Tri for fun - Full up, closed (Page 18)

We are finally getting nice weather here in the midwest.  Looking forward to getting out on my bike. 

Hope everyone's training is going well.  Looks like a few of us have races in March.  Good Luck to all and let everyone know when you have completed a race. 

The main racing season will be here before we know it.  You will all be stronger than the people just starting to think about training. 

Bring on the good weather...you all are due for it big time...we ON the other hand...the home of the winter Olympics and have all been gulping allergy meds like crazy as our weather alternates btwn warm spring days and cold frosty rainy days. Very strange.

Race season...not sure if I feel ready to run around in a tri top just yet, for many reasons...give me a few more months of strong training and maybe

Happy training, all ... I love reading how the workouts go when I can sneak some free time on the computer. I feel like I have to set an example and not hang out on the computer too much, so with the kids home on spring break, my "unwatched" time is limited

Train on, all ...

Nichi...hope that toe is better !! Skating...yikes...do you know what those normal little children DO when you put them on ice...they are like little rockets with no steering!!

hey everyone just checking in i have been able to get in a ride te last two days assoon as i get offwork tis mornig at 11 i am heading home to mak it 3 days in a row! the weater hre i starting t warm up it was 42 when i left at 5am

Bobby

as i swimming, i am struggling with increasing my speed....it seems when i try to swim fast i just get tired and don't go any faster than when i take it easier.  I have read that to increase speed you need to pull more water...what does that mean?  when i try to fast, i move my arms faster....is this wrong?

I feel so silly asking these basic questions, but i just haven't go a clue!

HELP!!!

The problem with just moving faster and pushing harder in swimming is that resistence is to the 4th power, so actually the harder you try, the harder it is to move against the wall of water and you get no increase in speed.

The answer to more speed in the pool is 3 fold. 

1)  Technique.  Soooo important in swimming.  moving through the water with as streamline a position as possible will make the strokes more effective and efficient.  Try to elongate your stroke and get less strokes per length.

2) Intervals.  Go fast for 50, or 100, and then rest, and repeat, like with running intervals.  Actually works, but over time, not within the same workout, or even the same month.

3) Put in the distance.  Sometimes go long and slow. Just like long slow aerobic runs improve you speed with shorter races.

Just my $0.02.  I am by no means an expert, but in 1 1/2 years I have gone from 50M and dead to 1600M in 30:30 and feeling great.

Hope this helps. 

Rob

Thanks Rob!  so i when i wanna go faster do i pull harder and move arms faster?  i realize technique plays a big role and that it will come with time. 

I will work on it and just keep plugging away!

If you just pull harder and turnover faster, you will go faster for a bit, but will tire out, and the speed increase will be lost due to the increased resistance.

I used Total Immersion to get the technique thing down.  It is great at teaching about being slippery in the water.  Then it is just practice, practice, practice.

Hey Everyone,
Looks like everyone is moving forward. Nice work. We got snow here this morning so I think I ill wait to do a workout until this afternoon. Maybe it'll be gone by then.

School is wrapping up or me this week and I am so glad. It has been a long quarter.

Anyone have questions on their training. I highly encourage you to mix it up. Find trails to run on, find friends to bikewith or a fun destination and with swimming vary the intervals, drills and distance. Variety is the spice of life.

Keep going!!!!!
Scott

Excellent advice for swimming! One other thought I had that actually helped me a lot is to not worry about going fast, worry about being smooth. Concentrate on technique (Thumb up your side, finger drag, water entry, no cross over etc) Then without even trying you will go faster because you become more efficient. Work on sighting too as this is definately a race skill you wil need. One good set is a warm up, then 500 meters of just drills, then intervals then cool down. If you want more detail just let me know. Swimming is te hardest of the three for most triathletes. Just keep after it and it wll come.

Scott

One thought on bikes.

I just took mine in for a preseason tune up and was amazed at what they found and also the weight they saved me. The found worn out parts, re-routed cables and also replaced my stem to increase stability at higher speeds. When they finish I will go in and get a bike fit for the start of the season. Good stuff. I encourage you to get your bike tuned up. We expect a lot out of them over the summer.

The bike shop also cut about 1/2 a pound off the bike weight. Thats a good bike shop.

