Asphalt Junkies CLOSED AND GETTING OUR FIX (Page 115)

Dirk I think you are ready to go for this weekend at Cedar Point I don't think missing much training this week is going to make that much difference. Both you and Brenda are going to have a great race this weekend. I know there is some added incentive here for you both especially Brenda after what happened with the last race. You guys are both going to own it this weekend at Cedar Point.

Karl thanks for the bike tip and the encouragement. I can't wait to get out there and do my last tri for this season, 3 and half weeks away and it's killing me!

Allison x3, how is your HM training coming along? Hopefull things are going well and you are on track with your training to have a great race.

Agree Dirk, I missed swim is not going to make or break your race but I know how mentally it just feels better to check the workouts off the list. Never a doubt in my mind that you are prepared for this 100%.

Wow this is going to be a big race weekend for the group. I'm really excited for all of you!

Got a question for the strength training junkies. This summer I really felt like I was not as strong in the water. I mean actual physical strength. I was not swimming as much which I'm sure is the main issue but I was also limited by what my back would agree too. Now for fall/winter I will pretty much be limited to 2 days a week at the pool as it is a 35 min drive to the Y. So I'm wondering if there are some strength workouts or exercises that would help me with this issue? I've read different things that just leave me confused, like you should not do strength training on the same muscles you are already over using in the 3 tri sports.

Alright, the following suggestions are based on the fact that you want strength training that will help your swimming muscles when your training situation doesn't allow you to derive this strength from a large volume of swimming....

The main muscles used in swimming are the lats and triceps.  If this is a swimming routine you are after then I suggest the following (there are many other exercises to work these same muscles too):

• pull downs or pull ups.  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lat-pull-down/MM00744
• pull overs, push downs or dumbbell extension http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/triceps-extension/MM00752
• internal and external rotation (for rotator cuff) http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/32562619 http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xekp8a_rotator-cuff-exercise-external-rota_sport

Let me know if you have any questions about these exercises or others you'd like to do.

Question for Dirk.  The last race you did was a 'practice' or fun race and it was a great idea to race that way before taking your shot at your best effort in the HIM.

So I'm curious how you will approach this race execution differently from the last one?  Will you simply step up the pace from beginning to end by a certain percent?  Or will you simply walk through the garden of pain after T2? (run faster) 

And how many of our Junkies are racing an IM branded event this weekend?  Those races all allow for live tracking (sort of) and I'd like to be prepared to keep the progress in view this weekend while you are racing.

My weekend has my last road tri of the season.  Just a sprint tri, but it's the one with the really fast bike course where I'm hoping for a high speed....

I think Jo (bib 946) is the only one (???) doing an mdot but Dirk and Brenda should also be trackable through this website: http://timing.rev3tri.com/2012

WOW this is a busy weekend for the Junkies.  It is funny how ya'll tri's are ending and our is just starting again, took the summer of due to heat.  GOOD LUCK to everyone...enjoy and post good race reports when ya'll get back!

Hey do ya'll just ride your road bike during a sprint or do ya'll go all out and do the Tri bike?  I was thinking of just doing the road bike in the sprint since it will be my 1st ever (this will allow me to sandbag a little so hopefully my time will improve) and 2 weeks later carry the tri to the olympic. 

I always use my tri bike.  But if I wanted a comfortable ride in a race where I wasn't trying to be competitive then the road bike might be my choice.

How much ride time do you have on your tri bike?

The upside to choosing it for this sprint is the added experience on that bike before your olympic.  But if you are sure that's not needed there's no reason you can't ride your road bike.

Karl, when is your first race?  I definitely want to know how that goes!!

Jo63 - 2012-09-05 11:15 AM So today I fianlly tried my cobb flow...yes the race is 4 days away and I am still undecided about my seat and although I am having a bit of discomfort like my selle (but no where near as bad) i had no thigh issue like the Adamo. My question is.... is it possible to go faster from a corrrect seat? Becasue I was able to ride at 15.9 rather than 14.7 and it had rained so I was a bit cautious cuz I never rode in wet conditions that I can remember and I had a pretty good head wind for about 1/4 of the ride plus my heart rate averaged 144 . I know to some of you this is slow but I am really thrilled with how it felt and that if I can pull off this speed I WILL make the cut off.

No, the seat can't make you faster.  Not directly.  But an uncomfortable seat can make you slower if the discomfort keeps you from pedaling hard, or smooth, or relaxed...

Maybe you are just faster than you knew!!!! 

Work out that seat deal....Did you order the 2 Cobb saddles so you can find the one that's most comfortable?

I just snuck out for a lunch time run. I got 7 miles in but I think I lost like 20 lbs out there. It was only 77 degrees w/14 mph winds but the humidty was 90%, just brutal. Trying to run in between thudershowers as weather not good here the last 2 days but mission accomplished. Would have liked to have done more but 7 is better than nothing.

That would be for next year.  Dirk was talking about next year's races so I just mentioned that for consideration.  So I've got time to decide

That's funny, I was complaining about the humidity on my run today too.

I know I complain about it all the time but I'm glad I was able to get it in not long after I finished it started pouring here and it doesn't look like it is letting up.

JoAnne that's a good move. I try not to look much at my Garmin and get caught up in the HR/time numbers. It can psych you out at times. Glad to hear that it's helping you on your runs.

And now what's funny is that now it's raining here!!!!    It is somehow just so funny to me that we have the same weather even though we're so far apart...

Thanks Jeff, I really like that dailymotion website. I bet I can't even do 10 of the rotator-cuff external rotation.  I'm going to wait until later in the week since I plan on swimming tomorrow. If I do them today I'm afraid I'll be too sore to swim! How many times a week do you think I should try to incorporate these exercises?