TexasMPGal/Smilford/Mattb1's "Faster and Stronger in 2010" Crew (CLOSED) (Page 6)

hiya all - I'm finally dug out and things seem to be settling down on the home front.  Of course, it's now the end of the year at work, which is insanely busy, but that I can manage.  Don't forget to get your donations in before 12/31 for a 2009 tax deduction! 

I just wanted to chime in with a bit of a slightly dissenting opinion.  I was completely overwhelmed when I first started training.  Though I was reluctant to pay the money, joining bt.com for a program here was one of the best moves I made.  It meant that I could use someone else's expertise to just focus on training and learning what worked and what didn't.  I also like that the silver program plans had explanations of the drills as well. 

I look back and I really can't imagine trying to come up with a plan when I didn't even know what I needed!  Even the plans I am using now (or trying to use...) are heavily modified for me.  Their framework just makes my newbie life a bit easier while planning my months ahead.

We all do agree on the most important part though - have fun with it!  It's easy to lose sight of that sometimes (at least for me) but it makes all the difference in the world. 

Hey crew--my days haven't had much BT time, so I'm catching up at the end of the day.  Glad it sounds like everyone is getting out one way or another! I can't imagine snowshoeing, so y'all in the great white north have fun with that!! I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas has ALWAYS been a favorite of mine, but I've only experienced it once or twice--visiting family in New Mexico--and when I lived in Germany. 

I've been staying busy with work, Christmas prep, and have gotten some decent workouts in there.  For the questions about training plans-- you CAN upload a BT Training Plan from the free plans without joining; you get more plan options if you join. If you have your own plan and want to put it in, I believe you can do that through the Calendar function--I'm not sure on the non-paid membership though. But, that's what I do. I get my schedule in Word or Excel and then add it in by going to the "Calendar" button and selecting "planned" and then I click the right days and put my workouts into the spots.  BUT, you don't have to do that if you are tracking it otherwise.  HOWEVER, logging what you do really helps a.) you see what you're doing and the progress you're making, and how much mileage/time, etc. you are putting in and b.) will help us help you.

On some non-tri notes I hope everyone is DONE with Christmas shopping. I made my last grocery store run today, and got my last package in the mail. My brothers show up tomorrow, parents on Thurs, sister and neice on Fri, grandparents on Sat. Phew....

Anyone hoping for any fun tri gear for Christmas? I don't really ask for it, cause they don't really know anything about it.  I figure if I ask for other things I need/want, then I don't have to buy those things and I can buy tri gear/race entries that I want.

Good morning!

Just eating my oatmeal before heading to work.  Got in a swim this morning. Felt good. The pool was quieter than usual. :D The plan called for a warm up that mixed different strokes and i rarely do this. I really stink at breast stroke (most people think this is weird) and i don't know butterfly. But i mixed up back, front and breast and it was fun!

Anyway, i didn't get to strength training yesterday but I did finish shopping for my fiance which is a big relief. I am done for gifts. Anything else i pick up will be stocking stuffers! I might try to get it in tonight!

Anyway, I should go! Have a great day everyone!

My legs hurt...

Weenie....
My piriformis/left glute hurts.  Unfortunately, I don't think it's from tri-training, but rather from the many squats and wall-sits we did yesterday at my unit PT (physical training--workouts basically).  And it's MY FAULT.  I rarely lead PT as it's an NCO vs. Officer job, but occassionally I do something different.  Well, Trivia PT is my favorite, and I bring a slew of US History/Military trivia, and there is a number of exercises to do for each depending upon right or wrong answers.  Let's just say there were A LOT of wrong answers yesterday...

This is the first day in a while our internet has worked at work and I can get on...My right thumb, palm side, is brusing thanks to a MUCH to hard/aired up volleyball today. I'm falling apart....

Trivia got me through marathon training.  My group would come with mainly sports trivia and it would make the time flyby.  For example:

• Name all of the major sports teams (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) who's nickname doesn't end with an "s".  I'll give you one Miami Heat.
• Name all the cities that have all 4 major sports teams.

Keeps the mind off of running and the miles go by quickly.

Garmin GPS.... please!!!

LOL! so is it a rest day? Or is a HTFU day??

Around my office it's eat all the sweets day! Holy cow!! Glad I got in a swim this morning!

HTFU day!






maybe...

Or a pepperoni pizza day courtesy of my boss!

Good morning!!

Well, it's christmas eve and the boards are quiet! Wishing everyone happy holidays - and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it! :D  I am heading to my hometown later this afternoon after a nice half day at work. My boss is looking for some graphic thing on change management - woo!

I got a swim in this morning and it was awsome! Only two other people in the pool. And it was good. It was billed as an 'easy 1200m swim' in my plan. And it was really nice. I felt long and graceful.  Swims like these build my confidence in my ability to be able to do longer distance tris.  Though I was thinking about OWS and how i can psych myself out by looking at how far away the buoys are.  OWS is going to be key for me!

Anyway, have a fantastic day!

It is SNOWING in Central Texas!!!  Merry Christmas everyone... enjjoy the cookies and eggnog, training will still be there next week!

Merry Christmas!!



(I ate too many Cookies)

Hope everyone enjoyed XMAS.  Santa left me a Garmin 305.  What a great little training tool!!!!

You are gonna LOVE the Garmin!!!

Hey everyone, I hope all had a Merry Christmas!! It's been fun and crazy here at my house...it's a full time job hosting family, my goodness! I'm new to that boat!  I'm going to be scarce for the next week as they are all here (with grandparents arriving today).  Today is my parent's 34th wedding anniversary!

I got a E-Mail from britt saying;

Stephen, I'm a weenie and I won't be able to get all the workouts in over the next week.

Or something like that.



Don't be a weenie!

Morning Folks.  Finally I can report a workout.

Swim 800 (not too far, but hey its day 1)
200 Warm up
100 form (worked on the bilateral breathing, more on that later)
200 speed
100 kick (harder than I thought it would be)
200 cool down

The bilateral breathing wasn't too hard for me.  However I did notice that when I breathed on the left I also swam towards the left side of my lane.  Probably looked pretty funny to the lifeguard.

I'm no Weenie! ( or maybe I'm a bit of one but don't tell!)

Janet

Our fearless leader is a weenie?  I don't believe it!!!

Good job Janet.  Nice to see that the bi-breathing worked OK.  I still have a preferred side (right) to take a breath.  On the swimming to the left side - I had a similar problem.  One thing that I focused on was not crossing over my mid-point with hand entry in the water.  That seemed to help a bit.