Got Your Mojo WORKIN'! group - CLOSED (Page 66)

Last beer at 8:30 a.m., you're my hero!  I haven't done that for 30 years. 

George,
I was in the same place last June, the more I learned and the more questions i asked the more confused i got.  I ended up going to our LBS, Fitness Fanatics (Also Spokane's Tri HQ, a funky place but knowledgeable owners with quality equipment.)   My plan was to have the owner fit me for a $200 fitting fee and then go find a bike for cheaper somewhere else and i told him that up front.  after 2 and a half hours he had me pretty dialed in on a Cervelo P2, long story short I ended up buying it and he personalized it for me (they didn't charge me a cent for the fitting).  I spent a few more bucks than I wanted to confess to my wife about but it was worth every penny and I love, love, love riding it, and I like supporting small business owners in my neighborhood.  My advice is go to an expert fitter, have him/her dial you in, take a test ride or two and then make a purchase that they can fine tune for you.  It sounds like the shop you went to was working to make a sale and not fit you with a bike.

It's worth a few more bucks for a bike you love than saving a few hundred bucks on a bike you'll never feel comfortable on.  The euphoria of a good deal goes away after your first uncomfortable ride, the euphoria of a great bike that fits you increases with each and every ride.   

Race simulation: What are the thoughts in scheduling simulated race scenarios in training? I am assuming I can simulate the full distance of sprints, at maybe a reduced effort 1 week out. Perhaps 3/4 distance or so for Olympic and HM distances.

Ankle/leg still hurts. I walk somewhat better and swimming gets easier after a few laps. The pain is on either side of the "knobby" part of my ankle and up the back of my calf. I have been massaging it today with a golf ball and my hands. The swelling is very mild but noticeable but I am walking better.
 Tomorrow is The Cupid Run my wife and I scheduled. This is the first time she has shown any interest in this stuff and was her idea. Clearly I will walk the 3 miles. Next weekend I have a half marathon trail run and this is in doubt if my ankle doesn't heal.

GENE and GEORGE and........everyone?


NUTRITION FOR ENERGY DURING RACES AND WORKOUTS

This discussion will probably occur over the course of a few days. In fact, it has started already, kind of in fits and starts, but deserves some more serious consideration. So......

Let's begin by doing a quick and dirty overview of the role of protein in our workout lives -- and then dismiss it for a few days!

I. PROTEIN

Protein has a few rather limited functions for us endurance athletes, with the primary ones being muscle recovery and repair. It works behind the scenes in other ways, mostly at metabolic levels, and has some function in mainataining the integrity of our immune systems.

Protein has a very limited role in the production of energy, with the most generous estimates being MAYBE 10% -- and that is for long, intense workouts that exceed two (some say three) hours. For shorter efforts, which is what most of us engage in, protein does virtyally nothing by way of providing energy, and may even impair our performance due to gastric distress.

Make no mistake -- protein is critical for all of us, and getting enough quality protein in our diet can be problematic. More time can be spent on protein later, but for now let's dump it as a viable energy source.



II. CARBOHYDRATES

This aspect could become very complicated, but I'm going to try hard to keep it as simple as possible. Quite simply, the bulk of our energy production during workouts and races will come from carbohydrates. The ideal carb source will be a complex carbohydtare, and the standard seems to be maltodextrin. Complex carbs will do two (overlapping) things: provide a steady release of energy, and maintain glucose levels. Thisn is what we ned to keep functioning at a consistent level, and once our nutritional sroes get depleted, we start to lag, fatigue, feel flat. At its worst, this can result in the dreaded :hitting the wall" or "bonking". This will NOT happen to you in shorter workouts and races, but some distance hints of it can be felt.

