Have I lost my mind to consider a HIM? (Page 17)

That's it.  I can't quit now!  I can't miss out on an opportunity to miss Leah.  Too cute Leah.  I'm staying in.  I have put too much time, energy, emotion and money into this.  I'm looking forward to it.  Hope your long run went well.  Looks like our little pumpkins need all the help we can get.  Can you believe we are in last place?  Blah. 

Thanks for the cheer up Debb!  I am slowly coming out of my funk.  I actually spent much of this evening figuring out a training plan, looking up OWS opportunities, and pricing swim coaches.  I am going to have a swim lesson and lots of water time this week.  I like the idea of the wetsuit in OW without a race.  I'm trying to figure out how to make that happen.  I think I'm going to rent one this week.  A local tri store will rent them for like $45 bucks.  This way I can try some different sizes on.  The more I think about it the more I think that contributed to my "episode" on Thursday.  It was so tight that it was uncomfortable. 

I really appreciate your offering your wetsuit.  I really doubt it will fit me.  I often say I am "man" size.  I'm 5'11 and 192-94.  I have no hips or waist and carry all my weight in my middle.  Men's XLs fit me pretty nicely.  I think the wetsuit I bought on-line is L/XL.  I should have got a size or two bigger.  We will see what they tri place puts me in.  Thanks again though. 

I am back with a better attitude.  I have just got to suck it up.  I've read losta's link and looked at training plans.  I think I have a strategy to keep myself moving. 

I decided I am going to do the OWS on Friday and the tri on Sunday (another OWS).  I figure the only way I am going to get through this is to keep doing it.  Here is the game plan. 

Short term:

(1) Have a nice long swim tomorrow to again prove to myself  that I can do the distance. 
(2) Go to the tri store and find a new wetsuit. 
(3) Get one OWS in before my race.
(4) Last swim lesson of the month on Wednesday
(5) OWS in the spash N dash on Friday  (focus on swim performance not everyone else)
(6) OWS in the race on Sunday  (focus on swim performance not everyone else)

Long term:
(1) I have found a tri program (I'm just going to use the BT HIM) and I am figuring out how to make it more swim intensive.
(2) Find a weekly OWS to join - there are a couple around area
(3) See if my coach will continue to work with me and take me out to open water a couple times.
(4) Lose weight.  I think my weight issue is a bigger deal than I realized.  When debriefing, I'm more self conscious than I ever thought I was.
(5) Do everyo OWS I can until race day.

That's my plan.  If you think of anything else let me know!

Today I went on my bike ride.  We rode with a newbie so we didn't do the extra 10 mile climb.  (He has paid to do the HIM with me and Leah.)  He just bought his road bike yesterday.  He did a very good job on a very hard ride so we wanted to support him.  The only bummer of the day is that we went on the pretty ride again where we saw the Coyote and the RoadRunner about a month ago.  (I think I told you guys that.)  I was telling all of my fellow riders about it at the beginning of the ride and hoping I would see the coyote again.  Well, I did.  It was dead on the side of the road.  SAD. 

SO, it is a new week and I have a new attitude.  Wish me luck!! 

Sounds like a good plan Kate! Don't worry about what other people think, they are too busy worrying about themselves to give much thought to how you look in your wetsuit. Even the skinniest people have body issues. I have Blue Seventy wetsuits in mens XL. I'm comfortable in it. I have both a sleeveless john and full wetsuit. If the water/air isn't too cold I prefer the sleeveless.

Work on your weakness, for you it OWS, for me it running. We'll get there! No quitting allowed, whining is ok, no quitting though!

Hey ladies!  I had a good pool day today.  I swam 1200m and timed myself on my 1000.  (25:47)  I was able to try out my new lap counter.  I love it!  I could actually think about my stroke while swimming instead of trying to remember what lap I am on.  

