Newbz' Spring Fling Mentor Group is FULL! (Page 7)

I have yaktrax and I like them - with limitations.  They are great on snow and ice.  I've never felt in danger of slipping while wearing them.  I don't like the feel of them on bare pavement though.  I don't feel like it's unsafe, just like I'm running on springs, which I basically am.  I tend to only use them when there is fresh snow or it's particularly icy.

x2

I would also add an additional week or two.. this is to conpensate for unexpected things.. like illness or family stuff.. so 21 - 22 weeks. this is typically my approach, it works for most part..

Ok, first, the bolt pattern on almost (maybe all?) of the compacts if dif than most standards, so switching would be hard.

Jason had a pretty good anology with the car, but here are some numbers to work with

This will show you gear inches and mph at 90rpm with a 53/39 standard and a 50/34 compact, both with a 12x27 cassette (fairly common). For the sake of simplicity i'm only showing the 12 and 27 tooth cassette, if you need them all let me know.

Here are the gear inches for the two cranksets

53/39
12 tooth: 116.1/85.4
27 tooth: 51.6/38.0

50/34
12 tooth: 109.5/74.5
27 tooth: 48.7/33.1

Now mph with the two setups at 90rpm in the 12 and 27

53/39
12 tooth: 31.1/22.9
27 tooth: 13.8/10.2

50/34
12 tooth: 29.3/19.9
27 tooth: 13/8.9


The part where the compact really gets useful (and i think this is even more on flat ground than hills), is that if you want to keep the same gear inches/or close to it, get a smaller cassette, something like an 11x23 or 11x21. the 11x21 will give you an extremely tight spacing (ie only one tooth jump from one to the next), so it will allow you to really fine tune your shifting/gears for exactly what you need vs something with much larger jumps.

If you are spinning out in your 12 or 11 tooth, you should probably be coasting anything, so you really are losing nothing and stand to gain a lot.

Ok, I'm starting to understand a little better, but what are "gear inches"?

Unrelated: is it possible to upload past workouts from my Garmin to the training log?

Edited by RBesecke 2010-12-28 11:13 AM

As much as i hate wikapeadia this does a god job of explaining it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gear_inches


On the garmin i am not sure, those that use one would probably be a bit more help there.

Felt good to get a workout in today.  53 min on the bike trainer.  Should have been a little longer but a call at work cut it short.  Being that I forgot my bike shorts at home I did not mind the ride being shorter.

My trainer ride got cut short as well...mine was due to my washing machine going a little crazy.  Couldn't get myself to get back on...but my legs felt like crap...so I say it's 40% listening to my body, and 60% I need to HTFU next time.

Is there still room?

NAME: Laura/mrsostrowski

STORY: This is my first multi-sport season.  I started running last March and I completed a half-marathon in October.  It has been an amazing ride and I really want to continue exploring other sports and triathlons.  I have also lost almost 75 pounds and I have about 40 more that I would like to lose. 

FAMILY STATUS: Married 

CURRENT TRAINING: I have used the Jeff Galloway method to train for the half and I would like to build up to running consistently for long distances.  I live in Wisconsin, so I can't train too much on bike right now, but I like to go to spin class once in a while.

THIS YEAR'S RACES(2010): many 5k's, half-marathon.

2011 RACES: Irongirl (I believe sprint?) and 1 more half-marathon.  Probably more!


WEIGHTLOSS: I have lost almost 75 pounds and I have about 40 more to go.  Getting stronger every day!

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: I'm ready to learn and looking to give/get inspiration!

laura welcome, yep room, and we can take one more after you!

welcome aboard. I have a few posts on the first page if you didn't see them explaining what this is all about.

I'm sorry, I posted on another one because I thought this was closed.  I tried to delete the post, but I guess it didn't work.  I think the other group will be a better fit, but thank you so much!  

So I'm getting ready to dial in my training at the start of the new year.  I've spent the last month with focus on running (currently engaged in the Dev's 100/100 days/runs challenge on ST). I thought that would be a good motivator and help me test the adage of "run mostly easy, sometimes hard".  

My plan is to keep the high volume running this year (6 days/wk) and then tackle focused biking and swim efforts at possibly 4 sessions of each per week.  I haven't quite figured it all out yet.  My base fitness is pretty good from the IM last year and once it thaws I'll start commuting to work again by bike (21 miles each way).  

