Ask, Learn & Vote 2020.

VOTE!  They say….but are there some details to know > time to make your Vote Plan (www.nbc.com/voteplan).  

What I learned as a poll worker last month (Aug 2020) is how much confusion there is around the voting process and the complete shame and embarrassment around not knowing and asking for help – it’s time to change that.

                  There are no stupid questions around voting – don’t be shy,

feel intimidated or embarrassed – this is YOUR vote,

YOUR voice and YOUR democracy. 

                  Our education around voting has gotten lax and confusing at best and non-existent at worst > it’s time to change that.  

Ask, learn, advocate and most of all VOTE.

Go kick some democracy ass out there 🙂

Elections are run by Counties > the information below is for Johnson County, Kansas; details taken from http://www.jocoelection.org.

It is the job of the JOCO Election office and Poll workers to help both leading up to and on election day > USE THEM.  Contact info: 

QUESTIONS TO: 913-715-6800 / http://www.jocoelection.org

…..Believe it or not a real person answers – or if you leave a message they call back pretty quick.  …..What?! So I’ve called a few times. Quit judging. They love me (I’m sure). 

 

DATES / DEADLINES TO KNOW FOR JOCO VOTING:

 

FIRST STEP: FIND OUT IF YOU ARE REGISTERED AND/ OR REGISTER TO VOTE

(Deadline: October 13, 2020)  

Voter Registration details:

1. Find out if you are registered to vote: https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/
2. If not, register to vote > either in person (by Oct 13, 2020) at one of the voter registration locations listed here: https://jocoelection.org/registration-sites
3. Or register by mail
   1. Download registration application here: https://jocoelection.org/sites/default/files/VoterRegistrationSOS.pdf 
   2. Mail registration application (today, right now, asap) to:  
      1. JOCO Election Office 201 East Kansas City Road Olathe, KS 66061  🙂
      2. Must be post-marked by October 13th
4. Mid-September call 913-715-6800 to confirm your voter registration was received > do not assume it was received.
5. You should receive a notice in the mail confirming your registration was received…but again, don’t wait for this notice – call 913-715-6800 to confirm.

 

FAQ: Can I register to vote the day of the election? NO.  You must register by October 13, 2020.

FAQ: Do I have to declare a party to register to vote in November?  Answer: No (b/c it’s a general election.  You do have to declare for a primary election).

 

SECOND STEP: DECIDE WHEN AND WHERE YOU WILL VOTE

METHODS TO VOTE: in person early voting (best choice), in person on Election Day, vote by mail, provisional ballot 

 

 1. In Person Early Voting (Wednesday Oct 14, 2020 – Monday Nov 2, 2020 until NOON)

**** BEST OPTION **** BEST OPTION **** BEST OPTION ****

You can vote at any polling location (that offers early voting) during this time – here is a list of locations and times:  https://www.jocoelection.org/advance-voting-0

 

2. In Person Voting on Election Day November 3, 2020 (7AM – 7 PM)

1. 1. Vote at your designated polling (voting) location > where? see #2
   2. “Where do I vote on election day?” Text VOTEKS, your address and ZIP to 74574. Within 60 seconds a return message displays your polling place.
   3. As long as you are in line by 7 PM you are allowed to vote.

FAQ: What if I go to the wrong voting location on Nov 3 / Election Day?  If you don’t have time to get to your correct voting location, you can vote via PROVISIONAL BALLOT at any location.  Tell the poll worker you need to vote via provisional ballot – they will help you do this.  This isn’t the preferred way to vote b/c provisional ballots aren’t always counted (details for another day) – but it is 100% better than not voting.  Provisional Ballots are always an option.

FAQ:  If I previously submitted to vote by MAIL, can I still vote in person? Yes but there are some caveats > every person is allocated only ONE BALLOT.  So, if you applied to vote by mail but forgot or changed your mind here are your options:

1. Fill out the ballot you received in the mail and physically take it to any poll location > you don’t have to wait in line.  Tell the poll worker & ask to drop off the mail-in ballot in the labeled RED BAG designated for collecting mail-in ballots.  

