Todd's Tri Turtles 2 (Beginner, Sprint, 5K, 10 K) - Closed (Page 17)

YES, YES, YES, YES!! You got the answer to your question by watching me prepare last year with basically the same or less time then you are speaking about. Also remember I did not do my Olympic until one month before and did it more to keep motivated and work on my food plan, but would not have seen it as a huge deal if I did not get to do one. You also have time between now and then to knock one out if you wish. I also say you can because you know what to do and not do as far as training and have not stopped since you started with the Turtles almost a year ago. I will tell you that about the only change I could really see to what you have been doing (pre injury) would be to add a longer bike and run once a week but that does not have to be crazy. I think I did around or just over 50 mile rides three times before my race for training and my longest run I think was around 7. I'm not saying it was idea or perfect but I'm sure you get what I'm saying. Since I have known you, you have always worked hard, worked smart, and worked towards whatever goal you put your mind to. So I said all of that to say again, YES, I do believe you can do one. The other thing here is that you have well over 20 weeks left which is what most Half Plans call for and already have the base to start one tommorrow. I would also send a PM to Beth, as she has done one, and knows your workout history if you want some reassurance.

Way to go, Knocked it out the park

Taringa~
You can totally do a half! As far as "plans" go, I totally agree most are for people with tons of time for super long workouts. I entered my first race (a half marathon) with 10 days of training after a 22 year break from running lol I don't recommend doing anything that extreme BUT that's what I had to work with and it spun me off into road racing which I now can't stand and FINALLY in to the TRI world! don't think you need to run yourself ragged to train for a race. As long as you have a good solid aerobic base I think you would kill a Half! That is my goal for the end of the year as I only have done Sprint distances. So GO FOR IT!!!!

Good Morning To All

Edited by Hunting Triathlete 2014-02-12 7:43 AM

Today... I will run fast and far!

Need to be ready for my first 5K of the year next week.

Hello Turtles from around the world!
I have not posted very much last week because I have been running back and forth to different doctors. I mentioned here a few weeks ago I had to go get a MRI. I have had incredible horrible pain in my left upper leg that goes to the knee and down the ITB band. I always have it happen when I am working because I sit and sit and sit for 12-16 hours a day! Not a lot of time to get up and stretch or go for a walk because I have a walkie talkie strapped to my body that has to be with me the entire time and has to be answered within 2 seconds or get in a world of trouble, Long story short we ended work first week of November and I had to go to the ER because I couldnt take it anymore. I have done Physical Therapy and had all kinds of tests and different modalities done such as ultrasound/stretching/massage ect. MRI reveals I have arthritis in the L4 and L5 area and a tiny synovial cyst on the Facet joint that projects backward into the soft tissues causing all the pain I am having...... so now I have to go for Facet joint injections and I am not looking forward to them...I hate needles and I have had a epidural in my C spine area and it hurt pretty bad. I have slept pretty bad because I cannot lay on my left side at all without increased pain. When I swim or bike I have zero pain. I cannot take NSAIDS so they have me on strong painkillers which I hate. I am praying the injections give me relief.

I live very close to the coast and we had ANOTHER freak snow storm and have been snowed in for the last two days. 8 inches of snow is a BIG DEAL when the town you live in has no snow removal equipment. I did a mini Tri on Monday and Tuesday the gym opened late because of the ice/snow so I went in later and did another mini triathlon. I worked out for the second time with hand paddles and I have moved to smaller fins. I can swim like aquawoman with the paddles and fins on LOL I still am working hard on my breathing and also trying to get some endurance built up but for me swimming is a huge challenge. I have my first sprint coming up in a few weeks and it is a pool swim so I will do my best and if that means doing some side stroking then that's what I will do. I rode the bike for 30 min and was pleased to see zone two heart rate is really starting to pay off. I got on the treadmill and wanted to go for a fast 30 min walk/slow jog and they came over the loudspeaker that they were closing in 15 minutes due to the snow storm approaching. I usually run exclusively in Brooks but got a pair of Newtons for Christmas. I have worn them four times and they are entirely different shoe then any shoe I have ever worn. My heart rate was great and I decided to jog....jogging on treadmill gives me shin splints so I try to NEVER do it, ice outside forced me to do it LOL I started running and heart rate raised a bit to high so I slowed it down to a Turtle jog and tried to really concentrate on foot placement and was praying no shin splints!!! Newtons have a nice *cog* which encourages toe runners like me to aim for a mid foot strike. I watched my heart rate and was outside just a bit of zone two but I could not believe how great I felt. It was slow but I was not huffing and puffing or watching the timer wanting it to be over with. I have never ever did a good base building and I really believe in it now!!

