Why I am a Good Swimmer (and Terrible Runner)

My mind has escaped from a cloud of fatigue, so I wanted to share some of my learning experiences at training camp.

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Part I: Why I am a Good Swimmer (and Terrible Runner)  

Throughout camp, several of the athletes came up to me after the swim sessions and said, "I wish I could swim like you."  I automatically responded with "dude, I wish I could run like you."  This got me thinking ... why am I a good swimmer and a terrible runner?

AC has inspired me to be a bit more specific in my data collection, so I ran through the numbers:

I started swimming when I was 3 years old.  My mom would take me to the pool and I would hang on to her suit while she did laps.  We swam 2k twice each week until I was 5 = 400,000 yards from ages 3 to 4

 

By the age of 5, I was swimming by myself.  I entered into a competition at our health club and swam 100 miles in one year.  I was the youngest member to reach the goal and still have the shirt. 100 miles = 165,000 yards.

100 mile swim club better than the mile high club?

From ages 6 through 12, I was part of a summer swim club called the Piranhas.  We swam each morning from May through August and accumulated ~200,000 yards per summer = 1.4 million yards over the course of 7 years.

After only making the JV swim team my freshman year of high school, I was pretty motivated to improve.  I joined a club team and we swam each morning from 5:00 - 7:00 then again from 3:30 - 5:30.  I did this for 3 years and dropped my 500 yard freestyle time from 8+ minutes to a 5:43.

Freshman year JV (season November through February): 300,000 yards

Sophomore through Senior year Varsity (year-round): 2.6 million yards per year = 7.8 million yards over the course of those 3 years.

 "Eagles may soar, but whales don't get sucked into jet engines."

In college, we swam at least 12,000 yards per day during the season (October through February) = 1.2 million yards per season; during the off-season, we swam 12,000 yards per week = 84,000 yards per off-season

That's 5.1 million yards accumulated during my collegiate swimming career and I saw my 500 time only drop from 5:43 to 5:22 (21 second difference).

After college, I began seriously training for triathlons and swimming masters.  I've accumulated 12,000 yards per week since 2009 = 1.4 million yards post-graduation

Life total = 16.6 million yards or 9,412 miles

Looking back on my training peaks account, I logged in a total of 581 miles running for the past 365 days which only equates to a little over 11 miles each week.  For various reasons, my successful completion of run workouts scheduled by my coach were impeded.  These reasons included: injury, illness, and extreme fatigue (all caused by unplanned high-intensity efforts on the bike); or simply lack of motivation.  All within my control.

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The running sessions during camp, though few and far between, were always a struggle for me.  The group would zoom ahead and I would be left breathless in my attempts to keep up.  Every single run, I pondered how everyone else could be so fast:  Was it minimalist shoes?  Better biomechanics?  Extra muscles?  Less dense bones?  Seriously?

I think one of the most invaluable lessons I learned during camp was accountability; accountability for my actions.  Everyone was a better runner because they RUN MORE than me.  On the same token, I am a better swimmer because I have accumulated a lot more yards than the average triathlete.  I don't think there is a silver bullet for success in sport or life.  If we work hard, persist, and follow-through with our actions, we are likely to succeed.

"The day you take complete responsibility for yourself, the day you stop making any excuses, that's the day you start to the top."

EC Tucson: Cinco, Cinco, Seis

I feel like I can't do any justice to the experiences I had during my last two days of camp as I am currently in a pretty deep haze of fatigue after a solid 25hrs of training.

I will say that the people I've met and the lessons I have learned here are invaluable as applied to both the sport of triathlon and life.  I never thought this camp would lend itself to such a profound experience; I knew the training would be tough both mentally and physically, but I never imagined I would learn more off the bike saddle than on it.  I will expand more on that later after some self-reflection and honest conversations with a few people in my life. 

Endurance Corner put on an exceptional camp that has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my athletic career.  The logistics are mind-boggling, but each day went as smoothly as possible.  All we had to do was eat, sleep, and show up to the S/B/R sessions.  The atmosphere fostered learning and training to our full-potential.

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Today we rode 105 miles that included a 12-mile climb up Kitt Peak.  For the first time in camp history, the B-Group beat the A-Group up the climb.  Todd, AC, and I have claimed two Ws over the A-Group thanks to the work of Marilyn and Gordo.  AC and Todd were well-aware of the shenanigans I have pulled throughout the week on the climbs, so they worked together to make me suffer those last few miles to the observatory on Kitts Peak.  I appreciated that :)

AC and I did a 400IM off the bike to celebrate the finale of camp.  We swam in the 25-meter hotel pool next to some college kids pounding down a 6-pack of beer.  AC took the W with a time of 7:35 ... though I am sure a more detailed analysis of his data collected on a Swim Sense watch will prove we probably both swam an extra 50 meters.  Things go pretty diagonal after a 105 mile ride!

 

They say that time flies when you are having fun.  This week went by like the blink of an eye as it seems like just yesterday, we were at that first dinner awkwardly making small talk about our goals for the season.  I am sad to see it end, but looking forward to the future!

