Experior and Slornow's Winter Mentor Group-CLOSED (Page 30)

I had lasagna tonight as well, but it sure wasn't low fat.  Enjoy your snack Bri!

Use (don't abuse,use) those points!

As for your regular right knee soreness on long runs -- I can't help but think of road camber as a potential culprit.  What you describe is a classic symptom.  Any chance you can shift your runs to a non-cambered surface (sidewalk, middle of the road during times of low traffic, trails) for a while to see what happens?

Bennett: PR?! Dangit, I missed that, but WOOT WOOT! Great job! Man, I'd like to have one of those again.

Rene: Happy Valentines Day to you too! No better way to start any day than with healthy activity.

As for me, Monday and today I have felt like I was in a massive wreck. Pain from head to toe like no other I have ever felt. I'm sure every muscle had torn tissue. I rested more because I couldn't move than anything else.

Valentines Day was spent at my husband's deployment send off ceremony. More meaningful to me than any flowers or card. Saying I love you and I've got your back to my deploying partner was something I never thought could make me feel more one with him. I admit that I regret not wearing waterproof mascara today. It was quite emotionally exhausting. We all took a good 2 hour nap afterwards, went out for dinner and a walk through a mall just because.

Have a great day.

Beautiful sunny day here in Mobile.  Early bike ride on the trainer then off to see my daughter inducted into the National Honor Society. Woo hoo!! Now I'm trying to get some work done before heading to court for a hearing.  Then home for a quick run (I hope) and then daughter's soccer game at 5:30pm.  No big valentine's plans here other than enjoying the activity of the day.

Randy

When I had work done on my calves, I was hobbling by the time I left.  Did nothing the following day, but was back at it (maybe a little lighter) the next day.  This was a very specific, and painful massage.

But last year I was suffering with ITB and massage fixed it.  A week before each of my A races I had gotten a massage, just for my legs, as a preventitive measure before the race.  Those massages had zero recovery time - so it really depends on how deep they need to go and whether you are actively trying to "fix" something.

Nice run, Brian!

Rene, I hope your calf starts feeling better soon. Enjoy the swim!

A tough 45 minute spin class and then I stepped outside for a 3 mile run with some hills. It felt pretty good after 2 days of being super sore.

Have a great day.

Well, obviously I can't offer advice about whether to get your ACL replaced.  I can say that I had mine replaced a while back.  In fact, the subsequent PT was part of what motivated me to get in shape.  It was about 6 months later when I started running (stationary bike came much earlier).  It took probably two years before I was running pain-free, but my doc and especially his PA were excellent with helping me learn to distinguish 'acceptable' pain from damage.

Of course ACL replacement is not 'emergency' surgery, so there's lots of time to do research.  I came to the conclusion that the best option is a doctor who does ACL replacements all day long, with a track record of success on athletes.

Fortunately, such a doctor existed in Columbia.  I call him 'Doc Hollywood' because he's got loads of photos of athletes, dancers, etc. (many of them magazine covers), on his wall with "Thanks Dr. Ekman -- couldn't have done it without you".  As my doctor said to me "he's good, and he knows it".  (I only care about the former.)  One of my colleagues suggested that I should send him a copy of my latest paper with "Thanks Dr. Ekman, couldn't have done it without you".  lol.  But the guy is good, and I run pain-free now (apart from this blasted foot).  I still feel it when I come in from the cold, but it always goes away quickly.

I guess that's a long-winded way of saying that if you and your doctor think that ACl replacement makes sense, there is a light at the end of the tunnel -- running and biking-wise.  Just be sure to do it right!

Rene, Neil and Bennet-what's the deal with all the calf problems?  Hopefully everyone will be better soon. Rene-hope you can race this weekend.

Brian-looks like you are getting in some solid runs.  I'm with you on the knee problems.  I tore my ACL playing basketball about 20 years ago.  Had the old style surgery with patella tendon replacement and large scars on front and side of knee. Went back to playing basketball and ended up needing a scope on the same knee 3 years later.  Since then I tore the meniscus in the same knee.  I have regular pain/stiffness in the knee but actually feel better running on trails than pavement.  While for lots of folks the progression in triathlon is to progress to IM distance but I don't think my knee would hold up to the running needed to train properly for a marathon run.

