Hokies 1st Timer's Group - FULL (Page 2)

Hey Mike,

Welcome to the group.  Competitive swimmer in college - you'll be a great resource for all of us.   Hope your wife made a complete recovery.

Your from Mass.  Prior to moving to Florida I actually worked for a couple companies during my career.  HQed in Newton, MA.  Inlaws lived on the Cape and for years we vacationed there.  Have not been there in 5 years.  I really miss the place.

I have never had to deal with plantar fadciitis and I'm not a doctor so I don't know how much I'll be able to help you there.  However, I know I have seen a number of articles on BT related to the condition.  Also, you might want to check out the main forum board and the Injuries and Health Issues forum here on BT.

I look forward to wathcing you train for your 1st tri.

rTSS = Run Training Stress Score
IF = Intensity Factor


I'm a bit of a geek so I like numbers.  Honestly, I don't know that it helps me out all that much other than I just enjoy tracking it.

Here is a pretty good desciption of it:  http://balancedtrainingsolutions.blogspot.com/2009/03/training-stress-score.html

There is more out there if you want to goggle "Training Stress Score" or "Intensity Factor".

Great to have a fellow Sarasotian on board.  Wow, you are quite the runner.

I just registered for the 2011 FIT earlier this week.  I thought they did a super job with that race last year.  We have a great OWS venue for swimming at Siesta Key.  Do you swim at a local pool?

I look forward to training with you for the FIT.  That will be my 1st race of the year.  I think you will really enjoy the vibe of that particular race.

Edited by junthank 2011-01-01 9:00 PM

Thanks for joining us Barbara.  Glad we got a few ladies to round out the group.

When I started this journey I walked for one year on the treadmill before I started running so there is nothing wrong with "wogging".  EVERYTHING COUNTS.  Also, I can run non-stop over a long distance but I choose not to for a number of reasons I'll cover later.

I'll be glad to give you my input on a training plan.  I have not had the opportunity to look at those specific plans yet but I'll be glad to do that.  What is really important in selecting a plan is to select one that you know you will be able to consistently hit week in and week out.

Your race at Lake Lanier and my 1st race are on the same weekend so will be working together over the course of the next few months. 

BTW:  If you swim Lake Lanier I'm sure you will be able to find a few of my golf balls in the lake.   That's why I gave up golf!!  But it was a really nice course.

As a fellow Hokie ('96), I would love to join your group!

Like Barbs, I live in Decatur, GA, an intown suburb of Atlanta.

I have been running for many years. Although technical trails are my true love, currently winter and mid-week running finds me pounding mostly pavement. My longest runs are in the range of 20-miles, but I am currently overcoming a bout of ITBS so the miles are low right now.
 
I have always had an interest in multisport, duathlons and triathlons. My seemingly annual recurrence of ITBS finally prompted me to start the TI program, and I bought myself a road bike as an early Christmas present. Both in November. I am also a weight loss 'success', having lost 50 pounds in 2001. I've kept it off through running and a fairly clean diet of whole foods (vegetarian).

I would like to complete a sprint or Olympic tri this year. Because I am so new to biking and swimming, I have not yet picked a race and don't really have any timelines.

Hi Jeff,

I would like to be a part of your mentor group if that is ok, i am a complete novice with who has registered for a enticer (300, 10, 2) race to be held on the 13th of feb (which will be a challenge) but have never ridden a bike or swam before i started training on the 1st of December 2010 but consider myself of average fitness. I am most concerned about the swim leg and the fact that i will need to do 300m without any breaks in the open water because for two reasons i've never swam in the open water before and i've never swam 300m continuously. However atm i am comfortable swimming 600-800m's in the pool in 25-50m blocks.

NAME: James, i currently reside in Sydney, Australia (we are currently in our summer, 30 degrees today!).

Story: An ex-college of mine gave me the idea that doing a triathlon was a good idea he was a former world champion and inspired me to really challenge myself, set myself a goal and achieve it so here i am!

FAMILY STATUS: I am a 26yo professional, single with no children.

CURRENT TRAINING: I don't really have a training plan atm but if you look at my training log it will give you some idea of what i doing. I am focusing my training on the swim so i am training to fit 3-4 session in the Olympic pool a week and then fitting my training for the run and the bike around that. So 2-3 sessions on the bike (try and get out btw 30-40km pw) and 2-3 session on the run (try to get out btw 6-12km pw).

