tcovert's Winter 2009 Mentor Group - FULL (Page 21)

Also, my coed rec soccer league started another season tonight at the YMCA.  We suck.  Lost 11-0, and nobody is surprised.  Par for the course ... but we have FUN!

Seriously, I haven't played soccer since I was 9, but this has been a great experience since we started last May.  It's funny ... I can bike 60 miles easily, swim a mile without thinking twice, run 6 to 7 miles and even tie all three together once in a while for a respectable time.  But sprinting around a soccer field (arena) is brutal!  I definitely use different muscles, I always come away sore, and it's tough just to be on the field, competitively, for 7 minute stretches.

Add to that that I have (in 8 months) broken two fingers, torn my quads multiple times (twice on the Friday nights before Sunday races), and the tooth that I got knocked loose tonight that I feel will fall out within a week, and I think I must be crazy for continuing while trying to get ready for some triathlons. 

Did I mention that it was fun?  

Thanks, guys. I'm excited for it now that I've not put so much pressure on myself.

Vigi's sounds yummy. And, whoever signs up for the SD Int'l -- I'll probably see you there, maybe we can set an intention to meet up. First things first.

Responding to the marathon pacing-- I'm going to explore the Galloway method of 9 minutes running to 1 walk or 8 and 2 once I start my marathon training in earnest. I think it's a great strategy for an IM, too. Apparently you use different muscles for walking vs. running and even that short break gives your body a chance to recoup/recover. FWIW-

Have a great weekend everyone. And, uh, Morgan, Pretty intense soccer there. 

I won't be coming to a California for a bike.  I got a deal on an Orbea Ordu frame while you were gone.  Doing a build. I'm psyched.  I have to buy the bars and wheels still.  That's in the works.

So let me ask - Galloway?  Where can I learn more.  Got a first name?  8:2 or 9:1, does Galloway have a reason to choose those ratios?  Schneider suggested 10:2, and said that was what ultra marathoners use.  She said the key was to start the run:walk from the start.  Don't wait until you are already toast.  Use it throughout. 

Here's a link to a pretty good article about Jeff Galloway-- 

http://walking-running-training.suite101.com/article.cfm/running_and_walking

Sorry if you have to cut/paste. My computer skills are sketchy. Also might check out his website: http://www.jeffgalloway.com

It'ssimliar to what Schneider is saying. 

Lynn,

What time is your start tomorrow?  I'm going for a ride in the morning and I hope to head over to the race finish ...

I've been told my wave 3 starts around 7:45. What kind of jersey will you have on? I'll look for you if I'm not too busy trying to keep my legs and lungs pumping.

tcovert - 2009-01-23 6:04 PM Just a general thought on training plans (since I don't use them): Definitely don't be afraid of trusting your considered judgment, listening to feedback from your body, dealing with a sense that you aren't challenging yourself enough, whatever, if you feel like making sensible adjustments to a plan. I see too many people on BT beat themselves up out of slavish devotion to their plans. I do recognize, of course, that some people need that adherence for psychological reasons (like, they won't train if they allow themselves "slack". In general, you aren't going to hurt yourself if: --You limit increases in either your longest session in a discipline or total volume in a week in a discipline to no more than ~10%. --You don't fail to dial back your volume in each discipline every fourth week (more or less) for recovery. --Allow yourself a taper period before the race to consolidate your training adaptations. I really believe in three basic targets in training for a new race distance (or for a first time in a race): --Build your longest session in any given discipline to at least ~80% of the distance you'll be racing (for anything other than a marathon, I'd actually recommend going beyond that). --Build to where your minimum weekly volume in any given distance is equivalent to what you'll be racing. --Accomplish the above by taper deadline. E.g., if you are training for your first half marathon, I'd suggest building to where you are running at least 13 miles a week AND have done at least one run of 10.5 or more miles. (Obviously, in a week where you do a 10+ mile training run, your total run volume will be more than 13 miles...at that point, 13 miles in a week would be a minimum volume in a recovery week.) For an Ironman, your body should...IMO...be adapted to regular minimum training loads of at least 140.6 miles a week (less no more than 10% or 125 miles) and your longest sessions should be at least 3200 yds swim, 90 miles bike, and (really no more than) 20 miles run. Others will say you don't need more than 16 miles or so on the run for IM training...but I'd have a look at the results and the history of those who say that. Some have done standalone marathons in the past and others...well, others are going into the IM expecting to walk some or all of the marathon. Again, that's just my approach and it is not built on any scientific principles, just personal experience, common sense...and a smidgen of research. YMMV...

