left.right.repeat group -closed - Full of a bunch of winners...YEAH! (Page 63)

I did my first official Brick work-out... the Bike portion was AWESOME... but apparently I left it all on the bike... I got off the bike, and started to run in about 3 minutes. Then, I ran for the first 5 minutes, and had to walk... then my shins starting hurting, so I walked most of the 24 minutes (we were supposed to do 30 min... oops) I feel like I failed the brick miserably... but I learned from it... Next week is another Brick. 

The coach said I may be pointing my toes on the bike... I guess I'll have to pay more attention to that.

In other news... I don't know if I'll be doing the first tri (March 28) My TnT coach wasn't thrilled with the idea... hmmmmmm

Shark - why not Mar 28....did the coach say why?  If the goal is to finish and have fun....go for it.

Waef - is there a wedding on the horizon???/  How did I miss that????  Your half will be another great accomplishment on the road to success.

Gary - you are cooking dude.....my thoughts and prayers are with your grandmother...keep swimming

Waef - like G said....a couple of minutes and you will regain fishlike status....

Diane, I don't know why the coach would say that. Based on your training log, that date shouldn't be a problem at all.I can't imagine what the problem is. I must be missing something. You are doing the distances already. Your swim, bike and run workouts are very impressive. Your drive is so strong it leaps off the computer screen. We can all feel it. I really must be missing something here.

Bryan, I don't know if I've mentioned here, but yes on April 4, I become Mrs. Waef. My soon be DH is a private person and not a fan of striking up personal conversations with people online. That's putting it very mildly. But it's so close now that focusing on or thinking about anything else is a challenge. It's kind of a relief to say that out loud.

Now that I've put it out there, I'll be totally open about something else. I'm struggling with how I feel about my training time and my tri goals. How far to take this? I started this journey single. Threw all my energy and attention into it. It became a major part of my identity. Now my identity has changed again. What is balance now? How do I do this without feeling or seeming to be selfish with the money and most importantly the time I'm spending on training. And the personal gratification I get from it. It's almost like it means too much to me. Like it's crowding out a place that should belong to him. I go back and forth in my head about this constantly. 

But then, a lot of people on BT are married. Several are married with small kids. In our case, it's just the two of us. He's active. Swims and bikes a lot. Rides way more than I do. He's proud of how far I've come. I've transformed my life and neither one of us want me to go back to where I was. I think the guilt issue coming mostly from me. Or maybe this is normal until I get adjusted to marriage. Ugh! Inside I know if other BTers with families can do this, I can too. (I really have to get used to thinking "we" -- we can figure it out too.)

I'd better stop. I can feel myself getting too "personal" online again. But I'm not going to delete this post. Not again. I've been feeling this way for a long time. The closer I get to April, the crazier I'm becoming.

Changing subjects...

I hope you all are right about my first swim. It's supposed to be tomorrow afternoon before heading over to a Super Bowl party. (Not that I watch the game. I don't even understand the game. Everytime someone tries to explain it, I lose interest. So I'm really just going to hang out and eat all kinds of stuff I'm only going to have to work that much harder to burn off next week.)

WAEF - I hope you feel that posting your thoughts here was a "safe" thing to do. I know that throughout last year many of our original gang also posted some pretty personal stuff (me included) and I think we all found that it was helpful to be able to share and that the support we received was well worth the risk. I suspect that the future Mr WAEF is very supportive of your efforts. Just remember to keep things in balance. With a wedding upcoming its natural to feel that time is short and to do lists long. All things in moderation.

After more than two weeks of being a lazy a$$ , yesterday was the day that I finally got out for a run. I'm encouraged because it didn't feel half as bad as I expected! Today will be a swim at lunchtime and maybe even a short ride on the bike trainer when I get home after work.

Bryan - how am I to report on my Feb IM progress?

Thanks everyone. I am feeling better today. Your posts really helped.

