February 21, 2009 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
Chicago got hit with a winter storm this morning that moved in just past midnight. No real heavy snow, but high winds that made swimming impossible. I opted to make this an HGH-boosting morning (sleeping in + Power Law workout), but Chris and Dave were out at Ladder #1 with these detailed observations:
Well, this morning’s reconnaissance mission to Ladder #1. I have this to report: gray stormcast sky, a very tempestuous lake producing ten to fifteen foot breakers coming over Ladder #1, and fifteen feet up the wall. There were huge upsurges of undulating waves cresting all over the place, also a coating of ice everywhere the waves went. Well, after a very turbulent day today we can only hope for a calm Lake Michigan tomorrow. For tomorrow’s mission I might need to bring skates to get to Ladder#1. Will definitely bring a hammer to break the ice off of Ladder#1. Starting tomorrow there’s only 90 days till the beaches open. Oh well, my head is swimming with the thoughts of swimming.
Aquaman Chris
90 days folks…I can’t wait!
February 20, 2009 / by Steve / 2 Comments / Filed under Tips & Techniques
I had a great session last night with the Chicago Triathletes Unite! Meetup Group. There was a lot of interest in this topic and a number of really insightful questions from the attendees.
This underscores one of the biggest critiques I have about the endurance sports community. Namely, we don’t do a good enough job at helping triathletes at all levels effectively prepare for the swim part of the race. In fact, we tend to gloss over the swim part as some sort of “necessary evil” that the triathlete just needs to “get through.”
For those of you who couldn’t attend, below is the outline of the presentation. Feel free to scan the site for more details on each topic area, or just contact me directly at srhernan [at] gmail [dot] com.
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Owning the Swim: How Endurance Athletes Can Effectively Manage Cold Water Exposure
1. Overview of Human Thermoregulation
- Skin temperature receptors
- Role of the hypothalamus
- Core: head, face, neck, upper torso, abdomen
- Extremities: hands, feet, head (sometimes)
2. What Happens When Things Go Wrong
- Immersion shock: gasp reflex, tachycardia, hyperventilation = anxiety/panic
- Pre-hypothermia
- State dependent memory/learning
3. What You Can Do to Prepare for the Swim – Key Takeaways
Prepare your body
- Sleep: 8+ hours if possible
- Hydration: avoid caffeine & alcohol, increase water intake
- Nutrition: healthy fats, lean source proteins, light carbohydrates
- Supplements: electrolytes
- Physical conditioning: light exercise 24 hours prior
Prime your body
- Progressive cold water exposure: 45 minutes prior to swim
- Mammalian dive reflex: immediately prior to immersion
Preserve heat in your core
- Thermal protection on your core
- Less emphasis on your extremities
Have fun!
February 18, 2009 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
Here are a couple of images you really need to look at:
They’re from a 2007 Daily Mail article on the Lamalera fishermen in Indonesia. This is a textbook example of a contemporary human population that engages in diet and activity patterns that optimize human gene expression. Robb Wolf does an excellent analysis of this in his blog posting “Man the Hunter.” Check it out.
February 17, 2009 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
I hate to burst your bubble, but most of you act just like prey animals. Even worse, most of you mimic domesticated prey animals. Let me explain…
Domestication is simply a process that occurs when an animal is born into and lives within a highly controlled environment that is subject to artificial selection. Examples of domesticated prey animals include sheep and cattle. But even natural predators can become domesticated under the right circumstances (e.g. dogs and cats).
In humans, the process has been much more insidious. Our domestication first began when humans shifted from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a farmer/agrarian one. The second phase in our domestication – namely, the shift from a farmer/agrarian lifestyle to an urban/agglomeration one – is taking place at this very moment.
Domestication isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not always conducive to survival as a species. For one thing, domestication typically involves some sort of dependency situation – particularly for scarce resources. Every domesticated animal (including humans) is dependent upon some other animal (primarily humans) to provide these resources or to at least to provide facilitated access to them. And this is fine as long as everyone in the group/tribe/society remains “tame.”
But what happens when we can’t all get along? Or rather, what happens when some members of these groups refuse to “play nice” with other members – or the groups themselves collapse because of resource constraints or inefficiencies?
The answer is, the veneer of domestication gets peeled back and these humans become feral predators.
