chichitao's group - FULL! (Page 3)

I have a garmin question.  I just got the Forerunner 405 a few weeks ago.  I did hill repeats and was not sure what I was doing with the watch.  Tim, I remember seeing your lap data from a hill run last week.  How did you get the results you got?  Mine is set for the 1 mile lap.  Do I need to manually reset the lap each time?

It is difficult to find a balance when you have so much going on!  I have two small boys and I have been taking Logan (almost 2) on most of my outdoor runs with me.  As I recently said in our last mentor group, he currently resides up my rearend and freaks out when I leave the house.  He will sit by the door and cry until I get back.  I hate that I leave my husband with that so I just bring him with me.  I ask him if he wants to go for a run and he yells "yes" and runs to the door to the garage.  It is fun.  It does not sound like it is much but I do love the time with him on our runs.  I ran down to the river last night (we are a mile from the river that separates NJ from Philly).  He has a ball looking at everything at the river.  Not always a relaxing run for me but it is currently working for our family.

At this stage of our lives, I will take what I can get and work around our kids as much as possible.  Like someone in the last mentor group said to me, snuggling with the kids always trumps training! 

Have fun with the master swim group!!

I don't mind runnign with the stroller.  I hated it at first but I have learned to adjust.  I usually push with one hand and keep switching.  I feel like my stride is off if I push with both hands the whole time.  Joe, my 3 year old, loves laying on the floor and doing situps with me.  My foam roller is also always in the living room because they like to roll on it like I do!  I had an older guy pull next to me over the weekend and said it is nice to see I make running a family affair.  I joke around that Logan is going to train for the marathon with me!  I have not taken my 3 year old out in the stroller since last fall.  Some days I wish I had the double jogger but I can't justify the expense.  I really don't think I would want to push them both that often!

Do you use the Garmin Training Center software?  I program all my workout in there so that my workout are basically brainless.  just listen for the beeps.  It took me a good year before I was really able to get the full advantage of it.  i love it now for the tri training with HR monitoring.  If you need help I can walk you through it.  Just let me know.

This is the lap data from the run Tim did not that long ago.  http://beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/view-laps.asp?uploadid=114669&memberid=41602&eventdate=3/30/2010&eventtime=4:53%20PM&zoneid=-1

What do I need to do to get this kind of data for a hill run?  I really need to sit down with the manual and learn the different things it can do.

Use this software -http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/us/intosports/training_center

Use this software -http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/us/intosports/training_center

Thanks so much!  I just got it the end of March, 2 days before I ran a 10 mile race.  I learned the basics before the race so I could keep an eye on my pace and have my splits after the race was done.  I really have not sat down with it to figure out all the tools.  I am definitely going to check it out and set some stuff up like you just posted.  I will take any and all tips you have for it.  I am sure it will really help me out in training.  I just need to take the time with it. 

This sounds like a great tool to have!  Too bad I just dropped as much money as I have on my bike and accessories!  Maybe later on, when I get even deeper in, I will pick this thing up as a training tool!  I assume this doesn't have a GPS along with all of that?

It is GPS enabled.  My aunt is awesome and gave me a decent chunk towards it!  I am also a member of our local tri club so I got 10% off at the running store I frequent.  There was a $50 rebate and I sold my basic heartrate monitor.  I ended up paying less than $50 out of my own pocket!  It would have had to wait had my aunt not given me money.  I think I saw someone say on here the 305 runs for around $200 though.

They are selling the garmin forerunner 305 for 179.99 at Costco up here in Canada right now..it's a great tool and use it all the time.

Edited by corstan 2010-04-09 2:48 PM

Yes it is GPS enabled and that also comes in real handy.  You can toggle between Bike Mode & Running Mode.  You can also customize yor views- you get three views and use one for running that shows my overall time, pace, and distance ran.  For the bike I use it to show Over all time, speed (mph) and distance.  You then of course have the heart rate which I set into my zones and will give you warnings when you are either too lwo or too high.

I used it more for distance and pace with marathon training but with the triathlon training i have really started utilizing all the tools it offers and don't know what I would do without it.  Actually after a bike ride I set it on my car roof as I was puttig my bike on a rack and like a moron drove off realizing about 10 minutes later what I had done.  Luckily i back tracked and was able to find it but I would have been totally bummed if I had lost it.

Boy, I am gone for half the day and ya'll are tearing it up in here!  But I don't have time to chit chat right now.  Just got in a swim (and PR'd my mile swim by 1:24!) and gotta get ready to meet some friends for dinner. 

and Meggan on the garmin.  When I do hill repeats or intervals, I shut off the auto lap feature then hit the lap button everytime I start at the bottom of the hill and then hit it again when I get to the top.  This way each uphill is on its own "lap" as well as each recovery downhill.

Edited by chichitao 2010-04-09 5:16 PM

Just what I want to do!  Thanks!!

