QuincyF and Oriolepwr's Magical Mys-tri Tour for Newbies Has Begun (CLOSED) (Page 14)

Are you swimming with fins?  This happens to me when I wear my fins for too long in the pool.  Here is a good link...

http://www.swim-city.com/library.php3?id=119

Sorry you've been sick. If it makes you feel any better, I've had a super hard time getting back to any semblance of training after my surgery...and I was just reminded as I was reading another thread that you can't get any fitness when you are sick anyway, so you might as well let your body recover!

Go get on that bike!!!

I get foot cramps after exercising when I point my toes (like when you're swimming), but never so bad I have to quit. My husband has had severe cramps in his legs to the point of falling down (marathon, HIM, etc). He actually drinks...wait for it...pickle juice!  He keeps some in a small 4 oz flask that he keeps with him like other nutrition and if he feels even a twinge, he downs it. He hasn't had another cramping episode yet.

We're not 100 percent sure it will work for him in the most extreme of circumstances because we haven't had him start to cramp in a super hot, super long race and use the pickle juice to make it stop, but it's cheap to try. You probably have some in your fridge right now. We use clausssen kosher dill.

We did a lot of reading and believe it or not there are studies that show it works...

Ya gotta love endurance sports, where people will eat jelly beans and drink pickle juice in an effort to remain in physical agony for hour after hour just for some pictures and a $2 medal. CRAZYTOWN!

I really like this article...I have heard a lot of runners talk about how they have 'stiff ankles' and now am wondering if I need to check on my own kick...plus the kicking drill sounds super useful. Thanks Cheri! Hey gang, check this article out, it's a good one, and probably more to the point about cramps in the pool than my pickle juice idea!!!

Wow you guys, I am humbled by what you are overcoming. Makes my whining about my shoulder seem a little silly! I am also intrigued and heartened that both of your cardiologists are supportive and believe your sport is helping your hearts! Thanks for sharing all of this with us.

Peter- how goes the bike assembly? Remember, you promised pix when it was ready!

Lauren- did you talk to the tri-chicks at the office yet?

Everyone:  I was thinking it might be fun to repost our 2012 race plans and a brief synopsis of how we are planning to get there...I know we did this already, but I think it might be a good discussion topic for today...

I'll go first:

Normally I have my entire season mapped out early in the year, but because I don't know how my shoulder will heal, I am playing it more by ear this year, but this is my guess:

May 12 (13?): Pre Eclampsia Walk and 5k. I won't be running this for a PR, because my daughter wants to run it this year, so I am support squad for this race. We are both survivors so it is a very special day for us. ALL of you Chicago peeps are welcome to come. It is very small, not chip timed, but a worthy cause and was super fun last year. 

June 8-9: Ragnar Chicago, if we can get a team together. Dave?

Late June: Sprint tri? Pleasant Prairie? Oly if I'm feeling up to the swim.

July 15: Racine HIM, swim dependent. If not, crew for DH.

Late July: Sprint or Oly if I can find one. Otherwise a Time Trial somewhere.

August 14: Wisconsin Dells. OLY if I pulled off Racine, HIM if not to dial in pacing and nutrition for IMOO.

September 12: IMOO (I am in denial that I am doing this race...so much has to happen right for me...fingers crossed)

I'll be using Don Fink's Be Iron Fit 30 week plan. I did not want to train this long for a race, even an Ironman because I have attention issues but I need to rebuild my base. So I start in February. I will be using aqua jogging inlieu of swimming until June. I have a flotation belt, a lap membership, and this idea that I can clip my ipod to my hat. What could go wrong?

OK, your turn! What is your race schedule (guess if you're not sure like I did) and how are you going to get there? If you don't know, post what is holding you up and maybe we can help!

Ciao for now...

Q

Shelly, Now I know there are 2 of us with heart issues.  I was born with a congenital heart defect.  My cardiologist things this tri thing is great and my heart has gotten stronger.  I am glad I have a HRM.

Keep it up.

Tom

Dave, or anyone else,

Has anyone done business with "Road Runners Sports" stores?

Sean-  Nice to have you back!!   

Yes!   They have both actual stores as well as a strong internet presence.     Yes go to one of their stores and have them fit you.  Have them watch you on their treadmill.     Join their VIP club at the store.      

March 25- Shamrock Shuffle 8K (thinking)

April 28-   Illinois Marathon (my DW is running the half!!)

May 26 - Soldier Field 10 miler

June 8-9  Ragnar Madison-Chicago   (no worries Q we will get/have a team we should sign up)

June 24- Bigfoot Tri-Oly

July(ish)   undetermined 70.3 Destination. -The race director (I mean my wife) has not decided how this will go down.

August 19 - Race the lake 90 mile Bike race

Sept- Half mary some where-

Oct 7- Chicago Marathon

Nov-17  JFK 50 mile ultra marathon

There are other events that I will do, but not going to list everything.   I listed the major ones.    The 50 miler is the biggie on my list and I'm unsure on how to really train for it. 

