Mad Manatees Mentor Group - VERY CLOSED!!! Sorry! (Page 11)

Hi Manatees, I am back.  Vegas was a blast, we had a ton of fun.  Unfortunately, all the dry desert air and smoke in the Casinos has caused me to catch a pretty bad cold.  I started feeling sick our last day there, spent most of Christmas day sleeping on the couch, even at my bro and SILs!  Visit with the kids, fall asleep.  Open presents, fall asleep.  Eat dinner, fall asleep.  I slept until 1pm today as well.  What a waste!!  Last year Christmas sucked cause I lost my sweet doggie, this year I am sick!  Sigh.  Oh well, I will make the best of it.  Hoping to see my cousins later today. 

I think my JoGo is shot.  I didn't get to do much on Christmas Eve, and definitely didn't do anything yesterday.  Likely won't be doing much today either, as soon as I start moving, I start having a coughing fit.  I'll see what I can do for tomorrow!

Like I said, I am about 8 pages behind; I hope everyone has had a good Christmas and has been able to spend time with loved ones.

Welcome back and Merry Christmas! Sorry you weren't feeling well 

rrrunner - 2012-12-26 3:54 PM Heya Manatees!

Well I skipped my Masters group this morning
I didn't have to work so I couldn't convince myself to trade my warm bed for a cold pool. I did, however, get a Jogo hour run in, after hitting the post Christmas sales at my fave sporting good stores. I got some warm socks, a wind-breaker running jacket, and some Sleestak looking gloves that should keep my hands warm on those cold rides.

Seriously??

Woohoo for getting in a run, though!

You're brave...Couldn't get up my nerve to face present returning he!! to exchange some workout clothes. I think tomorrow will work just fine.

Now to get my JoGo in.

I knew there was a reason I joined this thread!

If you haven't read this story about the guy that drank 13 beers in 13 miles... I highly recommend it.  

http://exercisingwhileintoxicated.wordpress.com

I need way more time in my day, or the ability to move at twice the speed I currently move at.  

This is my crazy Christmas schedule...

Worked Monday - supposed to drive to Portland @ noon with my brother.  I finished work @ 10:30 - he got screwed with extra work so I went and helped him finish his job (we work at the same company)..

• We didn't hit the road until 5:00 p.m.

Made it to Portland at around 8:00 - my son got to play with his cousins until 9:00 then it was off to bed

• I wrapped presents until 11:00 p.m.
• Went to bed at midnight
• kids up at 6:00 a.m.

Drive my son to his mothers at 10:00 a.m. - spend Christmas with my sister - eat dinner - leaver her place @ 8:15 p.m. 

• Home and in bed @ 11:00 p.m.
• Up at 4:30 a.m. for work this morning (I hate my job)

I get done with work @ 2:30 - do my grocery shopping - put all the groceries away, and clean the kitchen.  My friend is flying in tomorrow - so I still have to vacuum, clean the bathrooms, and change the bedding on the spare bed (hopefully she'll just choose to sleep in my bed)... on top of all that

I STILL HAVE TO RUN 8 FRICKING MILES... (I'm actually looking forward to it, just don't know how I'm going to fit it in)

I have to wake up early again tomorrow so I can call in sick since my boss wouldn't give me the day off to pick up my friend from the airport.  (screw him - he's a jerk anyways).  

The good news is, I get to go back to sleep for an hour after calling in sick, then I'm going to pick up my friend from the airport.  Hopefully things will settle down... I need a break.  

Done whining.  Time to HTFU and clean, eat and run.  

Goodnight Fellow pod mates.... If I miss the next 5 pages of this thread, please don't hold it against me.  

Christmas was pretty decent here, nothing too unexpected, which is just the way I like it. My turkey turned out f'n AMAZING!!!! I did a brine for it 2 nights ago with brown sugar/honey added--it truly brings out some flavor...On Monday night, I got the turkey out of the brine and gave it a liberal rub-down with olive oil and salt--left it over night, rubbed it down again on Tues. morning and cooked it up good...AMAZING (so much so, I had to say it again)

Okay, got my bragging out of the way...

So...onto my training. I did post my upcoming races for 2013--ranging between flat out runs, triathlons, and obstacle course/mud runs. I will need to work on my running (obviously), and then I also have my regular tri training w/my tri coach; and I also figure that I should get my strength training in as well--I DO NOT want to have to bypass ANY obstacles in ANY races in 2013.  That being said, my question is, should I do a couple sessions of strength training (i.e. full body, longer time frame workout) a week, or should I go the Crossfit, short strength/functional workout of the day type method? Obviously, this would be coinciding with the other stuff. I am not worried about losing any speed to strength gains, as I am pretty much the slowest person out there but I REALLY need to get some upper body strength, and lower body certainly could use some as well.

