Mike's group closed (Page 4)

Sorry guys been out of touch over the holidays.  I've spent alot of time with different family and not doing alot of work so haven't been on the computer much.  I'm glad I joined this group before all of that though.  I gained even more weight over the holidays but I knew I would.  I haven't really done any training yet.  I weighed in this morning at 294.4.  Thats pretty much the most I've ever weighed.  I ordered the book "When Big Boys Tri"  last week and look forward to giving it a read when it arrives. 

I have decided to start an official tri program next monday on the 12th.  This week I'm setting some other goals.  I'm going to do some walking and some short bike rides each day but nothing too strenuous.  I'm going to set my training blog up and pick out the races I am going to short for. My brother and I are having a National Championship party on thursday (yes I am a SOONER) and then my birthday is on saturday so I figured it was pointless to start a diet before after all that.  So focus on getting moving again...gradual changes in diet...more water less soda. 

I want to use the 22 week plan I thinik.  Any thoughts? 

btw, my pic came from a 5k I done about 2 years ago.

Hey guys (and gal), I've been out of touch for the past few days/week as well enjoying the holidays a bit too much.  I battled a bit of a cold, but was able to start my workouts back up and finally updated my training log/blog.  Not sure if I did it correctly - everyone feel free to critique and criticise, I can take it!  As a Jersey boy, I'm stuck here in 30 degree temperatures, so there's no swimming, biking or running outside.  I'm relegated to the gym which isn't a bad thing, but certainly not the same as training outdoors.

A few questions I'm hoping the group can help out with.    I was on the spin bike at the gym for 45 minutes on Saturday and really struggled on keeping focus and although it was a good "spin", I just didn't feel like I had a great workout.  After giving it a lot of thought, I think it's mainly b/c the only thing I had to go by was my HRM.  I'm used to my actual bike where I use my computer to judge cadence, distance, speed, etc.  On the spin bike there's nothing.  I could use the actual fitness bikes, but they are nothing like an actual bike (and the seat is way too big and uncomfortable).  Anyone have any ideas on what I can do to have an effective bike workout?

Now a swim question - I read in one of the forum discussions about the "0 to 1 mile" swim plan, here's the link: http://ruthkazez.com/ZeroTo1mile.html

Has anyone tried this?  Does it look like a good workout?  I'm pretty good with my form in the swim, just trying to get back into swim shape.

Let me know your thoughts on my logs/blog.  If you can't see it and you need me to do something to add you as friends or something let me know.  Still trying to learn this site as well.

Pete

Two conversations here.  The wetsuit thing.  Sleeveless or not?  I like the full sleeve. I have had both.  The sleeveless does allow some more movement but to me it feels a little weird to be so enclosed everywhere else but the arms. I felt "unbalanced".  If you spend the time getting the suit on well and pulling up on the body and armpits, then the movement isn't all that bad.  Cold water was an issue too with out sleeves.  I think it is just a matter of your own opinion.  

Hey Heath.  Good to see you!  How tall are you?  It does make a difference relative to your weight.  As far as the 22 week plan goes, when would be your first race?  Without knowing much more, I would generally say go for it.  I would also add that if the plan wouldn't start until, let's say April,  then there is a lot we could do between now and then to that would benefit you a lot.  I'll keep checking your logs we'll go from there.

Hey Mike,

I'm 6'4 or 6'5 depending on how much I've settled haha.. 

I haven't decided on a race.  I wanted to find one somewhere nice like Florida but wasn't sure how it works taking a bike and other equipment on a plane.  I figured I"d be more motivated to go somewhere I"ve never been before but then again maybe I should do the first one somewhere close.  I wanted to do my first one somewhere in may or june I think but I am open. 

Last spring, airlines were charging around $100.00 to ship bikes one way.  That doesn't include you taking it apart, packaging it, reassembling it before your race, and then repeating to get it home.  Kind of a hassle.

Hey Pete.  45 minutes on a spin bike on your own is pretty boring. Two things that help me:

1) Spin class.  I don't know if these are ideal for tri-training or not, but I like the fact that they at least make the time pass MUCH faster than a solo spin.

2) Ipod shuffle.  I guess this is obvious, but if I have music that matches my mood, sometimes I can zone out for large sections of the ride/spin. Another thing that helps break up a workout sometimes is to put the songs in a particular order ahead of time and then go hard for certain songs (or parts of them) and easier for others.  Again, I don't know if this is good training practice or not.

