QUEEN ZIP & KathyG - CLOSED (Page 61)

Im used to reading about periodisation and all that but to be honest every time Ive tried it Ive ended up in a big heap by rest week...

Although having said all that Ive never had a coach either

Its so great you are feeling great about it all!!!

 I love the bike......it is smooth and fast. The seat is wonderful.....no discomfort at ALL after over three hours, both my butt and my girl-E parts were fine. 

 The problem of course is getting used to aero.....I am still finding it a struggle, it is hard on my arms and I find it weird to have my head in that position. I was talking to Kathy about this.....I am used to riding a roadie with my head up and looking around at assorted cows, houses, babbling brooks and such. Having my head down will take some getting used to......

 Please tell me I will get used to it....guess my neck and shoulders and triceps  need to get stronger.....

It is a little harder on the upper body. I find a bit of strength training helps, I'm still getting used to it. You will too Helen.

 Yeah, it gets better.  Used to be super painful.  Was lucky if I could go 5 minutes at a time for 20 minutes.  Then got better and better and better.  Try to relax, which I know seems tough.  Also, regarding the head thing, that is tough, your head is heavy.  What you learn to do is keep your head as low as possible with your eyes pushed right up to your eyebrows, easier on the neck muscles.

Really, it should not be work to hold yourself in aero.  Which is tough because we dont have hundreds of dollars to spend on repeated bike fits.  But if you ride your bike a bunch you certainly can afford some time adjusting your position.

My LBS will fit me until I am happy...but Glen is insisting that i really give it some time . I know he wants me to be fast...lord know I want to be fast.....but still. I will really try ....but if after a few weeks I cannot spend more than 5 minutes down there I will ask him...TELL HIM....to raise the bars a bit.

 Does this sound reasonable?? Oh who cares about reasonable, I am not a reasonable person....does this make sense??

" What you learn to do is keep your head as low as possible with your eyes pushed right up to your eyebrows, easier on the neck muscles."

 Oh no...this can't be a good idea...I mean won't that mean I am making FOREHEAD WRINKLES????? Then I will have to go and get some Botox injections! And all in the name of speed!!!

Lots of questions......how did you find a coach?  What does a coach do for you?  What do you pay a coach?  Do you see improvment?  I'm struggling a bit with focus, and while hubby means well, we're at very different points in this process!  Also, he's got a job now, so won't be around much for the 'coaching' I've been getting!  Not to mention the support!

Any thoughts? Oh, and also trying to get the 13 year old (all 72 pounds of him) ready to race the 13.1 mile leg of the HIM relay with his dad and brother.  THIS worries me!!

Linda

Botox!!!   I need it everywhere!!!!  and some little nips and tucks, shifting of fat to other areas that shouldn't be losing it, (tummy to boobs) etc.  Maybe we could get a group rate!!

Linda

Ha ha! There is a limit Seriously though Helen, I was pretty uncomfortable for a while and it just takes time to get used to it. Now my trainer rides are to stay aero just b/c I don't trust 95% of the people on the roads around here and stay up on the hoods. I started w/ 5 mns. aero at a time.

Nothing wrong with getting minor adjustments to help you get used to it and then if you want a more aggressive position once you're comfy out there, you can have your LBS drop them a little at a time.

Glittery texts by bigoo.ws

 Morning all!! Whazz up??

 I am going for a ride......and the funny thing is I would love NOTHING better than to go for another 3 or 4 hours .....but know that this would be stupid! 

 " My name is Helen and I am a bicycle addict......"    

Is there a 12 step program out there?????????????

Sorry to be MIA for a while.  Still mulling everything over... here's the deal:

So, Doc says yes on I need ankle surgery (4-6wks in a hard cast, 2-3 in a walking boot, rehab + all the fun you can handle!), but No on needing it right away.  Yes to continue races - even running - AS FAR AS THE ANKLE'S CONCERNED, as long as there's a YES on caution/checking in with the unstable right every now and again.  What I can't do are things that require pushing off from the outside or inside of the foot, like ice-skating or quick stepping and dodging sports like soccer or hockey (or aggressively darting around folks in a crowded road race).  That's ok, they weren't on my list.  BUT, this also includes those balancing exercises in PT!  UGH.  I guess I could do everything but the balance work, but I feel like that's potentially one of the roots of my recurring runner's knee.  Really, Idunno.   

So, here're the questions bouncing around in my head: since I have the choice, when is it convenient to be out of commission for 2 and a half months?  Do I still want to do my first tri in May?  Do I want to have surgery right away and potentially pick up the second half of the season?  Do I drop out of my July 4th relay (~10k)?  Do I at least try to not be in a cast for July 4th cause my bf is still running and we're planning on camping? Camping in a cast would suck.... plus, if I didn't run I'd want to be support since we need to supply our own transportation and beverages for our team.  Do I want to be in a cast in the summer or late fall after this season?  I guess summer would be best for work-related reasons... I hate having to do my day trips to Jersey, but gawd help me if I have to do them on crutches!

What would you do?  Raincheck your very first tri?  Bail on your relay team? Work out the season without going above sprints?  (5k run is no prob - I can do those cold if I have to)  Don't do anything differently until your body tells you to?  (Although what does that mean if you have to sign up for events so far in advance?)

Here's my potential 'A Race' List:

5/10 - NE Season Opener Sprint Tri - Would be my first!!!!

