The Frozen (not so) North Mentor Group - CLOSED (Page 17)

@ Jen

I can only tell you what the race here did. I did the half marathon but read the manual cover to cover (I am a nerd).
the Baltimore Marathon bused each runner to a tent/spot at each respective leg. The "exchange spots" as they were called were marked and volunteers stood on the course with signs. Runner 1 entered the area and pass their chip onto the runner 2. All runners use the same chip. Runner 2 repeated the same thing and so on. They had buses to take the first 3 runners back to the finindh line.

Your race should have a runners guide printed or online that you can read for more info.

Lovey

Hi, everyone -  I'm back   Thanks for all the recent inspires!  I sure picked a bad week to be off the blog - lots of interesting threads!  Hope you don't mind if I chime in a bit late on some.

I didn't feel well for most of last week, so I mainly just rested up.  I did a quick treadmill run on Wed and then back to my regular bike/run on this Sunday.  This was supposed to be a "recovery" week anyhow, so I'm not too far off plan.  On Sunday I did just a 1 mile time trial outside (running at a comfortable, not hard pace) and am so excited that it worked out to an 11 min mile.  This is huge for me.  It gives me hope that I'll be able to run longer distances comfortably if I keep up the training.  And I have to give some credit to the "dreadmill", too.  I've been setting it for just under an 11 min mile pace to get used to moving my legs faster (for 1 mi or less at a time) and finding out that I can actually maintain it. 

I really admire those of you taking the bike maintenance courses, etc.  I know I should be able to do my own and certainly should practice changing flats.  True confession - I actually paid the guys at the bike shop $10 to put my new trainer tire on for me this year, as I was afraid I would never get around to it.  oh, the shame!

I don't know off hand what gearing my bike has (guess I should), but I'll second the thing about having to get used to a new setup.  I rode a late '80s model mountain bike for the last two years tri training - it had a triple in front, lots of low gears, not nearly enough high gears for the flats/downhills.  I expected to fly when I bought my road bike last year, since I would finally have some higher gears and the bike was at least 10-15 lbs lighter.  not so.  Even though I was very familiar with our local IronGirl course, I had a hard time anticipating the right gear to be in, since the road bike was geared so differently from my mtn bike.  I found myself shifting too early/too late a lot (& winding up in the wrong front ring). 

Lovey - Sounds to me like you made a good choice on sticking with your hybrid for another year.  You might even be able to use it to your advantage.  With the lower gears it is bound to have, you could work on your hill climbing - making sure that you stay in a gear that you can turn comfortably (even up Mt. Albert) and focus on maintaining 90 rpm (or 80-90 rpm) on the flats. 
If you don't have a cadence monitor, that might be an upgrade to consider that would transfer easily to a new bike later.  (I got my Node2 computer & Garmin speed/cadence sensor for $200 total; if you already have a garmin for running, you might be able to just get the cadence sensor.)  just a thought. 

Wendy - on which sport to focus on if you're a pretty balanced triathlete:  I aspire to be in your position someday!  The bit of good advice I've gotten is that the swim is a means to the bike, the bike is a means to the run, the run is the race (approx quote from Liz Flynn).  The way I interpret that is that while a tri can be lost on the swim or bike, they're won on the run.   I don't know that that means you necessarily focus on the run, though - it might be by improving your swim or bike that you'll have more left to spend on the run. 

happy training, all -

Edited by alsiedee 2011-02-21 1:18 PM

Hope everyone is having a good week.  Jennifer is running a half marathon this weekend - good luck.

I'm on a running hiatus this week.  I have a dull ache in my foot just below the inside ankle bump.  It's a bit alarming in that it gets worse if I stand on it for prolonged periods, but it didn't really hurt while running but started feeling sore afterwards.  I'm icing, rolling, and stretching this week, and only biking.  We'll see how it feels over the weekend and if it's not much better I'll probably try to see my ART guy next week.

Finally A Nice Jog: It has been awhile. Hello all the freezing folks out there. 

Thesis Update: We are up to 65 pages, edited by two friends and the 5th draft has been sent for final review. The presentation is March 11th and then the training will begin.

Job Update: Lots of devastating cuts around the corner for many areas of the country, mine included, for job loss. Nothing I can do about it but trying to use this Thesis and First Time TRI as obtainable goals despite whatever outcomes are to be. I will think positive.

JOG: So I did a little 2.7 mile jog in 24minutes 38 sec...about a 9 minute mile. That is an improvement from my last race where I averaged 10.28 minute miles. Granted the 5k was a bit longer.

