Todd's Tri Turtles 2 (Beginner, Sprint, 5K, 10 K) - Closed (Page 11)

Alrighty,

We were able to let in some more people who I think will fit into the group quit well and already got a couple of the originals back with us, Hooray. I am going to close the group again because I want to make sure that it can still be personal and close knit. As stated before when I reopened it I will always allow any of the orginial people to return if they wish, hopefully some more come back.

I will put together a list tomorrow or the next day of everyone so that we can make sure everyone is in our friends list and the group members are all known.

Once the above stated is done this group will really get kicked into gear, so get ready for some challenges, inspires, and supportive nudges if you start to fall off.

Thanks for the info. You covered all of my questions and I think I will probably buy one, but will wait until closer to June. Now I just need to decide on sleeves or no sleeves. I live in the Pacific NW and am leaning more towards full, but I'm not sure. Does anyone else live in the area or completed any tris in the area with opinions. Thanks again!

Hi

Just thought I'd share a fun training session I had today. (Something must have happened because it's the first time I've used the word fun in relation to exercise)

I decided to mix up my riding. I put my MTB in the back of the car and headed off to an area that has a lot of hills. I took the MTB because I wasn't sure of the condition / construction of the paths I'd be taking and the thin tyres on my road bike are prone to punctures on rough surfaces. Well I certainly found some hills and I worked up a sweat. Hills have been my "kryptonite" as it is very flat where I live and I tend to struggle up hill.

I ended riding approx 40 kms at a leisurely pace most of the time as I was exploring a new area. I found one hill that I ended walking up so I'm keen for a rematch so I can make it to the top. I did have a PB by reaching 60KMH on a MTB. OK it was down hill and wind assited but it was a lot of fun.

I'll be heading back with my road bike next week. The difference between the MTB and the road bike is like comparing a tractor and a race car. Certainly get a better work out on the MTB but I'll be racing on the Road Bike so I'll train as much as I can with that.

Rod

24 mile Mountain Bike Ride, Very Impressive. You will be killing that hill and no time and looking for another I'm sure.

Well we're snowed in today in Rhode Island. I'm thinking I should get my bicycle setup on a trainer and try out one of the Sufferfest videos - they look awesome. It looks likes Revolver and Fight Club are a couple of the more popular ones. Does anybody have a recommendation?

Can't recommend one right now. I just the lot of them and am going to start the beginner training schedule so I will let you know how I go. Good luck.

Rod, sounds like a nice ride! Have you raced with the MTB? From what I've read a tri can be completed on a MTB if that's all you have but that the street bikes are much more efficient (of course). All I have for now is my cheap little bike. It said it works for both "on and off road". I'd like to get new tires at least for my first sprint tri in April. A new bike will come after that



I did get out and run yesterday. Wow. I keep track of my workouts on my phone and it's showing it's been 10 weeks since I last ran! Oops.... I went out aiming for 3 miles, but once I got out there I kept it to 2. I got a massive side stich just before halfway and had to slow to the slowest possible jog for a bit. I was determined to not walk, but I'm pretty sure it would have been faster at that point.

So, besides the fact that I haven't been in so long, it was nice to get out there. It was a bit chilly (for Tx) and the cool air really bothered my throat for the whole run. I recovered pretty well after, which was a nice surprise. Last time I took a sizeable break from running the first couple of times out I couldn't seem to catch my breath for a long time after. Nice to see I haven't lost all the progress made from before.



I appreciate all the posts about the wetsuits! I'm looking at renting one for the Kemah Tri in April b/c it looks like the water is typically cold enough for one. I've never used one before though, so I'm going to have to rent it early and practice in it at least a couple times before the race. The wetsuit will go the way of the bike for me... assuming I survive my first tri I'll be looking to invest in one after a bit.

Shannon

Shannon,

Good to hear you're back out running. I'm flying out to Houston in early February for a conference. I'm staying near the George Bush Park. Do you know if that is a nice and safe place to go running either in the early mornings or evenings?

Patrick

I have run at an event there before and can tell you that I felt very safe (it sits a little down from Cinco Ranch and is in a very nice area). It is also a very large, nice, and well kept park for running, biking, soccer, just about anything. The only thing you have to watch out for is bikes because some of the paths are used by both.

