tcovert's Winter 2009 Mentor Group - FULL (Page 33)

I really want to do this race at some point....head back to my old stomping grounds. Have you ever been to the campus Todd? I can tell you now, if you havent got much hill training in, this course can put you into some pain. UCLA is basically built in a valley, with T2 being at the bottom of this valley. Both directions from there go up. Looking at the map, I would say you will be going up or down 90% of the time. The bike course is far hillier than the run. None of the hills  go on forever, but there are some steep sections. The hill coming back up the swim are is STEEP. The run course should be fairly fast though.

I have that same experience. Sometimes the first 1/2 mile is so awful I wonder what happened to my running fitness? Then, around 3 or 4 miles something kicks in and I just feel like I go on and on. I think that means you're gaining running fitness, maybe??

Matt, I know what you mean. Some people say that they feel that on every run, but like you said I tend to feel it after a long run. So you're not alone on  that one. Eight miles though! That's strong! What's next?

 Jake

Jake1008 - 2009-03-02 9:00 PM I've got these "I just got passed by a Jeapardy champion" shirts, I'm gonna sell them at the finish line this weekend

That would be so great to see! 

Hey everyone, my sincere apologies for being awol for awhile.  Thank you for the continued inspires, even though I have been lacking in that department. 

Life has been crazy lately but I think that I have things under control now and it should remain that way.  Basically my boyfriend and I had broken up a few months ago yet we still live together, in our own separate bedrooms of course (our lease ends very soon) and to put it lightly, he has been taking up and wasting a lot of my time, energy, and emotions since the break up - he really wants to get back together but that is just not possible and he has been emotionally abusive on a continuous basis.  I finally sat him down and told him that I am living my life and doing what I want to do (training, working, school, etc) and that it would be best if he did the same, our lease is almost over, and then we will part ways, and that I am tired of listening to him going on for hours about our 'relationship'.  Since then, he has left me alone. (more time for me - yay!)

Also, my classes were finishing up for the session and I was prepping for finals.  I am still waiting for my grades to come in but I am pretty sure that I did alright.  My new classes started on Sunday but I am approaching them a bit differently.  I have designated days that I am going to complete all of the reading on, designated days for completing the assignments, and designated days for just plain studying/reviewing.  So far so good... and more time/less stress for me!)

Lastly, I started waking up about 30 min earlier (this started about two weeks ago) so that I can get a workout in without being under a time crunch and so that I could get a few things done in the morning before work.  Which also means... more time for me later in the day!

So basically, I have been spending the past few weeks putting my life back together and staying true to myself... so far so good and I feel so much better about everything.  I hope that you all can accept my apologies for my lack of inspires... you have kept me going on the training front and I am very excited about catching up with everyone and checking in to see how you are doing.

I signed up for an 8K this weekend which I am very excited about... and then my first triathlon is next weekend, which I am a bit nervous about!

I hope that you all are doing well and I promise to look through your logs and check in with you throughout the day today!

I'm proud of you for sticking by your guns and getting your focus on you.  It is hard sometimes to see what is important in life with all the pressures people try to exert.  To thine own self be true. 

I had that "I feel like a runner" experience on Saturday.  It went so well.  Am I starting to like running?  Scary thought!  Like Todd, I have this period of time where I am warming up, moving from anaerobic to aerobic body functioning.  Once that kicks in, I feel like I can run or swim forever.   

I've hurt my back.  Re injury actually, from 30 years ago.  Mostly never a problem but sometimes I twist wrong and there is it.  I was moving weights around the house yesterday and felt the tear.  Sucks.  But, I iced it, then swam this morning and the low impact work really helped...let me stretch afterward.  No pain down the leg so that is a great sign. 

I'm not one of those people who think "No pain, no gain."  But, I mentally have to work through this.  It will, if I am careful, make me mentally stronger.  Things are going to happen.  I can't let them stop me.  Acute pain is something else again.  Stop for that always or risk more serious injury.  Pain that keeps getting worse is also something that may require stopping and evaluation.   But at 57, I've go to expect some chronic pain.  You don't get here without doing damage. 

 High intensity bike workout after work scheduled.  I'll see how that goes.  90 mins. 

