U.S. Military Academies Turning Into Triathlon Powerhouses
Written by: Jim Gourley
Jim Gourley reports on why the U.S. Military Academies are growing their contributions to the sport of triathlon by turning out stellar cadet triathletes.
Navy won the 2009 Team Collegiate National Championships. Photo: Mario Cantu
In their combined 425 years of existence, the service academies of the U.S. Armed Forces at West Point, Annapolis and Colorado Springs have produced three American presidents, 104 astronauts, more than 100 congressional representatives, senators and ambassadors, a handful of Nobel Prize winners and 156 Medal of Honor recipients. Through their halls have passed some of the greatest military leaders in history and the guardians entrusted to lead our nation’s sons and daughters into battle. With all that under their belt, now they’re adding some triathlon notches to it.
In the last five years, each of the schools approached the sport in manners as unique as their approaches to combat. The results have been dazzling. Navy has produced five professional triathletes and dozens of elite amateurs. West Point has established itself as a powerhouse team on the national collegiate scene, with seven USAT All-Americans and four cadets qualifying for the Ironman 70.3 Championships in Clearwater. Air Force has 54 Ironman finishers in five years and one of the most tech-savvy programs, sending graduates out to promote physical conditioning. All of this may seem par for the course coming from institutions with such brilliant legacies, but it is all the more impressive when you realize how much harder academy life makes it.
It’s a major accomplishment just to get in the door at the academies. An applicant must have a strong academic background with evidence of extracurricular leadership and athletic ability. Applicants must be recommended by their U.S. senator or U.S. representative, who can only have a certain number of appointees attending each institution at one time. Even then, the average acceptance rate hovers at 10 percent of total applicants; about 10,000 to 15,000 apply every year.
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Disguising the grind
Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Age of Conan, EverQuest II, Culture, Game mechanics, Lore, MMO industry, Quests, PvE, Opinion, Hands-on, Virtual worlds
Believe it or not, grind is an essential part of an MMO and we might be pretty lost without it. Repetitive content is the cornerstone of the MMO genre but it’s not all just smacking monsters over the head for hours on end or completing yet another “kill ten rats” quest. The repetitive elements in an MMO give us predictable gameplay in a form we can digest. We don’t feel lost when we pick up a quest because it uses similar mechanics to previous quests we’ve done. From a development standpoint, the amount of time it takes to create new and unique gameplay for an MMO is quite large and it’s just not feasible to churn out unique gameplay with every new piece of content. Instead, developers are forced to re-use the same gameplay mechanics over and over again. So if we genuinely appreciate predictable, repetitive gameplay and it’s not feasible to do otherwise, why are we always so up-in-arms about the evils of grinding?
In this probative opinion piece, I look at why we need repetitive gameplay in MMOs and the various ways developers disguise grind to keep the game entertaining.
Update: Link to page 2 fixed. Thanks Brian!
Continue reading Disguising the grind
Disguising the grind originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Footlocker South Regional Recap
Sveinsson and Lutz capture regional titles in Charlotte, N.C.
Source: Kenny Fried/Footlocker Cross Country Championships
Chelsey Sveinsson of Dallas, Texas, and Craig Lutz of Highland Village, Texas, won the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships (FLCCC) South Regional today. In the girls’ race, Sveinsson, a junior from Greenhill High School, Kathryn Fluehr from Naples, Fla., and Rachel Johnson from Plano, Texas, ran a tight race until Sveinsson took a 100-meter lead late in the race to secure the win in 16:53. Sveinsson qualifies for the National Finals for the third consecutive year, with her second South Regional title.
In the boys’ race, Lutz, a junior at Marcus High School, took charge early on and maintained his lead throughout the entire race, finishing in 14:34. Kirubel Erassa from Grayson, Ga., and Jake Hurysz from Mebane, N.C., followed to claim second and third place respectively.
The top ten boys and the top ten girls in today’s seeded races qualified to compete against runners from the Northeast, Midwest, and West Regional meets in the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships National Finals, on Saturday, Dec.12 at Morley Field, Balboa Park in San Diego, Calif.
