T3 beginners welcome sprint and OLY = Closed

Hi Dave,

I see that your mentor group is still Open and I would like to join and learn.

I am brand new to triathlons and have had a goal of getting involved in tri's for a while.  I have started biking more and have been working on changing my running form to a mid-foot striker to "hopefully" help with a recurring knee problem as I add miles to my run.

One of the main reasons I chose your profile/group is your mention of incorporating interval training and Crossfit into a balanced training schedule.  I have trained in Crossfit at gyms in the past and now do my own CF workouts that I incorporate into my training.  My situation is that I enjoy many types of physical activity regularly which makes it hard to focus a lot of training on getting really good at any one sport.  For example, I like to run, bike, backpack, Crossfit and similar functional training workouts, and martial arts.  So, as you can see, trying to incorporate training and fun in so many areas makes it hard to balance my schedule.  You will notice I did not list swimming.  Like many, this is my weak area where I need to spend some time and my area of biggest concern.  

My current level of fitness will allow me to finish a sprint tri in the bike and run (not with a great time), but the swim needs some work. 

I look forward to learning from you, and others in the group and hopefully becoming a veteran one day.

--Grady 

Dave -- I'm interested.

NAME: tacetman/Beau

STORY: I ran my first triathlon (sprint) in 2009 because it seemed like a fun challenge. I didn't really do any tri-specific training leading up to it, but I was swimming and running a lot at the time and figured that would suffice. I survived the race but can't say many more positive things about my performance. I stayed in decent shape (standard running / weightlifting) until summer 2010 when I discovered and got really into Crossfit. Wound up doing nothing but crossfit for about two years (went to a couple competitions and did OK, not great). I did another sprint tri in Fall 2010 with no prep other than crossfit. Not ideal, but I survived that one too. Transferred to California for work and due to my schedule plus being a newlywed I didn't really work out much for about 9 months. Work slowed down a good bit in January and I fonud myself with some free time. I want to start incorporating triathlon into my lifestyle for good. My goal is to EVENTUALLY work up to an IM, but I'm nowhere near that right now. The IM is a bucket list item for me and I really want to check it off. I am in the military so although my work schedule is realtively predictable for the next 4 months or so, it's completely up in the air from then on. I am hoping to be able to work through the logistical difficulties of my job and keep training/racing seriously.

FAMILY STATUS: Married, no kids. Wife is also in the military and currently deployed for at least another 5 months, so I have some free time on my hands :-)

PREVIOUS RACES: Sprint triathlon in summer '09, sprint triathlon in fall '10. Nothing to really brag about, but I enjoyed them both and want to become a better triathlete.

UPCOMING RACES: Morgan Hill Sprint Triathlon on the 19th. Looking to complete at LEAST 1 Oly this season, if not more. Not married to any specific dates or races, but I live in central California so there are quite a few races going on around me at any given month.

CURRENT TRAINING: I've been using TriNewbies' Beginner 10 Week Oly program for about 6 weeks now, with some modifications relative to my previous level of conditioning (i.e. I add about 20% to all bike workouts, 10% to swim workouts). Definitely could stand to up my game in terms of training planning/execution. I currently have a good bit of time each week to work out and I'd like to capitalize on that while I can.

WEIGHT LOSS: I'm 5'6, about 150 right now. Dropping 5 pounds would be nice, but realistically I'd just like to get a little more toned. If I can come CLOSE to what my body looked like when I was crossfitting 1-2 hours a day, 6 days a week, I'll be pretty happy.

WHY I'M A GOOD MENTEE: I like to research and discuss ideas for training, I am eager to learn and take criticism well. I have a good bit of time on my hands what with my wife being gone and all.

Welcome  aboard GCfit and Tacetman,   

I think you both will fit in to my group.   I will have some join in from my last session and they all seem to be making good progress.   

GC I will be starting some swim tips at the beginning of next week so hopfully it will help out.    

I could definitely benefit from some swim tips as well. I've been working really hard on drilling my form, but I'm stationed in a small town without much support in terms of a Master's program or anything like it. 

On an unrelated note, I'm going OUT of town this weekend to test-ride a Tri/TT bike. My 10 year old road bike that's slightly too large for me is long past overdue for an ugprade.

