Swim and Run Tidbits

Now that we are starting to ramp up our training for a GREAT season and setting our baselines to continue to improve on we need to remember that form is SO important in Swimming and Running. I have come across some video’s that I find really helpful as it relates to those two disciplines and wanted to share them.

SWIMMING:

The Freestyle Pull- Demonstrated by Olympian Grant Hackett. Check out his catch and pull, it is so strong!

Read the Tri Swim Coach comments as well. If you can understand what the commentators are saying in the video, let me know!

Also, take a look at an animated 3D version of the freestyle swim stroke: Aquatic Animation for Analysis and Education

Head Position in Freestyle- Ian Thorpe.

As the Tri Swim Coach says, “Pay special attention to his head position- it’s exactly where it should be. Eyes looking down at the bottom of the pool, part of the back of his head above the surface of the water. Looking straight forward in freestyle would cause your hips to sink while tucking your chin in too far would cause drag. This is why you need to take the Goldilocks approach and get it “just right”!”

RUNNING:

Last year I read a GREAT book on run form and took the 90 or so pages and put the key elements into a 2 page bulleted document. To view it go to my GOTRIbal profile and find it under “Stuff”. Running is very rough on so many parts of your body that is is so critical to lean proper running form.

I wear Newton Running Sneakers (not for everyone but I am a big fan) as does both my sisters and we love the way it promotes midfoot/forefoot running (no heel striking!!). Heather directed me to a great video they have on their site, RUN RIGHT!

OTHER TIDBITS!

1) ATHLETE is now featured on The Internet Movie Database (IMDb), the world’s No. 1 movie destination online. CHECK IT OUT!

2) I was so excited when I was asked by Tanya Goodwin-Maslach to share a short story in her new book! “Two Degrees of Separation is a collection of true stories about the power, influence, and outcomes that result when people genuinely connect with people. Not a “how to network book”, it is a collection of many people’s short stories, that illustrate how, when and why this skill is at the foundation of the every-day person’s greatest successes in Work, Sport and Life.”

3) I am so stoked about my first triathlon, Revolution3, in Middlebury, CT on June 7th. GOTRIbal and the pro’s are going to be at a dunking booth at the finish line with a streaming video capturing all the fun. It is a great pro field with Bree Wee, Desiree Ficker, Belinda Granger, Mirinda Carfrae, Lisa Bentley, Natascha Badmann, Joanna Zeiger, Chris Lieto, Michael Lovato, Luke Bell and the list goes on. It is going to be a challenging couse for all three disciplines but so much fun! I am starting to feel the excitement!!

4) This past week was a really tough week for the company and organization I work for. I am not an emotional person

My Dilbert Talking Head Was Used A Lot This Past Week

and find myself to be very resilient but found myself choked up and at times had tears in my eyes.  Massive layoffs that just shocked so many people. On Thursday when the masses of email were being sent saying goodbye I saw the following blog entry from Jeff Galloway, Why Do So Many Leaders Run Marathons? If you don’t have time to read it here is the key items recapped:

The benefits to a company, when staff members exercise, are well known: increased productivity, decreased absenteeism, reduced health costs, etc. Business leaders tell me that office morale is highest when a “team” of staff members enters an event–particularly a half or full marathon. Surprisingly, a growing number of first-timers gravitate to the marathon telling me that it engages and blends body, mind, and spirit better than any experience in life. Here are only a few of the benefits I’ve heard from business owners whose employees have completed one of my training programs.

* Marathon training requires one to have a vision of success that is self directed, extended into the future and adjusted for realities each week.

* Staying strong and mentally positive, especially during the setbacks, means focusing and balancing many areas of your life for months at a time: training, rest, nutrition, motivation, career and family life.

* Most marathoners experience setbacks and overcome them. When it seems like you don’t have it and are ready to quit, the marathoner spirit finds the willpower to keep going. The resulting sense of accomplishment is unique.

5) To end on a GREAT and FUNNY note my sister Heather ran in the Austin 1/2 Marathon last Sunday. She pulled off a 1:36:01 taking 3 minutes and 32 seconds off her PB on a much hillier and challenging course. That is the GREAT part. What is the FUNNY part…dudes and dudettes…look at her finishing photo!!

Ahh, ahh, me so happy!

Until next time…Midget…OUT!!!