Hokies 1st Timer's Group - FULL (Page 24)

Just read this and I had to share.  Check it out:

http://www.swimwellblog.com/archives/1232

Making me re-think how I approach my swimming workouts.  Try it.  See if it helps.

Jeff,

Thanks for your reply.  I forgot about that post!  I do have spinners at the gym and I have hopped on them before.  I will consider that.  My pool is 15 mins away, but I'm not at a point where I have to worry about that being an issue.  I can't imagine riding my bike for 1.5 hours inside.  I would get bored.  Luckily, I'm not at that point yet either,  yeah me!

I did join another mentor group.  I missed reading other people's posts.  I'm still going post here as needed, or "inspire" you with questions if you don't mind.  I've gotten used to how you think and I'm not sure how I'll adjust to advice that is different.

I started reading "Chi Running" and think that  I am somewhat intrigued by it.  I have to get to chapter 4 before I find out if it's going to make running easy like it says.  

Hope you had a good Easter.

Christi

No problem Christi.  I like riding outdoors more than on a spinner but sometimes it's just more convenient to take it indoors.  Give it a shot - it might work for ya.

Certainly continue to poke me (either here or via an inspire) if you have a question and good luck with the new mentoring group.  Often it is good to get other opinions.  Remember, protocol (i.e.. how you train) does not matter.  Just get out there and enjoy yourself.

Jeff, I really like that you keep me honest about my workouts.....that doing something does matter, even if it's not what I believe should "count".  Remembering that is what can keep me doing this for a long time.  It would be easy to get down about not having "perfect" program workouts.

Thanks for that reality check!

Christi,

Everything counts!!

Also, we can't be perfect.  Even though I'm pretty darn good about doing my workouts sometimes I fail.  It happens.  In the past that failure to execute a workout like it is written in the plan or even not doing the workout would get me depressed.  I think that is one of the reasons why when selecting a training plan it is important that you select a plan that you feel darn pretty good about executing.  Otherwise, you miss a workout here and there, or you stop in the middle of a workout because it is over your head and you throw the towel in and just give up.  Not good.

If that happens nowadays to me I'll forget about the failure and start another streak the next day!!

Jeff,  

That sounds like more good advice.  Right now I'm afraid to start an official plan as my time is short.  I feel like just filling in with stuff as I can.  I don't know if that will work in the long run, but at least I don't feel "behind" when I'm not doing what the plan says.  I am moving, and that counts.  See, "trainable". 

I"ve got a problem with my back or leg right now and have an appointment to talk to my osteopath.  Sometimes when I'm on the elliptical and especially if I try walking fast, I get a pain and unusual feeling in my right leg. Someone suggested it might be my sciatic nerve, but I don't know enough about that to be able to say.  So needless to say, I haven't even been walking lately.  I know you are going to say then it's a sure case to get on your bike.  Yes, good point.  I'm avoiding that, but need to get the butt toughened up so that it's not a pain anymore!

First, lets see what my Dr. says 

Christi

Christie,

Any good plan should approach your fitness in a manner similar to what  I described in the inspire.  Remember to gain fitness you push you body slightly beyond you current fitness levels and recovery.  Then repeat.

Regarding your leg injury, it is wise of you to see a Dr.  You don't want to exacerbate the injury.

BTW:  You know me too well (i.e.. your comment about the bike).  I would add the pool to that list if it doesn't bother you to swim.  However, I will say that often an injury can be caused by doing a certain activity and will only appear (i.e.. via pain) while doing a different activity.  For example, it is possible that you could be doing something bad for your leg on the bike (like a bad bike setup, or in your case karate), not have pain while biking, and then have the pain come to the surface while running.  Something to consider.

Jeff you weren't far off....apparently my back issue might be related to a tight psoas muscle, which would cause issues with my back (like it did) and leg pain (especially when you lengthen your stride).  It's a hard area to stretch, so I'm looking for answers as to how best to get that area "relaxed".  It all might be related to the other "leg"/pelvic pain I've had.  And yes, it could be caused from karate (as much as I don't want it to be).

