BikerGrrrl's Group - CLOSED

Hi Dee and Valerie!  I am looking forward to learning more about you. 

There are probably more pointed questions I should ask, but this is my first mentor group so we will learn how to do that together.  Once we have a full house, I will see what info folks are offering and ask more questions.

I am going to add you all as my "friends" on my training log.  If you've not done that before, here are the instructions:

1. Click on the settings icon at the top
2. Click on the Training Blog Customization tab
3. Click on the Friends tab
4. Type our usernames in the available boxes
5. Click Update

I am also going to make a list of everyone for the top of my training blog.  As soon as I do that, I'll offer the instructions and hopefully just something you can cut-and-paste in your own.

I am on BT a lot (too much...) at work, so around 8-5 Central time.  But I do occasionally check it in the evenings and weekends.  If you'd like to ask me something more "urgent", send me a PM so that I get the e-mail alert. 

Talk to you more soon!

Dee - I see you've posted a fair amount on BT.  How long have you been using the site?  Where do you "hang out"?

Valerie - how about you, have you been using BT for long?

Hi Emily!

I would like to join also, if I still can!

My name is Marcie and I am 34 years old, married with 3 little boys.  I was a swimmer growing up, but over the years started be become less and less active.  I did some tri's, had my first son, and then tried to get back into it.  I have taken the last 31/2 years off to have my second and third son, and now I am ready to get back into it! 

I work full time also, so struggle with finding time to train, but I have been managing 3-4 days a week (that is, until I went on vacation last week, now I am totally derailed    ).  My background is in swimming, and have no trouble getting to the pool, but I am not a strong runner and really could use some help in this area.  I would love to be a part of a group that I can discuss training, stay motivated, and share ideas and training tips.  I am thinking about starting to train for my first half marathon in August, in addition to a few tri's and a 5K swim in September.

Looking forward to getting to know everyone! 

Welcome Marcie!  It sounds like the accountability of this group will benefit everyone.  I'll try to bug/encourage you as much as possible    I did my first half marathon early in my "career", even before my first real triathlon.  I literally hadn't run more than two miles until Sept of '06, but when a friend suggested the half I signed up.  It was a lottery race, so we entered in February I think...   I learned I was in and thought "oh no!", but trained and had a good race.

I love the Hal Higdon running plans, especially for first time at a race distance.  They are very manageable for a busy schedule:

http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm

I'd like to join this group too, if I can. 

I'm 29, with my first triathlon scheduled the week before I turn 30. The sprint is on May 31st and my birthday is June 7th.   I'm married, no kids, with a wonderful job that affords me a variety of free fitness resources.

I've been running about a year, so its my strongest area (although I'm by no means a speedster).  I'm currently working with a huffy bike circa 1990, so I'm not sure if I'm slow because of the bike or because I'm slow.  Swimming is my weakest area no doubt.  I never had formal lessons, never really needed them until now.  I'm working on teaching myself proper form and technique.  I figure if I've taught myself how to do the breathing I can teach myself the rest right?

I completed my first half marathon back in November, and am currently signed up for the Disney (full) marathon January 2011. 

I'm very type A, and a little obessive (okay maybe a lot) which makes discipline my strong suite more than the actual activities themselves.  Although I do tend to feel like I let myself down if I don't meet my goals.  (FYI - "to finish" is my goal for the sprint.  I have no doubt I can.)

Hi Brooke, I am glad you found us!

Swimming is my worst sport and I have worked hard for years to reach a point where I can just plain swim like a normal person.   I do think you can do a lot on your own, but I also encourage you to seek a private lesson or two.   If you can find someone to watch you swim, tell you where you need work, then you can go off for a long time working on drills.  Can you have someone videotape you?  Perhaps we could point out some things too.  

What style of bike is the Huffy?  Some of those old 10-speeds are perfectly fine, but a heavier bike will definitely slow you down.  When I switched from my cheap hybrid to an entry-level road bike, my overall speed improved by 3 mph and with a lot less effort.  In the first ride!

I'd like to join your group if there's still room.

NAME: soccermom15/Janet

STORY: Never much of an athlete - did the usual intramural volleyball/basketball teams in grade school, 1 year of track in HS (came in last in every race except one!), HS racquetball for 2 years, then not much of anything.  I tried softball and indoor soccer as an adult but wasn't very good at either one.  About 3-1/2 years ago I volunteered at a local triathlon just to see what it was about and decided it was something I wanted to try.  At the time, I couldn't swim (never learned as a kid), couldn't run more than 30 seconds without feeling like I was going to die, and had only been on a bike once or twice in about 10 years.  I decided to start with the running since I figured it would be the hardest for me to pick up.  Since then, I've done 3 half marathons - doing my 4th this weekend - lots of shorter running races, and last year I did 2 sprint triathlons.  This year I'm hoping to move up to Olympic distance in August.  In fact, I've already registered for the race so I guess I'd better be ready!

FAMILY STATUS: I'm 46, married, with 2 kids.  Our son is finishing his first year of college and our daugher is a HS sophomore. 

