Baowolf's Mentor Group- Closed (Page 20)

Ok catching up here. Samantha you should get enough salt/potassium from your regular sports drinks and foods. I have never had to supplement though some people do. I would probably throw a couple hundred extra calories on me for the bike or just grab a bar or gatoraide if you run low on infinit for that last 45 min to 1:20. You can live off the course it is more of do you like what they are offering on the course. It is easier to grab stuff on the run than on the bike if you are taking in a lot of calories from the course. I like GU so I should be set on the run for nutrition. I get a little hungrier about 1/3 of the way through the run and then have to ease off on the calories on the last 5 miles or so if I drank too much because it was 95F + out. So ya you should be alright calorie wise. However, your brain may start to not remember what you ate when. It is good to have a strategy ahead of time that you can fall back on, like miles 3,6,9, etc or every half hour at 30 min and on the hour or some such. If your stomach gets sloshy take in less more often, so 1 gel over 2 miles instead of all at once. If you give people your race number they should be able to track you on IM website that day. Folks will get feedback at every checkpoint (timing mat) on the course. There was one at the north end of the course and one by the turnaround near the lake on the bike. On the run there was one farthest west and then farthest east on the 2 loop course. The run is fairly flat with 1 moderate, you will think big hill at the East turnaround. You will pass it on the bike though so you will know what to expect.

So today was 800 repeat day for me 7:02, 6:53, 6:52, 6:52 for paces. Not as flat a course today so first one was slower. Bike was pretty flat after the run and then 2700 yard swim when I get all rested up.

Some suits are more boyant than others, probably not something to worry about, the main function is to keep you warm. There will be water in the suit, not sure how much you had ... it won't really slow you down unless your backside is being dumped full of water on every stroke and your suit is like a parachute 8).

Mike, after a HIM typically the first week is crappy, ya just do what ya want, walking lite swim slow short bike. The second week is like a recovery week, low intensity but endurance should be coming back, by week 3 you can start building again.

Edited by Baowolf 2013-06-20 2:01 AM

I am still liking the swim 4 days a week. Every day I do a speed ladder going from around 2:00 /100 up to 1:45/100 ish. I start with 100 yards and then drop to 50 yards at the top end. This is kind of guestimated. Once the real pool opens up (for like 4 weeks this summer) I can go do some timed swims. I do know that at least for the 100s and 50s I am going faster than any pervious year. What I have noticed most is the way my hands hold the water better. I always have a certain feeling on my hands of the water being pushed like you have a paddle on your hand. If your hand is not pushing the water back with that feel it likely means that water is slipping off your hand or you are pushing down too much. The whole balance thing remains a challenge always. I am really hoping that when I get to a real pool that my all out 100s and 50s are better than 1:55/100 8). I am hoping that the sustained speeds come up as well. It is almost time for another 1000 yard time trial to test the swim at 1.5 sec /100 faster.

Hi Jim - starting right off able to run 3 miles is good, though everyone here will tell you to run a min./walk two etc. Don't know your level of fitness, but after hurting myself I was forced back to that. I'm new here so don't know your background. Would like to hear your story.

Squirt - lol about the ledge stuff. Yeah, I think I'm OK

Jay - I hadn't realized how carb phobic I had become. I went through all my protein drinks and bars. Most were higher protein than carb. I'm trying to ease up, allow myself a higher carb bar. I passed all my protein stuff to my boy - high school football player.

Mike - Like Jay's thought about moving a little, though my first thought was to chill. Then I noticed you have a sprint coming up. I guess you're not worried about training for it?

Biked 5 miles, ran .5 mile. Went to the pool and figured out how to sight. Probably not right, and I bet I look weird, but every 6 strokes I do a breast stroke like move, turn my head to the right for a big gulp of air and back to freestyle. I think I can survive if I don't have to stop swimming every few minutes to sight. Getting back to swimming after treading water was exhausting.
This is all costing so much I didn't want to do it, but after this race I will take a few swim lessons. I feel OK, I just don't move forward all that much.

Thanks again everyone.
Mitzi

The sprint is a 'for fun' race and is right here in my town. Its fun to ride my bike the 2 miles to the race site/transition, then ride home in 10 min after the race

Mike - that does sound like fun having a tri just miles from your door.

Mitzi - No matter what level you are at, we can all relate to the crisis of confidence. When I started in Steve's group here, I was the newbie all starry eyed with people talkilng about HIM's and marry's. The furtherest I ran was a 5K and never did anything competetive like this. Sure is fun though!

Samantha - you must be busy. We are all living the IM dream vicariously through you right now.

Steve - See the swim thing is not as hard as it seems. I might be able to swim but you do a great job of describing the motions. Time in the pool is definitely important but I have learned a lot swimming while coaches run the team through practice, and instructors are teaching kids to swim. Listenning to what they say and how they put workouts together has been a big plus.

