Baowolf's Beginner Banquet -Sorry all tables are full no room.. (Page 45)

Hey All!

Welcome back Ceril! Yay for selling the glamper and now on to seeing about a new bike: now that is exciting!! With the help of our dear friends Steve and Dennis you will either: get a really sick new bike for a sweet price or your head will explode because all the information is OVERWHELMING...hahaha. Happy shopping and be sure to send a pic of the new ride.

Steve-thanks again and again for your encouragement. I am getting freaked out about the Oly. I feel my training is so inadequate and sometimes I wonder if I can really pursue this (because I am so lazy). Oh well, one day at a time. Right now I am just working to not over-train. Because I feel behind schedule and not getting enough mileage in I want to do more. I guess my type B personality comes in handy when I realize I don't really want to do more. Oh the challenges of life. I hope I don't sound as pathetic to y'all as I do to myself Also, great job on your century ride. I have been to crater lake and it is truly beautiful. Riding my bike around it would be a totally different experience. Glad your legs held up!

Got a great open water swim in yesterday. The water is perfect for swimming right now. I was a little surprised to see people training in wetsuits, though I guess there are some advantages to swimming in a wetsuit. It will probably be weird when I make the switch. One lady told me she has a hard time not rolling too far on her breath strokes because she is so buoyant.

Still having some trouble with my back on the bike. I do think tensing up has a lot to do with it as well as a weak core. Carol-I like your accountability idea. I have P90x ab ripper that is a 15 minute routine. I would like to add that in maybe three times a week because I think it will help so much.

I definitely will stick with a group and would love to move to the new group with Steve. Whatever I have I would love to share and I need to support and encouragement as well. I am starting to plan my next season out and am looking for suggestions on good HIM and marathons for the latter half of next years season. My goal for next summer is a half-mary and Oly in spring, then the HIM and Mary in the second half. That is what my work schedule will require because summer is our busiest time. Anyway, I will be living in Montana starting in September and am looking for the races I mentioned and would be willing to travel some.

This is a long post, so I will say good-day!

So glad this group will regroup and continue on!  I really am enjoying getting to know each of you, and it would be nice to pay it forward a bit.  Not to mention, I still have so much to learn.  Yay Steve for continuing to mentor!

Steve - Your Crater Lake century sounds beautiful!  Ha, I guess that is one way for you to get in some group riding.  Also glad this one ended better than the last one...one more thing conquered.  LOL on the "high risk of death events".  The big ride around here is the Hotter-N-Hell 100.  Everyone around here is really keyed up for that one, and it just sounds miserable to me.  Thanks for the tires advice.  Probably stick with practicing changing them for now.

Samantha - OK, we need to work on your self talk.  I tend to put myself down too, so can say from experience that it is not beneficial.  You are NOT lazy!  You just led a group on a days long hike through the wilderness, and are a triathlete for pete's sake!  Wow, you live in some beautiful places....Montana sounds awesome!  OK, I like the core work accountability. So I will commit to 2X per week of stretch & core.  Probably nothing as intense as the ab ripper for me though .  Oh, and I really like how you have your goals laid out.

Dennis - Sorry about your helmet light, it kind of sounds possessed!  Nice biking for you lately.  You are going to do great in your HIM.  Not sure you get the "BA riding in the rain card" just yet though.  Think that has to be an intentional ride in the rain .

Ceril - I'm happy/sad about your glamper selling.  I felt sort of attached to it since you taught me the word glamper.  But if it means a new bike for you...I say "what glamper?, don't need no stinkin' glamper".  Congrats to your parents for 50 years of marriage, now that is an endurance event!  Neat you trained CDE's.  I was reluctant to pump at first too, not due to the challenge, just the idea of becoming a bit of a cyborg attached to something 24X7.  I had a very wise endoc who suggested it but didn't push and gave me time to come around.  Now I say that you would have to pry my cold dead hands off it to get it away from me.

It's been a good weekend of workouts.  Swam my race distance in the lake on Friday, had a good 32 mile group ride yesterday, and a solid 10 mile run this morning.  Confidence level is back up.  It is interesting how that ebbs and flows. 

