TRI (Totally Radical Improvement) - Clydes/Athenas to competitors - Re-Opened (Page 3)

Hello GeekEsquire ...

Are we twins or something?  You and I seem to be at the exact same stage in our triathlon journey.  Weight loss, first HIM last year - gunning for first marathon and IM this year though we have never challenged ourselves to that extent before ... two young kids ... work/family balance ...

Wow - think I could be learning as much from you as you will be getting help from the group!

The issues you have - injuries and weight maintenance seem to be the focal point of a bunch of us in this group - as you can see while I am building my endurance I still haven't nailed proper nutrition for long training runs (I think I have the bike licked).

Would be happy to have you with us if this is where you want to be

B2B is on my race "bucket list" - I want to kill that swim and race on a flat course ... maybe next year - the WTC events are just so expensive. 

Welcome Justin - you would be the second firefighter in the group.

You failed to mention your height and frame - is 185# doable for you or will you look emaciated?  How are your knees?  

You are looking for BIG weight loss ... as long as you can be patient with small gains, you can find the time to work out, and make a commitment to change your diet you can and will see results.  No lie this isn't easy especially if you are on the typical firefighter schedule but it can work.

Ballsy riding a fixie - what city are you in?  After crashing once (not on a fixie) and breaking my collarbone I don't think I can go the one speed and no breaks route. 

Day off for me tomorrow (from training not work) - need the recovery day after today's long run - we will leave the thread Open for 2 more to join and then I will be switching the thread to closed.

Have fun and keep sweating!

Paul Im around 5'10"-5'11" so I think 185 is doable lets hope but truly my goal is to be lean and fit so if I find that 200 is the magic number or than thats fine with me I want to get in shape but need to stay strong for work.

Thanks for the kudos on the fixie but I am not a huge fan of the bike.  I ride it because my brother sold me his $1400 fixie for $200 bucks when he decided motorcycles were more fun so for now a fixie it is which I think is great for working out but I don't want to race with it.

I live in a small city in Rhode island so I get to ride without MAJOR traffic concerns.

As for my knees they ache sometime as does my back, shoulder etc however I hold up well to exercise but Ill let you know tomorrow after I run for the first time in about 11 months

My schedule as a firefighter does make training a bit difficult your right but as a father of three  with the two older ones involved in a ton of a sports from x-country to soccer to softball and dance my time management skills are pretty dialed in

Great to be on board Paul.  

My marathon is in March, and I have been doing the 'Run Less to Run Faster' plan (the slightly more aggressive book plan).  My IT Band seemed to flare up during a long run, and since then I have tried to stretch more and back off a bit.  As a triathlete the cross-training aspects of the plan really appealed to me.  

My first triathlon was on the same swim course as the B2B half and I am a North Carolina native, so the B2B is a great fit for me from logistics, convenience & mental prep perspectives.  After completing the marathon I will be 36 weeks out from that race, and I haven't decided what my Iron training plan will be.  Starting at the bottom by looking at the free plans on the low end; some of the coaches seem really expensive on the high end.  Hopeful that participating more on the forums here could fill in a gap for me.

I too am trying to lock down race nutrition for such a long day.  During my half (particularly the bike portion) I did energy bars (nice to have solids) and a combination of water & energy drink.  For whatever reason I am not fully on board the gu bandwagon, but if nothing else works during my long runs in the next few weeks than I probably will be loading up a fuel belt with gu come marathon time.

Cheers & happy running,

Chris

So Kim, on the psyching ourselves out.  Yes.  I do it when I'm discouraged and saying things to myself about how hard things are or how ill-equipped I feel to do them.  I think the only tool against psyching myself out is being positive with everything I say to myself.  Talking to myself in the same supportive, encouraging way I would talk to my best friend.  Positive self talk is really important for me to feel great, and to keep going. 

I know it sounds Pollyana, and unrealistic, but I have found that it really works.  If I believe I can do something, and that it will be great, it will.  If I think it's going to be awful, I'm right about that too.

It's been a pretty good week for me both physically and mentally.  Sunday was the toughest day.  My husband wanted to go to breakfast after church and I went to the gym right after with a fully stomach.  I kept trying to tell myself that I couldn't and that I was going to throw up.  I managed to power through and complete my planned training along with some unscheduled weight training.  I have a constant internal dialogue going while I'm training so I will try inserting some positive chatter.

