Andrew Haberkorn's Group - FULL (Page 4)

Hollz - sorry, I misread that!  Congrats on quitting. 

As for the pedals, I'm not going to repeat what others have said, but know I'm in their camp.  Go clipless.

The counter argument(s) could be the following, which are legitimate:

• Costs - if buying pedals/shoes presents a monetary issue, pass on them.  They aren't a requirement as you already know
• Peace of Mind - if you are legitimately worried/scared about going clipless, don't do it if it is going to cause excessive stress.  

At the end of the day, this sport is about having fun.  While I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, I wouldn't want to pressure you into something that you truly didn't want to do.  I DO think you'll like them once you try though.  

Keep us updated.  If you are going to make a change, do it before the fitting.  I would hate for you to change your mind in 2 months and have to get re-fit because you hesitated on going clipless.

Drew 

I've ridden Keo's in the past (I might be making a switch based on a potential sponsorship), and have no complaints.  Other favorites among the tri crowd are Shimano and Speedplay.

If/when you start looking, we can get down to the dirty details. 

I'm riding a 09 Motobecane Nemesis. Recently got some rollers and really like them. It is way different than riding on a trainer, but you can't read like you can on a trainer. Rollers and the trainer are in the basement with a TV.

I agree anytime over an hour on the bike inside is tough.


Edited by Need to be Faster 2011-01-04 9:10 PM

I'm completely exhausted after my second day back at work, long meetings, dinner, and a short 3 mile workout this evening I'm excited to read the posts in more detail later on, but as for now I gather that the main questions are around bike type/winter set-up.  My current ride is an UNKNOWN brand...I got it used

I love it, perhaps too much - but strangely I ride it way too little.  I have been told it is worth about $2,000 and I paid $800 for it. It is very light (I can pick it up with my index finger), has Shimano Ultegra components, and it is pretty. Also, it fits me very nicely.  Truly, I would like to learn more about it and feel more competent in terms of fixing it, maintaining it, etc.

Last Christmas I actually cried when I received the surprise of a bike trainer.  My husband and I just cleaned up the basement, set up a weight bench and I'm planning on setting up the bike this weekend for some rides.  I lost the bike computer component that went with my Garmin watch (long story) so I'll have to pedal blindly until I can make time to go to the store and buy another.  My husband set up a DVD player and a little TV down there in the basement so I'm starting to feel more motivated to bike.

I live in New England (Massachusetts), so it will be either the trainer or the gym for bike riding. There's a lot to be said for my local YMCA with the dragon video game bikes and conveniently close pool (although it is only 20 yards!) and treadmills.

As an aside, I completed a 10K on 1/1 in 1:06:06 - I would like to get faster, but this was a PR for me on what I believe to be a tough course.

In terms of swimming, I need to do more of that as well. I'm looking forward to getting into some more structured training and having accountability here on the board.  Also, I find you all to be incredibly inspiring and inspired. What's your motivation? Do you know?

Grace

Edited by gcoller 2011-01-04 9:47 PM

I agree with everyone else on the clipless pedals.  They are a must have.  With most everyone riding on the trainer this time of year I would suggest learning to use the pedals there.  That way there is no falling down.  Once you move outside you can expect a fall to happen at least once.  I remember my one and only fall.  At a stop sign in the middle of a crowded intersection.  Just jumped back up and quickly got on my way. 

I am doing mostly running right now, but hopefully in the next day or two I will be able to get back on the bike and in the pool.  I am a teacher so we just started back to school after the Christmas break.  I lucked out and I teach in the same department as our schools swim coach.  She is going to coach me in the swim (my weakest event) and I am going to help her with the running part. 

What drill in the pool have you all found to be the most helpful to your swimming?

funny story tonight...  So, despite it being a beautiful sunny day, I never have a chance to get out for a run so I hit the treadmill after dinner while my wife and girls are playing before bed.  While I'm out there in the garage on the damn mill, they bake a batch of brownies.  Now the kids are all tucked in, my wife is back in her office finishing up work for the day (she mostly works from home) and I'm out here with a fresh batch of brownies on the counter.  They smell gooood.  And I'm HUNGRY!  Actually, I'm not hungry, but they are calling to me...  I already ate one.  But I'm strong.  I WILL RESIST! 

ok, to answer a few q's...



I don't even know how the idea of tri's started, but since I completed my first tri last year my wife, my older daughter (she's turning 9 this weekend), my brother in law, and his two kids have all done tri's too.  Pretty cool thing I accidentally started here!  Mostly I just LOVE the way I feel when I'm athletic.  It's amazing to me how quickly I can slip out of it though, if I miss even a few days, I totally forget how great it feels to be active, and can quickly settle back into my sedientary life that I know and love(ed).



