Baowolf's New Years Resolution Group-Closed (if are stuck with no group PM me) (Page 26)

No burning ears, but hope it was nice Carol :-)

PR on my 10k today by 2 minutes. Felt great and zero hammy/leg issues

Another quick driveby. This may be my typical post for a while. I've got to update my resume but RL, rentals, baseball are all conspiring against me.

YAY, Carol and Steve met! I'm so jealous of both of you for getting to meet the other! I dying to meet both Steve and Carol - and the rest of you. I've met I think 4 BT'ers.

Mitzi, 16 pounds?!?!?! Whoa, GF, you are slaying it!

A couple of runs in the last few day isn spectacular weather. Trying to get back to my core workouts and I haven't been doing very well in that area.

Mitzi great job on the weight loss. Real life definatly got in the way of training last week but I still managed to get a decent week in, but almost no swimming. Started on my latest recovery week and am definatly looking forward to it.

bit more color on the 10k from yesterday. After I posted about it yesterday, it occured to me this was a bigger deal than I thought for a few reasons.

Beautiful day, as if spring were almost here. Sunny, lower 50's. 1 PM start. Seeded myself toward the back, and headed out a a nice steady pace. My watch was telling me this was a 8:40 pace, which i could never hold, so I slowed a bit. I am still doing the run/walk thing at 7/1, and followed that in the race. First 3+ miles felt really good, except for needing to pee the whole time which was taken care of at a highly convenient stand of trees . Miles 3.5 to 4.5 are on a very very hilly road - up, down, up, down the whole way. Was happy to have it behind me and I made the turn for the last 1.7. I run these streets often (I could walk to the start/finish from my house in 3 minutes), so it was fun to actually have other people out there with me rather than alone at 5 AM. About 1/2 mile out, I was thinking I could break 1:00, but it didn't happen. Felt good to finish and I was happy about it since it was one of my leg recovery milestones to run this race, and try to beat last years time, which I did by 2 minutes. I also had no leg pain, and generally felt good the whole way with no physical issues or other problems. Grabbed a bit of chow at the post-race cookout, then headed home. Good day all around.

Good deal Mike. It isn't all about coming in first in a race. It is mostly about getting out there and having fun. Sometimes that is faster, sometimes it is slower. My IMLT was very slow last year, but I made it to the finish line. No one else will really understand your journey building up to a big race like an IM, Mary, HIM or whatever, but when you finish it fast or slow... you finished it. If you can smile and help others get through their day with a little kindness, enjoy the clarity of the ice cold water or just high 5 a 4 year old on the sidelines it is a good day.

Today was one of those days for me. I am carrying a lot of fatigue and it was supposed to be a hard effort 33 mile bike ride on the trainer. My thoughts were, ya know maybe I don't want to be faster, maybe I just want to finish IMs...... Those feelings come and go and in reality, ya I don't need to get any faster and ya I may never play at Kona, and that's ok. But I still choose to get today's workout done at the level of intensity that I choose to put into it.

Oh and we cut down a dead tree with the my youngest sons. We did it the old fashion way with an axe and a hand saw.

Edited by Baowolf 2014-04-07 7:30 PM

Nice race Mike PR's are always good especially on nice days. Got back in the pool tonight and felt pretty good I've got something funky going on with my pull on my left side it's like I'm not finishing all the way thru I'm trying to figure out by slowing down and taking it easy lets hope that it works.

Mitzi: Congrats on the weight loss and improved running times! I'm glad you've found whatever the "it" is to motivate you and get you moving. I'm both proud and a little jealous

Mike: I'm glad you did a repost on your 10K race. I saw your PR yesterday and thought "wow, that's good stuff for Mike" Your second post showed me you appreciated it a little more than your original post. Much like I said to Mitzi, enjoy it. Your running has been a thorn in your side (and hammy) for awhile now so you had 2 victories in that race

Steve: I appreciate how you always articulate your feelings in a way that all of us can relate. We've all been tired on some training days and have thought about just putting in hours vs. our desire to increase our speed. I enjoyed reading that post quite a bit.

As for me.....time keeps going by and I struggle to get motivated. The weather is finally turning and I'm getting annoyed with myself but that little switch hasn't quite clicked on yet. I don't know WHY this hasn't happened yet and its concerning me. I'm still working out but its heavy lifting with my wife followed by a little cardio. I've been trying to remember what motivated me 15 months ago when I was putting in some serious work and getting good results....that was all before my achilles went pop......but I struggle to find that magic elixir that Mitzi has found Sorry if this sounds like whining....its really me just putting my feelings on paper in hopes of finding some answers internally or from some others here.

Hope everyone has a good day!