Hello TRI team,

I am interested in joining your group, it sounds exciting.  I love being surrounded by people who are willing to say "no, more" and repetitiously, do the work to make constructive, lasting change.

NAME:  Ony

Handle:  BiafraGirl (BG)

STORY:

• Relatively new triathlon participant, having participated in 2 official triathlons to date. I started training for/participating in triathlons in 2009, after a scare (feeling like I was going to pass out / have a heart attack after climbing a flight of stairs).
• Started gaining weight in my late 20s and am currently looking for ways to stop the yo-yo of weight gain / weight loss by learning to find ways to balance the trifecta of diet, exercise and (life) commitments.
• Took off a year (2012) to tackle other life commitments, my body and habits have reverted back to plump, couch potato status.
• Though I did participate in nine, 2012 New York Road Runners races to qualify for the 2013 marathon, I didn't train for them, just woke up and did them cold.  I  used sheer willpower to make it through the races and was forced to walk for majority  (80%+) of each race (races ranged from 3 to 13.1 miles).  2012 was the first year I felt my age (41).
• I rely mostly on willpower and still really don't know how to bike, swim or run well or with confidence.  I would like to go forward having the adrenaline that races through my blood at each competition be more from joy, than fear of death.

FAMILY STATUS:  Unmarried, no kids. I do like being known as the active auntie that will chase my nephews / nieces down.

CURRENT TRAINING:  Zilch, in planning phase of self-training program. (About to start a couch to olympic/half ironman program)

2013 RACES: (More to be scheduled)

07.14.13:  Aquaphor NYC Triatholon (Olympic)
11.03.13:  NYC Marathon
OTHER:  Will be doing the 9 + 1 in prep for 2014 NYC Marathon; need to schedule 1 mile open water swim prior to triathlon

2012 RACES:  Did the 9 + 1 with the New York Road Runners Races

2011 RACES: (Major Races only)

08.07.11:  Nautica NYC Triathlon (Olympic)
11.06.11:  NYC Marathon

2010 RACES: Various road races in prep for NYC Triathlon (ended up deferring due to injury)

2009 RACES: (Major Races only)

08.03.11: MightMan Montauk Triatholon (Sprint)

GOALS: 

WEIGHT LOSS GOALS: 30 to 60 lbs

ABILITY:  To swim in open water, bike with speed and agility, and run for the majority of my races with confidence, skill and with a minimized fear.  Then I can move forward to see if Ironman is in the cards for me. 

LIFESTYLE: To figure out what constellation of races, activity, diet, time/life management is needed to be able to maintain a healthy weight and end the yo-yo fluctuations.

I got a nice little brick session in last night. 45 min ride, followed by 15 minute run.

Whilst it was a good workout, and adds a little to the confidence, as the clock ticks down to race day I'm getting increasingly nervous about it. It's an intimidating distance, and although I have done plenty of long workouts over the last few months looking at moving for over 6 hours continuously is going to be a big ask. My biggest worry is over cooking the bike, and ending up with a 21km death march.

I'm sure it's just nerves, and come race day I'll be good to go. But right now I'm becoming a bundle of nerves. 

That said, has anybody got any suggestions about what I should be doing for the last few days before race day? I know not to do any big/intense workouts, but I need to be doing something... 

Thanks Mitzi but ironically I had religiously not eaten any calories burned from exercise, even when I was on Weight Watchers - I would not eat the extra points or exercise points and that is what put my body into starvation mode.   On the rare occasion that I would eat more than my allotted 1490 calories based on RMR and what My Fitness Pal recommended,  I would gain weight and my body would hold onto that weight which is what got me to where I am.  I did not matter how much I worked out or how many calories I burned, I was going nowhere but up.  Based on lots of reading, my bodymedia armband,discussions with my doctor and nutritionist and a little leap of faith,  I have learned that by increasing the number of calories I eat to maintain a maximum deficit of no more than 750 calories per day,  I have finally been able to lose weight.  The first week was scary since the scale definitely climbed but has since been consistently dropping.  

