Fast Twitch Tri-FULL (Page 51)

bump.

A double bump!  Steve, it sounds like you've added salsa dancing in to your training regimen!! 

Post coming shortly about how I've decided to tackle the season (probably silly, but I'll post it up anyway!).

As an aside, I ran yesterday morning and rode in the afternoon, and it only snowed during ONE of my two workouts!  It's almost summer!!!

Matt

Hey Gang!

Well here is a big thought that I have been mulling for a while now:  I am thinking about shutting down this group within the next week.  There are a number of reasons for this, and in no particular order, here are some of them:

• Our numbers have gotten low, almost too low for the type of inspiration and support most of you want/need.
• New groups will be starting soon, and that's a perfect time for you all to find new homes in which to get energized.
• I will be gone for much of April, off at a retreat and then with some family commitments, and that pattern may repeat itself again in May; so I will be out of touch and not relaibly useful to this group.
• And, really, I haven't been too reliably useful anyhow.  I am still sticking to my plans of not racing this season, as I not only have other interests/commitments, but I just badly need extended "down-time" from the activities and foci that have dominated my life for about 13 years.  As I have worked into my current position vis-a-vis my own season, I have been unable to provide any inspiration to you all in terms of training (that has been minimal for me) and upcoming races (there are none).  I have looked back over my previous five groups, and, unfortunately for all of you, I have been a shell of the mentor I used to be.
• That said, I cease flailing myself when i realize that this wasn't my group, my plan, to begin with.  I offered to help Quincy get it going, and it just turned out that she couldn't fulfill the ultimate "mentor"commitments herself, mostly due to family matters, i think.  So, while I was hoping to back off quite a bit by the time we went to CA in Dec.........that was the time Q disappeared entirely and it all fell into my lap.  Ack!
• This group was really an experiment.  Q approached Ron with the idea of starting a group at the never-done-time of autumn, and he was willing to give it a go.  We all had our doubts, partly because it was so close to the end of the race season, and partly becasue the nature of these beasts is that attrition happens -- and would/could a center be strong enough to carry into the following race season, at that time about 8-9 months away.  From our diminishing numbers, it seems that that didn't happen.

So, that's where I'm coming from now; makes sense?

Now, all that said, I will NOT just disappear from here.  I guess I'm hoping you all avail yourselves of the new groups forming within the next couple of weeks and find good fits in which you feed and are fed to your heart's desires, BUT I WILL CONTINUE TO CHECK IN HERE FROM TIME TO TIME.   ALSO:

---I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ASK ME VIA PM, and

---I WILL GIVE MY EMAIL ADDRESS TO ANYONE WHO ASKS FOR IT, IF THAT WAY OF COMMUNICATING SUITS YOU BEST.  (It is the most reliable way to reach me.)

******The last thing I want to do is leave any of you high and dry, and if you really don't want to get involved in another group, then I will continue to offer any advice you might want through one of those options: preferably the last two, and if not, then right here.******

So...............how does that all sound to you?  It is with a pretty heavy heart that i do this, but for the reasons stated above, it seems the best course.

Thoughts?  (Or not!)

Finally, this is NOT my last post, and although I will be (most likely) incommunicado from April 5-10, I will continue to be here until new groups are formed.  You've been a great group, and you deserve much more than I have been able to summon myslef to give to you.  Onwards!

MATT -

YES, PLEASE --- post the post about how you've decided to tackle the season!!  PLEASE don't let my above post deter you!!!!!

Salsa dancing or pole-dancing.........either is a good spot for those bumps!

Congrats on finding weather events that gave you 50% success at running snow-free!  We are in Big Thaw times now, and while a few upcoming days have the spectre of flurries in them.....I am about to change out my snow tires for the all-weather ones.  Ain't that bold of me??

Steve, it's totally understandable!  You mean there's life outside of triathlon??? 

