Experior and Slornow's Winter Mentor Group-CLOSED (Page 42)

I had to look up square legs! I actually wear those to swim team. They fit on me better than the ladies "square legs", which we call "boy shorts". The guys on swim team are split between jammers and square legs. I notice the buff dudes prefer the square legs. One of the guys looked at my swim shorts, then looked at his like he was wondering if he was wearing ladies bottoms. He felt better to know he wasn't, haha!

I don't have an A race. Don't know what to shoot for. There's a swim I'd like to do, which is called Cocos Crossing. We swim from Guam to a little island called Cocos that I think is about 3K. There's a big road tri coming up too, but I'm not feeling confident about training on the roads here. Would training indoor on a trainer be enough? Not sure of the distances. Need to check it out.

Baby girl is with me at work with a tummy ache. If she's feeling better we'll hit up the family room at the gym. If not, that's another rest day for me.

Have a great evening.

Stu --  I also have a Cycleops fluid trainer, and I like it.  (I also have a pair of rollers -- not fancy ones like Randy, just standard rollers, and I like them too, but yes, there is a slightly frightening learning curve.)  It's a solid trainer for sure.  Yes, your 'speed' on it is WAY lower than outdoors.  For the first year that I had it, I had to use a special tire (actually, I just got a cheap spare wheel and swapped that out because I got tired of changing the tire every time -- I know, lazy).  But for some reason, it eventually stopped eating up tires, and now I use the same tire on the road and the trainer with no problem.

Randy -- swimsuit:  I have both.  I began with jammers only.  The last pair I bought is beginning to get threadbare, so will be retired soon.  My two newer suits are square-leg.  I like them better; I don't like so much material on my legs, especially in warmer weather.  I never really thought about how they look -- but, as my wife will attest, my ability to assess my own appearance is nil....  A-race:  Ironman Wisconsin, without a doubt.  I've never come quite so close to putting all of my eggs into one basket as I am this year.  I'm drastically altering how I would normally race this spring because of IMWI.  Yeah, I know I'm setting myself up for disappointment.  But hey, nothing ventured....

Blanda -- hope the little one feels better soon!

Crazy crazy work here recently.  I'm falling behind on my training, which stresses me out even more.  A short run today made me feel a little better.  I am ready for May to arrive!

Hey everyone. Calf is feeling a bit better.  Busy few days with late night work and meetings.  Still unsure about running this week.  I am going to swim tomorrow evening and use a pull bouy.  I will get in a hot tub as well.

BLANDA... sorry to hear about the tummy ache for the litte one. : ( Hope she feels better.

I am a jammer user and have been since I began tri's.  Big 5 Sports are where I get mine.  Mostly on sale Nike version.  I like the longer ones.  I'd like to tryout the TYR ironman ones.  I have about 4 older pairs that are worn out for swimming but I wear under my winter running tights as shorts.   

I have a trainer as well.  Magnetic.  Same company that makes they cyclops brand.  Can't remember the name.  does the job for me and what I need.

"A" race maybe a Half-Iron in Early August.  Very flat course and one that I will have run an Oly on in June.  This all depends on my knee/calf of course and figuring it all out.

Interesting bit of info:  So it is two days before the start of Spring Break in Oregon and it has been SNOWING ALL DAY.  Can you believe it????  The SNOW is starting to accumulate this evening.  School had a two hour delay this morning and who knows what tomorrow brings.

I've got two A races.  HIM this June, and a cycling race in August. 

I also have a "B+" race which is a 40k TT.  It's the week after my HIM, so obiously my lead up to it will not be standard "A race" protocol.

Hello everyone-busy work week with another day on the road tomorrow.  Did a 45 minute bike on the trainer this morning and treadmill intervals this evening.  Right calf has been a bit tight so cut the run a little short.  First race of the season is a week from Saturday.  Looking forward to see how I do this year as compared to last.

Brian-glad to hear your calf is better.  All of my leg problems (calf, hamstring etc) are in my right leg....the leg where I have had 2 knee surgeries.  I think these problems come about in large part due to the previous surgeries.  The right leg is "different" due to the surgery and the imbalance contributes to the problems...........just my uneducated medical opinion.

Randy   

Randy -- my experience is similar.  I've had problems with my right leg since before I started endurance sport, and also since, including surgery.  My right leg is STILL (several years after the last major incident) not the same size or strength as my right.  And pretty much all of my issues have been on the right side.

