Counselor's Group - FULL (Page 5)

Dan,
I wish I could help you, I have a "fear" of open road bike rides...guess I really need to get over that before I tri!
Let me know what you find out...I could use the info too!

On another note...anyone Know about the training logs? I've started keeping one, and at the top it says "actual" bike, run, swim etc...
then below it has "sport" or "weights" where I chose to put in my treadmill...I also chose to put in my spin class here too...so I guess my question is...does a treadmill or the spinn class not count as "acutal" running or biking?

I use the training logs...

I put my treadmill and spin time in the "actual" queries. I don't care for training in the cold so I post outdoor bike there as well as spin....the only thing is I if it was a spin class I make a note in the "notes" or description boxes.

Well, I don't know much about racing bikes, but I ride mine around on the open road quite a bit.

The most important thing is to PAY ATTENTION. If you are used to training in a gym where you can put all of your focus on your body, or getting into a zone, this will be a major change. When I took spin classes, I liked to close my eyes. No more!

Remember that to cars, you are completely invisible. They don't even know you are there. If you remember that, you are pretty much safe from cars. They especially like to turn right into you as you cross a side street. They usually won't hit you from behind. Ride in bike lanes as much as possible, and avoid busy streets. I have 2 routes that I take that over and over again. Sounds boring, but you're not going to get good training in if you have to freak out because you're suddenly on a road with no bike lane, no side walk, and heavy traffic going 45 mph and no where to turn off (this has happened to me :D).

Avoid riding on sidewalks, you are even more likely to get hit by a car when crossing a side street. They also have way more bumps and cracks that will send you flying. The road will have some problems as well. Here's my "look" rotation, which goes on constantly: left at passing traffic, behind as much as possible, right, for anyone backing out of driveways, coming off cross streets, or opening their doors into the bike lane, forward as much as possible for people who look like they might do any of these things, at the ground, right in front and as far forward as possible for any obstacles. Repeat. Continuously. Sometimes I glance at the spedometer, too.

Experience is the biggest thing to keep you safe, so just go out and get comfortable.

As for using the logs, I only put my training from my training plan into "actual," not any of my transportation riding. I think the "actual" is supposed to be "actual" versus "planned" because if you have a high level membership, it can put your training plan into the log for you. I don't think it means "actual" vs. "spinning" but that's just me

So, exactly how many sets of eyes do you have? It would seem that you would need at least three sets to keep looking in all those places! Well, I'm definitely going to start out doing my rides in a controlled traffic setting (Wilson's Creek – it's a park with a 5-mile loop). City riding...well, I'm wondering if I'll even attempt that on a tri bike...maybe a road bike, but I think I'll have enough control problems without having to worry about sewer grates, car doors, blind (to me) drivers and other traffic issues..., but thanks for the insights!

I've never ridden a tri-bike, so I don't really know the differences, but I saw someone riding one along the shoulder of the highway yesterday. O__O

The park sounds like a good starting place, you really do get used to it fast.

Well, the tri bike geometry has you more forward on the bike, more over the front wheel, allowing your quads to do more of the work (rather than your hamstrings) and therefore be an easier transition into the run...or so I've read. The big difference is that being more forward and in the aero position, you have less room for error (wobbles), as basically you're controlling your bike with a very narrow grip...making recovery from a wobble more difficult than if you have the wide grip of a regular road bike...within lies the root of my "concerns."

But I think you're right -- practice will be the key to overcoming my fears.

Hi all!
I just want to take a minute to say "Thanks" to all of you who keep this thread going! I look forward to seeing what/ where/ how everyone is doing!
I know I have gotten some really great advice from you all...
So, Thanks!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!
Amy

Hey Amy,

Well, it SEEMS that the numbers frequenting this group have dwindled quite a bit, but hopefully some will stick around -- I wonder if there's anyway to take the word "Full" off our group name in order to attrack some new people?

