Athena/ Clydesdale Official Mentor Group (Page 10)

As far as overdoing it, how does your body feel?  Are you fatigued, sore?  Mentally how are you feeling?  Are following a training plan?  Listen to your body and it will tell you what you need to do.

Headwinds can be such a game changer sometimes!  It happens to me a lot on runs too, I end up being slower than I thought, but feel like I am running in a wind tunnel!  

As for you logs, I don't think you are overdoing it.  I think you are thinking about the increase in a logical non injury free way, and don't see anything wrong in what you have been doing.  You have been doing great, and I understand wanting to charge out there, so I agree with listening to your body.  You are building a good fitness base right now!  

0730 - Walk/RUN! - 2.84 miles - 50:13 - 3.4 mph - I felt a little slower on the first mile and a half.  But I actually RAN a tiny bit during this workout.  Um, actually, I just allowed my momentum to "coast" down Hillside Dr, about 400 yds according to Google Earth.  Then for just 100 yds I managed to jog to the finish line at my driveway.  Now I can work on extending those small runs until they meet in the middle.  I have to go search for "soft running techniques" because I don't think anyone that's 350 lbs is supposed to be running.

Bhannahs, jonD, ebshot, ecozenmama, I REALLY appreciate the feedback on my calendar.  It eases my mind.  jonD, I think you are being too kind.  Almost everyone here is grinding out greater distances than me.  ebshot,  I am following a training plan, of my own creation, if anyone wants to see it.  It is strictly distance based, what I considered progressive, and is based/timed purely on what I think I needed to be ready for my first tri on Oct 13th.

The two weeks prior to Blueman were the hardest for me to figure.  I wanted to combine workouts so I'd sort of get the feel of an extended effort.  I also wanted to maintain at least two workouts in each discipline each week.  I tried to design them so the disciplines would follow each other in the same progression as at the race.  AND I tried to design in a couple of rest days just prior to the race.  All shooting from the hip, with no experience, only what I have read and observed on here.

Just a couple of quick comments to reiterate what others have said.  First, wind can make a HUGE difference in speed and effort.  Especially for those of us who are bigger than average (for example, built like a sail, like I am), a lot of wind resistance is created.  Wind slows me down considerably and I have to work really hard to keep making progress.  I am no fan of hills, either, but at least with a hill I can see the top.  Winds change (can get more intense with no notice) and they are invisible, so they are a mental challenge as well as physical.   

From what I have seen, leatherneckpa, you are not overdoing it at thiss point.  As others have said, pay attention to what your body is telling you and listen. If you feel like you need to back off a little, do so.  Consistency is important, and getting an injury can break one's momentum.  Be patient, take progress slowly like you have been, and soon the miles will become easier and faster.  Just keep working - you'll get there! 

I TOOK THE PLUNGE!!! Decided to go with everyone's advice of hills are better than heat, I am now registered for IMLP 2013! I also wanted to register so I wouldn't keep putting it off becuase I knew it would be a big motivator for me.

-got a couple of decent runs in over the last couple of days. I also did a couple of open water swims that felt great, being at the lake is awesome!

-yesterday scared me though and made me think I'm probably in over my head... went for a bike ride, only have an old mountain bike here, so I took that down the road here, only paved road that isn't the highway starts with a pretty brutal hill, headwind with mountain bike and +1km hill and I was exhausted by the top, biked another couple of kms, but I think I'm in big trouble for LP... will try and find a different route for the next couple of days and need to get a real bike, but this is going to be a very tough year, I thought the hours on the stationary would have prepared me much better, apparently I was very wrong...

leatherneckpa: you are doing great and seem to be improving very rapidly keep it up, you are an inspiration to me and I'm sure lots of other people here!

I'm starting to get back on some sort of schedule following vacation.  I returned a week and a half ago, but have not really settled in to working out at regular hours again.  I did a bit of strength training with dumbells yesterday and a treadmill run today.  I managed 10 minutes at 12 minute/mile in the middle of my 30 minute "run".  (Yes, I'm that slow.) 

My first tri this year is 8/3.  Its a local sprint (1/2mile, 10mile, 5k) held in the evening. 

Way to go!  Good thing you didn't put it off...the General slots all filled within the day registration opened. 

This is my big-picture motivation goal as well...but I'm not taking the plunge until 2014.  Doing a 70.3 next year, and volunteering at the innaugural IM Tahoe race next September for the experience, then will sign up for the 2014 race.

Congrats on getting registered!!!

The Marines have a saying about physical training, "Pain is Good.  Intense pain is intensely good."  Not the smartest phrase I've ever heard.  But until this morning I had not felt any soreness or pain in my workouts so far.  I think that little trot down Hillside might have been a mistake though. The flexor muscle (maybe the Iliacus) in the front of my right hip (dislocated in a karate class in 2000) is sore now.

I'm going to try to talk Cindy into doing her morning walks without me for the rest of this week.  I'll try my regularly scheduled walk on Friday and then rest the hip all weekend.  Hopefully that will suffice.