Going to try to get a ride on the trainer in early tomorrow before heading out on the road again. 

Randy

Brian: Good luck with the training on the knee! I've never had any surgery done, but I've lived with knee issues for years. The pain comes and goes. The stronger I get the rest of my legs, the less pain I deal with. The only time I have to stop training for any time is if I tweaked it bad playing soccer. I baby and RICE it till it's all better.

1500 meters of drills. Most of swim team tonight was focused on proper form and technique. Very useful. Doing the drills and then doing some freestyle swimming right after, I was able to feel how I was supposed to be swimming. Of course I can't hold on to it for too long, lol! In time, I guess.

Have a great day.

Blanda - I feel your pain on technique in the water falling apart.  I had a very frustrating swim session yesterrday.  My plan is to get back in this afternoon and try to work some of it out....

Rene - Consistent as always!  Keep at it on the running.

Randy - Not really a calf injury, just was feeling a twinge when I rode hard.  Kind of like the very beginnings of a cramp when I am working hard on the bike, or running.  Has felt pretty good the last couple of days.  I will roll it again to night.

Have a hard 25 on bike with friends planned at lunch. 

WHeelsets -  I have American Classic Aero 420s on my road bike and love them.  I have been looking at the Ameican Classic  Carbon S58 for my tri bike, but also have been thinking about a SRAM S60/S80 set up.  There is some climbing in the HIM coming up in March, but my half in Spetember, and IMAZ will be almsot dead flat.  Any thoughts or recommendations on wheels?  I would like something I can train and race with, and plan on scouring the ebay, craigslist etc., to avoid paying retail.

Have a good one everyone.

Tough day today.   100% all day.  I did free up 90 minutes and had to choose between biking and swimming, which is not really a choice in my book!  (Actually, the surprising thing was that I actually, momentarily, considered swimming instead of biking...)

Off to more work...  Have a good evening everyone!

Hi Friends!

Miss you like crazy.  Just a brief check-in for now.  Work is insane.

Going to the pool tomorrow morning come hell or high water.

Hey everyone.  Hope all is well.

I've been really focusing on my swimming lately, putting in a lot of yards and working on some major flaws I knew I always had...but sort of just figured out why.  Correcting them is still the hard part though.

If I stay on track, I just might hit 40k yards this month.  Not bad considering it's a short month, and my previous high was 35k two years ago.  I do feel that my swim fitness is improving...and if I can just correct this one major flaw...I should see a few more seconds come off my 100 times.

Bennet-conventional wisdom on wheels seems to be that aero trumps weight except in cases of severe uphill grades.  Seems like I read that the tipping point is like a sustained 7.5% grade....pretty rare for a triathlon bike segment.

I have a set of Williams 58 Carbon Clinchers that I have used for 2+ years for racing and limited training.  Currently they sell for $995 www.williamscycling.com   They also have 85's and now discs.  I have been very pleased with them and had several conversations with the owner before purchasing and he was great to deal with.  I seen others post good things about their customer service.  Very solid wheel that you could train on it you desired.

Another place where you can get good prices on wheels is www.bicycledoctorusa.com  The website advertises several specials including a set of Mavic Cosmic Carbones for $940.....From all I have heard a very durable wheel.  You can also email them for their price list on closeout 2011 and 2012 wheels...including HED and Zipp.  In general they will discount 10% off msrp if paying by credit card or 20% if you pay by check.  I bought a set of HED wheels from them a few years ago and had no problems.  I have periodically sent them emails about wheels etc. and they have always provided prompt responses.

There seem to be alot of places running specials on 2010/2011 Zipp wheels as it seems Zipp is moving to the Firecrest model and moving away from their previous carbon clincher and aluminum brake track models.  I saw some good deals on excel sports and several other places when I googled.

Of course, used is always an option as well. 

Randy

(photo[1] (2)race.jpg)