Todd, I think what you said here is pure gold

Jake

Scott,

Cool news about the bike ... you'll hav to post pics when you're finished!

Lynn,

How'd it go this morning?  I went for a ride and watched the race a bit at the La Costa turn-around, and saw some very tired faces   Fill us in!

A lot of people in my running club swear by the Galloway method.  It helps you conserve energy for the end of the race when everybody else is starting to fade/bonk out.  I don't necessarily follow the Galloway method of running a 1/2 mile within a certain time followed by walking, but I do swear by intervals.  3 miles is my non-stop running max - if I have to run anything over three miles then I break it up into 10 minutes of running to 2 minutes of walking intervals.  I have found that my pace during the running intervals is a lot faster than it ever has been before (I used to just run until I got tired, walk for a bit, run some more until I was tired again, etc) and that 2 min is the perfect amount of time for a short recovery.

lmscozz - 2009-01-25 3:54 PM Hi all -- Race went pretty well. Don't know my time though. My Garmin wigged out and the results aren't posted. Somewhere around 2:00 though. I probably slowed myself down some fidgiting with the watch. I'll post details when I get them. Thank you all for your support. Can't wait til one of you races next.. Woo-hoo. I'm a bit tired, but doing all right otherwise. I left a lot out on the streets of Carlsbad though.

Lynn, I can't wait to hear about your race!  I am happy that it went well! 

I am having issues with my Garmin too - it took 5 minutes just for mine to turn on yesterday, yikes!

Hello everyone,

So yesterday I ran outside for the first time since December (I have been on the dreaded treadmill since then!) and it was AWESOME... I can't wait for my upcoming 5K!!!  I ran 5 miles and I came across two steep hills which felt like nothing.  I can honestly say that I can really feel a difference in the way that I feel before, during, and after running since I re-dedicated myself to my training plan, instead of slacking like I have in the past.  I am so excited!!!

THank you, Todd!! I'm happy with it. I just ran and at the split saw that under 2 was doable, but didn't put pressure on. I'll bookmark that site for future races. Appreciate you're looking out for me.

And, Ambular -- There is joy to be found in running and I'm so glad you are discovering it.

Lynn, excellent and early in the year, too!  Way to go!

Again, Lynn great job! It's fun to have a member of the group race (and do outstanding I might add). It'll be cool to see everyone else's races and get to cheer them on as well!

 Jake

Todd,

Advice time here ...

I've got a 5k this weekend and a sprint coming up in about 3 weeks.  I'm doing the 5k pretty much to run it as fast as I can to get the feel of running this part of the sprint, in a group, with a new intensity.  3.1 miles is not all that hard for me anymore, so I'm not looking at this as a major race or anything, more like a good training run.

So my question is, would you consider any kind of tapering this week, or is it "business as usual" simply with an intense short run on Sunday?  I'm not out to win (the 5k) or anything, just testing myself.  Would love your thoughts ...

Thanks!  And yeah, I'm not too worried about the fitness for the upcoming sprint (not that I'm in any position to win or anything, I'll finish), so I'm not training all that hard right now.  I'll step it up soon for a sprint in May and the San Diego Oly in June, but I'm not too worried about properly tapering for this sprint in February.

Thanks again!