Xterratri's mentor group-closed tight like a drum

Hi Lynne:

I found this website because I have decided to try the Irongirl Triathlon here in Columbia, MD in August. I am a 47 yo OB/GYN here in Maryland and last year a bunch of the nurses I work with did it and had a blast. There are only 2 problems: 1) I have NEVER done anything like this and don't even exercise on a regular basis, 2) I have decided to quit smoking after about 35 years so my endurance is none! It has been 3 days now since I had a cigarette and I am doing well. My husband and I have quit together, and I know I will be successful in this endeavor. I have already registered for the Irongirl, so that is my motivation. There is no way I will be able to compete if I smoke and don't train. So ----- I have gotten a pass to the local indoor swimming pool and have started swimming. Yesterday I did 1000 m, some freestyle, some on my back, but did it none the less. I am going to try to work out with swim, bike or run at least 3 times a week until my endurance increases. My weight is not a real problem. I have never been overweight but have had 2 kids and have my share of a little fluff on my tummy. I plan to be buff when I do this race. I definitely need some support and do get some from my co-workers, but they don't know I have quit smoking so I really need some encouragement in that respect. I am looking forward to any assistance you can give me.

By the way, my middle name is Lynne! Sounds like fate to me.

Donna

Welcome Donna. Great job on stopping smoking! It should go easier(a bit anyway) with a partner and don't be afraid to use all the resources from nicotine replacement to Chantix. Your health will thank you for it in the long run.

I've heard great things about the Irongirl races. They seem to be well run events. The most recent issue of Her Sports magazine has a section on the series. The Columbia Olympic distance tri in May is known for it's hills so I check out info on the IronGirl course and see if that will need to be part of your training too. All in good time though.

One training suggestion- if you have time constraints which I rather suspect between your family and your practice, maybe start with 2 sessions a week per sport and then eventually add a 3rd session in your weakest sport. Another suggestion is combine family and workout time. My Mom often biked along side while I did my long runs prepping for Ironman. Not much of a workout for her but absolute sanity saver for me. We'll also talk bricks-doing back to back sports later.

Hi!
My name is Monique. I am 27 living just outside of Washington DC. I recently got out of the Marine Corps and needed a way to stay in shape. I played sports since I was 10, but slowly got away from that as time went on. I have never done a triathlon and certainly have never done any endurance training. Most of the training I have ever done revolved around strength, power and agility.
If you still have room, I'd like to be in your mentor group. My first sprint is in May and I also signed up for an olympic tri in August. I plan on signing up for a couple more here and there as well. Problem is that on my first bike ride I fell and fractured my elbow. It is a hairline fracture so it's not that big a deal, but I am still unable to fully extend my elbow. I also tried to swim today and that didn't work out too well. So I'm stuck with biking (stationary for a little while) and running.
Any suggestions would be great. I appreciate the help!
Looking forward to training.
-Monique

Hello Xterratri/Lynne

I would like to join your group if you have room. I have signed up for the Irongirl at Lake Lanier in Georgia in June. So excited! I am an avid exerciser who could definitely step it up a notch, and have a lifelong dream of participating in a triathlon. My weakness will definitely be the running, as I have only participated in 2 10k races. I find running very boring. I love to swim and bike, but do not currently "own a bike". I do cycling classes. Gotta bite the bullet and hit the road soon outdoors. I swim weekly at my YMCA, where I also work and teach swimming and water aerobics.

I am 44, married, with 3 teenage children, 2 in college! I work flex time as a Pharmaceutical Rep for Wyeth. As I mentioned above, I also work at the Y, teaching classes. Love the Water!!

I am doing my first triathlon for many reasons. I am committed to good health and need to lose a few pounds. Let's get real...20 lbs. I lost my mom unexpectedly in March 2007, and I have a new outlook on "not putting things off". You never know when your time is up. She would be so proud, as I am of myself!

I hope to be an inspiration to all here, as well as learn from everyone! I will post pics later, as we are off to a Basketball game for my at home 13 yr old son. Looking forward to the journey!

Janet

Edited by JJn3 2008-01-07 5:41 PM

Welcome Monique and Janet!

