left.right.repeat group -closed - Full of a bunch of winners...YEAH! (Page 10)

Sorry for all the snow for you guys.  I ran 6 miles outside this morning with a temperature of about 55-60 degrees F.  Sorry...I just had to rub it in a little.  I did, however, cramp some in my right calf at about 3 miles.  Anybody have any good ideas to share on running cramps.  I just walked it out some and then took it really easy.

Mav - sorry the 5K was postponed.  I know how important those finish lines are for us all.

FBP -  seems black and silver or some combination thereof it is....by the way - I think there are some other fast colors out there but don't tell Mav....smile.

Kicking while swimming - I am convinced that the kick was invented to get your body rotated (that word sounds funny to me...say it out loud - you will see what I mean....and anyone around you will look at you funny) from one side to the other.  Remember your legs house the largest muscles in your body - the largest muscles in your body require the most oxygen - we all are convinced we can't breathe as well in the water so let's use muscles that require less oxygen - the core, shoulders and arms....incidentally it also saves the glutes, hammies and quads for the bike and the run...I think both of those events REQUIRE the legs so save them.  Use your kick to balance your swim and rotate your body.  So you know how unimportant the swim is - I have a friend who actually propels himself BACKWARDS with only his kick - so his core/arms/shoulders fight his legs when he kicks.  His coach said "we can fix this Ray - don't kick."  Pretty smart coach.  At Total Immersion, we were in the water that weekend for over 8 hours and did not do one kicking drill - they also do not recommend them or pull buoys.  The lesson here is there are numerous ways to skin this cat.  You can take this one to the Bank of Bryan - I don't care how you get through the swim - I just want you coming out of the water with the lowest heartrate you can possibly exit the water with, relaxed, and with a smile on your face - even if it is only due to the fact the swim is over. 

Brick - I think it actually came from the fact that like a brick wall, you are piling one sport on top of the other....but I like you description Leston - that's what my legs feel like.  By the way, about 8 minutes or so seems to be about the time for me to get my legs back to normal too.  They don't feel bad - just different - it's like they don't know how to run for a while.

Does anybody have a triathlon in April or May?  I guess for some of you that might be tough in the snow....I am just trying to figure out our earliest triathlon.

sTRIve,

B

Leston - here's one just for you.  I KNOW you can swim more than a 50 right now!  Here's your next swim workout.  I want you to get in the pool and swim 4 x 25....nice and slow....good form, relaxed.  With as much rest as you need in between.  Then after those 4, I want you to swim a 50 - do the first 25 and push off that wall and get on with the second 25....then when you get to the wall again just push off and take 1 stroke after the glide.  That's right.  Do a 50 - push off and take one stroke.  Then stand up and walk back to the end of the pool and relax.  Now do another 50 with a push off and 1 stroke at the end - no more....you will probably be about 6-8 yards from the end so we will call these 57s.  By the way, the next workout - we will do 2 stokes so those will be closer to 58s or 59s.  Can you see where we are headed here?

For any of you - no one said you had to swim a full length at a time.  Don't be crazy.  If you feel a 50 is the max, then do one more stroke.  If your max is 200, then do an extra 12.5 yards.  I have never been kicked out of a pool for swimming less than a length.  And I personally would rather you stop mid-length if your form is falling apart.  Don't practice struggle.

sTRIve,

B

Dan - I looked at your Map test and here are my thoughts.  It looks like you have done a great job building fitness.  I would assume your AT moved a big amount from your last test?  It looks like the AT move now needs to be supplemented by enhancing your fat burning percentage.  I would also guess you have been working out more in zone 3 and maybe 4 than zone 2.  I would spend some of that time in zone 2.  That will also enhance your recovery even more....21 beats in a minute is good but as your fitness grows even more, you will recover even faster.  Also, next time you do an interval workout get your beats recovered in one and two minutes...you can do this on the treadmill yourself - take the old HR up to about 165-168 in your case and then recover and note the beats.  Those Z 2 workouts will also work to pull your AB line closer to your AT.  All that said, you are to be commended for the conditioning - great job!  I know you can see the success.  How much did your AT change?

Great job,

B

Bike Porn Alert

Went to LOOK at bikes with Mrs FBP.

Came home WITH a bike

Added Shimano (SH-R099) shoes and Shimano clipless (PD-5600) pedals.

Still 2 months until I'll be able to ride it but man, does it ever look fast sitting in our rec room!!

