Experior and Slornow's Winter Mentor Group-CLOSED (Page 15)

Blanda-great picture and very cool!  Where are the bikes?  Looks like lot of fun.

Randy

Bennet -- absolutely cooked on the bike is a good thing!

Blanda -- Wow.  Awesome ride and pic.  I am seriously considering getting a MB with this year's tax refund.  (Problem is, I've got a lot of ideas for that money, and it doesn't add up...).  Your picture might have pushed me over the edge.

Sylvain -- I think Randy pretty much nailed it.  Assuming that you feel confident that you can finish the swim distance without sapping all of your energy, I'd be inclined to cut the swim first.  Make your remaining 2 swims per week solid, and at or above race distance (eventually, at least).  So good workouts (to shoot for if they are not feasible at the start) would be to warm up for 200-440m, then do 20x100 at race pace with 10-15s rest.  As race day approaches, do some longer intervals, like 10x200, 5x400, 4x500.  Adjust the rest, but not by simple multiplication -- RI for 200s would be maybe 20s, for 400s maybe 25-30s and for 500s 30-40s.  Less is better -- basically you just want to be sure that you are starting the next interval with the ability to hold decent form.  Doing that 2x/week should leave you able to complete the swim feeling pretty fresh (if you keep the effort easy).  I would convert that 'saved' swim workout to a bike, and add in an extra run where possible (in lieu of strength training -- do your strength training by doing hill repeats on the run or bike).

I don't choose races based on my strengths (if I did that I'd race duathlons..), but I definitely set expectations based on them.  For Olympic distance races, I go in pretty much knowing that my weak swim leaves me out of the running from the start.  For long course races, even though my relative disadvantage on the swim is somewhat diminished, my relative lack of experience at long course is still a big disadvantage, and I again adjust expectations accordingly.  I've been on the podium exactly once in my life -- in a sprint with a 300yd pool swim followed by a pretty challenging bike and very challenging run.  Go figure...

Right now, though, my swim is my limiter at all distances.  I can keep up with all but the fastest of the fasties in bike and run (taken as a pair -- plenty of people will beat me at one but then lose more than their gains on the other).  But I cannot overcome my swim disadvantage against many, if any, of the people at the front of the race.

Anyway, it's an interesting question.  In the end, all of us are doing this for fun, so I guess a lot comes down to where that fun comes from.  I love doing well -- and I'm not too proud or PC to say that I love kicking butt when possible -- but in the end that's not what it's about for me.  That's not where the real fun comes from.  Each race poses its own specific challenges, and for me the fun is figuring out how best to navigate those challenges, and putting forth my best effort to do so.

Morning all.   Forgot to post the goals table!  Those who posted goals, if you want to let me know how it's going, I'll post a summary tonight.

Have a great one everybody.  I've got a boatload of work today, but hoping to get in a swim and maybe a bike ride (trainer most likely as it's raining today).

Michael: I did not realize that I'd get so hooked on mountain biking. I initially just preferred it to road biking for safety reasons, then I saw parts of Guam I'd never seen before and I fell in love with it. Great tips for swim training! I'll return to this if I have to give up swim team when husband deploys.

Cat: So exciting to step on a scale after a hard training session, but stinks if you dare to after recovering! Sounds like you had a great run training weekend!

******
Had swim team tonight. Only three of us so the instructor focused on form. Only about 1000M tonight, but I learned a lot about my swim form and how it makes swimming suck for me, haha! Did the "catch up" drill I've hear about and it did help me focus on keeping myself level with the waterline, which made swimming much easier for me. Didn't FEEL so hard, you know? He made me realize that the more my body dips towards the bottom of the pool, the more work I'm doing. Like running with gallons of water! Crazy.

Tomorrow I will bike/run. If I'm organized enough, I'll actually load my bike and get road time for both.

Hope your Monday was as chill as mine.

That would mean walking for me.  I'd like to say that is a joke, but honestly that would be maintaining the same effort.  Now, knowing how some people on this board enjoy training to the level of puking, it may mean that I am not putting enough effort into the rest of the run ;-)  Probably there are two contributing reasons for the walking comment - the steepness of the hill and the extra weight.  Guess that is why losing some more weight is #1 on my list for January.

I do hunch, especially as I get tired, and I think this is one of the sources of my back problems, so it was a good reminder to me to focus on posture throughout the run.  Overstriding is not an issue on the uphills.

Thanks guys!