EC Tucson: Cuatro

Classic conversations at 9,000ft:
"Do you guys have any nuts."
"This is awkward."

"What made you choose 250 watts?"
"I have algorithms."


Today was insane; we did an epic climb up Mt. Lemmon that is a solid 20 miles uphill.  We were supposed to do a T-Run after, but that idea was scrapped as everyone looked like zombies.  As well, I was going to swim before dinner, but I am sitting in my room with the heater on full blast and wearing: a sweatshirt, beanie, sweatpants, knee-length socks, and gloves.  Things don't always go as planned!

 

We started off with a 30min ride from a park to mile marker zero and the base of the climb.  Chris McDonald gave a short briefing on descending techniques.  The guy looks like the Wolverine version of Hugh Jackman and has the accent to boot.  Needless to say, I don't recall a thing he said!

We began the ascent and I had a game-plan in mind: I wanted to increase watts and descend time with each 5 mile increment.  I started off super easy and the entire camp passed me.  At mile marker 5, I hit the gas and AC joined the attack once I had passed him.  He was doing some crazy benchmark set trying to hold 250 watts.  We picked off ~5 people in 7 miles.  At mile 15, I fell off his wheel and he gave me a Lance-Ulrich lookback ... CLASSIC!  I tried to ignite to catch him, but couldn't hold on much after that.  After I hit mile marker 17 and 7,000ft elevation, I was toast.  My head hurt and I felt like pulling over and puking.  As well, my power meter stopped working and I had nothing to keep my mind off the overwhelming suffering I was going through.  Those last 4 miles from the top were pretty rough!

At the top, I decided to hitch a ride back down the mountain in Gordo's van.  In hindsight, I think that was the smartest decision of the day.  I hate descending and I was freezing ... no use in digging the hole further.

 

 Wyman didn't attempt to murder me today = good day

 Snagged a picture with mustache Kevin.  He tracks his data by the location of the sun and taught Chrissie W. that it's much faster to walk instead of swim.

EC Tucson: Recovery Tres

"At least I didn't knock you off your bike."
"That was quite gentlemanly of you."

Here's a recap of the day:
Eat
Pool
Run
Eat
Bike
Eat


We got in a solid 4k of swimming before pro triathlete Justin Daerr went over some running drills.  I am still the slowest runner here BY FAR, which is a struggle.  The drill session was preceded by a 12min "warm-up" jog and everyone began at a 7:20 pace ... um yeah ...  

Everyone else went for a 30min run following the drill session, but I stayed back when I saw Gordo wasn't running.  He has some funny stories and I appreciate his willingness to share those with me.

We had the afternoon "off" for 3 hours before the third session of the day.  This 3 hour business felt like 10 minutes and already it was time to get on the bike for a double summit of Gate's Pass.

 

The climb is gradual on the north side, but fairly steep coming up the south side.  I hopped on Gordo's wheel and we conquered the north side fairly quickly.  The group dropped into the valley where we did a quick 20min loop, which became an all-out race.  I was riding Gordo's wheel (notice the theme for the day) and passed with what I thought was a quick turn and then the finish.  The finish ended up being about 500 meters away ... it proved to be a sprint to the end in typical TdF fashion.  Wyman (the dude who tried to kill me yesterday in our pace line) edged us out, but I am very grateful he didn't shove me off in the cacti to capture the W!  This stuff is fun :)

We finished the ride with the much steeper climb over the south side of Gates and back to the hotel.  Then it was a quick shower and time for dinner.

After dinner, Dr. Jeff Shilt gave a presentation on Minimalist Running.  He is a VERY smart dude and probably one of the funniest people I've ever shared a lane with.

Tomorrow is a big day -- Mt. Lemmon, T-Run, 2k swim -- should be a solid 6hrs of fun!  I can't believe camp is already halfway over.  This has been one of the best experiences of my life!

EC Tucson: Dos!

"My brain says yes, but my body says no."
"I think that's a Christina Aguilera song."

Dinner conversations have taken a turn for the worst.  It's easy to see the progression of tired athletes ... last night we were talking about our hopes and dreams and tonight, after a 7.5 hour training day, we were talking about Genies in a Bottle, baby.

Today was long, but really enjoyable.  We began with an early AM run up a hill overlooking the University of Arizona.  The highlight: I ran into a cactus while talking to AC (not paying attention to the road) and have a pretty cool gash across my stomach.   

After a 'long' 1 hour break to change clothes and eat, we rolled out on the bike headed for Madera Canyon.  The ride was flat/rolling until we hit the hills.  Madera Canyon is a pleasant 13.5 mile climb where the last 3.5 miles are at least 6-8% grade.  After riding 2.5 hours before even beginning the ascent, those last few miles felt like a 20% grade.  I tried to surprise the group and pull a Marco Pantani at mile 4 of the climb.  I was in no man's land until mile 9, when AC and Todd caught me.  We powered our way up the hill with me leading the pack.  Our goal was to get to the top before being caught by the riders in the A Group.  Serious stuff happening!  We ended up reaching the top, being only passed by professional triathlete Chris McDonald.  Under the circumstances, I will take that as a win for Team B!

