Mndymond and Disturbed275's Awesome SBR Mentor group---Full! (Page 2)

Ok gang, looks like we have a great group going so far!

hexbinary--Marc

onbelay--Richard

christiekate--Christie

Lindscandoit--? Lindsey?

Rydergal--?

Amhale2000--Anne

Shmashin--Sean

Please add your first name if you are comfortable doing so if it isn't listed above. I'll keep the group open until we get a few more people, but for all of those currently already in, feel free to start asking any questions that you may have or topics you want to discuss!

We do have a lot going on. She is going into OB. We just matched at BAMC which is what I was waiting on to plan my races. There is a duathlon in Feb, the Hotter 'n Hell 100 (cycling) in August, and a New Year's Double that I want to complete a full marathon in. We are having our third in May and I'll have to see what June and July look like with beginning residency with the new baby. I'd like to complete a HIM this year but have to find one that fits my schedule and isn't too far to travel.

I am beginning to get serious about my goals and need a good start. I look forward to your input!

My biggest question is how do I plan and train for an ironman? What is the weekly time commitment?

Thanks for doing this!

No worries. They were pseudorhetorical questions. Glad you answered them! Haha.

Glad you are setting a new example for your daughters. Remember that everyone needs to start somewhere, whether you are 5 or 35 it doesn't matter. Now you can do is to work towards bettering your current stats, regardless where you started off or currently are!  

Oh passing. I have a passing story for you: In IMLP I came out of the water in something like 300/2500th place...by the end of the bike I was somewhere like 1750/2500th place....ya, I got passed by like 1450 ppl...haha. It happens in tris, especially with loop courses where you could potentially be passed 3-4x by the same person! I understand how you felt demoralised by getting passed by everyone, but it isn't fair to you to constantly compare yourself in races to others--at least until you start feeling more comfortable with the sport as a whole. Sometimes it is better to mentally prep yourself in a way where you are only competing against yourself in the race (get a best time, finish a new distance) rather than focus on where you are placing compared to the rest of the field. You said it yourself that you didn't become active until 35 and you could be competing against lifelong athletes who have been doing triathlon for years--I think it is important for you to listen to what your friends/family are telling you--you have made great strides for where/when you started off. Take the pressure off and enjoy yourself out there! This past season was the first time I started to focus on where I placed relative to the field and within my AG, and that was only for Olympic distance and below. For the IM, I was just focused on surviving the day--next time is to get a best time and maybe in the future I will be focused on something like a top 10 AG finish or a Kona Qualifier. This is the goal setting strategy I developed because of how hyper competitive I can be and how awful I felt after the first couple of tris I did and came near to last or actually last when I had completed something I never did before or bettered my previous time. Give yourself the opportunity to feel proud of your accomplishments!

Ok..so Thursday I have gastroendoscopy and colonoscopy So no eating tomorow, and probably gonna be pretty out of it all of thursday. Going to get back to the gym on Monday for the first time in a few months.

Still struggling to come up with a good plan which isn't too ambitious and will keep me motivated, and goal oriented. I want to work on gaining muscle mass (difficult for me), and get back on the treadmill and slowly build up. Starting this early in the season should be really beneficial because I get ITBS in my right knee if run too much (or build up too fast i guess). I live in the country, and the pool is about a 25 min. drive away, so that's always a challenge. Cycling is my strongest discipline..I like it, and mentally I'm able to stay focused..and I have a new trainer for this winter

I'm thinking of taking the Michael Pates Total Sprint training plan, and modifying it by swappign in a  bunch of strength training for the first 3 months, then switching up to a focused triathlon plan in early april after re-evaluating where I'm at.

I guess most of January will be total soreness :P

I just finished my OB rotation before Xmas....not.my.thing.at.all. Haha. Hopefully I passed...I don't want to do remediation in Obs/gyne! 

There are many different schools of thought RE: when to do my first IM. I'm personally along the "as long as you are comfortable within the 3 sports in general" go for it. I think in general an IM is probably a 2 year process for someone who has never done one before. Year 1 is build up to HIM distance and year 2+ is IM year (this is probably because that is how I did it...but I think it makes sense). Consistency and a gradual build of volume is key to 1)building fitness and 2) avoiding injuries. I think for a HIM distance training is probably between 8-12+hrs/week within the 16-20 weeks leading up to race day...and IM is probably 10-17/18+ hrs/week within the 16-20 weeks leading up to race day. I found the big difference as far as HIM training vs. IM training is saddle time...the time you have to spend biking is just ridiculous! Haha. I had some weeks where I was in the saddle 10+ hrs alone. It is possible to do it with less, but in general I think those are the average ranges. Is that generally what you were asking?

That was exactly what I was asking. It is encouraging because there are so many conflicting opinions. I am with you on the timeline. I am hoping to get a HIM in this year and hopefully an IM next year.

What have you enjoyed so far in your rotations? What are you wanting to go into?

What are everybody's goals? Why are you doing this?

I'd like to join too!

NAME: fungi32/Kip

STORY: I work at a police training academy. 4 years of tri's just 2 sprints last year due to a shoulder injury which I am still dealing with. have done 1 half, numerous sprints and oly's and have been in Neals groups for years. Just hoping to get back into things/weight loss. Looking to try a new plan with more cross training this year. Initial plan is a Spartan race, Half marathon and a couple tris this year.

