Athena/ Clydesdale Official Mentor Group (Page 28)

Merkin that's fantastic!  A truly motivating story.  Congratulations on the milestone.

Okay, the "Chief Financial Officer" has approved and the 2013 race season is now sketched out and carved in modeling clay.  I believe the four races I  have chosen provide a logical progression and challenge, with sufficient time to recover and train up between them.

April 7 - White Lake Sprint in Elizabethtown, NC.  A nice opening to the season.  I wanted a sprint in April/late May as a sort of warm-up to the season.  Plus I have brothers living in Jacksonville, so that will reduce expenses by eliminating lodging.

June 2 - Black Bear Olympic in Lehighton, PA.  I'll call this my "B" race.  The bike for this is supposed to be "challenging" and I believe it, having ridden motorcycle around there many times.  I'm going to need lots of hill work before then!

September 22 - HITS Half Ironman in Hunter Mountain, NY.  This is my "A" race for the season.  Again, lots of hill work needed for this one.  I grew up in the Catskills so I know what that terrain is like.  Fortunately, I live right on the edge of similar mountains here in PA.  I have a cousin that lives about an hour from there.

November 10 - TriRock Clearwater Olympic in Clearwater, FL.  Happy Birthday Marine!  My Mom has said she'd like to see a race finish and she lives right across the bay from there.  Seems like a nice finish to the season.

So now I have a plan to start working toward.  First comes USAT membership, then registrations, and somewhere in there a new bicycle that actually fits.  I'll let you know once I start carving in stone.

Looks like a good schedule Leather.   My own schedule for 2013 is just coming into focus as well...  (no HIM for me though!)

The tentative plan:

April 14 -- Mount Royal University Sprint Triathlon (Calgary, AB).  Wanted an early sprint to dust off the cobwebs.  Swim portion will be in a pool but these are the sacrifices one make when living in the tundra -- most lakes around here will still have ice coverage in mid-April.

June 15 -- Chinook 51.5 Triathon (Calgary, AB).   First Olympic distance!   Bike portion is uphill and upwind, then downhill and downwind (fun!)  

July 14 -- Subaru Vancouver Triathlon (Vancouver, BC).  Will combine this with a trip to visit family (my parents are in Vancouver, and my aunt lives about 10 minutes from the start line)   Excited about this one as the ocean scenery is gorgeous, though it will be the first ocean swim.   Still debating whether to do the sprint or Olympic distance -- and a little bit worried about doing this one only 4 weeks after the last one.

September 7 -- Subaru Banff Triathlon (Banff, AB) -- sprint distance.  This is a grudge match -- the site of my first and only triathlon -- goal is to beat (hopefully pummel!) my sprint time from last year, and in particular to lick the swim in Two Jack Lake, which kicked my @$$ this year.   Can't beat the setting nestled in the Rockies.  Plus the bike is mostly downhill 

That's awesome that you guys have it all scheduled out.  Makes me think I'm going to have to sit down and start looking at everything.  I do know that I'm doing a race per month for the next few months.  Mostly 5k/10k/5mi runs just to keep myself moving and give myself some goals.  I have a 5mi race tomorrow morning.

As for tris I'm not sure.  I need to get some swim practice in if I want to try some longer races.  I have no qualms about the bike or run but the swim may destroy me.  Ok.  Now it's my mission to get these things planned out soon so I know what to expect.  Definitely an Oly, couple sprints, don't think I want to try a HIM yet but I'm not sure.

Hoos, I think you can pull it off.  Remember here that I am talking through my hat, as my total experience is very nearly the same as yours.  But here's how I would break it down.  Figure one week of recovery after the June race, two weeks of build-up, and one week of taper to the July race.

Key points in my opinion, would be to makes sure the recovery week is VERY light, and that the taper is also light.  Two days out (and maybe even three days out, listen to your body) should be nothing more than a "pleasure swim" and the day before the race I would do nothing at all.  That should give your legs a nice rest.  I say GO FOR IT, EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE!

Disclaimer:  Advice is based upon reading, not experience.

I don't think I'd have any problems doing a sprint 4 weeks later -- it's the idea of doing two Olympics back to back that makes me nervous.  But thanks for the vote of confidence!