Additional information:

NAME: GCfit / Grady (using the power of positive suggestion with my screen name)

PERSONAL:  About to turn 47 y.o., married, no kids, but love to run and hike with my Rottweiler.

TRAINING:  In addition to my post above about trying to mix different types of sports and hobbies into my training, I recently began work on another bucket list item ... to run a marathon.  In the past, a recurring knee problem has prevented my success and this is why I have been working on changing my form to mid-foot striker along with other strengthening exercises (same knee I had ACL replacement surgery about 12+ years ago).

I have added one of the BT sprint tri plans that I am going to adjust for my run schedule.  So, my run schedule will be significantly above that required for the sprint tri and will attempt to add bike, swim, Crossfit, martial arts training in as well.  Please make liberal suggestions as my plan may be unrealistic.

Again, thanks for all feedback and suggestions.

--Grady  

H

iI'm in if you will have me

I am 38 F, Married no kidsI have Autism 1, and SchizophreniaI'm on disability and strong meds,I'm losing weight down a stone from borderline overweight/obeseI did yoga to teacher training, lots of silly things like tai chi, surfing, skiing a lot for a few yrsI also cycled and swam a few months each and did 5 yrs of running, getting to Hm training runs each week and 3 actual Hm races in 2010

Been looking for my mojo since then, but finally found it

Done 3 weeks of C25K and 8 days of minimum half hour 750m swimAmbition to learn freestyle a lot better, building up... on 1.5 min run, 2 min walk aiming for 4:1 for good, it's faster i hear

Cycled 30km yesterday going again tomorrow cycle and runMajor ambition would have to be HIMDoing 60 mile ride in 8 weeks,Failed at marathon training ran 16 miles and burned myself out totally Need more input to stay safe n sane

Mentoring sounds like an amazing thing to do

clouddog you are in.  

I am going to share your story with two friends here.   both their children are autistic so I do the race for autism every year.   

Hi Dave,......

I have Autism 1 ......or mild autism...

My husband is the same .... although we are both diagnosed for the first time after age 36 ......and Married a year! ....(3 now).....

My husband is a train enthusiast, ...enjoys walking, ....the sea, and..... photography, .......model railway,..... reading and keeping lists ..... like about cricket and the weather... He has always worked in the railway since age 17....

Autism as you know can include special interests .....Mine is exercise I think...., er and any massive obsession that comes my way ... like fashion or diet... Things like that...

I was the fat unpopular kid.... into dance and theatre... Found drugs and extreme psychosis ... Which is another story...I actually find all NT men too scary to live with and am a thousand times lucky to find a good man like him...

Long long story short I tried a lot of challenging things I wanted to do... Went all out ... And each time stress ...(even good stress) put me long term or short term in acute psych wards .... I don't work now ....You are welcome to pass this on to your friends ...I hope I can help

What's up Hammer!  And hello everyone.  I was in Dave's spring group and would like to stick around through the summer. So he already knows my story...but for the rest of you:

Real Name: Chris

Story:

I am 42 years old, married with 2 kids (8 and 4).

2013 is my first season of triathlon unless you count 2 sprint races in 1999.

I have been an on again off again runner all my life and a fairly decent swimmer. The bike is my weakest discipline by far. I recently joined a local riding group and am hoping that it will begin to pay off.  I am riding an entry level Raleigh Road bike that I put profile aero-bars on.  I plan to upgrade bikes for next season, but am determined to work on "the engine" before I drop any real money on a bike.

Training:

I am trying to work up to 10 hours/week of actual training time.  I am a professional Fire Captain working a 24on/48off schedule which is great for giving me time off to train but also limits me on my shift days as there is obviously no swimming or biking I can do during those days.  We do have a small gym we go to for an hour where I can get in some treadmill and elliptical time as well as lifting.  Currently my logs are set to "Friends only" but I will be glad to friend anybody who joins this group so my logs will be available.  I run usually 5 to 6 days a week.  Trying to get in at least 2 rides a week (20 miles short to 40 miles long.)  Swimming has been an issue as my indoor domed pool recently transitioned back to an outdoor pool.  It has been unseasonably cool here with temps in the upper 40's and low 50's in the morning, which has limited my ability to swim outdoors the last few weeks.  I do at least 2 sessions of an hour each intense lifting sessions per week.

