Slornow and Wannabefaster's Winter Mentor Group-CLOSED (Page 17)

Jason-sounds like a great weekend. Glad you had fun and returned injury free.

Well, my blog is up and running. Not much so far but hopefully as I get a better feel for how all the layout stuff works I can expand it and add more content. Link should show up below. I've enjoyed reading Jamie's blog and it inspired me to finally get something started. A rough start but at least its a start.

Hey all,

Looks like everyone is logging some great mileage this weekend!

In reference to not PR'ing every run...I've learned, rather quickly, to overcome that.

Training for this 100k, and running back-to-back long runs has really taught me proper executing of the good ol' LSD (long slow distance approach). My average pace for these long runs has  been around 9:30-10, which is my goal pace for the 100k. It is really tough to not want to go faster towards my Marathon pace.

On the plus side, I have been able to run with a very accomplished ultra-marathoner (2x Badwater finisher, and other top-notch races), and he has taught me tremendous amounts about ultra running.

Anyway, Saturday I had a great long-run. We did about 22 miles (possibly more, but I forgot to start my Garmin again after we stopped to get water, and didn't catch it for a while), with sections of road, beach, and 2 bridges (all at the end of the run...OUCH). I felt good, but my calves get so tight towards the end of my runs, more so towards the top of my calf. It only lasts for an hour, and I am good after that. I am hoping it was mainly from running on the soft sand on the beach. Regardless, between the sand, and a nice headwind coming back, I was happy.

Biggest thing I've learned is recovery. Immediately after my long run, I soak in Epsom salts, and get some recovery foods (yesterday it was a smoothie). It has made a huge difference in making a run on Sunday possible. Today I woke up a bit tight, but after I was up and moving around I felt better. Ended up knocking out 10 miles on the trails today....in the rain. Does that make it even cooler?

P.S. I've attached a view from the top of the bridge from my run on Saturday. Greetings from a winter day in Florida!

Just completed a 75 min trainer ride. Hard ride with multiple 2 min sprints built in.  This group is off to a great start.  This is going to be an awesome year!

I am currently contemplating doing IM Louisville at the end of August.  I am already doing IM AZ in November.  They are a bit close together but I feel this is doable.  I know the good and the bad of IM Lou as I've done it before.  Personally, I love the swim and the bike course (except for the traffic). 

Good night!  Jim

I was a few pages behind but it sounds like everyone is doing great!

Mary-congrats on your first week of training.

Blanda-The pic is adorable. She certainly looks like she enjoyed the run.

Renee-Good luck on the HM this weekend.

Jamie and Randy-I'll be checking out your blogs.

I'm almost a week without training which sucks but I've been hurting so much I barely thought about it. Today I can almost stand up straight again. I'm hoping that after another visit to the chiro tonight I'll be able to hit the pool tomorrow. I'm not sure what happened here. My back does occassionally have issues but this was the worst experience I've had with it yet. Usually in a day or two I'm much better.

Looking forward to training again! 

Dave-what kind of rollers are you using? I've been using E-motion rollers for over 3 years. They are somewhat easier to use than traditional rollers since they move a bit within the frame. I love them...smooth and quiet.

Nicole-sure hope you get feeling better soon. Sounds like you have had a rough week!

I'm on the road for work today so just an easy run this evening. Lets get the week off to a good start.

I'm seeing this too!  Great work this weekend everyone

Nicole hang in there!

Blanda that is so great you run with your kids.  Out of all my friends with kids, the ones that do active things with their kids on a regular basis (I find) have the best relationships with them. 

Dave rollers scare me!  I think I have a pretty good sense of balance on the bike but I've never gotten up the nerve to try them.  **shudder** LOL

On to my weekend I suppose.  Well my weekend wasn't so great..... went skiing with DH and cousin (as we have done on winter weekends for years now) and about an hour in DH took a nasty fall and long story short we're pretty sure he tore his meniscus on the same knee where he's already had acl reconstruction.  He's totally bummed at the thought of not being able to run for a while......but we'll know more after he sees the doctor.  ---> to me -->so this made my weekend training a bummer.

But TODAY is a new day.  I started the winter cycling program, day 1.  I think I'm going to like it.  And tomorrow starts beginner tri swim training from my new book.

Have a good day all!!

Take off from the internet for ONE day of Batman Movie Marathon and I miss an entire page almost! 

The Epic ride with Jamie was pretty cool. I know it was littered with misfortunes due to incorrect cue cards and a flat tire, but Jamie changed it like a champ and I got to learn how to change a tire! The ride up the mountain was grueling! I was on the easiest gear and had to stand up multiple times. It was heaven when we hit the top, and the ride down was fun as heck (had to brake a lot though).

Most importantly, the adjustments to my aerobars worked out great! The extension did the trick and I concentrated on keeping my hands relaxed instead of keeping a death grip on the bars. I'm really happy with it now!

