Penn State's mentor group - CLOSED! (Page 65)

This user's post has been ignored.

Most definitely!!

This user's post has been ignored.

Went to the hospital for my treadmill test, they put all this stuff on me and got frustrated cus at the end of the test my HR was still 140.  They jacked it up as fast as they could go and once it broke 160 they stopped; my heart is AOK, but I'm still having chest pains.  Weird, but not life threatening...

2000 yards in the books, also incorporating some weight training.  My legs are so injury prone I'm going to see if strengthening them helps. 

Group ride for me tonight, two days back to back with high intensity work, legs are feeling it.

Went and did my 3 1/4 mile neighborhood loop with Michelle (the wife) tonight. My HR was low for what it usually is and I didn't labor as much on the run but my speed was slower than normal also. Still planning on 12 miles of running this week. Suppose to be 109-111 degrees this weekend so training will be at 5:45am or 9:30pm.

Not sure what training brings today! I, too, have started training based on feel.  If I feel like swimming...I look at the training plan to see what my "goal" should be.  Tonight I'd love to go for a 4,000 yd swim!  I'm finding that I look forward to my training when I do what I feel like doing. =)

BTW I purchased 3 Spinnervals DVDS!  They better be worth $30 each!! =)  At the very least I can use them with our indoor spinning with the tri club.  <- TC is volunteering at the Keuka Lake Triathlon on Sunday and I'm pretty stoked.  Volunteering is only as fun as you make it so I asked the race director about us bringing a car to the water station so we can turn up the music and we have some kiddos that will "decorate" the area with sidewalk chalk. Woohoo!

I bit the bullet and signed up for the race.  I went to the park yesterday to stick my hand in the water. It wasn't shockingly cold which is a good thing. I might feel differently however once I actually get in the water   This will be my first ows of the season.
This is the first year that I am doing races without my "tri friends".  It is different when you don't have someone to share the nerves, excitement and training for a race with. I have figured out another reason why I am a bit more anxious about the race(s). This is going to sound horrible and it sounds worse then it is but when my friends did the races with me, I always new I wouldn't be the last person to finish.  Now, who knows. The race tonight is very small and I don't think that there are more then 50 women in it.  The weather report calls for a high of 91 degrees (maybe a record) and mild winds (thank goodness!!!).   Should be interesting.

Good luck Kathleen!

This user's post has been ignored.

X3 have fun!@

This user's post has been ignored.

x4, good luck on your race.  I signed up for the Olympic next weekend. 

Yeah....Kathleen is racing.

Since this is going to be my 1st summer training, I don't really know what to expect about the heat. I went for my usual 3 1/4 mile run tonight and it was fairly warm out even at 10pm. I'm going back out at 6:30am with the wife so I'm guessing it will be in the 90's while we're running. I do have a gym membership but like working out outside much better than on the treadmill. It's suppose to be about 109-111 over the next 5 or so days and I'm guessing it will be like this for the next 4 months now.

My training goals for this week which ends on Sunday is 50 miles bike, 3000 yds swim and 12 miles run. I think I should make my goal for the week and have about 7 hours of working out in.

This user's post has been ignored.

Thanks everyone!  I really appreciate the support.
The race went well. It is SO hot before the start that I pretty much looked like I had already been in the water before I made it to the beach area. It felt really good to get in the water though of course there was the whole cold water going your back/zipper thing.  I had no problems at all with the wetsuit.  There were a good amount of waves from the jet skis and boats which made for a rocky swim.  The buoys were also white which made it harder for me to see. I had some goggle fogging also but over all the swim went well. I took almost a 1.44 off my time from last year. The bike went well. I was a mile faster (19.8 vs.. 18.8) this year. I am still a bit cautious about turns and rough roads with the new bike so that slowed me up a tiny bit. Then the run. For some crazy reason they set up the course wrong and it was shorter then last year. It is the same course but they made the final turn around to soon!  I don't get it. One of the measurements that can be almost exact and they mess it up. So... based on running 2.85 miles vs. the 3.07 miles I ran last year I was 40 seconds per mile faster this year. That includes walking the aid station and taking a couple of short walks up the steepest part of the hills. 
This is how it ended up over all.
I placed 17th out of 41 females
Tied for 6th place on the bike amongst females 
64th out of 117 overall ( I was faster then 36 men)
3rd in my age group (there were only five of us). As is always the case I lose the race on the run. if I was a better runner, I would move up quickly in the ranks as I often have better bike splits the the top people in every race that I do ( I am sure this will change when I get to Boulder). Maybe  I should try and Aquabike sometime.
I am  participating in the Elephant Rock ride tomorrow. It is a HUGE bike festival with five different distances to ride. I am doing the 62 mile ride. It will be my longest to date. At least it isn't a race.
I hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Kathleen




Edited by Kath2163 2010-06-05 9:09 AM

Kathleen,
Great race!  You've become one of those fast people! 

Greg

Sounds like this would be your first road race/crit.  I have a few under my belt, long time ago and train with some serious racers.  With this in mind here are a few thoughts, take em or leave em:

- You may already have experience with roadies and more specifically riding with those who race.  If so you know what I mean.  There is a huge difference between riding with a group of triahletes and roadies.  The dynamics are pretty night and day.  Triathletes tend to be on the long slow burn, roadies/races are rapid intervals with all out bursts and quick recovery, especially crits as there is normally a lot of turns with short straights.  Constant sprint/brake in and out of turns.

- I would recommend doing some local higher level group rides prior to racing.  This is where a lot of local racers will ride/train to stay sharp and test their fitness.  This is a great opportunity to experience the different group dynamics you will see during a race.  You won't see them all of course, but it will give you a boost in the confidence department prior to racing.

- Injury - Cat 5 races are known as crashfests. You will have a bunch of Lance Armstrong wannabes, new racers, taking really crazy (stupid) chances to move up in the peloton.  Be careful and try to pick these guys out early and stay away. 

- Logic would say to stay in the rear and take it all in.  However it is actually safer in the front 1/3of the pack.  When the accidents happen the back half of the pack tends to all go down together.  A local crit  Cat 5 race just had a 25 man pile up recently, lots of good business for the local bike stores. 

- With Cat 5 racers, stay to the inside or outside so you have an escape route.  Meaning don't be the guy between two others as you are at their mercy. 

- Hold your line though turns!  Those who change it or make rapid moves in turns tend to cause accidents.  Generally two lines, inside and outside. 

-Brake before your turns when possible. As you gain experience this will alter somewhat, but if your hitting the brakes in a turn, good chance your not holding your line or setting up for a crash.

- To many things to explain in writing, but again I would recommend do some A group rides to get some experience.  Ask a lot of questions, roadies always love to give their opinion.

- With all of this in mind, racing can be a blast.   There is nothing like riding in a peloton at speed.  Best of luck.

Greg 

Great job, Kathleen! 

I have my first duathlon of the season tomorrow, and it should be interesting.  I've been sick for the last couple of weeks... I even stayed home from work one day this week, which I have NEVER done.  I feel mostly better now, with the exception of a sore throat and a cough.  I finished this race in 1:31 last year, so I won't be upset with my time as long as I beat that.  It poured here today, and it's supposed to rain some tomorrow too, so things could be delayed, or even postponed to another day.  We'll see how it goes.