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Endorphins Rock, Tuesday, June 23

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by
USMS MemberThe Fortress
, June 23rd, 2009 at 10:23 PM (1578 Views)
So glad not to be resting anymore! I feel like someone pulled a switch in my CNS.

ART

30 minutes of ART. Going to go more regularly the next month to keep the shoulders healthy and happy. ART doc agreed that I should not knock off RC exercises during taper. It can cause the humerus to move and lead to pain. He also mentioned that nutrition was more important the older you get. (Perhaps this is one reason why Dara is so committed to her amino acid regiment?)

Bike:

Hopped on my indoor cycle and biked for about 50 minutes during my little one's swim practice.

10 minute stretch + RC

LCM Swim at GMU:

Went to my team practice tonight. Felt pretty good, despite the lack of aerobic work during taper.

Warm up:

400 swim
6 x 50 kick @ 1:00
200 IM drill

Aerobic set:

16 x 100, done as

2 x through:

2 x (25 scull + 75 build free) @ 1:45
2 x 100 IM @ 1:45
2 x 100 free @ 1:30
2 x 100 kick @ 2:15

(I used the kicks mostly as recovery cuz I was racing Wally on the other 100s. Coach said I was over-reaching with my left arm in free. Really focused on kicking during free.)

50 EZ

4 x 50 fly @ 1:30
odds, 25 roll, 25 dolphin kick
evens, 25 roll, 25 fly

"roll" = 2 kicks on each side, then come up and 2 strokes of fly and repeat. I had trouble doing this drill, as I was nowhere near the surface after 8 kicks and didn't see the point in dolphin kicking close to the surface. So I did 16 kicks on the second odd "roll" and a 50 fly w/fins fast on the evens.

50 EZ

3 x (25 fast off the blocks + 25 EZ)

I used these to work on my backstroke starts. I took 15 kicks to get to the 15 meter mark.

Assigned: 600 pull
Did: 5 x 100 dolphin kick w/fins @ 1:45, making sure to stay out of the way of my lanemates

100 C/D

Total: 3550 meters

10 minutes hottub

Sleep:

There was an article recently in the NY Times discussing the performance enhancing nature of increased sleep. It analyzed a small study done on runners. It seems like a no brainer to me that more sleep helps you recover faster and train/race better. I'm hopeful the rest of the summer I'll have a bit more sleep, as I do not have to wake up early to get kids off to school. (I've also been off the hook lately on the 4:40 am practices thanks to mono.) Now, if I could only sleep better during the night, I'd be set. Lately, I've been having trouble falling back to sleep after waking at 3:30-4:00 am.

I discussed sleep with a teammate in the hottub tonight. He says he's been sleeping much better and has more energy during the day since banishing caffeine and alcohol from his diet. (This was difficult for him, as he's a foodie and wine connoiseur.) He believes that caffeine and alcohol interfere with melatonin and vitamin absorption. I only have coffee in morning, and typically have no other caffeine during the day except perhaps green tea, but I can't imagine giving up the morning java ...

Food:

Breakfast: blueberries, plum
Snack: yogurt
Lunch: Salad with: romaine, steak, tomatoes, sprouts, avocado, peppers, flax seeds, pomegranate seeds
Snack: cherries + G2
Dinner: chickpea & lentil soup, banana
Snack: Luna energy chews on way to practice
Snack: balance bar & G2 (in car), slice of pizza

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Updated June 23rd, 2009 at 10:52 PM by The Fortress

Categories
Swim Workouts , Spinning , ART

Comments

  1. pwb's Avatar
    He says he's been sleeping much better and has more energy during the day since banishing caffeine and alcohol from his diet. (This was difficult for him, as he's a foodie and wine connoiseur.) He believes that caffeine and alcohol interfere with melatonin and vitamin absorption.

