Destination MoP is FULL (of motivation!) (Page 2)

So I just thought I'd ask what everyone's favourite part about triathlons/training is?  And what's your least favourite part?

My favourite part is how friendly everyone is.  It's what got me hooked.  I had some conversations with random strangers yesterday, both before and after competing.  I particularly enjoyed the one with the woman who'd been running just ahead of me, and I'd been using her to keep myself going when the run got tough.  I thanked her afterwards for keeping me going and about 5 minutes later she walked up to me and said "that was my first ever triathlon".  She was so pleased with her performance (and rightly so), and I was really pleased that she chose to share that with me.

My least favourite part has to be that feeling when you get off the bike to run.  Somehow, no matter how much brick training I think I've done, I've never managed to really get the same effect.  It's at that point that I think "why am I doing this to myself?"  But of course not long after that is my 2nd favourite part, which is crossing the finish line and knowing that I've achieved something that many people would never even contemplate.  And that alone sets us all apart.

We're celebrating our first tri of the year with a little holiday.  We've got this week off work, so we've come to a place called CentreParcs.  It's kind of hard to describe, but it's a sort of holiday village where everything can be accessed on foot or by bike.  There are no cars allowed except on arrival/departure days.  We drove down yesterday afternoon when we finished, and have spent today "recovering" by going to the water park, and then cycling around the entire place on our mountain bikes.  It's the perfect holiday for us, as it's active but relaxing at the same time.  I just love the lack of cars.  It's not going to be a very formal training week, but there should be plenty of cycling, and probably some running.  There isn't a pool we can actually swim in, although we were practicing swimming in the wave pool earlier ;-)

Hi Christine!

Welcome to the Group, and welcome to BT! You have almost as big of a spread in age difference for your kids, as I do! Mine are 21, 8 and almost 5. When is your half scheduled for?

-Heidi

Hi Steve!

Welcome to the group, BT, and the wonderful world of Tri's! I think that getting off the couch is an excellent goal! SO many people never even attempt it.  Good luck getting your 15 year old inspire to run. I think if you've got her biking and swimming, that's a great start. 

I'd suggest using the logs here on BT. It's a great way to see your progress, hold yourself accountable, and be inspired.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you want.  That's what we're all here for.

-Heidi

"there cannot be a world where you are faster than me"

Welcome to Rach's Tri World, Kevin!  Fantastic job and a wonderful race report... felt like we were right there with you.  That's a great way to start the season and I like how you two go on vacation after the big battle... sweet!

Your legs may have felt like lead, but your run pace looked pretty good to me.  Running after really pushing on the bike is definitely a whole different animal than just running.  Bricks can get you more used to that feeling, though from what I've read, from a training perspective it's not that helpful.  But for a mental, "oh I know this feeling and I can push through it" point of view, I think it is quite helpful.

Nice to see your photo too... where's Kevin?  Anyway, have a great time in the Parc... sounds like camping without the lumpy ground :-)

------------------------

Also, note to folks new to BT... I've found the race logs to be way more important than I first expected (link at top).  Take some time to reflect on the race and what you've learned, how you might adjust your training, what the route is like, etc.  If you make them public, then other BT members can also learn from your experience.  So, when a race is coming up, reviewing last year's race reports from other people can warn you about a tight turn, a nasty hill on the run, etc.

Stu

Way to go Rach!...and welcome back! It must feel great to be faster than your husband! I am living vicariously though you tonight

Seriously, fantastic race report. I'm glad you saw such huge improvements.

-Heidi

Steve, one thought on getting your daughter doing a tri.  I'm a really big fan of entering as a relay team to catch the bug.  If your daughter has a friend on the cross country team or something, sounds like they'd have a great time, plus they can cheer for each other :-)

So Steve, tell us about what you're thinking of for your first week of training.  Sounds like you have some good experience to rekindle for swim and bike, but the run might be a bit more challenging.  Make sure you have good shoes (or perhaps 5 fingers).  Some of my early issues were due to wearing cheap (and wrong) running shoes.  I needed alot more support for my feet than I was getting.  Anyway, be patient with the run... build slowly... let your body get used to it.  No more than adding 1 mi / week.  Run/walk is great.  Have you checked out any of the plans?  How do they look to you?  Doable?

Welcome to your new life and lifestyle.  Making good choices every day in a steady way pays big dividends down the road :-)  Welcome aboard!

Stu

slow turtle - 2011-04-26 9:51 PM Today was one of the first beautiful days we've had here this year. So, I made it outside for a run afterwork. Unfortunately, I couldn't find my 5 Fingers, so I ran in my traditional running shoes. Boy, am I paying the price now. My feet have been spasming off and on since I finished running, and they hurt I am expecting a rough night of sleep. 

