mcgilmartin's 2013 Mentor Group~ let's get swimming! CLOSED FOR TRAINING (Page 17)

Thanks for the info - based on what I found online I was thinking the same thing. For us, all routes are known since there are only 4 different paved roads we could take off riding on. It's pretty easy to plot out our routes for a ride out here I will also check out DCRainmakers site - I forgot about it.

Steve

When do they do BRAN, Steve?

A lot of my Chicago friends do RAGBRAI- I think that would be a huge athletic accomplishment.

This year BRAN is June 2-8. It starts in Kimball (about 20 miles from Wyoming border) and ends at the Strategic Air and Space Museum near Ashland (between Lincoln and Omaha). It looks like a great ride. Unfortunately Sheri isn't sure her knee and leg muscles will be ready for such an adventure after having the partial replacement surgery, and unlike me, she's not willing to jump in and give it a try without knowing for sure she could do it. She's the smart one in our house. I told her I'd ride it with her and she could draft off of me the whole way if she needed to or I'd drive the support car, but she wants to wait until next year.

I want to do the RAGBRAI some day - I have heard its a fantastic trip across Iowa and a huge party. A friend did it last year and he had a lot of great stories from the trip. They even had one leg where they had a detour for those that wanted to do a Century ride that day. The only downside he told me about was the miles and miles of cornfields for scenery.

Nice, Steve!  I love GU products.  Let us know how the shoes worked out for you.

For those of you here for year 2, you are well aware that I'm a big fan of running for charity.  I'm still on the fence about what I am doing, but I wanted to let you  all know a few of my friends are running for great causes.

My friend Joe D'Amico you may have heard of before- he's better known as McRunner.  He ran the LA Marathon in 2010 in 2:25, eating nothing but McDonalds for a month!!!  This year he's going to run LA again, dressed as a Shamrock Shake and trying to break the world record for fastest marathon dressed as a dairy product.  LOL- yeah, I'm serious.  Here's his blog and fundraising site:

www.mcrunner.com

Also, my friend Lisa Barton is running the Boston Marathon this year.  She's raising $ for the American Stroke Association.  Here's her fundraising page:

http://tedysteam2013.kintera.org/boston/barton

If you guys have a charity that's near and dear to you, please share.  I personally think it's really important to give back, but I would NEVER force anyone to contribute as part of this group.  Just trying to help out is all.

It is with a heavy heart that I must report that I am withdrawing from the Haute Route Pyrenees event this year. After much contemplation and discussion with my husband and teammates, I have decided that we are a team and if we aren't doing it as a team, then I'm not going to go unattached.

We are trying to transfer our registrtion to other riders (anyone here want to go?) or, if we get no takers, we can defer our registration to 2014. It was a hard decision to make, but I feel okay about it. I did have mixed feelings, but I'm sure that this is the best decision. It will give me a year and 6 months to train as opposed to just 6 months. I also hired a coach (2 days before my teammate cancelled), so I'll be getting some good workouts with guided direction.

I was approached by one of the locals (her husband holds his German Pro Card) and asked if I would be interested in doing some rides with her and some of her friends later this year. I was excited as it feels as though I've been accepted into the German Society a little bit more. She said that there are tons of rides ranging from 100km to over 250km and the cost is only 3 Euro (about $5)!!! She said that includes the water stops and food at the end! I'm excited about it and will keep you all posted!

Excited for you! I am excited that you are being welcomed into the local cycling community. Sounds like a fantastic plan!

Blessings,

Bryan

Sounds like a good decision, I would have done the same and stayed a team. The rides sound like a lot of fun, I can't believe people ride that far!

Bummer, Mariah... it sounds like you gave it a good, hard deliberation and came to the right thing for you and everyone else involved though.  Glad to hear you are getting settled in over there.

Just checking in! 

I have only been able to do one of my REAL workouts in the past 1.5 weeks (respiratory virus and work problems preventing me from taking a lunch break for many days).  It's all good, though. 

MATT-here is the workouts my (ex/ powerlifter) wrote for me.  I'm posting them for everyone to read because they are quite comical.  Disclaimer: this is for kicks and giggles, don't attempt-for various reasons.   I asked him to write FOUR  20 MIN compound strength workouts.  I can't get any of them done in 20 min, he wrote five days, and he clearly forgot that I would be doing heavy bike and run workouts with these?!  BUT he is one of the smartest and hardest trainers I have ever known. I knew what I was getting in to, and that I would tweak them to my liking anyway.       ; )

DAY 1: CHEST

Floor press with sit up 3xF (fail)

