Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN (Page 24)

Amazing!

I'm at risk of getting a bit too serious for a tri training forum. But it's not just the US. NZ (and for that matter I think most of the world) has become increasingly polarized over recent times, we're all extreme one way or the other no middle ground anymore. We have an election this year, and it is going to be nasty.

There was a good doco on Netflix, the social dilemma (highly recommend if you haven't seen it). It looked at how to keep you engaged with their product the algorithms that control facebook/twitter etc drive you more content that you already agree with, which you look at so drives you even more, pushing people further down their own rabbit holes. I think the rise of the social media giants has a lot to do with the hard left vs hard right political situation we're all now in.

Wooooo so much to catch up on in just a few short days! So glad everyone has been active and working through stuff.
I've been struggling a bit with weight lately as well. I've steadily gotten a few lbs heavier each year, and can't seem to get back down. One of these days...
I think the most frustrating part of that is that I've not been drinking much lately but nothing has changed. I hear about people giving up drinking and dropping so much weight, and that is just not the case for me.

Anyway, onto the good stuff. I can't remember when I wrote last, but Saturday I went to masters practice and got about 2500 yds in. Then I played football that afternoon. Sunday I went to my nephew's meet. He's 8, and just started swimming about a year ago. He's 2nd in the state for his age already, and he's a natural in the pool. It's incredible to watch.

My house was in shambles so I didn't work out Sunday or Monday, but yesterday I did a 30 minute ride in the morning, then a 30 minute run over lunch. My hip was bothering me though, was supposed to run 40 minutes, ended up walking the rest of the way home.
Got another 30 minute ride in this morning. Need to do some yoga for my hips though!

@Nicole. Generally speaking my nutrition plan has always been to live off the course. I've always thought that having a special, specific nutrition solution is too big a risk for something to go wrong, a bottle gets dropped/ejected your day is stuffed. But, for longer/harder morning workouts a tailwind type product could be a good solution to fuel up fast. Thanks for the thoughts, I'll look into it.

@Me, Last night we decided that the timeframe to get across town for dinner was too tight, so Mrs Bullfrog took the midgets to her parents before I finished work and I skipped it. So, instead of a rest day I had another opportunity for an afternoon, outdoors run. This time, I learnt my lesson and ate on the drive home, did some quick chores to let the food settle then went off for my run. 1 hour with 4x4min cruise intervals. This time no blow up, no walking home after the main set. Tired legs, but as it was my 3rd 60 minute run in the last 4 days that's kind of expected. Overall a much better experience than last week.

I can't remember how old you are but I know it's harder to lose weight as we get older. Sorry cutting down alcohol is not the miracle cure it was for me. Do you track calories? Maybe you are eating too much, or not enough to lose weight?

Well done on the 2500yds at Master's. I've said it before but I am so jealous of you playing football!

I've said that before too but housework does count as a workout, and so does watching hockey, which is what I am doing tonight (did you see that smooth transition from one subject to another?). Final Number 3. We are leading 2 games to 0 so the other team will push really hard, it will be a great game.

Interval running with my group last night 3 + 2 +1 minutes x 3. It went really well, I was around 4:15 to 4:45 min per km the whole time (even the 3 minutes) and I could have easily done a 4th series.




Edited by Rollergirl 2023-04-20 2:56 AM

Yesterday was a 1750yd swim in the morning and then an easy 1:15 Z2 ride in the afternoon. Both went well and the easier day was welcome.

I realized late yesterday afternoon that today's workouts were not time sensitive, meaning, I didn't have to get up early to try to get one, or both, in at a specific time (i.e., swims need to start around 6; runs need to end by 7). Today is a bike and strength day, so I turned my alarm off and let myself sleep until I wanted to wake up (sounding like Nat's natural schedule!). It was great! I mean, I woke up at just before 6 anyway, but that extra hour or so of sleep was great. I don't think I've been able to do that for at least a month, due to work and training.

