New Year New You...reopened for late comers (Page 23)

So great hearing that you are doing what you can to still move forward and taking the extra caution to not worsen your situation. Keep up the great work... 11 weeks are just around the corner, but with persistence, you'll have no problem ;-)

its heart breaking isn't it!

my wife is on to me to stop paying for events that I never get to compete in! LOL

yours was only 3 days away from something that you must have been ready for.....hopefully you're staying injury free these days! But what am I saying.....who does this and remains injury free eh!

you seem to be able to really crank it up when you need to so all power too you. Let us know how the tri event goes. I plan on going to watch one but I think there is only one before I compete so not much time to see how it all works.

Are you planning on a tri event this year or is it just swim and cycle events until your running is stronger?

BTW I still do the swim class Sunday mornings and it is really good. I'm the worst there by a long stretch so it is pushing me harder than if I swam alone. The coach wants to try and lift my legs because they seem to sink and I;m working really hard with my shoulders. I don't seem to glide at all. we'll see how today's class goes!

Hello,
I guess you could say I'm a late comer.
I am considering on doing a "sprint tri" before I turn 50 this October.
I have so much to learn and maybe feeling a bit overwhelmed to start, but I'm sending this.
January 2013 I told myself I needed to loose weight and make a life style change. I tried the first four month by myself at the gym or outside activities. I struggled with structure and consistency but last 8 lbs. Then in April I reviewed with my doctor if it would be okay to start training in a way I have never done, boot camps, x-fit, tabata etc. I have two degenerative discs in my lower back and very "loose" shoulders. The best advise they could give me was to try it and if it became to painful, to stop. Here I am a year later an 48 lbs lighter and the strongest I think I ever have been.
I love to swim and in my younger years was a lifeguard but never have really taken to biking. The running will be limited as the pounding on my lower back for long distances can be disabling. In high school I ran the two mile on the track team, ran several 5-10K's in my twenties and even though I have some experience with training, I didn't have the back issues back then. I have a lot to learn and probably a short time but hopefully my training and weight loss will help be pull off at least on "sprint" before that big "50"

I might fear the water with all those people and crazy that happens at the beginning of the race, need a wet suit?
I know nothing about biking but the "rhino" I have for leisure, and don't have a bike yet.
Running, I think I could even pull off 3-4 miles without too much trouble to finish a race, even if I have to walk ;0

Any help will be appreciated.
Thank you for your time. Donna

SO FRUSTRATED.......right knee finally getting back to normal. Hit the pool 3 times last week, biked once (pain free), gym for core work and physiotherapy.......very satisfying to be making progress. Then this afternoon coaching my son's baseball team I reached awkwardly for an errant throw and felt something pop in my OTHER knee. Seemed ok (ie no pain), so I went ahead with evening swim workout. Some discomfort so I switched to pull buoy.......Now the knee is blown up like a balloon (insert string of highly inappropriate language here). Back to the doc tomorrow.

Hey Donna,
you're in good company don't worry and we hope you get a lot from the group (Neil will be your official welcomer of course).

The group provides motivation as well as shoulder to cry on. You might notice a number of us are injured right now so my advice to you is to build slowly with consistency and structure. Don't rush in and if you're not ready then your first tri may be next year. Better to have your first when you're 51 than your last when you're 50!

There are some great articles on the website and if you look back through the 23 pages of posts so far you'll find some great articles and links that we have all shared.

Look forward to hearing about your progress.......this sure gets addictive when you start to see some improvement.

Oh Matt, man I feel for you. That sucks

Get some ice on it tonight and see the doc as you planned and fingers crossed. My wife did something very similar recently but it it cleared up very quickly with some rest so you may find you can continue to swim at least and may not be out for too long.

I think it's safe to say that I've been pretty lucky, and hopefully if/when my turn for injury comes, it's not one of the "by the way, you get double cause of the longer wait."

Hope everybody is able to get back into the swing of things soon.

One thing that I've learned is to make sure you are completely recovered before starting to go full strength again. You're just going to injure yourself again in the same area.

