Barqhead's Group - FULL (Page 6)

I was out partying till 01:10 this morning, got home around 02:30 ... stayed up till 03:30 am goofing off .... slept late ... got up and lounged about the house ... watched some football ... but ... but.... but ..... I DID go to the YMCA today to get in a workout.

Hit the sauna for a good 15 minute sweat, then the weight room to work abs for 15 mintues, then the treadmill for a 3 mile run ... finished off with 10 minutes of stretching in the jacuzzi.

..

Planned training, the rest of the week for me, I have a 26 min. swim today (according to my plan), I think I am going to do some sprint work in the pool since its a short swim.  I have a hour and a half bike ride tomorrow, Sunday off and pick up on Monday.

I began a 22 week plan but I have to go into my planned training log and rearrange the days to coincide with my spin classes and pool availability at the local YMCA, and of course the dreaded work schedule.

I really don't have a training schedule, I just sort of wing it.

When I first began tri training back on Aug 1st, I only had 6 weeks till my first sprint, so I started with that free BT beginner or couch to sprint 12 week plan and started in the middle ... but after a couple of weeks abandoned it and just did my own thing.

I felt that plan was not fast enough so I started doing something every single day and the last few weeks before the race doing bricks about every day.

Since my last (and only my 2nd ever race) in Oct ... I've just basically focused on running ... and the last month and a half been adding back a significant amoun of weight lifting and then running ... with some swimming the past week or so.

So ...I don't really have a plan ....just those goals I listed earlier .... and I bascially go to the YMCA every night ... and just do whatever I have time for or energy for ...

I'm most focused on running and losing weight right now ... and figure as long as I'm there doing something that should help with weight loss and as long as I do some sort of running that help with the run.

Typically my visits to the YMCA go like this:

Arrive around 6:45 - 7:00 pm  (Don't get home from work till around 6:15 pm)

Get 1/2 cup of coffee and go sit in sauna for 10-15 minutes, sip the coffee ... this routine is to get some caffeine into me, heat me up, loosen my muscles.

Go to weight room and workout for 30-45 minutes.  I typically have 4 regular workouts and 1 short ab workout.  I rotate amoung the workouts trying to give each muscle group at least 2 days rest in between (except the abs).

I'll do Lats, Back, Shoulders ... or Chest, Shoulders (different part) ... or Biceps and Triceps ... or Leg Presses, Calve Presses, Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, Calve Raises ... when I'm short of time or as a rest day between these 4 hard days ... I'll do Kneeling Cable Reverse Crunches, Hanging Knee Raises, Crunches on a Pilates Ball ... and sometimes I'll so some Kneeling Cable Reverse Crunches and Hanging Knee Raises on one of my harder 4 workouts if I have time and/or energy.

Then I go run on the treadmill.  Was trying to get 4-6 miles a run, but last few weeks have picked up my pace from around 12 minutes per mile to about 11 minutes per mile ... so my distances are back down ...to about 3 miles per run ... sometimes 4 miles.

There have been some nights (esp. during Holidays) where I just ran 1 mile or 2 to 2.5 miles ... but really picked up the pace ....

Then I shower off, hit the jacuzzi for 15-20 minutes and stretch out while in there.

Shower and head home.

Get home around 10:00 pm ... eat dinner around 10:30 pm  (I know ....)

That's my plan ... almost every single night I'm at the Y ... I do sauna, some kind of weights, usually some sort of treadmill run ... and if no treadmill then a swim workout and/or Elliptical ...

On rare occasions I'll do the bike trainer or take an aerobics class ...

Usually get in a 7 mile outside run on either Sat or Sun (except last couple of weeks)...

...

I searched BT and uploaded the Oly plan (22 week)...I find that if I don't have a set schedule it is way too easy for me to find a reason not to workout.  I also have a friend that I train with, because if I know he is at the pool or the rest stop waiting for me to ride or swim, it is really hard for me not to go.  I am not saying that is right or wrong, just my preference.  Plus if I have a set schedule it's easier for me to track my progress.

The plan I uploaded had runs on days that I have to do spin classes etc... so i had to move the days around, but it seems to work for me.

My Saturday went like this so far:

Did a Poker Run today - a first for me. The local Triathon club here in Winston Salem the Tricows (Triathlon Club of Winston Salem) held a 4 mile poker run that I was invited to.