Using the body media armband has showed me that on an average day with no exercise at all (being a couch potato  which is now maybe one day per month if that) I am burning 2000 calories.  Eating 1590 would fall right in line for close to a pound lost but on an average day for me without working out - just being a mom, I am burning more like 2500 calories (running a deficit already of 1000 calories per day).  Now add to that burn anywhere from 500-1000 calories burned for workouts at least 4-5 days per week and I was literally starving my body.  When I ate more,  my body held onto it because it was preparing for more starvation.   I had to switch my thinking from dieting (the calories in, calories out deficit) to eating to be healthy and making sure I eat enough.  It is still a challenge almost every day since I don't want to eat unhealthy foods to fill those calories.

I only share this as my own experience but if you are trying hard to lose weight and don't see why you aren't,  take a close look at the total number of calories you are burning in an entire day verses what you are consuming.   I would never have figured this out with the armband closely monitoring my total calorie burn for the entire day and night.  Yes, I sleep with it.  So far it has been worth every penny.

Hope that makes sense.

NAME: Matt

STORY: I am currentyly 41.  I pretty much took all of my 30's off athletically. Which I guess left me with fresh legs, but also left me at 260 lbs.  In June of 2011 decided I needed to start doing something and started running and training for half marathon.  Completed my first half marathon in October 2011 and weighed 230 lbs. Continued training and completed my first marathon in February of 2012 and weighed 220lbs. Took a few weeks off, but got back to running, did a few half marathons and then finished my 2nd full marathon in December 2012 and weighed in at 227 lbs. So I gained weight in between marathons. This was mainly due to I was only running 3 (sometimes 4) times a week and doing nothing the other days, and some can be attributed to my overeating and probably a little to beer. 

So this year I decided to try mixing things up and train for and complete some triathlons. This will force me to train more and harder. 

FAMILY STATUS: Married for 16 years and have two girls (14 and 9 yrs old)

CURRENT TRAINING: I am running 2-3 times a week, just started biking 2-3 times a week, swimming 1-2 times a week and some weight training 2 times a week.

2012 RACES:
Cowtown Marathon (February 2012);
Dallas Marathon (December 2012);
various half marathons through out the year.

2013 RACES:
St Patricks Day Triathlon, Keller TX - Sprint (March);
Buffman & Squeaky Triathlon, Lubbock TX - Olympic (May);
IM 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake (June 30, 2013)

WEIGHT LOSS: I started 2013 at 235, but have lost 5 lbs during first two weeks this year. I plan to continue this trend to be at 215 for March race and eventually be at 200.

thanks,

Matt

Welcome Matt and Ony ...

I will reply to each of you tomorrow after I plug all your info in my spreadsheet.  Looks like this group is a great fit for both of you.  I am going to close the group as we have a solid group of 15 people that I am hoping will be active in these forums and helping each other.

Training on tap for me tomorrow - 45 minute swim (easy drill work not to exceed 1450 yards) ... followed by 2 hours on bike - spinning high cadence 85-95 just bust a sweat and not work too hard - getting the legs loose after Monday's long run.

Chris ...

I have been running with my four bottle fuel belt.  I do two of the bottles with water and two with eFuel.  I have tried the gamut on energy drinks and the eFuel branded products are the only ones that seem to settle well for me.  Unfortunately I have never run a race yet that has my beverage of choice so either I carry my own or chance stomach issues.  As far as gu's and gels go I much prefer a solid but they only work for me early on a ride - once I get running it has to be pretzels or eGels or in desperation I will take a caffeine infused Gu.  Chops made me throw up in a race - again not something I ever trained with so guess I shouldn't have "chomped".

Thankfully we both have alot of time to nail down our nutrition - I have friends that swear by Perpetuem - I will sample that next.  

I will say this - nothing boosts me better AFTER a race then an ice cold Chocolate Zico (or 2) ... I love the stuff and I will grab that over any sports drink post race.

Kimmy and Kim ...

This may seem stupid but it works for me ... I use Training Peaks and plan and log all my planned workouts there (now my coach does but for the past 2 years its been me).  I then print up a blank calender for the month and log out all my training on it for the week ... that calender I copy and post at work and on my desk at home.

I see it over and over and because I hand wrote it - I feel committed to follow through on it.  Every afternoon I check my kids homework and have to sign off on it - my oldest son verifies that I did my workout and puts a check on my calender at home.  Let's him feel involved in my goals and training and he helps keep me accountable.  So while I may want to say "shoot its rainy and cold today and I don't want to run" - I know when I pick him up he'll ask "did you do your 8 miles today Dad?" ... so I am doing the run.   

