Alright followers, athletes, clients and potential clients – I will be announcing a new selection of services and an updated schedule for the 2017 season within the next couple of weeks. What can you expect? Coming for 2017 you can look for the following:
In the running department:
5k, 5-mile, 10k, 10-mile, half-marathon, and marathon training plans
In the triathlon department:
Sprint, Olympic, half-ironman and ironman training plans
In the swim department:
Swim-specific training designed to improve your swim efficiency and times – whether it be for a triathlon or just for the sake of getting better at swimming!
These are plans that I have designed, that will then be catered to you – your goals and the level you are at now. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me – that’s what I’m here for!
I planned ahead in ways aside from my Tuesday morning workout – as in, I knew things were probably going to be running behind no matter what I did, so that made it a prime day for a test set workout. It was time for me to do one anyway – perfect!
The assignment:
Warm-up set:
400 swim
300 kick (100 w/board, 100 w/fins on back, 100 w/fins side kick)
200 pull
8×50 on :55 build (essentially, 15 seconds of rest)
Test set:
8×100 on 3:00 AFAP
(1:23)
(1:23)
(1:23)
(1:22)
(1:23)
(1:23)
(1:23)
(1:24)
Cool-down set:
100 easy kick
300 cool-down
So yea. Consistent. Which is good. But it definitely was not the *absolute* fastest I could do – I think my Monday morning workout (I switched my rest day to Sunday this week) combined with shoveling in the afternoon might have used up a little – just a little – of my energy. I was feeling a bit tired, so I was surprised that I managed even this. So I am pleased. Ultimately, however, I’d like to see this set done in the 1:18-1:19 range, working my way down from there.
The goal was to focus on form as I fatigued. Which I did, I really did. Or I tried. Especially the last couple – but that’s when my shoveling arm flipped me the bird. Or two. But I fought back, told it to keep reaching, rotating, keeping it’s elbow high on the catch, keep pulling, and to suck it up.
We made it through, and performed fairly well. On to the next one!
This post is taken from my post-workout Strava post this morning – my Strava posts have been blog-post-worthy as of late, so I thought I would share, as I feel maybe some of the little tidbits could prove lesson-learning for more individuals than just myself…
It never fails – if you have a day where you are not particularly stellar in the nutrition department, the workout the following morning will also be not particularly stellar. However, this morning it definitely could have been much worse, because I really didn’t do that bad. My brain just didn’t want to show up today.
Ok. The workout:
400 warm-up
1×500 on 8:00 descending pace each 100 (this was actually pretty good)
5×100 on 1:40
4×50 on 1:00 drill/swim – stroke
4×100 on 2:00 IM (there was a time when I wasn’t able to hold this interval, and I can now and I did today, so that’s good – kept each under 1:30)
4×100 on 2:00 kick – no board (I didn’t want to stick my face in the water anymore and I was hot so I used a board) (and of course I don’t use fins)
10×50 on :55 25 build + 25 fast
3×100 on 1:40 50 build + 50 fast
4×50 on 1:05 kick – no board (F it, I used a board)
400 cool-down
Definitely feeling stronger, so much so that even on the days when my mind doesn’t particularly feel inclined to show up, I can still churn out a good workout. Now if my mind could start showing up more often!
Also – the pool was too hot today, Strava. Why has it been so hot lately? I know I’m gonna get warmed up and sweat and everything, but sheesh.
It’s that time of year. The time of year when daylight lessens and temperatures are dropping, and wait a minute. That’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about running. More specifically – I’m talking about time on the treadmill. Getting the wheels moving, greasing them, priming them, and getting them fully prepared for next season. I’m talking about dusting off the inner speed demon and getting her ready to roll.
That’s what time of year it is. I might really enjoy cold weather running (ok, so maybe not all of the time) but this is the perfect time to take to the inside, to the treadmill. It livens things up a bit, instead of continually drudging out miles on a cold and windy and rainy or snowy day.
I totally want this car. But keeping to my analogy – this was me (in the works!) this morning; polishing up the speed demon!
I have not laid down some speed in quite some time, and the feeling of this was quite evident as I turned my legs over for my workout this morning. It was not a bad feeling, just a feeling of, ‘oh, hey, we’ve haven’t done this in awhile and we’re not very efficient at it’. Yes, there may have been cobwebs, there may have been dust, but like a well-kept ’67 Camaro that hasn’t been fired up in quite some time and emits a cloud of exhaust upon starting but then…it purrs along beautifully. Yes, today I was a ’67 Camaro (ok, so that may not be the best analogy, but it’s what came to me and the Camaro is my dream car so it’ll have to do for now).
