kaqphin (Super Cat's) Mentor group - CLOSED (Page 12)

Yeah I think it has to do with the timing as well since I usually have really big calorie intakes first thing in the morning at at the very end of my day.  (Since that's when our meals are served) So I will keep working on when and what to eat in the middle of the day. Tomorrow i will try having a smaller breakfast and have a  meal instead of a snack at around 10 am or 11 since that's when I tend to get hungry and see how that works.

Thanks for the feedback... and often I don't eat that well, today was just a good self control day. Yesterday included pumpkin pie and cookies. AND I definitely didn't eat enough over the weekend and learned that one the hard way!! so have upped my calorie intake a bit this week. (and are saving leftovers to eat on the weekend) And I am working on not falling back into an old habit of skipping lunch.

I hope your tummy is treating you better Cat. 

Yeah, I'm going to keep the fins/paddle drills down to only a few hundred yards tops.  I bought the Zura Alpha fins in hopes they will help my kick but also to provide some speed for drills where I go so slow I start to sink (like 1 arm drills).  And I got the Finis Freestyler paddles because I read alot about how they seem to be one of the best paddles for working on your stroke.  With any luck they will be here today or tomorrow before I go to the pool to make up the swim I had to skip last night (I'm a slob and got one of my favorite last minute 'we're coming in to your apartment tomorrow to do stuff' notes when I got home so had to clean!).

As for the calf stretching, it's definitely not due to heels as I wear heels maybe once a year on average (which is about 3-4 times as often as I wear a dress).  I know my calves seem quite large and it's likely just from hauling my fat rear around, so I'm thinking large does not lend itself to being supple.  But between the stretching and using The Stick at least once a day on them, the pain has gotten better (especially post-workout pain...during workout is still kinda painful) and my stretching doesn't take as long to get to a nice stretched out feel.  So, there's improvement and that's all I care about!

Your slow is 2 minutes faster than me working my butt off.    So that is really good!  I am glad you are staying pain free, that is important.  You will get back to your normal pace sooner than you think.

Its almost fRiday (ok its Friday here) so how was everyones week?

Pam - congrats on the pain free... I miss running but Im trying to realise its also not a major priority right now!

Kelley- I will share you something that my that my PT taught me... stretch your calves three times a day.  Each time stretch each side for a minute each three times - the stretch should be something you feel but not be painful, if you over stretch you are going to make it worse as your body will over compensate for the pain making your tighter, also if you really went to the extreme you could tear your muscle... I cant imagine stretching to that amount!!! 

Good times to stretch are after a hot shower, during the day when you have been moving around or after a workout.

One more thing.. on the paddles... what is your form like? Paddles can cause shoulder injuries quickly, especially if your swimming form is not good. If you start to experience shoulder discomfort when swimming stop using the paddles for awhile.

On the plus side they will quickly make you aware of what it feels like to grab the water when you are swimming and you qill quickly know if you need to alter your hand positioning in the water!

Just be conservative using them... they are basically a strength workout just like you would do in the weights room so if you would normally do three sets for a total of three minutes on an exercise in the weights room - treat paddles the same way for awhile...

You can build it up from there... or alternate them in sets to break up the swimming with them....

Well, I've had a pretty good week...stuck with training, got permission from my bosses to do my workouts on my own and not waste time driving back and forth for unit workouts that didn't do anything--so that was a big victory.  I have since followed my training schedule (given I get up for swimming tomorrow! Haha!).  I will just swim tomorrow and then it's pretty much rest and hydrate for Sunday's 1/2 Mary.

I've had some snacking moments I probably should've ignored, but it has been fairly healthy snacks, so no big deal really.

Also, the HIM I signed up for this year just became the inagural Austin 70.3, so that was exciting news.

I have gotten a lot out of many of the tips on here, so thanks to all and hope you've all had/are having a good week!