I have mentioned to GEORGE and a couple of others about the benefits of using gels as a quick carbohydrate source, especially in the early morning or when a workout needs to be rushed and it's been a while since a meal of even a decent snack. The contents of the different gels varies, but all comntain about 21-28g of carbs per packet (usaually about 35-42g).. Almost all gels now feature maltodextrin prominently, but some also use simple sugars such as fructose andor glucose and/or dextrose. Hammer Gel does not contain sugars, but the other companiree thta do will say that the simple sugars provide immediate energy, while the maltodex will release energy more gradually.

Most gels contain other things, primarily electorlytes. This varies, with inclusions ranging from just sodium, to maybe also potatssium, to maybe also calcium or magneium or manganese. As a simple broad stroke for now, the electrolytes work at a chemical level in the blood and muscles, and when they get depleted problems occur. The more specific details of electrolytes can also be part of a later discussion.

III. FATS

More later!




PRELIMINARY SUMMARY!

For ENERGY, go to carbohydrates! Some people grossly overdo carb intake, figuring that if some is good, then lots is great. Nope! It doesn't work that cleanly!

Commercial carbohydrate sources are great for quick no-brainer solutions, but ultimately shouldn't replace real food. It might be worthwhile for you all to have a good look at the glycemic index (a gazillion versions are on-line). Many people feel that high-glycemic foods should be avoided before workouts, but there is some eveidence that consuming them is not detrimental to perfomance. In genral, though, the safest and easiest routr=te to take is the middle one -- foods that have a moderate glycemic index. This includes bagels, oatmeal, raisins, bananas, all-bran cereals, and muffins --- much of the fixings of a fairly normal breakfast! (Eneregy bars are also modearte on the gluc index. So is ice cream. Potato chips. Other "goodies". The trick with those, though, is the addition of too much fats and sugars.)

Questions?????

Steve,
I have just not made nice with the bike yet! I just don't have the power on the bike that I would like to have, I usually train on the bike alone and it is not something I know a whole lot about so I usually am winging it! And in the winter I just don't have the patients to sit on the trainer for long periods.. that's when that little guy is sitting on my shoulder reading the list of all the things I have to get done!

Shannen

i did a simulated before my first ever race last year, wanted to make sure I could do everything including the transitions.  It went really well and took away a lot of my anxiety come race day. 

Good Evening,

I have been out of touch for a while because I needed to get the class I teach on track.  I thought this would be fun but it turns out to be an incredible amount of work.  Steve knows this since he is a teacher. I have a full itme job and teaching a couple of math courses at the community college was going to be something I would work at and enjoy a new challenge.

However, I also need to get my training in order.  I have a bunch of races planned and I am not in any shape to tackle them yet.  I have this issue with the immediate priorities and can easily convince myself that May is a long way off.  Of course it is not and  as it gets closer I will become more  nervous which will snowball into extreme anxiety. I know this so I need to move now.  Easy to say.  I have a plan in place but it takes a lot of time and   I seem to lack the planning skills to get it all in.

I should say that reading your posts has been very inspirational.   I have learned an enormous amount from what you all have written .  Steve, you are amazing and even though I have been absent I am really happy to be able to return and try once again to be a part of the group.

Ellen

Edited by Zam92 2011-02-11 6:39 PM

GEORGE -

That is a remarkable story, and I thank you sincerely for letting us in on those details. You have quite a genetic burden to carry, but as you are learning, some aspects of the genetic pool can be beaten. I think you are implying that you are the first of the Miller males to be sensible about your lifestyle and willing and able to implement the necessary changes, and the results for recent tests are a resounding testimony to your commitment and resolve. I'm at a loss of words (well, partially ) about the changes in your thyroid and diabetic problems, and I suppose cholesterol is also dramatically improved. "Congratulations!" doesn't begin to say near enough!

Here's to you, and here's to the elimination of the Miller Heart Attack Curse!!

JEFF -

Race simulations can take a few forms.

One approach is to do "bricks", and as the season approaches I sure will have lots to say about those! The most common ones are bike/run bricks, but equally beneficial are swim/bike ones. that requies either somenone to watch your bike while you're swimming, or access to your car, in which the bike is stored while you're in the water. If you've done bricks before, you know that they condition you to the strain you will feel in going from one discipline to another -- just like in a race!

