Baowolf's Winter training is FUN group..no really it is!! (OPEN) (Page 15)

Dennis, you can add in some lite spinning say 30 minutes or swimming 30 min 2x per week, but do not overdo it. They call it taper for a reason, you are supposed to be recovering for your race. How are you going to fuel for the race? Remember it is 200 calories ish per hour starting between 45 and 60 minutes into the race. So that is 1 gel per 30 minutes, taken with some water 2-3 oz if cool/cold.

Uggg fun workout today because of yesterday's race and travel and such, 90 miles on the trainer 2 mile brick run 2000 yard swim. Man my thighs are smoked from running that fast on my current fitness. Oh well. Remember to set your clocks ahead.... if you need to.

Hello all!
I am back from a great week of vacation, it was our spring break last week and got to spend fun times with the kiddos.
I did not have a precise goal for training during that week and it turned out I did no S/B/R at all. But we did skate/play hockey/downhill ski A LOT so I see it as great cross-training

Feb numbers are so low but here goes:
Bike: 69 miles 4h20min
Run: 14 miles 2h56min
Yoga: 3h25

I am starting to see benefits from all these yoga sessions though. Much more flexibility and core strenght will help my running and swimming.
Next week's wheather forecast looks good... should be able to get out more often now.

Todd welcome!

Pink great plan! I was sent the Oatmeal's bit on running a few months ago... hilarious and so true!

Olley are you following a training plan? you could look at training plans on BT to see if you're on par with training for your event. just an idea!

Carlo I second everythng Steve said and would add that mentally indoor cycling is harder and perceived exertion is higher for the same effort. Do you have a fan in front of you when you ride? Indoor cycling you heat up more since you don't have the wind to cool you off as you go. Also going the same speed for hours will have my hands/feet go numb; I need to change gears and speed from time to time to mimic road conditions and it is actually easier (plus it breaks the mental tiredness).

Happy training!

Hello everybody!!

Can somebody give me some advice on biking. I'm in the opportunity of buying a GIANT MCR, 500 euro. When I search the internet it's positive and negative...Hopefully somebody here nows a bit more!!!

Michael

Steve: Thanks for the warning about IM Tahoe. That sounds out-right miserable! Sort of like the conditions of IM St George a few years ago, except it was large swells/white-caps during the swim, horrible ride with tons of climbing and a very hot run. That year it was rated the 2nd most difficult IM course behind Kona, but they have since made it a 70.3.
I do live at 6000' so I'm used to the altitude. I also had a great 60 mile ride over our mountains last October with 6000'+ of climbing (peaking at over 10,600',) but the weather was perfect and there was no swim or run...plus it's only 1/2 'ish the distance. It's a possible carrot out there to keep me training my hills throughout the year and next winter to get a solid base going. Lotoja's on the tick-list a little further out, but I've got a lot of work before I can tackle that.
After a couple early morning, near collisions last Summer (2x off the road and over the bars,) I did invest in very bright lights and highly reflective gear, both to let me see, but more importantly to be seen. I now have people dimming their brights at a pretty good distance when approaching. I also refuse to ride when its icy, but fortunately things dry out quickly around here.

Isabella: Thx for the Yoga / flexibility / core reminder. I was going to do that on my rest day yesterday and forgot so I need to get those workouts calendared for sure. I had a long ride on Saturday with quite a bit of climbing and noticed my lower back and hip flexors were taking a beating. It's an area I surely need to lengthen and strengthen!

All: I need your opinions on Indoor Trainers. I don't have much experience with them. I'm torn between going with a solid fluid type (Kurt Kinetic, etc.) or going the more expensive route with a trainer that matches resistance with the video you're watching (RealAxiom, etc.) Is it worth the extra money to get the resistance feedback or do I just stick with fluid/increasing resistance with gearing and cadence?
Ideal: RealAxiom-type is nice because I can watch "Real Life Videos" where people share videos that have GPS, etc built into them and I can get a very realistic ride with resistance feedback from the trainer. Price is about $500'ish if I buy an older model on clearance.
Practical: Kurt Kinetic-type is tried-and-true and is what most of my friends seem to have. Price is about $300'ish. On the low-end w/ the best reviews, there is the Travel Trac Comp Fluid at half that price.
I'm worried because this will probably be the last trainer I buy for years and I want to make the right investment.

