Training… Swimming… Running… Cycling… Nuun… Clif… Powerbar
Yesterday while frolicking around in the pool, pretending it was fun swimming from one end of the pool, to the other, over and over and over, something clicked… It felt good and natural … Like my breathing wasn’t labored…
Planned for 800 meters following a 12 mile run, ended up swimming 1000…
Wanted to swim 3400 meters last week, ended up with 3800 meters…
After 3 weeks, it felt as though my swimming is coming together. My goal for this coming week is attempting longer sets… I linked together sets of 300 meters on Sunday; hoping the longer ones build endurance.
Running; 39 miles
Cycling; 5 hours
Tried a Powerbar banana/ strawberry gel prior to Sunday’s run… I wasn’t impressed by the consistency or taste but do love the sodium/ potassium they provide… I will experiment with different flavours.
I am a continued user of Nuun hydration tablets…
Clif chocolate gels…
And Clif bars…
I am not a fan of kids doing flips and hand stands in lanes during lane swim. The lifeguards refuse to enforce authority to ensuring efficiency during lane swim. Some people also don’t understand the concept of “circles”… I am new to the sport and I caught on immediately…
Happy Tuesday… What are your workout/ life goals for the week?
bearrunner 
I just picked up the Clif Chocolate Gels yesterday because they were clearance at my favorite healthy grocery store. I’m hoping they are better than the Vanilla Power Bar Gels which were terrible. I am going to try them on my long run on Sunday.
Just a quick one, since you recommended Nuun to me I have used them exclusively…v good sir….
I hate your pool! You need a better one 😦
I know exactly what you mean with the lengths of the pool. Most of mine still feel like a struggle. But every so often I have a length that feels good, where I’m breathing enough, and feel like I can keep going. Now I need to start figuring out what makes those lengths good!
I love love love swimming, but I sympathize with you because when I first started swimming laps, it was boring. The breathing is really important, and it sounds like you’re finding your rythym. Sometimes I throw in a few different strokes for a lap or two just to keep it interesting, and I also do “yogic” swimming, where you concentrate on your breath the whole time. It’s awesome how much work you’re putting in – and yes, circle swimming is a pain – were the chocolate gels yummy? Keep up the hard work!
I’m planning to take on a sprint triathlon this summer (my first attempt at the sport) so I’m reading your blog with considerable interest – particularly the swimming as that’s my weakness. I also know that access to a pool for me is restricted to the local high school at 5:30am which doesn’t thrill me! I think the bulk of my swimming will be in the local lakes once they thaw – I guess my obstructions will be weeds rather than kids doing handstands!
I’m going to try the nuun tablets. Never used them but you’ve piqued my interest.
Goals for this week are still running related. Speed workout, 12 mile run and a tempo run – plus a couple of awesome spin classes. I’m a little nervous about the intensity of the training that lies ahead for the tri!
Great job, I’m glad swimming is clicking for you! My workout goal for the week is just to continue training. Nothing fancy, just get in some good long runs!
I’ve used the Nuun tablets, but I wasn’t sure if they were doing anything. Do you love them? I am addicted to Black Cherry ShotBloks for the rush of caffeine they provide. I’ve tried most of the fuel you mentioned except for the banana-strawberry… and now I’m not sure if I want to. ; ) Hope the lifeguards get more Enforcer-like. That’s annoying.
My bf drinks nuun regularly, I call it funny water 🙂
Workout goal of the week.. how about 60k on the spin bike?
I have stayed away from the fuels, partially due to cost and partially due to skepticism. Have you tracked your progress with and without them in the past? Or is it a feeling you get after taking them?
My workout goals continue to be getting the miles in as I push towards a more rigid 12 week run up to 13.1.3.
I knew you would like swimming! Yeah! If the lifeguard won’t move the kids, swim over them. Hint hint – get out of the way or else… Gels – I like GU Roctane – has more of all the things endurance athletes need with same calories. Blueberry pomegranate and chocolate raspberry are my favorites.
My goal this week is to get all of my training runs in and my strength workouts… so far so good 🙂 I too am a faithful nuun water user. I like the honeybee stinger gels- all natural, no “sugar” except for the real stuff- honey 🙂
I keep meaning to try those nuun hydration tablets. You are inspiring – keep it up!
i have never tasted those ‘gels’- interesting. my goal for the week is to STOP SNACKING on empty calorie junk. it’s ruining all my hard work:(
I am a big nuun fan. go through a tube a week! But the power shots leave me cold. I agree the consistency is off putting.
Sorry, meant the power bar gels are gross. Cliff shots don’t offend but try hammer gels in montana huckleberry and anything honey stinger!
Continue to be amazed at your swimming prowess. I’ve never been able to get the breathing down, but now I’m curious about the yogic breathing mentioned above. Might be worth looking into — even though I have no tris in my immediate future, it would be awesome to feel athletic rather than pathetic in the water!
Congratulations on your swimming progress. Sounds like you’ll be smashing the swim at IM 🙂
I like the chocolate and the vanilla PowerBar gels. They are the varieties without caffeine in them. The shops near me only sell chocolate and vanilla (without caffeine) and then apple cinnamon (with caffeine). Given I don’t drink coffee and rarely drink Cola I am steering clear of the gels with caffeine.
I haven’t tried any other brands of gels yet. An ultra marathoner I know in the UK recommended I start with PowerBar because you can buy them almost anywhere in the world while other brands seem to be very location specific (e.g. I have never seen Cliff gels here in Brisbane, though we might have them in health food stores or something)