Scott's Mentor Group-Closed (Page 28)

Just finished a 2.65 mile run with my 7 year old at a 9:01 pace.  The plan for tomorrow is to run the 5k distance.  This has worked out well as it is my taper week before my race Saturday and I didn't want to go nuts with running.   I want him to be confident that he can do the distance without stopping.  His last race in October (which we did not train for and I also missed) he started walking at the one mile mark after blasting out at a sub-7 pace.  He burned himself out and if my wife and son strategically locate themselves at the one and two mile marks he should be ok.

Did a 2050 meter swim today.  After a mile I did some 100 meter sprints ... my speed lasp are closer to 1:50 per 100 yards (pain in the doing that conversion).  I know I can swim 400 meters when I am fresh in under 8 minutes ... my brother seems to think I will get faster if I do my distance planned first and then crank out speed laps when I am shot.  I have no idea if that will make me faster - it sure wiped me out.

Good luck in all your races this weekend!

I am on Facebook as well - will add those of you I can find.  I am Paul "Motherbox" Dengel on there ...

Thanks for all the encouraging words. I have been a little bit worried about this recent flare up because I have my first HIM coming up at the end of June and I have done virtually no running since October of last year. I refuse to let this bother me though. I am going to work harder on improving my bike and swim fitness and just hope to get to the finish line when it comes to the run. I told my wife that come hell or high water I am lining up for the start of that HIM no matter what! I say that somewhat in "tongue in cheek" because of course I will listen to my body and not doing anything foolish.

Scott, I think my PF comes from my inflexibility. I mean, I am horribly stiff. Especially my hamstrings, hip flexors and calf. I am certain that this is a major contributing factor to my PF flare up. I have been doing all the usual things such as rolling my foot on a frozen water bottle, rolling it on a lacrosse ball and doing the calf stretches and sleeping with the night splint. My job has me sitting at a desk staring at a computer for most of the day. I recently had the opportunity to switch to one of those desks that allows you to stand while working. I started standing during the day after years of sitting and that started the pain in my foot. I thought I was being responsible about the transition and only stood for a couple of hours but I think I may have over did it. I just didn't think standing would cause that. 

As far as running shoes, I don't have many miles at all on them. When I returned to running a few weeks ago my shoes probably had less than 25 miles on them. I run in a standard stability shoe with ample heel for most of my mileage. I did buy a pair of the so called "minimalist" shoes, Saucony Kinvara 2, but I only put in 5 miles or less on them. I'm not ready to blame the PF flare up on them but that could also be an underlying factor. 

Here is a website that I found that has a lot of good stretches: 

http://www.heel-that-pain.com/plantar_fasciitis/exercise/plantar_fasciitis_exercise.php

Troy, I looked into that dry trigger point therapy but there is nobody within 100 miles of my house that actually does that kind of massage. A fellow tri club buddy of mine gave me a lead on a local doctor that uses the A.R.T therapy. I may give that a try if this continues.

Injuries suck. What else can I say. 

I like that idea   Since my MapMyRun app can post my running there, that may be another good place to add some motivation and accountability!

Mine is Kate Cline-Campbell; picture of me and hubby with flower leis.  Would love to connect there

Scott, have you secretly been out running sub 7 minute miles and not telling us about it? 20:xx is a darn fast 5k. It's almost Troy like fast.

Tim, injuries do suck. I hope you get better and are ready for your HIM. It sounds like you've come to a good place to get advice.

Paul, I keep thinking about the day my son wants to go with me and train. I can only imagine how proud you are. Good job. Keep it up.

Nicole, I don't know about everyone else but I don't plan on breaking up and regrouping later. I really appreciate the constant encouragement and comraderie with the group. I like to see everyone's progress and hear their stories. You're only as strong as the sum of all parts! For your GPS question, do you have a smart phone with GPS? There is an app called map my ride. It will change your workouts.

Troy, do not be ashamed of the onesie. I ran faster, swam harder, pedaled faster with that bad boy on. It changes your attittude when you wear it. Don't hide in the dark in it! Strut your a$$ off in it! Like Craig said, the only people that think you look funny are fat or lazy! I look forward to hearing your results.

I like connecting with you all on here. I don't have a facebook profile. I hope I never do. BT is my facebook!

I hit the road today for a 21 mile ride. I forgot to start my watch back after a brief stop but I think it was around 70-75 minutes. I can tell I am picking up speed and my legs are getting stronger. I've been riding in higher gears to get some resistance. It is paying off.

I'm gonna hit the pool at lunch tomorrow for some 100 meter sprints. I'm not going to over do it. Friday will be a 5K. Saturday will be a light ride and maybe a few laps in the pool. I'll rock the onesie for one last practice session. I don't think I will take the day off. I don't want to feel rusty on race day.

