tcovert's Winter 2009 Mentor Group - FULL (Page 36)

Amber, great job!

More on bike intervals in Bicycling magazine's March edition by Selina.  She doesn't even use HR.  Just a watch and directions like go fast for 30 secs., recover one minute, repeat.  Easy to follow. 

On a personal note, I ran a 5K St. Patty's Day Run today at 29:37.  Best yet.  Certainly not tearing it up but by golly not bad for a guy who was walking four mins., running two just last August.  The weekly run club workouts with coaches are really helping.  I even had a kick at the end.

I ran out faster than normal, heard 9 minutes and change at the first mile and thought, Hey, you might do it (break 30 mins.)  Then heard 18 minutes and something like 45 at mile 2 and I thought Geez, I might just!  I tried to pull out then but couldn't, just was at the limit so I backed off a minute, caught my breath and then tried again.  I was huffing and puffing at the chute but running all out.  Felt really great to see that 29:00 on the click as I got closer and knew I had it.  What a rush. 

The run was after about an hour of a bike ride over there.  600 people, I knew parking would be a problem.  Not for me and I was warmed up when I got there.  Worked really well. 

Thanks for all your help and encouragement here.  You guys are really a great team to belong to.

This week is a retest on bike FTP.  Hard 40 minutes on a computerized trainer.  Pray for me.

Have a great week!   

Great job Amber! That's awesome that you had a great time. It sounds like you're hooked! That's entirely the reason to do this, 'cause we love it.  I've had to pull myself back to that feeling before...don't forget it.

Scott, another great 5k! It's so awesome to see you setting new pr's every couple weeks!

Lynn, my trainer advice. Put on a good action movie, and forget about everything

I've been ramping up my volume of training to get ready for the start of the Ironman training program. The pool was closed last week, but I'm back this week. I'm still not doing any speedwork on the run, do to the knee injury, but I'm encouraged by no pain! I did a 6 mile run this week, and I'll hopefully be able to stretch that each week without any knee probs (it's become a mental hurdle).

I hope everyone has a great week, sorry I haven't been up to date on inspires, posts, etc. Things have been pretty busy. I'll do better

Jake

Hey Lynn,

Robbie Ventura and Vision Quest out out videos to train with.  I'm working with a VQ coach and everything they do seems to be top notch. 

Thanks for all the support.  I appreciate this group more than I can say.  Really nice to be able to come here and get support and positive feedback from people who understand what this takes.  

Thanks for the info Scott (and everyone else, too). This is a really great supportive group. I can hardly wait for you all who haven't raced much to get out there and mix it up!

And, Todd, you're really doing great. I hope your orthotics take care of the problem for you. 

Bike re-test tonight.  40 mins on a Computrainer that simulates a mountain stage of an old ride called Coors in Colorado, where else.  Mostly grades, but some downhill which I hate on tests because you have to pedal so fast to maintain wattage goals.  The result was an average 245 watts over the time period.  That was up 20 watts or about 9 percent from just 6 weeks ago when Stan Watkins from Vision Quest volunteered to help me get it together. 

Other positives - my pedaling was strong and measured and equal thanks to one legged drills, ugh.  They pay off.  Cadence was way higher.  I was a gear cruncher when I started.  Now, average cadence was well over 90 rpms.  I felt really good. 

I like swimming, I tolerate the run and like what it does from the standpoint of weight loss and fitness, but I LOVE the bike.

Hey, I never made the connection with American Flyer!  I love that movie..own it...Kevin Costner's first movie, I think.  I loved that hippie chick, too.  I'll never be able to do that FTP test again without thinking of American Flyer.  Very cool.

And yes, the test is a bi....very hard.  :/

Sounds like training is coming along for everyone. I am set to do the tri club race tomorrow morning. It's a sprint. One of the benefits of tri club membership -- free races and practice.

Happy Spring everyone!!

Hi all -- Me again. Just wanted to tell you all about my tri club race this morning. It was a sprint -- 800 M swim, 12 ish bike and nearly 4 mile run. I felt pretty good after the morning nerves went away. After getting kicked, poked and swam over a bit, really was able to get into a rhythm in the swim. Water wasn't too cold after all -- maybe 60? But felt warmer, thankfully. Bike and run were good, too. The run was longer than the 3 I had expected, but that's good for me because I really do better on a longer run and I negative split this one. This race was a test for me to see if I could go in my bigger chain ring on the bike and push a bit and still run fairly well. I'm happy. I must say all those young ones at the tri club are definitely there to meet and greet. I was there for my workout more than anything. So the social aspect was less than satisfying, but hey -- it's all good.

Thanks for listening and for all your support. 

Great on sprint triathlon.  I envy you!  Still way too cold to swim outdoors here but getting into the bike a lot.  53 on Friday, 45 today.  Yesterday was with a friend to just go have fun on a furlough day.  Today was a planned drill.  93% of FTP which comes to 225 watts for 5 mins a time for 9 times.  Had to find the right combination of hills and wind to get that done.  Rugged but fun, I have to admit. 

Have a great Sunday.

Hey Scott -- I don't really "get" all the FTP power meter stuff, but what I do get is that you're really a strong guy and you're doing very well. Cancer's got NOTHING on you!

Thanks. I am working hard.  Cancer reminded me I don't have as much time as some to try to peak before the age thing starts limiting me.  With losses in the 401K, no contribution from the company this year due to the economy, no raises either, my retirement plan has become;

1. Lose more weight

2. Get more in shape

3. Do triathlons, stretching out to an Ironman, or at least a half. 

4.  Write book.

5. Get on Oprah.

6.  Retire a rich author and do speaking gigs. 

How's that for dreaming!! 

Love it! I'm sure you know about those visualization studies where people just visualize shooting baskets and compare them to the ones who actually do the physical action of shooting -- practicing and seeing it in your mind works. If you get on Oprah then I can say I know a jeopardy champ and a famous author. That would be just two degrees of separation.

Btw -- I have a book half-written as well. :-)