I've never been part of a mentor group but I lurked through a few others here which got me interested in being a part of one.  I guess I was expecting a little more traffic also, and more quicky notes back and forth among members rather than tons of in depth talk with lots of specific information.  NOT that there's anything wrong with that at all!  I was just personally imagining more of a "mini tri-talk" among a smaller group who can get to know each other better than you do on the big boards and shoot quips, quick questions or little blasts of inspiration back and forth.

It feels tough to jump in if you're away for a few days or a week and a more in depth training conversation is going on.

Maybe it's timing and starting a group in the fall wasn't all it was cracked up to be which is why Ron never really did it.  I still enjoyed the time here with you all and Steve, you did an amazing job.  I'll count on still seeing you around BT as well as everyone else I met in this group.  Steve, enjoy your time off from training (which I hope includes some relaxing).  To everyone else, happy training!!!

Yeah Matt, like Steve says, "Write it".  Inquiring minds want to know.  I would seriously be interested.

I was outside today in a shortsleeved t-shirt.  Saw many people out in shorts and lots of runners and cyclists.  Our neighbour to one side mowed his lawn and on the other side washed their car and truck.  I think tomorrow will be a run (just a slow long one) and a bike ride.

First - I want to send a huge shout out to Steve for all the work he's done in this group.  THANKS!

As for the plan, I'm still writing it up (been an incredibly busy week at work - buried at times), but here's the upshot.

I decided to drill the 10k I have coming up on the 28th of April.  So, I'll race the 5k's before and after (3 of them), but will be "training through" them to focus on nailing the 10k.  After that, I have a month until the HM - which I've decided to only run, not race (OK - if I have a number pinned to my shirt I'll race it - but only as well as I can that day and only if Kim wants to run solo, otherwise I'll pace her and enjoy the run!). 

So, run/race it but not dedicate as much HM specific training for it (which was the other option - train through the 10k on the way to the HM as an A race).  Rather, I'll race/specifically train for/peak for the 10k, then do enough long runs (1 per weekend, but up to around 12 miles tops instead of the 2 hour/14 or so mile runs I'd done for the last 2 HMs) to finish the HM comfortably but not at a PR.  Basically the Higdon intermediate instead of advanced HM plan.

THAT gives me enough time in the training schedule to move from 3 rides per week (where I'll be until the 10k - except for the taper week, only 1-2 rides that week) to 4 rides per week the month before the HM and then 4-5 rides with one or two looooonger ones for the 2 weeks before a taper week and my 148 mile b2b ride (which, though a "ride," is treated more like an endurance event - dare I say it, almost a race - by all my roadie friends that I ride with during the year, so bragging rights are at stake.  Easily as important as any race I'll do!).  I really don't want to blow up on this ride and will be with riders who have already done 4-5 long, hilly, timed rides/races/fondos at that point in the season.  So, I need to train specifically for the distance (and I'm kinda psyched, as riding bikes is fun!).

After that, I have 4 weeks until my first sprint, 5 weeks until my first EVER Oly (July 21 on Nantucket - SO psyched!).  The Oly is my A race, and so as soon as I get off my bike (hopefully AT the brewery in Vermont and not before), I'll go into a 5 week peak for that race - and hopefully build off the base I've developed over the year.

So, built run base all winter with a run focused program.  Run focus with adding in a few rides and 2 swims/week the last couple of weeks and the next 5 (to the 10k).  Then ride focus for 6 weeks, but keeping a good run base and even extending distance one day a week for the first 3 of those 6 weeks (to the HM), and keeping 2 swims per week (all the way to the b2b).

That should leave me with a solid run base to hone, good cycling distance to hone and adequate swim base to build a little and then hone (by hone, I really mean to move from distance to intensity and speed for a month then taper a week for the Oly race).  The 5 weeks here will likely pull heavily from the time crunched advanced Oly plan, but I'll probably temper a few of the intense workouts and only have one rest day, rather than 3 (but being judicious about spacing the high intensity workouts out over the week). 

Then I'll catch my breath for a week!

