GrooveTime!group - CLOSED!!! (Page 244)

TRACEY again -

No, no, no -- nothing the least bit nifty about my timing device. (You ought to know that I do not - can not - do nifty!)

It is neither Garmin, nor any heart rate monitor -- just a fairly basic Timex watch. It is in their "Ironman" line, and it is the Sleek 50-Lap model. I ahve used this line since 2003, and it serves me really, really well; in fact, one of the reasons I gave up on a heart-rate monitor was that the Sleek 50 worked so well for me.

There are only 7 screens on it (time, chrono, timer, interval, and three alarms), and for something like the 10km I will put it on the chrono screeen, press "start", and then each km I press the lap. The display shows the cumulative time small at the top of the screen, with the lap the large display in the center. At the finish I press the "stop" button, then a different button stores it, and then a few other button clicks later I can scroll through the data and see the results, km by km. Really - it is so simple that even I can do it!!!

These are inexpensive but very durable watches, costing about $50-60 at a variety of less-than-hoity-toity stores. Go to the Timex website and check out what they offer - I think you could find a very workable watch for yourself.

I like this model, too, because it is "low-profile". That is, well, there just isn't much to it structurally, and is not the least bit bulky or intrusive.

Going back two paragraphs, "durable" works too ways. The way it is durable is that it can take a beating. the way it is not always durable is that the buttons can sometimes get "mushy". the one I have now is extraordianry, as I have used it for maybe a full year. But most years I go through about three of them, just because I press the buttons lots and lots and lots, usually in the pool. (But they can't be pressed when the watch is submerged!)

Awesome Tracy. You really surpassed your 12 min/mile threshold.

MANDY -

Welcome back to our World-At-Large!

As for the PM and your hours at present, that is a perfect number for this time of year -- with IMLP still a full 277 days away. Don't feel you're a slacker, cuz you're not!

It's a loooooong haul until IMLP, lots of time for glitches and speedbumps and sags and self-doubts. While the big picture is ultimately what it is all about, at the same time you have to take each day at a time and build them into successful weeks. Increments are key, especially in mid-autumn. That is why where you're at right now is ideal.

And this is even more essential now, as you are having work pressures ; no need to exacerbate things by trying to pile too much on! Once the audits are done you should have some breathing room, and until then just keep the training sessions realistic and such that you actually look forward to and enjoy them!

I'm back from our long weekend - had a great time.  However, I was really mad at myself when we ended up in Iowa City Sunday morning and had several hours to kill before our next activity and we stopped at a coffee shop and I saw several people walking by with race numbers.  There had been a 5k/10k/1/2 that am.  I usually check to see if there are races along the way when we go on trips but didn't this time.

SteveB - Great race, as usual

Tracey - That is so great - training always pays off.

Mark - So we didn't even go thru Mason City - the 4 lane bypasses it now - guess it's been a few years since we drove down.

I am really, really excited about the IOWA/WISCONSIN game this Saturday.  It's a win/win for me because my daughter's a Wisconsin student and my husband's an Iowa graduate.  I've disowned my alma mater (MN) this year.

Denise

I haven't even looked at my winter maintenance schedule and I ate huge amounts of food for 5 days so I need to get back on track.

DENISE -

Welcome back! I was getting worried about you!

Gotta know, though -- are you also close to disowning Mr. Favre?

Thanks Steve!

I am taking it pretty easy for sure, just trying to get something in most days to keep in the habit more than anything.

I need to get my butt upstairs and do some weight training though. I know why I should, but I hate weight training at home.  At a gym, I like it, but you know how it is when you live in Caratunk - the gym is an hour away, but at least it is closer than the pool.... ha

Cheers!

MANDY -

I'm very keen on getting back to weight-training, but decided today to postpone it until next week. The main reason is that I piggyback my gym and pool memberships, but I want to time the pool part so it expires around the third week of may -- about the time I get back into my beloved OWS. So, i can get a good deal on six months, and then add another month at $71, and that would take me to about May 25.

Plus, I wanted to wait until the 1/2mar is done before I get things too confused.

Plus, I'm just not enamord of being back in the pool yet.

Plus, this is my nod to an off-season from swimming!!!!

But, the old body is feeling/looking a bit slack, as the push of The Season is over. From June 1 until my last tri, Sept 25, I did multiple workouts on 60 days -- and another 10 if I count my races. So, if I managed to get into "fighting form" with that regimen, it is no surprise that the past 3-4 weeks of single workout days (and more than a few off-days!) has seen my physique take a bit of a hit! So it goes, i guess.......

