Scott F's group - FULL! (Page 13)

Well I finally got out for my first run in two months. and it was hard. I did a walk/run alternating .5k walking and 1 k running. Did 2.5 running over 5km in all. My legs hurt, everything hurt. I know it'll go away soon if I don't push too hard at first. Hopefully I can do 2km at a time on Friday. I want to work my way up to 5km be the end of the next week, maybe sooner.

Anybody still out there?

After a season of training and a couple races, I spent some time reflecting on how I want to move forward and it pretty much came down to improving my swimming for long distance stuff and to really learn to run long. I don't know how tris will factor into 2008 for me.

Well, I took some time off after my last race. Then I just focused on swimming for a while. We finally got a master's swim group together at our club, but its falling a little short of expectations.

So, I'm working on a marathon for spring, and keeping swimming as my primary training.

Mon- Swim, sprint workouts
Tue- Short temp run
Wed- Master's class
Thu- Only bike of the week
Fri- Long swim of the week
Sat- Long endurance run of the week
Sun- Off

This will be my program until about mid-December when it shifts a bit. The master's class will be over and I don't think I'm going to continue for another session. I'll structure my own workouts in the water. My schedule will start to look like this ...

Mon- Swim, drills and some pace setting workouts
Tue- Run, Sprint workouts at the outdoor track (yes, in the winter. we have an indoor track at the club too, if the elements are unbearable)
Wed- Swim, long endurance distances. Working beyond three miles. I'm going to get pretty bored. Need to line up a partner.
Thu- Run, tempo paces for mid distances (4-9 miles)
Fri- Swim, sprint workouts
Sat- Run, long endurance run of the week
Sun- Off

I might throw a trainer ride in during some slow nights at home, but I can get by without the saddle time until the marathon is over (early-April)

So, that's where I am right now. How about everyone else? I'm guessing that's going to be Barb, Mauricio, and maybe Robb. I'd love to hear from Laurie, Scott and Aaron too!

Hey Matt,

After the last Oly I was looking for another Oly to finish the year but I did not find any so I started modifying my work outs to get ready for next season.

I got the best news this month after my last blood test, my Glucose level is down to 103. I also got some bad news about my back, It turns out I have a arthritis in a vertebrae due to an old back injury (this explains the pain), the good news is that it is just pain nothing worse.

Changes:
I am focusing on running faster and longer. I am now close to working out at 9 minute mile which hopefully will translate to under 9 min during race days
My riding is focusing on getting faster and better at climbing. I am now averaging about 20 mph in a 40 miles ride and I am not getting dropped in hills too bad. Last weekend I did 75 miles
I am going to leave my swimming alone for the winter, I do not worry too much about this since i am not going to win any races during the swim.

2008 Goals:
At least one Century ride
Three Oly's in the same venue
At the end of the last Oly I should be able to evaluate whether to do another Oly or a HIM
I would like to drop to 225 pounds by no later than my first Oly.

Great news on the glucose level! Way to Go!

It sound like you are really seeing the benefits of sustained training. 20mph average for 40 miles is great in my book. I haven't done that.

Do you guys race year around out there? We don't. The last tri for the state was in late September, I think. Most of the late season duathlons have been canceled due to weather. Winter training is going to be interesting. I don't mind running in the winter, its the cold rain that really gets to me though.

I'm sticking with the swimming because its the easiest workout for me to fit into my schedule, and because I'm developing some pretty sweet tris and lats. ) The wife likes that. The focus on running is just to conquer my own personal demons.

Keep in touch, eh?

The season starts slowing down on August but you can still find tri on October and november but none of them are very close to me and they are sprints which i was not interested on. Running is my worst too and that is why I am trying to get better.

I don't mind the rain too much exect that my bike gets trashed and full of road grime.

I don't mind warm rain, but pretty soon the highs are going to be in the 30-40's fahr.

That's not fun. I'm thinking of trying to find a pair of gore-tex running shoes. I was at an industrial safety show last week and bought a pair of YakTraks for icy, hardpack snow conditions.

Hi guys, I didn't think anyone was posting around here anymore. Are you still around? Season's over for me right now but I'm full of plans for the future. I started back running but hurt too much right away. Ended up at PT and MT for 2 months for ITB and hip bursitis. Still sore now but not as bad so have given up on spending the bucks on the physio. Ended up losing the last month of the biking season and was quiet disappointed about that but since I was back at school, it was tough to find time and energy anyway. I had a great summer and have to be happy about that I guess.

I have pretty well decided to start swimming after Christmas. I found some prescription swim goggles and think that might solve my vision problems and I think I'll sign myself up for some private swim lessons in January. If I can just learn to swim 300m by next July, I can do the Try-a-try, and who knows, maybe the sprint? I am confident I can do the bike and run and feel good about my times when I look at my age group so it'll just be the swim that'll slow me down. We shall see.