7/4 -  Around Mount Desert Island Relay (~10k)-- also 4th of July weekend camping in Maine

8/8 - Wild Fish 2 Mile Swim (there's also a 5k swim in July I'd love to do)

All the rest on my list I could potentially take or leave or find another event.  These are the precious few I'm afraid of losing.

Oh, and PS---

Glittery texts by bigoo.ws

Glittery texts by bigoo.ws

that sucks!  but i'd do it NOW and forgo the opener - seems smart to not have to swim in 40 degrees water to me get 'er done down, rehab, and be ready for lots of fun later summer races!!

Mina,

Too mny options.  I'd opt to do it early and get it over with but that's the way I handle most things..."just get over it."

Glittery texts by bigoo.ws

 I am in the "get it over with " camp...........

 Sucks big time Mina....really sorry to hear.......

Glittery texts by bigoo.ws

 Had an awesome little ride today....and am thrilled to report that today something just clicked and I was able to stay aero for pretty much the whole ride! Yay!

I thought I'd talk a little about the process I went through picking my coaches.

I think there are three main areas you need to consider: the coaches qualifications, the set up of how you interact with the coach and how that works for you, and the cost.

I have used a coach for last 5 tri season. My first I used for 4 years and in December switched to a different coach.

Cost

Easiest to cover is cost so I'll start there. Monthly cost for coaches varies greatly. Cost doesn't reflect skill of coach. Most coaches that coach full time have varying levels of coaching with different amount of contact and how often you get your training plan and some limits perhaps on updates. Truth is cost is in one aspect the limiting factor of which coaches you can consider unless cost doesn't matter. Some big name triathletes coach but charge so much it limits who can and will hire them. The best coach for you has to fit within your budget. Most coaches start in the $80-100 range and often go up to $200-250. Higher cost tend to give plans out every week or two and have scheduled contact time normally a phone call. Lower price plans training plans come out less frequently and you probably don't have scheduled phone time.

Coaches qualifications: look at education, participation in sport, sucess with other athletes.

This is a tougher to determine and compare. They probably are USAT certified coach. USAT has 3 levels of coaches. The first level to me means they attended a weekend seminar and passed a test.  I could be a USAT coach, but wouldn't mean I would be a good coach. I like to look at background of coach...what is their education in, did they study excercise physiology in college and have a BS or MA? If so you know they are knowledgeable in sport and training. Did they decide to coach later in life? How did they learn about the subject? Does their education enhance that? How do they keep current and update their education.

Have then done triathlons? If you are training for Ironman have they done one or many? Do they mainly coach folks training for Ironman? What is their success in helping others?  Taking someone with high VO2 max and help them Kona Qualify if that isn't your goal might not mean a lot, but helping someone like you achieve their dream may be more important. Check out what type of athlete they like to coach as many coaches really prefer to coach fast folks but take others to help make money. If you can you want to do a heart check on the coach..check where their heart and passon is.

Being fast or slow as a triathletes doesn't mean they are good or bad. Coaching isn't only for fast folks and just because they are fast themselves doesn't mean they are a good coach. Folks that coach and race can be distracted when they are racing.

How they interact with athletes and you

How will you work with your coach? Do they do everything by email? Do they have you upload your training to an on-line website they check? Do they limit how often you can contact them? 

The biggie is do they get you and your goals? How do you feel talking with them? Does what they say seem in line with your goals and thought on sport and how it fits into your life. Do they have the skills to help you improve your weaknesses? Are they local so they can see you s/b/r and help improve those skills or will they review your technique by video or u-tube.

In talking with various coaches hopefully it will be clear one stands out that fits you well, and the way they handle athletes appeals to you and is affordable.

How to find a coach?

Ask local athletes for names of coaches they like and those they don't and ask why? Ask on-line friends too. With the internet you can work with a coach from almost anywhere. Then I'd send an email explaining briefly about you and your goals and see what they say, how quickly they respond and what they suggest as to next step. Ideally you will talk and have a list of questions or concepts to cover with them and it will be the key to seeing if the fit is good. If you are still unsure ask for some references and contact them. 

I made a list of what was important to me, questions I had and then proceeded. First time around I contacted 5-6 coaches and it was very clear to me which fit me best. He asked a lot of questions, wanted to know about my goals, my family, my big dreams and helped explain what and how'd he'd help me. He wasa full time coach so he made his living coaching which meant to me he' be there to answer my questions and would work hard a doing a good job, didn't race much anymore but had races, and lived close. In many ways he was a great life coach and taught me a lot about integrating sport into life. What I learned from him is always with me and makes me a better person.

This time around I found a coach that lives in OR, is a full time physician, coaches only/mostly IM and HIM athletes and limits how many athletes he coaches, has a system that you will follow, has had great success with getting folks to KQ and believes he will help me PB my IM.

Both are very good coaches and good fit for me at the place I was at the time I hired them.

I love having a coach to put a plan together for me given my strength and weakness and the time I have to train.  If we can afford it I will always use a coach. You will see great coaches normally have coaches as well.

If you have more questions, fire away..I'll try to answer them.

Mina - So sorry to read about your surgery...I think if it was me I would probably do it post season...so that if it takes longer than planned to heal I wont be stressing....

Assuming you can stillhave your season and all!!!

Max and I had way too much fun

pics

Sure looks like it...having fun enjoying your fitness is cool!

video

Hey everyone.  So I sent out a bunch of inspires, checked out how everyone was doing and so many people are on like 5 week highs it is unbelievable.

 I think everyone is doing great. You are all Awesome!

Here is to a great April!