My August, September, October plans are just now coming together.  As I've never done a whole season of tri, I don't know what kind of break my body will need come July 21st after the Oly, so I don't really know when to start adding races and a specific training set back in, or (maybe more importantly) which races to target as A races (as just doing a tri at the short course distance is not that challenging to one's recovery if you're not peaking - just "training through", aka "enjoying it"). 

I'm considering a couple sprints late August (3rd weekend and the Saturday of Labor Day - the Mayflower in Plymouth, which is where we spend as much time as possible in the Summer), then picking out an Oly and a couple other sprints or MAYBE shooting for a late HIM.  Still not sure if slogging for 5 hours or more appeals to me, but I'm feeling like I won't know unless I try it, yes?  Finally, perhaps another HM with Kim in the late Fall (early to mid-November has a few nice ones here).

OK, I think that actually covered the plan in more depth than I realized I'd figured out!!!  Just need to get my head around the second half of the season, but I might figure it out only after the first half is done (which might be too late to get into the races I want).  We'll see...

As a final comment on this post - thanks all for the group.  I'm going to stay active to the extent others do.  I've actually found the more in-depth questions/discussions to be helpful, so I'm up for staying around. 

Steve, I hope you don't feel the need to continue to be THE MAN, as you've done a great deal to keep this group moving along.  Hope to keep the discussion on short course racing going, if others are so interested.  Otherwise, I'll see you all in TT or CoJ!  Or, just maybe, out on the race course.

Thanks again Steve, all.

Now off to train for that next race (so many races, so little talent...). 

Best,

Matt

^^^  What Amy said.  And thanks, Steve!!

This is my third mentor group that I've been a part of.  It has definitely had the most information and technical talk, and was of a lot of value to me as I jump (limp??  ) back into triathlon this year.

Steve,

Sadly I'm part of the dwindling numbers Life has been busy and while I've lurked, I've contributed 0 to this group in quite a while.

I hope you are enjoying yourself and some of your commitments have you headed to California.

GEORGE -

Our extended thaw has reduced snow muchly, but we are still 2-3 weeks ahead of any mowing.  As for me and running, i am still a week or two, at the evry least from wearing non-long sleeves.  however, i have done my last coupla weeks of runs in tri shorts and no socks.........but with light running gloves (poor circulation to tippies) and a toque (minimal head-hair).  But it's all progress, eh??

MATT, MIKE, JOHANNE, et al -

Bittersweet days with the bittersweet decision.  Sigh. 

Matt, lots to say about your post, and I will reply soon!

MATT -

That is a marvelously well thought-out plan, and I will address it in stages -- that is, in a few separate posts.  It would maybe make sense if I did this chrolnolgically, but I'm going to start in the middle just because there is something there that you maybe need to move forward on.

You mention not knowing how much of a break your body might need following the oly, and based on how you have conducted the off-season and how you are planning up to Nantucket, my good guess is that you won't need much of a break at all after it (the oly, that is).  Even if you go wall-to-wall racing it, you should emerge in quite fine shape.  At most, you might want two full recovery days, then an easy-swim day, then an easy-bike day, then maybe add in a quick, easy run....and then you'll be good to carry on as regularly scheduled!  Of course, all that changes if an injury rears its head, but the diligence in which you have prepped your body should go a long way towards injury-proofing yourself.

So, by all means, start scoping out other races!  To be safe, maybe don't race again until about Aug 10/11 weekend, and as for the next "A" race, wait a few weeks longer.  That's maybe where those sprints (inc. Mayflower) come in handy, getting you ready for a mid-September "A" race.  I'm sure you're aware of the Cranberry races, and I think i have told you to take a peak at Mainiac Sprint.  And I do believe we have taked about Pumpkinman, which has both a sprint and half-iron --- but keep a close eye on it filling up. 