Just to keep you all entertained ... my coach told me that yesterdays 17 miler had to be "at a steady pace but able to have a conversation throughout" ... well seeing as how I was running alone and talking to myself while trying to run would look completely foolish I decided every other song I would sing along to on my iPod ...

I have a lot of shall we say "music you don't hear on the radio" on my player - and my grasp of foreign languages is poor to say the least ... but I did my best to sing in German and French when those songs came up in my player ... thankfully my pace was fast enough that if people were making faces or commenting/yelling at me I was past them quickly enough not to notice.

Got a good swim workout in this morning.  Did some sprinting drills and really focused on form and the pull.  Then headed back to the Y for a spin class.  I can really tell that the time on my bike/trainer has made a positive impact.  A few months ago I would barely be able to breath or finish the 30 minute class.  Today,  I broke a sweat but was able to easily breath and did not peak my heart rate.  Trying to decide whether to head back for a third time to the Y for a yoga class this evening.

Hope everyone is having a great day!

That's lucky you have a son on the swim team. I wish I had someone to be able to swim with and give me some pointers!

Today I went to the gym and rode the spin bike... reminded me how much I hate those saddles. lol. i only rode for 35 minutes because that is what my training program called for, and it felt pretty good other than the discomfort of the saddle. The keiser spin bike said I went 14.5 miles, and my hrm said I burnt 665 calories. Pretty decent workout I reckon.

Tomorrow is run day and I can't believe I'm actually excited about it!

Have to brag actually since I taught him how to swim.   I was a swim instructor/lifeguard for many years.  Most recently a couple years ago I taught a beginner triathlon swim class for adults. My son  does not swim with me most of the time, actually my husband and I go together early in the morning since he is also training for a triathlon again this year after taking last year off.  My son made me very proud yesterday.  He swam on two relay teams which both finished first,  he finished 3rd in the 50 free and 2nd in the 200 free.

I know what you mean about the spin bike seat and I was actually surprised today that my 30 minutes on the spin bike did not hurt my bottom.   My husband jokingly called it building up a cal*a$$* rather than a callus.   I hope that does not offend anyone.  Not intended to in any way.

Welcome Ony ...

As the only other New Yorker in the group I can say that I am familiar with the race series you did last year but can't say I have done any of those myself.  Now - the TRI offseason I have my 5ks, half marathon and first marathon planned.  Might seem "off" to some that I would like to do my running in the winter but I perform way better in the cold than I do in the heat/humidity.  My goal is to build and strengthen my run from now and by the time the "season" starts I will have the enduarance for the long distance and hopefully have lost weight on the way.

Where do you do your swims?  NYC has a swim series that I am going to be all over this year - not looking to do anything other than get OWS training in during a race setting but these swims look really fun and can't hurt if we build them into our training plans ... you may already be familiar with this but check it out.   NYC SWIM 

As far as tweaking your skills on the bike we have alot of century rides (with shorter distance options) on Long Island and there are some March/April duathlons you can look at also - again haven't done a race sponsored b these guys but some friends have NYC TRI

The focus of this group is to motivate each other on our quest to get race ready, lose weight, and improve our training habits ... feel free to share any questions/thoughts/comments with the group and I am sure you will come away with something ...  

Welcome Matt ...

Nice that you knocked down two marathons - itching to complete my first one and worrying about it every Monday on my long runs.  My enjoyment of Belgian Imports has been put on the shelf for now and when I grab a beer I grab a Michelob Ultra ... haven't found too many low calorie beers that still have a robust taste but that one does it for me.

Nice spacing of your tri's - by the time your HIM comes along you should have figured out transitions and if you stay on your training - be able to go long and strong.  

TRI crew - how was your training today??

My training today was 45 minutes swimming - mostly drills and nothing at any speed.  I then did an hour and forty minutes on the trainer (it was cold and rainy/snowy) in NY today ... just spun high and maintained high cadence as my legs are still in recovery mode.

The plan tomorrow is a series in the gym (should take me 50 minutes or so) and then interval training for 50 minutes or so which should kick my butt but the more I do it will help me get faster.  Anyone here have results or experience with interval training?