Alice Hohl's Family-Tri-Balance Group: CLOSED (Page 12)

Thanks for the link! Sorry to hear about the run. Have you checked out any of the books that talk about a more gentle running style, such as Chi Running or Born to Run? Some people think it's a lot of hype, but others have been greatly helped by altering their stride a little so it's less jarring. However if you are having Achilles problems, you are probably not doing a jarring heel strike in front of you. Achilles injuries, I think, usually come from a lot of power in the back half of the stride - a lot of toe curling and foot pushoff. Chi Running addresses some of that, talking about just picking up your foot behind you and letting your hip swing you leg forward without really pushing off.

Quick swim tip:

When you take a stroke in the water, you should feel your arm pushing on the water the same way you feel your arm pushing down on your desk. If you don't feel that kind of resistance, you are cheating yourself out of a lot of power.

Increases in swim speed that I have experienced have come from being able to push harder on the water and getting stronger arms, not from increasing the speed at which my arms flail around.

So it's good to try to decrease the number of strokes you take per length, but only if you can push with each stroke. It requires getting a good feel for the water, like when you are paddling the canoe and you can almost dig into the water and push with all your might.

Thanks for the tip on the swim Alice. I will be sure to check that out. I went to swimsmooth.com not to long ago at someone's suggestion from the Splash and Dash and was able to watch the videos and determine that I needed to change my kick, I am feeling okay about it but know that I need to build endurance and break the old sloppy habits.

Big News: My bike arrives tomorrow - yay! I was beginning to think I wasn't going to have a bike which would have made completing the Miami Tri on April 17 a bit diffifult. Nothing fancy as far as the bike goes, just a beginner roadie compliments of my parental units who decided they didn't want me riding my sister's 20 year old hybrid bike - thanks to parents for a very early (like 6 months early) birthday present.

Pat I hope you get to feeling better and that you can do the du, I am still trying to iron out my training schedule with my husband's work schedule change so it seems that Mondays and Wednesdays I do all three disciplines and just one of the other disciplines on the other days.

Alice, it sounds like your husband and bananatoes will be squaring off for the manly man pink racing kit challenge at the June Deer Creek Tri - does that mean you and the kids will be there? I was thinking of doing that sprint and I definitely won't miss those guys in the pink shimmer - I laugh every time I think about it, it would be great to meet you in person.

Yep, the whole family will be there! Can't wait to see you!

Yay for your bike!!!!!

I took last week off because I was bummed at my slow progress and decided that half-hearted training sessions weren't worth it.  Then I read the book "Unthinkable" by Scott Rigsby.  He's the first double amputee to finish the Hawaiian Ironman.  He was sweet enough to drop off an autographed copy to me. It put a lot of things in perspective.  I got back in the grove this weekend and had a great swim/run session today.  

Horray, Horray!

I am officially on week 2 of my 26-week Ironman plan!
It's going pretty well.
The hardest thing is the swim workouts are one hour each (3 times per week) and with my pool situation, I generally can only swim 45 minutes if I hope to get my others workouts in. So I have had to rearrange my schedule a little so I can swim at a different Y one day a week, that opens 30 minutes earlier. Failing that, I have to add a 4th swim workout to make up the time.

I was getting up at 5 a.m. on M, W and F, and sleeping in until 7:30 on the other days. Now I am pretty much getting up early every day. Today I was able to sleep in, though. I have a run which I will do on my lunch break.

Oooph, that 5:00 am time is rough especially knowing that you have to do it everyday. You rock Alice for making it work and thanks for pointing out that we can all make it work. I am not much of an early morning person but with my husband's schedule change I now have to work in some early mornings so Mondays and Wednesdays I am up at 4:45 so I can get to the Y for spin class and then either a run or swim. I will be so thankful when we move toward the end of next month and we will go from being 11 miles and a 20 minute drive to the Y to being 3 miles and a 7 minute drive to the Y. Then at least I won't have to get up until 5:10 and any extra sleep only 25 minutes at this point I will take. I'm bumming because I couldn't get out for a run yesterday - I did the spin class and swam in the early morning but work just precluded me from getting out for a run - hopefully I can sneak out this afternoon for a long run. I have a 10K race on Saturday that I am looking forward to - not worrying about the time so much since it is a mud trail run but just a nice change of scenery. How's everyone else doing?

That will be nice to be closer to the Y!


I rode outside Saturday morning and it was COLD COLD COLD! It took my 12 minutes to get warm, and by then my hands were almost beyond saving. I finally put one hand behind my back for a few seconds and that helped a lot, so I did the other hand. I was able to finish just fine doing an hour-and-15-minute bike followed by a little easy run.

Then I did my long run Sunday.

I'm trying to do more bricks, as I did not do enough last year and was MISERABLE when I got off the bike during my first HIM and tried to run.

I did my first brick coming off a real bike yesterday - rode a little over 13 miles and then got off and ran 4 miles and whew... my legs felt like bricks, I felt like I was running so slow...I had originally planned to run 5 miles but cut it to 4 because I was tired. Although I thought I was running ultra slow it still turned out to 9:30 miles which isn't bad.