Mr. Waef is a great guy. Very supportive and very patient. He pursued me for years before I finally came around. Every romantic gesture in the book. He wrote poems, composed songs, you name it, he did it. Without shame or embarrassment. I on the other hand was mortified. But eventually it worked. He's proven himself 100 times over. And now he's turning his life upside down so we can be together. Quit his job and will soon be moving hundreds of miles away from his family and friends to be with me. To let me pursue the life I want. All he wants is to be with me. It's overwhelming. So all the guilt about training is all coming from within me. He's given so much and I don't know how to accept it or reciprocate it. So my hesitancy to talk openly and my concerns over spending our money and time in this sport are not because he's possessive or controlling. Just the opposite. He says I inspire him to push himself harder. The only thing he is super cautious about is the Internet and has asked that I respect our privacy online. (which I think I just violated again...sorry sweetie. It's the last time. Promise. All future posts will be purely training related.)

But I think I really needed to talk and get these fears and worries out in the air with other triathletes who have family and understand what it's like to try to balance it all out.

First swim yesterday. It's wasn't bad. I didn't count yardage or track pace. I just wanted to ease my way back. Slow, focusing on form and taking lots of rest breaks. No pressure. No worries.

And wonder of wonders, my body still remembers how to do this. Yay!

Good morning from Fla!!! raining today but still ran and swam today. Maybe a bike later if it clears. I have been doing a lot of running lately and my speed is improving (relatively speaking). I actually swam in the ocean the first day here. It was WONDERFUL!! I had alot of comments from specators about my ability to swim far and my "form". It was really shocking.....I never expected that I hope to get in the ocean before I leave but the surf was a little rough. I think I was meant to live in Fla!

On with the Feb Ironman challenge. I'm going to try to do 2 IM distances as my "plan" calls for that much...DONT worry Bryan,I'm not overtraining

WAEF, glad your swim went well!

I went to the LRS yesterday, and after trying out tons of shoes, we settled on Motion Control shoes, which is a switch from Stability shoes for me... so I did a VERY slow - with lots of walking breaks - run this morning. After the first mile, my shins were hurting a bit, so I walked most of the 2nd mile - I was gonna give up and go home, but I was feeling pretty good at the end of the 2nd mile, so I did 3 more miles with walk breaks...I did 5 miles total. By the end of my run, I was feeling pretty confident about the new shoes. We'll see how it goes on the next Brick... although, I'm supposed to rotate the shoes, and the brick is my next run, so theoretically, I should run in the stability shoes next...but I kinda want to run in the Motion Control to see how they go on the brick...hmmmm... Both shoes are New Balance... Any advice is appreciated.

Hey all!

WAEF - congrats on the wedding.  I hope Mr. WAEF doesn't mind this conversation as marriage is a wonderful thing that should be celebrated.  One of the best things in my life short of the birth of my children.

Swam today.  Hit some 50 and 75 meter swims with one 90 meters.  Half way thru I took LRR's advice and started telling myself "Your getting air, relax".  It helped some.  I have to take a couple of breaths on the turn but for now it is all good.  200 meters isn't looking that tough anymore (800 meters still does but I have a couple of months). 

Less than 2 weeks to my first post surgery race.  A 10k which was my first race last year.  Looking forward to it.  May give my legs the night off from running as my quad tendons are sore.  My knees seem fine.  Will see how I am feeling tonight.

Went by Dick's sporting goods over the weekend.  $69 for Asics 2130's, yep I bought a pair as my others are just about due for retirement.

WTG Gary!!! That's such AWESOME progress on your "homework."

This little guy made me smile.

Just like you do.  

That's so cool Mav! All that work is paying off. 

First post-accident swim workout in the lap pool. (Sunday's swim was in the recreational pool which is only five feet. No stress because I can stand up whenever I need to. No worries.)

Today I did 1000 yds. It's only been a month but I lost a lot of ground. First few laps, I felt like a brand new swimmer again. The deep end freaked me out. I had to consciously relax. But by the end it was fun. I was actually smiling and just enjoying the feel of the water. Temp was perfect today.

I think these next few swims are just going to be slow and relaxed and easy. No pressure. The only goal is increasing the yardage until I eventually get back to where I was. After that I'll think about other things, like pace. Right now, it's just nice to be back.

Here's a picture of the car. Given the givens, I am grateful that we were able to walk away, let alone resume training...

Dan - 32 laps for a mile?  I think the Geneva convention expressly prohibits unusual cruelty and punishment such as that!  Good luck on your Tri!