Boys Qualifiers
Place Name Hometown High School Time
1) Craig Lutz Highland Village, Texas Marcus High School (11) 14:34
2) Kirubel Erassa Grayson, Ga. Grayson High School (12) 14:43
3) Jake Hurysz Mebane, N.C. Eastern Alamance High School (12) 14:46
4) Matthew Mizereck Tallahassee, Fla. Leon High School (12) 14:51
5) Brandon Lord Hixson, Tenn. Baylor School (12) 14:51
6) Blake Williams Durham, N.C. Northern Durham (11) 14:52
7) Parker Stinson Austin, Texas Cedar Park (12) 14:53
8) Colin Barker Atlantic Beach, Fla. Bishop Kenny (12) 14:53
9) Kevin Dowd Fairfax, Va. Fairfax High School (12) 14:54
10) Brian Atkinson Melbourne Beach, Fla. Melbourne High School (12) 14:57
Girls Qualifiers
Place Name Hometown High School Time
1) Chelsey Sveinsson Dallas, Texas Greenhill School (11) 16:53
2) Kathryn Fluehr Naples, Fla. Community School of Naples (11) 17:09
3) Rachel Johnson Plano, Texas Plano High School (11) 17:10
4) Megan Ferowich Caryville, Tenn. Knoxville Catholic (10) 17:12
5) Shelby Hayes Orlando, Fla. Winter Park High School (12) 17:12
6) Wesley Frazier Raleigh, N.C. Ravenscroft High School (9) 17:17
7) Amanda Russell Cedar Park, Texas Vista Ridge High School (12) 17:19
8) Erika Fluehr Naples, Fla. Community School of Naples (11) 17:20
9) Paige Kvartunas Springfield, Va. West Springfield High School (12) 17:22
10) Grace Tinkey Macon, Ga. First Presbyterian Day School (9) 17:24
Footlocker Midwest Regional Recap
Goethals and Verzbicas capture first place titles in Kenosha, Wis.
Source: Kenny Fried/Footlocker Cross Country Championships
Megan Goethals of Rochester, Mich., and Lukas Verzbicas of Orland Hills, Ill., won the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships (FLCCC) Midwest Regional today. The girls’ race began with a pack of ten runners, led by Goethals, Emily Sisson from Chesterfield, Mo., and Sara Kroll from Westland, Mich. After the two-mile mark, Goethals and Sisson separated from the pack, with Goethals securing the title in 17:24. Five of the top ten finishers are repeat qualifiers for the National Finals. Goethals is a two-time Midwest Regional Champion (2008 and 2009) and Sisson is a four-time qualifier.
In the boys’ race, Verzbicas took an early lead, followed by a small pack of runners, including Walter Schafer from Centennial, Colo., and Tyler Byrne from Georgetown, Ind. Verzbicas crossed the finish line in first place in 15:34, followed by Schafer in 15:41 and Byrne in 15:46.
The top ten boys and the top ten girls in today’s seeded races qualified to compete against runners from the Northest, South and West Regional meets in the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships National Finals, on Saturday, Dec.12 at Morley Field, Balboa Park in San Diego, Calif.
