DG's Group - We're FULL! 2010 here we come! (Page 10)

I would do the tri over the 10K, but that is just me.  You can run a 10k anytime.  You'll need some confidence of experience of the set up, swim to bike transition and bike to run transition to get you ready for you 1/2.  Glad your runs are feeling good.

Your log looks great.  BUT, from now on make sure you stay away from "junk" workouts.  I am not saying that you are doing them, but really focus on HARD intervals to make the best of your training time.  If you are fit(TRI FIT) I think you can go sub 5 no problem.  PRACTICE your transitions - that is what bricks are for - to make sure you have them down smooth.  Folks that do not practice waste time doing things in T1 and T2 they have not practiced.  Can you put your shoes in your pedals after you leave T1 and can you go shoeless on the bike for the last 1/10 before T2?  Both are time savers you will have to practice.  It's the little things that save time. 

I think you are right on - but as I just posted - make sure you are practicing your transitions.  That is HUGE!!!

Since this is your first 1/2?  I'd like to discuss race day nutrition and things you are going to take to the transition area.  SO many people don't practice nutrition and take way too much to the race.... It's a waste.  What are you plans?

Hey gang.  Sorry I've been MIA!  I'm about 60 days out from my HIM.  I am still nursing my shoulder and hope to get back in the pool this week.  Feeling pretty good after a personal best in my Half Mary.  I'm going to have to go pretty strong these next couple of months!  Wish me luck.

Welcome back.  What's the training plan for the next 60 days?  How many races are scheduled before the 1/2?

I think I'm going to do another half mary in February and a short tri in March (600/12miles/5k).  I can see improvement but I have a long way to go.  I haven't been in the pool since my accident.  I'm worried about that shoulder.  It will be an interesting couple of months!

Good stuff.  I'm willing to bet you can hit those targets...maybe even a little faster.

What do you consider "junk"?  I finished a plan that did lits of hard intervals and speed work that was taxing.  Now I'm in a swim focus plan and I'm hoping to maintain my bike and run (but in looking at it, I'll probably be adding some time/intensity to the bike/run workouts when I can).  Some of those bike/runs seem like junk...short and not intense enough.  But I'm not sure.

In other news, I just got my first tri bike and tri shoes!  I'm pretty excited about it and I'm gonna get it professionally fit to me soon.  With the shoes/socks, whats typical at the HIM distance?  Do people generally wear socks?  I've gone barefoot in an Olympic (but with regular shoes so not clipped into the bike) without issue, but I was thinking at the HIM distance/above comfort (i.e. wearing socks) on the bike outweights the 30 seconds saved in T1/T2.  I guess thats something I can figure out in training though.

Sounds like a good plan.  Have you tried using some resistance bands to help your upper body stay in "swim" shape.  Not sure how that would effect your shoulder injury.  Maybe something to talk to your DR about.  I used them for about a month last year when I had a shoulder problem and it really helped.  I actually PR'd my first swim back. 

We are digging out from a major blizzard even by our standards. We had about three feet of snow over two days with high winds and bitter cold. It has stoped snowing but we still have -30 wind chill. Driving yesterday was imposible. So I didn't make any of my workouts and did't have the ambition to workout at home. A complete snowday.

Im planning on wearing socks for the run in my HIM.  I wont wear them on the bike.  I havent worn socks for the Olympic distances races that Ive done.  Somewhere I read that 6 miles is about the distance you can go without wearing socks, but once you get over that, your chances of blisters goes up a lot, and the time lost due to the potential blisters was more than the time it takes to put on socks.

Yikes, well, would you be shocked to know that I haven't really thought about it? On my sprint tri's I've had just the electrolyte/energy chews and Nuun in my water bottles. For the half marathon I had a couple of gels and my water bottle with me. I think I would consume a couple of energy chews every half hour and had one of my GU gels at about the 2 hour mark. Since I'm slower I really need to look at the timing of my nutrition too to avoid GI upset as much as possible and not to overdo it.

I have worn socks on 1/2 Ironman and above and I've had good and bad luck (blisters) in both cases.  In longer races (70.3 and above) you will have A LOT of aid stations and some have shower type cooling systems which can cause a lot of standing water on the ground that causes your shoes and socks to get soaked, then your socks bunch up and can cause blisters.  I tend to run around the real wet parts of the aide station to aviod that.  Sprints/Olympics - I have never worn socks.  Just make sure you PRACTICE biking and running to make sure your feet and shoes are compatable. 

This is something that you are going to have to NAIL well before your 1/2.  Way too many people bonk because they think they can just "double" what they have done on shorter races and they will be fine.  You also have to take the weather into consideration.  Hot and humid or cold and wet.  That plays a key peace.  However, you have got to get a plan, practice the plan and stick to the plan.  My plan looks like this for a 1/2 IM.  Breakfast 2 hours prior - banana with peanut butter toast and a Boost - that gives me about 400 calories going in.  1 hour prior I start downing a 16 oz bottle of Heed - for an additional 100 or so calories.  20 minutes prior to the race I take a GU and sip water.  After the swim (AND THIS IS CRITICAL) I wait for about 5-10 minutes on the bike to take anything.  You need to let your HR settle down and get into a rythm.  I take 1 GU every 20 minutes followed by 1/2 powerbar on 60 minute mark.  I drink 1-2 gulps of Heed(or Gatorade Endurance) every 10 minutes.  About 1-2 miles before the end of the bike I just sip on hydration and stay away from the Gus.  During the run I hit every aid station and take water.  Every other station I take a GU and water.  You mentioned NUNN.  It's a great product, but do you it has less than 100 Calories?  How are you going to survive on a 56 mile ride plus a 13 mile run on that?  I usually take NUNN the entire day before the race.  I "thought'  I knew what I was doing my 1st 1/2 and blew up on the run because I had no calories or energy and finished with a 7:48.  My next 1/2 doing it right I hit a 5:02.  For every calorie you expend, you need to replace to have a fun, safe race.  Start making your plan and PRACTICE. 