Not sure of the time or pace, although it was fairly faster that what I usually run and there were some pretty decent hills as well.

We took off as a group, being led to stop off points along the course, 4 along the way, and at each stop off point you draw a card.

At the finish point (one of the Tricow members house) you get your final card, then the top 3 hands won prizes, and then refreshments and a brief meeting to discuss Tricow membership and upcoming races for 2009.

So, don't know the total combined running time or the pace .. but it was a struggle for me ... esp. since stopping and starting is hard for me ... once I stop ... it is hard for me to start running again.

This is why I don't do more run/walk workouts but just run the whole time for whatever distance I can get that day.

Just finished dinner (I think, or maybe it was a very late lunch ... really didn't eat much today except a bowl of cereal this morning and then 2 slices of raisin bread on my way to the Poker Run).  I'll probably end up hungry again and eat again around 9-10 pm tonight.

Other than that, just plan on watching some football right now and then the Hurricanes hockey game at 7:30 pm.

Okay everybody,

I must be really sick or must have hit my head on something or going mental or something ... but ....

As you may know, my goal for 2009 was to run an Olympic distance and if that went well to run a 1/2 Marathon by Fall 2009.

Well, some local triathletes were talking today about the new Augusta Ironman 70.3 being held in September.  This is an actual M-dot Ironman sanctioned event.

Should I go for it?

I've only ran 2 sprint distances ... can run 7 to 8 miles as long as I keep the pace around 12 minutes per mile ... and my longest swim so far is 1300 yds ... could have gone longer but goggles started messing up.  The bike is the weak link at this point ... but really running is my weakness.

So ... this is the first year for this race and the thing about this race is that it's an actual M-dot race and since in it's first year it is not totally sold out already ... but I probably only have a day or two to still try and get in ...

What should I do ... does anything think I would have time to train and get ready for a HIM distance by September of this year?

Help!!! 

Here is the link:

http://www.ironmanaugusta.com/

.

Okay, so let me preface this with...... I already know, so please don't yell at me! 

After several lackluster workouts over the past week, I had something to prove to myself.  I wanted to set a short term goal and reach it in one day.  I wanted to do a 10 mile run.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I MADE IT 10.72 MILES THIS MORNING.  I took in a gel before I went and felt great almost the entire time.  My feet started to hurt a little at the end, but being the longest run of my life, I kind of expect something like that!  My HR was a little high.  I did have my running workout going on my ipod, which usually jacks up the HR a little anyway.  Here's my stats:

Distance:  10.72 miles

Time: 1 hr 44 min 13 sec.

Avg. HR: 160 bpm

High HR: 168 bpm

Low HR: 143 bpm

The high HR is on two long hills. 

~NO ITB issues at all!

I know that is too far and I should not go that far that fast this soon, but I had to get my mind back in my training.  I would love to be able to say it won't happen again, but ........it will.  Just maybe not tomorrow.

I can't say to do it because I am certainly not qualified to say that but, if you do it, I'll be right there beside you.  That's my A++++++++ race for this year.   Good luck with your decision.  When making decisions on races, I go with the motto:  Be optimistic, but realistic.  I'm trying to use my own advice for IMKY in 2010.

I certainly don't have enough experience to give yu any sound advice in your decision on this one. I don't know how long you have been training or how much experience you have with endurance sports.  I have heard of people coming off their couch and completing a IM or HIM in less than a year, but it takes a tremendous amount of time to dedicate fully to training.  I have also been told that it takes as much as 6-8 years to hit your peak physical conditioning, training regularly.  I would just hate to see you get injured and have a long delay because of overtraining or whatever.  Whatever your decision Klowman, good luck to you!  I know for me, I am going to give myself a couple of season of Oly and Sprint races before I move up to that level.

Good Luck!

Great Job!!

I did the same thing one day ... my longest had been 4.25 miles ... then got a wild hair and decided to try the 7 mile loop around Salem Lake ...and made it!!   I was STOKED!

As long as you were careful during your run (didn't beat yourself up to badly ...) and give yourself a good day or two of recovery ... you should be fine.

I think it is a great confidence booster.  Once I made my first 7-miler I started thinking that I might actually be able to make it in this sport ...and that with just enough time and training I would be able to do about anything.

I don't know if you are now ready to do a 10-miler once per week ... but that is what I did ... I now try to get in that 7 mile run around the lake every Sat or Sun ... (except the last few weeks cause of the Holidays and stuff ...)