2. If you don’t have / can’t find your ballot > just go vote in person as normal > you will need to use a PROVISIONAL BALLOT.   At check-in, the poll workers can tell if you’ve already received a mail in ballot or not – so if you can’t remember, don’t worry : )  Just go vote in person like normal and if needed, vote using a provisional ballot.   

If you can’t remember if you submitted to vote by mail, or you lost your ballot or changed your mind – don’t worry, poll workers can access that info for you.  Voting via provisional ballot is always an option.  

 

 3. Vote by Mail > 2 step process.  #1 apply to receive a mail in ballot #2 Get the ballot in the mail, fill it out, return it…..details:

STEP 1:

1. Download and fill out a MAIL BALLOT APPLICATION (this is basically to request the election office mail you a ballot)
   1. https://jocoelection.org/advance-voting-0
   2. deadline for requesting a Mail Ballot Application is October 27, 2020 > but do it now if you are planning to vote by mail 😉

     2. Submit your MAIL BALLOT APPLICATION via:  snail mail, fax, text a picture of the application, or take the application to the JOCO election office.  Contact info:

3) Confirm your MAIL BALLOT APPLICATION WAS RECEIVED > Mid-September Call 913-715-6800 > confirm w/ plenty of time to still re-apply if needed.  This sounds coo-coo cocoa puffs paranoid but do it 🙂

October 14, 2020 > This is the date by law Kansas can start mailing out voting ballots.  Keep an eye out in the mail – call 913-715-6800 if you don’t see yours and remember you can always vote in person using a provisional ballot.  This isn’t ideal but it’s certainly better than not!

STEP 2:

1. Get your VOTING BALLOT in the mail (if you don’t have this by October 21, call the election office at 913-715-6800)
2. Fill out your ballot and either mail it to the Johnson County Election office 2101 Easy Kansas City Road Olathe, KS 66061 OR take it into any polling location listed here: https://www.jocoelection.org/advance-voting-0

 

Questions? Concerns?  JOCO Election Office – 913-715-6800 or liz@redstriteam.com 

 

Remember:

There are no stupid questions around voting – don’t be shy, feel intimidated or embarrassed – this is YOUR vote, YOUR voice and YOUR democracy.  Own it. Use your voice and your vote to get what you need at the polls.

Our education around voting has gotten lax and confusing at best and non-existent at worst > it’s time to change that.  

Ask, learn, advocate and most of all VOTE! 

Let’s kick some democracy ass out there.

Implicit Bias – what is it and how to work on improving it

Original docs attached below – have copied and pasted them here for ease of reading.  Thank you to Katie Weidling and AFSME for these documents.

Here is to listening, learning and being open to sitting in discomfort while we work together to improve our communities ❤️

Beyond Bias: An Introduction to Implicit Bias

Defining Implicit Bias

Also known as implicit social cognition, implicit bias refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner.  These biases, which encompass both favorable and unfavorable assessments, are activated involuntarily and without an individual’s awareness or intentional control.  Residing deep in the subconscious, these biases are different from known biases that individuals may choose to conceal for the purposes of social and/or political correctness.  Rather, implicit biases are not accessible through introspection.

The implicit associations we harbor in our subconscious cause us to have feelings and attitudes about other people based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, age, and appearance.  These associations develop over the course of a lifetime beginning at a very early age through exposure to direct and indirect messages.  In addition to early life experiences, the media and news programming are often-cited origins of implicit associations.

A Few Key Characteristics of Implicit Biases

• Implicit biases are pervasive.  Everyone possesses them, even people with avowed commitments to impartiality such as judges.

• Implicit and explicit biases are related but distinct mental constructs.  They are not mutually exclusive and may even reinforce each other.

• The implicit associations we hold do not necessarily align with our declared beliefs or even reflect stances we would explicitly endorse.

