kenj - motivated triathletes in training - CLOSED (Page 19)

I did a 90 min. moderate bike and a moderate 4 mile run today.  Also practiced with the kettle bells a little so I wouldn't forget the form stuff the PT taught me yesterday.  They are awesome strength workouts and quick.  Very intense.Trying for weight loss with more lean muscle.  Want to shave off the 20 pounds I put on for Ironman.

Isn't this fun?  Always something new to learn and to try.

Happy New Year Everyone!!  It was cool to see all the fireworks on the Strip from my house! I live about 10 minutes or so away from Wynn/Encore. 

Training starts TODAY! 1 legged drills today on the bike. I'm hoping that I picked the right plans to work into my schedule. Right now I'm doing the 8 weeks Winter, Run focused plan, then will work my way up. I feel knowledgeable enough to be able to switch things around if I have to, so my training schedule is not going to follow it to the T, especially with the swimming (2000m - 3500m to START...uh, no).  Thanks for the advice guys...I didn't realize that I could really customize the BT plans, and that's extremely helpful. 

TRAINING QUESTION:

According to my training plan, I need to do Strides. "Strides are quick bursts that are as fast as your 5k pace." Okay, what I want to know is how do you figure out your 5k pace? Do you do it at the pace you WANT to do a 5k at (reasonable pace of course!), OR do you do it at the pace that you DID a 5k (in my case, it would be a little slower than I want, as I would like to get faster). 

Same thing goes for 10k pace Strides/intervals, etc.  How do you figure out the 10k pace? I'm assuming that it will be a little slower than a 5K pace interval. 

Basically I'm trying to ask what exactly is "Going at your 5K pace/effort" means? 

We bought a Vision Fitness treadmill last year.  Love it.  It is a great alternative from snow and ice or the indoor track.   VF was a division of Trek and then was separated.  I fell in the dark on a 10 mile run and really banged myself up in summer of 2010.  I got a hernia that night I believe and wound up carrying it through IM.  So I don't want to hurt myself again.

Rest day today.  Back with Vision Quest Coaching and need to do my LT test in the morning.  Then kettlebells and maybe a swim, hot tub and sauna.  Oh yeah.

When they say a 5K pace, the mean the time/mile you did on a 3.1.  You can adjust it faster is you want.  Or go rest yourself.  Rest a day and then go do a good 5K.  10K is the pace/mile for 6.2 miles.   What they are calling strides sounds like fartleks.  They are basically all out efforts of 30, 60, 90 or 120 seconds then slow recovery of walk of the same period, then all out again, then slow, etc.   Fartleks is a Swedish word for speed work.  They make you faster. I do speed work one day, a longer base run one day and then a moderate distance with hills or trails or something the third.  I am trying to get time off the run too.

On to paleo today.  Good protein, veggies and fruit.  No bread, grain, while potatoes.  Really only change for me is the grain and white stuff.  Bye bye waffles and sugar free angel food cake for a bit and see if I can shave off the 20 I put on for IM.  Will make me faster on the run and bike. 

Scott

I really like working with kettlebells also it is a good overall workout. I think I will order that Paleo book and check it out. I was unable to drop any weight this year so I'm willing to try anything..It would be nice to drop 20-30 pounds.. I have looked into getting a consultation with a sports nutritionist so if I do I will share it with the group...

Happy New Year, hope everyone is well. I just got caught up what you all have been up to (great training/racing). I hurt my foot just before Christmas on a longer run, I thought it was a toe but I think my shoes were too tight and just bruised the top of my foot. I haven't been running but riding and swimming. My wife gave me a pair of zoomer fins for Christmas, I was wondering if anyone uses them and if they help. 

-Roman

Hope the foot gets better...I have some fins and I use them when I'm doing drills or breathing exercises on the side because it helps propel..I'm not a really big kicker during my freestyle. But I do find they do help out and help strengthen the muscles.

All I can say is do not use these as a crutch. It's very easy to do so (not me, but I've seen other people do it).  Use it to focus on drills. It's really helpful to get your feet to flutter to get the feel of the water, helpful for very slow drills such as sculling, side drills, zipper drills (my swim coach a while back taught me these, and it's helpful to know how to move your arms in the water, exit, and enter the water).  That way you can relieve some of the focus on kicking and focus on arm "stuff". But that's all I use the fins for. The last couple months of swimming in 2010, it's collected dust.  To each of its own. Others may chime in and give better workouts. 

I think it's not so helpful for me for a regular swim is because I don't kick (for some reason, if I kick, I swim about :5-:15 SLOWER than if I don't). 

