I find that a cheap pair of $1 cotton gloves from the dollar store come in very handy.  And they are breathable.  It is the rain that will get ya.

I like your budgeting, Brian.  Very inspiring.

Hi All,

The weather here in the UK has ruined my training plan, not only because the snow and ice on the roads and paths has stopped me from running, but my cold of the year has arrived. So my questions are :-

1, Should i train with a cold ? i have felt light headed, tired and bunged up.

2, Does anyone have anymotivational  tips for using a treadmill, i find it very boring and my runs seem to take a lot longer,  i wear an ipod just as i do when i run but still struggle to stay on there for longer than 25 mins.

Thanks guys. (Hopefully my cold is on its way out now as its been here since friday)

T

1.  Assuming it's a cold It's not a bad idea to do light training.  Your lymph fluid, which helps circulate white blood cells and helps get rid of junk in your body, is circulated by muscular contraction and relaxation.  So some light exercise can help your body fight the cold by improving the lymph circulation, just don't overdo it.  Listen to your body.  If you feel light-headed or like you can't do anymore, then stop.  Don't risk becoming unstable and getting an injury.  Make sure you don't have something like pneumonia though because you shouldn't be training if that's what you got.

2.  When running on a treadmill or riding my indoor bike trainer, I like to watch tv or a movie.  If you don't have your treadmill in the same room as a tv, if you have a laptop, you might put it in front of your treadmill and watch a part of a movie.  I ride my bike in my garage since my kids toys have taken away any usable space in the living room.  I put a tv tray in front of my bike and put my laptop on it and watch a video.  That's what works for me.  Hope this helps.

Caleb

Hey Brian and gang,

My brother is car free in Albuquerque (for now, they have a baby on the way, so we'll see). Anyway he swears by his anti-thorn tubes...have you ever looked into using them? I guess they're heavier so you might not want to race with them, but they might be nice for training.

He put them on my bike and we were laughing that I probably need them here in the city for all the usual city debris...you know screws, nails, broken glass, spent shell casings...the usual...haha

I'll look into them!  My current tires are a bit worn and torn which I suspect is contributing to my early season flats.  I'm going to switch them to a couple of extra tires I still have (not new, just less worn and torn) and ride them until they're worn out also.  I've heard of tires that are virtually flat proof, but I'm not familiar with anti-flat tubes.  I think I'll get both later this year to use as training tires!

FWIW, I also have a set of tires that I only use for races.  I seem to get an excessive number of cuts in my tires from riding around here, and always worry they'll lead to flats or damaged tire during a race (I've gotten a flat in a race only once).  So for peace of mind I'll be racing only on new tires this year!

Brian

My favorite is Triathlon 101 by John Mora.  Just started Your First Triathlon by Joe Friel.  Ordered Born to Run on Sunday night.  Should be here this week.  Pretty excited about this one.

Hi Brian,
I have ridden in 20-30 degree weather - in Chicago - when I lived there!  Suggest Nike spandex leggings (Dry Fit) with the "fleece" type lining.  I got a pair from my aunt that I love.  Keep your core warm, since this is where your major organs are. You want to keep the heat in, not let it out.  A light fleece vest over an UnderArmour type spandex shirt (long sleeves) works well for me.  I usually wear a light weight wind breaker over these two also to keep the wind out.  Living in CO, you learn to wear layers, so I use the same technique as when I ski, run, ride.  If you think your face will get really cold, you could wear the ski mask that comes up over your mouth (also a spandex material).  Wear heavy cotton or breathable socks.  Your feet will still sweat.  Wear a hat - obviously.  For hands, I use a cheap pair of cotton gloves from the dollar store, or you can get a good pair of thin silk gloves too.  I like them both, since they are so warm - and breath.  
Deb

Hey Guys,

Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner (by Dean Karnazes) is one of my favorite books and it is such an easy read and it will definitley get you motivated to get back out running.  Good luck and i hope everyone feels better.

~ Jonathan 

Hey all,

2 Books - both maybe bloomin obveous and u may have read already, but Lance Armstrongs book its not about the bike, also Aaron Ralstons stuck between a rock and a hard place. Both really inspired me, not to actually get out and do more exercise as i wasd already doing that, but more so they both made me think more about making the most of life and your loved ones.

I seem to be getting cramp in my left calf quite regularly when i do spinning classes, does anyone have any recommendations for this ? it normally kicks in when i am spinning super quick, 130 rpm plus.

Thanks all

T

Edited by Tiesim 2010-01-13 4:27 PM

leg cramps--even consistently in one leg makes me wonder if you are dehydrated---that;s the nurse in me talking not the athlete. Even in cold weather hydration is important, also if you are getting overly restrictive in your diet plan electrolye imbalances such as low potassium can cause let cramps. If you are well hydrated and still are getting leg cramps that may be a reason to get a medical check-up--I beleive you are one of our rugby players? So you are probably already in good condition--anyone else have a different opinion on this other than medical worries?

