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A week ago, I was excited to receive my new FINIS Swimsense watch in the mail. Originally, I was excited about the Swimovate watch, which would record my swim workouts and give me some ability to remember the intervals that I swam and how they performed.

However, in using the Swimovate, I was disappointed in a few things and delighted about others:

1. The watch doesn't need any calibration to my stroke thankfully. Some of the older models required you to swim certain strokes with it to calibrate it.

2. The watch loses count of laps on occasion. This is very annoying when it somehow doesn't register a turn at a wall.

3. The watch cannot be used for distance per stroke training and doesn't like it when you swim under 6 (one arm) strokes; it sometimes thinks you never got to the end of a lap.

4. The watch's user interface is a bit convoluted and for some reason difficult to navigate the menu system. I have often made mistakes trying to get into the menu to see a previous workout. I have also sometimes erased its memory by accident.

5. All in all, I usually just use the watch to get a sense for my laps when I workout so that I know approximately how many sets and laps I've swam.

6. The newer Swimovate allows you to save workouts on your PC. This is great. However, I'm on a Mac so I can't comment on whether the new version of the watch has improved on its interface because that's about when I heard about the Swimsense and decided to order that.

7. Annoyingly, you have to actively tell the watch that you've finished a workout and then it will save it. If you let the watch time out and go back to clock mode, it will NOT save a workout. So you have to press the Swim button and hold it for 2 seconds in order for it to come out of Swim mode and save your workout. I hate this - there have been a few times where I got out of the pool and forgot to hold the Swim button for 2 seconds in order to end the workout and it did not save it.

Upon playing with the Swimsense, I've found it to be a much better product than the Swimovate. Some comments:

1. Even though both the Swimsense and Swimovate both have 4 buttons, the Swimsense's menu navigation is much more intuitive than the Swimovate.

2. Like the Swimovate, it is annoying when you have to actively tell the Swimsense that the workout is over. Exitting out will NOT save a workout. But in the case of the Swimsense, you have to Stop and then Reset to save the workout. In both cases, I think this is really bad. The Garmin 305 GPS watch, for example, saves the workout no matter what you do; if you turn the watch off, it just saves everything that you did and assumes that was a workout. This is a much better interface behavior than defaulting to not saving.

3. The upload of data is via an Adobe AIR application, which works both on the Mac and PC, to the FINIS Swimsense website. Originally, you could only upload for free but then it would delete your workout after a few minutes. In order to save workouts, you have to pay $9.99/month. Then it would save your uploads forever (or at least until you stopped paying). After some feedback, this has changed now to giving everyone the ability to save every workout. I think FINIS is smart to have made this change.

4. The graph analysis of the workouts is excellent. If you swim a set with multiple laps, you can see the data for the entire set, PLUS you see the data for each individual lap as well, with time and distance. Other graphs you get are Stroke Count breakdown for the entire workout, Pace in time for each interval, Stroke Count Over Time for each interval, SWOLF Score, Stroke Rate and Distance/Stroke.

Each interval is color coded for the type of stroke: free, breast, fly, back and mixed. When you mouseover the graph, there is additional data that pops up on the data points.

5. Some weirdness appears when the time is shown with a decimal point, but I think it should be a colon, ie. so 1.40 is not really 1 and 4/10 of a minute, which is really 1 minute and 24 seconds, but rather 1 minute and 40 seconds. I've mentioned this to the FINIS people and they are looking into it.

6. A calendar interface is also presented there so you can go back and view a workout on a given day. Very nicely done here.

7. So far, the Swimsense has NEVER lost a lap like the Swimovate. It's ability to determine when I turn at a wall has not failed yet.

8. Also, unlike the Swimovate, the Swimsense doesn't lose a lap when I go under 6 strokes for distance per stroke training. It records it correctly. However, it is not recognizing my stroke correctly since I was swimming free but it thinks I swam breast. This may be that my stroke rate was so slow that it got confused. I've also mentioned this to the FINIS people.