I try and do them at a pace that is 5 or 10 seconds better than my current 5K pace and for 10K pace it would be about 30 to 40 seconds slower per mile depending on the course.  Doing strides a little faster than your recent pace doesn't hurt since they are fairly short.

Also, I race 5K to 10 mile races as often as I can find them, which this time of year is almost every other weekend, as doing supported speed work is easier than doing it alone.  But it also keeps me pretty up to date as to what my paces should be. 

Glad you found a plan and are using the tools to make it work for you!

Sounds like a busy day tomorrow Ice!  Nice!

Your strider advice is spot on too, as usual!

I hope you and anyone else that is trying the Paleo give us some feed back on how you are doing and feeling.  I still need to do my research but I think that may be the direction I head as well.

Glad you are getting past the sinus infection! Seems to be a lot of that going around this year!

Good for getting the race registrations done!  Makes it real!

I have the zoomers and use them when I swim alone as well as when I am taking lessons or attending the clinics.  Like DJ and Tim mentioned, they are good for drills, especially the side drills where you are more concerned with body position and rotation.  If you have tight ankles, which isn't uncommon for runners, they can force your feet into better position on the kick.  But, make sure you do your kicking drills and plenty of swimmng without them too.  This is the same for the swim bouy.

Great work Tim!

I hope everyone has had a great New Years celebration and you have a safe, healthy and successful 2012! 

I was fairly happy with my 2 races as my expectations were low coming back from the ITB issues, especially for todays 7.5 miler.  But once I got loosend up, I moved along pretty good!

In addition to season long goals, I like to have smaller goals that are building blocks to the bigger goals.  For January, I have 4 goals for January. 

1. Return to healthy eating and lose the first 10 pounds.
2. Drop body fat % by 2 - 3 %
3. Hit my training plan 100% other than workouts missed due to my travel schedule.
4. Get the run fitness back to where it was pre-injury.

Anyone else want to share their goals for the first month of the year?

1. Cut out all of the junk food I let the holidays bring back into my eating and have three conceutive weigh-ins at 225 pounds.
2. Adjust running style to accommodate sore knees (maybe 100 up method) to again be able to run 5K with no walking.
3. Get in all planned workouts, including at least one bike ride over 50 miles weekly.
4. Swim 1250 yards at sub 3:00 minute/100 yard pace (currently my 1,000 yard pace).

1. Begin paleo to focus on more meat, veggies and fruit and fewer carbs and target carb intake around longer workouts. Goal is to get off 20 pounds by September.

2. Strength training.  Learning kettle bells.

3.  Rejoin VQ this week.  Bike testing is Monday morning. Hit my scheduled workouts with a passion.

4. Get in the pool.  I have enjoyed the rest after surgery but it's time.  Take a few semi private lessons.  Focus on improving form

5. Take a few private lessons on the run.  Focus on form

6. Weekly totals bike 4-5X, run 3x, swim 2x.

Sounds like some good goals there Ken..

For January my goals are as follows:

1. Get all my plan workouts in with main focus being to continue to build my aerobic base.

2. Watch my nutrition and try to get my weight to start decreasing.

3. DO daily stretching...

4. Finalize my race schedule for 2012..

5. To  help our members in our group to stay focus and to have fun...

Good idea for monthly goals- sometimes I just look at the long term and not the short term that will help me get there.

Jan-

1. Finish first 26.2 with a smile!

2.Get to the pool a few times before months' end

3. Bring the bike and trainer inside and get to work ( after marathon)

4.Loose the 5 holiday pounds

LTG- First HIM in July

It seems like a lot of our goals are very similar up to this point.  Mine are about the same but here are mine for Janruary:

1: Get all my planned workouts in for the month

2: Work on increasing core strength. (Abs everyday)

3: Get back to 195lbs (lose about 10 lbs)

4: Really begin to focus on my nutrition

5: Focus on my new master's swims

6: Finish my first 1/2 marathon

Had a 9 mile run yesterday afternoon.  Run was brutal but the weather was perfect.  Low 70s with beautiful sunshine and then my ride this morning the temp was 37.  Nearly froze before I got home.  But that's the great thing about living in the lowcountry of SC; tomorrow afternoon my ride will probably be in the high to mid 60s.  What does everyone wear for colder weather on the bike?

I'm stealing Ken's resolution: return to healthy eating and lose 10 pounds in January. Today I started logging and measuring food again. I've decided no fast food at all for January. I'm going to continue the running and have been thinking of starting Jorge's Winter cycling plan in addition to the running. Not quite ready for the pool yet.

Gator,

it's not easy (as most things) give it a few weeks & you will be on board!

I have many "Mini" Goals... these are just a few that I can think of off the top of my head.  Looking forward to applying these tools for a successful and amazing 2012! ~Carla