Mamma Amy Knows Best - Mentor Group Year One - CLOSED (Page 3)

So I might have done my last workout of the year today - not sure if I'll workout tomorrow yet. A bike ride with friends. Not too long 27 miles not fast at all and followed by brunch with a mimosa. Fun times.

At breakfast many people were lamenting the extra weight gained over the holidays and planning to get started back with healthy choices in the new year. I haven't actually put on a lot of weight but I feel like my training this month is sort of "filler." I keep saying it's because it's the holidays and it's hard to train over the holidays. I am looking forward to having more focus magically come Tuesday morning.

I'm a goal setter and I think that most people in this group have set at least some of their race/fitness goals for the year already. One thing I've learned over time is that for me personally if I keep my goals a secret I'm more likely to give up on them. But if I tell somebody or everybody about my goals the chances of my success go up. It's not guaranteed but I think it helps.

For anybody who missed my goal in my intro - I have my first and second Ironman on the schedule this year. That's my big goal.

So all this is to say if you've got a triathlon/fitness goal you want to achieve in this upcoming year that you haven't shared I encourage you to take a moment and share it.

Happy New Year everyone!

I need/have to gush about my run today. I am doing C25K and I am on week 4.

Yesterday I did day 1 and I had a HORRIBLE run up to the point where I wanted to give up and just start over. I felt way out of breath, sluggish, and just miserable. HOWEVER, today I decided to try day 2. I felt 100% better and wasn't too out of breath. My feet also felt fine (I'm having shoe issues with my new shoes). However my legs began to feel like jello in my second 5 minute run.

I ran the furthest AND fastest I have run in a long time. Talk about empowering and motivating. Going to move onto day 3 tomorrow. Hopefully I will have another great run to end the year on.

Excellent! I love those days when you feel yourself as you're making progress. Great job!

Excellent!  If you feel some tiredness please take days in between run workouts.  Nothing like too much too soon to mess up your progress.

I did C25K when I started running.  I'll be restarting running this week, but will do my own intervals this time.

Thanks! I usually take a day off in between runs just to give myself some recovery time. I promise to take some time off in-between. 

I tried C25K before but my "trainer" told me (in 2010) that the program was too slow and I should just push myself on my own. Only 1 time have I been able to run a mile without stopping. Now with C25K I am running faster and further. It only took me 2 years to realize I needed something like this! Oh well! I plan on using it for miles 1-3, 5, 7-9, and 11-13 for my half marathon on January 20th. In between I am going to do the walk/run method. This is the first race I actually feel prepared for and have a plan for. 

I have always done my races like that but in 2013 I plan to be prepared for every race and do awesome instead of just finishing. This year is the year of greatness!

Wow - so many here are finishing the year with a bang!  Running in snow and racking up quite impressive monthly totals.  Feel a little left out as I'm in a taper mode this week for a "fun" race starting Friday morning 5AM....Ragnar Relay from Miami to Key West!

A little scared since this is the first time my crazy group of friends does something like this...12 runners-2 vans-2 days-1 night.  Keep telling myself the Margaritas and toes in the warm waters off Key West in January will be so worth it!!!!

Has anybody done a race like this that can offer some last minute suggestions??

Thanks,

Abunch of people who I race/train with did one call Rouge-Orleans where they run from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. The do it every year and they suggested bringing extra shoes and LOADS of extra socks. One person even said to bring extra clothes like panties and sports bras for really hot, sweaty weather or rain. That way you can stay comfortable and if one piece of clothing begins giving you problems you car change quickly. And make sure you have food packed that won't upset your stomach. Another one of my friends learned that the hard way 

I am excited to hear how your race went after you finish! I'm planning on doing the Rouge-Orleans next year. It is 126.2 miles but we can only have a max of 6 people run in a relay. It starts in Baton Rouge and ends in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. I think at one point you run near a parade. Pretty cool if you don't mind dodging beads. 

Maybe I could talk some people into the one you are doing for next year. That would be awesome!

Good luck and have a great time!

?What an awesome website - THANKS! I just enterd all my detailed measurements as instructed in the videos and it gave 3 diffferent bike sizes that would fit me based on the type of riding I would be doing. Just saved it in favorites.

