Kenj - triathletes in training CLOSED (Page 16)

As a Vegas resident  - I would just make it an easy swim/bike/run weekend. Three days isn't going to hurt much, especially that you've been training a lot and diligent. You'll be surprised how fast those three days in Vegas will go. 

 Run outside EARLY. My suggestion? Go around near the airport area (Hacienda to Sunset all the way to Eastern and back is 9 miles) for a run. To me, I find it nice and safe in that area.

 Many visitors don't realize that there's a LOT to do in Vegas, and time will go fast. So, I wouldn't worry too much about missing workouts. GO HAVE FUN!!

From Mandalay Bay to Fremont street is about 6 miles, so you'll be surprised with a lot of walking if you never been to Vegas. Especially when you go in a hotel to look at whatever they got (Ventician's interior waterways, Bellagio's Conservatory, etc), you have to go through the casinos and etc...lots of walking.

My favorite buffet is at the Rio - World's Buffet because there's many different types of foods from different parts of the world. Not too fancy, but a nice buffet. Bellagio's buffet is alright, it wasn't my favorite.   BUT - Check out the Conservatory, and the World's Largest Chocolate fountain (Says so for Guinness World Records!)  around the corner at Jean Pierre...their crepes are to die for!  Oh - those glass sculptures on the ceiling by the lobby? (Right across from Conservatory) - Don't break them...it cost several millions of dollars. 

Enjoy Vegas!  OH - Do yourself and your family a favor - dress cool (it has been the hottest week so far, and hitting low 90's), keep yourself hydrated at all times, sunblock and sunglasses. And you'll be golden.  

TGIF!

Good luck to our racers this weekend.  Best wishes for a great race to DJ, Anne, Carla and Yvonne!!

Let me know if I missed anyone!

This is so true. It's difficult to self critique. Good job finding a coach!

Hi everyone - I have been AWOL for a bit, was on vacation last week and have spent this week getting caught up at work and on the homefront. Of course my training has suffered.  Have my first sprint race this weekend and while physically I feel confident, I don't quite have my head wrapped around it yet. The only exercise I got was some snorkeling in the ocean. 

I pick my tri bike up from the LBS today and will take a short ride either tonight or tomorrow, plus pull together my gear. I think the act of actually preparing for a race will be a good mental kickstart. 

NK, take the running shoes.  Short runs.  Dad won't even know you're gone, you'll feel great and exercise always inspires me to make better food choices.   Or, eat, drink, play poker and don't give a damn.  We're in this for FUN. 

My training is going well.  Run is faster, bike is stronger, swim form is improving.  The kettlebell strength training and paleo are rocking my world.   Down 21 pounds as of last week and lots more muscle since Jan. 1.  I know that's where the run improvement is coming. I ran 8 miles of fartleks with the run club Wednesday and looked at the lock to see that I'd run the distance faster than ever despite the seed up, slow down to stupid easy pattern of the workout.

I haven't raced the bike outdoors in the Tuesday TTs yet - actually my Tuesday Computrainer workout is harder than the race.   But as my first sprint gets closer, I'll get out there.  Next week is a testing week so...

Still taking semi private swim lessons.  They've really helped establish the idea of swimming on my side.  Also, my kick sucks.  Going to talk to him about.  Yes, I know, we don't worry about kicking that much in triathlon, but I think I could improve my time without increasing effort much.  I think it is a form issue. Taking off another brake. 

Tri coaching classes are going well.  Learning a lot and finding out I've picked up a lot over the years. All good.  Rest day today.  Loving it.

Background - i switched to a carbon tri bike in December from my steel roadie that was too big for me to begin with. On my first ride on the new bike I crashed, putting myself out of commission for a little while (separated shoulder). I didnt crash on the aerobars, it happened when i hit a patch of ice on a curving downhill and panicked. Once i healed up i spent a decent amount of time on the aerobars while on the trainer, so its comfortable enough, physically.

Now I am back outside, but a little gun shy. I get back on the horns(?) 1)when i hear approaching traffic, 2)when the road gets rough, and 3) on almost any decline that leaves me doing 25-30 mph or more. I know this is subjective, but when do YOU get in position to break? I know im leaving a lot of time on the table on downhills. On the bright side, between my new bike being 10lbs lighter than my last and me being 5lbs lighter than last year, i seem to be getting UP my hills 15-20% faster, which may not pick up too much time, but leaves a lot more gas in the tank.

Thanks, and Happy Training!

That's cool your climbing better on your tri bike!  My TT bike is lighter than my road bike by 2-3lbs, but with the position and maybe the wheels, IDK, it doesn't seem to climb as well as my road bike does.

I spent a couple years dialing in my aero position.  When I got my bike it was a pretty relaxed aero position.  I probably shouldn't have been able to pull off an aggressive frame like my P4 or P3, but convince my fitter stack the spacers up and make it work.  Since then I've set up the same position on my P3 as on my P4 and put it on the trainer.  I spent more and more time on it and dropped spacers out a little at a time and got comfortable with a more aggressive position.  I'm now where I want to be with the geometry of the P3 and P4 to take advantage of it's aero qualities.  It took a lot of time in the saddle in the aero position.