• We generally tend to hold implicit biases that favor our own ingroup, though research has shown that we can still hold implicit biases against our ingroup.

• Implicit biases are malleable.  Our brains are incredibly complex, and the implicit associations that we have formed can be gradually unlearned through a variety of debiasing techniques.

Source:  Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.  State of the Science:  Implicit Bias Review 2015

 

8 STRATEGIES TO  REDUCE/INTERRUPT BIAS

STRATEGY # 1 – Increase Your Awareness

• Take the Implicit Association Test (IAT) at www.withinourlifetime.net OR http://www.implicit.harvard.edu.

STRATEGY # 2 – Stereotype Replacement – a) recognize when you’re having a stereotypic thought (or when you observe stereotypic portrayals in society; b) identify the factors behind the thought/portrayal; c) replace the stereotype with a non-stereotypic response.  

• Recognize when stereotypes are activated:  What are the feelings – physiological signs – that you have when you spend time with and/or around people with whom you have “chemistry;” people with whom you “click?”   What are the feelings when you’re with and/or around people who are the opposite?  

STRATEGY # 3 – Counter-Stereotypic Imaging – imagine in detail a person who counters the stereotype. Alternatively, consider using photos or images to counter existing stereotypes.  

• Who’s a person in your work and/or personal life that represents the opposite of the stereotype?  What’s the person’s name?  What are three characteristics/qualities about the person that counter the stereotype about their group?  

• What pictures, photos, symbols can you hang on the wall in the common space and/or program space to counter negative stereotypes about the communities you serve and/or other marginalized groups?

 

STRATEGY # 4 – Practice Individuation – do regular, in-person, one-on-one meetings with people who:  a) you are prone to be biased against and/or; b) who have a lived experience different than your own.  The goal is to use individual characteristics (versus generalizations) to inform our judgment.  

• List 3 to 5 people who are (or you perceive to be) “different” from you with respect to race, ethnicity, culture, lived experience, etc.  Conduct a 30 to 60 minute, in-person meeting with each person.

• Example — AFSCME Strong campaign – training 5% of its members to engage another 80% “one conversation at a time.”

STRATEGY # 5 — Practice Perspective Taking – find creative – and respectful — ways to experience what it’s like to walk in the shoes of a member of a stereotyped or marginalized group. 

• Example — Staff of a city-wide organization that works with homeless families deciding to spend a night living on the “streets” to better understand what it’s like to be homeless;

• Example — Former Newark Mayor Cory Booker living on food stamps for a week.

STRATEGY # 6 — Do Inter-group Work – Create and/or join a dialogue group; organize a “brown bag” series; ultimately, the goal is to create opportunities for diverse groups of people to engage in positive contact over an extended period of time.

• Example — National Park Service (NPS) Allies for Inclusion Program; training NPS staff to be dialogue facilitators; using 60-90 minute monthly “brown bags” as the strategy. 

STRATEGY # 7 – IMPROVE DECISION-MAKING.  Improve decision-making by slowing down and removing discretion and ambiguity from decision-making.

Example — Courts Catalyzing Change “bench card” or checklist for judges.  See excerpt below:

• What assumptions have I made about the cultural identity, genders, and background of this family? 

• What evidence has supported every conclusion I have drawn, and how have I challenged unsupported assumptions?”

STRATEGY # 8 — PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE 

• Shifting behavior and culture (individual and organization) requires sustained practice, repetition and feedback.  

Note – Several of the above strategies are adapted from “Breaking the Bias Habit:  A Workshop to Promote Gender Equity” — Women in Science and Engineering Leadership Institute at University of Wisconsin-Madison

 

Anti-Racist – Links to a podcast that might be helpful + a link to Ibram Kendi’s site where he has written some helpful books on this topic ;).  If you are even still reading at this point in the post, thanks and rock on w/ yer bad self.

