RFP GROUP - CLOSED (Page 25)

Great races everyone.  I got 3rd in my AG 60-64 at the Evergreen International Saturday.  2:55.  I was happy with that.  Bike was great on Black ice, the new Specialized Shiv.  Averaged 21.74.  The run was a 9:50 pace and the temps were over 90 so I was good with that.  The swim was longer than I expected.  Felt great.  But everyone said the same thing including the elites so I think they had made it long when they had to change the usual format due to low water.  I am feeling pretty chiiper.  Strength exercises (kettlebells) and leaner eating are the causes, I think.  

Good show on the half IM Tim.  And you are right, I always take two of everything that is critical.  Goggles, and bike helmets especially.

Loving this year.  Going great.  

Nice job Scott on placing in your AG!  All that hard work is really paying off for you.  Good call on teh bike helmet.  never thought about that.  Might be a good excuse to get a new helmet

Also - love the name for the bike!

Finding it hard to stay focused after the 70.3 this weekend and this heat (ugh) but I have gotten my workouts in so far.  I am supposed to do a 5 hour ride this weekend but I am just jam packed with shows and hosting my Mom's 60th birthday party on Saturday.  I have decided to ride my bike to work and back home tomorrow.  It is about a 30 mile trip each way.  My thinking is just getting the bike volume in even if it is split up on tow rides?  I have another 5 hour ride up on the IMWI course next weekend so it isn't like I am going to miss a 5 hour ride. Thoughts?

Also has anyone ever heard or tried the Galloway Method of running? Some people on the Racine 70.3 forum were talking about it and I am thinking of giving it a try.  Basically it is run 4 minutes walk 1 minute starting right from the beginning of the run.  The theory is that you are going to walk anyways so why not start right off the bat and stay stronger for longer during the run.  Thoughts?

Great Job Scott!

Sarah, loved the pics!  Sounds like you had a great trip.

Tim, way to stay with your plan!  I do the run/walk.  My coach has me doing a 12:1 ratio in hopes that I will run from aid station to aid station.  Plus this is what I did for my marathon.  It works for the marathon but I can't get it to work during triathlons.  A 4:1 ratio works better for me, and I know some that have done a 2:1 one during their IM.  So it is really what works best for you, and yes resting from the beginning does help.

Great job Scott!

Tim - I'm planning on doing the Galloway method for my 70.3 since my IT band is bothering me. I'm planning on running for 15 min and then walking 1 from the beginning. I've heard of people actually getting running PR's using this method. It keeps your HR down and prolongs your exhaustion. Guess it would keep me more engaged too since I'd have to pay attention to my watch more instead of just looking around. Good luck!

Gang:

So what are some of your favorites meals the night before a race? What do you swear by?

Rice and Chinese. 

Good Morning Team.

Sorry for being away for a few days. I have been in Northern Ontario training and vacationing with some family. I had a great time and have now landed in Toronto for the weekend. I am here for the Toronto Triathlon Festival and an Olympic race on Sunday. It is going to be great. I did the fun run last night with some friends and I won a free return plane ticket anywhere Porter Airlines is based - AWESOME. I won't even tell you what I won it for until I post the pictures but they only gave away 5 return tickets and I got one. I will give you all a hint however - it was Canadian themed.

As I mentioned, my training went well but I ran into another injury - a calf strain - probably from running on hills which I am not used to back home. Luckily when I arrived in Toronto I have a real good friend here who is a chiropractor and does ART and he agreed to work on my right away. I have had two treatments - it is not great yet but it is getting better and I will take it easy during the run on Sunday for the race so I don't make it worse.

Scott - nice job on your AG finish - you rock.

Tim - awesome race last weekend, congrats. I am considering the run walk method for NY as well.

WTB - How is the IT coming along? My favourite meal I think if any pasta and maybe some chicken.

OK team - that is it for my update - short and sweet. The equipment expo and athlete check in is today and them maybe a short ride along the water front of Lake Ontario to get the legs moving.

Have a great weekend everyone.

KC

Good Morning Team.

I hope everyone had a great weekend. I am just leaving Toronto for home but thought I would check in and say hello and give a quick race report.

Toronto Triathlon Festival - Olympic Distance.

