Tony's Xterra & Short Course Tri Group - OPEN (Page 2)

I've done both the FT. Cluster & Torn Shirt, and have to say Torn Shirt is definetly harder.  If I remember right the run is longer (I think it's a full 10k), and is PRETTY hilly; your either going up these steep things (lots of people walking them) or going down some steep hills which just beats you up.  

It's a FUN race, but one of the more challenging ones.  Ft. Cluster is shorter, flatter & faster so if your trained up decently you should be OK to do a road Oly the next weekend.  I mean you may still be sore, but you should be fine! 

hmm... maybe I'll consider it then!  Now... how about that water temp at Fort Custer??  I feel like May would just be cold!  I was already thinking Memorial Day weekend is soon enough for a triathlon!

It wasn't that bad last year.  A little chilli, but the water is fairly shallow so it warms up quickly.  But I wore a wetsuit.  Nice location too, ended up camping out there with the family so it was fun! 

If you go let me know, we can meet up there!  I think Brian is doing that one this year also. 

Hi Tony & everyone,

I, too, am involved in another mentor group, but I'd love to poke my head in to say hi here as well because of your focus on short distances and Xterra. Hope that's okay, let me know if it's not.

A little bit about me:

NAME: Gretchen. I'm a reality tv editor/writer and documentary filmmaker. 

AGE: 42

STORY: I'm a former athlete (swimmer/soccer/lacrosse). I've been marginally active over the past couple of decades and decided last September 2012 that I was fed up. Because I'm a swimmer (or was) and like running, I thought competing in a triathlon would be a cool possibility. I wanted to get a bit of a base going, so last fall I began (and recently completed) a 16-week Couch to 5K plan. Now, I'm in the very early stages of a BT beginner sprint plan. I lived for a number of years in New York (NYC and Syracuse) and moved to LA two years ago, where I've been enjoying my snowless winters. (Sorry Syracuse.)

MY PLAN: This year, which will be my first year competing in triathlon, I'm just hoping to get up on the horse, so to speak. I want to develop a strong base and get back into shape. I'm doing a couple of mini-sprint tris in the spring (Los Alamitos, Pasadena), Xterra Malibu Challenge Trail run, a 5K, a couple of open water sprint tris over the summer (Redondo Beach and Hansen Dam) and then would like to finish the season with HITS in Arizona in November. At least, that's the plan. I'm open for suggestions. I've been very consistent with my workouts, hate missing them, and look forward to my first race to get my feet wet. At this point, my main focus is sprint distances, and I'd love to learn more about Xterra, which sounds awesome.

Thanks so much, 

g

 LOL.  I have been in 50-something degree water (well, 59-60), and I would prefer not to repeat that!  Well actually once getting in the water it didn't feel so bad, I think because the air temp was so cold too (50s) and I was so cold to begin with.  Still!  The thought of 50 degree temps is not intriguing to me!  (I have a wetsuit.)

Welcome to the group Gretchen!  You picked the right group if you want to learn more about Xterra!  your in so-cal, i think they have a few good ones down there! 

Hey Joel!  Welcome to the group. I raced those 2 xterra's last year as well so we probably crossed paths!  

Welcome to the group.  As you can see there's a few of us from the mid-west that will do some of those same Xterra's so we can certainly plan on meeting up, racing, having fun and probably raising a celebratory post-race brew! 

Jeff, checked out the whole9life diet; it sames pretty similar to the met diet (metabolic efficiency diet).  The way I tell my clients, the best diet is: if it comes from the earth, water or had a face on it it's probably OK to eat.  ) 

Back to the diet.  30 days is good, but from what it sounds like thats more of a "cleansing diet".  The met diet teaches your body to rely more on fats then carbs over higher intensities and durations.  30 days just doesn't cut it. 

As Brian said, he's 1 week in and suffered on his 3 hour trainer ride.  The first month he'll suffer (you welcome brian), but then he's going to start feeling better so the second 30 days we can start increase the duration (he'll be able to finish that 3 hr ride) and the 15-30 days after that we'll start addressing intensity.   

So basically 10-12 weeks of that diet.  Yes it sucks.