Favre still has entertainment value - haha

Has anyone tried GU Chomps?

Denise

Never tried GU Chomps, but I love Clif Bloks.

The run went great thanks - testiment to your post to Tracey about training not being linear.   Upped the run time to 4 minutes and it was quite easy, even with the 37km/hr headwinds.   Although I was surprised that it did take more energy to run into the wind.   The previous Friday we also had 39km/hr NW winds but didn't seem to notice the effect it had.   The running group plan had us moving to 4.5 minutes today so that is what we will attempt in tomorrow's run.   

We will do another long run on Sunday but probably back the run portion down to 3 min.   Funny, I read an article by Jeff Galloway yesterday on tips for successful running and you know how I handled what I thought was a fiasco of a run on Sunday - well, that was how he said you should do the long run, almost word for word.    Of course this doesn't apply to seasoned runners; aimed at newbies.   

2nd time in the pool yesterday as well.   Wasn't sure where I wanted to swim and after alot of waffling decided on Forest Heights.   Must have been in the stars because at end of the swim a fellow asked us if we were there for the lessons.   Turns out an adult swim class was starting right after lane swim and only had 3 participants registered - instruction based on individual ability so I decided to stay and sign up for some stroke correction and more time in the water - plus learn a few things I have always wanted to learn.   This works out so well because Wed is a swim day and I can just stay an extra 45 minutes for the class.   $69.00 for 9 weeks.     It was fun too - learned the breast stroke kick (and couldn't move an inch!!) and also diving.   I figure, whatever gets me in the water is good.  

That was a cool card your daughter sent you - I will have to remember that!  

  

CONGRATULATIONS Tracy!   That was a great run.   You should be really excited because you know you are going to continue to knock those seconds off.    I heard something I really liked the other day - a new definition - "Disappointment is taking score too soon".   Remember, the game isn't over yet.  

TRACEY,

Steve's comment to you about training not being linear and don't be disappointed if one of your runs doesn't go the way you would like is SO, SO true.   I had great expectations for my last Sunday run, based on the great run I had a few days earlier and Sunday was a total bust and had to go down to a 1 1/2 min run/walk.   What the heck is this, I thought!   Anyway I decided 'not to take score too soon' and went with the flow and yesterday I had a really good run at 4 minute intervals. 

Hey Mandy,

Nice to hear from you.   Miss your posts.   Hope work settles soon and you can start to think about IMLP.   I'm looking forward to following your journey and hoping to learn from your experience.   You are a VERY determined person from what I can see and you get what you go for.    Have you picked a plan to follow?  

OK, one last post before I have to get moving.       I could not sign off without saying that I don't believe this for one minute "it is no surprise that the past 3-4 weeks of single workout days... has seen my physique talke a bit of a hit."

This is kind of a pet peeve with me because I have numerous friends who will NOT take a day off and I was getting like that too.   From my personal experience and these athletic friends, this is more of a mental perception than reality.   When I got to the point that if I took a day off I could literally see the fat accumulating and the muscles deteriorating I said this is nuts and started to force myself to take days off  (the mental pain was excrutiating).   It took alot of effort to learn to be comfortable missing a day or two of training and saw that rather than a negative impact it had a positive impact.    Even more extreme, one winter all I could do was swim and I was fitter than ever; strong, more muscle, less body fat, etc.  which surprised the heck out of me.

A couple of days back in the gym and I'm sure you will have your phsyique back.        

ANNE -

SERENDIPITY RULES! That really worked well -- a reluctant swim turning into a stroke correction session at less than $8/session. Nicely swung!

I went the opposite way yesterday -- headed into ottawa for my firts pool swim since about may 13, and when I got there I decided to just wait until after 9 Run Run. My plan is to get a 6-month pool/gym pass, and then one single month which would take me up to the last week of May, which is about the time I'm ready for full OWS duty.

So, I guess on Monday I will do a swim and then a lift, and feel that my swim off-season has come to an end. Since mid-Sept I have done only seven swims (plus two race swims), and several of those were less than 30 minutes.....so I guess that's my off-season! But really, my months in the pool between seasons are pretty slack and formless; it's just not anything I put a huge amount of focused time into.