Brené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist

https://www.ibramxkendi.com

 

Original Document Links:

What is implicit bias

How to work on correcting bias

 

 

Leg Strength – Gold Star Project 2020

GLUT BRIDGES:

Notes:

• Heel is pressed into the floor, toes are slightly up
• Hips are up > no bend in hips
• Hands resting by your side are ok but aim not to use them to support you
• You can also do this with your feet on a balance disk to add difficulty

 > Progress to:

 

ABDUCTOR WORK: (calm shells, monster walks work similar muscles)

• Heels must be slightly out and toes slightly in (not the best example here) > if you let the toes point out, it does not work the hips in the same way.

 

SINGLE LEG DEAD LIFT

• This exercise hinges from the hips > the spine does *NOT* flex.
• Go slow – this is harder than it looks.  It will challenge your balance and strength.
• Can increase difficulty by adding weight to the hands or standing on a balance disk

Kansas City Triathlon 2019

First race of the year for most of us is fast approaching – below are pointers I get asked about most frequently.  Mostly, though, remember that you belong at the race – no matter what facebook may have you believe, no one has this sport mastered :).  If you need help, ask!  Race day rarely goes perfectly for anyone – how you handle those curve balls is what matters.  You got this – find that inner warrior and press on.  Hustle, get gritty, give high fives, push the envelop, smile, get uncomfortable, say thanks, and be awesome 🙂

Race Day – Keep it Simple & Stick to YOUR plan

1. Race Day Packing List – writing a list helps make sure you get what you need and leave what you don’t.  No need to rely on frantic race day brain to make sure you remember your goggles!
2. Write out a Race Day Timeline – Race day can be much more relaxing (i.e. save energy for racing not worrying) if you know you’re on schedule instead of frantically hoping you make it on time.
3. Keep it Simple – stick with what you know and what you’ve been practicing.  Resist that pesky temptation to second guess everything you’ve been doing when you show up and see what other athletes are doing (we’ve all been there – resist!!). Stick to YOUR plan.
4. Give yourself a bit of extra time race morning – why not?  If you arrive early you can sit in the (warm) car and drink coffee a hydrating beverage of your choice.
5. Take warm stuff for race morning (including the feet) – why use race energy trying to stay warm?
6. Transition Area – Don’t be THAT GUY (or gal) with the sprawling tri gear – keep your area tidy – be a good triathlete neighbor :).  Put your transition gear either under your bike or just to the side and only items you will use during the race.
7. Bike Etiquette – On the course, stay to the right (to allow others to pass if needed).  If you are the one passing, notify the other cyclist by yelling “ON YOUR LEFT” so they know you are coming. This frequently gets overlooked on race day, but no one wants to crash so do your part.   #saferacing #saferiding

 

Managing Cold Water*

While we never know for sure until race day, the water this year might be chilly.  For most, it’s when cold water hits the face that we have the strongest reaction. It may *feel* like it’s taking your breath away and you may need a few moments to manage this.  It’s extremely important to submerge the face and get control of your breath before you start to swim.  If you either haven’t swam in cold water before or know that it’s something you struggle with, make it a priority to get control of your breath before you start to swim (even during the race).  You may have to hang for a minute or two and focus on this – but your body will adjust and those extra few minutes can make a huge difference to the rest of your swimming and your race.

*We will have a pre-race briefing at 5:00 on Saturday before the race and will be touching on this topic if that’s of interest.

Should I do the warm up swim race morning (if there is one)?

There is no right answer to this – some athletes prefer to do a run warm up if the water and/or air temps are going to be extra chilly.  Remember your goal is to get blood flowing to those muscles and help them prepare to race – do what works for you.  Just have those warm clothes ready to put on when you get done warming up.

Pacing: Race to your Training

Pacing can be a tricky one – but aim to set expectations for the race based on the training you’ve been doing.  Set that darn ego aside and think about what your body is ready to do – if you’ve been training hard, it might be time to push it!  If life has gotten in the way of training, set those pacing goals accordingly.  Avoid the temptation to ‘move your goal post’ or change your goals upon arriving on site race day.  yikes.  Stick with your plan that’s based on what you’ve been doing in training.

