left.right.repeat group -closed - Full of a bunch of winners...YEAH! (Page 220)

My gosh, that cake and those cupcakes look fabulous!  I love carrot cake...  I dream of carrot cake....

Lyoshka - 2012-01-23 10:35 AM I'm happy to post pics, just didn't know if people minded ...and i thought the link was posted as a Guest Pass... sorry it wasn't! here are the pics The Cake: ..bottom tier is chocolate butter cake with buttercream, hazelnut mousse and cookies'n'cream filling; Top tier is golden butter cake with white and chocolate buttercream and hazelnut mousse. Cake is covered in Marshmallow fondant. Flowers are gum paste (sugar paste, all edible).     ...and a cool Hipstamatic shot: Cupcakes (Carrot cake): ...and a couple of my fresh flower arrangements:    ...apologies for a long post-that's why I did the link at first

Those look great! I might need to send the pics to the world's greatest SAG driver... my daughter is getting married up in Bryan's area July 28...

Did my first century of the year. One of my former TeamInTraining teammates came up with a 121212 challenge... 12 centuries, one each in the 12 months of 2012. what a sucker I am! Anyway, a bit cold and windy, as Briana said. I trained with a mutual friend of ours for IMFL 11, and we came up with the Texas Tollway 100 last year. Anyway, it was a LONG day!

P.S. Thanks, folks - great to be part of the group.

x2 on the no-white. I had my jerseys custom-designed last year, and a word of caution... some companies put out a true-to-fit cycling jersey, but the tri tops are WAY TOO small! Whichever company you go with, get samples to try on.

I should've said custom printed...those were my designs.

That cake looks so good that I keep waiting for Lena and Amy to jump out!!!!!

With LRR's approval, I have a new member for the group.  Hope the rest of the group doesn't mind.

I am trying to copy her info for you to see.

IT WORKED, IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!

Meet Ann!

Hey,

Sorry, I have been down for the count with a miserable head cold.  The headache kept me offline for two days.  I have turned the corner!!

I was so glad to see your reponse!! Gald to be with the group!!

Here is my tri history.  Ready or not.

I have been a recreational bike rider for a few years, 50-70 mile rides once a month or so, 20- 30mile rides other week ends and during the week.  I met a woman who did a Danskin Sprint tri at a BBQ.  She struggled with panic in the swim but is a good biker and runner.  I on the other hand used to swim in high school and have never been able to run.  But I thought, maybe I can??  Long story short, after a few days in the pool I realized muscle memory is true,  I could still swim pretty well.  Then I tackled the treadmill.  Started with short, 2-3 minutes and worked my way up.  I took a tri class at my gym, did some mini pool tris and was hooked.  I signed up for Danskin Sprint tri in NJ 2010.  I finished!!  Got my sister doing it too.  Met a big girl at the gym who said she lost 40 pounds training and she was training for HIM!  (We did Agusta together! We are good friends.  Picked her out at the gym becasue of her World Vision shirt)  I thought, maybe I could do that. So after Danskin, I did Mighty Montauk Sprint.  In the off season I decided to challenge myself with running, since that was my weakest.  If I wanted to do an HIM, I need to do a half marathon.  So that's what I trained for.  In Queens NY, flat but muddy and wet.  I did it.  Then I signed up for Agusta HIM 2011.  Got the training program from this website and went at it.  I did the Danskin Sprint tri again before the race.  I wanted to do an Oly but couldn't fit one into my schedule so I just went.  The HIM was over my head.  I did finish, had some sleep deprivation issues for 2 days prior so started out exhausted.  Had a great swim sub 30 min but the bike and run were grueling.  I did finish in just junder 8 hours.  Ugh!!  A few weeks later I did the Hartfort CT Half marathon, again, trying to improve my run.  I have been focusing on my biking and running and maintaining my swim, trying to strength and stretch.  I have been reading alot about training and inspirational books as well.  This year I plan to focus on some sprints and Olys to improve my bike and run.  I have heart rate issues.  My heart rate runs high with biking and run exertion.  I did the Hartford half in the high 170's the whole way and I am very slow.  (10-11 mph slow)My breath limits me not my legs!  I am working out on a bike trainer, trying to build my base.  What a boring endeavor!! 

As for my personal life, I am happily married with three children 22 yo daughter, 19 yo son and 14 yo daughter.  Hubbie doesn't train or exercise (still praying about that) but is very supportive.    I work as a midwife in a large practice at Stony Brook hospital.  So I work crazy hours, nights, days, long 16 hour shifts at times.  But I do have time off when others are working and vice versa.

I have never felt so good as I do since I found this sport!!  I try to inspire others that they can do it too!!  Turning 50 in May.  Hope I'm not too old for this.  I'm a doer more than a competitor.  I compete with myself.

I don't know how to enter training logs on this site but I have been logging manually for several weeks.  I train on my own mostly.  Would love to have a trainer help me with training plans because I never know how to adjust properly when i have to skip or train after working all night with little rest, but it soo expensive so I am hoping new friends here can help with this and other training issues??

Warmly,

ann

Those are wicked awesome Lena...

you are talented.

Hi Ann,

You are so far ahead of most of us newbies we can only see the dust cloud!!

Also, to me.. 10-11mph seems like near-flight!! In todays run/treadmill I had the pace set at 4.1 to 5.3 depending on if i was walking or jogging..

Anyhoo.. welcome..

Nat... reading your blog as i can... very entertaining..