Swim 1500m 35:13  (which is 2:09 per hundred yards converted) in lake Ontario downtown Toronto in the Harbour (awesome)

T1 2:45 (why so long you ask  I had to pee )

Bike 1:15:56 40 km (19.64 mph converted)  They closed a major highway for us to ride with amazing hills and views of the city

T2 1:13 (not bad)

Run 53:48  10 km  (8:40 per mile converted) As you can see my ankle and calf are on the mend 

Overall total time 2:48:52. My goal was to try to break 3 hours and I managed it. I am very happy with the result. Just one more real long ride this week, probably Wednesday and taper begins. I have some questions for everyone regarding taper but I will ask them later today when I get back home.

Have a safe week everyone.

KC

Good job KC!  It does sound like your calf is doing much better.

Completed the first of three high intensity training weeks and I am beat up.  Not sure if I can do 2 more weeks of it and might change this weeks plans some so I can feel more rested as I am just tired, and the legs feel heavy.  5 more weeks till IMKY!

Olive garden with a bunch of salad and bread sticks and usually chicken fettuccine alfredo.  It has almost become a ritual haha

Nice work KC!  Sounds like it was a great race to be in.  Glad to hear the leg is feeling better.

Kathy you are doing awesome.  Looks like you had a good 5:30 hour bike ride on Saturday. How did it go?  Did you feel like you had another 29 miles left in you?  Keep up the good work!

Sorry I haven't been around much - I had one of those weeks last week that was just insanely busy.  I have had a great injury free IM training but it seem the wheels are starting to fall off -haha.  I decided to ride my bike to work and back on Thursday since I couldn't get my long ride in this weekend.  I have been riding on the road for 3 years ow with not once instance and now I am two for two with bike path crashes.  I was riding a path along the Fox River and it had just rained that morning.  The path went and crossed the river on a wooden pedestrian bridge and as I was crossing it I went down before i even knew what hit me.  Bruised my hip and its still a little tender.  I am able to still run, swim & bike and it feels much better but...  then on Saturday I was cutting the grass and couldn't find my old running shoes so I through on my Crocs.  I was just finishing up and felt a burn on the back of my heel and looked and I had a HUGE blister.  I am so upset because I have no idea how I am going to get rid of this before IMWI.  I tried using some of the New-Skin liquid bandage so we will see how that works.

I am going up to Madison on Sunday to ride two loops of the course.  Really looking forward to it as I have been studying this damn thing, doing the Spinervval IMWI and watching youtube course videos now for a year and I finally get to see it.  Lots of stuff going on this weekend up there so it should be busy.  Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing?

Hope everyone has a great week of training!

Great race KC!! Hope your calf is feeling better. My IT band is better but not fully recovered.

Tim - really alfredo? you are brave...glad that you can make it work for you. I've always gone with pizza but may tone it down for the 70.3. That's why I'm curious as to what others have.

Kathy - you are doing some impressive training! Keep it smart!

Yes I am very brave - what I didn't even mention is that I get a side bowl of alfredo sauce to dip my massive amounts of bread sticks consumed.

Thanks Tim!  I did do a 5 1/2 hour bike ride with a 45 minute brick run on Saturday.  Could I go another 29 miles, I am sure I could.  Running was another issue.  When I ran after getting off the bike, it didn't feel like me running as I was slow and sluggish.  I did manage to run the full 45 minutes with my 12:1 ratio (I really do believe I will be doing more like 4:1 on race day) which was a big accomplishment for me even though I was doing the Ironman shuffle.  

I get to do this all over again next weekend with an even longer brick run.  

Kathy,

When you say a 4:1 ratio are you talking about running for 4 min and then walking 1 min? Just curious cuz I'm planning on a run/walk for my next race. I'm planning on 15 min run/1 min walk.

Yes, that is exactly what I mean.  I am currently training using the 12:1, running for 12 minutes and walking for 1.  The idea is to increase that even more so that I would run to the next aid station, walk thru it and then run to the next one.  That just doesn't seem realistic to me and during IMKY I really don't think 12:1 will work either as I think I might need more walk breaks.

Practice the different ratio's and see what feels good to you.  You want to make sure you have a good rhythm.  And you need to start this at the very beginning of your run versus starting it when you start to feel tired.  

