Experior and Slornow's Spring/Summer Mentor Group-CLOSED (Page 21)

Aw, Michael. I'm sorry it do go the way you wanted it to. Congratulations for getting through it with the challenges! You're still awesome in my book.  Can't wait to read the report.

Finally got the MTB in the shop. I'll be taking it out on lunch rides. Just up the 1st hilly portion of the Xterra course. I can't get stuck with bike issues too far away from my car or else I run the risk of being late to pick up my kids from school. I know I can make it down those hills in enough time. I can also leave the bike well hidden and come back for it later if I have to.

Today I'm going to take the run outside. A down and back from my office. It's got some shade I can run it. It's dang hot at high noon. Been 90+ lately.

Hope all is well with you guys!

Remembering where we came from.....that's a great thing to do. There are many people on the BT boards that are repeat Kona qualifiers, race winners and overall just phenomenal triathletes.  Keep in mind that no one starts at that point.  Some may have more physical/athletic ability or a background in swim, bike or run  but everyone has to make it through that first race.  I was thinking about this on the bike today.  Where I am now as compared to 2-3 years ago in terms of average watts in a workout. 

Don't get overwhelmed with what others are doing-let it inspire you.  Consistent training will result in solid gains.  Focus on meeting incremental goals and enjoying the progress.  There will be ups and downs. 

I remember when Michael was shooting for a sub 5hr HIM and was dissappointed that the swim got cancelled at a HIM that he had worked toward-just not the same without the swim.  Now, a strong sub 5 performance  is a stepping stone to his ultimate goal of a great race at IMWI.

Nothing happens overnight.  Have fun along the way and the gains will come quickly.

Randy  

Remembering where I came from:

In high school I played golf my senior year, other than that no sports.  I played softball in college (co-ed with lots of drinking).  Through med school I played basketball pick up games and worked out sporadically.  It wasn't until I joined the military that I started taking fitness seriously.  I couldn't even swim 2 laps without having to stop and gasp.  My biking started out at 13 miles per hour average 9 years ago.  Now I'm consistently over 18+ on my long rides. My IM times have gone from 15 hr 16 min to 13 hr 8 min as my best to date.  This upcoming race my goal is 12:30.  There's nothing special about me or my abilities.  I have to work hard to see gains, but I'm not afraid to "go for it" and do what I need to do.  That too is progress for me, the confidence I have gained in my ability to set goals and work toward them.

Had a good run on the treadmill tonight.  It's now time to start the tapering for IM Texas.  I'm feeling pretty well prepared in terms of training volume and am optimistic that I will reach my goal time.  Then again, with IM's, anything can happen and I'm always happy to just cross the finish line.  This will be my 9th, only 3 more then I have a shot at Kona through the Legacy Program (don't think I will ever be fast enough to qualify based on my times).

Good night!  jim

Jim: Thank you so much for sharing this. Makes me more determined to share every awesome moment with my husband. I know he loves to hear them laughing and playing when he calls, and knowing they're having fun while he's gone. Breaks his heart when they ask him to come home when he can't.

Remembering where I came from:

Fat, dumb, and not so happy.

Well, some improvement in two out of three areas ;-)

Have a great day everyone!  Hoping to get a good swim workout in today.  Time to start upping that intensity to get ready for Olympic length later this season.

Stu

Well said! There was definitely a part of me that wondered after my first race how everyone could be so fast. I had no idea the amount of time that other triathletes were putting into their training. Now when I think about how long it will take me to finish a race, I think about the months, weeks and hours of training that lead up to it. Now that's some perspective. 

Where we came from:

I remember one swim team night I was again bringing up the rear on all the drills. I was frustrated that I was constantly the last to finish even though I was finally finishing the drills. In my frustration I asked the swim instructor in exasperation why the heck I was so slow. He said "Can I remind you where you were just 4 months ago?". Reminded me that I couldn't even swim 1/2 a lap without stopping to rest and now I was completing swim workouts that are a minimum of 2500 meters each.

