Jeff's Group - CLOSED (Page 10)

swilburn - 2009-03-29 6:46 AM

Margie and Becca, Welcome Back! 

Jeff, I watched some videos of other swimmers and I think I am looking too far ahead in the water and that instead of tucking my chin to my chest, I should just line up my ears and shoulders. I am going to try that cue instead and see what happens Monday. I will use a buoy to get used to the new head position. I think that is what she was trying to tell me, but her cue of "chin to chest" made me tuck my head too much. A misunderstanding on MY part! Thanks for answering my question.

Stacy

butterfly1723 - 2009-03-29 12:02 AM Hi folks. I'm back. 12 weeks of upper respiratory CRAP. Still residual and on prednisone w/inhaler but other than the crapola that won't come out I'm apparently without infection, without allergies (skin test), out of options for diagnosis just a boatload of coughing. So I made an investment. I started working with a personal trainer. Yup. Best thing I ever did. So the pool is a treat after the 2x a week training. Now it's time to kick it up a notch. Since there's nothing else I can do except wait it out I'm pushing it out of me, violent phlegm or not. Mac's a sweetheart (my nickname for him) and I just finished 5 weeks of 2x a week now I dropped a chunk of change for another month. I'm telling ya it's worth it. I would so rather have the regular aches and pains of training than ENT telling me to rest and NO SWIMMING. That is not going to happen, ever! So I see a lot of swimming going on here. First of all - read my crazy post from a month ago, I believe. Remember I'm the "waterdog," lol. Going to the pool is my treat. Smooth swimming is where it's at. Starting to hurt in the shoulders / neck? Different muscle groups used, that's all. You'll get through it but pace yourself. Use the leg float to build up those muscles and save the legs for the bike/run. Then while keeping a pace (to slowly build up) start stretching while you're in the water. Try the catch technique (freestyle catching one hand to the other) Watch Alex Popov on YouTube. Watch his technique. Remember smooth body on the surface and most of the action is underwater, not on top. Also try not to get too technical. Listen to your body. That's it. Not quite back on track - we'll see this coming month what the outcome will be for me tri-wise (might have to go small we'll see how hard we can push it). Safe training, everyone! Margie

cohophysh - 2009-04-05 5:16 PM

Hey Jeff and others,

I am going to watch a tri this Saturday...any particular thing I should watch and pay close attention to?

Brian

dcossey - 2009-04-06 12:24 PM

Hey Jeff... and everyone... I've been out of the forum for awhile now... sorry if I've missed anything I could have contributed to, or if I ask anything that has already been covered.  For me, work, family, and keeping up as much training as I can has left little time for forums or blogs.

 Oh well.. It is what is is!

 Jeff, I do have some IM speciffic questions.  I wanna just ask (while screaming) "What should I expect?"  But that is a bit to broad of a question.  So, I'll start out with just a few and see where your answers take me. For starters, I will say that you'll never forget the swim. 2200+ people trying to navigate the same course twice at the same time is one for the books.

 First some strategy ideas.  Should I plan to spend time in transition or should I race through it like it was a short race?  My only goal is to finish.  I could see some benefit in taking an extra couple of minutes to wear bike shorts instead of tri-shorts (have to change at t2), stretch some, etc?  What do others do?  Would I be the only one taking my sweet time? You will not be the only one who want's to "just finish", period. Don't get caught up in what the other guy(s) are doing, do what you need to do. My first time I completely change from swim to bike, and from bike to run. My second time I wanted to beat my first time and did it all in the same tri-suit, although I did put a cycling jersey on because I do have sort of a bike shop sponsor. You could wear a tri-suit and put cycling shorts over it for a little extra "cushion." The water the second time was colder and hot tubs were available though I didn't use them. I'm from Oregon man, it doesn't warm up until August. You know what I mean. Take your time, be sure your socks are straight with no wrinkles, etc. I finished the first time on a bad ankle with an hour to spare. You WILL finish and you WILL be an Ironman, I know it.

I've been reading some race reports... what the heck is a "special needs bag".  I'm I expecting to become incontenent?  Ha. You might if you let all the racers standing at the waters edge get to you. The special needs bag are given to you when you check in You get one for post-race dry clothes, one for T-1 and one for T-2, and an extra for the bike and run. Five total. Your bike clothes go in the T-1 bag and anything you think you might need half way through the bike goes in your bike special needs bag. You can put extra fuel, or clean socks, or a picture of a super model in there-whatever. You'll have the T-2 bag for your running shoes and whatever you'll wear on the run, plus the special needs bag for anything you think you might need halfway throught the run. You'll be able to claim all your bags on Monday when you collect your bike, so whatever you put in them you'll get back.

