TitanIV Group FULL (Page 6)

Maybe upgrade to a BT Silver membership?  The triathlon plans available to Silver members are GREAT!  For the Silver 'beginner' programs there is a good blend of working on forms (balance, catch-up, one-arm, and fist drills) AND interval work--6 x 200 yds, etc. 

Great idea... think I'll get through the TI stuff and do just that.  Thanks!

And did someone say SPIN???  I loves me some resistance! 

I am still focusing on swimming this week... trying to hit the water two more times... and trying to work out some kinks in my running.  Need a really solid Z2 long run this week.

I am thrilled that it's great bike/run weather in Atlanta! 

Yeah, just rub it in.   We're expecting up to 2 feet of snow this weekend.  This is supposed to be the 'BIG ONE.'

Oh, BTW, the trip I had to Atlanta in 2 weeks got scrubbed.  I guess I'll just have to PRETEND that it's warm here...

I am a huge fan of Polar products.  Part of my preference, admittedly, is because we sell them at one of the gyms where I work and so I've been through a ton of Polar product training.  I have several different HRMs (because I am a geek and love data & because I "needed" the sassy pink one) and have never had any problems with any of them.  However, there are other very good brands out there.  What exactly do you want out of your HRM in terms of features?

Edited to add:  Oh, and P.S., about the weather?  Yes, well, I USED to live where it got cold and icy and snowy (so down here I am considered a "Yankee", of course).  However, it does not take long to get spoiled by mild winters... my advice is simple:  move south so you can optimize your outdoor training potential or to avoid the risk of frostbite in those 11 degree runs .

Can't speak to the Polar S120, but my Polar HRM is about 4 yrs old (yeah, I should quit being a cheapskate and get a new one), but it's great.  Only complaint, sometimes when I start out, it takes a while for the chest transmitter to register correctly (you need to wet the electrodes on the back of the transmitter, so there's good contact between the transmitter and your skin).  I guess I should buy some transmitter gel instead of licking the electrodes! j/k.  I usually find a drinking water fountain indoors, or use my water bottle outdoors.  If I had my choice (and an unlimited triathlon expense account), I would get the Garmin 305.  GPS PLUS HRM!  Right now for long runs, I wear my Garmin on my left wrist, and my HRM on my right.  Makes me look like a bigger geek than I am.

So her opinions might be driven by those Polar commissions .

milaminute - ... my advice is simple:  move south so you can optimize your outdoor training potential or to avoid the risk of frostbite in those 11 degree runs .

Uh, frostbite isn't the concern.  It's the brain freeze...it continues to impair my judgement  (26 F tomorrow, but freezing rain ).

Personally, I thought I used great restraint by not asking her to fly to Atlanta and purchase one directly from me...

Last Week: I had a pretty stressful week at work.  It caused me to miss a couple workouts and my sleep schedule was totally a mess.  I was also supposed to go get my bike on Saturday at the LBS sale but something happened and they didn't have it.  So all-in-all last week was not very productive.

This Week: This is supposed to be a recovery week.  I'm not sure I deserve on at this point since last week's total training didn't = my previous recovery week's total.  I'm going to try to take it easy later in the week, but I want to push the biking a bit these first couple days.

I can tell I'm getting really tired of being on the trainer.  Hopefully it will get warm enough to venture outside in the near future. 

So who has any races coming up?  I don't have anything until St. Anthony at the end of April but I'm already getting excited about it.  I'm sure that has nothing to do about the cruise afterwards.

I'm just trying to get a sense of when everyone starts racing during the year.  I did my first triathlon last year in September and it was fun, but after that there is nothing around here until May or so.  So basically I started with triathlon with 3 weeks of training for my first tri and still haven't done any other races.  I'm excited about St. A, but I don't want to lose the drive to keep training. (There is nothing worse than a 2 hours trainer ride). 

HAD a race--half marathon in January (Securian Frozen Half Marathon).  10K end of April.  Possible indoor tri, then half marathon and marathon (Fargo) in May.  First tri not until early June (Olympic distance).

