mcgilmartin's 2013 Mentor Group~ let's get swimming! CLOSED FOR TRAINING (Page 14)

Hey everyone! I'm one of the "lurkers" of the group Matt referenced earlier!      I just spent half an hour reading pages 7-present to get caught up.  I really thought it had only been a week since I logged on.   Oh I have been missing out!!!!!   Some of you people are hilarious!

Right now I am done with my three week base plan (getting ready for the real training).  I have been swimming once a week, running twice, biking twice, doing weights three times, and crossfit three times.  Sounds complicated, but it isn't since most of my workouts are all on lunch breaks. I'm doing low volume,  except swimming on Sunday and crossfit M-W-F for about 20-30min after work. 

Next week I will really get in gear with my running, biking, swimming.  My ex-husb (almost-pro powerlifter) is writing my strength plan for me for next week because I'm so tired of doing my own stuff.  THIS will be interesting.   I am a firm believer in compound movements/strength training to avoid injuries. 

NOW I've got to come up with some training plans on the bike and run and swim.  I've copied the swim workouts and will get to that tomorrow.  THANKS MATT. 

I am not logging my training minutes on BT because it was too time consuming for me last year. (45min of free time at night is spent packing lunch, workout clothes for the next day, picking up toys so I can walk through the living room, etc)  I have bought a calendar that I am writing everything down on for quick and easier reference.  I tried putting my calories in on MFP but that was too time consuming too-after a few days I learned that I eat as much as I always thought I did and I'm a hungry girl don't tell me to cut back.   : )

I will try to check in more often, if I can.  Sounds like everyone is doing really awesome and a lot is going to be accomplished with this group!

Bruce, what are you wearing now?  Most goggles have an adjustable nose piece.  If you are feeling pressure that's usually the issue.  Also try loosening up the headband.  If both of those fail, I'd suggest getting new goggles.  My rule of thumb with goggles is that they are there to make your life easier.  If you know they are on, they're not doing what they should be doing.

Ran a 10k with my wife today. The Austin Biggest Loser Run. The weather was great. My wife smoked me, but then she is almost 11 years younger than me (that is the excuse I am using for now). It was a good run. I am finally starting to open up my gain and improve my torso posture to allow for maximum lung expansion. It felt really good.

Had some shin splint pain the first 2 miles, and then either it went away or I was having so much fun I forgot I was hurting

Have a great weekend team mates!

As many of you know, I'm registered for the Haute Route Pyrenees in September of this year. It's a 7 day, 800km ride with 21,000m of climbing. I was "recruited" by a co-worker. He also "recruited" one of his med-school classmates, so we were going as a team of 3. I recently acquired a cycling coach and we were to start on my official training plan tomorrow.

My co-worker, we'll call him Jim, came over today because we are doing the Tour of Sufferlandria together and said that he needed to talk to me. He said that due to this "Fiscal Cliff" issue, his job is getting cut and he will have to move elsewhere. He can transfer his registration to 2014 or he can transfer it to another person. He wanted to let me know that it doesn't look good for the three of us to participate together this year, which brings me here.

I need some advice...I can choose to pull out for this year and transfer it to 2014, or I can opt to continue on by myself (don't know if the third member is going to do it at this point in light of Jim pulling out). I have to make this decision quickly because if I'm going to do it, I'll need to purchase the accommodation package tomorrow!

I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand I'm rather disappointed because I know we would have had an awesome time, but on the other hand, it's kind of a relief because I was worried about letting my team down if I didn't complete a stage within the prescribed time (must finish each stage within the given time or you are no longer considered a finisher and neither would our team). I'm not a very strong athlete, so this has been a challenge for me already.

What advice would you guys give me? Should I stay the course and do it, or bail out and not put another $2-3000 out there? I'm so confused! I haven't had the opportunity to talk it over with my husband yet, but he's been very supportive and I'm sure he will just tell me to do whatever I want and he'll back me up 100%. I haven't talked to my new coach about it either, as we JUST started together (as in 3 days ago). I hate having to make grown-up decisions...