Mike D - great job on your race, and on persevering through the hammy issue! That must feel pretty sweet. I do have a bike shop in mind for you on the rental (one I have rented from before), and I have not paid them off yet to tell you that they only rent fixed gear bikes w/ knobby tires . If you will be here on a Saturday and want to get in more of a workout than I can hang with, we can hook up with the LifeTime Fitness group out of Colleyville. Nice folks, a few IM and HIM types that could challenge you. I can ride with you for the first part, then you can continue on with them. Anyway, we'll figure it all out as the time gets closer.

Pam - you are making me very glad that I didn't get my way on renting out FIL's house. Job searching is a full time job in itself. You are amazing with all you balance!

Mike - so tough to get those swims in ... glad you made it back to the pool.

Steve - On the struggle between pushing speed and cruising...you definitely win that battle more often than not.

Jay - didn't you recently register for a HIM? When is it?

Joe - hoping good weather and real life sync up for you!

Linda - it's getting closer to time for us to stalk you....er...you to run Boston !

Happy to be back from Las Vegas to normal life. Got back out for a run/walk yesterday and planning to work in a bike ride today. The bluebonnets are in full bloom, and the trees are starting to bud/leaf out. I talked to a gal yesterday that had a Palo Duro Trail run shirt/hat on...reminded me of how much I enjoyed that...might have to be my goal for the fall.

Steve - Your family must be a super part of your support group but I understand how easy it is to throw in the towel. Your determination and focus is insipring. I have yet to hit the tough part of training but I remember thinking What Would Steve Do.

Mike D - What Jay said...

Jay - Motivation comes in small and mysterious ways. Be patient, start slow and it will build for you.

Got in the pool last night for a nice long swim of 3000 yrds or so. Not sure if it was the swim, or my wife trying to get me to quiet down last night but I have an annoying kink in my neck today. My last bike ride was pretty good too as I struggle to find some speed. The weather was a bit windy which can really slow me down and I managed to avg 15.2 mph . Not super fast but nice given it was a kind of relaxed let's do something kind of ride. I got a little help from iris after that to check bike fit and found the knee was a bit past the pedal axis. So I raise the seat about a centimeter and moved it back as much as I could (it was already close to max). So I am excited to see how that works out on my next ride. The quick check has a good feeling that I am not as scrunched and will be able to get more power out of the leg extension.

Yes Carol, I did sign up for a HIM...its in early September. I have plenty of time but I'm just annoyed with myself at this point. BTW, I should've mentioned before but it was very cool that you got to meet and chat with Steve in Las Vegas.

Joe, you are correct. I know its a slow start to get rolling but I just can't get there quite yet. It tears me....I know if I start doing endurance stuff my strength goes down and I'm strong as an ox right now. To illustrate my point, I squatted nearly 500lbs for a 1RM today....I haven't done that much in about 3.5-4 years and I like being that strong....but I hate my crappy cardio levels.

We all should've gone to Vegas to meet up!

Mike: Congrats on the 10k and the PR! There are plenty more 10k opportunities to break that 1hr mark. The important thing is you stayed healthy (no leg pain) and you did it!

Steve: always an inspiration.

Jay: I'm jealous of your impressive squat stats. I'm sure that'll help you hammer out some high wattage on the bike!

Had a very eventful weekend! On saturday I spent 7 hours poolside at a masters swim meet. I did SEVEN events (100y free, 50 br, and 500 free, along with 4 relays). I literally spent 15 minutes in the pool total, but it was draining. Times were ok, 57.19 in the 100y free, 34.?? 50 breast, and a little disappointed with my 6:14 500 free. Went to RFK Stadium to catch the DC United game and ended the night bar crawling on U Street (DC). Guilty pleasure :-(

Getting in more and more bike rides. A slow recreational 10-miler with a few friends on Sunday, and the weather's been good enough to commute at work. 5.5 one way, and I usually stay around 15mph so I'm not drenched in sweat when I get to work.

For those that ride tubulars, can anyone recommend a nice, dependable tubular tire? These new wheels are my first go at tubulars, and they came (used) with 21mm Tufo S33 Pros and 23mm Zipp Tangente in the back. I'd prefer not to go lower than 23 width. I'm currently considering Vittoria Corsa Evo CX or Conti Sprinters. Can anyone tell me their experiences and recommendations?

Phil.. um how do you possibly swim that fast? Spill on how much you swim and how you develop that kind of speed please some of us bricks struggle to get faster than 2:00/100 for any significant distance. Way to go on those times.

Thanks Steve for those kind words! I started swimming in 2nd grade and swam solid til the end of high school, but took a long break until I got into tris 5 years ago. But I had a solid base as far as technique goes. My coaches at my masters team help me to take it further, and once a season we have underwater+above-water video sessions to improve development. I always ask them to critique me. I've only been able to make it to the pool once a week this year (a hour-long masters practice that's usually 2500-3500 yds), but usually it picks up to twice a week in the middle of training.