Maybe more stretching and rolling (foam roller or The Stick) to reduce tight muscles?  I can guess that your calves are already tight from years of rugby (not that I've actually played or ever seen the sport before....).   

Maybe just not spin at over 130?  A 130 cadence is fast!!  How long do you hold that for?  Do you see much benefit in it?  I did some trainer rides where they suggested periods at 110 which I though was crazy fast!

Brian   

Hey Guys

Thanks for your feedback on the cramp in my calf. It does usually come towards the end of a spinning class or when i am spinning not long after a run, either same day or day afterwards so i guess it is most likely dehydration. Any idea how much water i should drink as a guide or how i can work it out ?

Regards to RPMs in spinning class Brian, i cant confess to seeing any benefit but i have not been on my road bike enough to really tell. It probably lasts a max of 2.30 mins depending on the track at that time in the class. At the moment while the weather is cccold i am doing spinning classes as i dont have a turbo.

Thanks All

T

You might want to try taking potassium.  Bananas are packed with it.  If you don't like bananas, I'd suggest a potassium supplement.  Obviously, water is good too for the dehydration piece, but your body is using everything it has when you exercise, depleting nutrients that need to be replenished.  I used to bodybuild in my younger days, and potassium was my best friend when it came to charlie horses (cramps) - especially at night when you are sleeping.  If you have never been awaken by a screaming calf in the middle of the night . . . .whew.

I've joined the 2010 flat club!

Got my first flat of the year on my lunch ride, at least it was the front wheel.

I would look into electrolyte replacement and also maybe rethink my position on the spinner. Are your toes pointing down at all while you are pedaling? Also, there is a whole school of thought out there that rejects hydration/electrolyte issues in favor of fatigue...and spinning at 130 rpm is surely fatiguing, no?

Here are some links I found...
http://www.horriblehundred.com/can_pedaling_style_cause_calf_cr.htm
http://www.ultracycling.com/training/cramping.html

Welcome.  I trust you made it back to work OK!

I'm hoping I don't join the three-flats-in-three-weekends club today...

Brian

Any tips on getting swim goggles to fit properly?  I'm on my second pair and I can't seem to make it a length without getting water in my eyes.  Is that just to be expected?  I have them pretty tight but I can't seem to get that vacuum seal.  The first pair I bought were the smaller, rounder pair and I didn't have a ton of luck with those so I bought some of the larger, more oval pair thinking that the shape would fit my face better but it doesn't seem to be much better.  Any ideas?  I'm tempted to get a snorkeling mask, j/k.

OK, just caught up on the blog a bit. sorry, not that anyone was worried, but i've been super busy the new year. first weekend i had a four day retreat, and last weekend i had another retreat, my girlfriend just had surgery, and the first two weeks of class were kind of a nightmare. All that aside of done a decent job of keeping up with my workouts, but a horrible job of being part of the group. cspreiter said he has alot of knowledge in nutrition, and this is an area that i could use some pointers. i dont really know where to start in this area. i cook at least three nights a week for myself, sometimes four, maybe just some advice on what a balanced and nutritional meal looks like, is it good to cook with olive oil, is butter ok, eggs, chocolate... also i have a sugar addiction, any tips for managing this? I have set aside time now where i will be able to sit down and read this blog at least once a week, i would like to be at three or four, and will shoot for it, until then just peeks when i have a spare minute. thanks guys.

Fogging is normal, water leaks isn't....

I like the oval kind that you have.  I prefer the ones with a foam seal rather than plastic or silicone, though I happen to use silicone since that's what comes with the inexpensive prescription goggles. 

You might want to adjust the nose piece a bit.  Your goggles have either an adjustable nose piece or came with different sized pieces.  I'd guess that this is more likely the problem -- you're not getting a good seal since the lenses are either too close together or too far apart.  The goggle straps shouldn't need to be overly tight to maintain a good seal.

Brian 

I like the foam goggle seals as well, the silicone ones i had felt kind of like they were gonna suck my eyes out. i also had to make some nose piece adjustments.

What----------no advice for sugar cravings??!! Bramdizle is gonna be drowning in Seattle with the storms hitting the West Coast and we need answers  What  are we going to replace a good chocolate bar  (Or for us Californians a second glass of wine )after these workouts. I think if you're not eating frequently enough is when sugar cravings can worsen right?
Goggles: I always used racing goggles for high school swim team, but at age 40 , a few years ago when I trained for my first triathlon, I found them to leak constantly in the ocean, and after having dolphins join our group I really HATED low visibility in the ocean. I know dolphins sound really cute and spiritual to be swimming with, but when you are face down  all you see is something big and dark swimming underneath your body and I found it very very terrifying. I switched to aquasphere mask goggles , and I never spend time adjusting them .

I hope everyone is recovering from the colds and coughs-

My very inexpert advise is to take a few small steps one at a time, including don't drink soft drinks (not that hard once you get in the habit) and don't bring home sugary snacks.  I don't worry if occasionally I eat or drink stuff I shouldn't.  Doing a lot of different things at once is difficult as is going cold turkey.

I hope others can be of greater help!

Brian