I would suggest that you stay the course. Operate with what you know and not what may occur. You can ask you coach to help find another member to the team if necessary that can "fill the gap" in skill if necessary. Let your passion for the race drive you. You can do this wiith excellence ~ that is who you are!

Bryan

I checked the noseband - its not adjustable.  I have 8 pairs of goggles.  One fits comfortably, two suck into my eye-sockets and really creep me out and the others are too narrow across the nose.  I'll be off to look for a backup pair of goggles tomorrow.  I might try loosening the strap and see what that does, but then they will probably leak.  I hate mucking around with equipment that just won't work right.  (And now for a slight diversion:  Ever watch a boxing match where the usually younger underdog is doing ok, but besides fighting his opponent, he's fighting his equipement?  Fixing his headgear, digging at his shorts to fix he cup and trying to box and defend himself?  Its a great disservice to the poor kid.  and all the equipment manager had to do was spend an extra 20 minutes fitting him out right.  Sometimes that's how I feel swimming - and my only equipment is goggles and an H2Audio player oh yeah - shorts.)

Thanks Bwingate, thats probably what I will end up doing.  Thanks for responding.  I got up this morning and met up with my running group.  I have not run since the first week of December. I went out and ran four miles and did not stop not one time.  I was very slow but I dont care.  Thanks to Sufferfest my legs are in pretty good shape.  It was 36 degrees out and I am glad I got out of bed instead of wimping out as I knew it would be cold.  Hope everyone enjoys their Sunday!!

My opinion Mariah (and it's worth what you pay for it) is stick to it and git 'r done.  You registered for this thing- I remember how excited you were, and I'm sure you had a goal in mind.  I think you'd regret not doing it more than if you do it and fail to meet your expectations for a finish time.  It's a huge event, you're in great shape to get it done, and you have a pretty new bike to do it on.  I'd go for it and say screw adversity.  That's just me though.

Matt

Well, this morning I did my annual 10,000 meter swim.  100x100 on 100 seconds.  Every year it gets tougher, but I managed to tough out some serious rotator cuff pain to get it done.  The pride of completion always trumps the pain in getting to the finish line

I'm even more impressed with myself that I didn't eat 3,000 calories afterwards.  Food has been a battle for me the last year.  I love to eat more than I love to swim, bike, and run!

Well, this morning I did my annual 10,000 meter swim.  100x100 on 100 seconds.  Every year it gets tougher, but I managed to tough out some serious rotator cuff pain to get it done.  The pride of completion always trumps the pain in getting to the finish line

I'm even more impressed with myself that I didn't eat 3,000 calories afterwards.  Food has been a battle for me the last year.  I love to eat more than I love to swim, bike, and run!

Hi Melinda

60-64 age group and a sense of humour ? Wicked!

Look forward to reading your posts.

Max

I slept in this morning after my 10K swim made me remember that I am 40.  When I woke up, I did this:

Dear Matthew Gilmartin:

Hello Melinda!  I'm your neighbor to the south halfway between you and Portland on I-5.  Looks like we will be doing the Seattle Rock-n-Roll together.  This year I intend on running the full and hopefully not in the rain like last year. 

What Sprints are you doing?

I finally got my bike fitting on Saturday.  It worked out well as I received a fancy schematic with all my measurements on it.  Now I can order the exact frame I require or more so in my case confirm that the used bike I am looking at will indeed be a good fit for me.  The store owner also didn't charge me as it was crazy loud in the store with a crossfit competition going on next door.  I was pretty happy about that. 

I will hear back about the used bike this week.  They should have all the parts refurbished and the new shifters on by Tuesday. 

As far as my muscle imbalance....I talked to a trainer at my gym and as I expected he thinks it is a problem with my quads building faster than the glutes and hamstrings.  I am heading to my A.R.T. doctor on Thursday so I will get her medical opinion also.  The Rx so far (from my trainer) is for typical runner strength isolation exercises to build my gluteus medius, major and hamstrings.