Boys Qualifiers
Place Name Hometown High School Time
1) Lukas Verzbicas Orland Hills, Ill. Carl Sandburg High School (10) 15:34
2) Walter Schafer Centennial, Colo. Cherry Creek High School (12) 15:41
3) Tyler Byrne Georgetown, Ind. North Harrison High School (12) 15:46
4) Nathan Karr Ann Arbor, Mich. Ann Arbor Pioneer High School (12) 15:46
5) Scott Fauble Golden, Colo. Wheat Ridge High School (12) 15:47
6) Martin Grady Burr Ridge, Ill. Fenwick High School (12) 15:47
7) Colby Alexander Strongsville, Ohio Strongsville High School (12) 15:49
8) Ryan Poland Westminster, Colo. Denver Christian High School (12) 15:50
9) Danny Nicolls Parker, Colo. Regis Jesuit High School (12) 15:55
10) Chris Walden Carmel, Ind. Carmel High School (11) 15:55
Girls Qualifiers
Place Name Hometown High School Time
1) Megan Goethals Rochester, Mich. Rochester High School (12) 17:24
2) Emily Sisson Chesterfield, Mo. Parkway Central High School (12) 17:42
3) Katie Flood Des Moines, Iowa Dowling Catholic High School (12) 17:48
4) Ashlie Decker Des Moines, Iowa Dowling Catholic High School (12) 17:51
5) Kelsey Lakowske Boulder, Colo. Boulder High School (11) 17:52
6) Diane Robison Chesterfield, Mo. Parkway Central High School (12) 18:09
7) Sara Kroll Westland, Mich. Livonia Churchill High School (12) 18:15
8) Avery Clifton Topeka, Kan. Washburn Rural High School (12) 18:16
9) Marya Haegler Cascade, Wis. Winnebago Lutheran Academy (12) 18:17
10) Shannon Osika Waterford, Mich. Waterford Mott High School (11) 18:37
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Footlocker Northeast Regional Recap
Cuffe and Miles capture regional titles in Kings Park, New York.
Source: Kenny Fried/Footlocker Cross Country Championships
Aisling Cuffe of Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y., and Brad Miles of Hatfield, Pa., won the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships (FLCCC) Northeast Regional today. In the girls’ race, Cuffe claimed the lead after two miles securing the regional title in 17:45, more than 45 seconds ahead of second place finisher Abbey Leonardi of Kennebunkport, Maine (18:31). Chelsea Ley of Clarksboro, N.J., placed third in 18:33 and became a three-time FLCCC National Qualifier.
In the boys’ race, Miles claimed the regional title in 15:52, followed by Tyler Udland from Short Hills, N.J., in 15:59, and Dave Oster from Verona, N.J., in third at 16:01. Udland is the only returnee in the boys’ seeded race to qualify for the FLCCC National Finals.
The top ten boys and the top ten girls in today’s seeded races qualified to compete against runners from the Midwest, South, and West Regional meets in the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships National Finals, on Saturday, Dec.12 at Morley Field, Balboa Park in San Diego, Calif.
Boys Qualifiers
Place Name Hometown High School Time
1) Bradley Miles Hatfield, Pa. North Penn High School (12) 15:52
2) Tyler Udland Short Hills, N.J. Millburn High School (12) 15:59
3) Dave Oster Verona, N.J. Verona High School (12) 16:01
4) John Raneri New Fairfield, Conn. New Fairfield High School (12) 16:04
5) Rad Gunzenhauser Pittsburgh, Pa. Mount Lebanon High School (12) 16:05
6) Cory Puffett Upper Marlboro, Md. DeMatha Catholic High School (12) 16:06
7) Quinn Raseman East Setauket, N.Y. Ward Melville High School (12) 16:08
8) Ryan Gil Pittsburgh, Pa. North Allegheny Senior High School (11) 16:10
9) Christopher Bendtsen Wolcott, Conn. Wolcott High School (12) 16:11
10) John Murray Shrewsbury, Mass. Shrewsbury Senior High School (11) 16:11
Girls Qualifiers
Place Name Hometown High School Time
1) Aisling Cuffe Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y. Cornwall Central High School (11) 17:45
2) Abbey Leonardi Kennebunkport, Maine Kennebunk High School (10) 18:31
3) Chelsea Ley Clarksboro, N.J. Kingsway Regional High School (12) 18:33
4) Colleen Schmidt Point Lookout, N.Y. Holy Trinity Diocesan High School (11) 18:35
5) Marielle Hall Mt. Laurel, N.J. Haddonfield Memorial High School (12) 18:36
6) Lauren Sara Stratford Conn. Bunnell High School (12) 18:37
7) Emily Durgin Standish, Maine Cheverus Prep. High School (10) 18:38
8) Sara Sargent Yardley, Pa. Pennsbury High School (9) 18:42
9) Lauren Mullins Binghamton, N.Y. Johnson City High School (10) 18:54
10) Meg Ryan Fairfield, Conn. Fairfield Warde High School (12) 18:54
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St. Anthony’s Triathlon Registration Opens December 1st
Now in it’s 27th year, the tradition of fun, elite competition continues when online registration for the 2010 St. Anthony’s Triathlon opens Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 9 a.m. EST, at Satriathlon.com. One of the largest Olympic-distance triathlons in the United States, St. Anthony’s Triathlon, sponsored and produced by St. Anthony’s Hospital, is once again expected to host some of the world’s strongest and most elite professional athletes April 23-25. Athletes are encouraged to register early as last year’s registration closed in less than 10 hours.