Well, I just completed my very first complete dry run for my very first Olympic triathlon. 4:15:xx for the entire workout (+/- faux transitions which included a drive home from the pool). Horrible splits except for the swimming but I did have my dog with me for the last 3 miles of the run!

My question is, is this time okay for a live event or will they sweep me for being too slow? My goal is really just to finish without hurting myself so I'm training for endurance, not speed. Speed may come later, assuming I get bitten by the bug

Also, is it too early to be doing dry runs for an event that is in mid-June?

For those in the NE US or in Eastern Canada, how soon do you usually get into open water? Even with a wetsuit, early May can be cold here.

What is an appropriate length for a brick run? And how far does the cycle part have to be before your run will feel "brick-ish"?

You will have to look at the website or call the race organizer to know what the cutoff times are. You can get an idea of the total race cutoff time by looking at race results and the slowest time that wasn't a DNF, but asking helps as there is usually a cut off time for each event individually.

I have maybe 25,000 miles on a Cyclops fluid trainer. It has held up fine, is quitter than the magnet or fan trainers but not as fancy as the ones you are talking about with built in power, video mix etc. It is really a how much bling do you want thing. You don't need the bells and whistles, just a quality basic unit.

Bike brick is pretty much up to you and what length of race you are doing. For my IM I didn't start my run bricks off the bike until I was biking 90 miles. If I were doing a HIM it would be more like 50 miles, an Oly it would be more like 25 miles, sprint 20 miles with a brick run of 3-6 miles depending on the length of your race. No need to do a brick run of more than 6 miles even for IM training. However for IM training it may be a 115 mile bike with a 6 mile run brick....

Edited by Baowolf 2015-03-10 12:39 AM

Thank you, Steve. Very helpful.

Happy Wednesday everyone! I'm finally able to train after being sick...and loving it! My motivation has been waning lately, but I feel it again and it makes me happy
It will be warm enough in CO today to bike outside, YAY! Off work today, so I'm headed out.
Enjoy your day everyone!

Hey Cathy,

Completely on the same page! Had a little bit of a lull in my training but kicked it back off this morning with a nice 6 mile run! Maybe at some point we could get on the bikes together as you're just around the corner...

David

Good afternoon all!

I've been a little MIA lately. The last 2 weeks have been pretty meh, as far as training goes. I have been doing SOMETHING at least 4 days a week.. but definitely not enough cycling and need to pick up on the running. I'm doing the Texas Independence Relay in a few weeks, and I probably should focus on running since I'll be running over 20 miles of it.

A lot going on here.

Got engaged on Saturday on our 2 year anniversary.. soo... will have to hold off on getting a new bike since I'm sure most of our funds will be funneled towards a wedding! But I'm happy and excited.. and realize that I have quite a lot of work to do.

CONGRATULATIONS Lindsey! Very cool.

David, definitely! I'm crazy slow these days though!

Congrats Lindsey!

Catchy - I'm crazy slow period... Have barely got any riding in this year at all, been focusing on swim, run, strength and nutrition - now it's ride time.

Is it too late to join?

Common in Rebecca.

Congrats on the engagement. My advice for the wedding is only invite people you know not 200 strangers your mother in law wants to invite. And don't pay $2000 for a dress you will wear once. I know I know it is a wedding, but it is a party to have fun at not to go bankrupt over. Just keep it nice and reasonable and put a bike on your wedding gift list 8). It is the two of you that are important, not the family. Anyway just my 2 cents. Grats again.

Sorry I've been absent from here lately. Work has gotten in the way of my internet time again. I haven't gotten back into a decent training routine yet but getting close.

