Forum: Triathlon Lane

Focus Points During Open Water Swim (Posted by chris)

chris — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:47:21 -0000

Join The Masters US circuit. They have a outstanding magazine. This months article focuses on what your looking for. www.usms.org In a quick note, this months article talks about training for open water swimming in a pool. this will be the 2nd year open mwater swimming is listed. Gee, Can't wait for the winter games when they have ballroom dancing. What's next?Duck Duck goose?
Anyway, How to draft at the feet and drafting at the hips of others is a great article all done in the pool and full of new information about the up coming primaries for the next summer Olympics. Dana trying it again. and so are some other older folks. Just amazing how swimming keeps you young. Enjoy,CC

Focus Points During Open Water Swim (Posted by Jon)

Jon — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:24:48 -0000

I've come to realize that I find pool swimming "easier," not necessarily because of the rest you get during a turn, but because it's such a structured workout. (I do normal things like break my workout into 500 yards sets, and change my breathing pattern every third lap, etc.) All these things give me milestones to focus on during the workout (e.g., just maintain this pace until the "two breaths per side" lap).

I've never been able to come up with anything analogous for open-water swimming. Problems is going by time seems so ineffective, as I can't really monitor it real-time. (And maybe I suffer from some horrible character defect, but I find it really challenging to just swim continuously for a significant amount of time without any milestone along the way.)

So, I'd welcome any suggestions for what others do to keep focus in open water.

Thanks,

Jon

Pensacola,FL 3 mile Bridge (Posted by Whitney Wing)

Whitney Wing — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:19:43 -0000

Hi YA'll,
Looking forward to my first open water swim. I have done some tri-swims before, but nothing like this. Any tips on: when to "GU", how often to look up without loosing pace, and practice miles per week.
I swim at a Y and can do a mile in about 30 min (give or take). How much time do I expect to add in the open water? ( I do not have a lot of local help without paying a bundle and feel awkward hunting down a kids swim team coach. )
Any tips??
Glad to find GOSWIM, what a great website
Whit.

I bought my new bike (Posted by chris)

chris — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 06:14:03 -0000

That's good to hear. As I was walking our standard poodle for a goodnight walk I was remembering a race from 92 when the euro's came to Connecticut for a money race. Greenwich CT of course. 5000 purse. Big event I was all excited because I had just finished a PCH trip from Florence Oregon to San Diego. I was in my prime. I thought this would be a piece of cake. I was drafting a french guy. My front wheel lapping across his rear axle. around the 25mile marker he let out 5 to 6 feet of TP. The paper flew right into my rear cassette and jammed me up to the point of stopping and pulling what I could out. I rode with only the top 4 rear cogs. I never caught him and was never able to confront him at the podium. I got second. I will never ever forget that wheezel for what he did. Just plain dirty... I'm sure times has changed but for the pursuit of a large purse has that changed? That was my last money racer.

I bought my new bike (Posted by Sheila)

Sheila — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 05:17:12 -0000

Heheh. This isn't that kind of century ride. Although I've done one at an 18.4 mph avg before (Palm Springs last year) and yes, I did push that one hard and suck a lot of wheels. (Took a few turns pulling, too.) But tomorrow is a group ride and we are hoping to average 17 mph but some of the people in our group might be slower and we're trying to kind of stay together and be nice. It's more of a training ride. Regardless, I'm looking forward to it. It is still base-building part of the training season for me.

I bought my new bike (Posted by chris)

chris — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 04:56:47 -0000

Sweet.... Enjoy.... And please draft your ass behind the first guy to stay at 19mph. Wheel suck'em the whole way! Watch his chainring and hand movement. Than hit the gas the last 20! You will win. Guessing your avg for 100mph will be 16.8mph. Let me know if I'm on target. KIck some booty!!! I wish my family was out on the field to cheer you on.
Chris

I bought my new bike (Posted by Sheila)

Sheila — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 03:39:35 -0000

Yes, he thought alignment might be part of the issue. He was putting in a 1 mm spacer in the deraileur...said this was a known issue with SRAM deraileurs that had been acknowledged by the company. But in this case the spacer was not enough to help, although he has left it on the bike for the time being. Anyhow, I did a short 3-mile test ride today and it shifted solid and did not jump. Good thing, since I'm riding a century tomorrow.

I bought my new bike (Posted by chris)

chris — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 03:35:36 -0000

You are right. the cassette was miss aligned on cog 11. If you were to look at the cassette each cog has a dimple that lets the chain pass over to the next cog. These dimples were to close not allowing the chain to pass over. And adjusting the derailleur would not have help.
Good Job!

I bought my new bike (Posted by Sheila)

Sheila — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:35:15 -0000

Last night when I read your post I thought, "Easy for you, but not for me." Anyhow, I had to go to the shop today for a bike fit appointment that I had scheduled a while back and while it was there I was going to get the mechanic to look at the gearing issues. He decided to warranty out my brand new cassette. Said he finally was able to make it jump on the 11-tooth cog and that it was acting (in his words) like a worn out cog even though it was brand new. He swapped on a 12-27 loaner cassette for me to use for a week or so while the warrantied one is exchanged. So it looks like it wasn't something I could've fixed even if I'd worked up the nerve to mess around with it like you said.

I bought my new bike (Posted by chris)

chris — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:09:20 -0000

If the chain stays almost on but retreats back to 10 loosen the bottom silver phillips head screw 1/4 turn counter clockwise. you will have 2 phillip screws. You will need a small screw driver but not super small. If the chain passes cog 11 and jams between frame and cog 1/4 turn clockwise. Done.... You might need a little more than a 1/4 turn 1/2. Its easy!