Anthony Tatasciore Tri with Tat -CLOSED (Page 2)

Thanks for the advice regarding the heavy legs during the running segment of the Brick workout! I tried that this morning and my legs were not as heavy as the last time. 

This week was not as intense as last week. I failed to train for 2 days. And Monday, a friend who has been a ciclist for 20 years (He's also an Ironman Finisher - Cozumel) took us on a bike ride to explain some of the ciclying basics. It was very useful info but the ride was slow. On Wednesday, I ran. I did really well in running. Running is my best discipline. I won't take a day off tomorrow as I will be running at a 5K race and I am aiming for a PR. (Moon Palace Resort Foundation Race at Riviera Maya).

We are now going onto Week 4 of our Sprint Triathlon Training. (Next Monday).

I have a few questions which I look forward for your comments:

1) Some of my triathlon buddies (the most experienced ones) have mentioned they SWIM everyday (additional to their training plan, which means they sometimes do 2 sports in one day). I follow my weekly plan and it only has 2 o 3 swims a week. Do you think it would be advisable to swim everyday as well? Should I? Am I missing anything if I'm not? Swimming is not my best discipline. I am an average swimmer. 

2) Should I be using energy gels?

3) What are some basic rules in this forum? Can we interact, comment or share ideas with others? (I don't want to create confusion but there's times I would love to interact). This is my first time on a Triathlete forum and I'm still getting the hang of it. 

Have a great weekend Tat! 

Hello Anthony!

I had written a brief summary last week referring to my thoughts, comments and doubts from my training but I'm guessing I didn't submit after reviewing it. I am usually at work, multitasking when I write. So, before I start briefing you about last week's training, I would like to re-write about the 2 weeks ago. (Week 5 of my training plan).

Week 5 of my 12 week training plan. Almost half-way.

1) Swimming is going Ok. I don't think I'm getting any better, I'm still an average swimmer and I am seriously considering swimming everyday as I did last year. I have very good condition, I'm just not as fast as I wish I was. I want to be able to swim 750mts in less than 20 mins in the ocean and less than 18mins in the pool. I am not using fins or paddles and I think I should. Here's where swimming Coaches and Triathlon Coaches don't always see eye to eye. My Swimming Coach is more focused on speed and distance rather than strenght (The Triathlon I will be doing starts on the beach. We swim 350 mts in the ocean then go into a river and swim against the flow for the last half). 

2) Cycling: 2 weeks ago we had a long ride (120mins) which was very tense for me. There was a lot of wind. Cancun has no hills or tall buildings. When it is windy...there's no cover. While we were cycling, sometimes the front wheel felt as if it was loose. I even stopped to check if it was properly attached. The bike felt very unstable and it made me very tense. Sometimes I felt as if the wind was pulling my bike to one side. Later on I talked to a non-cyclist friend about it and he said I should not have gone cycling that day. The thing is...Triathlons very rarely get cancelled due to the weather. We would have to be on Hurricane warning if a triathlon ever got canceled and in May we are already in our rainy season. There is a high chance it will be windy! I better be ready!

3) Running: I got this...It is going great. I just need to master the 2 other sports I'm weak at so I can be ready to crush the last miles on my foot!

Week 6 of my 12 week training plan. Halfway.

1) Swimming: I'm doing my best to correct technique flaws. I have considered getting a second opinion about my swimming. (Different Coach).

2) Cycling: Brick workout last Saturday. It went well. The day was beautiful. I wish I were a bit faster in cycling. Running after went well. First 5 mins were difficult then it all went easy.

3) Running: It is going well. It's still my strongest discipline...But it is the last part and I will need to save energy for my legs.