Usually bike weight is talked about in grams. Just an fyi a pound is 454 grams. so when someone says they cut 5 grams off their bike you now have perspective of how much that really is.

Scott

Edited by holt1997 2010-03-11 11:42 AM

For those of you that are Bronze level or higher on here....have you taken advantage of the training plans availalbe?  If so, what are your thoughts on them?

I am having issues with my coaching services....feel like I am not getting my money's worth.  I get a great training plan but that is it.  I do have hte ability to ask questions, but sometimes i just don't know what to ask.  I got a better response on this forum about my swimming concerns than i did from my coach! 

I look at the sample plans on here and they seem pretty thorough an even give tips on technique...which is what i expected from my coach.  I pretty much just have a trainer for fitness...not a true coach.

just wondering what others have had for experiences.

Thanks!

Hey team!

I did not go skating this morning.  I really did not want to injure myself with just a little over a week to go before my race(which is actually a training run...I will try!).  I played with Cole, since he doesn't ever last long on the ice, he just plays with his match cars and tries to outrun the other kids on the ice.  We sit on the bleachers behind the glass and he can run with them while they skate.

I have had a gastroentestinal problem for the last 10 days which is hopefully resolving itself.  I would really like to be feeling up to par by next Saturday, I am not used to feeling crummy and don't like it at all!  I missed two runs this week and I haven't done that in forever! 

It's almost time to get the bike out-if it will quit raining!

Have a great weekend all, a little early, but hey, why not!
Nichi
my challenge for the wellness center ends on the 15th
I completed an ironman and a double duathlon(swimming and running)
We had two months to complete it.  My husband also completed a duathlon in biking and running! (He has lost about 15 pounds or so in the last two months)   

I have definately looked over the plans but they never allow for "life" so I just make up my own. I write one up at the beginning of the year after I have planned my races and allow for flexability. I would be happy to give you the basic outlines I use if that helps then you could write your own,It is easier than you think, just takes time.

My first year I had no outline, just trained 6 days a week.Monday was swim, tuesday bike, wed run, thurs, swim, friday light bike, sat alternate between long run and brick. There is more to my plans now (much more) but that basic layout got me to a half iron and a marathon my first year.

Let me know if I can help.
Scott

I used the 20 week OLY plan last year and liked it.  Going to use the 8 week balanced lifestyle plan for my July 11th OLY this summer after the May 8th 25k.  FWIW.

I think "life" is the biggest challenge when looking at plans...if life stayed routine it would be easy to plan...but.>.......

Exactly! Well said.

Wooohoo...I love that attitude Nichi...we'll try and send some nice mild West Coast weather your way instead of the snow showers!

just did my run in light snow....that is so beautiful!!!  never ran when it was snowing before!

not sure i would want to spend 4 hours out there biking and running, but 45 min was nice!

Great job on the run in snow --- magical ! Well done

i love to run in light snow but i am glad it's gone here (hopefully till next year! but this is Michigan lol)

ran tonight first time in a while trying to strengthen and work out any issues in the left leg (ITB) with slow and steady training been working a steady bike routine now trying to add a little running to the mix so far so good just a little muscle tightness in my left calf muscle so been trying to stretch that out everyday

Any ideas on how to stay in shape for the 8 days I am in Haiti.  I cannot venture off of the clinic grounds due to safety.  There is no pool, treadmill, or stationary bike there.

I am going to work my core, and use this as time to convince myself that life is more important than sport. 

When I use to go to China a lot, I would bring DVD's to play on my laptop.  I did a lot of core workouts in my room.  I was in some remote areas that was very safe but didn't run to far away from the hotel.  I started really enjoying yoga at that time. 

I was in an area where I was the only white person and people would stop me and ask to take their picture with me.  No one spoke english but you figure things out.  They all laughed at me for wanting to run.  Plus the time change was 12 hours so I was up at all hours. 

Good luck in Haiti.  That is awesome you are doing that.  Stay safe!

good luck in Haiti

also you could try a resisitance band workout they pack easily

Signed up for Sprint on June 27th and OLY on July 11th.  I planned on them all along, but paying the fee really puts them on the map.  Gearing up for 25k on May 8th and waiting on lottery for NYC Marathon in November.