Lumber Dad's Mentor Group - Closed (Page 11)

I'm thinking of adding another triathlon to my schedule this summer. Sprint distance. How much time would you guys space 2 races?

The two races in blue below are the ones I'm doing, the two races in red are the ones I'm thinking of adding. I'll only add one of them.

June 11th - River Triathlon (Sprint Distance)
July 10th - Graham Beasley (Sprint Distance) ? *4 weeks after first race*
July 30th - National Capital Triathlon (Sprint Distance) ? *5 weeks before 'A' race for summer*
Sept 3rd - The Canadian (Olympic Distance)

I am flat weight, after a weekend "binge" of chocolate.  Classic case of eating the wrong foods at the wrong time, killing my week.  Still working on the nutrition aspect of the game!  

Shawn, you shouldn't have trouble adding either one of these races. I would think that July 30th race would be a good tune up for your A race.  

i have two races in August that I like to do that are two weeks apart.  

By the way, my only workout today was removing around 20in of snow, which took a couple hours with a snowblower.  The Boston area got hammered!  Sort of throws a wrench into one's weekly plans.

You would think as much as we workout we wouldn't have to worry about what we eat, just doesn't work that way.

 

completed second swim lesson last night....going slowly but going well....working on technique and fundamentals.  right now my training week is:

2 spinning classes
1 slow tempo run on indoor track
1 swim lesson and 2 practice sessions on my own
2 boot camp classes for cardio & strength
1 weight lifting class for strength

Lots of snow in Cincinnati!

this was a lot easier when I was younger! seems like when you hit 54 it is so much harder (muscle breakdown, joints, etc). but taking it slowly to prevent injuries at the beginning.

hope everyone is doing well.

Jeff

Got a 65 minute run in this morning, but felt slow. Looked back at my training log and I haven't missed a day running since Dec 22nd. Think I will listen to my body and take off from running tomorrow, maybe just do some yoga.

I know a lot of you in this group are working on your swimming.

Just saw on the main Triathlon Talk forum that Bigfuzzydoug has his swimming tips out there. I have seen them posted from time to time and they are some great tips.

thx...i would have missed thoes...appreciate it....I feel like a whimp compared to you guys...I will catch you by the time I am 102 years old? 

Link: http://beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid...

For all you geeks with iPhones *(yes I fall within that group)* RunKeeper Pro is free for the month of January.

Great app to keep track of your runs on your iPhone.

http://blog.runkeeper.com/mobile-app/runkeeper-pro-is-free-through-the-month-of-january/

Edited by sozzie 2011-01-13 1:12 PM

Thanks Shawn

I also downloaded it for my Droid Phone.  The free app works pretty good and the pro provides audible cues while running (pace, distance, speed, etc).  Good app.

Shawn 2 : Winter 0

Temp: -9c/15f
Temp with wind: -16c/3f

5k - 29m16s

That's pretty slick. I had it running on my iPhone but decided to play my iPod since I didn't have any good music on the phone. I'll have to try it over the weekend.

Got in 30 minutes swim with a swimming coach and another 15 straight swim session of just practicing what the instructor taught  ( I SUCK AT SWIMMING)   Every day in every way I get better. Doing more running has helped in the pool. My fitness is whole lot better.  Speed isn't my problem with swimming,  breathing and endurance are.  Coach asked me if I could come back tomorrow night while she is life guarding and she will watch periodically while I do the drills again. This time last year I could doggie paddle one length of the pool. This year I can freestyle 8 lengths nonstop if I dont swallow half the pool on a one of my breathing sessions.  Go back on call tomorrow at 5 so will get my training in where I can.

Well, first training challenge/setback of the year.  I have struggled with shin splints for a couple of years and that is why I took the last 4 months of last year (2010) off.  During my run on Wednesday, I noticed that my right calf muscle was tight and it hurt to push off when running.  The pain was slight and went away about 1/2 mile into my run and it did not return until yesterday when I ran up the stairs and noticed it, but this time a little more painful.  It is a dull, achy pain in the soleus (had to look that up) muscle the runs under the main calf muscles (gastrocnemus, had to look that up too).  It is on the inside of my lower right leg, real close to the tibia.  It almost feels like shin splints but the pain is not on the tendon or the bone, but in the muscle. 

So, I read up on it and found that I need to stretch the heck out of this thing and NOT go on my run today.  I will skip the run today and turn the workout into an all body weight session (ran out of time yesterday to do legs after my swim).  Hopefully, with some stretching, ice, Ibuprofin, I can avoid any further deviations from the training plan and avoid a "major" setback like shin splints (which could result from tight calfs).  If the pain does not go away, it could be compartment syndrome, which might require surgery.

Anybody have any similar issues with tight calfs?  Any cures, special stretches you can share would be great.

Eric, sure hope you can get your calf before it cuts into your season. The only streatch in know for the calf is the old one where you push against a wall.

Have you read the book "Born to Run"? I know it has started this minimalist running shoe craze which I have bought into. I just know when I run in my Vibrams I can feel it im my calf. It makes me think I am strengthening. Most people use these kinds of shoes as training tools. Go out for a short run a few times a week. The are also coming out with shoes like the Vibrams five-finger but without the toes, which would make them easyer to put on.

Hope some of this helps.

Wes, Great job on the swimming. There is so much to learn there so the more time with a coach the better.

Learning to swim with your head down and getting your breathing has to be one of the hardest things. Even after I figured it out in the pool, I got in a race with all the other swimmers around me I ended up swimming the old way with me head up. So don't worry if that happends. It just takes some time to get comfortable swimming in the open water with all the other swimmers.

Thanks Lenny. Hows the neck doing? Tonight got  55 minutes of spinervals (4.0 lean an mean) Anyone ever done spinervals or some other videos for spinning on the bike trainer?

I'm off to do a triple this morning. 1x swim & 2x spin. Should be a great morning!

Have a great weekend everyone.



[i really need to learn how to spell.]

Edited by sozzie 2011-01-15 12:25 PM

just curious, what swim breathing pattern do yuo folks use...every 3rd stroke...every 4 stroke, etc....i have had ione swim instructor tell me breath every 3rd and one tell me every 4th (knowing this keeps me to breathing on one side).  thoughts?

My swim coach has me doing one side but every session she has me try to do both side and says it will come with practice. It has been said that being comfortable breathing out either side is benificial in a race. Good luck with your breathing its has been quite the journey for me

I would think every 3rd stroke, you want to be able to breath from both sides during a race. It help in being able to sight from both sides. 

This is my amatuer BOP opinion, but bilateral breathing is over emphasized with MOP and BOP'rs. First of all, many of the top OW swimmers do not bilateral swim breathe. I have seen too many swimmers spend valuAble pool time trying to force themselves into it. It never ever felt comfortable to me and finally I gave it up and it has made swimming so much more enjoyable.

BTW, Lumber Dad, Go Pack Go! Great victory! Bring on the Bears!

Edited by McLuvin 2011-01-16 12:03 AM