Tri/tbay group - CLOSED (Page 2)

Hello Herve, good to hear from you. Tell us a little about your current weather conditions and how training goes this time of year and when will your event season begin? It's actually kind of cold hear in Florida right now, the jet stream is down in the south, so I'm ready for it to move back to the north.

Roy -

Yes, when I am doubling up during the week I am usually alternating between long run / bike so I do not burn out. I am monitoring my fatigue level closely. Thanks for the advice! I also noticed that I am eating a whole bunch more and find myself grazing throughout the day.

As for my swim, I really need to crack the code. Last year, I could swim 2 miles in the pool and be complete at around 1:20:00 or so, but when I did my sprints it was like I was lost. 1/4 mile time of 20+ minutes. I plan on more open water time here. I recently joined the Silicon Valley Tri Club so I am hoping for support there as well.

David

These are just some of my thoughts about triathlon training and what most of you will experience within the next few months. None of us has unlimited training time, even our college students thay have to go class sometime(right), so TIME becomes a key element in your training efforts, and schedules. And so to introduce my sig line " get done what you can when you can" it often times is what it will come down to. The following are just areas that I feel impact how things will go:

1)WORKOUTS/SCHEDULES

2)NUTRITION

3)EQUIPMENT

4)TIME

1) Workouts/schedules- all workouts should have purpose and to some degree specificity towards one of the disciplines. Although bike/run workouts have overlapping benefits there will still be a need to have specific thoughts on what you are accomplishing for that workout, ie, hills, intervals, long bike/run, bricks. If you are following a plan say 12,16,20 weeks etc there will be in the beginning the base conditioning phase, these are very aerobic workouts not intended to work much past 150 beats per minute of the heart(bpm), you may experience higher initially if you are not in shape yet for that workout but just back off and let the adaption take place to where you can do the workout at that hr. As you progress into the plan you see intensities increase during the specific endurance phase as you head to the peak fitness for your event that is targeted. Speed work- be careful here. It has been written about alot, if you are not used to this level of work injury often times happens with these types of workouts, some say don't bother with it unless your are trying to podium. It will come later in the training plan and fairly close to the event, so it doesn't offer much recovery/healing opportunity if injury happens. You all know your bodies abilities and adaptations, so just be careful if you are doing speed work. The "taper", or reduction on mile/yardage just before an event is intended to now let your body rest, repair and prepare for what is ahead. Pro's and elites have this down to science but it is still very individual in how you implement the taper. Bottom line follow the path, trust in your training prior to this and don't freak out the last week or two that you are going to get out of shape. It doesn't happen that way.

2)Nutrition- Most of you probably already have your sports drink/gels etc chosen that you like. There are many, you just have to go with what will keep your system happy during an event or training for that matter. Some can't tolerate fluids, some can't tolerate gels, so experiment in training and that's what you will go with to race. An unhappy stomach during an event is not fun, even though I have never had a severe case it is still uncomfortable and can really change the days outcome. Also just going through the change in every day diets will take some getting used to, but you'll be happy with the change it brings on. You will most likely see your apetite increase as your begin this endeavor. Its normal.

3)Equipment- Ahhhh all of those pretty bikes, wheels, seats, aero bars set ups, outfits and shoes. Where do you start. Well simply if you are committed to this season of at least the beginning of it to use what you already have stick with it. You will still compete and be happy with your efforts. It gets really confusing when you start to look at all of the options available. Make the choices you'll be happy with. But once again, don't be afraid to go with what you have or can afford in the beginning.

4)Time- this to me is the most important area, we all have regular lives, family, jobs, school etc. so there is only so much TIME. Use it wisely, plan your workouts in advance if your are not following a plan, and if you are you still need to plan the week around the plan or vice versa. As I said I'm a realist about things and this sport I'm no different, and somewhere along the way I kind of adopted the moto "get done what you can when you can". If you take this approach and use it as it applies to your situation it will help maintain the balance that we all need to have in our busy lifes.

So these are just some of my thoughts that may be helpful to you as you move closer to race day. 

Good Day to everyone,

Just got back from and education seminar, only nodded off once. Good questions about paddles. My answer to you is absolutely YES, use them but don't over use them. This will be a strengthening excersize during your swim workouts, along with providing feedback to you on your swim stroke. I generally only recommend using them for about 400 yds. total. I also use them with a pull buoy, this is an isolation to the upper body with no kicking. So you will use a pull buoy for a pull set. You can do a 400 straight pull, 2x200, 4x100, keep these sets very aerobic not intended to be a speed set in anyway. You are strengthening the lats, tricep and shoulders when using paddles. You won't find that you can rotate very well, but thats not the purpose, you'll feel your high in the water from the buoy. Following a pull set, you'll still have the sensation of the paddles on your hands, and you can follow up a pull set with a couple of 200's, or 8x50 to reinforce the work you just did. Get paddles that are shaped like the hand and have holes in the palm, there alots to choose from, don't get the old school square type. You can do a pull set everytime you swim while you are doing your base yardage phase of your training.

