Q: How will this help me improve my swimming?
A: With a snorkel, you can focus on your freestyle stroke technique without interruption because you breathe through the tube. It takes a little getting used to, but then you’re set. A center-mount design promotes the proper head position of looking straight down at the bottom. By not turning your head to the side to breathe, you are able to maintain proper body alignment and monitor your stroke efficiency. This design also allows you to swim with full range of arm motion and even do flip turns!

Q: Do you use a snorkel?
A: Yes. Before I started using a snorkel in Fall 2007, my neck and shoulders ached all the time, probably from my awkward head position and too much time at my computer. When I first got the snorkel, I coughed and sputtered my way through a few workouts (while my swimmates laughed at me), then–guess what!–I managed to breathe calmly through that little tube and keep my head properly aligned. The physical pain went away! (However the emotional pain of being laughed at lingers to this day…) It took me about a month to learn to turn with it.

Q: Should I swim with a snorkel for the whole practice?
A: Only if you really want to. I suggest using it in warm-up to “set” yourself, then feel that proper alignment in the main set. If you feel as if you need a reset, by all means, put it back on. The most I’ve ever swum with my snorkel is about 4000 yards straight. One day last spring when I was training for Santa Barbara, I just got into a groove and kept going.

Q: Where do I get one and how much will it cost?
A: You can order a snorkel at www.FinisInc.com or www.SwimOutlet.com. The cost is about $40 and worth every penny. Out of all the swim toys to choose from, a snorkel ranks fourth on my equipment list, behind my suit, cap and goggles.

I swam in the wakes of some very accomplished open water swimmers at Rockaway. Some of it must have had to do with ego: when you’re young and you win a few prizes, you keep coming back for more. But I think the bottom line was I enjoyed the freedom of being in open water with no lanes, no lines and no limits. Up until then, no where in my life plan was there any calling to connect with wide-open aquatic expanses, much less in only a Speedo, cap and goggles. Yet, here I am, over a quarter-century later, still chugging along celebrating Haunts of the Black Masseur: The Swimmer as Hero, a book by Charles Sprawson. Better yet, I have been able to spread the good word to and share in the actual experience with many other fellow swimmers about the beauties and glories of the open water experience, all the while expanding my personal involvement. Sure, I’ve ticked off some of the marquee swims: multiple laps around Manhattan Island, Chicago Skyline, The Channels: English, Catalina and Santa Barbara (so far), plus hundreds of races, so it must come easily and I’m a natural, right?

Nothing could be further from the truth.

I have been swimming for nearly all of my 47+ years with the usual progression a lifer takes from age group, high school, college and adult programs. But for a decade after seeing “Jaws”, the farthest I ventured into any open water was up to my ankles, although there may have been a few daring risks to knee-depth. Once I started regularly making the aforementioned peer-pressure-induced plunges, there was the front and center panic to deal with: a truly unadvertised special that people think either won’t apply to them and/or as something to “macho” through. With experience comes the understanding of how real and debilitating this fear is. It took me about 20 years to realize I wasn’t the only one who panicked. In fact, as I started to articulate the coping mechanisms I’d innately developed, I discovered how to share these methods with others. Likewise during these years, I have come to realize that there are aquatic creatures–seen and unseen–able to sting/bite/tangle and inflict similar maladies to impede progress, but these beings live in the water and I’m only visiting, so I deal. And we’ve not even mentioned all the “man-made” junk in the water. But this jetsam, along with acclimation to swimming in cold water, is a topic for another article entirely.

The main point here is to get better at swimming in open water you have to practice practice practice. Sound familiar? You need to develop many different tools that allow you to engage mentally and physically with the water when the scene abruptly changes. For the bike and run, lots of devices have been created to help you be all you can be during these gravity-based sports. It doesn’t work that way in the fish’s world and hence the extreme nature of this third of the event. If there was a magic pill, I would have discovered it, but in lieu of any such wish, practice is the answer.

Now is the time of year to build your comfort and stamina levels in the water. Obviously, most of us are training in pools right now, so you minimize these hurdles when you get into the open water. Vision Quest offers lots of options: a weekly workout posted online, swim workout groups (check the VQ calendar to find one that suits your schedule), one-on-one instruction for those who feel this would best suit your needs right now or may be tentative to swim in a group.

Contact me at Marcia@visionquestcoaching.com to set up a private session. My site, www.DoverSolo.com, contains more information on open water swimming than most mortals can stand, but it may be worth a quick view. And watch the VQ site for announcements of my upcoming pool clinics and a VQ forum talk, “What’s It Really Like to Swim the English Channel?” Looking ahead to this summer, we will be doing VQ open water clinics. So as soon as the ice breaks, check the VQ site for the when/where/what info of those clinics.