Did I extoll the virtues of Lobsterman?  I would guess that would be Sept 7 or 14, and it is a terrific race, and maybe "A" potential if you wanted a second shot at an "A" oly.  The swim is cold, but mostly calm due to the island-sheltered bay it is in.  The bike is very, very fair, notan major hills and proabably classified best as "rolling".  The run is equally fair, with just a few short pitches in the first and last mile.  AND, if you are a lobster freak, there is a lobster feast after -- free for you, and pre-payable for family, guests, groupies, and low-life hangers-on.   Beer is served as well.....which I think you have said is your main reason for doing b2b.   I see Lobsterman as being a win-win-win-win for you, maybe??  (Not only do I not like lobster and don't drink, but Lynn had had horrific oral surgery a day or two before we headed down, and she got infected, so we left freeport as soon as we could post-race.  But much like b2b sounds, man do Lobsterman at least 78% for the post-race festivities!)

I'll post this now, and return later for other thoughts about your exhaustive (and, no, i do NOT mean "exhausting"!) plans!

Matt - Thats quite a plan.  Are you sure you have time to work? 

The 148 mile B2B sounds like a challenge.  Thats 238km, I'll be awhile before I'm ready for that distance.  After reading your prep plans for the B2B I may have to reassess my own plans for cycling.

Hi Johanne - nice to hear from you again.

Steve - It was really hot here today - sunburn hot.  I wore shorts, t-shirt and sandals after my run.  It was great until a cloud blocked the sun and it cooled quickly about 4:30pm.  We're looking at low 20's (~ 70F) for the next 3 days.  Last year we were considerably cooler until June and we know we could get a cold snap at anytime but as long as this lasts we're loving it.

As Matt says, I'll be willing to stay active as long as others do.

I went out today for a slow run.  I was challenged to not wear my Garmin but I did - but made a point to not look at it and I just pushed the lap button as needed.  I managed to run a continuous 9K which is a first for me.  I had wanted to run 10K but without looking at the Garmin I just ran until I reached a good place to stop.  For my next long run I'll map out a 10K route.

MATT again (pt 2) -

The early season run plan is really nifty!  First, there's the emphasis on that 10km, and your thoughts on how to work the three 5kms surrounding it.  I'm taking it to mean that you will not be training specifically for any of the 5km, but by "training through them" it's just using them to build speed and figure out pacing for the 10km, and then to see what you have left after the 10km.  Yes?   Well, even if I don't have it quite right, it is clear that the 10km ias your current running "A" race -- perfect for that upcoming oly!!

As for the H-M with Kim, maybe the best way to keep the reins on yourself is to dedicate the day to being the best pace-bunny she could ever hope for.  That's not only your gift to her, but also your gift to yourself, as the further one progresses distance-wise, the more important becomes the ability to pace well.  So, just the discipline to take her desired pace and make it soemthing you can keep to within a few seconds per mile will be a big aid to yoru own future pacing efforts --- especially as you cast your gimlet eye on a half-iron.  Just go as far with her goals as you can that day, which mostly means being willing to either speed up or slow down, depending on how she feels.   Even the ability to make adjustments "on the fly" is very beneficial at the longer tri distances (as well as the longer running-only distances), and doing so with a certain amount of equanimity is even better.  What that'll provide for you in your own tri career is the mindset to adjust without self-recrimination -- especially, of course, if it means having to slow down.  HOPEFULLY, for Kim, that won't be the case.....but if it happens that just merrily change your pace to what works for her.

The other approach to that day is to devote a mile at a time to some technique-based aspect of running -- could be arm position, could be footspeed, could be forward lean.  You don't want to do anything too radical, though, as 13.1 miles is 13.1 miles, and that enough to produce an injury if one goes too far outside the tried-and-true of their patented and time-honored running style.  So, maybe better would be to alternate miles with one of special focus, and the next being juts good ol' Matt, clopping of another mile as he has done so for so many of them!

And then thetre's to just DO the darn thing, and not even attach any purpose to it.  That might be the route that would end being followed by a literal execution of Higdon intermediate instead of Higdon advanced, and it might be the funnest way to pass those 13.1 miles.  Maybe?