Thanks for the welcome.  I did read about Bryan's IMAZ endeavor and I am so glad to be in his and everyone's company. I also am a baker of delicousness (is that a word?) and was totally impressed with the cake and flowers. WOW.  And she can still do tris!!  Most of why I train is so I can continue my love of food and fit into my clothes. 

A few things I mentioned to Billy is I am technologically impaired.  How do I complete the training logs?  My daughter just helped me with the photo and sig line.  I have peered into some of your logs and see they can be detailed or simple.  I will certainly err on the simple side.  The only technology I use is a heart rate monitor and it is probably more than 10 years old. Should I enter some old data or just go forward??  Oh, I do use an odometer that has cadence and the other basics.

I look forward to chatting with you guys and learning from you.  Thanks for the encouragement about my speed.  Everything is relative and we are all just doing our best!  Let me know if I need to do anything else. 

I don't know if I mentioned I live on Long Island in Smithtown.  Any neighbors out there?

Ann - welcome! I hear you on the heart rate issues...

To enter training, I find it easiest to click on the button that is labeled "Training Log" (not the label below the button). then, depending on what your defaults are set, you will see either your blog page or calendar or whatever pop up. If the calendar is NOT what shows up, on the line that says "Jump To:" click on calendar. When the calendar pops up, click on the date itself for the day you want to enter training. You should get the swim, bike, run page. you can enter just one, two , or all three sports at one time. Then, remember to click the "Save" or "Save, and return to: (something)" above the entry area.

Hope that doesn't totally confuse you.

Thanks for your help.  I think I am going to enter what I have for January so far and then go forward. 

Regarding heart rate issues, any suggestions?  What I am doing right now per a USAA cert tri trainer at my gym is this.  On the trainer, I am trying to keep a 90 cadence and a heart rate of 130.  I am also trying to run with the same heart rate of 130  After 2 work outs on the trainer I am down from 150's to the 140's, occasionally dipping into the 130's.  My one tread mill run was @ 4.5 and HR was @150's going to 160.  If I hit 160 I dropped down to 3.5 for a one to two min walk and then resumed @ 4.5 (Had to do that twice for a one hour workout)  I did warm up for both the trainer and treadmill work out. 

We have a gorgeous day here on Long Island and I am off today, so I am going to try a slow 5 mile run and see how it goes. 

What a great group.

Hearing what all of you are doing keeps me motiviated, and reasonable. 

I've missed about one workout a week in the past two weeks and I'm finding that I can't really "catch up."  And I've been a little worried about how best to accommodate for the lost workout, depending on if it was a long one or a short one, and taking into account whether it was a swim and bike (which I have the most stamina for) or the run (which is weaker than weak).  But I think what I'm going to do going forward, is just ... NOT THINK ABOUT IT (TA DA!) and just do the next workout on the training plan.  I suppose If I find I'm ALWAYS skipping the long run, then I have something to worry about.

In the good news section:  I can run for 4 minutes (not for all the intervals, but for one) and my heart rate stays below 160 for most of my run.  Two weeks ago I was in the 170s on the 2 minute intervals.  Yay!  I'm looking forward to when the running is actual running, and I have something left in the tank so I can put my strength training program back in the program. 

Hi Suzie and everyone else.  I love this site!! 

I am glad to see I am not the only with HR issues!! 

I so agree with Bryan.  Don't try to make up sessions.  It is self defeating.  Just try not to skip the big stuff like he said and if you're like me try not to skip your weak area.

Thanks to Patrick, I entered my logs for Jan.  It has been a bad month health wise.  Came through Christmas with a painful sinus infection and then last week got the head cold with more head pain!!  I am finally feeling better and trying to get going with my Half Marathon training.  Signed up for Moore magazine's all female event in Central Park April 15th.  The run is my weakest so I am trying to do some sprint/interval work.  (without neglecting my bike and swim)Got a newbie going with me!!  She's a runner but has never done a half.  I can't wait.

Had a beautiful day to run today.  Over dressed and got really sweaty and hungry and didn't bring any nutrition, just a fuel belt water bottle.  Couldn't keep my HR  below 150s which was my goal.  Hovered in the 150s-160s range.  I can't run any slower with out walking!  My cool down walk brings my HR to 130 and then 120s.  Oh well, got in 5 plus miles and hope to go to a bike trainer class tonight.  My appetite is out of control.  I had oatmeal with blackberries before I went, that never holds me. (My pre exercise am food is usually whole wheat toast with peanut butter)  I came home had some water and recovery drink and then ate a bowl of leftover pasta with meatballs and sauce and was still starving so I had a turkey sandwich on whole wheat.  I'm  finally content.  Better hydrate more.

Have a great rest of the day!!

BTW  How do you enter a rest day in the log or is it just implied.

Welcome Ann!  I too am technology challenged so don't feel bad.

What does it mean when you see member, Regular Veteran, Extreme Veteran around people's profiles name?  

How does one become friends, as I have 2 friends that I have no clue how they got there.  

Are we suppose to blogged?  Is blogging basically commenting on your training?

Sorry for all the questions but I just want to make sure I am understanding everything and using the website to its fullest.

Kathy

Lena, your food looks amazing and is making me hungry!

Suzie, woo! 4 minutes and lower heart rate to boot?!? That's progress!

Welcome Ann.

I was around children and they so kindly shared their cold with me, so I'm not doing my workout from yesterday, I'll just pick up where I left off once I feel better and go from there. I want to be better by next week when my bike and swim training starts and colds have a bad tendency to stick around for weeks if I'm not careful. It's supposed to be nice outside too.. pretty sad since I am really itching to get back to moving.