Baowolf's New Years Resolution Group-Closed (if are stuck with no group PM me) (Page 4)

Time or distance doesn''t matter so much as long as you get in the workout. The only thing isyou dont wante the run to go over 3 hours.

The purple bullet shaped earplugs with ridges are way better thant he moldable kind.

I'lll catch up more tomorrow. 30 mile bike, 3 mile run for me today.

I love Steve's suggestion above for lunches and dinners. I have salads for lunch 5 to 6 days a week. I put all kinds of things in mine. I start with spinach and then hopefully I have avocados and tomatoes. Then all kinds of other things - black beans, corn, peanuts, strawberries, craisins, mandarin oranges, etc. Last year, Jay mentioned chia seeds and hemp hearts and we are now hooked on them in salads and other things. Then instead of heavy calorie salad dressing, try lemon juice and/or balsamic vinegar. I will warn that this takes a while to begin liking for but it's easier if you have wetter items (like olives and tomatoes). I have found that it pays for me to buy baby carrots vs regular carrots or bags on spinach versus heads of lettuce because prep is easier therefore I'm more likely to do it. Days when I didn't get a chance to make myself a salad, I can grab the carrots and a thing of hummus from the fridge instead of going out for lunch and getting a fast food burger.

Another way to handle leftovers (or to pack in veggies) is what I call my kitchen sink eggs - because I put in everything but the kitchen sink. I suck at omelettes but I just do this as scrambled eggs. Today I had potatoes, jalepenos, black beans, and spinach that I placed in the pan and browned/wilted. Then I added salt, pepper, and cilantro and my eggs. I use things like that as a pre-fuel to a long run or as recovery. It makes me feel good that I've started the day off with so many veggies.

Warning, food blog coming. Several years ago, I found myself weighing what I had when I was 8 months pregnant and I realized that I needed to stop. I started a major diet and went to the gym. I counted calories. I lost the weight but I wasn't all that happy with what I was eating. I started back with loved foods and quickly started putting it back on (a double bag of Ruffles potato chips is NOT safe around me.); this led to several years of dieting when I was weighing more and then comfort food when I reached my desired weight. When I started running, it changed the way I began thinking about food. Food is fuel and there is good fuel and bad fuel. I still tried to do the Ruffles but I found that is not something you should eat going for runs (Try it sometime and you'll see what I mean). I began noticing how I felt when I ate a banana before my evening run or how I felt when I ate cookies before an evening run. Then I saw what happened when I had junk the night before an early morn run. It started changing my perception of food. Don't get me wrong, I still love food dearly. I eat fast food burgers or fried chicken or those glorious Ruffles or chips and salsa. I just eat those things less and make sure that it's not at the wrong time during a training cycle. This week will be a busy week for me but I'm getting all of my veggies prepped so I can grab them while I'm running around town. My son has requested cube steak and I will definitely be eating it - but I'll have a lot of veggies with it. Driving over to the race, I will NOT be eating Ruffles but instead will be drinking my water and eating a safe lunch. The night before the race, I won't be eating a big medium rare steak but instead will have some chicken and a baked potato - or something tested to not mess with my stomach. As soon as the race is over, all bets are off and I'll eat some of that bad food. I'll have my Dr Pepper and potato chips on the ride home. Oh, and some Skittles...and SweetTarts.

I'm sharing all of this in case it helps someone. I knew a lot of things but still didn't do them until they started interfering with something I really enjoy - running.

Edited by Pink Socks 2014-01-12 9:25 AM

Just back from my run and it was all kinds of awesome!! first, I ran as far as I've run in months and it was completely pain/issue free with the leg. Still doing run/walk, but did run the last 1/2+ mile of it at a comfortable pace. Secondly, I was able to run outside in the middle of January in shorts!! Its 52 degrees here today, and it felt so cool to be out there and not freezing. A bit of spring fever, but I know its very short lived ;^).

Tomorrow is day 1 of HIM training, and today was a nice positive boost to get me going.

Hope every one else is having as good as a day.

Food wise, I usually do a small salad and a veggie heavy soup for lunch. pretty easy to do at the office as the cafeteria there is very 'healthy' food focused, and you get a discount for buying healthier foods. I can usually get a good lunch for under $3. Weekends its a bit tougher, but I do what I can. My wife, however, is a fantastic baker, and there are always fantastic things cooking.

Pam - I love your last post about food. This year I really want to see some changes in my eating habits that will lead to a decrease in my body fat. I had it tested the other day and it was appalling! So your experience and perspective gives me 'food' (pun intended) for thought; plus hearing about the ways other people manage challenging things gives me more perspective to build my own methods. I read an article the other day that talked about something you mentioned - getting everything you need to have a successful week ready on Sunday. I read it, you said it, and I've been doing it on a small scale but I think it is a practice I want to do more and more. I'm also happy for your success!

