9 Great Places to Train in Atlanta - #2 Riding in Buckhead!

I have been encouraging fellow triathletes to ride in Buckhead for their triathlon training for years! I’m not talking about the busy streets of Peachtree Road and Northside Drive, I’m talking about the neighborhoods surrounding these streets. The scenery is beautiful with all the lovely old homes and their pristine landscaping. The terrain is challenging with plenty of hills, stop signs and stop lights.

This past Saturday, a group of us from Peachtree Tri Club rode a 40 mile route through Buckhead, affectionately known as the “Buckhead Butt Buster Ride”. I’ll admit it was a tough ride. In fact, it took us a little over four hours to complete the course! We took some rest breaks along the way to refuel and catch our breath. It was worth spending the time that morning because I felt great after that workout and I got a chance to know one of the club members better because we rode the course together!

In addition to the 40 mile route, there are routes for 24 miles, 21 miles and 13 miles. The 24 and 13 mile routes are known as the “Buckhead Bellyache” and the route is marked on the road with a white “B” and an arrow pointing at each of the turns. The 21 mile route is marked with a yellow lightning bolt pointed at each of the turns. The 40 mile route was previously marked with two orange beakers pointing at each of the turns. Some of the marks are faded and a few have disappeared with the recent paving of the roads. Click here for a cue sheet that has turn-by-turn instructions along with notes about the route.

If you live near Buckhead, Midtown, Sandy Springs or anywhere in town, check out one of the Buckhead bike routes! It is a nice change of pace from the flats of Columns Drive and the Silver Comet Trail. You won’t have to drive for an extended period of time like you would to get to Cartersville and Silk Sheets. In my opinion, the scenery is much better than Stone Mountain.

Enjoy your bike training this summer!

9 Great Places to Train in Atlanta - #1 Grant Park Swimming Pool!

I truly love the city of Atlanta, especially in the summer! Yes. It is hot and humid. Yes. Our air quality is not good. Yes. Traffic can be annoying at times. Yes. Gas prices are high. Regardless of the negatives, I am glad to be an Atlantan! Furthermore, I am glad to be an athlete and a coach living in Atlanta. There are so many fantastic places for me and my athletes to train! I will spend the next several weeks highlighting these places for you!

Attention Triathletes and Swimmers: If you are looking for a 50 meter pool in which to swim, look no further than the Grant Park Swimming Pool!

I arrived at the pool this morning at 10am to meet one of my swimmers from Vizsla Swim Team. We were pleased to find no one in the two lanes they had roped off for lap swimming. The water temperature was a refreshing 78 degrees. We jumped in and started our workout!

Since it has been quite awhile since I have practiced in a 50 meter pool, it took some time to get my rhythm. After I got used to the longer lane, I was as happy as a clam only having to encounter the wall half the number of times as usual. A few other swimmers arrived as the morning went on. By the time we left, there were five folks swimming in the lap area.

Please note, this is not a typical lap swimming pool. There are no clocks at each end, nor are there flags hanging overhead to indicate when you are getting close to the wall. The lane lines at the bottom of the pool are a bit confusing. In my opinion, these factors are not a big deal. The staff is helpful. The locker rooms and pool area are very clean. The pool is very family friendly, which was evident when kids, parents and babysitters trickled in throughout the morning. Overall, it is a great place to get in a good workout!

The Grant Park Swimming pool is a City of Atlanta facility. The Friends of Grant Park Pool is a sub-committee of the Grant Park Neighborhood Association Parks & Recreation committee. They are a group of local residents volunteering their time to help make the pool a better place for everyone.

The Grant Park Swimming Pool is located in Grant Park at 625 Park Avenue SE, Atlanta, Georgia 30312 at the intersection of Berne and Park Avenue, one block west of Boulevard. There is free parking on the streets. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for kids and seniors and $1 for kids under the age of five. Admission is FREE from 1:30pm – 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. My suggestion is to buy an annual pass for $110 which provides admission to all the pools that are a part of the City of Atlanta including Chastain Park, Garden Hills and the Martin Luther King Jr. Natatorium. The pool is open Saturday and Sunday from 12pm - 8:00pm and Monday - Friday from 10am - 7:30pm. Their phone number is 404.622.3044. The pool will close for the season after Labor Day (September 5, 2011).

I will definitely be back to the Grant Park Swimming Pool as much as possible this summer! It was so wonderful to be able to swim outside in a 50 meter pool with the blue sky and sun shining down on us! I would encourage anyone who is a triathlete or swimmer to visit the pool for a workout.

Swim with Confidence by Testing Yourself with a Broken Set!

