Hashers and Mashers - Open (Page 33)

Thanks George you're right should have slept better, I'll plan my races carefully next time so it does not get in conflict with work i guess just got into "Tri bug" if you know what i mean LOl !

Triathletes must learn to deal with the unexpected and adjust accordingly, right?

The October 19 sprint I was going to register for has inexplicably been postponed until further notice. Same for another sprint that is supposed to happen this weekend (not mine)! No word back from the organizer yet. Very odd. Bummed because I was looking forward to the challenge of my first ocean swim.

There's another one September 28 that's pretty cool (they drop you at an island and you swim back to the mainland), but it's pretty pricey. Another October 13 that's more reasonable and a nice venue. Think I'm going to adjust my training schedule for one less week of workouts and take the October 13 date. It's a lake swim, but I'll deal.

Gary

right? Glad your planning your races well sprints are fun , but it still takes a toll on us. I still feel kinda hard to get back to the momentum of training again.
Its sad why races are being cancelled or postponed for an unknown length of time. Mostly the reasons are lack of participants. Sometimes its the other way around the event closes fast.

Hopefully you get the right race for you.

Cheers!!!

Carl

Been super busy with life lately so I haven't been able to get on the computer much. Just wanted to post the good news. Although I couldn't make it down to Madison to sign up. I was able to register online for IM WI next year woohooo!

So far, I have done 5 races ... 4 super sprints and 1 sprint (first ever sprint). I did pretty good in all SSs (placed in 3/4 races) and was really happy with the sprint as it was a 750m swim and I had only completed that length 2x prior ... and neither were stellar performances! lol ... My plan is to work up to Olympic, HIM, IM ...

I don't know that I have any regrets - I should have ran more because I came 4th in my 1st super sprint of the season and the 3 girls in my age group all passed me in the LAST km of the run ... my run is my weakest leg of the race. And I was passed in the other races as well in the last couple of kms ... would have even come first in one of them. As obvious as it may be, I didn't realize that you need to run more to run better/faster - I figured I just needed to go out and run fast a couple of times a week! Anyway, as a result, I started the Hal Higdon 5k intermediate running plan this week to up my running times hopefully. My 2nd day of training was yesterday and it was a track workout (totally new to me) ... 5x400 so 1.25 miles, right? My goal is to run a 10 min mile in the triathlons for a time of 30min on the run. My lowest this year was 30:36 (including transition) and highest was 34:35 (including transition).

So, last night I get to the track, thinking that my times would be around 2:30 per lap ... these were my times (I didn't time first lap):

1:55.9
1:58.11
1:58.06
1:49.93

So that's like a 7:40 mile!! Wayyyy faster than I've ever ran before. Granted, it's not as long but it was definitely a boost to the confidence. Now, I'm excited to get out and run more.

Other than that, I've been finding it hard to get into the swing of things now that the fall is almost here. Yesterday I cycled to work (30k) and the first 8k were sooooooooooo cold (6 degrees, no sun, frost on ground) ... on the way home it was 20+ degrees ...

I need to get a trainer set up asap! And get my butt in the pool!

I envy all these race choices!!! We only have one left and it's a pool swim, bike, trail run. And it's gonna be cold!

Question for you guys ... I have one triathlon left this year, a week from Sunday. It's a pool swim. I want to either do the super sprint or sprint - my goal is to do longer races (so was planning the sprint) but I'm really wary about the pool ... the following is how the swim will work for each race distance:

Sprint 500M Swim - Approximately 9:00 a.m.
A 500m swimmer will start in lane 1 of the pool every 15 seconds, by pushing off the end of the pool. Each swimmer will swim 10 lengths of the pool, going down and back in each of the 5 extra wide lanes. After finishing the down and back swim in each lane, you duck under the lane rope, to go down and back in the next lane, etc., until you exit the pool from lane 5 after your 10th length.

Try A Tri & Super Sprint 100M Swim - Approximately 8:00 a.m.
100m swimmers will participate in heats of 5 swimmers (1 per lane), from the fastest to the slowest anticipated times. Swimmers will start every 30 seconds by either pushing off the end of the pool. Each swimmer will swim 2 lengths of the pool, climb out of the pool, and walk to the exit door of the pool building.

So, the thing is, you need to predict your time ... I have not been in a pool since April and I've never swam a 500m. I can go out and do it before next weekend but I'm really not sure how accurate one session would be ... and I'm stressed that I'll give the wrong time and have the person(s) behind me catch me and/or catch the person(s) in front of me. The 100m looks much more appealing because you do it in a heat of 5 swimmers and it's not long so chances of getting caught/catching someone is lower .... The other thing is I am limited with pool experience - really only 3 months and that was in early 2013.

Any opinions? I need to register by end of weekend but am really not sure what to do.

Why not jump in the pool and do some reps approximating the swim distances to get a ballpark of your anticipated times. That being said, with the "extra wide lanes" for the 500 m swim, I'm sure there is room for people to overtake and pass a slower swimmer in front of them. You'll do great either one.

Carl,

I hear you. RE: the postponement, the only other BT'er scheduled to race that day said he spoke to the RD, who insinuated it had something to do with their inability to arrange for the road closures. If true, that's pretty shoddy. Anyway, he pointed me in the direction of a comparable race on Oct 20, which will let me keep intact my training plan. It's a little further of a drive, so I'll just have a VERY early awakening, although like you, I did not sleep much the night before my last race. Thanks for the support.

Goodluck Gary!!! dont be like me!! we all need sleep. its hard to lseep night before race day atleast the previous two days get alot of sleep. Adrenaline will carry youo throughout the race!!!

