Allenh's Group - CLOSED (Page 2)

Age: 27
Gender:F
Strongest discipline: Swim (after I get over the cold open water swim)
Weakest Discipline: Bike (I don't really know what to focus on when riding my bike, I just get on it and ride the distance)
Next Race date: 7/12, Sprint (750m swim, 17 mile bike, 3.1 mile run)
Pool available: 25 yard pool at the gym
I have a road bike and it looks like starting this weekend, the weather should allow me to ride outside consistently.
Gym/Weights: I have a gym membership, but I haven't done weights consistently for at least 5 years now. I am definitely looking to incorporate some weights into my training for the upcoming triathlon. Also, over the winter, I was doing quite a bit of yoga, but I didn't have time for classes when I started training for my first triathlon. So, I am looking to include some yoga in my training as well. I wouldn't like to lose my flexibility.

History: I have always been athletic, but I put on a bunch of weight in college because I didn't go to the gym. Within a year of graduation, I lost most of that weight and that was when I was inspired to try triathlons. Unfortunately, I was then involved in 3 car accidents over a period of 13 months and my body felt the worst kinds of pain ever. So I had spent the last 3 years trying to rehab my body, and last summer, I started training for an 8K which I completed in November. And of course, I just completed my first triathlon this past weekend!

Goals: Apart from the July Sprint that I signed up to race, I am hoping to do either a half marathon, or another sprint before the year is out.

Personal: I live just outside of Philadelphia and I got married at the end of January. I was laid off at the beginning of the year, so I'm still looking for a job and we are hoping to find jobs in a warmer climate. For now, I just cannot wait for the summer!

Some of this stuff is redundant from my first post...

NAME/AGE: Pete 40 y.o.
GENDER: Male
STRONGEST DISCIPLINE: Bike
WEAKEST DISCIPLINE: Run
NEXT RACE DATE: June 7 - Sprint distance
POOL AVAILABLE: Nope, but I live 5 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean.  Pretty much all of our swims are OW.
SPINNING OR ROAD BIKE AVAILABLE: Road bike w/ clip on aero bars and a Shimano Flight Deck computer.  
GYM OR WEIGHTS AVAILABLE: At home & gym.  Plus, as a former combat athlete I have kettlebells, sandbags and other gadgets.

AGE: 26
GENDER: F - First name is Lauren by the way
STRONGEST DISCIPLINE: Run? If you can call a 10:45 minute mile strong! Ha!  I'm most comfortable running though, generally.  I do like biking too though- rode to work most of last summer (only 5 mi each way- but hills!).  I live in a pretty area with great trails, so my favorite things are things that let me be outside enjoying the scenery (mountains).

WEAKEST DISCIPLINE: Swimmin'.  I was a lifeguard in college, but here's the funny part- I'm somewhat scared of water.  That doesn't keep me from swimming or jumping in, but I don't know how to dive in to start swimming and if I start to choke on water or feel like I can't breathe it takes a lot of discipline and focus to keep going.  I have recurring nightmares about being too deep to get to the surface to breathe.

NEXT RACE DATE: 9/13- Fall Frenzy at the Parker Rec in Parker, CO 
There's also a 5k on the docket for 7/4 and (big maybe) 10k on 5/25

POOL AVAILABLE: Yep.  I'm thinking about a few swimming lessons at the local rec center to help me get more efficient with my stroke.

SPINNING OR ROAD BIKE AVAILABLE:Uhhh- yes.  Spinning bike available at rec center.  "Road" bike is my mtn bike which is what I'll be using for the race, so I prefer to ride that outside whenever possible.  I'll be getting slicks for it but... don't want to bum myself out by training on something easier than my actual equipment!

GYM OR WEIGHTS AVAILABLE:  Yep. 

PERSONAL:  Married, Hubby is planning on doing the tri with me which is a big deal for him because he'll be 40 in December and he's never done anything even remotely close to this before.  I'm an ad sales rep (Anybody need some ad space in the United inflight mag?) on 100% commission so my job has me at my wits end most of the time.  Which is one of the things that makes me enjoy training a lot.  I love having time to sort things out in my head, for some reason it is easier for me to think when my body is being methodically worn out.  I have a dog and a cat, the puppy dog is my running companion, but she doesn't always run straight.  She's a bit of a spaz.

Thank you everyone for answering so promptly! So here is the assignment for this week:
By Saturday, I want everyone to have done all three of these things:

Bike 6 miles
Run 5k (3.1 miles)
Swim 500m

These are all supposed to be on different days unless I tell you otherwise.

I want you to record your times and either post them in this thread, send me a PM with your times, or post it in your log and tell me so I can go look at it.

This is just letting me know where everyone is at, if you feel this is too easy/too hard just let me know and I will change it to fit your capabilities.

Thanks guys!

