The Frozen (not so) North Mentor Group - CLOSED (Page 12)

Excuse the numerous posts please.

Question:
My friend and running buddy wants us to do our first duathlon. The one we were thinking about was in August, two weeks before our triathlon (I’m the biker, she’s the runner). The course looks brutal because the bike is nothing but climbing. We figured training for this will help me on the triathlon with 2 weeks of rest and easier rides. I suggested we do a spring duathlon to get out feet wet and to see how we like it.

I also want to do a spring sprint because I feel my swimming will waiver if I don’t. The one I want has a pool swim but it has been moved from a tentative April date to June. Works better for me.

The first duathlon I found is a short one that seems mangeable but its on a Saturday.

My next option is a duathlon in May that has a challenging bike course. The race is small with only 70 people last year in the duathlon (vs. 300 for the tri). There were 2 people in my group so I may be able to win something.

Right now I have a Cannondale Quick 6. It’s called a flat bar road bike but looking at it, it’s a hybrid. Do I need to upgrade to a road bike?

Here are the options:

Sunday- April 03, 2011 – I have a 10 mile race.

Hagerstown Duathlon - Saturday- April 16, 2011
2 MILE RUN, 10 MILE BIKE, 3.1 MILE RUN
http://www.racinemultisports.com/Duathlon.html
**this will be harder on my schedule because I likely will have two lacrosse games that day for my boys.


Emily Schindler Memorial Scholarship Triathlon - Saturday, April 16, 2011
(Rain Date - Saturday, April 23, 2011 - 7:00 a.m.)
SPY Aquatics Center at 623 Baltimore & Annapolis Blvd. Severna Park, MD 21146
(the run and bike is on the B&A Trail which is flat)
Sprint Triathlon = Swim - 800 Yards; Bike - 9 ½ miles; Run - 3 miles
Flamingo Feat = Swim - 1600 Yards; Bike - 18 miles; Run - 6 miles
http://www.spyswimming.org/Schindler/triathlon11/Triathlon%20Inform...
**no timing on the bike as the speed limit on the trail is 15mph

Sunday- April 17, 2011 – I have a 10K race with my group but its not an A race and won’t have any bearing on my other races.


Cascade Lake Triathlon & Duathlon - Sunday, May 15, 2011
Tri: 0.31 Mile Swim~15 Mile Bike~3.1 Mile Run
Du: 1.86 Mile Run~15 Mile Bike~3.1 Mile Run
http://www.piranha-sports.com/Race130.aspx
**this is a challenging course I heard but should be able to do it with proper training. If I train on the local Olympic tri course, it will make this race doable.


Bethesda Triathlon – TBD (around 6/12/11 originally 4/17/2011)
500 Yard Swim -- 10 Mi Bike -- 2.5 Mile Run
http://events.autismspeaks.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=336308


DUthe2 duathlon - Sunday, August 7, 2011
2 MILE RUN, 26 MILE BIKE, 4 MILE RUN
http://www.creativetsolutions.com/DUthe2/home.asp
***this is the goal race for our duathlon. Most of the people who are doing it are much faster. I know I can’t keep up with them but I don’t want to be left that far behind.

Thoughts?

Lovey (sorry for long post)


Edited by Lovey 2011-01-28 1:12 PM

Lovey, I would say no need to upgrade the bike yet, unless you have no problem spending the $$$ and want to really compete.

As far a duathlon, I'd say pick the hardest/hilliest bike course if you want to equalize the bike differential.  I think hills will give you the least disadvatnage on a hybrid, though overall harder on you.  Otherwise whatever fits your schedule the best.

I guess the "Cascade Lake Triathlon & Duathlon - Sunday, May 15, 2011" would be my choice.

Thanks. I think my friend is leaning towards that one too.

$$$ are an issue. My older son needs a new bike. I am looking for a used bike store bike. His current bike is from Toys R Us and it is so heavy, 2 summers ago I threw out my wrist lifting it onto the bike rack. I had to wear a wrist brace for a few weeks. He hates riding it. I decided to get him a cheap but better bike.

My younger one needs a bike. His last bike was from a lbs for the same as a toy r us bike. I ran it over this past summer. Yep, ran it over in the garage and kill it. his should be cheap to replace.

As for my older son who needs an adult size bike, I thought I buying a cheap road bike and giving him my hybrid. The road bikes I saw at one LBS started at $850. Out of my price range right now. If I can get one for less than $500, I may get it.
My concern is cheaper doesn't mean its the right bike for me. I may get a great deal based on price and can't ride it because its not right.

For right now, I will ride mine. there is a bike swap coming up on valentine's day weekend. I will check bikes out there too after I look at various LBS. I need to know what I am looking for before I get there.