Races:

I had my first sprint race last month.  It went OK, but plenty went wrong and I got a lot of mistakes out of the way.  You can read about it at my blog link below if so inclined.  My first Olympic is next weeken.  I'm calling it an Olympic +4 as the bike is actually a 29 mile course (which is not optimal for me given I feel that is my biggest weakness.)  Nevertheless it is an ocean swim and I am looking forward to the challenge of this distance.  I have another Olympic and 3 more sprints on the schedule as well as some local 5k's for the remainder of the year.

Weigh Loss:

Weight loss isn't really an issue with me.  I am 6'5 and currently 190.  I have dropped about 30 pounds since starting my crusade to get back in shape last summer.  Weight loss was never a goal, more of a side effect of getting active again.

Anyway, that is my info.  I am looking to become a competitive Age-Grouper.  I seem to be more MOP right now but have the drive and motivation to improve.

Thanks,

Chris

Dave, thanks for letting me know you're back. I was lucky enough to get in with the T3 group last year, a little late, but I still learned a lot. As an intro to myself:

Early on, I played sports, but have always been the big guy. Running was never a joy and I was a lousy swimmer. In the late 80s I used to ride road and mountain bikes, but always got left behind by the little guys. I still loved it. Work took me away from my conditioning and I hemoraged my disc between L4 and L5 in 2001. Scheduled for surgery, but started seeing a chiropractor that kept me in alignment. Then started working out with a trainer. Mostly strength training. In 2009 I couldn't afford the trainer any more and began running. Ran my first 5k in March 2010 and completed my first marathon in November 2010. I have not been injured and my doctor says an MRI would show my disc fully recovered.

I just turned 60 years old and have begun training for triathlons. It enables me to endurance train while reducing the running miles. I follow Chi Running mid-foot strike for my run form with a 180 cadence. I had a gait analysis at the OU Sports Performance Clinic and got a thumbs up on my running style. I am just really slow.

I took a Total Immersion swim class last summer and have been working with a swim coach at the health club. I live on a lake and feel very comfortable in the water, but my form needs a lot of improvement.

Biking for me is cadence. I have spun at 90-100 rpm in the past. My plan was to use spin class this last winter along with off-road riding. Now that daylight savings time has arrived I am riding outside in the evenings.

So far this year I have completed two indoor triathlons and an outdoor that had an indoor swim. My next sprint is scheduled for June 30th in Joplin, MO and then another August 18th in Claremore, OK. Both of these will have an open water lake swim. This fall will be focused on running with the Tulsa Run 15k in October and the Route 66 Half Marathon in November.

I will NEVER be fast, but I will ALWAYS finish.

Greg Hopeman - Tulsa, OK - Just refer to me as Greg or Hope

Chris -- I'm racing this weekend, too -- somewhere between a spring and an oly (1200m / 15mi / 5 mi). Little nervous for the run as I've been having problems with arch support resulting in foot numbness when I run while fatigued. Looking forward to comparing results.

Dave -- I'm interested.

NAME: mheard/Marshall

STORY: 37yr Male.  I have always wanted to do a Triathlon, but never seemed to have the time or discipline.  I was formerly in the Military and in decent shape, however I had knee surgery and took about 10 years off from doing anything physical. I bought a good pair of running shoes, a 5 dollar yard sale bike (which weighs a ton) and hit the road.  Recently a reformed smoker my lungs are finally starting to get back in shape as well, though the first time I was in the pool I could tell that I had a long way to go. 

FAMILY STATUS: Married for 19 years, with three kids.

PREVIOUS RACES: No Triathlons.  I did a 3k mud run last year with some coworkers.

UPCOMING RACES: I have two on my radar that I want to accomplish, both Sprints.  Manassas 14.06 and Quantico Sprint.  Both of these are snake swims in a pool.  I also have an Olympic on the radar as a reach goal (in open water) in case i love the sprints.

CURRENT TRAINING: I've been riding the bike indoors at the "Y" quite a bit and running/walking on the treadmill.  Just recently ran 3 miles without stopping.  I hope to add some outdoor work now that the weather is getting better.  I typically do bricks of bike and run, but haven't devoted myself to the swimming yet and this is my weakest area.  I am biking and running around 4 days a week.

WEIGHT LOSS: I'm 5'10 and 204 right now, so dropping down to 185 would be nice, and would take some pressure off of my knees and help with the running.  I was around 175 when I was in the Military and can tell the extra weight hurts my run times.

