Olympic 3x Balanced 16/20 Week Group (Page 2)

GLC1968 - 2010-08-26 3:59 PM Thanks, Jessica...that makes a lot of sense.  I think that I'm willing to make alterations to my life to fit tri during the season as necessary, but somehow, I feel like during the off-season, tri should better flex to fit my life, you know?

Though - 8 hours of sleep?  I think that's a pipe dream.   But I'll see what I can do.

Lewgrave - 2010-08-27 3:46 AM I have some questions about the offseason.  After my last race this year I'd have time to take a week off and then do the 16 week plan twice with the last week likely hitting my first race for next year.  Anyone  see a problem with doing that?  Couple of my thoughts are "Is this enough time off at the end of this year?" and "Should I really go back to the start of the plan for the second go-around?"  I know you should modify the plan to fit your needs but I wanted to throw those two things out there for some input.  Thanks.

trisagain - 2010-08-27 5:18 AM I am having a hard time grasping the "time based" concept.
I have always used mileage in my workouts.
The way my mind works I can understand how mileage relates to my workouts and racing better than grasping how time based plans work.

It seems to me that you could get short changed somehow. I mean that if I am for example training for a 25 mile ride and I go by time and never get that distance in then....

Does that make sense?
Can someone get me to understand how this all works?
Please? 

If not how could I arrange the plan to use mileage instead of time....

Tri-ingToTurn40 - 2010-08-27 7:31 AM

Any thoughts on choosing the 20-week or 16-week version of this plan? I have time for either (see my post above).

Since there is no thread for the 20-week version, if I choose that one, should I hang out in this thread?

jlux - 2010-08-27 11:34 AM Mrbbrad , I like the changes you made to the plan. I also prefer not to repeat, especially running!  I was wondering if the coaches or pros on BT see any issues with the way you have set it up. I'm currently using the bridge from sprint to olympic plan in preperation for a race on Oct 2.

tkd.teacher - 2010-08-27 10:02 AM

... that leaves Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec. What to do, what to do? :D

Tri-ingToTurn40 - 2010-08-27 8:56 AM 20-week plan… I’ve decided to do that one. And I already have specific questions about modifying it to accommodate my spring break ski trip. TTMA, would you go ahead and create a thread for it. :-) 

Tri-ingToTurn40 - 2010-08-27 10:56 AM

I have my first tri ever (a sprint) this Sunday.

Then I’m going to focus on running all this fall. It’s my weakest area. I still have not run more than 5 minutes without stopping to walk. I have a 5K route I “run” on my lunch hour, but it is, at best,  40% run / 60% walk (percent by time). (I know I may be DFL this weekend and that’s okay.) I’m using the Couch to 5K plan from coolrunning.com, and I plan to do a 5K this November with my friend. It’s my goal to do “well.”

Between November and starting an Olympic tri training plan I have absolutely no idea. Take up cross-country skiing? Take an exercise class at the Y? Focus on weight training?

 

The 20-week plan… I’ve decided to do that one. And I already have specific questions about modifying it to accommodate my spring break ski trip. TTMA, would you go ahead and create a thread for it. :-) 

tkd.teacher - 2010-08-27 9:58 AM

Time based allows for a broad range of abilities. My 20 minute run is a little shy of 3 miles. For someone else, 20 minutes might be two miles. If you go by mileage and say you have to do 3 miles on the short days, 6 miles on the medium and 9 on the long days, that ends up being 30 mins, 60 mins, 90 mins. doable, but maybe not at the beginner/base building stage.

You can substitute mileage for the time with no problems. If you are looking at a 25 mile ride, work towards making your long ride of the week 25 miles. That would make your medium rides ~ 16 miles and your short rides ~ 8 miles.

John

mrbbrad - 2010-08-27 11:47 AM

Oct 2 is my birthday so you should definitely do it my way

Tri Take Me Away - 2010-08-27 8:26 PM 

Even though you are choosing the 20 week plan, you should still do some triathlon training all the way through the time your official plan starts. You should aim to feel completely comfortable doing that first week of training in the plan, so that will mean spending some time on swim/bike/run until the plan starts.
I love resistance training, so I always think that is a good idea, but IN ADDITION to some triathlon training as you get ready to train for your first Olympic.
Curious: do you use a heart rate monitor? It may help you with your running if you are finding it hard to run continuous. I wonder if you might be running too fast?
I will start the thread tomorrow for you.

Tri-ingToTurn40 - 2010-08-28 10:39 AM

Thank you so much. For the new thread and your questions.

I will do some triathlon training throughout the year and make sure I am ready for the Week 1 load of the 20 week plan. My whimsical list of random activities was 1) inspired by the whimsical sounding question "What to do, what to do?" and 2) part of an honest desire to make something other than tri training the focus of what I'm doing even though I will be swimming and biking and running.

I do have a heart rate monitor but I need to a) find it and b) replace the battery. My impression of my trouble with running is simply that I have spent 39 years avoiding it whenever possible. I am working through the coolrunning.com Couch to 5K program and have made it as far as Week 4. The longest run in Week 4 is a 5 minute run. That's why the longest I have run is 5 minutes. I'm only on Week 4 because I had to take a few weeks to work up to Week 1 and I've had things distract me along the way. That's why I want to focus on running the next few months (while swimming once or twice a week and enjoying long weekend bike rides with my husband, don't worry.)

I'll see you on the other thread in a couple days. I want to spend some time getting my BT training logs up to date.

 

uhcoog - 2010-08-29 4:51 PM 1st Tri in the books.  Start this program tomorrow. 

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=224370&posts=1&start=1

Tri Take Me Away - 2010-08-30 7:56 AM


CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Tri Take Me Away - 2010-08-30 9:34 AM If you are in your first year of running, you should stick with building your endurance. Everyone wants to do speed work but it's really only appropriate once you have developed a strong endurance base as your foundation. Doing speed work too soon can cause injury and overtraining. Maybe instead of sprint work, you can have a day at the track where you work on running drills to improve form and efficiency.
Jessica

bmmac - 2010-08-30 9:41 PM Did my first tri (a sprint) in mid August and now registered for first OLY in late September.  I just jumped into this program for the last five weeks of it and seem to have been able to make it from my own unstructured plan to this ones final month.  The main adjustment seems to be more swim time and less bike time than what I've been doing.  My right shoulder is a bit sore and was wondering if I'm laying on too much swimming at once.  I tend to do 1500 straight when I get in the water and then add on some 100's to get the distance up.  Any suggestions would be appreciated as to how to handle the swim load.