Marinus' gang - Thanks to a great group! (Page 3)

Good morning group. It's been a bit quiet, and I was wondering how everyone was doing. Please feel free to offer up your comments or questions here. That way we can better find out what everyone needs to help them succeed. As this is a non-coaching forum I admit I'm trying to find my way on how best to suit the Mentor theme. I'm open to your ideas too as this forum is to help YOU.

Here is what my swim workout was today. If the distance is more than your normal, it also works well cut in half.

Warmup:
400 meters free with flip turns.

Main:
- 10x50m as 50kick/50 catchup drill/50 swim.
- 4 x 200m free as:
200 moderate/100fast 100 moderate/100moderate 100 fast/200 fast (with 15 sec rest between 200s)
- 5 x 100 pull as: Breathing 3,5,3,7 on each 50 (with 15 sec rest each 100)

Cool:
200 back

Total 2400m

Can anyone teach me about bike trainers (are rollers the same?).  I would like to get one because soon I will be moving back into my house and want to continue my bike workouts until I can get outside.  Right now I have a stationary bike in the condo we are staying at so it is convenient.  I have been looking on craiglist but I don't know anything about them so its hard to know what is good and what is not.  

 I had a great swim as well today.  Did the second day on the workout plan that you put up Marinus.  Worked hard and expect to feel it tomorrow.  Right now I am going for a run, just bought a water belt from the running room.  

 I will be looking for a wet suit for this season, "rent" or "buy"?  Any thoughts.

Bob,

 Thanks that was a lot of great info.  $700 bones, Pricey; I'm not that rich (not yet at least).  I wonder if I looked on craiglist and got one and then went with the software route.  My brother in law has a roller I think, maybe next time I see him I will give it a try.  Technology is amazing.  That virtual ride sound pretty cool.  Maybe that VR trainer will be my present to my self after reaching all my goals this year.  

 When I was out and about today I saw a place that makes wet suits for triathlons, I'm going to go and check it out tomorrow.  I agree with you about getting one, it is something I will want to try before I am actually in a race.  

 Thanks a lot.

 If anyone else has anything , I am all ears!

That was a good question.  I remember being taught to do a flip turn when I was young in swimming, it felt so weird and unnatural, but now I don't think twice about it.  Just takes practice. I don't even know where to start on explaining it without actually being in a pool so I found a good video that does a good job.  

 I really hope it helps.  

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtP8xgzm6do

 Hughe

OK I just checked out the video you sent me a link to.  AWESOME.  Its like the coolest video game times 100.  Must have it.  MUST GET A PART TIME JOB!!

 Very cool!!!!

For wetsuits, definitely buy. But be sure to try on lots. Like trainers, there is a wide price range.  Most brands have 3 levels of price points. You'll notice a big difference between the cheapest ones and the next up. Unless your a very good swimmer you might not notice a lot of difference between the middle and top end suits. But it MUST be comfortable. I spent an hour last week trying on 6 suits, and in the end I wasn't comfortable enough in any of them to buy it. A good store will let you try on a bunch (give yourself lots of time) and most will let you try demo models on in a pool. Be sure to ask. Again, I can recommend a few local places if you want.

Marinus,

That would be great if you could recommend some places for me to look at wet suits.  Are there certain brand names that are better quality.  Do I get long sleeve, short sleeve, what mm?  I will be swimming locally so you know what temps I would be expecting. 

Thanks Hughe

Marinus

 I took my HR while running today and I was curious if it was to high and I need to back off or push more.  I have read that in distance sports HR is very important and that you want to keep it in a certain range.  I am not sure what that is.  My resting is 61.  I posted up the HR max and average that I got from the run today.  I am not sure how accurate the machine is but it sounded about right.  What do you think?

 Cheers 

 Hughe

A great place to look for bike "things" is www.nashbar.com. They are pretty inexpensive and always have things on sale and clearance. I just looked and they have a trainer for $140 and rollers for $170. I prefer trainers, but I have friends who prefer rollers. I think it's a personal preference. You run the risk of falling on the rollers so it's been suggested to me to put it some place where you can hang on if you need (like by a wall or a counter).

