Gray Guys/Girls Maturing Triathlete Mentor Group (Page 3)

My pleasure.  I get more from all of you than I will ever be able to give back.

And that is the message for the day!

Chet,

You said you took some time off from swimming.  It's likely that cause you to lose some feel for the water.  Give it some time, it will come back fairly quickly.

Very good!  You have a schedule and a plan.  You will do far better with a plan than trying to "wing it" like so many do.

The information I posted earlier was regarding the Maffetone method which is actually different than heart rate zone training.  I will put a little something together in the next day or so going over the basics of heart rate zone training since we have a fair number of newer triathletes.

Today was a 4,500 yard swim done as:

• 800 WU (I use this warm-up - http://triathlonswimcoach.com/index.php/en/resources/2014-11-30-20-43-15/ct-menu-item-3/73-getting-the-most-out-of-your-pre-workout-warm-up)
• 35 x 100
• 200 EZ CD

I'm in the midst of a 12-week cycling block focused on raising FTP.  This afternoon was a 60-minute ride - warm-up then 4 x 10 minute intervals @ 95-99& FTP with 3 minute recovery between intervals followed by an EZ spin to CD.

You're welcome!  There's a wealth of information on that site.  It took me days to go through all of it.  Hopefully you can find some useful information there.

Looks like we're moving pretty fast.  I'm already behind.

I post my workouts on BT training log every day and it is open to anyone to look at anytime.  This week I'll log about 9.5 hours and I'll increase my time each week from here on.  Please have a look if you're interested.

Chet - Which HIM are you looking at?  I am very careful to have snacks or protein drinks ready to consume immediately after any workout over an hour long.  It is really important for your muscles and glycogen stores.

Kelly - How was Cultus this year?  How'd you do?

Ray - There is nothing wrong with walking some or all of a run in a race.  I've had to do it several times.  Just walk as fast as you can and never stop moving.

Mick - Ask lots of questions.  It really helps to give you any helpful info.  Personally, I like to volunteer at races for inspiration and fun.  I also like to read race reports (in BT) for races I'm interested in doing.  Very motivating.

Janet - Glad you're back.  Which HIM are you planning to do?  The same as last year or a different one?  Like Scott I to knew you weren't finished with HIM's.  It's amazing how often I say, "never again" only to turn around and do it again.

Marc - Welcome to the group.  I'm type 2 as well but as long as I keep working out I seem to be able to keep things controlled fairly well.  I wouldn't knock 10 min miles, I'd celebrate them.  I'm more of an 11:20-ish per mile runner.

Scott - 4500 yds is a heck of a swim.  I'd be totally wiped out.  Locally, I'm seeing a surprising amount of interest in our new 11.8km swim in Skaha Lake this August.  I heard today there are already 27 swimmers registered and I know of several more considering it.

Not at all.  I do the same thing all the time.

My personal opinion is that those who have the problem with an age-related formula to determine target HR don't fully understand what the formula is trying to do - namely establish a HR that is BELOW AeT (aerobic threshold).  With Maffetone it doesn't matter if you exercise at AeT or 10 beats below Aet, what matters is that you are not ABOVE AeT.  The people that in my opinion benefit most from MAF training - those coming off the couch, those with a poorly developed aerobic energy system, etc. - are not likely candidates for other methods of more accurate HR zone testing.  A lactate field test for someone coming off the couch will likely only serve to injure them.  I hear the protestations from those arguing you can't use a formula to set the HR and I just shrug my shoulders as I think, "You really should understand what you are talking about and what the formula is trying to do."

You are right though, determining zones via a LT run/cycling test will yield an aerobic threshold that is fairly close to Maffetone's formula.  The formula's target HR is generally a couple BPM lower but again, better to be below AeT than over it.  I know there are other methods out there to determine the HR but using the Maffetone formula is just easiest and works well until a Lactate Field test is possible.  At that point, I prefer using zones based on LT.

Here's my bio. 

NAME: Janet (soccermom15 – BT Screen name)

STORY: I was never much of a serious athlete. Played basketball and volleyball in grade school, racquetball in high school and one year of track (which was awful – I came in dead last in every race I ran). As an adult I did recreational softball and some indoor soccer but nothing serious or consistent.
My triathlon journey began about 10 years ago when I volunteered for a local sprint race just to see what it was about. It gave me the bug to want to try it. I could “not drown”, bike reasonably well, but couldn’t run (see above regarding track in high school). So I started with a basic run program and worked my way up to 5k, then 10k distance. I stuck with just running for a couple of years then added in swimming and biking and did my first triathlon in May of 2009. I did sprint races off and on for several years then decided I wanted to try a longer distance. I did my first Olympic last May and my first HIM this past August. I had a great experience at the HIM and want to do another but it will probably not happen until 2018.

FAMILY STATUS: Very happily married 26 years with one son and one daughter, both in their 20’s.

CURRENT TRAINING: I’m using a modified Olympic plan with extra emphasis on the run due to some upcoming trail races (I’m in trail racing season right now). I still try to get in 2-3 each swims and bikes every week but if something has to get dropped, it’s one of those. That will change after April when I switch to more of a bike focus.

2017 PLANNED RACES: January ’17 – Frozen Buns Run 5k, February ’17 – Castlewood Cup 15k trail race, Apr ’17 – Ozark Foothills 25k trail race, May ’17 – Gateway Olympic tri and St Louis Triathlon sprint, Jun ’17 – Dark to Dawn 10k trail race. The second half of the year is still up in the air. I may do a sprint in July and I’m considering either a 50k trail race or a night time half marathon in the fall. We’ll have to see how training goes.

