I was, but drafting is legal (and good tactics!). No shame in that as far as I am concerned. I was just too far back to do it!

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

So, your signs helped? Or no?

Any pix?

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

Dr. Tigerchik - nice job in the 1500!

Sa - Olympic Tri in 2:39:54 for 17th place/179 finishers (1st AG /12) via 24:06 1500m swim, T1: 3:25, 1:33:24 27.5mi Ride, T2: 1:54, 37:03 '10k' run (6.09 on my gps).

Swim - 4th fastest swim, Didn't feel that fatigued during the swim but felt the heaviness of a solid effort after so it was a good swim.

Bike/Run - a mile or so into the ride I took the wrong turn down the sprint distance course, added about a mile total (the course is already a little longer than the 40k distance). 71st 'fastest' bike. The ~3 minutes I lost by biking extra would have moved me to 13th place OA. 2nd fastest run


Mn - 2600yd swim via 1000free and 1600misc kick and breaststroke. Left shoulder hurting, pretty sure its muscle related, probably from the ~67 miles of biking over the weekend but maybe from the swim race. A non-running related pain is not something I'm used to! Going to ice and maybe skip this weeks second swim.

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'22 IMMD, '23 SwimRun MD

There is a wetsuit division, which I entered. The USMS rules state 60F is a cutoff to make everyone wear a wetsuit 'or have a thermal plan in place' whatever the F that means.

Did not get to swim or even run at all during 3 days with my son at scout camp. >100F every day. Lots of walking but nothing that would classify as 'training'. Not even enough room to haul ass in the canoe or kayak before getting yelled at by staff. At least they were right about the lake temp, is was well over 90F. They even made me take a swim test (100 yards, last 25 backstroke); the guards were laughing at my swim by the end, said it was the fastest one they have ever seen.

Went to Barton Springs pool yesterday for some swimrun wetsuit testing, did about 2k yards dodging floaters and slow swimmers, then a nice build 6.3 mi trail run in my race shoes.

This morning's swim:
2x[200 swim, 4x50 drill]
3x[400 pull, 100 kick, 200 swim]
round 1: paddles and ankle band
round 2: buoy only
round 3: large paddles and buoy
2x50 easy

3000 scy

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I'll post pics if someone can tell me how to do so, I've never figured that out

I didn't see the signs from the water, but they helped in that they made me excited, and served as a vessel for some nervous energy. So yes. And they made some other spectators laugh I heard so that's good!

---

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

thanks; great job in your tri! Top ten percent is awesome. Your run time is LIT.
I can't recall how much open water swimming you do, but if you aren't used to sighting, that might cause the shoulder soreness.

---

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

You are allowed to log the swim test as a swim for Big Kahuna challenge and for general training purposes, I would... LOL

90F?! holy moly where in the USA are you? or not in the US?

I'm sorry you didn't get any workout time in.

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Central TX, shallow lake that is also used to cool a power plant. stuck my hand in and I was shocked at how warm it was, even at 2PM on a 100F day.

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I sent the race director a message about the swim, and he said if the temps are really low, they are going to just put in place more safety. It didnt seem like he was going to allow wetsuits for the division awards, but they will have separate awards for the wetsuit folks. I really hope they keep the swim skin, but of course it is going to be very difficult to swim for over an hour in that really cold water, brrrrrrrr! I called my swim coach buddy, and he said at the moment it is unseasonably cold, mid 50's..

On that note, I got in my sea level pool today, and it was 111 outside and 84+ in the pool. I went pretty good, but the 4k really drained me, and I have gotten used to my local cooler pool.

30x100as 15 buoy@1;30(1;21 to 1;17's)5pull@1;25(1;13/13/12/12/11)5 IM kick@2;05(1;53 to 1;47)3p@1;50 hard(1;07/05/04)2 IM. kick(1;53/52)
12x50 odds IM order@1;10/evens kick@1;20) fly(34/33+) back(42/41+)breast(43/41+) free(32+/32) kicks(56 to 53's)200 kick/200 medium pull(2;31
4000SCY in 66 minutes

Ah. I spent the academic year in Stillwater, OK - perhaps I'll get to meet you in person at a race at some point.

