I'm particularly interested in this cadence talk because I've noticed that mine is "lower" than what most people recommend.  I'm generally at about 80.  For some reason, I feel awkward going too much faster than that.  I think I'm more comfortable pushing a higher resistance rather than spinning faster. 

Although, I've lately been thinking this is what is making my knee sore on the bike.  Could this be?

TrevorC - 2011-04-14 3:33 PM

gdale - 2011-04-14 9:52 AM

fattyfatfat - 2011-04-14 11:26 AM

SSMinnow - 2011-04-14 11:10 AM  Fatty: Quite the name dropper...you staying with Mike while doing your IM?

no.  he's staying with me.

they'll be spoonin'

 

It'll make race day a little weird, when Mike screams out " JOHN DAVIS YOU ARE AN IRONMAN." - could be a total double meaning.

LMAO!

Kyla - I'd love to participate in a CSA in Portland.  We try to shop the farmers markets here too, but those are only in the summer.  My biggest concern is how I would eat all of the veggies though!  I sure as heck know Ryan wouldn't eat any of it.  How do you prepare it so that your husband will eat it at all?  Also, what do you feed your dog if it's totally unprocessed?  I've thought about it, but I'm not sure how to do it.

Also, I love the rain!  I think I was meant to be in the PNW.  I'm jealous that you're there and I'm not (yet)!

Ha! I love rain too!! This is the first spring when I've called UNCLE. We aren't getting nice teaser sunshine days, so it's getting to be a bit of a drag. And today it's 41 and pouring -- just pretty much grim!!

Portland is even more crunchy than Seattle, so you'll find plenty of fresh stuff to eat! (Have you seen Portlandia? So weird, almost makes me uncomfortable at times, but so on the money [to an extreme] much of the time, ha!) I'm always experimenting with recipes for veggies -- I research online, read reviews, clip recipes from magazines for ingredients that have been problematic for me in the past (whole fennel, for example). When all else fails I make soup -- which goes well with the rain, ha ha!! Greens seem to be more palatable with ingredients like a little bit of bacon, lots of fresh garlic, balsamic vinegar, etc. I hide as much as possible (recently made slow-baked beans with sausage and kale, and it was a hit!). I also have a couple of CSA cookbooks, which give you good hints into things that you don't normally find at the grocery store, like celeriac and kohlrabi, for example! 

Dog: His menu is vast. I've fed raw to my dogs for 11 years, and researched about 18 months before I started. Ingredients that Trip eats on a regular basis include turkey necks, chicken necks, ground beef, green tripe, liver (currently bison liver), pureed veggies, salmon oil, kelp, alfalfa, apple cider vinegar, and vitamin c. There are tons of resources out there on feeding dogs raw. PM me if you want to hear more about it -- I don't want to bore everyone with my food quirks, ha ha!!

You will love Portland!! It's an awesome city! I really wanted to move there, but hubs wanted this area more, and I was fine with it. I love the PNW for sure!!

GO KINGS!!!!

I don't have a cadence function on my bike computer so just try to use speed and RPE or HR to gauge how how I'm going.

I counted my cadence recently and it seems I naturally have a cadence of 85-90 when I'm cycling at what feels to be a good pace/effort.

I read somewhere that sticking to one gear easier than you think is appropriate gives a good cadence with less fatigue???

self select.  after trial and error. 

I'm GREEN with envy!

Can one of you who knows how make up a member grid of all the MG'ers so we can post it to our Dashboardds?

Thanks,

Doug

Interesting discussion.  I never really thought run cadence and bike cadence were coordinated.  Mine is pretty high on both spectrums without really trying so maybe there's something to it.

I was having this discussion with BP a couple of weeks ago.  I do a lot of low RPM (high Z3, RPM 55-60) work to build power.  When I do this, my HR is lower even at a higher watts level.  My question to him was "why wouldn't I crank away at something much lower?".  His first answer was the obvious, because you'll cook your legs for the run, but he also said there is data coming out that shows a higher cadence isn't necessarily better, but you should let it fall to a natural point where you are getting good power without frying the drumsticks (pun intended).  I find outside on average I am about 5rpm lower than inside....it'll be interesting to see where that lands this year now that I have a little more experience.