Jim, I hope you do race IM Louisville! It's always nice to meet a fellow forum poster face to face.  Jamie and I met Michael/Experior last September at one of the local South Carolina races and it was great!

3rd Masters Practice is in the books! I'm feeling like I'm getting better at it already. Just need to learn some of the terminology the coach uses and I think I should be golden!

Thanks for checking it out! I really felt like what he had to say what pretty broadly applicable, at least as far as endurance pacing and fueling goes. 

Nate-glad the adjustment on the aerobars has you more comfortable. Lots of miles ahead....comfort is key.

Dave-oh yeah! Took me a little while to be comfortable in aero on the rollers. Now I can ride down in aero, watching a dvd and toweling off and do fine. Every few weeks I will totally zone out and forget that I have to keep pedaling to stay upright.....that results in an oh @#$% moment. You will get the hang of them with practice.

4 mile run done. Still slowly building back after the calf problems. Schedule calls for 14 miles this week....hopefully without a return of the calf issues.

Roll Tide! 

Kids were back to school yesterday, so I am back on the wagon.

Yesterday I did an easy 3 mile warmup run on the treadmill, then worked on my core and arms. The strength is needed for hauling my heavy mountain bike all over the hills for training and Xterra. Then, 1st night back with the swim team in a couple weeks. Boy, did I feel it. Got in 1200m with them.

Today I got up and was out the door BEFORE 5AM TO RUN 4 MILES (miracles need all caps), so I can bike at lunch and swim this evening. Rolling out of bed was so, so hard, but once I was dressed I was awake and the run felt pretty good for no day of activities for a warm up.

Looking like a pumped group. Awesome!

First triathlon of the season this Sunday. A super sprint consisting of a 200m swim, 6 mile bike, and 1.5 mile run. It'll be my first time using a road bike. I need to figure out how to shift the gears before then! I'm stuck on the little gear.

Have a great evening!

Very busy day. Was saved by the fact my wife pushed me out of the living room to watch Downton Abbey on Hulu.

This gave me the chance to do 11 miles on the exercise bike in 48 mins. So I'm quite happy.

HeeHEE...snicker snicker. Have fun with that. I hear I have a 20 minute coming up sometime in Feb. Already scheduling my therapy appointments to mentally get ready for the suffering. I HATE TESTING! 

I can walk upright!!!! Planning to hit the pool for the next few days. I wanted to bike tomorrow but the chiro said no way so I'll stick to swimming and hopefully can bike and run this weekend.

Have a great day, Everyone!!

Good luck with your test Jason! I haven't tried one of those yet. Is this a lactic threshold sort of test?

Today is my REST DAY! I got to sleep in. It was glorious! Hope everyone has a good day today!

Good job on swimming while you are injured, Nicole. I was a bum and just stayed away from anything when I hurt my knee. I could have definitely biked or swam. Keep that motivation high, but don't push so hard you accidentally re-injure yourself!

-Nate

Nate-the bike testing is typically done to establish Functional Threshold Power (FTP). Most of the time that term is used to identify, theoretically, the power/watts an individual should be able to maintain for 60 minutes of riding. Not as a bike leg of a triathlon but more like a 60 minute time trial...you know falling off the bike, feeling like you are going to throw up, nothing left, a cheetah is chasing you..... Typically, a 20 minute test is used and the rider is suppose to maintain the highest power possible over the 20 minute period. Then to get the 60 min FTP you take 95% of that number. So, if Jason did a 300 watt 20 min test he should theoretically be able to maintain 285 watts for an hour.  There are alot of different of different testing methods. There are formulas that use both the 5 minute and 20 minute test together to come up with FTP.  Most important thing is consistently in using the same testing method so you are always comparing apples to apples. Testing sucks as it can be hard to pace and if you are competitive you will want to do better than the last time. It ususally takes a few tests to get the feel for pacing one.

Frankly, I don't see any way in the world I would be able to maintain my FTP for 60 minutes...maybe if my life depended on it but even then I would probably die before I hit 60 minutes.  The main benefits I see of using a powermeter are being able to set specific intervals in training and using watts for pacing in racing. Watts are watts.  Doesn't matter how you feel, whether you slept well or what you've been eating....it simply measures what your power output is. Heart rate can vary with these things.  For instance, say you want to average 170 watts for an IM distance race and half of the course is into the wind and half downwind.....you can dial in your effort based on watts and know you are expending the correct amount of energy whether it feels hard or easy. There are many articles/guidelines that recommend certain percentages of FTP in each length of race.  If a rider is disciplined it can also help alot on hills where you are expending alot of energy for the climbs and recovering on the downhills.

Thats enough...I'm sure that was way more than you were looking for

Randy 

Long, for me, swim workout at lunch and an easy spin this evening. What does everyone have on tap today?

Oh, forgot to mention......ROLL TIDE! Sorry, couldn't help it.