I read another article that highlighted how athletes tend to live very sedentary lives, sitting at the computer or watching t.v., until they go do their run or bike or whatever. It was encouraging athletes to find ways to keep their bodies moving because training for an hour and then sitting for 5 hours doesn't a healthy athlete make. It was interesting to me because I can relate. I often feel I need to conserve my energies for my next training session, and because I like my couch it is excellent justification. Anyway, it was interesting and I was challenged by it.

I am also trying to figure out if I'm always going to suffer from major saddle chafing/soreness or if I should look into a different saddle. Any thoughts? I currently have an Adamo saddle and even when I was training for IM and spending hours in it I would still come away with raw chafed skin. Yes, I did use anti-chafing stuff.

Hey everyone happy Sunday!

Just got back from a 26 mile ride, easy pace. Felt good to get out and ride after training indoors most of the week.

Randy- when I first started swimming I basically taught myself with the help of the Total Immersion book and video. I'm sure that I have plenty of room for improvement if I were to go to a coach, but the TI stuff seemed to help out. My local YMCA has a masters swim program so I may be looking into that this year.

Time vs mileage: I'm trying the time route this year. As others said I think this will help me in my scheduling. We'll see how it goes...

Incline on dreadmills- I tend to use 1-2% incline when on the treadmill and then mix in higher inclines randomly to simulate real world situations. I like the idea of looking at the topo maps of your race route for use on the treadmill workouts.

Talk of salads- I love these for lunches during the week! Like others I use them as a place for leftovers. To help save time during the week I bought a bunch of styrofoam(not the most environmentally friendly) containers from Costco and make three or four Sunday nights. That way I grab them and go during the week. My wife laughs at me but I store them upside down after I make them. That way the lettuce sits on top of the heavy stuff like chicken, tomatoes, etc.

So here's my question of the day: I'll be traveling this week. I'm sure I'll fit it runs and hopefully the hotels will have exercise bikes. Swimming will be a challenge. So here's the question should I double up workouts to make up? For example if I'm supposed to swim 5500 yds in three workouts should I try to squeeze that all in next weekend when I get home? Or, just accept I'll need to miss a couple days from time time due to travel schedules.

Thanks,
Wayne

Edited by Wayno92129 2014-01-12 2:20 PM

Generally you don't make up workouts. You can shift them around to some extent. If you miss a long workout, then shift it to a shorter workout day and skip that shorter workout as the longs are key. I will be out of town for a week and will be going to a local gym for swims and bike, it is like $8.50 for day use. I will also be brining a pull cords to use in the hotel room. If you do 15 to 20 minutes of cord work it will be like a swim workout. One of my swim workouts for the week is actually scheduled as a cord work only workout with reps of 30 pulls to each side.

The biggest thing about diet is avoiding those addictive foods that make your sugar spike and leaves you craving more all day. Chocolate is one for me and sugar cereal is another one. So I am just dropping those two from my diet and see how that goes for now and increasing fruit which has a slower digested sugar effect. I don't know anyone who eats 6 apples in a day, but you certainly can down a couple candybars and a big bowl of chips and salsa.

Was a pleasant 25F for this mornings run, but still suffering altitude effects, couldn't hold the pace for the 3x9:00 repeats supposed to be at 7:10 8(. Oh well.

Treadmills are different, some are set at about 1 percent even when elevation is set at zero, others are set at negative 2 when at zero, so just put it where you feel most like running outside, which is usually 1 percent up.

Steve

just to let you just went AMA on this weekend marathon, i really tried to convince the organizers to move me to the half , but theres non available i used your advice to jog/walk to have a finishing chance and barely made cutoff, experience was a train wreck report is here:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

i need your help and the other runners to frankly advice me on a recovery plan.

thanks in advance

Carlos, read your report and so sorry things went bad for you! I’ll give you my advice for recovery for what it’s worth. Ibuprophen, stretching, massage if you can, compression gear (socks and/or tights), and light activity for several days (walk, ez job, or cycling). The stretching and the massage help me tremendously but the activity is essential to move the acid out. And for the difference in the distance, it is normal. When they measure races, they measure the shorter route (cutting off some corners – anything that could legitimately occur). By the time the rest of us run the race and weave around people, aid stations, etc., we can all add distance to our races. Once I was in a 10 mile race with a woman who was great at calculating the quickest tangent; I followed her and learned a lot. Still can’t do it myself but try to practice it.

