Experior and Slornow's Winter Mentor Group-CLOSED (Page 38)

Finally, Finally, Finally got on a bike.  Not my trainer, but a bike.  Went to the club to swim 1700 yds. and then up to the bike room and hit the spin bike for an hour.  Put on the music and got after it. 

Yesterday after my 12 mile run I tried to take a ice bath.  It couldn't stand it.  That was was too painful.  Got out after about two minutes.

Brian-good job getting in the swim/bike.  Ice bath.....the first 2-3 minutes are the worst.  I find that a cold beer and something to read help provide distraction.  I dont do them often.  Usually only in the Summer after a tough brick.

Randy 

Hey everyone.  Sorry I've been a bit quiet lately.  This last week of 'spring school' really sucked a lot of my time and energy.  There were 5 of us faculty, and 20 students (mostly grad students).  We worked 4 two-hour sessions each day, plus time to prepare to the next day, plus these students were, well, younger than me and ready to party after dinner.  I got sucked into that a couple of times...

Blanda:  I agree with the others; just getting to the starting line is a huge accomplishment, and the terrain you were biking on is crazy.  (Looks like fun, but crazy!)  Don't knock yourself about it.  Be proud of how far you've come!

Rene:  What are you doing to your house?  (I'm always curious about these things, as my wife and I have done a lot of home remodeling, etc.)

Nice workouts this weekend, everyone.

On the bike:  nice!  

Ice bath:  Ha ha!  You almost made it over the hump.  About another minute and numbness sets in...

I have very strong Heed mixed in a bottle on my down tube -- strong enough to last the entire ride.  I dilute it as I go by taking a small bit then taking a swig of water.  I keep a water bottle in a 'torpedo' mount and exchange on the course.

Thank you for the encouragement. Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer. I'm not used to not finishing things. Reading your training updates has reminded me that my fitness will not wait for me to be over it. I'm done sulking.

Three big things I need to work on.

1. Sighting- I swam off course so many times. One of the paddlers eventually started shepherding me when I'd start trying to swim away from the course, which at one point I looked up and noticed I was actually swimming at a 45 degree angle away from it. Holy smokes! I also cut off a buoy that I had to go back and circle to be able to continue. The positive, I had no fear at all. Swim was steady and comfortable from beginning to end even if more than the required amount and all crazy.

2. Learn how to use my clipless pedals that I have been afraid to even try. I biked in my trail shoes and my feet were constantly slipping off the pedals, which lead to a fall that I am surprised I biked away from. I have large and lovely bruise where some part of my bike raked across my quad. I was hesitant going down the steep stuff after that, which I'm sure didn't help my time.

3. Over all fitness. That course demanded a fitness level I obviously did not possess. I do not want to be beat by a clock again. I need to be able mistakes without having to fear not meeting a cut off time.

I'm motivated to rock that race next year. I'm training as of now.

Hope your week gets off to a great start!

We all have down moments, Blanda.  Don't apologize for sharing yours!  That's one of the reasons we have a group.

I've not mountain biked a lot, but I have to say that the few times that I have done it I have had more than a few moments of near terror.  And I'd also say that more than any other type of riding, it will teach you how to use those clipless pedals.  I thought I was pretty good at getting into them until my first time trying to clip in riding up a 20% grade with rocks and tree roots everywhere.

Keep at it.  You WILL conquer the race next year!

Very positive attitude Blanda - that by itself can take you a long way.

Got out for a 60km ride today, first time in a long time I've been outdoors on the bike, or just on a bike for that long.  Felt good, althought I tried to keep myself in check to not overdo it - even still the legs were starting to protest with 15km to go.

Morning all.  What's happening today?  I'm probably going to swim and bike, but we'll see what stacks of paperwork on on my desk from being away all last week...

Have a great day!

Short run and masters class after work.  May try to squeeze in a easy spin on the exercise bike at work, but not likely.

Finished watching the Paris-Nice race I had DVR'd.  Really makes me want to jump on my bike...LOL.

On the road for work today.  Scheduled rest day....back at it tomorrow.

Randy

Ouch!! I'm using the regular pedals the bike came with. I need to practice with the clipless ones before I head into the tough parts of the hills, for sure, but my friends that I ride with sing their praises and are just shaking their head at me for not using them already.

Heading to the gym today to get in some running and strength work. Looking forward to it, actually.

My souvenir from the epic fall:

Have a great evening!