Much like golf when I swing, I have a checklist for that runs through my head each time I swim. The first 2 are primarily for keeping a horizontal position in the water. The last 4 are to maximize the efficiency of my pull stroke.
-Keep my head down (as if you're holding a tennis ball between your chin and sternum),
-Kick with low drag (when I get lazy my ankle rotates outward, which creates drag. A low-drag kick would be having your foot stretched out and your big toes almost touching each other)
-Rotate my torso/shoulders equally on both sides
-Keep my spine straight (I wiggle like a fish or shark when I get tired/lazy)
-Extend/stretch my arm completely when entering the water
-Complete the pull stroke (my hand should exit the water near my thighs, as opposed to my waist)
-Keep elbows high on the recovery stroke (sometimes I swing outwards like butterfly, which wastes energy due to lateral movement)

I could still use a lot of work with both technique and endurance, but those tips help me. As far as training, practice makes perfect. Drills are key to improving technique. I also think swim hand paddles are essential if you've built the shoulder strength for em: they can tell you, in a direct, tacticle manner, whether your pull is being wasted in a direction other than backwards. If you're faster with a pull buoy than without, that means your kick needs to be cleaner. I'm sure Mike D can chime in a bit because his swimming skills seem similar to mine.

Edited by phifatech 2014-04-08 2:46 PM

I'm trying to take Joe's advice to heart and I ended up swimming for the first time in ages last night. Nothing to write home about 10x50 with enough rest to go hard at the next 50. Between that and my heavy leg day, I woke up pretty sore in legs/back so I did some weight training but skipped cardio so legs can recover. Trying to take Steve/Joe's advice to take it slow and not go overboard for one day. Goal is to wake up early tomorrow for a 3-4 mile run before work. Hopefully, I can post something positive again tomorrow and get that momentum rolling toward improving cardio levels

Gona be out of town for a couple days. Long drainer ride 95 miles 5.5 mile brick run and 2700 yard swim. Kinda toasted. But I did get to watch 11 episodes of House.

Edited by Baowolf 2014-04-10 1:38 AM

Happy to report up early and did some trainer work. Still a little chilly/dark for running at this point IMO. Either way, good to be working toward improved cardio fitness again.

Thanks everyone - you all are so supportive. Catching up on posts again, want to get on top of it so I can actually comment on everyone. Yes Steve your wife is right - don't want to, just do it.

So Jay - I'm with you. Some of us are just not cardio types. My husbands family all go out for a walk before dessert at a holiday dinner. It feels like punishment to me - just give me my food. They all have those lean body types. I don't get it, my body never says to me - get up and walk. I would drift to being indoors lifting and while I've done some treadmill and spin bike work I haven't gotten as consistent as I need to if I'm going to do an oly this summer.
I try to remember how good it felt to finish my first sprint (subsequent ones were disappointing as I didn't work hard enough to improve) and I want to be healthier.
Found when I was consistent I did start to want to get out there (well go to gym, still feel more comfortable in gym than outdoors - like being able to keep track of my times and speed - I need to use those gadgets that do that for you outdoors)
So, take it one day at a time. Today is a new opportunity to get out there, doesn't matter what you did or didn't do yesterday. Try not recording the amount of weight you lift - just do what feels hard in the moment. It might help not to get caught up in the body building mode.

Mike - yea for you in your race. We are the same area so hearing you enjoying the weather is motivating me to get outdoors, as I said I am more comfortable in a gym.

Phil - thanks for the tips - I'm a new swimmer - I wouldn't drown, but technique and distance - really swimming is so confusing. You have an edge out there on most triathletes. Managed to stick with freestyle in my last sprint, but would have been faster if I went to my version of side stroke. I really do almost stay in place - 3min/ 100 yds. Miraculously the swim portion ended but I don't know how as no matter how many times I looked for the buoy it never got any closer!

Been eating under 1050 cals/day, less than 25g of carbs. I'm feeling really good with no cravings and feeling in control of food. Have to figure out how to slowly add in a few more carbs each week - just enough to train.
Mitzi

Edited by MuscleMomma 2014-04-10 7:37 AM

Steve,

95 miles on a trainer sounds like just a dreadful time I can't even imagine.

Great last posts... Motivation struggles, inspiring race reports, tips for technique (thanks Phil for your valuable swimming checklist, it really is great, I'll make sure to keep it close at the pool) and words of encouragement all over. Keep'em coming!!

These days I'm on a roll, and I feel I start to reap the benefits. Swimming is still slow but managed to do a 1750 meter swim in one session last week, a personal record for me. I feel the endurance is growing. Speed on the bike is coming along. I am following a training plan designed for the 135 km event I'm doing in June, penned by David Veilleux, the first and only quebecer to ever participate in the Tour de France, I feel I'm in good hands!