Monique- Umm, the Jarhead fitness test required a 3 mile run in under 31 min every 6 months didn't it? That may be 'sprint' distance in triathlon but is certainly no sprint otherwise so you have a good basis to start with. The trick will be to turn running from something you had to do to pass the PFT into something you enjoy doing. BTW, I have a deep respect for Marines but good natured picking on them is something that has been ingrained into me since I was but a little Plebian so fair warning Broke your elbow on your first ride- ouch. Better your elbow than your head. So what to do about swimming- kicking and drills until range of motion returns. Actually water exercise as it heals further will help range of motion. Many drills that work on balance and positioning don't require the arm flexion that actual freestyle does so you can work on those in the meantime.

Janet- Many people that sign up for their first triathlon have never even done a 5 K much less 2 10 Ks plus swimming is a weakness in many triathletes that don't come from a swimming background whether they are new or experienced so you've got a good start. I did my first spin class on Dec 24th and can tell you that it was nothing like riding an actual bike. I suspect much of that was the format of the course I took but unfortunately there is no substitute for getting out and riding. More so than the other two sports, biking is affected by safety issues that come both from the speed you're traveling and other objects that seek to curtail your forward progress(dogs, cars, 5 yo kids that wobble into your path). That being said, I don't ride outside for months at a time every winter(that'll change when I move to Hawai'i in June). You can gain good fitness inside. Let us know when it's time to bike shop and we can virtually help

Donna- How are things going today?

One thing I will request from all members of my mentor group is that you use your logs. It's valuable to you because then your progress will become tangible and will allow us to support each through the use of inspires. Happy Monday

Thank you Lynne! I appreciate the welcome. I took your advice and posted (the best I could) my w/outs from the last several days with the logs. I am starting a log at home for planned w/outs and as I become more savvy here, will post those as well. I do not currently have a HR monitor or any gadget to gauge my distances, except for my swim, for which I CAN count! Do any of you have one, and if so, what do you recommend?

Welcome Monique and Donna!

Donna, we are both registered for Irongirl, so no turning back! Congratulations on quitting smoking! I sold Nicorette/Nicoderm previously and know there are lots of great support products out there! Nothing like a partner to be successful together! You will support each other through this tough time. We will support you here with your w/outs. How is your training going?

Monique, sorry to hear about your fall! What a bummer. As you said, you can bike and run, and you really can "swim", maybe just use kicking drills? If you can put your wrist in the water(not sure if you have waterproof cast) you could do :

Kick on your front, back, sides using both the freestyle and butterfly kick. This really helps with streamlining your body. You could add in some flippers for extra work. Good luck and I hope you heal quickly. It sounds like you are already a good runner. That is my weak area. I don't have a bike yet, but hope to borrow one until I can bite the bullet and purchase. Any tips on not falling? I would not want to, and I haven't been "on the road" since I was a teenager!

My prior exercise routine was a daily w/out at home with exercise dvds daily. I would usually alternate Aerobics ( kickboxing, step, hi/lo) with Upper Body Strength or Legs. A typical week would be:

Mon. Step Aerobics 60 minutes
Tues. Upper Body Weights Teach Water Aerobics 60 min
Wed. Kickboxing 60 minutes
Thurs Legs - primarily endurance based training
Fri Teach Water Aerobics 45 min/ Swim
Sat. Spinning Class 60 min

Any suggestions on where to find beginner triathlon training would be great! I saw the generic one on the site here, but just curious what else is suggested. I am joining a tri group locally for additional support. I really can use help with my running to be exact. But would welcome any resources you recommend for training!

I know my training will be changing a lot, and I am looking forward to training outside more. Do any of you use a MP3 player during your runs or rides? I am not sure if I would be safe. I don't currently, but would like to especially on my run, as I get bored and need motivation! I will most likely not on the bike so I can stay aware of oncoming obstacles, as Lynne pointed out!

I am going to go out and buy a new pair of running shoes this week. I like the Asics. I have had the Gel Kayano (sp?) and they work well for me. I am going to a specialty store where they do an analysis on your gait, which will help me choose the right shoe. I'll let you know what I purchase.

Tomorrow I teach at the Y and am planning a swim afterwards. Have good workouts everyone!

I am such a tri newbie and really feel welcomed here! Thank you!

Janet



Edited by JJn3 2008-01-07 8:27 PM

beginning tri training plans other than here- Sally Edwards books, for many years she was the official last place finisher for the original women's tri series which is now called the Danskin series. The idea being that no participant other than Sally could ever be last. She actually was quite accomplished as a triathlete and more importantly could put together a cohesive beginner plan.

