kenj group - Closed (Page 4)

Wayne,

Sounds like a great race.  Where was it, Woodlands?

Congrats on the PR!!!!  Nice job!!!

Awesome! A 10 minute PR is a great way to start the new year!  Having great crowd support and your name on the bib is a great motivator and helps keep your spirits high!

That looks like an awesome place to ride!  Great job too, getting your century for the month in!

I think that would be a good idea.  Typically the plans are 20 weeks which, if my math is correct, would have you starting the plan on Feb 1st.  You should look at the different plans and figure out which you feel would fit your schedule the best.  Some have more days per discipline per week, some are more intense, some are designed just to get you to the finish line.  I can help with any questions you many have with the different plans. 

Once you choose a plan, you then need to look at the first weeks volume and between now and then build up to that volume level.  We can do that with a winter maintenance plan.  You can load it by end date so it will line up with the plan you choose for your race. 

Later this afternoon, I will look at the different plans available to you and recommend a couple.  Its great to have a target race!  You'll have to let us know what the name(s) of the hill on the run course are that they wont put on their site!

With your bike experience I would suggest looking at either the run or swim focused plans - There are 16 week or 20 week plans.  I would suggest a 20 week plan and spend the time between now and the planned start date working on getting your swim and run volume up to the level of the first couple of weeks.  These plans do not start out real intense so you are probably already close, if not beyond those levels now.

Like I said above, you need to look closely at the plans and determine which fit into your schedule the best (from an hours available per week perspective).  You can always move the workouts around a bit if you need to.  Plus with your bike, you can add in any additional time you want to meet your bike goals.

Oh man, I want to focus on the one thing I'm pretty good at.. not the two things I suck at! 

Ha! Don't we all!!!

There's a saying you will hear from time to time around here; "train your weaknesses, race your strengths"!  

Has anyone seen the documentary Spirit of the Marathon?

http://www.marathonmovie.com/index2.html

I rented it from NetFlix and really enjoyed it.  I *might* be able to get a small version (suitable for iPod) put out on the net for you guys to screen if you're interested.

I've heard that it is a good movie, but haven't had a chance to see it yet.  It is one I am planning on renting for one of my long trainer rides I have coming up.

So, I am wondering, what is everybody's biggest challenge to overcome with your training?  Time?  Family?  Motivation?  Let's talk about some of these things and see if we can work through them together!

I've completed about 2.5 weeks of the Couch to Sprint 12 W program and am very pleased with my progress.  My endurance and strength have improved greatly and I've dropped a few lbs.   I've registered for 3 sprint races in March, May, and June and am psyched about those.

However, tomorrow my job resumes after a 2 week holiday break.  In the past I've let it be all consuming and work long days including a long stressful commute.  So naturally, I'm concerned that my job will suck my tri motivation right out of me.  I have a couple of typical strategies like using a fitness center at work and scheduling time for workouts but it may be a slipperly slope to maintain the plan I'm on.  Any other ideas?

I like to budget my time, the same way I would my finances.  I do this by taking the same time everyday for myself (tri training).  I happen to be a morning person so I get up early and get my workout in before work.  The big thing here is that I work with my family of type A, workaholics.  To some of them it is a race to work in the morning, and no one wants to be the first one out in the evening.  For the last 2 years I am probably the last to arrive.  This time of year when I am only doing one a day workouts, or the second workout is swimming later in the evening I may stick around a little later, but as soon as the weather breaks and I can ride or run after work, I will probably be one of the first out the door.  For what it is worth, I get more done now then I used to in a day at work simply because I know my day is going to be shorter so I have to manage my time better.

The day is always going to be 24 hours long.  Just because we have become involved in a new healthy lifestyle doesn't change that.  So we have to look at places that we can become more efficient with our time.  If that means a 45 minute workout at lunch time every day, or getting up 30 minutes earlier, so be it.  I think the key is consistancy.  If we try and take the day as it comes, and fit a workout in wherever, wherever never comes.  If we take the same time every day, it becomes a habit.

Does anybody else have a strategy that works?

A couple other things I thought of. This is the basic premise behind the BT mentor program.  It was started to help as many people as possible stick with their goals.  The people in your mentor group will prod you along and try and get you back if you fall behind. 

Also, life is going to get in the way from time to time.  It happens to all of us that do this (or any other hobby for that matter).  Your training plan will have at least one day, sometimes 2 a week that are scheduled rest days.  You need to use these to recover properly.  I also use these for my mulligans.  If I have to miss something on another day, I'll just slide things around to get caught up.  This isn't ideal, as the rest day is usually scheduled before or after key workouts that are generally more intense.  But, it is an option when a conflict arises.

Kurt,

It can be tough to make time for yourself when everyone else is demanding it.  We'll do what we can to keep after you and shame you into staying on plan. 

Happy Monday gang!  Whats on tap today?

Me, I have some strenth training plus a run.

Sorry for being MIA over the past week.  Just got back from 7 nice warm days of cruising the Carribean.  It was a great trip and I actually did get some workouts in.  Ran 3 times and swam 3-4 times too.  I did learn that running on a treadmill in rough seas is a bit tricky. 

As for today, gonna kind of play it by ear.  Usually on Mondays and Wednesdays, my daughter has swim practice so I can go run on the treadmill at the high school while she is swimming.  Thats likely going to be the plan though I haven't been on the bike since last Saturday. 

 One nice thing is that Santa brought me a Garmin 305.  I have had a 205 for 2 years and loved it but decided I wanted to be able to use heart rate and get a cadence sensor for the bike.  Haven't used it yet but I am looking forward to breaking it in. 

I hope everyone had a good New Years. 

Today I'll do strength and run on the treadmill.  It's 27* here this morning with a forecast of freezing drizzle later today and I don't feel like getting all bundled up to go run.

Wayne,  thanks for the Excel file.  I've started keeping events on a Google calendar which is nice since I can access it from anywhere I've got internet access.

Craig, congratulations on the Garmin 305.  I love mine.  In addition to the cadence sensor I also bought a quick release kit.  You can probably find a cheaper one on ebay but this is what I'm talking about:  http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-010-10889-00-Forerunner-Quick-Release/dp/B000ONDECY.  I rode with the 305 on my wrist for a while before I mounted it on my handlebars.  I really do like this kit.

Welcome back!  Good for you getting a few workouts in!

You will love the 305, or at least I love mine!

I'll second that with the quick release kit for the bike.  So much easier to see without having to take your hands off the bar.  Just be carefull taking it off the wrist band.  Where they sewed the clip to the band is a weak point.  I think the key is to take the unit off the wrist band before taking it off your wrist so there is a little support behind it.  No problem with the bike mount though.

I don't blame you for staying inside on a day like that! 

Another motivational tool that I have found helps during the winter is the challenges.  (I was reminded, when my January team was posted this morning).  You can find these in the challenge forum, and the current ones are frozen at the time.  Some of them are still taking in new participants. 

Let me know if you have any questions.