Experior's Mentor Group - CLOSED (Page 14)

hi Everyone,

Quick update:  I've had to take the last three days off to give me back and shoulder a rest. In the past I would have just kept going, pushing through the strain and the pain, but that is exactly what got me really injured in the first place. So I've been resting.  Chiropractor has been really happy with how all the training has been helping heal, strengthen and condition my back, but it seems like I found the line between a good push and over exertion. He encouraged me to take the training down a little bit, cutting back to to two swims instead of three, since swimming puts the most strain on the lower back. It's been a good lesson in focusing on the quality of a workout, not the quantity.  I think I need to apply this to my running as well.

With that said, it's really hard not to be exercising.  I didn't realize how much training supports me feeling good in the day and keeps my whole mind, body, spirit inline.  I'm one of those people who always feels less then great in the middle of a dark, long winter, and after just three days off I feel that winter gloominess creeping in that makes it hard to get up and go to the gym.  So i'll head to the gym today for at least a slow jog and try a slow swim on sunday.

Hi Laura,
I feel it too. The winter is getting to me too. Snowed in and I am going nuts. Exercise is so good for your mental health and when you can't it is so hard. I have been running up and down the stairs in my house-11 stairs! Not sure that is doing any good but I have to run. I tried out the dry land swimming exercises Michael sent the link for the video on-that has helped too, as well as the core workout-wow. Does shoveling snow count as training for triathlon? Don't know if I can include that in my logs, haha!

Hope your injury gets better soon.

Good luck!
Jan

It sounds like your approaching it wisely.

If I were you, I'd ask (not me but real professionals!) about specific physical therapy you can do to strengthen your lower back.  It sounds like that's the trouble spot for you, so targeted work there might pay big dividends down the road for your ability to train more.  And by the way, the fact that your swim affects that area is a GOOD sign!  Good swimmers engage their core area much more than poor swimmers.  (I know this because I'm a poor swimmer trying to become good...)

In general, core is very important for all three disciplines, though in different ways.  I've heard various arguments about the helpfulness of core workouts, and on an academic level, I'm not sure which way to lean, but on a personal level, I know that when I can force myself to do them, I feel better during s/b/r as well.

And thanks to Neil, I've done my second core workout this week today, planning for another on Sunday!  Neil, I hope you don't mind if I curse you once or twice in the middle of a set of crunches.  I mean it in a nice way!

I'll post goals and progress on Mondays -- Sundays are the 'last day of the week' for me.  Let me know your progress by then if I can't glean it from your logs.

Hi Team, how are you all, its wet and windy here so maybe an indoor ride tomorrow. Well I have got 3 swims in so far this week including a 1500m so am happy. Not done much core work michael as my back is a bit sore at the moment so focussing on stretching.

hello all
have been crazy busy latley so no posts. Training is coming along if you call only Biking and Running training for a Triathlon. Have not been in the pool at all, got my pass for 3 months last week and still have not been in, thats my Feb goal,2-3 times a week for the month. Had a great ride on the weekend, 2 hrs and 50km later it was awesome. Beautiful sunny day a little chilly but a great day. Got decent run in yesterday and a good core workout today with some stretching. Things are coming along nicely all and all. Hope everyone is doing well .
Dave

Edited by DaveBIM2010 2011-02-07 8:44 PM

Hmm.  I just realized that I must have never pushed 'submit' when I composed our goals an progress.  Stupid me!  I think I was in the middle of composing several posts at the time, and that one somehow got 'lost'.  I'll try to get to it soon.

So, I have to share some good news with you all.  Last week I did a deal -- trading my training wheels (pretty nice, and do I really need nice wheels just for training?  No!) for a wheel with a Powertap powermeter.  Well, it came today and it felt like my birthday!  So of course I dropped all my work and installed it.  Now I'll be up all night, and I'll be a tired wreck tomorrow, but a tired wreck with a powermeter on his bike!  I'm very excited.

I hope you are all doing well.  Report in!  Let us know how you're getting on!

Hi folks, hope you are all well. Its been a tough week, found out my mother in law has cancer and she is very poorly. They are hoping to operate but she is very weak, a few added complications too arose today so its not looking good right now. Keep training, I'll check back in soon. Neil x

So sorry to hear about this Neil.

Thinking of u and your family neil.

Powertap, nice! I will not spend any time thinking about this!!!