Saturday I have a 13 mile long run and I'm going to be in Fort Collins. It's either run or go wedding dress shopping with my wife and stepdaughter. I'll be leaving from David's bridal shop at 10:00 (their appointment time) if anyone wants to join me. I'm slow though so don't expect much faster than 11;00 pace.

I hope everyone else is getting some good training in. Congrats on the engagement too!

Steve

Thanks for letting me join!

Story: I am a 38 year old female from Rainy River, Ontario. I am the high school librarian, the HS girls soccer coach and both boys and girls basketball coach. My husband and I have also just taken over the family fishing resort, (Vic & Dot's Camp), on Lake of the Woods in Nestor Falls, Ontario. I am a busy lady but love it. I am still a qualified lifeguard but only do it for school functions. I keep up with swimming to maintain my qualifications. I completed the Women Rock 10 Km in Minneapolis, MN 2 years ago and loved it. I have done quite a bit of swimming and running but very little biking except as a child. I just bought a fairly good entry level road bike after many hours of reading reviews. What a stressful purchase!! I am overweight but very active and my doctor seems perfectly ok with it. I am sure that losing a few pounds wouldn't hurt me but that is not the goal. I have decided to sign up for the Sprint length portion of the Kenora Borealis Triathlon in July. I am just waiting for registration to open.

Family Status: Married for 19 years to a supportive and brave husband. I have 2 children, (18,15). We are a very active family. Both children multi-sport at competitive levels, my husband is an avid hunter and fisherman, and I coach and participate in several different sports all year long.

Current Training: I have been working on building a base. I swim 1 mile 3 times a week, although only 3/4 of it is free style, all in a pool as diving into Lake of the Woods right now would definitely hurt. I also have been going to the gym and doing 45 minutes of strength training and then getting on the treadmill running 2-3 miles. It has been -20 to -40 Degrees C plus wind chill here for the past 2 months and with the ice and snow, outside just isn't an option but it is quickly warming up and I can't wait to get outside. Biking will be starting soon as my bike should arrive today. I have decided against clip in pedals for right now, we will see how that goes.

This Years Races: Kenora Borealis Triathlon - Sprint in July (for now that is all I am committing to but we will see what comes up)

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: I am enthusiastic, and coachable. I know what an athlete who isn't coachable turns into. I work hard, do research and set goals.

Rebecca

"Excuses will always be there for you. Opportunity won't."

Do group members get a discount for staying at your resort and does it come with a couple free swim lessons? I couldn't imagine riding thousands of miles without the shoes clipping into the pedals. When I ride one of our mountain bikes me feet move around on the pedals with bumps and such. Although there is a learning curve for stopping at stop signs and such that usually includes at least 1 slow motion tip over as you try to get your foot out of the darn thing at the last minute. They will come unclipped in crashes, I tested that out a few times just to make sure....... So no indoor pools in your neck of the woods? Even if you had a drysuit you would have to cut through some 18 inch ice to make a swim lane.

Thanks everyone!

Thank you for the advice too! Honestly, I'd much rather have a bike than a wedding, haha. I'd be happy to run off and do a small 20ish person thing.. but the future mother-in law really wants a real wedding. I'll take one for the team. She is using it as a kind of family reunion.. since she doesn't get to see her MASSIVE family (youngest of 7 kids) very often since everyone lives all over the world. I get it. They're all older.. and this is the last of her children to get married.

We really should put a bike on the registry =p We were talking about it.. we basically have everything that people register for already (I'm a cooking fiend)... and when we moved into a house about a year and a half ago.. we just got everything a house requires. Either way.. we'll make it work! It'll be an experience!

Thanks for the congrats again, everyone!

Going for a nice run after work (we finally have sun and warmer 60 degree weather)! Long bike ride on Saturday. Probably do some strength training friday.

