FancyPants Group, Part 2- The Ladies Are FULL! (Page 14)

Its been pouring rain since yesterday evening with no signs of letting up.

I have a 5K tomorrow at 1pm and it looks like I will be racing in the rain. I did an easy 3 miles this morning in the rain. I was so soaked. I don't have a waterproof jacket so I will have to bring a change of clothes.

Lovey

I hope the rain let up for your 5k, Lovey!

Have a 4mi run today, here's hoping I can get myself through it mentally!

Sorry Ladies, but I have no run miles to add this week. I blew out a small alien from my nose and actually had to take some sinus medicine to keep working. So...no run or workout of any kind and my muscles may have turned to mush along with the fat I undoubtedly put on. But, it doesn't work for me to run when my lymphatic system is all swollen and I can't breathe. I did get an adjustment and worked on my taxes and paperwork.

My husband found some shoes called Five Fingers by REI. They have toes and are supposed to give you a better running stance. I have a seminar in Madison next weekend so I may go to the store and try some on. Never liked the toe socks in the 70's, but maybe these will be different? The reviews sound too good not to try them out. I'm trying to convince my husband to do a canoe, mountain bike, trail run tri in the fall with me, or at least the canoe part. They are supposed to be excellent trail running shoes.

Nothing else to report, except that after a whole week of fog and rain here in Wisconsin, today it is sunny and most of the snow has melted! Yeah! Might drag the family out for a walk at least....kleenex in tow.

Wetsuits.....well, I took the plunge and invested in wetsuits and I think it was what I needed to feel confident at the time. I wasn't a strong swimmer and liked the buoyancy it provided in the lake. You will never drown in a wetsuit! So, I use it when practicing distance in the lake, like when I swim to the other side and back. Not sure if I will use it for the sprint distance, as I have gotten strong enough to do that distance asleep. Not the fastest swimmer, but I can do it.

Lovey--I also have to pee great buckets when in the water. Maybe because the lack of gravity is easier on the kidneys or lymphatic system or something. I used to do a toddler swim class in warm water with my two oldest when they were little. There was no actual swimming involved, so no swallowing of water. I just had to pee and pee afterwards. But then, I retain water a lot. I learned to pee in the water, even in the wetsuit because it is too much of a hassle to pry the suit off just to pee! I don't pee in the pool though, but that is often why I quit swimming after so long. Maybe because people pee in their suits, I don't think they retain any value Some people pee on the bikes, but I'm not that talented.

a note on peeing on the bike-

be certain your water bottle is stored either between your aerobars, or attched right behind your seat. If it is down on your frame it's going to get pee all over it...

most people can make it through a sprint tri without peeing. and, honestly, you are all wet from the swim so it does not matter if you pee your pants....

my oldest needs my computer so I am off.

I got over my run issue! WOO HOO!!!! I had mental issues on my run Friday; talked with a friend who is a lifelong runner yesterday at a baby shower (no one appreciate our running talk when we should have been ooing over baby gifts- WHATEVAH!). I told her I was all down because I bonked and had to walk and she said what's wrong with walking? TRUE.

Anyway, great long run for me today.

Phoenix- GET WELL SOON!!!!!

Speaking of walking, if you let me count a family walk with intermittant spurts of run today OUTSIDE in the sunshine--60 degrees!!--then you can add 5 miles to the group totals. I say moving on foot in any fashion counts as exercise. You do what you can and you cross that finish line, crawling if necessary. When I daydream about completing an ironman....some day....I never really picture myself running the whole marathon. I sort of see myself hobbling across the finish. But....I'll still be an ironman, right?!!

My cold is getting better. I'll be myself this week again.

I did the Shamrock 5K toady. I had two goals today, beat last year’s time of 43:21 which happens to be this slow runner’s fastest 5K time and hit 40 minute finishing time.

My final time was 38:07 with a 12:38 pace!! That’s 5 minutes 14 seconds faster than last year!!

I rocked Shamrock!!

Race report - http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

Lovey

Lovey-Great job!  That is the way to crush a PR!  Your running is really improving. 

Anne- The running club that I belong to has all sorts of paces and I choose to go with the run/walkers.  We choose what ratio we want, usually something like 1min run:1 min walk for 1 mile, 2 min run:1 min walk for 2 miles, then up depending on the distance and back down for a cool down.  We don't walk more than a minute but that little break is GREAT mentally and you know what, we go faster or the same pace that I run when I go straight through so BONUS!  One of my group just ran a 5k this weekend, doing a 1:1 ratio because she had the flu and improved her 5k by 3 minutes since Feb. where she ran all the way through.  There is something to be said about this walking stuff.  I am a convert.  The most we ever run is 4 minutes without a walk break. 

