jlesser's Mentor Group FULL!

Can I join?

NAME: MacMadame / Marie?

I’m a 51 year-old software engineer, mom of two and a formerly morbidly obese person.

After struggling with my weight for most of my life, I realized that doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different result was not healthy, mentally or physically. So this past Sept, I had a vertical gastrectomy and it’s changed my life. (I just wish I’d done it 20 years ago when my knees were in better shape for running.)

I’m now “only” overweight and will probably hit a normal BMI in the next 3-5 months.

I started back to the gym a few months before surgery in an effort to improve my cardio-vascular fitness. I was working the stationary bike, but felt the treadmill calling to me. This is very weird because normally I hate to run and have not had much luck with it in the past – including throwing out my back. But this time it’s going great. I haven’t felt like I’m going to hack up a lung one time. It is hard on my knees though.

I’ve seen triathlons on tv and always thought it looked like so much fun. Except for the running. So when I started running, I started thinking… I’m already doing the bike and the running and I love to swim. All I have to do is find a pool and I’ll be training for a triathlon!

So this Nov. I started researching tris and then I signed up for one in April. Then I started to panic. For one thing, this is the longest of the three triathlons I’m looking at doing this year. I’m wondering if I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.

TRAINING STATUS:

Swim: Apparently this is my best area. Which is weird because I hardly ever do it. I can swim 600 m in 30 min. with occasional rests. (This probably doesn’t seem that great, but compared to my running&hellip

Run: I’m doing Couch-to-5K for running. I really like the program. My running sucks, so I do it 3x a week. I just finished week 6, so now it’s just building up my running times until I can do the whole 5k at a run with no walking.

Bike: I was doing the stationary bike 2x a week, but I just bought a road bike and now I plan to do it 1x a week and bike outside on the weekend.

In the gym, I just go as hard as I can and can go slightly over 9 miles in 45 min. If I do a hill program, I can go farther, but I don’t burn as many calories or keep my heart rate up high enough, so I don’t normally do that. My gym has no spinning classes.

Cross-training: I also do Pilates. I was doing it two times a week, but it was interfering with my biking, plus work keeps scheduling meetings during the class time. Silly work people; don’t you know the purpose of work is to use the free gym?

I love Pilates but I’m thinking weight training might be a better idea. I think I need to use the rowing machine at the gym too – I sometimes have problems with my shoulder from all my computer use and that’s supposed to help.

WHY I NEED A MENTOR:

I feel like I’m doing tons and am on the right track, but I’m not being efficient. Plus I find this 51 year-old body needs two rest days a week since I upped my workouts to 45 min. That makes it hard to get everything in. I’d like to be more organized. I’ve downloaded several training plans, but have no idea how to customize them.

2009 RACE PLANS:

March 22^nd – Mermaid 5k, Mountain View

April 19^th – ICE Breaker Tri (Granite Bay) - 400/13/4

June 6 – Mermaid Tri, Fremont - 400/11/2.5

August 15 – Tri for Fun, Pleasanton – 400/11/3.1

I’ve only actually signed up for the April one. I’m thinking of joining a Tri club and then I’d be able to get a discount on the entry fees so I’m waiting on signing up for the rest.

Hey there!  Sure you can join!  this is my first time being a mentor, so I am excited that I can try and help people.

 First of all, congratulations for takng the steps you have taken in order to be healthy.  That alone requires a lot of hard work and discipline.  You are on the right track to change.

 You are doing well with your activities.  However, some things I might offer to you as advice:

 Get your Heart rate zones done.  There are sites on the web that will help you with this formula and/or you can get them tested (which requires money).  Then once you have those, start training in zone 1-3.  Nothing over that for a while until you can get some aerobic conditioning under you.  This make take a while (i.e. years) but you will only get fitter and lose more weight/fat by training at lower HR's.  Do not try to go "all out" like you mentioned in your post.  You will not make it far like that.  Slowly build up the time that you can hold these HR's as well and you will notice your endurance will start to grow.

 Also, watch your nutrition.  Eat CLEAN.  I.E: lean meats, whole grain carbs, fruits, veggies, etc. No processed foods, sugars, etc.  This requires a lot of discipline and a lot of planning, but you will reap the benefits of better nutrition.  I pack my cooler everyday with snacks, lunches, water bottles etc. and stick to my own eating plan. That way, when I get hungry, there is less of a chance I will reach toward something unhealthy.