Interesting! I, too, find my cadence is a little lower when I'm outside. If I'm not riding super hard effort-wise, I tinker around with it and try to make it higher, and watch how my RPM and speed changes with different gearing. (Power would be the true answer, I know!)

RUN cadence?? just goes to show how little i know about the mechanics of running...might explain why i keep getting injuries, lol.....! RE the bike cadence, my cheapo little wired bike computer has been really helpful to me getting started, and figuring out optimal times to shift, gears to use on the hilly courses around here in order to maintain a steady cadence...now it's more natural, but my geeky self still likes to play with the toy...

I've always tried to have a garden.  I had a pretty small yard in Texas. I took out a corner of the back yard  lawn and put in three 4'x6' raised beds.  It was amazing how much veggies I could raise in that small amount of space.

I'm in the process of moving so I should have a bigger garden.  My new house has a .72 acre yard.

So in the spring in summer most of the veggies I eat I grow myself.

Tiana

Most runners new to the sport tend to over stride.  This can cause several lower leg injuries over time. With every stride you're in effect putting on the brakes just a touch because your foot is ahead of your center of gravity.  By shortening your stride and increasing turn over you are spending less time on the ground with impact and avoiding the braking effect. 

An ideal cadence is somewhere around 90 (mine is 99, but I have short legs).  To determine it, count how many times your right elbow goes backward in 20 seconds and multiply by 3.  Could do the same thing with your right foot.  If that number is low, chances are overstriding is an issue.

I thought we worked out a lot so we could eat really bad food???!

and drink beer. 

2011 Ford Ironman World Championship Lottery Winners Announced 

http://ironman.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship/lottery-and-pc-lottery-winners-who-will-compete-at-the-ford-ironman-world-championship-in-kona-hawaii#axzz1JayB80OW

surprisingly in Manhattan, it's pretty easy to eat locally and organically.  Between all the farmers markets throughout the city, delivery services, organic groceries and restaurants serving locally grown food my wife's mission (and mine to an extent) to eat locally and organically is pretty easy and delicious.  My wife also is into growing our own veggies on our patio.  I'm not sure if it's cheaper or better yet.  She's still in the seedling stage and it's been really expensive buying all the supplies and not sure how many of the seedlings are going to make it.  BTW we love fresh, local eggs.  they taste totally different than store bought.. Also the local milk is much better, though tremendously more expensive.

on the weekends we do indulge in food like pizza and burgers etc, its things we look forward to during a long wk. 

have you ever watched "Food Inc"

Yes I have and I think about that movie any time I think about eating meat when I don't know the name of the farmer.  Since I do the shopping and cooking, my family is forced to follow my nutritional, envirnonmental and ethical reasons for eating foods primarily for local, small farmers.  If I've got a problem w/ something I can email him/her or pick up the phone.  I like that.  

So, 2nd swim back today, and it was made up of longer sets, which apparently all of my friday swims are.  500, 1100, 250.  I felt pretty good until I got out of the water and ran smack dab into a wall in the locker room!  I was super dizzy for a good hour after, and still am kind of.  Methinks I need more practice on my breathing! 

Also, I'm going back in for a bike fit on the 25th.  I'm finally going to get a good saddle, and even though I had a bike fit last year when I bought my bike, it's never really felt "right" because the guy who did it wasn't really the best.  I could handle it all this time because I wasn't injured, but now with my knee, I can tell even more that I need to get re-fit.

Luckily, the LBS isn't going to charge me!  Usually they are only guaranteed for a year, but I called today and bought it April 12, 2010.  They decided to let the 3 days slide.  Fellow Wisconsinites, what LBS do you call your own?  I love Emery's!  They are always super helpful.

Suzy, did you intentionally train at a higher cadence or did that just happen naturally.  I also have short legs and was considering pushing my cadence up.  I have seen a one of the shorter Japanese women marathoners holding a cadence of 105-106 - she did like a 2:24 to win the Nagoya marathon last year.