Ugh, zero motivation last night.  Supposed to lift but I had nothing.  Too many off-days this week already.  Have to get back at it tonight.

I'm toying with the idea of adding another sprint to my schedule.  August 12th.  So a good 6 weeks ahead of what would have been my first (September 23rd).  I just want to get out there and do one really.  I'd still consider my Sept one to be my "A" race but it'd be hard to have an "A" or "B" race if there is only an "A" on the schedule.  It's a shorter one in general, 0.5m/9m/4m.  I know I should just sign up so it's said and done.

Helpful Tip for those who are fairly new to BT or the training logs...

Inspires are a great way to provide feedback and encouragement to others.  To leave someone an inspire, go to that individual's training log  (you can go their log directly from one of their posts, or visit them from your friends list in your training log if you have added them), and click on the 'inspire me' link.  A window will open that will allow you to leave your comments for that person. 

If there is a number by the inspire me link on your training log, someone has left a comment for you.  Open the link to see their comments.  If you want to respond to their comment, click on the 'reply' button next to their comment.  That will take you to their training log where your response can be left for them to see the next time they visit BT.

You will find that giving and receiving feedback is a great way to keep you motivated.  I know that if people are visiting my training log, I feel motivated to get my workouts in.  It really helps me with accountability.

Happy inspiring, everyone! 

Nice job getting to the pool Kristen.  I haven't swam in eons and I actually miss it.  I'll be happy to get back to the pool once the kids go back to school. 

I dragged my tired, grumpy self out for a short run this morning.  I really, really, really didn't want to but I am glad I did.  I ran the fastest I have in a long time.  Feels good. 

Great job on the fast run!  Funny how you end up doing the best time when you really don't even want to be out there! LOL 

I miss it too!  I also have a problem getting to the pool until the kids get back to school.  I have been trying as much as I can to keep running, and last months Tour de France Challenge was a great way for me to keep my biking in, and push myself.  

I am still on the mend.  I have been doing Yoga the last few days to stretch out my body and let the blisters I acquired heal up.  I will get back to running this weekend.  My toe is feeling good, and will be taking on the August challenge here and try and get the core work in I desperately need!  

0815 - Bike - 9.04 miles - 40:46 - 13.3 mph  BOY, I guess headwinds count!

I strained my right hip on yesterday's walk/run so Cindy actually did her walk without me this morning, and she didn't do half bad (20:15).  It started to thunderstorm just as she got back inside the house and it stopped just before she left the house.  How's that for luck?  It's supposed to be crappy here all day, intermittent storms (some severe), high 95*, and humidity is over 75% already.

I was a little worried about aggravating the hip but tried to sneak my bike ride in for today anyway.  And am I ever glad I did.  Best time ever for my 9 mile ride, by almost 2 minutes!  More importantly to me, my second lap was only 20 seconds slower than my first lap.   It sure didn't feel that way while I was riding it.  I even manged to drink twice without having to stop pedaling to avoid crashing.  (How do those guys pedal for half a mile without touching the handlebars while they eat, drink, and even pee without crashing?)

That is why with my half ironmans I used a camelback.  I have troubles with drinking from a bottle. It just too low to grab.  camelback works well for me.

Ok guys and gals - I'm going to have a few days of struggling.  I'm less than 3 weeks out from my big race (8/11) and this week's training is falling to pieces.  My teen son is in a baseball tournament, my baby son's first birthday party is on Sunday, friday night glassblowing class, a birthday party tonight, a baby shower on Sunday and my husband is working at a car show for the next 4 days making child care scarce. 

I'm going to have to get really creative to get my workouts in - I missed swim team last night and I'll miss it again tonight.  I'm going to have to find a way to get to the gym on Friday during lunch maybe and Saturday morning - the rest of it is going to have to be finding time to run outside with the stroller - wish me luck!!! 

Firstly, hope the hip heals soon leather, and laura just wow! Busy weekend, good luck.

This week has been a bit of a wash out, cold and flu season has hit me down here, so I have been feeling a bit yuck. A few walks and yoga, but thats it really (boo to me). today is supposed to be ride day, but is in actuality pouring rain, so I guess its off to the gym for a indoor ride.

On the up note I spent some time helping a lovely friend, and she sent me two of Joe Friel's books as inspiration, so I have some reading material for the weekend!

Thanks, Scott.

Laura, I challenge ANYBODY to claim that stay-at-home Mom is not a full-time job!  Just do the best you can with the training, but don't let it outweigh family life.

Chalk up another encouraging swim workout for me.  My repaired shoulder is hardly even complaining anymore, much less screaming at me to surrender.  And that is truly encouraging.  Swimming appears to be good for it.

• 4-50's on 60
• 2-100's on 90
• 1-200 on 90
• 2-100's on 90
• 4-50's on 60
• Total 1000 yards

All the 50's were under 30 seconds.  All the 100's were under 65 seconds, and the 200 was 2 mins 15 secs.

What a day!  Yee-HAA!!