Stu

Busy but exciting Monday on tap here.  Headed to New Orleans later this morning for the BCS Championship game. I am not a huge college football fan but keep up with it.  Love college basketball though.  Did not attend LSU or Alabama.  A buddy of mine's firm is taking a group of folks over and somehow I was included:  Schedule

11:30 am cst-Charter bus leaves Mobile for New Orleans (about 2.5 hour trip)

Afternoon-food and refreshments at really nice hotel in New Orleans.  Maybe wander around the French Quarter.

7:30 pm Kickoff at Superdome.

11:30pm/Midnight-board bus for trip back

Probably will not get to bed until 2-3:00am so I will be dragging tomorrow.  I am usually in bed by 9-9:30pm so it may take me a day or 2 to recover. 

Look for me at the game.  I will be the only person not wearing crimson, purple or gold.  Roll Tide!

Randy

Wow Blanda, that's an incredible photo!

Great run, Rene!  Good luck in the 5K!

Have a blast at the game, Randy!

So, goals.  Weight is 199 - down 3 lbs.  We're still very carb heavy (and vegetarian) around here until the 21st, which, for me, makes losing weight a little more challenging than my usual approach.  3 is okay, but in the past I've been able to have a better 1st week, so I'll have to continue to focus.  Also hit my running goal of 20+ mpw. 

I was a bit catch as catch can this week with training, but need to think carefully about how best to structure 5 days of training rather than 6 or 7 and still hit my weekly goals.  Don't have to do that asap, but need to start working toward that goal as Spring approaches.

Today is swim for me.  Hoping to be able to fit in a good one, but we've got car juggling and some work deadlines that will "drive" the day's schedule.

Have a good one everybody!

Stu

Thanks for the feedback Michael and Randy.  Makes perfect sense to me.  I've re-recreated my maintenance plan for the next 8 weeks with 2S-4B-4R.  Even though I have scheduled four runs, I'll try to add the forth run every other week.

Now for my workout goal for the week, that will change from 3S-3B-3R to 2S-4B-3R per week.  As for my bodyfat (goal -2% for month) no change this week (0%).

Well, I got day 1 in the books from my 8 weeks maintenance plan.  A short run and a good one.  Very excited about my plan, I believe I have it laid out very well to succeed in not missing any workouts.  Tomorrow morning a long swim with a bike in the evening. Bring it on!

"... I want to have a good swim, and then I want to have a great bike, and a strong run..."

My thoughts exactly!  I'm trying to keep those things in mind while I plan this season's training.

I did not get planned runs in on Friday (work) or Sunday (family) and was feeling a little (ok, a LOT) frustrated.  Then I got caught up on reading everyone's posts and I am revitalized!  Thanks, gang!  I also feel like I am in exactly the right group - so many of us have very similar goals.  It's great.

Blanda - a little late to the party, but I hope your son is doing better.  And, kick butt in Xterra so you can qualify and come to Maui for worlds in October!

Michael - I am totally with what you are going through with your foot - in Sept '10 I fractured my first metatarsal right at the screw from a 20-yr old bunionectomy.  It took freakin' forever to heal.  I was in and out of the boot, a cast, and on and off crutches until Christmas.  I was really mad with my Dr at the time and felt his approach was too reserved...but VOILA - here I am a year later and stronger than ever, with no foot problems at all this year.  I'm so glad I did what I was told as crazy as it made me at the time.  We just don't realize how important our feet are until one is broken.  I wish you continued speedy (and permanent) recovery!

OK, I posted my race schedule for 2012 on my logs.  You've all inspired me to set serious nutrition goals too - so, mine is to get back to 99.9% Paleo.  I got a little derailed over the holidays, and even though I didn't gain any weight, I'm not feeling as great as I know I can.  I blamed my indiscretion on marathon training (how can I eat SO MUCH!) and needing the fuel, but wasn't making good PALEO choices.

TODAY I am back on track with awesome leftovers from Saturday (if you like curry, you have to try THIS recipe) - just use olive/coconut oil for browning, sub sweet potatoes for the white potatoes and use fresh coconut milk if you can get it - then you are totally Paleo).

If I lose another pound or two that's fine, but weight loss isn't my key concern right now.

Here's what I glean about goals expressed (since Jan. 1).  Sorry I was delinquent in posting this.  The beginning of the semester slammed me a bit more than expected.  If I missed anybody, please let me know.  I'll try to get around to posting what I figure of progress thus far tomorrow.  (Let me know if you wish -- I'll also check logs for progress!)

