The Frozen (not so) North Mentor Group - CLOSED (Page 11)

Kelly - Congrats on your race. Great time too.

Wendy - If you have access to the swim and transition area, I recommend practicing your transitions there. NOT get in the water. If you can bring your bike, that may help. Just setup your transition spot anywhere in the transition area with your bike, walk as close to the swim exit as you can with barefoot. Set your watch. Pretend like you just got out of the water and high tail it to transition. Actually dress for the bike as if you are doing it. Practice drying your feet, putting on socks and bike shoes or sneakers, helmet, etc. Run your bike out of transition (NOT ride, not allowed) and mount and pedal once you are out. You only need to go a few pedls to get the feel of it.

My tri-club does a few of these. I live near a tri-course so it makes it convenient. Practicing it there really helped. I shaved time off my transition time by doing the practices.

That's some incredible improvement!  I ran Sunday in your honor - it was COLD out there!  Good job.

Way to go Kelly Sue. Awesome!!

Way to stay with it!! Great job...You crushed your previous time and in sub-freezing temps.

That's great Kelly Sue! I am so impressed. I find that I'm running a bit slower in the colder weather (don't have an explanation for it) - so the fact that you are even that much faster is fantastic.

I had a nice run in the cold last night. It was about 20 degrees. Funny thing it I am a warm weather person but I have been running in much colder weather lately that last night didn't feel cold.

I ran a 13 min pace and felt I could have ran faster (like 12 min pace) but I was pacing with someone who was going closer to 14 min pace. She had to pick up as I slowed down a little. It was a good compromise to our pace.

After the run, instead of going home, I stopped by the gym to do a body pump weights class. I was so tired when I got home. I showered, ate on the couch and promptly fell asleep. My poor hubby took the empty plat from my lap and let me sleep. Then I slept straight thru swim class. My tiredness was more due to the fact that I haven't slept much since Saturday night with a sick kid in the house. Today, I had to keep him home as well.

IRON MAN CHALLENGE 1/16 - 2/13/11
Swim - 2.4 miles (4225 yards): 1000 done
Bike - 112 miles: 16 miles done
Run -26.2 miles: 17.36 miles done

so I'm moving up to HIM distance in 2011 by skipping Oly level.... nutrition isn't really a concern during a Sprint so I'm starting to have to pay attention to getting in calories... My 90-Minute ride at about the 75 minute mark I start noticing the lack of energy to kick up a level if needed...

Anyone who has completed HIM/IM distance care to comment on timing of caloric intake or the types of things you've tried?

I've munched on fig newtons, and p+b crackers as well.  Haven't tried any gels or gu or any of that sort of thing yet.  I've got plenty of time yet so I plan on experimenting to see what works.  I've got a pretty solid stomach (digestion wise) so I'm not concerned with something causing me to under-perform, just looking for something to carry my efforts thru the distance


Edited by Mainer22 2011-01-26 12:02 PM

awesome on the race kelly sue.

Today was my day off.  Yesterday I did martial arts.    Monday- swimming lessons and ran 2 miles - 30 minutes

Kevin, nutrition for a half is very personal.  There are sites that talk about how many calories you should take in, so I can find those if you're interested.  I went with mostly liquid calories, though I did eat one Cliff bar.  Whatever you choose, definitely practice it on your long rides and get it right for you.

In general, eat something shortly before the swim, often a GU or something similar, and only drink water the first 15-30 minutes on the bike.  You're letting your heart rate get back down after the swim and getting used to being upright and blood flowing to your legs.  Then focus on getting calories in for most of the rest of the ride.  Typically you should go back to only water for the last 20-30 minutes of the bike.  For the run, again it's really personal, but I highly recommend using what's on the course and flat coke is AWESOME if they have that (most races do).

Don't forget plenty of water as well as calories.  Another great tip I got and super race prep is the race rehearsal.  I did two of these, well in advance of the race.  Essentially you do a 3 hour ride followed by a one hour run.  The reason is to dial in your pace and nutrition.  An hour run is enough to know if your bike pace and nutrition intake is at least in the ball park.

We can keep updating this as you get closer.  Pumpkinman is a great race.  I really hope to be there volunteering this year.

Self imposed rest week and 5 days off for dental work over!!!!! It was great to jump in the pool today for a nice 2000 yrd swim and top it off with an hour of strength training. It is amazing how much I missed working out the last 5 days

My week is an odd one so far, with up and down moments:

Sunday - rest day but also home with sick little one

Monday - no school (scheduled) but home with sick little one , got a evening run in with some weights.

Tuesday - oldest went to school, home with sick little one, CURSED the bike trainer because I couldn't figure it out. NO workout. SNOWSTORM of 6 inches or so.

Wednesday - Snowstorm last night meant no school today and thus no work. Called my local bike shop to ask if they sell my trainer. They do so I take mine over there. The mechanic patiently shows me how to set it up using the same model bike I have. I didn't have a skewer in the box so instead of selling me one he gives it to me with a smile.
All day we had rain, then sleet, then hail, now heavy snowstorm means probably no school tomorrow. I just finish shoveling AGAIN.

Setup my trainer and I am anxious to ride it. One of my friends told me Netflix has spinning DVDs so i am going to order one. In the meantime, I will ride as I watch TV.