CURRENT TRAINING:  I've been concentrating mostly on running due to my half marathon this weekend, but I'm also trying to get in 2 bike rides a week and 3 sessions in the pool.  The bike suffers most - I do most of it on a stationary at the gym right now.  That's partly due to weather and partly due to the fact that I'm still not really comfortable riding on the roads.  I bought a road bike last year that I like, I just need to make myself get out and ride it.  That's where I'm hoping you'll be able to help. 

I don't do a lot of "intense" training and don't do a lot of analysis of my workouts.  I'm doing this for fun - don't know anything about watts on the bike, don't know my VO2 max for the run, nothing like that.  I workout by feel most of the time and I'm OK with that.  I have nothing against getting better/faster, but it's not the primary focus for me. 

THIS YEAR'S RACES:  I'm doing a sprint in May, an Olympic (hopefully) in August and a bunch of 5k's, 10k's etc this summer.

2010 RACES:  Here's my schedule so far!

4/11/10 - Go!St Louis half marathon
4/24/10 - SCC Wellness Festival 10k
5/23/10 - Gateway Sprint Triathlon
6/6/10 - Run for Your Life 5k
7/3/10 - Firecracker 10k
8/1/10 - Fleet Feet Flat 5 (5 mile race)
8/21/10 - Lake St Louis Olympic triathlon
10/2/10 - Roots'N'Blues'N'BBQ half marathon (maybe)

Janet how'd you do in the half?  or is it this coming weekend?

here's a picture of me and my sad excuse for a bike.  i'm not going to upgrade until after the sprint - I want to make sure this is something I'm willing to invest in.

Brooke - Cute pic!  That's a classic alright!  Well, if you want to go bike shoppiing and need advice.. I'm your gal.

Janet, welcome!  Glad to have you.  When I started out there I was really passionate about biking (hence the BikerGrrrl name) and I worried I'd get tired of it and regret the affiliation.  But, I am happy to say, that I still love biking the best.  I hope I can encourage you to get outside.  I really hate biking indoors and that's enough of an inspiration to me, and I even biked some in the winter this year.   In what areas are you uncomfortable?  Maybe I can explain/encourage more specifically.

How are you feeling about the race this weekend?

Hi Jennifer!  It's amazing that we don't have any races in common - too bad.    Maybe we can meet for a long ride or something this summer, since our HIMs are near the same weekend.  I can't imagine handling a training schedule with your frequent flying   I ran Ragnar last year - wow, what an experience.  Have you done it before?

I completely understand the worries about traffic.  I find it exhilarating, but I also stay hyper-aware and it takes a much bigger effort to navigate, swerve, etc     Can you take your bike out to an area with fewer cars or a path?  That's not practical all of the time, but maybe for a longer ride?

Yeah, learning how to change a tire is empowering.  I was surprised that it was much easier than I thought.  I have only had to fix one flat on the road (knock wood), and I was offered help by no less than 10 people.  So if you have the proper tools, and a basic knowledge, you'll be fine.

Jennifer - I was just re-reading my RR from Ragnar and it's pretty funny in retrospect.  Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

Hey Carrie - glad to have you!  Let us know how the swim and the new suit works out.

NAME: Carrie639 (my first aquabike race number)

STORY: Played competitive ice hockey for a good part of the last 15-20 years.  Had alot of injuries (surguries) so had to give it up.  After working out for a few years, was really getting bored.  I told a trainer one day I would love to do tris, but that I couldn't run. He suggested I see the Lifetime Fitness tri club leader and it was she who told me about aquabikes (swim and bike only). That was my first race last year . . . I was hooked immediately and all my friends and family think I am nuts.  I am signed up for a few more this year and I have managed to learn to run, but not without injury.  I am about as prone to shin splints as one could be.  Constantly creates issues with training.

FAMILY STATUS: I am single, but have two chocolate labs (Bella and Briggs) and a cat (Tag)

CURRENT TRAINING:  I try hard to follow plans, but am just not that good at it.  Masters swims are certain days so that throws things off, and I can only run 2x per week.  Just got a tri bike 2 months ago and while indoor training went really well, I struggle with being in the aero bars outside. I  just cannot get my left elbow comfortable. Still working on it . . . got 1 month to get it

THIS YEAR'S RACES:  I am doing a few indoor tris for practice (next one is this weekend), a few half aquabikes, and my A race is Racine 70.3 (I am terrified with my run issues)

2010 RACES:  I would like to be competitive, but am treating this year as fun and do as well as I can.

April:  2 Lifetime indoor tris
May:  Rev 3 olympic, Knoxville; Taylorsville half aquabike, Blackhawk bike ride, Elgin Fox trot
June:  Naperville sprint tri, Pleasant Prarie olympic tri, Horribly Hilly Hundreds
July:  Muncie half aquabike, Racine 70.3
Sept:  Illini Challenge half aquabike, Half Madness

WEIGHTLOSS:  I have lost 20-25 lbs since last July and I want to keep on truckin. I am still an Athena