Great weather yesterday and made full use of the night getting in 7 miles in some 71 minutes. Pace might have been a bit fast and had to push through some mental hurdles. By mile 6 and 7 I felt good although the pace slowed a bit. Splits 10:07, 9:36, 9:56, 9:58, 10:06, 10:20, and 10:46. The last two miles were up some 70-100' of hills to get home. Although there probably is some resistance at that 5 mile mark right now and more base building should help. Two more runs to hit the 4x/wk goal.Looks like decent weather today too and the workout plan is for a bike and swim.

Joe, your training is really looking good these days! Nice 7 miler.

Jay, I sincerly apologize for making light of your struggle. That is never the right thing to do; my bad. We all come to the table with different strengths/weaknesses. You have the competitive drive that I sometimes lack, so feel free to call me a slacker to even things out. Thanks for the pointers on visiting my friend this weekend. Rules that seem pointless tend to set me off emotionally and make me say equally pointless things. So I definitely need to be ready to let it roll off my back and keep my eye on the prize.

Excitement building for Samantha and Mitzi!!!!

Please hit me over the head with a sledge hammer when I say that I am *THINKING* of signing up for another summer race!!! Never again. This is hard and I'm not doing what I know I need for a *successful* race in July. .

I signed up for Twin Cities. It's 10/6. I think having something on the calendar will be good. I ran early this morning but did not get to the pool at lunch as I had hoped. I printed out my work calendar for next week so I can figure out next week's training!

Samantha and Mitzi - good luck this weekend if I don't get to post again before your respective races! Samantha, I will try to track you.

I have been traveling a lot but keeping a moderate training since my next triathlon is in 10 days. I have been improving on my swim and I am working on hills with my bike.

Samantha- I have been looking at different Ironmans! You are my hero for this week, you go become an IRONMAN!!!!!!!!

Hey all! I'll have to reply more later. I've been reading all the posts and I can't express the amount of joy it brings me to read all your encouraging words and to know you that cheers and prayers will be accompanying me from people who really understand this journey.

I honestly don't know what to expect from my legs. Over-all they feel achy with little pains here and there. i chalking that up to the end up the recovery phase and I not stressed about it. I am preparing myself for a tough marathon. I did another OWS last night in rolling waves; felt like I was on the ocean. The lake temp has dropped a couple degrees due to solid rain for two days and 50+temps outside. No clue what the temp will be by Sunday. The weather forecast calls for 30% chance of showers and 75-77degrees. I do know that after getting out of the water yesterday after 40 minutes I was chilly. How I love the unpredictable.

Today I'm gonna go to athlete check-in, and then do some volunteering and try not to freeze while I'm sitting outside for a couple hours.

Mitzi - so glad you didn't drop out. I really look forward to hearing about it, and I hope you are able to relax and just have fun.

Yes swimming really is that hard 1,500,000 yards and I am maybe 10 seconds per 100 faster....

Totally flat today after yesterdays workouts, swim had my arms completely spent and 800s spent my legs yesterday.

Samantha if the knee isn't hurting you should be ok. Just in time. The water temp is not going to drop more than a degree or two between now and then. I would be prepared for wet on the bike and run with access to a waterproof layer for your upper body throughout the day. With swimming in waves you just kind of let your body bounce up and down and just watch the timing on your breathing. When going downwind you can kind of surf each wave with your strokes. The really hard part of waves is that they can push you offcourse really easily if they are going sideways to where you want to go.

Samantha - you rock!

How do I go about "checking in" with Samantha's progress throughout the day?

Went to a local sprint tri. Must have looked like a real creeper - checking out everyone's set up, watching the swim - cheering on the last out of the lake yelling "you did it, it's all about getting to the bike". Someone here said that. Couldn't help but follow the heavier and older folks. Wondered which one I would be like. Really want to get out there and train, but there is nothing I can do now for my sprint.
It was a little discouraging as it was a fast race. Hardly anyone coming in after 1h30m.

While I'm fitting in smaller sizes, xl workout tops are just slightly loose (used to be tight). I spent a long time finding a tank top that would be loose to wear over my tri suit. I still like my clothes to be big and loose. Found an orange tank. Put it on over suit thinking the kids would be thankful that I was covering up. Kids begged me not to wear it! My son said it looked like someone who has given up on life. Not sure what that means, but they assured me I looked good, so I'm wearing spandex in public, no coverup!

Mitzi

Edited by MuscleMomma 2013-06-20 11:45 PM

Yes!!!!! Your kids have got this right. You are already overcoming fear....love that! I almost cried the first time I tried on a tri outfit. Probably not good to do that with my leaner friend . But when you are out there sweating your butt off with 100's of others wearing the same thing, it is the perfect wardrobe choice. By the way - my favorite book on triathlons is called "Slow, Fat Triathlete". The subtitle is "living your athletic dreams with the body you have". It is great encouragement for anyone, regardless of weight.

Maybe I'll use it for a new avatar - that picture was from my tri in 2006! (just looked up the results). The little boy in the picture is now a high school football star, so it's time.