Anyway, around here I'm looking at getting out my winter training gear for the rest of the week — at least for the morning runs, anyway — mid to low 20s expected for lows.

I'm curious as to when others train. I do a lot of stuff before work on weekdays and then my long run starts early on Saturday mornings (like 4:30 a.m.). Anyway, I typically bike two or three times on weekday mornings, lift the other two mornings and then run after work twice on weekdays and run early on Saturday and Sunday. So, my schedule looks kind of like this:

M - Bike am 40+ min
T - Wts am & Run pm 30/40+ min
W - Bike am or Rest 40+ min
Th - Wts am & Run pm 30/40+ min
Fri - Rest or Bike am 40+ min
Sat - Run long am 120+ min
Sun - Run hills am 60 min

I'm just not excited about trying to add swimming into that as well...thoughts/suggestions?

Quick update:

Last nite I swam my first session over 1mile....1700yds!!
Just two months ago I was a meager 50-100yd sessions.

As far as when I train, I'm trying to get a workout in the morning, but I have a really comfortable bed and am very successful in talking my way out of doing a morning session. I leave for work at 7:30, so need to get up at 5 to get some workout in.
I did run 4.3mi this morning before work though.

Usually:
Sunday short swim session and weights
Monday short bike, short run
Tues long swim, weights
Wed long bike, med run
Thurs long swim (planning on adding rowing or jump rope to this)
Friday med bike, long run
Sat. rest/walk/golf

Here's my current training schedule:

Monday Night after softball, long bike
Tuesday: off, possibly with roller skating
Wednesday: short run after work
Thursday: Long swim after class (6:30pm)
Friday: short bike after work (though I plan to do it before work every time)
Saturday: long run when I get around to it (I should probably nail down a time)
Sunday: short swim, same as above.

Not quite as much as everyone else is doing, but school and work were killing me
After my triathlon, I'll have plenty of time to train lol

Personally, I just think it's cool that you (we) are all "tri"ing. One person may do more than another, but it seems we all share the same problem — never enough time, no matter how much or how little we're doing. Weird!

Well, I guess no matter what, if you're out there putting in time training, that puts you automatically ahead of most of America.

So, keep it up! One of the things that motivates me is simply being ABLE to run or bike and (one day) swim. Loads of people who can barely walk or go through a majority of their lives unable to access many of the simple pleasures in life due to their poor physical conditions.

Seriously, I don't want to end up some old grump whose biggest accomplishment of the day was getting his mail or wishing I could go out for a walk around the neighborhood with my wife, but I was afraid of going into cardiac arrest. So, although we all may THINK we're training for competition in a triathlon, perhaps we're also secretly (even unknowingly) training for quality of life and longevity?

What's really kind of funny is if you ask a person who has left themselves go, if they don't regret letting themselves go.... Oh, they'll deny it and say some such thing as, "I live life to its fullest." No, they simply experienced "fullness" in one tiny area of life -- the dinner table. And if living is only about "eating what we want and how much we want," how shallow is that? Of course, I really think people regret their inability to be disciplined enough to exercise and eat right...they might not admit it, but when weight-induced diabetes strikes or a heart attack occurs...now, that's "living life to it's fullest"...right?

Well, sorry for going on about this — I just hope that we all are able to keep perspective on what we're doing. It's great to compete, have fun, get stronger and healthier, but don't let it just be for a season.

Have a great day and keep up the good stuff!

Dan

"I'm just not excited about trying to add swimming into that as well...thoughts/suggestions? "

From my experience, and this would be very little, I have found running and biking to be so much easier now that I've been swimming regularly for two months now.

I recover very fast (re: heart rate) after/during a run or bike session.
I don't labor for air as much either.

I think swimming as played a huge part in my training and would be considered my first priority...and I'm not even that good at it. With running and biking your blood is rushing oxygen to just your legs, but when you swim it's rushing through your entire body and I think this is what makes it such a unique exercise.