Jim, so glad to see you back! Has your wife had the surgery and if so, how is she doing? I knew that you and Mitch were friends but I didn't realize that you knew each other long before BT.

Samantha, glad that you took my food blog as I meant it - as the lessons that I've learned thus far. Later I was afraid people may think that either 1) I thought I had all of the answers or 2) I didn't enjoy my food. Neither are true. It's just that some things have slapped me upside my head for a while now and I've finally adopted some of them. I know that I still need to make more changes but I have to do it slowly and carefully because I know that if I make too many changes for the wrong reasons, I'll revert back to worse ways.

Edited by Pink Socks 2014-01-12 8:36 PM

Hi hi hi everyone! Lots of you are back! Can I check in once in a while with you all? Ill get my bio up in a bit too. ?? Need to start back at page one to get acquainted with whats happening in Baowolf-land!

Mary recovery is like walk around the block day one, walk around 2 blocks day 2, increase as is comfortable walking 2-3 miles after 1 week (week total 5 miles), then walking 3-4 miles per day week 2 (week total 10 to 15 miles), then walk /jog week 3 (15 to 20 miles) then probably good to go week 4 .... unless you recover much faster than that.

It is a good time to work on swim and you can bike low intensity maybe 30 minutes ish.

Edited by Baowolf 2014-01-12 11:08 PM

Someone told me to look at the bike fit if I was suffering from chafing...

I also suffer - and now have figured out which shorts I can tolerate for different distances and when I need to put on the anti-chafing cream.

I think I coughed up a lung this weekend - so I'm laying low this morning (no swim for me - although I'm sure the folks at the pool are thankful so I don't leave a residual Vicks Vapor Rub slick behind me) and hoping to run or bike later. Have a great Monday!

Nice to see some returning groupies and new groupies .

Carl, you have gotten good advice on the recovery. Many of us have been right where you are with a disappointing marathon. If you are uninjured, no real harm done, and you have gained the wisdom borne of experience.

Yes, Jim, hoping your wife's (and your) journey towards those implants is going well!

Jennifer, ugh, hope you feel better. LOL on the vaporub slick!

Samantha, Bora Bora sounds nice! I'm not that well traveled as far as the tropics go. Only "tropical" places I've been: Maui, Aruba, Destin FL. Have also been to the CA, OR, and WA coasts, but that's not too tropical! Maui was my favorite...diverse landscape, beauty other than just the water, and loved the snorkeling. Destin is great for a beautiful beach and easier to get to. The water in Aruba was incredible, but not as much other natural beauty. We tend to stay on the cheap in condos (so we can cook some), so I don't know much about the all inclusive stuff. If you want to go the condo route and can wait until 1 month to 2 weeks out to book, let me know and I may be able to share a little secret with you on that .

Pam, glad you have found a good nutritional groove! Enjoying and gaining insight from all of the discussion about what works for folks on their eating habits.

Fared better after 2 mile walk and lots of time on my feet doing yard work Saturday + a 3 mile walk on Sunday. Walks were at Katy the dog's pace, which includes lots of sniffing, squirrel stalking, etc. But pain during/afterwards was less. Rolling foot/stretching calves continues. Pretty exciting stuff (not!). Wrist is better, so back to the pool today. I have set some specific goals for blood sugar control, and I got a new cable/software to download my meter so I can get all geeky with graphs and stats on that. For those of you who don't know me, I have had Type 1 diabetes for 20 years, so that is another important aspect of health in addition to exercise, diet, etc. for me.

Hi Steve and eveyone who is a member of this group. I'd like to join if that is ok?

BACKGROUND:
I started running after college and started doing triathlons 5 years ago to incorporate cross training. I got hooked on the tri's and joined BT too. I am an elementary school teacher by profession and I find my energy reserves compete for work/training/family, just like everyone else. That is why I love BT, all of the support for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I live in rural Maryland and I love almost all sports!

FAMILY:
I have been married for 20 years and have 2 teen daughters.

RACES:
2014 races will include many running races including the Boston Marahon in April. Then I have a sprint and a olympic tri in the summer. I have a goal to complete a HIM but have not chosen the race or plan yet.

Jennifer - Feel better. With all the other chemicals in the pool, the other swimmer might not mind so much. The warm humid air might have done some good as long as you don't over due it.

Pam - When I am in a cooking mode I do like to prepare meals for the week. Last week was a nice chicken soup and Baked ziti which the family enjoyed all week. I too am trying to keep fruits/veggies in my diet. My latest creation is a "mush". Simply a stewed mix of turnip, beats, parship, sweet potato, and carrots.

