Suz and Steph's Sprint, Oly and First Tri group! OPEN (Page 4)

All I hear is "pancake brunch"... um, yeah...

WELCOME! I don't know what an Audexer is, please fill me in!

I get nuts with the new hobbies too, it's way fun, I hope you get to swim soon. Open water near you?

Cheers!

Hi Suz and Steph...and the rest of the group! Hope everyone is well!

Is there still room/time to join this group?

I just discovered BT a few days ago and am very impressed with the size and activity of this community. I am planning (hoping) to start triathlons. I was a runner and am building my way back after a back injury. I need to push myself to bike and swim so that I can continue to run without injury. I just started the Couch to Sprint yesterday. I foolishly did not pay enough attention to my math regarding number of laps to swim and did twice as much I was supposed to. =D

Today, I bike!

Hi Suz and Steph...and the rest of the group! Hope everyone is well!

Is there still room/time to join this group?

I just discovered BT a few days ago and am very impressed with the size and activity of this community. I am planning (hoping) to start triathlons. I was a runner and am building my way back after a back injury. I need to push myself to bike and swim so that I can continue to run without injury. I just started the Couch to Sprint yesterday. I foolishly did not pay enough attention to my math regarding number of laps to swim and did twice as much I was supposed to. =D

Today, I bike!

I have to buy my first wetsuit soon, I think - thanks for the advice. Last year I didn't wear one for my sprint & it was okay but I was so cold waiting to get in the water. This year I know I will need one for my oly in September. As soon as finals are over I'm going to get out there in the open water ASAP.

I took the last four days off - no good excuse, I was just busy & stressed out. I always to have trouble getting back into a routine of eating properly & training if I have one bad day (or one night with a deadline & very little sleep, which is what happened last week). The rest was nice, but I had a terrible run today - at least it was better than no run!

Julia

Been training hard the last few days and enjoyed Monday off at my son's final baseball game.

5K trail race tonight. Might get cancelled due to the torrential rain. I personally like running in the rain, but it's bad for the trails. This is the first meet in a monthly trail race series. Hopeful to make all the races to rack some points. If my buddy DOESN'T go with me, I stand a chance of placing in my AG. The dude is FAST.

Yes WELCOME!

I started the Couch to Sprint Tri Training Plan this past weekend. I am trying to figure out the best way to remember all the strength training and core exercises I need to do while at the gym. I can do some of them at home. But, it would be easiest to do everything (cardio, strength, core) all at once, at the gym. But, the list of strength training and core exercises are listed and described here on the website.

For anyone who has tried this...do you write yourself notes to take the gym? What is the best way you have found to follow the plan?

Oh, and one other question. If you miss a workout day, would you ever want to try to make it up on another day or just let it go? I took today off (due to a long day in the office) even though I was supposed to bike and strength train. Since my work outs are not very long, I am considering adding the bike to tomorrow's run/swim workout. Is the danger of injury greater than the cost of missing a day?

Thanks!

Edited by solstice 2013-06-11 9:03 PM

Awesome 5K trail race in the rain Tuesday eve. Lots of climbing and wet rocks. I LOVE PUDDLES!! 25:xx. Official results posted soon, but I think I came in top ten. Very happy with race execution. Hard to pass as it was mostly single track. I could've gone faster but I was getting stuck for a while behind some people as I'd catch them. Paced behind two guys until the final .25 mile and then I passed them on a foot bridge. I heard a spectator yell out to the guy behind me "You can catch him" so I turned on the jets and gave the crowd an exciting sprint finish.

T-Ball coaching tonight and then I hope to go for a short ride later.

Thanks! Audax is about riding crazy long distances, not as a race but as a demonstration of how hardcore and self-sufficient you are, I guess. (There's a maximum speed as well as a minimum for getting around, and the distances range between 200km for a standard randonnée to 1200km for something like Paris-Brest-Paris or Boston-Montréal-Boston. I've only done up to 300km myself.

I have the lake nearby, but it won't warm up so there has yet to be an open water session with my tri club that wasn't cancelled! I signed up for a sprint tri at the end of the month (relying on my recent running conditioning, my continuing ability to ride a bike, and my ability to at least cover 500m of a swim without drowning) but my life is getting pretty chaotic so it's hard to train as regularly as I ought. I guess I'll just be happy to finish.

