Big Steve's Group - CLOSED (Page 16)

In the next week or so, I shoudl have my road bike.   I got the OK from the boss!    I've never used clip ins and I'm sure I will fall over, not once, but multiple times!  I've always used the toe clips.  I'm off to test ride a couple of bikes!!!

Going from toe clips to the clipless will be easy for you, just remember to give your foot a good twist in the pedal before stepping out and you will not fall. Congrats on getting the go ahead to buy the bike! I also have to run everything by the boss as she is in charge!

Here are my "first week back" results

Run: 10 miles - 1 hour 43 minutes

Strength: 15 minutes (still counts, right? )

Swimming and biking - next week

Decent week on my side; got a bunch of really good sessions in on the computrainer (what a great tool this is) also got invited to go on a road ride 3 three guys from the CT studio one being the owner!  Wow, 43 miles of blindingly fast speed!  With an average speed of 19.99 MPH  I learned so much!

Things on the run side are improving but I am really, really starting to hate the treadmill.  

Total 11:42

Swim - 3:08:41 - 7800 yards

Bike - 6:36:13 - 136.69

Run - 1:58:32 11.63

Here's my week:

Swim:  7650 yards in 3 hours 10 minutes

Bike: 36.25 miles in 1 hour 51 minutes (still on the trainer, but it's getting warmer!)

Strength:  20 minutes

A weak week for me, this next one will be much much better!

 Bike: 13.97 Mi

So I've been riding mostly indoors on the bike trainer and wanted to get your opinions on the average speed that you are putting out. I am using a garmin with their speed sensor and am averaging about 15-16 mph throughout a 1-1.5 hour ride. Just to gauge myself, please let me know the speeds that you are getting on your indoor trainers as an average. 

Thanks!

Rob,

Great question.  I find that between the computrainer and my Garmin 800 that there is about .8 to 1 MPH difference with the Garmin being faster.  Here are some data points.  On the Computrainer I have done a number of 23.9 fixed distance time trials (so the trainer basically tells you when you are done).  I have a sample of two times with the garmin #1 the garmin recorded: 24.9 miles and a speed of 21.5 (the computrainer had 23.9 and 20.7).  The second time the garmin had 24.86 and a speed of 21.3.  

Not sure if this helps...

NB.  I am headed to Orem the week of 3/21 if you are around; staying in provo.

This does help out alot, thanks for the info, guess I need to up my game and push myself a little harder. 

I will be around that week and we should hook up. Orem has a nice rec center with a 50 meter pool so you could always swim there. There is a mini sprint triathlon on Saturday the 26th if you want to do a race; it is a 300m pool swim, 12 mile bike and 3 mile run.

This is the great thing about swimming.  I found that as soon as I found my balance and I was able to breathe effortlessly that I could really swim as long as I wanted; which was typically limited to boredom of going back and forth in a 25 yard pool.  I am so happy that I worked on the drills as much as I did to find balance; now that I am there I am trying to work on speed; but I find it very relaxing to swim at my cruise speed.

A swim coach in the main forums once said on a swim question that I had; that swimming is like running in the pacing regard.  We can all walk endlessly, we can all shuffle or jog for a pretty good distance; and we can sprint for a shorter time.  People do not realize it but swimming is the same way; for endurance we walk; for speed we jog and I am not sure that the sprint applies to the tri world as it seems that the energy wasted is not worth the time or distance gained.

Rob, I am not sure how trainer compare from one to another.  I know that the computrainer is set to 2#s of rolling force on the back wheel prior to adding resistance.  With a fluid trainer the comparison could be totally off!  I have always heard that you are faster on the road than you are on the trainer.  

I am sure that it would be debated but the best way to do it is likely time vs HR; find out what you Functional Threshold rate is and put in the hours in that zone.  Hey, I am no pro; for sure.

I will certainly look up the rec center.  I would have totally done the weekend tri; but I have a 76 mile grand fondo type ride scheduled for the weekend.  Let's find a night that works; or maybe an AM for a swim and breakfast?

Good advise on the approach to swimming.  One question though, how best to find balance?  My trainer has me doing the six kick (while on my side) three stroke drill.  I can see where it helps my balance, but I still have difficulty breathing.  

I see people swimming seemingly effortlessly for as long as they like and it’s very frustrating.  I’ve only been at this for three months, so perhaps I just need more time. 

My first indoor sprint is fast approaching, April 9^th.  I’m looking forward to it. 

My first race is also in april and I started swimming at about the same time.  I did the two day total immersion class and between the "Superman" drill and the "skating" drills I was able to find my balance.  I actually found the hardest drip to be the skate and roll onto your back to learn breathing.  This does show you that the rotation is driven from the hips but I am just not a good on the back floater.  Honestly, once I got my hips to "pop" to the surface by finding the right hand postion in the super man drill I am able to then focus on the skate postion.  And then from there the stroke itself with the arms was just getting each arm to go from the skate postion to the superman postion.  But until you get your hips to raise (arm postion, head position) balance is going to be a losing battle.  I have not been kicking at all until the last two weeks when I have been working on the two beat kick.  

Hope this helps. If you are not using the TI drill I am sorry that this is likely in a foreign language.  

NB.  Have you tried with a pull buoy?  If it is much easier with the same mechanics with a pull buoy it would reinforce the whole hips popping issue.  I am very new to this and do not like to get dependent on the buoy; but this has worked for me.  

PS.  What race are you doing and how is the new bike?

Rob - to answer your question.  I find myself 2 to 4 MPH faster on my computrainer than on the road.  At first I thought it was the bike.  Q-Roo tri bike on the trainer, Trek 1.5 road bike outside but my coach says MPH will always be faster on the trainer.   I've seen some contradictory posts to this so I'm not sure.  I guess it all depends.

Last week's summary is below.  Keep up the good work folks!  Yes, Rita - 15 minutes does count 

Today was a first for me in the pool...Was planning on 2 miles but got bored after 40 laps.  Very strange.  Faster than usual though @ 2:00 per 100.  I hope this is the first and last time I get bored.  I have a long way to go to meet my goal in coming out of the 2.4 mile IM swim in 1hr15.  I think I'll finally try the SwimP3 player thats been sitting in the box.

Here's my week totals...  I missed one bike session...

Swimming    6600 yds   1:42:00

Biking  (spinning)   14.83 miles   0:38:00        

Running       5.8 miles   1:24:29

Strength        60 mins

Basketball     1:30

You never know, some are faster on the road some slower.  I've heard it also depends on the type of trainer so you'll need to see when you get out there. 

Regarding boredom, yeah definitely.  Since it is hooked up to a computer you get the option of riding with virtual scenery or real course video.  Its comes with 1 free and you can buy any additional Ironman course and you'll see the actual footage of the roads at the event as you ride. Aid stations and mile markers.  Its very cool.  Ride slow, the video will advance slowly, ride fast and it will go faster.  All your stats also show on the screen  MPH, Power, RPM, HR etc...  Also, in 3D mode you can ride against a virtual rider.  You set its pace then you try and keep up or beat it.  I had a great race against "it" on Sunday.  I was neck and neck for the first hour and then by the end of the 2nd hour he had me by a mile.

Good stuff!  Keep @ it.  I updated the summary above.