What do you think about the high volume (I guess frequency is more applicable here) running?  I'd like to get to and maintain at least 40 mpw. 

Keep in mind that when you do these...you should be doing them at a really low resistance.  From what I understand...it's not to build power in each leg...more to teach you about form of the pedal stroke...pushing down and pulling up...and how your ankle "flexes" through the stroke.

My plan is to try and run 5-6x per week as well for my HIM training.  Right around 30-35 mpw.  Not sure if I'll be able to handle it...but I'm going to try and build up and see how it feels.

This is one of those tubular/clincher dark and light, hot or cold.

I personally see no use to them, others do, and you'll find as many in either camp.

The thought/goal behind it is to teach a smooth pedal stroke, but being clipped in sort of does that on its own.

If you've seen many of my posts on this, you'll already know how i feel, but i think its something worth going over in depth if you want to improve as a runner.


The thought behind this is simply that the more you run, the better you get (to state the obvious).
Now doing so through more frequent shorter runs allows greater recovery from run to run, allows you to build mileage and stay injury free.

In other words, running 30 miles a week on 3 runs is not the same as running it on 5. 5 miles a day does a LOT less to your body than 10 does, and allows you to turn around and run again the next day. And it has the benefit of having your practice a motion everyday, vs ever two to three.

In addition to this, it gives an awesome starting point to build from there if you so choose. It is very very easy to add 5 min to all of those 6 runs and not have it impact the recovery from any single run, but at the end of the week you've run 30 min longer or 3-4 miles more. and thats jsut with 5 min per run.

As you start to work in the harder efforts, you'll be in a great place with the base of running daily for X amount of weeks behind you, and you'll actually see some gain from that harder work.

So in other words, you are on the right track. if you can, i'd suggest slowly adding in some bike/swim if you can, even once a week, jsut to start getting your body used to the movement so you are not coming back from ground zero.




'm actually doing just this right now though, running only, and will slowly be adding in the bike as weather permits right now (no trainer at the moment). I've been in a run only focus since oct and plan on just getting the bike as weather allows through jan and then adding it back in before the first races in march (duathlon only at the moment).

Newbz

Thanks for the insight and confirmation.  I have really been enjoying this approach to running and I believe it is improving everything about my running experience.  If I run all 7 days, then I have 3 focused sessions: 1 hill workout, 1 tempo and 1 long run (with a negative split if I feel up to it). 

I also found that the one time I split the long run into 2 sessions  I really enjoyed that as well.  Running twice in one day was fun.

I'll bring the bike back in first and  then the swimming.  I'm interested in trying to complete a 40K in under 1 hour, so I have some focused sessions planned already, but I'll take it in stride and listen to how my body feels. 

I also plan on doing core workouts and some physical therapy exercises to protect the knees. 

All in all I'm excited about this season and pumped to be a part of this group.

the 40k stuff will help a lot with the tri racing. Just as you are doing now with the run, a bike focus can help. Work on your TTing is both a great workout and will mentally help you down the road.

Having single sport focuses is a great way to improve (or doing 2 sport focuses), and many triathletes are afraid of doing this and keep carrying on with a balanced program that never allows for much or large gains.
When you back off and just maintain something, and focus on the other, you put some serious time into getting better. Once you have that sport down, it takes very little to maintain close to a peak level of fitness.

In plain terms, say it takes you running 60 miles a week for 10 weeks to drop your 5k from 20 to 18 min.
once you get to 18 min, you can back off to 25-30miles a week and focus on the bike for a while. you may slip up to to 18:15 or so, but you are much better off than before, but it takes that block to get it there to start with.

Hey Newbz! I am looking to fill one of the last couple spots in your group.

NAME: Chasingkona/Ben 

STORY: This will officially be my second year in multi-sport, although I did train for and race one HIM 2 years ago, so technically this will be my third year. Last year was all about achieving the Ironman race which I did so at Ironman Wisconsin. Now that I have that experience behind me along with what was a great summer of training and racing I am prepared to do more with this sport. I just moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin from Milwaukee with a quick 4 month stay in Madison. I am going back to school so in essence I have a lot of time on my hands to train. I came to this sport after playing Lacrosse in college and coaching some youth teams as well, and I would like to slowly get into the same theme here in La Crosse with triathlon. I am using this season to learn as much about the sport, along with learning about myself, my body, and of course having fun too! And of course my screen name shows it, I would like to qualify for Kona before I reach the 30-34 age group. I am 26 right now and will be doing my next Ironman in Madison in 2012.

