KiterChick's beginner friendly group - CLOSED (Page 3)

Hello E.veryone,
I have read the past posts and would love to join this group. It looks like the forums are filling up fast so I hope I am not too late.

I live in Sacramento California and I am fortunate to be sorrounded by lots of local triathlon events. I am very new to triathlons and tried my first Sprint Triathlon two years ago. I enjoyed it but did not feel I had trained adequately. I complete two Sprint Traithlons last year but lost focus when I adopted an 8 week puppy. While he is adorable I seriously underestimated the time commitment for "potty breaks" that would be required which extended my already substantial workday and wahlah......I had the perfect excuse to quite training.

Needless to say puppy is potty trained and it is time for me to get my tri training back on! I Need to lose some weight (aka: cellulite, fat or stored holiday cheer) but I am focusing on training and healthy eating vs. overly restrictive dieting and targeting a 1200-1300 caloric intake/day for the next couple of months. I have tried a couple of different Sprint Triathlon training regimens and while they were great for introducing me to the sport, I am going to step it up and start using the 16 week BT Olympic Training Plan which will take me right up to my first scheduled race at the Hits Triathlon in Napa Valley, CA in mid April. I am going to do the Sprint Triathlon because I am a chicken and it is the first race of the season but my hope is that by late summer I may be ready to brave an Olympic distance Triathlon!

I am unmarried but have a super fiancee who is very supportive of my triathlon visions of granduer! I have been cycling for many years (off and on) but I have no training in swimming or running. I enjoy the swimming workouts but most of the time feel like I have no idea what I am doing. Running is my nemesis...we are not friends but we are willing to tolerate eachother for the good of the cause! This season I really want to focus on controlling my heart rate in the open water swim and bulding stamina for the run.

My hope is with more training my triathlons will include less gasping and more laughing! I promise to be a well behaved and participatory mentoree if you have room for one more!
Sincerely,
Jodi (AKA: Bigjrney)

Edited by Bigjrney 2014-01-05 11:10 PM

Hi Janae,
Your swimming tips were so helpful and I will be thinking about them tomorrow during my pool workout. I really enjoy the swim training but when it comes to race day and the open water swim I just fall apart! I have ended up doing the entire swim in the breast stroke because it is the only way I can make progress and breathe. The problem with that has been that I did not train doing the breaststroke and it completely depleted my energy for the rest of the race. It is so frustrating because my freestyle stroke seems strong and after a few months I had improved my stamina and lap times signficantly in the pool. Tomorrow I am going to focus on my hips and just relax per your suggestion.

I have used the Trinewbies Sprint Training beginner and intermediate program. The one aspect of the beginner plan that worked for me to build running stamina was to start with mostly walking and then mixing in 4 minute jog followed by a 1-2 minute walk. Then extend the jog/run time by 1 minute every week or so. This really worked for me and helped me to get to where I could jog/run for 20 - 30 minutes. I am still building and certainly not breaking any records but this might help.

Jodi (AKA: Bigjrney)

Edited by Bigjrney 2014-01-05 11:52 PM

Hi everyone! Looks like we're getting a lot more new members. Welcome to Crystal, Carolyn, Erica, Gene, Tree, Alexis, Kascha and Daniela! Just as a warning, I'll likely close up our group in the next day or so since I don't want it to get too out of hand.

There have been a few people mentioning the benefit of good running shoes/gait analysis. This is definitely the case! Old shoes or ones that aren't right for you can lead to myriad issues that will vary from person to person. Janae mentioned shin splints, I had a hip issue in the past, etc. In more severe cases, the issues may be related to how you're built. I had a friend who developed horrible shin splints and had a PT tell her it was due to the angle of her hips. If this is the case, you may have to see a PT to work through it, but new shoes is certainly a good place to start.

Janae - I like Andy's suggestion that you try out the C25K program. This will slowly build you up to more sustained running. Ideally, that slow buildup will also help prevent your shin splint issue from getting worse too.

Andy - I think you should be able to do the Oly in June if you prepare for it. It definitely sounds like you're working on it. Your cycling is already there, you just may want to work on pace if you think that's an issue and a sub 25 minute 5K is far from "leisurely" so you should be able to build that up to a 10K without much of an issue. The swim is clearly the biggest concern. Do you have access to open water to practice prior to the race? Ideally, your sprint will allow you to experience the congestion of people, even if it's in a pool, but it would still be good for you to get a chance to practice sighting in open water.

Melissa - Haha, your response still says MLM nonsense! That's okay, I think I get the gist of it now that you've explained it. Good luck with that!