Thanks, Rob... =)

Watching the Oceanside Triathlon was amazing. At least for me... Woke up at 4am, an hour drive, and to watch the speed. As Neil pointed out, I was like a kid in a candy store. Oh, and yes, I am SERIOUSLY thinking about doing it next year (time and money pending; lots of money). I told my wife, if I cannot afford the Nytro Kit (earlier post), I will not do the triathlon. This would be one event that I would want to make sure I have the "proper" equipment.

I was so planning on the Sprint Triathlon in May. My boys and I did the triathlon two years in a row, but so far, there isn't a registration for this year. It's concerning me that they will just not do it =( So, I'm going to sign up for another local triathlon, but it's in November. Even though it's a sprint triathlon, it will be a closed course which is AWESOME!!! No need to stop for traffic lights, etc. I am looking into an Olympic distance triathlon for this year. I believe I'll be ok with even my existing equipment. Doing 50 mile bicycle rides on Sundays is making me feel confident with doing the 25 miles needed for the Olympic distance =) As soon as I find one and schedule it in, I'll be posting on here =)

I haven't been focusing on my running at all. The first two events for the year just happened to be a swim meet and a bicycle tour. I tend to "train for the event." I'll start mixing things up quite a bit soon. As soon as my century ride is finished, I'll end up taking a week off and then focus on running while maintaining the swim and bike. I might end up having to do a couple 5K runs and look for a 10K run somewhere along with an open water swim (preparation for Olympic distance).

Rob, that's actually really great about the swimming. You've really come a long ways =)
Really working the shoulders. I'm not quite sure exactly what that means, but I totally understand the whole "no glide" thing. Are you familiar with using a pull buoy? I think I might of sent a link before that should help you with relaxing your arms and gliding.
Here is something else that might work for you.......

regular swimming:
* after your arm exits the water and you are recovering it to the forward position, relax the shoulders and allow your arm to "flop" onto the water; even though your hand entry will NOT be where you want it, it will get you used to conserving energy within the shoulders; even laying on your stomach on the couch, you can practice with one arm at a time
* work one arm at a time, right arm going across, left arm coming back
* breath every stroke
* count to 2 before you start your next pull; do a complete stroke, count 2, start the next stroke
* use a pull buoy if you can, it will get you legs up without you having to think about it; this will help you get a "feel" for where your legs need to be and you'll feel the difference once the buoy is removed (feel where you need to adjust, not just somebody telling you)

Oh MAN Matt!!! You need to stop torturing your knees like that (totally joking).
On a serious note: Matt, hopefully you didn't do anything major to your other knee. I agree with Rob, ice to get the swelling down and ease yourself back into mobility. Hopefully, you can still work on other parts needed for your triathlons.

Keep up the great work and move forward the best you can. So sorry about your setback. Hang in there and make sure you heal properly before you do too much =)

Welcome aboard, Donna (unofficially; and yes, Neil does exist; hehehe)
Rob has done an excellent job at what our group is about. We are definitely there for everybody. Each of us at different experience levels. And we are all learning.

Congratulations with your "life style change". That is awesome and is a huge step forward already =)
A couple things to hopefully help you with meeting your goals
* A sprint triathlon doesn't require any "special" equipment
*** I started with a reverse sprint triathlon with basic swim trunks, a cheap road bike ($70 and is a 30lb tank), and whatever shoes i had at the time; people were riding beach cruisers at the event I was doing
*** when you start getting into longer distances and really pushing yourself for better times, that's when you'll start investing into your equipment
* There are a number of different workout plans that can help with your running without having to put more than needed miles for your running
*** strength training with weights (make sure full body, you'll need it for your core to help with your back and shoulders)
*** even try running in a pool to help build up your endurance without having the high impact on your body
* Open water swims can be very easy as long as you prepare yourself (especially sprint distances)
*** if you are using a wetsuit, make sure you wear it during a workout so you can get used to the feel prior to your event
*** learn how to spot while swimming; the picking up your head once in a while to know where you are at and where you are needing to go
*** work on improving your swim stroke efficiency; it's weird, but to go faster in speed, you have to slow down your stroke
*** depending on the triathlon, some "require" a wet suit, while other don't (wetsuit might not be needed)

If you have questions, ask away. As a group, we can help you in answering the questions and getting you on your way for a successful triathlon =)

HI,
I guess you could say I am the late late newcomer.

