Eliwashere's spring fling mentor group!-Full (Page 6)

Randi,

I understand your frustration with weight.  I won't pretend that I have gone through and was as diligent as you have been but it was not until I started seeing a Dr who specialized in non-surgical weight loss that I was able to actually be sucsesful in losing weight.  She was able to do blood work and treat things that would have made it hard to lose weight without her help.  Since last summer I have lost 80lbs which is why I am doing tri now.  I needed something to keep me motivated to maintain, as I have a feeling this will be a lifelong issue for me.

I am not sure if you would have a similar practice in your area but I find the support, and the program very helpful.  I also tried WW, Atkins, Biggest Loser Competitions and nothing worked.  Here is a link to the Practice I use (I plan on staying there long term to help with maintenance), just to give you an idea of what I am talking about..
http://www.weightlosscny.com/

I agree with Eli though if your doc is telling you that you are healthy and you live a healthy lifestyle then you are way ahead of most people.

Unfortunately I don't have a lot to offer on shin splints/cramps as I never had them (might be because I have only been running about a month).

Hopefully you will find a way to be able to reach your goals and reduce your pain at the same time.  Must be very frustrating.

Thanks Charlie.  I will definitely check into that practice and see if I can find something near me.  Any info you can share about what you have done to lose the weight?

It is scary - but you don't have to have someone swimming right with you - even if you can go somewhere there are other swimmers - just tell someone you are going out and ask if they could keep an eye on you. Also - if you are swimming in lakes (which is what I do - ocean is too cold until late July), swim around the edges so if you need, you can stand up and walk right out.

Randi (and everyone else):

For your calves - check this link out.  Leigh is my PT and "coach" and she made this series to help people with on their own massaging and rolling plans.  There are parts for most muscle groups.  She's awesome.


Edited by wbayek 2010-04-23 7:45 PM

Hey all,
WOw, Friday is KILLING me.
No morning workout, and busy as heck.
Didn't this happen last week as well?
If I don't post again, have a great weekend and great workouts.
Talk to you all soon! 

I didn't swim OWS alone last year at all - I either swam with friends or swam while my husband and kids played on the shore. But it really limited the time I was able to put in! I have an irregular schedule, and I work right by the beach, so it would literally mean double or triple the training time if I could do it solo.

The pool at my gym is secluded from sight and can often be empty for hours at a time. If I cramped up in the middle of a swim when I was all by myself in the pool, wouldn't I have an equal chance of drowning?! I feel like at least OWS I wear a wetsuit. If I get into trouble, I just flip on my back and float.

I agree that it's not the most safe. But how is it less safe than swimming solo in a pool (where you can't touch the bottom)?

I bought my bike today!!  Got the Fuji Roubaix, as all the bike I liked on-line were sold out.  I took that as a sign that I should use my LBS and pulled the trigger.  Will ride it tomorrow and see how it feels.

Now I need to buy some clipless pedals!!!

Will post pictures soon.

Awesome deal, can't wait to see the pics and read about your first "tip over"!

Hey Eli or anyone else who would know,

I just searched for Nashbar pedals and realized I probably need to ask a really noob question.  Do they normally come in pairs or do I have to 2?  Not sure but I thought you could only use a right pedal on the right side so that would make me think they come in pairs.

Congrats on the new bike!!

Pedals definitely come in pairs and are right/left specific. Have fun!

There are various types of pedals, and they each have their own type of shoe clip as well.  Generally, any road shoes will have the ability to handle road pedals, and mountain bike shoes have holes for mountain bike clip systems.

Good luck again.

Jenna,
I agree, that being in the wetsuit makes it safer. Also, it depends on the beach. The biggest issue with the beach and OWS is the chance of being washed out in a current. I am sure LOTS of people do OWS solo, it just goes against the grain for me as I was raised having the buddy system beaten into me.
 

Charlie,
As Warren mentioned, pedals come in pairs. As for shoes, the shoes will usually list what style of cleat they can hold. My nashbar shoes can take with the three hole cleats (look style) or the 2 hole (SPD style).
I wear road style shoes, as I like the stiff sole. However, you can't walk around in them much, as the cleat sticks out the bottom and can get torn up on the ground. 
In fact, I need to get new cleats soon, as I accidentally clipped out about 3 times on a 60 mile ride this weekend.

Congrats on the bike, post some pics! 

Busy Weekend,
Hey all, sorry I was AFK!
So, this weekend got a little crazy.
Didn't get my workout in on Friday , but I did use my calipers and do a body fat measurement. About 17.6%, which I am VERY happy about. I am going to try to do it weekly to see if A. I am consistent in my measuring technique, and b. if I can lost some weight without losing too much muscle. 

