated!!
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Toe Cramps Anybody?
My workouts have been great this week! I've followed my plan, except for two skipped Yoga sessions. I'm feeling great, in control, nothing can stop me....except these toe cramps in the water!!
OK I have arthritis, and I'm used to have pain. But that is killing me.
When I started to swim seriously again a couple of months ago, it was actually worse than it is now. So I'm hoping it will continue to get better. I've tried a couple of things already.
When it happens in the water, I used to stop right away, and tried massages. Ouch! It's like torture. And the minute you think it's gone, it comes back! I've had a couple lasting about 10 minutes. Getting out of the water and into the whirlpool doesn't seem to help either. I also tried ignoring it and continue swimming. Easy to say! It passed eventually, and faster than the massage actually, but still a painful couple of lengths! I figured the best way to stop them is to do nothing and relax my feet. That works better. It lasts only a couple of minutes.
I have to find a way to prevent these cramps. What is causing them? Maybe arthritis has a role to play in it...Maybe I'm pointing my feet too much. But I really don't think so. Anyway, I'm trying to relax a bit more my feet and I didn't get any in the last two swimming sessions.
I also read that a lack of calcium can cause these cramps, so I will be more careful about my dairies intake.
Click on the link for an interesting site I found about cramps in general. Do you get any of these? Let me know if you have any tricks of your own to help!
Anyway, that's it for my toes story, next time I'll talk about my fingers! (no joke)
OK I have arthritis, and I'm used to have pain. But that is killing me.
When I started to swim seriously again a couple of months ago, it was actually worse than it is now. So I'm hoping it will continue to get better. I've tried a couple of things already.
When it happens in the water, I used to stop right away, and tried massages. Ouch! It's like torture. And the minute you think it's gone, it comes back! I've had a couple lasting about 10 minutes. Getting out of the water and into the whirlpool doesn't seem to help either. I also tried ignoring it and continue swimming. Easy to say! It passed eventually, and faster than the massage actually, but still a painful couple of lengths! I figured the best way to stop them is to do nothing and relax my feet. That works better. It lasts only a couple of minutes.
I have to find a way to prevent these cramps. What is causing them? Maybe arthritis has a role to play in it...Maybe I'm pointing my feet too much. But I really don't think so. Anyway, I'm trying to relax a bit more my feet and I didn't get any in the last two swimming sessions.
I also read that a lack of calcium can cause these cramps, so I will be more careful about my dairies intake.
Click on the link for an interesting site I found about cramps in general. Do you get any of these? Let me know if you have any tricks of your own to help!
Anyway, that's it for my toes story, next time I'll talk about my fingers! (no joke)
Friday, February 16, 2007
I'm back
It's been two months since I've checked anything not work related on the internet, which is quite unusual. I used to go nuts if I didn't read my usual blogs and news sites daily!
Ok, when I started this blog, I thought I could be consistent, and write regularly... It lasted one month. For my defense, I have to say that a lot happened lately and writing about it didn't seem to be a priority.
I still get trifuel newsletters, and started catching up today.
Now that things are (kind of) back to normal, I want to take more time to write about it. I'm not promising I will write every day, but it won't be months between posts anymore.
At the start of the year, my best friend from childhood (also my cousin's high school sweetheart), got into a snowmobile accident in Quebec. She had a broken scapula and a headache. The hospital sent her home...Two nights after that, her parents found her having convulsions in her bed, she was transferred to a trauma centre. Her brain had swelled and there was excess liquid. She got brain surgery, and they plunged her in an induced coma. We had no idea if she would survive. If she was to survive, the possibilities of long term disabilities were there. There were a lot of complications, we didn't really know what to expect.
After a week, she finally woke up, and, although very confused at the beginning, she came back all herself! Some physiotherapy to do, but the doctors are saying that there will be no permanent damage! What a scare! I have to say it changes perspectives...
I was also extremely busy at work, the real estate market in the Greater Toronto Area is really picking up!
