Athena/ Clydesdale Official Mentor Group (Page 41)

Heavy rain the last couple of days so I did a 30 minute treadmill run, 30 minute stationary bike and 30 laps (.43 mile) today. Also went to my nutritionist today for my 6 week check in. I lost another 6 pounds and gained .3 pounds of lean muscle. Makes up for the 12 pound/2 pound lean muscle loss 3 weeks ago. I weigh in a 210. I'm feeling pretty strong.

My next Sprint is on June 20th. I feel more confident and look forward to my second experince. I'll be doing some open water swimming in the Pocono's next weekend and certain this will help.

Jeff

Put the new Adamo saddle on my bike today and got a short ride in. So far so good. I was actually quite surprised at how comfortable it was. I'm a little more sore than normal right now, but it could also be that I'm a little less numb than normal. From what I've read, it takes a little while to break in the sit bones. I can't imagine it taking too long though. Definitely worth the money. Going to take it for a longer ride this weekend to see how I feel after a few hours

In an effort to make swimming a little more interesting, I went and played water polo with the club that practices at the gym I go to. What a blast, and what a workout! It's been a while since I've swam that hard. The only problems I had is I found it hard to swim with my head out of the water and I generally don't kick that much when swimming laps. Water polo is only once a week for an hour and a half, but I can see this taking the place of one of my swim workouts every week.

Yep, my bicep is completely separated from the forearm. No wonder I couldn't swim or ride. Wonder when I'll be allowed to swim again?

Saw the ortho today. Dr Kuri is so concerned about how long it's been that I am already scheduled for surgery this Thursday. He's a little peeved that the first ortho canceled my appointment three weeks ago because he "wasn't interested in seeing this injury". Can you believe it, one doctor calling another one a prima-donna jerk"? He said the other guy was a jerk because he considered himself too good to be bothered with someone who wasn't a state or national level athlete.

In all honesty though, the worst part is that my grandson is with us for four weeks and I probably won't be able to kayak with him.

Hoos that's great! Glad you enjoyed the swim portion. You're making great progress.

Completed my second Sprint this past Thursday. It was a 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, and 5k run. Completed it about 6 minutes faster than last months event. I felt pretty good. Next one on July 18th.

This thread seems to have fallen off to silence. I hope it's because everyone is out there doing the races I can't do right now. The surgery to reattach my distal biceps tendon went well, although it did require the more extensive grafting of a donor tendon in addition to my own. Prognosis is good for a recover so nearly complete that my ortho says I won't notice a difference. In fact, he projects that if I resume training in a reasonable manner I should expect better results next year than I would have had this year.

So I have decided that since the 2013 season is a write-off for me this is the time to start training for the 2014 season! In all honesty between bronchitis, gall bladder surgery, Mom's death, and this torn bicep I haven't done diddly for training since the beginning of the year. So for all intents and purposes I am starting from square 0.66 all over again. (I can walk and I can ride my hybrid bike, thus 2 out of 3, or 0.66) Times, distances, and AHR's will be disappointing for now but I have one BIG advantage over what I started with last year. I already KNOW I can do this, since I already have done one.

Yes, Leather, you are so right...this group has been way to quiet for too long now and apologize for my lack of posting. I wish that I could say that it was due exclusively to training but life seems to have a habit of getting in the way. Now that our boys are off for the summer, my days seem a bit more relaxed finally. Glad to hear your surgery went well. You seriously have had a rough go of it this year. Hope it is all behind you now. LOVE your attitude and yes, you CAN do this!

What I have been up to lately is I have done two of my 5 events for this season. My first was a 1.2 mile OWS which I finished in under 50 minutes. I also recently did a sprint distance aquavelo. For both events I am extremely pleased with my performance and times. I did race reports for both if you care to check them out.

My next event is the NJ State Triathlon weekend on July 20 & 21. On Saturday I am doing the sprint swim as a relay team and then on Sunday doing the olympic distance aquavelo. I am excited but also a bit nervous about the olympic distance. Since this is my first time at this distance, I am just planning to enjoy being out there racing this again this year.

I have recently been battling shoulder pain so I have not been doing a lot of training. I have arthritis in the shoulder joint which irritates the rotator cuff so have to take it easy when it flares up, not to mention this rainy, miserable weather here in NJ for the past week does not help. Hoping to get into the pool tomorrow morning and on the trainer this afternoon for a long ride.

Hope everyone else checks in and lets us know what you've been up to!



Edited by Fechter99 2013-07-01 12:32 PM

It has indeed been quiet here.

My A race for the year is the Spudman, an Olympic distance held in southern Idaho on July 27th. Between the time off work, the visit home to where I grew up, and training so as not to DNF, life has been crazy.

Yesterday, I rode the bike to/from work for a good 20 miles of massive cardiac infarction training. Google Maps has a bike option, and it tried to kill me. But, when I got home, I dropped off the kid at fencing and went for a run. I covered 6.07 miles, all run, stopping only for traffic and a water refill. It wasn't fast, but it was a run for the entire distance.

I have never been able to do this before.

The bike shop ordered in a foldable tire for me - just something to have in the Camelbak so if I get a worst-case scenario on the bike ride, I can fix it and move on. DNF is not an option with this one.

My primary goal for the year is to run an Olympic distance tri, and I can't think of anything better than the parents seeing the results of three years hard work and 140 lbs gone.

randi, I only found the race report for the Nav-e sink or swim, but it seemed that you had a really nice day. Can't wait to read of your success in the NJ State tri.

merkin it sure sounds like you are quite ready for your Oly debut. I am jealous of your opportunity to share this accomplishment with your parents. I look forward to your race report.