Edited by Lovey 2011-01-26 8:25 PM

Howdy all!

Wendy - sometimes a self-imposed hiatus can do you good...I hope the dental work is done and you are recovering nicely.
Lovey - sounds like you've got a good LBS...I hope the trainer works well for you. I actually look forward to my time on the trainer because I can "veg" out in front of the TV and not feel so guilty about it!

Things are looking good from up here - lots (and lots and lots) of snow...but the days are still getting longer and longer. I'm thinking in about a month, I will be able to run in the morning before the kids get up for school. How's everyone's progress towards the IM challenge?

I know there have been a lot of threads on the TriTalk forum about motivation/mantras etc. but I always like to hear what works for others...what gets you out the door? what keeps you going when you are tired? what do you tell yourself at the end of a hard workout/race to push all the way to the end?

This quote is one of several that I read any day it would be easier to stay home or stay at work than workout.

"Each time you get into the gym for a workout on a day you just don't feel like exercising, you grow a little stronger as a human being..."

Great quote Wendy, and so true.

I agree that sometimes imposed time off can be a good thing.  Not on a regular basis, but life has a way of imposing on our workouts!

I got into the pool for the first time in a long time today, and wow do I love swimming.  I know I said I largely skip swimming for the winter, but I still really LOVE to swim.  If the pool was closer and easier to get workouts in, I'd do it all the time.  Not so much because I believe it would help my tri finish times so much, but simply because I love swimming.

Now if someone can turn off this snow machine we seem to be trapped in up here in the northeast, I'd be really happy.

Got in the pool today...decided on a good 45 minute swim.  Got interupted by "EVACUATE THE BUILDING!" at 25 minutes in.  I knew something was up when I could hear yelling while I was under water with a swim cap over my ears.   There was a small fire at the gym (at 6:00AM!).  Funny to watch all the 5:30 A.M  "over-achievers" running out of the building complaining that they only got a 30 minute workout in...wait, I was one of them!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Today was my lay off for weight watchers and I lost 2.8lbs! Over the last 3 weeks, I lost a toal of 4.6lbs. Yeah!

IM and snow shoveling.
Since so many of us have been shoveling and want to count it, i am sure we can figure out how to count it.
1. certain number of minutes equal so many miles
2. everyone count it towards the same discipline OR their weakest discipline.

15 minutes = 1 mile ??
1 mile for which or any discipline??

Lovey

Wait a minute. How do I count basking in sunshine then???? 

too funny!  Every time I show up at 5 am for a swim & see people already well into their treadmill workouts, I think, "who are these people?" 

hope they let you grab a sweatshirt before running outside...

That's great news Lovey! Good job. I knew all that snow shoveling was good for something.

I'd say you can apply 1 mile (or 2000 yards in the pool) for each 15 minutes spent shoveling snow...sound good? (does this mean we are now doing a Frozen Snow IM?)

Since it was 10 when I got up this morning - my gut reaction is to have it count against your overall time/distance. For every 10 minutes outside with only a t-shirt on, you should have to take 1 mile off...just kidding - but I am definitely jealous.

It's good to hear that some of you enjoy the swim because it can be a big stumbling block for a lot of triathletes. Parts of the swim I love: how you can glide over/through the water, how quiet it is under water, getting all the weight off your joints after a long run, swimming in a lake as the sun comes up. Parts of the swim I struggle with: getting into the slightly chilly water when I'm already cold, staring at the black line, frustration with my ability.

I hope you all (Wendy included reluctantly ;-) ) are staying warm and dry. Have a great weekend! I've got a long run (although, not nearly as long as some of Lovey's long runs!) planned on Saturday - which may have to be inside. The thought of 2:15 on a treadmill is a little overwhelming. One month to my half marathon - let's hope it warms up a bit before then.

I guess that means I was MINUS 99 miles biking yesterday

Lovey- huge congrats on the weight loss!

Well,  my log will have a "lack of pink" for the next several days- quite sick. A tad frustrated, but will be back on the bandwagon by next week. 

Definitely repeating Week 6 C25K.  Incorporating 12 minutes of running has been challenging.  I tried it with small run/recover intervals (and it didn't feel "smooth"), so I'll bump the runs up to 2 minutes.  Little worried about recovering after each set.

Have a great weekend!  I'll definitely be resting.

 

Since we now have a Frozen IM challenge:

2.4 mile swim
112 mile bike
26.2 mile run

NOTES:
-ellipticals with mileage can be counted (if you are injured)
-Spinning or group cycling class: 45 minutes = 12 miles bike, 30 minutes = 8 miles bike
-YMCA water exercise class = 8.5 laps (212.50 yards)

NEW***- snow shoveling: 15 minutes = 1 mile or 2000 yards in the pool

I am behind in the challenge but Saturday will knock out the run portion for me.

I will be spinning this weekend on my bike to get the mileage in. Knowing I need these miles really helps to get me pumped up to doing the indoor bike. Can’t say the same for the treadmill.

Next week back in swim class will knock off at least another 1500 yards.

This weekend I have a long run in. I had only one run in but missed my 2nd one due to snowstorms. I may do a very short run tonight. Tomorrow will be my longest run yet, 18 miles!!