I still haven't decided on socks. I am more comfortable with no socks on the ride but not so sure about the run. I might leave my bike gloves on for the run so I don't have to mess with trying to get them off. I wonder if I should go sockless and gloveless....things to ponder.

Kate and all, as long as we keep posting to the thread I think we can keep this group together as longas we want.

Paul, give your son some motivation and let him know he's already faster than a 45 year old man in California who has been training for four months.  Damn youth...Lol

Troy with the onesie and the shaved legs you'll cut through the wind like a vaccum.

Tim and Troy thanks for the PF info.  I've forwarded on to my better half.

Ashley, I don't know what the weather forecast is for your race is but if it's going to be cloudy and grey pick yourself up some Remington yellow lens shooting glasses at the local sporting goods store or Walmart.  They will brighten up the course more than sun glasses for about 5 bucks.  It was good money spent for me.

Tonight I rode the spin bike in the hotel gym.  I put my Surferfest video on my laptop in front of me while riding.  I got a few intersting looks from the others.  However, I was sweating my butt off and had a hell of a 68 minute ride.  Thanks for the hook up on the suferfest videos Troy and Scott.

Sleep fast.

CN

As promised, a nice brick with the onesie.

45 minutes with TrainerRoad's "Birch" endurance workout followed by 5 miles. My training program wanted recovery pace today, but my legs always want speed coming off the bike, so I ended up with a 7:54 pace.

It was still dark, so the two people I encountered probably didn't see me in all my spandex glory ... especially since I was also wearing my headlamp. I've still got some paunch to lose, but it did feel fast. Plenty comfortable for both the bike and the run.

Tim: Also look into the Graston Technique for the PF. I've  heard great things. I'm friends with the head athletic trainer here on campus and she was going to perform it for me, but our schedules never connected. It's supposed to bring tears to your eyes, but is evidently very effective. Your ART person might know of it.

Tim- I don;t know much about PF but I too am very inflexible and have found that yoga even just onece a week helps a lot. If I don't do it my back acts up and I'm out several training days and chiropractor visits while I try to stand up straight again.

I wasn't sure what BT's rules were on these groups but I'm happy if we can all just keep going because I like it here. I'm on FB too. Nicole LaBombard Groleau. There should be only one .

As far as this group goes, I believe that we would eventually get moved into the Mentor group Archives.  Which is just below where we are now on the Main Forum page.  We will be able to stay together as a group as long as we want.  

Tim,  That sure sounds like a bugger of an injury.  It does sound like you are doing what you need to do.  And it also appears that you possibly have some contributing factors.  Not to say the Kinvara's are right or wrong for you, but I swear they set me back a few months when I tried to do some regular runs in them.  A.R.T & Graston are good therapies from what I've seen and heard.  If you can't find someone to do dry needling, Acupuncture can be a very effective alternative for pain.  

I have also recommended people to use a combination of heat and ice to treat these type of nagging injuries.

10 min heat

5-10 min stretching and strengthening

10 Ice

This combination did wonders for my AT.  Good luck man.  Keep us in the loop.  

Most of my runs are in the 8-9 min/mile range.  I don't need to a whole lot of speed work to get going fast.  I was a half miler in high school and ran 1:56 a few times.  I have foot speed, it's just the endurance I've been lacking lately.  

Tim - I will second Nicole here ... I severely lacked flexibility and just doing yoga twice a month (I only do Bikram - the hot yoga) has helped.   The reason I would suggest Bikram over regular yoga is that the heat seems to get me looser - plus you sweat like CRAZY so you'll feel good about your workout even if you don't get 100% into the poses.

I buy 10 packs (for 10 visits) that cost $170 ... depending on where you live I guess it could be more expensive but NY prices seem to be higher than average - Cali may be on par or a bit more though as the west coasters seem to be more health conscious as a whole.

Hey guys - I have been having two problems - wondering if anyone has had similar issues?

Whether I am riding on my road bike or TT bike I seem to keep having the tape on the right handle bar (road) fork (TT bike) come loose.  Am I gripping too hard on the right side or doing something wrong?   I am a righty and am stronger on that side but from what I can tell I don't do anything differently.  Obviously on down hills I hold pretty damn tight ... and I change my hand positions for climbs and if I think I will be breaking but the unraveling of the tape is annoying.

Secondly - I have not changed anything in regards to gear and I now my running gait has changed slihtly as I am still nursing that nagging back injury (it's getting better but I foolishly tried alternate side breathing on my swim yesterday and now it aches) ... when I run now pretty much any distance both my big toes ache at the joint where they meet the foot.  I feel it the whole time I run though I have not let it slow/stop me ... think I am getting arthritic at age 40 or has my change in arm movement/gait affected my footfall to the point where I could be doing some damage?

Off for a 20 mile bike now - check in with you all later!