Hang in there.  We finally saw the sun in Atlanta - snow this weekend here.

"Junk" is working out just to work out without a specific plan in place.  Sounds like you've got that whipped.  Cuts down on burnout and allows for shorter, more focused workouts.  Great news on the bike.  What did you get? 

Thanks for the information and advice. I wasn't paying attention to the calories in the Nuun...I guess I was just looking at what I could tolerate. I'll start playing with nutrition to find other products and on the weekends for my long bikes/runs practicing with the nutrition. Usually in T1 I have downed some chews or a GU before heading out on the bike. I like how you said wait until 5-10 minutes out on the bike to let your heart rate get within a better range.

My one question is solids during a HIM. I guess I should be playing with those also because I can't imagine my body trying to survive on just liquid and GUs alone for 70.3 miles.

Yes - definatley play with the solids.  I can take a "crustable" PB&J about mile 40 on the bike (I always take one with me) if I feel I need it, but other than that and a powerbar or two I have a hard time.  One thing.  What do they have on the course nutrition and hydration?  Look at the event website.  Practice with that stuff.  If you hit a bump or something on the bike and your water bottles go flying, at least you have practiced with what the course has so when you go through transition you can just grab two bottles of course fluid and continue on.  Also, practice changing a tire at least once a week.  Nothing can be worse than flatting out and blowing a bike cut off time because you don't know how to change a flat.  The course will have race support on scooters, but don't count on them screaming to your rescue.  They start at the back of the pack and work their way to the front and then start all over again.  I know you probably know how to change it, but have you changed a tire after you've ridden 40 or so miles(Fatigue)?  I'd also like to know what you are planning to take to the transition areas.  I can help you with the "less is more" concept.  You don't want a bunch of junk laying around in the T1/T2.  It will cause you some confusion and irritate racers that are on either side of you. 

Lemon/Lime Gatorade Endurance and PowerGel Energy Gels are being supplied along the course.

As for transition? I usually bring the following in my bag to set-up:

Small towel to dry feet...lay it out just next to bike in whatever space is alotted
bottle of water to wash feet off after swim
bike shoes with socks in them
helmet with sunglasses and gloves in them sitting on bike handles
Water bottle in cage of bike

Run:
Running sneakers
racing belt w/pouch for GU
handheld water bottle w/pocket for gel
headwrap or tech hat for shading

I'm sure I'm forgetting something at the moment and I'll have to work on the setup of items for the HIM. I'm debating on a fuel belt or not just because of the added bulk, we'll see.

That's a perfect set up for transition.  I usually shy away from the fuel belt for the run (although I train with one) just because aide stations are every mile and are usually pretty stocked. 

Really helpful discussion.  Personally, I like having the fuel belt when I race, I figure its worth the extra weight to know that I have it if I need it.  But I also dehydrate quickly.

Are there any other suggestions about nutrition (specifically on the solids)?  I like the uncrustable idea, never would have thought to bring that.

I like this discussion too.  No fuel belts for me.  During my half marys I stop about everyother fuel station and alternated water and energy drink. 

I haven't done much with my shoulder besides some stretching.  This is going to be interesting b/c the swim is weakest spot.  I'm most nervous about meeting the swim cut off time.  This is my week to give it a shot again.  I want to start do 3-4 swims a week from here on out.   

Edited by ~ AZ Sunshine ~ 2010-01-26 10:24 PM

Well now its only 53 days until my big first race (sprint) and im getting really excited about it too.  Honestly, im in it just to have a good time and I have been having alot of fun training.  I have been doing the brick/ reverse brick workouts but have not actually practiced any T1 or T2.  So i think im going to start paying a little bit of attention to that.  I cant wait!!!!  Out riding I see alot of guys out there on their $2000 tri bike and they cant believe it when i pass them on an old vintage peugeot.  It has kinda been my mantra for the whole training stint: Its not the gear, its the racer. 

Anyways, like i said this is going to be my first race and any tip is greatly appreciated. 
DG, what do you think i should do more or less of?

Haha, I totally agree.  My first races were on my steel frame Lemond that probably weighs close to 25 lbs (I still have it and love it, its a "classic" and I plan to sell my carbon road bike and keep it as a road bike now that I have my tri bike).  It was a SUPER motivator to pass the guys on tri bikes and disk wheels and aero helmets.  Unfortunately, I slowly became "that guy" adding a new road bike, aero bars, tri saddle, fancy GPS/HRM and on Monday a real tri-bike and tri shoes (a used 2009 Cervelo P2C that I got a really good deal on).  Even with the new road bike I loved it when my girlfriend would tell me I was the first one in on the bike without a tri bike and aero wheels/helmet.  Just don't laugh too hard at me if you pass me on your Peugeot (but I didn't spend $2000, so that makes me feel a little better)...

Along with each upgrade has come (will come) a bump in my training and my drive to improve, so I was/am able to justify the costs to myself.  I don't think I could have justified saving 2 min on my bike split by spending $5000, but I could justify saving 2 min by spending a little and adding a couple extra hours a week on my bike.  Honestly, the new (to me) stuff gets me more excited to train and race, its just a slippery slope of how much you really need (not a whole lot) vs how much you just want (but may be worth it) vs how much is just wasted money, which I'm dealing with as I drool over aero wheels I can't afford/don't really need.

I think your mantra is spot on.