Phoenix-I hope you are feeling better.  Take care of yourself.  Training can wait. It is nice to get outside.

I have had some epiphanies this weekend.  My focus has changed a bit. I will make myself do the du's and tri's I am registered (4 events starting June 6, including an olympic du) for but then I am retiring from tri's. Joining this running group has renewed my love for running.  I don't want to do anything else.  My bike isn't even tempting me and I see it as work.  I don't want to do stuff that is more work than what I have. I want to get back to my roots of why I move my body, which is health and stress relief, not increased stress.  I am going to be just running in 2011, unless I get injured and then I will get back into biking/swimming for cross training.  Be it good or bad, I just want to run. 

As far as the challenge, I am not participating in it.  My trainer incident did me in and I am still a little traumatized.  The thought of doing a push up just makes me sick to my stomach. 

 

Edited by jogo 2010-03-15 6:21 AM

Hi everyone.  It sounds like most of you are busy training.  Great job!  Great job on the race Lovey.  Phoenix I hope you get well, it really sucks to have a cold when the weather is starting to get nice.

Me I'm on again off again.  I had a great week running 2 weeks ago, but then was in training for work this past week.  I did get out and in a 3 mile run, out in the nice warm weather we are finally having.  Hoping to get some running in again this week, and then I'm off on vacation for a week.  There definitely won't be any running on vacation...nothing but diving.

Those of you who read my log a few weeks ago, know that my focus has changed.  I have cut down to just one tri for the summer (with my girls Jogo and AKR) and I probably will do a couple OWS.  But my focus is changing from focusing on "Me" to focusing on an "US".  My boyfriend of almost 8 years and I have decided to move in together.  Consolidating two households is going to take up much of free time on the weekends.  I have to get my house rented too.  It's going to be a change.  Then our extra time will be going towards "training" to do some dancing etc.  We took lessons years ago and never did anything with it.  He wants us to be doing some practicing a few days a week together.  I got into tri's for the exercise, and dancing will definitely be exercise too, so I'm fine with switching what my exercise is as it's going to be fun to do together.

I'll still be checking in, love to hear your stories etc. 

GINNY-

That is exciting stuff! Oh my heart is fluttering....and the dancing....OMG does he cook too? My man does not dance. Boy has no rhythm.

Jo- I love reading your running tales! You are so right, you have to do what you love- if it's work, it's no fun. Jo, I also am not doing the push-up challenge....I have a hard enough time just fitting in my running right now.

LOVEY- great job on the Shamrock 5k!!! Wonderful that you met your goals too!!!

Jo and Ginny- I'm still in for our girls tri. I might have a few local gals doing it too which will make us have a big party the night before. Sadly my race season is changing too- Mike has to travel for a full week for a class this summer, and the two ones he has to choose from are both the weeks before races for me, so I have to cut a race and it looks like Maumee Bay. SUCKS, but that happens. The other choice was to cut the all girls tri- NO WAY. I also found out my brother and his family are moving this summer, back to NC- he is going back to active duty with the Marine Corps (he has been out the last 3 years on reserve duty). Makes my May relay with him even more important. So many hiccups happening right now- wondering what else the universe has to throw my way.

Long ride for me today during naptime- here's hoping it actually happens!

RUN TOTALS: GOAL 75 miles
Week One 3/01 to 3/07/10 - 18 miles (running balance: 18 miles)
Week One 3/08 to 3/14/10 – 16 miles (running balance: 34 miles)
Week One 3/15 to 3/21/10 –
Week One 3/22 to 3/28/10 –
Week One 3/29 to 3/31/10 –

PUSH UP CHALLENGE: GOAL 100 pushups in a set
Week One 3/01 to 3/07/10 – max pushups in a set 15; total pushups 42
Week One 3/08 to 3/14/10 – none, I was completely unfocused on it this week
Week One 3/15 to 3/21/10 –
Week One 3/22 to 3/28/10 –
Week One 3/29 to 3/31/10 –

Lovey

Lovey--YOU ARE A SUPERSTAR! See, all that diet and exercise has really paid off! Great job!