Rob

Spinning has been great for me.  I've been spinning for a year now between 4 to 6 times a week depending on what's going on.  But I only do the spinning class because it has a certain structure to the work out.  We similate climbs and sprints by increasing or decreasing tension.  This also builds your cycling legs and you burn anywhere from 400 to 600 calories an hour.  That is probably my hardest work out and I'm drenched when I'm done.  I'm not sure that the regular bikes (no tension adjustment) do anything for you.

My 2 cents... 

Sandra 

Hey pete.  Biking indoors is my weakness.  It drives my head crazy.  Don't fret too much about having a good or bad workout.  You'll have them, more then once or twice too.  Just know that you'll have good ones also and it all even's out.

If you look at my logs, you'll see I don't keep track of my speed, distance or heart rate on the bike and on much else.  Just the time and how hard I work.

The spin bike is better than no bike or the fitness bike.  It is worth getting an indoor trainer to hook your road/tri bike up to though.  They aren't too much, you can ride at home and put it in front of a TV.  The only thing I can watch and not loose too much focus while riding is UFC or MMA fighting.  It gets me through some long rides until spring time.  There is a video on the main page here that is pretty good.  Long too, so just shorten the time a little.  It is a good, intense workout that keeps your mind occupied watching the clock.

The swim workout is pretty decent.  Not great, but not bad.  It lacks drills to improve form and efficiency and technique.  You could be reinforcing lots of bad habits otherwise.   I bet if I gave you $500.00 to swim a mile you could do it.  It shouldn't be a matter of just making the distance though.  (also note that there are rests in that "mile".  Try to do the distance in open water, non stop and it will be harder then aything on that work out.  My point is, after swimming all those work outs and then adding bike rides and running into the mix 5-6 dyas a week for a month or two or more and you'll be able to swim more then just a mile.  There are lots of drills on you tube and in the forums here.  Add them up and mix them up to come up with a workout to fit the time you need and you'll be good to go.

Ok well I found a race I'm going to shoot for as long as I can keep up with the training but if I can't then I'll find one further down the road. 

This race is exactly 22 weeks from next week when I plan to start the Michael Plate 22 week program so it works out just right. The race is also just a couple hours drive from me and is actually a shorter race than most sprints I've seen (400meter swim, 11mile bike, 2mile run)

Metroplex Sprint Triathlon (Triathlon)
6/13/2009 in Grand Prairie , Texas

Doctor put me on antibiotics for a lingering sinus infection I caught from my kids.  Tried to swim today and was really tired.  More so than before I started the antibiotics when I just had the infection.  I assume this is normal? This is my first time mixing working out with antibiotics, so thought I'd check.  Didn't think to ask my doctor.

On a related note:  Do those of you living in nice warm places (like Houston!) experience an increase in illnesses during the winter?  Before I had kids I used to get maybe one cold/winter, and some years nothing.  Now that I've got kids I seem to get a couple things each winter.

Hey Heath!  That sounds like a cool, easy race to do.  Wish it was closer.  I would love to get on a race with one of you guys.  That sounds way doable!!!

Rob, sorry to hear that you're on meds.  I think that antibiotics  do somethig with your immune system and actually makes you tired.  Well, just being sick makes you tired too.  I would take it easy, rest and recoup.  Aside from delaying your healing it might also compromise your form which is very important.  Don't pick up any bad habits!  As for being sick because of the weather, I think it's the kids and not the weather.  LOL  This is from someone who has no kids.  Dogs don't get colds. 

As long as I'm on a roll, here's today's question:  since it's been so cold (mid 50's now -- bbbrrrr!!!) I haven't had the drive to go run outside.  Do you think that running in the gym at the treadmill provides you with a similar workout and conditioning?  I 've always thought that running on a tredamill was useless.  What do you guys think?  How can you make it more strenuous and more of a workout?  Will I be able to run outside with the indoor training? 

Hi Sandra,

It's definitely the kids, but the kids primarily get sick in the winter, so wondered what it is about the winter that causes this increase in illness.  I've heard that it's because of closer quarters.  If true, I'd think warmer climes would have less of a spike in colds.

Regarding the dreadmill...  I got back into training by starting last year (Jan'08) running on the treadmill at the gym to lose weight.  I did this until August before I finally started running outside.  At that point, I was able to run pretty good pace (6 min/mile) for around 5 miles on the tmill.  When I transitioned to running outside, I initially found that I tired much faster at the same pace due to hills - had been keeping the tmill at 1.5% or less.  I also found that the road beat my legs up a little more than the tmill.  But it took only about two weeks until I could run similar paces inside and outside. 

So my experience is that there is some difference between the tmill and road, but the treadmill fitness converts pretty quickly into road fitness, and probably more so if you include hill work on the treadmill.

