Got Your Mojo WORKIN'! group - CLOSED (Page 24)

BOB again -

I agree with what WHATO said about concrete --- avoid it like the plague! I'm referring to the grey stuff, and I'm assuming he is too. The purply/black stuff is okay, at least it's less forgiving than concrete. All those trails through Reston, though -- you should be fine. All those trails -- you are really fortunate.

I have a few rough thouights about what is ailing your knee, but I will dig deeper and see if i can come up with something conclusive. Have you ever had it properly diagnosed?

Beyond that, what running shoes do you wear? Also, do you have low arches or high arches, or arches somewhere in the middle? Finally, do you heel-strike? If so, there will be significant wear on the heels of your running shoes; and look at them, not your daily shoes.

My really qucik and dirty assessment is that you might overpronate and could benefit from a fairly sturdy stability model of running shoe. So when you get a chance, let me know what you're currently running in.







Edited by stevebradley 2011-01-05 10:28 AM

--------------------------------------"PROPER" RUNNING SHOES, ALL? --------------------------------------------


A few days ago I mounted the soapbox here to harp at you all about using a log, and now I'm back again to nag about wearing proper running shoes.

What are proper running shoes? Well, broadly they are shoes designed for running only -- not cross-trainings, or walking, or tennis, or anything else. Just running. However, having said that I will quickly add that I think way too many running are way too built-up, and have more features than is relaly necessary. But some basic features coomon to most dedicated running shoes will not only help you run beter and/or with less effort, but might also shiled you from injuries.

if you are in the market for new running soes, try a run-specific store first, and then a REALLY good sporting good s store. Avoid mall-type stores, in no small part because the staff at hose places are not well-versed in foot types and the whole fitting process.

Which brings me to the whole fitting process -- do it if you can find a place that offers it! At the very least, the clerk should watch you walk and then run shoeless, from bith the front and the back. The clerk should then do this for each pair of shoes you try on, studying each of your footfals to see if your foot flops to the inside, or if your achilles lean in or out. Ideally, the store will have a treadmill, with camera at the back; REALLY ideally, there will be one at the front, too. In these places you will actually get to see yourself run, and when the clerk points things out to you -- there it is, right on the screen. Among other places, Fleet Feet branches offer this service, and there must be over a hundred of them across the U.S.

Names to look for in shoe companies: Asics, Saucony, New Balance, Mizuno, Adidas, Nike, Avia, K-Swiss, and others. (I will pots these as I think of them.)

Two other companies make quite technical tri-specific shoes, and these are Newton and Zoot. I have been in Newton since late '07, but they are not for everybody. GREAT running shoes, the best I have ever had....but not for everybody. (Details later, if requested!)


Off the soapbox now, and about to head into Ottawa for a gym session. Bye for now!

Running shoes are nearly impossible to find in size 15. I've come across some 14's but no luck getting into those. I got lucky a couple years ago and found some cycling shoes size 49 that fit and bought 2 pair 1 road shoe and 1 MTB both are SPD. I haven't used the road shoes yet I need to put cleats on them the other pair I use on the bike and spin class. Cycle shoes beat toe cages all day.

Melinda-
That sounds like a long day Melinda.. I have had that feeling before to panic in the water.. It was not in a race but it was in the ocean off the coast of El salvador, it is a scary feeling. I hope that you will make it back to the race. I have that race in my sights for this year I have not yet decided i think it will be in july and i also been looking at the echo lake race.

Yes the swim plan is on BT. It is on the main home page on the left had side, if not there then it is in the articles section.  I can also look at the sprint and olympic plans and do a percentage by volume in training, if that makes sense.

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement regarding my 450 yds.  I will be careful not to push too hard too fast from now on.  I was kind of doing a fitness baseline/evaluation to see where I am at.  I did start to notice my form was falling completely appart  after about the 350 mark. about every 50 after I noticed a major drop in form, it turned into a struggle to even stay a float.

Part of the learning to swim program is counting strokes per distance and then trying to reduce them.  But I like the idea of knowing the base line number of strokes and it the count gets too high changing strokes or drills.




Steve
The pedal system all depends on the bike I am riding, I prefer to use pedals with the most, with out excess, float in them.  I feel this allows for a more natural and comfy body alignment which will ultimately allow the rider to ride longer and happier.  With that being said I use Schimano SPDSL(yellow) on my road bike,  I use crank brothers eggbeaters (Candy) on my fixed gear and my all mountain bike(5.5 in travel mountain bike) I will also probably be running the egg beaters on the new cross country 29er im planning to build( the only difference is the bike is built to accommodate a 29 in wheel, where most mountain bikes are a 26 in wheel).  I used to run platform pedals on my downhill/freeride bike, but that bike lead to many broken/separated shoulders/clavicles.

