ADollar79's Group--closed and in the base building phase! (Page 25)

Help describe the neck issue?  Does it just feel tight like it is restricting you?  Did you use ample bodyglide?  Was this you first time in the suit?  

Glad to have you back! 

It sounds like a fitting problem unless you have an adam's apple.    Just make sure when you put it on that it is snug in all the right places.   Keep tugging at the legs and make sure you pull it well through your hips to squeeze out every last cm possible.

Give it time too.  Wetsuits are like sponges in that they shrink in the off season (or before use).  With more time it begins to stretch.  For instance, I plan on wearing mine on Thursday for the first time.  Tonight I plan on soaking it in the tub for about 10-15 minutes.  This helps it expand a bit.   

Ello.  I might have to pack up things in America and move back here. God I am going to miss the 50M pool.  I'll have to take a picture....  

So I have been debating doing a tri in May. I dunno why. It's a sprint and my thinking got to be like well good to start early and good for Oly in June. I also want to smash times out the window from last year. So yay or nay?

Go for it.  Just be realistic about your outcome.  Will you be trained for it?  Are you just doing it for fun? 

Mine was doing the same exact thing today....hitting me right in the throat and slightly restricting my breathing.  I think it just needs to be stretched out a bit.  I am swimming again in it on Saturday so we will see if it changes.

On a complete whim, I bought a bike today!  OK, so I knew I need to buy one sometime before June, but I went to the bike shope to see if they'd be able to tell me what size I needed to look for.  An hour later, I purchased a Specialized Ruby Comp and shoes and pedals and everything I need in case I get a flat and a bike pump.  Oy!  Hurt the pocket book a bit, but I had so much fun riding it home!  I can't wait to really go for a ride tomorrow!

Kind of giving me a boost since I can't run right now.  Oh yeah...update on the knee...provided that medical insurance comes through, looks like I'm having knee surgery to "clean things up" at the end of the month.  Good news is that will be completely orthoscopic and I should be back to riding a bike in a week and running in two weeks.

Great job purchasing the bike.  It should give you all the motivation to get out and train on it.  Take care of the bike and it will take care of you. 

Glad the knee isn't anything too serious.  You will bounce back in no time!!!!

I'm thinking just for fun and also to see how faster I am, if I am faster that is. I'm just itching for the season to start.

You all sure are quiet...which worries me.

John--what can we do to help you prepare for your race this weekend?  

Ummmmm - run it for me????

Really - I think I am pretty well set - as set as I am going to be anyway.  You can look at the plan that I have for this week and tell me if I need to add/subtract anything.  I want to keep loose, but I don't want to over exert myself and be tired - I have never tapered before and the taper I have in is one I just kind of copied out of another plan because I am actually in the middle of my Sprint to Oly plan. 

Monday - 1600 swim - WU is drills (400) and then 4x100 easy, 1x200, 1x400 race pace (race distance, CD 200 easy and relaxed.  30 minute spin in easy gear - pedaling technique and seat relaxation.

Tuesday - 25 minute 1 1/2 mile run.  Nice easy jog - 45 minute Yoga stretching.

Wednesday - 30 minute easy spin in small ring, 30 minute easy swim 600 w/u 12x50 easy.

Thursday - Travel day - yoga before bed

Friday - 25' bike ride on race course - ride Perrdido bridge so I know what to expect, 10 minute jog to get my legs stretched on the boardwalk, enjoy the scenery. Spend 15 minutes in the gulf to get used to the swim.  Swim our past the waves to get ready for that.

I talked to Marni last night and she helped me lay out the meal plan for the day before the race.

Anything I am missing?

Things look good.  Just listen to your body this week.  If you are run down, it doesn't hurt to skip a workout.  Just remember that the work is done.  There is nothing that you can do this week to make yourself faster but there is plenty you can do to make yourself slower.  And most importantly, have FUN this weekend.   

THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO HEAR!!!!!   Did you get to ride outside this weekend?  How are the legs holding up with the weight training and softball?  Are you feeling run down all the time?   

Let's talk transitions....

This is one of the easiest places to make mistakes.  They seem simple but when it comes down to it, no one ever practices them.  

What mistakes, tips, advice, questions do you have for the group?  

Drew - thanks for the tips.  I saw a couple of things I had not thought of. 

At HyVee - you still get your own bike.  There is a large area set up for transition very near Gray's Lake (where the swim is) and it is restricted entrance (racers with numbers only).  Very early set up and such.  The pros transition in 2 different places at HyVee (more spectator friendly).  They transition once down by the lake (which people can see on big screen TV's in the stands) and they have T2 right in front of the finish line.  They set it up so that the bike course is several loops (I think it was 10 but I can't remember) on the same course downtown and the finish line is directly in front of the capital building.  Then they do T2 and they do something like 5 loops all finishing as they go by the stands in the capital area. 

Word of warning.  The capital is on a hill - a decent sized one, so even the AGs have to run up that hill as their last challenge of the race.   You then turn the corner and the entire block in front of the capital is coverd in a blue mat.  Last year there were so many people on the rise of the hill and once you got to the top and turned towards the finish that they were 3 deep along the ropes.  The stands were full.  It was awesome, to say the least.  Then Laura Bennett kicked everyone's butt in the women's division in one of the most fantastic finishes I have ever seen.  The lady who was second (I can't remember her name), crossed the line and had to be caught in the arms of a couple of volunteers.  She was totally spent trying to catch Bennett.  She couldn't have walked another step and I have no idea how she got as far as she did.

I will re-iterate the notion, go get a proper fit.  Trust me...this is the most important thing you can do for a bike. 

A tri bike has a TOTALLY different geometry than a road bike.  The saddle is in a totally different position.  On a road bike you generally sit more upright on your butt.  On a tri bike you generally slide foward and ride on the nose of the saddle.  That means the nose of the saddle becomes friendly with your taint (yeah, I said that).  Getting used to a tri bike generally takes 2-400 miles of riding.  You are toughening up muscles that you don't really use. 

Getting a fit will put you in the most aerodynamic position while maximizing you power and efficiency. 

For the love of goodness it is a race not nap time or social hour

Kidding of course.  Getting comfortable is important.  But imagine that you could easily take 5 minutes off your race time without any additional training.  There is free time to be had in transition if you know what you are doing. 

John!! Good luck tomorrow! Can't wait to read your RR as soon as I get back online!

I have a question about my training plan. I would like to go back to April 1st when I return to the States and start that month again. It won't hurt me as my Oly isn't till June. Does anyone have any idea how I can tweak it to show the totals I need it to instead of May which it will very soon? 

PS I am so going to miss the 50M pool