I'll add that I was also in Kinvaras at the time of my PF flare up. The combination of the low heel drop paired with a lack of flexibility of the calf is not a very good combination. That's my rationale, anyway. I wear a neutral shoe and have had great luck with the NB 890s.

I agree on the hot yoga. It builds flexibility quickly. I don't go to a class, though, I just use a DVD.

You might want to try wrapping the tape in the opposite direction on that bar.  The pressure from your hand might be unraveling the tape on the bad side and tightening it on the good side.  Just a thought.

I called my bike shop and he asked if I had it wrapped the European way or the Schwinn way ... I had no idea what he was talking about ... your answer sounds more logical would be harder to unwrap if the torque/tension was the opposite direction ... I'll try that. 

Ashley,  Thank you for the challenge.  You got me thinking about my race and my goal for it.  I ran a short tempo run this evening just to gauge where I am with my run fitness.  Saturday is not an "A" race, it is just a test.  I ran a 6:46 mile this evening within my run.  It was not all out, I was not wasted after it, but there is no way on G-d's green earth I could keep that pace for 3.1.  My thinking is that I'll be closer to 21:xx.  Again thank you.  

Hi all, 

Back from a 2500 pool session. Hating going but felt great after I finished up. Thanks to all for your words of advice. I like the yoga recommendation. I have done quite a bit of yoga as my wife practices regularly. I have never tried Bikram yoga though. I'll have to look into that some more.

I may have been wrong about my self diagnoses of my PF. This pain feels a little different. I don't have pain in my heel like I did when I had it in my left foot. The pain I am having is in a very specific spot on the ball of my foot. The spot is between my big toe and my first toe. Not on the toe itself rather on the ball of my foot. I think it's called the metatarsal. If I take my index finger and really work it into that spot I can feel the sensitivity. It doesn't hurt when I am not bearing any weight on it but that changes when I stand up to walk. Before I went to the pool tonight I spent sometime really working my fingers into that area. Oddly enough after I had done so my foot felt a little better. Bottom line is that I have no idea what is wrong. I think I am just going to give it some more time. I'll try to go for a short run on it soon and if the pain persists I am going to see a doctor. Right now I have to focus on the Tour of Battenkill. I am riding the entire 62 mile course this Sunday. Wish me luck!

Good Night All!

Tim 

Good morning peeps ...

Got out for 11.5 this morning on very heavy legs. I've got a tough long run on Sunday, so I really need to use tomorrow as a recovery day. Still 52F this morning which was great ... but the temps are moving closer to where they should be, so I'm sure I'll have a few more weeks of runs in the 30s. But I hope to not have to return to long tights.

Gotta keep it short for now ... the dogs want out.

Good morning, all!

I hope everyone had a great day yesterday. I had take a road trip down to the ATL so I switched up the training routine and hit the Y at lunch. I did a light 800 meters and kept it at under 16 minutes. Trying to keep everything fresh for the race.

I'm gonna go for a run this morning. I've been training with 4 milers so a 5K will seem much easier. I was debating if two 5ks in 2 days was too much. I'll probably just go 2 miles at an easy pace. I plan on a short bike ride tomorrow.

Scott, if you don't yack, you get no plack! 21:xx is still moving. 21:42 is a 7 m/m pace. Good luck my friend!

I updated my race log to include everything I have planned for the summer. Those are my goals and I hope they become reality. I would like to finish with an Oly but that will be determined at a later date.

I can't believe the moment is upon me and Sunday is it! I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. I'll be prepping tomorrow. I like the race checklists here on BT.

Godspeed!

I have no doubt that I can throw down a 6:20 in a race, the problem is that I will have another 2.1 miles to go.  There may be yackage tomorrow.  

The 5th is a possibility.  Right now I am scheduled to teach a workshop that weekend, but I haven't put out any advertisements for it yet.  So I'm thinking I can change the date easy enough.  I have to check with my TA's and see if they can make the new dates.  I have not run a 5k on a track.  I did the 3200 once in h.s., and vowed to not do it again, but I was half miler then.  I'm thinking I could throw down a modern day PR with a nice flat track.  

So I'm thinking strategy for this weekend.

Plan A:  Go out conservatively and pick it up and pick people off the second half.  (It is an out and back course)

Plan B:  Go out in that 6:20-6:25 and hang on for dear life.  

Both have the potential for throwing up so thoughts and comments shouldn't be biased one way or another for that reason.  What do y'all think?

I also vote Plan B. As Troy said if you blow up it's over fast and you said yourself it's not your A race. If you're conservative you'll wonder if you could have but if you go crazy and blow up at least you'll have an answer. Plus, you're going to puke anyways, might as well make it worth it. (I wish there was a blowing chunks emotican)

Also, Definitely do the 1 mile track race. I've been feeling bad that ours was canceled because I know you were excited to go all out. how many chances do you get to relive your glory days?