Ernesto's group - CLOSED (Page 57)

Just caught up on everyone's post over the last few days.  

Jackie, how are you feeling?

Everyone, I see everyone is training hard and really working toward your uncoming races.  I am thinking of you all and wish each one of you the best of luck!!

I finished my Two Week Test as far as omitting the carbs.  The last two days were really tough.  Not because of the want for food but I was so dizzy.  I sometimes get like that if I;m kneeing and stand to fast but this was everytime I stood.  Last night I did have desert with my children.  I had a small piece of cake and a single small scoop of ice cream.  After I ate it though, I wished I hadn't.  It was as though I lost the taste for it.  I have been keeping up with all aspects of training and I am still having breakthoughs in my swim.  My stroke builder paddles should be here tomorrow and I can work on strength.  

This mornings run was interesting.  I think I would have had a much lower heart rate but when I turned onto the trail I heard the coyotes start pinging.  I normally see Scott light in the distance and I didn't.  I turned off and found myself on the wrong service road and still too close to the sounds.  Heading home I was faced with a strong wind off the mountain.  (but it was nice heading down).  

Ernesto--Can you look over the last 2 weeks of workouts and see what you think?  I know its tough because of the hills and altitude conditioning.  Thank you

The first thing I noticed is that you don't ride outdoors anymore. Why? The hilly environment will make you tough as nails on the bike. You should really take advantage of this. It is actually the reason for many triathletes to move to Colorado...

Another thing is that you seem not to have a schedule or pattern, and I know how hard it can be (I can't keep one myself), but maybe try some sort of routine that is easy to accomplish, and then buid more on it if you feel fresh and have the time to do so.

Swim is improving, try to make the sessions longer now, maybe 2K per session.

Have you found a track yet?

Hey Ernesto, hope to finally get to meet you at the US Open.  No disco disguises this time, and Jackie can point you out .

My schedule changed but it is as follows:

Monday-AM Cycle (spinerval recovery or technique builder)

Tuesday-Swim   ( want to add a second here possibly)

Wednesday-AM Run and PM Cycle (outdoors)

Thursday- AM Run(5:00)  then swim (9:00am)

Friday- Off

Saturday - Long Bike (outdoors)

Sunday- Long Run (1.2-1.5hrs) trail

I haven't been outdoors on the bike because of my sons football schedule.  It had made it difficult.  the last few Sat we couldn't ride outdoors because of Air Force home football games.  then my son's and husbands birthday.  I wanted to at least get time in the saddle so I opted so spinervals.  I do want you to know that I have decent resistance on the trainer so I have really been feeling the weakness in my legs esp on the harder gears.  I will add a Friday activity when we kick off our challenge.  Any suggestions on what I should add.  There is a trail here I was thinking of walk/running.... It is 1.5 miles with an elevation gain of 1900 ft!!  

As for swimming, I go tomorrow will add another 200-300 yards and build from there.

Yes I found a track.  I hadn't been because I wanted my husband to run with me.  I can only use it Sat or Sunday mornings.  I think my training is at the point that I need to do what I need to do for myself.  The 10k in April is up hill with a 5% grade from mile marker 1 to 3.  Last year I completed it in 56minutes I would LOVE to be under 50minutes.  The Boulder Half IM is in August so I am still building to be able to train for that.  I am looking for am easy 5-10k now just to feel a race again, but with Justin's games it's tough. 

Sorry for all the grammatical errors in that.  I was typing fast..

: )

Hey Chris, Jackie, Carol and Ernesto, best of luck on your races this weekend!  

Chris, you have trained very hard and I believe you have the level and ability to achieve your BQ goal!  So now, like Ernesto likes to say, it comes down to executing properly your race pace and nutrition plan.  Best of luck amigo, have fun and let us know how it goes!

Ernesto, I hope you do the race and have some fun while at it!  I bet you being out of shape can still kick our behinds any time, even if we are in great shape! 

Chris and Jen,

Thanks for asking.  I'm honestly still feeling like crap.  So I am eating and resting and trying not to stress about it.  I had routine labwork done and it just happened to come back this week.  Everything looks great, so no medical issues.

Good luck everyone this weekend.  Ernesto do the race and call it "training".

Jen, congrats on finishing the two-week test.  Yes, I remember it being brutal for me too.  But, it's so worth it.

Well, I discovered I suck at following my own advice. I've been preaching the Maffettone method for so long and trained so much based on it. But after Ironman Texas I really slacked off on the nutrition side. So much, that I have gained 5 juicy pounds of fat, and lost lots of fitness.

This week, tired of seeing myself balloon week after week, I decided to do the two week test myself, started Monday and had to leave it today until after Sunday (if I race) because I simply felt exhausted. I came to the conclusion that my body has completely stopped using fat for fuel (only storing it) and I became carb dependent for energy. Just to test my theory, this morning I did track with no sugars in my system, the workout was HORRIBLE. In the same day but later, and after a small carbo load, I went to do bike intervals with the team and crushed it.

So, I will start my base again. I have an incredibly good cardiovascular fitness (the only thing that remains) since my resting HR in the morning is still low (around 42/44), and my high numbers are still no more than 170BPM at full steam.

But my muscles are probably underdeveloped on slow twitch fibers, hyperdeveloped fast twitch (I have HUGE thighs now).

Time to reboot the system. I hope you use my (bad) example as a deterrent if you start deviating from the track...

Best of luck to everyone this weekend! Some pretty key races coming up.

@Jackie a special good luck to you. I hope you feel better in time enough to crush your goal. i don't remember reading in some of your blogs but might you have allergies? I know, for me, especially this time of year no matter what shape I'm in I experience almost the exact same symptoms due to seasonal allergies.

Ernesto, yes hope you will come out to play regardless of your conditioning!  Feel free to join Jackie, me, and another friend (Becky) at the back of the pack, though I don't think you've slipped that far.  Jackie, your guest room awaits, and we will have fun regardless.  I seem to have bounced back from my fatigue from earlier in the week, but I'm all about going to bed early!  Hard to party too much when you fall asleep at 8 pm.

Good luck to everyone else who is racing, training, or resting this weekend....aka everyone.

Jackie, Barry may be right. With all the bush fires in the Austin area the levels of allergens are through the roof, and air quality is very poor (it even affected us 220 miles North).

I got a shot of decadron three weeks ago (I suffer seasonal allergies) and felt great after only twenty minutes.

Maybe time to see the Doc?

I forgot you were doing the Hanson's plan.  I would love your thoughts on it...I actually bought my first pair of running shoes at their store near where I live.  They have training runs that go along with their plans in various areas around where I live making it an attractive plan possible when I take he plunge on my first full (maybe next fall?).

Ernesto and Gang-

Thank you for being so candid with what you go through.  I know that it helps me to know that we are all human and have daily struggles.  I love and embrace my lifestyle but some days it is difficult to be motivated and it's tough to fight the urge to eat whatever I want.  Knowing that others go through the same things helps me reach deep inside.  I want to race and compete.  To not only do triathlons and other endurance races but live my life as an athlete.  On days that I really want to curl up on the couch I ask "how bad do you want it".  I look over the posts on this forum and see all of you training. I see your breakthroughs and accomplishments as well as the not so great days. It helps inspire me and I just wanted to thank you all for everything!

Jen

Jen:

I share your sentiments and struggles.  With a full time job, wife & kids, and all of lifes activities that go along with everything it can be a real struggle to get up and out that door to work out.  It can be equally hard to eat healthy.  Nice to know there are others we can share the experience with and give us feedback, etc. when necessary.  Thanks Team!

-Mitch

Chris, my thoughts exactly!