ADollar79's Group--closed and in the base building phase! (Page 10)

I have to be to work by 7, so I would have to get up really early to get this done.  Like 4 AM.  I'll go out on a limb and say that it is not going to happen.

slacker, lol 

Unfortunately not. I also have to be in at work very early.  I discovered a treadmill downstairs yesterday. 5 years I've been here too, never knew it was there. 

I joined a brand spanking new gym last night! Oh such bliss!!!!  Much better than the old one I was a member of. Nice lap pool too, 6 lanes constantly and no kids allowed! Sheer bliss!!!!  They have an early morning spin class too which is great as the other ones are on pretty early while I'm still at work.  

Because I like giving you all homework, lol.

This is a good article on building base endurance.  We are all in this phase right now.  While this article address the base on the bike, the same science is true for the run. 

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1391

For you slackers, I will recap the finer points:

• The most important phase of our training is the base period
• Our goal is to achieve and maintain a steady-state heart rate between 65% and 75% of our maximum heart rate for 90 minutes or more. If planning for a specific event or type of event, a good guideline is to plan your longest rides to last 10-15% longer than your longest event.   
• Endurance rides help build capillary density, which in turn allows our body to function more efficiently (oxygen and fuel delivery), improving aerobic performance
• The second physiological result of endurance riding is that at a lower intensity, our bodies burn a higher percentage of fat as fuel

Oh dear god, morning person? Whew. Well, because I couldn't get my arse out of bed this morning, I had to do a 2 mile run - hour long spin class - 2 mile run this evening. Yah, that was fun. I am also trying to make a switch to mornings so that I can also fit in some weight training classes on M/W and also get my swims and runs in. I just hate going to bed so early in order to get up at 6:30.

GET UP at 6:30? My spin class starts at 6:00 and when I switch to masters swim we are in the pool at 5:30.

Mornings are tough.  Once you get going they are simple but the minute you break the routine it is all over again, lol 

Ahhh, flashbacks to high school swimming morning workouts.  Unfortunately, I start morning workouts tomorrow too.  I'll be opening the gym at 6am.  Ugh...

At least ONCE this year I want to try and be at the gym by 5.45 and get a quick swim or run in before heading out to work. I wished I worked for Boeing as their offices are smack dab across the street from the new gym. God I need a holiday!!!

Got a nice run and a very short swim (500M) in tonight. 2nd person in a row to ask me how I do flip turns. Somersault I said. HAHAHA. OH dear. I'm such a beyotch.

When I was a beginner, I was really good at morning workouts.  I would hit the pool for about a 1000y or 30 minutes at the time.  And on Tues and Thurs I would do a spin class.  Those were easier for me due to the duration and intensity. 

There is NOTHING exciting about swimming 3500y in the morning or running 6-8 miles.  I can't do it.  I can lift and spin...thats about it.  

Someone want to volunteer to drag me out of bed in the morning?  I need someone to jumpstart my body!!! 

(and I AM a morning person!) 

I am sure we can find a former Marine Corps Drill Instructor to get you out of bed early in the ATL area.

That just might work!!!!

I would prefer it to a be a cute female.   

Ha! I was gonna say that's a dangerous statement to make - I'm sure you'll get lots of volunteers!!! 

What point would that serve?  Like you would get out of bed then!!!

Ok, I'll up the ante then...I need a cute boy to kick me out of bed AND come run with me in the morning.  How's that?

Ok - actual training question.  I am supposed to do a swimming Time Trial today.  Am I supposed to just go out as hard as I can from the start and by the time I get to the end be bareley able to swim, or am I supposed to swim as fast as I can based on having enough left in the tank to finish strong and burn that up in the last 100 yards or so?  I assume I am supposed to try and keep form the entire way, right? 

Sarah, you did one of these a while back, didn't you?  What is the proper way to get there so you have a correct time in the trial?

 The way we did it was a 200 warmup and then a 1000m timed where you swam an even pace the full 1000 and it was supposed to be what you can sustain the whole time.  My situation might be a little different since I was just trying to swim the full 1000

You want to find that medium in between.  It should be an all out effort for the 1000y.  There is a fine line between going out fast, burning up too quick and not going out hard enough and leaving something left in the water.  See what you can do.  The idea is to retest every 4-6 weeks and that is where you will see improvement.  

