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Help needed for a discouraged beginner
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 2009-09-03 10:14 PM |
New user 14 |  Subject: Help needed for a discouraged beginnerHello all - I'm 3 weeks away from my first sprint and having a seriously discouraging week. I did a 40 mile bike ride on Monday and it went well. I was happy with that. Later that day when I tried to swim, my shoulders were too stiff to do more than about 8 laps. That's a first for me..... Tuesday I had a very annoying flat after a bad day at work and then someone at my tri club meeting that evening asked if I was getting nervous about my race. Until that moment, I wasn't. Yesterday I had planned a track workout with just strides in mind. I am pathetically slow (11:30 pace) and I wanted to work on just speed. I couldn't even jog around the track once without wheezing and feeling every one of my 51 years and then some. I gave up for the day. Today I went for my favorite lake swim and I only lasted 13 minutes before my arms wouldn't do it any more. Now I am really scared. And extremely discouraged. I was making progress every week until this week. Now what? How do I get past this? Please help! |
| 2009-09-03 10:25 PM in reply to: #2388733 |
| Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner Relax. Breathe. We all have bad weeks/workouts. This is just the first of many for you.  . Of course you're nervous. I certainly was. Most important thing... Go out there and have fun. You only get one first tri. |
| 2009-09-03 10:33 PM in reply to: #2388733 |
155  | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner You're worried, but relax - you've done more training than I did for my first last weekend, and I made it without a problem. You'll have plenty of adrenaline to get you through. Just enjoy it - don't be nervous! |
| 2009-09-03 10:47 PM in reply to: #2388733 |
| New user 14 | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner .... trying to breathe - trying to relax - hmmm neither one of those are in my list of specialties....I promise I'll do my best. Thanks for reminding me that I'm not alone. I forget that. |
| 2009-09-03 10:49 PM in reply to: #2388733 |
Veteran 393 The Beautiful San Fernando Valley in Sunny L.A. | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner You can bike 40 miles, swim for 13 minutes, and you run only slightly slower than me. You'll be fine. P.S. Are you doing warm-ups before running and swimming? I couldn't tell from your post but I know I have to. I'll swim 200-300 yards (50-100 yards at a time) or run a block and rest before getting into the workout. |
| 2009-09-03 11:00 PM in reply to: #2388733 |
Master 1356 | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner Relax! Go back and grab that post 40-mile happiness. One day at a time and you'll slowly get to race day. And that will be a day to relax and enjoy the experience. You're already beating all those 51year olds sitting on the couch, as well as the 41, 31, and 21 year olds. |
| 2009-09-03 11:03 PM in reply to: #2388733 |
Master 1890 Cypress, CA | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner It sounds like you're definitely in shape to finish a sprint respectably, so don't worry about that. It also sounds like you may be getting a bit overtrained. With three weeks left and feeling like you do, I'd think about doing an easy week, then a normal week, and then a really easy week before the race. Going into your race at your current state of fitness and well-rested will help your race performance a lot more than pushing really hard to try to gain fitness in the next three weeks. |
| 2009-09-03 11:12 PM in reply to: #2388733 |
Extreme Veteran 518 Sault Ste. Marie | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner you prolly had issues with the swim because of the bike ride before... tightness in the shoulders usually hits the next day, as specially on a 40 mile bike!! The swims before the bike ride so you have nothing to worry about. 750-20-5 is an awesome distance! Once you get the bike leg over with you'll have WAY more energy then you think to complete the 5k..... just dont stop |
| 2009-09-03 11:22 PM in reply to: #2388733 |