Now for the training. Well, I've had ups and downs. It has been hard to incorporate regular training in my schedule. Not that I don't have time, I know I can find time for it. I've made plans, but I believe I've left too much room for unexpected stuff. I am better when I force myself to stick to something. It's a good thing I just bike and swim!
There's also the health part, I've had a couple of bad joints days, a result from the stress, and a delay of a couple of days for getting my medication. When that happens, it takes me a while to move again. I know it will be better as soon as I start moving, but at the same time the kick needed to get up and do it is huge!
So I've been doing maybe 3 workouts on average per week, which is far from being enough. Swimming here and there, biking sometimes, cardio-muscular workouts and some yoga. I've signed up for a 5000M charity swim for April. So I have to get serious. I know I can do that. I won't be so fast (I expect 1:30 to 1:40), but I'll do it. This is the Foresters' Swim for Arthritis, if you are interested in sponsoring me.
So, here's my plan for the next 2 months (reduce by 60% every 4 weeks for rest):
Monday Rest
Tuesday 6:30am Swim Drills + speed 2000m
Wednesday 6:30am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + short bike (40-60 minutes)
Thursday 6:30am Swim Drills + speed 2000m
Friday 6:30am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + short bike (40-60 minutes)
Saturday 9:00am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + long bike (1:30-3:00)
Sunday 9:00am Swim 2000m straight
Add yoga every night at 10:00 before bed.
I know this is not much compared to some of you hardcore guys, but this is hardcore for me! :o)
I'll let you know how it goes.
Ok, when I started this blog, I thought I could be consistent, and write regularly... It lasted one month. For my defense, I have to say that a lot happened lately and writing about it didn't seem to be a priority.
I still get trifuel newsletters, and started catching up today.
Now that things are (kind of) back to normal, I want to take more time to write about it. I'm not promising I will write every day, but it won't be months between posts anymore.
At the start of the year, my best friend from childhood (also my cousin's high school sweetheart), got into a snowmobile accident in Quebec. She had a broken scapula and a headache. The hospital sent her home...Two nights after that, her parents found her having convulsions in her bed, she was transferred to a trauma centre. Her brain had swelled and there was excess liquid. She got brain surgery, and they plunged her in an induced coma. We had no idea if she would survive. If she was to survive, the possibilities of long term disabilities were there. There were a lot of complications, we didn't really know what to expect.
After a week, she finally woke up, and, although very confused at the beginning, she came back all herself! Some physiotherapy to do, but the doctors are saying that there will be no permanent damage! What a scare! I have to say it changes perspectives...
I was also extremely busy at work, the real estate market in the Greater Toronto Area is really picking up!
Now for the training. Well, I've had ups and downs. It has been hard to incorporate regular training in my schedule. Not that I don't have time, I know I can find time for it. I've made plans, but I believe I've left too much room for unexpected stuff. I am better when I force myself to stick to something. It's a good thing I just bike and swim!
There's also the health part, I've had a couple of bad joints days, a result from the stress, and a delay of a couple of days for getting my medication. When that happens, it takes me a while to move again. I know it will be better as soon as I start moving, but at the same time the kick needed to get up and do it is huge!
So I've been doing maybe 3 workouts on average per week, which is far from being enough. Swimming here and there, biking sometimes, cardio-muscular workouts and some yoga. I've signed up for a 5000M charity swim for April. So I have to get serious. I know I can do that. I won't be so fast (I expect 1:30 to 1:40), but I'll do it. This is the Foresters' Swim for Arthritis, if you are interested in sponsoring me.
So, here's my plan for the next 2 months (reduce by 60% every 4 weeks for rest):
Monday Rest
Tuesday 6:30am Swim Drills + speed 2000m
Wednesday 6:30am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + short bike (40-60 minutes)
Thursday 6:30am Swim Drills + speed 2000m
Friday 6:30am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + short bike (40-60 minutes)
Saturday 9:00am cardio (warmup) strenght workout + long bike (1:30-3:00)
Sunday 9:00am Swim 2000m straight
Add yoga every night at 10:00 before bed.
I know this is not much compared to some of you hardcore guys, but this is hardcore for me! :o)
I'll let you know how it goes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