Looking forward to your advice and comments! 

~~~~~~~~~

Hello Tat! Thank you so much for reviewing my swimming video. I understand what you mean about the keeping my elbow closer to the top of the water. Just last night, someone on Instagram posted a video with that specific technique. The advantage of using videos on Instagram is that the videos are very short, but they restart on auto, therefore, you don't have to keep clicking on anything to watch again. I'll do the drill you suggest this week and let you know how it went.

Now here's the summary of last week's training:

1) Swimming: It was intense and challenging but not focused on Triathlon training. It turns out I was invited to take part on a Swimming Relay Race. So I focused on doing 100mts drills at Z4 HR. By Friday, I realized I should stay focused on Triathlon and turned down the invite for the race. I was back on track by Sunday when I went for an OWS session. The weather was great and so was the ocean. We did a continuous swim and I enjoyed every min of it. This week's goal: Improve technique: Keep elbow high when doing the pull.

2) Cycling: I can feel I am getting better. I'm more confident and comfortable with my bike. My arms are not tense anymore and I can hold on to the handlebars on different positions. I had my first sips of water without stopping for the first time (and I even kept pedaling!). When I came across windy areas and the wind moved my bike I didn't panic. The best part was being able to make turns without slowing down. I figured, if my friend can do it...so can I! So I did my first cornering last Saturday and it went well. 

There is something I wanted to mention about cycling. I have not yet made the transition to clip-on shoes. (not sure which is the right way to call them: clip-in or clip-on). When I went to the cycling retailer, the owner told me it was best to start with MTB clip-on shoes. He said I could run with those shoes to finish the Sprint Triathlon (those shoes are tennis shoes that clip on the pedals, when you get off the bike, you are still wearing the shoes). He said I could use them for 1 or 2 years then switch to Triathlon shoes. None of my Triathlon friends agreed. They said they all use Triahtlon clip-in shoes and that it would be a waste of money to spend on 2 shoes plus the pedals. While I thought about it...I was already into the first weeks of Triathlon training. I figured that it might drift me off my goals if I tried to learn how to use them while I was already into the training plan. I am planning to do this after I am done with the Triathlon which is May 17. Then I will have the time, probably the patience, to get into them. In the meantime...I'm using the pedals with the straps that hold the tennis shoes.

3) Running: I am always at ease and very confident about running. I know myself really well, which is something I need to master in other discliplines, for instance, swimming. In running, I know how far and how long I can run hard, which is always helpful when you want to pass other runners. My training plan has Fartlek workouts and I love doing them. Wanna hear something funny? I went for a run last week with my husband. I told him what my workout was and he said he would do my workout. I thought he loved it. The next day he says "Yeah, I enjoyed how you were dragging me as if I was your pet while you ran like crazy!" Ha ha!  

And last...the Instagram App:  I like Instagram because I follow people who are involved in similar activities or goals. Hashtagging makes it possible. If I want to look for posts related to cycling...I look for #cycling or #triathlon or #swimming and I follow them. And because Instagram is only photos...you get to see what other people all around the world see while they train...and I think that's fascinating! 

Now, time to start my day back in the office. Have a wonderful week to you and everyone in the Triathlon community! 

Hello there! I saw your post the other week and wanted to say hi but at the same time I thought it was best if our Mentor Anthony responded to your questions. That being said, well, here's a hello from a fellow triathlete. Hope your training is going well and welcome to the group! 

Hi Tat! I was just re-reading your original post (your training background and goals). How are your plans going? I hope it's all going well. 

I want to start briefing about last week's activities focusing on Swimming. Swimming is something I enjoy, but it is also one of my biggest challenges. It always intrigues me how technique plays a huge role in speed. This week, I felt I made a breakthrough in swimming. See, the thing is, I've been swimming with technique for only 1 year. Since day one, I struggled with understanding my Coache's instructions. I also struggled trying to remember his instructions. I have also struggled trying to understand why we do a certain drill, for example those drills aimed to improve technique. I am one of those people that need to visualize everything. I am also the type of pupil that learns from reading. And any verbal instruction will stay in my mind for no more than 5 seconds. So I depend a lot on visualization in order to understand and learn. Just last week, I read a very detailed explanation of the CATCH segment of the swim which also had a short video. I also read your suggestions on this forum which made as much sense as the detailed explanation I had read. Last Thrursay during my swimming class, I applied the newly learned technique. It worked wonders! Right before pushed off the wall, one of my fellow swimmers was stretching before she dived in and she shouted "I'll catch up with you in a few!". She's quite fast. I have to add that I love training with her because she's fast and focused. She also pushes me to work hard. I pushed hard that night. When we finished our session, my Coach said "Hey! You were speeding tonight! I saw that!". And my swimming buddy added "I never caught up with you". 

