Have I lost my mind to consider a HIM? (Page 7)

"Before they pulled the info, I was only one of three women in my age group so was stoked about a "podium finish" - ha ha ha"

Heh, I understand the temptation.

Ran today it was fairly warm out so I did run/walk. It was only 80 but the sun was really hot. Didn't wear the HR monitor and I ended up going a bit harder then usual.

Decided no matter what "training" schedule I pick I'm going to stick to running to every other day.

I had another sprint Tri today. I will do a race report tomorrow. Overall I was happy with my bike portion, swim was ok but a bit slower than I hoped and running was better than last two tri's but still slow. I am looking forward to going longer next year.

Congrats on your race.  Looking forward to hearing more about it.

Hey everyone - Sorry for being MIA.  My grandfather died on Labor day.  Me, my mom, and 2 kids loaded up the minivan and drove to Oklahoma.  They didn't give us the funeral details until late so we rushed out Wednesday night.  I'll read over everything and catch up soon. 

I did good on my weigh in last week.  Lost 1.4 pounds and got down to 194.4.  I'm worried about this week though.  We basically just drove and snacked.  I'm glad to see IdealMuse, Kirih and Joblin are back!!  Let's get this weight off and start training hard.  I will still keep track of all of us for the month and will send a prize to the winner.  (I'm totally motivated by prizes!!)   

Losta - Can't wait to hear about your race. 

I have 2 sprints in a row coming up in 2 and 3 weeks.  I need to get it in gear and actually wear my new trisuit and wetsuit.  this will be interesting.  Long run for me tomorrow.  Talk to you all soon. 

Az - I'm so sorry for your loss. We missed ya. Was wondering where you had gotten to.

Losta - I look forward to hearing about it also!

I need to sit down tonight and figure out a serious training schedule now, because I decided to go for it and it's official. I signed my life away for an entire year. I know people don't all agree with my timing but in the end I had to listen to my own voice.

Race Report Here:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

WEIGHTLOSS!  OK, I have all of our weights except for KiriH.  We are all pretty much in the same place.  Losta remained the same, Leah is up a tiny bit, I'm down but will probably be back up this week.  We will all battle the lbs until the end of the month.  Wednesday will be the weigh in day just like Team Skinny.  Good luck ladies.  

WORKOUT!  I had a good work out today.  It was short but good.  I like to see how fast I can do 8 miles.  Today was tough b/c it was windy but I feel good about my time.  Tomorrow I will be back in the pool.  I am two weeks out from my race so I need to hit it hard.  My next race has a 750 OWS.  Swimming is my worst so I really want to get at LEAST 3 swims a week.  The race I am going to do first is my first big coed event.  This race will have about 1600 people in it.  Luckily I will have 3 friends doing it with me.  I'm scared!! 

LOSTA - Great race!!  I liked reading your race report.  Looks like you had a strong bike ride.  Just think if you didn't have the narrow spots!  I understand the frustration about your weight.  It seems like my weight is just slowing me down.  Good thing we are taking action!!  

LEAH - What Marathon are you doing?  I'm starting a 20 week marathon plan too.  I'm doing the PF Chang's RocknRoll Marathon here in Phoenix on January 17th.  This is part of my HIM training.  My long runs are not going well right now but the plan is still early.  I'm just doing the free Hal Higdon on-line plan.  It also works into my EAT LESS RUN MORE action plan.  Are you going to sign up for an IM now or are you going to wait until after our HIM?  I'm intrigued. 

IDEALMUSE - I'm so proud of you for signing up for your race.  That is HUGE!  I know you can do it.  I want to join you and Leah in this IM experience but I think I really need to get a HIM under my belt.  Why don't you do the Cali 70.3 with me and Leah?  It isn't really an ocean swim.  It is in a harbor so it is less rough.  It would be so fun to have all of us there!  I can't imagine all the planning you are doing now.  That is one of the most fun parts I think.  

JOBLIN - I'm excited you are joining us on the weight loss adventure.  I'm sure you will lose your weight before vacation and have a good jump start to your next race.  I just looked at your goals and you have to be so proud of yourself.  You hit so many of them.  You are going to have to start with some fresh ones b/c you have almost done them all.  Keep up the good work!

KIRIH - Welcome back!  Must be nice to be dropping weight while eating what you want.  That is my dream.     

Keep on going you NUTSOS!!  We can do it!!

Oh, I do plan on getting a half in before Wisconsin! I may be crazy but I don't have a death wish. The only reason I signed up for the Full first is because, well next years race is now sold out so I had to act quickly. It was open for less then 12 hours. I think if I hadn't signed up I would have spent my year being very sad about it.

I'll think about the Cali Race I guess it depends what kinda funds I can come up with... Traveling by Air with Bike is expensive. Part of what scares me about the ocean is the salt water experience not so much that it's an ocean. Tell me more about what the course is like?

