Fred D Mentor Group Part III (Page 104)

Hi Kevin,

I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I just want to be fair to everyone.  This group is currently closed to new members.  Mentor groups usually reopen in the winter (very shortly) and we are deciding as a group if we are going to continue as a closed group or reopen to new members.  I hope you can understand our situation as if we were to accept you, there may be a flood of others who follow your lead and we are left to decide who gets in and who doesn't.

That said, it looks like you have an exciting season ahead of you.  BT is an awesome resource, and I have been a member of 4 different mentor groups as well as hosting my own group once.  I can say that each experience has been worthwhile, so you really can't go wrong as long as you're an active member on the site.

I'm with you.  I was thinking something like "The Fred D Legacy".  I love the Bourne movies...so that sort of came to mind. 

I'd like it to keep going as well.  Not really sure what to say on size as I'm very new to Mentor Groups.

tri808 - 2012-12-11 2:53 PM Planning to do an easy run at lunch and my 5' test later this afternoon.  I was planning on doing it, but there's no backing out now since Arend gave me a "friendly reminder". 

Isn't that interesting - somehow I had the same thing happen today.  Got it done tonight, managed 293 watts.  Chased 300, but that wasn't really realistic and I was sucking wind for the last couple of min just trying to hang on.

So, 253 for 20min, 293 for 5min, and 153 lbs = 240 CP @ 3.45w/kg.

Of course this was all done on the road bike, and I know the numbers will drop when it's time to test next.

Quick rant - my ITB is still giving me problems.  12km run on Sunday and it started going on me at km 9.  Really frustrated at the moment given that I've had massages, rolled it, etc, and still not right.

That's all...

I don't think any of the group is going anywhere - except Rusty who keeps getting spit out the back and then somehow manages to catch on again.

Anyway, without trying to sound elitist, too big a group leads to us being stretched in too many directions at the same time.  My vote is to keep the group at the current size.

I'm good with keeping the group as is.  I chatted with Tom via PM this week and he said he thought he would be back in the new year or sooner.

I'm headed to the airport shortly to drop my dad off.  He's headed to St Lucia for 2 months - I think he's got the right idea!

GoFaster - 2012-12-11 11:24 PM

tri808 - 2012-12-11 2:53 PM Planning to do an easy run at lunch and my 5' test later this afternoon.  I was planning on doing it, but there's no backing out now since Arend gave me a "friendly reminder". 

Isn't that interesting - somehow I had the same thing happen today.  Got it done tonight, managed 293 watts.  Chased 300, but that wasn't really realistic and I was sucking wind for the last couple of min just trying to hang on.

So, 253 for 20min, 293 for 5min, and 153 lbs = 240 CP @ 3.45w/kg.

Of course this was all done on the road bike, and I know the numbers will drop when it's time to test next.

Nice work Neil!

Neil, you had an actual diagnosis on this right?  Just to make sure it is nothing else?  I must say though that it took quite a while for me to get to the point where it no longer bugs me.  Lots of trips to ART and a lot of PT (strength training and stretching) before it stopped bugging me regularly and I was quite diligent with that PT.  I'd even be to the point were I was feeling fine but every few months would still need some ART. Now it is fine but that was about 2 years of treatment with the first 6 months having a lot of ART treatments and then just periodically every few months

To be honest, I'm on the fence. I considered closing my BT account. The way Bryan and Fred were treated combined with the way guys like Tom are allowed to do whatever they want is a huge turnoff.

I find I am learning very little on BT TT. Sometimes I'll try to provide a helpful comment, but I sometimes feel things get lost in the tons of crap that are flowing around. Sometime I feel that if I deleted my account I wouldn't have the temptation to post. I have held back many times saying what I thought

If I stay, it would be for this group only. I will finish my 2012 year logs and then decide.

I read somewhere (and honestly have looked and can not find the source) that most IT band problems can be managed with three execises:

1. one legged squats, focusing on keeping the knee laterally straight (no dipping to the inside or outside while you bend)

2. tie a theraband around your ankles and lift your leg, knee straight, out to the side.

3. same as #2, but lift to the rear.

These are also things that I learned in PT to help my IT band. Most other exercises have dropped off the radar, but these remain. Mine has been flaring up because I haven't been doing anything other than rolling.

I would recommend seeking out a runner-friendly PT to see if you can find out WHY it gives you problems. I found out that my knee dips inside when I run, and that just tugs at the IT band. I can be helped with the above exercises, or running on a treadmill in front of a mirror, making sure my knee bends straight. Mine is likely from an imbalance when I tore my meniscus.