Not much running ,biking or swimming this week.  Yesterday, I missed my workout that would have been all three due to a family issue.    I have martial arts today.   I think Monday was the last day that I was running and swimming.
Tomorrow I do have a spinning class and I usually swim as well.  Going to try to work a run in there as well.

Lovey, work on the engine and don't sweat the bike yet.  I still ride my original road bike bought online for $600.  Every race I pass plenty of people on multi-thousand dollar rigs, and get passed by people on hybrids or even mountain bikes.  At some point I'll think about a tri bike, but the finance committee isn't on board yet!

I feel like my running has really slacked this month, due to weather and unsafe roads.  I think I need to target a spring half marathon to give me something to shoot for.  Even though I love training, it seems like I need a target to focus and eliminate excuses.  Do others need a race to keep you motivated?

Happy Saturday all!

My week was not a good one for training either.  Threw my low back into spasm on Tuesday-doing laundry not shoveling!  It is better now but I cut down on workouts as a result.  I also have not run AT ALL.  :/    I know the treadmill aggravates my back and the roads are so narrow with steep super high snow banks that I am a little nervous about heading out there.  May just do a short jog today anyhoo.  I am thinking of renting some snow shoes so I can get out into the woods more.  It might help me keep a little fitness!

Lovey- you might want to go for a bike fit at a LBS.  There will be a fee but at least you would know what bike would fit you best.  You could then compare measurements on a used bike to your ideal measurements from the fit.  I bought my bike last year as a last year's model clearance price.  I bought it around this time of year so you might look into this too.

Jennifer-Hyannis is a relatively flat course and there were always folks around to keep me company.  At one point there is a two way running traffic so you get to see the elites blasting past.  Always fun and helps to pick up your pace and mood too.  I am sure you will be fine!!

Edited by KOM 2011-01-29 9:59 AM

Today, I ran my longest run ever! 18.19 miles! Woohoo! It was long, slooow easy pace and cold. We started at 4:30 or so, ran 10 miles, double back to pick up my group at 7am and ran the last 8 miles with my girls. All they wanted to know was what race i am running. I have a race in mind but not talking yet. Talking brings on panic and anxiety.

I feel great right now. I stretched and had breakfast. I am going to do a few minutes of yoga for triathletes now as well to help stretch some more.

@Warren - I do have to have a race to target to keep me on track. This year, I am trying to have fewer but longer races on my calendar. Last year, I had something every month. Right now, I have nothing on the calendar for January or February.


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: 35.55 miles done

snow shoveling - 2:45 of activity or 11 miles (will add at the end)

Edited by Lovey 2011-01-29 5:33 PM

Lovey - 18+ miles!  That's serious.  I hope your secret race is a marathon.

I'm thinking of running a half mary on May 1.  That will give me a nice early season goal race.  I'm doing a 5k with my sister on May 21 - she's coming off the couch and I promised I'd run it with her.

Hope everyone's weekend is going well.

My totals so far:

IRON MAN CHALLENGE 1/16 - 2/13/11
Swim - 2.4 miles (4224 yards): 2400 done
Bike - 112 miles: 103.45 miles done
Run -26.2 miles: 34.6 miles done

Should hit the bike tomorrow and the swim Monday or Tuesday.

Lovey - I agree with Warren on the race suggestion for you. For the bike - I'm still riding my road bike from 13 years ago. When I am ready to get a new bike (once I've saved those pennies), I will look on eBay or the classified ads here. You can get a very nice used bike for a reasonable amount of $$.

Warren - absolutely, I need a race to keep me motivated (hence a race at the end of Feb, beginning of April, etc).

Hi, all -

I finally got back on track with training after being out of town, snowed in, etc.  Had a nice swim on Sat and then a bike/run workout today. 

I also (finally) got my trainer set up.  (I had to search everywhere to find the skewer that came with it 2 yrs ago, now that I've got a road bike!)  It and my bike are actually set up in the family room now, so no more vegging in front of the tv for me! 

I also bought my bike computer - went with a Bontrager Node 2 computer with a Garmin speed/cadence sensor.  I decided I didn't really need anything more than the basics & this is a nice set-up.  (and it will accept inputs from other sensors, in case I want to add power sometime)

Questions on bike fit:  Did anyone else have to make the switch from a mountain/hybrid (upright) bike to a road bike?  How long did it take you to feel comfortable in the new position?  Any tips for making sure you've got a good fit?  My bike is really only comfortable in the drops  (and I can't stay there for ever).  When I have my hands on top of the handlebars, I feel like my weight is sliding forward & I have to work hard to support my upper body (not comfortable & makes it hard to keep shoulders relaxed).  Does this sound like just a core-strength issue or an actual bike fit one? 

