MarkQuiet's group - FULL (Page 21)

Actually I didn't race in St. Anthony's - It was an Oly.  But its just down the road and was all over the news when it happened. 

The race organizer told me to start in the back of the pack and stay to the outside (not the inside toward the direction that you'll be turning if your on a triangular or out and back course).  I still got caught up in a crowd with feet and arms in my face but most the athletes in the back aren't going to run over you to win - they're struggling just like you are.  Bubbles in the water where the most unexpected thing for me, plus the fact that the person right next to me was on the same cadence and everytime I turned my head to take a breath she was staring me in the face - weird!  I guess sorta like on the road - swim defensively and stay away from the crazies who don't care if they run over you.

Tara's right.  Know your pace and swim accordingly.  If you're not speedy, then hang back or swim outside the main lane.  Let the go fasts go first.  There will still be some bumping around, but as the pack stretches out it gets easier to find clean water.  If you are hanging with swimmers in your pace, try to draft from them.  It's legal in the swim.  I'm usually bop so this is, unfortunately, not an option.  I'm shooting to swim more mop this weekend. 

I had a great OWS training yesterday and finally felt comfortable.   Granted, there wasn't the intensity of a race, but there were lots of swimmers going around the track and a lot of floating debris (sticks, leaves, small branches), plus we're now swimming over what used to be land, so there are all kinds of bushes underwater.  None of that crap phased me this time.  It felt awesome.  TI has really helped me with my comfort and confidence in the water.  I went 1000 (2 500s with a small break on land) and didn't need a kayak for anything.  As I wrote in my logs, I even strung together many sets of freestyle strokes with fewer pauses in breaststroke, mainly for sighting.  I tried a 5 stroke breathing and found that in OW, the 3 stroke gave me more O2 and more comfort.  I'll sacrifice speed for comfortable breathing any day.

It's a real bummer about that guy who drowned.  I had that in the back of my mind during my swim, not so much worry, but awareness.  What would I do if a cramp struck, for instance.  Not really sure what the answer is, but I guarantee I'd make a hell of a racket to get somebody's attention.

On another note, it's hot - stay hydrated and well fueled.  I had to assist my running buddy on our 10 miler on Saturday.  He claims he can't eat much in the morning.  Pshaw!  He cratered in mile 4.  I had offered water (I carry a water belt on runs longer than 5-6) and he declined in mile 2 prefering to wait until the turn.  When he cratered, I forced some down him.  We also walked for a few minutes and I had some of those jelly belly "nutrition" beans which I rationed for him.  Bottom line, a solid food base before a training sesssion is just as important as your liquid intake.  It's been especially wet, rainy, and humid here lately, so our internal cooling systems don't work as efficiently.  I'm a firm believer that one should frequently drink a little bit at a time over the course of a training session instead of waiting for pre-set intervals and gulping down a lot.

 I think a lot of this group also lives in warm, humid climates.  Hope this little story helps.

Dang, peeps.  My tri just got converted to a du due to too much water in the lake - go figure.

BTW - anybody out there or am I just talking to myself?

Hey Doug...and everyone else for that matter.  I'm still here and I've been reading all of the posts...just lazy about responding or posting myself.  I'll get back on the ball.

I had fallen a bit off track with a tough couple of weeks at work and then a week and a half of vacation.  I did no training at all for the first 3 weeks then my last week of vacation I did a couple short jogs and a bit of swimming. 

My first week back into real training was very difficult mentally.  Last week was a bit of a struggle but nothing to really speak of.  This week has felt pretty amazing.

I have two upcoming events, on July 14th I'm doing a 1k ows race and then on 7/22 I'm doing the NJ State triathlon (sprint), the same tri that Chris is doing.  August will be a slow month and then in September I have a sprint tri, my "A" race and I'm hoping to do a 10k run by the end of the season.

I'm glad everyone else is still doing well.

talk to you all soon

Yeah, ironic isn't it?  The dang lake is 8 ft. up right now and the beach for the start is underwater.  I guess they don't want us getting caught in submerged things like bbqs, picnic tables, bushes, sign posts, etc. while swimming.  It's really bizarre.  Last week's OWS clinic went off from a closed boat ramp.  The swim in was interesting as you swam over landscaped bushes.

I'm bummed as I wanted that OWS training for HIM.  As much as we might dislike the swim leg, we seem to whine or miss it even more when it's cancelled.  Go figure.

Y'all have a good weekend of training or events.

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I sort of dropped off the radar but got a chance to go to Ohio to see my new granddaughter and couldn't pass it up.  She is AWESOME!  She's 6 weeks old and the cutest thing I've ever seen.  Its a long story but she is really a miracle and we were thrilled to get to go see her.  I did some pitiful training attempts while up there but was so busy playing with Brooke and seeing friends and family that it just wasn't a priority.