Hmmm. Good thoughts there. I'm guessing that swimming makes you stronger overall, so your body needs less oxygen overall so you recover faster and other exercises are easier (because you are stronger).

I just have to figure out how to make it work with my schedule, my wife's schedule and my kids' schedules! If only I had the money to put one of those "endless" pools in at my house — right!

Dan -

I'm not 100% on this, but we recently took a honeymoon to Cozumel and the people who own the boat/tour service are from Springfield. I think their names are Dan and Kathy. The boat is Tucan and the place is called Cozumel Sailing Adventure.

Edited by VeganMan 2007-04-04 2:32 PM

Okay, you lost me there....

I'm not sure what you're trying to say...I should take my wife on a second honeymoon, I should go to Cozumel to swim, I should contact Dan and Kathy about buying me an endless pool or are you asking if I'm that Dan? (Answer is no, by the way — I'm guessing I could afford the pool if I were him).

Just noticed you were from Springfield...I'm new to Mizzou, so I don't know if everyone knows everyone or if they are local celebrities or whatever. Just thought I'd mention it.

(You should probably get to know these people)

Ha!Ha! Okay, I see. It IS a small world, so it never hurts to ask.

Well, welcome to Missouri!

Swimming is my favorite work out. I find it incredibly relaxing to do laps. I just get into a steady breathing battern and stare at the bottom of the pool, kind of like an active meditation. When I try to rush, especially at the beginning of a swim, it is terrible. I try to never be pushing against the water, just flowing through it. I recommend trying this; it feels like you are going slow, but when I look at my times, I find I can actually swim "faster" than when I push, over the entire workout. At the end, I try to do a couple "fast" laps, and they are much easier, I can get the speed without struggling against the water.

Of course, doing the little turn-around thingy at the end of the pool is not so easy. I have had some good practice swimming with water up my nose, which I figure will be useful for the tri.

Dan, I think you are right that it is great to just be tri-ing. For me, a lot of the benefit is just discovering that I CAN do even the training program. It always used to be "oh I can't run" or "oh I could never bike that far!" but no longer! It's amazing to be able to challenge these ideas about myself that I've had for pretty much my entire life, and to see how a little dedication and patience can translate into a big change.

Sounds good...of course, I want to know the secret to the little "flip thingy." What are the steps to doing it right? I've done laps at a college pool here in town in years past, but never could figure out the flip deal...though typically not too useful on open water swims (but could prove handy on some of those sprint tris that use a pool), it would at least be nice to know how to do it for training.

Funny you ask, my wife taught me last weekend.

First we practiced doing "summer-saulghts" in the water, while blowing air out of nose. Getting the feel so my butt would come out of the water. When we first started doing them I was sinking.

Then, a few times, we counted how many strokes it takes to swim five yards out from the wall (this is usually where the "rope" or flags above the pool, across the lanes is for back strokers). It took me 4 strokes.

Next, from five yards out we eliminated the last stroke and did flip turns.

Here is a good site for more help.

http://www.ruthkazez.com/FlipTurns.html

Wow!
I seem to have missed quite a bit!

I am going to have to try the flip swim too! I've done it in the past, but was never very good at it, but I think for endurance it might be good to revist!

I tend to use my lunch hour, for most of my exercise, but now that my 9 week training program is in full swing, I may have to modify it a bit...I found myself doubling up the exerice on two days...I managaed ok, but would hate to do to much!

so for now, my scedule looks like
Mon-run, 3 miles use this day to keep uping my "Race Pace"...I run the same loop and try to beat my time each week...
Tue-spin class (but now I run in the evening with the tri group) so I either need to find another spin class, or keep the double exercise
Wed, run slow and easy 3 miles
Thurs-swim I am up to 3-500's with 1 min break in between
Friday-long run about 6 miles (thats about all I can get done in 1 hour)
Satuday either run or spin class
sunday. usually run laps, 1 mile warm up with 1 mile sprints, then 1 mile cool down!
but now swimming is on sundays too...but I think I'll keep the double on this day...swim and run several hours apart seems to be ok...

