checkpoint 10k

hi:

yesterday i made a hard run trying to see what my current 10 km running time is like. it has been exactly 44min40sec. that's what i've expected. i want to become faster than 40min - after that i don't want to increase my speed any more. then it's time for long long runs. :)

total immersion swimming ...

see here

... counsel to start slowly, I’ve added the following tips.

1. Pierce the water. The most beneficial thing you can do is to think of slipping through the smallest possible space in the water. If you think of the guy in the TI logo, do whatever you can to maintain a shape something like that. A variety of forces – both internal (lifting your head or swinging your arms) and external (chop and swells) will be working constantly to divert you from that slippery line. Be aware of them and do whatever is necessary to counter those forces and protect your long, tight line through the water. Then move that clean, sleek bodyline along the course as if following a laser beam through the water.
2. Hold the water. With each stroke, use your arm to lengthen the line I described above, then patiently and deliberately wrap your hand and arm around as much water as you can and establish a firm hold on it before stroking back. One way to envision it is to trap as much water inside your arm as the volume of one of those popular Stability (or Swiss) balls used for exercise. Establish that hold as far in front as you can. Once you’ve done that, shift your focus to your other arm. Don’t concentrate on pushing the water back to your feet. The only part of your stroke worth paying attention to is the part in front of your shoulders. Once you establish your hold, let the rest of the stroke take care of itself, while you keep your focus in front of your nose.
3. Don’t look for buoys. Remember the postcard pictures I described? While you’re swimming in whatever group you happen to be with, everyone else is going to be looking to see where they’re going. As long as they’re going to be so kind as to keep you on course, just keep your head down, breathe normally (bilateral is best) and so long as you still have lots of swimmers on both sides, you’re still heading where you should. And when you do look (every 30 to 50 strokes should be sufficient), just take a quick, seamless “snapshot” of the caps and arms ahead of you. Don’t look for buoys until you’re within 50 yards of the turnaround or the finish. If you’re really curious about where you’re going figure out your direction by checking the position of the shoreline (and hotels and mountains) on one side and the masts of the pleasure craft on the other side, remembering at what point between them the buoy line should be.
4. Sneak along the course. I’ve been playing a pleasurable game each morning. As long as there are other swimmers around me, I take note of how much they’re churning up the water…which is always A LOT. I tune into how splashy and noisy they are, how much turbulence their pulls and kicks create, how fast their arms are moving. And I give myself the challenge of staying with them with far less noise, or churn and while moving my arms as slowly (and as long) as possible. The sense of advantage I get, the sense of having a secret edge, makes the swim much more interesting than if I was swimming solo. So while out in the pack, focus on being the “sneakiest, stealthiest” swimmer in the group you’re with.

Any of these focal points will make the race far more enjoyable and successful. Not only will they remind you of the most economical way to complete the course, but the mindful, concentrated state they create will block out all the potential sources of anxiety or distraction – the distance of the swim, the unfamiliarity of open water, the crowd of swimmers, the annoying chop – and give you a sense of an island of calm in the middle of chaos. So long as you FEEL in control, you’ll BE in control.

first 25km run (15 miles) run

On sunday evening i did my first half marathon during normal training. perfect. it really did a little work in my knees and in my bones with a little bit of aching at some places. hence i made two days of doing no sports at all.

I run 25km (with chillout running speed, because being afraid to punish my knees during this workout) and needed about 2.5 hours. With this i guess that my current half marathon time is something about 1hour 45 minutes.

by the way, i'm really very tired all the time with taking care of all of my four kids and doing some sports after 9pm or early in the morning. this makes it very very hard to get up in the morning. but i'm getting more and more confident in finishing the ironman below 11hours.