Next up will be thoughts on yoru pursuit of survival/glory at b2b.  Stay tuned!

GEORGE -

Today was 10 or 11C, which merited no running gloves and just a meshish Headsweats hat -- no tuque!  And while I was still in a longsleeve top, I had the sleeves pushed above my elbows and the zipper down to my sternum.  What a luxury!!!

It was nice enough for shortsleeves, but for several years I have not been able to tolerate the materail flapping on my upper arms.  So, literally, I stay in longsleeves until it is warm enough to wear a sleeveless top, and I bypass shortsleeves altogether.  My aversion to the flapping shortsleeves makes me akin the the princess who couldn't tolerate that pea under 30 mattresses.  Or something like that!

Good effort on going watchless --- it is an excellent thing to get comfortable with.  I spent a bunch of years being a semi-slave to my HRM, using it probably too much in training.  I never tried it in a race, however, and mostly that was because I didn't trust it to dictate what i was capable of better than my owen sense of where I was at and how I felt.  That is, there were too many times when I allowed the HRM numbers to slow me down, just so that i could avoid going into a zone which wasn't part of my workout.  From there I just realized that on a good day, i could usually dig deeper than the HRM said i could.

That said, I generally advocate that relatively new-to-endurance people use their HRM as a way of determining their zones..........and then maybe later on weaning themselves from it.  So, continue to use your Garmin -- but periodically set it aside and see what your body tells you to do, face-to-face; it is often quite illuminating!

One other caution is how often I read about soemone whose race fell apart because their Garmin lost its charge --- and they were lost without the Garmin.  I was a HRM guy before Garmins came along.......but had they been around in, say '01-'03 (my big HRM years) I almost certainly would've gotten one..........and I'm so stupid about things like charging stuff that mine always would've abandoned me at crucial times.  Ack!

But you did great today without resorting to it, and congrats on the 9km!!!  And there is absolutely nothing "wrong" with pushing those lap buttons at the time, but saving the viewing of the results until after the run.

Finally, there is the pacing aspect that comes from "being on your own" during a run, and controlling your effort by listening to your body rather than read some numbers on your wrist.  if you could do that every few runs, at the very least, you will become a much more self-aware runner and better able to adjust your effort throughout a race or training run.  Win-win!!!

Well crud, I may have to see a doctor.  Took a few weeks off thinking that would help.  Did a short run today, 3.4 miles, and my right foot was still hurting.  Hurts when I put pressure on the "knuckles" of the 2nd and 3rd toes (the two right of the big toe) and pain shoots into the toes.  Not much today, but shouldn't happen.  A friend said she had a similar issue and it was a lack of arch support.  She has high arches and I have very plain regular arches though.

Ugh.  I need to get back to running, and this isn't helping.

I have worn orthotics since I was in my 20's (over 40 years) and they've helped me a lot.  If you have flatish feet you might not need custom orthotics or atleast you could try off the rack orthotics like Superfeet which are actually quite good.

If you can, get them with a metatarsal support for your "knuckles" to raise them just a bit.  You don't need a lot of lift maybe 3 to 5 mm.  If they don't come with a metatarsal support check out local shoe repair shops (if you can find one) and they sometimes can make them for you and with double sided tape you just position them under the problem area.  It may take some fiddling to get it right but it should be sufficient.

If you have no trouble walking then you only need the orthotics for your runners.  If they don't work then you may need to go the custom route.

This isn't necessarily going to fix it but it often will and it isn't too expensive.  In the meantime get as many opinions as you can.  I also found foot massages helped me a lot as well.

Good luck.

Steve -

The run was fun and in the end looking at my Garmin results I was amazed at how consistent my pace was.  Initially, I ran faster at the start but I fairly quickly settled into a pace and with variations I stayed very close to the same pace.

Being an absolute beginner and considering my age I felt it was important to be conscious of what my heart is doing.  When I first started running my numbers were really high and erratic but now I seem to be pretty consistent averaging 136bpm most of the time.

