Asphalt Junkies Spring 2013 - Closed (Page 105)

O.k. - sometimes I make some impulse purchases ....

I just ordered a pair of Hoka One One shoes. Have any of you seen/read about these shoes? They are ridiculous looking but get some really good reviews from some really experienced runners. They are also crazy expensive at $170.00. For that price they better do the running for me LOL! I found a pair of the trail version for closer to $100 but even that is still a lot more than I have been spending on my running shoes. We'll see......

I've never used them, but a good friend who is crazy fast (he won his AG sprint nationals last year) swears by them.  He's had foot issues for some time but he loves these.

Dina, I heard the Hoka are the bomb.  I wanted to try a pair but no one in town sells them..  I was afraid to buy on-line and get the wrong size... let us know.

Tony, give more input to what we need to be doing for the 70.3, you said planning.  Should we get on the thread?

Heard wonderful things about them.  Let us know what you think!

Karl you'll get better advice from the vet's in the group on specifics then you will from me but I think you guys should really start thinking about what you need to do to be able to complete a HIM now. Can you do the distances in S/B/R and if not what do you need to do to be able to do that? I would start working towards figuring that out now as opposed to starting a training plan 6 months before the HIM.

For example if you need to work on your swimming to be able to do the 1.2 mile distance I would start working on doing that now. It's better to get a head start on this now so you know that you'll be able to do it. You'll have a lot more confidence going in knowing you can do it then trying to do it while you are following the training plan.

I think one of the mistakes I may have made was going from knowing nothing about triathlon and having zero background in triathlon to trying to complete a HIM in 11 months. I was trying to learn and train at the same time and had no idea on whether or not I could actually do it. Being that you guys have a background and have been training I think the advantage you have is to start getting yourself ready now so you'll go into the training plan knowing you can do it instead of hoping you'll be able to do it. To me it means working on whatever it is that you need to in order to be successful.

Come to think of it I'm doing the same thing I did with the HIM that I'm trying to do for the IM. I'll never learn I'm just too impulsive but don't be like me start thinking about this now. 

Thanks Tony, good advice.  So what you are saying is I've got to SWIM, SWIM, SWIM, maybe grow gills and swim some more...lol 

Hey i've got confidence that if you did your IM tomorrow, you would finish with a GREAT time!

Karl yes that is exacty what I am saying and you are not the only one who needs to swim and grow gills. Also you're more confident about my chances than I am at this point. I still have much work to do and only a little over 4 months left to do it. I'll be very happy just to be able to finish IMWI before the 17 hour cutoff and I will be absolutely thrilled to be able to survive the swim. If I get through that swim I feel like I'll finish.

On another note there is a thread out there on WTC changing the IM swim starts. I believe they are looking at moving races from mass starts to time trial starts. I think IMCDA is going to be a time trial start. Nothing official from WTC though but they are getting a lot of feedback apparently from participants about going to TT starts. I think safety is the main consideration for looking at doing this.

There is no doubt if swimming that distance is any issue at all, you need to get in the water as much as possible.  The end of the swim is really the beginning of the race.  You should be able to go 1.2 miles without feeling very fatigued at all.

The bike is a critical part, but again, the end of the 56 mile bike shouldn’t leave you fried at all and in fact the effort on the bike shouldn’t be too hard compared to your hard training rides.  There is still that little 13.1 mile run ahead when you leave T2.

Though the half distance isn’t nearly as daunting as the full and you can make a lot more mistakes and get away with it, race execution is also an important and often overlooked part of doing long course.  As the day gets closer, we can talk more about proper race execution.

I agree with Warren.  I know you've struggled with swimming and that would be a strong focus going into the preparation period.  Any weakness you have should be a distinct focal point during the lead up to a HIM.  If you are looking at a HIM in a little over a year I would spend a lot of time in the pool and opened water doing longer intervals, say 500 and longer just to get some personal self confidence.  Possibly focus on each of your 2 weakest disciplines for at least 2 months and then rolling back into a more even focus.

The 2 month focus would not leave out either of the other disciplines, but draw an intense focus on the weaker one.  Possibly do 4 swims a week and 2-3 workouts each for the bike and run.  After the first cycle change to the other discipline and back down from the first focus but hold a higher volume for each work out.  For instance: If you were getting swim workouts in at 2000 yards each work out drop to 2 - 3000 yard workouts and hold some good intensity.  Then do something similar for the bike.

If you do longer swim workouts you'll be amazed at the kind of fitness you can maintain in 2 work outs per week.  I normally have time for 2 swims a week and I seem to be able to hold my own in the water.  (My swims are usually not less than 3000 yards for any given WO.)

Karl, I concur!  Start focusing on the weak points and you will be much better off when the time comes.  If only I would take this advice and realize TRI means 3 sports.  Oh well...what a better time to learn to swim than during a race with a bunch of other "supporters"

Ok, time for a game,

I need help to determine a decent pace for this weekends race.  I looked up McMillan and this fool states I should be able to do 7:34 (1:39:05 total) by using my most recent 5K.  I know this assumes the proper amount of training, and even though I have had some issues I have held my mpw at a minimum of 20 for 2 weeks and the rest have been over 30 since the beginning of March.  My last long run was 13 miles and was "easy" at 8:51 pace, last mile came in at 7:25!  I am definitely in unchartered territory for my abilities and pacing!  Its one thing to target a 9:00m pace but to possibly get close to 7:30 and go under 1:40 would be amazing!