Ok. Enough chatter. What was the prescription for today? After a thorough warm-up, it was time for some incline intervals as follows:
3 minutes run, 1 minute recovery at 0%
3 minutes run, 1 minute recovery at 1%
3 minutes run, 1 minute recovery at 2%
3 minutes run, 1 minute recovery at 3%
3 minutes run, 1 minute recovery at 0%
Each run interval must be completed at the same pace, and there must be no walking on the recovery – if you feel the need to walk, you are going too fast. The goal is to be aggressive, but controlled and consistent. When you get to that last interval – 0% – it feels like you are going downhill. It is awesome.
After I did these, I gave myself a walking recovery lap, and then hammered out some 400’s at a pace faster than I had completed the incline intervals – time to bring it home and finish it out!
Now to stay consistent with it – next week should bring 4 minute intervals, if I am diligent enough and get in my earlier-in-the-week speed routine (it was 24×200 this week). We’ll see how it goes, and maybe I will even stay consistent with my reporting back! Hang on to your hats but don’t hold your breath!
‘Tis the changing of the seasons, when the feted summer equinox transitions into the beloved autumnal equinox, there begins a diminution of daylight and temperatures, the air becomes crisp and fresh, and seasonal flora abounds in its’ last flourish of color.
Fall ride!
Yes, it is that blissful time of year known as fall. Great for running, for hiking, for scenic foliage rides, for, well, doing anything outside! As any season is, really. But what is it that makes fall so special? Because autumn is a true transition between phases (seasons) of life, and that is a beautiful, beautiful, place to be. Permit me a moment to reference a quote (for which I cannot find an owner) that I deem most fitting:
“The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go.”
So if you find yourself lamenting fall, lamenting the coming of winter, remember this. It is a true time of change, of refreshment, a time that you are given regardless of who you are or what you do or what you want to do. It is a grace everyone receives. Isn’t that something? You can fit this to any situation you have. If you want to apply it to the world of fitness and performance training – it is the end of a season, and it is time to reflect back upon it, move forward from it, and head into winter knowing that this is the time to grow and prepare for the next season, the next year. Had some disappointments this past year?
Perfect time to take to the trails!
Don’t worry about those, don’t let them take away from your potential to do more, to continue to improve. Had your best year ever? That’s great, but don’t stop there. Keep going.
Not everything will be perfect and great all of the time, nor will everything be bad and awful all of the time. So, as we begin the perfectly lovely month of October and march without hesitation into fall and the oncoming winter, remember this. Remember what this season is for – and it’s not just for the trees and leaves – it’s for you, too. A time of change. A time to get ready and mold yourself into the beautiful things to come for next year. Enjoy this blissFALL time of year, and get ready to do something amazing!
Your perception goes a long way here, so…what do you want to do?
I have found myself prescribing this exercise to many people as of late, as I have become quite a fan of it. It is great for strengthening the posterior side of the body (glutes, hamstrings, low back), while simultaneously stretching out the front of the body, predominantly the muscles of hip flexion (iliacus and psoas major), as well as the quadriceps and thorax. It also serves as a great way to practice/learn how to stabilize the center of the body during movement, as the hips should not sink or dip to the unsupported side while performing this exercise. Use the breath as your guide (inhaling deeply first into the belly pulling the breath down into the pelvis, then the sides of the abdomen, then the back, and lastly into the chest). Inhale and lift, exhale and release the foot back down. It is best to start with a small number of reps – 4 to 5 each side – and work up to being able to perform 10-12 quality, good, steady, reps on each side. Then you will be ready for the next step in your strengthening journey!
I know, I’m pretty irregular here. But hey, I work, and my effort goes there – to the people I train. I’m not a flashy sales person, so if you’re looking for a coach that’s flashy and spends a lot of time being flashy – you had better look elsewhere. Otherwise, if you want no-nonsense and just plain informed coaching from someone who has an actual educational background in what they are doing, you’re in the right spot.
However! I digress.
This post is about eating, and how to enjoy it with all of those enjoyable foods that are out there. Or, how I do it, at least. And maybe it will prove to be some food for thought for you as well (pun intended).
It is rare for someone to see me without food in my mouth, and there are times when that food is something on the sweet side of things – and I’m not talking about fruit. I am not afraid to admit that I love foods such as ice cream, cookies, cake – and of course, peppermint patties.
