Ken D's Group - Shut (Page 15)

I was out of my office for part of yesterday and today.  Fun!!

I'm in the midst of some blah-ness...dealing with some allergies and have a very stressful work week which is leading me to not sleeping very well...which just exacerbates the blah.  Brought some workout clothes and hope to get in a gym run if I don't end up working too late. 

I don't know how long these mentor groups last but you guys need to stick with me through April 15th!  Peer pressure is going to be a wonderful thing to keep me working out during tax season!

I am super excited because I mapped out my training plan through my run the end of March.  Right now I have one night of P90x, three days of running, one bike, and one swim.  I have in my head that I will hop on the bike after one of my runs if I am up for it.  I have Saturdays as scheduled days off but also know I will do something if feeling up to it.  I probably won't because I just want to be with my boys after working 6 days!  I am determined to keep up with my plan during my busy season.  I have my plan printed out and posted on my fridge!

I'll still be around to keep bothering you!!  My sympathies go out to you during tax season, but I guess if it helps pay the bills then bring it on, right!  Anyway, great job sitting down and mapping out a plan.  That really helps.  Even though I am not on a plan right now, my plan will start Mar 1st and I am ready to tackle it. 

I'm not going anywhere, so you can count on me  for support during tax season!

We'll be here to harass, check up on, encourage you.

Congratulations to Patrick for taking a month to respond to this email.  Sheesh.

Core:  I've been doing core as a part of my lower body day. 6-8 days a month.  I think I can do better than this, although when I do it, it's pretty intense.  I'm always up for new exercizes.  I got a subscription to Mens Health for Christmas...I'm sure there'll be plenty in there.  I've found that standing side leg lifts do a lot for core strength.  I'm particularly weak in that area.

Volunteering:  Never volunteered for any event like a Triathlon.  Must get this done prior to my first as a participant.  I can see where this would be really useful experience.

Feel free to do all three!!!

How goes the blah-ness?  Have you shaken them yet?

*long and self-indulgent post warning*

My very first "brick".

So last night I thought I'd test things out a bit and do my usual swim workout then transition directly to the treadmill for my usual 3 mile run.  Sounded easy in theory.   I did my best (however unprepared or inexperienced) at getting out of the pool, drying off somewhat, and changing into my running gear, which consisted of a cotton t-shirt and a pair of shorts I wore when I was 330 pounds.  They were super baggy.  Here's what I found (many of these thing should have been obvious and predictable, but for some reason I had to experience to really get it):

-This is all about pacing yourself and performing at a level that is sustainable.  If I go any harder in the swim, will I be trashed when I run?  If I kick too much, will my legs be like jello?  My arms feel tired.  How will this affect me later? These thoughts were running through my mind.
-The water stuck in my ears was super irritating during the run.
-the chlorine dried out my skin and caused a lot of chaffing on my inner thighs during the run.  Uncomfortable.  Need a soluton.
-Clothes that are super big are not a good choice for running. They hang wierd and pull and twist.  Sucks.
-For heavens sake, do yourself a favor and stage up your running stuff in advance.  Here I was trying to get to the treadmill quickly and having to dig for my shorts and socks and stuff in the locker.  I busted my knuckles on the door at one point trying to pull my size 16s from the bottom of the locker and hollered an inappropriate phrase pretty loudly. Might have been a minor profanity.
-I need some sort of Tri-shorts and top.  Ditch the old t-shirts and college basketball style shorts.
-Heart rate management.  On the run, presumably because I'd just gotten out of the pool, my heart rate went directly to 158-160 and stayed there as I ran 3 ten minute miles.   This felt totally sustainable. Wasn't even breathing hard.....but......
-In the last 7 minutes, I felt my thighs start to tighten up and my lower abdomen cramp up a bit.  My legs started feeling heavier....and.....
-I started wondering if I could, after the run, get on my bike and go 15 miles. 

I think I could, but who knows how badly I would have suffered. I finished the run strong, with gas in the tank.

This was fun!  It was a good indicator of how far I've come and how far I need to go to be happy with my performance in August.   I have the time, so every Wednesday I think I'll do a brick. 

Current status:
Swim:  weak to kinda weak.  Need more pool time and yardage.  It'll come.
Bike:  alright. Strong potential, getting least amount of focus right now. Can ramp this up.
Run:  Kinda weak to alright.  Time to start pushing pace and incline to extend fitness. Start running outside.
Strength: good to very good. Getting by far the most focus right now. 
Flexibility:  good.  Can and must do better. 

Whats everyone else's status??

Have a great day everyone.

Bring it.

Yeah, I think they are gone...but officially they will be after today.  I think it was just the lack of sleep b/c I got about 9hrs Tue night and have felt better since.  I am still working a lot this week but at 3pm today I have a HUGE presentation to do, so once that is over I should be stress free and hopefully back on track.