My thinking is to go at 7:40 for the 1st 7 miles, evaluate where I'm at and try to step it up a notch, possibly to the 7:34 pace.  Hold this pace for at least 3-4 miles and then push to the end with what ever is left.  I just want to make sure I get fully engrossed into the "pain" zone and push to the limits.

So what do you say Junkies, am I holding back to much? Perfect pacing? Or just going to explode at the 10 mile mark?

Samantha- So sorry to hear that your elbows are still giving you problems. Hope the ART improves things.

Back in 2010, I did the Las Vegas HM. Since then, my husband started running to help him lose weight. He usually only runs about 30 mins a few times a week but has been pretty consistent for awhile now. Yesterday I asked him if he would consider running the HM in December with me (gives both of us plenty of time to train, and give me a long term goal for 2013). He liked the idea, so looks a Dec HM is on the calendar for us.

McMillan has proven to be very close for me.  During run up to Boston, after my BQ races, I plugged my numbers in and found that it was almost dead on with everything down to my 5k PR.

Your plan?  Sounds like a good one to me.  The good thing about a HM is that, while it's still long course, it's not 3+ hours of torture.  If you can make it to the 7 mile mark at a 7:40 or slightly less you should be able to crank it up a notch and pull the pace down to closer to 7:34, as you stated, then see what's left in the tank.

One last thing about McMillan.  You've already said it yourself but putting yourself in the hurt box for 3 miles will prove important if you are interested in laying down something sub 1:40.  I think you should be able to pull it off.  actually I know you can as long as you don't give in to the pain.

michgirlsk - 2013-04-24 10:05 PM I would like to join for the summer session but I'm not sure how active I'll be if you guys want to take that into consideration when deciding numbers. My elbows are absolutely killing me and with a desk job I am not getting them any opportunity to heal. The past couple or weeks have been really bad for me. And with bad elbows, I can't swim, and as I recently discovered, I can't bike outdoors either! That's what triggered the elbows to be the worst they've been as I learned in the days following the ride. If I'm not swimming, and I'm not biking, it's difficult for me to be thinking about doing triathlons! Honestly I would probably bag this whole year from triathlons if it weren't for the fact that I qualified for worlds. That's probably the only thing that's got me still thinking about triathlons this year! Need to make it to September in triathlon shape! For now the running is going okay, I've decided to go back to the ART specialist. I'm hoping my running won't be limited due to injuries and that I can manage a run focus through the summer!!! ......that's where my head is at right now anyway! Subject to change

It sounds like your injury may be getting compounded by the bike.  I don't remember if you've ever had a bike fit.  Jeff would certainly be the one to pose questions too if this is the case.  Pictures would be in order with you on the bike of course, but it might be the way to get you back into training sooner.  I seriously would consider a solid bike fitting if you can pull it off.

I know we talked about your hand positioning at your desk too. Have you been able to make adjustments? 

If you want to stay in the group over the summer I don't have a problem with it.  Posting infrequently doesn't matter either.  We should be a support group and not a place where you feel you need to keep track of every single post anyone makes.  Trust me, that gets overwhelming in short order.  Right now you just need to be able to get to Worlds.

Having the support of your husband is absolutely priceless!  If he's got the desire to run a HM with you than that should help you remain consistent in your training.  Having that long to get ready for a HM will prove very rewarding come race day.  You'll be great!

Now for me, but I'm short on time so.........

I am thinking about doing another marathon in the next few weeks to attempt another BQ.  The events that transpired on April 15 left me struggling with many things but, in short, I have one reason to try to go back to Boston.  I have been waging a war within myself for over a week about this and Lis and I discussed it a short time last night.  I know I have to make a decision quickly but there are a lot of considerations that must go into this decision, most of which revolve around Lis.

My reason, my sole reason, is to simply defy terrorism.  I've said it multiple times since the race and I'll probably say it again.  I would have run the same course on Tuesday if I could have physically been able to do it and if would have been opened just to figuratively (because I don't use the middle finger thing at all) wave my middle finger at the terrorists.

Thoughts?  Simple fooshness?

RunningYogini - 2013-04-24 10:25 PM BTW....It was gorgeous (and hot) out here again today!  We broke a 100 year old high temperature record for today!  The old record was 68.  Today we hit 70!  Holy moly!  It was frigging HOT!!!! 

I'm jealous - we had 50, rain and wind here yesterday. DREARY!

What is Lis thinking about it? How are your girls doing? I was thinking after the incident that I could see your girls (wife included) feeling a little like they want to hold on to you and maybe slightly stressed as you go about signing up for more races. You, on the other hand, I am not at all surprised that you feel the way you do. In fact I kind of expected to hear you say this .

I am absolutely positive that there are other people feeling just like you do and no, I don't think it is foolishness at all.

And since you are all trained up right now this would be the perfect time to go for it again!

Thanks for the advice on the HM and i will follow it.

Samantha, hope your elbows get well soon.  Good Luck!

I often feel like the end of the bike is the beginning of the race because the run is my favorite part.... LOL. Maybe that is because I've been following the Olympic distance training plan and am still sticking with Sprints when it comes to racing.

Dirk- I know that you will feel much better about this if you have Lis's support and I hope you do. I say do it! I hope many of the runners that were and were not able to complete the race this year return next and are able to represent and show in some way that they ran in 2013.