Mp3 players- Do as I say, not as I do Actually I'll run with one depending on the terrain- basically flat and kind of boring. I've recently added a few podcasts that I really like to my long run playlists- TriTalk and Phedipidations. Both seemed a little more geared toward long course athletes though. Okay the do as I say part- I used a headphone in one ear to listen to board review lectures while studying for Step 1 of the medical boards and training for Ironman Wisconsin. I was struggling with the idea of giving up 5-6 hours of study time to do a 100+ mile ride so I was bad. I only did it 3 or 4 times, all in pretty rural areas and always had only 1 headphone in so I could still hear what was going on around me. I use Apple products- either a nano or shuffle to run with as they are flash memory based rather than hard drives like in the large capacity iPods. Yes, I'm a geek

Gadgets- sure I could list all sort of neat gadgets. Do you really NEED any on them? No, a watch with a chronograph(timer) function will do because time/volume is considered more important in the overall scheme long term. That being said it is nice to know that you can cover the race distances so I recommend a bike computer with cadence. I am currently using a Specialized($37) one because I had bad luck with the Cateye Astrale series breaking on me and the Specialized seems sturdier. Another neat gadget that is valuable for running and biking is the Garmin Forerunner($100-300ish) series. It's a GPS unit(except the 50). If you shop around, you can find one for quite a bit under the original price. There is a new one in the pipeline called the 405 but that's going to start at $299. In addition to the Specialized bike computer, I also use Polar HRM products. I find Polar products more reliable as I've had bad luck with both the Timex and the Garmin Forerunner 201s. I went through two of each. As a long course specialist I'm probably not the type of end user that they are really marketed to though so that may have been the problem.

Good questions and I hope this helps.

Hi Lynne

Would like to join you in this group if ok. I am 28 years old with a wife and two young children and a full time business that I run from home. Over the past few years have done extensive cycling here in New Zealand representing city etc in cycling. Have completed a few half marathons and have challenged myself in 2009 to do the NZ ironman in March. I have done a number of smaller ones and just thought would aim for the top really and a finish for something that I have always wanted to do.

Currently training 6 days a week just to get stamina up but nothing too serious as having trained for major events before aware of over fatigue. So just joining for some inspiration and some advice later in the year.

Simon

The actual run for physical fitness tests (aka PFT) is 3mi in 28 mins. My best was 22:30, but I really never tried that hard.
I have absolutely no experience in swimming as a sport. It was always recreation for me. I didn't even think to do the leg part of it, which I'm sure I could use anyway. I've been checking out some training techniques on youtube and where ever else I can find info.
I did however do a spin class yesterday (Cannot stand yet unless I only use one hand, gave out a little yelp when I tried...pretty embarassing) and ran this morning.
Just can't wait to get this arm healed and get into the training. Don't worry about the jarhead jokes. Afterall, when you're at the top for everyone to see, you open yourself up for redicule!

Lynne,

Thank you for the suggestions! You are SO a multi-tasker!! Hey, whatever works for you and sounds like you are safe and smart. I have contemplated both a Polar F11 and/or a Garmin...we'll see! So many gadgets to look at and of course, the basics are most important, like a bike!! I did buy a book called Slow, Fat Triathlete by Jayne Williams, and I HIGHLY recommend this book. Great tips and insight into the sport.

Welcome Simon! Hope you find what you need here.

Monique, glad you are getting in your workouts despite your injury. Way to go. I am sure you will be 100% soon. The kicking drills I recommended, especially swimming on your side, will really help you get streamline in the water. Streamlining in the water is bascially creating the least amount of drag so you can propel forward optimally and FAST!!! You can never practice this too much! I am actually a swim team coach for our Y and love to see how these drills improve the kids strokes. I will say it again, you must be a great runner! If I could run 3 miles in 22:30, without "trying", I would be THRILLED!! Any running tips?

Donna, Hope you are staying smoke free and getting a workout in! Let us know how it's going.

I taught 2 classes today, as i subbed unexpectedly, so I did not get my swim in. I am pooped from 2 hours of teaching on the warm pool deck! I go back to the Y this pm for swim team. Busy Y day.

Tomorrow I plan on a run. Looking forward to it.

Have good workouts everyone!

