Dream Chaser's 'Set a Goal and Capture it!' Mentor Group - CLOSED (Page 18)

Hey, everyone.  I just posted a couple of classifieds for heart rate monitors in that forum.  I have a used Polar F6 with strap and a new Garmin HRM strap. 

$5 Team Dream Chaser discount!!

QUESTION TIME!!

Curious about when to replace things - in this particular case - cleats on my cycling shoes.  My shoes/cleats are two years old.  I noticed today that the pad on the toe of one is missing and the other is pretty beat up.  Actually the cleat itself is pretty dinged.  Is there a lifecycle on these?  Do I buy new shoes or just the cleats?

Probably sounds stupid but ya... I know nothing about my equipment! My goal this year is to learn how to change a flat! Last year I learned to pump my own tires so I am making progress!!

I bought my road bike two years ago and take it in every year for an overhaul.  I think I've only ever replaced the chain at this point so if you can think of anything else that I should have checked out and give attention to it would be GREATLY appreciated!

I don't know the answer, but once they are on make sure they are tight.

"After the first bike lap Chris McCormack pulled out of the race with cleat issues. Seemingly one of his cleats had completely come undone and the Aussie was sighted back at the hotel soon after."

http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Van_Lierde_Dibens_take_Abu_Dhabi_1945.html

Hey Mike:

I always was interested in training for heart monitor but don't know how to apply HM to my training.  Can you give me an idea how you used it in your training?

Woke up at 5am this morning when my baby started crying looked at the clock and was considering getting up after I put him down for an early morning run but fell back asleep.  Hey at least I was able to do a 4+mile run during lunch.  I guess at this point, I'm trying to get in whatever training I can get.

Jeff

I'm certainly no expert on HRM training, but the basic guidelines are centered around 5 heart rate zones (or 4 or 6...depending on who you ask).  Mine are:

Zone 1:  Low effort...all day pace

Zone 2:  Aerobic

Zone 3:  Hard Aerobic

Zone 4:  Lactate Threshold (this is the important one)

Zone 5:  All out (can't maintain this for any more than a minute or so...depends on fitness, age, etc.)

Some folks will also add a zone to the beginning of the list for "resting HR".  Note that you will have different zones for different workouts (SBR, and probably strength training, too).

The idea behind HRM training is to focus on certain zones for certain workouts.  For instance, most of your base training will be in Zones 1/2, your "tempo" workouts in Zone 3, and your speed workouts in Zone 4.  In each zone, your body's metabolic process is different, and you will use different energy sources in different zones.

HR zone training generally focuses on raising your lactate threshold, which allows your body to work harder without producing lactic acid (which creates fatigue).

I would highly recommend reading some material on this subject, as I've just took 100 pages of information and condensed it into a couple hundred words.

How I incorporated HR training was first I bought a HRM (Garmin Forerunner 305) and found a software package to analyze the data (SportTracks).  I then focused on just collecting information for a few months, noting my HR vs. pace vs. ambient temperature, mostly just a learning process.  Now this season I'm pretty dialed in on my HR zones, even in swimming (which is hard to do because Garmin HRMs don't work at all in the water, and the Polars aren't really that reliable in the water).  For swimming I did some sets and did the fingers on artery thing right at the end of a set and added about 5%...seemed to the do the trick.  I did almost all Zone 1/2 training in January and February, and now my off season swim plan has a lot of Zone 3/4 bursts in the runs and bikes (and some swim, too).  My Olympic plan is HRM based, too.

Hope this helps...again I can't emphasize enough to read a little about it from someone who really know what they're talking about. 

          Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Dream Chaser - 2011-03-18 9:12 AM What's everyone got on tap for this weekend?

I plan on getting my butt kicked by a bunch of hills tomorrow morning.  The road race, the Kings Park 15k, is just hill after hill.  All the Long Island Running Clubs attend and the competition is pretty stiff.  Last year 8 out the first 10 spots were taken by 20-something-yr-old running standouts.  Last year was also the first year I broke the top 100 in this race, and the field is normally only between 400 & 500.  This year I'm going to step it up and go out with the 2nd or 3rd chase group and see how long I can hold on.  Worst case scenario: I blow up.  Hills are not my forte', but both my 70.3's and my 140.6 have hills this year so I am going to learn to love them, get better at them, I am going to embrace them   This is going to hurt!

Pain is good!  It reminds you that you are alive.  I hope you have a fantastic run this weekend.

I screwed up today and missed my bike.  Plan is to get a long ride in this weekend and a run (of some sort - whatever my body will allow!!) and I might try and make up the missed bike session but who can say?!  It's getting a bit nicer here!  Twas 14 degrees yesterday afternoon woo hoo!  Canadians are crazy - the slightest bit of warmth and they're running around half naked - and given it was also St. Patty's Day - it wasn't pretty once early evening hit!