For me it's the 'catch up drill.'   It's basically keeping one arm outstretched in front until the arm pulling is fully recovered (looking a bit like Superman for a moment) before starting the next pull.  It lengthens my stroke, and really forces me to have good balance in the water.  You can't 'cheat' and hold up your body with one arm while the other is pulling.  I'm not a very good swimmer, btw, so I wouln't listen to much I have to say about it!

 

I know this feeling all to well.  My girlfriend doesn't appreciate that I "love my bikes more than her."  That's not true...uh oh...I hope she's joking.



CONGRATULATIONS!!!  Hopefully, we can help you get faster (I'm sure you'd do it on your own), but make sure you cherish all of your accomplishments.  You've worked really hard to get where you are - don't forget that.  It keeps you motivated and happy with your choice to make the sacrifices necessary to be an athlete (yes, you are an athlete). 



Pretty awesome group we have, huh?  My motivation comes from different places.  A lot of it is competition based for me at the moment (against myself and others).  I also draw inspiration by thinking about how those around me sacrifice to allow me to do what I love.  I feel like I owe it to them to try my best.

I also just love endurance sports - especially triathlon.  I just feel better about myself in general when I'm training hard.  It gives me an outlet and time to think.  I can already tell I'm going to gain a lot of motivation from this group, which is going to be great as I begin my first season as a pro.

Drew

Got started in Tri's  against my will.  My running buddy talked me into joining a Tri girls group that was starting up at my local Y,  2 years ago.  Up to that point it had never crossed my mind to even attempt to do one.  I am not a swimmer. The group started out as 15 people.  Two years late, we are up to 60 people, guys and gals.

My main motivation is to keep fit.  Father died at 40 of massive heart disease as well as all of his sisters.  My mom and sisters are all over weight.  I am determined to stay fit and see my kids have kids.  I am in the best shape of my life at the moment.  Oh yeah, I tend to be a little competitive too.  So I like to push myself and go in to a tri doing my best to beat my previous time.



Edited by Dixbry 2011-01-05 5:08 AM

QUOTE]gcoller - 2011-01-04 7:43 PM What's your motivation? Do you know?
[/QUOTE

SORRY - LONG - STORY - from my blog ... http://hubcitytri.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-mother-1942-1999.html

So, I was talking with my sister the other day and she commented that yesterday would be the 10th anniversary of my mother’s death. My sister could not believe that it had only been 10 years while I feel like it has been forever – I guess my sister and I were at different points in our lives and different things have happened since that time.

The death was tragic and sudden – my mother was only 52 years old. I have always been very date oriented – I do not forget birthdays, anniversaries, special dates, etc – and this event – this date was so significant. This was the first true death that I had to experience. It really drew a line in the sand for me – it was one of those dates where my mind catalogs everything as either before or after.

Before my mother’s death, looking back, I was really in poor health and I did not care. I was just like everyone that I worked with – everyone that I hung around. Everything was super sized and the more fried or the more bacon the better (I would have loved the baconator!). My favorite places to eat were the “all you can stand” variety – the more food the better. I also had been smoking since high school. There was no exercise in my life – none – I didn’t even make excuses. I would drive the 1/2 mile to the gas station to buy my cigarettes.

So, when my mother died, I was 27 years old, I was about 50 pounds heavier, I did no exercise and I smoked heavily. I also put back a lot of beer. My mother was in better shape than I was – she walked her dog daily and was more active. However, she also smoked and believed that everything went better with a stick of butter. I also, for the first time, realized that I didn’t have any grandparents anymore – heart disease runs in the family. The writing was on the wall - I was headed down a road to disaster.

I took my mother’s death at such a young age as a wakeup call. My health was deteriorating – I would not be able to maintain this unhealthy lifestyle of a 20-something much longer. I was scared. I took responsibility of my actions and within a few months I had successfully quit smoking – it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I rewarded myself negatively with food but I was fighting one battle at a time. Once the cigarettes were out of the picture I had to drop the weight. I had ballooned up –the last straw was when I had to stop on the way to a bar-b-queue to get a pair of 40 inch shorts.

I started to make small adjustments to my diet. Just by cutting out the very worst parts of my diet I started to see results. I cleaned up the diet even more and the results were so encouraging. Then the exercise started. There was a park near my house that I started to jog around. It took months but I remember the immense gratification I felt when I could run around that park without stopping – it was only 8 tenths of a mile!

I started to run 5k’s and ride bikes and enjoy the outdoors. I started to play sports at work – softball, volleyball and soccer. I was feeling great and my self esteem was sky rocketing. The TV set was never on anymore – fast food was a thing of the past. I was in the best shape of my life and just getting better – just feeling better. I hate the fact that it took something so tragic to make me wake up and evaluate my life. I miss my mother – but I have gained tremendously from her death.

I cannot imagine where my life would be without the changes that I have made. I believe that exercise and a healthy lifestyle saved my life. Years later I would once again use these life skills to overcome huge obstacles.