Training has been going well with base building for my March marathon.  This week is a 14 miler and some speed work.  My swimming endurance is building and each day I look less and less like I'm drowning.  If I just did the side stroke the whole way I could rock any tri. lol

Here is an observation/question for you Matt.  I was attempting to do a kick board drill for one lap on Saturday.  The drill called for me to hold a kick board in front of me underwater so that only one inch was above water.  Then gracefully kick down and back to work on my kicking form.  While attempting this I really never went forward.  By my sheer massive kicking strength I created a whirlpool effect that sucked me backwards.  I didn't know I was that strong.   Basically I am doing something so wrong with my kicking that I went backwards instead of forwards.  I can't imagine what the lifeguards were thinking.  Needless to say I have some work to do on my kicking technique. 

LOL - you went backwards by creating a whirlpool effect?  Seriously?  I have got to get video of your swimming.

You should always have most of the kickboard under water, so that was correct.  I've never heard of going backwards while kicking though.  Were you using a slow or fast tempo kick?  

I was just kinda kidding about the whirlpool effect so as to make my failure sound that much cooler.  

I started with a flutter kick.  When all I was doing was essentially making waves I went to the full hip scissor kick.  Both had the same effect.   I think I am going to stay away from that drill for awhile as my laps before that didn't suck as much.

I notice when I swim without my legs I seem to go a good deal faster and I don't have to breathe as often.  Next week I will schedule a lesson a week for awhile.  I used an instructor in 2011 and that helped me get back into things.  I haven't taken any lessons since because it was more a lack of volume on my part not technique.  Now I am getting the workouts in so it's getting to be a technique issue.

Sounds like a really good idea.

Were your knees bent or straight?  How much did you raise your legs/feet out of the water?

Ugh, a marathon. It's hard for me to even imagine. Sometimes running makes my hips and knee hurt so bad - and after such short distances - that I don't know how I'll ever do even a half marathon. The first 7 runs on the half marathon training plan went really well; some left my hips or legs sore but no pain. I really thought I had the knee pain kicked, thanks to the new shoes and working on my form. This weekend I ran the 10 miles I was supposed to - the furthest I've run, yay! - but the knee pain was back, along with hip pain. And by mile 6, not afterward.  And after 2 days of rest, doing nothing. I'm already behind on the plan because my body just can't take running 3 days a week, while most people run at least 3-4 days, and longer distances. And then I need extra recovery time, which takes away from swimming and cycling. Very frustrating. I don't know how people do even this 3-day-a-week plan with low mileage, much less prepare for a marathon. My body would just fall apart.

Ok, I'm done whining. Thanks for letting me vent! And I'm open to any suggestions for how to recover better or better prepare for a run? (Pilates does seem to help).  

Jen, don't get discouraged.  Some days you need to fight through the minor aches and pains to get yourself going.  Take this morning for example for me.  I did the 10K swim yesterday.  When I woke up, I could barely move my arms and my shoulders were tight as can be.  I had a cup of coffee and forced myself on to the yoga mat.  25 minutes later I felt like a new person (literally).  Of course, I also had a protein shake made with fruit and skim milk, a CoQ10 pill, some fish oil, and a glucosamine supplement.  Are you doing anything for recovery?

What about icing down after your workouts?  

I think that's what I need to focus on more, the recovery. I don't have any consistent regimen besides stretching and some kind of bar or Gu recovery drink and Ibuprofrin. What would you suggest? And ice - like ice packs? The hot tub at the Y helps with soreness, when I have time to get in. How does the fish oil work?

I also think some of it might be something genetic. My mom's arthritis started when she was a teenager, my dad's always had pain in his back and knees, and my brother has fibromyalgia. I was extremely active when I was growing up and always had aches and pains- saw a chiropractor, slept on a hard mattress, all that. I go through Ibuprofrin like there's no tomorrow, and my husband works out just as hard and often and hardly ever feels any pain. Same with my friends. Minor pain is no problem, but the right knee pain is debilitating. It stops completely when I slow down and walk, but I can barely move if I try to run. It's just weird.