Carolyn - I love the tequila and caramel sauce comment! I have a KK trainer too and they're definitely nice.

Jan - You were asking about whether or not using the breaststroke for a 70.3 would be possible. For now, I'd say that depends. You're definitely free to use any stroke you'd like. It would definitely make sighting easier! How is your pace with it though? If it's decent, then you should be fine if this is what you're most comfortable with it. If it's slower though, you run the risk of either being swum over a lot by people coming up from previous waves or not making the time cutoff. It also uses your legs a lot too, so you run the risk of your legs being tired for the bike and run.

I think I addressed most of the questions at this point. I'll generally try to make it a point to answer any questions, then throw in some other comments when I have more time to reply. Today is a big day for me since I'm going to rejoin the gym so I can start swimming again. I'm also going to learn to make friends with the treadmill again since we have some cold weather ahead that will likely mean a lot of ice. Hooray for winter training! Planning on hitting the trainer tomorrow morning. You're all doing so well, I've been feeling lazy in comparison. Time to get motivated!

So maybe I just have really weak ankles, but I'm hopeful that maybe I'm just doing something wrong because it's probably easier to fix. I have not started swim training yet (1st pool day is tomorrow) but the last time I was taking swim lessons and swimming on a regular basis my ankles were killing me. They would not only hurt the next day but also during the swim workout, to the point that I would have to switch strokes or rest before I could continue with regular freestyle laps. Has anyone else experienced this? Someone who is a stronger swimmer have any suggestions? Or if it is just weak ankles, does anyone know of any workouts I could do to strengthen my ankles?

Ok so I can run a 5k in 30mins, am going to be working on the swim over the next month or so. The bike is ok

I have a sprint in May. I have never trained for anything before and am very confused as to the next step..... I can see 12 week plans, but do I start them now, or 12 prior to the event.

Or does it not really matter as long as I am out there?

Do I work out short and hard, or for longer, so for the run, do I run 7-10k, so the 5k is easier, or run 3k harder......

Would like to ask sensible questions, but overloaded and don't know how to start?

Hookandy

Hi Hookandy,

I am new to this so probably get a more reasoned response but as in exactly same boat thought would share my plan.

I am doing 1st Sprint in April and hopefully Olympic in June. I have chosen 20 wk plan and working back from date you plan to do event as there is a tapering a few weeks before which I guess is key so properly prepared and not too tired as do event.

I have read and decided that right approach is to build up longer distances than you are racing as endurance is the key and as such I am running 5km now but wish to like you say be able to run 7-10k in time for the April 5kn event and longer still (ideally 12-15km run) for Olympic 10k. I am also wary of not doing too much running as have had ankle problems in past and dont want them to flare

My biggest concern with these training plans is that time to train so much especially when get 10% increase week on week. I am going to go with it for now but may come a point where time has to level as cannot see me fitting in 12-14 hours pw much as I would like to, with two sons under 3.

I agree that as long as put the hours in we should not have too many issue with a Sprint but probably get more detailed answers from more knowledgeable in group.

Andy

I'd like to join this group!
I'm Gail, live in CT, USA and I'm registered for my first triathlon in September 2014. The Princeton, NJ Half Ironman. I have wanted to tri for years and finally decided to register and do it. It's aggressive considering I don't swim or bike, but I've got a very rough plan to get there. The Princeton race is a meaningful venue for me being a collegiate rower. The course is where the US national rowing team trains! I am excited to swim across the rower's finish line, a place I have also rowed on before in important races.

I have run 8 marathons and got bored of it. I qualified for Boston twice and ran it, goal accomplished, time to move on. It took me a couple of years to realize what was next, I ran Boston in 2010 and 2011. Since then I've slowed down and put on weight but I'm back at it and excited to learn how to properly swim. I have a road bike but have only been on it a few times - I'm terrified of being on the road, the traffic, hills, windy roads, etc.

This winter, I'm focusing learning to swim with a local master's swim group (first lesson was this past Sunday) and I've been spending time on the bike trainer in my basement. In the spring there is a group that welcomes new cyclists on weekly rides so that's my plan for the bike.

I also have a treadmill in my basement and I'm maintaining my run that way with low HR on runs as long as I can take on a TM (60 min or so).

I'm excited to meet people and get some support and encouragement!

Pleeeease pick me before you close the group!

Lcarslake - I've never come across sore ankles when swimming before... Could only imagine it's from trying to kick from feet or point toes too much

Sarah, you mention wave starts and time cut offs. How do they generally work? Are they standard across tris?

