jsiegs and slornow's Train Hard and Have Fun group - CLOSED for Training (Page 33)

Got my bike and swims in for my first training week. Only got one of the runs in. Partly sidetracked by life, partly just struggling with doing it in the heat. Ugh! Will try again next week to stay on track better. Hope everyone has a good one!

Just do your best.  It is SOOO hard to fit everything in.  Most of my weeks are missing something.

Christy

Your logs are crazy!!  I need to stop looking at them.  I have graph envy .

You're home alone for a week?!?  Now I'm really jealous. 

My HIM this week is the last race I'm signed up for.  I feel the same way.  I've trained so hard, I don't want to waste it.  I might sign up for an oly in August.  We'll see.  Enjoy your swim.

I totally agree on the graph envy - nice work Randy!

I've been struggling with a total lack of motivation.  I can bike, and I want to bike, and I even plan to bike, but then the time to bike comes and a generally just say "screw it".  Some is definitely because of the total dissarray my house is in right now (and my fiancee's and my old houses) and our trips to Home Depot, back to the old houses, time spend putting away boxes and building things from Ikea.  That stuff just consumes your whole weekend before you even know it.  That, and my parents early wedding present (a 55 inch LED LCD!!!) have distracted me. 

that all said - it's just an excuse.  Motivation is my real issue.  I can't seem to find a reason to care to train anymore.  I'm not signed up for anything and don't have any plans for anything.  I hope this is just a phase a little dedicaiton will get me out of.  I don't have an indoor bike area in the new house yet, but my goal today is to get home, set it up, and hit the trainer for an hour tonight and tomorrow AM (got my next doc's appt tommorrow AM so I've got some time before it).  Wish me luck!

not to brag or anything, but my friend (who just rocked Eman last weekend) had an extra ticket to the Open on Friday and I was there.   It was a fun experience being at the event, but you really can't see a lot of golf or follow along easily.

Had an absolutely awesome race on Sunday! Blew my mind how well it went. Here is a link to my race report

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=257369

My nutrition was spot on, pacing was really good, and I felt like for where my training is at it was the perfect race.

Trying to figure out what to do next now. I haven't signed up for any more races but would like to do at least one more half and hopefully a couple olympics. Problem is I am going to be gone from training for at least 2 weeks in the next month and a half so I don't know how prepared I would be for the early august HIM I was planning on. What do you guys think, would the base I have built  up already help carry me through those 2 weeks out?

Awesome race Matt!!  Sounds like it couldn't have gone much better.  How much did you eat/drink on the bike? Did you have a set time that you would eat?  How about the run?  Was Victoria as beautiful as I remember?

Congrats!

Christy

slornow - 2011-06-20 11:13 AM Christy-just looked at the elevation map.  OUCH .

I have never ridden a course with that much of a grade so I can't really provide any advice other than to SPIN the uphills and enjoy the downhills.  Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in.

Randy

Yeah...I wish I lived closer so I could see it.  Still not sure if I can ride my tri bike.  I'm running out of time to make a decision.

Christy

cbrookhart - 2011-06-20 12:24 PM

slornow - 2011-06-20 11:13 AM Christy-just looked at the elevation map.  OUCH .

I have never ridden a course with that much of a grade so I can't really provide any advice other than to SPIN the uphills and enjoy the downhills.  Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in.

Randy

Yeah...I wish I lived closer so I could see it.  Still not sure if I can ride my tri bike.  I'm running out of time to make a decision.

Christy

Why not?  In all but the most extreme, a tri bike should be faster.  That assumes you're equally fit, comfortable (able to be in aero w/o problems), and same gearing.  You'll be out of aero climbing on a tri bike, but the rest of the time you're in aero should make up for it.

jsiegs - 2011-06-20 11:26 AM

cbrookhart - 2011-06-20 12:24 PM

slornow - 2011-06-20 11:13 AM Christy-just looked at the elevation map.  OUCH .

I have never ridden a course with that much of a grade so I can't really provide any advice other than to SPIN the uphills and enjoy the downhills.  Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in.

Randy

Yeah...I wish I lived closer so I could see it.  Still not sure if I can ride my tri bike.  I'm running out of time to make a decision.

Christy

 

Why not?  In all but the most extreme, a tri bike should be faster.  That assumes you're equally fit, comfortable (able to be in aero w/o problems), and same gearing.  You'll be out of aero climbing on a tri bike, but the rest of the time you're in aero should make up for it.