Sure why not Steve, you can find us on Facebook. The ice is starting to melt but we are still over 2 feet but yes there is a pool in Baudette MN that I go to 3 times a week. We live on the border and it is just a quick 5 minute drive to the pool.
I too, am unsure about the clipless pedals but as this is my first time on a road bike I want to get used to the skinnier tires and touchier steering before I lock myself in. I am a bit of chicken. I received my bike in the mail last night and since the closest bike store is about 100 Km away I watched YouTube and put it together. It is just an entry level road bike and came mostly assembled. I did well until I got to pumping up the tire. I am apparently very new to the presto (sp?) valves. I broke one before I YouTubed that, thank goodness I had ordered extra tubes. I didn't know I needed spatulas to change it but I figured it out. My daughter found it very all very amusing, I on the other hand used a few harsh words. As soon as I am able I will be bringing to the bike shop and getting it tuned up but it seems to be working pretty good now.

Rebecca

Get a bike tool kit at the bike shop and put it in a bag behind your seat. You want it to hold a spare tube, tools and an inflation device (CO2). You can also get a hand pump (i have one) that goes under your water bottle cage on the downtube. And you for sure need a pair of tire levers (not spatulas) to get the tire off the rim. You shouldn't need any tools to get the tire onto the rim, just make very sure that the tube isn't pinched between the tread and the rim when you inflate the tire. The big thing with the little valves is to unscrew the end before putting on the pump attachment and then move the lever tight.

Bikes are a little trick in getting them to shift perfectly by first pulling the cable slightly tight and then with the adjustment barrel (twisty plastic thing where the cable goes into the frame) then further fine tunes the cable. You then have screws on the shifters (down by the frame) that adjust the tollerences (how far out or in the chain moves). You will also want to buy a chain cleaning kit, the degreaser that comes with it, various tools and fresh lube to put back on the chain after you clean it.

Then there is the bike fit. A good fit is really important if you are going to be doing thousands of miles on your bike and the bike seat is also important. If your seat is too low you lose power and irritate your knees, if it is too high you will wiggle back and forth on the seat and put more friction on your ... parts.

Keep in mind that keeping bike shorts clean means less rubbing on your bum and less irritation. Should you get irritation the cure is diaper rash cream. Yes seriously. It does wonders in just 2-3 days rather than 2 weeks if not treated. Something that on one told me up front is that you do not wear undergarments under your bike shorts. You probably figured it out right away, but it isn't something that is always stated directly. Do get some decent gloves as your hands take a lot of pressure over the long rides. I usually like the ones with the finger tips cut off unless it is cold. Always use low gears on hills and shift before it is too late and you are stuck in a big gear and lose all momentum.

A person smarter than me would practice turning in a parking lot or big paved area to get used to how the bike handles. A slow speed U-Turn on a narrow road while clipped in can be very humbling the first time you try it. And ride defensively, assume that all car doors are about to open, pick a safe distance and hold that line even if cars need to go around you and drive predictably (don't duck in and out of parked cars along main street).

Are your fish mostly pike and walley or trout, bass etc?

Edited by Baowolf 2015-03-13 9:06 PM

Feeling great after this week!

I felt terrible all winter and constantly felt like I was getting further behind and having to force myself to train in the less than optimal weather conditions. I am up to 18 miles for long runs, and spring is almost here! (Hopefully)

I ran a 5k yesterday with a goal of 20 minutes and had an official time of 19:59.9 :-). I also did an "indoor triathlon" this morning and won my wave since there were only two of us to show up with the freezing rain/sleet/snow. It made it blatantly obvious that I need to start spending more time in the pool, but I'm ok with that!

I hope everyone else is feeling awesome too!

That is a nice 5k pace. Thats where I am at the moment. However running that fast totally smoked my legs this week. Been dragging all week long. But then I did put in 23 hours of workouts but that probably didn't have anything to do with it..

You have a marathon coming up soonish? Careful to not have your long run be more than half your miles. You are ok, but not much of a cushion there.

Edited by Baowolf 2015-03-16 12:31 AM

As usual late to the party. Do you have room for one more?