Team Trisuppo - OPEN (Page 16)

Crazy-long speedwork session today. Actual speedwork was 3 miles split into 4 sets that bookended a 30-mile not-quite-marathon pace section, but when done, I'd covered 10.5 miles.

Thanks for the trainer info. I wasn't sure what those workouts looked like. I'm not too worried about the boredom factor, having covered 15 miles on a treadmill last year and today, about 125 laps around the gym's indoor track (~12 laps/mile). Paying for one...now that's a different story! Perhaps I'll stick to the stationary and spin bikes at the gym in the meantime.

Joe 9: 9:03:13
Gabe 9 13:39:44
Mark 7 8:24:00
Matt 8 11:51:40
Jim 8 06:08:00
Mitch 4 05:10:18
Bruno 7 7:30:00
Lisa 7 7:55:50

Sorry to have been absent for a few days. I echo all the comments on trainers for the bike. Riding on the roads isn't an option when you are cycling at 5:15AM. Plan for this year is to do all training indoors for the bike with the exception of long rides at a Metro Park on Saturdays. I feel more safe riding the loop at the park on the road than riding around Metro Detroit on surface streets.

Couple runs and a few great bike sessions over the last week.

Joe 9: 9:03:13
Gabe 9 13:39:44
Mark 7 8:24:00
Matt 8 11:51:40
Jim 8 06:08:00
Mitch 8 08:40:31
Bruno 7 7:30:00
Lisa 7 7:55:50

Edited by trisuppo 2014-03-12 8:25 AM

90 min ride on the Bike after work on Tuesday.

Joe 9: 9:03:13
Gabe 9 13:39:44
Mark 7 8:24:00
Matt 8 11:51:40
Jim 8 06:08:00
Mitch 4 05:10:18
Bruno 8 9:00:00
Lisa 6 6:15:06

8 mile run this morning. Great to finally be outside on a weekday.

Been at a loss for speed lately and finding it difficult to find that fast gear. Went out today for the 4 miles at 8:16 pace and then ran each remaining mile progressively faster - mile 8 was at 7:06 pace. I can feel myself slowly getting back to where I was a couple of years ago, but I am fearful that if I push harder, I increase the risk of injury. I have a 5 miler at the end of the month which should be a good test.

Lisa - when is your marathon and what is your goal pace/time?

Joe 10 10:0613
Gabe 9 13:39:44
Mark 7 8:24:00
Matt 8 11:51:40
Jim 8 06:08:00
Mitch 4 05:10:18
Bruno 8 9:00:00
Lisa 6 6:15:06

We are getting about 8 inches of snow today. I was looking forward to nice weather for a nice outdoor run on my birthday next week. Current forecast is another 6 inches of snow on my birthday. I'm done with winter.

1 hr on the dreadmill. I spent the time reliving how bad a movie Cocktail was. I miss outside, but I'm glad I didn't get the 6" Mitch got. Just a light dusting and everything froze up again.

Joe 10 10:0613
Gabe 9 13:39:44
Mark 7 8:24:00
Matt 8 11:51:40
Jim 9 07:08:00
Mitch 4 05:10:18
Bruno 8 9:00:00
Lisa 6 6:15:06

yep - I get workout #2 of the day when I get home and go clear the driveway/sidewalks. I've been inching my way through the Soprano's series as I labor in the pain cave. After that I think I'm buying Breaking Bad.

The warm weather was a tease... I was thinking of running the 8 mile loop around the Lake at Kensington Metro Park / then this snow happened.

Good swim yesterday and then a shorter run.

Joe 10 10:0613
Gabe 9 13:39:44
Mark 7 8:24:00
Matt 9 11:17:40
Jim 9 07:08:00
Mitch 4 05:10:18
Bruno 8 9:00:00
Lisa 6 6:15:06

Edited by Matthews 2014-03-12 6:18 PM

Gabe, that's pretty bad news... Had it been a bit earlier, I would have suggested IM Australia in Port Mac at the beginning of May. Maybe a bit too far, but you seem to travel a lot...