DB Flyes 2sets of 8-10 mod weight

Flat push ups 2x20

 Dips 2sets 20- between 2 benches or chairs

 Max every 4^th week 3 sets to F

 Day 2: LEGS

20 rep Squats (2 Sets warm up)  3 sets  do 50% of body weight

20 rep Deadlifts (2 Set warm up) 3 total sets  70% of body weight

 3 sets of calve raises - 20 reps

 *do a 5x5 heavy max on squat every 5th week*

Day 3: cardio/weight training

-do as constant circuit-23 min

 20 burpee squat w/25lb plate above head

 20 dumbell front squat

 20 jump jack w/dumbells in ur hand

 20 wood choppers with dumbell

 20 hanging leg lifts/roman chair

Day 4: BACK/BICEPS

Pull ups = Either 5 sets of 10 pull ups or 50 reps total with as many sets you have to use to get 50 reps. Do this with palms facing you.

Deadlifts done off 45 plate, or 3inch platform do ur bodyweight. 3 sets xF

Bent over rows 3 sets of 10-12 reps  MODERATE WEIGHT

Day 5: SHOULDERS/TRICEPS

5 sets of Military presses pyramid reps and weight 10,8,8,6,20 

Dumbbell side laterals 3 sets (f) heavy

Skull crushers 2 sets max reps

I really do love weights, but. . .       Anyway, I have already fixed the workouts so I can do them in 20min,  and maybe have a little recovery time for the muscle groups.   AND WHO DOES 50 PULL UPS I AM A GIRLLLLL ?!?!?     Funny thing is he knows I will try it, as stupid as it may be.   

JEN, I'm fixing to be right there with you on the pain and ibuprofen! 

EVERYONE TRAIN HARD THIS WEEK.  Next week you might have a virus and can't train.  LOLOLOL

Oh what a Happy Thursday! I passed my PT test today

I have been stressing out over this for the past month, but today was finally the day of reckoning. Here's a quick break-down:

1 minute push-ups - minimum needed 14

1 minute sit-ups - minimum needed 29

1.5 mile run - minimum time - 16:57

Waist measurement - minimum of 35.5 inches

You must meet minimums in all areas in order to pass. In addition, you must also make higher than a 75 overall (just meeting minimums in ALL areas will not give you a 75, so you must do better than the minimums)

I hurt my back on New Years Eve when I was on call and had to come in to take care of a patient. He felt like he was falling, so he grabbed on to me and it pulled my back. I was super worried about the push-ups since they're not really my strong point, so 14 seemed like an elusive number.

I knocked out 21 push-ups, 45 sit-ups (max for points), 27 in waist (better than max for points), and my run in 13:43. I had a total overall score of 92, which puts me in the excellent category (75-89.9 is passing and you take your PT test every 6 months, 90+ is excellent and you take your PT test every 12 months).

I am so happy!! I had a 91.8 last year, so this year is even better and I'm still good for 12 months. I was worried about the run since it was too cold (by Air Force standards) to run outside, so we had to do 23 laps in the basketball gym, and how do you pace for 23 laps around a gym? I was skeptical that it would be 1.5 miles, but my Garmin read it as 1.51, so that's pretty close in my book (close enough for government work).

I treated myself to an ice cream sandwich with my lunch, which was awesome!

Hope everyone else is having as great a Thursday as I am      

Way to go on the PT test!

If you had ask any  of us we would have told you that you would pass and no need to stress

Have a great weekend!

Bryan

Congrats! Wish my job was a little more fitness-based, I swear my company alone keeps Krispy Kreme in business lol  Glad you beat your score too and are test-free for 12 months!

Congratulations on passing the PT test! Good for another year!

I agree.  That is very good for not swimming in 10 months!

Here's one that has baffled me for a few days.  Some pools are measured in yards and are generally 25 yards long.  In order to swim a mile, you swim 1,650 yards which is closest to 1500 meters.  This is only equivalent to 0.9375 miles.  The pool I swim in is 50 meters long, and if I swim 1650 meters, then I'm actually swimming 1.03 miles.  If this is the case, why is it that 1650 yards is considered a mile? 

Now I know why the US never changed over to the metric system in the 1920's.  This whole higher math thing can get confusing!

WooHoo! Congratulations! I'm working on getting my husband to sign up for a century with me!

I'm pretty excited, although her idea of training and mine are different. We had our first BRAN dispute - she wasn't pleased that I gave her a training program. I printed off the Beginner Cycling plan from here for her to look at. I thought I was being helpful in providing some guidance to help her prepare for this but I think I offended her by suggesting she needs a plan. I am now going to go with the flow and pray for a tailwind for her   Seriously though, we are both looking forward to taking part in this and getting to see the state of Nebraska from a different viewpoint.

Matt, what ist he benefit of using a pull-bouy? What drills incorporate it that you see as beneficial?

Thanks,

Bryan