Got a run in outside yesterday. Dang hot. Will have to do it again today even though I'd prefer not too. Going to run while my car's oil is getting changed.

Have a great day!

Blanda -- can I just say that your avatar makes me happy?  That smile on your face is great!

Short but nice swim for me today.  Who's racing next weekend?

Good race report Michael.  Sounds like it was a sufferfest.

I had my goggles fog up on me too.  It's horrible.  Now I put a little saliva in them before putting them on (being careful not to touch the lens as that takes off the anti-fog coating). Haven't had a fog-up since. Another trick I've tried is putting a little water in them -- not enough to get into your eyes but enough to wipe the lenses clean as you move your head. I also try to start the season with new goggles.

Blanda: YOU DO HAVE A NICE SMILE!!!!  I too like your avatar.

Got up and did my morning swim.  I struggled to get out of bed as it was so warm and cozy, but then started going on in my head about how I need to get in this swim, not as much for fitness as now it is more for mental preparation for my upcoming IM.  It's always a good confidence booster to get these swims done before a large race.

I'm having fun this week.  Well, I almost always enjoy training, and I even enjoy the more 'technical' 'goal-oriented' side of it -- figuring out what I need to do to improve, prepare, etc.  But this week I'm just doing whatever strikes my fancy, and it's a lot of fun.  I did a nice bike ride today -- first time on my road bike in a quite a while -- and had a blast just riding, sometimes hard, sometimes easy, with no real point.

I'm taking it easy this week for my upcoming race this Saturday. It works in my favor, since I've had to work at school on Senior Projects from 8-8 Monday and today. I would've been frustrated if I had planned on training and hadn't been able to, but I'm just looking at this as a win/win. I will do some easy training tomorrow and Thursday, and then rest (or maybe a light swim) on Friday.

I did go check out the course last Saturday, and...I CAN'T SWIM!!! Man, it was hard swimming in the lake; I felt like a newborn flopping around. I can't sight, swim in a straight line, or keep my heart rate under control. I've since been in the pool practicing sighting, which has helped, but I think Saturday's swim is going to be a real learning experience and I'm just going to have to be patient with myself and get through it. Getting really excited/nervous now...

Jimmy: Thanks so much! I really do appreciate the compliments, especially since I'm not getting much more than complaints from the kiddies regarding just about everything! Thank goodness they at least remember to tell me they love me all the time. Hope you get enough swimming in before your race to feel comfortable going into it on the big day!

Rene: Good luck with your Oly this weekend! Hope you learn as much as you can about the course for the HIM. Hope it's got good running surfaces for you.

Jaime: Good luck with your race this weekend!!  Can't wait to hear about you prep going into it, and your results. Woo hoo!

Got a nice 6 miler in. Did at the gym. I did NOT want to run in the heat today. I was not hydrated well enough for that. Bike is fixed! Going to take it up the hills tomorrow at lunch, if I can remember to pack it for work.

Have a great evening

Yay for some free-training!! Glad you're enjoying your little break from the watch.

You'll be fine!  Try to relax in the water.  Sighting does get easier with practice -- different techniques work for different people, so don't believe anyone who says that their way is the 'right' way.  And don't worry if you have to stop a few times and tread water to sight.  It costs very little time (and you'll see plenty of people doing it).

OWS, well swimming in general, has been the toughest part of triathlons for me.  Remember, you don't have to look like M. Phelps out there you just have to get from the start to the finish. Breast stroke, backstroke, side stroke, dog paddle are all allowed.  When you get in the water try to go as slow as humanly possible at the beginning of the swim....your HR is going to be spiking and even though it may not feel like it you are probably going to be pushing harder than you realize. May not make sense but the more comfortable you can be through the swim the better.  Try to get in the water again on race day and do a few hard intervals to get your HR up a bit.  If you are struggling with sighting then maybe swim 10 strokes of freestyle then a breast stroke or 2 to sight and repeat.  Might also help with the swim anxiety.

I can't wait to hear how it goes.  Don't forget to have fun!

Randy   

Busy week at work for me through today and then it eases up a bit. Got up early and did 50 minutes on the treadmill.  Hope to get a swim in this evening if the predicted weather doesn't close the pool.