Bike this morning was good...4x10' in Z3, which was just enough to work out a bit of rage at a colleague. I woke up this morning to several emails congratulating me on winning an internal grant competition for interdisciplinary research. Sounds nice, but the issue is I didn't apply for any internal grants for interdisciplinary research. I found out through these emails that a colleague of mine with whom I had a brief conversation about the potential for collaborative work on a project a year ago took it upon himself to apply for the grant without even telling me...putting my name on it too. I'm irate. I could have done 4x10' in Z5 and I still wouldn't have worked off all of my rage. This is so far beyond the bounds of acceptable behavior I'm not even sure how to respond (and I will, but I need a beat to calm down, because right now, I will say things that can't be taken back).

Throughout the day, I'll do my strength training as I take mini breaks. Did that on Tuesday and it worked well--killed two birds with one stone. Got my ST in AND forced me to actually stand up and take a brief break every once in a while during the day. I'm terrible at that. I can get engrossed in my work and then all the sudden realize the sun went down and I haven't eaten or drank anything for 12 hours...and my wife is wondering where the heck I am (but she knows) and if I'm ever coming home.

@Nathalie, how did the game go? are we 3-0 up?

@Mike, although it's slower than ideal it's good to see your back is slowly on the mend. Lots of time till your Oly. I'm sure that a 75min run/walk is going to be achievable for you.

@Gretchen, So now you've been awarded the grant you didn't apply for, are you going to follow through with the research? Or did your 'colleague' burn that bridge? Good decision not replying straight away. Once things are in writing you can't go back on it, and I'm guessing that the academic world you live in is a pretty small place. My only piece of advice is once you've decided how to reply, write your email but don't send it. Sleep on it and the next morning make any changes you've reconsidered. Like you said, once you've said it you can't unsay it. Even if its deserved.

How does your strength throughout the day work? What sort of exercises are you doing? Strength and mobility is the first thing for me to get dropped so I like the idea of mini during work exercises.

@Me, As instructed by Dr Garmin, Thursday was a rest day (Tuesday and Wednesday should have also been rest according to garmin, but I don't need that sort of negativity in my life) This morning I got up and did the commute to and from the pool for a swim. It worked out as 25 minutes wasted driving/changing etc. + the time in the pool. But that's workable with our morning routine, I should be able to get up to 40-45 minutes swims easy enough (just need to rebuild the swim fitness to handle that much). Today was 1,000m (Feb and March's combined total) in 26 min, including rests.

For the rest of the week, I've got 2 rides, 1 easy, 1 Z3/Sweet spot and my long run still to go. Should get them all in easy enough.

Have a good weekend team.

No! Jävla Blamock! (I guess the censor app is not going to hide those 2 swear swords (one in Swedish one in ”minion” -of the despicable me movies, I love them)
Another game that needed 2 OT but this time, the end was not so fun. Very late night for me, was home after midnight. Exhausted today but not in a good way, and in a terribly awful mood.

Hopefully my planned lunchtime workout will fix that.

Tomorrow long bike ride before hockey on tv and long run on Sunday, the last one before my half marathon on May 1st. We’re up to 18k now.





Edited by Rollergirl 2023-04-21 7:46 AM

@Nat-look at the bright side. You got a great game, but now you get at least one more too!

40’ Z1 run this morning with what I estimate to be every resident of Cairo between the ages of 14 and 25. Today is the first day of Eid, so on top of the norma Friday/weekend people, everyone is enjoying a three day celebration marking the end of Ramadan by staying out all night. Last night was insane around here—there was a concert in the middle of my street (seemingly unplanned).

Immediately afterwards, I got in a 2500yd swim. Both sessions were good and now I’m in for an afternoon of footie.

You're right of course. Before it started, we expected the final to go to 7 games, so nothing has changed really.

have you sent the mail now that you've calmed down a bit?

I'd be interested to hear about that too

haaaa! Jävla Blamock, a great center! LOL Played a blinder yesterday.

yes, the way they talk is hilarious, I use a lot of "words" I picked up from them (blamock, bido, binioo, matooka, bello).

Wowwwwww definitely not okay! That should NOT happen. Smart to calm down, and I may be behind, but I'm curious to hear how you approached it. Any of the researchers I work with would be livid if their name was connected to something without their approval or knowledge.

Nat noooooo! That's okay though, there's still time!
I love how invested we have all become in your hockey team. Thank you for sharing this with us!