2011 Races: Elite Energy - Jervis Bay - Callala Beach (Enticer), potential one in March as well (huskinson beach).

James

Hey Gang,

Looks like we got around 15 members on the team now so I'm going to go ahead and close out the group.  Everybody above this is in.

Lesson for you - sleep is really important.  Here it is 2:00AM in the morning, I'm in a hotel away from home and cannot stop coughing.  Don't get sick folks and get your sleep. I'm not setting a good example.

Edited by junthank 2011-01-02 1:43 AM

I've never worked with a system like this or trained with a group. I do use a Garmin and have tracked my runs in the past. You have to be a Bronze member, but the upload works well. I just went to my Training Log and entered all of you guys in the Friend section. Jeff and DenverGuy have their pics input. I'll try to get mine in this week. It's great getting to put a face with your comments and story. Looking forward to learning and training with my new buds. Greg

I have also entered everybody into my friends list, so you should be able to see my log.

This is only my second post on BT, though I am a frequent poster on the Runners World forums.

Does anybody have any opinions on whether I should start a sprint tri training program now, in order to give myself some structure to my weekly workouts? Or should I wait until I finish the TI drills/program and am actually swimming freestyle? Right now I do the drills followed by up to 1000 meters of breast stroke. I was a swimmer in middle school but have not really swum since, so do not even want to attempt freestyle until I finish TI (don't want to reintroduce any bad habits).

I have a bike trainer and have been riding 10-15 miles in the evenings. I can't wait until the days get longer because I am too scared to ride on the roads in the dark.

Amanda



Edited by atlveg 2011-01-02 2:54 PM

All Hokies are welcome Amanda!!  I actually didn't graduate from VT but I'm a huge fan (I got my undergrad from Old Dominion).  My oldest son graduated from VT so I fell in love with the place when he was visiting college his senior year in high school.  I'll certainly be tuning in to the big game on Monday night in the Orange Bowl.

Looks like we have another strong runner in the group.

I and the group will be interested in getting some of your feedback from the TI swimming program.  I have not done it but I have listened to Terry ??? of TI talk and have watched a number of TI swimmers on youtube.

Not having a "real" race on the schedule is fine.  In fact, one of the things I do in my training are race simulations.  I'll map out course that starts after a swim at the pool (T1), ends the biking section at my house (T2) and then a run that ends up at my house (Finish).  I'll ride my bike over to the pool as a WU for the day.

I look forward to training with you and go Hokies!!

Welcome to the group James.  I guess now we can be officially be labeled as an "International Group" now.

Looks like we got about 8 weeks to get you ready.  I just back home from our XMAS vacation so I have not had the opportunity to take a look at anybody's logs yet.  So give me an opportunuty to settle in here and I'll get to that.

Couple questions about the tri.  I assume that the tri is a 300 meter swim, 10 mile (or Km) bike, and a 2 mile (or Km) run?  If that is the case you certainly have the fitness for the bike and run if pw means per workout.

OWS'ing is a bit different from the pool.  Depending upon the conditions you will be swimming in it could be really different.  Is the swim in the ocean/bay where the surf could be bad?  I did one sprint where the surf in the Gulf of Mexico was really, really bad.  It was only a 400 meter swim where we had to swim 100 meters out to a buoy, back 100 meters to the beach, then out 100 meters to another buoy and back to shore.  I just got slammed and about 50 meters into the swim I gave up on doing freestyle and just did breast.  I made up my mind on the way back in that there was no way I was going back out for the 2nd buoy.  Fortunately the race director had everybody go to T1 after the 1st buoy.

I didn't mention this to scare you.  It's just that I had a "fall back" stroke (breast) that kind of acted as my "pool wall" that I was comfortable doing.  I could site and breathe better doing that stroke under those conditions.   

Another question for ya, when you are doing the 25-50 meters intervals in the pool what type of RI (rest intervals) are you doing between blocks?  5 second, 10, 15, 30, 1 minute?

Finally, one thing you should probably incorporate into your training (if your not already doing this) are bricks.  Bricks (for those in the group that might not know) are simply putting multiple sessions together with no rest between (just like a race).  They could be a SB (Swim/Bike), or BR (Bike/Run).  If you follow my training over the course of the next few months you will see that I do a lot and rides that will have short transition run after a bike.  Just to get my body used to the sensations of running off the bike with fatigued legs.