UPDATED
9. They also display the stroke rate on the site which is really cool. However, we TI swimmers use a tempo trainer which shows our tempo per arm; the data display is for a single arm's stroke, which is the arm on which the Swimsense is sitting on. Thus, you have to divide that stroke rate by 2 to get a tempo trainer rate for a single arm.
/UPDATED

All in all, I am very impressed with the FINIS Swimsense. I would highly recommend this product over that of the Swimovate. It's more expensive but it seems to be of better technology and the analysis tools on the website are superb. It is a welcome addition to my collection of high tech training tools!

In recent months, I've come to realize how much I love the tempo trainer for swimming. It also sparked the realization that I have finally found a method for to ensure measurability and repeatability for swimming.

What's so important about measurability and repeatability?

Repeatability is the ability to come back day after day and train with a certain level of effort, intensity, etc. and ensure that you're creating the same conditions as you had the last time you trained. Measurability allows you to measure those conditions to ensure repeatability.

For example, weight training has both easy measurability and repeatability. That 30 lbs. dumbbell is still going to weigh 30 lbs. the next time you pick it up. Thus, you'll know if you are getting stronger or weaker, depending on how many reps you can curl that dumbbell.

The problem with us triathletes is that it's not so easy to have measurability and repeatability with our three sports. Of the three running is probably the most measurable and repeatable. With cycling and swimming it's not so easy.

If you don't have an accurate way to measure effort and the ability to create conditions to ensure repeatability, you won't know for sure if you're improving over time. For example, you may have increasing effort, but you may be actually performing worse if you're overtraining.

So it's important to be able to measure your training conditions and to recreate them so that you know with some level of certainty that you're improving, or how your body is performing so that you know when to back off or increase effort.

I thought I'd list my favorite training tools to maximize measurability and repeatability:

RUNNING:

Treadmill - The treadmill allows you to recreate running conditions with great accuracy, in both speed, duration, and grade. Its relentless nature doesn't allow you to fall behind; if you do, you either fly off the back of the treadmill or have to keep up. Thus, I can generally know if I'm either improving over time or not, or if I'm just a bit tired and can't repeat a workout on a particular day.

Track or measured distance running - Running a measured distance and recording the time allows you to know if you're improving over that distance and path.

CYCLING:

Power meter - Riding outside with my Powertap allows me to see what my instantaneous power is, as well as for the entire ride. I can compare that over a given path, or even just against other rides, and see how my power output compares to previous rides. With power measurement, I don't necessarily need to ride the same path; I can compare power outputs and see if I was able to increase overall power output or not.

Computrainer - The Computrainer is the best way to repeat workout conditions. After the calibration step, it will give you the same workout conditions as you had last time.

SWIMMING:

Tempo Trainer + Counting Strokes - You would think that swimming intervals was good enough for repeatability. However, swimming is a complex activity that is dependent not only on raw endurance and strength, but also on your technique. If your goal is not simply to just work harder (which I would argue it shouldn't be because you can only go so much faster by more effort and you can do much better by refining and reinforcing technique), then you need to not only measure your interval time but also how well you swam the interval. If you think about it, you can go faster by increasing your stroke rate. But if your technique gets messy, you might swim an interval at the same time as if you had swam it before with better technique but lower stroke rate. Thus, the tempo trainer ensures you are not changing your stroke rate, and counting strokes gives you a measure of how good your technique is.

With these training tools and methods, I can ensure measurability and repeatability of training conditions, giving me a nice picture of how I'm improving (or not!).

I started using Amphipod bottles and belt on the recommendation of a friend. They do seem to have some advantages over FuelBelts: wider mouths on the bottles, belts seem to fit better.

BUT THE ONE THING THAT REALLY SUCKS is that the bottles don't consistently clip in. Sometimes they go in quick, and sometimes I have to stop running and fiddle with it to get it to clip in. And sometimes, I can't get the bottle to clip in at all and I just end up running with it for a while and try again later.

This is really bad. I could not imagine the frustration I would feel if a bottle didn't clip in during a race, let alone a long training run.

Sorry Amphipod. I'm going back to Fuelbelt. No way am I risking a race on bottles that don't consistently clip back into the belt.