---

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Mon. July 11 - 9.4 mi easy run (94 min)
Tu. July 12 - 4325 yd swim

500 swim + 50 kick
100 fast + 50 kick (1:16)
450 swim + 50 kick
100 fast + 50 kick (1:14)
400 swim + 50 kick
12 x (100 fast, 50 kick) 1:12, 12, 12, 12, 13, 13 (bad turns), 12, 12, 12, 12, cramped, 12, cramped, 12
100 cd

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Went to the sea level pool yesterday again, and still hot. And speaking of you cramping, I have been cramped up after workouts in this hot water, with 110+ outside when getting out. And funny when I swim in the cooler pool, no cramping, so definitely heat related, and I just lose a lot of sodium when it gets hot.

5x100s@1;40(1;25 to 1;18)5x100IM kick@2;00(1;55 to 1;46)
1000p descend@13;30(12;23-6;17/6;06) 300IM kick@6;30(5;45)
10x50 buoy@1;00(38 to 34)200IM kick(3;49)4x50@1;00, 2back(46/43)2buoy(39/37)200pull(2;26)
3400SCY in 60 minutes

5x200 indoors scy, 2:50s
Checked and a lane had opened up outdoors, then
5x100IM scm 1:50s
5x50 hard effort

Then 4 days of canoe slalom racing in 100deg-plus heat, jumped in the river before and after every run.. a sort of swim..
2nd in combined race solo (slalom run score plus 2mile downriver time), missed a podium in tandem because I fumbled and hit a gate with my paddle after going through clean, bah. The 10sec penalty moved us to 4th..

Falling out of the canoe while racing is known as 'joining the swim team'. Fairly small team this year, a relatively easy bit of whitewater.

Came home tired and hot which was expected. Woke up with a cough and fever which was not expected..
COVID test positive, on third day of self isolation.. despite 4 shots of vaccine, and being outdoors the whole time. Odd.
The fatigue is extraordinary, haven't felt this bad since cerebral malaria in 1989.. o2 sats so far are ok, 95 or so. On paxlovid which makes everything taste like bitter ashes, better than an er though.

 warmup 300 yards
8x50 drill
3x600 as alternating strong/cruise, 1min rest
#1 - swim, by 100's (strong pace 1:03-1:05, cruise ~1:12)
#2 - pull, large paddles and ankle band, by 75's. same pace as the swim
#3 - pull with large paddles only, but 100's again. (strong pace ~1:02, cruise ~1:09)
6x50 cruise working on distance per stroke

2800 scy

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yesterday 9.3 mi run w/ 6k @ 8:57/mi, couple min walk, 5k@ 8:34/mi
today 5325 yd swim which was probably too long as I have a 5km OW race on Saturday (this is the one I was trying to decide between a 5k and 10k and figure out nutrition if I did the 10k... going with the 5k as haven't gone over 6000 scy in a very long time)

anyway

1 x (500 swim, 50 kick) 7:09
5 x (200 fast, 50 kick) 2:33, 30, 28, 27, 27
2 x (500 swim, 50 kick) 7:00, 6:57
5 x (100 fast, 50 kick) 1:13, 12, 13, 12, 13
3 x (500 swim, 50 kick) 6:55, 6:54, 6:45
25 kick cd

That put me over 500,000 yards for the year.

---

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Nice cracking the half million mark already, with many months and yardages to go!! And you would be fine in the 10k, at marathon distances you cannot expect to do all that distance in one day anyway. Folks dont run 26.2 miles a day training for a marathon, it is more just a build up over time to get used to swimming that pace you need. I think 5k in training is plenty, and you have had several of those days in the past, even further if not mistaken. But the 5k you will be able to blast a lot harder, and not really have to worry about nutrition, so there is that, good luck...

I got back up to my high home pool, and it is still cool, ya!!! Put in some distance stuff again, trying to harden up my arms and back for my 5k and under swims coming up this and next month;

6x500as 3 buoy@7;30(6;57/6;40/6;39)IM kick@10;00(9;46)1 pull@7;00(6;16)IM kick@10;00(9;31)
2x(200p steady@3;00/100IM kick@2;30) pulls(2;35/2;27)
3600SCY in 60 minutes

Thanks. Where I've had some shoulder pain I didn't want to take the chance with the 10k, as tempting as it is. I'm hoping to do the 10k next year and bring my own kayaker, who can handle gels and take splits and stuff. That wasn't a possibility this year. Without the off/on shoulder issues over the past few months I would have definitely jumped in the 10k but it just doesn't seem worth the risk.

stop tempting me ;-)

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Back in the water. After a couple months off with the help of covid, work and recovery. Feeling ok with 100 swam between 1:15 and 1:20. Hope to slowly ramp back up over the next couple months.