WHY I'M A GOOD MENTEE: I like to learn from others and have told enough people that I am training for a triathlon that it is too late to back out.  I have started to get addicted to the gym again, and hate missing workouts.

Sounds good Taceman.  I'm a little nervous about my run too.  I've never ran the full 10k off the bike before.  Hopefully I will be able to settle in to a nice pace and relax.

How did your bike test go?

dominion and Hope welcome back,   mHeard glad you can join in too.   Welcome to the group.   

well as for me,   right now my races and goals are set.    June 1st sprint distance, june 2nd OLY distance.   Then I have a Aug OLY that the goal is 2hr 20 min and then back to a Half in Sept to try and go sub 5hr.     Those are some pretty lofty goals but I have got a new motivation and my run is really coming together.    

for swim training and techinque I follow Total Immersion swimming (TI)    There are some great videos on you tube about this but I will also answer any questions.    Overview is this techinque is really for open water and distance swimming.    It will not win you any sprint medals but is great for low energy output for the long stuff.   

alright lets kick this off with a little RUN discussion.    Do you have a running partner?   if so have them look at your stride and see where you land on your foot.   you can do this yourself if you pay attention to where you stride at.   

I want everyone the next time you are out running to try and keep your chest high and stay upright.   most new triathletes try to lean forward and run like a sprinter.    We are all past that now.    keep your chest high and it reduces back stress and opens up the lungs.   

If that feels comfortable look and feel where your hips are.   I good distance stride should feel like your butt is tucked and rolled under so your hips are open allowing to get a full length stride.   This takes some strong core. so if this is hard, it is time for some crunches.    

If you have any questions shoot away.    

Keep moving forward,

I've never run 10k off the bike either -- I've heard that although you'll feel like crap, it's still doable as long as you are comfortable with the distance normally. My biggest problem running off the bike is opening my stride back up. I'm sure if you focus on that you'll get into your groove on problem.

Bike test was interesting. I live in the Central Valley of California and it's incredibly flat. I would actually have to put my bike in my car and drive for an hour to be able to train on hills (which I might start doing on weekends). So you can imagine my surprise when I got to the guy's house in Anaheim and realized he was surrounded by LARGE hills. I intended on taking it for an easy 5-mile ride to test the fit and wound up heading downhill for about 3 miles straight. The good news was I hit over 40mph on the downhill. The bad news was I then had to turn around and climb the hill...at noon...in southern LA...when I wasn't prepared to actually train that day. It was pretty brutal. BUT, to make a long story short, I bought the bike. Despite my wife's minor annoyance at how much I spent, I took it for its inaugural ride today and averaged 4+mph over my normal average pace without, spinning at my normal cadence and heart rate. Guess there's something to be said about this "Aero" thing after all.

How you feeling? Still under the weather?

Ridarling you are in.   I will leave it open for a few more to join us.   

It brought up about running off the bike.    Most people over train this.   Do your normal running and riding.   Once a week or so go for a 8 to 10 min run after the bike and you legs will begin to transition to be able to take the pounding being fatigued.   

The most important thing to running off the bike is stretching out on the bike the last mile in.   I will ride with my toes pointed down and then my heels pressed down for about 20 pedal strokes.   Then do a standing ride and press your hips forward to stretch out the IT band so you will have a long stride.     

THANK YOU DAVE!!!

Regarding the running off the bike tip that you provided...is it too soon for me to begin doing this 1xweek as my 1st race is not until September 29th? 

And on that note...since my first Tri is an Olympic distance race and I have a little over 20 weeks to prepare, would it be a good idea to do a Sprint distance race sometime this summer?

Thank you again!

Tacetman,

+4 mph is impressive! I hope i can get something like that when my time comes to pull the trigger.

I'm feeling a little better, thanks for asking... And starting to get excited about racing this weekend. 

A short easy ride and a couple of jogs the last 2 days makes me think I should be fine on Saturday.

Ridarling,

I agree with Dave.  If you have the opportunity to race a sprint or two this summer you should go for it.  Lots of unexpected things can happen on race day, and lots of small details come around that you may not think about.  If you can go ahead and get one under your belt, you should feel a lot more confident for your Olympic in September.  My first race back in April was pretty much a logistical disaster, but now I have it out of the way and am ready to get moving forward.