Gailforce,

You sound like your going to be able to crush your first Tri! You mentioned not being comfortable on the roads with the bike and I totally relate. The older I have gotten the less I want to be on the roads with my bike as well. My remedy to this is I bought a spin bike and I train on that for a majority of my training and I get on the roads the closer I get to the actual race. Since I have been doing duathlons and they have all been in the same location so I am pretty familiar with the course and even when there is no race the traffic is at a minimum for the most part so it has been working well for me. The bike has always been my biggest strength so I don't feel like I am missing anything using the spin bike. In fact I find it has helped my road rides because with the spin bike it's a constant spin where as when I'm on my road bike I tend to coast from time to time. Hope this is helpful. I would love feedback from anyone on their thoughts on using a spin bike for training as well!

Hi everyone! Lots of great questions and thoughts going around. It's all making me really excited for the upcoming season. I started my season by signing up for the gym yesterday where I got in a treadmill run (ugh!) and a short pool workout. I'm definitely out of shape, but I have a few months to build up before my first race of the season.

Melissa - Those typos were pretty funny. Maybe it's a sign and you should start up your own diet program called MLM nonsense!

Lacey - I've never heard of weak ankles as an issue with swimming either. I'd imagine you must be kicking a lot/very hard to have the water resistance bother you in that way. Generally, you should aim not to rely too much on kicking for tri swimming. The theory is that you're relying more on your arms to power you through the water and leaving your legs fresh for the bike and run. This is insanely easy if you're wearing a wetsuit, as the buoyancy will keep your legs floating behind you. It's a bit more challenging to get the hang of without one, but it's something to work on. Also, to be clear, I'm not saying don't kick at all, just not much. I made this mistake too when I was first learning and it was one of the first things the woman I hired to coach me pointed out.

Hookandy - Generally, 12-week plans are designed to end on race day, so you would start it 12 weeks prior to your race day. That being said, you can certainly start one now, then just repeat some weeks if you'd like. That, or you can look at where you should be 12 weeks out from your race (week 1 of the plan) and build up your base to fit that on your own for now. As for short/hard vs. longer workouts, this is really all about personal preference for the sprint distance. Short/hard workouts will build up speed, but building endurance will also make you faster. I generally rely more on endurance workouts since I'm usually doing longer races, but I find that it helps me power through sprints well too. If you feel like you'd be more confident with a broader endurance base, then it sounds like that may be the route you should take as well.

Andy - You mentioned being concerned about 12-14 hour training weeks. Looking back, the longest distance you're planning on is an Oly, correct? If so, that seems rather excessive for that distance unless you're trying to be competitive. I would think peaking somewhere around 10 hours max should be more than sufficient. 12-14 seems more appropriate for a HIM.

Gail - Of course you're welcome to join! Your race plan is definitely doable; you have a very similar background to mine when I first started and I did two HIMs at the end of my first season. I'd suggest you plan on doing some shorter races during the buildup though, if possible, especially since you're not coming from a swimming background. Also, if the road does terrify you, you could either look into a spin bike, as John (Hepcat09) mentioned or getting a trainer. A lot of people have those since you can use your own bike inside. It's great for winter riding too!

KJ - Swim setups will vary by races, but for any sizable race, there will generally be waves. These will be broken up prior to the start and you will be notified which wave you're in. Sometimes, they're somewhat in order (men and/or younger age groups before women and/or older age groups), but sometimes they're all over the place. Spacing between the waves usually ranges from 2-5 minutes. This is why you'll potentially have people from the wave or waves behind you catch up if they're faster swimmers. When this happens, some will just maneuver around you, but be prepared that some may grab your ankle and push you to the side (actually not as bad as it sounds) or worst case, they may just try to power over you. I've never had the latter happen, but I've read about it in race reports. The only races that do mass starts are very small races and some full IM events. As for time cutoffs, I mentioned that to Jan because she mentioning doing a HIM. Generally, only HIMs and IMs have cutoffs and they're 1:10 and 2:20 respectively. You shouldn't have any issues with this, so no pressure there!

Okay, time to head home to hop on my trainer. Stay warm peeps and I look forward to reading your next batch of messages!

I love this, Tree!

I've decided to be prudent and take a month or 2 off from running so that this groin injury can heal. I practiced sprinting hills last month, and it was too much too soon, and tore...something. But this will give me extra time to learn how to swim properly. I'm currently at the pool, 4 days a week, swimming a mile total (in an hour - haha) and hating every minute of it. But I am determined to do this thing. Last night I only swallowed half the pool water.

Did you know it takes chlorine 2-5 seconds to kill E.coli in pool water? Just food for thought and motivation not to swallow it. You're welcome.