Jill

I go with Gary's advice ,best way to know is do laps @ 500m and time yourself including rests. Its really ok not to be fast for now. You'll be faster eventually. Pools are best to start your first tri.

Take care goodluck and register. Looking forward to read your race report.

pm'ed

Guys

I finally dumped all my workout shoes in the laundry after i realized the stench they are making at the garage.
I just need to know what do you use to spray the insides of your running shoes cycling shoes after each workout?

Cheers

Karl

Did you decide on which swim length? The 100m or the 500m? Either way, good luck and stay warm!!! Trail run sounds like a lot of fun.

Welcome back! Good luck on the Sprint.

Just looked at your profile again. You've got a BUNCH of races under your belt. It makes sense that after that many and then a HIM, that you are searching for a new focus. Are you thinking another HIM or IM, eventually? If not, then maybe some type of "season" goal of reaching a certain performance level in Olys or Sprints. Maybe beating a certain time, or racing every month. Also, the October training challenges should be coming through soon. Those are always motivating. Don't know if that'll be helpful.

P.S. You could always try for a Sprint with the baby on your back! That would be challenging!!!

Hi Rebecca!!!

Sprints are fun Rebecca you don't need to prepare much and don't take away too much time from family???, I know your a good swimmer , Olympics maybe good too being more swim focus

I just got back from a week in sunny Alberta (kind of what I think Texas might be like). Had a great time, saw daughter #2 married and had a nice family re-union and met some nice people (Groom's family). Best part was playing with Ellexandra our newest family member. As we were getting ready to leave early yesterday morning one of the farm dogs came running p to me with a muzzle loaded with porcupine quills - Youch!! Apparently, they pulled out 12 quills after we left.


Psy Tri - I too envy your late season race options. We are completely shut down here. Nothing happening until next May. I saw your latest post with an Oct 20th event, it sounds perfect for your training plan.

Danny - Congrats on your IMWI registration. I hope we'll be around together to cheer you on through your event. Do you have a training plan in mind?

Jillebean - I just signed up for a 3x/wk indoor cycling class starting at the end of October so I'll ride outside until then. I'm hoping to swim in the lake tomorrow and Friday but I'll be moving into the pool pretty soon. I'm hoping to run outside up to December though. So we're rapidly winding down here as well.

I was going to recommend you go for the 500m swim but it really depends on how confident you feel. So, what did you decide? I think I would take more time getting in and out of the pool than to swim the 100m swim (not that I'm a fast swimmer - just old and stiff).

Miche - It really is hard to get going again after you finish your "A" race and the tri season is winding down, eh! I haven't done much at all and the only things coming up around here is a couple 5K fun runs. Maybe I need to look south and find some more challenging runs like Las Vegas although I'd be shaking in my boots in the crush of people there.

Hashers & Mashers,

Sprint training plan is gonna have to have some modifications in the swim department. Just got diagnosed yesterday with . . . shingles! Not old. Not immuno-compromised. The only thing that preceded it was a very strenuous saltwater OWS. Go figure.

First appeared as a small patch of rash on my back. Thought it might be from saltwater ocean critters or an infected scratch. No such luck. Could transmit virus to folks who have never had chickenpox and who have never been vaccinated for chicken pox. Gotta stay out of the pool as a precaution. Doc says it won't be contagious after 2 weeks of treatment and disease progression. Unfortunately, the next 2 weeks are my peak weeks before taper. Used to swimming 3-4x/week. I'm in excellent condition and just building volume and confidence, but it's still very frustrating. I like sticking to my plan. Doc says to take it easy, but I'll probably just stick with my running and biking plans, assuming I don't start feeling fatigued from the condition.

Found a thread on BT about shingles, and it was very helpful in crafting this approach. Will have to be flexible in case things change. Such is life.

Down but not out,

Gary

Hi Gary, tough luck on the shingles. It seems strange but all of a sudden there seems to be a lot of people having issues with shingles. One fellow at Challenge had a lot of trouble finishing his run and couldn't figure out why but two days later he had a full blown case of shingles. Being younger you shouldn't have too much trouble but be very careful and if your body tells you not to do something listen to it. And that includes cancelling the Sprint altogether if need be. I hope it won't come to that but pay close attention to whatever your body tells you.

My wife is a pretty tough farm girl and when she had an episode of shingles a few years back it totally knocked her off her feet. And, she NEVER gets that bad. She even had to ask for help and this also very rarely happens.

Keep us posted on how you make out with it.

I'm doing a little "Happy Dance" today. Last year I participated in two Sprints and a young lady (age of my own kids) that swam with me all the previous winter coincidentally also participated in the same Sprints so we encouraged each other in those races.

Shortly after that she was diagnosed with Leukemia and moved to Richmond, BC to get treatment. From time to time we'd get a bit of news from her.

So, today, I went down to the beach and found no one there to swim with so I broke down and reluctantly went to the pool and was glad to see all the friends I hadn't seen since mid-May when I looked over to the Change Rooms exit and saw this girl (Khristie) walking out and towards our group. Turns out it was her and she is back home and in remission. She had a stem cell transplant in April and has been getting better since.

She said she has been swimming a few times since she returned and finds the swimming helps make her feel better. Other than that she looks great and sounded very upbeat. They won't tell her who donated the stem cells but she did find out they were from a European male. I'm going to have to look into this stem cell donating stuff.

On the other hand my swim was disappointing at best. The pool just isn't as inviting as the lake.

Congrats on your daughter getting married!

That sucks. You won't lose too much swim fitness in two weeks and if you keep running and biking you won't lose any cardio either. Might actually be a chance to add another run and bike workout in there if you are careful about it. If you do, you will probably see gains overall.

That is awesome about your swimming friend. Nice to hear about random strangers saving the lives of people they don't know.