Athena/ Clydesdale Official Mentor Group (Page 5)

Thanks all for your advice. In true stubborn fashon, I ignored it and went for my long run anyway! I figure, I need the long runs more than anything (I will swap any of you some of my swim ability for some run ability!), and did my short swim too, as the swim is not very taxing for me. I certainly would not do it if they were full on workouts, and I will fit in yesterdays ride sometime today (I promise I will take them easy).

Well done everyone on your wins over the weekend.

I've got a wicked cold (my throat is on FIRE!!) but I'm reporting in:  This weekend's race was great - I finished the swim portion (1.2 miles) in 47:02.  I'm pretty happy with that considering I can't breathe very well and felt like crap! 

We each met or exceeded our personal goals and are happy with the finish time of 6:50:xx - we're hoping for another team race in September - if we can find another 3 family members to be a sprint team, then we'll go the Oly Distance.  Otherwise we'll do the Half ironman distance the following day!

it was a decent weekend, I'm home and getting as much sleep as possible in hopes of feeling better soon!  I have no voice...which I'm sure a lot of people are thankful for!

Tonight is gym night: work out, short run, Master's swim team.  Sick or not, the beat must go on!

Wow, 1.2 mile swim, that's awesome.  I'd need a serious current to take me that far that fast.

All day was psyched for my bike ride tonight thinking that my cousin and I fixed the front shifter yesterday.  1/4 into the ride I was shifting from low to high and it wouldn't go, then the chain fell off.  Awesome.  Put it back on, went about another 5 miles just in low, tried to shift back up and lost the chain again.  Apparently we weren't able to fix the shifter even temporarily.  We ordered a new one that will be in later this week, but that means I have to go most of the week either riding just in low or not riding at all.  To make up for the two breakdowns, on every climb I tore apart the hills out of the saddle and went so hard that I still finished the 14.5 miles in 49 minutes.  Screw you hills.  Screw you.

Lauralynne, nice race.  My swimsuits arrived yesterday.  I am planning to swim this evening.  First time in the water in MANY years.  I'll bet I haven't swam laps since, oh, 1993 or so.  That was the last year I coached my daughter's team at the YMCA.  I'll consider myself VERY lucky if I can get 100x5 tonight.

jonD, I am SO there with you brother.  I fussed with my rear derailleur all afternoon yesterday in 90+ heat and "thought" I had it dialed in.  This morning, as soon as I really started to crank on my incline it got all squirrely on me again, shifting at random between 3rd and 4th.  I refuse to give up my bike for a week to the LBS so this means no hill work for me until mid-August when I buy my road bike.  I shall have to content myself with just adding distance to the flat course.

0615 - Cindy's walk - 1 mile - 19:58 - I'm planning to let her stay at this distance and time until the end of July.  Then I'll add a 1/2 mile to her walk.  It makes a nice warm-up for me.

0745 - Bike - River Rd loop X2 - 9 miles - 43:49 - I rode the first lap at a nice pace, 20:30.  That random shifting is very disconcerting.  Tried reaching for my water bottle.  Not good.  Have to find another place to carry it.  Can't reach down to the tube carrier without feeling all wonky and unsafe.  Stopped in my driveway for 30 seconds to drink, then took off again.  Second lap took me 22:49.  Sweat burned my eyes for the last mile or so.  Have to figure a way to wear a sweatband under my helmet.  Problem is, my head is so big, the helmet barely fits now.  (I wear a size 8 Stetson)

Good morning group! 

Today was a bike-run combo workout. I think I was able to complete 5 miles on the bike. I say that because my stupid endomundo app failed me again and just randomly cut off around 2.8 miles.  suffice it to say I was pushing hard and got in a good workout regardless if I know exactly my distance and pace. It sure felt like 5 miles so I'm going with it. Worked on my bike/run transition a little just to try some things out. Tried taking my shoes off while still on the pedal but I'm not sure the 5 seconds that saves me is really worth it. We'll see.

Off on the run. I really focused on getting my pace right off the bike and consciously slowed way down.  I felt like I was barely moving at all and struggled to get in the "rhythm" of the run. My pace on mile 1 10:21 which is about where I was trying to be.  Mile 2 came in at 10:12.  I ended feeling like I could keep going which is great!  Tomorrow is swim only with some light strength training (push ups, sit ups, lunges, yoga)

I feel you here brother. My head is planetary. The only helmet I found to fit is a Nishiki Tacoma and it has a little room to spare. I got it for $40 at dicks sporting goods.

Here's my improvement!!  It's just a little, but hey, It's still an improvement and i had FUN!

Swim (2011)  11:14 -  (2012) - 8:38
T1      (2011)  2:22   - (2012) - 2:21
Bike    (2011)  53:49 - (2012) - 52:25
T2      (2011)  2:24  -  (2012) - 1:14 
Run    (2011)  42:50 - (2012) - 42:42 

Overall 2011     1:51:52
Overall 2012     1:47:18

Yes.  I should start off by saying that it is a very short swim.  400 yards, the buoy's were crooked, so maybe 420..  With that said, yes I have really improved my swim.  I've been swimming in open water twice a week.  Last year I remember side stroking most of the swim.  This year, head down, freestyle the whole way...  

Edit.  to put that into perspective, I'm not a terribly fast swimmer, just getting faster.  My first race of the year was 880 yards, and I swam that in 18 minutes...

remarkably consistent improvement.  Faster in every discipline including both transitions, very nicely done! and more importantly goal #1 was accomplished

x1

Great racing this weekend everyone!  Sounds like everyone gave their all!  LauraLynne, I hope you feel better soon.  Take care of yourself!!  

leatherneckpa - sounds like Cindy is doing great!  I am sure your encouragement is a big boost too!  