Name: Laura Gavin

Story: I am a 33 year old who has always fought the weight battle. I have been making a trend to getting healthier over the last two years and recently have lost 31 lbs in the last 4 months. I ran my first half marathon in February in Disney and I tried an indoor time based triathlon at my gym yesterday. I swam 400 M in 10 minutes, biked 10 miles in 20 minutes and ran 2.1 miles in 20 minutes. I am hooked. I found a sprint triathlon in October local to me in Maryland and I really want to train for it. I have always been a swimmer, I swam competitively on summer swim teams, in high school and in college. The running and biking are new for me.

Family: Divorced, one furry child(girl labrador dog)

2013- Background training working on strength and cardio

2014- 2/22/14 Disney 1/2 Marahon, 3/16/14 5K, 3/31/14 Indoor Triathlon, Upcoming Sprint October

Is it too late for me to join?

HI,
I guess you could say I am the late late newcomer.

Name: Laura Gavin

Story: I am a 33 year old who has always fought the weight battle. I have been making a trend to getting healthier over the last two years and recently have lost 31 lbs in the last 4 months. I ran my first half marathon in February in Disney and I tried an indoor time based triathlon at my gym yesterday. I swam 400 M in 10 minutes, biked 10 miles in 20 minutes and ran 2.1 miles in 20 minutes. I am hooked. I found a sprint triathlon in October local to me in Maryland and I really want to train for it. I have always been a swimmer, I swam competitively on summer swim teams, in high school and in college. The running and biking are new for me.

Family: Divorced, one furry child(girl labrador dog)

2013- Background training working on strength and cardio

2014- 2/22/14 Disney 1/2 Marahon, 3/16/14 5K, 3/31/14 Indoor Triathlon, Upcoming Sprint October

Is it too late for me to join?

Welcome to the group, Laura (unofficially, Neil I'm sure will make it official)

Congratulations on getting "hooked" to triathlons. Welcome to the triathlon family =)
And a big time congratulations on your life style changes, keep up the great work (with or without triathlons in your future).

Our group is very diverse with some who are just starting/trying and with others who are in their n'th year of competing. I've personally have done sprint triathlons for the last two years, and I'm always looking forward to my next event. I'm leaning towards doing longer distances now; I wasn't even thinking about it until receiving the level of encouragement from others here.

A sprint triathlon in October will give you plenty of time for any training that you'll need. Feel free to ask questions, we are all here to help each other =) Keep in mind, even if a question has already been discussed, it will be a refresher for others... Ask away =)

Do you have a website link for the sprint triathlon in October?

Hi Donna, welcome on board, would have replied sooner but for some reason haven't been able to get on the site until today. First of all congratulations on progress over the past year that's really awesome.

Tell me more about what you mean by 'loose shoulders', I have had problems with my upper back and shoulders that i'm just getting through. Do you stretch them on a regular basis?

I think I sprint tri is well within your capability, most consist of a 400m pool swim which means you don't get that mass start frenzy and don't need a wetsuit either.

Looking forward to catching up soon.

Neil x

|Welcome Laura, wow that's impressive weight loss, well done. You say you want to train for a sprint triathlon...reading your story you pretty much have done one, great times too! I guess the key now is to take the indoor experience and apply it to a 'proper sprint triathlon' but hey that wont be a problem given what you have done thus far. I would also see if there are any closer that October as you are in a good position already. The Disney half marathon sounds awesome! Neil x

Bad news Matt, I know where you are coming from. All I can say is hang in there, I have had lots of dark moments over the past 9 months where I thought I would never train again but have light at the end of the tunnel now. I was speaking to a buddy at the gym tonight who is a physio, he had big back problems last year and couldn't train for 8 months, really fit guy too, he also thought he wouldn't ever get back to it, but guess what, he is up and running again. Patience is needed and belief that it will heal, I know all about that and believe me I am very impatient!