Known for its scenic course along the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, St. Anthony’s Triathlon attracts more than 4,000 individuals and 150 relay teams from more than 45 states and 17 countries. The weekend of events, which features one of triathlon’s largest Sports & Fitness Expos, kicks off Friday, April 23, from noon to 7 p.m., in Straub Park with Athlete Check-in. Athlete Check-in and the Sports & Fitness Expo continue Saturday in Straub Park from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mandatory bike check-in for Sunday’s participants is from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday. Competition begins Saturday, April 24, at 7:30 a.m. with the Meek & Mighty Triathlon supported by Bank of America at North Shore Pool. A field capacity of 1,000 applications will be accepted for the Meek & Mighty Triathlon, a shorter-distance race for youths ages 7-10 (swim: 100 yards, bike: 3.6 miles, run: .5 miles), youths ages 11-14 and novice adults (swim: 200 yards, bike: 5.6 miles, run: 1 mile).
The events wrap up Sunday, April 25 with St. Anthony’s Triathlon beginning at 6:50 a.m., followed by a post-race party at 9:30 a.m. and an awards ceremony at 12:30 p.m. A professional category of more than 60 triathletes carries a $65,000-prize purse and more than $10,000 in prizes will be awarded to the top male and female competitors in the Elite Amateur division. Awards go to the top10 athletes in each division.
Area residents can be part of this world-class event by becoming a volunteer to assist with registration, distribute water to athletes, assist at the finish line, or serve in a number of other important roles. Volunteers are needed April 23–25 and receive a commemorative race T-shirt, access to the volunteer hospitality tent, and an opportunity to interact with world-class athletes. To volunteer, call (727) 825-1271 or register online at Satriathlon.com.
Press release provided by St. Anthony’s Triathlon.
2009 Atlanta Marathon And Half Marathon Recap
Michael Green, Janet Cherobon, Nathan Tew and Eileen Torres Claim Victories in the 2009 Atlanta Marathon and Half Marathon
Atlanta, November 26, 2009 – With over 11,000 registered runners, 2009 marked another great year for this Atlanta Thanksgiving Day tradition, the Atlanta Marathon and Half Marathon. With 10,025 registered participants, the 2009 Atlanta Half Marathon was the second largest in the race’s history. The Atlanta Marathon had 1,042 registered runners. Along with the marathon and half marathon, the event also featured the Kilometer Kid’s One Mile Fun Run for children ages seven to twelve.
“We saw strong performances from some of the area’s most talented runners today,” stated Tracey Russell, Executive Director of the Atlanta Track Club. “These performances coupled with great runner turnout and the wonderful weather made for the perfect start to the Thanksgiving holiday.”
Michael Green, 33 of Troy, Alabama, brought home his third Atlanta Half Marathon victory crossing the finish line with an official gun time of 1:06:35 – just under a minute faster than his 2008 finish time of 1:07:23. “I was hoping to do a little better than last year, but didn’t expect to beat it [my time] by almost a full minute,” commented Green. Green, who also won the 2006 Atlanta Half Marathon, and second place finisher, Andrew Fuller of Rome, Georgia, battled it out through mile nine prior to Green pulling ahead to victory.
In the women’s half marathon race, Janet Cherobon, 31 of Rome, Georgia, crossed the finish line first with an official gun time of 1:15:26. Cherobon’s time was the second best women’s time on this course, just 41 seconds shy of the women’s course record of 1:14:45 set in 2000 by Valerie M. Young. “I’m really excited and hopefully I’ll be back next year,” stated Cherobon. This was Cherobon’s, first time participating in the Atlanta Half Marathon.