Sweet bike there FBP!!!  Hopefully you brought Mrs. FBP home with you too...

Is that it or just a marketing pic?  I ask solely because I wonder what the speed quotient is on that color??????  We will have to leave that to Team sTRIve colorist - Mav.

Leston, I like the color and the thought of detailing it might be just what the speed gods desire.  And since Mav weighed in that orange is fast I guess you are good to go.  My thought -- orange = flame = HOT!!! 

Mav, May 11 sounds good.....anybody else have one before that?

I really, really feel sorry for you guys who can't get in a reasonable outdoor workout.  OK, not really, but I do feel kinda sorry for you....smile.  Come visit....we will do a Team sTRIve epic brick adventure...

sTRIve,

B

Peter!!!!!! That bike is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL! OMG. Mine is black and silver with a bit of blue detailing, and she IS fast with those colors - sleek and sexy too. I won't be untrue to her (she knows how I feel about her *chuckle*), but orange would so work for me! I graduated from Auburn University here in the state of Alabama, USA, and my school colors are burnt orange and navy blue so I naturally gravitate to the color orange - I just love it. I own more orange shirts then any other color, LOL. That bike defines the word "hot"! Yeah, mamma!
Woohoo! I'm so happy for you!!

Thanks for asking about me, Mav! I'm here, lol. Cool had her first trip to the LBS today, and received a lovely rear derailleur adjustment and several other minor adjustments. She also sports a new Serfas women's saddle, a slimline saddle bag, water bottle cage w/water bottle, and a LED headlight & taillight. (Her owner also got a helmet, and tons of great info and instruction.) The woman who worked with me, praised the bike constantly and told me how fortunate I was to find one in such great condition for such a good price. I came home positively glowing, and even though it was getting dark, I took a spin around the neighborhood. Sooo sweet!

So Peter? I can't wait to hear about your first ride! I'm marking the date (2 months from now, right?) on my calendar, and I'm gonna be asking, 'cause man, riding this kind of bike is so awesome.

Sorry to hear about the 5K, Mav... that would have been a letdown for me... ouch. I'm blowing this wonderful 70°F weather your way, as hard as I can.  Let me know if it gets there!

Thanks for all the compliments on my new ride everyone.

Juanita - was thinking of you when I was out running and a tune by The Blind Boys of Alabama came up on my ipod shuffle. They are one of my fave groups. Imagine a pasty ole white boy from snowy Canada who loves gospel music, bluegrass and all things southern   Dare I mention three words that are sure to set you off - Roll Tide Roll.

Bryan - you asked about cramps in your calf whilst running. Have you have tried stretching them by standing toes on the curb and then lowering your heels?

We were walloped by the same storm system that tracked through Mav's area yesterday. By the time  I got home from church though the roads were plowed so I got out for a nice run - 9.5 km in 65 minutes. Mrs FBP did her 10k earlier this morning with her clinic group and then came home for a hot tub but before she could get to it I had to spend 20 minutes digging the darn thing out !

Dan - have a great time in Hawaii. You can't imagine how jealous I am being stuck here where winter seems like it'll never end!

Bryan - I was to the pool yesterday and (at the risk of jinxing myself) I felt for the first time like I am making some progress. I swam 500m continuously in, I believe, around 15 minutes. Usual combination of crawl and breast stroke but I was able to do a bit more of the former and slightly less of the latter.

Leston - great job on the "brick" workout !!

Juanita - why so quiet of late?

Mav - more miserable weather on its way to my region (and probably yours ?): http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?nb12

Peter, that photo of the hot tub in the snow is classic! Being a sun and surf worshipper, it boggles my mind how you guys endure such cold temps and frozen precipitation. *brrr* I'm so glad you posted that pic. I showed it to hubby and his mouth dropped open.
Now, about the "Roll Tide".... I wonder if you have any idea how dangerous it is to repeat that gosh-awful phrase around an Auburn grad? I'm going to assume that you don't. *evil grin*
Your swimming is lookin' good!

Hawaii... *grumbling under my breath* Naw, not envious.. not me.
Have a wonderful time, Dan!
And your swimming sounds great, too! I was looking back to the first couple of posts... you guys are amazing.

Hey Les. I have off days in the pool, too. Sometimes it feels like I'm trying to swim through jello. Other days, I don't want to stop. I asked hubby about it and he gave me his answer to all my problems: hormones. ROFL!
Even with good technique there are sluggish days though. And I'm sure my technique isn't good yet. But I had a PR yesterday. (It was a non-sluggish day.) I swam 2800 yards in 41 minutes. Of course, I'm still wondering if I miscounted the laps...