Hi,

Here is what I do for strength training. Usually I do not do it at the gym. I used to. I personally find it easier to do at home (as my hubby is at work - and I am home alone). When I would go work out at the gym, I would do my normal workout,.. ie, swim. Then I would head upstairs to the actual gym find a small space and do "static stretches". That is a stretch to hold a position rather than a dynamic one - which is moving (I would do those before a work out so I do not pull something). I would pick my favourite 7 -10 static stretches and do those. I would make note of them in my phone. Either by setting up a "memo" or text message to myself. I used my phone for music - while using the treadmill.


As for sticking to the plan of actually working out. I have an "incentive chart" and every day if I eat well, drink tons of water, and exercise according to plan - I get a sticker. My hubby set it up. If I go a week (6 days/1 day off) I can get something - he will get it for me.... Usually, we keep it around 30 dollars - so for example, dinner and a movie, or a trip to Niagara Falls, or having my photographs printed. Seems to work thus far. I have enjoyed now, two movies. Today I am hoping to get some of my pictures printed.

I should start recording my workouts here.

I don't write things to take to the gym anymore, as my gym workouts are usually now SBR related. I do have a few yoga stretches that I do afterward in the stretch room. I primarily do my other workouts at home. I did make a list of all the poses (yoga and pilates) that I "liked" to do, but that list fell behind my dresser and I can't get it now. I would like to buy some yoga DVD's to get new routines. For the most part I have stuff memorized.

Last night I almost rode over a fox on my bike. No joke. I could have kicked it as it scurried away at the last minute. I decided that would be my last lap because it was getting too dark and finished at 12 miles. 3 miles short of my goal.

Local pool opens this weekend!!! Father's Day might get in the way, but I'm trying for a swim and a 6/1(x 3) bike/run brick this weekend. I've heard that these types of brick sets are useful for a Sprint Tri as it gets the legs accustomed to running faster sooner off the bike when you only have 3 race miles to run. This is opposite to longer distances when you can ease into a pace after 2+ miles.

Anyone doing something a little crazy this weekend??

The Couch to Sprint calls for 6 days of cardio a week. My body is happier with 5 days a week for now, as I am just getting back into shape. What is the best way to adjust the training plan for 5 days of cardio instead of 6?

Thanks!
meg

I don't follow a plan at all. If I did, the time requirements needed would land me either in an asylum due to missing workouts, or a divorce attorney's office for doing all the workouts. If you can do only 5 days, do five days. For instance, my local swimming areas are too cold right now. I visit a pool 2x a month until it warms up to keep it going. So I focus on bike and run until I can go regularly. Ideally I'd like to do 6 days a week, but that is not happening right now. 5 days is what I can afford time wise.

Still getting sick at the end of swim workouts. Ginger and earplugs did not work. Getting frustrated.

Meg, I don't know the "best" way to do anything, and my training's also a little unstructured (because, like skibummer, I don't want to get divorced or go insane). Six days seems like a lot for a beginner. When I first started getting back in shape, I think I trained every other day. I think if it were me, I would just pick a day to skip that focused on my stronger events. Like I would try not to skip a swim training day because I'm a slow swimmer, but I would skip a mid-length bike ride or a run because I am already confident that I will be able to do those distances when race day comes. Or you could just skip a different workout each week to keep things even in the long run. I would not try to sneak extra workouts into your five-day plan, though. I bet you'll find yourself getting stronger in a few weeks and wanting to do the six days...

Julia

This is so awesome. I want stickers now. I find that logging my workouts on BT helps me stay incentivized a little bit -- I like to see the calendar all colored in and watch the bar chart.

I have this week off from school and work so I have a lot of time to focus on training and get it together. I was thinking about going to go try on some wetsuits today but I'm still a little unsure about whether I really need one. Water temperatures for my races are going to be around 65 for the sprint and upper 60's for the oly. I know that suits make you a little faster and buoy your legs, but my swim issues are more with power than balance - I can stay horizontal in the water and swim for all eternity without kicking much at all (but I'm really slow). I did a sprint last year with no wetsuit (water temp in the 70s) and felt fine. Also, I'm certainly not winning any races, so shaving a few seconds off my time is not a concern. Any advice?

Water temps in the 60s are tough. Especially if you are spending extra time in there. Is it possible to try a swim in that water and see how you feel?

5 is good as long as they are good quality workouts. But I would mix it up. Running day afer day could cause an injury. Swimming is great cardio and if you could do that twice a week it would be great. You can swim bike or run every day, as long as you aren't pounding your feet and legs every day.

Sooner or later you'll need to do 'bricks' which are a bike/run combo.

