Slornow's and Wannabefaster's Summer Mentor Group - CLOSED (Page 3)

I found an interesting pic from another BT forum link that shows in graphic form the muscles involved in a cycle loop. It's the best representation I've seen. I'm a visual learner so I may find it more interesting than others.

Greshe-happy for you to join us. Post a bio when you can.

I think we will close the group. We may have a straggler or two join but we have a good mix of returning members and new athletes.

About our group:

Jason and I are pretty loose about topics so don't hesitate to ask a question even if it seems very basic. We may occasionally bring up a topic or area for discussion but we want you to drive the group. I would prefer everyone stay civil and avoid conversations about politics/religion or other subjects that typically generate strong differing opinions. There is a forum here on BT where those topics get discussed called "Cup of Joe". 

How to make this a great group:

1. Be engaged and participate. Does not mean you have to post constantly but be involved. Its more fun!   

2. Log your training here on BT. Makes it much easier to answer training related questions and see what you are doing. I like to look at people's logs to see what type of workouts they are doing. I have a coach now but before I would "borrow" workouts from other folks here on BT.

3. Add the other members of the group to your "friends" list. Makes it easier to check on them.

4. Try to "inspire" the other members periodically. The "inspire" feature is located on a person's daily training log and is a way to send a message to the person. I use it to wish people good luck before a race or comment on a nice training session.

I'm sure there are other things that Jason may suggest. If you have not look at Jason's list earlier on this page where he listed the members at that point. Make sure we have your BT name and real name correct.

Sorry for the late post ... :-) I helped a buddy of mine move out of his house today. Allergies are killing me and I got an Olympic Triathlon tomorrow ... I am tired ...

Hello to all the group newbies ... Jason and Randy got a lot of knowledge and speed that is why I am back ... :-)

Name: Greshe or Greg

Story:   I have been a runner and a cyclist for many years and have competed in countless running races of varying distances up to the half marathon. I previously competed in duathlons about 5 years ago but never pulled the trigger on moving to triathlon as I didn't feel comfortable in the water.  After taking on a few half marathons and Tough Mudder in the past year, I am determined to make this year my first "real" year in triathlon.  In fact, my first race is tomorrow at the Florida International Triathlon in Sarasota.  I'm running the Sprint race and am pretty nervous right now but I'm fairly certain I have trained enough to make it through okay.

Family:  I have been married for 16 years to a wonderful woman who is very supportive of my hobbies.  She makes it a point to go to nearly every race, even if it means waking up at 4 am on a Sunday when the bed is so comfortable. God bless that woman. 

Training:  I am currently following the custom program until I complete the three races I have slated for spring/early summer.  I intend to change my plan to the Sprint to Olympic bridge starting in mid-June so that I can prepare for the Rev3 triathlon in Venice, FL in November.  I also do Crossfit 2 days a week. 

2013 races:  

FIT Sprint - May 5
Marineland Sprint - May 12
Dunedin Sprint - June
Ft. Desoto Sprint (tentative) - August
Rev 3 Olympic - November

Weight loss:  Despite my many activities, I have struggled with dropping weight.  My diet is just plain horrible.  I recently joined Weight Watchers and it is teaching me to limit my intake and try to avoid drinking my calories, even when that hard workout deserves a beer or six. 

What Will Make Me a Good Mentee:  I am dedicated to providing support for others and will be an active participant.  I think I have a fair amount of knowledge in two of the disciplines and am willing to share.  I am also interested in be part of a group of fellow athletes to bounce ideas off of and learn from.

I would love a second go around with the group even though I am on Injured Reserve.

Name: Stuartap (Stuart – BTW – I hate Stu and/or Stewie or any other abreviation)

Story: New to the sport in 2012.  Feb 2012 I decided that being almost 250# at 5’11” and age 56 was not a combination for a long life.  So I began a weight loss program.  In May I was helping my daughter at a booth for the American Diabetes Association at a local Sprint Tri.  Seeing people older
than me and heavier than me was inspiring.  I decided that I wanted to do this.

I was a competitive swimmer in HS & College but inactive for the better part of three decades since.  Always enjoyed riding, always hated running.