As for kicking, I personally don't spend much if any time doing kicking. I don't have a natural kick, I use a two beat kick for balance. So if kicking is a struggle, there is more productive time to be spent. This is what I recommend to triathletes I have worked with. If you have a pretty natural kick and go down and back pretty easy then doing some kick sets is fine. Kicking strenthens the hamstring, lower back. You don't have to be able to kick like the age group swimmers I coach. Kicking is paramount to the type of swimming they do, but it is not an essential element of triathlon swimming.

Good conversation guys keep it going, hopefully we'll start to hear from some of the others.

Andrew - last year I was basically on my own for the the 4 sprints I managed to complete. I learned a lot being on my own, but sure wish I had some support as I decided to go down this road. This group is a great place and I am learning much.

You have a game plan and that is more than I had last year. I basically did what I could when I had time and basically "winged it". By the time I finished my 4th sprint I really felt a sense of confidence as knowing the logistics and the training time I put in would get me through the race.

I looked at the site you sent. I am assuming this is a sprint distance? Is the swim in a pool or open water? I am sure you will do just fine. Stick to your plan and let us know how we can best support you.

By the way, do you use the training log feature on this site? I just started logging my workouts and it can be a strong motivator and guide to track your progress / goals. I think you can view my log. If not let me know.

Cheers!

David

Hello Andrew good to hear from you, interesting as you mentioned your weather in Manchester. One of the golf professionals here where I work is from that are of England. He told me this morning that his parents are coming over today, out of Manchester. It took them 6 hours to get to the airport, usually 2 hrs. And they were on about an 8 hour delay to get on their flight to Florida. So nasty weather is right. Still quite cold here in Florida, bottomed out at the golf course last night at 24degrees F.

You mentioned training by yourself, it can get thay way. Mostly because of my work and coaching schedules I do about 98 percent of my training alone. It can get a bit lonely at times. I try when I can to get with some people it just doesn't work out for me to well. If you can find some folks local it will help. But certainly the BT forum is very valuable, and having these groups can kind of fill some of that need.

I like curling by the way, always like to watch it at the Olympics when they show it.

BRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! 21 degrees this morning, the afternoon is OK, we are going to have about a 1 day break from cold, then next front gets in here. Winter can be over now!!!!!

The folks coming from England that I told Andrew about, it took them 27 hours to Orlando. So I feel for you Herve.

Alice where are you in Florida? My daughters' both go to FAU.

David nutrition is going to be key to good training and racing. And since it looks like you are hitting it pretty hard, more calories is going to be necessary. If you have been used to more of a weight watching type of diet, your going to have to change your thinking a bit and get in more calories during the day. If your doing doubles it is going to be real important to stay fueled so you don't hit the wall in the PM. When I'm in full training mode, I eat between 4AM and 11Am about 4 times, not big but just keep putting some calories in there. Try to eat good carbs, thats hard to do. A medium lunch and then since my workouts are in the PM, post lunch nutrition is geared towards that workout. Also do you take vitiamins? If you are trying to lose some weight, then a little light on the calories is OK, but once you hit or if you are at your weight, then keep track of it. I weigh twice a day most of the year, and I have a good indication based on AM-PM weight that I'm eating right. Can't really recommend what to eat, looks like you and your wife are active and probably have a pretty good diet already. So experiment some, sounds like you just need to up you caloric intake a bit and I'm sure you feel great in the afternoons. Also stay hydrated and make sure you are getting enough electrolytes, that will also cause fatigue symptoms. The shotblocks alone probably are not enough to sustain your pm workout. You'll burn around 600 calories on the 6 mile run alone.

Hills, another story. Just keep riding, most of us don't get great opportunities to ride hills. You now have a great opportunity, and you going to be riding among people that have been doing it for years. So don't worry you'll get stronger, but remember some people are just going to be better at it than others. As for technique, if you are on your road bike, sit back on the saddle, hold on to the top of the bars. You'll have better leverage that way. And find that happy gear for going up those hills.

Good thoughts Herve,

One other element on nutrition, make sure your taking in enough protein to aid in recovery. Especially if your doing two a days. The old PBJ is my first choice, then whey protein drinks/smooties with fruit or whey protein and some 1% milk just before bed.