In other words, you get the muggers, thieves, rapists, terrorists, and various other sociopaths who actively stalk and prey upon other humans.
Remember, you’re a hunter-gatherer at your core, not an “enlightened urbanite.” Do your thinking and acting off of that foundation, and you won’t find yourself getting blindsided by all the predators out there.
February 14, 2009 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
I’ve figured out the secret to successfully swimming in frigid water temperatures. Besides staying hydrated and getting a good night’s sleep, you must also eat an entire pizza by yourself and follow that with a pint of ice cream the night before your swim. Training is hell, folks…
The air temperature read 31F at 6:00am today. I made it out to Ladder #1 just after 7:00am, and the swim area was slightly choppy but completely free of ice. There were slight snow flurries, but not enough to add to the light dusting of snow from the night before. I was already suited up, so I climbed right in and began the swim.
The water seemed warmer than usual – I’d estimate it was in the 36F-37F range. I acclimated to it right away and never really felt cold throughout the swim. A slight wind had created some choppy water conditions, but not enough to pose any real challenge. I stayed close to the wall just in case, but it was a fairly routine swim. The waves had all but dissolved the snow and ice out at Oak Street Beach, so I was able to make my first beach landing since November. I had a quick chat with a beachgoer and opted to do a quick 1/4 mile run along side the lake to warm up a bit. I jumped back in just past Ladder #13 and reached Ladder #1 about 15 minutes later.
Overall, it was about as good a swim as it gets. Either the pizza/ice cream combo significantly enhances thermoregulation, or maybe I’m just finally getting used to all of this. My bet’s on the comfort food…
Foggy Valentines Day
The black overcoat fits with the “fog motif”
February 12, 2009 / by Steve / Make A Comment / Filed under Event Alert
For those of you who are into multisport events, I will be conducting a talk on open water swimming next week for the Meetup group Chicago Triathletes Unite!. I am an assistant organizer of this group, and the focus of the presentation will be on how to maximize your swim effectiveness in colder water conditions.
I’m planning to keep this brief but very substantive with an emphasis on the following:
- Overview of human thermoregulation
- Cold water swim gear for various temperature ranges
- Pre-swim preparation
- Cold water immersion tactics
Here are the event details:
Chicago Triathletes Unite! February Meetup
Thursday February 19, 2009
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Crossroads
2630 N Clark Street (1/4 block north of Wrightwood)
Chicago, IL 60614
Register online (it’s free!) or just come on out!
February 11, 2009 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
Most of the fish and practically all of the meat and poultry that you consume is derived from farms or hatcheries. This means that you are limiting your animal protein intake to sources that predominately use grains as a way of “fattening up” their livestock.
In other words, these animal protein sources are no longer directly or indirectly deriving their nutrients from leafy plants or algae – something which is necessary for the formation of essential Omega-3 fatty acids.
This is a new phenomenon in human history. Up until a few generations ago, our diet was rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). While Omega-3 fatty acids in general reduce triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels, EPA is especially critical to nervous system functioning. Chronically low EPA levels can cause sleep dysfunctions and have been linked to bipolar and depressive mood disorders.
The key takeaway here is that, for the most part, the essential Omega-3 fatty acid EPA has been engineered out of our diets – so you need to replenish it.
I don’t normally push products, but here’s what I use:
There are countless brands and formulations out there, so it can get a bit confusing. But just remember to check for equal or higher levels of EPA. Because that’s what you really need and what you’re not currently getting from your diet.
February 9, 2009 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.
- Mark Twain
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Just how wealthy are you really? In other words, how well have you hunted and gathered scarce resources that will allow you to survive and flourish in the days going forward?
Many people look at wealth in terms of “personal net worth.” While that’s a fairly standard way of measuring a person’s ability to survive and flourish going forward, it’s also a bit misleading. First, let’s look at what most people think of when they use the term wealth:
“Liquid” Assets
- Cash in your pocket
- Bank account funds
- Sellable personal possessions
Speculative Assets
- Stocks
- Bonds
- Mutual funds
- IRA’s
- 401Ks
- Pension funds
- Real estate
- Business ventures
Social Contract (a.k.a.”Entitlement”) Assets
- Social security
- Medicare
- Government bailouts
- Insurance
- Inheritances
The key point to note here is that none of these assets are really stable or certain.