My poor bike is not the issue.  I would have to be riding it for it to be causing any problems.  I need to get back on it.

I'm going to research the psoas issue and see what suggestions I can come up with.  You have any suggestions?

Christi

Hi Christie,

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner.  Let's see, doing research on the psoas issue is the right thing to do.  It's not something that I have specifically experienced (at least if I did I didn't know it at the time) so I don't know that I'll be able to offer much help.

However, I have had back issues in the past.  The day before Thanksgiving last year I had just completed a 12 mile run which is one of my longer distance runs.  My wife was preparing the XMAS tree (yes, for some reason she wants it up on Thanksgiving) and she asked me to move a chair.  My legs were fatigued after the run so I ended up picking up the chair mostly with my arms/back.  Bad, bad idea.  Back went out and I went down to the floor.  Lower back pain that extended into my legs.  Over the course of the next week it was difficult to walk and even get out of bed (needless to say it didn't make me a happy camper).  I treated it by doing the following:

1) ICE.  Iced the lower back every day by laying on the floor with my feet elevated on the couch.

2) REST.  No exercise.  I could barely walk so I really didn't have any choice in the matter.

3) Slowly ramp up.  After about 5 days it started to feel a little better and I tried to SBR.  I found that biking really hurt my back further so I dropped it for awhile.  Running was the same - hard for me to do without pain.  Surprisingly swimming helped.  For some reason after I got out of the pool my back felt better.  Perhaps it was a easier way of stretching out those back muscles.

Anyway, I'm by no means a doctor but those are the things that helped me.  Good luck sorting it out.

Hi Jeff, you around?  I'm stressing here.....signed up for a local sprint tri scheduled for the 30th. I really wanted to do my first tri at my home pool vs an OWS.  I wouldn't have as much anxiety about it except that I haven't been consistent with my workouts lately, the swim is 750 vs 500, and the bike course has some nasty hills.  I haven't had time to think much about what to do at the transition stations or the gear I'm going to wear.  I keep losing my bike chain when downshifting from my middle ring to the granny ring on hills.  For this race I'm going to just start early with the granny ring and not worry about downshifting.

Would love to hear any calming words you have.  May 30th sounded so far away when I decided it was a good idea....

Christi

I also posted the below info on my other mentor group site.  Unfortunately, it's not as good as our last group. .  Let me know what you'd suggest, when you get time.  Thanks!.........

Yes, that's what I'll have to do.  I guess I should have been more specific regarding what to wear....

Wondering about socks....do you wear them for the bike and the run?  

Do you do any kind of drying off before putting on the bike shorts? I'm going to wear a sports bra under my swim suit and leave the suit on for the race.  I can't think of another way to keep the girls supported without a change in the locker room.  I could put my bike shorts on under my swim suit, but I can't imagine riding in wet bike shorts and chamois.

 Do you wear the bike shorts for the run, or swap them out for just shorts?  Have you ever tried running in bike shorts with a chamois in them?

I think that's all I have for now.  Thanks in advance for your advise!

Christi

Christi,

Anxiety - It doesn't matter that it's your 1st.  What your feeling is normal.  I still get race anxiety.  For me I have difficulty sleeping the night before.  So when I hit the bed I try and do things that normally put me to sleep.  Like, read a book that I have already read, or listen to a podcast that I have listened to numerous times.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.  Pick anything that will divert you attention from the Tri.  If you still can't sleep, don't worry about it.  Eat an early breakfast, or read the paper, or do your email.  You will probably have enough adrenaline going on race day the lack of sleep the night before won't enter into your mind.

Like you I did my 1st Tri in a pool rather than OW.  That was very wise of you to select that venue.  My guess is (and it's strictly a guess..) you have the most anxiety about the swim.  So the great news is you will not have to deal with any OWS panic.  If you need to hang onto a swim lane rope then DO IT.  If you need to stop at the wall then DO IT.  If you need to break out of your freestyle stroke to breast or back then DO IT.  If you have to take a break you want to make sure your not in anybodies way.  BUT... don't worry about people passing you.  Let them go!!  You know your swim pace.  Don't get caught up in the "madness" of the race.  You dictate your pace, don't let others dictate your pace.

