Run/Swim/Bike

Another beautiful spring day in Portland begged for a run before work. A nice easy 6 miles. Felt good. Part of my run took me through Wilshire Park where some charming wild crocus are blooming. It is starting to get colorful and green around here; looks good, feels good, is good.

Croci

So swimming, another lesson tonight. I am still trying to go too fast. I need to feel "the glide" as my friend Jon says. I am trying to slow it down and put a slight hesitation in so I can feel that glide. Exaggerated stroke movements with hesitation seems to help until I forget myself. I also need to relax the upper body. Coach had me use flippers tonight so I could get plenty of propulsion from my kick which should help my arms relax and not have to work so hard. Hopefully this will loosen up my upper body, relaxing my shoulders and arms. I need to loosen up and not try to drive so much power into it. Slow, gentle, easy will carry the distance. Also worked on incorporating proper rolling posture of the upper body during the stroke. I seem to hit my groove best when doing single sided breathing. It just seems to flow best there now. I will get the bilateral breathing down, but if it takes single sided breathing to control my stroke form then that is what I will do for now. It also helps that I am getting to the pool at least two other days a week besides lesson day.

I am feeling good about my training. The weather as of late has been a big help. On most of my swim days I have been able to fit in another work out, running or biking. Sometimes the biking is just commuting but I try to work in some interval work, it is not just a casual ride.

Bike commuting has been great. I have been cycling into work 3 to 4 days out of the week most of the time and usually 5 days when my son is with me. Since my son obtained his license in December, I let him take the car so I don't have to commute him to school in deep SE. When I did commute him I spent over two hours driving. Screw that. Drive yourself kid, daddy is going to ride. The great thing is I can swing by the community center on the way home from work and hop in the pool. And if I want, and I have, I can tack on a post swim ride and make it a brick. With it getting lighter later and the warmth coming it will only get easier.


Word: easy