Suz and Steph's Sprint, Oly and First Tri group! OPEN (Page 3)

Well I just heard that they are thinking about canceling my off road tri due to low registration. I purposefully wait to reg. because of this. Guess I need to find larger, more established races to enter.

Haven't gone swimming in a while, but I need to focus on the bike so I'm ok with that. Probably swim tomorrow, or not. I'm still logging low run miles because I'm on a slow build to avoid injury.

My knee felt a twinge of IT Band yesterday, but felt good during a 5K trail run last night. Was getting really dark there toward the end, and I reminded myself that if you trip and go smash, it could be bad. Focus!! Went with the dog and he is getting to be a good trail pup. I made a special out of the way loop so he could jump in the pond. He knows we are up for some adventure when I get my shorts on and grab my running socks.

I've started to use the logs here. I used to use a calender, but I really like the BT logs. I hope the site doesn't crash because I haven't written it to paper yet. I have to remember to log in my yoga/pilates and strength sessions too. I just caught myself trying to figure out when I last did some core work.

Have a good weekend everyone. Anyone racing?

Hi Sue & Steph! I would be interested in joining your group. I am 44 and am training for my first Tri, Olympic size, with a friend who is a bit younger...they say "find a workout partner who is younger then you are" not sure they meant 15yrs younger, lol this will be her first Tri also. I can hold my own on the bike, have done the STP (Seattle to Portland) ride twice and love riding my bike. I am getting better at swimming, can do 20 laps (in a pool) in 25-30 min and getting better all the time. Running is my weakest event, I could barley run a mile slow without wanting/needing to stop, I can now go a little more then 3 miles without stopping (still slow, about 40 min). I am very lacking in my nutrition too...ugh! I need help! lol Looking forward to learning from you, Cathryn

Hi Folks - how was your week?

Poor week of training this week, work, home,holiday weekend all the usual excuses.

Looking to get the road bike out at some point this weekend amongst all the gardening that needs doing. Looking like a settled period of weather in the UK for some outdoor running and swimming - makes a difference.

Hi Cathryn - I was the same with my running I found interval training to be the best walking/running alternating. There are loads of programmes out there I use a health provider in the UK called BUPA they have 5km, 10km, HM, M beginners, intermediates and advanced programmes over 10 weeks. I am on (for the 3rd time!!) the beginners 5km, then I got to the beginners 10km for stamina (I only run 5km in my tri races). Check it out.

Anyone on here struggling with the strength training on the various programmes, I just never seem to get time. Any advice for alternatives?

And.

Nice to meet you all!

I'm having a good week, training-wise. Hope that I can keep it up. I'm not really "racing" but I'm looking forward to the 5K Starlight Run in Portland tonight - it's a fun run, everybody wears costumes & there's a huge audience. It's sort of crazy and awesome.

Cathyn, congrats on working up to a 3-mile run. I remember when I could finally run a whole 5k without walking and I think it's quite an achievement. I was always a terrible runner but for some reason, now it's my favorite. I'd almost always rather go for a run than get out the bike or go down to the pool.

I pulled my nice road bike out this week, and it's amazing. So much faster than the hybrid mountain bike I ride around in the winter. I have a 17-mile ride planned for tomorrow and a swim. My swim needs a lot of help, especially if I'm going to be ready to do a mile in open water in September. Really wish I hadn't slacked off so much in the winter!

What's everyone else got planned this weekend?

Julia

Hey! I haven't done a thing in a month. I've been traveling. I hear you on the swimming, I was doing well... then got this contract job.

Enjoy the bike ride!!

Stephanie

Yeah I love the BT logs, I hope I can log some workouts soon.

Running with the dog! that must be great!

Smart to ramp up slowly with the run. That's where most of the injuries lie.

A workout partner is a great thing. I hope you find compatibility there. Which Tri are you doing?

WELCOME!!

strength training... planks, squats, and pushups.

Welcome!!

OK, so none of your workouts are very long. So... you probably don't need to eat much, or at all, before them. Especially not protein. That's for after. You have enough glycogen in your muscles on a normal diet, to go 45 mins without fuel. If you plan to workout longer... say 90 minutes, then you need to have some fuel about 30 minutes in. Protein/carb mix after.

You can get a nice run in, in the morning without eating. But take water with, of course. Your weekend runs, you may want something before you head out, light carbs...sports drink or something...and some fuel at 30 mins or so.

I think people overeat before they workout quite a lot...until they learn what the body wants. Everyone is different.

Did some core work last night. New moves, longer session. Ended up pulling a muscle. OUCH. Wasn't anything too tough. Maybe just accumulated stress from a big bike ride and a hard work week. Looks like some bruising, but it could be freezer burn where I applied some ice.

Taped a GU to the bike frame yesterday. When I needed it I just ripped it off and the top came off too all ready to go. Just slugged some water, stashed the wrapper and kept on pushing. Now I have another thing to remember to set up in T1.

I have a few ideas about purchasing a good bike. All of them require begging family for a cash loan. Or I have to wait until I close on this stupid house so I can use my own money again.

At the very least I can still shell out the 60ish bucks for some tri shorts for now. Lake water has got to be ALMOST warm enough. Going to give it a toesie/footsie test tomorrow

Hi, I hope you have room for one more! I'm a total newbie...

