Meulen's 'Let's tri this Thing!' beginner mentor group-CLOSED (Page 28)

Thanks! Bronchitis sucks! I'm not feeling great, but better than I was yesterday. I'm going to see if I can run tonight...even if it's just a mile. Yesterday's workout was taking a shower and drying my hair!

Laces---  I am a big fan of Lok-Laces.  Tried Yankz & wasn't a fan.  Lok's worked well, very easy to adjust & lasted longer than the life of the shoe.  If my shoes were not so stinky at the end life, I  would recycle the laces, but lets say for $10, I'll buy new laces.  Bought numerous sets & continue to.

Pump---  A portable bike pump is very useful for training rides.  One time expense & fits on bike frame or in pocket of cycling jersey.  You will need it, eventually.  Walking your new carbon bike home, in cycling shoes, is definitely a drag.  For a race, half iron or greater, I would use CO2.  For shorter, If I got a flat, I would concede defeat

Just my personal preferences...

Well, after saying that I got my knee sorted out, this weekend was not that good

Planned a short run or hour on ecercise bike today , but opted to rest instead.

For those of you in Northern climate, you will understand my dismay...Snow almost gone.  Was considering going out on my hybrid this week, for 2011 inaugural ride.  Snowing, a lot, outside.  Thought I was done with this!!!  

Looks like I will be shovelling after dinner tonite.  

Maybe it was fate...a higher power, saying "stay off that knee big fella'.  He's not going to listen.  I'll make it snow & make him shovel instead!".

That's my story & I'm sticking to it!

The laces are definitely individual...

110 psi.  You are correct.  That is why I remarked, that it will "get you home".  Then I would recheck tire & inflate with a proper pump to required pressure.  This would be very difficult with a handheld, on the side of the road.  It would also be difficult with a CO2.  

Nevertheless, difference of approaches is good.  As long as you know the pros/cons & expectations of each, you are prepared...

Excellent post!!!

Many of my winter workouts, during winter are less than 1 hour. 

Post-workout recovery is not that important to me.  During week, it is usually just prior to evening meal.  Admittedly, the evening meal may not absorb from the GI tract, until 1 hour post. When combined with shower, transit home etc, it could be 2 hours before my recovering muscles get nutrition.  However, with a relatively short duration, less than 1 hour, I suspect this is not that important.  

More important for me is the pre workout energy.  I have lunch at noon & head to run or bike at 4ish.  I have a Clif bar, or banana, in my bag which I consume on my way to gym or run, to fuel the activity.  Without this, I definitely feel sluggish, with no fuel for 3-4 hours prior to a workout.  During & after the run, I try & be liberal with water.

During summer, and after long runs on Sundays, where workouts can definitely be greater 2 hours, I will often have a protein shake or yogurt with fruit.  Also, will supplement a run with Gu & ride with Gu or a bar.

I may be selling myself short but that is my routine & reasoning for such...

R

Off topic, but learning to open a bar, while riding your bike, is a skill worth acquiring, especially when you are riding with speed demons, half your age!

I, as does Brian, like bike computer.  Like to track my mileage, speed, etc.  

Said like a true geek..."knowledge is good"

So, I do have to ask, what is the negative to a CO2? 

Things I learned from my first week on my bike:

A.  If you unclip left and try to step right you will fall on your bike into a moving car.

B.  Biking in the city is like playing frogger...only without a restart button.

C.  It feels great to power past people on hills

D.  It feels awful to bonk out 5 miles later from pushing too hard up hills.

E.  Drinking on the bike while avoiding kids in Central Park should be its own sport

F. If you don't tighten your handlebars properly they will fall when you hit a bump

G. It's a lot more fun to ride outside than on a spin machine at the gym.

Hope everyone is having a good Monday!

Jon

Not sure if really negatives, but include: you have to keep buying them (renewable expense), they are so small, I would keep forgetting them.   Small stuff really....either is good

I did have an Italian product (forget the name), that was a combination of CO2 & a tire sealant.  This seemed like a great idea, but had leakage of contents & hence wasted.

Good list!

A few more...

H. Never judge a rider by his bike

I. Unclipping needs to be planned, not done on the spur of the moment

J. Cycling shirts are very useful, because of the storage space for phone, bar, tube, etc.

K. Road rash hurts.  It is viewed as a badge of honour, stupidity by others.

L.  Properly inflated tires make you a lot faster!

Anything else we can add to Jon's list?

