Allison and Ryan's Beginner Mentor Group - FULL (Page 12)

I have only done 2 triathlons, but will answer the question.  Definitely not experienced.  I didn't do swim, ride bricks. I did swim and ride on the same day, but never a brick.  I just did bike /run bricks. I didn't have any problems during the race.  Although, I didn't wear a wet suit, so transition was easy.

Had a great race this weekend and am ready to switch my focus to my tri training. For the runs I am starting a 3 days a week marathon training schedule.  http://marathon.harvard.edu/images/first_first.pdf  I won't be using this exactly as written cause I have other races and the tri brick stuff, but something like this.  I am not doing a marathon, but a 208 mile relay with hills.  It is 18 weeks away.   I just decided to start in on some marathon training to get my running mileage up. 

I will post my race in my log later today. 

Hi guys,

It's been a rough couple of weeks at the homestead.  First 10 days ago I had a pretty hard (for me) run that stressed out my legs pretty good.  Then the next day I managed to pull a muscle in my sore and stressed out calf going down a set of oversized stairs at my son's school.  Grrrr.  Just a stupid way to get hurt and I was pretty ticked off about it.  I tried to swim the next day and that didn't work, it made the leg hurt so I got mad again and went home.  I think it bothered me so much because it was such a stupid thing, and I knew it was going to cost me at least week if not two, just when I was starting to get into a routine of working out.

Then the other shoe dropped when my wife suddenly needed eye surgery on 3 days notice.  So she needed my time and attention much more than my training did which means my training was shelved anyway.  The good news is that her eye is doing better, praise the Lord, and so is my leg.  I took our 8 year old son out for a ride on Saturday to give Mom a chance to rest that turned into 8 miles, pretty good for a little guy on a bike that rattles over every bump (that would be the 8 yr old, I'm huge and have a decent bike).  That ride actually inspired me to get back into my routine but I still want to take it easy on the leg.  Yesterday I did a 13 mile ride on my tank of a mountain bike in high winds.  It felt great when I was done is all I can say.  But now my wife is doing better and I'm back on the road and that's what's important.

So I'm hoping to be more active on the forum here now that things have calmed down.  I'm almost sorry that my first tri isn't until August, that's just how the race and personal schedules worked out for me.  So I will be bugging some of you longer than this program is supposed to last as my race gets closer.  Sorry!

Work-out today consisted of a swim.  Still debating the bike but since I did a brick yesterday I'm think I might skip it and let my legs rest a bit.

4x25 warm-up.  It's like my routine and good luck charm now.

500 yards continuous at 10minutes

8x25 catch-up drills. The drills were kind of fun.  Took me a bit to figure out when to rotate to breathe during the drills but once I got it down it was kind of neat just gliding through the water.

Congrates on the swimming breakthrough.....I'm still trying....doing 10x75's...next week bumps to 100's. I havent been able to get the hang of the drills....I just kinda sink. Will be doing an easy 15 mile bike ride tonight....the local Trek store organizes it once a month. 7.5 miles to a local microbrewery....have a "refreshment" and 7.5 back. Will be going with my daughter, her husband and a couple folks from work. Since I want to take it easy on my knee, I figured this would stop me from pushing too hard. It's been slowly feeling better so I have to resist the temptation to RUN.

I've never done a swim/bike brick.  The swim and bike are my stronger areas and this doesn't seem to have affected them at all.  Since the swim is mostly arms and the bike is mostly legs you're not going to experience the rubber muscle feeling you get going from the bike to the run.  The biggest challenges going between the water and wheels are acclimating to an upright position and stripping the wetsuit, if you're wearing one.

After spending a significant amount of time in a horizontal position in the water you're likely to be a little off balance when you go vertical.  This is something you can work on at the pool.  When you finish your swim hop out of the pool immediately and try walking.  Just get used to how you feel so it's not a surprise on race day.  I tend to wobble to the left so when I'm running to my bike I make sure to compensate by leaning a bit right.

I don't stretch before I start working out.  More important than stretching is the slow, steady warm up.  Start every ride, run and swim with at least 5-10 minutes at an easy, comfortable pace.  Stretching doesn't warm up your muscles and can sometimes be counterproductive by taking a tight, cold fiber and trying to stretch it when it's not ready.  Once you're finished with your warm up (which stretches everything anyway) hit the main part of your workout.  When you're done make sure to finish with another easy cool down before starting a nice long set of stretches.

If you do decide to continue stretching before your workouts make sure you're not stretching too far or for too long.  A quick 2 second stretch is all you should do before you're warmed up.  You could also do a warm up, stretch, then your workout if that works better for you.

