Swimming Milestone #1

Timed 100 @ 1:45ish.  I can also tell the difference between fast and slow in the pool now.  So yay for that.  Haha.

Swimming is by far the area of triathlon racing that I stand to improve the most in a short period of time.  The first real milestone actually may have been a few practices ago where I actually felt like I was *swimming* instead of *not drowning*...  My goals have progressed each week and now just about every time I get in the pool I feel like I'm getting more comfortable and faster (which is the goal - ha!).

Lately, I've been practicing a method called Total Immersion (the site was recommended to me by Coach Chris at the OTC Mills swim workouts), which the basic gist I've gathered is as follows:
1.  Relax the recovery arm (high elbow, but fingertips almost drag along the water's surface before dropping into the water)
2.  Emphasize feeling the surface area of the arm catch the water at a target point in front of shoulder
3.  Kick once at the same time and with the same leg as the entry arm upon entry

Now, this last point is what has helped me the most with my anxiety in the water.  If ever I feel scared like I might drown I just go back to this rhythm (kick and stroke same side just once together!)...  This really helps my body calm down.  I'm not sure what it is about this that actually works, but - for some reason seriously I have no idea why - it calms my whole body down and gives me the confidence I need to keep going.  If my kicking is frantic and I'm gasping for air, I just go back to this easy rhythm (kick and stroke on the same side together).  It brings my heart rate down immediately and I'm able to focus on other things like relaxing my neck and catching the water and rotating my body to take breaths.  Anyways, I'm definitely learning a lot in the pool.  I'm starting to crave harder workouts, but I know I still just need to hit my stride...

CFO Endurance Running Clinic

On Saturday I went to a running clinic to get more information about the pose method from a coach who has been running the track workouts for OTC since March (Aaron Castillo).  He had some good things to say and some drills that helped the group get faster and possibly prevent some injury.  There was ten of us and we all had a really great time and learned a lot!

Here's what I got out of it (hopefully I'm not butchering the ideology too bad - haha!):
1.  Relax upper body completely (this is a huge challenge for me IN LIFE not just in running)
2.  90 degrees arms (pocket to chin) with loose fists
3.  Pull knee up vertically on recovery
4.  Foot strike directly under center of gravity

Here's a picture of me running using the pose method:

Apparently, it's supposed to be "good form" that my entire body is in the air... and I'm pretty sure it's bad form to run with your eyes closed no matter what.  Eyeye - haha!  :)