WEIGHTLOSS: I’ve gained about 5 pounds since Thanksgiving that I’d like to lose along with another 5-7 that I’ve tried to lose but just haven’t been able to. Maybe this year I can finally lose it for good.

George - I'd love to go back and do Ohio again but the drive is a little long for a weekend trip (about 7-1/2 hours).  I'm considering doing Muncie - I've heard it's similar course-wise to Ohio and it's a little closer.  The only issue with it is that it's in early July so potentially very hot.  We'll see how things shake out next year.  

Scott (or anyone else who might want to answer) - I have started doing some of my bike training using virtual power.  I did an initial FTP test about 8 weeks ago (not telling you the number, it's embarrassingly low ), and when I do my rides, the "report" at the end gives me average power and normalized power.  The NP # is usually higher.  What's the difference?  And which # should I be looking at?  

Last night did not go as planned .  I ended up not doing my run (life got in the way) so I did a shortened run - 2.55 miles - during my lunch hour today.  Tonight is a 60-75' bike ride - probably intervals.

Janet

Scott ... yes I have read some of the threads with the back-n-forth barbs on flip turns.  It is unbelievable that something as simple as this is so controversial.  All the hub-bub seems absolutely silly to me.  I just want to improve, work smarter, use whatever works for me or any "specialist's" technique is out there to go faster. 

Ciao ... Dorm

Janet, George, new and returning members ... glad to see you're back and for 2017, look forward to your great comments, experience, encouragement and hard work!

Ciao ... Dorm

Focus this and last week has been mostly cycling and some strength training.  4 sessions thus far were ~40' in length and focused in Zone 2 and low Zone 3 as to HR.  I like to use power with cycling in lieu of HR.  So to start off the training season I did a 20' TT about 3 weeks ago to determine max power and FTP, and base workouts accordingly.  Right now, a typical workout with some deviation is:

WU: 10' @ 60% FTP

MS: 20'-30' using 5' to 10' intervals at differing duration and levels of intensity.  Right now the highest intensity I've done is 10' @ 80%FTP.  I worked in one 5' set alternating 1' intervals between 60% and 100% FTP but only once for the week.

CD: 10' at 60%FTP

I only ran once on the treadmill and paid the price afterwards ... Plantar Fasciitis in one foot!  I've found that doing a deep calf stretch when I first get up in the morning has helped.  If anyone has had similar issues, I'd appreciate what worked for you to get rid of it.

Swim is planned for Sunday morning.  We're forecast to have snow here over the weekend, so I hope the gym is open.  It's still NC and we're not too good when it comes to snow.

I've started to incorporate some moderate strength training into my regimen.  This is something I hadn't done much of before, but it makes sense to include a bit of strength training as the moment I stop training/exercising - my endurance, strength and stamina fall off drastically.  And so, given a bit of strength training, I trust this will help build muscle and overall help to slow regression during the off-season.  I thought this post was interesting on the subject:

http://beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=545112&posts=11&page=1

Ciao ... Dorm

Chet,

That HR monitor will be fine if it displays HR in real time.  There's absolutely nothing that says you have to spend lots of money.  Go to a local sprint triathlon and you will see people riding rusting beach cruisers in their cut-off jeans!

Janet,

Good question!

Imagine for a moment that you did a 60-minute ride on your trainer.  You did the ride as a steady state ride with no variance at all.  At the end, your average power was 150 watts.  Now, imagine the next day, you rode outdoors for an hour on a hilly course.  In addition to going up and down the hills, you added a couple of intervals followed with very easy spinning to recover.  At the end of the ride, it all averaged out to 150 watts.  According to average power, the two rides were identical.  However, in reality, the ride with the hills and intervals would have felt harder.  Normalized power attempts to quantify the physiological cost of a variable intensity ride.

The first imaginary ride above would have had avg power and NP that were very close because it was a steady state ride.  The second imaginary ride, the one with the hills and the intervals, would have a higher NP because of the variation.  A higher NP shows the ride had a lot of variation and that the ride was physiologically harder than average power indicates.

As to which number you should be looking at.  During a ride when you are attempting to hit power targets, you should be using average power.  NP is a metric that is most used after the fact when analyzing the ride data.

Hope that helps.

Dorm,

I'm right there with you.  Some people think there way is the only way.  I think if someone truly wants to get faster in the water, they will learn flip turns.  If they don't want to, it's no skin off my nose and I really don't care.  There are some that can't accept someone won't do it "their" way.  

That said, I do thoroughly enjoy putting a little fuel at the base of a flip-turn discussion fire! 

Dorm,

R.I.C.E.

• R - rest
• I - ice
• C - compression
• E - elevate

Try to stay off of it to the extent you can.

One of the things that happens as we age is that we begin to lose lean muscle mass.  An ongoing strength regimen can help mitigate that loss.  There is considerable debate on how much is enough.  I come down on the side of a fairly robust strength program during the off-season and limiting to core work through the actual tri-season.  Like I said, opinions vary.

I'm going to assume this question was for me .  I did Ironman 70.3 Ohio last August.  It was the first year for the race - held in Delaware.  The date for this year has changed to the end of July - they decided to move it up so it doesn't conflict with move-in weekend at Ohio Wesleyan Univ like it did this year (T2/finish line was at the university football field).  It was a great race, I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a HIM.  

Janet