If you have a Performance Bikes in your area, Nashbar is a side company of them. So you can go into Performance and see what they have, and then check Nashbar and possibly get it cheaper. 

Hope this is helpful. Biking is my area of expertise, swimming and running are where I need help.

Kristi

Hughe:

Heart rate training when done right is very person specific. You can get your individual HR zones determined buy getting a lacate threshold test. I did mine last fall, at Peak Performance, and my Zones are:

Z1: 132-143 (bpm)
Z2: 144-164
Z3: 165-173
Z4: 174-188
Z5: 189+

These are mine. Yours will vary. My wife's top of Z1 for example is 10 bpm higher in Z1 than mine. Your biking zones will also differ.  With these determined, then you can target what you should be working at. Up to 80% of your weekly volume should be in Zone 1. These are your weekly long slow runs. The rest of your weekly workouts should normally be in Zone 3 or 4.

In my normal 3 weekly runs:
1) I do a long Sunday run at a target of 142 - 144 bpm
2) A 10km pace run half at a low Z2 warmup, then half at my 10km race pace. This usually puts me around 168 bpm
3) An 8 - 10km hard run with 2 km warmup, then 1km repeats hard (Z3 - Z4) with 2 minutes rest between sets.

Using your numbers I'd guess, and this is just a guess, that you were in the top of Z1. Decide what you are targeting in your workout. Is it a LSD (long slow distance) or a pace run? I'd recommend you get a heart rate monitor. Sets like the Garmin Forerunner series are getting quite inexpensive.

For your wetsuit, right now there is not a lot of stock in. Around March most stores will get in more. The one I recently found that has a fair bit in and lets you try on and pool test is Tri Geeks. See www.trigeeks.ca Talk to Tanya. Speed Theory is also good, but their stock is low right now. All brands say they have something special that makes them better. Frankly, the differences are so small you won't notice the performance. Comfort is what you want. Make sure it is flexible enough during your shoulder rotation. I happen to have a "19". I've tried all the major brands. What sold me was how the seams felt and the flexibility aroud my shoulders. But you'll need to judge for yourself.

Kristi;

Thanks for the suggestions and ideas too. I apprecaite everyones input. And with biking being your strength I hope we can draw on that more in the future too.

Marinus,

 I am not sure what you mean when you say " figure out what you are targeting"? I come from the mentality to always give %110.  I'm new to the heart rate thing (as well as distance sports).  

 Example: If I am running twice a week, the shorter run I should keep my HR higher (push more).  On the longer runs, keep the HR lower (slower/steady)?

 Recommend any good place to buy a HR monitor?  

 I thought scuba diving was an expensive sport?  

 Hughe

Hughe;

By targeting, what I meant is that workout a LSD (long slow distance) run, or a temp run? Your LSD needs to stay down in Zone 1. Your shorter pace runs and speed work needs to be in Z3 or higher (excluding warmup & cool down of course).

For HRMs, I have the Garmin 405. I like the size, plus I could add a cadence component on my bike. I got it at The Running Room on sale. I have also bought things through GPS City (http://www.gpscity.ca/).

Thanks Marinus.  I did some reading up last night on lactate threshold and am starting to wrap my head around the whole thing HR, and why it is so important.  It's pretty interesting!

So what is everyone's key workout this week?  Mine is a 9 mile long run that I am trying to determine marathon pace off of.  I am trying to be realistic about May but my predicted pace off of my last half marathon may be a little fast. 

Chet

Except for a few of you, it's been quiet here lately. Is there anything else that the rest of you would like to discuss here that would make this more useful?

This is your forum. Let's do what we can to help you reach your goals.

I'm gonna make my key work out my long bike day.  I'm going to see if my brother in law wants to go for a good long ride with me.  He is a good biker and I always learn a lot when I ride with him, as well as get a good workout.  Hope you're all having a good week!

 Hughe