Meulen - 2011-03-14 10:24 PM Richard, easy on that knee! maybe the tempo run followed by a long run was too much. I know I can't do them back to back like that. Heck, there are times I can't do that in the same week.

Not sure what it was.  This might be correct...

I'm actually thinking about getting the 310xt to track my runs and swims too.

I have a 310XT.  Works well on bike & run & tracks transitions.  Have a adaptor for bike, so it is ahead of me for biking.  For swim, doesn't work well in water , as the GPS doesn't function well.  It is "waterproof", so it will survive the swim.  Some put it in swimcap.  It will then track distance, because it is above water.

haha---great list! here are my additions:

-always wear sunglasses (or clear ones when its cloudy)--rocks and dust in your eyes are not fun

-your hands get cold FAST--definitely wear gloves when its a little chilly

-bike shorts are are not flattering on 99% of the population

-most non-athletes (especially kids) do not know what "on your left" means

-always bring some bandaids for when you fall because you haven't mastered the unclipping

-scars are cool!

Actually, we never talked about speed work at all.  I don't really do any.  I don't have access to a track, so what would you suggest?  Anyone have any thoughts on this?  As I have never specifically done speed work, I guess I don't know how to approach it.  How would you work it?  Right now I am doing a long run, a tempo run, a shorter run, and another run.  My plan alternates with a tempo run one week and what looks like speed work the next.  How would you do that without  the distances measured out on a track?  Advice from anyone would be appreciated, if my question makes sense!

Karen

Sarah - It sounds like the tri club meeting was informative and a good time.  Maybe I will have to check it out!  It is always fun to meet other tri people!

QOTD: Sarah's post about the team and eating no less than 45 minutes after workout brings to mind another QOTD. What do you do for recovery after workout?

So, I am a day behind on answering the QOTD, but right now my recovery consists of water or sport drink and chocolate milk.  I love that I have a valid reason to drink chocolate milk now!  When my workouts get longer, I will look into some other, more substantial things!

Henry - I found some flax seed at the natural food store, and am going to try it in my oatmeal this week - I guess I am just going to throw some in and give it a try!!  I was looking at the avocados at the store.  I am going to sound really stupid now, but how do I know if it is ripe?  Should it be soft?  You got some really cool toys.  I am such a toy geek, I love them.  Let us know how you like everything!

Richard - How is your knee doing today?  I hope it is feeling better!

Karen

Thank you for asking...

It feels a little better, but I think I have a bit of fluid in the joint.

Did an hour on exercise bike today.

Tomorrow, will do either another bike hour or 30 minute bike+5k dreadmill run, depending on my knee.

I am going to take this as a "knee rest week"

R

Haha! I have had that exact same dream before!! 

Ok, I have a question....today on my run I maintained the same average pace and average heart rate as I usually have. For some reason though it just *felt* easier. I was able to talk the entire time which I usually can't do, and I didn't feel very out of breath, even on the hills.  The same thing happened in spinning yesterday, my heart rate was high but I didn't *feel* like I was working as hard as in the past, yet I still maintained the same power level on the bike. At first I thought that this is a good thing...a sign of improved fitness...but I guess I am just confused why my heart rate is still the same as always. I guess I just thought that the fitter I get the lower my heart rate would be. I guess what I am saying is that I feel like I could have pushed a lot harder both days, and my heart rate would have gone up higher than I am used to. You know how people always talk about HR "zones" during training. Is it possible for those zones to change for an individual as their fitness changes? Anyone have any insight for me?

After having so much fun training today since I am off for spring break, it got me thinking of a QOTD:

What do you do for a living?  I ask this because I am just wondering how everyone manages to fit training into the crazy schedules of life.  This is often such a difficult thing to do that it can be discouraging.

I am an elementary school teacher.  It is great having the summers off to train, which is why I like the late summer races.  However, I still have the kids, so I love the YMCA and their child care!  Times like this is also nice because I have two weeks off for spring break, so I am really taking advantage of it.  During the year it is very tough because I take a lot of work home with me, so after training, time with the kids and work, I tend to be up to about 1:30-2:00 in the mornign.  Not ideal training conditions.