Aaron Davidson's Group -- Closed. (Page 43)

Jennifer, don't give up yet.  Swimming can take a long time, like running, to improve.  And I think you underestimate how much your high volume of training can affecting performance.  This is your first year, and you're already MOP in swimming and beat your running goal in the half by a ton.  I'd say a pretty successful season already.

Since I have zero background in any endurance discipline, my "coach" says this year is really just to train.  Results are not really the focus, but consistent training, learning the effort required on all fronts, and simply finishing a 70.3 are my goals for the year.  Next year I'll maybe start thinking about really racing and worrying about results.  Patience, since this endurance thing takes time.

Remember, most new triathletes have some background in at least one of the disciplines, so there's a base already in place somewhere.  If you're like me, you have nothing to build on.  We're truly just starting.

To echo what Warren is saying... This will be my 3rd year of triathlons and this will be the first time I feel like I'm going out and really "racing".  First year, in my mind, was just about surviving and finishing (sprints only).  2nd year was about increasing the distances I was racing (sprint, 2 oly and then the HIM).  This year will be about pushing it to the limit and trying to move up to MOP on the longer distances.  Next year will be about winning Kona and total world domination!

Don't get frustrated (I know, easier said than done).  I agree with Warren that you've already had a pretty successful year.  I'm in year 3 and still trying to break that 2 min/100 mark on swimming... it takes time.

Aaron, what's your opinion on just a great swimmer critiquing my swimming?  I work with someone who was a tremendous D1 swimmer, some of his times are still top 5 for the school 20 years later.  1500 freestyle was his specialty, so he knows something about longer swims.  He's not a coach, but he obviously knows swimming.

He wants to help me and teach me to draft and such.  The cost is right (free), and he's willing to get together as much as possible all summer at another co-workers 22 yard pool during lunch.

I just found out the pool I swim at is closed to alums for the summer, so I need to find another swimming hole during the week and this pool might be the best bet.  I'll be doing lake swims on the weekends,  but I agree that some form of coaching would be a great thing to do.

A little disappointed about changes they made to my sprint race this weekend.  Last year it was a 12.6 mile bike... this year they reduced it to 8.3 miles... that's short!!!  And the 5k run used to be on the beach... this year, it's on the boardwalk and road.  Kinda takes some of the fun out of it.  Oh well... BRING IT ON!!!

Jennifer -   Your first race you underestimated yourself before the race started.  On your second race you underestimated the the success of your results.  Finishing top 1/3 your first year is awesome!  No need to beat yourself up over that.  It's hard to learn to be easy on yourself, I know.  We can be our own worst critics.  My last year of racing back in 2000, I finished 8th overall in a sprint, 19th overall in an Oly, then 2 weeks later I was almost last place in an Oly.  I had to walk most of the run and breaststroke a lot of the swim.  You have good days and you have bad days for no reason at all it seems.  You eventually learn to take what the day gives you, and learn to forgive yourself when you believe that you performed sub-par.   If you can't learn to forgive yourself for what you might think of as a bad performance, you won't last long in this sport.   You will also learn that racing is just to evaluate your training. After a race you make adjustments to your training and try again.

Bob - way to take what the day gives you.  Know that you can kick @$$ no matter what the organizers or nature throws at you.  Have fun, and "get you some!"

Warren - While living in Tulsa, I took lessons from a coach for months and swam with the triathlon club.  My swimming did get better.  When I moved to my current hometown,  I began swimming with a very good ex-collegiate swimmer. (he was a D-1 national record holder)  He has given me small tips and paced me for the past few years.   Since I didn't learn to swim "correctly" until I was 27, I probably won't get much faster, but he has helped me tremendously. (better than paid lessons IMO) Take whatever help you can get from him.

Thanks Ray, that's kind of what I was thinking.  I'll definitely take his advice.  I'm really downplaying swimming this year in favor of biking/running, so hopefully I'll have enough fins to at least get through.

If you aren't going to get much faster after learning at 27, I'm totally porked picking swimming up at 48!

I'm with Ray on this one too - get help wherever you can. Try their advice out and if it works for you - fantastic. If it doesn't - that's okay too.

I have a good friend who is an accomplished bicyclist that I pester all the time (the same one who told me how to get better at riding hills) and another friend who is a great runner...now to find a swimmer friend.

I hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend. Should be a nice one for us - thinking about doing the Warren plan and having my husband drive the girls down to the beach house and me riding my bike there to meet them. Don't think I'm quite up for a dip in the ocean yet - water's around 55 degrees still.

How is everyone holding up with the increase in your training (I'm sure the volume has really started to ramp up)? I keep thinking that the jump from a sprint to an olympic is a big change in volume for me...and and wondering how difficult the switch to HIM is. I know that Ray was really looking forward to a dip in volume - anyone else?

First critiquing of swimming done.  It was great.  I think it's going to be awesome if I can get him there a few times a week.  He even brought an underwater camera - not a great one but it worked fine.  The good news is there is plenty to work on.  Bad news is I'm gonna drown swimming 1.2 miles.

Warren - the most important thing I learned from my olympic swim, which was a choppy first-time OWS, that I tried hard and had a difficult time breathing was that you can't win based on your swim time, but you can certainly lose a lot.  I made a few key adjustments to my swim for the HIM and I came out feeling twice as strong and much lower HR and I lost only 2 sec/100 yds.  Granted the water was much smoother and I sighted much better in the HIM, but I went into the HIM swim with the attitude of using it as my warmup for a 6 hr race.  Also, I swam on the outside of the pack and that helped keep me out of getting whacked up side the head a few times and screwing up my rhythm and concentration. 