Hey Lcarsdale,

Do you remember when you first noticed your ankles hurting? Was it during or after a particular stroke or once you got out of the pool at the end of class?

I ask this because last night I was practicing the breast stroke and was told to keep my feet flexed. Sometimes I felt like my feet were snapping or jerking when I pushed through the water, and it really hurt my ankles. So I tried to keep them more under muscle control, eliminating the snapping of them, and this worked.

I hope this makes sense because I don't know how to describe it. But I'm wondering if something similar could be the cause of your ankle pain, even if you weren't doing the breast stroke.

Excellent advice!! I will focus more drills on pulling rather than kicking, but I'll still keep up my kicking because my endurance sucks. I can't wait to pass this tidbit along to my other tri-newbie swim friend!

Thanks

And stop drinking that water!!!

Edited by MKE_Tree 2014-01-07 6:46 PM

I agree, especially the ones without a helmet! Please wear one! Cyclists with out them make me so nervous.

I really like riding, but now that it's winter I'm having to move inside. I just bought a trainer and I really love the convenience of being able to get on my bike at home, but still have not broken 30 min on it. So I have question for those of you who have been riding longer. Do you spend the same amount of time on a trainer that you would on the road? Also, any tips for making time on the trainer more enjoyable/interesting?

Sarah - The Oly I'm considering is at the end of April in GA. I have family there which would make things easier and I would get to visit them. Do you think it's doable to rent a bike for a Oly? Shipping a bike sounds like it might be too expensive and not worth the effort for a shorter race.

My ankles started hurting when I was doing the freestyle stroke when I was in the pool. I have my first pool swim tomorrow so I am going to really focus on the advice given and see if I am doing anything funny with my ankles, then I'm going to work on not using my legs so much and see how it goes. Thanks for the advice everyone

I have a bike trainer so I have just started back using it in the last month. Question on that - I'm following the Maffetone (MAF) training method (180 - age) for running, so I'm going very slow since my MAF HR is 141. That's "easy" for running, but on the bike trainer (remember I don't bike or swim yet so this is my first time on a bike) it's work for me to hit the 141 HR, hard to keep high cadence, and my legs are spent after the workout.

Then whole MAF method is low HR so you can go long and it feels easy, so this issue on the bike is going against the method - should I lower my MAF HR for the bike since it's new to me? I was thinking even 5 beats lower could work so my legs can be fresh for workouts the next day. This far, I've had to take the day after my rides completely off. I can feel a few niggles in my hip and back and I know if I don't lay off, I'll be injured soon.

Since I biked for 1 hour yesterday at the 141 HR, I'm doing an "easy" pool swim tonight. Since I don't swim I have the most work to do in the pool this winter learning to breathe and get technique down.

Edited by GailForce 2014-01-08 2:04 PM

Well I managed 400 meters in the pool today. Barely. With a variety of strokes, backstroke, partially drowning freestyle/crawl, sidestroke and floating with a rest interval following each complete lap. It took forever and I'm not giving up, but boy that sure would be the easier route to take. Has anyone successfully complete a Tri swim with the backstroke? I can do a backstroke for 400 meters albeit with an occasional rest but I know I can do that! Anyway I will do my best to stay optimistic. I have read many of the article here on the site especially the one that is a note to the guy at the pool. I liked that one alot and can relate to that guy at the pool. I just hope I can get this down without drowning.

Ok, so my sprint is planned for May. So 12 weeks is the end of Jan. So this month I am just going to build the number of sessions, focusing on building time and distance. Aiming for runs of 5-8k, swims of 50-64 length (25m pool) and bike 15-25k as time allows.

Had a great pool session tonight and started to do some lengths. Managed 4 lengths back to back, without spending time coughing up half the pool at the end of each length! Believe me a major step. 1250m in a pedestrian 45min, but can only get better from here.

Hepcat, I'm on my way to do the same. I'm lucky if I can get through 400 meters, but you have inspired me, I'll go for it.
In a couple of months from now we will be reading back on these posts and laughing. RIGHT?!

Hepcat: I went to an adult swim session, as I run out of breathe, feel like my chest is going to explode about half way down a 25m lap. In that first session he gave me 2 things to try and do. Slow down, focus on the breathing and slow down some more. You will get to the other end, and as you are swimming slower you get more time to breath in. (Helps to gentle breathe out before you come up to breath, so you can spend all the time out of the water, breathing in, not out then in.

I have just bought a nose clip and that has helped, feels so much better in the pool, without chlorine up the nose.