Training is still going OK.   Have not been on the bike in a while, but I did another 1500m swim yesterday -- faster than the first one (knocked it down from 46:30 to 43:30).   Hit the treadmill for 35 minutes tonight, and cranked up the speed a bit.  So -- slow but steady improvement...

Been a while.  Glad to hear everyone is keeping after it.

I did a 5 mile race on Thanksgiving morning.  I missed my really high set goal by about 1 minute but was still pretty happy with my time, especially since I've had this lingering cold that pretty much killed my training for 2 weeks.  Also got my trainer set up with TrainerRoad and it's great.  Did a quick ride the other night and my 8 minute test last night to get my FTP.  It was tough.  Keeping it at 230 watts for 8 minutes was impossible (to me right now).  Can't wait to track my progress and you can upload your rides to BT pretty easy too.

I am both disgusted and elated.

Disgusted because since my race on 10/13 I have only averaged one workout a week.

Elated because I have just added a rainy day workout to the arsenal.  I have tried to use an elliptical before.  It's supposed to be low-impact and not so hard on my bad knees, but it felt like my knees were hurting me, so I always quit after a minute or two.  But my wife can do 10 minutes on it, and me being the competitive jerk that I am, I decided tonight that I was absolutely going to hit 10 minutes on it.  I have learned tonight that it isn't my knees.  The position and motion forces me to use muscles that I don't stress in any of my tri workouts.  But what a sweat!  I know it's not tri specific, but considering how hard I was panting and how heavily I was sweating after just 10 minutes, this is definitely going to become a steady part of my training program.

Now, if my trainer would just get here ,,,,,

Had a good weekend!    Highlight was tonight's treadmill run -- got myself up to 54 minutes (new record) and have paved the way to hit the critical 60-minute milestone during next week's long run.  Very happy that I've adapted well to treadmill running -- my cheapskate nature hates to admit it, but spending the extra $$ on a good treadmill was a very wise investment.

Last night, hit the pool for about 50 minutes -- mostly shorter sprints (50m, 100m) which are continuing to improve.    And even got my own lane at the pool...

Didn't get to do anything on Friday, but I had a good excuse -- accompanied my 5-year-old son to a scouting sleepover.  So I tested my endurance in a different way 

Hoos - 2012-11-26 12:21 AM     I tested my endurance in a different way 

Good for you dude.  Believe it or not, both of you will remember this endurance test more than any race or training you may ever do.  I made a solid effort to be involved with my daughter growing up; helped coach her soccer teams, president/chaperone for the band parents association, team photographer for her basketball years, and anything else I could think of.  I even put Air Force stickers on my pick-up next to my Marine Corps stickers.  And I still wish I had done more.  I miss the days of doing things with her, especially now that they live in Kansas.

Love the elliptical and, yes,  it can be humbling but a great workout.  One of my favorites now is the arc trainer - sort of a conglomerate of elliptical, stepper and cross country ski machine all in one.

Day 1 of getting back to training and it felt great.  I signed up for my first race in two years and going pretty big for me.   I bit the bullet and signed up for the olympic aquavelo at the NJ State in July. I am doing the zero to 1650 swim plan and a basic biking plan for the next 6-8 weeks.  Once I get through that,  I will be starting a regular training plan.  

I forgot how nice it was to get up early with my husband and head to the gym with him.  He is signed up for the sprint and getting back to training too.

Now, heading down to the basement to do my trainer ride!  Have a great day!

Welcome back Randi.

First serious swim in about two months.  900 yards took 21 minutes.  That 200 in the middle kicked my butt.  I've decided to follow my own plan rather than the Zero to 1650, mainly because I split the 50's and 25's into warm-up and cool-down laps.  Today was:

2x25, 2x50, 2x100, 1x200, 2x100, 2x50, 2x25

I'll run that two more times and then kick it up a notch or two.  Really not worrying about time right now, just distance.

It felt good, but not as good as the hot tub and sauna afterward!  I LOVE the Y!

Thanks!  Just have to get used to getting out of bed at what my husband calls the butt crack of dawn (5:15 am this morning) so that I can go to the gym with him before he heads to work.

Nice job on the swim workout.  Funny, I never thought to do the shorter distances as warm up/cool down but that totally makes sense and I guess it is still the same distance.  I like that idea and will probably adjust my swim on Wednesday.