Patrick,

I've actually never been there. I'm not very good at going out and finding new places by myself, so once I start running somewhere I don't branch out much. With that said, I've heard it's very nice. I'm aiming to get out there at some point just to check it out.

Todd, thanks for the heads up about the bikes. I may have to take mine out there when I try it out. What kind of events do they have out there?

Shannon,

I'm a newbie to triathlon. Last year I did a lot of cycling in preparation for a 100km charity ride. Initially I did my training on my MTB while I saved for a road bike. The main difference is the weight of the bikes and the thinner tyres mean less road resistance and effort on your part. The other advantage of a road bike is you can use the drops on the handlebars when riding into the wind to reduce wind resistance.

Have a look at the transition area in any triathlon and you'll see a variety of bikes ranging from basic to those that cost half a years salary. I've seen many MTBs in entry level events. I think that the important thing is that you are out there riding in the first place and enjoying yourself.

Rod

I don't know what all they have, but I did a Wellness 5K there that is put on by Houston Wellness once each month (at least in 13 it was). The event is free to the public to promote a healthy lifestyle, but they do ask for donations and sell shirts (your name the price) to raise money. Low key with around 100 runners, very laid back, but a real timed 5K run.

Edited by Hunting Triathlete 2014-01-22 5:03 PM

Awesome! I'm going to run a 5K on Sunday ^_^ They are still offering them the last Sunday of each month.

I was flipping through the different Challenges blogs earlier today and started thinking about a goal I had from last year, to enter a competitive event of sorts each month. I was thinking January was out of the picture since we just have one week left so I would just start next month, but I'm going for it! I'm going to take it easy since I'm a bit out of shape, but I'm going to show up and finish.

That will also ensure I run this weekend. I'm such a home body I'm really bad about staying home once I'm there (which is why running on the way home after work seems to be best).



Rod, I appreciate the bike transition info. Even though I know it's not the case, I always get worried that I'm going to be the only one without the proper gear, or be the only one with no experience. From everything I'm read I know these races have a wide range of people, but the reminder now and then is nice!

I got the Sufferfest videos last year and when I was doing them on a steady basis I was pretty sure I could beat Chris Lieto on the bike LOL I found out REAL FAST I was going to get a fantastic workout with them. I did WHAT I COULD as far as the speed goes. My favorites are *The Wretched* *Fight Club* *Local Hero* and *There is no try* The scenery and the way they have the videos set up are fantastic! I have not done one in a long time and I think I will do one this weekend. Have fun with it and welcome to Sufferlandria!

My Wetsuit came with my bike as I bought a *Tri Package* I have a *Blue Seventy* wetsuit and I really do not need it as the water out here is always warm. I have only tried it on one time and that is the day my bike arrived at my house. When I was looking at sizes I am glad I went up a size. If I would of got the one the store was telling me to get (based on height/weight) it would of been way to tight across my chest. My wetsuit seems to fit perfect but I need to drag it to the pool one day to see how it feels in the water.


Shannon~ do NOT EVER feel you don't have the *right gear* at a Tri. My first one I rode my heavy (but comfy) beach cruiser bike WITH the basket on the front LOL It did not have click in pedals and I had never worn bike shoes in my life. I wore my running shoes on my bike and the only thing I bought was a Tri suit. You will see all kinds of bikes and different levels of gear. I did not want to drop a ton of money on a Tri bike if I ended up not wanting to do it again. The business that puts on the local Tris here where I live now has a *Beach Cruiser* division. There are a LOT of people who dont want to go to Kona...lol they just want to get out there with everyone else and have some fun. The cruiser division lets folks take part in the Tri without the pressure of buying a bunch of new gear.

Having another busy busy week at work.

Made arrangements to run/walk a 5k tomorrow after work. we got a group together to run/walk every Tuesday and Thursdays after work. This should help keep me accountable.

Saturday TRX and Cycling. Sunday will be working out with a friend.

Still having problems arranging my swim workouts. Checking out another pool in the area. The last two were closed until the spring.

Any ideas for a good and easy to make breakfast??? Getting tired of oatmeal and eggs.

Hope you are all have a great week !!!

