Waterdog's Group - Closed (Page 10)

Sorry for dropping off the face of the earth...I am back for just a few minutes anyway

The knee recovery has been a little longer than the last one, but I am back at work skiing which has been good for the psyche if nothing else. It doesn't actually hurt while I am skiing, just if I am hiking around with skis on (which I actually do quite a bit of at work)

I hope to get back to running here soon and see what it feels like so I can decide if I will be able to do any tris or runs this summer.

Still doing lots of hiking with the dogs and yoga now with what my work schedule allows. But mostly its just skiing.

Sabrina...welcome to this group. I have been rather lame as far as contributing...but I noticed that you have three girls very close in age to mine. Mine are 13, 10 and almost 7. Pretty funny...

anywhoo...Waterdogg, I appreciate your leadership and your dedication to this group.

Take care all

Hey, all.  It's also an appropriate question of the week for me (as you can tell by my scarce posting and brief workout descriptions)!  Work has been somewhat demanding lately, and I am trying really, really hard not to get sick again with one of those nasty bugs.   That means doing away with two-a-days for a time and focusing on my health.  I can't SBR, after all, if I'm sick.  So, I've been fitting in things while I can.  It's easier to bike and run since I've got the trainer and treadmill at home.  Swimming takes more time since I have to account for travel and locker room time, as well as my slow swimming!  I guess I reschedule the best I can depending on the workout I missed.  I don't stress the recovery sessions, but do try to do my best to reschedule speed workouts and longer endurance sessions.  For instance, tonight I had to miss my run because of a late night at work, but I will do the speed session tomorrow.

 I officially start a 27 week half-ironman training plan on Monday, so I'll need to be more disciplined starting then!

As for how last week went, overall it was pretty decent.  I had a few highlights (both running related): I ran my longest run (almost 10 miles) in a while and also had an excellent speed session of mile repeats.  I really feel like I am making progress to set the PR I am aiming for at my 10k the first weekend of April.

 I hope you all have had a great week so far and next week I'll try to check back in sooner!

 Well, this I can't answer , but I wanted to share my stay healthy secret because this year, I think we can all use as much help as we can get to fight the crud!  The first time I feel like I have a tickle in my throat, a cough, an ache that might be fever, or just feel "down,"I take Zicam.  Either the nasal swabs or the nasal gel....every 4 hours.  I have never, ever gotten sick when I have taken it at the first onset of symptoms.  Now, if I wait 1/2 a day to get the Zicam started, I will oftentimes still get sick.  But now I just carry it with me everywhere and I am a fan like no other.  I know that one day I'll have to eat my Zicam-loving words, but until then, I have to share...

 As to your HIM training followed by a marathon, I don't see why you couldn't do it and feel just fine.  Especially since you are going on a 27-week HIM plan.  Rather than wreck your body, it'll slowly prepare you for the race and hopefully it won't take too much out of you.  I'm sure it'd work out quite well. 

I am probably the not qualified to proclaim you Nuts or Sane. I ran a Full Ironman less than 2 months after an HIM, and did 3 marathons in 8 weeks last fall. (3 Months after my full IM) Like you, I was chasing a BQ Time and managed to pull it off in the 3rd race.

But I am also the idiot that went sailing the day after my Ironman and Dislocated my shoulder so common sense about rest and recovery is obviously not a strong suit.

the only thing I might suggest is to do what I did when I ran my triple. Keep your options open. Don't register for the marathon until you are sure your recovered enough to actually run it.

This could be an issue if the race sells out but better to be safe than lose the entry fees.

Good luck and I am very interested in seeing how it goes. A friend of mine swears that followup races are a great way to crank big PB Times. Just depends on how well you can recover in the allotted period I guess.

Hey everyone--

Hope you are enjoying the weekend.  I did my first long bike ride this weekend, and after a few small collisions, I have a question for the group.

 How do you fuel on the bike?  Do you stop, get off, and eat?  Do you drink your calories?  I ask because apparently I cannot multitask while riding my bike.  Every time I reached somewhere I shouldn't (shoe velcro, pull short legs down, drink) I ran into something!  Seriously, I will kill myself if I continue to do this on the bike.  I'm curious how everyone else does it.  Aside from filling loose Sharkies into my bento box, which I am pretty sure I could reach for without diving into a chain link fence (maybe), I'm totally unsure of how I'm going to get my nutrition straight for a race.

Ideas?

Are you in aerobars?  I do get out of my aerobars before attempting all of that type of stuff, mostly, just because the steering is so twitchy.  Otherwise, it's just practice.  Practice taking one hand off and waving it around under you while still continuing to look forward and steer forward.  Then do the same with the other hand.  Do Not look at what your hand is doing.  You're better off dropping a bottle while trying to put it back in place than running into fences.