Mike - Enjoy the warmth while you can. I personnally am looking for an early spring.

Thanks for the input on the treadmill. I am changing it up some and do like the 1%. It is not huge but a noticable change.

The gym is my hang out while the weather has been so bad and there is no light outside when I get home from work. I did some research on power to speed conversions. I knew I have some work to do on the bike and using the power meter on the stationary bikes kind of shows the same thing. How accurate do people find these power readings are? Another thing that surprised me was the difference between 80-90 RPM on the machines and 90+ RPM. The 90+ seems soo much easier to maintain.

Does anyone in this group commute on their bikes? I had my first commute of the year today. It's a -3% grade, 5.5-mile (11-mi round-trip) ride that really relaxes and wakes me up in the morning, which is a good thing because I'm not a morning person. I'm usually a whimp and don't ride when it's below freezing, but today it was low 40's in Virginia! Winters have me commuting once or twice a week, whereas in the spring-fall I probably average 3-4 times a week.

Phil

PS Due to the overwhelming participation, I will try the chocolate thing sometime in February. Maybe after Valentines. Haha!

Edited by phifatech 2014-01-13 10:37 AM

I saw a great video on Bike fit. In fact there is a series of videos you can find on UCTV on the Medicine of Cycling. This is a link to the bike fit http://www.uctv.tv/shows/Bike-Fit-Its-All-About-the-Bike-25319there is also one on skin. Worth checking out.

If you want to try fitting yourself, there are two websites that I tried, http://www.wrenchscience.comand http://www.competitivecyclist.com.Just ask someone to help you take the measurements. I haven't tried the slowtwitch one.

Phil

Edited by phifatech 2014-01-13 2:44 PM

Goodness, I just had a fright! I couldn't find our group and found I had to go to Page 2. Do we have that many mentor groups this time?

Welcome Linda. Yay, I'm excited to have someone new that I can stalk, uh I mean, track at Boston.

Because of that minor surgery in Dec, I was not supposed to do planks or some other exercises for 6 weeks. Tomorrow will be 6 weeks so I decided to start planking today and then add some other things next week after the mary. Anybody interest in a planking or crunch challenge?

Got in two small ez runs today and some stretches. Now it's raining here so I'll do a few more PF exercises and then settle down with a book. Anyone read Patterson's "Mistress"? I had the protagonist pegged as a socially awkward techno geak but now just found out that he did tris in his youth. Different spin on a fiction book.

Edited by Pink Socks 2014-01-13 5:55 PM

Checked in and looked for my last post so I'd know where to pick up and saw that I haven't posted yet on this new thread! So here goes:

NAME: Mitzi (would actually like to change the musclemomma thing, just doesn't feel like me anymore) [thought this was a new thought, but wrote this months ago]

FAMILY/DESCRIPTION: I'm 54 and married to a very supportive husband. Have a 15 yr old son and 14 yr old daughter. Spent most of the last 15 years home with them. They are great kids, very healthy and athletic and want them to be proud of me.

STORY: Have the typical athletic high school/college background - mine was gymnastics, weights, some running. Stayed a little active on and off. Did a sprint years ago and one this summer. Slower than 7 years ago, though this time I wasn't last.
Can ride around but really don't know how to handle a bike and have to get comfortable with turns, downhills etc. Swimming is just sad. I managed to freestyle non-stop but probably would have been better off doing just about anything else. I am so slow I hardly move forward. Not much of a runner so - triathlons it is! Know it will somehow make sense to you all.
Fantasy's was an IM at 50, but didn't come to much. Stayed in my comfort zone of boot camps and weight lifting. I've been on BT on and off for a few years now. Great site and Steve is a great mentor.

CURRENT TRAINING: Confused. I'm switching from moderate HR endurance work and intervals for weight loss - all over the place. Trying to get into shape for my sprint plan starting March 1, and have an 8 week oly plan picked out to start after the sprint.

2014 RACES: Haven't signed up yet, but have a sprint in mind for the end of June and an oly for end of Aug

GOALS: To make 2014 the year I really transform my body and mind to be the triathlete I want to be. Focused, dedicated, finishing MOP with a smile on my face.

WEIGHTLOSS: Had kids latter in life and only worked part-time. I was not very good at being home alone with kids and I ate a lot! At 5'1" I hit an all time high of 198 - which even on a muscular frame was very fat. Cut out junk food and dropped 30 lbs. and have been stuck there. It really is a health issue for me, as well as a pride thing. Want to be proud of my body and feel light and joyous in it.