 I'm running every day, and trying to build a really strong run base.   in time I will add more speed to my runs, and will ramp up mileage further.   I also will start consciously marathon training here in a couple of weeks, building my long run.

My priority is the run, then its the bike and then swim.       The run is going to still get me a 70.3 PR as well as an Oly PR.    I'm sure of this, as long as I can avoid injury.

X2 on this. VIP club can get decent deals...I think this is where we ended up getting DH's last shipment of shoes...

Open house to you and the girls for any of those Chicago races. Just remind me to have Chris schedule days off so we can hang. I might do Shamrock just for the check in the block... 

Also, considering Bigfoot again, although I swore I wouldn't...there's a cool hotel within walking distance of the park...you driving in or staying the night?

I forgot about the Marathon...when does it open? Feb 1? It sold out super fast last year, faster this year?

I also might do the Chicago Sprint again...I quale'd for ag nationals in that race last year, can you believe that? With my swim? And the beer we consumed the night before? OMG. Harhar.

Also, if any of you Chicago-ish folks do any downtown races, let's work on a meetup for one of them. I live right off the blue line in Bucktown so it's super easy to get to after a race.

Schedule...constantly changing as I keep seeing new things I want to try!

March - Azalea Sprint Tri

April  21 - First Flight 5K

May 19 - Warrior Dash

May 20 - Greensboro Sprint Tri or Ramblin Rose Raleigh

June 10 - Dixie Diva Sprint Tri

October 7 - Ramblin Rose Chapel Hill

Sept or Nov - Disney Tower of Terror or Wine and Dine

**Sept - White Lake International Tri *** I really want to aim for this one but it makes me reeeallllyyy nervous as it will be the longest distance I've ever done, it's open water (well in a lake ), and the swim seems more than a little daunting.

blackledge - 2012-01-12 12:23 PM Hey Q - How have you been?!  Sorry for interrupting here folks but just wanted to say hello to my past mentor-group buddy

Ry! You're welcome to stick around here and hang out...how's the baby, she's probably almost walking now!

Folks, Ryan is a Chicago peep and former fellow Manatee...and a super fast runner, especially during the Chicago Tri! I think he's gotten first in his AG on the run two years in a row!

I think with all those sprints under your belt you will kill White Lake...have you checked any race reports to get an idea of how the swim has been in previous years?

I like this schedule, LOTS of racing. Are you going to target any of these races with a training plan? You could build up to one of the earlier races, peak, and then build again for the OLY. I love training for an OLY, it really gets you in great shape...

trei - 2012-01-12 12:33 PM Thanks will check it out.  I'm finding it very laborious to breathe on the right side.  At first I'm really out of breath and can only make about 4 lengths of the pool before I need to stop and catch my breath, but then toward the end of the hour during the last 15 minutes I seem to get into a rhythm, so hopefully I can begin to get that feeling sooner.  On Monday morning I thought it had something to do with running 13 miles on Sunday ( or maybe it was that large pizza for supper ), but it happened again on Wednesday morning.

Hmm sounds like you are pushing too hard, or kicking too much and then naturally calming down because you are tired later in the sesson. Sort of self correcting...if you could identify what is changing when you feel more in a 'rhythm' that might help you get into that rhythm earlier.

Do you have any thoughts on what is changing?

Any advice you can give would be appreciated! I'm following a sprint training plan right now to get me to the Azalea (as the run is a little longer than the other sprint tri I've done).  But I'm really not sure how to proceed after that. 

Also, for the Azalea I'll be okay on the swim, hopefully ok on the bike (once I get the hang of my new one!), the run is where I'm a bit worried.  Is there any rule of thumb for what distance you should practice? I'm doing intervals, run/walk and I can run for 5-8 minutes at a time so far - but using minutes, not distance.  Should I be focusing on getting the distance? I really want to be able to run the entire 5K of Azalea.  I'm thinking I should train for a 4mile distance without stopping? I'm so confused....

Check your training plan. How many minutes of running does your plan get you up to. The longest run...should be 2 or 3 weeks before the race...

I would pick a plan for the OLY, put it on the calendar and see how far back that puts you...a 16 weeker would put you somewhere in May, right? So repeat your sprint plan to get you to the May 20th race and then hop over into the Oly plan and race through it...i.e. your midsummer races won't have much taper...they are fairly short anyway, so not a whole lot of taper to begin with...

That's totally manageable. If I were you, I would look at doing a Half Marathon in the fall, you'll be in beastly good shape. Especially if you follow the plan and don't overdo it...stay calm and don't get injured. I think I might do a season like yours next year. I LOVE sprints, they are my absolute favorite, and I'd love to train for speed after all of this Long Slow Distance stuff. Pah.

DP