All,

Sorry, I've been slacking on inspires and really posting as well, so here goes ...

Amber, I'm really happy for you.  Sounds like you're in a good place for yourself, and it sounds like you're happy with yourself.  Keep going!

Yeah, I get that with running, too.  Takes a mile or so to work out the kinks and get going, which is my biggest problem.  I really want to have some speed from the get-go, but need to ease into it.  Race time is a joke, though, because it feels like I'm just going the same speed the whole way.  I have the same deal with the bike, and it really concerned me before my first race last year ... I feel like I'm not even warmed up until after 10 miles or so, so I was worried about being able to pick up any sped after the swim, and I didn't want to ride 10 mile for a warm up!  Ended up being an easy course with half of it solidly downhill, but that early in the morning with no real warm up can be scary.  Not such a problem now, and I'm hoping the run will get like that after some more work, too.

As for me, I traveled this past weekend and got totally derailed.  Little runs here and there, but completely out of synch.  Not easy to maintain on the road, especially in Austin, Texas, where you're putting on a concert and having a little bit of very, very good tequila with dinner.  Just a sip, but still ...

Missed last month's goals because of the trip, which cost me a long weekend ride.  And no, I didn't even come close to the pool, BUT, I'm back into my Friday morning OWS group this week, so that's a start.  Lynn, if you ever want to join us, we meet at Moonlight Beach at 7:00am on Fridays.  It's a North County tri club called the Coyotes, and it's a good group of really strong athletes.  About the only place I even remotely stand a chance with them is in the water.  Everything else, they smoke by me   Let me know if you ever want to join us and I'll make sure we wait for you.

What else?  Good luck in Westwood this weekend, Todd!  I don't envy racing on those hills ... you really think Bonelli is worse?  Well, you got Tommy's and Diddy Reese to look forward to after the race!

Aloha all

Kids are taking it in turn to be I'll so taking up spare time (I run a small business with my wife) _ (WOW that is open to interpretation!!!! LOL - an opticians, honest!) So one of us having to be at home all the time is making it fun to schedule work and looking after ill friends and family. Hey ho.

Last weeks Goals

It's great everyone checks in from time to time even when life (other than tri-life) gets in the way. Glad you're back from your trip, Morgan. And, thanks for swim invite. It's still a bit too cold for me in the big blue.

Glad you're still in the mix, Paul. Perseverance should be your middle name. Oh wait, maybe it is?

Glad you're taking care of Amber, Amber. It's a good one to learn that one sooner rather than later. 

I actually did a brick and a swim yesterday. It was definitely a "hard" day. Today will be easier. The good news is I hadn't done a brick since last Oct. in my Oly and yesterday I felt like my legs weren't anywhere near as wobbly as they usually feel. Maybe my body remembers what to do. ??

YOU ARE ALL RUNNERS! It took me a while to wrap my brain around that one last fall, too.  

Here's some good news. Our son has a birthday party/sleepover on Sat. night and my husband and I will be going to my tri on Sat. and spending the night away just us two. His friend's parents were very accommodating and son didn't want to miss being with his friends, plus he didn't really want to go with us anyway. Of course we'll be getting up and out to the tri early, but it will be nice to be alone. I think it's been 4 or 5 years since we've had a night away in another location without him. Without parents and other family we just don't get that opportunity much. So it will be a somewhat romantic weekend. I think tris are romantic, don't you?

Nice, new ride, Todd. Boy, that Jeopardy money has come in handy. And, glad you got another temp assignment. 

That's my update. Happy Wednesday!

aloha

Mmmmmmmm (thinks) Can fat folk go skinny dipping?

Todd - thanks for your thoughts. Not sure I'd ever accuse myself of stressing I kinda just feel I should have more structure I guess. (Not sure why I think this, maybe because I'm not a good swimmer.) In fact now I think of it, actually the only time I really feel stress is when I swim. (Mmmmm odd!?!?) I find it really hard to open water swim though with practice I'm sure I'll chill like I do at every thing else. I do appreciate your thoughts and I will bear them in mind.