Now I just have to figure out how to shrink the distances so I can go farther without working too hard.

Today I went for my second ride of the season.  I rode the bike route for the Bare Bones Duathlon because I had ridden it last May so it gave me a good comparison.  On my way out of town Skaha Lake was glass smooth and beautiful cycling temp (14C/57F at 10am).  I rode up the hill climb and it was tough for my 1st climb of the year but I could tell I was stronger than last year.

When I reached OK Falls I turned to head back to Penticton and I hit a nasty headwind (of course - no wind out of town then strong wind back to town - it could've been both ways so I didn't complain...too much).  In the end it took me a fair bit longer than I had hoped but I was still 10% faster than last year.

When I got home it was 16C and later we were at 21C/70F.

No swimming tomorrow but I'll do an easy run.

WAYNE -

Try to describe that shooting pain a bit better.  That is, would you say it is "electric", or maybe nerve-related?  If so, read about neuromas.  The most common is Morton's neuroma, but that is betweem the 3rd and 4th; the less common Heuter's (sp?) is between the 2nd and 3rd.  I had a bad case of the latter starting in '05, I think it was, and had the offending nerve buncle surgically removed in early '06.  If you think this defines your problem --- let's talk!!!!!!

A second thought is dropped metatarsal heads; check that out, too.  I suffered DMH for a few seasons, sporadically from maybe '00-'02 or '03, and treated it with homemade pads from felt boot liners; again, check it out and if it fits -- let's talk!

The two problems above can be present regardless of arch type, and at least for neuromas, are more likely to occur when there is lateral pressure on the forefoot, thus squeezing a nerve bundle between two metatarsals.  So, think some about the width of the toebox of any shoes you wear; if tight in the forefoot, that might be a ciontributing factor -- if what is ailing you is a neuroma!

Be leery for now of orthotics.  The folks that make them can often be kind of agressive in prescribing them, and as with many foot-related things, too much can be a problem as well; that is, they may provide more "stuff" than you actually need.  If you feel, however, that orthotics are worth looking into, check out some over-the-counter ones first.  Superfeet make a range of orthotic-ish footbeds, and they don't cost much to buy -- far less than prescription orthotics.

And if you DO go the orthotics route, DO NOT accept rigid plastic ones, or ones that aren't full-length.  There should be some give to them, and having them full-length prevents slippage.  Keep me posted, okay?

Absolutely right.  A very important point. 

When I run it has felt like an electric shock up my 2n & 3rd toes on my right foot (1st being the big toe).  Felt a little less electric yesterday.  Walking barefoot this morning on tile the knuckle for the 2nd toe was a little sensitive.  Not exactly painful, but noticeable, but then again I'm paying attention to it now.

Normally I walk around all day in shoes.  Inside or outside.

I even changed running shoes.  I wouldn't say that either are tight in the toebox, but maybe that's ignorance on my part.

WAYNE -

Read about neuromas, okay?

Also, read george's post a few above this one.  He has been a contented orthotics wearer for a while, and his perspective has much, much merit!

------------------------------------------------- GANG! ----------------------------------------

I dunno how we got over to this side of the mentor groups.  I guess I ought to write Ron and find out what all has happened, eh?

AMY -

Well, um, uh.........bad habits are hard to break!

It was my plan, vis-a-vis my post from last week, to keep this going until at least everyone found another perch in another group.  I only know that sometime this month the new groups will form, and I was set to carry on until then before sidling off into the sunset.

Then, MATT posted that he would be happy to see the group continue, and telling me that I didn't have to feel i was "The Man".   GEORGE then said that he too would like to see it continue...........and that became further incentive to not closing it down with a resounding slamming of doors.  I mean, I woudn't've done it that way anyhow, but now I just have to wonder how far I will actually drift if a few hardy souls continue to talk and squawk.

So, anyhow, here we be -- limping along, kind of, defying predictions of our imminent demise.  Hmmm.........