StephSprint... mentor group FULL! (Page 5)

Hi all,

Just thought I'd mention that I am part of a BT article entitled "How Triathlon Changed my Life".  Go to articles.  It's the featured article right now, so it's right on top.

Susie

Very nice article

I admit I'm somewhat low-tech...how do I go about that. Copy to dashboard.  Every time I try it doesn't work.

Thanks!

2012-01-02

Hi Everyone!

Happy New Year! Ran the First Run 5K yesterday and did okay (35:38) but can't ever seem to get better than my best time to date (34:29 in October). Any tips for getting better speed? I really wish I weren't so slow. I've been trying to do short sprints as part of my training runs (which are usually 3.5 miles), but it doesn't seem to be helping....maybe I need to just plain run more? Right now I'm only running 3-4 times per week. My training runs are always a faster pace than my race days...eek! I guess my training route is less hilly than the race courses....I think I've measured my training distance correctly - on both GPS and bike odometer.

Thanks for all the well wishes on the move to Denmark. I'm going in November, and don't know what I'll be doing there yet. My spouse got a really good job at the university there, so the move will mean lots of changes. We've already found a running club there, though!

Kim 

Happy New Year everyone!  I just want to say that I am so new to this sport.  I am going to try real hard to make my goal and run my first sprint triathlon this year.  I have posted it on facebook, have posted it on my schools web site, and have told everyone at my church.  So now I have alot of accountablity lol.  I still dont know all the terms yet.  Like I dont know what it means to keep your heart rate up to zone 1-2.  Starting tomorrow will be the first day that we are truely starting our training.  I hope everyone here will help me keep on track and any information or help that you can offer will be great.

Good luck to everyone!

Okey

There is a lot of terminology, but don't let that intimidate you.  Just ask questions - someone will have the answer.  Tri training can be as simple or complicated as you make it.  Here is a link to an article about heart rate zones.  http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=... it helps,

Ann-Marie

Hi Kim,  If the race courses are more hilly than your training routes, you can expect to be slower. That's just the way it is.  But generally speaking, to get faster you have to run faster.  There are lots of programs to help, but the one that I used was the one developed by the Furman Institute. The basic week is 3 quality runs (all of them are challenging).  The paces for the runs are based on your current capability and as you get faster, your workout paces get faster and faster.  When I started in early 2010 with this I ran a 12K in 1 hr 09 min (9:16 pace) .  I ran the same race 1 year later, I finished in 55 min 42 sec (7:28 pace).  So again, to get faster, you have to train at faster paces. One caveat is that you should have been running for a year or more before really attempting to work on speed. Otherwise you risk injuring yourself.  Hope that helps.  

Enrique

That's awesome!  Yes, telling people is a great way to help you stick to your plans. Good job on that!  I still do that to this day (my 3rd tri season).  I just told everyone on FB that I'm doing the Half Ironman in August.  And I also Signed up for it (paid my $$).   Actually, I encourage you to do that too.  There's nothing like committing with dollars to get you into the gym or in the pool or whatever it is that seems difficult at a given moment.

I also encourage you and everyone to put up signs or anything visual where you can see it every day with your goal.  I plan to print out the website main page for the race, the race courses, and other info about it and put it up where I ride my trainer.  That helps a lot to visualize myself doing the race.  

Enrique 

Ann-Marie, not sure why your link isn't opening the article correctly.  

Try clicking this LINK

Everyone is a little different.  I'm a slow runner as well and just really quit worrying about it.  I have found for me that building distance is key.  Now that I run 5 and 6 miles regularly at a 11:30 pace my 5K runs are all sub 10's.  I also found for me that I have to start off slow to let my leg muscles warm up.  Today's run for me was mile 1 11:30 to 12:00 pace, mile 2 11:00 to 11:30 and mile 3 was 10:15 to 10:30.  I also have several different 5K routes I run to mix up the terrain.  Sometimes I'll even run the same route backwards.  I tend to run faster on familiar routes so you may just need to run the race route once or twice ahead of time to become familiar with it.

