Catch a wave...Or the swimming thread

[jesvetmed]

I just finished Slow Fat Triathlete -- fun read. Good info and inspiration! A great recommendation.

Starfish... maybe you could do my swim... I've been avoiding the pool like the plague, but working hard on my biking and running instead. Just lazy -- I have to drive to the pool, the rest is right here. So we'd make a decent team!

I think that if it sounds fun to you, you should go for it. There are a lot of "first time tri's" out there and women only tri's that are much more fun and laid back and supportive. And the training for 3 different things makes it easier to spread the running around so it isn't as painful as running daily.

[Starfish]

Thanks, guys. End of my little hijack. I'm very de-motivated on the bike right now...kinda looking for excuses to do something different, but probably just jaw-jackin' right now. Truth is, I'm considering chucking my goals out the window for the summer and just taking a season off from any goals. But, we'll see.

[rocknrollgirl]

Starfish,
Why not make the goal just to finish? Youcould do it. You will be amazed at the folks that you see at the strting line and most of them finish, some of them very slowly, but who cares. The point is to be out there.

Do you have someone that you can ride with that is faster. Chasing my DH made me a much faster rider, and in racing terms, I ma not a fast runner, I just plug along. You can do it.

[HillSlugger]

I usually swim at about 2min/100m pace and can "sprint" a 300m at about 1:52 pace. This morning with my wetsuit on I did 400m on 1:46 pace without even working hard! I cut a full minute off my usual time at that distance! Now I can't wait to see my 750m time for my race next weekend (assuming I survive the cold water )

[rocknrollgirl]

I know...I bow down to the greatness of my wetsuit. I can cruise with it on!

[kelownagirl]

I need to buy a wetsuit.

[Starfish]

Do you have someone that you can ride with that is faster. Chasing my DH made me a much faster rider, and in racing terms, I ma not a fast runner, I just plug along. You can do it.

Thanks for all the encouragement. I think there is just something wrong with my attitude these days, to be honest. It does sound fun.

I really would love to find the right riding buddies. There are not that many folks where I live who really train on road bikes. There is a contingent of really nice folks, but they all do IRONMANs. I tried riding with them once, and it was ridiculous. There is one woman I can kind of ride with, but her life has been extremely difficult for a couple years, and it is not a consistent opportunity. We don't have a local club.

I investigated a local women's group that is starting to meet for rides, but they are almost all VERY recreational, mostly on cruiser type bikes, etc.

So...I am still on the quest to find a regular riding buddy.

I usually swim at about 2min/100m pace and can "sprint" a 300m at about 1:52 pace. This morning with my wetsuit on I did 400m on 1:46 pace without even working hard! I cut a full minute off my usual time at that distance!

Now, I have to admit THIS is motivating. I might have to get back to swimming just so I can get a wetsuit and feel fast at SOMETHING again!

[kelownagirl]

My forearms hurt. Is that from swimming? It's the muscle or tendon in the front of my arm, moreso where it attaches to my elbow.

[rocknrollgirl]

OMG KG...I am NOT A FREAK!!! I AM NOT ALONE!!!
First off, I am sorry that you are hurting.
I started having elbow issues from swimming in January. I have consulted my PT, my trainer at school and been to the Sports Med Doc and none of them have ever had anyone come in with elbow problems from swimming. Shoulder problems are a dime a dozen, but not elbows.

I know exactly what I did, and when I did it. It was when my knee was so bad that I could not kick, so I swam with the pull buoy. It must have changed my postion enough in the water to change my stroke.

SO, what have you been doing? Pulling? Going really hard? How is your hand postion, elbow position? Be more specific about where it hurts. In your description, palm up or palm down.

PM me if you want to chat more....
Ruth

[kelownagirl]

LOL RNRgirl! I'm glad you're so excited!

Well, I'm happy to say that my pain is not bad, just noticeable and I'm curious as to how I got it. I know it wasn't from biking or running and I haven't been to the gym for 6 weeks so I'm assuming it's from swimming. If I pretend I am swimming and go thru the stroke and can feel my forearm tighten when I'm in the 'pull' position.

And you're right, I couldn't find any online info about this pain being related to swimming. Only stuff about the shoulder. I swim with a pull buoy once in awhile but not a lot. Hmmm....

I was trying to find a picture online that showed the area that is sore. I THINK it's the Supinator Teres muscle but I will wait to hear from someone more knowledgeble than me. Wahine? Knot?

It mostly hurts at the point of insertion (at the elbow) although it is sore right down that short strip of muscle. And it only mostly hurts when my hand is facing down, but even more so if I face it down and then turn it outwards.

Here are the only pics I can find

[Pika]

Hi KG:
I am sure wahine and Knot will have lots of great advice for you-but to clarify- is your pain on the inside of the elbow or outside?
Does it hurt more if you resist lifting your wrist and fingers up or pulling down( curling your fingers- wrist)
The most common pain is on the outside ( tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis) pain on the inside is very often medial epicondylitis or golfer's elbow) and no you don't have to golf or play tennis to get it.
There are many great stretches for both conditions and of course some eccentric stregthening ( strengthening with the tendon lengthening) but that comes later in rehab-
Sometimes a mobilization of the ulna (forearm bone) on the humerus (upper arm bone) is very useful.
hopefully this isn't too dijointed to be of any help- just need a bit more info 1to be more specific-

[kelownagirl]

Hi KG:
I am sure wahine and Knot will have lots of great advice for you-but to clarify- is your pain on the inside of the elbow or outside?
Does it hurt more if you resist lifting your wrist and fingers up or pulling down( curling your fingers- wrist)
The most common pain is on the outside ( tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis) pain on the inside is very often medial epicondylitis or golfer's elbow) and no you don't have to golf or play tennis to get it.
There are many great stretches for both conditions and of course some eccentric stregthening ( strengthening with the tendon lengthening) but that comes later in rehab-
Sometimes a mobilization of the ulna (forearm bone) on the humerus (upper arm bone) is very useful.
hopefully this isn't too dijointed to be of any help- just need a bit more info 1to be more specific-

It doesn't really hurt when I move my wrist up or down. It mostly hurts if I press on it. It's the inside of the elbow I guess. Take a look at the picture I posted - is that the back of the hand in that picture? If so, it hurts right about where that strip of supinator teres muscle is.

[rocknrollgirl]

Mine is Golfer's elbow, and the part of your stroke where it hurts is EXACTLY where mine hurts. If you google it, there is a ton of info.

[Wahine]

KG - the pic on the left is actually of the left arm, palm side, with the arrow at the inner elbow. This is golfer's elbow. So you likely have some local irritation here from pulling during your stroke. But I'm also intrigued by the fact that the pain is worse with certain neck movements - it could just ba coincidence because that's how your happen to be moving your head at a certain part of the stroke, or it could be that you've go an irritated nerve in your neck that's contributing to the problem.

Did you find some online stretches etc?

I know you don't want to hear this but you may need to have your PT look at it, especially if you've got a nerve pinching thing going on.

[kelownagirl]

KG - the pic on the left is actually of the left arm, palm side, with the arrow at the inner elbow. This is golfer's elbow. So you likely have some local irritation here from pulling during your stroke. But I'm also intrigued by the fact that the pain is worse with certain neck movements - it could just ba coincidence because that's how your happen to be moving your head at a certain part of the stroke, or it could be that you've go an irritated nerve in your neck that's contributing to the problem.

Did you find some online stretches etc?

I know you don't want to hear this but you may need to have your PT look at it, especially if you've got a nerve pinching thing going on.

LOL, I tried so hard to find a pic with the back of the hand showing. Well, anyway, if you imagine this is the back of the hand instead, that's about the spot.

Not sure where you got the neck idea? Maybe RnRG said something about the neck? Anyway, mine doesn't hurt when I turn my neck at all. Hopefully, that
s a good thing.

I'll look for some stretches and see if that helps.And like I said, right now it's not a big deal, just an annoyance. But I am learning to notice things and I don't want them to get worse because I was ignorant.