Tri Mark's Madness Group-Closed (Page 3)

hi here are the answers to the questions

1.  Are you using any sort of training plan or just working as you go?

i am just trying to fit training in around my work and family

2.  Do you have an idea of what kind of mileage you are running weekly?

about 15miles / week

3.  What kind of 5k pace do you currently run?

5k pace on running machine 23min 40s

4.  Do you have any idea of how far you can swim, and what your T Pace would be (T Pace is your pace per 100m for a 1000m swim).

currently having some swim coaching so i am struggling on distance 800m in pool

5.  What sort of web sites do you frequent for "how to" videos?

none

hi here are the answers to the questions

1.  Are you using any sort of training plan or just working as you go?

i am just trying to fit training in around my work and family

2.  Do you have an idea of what kind of mileage you are running weekly?

about 15miles / week

3.  What kind of 5k pace do you currently run?

5k pace on running machine 23min 40s

4.  Do you have any idea of how far you can swim, and what your T Pace would be (T Pace is your pace per 100m for a 1000m swim).

currently having some swim coaching so i am struggling on distance 800m in pool

5.  What sort of web sites do you frequent for "how to" videos?

none

Mark -

Would love some tips on transitions. Don't know even where to start!

a bag? a mat? lace locks? How do I quickly get off my wetsuit?

Also, I just bought my "race day" shoes (the new funky-looking Asics Gel-Noosa tri 6), but I am still w/o a trisuit or a wetsuit for the race on 5/22. Suggestions? I know Xterra wetsuits are popular, but I'm trying to go the free route for my first race. As for the trisuit underneath, not sure what to go with.

Thanks for the help!

- Brian

My name is Ron, I am 51, married and have a 12 year old son.  Eons ago, I was a distance runner in high school and did a marathon at 17.  From the 1970's until last fall, I was active with basketball, skiing, golf, softball etc. - not a couch potato, but not really fit either.

They've been running IMCDA. here in my hometown for years, but it didn't really interest me - until last summer.  We had a friend doing it for the first time, so we spent the weekend hanging around the venue and met him at the finish.  As I watched athlete after athlete cross the finish line, I really began to appreciate what a remarkable accomplishment it was and was intrigued at how one would even begin to achieve such a seemingly impossible feat.

So, I decided that instead of Corvette's or girlfriends, my midlife crisis would be triathlon.  After getting the doctor's clearance, I slowly began getting in shape last fall and started a serious training plan in January for my very first tri in June.  My current race plans are:

6/5 - Radiant Lake Sprint
7/16 - Hayden Sprint
7/24 - Race the River Sprint
8/13 - Coeur d'Alene Triathlon (Olympic)

Questions/Answers

1.  Are you using any sort of training plan or just working as you go?

I am currently using a plan I created, using the BT custom plan generator, which targets an Olympic on Aug. 13.  It is 3x bike, 3x run and 2x swim per week.  During the winter I used a Sprint plan that was focused on swim. 

2.  Do you have an idea of what kind of mileage you are running weekly?

Right, now I am at 12 mi/week - but I am thinking I need to increase this more than the 10% the plan calls for. 

3.  What kind of 5k pace do you currently run?

About 9:15 if it's not snowing and I feel good.

4.  Do you have any idea of how far you can swim, and what your T Pace would be (T Pace is your pace per 100m for a 1000m swim).

Haven't tried to go a max distance - but have done 1500yds and felt like I could have kept going for at least another 800.  T Pace would be about 1:55. 

5.  What sort of web sites do you frequent for "how to" videos?

Pretty much taught myself to swim at Total Immersion and Swim Smooth.  Other than that, wherever Google takes me.

I second SYR44's question about wetsuits!  I know there's a ton of info on BT, but (to be perfectly honest) I find it all a bit overwhelming to sort through.  Any tips on where to look/what to get?

-Tel

Oh YAY!!  Another like-minded individual!  Welcome!