If I'm on a long training ride, I'll usually just throw a gel in my jersey pocket and stop to eat it.  For races, I'll use electrical tape to stick it to the bike stem so it rips off easily.  I don't take more than a gel and water for sprints - you don't even really need that.

I hate to rain on the Zicam parade, but my mom had a really bad experience with those - basically it started a nosebleed that she couldn't get to stop, and had to go to the ER for.  It is one of the things they warn you about in the fine print, but after having it happen to somebody in my immediate family (and after I'd suggested the stuff ) you can feel a little titchy about it.

I now swear by Airborne.  They're these little fizzy tablets you drop in water and drink, and they're pretty effective, in my experience.

For me it was practice.  I would open a packet or two of Clif Bloks and put them in my back jersey pocket. It was easy to reach back and grab one.  Got a bento box for Christmas, which may make things easier, too.  As for drinking, I just practiced grabbing the bottle and drinking like Kristen said.  And, I always get out of aero before fueling (unless I am taking a sip from my aero bottle that is between my handlebars).  Just like riding in aero, it takes a bit of practice.

Yeah, gotta go with the practice idea.

When I am futzing with nutrition, I am in the Aerobars and keeping things stable with my forearms in down on the pads. It does take a bit of getting used to; I had a bit of a problem in my HIM last year when I dropped my last Cliff Bar 20 miles from the finish of the bike.

Luckily there was some food on the bike course otherwise the run was going to get really ugly. Since then, I always cut the tops off of my clif bars so that I can take it out of my pocket and eat it with one hand. (I also now carry an extra for races)

Am actually thinking to removing Gel from my nutrition plan. I found during training over the Winter that Clif Bars seem to work better for some reason.

Looks like a few of us are getting ready for some Spring Races.  I know that many others are in the middle of training plans for some good Summer racing. For the question of the week: Do you do any races in individual disciplines or just Triathlons. (Bike Races, Open Running Races, Marathoning, Masters Swim Events etc.)

Oh, and for the good of the group, please tell us how your week of training went and maybe a bit about your upcoming race. (Goal or Tuneup)

I'm still waiting with bated breath to find out whether I got into the half-mary I wanted (the Grandma's Half) or will have to do my second choice race, which is a month earlier.  The lottery for Grandma's is today, so if they charge my c.c., then I'll know.  I'd like to improve my half-mary time this year, but should probably be realistic and expect that I'll run about the same as last year - especially since I'm not doing a great job of getting my run training going.

I'm considering doing an indoor tri this weekend.  I'm going to call them to get some details.  I've never done one before, so it might be interesting to try, but I'm not sure how the timing will work out.  We'll see! I despise running on treadmills, so that might be the end of me, but ...

Other than that my first race of the year will either be my half-mary (mid-May) or an early June triathlon.  I don't get to have the springtime fun that you guys have - it's not really warm enough to lake swim until Memorial Day!  I should probably be breaking in my hiking boots - my mom and I are going hiking in Death Valley in April - I'm interested to see how my fitness will translate.  We'll be doing 6-10 miles a day, with scrambles and some good verticals. 

In response to other races, I do at least a few 1/2 marathons per year, a run series, and some open swim events.  I did the swim from Alcatraz in September of '06, and am considering doing The Fat Salmon 3.2mile swim this July.  I also the RSVP 186mile bike ride last August.  The first day was 100 miles, and I rode it fast in preparation for my Ironman, then went out for an hour run.  Then I rode the second day, 86miles easier.  I have a 1/2 marathon this coming weekend, and then a 20k run on March 22.  I consider these training runs though.  I don't go easy, but I also don't RACE them. 

As for last weeks training, it went pretty well.  I am putting more hours in then my schedule calls for, but it is a little thrown together.  Friday I was feeling pretty yucky, and knew what a busy weekend I would have, so I ran an easy 10 miles on the indoor track at the Y (160 laps around the indoor track).  It was a good thing though, because I slept a lot over the weekend, and did not train. 

Kristin, as far as the indoor tri, I hope you decide to do it.  I did one last year (I think it was in April), but it really help get me motivated for the upcoming season.  Sure, you have nothing to compare it to, but it just gets those juices flowing.

Have a great hiking trip inDeath Valley.  That sounds like a blast.  Our daughter is a big rock climber, and would be jealous.  That will be a good workout!

Erin, it sounds like you had a nice long ride.  Keep it up!  You will be able to complete your first Olympic Tri if you keep up with your training.  That is fantastic that you have come so far with your running in just one year.  Keep up the good work!