Rob - great post buddy, spot on in every thing you say there. Totally agree, your first tri is all about the experience. Mine was a sprint in a town called Lincoln. I swam 2 lengths of front crawl and thought I was going to drown, swam the rest breaststroke. I couldn't find my bike in transition and had to get the marshall to help! When I finished I was stopped by the referee who said he needed to talk to me, I thought I was going to get disqualified, when in fact he wanted to hand me back me wallet that I had dropped in the locker room! Guess what...it was an awesome day, photo attached after the race!

You are so right, no short cuts, just consistent training, and there is always something that you can do, core is a great thing to do, its my new best friend, it holds everything together.

I was due to race my first 70.3 this year, and have had to withdraw, how do I feel about it, totally positive as it is the right decision, I will do it next year as my 50th birthday treat! We are in this for the long haul, to coin a phrase we use here...Triathlon is for life, not just next week.

Keep at it buddy...IMUK 2016





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Information taken from Triathlete magazine February 2014 issue Pg 64-65

The Overall Flow:
Weeks 1 - 4 Build frequency
Weeks 5 - 6 Build endurance
Weeks 7 - 8 Build speed
Week 9 Race

Aim to do the listed sessions on the scheduled days to maximize effectiveness of the plan and minimize risk of injury. Start the program conservatively to avoid muscle soreness, and then patiently work your way through.

How to gauge your effort
This plan uses rate of perceived exertion (RPE) to determine the intensity of your workouts

Zone 1 - Gentle rhythmic breathing. Pace is easy and relaxed. The intensity is a jog or very easy run or very easy bike spin
Zone 2 - Pace increases a little but is still comfortable. Slightly deeper breathing, and conversation is possible
Zone 3 - Pace is moderate, breathing is harder, and it's slightly more difficult to hold conversation. A stronger cycling or running rhythm, this is "feel good" fast
Zone 4 - Pace is fast and challenging to maintain, you're starting to breathe hard and are beginning to get uncomfortable. Approaching all-out 30-minute bike or run pace
Zone 5 - Pace is equivalent to all-out for one to five minutes. Breathing is deep and forceful, conversation is undesirable and mental focus is required.

Week 7: Think about how far you have come and how much you have accomplished. Use training sessions to anticipate how the race will feel (probably intense) and how you will deal with that-this will help you be mentally prepared to goet the most of the fitness you have built for the past few weeks.
Monday - Day off
Tuesday - 1000 nonstop swimming, even pace
Wednesday - 35 minutes running rolling terrain as 15 minutes @ Zone 1, 10 minutes @ Zone 3, 5 minutes @ Zone 4, 5 minutes @ Zone 2
Thursday - 60 minutes bicycling flatter to rolling terrain as 15 minutes @ Zone 1, 2x(5 minutes @ Zone 3, 2.5 minutes @ Zone 2, 5 minutes @ Zone 4, 2.5 minutes @ Zone 2), 15 minutes @ Zone 1 at 90-95 RPM.
Friday - Day off
Saturday - 5 x 200 swimming taking a 30-second rest between each 200. Progressively swim each 200 faster
Sunday - 40 minutes bicycling flat terrain as 15 minutes @ Zone 1, 15 minutes @ Zone 3, 10 minutes @ Zone 4. Quick transition (get it down to less than 2 minutes). 20 minutes running off the bike, flat terrain as 10 minutes @ Zone 4, 5 minutes @ Zone 2, 5 minutes @ Zone 1

Week 8: This is your last big week before you back off for the taper. Make the most of each session, pull in all you've learned in the past seven weeks and create small goals you want to accomplish each day. Stay relaxed and calm: This is the ideal state in which to maximize your training sessions. By the end of the week, all you have to do is rest up for the big effort of race day.
Monday - Day off
Tuesday - 500 swimming nonstop, followed by 10x50 as 25 fast/25 easy, taking a 20-second rest between each 100.
Wednesday - 35 minutes running rolling terrain as 15 minutes @ Zone 1, 10 minutes @ Zone 3, 5 minutes @ Zone 5, 5 minutes @ Zone 2
Thursday - 60 minutes bicycling flatter to rolling terrain as 15 minutes @ Zone 1, 5 minutes @ Zone 3, 2.5 minutes @ Zone 2, 5 minutes @ Zone 4, 2.5 minutes @ Zone 2, 5 x (1 minute @ Zone 5, 2 minutes @ Zone 1), 15 minutes @ Zone 1 at 90-95 RPM.
Friday - Day off
Saturday - 5 x 200 swimming taking a 30-second rest between each 200. Progressively swim each 200 faster
Sunday - 30 minutes bicycling flat terrain as 15 minutes @ Zone 1, 10 minutes @ Zone 3, 5 minutes @ Zone 4. Quick transition (less than 2 minutes). 15 minutes running off the bike, flat terrain as 5 minutes @ Zone 4, 5 minutes @ Zone 2, 5 minutes @ Zone 1

