Experior and Slornow's Winter Mentor Group-CLOSED (Page 10)

Goals for 2012?  That sounds like a great topic.  I've been giving it some thought but will hold off until tomorrow to put it in writing.

2012 will be different for me as I will be "coached".  There is a group out of Pensacola, Florida (about an hour from me) that I will be using.  The 2 coaches are both active triathletes and they have been doing alot for the tri community the last two years.  I'm going to give it six months and then re-evaluate.  I get weekly plans with unlimited contact and most importantly 2 "train with the coach" sessions a month.  One of the coaches is a longtime swim coach and I will use my sessions for 1 on 1 swim help.  Their current athletes seem to have made good progress and are some of the top triathletes locally.  It will take some adjusting to just following a schedule rather than doing it on my own.  I hope this structure will help me peak for my races and avoid overdoing it.  

Anyone else using a coach or a specific training plan heading into 2012?

Randy  

To be honest I am too cheap to get a coach!!! Nor would my wife approve of this.  I am thinking about big goals (races) for 2012 and some are posted on my Dashboard, but I will be changing a few of them to include some other races.  I am not much into volume type goals for the year; generally stick with setting goals for particular individual races.  So if I do a Half Ironman Distance Tri this next Sept.  I will have some goals set for myself throughout the race.

Long run of 13 tomorrow.  Half-Marathon Race on the 15th of Jan.  Not running to race, but using it as a long training run and to check my Marathon Pace and nutrition plan.  I ran a 1:57:49 (9 min mile pace) last year and this one will be at a 10 min/per mile pace.

Good morning! I'm headed our for 2-2.5 hour ride followed by a short run.  Foggy and warm here.

Blanda-the Xterra ride sounds brutal but fun.  Slow and messy........sounds like me swimming

Randy

Blanda -- that sounds like an epic ride!  (and fun)

Yes, Stu, weather in these parts has been wonderful.  In fact, I'll get out for a longish ride today.  Normally I'd be mostly on the trainer by now, but I've been getting outside quite a bit.

Di -- I think you should go for a quality machine.  You're much more likely to use it if it is a 'pleasure' to use.

Ceril -- I hope you didn't have to work too hard last night!

Matthew -- as in many things, I think that just paying attention (in this case, to what we eat) is a huge part of making better choices.

Brian -- I'm envious of your 13 mile run.  I should be doing my 'long run' tomorrow, but as the pools are closed, I can't even do a long pool run.  I'm beginning to accept that I won't be running a marathon in March, which has me pretty bummed out.  I got very excited when they announced the race and signed up over a year in advance.

So, on that happy note, goals for 2012.  Unlike Brian, I do get motivated by those arbitrary volume goals, and I'm going to set some for myself.  I tend to be a bit extreme with these things -- just my nature, I suppose -- but I'm going to stew on it for another day before I put it in writing...

Have a wonderful day everyone.  I hope you're all having the incredible weather that we have here.

2011 is in the books for me.  36 mile ride followed by 2.5 mile run.  Decided to push it some today so the ride was at what I would try to pace for HIM...around 215-220 watts.  On the run I spent the first half mile getting my legs moving and then tried to stay sub 7:30 pace for the remainder.  I'm still thinking about a May HIM and this gave me a feel for the bike pace I would be looking to maintain.  Run actually felt good as well.  Satisfying way to bring the year to a close despite the fog that had me soaked 5 minutes into the ride.

My 2011:

Swim            228,554 yards      88 hours

Bike              5076.32 miles       266.5 hours    19.05 mph avg. pace

Run               1070.57 miles       158 hours       8:52 avg pace

Randy

Looks like an amazing year, Randy. Hope my 2012 with look something like this, at least in volume!! My pace would likely be way slower.

It's the 1st of 2012 today and I'm feeling very hopeful and positive. A lot to look forward to this year with a lot of growth last year.

Today we have a party to attend at a friend's, then I'm going to sit down and set the training schedule for Xterra.

Have a great time ringing in the new year, guys.

PS, I'm super sore from yesterday's ride, but I hope to get a short run in later. Crossing fingers, eyes, and toes.

Sorry I have been away from the group.  I just returned from holiday travel yesterday.  Missed a couple of workouts over the Xmas weekend, but still managed to get some stuff in.

Finished out 2011 with a 42 mile ride with 3700 feet of elevation gain.  Sweated out some of the holiday poison.... Below are my 2011 totals.  Will definitely have greater volume in 2012.  As you can see, I definitely need more time in the pool!!!!

I have been reading the thread, and have a few comments on questions.  I will get to those tomorrow.  Hope everyone has a great and safe New Year.

Bennet

Yeah, Randy, that's some great bike mileage.  You've made huge gains in that department over the last year.  I'm going to try for similar in 2012.

We just ate New Year's Eve dinner, and the kids are having 'Wii festival' (a 'tradition' started last year -- we limit their time on it pretty severely, but on New Year's Eve we are letting them play all night until midnight).

My totals from 2011, after a really nice (and extremely windy) ride and subsequent pool 'run' today:

2012 will be a bike/swim focus year for me.  I'm actually working on the outlines of the overall plan tonight while supervising the Wii Festival.

Since you are all posting numbers I thought I'd throw mine out.  I ran a Half-Marathon right away in Jan. and did a Half-Iron in June and a Sprint in Sept.  I knew it was going to be a low year for me as things were just to expensive to do everything.