I am still anxious about the swim though. Once the Thesis is through I am going to start my swim training. I have printed out the swim heavy training guide and I am looking at  talking to a swim coach. 

I felt very tired after my run so I need to work on building up stamina too.


 

Kelly Sue, congrats on your thesis progress -- that's a tremendous accomplishment! I will think of you on March 11. Hurray, too, for your recent jog time!

Warren, I'm sorry to hear about your foot. I hope you see a quick recovery, or that your ART guy can make it so.

I seem to be having an off week. In part it's because I didn't come into the week with clearly outlined workout goals. I need to be able to swim 40 minutes, jog 40 minutes and bike 80 minutes continuously before I start my 20-week training plan mid-April. But I seem to be uncertain what plan to follow until I get there. My 8-week 2x/week swim clinic starts next week, so that will get me started. Tonight I jogged 38 minutes continuously for the first time since getting back off the couch (12.5-minute miles...I have a long way to go), and am switching to a couch-to-10K jogging plan (from couch to 5K). I need to figure out precisely where in that plan I should be starting from and then stick to it and not deviate. Also I still need to find a spinning plan for the next 6 weeks to help me hit 80 minutes as right now my cardio fitness only gets me to half of that time. 

Alright, sounds like I have some planning to do. And then some more working out. 

 

Thanks for the inspires, sorry to be MIA.  I had a bit of a crazy week at work last week followed by another bout of illness this winter!  I am 99% better and will be back in the gym tomorrow.  I will catch up on everyone's posts on my commute home!

Hey Gang
TRX is giving away sponsorship money, a training system, and training program. You just have to submit a 30 second video. The vids with the most views win. Please watch mine at this link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcS0LGTccYY

Thanks for your support!!

Wendy 

Great video Wendy!  Good luck!

nice video, Wendy! - but even more impressive story!!

Wow Wendy, that's an impressive story and a great video.

Thanks to all who view the video.

I think Warren's qoute sums up everything.

Do or do not there is no tri 

Wendy, That is a great story and your video was very well put together.  Very impressive!!

Good luck to Jennifer tomorrow.  It looks like she'll be running in a bit of a snow storm.

Don't forget Kathy who is also running in the 10k.  Have fun!

Good luck to our runners this weekend. Have Fun!!

Wendy - great video! I pick YOU to be the winner (I just don't have a direct line to the judges....)

Best wishes to Kathy and Jennifer for tomorrow's races -- we'll all be home mid-afternoon checking the forum to see how your races went! 

Hey all! Looking forward to a nice BT get together tomorrow in Hyannis Mass.  There is some thing about having to run as well but I am putting that out of my mind.  I am undertrained but think a 10K is still quite doable.  I will post pics when I get home.

Wendy-great video.  I use a TRX with my workout group fairly often.  It is awesome for training and not getting injured.  I hope you win!!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 

Good evening folks!  Hope you all had a great weekend.  The Hyannis race today was a great time.  Jennifer and I found each other before the race and ran much of the first mile together.  Unfortunately she had a long drive home and couldn't join the mob for food and beer after the race.  The weather was mixed.  Temps were good in the 30s and no wind.  The bad was snow or something equivalent to spittle the entire time.  Such is winter racing.  I will let you all know when my race report is done.

@Kathy
Besting your time by 15minutes!! Incredible!!!
Nicely done 

That was last years race.  This year was only a 10K and I've never raced that distance as a stand alone race.  Guess it will be a PB then lol!

Thanks for the well wishes...I finished at 2:16 on the lower end of the middle of the pack for my age group. The weather was challenging - I was completely soaked by the end of the race. I came down with a friend who ran the full marathon - and by the time she came in, we were both shivering non-stop. I had time to run back to our hotel room, shower and pack up before we had to check out. Then a 5+ hour drive home (which - let me advise is not the ideal recovery plan). Very creaky today. If I could I'd just sit on the couch with a hot cup of tea.

Kathy and I were able to connect both before and after the race - that was very nice. I love to get to put faces with names. There were around a handful of other BTers which is always great to see. I'll be working on the race report in the next few hours. I'll let you all know when it's up...but both my friend and I have decided it was a beautiful race, but not one we need to run again.

Great job to Kathy and Jennifer!  Both of you had very good times considering the conditions.  Sounds like the after race party was good serving up Guinness...my favorite! 

Well done and congratulations to you both!!  Cheers...we all need to toast you guys...wheres my Guinness?

Great job fighting through the weather Kim and Jennifer.  At least this winter has prepared you for that kind of run!  Can't wait to read the race reports.

Isn't it a bit early for a Guiness Scott? 

It is the breakfast of Champions...