Newbz'z group is FULL!!!!!! (Page 6)

Hand in there Elliot.

I did not see the article but presumed that one does a bit worse in three sports disciplines than concentrating on one.

I can't believe all of our local folks missed a wonderful oppurtunity to race this Sunday at the rain soaked Olentangy Duathlon!  What a wonderful training opportunity missed.  Sure you practice riding hard and cornering, but do you practice it with 40mph wind gusts with horizontal rain and water flowing across the road?

I should consider it my first Triathlon because the water was so deep in many places.  I kid you not, you had to run through water as deep as 1 foot in the transition zone.  The run course include stretches dozens of yards long through giant mud puddles on dirt/gravel roads (small section of the run).

David, I screwed the bike mount up again.  Way worse this time too, but I was pretty sure the new bike and helmet and set-up was faster.  I definitely rode faster (still short of some of those other freaks, yes you are one of them) but faster nonetheless.

This is for anyone that wants to answer. I have 4 more sessions with my personal trainer but she's never done a tri before so I'm unsure if she's got me doing what's really best for me.

She gave me a training grid that I could have found on the net myself and she also gave me a strength training routine that will work my muscles only once a week. I feel like my focus should be on running, swimming and weight loss, with a little time on the bike. I also think circuit weight training would be more beneficial to me as opposed to only working my muscles once a week. 

Should I stop splitting hairs and just do what she says or should I push her for a more finely tuned training regimen?  

 I'm not training to win after all but I'd like to lose as much weight as I can by race day.

 Thanks everyone.

Would it be possible to meet with her prior to your next session to make sure she clearly understands your goals?  Make sure you are both prioritizing them the same.  If she can explain to you how her workouts will help you achieve your goals then all is well.

I use my HR monitor about once a week in the pool and lake (if it ever warms up). I have a Polar. The only think I make sure to do...or actually not to do is push buttons under water. I have not had any prob. with it but have heard from other on BT that theirs stopped workoing after they pushed stuff under water. I don't know about the Garmin.

Chris

I did both.  I screwed up at the bottom of the hill the most.  I had numerous competitor yell at me because I was getting in their way, then abandoned the idea and ran to the top of the hill and screwed up some more.  The bottom of the hill I partially blame on: 1) I should not have tried, and 2) My bike was in a big gear.  The top of the hill was partially lack of familiarity with the new pedals but mostly just one of those things.  Like playing football and dropping a pass, or bowling and throwing a ball in the gutter.

I have never heard about the pedals that are reversable.  I think you should absolutely get a pair of clipless pedals (reversable or not).  However, there is very very little downside to clipless.  Downsides are only: 1) Expense (more expensive pedals plus shoes), and 2) getting used to them.  #1 could run you $150-$600.  #2 should only take a few rides.  One should practice getting in an out and most people, me included, panic a their first few red lights, slow too much before putting a foot down, then try to yank up on the foot in a panic and fall over still clipped into the pedals.  Others practice, keep their heads straight and avoid this.

Advantage of the clipless is that allow you to apply power at all tangents to the circle your feet make when pedaling.  The closer one learns to continuously apply power at these tangets the close one comes to something called "spinning" which is an efficient an powerful way to pedal.

Once you are fimiliar with clipless pedals you have no need or desire to race or train in anything else (on the road).

Good luck.

Biased opinion because these are the only two I've used but had NO problems:

Great clipless pedals to start with are either 1) the low end pedal by "Speed-Play."  they are little more costly but they are my personal favorite and extremely easy for a beginner to get used to... they always right themselves so getting in is not a problem (no looking down necessary) and they also release relativly easy OR 2) two-sided SPD pedals intended primarily for MTB use but easily ridden on a road bike as well.  Can get them fairly cheap from Nashbar or Performance but they can't be mounted on many road shoes because they are 2-hole not 3-hole.

Stay away from those "campus" pedals.