FAMILY STATUS: Married 3 teenagers

CURRENT TRAINING: Just starting back with insanity and running will start swimming and biking again soon/ have to rejoin the gym, dropped after injury to save some $$

THIS YEAR'S RACES: Smith mountain lake sprint, tri adventure sprint

2012 RACES: Washington Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon, Spartan race, local tris considering the beach to battle ship half iron also if shoulder holds up

WEIGHTLOSS: Alot

My goal this year is just to successfully complete a HIM and remain injury free.  I also want to get more comfortable/confident on the bike, as I am still scared to try to drink while riding, and I *really* need to get over that fear if I think I'm going to do a HIM this September!

Anyone have any tips or tricks regarding drinking while riding other than spending more time in the saddle and getting more comfortable?  Am I the only one with this silly phobia?

Hi Kip! Welcome/ welcome back!

Welcome to the group! 

Hi there! Welcome to BT and to our mentor group! I think an Xterra sounds awesome! I haven't jumped the gun yet to do one since I don't have a mt. bike and my brother is too tall for me to borrow his! When is your tri?

Hi there! Still have a spot! Welcome to the group! I had a coach who used the TI swim drills for us all the time....I hated them soooo much. Haha. We called them "sweet spot" drills...they are the ones where you kick on your side and various family members of those same drills!

Glad I answered your question! Haha.

So far my favourite rotation has been rural family medicine...basically for the pure reason that I got to do emerg...so I will probably (hopefully) end up in emerg medicine. I'm on psychiatry right now...which will be interesting I suppose to say the least but probably not going to be my calling! Emerg so far is the only thing that I haven't been kinda bored with after a few days...so we will see! I really, really wanted to like physical med and rehab...but I ended up being a bit bored. I like the relative action in emerg. But I suppose over the next 12 months or so that could change....I have to make my decision by Feb 2013 though!

So far my goals for the season include a PR in the HM I'm doing in April and maybe a top 10 finish for my HIM in my AG 25-29, depending on how much training I can get in!

Can I join too?

NAME: Scot

STORY: I'm been on a 3 year hiatus from triathlons and running and I really need to get back into it. I'm starting to make noises when I go to pick stuff off the floor. It's time to get back in shape.

FAMILY STATUS: Married with 2 kids (Age 9 and 12)

CURRENT TRAINING: Lately I've been running about 3 times a week with the longest run of about 5 miles. I'm trying to add in a swim or a spin class and increase my mileage.

2012 RACES:  Two 10 mile races and a sprint is all I've signed up for so far. I might add a another sprint and a marathon. 

WEIGHTLOSS I need to drop about 20 - 25 lbs to be in my normal range. My wetsuit would be a tight fit right now.

Hi Scot! Welcome! Def room still for you!

No worries. I'm just heading off to bed, but I'll get to your questions tomorrow at some time! Have to get up early to get to the gym!

Thanks!  Here's my intro finally....

NAME: Missy/ yogachic

STORY: I did my first sprint tri in 2009, followed by three oly's, and two half marathons.  In 2010, I did my first marathon, my first half iron, and a 1.5k open water swim race.  I also started doing group rides more and consistently ran with a group that year.  In 2011, I wanted to improve my marathon and half ironman times, but had some hip issues that made it difficult to run.  So I rode my bike a lot last year, including plenty of group rides, but my running was only getting worse, and I even got plantar fasciitis.  Then on a group ride, someone mentioned that I'm always in the wrong gear at stop lights and they were surprised I didn't have any hip issues.... so it dawned on me that my "running injury" was actually a cycling injury.  After backing off my bike mileage and making a conscious effort to be in an easier gear, I was finally able to run more than a few miles without pain!  

FAMILY STATUS: single

CURRENT TRAINING: Mostly focusing on lifting and yoga right now.  Hoping to lose all the weight I gained over the past year from not being able to train like I wanted to.  Also want to even out my imbalances (especially in my hips) which lifting & yoga have been helping with tremendously.  I'm starting up running again as well, and training for a cross country ski race next month.

THIS YEAR'S RACES: I didn't really "race".... I ended up finishing as much as I can of the races I did enter, but definitely not top form.  Considering I wasn't really able to train as well as I wanted, I only had one DNF all season, and no DNS's.  So, that's a plus, right?  

I did the Mardi Gras Half Marathon, Soldier Field 10-miler, Galena Sprint Triathlon, the swim & bike portions of the Door County Half Ironman (it was a planned DNF since at the time I couldn't run more than 3 miles without my PF flaring up), the Big Shoulders 5k Swim, and the Philadelphia Half Marathon (had originally planned to do the full, but with the hip/foot, ended up walk/running the half).

2012 RACES:  Right now, I'm only registered for the Kortelopet- a 23k cross country ski race.  Will probably do the Soldier Field 10-miler and the Galena Triathlon again.  If I can get back down to racing weight before the end of pre-season (let's say, in the 140's), I'll think of doing a longer race late-season... Maybe a HIM in Sept?  Otherwise, I'll stick to sprint/oly tris.  I may also do the 5k swim race again.

WEIGHTLOSS: My main goal for this pre-season is to lose 15 lbs so that I can get back into my former shape.