Have I lost my mind to consider a HIM? (Page 10)

Great race - William and I did 2.15 miles.  He actually ran a good part of it.  It was a little unfortunate that he slipped on pine needles pretty early on and fell.  He got a pretty good owie on his knee, but he persevered.  We did just past one mile and then turned around.  I think next time I will get him to do 1.25 miles before we turn around.  The race itself was actually five miles so we didn't follow more than the first mile of the actual course.  And the race was after we had walked 1.39 miles to get coffee and hot chocolate earlier this morning.  So, I am pretty satisfied with the day.

I know that no one else had as much training as I did this morning.  I heartily recommend grandchildren - beats the heck out of children.  Everything they say about skipping children and going straight to grandchildren is right!!!  

Joblin - OK, You might have the most fabulous life on BT - Malta, Iceland, Barcelona, cruises!   Pretty amazing!  Bummer to hear about the weight gain but I know you will drop it easily once you start running.  Keep up the hard work.  I know how hard it is to work out when you are traveling.  Good luck on your 5k.  Thanks for your words of encouragement on my swim.  I'm trying to stay calm. 

Leah - I love that you are such a hands on grandma!  The race sounds great.  I forgot you were doing it today.  My mom loves being a grandma too.  Grandparents seem so less stressed out! 

As for the coach, I think you should go for it.  Anything that gives you more confidence before the race is awesome.  I'm having the guys on my group rides help me and give me pointers.  I will invest in more swim lessons for me to build my confidence.  I tried the Masters route and it was too much for me.  I want more one on one tips.  I don't feel like I get enough attention during drills during the masters.  After your training you are going to be zooming up those hills!!

Rough race for me today.  I totally choked during the swim.  I freaked out.  This was the first time I'm been in this lake since last year.  During last year's race I turned my self around while doing the backstroke and went the wrong direction.  I lifeguard had to come stop me.  Embarrassing. 

Well, I got into the water today and panic set in.  I couldn't catch my breath, I had a hard time putting my face in the water.  It was down right ugly.  The only good thing I can say about the swim is that I finished.

I was very happy with my bike and run.  I think I passed about 20 women on my bike!  It will be interesting to see how the times come out.

I felt good immediate aftewards then dehydration or heatstroke set in.  Not sure which one.  I had a headache, I got dizzy and I ended up getting sick 3 times.  Embarrassing!  Luckily, my bro-in-law was with me to help. 

What a day!!  I really need to rethink my race strategy and training.  I might have to invest in a coach too! 

Sounds like you had a tough day. Glad the bike went well, I hope you are feeling better.

I'm so sorry to hear about your race, but you are right to see the good parts about it.  Freaking out in the swim, not being able to put your face in the water, etc., yet you DID IT.  That is truly wonderful.  I know that before every open water swim I have to remind myself to breathe and to not panic.  Reminding myself to breathe is key.  I also hold back and let other people go ahead of me to give myself some room at the beginning.  But you finished the race.  And lots of people puke after a race.  I think that mostly means you pushed yourself hard.  Don't let yourself get down, but see the positives.  I think you should be proud of yourself.

Here is my race report.  Thanks for the nice words.  After some time I actually feel pretty good about the race.  Everything but the swim is ok.  My bike was just under 17mph! 

Now I really need to get a game plan for my OLY.  I'm supposed to do one in mid October but I don't think I'm ready.  I have another OWS this weekend.  500 meters, wetsuit in Southern California.  I think my performance this race will determine what I will do about the OLY. 

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=181904

I also learned a very valuable lesson regarding hydration.  I am not a camel!  I cannot live on coffee and redwine!  Why do I always have to learn the hard way? 

Where and when in Southern California is your OWS?

I'm doing the Mission Bay Triathlon in San Diego this weekend.  It is my friends 1st tri so I told him I would support him and do it too. 

Have fun with it.  The LA Tri is this weekend.  I am meeting my bike coach tonight for a little one-on-one technique coaching for the upcoming oly.  I'll let you know what I learn.