Oh, and funny story...my sometimes training buddy came on the group ride on Sunday.  It was her first group ride, and I had not been able to convince her previously to get clipless pedals/shoes.  She did really well, but fell behind a few times, and our group leader told her she really needed to get them.  So she went out yesterday afternoon and bought the pedals, shoes AND aerobars and was out riding again this morning.  Yes, I'm giving her carp about not listening to her friend .

Here are some pictures from google until I can get some of my own loaded in.

Samantha, your bike and swim are fine and your run is close enough.  If you don't cook the bike you should be able to get through the whole race without walking. 

Carol- You are right, thank you. I can be pretty hard on myself. I got in three bikes, three runs and two swims this week. That is more than I used to do in an entire year. You are going to do so well in your race; way the get the mileage in there this week!

Steve- Thanks! I want to do well and often feel I could do more, but sometimes life is what it is. I am super thankful for where I am when I stop and think about it. Nice pics, btw. If you had taken these ones I might have suggested you quit your day job and become a photographer

Things I hope to own someday: clipless pedals and shoes. They are quit the hot item it seems. Gonna look for a sale for sure when I have some extra cash (hahaha).

Dennis- I am gonna do trail of the Coeur D Alenes this week if all goes well. I will try to post photos. When is your HIM??

On 5/7 I posted after my first sprint that I had a pain on the outside of my right knee.  It came and went for a few weeks I believe before going away.  Well yesterday, it came back.  Around mile 6 of a 12 mile run.  I was pretty far out so I had to finish the run to get back anyway.  It got really bad between miles 8 & 9 and forced my down to a walk for about a mile.  I was able to run the last 2 miles with just a little discomfort.

I'm pretty sure it is ITBS based on self diagnosis(which is something people with high deductible insurance do).  So icing and ibuprofen were on the menu yesterday and continuing this morning.  I'm out of town the next few days on business.  So I'm going to take a week off from running at least.  I will continue to swim for sure.  Not sure how biking will work out though.  I guess I'll find out sooner or later.

The good news is I'm in good shape and over a month to recover before my half.  Missing a week or 2 of running will hopefully fix things up.  I won't lose much conditioning if any over that time so no need to stress about not being able to run.  That's what I keep telling myself.  Heck things like these just make it more interesting.

Hey there team!

Steve, beautiful pictures!  Definitely makes me want to go there, but not so much to bike it.

Samantha, nice week of workouts!  And just think, you get to back off a little next week in prep for your race .

Dennis, sorry about your ITB issue.  Your "roll with it" attitude is admirable.  FWIW, I dealt w/ ITB issues off and on for a couple of years.  I finished a 1/2 mary in Feb 2010 with a pathetic limp due to it, and it was a large part of why I stopped running altogether for a while.  Never had it seen about and figured rest was the ticket.  Then it happened again early this yr. and I decided to address it more proactively.  Got new orthotics, went to a sports chiropractor who does ART and also did some related PT.  After that, I have been pain free.  Do you have a foam roller or "the stick"?  That can do some of the same thing of breaking up the knots/scarring + stretching and core strengthening.  Just things for your consideration if it winds up being persistent.

Short bike and short run this morning.  Off for a swim soon, so I guess I'm doing my very own sprint tri today .  Hope the caffeine I just had kicks in or I may wind up asleep on a floatie in the pool instead.

Do I have a foam roller or the stick?  Who do you think you're dealing with?  Of course I've bought every gadget out there.  Especially the ones under $50.  Do I use them regularly? Only when I'm hurt.  I'm a man.  I only need them when I'm hurt.  I know that's not the smartest thing, but that's how us "Y" chromosome having people roll.

Seriously I have got to be more religious about using them, stretching and I guess I'll start with the glute and other strength exercises to help get past this.  It's funny it doesn't hurt if I'm moving around, but let me leave my knee is a fixed position for 20+ minutes and it hurts like hell to get it going again.

I've had little hurts and all over the past few months, but this one feels more real. 

Now for my shared link of the day, a video a guy made after finishing the 2011 Leadville 100 in just over 28 hours.

Sorry I seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth.  We went to the mountains for a few days (no internet) and then came back just in time for back-to-school night.  I've been scrambling ever since.

Dennis--the headlamp isn't that dorky at night because people really can't see the rest of you.  I loved using one last winter for those evening runs.

Another proud running skirt wearer here.  Love them!  They can be pricey but I'm lucky enough to live close to the Skirt Sports headquarters and they have a warehouse sale once or twice a year.  I scored two bike skirts this summer for $15 each and have gotten running skirts for as little as $5.  Awesomeness.

