Baowolf mentor group is [ Closed ] (Page 3)

Welcome Ceril.  Getting into a habbit of workouts is the first big struggle of a lifestyle shift.  Grats on making that commitment.

Welcome Rob.  Another fish.. to help us landlocked folks learn to swim.  Very impressive, what were your IM Wisconsin splits.  I lived in Oshkosh for many years. 

Yesterday felt good, got in 1:55/100 pace 2000 straight, the 8 mile run was good (7:46 ish) and then today... nothing.  The 40 mile bike ride was slow with no energy.  Race 1 week away... hope to get in lots of rest this next week. 

Good luck Steve!  Looks like you're ready!

Hi, I checked through the posts and this looks like a great group with a great mentor.  I hope there is room for one more.

Bio: I am soon to be 40.  I am married to Rhonda (16 years) and have 4 kids, Annabelle (15), Aidan (12), Eli (8), and Izzy (1).  I am a school teacher and football coach.  I have a busy, but fulfilling family life.  A few months ago, I decided I needed a life change with my personal health.

Weight loss: On January 2nd, I weighed 300 pounds, had high blood pressure, and had asthma.  I needed to make a change.  I cut calories to 2000 a day, gave up alcohol, and started with a one mile jog 3 x a week.  I guess things began to snow ball.  I added more running, and then some biking, and a little bit of swimming and lifting, and I have now lost over 60 pounds in 14 weeks.  I knew I needed a challenge to keep me motivated so I signed up for a triathlon.

Training: I am currently running 3X a week, biking 2X a week, and just got in the pool last week.  I did 2 sprint triathlons ten years ago, and thought, what the hell, I'd do another one.  So I signed up for the Racine Half Ironman.  I thought if I was going to do this triathlon thing, I wanted to see how far I could push myself, and knew that I needed a difficult, but achievable goal.  My plan is to fnish.  I'm up to a 7 mile run, a half mile swim, and a 30 mile bike, and I have until July 15th to build up the distances.  I have gradually worked up to these distances.

Reason for joining:  I have read Don Fink's book, and have looked at several sites on the Internet, but I need to "real world" advice in my training.  From what I see on this group, that is what I am going to get.  I hope to gain some friendships and support from similar minded people.  I look forward to chatting with everyone on here. 

HOLY CRAP THAT'S AMAZING!  It's an aggressive, I LIKE IT.  

I WANT IN!!  I want IN!!   please?  

NAME: Elena

STORY: I'm 41years old.  FAMILY STATUS: Married for 11 years.  2 kids- boy & girl  5 & 7 years old. 

Last Year's Races:  Last year was my first year Tri-ing!   I did 2 sprints: Wildflower & Tri-Girl-Tri Napa.  I ran a half marathon &  a couple fun-runs/ mud-runs. I was not super serious about the runs in the past years....until I did my first triathlon @ Wildflower. Then I realized I wanna be f-a-s-t!     Later that year I ran a half-mary and logged my first "serious" run race: Pr: 2:16.   

CURRENT TRAINING  : Tomorrow marks the start of week 4 in BT's HIM training.  I am LOVING  EVERY MOMENT of it!! (for the most part).  Increasing my training has made me realize just how much i enjoy triathlons! 

I attempted to get into Vineman 1/2 but did not get in and opted out of the wait-list.  So instead I signed up for the "Vineman Half-AquaBike"  -1.2 swim 56 bike.  Super exited about this and think that it will give me a really good idea whether or not I will be able to handle a Half Ironman in 2013. 

2012 RACES :  March:  MH Duathlon - international distance...umm a tad much for me.  It was a definite eye opener that showed me the areas where I need to work on. MAY 5: Wildflower-Sprint  Triathlon -gonna kick last years !  :0  MAY 20:  MH Sprint Triathlon  July 28:  Vineman AquaBike 1/2 (this is my "big race")  October: MH Half Marathon, Warrior Dash,  

Will probably throw in another tri..will see. 

WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR OR GOALS:  Increase speed in all disiplines--  My average #'s are:   SWIM- 2 min/100yd   BIKE- 14.5 min/mile  RUN: 10 min/mile .  Id also like guidance on training w RPE"S/ zones.  Info on nutrition would be great.  And just all-around tips and info.    

Training today:

Just a ride today. Weather was really nice, had a nice 6mph tail for a while, turned into side for a long stretch, but then it changed directions and picked up its pace and I was riding right into it.   20 miles at 19.3 MPH avg.  I'm really happy with these numbers as i would have been at 16 to 17 mph under these conditions this past fall.  I'm seeing improvements on every ride and it's exhilarating. 

Tomorrow I'm planning to get an early morning run and then a bike tomorrow afternoon (35 miles). Rest day on Monday (translation: light 45 min swim)

Congrats on it all, keep it going!

Hey Karen - OUCH!  Glad that you're on the road to recovery and the truck didn't get you! How much longer do you think you'll be on the crutches?  Are you doing physical therapy?

Last year was a disappointing one at IM Wisconsin.  I was dead on to plan with an easier swim and through 84 miles of the bike on target to power/pace etc.  I decided to stay out of the mess and started to the right of the ski jump in the front row with an easy target of 1:05-1:10.  I stayed wide on each turn through the first lap and came in right at the high end of that range with a nice low HR and feeling great.  Bike was great through the first lap and SN and through about mile 82 when I noticed I wasn't sweating!?!!?  After that, it went downhill fast.  My girls were there, so there was no quitting as an option (although in hind sight with kidney issues, I should have pulled out at T2)... but I did find that you can walk a marathon in about 6:50!!???     Overall, I ended up about 4 hours past my target on time.  Nutrition and Hydration... I can tell you some things NOT to do!  Sometimes, listening to your body isn't the right thing to do, do what you have done in training and stick to plan A or plan B, or you very quickly end up in survival mode!

Welcome quasimodo ... what's your first name?  Sounds like some good goals, add another type a to our group.  Grats on the weight loss.  You are going to be in pleanty of shape for the sprints. 

Welcome Elena.  Looks like you have a nice start going for your HIM.  There is also a new HIM in Napa and Orangeman or some such in southern cal in the fall. 

Karen, welcome and owe sorry.  Sounds like aquajogging to start then walking.  I am sure you will get a PT for a session or two for pointers on rehab.  Glad it wasn't the truck though. 

Ouche Rob.  Yes hydration is key especially with that humidity in the midwest.  And those hills are unfriendly I hear at IM wisconsin.  Glad nothing serious happened.  Ya mile 85+ on the bike is where it gets hard on race day.  What was your fluid/calorie intake on the bike ?

I actually think it had just as much to do with the weeks leading up to it as it did with the race day stuff.  That being said, I have my nutrition down to the point where I know that with my Infinite mix and several other "solid" nutrition options, that I can go with ~410kcal/hr before things start to go downhill.  (I'm a bigger guy at about 6'4" 210 on race day... so my burn rate is about 2x that number...)  

With Wisconsin the first time I ran it where it was a complete joy, I actually held weight if not bumped up a bit during the two weeks leading in with a very focused diet, I bit higher in P&F for that time frame.  This time around, I didn't pay as much attention.  Also, this time around, I didn't pay attention to my fluid/water intake leading in either. 

I was using Honey Stinger Waffles this year as they had worked really well for me all year.  I kept them in my back pocket on my bike jersey (Desoto Riveria... best out there for tall people!!!).  First lap was awesome, power numbers, how I felt everything was great.  Passed my coach on Old Sauk Pass and told him life was great and everything was good!!!  I did notice, but didn't worry at the time, that my water intake was about 1/2 of my plan for the first lap??  ... why would I worry, I was feeling great!?

Pulled into SNs and picked up my last three Honey Stingers and my second concentrated bottle of Infinit...  about 30 minutes later, I went to grab one and they were gone.  OK... on to plan "B", get the PowerGel off the course and still have infinite with my aerobar bottle refilled at each aid station with water.  

