Athena/ Clydesdale Official Mentor Group (Page 29)

DG, I'm doing pretty much the same thing, once I get back home.

Biked today, only 5.5 miles again, but shaved two full minutes off my time and averaged 14.25 mph.  Nice riding.  I'm going to miss this FL weather.  On the other hand, I can't wait to get home, set up the trainer and try out this Trainer Road thing to get my saddle time back up.

Check out the swim smooth site (www.swimsmooth.com).  They have a virtual swimmer and you can change the view that you see.  It has been very helpful to me.  I have no formal training either and mostly just try not to drown. I will get some coaching in about a month, but until then I learned a lot from them.

Kat

Well done Randi -- told you it would come faster than you think!

Thanks.  I have such a hard time keeping track of laps that I use a lap counter http://www.sportcount.com/   and it definitely helps me keep track.  It also gives me a time for each lap which I find useful.

As for running, hope your ankle doesn't give you too much trouble.  Old injuries definitely have a way of rearing their head.  I have my fair share.

I do have a question about my scheduled bike workout - here's the plan - 15’ warm up. Then 4x4’ at 55-65 RPMS. Recovery is 3’ easy spinning between sets. Easy 5' cool down. 

What is the purpose of doing 4x4 minutes at a slow RPM? Am I just pedaling slowly or am I putting my bike into a hard gear?  If not in a hard gear,  what then is an easy recovery when the sets seem really easy to begin with?

I'll be interested to hear the answer to that Randi.

I put "Big Red" on the trainer for the first time yesterday and did 30 minutes.  I think it was the hardest 30 minutes I have ever ridden.  First because I haven't been faithful to the saddle since my race.  Second because I was going NOWHERE.  And third because I didn't even have the goals of TrainerRoad to work toward.  I have to get to my LBS and pick up the necessary sticks.  And some ChamiButter.  Although there was no chafing from my 30 minutes yesterday.

I am sure you are meant to go into a harder gear.   I would pick a gear that you can just maintain in the cadence range for the length of the interval. 

Hope you like TrainerRoad, Leather.  I've loved it so far.  I get in a great 30-60 minute ride 3-4 times a week.  First week or two was kind of adjusting my FTP up to get to the right level where I was really busting my butt.  There are pretty much unlimited workouts on there and you can create your own now too (beta version, which I haven't tried yet.)  I just throw a movie on the DVD, put my headphones on and plow away for an hour.  The actual wattage may not be realistic, but as long as you keep everything constant you can see your improvement.

I've been trying to keep up at it but everything is just so busy right now.  Did a 5k the other day, have a 10k scheduled for 1/1/13 and an indoor trainer race for some time later in January.  Now if I could only get myself to register at the Y and pick up on the swimming.

My big goal for 2013 is to run an Olympic distance and to finish it happy.

This past year I trained for an Olympic, but went to the open water practice and learned that 1 mile in the pool does not equal one mile in the lake.  Switched my registration to the sprint distance.

So now, I don't care about my times, but I'm convinced that I have GOT to learn how to swim more efficiently.  I can get in the water and use sheer bully power to go the distance, but I need to be able to stand upright when I get out of the water.

A buddy from church is the volunteer coach for the high school water polo team that his daughters are in.  He was kind enough to guest me into his Y pool yesterday for some evaluation.  Turns out my stroke isn't bad, but if I use a kickboard (okay, two kickboards stacked), my kick actually has me moving BACKWARDS in the water.

Stopped on the way home from work to buy a pull buoy - this weird foam peanut that I hold between my thighs as I work on arms.  Took that to my gym last night and arms only took 5 minutes off my 500 m time, dragging my legs behind me in the water like a pair of remoras attached to the underbelly of a shark.  Managed to do a full 37 laps in an hour.

So nice to have friends who know what they are doing and don't laugh.

Triathalon is hard.  If it was easy, they'd call it easyathalon.  And that just sounds lame.

Hope you don't mind me jumping in here but saw this and found mine at http://ruthkazez.com/ZeroTo1mile.html

Hey guys tomorrows the end of the world!! 

If it really happens I wanted to let you guys know that you all inspire me to train harder and longer!!

With out you guys it would be allot harder to do this. Keep posting and keep up the great work!!

Just keep moving!!!

Awesome, we made it out the other side (I think 6:11 AM EST was the cut-off time).  Glad I didn't eat that entire pan of brownies.

I've been sitting down and trying to plan out my training for the next month and my races for the year.  Neither are easy.  For training it's just a matter of if I write it down and have it on a calendar it will be easier to be accountable for getting it done.  For the races I have a few I know I want to do but I also want to figure out my longest race and kind of work around that.  I'm toying with the idea of a HIM, it's just a matter of getting one in August or the right time in September as I already have one sprint planned for September. 

Well, jon, I know what you mean.  I have set my sights on four potential races in 2013.

4/7 - Sprint - While Lake, NC - 107 days to go (season starter)

6/2- Olympic - Either Lehighton, PA or Keuka Lake, NY (not sure which one yet) - 163 days (my B race)

9/23 - HIM - Hunter Mountain, NY - 275 days (my A race)

11/10 - Olympic - Clearwater, FL - 324 days (C race, optional)

I'll start registering right after New Years, one per pay day.

My advice, based on Friel's books, are to choose your A race first, then try to fit one or two B's comfortably around it, and finally fill things out with a C race or two perhaps.  Just remember, the recovery from an HIM is going be a couple of weeks or more.  I'm allowing 7 weeks between my HIM and that possible second Oly.

You'll have to make your plan based upon your own knowledge of your level and your drive.  I mean, seriously, I don't have any more experience than you.  And for the past month my drive has sucked!  I keep telling myself that I'm just waiting for Santa to bring me my ANT+ stick and such, but truth is my heart hasn't been in it.  Hopefully actually registering for a race will provide a little spark.

By the way Leatherneck -- after our exchange a few weeks back, I took the plunge and signed up for that second Olympic.  I'm fully signed up & registered for all 4 below -- some of my races had an early bird discount for registering before Dec 31.

April -- sprint (Mount Royal University, Calgary)

June -- Olympic (Chinook 51.5, Calgary)

July -- Olympic (Vancouver)

September -- Sprint (Banff)

May also add in a couple of running-only events (5K/10K) but this is the core schedule.