I started off on my 37# mountain bike and picked up a used 2012 Kona King Zing in Aug.  Tried to run too hard too fast and injured my Achilles tendon…twice.  Consequently I have run just a few days between June and my Dec tri. 

Just did my first tri Dec 16, 2012 although the swim was cancelled due to storm runoff and replaced with a second run.  YUCH!  Still, I did finish towards the BOP but my bike was good.  My weight was 195# at race day, age 57.

Family Status: Married to the girl I went to the senior prom with for the past 38 years.  Two kids and two dogs.  One of the dogs just joined our family at Christmas time.  She is a 10 year old mutt who was rescued from a dump in Texas.  They named her Dumpling because of where they found her.  We were going to change her name but it just fit her.

Current Training: On Injured Reserve due to a cycling accident 4 weeks ago.  Fractured my hip.  Had one surgery and may need to have the hip replaced.

2012 Races: First race ever, Beach Blast Triathlon Sprint, Dec 16, 2012.

Planned 2013 Races: Silicon Valley Sprint (A race) in March, Morgan Hill Sprint (training race) April, Reservoir Sprint (training race) May, Tour de Cure ride in June, Step Out Walk to Fight Diabetes 10k in Oct and HITS Olympic in Nov (A race). All gone for 2013.  Per my doctors the best guess for my next race is April 2014.

Weightloss: Started Feb 20, 2012 at almost 250#.  Raced Dec at 195#.  Former swimming weight 162#.  Target weight for SV Sprint 190#.  I hit my target weight for the sprint two weeks ahead of time.  I was 190# the day of my accident. Target weight of 175# once I start training again.

What Will Make Me a Good Mentee: I have two objectives for joining the group even though I am currently not training.  (1) I am still new to the sport so I learned a ton from this group last time.

(2) I would love to be a resource for those struggling with or wanting to improve their swimming.  By way of credentials I swam competitively in HS (the only freshman to ever make the varsity team) & College.  My PR in the 100 yard free was 48.81.  I swam a 1650 Free a couple of times under 19 minutes.  

I would be happy to answer any questions and/or offer suggestions on how to learn
to love swimming a.k.a. how to get faster!

Michael-good luck with the race tomorrow. Hope the allergies ease up!

Greg-thanks for the bio. I was much like you. Runner and had done some cycling when I was younger. Learning to swim as an adult is tough but not impossible. I thought I knew how to swim since I swam at the beach, pool and river when I was a kid. What a shocker when I had to swim from one place to another. Be patient and get instruction....much easier to learn the right way than to try to fix something once it is ingrained. Good luck tomorrow. Be calm and swim slow and easy. Your HR will rise early in the swim. Stay calm and settle in.

Stuart.....our resident swim expert! Great to have you back and providing help to all of us that are swim challenged 

I've just spent the past 15 minutes trying to figure out how to add people to a friend's list...no luck.  I know it can't be this hard.  What am I missing?  WHERE do I go to do this?  Help!

Edited:  Never mind...found it by accident!

I see a few of you are struggling to lose some pounds. Having dropped 60# in a year I can
relate.  One thing I have read over and over is you need to find a plan you can stick with.  Most plans don’t fail, the person stops following it before they reach their goals.  BTW – note that I said plan and not diet.  I hate diets and I think the reason they never worked for me was because they seem to be all about denial.  So that said, here are a few things that worked for me.  Maybe one or more with be helpful to you.

1. As Greg said above, don’t drink calories.  You will be amazed at how many calories are in that glass of milk (or 6 beers).
2. Learn the difference between satisfied and full.  This was BIG for me.  I learned when I felt like I had eaten enough which was well before I felt full. This also makes training afterwards much easier.
3. Listen to your body.  If you are hungry then eat but do it smart.  Nobody needs to tell you that a piece of fruit is better than a donut.
4. Prepare your own meals when you can. This way you know exactly what is in your food and you don’t feel compelled to eat the whole box/can.
5. Enjoy food.  If you want a cookie then have one. However, don’t shovel it in and reach for another.  Take small bites and really enjoy it.  You will find you will be OK with one or two instead of four of five.
6. Remember the equation is burn more calories than you take in.  TRAIN HARD and stop feeling guilty about what you eat.