Week 9: A sense of building excitement or nervousness is OK. It means that you care, and the extra energy will give you power on race day. Resist the urge to test yourself in sessions. Taper training is designed to keep you sharp, so sessions are short. Stay organized prior to the race so that all you have to focus on that day is racing.
Monday - Day off
Tuesday - 16x50 swimming taking a 20-second rest between each 50. Swim #3, #6, #9 and #12 faster
Wednesday - 20 minutes running flat terrain as 12 minutes @ Zone 1, 3 minutes @ Zone 3, 5 minutes @ Zone 1
Thursday - 30 minutes bicycling rolling to hilly terrain as 15 minutes @ Zone 1, 2x(2.5 minutes @ Zone 3, 2.5 minutes @ Zone 2), 5 minutes @ Zone 1 90-95 RPM.
Friday - Day off
Saturday - 15 minutes bicycling at 15 minutes @ Zone 1 at 90-95 RPM.
Sunday - RACE DAY!!!

Sorry it was much later than I was expecting to post... Hope everybody gets something from this =)

We are at the start of a new month. Time seems to be going faster and faster. I must be keeping busy =)
Hope everybody is doing well. Hope everybody is still on board with our group.

For some, doing their first triathlon seems to be only a dream. For some, it's not about time, it's simply about completing. For some, it's not about trying to get into shape, it's coming from a long road of health problems and making a life style change. For some, it's not about how am I going to get through the chain of events for the year, it's about how am I going to get through today's workout. The day that a person finishes their first triathlon and living their dream is a feeling that few and many can describe; it goes beyond accomplishment and self pride. It's a feeling of "this is ME and I am alive"; every pain, injury, and discouraging thoughts are immediately removed once you cross the finish line. =)

Does everybody have their goals set for this month? Does anybody have events for this month? Are there any personal goals and/or events even outside "triathlons"?

Events:
* Simple cake due April 5th
* Wedding cake due on April 12th (serving 350 people)
* Vacation in Colorado April 18th-26th
* Tour de Cure April 27th 100 miles (first time attempting a century)

Goals:
* Continue with spin classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays
* Continue with Sunday rides with a group
* See about getting in a 60-70 mile ride in before the vacation (not realistic though; can't really spare hours on a bike with cakes due)
* Start planning to implement running into my workout to start focusing on 5K runs and 10K runs (not a runner, but gotta do it)

Great day today, a lot of the guys I coach here completed their first sprint triathlon. They ranged from second to last place but each of them loved it, here's the team at the end. There were guys in there who couldn't swim 2 months ago, guys who have lost loads of weight and a girl who has zero confidence, proud of them all, inspiring.





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David I think my post just now about the first timers I have been coaching really reflects what you are saying, today was a great day in many people lives.

My goals are simple this month, just simply keep increasing my training bit by bit, nice and slowly, and get back in the water. I'm feeling good!

Congratulations to your team of devoted athletes... :-)
That is great. Everybody finished, right? What an accomplishment...
And, congratulations to you, Neil. The right motivation can cause people to climb mountains like they are ant hills. ;-) You did a great job coaching/teaching.

Thanks buddy everyone finished with big smiles and thanks loved coaching them all

I finally got outside, my first ride of the year. I did 30 miles. Last year I had a horrible saddle on my bike and it was a huge deterrent for me. This year I bought a wider ladies saddle and I can honestly say it was pretty awesome. I don't know why I didn't do that sooner! I am about to jump on my treadmill to get some running time in! Hope you are all doing well! Heather