Dream Chaser - 2011-03-18 7:55 AM It was 60 degrees on Long Island yesterday!!!  I got out for a super-quick bike ride.  So nice.  Hoping to get out this weekend again.  I was wearing my flourescent sugoi vest and had my planet bike superblinky light flashing

I've had this nagging fatigue cloud hanging over my head all damn week.  If you are interested in some technical, deep analysis of your 'Stress Budget' ... read this:  http://kropelnicki.com/   It's pretty in-depth, detailed stuff.  But pretty much, with work and family, I over-spent my stress budget these past few weeks, and now I am paying for it.

Ummm, yeah, about the cleats -- like George (gatjr) said, physical inspection is the best preventative.  If structurally the plastic looks compromised, meaning:  cracked in any places, or worn down to a thin width, then it's time to replace them!!  You can usually find them pretty cheap on Ebay.  The replacements that is.  You can just buy a pair of cleats.  For most shoes, you just need an allan wrench.  Which brings me to my next point, every month or so take an allan wrench and tighten your shoes!!  Macca's shoes were pretty new but the screws were loose.  Usually it's three screws that hold a cleat on.  Once one gets loose, then the cleat can move back and forth and the other screws loosen immediately!!  It literally takes 60 seconds to stick an allen wrench in and tighten them.  A month before my Ironman I plan on possibly replacing mine, as mine are now going on 3 years old.

Hoping to get my first outdoor ride of the year in tomorrow!

With regard to the cleats, one thing I do to keep them tight is to use some locktite.  Make sure you use the stuff that is not permanent, but can still be removed.  I can't remember if it is the blue or red stuff, blue I think.  If you're questioning the cleats go ahead and replace them, pretty cheap insurance. 

Jeff, HR training can be very beneficial, however you can also become a slave to your HR in training.  Sounds kind of funny but true.  My first year of training I did a lot of HR training and tried to stay within a given zone etc on workouts.  My second year I did not use one at all and I had much better race results overall.  This also might be due to an additional year of base building and experience?

  Your HR can vary for a number of reasons even when exerting the same perceived effort level.  For instance if you are dehydrated, sick, hot, tired etc. your HR can increase/vary anywhere from 5-10+ beats depending on the aforementioned circumstances.   This being the case it can be difficult to determine whether your HR increase/decrease is due to conditioning or external factors.    I will probably strap on the HR monitor a few times this year to see where things stand, but for me it is another tool in the toolbag of monitoring training.  For me perceived exertion/intensity is my main focus. 

The general trend in performance monitoring, on the bike, is using power meters.  It takes away the variability of HRs and has a constant measuring stick, that being watts/power.  If I had the extra $ I would use this over any other method.  Again this is just my opinion and different things work for different people.

Dream Chaser - 2011-03-18 9:12 AM What's everyone got on tap for this weekend?

I plan on getting my butt kicked by a bunch of hills tomorrow morning.  The road race, the Kings Park 15k, is just hill after hill.  All the Long Island Running Clubs attend and the competition is pretty stiff.  Last year 8 out the first 10 spots were taken by 20-something-yr-old running standouts.  Last year was also the first year I broke the top 100 in this race, and the field is normally only between 400 & 500.  This year I'm going to step it up and go out with the 2nd or 3rd chase group and see how long I can hold on.  Worst case scenario: I blow up.  Hills are not my forte', but both my 70.3's and my 140.6 have hills this year so I am going to learn to love them, get better at them, I am going to embrace them   This is going to hurt!

"Our" first race of the year!!  Good luck, Bobby!!  We want a detailed (and hopefully happy ) race report!

Good luck! I am sure you will kick butt - hope it hurts you good!

I returned to the gym and any training since my bike ride last Saturday. I will get a couple pics and details up later.

Feeling like a million bucks!

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Gotta spend some family time today!

Seriously! Running a race like that at a pace that begins with a 6 is just silly! Congrats man, AWESOME race!

Sweeet!!

Dream Chaser - 2011-03-19 4:49 PM

tntexpres - 2011-03-19 10:50 AM

Good luck! I am sure you will kick butt - hope it hurts you good!

I returned to the gym and any training since my bike ride last Saturday. I will get a couple pics and details up later.

Feeling like a million bucks!

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Gotta spend some family time today!

Had a great race and a great time.  And it hurt plenty!!  

At the 10k mark I knew I had a clinched a wicked PR already and then thought about 'mailing it in'.  But then I thought about all you guys, and I said I have to practice what I preach.  I kept my last 5k pace pretty close to my first 10k pace.  This is LIFE not a dress rehearsal, right!?  

Thanks for giving me strength group.  YOU GUYS ROCK!!! 

Great race, PR  and awesome pace as well.  Looks like all the hard work is paying off!!

Nice new ride Mike, Enjoy!