Lynn - I love the idea that my middle name is perseverance. A lovely idea to aspire to. I kiss your hand and thank you for that.

I ran my first 5.5 miles last night in the mid-level class with the local run club.  I got into an aerobic zone and felt like I could go forever.  Felt really good.  A real confidence builder, especially since I was battling the back pain.  It wasn't there during the run and it has been lessening each day since I hurt it. 

I have the same issues with drills Todd has.  The Masters Swimming group I attend 2X a week is competition-pool oriented.  The coach is great, but lot of the drills are about going fast for a 100, 200, 400.  There are a lot of tri folks in the group who do what I did.  I met with him, talked about what I needed personally and he has modified my drills to be more endurance oriented as a result.  I do pull buoys to improve the stroke, fewer kick drills.  The goal is to stay higher in the water, improve my bilateral breathing and my strength on the stroke, go farther.   It's working.  The bilateral breathing is feeling less foreign all the time. 

One thing I noticed is that the workouts you get from sites like this one or even from coaches who are not exactly tuned in to endurance sports are not designed for individuals.  That takes fine tuning by listening to our own needs and getting help from people who can mentor us, either coaches or people like Todd or club members, who help to fashion things to our particular needs.  I have a bike coach too.  He is in his upper 40s and races 20 times a year so he has both a competition and age perspective on what I need. 

I'm having a blast.  I hope you all are too.

.

Thanks for the support everyone!

Lynn ~ it looks like you have quite the weekend ahead of you, enjoy it!  Who says that a triathlon weekend isn't romantic?! 

Scott ~ congrats on the running breakthru!

Umstead Park is right down the road from where I live and it is the location of Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run http://www.umstead100.org/  I volunteered in the kitchen last year (who knew that people that ran 100 miles at once could eat sooo much food?!    ) and this year I signed up to volunteer at the camp again... but I am also going to pace a lap!  The 100 miles is broken up into eight 12.5 mile loops and starting at 6pm, the participants are allowed to have somebody run with them to keep them company, on pace, make sure that they are eating/drinking enough, etc.  The scary thing is that my pacer time could be anywhere from 6pm to 2am in the morning which would mean running on the trail at night (with a flashlight of course) but I am oh so very excited.  This is the weekend after my half marathon so I will be more than ready to run the 12.5 miles (but honestly I have been told that the participants are usually walking about half of the loop at that point) but it will also help me with my training for the 1/2 marathon because we have scheduled practicing pacing runs leading up to the event.  I'm excited and I just thought that I would share! 

I hope that everyone is having a great week... happy almost Friday!

Oh- one more thing... we had a few inches of snow along with freezing cold temps earlier this week (grumble) but it is supposed to be in the 60s to high 70s throughout the rest of the week - who is ready for some outdoor training?! 

Um, yeah ... I went out with my tri club this morning.  FREAKIN' COLD!!!!   BUT, I did get back in the ocean and I actually swam 800m in super fast time, so I guess I'm back into it.  My jaw is still numb, though

Next Friday, Lynn?

ok, i have missed quite a bit in the past 3 weeks but I'm just going to step back in like I haven't missed a thing.  No work out in 3 weeks leads to butt dragging wimpy workout today but, i did it and tomorrow is another day.  my health has been lousy and family stuff has compounded that so my goal is to be back where i was in a very short time.  I'm not going back over all the blog pages that I missed due to time constraints but it seems that everyone is progressing nicely with their training or at least making the effort and that's really what its all about to me.  kudos to all who have recently competed and well wishes to those about to.

i've missed the camaraderie

Brrrrrr! Glad you got your swim on  Morgan! No commitments from here yet though. 

Good luck to Todd this Sunday!

Since everyone's been kind of having AHA moments about running, I thought it might be fun to do a list of how you know you're a runner. Wanna play? You know you're a runner when:

-your 45 minute planned run just isn't long enough so you add in just a few more minutes and count it as a separate workout on the Garmin so your coach won't see you ran longer than you were supposed to.

-You actually look forward to getting up at 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning.

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I love it Lynn!

-you are the only one that smiles when you say that you ran xxxx miles and it was awesome!

-you are dissapointed when it's taper time and your mileage is decreasing