These are my preferences and I have NO FACTS to back this up.  it has worked for me for many centuries and long distance charity rides.




Johanne
A tip I used to teach my ex was to unclip before you start applying the breaks.  You will have enough momentum to not fall over and you will already know which way to lean when you stop.  you can also verbally remind your self to unclip, who care if someone hears you saying it you will be far less likely to fall over.


Edited by LycraCladChamp 2011-01-05 12:45 PM

I have gotten myself roped into a marathon in October.  My friend who is doing the July Tri-Sprint is now looking to do the Marine DC Marathon YIKES!  So... all you experienced people out there... what do I need to add to my training to be ready to do this in October... anything different or just continue with the plan I have now and add to it later...

Thanks!
Alex 

updated this weekd training log!!

I have only done a few marathons and am not a good runner so take this as only my .02.  I have a favorite October marathon I like to do.  I just stay with my tri training, and then starting in July I follow Hal Higdons plan making sure I get all of the long runs in.  His program is 18 weeks, I just start at the 12 week point, it's worked ok for me. (Only ok to finish, it may not be the plan for you if you want to Boston Qualify)
Melinda

Let me jump on the running shoes soap box with you Steve. 

Three addition things.
  
1.   You forgot Brooks.   Big fan of the Adrenaline

2.   Track the number of miles you put on  your shoes.  You can have the best shoe in the world but if they are broken down, they are useless.  I change shoes every 300 miles.  I know its anal but I start having issues with my calf when my shoes are starting to break down.  I then donate them since they still look fairly new. 

3.   Always untie your running laces when taking your shoes off.  Kicking your shoes off when they are still tied leads to a faster break down of the shoe. 

Off the box now! 

Moved my swim workout to Thursday.  Saves one trip up to Madison and back.

Hmmmm, interesting thoughts on the PB.  I used it exclusively for swimming last year because my HR would skyrocket if I kicked.  I never really have kicked much when swimming freestyle.  I was planning on ditching the PB this year but maybe I shouldn't?  My kick is not strong at all.  I spent hours trying to work on it and never got any better.  Cramps also became an issue (calf, toes, top of my foot).  I cramp far less when I use minimal kicking.  Did the whole Ironman swim with about two kicks per 10 strokes or so.  Pretty much used it to keep on a straight course and to sight.

Coaches have always told me I needed to kick stronger to swim faster.  So, kick or no kick?  Spend more time working on a better pull? 

Thanks Melinda,  There is no "Qualify for anything!"    I just want to get through it... my friend really wants to do this run so I agreed but I am not a runner... preferring the bike but just getting through to finish is exactly what I am looking for!

Alex 

Hey there Gang so Im out of commision for 2 weeks on my training. Last night i slipped on some ice and BONKED!!! my head pretty hard.. Doc said i have a mild concussion and no Running or any hard excersice for 10 to 14 days.. WOWSA!! that's a long time if you ask me.. So For now i will resume my training on the 15th of this month..

Running I miss you allready..

30-45 min lunch walks. What do you guys/gals think about these?  I joined a coworker today for the brisk walk and it actually made my legs feel way better.  I did a 2.25 mile run/walk today at the gym and my legs have been stiff and a bit sore all morning.  I am worried about over doing it and not having enough rest for my legs.

Ouch!  that stinks but listen to your doctor. 

Yeah Im excited to get started on that training as you might have seen in my post before this one i will resume on the 15th of this month with all training..

SLC is a has a good tri seen from what i see so far mind you that i i only really have been into this for about one year.. I have met some triathletes at the pool but other then that i do most of my training on my own.. I have seen some clubs that i think i will look into and might join.

The Tri in St. G is a sprint that i will do.. Being that it is my first i want to tri out the sprint and work my way up when i fell that i am ready for a longer distance.

I have seen the  Ironman St. G videos and they do have some pretty big hills i did a weekend trip last summer down there for a bike ride and found myself face to face with lots of hill climbs. hills dont scare me to much here in salt lake we have lots of cyclist friendly canyons and i for sure cruise up them as often as posible, i love the feeling of getting to the top..  So bring on the hills i say.. LOL

If you do ever make your way to Utah let me know i would be glad to show you around.. it is a beautiful state.

