HILDEBEAST'S Mentor Group, CLOSED! (Page 2)

I'm back if you'll have me.

Real first name: Janet

Age and gender: female, 49

Where you live: O'Fallon, MO - about 30 miles west of St Louis 

Family status: Married 23 years, 2 kids in college

Your previous triathlon experience: sprints only although I would like to eventually be able to move up to Olympics. 

Your goals for this season: Have a good race on May 16th (meaning complete it unlike the 2 sprints I DNF'd last year) and be prepared for a very hilly (both ride and run) sprint in August. 

That's the basics - I'll add more later, just want to make sure I get in before Hilde closes the group!

What a varied group of triathletes you have inspired, Hilde.  I am looking forward to hearing the stories as we all commit (or recommit, as the case may be) to our summer tri goals. 

Spring snuck up on me.  I stayed active through winter, but not exceedingly focused on a particular race schedule.  I teach an advanced spinning class 3X per week (go ahead and jab jokes at my ADHD personality that I can't decide whether to sit or stand on my stationary bike) and run (mostly on the treadmill because I am a wimp about sub-zero temps and ice) on the off days.  I haven't poked my toe in water since October last year....  Yes - it is avoidance.  I can't hardly give lip service to doing a TRI if I have only spent time doing BI ....

I have a 5 mile Women's Run this Saturday.  There is something completely different about hitting the pavement versus hitting the treadmill.  I have been running outside for about a month now, but I haven't done any speed work.  My plan is to monitor the first 3 miles pace and then check the tank and empty it the last 2 miles.  I love this particular race because all the women are running and the dads/boyfriends/husbands/kids are cheering on the sidelines -- that makes for a fun boost. 

Charlie, if you go to "Settings" up on top (look for the wrench icon) and click on it, then click the Training Log Settings tab, and then the Log Defaults tab, you can set your log to show Km... it will show everyone's log in Km.

On the swim stuff, don't worry too much if you can't swim 12 minutes straight... that's a guideline.  If you have to swim and then rest, you might want to stay in the water 15-20 minutes to allow for how much time you are resting, your actual swimming time would still add up to 12 minutes. Of course you do want to push yourself a little.... if you can swim up and back now and then rest, make yourself do up and back and up again without stopping.  It doesn't have to be fast, and it can be different strokes if you need it to be, but you want to build up your endurance.  Swimming is extremely technique based, you could be exending a TON of energy but with crappy technique you're not going to go very far... on the opposite side of that, there are obese people who are extremely out of shape that can zip up and down the pool because they have great technique!  If you are a newbie swimmer I can't recommend enough to get a swim coach for a couple of lessons or join a Master's group where you'll get coaching.

Oooh!  I want in!

Real first name: Elizabeth 

Age and gender: female, 44

Where you live: American Canyon, CA 

Family status: not married - have a boyfriend that I live with

Your previous triathlon experience: Just did my first Sprint a few weeks ago    

Your goals for this season: I had the year planned out, but just found out that I am going to need surgery (scheduled in July,) so my season is going to be interrupted and reconsidered.  I have another Sprint that I am getting in at the end of June so there will be at least one.  We will see how quickly I recover and what the rest of the season will hold on the flip side.

I LOVE spin classes and running on treadmills!  Seriously... 

Charlie, I think you can only import a plan if you have bought one of the Bronze, Silver, or Gold memberships.  You should be able to print it out (I think?)

Welcome Elizabeth!!  I have just gone through the surgery thing and am coming back, so I can give you personal experiences... I was definitely NOT happy to put what was looking to be a great season on hold while I healed, and my fitness definitely took a hit.  But if you have a good base, hopefully you will bounce back quickly!

I have one more returning Beastie member, Erin, and I will have her come post a Bio, but as of right now I am shutting us down.  I will do my best to get a group list with links to training logs up this afternoon!

Well...hate the dreadmill and honestly do not get on one more than once a year; BUT I am learning to really like the spin bike. 

Unfortunately we have no spin classes at my gym - there is suppose to be one but it is just a couple of 'older' ladies socializing and moving their legs some - not that I would not enjoy that myself and am happy for them they are moving  -but I am not leaving my house at 5AM and driving 30 miles for that :/

I do not have a trainer for my bike yet and I have toyed with the idea of getting a spin bike instead. Any opinions on that? I have never used a trainer, only been using spin bike at gym for a month or so....

I was good and sore from pushing around the jogging stroller on Monday so nothing doing last night.  It didn't help that my poor wife was sicker than a dog and had the accompanying attitude.

In terms of time vs. distance with the BT plans, here is what I found and noted for myself a little while ago:

Bike and Runs: 

Always go by time and stay within you prescribed heart-rate zones. Distance is given as a guide primarily to plan routes, etc. 

Swims: 
Train by distance for the swim. Try to get the distance in regardless of the time given.

I hope that helps!

