tcovert's Winter 2009 Mentor Group - FULL (Page 24)

Todd and Jocelyn,

Really sorry to have missed you both, but to be honest, when I got down there I completely blanked.  My wife and kids and I were staying in Newport for my cousin's 40th b-day party the night before, and since it was just an overnighter, we left the dog at home.  Basically, I had to run the race, go back and get the family, and the drive back home to let the dog out and walk her.  I literally went straight from the finish line to my car ... and since you were both there, you know how far away I parked without shuttle service (read your report, Jocelyn, there were no shuttles from the south, either).

So ... I really wasn't thinking about anything other than runnning and getting back.  And yeah, I had a new bib number, and I was wearing a black ski cap to help stay warm, with glasses.  No way you could have recognized me.

The expo looked like a lot of fun and I really wanted to stay!  Glad you two got to meet and enjoy the day and once again ... great run, Jocelyn!!

Awesome work both of you.  Sorry to hear it was a tad cold, though    

For comparison, the last time I ran a race here was the Jingle Bell Run...snow...ice...about 15 degrees.  Yes, my sympathy for you is hollow.  But, it's Gournd Hog Day and I don't care what the critter says.  It's anly 26 days to March 1, which the weathermen consider the first day of spring. 

I like my cat.  He knows what to do when we aren't home and he doesn't bother the cockatil. 

Again, great showing from you both.  I dream about a sub 25 min. 5K.   

Hey Todd,

Thanks for a little Elvis Costello to start Monday off right!

Don't know yet what my goals are for this week as I haven't really thought about it since yesterday.  I do know that I'll finally be able to get some more riding in during the week because it's starting to stay light out and I can start commuting again soon, and a small group of us have planned Tuesday and Thursday lunch rides.  I'd like to be able to hit 100 miles this week, but don't know if I'll have the time.  Running, something along the lines of 15 miles would be a good week, and swimming ... well, let's just say that it's time to get back in the  pool!

This is going to be a tough spring for me ... what seems to typically be peak training and racing for most, spring and early summer for me will be mostly work and work travel.  I'll keep on pushing myself and racing when I can (seems all the races I want to do are on big work weekends), but my only realistic expectation right now is staying fit and having fun at the events I can make.  And I feel good about that!

Last night I was thinking about all of this and realizing that not all that much is going to change in my personal and work lives over the coming years, and I'm not all of a sudden going to have all this extra free time to train for longer distances, so I'm kind of resolved, at this point, to just focusing on mostly sprints and maybe one Oly a year, and just getting really good at them.  So there you have it ... a clear resolve and a lot of my own personal questions about what I want out of all this answered.  Really, really happy with where everything is going!

I'm pumped up and also starting a long term training plan for a June tri this week. Plan is

• 3 runs: 1 treadmill, 1 trail, and 1 road
• 2 rides: 1 commute and 1 regular
• 2 pool swims

However, this week could get dicey. Today I'm sore, so no training yet. Thursday is my daughter's birthday and we have plans. Also we're having friends over on Friday. Both days will be a challenge to fit in training. This weekend my husband will be in Catalina (if it doesn't rain) and with our pool out of commission, running is the only sport I can do with the kids with me. So, it could get sticky, but I'm hoping for the best!

This week is unusual for me.  The new cycling coach through VisionQuest has me doing two power tests Tuesday and Thursday on Computrainers.  First is 45 mins long and hard.  Second is sprint.  No running yet since Saturday.  No swimming in the morning.  All PT until the tests.  I went out and bought a 20 pound kettle bell (didn't know what it was until last Friday) and a medicine ball so I can do more here in the weight room/man cave.  Working out well so far. 

I'll let you know how this thing goes with the power meter all hooked up .  So hi tech.

And, I'm 2.5 years clean of cancer as of today's visit with my doctor. He gave me a green light to do what I wanted...up to and including an HIM this year if I think I can do it with consultation here and the support group on line.  We shall see.  Meanwhile, June sprint, July Oly. 

Thanks all for your help and encouragement. 