I tried the Galloway 4:1 on my 6 mile run this past weekend and liked it.  I averaged a 10:20/mile and felt really good plus I was able to keep my HR under control. 12:1 seems like a really long time and I would think you would lose the benefit during an IM race that it is supposed to provide.  

Crappy day today as a major storm blew over as I was walking into the pool and they lost power so closed it as I walked onto the deck .  I think I am just gonna take another rest day to let my heel heal (haha).  I can make up the swim tomorrow so not to worried but this week was gonna be a good one for me since I have nothing going on all week and this was not I wanted to start it off.

Hello Team!

I'm baaccck!  Vacation was awesome and well deserved, needed.  I was joking at Racine 70.3 that the race was the start of my vacation.  It was!  Saw Crowie in transition, wished him good luck, and he also wished me good luck and joked with one of my teammates in an earlier wave not to beat him out of the water. 

This race went amazingly well for me.  I was calm, and ready to go.  I started each sport slower than I thought I needed to and built my pace from there. 

Swim: 40:15, 8 minutes faster than last year.  I was shocked when I looked at my Garmin coming out of the water.  It really didn't seem like I was moving that much faster, but I felt great the entire swim!

T1: 6:06.  SLOW.  But, I wasn't able to run on the sand due to the hip injury, so I did the best I could.  In my rush to head out on the bike, I forgot my race number belt.  Opps.  Too late once I realized it to get it.

Bike: 3:12:28, 28 minutes faster than last year.  LOVE the Queen.  And the Zipp 404's.  Amazing ride, only thing- need to get a better fit on the bike, my back was killing me by mile 35.  Saw an official give someone a yellow card for drafting...at first I was afraid they were coming for me for not having my bib on, but was relieved when they pulled up to the guy ahead of me. Phew.

T2: 2:58.  Had to pee so bad at this point.  So that accounts for the slower time here.  At least I was hydrated!

Run: 2:35:55, 16 minutes faster than last year.  Used the 4 minutes run 1 min walk.  Tim, it works GREAT.  I am doing this because the hip is still nagging me a bit, but it worked perfectly for Racine with the heat, and I am using this in training and for IMWI.  It also gives you something to focus on besides the "how many miles are left" thing.  Plus, I ended up maintaining a more consistent pace than last year when I tore off and then fell apart by mile 7.

Overall time: 6:37:42.  VERY happy with this time.  Last years time: 7:27:59.  I love IM training!

After the race, literally was greeted by husband and friends, ate, stretched, drank water, gathered my stuff, and headed to Chicago, did a hotel ice bath, ate, and slept until our flight left for Jamaica the next morning.  Spent the past week in Jamaica on vacation.  I was supposed to have a build week last week, but used it as a recovery week from Racine.  It was a much needed break, and I am happy with the decision.  I was getting mentally worn out (as well as physically) and I think a week away was perfect.  It gave me some time for me and my husband, before the final stretch of training.  I am back at it already, and I feel stronger and better prepared for what's ahead.  I did do some swimming in the ocean down there, and even ran into another triathlete at our resort training for IM.  I felt slightly guilty when he was telling me about his 14 mile beach run, but my hip and the rest of my body is better for taking that time to recooperate. 

Tim-What did you think about the IMWI course???  There is a course ride for the TriWisconsin team on August 4th of the entire course, I plan on attending...if you are interested I can forward you the details.  Saskat- same for you!

Lastly, make sure to watch the Olympics for the triathlon- and cheer on Gwen Jorgensen!  She is from Waukesha, WI and swims with my masters team- I have met her numerous times, she is an amazing person!  GO GWEN!

Happy Training,

Jenny

Hey Team.

Sorry Tim - I just noticed your post about your bike fall and blister. Are you ok? Is the blister any better? Let me know - and take it easy, you are to close now to let anything get in the way.

KC

Hi Jenn.

Welcom back !

Nice job on the race. I have been wondering about you.

I am happy to hear you are on the mend.

Have a great week of training.

KC

Kathy - thanks for the explanation! I may plan a 12:1 instead of a 15:1 and yes I'll be starting this from the beginning. I've tried it in training with a friend and it really worked for me to keep my HR down.

Jenny - thanks for the race write up about Racine 70.3. It made me feel really excited for Boulder 70.3 in a week and a half! I won't be doing it in 6:37 like you...I'll be closer to your previous year's time.