A plug for a buddy of mine who is developing a website for triathletes called TriMaven.com. He gave me this cool t-shirt to wear around at IM FL. Check it out - not sure if everything is working just right yet, but have a look. It's got news, athlete and race profiles, social networking functions, and the ability to upload your workouts.

Some more speed that is "free". Stuff I haven't tried though. Seems like it's all about golf ball dimples:

Zipp Tangente Clincher Tires
Clincher tires developed in a wind tunnel, featuring golf ball dimples!

Rocket Science Sports Dimpled Water Bottles
Dimples on your water bottles reduce drag!

Nike Swift Spin Time Trial Suit
Nike's Project Swift incorporates dimpled surfaces on time trial bike suits to reduce drag. Lance Armstrong and the USPS team wore this suit at the Tour de France. Where can I get one?!?!?! Don't think you can get one anywhere! Read way too much about the science of drag from Bike Tech Review.

A buddy of mine once remarked that you should get free speed whenever you can get it.

What's free speed? Well, it's not really free. It's just speed you gain from means other than physically improving for it. That means paying cash for it mostly. But at least you don't have to sweat for it!

Racing technology has improved greatly. Everything gets tested in wind tunnels to eeke out that last bit of efficiency. The basic idea is to slice through the air more cleanly and to reduce turbulence exiting out the back side.

Here are some ways to get free speed, and also empty your wallet in the process!

Aerobars
Aerobars help you be more aerodynamic simply because you're not upright against the wind. You can relax in a more aerodynamic position and revel in your arms not getting tired holding yourself up and just pedal! Some aerobars are also flattened like wings and are theoretically more aerodynamic than those made of round tubes.

Aero wheels
Deep dish wheels and disc wheels are more aerodynamic than those with thinner rims. One disadvantage is that against crosswinds they can whip you around the road or even blow you over. On the other hand, disc wheels have been shown to have a "sail" effect against some angles of crosswind, giving you an actual speed boost. Cool!

Aero bike frame
Round bike tubes have been the standard on bike frames. Then somebody put flattened wing like tubes on bike frames and found out that made bikes more aerodynamic. Recent wind tunnel tests have shown other types of aggressive frame shapes can be more aero than others. Spring for that cool Trek Madone that Lance Armstrong rode or Specialized Transition TT Bike. Wow! Or "settle" for a Cervelo P3C.

Aero helmet
Guess what: your head is a big wind drag! Buy an aero helmet and feel the air peel around your head in aerodynamic glory! Normal bike helmets can't compare.

Less weight
The less poundage you drag along with you, the less energy you waste dragging your butt up hills or accelerating. This includes your weight and whatever you carry with you on your bike. Carbon fiber everything!

Tight clothes
Loose, flappy clothes just hold you back. Buy clothes that hug your body. Get muscle compression benefits too! But watch out for cutting off your circulation - racing on numb limbs is not fun!

Bento box
That little bento box sitting behind your handlebars has a slight aerodynamic increasing effect. It smooths out airflow off the stem area.

Water bottles
Some folks are making aero water bottles. Good for shorter races, but not that great when you're finishing bottles and tossing them on longer races. MIT cyclists have found that if you put a water bottle on the seat tube cage, it increases aerodynamics for those with non-aero seat tubes.

Wetsuits
Definitely wear one on the swim. It makes you float higher, and your body more slippery. I wish they would make the new Speedo Fastskin Pro easier to take off - great for swim only races but terrible for triathlon transitions! Don't wanna rip a bodysuit that costs $400!

Have fun getting faster without working out harder, and feel your bank account drop like a rock!

Friday, I picked up my official DVD for the NYC Marathon. It was the first one I've ever bought and thought that it would be cool to see how I ran on video.

It was really well done. It covered the pros and saw Paula Radcliffe's amazing acceleration at the finish, and the men's finishes.

And then, there was me.

ACK! I ran like a dork! The great form I thought I had was an actual bouncing, half limp. When running, you strive to keep your head at the same level and reduce the up and down motion of your body. Obviously I did none of that. My head bounced up and down quite a bit. Also, I was reminded of my growing blister on my right foot and could see me limping slightly to favor it. It made my stride much stiffer and didn't help the up and down motion of my body as I ran.