Scott,

  Congrats on 2.5 years! Clean bill of health and HIM bound! I can't wait to see you complete your goals.

 For me this week:

 Bike x3

 Run x3

 weights x2

 Core x2

My knee is doing better and better. I picked up the pace just a little on a run this last week and felt fine. I might do a little longer run, 4-5 miles later in the week if things continue to feel okay.

Yeah!! So glad for the news, Scott. Must always be a relief when you get those results. HIM bound, then??

I wish I were as confident as everyone else I can be ready for a HIM this year.  I'm a positive guy overall especially since the cancer - the ultimate victory is mine with the right attitude and all that - but with a limiter as a run and staring 13 miles in the face, that's a bunch.  I suspect that you experienced people have found that experience breeds confidence.  Other than riding a couple of relays on a LiveSTRONG team, I haven't done anything but train. I need to build myself up to do longer distances on the run and then we shall see.

Im in Masters swimming, I have a cycling coach and soon the Lake Run Club starts a program designed to take intermediate runners who can do a 5K up to 8 miles by early May when they have their Lake Run around one of the lakes here.  I'm going to join and get to as many of them as I can and insert the distances of the sessions I can't make into my normal training.  A day has only so many hours and I have to hit an AA meeting 6 or 7 times a week, go to work and figure in the riding and swimming, too.  Somewhere in here I also have to build a bike when the parts get here.  Oh, and I have a wonderful marriage to enjoy.  Busy doesn't say it.  Plus, they just announced four days unpaid furlough between now and April 15 here at the newspaper.  Everyone has to do it.   

Good thing meditation is part of the AA program.  Keeps me centered.  The bike coach also has me doing more PT, too and I noticed that has a meditative quality to it. 

I don't really stress about things anymore.  But having the cancer test behind me again relieved a weight, I can tell already today. This afternoon is the Computrainer testing.  I have to ride a simulated Coors Classic course up in the mountains.  One of the climbs is called the Wall.  Should be a gas, eh?  :/

So Todd, a question for you based on your last post. Where then should the bulk of the time be spent in training for an Oly or HIM, in your opinion? I know we spend the most time on the bike, but you've got to be able to run or do a walk/run combo for the last third. I'm kind of answering my own question here, maybe, but lots of bricks to get the legs used to bike then run??

 I won't be really starting my HIM training until later in the spring, but was curious about what you thought.

Hey Lynn,

You got a long ride planned for Sunday, or early Saturday morning? Since I flaked on trying to meet up with Todd and Jocelyn last Sunday, I'm going to make a better effort to meet you all and, well, we're neighbors.  LET'S RIDE!

I've got to be showered and out the door with family on Saturday morning (petting zoo in San Jaun Capistrano), but I can fit in a ride if we start early.  Sunday is wide open ... you in?

scott- you are my hero.  cancer free and working the program while contemplating a HIM.  Based on the first two items i think you can handle the challenge.  go!

I've been out of the loop for a bit with family issues and the training has gone all outta whack but, i'm semi-back or as much as i can be right now.  i've figured out that my focus is fuzzy so i need to work on clearing it up and tackle the family stuff before i can expect to see better training results.

my head needs clarity before my body can follow.  enjoy the week!

I did the 40 min drill to figure my FTP with my cycling coach tonight.  Power Tap ...Computrainer...the whole works.  FTP=234.  Not bad for an old man. 

I will tell say that the ability to know exactly what your watts are and calories burned is an amazing deal.  Also being able to "ride" preset courses...it was awesome.  This one was from the old Coors Classic.  Very mountainous.  The key was to listen to his instructions and stay right at the wattage he wanted..He was able to push me to really incredible heights.  I'm learning so much. 

I would never be able to afford this man.  He is with Robbie Ventura's VisionQuest ...He lives in town, read my stuff in the paper, met me and a few months later, just recently, called and volunteered to help me for nothing.  He said I was an inspiration and he wanted to help.  Pretty cool.  I was speechless.  I still am.

