Lora's Just Us Girls Group - CLOSED (Page 4)

I never do flip turns in the pool. they look cool and they help you complete your laps faster because you get more out of the push off. But, if you're just doing tris, they are not necessary since tris are usually point to point swims and not pool swims. There are many triathletes who are very strong swimmers and do not do flip turns.

That said, one of these days, it's going to show up on my list of monthly goals because I always like to learn new cool things.

I posted over on GOTRIbal that 2008 was my first year of tris, and that the year I die will be my last season. I, too, am just completely inspired by those older than me. In 2008, at Kona, there was 75-year-old Harriet who was on her 17th Ironman! This year, there was a fellow in his seventies, I believer, finishing his 20th Ironman! I love it!

I'm glad you brought this up, Marcy. First, I can't do flip turns - yet! When I train in the pool, I really don't even push off; just touch the other end, turn around, put my face in the water and push off just barely. In an open water swim, as Marcy said, there is no turning around or pushing off so I try to mimic that as much as possible in the pool.

Having said all that, for me, personally, I still want to learn how to do them. I've got this indoor tri next Saturday and having that skill in this particular venue would really help me go further in 20 minutes. Why, just actually pushing off hard on the wall now has taken 20 seconds per 100 off my time. Pretty substantial.

Learn how to do them if you desire, but they are not critical to being a triathlete. I'd rather you work on bilateral breathing, or a high elbow, or rotating or...

Thank you Lora...I figured out how to compress my pictures and download a few.

Also watched the flip-turn video.  I was doing it all wrong!!!

Jeri

Hi ladies,

Sorry it has taken me so long to get with it here. Getting ready for the holidays threw me for a loop this time for some reason. Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.

Well here is my story:

Name twohearted/Karen

Story

I have no background in any of the 3 disciplines. I have always worked out my whole life to keep my weight down, usually aerobic classes, kick boxing or weight training. 3 years ago my husband got back into triathlon and did a few races. He was always telling me that I would be a good triathlete and I would just laugh at him.After watching him race for 2 seasons and seeing all the different people doing this(different ages, sizes and athletic ability) I started to think that maybe I could do it and to my surprise I did it and loved it. After watching my husband finish B2B Full Iron I don't think that I will ever want to do one due to all the hours of training but, I do think that in a year or 2 I could see myself doing a Half Iron(if I can get my irrational fear of the open water swim under control).

Family Status

I am 49 years old. Married to my best friend and training partner. We have 5 children and 4 grandchildren, 2 Rottweilers and 2 cats.

Current Training

Starting a Masters swim program this week. Running as much as I can and getting on the trainer at least 2 times a week, living in SE MI means no biking outside so we get together with other BTers and have winter trainerfests. Normally I train 4-5 times a week. I hope to get back to that now that the kids are back to school and we can get back into a routine. I work part-time as a RN so getting my training in once I start a plan is usually pretty easy to fit in as long as I get it done early in the day, I am a morning person so if I don't get my workouts done in the morning I can easily not do them.

Last Year’s Races

3/15/09 Corktown 4mi Detroit, MI

5/10/09 Run Like A Mother 10K Harrison Twsp

5/31/09 Hawk Island Sprint Tri Lansing MI(my first tri

8/9/09 Sylvanian Sprint Tri Sylvania, OH

9/12/09 Tawas Festival of Tris Sprint Tawas, MI

10/11/09 Towpath HM Clevland, OH

This Year’s Races

3/14/10 Corktown 4 mi. run Detroit, MI

4/25/10 Glass City HM Toledo, OH

5/22/10 Grosse Ile DU Grosse Ile, MI

6/19/10 Maumee Bay Girls Tri too Mini Sprint(my 13 yo daughter wants to do this with me)

6/20/10 Maumee Bay Tri Sprint Toledo, OH

8/15/10 Petosky Tri Sprint Petosky, MI

9/11/10 Tawas Festival of Tris OLY Tawas, MI

11/7/10 Wrightsville Beach HM Willmington, NC

Weight Loss

I have lost 30 lbs since starting my training. I would like to loss maybe 15 more.

Lora, thanks for mentoring. This sounds like a great group of ladies. I think we will have lots of fun

Karen

Hey Jeri, we don't live too far from one another. I am in Canton Twp. Check out the MI forum. There are lots of folks around here to train with. There is always something going on. Maybe we can meet up sometime for a run or a trainer ride. Watch the forum for Trainerfests, they are a lot of fun. It would give you a chance to meet some real nice people to train with.

Karen

Jeri, you are not crazy to swim in the Detroit River. I am such a chicken when it comes to the swim. I have to so see it first and I like to do a test swim first. I don't know what happens to me when I get out in the water over my head I kind of panic.

I am sure there will be lots of local BTers doing the Motor City. Maybe I'll come to cheer you on. There are a lot of nice races here in MI.

Talk to you soon, Karen

Amy, a girls weekend sounds good to me.

I started a silver 12 wk basic RPE plan last season and it was slow to start but started picking up pretty good. I ended up switching to a sprint half way through due to time and my swim wasn't coming along like I wanted it to. This year I will do an OLY, I hope I will probably use the same plan.

Karen

I  love my Rottie's. They are like bike cuddly bear cubs

I did my first Master's swim today and I loved it. I found out that I really can swim.  I think this is going to help me lots. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to over come panic attacks in open water? They are not so bad that I have to quit but, they really mess up my time.

Amy, I log my spin classes the same way you do when I go to the gym. I have a cadence sensor for my Garmin for my trainer rides at home. $38. on Amozon. I  love it.