D*mn - checked out sighting on youtube - I've got to get to the pool and practice that brief, slight movement.

Ya freestyle sighting is sposed to work like this.... You take your breath and then just rotate your head forward with your eyes just above the water level to get a glimpse of where you are going and continue your stroke. It feels a little "floppy" but doesn't break your stroke and doesn't put you into breaststroke mode. If one had a strong kick I think it would be easier to maintain your form while siting. It is awkward but the pros do it without missing a beat, like watching hurdlers.

I am so spent still, not looking forward to my 3100 yard swim tonight. My bum is not getting used to the saddle again quickly enough so ya 80 mile ride gona be fun tomorrow, may have lots of breaks. 13 weeks to race day... long way to go in my training.

Samantha the 4/1 plan sounds reasonable.

Triathlon is one of the most supportive sports I know of so don't worry about how you look or when you come in. You win by just being out there. I find that I don't start losing weight until my workouts get longer than an hour and actually more than 90 minutes helps. But ya my metabolism is very very low.

I'm all checked in and attended the athlete dinner and meeting. I got a pretty cool IM backpack. I have all my bags and the stuff that'll go in them laid out all over the living room. I've had several moments of panic today regarding whether or not I am ready. I find the cut-off times to be intimidating and I would definitely feel devastated if I missed one and was pulled off the course. Thankfully they are momentary and I have been able to redirect my thoughts. I've been praying so much about staying calm and having a sense of peace. I've also been praying I would stay present during the race and that pain, frustration, etc., will not push me into a downward spiral on race day. Thankfully I've had good sleeps and I expect I'll have a good one tonight.

I had fun shopping for food today for all my guest coming. It's gonna be so great to have so many people here.

Steve, I hope you have some good training sessions and that you don't feel wiped out the next day.

Mitzi - "Slow, Fat Triathlete" is the book I read that really pushed me to sign up for my first tri. I highly recommend you get a copy and ready it! Turn your mind to positive things that you like about yourself or others, or about what you are seeing while you are doing your tri. Do not think about how you look or stuff like that because it only bring you down. You are gonna do well and at the end all that other stuff just won't matter.

I know I missing so much in my responses. I trust you all understand the busyness of my life right now and that you'll forgive me.

I'm doing well and I hope you all train hard this weekend. I'll post again tomorrow, I hope, then off to the races for me. Forecast is 77 and sunny. This weekend of sunshine is a pocket of good weather set between rain, rain, rain. Very thankful for this!

So exciting Samantha! I know you will do great! We'll be following you...

Steve. Your training is looking amazing. I am thoroughly impressed!

Samantha, have a great day tomorrow! Enjoy every second!

Quick posting before work....these hours need to slow down!

Samantha: I don't know when I'll get to post again so sending you my best from way over here in the East Coast. Believe in yourself and lean on the ultimate healer in tough times during that race...He will get you though!

Carol: I hope your visit goes well. I'm almost as nervous for you as Samantha...in a totally different way. You have no need to apologize to me....I am nuts sometimes when it comes to training, expectations!

Steve: Thank you for your post on your training. This may sound strange but it made me feel better to read that you may have to take a break on your ride...why you ask....because I had to take one on mine this week and felt like crap about it.

Mitzi: Best of luck to you as well I think the key for you is positive thinking! Dedicate yourself to knowing and believing that you'll find a way to finish each of the 3 legs and be satisfied with it. If you do, i think your race report will be one filled with joy and a sense of accomplishment.

Go Samantha!!!! Can't wait to hear about the incredible day you will (are??) having!!

Enjoying a bit of downtime here in Maine. Heading out on a kayak trip this AM. Did a short run yesterday and it started ugly, but got better.

As I'm typing this, I think Mitzi is on the course. Go Mitzi, Go!!!!!! We are proud of you.

Samantha, will be praying for you tomorrow. What is your bib number so we can track you? You are gonna do great. You are my hero because you have put in the work.

Goal was 8 miles this morn and typical of me, I couldn't make myself get out the door. But finally I did and it was beautiful and wonderful. I went one of my fav't routes that I haven't done in a long time. I call it Mr. Joe's route because I would run into precious Mr. Joe from church there at 5:30 in the morn. He left the world last year but I will always remember him on the route. Checked out to see which houses were painted, new roofs, or doing their yard work. Found out that the purple flower that I love is called an agapantha (sp?). Talked to the retired forester who walks 5 miles every day in his hiking boots. Finished with 8.8 miles. WooHoo!

Have a great weekend every one. Carol, thinking of you and hope the visit goes well. Steve, you can do that 80 miler!

Hey all. The race is tomorrow, Sunday. My bib number is 582. I'm pretty sure IM Live tracker will be going for the race if you want to stalk me.

Go Miss Mitzi!! Go Miss Samantha!! Can not wait for you to share your day! Good vibes all the way!
Carol, excellent run! Got in 7 this morn. Hoping to get in a ride later after a kid- party.