IronSteves Group Now FULL (Page 6)

So I got home from work on Friday and saw a box in the room...with a brand new computrainer. Its a gift for valentine day from my awesome wife (now she is not that sporty which makes it and her even more special!)

Since my previous bike training as been pretty unstructured and based on HR just wondering if you have any ideas on where and how I can structure a decent training program using power?

Meanwhile I am off to give the wife another hug!

Cheers
Matt

Josh
How far is the swim in your race? Typically you will do about 400 to 500 yds in an average sprint distance race. You will have to build yourself up to that if it is in open water. No getting around it. Bike trainers are that and check out nashbar.com or performancebike.com for models. A good bike trainer is a GREAT investment if you have some form of winter and comes in handy when it rains. I use my trainer during the season to focus my workouts as on the trainer don't ahve to worry about nothing but riding. With your heart rate monitor, you may want to calculate heart rate zones using the 220 minus your age method with a majority of your work outs within the 50% to 80% max heart rate zone. An example i do most of my long endurance training at 65% to 70% max HR, tempo at 75% to 80% and LT Intervals at 85% with it rising well abobe 90% max depending on effort. POlar has a nice book on Multisport Heart rate training by Dr. Mathew Brick which will help.

Sterve

Any stretching ideas out there? I'm stretching (I thought well) when I work out but had to do only a walk/slow jog today due to serious back spasms at treadmill speeds over 4 mph. Have chiropracter all set up...
Judi

Hey Steve:

Good to know you're still out there. Like most of us, you're probably "swamped" with LIFE stuff!

The Tri that I registered for, my first one, is in Pulaski, TN., The Sundrop Triathlon, used to be called the Monster Triathlon.

It's not a real big one, it's also not USAT sanctioned, which I didn't know before I registered, but I think it will be OK.

The swim is only 200 M. The bike distance is 16 miles, and the run is a 5K.

I have been doing some sort of training everyday, without missing a day, so I'm doing pretty well. Unfortunately, haven't been as great in taking time to log meals/workouts, but will try to do some catching up with that today.

I live in New Orleans, LA., so we don't really get much of a winter here, but we do get a summer ... a big summer actually. Any bikes out there with built in A/Cs? :-)

I will definitely check out the sites and the book info. Thanks a lot for passing that one. I'm looking into purchasing a bike, though thinking about getting a road bike and not a tri bike to start out with. Any suggestions?

I found out that my gym has a swim team, as well as swim coaches and also a Tri coach who coaches members on a group and also on a one-on-one basis.
I've actually checked into it, and have signed up for swim class/lessons and they start tomorrow. I have been hitting the pool on a regular basis. Invested a couple of bucks on some "zoomers" to aid in my kicking, also purchased the Total Immersion DVD and have viewed it a couple of times and have been trying some of the drills. I guess I will get to see tomorrow how truly "tragic" my swimming is tomorrow when I meet with the coach for the first time. I'm ready for anything that will help me out ... period.

I will cut this one for now and look forward to hearing from you when you get an opportunity.

Thanks a lot Steve!

http://www.d3multisport.com/stretches.pdf

Judi,
I've been doing this series of stretches that I found on the D3 website. (D3 is one of the sponsors of BT.) The stretches are called "multisports," which I'm assuming means triathlon.

If you haven't already seen the chiro, I'd talk with them about stretches that would be good for your back. I know for myself, I always spend a little extra time on hip flexor stretching (#16 in the list of stretches.) From what I've read in the past, our hip flexors tighten up from all the time we spend sitting in chairs. So stretching that helps relieve some of the pressure on the back. Another good back exercise is #18, where you lie on your back and draw your knees to your chest and hold your legs. Nice back stretch.

Good luck!

Thanks! I'll print it out and check them with my friend the chiro...

Hi Judi,
Let us know what your chiro friend says. I have lower back troubles too and would be interested to hear his/her thoughts.
Cheers,
Kathy

Roll Call to al!
I just finished my first full week back to training w/o complication and nagging injuries. Week consisted of:
Wed: Swim 200s, 200k, 200p, 200k- 6x200; 200 cd
Thurs: 30 min R- Core/ weights
Friday: Run 45min
Saturday: 6x6 min tempo swim
Sunday: 80 min trail run core/weights
Monday- Off
Tuesday: 45 min run with 6x1 LT intervals; Dry Swims/ Core
Wednesday: 1hr Bike at 150w 2x 5 min at 250w; core

Kathy,
I showed the stretches to Kevin the chiro and he was cautious about the fourth and fifth ones where the demonsrated move is nearly bent in half. I'm also cautious about the 17th one shown that looks like the yoga pose called "cobra" or any type "up dog" position. I'll let you know if he gives me anything else to try.
I'm going to try a run this afternoon and see how it feels. Made it through my swim today, just felt tight at times but was able to stretch out between sets.

