JuniperJen's Keeping It Consistent Group - FULL (Page 26)

x2! Hope you have ag reat time!

Ok guys -
21 days away from the race...and I have some questions as I prepare to make final purchases!
so current plan for "what I am wearing" is this:

sleeveless wetsuit over bathing suit (only if they are allowed)
T1: running shorts and tshirt, running shoes with yankz in them, helmet and bike
T2: dump helmet and bike, put on race belt (?? do I need this??) and run

question: do they let you just wear your number on your shirt during the bike? That was my original plan till I looked at pics and saw all the belts.

plan is to tape a gel or two to the handlebars of the bike, and have water on the bike with me.

Anyone see any holes in this? This is the most I've ever prepared for! Last du, just had my bike and helmet to think about!

One more thing: 1 day USAT is calculated into the race fee. Now, if I am doing more than one USAT race this year, should I get a year membership? What is that for, anyway?

Thanks so much!!

So exciting! Your race is coming up!

Sounds like a good plan.  You can just pin your number to you shirt - get the belt if you want one and you should put it on when you get on the bike.  Definitely check the rules for sure but most around here require you to wear your number on both the bike and run.  And if you have a belt then you have it on your back on the bike and turn it to the front when you run.

I have a fun pink Zoot race belt and they usually don't cost much. 

Are you renting the wetsuit? I did for my first and getting practice swim (which we talked about) was super helpful.

Being Canadian I can't help on the USAT but if it's similar the OAT in my neck of the woods then the USAT membership covers off your part of the insurance for the race.  I think here, in general the membership pays itself off in three races ... but check to see what the fee is and how much it saves you off your registration. 

Also, on the bike will you want sunglasses? I know they are even helpful in the rain - totally up to you though.

And just be aware that putting clothes on your wet body will be tough. They are an expense so it's not that big of a deal for your first race but a pair of tri shorts would be best to wear over your bathing suit and under your wetsuit so you're not struggling to pull anything on.  But again, for your first race, you don't need all the bells and whistles.

Are you planning to use the aid stations for water on the run?

Very exciting!

I think the race belt is the way to go, much more comfortable on the bike, because you can move it to the back, and you don't ruin a shirt. Problem with it is that you have to remember to put it on which is easy to forget. I jam everything I need to put on in my helmet or hang it off my bike, just don't touch your bike before you put your helmet on.

Debbie, I think awhile back you recommended the book "Run Like a Mother"?  I just downloaded it to my Kindle and started reading it last night.  It seems like it will be a fun book to read! 

So while I'm reading it, I remembered that I went to college with a very tall woman named Dimity.  One of the authors named Dimity writes in the book that she's 6'4".  I'm thinking to myself, "How many tall Dimitys can there be?".  So I checked out the book's website and found a picture of the authors and sure enough I went to Colgate with one of them.  Crazy small world.

 Anyway, love the book so far.  I just thought that was such a funny, small world kind of story!

That is crazy!

Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend!  What are people's plans for the upcoming week?

Here's what I have planned for workouts:
Mon - rest day
Tues - 1 hour spin
Wed - 1 hour masters swim (I can't usually go to this masters swim, but I don't have to do preschool pick up since school is on break so I can make this one)
Thurs - 1 hour spin
Fri - 1 hour Body Attack (Les Mills) class - my friend is sub teaching this class and I told her I'd go; very good aerobic/cardio workout
Sat - 1 hour masters swim
Sun - 24 min run

Good luck at your race tomorrow, Darren!

thank you so much Jen and Darren for the help! You guys rock.

OK - one more question. So...borrowed a full suit from a girl. She and her husband have done multiple ironman races, and they had two suits that would fit me, but they insisted the one they sent me with would fit perfectly. It more or less fits - although a huge struggle to get on! The only part that I couldn't figure out was how to get the crotch "up" enough?? Is there some trick to this? Other than that, I was able to get it on

you got to be carefully with this one. IF it it is a struggle to get on and you can get it on and still have range of motion in your arms then that is good. You don't want it baggy that = drags.

To get it to fit right you simply got to yank on it, hard and gently. Watch your nails don't tear it.

I think there is a product you can buy...