37km/h headwinds? Ugh, ugh, ugh! Nothin' takes the starch out of me like headwinds on a run!

My theory on winds is that you can't get back what it takes away on a run, but you can on the bike -- if the headwind is going out, not coming back. Make-A-Wish Tri was a great example of the former, where there was the headwind going out for 5km and I was hoping it would just whisk me along on the return 5km.......but no such luck. But when I plan my rides so that I'm clawing my way into a west wind on the way out, if I do that part in, say, 45', I will do the return in maybe 40'. Wheeeeeeee!

In my own perceived version of Hell, there would be way more rings of it, and one of them would be characterized by spending eternity riding into 50mph winds. (Uh-oh........)

I had a slightly sub-middling long run two days ago, working hard to keep in mind my own yabbering about training not being linear! I just never felt sharp at all; it was really just a big old plod-along, it seemed. It was designed to be my last longer run (17.7km) before 9 Run Run, and as so was SUPPOSED to be a nice, sprightly effort. WRONG!!

So, my fling with pre-9 Run Run sprightliness comes down to today, whatever I end up doing -- 8km? 10km? 10.6km? Or maybe I should just shamble my way to Saturday, and treat it as an extra-long, extra-loose pre-race rest period. Naw, I'll do something today and hope that it is more a return to form than was Tuesday's uninspiring effort.

Finally, a pretty good triathlete, Craig Hazen, who I met at Make-A-Wish, says he does many of his race runs walking a minute for every eight minutes of running. Or something like that. He says simply that it's just an approach that works well for him. He's planning to run Boston in April, as one of his goals for turning 60 this year was to qualify, which he did. But Boston closed out a couple of days ago; I hope he got in!

ANNE again -

I just saw your stealth attack (written as I was writing you) post, so i guess I should respond.

Well, the physique HAS taken a hit, but I think I'm okay with that....mostly....kind of......sort of. I realize it is something that goes with assuming the Off-Season Position, which I am also mostly....sort of....okay with.

I know that my in-season weight is a "suppressed" weight, a term I use for the weight that I carry only becasue I am working (out) very hard much of the time. To bounce back up from that weight once I cut out a lot of my workouts, well, that can happen pretty quickly. Of course, I try to balance that by eating a bit more intelligently during the off-season, but if I let both of them go I can make it up to 180 without any anti-effort at all!

I really do believe that those rest periods are important......but it is one of those things that is much easier for me to preach than to practice. And those rest periods can be the time between workouts, or during a taper, or over the course of an off-season --- anything that is a break from the swimming and the cycling and the running and the lifting, etc.

Swimming is a great way to stay sleek. Running is good, too. Cycling less so.....but better than watching Judge Judy and eating jalapeno chips!

GU CHOMPS????  Clif Bloks??  AAACKKK GAG HACK cough bletch...UGH! Goofy Challenge Debacle flashbacks!!!  AHHHHH!!!! 

I almost threw up on Minnie Mouse after chewing and chewing and chewing and chewing trying to swallow and chewing and chewing wild cherry Clif Bloks - UGH.

Sorry for my visceral reaction.  Almost throwing up on a beloved Disney Character after 33 miles does that to a person, but hey, some people LOVE the things, actually, a lot of people do.  Not this kid though.

I can't even eat gummy bears anymore, it is like having a bad night with a bottle of tequila or something - I am sworn off super chewy sweet things forever.  But I do like gum still.  Must be a texture thing.

Hey there!

Aww, thanks!  Work has been NUTSO!  I have IMLP on the brain for sure.  I am carving my pumpkin with an M-dot. 

Nope, not kidding at all!

I have worked out a plan with a local (OK, around here, local means the same state) woman who is going to be doing it again to try to qualify Kona again.  She is a coach, but I am not really being coached.  Well, except for on swimming. 

Only 276 days until IMLP!

I'm envious.  You are lucky to have someone like that.   That is going to be so helpful to have that kind of guidance.   We have recently met a guy who does alot of IM's and just did Kona (he goes to our yoga club) and Ken is always picking his brain in the shower room.   I would love it if he would take us on as his students.      

I

OK, I'm sorry, I'll take your word for it that the phsyique has taken a hit - it didn't occur to me that you might still be eating the same as you were for your multiple workout days.    I have been doing the 'periodized' nutrition thing for so long it is just 2nd nature to adjust my fuel intake daily based on my workouts.   