A second approach is to practice transitions. This won't get you used to the feeling of, say, having to run after riding, but it will hopefully help to instill the patterns and procedures you will be following in T1 and T2.

A third approach is to do as you suggest -- basically a whole sprint, but at reduced effort. I'm not sure I've ever done this. I will, for sprints and olys, frequently do entire bike/run bricks at very close to race-day effort, but I don't have a clear recollection of ever doing the whole thing. (Truth told, I race often enough that I have little to gain at this point by doing a whole-race simulation.)

If you choose to try that, though, I would recommend doing the whole distance for only one discipline (pick your poison! ), and abbreviating the other two. I would also recommend doing it at least 10 days out, just so as to allow a few days for a couple of quality workouts before the taper week. In fact, how you "perform" in a simulation might give you some insights as to focus points for those last couple of quality workouts. So, it's not a bad idea at all ---- but you have to be careful that you don't leave anything at the simulation!

JEFF again -

Hmmm. Sounds like the ankle problem is more of an achilles/soleus one. (And if it's deep and blow the obvious "muscle" part of the calf, then it would be soleus.) What happens when you pinch the achilles? Any soreness? Does it practically launch you through the ceiling? Let me know.

Enjoy the Cupid Run! Even though you will be walking it , it is really cool that your wife instigated it and you'll be doing it together. Got anyone to take photos for you?

As for the trail half-marathon.......gulp? I have told you about my rather lurid histroy of having to bail on races due to injury, and after a while you won't feel bad about it if it happens. Remember -- discretion! The better part of valor! Yeah!










Edited by stevebradley 2011-02-11 9:15 PM

ELLEN -

Halleloo! You're back! iwas hoping your absence was only the result of the newly-acquired teaching load.....and I guess that was the case. (When someone disappears for a while, I ALWAYS worry that it was something I said! ).

Don't worry about having to "try once again to be part of the group" --- you're always part of the group! I like to treat it like family -- even though the kids seem to have flown the coop, they can return anytime they want. So, if you undertake the workaday equivalent of your "European Tour", feel free to return whenever it suits you. (As for me, I never had a European tour. Sniff. )

The goodnews/badnews IS that May is approaching. Good news because that means that outside riding is soon (relatively speaking) to happebn again, bad because, uh, those races ARE getting closer to happening! In your case, other than work, where are the particular snafus between you reading the training plan and actually implementing it? You seem to put the blame on yourself and your lack of planning skills, but I just have to wonder if it's more of a compatability problem that involves your demanding work schedule (admit it -- you have to be pretty good at planning to satisfy your porfessional demands!) and the conflicts it faces with a demanding training plan. Let me know if there is any advice I can maybe offer, okay?

Finally, could you please tell me again what your race schedule looks like, especially between now and Columbia? All I can remember right now is that and Eagleman -- not that those two aren't a demanding duet on their own! But youn have done them both before, yes? If so -- BIG bonus benefit!

SHANNEN -

Have you tried mindless movies while riding the trainer? For me, ones in the "Action" or "Thrills and Chills" section of the video store usually make 90 minutes on the trainer just fly by! Granted, it's not a true hardcore cycling expereince......but desperate times call for desperate measures, and movies are the general fall-back, fail-safe solution for me.

When is your fitting? Do I remember correctly early April? I hope that will make a differnece for you, that you will be more comfortable and also have the sensation of generating more power. When you go for the fitting, have with you a list of perceived problem areas with you and the bike -- the reasons why you have "not made nice" with it yet! If you can be a specific as possible, that should help the fitter to get you dialed into a much more favorable position.

I have something more to say about cycling, but Lynn needs the computer asap and I have to quit the scene. If not later tonight, I will return tomorrow morning with this. Bye for now!