Have fun out there & stay safe.  We’ll be rooting for you!

The Reds Triathlon Team 

#grit #hustle #teamwork

 

Getting to the Pointy End

Reds > a lot of you probably already know that my dearest pea hubster, Casey Kershner raced Galveston 70.3 this weekend – he’s 43 years old, been doing triathlon for ~a decade and still keeps getting better (eik!) > > > why is this relevant to the rest of us??

Casey grew up a basketball player – he played through college & is still as obsessed with the sport. When he started triathlon, he wore basketball shorts to his knees (hell no he wasn’t wearing SPANDEX!) and couldn’t swim 1 lap of the pool. HE WAS JUST LIKE THE REST OF US WHEN WE START – no idea what he was doing or how to get better.

His journey to placing top 10 in one of the increasingly hardest age groups (why is it hard? Pros start to retire and re-enter age group racing, unfortunately doping is an issue & drafting in Ironman events is something they still haven’t addressed. Additionally, amateur athletes are increasingly taking advantage of the luxury of quitting their jobs for a spell to ‘training like professionals’ > combine all that and it’s, in my (perhaps biased) opinion, that it’s an absolutely brutal age group).

His journey to “the pointy end” (highly competitive) hasn’t come overnight – he’s had a LOT of hard lessons and things to overcome to get to where he is > JUST LIKE WE ALL DO. What he has done to get where he is is show up everyday and do what needs to be done – he’s as consistent as they come > and layer by layer, year after year he’s gotten a little bit better.

You’d never look now and think he did his first race with his helmet on backwards or that his first 3 Ironmans he LITERALLY made himself sick b/c of anxiety > what we see is the one day where all that work comes together….and doesn’t he make it look easy 🙂.

But I’m here to tell you it’s not easy! We gotta work for that shit 🙂 BUT I’m also here to tell you that what he’s doing is NOT magic – and it’s there for the taking for anyone whose willing to keep their head down, bum up and keep on w/ long term, consistent, smart training!!

Don’t underestimate yourself > go forth and be a force of the awesome! #redstri #consistencyisking #kicka$$

 

KC Tri Tips 2018

First race of the year for most of us is fast approaching – below are pointers I get asked about most frequently.  Mostly, though, remember that you belong at the race – no matter what facebook may have you believe, no one has this sport mastered :).  If you need help, ask!  Race day rarely goes perfectly for anyone – how you handle those curve balls is what matters.  You got this – find that inner warrior and press on.  Hustle, get gritty, give high fives, push the envelop, smile, get uncomfortable, say thanks, and be awesome 🙂

Race Day – Keep it Simple & Stick to YOUR plan

1. Race Day Packing List – writing a list helps make sure you get what you need and leave what you don’t.  No need to rely on frantic race day brain to make sure you remember your goggles!
2. Write out a Race Day Timeline – Race day can be much more relaxing (i.e. save energy for racing not worrying) if you know you’re on schedule instead of frantically hoping you make it on time.
3. Keep it Simple – stick with what you know and what you’ve been practicing.  Resist that pesky temptation to second guess everything you’ve been doing when you show up and see what other athletes are doing (we’ve all been there – resist!!). Stick to YOUR plan.
4. Give yourself a bit of extra time race morning – why not?  If you arrive early you can sit in the (warm) car and drink coffee a hydrating beverage of your choice.
5. Take warm stuff for race morning (including the feet) – why use race energy trying to stay warm?
6. Transition Area – Don’t be THAT GUY (or gal) with the sprawling tri gear – keep your area tidy – be a good triathlete neighbor :).  Put your transition gear either under your bike or just to the side and only items you will use during the race.
7. Bike Etiquette – On the course, stay to the right (to allow others to pass if needed).  If you are the one passing, notify the other cyclist by yelling “ON YOUR LEFT” so they know you are coming. This frequently gets overlooked on race day, but no one wants to crash so do your part.   #saferacing #saferiding

 

Managing Cold Water*

While we never know for sure until race day, the water this year might be chilly.  For most, it’s when cold water hits the face that we have the strongest reaction. It may *feel* like it’s taking your breath away and you may need a few moments to manage this.  It’s extremely important to submerge the face and get control of your breath before you start to swim.  If you either haven’t swam in cold water before or know that it’s something you struggle with, make it a priority to get control of your breath before you start to swim (even during the race).  You may have to hang for a minute or two and focus on this – but your body will adjust and those extra few minutes can make a huge difference to the rest of your swimming and your race.