I had to drive home in a down pour of ice and snow. I was sooo glad that my car has all wheel drive and drivers assist! I went nice and slow and never spun out or slid. I couldn't believe how many people were spun out or had gone into a ditch. Ambulance and fire trucks were all over the place with all the wrecks. I prayed to get home safe and I did! It pounded snow all day and night and today it rained/snowed and sleet....so now we have one inch of solid ice over the snow.... I wanted to go to the gym or for a walk but they closed the base down because of the ice. I am hoping things clear up a bit and I can get back in the gym tomorrow.

Todd~ Going back to your post when I was talking about how I wish I had a training partner. I LOVED your answer. Having no training partner actually outweighs having one. As much as I hate getting up at 4:00 am I like the fact I am not waiting on anyone or getting blown off which I really hate! The few people I have worked out with are Hypercompetitive and that is something I just cannot stand. I consider this group my training partners and it is always great to come here and read everyone's ups and downs and have the opportunity to share the same. Thank you so much for always shining the light on the upside to everything. It is wonderful to be in a POSITIVE environment.

Shannon~ Sounds like you have had a very busy time! I am so sorry to hear that you are sick! that sinus stuff sucks! I was reading about your swimming and I can relate to a lot of what you are going through. I wish we lived closer so we could swim together! You have a great plan mapped out with using the nearby pool! that drive you have is a KILLER and I am the same way about once I get home I don't want to leave! Hope you feel better soon and hope your swimming goes great for you!

Rod~ Great to read your ankle is on the mend and that you have been able to get out to the nice sunny beach and do some swimming! Sounds like you are on the road to recovery and you will be on that bike and running in no time!! Keep up the great work!

DWilling~ I am sorry to hear you have been under the weather! It was great to read you are back on track and doing some awesome workouts! Way to go!!

RachMart~ A late *HAPPY BIRTHDAY* to you! What a EXCELLENT birthday present!! Swim lessons are sooo worth it! Hope someone will cancel so you can get in and get busy!!

Michael~ Sorry to hear you are under a lot of stress. I hope you will take everyones advice and make time for yourself to get up and get moving! Do small steps.. You dont have to do a hardcore workout...start with going for a walk with your Ipod loaded with your favorite running tunes. Jump on your bike and go out for a spin around the neighborhood. Start using the training log on the site! It is such a great feeling to look at it and see all the training stack up!!! You will feel so much better once you get moving again!!! Go Michael Go!!!

Cassowary~ LOLOLOL cracking up over your assumption that the outdoor pool was going to be hot and toasty!! Great laugh!!! hope you are doing great with your training!!

Taringa~ Way to go on your workouts and I just KNOW you have decided Y E S on the half!!! You can totally do it!!

Hope everyone is having a fantastic week.....we seem to be missing some of our Turtles...hope they will decide to share what they have been getting up too!!

Snowy NC Turtle Darcie




Edited by Pixiedustlady 2014-02-12 7:28 PM

Pixiedustlady, sorry to hear about the ailments. Any chance you can stand instead of sit during the work day? I have a standing desk because I ruptured a disc in my lower back and can't sit for extended periods of time anymore.

Pixie, good luck with the injections! Hopefully they will give you some relief from the pain. As Cassowary mentioned, maybe a type of standing desk, or increments of standing would help while at work?

Thankfully I am feeling more like myself again. Since a few annoying lingering side effects of the sinus mess, but overall I'd say I'm over it. I brought my gym bag to work so I will be hitting the gym on the way home. I'm going to aim for a swim and a run, but I'll have to measure that once I'm there. Since breathing is my biggest weak spot, and my respiratory system isn't quite running at full steam yet, I may have to cut back. Either way I'm going to be doing something.

Taringa, what at awesome goal! Todd sure thinks you can do it with the base you've already got. Go for it! We'll all be cheering you on ^_^

We are snowed in since yesterday. We got 13 inches of snow. Just spent more than an hour shoveling snow with the guys.
I count that as a workout. It's even listed as an activity under the sports section.

Cassowary~
I am a driver for various TV shows and Motion picture. I usually drive a cast car and spend hour after hour sitting and waiting for so and so to go back to their dressing rooms ect. I love my job I really do. It is all the sitting that KILLS ME. I spend a lot of time up on the set and you cannot make a SOUND so getting out and stretching ect is impossible most of the time. I am on a break right now but when it starts up again (May) that's when workouts will be very hard for me to do. Stand up desk SOUNDS SOOO AWESOME! Thanks so much for your kind words.

Darcie (Pixie)

Taringa~
I HATE RUNNING LOL You are actually right on the money with avoiding a heel strike. I am a natural *toe runner* the bad part is I get major hardcore shin splints when I run on my toes. I catch myself up on my toes LOTS AND LOTS. The Newtons that I bought have a *cog* (plate) that encourage mid foot/ball of foot strike instead of running up on my tip toes. Heel striking actually slows you down and many people have gotten knee problems from landing on the heel of the foot. I am not a running expert and everyone seems to have different ways to do the proper *run*. During half marathons I catch my upper body starting to drop inward and I am on my toes...that's when I am getting tired and usually around mile 10. So many things to remember as far as good form is concerned....but its waayyyy easier then swimming! haha! Hope you are having a great day!