 

I think my gears are different.  I am worried I can't make it up the hills on my tri bike.  Am I being crazy?  Doesn't a  road bike have more gears.  I realize I'm WAY over thinking this.  I'm just scared. 

Christy

Nice job!  That was your first half, right?  very impressive you were able to handle nutrition and pacing well, congrats.

Can you do anything those weeks, like just get a few runs in or something? 2 weeks won't kill you regardless, and you should be ok (or even faster!).

cbrookhart - 2011-06-20 12:31 PM

jsiegs - 2011-06-20 11:26 AM

cbrookhart - 2011-06-20 12:24 PM

slornow - 2011-06-20 11:13 AM Christy-just looked at the elevation map.  OUCH .

I have never ridden a course with that much of a grade so I can't really provide any advice other than to SPIN the uphills and enjoy the downhills.  Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in.

Randy

Yeah...I wish I lived closer so I could see it.  Still not sure if I can ride my tri bike.  I'm running out of time to make a decision.

Christy

Why not?  In all but the most extreme, a tri bike should be faster.  That assumes you're equally fit, comfortable (able to be in aero w/o problems), and same gearing.  You'll be out of aero climbing on a tri bike, but the rest of the time you're in aero should make up for it.

 

I think my gears are different.  I am worried I can't make it up the hills on my tri bike.  Am I being crazy?  Doesn't a  road bike have more gears.  I realize I'm WAY over thinking this.  I'm just scared. 

Christy

 You're not

A road bike and a tri bike are independent of the gears you put on them (i.e. you can put any type of gearing on either).  As I remember, you weren't familiar with the road bike/fit on it though?  That concerns me.  You're tri bike was compact (50/34) in front and a 12-25 in back?  What was the road bike again?

A new cassette (11-27 or similar) would give you the best range on either bike.  Might be a little late for that though??

jsiegs - 2011-06-20 11:35 AM

cbrookhart - 2011-06-20 12:31 PM

jsiegs - 2011-06-20 11:26 AM

cbrookhart - 2011-06-20 12:24 PM

slornow - 2011-06-20 11:13 AM Christy-just looked at the elevation map.  OUCH .

I have never ridden a course with that much of a grade so I can't really provide any advice other than to SPIN the uphills and enjoy the downhills.  Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in.

Randy

Yeah...I wish I lived closer so I could see it.  Still not sure if I can ride my tri bike.  I'm running out of time to make a decision.

Christy

Why not?  In all but the most extreme, a tri bike should be faster.  That assumes you're equally fit, comfortable (able to be in aero w/o problems), and same gearing.  You'll be out of aero climbing on a tri bike, but the rest of the time you're in aero should make up for it.

 

I think my gears are different.  I am worried I can't make it up the hills on my tri bike.  Am I being crazy?  Doesn't a  road bike have more gears.  I realize I'm WAY over thinking this.  I'm just scared. 

Christy

 You're not

A road bike and a tri bike are independent of the gears you put on them (i.e. you can put any type of gearing on either).  As I remember, you weren't familiar with the road bike/fit on it though?  That concerns me.  You're tri bike was compact (50/34) in front and a 12-25 in back?  What was the road bike again?

 

A new cassette (11-27 or similar) would give you the best range on either bike.  Might be a little late for that though??

Guessing i don't have time for a new cassette .

My road bike is 12-25 in the back (if i counted right) and it has 3 rings on the front 52/42/30 (I think).  I was going to use my sisters.  She has a nicer bike.  The cassette is 11-28 and the crankset is 50/34. 

Christy

Is it hard to change a cassette?  I just realized I could use my sisters.  I did call my bike shop and they can do it today.  But if I can use my sisters, I'd rather not spend the money right now.  Is it something I can do? 

Christy

So I could have the bike shop switch them? I figured I'd have to buy a new one to have them do it.  I'm not up on my bike shop etiquite.

Joe-I haven't been up there much.  I did a ride at Oregon Ridge a couple years ago.  It was on my road bike.  It was tough but I wasn't in great shape.  Certainly not good biking shape. 

Is there any draw back to the 11-28?

Christy

I didn't know there would be so much thinking in triathlon !!!  This has consumed my whole day.  I'm glad I don't have a job.  I would certainly be fired. 

It doesn't seem really hilly.  Just a couple spots that look scary.  About a mile at a 7% grade.  Maybe I'll try to find something like that around here (in the next couple of days).