Virginia is for Freestylers
Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 8:53PM 
Hey, dudes! We've been graced with an audio race review from Virginia in this podcast. I'll release the video from the swim as the next podcast and also put it on the Zentri map eventually.
Below is the virtual swim workout that I tried talking about. I understand that it's very difficult to understand what I was saying. In plain language, interval swimming is doing the repeated events on x minutes. Doing 10 x 100 yds on 2 minutes means leaving the wall at 0:00 and finishing before 2:00. If you do it in 1:45, that means you have 15 seconds of rest until the 2:00 mark and you have to leave again. It is the CORE of becoming a decent swimmer. It makes you become consistant and smooth. Anything is easy for a few times. Doing it 20 times makes you powerful. Your goal rest time is about 10 seconds between each 100 or 200. Total yardage is 3150 yards, or 1.8 miles.
6 x 100 yds - odds on 2:00, evens catch-up stroke and on 3:00
6 x 200 yds - on a 3:30 interval
6 x 100 yds - on 1:45, 1:30, 1:15, 1:45, 1:30, and 1:15
10 x 75 yds - 25 freestyle, 25 catch-up, 25 sprint.
I highly recommend going and watching a real swim team practice if you've never seen one before. It will blow your mind how much effort you should be exerting vs. what you probably are doing. It's very likely that 12 year olds are swimming twice as far as you do and practicing twice as long. Swimming is a very undertaught discipline in triathlon, so get out there and learn as much as you can.
Ok, so I also talk about how important it is to take a rest day. You should take one at least once a week. Also, take one if you just feel exhausted. You'll feel like a million bucks afterwards and be able to work out much better for it and absorb the results better, too.
Lastly, I yak incessantly about how to support the show. Just look over at the links on the right and help if you can. Each Zentri gear purchase gives $1 to the show or you can go here and donate via PayPal. Don't forget to tell your friends and keep your eyes open for related companies that might want cool new way to get their message out. Podcasts are direct marketing GOLD.
Stay safe out there, Hill Street Bluesters.
Reader Comments (5)
Hey dude! I've just got onto your show in the past month or so and I'm loving it. Just a couple weeks ago I ran my first marathon after a good season of training and races.
I know about training slow on the long runs for solid race performance, but I have to wonder; the other day you and your bike buddy were talking about some average heart rates (130~) which I feel, if I ran with that kind of rate, I'd be running sooooo slow. So how can it benefit my race.
The marathon went well, up till about 35k, when it all seemed to catch up with my and I struggled through the final 7k hurtin' really bad, but managed to cross the line in 3:54, so I'm stoked I guess, but was hating life at that time.
I'm going to start training for a couple of tri's next summer, but one problem, no bike or bike gear or any real knowledge of bikes. I live in Hokkaido, in northern Japan and I'm a whole lot bigger than pretty much all Japanese people, so finding a good bike size is going to be a nightmare, not to mention the communication.
Any tips on bike gear and sizing? Also and online stores who ship internationally and charge reasonable prices (the shipping rate alone will kill me).
Not sure what I'm trying to say here, so many thoughts. Just stoked on the motivation your show gives me, and keep it up dude!
How about a few tips on the above thoughts....
Hi from Israel!
I was happy to hear you on the last show talking about Israel.
I have a lot of info about the Tri going on here.
Acctually, everything here is the same as in the US and Europe. We got here the ITA (Israeli Tri Associastion), and the rules are the same as the ITU and ETU. We have here about 20 races during the season (April-Dec). The distances are from Sprint Tri's, Olympic, Half Ironman, and one Full Ironman.
We have the same bikes as you guys have there, all the brands, road and TT bikes. (I got a Saeco replica red Canondale road bike). We swim in the Mediterenian sea, the Red sea, and Kineret lake in the north of the country. The Races are great, well well orgenized, 300 - 1400 athletes in each race. The largest event here is the ITU race in Eilat (Red Sea), 2-3 December (Sprint + Olympic). One of the guests will be Eddy Mercx. He loves this event, and he rides the bike part every year. Last year it took him 1h:14m to ride the 40k. (Starts with a 4k hill, 18k very windy course, and all the way back with back wind). Mostly we train in Tri Teams, with a coach, 6 times a week. The weather is great all over the year, no rain during summer time, no snow in the winter (it is like in California).
I would like to send photos from here, you can email me and I'll reply... Email: igal@f-vc.com
BTW - WE LOVE LANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope he will go and take the 8'th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Swimm Faster, Bike Harder, Run Your Best!
Igal Feuerstein
Tel Aviv - Israel
Yikes, I hope Lance doesn't tri for #8 TdF. Stay retired and bask in your 7-straight dominance... quit on top, stay on top. Preserve our memory of you as cycling's all-time numero uno stud.
Igal-I'd love to see pics. bwarrior4@mac.com
Brett-You're cracking me up with the gong before the review. Thanks for the extra tips too.
Jaysee-I've got a Cannondale MTB and love it. They make tri/road bikes too and it wouldn't surprise me if they ship overseas-cannondale.com
love the pics and your podcast - i'm a regular listener.