Ladies, it's perfectly okay to slow down. Go with what you love. And one tri a summer is still being a triathlete! I realized awhile ago that I prefer swimming in a lake to a pool and I prefer mountain biking on the trails with my family to a skinny tri bike out in deathly traffic. I like the posture of a mountain bike and the fact that I can take my hands off the handlebars to scratch my nose or take a drink. The tribike is too fragile and the wind pushes it over if I move my hands. Next month will be more of a bike focus so we'll see if I can tolerate the tribike enough to at least keep my one tri a summer goal. I also love the run--it's so easy--you can run anywhere with only the shoes as equipment.

Congrats on the boyfriend situation. Personally, I think you need to cohabitate to know for sure that you can make the union work. If you still love him when he sits on the couch in his underwear, unshaven, smelly, scratching his parts and farting, then it's real Finding some activity to do together is really important, too. My husband will walk with me for miles and mountain bike with me and lets me swim or run or whatever at the Y while he pushes weights. He holds the baby so I can go run. So, I think I'll keep him

I ran, without stopping, for a whole 3 miles last night! I think it is easier outside for me. I'm not fast, but the breathing thing is the element that slows me. I have to slow down enough for my lungs to keep up. I didn't use the inhaler and it takes about 1.5 miles before the lungs open up and then they are so much better. For the first part, though, I sound like a person really struggling and I used to be embarrassed to run in public because of it. I will let myself walk for my half marathon, but I'm trying to allow myself to run aerobically and work WITH my breathing instead of running without oxygen and about dying every quarter of a mile or so. I just don't want to use those darn steroids if not completely necessary. There must have been asthmatic cave people that still had to run after a mammoth to kill it and eat, right? They didn't have inhalers.....

For my 5K race this pass Sunday:

I started a few seconds ahead of someone at the race, and we kept passing each other but at the turn of the last 1/4 mile, I ran full speed ahead and left her behind but her net time is faster than mine. Not by much (4 seconds) but it doesn't seem right though. Her gun time was longer than mine by 3 seconds too.

When the final results (it said official), I was placed 3065 out of 3590 overall and 664/804 age group. LAter I checked the results and it said 3146/3593 and 665/805 age group.
Overall they added 3 more people but my placement dropped by 86. What gives?

Could it be wrong?

Lovey

Hi Ladies!!  So many good things are going on this week! 

Lovey- you are a machine.  Plain and simple.  Congrats on smashing your goal!!

Jo/Ginny- also congrats on being smart about focusing on one thing that you love. It's a hard choice to make, but you will be so much happier in the end.  Also, Ginny, we may all request dancing lessons from you   If you haven't seen Strictly Ballroom, it's a great 80's Aussie movie about ballroom dancing.  You'll love it.

phoenix-you can also look into Vibram 5 fingers.  they are likely more expensive, but that's where a lot of the barefoot running folks go.  Also, if you haven't read Born To Run, you might find some good facts and inspiration there.

Ann- you rock!!  Way to get over your bonk.  We all have them and I think they are good for us in the long run.

In other news- I got to ride outside today!!!!  I forget how much more I have to pay attention when I'm riding- esp to bumps in the road- and there are plenty after our little nor'easter this weekend. 

Happy training this week!!  Keep up the great work! Vitamin D makes me want to use excessive exclamation points!

Lovey-

Yes, it could be wrong- but unless you placed, is it something you want to take the time to really look into? I mean, you smashed your old time. I always go on my watch time versus race time anyway.


I'm off to calculate our miles so far and get them posted.

Just a note- we are mid-march, nearing April, and BT will do April mentor groups. You all are welcome to stay here- I will keep this one going, and we will get moved to the Mentor Program Archives. HOWEVER- you are also welcome to investigate and/or join other mentor groups. You may need a more challenging group, or you may need something you can't get here. Just wanted to toss that out there.

Our total as of TODAY?

183.92

think we can make 300?

My time may be wrong because my chip might not have registered on the first mat but did on the second mat. I'm ok with it, I was just curious. I did hit my watch after I finished not as I finished so it was off but it did sa 38:23. I met my goal of beating my time and smashed my ultimate goal of hitting 40 minutes. That's all that matters to me.

We are 183.92 miles so far and I just added 4.5 miles for for run tonight. I know we can hit 300. In another week, if we pass 300 miles, we can up the monthly total again.