FAMILY STATUS: Girlfriend  

CURRENT TRAINING: Just got back after taking off 4 weeks from multi-sport to move across the state. No real structured training until Feb when I start to prepare for my first HM in April. Until then it will be a lot of base work with a small focus on swimming and biking.

THIS YEAR'S RACES(2010): Ironman Wisconsin, Racine 70.3, 2 HM's, then a hanful of local sprints, duathlons, and 10K's

2011 RACES: Cashing my paycheck at Racine 70.3 this year, other then that I am doing everything from triathlons to duathlons to half-marathons, to time trials, along with criteriums, and the yearly 8K Crazylegs. I am doing about 15 races through the entire season mostly to get more experience and of course enjoy the sport. My two big races will be Racine 70.3 and then a local half-marathon in October. 

WEIGHTLOSS: Never been something of a goal or anything but I would like to keep my weight around 165-170 and keep my body as healthy as possible. 

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: I am a very open minded person especially when it comes to multi-sport. With all of the information that is "out there" I like to keep an open mind in finding out what is right and wrong for myself personally, along with others as well. Hearing feedback from others and learning others experiences always gives me insight to what I can and cannot do. The best part is I get to keep, retain, and reteach this information to others and help the sport grow as much as possible. I am looking at this mentor program to hear from someone with great advice and knowledge and helping others as well and encouraging others at the same time!

ben, welcome aboard and glad to have you.

If you didn't read through the first page i put up some info on what this is all about (if this is not your first group on here ignore that part).

I learned to not use Wikapeadia as a source for documentation, but it still gives a good general idea for a subject.
If I understand the concept correctly, it's how far the wheel will travel per revolution of the pedals (give or take). If I've done the math correctly, there's between a 5% and 13% difference between the standard and the compact, depending on which gear of the cassette is being used. As I said, I know that it wouldn't make much of a difference for me, but 13% seems like a huge loss in potential for anyone.
I guess I need to look into the differences more. I've considered a compact crankset for my road bike because I was riding in the mountains a lot until recently. I'm still on the fence about it.

play around with this one (there are others out there as well) to get an idea of how the cassette and crankset combinations will work:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

Keep in mind, that that bit you *might* lose on the top end speed, you'll never need anyway. And with that compact, you can switch out the 12 for an 11 if you are that strong of a cyclist, and actually gain a gear over the 12 tooth and a standard.

The other upside, as mentioned, is the tighter gear spacing for the same gearing.


I'm looking at getting a road bike this spring and will be putting a compact on that (i'd do it with my tri bike but cannot find the crank i need in compact). I'm a fairly strong cyclist, with olympic bikes splits around an hour give or take a min or so, and on a flat course i'll never come close to the last 2-3 cassettes on a 12x25

I have a feeling this group is going to be awesome. So much good info already and we are only about a week old.So i am still recovering from bronchitis/pneumonia but I think I am almost there. It has been a solid 2 and a half weeks since doing anything fitness related. Still having coughing spells just walking the dog. Today I have to admit i felt pretty good, i think i am am going to do a real short run tomorrow to see how it goes. I would like to be able to get back on my plan by Monday the 3rd. I think i will take the remainder of this week and keep it light to ease back into it a bit.I have been eating like I am working out and then some so i have some weight to lose from the holidays, but i don't regret that. Just need to refocus my efforts.Somebody asked about uploading Garmin workouts. I believe all the paid memberships allow this. I have been silver for a long time though so i am not sure. I love that feature though, use it every time i workout.

Good spin class yesterday for abit over an hour.  Pushed hard and it felt good.  Also ran immediately after again for just 5K.  Will be on the bike again today, probably for longer, maybe 1.5 or 2 hours. 

I have a triathlon specific swim clinic that starts tomorrow at 8AM.  Hoping it is a huge help as they video tape you above and below water, before and after working with you to help correct stroke mistakes, etc....  I've heard the coach is very good.  We will see...  Hope everyone has a good day!