Supposedly a hot living room is excellent heat training.  I overheat very easily....so I try to build up my tolerance to it.

Interesting thought.  Would  biking inside help with tolerance for running outside in the heat?   

I think you have to do that particular discipline to get acclimatized correctly.  And then it would only help if you are outside in similar temperature, humidity conditions.  There are HR issues with each sport that range differently than the other and then, as J pointed out, with the bike there is the wind to help keep your core temp lower. 

I personally wouldn't intentionally train inside while trying to acclimatize, but then I work outside and I can adjust rather quickly.  But that's just my opinion.

I just finished some "soft" bricks to practice my T times and a layout for my T area.  My times in T1 were about 1:05 and T2 was :35.  I did 2 rotations and with both I had my wetsuit on up to the waist and took it off in the T area, put socks on and shoes, sunglasses, Garmin, helmet and headed to the street.  On the way back into the T area I practiced removing my feet from the shoes ON the bike.  Jumped off the bike dumped the helmet and slipped the shoes on and back out.

The rides were less than 2 miles but ridden kind of hard to get my HR up and get a high cadence to try mimic what I might want feel in my legs (cycling cadence to run cadence) right after the bike.  Of course this can't allow for physical stress from the bike but it give me an idea what to try to do to help keep my running pace under control.

I plan on doing another soft brick tomorrow and a light swim (1000-1250) with a couple of short harder sets (2x100) to help me set a pace for the swim leg. 

I am ready!!! Get it on!

That sounds like really good transition practice.

My advice in transition is to keep things simple, and have an order in which you will do things...and practice that order.  In a race, your body will be going as fast as it can...so don't worry too much about practicing doing things fast.  Order will help calm you down.

Think of simple things when it comes to order
If you wear socks, are you going to put on both socks, then both shoes...or one sock, one shoe, other sock, other shoe.
Are you going to put on your sunglasses first, or your helmet first.

Sometimes we worry about doing things so fast that we go all out of order and do stupid things...like unracking your bike before you even put on your shoes...LOL.  I haven't done it, but seen it happen.

What are the rules with leaving your shoes on the bike?  Aren't there some races that only allow pros to do this?  Or am I baked?

It sounds kinda funny the way you said it but yeah I have an order.  I do hope there is some sort of sanity when I come strolling into the transition area so I can keep things straight.  I hope I don't leave with my helmet on backwards and my shoes on the wrong feet or be facing the wrong way on my bike! LOL

Jonathan brings up something that I am curious about....what kind of rules are there for removing shoes, helmet, etc when at the race.  Can the helmet be unbuckled in the transition area or do you have to back at the rack?  can I take my shoes off on the bike or wait til my area?  Etc????

Your race packet should state any rules about leaving shoes on the bike.  I believe it's generally accepted as okay unless specifically stated otherwise.

As for the helmet, it needs to be clipped before you mount.  But you should do it as soon as you put it on your head so you don't forget.  Technically speaking, you can run with your bike as far as you want without your helmet on your head or clipped in.  So could decide to go past the mount line, then put on your helmet and clip the strap, then mount (obviously you won't do this).  Or I suppose you could leave your helmet at home, and run with your bike the entire bike course (I only recommend this is you are doing the same race as me and are in my AG).

Hilarious!  I think I'll try WEARING the helmet with it secured.  I think it might be uncomfortable to run in my cycling shoes for 25 miles!

I will keep your advice in mind if we ever do race each other.  However, I would suggest you try running next to your bike. LOL

Ok...so I did my FTP test tonight.  I was supposed to do it yesterday, but I washed my bike shoes and they were still wet yesterday...but it's a good thing I took the day off yeserday.

When I said I was going to test, David responds with a "have fun " remark.  HA HA HA <---note sarcasm here

#%@& @&!@* @^%*& @^%$& @&#%@ @#^& !*&^% @&^%&# <----note I just got tourette's syndrome here

Ok...now that I got that out of me...I think I'll write an official FTP Test report...because it deserves one.

Pre-FTP Test Routine
Got home from work, changed, filled up a couple bottles of water, and ate half a cliff bar.