At that point, I noticed that drinking even water was forced...  then at mile 82, on a warm day, in Wisconsin, I noticed I was dry??   I wasn't sweating...  and I knew, its tough to catch up!!     (and I also found out, you can't catch up...)   So I slowed way down on the bike, some planned, some simply that my body was shutting down.  I had to go to the bathroom like crazy and even when I stopped at a port-o-potty... nothing...  

So then it became, simply get to T2.   I honestly went from my aerobars to my horns every minute.  I felt like I could just fall asleep and coming in that last 1/2 mile on John Nolen, I actually closed my eyes for a second.  I just wanted to sleep and go to the bathroom!?  

I was thinking I still had 8.5 hours to 'finish'... so I pushed through a VERY slow T2, and off onto the run course thinking, I'll walk the first 2-3 miles, get my nutrition in at the aid stations and let it settle / absorb.  Didn't do a thing... spent 3-5 minutes trying to go to the bathroom every 2-3 miles... walk, walk, jog... nothing much else I could do.  Saw my girls at mile 13 and told them it was going to be a LONG night and apologized (they already knew things weren't good since I would typically be finished by then...)

End lesson learned... pay attention to things.  Have a plan A and stick to it as much as possible, the way your body trains is very near what your body needs on race day.  The emotion and adrenaline of race day got to me, and I thought all was well when I should have known to stick to my plan.  

Probably 10's of things that I messed up on in there.  Wisconsin is a challenging bike course, you are constantly shifting and either up or down rollers, very few "flat" sections.  (I wouldn't say that it is prohibitively difficult like a Silverman/Leadman... having done Silverman, it is a different ballgame altogether)  But, you can't really ignore nutrition on any long distance race, full or 1/2... 

Very similar to my Vineman last year.  It was my 1st triathlon ever and after mile 80 on the bike I couldn't take in any more nutrition.  = 6 1/2 hour Marathon!  I've learned a lot from that point but am still wary of nutrition for the Full distance...

Yeah, Mitch, Wow!

Can I still join this group?  I'll post a bio later if you are still accepting mentees.

Cathy

I am certainly not a professional but what works for me is I make sure to have a 4 - 1 carb to protein ratio drink within at least 30 minutes after each workout.  I use " 4 u Nutrition ", but chocolate milk or some other recovery drink (Hammer Perpetuem I can reccomend) is just as good I also then Roll out with a foam roller. This is the key for me!.  Those 2 key things for me have helped in my recovery and injury prevention.

NAME: Jeffmacloud/ Jeff Macloud

STORY: 46 yo professional, have been battling an extra 40-60 pounds for years.  Worked my way up to half-marathon distances and down to within 20 pounds of my ideal weight, then injury and other excuses got in the way.  After 6 months on the couch, I'm back.  Have access to a pool, great gym, and hilly running/riding terrain.  Working on fixing my lower back issues with a physical therapist.  Don't have a race in mind yet.  Just find I stick to structured programs with team support better than when I go it alone with no structure.  So here I am!  Ready to give in a go! 

FAMILY STATUS: Married for 21 years, 3 daughters (12, 7, 4).

CURRENT TRAINING: Just loaded the 12 week couch-to-sprint program into my training log.  Going to begin that today with a short swim/run.

2011 RACES:  Between 2010 and 2011, I ran numerous shorter distances from 5K to 18K.  

WEIGHT LOSS: I'm 6'0 and weight about 240 currently.  Was down to 212 in June 2011, but have crept back up.  Goal is to get down below 200 this summer, and find a good weight below 200 that allows me to comfortably (without injury) train and complete events. 

BIGGEST CHALLENGE:  Getting back in shape without sidelining myself again with a back injury.   It's the reason my training is open ended right now - I want the structure of a training regimen, but I don't want to get caught up in another injury cycle.

Very helpful posts about the importance of recovery and nutrition. I've got  some Accelerade that has a 4:1 carb/protein and drink it sometimes before a race. Sounds like I should be drinking it AFTER I train. 

I am so reluctant to eat or drink much before racing, especially before running, because my stomach gets upset easily when I'm nervous. Has anyone who has had that issue managed to overcome it? How?