Great job... this should be a big confidence booster in getting you ready for Augusta 70.3

I saw that you were registered for it ... that is also kinda making me decide to go for it ... it would be pretty neat to actually know someone else there ...

If I do this it would certainly be my A race for the year ...and still plan on doing at least 1 Oly before hand .... right now doing an Oly in April or May was going to be my A race ...

... so many decisions ...

I see that this event does not have any refunds (not even half refunds like a lot of Setup Events) ... but I wonder if you can transfer a paid registration.

I was thinking of registering ... and just create a training plan that will include preparing for the HIM and also having an Oly race in there around May or June ... and if injury comes up or the Oly ends up taking too much out of me ... etc ... then I could find someone else that wants the Augusta 70.3 and just transfer it to them (I'd only ask for like half of the fee or somethng ...)

So I'm still contemplating ... putting in the hours is not the problem ... all I have is time on my hands ... it is just wondering if someone in my fitness condition and currently at 254 lbs. could be ready for a HIM by September.

..

barqhead - 2009-01-04 10:29 PM Most M Dot races don't allow transfers. Check the website before you use that as your plan B. If you get injured, you can still race, just not as fast Also, if it is a running injury, they may allow you to switch to the Aquabike if they have such a category at Augusta. You do have plenty of time to get ready and since you are relatively free of outside distractions, it is a very realistic goal. Be prepared to get very intimate with your bicycle

Okay, thanks for the info!  I've just spent the past 3 or 4 hours looking through the classifieds here on BT, eBay, Craigslist, etc .... looking for a good used tri-specific bike ... or maybe a good road bike that has been fitted for triathlons.

Guess I better go to bed now though ... gotta go back to work Monday ...

barqhead - 2009-01-04 10:29 PM Most M Dot races don't allow transfers. Check the website before you use that as your plan B. If you get injured, you can still race, just not as fast Also, if it is a running injury, they may allow you to switch to the Aquabike if they have such a category at Augusta. You do have plenty of time to get ready and since you are relatively free of outside distractions, it is a very realistic goal. Be prepared to get very intimate with your bicycle

Okay, thanks for the info!  I've just spent the past 3 or 4 hours looking through the classifieds here on BT, eBay, Craigslist, etc .... looking for a good used tri-specific bike ... or maybe a good road bike that has been fitted for triathlons.

Guess I better go to bed now though ... gotta go back to work Monday ...

klowman - 2009-01-05 12:10 AM

barqhead - 2009-01-04 10:29 PM Most M Dot races don't allow transfers. Check the website before you use that as your plan B. If you get injured, you can still race, just not as fast Also, if it is a running injury, they may allow you to switch to the Aquabike if they have such a category at Augusta. You do have plenty of time to get ready and since you are relatively free of outside distractions, it is a very realistic goal. Be prepared to get very intimate with your bicycle

Okay, thanks for the info!  I've just spent the past 3 or 4 hours looking through the classifieds here on BT, eBay, Craigslist, etc .... looking for a good used tri-specific bike ... or maybe a good road bike that has been fitted for triathlons.

Guess I better go to bed now though ... gotta go back to work Monday ...

 

Check out Bikesdirect.com  I just bought my first tri specific bike, I got a great starter (Motobecane Nemisis) for under a grand, it normally sells for $1995.  I am very happy with it.

Thanks for the kind words Kevin.  I don't think I am ready for a ten miler every week.  My legs are pretty sore today.  I would probably go back to seven or so and work up from there.  I'm pretty happy with it though. 

I just wanted to pass along that you will know a bunch of people down in Augusta if you choose to.  There is a guy I've been chatting with who is doing it as well.  He's in sales and travels quite often.  We tried to meet up a few weeks before Christmas to get a ride in, but we were both sick.  We are talking about getting a group together to ride the course sometime later this year.  It would give us a chance to meet some people.  Also, Barry travels to Charlotte for work and I was thinking maybe the three of us could meet up there for a ride sometime. 

I'm not sure how far you are from Greenville, but Augusta is only two hours from here.  So, it wouldn't be a bad trip at all.  Keep it in mind.  Also, he drove the bike course during a trip through Augusta and if you go to the Georgia forum he has a description of it.  (Unless they have changed it since.)  Barry's screen name is PlainsmanAU.  Check it out.  That might help with your decision.