Open Water Swimming in the Off-Season

There is something unique to open water swimming and many people think that you just can't replicate it in the pool.  Well, today I think I figured out how to do it.  Here are my simple steps:

1) Find a swimmer who is faster than you.
2) Split a lane with said swimmer.
3) Ask said swimmer to swim butterfly with a 5 sec. lead-off from you.
4) Watch the wake form and get into it!

See...it's simple.

I came up with this strategy by accident today.  The pool was busy so my swimming partner and I had to share a lane for our workout.  He's faster than me and can swim a lot more of stroke during the workout.  Even with a 5 second lead-off, I still felt like I was struggling in his wake a few times during the workout.  Though I apparently paid that back to him a few times when we would have the timing off for our flip turns.  As I was going into mine, he was coming out of his which meant he got to deal with my wake for a chance.

For our workout we did the following:

Warm up swim - 600 yds
Set 1 - 500 yd Ladder
His version: 25 fly, 50 back, 75 fly,back,breast, 100 IM, 100 free, 75 fly,back,breast, 50 back, 25 fly
My version: 25 free, 50 free/back, 75 free,free,breast, 100 pull, 100 pull, 75 free,free,breast, 50 free,back, 25 free
Set 2 - Pull 250yd to 300yd
Set 3 - 6 x 50 yds 3 on 60 sec and 3 on 55 sec
Cooldown swim - 100 yds

This year has been a great swimming year for me.  I did have a few months where I swam less than I would have liked as I adjusted to a new work position but I think that I've got that balanced back out now.  I'm looking forward to another great year for swimming in 2014.  As 2013 comes to a close, I have to thank one of my sponsors, TriSwim products, for the awesome support this year.  My hair and skin has felt great all year and I have TriSwim to thank for that.  No green hair for this girl...TriSwim gets the chlorine out and keeps my skin itch-free!

What makes you stronger!

This morning was the Bentonville Half Marathon training group's third group run. At just the 3rd week of the program, we are at a distance of two miles. For many in the group this is their first time to commit to a running program and two miles is a challenge. 

The route that we tackled included the Compton Gardens portion of our local running trail.  This section of the trail also happens to be part of the last mile of the race course too.  The fun part of this route is that you get to run downhill only to hit the turn around point and go back up! Before each group run, our coach Mike Rush goes over pointers and call outs for the participants.  Today he talked about a key form mistake a lot of us make...running with tension. His tips were to make sure you dropped those shoulders and relaxed the tension in your back. 

Once we were out on the run the Rush team split up through out the group to encourage and support the participants. I ended up with my buddy Jody and we had fun encouraging others as we ran. We tried to say good job or something similar to everyone we passed. When we hit the hill we were the chattiest ones trying to take people's minds off the hill. Sometimes running can be mental and you just need a distraction! I tried my hardest to get someone to cross the top of the hill with their arms up a la Rocky but got no takers. 

After running the training group in, I had 2.78 miles on my watch which was way less than my target mileage for the day.  I took a quick break to use the potty and get a sip of water then headed back out.  Originally I wanted to add on enough to hit 5 miles and I headed in a direction to accommodate that. Then I decided to continue on to hit 6 miles and ended up making it to 6.5 miles with my route choices. I quickly headed home and got Sidney geared up to run with me.

Sidney got a new gentle leader harness for Christmas and these are the best harnesses for her. She loves going on runs and just ran with joy the minute we got out the door.  I needed another 2.5 miles to hit my 9 mile goal for the day.  The thing about running from my house is that there are hills in every direction.  I decided on a route that would take me down and then back up one of the biggest hills.  Going down was a breeze...but coming back up was slow going. I swear my dog stopped a couple of times and looked back at me with a look that said, "seriously are you even moving!" I was slow but I conquered that hill.  