Elite 4048 Gilbert, Az. | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner alsgislady - 2009-09-03 8:14 PM Hello all - I'm 3 weeks away from my first sprint and having a seriously discouraging week. I did a 40 mile bike ride on Monday and it went well. I was happy with that. Later that day when I tried to swim, my shoulders were too stiff to do more than about 8 laps. That's a first for me..... Tuesday I had a very annoying flat after a bad day at work and then someone at my tri club meeting that evening asked if I was getting nervous about my race. Until that moment, I wasn't. Yesterday I had planned a track workout with just strides in mind. I am pathetically slow (11:30 pace) and I wanted to work on just speed. I couldn't even jog around the track once without wheezing and feeling every one of my 51 years and then some. I gave up for the day. Today I went for my favorite lake swim and I only lasted 13 minutes before my arms wouldn't do it any more. Now I am really scared. And extremely discouraged. I was making progress every week until this week. Now what? How do I get past this? Please help! First, take a breath. In.....out...good. Now, everyone has bad workouts. My workout today was absolutely horrible, I felt like I was running through mud. It'll happen every now and again. If you can do 40 miles, you are MORE than prepared for your sprint. The taper advice above (light, normal, easy) was some excellent advice. Start hydrating now, make sure you get your sleep and nutrition, and you will be ready to absolutely NAIL your sprint! Good luck and let us know how it goes! John |
| 2009-09-04 1:45 AM in reply to: #2388773 |
Champion 5782 Northridge, California | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner tjh - 2009-09-03 9:03 PM It sounds like you're definitely in shape to finish a sprint respectably, so don't worry about that. It also sounds like you may be getting a bit overtrained. With three weeks left and feeling like you do, I'd think about doing an easy week, then a normal week, and then a really easy week before the race. Going into your race at your current state of fitness and well-rested will help your race performance a lot more than pushing really hard to try to gain fitness in the next three weeks. Absolutely second this. Relax and stay loose over the remaining time you have. Work on form and practice your transitions at least a couple times. Absolutely do not worry about getting faster on the run--with the time you have left before the race, you really won't get much faster and speed work will probably tire you out more than benefit this first race. But you can at least get more confident if you work on relaxing on the run during your remaining workouts. As pretty much everyone has already said, everybody has bad/discouraging stretches...with experience, you learn to recognize that you'll ultimately get through it...right now you don't have the benefit of experience, so I'm sure it's a little overwhelming. Good luck and have a great time! |
| 2009-09-04 1:53 AM in reply to: #2388733 |
Member 603 Chicago | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner Trust me you will have some bad workouts... and some of them will be day after day after day. I still suffer from a seperated shoulder that has almost kept me out of the pool... it makes my runs miserable and the bike painful. But if you are out there doing 40 miles you are good to go. When I have my real bad days I like to stretch and stretch and stretch. Good luck and enjoy your training.. and racing |
| 2009-09-04 3:16 AM in reply to: #2388733 |
| Expert 658 | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner |
| 2009-09-04 3:32 AM in reply to: #2388885 |
Expert 819 | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner supa-powa - 2009-09-04 4:16 AM This will help you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ2HcRl4wSk How do I get this on my IPOD? |
| 2009-09-04 6:55 AM in reply to: #2388733 |
Master 1811 Nashville, TN | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner we all have good and bad days, just remember not to attempt to make up a workout on a rest day |
| 2009-09-04 7:29 AM in reply to: #2388733 |
Extreme Veteran 439 | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner relax, you'll be just fine, i felt that way leading up to my first tri take some time out rest a few day's than get back to it.....remember to enjoy.Sarah |
| 2009-09-04 7:43 AM in reply to: #2388773 |
Veteran 263 | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner tjh - 2009-09-03 11:03 PM It sounds like you're definitely in shape to finish a sprint respectably, so don't worry about that. It also sounds like you may be getting a bit overtrained. With three weeks left and feeling like you do, I'd think about doing an easy week, then a normal week, and then a really easy week before the race. Going into your race at your current state of fitness and well-rested will help your race performance a lot more than pushing really hard to try to gain fitness in the next three weeks. x3 |
| 2009-09-04 7:49 AM in reply to: #2388733 |
Member 81 | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner I understand the feeling totally. My race is in Nov and I am about to embark on a 3 week vacation of driving and kayaking and one bike ride. I had planned to workout really hard this week and have a recovery week next week. Well, I ended up with some illness that caused me to sleep and generally not feel well. Lost my voice and still weak. guess what, my race will still happen, with or without my training. I just have to understand that I lost 4 weeks of training at lower intensities, hopefully I won't be dead last. But I won't do as well as I had hoped. Now I have to drink my coffee and go for a run to see if I can breathe. |