WAEF - Ouch! So thankful you were not seriously injured in that.  BTW thanks I love the cat rockin' pic!

Mav - So envious!  Our vacation got cancelled last year.  We alternate between Hilton Head, SC and Vero Beach, FL.  Congrats on the compliments that is fantastic.  I get comments at my pool also such as "He's swimming?  May be someone should call off the paramedics!"

Shark - the rotation is a recommendation to use and not hard and fast (IMHO) but I would go with the MC's.

Now for the slacker report!  Last night I was icing my quads when I mentioned to my wife that I was going to run later that night.  She gave me that "I love you honey but you are being an idiot" look.  Decided not to run and am taking today off and resting.  I have a bad habit of overdoing it and taking a day off won't kill me.  I can do the distances (albeit) slowly for all of my races short of the my 2nd Tri (rationalizing this to myself so bare with me) and I have almost 2.5 months to get my swim distance up.

One question (yes Gary always has questions).  Has anyone that has done the transition from MTB to Road bike and can tell me if they really saw a speed difference and how much?  I rode a friends Cervello (spelling) around the block, oh how sweet!  Just wondering what pushing my MTB to 15mph over 6 miles would translate to on a road bike.

Gary - Glad you took the hint from your wife and your body. You remind me of myself in countdown mode to my first mini tri. It was a race against time. Would I get the yardage I needed in time? Everybody reassured me but I worried up until the week of the race. I think it's part of the process. You'll be fine. Just remember, backstroke if you need it. You won't be the only one.

Will your friend let you borrow the road bike on race day. A woman in my race did that. She loved it. Lighter, faster. And best of all FREE.

He will be racing that weekend also so I won't be able to use the bike.  Not a close friend so it would have been a little awkward anyhow.

Gary - I made the transition from riding a MTB to riding a road bike last year. Can't tell you what the speed differential is but I can say that you will certainly notice a difference. For me the most pronounced difference was going uphill when the lighter frame and skinny tires really ease the burden. The other big difference is in body position - takes some getting used to being bent over a bit more on the roadie as compared to the MTB.

So far for the Feb IM challenge I have run a total of 10k, cycled approx 10k and swam just under 1k. Swim class tonight should add to that latter total.

Snowing like crazy here today. Only 24 days until we head to Cuba. Yippee!! 

Not exactly a high mileage week for me but just keeping on.  Swam today.  Had to take several breaths at each length but hit 100meters (last length 10 breathes but who's counting).  On my 2nd 100 I timed myself.  Took about 2:20 which I was very happy with.  By the time I got out of the pool my arms were dead. 

Rode my bike tonight and nearly froze my (insert body part) off.  Not sure how those in the extreme cold ride in the winter.  It's in the upper 30's and even riding slowly (and wearing several layers) I was cold.

Swim class last night.  We did a total of 1650m which included a 500m timed swim. I completed the 500 in 13 minutes.

Hardly slept last night - I thought I would have to peel my skin off I was so itchy. Not sure if this is from the pool or not but it is DRIVING ME CRAZY !!!!!!! Caffeine IV will be needed to make it through the day.

Great work everybody. Especially on the swimming.

I on the other hand am slacking off today. It's way too cold to even think about doing anything outside. Maybe I'll get to the gym at lunch, maybe not. We're really busy at work. With the economy I guess that's a good thing.

You are all doing an amazing job.  Sorry I have been away a lot this week.

Track your mileage....for the challenge...maybe in your signature...then we can all see it each day, or as often as you update - just add on to swim xxx miles, bike xxx miles, run xxx miles...

A road bike is substanially faster than a MTB - the position takes a little getting used to but is not uncomfortable if the bike is adjusted to you.

That car makes my stomach hurt....I am so thankful everyone is okay.

Pete, sounds like the chlorine might have been out of whack....did you shower?  I am assuming you did, I hate the feel of chlorine residue on my body if I just fall into bed.  Also, chlorine dries my skin out...during the winter I need to add moisture...that's right....moisturize (with manly smelling GoldBond lotion)....let the flames begin....LOL

Shark - ease into the change of shoes...they may take some getting used to as you will be using different muscles....

Keep up the great work.....sTRIve

Bryan