I tried the pinch test, no pain. Today I worked it alot at my desk, did short very slow shuffle/runs across our meeting room and kept massaging it. I do think I am on the mend, just not sure of the time line. I am considering taping it or using the little ankle brace and see if she and I can get away with some light run/walk intervals. Regarding the half-I am stubborn about being at the start line after I have paid a non-refundable entry fee .
 I bricked before my du last year, my first multi sport event and basically simulated the event several times including one killer 20/30/20/30/20 brick as in min/min run/bike/run. Simulating a tri is a bit more complex. I can probably use the lake (Texoma) in a near by swim area, I have some run/bike routes plotted and ride the area frequently. I am considering this 1 week prior to my first sprint in March.  I am also considering a 1 mile swim across  Texoma this spring-partly for the training and partly "because it's there" kind of thing. Mimi can probably help with each of these. There is a sprint tri 1 week prior to my first A race I am considering as a tune up race for the Oly.
You have a point about using lesser events as training races. There are several sprints leading up to my oly, then I have 2 centuries and some runs prior to my HIM, that is one I am considering some sort of reduced race simulation stuff, especially wetsuit use, this is an area where I probably need to practice transitions. Redman Half was on my list but we are now considering Branson 70.3-family in Missouri.

Argghhh!

Just got back on, and now Lynn wants the computer AGAIN. I quit! I'm outta here! See you all in the morning!

Thanks Steve. It is good to be back.  The races I have planned are:

Frederick Half Marathon - May 7th -  This starts 2 blocks from my house and my employer (as part of a fitness challenge pays) for the entry)
Columbia Triathlon - May 22 (olympic)
Eagleman - June 12 (Half...of course you know that)
Nation's Tri - September 11 (olympic)

I am thinking of an Xterra race in western Maryland on July 10th because it sounds like fun. It is at Rocky Gap Park in a place called Flintstone, MD. It is .75 miles swim, 14 mile bike and 5 mile trail run.  Not too bad. 

We'll see if I can get back on track and get ready.

ELLEN -

Do I think I once knew that schedule? I forget!

That is realy ideal, the HM about six weeks out from Eagleman. I guess that was part of the method in your madness in signing up for it -- not to mention those two sweet perks of location and the entry fee covered by your employer. Double sweet!

The other great benefit of the HM is that it is an overlong race that will help approxiamte the overtough nature of the Columbia course. Looking at it from a suffering point of view , it's like being on the horns of a dilemma, or looking at the lesser of two evils -- which is worse, the 13.1 miles of the HM or the 6.2 miles in the topography north of Centennial Lake? (Were I in your running shoes, I would opt for the second option up through May 7, and do an abrupt about-face from May 8 right into Columbia! I'm just sayin'! )

What bike will you be using for Rocky Gap, if you do it? In my heart of hearts I would love to do an Xterra, but heck -- I'm such a wimp about shielding my body from the vagaries of even trail running that a full Xterra race is out of the question. Maybe I will make that my swan-song race, when I'm 86 or so and feel I shouldn't be racing any more. Once last race, just a wee Xterra......why not?

SHANNEN again (albeit about 11 hours later) -

The following will be kind of disorganized, I'm afraid --- even more disorganized than many of my organizationally well-intentioned posts. Ack!

My former coach once told me that it takes about five years to become a strong cyclist, and I have since heard variations on that theme. In my case it was more like six years, maybe seven, but in time it happened. I mention that mostly to allay some of the negative feelings you have about cycling that have simply (?) arisen by feeling that progress isn't happening due to lack of power and training alone and just winging it.

Going off on a small tangent here, I think what happens with a lot of triathletes is that the bike befuddles them. On the one hand, it isn't near as technical to master as is swimming. On the other hand, it is not nearly as grueling and potentially injurious as is running. So, where can the problem be? (Thus thinks the aspiring triathlete.) Bikes are machines that most of us spent hours/weeks/months/years on as kids, and we seemed to have the act together back then -- hop on, hang on, and pedal like bats out of hell.