Sat here typing with 1 hand and the other on mrs t's tummy feeling bronco do summersaults! I have had a sore Achilles for 3 weeks and not done any running. I have a half marathon on Sunday 13th and another on 27th so have tested Achilles this week, it felt stiff at the beginning but has loosened up so I think I am going to do it, but more as a training run with a medal at the end rather than trying to beat my time from 2010. (1.49.05) but who's counting right? Lol' Plan for feb is to bike 200 plus miles and run 50 plus, I still building base so nothing more complicated than that. Going to run in compression tights on Sunday, interested to see how my legs feel during. Planning. My 1st outdoor ride tomow weather permitting. Very excited, hope to do 40 plus miles. Have fun all, keep healthy and motivated and a special mention to Neil during these difficult times. T

Hi everybody,Neil, so sorry about your mother-in-law. So tough when family is like you are going to be great Dad. T, sounds like "Broncho" is taking after you in the sports arena. You are in for a lot of fun.Michael, don't know what a powertap is but sounds great. I have not been successful with my Feb goals so far but getting in short workouts. My parents are like my children now, constant care, but I am not complaining, they are still here with me. I am leaving Thurs for my Mexico trip-practice swimming in the ocean! I have printed what you sent Michael and looking forward to it! I hopefully wil check in before I leave but then I probably will not have Internet for a while so I will tell you all how it went when I get back at end of Feb. I was able to get moved to the novice wave in St Anthony race after contact with the race director. That makes me feel a lot better. I have 2 more oly tris planned for this summer too, both in Missouri so will be lake swims-I imagine a breeze after the ocean but I guess I will find out. Cheers and best wishes to everyone!Jan

It's like having someone constantly yelling "YOU AREN'T PEDALING HARD ENOUGH!"  I kind of like it....

Oh man that is the greatest feeling (the somersault thing).

'Training run with a medal' -- that's probably a smart way to think about it.

I'll be interested to hear what you think about the compression tights during a race.  I wear them a lot for recovery, but haven't tried them in a race.

Sorry, that last post was kind of a mess. Meant to tell Neil it is hard when family is sick and that T sounds like he will be great dad. I am old and not that good with computer stuff. Have been trying to edit but I guess I don't know how. Jan

For those who don't know, a Powertap is a measuring device (in the form of a rear wheel hub -- i.e., the center part of the wheel) that measures the power that you are delivering to the wheel on your bike.  It is not even remotely crucial for bike training, but it does allow you to focus on the actual effort you are producing, rather than speed, which can vary a lot depending on road and weather conditions, among other things.



Have a great time in Mexico!  I hear you about parents -- on both points.  I owe them so much that no way will the burden get me down.  And in my case at least, my kids still love to be around them, which is a real blessing as far as I'm concerned.

Hi All

Had my 1st race of the year today. As previously mentioned it was a 1/2 marathon, on the seafront of Portsmouth, and with not being able to run for 3 weeks i treated it as a training run.

The weather today was terrible, raining all throughout the race, and gale force winds on the seafront with hardly any shelter from it.

Got up at 8.20am, I had a slice of jam on toast for breakfast, a banana, cup of coffee and a supped on a sports drink.

got to the race at 9.40am, (10am start time), registered and picked up my chip, boy was it windy.

Luckily i decided to wear my running had which covers my ears, otherwise i would have had serious ear ache in the wind. I was wearing compression tights under running trousers, a full sleve compression tshirt and a cotton tee ontop. Ipod playing all 3 killers albums for the next 2 hours. hat on,. garmin ready and waiting for the start. I was carrying a water bottle with a electrolytes powder mixed in and a gel. Planb was to sip every mile and take the gel at mile 6.

The gun went off, i stayed right at the back, was probably one of the last 10 people over the start line, i prefer to do this, let the bunch go ahead before i start my official time, by the time i catch them up the spread out and mentally its good for me to be overtaking other runners.

We ran the 1st 3 miles east along the sea front parade, the wind was behind us, then we got to the beach run part of the race. this was 3 miles along the shingle and clay beach with the tide out, at some frequency i was ankle deep in clay, not eactly good running pace conditions, this was semi sheltered from the wind with it behind us. we turned onto a road to double back on outselves and this was into a serious headwind. i noticed i had 3 people trying to run at my side to shelter from the wind, considering i had no one to hide behind i moved to the edge o the path so they had to take the full brunt like me.

We ran a mile or 2 and then it was back on the beach, and this time into the head wind, had ot nip into a bush for a rest stop. Back running and Someone fell just behind me, she was running with friends who stopped with her., i then considered if i would stop and help a fellow runner who had fallen and quickly decided of course i would, its just a race.

WE got off the beach and then ran for 2 miles through playing fields, running down a slope i saw a lady lahying on the trail, and people running by her, so i got to her, stopped my watch, pulled ear phones out and checked she was ok, she had slipped, cut her hands and knee, i comforted her for a minute or so before a member o the public came over and said carry on running, i will check she is ok, so back off i went. (restarting the watch). 

We Ran some residential streets and i took on some jelly babies where offered, we were soon back on the seafront parade, the wind was blasting me in the side, and as we followed the path it was more behind my side than infront of me, this i was concerned about because i knew the final 2 miles were doubling back into the wind. We ran past the finish and at mile 11 got to the turn around, this was the part of the race that i strongly considered walking. The headwind was nothing like i had experienced running before, and i have run here before, at one point a huge gust of wind caught me in my stride and literally blew me sideways, i was lucky to stay upright.