*We will have a pre-race briefing at 5:00 on Saturday before the race and will be touching on this topic if that’s of interest.

Should I do the warm up swim race morning (if there is one)?

There is no right answer to this – some athletes prefer to do a run warm up if the water and/or air temps are going to be extra chilly.  Remember your goal is to get blood flowing to those muscles and help them prepare to race – do what works for you.  Just have those warm clothes ready to put on when you get done warming up.

Pacing: Race to your Training

Pacing can be a tricky one – but aim to set expectations for the race based on the training you’ve been doing.  Set that darn ego aside and think about what your body is ready to do – if you’ve been training hard, it might be time to push it!  If life has gotten in the way of training, set those pacing goals accordingly.  Avoid the temptation to ‘move your goal post’ or change your goals upon arriving on site race day.  yikes.  Stick with your plan that’s based on what you’ve been doing in training.

Have fun out there & stay safe.  We’ll be rooting for you!

The Reds Triathlon Team 

#grit #hustle #teamwork

 

 

 

The Revolution will Not be Televised (or posted on Facebook)

In another life I did humanitarian work and wrote a piece once about ‘the invisible moments of activism’ – all those moments you’re in the trenches doing the work that matters but GEEZE does progress feel slow.  You question if you’re making progress (you are), if it all matters (it does), if it will ever make a difference (it will)!? Last week, as I was reflecting on the peaks and valleys athletes experienced this 2017 season, I came across that article and it struck a familiar cord.  Though totally different circumstances, the message resonates loud and clear – progress comes in those invisible lonely moments where you choose Grit & Hustle over the easy way.

I get questions a lot from athletes about how it is that other athletes get better – presumably they, too, want to improve – how does she do it (she does her workouts every single day for years), why is his secret (there is no secret, only hard work), I wish I could do that (you can).  What is often missing in that conversation is the understanding of what athletes who are getting better are doing – what their lives look like on a daily basis.

If I could sum it up in a word: Everyday.

We all have things that come up – but athletes who are improving are training just about everyday all year long.  They train smart with a long term focus.  What their specific training looks like depends on their athletic age (how long they’ve been in the sport), chronological age, event of choice, goals, etc – but rest assured they are working everyday year round.

These aren’t athletes who sub in gardening for their weight training on a nice spring day (I know gardening is hard – but it’s not the same), or who sometimes count water polo as their swim workout, or who go too hard at the start of their track workout and then die at the end, or who let their long ride on the weekends be determined by who they are riding with instead of what their body needs.

They are athletes who simply do what needs to be done – the way it’s suppose to be done – everyday.  They don’t over train, they don’t under train, they don’t rant about their stats or gear – and honestly most of them don’t post their daily feats on Facebook.  The ones getting it done are doing it quietly, everyday in invisible moments; getting it done when no one is watching.  They live the Grit & Hustle knowing nothing worth doing is ever easy.

Getting better is hard, it’s long term, and it’s daily.  But what makes it absolutely awesome is that we all have access to this “magic” – whatever your age or goals or history, all of this is here, waiting for you, to come find out just how awesome you are.

It’s Not About the Shiny Bits

Julyl 2017 – Door County 70.3

We aren’t in this sport or in life to sit on the sidelines – and every time we get out there, we put ourselves on the line not knowing what the result will be.  Some days are tough and Door County 70.3 gave us waves fit for a storm in that swim – but every single one of our athletes standing at that start line looked out over that water and did an absolutely amazing job of keeping it together.  There was no complaining – we knew it would be tough – we knew we had no way of practicing in Kansas for the conditions we faced – and there were lots of butterflies & swallowing of nerves – but the waves & the nerves were no match for the hugs, support, and encouraging words you all gave to each other.