Leah was not a fan of the bike portion.  She actually tackled it once before.  Here is a link to the elevation.  http://www.ironmancalifornia.com/bike.html  (Iprobably shouldn't show you if I want you do it!  It is scary looking.)  I like the timing of the race b/c it is at the end of March so I train all through the holidays.  Plus it is Southern California so it will be beautiful!!  Think about it.  I think there is power in numbers. 

I can't believe the race sold out in 12 hours.  I see your point.  If you don't do it you have to wait a whole year.  Did you read what race Leah is thinking of doing?  Nice, France!  Wouldn't that be cool? 

I just told my husband you were doing the IM and  he said "ARe you thinking of doing one??!"  I said "I'm thinking about it."  He says (after a long sigh and deep breath) "Please think hard about it.  I don't want you to hurt yourself!"  What a vote of confidence!!

I got in my swim this morning and will do a shorter run this evening (whatever is on the schedule for my marathon training program). 

I signed up for the BT 20 week marathon plan, not necessarily because I want to do a marathon in 20 weeks, but because I figured that would work for any IM that I thought I might do next summer.  However, if the IM doesn't work out, there is the Pasadena Marathon at the end of February (approx - not quite sure of the date) and the 20 week plan would work out just fine for that. 

And your husband sounds just like my guy.  Chuck does not believe I can do an IM because it is too hard.  At first I took it like a vote of no confidence, but based on where I am now and how much time I realistically have to train, he does have a point.  An IM is no small matter.  For instance, last night I read KathyG's race report for IM Canada.  I have followed her training since I joined BT last December and she is amazing.  But the IM was still a downright struggle for her.  I viewed that as a reality check.  I haven't given up on the idea, but I am going to make sure that I can do it before signing up. 

In addition to Ironman, Nice, France, I found Ironman Regensburg, Germany.  When my ditso nephew was in the Army, he was statoned near Regensburg and met a German girl and now there is a baby.  Actually, the baby is close to 2 now.  I have seen Erin once, but I am thinking about switching my IM dreams to that one so I could see her again.  Also, the bike profile for Regensburg looks easier than Nice. 

Another thing I am thinking about doing is getting a bike coach.  I have been put in touch with one and we have made the preliminary contact.  However, he was in Italy with the para-olympics and is getting back yesterday or today.  I have no idea how much he will charge so don't know if it is doable.  I know that first and foremost I need a good biking base and no coach can help with that.  That is just a matter of "get out there and ride."  But I also know that I am not a skillful rider and am uncertain when to shift and things like that.  There has got to be a certain amount of improvement that will come with just increased skill and that's what I am hoping the coach will help with.  I don't want someone who will just email me a workout - I want someone who will occasionally ride with me to see what I am doing and point out ways I could ride better. 

And I figure if my training is geared towards a hilly IM, then the California 70.3 will be a piece of cake.  Right???   And I think it would be terrific if a bunch of us could do that race.  I do most of my races not knowing anyone.  It would be fun to have people around that I knew.

Have a good day everyone, and happy training.

Traveling for your first IM would be pretty awesome. Haha just so you know the German one is the only that doesn't have separate changing tents. It's co-ed, or at least that's what someone in my Tri-group said. I would have liked to do an overseas one I eyed the Western Aus one a bit, but I think for my first I need to stick close to home. It costs so much even staying here. I've already spend nearly a thousand on my pool membership and the race entry this week alone. Maybe if I get the "Bug" I'll do a overseas destination one in a few years.

I think our "guys" just worry. In reality they are right to do so. IM training can be very taxing on the body and injuries are easy to wrack up if you push too much when your body isn't ready. I hope I don't end up as the poster child of warnings! My husband wasn't too worried, but I think he might not understand the extent. He did sorta gently sway me into the idea of the half for this year instead saying it was just as worthy, but I explained to him my reasons. He helped me make the decision in the end. Last night he called it my "graduation" so I know he gets why its important.

I read Kathy's report too... and others who are very skilled that had DNFs too. Not finishing no matter how well you trained is a always risk you take. She was very VERY well prepared it was just weather and sickness. Things you can't control. It would make me more nervous I think if getting to the end was the be-all end-all of my goals, but just to be there is part of my goal. Be there. Enjoy. Kick as hard as I can.

Bike coach sounds like a good idea if you can manage the cost L.

Well I'll think about Cali. I did read about those 2 hills on the backside. Ow. But it's more about the cost of the trip then anything that would prevent me. I've ALWAYS wanted to go to CA.



Edited by IdealMuse 2009-09-15 11:12 AM

I wish I could join you all and do Ironman 70.3 in Oceanside but it is too early in the season in March I will still be on the trainer. (Which is being delivered today a cyclops fluid 2).

I used to live in San Diego and San Francisco and remember giggling on the phone to my east coast friends suffering through winter. Well now that too is me. But I am serious about training through it and coming out thinner and faster.