Liquid assets are subject to constant fluctuations in societal confidence. What you have in your pocket or in your bank might become totally worthless overnight. Speculative assets are simply gambling. All the advanced financial and statistical modeling by the hyper-educated experts is just overpaid guesswork. But social contract assets are by far the most misleading. These are essentially handouts that are distributed by total strangers to total strangers solely on the whims of total strangers. And in the case of “pay-as-you-go” assets like Social Security, many these total strangers haven’t even been born yet.
Bottom line, your only real asset is your ability to find, keep, and effectively utilize scarce, life-enhancing resources. This is comprised of:
- Your physical health – how physically robust and energetic you are (i.e. your level of “fitness”)
- Your mental faculties – how well you utilize your senses to take advantage of and ensure your survival and dominance in your immediate environment
Remember, most “assets” are nothing more than artificial constructs that require either gambling or grovelling. So work on building your strength and your wits so you can do your own “hunting and gathering” out in the urban jungle. And learn to not only accept uncertainly, but to also thrive within it.
February 7, 2009 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Swim Reports
For a second, I thought it was June…
At 6:30am, it was already light out and the mercury read 47F (and rising). I made an executive decision to go out to Ladder #1 on my bike. The last time I attempted this was early November, and the ride back was so horrifically freezing that I vowed never to even attempt it until spring. But Mother Nature gave us a great one this morning, and it sure felt wonderful to be back in “summer mode” – albeit temporarily.
The swim area was a mixed bag. The water itself was calm, free of ice, and deceptively summer-like given the backdrop of clear skies and a magnificent sunrise. The area surrounding Ladder #1, though, was somewhat of a mess. The previous day had ushered in some pretty fierce waves that had kicked up a lot of silt and deposited it all over the still melting ice. So it was quite a challenge navigating my bike out to the edge of the lake. In fact, it was a damn difficult ride out on the bike path in general!
Cutting to the chase, the swim was fantastic – easily the best for me since the halcyon days of early October. The water was still a brisk 34F, but it was crystal clear and ice free for most of the swim. I swam close to the wall and got to see some pretty nifty mini-waterfalls caused by the melting ice formations. On the way back, I was treated to a water-level view of an incredible sunrise during each breath. These are two great examples of the types of experiences that you will never have unless you actually physically get in the water and view the world from this perspective.
I swam within 20 meters of Oak Street Beach and promptly ran into (literally and figuratively) an ice barricade that extended all the way to the shore. I viewed this as a sign from above that it was time to turn around, and I promptly quickened my swim pace to ward off the encroaching numbness in my fingers.
Dave, Amber, and the Ochoas were out that morning, and apart from the sandy ice/snow on the ground it was essentially a late spring morning. Given such a glorious day, the lakefront runners were also out in force. As always, we got some peculiar looks from the high-impact cardio crowd. But I can’t imagine we looked any less comical than the fair-weather throngs of runners outfitted with knee braces and bandolier-like fuel belts!
‘Nuff said. Get outside today…
Fully glory sunrise
Pre-swim self portrait
February 3, 2009 / by srhernan / Make A Comment / Filed under Fitness & Training
This month’s edition of the Harvard Business Review has an interesting blurb on the Bioscleave House in East Hampton, New York. Check out this link at the New York Times for more details on this “unorthodox” living space:
The architects designed the house to promote what they term “death resistance.” In other words, they created an environment which forces occupants to navigate uncertain, disorienting, and sometimes even dangerous spaces. Per the NYT piece:
All of it is meant to keep the occupants on guard. Comfort, the thinking goes, is a precursor to death; the house is meant to lead its users into a perpetually “tentative” relationship with their surroundings, and thereby keep them young.
Now take a look at your current living environment as well as the typical route you traverse to and from work. It’s pretty predictable, orderly ,and sanitized, isn’t it?
I think the architects may be on to something here. We are not built for comfort, certainty, and orderliness. In fact, nature itself is irregular, uncertain, and very often dangerous. But it’s also exactly what we’ve adapted to over thousands of years.
Remember, there were no perfectly symmetrical or level environments “back in the day.” Perhaps that’s why going on a hike in the mountains or “roughing it” on a camping trip is so restorative…