I have my race in 2 days. I've decided to use it as training and not take any time off leading up. I may regret this, lol. I am going to do a 45 minute ride today, and possibly an easy 30 minute run. Tomorrow, going to masters, then 2 football games, then will hit the road and head up to NY. We found a 7th for our team luckily, so no one should have to run any extra. Will likely need some yoga before and/or after my long drive (5-6 hours in the car).
Finally looked up my leg. I will run 4.9 miles, 4.7 miles (I've heard this leg is pretty cool, you run through a park with waterfalls and stuff), and then 2.6 miles, totaling 12.2. I'm also leg 3, so will be able to start my beer leg much sooner

Yes, it's fun, a hockey team in a small town in Sweden has supporters in the States and New Zealand (and Egypt!). We have a couple of American players (so I am sure their families and friends follow the team) but none from New Zealand or Egypt!

Great you found a 7th- Have fun!



Edited by Rollergirl 2023-04-21 8:57 AM

Three hour trainer ride this morning, started with 10x1’ Z5 after the warmup, then 1:55 of Z2, before the cooldown. All good, except I’m really missing my Infinit. Gatorade just doesn’t cut it. Fortunately, an acquaintance of mine is coming to Cairo next weekend and she is bringing me some Infinit and chamois cream! I’m excited.

Finally! First OWS of the year! With wetsuit, gloves, booties, balaklava type swim cap + extra cap. 10 minutes, 400m.
So happy

Oh yes! 1-4 away win today.

WOOT!!!!

I use the 80/20 strength training plan from TP. It is a lot of body weight stuff, or at least stuff you can modify to be body weight stuff, if you don't want to go to the gym or if you aren't really fussy about what counts as a "weight". I've been known to do some of the sets with chairs, loaded backpacks, etc. For the most part, if you have a good set of bands and a sturdy doorway, you've got everything you really need to do these sessions. An example session:
Squats (goblet, or split, or regular)
Rolling side plank
Monster walk (side-step with resistance band)
Torsional Buttress (plank, but with one hand on the opposite shoulder)
Side leg Raise with resistance band (laying down, raise leg up in air)
Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl (or, I generally do elevated hamstring bridges, since I don't have a ball here)
Copenhagen (pure torture--laying on side, then put top leg on bench/chair and lift body and hold in side plank-ish position)
Single leg band passover (stand on the end of a resistance band on one leg, transfer the band back and forth between hands)
Single-leg press with resistance band (like a chest press, but standing on one leg and using resistance bands)

This was last Monday--it wrecked me completely for two days. I think it was the goblet squats. I do three sets of 8-15 (usually 8 for legs stuff, 15 for arm stuff). If I'm doing it at work, I usually do one exercise at a time, about once an hour or every 90' I'll get up and do one of the exercises. Takes about 5' for each one. I rarely get through all of them at work, but it is a start once I get home. If I do more than one exercise at a time, I end up starting to sweat, which I don't want at work. :P

90' Z2 run this morning, followed by a 1650yd (one mile!) swim. Pool was a bit dicey this morning. The hotel had a wedding at the pool last night and it didn't finish until 4am. You wouldn't know Muslims don't drink by the state of the pool this morning. It looked like a herd of drunks had been through there last night. I originally arrived at 6:15 (opens at 6) and they told me it was closed until 7--this annoys me, because unscheduled closures really jerk my day around. So I went home, had breakfast, got everything ready for the day, and then returned at 7...whereupon they said 7:15. Now I'm pretty ticked...because I can see the dude is only half way done cleaning the pool. I know it isn't going to be 7:15. He knows it isn't going to be 7:15. Everyone knows it isn't going to be 7:15, but no one is willing to say what time it really will be. I'm not proud of it, but I just plopped myself down in a chair and waited with the "impatient foreigner" look all Egyptians are well aware of. After about 10' the pool guy and I came to an agreement wherein I could swim while he finished vacuuming the pool, but I had to stay on the side he'd already cleaned. Deal--I didn't care, I'd already sunk enough time into this workout, I was getting it done. So I swam 1650 continuous to avoid having to put my feet down on the pool bottom, just in case he hadn't done a great job vacuuming the side I was on. He continued work on the other side. I think in the end, we were both at least somewhat satisfied. Tomorrow is a rest day--finally. Nothing on the schedule and I'm going to take advantage of it!