How is the pool swim portion of the Tri going to be organized?  If it is anything like the ones I have seen they seed your start position based upon an estimated finish time that you provide.  If that is indeed the case, then it is my advise that you be really honest about your projected finish time and if your err, err on the side of predicting a slower (longer) time.  You don't want to start out in the front and have person after person after person pass you.  That can play with your mind and potentially make you attempt to do things (like try and swim faster) that you wouldn't otherwise do.

With regard to 750 meters/yards versus 500.... well, I guess it is what it is.  There is not much you can do about your swim fitness 7 days out from the race.  So, do the best you can.  Don't worry about time.  Just go out and have fun.

Lets see.... the bike.  If the bike is giving you mechanical problems I would take it to your local bike shop and have it tuned.  It's a good idea to have this done periodically regardless of whether or not your racing.  If that's not possible, and there are hills you have to climb then your idea about putting it in the small chain ring is smart.  And if the hills are so steep you can't pedal up then get off your bike and walk it up the hill.  No shame in that.

I gotta run for now Christi.... I'll get back to you other questions on Tuesday.

Jeff....thanks so much for going over these questions for me.  Like I told my newbie friend Lauren, it helps so much to get some answers to the questions I have.  She is not doing this race because she's not comfortable with the bike course and has done two races in the last 4 weeks.

As you might have read in my blog... we swam together in the same lane so I could feel that.  The anxiety of the race had me panicking in the pool.  It was very hard, if not impossible to relax and breathe, I really struggled and was very tired afterwards.  It is now my biggest worry....I won't die doing any other portion of this race.  We are going again on Friday and I'll swim the 50m laps for the first time.  Can't wait to see what 7.5 of those babies feel like.

Swim will be suit and sports bra (tried it and liked it).  I'll use socks and pull bike shorts on over my suit and add my bike shirt (with my number) at T1.  I won't change my clothes again at T2.

Lauren gave me good T1 & T2 hints and showed me how to set up my area.  I'm going to pick up some supplements on Saturday, Cliff Bar Shot Blocks and Recoverite by Hammer (I tried them yesterday and they set fine with my stomach) for during and after the race.

The bike, well, if I have to walk up hill so be it.

My run strategy is going to be 1/1.  I know myself and I'm not going to want to walk the whole thing (if I'm capable of running at that point).  I like this plan, and I love the route.  

My pre-race anxiety is down, which is good.  My girlfriend Annie, who got me into this whole thing, will also be doing the race.  She is a fast swimmer and probably won't be in my first wave.  We have friends and family that will be there to support us as well, and I'll be passed by 5 friends that don't know I'm doing the race yet.  I'm trying to remember to have fun.  It's the pressure of not preforming well in front of other competitors that is hanging me up.  I really need someone to be worse than me.  Does that make sense? And if I can find someone else who is matching my pace and go it with them, I will be better off.

I might give myself a henna tatoo on my inner arm that says "Have fun!"

Anything else you can think of to help with the nerves?

Muchas Gracias!!!!!

Christi

Christi,

One other thing, and please listen.  DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHO YOU BEAT OR WHAT PLACE YOU COME IN. There will be plenty of time for that as you move forward with your future races.

I got this advise from my 1st mentor when I was all worked up about my 1st race.  I'm paraphasing a bit but:

Do your best, have fun and let the results take care of themselves -- the people who truly care about us don't really care who we beat or whether or not we come in last, they just want us to be happy.

Powerful statement.  Now go have a good time and I don't care if it takes you 4 hours to finish.

Excellent advice Jeff.  I'll try to keep that in mind so that I can relax and have fun!  I'll post my results here.  I get to wear a timing chip, so I'll have a good time break down of the events.

Thanks again,

Christi

 yep, that's me chillin' pre-race....