Glad to hear you love the Y!  I not only do my workouts there but am also an employee of my local Y.  I used to teach kids swim lessons, worked as lifeguard/pool deck supervisor and taught spin classes.  Now I am working member services but the hours are flexible and allows me plenty of time for my workouts. Unfortunately it's a desk job but it does still get me a free membership which I definitely make good use of.  

My older son turns 16 in December and is signed up for lifeguard training so he will soon be an employee too.  He's on the swim team in school and laughs at my measly 700 swim.  He calls that his warm-up, which is really is.  I am hoping that it will be the same for me before too long.

Got an early Hanukkah/Christmas present today - the bodymedia Link armband which is hopefully going to help me fine tune my caloric needs to finally lose this weight.  I'll keep you posted.  Can't wait to start wearing it tomorrow.

Morning all,

Glad to hear everybody likes the Y, I've been debating between the Y and another local gym. I think I will have to go tour the Y during lunch and check it out. I need to get swimming and they have a Masters Class. I'm not sure I would be ready for that class at this time.

Started my Build Phase Week 1 Day 1.

Have a great day!!!

Awfully quiet around here!

This week has been a good lesson in "get 'er done".   For some reason was not feeling terribly motivated -- kids have been sick so sleep hasn't been fantastic - plus I had a couple of late working nights.  Plus we are nearing minimum daylight hours which up here means pitch-black breakfasts and dinners -- kinda de-motivating... 

But still -- told myself "suck it up buttercup" and didn't let the workouts slide.    30min treadmill on Tuesday and Friday, and 50min at the pool on Thursday. 

November is in the books -- managed to hit 14 workout days and ~11 hours total -- despite taking a solid week off due to injury.  I know for some on BT that's a good week, not a month!   But I'm now 7 months since starting this kick and still going strong.   Getting ready for my long run tomorrow -- shooting for the 60 min milestone!  Used to be that running for 60 sec was a challenge...

How was November for others?

I agree,  it has been quiet.  I guess it is that time of year.  Nice job getting those workouts in.  Can't wait to hear how your long run goes tomorrow.

I am only 1 week back to training and feeling amazing.   I am doing the zero to 1650 swim plan and the beginner cycling program from BT.    I have been focusing on getting my conditioning back and since I am doing an aquavelo, won't have to worry about run training too much.  I did 3 mornings in the pool and biked 4 days (bike on trainer) and the other 2 days I walked on the treadmill and on Friday did step aerobics.  I had a very motivating swim on Friday.   While I am following the Zero to 1650 plan (with a slight modification as we discussed earlier in the week) I actually swam a straight 700 yards with a 250 warm up and 150 cool down.  I feel so much better about the thought of swimming 1500m in July.  Once I can easily do the distance,  I can focus getting faster.  The biking on the other hand seems REALLY far right now at 25.5miles but am hoping that it will get easier and faster.

I got an early Hanukkah present - the bodymedia LINK armband which I am loving. For any biggest loser fans,  it is like the armband they wear on the show.  It monitors calories burned, hours slept, number of steps, links with myfitnesspal to monitor calories consumed.   I am hoping it will help me finally lose weight.  It has been a long struggle.  I am finding that I am burning way more calories than I thought and am probably not losing weight because I am not eating enough.  It is definitely a fine line for me to figure out the right balance.

Hoos, that's fantastic.  7 months of sticking with it, and I 60 min goal for the treadmill.  Amazing!

I am in FL visiting my mother and since I had to drive the truck I slipped my bicycle into the bed and brought "Big Red" down for the week.  I went out for a "shake the knots out" ride this morning.  Nothing big, just a slow easy 10 miles.  But it was the first time on the bike since the race in October, and it felt pretty darned good.  Tomorrow I will aim for a fast 15 miles, hopefully under and hour.

One hour of solid running.... COMPLETE!   The last 5 minutes were not fun... but the legs held up.  

Randi -- great news on the swimming.  I found it very hard to get up to 500m front crawl without break -- but then once I cleared that milestone, I jumped very quickly up to 1500m.  Still not sure what happened, other than (a)  run and bike fitness spilling over to the swim, and (b) dialling in a good pace that I could maintain for a long time.   Still doing it quite slow, but at least now I have the confidence that I can complete it during my Oly in June.

Leatherneck -- no complaining about the flats!  If you bike around my neighborhood you'll start to appreciate the flats...