I don't have anything until St. Anthony at the end of April but I'm already getting excited about it.  I'm sure that has nothing to do about the cruise afterwards.

Cruise, did someone say cruise? 

Join the rest of us.  Not many tris until June, unless you live in warmer climates (lucky).  If you do a few races (running), it breaks up the monotony...

Where are you cruising to? 

You mean like in climates where the tris start rolling around in April and there aren't any events that start with the word "FROZEN"?  Just clarifying .

Jury's still out for me on the half mary this month... all depends on how my joints are behaving but if I had to make a decision today I'd say I need to bail.  Not worth risking an injury.  Planning on a sprint tri in early May, Iron Girl in June, 10K in July if I can get a number (it's pretty cut throat for this one!) and another sprint tri in August. 

Michigan's "frozen" climate is much like that of Sparco's... so from what I've found our races don't start up until Mayish either.

For me, my first Tri is this June... which puts me at 19 weeks of training for my prep time. If I'm feeling really good with my swims/runs I might just add another race in before June (maybe late May), we'll see.

Cococay, Nassau, and Key West. It should be a good time. We've never been on a cruise. My wife is a bit worried that we will be killed and thrown over board. She watches the news way too much.

No.  You know you're not clarifying.  You're RUBBING IT IN!...again...

Hey guys! Sorry I have been out a while. I am still trying to get over a sinus infection. I tried to train through it last week like I normally do. Colds/flu never last more than 3 days for me. But this time it kept getting worse. I think I am on the up swing.

I am scheduled to race Mar 18 (Oly). Water will be chilly for us, but nice on bike and run. I also have the Tri America ITU long course (1.5 Oly) April 15th. Then local races through Oct. Our summer is when we don't ike to race :-) 98 degrees with 100% humidity makes for a miserable run :-) I do have a June and Aug race scheduled though.

As some of you are getting closer to races, are there any questions? Any fears you want to discuss?

Being that  St. Anthony will be my first oly I have concerns about just finishing.  I know I'm doing the training (or most of it) on my plan.  I think I can cover the distance, but I want to post a good time.

Since I've never used a wetsuit should I be looking at a sleevless or full for this race?  I'm most likely going to rent one. 

For your first Oly concern yourself less with time. Besides, what is a "good" time? It is all relative :-) If running is weaker than your bike, then be a little conservative on the bike. I learned this lesson well in my first Oly in the extreme heat!  If you are not a fast swimmer or not used to the crowds, seed yourself on back/outside for the wave since that is a very crowded race. Nothing worse than hyperventilating trying to get through the crowds and getting beat up when you are a slower swimmer

For St. Anthony's I doubt you would need a full suit. You could check to see if there is a link for this race in the Florida forum and ask there. Plus with not having used it before, you don't know how well it will fit around the neck and shoulders. Bring a can of Spam to the race and spray a lot all over, but especially around neck/shoulders and ankles so it will come off and not rub too much.

I know you meant pam but I just had a mental image of me rubbing spam all over my neck and shoulders.

Thanks for the advice! 

LOL!!!  I was busy putting Spam on my "things to buy for tris" list...

Who me?? *angelic smile*

As far as concerns go... I'm still struggling with the swimming.  It just doesn't feel natural to me.  I keep reminding myself that when I first started running that didn't feel natural either (and some days it still doesn't!) and that it will come eventually.  I have a lesson with a masters coach next week so I'm sort of biding my time until then.  I think I also have questions about logistics... how the races actually will run.  I'm going to go to a couple tris to cheer on some friends (you know, cause they start soon here :-p) just to sort of put it all together in my head.  There's a newbie-specific tri here in May that I'm considering... love the idea of everyone being just as clueless as I am .

Last Week: It was a rest week.  I needed it after my crazy work week the week before. 

This Week: I picked up my new bike today   I'm think that may help with the remaining bike workouts.  I want to hit all my workouts this week and for the rest of my training for St. Anthony.  We have 8 weeks left so I guess it's crunch time.