So how do I do it? How do eat these things, how do I incorporate them into my day without going overboard? I budget. I know that the chances of myself consuming something on the sweet side of things is pretty high, so I allot for that. Whenever I have my morning tea, I also have two peppermint patties (the small ones). The days that I have my tea in the afternoon, I have two peppermint patties and a cookie. Boom. Done. Sweetness accounted for; just a little does the trick. But what happens when I am tempted with more, such as today – cake AND donuts! What do I do?! I make some swaps. Today, it worked out quite well, because it was an afternoon tea day. I had the cake (it wasn’t that big of a piece) with my lunch, and I saved the half of the rather plain donut I took to have with my tea -instead of the two mini peppermint patties and the cookie. There. Sweets incorporated, balance maintained.
It is unfortunately all too common for people to think that they need to completely abolish sweets from the dietary routine. I’m sorry, but I just cannot condone this type of dietary restriction. If you like sweets, and you know that if you do not eat them you’ll end up going overboard on them, BUDGET them into your daily consumption. Just a little. That will do the trick. That is much better than saying you won’t eat any sweets – which might last a couple of days, maybe – and then you start getting cravings, can’t take it anymore, and then over-indulge. Come on now. Does that sound sustainable and successful? No. No it does not. One a day. That’s it. You can do that. That’s what I do. And if I am tempted with more, I make swaps. It really is not difficult. The rest of my daily consumption is filled with all sorts of good-for-you things. Hey, I love vegetables too, and I certainly get my fair share in. It is prime garden harvest season, after all. Enjoy it!
You don’t have to agree with me on this. It is just my take on things, how I balance everything in my daily consumption out. Yes, it does require a little bit of discipline, and no one can instill that in you, but balance is possible. You can do it.
Wednesday, June 1st is National Running Day.
What are YOU going to be doing?! How are YOU going to be MOVING?!
Get out there, get your kids out there, get anyone and everyone you know out there. Use this as a spring board back into fitness, or back into a training plan. It doesn’t have to be a lot. In fact, starting with a little is just perfect – especially if you’re just getting back into it. And if you are a seasoned runner – get out there and see where the road (or trail!) will take you! No better way to celebrate National Running Day and the start of the summer months than getting outside and getting moving – because we are MADE2MOVE!
Pledge, make the commitment, and start putting one foot in front of the other on a steady path to success. http://globalrunningday.org/…
“With a seated society comes a toxic mind: because our bodies are still, our minds are racing. So, move your body – and still your mind.”
How much do you really accomplish with a racing mind? How good do you really feel constantly sitting?
Yes, I know, sometimes sitting is warranted.
Let’s get past that point, and back to the main one – how good do you really feel with both of those going on? Not. Good. Why don’t you feel good, and why is your mind racing? Because your body is giving you some subconscious signals to get up and do something, to get up and move, because – you guessed it – it was MADE2MOVE!!!!! SO MOVE!!!! Send some freshly oxygenated blood up to your brain and you’ll be amazed at the productivity that comes over you, the focus, the energy, the calm (yes, both of these) and how much better you feel.
It might even become…addicting!
Made2Move Performance Training is not just about triathlons, or marathons, or swimming – it’s about training and moving the human body however you want to do it; to improve your ability to move and the way you feel. It’s about adopting a lifestyle of movement. Of health. Of enjoyment.
I get asked a lot of questions about swimming: questions about kicking, about pulling, and about…breathing.
A client happened to ask one of these questions about breathing the other day, and I thought it would be fitting to share with everyone else my take on the question…
The question in this case revolved around both inhaling AND exhaling when turning to breathe – and yes, if you attempt both at the same time you will indeed end up swallowing and inhaling water. Only one thing should happen as you turn your head (read as: your entire body) to breathe, and that is…breathe! As in inhale!
Ok! For the response of Coach Tina and Made2Move Performance Training:
Relax.
Relax, relax, relax.
This will steady your breathing rhythm in the pool; just as in running and walking, your inhalations and exhalations should occur evenly and naturally. What does this mean? Exhale under water (NO BREATH HOLDING EVER!), and inhale as you turn your head (again: body – rotation is paramount for proper breathing) to the side, usually every three strokes. You do not have to exhale solely through your nose. Do some people say that this is how you should do it? Yes. But even some Olympic greats will admit that they do not. I know that I do not – I do a combination of nose and mouth. It may be that you need to breathe every two strokes, but if you find yourself breathing EVERY stroke (with the exception of doing super-fast anaerobic sprints and you are on #15 out of 20), then you are not permitting your body to develop a relaxed, even, rhythm. Breathing every stroke can be compared to breathing with every foot strike while running – imagine inhaling when your right foot hits the ground and exhaling when your left foot hits the ground. You’d be pooped in no time! Not very efficient.
Don’t over-think it (easier said than done, I know!); just let it happen. And yes, you may at times swallow and/or inhale water. Even the pros still do that. But it need not be a lot. This is where a good rotation, reach, and high elbow come in handy!
Made2Move Performance Training 