Asphalt Junkies Spring 2013 - Closed (Page 7)

Lifelong Dallas fan here as well.  Enjoying this season's ride even if I don't know half the defensive players names, and I'm a die hard!  I have no idea how they've been winning with the guys they are parading out there.  Duct tape and paper clips.

In short, yes.  Just get to work.

But the longer answer would be, for you, don't over extend yourself.  You had some trying times last season with all of the training you were doing and I would not want you to head toward burn out again.  You've got 5.5 months to get ready for Syracuse so there is no need to rush. 

My suggestions:

• Get 3 bikes a week in on Jorge's plan and try to get the long ride in as one of them. 
• Run 3x a week right now and slowly build the mileage up to what you would like to see.  
• Swim twice a week and pick up the third one when you feel good about the amount of time you have available.  you can pick up a third swim a week as late as April and have plenty of time to get more volume in.

1. Stay healthy.
2. Complete another tri as a relay with my two oldest sons.
3. Go under 2:32:30 at Timberman bike as the bike relay leg, with 2:30 as the "drug" goal.  (He must have been on drugs to do that).
4. Watch Dirk finish Boston!
5. Go 1 second under Matt's HIM!

1. This is the wisest advice I could give anyone starting into endurance sports.  Jeff has a very succinct way of putting it into words but I'll try:
   We are athletes for the long term.  We should not get hung up on being faster, sooner becaue it is likely we will jeopardize our bodies and induce some injury recover that will essentially set us back.  Take your time and train slow and easy.  Fast will come, later maybe, but it will come and you won't have a list of injuries behind you.
2. Wise again!  Our health should be our priority.  This is why I got into running and then into triathlon.  I wanted to be around a little longer than where my path was taking me several years ago.  We likely see some of these things begin to take a leading edge in our lives after some life changing events such as children being born, parents that develop health issues related to poor health habits, etc...........
3. A couple of points here:
   a.)  You learn quickly grasshopper.   Work within the boundaries that will keep you AND your family on track.  your family should be (okay, BETTER be) more important than training and racing (this applies to everyone).  You commit to the time you have available and not some dream that will induce more stress and drama within our family units.  It is likely that if you have small children you don't have the time to commit to training and racing IM's every year
   b.)  Placing an IM on your bucket list is a lofty goal and one that's wise to put off in your case.  This shows that you are willing to place other things at the forefront of your life.  Your role as a mother is far more important than that of an athlete.  Your children are never going to look back and say that their "mommy was never around because she was out riding her bike.........."  Being a mom is one of the most important jobs in the world and it is equal to that of being a dad.

I think this is a solid approach to get started. 

1) Dirk mentioned this site for swimming, and it's a great site a lot of us have used.  I will also add that I HIGHLY recommend either a seeing a coach, even if only for a few sessions, or get a video of yourself, since what we think we are doing in the water and what is actually happening can be VERY different.  I wouldn't necessarily get too much into long sessions until you know your form is at least adequate, since ingraining limiting technique can be harder to overcome.  I'm a little bit of a BT rebel on this, but that's my muted way of saying I'm not sure masters is the best option for a triathlete as a beginner or even intermediate swimmer.  Once you are strong in the water and fighting for podiums I would say go for it.

2) Agree on the running.  You have a solid history of running so you probably know how to approach this, but running can be trickier when it is part of a tri program as opposed to only a running plan.  In a general sense, my belief in tri training is that you only have so many candles to burn.  I find that I can handle a lot more intensity on the bike, and to keep runs almost all at a very easy pace but run frequently.  The tri run is only as good as the fitness you bring to it off the bike.

3) I'd say try to hit three bikes for, and at least one hard interval ride is a great idea, if not two or even all three.  Once the weather is ok, I'd try to get a longer ride in there too.  Since tri bike racing is a steady TT effort (as opposed to bike racing), I'd suggest something like 2 intervals at just under threshold, starting at 8 minutes and working up to 15, with 4 minutes rest between the intervals.  The intervals would come after a solid warm up of course.  The bike is far less dangerous than the run so it's easier to add intensity as long as you can recover from the work and hit the next workout.

You beat me to it Dirk!  I was just writing a very similar response.  We would all do well to read these goals over and over.   I really implore everyone to put this sport into perspective, but have fun and let it be an addition to (rather than a replacement for) the really important things in your life.

Taking a long term approach to fitness is so important, many of us have spent too long recovering from stupidity (re. injuries) and we hope to get you all to learn from advice rather than personal experience.  This is the reason I always list staying healthy as one of my top goals.  It's tough to reach any of your other goals if you're on the sidelines.

Well, I am having trouble keeping up with all the posts- I love it! I think I need to print off everyone's bio for an easy reference. I met up with Karl this morning and got in a swim workout! It's pretty awesome to have made a connection on BT, got into a mentor group and been able to meet up with another Asphault Junkie and get in a little training. Much thanks to Karl for showing me some IT band stretches- my right knee is starting to give me a little grief.