Gosh, ya'll have been having a time with the water stuff.  Doug - I wish you could spread the water around the rest of the country.  Ohio and our part of Florida are DRY!  Too bad about all your training and then they cancel the swim portion - bummer.

Chris - I am absolutely amazed at you doing an OWS never having had actually been in water over your head to swim in.  You did an awesome job and I bet next time you'll be much more confident.  I think you're right about trying another one though before the race if at all possible, just so you can get that confidence thing going on before the actual race.  I love to see people challenging themselves in ways like this - it inspires me!

Keep up the good work everyone.  I was totally away from a computer for 7 days and I'm in withdrawal from it as well as my training.  Can't wait to get back out there!!!

Oh the first time OWS woes.  I know them, too.  All I can say is that it's great you got out there and to keep doing it.  Each time gets better and you get a bit smarter about how to swim in it.  I'll even go out even if windy and wavy just for the practice. 

I'm up to taking more freestyle strokes than breast strokes.  It used to be a negative ratio.  I still use the breast stroke for sighting, rest and deep breath, but then I plunge back in and try to make a lot of TI strokes before popping up again.  I'm working on the sighting while freestyling, but it's still really hard.  But, I haven't hung off a kayak yet this year.  Also, I haven't had any panic attacks either this year.  Bottom line, you do what you have to do to get around the course and with practice it gets better.  Also, remember, you can generally make up whatever time you "lost" in a slow swim on the bike.

Thanks for the nice comments on my race report.  As for the jelly beans, they're still unopened, but I'll probably eat them this weekend at El Scorcho (a crazy midnight 25k we're doing).

Don't know if it was solo or in a group, but that, too, changes the dynamics.  Get in a group OWS if at all possible.

Glad No. 2 went better. 

Congrats Doug on the El Scorcho.  That sounds like a really cool race.  Glad you enjoyed it so much.

Frank - thanks for the link to the HR link.  I had seen that before and then couldn't find it.  I finally picked up a HRM and am still trying to figure out where my HR is supposed to be for optimum training.  Its fun just watching it as I work out.  The link is very informative and some of it seems way over my head....

This is a great idea.  I'm pleased with my season.  I'll be doing my second tri on Sunday and when I first started training I didn't think that I'd be ready to race until early September. 

With the exception of a three week break for a busy time at work and then vacation I've been training consistently since early January.  I'm in the best shape of my life and I've lost 45 lbs. I really can't ask for more.

Hmmm, there is not really any more to it w/o repeating what's in my daily logs.

How's everyone else enjoying their season?

Congrats to our newly inagurated triathletes!  Keep up the good work.  I'll contribute more when things slow down a bit.

db

Frank - thanks for inviting us to give updates.  You guys are such an inspiration to me!  Here's where I'm at and I'm in need of encouragement:

I had a great first 6 months and accomplished my goal of running a tri before I turned 50 on 5/29 (as well as meeting some smaller goals as well).  Then I started putting pressure on myself to excel and get better.  A friend of mine who is a seasoned triathlete (Iron Man type) told me that the real way to get better is to excel on the bike.  So, I set out to do just that.  I have biked with a group in the past on Tues, Thur and Sat and they do anywhere from 30-45 miles per night.  They keep inviting me to ride with them and they'll hang back if I drop but here's my real problem (true confessions here).  I'm scared.  I'll kill myself trying to keep up and then I won't enjoy it any more.  Worse yet the group keeps having wrecks.  One lady died after I started riding with them cuz she ran a stop sign and hit a car that also ran a 4-way stop.  Just recently 2 friends of mine crashed and one is out of the hospital but had 2 cerebral bleeds and they don't know if he'll ever be right.  He's in rehab and his life is changed forever.  The other broke a rib, punctured a lung, his heart stopped 2x and now he is in rehab.  If I get hurt, we're SOL.  My husband owns his own business and since it is new, we're not bringing any money home from it.  I bring home the bacon and have all the benefits under me.  If something happens to me we're up sh_t creek without a paddle.  I've also been feeling bad about not putting enough effort into my work (taking time off to go for a swim, coming in late cuz I ran in the morning, etc.) AND about not spending enough time with my mom who is in a local nursing home.  While my husband is all for me training, six months has now become a "long time" for him and he is wondering how much longer this is going to go on.  I, on the other hand,  feel like its a lifestyle.  He thought it was a fad.  A dilemma.

I say all this not for sympathy, but for you all to kick me in the butt and/or encourage me to keep on keeping on.  I have made extra provision to workout so that it doesn't affect my family life and I know that even if I quit training, I won't devote more time to my mom or my work (I put in plenty of hours without having to worry about not working hard enough).  I also know that worrying about wrecking on my bike is just giving in to fear.  I love training, I feel better than I ever have and I don't want to stop. 

Do ya'll have any words of wisdom?  Have any of you gone thru anything similar?  Help!  Meanwhile, I'm going for a run in the morning )!