Slornow and Wannabefaster's Winter Mentor Group-CLOSED (Page 55)

Jamie and Nate, I'm so bummed for you!

MTBChick: I'm trying to find a chunk of time on the computer to do my race report before I forget the details. Spring break means fighting over it with the kids, haha!

So, I just talked to a local coach to help me do well in Maui. He's coached many of the local triathletes. Recently his wife and our mutual friend, to finished IMNZ. My friend finished in 13ish hours, and his wife in 15. I think he can get me a decent finish at Worlds! It's such an investment to get there that I want to do it right. It's goes down October 27th. Plenty of time to prep.

Currently in recovery doing nothing but lounging, eating, and napping. Actually played a full 90 minutes of soccer yesterday because I didn't have the heart to take the day off. Thankfully it didn't feel horrible and we won.

Happy new week of training!

Hi all! 

A question for the more experienced riders out there. I have been working on my base fitness for awhile now, doing 95% of my rides and runs in the Zone 2 heart rate zone. I have been using 141 as my cycling heart rate and up until now, I've been able to hit that heart rate and maintain it for a decently long time.

On Saturday, I hit a point where I just could not hit 141. The speed at which I normally kept to keep 141 was no longer enough, I had to pedal harder and/or faster. "This is great", I thought, "now I can go faster at the same HR". BUT I realized quickly that my legs won't let me go faster. They tire out too fast and won't let me stay at my Z2 HR limit of 141.

So my question is: How do I get my legs to catch up with my cardiovascular system? My plan calls for Z2 rides, but I'm riding low Z2 (130s) and sometimes dipping into Z1 (120) because my legs refuse to go!

Thanks for any help!

Nate-it happens to all of us at some point....accumulated leg fatigue.  We train, train, train and at some point the legs reach a point where they are not able to keep up. Doesn't usually last long as the body adapts quickly and becomes stronger.  Right now the limiting factor in almost all of my run/bike workouts is leg fatigue. "Aerobically" I feel good in terms of my breathing and how hard it is but the legs tell me otherwise.  A couple of days of active recovery or leg rest will help and its amazing how much better the legs feel after a good taper leading into a race.  

I know you are training for IM long term. Are all of your bike workouts Z1/Z2?

Blanda – I was really looking forward to see how you did. I knew you were gonna crush it. Glad to see you’re going to try to go to Maui. It’s an opportunity of a life time.

Nate/Jamie – Man, that stinks about your race cancellation. You guys still have plenty of season left to show your stuff!

Rene  - Sorry to hear your injury is going to require surgery. Try not to overdo it post-operatively in your attempts to return to sports.

Well, I’m back from my first cruise and I’m suffering a little post-vacation depression. It was so nice to just chill out, do some great diving, eat good food, and spend time with my wife and two boys. I was able to keep up the run and bike training but the swimming pools were too small. I got in a 1600yd swim this morning and will incorporate some swimming everyday this week to try to catch up.  The good news is that my trainer bike average is now around 20mph (I started at 14mph last summer). I hope the trainer pace translates to actual road riding.

Blanda-Nicely done! Way to crush those prerace jitters. I really hope you can make it to Muai.

Rene-That sucks. I'm so sorry you have to have surgery. Take care of yourself.

So, The last week has been sporadic. I think the IT band thing and the limping set off the back again so I've been working out as much as possible but trying to keep things easy. I'm going to attempt another longish run on sunday and see if it acts up again but it hopefully will be better. I'll be really glad when my HM is done next month and I can change my focus to getting my body healthier for all the training I want to do. The good news it-it really was better than last time this happened. I'll just keep looking at the bright side.

Hey everyone-been on the road all day today. Was able to get a good bike workout in tonight. Included 5X10 minutes at a pretty stout intensity. It was weird in that there were times when the interval seemed almost easy and other times when it was HARD and I wondered if I would be able to get through the 10 minutes.