Now, if I could just run without my shoes feeling like they're made of cement...

Don't call it "slacking" Marianne! You work sooo hard. Darn, girl. There really aren't enough hours in the day for you, are there? You are amazing!

I don't have the schedule you do, but I have some workout issues now that I have a bike. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm a care giver for my mother and when she travels, I'm her transportation. She and I go to the gym on Mon, Wed, and Fri. This whole workout 'thing' actually began for me as a way to get her to go to therapy after she had back surgery a year and a half ago. She and I spend no less then 4 hours at the gym/pool on those days (she moves very slow with her walker or cane, and she uses a number of machines, whirlpool and sauna, bike and then water therapy) and if she gets less time then that, she pouts. (I don't blame her... I do too. lol.) I'm pretty tired when I finish. I swim and use the stationary bike on those days. But now that I HAVE a road bike, I need to be riding it. I run on Tue, Thu, and Sat and other then the brick I did last week like Bryan asked us to do, I don't like to bike or swim on those days. Running is very hard for me. I guess I can ride early on Mon Wed & Fri before Mom and I go to the gym, but that sure leaves me a lot of time with nothing to do at the health club. Would it build up my endurance you think, to bike on my running days? And how far should I go? I have several routes planned in my neighborhood. (What a wonderful feature of BT!) Two months ago I signed up for the YTri in Birmingham AL. It's on May 24th and the bike portion of the tri is only 8.5 miles (up and down hills!), but I'd like to train harder then that. I'm used to riding for an hour and for 15 or 16 miles on the stationary bike. I'm really at a loss here...

Thanks guys
sTRIve on!

Ahh Juanita ...  I KNEW I could pique your curiousity and a response with my comment I only did it because I was afraid what Dan might do if I hollered Go Big Blue or started humming the Notre Dame fight song

College sports aren't as big a deal in Canada as they are stateside but that said, I'm pretty proud that my university's team, the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds won the national championship last year and they have been the #1 rated team this year too. Final regional playoff round starts this weekend with the national championships later this month if (as hoped for) they win at the regional level.

This is "March Break" week in my province so no classes at K-12 or at universities. We administrative dweebs keep working of course. My 17-year old son is off today to Quebec City to snowboard with a friend's family for a few days - lucky dog. No swim class for me tomorrow evening due to the march break but I will try to get to the pool at lunch. Tonight I am going to Mrs FBP's running clinic again. No nachos planned like last week but they are doing a GU tasting session

Ok, my face is red. There is no way I swam 50 laps in 41 minutes. I was really careful today, and swam just as hard (even though I had already biked in my neighborhood before going to the gym) and was just barely under 70 minutes for 2500 yards. I must have looked at my Polar (clock function) wrong before I started, Monday. And I should have realized there was no way I could have made that kind of an improvement that fast. *blush* Wishful thinking I guess...

Apologies.

sTRIve on folks

Good evening....I have lurked out here this week and realized one thing above all else.  I am expendable.  Smile.  That is actually great.  I was able to sit out her and watch all of you support one another and encourage.  You are all amazing.  However, expendable as I am I have a few comments so you can't get rid of me that easily.....LOL

Zoomers - I am not a big fan but only for the reason they can give you a false sense of speed and power.  I would only recommend them if you absolutely cannot balance in the water and then only use them long enough to get your balance.

Wetsuits - I think it is a personal decision but remember you have to rotate your body and shoulders so be sure you can do both.  The thicker the stiffer I think.

Weather - Mav you hit the nail on the head...when it is 103 F in Texas you will all be laughing at me.  My first sprint was done at a temp of about 92-94 F.  It was hot. So it is coming I know.

You guys all rock and I am proud to be with you.  I am stoked at the support network we are building for each other.

sTRIve Turtles,

B

Hi all

Bryan - nice to see you back and posting

Marianne - I am sending you good weather vibes for this weekend. Rain, freezing rain and ice pellets in the forecast for us today   Don't get concerned about the sore legs. At least for me, some runs are good, others not so and hard to predict when I feel energized afterwards and when I will feel like a slug.

Juanita - your swim distances are SO out of context with my own that I didn't even note your miscalculation. I just thought, "Man, that chick can swim !!"

Dan - carry some nice weather home with you and send it north east, PLEASE PLEASE.