I got pretty much cajoled into signing up for a sprint tri this weekend that I originally 'vowed' (to nobody but myself) that I wouldn't do.  I don't feel ready at all.  I wanted to skip it because I want to stay focused on the early stages of preparation for IMWI.  But the owner the local bike shop (who, I have to say, has been VERY good to me) really wanted me to do the race (in his gear, of course), and in the end, I gave in.  I'm going to totally train through it.  I might even go ahead and doa long hard ride on Saturday (my original intention) -- the race is on Sunday.

But, to be perfectly honest, I don't really want to learn that my swim training has not yet born great fruits, even though in my heart I know that it hasn't.  I'm not worried (yet) about that fact -- I still have a long time to prepare for a good swim at IMW.  Still, I'd rather not see how far away I am from my goal.   Not just yet.

LMAO Michael...when I read this...I immediately thought of those you tube videos about "sh*t triathletes say". 

I guess sometimes we can't help but be who we are...

Had a really good hill climbing ride yesterday afternoon, and surprisingly followed it up with a great run this morning.

Judging by my power outputs on the climbs (roughly 25 minutes each), I'm about at about 90-95% of my bike fitness at the peak of last summer when I was doing these climbs regularly.

Considering how competitive you seem to be come race time + IMWI is not for another 6 months, something tells me you'll be giving it your all this weekend.  (Is the Saturday ride really going to impact your race in 6 months?)

Hi Everyone,

Just catching up, again.  I can't believe the amount of drama that has surrounded my life the last couple of months.  I don't want to sound like a whiner here because I know everyone else has their own troubles to deal with, and it's really not my nature, but I keep treading water hoping that things will get better.

Work has been off the charts busy, one of my closest friends' estranged husband committed suicide, I've got family drama at home, I'm getting some resistance about getting my new bike, and I just sold my MTB.  My diet hasn't been great (although I haven't gained any weight I'm starting to feel soft), and training has been sporadic at best.  I can't even get to the computer to upload my small efforts from my Garmin.  And tomorrow is a 1/2 marathon I'd hoped to PR.

Well, that's it in a nutshell.  So here's my plan: REGROUP.  I'm going to run the 1/2 tomorrow and take it fairly easy - I know I'm still in fair running shape, but I've done no appreciable running in the last 3 weeks.  I'm just going to run by feel and see how it goes - hopefully I can eke it out on the little S/B/R I HAVE been able to do.  Next week will be better.

Thanks for listening.

Now that is funny!  I said it without even thinking, but you're right!

But I AM going to do a long ride tomorrow.  

Oh, I'll definitely go all-out in the race.  But I'm not going to go in rested or tapered or anything.  Randy has made fun of me for that before, but I do tend to put all of my training eggs in one basket (race) per year and let myself go into the other races pretty tired.  That 'strategy' has paid off only once out of three seasons, but I'm stubborn...

Busy day for me with work/hearings and then drive to Tallahasse for FSU relays. Son, Gil, ran in the invitational 3200 (2 miles) tonight. HUGE PR for him finishing 2nd in 9:12.  Lots of national caliber runners....that time puts him in the top 10 nationally for 3200 at this point of the season.  SOOO FUN to see him surpass his goals. His goal was 9:20-9:30.  Guess all those 75 mile weeks really help.....Proud Dad here...just can't help it.  

Michael/taper-last year I gave Michael a hard time about his tapering.  For him a taper is driving to the race site rather than doing Z5 intervals on the bike while riding to the race and doing a brick tempo run before getting bodymarked  Of course he still kills it in the race.  Basically, our definitions of taper are very different.  

Di-so sorry for all the bumps in the road.  Thanks for checking in.  Let us know how things go this weekend.

Randy

Jason -- yes, 4x for IM, 2x for HIM.  5x is too strong for me, but that's what I'd do if I could get away with it (for IM  I use Heed, which is already very mild in flavor.  I probably would have to go 3x if it were Gatorade.  I believe that Infinite can also be purchased with a very mild flavor, and I've been meaning to see whether I could get away with 5x and ultra-mild Infinite, but haven't gotten around to that.

Randy -- Wow.  That's fast.  Congrats.  Now I'm going to go taper by riding 60 miles.  