Nathan Tew, 21of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was the first finisher in the 2009 Atlanta Marathon crossing the line with an official gun time of 2:34:24. Tew, a graduate of Brookwood High School and Georgia Tech student, took the lead early and stayed strong through the finish. This was Tew’s first marathon. Atlanta Track Club competitive team member, Eileen Torres 39 of Atlanta, Georgia, was the first female marathoner with a time of 3:04:13.
2009 Atlanta Half Marathon Top Five Finishers (Official Gun Time)
Male
Place Name Age City, State Time
1 Michael Green 33 Troy, AL 1:06:35
2 Andrew Fuller 24 Rome, GA 1:07:25
3 Trevor Sprague 20 Dunwoody, GA 1:11:12
4 Jonathan Sellers 22 Lithia Springs, GA 1:11:25
5 Brian Deal 24 Atlanta, GA 1:11:57
Female
Place Name Age City, State Time
1 Janet Cherobon 31 Rome, GA 1:15:26
2 Jennifer Feenstra 28 Duluth, GA 1:18:20
3 Jill Horst 31 Rome, GA 1:19:19
4 Allison Kreutzer 23 Lilburn, GA 1:20:33
5 Tamara Karrh* 40 Marietta, GA 1:21:33
2009 Atlanta Marathon Top Five Finishers (Official Gun Time)
Male
Place Name Age City, State Time
1 Nathan Tew 21 Lawrenceville, GA 2:34:24
2 Gabriel Helmlinger* 43 Cambridge, MA 2:40:08
3 James Harper 32 Greenville, SC 2:40:22
4 Jon Obst 26 Kennesaw, GA 2:42:50
5 Francisco Martinez 40 Jackson Heights, NY 2:43:19
Female
Place Name Age City, State Time
1 Eileen Torres 39 Atlanta, GA 3:04:13
2 Allison Dublinski 25 Athens, GA 3:11:48
3 Gina Krabbendam 36 Lookout Mtn., TN 3:11:56
4 Liz C. Dickinson 27 Atlanta, GA 3:20:17
5 Susan Park* 40 Acworth, GA 3:20:52
*Masters Winner
Beke, Van Vlerken Post Fast Times To Win Inaugural Ironman Cozumel
Former Kona podium finishers Belgian Rutger Beke and the Netherlands’ Yvonne Van Vlerken added to their respective trophy cases with Ironman victories—Beke his second and Van Vlerken her first—as each won the inaugural Ironman Cozumel Sunday.
The day started with a fast non-wetsuit swim at Chankanaab Park Beach with American John Kenny in familiar territory, leading the pack out of the 2.4-mile swim at 41:48. The faster-than-usual swim times carried throughout the entire men’s lineup, with most exiting the water under 50 minutes. While Beke found himself into T1 with an impressive time of 46:38, he had work to do with several of the other contenders exiting minutes before him. Beke quickly rode through the pack to lead the bike heading onto the second of three laps. Beke, known for his running skills, entered the run course side by side with Italy’s Sebastian Pedraza. The pair had built an eight-minute lead over the rest of the field and looked to be the contenders to win it all. Beke’s run skills proved to be too much for Pedraza and Beke ran away with the win thanks to a marathon time of 2:53:56, giving him an overall time of 8:18:40. Pedraza struggled to keep pace and was passed by Ukraine’s Viktor Zyemtsev. Zyemtsev earned second with a time of 8:29:10, with Pedraza holding on for the final podium spot and a time of 8:33:28.
In the women’s race, American Bree Wee was first into T1 with Austria’s Eva Dollinger and Italy’s Edith Niederfriniger hot on her heels. Van Vlerken, who usually struggles in the swim leg, headed out on the bike only four minutes back of the leaders. Dollinger took charge as the lead woman on the first lap, with Wee, Scotland’s Bella Bayliss, Niederfriniger and Van Vlerken keeping her within sight. Once on the second lap, Van Vlerken took charge and established a lead. Van Vlerken seemed to get stronger as the bike leg progressed, eventually beginning the run with a nine-minute lead over Niederfriniger and Wee. Once on the run, the heat seemed to get to most of the women’s field. Van Vlerken finished strong, posting a run of 3:08:04 and earning the victory with a time of 9:06:58. The time was also good enough to give Van Vlerken an overall top-10 finish. Ironman veteran Bayliss posted a steady effort throughout the day, finishing second at 9:22:34. Niederfriniger easily earned third at 9:30:44.