Dennis, there's a guy who runs a Fourth of July 5-miler every year in a kilt.  My husband figures the guy must be awesome, because you'd have to be macho to run in a kilt, LOL!

Speaking of Leadville, I kind of think it would be awesome to run the Leadville Marathon some day.  I think I'm going to do the Mount Evans ascent first, probably sometime in the next five years or so.

Anyhow, I did my second sprint tri on Saturday, and the race report is here:  http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp... enjoyed this one much more than the first.  The course was much easier, especially the bike part.  Plus, all I'd heard from people I know was how hilly it was in this area, and how hilly the bike part is and how hilly the run is, etc.  As it turns out, the bike part was much less hilly than my first tri, and the run part was about the same and not a big deal (nor was it the first time, except that I couldn't muster much speed because my legs were fried from the bike portion). The run was awesome, especially because I did the 3.5 miles at an 8:46 pace.  I was thrilled.  Very little speedwork had been done lately due to the heat, so I didn't know that I still had it in me.

A friend of mine also did this tri, and she's the reason I started doing a tri in the first place.  The best part?  She won 2nd in our AG, so yay for her!     We've done a few races together too and I've consistently been faster than her, so it was really cool that she rocks this sport.  We started the swim within a few minutes of each other (she started 2-3 minutes after me), and then, as predicted, she passed me on the bike about 3 miles in.  She struggled with the hills on the run so I ended up finishing only a minute or two behind her and then we just hung out until she got her medal.  Fun times!

That's it for tris for the year for me.  School started up for my oldest today and I start teaching tomorrow.  It's a new kind of craziness, but I'm really excited that she's in first grade (read:  full-day, as opposed to last year's half-day kindergarten).  I was amazed by how much I got done this morning, even though I still had the little one with me.  That included a nice 4-mile run before it got too hot, so I'm really looking forward to the chance to be out running early and with only one in the jogger.  And I have a couple of races scheduled for September:  a trail run and another family fun run.  Maybe I'll do another half-mary in October too, depending.

And with that, I really need to finish up class prep and stuff for tomorrow, because the much earlier morning start may otherwise be the death of me.  It's great to be up and doing stuff that early, except for the part where I actually get out of bed and can believe how painful it is to be awake.  Can't do coffee either because I'm still nursing the little one and she won't sleep otherwise, so I'm hoping my "gut it out through the painful run" skills will apply to get me through the first painful 10 minutes of the morning.  :D

I'll probably still log some of my mils here but I don't think I'm going to have times to post to the forums much anymore.  I'll be back to doing tris in not too too long though.  I was thinking it would be at least a couple of years after my tri on Saturday, but today when I was running I looked back on the experience more fondly (perhaps because I didn't have to figure out when I was also going to bike and/or swim tonight?).  Maybe I'll work in a duathlon next year to keep my bike skills up.

Good luck to everyone on fall tris and 5Ks and anything in-between!

Hey Lisa thanks for joining the group.  You have a lot to be proud of and have been an inspiration in time management and multitasking for all of us.  Solid tri to end the season.  I for one will be on BT for the foreseable future so feel free to hit me up for any ideas about run or whatever over the years.  I have been training teachers all week, so I know how the early mornings are painful... especially if I have to start doing 5 am workouts again before work... hopefuly not for a while yet.  Take care of those little ones, they will be off to school and backtalkingya in no time.  Remember to take care of you amidst all of your responsibilities, take your training and racing gains where you get then and simply enjoy that you can run and be out there and complete things that were impossible before.  Can you imagine what my coworkers would have said if I told them 4 years ago that I wanted to do 3 IMs and 3 marathons and qualify and run Boston in the next 4 years and hit a 5k at a sub 6:00 pace?  Yes it was impossible and now it is some very fond memories that I will cary with me always.  Be at peace and smile at about what you have accomplished.   

Steve.

Nice intense ride, Steve!

Where is everyone?  Helloooooo out there!

So I looked at the elevation profile for my upcoming OLY.  1486 ft vertical rise.  Maybe doesn't sound too bad to you mountain people. But I checked my ride today and the rise was 1374 ft.  Sounds similar to today's ride at first glance, but my ride today was longer than race distance.  Rise per mile is 42% more on the race course.  Oh my!