Hey Tommy,

Welcome.  Tennessee fan in Alabama!!  I'm surrounded by FSU, UF, and Miami fans so I know how you feel.

Holidays can be hard on the diet.  Honestly the swimsuit might be a little tight on me when I go to the pool on Monday.  However, I'm not sweating it at the moment.  I know that if I eat right and execute my plan it will come off.

I know often I would get frustrated with my progress in the pool.  Seems like I would take 1 step forward and 2 steps back.  Finally after 6 months it started to click.  Patience is really important.  My 1st mentor said that I needed to serve a multi-year apprentiship before I could get good at the sport. 

The good news for us beginners is we will experience a ton of improvement if we simply stick with it.

Hey Greg,

I love my Garmin.  I don't have to worry about tracking mileage, pace, or HR - it does it.  Actually I think BT recently made the upload capability available to all.

I haven't had the opportunity to add all of you guys as friends yet but I'll do that shortly.

Keep posting Amanda!!  If this mentoring group is going to work we need to post and inspire one another frequently.  I have been in groups that have fizzled out after a few weeks and ones that go strong for months and months.  So the success of the group as a whole is up to each of us.

I'm not sure what you are doing with the TI program.  How long is the program (days/weeks?) and are you swimming everyday? 

If I remember correctly you don't have a specific race scheduled, right?

I'm with you on the day light saving stuff.  I don't really like riding on roads with motorist any time of the day.

Having trouble finding my way around on this site....is there a better way to stay in touch with this group than going to the Forums and looking for the "Hokies 1st Timer's Group - FULL" posts? 

Also, my inbox used to have a message regarding set up and other info, now any message that I opened is gone, poof!  A tri's going to be easier than this!   

In my opening ramble, I forgot to mention my football teams, so here's my shout out to the OSU Beavers (and as an OSU fan I'm rooting for Auburn!) and the Indianapolis Colts (Love ya Peyton...helped me win my second straight Fantasy Football Championship).

Can't wait to hear more about "wogging".  As a 44 yo female, my knees and hips are demanding some respect and with my extra pounds, I can't say I blame them.  

My first race is June 11th, and I consider myself starting from fitness "scratch".  Haven't seen any training programs on this site that start that basic....any suggestions?

Jeff and Amanda,

What is the TI program?

Greg

Amanda, setting the forum up as a link really helps. See Jeff's comment below.

Hope so, I'm a bit nervous about the whole thing. I used to swim at the Berlin Y on Bahia Vista, but haven't been in awhile.  That's the hardest part of training for me since I can't do it from home. I did the Siesta duathlon two years in a row, but missed it last year in favor of a half marathon.

I'm one of those annoying UF fans so we can all talk some smack when football season rolls around again. My oldest daughter is also a senior in high school. She's been accepted to UCF and LSU, but we're waiting until Feb when the UF acceptance letters come out.

I got back on the bike today...it's been a long time. Still trying to adjust to the whole clipless deal. I resisted for a long time because i was afraid, but then I flipped my bike in regular shoes. Figured that I couldn't do any worse with clipless pedals  

Chris...I think 'wogging' is defined differently by many folks, but my running group considers it a combo of walking and jogging. There are a couple different gurus (Jeff Galloway, John Bingham) that you can find online and in bookstores. I usually train to run 4 min, then walk 2, but have been doing R2/W1 since I had a bad cold earlier this month. I can run a 5K without walking, but have kept the intervals for the longer distance races so far.

Greg...LOVE your sig quote!





Edited by melkat 2011-01-02 8:37 PM

Okay, the group is set and were ready to get rolling.  We are:

0015330 - Tommy
55373bsmith - Brian
atlveg - Amanda
barbsduck - Barbara
cvochristi - Chris
denverguy - Brent
gr8hope - Greg
jamesjong - James
lhalbe01 -
melkat - Melissa
mlkma1 - Mike
Terrydearden - Terry
timothymnl - Tim
tkdrq - Rob

I have noticed that a number of you are already using the Training Log.  If you haven't started yet please do.  This is how we will keep tabs on one anothers training.  This is also the place you will go to see your inspires.  Speaking of inspires, I have found the more inspires you give, the more you'll get in return.