I third that request.  I have a sleeveless wetsuit and I am thinking that I should probably get a full sleeved one for B2B full.  I did the half last year and was ok with a water temp of 60-62.  Twice as long in the water (well, hopefully a little less, one would hope that my 'adult onset swimming' has improved a bit) -- thinking that a full might set me up better for the rest of the day.

Pretty much taught myself to swim at Total Immersion and Swim Smooth.  Other than that, wherever Google takes me.

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Hey Ron, I was going to ask if anyone had done TI lessons. Can you tell me a bit about it? I mean, I've read the brochures, so I'm looking for an insider's review.

I'm in the "swam-competitively-as-a-kid-so-I-have-no-memory-of-learning-technique" group. I stopped swimming for about 20 years, but I'm pleased with how quickly it's come back. I've been doing intentional swim workouts for the past 6 months, working my way up from 600yd to 2000m and I'm wondering how much I would benefit from TI classes.

Thanks!
Henry

I'm a huge fan of the wetsuit myself.  I believe in the full body, unless you know it's going to be very hot, or against the rules, as in the WTC IM rules.  I have a Blue Seventy Reaction Series.  The full body has a ton more bouyancy, but you lose some flexibility or more accurately, add some resistance to your arms.  You need to get used to that, as you will feel it in your triceps. 

When wearing any suit, you better glide the hell out of your neck wrists, and ankles.  I suit juice my whole body to keep friction down too.  The glide will be essential for getting it off your ankles in T1.  I lather that stuff on like no tomorrow from my toes to my mid calf, it slips right off.  Lesson learned the hard way on that one.  By the way, your kids will look at you funny if you practice that in your bedroom, but better than your neighbors watching you do it in the driveway. 

In general, I have talked to lots of people about lots of suits.  They are all pretty good.  For more money you generally get better or thicker neoprene, more flexibility in the right places, and better durability.  You will be a ton faster, as the bouyancy corrects body position and you are pushing less water.  There is the less drag stuff and all that, but most of us just are not that fast to worry about it.  It's a big saftety feature to me too, as I know I can just roll over and float if something horrendous happens. 

If you have early season races, they are a lifesaver in the Midwest climate.  Don't even think about a sprint race in 55 degree water.  You'll never be able to tie your shoes or shift your gears your hands will be so numb. 

I will cover some transition tips in another post.  Wearing a tri suit under the wet suit is a huge aid in transition, and makes life simple.

Hi, I'd like to join this mentor group if I can. My name is Amy, I'm 37, married with 2 kiddos (7 and 4). I'm in sunny South Florida. I've done 3 sprint tri's last summer with my brother. Just enough to catch the bug and discover that the only thing I like to do more than buy running equipment is to buy tri equipment :-)

We have a fun summer race series here so I'll be racing once a month or so. I am also planning to race my first longer distance triathlon this summer so I'm looking for all the support I can find. That would be Trinona in  Minnesota in June. If I don't get in the lottery for the NYC marathon maybe I'll shoot for Miami Man in November.

1.  Are you using any sort of training plan or just working as you go?

I made a custom plan here on BT to get ready for the Olympic in June.

2.  Do you have an idea of what kind of mileage you are running weekly?

I'm between 15-20 miles a week at the moment.

3.  What kind of 5k pace do you currently run?

Good question. I'm going to say 29 minutes. I raced a sprint last week and the time was 28 but it was only 3 miles. Before that my last 5k was pushing a jogger with my kids and my niece and nephew and they could not stay still for more than 20 seconds so my time there was maybe 40 minutes [gasp].

4.  Do you have any idea of how far you can swim, and what your T Pace would be (T Pace is your pace per 100m for a 1000m swim).

I've not yet made it 1000m without stopping. Swimming is my weakest link. In the pool I'm about 2:00 for 100 but when I get to open water I apparently forget how the whole swimming thing works because my time last week was 10:30 for 400 yard. Ouch.

5.  What sort of web sites do you frequent for "how to" videos?

I have been surfing around here mostly and google.

I have a plan for the weekend but I'll be back with that later.

Amy

Henry, I didn't actually take any TI lessons - I watched all the videos on the website and borrowed a couple of the DVDs from a friend at work.