It is raining, so I got up early and got a couple hours in on the bike trainer.  The weather for TX is actually a little cool, so I am going to work on a 5k tonight for my race Sat.  My toe is doing ok, a little sore but I have it up and iced when need be.  I see the doctor Thursday to make sure everything is still good, but so far I am feeling great.  At least the run this weekend is a trail race, so that helps!  

enders_shadow - 2012-07-17 12:26 PM Peeking in here - I'm old-ish to BT/tris and old/new/old/new/old/new to Athena...but I took a couple of seasons off due to a DNF (pulled from the swim portion of a race) and medical issues (ramping me back up to a very solid Athena). I've been focused on running, but for some reason, I decided to get back into tri-ing and signed up for one in mid-August. Of course, I haven't really swum since I was pulled out of the drink - so this is going to be fun. I have hit the pool three times since I signed up last week and it is kind of like riding a bicycle - I'm out of shape but I remember how to swim at least. Happy to have some encouragement & accountability. Looking forward to meeting y'all.

Haven't seen you here for a while - welcome back!!

i'm sitting here at work, wearing my "IronMom" T-shirt, feeling pretty good about my accomplishments when *BAM* I get an email.  pictures are available!  Wohoo!!

Now I feel like prom queen who realizes after the fact that her dress was ripped and stained...I look awful in the pictures.  I mean double chin, larger than life, I wish the photog would delete these and burn the evidence. 

I know I should be proud.  And after I manage to un-remember the photos, I will feel proud again.  But right now I'm feeling - for lack of better words - defeated. 

I try so hard to lose weight, get fit, do great things.  And I should ride the wave of my accomplishments.  But between the scale going UP 3.5 pounds and pictures that make me look ginormous, well, I'm under the wave instead of on top.

Feeling under the weather isn't helping and I know that I will feel better later.  But right now I'm frustrated.

I won't be going to the gym tonight as planned - I'm sick and I need the rest more than I need a work out.  Maybe tomorrow.  Hopefully tomorrow.  I need to feel accomplished again.  A 5 mile run and a swim team workout should do the trick.

Thanks for reading my downer post.  Sorry.

>Now I feel like prom queen who realizes after the fact that her dress was ripped and stained...I look awful in the pictures.  I mean double chin, larger than life, I wish the photog would delete these and burn the evidence. 

For what it's worth, you're not supposed to look like an 8th grade gymnast.  You're supposed to look like the type of woman who can conquer a lake, kick butt on the bike, and still have the resolve to go for a run when that's all done.  Those tiny college chicks (and you're seen them too) go to the gym and spend more time putting on the color-coordinated gear than they put in on the eliptical on the lowest resistance level.  Those aren't the ones who blast through allegeries, colds, or sick kids at 3 AM.

And for the scale going up 3.5 pounds, that's just a couple of glasses of water and your new extra muscle.

Hang in there.  Bring up some Marilyn Manson (or Shirley Manson) on the headphones and kick some butt in the next workout.  That race is over, you conquered it, and now we train for the next one.

Race pictures suck.

That is all.

Sober, those are great time improvements.  I noticed you cut your T2 time in half. How did you do that?

Laura, cameras lie!  During college I did some of my work/study program in the graphic arts department (back when "cut and paste" was really what we did).  With the exception of the anemic/bulemic scrawny chicks I never met a single one who liked what the camera did for them.  Want to see the "freshman 15" become the freshman 30 real quick.  Take a picture.  For some insane reason a camera just automatically adds 10-20 pounds to almost everybody.  When you go back to work just look around at all the skinny chicks you insanely envy and calculate how many could swim the 1.2 you just did.  Then smile as you pat yourself on the back and keep logging miles.

First swimming laps in at least 10-15 years.  The plan was to do 100x5, but the rotator cuff put the kibosh on that plan during the first 50.  Instead it became 50x10.  Somewhere around the 6th length I started thinking I could probably try a few 100's after the 50x10.  Maybe even all 5 I had originally planned?

Now let me put this in perspective.  In the 70's I was a lifeguard for NY state parks, and competed in the state lifeguard games.  I even placed a few times.  In the 80's I was a WSSI (Water Safety and Survival Instructor) for the US Marine Corps.  In the early 90's I was a swimming instructor and swim teach coach for my daughter's YMCA team.  Today, when I tried to swim 100 straight I durned near drowned myself!!  My shoulder started to seriously protest on the way back, and I started laughing at myself for pushing it too hard, choked, and almost had to stand up to keep from drowning.  Fortunately I only needed 5 or 6 strokes to finish the lap by that time.  No times were kept today.  Maybe next time?

I think I'll join in, if you'll have me.  I'm an athena.  I've done one sprint tri last Sept and am registered for one in Aug and a repeat of the Sept one, as well.  I'm a strong swimmer (former swim team member) and weak on the bike and run.

The last few days have been hot for New England weather.  Today I went to my indoor pool and got in 1000 yards (400, 300, 200, 100).  After work I waited for my son at swim team and discovered that if I bring my goggles I can swim 35ish yards each way for a period of time.  I'll be doing that later this week and next.  Now if it will just cool down a bit, I'll be back at my pathetic bike and run...

I'm fairly tired of this heat.

Really kills my running..

I too am sick of the heat. 

Some reason today I decided to go for a bike right when I got home instead of waiting until 7:30 like normal.  4:30 it was still high 90s and felt like it could rain any second it was so hot and humid.  Nasty wind (think it's going to pour any second) that seemed to blowing in my face the whole ride.  Despite the sweat and getting slammed by the wind I still got in my 14.5 in a new best of 44:18.  Front shifter is still busted so I went with only high gears today, that really kicked my butt towards the end.  Should be getting it fixed Sunday and can't wait to get a 100% full ride in with the bike.