I hope this helps.

Jamie - Good luck on your race tomorrow. I will have to do a Rev3 Tri sometime soon. I heard they are very well organized. 

I sure hope that these allergy drugs clear up my head by tomorrow morning. Weather here was awesome until Thursday when a cold front moved in. The temperature for race start is supposed to be 41 feeling like 36 but barely any wind. I don't even want to know the water temperature. I will be racing in a wetsuit ... but not in a Triathlon wetsuit. It is a Surfing wetsuit and I think my swim is going to suck!

Name: Jim Barron

Story:  My only sport in Highschool was golf. I Began taking physical fitness seriously when deployed with the Marines in the Gulf.  Sitting in the desert we had lots of time for PT (aka exercise) and I caught the bug.  Started marathons in 1998 and moved to Tri's in 2002 and have found my true passion - long distance triathlons.  I have completed 10 IM's to date (IM Moo x2, IM LP x2, IM Lou x3, IM Texas x 2, IM AZ x 1).

Family Status:  Divorced after 19 years of marriage.  2 boys ages 18 and 17.  My 18 year old is studying Computer Engineering at the University of California San Diego. (I am considering moving back to the west coast, not sure why I ever left???).   My 16 year old is a football/rugby player and avid athlete.  We often train together.  He hopes to study Business and play college rugby, his 1st choice is the University of Utah.  I work as a Hospitalist Physician (inpatient internal medicine) in Grand Rapids, MI.

Current Training:  I use primarily Don Finks plan but also tailor my training to my life. 

2012 Races:  A few 5 K's, IM Texas (May) 13:21 and IM AZ 12:21.

2013 Races:  IM Moo (Sept) and IM AZ (November) scheduled for this fall.  Hoping to participate in a tough mudder in June.  Will also run a few 5 K's, and hopefully a half IM in June.  My schedule involves lots of travel and changes all the time.  Booking races in advance is a challenge. 

Weightloss:  I could stand to lose at least 10 pounds. 

Why good mentee:  I love training and competing.  I've been hooked on triathlons since 2003.  For me it has almost become a way of life. I plan to keep doing them until I physically cannot.  I still see lots of room for improvement and am always open to receive advice to improve my performance.  I enjoy the comeraderie BT offers. I appreciate the accountability the mentor groups creates for me.

I have improved my IM times from my first at 15+ hours to 12:21 last November in Arizona.  I hope to break the 12 hour barrier this year.

Hi Jason and Randy!

I'd much appreciate you letting me be one of those stragglers you let back in from last year.

Thanks!

thirdstation/Mark

Couple questions for you!!

I am following Matt Fitzgerald's Week-By-Week training guide - which is a 12 week guide. 

If I begin the schedule in a week, it takes me in to to August, but ends two weeks before the August Sprint. How should I continue training during those two weeks? Should I repeat a couple weeks - for example 8 and 9 or something?

My other question is - between the August Sprint and October Sprint, I have 7 weeks. Is there such thing as a 6 week plan, or should I use my best judgement for training? For instance, I could start 4 weeks in to the 12 week program? 

Thoughts? What have you done in the past?

Karla -- as someone who has relatively recently done "first sprint", I'll provide my $0.02...

I wouldn't overly sweat the two week gap.  You'll probably find, over the course of the 12 week plan, that life gets in the way at some point -- sick kids, unexpected house guests, or perhaps a week where the training just doesn't click.  Consider yourself lucky that you have a little bit of slack built in.  So don't feel the need to plan it out ahead of time -- just keep the weeks in reserve -- you'll know when you need to use them.  I find that a typical 12 week plan takes me 16 weeks to complete.  

If you're lucky enough to still have them in reserve at the end of the plan -- no harm in re-doing week 12, or perhaps even doing a "week 12+" by adding a bit more distance.