TI was great for me because I never really learned to swim properly, just basic lessons as a kid.  The TI info was excellent at teaching balance, rotation and just generally learning to be comfortable and relaxed - which greatly reduced wasted energy.

To me, TI was a great place to start, but watching the DVDs only gets you so far and the ones I watched were mainly targeted at true beginners.  I'm sure actual classes would be much more beneficial - but I really don't know how beneficial TI is for more advanced swimmers.

Tiana,

I'm not sure if I properly welcomed you to the group.  Welcome aboard.  Looks like you have a pretty solid baseline to start from.  Don't hesitate to let us know what we can do to help your training.

Thanks! I'll have to look into it more online to decide. They offer a several month session at my Y and advertise it to "begginners through elite athletes", but who knows.

Thanks! I don't use a heart rate monitor (my chest is really hairy and I've been told they don't work unless you shave. Can anybody speak to that?) but I've done enough indoor cycling to know about what my Zones feel like, so I can estimate.
-Henry

Hey Mark, I would love to join your group. I decided last year that I wanted start doing triathlons and have done 2 sprints this year with a sprint, olympic and him on the calendar this year. (I can be too ambitious sometimes)

Some more about me, I am 30 years old, married, and father of a 6 year girl. I work as a personal trainer that specializes in weight loss and am working towards my bachelors degree in kinesiology.

I try to train as much as possible but I think I can always do more.

My focus this weekend will be my long bike ride on Sunday.  Over 90% of my rides have been indoor on stationary bike, due to weather - I really need to get on the road.  Rain or shine (snow excluded), I'm getting on my bike this Sunday and doing 22.5 miles.  For 40 minutes I will do a tempo of 75 RPM - concentrating on "perfect circles".  The remainder of the ride I just want to push hard and get familiar with the feel of my new bike (Felt S22) - which I've only ridden four times.

We're all a little certifiable.  I went from 5k to Ironman in an season, just based on the fact that I figured if I was going to jump back in, might as well jump in the deep end. 

So from all of your stuff, I'd be more worried that you're way ahead of schedule, and need to make sure that you don't overtrain yourself, particularly in light of the chronic calf issue.  That, and I need to learn how to convert Kilometers to miles as I have you, a Cannuck, and a Brit all throwing out kilometers and Celsius temps, and I'm not so sharp on that!  Just seriously, make sure you're not overdoing it.  If your HR gets elevated beyond the norm during workouts and stuff, that's a sign to watch your volume.  Improvements happen during your rest weeks too, so you have to work those in.

As far as nutrition, it's more important than all your other training.  Bad plan and you'll have the worst day of your life.  I believe in "no solids" for HIM and IM distance.  If you look at the science of your body, you are in survival mode when doing an IM, not as much at HIM.  If you start shoving solids down your gullet, you are overriding your body's survival mode.  That is not smart.  YOu need to figure out how many calories per hour you can survive on, and more importantly, YOUR BODY CAN ACTUALLY ABSORB.  I strongly suggest anyone doing a HIM or IM read the Hammer nutrtion guide online.  I don't much use their products, but the way they break down the science is incredible.  I do believe in their Endurolytes tablets.  I take them religiously when doing long training.

I'm also a big Cytomax fan, but I don't believe it's great as a primary fuel.  I use it as a secondary drink for two reasons.  Knock down lactic acid, but also to have something that tastes different from my primary drink.  Things start to taste funny after a long day out there, so it's nice to have a change of pace to keep things lively.  I think Gatorade Endurance, Power Bar's IM product, and Infinit have much better hydrating properties.  You also have to be very careful if using GU chomps, as they are great, but they are very highly concentrated and you have to take water with them, not sports drink.  They can actually start to pull water into your stomach from the high concentrations, working against you.  Spend as much time as you can figuring that out now, as nutrition is the 4th discipline, and on a hot day, far and away the most important.

For IM, we'll have to talk about your special needs bags too.  That's a whole new conversation.

Wow! I am impressed you met him!  Thanks for the offer to review the training plan. I will be updating my training log this weekend.