In the meantime, to improve your swimming, you need to swim!

See you in the water!

Although drills may not offer the same leg-searing pain of VO2 intervals or sense of accomplishment after a long ride, single-legged pedaling should form a central component in any endurance athlete’s training plan. The fact that countless professional athletes continue to advocate such drills throughout the year should be reason enough to include them in your plan. Performed correctly, these drills will help to improve pedaling mechanics and equalize imbalances between legs, as well as strengthening the hip flexors to enhance running ability.

To start these intervals, sit up on your bike, meaning the hands are either on the tops or resting on the aerobar pads. This will create the most open hip angle and allow you to make better use of the hip flexors. Some riders may even need to sit all the way up with hands off the bars in order to get the hang of it. As form improves, you can experiment with trying to perform the drills in the drops or aerobars.

Imagine looking from the right side of the bike and start with your foot just in front of top dead center (think: 1 o’clock). The movement will start from the glutes and quadriceps during the power phase. This is the easy part. The actual power requirement is really fairly low as you are basically allowing the leg to fall toward the earth. These two muscle groups remain active until about 6 o’clock, but with practice can be extended a little further.

At roughly 5 o’clock, the calves and hamstrings come into play. This is where the “scraping mud off the shoes” recommendation comes from. Although studies have shown that athletes are incapable of producing significant positive force during the recovery phase, with both feet clipped in, they are able to un-weight the opposite pedal slightly making the power phase a little easier on the other leg.

The most challenging part of the stroke is the final recovery from roughly 9 o’clock back to 12 o’clock. The hamstrings can no longer contribute significantly, the glutes are not yet active and you can’t cheat the pedal around with the other leg. The only thing left is to activate the hip flexors and drive your knee forward toward the handlebars to clear the leg through the top of the pedal stroke and set up for the next power phase.

Structuring single-legged drills into your training is not complicated. You have plenty of time during your warm-up and cool-down to include them with each workout. Throwing in a set or two in the middle of a long ride will also provide a slight change of pace to ease the monotony. Like normal intervals, you will want to progress your single-legged work. Initially, it may be plenty to spend 5 minutes alternately pedaling with 30 seconds on each leg. As your form and endurance improve, you can increase that time to 1 minute and even on up to 2 minutes while also increasing the total amount of time you spend pedaling with each leg.

As with any drill, single-legged pedaling needs to be performed correctly in order to be effective. At the root of the issue, you are trying to retrain your neuromuscular patterns, so you want to be sure you are sending the correct signals from the muscles to the brain. Many times, the first attempt at single-legged pedaling is a bit sloppy because the muscles of the leg are not used to doing all the work on their own. However, once the basic skills are understood, you are just spinning your wheels when the muscles fatigue and your stroke starts to degrade despite your most intense concentration.

Start by pedaling slowly at first so that you can really feel every part of the pedal stroke. Over time, cadence can be increased back up to your normal rhythm. There are also a number of variations that can be utilized for even more benefit, such as low-cadence strength endurance intervals to develop greater pedaling force and side-to-side emphasis with both feet clipped into the pedals, but focusing on producing power with one side for 15-20 strokes and then switching the emphasis to the opposite side. With consistent repetition, these drills and their variations will help to refine your pedaling, allowing you to ride and run more efficiently and allowing you to reap greater benefits from your volume and intensity work.

It is important to know where that level is for you. One way to find your limit is to do lab testing to find your power and HR ranges. Another way is to pay close attention to your body when you get in those situations and figure out what you can and can’t maintain in terms of HR and power. There is a caveat to always staying within your limits however. If you can manage to go over your limit for a short period and thus stay with the leaders to the top of a climb or until they exit a crosswind section, then you should do it. This will allow you to maintain the draft on the descent or in the head or tail wind section. In the long run, this will save you the energy of trying to chase back up. This is a difficult area to master and one that comes with experience. There are not many big climbs around here so I always go as hard as I can to stay in the lead group. However, time trials, like long climbs, are a great example of when it is important to know your limits. If you go too hard in the first 10 minutes of a TT’ trust me when I tell you that you will struggle the for rest of your ride. In short, learn your limits, sometimes you need to push past them to stay with the group, other times you need to respect them for the best result. The most important thing is to know where they are.