And running, man does it feel good to run again. After almost 2-month hiatus, I expected it to be slower and harder. Strangely I am faster now for the same heartrate than I was last Fall. I did loose 10 pounds since and changed my diet with a little less carbs and more protein, I also think I improved my running form a lot. Maybe it's that?

@ Jay : Re: Motivation. It's very personal but for me the trap is when I skip 1 or 2 workouts. It starts a downward spiral and it can take up to a week or 2 for me to come around on my own (also I find that when I stop working out I tend to become sick). That's where a good support system helps. Do you have someone to kick you in the butt or remind you of your goals?

@ Phil : what a swell idea... Baowolf's Las Vegas Group Meet-up

@ others : happy Spring, happy training!

Isabella - loving your high!

Isabella great job on your swimming endurance!!

Steve, how do you do it?!! Those killer rides are amazing! I love House too, but, WOW! You are tough!!
Conngratulations on all of your tough training.

greetings from Alabama!! I'm on a extended weekend trip to visit some family outside of Birmingham, and its a welcome change to have daily high temps near 80!

Have been out running a couple times, and I'm not yet acclimated to the warmth. Just fell apart after a few miles yesterday, and this AM was much better but after hearing a couple nearby shotgut blasts, I decided to cut the run short, and get back to where I'm staying (its semi-rural on a couple roads where I was running!). I"ve been told this is not unusual here, but for me its a signal to head home

Seems like everyone is doing well with the training. Keep it up!

Swimming....as Phil said, its lots of technique. His tips are great. I'd add for the 'pull', one thing I try to do is to have the thumb on the hand which is pulling to brush my thigh at the end to eb sure I'm following through, and not short-arming the pull. One other thing to keep in mind is to rotate side to side as you go, as if you were rotating around an axis running straight through your body, along your spine and out the top of your head. Just trying to power through the water will only make you tired if you don't have the technique down. I need tons of work on my swimming, and my coach thinks I should be doing 1:15-1:20/100 as a standard time. Long way there from 1:30.

Mike, thought I misread when I read Greetings from Alabama. Welcome to the South Buddy! Gunshots nearby? Completely normal. Maybe harmless, maybe not. Completely normal tho. Again welcome to the South.

Everyone is doing so good. Thanks for the swim tips. Whew, I do everything wrong with. But I still love swimming. Must qualify tho - I love swimming when it's me, myself, and I. With others...not so much. So that isn't condusive (sp?) to races... tris.

Incredible job Phil!!!!!

Had a 5K today. Oldest in the area. I think it has been going 42 years. $8 entry. {Have I said before how fortunate I am to be in a area with lots and lots of running?} PR! And not just a small PR. Former PR was 26:07. Today? 25 even. I'm beyond stoked! Bad azz hill from mile 2 to about 2.8. Steve, I owe it all to you. Quarter of the way up that hill, a young guy came up beside me breathing hard and sweating up a storm. I thought, "Wow, he is working hard." And then I thought, "Hey wait, I can do that." I shot past him. Afterwards hubby and I walked back to the car - about 2 miles. (We had to walk because there was free beer and hubby was enjoying his beer.) As we were both analyzing our races, I realized that things were about as good as they could get. We had run a race on a stunning day, both got PRs, and were just enjoying the cooldown.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Mike, the heat effecting your running is very normal. I ran on Friday and again this morning and the difference in similar distance was night and day. I ran in the 70s on Friday and I was really taxed...today is in the 60s with a nice breeze and I felt great. I'm sure there is a lot more humidity in Alabama right now vs. Mass....but don't worry, we both know our hazy, hot, humid days are coming soon.

Pam, congrats on crushing your 5K PR! That's fantastic and your hard work you've been putting in has finally shined through for you!

As for me, I've finally turned on the motivation switch....so thanks to everyone who shared some words of wisdom/encouragement. I was talking with my wife a few nights ago and she said "you're going to get skinny again aren't you" Yup, she already knows the switch was turned on and nobody knows you better than your spouse.

I've been taking a combo of Joe/Mike. I'm trying to make sure I do something everyday like Mike was...and taking it slow like Joe suggested. I've added my own twist by running only for time or distance...I'm not interested in pace right now...that would discourage me and things will improve as I improve cardio and drop some lbs.

The key is going to be next Saturday when I play in my work basketball tournament. I've been doing some drills by myself to get ready and my left ankle is struggling to stablize me when I make explosive movements off of it. It'd be nice to say that I won't do anything explosive but thats not going to happen....I don't play basketball for the sake of it and certainly not when there are bragging rights with coworkers on the line.

Hope everyone has a great day! I'll be off to watch my son's 2nd travel soccer game today.

Mike - wear neon orange! and nothing white and fluffy on your butt...

Pam - great PR - your work is paying off

Jay - yea!

Mitzi