I had been   looking at my watch trying to work out where this would finish in comparison to my p of 149.05, and my projections were a 1.50 - 1.51 which i was very happy with cinsidering my lack of perperation.

so i battled the headwind and did not walk any of it, i could not speed up like i usually do for the last 2 miles due to the wind, so decided to just finish the race running.

Before i knew it a sign came up on me saying 400m, i went round a building and saw a sign saying 200m and i could see the finish, i looked at the watch and it still said 1.48 something so i gassed it and crossed the line with mandatory hands in the air, i stopped the watch and was delighted to see 1.48.44 ! i had beaten my PB, in such windy conditions, on such a energy draining course underfoot, and also with minimal running preperation !

I was over the moon and am now really excited about my next 1/2 marathon in 2 weeks time, all street running i think so i am thinking i should be able to get near 1.45 without the wind or clay and mud.

Post race i picked up a goody bag, medal, cliff bar, gel, water and lollypop, went back to registration got some soup and spent 15 mins stretching.

overall a very happy day, acilles feels normal,  broke my pb and thats all on the back of a 45 mile bike ride yesterday too !!

T

Good deal on the 1/2 marathon.  finished my first race of the year as well.  Ran the RocknRoll side by side with my son, every step of the way and crossed the finish line together.  1:51:34, his PR.  Had to wait on him a couple times but it was worth every second of delay.

Hi Neil & gang,

running in my compression tights did seem to help with the leg tiredness, normally at about 9 miles my quads sieze up and seem heavy and hard to lift but no such issues today, i will deffo be running in them in future long runs. Recommended.

But make sure you have a 2nd pair for recovery afterwards.

T

Neil - so sorry to hear about your mother in law.  I wish you and her and your families the very best.

Jan - take us with you!  Mexico sounds wonderful, enjoy!

T - WOOOOOO! A PB in such nasty conditions and with down time due to the Achilles, too.  Wow, super job!  And kudos for taking the time out of your race to check on the fallen lady - class act.  And that is such a special moment you got to share with your wife and growing child.  Sweet.

Bill - glad to hear you and your son had great races, and a PB for him as well! Yeah!

Michael - thanks for the continued good advice and support. 

We finally had a 'warm ' day here today that is finally melting some of the blasted snow and ice.  Up to a whopping 44 degrees F!  Supposed to be even warmer tomorrow before the cold jumps back in on Tues.  I was soooo tempted to ride the bike outside today instead of on the trainer, but the thought of all the road salt (then I'd need to wash it and re-lube) and sharp cinders (flats) kept me in the basement.  Perhaps the next warm weekend I will hit the road!  I was going to meet up with a new, informal tri group in the area today for a swim but left the house too late and went to my usual pool instead.  I will give them another try next Sunday just to see what it is like; I think they meet every week.  They could be a valuable training resource.

Keep up the training, everyone!

Great race report T!  I love it.  PB and it sounds like a good time to boot, and as Melanie said, definitely a class act.  Well done!  Your training has been very solid (i.e., consistent!) lately, even if the run had to go away for a while.  It just shows that long-term consistency trumps short-term problems any day.  So congratulate yourself not only on a good day out, but on being solid for so many weeks and months prior.  Oh, and on fighting through what sounds like nasty weather!

And congrats to Billy (and his son!) on the 13.1 as well!  I look forward to the day when I can do that with my son.  (Eldest is 9 so we're a ways out.)

Melanie -- sorry you had to ride in the basement.  Keep the faith!  (Should I tell you that two friends and I rode 2 hours outside today....in shorts?  Probably not.  )

I am very jealous but happy for you and our other warm climate members.  I know warmer, sunnier days will be here in another month or so.

Edited by melbo55 2011-02-14 10:04 AM

First of all, big woohoo to T, what tough conditions and what a great race report!! Congrats! I really enjoyed the description of the race and also the thought process you went through. Very inspirational and informative.
Billy, great job with your son. What a great experience for you both.
Melanie, would that not be awesome! We could all go practice swimming, do practice group starts, Michael could give up pointer and advice. Too bad I am so limited finanically or I would bring you all along.
Best workouts ever to everyone!
Jan

Thanks everyone for your kind words and well done Billy, good to blow out the cobwebs.

Michael quick recovery question, how long do you rest up after a race, my legs have been v tired and heavy today, i think swimming is going to be the best / easiest form of taining for a day or two but cant make the pool till wednesday, so i may do a turbo tomorrow night, what are your thoughts, ciomments etc.

thanks as always

T

Hi Team

Very sad day for us here today. My mother in law died at lunchtime, peacefully after suffering for sometime. We are all devastated as she was a wonderful lady but know that its for the best and she is comfortable again. Thanks for all your kind messages and I'll be back as soon as I can.

Neil x