Gary's Mentor Group - Re-OPENED for Training (Page 25)

No good taper plan.  I feel like I've been on a 5 week taper since NOLA :-).  Even though it's my first Oly, it's not really an A race for me so my motivation hasn't been great the last month.

My race strategy is to treat this as an experiment.  I have shoulder issues so I don't swim as much as I would like.  My plan is to focus on form, not speed for the swim.  I plan to hammer the bike, go hard enough my thighs feel like stones then back off a half notch.  The real experiment will be to see if I can run a 10k after that.  

I don't really have a nutrition plan either.  Any suggestions?    I'll probably eat a yogurt, banana and PB sandwich 2 hours before the race.  Eat a GU 10 minutes before the start.  Then eat a GU and drink a bottle of water on the bike along with a couple salt capsules. I might experiment with liquid nutrition (Infinite) instead.  Probably a cup of water and maybe some salt half way through the run (more if my experiment fails :-)). 

Interesting experiment.  Short enough race that with what you are planning to take in the chances of bonking hard are very slim unless temps are high that day.  If they are I would hope you take more fluids/capsules during the run.  Good luck!

I have been a bit surprised how sore/stiff I have felt this week.  More than after NOLA.  My pool has the bulkhead set at 50m and swimming feels very different then the typical 25m swims.  Will get some good swims in once work calms down.

BTW, Day 10 is jumping jacks

Day 11 crunches and a 12 mile ride

Hi All,

Sorry I have been MIA the past week and a half. It's just been totally crazy around here. My son graduated from high school tonight, my niece last Tuesday, and my youngest daughter has dance recital this weekend. That has included practices almost every day since last Tuesday, graduation parties, and making 100 bows for the finale of the recital ( I have a part time bow business). Add to that, we are down 3 nurses at work  so having to work more and trying to get ready for my race Sunday and you can see why I'm not even sure what day it is-lol. If you look up the word stressed in the dictionary, I am sure my picutre will be there ;-). Wish it all wouldn't have fallen out this way, but it is what it is.

Gary- I don't have need of a taper plan- there's not been a ton of training time the last two weeks. I did one long ride at the beginning of the week, two runs this week, and swam only once. I have tried to swim twice more but the winds and waves have been impossible.  I will try again tomorrow and am crossing my fingers I'll get to. I will also run again tomorrow. Saturday is bike check in, packet pick up and race talks. My group is going to try and swim near the course but that will be all we do. Saturday is more for rest for them. Unfortunately for me, we have two performances of the dance recital. We are skipping out early on the second show because I want to be in the hotel and ready for bed by 9:00. We'll see what happens.

Shelly

Iron Girl New Orleans- May 22

Racers - Good luck!!!  Do us proud and we will be waiting on RR's!

Shelly - Had hoped to come down and volunteer but not sure that will happen. 

Randy - ouch 61 degrees.  That was about the temp of B2B last year and I froze (even with neo cap and booties).  Good luck!  BTW (might want to go for the non-alcoholic drinks tonight!)

Rode today, finally off the trainer!  Still a little tired but after the first 5 miles got into a good rhythm.  Decent temps but the humidity was up this morning.  Randy mentioned lake temps of 61.  Around here I doubt anything will be wetsuit legal until October.

Later!

So here is a question for the field:

Ran a "5K" today got a time of 22:50, which is a PR. Then I hear mumbalings that the course was not really 3.1 but more like a 2.95. I want to be happy about running so well but I cannot help but be a little disappointed about the shorter distance.

Is it really worth being concerned about? The race was for charity and not timed or anything special.

next race Memorial Day up in Boulder, CO for the challenging Boulder Bolder!!!!

Don't sweat it and just enjoy the moment.  22:50 is a great time and better than my 5k PR.  Nice job!!!

Randy - Congrats!!!! Nice job on the swim improvement!

Well my first ever Tri is done and all I can say is- Wow! Can't wait to do another. I had a feeling I would be hooked- especially since everyone told me I would-lol. It was a great day. We had gorgeous weather, the race was very organized and well run, the course was challenging, my family and friends all came out to support me, and I did it!