I have spent the last 28 years over 300 lbs and listening to my parents tell me I had to lose weight. Then when I finally start to get things together, losing 50 lbs, completing my first tri, and training for Beach2Battleship my mother went and died. After all that has gone wrong this year I will have to content myself with training for next year's B2B and doing it without my parents being there. But I will do it, for them.

Thanks for checking it out. I will have to see why the other race is not there. I might not have finished writing it up. Been having crazy dreams about the triathlon, ask Mike he will confirm. Not sure why I am stressing over it but seems I am.

Thanks for checking it out. I will have to see why the other race is not there. I might not have finished writing it up. Been having crazy dreams about the triathlon, ask Mike he will confirm. Not sure why I am stressing over it but seems I am.

edited - yup had not finalized my race report, it's good now.

Edited by Fechter99 2013-07-03 8:41 AM

Nice job training. Sounds to me like you are definitely ready and your race is a week after mine. The foldable tire sounds interesting. That is my fear on a ride is a flat and how long it would take me to change it.

Amazing job on the weight loss, that in itself is a huge accomplishment.

WARNING: Do not try to do the Snoopy Happy Dance in the shower! Durn near killed myself.

Unless you have lost the use of a limb for some time you can't truly relate to the cause of my elation. It has been 14 days since my bicep surgery and today was my first unassisted shave and shower. It's amazing how such a little thing can lift your spirits.

ah, life's simple pleasures, there is nothing like them!

Sorry I've been MIA, a while ago I said I was back and then went MIA again... life has been crazy and I've been trying to train rather than spend time on forums.

I'm in big trouble for Lake Placid, but I'm going to make a valiant effort. I've now done the swim distance in the pool. Having some fit issues with my wetsuit, but I think I'm getting those sorted out.

Finally have gotten my bike off the trainer and been outside, it feels good to get outside, but it is harder to get workouts in. Haven't done any long rides off the trainer, but I have a 100km ride scheduled for Saturday with my uncle, so hopefully that goes well.

Been working on running/walking a bit, but quite frankly I think it will be a miracle if I get to the run at Lake Placid, so I'm not really worried about it.

Hope everyone is doing well and I'll try and keep everyone up to date as I come down the homestretch!

Well I also think in the pool you are constantly timing yourself. In open water you are not sure if you are going too fast, too slow, current and waves can affect your speed.

That being said I have done 1 pool tri swim and like 9 open water swims and I do all my training in the pool but I prefer open water for my racing.
The tri pool swim seemed more about getting wet than swimming.

My secret is doing LSD in the pool. I know so many people push always doing sets and drills in the pool. I would put out there once you get strong enough to do at least the race distance in the pool once a week straight without stopping. Getting used to cruising along so you can get that feel. So when your in open water you can just cruise like you do in the pool.

Also good to practice sitting while swimming too. Get used to looking forward while you swim.

Hey guys - Figured I'd check in here...to maybe help boost the traffic.

My name is Don and I did my first tri (sprint) 2 seasons ago and loved it. I have a background in running: 11 HMs, 2 full marathons, a tough mudder, warrior dash, urbanathlon, and a handful of 5ks and 10ks. But don't let the list of races fool you, I'm a fat, slow clydesdale through and through! lol.

I spent the beginning of last season battling pneumonia and got hurt training for another marathon, so I pretty much just petered out. I'm back at it this season, and signed up for a HM mid September and a sprint tri on Aug 18th. To help keep me accountable I am hosting a backyard sprint tri for a couple other families that we hang out with on July 27th (we have an inground pool and great neighborhood for running and biking).

Anyway, I look forward to posting my progress in this section. Feel free to call me out and hold me accountable, and I'll do the same!

Welcome back, kent! IMLP, huh? Very ambitious! I applaud you. Can't wait to hear how it works out.

CTDon, glad to have you in the group brother. Love the idea of the "backyard tri". Sadly, I don't even know anybody who would even consider participating. I've had the thought a few times because our township's park is less than 300 yards from the river. And I bet if we donated all proceeds to the local VFD we'd have plenty of course marshals and such. Just a "fun" tri.

Being such a large man, active in both SORT and DCT teams in the prisons for so long, made me a pretty powerful man, according to my orthopedist. And that is now working against me. The short version, absolutely no triathlon training until at least October. No kayaking, probably for the rest of this summer. No bicycling until at least September. He's afraid that any such attempts would cause me to overcompensate with other muscles, which would result in this tendon graft being torn asunder. I am truly FRUSTRATED!

Thanks for the warm welcome leatherneckpa. Just going back over the last page I was reading your story....holy crap, sorry about the terrible year you've had, especially the loss of your mom. I lost both parents early (my mom when I was 17 and my dad when I was 30), so I know how it feels.

As far as the mandated activity limits. that stinks...did he say what you CAN do? Can you go hiking? Some day hikes at least that would get you out in the outdoors in some capacity.

Congrats to everyone here who is out putting in the work to make race day fun!

Leather, sorry to hear about the injuries. Not to the same extent but I lost all of last tri season to a couple of shins I split wide open working my daughter's swim meet. I walked into the end of the metal bleachers of all things. Spent the year riding and did a 90 mile race end of the summer.

Been trying to learn to enjoy running this year. It is coming...slowly. Down 13 pounds from the 1st of may...256 to 243. Hoping to get in a sprint or two yet this summer.

Keep after it everyone! The journey leads to the rewards!

Thanks guys. Sounds like you are making nice progress on your efforts. Me? Well, the only thing the ortho says I can do at present is walk. I'm not even allowed to trot part of it, too jarring. So for the next few months at least I am doing a "walk/run focus" I guess. It's probably just as well I suppose, someone who weighs over 350 probably shouldn't be jogging anyway.