My autumn training begins this week with a strength class given by a USAT coach, cycling class that meets 3 x a week for 6 weeks, running group resumed last night, and aqua aerobics started up again last week and my pool has reopened. Plus I have another sprint tri this Sunday and I signed up for a chi-running seminar two weeks from saturday.

Happy Training everyone!

Edited by losta 2009-09-15 2:14 PM

Sorry to hear, my condolences.

Weigh in Wednesday - I was the same weight last week but I am down 2 lbs. from the first weigh in.

Sorry to hear that, my condolences...

I'm currently right at 230.
End goal is ~200. I'm nearly 6' tall and big-boned so while 180 would be great, I'll settle for around 200.

I'm getting back on the wagon today. I set out a training plan yesterday for the next several months - every other day running alternating with walking 30 min +5 each week and 1 long bike, 2 swims. This is all subject to change after the first couple weeks. I've tried the BT plans, but find that for building base I've been pretty successful building my own plans. I will convert to HIM 20 Week plan when the time comes.

The past three weeks off have been glorious after one year of nearly continuous training. (yay!)
Since starting 28 Aug 2008 I've put in (not bad for a former couch potato):
Bike: 2118.66 Mi
Run: 246.71 Mi
Swim: 82.85 Mi
Commuter Cycling: 70h 12m = ~700-1000 additional miles cycling

Days are getting shorter, and the clouds are rolling in, which means the trainer has to come out again - NOT looking forward to that at all! Netflix will be sizzling in the future...

Have fun out there!

Congrats on a great year of training!!

I'm in the same boat as you with training plans. I have only done the 16 or 20 week sprint plan (I forget) and I completed that in early August. I have no up coming races beyond this weekend so I have yet to find an off season plan so I just have been making it up as I go along. I have just joined a 10 week strength boot camp class (first class was today) that is given by a USAT tri coach he also has a tri team and I may try it out. So while I don't have "A Plan" I have lots of plans.

I just got my trainer yesterday what do you like to watch on the trainer?



Edited by losta 2009-09-16 2:54 PM

Congrats on a great year of training!!

I'm in the same boat as you with training plans. I have only done the 20 week sprint plan and I completed that in early August. I have no up coming races beyond this weekend so I have yet to find an off season plan so I just have been making it up as I go along. I have just joined a 10 week strength boot camp class (first class was today) that is given by a USAT tri coach he also has a tri team and I may try it out. So while I don't have "A Plan" I have lots of plans.

I just got my trainer yesterday what do you like to watch on the trainer?

I am so sorry.  Words are inadequate, but please know that my thoughts are with you. 

I weighed in today with a loss of 1.0 pounds, for a total of 30.0 pounds lost - down to 141.4, which is pretty close to my low point on 8/27/09.  I had a couple weeks of gaining, but I have now lost most of that.  I am about 5'5" and small boned and have about another ten to go.  I was over 200 in the early 1990's.  I lost it all then, gained back a lot, but not all of that, then lost it again, then gained back a lot, but not all, then lost it and then ...  You get the idea.  Each time I have regained weight, I haven't gained back to as high as I was the previous time.  But this time I am getting it all off and it is staying off. 

I didn't go to Crossfit this morning because I am planning to go on a long bike ride this evening and I still have to get in the thirty minute run called for in my 20-week program.  I found a group ride that goes on Wednesday nights.  The ride is thirty miles and they do it in 1-1/2 hours.  I know perfectly well that I cannot maintain that pace, but I figure if I keep it up, eventually I will.  As long as they don't discourage me from joining them tonight, my plan is to make it a weekly event - which does not thrill my fella as he sort of resent how much time I spend training. 

Az - Oh no... I'm so so sorry! I'll be thinking about you and your family. I can see how a run/cry would help.

Kir - We're pretty much about in the same place. I weigh less, but I'm also only 5'5 and I think it's about 5lbs difference for every inch so at 206 I'm carrying about the same amount of extra weight as you (I am also big boned) Congrats on the 1yr of training!

Lost - Good luck this weekend! Loved hearing about your race. I tend to just watch recorded TV shows when on the trainer.

Leah - Geeze I know that up/down well it's been my life... The same 40-50lbs give or take sometimes keeping some of it off for awhile and sometimes gaining even more back a good 5 or 6 times now. Although, I never ever got below 220 until last summer so while I have work to do I feel like I'm still way better off then I ever was. You're so close to where you want to be which is cool, but those last few are always a bugger.

I biked the forest preserve today and had a nice ride. Not sure of the distance as my Garmin was dead but I'm going to say about 38 and about 2.5 hours. I bought the book "Going Long" which came in yesterday so I'm going to start reading it tonight.

My weight: Will go by this morning which said 206. Blah. It was 204 the last few days. So that's only -1 for me. Maybe I'll have something better next week. I'm getting impatient to get under 100 lost and less then 200lbs. I only spent a few months under 200 last summer and I hadn't been that small since high school basically.