Steve,
Please explain the abbreviations after your distances. This uninformed newbie didn't understand what you meant


Judi

All work except swimming done in time.
Swim 200s, 200k, 200p, 200k- 6x200; 200 cd = (200 meters swim (s), 200 meters kick, 200 meters pull, 200 meters swim, 6 x 200 meters with 10 seconds rest between each 200 meter swimm and 200 meters cool down)

45 min run with 6x1 LT intervals; 6 time 1 minute efforts at Lactate threshold for me it is Heart rate 172 with a 1 minute easy jog


1hr Bike at 150w (watts) 2x 5 min at 250w(watts )

Pass on any further questions
Steve

Hi Steve,
Just curious as to how you train at watts? Do you set yourself a target and then hold at that level?

Also why/how did you pick those levels- 250w would just about make me pass out! I know you are doing some sort of threshold training but how did you set the zones?

Final question- as a newbie I read somewhere that for the first 2 seasons I should be doing about 90% focus on endurance and the rest on muscular endurance? Do you think that is right

The short answer is yes. My coach and I have set watt ranges that I strive for during my rides. I have built my endurance the past two seasons and now working on sustained power output and power output during climbing. the 250 is my target and I will hold 250 for the perscribed time. It ain't easy! A friend of mine is holding 300w at 5 min x 5set. My wife is working on averaging 140w per 1 hr ride and sustaining a 200w interval so it can be done with building endurance as on the "off" endurance rides it is 2hrs with emphasis on spin and heart rate. Power training is tough but yields some excellent benefits!

Steve

This is a more complicated issue than it sounds. Shin splints have been causing me real problems since last November. So i went to see a Physio, who then referred me to a pediatrist. It's can be related to the following issues:
1) Arch of your foot collapsing on impact of each stride, this pulls your ankle inwards, overly stretching the inner muscle on your shin (there are 2 main muscles on your shin).
2)'Bouncing' or 'Over striding'. If you take large strides whilst running the first part of your foot to make impact with the floor is your heel, followed my mid-foot & toes. It's like a car brake effect. The mid-foot and front-foot(toes) act as the brake from the forward momentum of your heel putting extra stress on the front muscle of your shins (imagine suddenly putting the brakes on in your car and how you have to hold yourself back from jerking forward (you being the shin muscle)).

The pediatrist has given me some semi-bespoke insoles (£60/pair) to support arch's of my feet. Seem to be working so far. But also stretching pre/post exercise is important.


Mike (mp6ugs)

Hey Guys,
Finished my 10 K in 59:35, was 30:49 at the 5K split so I'm overall happy with the race... My goal last year was to finish without needing medical help, this year I wanted to be under 1 hr ...always a good skip if I can't stop smiling no matter how many people I have to navigate around :-)

Finally making headway with my shop technique. We timed a 300 in Feb at 8:08, last week it was down to 7:24

Still struggling with the dance. I can't drag it into the house to do spinnervals and the area to ride on is limited around here.. Steve, will just getting on it a couple times a week with a spinning class be enough dance work as I build up?

Judi

Edited by zipp1 2007-04-01 9:17 PM

Been a while since been in here. Good to see some foks really plugging away! Excellent job Zipp work seems to be paying off. Love to continue to see your progress!

Wow it has been over a month since I checked in. Seems like almost everyone has been absent from our group. I was not getting e-mail update I thought maybe Steve dropped me form the group for not participating. Well how about a quick check up for everyone. I have been swimming 2000+ meters twice a week and some biking 10, 20 25 miles a few times, not a lot of running (I still DO NOT enjoy running), hopefully one day I will. And the diet is off and on. But today is rededication day, focus; my triathlon is on June 24th so three months to go. For every newbie, keep your heads up, remember how far we have come, remember this is not couch to Iron man over night, it is not even couch to 5K over night, but off the couch to a healthier life day by day. I hope that no one gets discouraged and that we can all meet or beat our personal goals.

Midnight

Hey Midnight,
I have been really out of touch as training has kicked up full speed. So I thgought I would be kicked as opposed to kicking others out! And that ain't happening! I am participating in a LC Du this weekend and racing with real, I mean real tired legs. I see that you are on it for 6/24, peaks and valleys are expected- The toughest part is keeping motivation (GFT for me was a drag last year). I think your idea of a roll call is a great one!

I am here and goign strong for 7/22 IMUSA LP
Steve

Hi there,

It's also been a while for me since I've checked in.