I had a very hard 12.6 mile run this afternoon.  My mileage this week was the most I have put in running since I started training three years ago.  First time breaking 30 for a week.  I may run a short 3 miles tomorrow; depends on this cold I am getting.  I was somewhat discouraged thinking how on earth am I going to manage a Marathon, but reminded myself I have 4 months to lose 27 lbs. and 4 months yet to train so get off your pity party.

Have a safe and wonderful New Year Everyone!!!!  Talk with you again in 2012.

Wow... I am super impressed with everyone's bike mileage on here.  That is my glaring deficiency in 2011 as my goal was 2000 and only barely broke 1000.  Pretty happy with the rest of it.  Heading out in a few minutes to join various members of my family in our local 5K - a good way to start the year!

Happy New Year everyone!  Looking forward to working with all of you this year!

Stu

Happy New Year everyone!

Randy

Wow - the numbers you guys are throwing down are inspiring and amazing to me!  I was hesitant at first to post my numbers as most of you could do this easily.  But, as you can see I decided to post them.  

This is a record for me!  All this because of a 6-week challenge at the gym in April 2011, just when I was getting ready to cancel my membership because I never went.  2011 was a life-changer.  All this because a friend wanted a workout buddy and convinced me to get off the couch after 15 years of a sedentary lifestyle.  Once, when I got discouraged, another friend said to me - it took you 15 years to get this out of shape and you expect to turn it around in a few weeks?! In 2011, I realized that it was a lifestyle change, not just a race that I wanted to participate in.  In 2011, I accomplished more than I thought that I could or ever would.  I learned how to swim! (I was "self-taught" as a kid) 

My goals for 2012:

To really set a solid base level - and get in a few solid sprints

To put more miles on my bike than I do on my Miata (it's my fun convertible that I take for a ride on nice days)

To take the next step with nutrition to support the training.  I was listening to a podcast where they were interviewing a world class runner and he related a moment that was a turning point in his career where he picked up a muffin to snack on and his coach asked him if he was really serious about winning.  Of course he said that he was - he had just spent countless hours training!  Then the coach told him to throw away the muffin - and it was kind of symbolic then that when he threw that muffin in the trash he knew he was ready, he was fully committed.  I think he went on to win worlds.  So - today cupboards and fridge are being tossed - I told the kids they could have a cabinet for their stuff - and we're moving forward.

Happy New Years!  Looking forward to continuing the journey!

Ceril-numbers are just that....numbers.  More or less training time/distance is not what is most important.  What's important is that triathlon, and all that goes with it, provides us with something we enjoy.  Whether its completing a sprint, qualifying for Kona or just leading a healthier lifestyle.  Frankly, if I had a Miata to sport around in my bike would likely get dusty!

Looks like a rest day for me.  Maybe some yoga/stretching later.  I start on my "coached" plan tomorrow and the first week looks pretty light compared to what I  ususally do.  Going to take some time for me to adapt. 

Still trying to finalize my 2012 goals. Hope to post later.

Randy  

Happy New Year everyone!

Totally agree with Randy.  If numbers are motivating, use them.  But the point is to get out there and do something active.

I'm going to finish up plans for 2012, then I'll post my crazy goals.

Stu -- I'm impressed with doing a 5K today.  After staying up with the kids, then up early this morning, I'm not sure I'd make it to the end of a 5K.  I'm going to take a nap and try a bike ride later today.

Speaking of numbers, I had a good number for me today in the New Year's 5K race.  Did a personal best of 23.10, and more importantly, didn't lose last night's beer, champagne, pizza and shrimp on the course (not a good combo the day before a race, in case you were wondering).  Really a motivating race because I was tired from last night (and the whole week), muscles sore from the intervals and chopping wood, drank and ate too much last night, and was 202 on the scale this morning (10lbs heavier than a month ago).  Despite all that, it was my fastest 5K ever.  Obviously, the marathon training base from the Fall carried me through, but now I believe I still have more room to improve, which is a great feeling at age 51! All in all a very nice way to start the year - and the weather was picture perfect :-)

Ceril - the lifestyle mindset is the key.  My first year I probably had less mileage than you, but the difference in direction and perspective made all the difference.  No looking back now!

Been thinking about goals, but haven't committed them to writing yet.  Some things I need to do differently with balancing training with other life goals, and haven't quite figured out how to make that happen :-)

Happy 2012 Everyone!

Stu

Happy New Year everyone!

Well we had a couple of days of snow, tried to build an addition to my Igloo, but the rain washed it all away

I too have been thinking of my goals this year.  My main goal is to complete HIM in June.  Now all I need to do is break it up into smaller ones, those I'm not ready to share yet but should have it ready by end of week.  Kids are out of school this week so it will be another low volume week, sneak some workouts in when I can.

My numbers for the year were very low, but I only did two races June (Sprint) and July (Oly).  Then I took rest of summer off to do other things I haven't done in a long time.

Cheers!

Great job PRing in your 5k, Stu!!

I was in way too much pain yesterday to do anything. My left shoulder and arm are super sore, I have bruises popping up where I didn't know I had hit myself! So funny that while I was on the ride I barely felt pain beyond the gear shifter gouging my rear end. I have a solid knot and bruise on that spot, oi. We're hoping the rain will stay away so we can do it again this Saturday, LOL! 

Let's get 2012 rolling!