That's the thing about hills...the more you train on them the easier they become.  Hills truly make you a stronger runner and that is why Mike Rush has the training group run on the hills in the course. Back to Mike's tip about relaxing the shoulders and tension...I noticed on my run with Sidney that no matter the terrain she ran with joy and happiness. That pup had no tension in her little body! I should take lessons from her, especially since she beat me up that hill! 

It's a Rush Running Christmas!

Last night was the Annual Rush Running Holiday Party! Every year, our running team gets together to celebrate the year and have a fun dinner before the holidays.  This year we have expanded the team so it was fun to have a chance to get to spend time with some of our newer team members.

Around Halloween I came up with an idea.  It stuck in my head and I envisioned greatness...but I didn't know how to execute the idea.  I reached out to the team and to a photographer friend for help.  From the team, I collected pictures from everyone's racing and training throughout the year.  And then a smaller group of us went to work on a more technical part of the surprise...recording some audio.  Here's the finished product!

We managed to keep this video a secret from Mike.  He was surprised and liked this surprise quite a bit more than his official introduction into Marathon Maniacs club which was the 2nd surprise gift for him.

I owe a huge thanks to my friend Chuck who compiled the audio into one file and laid the track over the instrumental version of the song.  I also owe huge thanks to Matt who wrote the lyrics and served as lead vocals on the song.

Our coach, Mike Rush, is a true magnet for change.  He has been a driving factor in changing the face of running in our community.  We have so many more people out and running and so many more races now because of his store and the influence he has had within our community.  He has given me all the kicks in the butt that I have needed throughout the last 5 years of running and he has lifted me up with praise for all my accomplishments too.  I can't tell you enough how lucky each of us on the team feel to be a part of this group.  And to shout out praise for his store and staff...together they all accomplished being one of the top 4 running stores in the US as announced last week at The Running Event in Austin.  We're super proud of them and of course all figuring out how to catapult them to the number one spot that we all think they deserve!!!

What Not to Wear...Snow Day Run Edition!

Thursday I headed home from work like the rest of Northwest Arkansas...EARLY...you see winter weather was coming! Light sleet started around mid-morning and by 2:00 our offices were nearly deserted.  I packed up my computer and made the slow drive home on the slippery roads.  It was just in time as the big hill I have to get up was starting to ice over and at least one car in front of me slid off the road.  I made it home just fine and prepared for the rest of the weather to hit.  It began to snow around 4:00 and it was gorgeous fluffy snow.

Today I woke up to a blanket of snow covering everything.  I quickly shoveled the driveway so that any slush was scooped off before the super cold temps arrive overnight tonight.  Around mid-morning, Facebook started to blow up with pictures of people and their kids out playing in the snow.  And then Chuck, owner of the local race photography company Podium Images and a friend, posted a photo of himself out running in the snow.

Chuck forgot some of the basic rules of winter running...dress for the weather!  His ensemble did include a hat and scarf to ward off the chilly winter weather but other than that all he remembered to put on was a pair of briefs and his running shoes.

Chuck this video might help prepare you better for your next snow run!

In truth, Chuck took opportunity of a gorgeous snowy setting to take a fun photo and I trust that he really does know how to properly dress for a wintery, snow run! If you are local to NWA...it is highly likely that Chuck and his beautiful wife Janet have taken your picture at one of our local races.  Consider following them on Facebook here as they always provide links via their page to new race galleries where you can view and purchase great race pictures!

Back to today...what was great about today was seeing people post pics or comments about getting out into the snow to still get their runs in for the day.  I started my day on the bike trainer to get indoor cardio but by 4:30 all of my friend's posts had motivated me to get on my winter gear and get in a little jog before it got dark.  Sidney and I got 2 miles in which isn't much but it was refreshing to be out there and the crunch of shoes on the snow isn't something I get to hear too often on my runs here in Arkansas! For the run, we went and checked out the two street options to get down off the hill that my neighborhood sits on.  Both streets are about 1/2 mile from mine and both still look to be under heavy ice conditions.  I saw mostly pick up trucks and 4WD vehicles out on the roads.