Kate, I fully recommend Crossfit.  It can sometimes clash with tri training because it is draining as all get out but their workouts allow you to modify things to your needs in general.  Plus you get some good oneish on one training showing good form for later workouts.  I actually gained some speed by doing Crossfit.

Chad, sounds like it was a full few days but it was with family so I hope it all went well.  I hope the spare bed gets no use in the next few days for you and I am looking forward to this 13 beers in 13 miles blog!

Felicia, 28 with little wind sounds awesome, I can't stand wind and have no idea how you were running in the 25mph stuff earlier.

Adrienne, that trip to NY and Boston sounds like a great.  I stayed on Long Island for a few weeks but could never get away from class to get into the city.  Austin is also far and away my favorite part of TX although it's the least Texan part of Texas I believe.  Your really have me jealous on SXSW too!

I'm happy I joined the Cavorting Naked and Wet with Hot Models and Other Holiday Frolicking Thread!  12 mile bike trainer ride to Doctor Who! followed by a very icy 5k.  I am thinking about doing a Polar Dash 10k Jan 1st... should I commit myself to running at 9am on the 1st?!?!

Holy Sh*t - I wish I was that fast.  Maybe I am, I've never tried.   

Stacey, I'm not going to get into the $$$ of the question.  I think about what I am trying to get out of a race. Mid April is your A race. You've got a "measurement" kind of race in mid March. So the question is, what do you want to get out of the January race? Are you looking at figuring out where you are right now? Is it just a workout? Can you work on specifics, like transitions?

That said, I would set my goal (not a time goal, but objective) for the race, sign up and do the race. Just keep in mind what your goals are, specific to the race.

Today is a new day, and you are back at it. And if lounging is the worst thing you did yesterday, than good on ya. So, today is ride, Insanity, and gourmet cooking. Enjoy!

Awesome job! 80 second 1/4. WOW!!! Wednesdays are going to be track days? Did you have to juggle the schedule a bit?

I guess both my goal and concern relate mainly to the swim. I can swim well in the pool, no issues apart from a lack of speed but when I swim in OW I have an inability to put my face in the water.

So my thoughts for the race are that I can use it to work on that but my concerns are that the race is in a fresh water (man made) lake and I have been told that the water is really manky and I am also thinking that it might make my face in the water problem worse rather than better.

OK, so now we have something to work on, namely the face in the water issue. Can you get to the race site, primarily in the water, between now and then? It looks like you know what you need to work on and what you need to learn. IMO, you should get some OWS time in the next few weeks and work on the face in the water part. It is a bit different from the pool, but it is where most races occur, so if you can familiarize yourself, you'll be better off.

That's my 2 cents, but I'll let the swimmers in the group give you real advice

I was a little freaked out when I first realized that I couldn't see my hand in front of my face under water. (We have some murky lakes here, too.) To get used to it, sometimes I close my eyes while swimming in the pool when my face is under water. I open my eyes when I take a breath to check my position relative to the lane dividers. Once I became comfortable not seeing anything, the open water vision problem kind of disappeared.

But I know where you are coming from. I grew up with pools, and didn't much like putting my face in those even. I try to get my kids out in open water a few times in the summer, now. They have decided that they prefer open water to pool swimming. I do, too, honestly.

What is it about putting your face in the water in open water that bothers you?  Do you have difficulty breathing (in the pool) and are concerned that you will inhale "lake" water?  Do you not like being able to see very well?  

Also - do you have a different pair of goggles for Open Water?  My open water Goggles almost look like a scuba face mask...they allow you to have your peripheral vision...my pool goggles are the normal racing style goggles.

For me - I grew up a competitive swimmer - not even remotely scared of the water BUT when I did my first OWS practice, I got the jitters.  Suddenly I remembered every piranha and alligator / crocodile movie I have ever seen.  Totally crazy, and unrealistic as I am in Washington state...but it still crossed my mind. "What if someone let a pet go in this water?"  LMAO.  The first time my feet hit a weed - I about swam out of my wetsuit.    Now, I prefer swimming in a lake to the pool.  The pool is sooooo boring.  

I would recommend better goggles (if you don't have them already) and I would go to a lake that has a swim area roped off so you can use the rope as a guide at first, or an area where you can swim along the shore and the water is no more than a few feet deep.   Swim with a buddy if you can..you might feel a bit more comfortable then.