Swimmer's Group (Olympic Distance Animals) - OPEN

Hey Jason, I'd like to join your group!

Name: morsebj / Ben

Story: I'm 26 years old and live in Nashville. I was a competitive swimmer in high school. Went to a college without a team, stopped swimming, and got pretty out of shape.  After college I started running to get back in decent shape. This year (2012), I decided that I wanted to start swimming again, and decided that since I was already running regularly I should try triathlons.  So I bought a cheap road bike in June and did my first sprint tri in July and an olympic in September.  This will be my second year doing tris, but my first full season. Right now I'm very confident in my swimming, I suck at the bike, and then I do ok on the runs.

Family: Married, no kids (yet...)

Current Training: I went back to a running focus after my tri in September and just completed my first marathon in December.  I've been taking it really easy for the last few weeks, but I'm about to get back into training mode.  I was thinking about doing a month or two of heavy biking like you've done, because I know I need it, but that's definitely out of my comfort zone... We'll see what happens.

This year's races: 6 Half Marathons, 1 Full Marathon, 1 Sprint Tri, 1 Olympic Tri, and 8 smaller 5Ks/mud/beer/fun runs.

2013 Races: I'm planning to run a Half Marathon per month from January through April.  For the summer I'd like to focus on the Olympic distance, doing maybe 4 or 5 of those and 1 or 2 sprints.  Still working on which specific races fit best in my schedule.  And then I'll end my season by trying to do my first Half Ironman in Augusta in September. 

Hey Jason,

I'd like to join your group.  Your metoring plans and objectives sound like just what I'm looking for.

Name:  David

Story: Did an olympic and smaller triathlons and ran mainly 5k's before kid's activities took over (about 25 years ago).  My daughter (age 24) decided this past June that she wanted to tri so I decided to join her.  She is my training partner when our work schedules line up.  We started training in June and did a sprint 3 weeks and 4 weeks after as well as another a little later as we worked to our main sprint race the middle of October (600yds/16miles/3miles).  During this time period, I changed out my bike from by mid-1980's Raleigh Marathon heavy steel bike for a very nice used carbon bike.  My swimming and running are okay (been running more since October) and my biking is bad.

I'm 53 years old and have been fairly active but used basketball and racquetball and some tennis and weights as training with running added in when I couldn't make other activities during the week.  I want to start a new training program and am having difficultly figuring the distances and times based on my current level and increasing my run miles to do the half-marathon with the Oly in May being the main goal.

2012 Races: 3 sprints and one super-sprint plus some 5k runs

2013 Races: Memphis-In-May Olympic (May 19); half-marathon in FEB or MAR; more but not decided yet

Weightloss:  lost 15+ pounds as I got into training this year; gained a couple back once I added weight training back to routine but at least my waist didn't get bigger again.  Need to lose 10 to 12 pounds for sure and a few more wouldn't hurt.  I do okay when I eat oranges as an evening snack but if I ever switch to cookies or ice cream, I'm back to being hooked on it.  We eat supper kind of early so I always feel like I need snack before bed.

Family: married with 2 grown kids

Hi Jason,

     I am 23 from the great north east and have been telling myself for nearly a year that I would start training seriously for triathalons.  This site has been a great staging point for nutrition, work out schedules and cross training.  I plan to complete at least one half tri before July and maybe more after that! 

     My training lacks almost entirely swimming but plenty of running and biking.  I feel I may have to bite the bullet and buy a membership to get my swim hours up to par.  As far as my other goals, I am 5'8" at 153lbs. and I'm thinking about putting ON at least another 5-7 pounds.  Sound like a bad plan if I'm training for tri's?

Best,

-Tyler (surmanator)

NAME: Dave, from Barrie Ontario Canada

STORY: Ugh, this is going to be long sorry. I started training in 2010 with the intent to run. I found that I hated running, although I know its good for me I just dont "like it" Im kind of the 2hr Half, 25min 5km runner. Not embarrassing but certainly not good and I am very heavy footed, i just dont "glide" down the road. With that in mind I bought a bike, I like to bike, seeing as I was still running and then biking I figured I could add in swimming easily enough and be a triathlete! I signed up for the Muskoka HIM with out having done an actual triathlon (it was 10 months away at the time I signed up) I trained like an animal through the winter and dropped from 200lbs to about 165lbs. My first race was a 2km/55km/10km race, it wasnt fast but It was absolutely fantastic. I also did a couple of half marathons a sprint and did the swim in a relay. I did my HIM and found the run was very very hilly after a very very hilly bike - it was difficult to say the least but I did it.

So here is where the wheels fall off - During that 2011 season my dad, at 59 years old, was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.  From there and my dads death in April of 2012, training, and pretty much everything for that matter has been very challenging as I lack pretty much all motivation. I did a 2 day charity ride for cancer this summer (180km/110km) and a trail run (DFL in my age group!) My weight has again shot back up to 200lbs due to inactivity and eating like an idiot.

I have had enough, no more excuses, I did it once I will do it again. 

other stuff: My "real sports" include whitewater kayaking and snowboarding. I went back to school at 35 and graduated this past August - still working on landing that dream job.

 WEIGHTLOSS: have to get back down to around 170lbs or better. I have to stop eating like an idiot and using food as an emotional crutch.

FAMILY STATUS: Married 11 years, 2 kids 7 and 10yo.

