Ernesto's group (third season) - CLOSED (Page 17)

Ernesto - tough question.  I genetically have thicker muscular thighs and have often thought that I am fighting genetic fate in trying to become an endurance runner.  I've even considered just focusing on cycling and focus on leg strength and power.  I weigh in at 160ish and would love to get to 150.  I know I have a decent amount of fat/softness to lose but share concerns over losing any upper body definition, etc.  I think you have to find the balance between additional speed/power on the bike and where that extra muscle weight causes a diminishing return on running speed.  I guess if your bike is getting faster and your run is stable then overall you are still faster?  I'm trying to eat more sensibly, get rid of the fat before worrying about anything else.

That bike (plus an extra frame) are going for $800. The size is 54cm (for someone about 5'10") and it comes with the original wheelset (not the Zipps in the picture). The seller is Blake Bednarz from Lubbock, TX 806-789-6506. I assume no responsibility as I don't know the guy, but he's good friends with a teammate.

I think it won't be out for long. It is a Fuji Team Roubaix btw. Real bargain.

hopefully, as a mentee, I might be of some help to the mentor...

HIT THE UPPER BODY SWIMMING STUFF HARD!!!! (including paddles, strechy bands and weights).

It sounds like you have the overall diet dialed in, but you're not seeing gains in the upper body.

You seem to be judging your gains by overall weight, are seeing big gains in the legs, but not in the upper body.

In my opinion:  Lay off the cycling; continue your diet; emphasize the swim (with paddles!), lay off the cycling.

If you want to keep yuor legs getting bigger and bigger (as some people do), keep doing what you're doing...  If you want to build the upper body, you have to focus on the upper body and spend less time on the rest.

K.I.S.S  (Keep It Simple Stupid).

JMHO

Shelby

In Response to Elizabeth's question about training plans on Page 14, not sure why this reply  did not post like the other replies.........Have you tired the "custom plan"?  I found it under the free plans.  It creates a basic plan for you and the activities occur on the same day each week.  Let me know if you can't find it and I will try to get a link to you.

William

You're right, I do admit that there has to be some fat in there, maybe quite a bit too. But one thing I'll guarantee, my upper body is exactly the same (measurements) as 37 months ago.

Ok, I take on the challenge! I guess weight loss percentage would be the most fair of ways of accounting it. Otherwise it would be unfair to you, because you have less to lose than I do.

I agree, starting on New Years Eve would be ridiculous so the weigh in should be on January 1st, and the final weigh in on Jan 31st. I love it, it will be one more reason not to quit and start eating too much, competition. Game face on!

I would absolutely hate to lose my bike speed, and that would be guaranteed to happen if I lay off the bike. Any distance in triathlon has a bike leg that represents 50% or more of the race time (transitions included). If you're not good on the bike, you'll never be contending for podium spots and that is exactly what I do, I come out of the water close to the front, get on the very front while riding and hold off the best runners during the run part.

I would like to see improvements on the run so to catch the fastest well rounded triathletes that keep beating me for first place. I have had a few runner ups finishes but no AG wins yet.

I'd be happy to join you two as well...weigh in on Jan 1st?

I have a good amount of fat to lose.  5'9" and 163 this afternoon when I showered after working out.  Was probably 150 when I got married 16 years ago.  Think honestly 155 would be a good weight, but would like to see my composition at that point.  So...I don't have a ton to lose, but need the motivation to eat healthier and stay away from the diet coke and drink more water.

A little reminder, on Sunday the challenge is officially started. Don't forget the rules:

- 30 minutes at least in one day gets you one point.

- Any race longer than a 5K will give you a point for the day before and the day after so you can taper and rest from the race but no additional time will be computed.

- Only Swim/Bike/Run. Walking doesn't qualify as a run. Running slow however does. When swimming, account only for time swimming and not from the time you hit the pool deck until you leave, recoveries don't count.

- You don't have to kill yourselves, a very easy workout (like a relaxed recovery swim or an easy spin) will do the trick.

- If more than one person finishes the month of January with an equal amount of days in, total time will be the tie breaker.

- We are all leveled on this challenge, speed does not matter at all. Only training time does.

- Don't ever forget rule number one, HAVE FUN!

Went on a 10.5 mi ride this morning , and happy with the results. Was able to keep cadence avg at 94, and getting used to that pedalling rate. Also my speed went up from 16.3 to 17.0 mph (following Ernesto's recommendation, not really focusing on speed, but nice to see the increase anyways).

WRT the numbness, didn't feel it this time. I made sure to get off the saddle every 1.75 miles for a few seconds and move a little bit around the saddle. However, I have a question regarding how you sit in the bike. Quoting Ernesto :"the trick is using the sitbones and not the soft tissue". This make sense, but if I try to do that, I fell pain in the sitbones (I think that I was too forward in the saddle putting pressure on the soft tissue before, leading to the numbness). Is this pain normal? I know Chris mentioned that he likes his Adamo saddle, but gets pain in the sitbones, so I am asuming is par for the course.

Ernesto, WRT to your saddle recommendation, I will eventually make the change, but for now with everything I had to buy (and need to buy), I think I will wait a little. Just want to give my saddle a try before scrapping it. Also, not sure my wife will like (or understand) how come I need to spend another $100+ on a saddle for a bike I bought less than a month ago (you should have seen her face when I told her the bike did not come with pedals...LOL). ALthough quoting that erectile disfunction thing you mentioned might change her mind .

You have to try at a bike shop, usually they have 30 day return policies. I have taken advantage of these policies in the past to try and find the right one.

Several Things to post here so please bear with me:

1.  The weight challenge I want in on.  I need to loose about 6lbs.  I'm 3lbs lighter than when I had my son 12 years ago but not where I need to be.  However I'm heading into strength training so the "weight" for me isn't as much of an indicator as I believe inches of waist, hips and arms.  I will however post all.  

2.  If I understand the January challenge correct..  My 5k race on Sunday will NOT give me a point on Monday and if it is under 30min I need to do something else.  

3.  Speaking of the 5k.  ERNESTO..  As you were my mentor last season and throughout the year... My best 5k was last year with a time of 26:19 in L.A.  Given the move and no speedwork in over 6 months, should I push for that type of time or back off right now and attempt a conservative 9min - 9:30 pace as the last 5k here I ran with Rheona and was a 10min pace.

Sorry to hear about your injury.  Hope it's nothing major.