Dang it Heidi, I thought you learned your lesson last time :-(  Hope you are feeling better in the morning... injury is just not worth it!  Speaking of which, it is time for Stu's patented back healer... a beer and the heating pad.  No kidding, it has done wonders :-) 

Racheal, congrats on your race!

And thank for sharing the write-up.

-Steve

Hi Heidi,

Yes, the spread on the kids is interesting. Although, I can't claim the delivery of the first two, as they belong to my husband. However, I have had them since they were 5&7, so I do get to claim the gray hairs they impart. The third on the other hand is all my doing, and sometimes I wonder if we were crazy to have three, but most of the time I love it! (keeps me busy) I work FT, the kids all have sports, and we try to sit down at dinner every night as a family. It's a wonder, I haven't gone crazy yet.

My 1/2 IM is September 11th in Berwick, ME,  just over 136 days out. As a follow-up to Stu's comment, at this juncture I am most concerned about nutrition during the race. I am really interested in what people have done to stay fueled. I realize that it is a very personal thing, however, I'd like to know what has worked for people so I have options to incorporate it into my training. I don't know that I will be able to survive on GU & water.

My other concern is staying injury free. I believe a big part of my issues are lack of strength training and core focus. I really want to start Yoga, but I have zero time to fit in a class. I'm thinking about getting Bob's (from biggest loser) yoga for athletes video and trying to squeeze it in while I have time.

I did manage to multi - task last night. Watched the Bruins game while on the trainer. Looks like there is another opportunity tonight.

My favorite part about triathlons ( & running events) are the people that participate. There is a wonderful social component that can't be overlooked. I love seeing people during the race and being able to cheer them on. I enjoy watching the legs of those that pass me and those I have passed. There is always someone who reminds me that I can still do this even when I'm 80 (he passes me on the uphills in the local races). These people amaze me in their ability... that is just one of the things I love about this sport.

Christine

Great Idea, one of her friends is on the cross country and swimming teams.  Also, Wife/Mom is a dedicated runner with 3 13.1s in the last year.  That would be a very powerful relay.  My daughter is still a tad nervous on the bike, but she goes up hill faster than I do.

First Week Actuals:  I completed a 7 mile bike ride on Sat and Sun.  Also been up before work to get 30 minutes of walk/run (mostly walking) on Mon and Tues.  Added all the actuals to my training log (THANKS for the note Heidi).  I joined the local YMCA yesterday so I have a place to swim.  And yes I see the run training to be my biggest hurdle early on.

First Week Plans: Get a 30 min or 7 mile bike ride in tonight.  Fri is rest day. Good note on the running shoes.  I'll head over to the running store on Fri.

BT Training Plans:  I loaded the first 8 weeks of the 'Couch to Sprint' 12 week plan.  Then loaded the 'Basic Sprint' 12 week plan to follow.  So that gives me a 20 week plan to my first race.

 Thanks for the warm welcome

-Steve

Christine:

Pumpkinman will be my husband's 1st HIM, so I'll be there cheering!

Andrea:

Yay you for your 1st full run!  I was so proud when I ran the whole thing... It's great to do them (5k or any other distance) at all, but there's something super special about being able to run it, even if it's slow (which I am!).  I'm trying to do the SFT version of WW and have always found it works when I actually do it.  It's been a lot easier for my husband & I to follow than PointsPlus - and, easier to stay appropriately nourished when working out/training and there's very minimal weighing/measuring (just learning to eat until "satisfied"). Granted, we've modified it slightly based on earlier versions of SFT or core, but it makes it easier to make it a lifestyle change - which, when you've got a lot to lose, is my big thing.

All:

Thanks for all the stories about the clips - I don't have cages, but think that's a great idea since I'm already having slipping issues & I've only ridden outside 3 times...

I'll be honest, I felt like I needed to get connected with TRI folks since my husband always has such positive things to say about his interactions on the boards, but I didn't expect to instantly feel some sort of bond/connection with each person (all for different reasons) - so big bonus for me already!

~Jennifer

Tom's little bit of wisdon for the day.

Last year which was my first year of tri I completed all 7 tris, including 5 sprints, 1 Oly and the HIM that I signed up for. 

I think I was able to do this, largely in part, to three things: A supportive wife and 3-year old,  fairly consistent training but if I missed a workout I just moved on and did not sweat trying to make it up and last having no expections whatsoever other than finishing the events and having a good time and meeting lots of people.  It worked!

This year I started with high expectations and am working my way down from there.  LOL

Have A Great Day All!

