Baowolf's Mentor Group- Closed (Page 29)

Hey everyone. Made it to NJ without any issues other than getting up at 3 AM and driving 260 miles .

Just back from a short "lets wake up and move" 11.3 mile bike to get the legs going and to be sure all is well with the bike after the ride. I'm likely doing a bit of OWS later today, and a short run tomorrow before heading into NYC. Right now its nap time....

Jay - stay healthy no matter what. Training will have it's place again! Super cool to hear that your wife is still expressing interest in doing a race, and I definitely think you have the right approach going on A large athlete base for a first IM would be better in my opinion too! I carry two levers, 2 tubes, 2 Co2, one inflater, hand pump, patch kit and a bike multi tool specifically with the chain tool.

Pam - Those are great interval paces! Funny how we are our own worse enemies. I sure hope the time you are spending with your son is awesome!

Jared - I'm glad you found them and glad you got in a group ride. That's something I haven't done yet and look forward to. The tri group I'm a part of does one every Sunday. As soon as I'm ready I'll join them so I can get my butt kicked!

Elena - the changing tent at IMCDA was awesome. The volunteer were incredibly helpful, so take advantage of them if they are there. So close now....go Elena go!

Jim - that's a crazy schedule you keep. You early morning trainers are too much for my mind, and I'm so impressed that you get up that early to train. I don't know where you training numbers are at but you still have time. Do you have a goal? Depending on your goal/s I've heard keeping up with the swim and bike are gonna have the greatest pay-off in terms of setting yourself up for a finish. Getting long runs done is definitely important, but if you are solid on swim and bike the marathon will happen.

Steve - I'd like to know what you think of the sleeveless in temps below 60. When I did a swim in lake CDA with 61F my arms definitely felt the cold and didn't want to work for part of it. But I only don't feel constricted in the shoulders by my wetsuit so it doesn't matter so much to me; I'm just curious.

Mike and Carol- Have a great race and report results asap! :D

Job interview felt good. I was interviewed by 3 people, which made for less awkwardness and lots of conversation. They responded to me with a lot of smiles and I heard comments like "that's exactly the answer I was looking for" or "you don't need to say any more because you already said it all". The made it clear they were eager to get the position filled, so I expect to hear back very soon. I was able to talk about my strengths and weaknesses with confidence and even if I don't get the job I see myself in a better light as a result. Out of the 3 interviewers the one who has worked in the Adult Psych unit the shortest time has been there for 11 years, which is always a good sign of a great working environment. Thank you for praying for me it means so much! I'll let you know as soon as I know.

Excited about all the stuff going on this weekend for all our group members!

Lurking - enjoying everyone's thread. Me, don't work in summer so I get less done than ever. It's 11:10 and I've been on the computer all morning in my pajamas. I've got to get some structure in my life. Spend a lot of time driving kids around, but I could workout hours more a day if I could get it together. Keep a gym bag in car. I know, all you hard workers are crying for me.

Don't know the first thing about changing tire and it scares me. Hubby got me some kind of kit which now that I've adjusted the seat no longer fits on my bike. With all I've spent so far I really should just get to a bike shop, purchase what I need and hope they are still offering classes on bike maintenance.

Samantha - fingers crossed for you.

Mitzi

Mitzi- I am really crying!!!! haha jk! There is some great free youtube videos on bike maintenance that I have watched a lot over and over and over. They help you plan for those disasters.

I did my first 2,000 swim Workout yesterday!!!! I felt really good did a 200 warm up. 2x400 then a 8x100 working on power and 4x50. I am breaking out the new bike today. Really excited then off to the drive in movie with my wife to watch Monsters University and Fast and Furious 6!!!

Yal have a great Weekend!

Elena- Good Luck on the race tommorrow!!!

Mike- You got this man!!!

All checked in. Bike drop off tomorrow, then hit the water Sun AM at 7:10. 1500 yd swim. Course record is 9:30. Yes Nine minutes. The current helps, no doubt! Lady next to me at athlete meeting said it takes 10 min off your time. Ok, I'm all for it ??

Did a really fun 4.5 mile run this AM that was part road, trail, grass, and sand run. It was s blast and made me feel good about Sunday. It's all about fun and racing in a cool spot! Ill check back in Sunday PM on the 3+ hour drive home

Elena, Mike - Good luck in your races this weekend.

Samantha - Praying for some good news about the job. Glad to hear you went on a little ride with friends. Hope you are feeling rested.

Mitch, Jared - Nice bikes! Ride them like you stole them!

Everyone else stay safe and enjoy the weekend.

