The Mac's training group - CLOSED! (Page 4)

Hi all--btw I signed up for the Tour de France Challenge (oh, duh ... sorry ... guess my avatar and sig gives it away now).  Lord knows I need bike time like, well, a newbie!

I put in my first TdF ride today--just 15 minutes (so I was a little tired from the TEN MILE RUN I did right before it)--but it was so great just to cruise and enjoy myself.  I was in flipflops .  But with a helmet, always.

Also, I really am a complete newbie--I did my two triathlons, both of which had significant hills, in the SAME GEAR the whole way through--I still don't know how to shift gears (as stated in my intro post.  That, and the cruiser handlebars).  However, just doing a nice smooth ride today on a deserted street to get the minutes in gave me the perfect opportunity to play around with the gears and start figuring out the intricacies of my bike.  The dudes at the LBS did point out that it's a pretty high-end, sensitive bike and you really have to know the gears, how that individual bike responds, and how to finesse 'em.  Okay, okay!

I got the bike through a stroke of luck ... I had no concept of its performance or value, and clearly, neither did the seller. 

Welcome aboard Yan, Pete and Lazy.  This place is a forum to share and learn from each other as you guys get started in this sport.  I'm always available to answer questions and will do my best to get back to you guys if you send me a PM although my summer schedule is hectic to say the least.

Nice job on the swim Brian.  I didn't do so hot in my swim at Sunday's race so I need to get my a$$ in the pool a bit more.  As with all things, doing more of it will make you more comfortable and better at it.

Keep it up!!

Hear, hear.  Hearty welcome to Pete and Emily.  Thanks all for making me feel at home here.

Had been quite frustrated with the bike as of late simply b/c of stark newness to cycling--learned to ride a bike a week before my first triathlon (2005) and didn't cycle very much before my second one (June 2007). Much sympathy for swim frustrations, because that's how I've felt on the bike--which hand goes where, can't steer with just one so how do I change gears, what is changing gears, ouch that's the pedal slamming into my heel, etc.

Finally had a breakthrough in cycling today (more in log).  Being part of BT Tour de France Challenge has helped immensely ... I'm a smart girl, but until I started doing short rides to fulfill my Stage quotas, it had never occurred to me to do short, easy rides on clear paths to learn the bike, learn how to ride the bike, learn how I am on the bike.

Anyway, on my long ride today, it all finally came together.  Just realized now that not only did it turn out to be an epic ride, but I managed to drink from the water bottle, eat some Clif Blocks, and change to different/appropriate gears all while riding.

Not that putting in a 32-mile ride over last week's long one of 20 was particularly wise--didn't plan it that way, but when it clicks, sometimes you have to go for it.  In any case, I am really looking forward to my recovery week next week!

Boneboy, thanks for the constant lifts.  Your kindness, and the support in this group, are at the top of today's gratitude list, for sure.

Workouts today felt sluggish after yesterday's epic ride.  I haven't been on a periodized schedule for so long (well, not like this one, anyway!) ... is it normal to feel so UGH and drag oneself through the end of the third build-up week (I'm on a 3 build, 1 recovery)?

Yeah, it's normal, especially after overdoing it yesterday.  Part of the discipline in this sport is as much not pushing yourself as it is pushing yourself.  I think your ride yesterday was awesome, but try not to overdo it on a regular basis lest the evil burnout monster rear its head.  The 10% rule is what I try to go by and encourage others to as well (don't do more than 10%  in time week over week; so if you did 20 last week, try to keep this week at 22 etc.).  Besides, there is no "normal" in this sport, only what works for you!  Keep it up.

Hi all! How'd weekend training/races go? Thanks for all the reminders to ease up--even in a big build-up week need to ease back on sections if I go longer/harder on one than anticipated.

Yeah, been losing sleep to watch that dodgy little bike race in France. If you didn't notice/don't remember, I'm also part of the BT TdF challenge , adds to the excitement. 

I did have a very startling "first" today.

There's always a gazillion pics of me; my friends are a bunch of happy shutterbugs and we do a lot of events/social/sports stuff (oh, and I'm an attention hog). My coach just posted a bunch of pics of our AIDS Marathon training groups, and I kept looking through them, but couldn't find any with me.

I looked harder at the ones with people from my pace group and with great shock realized that the normal-sized girl in there was me. That's why I couldn't find me. I was looking for the fat chick and she wasn't there. I am sure other people haven't thought I was fat for a long time, so my body has been making the transition, but my mind finally caught up. I have a ways to go, but I didn't know until today how far I'd come.

I know a bunch of us have some serious before-and-afters and all of you, for overcoming whatever your personal challenges have been, have my deepest respect. Thank you so much for the continuing inspiration.

My Race Log