ALEX -

One of the present downsides of a fairly large and INCREDIBLY active group is that I have yet to learn the history of most of you. So, can you tell me (again?) what your running background is? I readily see the races you have planned for this season (well, minus the late-breaking marathon thoughts!), and they are all sprints, and they end in mid August. So, depending on when the marathon is in October, you have between 6 and 10 weeks to ramp up your mileage enough to be ready for it.

How important is the Seattle race to you? I seem to remember you saying that you were going out there anyway, so why not do a race at the same time, and I support that notion 167%. I'm thinking, though, that you will leave your bike back home and borrow/rent one for the race, and if that's the case then you are probably jusyt doing the race mostly for fun and experience. Is that about right?

I ask this because if it's a funnish race and not a top-priority event, then I think you might want to begin the marathon training after Philly -- unless you come from a distance running background of some sort. If all you did betwen Philly and Seattle was stuff to get you peaked for Seattle, then you might not have time to get ready for the marathon. But if you can view Seattle as a fun race, and a nice diversion from marathon training, then I think you could have it all -- the 3 tris listed, then the marathon.

Let me know your thoughts of Seattle, okay? Is it fun? Is it the culmination of your triathlon season, sort of a "statement" race as to where your tri training has taken you?

Moving on just slightly, please tell me again which training plan you are using; that will help in figuring out how and when to adjust it. Without knowing what it is, and coming back to what I siad above, you will be best-served by following a sprint-based plan up through Philly, and then after that jump over to a marathon plan that would hold for between 12 (early Oct race date) and 16 (last days of Oct) weeks. If you look at most marathon plans, I think they will be set for at least 15 and more commonly 18+ weeks, so even with a July 11 marathon training start date, it's cutting it a bit close. Doesn't make it impossible -- juts tight.

Of course, some of your decidion will be based on what you want from the marathon. I fyou are thinking of it as a competitive effort, and you don't have much distance running behind you, it is definitely tight. But if you are looking for the experience and won't have a clear time-goal in mind, then it is very doable. So please let me know about this, too -- what your goals for DC might be.

You will be in very good shape by the time July rolls around, and that will work in your favor; even with a focus on sprints, your overall fitness will be solid! Thinking on the fly right now, if you begin the marathon training in July, then you will have to reduce your swim and bike work significantly -- maybe just once a week, and kind of "maintenance" at that. If you want to to choose one to continue working slightly harder at than the other, then it's possible to get in two/week in one discipline, and once/week in the other.

Really, I'd have to look at marathon plans that might be tailored to your experience and needs. The first few weeks of any marathon plan for mere mortals will not be a killer, so despite what I said at the end of the last paragraph, you may in fact not have to devote the bulk of your time to running. (That'll definitely come later, like late August and throughout September! )

Finally, what is the nature of the DC course? DC and environs is surprisingly hilly, so I'm guessing it's not a "flat and fast" race. Then again, you don't live in a "flat and fast" area, do you, so hills are familiar to you, right?

Let me know what you think!

JOHN -

Ah, I knew I was missing one of the really big players, and it was Brooks. I didn't intentionally leave them out, it was just an all-too-common brain cramp!

great point on tracking shoe mileage. I also am good up to only about 300 miles, and fter that I proceed at my own peril. People ask how one knoews when their shoes are worn out, and many times for me it has been the fairly standard run that leaves me with a sore achilles and/or plantar tighness and/or wonky knee and/or "sharp hips" and/or..... In other words, my lower body will react dramnatically to shoes that are past their prime.

Another way to judge it is just look at the wear on the bootoms. If some of the midsole is showing through in key places (for me it's outer edge, along the midfoot area), he it's time to retire them.

Or,as you say, track the mileage and bail on a pair while the going is still good, before body problems rear themselves.

I use speed laces on all my shoes -- haven't tied a pair of running shoes in years. (At times I feel like a little kid, still in velcro shoes becasue they haven't learned to tie their shoes!) I use E-Z Laces, although there are several others that are good. But you're right that oine doesn't want to break down the heel counter by getting out of them lazily.

JOHN's WETSUIT? - More experienced folks will chime in on your question, but I have a sleeveless wetsuit long john, a full sleeved wetsuit long john and a sleeveless shortie. I've used them each under different circumstances. I started out with just my shortie for a June sprint - it's a breeze to get on and off. I do a early spring and a late Fall Oly here in Indiana that I can't live without my full one. I got the sleeveless long john for $50 brand new off e-bay so that's why I got that too. I used it for an early September Oly tri and I really liked the feel of my arms being free but my legs covered for bouyancy. Come to think of it, all my wetsuits came from e-bay because I'm a cheapskate. For all three I didn't spend what I would have new for only one. My full was also brand new and was $75 (originally $399). My shortie is a Quantana Roo and both my other ones are Rocket Science Sports. I'd gotten a Rocket Science Sports transition bag that I was majorly impressed with the workmanship so I wanted to stick with the RSS name. I ended up getting a tri shorts and top from them, too and love them. High quality stuff. I haven't yet gotten a swimskin for nonwetsuit legal races but hear they're worth looking into for the longer distance.