Randy

Some of my experiences to help you put the swim in perspective:

- During my first tri swim I would end up swimming at 90* angles from where I thought I was going. I didn't know how to sight at all so I'd look up and see nothing that looked familiar. I was also huffing and puffing the whole way - partly because I was nervous and partly because I didn't get in the water before the race. I still made it and so will you.

- From the shore I pick a target and while swimming I pretend to reach for the target. This helps me stay straight remarkably well. For an out-and-back swim my target will be the turn-around buoy. For a triangle or rectangle swim the target is the first turn buoy.  Also important: while you are in the water before the race turn toward the shore and pick a target to aim for on the return.

- When sighting, I sight three times. The first is to orient myself, the second to find my target and the third to confirm. So I sight three strokes in a row. Then I can go about 8-10 without having to sight again. I read this somewhere (USA Triathlon, I think) and it works for me very well.

- I second Randy's advice to go slow at first.  My last tri had a 1/2 mile swim which was the longest for me (normally I'm doing 1/4 - 1/3 mi.).  I went super slow and stayed relaxed the whole time.  I just kept saying to myself to go slow - even during the last 100 meters.  I ended up having the fastest swim ever and felt great the rest of the race.  Normally I'm sucking wind getting out of the water. That time I was able to actually run to transition and get through it quickly.

So, relax and go slow. You will be more efficient and you will swim straighter. The swim won't decide the race but it can ruin yours if you go too hard.

Another tip: stay out of the washing machine and line up away from the pack.

1) You will not drown. There are lifeguards. You can backstroke if needed. You can also hang onto stuff like lifeguard boats as long as they don't aid you (like float forward - Article IV, sec. 3 of the USA Tri rules). But you won't need to do any of that because you can swim.

2) Relax.

3) Relax (see #2).

You'll do fine. 

For what it's worth, I do about 75% freestyle and 25% backstroke on OWS and do the sighting when I switch from one to the other.  Breastroke is also easy for sighting, but try not to kick someone... sometimes I'll do a couple of breastroke pulls to sight also.  I do completely agree about not going out hard.  Go out smooth.  My tri times have definitely improved since I've started relaxing more on the swim (other reasons too, so not scientific).  Start from the back of the group to avoid getting swum over.  To me, first tris are mainly about learning and having fun.  There's a bunch of stuff you just won't know about yourself until you do one.

Here's my swim on first tri story.  I had never done an OWS before (other than in a lake growing up), but I wasn't too worried about the swim b/c at that point, relative to the bike/run, swim was definitely my strength.  I remember going out (too fast) and feeling pretty good about my start and wasn't getting hit too much and then not at all.  Thought I must be out front :-)  Of course when I finally stopped and looked around I was out in the middle of the lake between the buoys, seriously off course!  I always thought I swam rather straight, but we don't realize how much self-correcting we do automatically when we're in the pool looking at the line (plus we reorient every 25 yards).

That being said, probably my favorite part of the race is when I do backstroke, after the 1st turn and things have spread out a bit, looking up at the sky and I can kind of look back at all the folks in the water too.  There's a certain beauty in that moment that is soon left behind in the fury of the transitions, mashing of pedals, and (for me) the pain of the run. 

Have a blast!

Stu

Last year I had an accidental and rather intimate encounter with a woman doing the backstroke whom I'd caught up to.  I'm really glad she didn't kick me :-)

So, ad slow backstrokers to your list of things to avoid, or seek out - depending on the type of race you want to have (i.e.: with or without black eyes :-)

Jamie (Woodrow Call), I'm excited/nervous for you on your race. but I think you'll do fine.  sounds like the others are giving great advice. my plan for my first tri is just enjoy it and know I'll learn plenty of things to do differently next time.  

about how many races do you you do each year?  do you mix the type of race up, like 5k and then a triathlon? i think I read it is good to have small races to lead up to the big a race you set your sights on but I can't recall if that works well or not.

Another good reason to look back and see what's happening :-)