Hi everyone!  It is great to see some familiar faces and also to see some new ones:-)  I joined Hilde's mentor group last year and what a great decision it was.  You will not find a better, more motivating, humorous and informative mentor on here.  If I ever win the lottery I might have to move to TX, rescue her from the music-teaching industry and hire her as a personal triathlon coach, lol.  Anyway, here's my stats:

Real first name:  Erin Rock

Age and gender: 34 (35 triathlon years)

Where you live:  Lexington, KY but originally from MN.

Family status:  Married to a real-life leprechaun straight outta Dublin.  No kids, one pooch

Your previous triathlon experience: Toyed with triathlon a little bit in 2011 before completing my first full season last year.  Did pretty well so getting a little more serious this year.  Just completed my second HIM (Rev3 Knoxville) in horrible conditions so hoping for some nice, sunny races in the future.

Your goals for this season:  On the fence about Augusta 70.3 in Sept. but that's what we are leaning toward.  Probably a few sprints, maybe another local HIM in two weeks, a few cycling races and possibly try to BQ again in a fall marathon.  We'll see what happens.  

Spinning stationary bike vs. trainer for road bike.  I have both, but I would definitely recommend the trainer set up over a stationary bike.  Here's why:  It is a little less up front investment for a middle of the road trainer.  Trainer takes up less space.  Trainer is more portable.  Trainer forces you to ride like you would outside as far as position.  And of course, a trainer is harder to turn into a clothes rack and forget it exists unlike my stationary bike that is currently covered with at least 4 hours worth of ironing!

I started teaching spinning before getting into triathlon and I have heard the gamut of how spinning doesn't prepare you for biking outdoors.  There are certain parts of spinning that don't translate well to outdoor road riding - i.e. jumps, certain standing flat tensions and balance moves, aero position - but, spinning certainly doesn't hurt you for biking outdoors.  I have several devoted outdoor cyclists in my class who have to be indoors because of snow.  Spinning converts the best for outdoor cycling if you don't skimp on the tension, maintain a minimum Zone 3 heart rate for no less than 45 minutes per session, use pedal clips to keep your foot position more accurate and don't be lulled into thinking that the balance you have on a stationary bike is the same on the outdoor bike!  There is no doubt that hills and wind are just plain harder outside, but the muscle I used in spinning is better prepared to fight back outside if it has felt something similar in spin class before.

Ok- thank you for the trainer answers!! I am going to have to save before I can get one anyway.

I have another question(s):

A triathlon group from the city my triathlon is in is holding a triathlon training session for beginners at the race site open to anyone this Saturday. I am planning to go. It is about 2 1/2 hours away & there is an 80% chance of rain this Saturday, praying that goes away!

Originally this was posted as an open swim practice. Then called triathlon training, no mentioning swim. When I emailed to RSVP as requested, I asked if they would be swimming (because I REALLY want to get an open water practice at this location in before my race.) this is the response I got:

"See you there. You will see GCAT flags flying by the pier. Bring your bike and other gear if you would like to practice as we show you things.  Some people will possibly swim, but it will not be GCAT sanctioned due to liability."

So my questions: What to wear? Do I wear tri shorts and top assuming swim? What other gear to bring besides bike? Everything for the real tri?

For the swim we are jumping off a little side pier off the main pier WAY out there. I live with a bunch of fishermen. I know WHAT swims around those piers. I am trying this think of this as motivation for speed. I know all of the AG will go first and then the first timers.  I have another question, Will my time start when the first group goes in the water or when my group goes in the water?

this first pic is about 1/2 way down the pier, and it is the second side thing we jump off of...

(pier 001.jpg)

(Grandman_SwimCourse1.gif)

(sm pier2.jpg)

Melody, I would wear what you were going to wear for the tri.... ie trisuit, tri top and tri shorts, whatever it is.... always best to try it out BEFORE race day!  I take it that's the OCEAN, or the Gulf?   Basically they do not want to take responsibility for anyone drowning in a practice swim... how far out are you jumping in?  About 400 yards maybe?  Can you swim 400 yards without stopping in the pool?  Have you done an Open Water Swim (OWS) yet, I only ask because some people kind of freak out (including my husband!)  The water in your pics looks typical of the lakes we swim in here in Texas... basically you can't see anything beyond about 6-12" down, kind of a greenish-brownish hue.  Do you know how warm the water is?

I would take everything you plan on taking for the real tri, after all you would be using it in the race, so possibly using it for the clinic.  If you don't get to ride the entire bike route, I would try to drive it while you are down there, paying attention to turns and hills, just so you can sort of mentally prepare yourself.  Hopefully parking is nearby to where you will be having the clinic so you can get what you need as you go.

Your time for the race will start when the gun goes off for your swim wave... the timing company will have a list of everyone in your wave and will start all of you at the same time (which is why you can't go in another swim wave!).... be glad, the first wave will scare off any creatures in the water before you get there!

Here is a list of the Summer 2013 Beasts!  You can cut and paste and put it on your dashboard and I believe you can manipulate it too.  I have not live-linked the user names like I have done in the past.  My suggestion is to add everyone as a friend, their name/avatar will appear on the left side of your training log and you can just click on anyone to take you to their logs.  Let me know if you have any issues getting around the site.... I believe they will be updating it any minute and we'll all have to learn our way around!