Make sure to ice any sore or trouble spots after working out to slow down blood flow to that area and prevent inflammation.

If none of that helps it's probably time to go get some medical advice.

What drills does your plan have you doing?

They're not part of the program but I have tried both catchup drills (I sink) and kick drills with a board (I dont go anywhere despite months of ankle stretching). So at this point I just stick with the swimming. I know my form needs work but for now instruction is unlikely.

I do my stretching prior to my shift starting, don't always get the chance to do a warmup and then a stretching session before I hit the street at work...

Hopefully I get my saddle in tomorrow before my ride, hitting the pool tonight going for some sprint drills

Yeah! I did my very first 5K this past Saturday. It was raining, and cold, but it cleared up for the actual running. (The 10K and 1/2 marathoners had to start in the pouring rain). I was so excited to see the finish line. They were playing that song from the Chariots of Fire (ha).

I am so amazed - it took me 5 months (Jan-Apr) to be able to run 5K, but a little bit every week and there I was. Thanks to all the BT'ers that have been so supportive as I try this crazy thing.

Thanks!!!

Mary

Way to go! You will never forget your first race, no matter how long it was or how long it took you to get there.

77 minute ride today, hopefully it will help burn some anxiety off because then I'm off to Columbia SC to take the TEA exam to start my application process for a federal agency that remains a secret...

18 days to my first tri, I have a bike, tri shorts are on the way and going to get some Yankz today, any other items that might be a plus to have that I might not have considered?

some one told me about speed laces... I don't have any, but I think they are those toggle fasteners that can allow you to lace up your shoes really fast.

I'm so excited for you on on your first tri- be sure to tell us all about it!

Jean - did you ever recover your bike? I feel so bad for your loss. Even though it's like you said not a house or a life, it's still ucky.

I'm so jealous of your location wushunut. And I also LOVE hearing about your swimming adventures. Your enthusiasm is so catching

Huntnjerm - so that's what Yankz are ! I'm glad to hear they work. It was going to be my first actual "tri" purchase. Since it would get me into the tri store without too much anxiety. Sometimes not knowing what I'm looking for can completely intimidate me in a sporting goods store...

Mary.

First off - Mary congrats on your first 5K!  I too remember my first like it was yesterday, which is pretty impressive since it was almost 15 years ago.  I promptly injured my kneed after that and it took me about 15 years to do one again! Seriously, congrats and welcom to the addiction!

Thanks for the encouragement on the swimming.  It's been fun, frustrating at time, but fun overall.

I too discovered Yankz and don't know why shoes come with laces anymore.  These things are awesome.

SFD - I had that sinking problem for awhile and discovered it was a balance issue.  I just also thought that I was densely built so it was natural for me to sink.  Not so.  I just imagine my entire body as the plank of a see-saw.  If my legs are sinking, then my head is too high.  It was weird at first but I just focused on looking down, almost looking at my toes and if I felt my legs were sinking I'd just press my head and chest down further.  My legs would naturally come up. 

Congrats on your first 5k, Mary!  That is awesome.  You stuck with it and you succeeded in your goal and hopefully you had some fun along the way too

That's exciting that your first tri is getting close. I remember mine.  Just remember to go out there and absorb it all on and HAVE FUN!  Yankz are quite helpful and are a minimal cost. Just keep it simple. People want to take everything they own into transition but the less you have the better (you will appreciate organization and minimalization (actual word?) when you enter transition from the swim).

Interesting.  I had never heard of Yankz.  Do you use them on your biking and running shoes?  Of course, my biking shoes are my running shoes.  Might have to think about that. I ran my 2 tri in my five fingers, but am not sure what shoes I will be wearing this year.  Migh have to get some for my running shoes.  

Any swimmers out there?  I don't seem to want to stick to tri training schedules, so at the beginning of the week I decide what I want to do during the week and then I just fit it what I can.   I do whatever sports I feel like that day as I watch the weather.   I understand running and can figure out my 3 runs a week with increasing distance on the long run and a recovery week every 3 or 4 weeks  The bike is easy now.  I am just trying to get in some miles cause I haven't been riding much. But the swim is a bit confusing to me.  

What does a typical triathlon swim schedule look like?  I can swim the distance of my tri and I know some drills I did in masters class.  I just recently learned to read the swim clock to help me count my laps.  So, what are you all doing for your pool workouts?  We might have talked about this before, but I don't remember.  Should I swim my tri distance every time I am in the pool?  Or some days should I do a short swim, but try and go fast. 

 I am thinking one drill day totalling a 1 mile - a  long swim day over  a mile and 1 fast day swimming about 1/2 mile. My tri swim is a mile.  Any ideas?