Kate -

I'm glad the tri went well other then the swim, but that's not a big deal it just lets you know you need to place some focus there. I'm going to be taking a swim class myself this fall. I can swim a mile fairly OK, but I need some form help as I'm fairly BOP swim wise.

Hi girls -

I had an especially bad food day yesterday. I don't really get why some days I have a handle on things and other days I just lose it in a big way. Sometimes it has to do with food choices. I'm especially sensitive to sugary carbs, but other times it seems so random. I don't think I did anything that unusual yesterday. Unfortunately sometimes it's connected to depression and that's a little bit more irksome to control.

I'm also down because although I have been working out... I haven't been swimming nor biking enough. Partially because I don't have a written schedule, but it does make me worry how I'll keep focus for so long. In order for me to be able to pull this off I have to work on ALL 3 for the year.

Maybe I'd do better with a trainer watching over me? I don't know though... it's not really in the budget.

I am exercising though which is good.

I'll get over this little hump. Just feeling a little blue.

Do you log your food?  I have found that I do much better about making good food choices if I log my food AND I know that someone will be looking. 

Another suggestion I could make is to join one of the No Sugar Challenges the next time one starts.  That's has made such a HUGE difference for me.  You must believe me when I say that it was hard for the first couple weeks, but after that you will find that you simply just don't care about processed food.  That really made all the difference to me.  I was part of the very first one that began December 21, 2008, and the rest is, as they say, history.  This isn't just talk.  When I did the No Sugar Challenge, it was a radical, radical thing.  But nine months later, I'm still going strong and a big believer in that as a way of life. 

And Scarlett, tomorrow is another day.  Good luck.  Tomorrow will be better.

Leah yeah, I wear a bodybugg which works by recording my activity burned and then I enter my food intake, so it's basically a food diary. I have to admit though I did stop writing it down last night so I don't know where I ended up at but probably a good 1500 over. I aim for 1500/day normally!

I've looked at the sugar challenge before and though about it... but it would be extremely hard for me. Wasn't sure I wanted to set myself up for something so challenging I knew I would struggle with and make me feel worse for not being strong enough. Maybe I should try though I dunno.

Today was a little better although we had take-out so I can only guess where my calories ended up at... I got the soup though so it wasn't too bad.

Food is always going to be an issue with me. You don't get to 300lbs and not have a serious issue with it.

Anyway tomorrow is another day! Thanks for the support and input.

So even with your horrible day, the most you could have gained was less than half a pound and probably not even that because your usual 1500 calories is probably a little light anyway.  Could have been worse  Could have been much worse.  Get up, dust yourself off and forge ahead tomorrow. 

I think at times like this you are supposed to call on Team Nutso for help.  We are all feeling a littled overwhelmed with training.  We all have our food and weight issues.  We get you!  I think it is normal to back slide and feel down every now and then. 

Remember you are doing great and have made huge progress since you started.  You have been the work out queen!  Keep on keepin' on!  Go YOU!

Give us the update on your session with the coach!  Does it seem like a good fit?  Are you happy with the info?

Maybe you should pick a plan HIM or IM or winter maintenance plan to keep you on some schedule. Without one or a race in the near future it's hard to keep focus. But with an IM planned for next year you should have schedules or mini goals that are obtainable to you and make you feel good in the short term since your IM is so far away.

You can do it! Don't feel bad about eating bad for a day, just try to do better today and tomorrow and you will.

Hi ladies,
Can I join your group/thread as well? I haven't made it back to page 1, but what I've read so far really struck a chord. I'm training for distance triathlons as well, and REALLY struggling with my weight and food issues as well. I have completed 2 half IM's and 1 full IM, but that was 4 years ago. I would like to sign up for IM Arizona 2010, but I would like to get a handle on my weight first.
Anyways, that's a bit about me. Looking forward to getting to know and virtually train with some new buddies.
Diane.

Welcome Diane - What IM did you do back then? Tell us a little more about yourself.

Losta - Yeah I'm looking over plans this week.

Le- I know it should only be half a pound. Damn water retention has me up 2. It will go away I know, but the scale like to play games.

