jsnowash's Spring-into-action 2011 mentor group -- Full Up & Ready to go! (Page 20)

Here's the race report for my marathon...

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=246434&posts=1&start=1 

Next up for me is a relay event called Seneca7 on April 30th.  It starts in the same park as the Musselman Triathlon and runs 77.7 miles around Seneca Lake (one of the NY's FingerLakes).  It's a 7 man relay where each runner does 3 legs ranging in distance from 2-5 miles.  Each person ends up running somewhere between 10-13 miles.  I know two of the women on my team from the gym, but I've never met the other 4.  Should be interesting...

Does anyone have any expereince with bike trainers?!  I'm looking at biting the bullet and purchasing one this year for interval training as well as winter and rainy day training. Coworker has a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine combo with a set of spinerval DVD's that he's been very happy with and another who has a computrainer...

 Thoughts?! 

Brad

Mine is just a magnetic trainer that I got from either Nashbar or Performance Bike for about $100 or maybe just slightly over that.  I've heard some people say the fluid ones are better, but I've been happy with mine (not that I've used it lately!).  I also have 3 of the Spinervals DVDs and time goes much faster when following those workouts. 

Computrainers sound cool, but they are $$$, right?

Now, I just need to get back on mine!

Courtney

I have about 4000 miles in my Cyclops Fulid trainer.  The fluid trainers in general are quieter than the magnetic trainers.  The computrainer is very nice... but ya $$$.  You can program in your reisistance, put in your IMCDA course and let it adjust the tension on the tire to simulate the hills, etc.  For those without financial constraints it is appearantly the way to go.  For the reast of us most other trainers will do.  Do get a specific tire for the trainer though.  It will wear through your regular tires faster than if you were on the road. 

Ankle bugging me again, sigh.  I thought I was recovered on that.  I was able to get in a short swim this week, didn't want to ever stress the shoulder as I am going to have to build my swim a great deal over the next several months for Vineman. 

I have a fitness test coming up for my job so I have been slacking the whole week and honstly it is really starting to bug me.  I miss following my work out routine and being able to push myself...  After Sunday though I will be back at it and I am thinking about throwing in some scattered P90X upper body and core workouts also! 

I hope you all get to feeling better before your marathons/tris!

Marcus

Thanks for the feedback..  I'm think I might try out a fluid trainer (probably the Kurt road machine), I can't find the guts to spend over 1k for a trainer!  Speaking of tri gear reviews, has any reviewed the blog from DC Rainmaker (www.???dcrainmaker.com)?  His review of the computrainer and similar "virtual" trainers could nearly convince any semi serious rider to put one step in the door! 

Guess who was finally back in the pool today!!  My gym has a little contest called Tog Dog going for the month of March and I picked up a silver in the 200yd swim with a 3:12 (I went 3:11 last year, so at least I'm consistent!).  I'm pretty sure I haven't been in the water since my last tri in JULY.  Gold is 3:00 so maybe next year if I actually trained, I could hit that.   Maybe next year, I could train and do the rest of the events too (there are things like bench press, squats, jump rope, pull-ups, sit-ups, etc).

Interestingly, the guard who was timing me said I split the first 50 in 39 sec.  I felt like I was dying at ~75-100 yds and it was the same sort of feeling I tend to get during tris (like "Oh my God, I can't swim that far!"), so I'm thinking that I probably go out too fast in those too. 

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know I finally did something other than just run!

Courtney

Nice swim, you are faster than me in the pool when you haven't trained in a year... wish I had a coach within 100 miles. 

I am able to run on the anlke, yay, I just need to keep the right shoe really loose and walk jog to warm up for a mile, then I'm fine.  Today's 5 mile run 7:17, 7:21, 7:15, 7:12, 7:05 minutes per mile and I wasn't flat out either, just fast...er. than usual.  It was nice to be out in shorts with no snow/rain/wind shell on today. 

I did 900 yards in the pool on Tuesday and will give it another go tonight, hopefully 1500 before the shoulder twinges. 

I looked at my logs for the month, 186 miles run and 399 miles biked.  So I just must bike at least 1 mile tonight on the trainer, I can't leave the month with 399 miles up there... anyone else pick up a little obsesiveness in making the numbers round since starting triathlon?

For the weight loss folks... I am stuck at 145.  It seems every 5 pounds I get stuck for a month before I see any downward movement.  Although this month was my birthday so I caved and had birthday cake.  I was proud that I sat through 4 trainings with a whole basket of candybars in front of me and haven't had any.  I just had the bag of nuts for 380 calories... I think the candybar would have been fewer calories.....but it would have opened the craving door for more chocolate. 