Bill - Good luck in your Tri for Our Veterans Sprint Triathlon this weekend!!  You're going to do awesome!

We'll be looking forward to your results.

Have a great race Bill.  Everyone have a great weekend and stay safe.

Thanks all for the words of encouragement and inspires.  As I said in my blog... I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve.  And to have a child-less date night the night before... BONUS!  I should be able to log on later in the day tomorrow and I'll let you know how it went.  Have an awesome and safe holiday weekend, teammates!

OK, so here it goes, THE question I've been wanting to ask....

Am I ready to take on an Ironman distance race?
What does it take in terms of training, does it take 20 weeks or years?
Being my first year, my plan was not really to do this distance and after the episode at the end of my race I wonder if that was a sign to slow down my overly aggressive racing schedule.

What I was originally thinking of asking the group after my HIM was is it reasonable, rational, realistic to think I could take my training up a notch and target the Beach2Battleship Ultra distance tri in Nov. 2010?  www.beach2battleship.com

Obviously, my goal would be just to finish the race, I really mean it this time!  ;~)

Now, I am wondering if I should push that distance off until 2011 if I decide to do it?

I am also considering Chesapeakeman Endurance Festival (Sept. 2010), they have several events, like the 2.4 mile swim, an AquaVelo of a 2.4 mile swim and then 112 mile bike that I was wondering could be used as my checkpoint for B2B.

http://www.tricolumbia.org/ChesapeakeMan/

Thoughts?  Am I crazy?

Personally, I expect to see how it goes in my HIM then make a determination about doing a full next year. If I have a rough time in the half, I'll do one or two more till I feel more comfortable at it before moving up to full distance. Of course, that's just my plan...YMMV.

I am totally on the fence about a full IM.  I finished my HIM last year, but practically crawled across the finish line.  I decided this year to really stick to the training plan and finish the race.  I'm finding the workouts to be very manageable, so now it's got me thinking about Lake Placid 2011.  But I'm going to wait and see how my HIM goes in September and then decide.  Hopefully IMLP won't be sold out by then.

I think you should discuss it with your wife & family.  That's pretty scary having you in the hospital for a couple days after your last race.  It seems like a pretty quick turnaround from, "I'll see if my family let's me do another HIM again" to "I'm ready for an IM", IMHO.  But I understand how this sport sucks you in and you want to keep going further and faster!

Matt, I really think there's no rush to do an IM.  The races aren't going away.  Like a half marathon vs. a marathon, I've heard that a HIM is like 1/3 or 1/4 of an IM.  You went through quite an ordeal, though I think you learned a lot and it sounds like you really managed the race perfectly until halfway through the run.  Could you do an IM?  Almost certainly.  But what's the rush?

Leigh really suggests I finish the HIM distance this year, race it next year, and then evaluate with my body and my family if an IM is possible the year after that (2012).  YMMV since I have absolutely zero experience in endurance sports of any kind, so I'm starting from no base of any kind in any sport.

I have targeted either B2B or IMCOZY 2012 if I go that route, by the way.  It would be a blast to do one of those with a few of you guys.

I don't think your crazy I think you are HUNGRY!!!
I say if you want it and you're feeling it....DO IT!!!  There is no time like the PRESENT!!  :-)

With that said,  take ALL PRECAUTIONS....make sure your nutrition is good, I think you learned a lot from you HIM.  I would concentrate on finishing it like you said as opposed to killing yourself on it.  You did well in the HIM...if you take some rest time and get back to the training you certainly can finish a full.  Make sure you are ready before you lock it in!  Best of luck with your decision and glad to hear your family is behind you!

Good luck Bill!!

Jenn, you are a TRIATHLETE!!!....not a DUATHLETE!!  So you feel you had a bad swim....at least you are out there DOING IT!!! Working at it!!  Getting better at it!!!  Someone who trains as hard and as much as you do is not a quitter.   You will do better next time.  Get some more pool time in.  Like Aaron said it is ALL about technique.  With that said finishing in the top 1/3 is AWESOME!! Certainly put it in perspective!! 

Lots of great stuff on here...

1) Matt - only you know if you should do the IM distance. That being said - what's the rush? Why do you feel like it must happen in this time frame? How would it be different in a longer time frame? If there is a compelling (to you) reason to take this on - then (based on your dedication to training, your capability to finish a HIM, you family's acceptance) I don't see why you shouldn't try. That being said - the jump in distance is quite significant...the jump from the Oly to HIM distance has me spooked...the jump from HIM to IM is huge.

2)  The involvement of our families in this process can't be overlooked. Without their acceptance of these goals - they would become impossible to achieve. If your family supports you - rock on!

3)  I would LOVE to do an IM with you folks...but it's not in the cards until 2012 at the soonest. Maybe you all will be old hats at that point and can guide me through! IMLP would be my first choice (closest to me and a lake swim)...but I could be talked into B2B (I heard the swim is with the current and as a result - very fast - sounds good to me). I think Matt (my husband) wouldn't go for IMCOZ and I really would like the family to be there with me.

4)  Go Bill! I hope your race is fantastic.

Have a great weekend everyone. Remember those who are no longer with us.

Hello teammates!
Just a quick drive by here... off to a party!  Finished the race in 1:10, which was 5 min slower than I hoped.  However, I feel like I did well on the bike and run.  Swim was absolutely brutal.  Ocean was very choppy with big waves.  People getting pulled out left and right in each wave.  There was nothing I did that even resembled swimming.  I don't know my splits yet and will check that tomorrow AM.  All-in-all, it was a great race.  I think I finished 16 out of 39 in the Clydes division.  Have a great weekend!