It was very much what I expected in tons of ways and I felt very prepared, but then it was also much different and harder than I expected in many ways. My times were ok. They could have been better, but I really did want to have fun and enjoy it and not feel like I was killing myself. The swim was very, very difficult and after that I just wanted to savor the moment of completing it and the rest of the race. So I didn't push myself to my hardest riding and running but I did work hard. So I have room for improvement, but really was pleased overall with everything. I think my t1 and t2 times were great. T1 will seem long but we had to go up the beach over a levy and then a pretty good distance to get to our bikes. And t2 I had to change from bike shoes to run shoes plus they had the water station before the timing mats which I didn't realize and I grabbed some cold water. All that considered I feel like I had great transition times for a first time.

My times were overall 1:41:28, Swim 16:37, t1 1:38, Bike 41:21, t2 1:45, Run 40:07

The swim was totally mental for me and I haven't figured out why. Before the race I swam to the first turn bouy and back without a lick of trouble. When the horn went off and we went in, I didn't get 50yds of swimming in without feeling like I was going to drown. I wasn't in the crowded pack and the lake doesn't bother me at all. I think I just psyched myself out ahead of time that I was going to have trouble. The swim should have been my best event and it was my worst.

Anyways, I can see I'm getting a little long winded here- lol. I will do the rr and bore you with the rest of the details there-lol.

Overall, it was an Awesome experience and I can't wait to do it again.

Shelly

Congrats on completing your first tri and nice job!

Congrats!  That is a huge improvement in swim time!

I did my first Olympic distance tri yesterday and had a blast.  My nutrition experiment seemed to work though I didn't push the run as much as I was planning to.  It was hot and there was a strong head wind on the way back on the bike so starting the run I knew I wasn't going to make my goal time.

For nutrition I ate a banana and yogurt for breakfast.  Nothing right before the race except water.  At T1 I took two salt capsules, ate two GU's on the bike and drank one bottle of water on the bike.  At T2 I took two more salt capsules then nothing but small sips of water on the run.

RR is up if you want to see the numbers.

Shelly - congrats!!!!  Don't worry about the times, you finished and had a great time.  That is all that matters.  Can't wait to read the RR

Ransick - off to read your RR!

Shelly, Randy and Ransick - Great job this past weekend!

I'm going to be out of touch for the next week - we're heading out on a river trip in Utah tomorrow morning.  Have a great memorial day weekend!!

Elizabeth - have fun

Taking it a bit easy on the training.  Its the start of the HIM plan and the distances are really short.  Having gotten used to the volume from the end of the HIM plan and then back to the beginning it feels weird.  But my knee has been bothering me a little so I will probably can running this week.  Swam mainly with the pull buoy today and the knee is feeling better.  Another day or two and should be set.

Finally got around to putting my wheel cover on and will probably try it out this weekend.  Not sure if it helps but it looks cool on the bike and that must make me faster, right?

Shelly,

 Congrats on your first Tri! Thanks for sharing an uplifting story, I am 6 weeks away for my first and your positive experience helps relieve the tension. Way to go.

Congrats Randy and Ransick. I feel like a slacker waiting for July for my first event.

Everyone have a great weekend. We are heading out camping and there is a pool so I hope to get in at least 1 swim a day.

David

Great job Shelly!!  Your final comment really sums it up ... " Overall, it was an Awesome experience and I can't wait to do it again." 

Take what you can and learn from the experience ... and don't look back.  There's always the next race

Dorm

Evening all!

Yesterday finally put on my wheel cover from Wheel builder.  Don't want to spend big money on race wheels and this gives you a lot of benefit for a little bit of money (~$100).  I also replaced my front tube with a latex tube.  Took the updated rig out for a ride and it was great.  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Hey all!

Rode this morning and still loving the wheel cover and latex tube addition.  Bike rides great.

FYI, for July check out this TDF competition: http://www.mapmyride.com/tdf/

I don't have the list with me but we have some racers this weekend.  Is everyone ready?

My son videod me swimming yesterday.  May post a link for critic when I get a moment.