Experior's Group, Take Two -- CLOSED (Page 20)

slow turtle - 2010-06-07 6:49 PM Okay- You've all inspired and motivated me. I've decided to go for it and sign up for the Northern Columbia Tri on Aug 6! I realize I'll probably have to walk part of the run (I did last year too.)
So, I'm focusing on the bike. Starting this week, my goal is to bike 3 times a week. One long ride, one hilly ride, and one extra- probably on the trainer.
-Heidi

slow turtle - 2010-06-07 4:49 PM Okay- You've all inspired and motivated me. I've decided to go for it and sign up for the Northern Columbia Tri on Aug 6! I realize I'll probably have to walk part of the run (I did last year too.)
So, I'm focusing on the bike. Starting this week, my goal is to bike 3 times a week. One long ride, one hilly ride, and one extra- probably on the trainer.
-Heidi

slow turtle - 2010-06-07 3:49 PM Okay- You've all inspired and motivated me. I've decided to go for it and sign up for the Northern Columbia Tri on Aug 6! I realize I'll probably have to walk part of the run (I did last year too.)
So, I'm focusing on the bike. Starting this week, my goal is to bike 3 times a week. One long ride, one hilly ride, and one extra- probably on the trainer.
-Heidi

sstucker - 2010-06-07 8:59 PM Just got back from short swim workout. Tested friend's wetsuit, it's a seadoo wetsuit but it will keep me warm on Sunday. The suit didn't restrict my shoulders at all, actually posted better avg times in my 6x50 and 6x100. Only problem with it it's not full body, has short sleeve and knee high. At least my core will be warm. The race does claim that the water is warm this time of year and maybe with the record breaking weather it just might be warmer then normal and they're calling for hot weather for the weekend (high 84). Just a little excited!

TriGuyBri - 2010-06-08 1:12 AM

What race are you competing in on Sunday?  If it is going to be that hot begin the fluids now.  Sipping throughout the week.  It will payoff come race day.  Good luck!!! 

sstucker - 2010-06-07 11:59 PM Just got back from short swim workout. Tested friend's wetsuit, it's a seadoo wetsuit but it will keep me warm on Sunday. The suit didn't restrict my shoulders at all, actually posted better avg times in my 6x50 and 6x100. Only problem with it it's not full body, has short sleeve and knee high. At least my core will be warm. The race does claim that the water is warm this time of year and maybe with the record breaking weather it just might be warmer then normal and they're calling for hot weather for the weekend (high 84). Just a little excited!

sstucker - 2010-06-07 8:59 PM Just got back from short swim workout. Tested friend's wetsuit, it's a seadoo wetsuit but it will keep me warm on Sunday. The suit didn't restrict my shoulders at all, actually posted better avg times in my 6x50 and 6x100. Only problem with it it's not full body, has short sleeve and knee high. At least my core will be warm. The race does claim that the water is warm this time of year and maybe with the record breaking weather it just might be warmer then normal and they're calling for hot weather for the weekend (high 84). Just a little excited!

TriGuyBri - 2010-06-08 9:50 AM

The other thing about wetsuits is their added bouyancy factor.  They tend to keep you higher in the water and actually lets you swim with better form (at least I have found); especially your legs and hips.  Not sure how a shorty responds to added bouyancy but a sleeveless and full do.

TriGuyBri - 2010-06-08 8:36 PM Ok I need some advice or direction.  My next Olympic is in exactly 16 weeks.  I am contemplating starting a new Olympic plan towards this race at a higher intensity level than before with longer mileage in all three.  My question is where do I begin? 

I have the Matt Fitzgerald Essential Week-by-Week Training Guide which has lots of 8 different level Oly plans in them and that I used for my recent Oly. training.  I have two additional Sprints (july10th and early Sept.) that are the same course.  I don't want to train specifically for the Sprints but use the sprint races as springboards to my final race at the end of Sept.  I will race hard in the Sprints to better my time from last year and the first time this year.

Q - Should I start a whole new Oly plan at a higher level and more mileage or start in the middle of a plan at the yardage I am currently doing and work upwards?  I am guessing if I start a whole new plan it will take me back through the  Base Phase , Build Phase and Peak Phase; is this such a bad thing or do I not want to do that?

A little help!

Experior - 2010-06-08 6:23 PM

It is not at all a bad thing to go back to square one (but, as you say, at higher volume) at this point.  Here's why.

The plans are periodized.  I haven't seen Fitzgerald's plan in a while (I think I have his book lying around somewhere, and I'll try to find it), but surely they are periodized.  What that means in particular is that they are going to take you through certain TYPES of workout at specific times in the plan.  It isn't just a matter of building volume.  They will first introduce non-race-specific workouts (but ones designed to build certain essential abilities for later) and later move in to the race-specific workouts.