In regard to Todd's post.  You know I always hear age group athletes saying "put your time into the bike" It makes sense that your bike fitness could give you fresher legs.....I get that. However, I've been thinking for a while that the run gets neglected. You don't see elites, even among the age groupers, neglecting it.  I know in the days of Dave Scott and Mark Allen, the run was how you won a race. Then Norman Stadler came along with his record 4:18 or something, Ironman bike and beat all the faster runners, now people are going to put on miles on the bike.

For what we're trying to accomplish, I agree with what Todd said 100%. It's nice to see someone else who thinks that.

Jake

I can tell you that as a "completer" not a competer who still wants the best time I can, I have to focus on the bike which offers my best chance to cut the most time and the run, where I have to be respectable.  The swim, I just enjoy and have to cut time there too if I hope to do the IM.  So much for spare time. 

Todd, I really learn a lot from your shares.  You have a lot of experience and a gift for sharing it so it's understandable.  And, I get a lot from the others here who are learning like I am. The shared experiences really cut the learning curve, I think.   

While the bike is certainly my strong point, I'm starting to get better at the run and, *EGAD*, I'm kind of starting to enjoy it!  I don't think I've yet turned the corner that I did on the bike, with regard to a strong running base, but I feel I'm not too far away.

For my first two tris, I stupidly played soccer on the Friday night before the races, and each time I injured my quads.  Made the run even harder and slower, but the underlying point is that I hadn't really trained for the run at all and it showed.  In my limited view, the entire race is decided by the run.  Could be very wrong on that, but I know that for me, the most opportunity to shave time is going to be on the run.

Also, I now LOVE my thumps, my thumps, my lovely manly thumps!

Sorry, couldn't resist   And I NEVER wear them on the bike.

Aloha all

I have been absent past 12 days or so due to hard times dealing with family and friends illness. Still, unlike last time, training stayed dead on course. This is in no part due to this group so thank you all.

My nutrition wavered one heck of a lot but I will weigh in on Monday and see the damage then. (I may need to re-jig goals a little.

Well done to the racers, didn't they do well? I am jealous. I am stoked we are still all cancer free and (even though it may not make to much difference) I do keep you guys in my thoughts even when I am not around.

I registered for 4 sprints now right up to September so that should keep me going for the season and now looking for ideas to keep me going into the winter. Maybe do a run on a half marathon course locally in early December. I have Kona to look forward to in December then make a plan for a February event to make me train over the winter.

I looked at last years two sprints and I remembered how stoked I was at the improvement in my time over the two races. Now I am at about the level I was for the first Sprint (probably worse) so I am looking to try and crack 120 mins for the march event. But I am hoping to get close to 90 mins by September. (And I thought I wasn't competitive anymore! LOL)

I also am going to get a Powertap as soon as I can afford as I really want to make sure I improve the bike. (Okay okay, I know losing weight will make most difference) Was also looking at the possibility of a coach if I am going to use power to train as I can't decipher all the info. Not sure yet and have to get cash together to afford it.

Just going through servicing my trusty stead just now as I don't want to leave it at the bike shop while they do it. Why does it take LBS 3 days to service a bike, especially if I specify what they are to so?

Also I decided that I will lay off the running till the March Sprint if need be to see if I can get this Plantar fashiitis to clear up. In the mean time I will take the run workouts and do a bike session at the same effort for twice the time of the run session. - Does this sound smart to anyone out there? The bike doesn't seem to aggravate the PF. I am getting sure it is the inserts in my trainers and shoes causing this. I am going to leave them out for a week and see what the effect is and decide if I should replace them or leave them out longer.

I will read the forum and look at all of your logs in the next few days.

Take care all.

I'm starting to enjoy the run too,  mostly for what it does for me.  I'm also liking the challenge of getting off the bike and running.  Makes me feel good about myself, if that makes sense.  There is certainly value in that. 

I'm doing intervals once a week, a moderate run and then an easy one.  Ijoin a running program by the local running club in mid-month.  Hopefully, that will stretch me up to 8 miles when done.  I figure the longer I can run, the faster I can do shorter runs.