I was swimming my 1000 mainly to make sure I could do the distance.  I swam with my eyes closed for much of it as one of the articles suggested.  I think I had a little bit of break through.  I realized when I sight, I was picking my whole head up and my body would immediately sink making me practically stop.  Then it took a ton of energy to get moving again.  When I am in OW I am always pulling my head b/c I have no idea where I am.  I think I lose a lot of momentum there, then I get nervous b/c I am doing so poorly, then I lose my breath?  I don't know if that is the root of the problem but I think it is part of it.  I felt good realizing that! 

Tomorrow is a run day for me.  I hope you all had great days.  Kate

Lisa - thanks for the words.  It is nice to have a place to whine and vent.   I promise I will not quit!  I want to get to the tri store soon to try on new wetsuits.  Can't wait! 

It is good to hear you sounding up-beat.  I'm glad you aren't quitting.  And yes, venting, whining and complaining is allowed.  I always tell people that my best talent is complaining. 

In my group last summer they taught us when front siting to only pop our eyes out of the water so we don't sink down too much. If you can site off of anything off the side while you do your normal stroke you don't have to front site as much but this is race dependent. Honestly you're a good swimmer K. You're faster then I am in the pool! It took me 30mins to do my first 1000 yesterday and only slightly faster on the 2nd 1000.

Edited by IdealMuse 2009-10-27 2:08 PM

A good drill to help you "feel" the position for sighting is to incorporate a lap or two water polo style. This allows you to maintain momentum while lifting your head. Obviously when sighting you're not going to lift your head out completely - just raise it enough to see, but if you're confident enough to swim maintaining forward motion with your head completely out, then just popping it up becomes easier.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXlfLIMG-xo

Another good one to get used to just lifting your head is to do kick drills with your arms stretched out straight in front of you and just lift your head through your arms to breathe (pop-up breath) - the kid at the end shows this - both the proper way (keeping your hands together), and the cheatie way of taking a small stroke with your hands.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvsua2kPvZg

I am going to do the November Pick Your Challenge Challenge (or whatever it was called).  Is anyone here going to join?  The reason I ask is so that we can request being on the same, preferably non-chatty, team. 

Not sure what my challenge is going to be yet.  Something with flexibility, like total number of hours exercising/training or something like that. 

I'm signed up, I'm a challenge addict now. Love to be on the same team. I'm not sure what my challenge will be, probably strength training though.



Edited by losta 2009-10-27 4:54 PM

IdealMuse - Thanks for the info and the encouragement.  I'm going to practice again tomorrow and see how I do.  I still haven't made it to the tri store yet to see about my wetsuit.  Hopefully tomorrow or Thursday.

Kiri - Thanks for the Youtube info.  I watched them.  Swimmers have such great bodies!  Plus they make it all look so easy!  I'll try some of these drills. 

I'll do the challenge.  They keep you moving . . .  Especially if you have friends on your team.  I so don't want to be the dead weight on the team.  I'll try to narrow it down.  I have several things in mind.  (1)  OWS (2) Runs (3) Not missing a day on my new 20 week training plan (4) something nutrition related.  As you can see, I have lots to work on!

I ran 3 miles today.  I think I have about 9 more miles to get in for the Pumpkins.  It shouldn't be a problem b/c I have my splash n dash on Friday and a long run on Saturday morning. 

Weigh in day tomorrow!  Don't forget!

Hey Lisa - How about the new bike pictures?  I'm anxious to see your new wheels! 

Yes! Bike pictures! Do you girls have any Tri photos posted anywhere? I think I had a few in the clyde/athena race photos thread in '08.

I'll go look to see what the challenge is... I may join.

Speaking of bikes I think I really want to find a used Tri Bike. As my core gets stronger and my belly less in the way I can almost imagine riding in aero and I'd like to find something that will have a better fit then my bike that is slightly big (It's a 51) I guess buying used I risk getting the wrong size though... Maybe it's not a bright idea. Not sure a new bike is in the future any time soon though.

I only have photos on this race report, last tri of the season:http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=172747

Was at the mercy of the event photographers, maybe next year i'll finally convince *someone* to be a trisherpa/photographer.