Alice, how about this weather? I'm totally loving it - it was 77 down here yesterday. We are headed north to Knox County to do the family thing for Easter, I am hopeful to get a run in on Saturday and Sunday while we are up there. How's the Ironman Plan coming along?

How's everyone else doing? Pat, when's that Du?

Sorry everybody - I got a cold on Monday afternoon, triggered by a cat allergy - thought I just had allergy sniffles for a few hours, then got a full-blown cold, then muscle aches, body temp swings, UGH! Now I feel better but my head is still filled with mucous. I don't want it to go to my chest, so I am just not training, which stinks because the weather is BEAUTIFUL!!!!

ddiamond - we are going to Knox County Sunday afternoon for family Easter stuff. We'll be near  Centerburg. Where will you be? Thought had crossed my mind to bike out there from Columbus and meet dh and the kids. I don't want to leave the Columbus festivities early, though. But I am still considering it. If I can breathe through my nose by then.

Updike Road (which turns into Olive Green Rd, I think) is where we will be.

Alice we are going to be in the Gambier, Danville area of Knox County, there is a great bike path that runs all the way through Knox County  and out toward Holmes County - although after you get out of Danville its no longer paved. I too had contemplated bringing my bike but unfortunately my bike won't fit in the car with both the kiddo and the husband and the various other stuff that is coming with us and I haven't gotten a bike rack yet - ugh! - So I guess I will be running on the path instead of biking. If you haven't checked out that bike path it's called the Kokosing Gap Trail and it is great http://www.kokosinggaptrail.com/

You could probably sneak in a ride if you brought your bike up - it's all flat so you could push the 28 miles pretty quickly I'm sure.

I went ahead and did my ride today - it's just easier to fit in a run on a busy day. I could do it out there in Knox County, but I think I'm going to just run early in the morning before church. Then it will be out of the way and I can gorge on Easter food and not worry about it, LOL!

Avoneer - 2010-04-03 6:21 PM

Hi All,

I'm kind of back too (reminds me, I need to update my log).

Thanks for the comments.

I used to be a heavy heel striker (that's what did all my initial damage 10 years ago) but this time round have been landing softly and mid foot.

Physio has been great and loosened me up no end, but I'm back to 10 minute miles and only doing 2.5 every other day at the moment.

Had a bad run with the kids after the pox as they both then got tummy bugs so it's been 6 weeks of sick and various other explosions and little sleep.

They're both fine now though.

Had a really tough and de-motivating few weeks at work and various other things and haven't really been motivated to train much and everything has taken a back seat really (apart from the odd run).

Had a great ride on the bike today though - 1st time with tri bars.

11 miles in 39 minutes, but mostly long hard up hills.

It felt really good when I got home though (lungs & quads would disagree)!

I really need a good kick to get me going again - Duathlon in 3 weeks!

Pat ;-)

Great job!  I had a 2 week funk but I'm back at it. Yeah!

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're all doing well.

The Cycle Ops trainer that I purchased came with a video, Race Day, that I finally used.  There was a warm up and the video was of an actual masters race.  It was a 40 minute race.  I used the video to help me with my  cadence.  The video has a display on the bottom that gives you the intensity level, HR, and cadence of the cyclist.  I pedaled my little legs off and was very spent at the end of the video.  I ran 4 miles after the video and my legs felt like jelly afterwards.  I was not able to change my intensity but I was at least able to keep the cadence for the majority of the race.  The video may not be helpful for an experienced cyclist but as a novice I found it very helpful.

Hi everyone!
Hope your Easter weekend was great, for those who celebrate Easter.

I managed to get my long ride and long run in, so that was an accomplishment. I still have a cold, but I actually feel better when I work out.

Tip for the day - Swimming

When you do form drills, do each drill up and back at least 4 times. I used to do 50 yards of each drills, never repeating one. Then I started using the Swim Workouts in a Binder and it had me do the same drill over and over. Duh! What a difference!
I really learn something through the repetition.

(If you don't know any swim drills, get a book at the library and memorize 4 or 5.)

Hi everybody!

I have been a "lurker" reading all the posts but not very active on the posting end of it. Sorry. All the posts are enjoyable and tips informative for sure! I have been putting in the work. As most of you can relate its tough with 3 kids.

I just wanted to post and share a "learned lesson". We have been having great weather here in Maryland so I have been out on my bike but I have been riding without a spare tube. Playing with fire! Well I finally blew a flat about 10 miles out from my house on my long ride day this past Sunday. I had my cell but my wife had left her phone in the car (house phone has been down...long story). I ended up having to walk / ride standing up back home and then changing the flat. Absolutley miserable!

Also to dovetail off the swimming technique...I hired a swim coach about a month ago. I go twice a week. It was tough at first because I have been swimming incorrectly for a long time. I am finally starting to get the hang of it so hopefully I will begin to speed up. It is so worth the time and money. Just my two cents.

Take care!

Also - Alice awesome on doing the Ironman. I have an Ironman on my bucket list. My personal goal is to be able to run one by the time I am 45 so I have 6 years to get ready.

Cheers,

Brandon