Saturday was a 60 mile ride. I took the TTX. WOW, I forgot how fast that thing is. We had a tailwind heading north, and we were all cruising. Coming back into the headwind, everyone else started to drop. I decided to push it the last 15 or so. IT WAS AWESOME. I have to get all my HR data, but I had a blast, and managed about 20 mph into the headwind.
After the ride, I took my daughter and a friends daughter to a party with my wife's employer and didn't rally slow down until about 9 at night.
Today...LAZY. cooked breakfast and then cooked brunch and ate a TON.
So, back on the plan tomorrow. Actually, I need to get a plan, as I have a new race on my schedule in oct.
Now I need to figure out the summer schedule!
 

Had a great weekend - took my daughters down to Boston. The weather was perfect, but I forgot how hard it is to be the sole point of focus for two young girls for three days. When we got back on Sunday, I went out for a long run (2:15) in preparation for the half marathon in two weeks. I felt really good at the start, but really slowed down by the end (the last three miles were REALLY challenging). I am hoping that my lackluster performance was due to being tired from the weekend and not due to being underprepared for the race. I've got one more semi-long run (1:30) on the calendar - then it is all taper. At this point, I know I can finish the distance - I am more worried about a) how I will perform - I'm not fast, and I know that...but I would like to make my goal time and b) how bad I will feel after. Anyone out there have experience with this? Is this just last minute jitters?

Thanks,

(BTW - great job on the bike/pedals...hope they all work out for you, nice weekend of activity!)

Jitters are normal and you've been maintaining a pretty high training volume for a long time.  The taper will do you well.  Rest, enjoy the week, and especially enjoy the race.  I would say go out the first few miles pretty slow, and adjust based on how you feel.  Don't worry too much about the goal time since the reality of race day will dictate what you can do.

By the way 2:15 is a serious long run!  Great job.

17.6% body fat is awesome, Eli! I was just thinking yesterday about how I could be a lot skinnier if I didn't eat anything and everything in front of my face. Seriously, I need to get my nutrition on track! But I have a hard time passing up butterscotch sundaes...

Seriously Elias, that's a nice percentage especially based on where you're coming from.  IM Cozumel here you come!  I need to get the late night binges under control.  I'm using this training as an excuse to go for the late night snacks.  My main binge food is shredded wheat so it could be worse!

My new shoes feel great, but I'm getting blisters in all the same old places. Should I start looking for new shoes or playing around with inserts, or give them more time to break in? I've gone for three runs totalling 2:23 and 24 kilometers. Actually, I've been running slightly slower in the new shoes than I did in my old falling apart ones. 

ETA - All the runs have been on the treadmill though. Maybe I owe them at least one try on the pavement before I decide?

Edited by trysprintolympic 2010-04-26 6:37 PM

Sorry I was not around the last few days.  Things have been crazy as usual with family.   We had a nice weekend.  My shins are doing great - feeling much better since Friday afternoon.  I taught my hour spin class this morning and had no pain before, during or after the class.   I did walk quite a bit on Saturday but it was on loose gravel and grass and made sure to do some stretches throughout the day.    I am thinking I will walk on the treadmill tomorrow rather than the track at the Y.  I was talking to one of the trainers on Friday at work who runs marathons.  He said the last place to run or walk briskly is the track - it is a thin layer of cushioned track surface over concrete over steel supports.  He also pointed out that to just walk a mile I have to go around the track 18 times - lots of lopsided turning on a HARD surface.  Makes a lot of sense to me.  I will see how I do on the treadmill.

I cannot wait for the weather to get nicer this week.  I have not been out on my bike in almost 2 weeks.

Jenna,  sorry to hear about your blisters.  Besides the blisters, how do they feel?  And yes,  maybe an outdoor run might be a good idea before you decide to start looking again.  Changing inserts or even your socks might make a difference with the blisters.

Jenna,  I would have to agree with everyone in that swimming without someone watching whether in a pool or OWS is not a good idea.   Why is no one guarding the pool where you are swimming?  

I've been playing around with the socks each time. Other than the blisters, they feel really good!

No one is watching the pool because they don't have lifeguards. The pool is in its own little enclosed area, away from anyone who isn't also swimming, and there are often times that I am in there all alone.

I have been in the same pool situation, and didn't find it to be that strange.  The pool was tucked in the back of the gym, 4 lanes of solitude most of the time!  The deepest it got was 4 feet so besides a monumental cramp, I felt pretty secure.  I would also feel just as secure swimming the perimeter of a lake, so perhaps I am strange.  I don't think I would go hauling out into the deep blue sea without a partner in a canoe or a kayak though, just a little too much for me to bite off.

Jenna, where on your foot are the blisters? 
Also, what brands have you tried in the last 6 months, and/or what styles. 
I am wondering if you have been buying the wrong kind of shoes for your running style. If you were consistently getting blisters in the same places, but all the shoes were the same "type" (motion control, stability, neutral, etc) that might be why.
Also, as you mentioned, different brands work differently.