NAME: Tara

STORY: I'm closing in on 35; a few years ago I was into Audax bike riding, but haven't been much for any other sports until recently. About six months ago I finally managed to lose the new-baby weight and then some, so in order to make it stick I started running. The idea all along has been to do some triathlon training, but I need to really be motivated in order to make it to the pool and the winter has been too relentless and awful until recently for me to be able to do much cycling. (And I say this as a former Audaxer!) I've just run my first half marathon, and I've now got my eye on a triathlon at the end of August. I'm aiming for the Olympic-distance but I'll decide for sure in July whether it's that or the sprint that I will do.


FAMILY STATUS: Married for nearly seven years to another recreational runner who lost a bunch of new-baby weight around the same time I did. Our daughter is two and a half, and our cat is fourteen and a seasoned international traveller.

CURRENT TRAINING: I took up running in December, pretty much from scratch, and it turns out that running when you weigh less than 70kg is a lot easier than running when you weigh 80, as I did last time I tried and gave up! I've raced 10K and half-marathon distances, as there aren't all that many 5Ks to be had around Zürich. I've dipped my toe back in the water (haha, I bet you hear that all the time) for swimming practice as of yesterday, and been out for a few bike rides here and there (also amazing how much easier that is at my current weight.)

2013 RACES: My first race was an 11km hell on ice in March; the second, the 10K Zürich CityRun in April, was freezing still but way more fun. In May I did a 17km race and, last weekend, my first half marathon, 24.5 weeks after I started C25K. Yes I go a little overboard with new hobbies.

NUTRITION and HEALTH: I've done really well on a lowcarbish/Paleo-ish diet; although I don't go all out for nutrition religions this is what works for me, and yes we can still have pancake brunch on Sundays.

Any advise about open water swimming in a full wet suit? I plan to practice before the race-for sure.

However, we got word that newbies MUST attend an open swim clinic this Saturday, June 8 to prove we can swim. This will be the first time ever in a wet suit-as I was planning to open water swim in 2 weeks (I'm renting the suit each time). I have no problem swimming in a pool. I know swimming in the lake will be different and I'm sure wearing a full wet suit will be different as well!!!

Hey all, I have a question about bike training & commuting.... I commute by bike at least 3x/week, about 40 minutes each way. But these aren't training rides. I'm riding my old hybrid mountain bike & carting around a bunch of stuff, wearing jeans, and mostly taking it easy trying not to get too sweaty. My question is, do I count these rides as part of my training hours, or should I only be counting real training rides? Or should I count some of them but only when my schedule calls for a ride <40 minutes (not that often!)? It feels like cheating if I count my two commuter-rides as one 80-minute training ride, even though I did that last week. Anyone else commute with your bike? How do you account for it in your logs?

Julia

I'd say don't count all of it as training. If you aren't "getting sweaty", then you aren't really stressing your muscles to make any real gains. You could ride as a commute to work, bring some workout clothes to change into after, and give it a harder effort on the way home, either by going faster or longer. This is what I am going to start doing soon.

I did a nice brick series tonight. A hilly 6 mile ride and 1 mile fast run, then another 6 mile lap with a 2 mile run. I was going to do 6/1 x 3, but my bruised abs started to hurt so cut out the extra bike lap and ran an extra mile. My bike's gearing is stuck and I now have NO granny gears. All mash, all the time. The sweat and profanity pour out of me freely.

Yeah, that's what I figured... I took the long way home tonight & counted it as my training ride. It was sort of a relaxed ride, though, I was pretty tired from swimming. Up to 1400 meters in the pool now, and still have a ways to go. I didn't really count my morning bikeride (which is mostly downhill anyway) as training hours but I couldn't quite resist logging it.

Those bricks sound like good fun. I need to start working on those, maybe this weekend I'll do something similar. When is your race?

Let's get this off page two.

Had to babysit my kids last night, so I had another zero day. My job is pretty high impact, so I don't feel too bad.

But tonight it's going to RAIN!! So that means one of three things.
1. Another zero day.
2. Run in the rain.
3. Go swimming.

Went for a swim yesterday at the pool. Ran into a friend of mine and he gave me two free passes.

Ladder sets equaling 3000yds. and a stationary bike of 12mi.

At the end of my swim sets I start feeling very sick. Almost sea sick. I have cut sets short before because of this. I almost cut it short yesterday but HTFU through the last 25 yds. I take ginger before I jump in. Maybe I need to take more?

Tried to talk some other gym patrons into doing a local tri in September. They were on board until I told them the run was up part of a mountain.

Rainy here again today. A nice 5K around town on the schedule and some family swim time. But house chores first.

So I passed my open water swim class! YAY! It was very informative. We swam about 300 meters and I was fatigued from the wet suit. I think it's too big. So I will be practicing with another type that fits me better. Then went for 4 mile run and 20 mile bike ride. I am TIRED!!!

NICE WORK!!!!

Can't wait to get back home and swim!

Some people have real issues with the sea-sickness... some one in our last group did. I'll try to find that thread. There was some good advice there.

I love to run in the rain! I haven't actually done anything for 5 weeks! Long story...

Every ride and every run counts. Walking counts. Log it! Swimming really kicks my butt too. I sleep so well after a swim, and HUNGRY? man I get hungry from swimming.

Profanity is a part of endurance training. ;-}

Obviously I'm late to respond to this.. long story... a wetsuit that fits properly (tight as hell) is uncomfortable and it causes some panic in some people. They want to make sure that you can handle it. A suit that is too big, particularly around the neck (which should almost be choking you) will take on water. Not good.

I have a new one and I've got to get in the water with it on. SOON.