ChrisM's Mentor Group - CLOSED (Page 10)

Pauline,

There are many online videos about transition and as you do more, you get a system that is faster each time.  The key is to practice your transitiona and try nothing new on race day. 

Hills...I rode 42 miles fast with a friend who just qualified for the duathlon world race in Spain.  He is a really strong rider and I always struggle to stay with him but that is how you get stronger I guess.  Push yourself fast to get fast.  We completed the 42 miles in less than two hours with about a 10 mile an hour wind in our face or cross most of the time.  I ran trails yesterday and rode hills tonight.

When riding hills, what all do you guys do?  I would start at the bottom of the hill and push a much higher gear than normal for about 5-6 reps trying to work on strength at only about 50 cacence, spin down the hill.  Then I would work on spinning up the hills (95-100 cadense) for 5-6 reps then I did 5-6 reps in my normal hills pace of around 80-90. 

Ha.  Love it. 

I love the thrill of catching up with another rider!  Its like the hunt.

On another note:  YIKES!  42 miles in 2 hours?  Thats fast.  I thought I was doing good with 42 in 2:30. I guess that goes to show ya there is ALWAYs someone younger stronger and faster out there...just spurring me on to be my best!

irony416 - 2011-05-24 12:03 PM I got sick on Sunday, and haven't really been able to train. Have sore throat, headache, fatigue but no fever. I wanted to ask you guys if you stop training whenever you get sick to rest up, decrease your training but still do some workouts, or just keep on going . My triathlon is in less than 3 weeks so I'm worried that if I take close to a week off due to sickness I'll 'lose' all the fitness I've gained these past few months. Thanks for sharing! -Jennifer

For me it depends on just what is sick.  From what you described I would likely still workout but with no intensity at all.  I find if I can move it makes me feel better.  It kind of would depend on the level of fatigue though.  At some point your body might just be saying "hey, enough already, time for some time off".  I'd probably never take close to a week though unless I was injured or had a fever (or there was that week of food poisoning.  ugh).  Mostly cause I'd go completely insane.

Got a nice run in this morning. Just a quick three miler.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Hey guys ---  Sorry been sort in and out, work is crazy, gone last weekend and next etc etc etc.  Getting in workouts where I can fit them, not really following a plan.  But the running is coming along nicely, seem to be able to increase volume and pace so far (knock wood) without injury.....

So.  What's your next race and waht is your goal?

I am doing the Redondo Tri.  It's a .5 mile swim, 6 mile bike, 2 mile run, so weird distances but difficult as you are ON for an hour or so.  I haven't raced it for 3 years, been volunteering.  I race it as a Clydesdale.  In '06 I was :10 off third place, :40 or so off first.  The next year I improved about 2 minutes or so,,,,, and dropped to 7th!    I would have destroyed the AG the year prior with that time

It's a good lesson in it's about doing the best you can, and you can't control who else shows up.

So my goal is to drop another couple minutes and see if I can get on the podium.  My cycling has been sucky lately, but it's only 6 miles 

You?

Good luck!

I just learned that falling behind on logging your workouts is not a great thing.  I think I got all the bike workouts logged, but am missing one run, and a couple swims.  Basically, anything in the Garmin I had, everything else I thought I would remember is now gone.

Headed to AZ for the weekend, so I should be able to get some swimming and running in, but am not bringing my bike.  Do I substitute additional swimming and/or running for not hitting my biking miles for the week?

Welcome to my neck of the woods.  Ironically a storm is coming through here and your not going to want to bike anyways.  No rain, but the wind should get pretty wicked, depending on where you are going.  If it were me I'd split the difference.  Some extra swimming, a little extra running.  You don't want to really jump up the running

Yeah, I wouldn't increase running too much, but maybe adding a day?  Or a  swim run brick?  I find those as hard as bike run bricks...

Kim - where is the Elephant Man tri?

You go girl!

First race this season is June 18th - uphill bike race on Whiteface Mtn in NY.  I am definitely getting nervous!  8 miles of 8% grade. My goal is to finish under the clock - I think its 2 hours.  If this one goes well I will register for the Mt. Washington race in July.  8 miles at 12% - 21% at the summit!  I have hiked, rock and ice climbed, rappeled, camped, summited at midnight, wandered around in a white out on this mountain.  I still need to snowboard Tuckerman's Ravine do this bike race and someday do the foot race! 

I am spending these past 2 days resting.  I seemed to have caught the husbands chest cold...UGH!  Tomorrow is my long run.  I am hoping to make that workout!  I love running!

Back to my program after taking a week off....

My race schedule is:  

Goleta Beach Triathlon  7/31,  Amica 19.3 Las Vegas 8/28,  LA Triathlon 9/25, Day at the Beach 10/9, Amica 19.3 Phoenix 11-5.   My ultimate goal is the Californa 70.3, 3/31/12.  

Hey all, back from New Orleans.  A few dollars poorer, a few pounds heavier.  MAN, I don't know how people in the south train in that weather.  It was 90 + 90 pretty much every day, brought my shoes etc. but no way I was going to run in that.  I am used to 75 here, with a heat wave at 85.

Anyway, I bought Macca's book before we left and read it over the weekend.  It's a pretty good read, he has the bona fides but I do get a little sick of the "I'm the only triathlete that's ever thought of 'X,' I am so unconventional...."  At any rate, I got some good stuff out of the book, like

-During a race, you know it's going to hurt.  Everyone hurts.  It's what you do with it.  Do you embrace it?  Or do you try to avoid it?  What's the difference in outcome when you do those two things?

-Stopping the negative thoughts is crucial.  "I don't do well in heat,"  "I'm too big for that race," "That guy always beats me," etc. etc.  The answer isn't oh well, deal with those, it's how do you address those so that when those thoughts come up in a race you know how to deal with them?  Those thoughts are almost automatically self-defeating.

There's a couple others, I need to skim through the book again, but I think it's a pretty good read.  Eve for those of us that aren't racing IMs.