Ironman Cozumel
Nov. 29, 2009, Cozumel, Mexico
2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run
Men
1. Rutger Beke (BEL) 8:18:40
2. Viktor Zyemtstev (UKR) 8:29:10
3. Sebastian Pedraza (ITA) 8:33:28
4. Tyler Butterfield (BER) 8:39:56
5. Alejandro Santamaria (SPA) 8:57:04
Women
1. Yvonne Van Vlerken (NED) 9:06:58
2. Bella Bayliss (SCO) 9:22:34
3. Edith Niederfriniger (ITA) 9:30:34
4. Bree Wee (USA) 9:45:24
5. Annett Kamenz (GER) 9:59:20
Training: Designing The Perfect Swim Workout For You
Written by: Sara McLarty
It’s the middle of the week. The clock has just clicked to noon. It’s time for a lunch break, a few minutes of personal time before going back to work. What better way to use this time than to take a quick dip in the pool? Swimming a couple of laps is the perfect way to mentally recharge, not to mention go faster at the next race.
These lunch-break minutes—an extra baby-sitting hour, laundry-in-the-dryer time, or any spare moments that just become free—are prized gems. They should be expertly shaped and polished so that every angle glitters and sparkles. They should be set in only the most beautiful and precious metals. Every minute spent in the pool should be designed to produce the maximum benefit.
A common belief among multisport athletes is that swim training is very similar to cycling and running. This couldn’t be further from the truth. As a result of this misinformation, millions of continuous laps in the pool are performed every day. Stop! Please stop! Stop on the wall. Stop between sets. Stop on the other wall. Stop in the middle of the pool. Stop between intervals. Just S-T-O-P!
The most time-efficient way to improve swimming speed is to incorporate sets, intervals, drills and various levels of effort into your workout. A “set” is a fixed number of repetitions of a certain distance done at one time. For example: 4×100, 8×50, or 3×300. An “interval” is the period of time between one event and the next, or the amount of time given to complete a swim before starting the next one. For example: 100s on 2:00, 50s on 1:10, or 300s on 4:30. For this article, “drill” will refer to anything that is not freestyle swimming. Pulling, kicking, technique work, other strokes and breath control fall into this category. Finally, some common terms used to designate effort levels in the water are: “race-pace,” “strong,” “cruise,” “aerobic” and “recovery.”
Swimming a well-designed workout will provide the most benefit for every precious minute in the pool. The first stage of all training sessions—and swimming is no exception—is to warm up all the muscle groups. Warmup can start on the pool deck with some light stretching and arm swings. If the water is extremely cold, dry-land warm-up is very important to prevent muscles from seizing up when they are suddenly submerged. An athlete should use the first 400 to 600 yards of a typical 3,000-yard workout as warmup. These laps should be swum without looking at the pace clock or other swimmers; focus only on making slow, smooth strokes with pretty technique.
The second stage of a swim workout is focused on correcting and improving technique. This is where most coaches will assign a drill set. One example of a set is 8×75 yards as 25 kick/25 drill/25 swim. The purpose of a kick drill is to strengthen the legs for a more powerful freestyle kick. Some coaches will designate a specific drill to be used on the second lap. If no details are provided, the swimmer should choose a drill he knows will improve his stroke. The final 25 yards (swim) are where the swimmer tries to correctly put the kick and stroke together.
It is common that a rest interval, for example 30 seconds rest after each 75 yards, will be assigned for the second stage. This type of interval allows each swimmer to complete the set at her own pace. The focus is on correct technique, not speed.
A second drill or technique set might be included if that is the focus of the workout. If the focus is on improving speed or increasing power, the third stage is the main set. A main set should also have a specific goal that the swimmer tries to achieve. Descending time, holding pace, or best average are some examples of a main-set goal. The focus of the main set is to go fast and work hard. This is the part of the workout where swimmers get out of breath and turn red.