It's supposed to be nice here so we are heading to the beach to catch some rays and play some Vball. I went to my open water stroke and stride event again this week. It was calm so I enjoyed not sucking water and being able to see where I was going. Then the run afterwards. There are lots of fast runners so it is fun to watch people cruising past as they make there second trip around the loop.

Mike and Elena, have fun at your races this weekend! Praying you wind up spent and satisfied with your efforts! May the wind (and the current for Mike) be at your back .

Anthony, been meaning to ask...did you play volleyball in HS and/or college? I played a little college ball, and met my husband playing on a coed team, so have some very good volleyball memories.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Good luck on the races this weekend.

My ribs are starting to feel better. Did a 38 mile ride on the new bike today! Love it! Can't quite run yet, but maybe try a slow one this weekend.

I have an Olympic distance in Sept. About 6 weeks away. A little bummed because the last two weeks I was supposed to ramping up but I've done quite the opposite. I'm just going to try and get running again get my swims in and have a fun race with no expectations...

Jim - thanks for the youtube tip - great idea.

No news on the job yet. Did the swim buddy volunteering today and it was so much fun. The gal I paired up with was great. She was a fine swimmer and just needed the comfort of knowing someone was next to her. She asked questions before we started and a couple times during the swim. We struggled with siting for two reasons: the sun was rising and the going out buoys were the same color as the going in buoys and we mixed them up (so did many other swimmers. I hope they change the colors for next year). Anyway, I also watched her cross the finish line and that made for a perfect day. I'm off to Montana to visit friends and support a friend running in the missoula marathon.

I'll be tracking Elena and waiting to hear from Mike and CArol. I wish you all fun filled races!

Mitzi - I thought of you today as I watched parents with their children after the race. Every child I saw was so very proud of their mom or dad!

Made it Santa Rosa. Every time I'm in this area I say I want to live here. Vineyards everywhere. Just stunning. Had too much wine last night with all the excitement. Didn't help that my friends (married couple also racing) brought a case of their own wine!!! Sitting here at per-race meeting waiting for it to begin. Love the energy. The meeting is required before bib pick up then I will set up T2. Family is comig up later this eve. MIKE-have fun tomorrow!!!!

Go racers!

Ug 90 mile bike ride today including the 10 mile hill of pain. Although thoughts of stopping to rest on the way up and maybe crying occurred during the last 1.5 miles, but it was 3 minutes faster for the climb than 2 weeks ago. Overall speed for the ride was dismal but oh well got it done. That last 30 miles into the wind was less fun than one might expect, somehow. 3600 yard swim lastnight was rough too, just had to plug away at it. Did lots of offside breathing drills (400 yards of that). Still waiting to feel some endurance in anything.... carying a lot of fatigue 12 hours on the bike this week (195 miles total).

Oh and I will probably be going out of town for a week starting Monday so if I am not online it is because I will be staying at a place that has no internet so I might have to mooch a connection somewhere.

Sam -

Elena - you sound really pumped!

Mike - the wind at your back...

Steve - your training is really impressive.

I went for a ride and was surprised at how weak I am. Couldn't figure out how I was slower than 7 years ago. Doesn't make sense as then I hammered up hills at about 8mph and walked most of the run, and dog paddled the swim. But, I rode more than I could yesterday and used to be able to almost make it up the hill to my house. After a hill that I can get through in second gear there is a few flat yds and then 1/4 mile of a 45 degree or more angle (don't know how to say that correctly). Years back it hurt but I could almost make it to the top, hammering it out in first gear. Sad.

This time when I got to the beginning of the hard climb I got in 4th gear and tried to stand. It works on the spin bike. On the road the bike wobbled under me and I came to a stop in about 20 yds - then there was the walk of shame up the hill.

Mitzi

Fitness goes pretty quickly. In 4 weeks when Samantha is done resting up 80 percent of her fitness will be gone. Granted it will come back reasonably quickly, but if she lets things slide for 2 months it will take a lot longer to build back up and at 3-4 months it will take 3 months to get back in shape. I will be training 22 weeks for IM Tahoe and I won't be back to nearly the shape I was in a year ago. I am still at least 10 minutes behind my time on climbing the hill of pain from last year and speed in both the run and bike are very much slower. I am nearly 2 minutes slower on the run and 2-3 mph on the bike over the same distance. So just patience and consistent training and it will come back. No shortcuts, especially as we get less young. Now when I was 16 years old, I could bounce back into shape in 2 weeks, now more like 2 months 8(. Oh well. It is the journey paid for each day by the decision to be active rather than to not be.

The scale read 155 this morning, only 10 more pounds to go, every little bit helps come race day and I would love to race at 145. 13 mile run tomorrow morning could be long and slow ..... after the bike ride.