Melissa- great job getting to the gym and sticking with it!! Also, remember that in the first couple of weeks of beginning strength exercises, even if doing cardio, it is possible to have some minor weight gain because your body will start adding that muscle, but maybe not shedding the fat quite yet.  It can initially be very discouraging, BUT stick with it because that muscle will then start upping your metabolism and helping you burn the fat and thus lose the weight.  I know I have had some discouraging moments in this, but persistence works well and will pay off.  That was pretty funny about where he "found" some of the workouts--good to know that he cares enough about what you want to do though and is finding the right things for you to do!

BunnyB - 2008-01-11 12:35 AM H He specifically said that he'd found some great training plans on .... Beginner Triathlete. I just started laughing and told him I knew ALL about BT already.

I had a similar experience this week.  My friend who now knows I will do the sprint suggested we go running at the crack of dawn and sent me an email saying "check out this website.. beginner triathlete... it has great logging tools."  I too burst out laughing. 

I agree with this... if the distances of the race are shorter what you would be training on those days you might like to warm up by riding/runnin to and from the race...

Also look at the Oly as a training session to nail you nutrition and practice nutrition... and race it at your HIM pace NOT oly pace it will be a great test run! 

Whooped is good! Went to the Houston Marathon Expo today, registered, got some free stuff...looks like weather is going to rock.  Wish I knew where I'd be this fall cause I could've signed up for the San Antonio Rock and Roll Mary or 1/2 Mary at a GREAT price..oh well.  Also discovered a TX long-relay race that I'd like to do next year (if I'm in TX) and it looked way sweet with an incredible texas iron star finisher's medal.

Anyhow, just tapering today and going to see the "Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" (hahaha, I know, but I LOVE Veggie Tales!).  Should anyone be bored tomorrow and want to see my results for the Houston 1/2 I'm Bib # 21434

Hey Brit...hope the race went well (by the time you read this)!

Tried my fins and paddles on Friday and they were good but odd. I did 50 yards with both and realized I'm not coordinated to handle both at once and get anything out of them. Then did another 50 with just the fins. I can definitely tell they'll help with getting my legs stronger in the right way and also get my toes pointing better. Then I did 100 yards with the paddles. The nice thing with the Finis Freestylers are they really aren't meant to built strength much, so I didn't feel any more pressure on my shoulders really. They are meant to keep your stroke in a good form. And definitely toward the end I noticed if I didn't totally concentrate, the paddles would start to waver if my hands weren't exactly in the right direction so they were great for that. I'll probably use them for 100 yards each for a while and see how that goes. And I only do drills once a week (the other is for endurance) so I'm sure I'm not overdoing it Cat

I might end up doing another tri this summer. My local tri club is starting up their New Triathlete Program and I'm considering joining. For $75 you get special workout sessions, training help, a mentor (won't replace you Cat...but can't hurt to have 2!), and special seminars. It sounds like a great opportunity and a great way to meet some people too. The program ends with the New Jersey State tri which is an easier sprint (shorter swim and bike and flat flat flat...check out the video to see just how flat...there's one hill on the bike...and it's barely a hill!) than the one I plan on doing in August. It's at the end of July so it would be a great B+ race to get me ready for the harder race in August. Just need to see if I can afford it since it would mean 2 nights in a hotel and all the other traveling expenses.  We'll see, but the race isn't required to do the program so that's good.

Sounds like everyone is doing really well! Keep it up folks!

Hmm, may have to pick up those paddles and fins for myself, we shall see.  Lyssa- with the movie, it's a good one, kids will learn lots--not as many quips as I was hoping for in comparison to their other ones...but still a good movie.

As for the race, TOTAL PR today--the race report is up, but I had a GREAT race day and ran a 1:39:54 at a 7:38 pace...I have never held that pace for that long before, adrenaline and supporters along a route (and my inherent competitive nature) made for a really incredible race.  Now I just have to see what I can do for 26.2...two more weekends of long runs before the taper for the marathon! Lots of encouragement from today though.  Race report is up if anyone's interested!