It looks like we have a well rounded group here.  We have a number of people that have a great deal of experience running, cycling, swimming and have had success with weight loss.  There are also a number of you that are just starting out.  Remember, there are no dumb questions.  Ask them!  I might not have the answer but I bet some of your peers will (i.e... I can't tell you what it felt like at mile 22 of a marathon... but we a few have people in the group that can).

Edited by junthank 2011-01-02 8:35 PM

Chris,

Check out my post a little earlier in this thread about setting up links.  Also, on your training log under the "Friends" section setup your fellow mentees as friends.  Then you will be able to check in on their training without going to the forum.

"Wogging" - Run/Wall protocol.  I want to share with the group a link to a podcast regarding Run/Walk by Bobby McGee.  I don't have that handy at the moment so I need to do some digging.

Training Programs - There are a number of "Couch-To" (sprint, 5K, etc.) programs on BT.  I'm not certain if you have to be a Bronze, Silver or Gold member to get this programs.  Anybody know the answer?  I've heard they are of great value.

TI = Total Immersion

Amanda can fill us in on the details.

Yes, International!! I should have perhaps said or greeted everyone with a "G'day and hello from Australia!!".

Yup Jeff, everything in kilo's (kilometers, kilograms, grams and meters). So the race is 300 meter swim, 10km bike ride and a 2km run. PW = Per week, as opposed to per workout but i guess per workout is where i would like to be eventually. So when applying this to the workout's that i've done so far generally speaking I cover between 15-20km on the bike per session (2-3s pw) and 4-6km in a run per session (2-3s pw).

I also try to do something similar to a brick but maybe with slightly more rest than i should in the transition (20-30mins) but it's all contingent on the time i have that particular day with work and other commitments. So this will be from say pool to park if i do SB same goes for BR (so this RI or transition will be when i walk from the pool to the park which is about 10mins walk, so by the time i hop out of the pool, get all my gear on, walk to the park and start ridding i would say it would have been 20-30mins).

The swim will be in the ocean, starting on a beach or bay then out to sea. So yes, potentially the seas could get rough, which for some reason doesn't worry me right at this point in time. In my training I am also trying to build my confidence in the OW by heading out to swim in little bays once a week (Clovelly is an example, you guys might be able to look it up on google maps, the first of these sessions was on saturday the 1st of Jan) that are enclosed partially but not entirely (if that makes sense). I'll try to describe it, its like a canal that starts at a beach with two concrete banks that run at 90 degrees to the beach out to sea that are about 30m's apart at the mouth of the canal where it meets the ocean. It opens up to the sea where waves occasionally come in. I've been trying to swim back and forth between the banks at the mouth of the canal, in order to get me comfortable with being in the sea where a can't stand (its deep down there) or hang on to things (just because i feel like giving up) when i am between banks where i can do in a pool. However despite this the thing that i am still not confident about is covering the distance out at sea.

Jeff, that's a really interesting concept i never thought about, an alternative stoke as a "pool wall", I do have the dog paddle but i find that i can only do that in spurts because its so taxing or it is taxing when i do need to go to it. Though to be honest i've never really tried to do it for say 50m.

Also there was another thing that i noticed when i did jump into the sea, that I struggled with breathing, my nose and mouth got a little irritated from the salt water which distracted my breath and concentration (which made me panic a little while in the water). This is of course a lot different form swimming in the pool where i don't get that irritation and hence have less to worry about which then allows me to concentrate on my technique (breathing, stroke, kick, head position etc etc). Do you have any suggestion or should this go away once i get a couple more sessions under my belt?

I rest as long as it takes me to catch my breath (or until i don't feel stressed in the lungs) generally speaking this will be btw 1-2mins, but i have noticed that it is shorter at the beginning of a workout (10-15secs) and longer towards the end of my workouts (1-3mins). So i noticed that i can get through 200m in about 7-8mins but finish 400m in about 15-20mins.

Btw, forgot to mention you can all call me jongers or jimmy if you would like, that is what i am affectionately know as to my friends.

J

Also does anyone know why it sometimes shows the post that you are relying to in your current message/new post and sometimes it doesn't? is this a setting that can be changed?

You guys can perhaps fill me in on all these in's and out's on what i think is college football? We don't get much coverage here in Sydney, but it sounds exciting...Btw, looking forward to training with you all!!