As far as getting a good strenuous workout in on a treadmill...  The only time I've had this problem is when I use a cheap treadmill so that I don't feel comfortable.  Then it's hard to relax enough to settle in to a good hard run.  Have you been using the treadmill for very long?  Perhaps you need a little more time to get comfortable on it?  It usually takes me a couple sessions to get used to any piece of equipment (spin bike, tmill, etc) before I can really get in a hard workout.  Having said that, my wife is a life-long 35-40 mi/wk runner and has never been able to get comfortable running on a treadmill. 

I think the closed quarters doesn't help much.  Kids get all kinds of gross stuff at school and bring it home too.  I used to teach elementary school for 8 years and there is some nasty funk that goes on there.

50 degrees is balmy where I come from!  Unless it is icy out or real muddy on my dirt roads, I'll run outside.  The only reason for me is that it just feels better.  The treadmill tends to bore me out of my mind.  I wear Under Armour and a light windbreaker outfit over top.  Some light gloves and hat and I am good to go.  The bike is a different story though.  There is a little difference between the two as mentioned, but not a whole lot.  I would say that the differences would be more noticeable at longer distances like 6+ miles

Where do you all swim? 

During the holidays my local university's pool was closed so I got to swim at the Y.  Went back to the U's pool today.  Lots more lanes, and not as warm as the Y's pool made it a nice swim.  But, one thing I didn't anticipate was that the U's pool has the lanes going perpendicular to the black lines at the bottom of the pool (the black lines are for the 50 meter lane configuration).  Found myself swimming into the lane boundaries for the first several laps until I got the hang of it.  Guess that means I'm not naturally a straight swimmer!

The Y until sprng, then at the school where I teach and when the water is above 58, open water as much as possible.

Hope everyone is doing well!

I swim at the gym (24 hour fitness) but would love to get some open water if I could but that's a little scarry at this point.  Think I would freak out.  Although I dive and love being under water and I'm very comfortable in the water I sort of have issues above water.  Guess it's all the shark attack thing.  I dive with them all the time and they are awesome but when you're at the top of the water looking like a yummy seal...  it's a whole other story.  LOL

I'll be looking to practice in open water when it gets warmer.

Yeppie for Friday!!!  Here comes the weekend everyone, time to work hard and kick some a&^(!!! 

There is a communicty center a couple blocks from my house that has open swimming 3 days a week and then I am thinking of joining the Y in Norman, where I work 3 or 4 days a week. 

I've been having some trouble with my left hip for a few weeks now and since i have been walkign and riding it has really bothered me so I went to the doc today to get it under wraps before the official training starts monday.  He said I had bursitus (sp) and gave me a steroid pack and said it shoudl be good to go by monday.  He was happy to hear I was going to start some exercise programs but ask me to ease into it.  

 Its ON!

 On a sad note...my Sooners fell short tonight....can we have a moment of silence please...I'm bummed...

The water may be cold here, but there are no sharks.  I guess it's a trade off.

 Good to see your healing Heath.

 I have only been swimming seriously for two years and still feel like I have so much to learn.  I've decided to "restart" today in the pool and go back to some slow drills and really, really focus on my form and not speed.  I hope that come spring time, my form will be so tight, I can just crank on it and be like a motor boat.  Patience, patience I guess.

Hey all, sorry I haven't posted this week, it's been a busy one with work.  Just logged the few workouts I've been able to do, but right now I'm battling a serious cold that I thought I kicked earlier (Wiky - take it from me, it's the kids that get us sick, my younger son keeps passing this cold between all of us in my house!)  Unfortunately I haven't been able to workout since Wednesday, but hopefully I can get into the gym this weekend.

Thanks for the advice on the spin bike.  I'm definitely going to try spin class.  Listening to the ipod and spinning on my own just isn't cutting it.  I have a trainer for my road bike, but I feel like the moment I get in the car to go to the gym I'm 100% committed to working out.  I may think of getting one of those Spinervals DVDs and give that a shot and set the trainer up again.

MikeP - $500 to swim a mile huh?  Now that's a great mentor - cash incentives!!! LOL   I appreciate your thoughts on the swim workout.  I'll start searching here and on youtube for some workouts.  I never really thought about my form b/c I've always been a solid swimmer, but I guess it really could make a huge difference.

Hope everyone's workouts are going well.  Heath I was pulling for your Sooners last night as I dreaded the bragging being done by my friends who are Gator alumni.  UGGHH!!  Hope that your hip is feeling better!