First race of the season is Saturday. Starting to get anxious. Hopefully, all the Winter work will translate into improvements across the board. Anyone else racing this weekend?  

How'd the race go, Randy?

Hey, guys. Been vegging out since spring break started. Blech. Feel like a slug. Too many brownies!

Logged my race for once. Here you go if you're interested:
http://beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=482255&posts=1&start=1

Coach is going to put a plan together to get me going. First race to gauge my progress is an Olympic distance race in July.

Happy mid week!

Will be rooting for you Randy!

Finally starting to get a sense that "spring" is approaching in Michigan.  I so look forward to my first outdoor ride of the season.  Just got done with a trainer ride, 90 min with 8 all out 4 minute intervals.  My legs feel pretty cooked right now.  Jim

slornow - 2013-03-27 9:13 AM Jamie-only specific goal for the race on Saturday is to be top three in my AG so I can earn points toward 2014 team qualification. I have never done the race before and will not get to scout the bike course before hand as I will not get to Tallahassee until 1:00-2:00am Saturday morning. UGH! The bike course is suppose to be hilly so that is always hard to plan for. I'll just try to build my effort through the bike and keep my power as even as possible without burning too much energy on the hills. The run is half on trails so I don't expect a really fast run time.  This is the first race of the season on our team schedule so a bunch of my teammates will be racing as well. Should be fun....after its done.  

Can I ask how you plan for a race like this? Do you research who raced last year, or those who got on the podium? Or, do you just go out there and give it your all and hope that beats the rest? Do you keep an eye out for your category as you're racing?

Jamie, here is what I do ... (I LOVE DATA) ... 

For every local race I take the race results and import them into an excel spreadsheet. I look at swim, t1, bike, t2 and the run data to see where I am at compared to my competition. I have done this with all my triathlons and highlighted all the triathletes that I have previously competed against. I also keep a spreadsheet with all my races to compare where I started and where I am now. So when I go to a local race that I have done before I know the top people in my group (unless there is a fast newbie :-) ) 

Jamie-I'm a bit ashamed to admit but I always look at results from prior years before doing a race.  Gives me an idea of how I might stack up by seeing how other racers I know did. Anything can happen come race day so you just never know. For most of the local races I know most of the faster guys in my age groups and the guys in the surrounding age groups. Of course, you never know when a guy from Vermont is down visiting the Gulf and smashes everyone. The race this weekend is in Tallahassee. I don't know many of the guys from over that way so there could be some surprises but I recognize many of the names in the 50-54 AG. Best I can hope for is 2nd in AG since one of the really fast guys on my team is 53 and a beast. Can't wait till he ages up!

kinisthetic linking-oh yeah, had to have that replaced on my car a couple of months ago. Keeps the gizmo linked to the thingy to make car go vroom vroom!

Short run today at lunch and pretty soild bike workout on tap this evening. Getting a little bit of a taper before the race Saturday but not too much. Galveston 70.3 the following weekend is more of my "A" race.

Tomorrow will not be the ideal way to spend the day/night before the a race. Up around 4:30am to do easy 30-40 minutes on the bike. Travel about 100 miles for 2 court hearings scheduled at 9:00 and 9:15am. Then I have a couple of appointments up that way. Probably get home 2-3:00pm. Then its my daughter's Senior Prom. Go to where they are having dinner for pictures at 5:30-6:00pm. Then be at the prom location at 8:00pm for Senior call outs.....all the Senior girls are announced arriving with their dates (Its a small school). First dance is father/daughter. Hopefully, be done there by 8:30-9:00pm. Then one of my teammates, who also has a senior daughter, and I will drive to Tallahassee 3.5 hours away plus we lose an hour heading into eastern time. So, get over there to hotel 1-2:00am Sat. morning. Get a couple of hours of sleep and get to race venue by 5:30-6:00 to pick up race stuff. Race starts at 7:30am......after all of that we will drive home.  I didn't realize prom and race were same weekend but don't want to miss either one.  Sunday will be a rest day!