Edited by allenh 2009-04-21 5:01 PM

NAME/AGE: My name is Mallory and I'm 18
GENDER: Female
STRONGEST DISCIPLINE: I want to say running since I ran cross country for my high school the past four years, but I definitely need to work to get back into that kind of shape
WEAKEST DISCIPLINE: Biking
NEXT RACE DATE: 5/3/09 if I decide to do the race on prom, if not then the next race is 8/16/09 (or sooner if I can find one I like)
POOL AVAILABLE: Only the one in my backyard
SPINNING OR ROAD BIKE AVAILABLE: Yes
GYM OR WEIGHTS AVAILABLE: Yes
TENATIVE RACE SCHEDULE:
McKinney Kiwanis - 300m, 15.3mile, 5k - 5/3/09
Take on the Heat - 350m, 13mile, 5k - 8/16/09
Stonebridge Ranch - 750m, 12mile, 5k - 9/27/09
Monster - 300m, 12mile, 5k - 10/25/09
PERSONAL:
Well, I've lived in north Texas all my life and plan to stay here for several years to come. I have a boyfriend who also does triathlons (yet, on a much higher level than me) who actually got me started on tris. We just bought our first puppy last friday... His name is Miles, he's a Yorkie, and he's the cutest little thing ever. I'm a senior in high school with only 7 weeks left until summer. I have mixed feelings about graduation, 1) I can't wait for summer and college and all the freedom and fun that comes with it but 2) I'm not sure if I'm quite ready to be out there on my own. People keep telling me it's a tough cruel world, why would anyone want to be out there alone? So, I've done a few triathlons and have moved up from "trying to finish" to "trying to improve." I'm hoping with Allen's help and this group's encouragement I can improve my times and get more than a finishing metal.

I wish you all well this season and hope times improve, bodies stay strong and healthy, and goals are reached. I look forward to see what this season has in store for us all.

Mallory

I'm up for this weeks challenge  

GYM OR WEIGHTS AVAILABLE: Yep 

Hey Mallory,

Here's my two cents on your mixed feelings about graduation: the real world can be tough, but it's a lot of fun too and in my opinion all the fun outweighs the tough by a long shot.  There's a whole big world out there waiting for you to make your mark- at this point in your life virtually anything is possible so you've got the opportunity to go get anything that your heart desires.  If you have the mental fortitude to be a triathlete, you have the mental fortitude to handle anything life hands you. 

Yeah Mallory, don't think about the real world yet. I mean, you haven't even entered college! College is plenty of fun and hard work too (at least where I went to school) and I'm sure you'll like it. One more thing, college is nothing like the real world. So I really wouldn't worry about the real world (yet). Go enjoy prom (within limits of course) and all the other high school graduation things that y'all do! Enjoy your summer and I assure you, college will be a blast!

Hi guys!  I'm a little behind and trying to recover from a trip to Florida for my sister's wedding.  I am really feeling like a "newbie"and haven't quite figured out this site yet.  Here is my personal info:

Name:  yvette
Age:    45 (in a week)
Gender:  Female
Strongest discipline:  Running
Weakest:  Biking ( haven't done hardly any)
Race date:  A completion triathlon on 7/26/09.  Swimming will be in a pool
I have a road bike to train.
Gym/weights - Yes, all at home, free weights and machines.  Treadmill and Elliptical

I'm married for 24 1/2 yrs with three kids, two boys are in college and one daughter still at home.  Moved from the DFW area in 2006 to California and have let myself go.  I don't feel healthy and can't seem to be consistent in my workouts. 

I think this week's challenge will be tough for me.  I know I can run ONE mile without stopping, but probably my limit right now.  I would like to find some swimming instruction.  I was a lifeguard in high school and can "swim", but feel like technique could really help me.  Any ideas?  videos or books?  I feel like there is so much to learn, but I have to get started working out.  The knowledge came come in the next three months.

yvette, if you feel like the running is too hard, just go 1.5 this week and let me know what your time is. As for an instructional video on swimming, you should check out these links:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/997_triathlon-swim-training.htm
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/102229_triathlon-training-swim-stroke.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYt8x_7uL48


Basically what they tell you is the structure of your swim workouts, the form of different drills, and proper body placement.

I hope this helps!