Pete

I do pretty much all of my swimming at the Y.  Although, I we have a 5 Acre pond at my house, so once things warm up I might start doing some swimming there instead.  It'd be a little tough right now since there's a thin layer of ice on it...

And there is a huge difference between cycling in 30 degree weather and running.  Like Mike said on the run, underarmor top and bottom, light windbreaker, gloves and something to keep the ears warm.  It's amazing how much you can sweat when it's 30 degrees out.  And that underarmor type stuff really works....  Speaking of that, our local Wal-Mart has Starter brand stuff for about $15 per piece.  I bought a long sleeve shirt and tights and they work great...

I find that planning out my workout for the week and actually scheduling times and sets keeps me committed to it.  Sometimes social opportunities comes up and I have to look really hard at what the plan was for the day before I would say yes to that drink (workout vs extra calories...  hhhmmm....). 

Of course it's way easier to do when you're single with no kids as the dogs can take care of themselves.  In any case, it takes a lot of work and committment to stick with a healthy life style.  If you think of your workout as a lifestyle and not just another seasonal fad you'll stick with it for life.  Believe me, health and fitness is so valuable as you grow older!

Hope everyone has great plans for working out over the weekend!  Go Sooners!!!!  

I agree with Sandra.  It really is a lifestyle.  You commit to it or you don't.  It is a s simple as that.  There is a line in one of the Ironman Kona race from the guy who narrates it every year.  It is something like "If you quit, no one will really notice.  But you will always know".  I like that one.  As much as I'd like to think that people might admire what I do or the commitment I must have.  The reality is nobody really cares that much-or at least not as much as I do.

Here is a temporary link that you can put in your blog that will take you to our "mikep's mentor" forum.  This way, if you want to post something, you won't have to search for it each time.  You can just open up your training log and click on the link.  I am hoping to get one made up with everyone's individual link on it too.  Here is how you do it.  Open your training log in your blog, click Change Display Settings (it's in small print on the left hand side, right underneath the calendar). Under the goals section you can copy and paste the following link into the long term or short term goals area. (it doesn't matter which)

Mikep'smentorgroup[ /url ]

Next time you open your training log, you'll see a link at the top.  It won't be pretty, but it will have to do until I get a cooler looking version.

Okay, so I think I've got the "feeling the water" down as well as a good feel for the proper form now.  I'm wondering how I would step it up to increase my endurance and pace.  Or is it still too early?  What do you guys think of this training I found?

500 yards or meters warm up (work slowly, stretching out)

 12 x 50 yards or meters

            4 x 50 on 20 seconds rest after each

            4 x 50 on 10 seconds rest after each

            4 x 50 on 5 seconds rest after each

 10 x 100 yards or meters

Do each of these 100’s with 30 seconds of rest after each. Try to drop 2 seconds from each 100 repeat. So if you swim the first 100 on 1:50, you will be swimming the last one on 1:32. This is one of the best sets I know to learn pacing. If you have trouble doing this the first time you try, put it into your workouts once a week. Learning how it feels to swim at targeted speeds is an important skill for swimming longer events.

 12 x 25 yards or meters

            Swim nice and easy but work on nice streamlining* off each wall.

I used to think I was pretty good at swimming, until recently.  I started to re-think my form through.  Almost like starting to re-learn from the begining.  I have started over with some of the same drills I used when I was learning how to swim for the first time.  It is amazing how much I forgot how good form feels.  Now I feel so much better.

So to answer your question is tough for me.  It would obvioulsy help to see you swim, but that's not really possible.  If you notice in most every training program, there is a short and long day for each "sport".  The long ones are supposed to be used for endurance and form and the short ones for speed and muscle twitch.  So in essence, you are always working on both ideas, speed and endurance at the same time.  Also many programs include periodization.  This means certain months focus one one aspect more then the others but over time you are building in general.

In my opinion, swimming should always include drill sets to constantly check and reinforce your form.  On short swims they will be more intense and include some speed drills.  On long swims they will be less intense, longe sets, and more on form only.

You seems to be in great shape.  Your initial race plans have short swims in them and I think you are already where you need to be for them.  If you are looking to do longer races (half iron or full ironman!!) then endurance should become more of a focus.

Check this out!  If you highlight this, then copy and paste this in your Short term goals or Long term goals section (either one, it doesn't matter) then you will be able to click on any name and it will take you right to that person's blog or to our forum.  It won't work if you just click the names here.  You must highlight, copy and paste it into your long term or short term goals section under your control panel.

Here is a link that you can read that helped me make this and helps you make your blog fun!  http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1609