 As for the swim/bike/run:

Swim:  2-3 times a week. 

Run:  3-4 times a week

Bike:  3 times a week

Strenth train:  2 times a week if time allows.

Stretch!  Every day if time allows.

Hope this helps.  Talk soon.

Check out my blog as well:  www.wethairwarmheart.blogspot.com

Hi!  Welcome!  Thanks for signing up.  I hope that I am able to help you in your goals to do a triathlon. 

I am sure the swimming will come back to you quickly and think that it would be a good source of aerobic conditioning right now while you are recovering.  Personally, I would not worry about coming back too slowly.  Listen to your doctor and what he/she has to say about your exercise/activitiy level.  I would honestly wait until you get the go ahead to train.

 If you already have that, then I would stick to lower HR zone training.  This will enable you to build up your aerobic system.  I would not try to run fast, bike fast, swim fast, etc. until you have several months of solid low HR training.  This is a huge key in getting fitter. leaner and ultimately faster! 

 Watch your nutrition right now as well. Nothing processed, etc.  When you get back to school, this will become a little diffcult, but you can still control your food consumption and steer towards heathly alternatives:  i.e. low fat, lean cuts of meat, salads, healthy fats, fruits, low sugar, etc. 

Now is the perfect time to start these habits so when you get back to school you know what choices you should be making. 

 Good luck!

Visit my blog at www.wethairwarmheart.blogspot.com

Hi!

Are you still open for new members? 

I just realized that tomorrow marks the 16 week mark for the countdown to my first triathlon this season!

My Story: I am a newbie of sorts.  I did my first triathlon 6 years ago this coming summer.  I had to learn to freestyle (barely) to do it .  There were a couple of big motivators, I had started to exercise (not just toodle around) for the first time the year before and some girls who were less dedicated to working out than me, entered a triathlon. 

I thought they were crazy and I refused to join in because I couldn't swim AND I knew they wouldn't finish anyway.  Well pooh to me as they all finished and I was left feeling quite green with envy.  So the next year I signed up, and then had to face the fear of swimming.  But honestly it was great!  I loved it!

Two children and 2 big geographic moves later, I was ready to try it again last year.  I trained with a great group of ladies from my neighborhood.  I just hoped not to come in last in our race.  I finished 71st overall - a far cry from last and somewhere I this competitive spirit rose up in me.  I blindly entered into 3 triathlons this year and as it comes time to start training, I'll tell you the truth here - I am a bit scared!  I could use some motivation and guidance to keep my spirit moving upward.  And maybe some swim tips to, the swim kills me!

I would love to join your group. I am a 37 year old mom.  I thought I was a retired swimmer until I started training for a sprint tri last summer.  Not only did I fall in love with tris but also fell back in love with swimming! It's even better when you feel as though it is your own choice.  I have been doing a masters program all winter (2 x week) and short runs 2 - 3 x week.  I am just bike shopping now and we have a foot of snow so it may be awhile until I get on a bike.  My local tri season seems fairly short compared to others in the country, but I have chosen 3 maybe 4 to do.  My goal is to complete 1 oly at least!

I have learned how beneficial it is to have someone experienced in the sport to answer questions. I would love to have a mentor for support nutritionally ( I would like to be leaner - I like good foods but also love to down my kids fruit snacks or pb and j's, etc .), for training ( I need inspiration to get out on that bike and to push myself with running), and to answer questions that continue to come up (bike shopping on a budget is not easy!).  I have read your blog and am looking forward to working in your group!

Thanks for all the info! I have my first post-op appt tomorrow, and I am pretty confident he'll say I have no limitations. 

I have a question about swimming - do you recommend swimming all 4 strokes (I don't necessarily mean during the actual race - just in the training)? Back when I used to swim competitively, I always hated the 500 and 1000, mostly because I got so bored swimming the same stroke. My best strokes are actually fly and back, but I don't know if I'm wasting my time practicing anything other than free. Also, do you recommend focusing on pulling more than kicking, since biking and running utilize the leg muscles so much? (I hope not...I always used to suck at pull sets :-/ )

 Sorry, I have another question! The first triathlon I'm planning on doing is super short, and the swimming portion is in a pool (thank goodness!). I know I don't need a wetsuit for this one at least, but what biking and running gear do you think is a must? 