What these various workouts are, exactly, depends on the race.  So, for example, for an IM you might focus on some short hard intense stuff early on -- this will boost your VO2 max -- and then move into LT intervals (to boost your LT, of course), and finally into the longer stuff that is similar to what you'll do in the race.  Notice that the earlier workouts here are serving a very specific purpose.  If you skip that part of the plan, you lose those benefits.  The same thing goes for other distances (I just happen to have IM on the brain at the moment!)  For short races, for example, you'll wait and focus on speedwork closer to the race.  Why?  Because in short races you are going to go fast and hard!  (I.e., periodization means different things for different races.  People are often confused about this (though it can sometimes boil down to merely a semantic issue) and think that it just means 'go slow early on, and faster later'.  It ain't so!)

So the above was meant to convince you not to skip part of the plan.  What I'd do if I were you is find a plan whose volume during base building starts at about where you want to start.  Then follow the plan to build your base even more than what you have now (which is pretty good), and let it take you into the other phases of the training.

Basically, what you are doing here is peaking twice in one year.  That's good!  But to do that, you need to go 'back to base' after your first peak and repeat the entire process.  I would also say that twice per year is about the limit.

Experior - 2010-06-08 7:30 PM I've been having motivation issues in the pool lately.  I got a good swim in on Monday, and was looking to take that up a notch today.  But just as I got started on the hard part of the workout, some kid took a dump in the pool and we all had to get out.  (He looked to be 10+ years old -- seems a bit old for this no?  I guess I'm just bitter.)

Is someone out there telling me to stop swimming?

I don't know about the rest of you (let's hear your take on this!), but in general it is the swim where I have the most motivation issues.  I do generally like to swim, but it is definitely the workout that I will bag more readily than any other.  How about you all?  How do you get motivated to go to the pool (and stay there!)?

slornow - 2010-06-08 8:02 PM

 

Bad luck on the "Code Brown"

I'm with you on the swimming.  I had not been in the pool for a week and when I swam yesterday it felt like I had no clue what I was doing.  Decided to focus on drills and some pull work.  Today I did a solid workout and felt pretty good.  My problem is the first few hundred yards-I get out of breath and have trouble getting in a rhythm-even in the pool.  This creates a bit of a problem in a race as they tend to be more than 50-100 yards.  Makes me dread the swim in races.  

I try not to skip swim workouts but my favorite part is getting out of the pool after I am done.  Just never seems to get any easier.  Hang in there Michael I'm right there with you.

Randy

Experior - 2010-06-08 5:30 PM I've been having motivation issues in the pool lately.  I got a good swim in on Monday, and was looking to take that up a notch today.  But just as I got started on the hard part of the workout, some kid took a dump in the pool and we all had to get out.  (He looked to be 10+ years old -- seems a bit old for this no?  I guess I'm just bitter.)

Is someone out there telling me to stop swimming?

I don't know about the rest of you (let's hear your take on this!), but in general it is the swim where I have the most motivation issues.  I do generally like to swim, but it is definitely the workout that I will bag more readily than any other.  How about you all?  How do you get motivated to go to the pool (and stay there!)?

I don't know about the rest of you (let's hear your take on this!), but in general it is the swim where I have the most motivation issues.  I do generally like to swim, but it is definitely the workout that I will bag more readily than any other.  How about you all?  How do you get motivated to go to the pool (and stay there!)?

Experior - 2010-06-08 8:30 PM

I've been having motivation issues in the pool lately.  I got a good swim in on Monday, and was looking to take that up a notch today.  But just as I got started on the hard part of the workout, some kid took a dump in the pool and we all had to get out.  (He looked to be 10+ years old -- seems a bit old for this no?  I guess I'm just bitter.)

Is someone out there telling me to stop swimming?

I don't know about the rest of you (let's hear your take on this!), but in general it is the swim where I have the most motivation issues.  I do generally like to swim, but it is definitely the workout that I will bag more readily than any other.  How about you all?  How do you get motivated to go to the pool (and stay there!)?

StlPhil - 2010-06-09 8:15 PM

Did another bike TT tonight. Finished a 21 mile loop in 1:05:13 for 19.32 mph on a rolling course. First half was 32:20 avg. HR 76% and the second half was 32:53 avg. HR 78%. Not much of a drop off. Once again cardiovascular is ahead of musculoskeletal. Need more bike time, but finishing the bike leg of my race in an hour is looking very realistic.

juneapple - 2010-06-10 5:48 AM Hey Everyone,

As a bit of a change of pace of pace from training notes, I finally uploaded pictures from along my bike to work.  Note that I didn't take any pictures of the dogs attacking... just the good stuff :-)  Enjoy... I know I do!

my commute

Stu