As a Professional Triathlon Coach and Swim Coach for Vizsla Swim Team, I like having variety in the workouts I give my athletes. On the other hand, I like to regularly test them to determine their improvement. One way I like to do this in the pool is by having the swimmers perform a Broken Set of (10) 100 meters each month. This is a great way to track their speed on a regular basis.

A Broken Set divides a fixed distance (ex. 1,000 meters) into shorter segments (ex. 100 meters) with a short rest (ex. 10 seconds) between each. The goal is to swim each interval at a faster pace than could be maintained over the entire distance. The entire fixed distance is timed. After completing the entire swim, the time taken for rest should be subtracted to determine the pace for each segment.

One of the swimmers in my group performed this workout earlier this month. She swam the (10) 100s as fast as she could with 10 seconds of rest after each 100. She finished the entire 1,000 in 19 minutes and 50 seconds. After subtracting 90 seconds for her rest, her pace was 1 minute and 50 seconds for each 100. When this swimmer started with our group back in March, her pace was 1 minute and 55 seconds. This is an excellent example of the improvement she has made over the past three months.

Below is an example of a Broken Set that can be done on your own:

Warm Up:

5 x 100 (75 Easy Swim, 25 Kicking on Side)

5 x 100 Build w/ :10 Rest

Set:

10 x 100 w/ :10 Rest (Go as hard as you can maintain for each of the 100s. Record your time for the entire 1,000, subtract :90 of rest and figure your 100 pace.)

Cool Down:

2 x 100 (75 Easy Swim, 25 Kicking on Side)

Total: 2,200

This workout is an extremely motivating method of training, especially when it is done in a group environment. It simulates the stress of competition while resulting in a swim time that may be faster than racing time for an actual event. Once you start incorporating this type of workout in your schedule on a regular basis, you should notice your speed improving which will result in confidence as a swimmer and a triathlete!

If you want more help with your swimming in a group atmosphere, please consider joining Vizsla Swim Team! We meet on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 6am at Agnes Scott College in Decatur for a one hour coached workout. I am also available for private lessons at the City Club of Buckhead located inside the Atlanta Financial Center. Visit my website or contact me (coach@vizslacoaching.com or 404.667.0817) for more information.

Swim with Confidence by Lowering Your Swimming Golf Score!

As a Professional Triathlon Coach and Swim Coach for Vizsla Swim Team, I occasionally challenge my swimmers to figure out what will make them faster. For some swimmers, it is gliding through the water. For others, it is kicking harder. One way to figure out what technique is best for them is to practice workouts in which the goal is to lower their swimming golf score.

The swimming golf score is calculated by adding the number of strokes they take for 50 meters and add it to the time it takes to swim 50 meters. For example, if a swimmer takes 36 strokes for 50 meters and it takes them 45 seconds to swim the 50 meters, their swimming golf score is 81 (36 + 45).

In order to lower their swimming golf score, I ask them to practice concentrating on 1.) gliding/streamlining, also known as DPS (Distance Per Stroke), in which they take few strokes, but can maintain a fast time or 2.) kicking harder, which should result in the swimming faster. I want the swimmers to determine which technique is best for them to improve their speed. Then, I ask them to practice that technique (ex. kicking harder) for their speed sets. When swimmers know what it takes to make them faster, they become more confident which will translate to faster swim times.

Below is a recent swimming golf workout the swimmers on the team completed:

Warm Up:

100 Easy Swim, 50 Stroke, 100 Easy Swim, 50 Stroke

Set:

3 x 300 Descending w/ :30 RI

Swimming Golf (Score = # of Strokes + Time):

3 x 50 w/ :20 Rest (Record your scores. Try to lower your score for each of the 50s.)

3 x 50 w/ :20 Rest (Focus on kicking hard. Record your scores. Try to lower your score.)

3 x 50 w/ :20 Rest (Focus on distance per stroke. Record your scores. Try to lower your score.)

3 x 50 w/ :20 Rest (Use what helped to you to lower your score (ex. Kicking hard, Distance per stroke or a combination of the two). Record your scores. Try to lower your score.)

Cool Down:

50 Easy Swim, 50 Stroke, 50 Easy Swim

Total: 1,950

Practice this workout and others that focus on isolating a technique to help improve your speed and confidence as a swimmer and a triathlete!

If you want more help with your swimming in a group atmosphere, please consider joining Vizsla Swim Team! We meet on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 6am at Agnes Scott College in Decatur for a one hour coached workout. I am also available for private lessons at the City Club of Buckhead located inside the Atlanta Financial Center. Visit my website or contact me (coach@vizslacoaching.com or 404.667.0817) for more information.

Swim with Confidence by Practicing Hypoxic Breathing!