Have fun at dinner.  We are waiting for the babysitter and then heading out ourselves. 

Way to go on the swim!!!

Hey Tim - how about your T1 and I'll be T2 haha

Anyways - so when you did your first sprint how did you approach it?  My race is still 1 month out and I ponder ever day - "should I go out hard on the swim? do i push it on the bike? I am wondering what would be more benefial leaving it all out on the road for the first race or just going out seeing how I feel and play it by ear.  I like to have a plan or pace to shoot for and it is driving me crazy not having anything to gauge myself with.

What kind of swim is it?  I have done one tri and it was an ocean swim.  The ocean was rough that day!  Our friend who does tris and lives 2 blocks from the beach even complained about the water.  What is your strongest of the three?  I did not feel as though I went "all out" on any one more than another leg.  I really wanted to just do what I could so I knew what I needed to do to improve.  I had no idea what to expect.

I think I'm going to just suck it up and register for a couple races this summer, and surprise my husband with the registration.  Ahhhh, I guess you can't bring money with you when you die, right?  Haha, I just hope it doesn't come back to bite us in the butt in a couple months!

I'm thinking just one in July and one in August.  For now...

I hope you get everything figured out with the Garmin!  For being 23, I'm not tech-savvy at all, so I don't have any gizmos in my gear.  I can barely run my stopwatch...

at the time, I really had no clue what I was doing.  swimming was by far my weakest link.  my thought was to just survive the swim and I could handle the rest. 

but honestly for your first, i would still approach it that way.  take it easy and get through the swim (and by all means try to practice at least once in open water if you can).  push hard on the bike.  you spend the most time on the bike, so it is where you can make up or lose the most time.  but ease up a little the last mile or 2 and spin more in an easier gear.  you're a good runner, so i think pushing hard on the bike won't affect your run too much.  and practice running off the bike.  you don't have to run very far (maybe a mile), but go for a short run after a few bike rides in order to get used to the wobbly leg feeling.  it usually takes me anywhere from half a mile to one mile to get my legs feeling normal. 

as far as pacing, that is hard to gauge for anyone.  for a first race, I would say take your normal swim time and add 10sec per 100y.  just dealing with the crowds, sighting, and turning around buoys can slow you down a bit.  on the bike, check out the course online and check out the elevation.  if it is an elevation or route that you generally ride on you will probably go faster b/c you are not stopping for lights, traffic, etc.  i always ride faster in races than when i train.  and running, add a little time to what you normally do that distance at.  you will have the wobbly legs for a bit. 

after you get that first one out of the way, you will immediately start seeing where you can improve or make adjustments. 

even if you only sign up for one it is still good news!  i say go for it...just eat out one less time a month or something.  if i wasn't signed up for races, I know i would not be as motivated to train.

yes, the garmins (the ones you'll hear most about are the 305, 310, and 405) are all gps and heart rate enabled.  they are awesome tools.  i just got mine last fall (wife and I got it to train for a half marathon...got tired of having to map out our runs to figure out how far we went), so i too am learning everything it can do.  it has been an invaluable tool. 

Beautiful morning for a run!!! About 50 degrees, sun was out, and the butthead (my affectionate name for my dog) was really good!  I only had to stop for her to do her business.  Only 20 minutes, but I'm just getting back into it and I still have lots and lots to do today for school!

Felt pretty good, too! 

Now I'm off to watch the hubby run a half marathon!  Have a good day everyone!

Way to get out early!  I have an unwanted day of rest and not happy about it.  Just too much stuff going on.  I had hoped to get up early to run but instead came to the office early.

Great job, Erica!  That sounds like a great day!  I was hoping to get out for a morning run today, but it's way too cold for me, and I'm afraid my (cold air+exercise induced) asthma will act up.  Going for a run this afternoon with the roomie, though, when the sun warms things up a bit.  

That's really unfortunate, Meggan!  Rest days are needed, though, so I'm sure your body will love you for it!  Trust me, in the past year, I haven't given myself nearly enough rest days when I was working out hard.  It really wore me down, and I had to take weeks off at a time!  Not my cup of tea!

So I have decided to start a blog.  I just started it last night, so it is very much a work in progress, but you can check it out at armchairironman.blogspot.com .  I'm going to use this as a motivational tool for myself to keep on the right path to my Ironman, but also to post little tid bits that I find interesting, be it about triathlons, one of the sports, nutrition, other workouts, etc.  Take a look and let me know what you think!  Like I said, it's a work in progress, so any constructive criticism is much appreciated!

I agree that rest days are good and necessary but two days in a row is typically not good for me.  I will need to run first thing tomorrow morning or I will not be a happy mama.  I can tell a big difference in my mood if I miss a run two days in a row.  I have a busy day today and a lot of good stuff going on so hopefully it won't affect me too bad. 

I am following your blog now and will check it out later today!