I might have to change my workout schedule too. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings i swim at 6am and run at 6pm in the evening. After my swim, i am so tired and sleepy all day and then I have to push thru my evening runs. I make the run and maintain my pace but I am tired. Afterwards, I usually feel good for a couple of hours before the tiredness comes back.

Is it inadequate sleep or am I pushing too hard on those days?

Lovey

Edited by Lovey 2010-03-16 7:39 PM

I don't know about moving mentor groups. You gals have grown on me.

I will look at them to be fair.

Lovey

Lovey, I just want everyone to feel fine with staying or going. I'm not very intense, this is more of a warm-touchy-feely group, and some of the groups are for people who want to really push or be more competitive.

ALSO Lovey- what are you eating pre-swim, post-swim, and pre-run? And are the runs on the evenings (of days you have morning swims) your long runs, or short runs/speed work?

I know this group isn't super intense but more of a warm-touchy-feely group but I like that. Most of us are mothers, some with full time jobs as well. We get each other. I may join another group to be more competitive in my swimming. However, I would like to still stay with this group if no one minds.

Anne, will you not reopen this group for the April mentorship?


Tuesday and Thursdays are my short run days. I am scheduled to do 5 miles each of those days. This is the first half marathon for most of the group so the coach has been focusing on us just getting in mileage to build our base and endurance. She hasn't mentioned speed work yet. I stopped running at the back of the pack and moved to the middle with people a little faster. Now that pace has become my comfortable pace so I think that helped with my speed without me really doing focused speed work.


Tuesday/Thursdays schedule

pre-swim meal: whole wheat toast with peanut butter

swim at 6:15am: drink (zip) water or Powerade Zero

~8:30 breakfast: veggie omelette (egg beaters) w/ 2 sl of WW toast or 2 WW waffles and coffee

~10:30 snack: cup of fresh fruit or a whole one like a pear (don't eat apples)

~ luchtime: sandwich - 2 WW toast, light swiss cheese, deli meat, lettuce and yogurt w/granola

~ pm snack (b/w 3 & 4p): cup of fresh fruit or a whole one like a pear (don't eat apples)

~pre-run snack: either at 5pm I eat about 25% of my dinner or about 5:15/5:30 pm: - whole wheat toast with peanut butter

~Run a 6:00 pm - 5 miles

~dinner at 7:45/8pm: whatever I cooked the night before like brown rice, chicken and veggies

Lovey

Lovey

Great job on your race!  It's always a good feeling to beat your own time.

As far as your days being tough when you swim in the morning.  Do you get up earlier than you do normally?  When I swim 2 days a week, I have to get up an hour earlier than I do on normal days.  I am always worn out and tired during those days.  I try to go to bed earlier the nights before, but that doesn't always happen. (Normal bedtime for me is 10 going to bed at 9 is really difficult when everyone else is still up.)  I usually try to make the days that I swim be days that I don't do much else, I will make that either just a quick weight session or a yoga day.  I seem to be able to get through that, but trying to run is really difficult. 

I'll definitely be sticking around here again.  I really enjoy this group and getting to know everyone.   I do have a goal of beating my time from last years tri. 

Because both my swim and run dyas are group workouts, I can't change the days unless I drop out of the group.

I am looking at moving to a master swim class but the ones I found so far that take beginners like me swim on Tuesday and Thursday mornings as well. I am still trying to see if I can find one on another day.

My running clubs trainings are all on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Lovey

It's not a matter of reopning...the way BT mentor groups work is, when they start a new round of groups, all groups from the January-March mentor groups will get moved to the Mentor Group Archives. I'll continue the group there- in the archives- as I am a one year kind of gal. Other leaders do this too- while others start up new mentor groups in April.

So, whomever sticks around- we'll be here, just in the archives.

But it's also a chance to get into a new mentor group if you want to. I would start watching for info on it, since mentor groups fill up fast.

Lovey and Ginny- normally if I have a swim I schedule nothing else that day too, o r else I try to schedule something easy like a short run. I think Ginny might be right, Lovey- you are worn out because you are pulling double workouts that day. It's not bad- and it does not sound like there is an easy fix because your run group is fantastic and so far your swim day does not seem like it is apt to change. Maybe make the day before or after a rest day? I'm not sure. And your nutrition is pretty spot on- I don't want to tell you to make changes in that area because it works for you.

Jo, I'm going to smash my time from last year....which was....ZERO, since I was a volunteer and pregnant.

That is my "A" race, just because it is so fun. I want to get a bell for my bike for that race...