Tom 

Name: Valerie

Story: I have run 2 marathons and several 1/2's and needed a change for this year.  I ended 2010 with a lot of knee pain and brusitits in the arch and metatarsals in my feet.  So my body was telling me no to running.  I decided in January I wanted to do my first Tri this year.  I signed up for a sprint tri for the middle of May (only 3 weeks away) and have been seriously working on getting my swimming form down.  Borrowed the Total Immersion Swimming DVD and have been going through the drills and just swimming.  It is getting better.  Now I just need to get over my fear of riding on the road.  Afraid I'm going to get hit!

Family: Married to a awsome but very busy husband and I have 2 boys. Tanner-6 and Marshall-4

No current Tri Exp.

2nd Sprint Tri in Aug 2011 and 1st Olympic Tri October 2011

I joined this group to help find motivation to get in all my workouts and for tips that I might/will need here and there. I am a stay at home mom and sports/baseball mom. It is hard to find time to train outdoors like I would like because my husband works very long hours.  Training is my stress relief and I know I have to get it in to be a better person (but it is hard)!

I like it! I like it alot.   That's some good stuff there Tom.

This is Thomas. I am 50 and finished my first half marathon in April..13 minutes pace. Finished my first marathon three years ago in 7 hours. (BOP = Behind the Pack). Not really, there were 20,000 runners behind me. I like to set a triathlon as a goal. I do not swim and getting back to it. I rarely cycled. So I am aiming at a tri towards the end of the year.

Current training:

Monday: salsa

running club on Tuesday. 4 miles. told the group that my goal is 15 miles.

Pilates and beginning to swim on Wed

Light weights  and treadmills on Thursday

aerobic salsa and Pilates on Friday. will put in spinning soon.

Saturday: maybe tennis

Sunday: rest

Weight loss: to go from 182.5 to a range in the 160s (165)

Mentor Group: Help me with my eating. I am Asian and love Chinese food. I know where to find good food. I travel. June to Italy, November to Brazil. What do I do when I travel?

Little core strength. Going at 10.5 miles pace at the half marathon until the 10 miles mark when my groin and inner thigh hurts. So I welcome any ideas to improve my core.

Upper body: None. Need ideas, motivation, etc there too.

I love travelling but have not done so for two years (no $$$). But love hearing travel stories. So do share.

Summary: Nutrition(biggest); Core; Upper Body;cycling;swimming

Thomas

Andrea - congrats on trying the running in the heat.  Sounds like it went well.  It's like everything else - you just have to remember that you're developing a new skill.

Steve - sounds like you're off to a great start with your new life plans.  Just remember to take it gently.  I know what it's like to decide to change things and go at it with everything.  Don't do too much at once.  We'd like you to still be with us in a month or two!  Also, I'd second what Stu said about getting good running shoes.  I used to get a lot of back and shin pain from running, and apart from the stretching I've already mentioned, the shoes were the biggest change that helped me.  I haven't had any real pain now for months, despite running further in the last couple of months than I have in the last couple of years...

On the subject of nutrition, I've just been trying a bunch of different things out.  I don't know what products are available over there, as it's probably different to here, but we've been trying out High5 gels and energy drinks.  They've got a huge combination of different things, from just carbs, carbs and protein, carbs protein and caffeine etc.  Part of it is seeing which ones we can tolerate on the long workouts, seeing which flavours are palatable, checking that nothing disagrees with digestion etc.  The gels seem really good, but taste fairly horrible.  There are different ones that you either need to drink with or don't.  I think my plan is to have a couple of bottles on the bike with energy drinks in, carry loads of gels, and also I'm planning to have my camelbak with just water so that I can hydrate without the energy if necessary.  But I'm going to continue to try everything out a bunch more times before I make any final decisions.

For strength and core stuff the yoga video sounds like a good option, that way you can fit it in whenever you have the time.  I like pilates too, but what I personally do at the moment is swissball exercises for my core.  I have a swissball in the living room, and I spend 5 minutes every day doing some very basic core strength exercises.  I've found it makes a huge difference without taking any significant time.

Welcome Valerie! To the group and to BT.

You've got some good goals. 

Where do you currently ride your bike? I do think a little fear is a healthy thing. It keeps us on our toes out there.

Valerie - welcome to the group.  I can totally sympathise with your fear of cycling on the road.  I was really scared when I first started cycling again, and I still prefer cycling off road.  Unfortunately, as far as i can figure the only way to get over the fear of traffic is to do more cycling and just get used to it.  Although I wear loads of hi-vis clothing, which also helps my confidence.  Where do you live?  Is there somewhere with quieter roads where you can start to build up your confidence before you face the "real" traffic?

I hope you find that the multi-sport training helps with your running pain problems as well.  I know I have a lot less niggles now than I used to when I was just running.