I'm going to have to think about the challenge - maybe a repeat of the run challenge which has worked great for me so far... or maybe stick to the plan as i've been dropping some bikes lately in laziness.

Weigh in... i better be lower dangnabit... been extra calorie conscious - and good!

Scales of injustice in the morning! and more run run run! 4 more!

k


Edited by kirih 2009-10-28 2:31 AM

Sorry, Look in my Album:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/photos/photo-main.asp?...

I have been ordering photos from all my races. I plan to do a before and after album. Problem is I'm still in before, well actually middle but I'll probably put them up soon.



Edited by losta 2009-10-28 8:49 AM

Hi Ladies!!!

I just stumbled across this thread today and have read several of the numerous pages on here! Wanted to know if a latecomer might join? I did my first triathlon in August 2008 as a way to motivate me for weight loss. I lost 50 pounds by the time I participated and loved it! This past summer I was only able to get in 2 sprints and did OK but didn't train like I should have. Next summer I've already signed up for Eagleman (HIM - What was I thinking?), Irongirl again and I'm thinking about doing the Lobsterman Tri in Maine in September...I'm also looking to do a sprint a month or so before the HIM to warm me up.

Unfortunately my training is lacking right now because I had surgery a couple of weeks ago and won't get clearance for any "vigorous activity" until mid-November! So I'm walking to keep up SOME sort of physical activity! I'm hoping that once I start up again I can drop another 20 pounds before I start my HIM training regimen. I've loved some of the advice and links everyone has provided in this thread and would love to participate to get more advice/feelers, etc about training and the like!

I guess you might want to know some other stuff??
I'm outside of Baltimore, Maryland, I'm a pharmacist/attorney for the government, I have 2 Jack Russell Terriers that keep me highly entertained on a daily basis. I'm a 38 yo big-boned Irish gal with an apparent fascination with physical/mental torture..aka...triathlons. Thanks to my weight loss and new found physically active lifestyle I've motivated numerous co-workers, friends and even my mother! to try a triathlon and that to me makes me giggle! To think that I have motivated someone to go out and sign up, train and complete a triathlon is pretty amazing!

Alright, I'll stop babbling and hopefully I'll talk to everyone more on here!

Keely

Nice bike and photos ladies! Looks like my account was deactivated (stupid photobucket) so I fixed that here are mine from the Chicago Tri in '08 - I was about 5lbs less in these photos then I am now.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

Retaining water week no change (195) Gr. I'm much heavier then I planned to be when signing up for the HC15K. I was planning to be 180 then revised that to 190... Annoying.

KiwiJDRPH -

Your more then welcome to hang out with us! Nice to meet you. Hope you heal quickly and can get back at it. I guess being already signed up for races next year is a good motivator.

Thanks!

I had my gall bladder removed so minor surgery, just really surprised to hear at my follow up I couldn't run for another month! Good thing I did a half marathon 2 days before my surgery!

Signing up for triathlons keeps me motivated and keeps me exercising. I still have my moments when I want to do nothing more than sit my big ol butt on the couch and watch tv and I'll allow it but it doesn't last for weeks on end like it used to. Training keeps me sane too, great stress relief! I'm frustrated that I haven't lost any weight since last year but I also know I'm in much better shape than 2 years ago when I first started losing weight and working out. I just need to get back on plan and watch what I shove in the pie hole!

227 today.
-2. Lost the wedding pound, and am i finally past the 228 hump for good?
Short walk, big swim, and a little bike commuting on tap for today.

kirih - WOO! HOO!

Keely - Ouch. As someone whos had Gallbladder attacks (due to VLC diets in the past) I feel your pain - Gallbladder stuff is no fun. At least you don't have to worry about it now. I hear you on the plateau frustration. This hasn't been a linear trip for me either, but we'll get there eventually. Signing up for races keeps me motivated as well to stay off the couch as well. I'm not sure I'd keep as active as I do w/o that little bit'o'fear and excitement Tri's provide. Congrats on your halfmary BTW.

Welcome, Hop on board!

Welcome Keely!