On the other hand, I also felt I had a setback. We went for an ows workout on Sunday. And I was never able to catch up with my triathlon training friend, Claudia. And although everyone says that swimming in the ocean should be easier. And that you should float more and glide more. Well... I don't feel focused or in control. I don't feel fast. The water wasn't choppy at all. No current. I just don't feel as in control as how I felt last Thursday in the pool. We did a 45 min set with different HR Zs. As far as goggles, I always have to take them off and clean them during the swim cause they get foggy. 

At the end of our swim, we practiced dolphin diving. I need practice. My friend Claudia is very tall. I am short. While running on shallow water, I raise my knees to avoid splashing then when I think water is deep enough to make a dive, I do it...but I think I should wait till water is deep enough so that I have enough space for my arms to make another dive. By the time I started swimming after running and making a few dolphin dives...I was hyperventilating! I remember last year, I was hyperventilating for the first few minutes of the swim segment. I remember having to talk myself into relaxing and going easy. Is it normal? Or should we aim for a slower run or dive? Or is it flaws in my technique that are making me start the swim at high HR? I posted a video on Instagram. I hope you have a chance to check it out!

Looking forward to your thoughts and ideas. Have a great week Tat!

My respects to you for doing a 70.3 with only a week of training. If it was 99 triathletes on this particular half-ironman, then it was probably the toughest athletes on that area. And you were among them. Plus, I bet they had trained for months while you showed up with just a week of training. How was the swim? What kind of weather? Were there hills during the ride? How is your cadence? Do you go on high RPM or low RPM? Was it windy? What was the most challenging segment? I hope you share some photos of the race!

My week has started slow. My 13-year old daughter has been sick with a throat infection. I was not able to do my 30min recovery run yesterday. I'm supposed to do a speed workout in swimming today and also check my TT in 400mts. I'll try to do that tonight after work. 

I'm getting a little anxious. Triathlon is in a month. I know I will get to the Finish Line. But I want to get there among the first 5 in my age group. Most of them are tough swimmers. Good cyclists. I am thinking my strategy will be to save enough energy for the run, my strongest discipline. Today's TT in 400m should give me an idea if I've really made progress in swimming, cause my training plan started with a TT in  400mts (first week of training) and I'll compare both results. 

Have a great day/afternoon/evening Tat!

Well it is FRIDAY and I'm doing the HAPPY DANCE! Not because it has anything to do with Friday but because I finally got to do my 400 swimming TT and I got a new PB, shaving off 32 seconds from my previous TT when I was starting week 2 of my Triathlon Training Plan about 2 months ago!

This week started slow and I missed 2 days in training (Mon and Tue). I was feeling a bit anxious. The main goal of this week's training plan was to do check-up tests in all 3 segments. I'm happy with my results, specially in swimming!!!!! Even my swimming coach is happy today!  (Bike is scheduled for tomorrow). 

Have a wonderful weekend Tat! And everyone else in the triathlon community. If you have any races this weekend, enjoy every minute of it! And share some photos! x

Dear Tat:

I'm writing this a day before my race. Tomorrow, at this time, most likely, I will have reached the Finish Line. I started this journey as an unexeperienced triathlete eager to learn, eager to feel in control and confident. And that was key motivation during every training session. I think every adult, every child, every person should never stop learning and trying new things that make them better. Last year I did my first triathlon but the experience was much different from this year. I was really lost then, I had to train "blind". I think the only person I could count on was my swimming Coach, and he hates running. I had already found Beginner Triathlete but I didn't really know what to do. I'm so glad this year I found the mentor program. I am glad I found you as my mentor.

I think I started my training plan on the right foot this time. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. We are all so far geographically, yet, you have been able to understand and guide us in the right direction. You were right in so many things even if you couldn't see me during my sessions. 

So, as I finish this post, my mind is full of positive thoughts. I enjoyed every day that I trained. I started with so much fear, specially during windy bike rides. Back in November I had an accident and fell from my bycicle. I hit the ground with my head (helmet on) and broke my right hand. I spent the Holiday Season with a cast and coulnd't swim or bike for a couple of months. At 43...you become fearful. Sometimes you need to find the inner child to try and not think too much, worry too much. At the end of this months of training I was able to relax, enjoy cycling, feel in control and speed up. I learned how to make turns and even how to jump on the bike while running. 

Swimming also got better. Thanks for the drills. I have shaved off about 30 secs from my time. 

And running...well, I've always said it. That's my strongest discipline. 

Thanks again for everything. I will keep in touch and let you know how things go. I will find you again before I start training for my next peak race: ITU Cozumel.

Btw, I'm attaching a link which I hope you get to see...It is a brief video for tomorrow's race: Triatlón Tres Rios (Three Rivers Thriathlon). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdU7H5eglVM