During a typical 3,000-yard workout, the main set is between 1,000 and 1,500 yards. Some examples include 4×300 swim on 6:00 (descend time 1-4); 12×100 strong swim (4 on 2:00, 4 on 1:55, 4 on 1:50); 3×150 pull/50 race-pace swim on 4:30. The main set might include pulling, swimming, kicking or a combination.
Another focus of the main set can be breath-control or hypoxic work. Just as hard pulling sets increase upper-body strength, hypoxic breathing sets strengthen the breathing muscles and increase lung capacity. There are a few situations an athlete might find himself in open water swimming where the ability to hold his breath is an advantage such as in diving under waves or being pushed underwater by a competitor. A hypoxic swimming set looks like this: 5×150 swim (3/5/7 breathing pattern by 25). This means the swimmer breathes every third stroke on the first lap, every fifth stroke on the second lap, every seventh on the third lap, and then repeats the cycle to complete a 150-yard swim.
The fourth stage of swim practice is always cool-down. Cool-down can be as simple as 100 or 200 yards swum easily to lower the heart rate and stretch out the muscles. It can also be longer and purposeful, especially after an intense main set. The amount of lactic acid buildup in a swimmer’s muscles has a direct effect on the length and importance of the cool down. A simple set like 400 with fins (50 kick/50 swim) or 6×50 swim (extra long strokes) will help flush out the acid and reduce post-workout cramping.
Sara McLarty has swum for 20 years under some of the greatest swim coaches in the country. Now she’s one of the fastest swimmers in the pool, open water and triathlon and she coaches the Masters swim program at the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. If you aren’t close enough to swim with her three mornings each week, visit NTCMasterSwim.blogspot.com where she posts every workout in three levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced.
Thanks, But I’ve Gotta Run
For many of us, today is filled with family and food. For some of us that means too much food and – well – too much family. Over the years I’ve had Thanksgiving in lots of places with lots of people. In my lifetime I’ve had great meals and modest meals, but, what has changed since I’ve become a runner is that as often as not Thanksgiving has meant running with friends.
One Thanksgiving that stands out was one of the coldest days I’ve ever set foot outside to run. It was the Vertel’s Turkey Trot along the lakefront in Chicago. This was 10 or more years ago now but the memory is still vivid. I was pretty inexperienced as a runner and the cold – below freezing cold – had me dressing like I was going to sit in the stands at a football game. I had on tights, of course, and I was also wearing a heavy fleece jacket, wool watch cap, and ski gloves. About a mile into the race I realized my mistake. Fortunately the course looped back by the parking lot and I was able to drop about half what I was wearing.
Another cold year I stood in the warmth of a friends apartment watching a crowd of 5000 or so gather for the same race. With just minutes to spare a group of us ran to the start, ran the 8K, and ran back to the apartment where we treated ourselves to a gourmet breakfast.
Several years I was in Florence, Italy for the marathon and half marathon on Thanksgiving weekend. The Italians don’t have Thanksgiving but there were some extraordinary meals. I didn’t have any turkey, but I can tell you that a big plate of spaghetti carbonara is a pretty good substitute.
Last year Jenny and I ran a small, local, Turkey Trot in the south suburbs near the new house. There might have been 150 in the race. Spending so many weekends at events with 30,000 or so runners it was a very different experience to actually be able to count the runners at the start. It was a mixed bag of men, women, and children all celebrating the day with a run. There were no elites. No press truck. No photographers at the finish. Just a small group of people who were sharing a common experience on Thanksgiving morning. It was special.
I’ve also run alone on Thanksgiving morning. There have been times in my life when the only constant in my life was my running. On those Thanksgiving mornings knowing that even though I was running alone I was running with 10’s of thousands of runners somewhere was enough to help me keep my sanity.
To be honest, not every Thanksgiving morning has started with a run. Today won’t. But I know that many of you are out there running this morning and I wish I was with you. No matter how great today is it would have been better if it had started with a run.
Happy Thanksgiving.