Question on trainer tires:   I also picked up a trainer tire.  I used it for the first time today & boy did it leave a ton of "rubber gunk" on the trainer roller.  Is this normal - something you just scrape off after every ride?  I used my trainer with my mtn bike (and regular tires) for 2 yrs & never saw anything like this. 

Thanks &  Happy training.

Got up for a 7:15am spin class. I was going to back out to allow my legs to rest but thought the spinning will help stretch it out more.
I definitely didn't push as hard as the class or the instructor but just enough to feel it. It felt good.
It was an hour class but I only did 45 minutes.

IRON MAN CHALLENGE 1/16 - 2/13/11
Swim - 2.4 miles (4225 yards): 1000 done
Bike - 112 miles: 28 miles done
Run -26.2 miles: 35.55 miles done

snow shoveling - 2:45 of activity or 11 miles (will add at the end)

Hey Gang!

I have been MIA for the past couple of days...We lost power during the ice/snow storm last Wed/Thur. and then work picked up Friday (15hr day) and had to work 5hr on Sat.  so Sunday has been my only day off. 

Just got caught up on the latest form info. 

I think races are a great way to stay focused and to set  goals for yourself...Lovey I wouldn't get a tri bike unless you really need or have the extra $$ to fork out.  Road bikes do the job and as Warren said, it is the engine that moves the bike.  Thanks Lovey for adding in snow shoveling to the Frozen IM mileage...will be adding that.

@WarrenJennifer, Scott.....I wasn't thinking of a tri bike, just an entry level road bike.

Instead of buying my 12 year old (he's bigger and taller than me) a new bike, I thought I would get an entry level road bike and give him my hybrid. I really hate those heavier than a mountain store bikes. One of my LBS road bikes start at $850 which is too expensive for me right now.

I was in Target and they had a hybrid bike that wasn't heavy for like $100. My hubby thought we could get him that and I keep my hybrid.

My main duathlon is a 26 mile bike ride. Do people do that distance on a hybrid?

IM Challenge:

Swim: 1500/4220 yards
Bike: 136.70/112 miles (woot!)
Run: 55.23/26.2 miles (woot! woot!)

I am going to try a swim later this week (weather provided) and hopefully will be able to finish this one off.

Ally - if you feel like you are sliding forward when sitting up on the bike, try adjusting the nose of the seat up a touch...it is core-related, but the angle of the seat can be tweaked slightly to help. As for trainer tire gunk...I have the same thing happen to me - my bike is in the basement tucked in a corner - so the wall behind the bike is smudgy! The more you use it, the less it will happen.

Lovey - I think for the bike 26 miles on a hybrid is doable, but for me the primary concern would be comfort. Does the bike feel comfortable over that distance? How do you feel when you get off (ready to run, or creaky and stiff)?

Had a pretty good weekend for training - but it was challenging. My eldest daughter got sick Friday night and camped out on the sofa all day Saturday (while my husband and other daughter skied all day), which meant I had to do my scheduled long run Saturday night in the basement on the treadmill...let me just say that 13 miles on a treadmill seems A.L.O.T. longer than it actually is. I've heard of people running a marathon on the treadmill and to quote a friend, "I think I would have to take ice picks to my eyes before I would attempt that."

Hope you all have a great week!

@Jennifer…………couldn’t say how I fell after 26 miles because I have never rode that far. My longest ride last year was 19.5 miles on trails. That ride was not on a challenging course, it was small hills/inclines and flat straight-aways. My most challenging ride was 18 miles on the triathlon course that was hilly. Running after the trail ride wasn’t bad but it took about half a mile to get my legs back. Running after the triathlon course was harder but I felt like it was more due to my body being exhausted than getting my legs to work.

Tonight I wanted to do a short run but decided to do weights instead. My weights class, Body Pump, is my favorite class. I got to the gym and had just enough time to run a mile on the treadmill before my weights class.

Last year, I ran 3 miles on the treadmill when I was with a group of ladies. We took over the treadmills. I don't think I could have done it without them. I have never been able to replicate that effort. Until..
Last week, I did 2 miles nonstop. When I wanted to stop, I sped up. Sounds stupid nut it worked.
Tonight, I ran a mile again but this time for the first time, it didn't feel like the dreadmill. I even almost skip my weights class.

I think doing these short runs on the treadmill is actually helping me to build up a tolerance for it. Maybe I will miss less runs when there is inclement weather.

On another note, raining ice may cause my swim class to cancel. It will make 3 classes we miss.
Plus there most likely be a school delay.

Lovey

There has been a lot of talk on TriTalk the last couple of days about training by heart rate, perceived exertion, power, etc...how do you all do your training?