Made it home from Tallahassee in time to get a good tempo run in before my daughter's soccer game.  Spent some time this evening getting bike set up for race next weekend.  Tomorrow I'll ride a bit and make sure everything is set up correctly.  Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Randy

I tried a 2x gatorade bottle on my ride today.  It worked out okay...but I don't think I would go stronger than that for gatorade.  HEED would probably work stronger.

Anyway...had a good long ride, and decided to do my first brick or transition run...whatever you want to call it...of the season.  Ran just under 3 miles at what pace I hope to run my HIM in.  Felt really good the first 2 miles, with the 3rd mile a little tougher to keep pace.  All in all, I think it went well considering how tough my workouts were on Thursday and Friday.  I think I could have drank a little more earlier in the ride.  I found myself really thirsty towards the end of the ride and after my run.

Di and Michael - hope your races go well this weekend!  Hang in there, Di... there are times where you just have to let things be.  I think, as most triathletes are type Aers, we think we can make it all work, but there are times where you can't despite best efforts.  And it is okay... in fact, probably a good reminder for us.

Thanks for all the info/thoughts on the trainers.  The time is probably right to make the plunge.  I was always planning on going for the Kurt Kinnetic, but the Lemond (at a good discount) is tempting.  I may go for it especially if they'll let me return it if I don't like it or if it is too noisy for Karen.

The A race question really got me thinking.  This is the first year where I really don't have one and I wonder if that is why I seem to be lacking a bit in the motivation department.  Interesting.  I've got the 10 miler race coming up next weekend - will be hard to improve on last year's time as I can't see myself averaging under 8:15 for 10 miles, but I'll give it a shot.  Probably taper just a bit for it.

Yesterday morning got out of bed and promptly ran my foot into a suitcase on the floor (important to get coffee in my veins before attempting much of anything).  Hurt like the dickens, so decided to take it easy yesterday.  Today, I've got two swollen, black and blue toes (3rd and 4th).  Hmmm... for now I'll go with denial, it is the only way to go!  Try a light run tomorrow.

Have a great day, everyone... we're finally a bit more spring-like today - cool and rainy.

Stu

Holy Moly that is fast.  Congrats to Gil (and Dad!).  Certainly due for a breakout run after all the bumps in his road last season.  Awesome and well deserved!!

Hi all.  I had a pretty lackluster, ho hum, race today.  I was racing only because my sponsor asked me to, and it showed with a total lack of motivation...  Oh well.  Better than sitting on the couch!  Back to training.

I met Rene last Friday and we chatted about things triathlon.  She is as nice in person as she is on line!  Rene -- I hope you enjoyed the ballet.

Stu:  That smarts.  I recall my son asking me to do all these things with him during the week of a race and I always get real apprehensive as I don't want to hurt myself; or tripping over something in the garage; falling donw steep stairs.  I hate it when that stuff happens.  Take it easy Stu.

Up date on the calf....I have been off my feet all week; icing and not doing much of anything strenuous.  NO S/B/R all week.  Some video game play.  I may go for a swim this afternoon with the pull bouy and little to no kick.  I called a Message Therapist but no call back yet.  I want to get in for a massage on my legs especially the calves.  I am four weeks out from my half marathon so hopefully I can get my calves loosened up and get in some final training. 

I did meet with a Physical Therpist who owns the local running store.  He said my running gait looks very efficient and I am landing on my forefoot nicely.  We looked at the wear of my shoes and he said I pronate some on my left side.  He is also a message therapist and felt scare tissue and a large metal pole (as he described it) running the length of my left calf.  He said my calves look like bricks and I need to get them loosened up.  We went over some trigger point techniques for the calf area and hips.  I have the kit already so that wasn't additional cost.  I did purchase a new pair of shoes...Brooks Dyad 6.  They are kind of funny looking across the soles;  larger mid-sole platform across the whole shoe.  They are very light and have a lot of cushion.  I'll try them out on my long runs and stick to my other shoes for track workouts.  They are more for those with low arches or flat feet.  I am hoping it will help with my knees.  I may go to an Ortho. to see if I can get a presciption for a knee brace if I need one.  Knee braces have come a  long ways over the years; they are very light and can provide a lot of support. I would use it mainly for training purposes and then go free during a race.

Any watch the Melbourne Ironman yesterday?  What a great race.  Crowie just killed that last 8-10 miles on the run going sub 8:00 hrs. 

Great to see some us are beginning to get out their and race.  I just set-up my calendar for a Half-Iron in early August.  Not going to sign-up until I absolutely have to. 

That is what is going on with me.