This might help...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsHw_TkFEdE

Or this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL7iJcOuBo0&NR=1 

So Darren, how was it??? How are you feeling!! Huge congrats on your race!!!

Getting a wetsuit on is definitely a struggle! What I to help is make sure to get the bottom of the legs a little higher up on my shins and then it's pull up in bits (pinch and pull by inches) and smooth it until it's just right.  Darren is right you have to learn the pinch for it so you don't hurt it.  Only when I have it comfortably over my hips will i start with the upper body part. 

My suit is a struggle - but it's manageable. I did try on one brand of suit that was practically impossible to get on.  If at all possible, maybe your friend can help you wriggle into it and give you an assessment to see if it really fits - Darren is right - you shouldn't have pouching under your arms and when adjusted shouldn't pull at your neck (but I do recommend using Bodyglide liberally all over your neck, especially the back)

Happy Monday all!!

Did everyone have a nice weekend! Debbie, are you back from Vegas yet??

So, who all has a long weekend? (I do! I do!)

What's on tap for the week?

It was great. 5:51, which is a PB by 26 minutes or so. real good.

OK Darren - that is unbelievable. GREAT job.

Wow!! Awesome job! How are you feeling?

I am back!!  I had a great time in Vegas!!  It was an awesome trip and i can't wait to go back.  Didn't get any "working out" in, but my MIL wears a pedometer and we walked 55,000 steps in 2 1/2 days!  So I think that counts towards something.

Darren-Awesome job on PB and the race!!!

Kristen-That is too funny about the connection to the book!  I am rereading parts of it again.  They are going to do a companion to it!  I am excited for that one.  Check out the blog, it is pretty good too.

Got my long run in yesterday...5 miles!  It was great! 

How was everyone's weekend?

Here is my plan for the rest of the week...

M-5 mile run
T-20 min. elip. 20 min. Strength
W-3 mile run
R-2 mile run
F-60 min. body step
S-strength train
S-5 mile run

Okay. Knees a little sore, but other than that good.

eta race report up too if you wish to read about the whole thing.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

Edited by BigDH 2011-02-22 10:46 AM

thank you guys so much for your help! I haven't attempted getting it on again, but I will soon will let you know how it goes!!!

hey darren - i read your race report.  great recount of your race!  awesome job and  congratulations on your PB!!  i can not even imagine running that distance in those conditions.  truly inspirational!

So, we're halfway through the week - the thread is getting quieter and quieter - how's it going?

Any topics for discussion? I couldn't find too much on compression - but it also didn't seem to garner much conversation ...

Well I'll chime in...
So far, I don't think I've officially missed any workouts on this whole "complete a tri March 12" plan. Here's this week:

---

Monday: 4mi run (added my me) actual: 3.6 SLOW miles
Tuesday: 30 min zone II swim, 20 min strength again, SLOW swim, although felt like HR was up
Wednesday: 45 min bike, 45 run (brick)
Thursday: swim 20 zone I, strength 20
Friday: off
Saturday: 5K

So I've been having a very strange sort of muscle ache around the back of my ribcage/kidney area that I've never experienced before. Been stretching and taking Ibuprofen the last two days. Honestly, this week, really since the brick last Saturday that felt disappointing for some reason, has just been NOT FUN.  Sort of not really wanting to do this any longer - for me, working out has always been stress release for me - and now this feels like work, and work that this week isn't netting results. So...I'm working on remembering that I had a GREAT week last week, and if nothing else I'm getting the workouts in with the help of my family, and trying to keep this whole thing in perspective! I prayed specifically this morning for a restoration of joy...that I would really begin to enjoy this again! Just a couple more weeks to go...
Sorry to whine!!!

You are not whining!  Hang in there Mylissa!!  You can totally do this!

I don't know anything about compression, except that it is expensive. I am such a bargain basement endurance athlete I am unlikely to spend 100 bucks on a pair of pants that I only wear after my workout.

I have found that a lot of soreness can be well managed by doing a proper cool down and some yoga at night to help flush the crap out of your muscles.

But, maybe I should get a pair. I shouldn't be so negative without even trying them.

Hope the soreness is going away. Very normal for that to happen when starting something new.

Good work on not missing any days. Keeping on schedule is important, but, and this is the toughest part, you can't stress too much about days that you miss (always a work in progress for me).