In the meantime, I am going to buy a trainer tomorrow and start riding indoors. I am also going to get a 4 month membership at the gym and work on strength and start running again on the indoor track.

I bought Joe Friel's book "The Triathlete's Training Bible" and I'm really enjoying it. It's helping me to find my focus. I have a good friend who's a triathlete and her hubby is a coach so I may even end up getting him to coach me a bit if I can get on track next spring. We shall see. So my goals will be a 5 or 10k race in May, a duathlon in June, and a tri in July. Whoo hooo!!

Knock, knock, anyone around?

I've seen Mauricio in the forums.

I'm still working on my marathon goal. I got my running distance up to 13.25 miles last Saturday. I think that was really pushing my capacity. This weekend will be about the same. Hopefully, my body will respond well to the longer runs in the following weeks. My first marathon is planned for the first week of April. Its called the Martian Marathon. Its a small event, but fairly close to home and the timing is right for me.

I've found running in MI winters a bit challenging, but I've learned to deal with it. I have committed to staying away from the treadmill. Yaktrax, shorty gaitors, and gore-tex socks all have their places in my heart. If all else fails, I just strap on the snowshoes. It certainly doesn't count as a track workout, but I have already snowshoed around the local track! My dog loved that because I could let her off the leash for a while.

Along with the running, I've been swimming quite a bit. I made a mini-goal of swimming three miles continuously. I swam 2.4 straight through this past Monday. I'm going to cut back a little for next week, then bump my long swim to 4750 yards, then cut back for a week, then finally do the 3 miles straight through. I'm not sure where I'll go from there, but I'm digging these long swims. I really enjoy letting the stress of life melt away when I'm focused on the long swim. I suppose the same could be said for the long runs, but those hurt a bit afterwards.

I haven't made a definite race schedule for '08. I only know of one race for sure, and that is a repeat of my inaugural race last year. I'm guessing I'll cut nearly 20 minutes off from last year. Lofty, but very doable. I've been reading the Freil training bible and I need to plan out peak times for the summer and fall.

I've hardly been on my bike. In fact, its about to get torn apart. I bought a trek equinox frame, and I'm going to swap over all of my good components from the Felt, then sell the spares. The Felt is just too big for me, and this frame is more in line. There is a slight chance that its too small, but I think it would be easier to fit myself to a frame that is too small, than one that is too big. Besides, I got it for a song! It was a complete bike, minus wheels and cassette for $300 shipped! I'm going to wait a couple months to get prime prices for all the left overs. I think I might actually make money on the deal!

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and are embracing your own personal goals for this New Year. Please drop in here and give us an update on yourselves.

-Matt

hey Everyone,
I am still trying to keep motivated during the winter. I am concentrating my winter in running and a little of swimming. I am trying to be ready to a half Marathon in march so we will see how it goes....

My plans for the year include 3 Oly's in June, July and August and hopefully a HIM in Sept or October (For my Birthday). I am not sure which one I am doing yet but I am still looking.

Can't wait until it stops raining so I can get back on the bike

Mauricio

Make it a vacation and do you HIM in beautiful Michigan. We have one called the Steelhead Whirlpool 70.3. I'm thinking about it. Not sure if I want to bite off that much. There are a lot of BT'ers that do it as a training event for late summer or fall IM races.

I'm so far behind everyone else on cycling, that I'm apprehensive about jumping up a HIM at this point in my training. I know I can swim and run that far without a problem, but with a 50 mile bike ride between the two? Yikes.

Hey Matt, I'll do the bike ride for ya if you do the swim and run for me.

I am around and training like a fiend.

I started swimming two weeks ago and I'm doing well. I had NO idea I could swim. Of course, I had no idea I could ride or run before either so..... I had 4 sessions with a private swim coach and he pointed me in the right direction and suggested I join the Master's Swim club so I will be doing that in another week I think.

I got my orthotics and I am back running, cautiously. It's hard but I'm forcing myself to run only walk/run intervals and gradually work up to 5km in 6-8 weeks. I refuse to get into the shin splint/hip issues I had last fall. So far, so good after 4 runs.

I'm really enjoying the variety of training for a Tri. Everyday there's something new to do. I always look forward to it.

I'm back at the gym since Xmas and trying for 3X a week right now until the roads are clear and I can ride outdoors again. Then I'll go twice a week until summer.

I was in the LBS today looking at a really nice Specialized Ruby Expert. I'm definitely getting that or the Trek Madone 5.1 as soon as the new bikes are in. Can't wait to fly!!!

How's everyone else doing?

Wow, how do you keep your exposed skin from freezing in those kind of temps? The coldest I've run is -11 Celcius (12 F) and that was fine but the temps you're talking about are brutal, especially for the longer distances.

Btw, I've just joined a 2008 mentor group (Mike Danko's) because nothing seemed to be happening here. I'm not sure if that's to be expected because this is a 2007 group. Are you in any other mentor group this year?