Then we morph into full-blown adults, and enter into something where performance is measured and actually seems to matter ---- and all those altered rules pften trip us up. So, discouragement happens, and mostly because we expect more from ourselves --- it's only a BIKE, for heaven's sake!

So, while swimming can be patently persnickety and running patently painful, cycling works at a more insidious psychological level for many of us; might that describe you? It certainly described me for my first couple of years doing this stuff!

As for your specifics:
1.) As I think I said last night, the fitting will hopefully help with the power situation.
2.) About riding alone, I'm with you on that. In all my zillion miles of cycling, all but about 70 of them have been solo. That's a necessity for me given where I live, but it is also a never-ending hindrance of sorts. Because I am a mechanical idiot nonpareil, I ALWAYS worry about something untoward happening when I am a long ways from home, and not being able to fix it and having to walk xx miles back home. (It doiesn't help that I don;t have a cell phone and wouldn't carry one with me if I had one. Doh?) So far my mechanicals have been mostly a few score of flats, although once a front spoke broke and getting the 16 miles back home then involved 16 miles of laborious riding on a wobbly and rubbing wheel. So those long rides (and even short ones) might be more fun and less stressful if I had some people to ride with. I mean, I do the requisite riding just because I know I have to....but the brain always balks some.
3.) Winging it, you say? It counts! That is getting back to the first paragraph, where there is the mention of the five year timeline for competence --- and much of those five years can be devited to pure and simple "saddle-time". Yes, there are techniques that help with more efficient cycling (I mentioned spinning small circles last week to David and others), but I have found that so much of cycling is ACQUIRED familiarity and comfort. That is, winging it really is fine, and while the mental checklist for running form can be fairly long, and the one for swimming can be practically a filibuster, the list for cycling is short and sweet. Mostly it is (a) pedaling smoothly, (b) becoming very familar with your gears and knowing how they can work for you, (c) "reading the road" so you can predict how you will respond to changes in topography, and (d) being fully aware of your surroundings. Easy-peasy!

I hope some of the blather above has addressed some of the ill will you have towards your bike and cycling in general. Keep that timeline in mind, and just view it as a medium-range gaol to get progressively better as a cyclist. Cycling breakthroughs are usually more subtle than those for swimming and running, but they do happen and over the years accrue interest quite nicely! VERY nicely, in fact!

And if I have missed the boat entirely about you and cycling.....I apologize profusely for having dragged your through this post! (Hello? Shannen? You There? .......... Hello?)

Hi All!
Checking in (because Steve chased me down) to say hey!  I wasn't off with my "Other" group!  However, what I suspected would be my major obstacle has been true... and it's time.

I have been challenged with snow storms=school closings=child at home=work interruptions, plus sick child (see previous formula), almost 3 weeks of intermittent business trips, a push to get our move and relocation complete, a small but ongoing non-life threatening family medical problem, and higher than normal work load due to a troublesome company in our portfolio.  Oh, did I mention the 4 swim meets, a Cub scout Pinewood Derby that was postponed 4 times because of weather, and getting my official certification for swimming? 

So now I am even laughing at the crazy schedule.  It sounds terrible, but it's business as usual for the last few years, and things are getting better!

I am barely scraping by with 2 workouts a week, sometimes 3, but somehow am managing my weight loss goal - down 10 pounds so far... though may be falling behind on my endurance plans.  No good excuse for not checking in with the group, though was without internet on the last 3 trips so makes it hard to keep up with computer work in general.

I have a plan though!  I am bringing in extra hands to help with FLCS duties... translated Family Logistics, Coordination, and Support (child care, transportation, and the other stuff I don't have time to do).  The lead time is a little long and it looks like the FLCS resource won't be here until end of March, but this is a long term endeavor and I can wait.

The good news is there is a window opening up...  Swim Meets have slowed down, Pinewood Derby is Done, and the Cub Scout has crossed over to Boy Scouts as of last night!  So I have several free weekends and even a new free evening each week.  I'll be putting that time to use.