I'd bet that any effort level you can maintain walking, you can do the same running (unless you are literally running stairs).  You just have to be willing to run with itty bitty baby strides and lowering cadence as necessary.  Really, the strides will feel ridiculously short.  That's OK!  

(Now, by 'running' I really mean nothing more than biomechanically being engaged in the running, as opposed to walking, motion.)

I think you are better off running, in this sense, than walking. even if the walking is actually faster.  The reason is that if you do the hills running in this way, you should eventually get faster at running them.

I hope you are enjoying the game!  Do I get points for inferring from your message that the two competing teams are LSU and Alabama?  

Hey I've been AWOL for a while.  This group is moving fast and is hard to keep up with. Heck I'm not even going to try.

I've had 2 nice things happen the past few days.  First off I've found my local pool again.  Got in a 5,000 yd. swim on Sunday and another 1,900 this afternoon.  The 5k was a real confidence booster.  Was it fast? No.  But I wasn't exhausted at the end either.

The other thing which is quite exciting is I think I have solved my left knee issue.  I had what felt like ITBS coming on in my left knee after anywhere from 3-6 miles into my runs.  Very manageable but an IM run wasn't going to be fun if I had to walk a majority of it.  Well somebody over at the IMTX thread suggested taking a break (LOL, who was she talking to) and perhaps taking it easy on the hills.  Well the hills did the trick.  I walked all ups/downs tonight and ran the flats and just finished a pain-free 7.3 mile run.   Nobody can fathom how happy this makes me.

I see people have been posting 2012 goals.  Mine are pretty basic- bike: 6,000 miles, run/walk: 1,500 miles and swim: 200 miles

I'll try to participate more in the group.  Keep up the good work everybody.

I managed to hurt my calf on a run last Friday.  About 1.5km into the run it started to get really tight and sore, and just cramped up on me.  I've been trying to run more mid/fore foot over the past few weeks, and have come to accept some of the related calf pain as those muscles adapt.  I also bought a pair of Kinvara's to try them out, and had done a couple of treadmill runs, but this was the first time outdoors.

Unfortunately I thought things would sort themselves out over the course of the run (dumb...) but it only made them worse and I needed to walk a bit.  Needless to say I limped around for a day or so, but now the leg feels better and I'm going to try another run at lunch.  If I feel the pain coming back I'll just cut it short and walk back to the office.

Got in a decent 40 minute run this morning before work.  I wanted to run 60 minutes, but I should have prepped my things last night and I was behind schedule leaving home.

Going for an interval session on the bike after work.  It'll be the first time I'm on my tri bike since July.  Hoping to do 4x5 minutes at 275 watts with 5 minute recoveries at 190 watts.

Hey everyone-made it back from New Orleans, the game and all of the festivities.  It was a blast but I did not get to bed until 3:00am.  I slept in the guest room so as to be away from the usual morning noise and got about 5 hours of sleep.  Then an easy 50 minute run and into work.

The game was great as Alabama really shut LSU down.  Walked down Bourbon Street mid-afternoon yesterday and I have never seen so many people.  Not my really my thing but it was exciting.  Fortunately, we were able to spend most of the afternoon out of the crowd with our hosts at the Ritz eating and drinking at a nice private party.  Getting into the Dome and to our seats was a huge pain but to be expected with that type of event.  I'm too old to be able to handle too many of those type of days.

Randy

How was the weather in New Orleans.

I went to the 2008 Sugar Bowl and it was FREEZING.  Low 20's with 15-20 mph wind...holy crap I was never so cold.  This coming from someone in Hawaii of course.

Just wanted to share what part of the Xterra Course looks like, if you're curious. This is the mud bog I've been talking about.  This is what it's like on a good day. Have yet to try it without all that dirt turned into mud! When I first looked at this course, it scared the daylights out of me. Now I look forward to it. Progress!

Rested last night. This weekend is going to be nuts. Xterra course ride Saturday morning, I'm hoping to find a partner to do a GEAR adventure race Sunday morning (navigating, running, and biking through the hills), then Sunday night is the 1st game of our women's league. Full field, so a full on 90 minute game. WHEW! I will survive! Tonight I'm going to do a spin class and hop on the treadmill afterwards.

BBL to read up on your training and shenanigans.

Blanda

Jason-warm, muggy and smelled like stale beer.  Usual New Orleans stuff.

Randy