Training has been going well except for one little glitch. I've been having uncomfortable knee "pain" while riding for the past 2 weeks. It's not exactly painful, it's more uncomfortable under the knee cap. I don't think it's ITB since I have no problems running (and it's not on the side of the knee), only when cycling. I've ajusted my seat on the bike and cut back on hill workouts but it still comes back even on flat rides. Any tips or suggestions or has anyone any experience with this?

Renee

Roll Call huh?

It's been a while since I've had a chance to check in on everyone's progress, but yes, it looks as if many have fallen out or just taking a break.

Steve, I'm still going at it.

Have been doing training, pretty much every day, even through the occupational therapy for the tendonitis in my right arm. That wasn't really working, so they did the cortisone shot, and that worked like a charm. It was at least two weeks free of pain and I couldn't believe it. It was well worth the shot, but unfortunately, it's back. Not like it was before, but then again, I've been doing ZERO core training since I started the occupational therapy 6-7 weeks ago.

I running though, not as often as I would like.
Saturday I did my first 5K in years ... 26:56, which for me, was a miracle and I survived.
I hired a swim coach/instructor through my gym and have been meeting with him every Thursday evening for the past 6 weeks and I can't belive the difference that it has made in my swim.

When I first started this, I could barely do a 50 yd swim without dying, now doing 500 yds under 8:00 minutes, which is amazing for me. He's very proud of how far I've come and so am I, but still have a long ways to go.

I'm also doing pretty good on the bike. Usually do around 14-15 miles in 45 minutes, on the upright bike, avg speed 19.5, level 9, avg watts 134, around 100 rpm, averaging out heart rate around 130 bpm.

Without a doubt, smoking for 28 years didn't do my body/lungs/system any good, and I'm definitely feeling the difference with others my age who aren't struggling with their breathing, especially with the swims, but still no cigarettes for over four months and feeling strong.

I'm still scheduled to do first Tri on 7/21, so still keeping my eye on that goal and hopefully there will be many other TRIs afterwards.

I've not been too good about logging all workouts/nutrition, but hope to get better at that in the next coming weeks.

So, I'm still here.


Josh

It is excellent work Josh. Good to see your still working it. I feed off of this type of energy, espcecially now that I hit a bad patch in training myself. Going to the mountains to do some climbing on my bike to try to regain form for myself. Keep the good work up as it will pay off!

Hi Steve:

Thanks so very much for the positive feedback!

I'm sorry to hear about the "bad patch ... in your training"

However, I'm starting to think that those "bad patches" somehow make the comebacks to good training that much sweeter when you get back to it.

Wow, you have mountains to train on ... what an incredible difference that must make in training ... period.

I live below sea level, so no mountains here! :-(

Anyway, take care of yourself and stay strong.

Josh

Steve,
The "ultimate control freak" is starting to plan for the pre tri taper (event is June 3) If I usually train 2 hrs 2x a week in swim, with bike and run wherever I can for 30-50 min intervals and weight training 1-2 x/wk how should I plan this? Do I cut down on both the amount of time as well as the degree of difficulty or just one of them (and if so, which one?)?
Allergy season is making it hard to train but I press on...learning to adjust the use of the rescue inhaler to the timing of the workout and thankfully I haven't needed it much
Thanks,
Judi

What are your distances? The taper is a time for your body to chatch up from all the training you are doing. Build up significantly pre-taper then level off. For example, pre -IM taper I am in my big volume weeks x 3 then3 weeks taper. Let me know your distances and I can help.

Steve

Steve,
The 2 hours of swimming is usually around 2700 yards. He's got me doing more interval training now which I find is really hard to keep up with. Still don't have my brain fully wrapped around how interval work helps in swimming but I gotta trust the coach on this one...

My bike distances vary depending on where I go and what the traffic pattern is. I'm usually around 8-14 miles which really isn't that much. I still struggle with that part of the training. Signed up for a ride finders web group but haven't been able to go on any of the posted rides with the work schedule/family needs.

Most of my running is a 4 mile loop in the neighborhood. I try to sprint in between mailboxes alternating with moderate paced running. I went out for an 8 mile run a few weeks before the 10 K and haven't been back to the battlefield to try it since.

Looking at that makes me discouraged, like I have no business even trying a tri, but I'm totally fascinated with the sport and just have to give it a go. ( that and there's way too much money invested in race fees and training stuff to quit now--had to get prescription swim goggles cause I got tired of losing contact lenses when my goggles leaked)

I'd like to look into an oly next year if the sprints don't kill me I must be totally insane...
Judi

What is your race distance and that will give me an idea of what your taper can be.