Anyway happy training spring is a comin, mid 50's today.

I love reading everyone's posts, so helpful in staying encouraged and focused.  I am in week 5 of my training and so last week was my first recovery week.  Thought it would be hard to kick it back up this week but has turned out way better than I could have imagined.  Still waiting to get outside on the bike (vs. the stationary) so hating those workouts right now.  Swimming is taking on a new twist due to having my stroke recently analyzed by a co-worker but loving it!!  And the run is so much less stressful, again haven't headed outside yet but should be there this week.  Going to get fitted for running shoes this week.

Ahhhh, this is actually starting to feel a little more real as the weather here is starting to warm up a little after months of winter hibernation!!

Run Forest Run!!

Life has been a bit crazy.  My FIL is now in a memory care facility after a week of major turmoil and moving him twice.  We're still not sure if this will settle out a bit or if he will have to stay there indefinitely.  His physical status is improving, but his mental status is very changeable, and so is ours!

Been getting in as many sanity workouts as I can.  Today my running/triathloning partner in crime was been diagnosed with what is sounding like a pretty serious spinal condition.  She is not allowed to run or do anything with impact, so assuming she can continue to bike and swim, we will be walking the run portion of the triathlon we are both signed up for a week from Sunday.

Hope everyone has a great weekend of training, and for those of you in cooler climates, hoping for some sunshiny warm days ahead for you! 

Sorry about your FIL, my dad died last month, and had gone through a series of maybe 9 strokes, so I know where you are coming from. 

Ouch spinal priblem and still doing a tri..... I might wait for the next one, but don't know the details or restrictions.

Yesterday, my rest day it was 75F out, today it snowed.  Oh well 4 mile run at 7:04 pace (WOW), 21 mile bike at 18 mile pace on drainer and 2100 yard swim.  Feeling pretty good.  Glad to be in taper mode...

Have a great weekend everyone!

That is pretty amazing that your friend still wants to continue with the Tri Squirt!  I wish you both the best of luck!  Baowolf... I love that that is your taper workout...

Racing season is underway! Good luck to everyone! Congrats to Courtney on her silver in swimming. Looking forward to Baowolf's report on Boston! Squirt, good luck on your tri next weekend with your new bike!! Sorry if I missed anyone's race, but good luck to all with races and training!

I think the worst of my piriformis syndrome and attendant sacral misalignment is over. I have been running regularly,  tho conservatively, on the treadmill. Yesterday was the big test--I met up with the local running club and went for 5 miles on the roads. No pain!  Won't be trained enough to do the half marathon I signed up for, but my next door neighbor who is also coming off a recent injury is going to do it as a relay with me! So I'm pretty happy that we are both healthy enough to participate.

Hoping that spring is really here in MN! Hope everyone has great weather for training and upcoming races!

--Beth

So many races in this forum I can't keep track!  Congrats on the half marathon Todd and I wish everyone else luck on their various runs and triathlons!  I hope spring has finally come to MN aswell.  I can also finally get back to my tri training now that my work fitness test is over... I passed just fine btw. 

Hearing all these race reports is really getting me psyched up for my race at the beginning of June.

Keep rocking it guys/gals!

Marcus

Another solid feeling run for me today, 12 miles at a 7:35 pace with consistent miles, last mile the fastest time.   I ran before church to get it out of the way, it was 23F at the time.  Now it is 50F and sunny.  Hrm, maybe I should have waited, oh well, time to relax. 

Grats everyone on your races.  I still remember mile 11 from my first er only Half mary.  The only thing better than that is mile 20 in a martahon 8). 

I was watchign a movie about a kid training for the Boston marathon, ya totally ficticious, too young to enter now a days and he only trained for like 2 months and etc.... but there was a very funny line in it.  The movie was Saint Ralf, the boy thought that if he won Boston it would be a miracle and his mom would come out of a coma.  For this miracle to happen he had to learn how to pray and hadn't figured out how to do that by the time the marathon was about to start.  The father at his school who was coaching him said praying is not a problem, everyone prays at mile 20.  So true.  Oh well, enjoy the training and the lovely weather.  I was able to go out and move a ton of dirt landscaping my yard so that was nice.  It turns out that wheelbarrows do not like softish dirt to be pushed on, who knew?

Great work Baowolf!  I have been between 170 and 180 for the past 8 years...  Sitting at 175 right now and no matter what I do I stay the same weight, I just exchange muscle for fat and vice versa.  I am hoping to get down to a lean 170 by mid summer though.  Wish me luck

Marcus