Janet

Welcome Simon! I'm planning on doing IM NZ in either 2009 or 2010. Which year will depend on how training interacts with residency. Residency has to be the first priority but I will get more control over my time after the first year so that's why I know 2010 should be doable but I'm not sure about 2009. I'm not going to do another Ironman just to do an Ironman, I want to be able to 'race' it to the best of my ability. I may not be able to do that in 2009. I'll do everything I can to assist you on your journey though. You only get one first one.

Donna- How are things going?

Monique- Janet has a great point about the drills. I think that are some resources on this site that provide some good starting to swim info that explain the drills too. A good book is the Total Immersion one. It has alot of the same drills that we taught kids that were hoping to become national caliber at the Stanford swim camps.

Janet- I use a Polar r200sd 'running' computer as a heart rate monitor. I really like the WearLink belt that is mostly fabric because I get raw open wounds from the plastic belts on long workouts. Makes showering after a training session so much fun. I really do like the versatility of the Garmin units though. I haven't read the Jayne Williams book but am familiar with her story. She's a pretty neat lady.

Have a good night peeps!

Thanks for that Lynne. Thought I would train up first in trying to do all the disciplines on their own. Have no issues at present riding 100kms or doing 2km swim. It is the run that I know will kill me! Defintely will be in touch as dont want to overtrain for this ironman and want to ensure I finish it. In terms of serious training do you think 6 months out serious training? Just trying to get base fitness up for now and then start serious training.

Welcome Logan! You can do both triathlon and medical school. I will say that the first year of medical school was the toughest thing I've ever done academically and I have a Master's in Exercise Science. It wasn't the challenge of the material so much as the sheer volume. I truly had no understanding until I was immersed in it. I will also say that I was much happier and healthier second semester when I started exercising again and my academics certainly didn't suffer from me taking some time for myself.

Simon- a standard 'training from scratch' Ironman program runs 20-24 weeks so about 6 months is about right. However if you can already swim 2+ km, bike over 100 kms, and run 20 kms it's actually possible to do an Ironman focused build in about 12 weeks. This site calls it the HIM to IM bridge but I used one provided by Karen Smyers for IM Wisconsin in 2006. I hit the race in great shape and then ended up hypothermic and stupid(the high that day was 13 C and it rained and was windy all day). I will admit that she had me riding up to almost 130 K and running 25 K before the HIM though so building up to doing the scheduled 4 160-190 km rides(of which I actually did 3 and took Step 1 of the medical boards when I should have done the other) wasn't that big of leap. I think the most important thing for you is going to be to gradually build your running time/distance. There is a saying here on BT- DFL>DNF>DNS (dead last>did not finish>did not start). An awful lot of people that sign up for an Ironman don't make it to the start or at least not healthy due to injuries and ramping up running miles too quickly is the number one cause. I should know better and did it myself this fall training for my winter marathon(s?). BTW, my first marathon was Ironman Lake Placid- it's not necessary to run a stand alone marathon before Ironman.

Hello!

I would like to join your mentor group. I'm not sure how this works though.

Anyway, I did my 1st triathlon in Aug 2007. It was a short one but it was a start. I just learned how to swim in Feb 2007 so I'm struggling with that some. I've joined a master's swim team in my area, but I'm still struggling to get motivated in that area.

I haven't picked any races for the season b/c I'm trying to take it day by day. I'm trying to train like I've got it all planned out. The only race I know that I will be doing is a half marathon in Feb.

I have an athletic background and I would like to be competitive in my age group this year or next year, but my training and nutrition aren't up to par to get me there right now. I'm looking for some help to get where I need to be.

Marcia

Hi Everybody/ Dia Dhuit as Eireann,

I'm a 29 year old girl living in Ireland and I've always wanted to do triathlon but until now I didn't have the courage to try.

In terms of pervious sport experience I did swimming in college as compulsory PE class (5 years) - I wasn't good at sprint (50-100m) but long distances seemed to suit me better (I was 4th in 2km race). In 2005 I was involved in fitness for about 8 months - I used to go to the gym 5-6 times a week for 2hours minimum. I tried to do 1 aerobics class and 1 spinning class a day.
Last Spring I joined a gym and it was all going pretty good until I went on holidays.

I also quit smoking just over a week ago and so far so good

My Achilles' heel is definitely running and I have to work on my weight a bit. I've downloaded a 22-week programme for beginners and this is what I intend to follow at least until I get back into some sort of shape.

I'm very excited about my training and hope I'll be able to contribute to the group.