Joe--it's the Colfax Marathon on May 18. I want to go sub-4:00. 3:59:45 (heck 3:59:59) would be fine with me, so a 9:08ish pace. I did it last year in 4:00:42, which was a 9:13 pace iirc.

5-miles/50 minutes tonight. That was a run that really didn't want to happen.

Joe 10 10:0613
Gabe 10 14:40:18
Mark 7 8:24:00
Matt 9 11:17:40
Jim 9 07:08:00
Mitch 4 05:10:18
Bruno 8 9:00:00
Lisa 7 7:07:47

We've all had those workouts that really didn't want to happen. Great job getting it done!

I believe there's a very fine line when listening to your body - it can be very difficult to discern if you really need to take a day off/skip a workout or if you just need to HTFU. I think that is one of the lessons you learn over a few years, most of the time its a hard lesson learned through over use injuries or illness.

Gabe- Sorry to hear about ITB hopefully with rest it will resolve itself.

Lisa- Its the workouts that you don't want to do that you have to do. Good Job forcing yourself through it.

I have to take a couple of days off. My son and I were in a low end car accident last night, no injuries, just a sore neck. I saw the chiro today and feel better, but she told me to take a couple of days off. Besides with no wheels I am trapped at my office until my wife finds it in her leisure to pick me up after work. Good thing I haven't done or said anything stupid lately or I could have ended up at the office all night.

Uh oh - I hope this isn't a start of a rash of injuries...Gabe: make sure you rest and heal. Don't push to meet a race dealine. Jim - you too. heal up - our season is still a ways away.

Wishing you all healing - stay positive - often our minds can be our worst pain as we can get discouraged and spiral into the 'what if' world.

30 min swim on Wednesday and a 60 min bike today

Joe 10 10:0613
Gabe 10 14:40:18
Mark 7 8:24:00
Matt 9 11:17:40
Jim 9 07:08:00
Mitch 8 08:40:31
Bruno 10 10:30:00
Lisa 7 7:07:47

I have been absent for a bit- sorry :-) Looks like everyone is getting in a lot of good workouts. I usually start more seriously with spring and it's here.

So, got a good elliptical in Tuesday- did my first spin class of the year Wed and just went out for a short 1.5 mile run- but will start building from here.

I still have a few weekends of skiing before I start thinking about longer stuff on the weekends. The conditions have been fabulous!

There is a new Xterra all Women's Race in Steamboat Labor Day weekend that I'm thinking of signing up for. I always have nearly 2 weeks at the beginning of Aug for work where I really don't get a chance to work out and am stuck at sea level that messes with the late summer races.

Any tips on making running less of a drag? I have never found a way to like it. Also- how quickly do you build up after a winter pretty much off? (I have very little running background with 10ks being the longest I've ever run.)

I think with running you have to be especially careful. Ease into it. Start with a few short runs per week at a very easy pace. Then add a day or two. Once those short easy runs are feeling comfortable then add some distance to a couple of the runs. Only once those runs feel comfortable and you're recovering fine from them should you consider adding any type of speed workouts. You should get your best gains in the short run through easy running and increases in volume.

Easy 36' swim today.


Joe 11 10:4013
Gabe 10 14:40:18
Mark 7 8:24:00
Matt 9 11:17:40
Jim 9 07:08:00
Mitch 8 08:40:31
Bruno 10 10:30:00
Lisa 7 7:07:47


@Gabe: That ITB sounds awful. Are you really thinking about dropping the Challenge AC?
@Jim: Glad that you are in one piece after that crash. Need a lawyer?
@Lisa: I dropped 20 mins between my first and second marathons with good consistent training. For me running 6 days a week made a huge difference, When your first real "long training run"? Does your plan have you doing a 20 miler?


Any tips on making running less of a drag?
^^^Avoid treadmills! I found with running that you need to start with consistency - more slow miles. I didn't take this advice and tore my meniscus trying to run too far too fast. Like any other endurance sport, getting into running depends on finding the "zen" of the activity - that point where you lose yourself in the action, your mind kinda wanders and you time becomes an abstraction. Good scenery and weather also help a lot.