 

AC, Me, Todd = winners

On the ride back, one of the campers was a little overzealous while in our pace line and swerved into me.  Gordo was behind us and I got some recognition at dinner for pulling 'best roadie move of the day.'  There was some serious cat-like reflexes going on to not end up hugging another cactus!

We arrived back at the hotel at 4:30PM.  I ate 'lunch' and decided to kill a 2k swim before dinner at 6.  Our hotel pool is conveniently 25 yards and was empty.

This is a great group and I am having the time of my life.  There are some funny characters here that make for a lot of laughs :)

EC Tucson: Uno

"Put yourself in the middle of people who are what you want to become." -- GB

Last night's opening dinner was really fun and set an exciting tone for the camp.  I had the opportunity to sit with Marilyn McDonald and chat about her experiences as a professional triathlete and cyclist.  She, Gordo, and Alan Couzens will be leading the group that I will be cycling with for the week; I feel like I might learn a thing or two on the bike being surrounded by that bunch :)

We kicked off camp with an early swim at Oro Valley.  It's quite windy today in the 'Dirty T' and pull buoys were flying around deck.

Post-swim was an easy run.  What is an easy pace for this entire group is my 100m sprint pace, so I did my own thing far off the back.  I decided to turn around early in anticipation of this afternoon's bike TT and Gordo joined me on the way back.  We chatted about stuff ... well, actually he chatted and I incoherently inserted words in between gasps of air (man, I miss sea level).  I really appreciated his patience and willingness to share some stories.  His rise to elite athleticism is an impressive feat and definitely a great example of how persistence, dedication, and consistency pays off in the long-term.  I'm not really a big-picture thinker, but after speaking with him, I am extremely grateful to have surrounded myself with such knowledgeable people in San Diego that are helping me reach my full potential.  

On the van ride back to 'the ranch,' I really had the chance to connect with a few of the athletes here.  I've never met such a phenomenal group of people.  In talking with these guys, you would never guess that most of them are elite age groupers and the best of the best who manage to dedicate themselves to training with a family and a full-time career.  We've only chatted for brief moments, but I already have a tremendous respect for the group.

We stamped the day with a 5 mile TT on the bike.  The headwinds were "blasting" ... a 5mile route took most of the campers ~25min.  It was great practice for something :)

Tonight, Alan Couzens shared some insights on how to use benchmark testing in training.  He is an exercise phys guru and really knows his stuff ... I enjoyed picking his brain throughout the evening.

Tomorrow is going to be closer to an 8-hour training day.  Let the good times roll!!! 

EC Tucson: Prologue

In less than 48 hours, I will be leaving for a training camp put together by the exceptionally knowledgeable coaches at Endurance Corner.  Over the course of 6 days, we will be training 30+ hours including some pretty epic rides and trail runs; capping off each day with informational seminars from various coaches.

In the few weeks leading up to this camp, I have been feeling a little overwhelmed.  I had a significant calf injury brought on by an attempt at a bigger training weekend in Palm Springs and have been rundown by lack of sleep.  As a result, I am going into camp with sub-optimal fitness and a tremendous frustration with the direction of my training.  My attempt at bigger volume blocks always lends itself to illness, injury, or forced recovery by some other mishap.  Imagine beginning an ascent on Mt. Everest knowing that each time you have attempted to climb a significantly smaller peak, your rope has snapped and you've fallen flat. on. your. ass.  It's a little scary ...


As such, I enjoy bigger blocks of training where you are forced to explore personal limits and I am very much looking forward to doing so during this camp without incident!

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There are a few coaches attending this camp who are very highly regarded in the sport of triathlon.  I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to train alongside (or the more likely scenario, behind) them and gather as much information as I can from their experiences:

-Justin Daerr: has transformed a 13-hour Ironman into an 8-hour Ironman over the course of 9 years.  His actions embody everything I want to achieve in this sport and I am hoping I can learn what it takes to compete at an elite level.

-Alan Couzens: I have never been more confused when I read some of Alan's writing addressing exercise physiology in endurance sports.  His graphs/charts look like data vomit and the big words he uses make me wonder how I passed my collegiate courses in exercise science.  However, I enjoy surrounding myself with people who know more than me as it forces me to learn and absorb information on a much steeper curve.  If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!

-Gordo Byrn: Back in 2009, when I was beginning my training build for Kona (in what would be my first full-distance Ironman), my mentor and close friend sent me one of Gordo's articles titled "What Matters."  One of the athletes he mentions really had an impact on me and I think of this story often when I am training.  "Beware of the quiet smiling ones!"  I have been striving to be that type of athlete (and person) since 2009 and I am looking forward to hearing more of "what matters" from Gordo.

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Similarly, I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to train alongside one of my own athletes during camp.  I don't know how I managed to coerce him into signing up for this adventure, but I'm sure this trip will be a beneficial stepping stone in his already successful athletic career.


I will make an effort to post pictures each day :)