I have found for biking on the trainer - I initially needed some guidance to figure out what gears would equate to which level of exertion - but now that I have a little more experience, I am pretty comfortable with RPE (vs. HR). Totally different story for me on the run...I need the heart rate monitor to keep me running slow. What works for you?

I train almost entirely by RPE on the bike.  Since we're indoors, I've done the tests per Jorge's plan and come up with the gearing/RPM which equate to my RPE/HR percentages.  When I ride I just know what gear and what RPM to be in do hit a particular percentage.  Of course it changes after each test since I'm still making progress.

For running, I use mostly RPE with pace as a check (based on 5k race pace).  At this point I'm trying to use almost all easy running with a few faster miles when I'm particularly stressed out.  I wear a HR monitor every once in a while just to check my HR, but I rarely use the HR reading to set a pace.

For swimming, I use paces from the swimplan site.

I finally finished my IM distance with a swim this morning.  The IM swim is 4224 yards, by the way!

IM Challenge:

Swim: 4500/4220 yards
Bike: 131.25/112 miles
Run: 34.6/26.2 miles

I just got back in the gym this AM. My thesis is due Feb 28th so I am just sporadic until then. I got a quick brick in this AM of a 6.5 mile bike and a 1 mile run.

I continually monitor my heart rate ( a habit I obtained from Spinning class) and dial it back when I am exerting too much. I try to relax on the flats and push through the hills. I am all indoors right now and am exploring the options for ADDING parts to my hybrid bike to use for the tri without spending an excessive amount. 

??? I ordered a Tri Top and Shorts...can I swim in them? ALso, I need to start swimming, any thoughts on how to proceed? 

In general, in terms of training I really am agreeing with the mantra you'll hear on this site a lot:

Run lots, mostly easy, sometimes hard.
Ride lots, mostly hard, sometimes easy.
Swim hard almost always.

Running hard really beats the body up and requires lots of recovery.  That's the main reason to not do a lot of hard running.  Fast pace running is INCREDIBLY beneficial, but the risks are pretty high if you run hard a lot.  And too much hard running really impacts your ability to train hard on the other sports.

Biking is a lot less stressful.  It's actually amazing how much hard biking you can tolerate.  This presumes you build up to it, but given you are building smartly, the body can tolerate a lot of hard biking.  Very little of your bike training should be noodling along.  Now if you enjoy biking for fun/recreation, go for it and just have fun.  I'm only referring to bike training for triathlon performance.

Swimming is almost completely stress free and you can do intervals almost every time you swim.  If you're swimming just for training (as opposed to for fun/recreation) you really get the best bang for the buck with intervals.  Endurance can be improved by having shorter and shorter rests between intervals.  For confidence, you may want to have a long swim if you're doing long course racing, just to convince yourself you can actually make 1.2 miles, but it's not at all necessary.  You still need to build up since there is strain on your shoulder and such, but it's not the pounding of running or high stresses of biking.

Good luck on the thesis...

Can you swim in Tri Tops and Shorts? Absolutely! They are designed for it. I would recommend doing a (so-called) dry run - just so you can get used to how it feels to ride or run in slightly damp clothing...just don't do it on a cold day .

Yes, swimming in tri stuff is fine for races.  I don't know if I'd train in them all the time, but do it at least sometimes to get used to it as Jennifer mentions.  Nothing new on race day!

In terms of swimming, I'd say it really depends on where you are at as a swimmer.  If you're a brand new swimmer, I STRONGLY recommend lessons and optimally video.  I know it can be a big expense, but if you have bad technique swimming you're almost wasting your time training.  If you can run and bike, you likely have enough endurance for the swim portion of a tri.  However, a very slight adjustment in swimming technique can make a huge difference.  Learning to be relaxed and comfortable while maintaining a reasonable stroke should be the first milestone, and maybe the last.  Once you get to a middle speed as a swimmer, the bang for the buck in swim training goes way down.  All the extra time required to drop small amounts of time would probably be better spent biking.  Again, I'm speaking purely in terms of triathlon age group training, and not if you just enjoy swimming or are an elite triathlete!

The goal of the triathlon swim is to leave the water fresh and ready to do the real race, and hopefully not be DFL!  My elite friend always told that a triathlon really starts once you leave the water.

Tri tops/shorts are made for swimming, but not necessarily in a pool - not all are chlorine resistant.  Unless the ones you bought specifically say they are, I wouldn't swim in a pool very much - maybe just to see how it feels to swim in them or for an actual tri that uses a pool.  I'd also be sure to wash your kit in a chlorine-removing swimsuit wash afterwards (available at most swim/sport stores).  Of course, if you got a really good deal on the the tri kit & you don't mind replacing it in a few months - swim away!  just be sure to check your backside every month or so to make sure you're not showing off more than you mean to... 


Edited by alsiedee 2011-02-01 6:35 PM