Stay positive. Being injured is never nice - Recover well and you will be stronger because of it

30mins on the drainer last night - Was also one of those that didn't want to workout - That is why its shorter then planned.
Joe 11 10:4013
Gabe 10 14:40:18
Mark 7 8:24:00
Matt 10 11:47:40
Jim 9 07:08:00
Mitch 8 08:40:31
Bruno 10 10:30:00
Lisa 7 7:07:47

Moonrocket--Steamboat Springs would be fun and it's beautiful there, though hard. Have you done any other races there? I ran the Steamboat Marathon in 2012--absolutely gorgeous! There's also a triathlon in Grand Lake for the first time this year, if you like that area, though that may be too late for your schedule. I think it's set for mid-August.

Joe--The plan has me doing at least 2, maybe 3 20-milers, or maybe even a 20 and 22-miler. My marathon times have improved quite a bit overall. My first was just over 5 hours, mostly due to a fueling/GI issue (lesson learned: no more Gatorade!). My second--Steamboat Springs, was about 50 minutes faster (4:12), which was awesome not only because of the hills but also because that course climbs from mile 13 to the finish line. Last year I shaved that 12 minutes off at Colfax. This year, my goal is to shave off those 43 seconds. Anything beyond that is gravy. As far as real long runs: it depends on how you define it. This weekend I'll do 14. Next week is 15-16. The only reason last week's was 10 is that I told RunCoach to adjust stuff after being so sick--and I really needed that time to come back slowly.

Gabe--sorry about the ITB. Injuries stink.

Jim--sorry about the car and hope the chiro adjustment will have you feeling better in no time.

Lovely 4-miler outside while youngest was in preschool this morning. It felt like spring.

Joe 11 10:4013
Gabe 10 14:40:18
Mark 7 8:24:00
Matt 10 11:47:40
Jim 9 07:08:00
Mitch 8 08:40:31
Bruno 10 10:30:00
Lisa 8 7:49:58

Adding a run I managed on Wednesday and a short 30min bike yesterday. I'm struggling as well this year and have begun to question the marathon idea, but I still have time to get in some shape I suppose.So this weekend will do a 20k+ run and see what happens.

Joe 11 10:4013
Gabe 10 14:40:18
Mark 9 10:06:00
Matt 10 11:47:40
Jim 9 07:08:00
Mitch 8 08:40:31
Bruno 10 10:30:00
Lisa 8 7:49:58



Edited by markz 2014-03-14 3:46 AM

Adding today's bike run brick.

Joe 12 11:50:13
Gabe 10 14:40:18
Mark 9 10:06:00
Matt 10 11:47:40
Jim 9 07:08:00
Mitch 8 08:40:31
Bruno 10 10:30:00
Lisa 8 7:49:58

Lisa - I think 2-3 20 milers sounds about right. I toyed with the idea of going over 20 miles before, but was convinced otherwise by a number of seasoned marathoners. I find 20 milers provide a good psychological benefit, but there's likely little physical benefit of the additional two miles and there is always increased risk of injury. I see a lot of plans that top out at 16-18 miles (anything longer than 15 counts as a long run) and have listened to coaches speak about the risks of spending time in the 20+ zone. Of course, if you were training for a 50K, it might be different, but, you'd also be running slower.

I've never raced at Steamboat- so we'll see how that goes. We spend a lot of time in Fraser though- which I think is higher. I'm always blown away how much I am sucking wind while swimming there- that's where I notice the altitude the most!

The grand lake one looks cool- I would just have to decide to road bike some and I really prefer to be on fat tires.

The Indian Peaks Xterra was moved to Snow Mountain Ranch for the year as there is some construction on their site- I would love to do it, but it's a day after I get back from 2 weeks at sea level very social work event (aka last year I swam once and ran once- only because I was doing a relay at the Bouldery70.3 the day after I got home.)

We're pretty spoiled with choices- although my husband and I always want to do the same races- and we have to split for child care.