Racing is a risk.  And it’s especially a risk on a day like Sunday.  But triathlon isn’t about the shiny bits.  It’s not about the gear or the days that go as planned or the Facebook pictures that give the (false) impression of triathlon perfection.  Triathlon is about what we saw on Sunday – it’s raw and risky and gritty – it’s the moments that are hard and often lonely – where you are digging for every step – and it’s nothing like the shiny bits promised in the pictures.  These moments are what test and build character – I have never been more proud than I was on Sunday seeing every single one of our athletes put one foot in front of the other and take the risk.  Put yourself out there when there was nothing easy about it….and in the absence of the shiny bits, we were left with the medal underneath every. single. one. of you shined even brighter than before.  You all are amazing humans and you inspire the rest of us to take risks, to stay strong, and to keep going.  HUGE congratulations 

The Voice of The Ratchet has got to GO.

As Casey and I were stretching out after our run last weekend, we were discussing how unfortunate it is that, still, after many years in triathlon and many (many) reminders on the importance of stretching neither of us can touch our knees, I mean (or do I) toes.

In our discussion on the merits of stretching somehow we got onto the Sit & Reach….in case you’ve forgotten (or blocked it out):

We took a little trip down memory lane discussing Elementary School Fitness Tests  … eeeeiiikkkkk….by the end of the conversation I was wondering how any of us escaped with any self esteem in tact??

 

(ps There are some bad words at the end of this blog. You’ve been warned; abort if needed)

I’m not sure which one of these Fitness Tests to credit as my favorite.  They were all so pleasant.

Fat pinch plier test (I think the politically correct term for that was the ‘skin fold’ test but let’s just call it what it is).  I can still feel my self esteem rising just thinking about Nurse Ratchet applying the big squeeze.

The mile run (‘run’).  It’s hard to imagine why it took me 20 years after elementary school to want run again.

High jump or the bar jump or whatever it was. Eh, hem ooookay kids, this is our annual jump really high day.  To show our support, we’re going to put a metal pole out that’s right about the height of yer head.  We’ll all be staring at you. Good luck.

Really, though, I think some of my best moments had to be on the pull up & the rope climb.  THAT wasn’t embarrassing at all. (I still can’t do an unassisted pull up despite swimming through college).

I must have had a hunch this was a racket b/c I usually got caught hiding on testing days.  In 5th grade, after trying to avoid the jump high test, I was given a special chance to show the whole class it’s not a good idea to skip “skills lessons”.  Boy, did I prove to them it’s not a good idea to make Liz run really fast toward a mental pole (to this day, my vertical is still 3 inches on a good day.  I was never going to make it over that bar.)

As Casey and I discussed these ‘fitness tests’ I got remnants of the same pit in my stomach I used to get back in Elementary school.   eeeiikkkk how I dreaded test days….

Given that Casey (who is a natural and bada** athlete) also had the same reaction, it made me think there must be a fair number people who weren’t inspired to athletic greatness by the Sit & Reach.  And it, in fact, made me suspect that some might greatly underestimate what they can do today based on experiences like running into a metal pole in front of their class mates or the pinch of Mrs. Ratchet’s fat pliers.

It might be part of why athletes who don’t view themselves as “fast enough” or as “looking like an athlete” suggest to me that they “aren’t really athletes”.  I’m willing to bet the voice of The Ratchet still lurks in the subconscious of a lot of athletes – as a coach, I call these brain trolls and they erode self esteem and confidence – and for some even the willingness to try (no pun intended) b/c they don’t feel like they have a place in sports.

For those that struggle to define yourselves as ‘athletes’ despite all the training you do, let’s just go ahead and take a minute to call that what it is:

Nurse Ratchet and her pliers have no place here. There’s no ‘legitimate athlete’ patrol.   Carry on with yer goals and yer struggles and yer victories and with being yer badarse selves.  Anyone who says otherwise is full of bull.