 Phew, I think that's it for now! Should I post future questions in this same thread? Thanks so much :-)

I definitely need to get my zones done. The standard formulas don't work for me, probably because they assume all older people have less cardio-vascular capacity than all younger people. In fact, according to the charts at the gym, I have actually exceeded my maximum heart rate a few times while running. (Trust me, I haven't even come close.) At my cardiac stress test, they said 144 was 77% of my maximum. Using that, I get 186 as my MHR and that seems about right considering how I feel at the various readings during my work out. But I'd really like to know. Plus maybe it's changed since then. Does that happen?

Is there some place I can get this tested that's reliable?

Also, I have no heart rate monitor, but just use the built-in ones in the equipment at the gym. So I don't always know what I'm doing and have to guess. It looks like I stay mostly at the high end of Zone 2 to low end of Zone 3 when I bike (once I get up to speed--I have to work pretty hard to break 120 on the bike). It's running where I spike up into Zone 4. I can't tell exactly when or how long I spend there because the machines won't measure your heart rate when you are going over 4.0 mi/hr. So I measure it as soon as I stop running and go back to walking. (I am only running about 2 miles of the 3.1 right now.)

For nutrition, I'm still on a pretty limited diet... so I'm cutting out white carbs by fiat. But I've become convinced white carbs are evil, so I can't see putting too many of them back in as my palette expands. I think they'll end up being occasional treats for pretty much the rest of my life.

I'm going to have a time trying to modify the standard nutritional advice for racing and endurance nutrition though. It's just too much food for me right now. I think, for a Sprint, it's not going to be as big of a deal. I suspect I can just eat however I normally do and be fine. I'm going to talk to the nutritionist at my surgeon's practice about it though.

I do try to eat whatever carbs I eat for the day around my workouts. I got that advice from an Exercise guy (CSCS) who is also a bypass patient.

Oh, I rode my new road bike outside yesterday for the first time and it was AWESOME! I wanted to go again to day but it's my designated rest day so I made myself rest.

I'm curious. Are you allowed to do strength training on your rest days? Or are you really supposed to actually rest?

Hello,

 I am a 21 yr. old college student who has always enjoyed fitness and  nutrition (My major currently is health fitness and my minor is nutrition). I am a first time triathlete. I have been wanting to compete in one for several years now and I finally decided I was sick of talking about wanting to compete in one and signed up for a sprint race held in July. I am not new to the fitness scene, I am new to the workouts of a triathlete.

When I saw this oppertunity to have a mentor to help guide me to my first race I knew I had to jump on the oppertunity.  I hope there is still room for me to join your group. I would love to hear what your knowledge of racing and would also like to share some of my knowledge I have about fitness and nutrition. I am excited about learning how to run a race with the transitions, what kind of equipment is necessary for racing etc. I hope to be able to join your group.

STORY:  I am a 23-year-old female venturing into the triathlon world for the first time because my older sister asked me if I would like to do a sprint triathlon this summer in Chelan, WA.  Previously I was a collegiate athlete (volleyball) yet let the ball drop on my workouts last year when I finished playing collegiately and felt burnt out.  I miss working out and I miss having something to train for.  Hopefully training for triathlons will light my fire again (in the workout/nutrition world).     

BACKGROUND:  Have been an avid volleyball player for 5+ years (indoor/outdoor).  Feel comfortable running, swimming and biking yet need improvements in each area.  Completed a 5k Freezer Burn (beginning of winter) run near Missoula, MT for fun (did not train, etc.) 

TRAINING:  Previously I have done workouts planned by our weight training coach for volleyball.  My workouts mainly involved weight lifting exercises and some sprint/agility workouts. 

RACES FOR 2009: July 19 – Lake Chelan, WA – Sprint Triathlon (will be my first ever) 

WEIGHTLOSS: Have always struggled with weight gain/weight loss.  Easily gain weight…easily lose weight (if I truly focus on it and workout on a regular basis).                                              

WHY I NEED A MENTOR: To stay focused, keep me on my toes, keep me in check…    To help give advice (for this will be my first time training for a sprint triathlon and I want to train “right” ).  If there is such a thing. 

Very grateful I found this website and the mentor forum.  Thanks! 

Cheers!  Looking forward to hearing from you. 

Micaela

A few questions still linger before I get some shut-eye...

1) How far between events/sprint triathlons is acceptable?  One week, two weeks or more?  What type of training would you do between? 