Hi Diane and welcome.  Yes, we are a group of ladies that started out this thread with the common theme of wanting to do a half ironman next year when it probably doesn't make a great deal of sense.  Which is why we call ourselves "Nutso."  Conventional wisdom would tell us to do another year or so of sprint distance races.  Nothing against sprints, we have done them, but we want the challenge of the longer races. 

We all have pounds to lose of varying amounts.  None of us seem to be the "jocks" that post on the other boards and mercifully steer clear of here.  We do tris for fun and make no apologies about how we do them, how fast we are or aren't, etc. 

I think we all joined the Halloween Run Challenge and the Lose Six Pounds in Four Weeks Challenge, which are not inconsistent.  In fact, I see the Halloween Run Challenge as the way to lose six pounds in four weeks.  You might check out those challenges as well. 

So, please tell us a little bit about yourself and hop right in.  We are spread out over the country and even have Iceland represented.  Some of us have little kids and some of us (like me) are Grandmas. 

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Now for my news.  I went with my new bike coach last night.  A popular place to run, walk, ride, roller blade, etc., is "around the Rose Bowl."  So we went one time around the Rose Bowl, which is a bit over three miles, and then we worked on skills and techniques in an empty parking lot.  The trick is now for me to remember what he told me.  I mean, it was simple things like getting my water bottle out of the cage, taking a drink and putting it back in - without stopping, waggling around, falling over, etc.  I usually come to a complete stop to get a drink so this is not one of my skills, but I am supposed to practice.  He showed me about keeping your center of gravity straight up and down, but moving your bike to either the left or right.  This is mostly for climbing hills, but you also use a related seated technique for cornering or turning or something.  There was something about keeping pedaling while essentially being stopped, which helps you get going again. 

When we were riding, he would watch me do something and then ask, "Now, do you always do _______ that way?"  I am guessing I have a lot to learn.  A lot of the skills had to do with riding in a group, something I have never done, but am expecting to do.  In fact, riding WITH him is a major part of what I am paying the monthly fee for. 

There won't be any time to ride again with him for a while because starting October 8 he is riding across the country for some charity.  So, the actual in-person coaching won't start until November or December.  I am going to get a trainer (who here has experience with riding an indoor trainer and what do you do while using it and do you do drills or what all do you do on it?)  I am expecting him to give me workouts using the trainer.

I am planning to stick with him through the HIM at the end of March and, if I do an IM, through that.  I thought he was a good teacher and never made me feel bad.  It is obvious, because of the techniques having to do with riding in a group, that he is expecting me to do this with his group, but there will be no illusions about my (very low) skill level and how he will deal with that in a group of experience riders, I have no idea.  Fortunately, that is his problem to deal with.  Me?  I just have to show up and do what I am told.

I got in my 1600 meter swim this morning and will get in a run tonight.  I am back on Week 1 of the 20 week marathon training program.  I might even do the first two weeks again and then re-start it again and then move forward.  I will see how I feel at the end of the two weeks.  I will see if I feel like I have a good enough base to move on.

******

So, what did everyone else do for training today?

Welcome Diane!

By the way...Did we lose the original poster a while ago?

Welcome Diane!  I can't wait to hear about your Ironman experience. 

I will have to come back later.  I have the flu.  I'm sick and miserable.  I'm starting to feel sorry for myself. 

WEIGH IN DAY!  I weighed in at 190.8 today.  That is 5 pounds for the month.  I haven't weighed this little in I don't know how long.  I know the training is really helping but I'm afraid the drama in my life played a big part of it.  I haven't been hungry.  I'm home sick today.  I'll check in later on the rest of you ladies.   

"(who here has experience with riding an indoor trainer and what do you do while using it and do you do drills or what all do you do on it?) I am expecting him to give me workouts using the trainer"

I've done workouts that my group coach gave me (intervals and drills and such) while staying in various HR zones, or just steady state riding while watching TV. Ive found the spinnervals DVDs to be helpful but I only have 1 or 2 so I can't suggest a good one. I need to get more of them myself. One of them came with my Kurt Kinetic trainer.

Weight this week: SAME despite a lot of exercise last week. I appear to be retaining some water for various reasons. Whee.