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: I love to get online and check in with everyone and am open to getting feedback. Will give it if I have any to give - feel pretty new at this, but do read an awful lot and love to share that info.

Mitzi (tribodsoars?)
-----

Steve help!

Must lose weight over the next 7 weeks! Do I stick with slow and steady to build my endurance (plan starts March 1) or should I do interval training which is supposed to help weight loss? Do I do both? Taking some weight and boot camp classes at gym, keeping workouts flexible based on what I'm feeling that day.

Am enjoying posts - especially that log comment. Actually looked up Augusta as I the thought of that kind of swim was great.

Randy - 8 min. miles are fast for starting out. Take Steve's advise and start slow to avoid injuries, the walk/run method. I learned the hard way last year - hitting the ground hard and fast (for me) and spent weeks with too much pain to train and never really got the season back.

Am excited about this year, I keep seeing myself sprinting across that finish line, MOP, with a smile on my face.

Mitzi

I'm technically a day late with this but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things after vacation!

NAME: Jay

STORY: I'm not sure how far back you really want to hear.....I was a three sport athlete in high school (football/basketball/baseball) before I went on to play all three sports during my four years in college. I made the decision as a young man to go to a smaller school to play two sports (even all three for one year) rather than go to a D1 school to play football or baseball. A few years after college, my wife and I decided to get married....and thats when the comfort and weight increase happened. I gained almost 100lbs from my college playing weight a few years into my marraige and didn't like it one bit. Over the course of the next six months after seeing that weight on the scale, I got back into the gym and got within 20 lbs of my playing weight. (this happened back in 2003) I have maintained that weight for the better part of 9 years now. I have contemplated doing bodybuilding competitions in the past but I could never pull the trigger.

That leads me to the last few years. I was given some marathon training books by my wife for XMAS 4 years ago as a gag gift. I had always talked about doing the Boston Marathon so I took the present as a sign to start training for it. I have complete 4 marathons since I got those books (including Boston in 2012) and many more half marathons. In 2012, I decided to take on the challenge of triathlon because HM/FM weren't challenging enough. I've gotten my fitness level to the point where I can run an acceptable (for me) HM time without any training. The next logical step was triathlon so in March 2012, I went to a TI workshop to learn how to swim.


FAMILY STATUS: I have been happily married to my wife (Kiley) for 13 years. We have been blessed with two great kids; Braden 9, and Kaelyn 6.

CURRENT TRAINING: Not very much going on right now The holidays and life around them has derailed me from what I want to do. Once I wake up from the post vacation tiredness, I'll start up training with an initial focus on running.


THIS YEAR'S RACES: TBA. I will be doing some races but I won't be registering until tax return comes back.....major house expense in December is the culprit.

2013 RACES: Worst year ever! I'm fortunate to have gotten in a Sprint triathlon in August and an Oly in September after a complete tear of my left achilles in 2/13.

WEIGHTLOSS: Like most, I need to do this. However, I have learned that my performance is greater than my weight loss. I'll be tryng to reduce calories to drop weight but I don't plan on obsessing on it like I did a year ago.

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: I take the advice given from the group very seriously and I'd like to think I contribute (a little) to the family atmosphere that Steve has created in past groups (and I'm sure this one as well!)

Phil - Thanks for the links I will be sure to check them out. When I bought my bike they did not do much of a fitting. The video link I shared has more information about saddle fit which some people expressed interest in as well.

Mitzi - Welcome back. I'd say taking it slow is good and starting with some nice long walks or walk/runs would be a good start.

I have the gym to myself this morning and spent a nice 45 min and 4.3 miles on the dreadmill. Cannot wait for a little more day light and get back outside!

Hi, Mitzi, good to see you again.

Day 2 went well this AM with my run. A short 30 min, and I'm changing the run/walk to be slightly more 'run. was at 60% run/walk ration, and today moved up to 70% with a run/walk of 3/1/4/2. Foudn a good pace, and enjoyed the run, despite it being 4:30 AM. Best part of the run was sitting on my front steps afterwards having a drink and the endorphins kicked in nicely - actually felt woozy for a couple minutes .

@ Steve
The above is precious to me now , before i start building for my half iron. After doing a Mary and the bike on an Iron Relay I dont know how You can bring all this elements together for a full Iron. I am second thinking my target Sept of this year for Full Iron, I may just have to enjoy doings HIMs first before i start doing IMs.

@Pam
Thanks for all the advice i am taking Advil 600 mg/6hrs. right now and wearing my compressions around the house. Also Pam
you can call me Carlos its really ok

@Carol
Thanks for the comforting words, really does help while im at snails pace right now.

@Everyone
Happy Training to you all!!!!