| 2009-09-04 8:20 AM in reply to: #2388733 |
Veteran 407 | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner I agree with all of the above! Good advice, take the week to calm yourself down, give your body the break it is asking for, come back the next week with a good training schedule and then take it easy the week of your tri. I remember feeling exactly like you before my first tri. I am 7 years older than you and ended up with a really good result, you will too! Good luck. |
| 2009-09-04 8:21 AM in reply to: #2388733 |
| New user 14 | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner Thanks everybody - you helped me feel better. I am back to breathing - although the relaxing part is not coming so easily. The warmup advice is very good - I have noticed how long it takes me to warm up. Thank you also for reminding me about the tapering. I know it, just forgot to keep it in mind. There are so many details to worry about for this first race. I knew this would be the right place to post my fears. You've helped my mental state a lot and I suspect that's at least 50% of the battle. |
| 2009-09-04 10:01 AM in reply to: #2388733 |
Extreme Veteran 418 Pittsburgh | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner I just wanted to chime in and say good luck! I did my first sprint a couple weeks ago, and I was really nervous beforehand as well. Sometimes bad workouts just happen, especially when you've been pushing yourself hard -- just remember to have fun! In my tri, I didn't have a very good swim (basically I freaked out in the water due to lack of OWS practice, and backstroked the WHOLE THING), but I still had a blast on the bike and run, and I have fantastic memories -- so even if you don't perform as well as you would hope for in your first tri, you can still have a wonderful time. Plus, your first tri is a baseline of sorts -- something you can look back on fondly and keep striving to improve on. Have a great time |
| 2009-09-04 10:36 AM in reply to: #2388733 |
| Veteran 585 Kenosha, WI | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner stay in tune with why you signed up... I do it for fun... some days training sucks, stiff legs sore back, forget your pants and have to go home after swiming show up late to work, ect... You'll be nervous about the swim, that may suck too, but on the bike and run course you'll have a blast. In my pictures from the race it have an ear to ear grin. I'm smiling just thinking about it. have fun |
| 2009-09-04 10:43 AM in reply to: #2388733 |
Member 190 Panama City Beach | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner CONGRATULATIONS! You have reached the final stage of becoming a triathlete, you are doubting yourself, worrying about a race, and obsessing over training. |
| 2009-09-04 11:20 AM in reply to: #2388733 |
| New user 14 | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner "CONGRATULATIONS! You have reached the final stage of becoming a triathlete, you are doubting yourself, worrying about a race, and obsessing over training." RichMan - thank you for that. I haven't been able to laugh about this event in a long time. I am going to have to remember that wisdom to pass on to the next unfortunate who doubts themself. Have a great weekend! |
| 2009-09-04 11:43 AM in reply to: #2389625 |
Master 1440 | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner RichMan - 2009-09-04 11:43 AM CONGRATULATIONS! You have reached the final stage of becoming a triathlete, you are doubting yourself, worrying about a race, and obsessing over training. Okay this was me last week. I want to frame this quote and hang it over my puter. |
| 2009-09-04 11:52 AM in reply to: #2389782 |
Master 1927 Guilford, CT | Subject: RE: Help needed for a discouraged beginner verga - 2009-09-04 11:43 AM RichMan - 2009-09-04 11:43 AM CONGRATULATIONS! You have reached the final stage of becoming a triathlete, you are doubting yourself, worrying about a race, and obsessing over training. Okay this was me last week. I want to frame this quote and hang it over my puter. X a million. And don't let the obsessiveness take over and make you start overtraining. Looking back, I didn't taper properly for my races this year because of it... I had some bad workouts and felt like I could get a redeeming workout in to make me feel better. Don't fall into the trap of pushing harder and harder becuase it coule do more harm than good at this point. I'm not saying to taper now for a sprint 3 weeks away...just keep it in the back of your head so you don't trash your legs these next two weeks... |
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