On another note, got my bike fit done yesterday.  Two different shop guys said I look great on the bike and it is a perfect fit.  Said I was really easy to fit b/c I am very flexible.  Those sounded like compliments to me, so I am riding high from that.  So if I am slow this year then I know it is my fault and not the bike!  Bike is still at the shop b/c after the fit they had to cut and adjust some of the cables, but I am getting it today after work!!

Brought workout clothes to run at the gym, but thinking I would like to take the bike home and test ride it on the trainer.

Congrats on the first brick!

I like seeing these "new awareness" posts.  I think some of us doing triathlons for a while forget about some of these beginner questions and it is always good to go back and remember where we all came from.  We've all had these same questions but it is amazing that you rarely think about them until you have to go through it.  



These will always go through your mind.  Every triathlete is always wondering how much harder they can push themselves and what is the perfect balance of speed and endurance.  My opinion...save as much energy as you can on the swim.



Yep...some people wear earplugs.  I guess you eventually just get used to it. 



I have thick thighs and they rub on every run.  I eventually bought some spandex underwear (similar to bike shorts but no pad) and it covers the thighs so they don't rub.  Great $15 investment and they are pretty easy to get on when your wet.



Very good sign with the weight loss! 



Good practice for a triathlon transition.



Another great investment.  Buy a cheap pair to use in the pool then when it is warmer you can just hop out of the pool, through on some shoes, and go run outside without having to change. 



Another reason to do bricks to get your body used to having an elevated HR for a longer period of time.  Most of the time when training for a run/bike/swim at home we do one event, which means our HR is generally low when we start.  However, during a tri, your HR will be higher (except when starting the swim) when beginning the bike and run so you need to know how your body will react.



This will ease with more practice.  In a tri you are hoping on the bike before the run so the feeling is a little different. 

Great job with it and continued success!

My Current status:
Swim:  None, due to past injury and trying to make sure I am fully healed, I won't begin swimming until mid-Feb.
Bike:  Decent, 1-2 rides per week, but really need to ramp up.  Not a trainer fan.
Run:  My strong point so far...3-5 runs per week.  I've never been in this kind of run shape this time of year. 
Strength: none, I don't like and don't do weights.  I have very muscular legs that I am trying to thin down. (do want to incorporate core work though)
Flexibility:  Great, have always been flexible and stretch before and after every workout.

We need some "mini-goals".  These are weekly goals to be completed by end of day next Friday.  The time frame for these goals will be from this Saturday morning to next Friday evening.  They can be anything - weight, # of runs, distance biked, #of times at gym, # of days eating healthy, etc.

Goal should be measurable and obtainable.

My project and late work days are over!!  Now, on to the "mini-goals" (Ken, you suggested it but forgot to give yours! )

My goal by next Fri is to have my weight at 212 regularly (not just a fluky I didn't eat at all the day before 212).  I've been hovering around the 213 mark this week. 

and

Goal #2 is to do 6 workouts.

My mini-goal run 3 times.

My mini-goals:
1.  Swim 3 times
2.  Brick on Wednesday

My mini goals...

1.  Keep my kids alive until Friday (this one might be a tough one!!)
2.  In bed between 10 and 10:30 every night.  I have been staying up WAY too late the past few weeks.  I want to start logging this stuff too.
3.  Pack my lunch for work or head to mom and dad's.  This is the time of year when I either skip lunch or grab something quick and not so healthy.  Need to be planning ahead.
4.  Stick with the training plan hanging on my fridge

Goals for week:

Sat- Weights and cardio
Sun-cardio
Monday-swim- this is a good day to start- see how it goes
Tuesday-weights and cardio
Wed-cardio
Thurs-Triathlon event for info
Friday- off

Ok now I have set goals! I can't go back now!

Shauna

Edited by wisprunner 2010-01-29 7:52 AM

I'm adding to this.

Goals:
1.  Run 3x
2.  Eat no more than one dessert per day.

I got an email yesterday saying my orthotics are ready!  How pathetic am I that I am crazy excited about this!  My guy is going to send them to me today.  I am hoping to have them tomorrow or Monday.  I should have plenty of time to adjust to them to be fine for my 10 mile run the end of March. 

Awesome!  And it's not pathetic to be excited about this.

I am putting alot of hope into them too.  If these don't help me, I really don't see how I will be able to do anything I want to do this year.  I am definitely having issues with my achilles. 

This is going to be great, I'm sure you will find there is a big difference, but be forewarned that there is always a possibility that some adjustments need to be made to the orthotics, most likely not, but best to know that going in. 

If you are pathetic for being excited then I am pathetic too becuase I'm really excited for you!  But I don't think either of us it pathetic in any way.

My mini goals:

1) swim 3 times(this is a big challenge for me)
2) bike 3 times(at least once outside)
3) run 3 times

So I am not losing this weight the way I had hoped to but I am losing inches!  I took measurements end of December/beginning of January.  I can't remember when exactly.  I took them again this morning.  I lost an inch off my chest, 2 from my waist, and 1 from my hips.  I need to keep telling myself that this is still good!!