On the road.  I'm in the drops whenever it's SAFE!  This is highly subjective.  On group rides this means I'm on the horns a lot.  Unless I'm leading out the group or bringing someone back up from falling off or can safely take space left of the group I stay out of aero to respect the group and be ready if anything happens.  On the downhills I go as fast!  I'm probably a lot more aggressive than most riders because I used to race motorcycles.  I had no fear draggin a knee around a corner at 80-100mph so bombing a downhill twisty section at 40-60 is fun for me.  You just need to learn to look ahead through turn and not fixate on anything else around you.  That takes some time and practice so don't rush it!  Do what you feel comfortable with.  On the race track with the motorcycles we always had a saying "ride your own ride".  Meaning do what you feel comfortable with.  Riding over your head always ends in disaster.  Same holds true here!

On the trainer, I stay to a rule of 80%.  If I'm at 80% FTP or below I'm in aero.  There are exceptions.  I try to do some short high cadence intervals in aero to develop strength in that position.  But if I'm gassed I'll get up on the horns.  Close to race time I like to a trainer ride similar to how I will race.  EG....if I'm doing HIM I'll do 5x30' @ 80% and spend as much time as possible in aero.  That way, I know I'm ok with the position at the power level I'm putting out for the amount of time it will take me to finishe the race.

Bottom line is you want to spend enough time in aero to be comfortable to do it for as much of your race as possible.  So on the street, do the best you can to be there as much as safely possible.  You can spend time in aero on the trainer to make up the difference and be ready to utilize your bike to the best of it's ability come race day.

The key is what makes you feel safe.  Be safe first.  Aero position is great except when it's not.  I'm aero about 95% of the time but I live in flat Illinois.  In the hills, I'm terribly split on whether a TT bike is a plus or not.  Lots of road bikes on IM Wisconsin last year and I doubt if they lost much at all.  I don't do screaming hills aero.  I don't do group rides aero.  I watch rough unfamiliar roads because pot holes suck on TT bikes. 

I also have to remember to lean up about every 10 to 15 mins.  Otherwise I get so used to the flat position that making the transition to the run is an effort.

Nole, If you want to do something different and still "active".  Call up Blood Sweat and Gears and book them to take you out to Nellis Dunes with some Quadrunners.  All sorts of fun there!  Probably something your dad can do as well, and you'd be surprised how good a workout you can get whipping a 4wheeler around!! If you don't believe me.....take your HR monitor along on the ride! 

I have clip ons so.........

But I'm with Ice on this one. I'm on my aero bars 95% of the time and only come out when needed.  In all honesty I'm more comfortable in aero than any other position. It took a lot of time and tweaking for me to get that way but I love aero.

Great work Ice, your discipline is an inspiration to me!

There has already been some great responses on this for you Bill, the only thing of any quality that I can add is to get somewhere with minimum traffic or even a big empty parking lot and practice going from the horns to aero and back until you are comfortable doing so in a hurry. 

As far as the hills, awesome job! 

Have a great time Nole!

Brian, be careful!  You are only 2 weeks out so you may be better off to ice it for a day or 2 and let it settle down some.  You stand a greater risk by pushing it then any potential fitness gains. 

There are also pros and cons of the treadmill with an aggravated knee.  If you tend to heel strike, it could make it worse when the heel catches the belt.  But, it is does bug you, it is a little easier to bail quickly.

Amen to what Ken said.  And where on the knee? If to the outer side and below it could be IT band.  Stop.  Rest.  Ice.  Elevate Compress and get your rollers and roller out your bands.  IT band syndrome is easier to avoid than treat.    Never ever run through acute pain.  The likelihood of doing more damage that will take longer to recover from is great.  I didn't even see my IT band coming..then in fall of 2010, wham.  6 weeks in the pool and easy on the bike to recover.  Good thing it happened after my A race for the year and before IM training started for 2011.  Now, I LOVE my rollers and yoga stretching exercises.  

*rant on*

Can I say that this is REALLY LAME?

"All Athletes must wear their bib number on their back on the bike and the front on the run". Sounds kinda normal right?  However, Rage Triathlon gave us TWO numbers...and we have to wear one on the back for the bike, then wear BOTH of them on the run.

WTH??  

I just don't understand why can't we wear one number and turn the number to our backs, and when it's ready for the run, you turn it to the front. Isn't that the most simplest way to do it? 

LUCKY me, I have two race belts, so I will probably put one race belt for the bike, and the second one for the run, or just pin the second one on my racebelt and just put it on the bike, problem solved.

It just seems to me that logistics of thinking this is bizarre.    It's not the race that determined this, it's Lake Mead Management that decided on that because they want to see the number on their athletes to bust them for peeing in the desert, littering, etc. And the only way to do that is to have the number on the back (hard to see the bike number at times).

*rant over*

Have anyone seen this? Two race numbers?

Yup - that's what it was. Apparently the volunteer told me wrong information. I told her that I have a race belt, and she said that I still need to pin the second number on my tri suit.    I asked two other people to double check. The two numbers are for people who DON'T have race belts.   That's better...sorry about the rant, it was just a little *whaat* brain fart moment.

Keep on rolling, keep on rolling....:-)

I have no experience with these Anne, but read a conversation in another mentor group on this subject and the consensus was that if you race or train regularly in non-wetsuit races that they are worth the money. 

Brian  I sent you an email with the exercises my PT gave me for my IT issues.  Maybe over time they will help you as well.  My PT is actually a very good friend that I train and race with.  Dexter here on BT. 

Although the volunteers are great and appreciated, sometimes they aren't always aware of all the details of our sport and the race rules and give out bad info. 

Thanks Ken, I need to find that thread.