Darcie (Pixie)

Shannon~
Great to hear you are feeling better! Good job bringing the gym bag and planning that you WILL do a workout! I swam today and thought about you while I was gasping for air LOL Some day Some day Some day......I will be able to swim...or maybe I will just keep doing what I usually do which is a little side stroke and some breast stroke...so much easier then that darn Freestyle!! Have a great workout!

Good morning Pixiedustlady,

Sorry to hear you are not feeling well, its nice to see how you keep going no matter what . Hope you feel better soon and have a GREAT weekend.
Thanks for responding to my posts, you do that for all of us... I really appreciate it !!!

Another morning shoveling snow! We had another 6-8 inches of snow. Schools, some offices closed.
Gyms won't open til noon but no pool. Can somebody talk to mother nature! It's like she's throwing a tantrum.
We have more snow coming this afternoon.

Wow, that is just a ton of snow.

I did manage to get to the gym yesterday. Obviously my lunch wasn't substantial enough b/c by 4:00 I was *starving*. I had eaten the apple I brought for a snack, snagged some almonds off a coworkers desk, and I just couldn't think straight I was so hungry. So I grabbed food by work and ate in the car. My drive is long enough that by the time I got home I was ready to workout! No cramps from eating too soon.

It's clear now that if I want to swim I have to use the gym by work. The pool in the one by the house is always full. So yesterday I ran 3 miles on the treadmill and did a bit with the weight machines. I think I did too much though...I was so exhausted when I got home, and this morning felt like I could have slept for another few days. I feel like my sinus infection is gone, but my body is still trying to recover.

Hope you all have a good Valentine's Day! <3

Howdy everyone! I apologize for my absence seeing as how I was one of the first to join. I look forward to the encouragement and advice. I have 2 rides in the last 2 weeks. I work for Frito-lay so the last few weeks have been extremely hectic for me. As far as having enough time to do a half by august? Absolutely have the time. I trained for a half marathon in 4 months and finished in 2:21:00 coming off the couch at 235 lbs. good luck!! Looking for a good FIRST tri in Dallas area in April. Any suggestions?

The past two weeks I've done very little. My work week is long, I've had sick kids and relationship issues. That aside I know there's been time and I haven't taken advantage of it. I find myself in a slump and not connected to my commitment and the fun/joy. I'd really appreciate some inspiration and advice. Thanks for reading/ listening

Hey 2gs...

I can totally relate to falling off the wagon! That was last week for me -- great intentions of getting up early and doing something each day, etc. Didn't happen.

So I just pressed restart and did it this week. Worked out much better this time and after just getting back from a 5 mile run, I realize that I NEED to do this and it keeps me sane for sure!

So just press reset and start again. Set a goal of a little of something each day. I've found that a visual calendar or something that you can mark on will help keep me motivated to stick to my schedule, whatever I decide that is.

You got this!

-Mark

Dwilling~
What a great message to read from you!! Yes I try to respond to everyone as I always remember how great it feels to have someone out there that is reading/listening/helping/cheering I do try to keep on going when I can! Sometimes it is hard and things don't work out but owell! Got to just keep on getting in that pool! LOL Hope you are having a great weekend!!

Pixie

Good to hear you are done with that sinus stuff! Sounds like you got a good plan going with the pool! It is nice to swim when 100000 people are not in the pool at the same time! Take it easy if you feel you over did it. It is easy to go crazy! Hope you recover well and have a great weekend!

Good to see you posting again. I know you have a lot going on and I hope you can get back in the water again soon!! You can do it!!

Once again some amazing stories from our group surfaced during the week. There seems to be a common thread that we all face challenges before we even start to train to get race ready whether they be family commitments, environment, time, illness or injury.

The cold & snow in the USA made the nightly TV news here in Australia. Lovey’s & Pixie’s experiences reinforce this. My wife & I are going to USA in December as we want to have a white christmas so we will experience those conditions first hand.

I worked 7 days this week including 2 night shifts. I got 3 swims in and 2 gym sessions. I joined as a member of the pool near work. I can get to the pool, swim for 30 minutes, shower and be back at my desk in under an hour. Much better than surfing the net while eating a sandwich during my lunch break.

Last night I took stock of where I’m at: I’m in the best shape I’ve been in for about 20 years after only 7 weeks of serious training, starting to aim beyond the “enticer” races and thinking of longer distances as my self belief and fitness improve, I feel like I’m training for 3 sports not 1, The rate of improvement increases weekly I feel like I’m achieving something even though I haven’t raced yet. I know I've got a long way to go but I'll get there.

Hope you all have a good week

Rod