Also, what about nutrition... I have the basic ideas down, but is there enough provided at the aid stations that I can pick it up on the course or do I need to bring it with me? Everything you need for nutrition is provided on the course, and if you check out the IM website you can find out what products they use and train with them. The run has so much stuff you can actually overeat--if you feel like eating by then--but I highly recommend the chicken broth. When the Sun goes down it can get chilly and the broth is warm. 

Anyway, I'll save the rest for later... I'm here . . .

 

 

IRONVIKING - 2009-04-06 7:15 PM

cohophysh - 2009-04-08 4:03 PM NO not to late at all, it is this coming Saturday!   I will watch the transition area closely!

cohophysh - 2009-04-11 6:06 PM So I went to watch a sprint or mini tri today...quite interesting indeed.  Folks of all ages and sized were there.   There was a half marathon and a duelthon going on at the same time.  Swimming was an open water event in a cold murky lake.   I noticed that there was definitely a disparagement between swimmers, some very good, some not so good, in fact I would surmise that this may have been the first time some of these folks had swam in some time based on their fitness.  The swim may have only been 150-200 yards but I noticed folks struggling within the first 50 yards.  

The transition area was a hodge podge of setups, from stuff just set in a pile to stuff layed out neatly on tarps or towels.  There was a variety of bikes; from the high end Cervelo and Trek to an old steel Diamond Back mountain bike.   I noticed some took their time in transition while others went full speed ahead.

The scary part was during the bike to run transition.  People rode their bikes right into the transition area and there were a couple near collisions between runners leaving and cyclists returning.  Also apparently there was an incident with a vehicle.  Apparently one of the riders waved the guy around and the guy didn't like it.  Well guess he stopped his vehicle and got out and was about to go fist a cuffs with the female cyclist that waved him around. In addition, it was a little slick and two cyclists went down right in the transition area....they are now the proud owners of road rash.

The run seemed pretty uneventful for the most part.   I didn't really see anyone stretchout before they headed out on the run.

Overall, I had a great time watching.

swilburn - 2009-04-13 1:26 PM Three weeks until my first tri of the season.  It is a mini sprint in a training series put on by my local tri club. 400 m swim, 11 mile bike, 2 mile run. I had a great swim today and I know I can do the distance.

Dirkericson - 2009-04-17 10:43 AM Hi everyone just checking in,
Training was going really well until last week when it seems I injured myself running. I ramped up my running slowly and battled post shin splints for a while and now I'm pretty sure I have a tibial stress fx or it could be medial collateral tendinitis. Any way I just got myself set up with a new doc thats Family practice and Sports medecine and recently finished an Ironman so I hope he can steer me through my running issues. I'm racing a sprint this week end and I'm not sure what Iwill do about the Oly I signed up for in May. I may just swim and bike and bag the run I don't have much open water swim experience and I really want to ride the bike I just retro fitted to the aero position. Its not pretty but its damned fast. We will see I have about a month til the Oly.
The funny thing is my leg doesn't hurt when I run only after.

Make all training days count even if its a rest day. Personally I like the fork to mouth repeats.
dirk

swilburn - 2009-04-23 7:25 PM Jeff and Gang,

Hi! Hope everyone's training is going well. There was a point in my swim last night when I felt what "the catch" part of the stroke should be. It was an "aha" moment and after that point I never lost it. Hopefully the next time I swim, it will still be there.

I got new tires ( and better tires) on my bike for my sprint tri in a week and they seem a little bit faster than my older, clunkier tires. The guy at the bike shop said the originals were almost hydrid tires. So maybe that will buy me a few seconds off my bike time.

I listed my 400 yard swim time as 10 minutes on the race application because that is about my average and it's a pool swim ( I think) so I should not have to worry about being swam over. Here's what I hope to do next Saturday (May 2)

400 yard swim - sub 10 minutes
11 mile bike - about 40 - 45 minutes
2 mile run - less than 18 minutes

That should put my at about the middle of my age group for this small, beginner friendly race.  I'll be sure to give you a full report. Probably more than you want to know!

Stacy

dcossey - 2009-04-22 3:15 PM

Hey Jeff... got a question.  Where's the best place over there to get a good bike fit done on me and my bike?  I've done the best I can, but still having some problems.

Also, I've started swimming with a new master's program that just got started over here.  Great coach, had already taken 20 seconds off my average 100 yards.  I'd reccommend anyone who can go and get a good coach watching you swim...

 

 

IRONVIKING - 2009-04-23 8:57 PM

I believe there's only one bike shop in CDA but I don't know the name of it. It might not be a good idea to change right before the race.