As for the gap between August and October sprints -- you may want a different plan altogether.  Most sprint plans are intended to build you up to a certain level (e.g. couch to sprint) -- by the time August rolls around, you won't need that type of plan anymore.   Just starting at week 6 might be a step backward.   Look for a "sprint maintenance plan", or BT has an intermediate sprint plan which might be more appropriate.

Or -- you may find in August that one of the disciplines is a problem area -- so take the time between Aug and Oct to focus on the problem.  I did that through the winter -- basically declared that winter was going to be a run focus.

Don't feel bound by the structure of a plan -- some people like them, some tweak them, and some forego them altogether. Generally no harm in tweaking a plan to suit where you're at.

Just a few thoughts from someone with one more tri than you.  

Scott.

Thanks Scott!!

You are totally right about life getting in the way. As I was plugging the schedule in, there will be setbacks - birthday parties etc.

I've never officially followed a plan, this will be a first for me. I'm no longer part of any training groups, and I'm a person that needs structure... and discipline! We'll see what happens. 

I am a terrible runner, I really hate it, and dread it in the heat of the summer. My ultimate goal is to train through it and overcome the nemesis. Fingers crossed! 

If you live in the Houston area -- no kidding!   I've had the misfortune of doing outdoor runs & walks in August in Houston  -- never again...

I was quite religious about following my couch-to-5K plan when I started last May -- and I'm very glad I did.  Once I was able to run 5K and finished my sprint, I got much looser about plans -- just shifted to a philosophy of "a little bit more each week" and rest weeks when work or family kicked up.   Probably not a perfect way to go, but the flexibility suits my job and family situation.   We'll see if that's enough to get me through my Oly...

Scott.

thirdstation/Mark-welcome back!

Karla-I agree with what Scott said about repeating a week where you have been unable to do the full scheduled training . This also takes some pressure off of you since you have some wiggle room with the extra weeks to complete the 12 week program. I suspect at some point you will feel your body needs a break. Perhaps take it easy that week with some light workouts and then resume your plan.  

Good morning everyone! One thought to help everyone get to know who is who. On your posts put your name at the end. That way we can start associating your BT name with your real name.

Here is who we have. Please correct me if I have a name wrong

Wannabefaster/Jason

Slornow/Randy

mndymond/Melissa

chapfallen/Rachel

Jimmyb/Jim

WoodrowCall/Jamie

d3term1ned/Michael

Kathrynrooks/Kathryn

Hoos/Scott

mrajkl/Mike

dacuna01/Dave

twosneezesshort/Em

ssminnow/Suzy

oegan/Megan or Regan?

Chunga/Mary

glfprncs/Nancy

rallen12/Laura

Greshe/Greg

Stuartap/Stuart

thirdstation/Mark

Khharms/Karla

Kate2014/Kate 

Yet ANOTHER cold rainy day here in South Cackalacky.  The weather is REALLY messing up my weekend training plans (particularly with the bike--I need TIME in THAT saddle to 'toughen up' my girly bits more!).

Anyhow...yesterday's rain resulted in a YMCA tri workout of sorts (spin class, 30 minutes on the treadmill and a short 20 minute swim to test out some new hand paddles).

Looks like today's going to be an indoor day, too.  Longer swim session followed by 30 minutes on the dreadmill....I meant treadmill.  

Does it make me sound like a whiner that I don't want to get wet unless I'm in a pool/lake/etc?

On a happy note, I finally ordered a wetsuit (fingers crossed it fits!), so I'm looking forward to joining the local tri club on their pond/lake and eventually river swims.

Hope you all have a great day!

Nancy

Ahhh! I didn't see this up till now. Can I please return? I'll put together my bio in the morning when I'm not all fuzzy from cinco de Mayo.

Good luck, Jaime!

Had my first half century ride this morning. Hills were bananas, but I survived. Even survived hitting a pot hole and getting a flat. I have to share, my mountain biking skills took over when I saw I was going to hit the pot hole. It was the size of a serving platter, and looked about 3 inches deep. Just dropped in and tried to hop back out, but still caught the edge and the tired popped. Didn't crash though, yay! 

The ride this morning, a soccer game tonight. I am pooped. 

Happy training!

Blanda