Originally i thought tonight as somewhat frustrating and yet made a good self discovery. I'm writing this primarily to help me remember

Having the catch hand and arm go solidly(but not rigid) against my body allowed me to become much more "slippery". My body rotation was much more efficient ie easier with greater rotation. I can only assume this equates to better hydrodynamics/ less drag. I was doing drills and didnt time it but it felt pretty cool. Breathing is still the elephant in the pool and there was a bunch of back floating happening. 200 warm up, 6 x 50 form drills and 100 cool down. Part of the frustration was 18-20 strokes when I've normally been 15-17. Grr. Then again, yay me! 14 hour day and I still got to splash

Edited by 2gs 2014-01-22 10:31 PM

I have been off this week, homebound to snowstorm, school and office closed. Spent my time house cleaning, cooking and clearing out the basement.

I am still learning how to use this site. So I am hoping that I am still in this mentoring group. I have started to log my food in an app on my phone call Lose It. Since my phone is with me all day and I can easily scan my foods and have a better since of what I am eating. My plan is to at least weekly update that information into this site so that I can get feedback from this group. I've decided that I was going to meet with a Nutritionist and personal trainer as well. This decision comes from me learning from the Disney 10K that I need to have a better understanding of proper nutrition with pushing my body. Next week on Mondays and Wednesday morning I will begin working again with a swim instructor. I found that this has been important as I correct all my previous learned bad form and continue to learn how to proper swim. Well that is my update for now.

I am truly excited about this journey.

Well, I just started to have breakfast salads. The one I love is spinach, red bell pepper, and egg whites. The heat of the eggs cooks the spinach and you sauté the red bell pepper. Put some pesto on it and you are good to go. This was a dish that I first got a Panera Bread but can easily be make at home for a lot cheaper. The other is breakfast wraps. Again, lot's of vegi (your favorite) with any protein (eggs, chicken, turkey sausage etc.). I found these new wraps called Lavash Flatbeard. Hope this give's you some new ideas for breakfast.

I can say from experience that logging my food was extremely helpful. I lost 3x as much weight than when I wasn't logging. I was forced to look for nutrient densed food that would keep me full longer without breaking the calorie bank. I use My Fitness Pal to log food and exercise. Both myfitnesspal and Lose it tracks exercise too and adjusts your calorie intake accordingly. These may only be estimates but they work. Exercise alone did not work for me, I couldn't outrun poor eating habits.

I found a breakfast that works well for me. I get the whole wheat "sandwich thins", spread one side with peanut butter, sprinkle some dried cranberries and/or blueberries and wrap it (as best you can) around half a banana. For simplicity sake, a 'banana sandwich' I found a while back that one of the stores nearby has a grinder so you can grind your own peanut butter. It took a bit to get used to, but I love it now. Peanuts are the only ingredient. This keeps me pretty full, and it's quick. I spend so much time stuck in traffic in the mornings that I typically make it and take it with me in the car. Gives me something to do when we are going < 5mph....

Sounds like you have a good workout schedule set up, and a good group of people to go with. Keep up the good work!

I make these egg cups for on the go breakfast. Mix eggs with whatever veggies, cheese and meat you love EXCEPT tomatoes (too much moisture).
Bake them for 30 mins in a cupcake tin using foil cups. Freeze them 2 at a time for and quick heat up and go. My kids love them because they are easy. I think they were part of the south beach diet.

I agree! I had to share a lane with a really good swimmer last week, and as a result I felt the need to make my strokes and body as streamline as possible to make sure I didn't get in his way. As a result, I notice my body gliding a lot more easily through the water. It was a great breakthrough!

I've scheduled my first swim lesson to start after next week. I think this will help tremendously, and I desperately want to look like 90% of the other swimmers at the pool who seem to effortlessly swim non-stop.

Now we are beginning to resemble a Tri Group, Heck Ya! This page alone goes to show how great of a forum this is and how important a diverse group is. I know basically nothing about nutrient and in steps Tracy and others with advice and experiences. Seems like we have a lot of people who made a great decision to take swim lessons. This year of Masters is the first I've ever got instruction wise. I swim ugly but was MOP so I didn't put much into it until recently, but fight with it because I can tell I'm going to be slower before I get fastest, but I have a lot more bad to break than y'all.

I have a good sense of who we have in the group but sent out a fee inspires to some that are still logging on but just haven't popped in. I'll wrap up a list on Sunday.

Again great job to all for stepping up and taking on the challenge!