First, it is necessary to understand a bit of the science behind power production at different cadences as well as the related physiology.  Physics tells us that power is the result of work divided by time, or in the case of cycling gear ratios, divided by cadence.  What this means is that it’s technically possible to produce a given power in any gear on the bike provided the appropriate cadence adjustments are made.  As you might imagine, the number of gears in which a given power can be produced efficiently is much smaller.

Laboratory testing attempting to determine the most economical pedaling rate has continually found this rate to occur at 50-60 rpms when viewed in terms of power produced in relation to energy consumed.  Interestingly, it is also well established that both amateur and elite cyclists freely choose to pedal at a much higher and less metabolically efficient rate of 80-100 rpms.  Although researchers have not been able to reach a consensus, the most likely explanation is a greater relative contribution from the cardiovascular system at higher cadences.

The heart and lungs that make up the cardiovascular system work non-stop.  This means that although they are not capable of tremendous force production, the endurance of the systems is seldom limited.  The muscular system, on the other hand, will recruit the minimum number of motor units to complete a task, beginning with the weaker but more aerobically efficient slow-twitch fibers and progressing to the stronger but anaerobically fueled fast-twitch fibers as slow-twitch fiber capacity is exceeded.  Adopting a pedaling rhythm that keeps the force requirements low enough to be sustained primarily by the slow-twitch fibers, and thus the cardiovascular system, can spare fuel in the anaerobic fibers and delay fatigue late in exercise.

Remember our earlier point that a given power can be produced with several different gearing and cadence combinations.  For example, let’s take the power required to maintain 20 mph, approximately 200 watts depending on body size, aerodynamic drag and terrain conditions.  You could ride at 200 watts in the biggest gear on the bike, and cadence would probably be in the range of 40-60 rpms.  Conversely, you could also ride at 200 watts in a more moderate gear and 80-100 rpm.  In the latter case, you have reduced the force requirement of each pedal stroke in half – a load within reach of the slow-twitch fibers – but compensated by producing that force more frequently to maintain overall workload.

Depending on your current preferred cadence, adopting a higher cadence may not immediately result in improved efficiency and delayed fatigue.  Faster pedaling will result in increased breathing and heart rate at a given power output as demand on the cardiovascular system increases.  The neurological system will also have to undergo some learning to become more efficient at rapidly cycling each motor unit.  On first attempt, it’s possible to actually fatigue more quickly, and it could take a month or more to fully adapt to a higher cadence.

The approach to faster and more economical pedaling will not differ significantly from the approach you take to improve power, except that the emphasis will be on cadence rather than workload.  Short intervals at high workloads are employed to increase sustainable power on longer duration rides.  In the same way, short intervals of high-cadence pedaling will allow you to more easily maintain a high cadence for extended durations.  Two favorite routines follow:

• Spin-ups: start in a moderate gear at the top of a slight descent.  Begin rolling down the hill pedaling at a comfortable cadence.  As your speed increases, don’t shift, just keep pedaling faster until the cadence is too high to avoid hips bouncing.  Recover and repeat this sequence, trying to smoothly spin a little faster on each attempt.
• High-cadence intervals: during a submax ride, shift 2-3 gears easier than normal and increase cadence to maintain power while maintaining smooth pedaling movements.  Stay in this gear for 5-10 minutes and then return to your normal rhythm.  Repeat several times over the duration of the ride.

With some patience and practice, you will soon find yourself capable of effectively adopting a higher cadence.  Whether you race on the track, in crits, time trials or triathlon, there are benefits to be gained.  Make use of your off-season training to implement these changes and the adaptation should be complete by the spring so that you will be ready for more focused work on energy system development.

One of the most important and often neglected components of endurance performance is movement efficiency. Being the most powerful athlete in a race won’t get you anywhere unless you are able to effectively translate that power to forward speed. The repetitive nature and single-plane movements of endurance sports tend to lead to overuse injuries and lateral muscle weakness and instability. Including two or three weekly functional training classes in your program will help to increase overall strength, allowing your muscles to produce more force, but these classes will also improve core stability and flexibility so that force can be transferred more effectively.

Cross-training can be another valuable tool in the winter training repertoire. Including a more diverse range of movements and exercises through new sports promotes increased balance throughout the body to combat the weakness and instability that results from heavy endurance training. Different sports can fill different roles as well. Pick-up basketball or soccer games can serve as informal interval workouts. Cross country skiing and long hikes help to develop the aerobic system. Although the muscles recognize the difference between sports and movements, the cardiovascular system sees all exercise the same way. Finishing a cross-training workout with 30 to 60 minutes of easy spinning will even help to promote muscle memory on the bike, making the workout more effective.