Looking forward to catching up and visiting more!  It's so great and motivating to see progress being made by the group members!  (perhaps that's my hidden agenda for not following too closely) 

Cheers All!

Steve,

I don't think I ever spelled out the whole plan before. I'm sure that is because I now have a harder time whimping out if I write it down or tell someone. 

I just remembered there is an olympic tri in Cascade,Md. in mid August which is close to home also. It is up around Camp David.  The organizer does open water swim practices prior to the race (for $5.00 - can't beat it).  So I might add that. When I was looking around on that site I noticed a century ride (you can do less) the next weekend.  I never did an organized ride before so it might be fun. 

What do you think?  In my advancing years I may not be able to do this much longer (or now come to think of it) . But it seems the spacing might be ok.

Then in mid September I will crawl back into my cave and sleep awhile.  But that is what I did last year so now I have to start all over again..That may not have been a great plan afterall.

Mimi and I did our little run and had a great time. This was her first 5k and she did it with exactly one training run of unknown amount. (she wouldn't let me go with her). We decided on a 3:3 run walk ratio. She seems to have a fairly quick natural pace but I encouraged her to slow down a bit. This helped me as I am still nursing that ankle which held up fine. I broke a rule and took pain meds before the run. Mimi is not naturaly very competitive and a naturally very nice person so a statement she made during the run shocked and amused me she said "Let's at least beat that fat chick in green". I said OK, lets just stay close to her and pass late in the run which we did along with several other runners and finished around 41 minutes, still waiting official results to be posted. I make up names for runners I don't know in races as a mental thing and a way of keeping up with where I am, I taught her that trick and we named the girl in green "Kermit".
 With very little training Mimi can be a very quick 5k runner, she is half my age and half my weight so she would progress quickly. After the run she went to work and I headed to the pool did 100 yards including a 2:07 100 which is my fastest yet and a 7:12 300 yard set which is quick for me. I did more flip turns including the shallow end where I had always struggled with a mental block (afraid of hitting bottom). I through in some back stroke then zipper drills and some 25 yard fast sets till my form began to deteriorate.
All in all a nice day...50+ degrees today and 70ish tomorrow. Time to get the hen house and rabbit hutch cleaned out spread some compost plant potatoes and get ready the garden ready.
 Got to repair a broken pipe today at the in laws and plan a long ride tomorrow.
 I am very curious to see if there is a consequence regarding my ankle later today or in the morning.

Pinewood Cub Scouts Derby?! LOL..my son has one this week and basically his mamma is building that car
(dad helped with the sawing).

Anyhow: Steve - looks like you're going for quality vs quantity with your schedule eh? quality races and quality time with family and the rest of stuff that goes on in our lives.
My son is only 7...I started late in life...married at 39, mom at 40 and first sprint tri at 43.

Johanne...when did you do your first full marathon? I'm toying with doing one in Sept. after my August Olympic rematch Just not sure how A) to do training for an olympic with a full marathon and B) how my body will manage those 18 mile training runs LOL. 

George,
Great news on the recent trip to the doc!  That's the best reason to get active, literally running for your life. 

George-
Great news!! It always amazes me what changing your lifestyle can do for your health and mental well-being!!!

Sarah-
I just read your post that you were a late starter- I got married at 35 had my first baby at 36 second at 38 did my first tri at 40. I have been tossing the idea of a marathon too but am not sure about being able to put in the time for those long runs!

Steve -
I am going to re-read your post (I have a little girls chirping in my ear so having a hard time focusing) I will get back with you a little later!


Shannen

George,
Keep it up. You are doing great.  You will beat those genes because you know how.

Sarah, Shannen,

I was a major late starter.  I got married and after years of trying (naturally and medically) I got pregnant on my 40th birthday.  It really did seem like a miracle and I have thoroughly enjoyed the ride.  It goes by pretty fast though.  He is in his first year of college.  Empty nesting hard to get used to.  I guess I should swim, bike and run more, huh?