tcovert's Winter 2009 Mentor Group - FULL

Todd,

I'm in ...

This will be only my second tri season, having competed in only two sprints in late 2008. Like you, I am a formerly athletic person but let myself get way too heavy while doing grad school, having child #2 (well, my wife had the baby, but you know how it goes) and commuting between Arizona and California for work. Last February, I decided I'd had enough and have since dropped 90 pounds.

I started out cycling and it is still my strongest area by far. A few months after getting into it, I found this website while looking for bike races/tours, and thought, "Well, this sounds like fun!" Did my first sprint and was hooked ...

For my first race, I didn't really train that hard for the run for fear of weak knees acting up. I've since added running regularly to my routine and feel I'm finally getting better. Swimming as part of training is no problem at all, as I am very comfortable in the water. Swimming as part of a race is another story ... I can't seem to settle down and get into my stroke once the gun goes off, and I end up swimming really poorly.

So, my goals for 2009 are to drop another 20 pounds or so, but I have no time frame. I started all of this at 6' 1" and about 280, and I'm currently at 190. Problem area is the gut I'll get there, but I am not starving myself to do it. Since I started working out, I've completely changed my lifestyle and eating habits, and I am happy for the weight to come off naturally without stepping on the scale every day.

I would love to do an Oly this year, in addition to a few more sprints. For the Oly, I'd be happy to finish, but I'd like to move out of the middle of the pack for the sprints. To do this, I know I need to relax more on the swim and get to be a stronger runner off the bike.  I wouldn't mind the thought of a half marathon, but I'm also a bit realistic.  If I feel I can do it some point throughout the year, I'll sign up last minute.  I also definitely want to do a century ride this year.  Farthest I've gone is about 65 miles in a hair over 3 hours, and I feel I can muscle through a century if it's pretty flat.

I've already signed up for a 5k in February (Surf City) and a short sprint later in the month (UCSD Tritonman). Beyond that, I'm open. I do have a lot of traveling for work in the spring that will keep me busy (I'm good about working out while on the road), but late spring and summer will open up a bit as far as scheduling races goes.

I don't use heart rate monitors, I don't log my caloric intake (anymore), but I do use a bike computer to focus on distance and cadence. I try to log all my workouts on this site and I loosely follow some of the free plans, but like you, I do most of my training by what feels good. I know I need to step up my volume, but beyond that, I'll take any and all advice.

Cool?

ETA: I'm 37 and compete in the 36 - 40 AG.

I think this is the group for me.

I am a 23 year old guy that lives in Sacramento, CA. I have yet to actually run a triathlon. I jumped on the bandwagon this summer and promptly fell off after 2 months when my life got too busy. I have a lot more free time now and I want to get back on it.

 My biggest goal at this point is dropping weight. I am 5'5 and curretly weigh about 190. back in July I w peaked at 212 and got down to 182 during my first round of training, only to gain 10 pounds back as soon as I stopped. I am currently about halfway through the couch to 5k plan from the Cool Runnings website. I picked it up on week 3 since I am in better shape then when I started, and I'm currently halfway through week 4.

In terms of a triathlon goal, I hope to run a sprint by this fall. I have a long way to go since I really have never trained at all in swimming and I have done nothing other then casual biking. I think a group like this could be a big help in getting me there. I post all my workouts in my training log....for better or worse.

I'm looking forward to joining you guys for this

Matt

Todd,

I'm an Arizona Wildcat, and I don't think I can handle a bRUIN in this group! It is college basketball season, you know.

Just kidding, of course. Kind of ...

Hi Todd -- I'd like to join your mentor group if there's space. This will be my second year doing tris. Last year I got a little gung-ho and ended up doing 7 or 8 (one a relay with my family). I finished with the 1/4man at SOMA in Phoenix and all the others were sprints. I also completed 3, 1/2 marathons last year and am doing Carlsbad in Jan. and signed up for the Avia OC full marathon in May. It was never on my radar to run a marathon, but after this training and loving the 1/2's and the tri's I thought why not?

I also lost 30 pounds 8 years ago and have been able to keep it off.  I find the tris and running events help keep me focused and with a goal to shoot for. It gives some direction to my training and workouts.  I played basketball in high school and some in college and this past year I've definitely re-discovered my competitive nature, mostly with myself. Oh, I also recently started swimming with a masters group and I'm loving it. I was so intimidated by the whole concept since I'm mostly a self-taught swimmer.