Mostly listen to your body. If you are running low on energy, maybe you need to fuel a bit differently...or be diligent about stretching, cooling down, and getting to bed on-time.

Seems like you already know what you like. I'm generally a 5 timer also, but if I'm preparing for a race I will go 6 days.

Stephanie

Stickers! cool.

Please post your workouts here in the room if you'd like and add a bit about how you feel after. I would love to see them!

I'll do the same.

Crazy... hmm I still just need to get OUT there. Downpours in Atlanta again today...hopefully the sun will peek out a bit.

Open water swimming in my new wet suit Friday. Bike is still on the trainer next to the erg, both of which are whining for some attention.

Animals tend to come out at dusk and dawn. Fine until you RUN ONE OVER! gawd, that would have freaked me out. I have a friend who stepped on a squirrel tail running. eeeek

Hi All,
I want to apologize for being awol.
Beginning of May I got sick with some weird virus. Ran a fever for days and then it just lingered for weeks. I lost weight (and I don't have any weight to lose). Had a colonoscopy and endoscopy last week and I have ulcerations all over the place including my stomach. Still waiting on the biopsy results, but it appears my Crohn's is active again. Oh joy.
I had to miss some school and so was behind on all my end of the year paper work. In Special Education the paper work is unreal. I'm still working on stuff.
In the last few weeks I have been able to get in workouts which is helping me feel better, but I will not be racing this season. I need to concentrate on getting healthy. Not to mention, my ankle tendonitis has still not calmed down from Boston soI will need to take a break from running. I will however get in biking, swimming, yoga and strength training. Something that Triathlon training has given me is the need to stay active. So even though I am not racing, "training" is and will always be part of my life. I feel so much better when I am active.


Steph...going to be in your neck of the woods (sort of). My son is moving to Charleston, SC and since he is 23, he can't drive a rental truck (Is that the most insane thing ever?!?! You can vote, drink, serve in the military but can't drive a rental - don't get it) So, my husband and I are going to be his "movers" and drive the truck. We are leaving tomorrow and then my husband and I are going to stay a couple of extra days in Charleston and then 2 days in Savannah. I have never been to that part of the country so I'm very excited. I hear both of those cities are very beautiful.

So after we return from our trip I will get caught up on all the posts. Hope everyone's week is going well!

Susie

I'm really glad this came up, as I'm also finding six days a week to just be impractical. I am starting to plan for a brick workout every week, but wonder what opinion is on, say, cycling in the morning and swimming in the evening of the same day?

I'm also wondering: how many triathlons did you guys do before actually buying a wetsuit?

15 mile ride, 2 mile run last night. Fast and hard 2.5 mile intervals with 1 mile recovery lap. Finished off with some long overdue yoga. I have lost a ton of balance and core strength. Makes me motivated to start up again. Shoulder hurts from work, which is upsetting me from a swimming and yoga standpoint.

Maybe the lake will be warm enough to swim this weekend. Daytime highs are creeping into the 80s but nights still getting into the mid to low 40s. Should change by next week.

RE: Wetsuit: I really want one.

ETA: Just got the routes for the off road tri Aug 31. Swim is at an otherwise off limits golf course. Looks like some dirt roads with about 2 miles of flat, 2 miles of climbing (1 mile seriously off road) and 2 miles down hill (x2 laps = 13 miles). There is another 0.5 miles in that lap, I just estimated the miles of suck. The run will be an easyish 3 mile out and back with a moderate hill at the end. Now I can stop guessing the route and start specific course training. WOOOOOT! Going to crush it. That is...when I finally get a good bike.

Edited by skibummer 2013-06-20 11:38 AM

Susie, so sorry to hear about all of this. Get healthy soon!

My new wetsuit just arrived!!!! I have to head out for my bike/run (short brick today, just 1/2 hour bike followed by 5K run) before it starts raining but I'm excited to try it on when I get back.

To answer your question, I only did one sprint tri last year (with no wetsuit) before deciding I needed a wetsuit this year. My rationalization: I have two tris scheduled this year, and I really wanted to get a lot of OWS practice in before my first oly in September. I had so much trouble siting in the lake for my sprint last year, and it really brought my swim time down. it costs $40 to rent a wetsuit, so I figured I only need to wear my $180 suit 5 times for it to be worthwhile. I'm really stoked about getting out in the lake for practice, too - seems like it will break up the monotony of all the pool swimming.

Great, yes all the practice time is worth the $ too.

I hope to wear my new wet suit this afternoon as well. I hope I can squeeze it on!

Cheers!