2) I was going to follow the layout plan of the 3x Focused sprint triathlon training program on this website.  What is a good pace to keep?  I am sure this varies for each person.  I guess it just seems like a short workout (the first month anyhow).  Here is the link: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=46

3) Is a road bike necessary/recommended?  What other "tools" would be recommended for training and the day of the race?

 Thank you!

Micaela

Hi BBriggs!

Thanks for joining. Yes, I am still open for now and would love to have you join the group.  It seems that your story is similar to a lot of women's:  someone gets you started, you overcome that fear, and pretty soon you are addicted!  Welcome to the gang! 

 I am going to start asking questions once a week to get a topic started vs. having random questions just thrown out there with everyone.  maybe that way, it will be helpful to everyone in the group and we can all learn from each other.

Talk soon.

J

Hi K-Jo,

Welcome to the group.  Fruit snacks are great aren't they? 

Glad to hear you have  a swim background.  That fitness will come back quickly as you may have already found.  Continue on with that swimming...because cardiovascularly, it will only help with your swimming and your biking. 

As far as buying a bike goes.  First of all, get measured from a reputable bike shop.  Don't go blindly into buying a bike that you "think" might fit you, or someone else "thinks" might fit you.  Get an actual fit.   It shouldn't be an additional cost, as bike shops should want to fit you properly. After that, there might be good used bikes for sale.  I am trying to sell one of mine and there is nothing wrong with it.   I just upgraded and the frame has been sitting in my basement.  I am sure there are all kinds of people with the same situation. Try Craig's List and/or Ebay.  Lots of bikes and  lots of bike parts on there.  There are some great deals out there if you just search a little bit.  Ask the bike shop if they know of any triathletes that have upgraded their bikes and may want to sell their old one.  Good way to get a solid race bike.

while you're there, look into getting a trainer for your bike.  You can get in some good quality workouts in the winter on a trainer.

Talk soon.

J

Hi Jcl76:

Hope the appt. went well and you're all cleared.

Yes, I would recommend swimming different strokes. Not a lot, but some.  It helps with your feel of the water.  If you are lucky enough to be able to perform all four, then you can incorporate them.  Also, I would suggest pulling as much as you can. I have pull sets in almost every one of my swim workouts I do.  I kick some as well, not a lot, but definitely some to keep the strength in them.  The strength on the bike and run is going to come from doing those sports, not neccessarily from the swimming.

Depending on the time period you will be doing your race and the weather and water temp. where you live, I can advise you on the wetsuit purchase.  You could always wait to see how warm it's going to be then get one at your local store if you have one.  On the other hand, you are going to need one eventually if you keep doing this sport, so if you can find a good deal, may as well get one.

J

Hi there!

I was wondering if your group was still open for new mentees.

STORY:  I am a 29 year old female who is currently working full-time (software engineer) and working on her MBA at the same time. I knew I wanted to do something big for my 30th birthday (March 31, 2009) and decided to register for a sprint tri around that date (April 4, 2009). That was in October of last year. I bought a bunch of books and have been training here and there.

BACKGROUND:  I have always fairly interested in sports. Ran track competitively in High school but didn't pursue it (I should have! ). When I moved to the States for college in 01, I put around 40-50 lbs (went from a small size 4/6 to a hefty size 12/14). In 2005 (long after college), I was fed up with the being overweight bit and started focusing on my eating and fitness. I managed to lose 35 lbs and was close to my goal. Then life got in the way in the form of a consulting job and lots of take out and hotel meals. However I got into running seriously in 2007 and ran several 5ks throughout the year. Ultimately, I am trying to be an athlete for good and stay that way.

TRAINING:  I have always been a bit of a do-it-yourselfer and have trained here and there. When I decided to do a tri, I bought a bunch of books and followed most of the instructions. I have been doing roughly 3-4 biking workouts a week (spinning as I have yet to buy a bike). I have slacked on the swimming and running the past couple of weeks but got back into it yesterday. My plan going forward is to do a 2-2-2. Two swims, two runs and two bikes a week. Along with a strength workout per week. 

RACES FOR 2009: April 4, 2009 – Galveston, TX– Sprint Triathlon (my first)                                            

WHY I NEED A MENTOR: I usually do better when I have goals and people to be accountable to. Plus, my friends and fam already think I am nuts so they won't be of any help with my constant need to talk about all things tri.