I know I was struggling a bit when I did mine over the weekend.  I hadn't swam 1000y in a while.  I did the best I could...and hope to see improvement the next time I test.   

I had to re-read your question a few times.  I think your definition of HR up is my definition of HR down.  The point of base building is to stay in zone 1 or zone 2.  I can't explain it, but running/riding slow makes you faster (aerobic engine improves).  

You are facing the dilemma that many of us face in the winter..especially those in the midwest and northeast (and sometimes out west for those peeps).  I would rather you attend a spin class than skip a workout.    Just watch yourself in those classes.  Most of them are tempo/interval based.  Be conscious of what workouts you do the day before or after.  For instance, you typically don't want to schedule a tempo and run back to back (or same day like I did yesterday).  Also consider taking your HRM to the class to see what it looks like. 

I do advocate spinning classes in the winter.  They are a good way of getting into biking shape and help maintain your aerobic base.  If you can, try to adjust the spin bike to your body.  You don't want it to hurt your knees or back because you aren't fit for it.   

I'm gonna take us back to the whole nutrition discussion.  So, the morning work out thing is really new to me (as in I haven't really had a morning workout since high school).

• Should I be eating something before I workout? - I didn't this morning, I only had a glass of water because I felt dehydrated.
• How soon should I eat breakfast after I workout? - It was about an hour and a half before I showered, made it to work and ate breakfast...at which time I was starving (Not that the routine will change, but might get my butt moving out of the gym faster)
• How do I curb my hunger during the day? - I think I ate my body weight in food today.  I could not stop eating, okay I could have eaten better foods, but seriously...

Help!!!  If I keep eating the way I did today, I'll be the size of a small country by the end of the month.

Dude - how quickly do you think I am going tto find a cute, female, Marine Drill Instructor?

Cute Women Marines I have known.  I have never met a cute Women Marine Drill Instructor.  I don't think they exist. 

I didn't say is HAS to be a Marine Drill Instructor.  I just said cute, female.  They have a way of encouraging me to get in out of bed and working out in the morning.   

Great question!  

There is really no steadfast rule on morning nutrition.  As with all nutrition it is highly personal.  You body is still in the fasting mode thus you can survive on the calories already in the body.  However, depending on the workout, it doesn't hurt to put something in the body.  I do encourage you to hydrate because you typically wake up dehydrated.  Don't take it overboard especially if you are running because you will likely get side stitches. 

I typically eat bananas, whey protein or a small granola bar (chewy chocolate chip...mmmm) before I head to the gym.  This helps keep the hunger pangs away for a while.  I know some people that get by on a glass of juice or coffee.  Either way, you are putting about 100 calories in the body.  Right now is the time that you need to be experimenting with this approach.  Figure out what works for you. 

The window for optimal recovery and repair is about 30-60 minutes after the workout.  That doesn't go to say that eating at 90 minutes is not helpful.  Can you adjust your schedule to put something in the body immediately after the workout and then eat breakfast when you get to work? 

Your final question is an important concept to understand in this sport.  Because many of us are starting new programs and our body is in the what the he!! stage, we find ourselves CRAZY hungry...and all the time.  Essentially, our metabolism spikes.  You curb that by eating ALL day.  You really should try to eat 6-8 times a day.  Ok, pick yourself up off the ground.  I know that sounds counter intuitive to weight loss strategies.  But not really, if done right.  You teach yourself to NOT overeat.  And you put things in your body that are good for you.  I know several athletes who never go more than 3 hours without eating.  And they are tiny. 

The problem with your stomach growling (like mine is now) is that when you reach that point you are HUNGRY and are probably more susceptible to bad decisions.  The same is true immediately after a workout.  My eating schedule was off yesterday and I tore into a bag of chips when I was done running   

As an example, here was my nutrition plan on Tuesday morning

5:00 Banana, glass of OJ/Cranberry Juice
7:30 Granola Bar
8:00 Bowl of cereal with skim milk
10:00 About 7 strawberries and half an apple
12:30  Turkey sandwich on wheat bread, raw carrots, fat free yogurt
3:30  Clif bar
6:00  Granola Bar
7:30  Baked chicken, black-eyed peas, toast with a spinach salad.
10:00  Glass of chocolate milk

(I don't normally eat that well for dinner.  I typically eat whatever I get my hands on)