I really need to get out on my bike more, so I think I;m going to devote saturdays to biking...yuck...and scary for me!

Hey Amy,

Just noted that you do your 1-mile sprints on Sunday followed by your "race pace" on Monday. That's back-to-back speed work sessions and not advisable...it's a good way to bring on an injury. Also, I don't think I noted a rest/recovery day in your routine at all. You should try to work at least one of those in each week...at the VERY LEAST, you'll keep yourself from burning out on the demands of the sport...at the most, you'll allow your body to recover and, over time, see greater improvements. Overtraining, even if you don't feel like you're doing as much as some are, is still a great way to induce injuries, see little results and experience depression.

Also, don't compare your workouts to others, know yourself...when it comes to overtraining, we all are at different levels along the path of conditioning. What's overtraining to you would be nearly a rest day for others...and it would be a death wish for 70 percent of Americans sitting on their couches flipping channels.

I had to laugh at your bike comment (the scary part). I was just talking to a friend of mine who is also getting to know her bike for a tri...she said her first time out she spent most of the time screaming...the good part about that is, at least pedistrians, motor traffic and probably airline traffic knew where she was at all times. Of course, I'm planning on going out with her on my first bike (that way, hopefully, she'll drown out any fears I may happen to...uh...express)!

Good luck!!

Dan

Dan,

Thanks for your advice! I know that I have probably been over training...but I have mangaged to take 1 day off for the last couple of weeks...in the past it was Wed...but I didnt like not running for 3 days..
so now I'm trying to take off either Sunday, or Monday...(I always feel like I sould do more...) but I also know that I feel better with a day's rest...at the very least, I am evaluating my sprints/pace runs to try to separtate them!
A also, feel like I cant fit in everyghing I want/need to do!

I did go to a bike clinic on Saturday, and learned a lot...will be going to another one next week that will be a little more involved! I guess the best way to overcome my fears is to just face the sucker!

Amy

Hey Amy,

Well, I've found that in order to fit training in, my mornings have become my major times of training. About a dozen years ago, I ran into a guy who was doing tris...he told me he got up at 5 each day to do some training. I thought he was crazy...of course, when I do my long runs now, typically I'm up by 4 a.m. This week, I was running by 4 a.m. The best part about early morning stuff is that it doesn't interfere with the rest of your day...of course, your nightlife ends around 8 or 9 p.m. when your body crashes, but that's the way it goes.

You'll also find running in the early morning MUCH nicer than if you wait until later in the day (during the summer months, for sure) AND because almost always the wind is much calmer in the early morning than after the sun comes up — if it's windy in the morning, it'll be a nightmare in the afternoon. Of course, you need to find a good running partner . You should never run outside, in the dark, alone. You might want to contact a local fitness club or running center about running groups in the area...or go to a local 5K race and start asking questions among those who participate.

Well, keep us posted on your biking (was that training session held at a bike shop or where?) and other upcoming experiences!

Dan

I got my first free bike this week. I don't know if it's going to be the one that I use in the race, but it's a road bike, and lighter than the hybrid I'm using now. I haven't had a chance to road test it yet, because the tires are flat and it's at my parents for the moment, but the crotch/tube height seems right (can't remember the technical term for that measurement). It's really funky though, has a smaller front wheel than back wheel, and the gear shifters are on the front tube. So it will be an adventure learning to change gears, or I will move them, I guess.

I saw a 54cm go by on Craigslist for $400, but I think that is too tall for me? I am 5'3". Plus, there are so many things that go into the price of a bike, that it's hard for me to know if I'm getting a good deal or not.

Training is going well for me. I can't imagine waking up at 4am to run yet, but I am definitely catching the tri-bug. I am starting to wonder what I will do after this first one.