Did 30 minutes of easy running yesterday and 60 minutes today after finally getting over this nagging flu. It was cold (28 degrees F - wind chill 16 F) and windy but it still felt great to be back out there again! Had our first snowfall last night. It was pretty but was just enough to mess up my roads. I hate running on ice and I hate running on threadmills even more but you have to stay safe out there. Miami is looking pretty good to me right about now.

Martha - I'll be volunteering at some point at one of the checkpoints for Ragnar Friday with my kiddos most likely in tow. I have never done it myself but I've heard it's a blast. My training group tried to sign up too late this year but we're already planning for next year.

Have a great time! Maybe maybe maybe I'll even see you there. What's the name of your team?

Oh Amy!!  What a great opportunity to meet a mentor in person!!

We are the "Dashing Duval Daredevils" with a start time of 5AM Friday, Jan 4th.  I am runner #7 and will start my first leg at Ambassador Church (6565 SW 127 Ave)

We're excited but a little scared of the logistics of pulling something like this off.  At the end of the day, we are approaching this as a fun activity and not taking ourselves to seriously.

I will definitely take good notes and post our experiences after the race.

Martha

I've used myfitnesspal and found that after a while it was pretty easy as it stores recent and maybe frequent foods.

I set my alarm today and got in my first trainer ride in a while.  30 minutes (10 min warmup then 10 x :30 @100 rpm-1:00 rest then 5 min cool down) 

I was planning a lunch time swim, but they shut the building early and it would have been a rush to get done and out of there in time.  Looks like Wed will be my first swim in a while.

That's a good selling point. I think I'll try MyFitnessPal (username Ltodyu). Thanks. I was hoping to only have to track everything in one spot, but I guess I can't get that lucky.

kslamp - 2012-12-31 5:14 PM Amy (and others,
I'm going to need a wetsuit for the tri I want to do in May (I think). What's your advice on buying v. Renting? Advice on buying? Brands? Fit?
Thanks,
-K

I used one for the first time in September. I don't really have any tri shops around me and I have a hard time finding stuff in larger sizes. So I used WetSuitRental.com. I was pretty nervous about it, but they have a great policy about sending you a new one if the one you rent doesn't fit. I was really happy with the service and ended up buying the suit.

It took me a couple of practice swims with it on before I felt comfortable. But that was a problem with my brain, not the suit.

Happy New Year Everyone!

2013 is going to be a year of first - my first Sprint Triathlon, my first Half Marathon and my first New Years Day Plunge. Went into the water at Nantasket Beach (near Boston) with a couple of my boys this morning, water at 40.5 F degrees, air 34 F, winds at 44 mph (very windy), Windchill at 23 F. 

Talk about invigorating plus a lot of fun. Kind of a New England tradition for the crazies. Believe me I was in and out like a fiddler's elbow.

I couldn't get the memory below 100 on the pictures so I couldn't load to thread but they are out on my profile if you want to take a look. You can see by my youngest son's long hair how windy it was.

I hope everyone has a great happy and healthy New Year!

kslamp - 2012-12-30 5:14 PM Amy (and others,
I'm going to need a wetsuit for the tri I want to do in May (I think). What's your advice on buying v. Renting? Advice on buying? Brands? Fit?
Thanks,
-K

I have 2 wetsuits now. I bought my first a sleeveless in a store here. It's an Orca and it was on sale for just over $100 plus the store owner spent about 45 minutes with me teaching me how to put on the wetsuit which was great. I just ordered my first sleeved wetsuit from a company called ProMotion at www.wetsuit.com - some folks I train with already use them and love them.

Whether you rent or buy is really just a matter of finances and stuff so that's up to you. If you don't think you'll be using it again soon just rent. I went ahead and bought because I thought I'd use it several times each spring/summer.

But many people have trouble or just really dislike swimming in wetsuits with sleeves because your chest and arms can feel restricted. Whereas sleeveless wetsuits are super easy to swim in right away. The flip side to that is that the speed advantage from a wetsuit is slightly more with the full sleeved wetsuit so if you want the most speed go with the full sleeved suit.