I have spent the entire day browsing BeginnerTri.com. It is the best site ever. Period.

I really hope this group is still open as I love the mix of experiences and performances we have.

Thanks and keep up the good work!

Hi MacMadame,

I would be hard-pressed to say that the HR functions on the machines give you a good indicator of where your HR is.  You need an avg. HR for your entire exercise session.  If you can invest in one, that would be the best thing.  I use my Garmin 305 ALL The TIME and I love that thing.  It has average HR, pace, distance, etc. It's a great tool for training and has become a tool that many triathletes swear by. 

Keep working on the nutrition.  Clean, healthy choices:  frutis, veggies, whole grains, eggs, lean meats, low fat, etc.  Don't forget "healthy fats" such as olive oil, avocado, etc.  All are part of a very healthy diet.

As for a sprint. I think you can complete that on a good breakfast and maybe a sports drink on the bike.  You shouldn't need too much food, as you will be burning stored glycogen for that distance and speed (most likely).

Hi Purple Majestic!

Welcome to the group.  Now, let's hear all you have to say about nutrition!  I would love to hear what you have to say!  Congrats on signing up for your first race. That's always a great start. 

As far as equipment....the biggie:  Do you have a road bike/triathlon bike?  That would be your biggest piece of equipment needed to train on and of course race on.  I also would recommend a HR monitor.  You will need a helmet, bike shoes, running shoes, swim gear, etc. and you should be set.  Oh, and a tri suit/swimsuite to race in.

Talk soon.
J

Hi Micaela,

Welcome!  Sounds like you had a pretty busy collegiate career and are ready to get that competitive drive back.  Triathlon is a great place to do that! 

If you look back at a few posts, I have recommended a few equipment ideas and nutrition ideas.  I am bet you have alot of muscle tone and will easily get back to that with continued focus. 

I would include 2-3 times a week for each discipline right now.  Aim for an hour each time in each sport.  Choose quality carbs and less sugar.  Always eat breakfast and try to eat 5-6 times a day.  This will really start to get your metabolism firing.  No late night eating.....I try and stop eating by around 7:00, but have a had a full day of nutrition by then and have not skimped.

 Talk soon!

J

Hi again Micaela:

The workouts seem fine and are a good place to start.  For your first few races, I would wait to see how you recover between races.  I don't like to race less than two weeks apart.  It's just too hard on the body to try and recover if your fitness is not in tip-top shape.  Personally, I would say that I race best when I have 3-4 weeks between races.  You don't lose fitness that way and you have time to recover.  Keep training between races, just allow a few days to a week for recovery.

You will definitely need some sort of bike, whether that be a road bike with aerobars, or a triathlon bike.   A Mountain bike will be too slow and heavy to really go fast on. 

J

Hi Effanbee! 

 Welcome to the group.  It sounds like you have a good plan going on....for a first race, i think 2-3 times a week for each discipline is a good goal.

You will need a bike to do the race on, whether you buy one or borrow one.  Whatever you do, make sure you are riding it NOW so you get used to it, switching gears, pedaling a road bike, staying upright on it, etc.   You can also get a trainer to put the bike on indoors and do workouts on it.  This is great fitness for the winter and will allow you to get used to your bike. Also, longer bike rides on the weekend are best.  Saturday is always my long ride day (2-3 hours for beginners).  Hope this helps!

J

Thanks for the great advice on the bike. I cannot wait to get one!

I love the mix of experiences we all have in this group. I, too, agree that it is good to connect with people who get why I am so happy training for this and why I was on cloud 9 for weeks following my one and only sprint. Great to be in such a fantastic group!

 Now if only I can spend as much time training for this as I have been spending reading about it on the computer this week....

Hi K-Jo,

Yes, it is very hard to stay off the computer with all the information out there.  I find it very relaxing and would much rather read a forum or read a blog than watch t.v.  I learn something almost everyday!  Happy training this week! 

J

"Now if only I can spend as much time training for this as I have been spending reading about it on the computer this week....
"

 . That's exactly what I was thinking! If only I could train as long as I spend "reading" about it, I would be doing IMs in no time.

Hi J,

I was wondering if we've set up  the way the mentor program would work? Should we just randomly ask you questions or would there be specific topics?

I am shopping around for a bike (good, secondhand and on the cheaper side) and would like to have your input on the choices I have. Please let me know what would be the best way to proceed.

Thanks,

Eff