This brings me to my final tip for the day and it deals with running on roads in poor winter conditions...when you see a car STOP completely and step off the side of the road.  Remove yourself as a distraction for that driver because if they start to steer or make sudden movements they are more likely to skid and lose control of the vehicle putting you on the sidelines in danger.  Once they are past you, resume running.  This method makes me feel safer so it's what I do!

If you have similar winter weather in your neck of the woods this weekend, stay safe and warm and remember to put on those Yak Trax and get out there for a fun snow day run!

Saturday Snapshots

Here's a few snapshots from my day yesterday!

For my job, we have a Saturday Morning Meeting once a month and yesterday was our work day for November.  Sunrise was so gorgeous on my way in that I had to stop and pull over to take a picture!

The meeting runs from 7:30 - 9:30 and varies each month with a focus around a particular leadership topic.  Yesterday was Exceed Your Customer's Expectations.  One segment of the meeting had me almost crying as the company provided an update on Wreaths Across America.  It is such a heartwarming program and it was very difficult to hear the story of one family's loss of their son and what the program means to them.

From the meeting I headed straight to the gym.  I had scheduling challenges on Friday and wasn't able to do my arm workout.  It was busy in the gym but luckily I was able to get through the workout quickly.  The workout only required one machine and then the rest I was able to do with dumbbells.

I had booked my day very tight and had to get ready at the gym to make it to the next event on time...a baby shower for a friend.  Unfortunately when I packed for the day I forgot to pack a towel.  Good thing I was able to scrounge up $0.75 for a towel at the gym.  Lesson learned though because that towel was scratchy so I'll definitely try not to make that mistake again.

I headed out to the baby shower and got to enjoy Mimosas and Fried Chicken! The mom-to-be wanted Popeyes Chicken for her party so that's what we had.  I was thankful that they had ordered chicken tenders options too since I don't like to eat food on bones.  I've always been terrified of choking which is why I've never been a fan of fried chicken.

The party ended a little after 1:00 and I had some time to kill before the next event.  I have somehow misplaced my running headlamp so it was off to Rush Running to pick up a new one.  Then I headed to Hobby Lobby because I'm ready for the holidays.  I really wanted to make a wreath so I took my time shopping for supplies.  My vision changed slightly...I was originally going to go with a burlap look but the sparkle won me over plus the burlap wasn't on sale and you just can't buy things at Hobby Lobby unless they are on sale!

I knew that I wanted to put a big S inside the wreath and love how mine turned out.  I started with a plain wooden S, painted it lime green, and then hot glued some sequin foam balls onto the S in a mixed pattern.  I think the wreath turned out cute but I wasn't as even with the tulle around the frame as I would have liked.  Towards the end I figured out how to hang the wreath up so that it was easier to work with which is something I should have done during the phase when I was layering the tulle on the frame.

I skipped ahead...after my shopping trip, I headed to the Triple Threat Racing Kona Watch party and had fun catching up with fellow triathletes and watching some of the race.  I didn't actually craft my wreath until after I got home from the party!

All in all it was a busy Saturday and I was in bed early!

Plyos in the Park

Last week I met up with Aly from Triple Threat Racing for a plyometric workout.  I met her at her house for some backyard patio torture! Her patio surface is as she describes the perfect height for plyometric exercises.  The goal of meeting up with her was to learn the proper form and technique for the exercises so that when she puts them into my training plan I'll know what to do!

Today my schedule called for this type of workout.  I packed my gym bag with a couple of options this morning with the intention to do the workout after work.  Over the weekend I had scouted out locations for where I could do a plyometric workout.  You need a sturdy surface that is about knee height (or slightly higher) off the ground.  I found that one of our parks off the downtown square has a retaining wall that is the perfect height.  And for an added bonus the playground has a squishy rubber deck that feels much softer than concrete or even the ground.  