WATCH OUT BAD WORD BELOW!

 

 

 

 

 

The Time Clock in swimming isn’t an ‘optional’ toy if you want to improve.

For those of you that are runners and have done speed work, you probably can’t imagine going to the track without a watch.  How would you know your speed or rest interval?  Your speed/effort and rest are what define your workout.

REST: There’s a big difference between doing, say, 15 x 400s at a 5K pace with 1 minute rest vs doing 15 x 400s at 5K pace with 5 minutes rest….that extra rest drastically changes the feel (and impact) of that workout.

In addition to paying attention to your rest – you also probably know your time for each of your 400s.  If your first 400 was 90 seconds (or 2 minutes or 3 minutes – whatever your pace is), you will notice if by the 8th 400, you are holding 95 seconds….

This same concept applies to swimming.  How fast you are swimming and how much rest you take defines your workout – and, to know your pace and your rest in swimming (just like in running) you must use a pace clock.

Time clock often seen on swimming pool decks.  Garmin devices now make this much easier for many athletes.

(SIDE NOTE: The time clock is most helpful for athletes who are ready to ‘swim hard’ – if you are still learning your stroke, the time clock probably isn’t your priority yet.)

How do you use the Time Clock?

You use a time clock to measure your pace and rest just like running.

First, you have to just get used to watching the clock – after a while it becomes second nature – but at first it’s a pain (especially if you’re gasping for air).  You have watch when you start and when you finish – it doesn’t matter if you’re swimming a 50 or a 300 – you need to be able to figure out your time.

Step 1 – get used to watching the clock.

Step 2 – Learn your 50 time.  Figure out how fast you swim a 50.  Your 50 time will probably be different if your rested vs tired.  Maybe rested you swim 1 minute for a 50.  But when you get tired, maybe you’re at 1:05 or 1:10.  Start with noticing that – you’ll start to see that, just like in a track workout, those seconds make a difference.  If you’re tired there, is a BIG difference between swimming a 50 in 1 minute vs 1:05.

It is in those seconds where your improvement in swimming lies – if you normally swim a 50 in 1:05 when you are tired – push yourself to get under 1:05 – b/c to get better you have to challenge your body.

Step 2 – Learn your 100 time….and then 200….etc.

Step 3 – Notice the impact rest has on your 50 and 100 time and do something about it.  Use the time clock to challenge yourself….more on that on step 5.

Step 4 – Make a habit of holding yourself accountable to the clock.  No mindless swimming.

Step 5 – Intervals.  Intervals can be done in 2 ways – on a certain amount of rest or on a certain time interval. Example:

10 x 100 on 15 seconds rest. With this sort of ‘interval’, no matter how long your 100 takes you to swim, you get 15 seconds rest.  This is ok for learning to use the pace clock – but it’s not for long term improvement….read on.

10 x 100 on 2:15.  This means from the time you leave the wall, you have 2:15 to swim your 100 and leave again.  So, if your 100 takes you 2 minutes, you have 15 seconds to rest.  If your 100 takes you 2:10 you get 5 seconds rest.  This is much more difficult than simply getting 15 seconds of rest no matter how long your 100 took.  This is the kind of hard swimming that’s necessary to get better.

Last point –  there are 2 ways to get better – either improve your speed or extend the amount of time you can maintain a speed.  So, say you swim a ‘hard’ 100 in 2 minutes.  You could either work to improve your 100 time – say try to get it down to 1:55.  Or, you could work to extend the amount of time you can hold your 2 minute pace – eventually could you swim a 200 in 4 minutes?  Both are great ways to get stronger in the water.

Getting faster at swimming requires consistent hard work – you can swim consistently but if you don’t really know how hard you’re working, then it’s hard to know if you’re training effectively.  Learning to use the pace clock is a necessary first step towards really dialing in your swim training.