So I guess you always do your strength training after the swimming because of the gym/swim membership.   That sounds like it would work well.   Do you do multiple workout days during the off-season?   If I don't, I can't get everything done.   I'm putting bike/strength together and run/swim together.   Yoga goes on the bike days because it works well for me. 

How much does your volume decrease during the winter months?  

DENISE -

My reaction is the same as Mandy's -- I cannot tolerate any of the "candy" nutritionals. But i ahve never been a gummy bear guy, either, so for me it makes sense to eschew them, rather than try to chew them. (Sorry about that.... )

But mandy's right that a lot of people love them, so definitely give them a try. They are often the savior for people who dislike gels, but for me it's just the other way around. Clif makes a similar product, and then there are the jelly bean things made by ??. And PowerBar also has a related product, which actually almost works for me.

It's amazing how vast the array of endurance nutritionals is nowadays.......but how quickly so many of those doors can close tight. Texture.....taste.....sweetness.....these just work at times to conspire against ingesting anything other than recycled saliva, at least for some people.

Try the Chomps, though, and I hope they work for you!

ANNE -

Yes and no on the gym/pool pairing. I have many options in the Ottawa system, but limit myself to three pools and just one gym. The 50-meter pool is in the same vast facility (Nepean Sportsplex) as is my gym-of-choice, so on many winter Tuesdays and Thursdays I will swim then lift. I learned several years ago that it is counter-productive to lift then swim, as my upper-body-only lift focus makes for rubbery arms in the water.

My pool of choice is elsewhere, so I may just do a swim there and forget lifting for that day. (That pool is near Carleton U, while the Sportsplex is at Hunt Club and Woodroffe -- kind of a far piece to get to, unless I'm kind of already out there). What works with pool-of-choice is to drive the three minutes to a corner of Colonel By and run on the bike path along the canal. That works really well unless the path has been recently snowed upon, or worse, turned into a slushpit.

So, i do a lot of multiple workout days in the off-season, too, but they aren't as driven as in the in-season ones. I just did that in-season tabulation yesterday, the number I mentioned to Mandy, and latter on I will figure out what it was during the off-season. I will probably count that as January through May, as Oct-Dec was devoted to that marathon training....and then the rest period that carried me into January.

And speaking of multiples, today I submitted to the pool in Cornwall, swimming half-heartedly for about 25 minutes, and then ran 10.6km. The swim was done there because I remembered I still had some free passes from a few years ago -- one of which they accepted today! Yippee!!

ACK!

For the person who was planning (and still hoping) to dress minimal for tomorrow's half-marathon, the forecast is not all that conducive to that plan:
overnight low: -1C
morning temp: 1C
daytime high: 8C
60% change of mixed precip, as in drizzle/flurries
wind (the only real positive here): 5km/h out of northeast

Considering that I haven't run in socks since probably May, that's a tough forecast to look at. I ran 10.6km late yesterday afternoon when the temp was 4C but felt like -1C (according to the apst 24 hours data from the weather service), thanks to 25-28km/h winds, and I was okay. Soooooo, maybe I will take a chance that my feet will be warm.....enough. Or maybe I just let discretion be the better part of valor and wear socks. Damnit.

Well, I guess it will be a decsion made about 10 minutes before race start. Otherwise it will be tri shorts and a lighweight top with a really lightweight vest over that, and a touque and running gloves.

Ack.

On second thought, the precip aspect is positive, too. I usually enjoy running in rain and stuff, and especially as I know that most people dislike it, it works well for my psyche. I don't want wet-cold feet, however, so that argues for socks. (But with open-meshed Newtons it doesn't matter quite so much, so..........)

BOY, you're a brave (and tough) one.       I would not be a happy camper running in that.   I almost cancelled out of a run April 2009 because it was cold and rainy.   I hate the feeling of wet clothes on me.   Not bad if they are super tight but any loose stuff is awful.    My legs get really cold.   I have been wearing long running pants for the past 2 weeks and love the feel of overheating.   Not so much in my upper body.   When I go out I make sure I am feeling coolish/cold and then it gets just right when I run.

I think you should wear socks because it just isn't good for long-term health to have cold feet let alone wet to boot.   Not that you will get a cold from it but it causes other internal issues.  

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and hope the weather takes a turn for the good.   I KNOW you are going to have an awesome race no matter what and hope you hit your goal pace!