Jo

Welcome to Jo and Marcia! We are now closed. I'll check in later with everyone but off to the hospital now.

Welcome Logan, Marcia and Jo!
Hope everyone is doing well today. Motivation is a problem for a lot of us, so here are a few tips I adhere to.
I remind myself that this is something I am doing for ME and even if I don't "feel" like working out, I always am happy I did.
Sometimes, I promise myself that if I get started, and after 15 minutes, feel like calling it quits, I can. I seem to always keep going.
The endorphins are addicting! Nothing like a post workout "high".
I love DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) as it reminds me results are a coming!!

Hope that helps!

Janet

my number one motivational tool is to sign up for an event that will be a challenge if you're not at least somewhat trained for it such as 39.3 miles(about 63 k) in a weekend. On that note I'll check in to the extent that I can this weekend but I'm going to be at disneyworld going goofy this weekend. Half Mary Saturday and full Mary Sunday and yes I'm a touch on the undertrained side due to an injury incurred on a 16 miler in November. It was likely a result of the ten percent rule violation or a lack of flexibilty, either one of which is preventable.

My Internet access may be sporadic this weekend but I'll check in when I can.

Good luck Lynne. Did I read correctly your are doing a half and a full marathon this weekend? Oh My!! You are hardcore! I will be thinking of you and sending "injury free" vibes your way. Listen to your body and take care of yourself! I will give you a tip I heard about for tired, sore feet on a broadcast of "home rememdies". Take a bottle of Seabreeze ( you know, the facial astringent?) and add enough hot water to fill up a foot soak. Put your feet in and relax for as long as possible. Word is your feet will feel alive and new! This is supposed to work for people who are "on their feet" all day at a convention/event and have to do it all over again the next day. Maybe this will save you!

Hope everyone has good workouts today. I plan on teaching at the Y and swimming afterwards.

I do want to share a small accomplishment yesterday. I was running and planned on a short run, 2 miles. I actually felt like going further! This is a breakthrough, as I usually want to stop. I am very happy to see I might be finding my zone in a run! YEAH!

Janet

tips on running?....well, I just try passing the person in front of me. Everyone seems to think that Marines are all hard corps and always in shape. This is not the case. Plus I liked to beat some of the guys. It also helps when you have a set distance. I hate running based on time. I feel I run faster if I have a distance because I'm always thinking that the faster I run this, the sooner it will all be over (I really don't like running that much). It's one of the problems I'm having with this plan.
I am really frustrated because of this (bleep)ing elbow. I got up this morning and it was more stiff than before. I'm going to have to give it another week or so. I still can't straighten it and I can't even rise on the bike because of the pressure. It makes me feel weak...I hate that!
All in all though I'm not that down about it. There's nothing I can do about it so no worries.
Question...I heard some controversy as to whether or not it is better to run on your forefoot or heel. I kind of use both. If I'm trying to lengthen my stride, I heel strike. But if I'm casually jogging along, I run on my forefoot. I also thought that running on your forefoot causes shin splints (had them once before, don't want them again). What is your opinion?
Hope all is going well!
Monique

Well nice to meet you.
The bike I bought was through a friend that does tri's. It was a steal. I strongly suggest getting to know some "tri people" in your area. The ones here are so helpful. It's one of the reasons I wanted to join the sport.
I have absolutely no advice on how not to fall when it comes to the bike. Even if I did, would you really want it? I mean my track record speaks for itself. First training ride and I fall, not so good.
Thanks for the help with the swim stuff! Look forward to more postings!
Monique

Hi Everybody,

Just a quick update from the Emerald Isle - due to previous arrangements I'm only starting my training on Monday. I'm very excited but I'm a bit nervous at the same time.

Janet- congratulation on your running success - I'm with Monique on it though: running is not really my thing but I'll give it the best I can.

That's the plan I'm intending to follow until I get back into shape:

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=...

I also have weights programme to build on my strenght.

I wish everybody a great weekend - have a good one
Jo

Thanks for that Lynne. Have done a few half marathons but was not really prepared for them. Thinking of doing one in March. Any thoughts on this. I can run 15kms just at present, by goal would be under 2 hours, and I know this is quite slow but my main goal for anything other than a cycle race is to finish. Do you think with 8 weeks training I could be up to doing a half without over training for the ironman?

By the way those of you that have stopped smoking - GO HARD! you can do it.