Blanda -- Ouch!!!  Hope that heals up quickly.

Rene -- fantastic that you've re-experienced the joy of training.  I love those moments.

I managed not to make it to the pool today.  I had a dreadfully awful day at work.  This is a semi-public forum, and I've been 'tracked down' here before, so I can't really report on the details, but suffice it to say that it totally sucked.  I went on a bike ride to try to take my mind off of it, but instead I just stewed about it, even talking to myself for portions of the ride -- I'm sure some other cyclists thought I was crazy, and maybe I am....

Trying to be mindful of what matters in life -- I'm going to play some games with my kids until their bed time...  Have a wonderful evening everyone.

Randy,  nice run off the bike.  I'd be more than satisfied if I could run that fast.  Great workout!!!

Blanda...Dang that looks like it hurts a bunch.  Hang in there.

Am planning to head to the garage and ride for an hour or so on the trainer.  Big winds and loads of rain today.  Maybe snow on the valley floor tomorrow.  We'll see.

Michael: Sounds like a heck of a day. Hope things look up at work for you.

Brian: Hope you got your training in!

I was quite relieved to walk away from that fall. It's one of those where you lay there a minute and wiggle fingers and toes to make sure nothing important is broken. My internal organs felt like they shifted a bit, that's for sure. Saw the gash in my leg and just went mentally numb. Got on the bike and kept going so I wouldn't freak out. I'm a wuss with the blood and stuff.

Got in a 4 mile run in at the gym. I'm not taking the runs outside until the heat lightens up a bit. It's been averaging 95 & higher daily. That's dang hot at noon with no cloud coverage! Worked on abs and arms with the medicine ball too. Need to strengthen up so I can carry my bike that weighs like a small car.

Have a great day tomorrow!

Question for the group - who swims?  I mean really swims, i.e. 4-5 times per week (yes I consider that really swimming), and can attribute speed gains due to just extra swimming.

I've been swimming the same pace for quite a while, and while injured/lazy over the past few months my swimming has been sporadic at best.  Lessons/coaching are a no go, so I'm wondering how much I can really gain/improve just by increasing volume and consistency.

For the record, I was swimming a 1:39/100yd pace for a 1000yd TT last year, and it probably wouldn't take me too much to get back there.  It's just getting beyond that which I'd like to see but struggle with.

Niel...I've been trying to swim 4x per week.  2 masters classes, one 2k OWS, and one shorter 1500ish swim after a long bike or long ride.  Haven't been consistant in getting that last swim done though.  But overall I've been happy with the results the volume has produced.  I believe the 1000y TT I did last year was very similar to yours...maybe 1:38 pace.  I might do another TT this Friday just to see my progress, but I have a feeling I'll be in the 1:34 range.

My biggest hurdles are still technique based.  But I'm happy with where my swim fitness.  I don't get nearly as gassed during my swims.  But I don't think I could swim too much more.  I've hurt both my rotater cuffs in the past, and swimming over 10k per week starts to aggrivate them a bit.

Neil-I'm about where you are on the swim.  Last 1000 TT was around 1:37-38/100 yards.  No real change in a year or more.  When I hurt my hamstring a couple of years ago I was doing 40k yards/month swimming and saw some improvement.  More in swim fitness than speed.  I just can't swim comfortably.  I can do an easy run or ride with a low heart rate and low level of exertion but not with swimming.  Even when going easy (HR around 120-130) it still feels hard.  Of course going faster causes HR to go higher.  Would love to get to where I could do 1000TT averaging under 1:30. 

I have my 3rd swim lesson/session of the year tomorrow.......maybe I'll find the magic

Randy 

Had a great Run Interval workout this evening.  I was surprised to see my heart rate in the 170 - 176 bpm (pretty even throughout) expecting it to be in the 185 on the mile intervals and 800 intervals.  Anyway I did a 2 mile interval at a 9:34 pace; 2 x 1mile intervals at 9:00 pace or lower and 2 x 1/2 mile intervals around 8:30 pace.  Felt good.  The pace was 30 sec. per mile faster than I was suppose to go.  I don't think I was too spent at the end and this was after a pretty tough bike ride on the trainer last night.  We'll see how my body reacts the rest of the week.  No swim tonight.  Had to stay late at work and go to part of the school board meeting.

My workout is posted along with lap times and heart rate zones.  Interested in what you think.  3/13/13