500 swim
300 kick
5 x 100 @ 1:30
5 x 100 pull @ 1:30
200 warm down

2000 SCM

monty I need heeeeelllllp (also paging OptimalAdrian and anyone else w solid OW creds)
my anxiety right now is that I won't push hard enough, and will be unhappy with the time. Here's the course map, and I emailed the RD to ask if the buoys are - as indicated in the picture - 250m apart for the first 1k, then 500m apart thereafter
https://www.swam.org/swam22-swim-event/#event


if buoy placement is accurate that will help. Certainly I can nab a split (I have a standard waterproof watch that should arrive from amazon today) at the turnaround. I think my plan is


500m split should be accurate because it's the turnaround for the 1k
halfway split is obviously accurate :-)


beyond that how do you know you're pushing hard enough (I'm sure the answer here is "if you're asking the question, swim faster"), how often would you look at your watch?

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Had to do dry land.

Bands 30 mins at local soccer fields:

warm up/down
2x7 minutes continuous alternating stroke and drills w little resistance.
10x30 sec fly stroke w medium resistance, 30 sec rest.

2 mi. run at race pace.

Dr Tigerchik - Mostly just OW for races, so 3 this year and 1 last. I did do three OW swims (two of them races) in seven days so maybe that is what did it! Shoulder was feeling better not 100% for my Wd morning swim, not in the pool again till Mn so it will probably sort it self out by then. Goodluck in your OW 5k

Wd Morning 3600 SCY via
6x500 with 100 kicks in between, 500s all around 7:27, 100s over 2:30 with kickboard
Took it easy because of aforementioned shoulder

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'22 IMMD, '23 SwimRun MD

my anxiety right now is that I won't push hard enough, and will be unhappy with the time. Here's the course map, and I emailed the RD to ask if the buoys are - as indicated in the picture - 250m apart for the first 1k, then 500m apart thereafter //

First of all, you need to get into an old school mindset for the race. The beauty of OW is that it is "not" the pool, and over analyzing how to approach it, well just doesn't work. You know your abilities, and you know your own PE when swimming hard. In the pool it is super important to not go out too hard and die, we know that more even pacing strategies get the best time at the end. But that is not so in OW, making a faster group at the expense of a little extra effort early, can lead to much faster times at the end. So you always go out too fast, get with the fastest feet you can(well within reason and your ability) and hang on. As in most races, that early blast off pace calms down, and you will get a chance to recover and hopefully that is your spot for the next hour. But if not, you can slowly fade off those feet to recover, and just wait for the next pair to come by. That is the beauty of OW, you can make that mistake and it actually is not one in the end.


So forget about all the pool pacing strategies, because even there the buoys could be off and it just messes with your head during the race. You dont need a watch(except for a race rundown after), just swim how you feel, and feel winded and stretched in effort. Knowing your strengths like I do, you should be going out in about 6;15 pace at least, with the suck of everyone blasting off. That should get you on some good feet, and then you constantly reevaluate during the race. If it feels too slow, wait a bit for some faster feet to come by, or try and go on your own. But if all you do is pull up and swim side by side, fade back again and just rest up for a big last 500 push on your own.


Now if you are the fastest swimmer in the race, well that is an entirely different strategy, is that going to be the case?

Carved out almost an hour while kids were at water park, did more speed today:

3x(2x200buoys@3;10/200IM kick@4;30/100stroke@2;30)buoys(2;46/43/39/31)2 pull@3;00(2;27/2;16)breast(1;27/1;26) back(1;25)
10x50@1;00-5 buoy(38/37/36/34/33)frog kick(54 to 51)
4x100pull- 3@1;40(1;16/11/08, extra rest then 1;02)
3000SCY in 55 minutes

thanks monty. "stretched and winded" here we come

---

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

5000m 1:24:38, which is 1:41/100m and I think that converts to 1:27/100 scy. Third female overall but they didn’t separate wetsuit from non. I did not wear a wetsuit. all very close (I was like 30 sec back from second and a minute back from first). I am happy w my effort, may write more later

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD