What do Swimmers Wear?? Guide on how to look like a swimmer

Swim season has just about finished up at YorkU.  The Ontario Championships are over, and most of the swimmers are winding down.  I on the other hand will be continuing to train hard to gain swim fitness and improve my stroke.  It has been a memorable season, and I wanted to reflect a bit on the changes I have seen in my own swimming.  The main question is: Am I a swimmer yet?

At the beginning of the season, it was very apparent that I was a triathlete swimmer, with the long suit, and big goggles.  As the season progressed however, I adopted many of the traits seen in true swimmers.

Here is a list of traits that when employed, will be sure to get people thinking you are a real swimmer, and not just a triathlete who swims only to bike and run.

Out of the Water

1) The Suit:  If you are going to be a swimmer, you need to start getting comfortable in briefs (or "speedo").  Wearing briefs shows that you are confident and capable, and it is the first point that people look for in a real swimmer.

2) The Goggles: Triathletes seem to be big fans of those big lensed goggles with a large gasket for cushion.  Popular examples include: Aquasphere Kaiman goggles, TYR Nest-Pro goggles (my previous choice of goggle), or perhaps the much hyped Sable Water Optics goggles.

Sable water optics ($50!!)

These goggles are  not that bad, but they can be expensive (the sable pair runs for about $50).

If you want to be considered a real swimmer, there is really only one choice: Swedish goggles

Amber Swedes

Phelps and I wear the same goggles

Not only are these goggles super stylish, they also have a custom fit, are worn by olympians, are very durable, for only about $10.  This tip worked well for my friend Raffi, who's swimming is, shall I say "medium at best".  Once he started wearing the Swedes though, everyone thought he was a swimmer

These tips will get you as far as the edge of the pool, but here are a few more tips to really convince people you are a swimmer.

In the Water
1) The entrance:  Swimmers never get into the water slowly, they only jump in and swim right away.  To show people you are serious, don't ease your way into the pool, just jump in and get going (sprinting off the start is always good).

2) Where you swim:  If your swimming at your local pool and want to be taken seriously, reserve the spot right in the middle of the lane.

3) The turns: Flip turns are the only way to go for real swimmers.  If the swedish goggles and speedo haven't got people thinking your a swimmer yet, just do a few flip turns in close proximity to those non- swimmers who hang out and talk in the shallow end of the pool.


For myself, I think it is still a bit of a stretch calling myself a swimmer (and it may always be this way), but I defiantly look more like a swimmer now, and will hopefully be considered more of a swimmer than a triathlete next swim season (or just a really good triathlete).  

**Please keep in mind, these small tips will definitely get you instant swimmer credibility, but will only get you so far.  To get people to think you are an actual swimmer, you have to actually swim like one (which means just get out there and practice).

Andy's Reading Week

Today marks the final day of my 2013 reading week, so I thought I would give a quick re-cap of my eventful time off of school.  My reading week was very busy, and consisted of doctor appointments, studying, knitting, and lots of training.

Over the break, I visited three doctors.  The first doctor was my dentist, Dr. Bourke.  You never really get good news at the dentist, so this was probably my least favourite doctor trip.  You could say though, that her message to brush more got through...

This should count, right...?

My second doctor trip was to the Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Zarnett to examine the healing of my stress fracture.  We took some more x-rays (I've had a lot of these), and Dr. Zarnett determined it was pretty much healed.  To be on the safe side, he wants me to wait one more month before resuming running, which would put me at about 6 months off running.  I'll be good though...no running for the next month even though I feel great.

My third and final doctor trip was to my favourite doctor, "Doctor Laffa".  You may be wondering which type of doctor this is, but you would never guess.  Dr. Laffa is my favourite shawarma restaurant, and serves the most authentic Mediterranean food around.  Everything is homemade, and my order of falafel, wrapped in a laffa with lots of great vegetable toppings, was amazing.  This was definitely the best doctor to visit to end off reading week.

My other reading week adventures included a nine day long "tour de sufferlandria",where I pushed myself through hard cycling workouts every day (The doctor did say to bike as much as I could).  It was tough, and I wouldn't have made it if my younger brother Dan wasn't there riding as well (he also finished the tour....not bad for a twelve year old).
 
I also put in some hours towards my knitting project. I was able to finish the back panal, and get started on the front.  I encountered a bit of difficulty early on in the front and had to pull out some of my hard work (I like to call these "knitting adventures"...sometimes they can lead to things like punching holes in doors).  Heres a look at what I have finished so far:

Looks good

Oh, and I did do a bit of reading over reading week....a bit...

Training the average population

I am currently studying in Kinesiology at York University, and am learning a lot about fitness and health.  I have learned a lot about the body, and I am currently working towards my certification as a personal trainer and eventually an exercise physiologist.
Although many kinesiology students have a large knowledge base, it is quite possible for them to come across the wrong way to someone who is just starting an exercise program.
I found this clip to provide an interesting perspective on how the average person views exercise, and how they may react to "personal trainers".

*Contains audio

The best way to rest an injury

Heres a quick post to make up for the lack of pictures on the last blog entry.  My swim coach Brent loves scarves, so i decided to make him one with the York University colours (I told you I wasn't kidding about the knitting).  Check out these poses:

"Hey, shouldn't you be swimming or something"

Knitting sure helps pass the time that I have to spend resting on the couch.  I highly recommend it to anyone who is dealing with injury and having a hard time resting (knitting is really a sport in itself).

Big thanks to Brent for his awesome job as my swim coach.  Enjoy the scarf coach!

Better Safe then Sorry

This is my first blog post of 2013, so for all you regular blog readers checking in, I wish you a happy new year.  2012 was a great year for me in my triathlon racing, and now that it is over, it is time to plan for a even better 2013.  As of my last blog post, I was still waiting for the results from my MRI.  I met with the doctor this past tuesday to discuss the results.  Our discussion started out with her giving me a funny look, asking me how I had gotten to school, and if I had crutches with me (not the best signs of a healthy leg).  Then she broke the news.  After originally being diagnosed and treated for a tibialis posterior tear (which was taking an unusually long time to get better), the MRI revealed a large stress fracture in the lower part of my left tibia, which was accompanied with a lot of swelling and inflammation of the soft tissue and bone.  This is one of those classic good news bad news situations.  Good news: Your going to get really good at swimming, not to mention water running, and even have time left to catch up on your knitting!
Bad news: Here is a nice set of crutches, I don't want to see you weight bearing or on a bike for at least the next two weeks!
Oddly enough, I was not too upset about the results.  Now, for the first time after my injury, I know exactly what is wrong, and what I can do (or in this case not do) to help it properly heal.
Although it would be nice to set some goals for my racing in the summer of 2013, my first and only goal right now is to get better.  Yes this means my fitness will decrease and my leg will atrophy from the time spent off of it, but in the long run, this is the only way to do it.  It sucks not being able to do stuff now, but it would suck even more not being able to race in the summer or re-injure myself down the road.
But don't think I am going to turn into an unmotivated couch potato.  I will be maintaining my fitness with water running and swimming (all pulling and no push offs) and I am also going to spend more time building core strength.  Biking and running will be incorporated back into the mix only when it is safe to do so, and I will carefully re-introduce them so I don't hurt something else by rushing their return .  As for the extra time off, it will be a good chance to take a chill, have a coffee if you know what I mean... 
Sorry for the lack of pictures on this one, I will try and get some good ones for my next post (I wasn't joking about catching up on my knitting, so look for a picture of my almost completed scarf, or the new sweater project I am contemplating about making).  Hope you other triathletes reading this are staying healthy, and if you do get injured, really take the time to get back to full health.

Money Falling From the Sky

Oh Hey!...Remember me...?  I know we haven't seen too much of each other this past little while, but I wanted to let you know that I have been thinking of you.  In fact, I was dreaming of our glorious reunion only the other night, you and me, together again.  The reason for our time apart....?  No it wasn't you...really...it was me.  I've just been busy...thats all...very busy...a bit preoccupied so to say.  With what you ask?  Well its complicated, and somewhat painful to recount...but...I suppose for old times sake, you deserve an explanation.  It all began with....

Hope you enjoyed that little bit of creativity, which was thought up late at night over a large cup of herbal tea.  This top section was meant to serve as an imaginary conversation between myself and my running shoes.  Its been roughly three months since I have been out for a run due to my injury in the fall, but fortunately my condition is improving.  I headed to the hospital last week to get an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to check that everything in my leg is all healed up and ready to go.  It should be another couple weeks until I get the results, but hopefully I will be cleared to lace up my shoes and head out for some beautiful winter runs.

Just before heading into the MRI

Speaking of winter, it is probably safe to say that winter is my favourite season.  Although winter brings snow, which effectively ends the outdoor riding season, there are many redeeming factors about winter.  To start (and also to explain the title), snow accumulation is perfect for my winter job of shovelling driveways.  I tend to have anywhere between three to six regular clients in my snow shovelling business, and in good winter seasons, I can make a fair amount of money clearing their driveways.  Our first real snowfall occurred only a couple of days ago, but it was enough to keep me busy for about four hours in the morning clearing a total of seven driveways (snowfalls tend to turn me into a tireless snow shovelling machine by the way).  Apart from being a fantastic workout, it also brought in a nice profit of around $100, which will help me to absorb the cost of some of my new gear.  Check out this picture below for how reflective my new jacket is:)
.

"Lightbulb Jacket"

Apart from being super stylish and reversible, this jacket is also perhaps one of the most reflective pieces of clothing available to consumers.  It is a great way to stay visible to cars on dark winter runs, and should help keep me safe during low light training sessions (to the relief of my safety conscious mom).

Winter is also a great time of the year, as school takes a break, we celebrate Christmas, and finally we celebrate my birthday on the 31'st of December.  I turn 21 this year (there might be a special birthday swim set to make to occasion).
The swim team at York has also started their winter training camp, which should provide me with more than enough opportunity to make up for the two days off of swimming on Christmas and boxing day (I still got in biking both of those days though).

We'll talk soon (you readers and my running shoes).  Happy New Year

Take a Chill, Have a Coffee

My past few weeks have been pretty busy with school and training.  I have had to write two midterms and one final exam in the past three weeks, while at the same time, keep up with my regular training and injury recovery. This hectic schedule was beginning to take its toll as I was developing a cough and sore throat, so when I left for a family trip out to British Columbia, it was a good switch up from my regular routine.

The first stop on our trip out to BC was to Whistler for some early season downhill skiing.  Whistler has been getting some serious snowfall for this time of the year, and we enjoyed fresh powder for the two days we skied.  Taking some runs down the mountain slopes was a nice break from my regular Ontario schedule, although I still went to the rec centre every evening to get in some swimming (and by some swimming, I mean a lot of swimming).

Enjoying the fresh powder right next to the "Peak to Peak"

After a couple days in Whistler, we headed back to Vancouver to meet up with family and celebrate my mom's uncle's 90'th birthday (her other uncle is 92, so my gene pool is looking pretty good).  This day involved a lot of sitting, and although I was eager to get some training in, there just wasn't time, so I opted for a day off.  This is where the phrase "Take a Chill, Have a Coffee" comes in.  In my close group of training partners, we have numerous catch phrases, this one being developed after watching the Tim Don training video, in which he repeats this saying all through the video.  Whenever any of us say it, it is essential to say it in some sort of accent, myself opting for the australian accent (very similar to Tim Don's accent).  I don't actually drink coffee, but I do like to chill on my day's off.  Here's what I tend to like when I "take a chill":

Somewhat important
- A bit of a sleep in, maybe to 9 or 10am
- An easy swim to loosen up and keep a feel for the water.  A nice long shower after is also good
Important
- A long stretch and roll with some t.v
- Changeup breakfast (like pancakes instead of oatmeal)
Essential for absolute chill
-High quality beer, but only one (Mill street Organic Lager is preferred)
-Ping Pong (this can get intense)
-Steam room or sauna (the highest level of chill)

This particular day off mentioned above included swim, stretch, beer, and on the top of the list, a visit to the hotel's steam room, so it was pretty chill (and it helped get rid of my cough).

On our last full day in BC, I got to swim in a 50m pool for my first time, and put in 5km of solid swimming.

Vancouver Aquatic Centre (5km swim)

We took the rest of the day to visit a few more elderly relatives, and also visit with my Aunt and two cousins (who agreed to read my blog, so it may be nice to mention them).  Like myself, my cousins are both extremely competitive, and we played a very intense fast paced game of cutthroat uno (lets call this cross training for the mind).  We finished off the evening with a beautifully prepared dinner by my Aunt, that included numerous "Andrew Friendly" foods like a vegetarian lasagne, herbal tea, and dark chocolate.

Our flight back home was fast with only a small delay, but we got back quite late, and everyone was pretty tired.  Of course, being the super energetic triathlete I am, I decided to get dropped off at the pool on our drive home for a quick swim, putting a nice end to a relaxing trip.  Now, after a nice break from the regular routine of a university student (train, study, eat, sleep) I am back to full health and ready to start studying for exams.