I do understand how you feel.

Nevertheless

DON'T LEAVE ME!!!!!

I shall wrap you in the IronMelonPress. I'd like to see you try to wiggle out of that.

Isn't it you who said "don't pick at that" (the nasty chafe wounds?) I haven't, but boy I've wanted to. Instead, I've been picking crust and wiping slime out of my hair.

I'm in.

Hey Jason - thanks for asking the question that I am sure has been on everyone's mind - I know it has been on mine. I have to say that I feel like Marc. I feel a bit at odds by using some of the BT resources when the apparent strategic plan the BT owners have to grow their business really rubs me the wrong way. That is of course their prerogative and I do not begrudge them that. If it were not for this group, the IMLP group, and the Georgia state group (every bit as lively and knowledgeable as this one, and also a safe haven for smarties that have been run out of TT) I would have been gone a while ago as well.

So as long as the group sticks together, I am in, no matter which direction it takes. Not sure about the right number - at some point we probably ought to take a roll call for winter?

And Neil, don't you worry. I have been resting back here in the draft. With your IT band and all the 5 minute and 20 minute tests the other folks have been doing, it probably is my turn to take a pull or two at the front...

Neil - I second Elaine's advice about seeing a knowledgeable professional (if you haven't already) to get a) a solid diagnosis and b) to find out the root cause.

ITBS was the first ever injury that I sustained. It first appeared after a too-long run on a well-crowned road. I fiddle-farted around with it on my own forever (this was before the rise of the internets) before seeing a doctor. I basically laid off running, iced and stretched, and just continued to ride a lot. After finally seeing a doc, it turned out that my hips were rotated a bit due to a slight spinal curve and one leg is just a bit shorter than the other. Normal stuff for many of us it seems. His feeling was that even though I did not feel it when I rode, my cycling setup was exacerbating the problem. So I got my first ever bike fitting from a guy that was familiar with ITBS and cyclists. He lowered my saddle just a bit and slid me forward, and added a temporary spacer on the cleat of my offending leg which I rode with for about a year. He also had me work on drills to keep my knees close to my top tube and to use my interior thighs a bit more when I rode. My memory is hazy, but I do remember hating the position for a while. I felt like I had no power and I was getting killed by the guys I had ridden with forever. My cadence also had to come up quite a bit, which in hindsight probably helped a lot in the long run. I continued to ice but not stretch it - for me I think stretching made it worse. I have been good (touching wood) in the ITB department since - all that was about 22~23 years ago.

None of that is intended as a diagnosis, only to say that like many things ITBS is a one of those "chain" afflictions - it could be many things (and probably the combination of those things) that are causing it, and even the thing that causes it to flare up may not be the root cause itself. The best advice I have is get it diagnosed by someone that is really smart and can put eyeballs on you, and make it a priority to do exactly what they say, no matter how much it sucks.

Ok...so I'm guessing the general concensus is to keep the group as is.  If you were in the group at any time, you're still in for next season.  We'll start the group as "closed", but if any of you want to bring in new members, anyone is welcome to join. 

I'll send a PM to Ron letting him know and will coordinate.  In the spirit of Fred, lets try to keep his same rules about keeping topics as closely related to S/B/R as possible.

Marc...I think we all see a level of furstration that you have been experiencing in TT.  Personally, I feel you are an excellent member that many people learn from. 

5' test was a massive fail.  I had suspected this for a few months now, but something is very different about my trainer recently.  The amount of resistance compared to the amount of wattage my PT is showing is very off.  I've used it early last year for a 20' test and it was fine.  But for the past few months it has felt like a 300 watt effort feels only shows up as 230 watts. 

After my warmup, I knew things were off as I could barely warm up at 180 watts, and a few 1 minute bursts at 300 watts felt like hell.  Needless to say I just went for it anyway and managed 324 watts for 90 seconds before my legs just gave out.

So I'll be taking the 5' test to the road on Thursday.  The only problem is I don't have an area to do a proper 20' test outdoors.  I'll likely need to do it in an area with 3 U turns so my AP and NP will be a bit off due to 40ish seconds of coasting.

the problem with living on a rock.  I would have similar issues here with my 1 road town and nothing but hills

I bump equally - I'm going from 20:40:60 this week, to the neighborhood of 25:50:75 (all minutes) Yes, it is larger than the recommended 10% bump, but at 10 minute miles, it's 18 to about 22.5 - closer to 25% bump. I'm going to stay flexible with it though, and do less if I need to.

I'm also doing all long, slow stuff. Aside from the soccer game on Friday, I haven't done anything "speedy".