HILDEBEAST'S Magnificently Motivational Mentor Group - CLOSED!!!! (Page 50)

Andrea, glad you are enjoying the new bike and seem to be adjusting nicely. I'm with Melanie on being less comfortable in actual bike shorts. I prefer to ride in my tri shorts or in straight (unpadded) compression shorts. 

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend! 

Looking for opinions/experience with wetsuits. I need to get one really soon for weekly OWS practices that begin in early June. I have been agonizing over this decision for far too long. I don't have the option to try them on locally, so I'm going totally by online info. 

I keeping waffling between the following three choices: 

Xterra Vortex ($160 w/tri-club discount)
Xterra Vector Pro ($240 w/tri-club discount)
Orca S4 ($175)

Does anyone have any experience with any of these suits? I think my two biggest questions are: Is there a difference in quality between Orca and Xterra? And, is the jump in price between the Vortex and Vector Pro justifiable?

One final note, I am concerned about shoulder flexibility. I am built like a linebacker and do not like clothing that is restrictive in the shoulders. 

Thanks in advance for the input!

Sorry I haven't checked in in a while. I've been getting sidetracked too much by school work and such.

Anyway here's a link to my latest race report to make up for it:

http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/runner-communities/beginners/mothers-day-classic-4k-run-race-report/.0

Ok I'm finally looking to get back in to proper training but here's my issue:

I haven't been riding very consistently for a while as I've been concentrating more on the running and also getting a little side tracked by school work.

Anyway my question is would this be ok for bike while I train for my next 5k?

2 rides a week with the first one starting at 30-35 mins and building up 5 mins per week and the 2nd (long) starting at 40-50 and building up by 5 - 10 mins each week.

I don't really have the room for 3 bike days right now due to the length of days around here.


I'll be doing this in conjunction with a slightly modified version of Higdon's novice 5k plan - the modification being mainly that I'll be run/walking and probably not doing the 2 long runs he prescribes but just 2 normal, 1 LR and 1 recovery.

I'm also going to try getting to the pool 1-2 times per week but that has to wait til my current cold is over.

So today's race went really well.  

I am very pleased with the effort and results.  I felt that I followed my race plan which was to get through the swim, not over bike, run well, and practice drinking/nutrition.  Met all of those goals.

132/559 female, 15/58 in AG 50-54.  Yes, 58 in my age group!!  This is a big race.  Brings out the really, really, really fast women from the surrounding area.  

Swim was in a yucky lake.  Bike course was very hilly, challenging, and thrilling.  Run course was partially in a park and partially through a neighborhood -- some good hills here too.

Given the course and other AG'ers, I did really well.  Here is my report.

Instead of bling, I got great race swag.  A new tri duffle (it's so perfect), visor, bottle, shirt, and performance food samples.  I'm most excited about the duffle.  It's just perfect and will replace my daughter's swim backpack that I'm using.

Congratulations on a strong race, Melanie!  That is awesome that you got a tri bag as race swag!! 

I had a less than stellar 10K race this morning.  This race has over 600 runners who do the 5K and then maybe 200 who run the 10K.  The 5K was much better organized than the 10K.  The temps were high 70's (race start at 10:30) and there were no water stations for the last 3 miles of the 10K.  Or I should say that the water stations were OUT OF WATER b/c the 5Kers drank it all!!  The heat and lack of water really took a toll on me!  I had to take 3 walk breaks, which is so frustrating b/c I didn't even take walk breaks for the 2 half marys I ran, ugh!!  I came in 3 minutes slower than my time last year.  Oh well, better luck next time!!

I seriously do not know how people run in TX, Hilde!!  Heat and humidity SUCKS!!

Thanks Hilde, that's what I was thinking. I'm looking to do the bike on my off run days and I'll throw the swimming in where I can - probably on the same days or on my easy days.

Oh and Higdon said to look at the 2 LRs more as "runs of simalar length" in the 5k plan so I'm thinking I may do it the way he's written it as it'll help me improve confidence in myself. Now I just need to work out my distances.

Bummer on the race support.  Heat will take its toll on you.  If last year was a picture perfect weather day -- I wouldn't really compare the two races.  At least you got out there!

Sounds like you have a plan...stick with it.

Louise - enjoy the taper. Congrats on all the 5k results.

AFM - Finally started my 5k officially with a 1.57 mile run last night and I designed a mileage build up plan for the rest of the year - HH 5k novice plan, rest week, HH 10k intemediate plan - speed work (miles for the novice look too few after the 5k equivalent but I don't feel I'm ready for actual speed work - maybe when I'm able to actually run consistently) then the first 10 weeks of the HH novice 1 HM plan - um yeah can you notice a pattern here in terms of plans,lol. I'm also doing a small 3 week build up plan prior to that so I can actually do week 1 of it

I can provide specifics if anyone is interested.

Nicest swag I've got from a race was a cool hoodie and hat from the Monster Half-Marathon last year-- love 'em both! But other than that, usually it's tons of coupons as usual. We'll see what the marathon has to offer when I collect my stuff Friday... I fly in tomorrow and the race is Sunday, so I'll have plenty of time to go completely crazy before then, right? Fortunately, my brother and sister have seen me in crazy mode plenty of times!

Will check in as I can while I'm away-- stay tuned! Have wonderful weekends, everyone! Good luck to all the other MMMer racers this weekend!

Alex