With cycling volume tapering off into the winter months, this is a prime opportunity for triathletes to dedicate some time and effort to improving their weaker sports. Swimming more frequently will develop a stronger base and provide the repetition needed to get a strong feel for an efficient pull. Working several short, easy runs at conversational pace into the weekly routine will develop durability in soft tissues so that runners will be better prepared for longer runs later in the season. Like swimming, this is also a good time to make adjustments to running technique.

For those who have a higher tolerance for cold and muck, cyclocross offers a perfect opportunity to extend the cycling season. The workouts are often short and intense, meaning the body will generate a lot of heat without having to endure hours in the cold. Riding speed is reduced relative to road riding, so wind chill is less of a factor. Cyclocross racing has grown tremendously in popularity, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find a race nearby for those still hankering for competition.

Finally, we come to the CompuTrainer: the bane of many a cyclist’s or triathlete’s winter training regimen. The key to maintaining your sanity is going into each workout with a specific goal. On the trainer, you never stop pedaling so the benefit you get out of the time you spend riding will be somewhat higher than it is on the road. The controlled nature of indoor training lends itself to more structured workouts and intervals that would be difficult to pull off outside. Single-legged pedaling drills can be safely and easily incorporated into the workout as well. Training with others and having music to listen to or movies to watch also makes the time pass faster, especially on the long rides.

As you can see, the winter does not have to be a time to take a step back from your training. Although it is certainly worthwhile to take a bit of a mental and physical break from training, Midwest winters are long enough that you can’t afford to take the whole winter off. Including new sports or shifting your focus to other aspects of your event-specific sport can quickly fill your time so that you don’t have to endure hour upon hour on the trainer. This way, when the weather finally starts to warm up in the spring, you’ll still be excited to get out for that first long, sunny ride.

A new calendar can be a great motivator to do things differently, including eating more nutritiously. As with all resolutions, give yourself a fair chance of keeping those resolutions by making them realistic. For example, aim to have one more serving of fruits or vegetables a day–perhaps as a mid-afternoon snack. Tomorrow when the four o’clock munchies hit, try eating an orange or a plate of raw veggies with hummus dip. This is a specific goal, doable at a scheduled time of day. For a few minutes of effort, your New Year’s resolution (at least one of them) is still intact and the benefits are many!

Fueling between lunch and dinner helps prepare you for a late afternoon workout and it will also prevent you from being ravenous at dinnertime. When hunger gets out of control, it is harder to make nutritious choices–you just want food!!! Fueling at regular intervals maintains energy levels as well.

Additionally, fruits and veggies are the best sources of immune-supporting nutrients. Winter is traditionally flu and cold season, and we all want to avoid the complications of being sick. No time for that–we have training goals!

Vitamins A, C and E are all known to play important roles in immune function. Most North Americans are not deficient in either vitamin A or E. On the other hand, people with low intakes of fruits and vegetables also have not optimized their vitamin C intakes.

Hundreds of studies have been done on the use of vitamin C in the prevention and treatment of the common cold. Although supplementation, especially at doses greater than 500 mg/day, cannot be recommended for the average athlete, greater intake of foods and juices rich in vitamin C seems to reduce the duration and severity of upper respiratory tract infections. Bring on the oranges, kiwis, mangos, grapefruit, strawberries, red peppers, spinach, broccoli, snow peas, tomatoes, kale and collard greens!

Foods which contain certain probiotics have also been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of colds. Probiotics will be the topic of a future Fuel Tank column.

In 2012, maintain your energy and reduce your chances of getting a miserable head cold by being well nourished.

All the best with your New Year’s resolutions! Santé (which means: to your good health)!

Smart grocery shopping can help you save calories and money, and you will eat better too. Here are some guidelines for grocery shopping:

• Choose smaller, single-serving sized apples, bananas and other fruits rather than the super-sized ones often available. This will help keep your portion sizes down.
• Get over any fears of frozen. Frozen vegetables are a healthy option; are easy to keep around and come pre-washed, -trimmed and -cut for quick preparation. They work particularly well in stir-fries, in soups and with pasta and grains.
• Fruits canned in their own juices (not syrup) and drained are another option.
• Mix your whole grains. Try barley and quinoa or brown rice and whole wheat. At least half of your carbohydrates should be whole grains. Look for “100% whole grain” on the package. It should also be listed as the first ingredient.
• Don’t abstain from foods you love. You can keep your favorite foods, just reduce your portions and the frequency. For example, have one ounce of chocolate twice a week rather than a bar every day.

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