I agree with Ann-Marie.  I keep it simple because for me it's really just about doing it.  I have a heart rate monitor somewhere gathering dust, I've used it twice.  Everyone is different and you have to do what works for you.  You will want to add us all to your friends list if you would like us to be able to see your logs.

Welcome Okey.  Triathlon is the epic sport of all sports.  You'll love it.

We are not "slow" runners.  We are not fast.  But even so, we are faster than the folks on the couch. And I do OK in short courses and better at distance.   Life is good. 

Did my LT test on the bike to set my base watts for workouts for the next 6 weeks.  It showed a 10% decay from IM peak.  Not so bad for having two surgeries since October, taking a month off to recoup and then being self coached since then.  I am back with my coach as of now so I'll improve fast again.  Also doing paleo as of yesterday to trim down from 205 to about 205 or lower.  I'm at 11% body fat. I want to lose the weight to go faster in the bike and run.

I also had a second session with a personal trainer today who teaches kettlebells.  My god, those are sweet.  Intense workout.  Very efficient.  Love them.  Got two new ones on the way in the mail.  Poor postman.

Highlight the list from "2012 ..." through "... Enrique"

Copy it. (most computers, at the same time hit 'ctrl' and 'C')

Go to your training log. Where your dashboard is, near the top, click 'edit'.  Place cursor where you want the list, then paste it.  ('ctrl' and 'V')

THEN near the bottom of the dashboard you will see 'ok'.   Click it.  You may need to refresh the page to see it.

Let me know if that doesn't work for you.  Happy Training!

I wish that was my goal as well

Typos suck.  225 to 205.  20 pounds.

Just kidding Scott, I'm in the exact same boat you are 225 to 205, my ultimate goal is 195 - 200. 2 years ago I was at 260.

I saw somewhere hee they said that loose weight is simple but not easy and I think it is absolutely true.

If you keep the training as you do you get will knock these 20 off right away.

Happy New Year everyone.  Hope everyone had a good and safe holiday.  I guess it's time to get back into trainng.  Haven't ran in over a month and did a easy 2 miler yesterday. 

I wish it would just fall off.  I am cutting carbs and going paleo to see if cutting grain and bread will do the trick.  It's really all I do "wrong" and I was doing the carbs to fuel the workouts. I'm reading on becoming more precise and trargeting carbs to the workouts and avoiding them at other times.  Also, some claim they've cut them without harm to endurance.  I am going to try that and see what happens.  Also reading on Intermittent Fasting. 

Steph,

p90x2 is just the latest version of the workout; just came out last month.  It is kicking my butt!

You should have perfect running weather for Disney - low's in the mid 50s, highs in the 70s.  Can't get much better then that.

It is in the 30s in Orlando right now with 15-25mph sustained winds.  It is that fact that caused me to go back to bed this morning rather than running.  I can handle the 30s, but the winds put temps in the 20s and I don't have clothing for that. I'll try to squeeze in the run after work. 

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Ann-Marie

Today is a trainer ride for me - Sorry Illinois here so have to do a trainer if I want a bike ride in the winter.

Hoping to push it up to 1hr and 15 minutes as an hour is my longest ride to date.  Want my butt to be ready for real rides come this spring!

I love trainer rides for a lot of great reasons.  They get old by March with no road breaks in Illinois, but I still do 2 out of 4 on the Computrainer in the warm months. 

I'm riding the CT tonight.  Then some stretching and yoga. 

I'm in California, where winter riding outdoors is common, but I just bought a trainer so that I can get in quick workouts.  It's so much faster to just get home, jump on the bike in my bedroom, catch up on TV shows, and crank out some intervals and be done with it. I love it.

Ice, I've been doing Paleo for some time now.  I love it.  I've never felt so GOOD.  Good luck with it.  Not sure if you'll make it a life change, but even a short effort will have tons of benefits, physical and mental.