I like your no-frills approach and would like the support and I'm a great cheerleader for others, too. 

Lynn 

Hi Todd,

I would love to join your group.  It sounds like the perfect one for me  Here is a bit of my information:

NAME: ambular / Amber
STORY: I am a 26 year old full time accountant and full time student (I am currently working on my Masters and CPA) ... needless to say, outside of working, studying, and training, I don't have time for much but I make it work!  I have pretty much done nothing but run over the past few years - so far I have completed one marathon, three half marathons, and more 5 and 10Ks than I can keep track of.  I am working on my swimming skills and amping up the bike miles because I have my eyes on a few triathlons that are scheduled in March and April of 2009. 

As for swimming, I have never been a strong swimmer but I have challenged myself by signing up for a one mile ows that takes place in April - I know that I have more than enough time to prepare for it but I am still nervous!

I have fallen off of the bandwagon in terms of training a few times in the past but I feel more motivated than ever and I am very excited about building up over the winter and hopefully doing well in 2009!  It would be great to join such a motivated and motivating group 

If you still have openings I would love to join your group. 

I'm a 51 year old woman living with my girlfriend of 22 years just outside of Boston, MA and work as an Insurance Analyst for a fairly large retail corporation.  I'm a lifelong cyclist having done many long distance fundraisers and have recently discovered the joy of running.  That may be the wrong description...

I have always worked in a desk job and so I love being physically active outside of my work life, and am.  But I always train alone except my partner is a great swimmer and promises to help me with that, I stink at swimming and that's a fear about doing a tri.  Right now I'm running 5-6x/week but only 3 miles.  I could go farther but there's that work thing I have to do.  I was recently forced to go into the gym due to winter in New England.  This is okay though because now I can add the cycling and swimming to my gym time, or split it up anyway.

I have never done a tri and am fascinated with the thought of doing one.  My plan is to do a sprint in the spring or early summer depending upon where I can find one and then maybe try to do another later in the year.  Might be lofty goals for me but I'm willing to try it.  Despite the time zone differences do you have room for me on your team?  Thanks Todd!

Todd, is there any more room in your group? This seems like a good group for me. A lot of you are facing the same issues I am...inconsisent training and weight loss. Plus, I've seen a few of you around the boards, especially the CA board.

Would love to join!

Aloha all

As you can see I am Paul

STORY: I'm a 46 year old, living in Dalgety Bay On the east coast of Scotland, I own a small family opticians with my wife Fiona. I played rugby to a high level at school before injuring both knees and taking up jogging (go figure) I have run on and off (mostly off) since. In my 20's I managed a self trained 72 min half mary and once one a 4 mile road race, much to mine and everyone else's amazement. Since, at 5' 9 I have blossomed to some 270lbs!!! I decided many years ago to one day do the IM at Kona- before I learnt you had to qualify. Still I want to one day get round an IM race but perhaps not at Kona I guess (but you never know).

I have trained on and off for tri the last year and did 3 sprints last year but I have to overcome my fear of open water. A lot of personal stuff, I have allowed to stop me. We have several family and friends severely ill and now I am caring for my parents to. However to reach my goals I know I must take immediate action to make sure that my training stays a priority for my own health and so my family's well being and so I can reach those goals I have set myself. (I will re- my goals in my log tomorrow and get back out there tomorrow)

FAMILY STATUS: Married 24 yrs on the 31st, no kids. We have two boys, Stephen (11) and Harrison (8).

CURRENT TRAINING: Nothing for the last 2 months. It is 23:21 hrs here or I would take immediate action but the training starts for good tomorrow.

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: Well I am going to be a permanent item here (if you will have me) good and bad. It is going to become the corner stone of my IM goals and the foundation and I see encouraging and making friends here as a bed rock for that foundation.

I would be honoured if you would allow me to join such an illustrious band of hero's.

Mahalo Paul

Todd

 I would like to join if you'll take me.

 I'm 35 with a wife and 3 kids 9, 6, and 2. I have done some working out in the past, but got that feeling that I was becoming something that wasn't me. In the summer of 2007, I got the triathlon idea, to challenge myself physically, mentally, spiritually etc. I've been training since, and love the lifestyle. I've been laying off running lately do to some knee pain. I don't have an expensive bike, or any real high tech "make you faster overnight" gizmos, and I really like your training philosophy.

In 2008 I did a marathon, an olympic, and a HIM. I'm too new to be fast , but I had a great time.