I truly believe exercise has saved my life - twice.

Later when tragedy struck again exercise provided structure and foundation.

My trainer just came in the mail monday and I got it set up, but haven't done a workout on it yet.  I did a running LT test monday, strength training yesterday so I haven't felt up to it yet.  I will do a cycling LT test tonight, so I can report more then. A couple years ago when I trained for a may half IM i rode my roommates trainer a lot and hated it.  I was in charlotte, so the weather was more friendly than it will be in asheville in the winter so I didn't have to do it ALL the time.  However this year is going to be a real test of will power, since i'm going to have to do almost all my training on it over the winter. 
But yes, it is incredibly mind numbing, but it's set up in front of a tv, so i'll try to watch movies while doing it.

I may be doing patriots point as well.  But it'll be a late decision.  Mainly a money issue.  So I'll probably decide in late july/early august.

I use clipless pedals, but I did hear a legitmate argument against them once.  Whether it was accurate or not, I can't attest, but a guy racing with me said he used pedals with clips in a sprint race because he felt he didn't lose as much time on the ride with them, and it sped up his transition time a lot because he wore is running shoes on the bike therefore didn't need to switch shoes and extra time. 
Figured there were enough arguments for them, so just wanted to add more more against. 

I can only do trainer rides when they have a strictly defined purpose – scheduled intervals sessions. Just getting on the dang thing and spinning is not my cup of tea. However, the time goes much quicker in a dark room with loud fast tempo music.

Trainer workouts are very valuable when done in a hard structured fashion.

An hour is just about my max.

Is there a benefit of trainer work vs. a spin class at the Y? 

The spin class is a bit more enjoyable, though I concede that some aspects of it, ie run in place on pedals, may not translate directly to bike training. 

Bike trainer work is much more convienient for me, but as mentioned by others, mind numbing.

Edited by mandsberry 2011-01-05 9:01 AM

While I can't really argue with a person's personal choice on what is faster, I have to disagree with this theory in general.  I say that because I can get from dismount line, out of T2 in ~:30-:45 in almost any race (assuming no huge run-ins/outs).  I would argue that I gain that :30-:45 in using clipless pedals from their performance benefits.  If your transition with clipless pedals is that much slower than it would be by riding with running shoes/clips, you're doing something wrong.  We'll definitely discuss ways to make transitions faster in the future.

Drew

Both are leaps and bounds ahead of doing nothing.  That being said, riding a spin bike and riding the bike you plan to race on are two different things.  Unless you can get your spin bike set up close to the measurements of your real bike, it will be working different muscles than your regular bike.  A trainer puts you on YOUR bike and you can do workouts that fit your specific goals vs. those of the class (unless fitness is your only goal).  

Don't get me wrong, a spin class can be a great workout, and if you like them, keep doing them.  Just try to get on your real bike as much as possible to ensure you are working the necessary muscles through the winter. 

James,

What an inspirational story, thanks for sharing!  I'm sorry for the loss of your mother, but I truly admire your ability to turn a negative into a positive.  

Not to get too preachy here, but I personally believe that out of every negative situation comes positive.  Your story is a perfect example.  I lost one of my best friends/teammates in college and at the time it was the most devastating thing I had experienced.  I look back on that now and realize all of the good things that came from it.  While I would give anything to have him back, I'm very thankful for what he taught me and others through his passing.

"Keep It On The Positive" - my personal motto.

Drew 

I was just throwing that out there from one person's point of view.  If someone's at the point of debating using clipless pedals, they may not be using them to their full capability and from a strictly transition time standpoint, it may be faster to do this.  It's not easy to do the move with your pedals already clipped in.  I think anyone who's at all interested in competing at a higher level should get on clipless pedals.  I started doing that this year and still have screwed it up.  I didn't know about the rubber band trick until recently, and sent one of my shoes flying as i tried to mount(got stuck between the pedal and ground). 

I've felt that way for years.  And it's been so true in so many aspects of my life, I've lost count.

Totally, and I'm glad you did.  It is a valid point and one that might outweigh my argument against it for some.  My point was to say that I don't *personally* agree with it.  Others may, and that is absolutely okay.  
 

Andrew,
 I have a new question regarding indoor cycle training.  Do you know of or have any good trainer programs to follow?  My first A race is an olympic in may, the other is the Ironman in November and wasn't sure how to approach it this far out. Should i build an aerobic base for now and go easy on the trainer or what? 
Thanks

btw, i don't personally agree with it either, as I never followed that plan.  I've always felt that instead of making up for a deficiency by finding a way around it, I prefer to work on the problem and improve it. 

Thanks for all the feedback on the clipless pedals. I will be trying them out whenever I get to this new bike stuff later this month or first of Feb. I can't wait to try it all out!!!