That swim needs a little bit of work machine, we can focus on that this summer to get it better. But as for the run, if you do as much as you say you do, I guess I'm looking for around a 22:00 for your 5k. Again, I'm not quite sure where your at, but the pace I'm wanting is a little over 7 min/mile. My 5k time at my triathlon on Sunday was 20:12, so if you want you can shoot for around that.

sir to your response towards on what i eat for breakfast (asphalt) i ran earlier today, not to fast and not to slow but just right i dont want to suffer being injured or nothing since i did workout mealier with my colleague Hollywood...i just felt i had to run since i didn't yesterday. i clocked a 39.39 on the five miles., on an elevated course, now if i was in town cruisin flat streets i think it would be different.
 oh and the swim...yea it was my first day sir since summer and i felt weird because i had to ask permission to the  teacher instructing i know her very well but she was just iffy about the whole situation, but she knows what im about in the weight room when i did lift and knows that i mean business when im training and of course she saw the same young man as last summer. so i just dont know i should get a membership at a gym somewhere that way my times wont be tight...and i can go when i have a chance to swim at the club of my choice you know.....because i do want to get my endurance up. i know it takes alot of work...and practice makes better...like i said sir i have many disciplines that are still being "tempered" let me know what you think...and what you want me to follow as far as training or should i just follow my training plan which is hal higdons intermediate 15 k plan which is fast and pushy and i like it.

CORRECTION ******

ITS HAL HIGDONS "ADVANCED" NOT INTERMEDIATE 15K PLAN.

I say you do whatever you feel is right. Obviously I can't force you to do anything you don't want to, but I am definitely strongest when it comes to coaching running. I too ran 5 miles today, but my time was 32:35 (and that was after a 7 mile bike). I have been training for the past couple of years under a runner who actually won the national cross country championships last year. So I know my stuff when it comes to running.

Ran a 5k yesterday in 25:30.  It was really windy so I think I can do better.
Swam a 500 at lunch today in 9 min flat. 
Biking either tonight or tomorrow morning.

I am running a 5k Saturday morning and I think I should be able to get 24's.   

my favorite runner is german fernandez/.....alll-time greatest. i truly dig it.

good job your in the zone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those times are great karl! Thank you for letting me know, I am starting to formulate your workouts already.

hi Mallory - I like the total immersion book for better swimming technique - I definitely feel "sleeker" in the water. You will find some videos on you tube as well if you type in total immersion swimming.

Homework so far:
6 mile (mountain) bike: 48:09
500 yard swim: 12:25

I'm disappointed with my bike time and happy about my swim time.  My goal is to finish in 2 hours or less in September (500/12/3.1) so I had budgeted 20 minutes for the swim, 30 minutes for the run and 70 minutes for the bike.  Obviously I'm miles and miles away on the bike.

Here are my questions:
I planned initially on getting slicks for my MTB, but now I'm wondering if I shouldn't just bite the bullet and get a road bike.  Do you think that the combination of slicks and training hard between now and September will get me doing 12 miles in under 70 minutes for the actual race?

My swim was a mix of strokes, about 50 yards of freestyle, 250 side stroke and 200 breast stroke.  I feel like my freestyle is a lot slower than anything else and much less efficient than my sidestroke especially (I'll time each on Saturday when I have another swim scheduled to be sure).  Assuming I'm correct, is it better to find a coach and get my freestyle fixed or to work with what I've got (for the first time anyway) since I seem to be doing fine according to my swim time goals for my first tri?

Swim & bike done, but I'm probably not gonna run again until Monday at the earliest.  I got terrible blisters at a race last month and I've blistered on top of those blisters for pretty much every run I've done since.  I did a 5k last week-end and blistered again, so it's been happening at any distance.  It's very frustrating 'cause I really want to improve my run but having hurting feet is really getting in the way.  I got a recommendation for a run shop from a buddy of mine so I'm gonna give them a visit on Sunday.  They do gait analysis and have a wide range of shoes on hand, so I'll see what solutions they have for me.  The good news is I don't have another race scheduled until June so I have plenty of time to get my run going once I'm outfitted.

Swim penciled in for tomorrow and hopefully a long ride Sunday.

Great job getting things done Lauren and Pete!
Lauren - Those times are just fine especially since you just started training. Especially on that swim! As for the bike question: my first triathlon I did on a mountain bike. It was the worst 14 miles I have ever ridden. By my next race about a month later, I had gotten a road bike and instantly had seen improvements by over 10 minutes. So I honestly do think a lot of it has to do with the bike, and not just training hard. Of course training is the most important thing to do, but if you want to make your goal of 70(which I know you can) then I would definitely splurge on a road bike.
For swimming, I've been doing a little research, and it seems like freestyle is the fastest stroke. Going off of records and what-not, it seems to be the fastest by quite a margin. Of course you're going to swim the fastest however you're the most comfortable, but I think it would be worth it to get a swim coach to help master that freestyle technique. But since coaches cost money, if you are debating between a road bike or a swimming coach, I would say the road bike has precedence.

Pete, take about 5 or 6 days off from running, whenever I have blisters, it takes usually about that amount of time for them to heal to the point where they don't open up again(gross, I know). But when you start running again, I would suggest starting out with only a mile, and if your foot is ok, then you can extend it to a longer run. But don't go too far because you don't want to chance getting new blisters again.