I headed out at lunch to run an errand and the sunlight inspired me to go ahead and get the workout done early.  Lucky again for me is that the Downtown Activity Center is centrally located between my office and the errand I was running so I just zipped over there and got changed.  As I was getting ready I made a discovery that could have been a fatal error for my workout plan.  I forgot to pack socks! I solved this momentary crisis by stopping at my car for money and then changing my warm-up run route to go past the local cycling shop Phat Tire.  I quickly picked out a pair of socks, put them on, and then got back to my warm-up.

I arrived at the park and was relieved that there weren't any kids around to make me feel guilty for borrowing their play space.  I began the workout and enjoyed the cool temps and warm sunlight.  It was a perfect Fall day even though the temps were cold.

It didn't take long for the workout to have me working up a sweat.  The most challenging part of the workout came when it was time for Side to Side Push Offs.  This picture shows me doing them at Aly's house using a bucket for the center surface.

Photo courtesy of Aly at @TripTRacing

I had to do some creative thinking since I didn't have a bucket! I found a platform on the playground that was a triangle that had a narrow enough spot to work.  It wasn't as high as the bucket but the intention was the same.

The workout ended with tuck jumps.  Last week I struggled to do the tuck jumps and stay in place.  I moved around tons doing them...not very far but I was definitely not landing in the same spot each time.  Today I was able to focus on the grid playground surface and keep myself in the same box for each set.  I tried to control my cheerleader arms on the tuck jumps but the photo is proof I had them up in the air!

I was surprised that I had worked up such a sweat in the cold air and wasn't really prepared for that.  I returned to the activity center and for some reason didn't take in any toiletries or hair products.  I got re-dressed in my work clothes and when I got to the car I was grossed out at how sweaty my hair line was.  I towel dried it as best I could with a towel from my swim bag and then kept the windows down slightly for the return drive to work.  It eventually dried but my hair was pretty flat and lifeless the rest of the day.  I had a hairdryer with me in the car but again I don't know why I didn't think to take that bag into the activity center.

I anticipate I'll repeat this workout and process in the future and will learn from this mistake.  Hair dryer and flat iron will be part of my locker room gear!

Have you tried plyometric workouts?  Aly tells me that they'll make me stronger and I'm giving it a whirl.  It's definitely a change from just a run workout or the boot camp workouts I have done in the past.

It's almost Holiday Bootie Buster Time!

This year marks the 4th year for me to participate in the Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge. This annual challenge is hosted by  Amanda over at Run to the Finish.  Every year she changes it up slightly based on participant feedback.

The challenge is all about motivating yourself to keep active, eat healthy, and avoid holiday weight gain! Here are more details from Amanda.

This 8 week health & fitness challenge is meant to help everyone get a jump start on feeling great for the new year or stay on track with fitness/clean eating goals.  It’s a friendly competition to exercise, eat healthy and even do a little soul work. There are different fitness levels, so everybody can compete with a multitude of ways to earn points. {For some reason those points get you moving!!}

When: Nov 17 - Jan 5

Don't delay...sign up before the challenge starts on the 17th.  If you are like me, you'll quickly be motivated to earn those points.  This challenge always provides me with the extra motivation to get my miles in!  There are three different participation levels, costing $16.50 to $43.50 depending on which you choose.  There's great support on the Facebook page from all of the other participants too.

Here's more on what you can expect in the challenge.

2013 will be another chance for the challenge to grow and mature:

• Over $3,000 in prizes again
• Expert interviews with registered dieticians, world class running coaches, Ironman coaches, physical therapists and more
• Weekly emails with tips pulled from the expert videos
• Facebook support group - This group is like no other! Everyone checks in daily and provides a true support system
• Optional 8 week training plan to get you through the holidays

Are you sold yet???? No, did I mention there are awesome prizes?  Well, there are opportunities to win prizes all through out the challenge. Prizes can range from apparel to product samples to GPS watches! Talk about awesome!!!  Click here to sign up and if you do please mention me for your referral.  Whitney Sutherland!