I'm currently sitting and waiting for my friend some reach the 8.5mile mark in her marathon. Elena is programmed into my irontrac so I can stalk her. And the sun is rising and it's beautiful!

Steve- I'm not really a fan of that last post. I guess I didnt realize that's what would happen. And I didn't realize you had lost so much speed. The body is crazy. Happy training and I pray your fatigue level starts to lessen.

Being at this marathon is giving me much needed inspiration to get back into training.

Mike and carol - looking forward to reports!

Go Elena!

Elena finished the swim in 44+. T1 took her 5 min. Great job Elena!

Go Elena!

Samantha if you start back easy after 4 weeks of rest you can be back to a solid offseason base in about 6-8 weeks. But ya if you try to start out with a 6 mile run for your first run it might turn into 3 or 4 miles. Better to start off easy, walk if you want for the first 3 or 4 days and then bring it up to a 3 mile jog after that. After one month you will come back pretty quick, after 2 not so much after 3 most of your fitness is gone. It will come back faster than the first build, but it will take time.

I am back into training 12 or 13 weeks now and still really dragging. I am building distance but not speed so much at this point. I have one more build cycle after this one and then a peak build and then it is taper time, so I don't expect the speed to come. Ideally this would be my base fitness and I would be just starting my IM training now, but it is what it is and barring injury I will be able to give a respectable showing if not fast at IM Tahoe. The odd thing is that I am able to do the 800 repeats at a decent pace, but not much else. So I am not entirely sure where my running or biking is given how much fatigue I am carrying during a faster than ideal build. It could be that I am faster than I can measure because of carrying so much fatigue, but can't really fully rest until taper time. That is a happy thought anyway. 13 mile run done for the day, but at a slow pace. It would be nice to get this z2 long run down to 45 to 60 sec per mile faster pace (9:15-9:30) and shorter weekly runs down to 8:15 to 8:30. We see now things go. The family is going down to sea level and if I go with them it will cost me 11 days in reaclimation to elevation, hrm.

Steve- I like the way that sounds for getting be back up and going. I bet you are faster but just carrying the fatigue. I bet you'll be surprised come race day. And maybe the trip to lower elev. isn't a good one for you if you don't have to go.

Elena finished the bike in 3:34. Such a good time. She avg. over 15.5mph. Hopefully the heat isn't killing her on the run. Looking forward to hearing from her.

My friend had a great marathon for a first - 4:12. Exactly what she was aiming for.

Hey there! Just back from the Disco Tri (500S/17.6B/3.1R), followed by brunch with friends, and a visit with my parents (race was about 15 miles from their house) . I have never done a tri where it rained the entire time....until today. Very soggy and some visibility issues on the bike (note: cheap clear safety glasses have no anti fogging properties...at all). But the rain brought the temperatures down to almost chilly (70 degrees)...much preferable to 100 degree heat we had for several days prior!

MTA: friend just pointed me to results. Very pleased:

Total time 1:55:52 (a course PR for me...was 1:58:06 in 2011)
Swim 1:52/M
T1 4:55
Bike 16.0 mph
T2 4:04
Run 10:08/mile

It was the most crowded swim I've done....ALL females starting at the same time. I really should have started closer to the front than I did, but hindsight is 20/20. Overall a great experience, and I'm glad I did it even though I did not feel that I was well trained. I just really needed to have some fun with an event, and this did the trick. Per the discussion at hand, I have lost a lot of run fitness, but I am running and living pain free now, so I'm OK with it and can hopefully rebuild some now.

Hoping Elena is continuing to have an awesome race! Go Elena! And thinking we should be hearing from Mike soon as well!

Samantha, glad you got inspired at your friend's marathon! You have done right by your body letting it heal. Praying that job is yours!

Steve, thankfully you have the experience to know exactly where you are in your training. Must say that with all of my type B-ness, no way I'd pass up the beach vacation. But only if it won't make for too much type A frustration .

Edited by squirt 2013-07-14 4:46 PM

I'm home after racing then driving 200+ miles home. Fun race although the heat & humidity on the run was awful even at 10 AM. I did OK and came in at 3:02 according to my watch. Fastest swim ever for me-1500 meters in 18:30. That's something like 1:12/100 pace. There was a significant current in the Hudson River and it helped quite a bit. Transition was a 500 yard run, then off up the Westside Highway for the bike. Very odd riding down a 3 lane highway. Road conditions were iffy and on a few of the downhills I stayed on he horns to make sure some road crack or pothole didn't end my day. Crazy hilly course as we went into northern Manhattan & the Bronx. Run was fun, but hot. Ran down W72 nd street to Central Park. Big loop inside the park and then the finish. Again crazy hills -who would have thought? Not me...

Anyway, need to go find official results, and then go to bed. More tomorrow