Thomas - also welcome to the group.  If you're looking for ways to improve your core there's a bunch of options.  Would you prefer a class, a dvd, or just something you can do at home in 5 minutes of spare time?  If you're looking for a class or a dvd, I like pilates, but a lot of people prefer yoga.  They both basically do the same thing in slightly different ways.  As I mentioned in my previous post, my current thing for core stability is the swissball.  It does involve buying the ball and having somewhere that you can use a giant inflatable ball, but I've really found it helps me.  So pick whichever one you think is going to be most successful for you.  Sounds like you have a pretty full week already!

Welcome Valerie - you sound like a seasoned veteran when it comes to training, so it is just a question of translating your experience into this whole new tri thing :-)  3 weeks away, eh?  Well, the good news is that there are some good rules in triathlons that provide some distance on the bike - specifically the no drafting (3 bike lengths for most races).  And, if the swim in your tri is a pool swim, that provides more spacing as well (beginning of bike on wave starts can be a little dicey).  That being said, there is often still traffic on the road, but they are much more aware of you b/c you are part of a race, rather than just a lone rider out there. 

I'm with Heidi that a little fear (maybe respect) for biking is a good thing.  But you do want to build your confidence on handling.  And pretty much the only way to get there is to practice.  Do you have a rear view mirror for your helmet or handlebars?  If you know what is behind you, or probably more importantly, can easily monitor it so you aren't surprised, that may help alleviate some of your anxiety.

So, presuming I continue to work toward my 1st Mary later this year, it looks like I've got some resources for advice - yay!

Stu

P.S.  I'm with you on the training as stress relief :-)

Welcome Thomas... the 50ish crowd expands!  I love Chinese food too... but there is no good Chinese food in Charlottesville :-(  Tell me where to go!  (and don't say Szechuan Province)

Don't like hearing about the pain on the Half Mary... tell us a little more about your training / preparation leading up to the race.  One good thing about tris (especially "sprint" distance) is that there's a lot less strain on any one particular muscle group / joint.  But, let's face it (and I'm allowed to say this)... lots more aches and pains post 50.  We definitely have to pay much closer attention to preparation, warming-up, cooling down, etc. than we did 20 year ago.  But heck, we're still out there!

Brazil and Italy... cool!  My wife is teaching in Lyon this summer.  How long will you be there?  Business or pleasure?

Time to sign out, but I'm loving how this group is shaping up... really neat, diverse crowd! 

Stu

Hi all!

NAME: Erin
 
STORY:  I'm a total tri newbie with my first being this July 31st.  I'm 30 and for many years now I've had an aspiration (for some crazy reason! lol) to be more athletic and specifically to become a runner/triathlete.  Quite a few years ago I tried to get started with a Couch to 5k program and ran in a couple 5Ks but was plagued with serious shin splints.  After that I stopped for awhile and struggled multiple times to start up running again but was never able to find much success and stick with it.  Two years ago I had surgery on my back for a bulging disc and from before then up till now I've had trouble sticking with any kind of exercise regimen without my back pain flaring up.  Finally I just bit the bullet and signed up for a tri and a 5k this summer, hoping that will be the motivation I need to get serious with a training program and become the active, fit, strong, healthy person I really want to and know I can be!

FAMILY STATUS: Married with two children (actually they are chihuahuas but they are our babies).

TRI EXPERIENCE (if any): None, can't wait to get some!

CURRENT TRAINING:  Started running in March, 3 x a week, added biking beginning of April 2 x a week, and just added swimming last weekend.  I'm having trouble finding pool time in my area.  I live by a lake and hope to start open water swimming there very soon.  I also do 1.5 hours of Ashtanga yoga a week and plan to add in some weightlifting here and there.

PLANNED RACES FOR 2011: Twilight 5K June 9th, Tri for a Cure July 31st (which I see Christine did last year, hey there fellow Mainer! ), and I plan to add on more 5ks and any other Sprints I can find in the area.

WEIGHT LOSS GOALS (if any): A few years ago I did the P90X fitness program (http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/p90x.do if you've never heard of it) and I lost 40 lbs.  Since then I've maintained that weight and am fairly satisfied with where I'm at.  I have lost a lot of muscle mass from lack of activity though so I would like to lean up more and lose a bit more body fat (i.e. yes I'm a little flabby ;-p ).

WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE MENTOR GROUP WILL PROVIDE FOR YOU and WHAT WILL YOU BRING TO THE GROUP: I'm looking for advice and tips and I'm always happy to share what little things I've learned or that I've found to help (or would be good to avoid!).  I'm also really looking forward to just sharing our experiences with each other, building camaraderie and sharing motivation and encouragement!  It should be fun!