The first time I raced, I saw pictures taken of me at various stages. I thought I looked kind of lame and wanted my race pictures to show me looking like I was racing well. On the bike, I would be upright but I thought that didn't look as good as being in aero position. So now, when I see a camera man, I go into aero position whenever possible, even if I'm going uphill to make myself look better in the picture. Sometimes I smile, but sometimes I try putting on a Lance Armstrong-esque grimace. On the run, I have a similar strategy. Generally, if you are running with the compact step that is typical of most of an Ironman marathon, you'll look like you're walking in pictures and not running. I discovered that if you just simply lift your heel a bit more as your foot goes back, almost like you're going to kick your butt, the pictures look like what is the popular perception of running versus walking.

Also, there are finish line pictures where I do not raise my hands all the way up, but only partway. Ugh! That might be a great way to show your enthusiasm at the finish to do a bent arm fist pump with both hands, but it looks real dorky in a picture. Raising your hands all the way up looks much better! In fact, pausing under the finisher's arch and raising your hands/fists all the way extended upward looks great and gives the photographers a chance to snap the shot!

It sounds silly, but I have learned to race not only to finish, but photogenically as I want my official pictures to look good. Sometimes they have great photographers to help take great pictures, but most of the time you have to do a bit of posing yourself.

Now, upon receipt of this NYC Marathon DVD, I have another thing to worry about and that is to race for video and not just still pictures. I need to figure out how to pose a bit to make sure I look great on video !

With video, I think there is also a method to the madness; after watching the DVD, I am now thinking that I should use video more often as a check on my form. This gives me ideas on bringing my video camera to the track and videotaping myself as I run my intervals.

So pretty much knowing that I wouldn't be racing this year, I drowned my sorrows in wandering the expo and shopping. When I walk the expo, I notice there are many instances of new technologies being showcased. When it comes to new technology, I can't help but try it out. Here's a few of what I saw and ultimately bought:

PowerBar Gel, Double Latte - claiming 4X sodium (200mg) and 2X caffeine - WOW! It must work! I'm a heavy sweater so the extra sodium is needed. Looking at my old favorite, GU brand gel, they have no caffeine and only 40mg of sodium. So I'm actually jumping 5X from where I was before (not counting all the salt/electrolyte tabs I take)! And I've proven to myself that caffeine does have an effect; at my first Ironman, I drank exclusively coke on the run and it really woke me up - I attribute that to caffeine for sure.

Velocy Running Shoes - I run Pose Method normally, which is forefoot running to maximize relieving of stress on the legs while running. So these shoes are a natural for me. They have designed a support chassis in the sole that rotates the body forward, so that you're more naturally on the forefoot and your body's center of gravity is ahead of your feet. It causes a more natural use of gravity in propulsion as well as helping with shock absorption via rolling through the impact with the support chassis. I am looking forward to using these shoes on a test run. They already fit my feet very well. Check out the Velocy web site for more details.

Asics Redux - OK I'm giving Asics a second chance. After they narrowed their Nimbus design causing all sorts of problems for me, I went to Adidas. They were good, but even narrower in other ways causing blisters on the insides of my feet. I then moved to New Balance 755s, which aren't bad and fit a wider foot. I need to try these out more. But I decided to give Asics a second chance: enter the Gel Kayano 13. It is a stability shoe which I don't really need, but more importantly it comes in multiple widths. I try the size 2E (up from the normal width) and it seems to fit better. I hope to put it through some test runs this winter in hopes of recapturing my love of Asics shoes.

Garmin Forerunner 305 - I own a Garmin Forerunner 301 which I love. The GPS is really accurate, and it's great for downloading my workouts so I have a record of everything on my PC. But sometimes it doesn't work too well. Like in a big city like NYC. The 305 has supposedly been improved for city use with a more sensitive sensor and one that is oriented on the wrist so that it is always pointing up. Another thing to try as I go through trail runs with lots of tree cover and also running around the city. Buy it at amazon.com .