In 2009, like you I am registered for my first Iron distance (IM Kentucky)

I'm into challenging myself, positivity,  and people

 Jake

Todd,

If you are still open,  I would like to be part of your group:

NAME: akwgolf/ Austin
STORY: I am 34 years old, married with twins, work as an engineer.  During high school, I played football and wrestled.  During college food became a bigger part of my life. When I graduated college I had balloned up to 374 pounds.  Over the next 8 years I would lose weight and gain it back, lose weight and gain it back.  I finally did something about it 2 months ago.  I had gastric bypass and have lost 63 pounds in 2 months.  

Training:  I have been training for 3 weeks now. I found a plan here on beginner triathlete.  I am ok at swimming and riding, but running is my biggest weakness.

 Races:  I am planning on 2 sprints this year and maybe one oly.  I am planning on a 70.3 summer of 2010.

Thanks Austin

Any chance I can still join?

They call me the IceMan.  Name is Scott. I'm 57, a journalist, outdoor editor for a newspaper in Central Illinois and for fishing magazines.  In 2005, I had a 50 inch waist.  Three guys from the local bike club came to ask me if I'd join them in a program similar to Bicycling's Bike Town.  They would give away bikes...I would follow the progress of the people who got them.  I said yes.  I also liked that they  were about my age and all said they started riding to lose weight and get in shape.  Here they were, all thin and fit looking.  I wanted to be like them.

I bought a hybrid and started riding.  3,500 miles the first year huffing and puffing up and down the hills with all these young people in spandex on road bikes.  By the end of 2005, I bought a road bike.  In 2006, I started riding again.  In April, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  On June 22, I awoke, road the 18 miles I needed to turn 3500 miles and went to have surgery.  I get back on the bike as soon as I could.  7,500 miles that year. 

In 2007, I rode 8,800 miles, met a woman who rode to lose weight.  We;'d gone to high school together but didn't know each other.  She'd read about my bike exploits and emailed.  We were married in 2008, bought a house and I rode 5,000 miles between all the fun and busy times. 

I was introduced to the tri world in 2007 when I rode the bike leg of a sprint triathon for a LiveSTRONG fundraising relay team. The people were great.  Everyone urged everyone else to do their best.  I loved the atmosphere and the people.   I did it again in 2008 and decided to try to do a whole tri in 2009.  I started to run (not my strong suit) and joined the Masters Swimmers to learn how to swim distance instead of the sprint 100 yard freestyle stuff I did on the high school swim team.  Bike and swim are going well, the running is coming along.  I run and swim 3X a week, ride nearly 7 in good weather...now spinning at the gym at least 4 times and usually 5 to 6. 

I'm now wearing 36-inch jeans.  I've yet to weigh myself.  But, the belt I started with stretches around me 1.5 times.  I'm still cutting new holes when needed.  I'm in charge of the bike give-away program now.  We gave away 16 this year.

I like the no nonsense, low tech you preach.  I have a heart monitor and use it, I love my bikes.  I replace tennis shoes at 300 miles.  I love to swim long distances.  One workout a week is 1600 yards non-stop.  

My goals are to do a sprint tri in June, and Oly in July and see where we go from there.

Thanks.

Ice

Aloha fellow Groupees (is that the term I wonder),

I will add you all to my friends list tonight and start looking at your logs. Compared to many of you mine will be a bit sparse till I get to losing the weight and so I will be joining a weight loss challange in the next 24hrs. But I will still post what I can.

Thanks to Todd for making us welcome and taking under his wing so to speak.

I will be going over my goals etc in the next 2 days and will post here when I have some plans. I will look at joining a challange group to perhaps unless anyone wants to have a group challange.

Feel free to sledge me in a good natured way and to kick my (for now) fat . Being across the pond makes me out of sync with most of you but that never held me back before.

I would like to wish you all luck and I look forward to getting to know you all and go through the good and the tough times. I wis you and yours all the best.

Mahalo Paul

Thanks for posting that video Susie!  Swimming is my struggle and I am constantly scoping out advice and watching different videos to improve.

This morning I hit the gym for the first time in a few days (it's finals week so I have been studying A LOT - however, I took my last final last night and now I get three weeks off!).  Has anybody tried the Expresso bikes?  I tried it this morning and I liked it a lot more than the spin classes - I felt like my quads were getting quite the workout and it was more realistic than the constant up and out of the saddle moves that are done in the spin classes.  I am picking up my bike next week when and I will be able to ride on the trainer... but for now, I think that I found the next best alternative!