Warm-up
I start by soft pedaling for about 10 minutes just to get my HR around 120.  Then I start throwing in some 45 sec - 2 minute harder intervals with 1-3 minutes of recovery.  This was to get my muscles warm, but also to find the gear/cadence and power I wanted to shoot for throughout the 20 minute test.  Total warmup was 31 minutes, and for some reason I decided that I would shoot for 240 watts with a cadence of around 98-100.

FTP Test
So I'm a couple minutes in, and I'm feeling good.  I get the feeling that this is a little bit too hard for me (240 watts), but hey, it's supposed to be hard right?

After about 6 minutes, I think to myself...boy...you really screwed this thing up...there's no way you're holding 240 watts for 14 more minutes.  But I also read that it takes about 2-3 tries before you actually dial it in...so I decide to proceed anyway as planned to see just how far I can go, then I can adjust accordingly the next time I test.

After about 10 minutes...I'm still holding...averaging about 243 watts, but I'm starting to gas.  It's at this point that I make the decision to push through at all costs.  If I fall of the bike trying...so be it.  This is supposed to be all out...right???

After 14 minutes, I realize that I'm probably going to finish this...but it's going to HURT

18 minutes and I pick up the cadence a bit.  I'm now pushing 280+ watts and I'm HURTING bad.  My upper body is swaying all over the place.

The last minute I shift up a gear and go all out...pushing 300+ watts, peaking at 374 watts.

Holy God...that was the most brutal 20 minutes I have ever done. 

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/sw/MASDRWW5TB5KTI7YQBP5SL5NQA  <---see here if you want

Normalized power was 248 watts, avg HR was 170

Post FTP Test
Cooled down for 10 minutes while I shoved my lungs back down my throat

Thanks for reading.

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/sw/MASDRWW5TB5KTI7YQBP5SL5NQA

Nice job man.  Sounds to me like you should try it again next week and shoot for 250.  You had a lot of gas left in that last minute.

haha, okay, just kidding, but seriously. 

Sounds like a heck of a ride.  Max effort is oretty hard to do if it not a race too.  At least its tat way for me.  I can't get real motivated to try these things because I know how bad they hurt.  That said I have done them in every sport and I am overdue on another one but I hate them so much.

good job

I totally agree.  I use the spinervals threshhold test on DVD just to motivate me.  How often do you do them?  Once a month or so?

Great job on the FTP test!

My training lately has been almost non-existent because I just got he promotion I've been hoping for.  Life has really been getting in the way of my training.  I'm noping to get back on the horse though.  I think this week is going to be a crash week for swimming.

going to head out for my group ride.  It'll be the first time I saw anyone in the group since my crash a week ago, so it should be nice to see some faces...as for the ride...I'm going to try and push 80ish miles today.

Just got back into it this weekend.  I did a nice brick yesterday, and I just cut my ride short because the wind was playing mind games with me.

officially signed up for my next tri- Carlsbad, CA sprint tri on July 11
unfortunately, I had to miss my OWS today (my husband was asked to work overtime last minute, and I couldn't get a babysitter). So, I'll have to go to the pool later and do my own workout.

J- awesome job pushing yourself like that, makes me wonder how much of my own training barriers are mental vs physical. I have to step up my running, I just can't seem to push myself to go further than 4 miles (even with small walking breaks).

Great job Dirk!   

Official RR is done.  Here it is........ http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=212510&posts=1&start=1

great job Dirk...way to crush it

finished about 77 miles today.  The last 20 or so were brutal.  I could feel my legs screaming at me...likely due to the FTP test on Thursday.  I was having a hard time keeping up with the group.  Simply because I was so gassed, I didn't feel comfortable staying on the wheel of the rider in front of me.  So a lot of the last 20 miles I was hanging 3 bike lengths back...and eating all the wind like I was pulling...LOL

I think this is something I really need to work on.  If I'm going to do the 112 mile race in September...I have to be better at staying right in the pace line even when I'm tired.  It's probably the first time that's happened to me...but I think the FTP test had a lot to do with it.

Congrats, Dirk.  I think you did great.

Dirk, congrats and way to rock it! AG podium on your first race, way to go!

Dirk- Great job all around. Awesome times in all 3 sports & a podium finish. You rock!