    I 100% agree with your teammate as I did that some years ago and slept / felt great. The problem was the jones-ing for both the java jolt and the mellowing effect of wine. I'm going on a relaxing vacation next week with two of my kids, though, and am going to try to detox from both my 4 to 5 daily espresso shots and the nightly glass or two of wine. Caffeine will be MUCH, MUCH harder to kick.
  2. The Fortress's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by pwbrundage
    I 100% agree with your teammate as I did that some years ago and slept / felt great. The problem was the jones-ing for both the java jolt and the mellowing effect of wine. I'm going on a relaxing vacation next week with two of my kids, though, and am going to try to detox from both my 4 to 5 daily espresso shots and the nightly glass or two of wine. Caffeine will be MUCH, MUCH harder to kick.
    Yes, I'm addicted to the java jolt and mellowing effect as well. Will you get a headache from caffeine withdrawal? Last time I tried going cold turkey, I did. What about just cutting back to one shot?
  3. qbrain's Avatar
    Welcome back to normality workout fiend.

    Regular exercise and a regular schedule help me sleep better then changes in wine or espresso consumption. It is getting to the point where I would rather get up at 4:30am 7 days a week, because I know I will end up not sleeping well the following night if I sleep in a day.

    Too much alcohol and I do not get quality sleep, but that is no surprise. For me, two shots of espresso and two glasses of wine has no affect on my sleep, so I don't know that banishment is necessary.
  4. The Fortress's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by qbrain
    Welcome back to normality workout fiend.

    Regular exercise and a regular schedule help me sleep better then changes in wine or espresso consumption. It is getting to the point where I would rather get up at 4:30am 7 days a week, because I know I will end up not sleeping well the following night if I sleep in a day.

    Too much alcohol and I do not get quality sleep, but that is no surprise. For me, two shots of espresso and two glasses of wine has no affect on my sleep, so I don't know that banishment is necessary.
    I suppose it effects different people differently? I wonder if it has a disproportionate effect on us oldsters who generally sleep less effectively?

    I definitely agree about the importance of a regular routine. When I vary my routine, it inevitably takes a toll on my sleep.
  5. qbrain's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by The Fortress
    I suppose it effects different people differently?
    I agree that is a factor. Also for some people cutting out is easier than cutting back.

    Quote Originally Posted by The Fortress
    I wonder if it has a disproportionate effect on us oldsters who generally sleep less effectively?
    Age does seem to play a role in everything.
  6. Bobinator's Avatar
    Hi fort!
    If i want a glass of wine I need to have it around 5 pm, later than that will keep me up all night. I have been this way since age 51. I have cut my caffiene way back. If I have much more than a cup and a half in the morning I get jittery, impatient, and short with people.
    Your food diary has inspired me. What foods do you add flax seed?
  7. The Fortress's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Bobinator
    Hi fort!
    If i want a glass of wine I need to have it around 5 pm, later than that will keep me up all night. I have been this way since age 51. I have cut my caffiene way back. If I have much more than a cup and a half in the morning I get jittery, impatient, and short with people.
    Your food diary has inspired me. What foods do you add flax seed?
    Argh! I don't want to hear that about wine. I used to have my glass of wine while I was cooking. Then, I noticed that I was tired in the evening from it. So, I switched my wine imbibement time to around 10:00 pm when my kids are settled in bed. I suppose this is bad for my sleeping ... Why do we have to give up vices as we age? Not sure I'm willing to ...

    As for the flax seeds, I toss them on salads mostly. You can also add them to oatmeal or smoothies or muffins/bread as well.
  8. qbrain's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by The Fortress
    Argh! I don't want to hear that about wine. I used to have my glass of wine while I was cooking. Then, I noticed that I was tired in the evening from it. So, I switched my wine imbibement time to around 10:00 pm when my kids are settled in bed. I suppose this is bad for my sleeping ... Why do we have to give up vices as we age? Not sure I'm willing to ...
    You said it, different people, different effects.

    Maybe you should track how well you sleep in your journal too, and see if it correlates with what you are eating/drinking and your activity levels. If you are lucky, you will find out that potato chips and Chard result in 8 hours of blissful sleep.
  9. The Fortress's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by qbrain
    You said it, different people, different effects.

    Maybe you should track how well you sleep in your journal too, and see if it correlates with what you are eating/drinking and your activity levels. If you are lucky, you will find out that potato chips and Chard result in 8 hours of blissful sleep.
    Causation is very hard to pin down. I slept fine last night after some Chard. I woke up a couple times, but went back to sleep quickly. It may cause some sleep interruption, but I think the main two culprits are hormones and stress.