The brand names out there can be overwhelming. You can find some good stuff cheap on e-bay if you're careful. Have fun searching!

JOHN again -

As for wetsuits, you're in an area where many races are not going to be wetsuit-legal, right? And of the ones that are, i figure that it's a close call -- maybe water temp of mid-70s. If you overheat fairly easily, then you will be most comfortable in sleeveless. The downside to sleeveless is loss of buoyancy; the upside is greater flexibility. Some full suits will constrain the arms and affect stroke mechanics, which is why lots of natural-born swimmers prefer sleeveless -- they have great mecahnics and benefit from the feel of the water as much as possible.

I have used a DeSoto two-piece for a few years. The two-piece concept takes some getting used to, but now that I know it (since '03) it works for me. The advantage to two-piece is that the constraint issue is largely eliminated, as the top works independently of the bottom. This is especially good for me, as I have a longer-than-normal torso and arms. So, with regular full suits, constraint is more the rule than the exception for me. But again, that reflects my build -- 6'2" and with long torso and arms.

Makers? Lots of 'em nowadays! At the risk of missing a few, as wkth the shoes, there is Quitana Roo, Orca, Nineteen, 2XU, DeSoto, Xterra.....and others. You might want to start by looking at Xterra, as they frequently have killer deals. I have had a couple of Xterra to augment my DeSoto suits, and my gripe with them is that they aren't too durable. But once June comes I swim open water in a westuit always 3-5 times a week until October, so I wear my suits much more than the average person does.

Finally, don't look top-of-the-line with your first suit, unless you are really gunning for something big -- a qualifier, or USAT rankings points, or a local race series overall championship. One can pay a tom for top-of-the-line, whereas saving a couple hundred dollars will still get them in a good wetsuit. As you study them, you will rezd about different thicknesses of neoprene (Yamamoto 8...or 9...or 10), and speed panels, and all sorts of other features. Brace yourself!!

Let me know if any of the above is helpful, okay?

First congrats on signing up for a marathon!

I'm doing my first in March. I'll let you know how it goes. My goal, first, is to finish, second, to feel somewhat ok when I'm done and third, (because I am who I am) I'm sure I'll have a time goal. I'm also following a Hal Higdon plan. It's been working well for me. I worked backwards. I picked the date of my race and set up the workouts accordingly. Right now I'm doing my own bike workouts as I can fit them in and I'm swimming with a Masters group.  Looking at your schedule of races, if you ramp up your running a bit, you'll have time after your last tri to focus on getting the miles in. A friend of mine has done many marathons and she said to get the miles in even if some days are walks. 

I've become a big, big believer in tracking miles and replacing running shoes. I think it's made a big difference in minimizing injuries. I've been in New Balance for a while now and I'd like to try something else just to try but I think I'll wait until after March

That is a bummer! Maybe you can use the time to catch up and plan which races you want to do this year Take it easy. 

I bought a long sleeve, full length Xterra wetsuit. The ocean in Northern California stays cold most of the year and the other open water options around here are pretty chilly (at least for me) as well. I have a friend that has a strong swimming back round and she prefers a sleeveless suit for the extra mobility but I'm such a wetsuit novice that I can't tell the difference. 

MANNY -

I agree with the others - do what the doctor says. However.....I would also say that if that if you have a second doctor from whom to get an opinion, check there, too. 10-14 days is a fair bit for a mild concussion, and certainly proi football players boune back quicker than that from maybe mor serious stuff. (THAT said, there are all the scares and building evidence of what happens to football players who have suffered multiple concussions throughout their career, what with early-onset dementia and all.)

Those lay-offs are tougher earlier in one's triathlon career; it'll get easier for you when you get old like me and have weathered countless injuries and some rather lengthy down-time!

So, take the next 10 days to be creative or diverse. I'm sure you can swim (just don't hit your head on the end walls!), and there is no earthly reason why you vcan't stretch and do some light to moderate lifting. Core work? Crunch your brains out! Maybe not the rollers, though; now is not the time you want to endure a wipe-out!

And no more jumping off tall objects, as your picture shows you doing! (Didn't I warn you about that? )