As a Professional Triathlon Coach and Swim Coach for Vizsla Swim Team, I often ask my athletes to perform workouts in which they practice hypoxic breathing. When athletes practice these workouts in the pool, they are restricting the amount of oxygen they are using. This may sound strange to any athletes who have never tried this, however there are benefits to these types of workouts.

Like flip turns, swimmers who practice hypoxic breathing will take fewer breaths which will build lung capacity. This is extremely helpful during a race. As I mentioned in last week’s post, there might be a time when an athlete will be on the swim leg of a triathlon, he/she will turn their head to breathe, but are unable to take that breath. The reason might be because either a wave is in the athlete’s face or another athlete’s hand, arm or leg is in the way. When you build lung capacity by practicing hypoxic breathing, you will be confident enough to put your face back in the water and breathe at a later time.

Below is a recent workout the swimmers on the team completed:

Warm Up:

100 (75 Easy Swim, 25 Drill: One Arm L)

100 (75 Easy Swim, 25 Drill: One Arm R)

100 (75 Easy Swim, 25 Drill: Fist)

Repeat

Set:

6 x 200 Moderate (3, 5, 7, 3, 5, 7)* w/ :20 RI

*These are the number of strokes you will take per breath for each of the 200s

200 Build w/ :20 RI

2 x 100 Hard w/ :20 RI

Cool Down:

100 (75 Easy Swim, 25 Drill: One Arm L)

100 (75 Easy Swim, 25 Drill: One Arm R)

100 (75 Easy Swim, 25 Drill: Fist)

Total: 2,500

Practice this workout and others that focus on hypoxic breathing to help build lung capacity which will in turn build your confidence as a swimmer and a triathlete!

If you want more help with your swimming in a group atmosphere, please consider joining Vizsla Swim Team! We meet on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 6am at Agnes Scott College in Decatur for a one hour coached workout. I am also available for private lessons at the City Club of Buckhead located inside the Atlanta Financial Center. Visit my website or contact me at coach@vizslacoaching.com or at 404.667.0817 for more information.

Swim with Confidence by Executing Flip Turns!

As a Professional Triathlon Coach and Swim Coach for Vizsla Swim Team, I am often asked why I encourage athletes to perform flip turns when they don’t do them in a triathlon. There are three reasons why flip turns are beneficial for triathletes. First of all, athletes will build endurance. Secondly, athletes will build lung capacity. Third, athletes will swim like swimmers!

When executing flip turns in the pool, athletes are not taking the break at the wall. Flip turns resemble continuous swimming, like in a triathlon, and athletes will build endurance.

Swimmers will take fewer breaths as they are performing flip turns. When swimmers take fewer breaths, they are building lung capacity.

Ask yourself this question: Have you have been swimming in a triathlon, you turn your head to breathe and you cannot take that breath? The reason might be because either water is in your face from a wave or someone is right on top of you. When you build lung capacity, you will be confident enough to put your face back in the water and breathe at a later time without panicking.

I once heard someone say, "If you want to be a better swimmer, you should swim like a swimmer!" I thought that simple statement made a lot of sense. Swimmers do flip turns!

If you are not sure how to execute a flip turn, click here and take a look at this video. It does an excellent job of breaking it down.

I want to encourage all triathletes to practice flip turns in the pool! If you are just starting to practice flip turns, just let your lane-mates know what you are doing and I'm sure they will be understanding and even encouraging!

If you want more help with your swimming a group atmosphere, please consider joining Vizsla Swim Team! We meet on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 6am at Agnes Scott College in Decatur for a one hour coached workout. Your first visit is free of charge!

Swim with Confidence!

As a Professional Triathlon Coach and Coach of Vizsla Swim Team, I often see athletes who are fantastic swimmers during practice in the pool, but encounter trouble on race day. One reason they might experience difficulty may be due to lack of confidence.

As described by Peter Haberl, Ed. D., senior sport psychologist for the United States Olympic Committee, in the USA Triathlon Level 1 Coach Certification Manual, there are four Cs that play a huge role when it comes to balancing the stress of racing.

1. Confidence

2. Concentration

3. Commitment

4. Composure

Confidence is believing in yourself, your skills and your ability to handle whatever comes your way.

Concentration is staying focused on the task at hand.

Commitment is willingness to train hard, to sacrifice, to persevere when things are not going well.

Composure is managing your emotions. Be in charge of yourself because there are many things out of your control.

Athletes can achieve a higher degree of performance and turn negative stress into a helpful challenge when they improve aspects of the four Cs.

Because nothing happens without confidence, my next series of blogs for the month of June will address ways for athletes to swim with confidence!