Week 8 - "Giving Back"

What I spent, I had; What I kept, I lost; What I gave, I have.
Henry Ward Beecher

Wednesday, as I walked the parking lot at LTF heading towards the door for the lunchtime weight session I heard a familiar voice calling out to me. The voice was coming from the cracked darkly tinted window of a Nissan Maxima. Ann Marie had called out to me as I made my way towards her car. Both car doors open and out emerged Ann Marie and Susan L. both toting coffee’s in their hands.

They had just arrived from the local bagel shop and Ann Marie was at the point of bagging a weight workout until she saw me. Upon exiting the car, Ann Marie asked if she could shadow me on my lunchtime workout. It would be a great motivator for her since she was on the verge of calling it quits for the day. Susan was on her way home at this point, so we said our good-byes and Ann Marie (AM) and I headed into the facility.

There are very few times during the noon crowd that I workout with other individuals. I am all business at this time, “get in and get out”. No socializing or half attempted workouts. I am all business. If you did not know me, you would probably say to yourself that that dude is weird or intense, as I image some people do. Therefore, to have a workout partner was a good change of pace for me. Mixing it up and getting out of my box once in awhile is healthy. Besides, it was Ann Marie and every likes to hang out with a future 2010 podium winner in International Triathlons and all around a good friend.

We met upstairs and I asked her if she mind if she followed my lead on my twice a week leg routine. Without hesitation, she was game for anything. We saw Jeff, throwing some weight around and chatted with him while as we got started.

We started out, as I always do, focusing on the core. These are not sit-ups or even exercises for the ab’s but sets that focus on the hips and glutes. Sit-ups are in the routine, but not today. Over the last 2 years, I have place a large emphasis on working these areas. Hip abductors, Hip Flexors, Adductors, Hamstrings, Gluteus Medius, Upper Quad (connector to hip) and the Gluteus Maximus. There are 5 sets ranges of weights that pinpoint these areas.

We hit the machines that focus on these areas all the while I was helping AM with placement, range and speed of weights. When lifting I make sure that I focus on the muscle group I am trying to strengthen with proper form, the right amount of weight and patience. Rushing weights defeats the purpose.

After these sets, we hit the main muscle groups; Quads, Hamstrings, Quads again (Sled Squats) and calves. During the whole workout, we had great conversation and I was thankful to have someone to hit the weights with for a change.

The time I spend at the gym on weights to me is as important as any swim or run. Over the last couple of years, being regimented on weights has helped me maintain fitness and increase speed. All of the workouts I complete are for building and maintaining strength rather than toning or looking good in a bathing suit. When I am running a 20 miler at a hard pace, the last thing I think about is how I look. How I feel and can I sustain this pace is always my main priority.

I was glad that I was able to give AM some guidance and in turn she can me some company on my solitude lunchtime workouts.

Thursday is Master’s Swim. Through the “Grape Vine” I had heard that this workout was stacked with a lot of 100’s. With the way things were on Tuesday with timing and pacing I had decided to lead the group going forward. This is not to take control for my benefit, but to insure that the team gets the most out of the workout we all get up at an unheard hour to jump into a cold pool to do. The main goal I want to achieve is that everyone gets a decent workout in and that every one finishes the workout (the ones that can stay for the duration) and feels satisfied.
On Tuesday, I talked about the swimmers in Lane 1. We are all good, strong swimmers (not Michelle and Susan caliber) and when we “click” the workouts are meaningful for all. Then, when Lane 1 is out of sync we are all out of sync and I believe every one walks away just a little frustrated.

I snagged a workout sheet from Mike to size up what we had this morning.

Coach Mike’s Workout for the last week in February:
300M EZ
3 X 100 I.M.
200M Perfect
1 X 500M on the 1:45 split
1 X 500M on the 1:35 split
100M Perfect
10 X 100M on the 1:45
5 X 100M on the 1:35
8 X 50M on the :50’s
8 X 50M ALL OUT
200M Perfect
100M Kick

As we neared the 5:30AM hour, I checked to see who was heading towards Lane 1. Evan was already in the water swimming, Chris was about to get in, Melissa was dangling her feet over the edge and Jeff was near me getting his cap and goggles on. That makes 5 for the lane. I quickly assessed the team and made a decision after the warm up who was going to lead us out.

When we finished the warm-up, I took the lead and had Melissa start us off on the 500. Melissa indicated she was tired and was not sure if she would maintain the paces on the first 500, but I had total confidence in her that should would be able to swim us out in the times needed to sustain the 1:45 splits.

After the first 500 Melissa averaged a 1:43 - 100M split effortlessly. I gave her a high 5 and told her I knew she could do it. She is a great swimmer that does not know it most of the time. A little boost of encouragement will make her a dangerous shark in the water in the next couple of months. A challenge that I am eager to go up against. Now it was Evan’s turn. I had him pull us out for the next 500. Unlike Melissa, Evan is very confident in his swimming abilities, but also unlike Melissa, Evan is not controlled. He has strength and speed, but irregular in his pacing. Fast is the only setting on him. The last couple weeks we have been helping him on harnessing his energy for the long haul. With him taking us out, the first 100 was fast, but then he settled in and was clicking off 1:38 splits. After the 500 he was what we say in the biz, “jacked” and our suggestions are paying off.

100’s were up next. I had decided that all of us can hit the 100 time if we all did a 100 then rotated down the line of the 5 swimmers. That is too easy. I had Melissa lead us out, but instead of doing 1-100, I wanted us all to do 2-100’s in a row. This way the second 100 would be a little more difficult pushing the envelope on the group leader in the water. Melissa went out and both 100’s she led were on the money. This is after she said that she was still tired and the shoulder hurt. “Confidence Melissa, confidence.” You would not be up front if I did not think you could get us in on time.

To shorten the narrative up, let us just say that the marks where hit on the rest of the workout by all of us. Building a team for practice is a challenge. Helping and supporting Melissa in her ability that is there but she does not know it. Controlling Evan’s burst of energy (he was doing pushups on the 90 minute active rest period), to go long. Placing Chris’s speed in the right intervals to lead us out and having the IronZen, Mr. Consistency, Jeff there puts us all in harmony.

I gave my suggestions today, helped, encourage and I received back more than a good workout out, as I hope my team mates in Lane 1 did as well.

Upper body weights at lunchtime. Like my leg workouts, the upper workouts are designed for running and swimming strength. With a continual effort placed on these exercises I hope to someday be able to swim with the Barracuda’s in Lane 2…Not.