Carol - Good luck on the hills.  At least on a 3 lapper you get to learn on the first lap where you need to conserve energy for the cilmb ahead.  I recommend driving the course the day before also.

I have another question for you about ITBS.  I feels no pain normally from my knee the past 2 days.  That includes climbing in and out of a lift machine the past 2 days installing new security cameras in our Nashville location.  No real pain when going down stairs.  The only time I'm experiencing pain now is if I lie down with my knee in a fixed position for a while, (20-30 minutes) and when I ice.  The pain comes afterwards when I try to bend or straighten my knee.  Takes a few minutes for it to go away.  Did you experience this Carol?

Yeah, I'm not sure I want to see those hills beforehand.  On the ITBS, it felt a lot like something was catching on the side of my knee.  I would think it was better, then it would glitch up again.  Sometimes that was after sitting around for a while or at seemingly random times.  Then I would think it was better, try a run, and then a couple miles in, relatively intense pain that brought me up short...walk a bit, think it's OK, try running again and ouch all over again.  Hopefully with the ice and foam rolling/massage that you are doing to proactively address it, it will not become chronic for you.  

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ThanksCarol8178444

OK, I'll drive the course.  Have to get there to check my bike in the day before, which is a Sunday, so traffic should be light.  And denial only goes so far .  I've been dialing in the nutrition and blood sugar aspects, and that has been going very well.  I also signed up for my first "away" half marathon....Carlsbad, CA in January.  Going to hook up with a group called InsuINdependence (www.insulindependence.org). 

Samantha, we're closing in on it...how is your week going?

Karen, are you in Irene's path?

Anyone else?  How goes it?

How is it going?  Are you sure you want to ask me that?

Let's see.  Bike head lamp died this morning after a full charge after getting a mile out.  So biking was cancelled.  Decided to go for a swim then.  Got to the pool and if the wall kicks didn't irritate that ITB and cause me some pain which was frustrating.  So I  cut my swim short and just went home.  I'm going to pick up a new 2 watt light for the bike on the way home tonight.  One that takes AAAs.  That should cure that issue.

I think I'm going to walk some tonight.  Being out of town kept me from training gave me an excuse not to train for a couple of days.  It's amazing how a little injury like this can make you so irritable and lower your mood so much.  But like I said, if I have to walk the 13.1 in a month, I just have to walk it.  I can then burn it up on the bike to make up some time.

Dennis, here's a video for your head lamp frustrations....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0_S_EdZ_I8

RE: the ITBS, it so very frustrating.  If there is any way you can get to a good sports chiropractor or physical therapist who does ART, I really recommend it.  I wish I had done that long before I did.  Maybe your tri club or biking group could recommend someone to you??   

Carol- Week seems like it is over already. I have to remind myself I have until Sunday to get the rest of my workouts in. Did a run the other day and it went relatively well. I have a ton of personal stuff going on right now and my coping mechanism is to disappear and do nothing. Working out has been really tough as a result. Plus yesterday I was traveling all day. Today I plan to swim and bike or swim and run. So glad you are getting things dialed in for your race. You sound really confident and ready to take it on. The hills will definitely give you a run for your money, but I bet you will do well. The description of the bike course I am riding is flat and fast. I like that!

Dennis- sorry to hear your knee is continuing to act up. I have no wisdom or suggestions. But I do like your outlook on the race and how you are going into it, at least at this point, willing to walk if need be.

I might have found a place to stay in the town where my race is so I will not have to drive to get there race morning. It is not a long drive, but any drive time means getting up that much earlier. Plus if I am in town I can check out the course and do a "drive by" :D

 For next fall are there any HIM or mary's y'all know about and would recommend? That are in the Northwest? Steve you mentioned Boise once. I will have to look at when that race is scheduled.

Look at Carol busting out the Ghetto Boys video.  Old school gangsta rap.  Nice.  I actually met a tech guy the other day who had never seen this movie.  Don't worry, I reported him to the Geek Squad and they're looking into it.

New bike light worked great this morning for a 30+ mile ride. 

Last night I went out on a 4.7 mile walk/jog.  I walked most of it, but jogged little 0.1 - 0.25 mile segments.  I jogged just to get a feel for the knee and stopped at the slightest tingling.  I probably ran a total of 0.75 to a mile.