CURRENT TRAINING: HA! not a darn thing! I fell off a ladder 2 months ago and hurt my knee so used that as an excuse for not running. I am picking up a tread mill from my mom this week to help eliminate the weather excuse. My bike trainer was worn out, it sounded like a chainsaw and the metal roller where the tire runs had a distinctive groove it. It is currently at Blackburn and I am hoping to get a warranty replacement SOON!!!. Swimming - no excuses, I need to get to the pool. I have been snowboarding a lot though

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: What I lack in ability I make up for in sheer stubbornness and an unwillingness to quit. IF I can get out of the current funk that I am in and get rolling.....

Tyler,

Definitely want to hit the pool! Although they say you cant win a Triathlon in the swim you can certainly lose it...get your yards/meters in the pool and dont forget to add some sprints. As far as your weight goes that is completely different for everyone. Basically trial and error. I am 5'10" and my race weight is about 170lbs. I have swimmers shoulders (broad) and muscular legs from biking. Been concentrating on more weight lifting this year. You don't want to lose to much weight where you are not strong enough, but need to make sure you have plenty of strength so its a fine line. 

Sorry everyone for the many post but didn't realize my group was LIVE and was trying to catch up. Hopefully I get to know everyone well and we can make some great progress.. I typically don't log my workouts on BT (use my own excel spreadsheet and graphs) but I will try my best to give you all ideas of what I typically do for training. I will also post some key workouts I do that have helped me tremendously over the years (lots of trial and error). 

Tip #1: Make sure you incorporate weight lifting or some kind of strength training into your training. This will help you a lot and is a great way to make improvements in every sport. 3 days a week is probably best but 2 days a week during the season is sufficient. Don't skip your core either it is the main controls for swimming biking and running! 

My name is Nat and I'd like to join your group Jason.  I'm also a former competitive swimmer (age 7 through 18).  I'm 39 and have been swimming on a Masters swim team for the past 4 years.  I've been regularly logging 3-4 swims per week (each about 2500 to 2800 meters), but this past month have dropped back to three to make time for running and cycling.  Our Masters group has several triathletes, so I'm drawn to give triathlons a try.  I'd love to be competitive with my teammates on dry land, but have little experience out of the water.  I ran in the Army years ago, but have no cycling background to speak of.  I recently bought a road bike and am looking forward to competing in an Olympic distance event in late May in Walla Walla, WA, perhaps another event two weeks later in Moses Lake, WA, and then an event on Labor Day weekend in Kennewick, WA.

Family Status:  Single with two daughters, ages 10 and 8

Goals:  1)  Meet other like-minded athletes.  2)  Learn all the things a newby needs to learn to complete his first triathlon.  3)  Develop a cycling and running base, and a good strategy for not totally getting my butt kicked after the swim!  4)  Most of all, have fun while training (that's the main reason I swim masters... we work hard, but have lots of fun)!

Jason,  I'm still thinking of doing a half-marathon on March 17 and have signed up for an olympic triathlon scheduled for May 19.  I'm starting the 20-week 3x balanced beginner's program for the olympic but adding another run per week with higher miles (longer time) for each run.  My running portions would be 4 to 6 miles for 3 runs and 8 miles for the long run and increase the long run by a mile or so every couple of weeks to reach 12 miles two weeks before the half-marathon.  What are your thoughts?

If I can work a 5th run in during a week, I'll probably make that run 2 or 3 miles and cut a mile or two off of one of the other runs that week.  Should I count on the biking and swimming to supplement the running normally required for training for a half-marathon and cut some of the running distance/time out of my plan?

I will probably miss out on some workouts each week due to scheduling issues but hope to be able to stick close to 3 swims and 3 bikes a week.  I'm using an indoor trainer now for the bike.

Happy New Year Jason and fellow groupies.

Any tricks to making it less painful on the rear-end when riding the trainer?  I have only been through a handful of workouts on the trainer so far.  I have to sit upright every once in while due to the pain from the seat after an extended period of time in one position.  Does this work itself out after more rides using the trainer?

I wear padded bike shorts and the seat doesn't bother me very much when riding outside.  I know outside there is a lot of weight shifting taking place through the natural course of the ride that doesn't happen on the trainer.

Pain will go away after some time in the saddle. I assume you use some kind of chamois cream? works wonders, at least for me!

Dave, keep up the work. New year, new you!

As for my workout I rung in the New Year with a hard ride. 30 degree and cloudy outside, took out the TT bike for a 2x20 set. First 20 min avg 23 MPH, 2nd 20 minute avg 23.8. then instead of riding easy for the last 45 minutes I decided to ride at roughly 80-85% FTP. Everytime I started up any hill my legs were screaming! I knew it was a great workout when I finished and had to lay down on the floor cause I was having trouble breathing! Wife wonders why I put myself through that pain sometimes!! I love it!

Would love to join your group for some direction and guidance.

NAME: Andrea aka Drea

STORY: Wanted to better my health and lose weight for my wedding which was in May. Competed in 2 5k's as a way to get fit. Now I want to challege myself with a Triathlon

FAMILY STATUS: Married with 1 fur baby: Cat named Alby

CURRENT TRAINING:  Gym 3x a week- 5k on the treadmill and strength training.

RACES: Divas 2011 and 2012

GOAL: Compete Mini Mighty Man Triathlon