Okay, my 2012 goals:

1. SWIM: I have the distance to do a Sprint comfortably. I need to stop panicking during OWS and get better at siting. During last year's Sprints I was all over the place and had way too much adrenaline to calm down and just swim my own swim.

2. If I can get #1 done, I want to do an Olympic distance Tri, if not two this year; my ultimate goal is to do the Augusta HIM in 2014; not reasonable if I cannot calm down on the swim. I need to be calmer if I am going to swim with that many women.

3. RUN: I have built my base up to HM distance. I ran last Month's HM at 9:05 pace, too bad the course was cut short a whole mile. I want to set a PR in HM distance of 8:50 mile pace and get my run under 1:55:00; also want to keep my legs strong and healthy. Running is my favorite of the three disciplines.

4. BIKE: I have trouble getting time in on the bike- hoping to invest in a bike trainer and better bike and build my base over this year from current 22 miles to 40 miles. I am averaging 14-16mph on bike and want to bring that up 18 mph by the end of 2013.

5. I have started a local chapter of Moms RunThis Town running group and I want to focus on growing the group and hopefully get some group runs and group representation at local 5ks.

Note- In my second Sprint last year I took first in my age group, which has qualified me for Age Group Nationals in Olympic Distance, which is in Milwaukee in August 2013. I am hoping that this group will help give me some guidance on whether or not to go for it. Is this a rare opportunity? Will I qualify again and should I just wait till I have my swimming under better control? Or, will I regret if I don't try? I do have 8 months or so to work on my swim. Of course the cost to go there is the very first issue and excuse to not do it. I will definitely be pondering this issue over the next 6 weeks since registration opens 2.1.2013 and I am sure it will fill up fast.  

First off,  I told you, on a different site, I thought we were in an earlier group where the mentor kind of abandon us.  I did some checking and I was mistaken.  We had a pretty good mentor in tri808 (Jason) when you and I were in a group together.

I love the idea that your wife will change her job from full time ??? to full time mother.  I think I covered what I think of mothering in a previous post to Jackie a few minutes ago.  With you and fathering I already know you are aware of the importance of being a daddy.  My guess is that you are a daddy to more kids than you know through your calling.  Through our emails and phone conversations, facebook.............. I feel I don't have to provide any kind of lecture or discussion on being available to your wife and child/children.

The above being said, I feel this is the year for you to complete an IM.  This year will provide the opportunity to take the time with your wife and child and training time without having any bad repercussions of abandonment.  Waiting to sign up for B2B will also help you align with the importance of both family and training.  Great idea!

And just for everyone's knowledge, Will and I made a deeper connection in the mentor group a couple of years ago.  He has been a sounding board for me to get through a few difficult times and decisions since then.  A few phone calls facebook messages, emails and I was able to find great encouragement across half a country.  Thanks Will!

Goal 2 will be a cinch to get that "drug" goal under your belt.  My biggest concern is that I want to beat your bike goal in my next HIM and I don't know if that's possible.  My last race was 2:36:59, so I'll have a of of time to cut.

Goal 4............I hope that one comes to fruition myself!!!!  One of the things about Boston that makes me so bent on getting there is meeting you and JonathAn.

One final post until i get my game on this morning. 

Jeff usually take the weekends away from the group, in case you were wondering where our fourth mentor was.  Jeff is extremely active within the group during the week and takes the weekends for family and training time.  Once he logs on though, HANG ON because he'll light you up with technical information that far exceeds my ability.  He has a way of being very articulate with the information he can throw out.

One thing is very certain, Jeff is going to fall over when he see's 9 or 10 pages of reading!  Hahahaha Jeff!

I had the opportunity to meet up and swim with Jennifer today.  She is the 1st junkie I have met.  She can swim, and swim and swim and swim!!!   If I could swim like her, I'd be on Cloud 9!!! Glad she is in the group as she will be an asset to the Junkies. 

I'm inviting all the Junkies to come down to N. FL, we are having a 1/2 marathon and full marathon Feb 3 in Tallahassee and our 1st tri of the year March 30, RedHills, but it closes REAL fast, only allowing 300 people due to traffic control and permitting.

I was thinking the same thing!

I might not be on much coming up for the next few days. I'm getting all the last minute details ready for our holiday celebration tonight and I didn't realize I had left so many little things until the last minute! Then we're off to visit with my family near St. Louis for a couple of days.

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

Aside from building volume gradually, I would say, make sure you have the correct form!  Actually, now I'm starting to experience some elbow irritation on my left arm, and I'm pretty sure it's from faulty form!!  My approach to easing into swimming (I had taken about a month off, and really didn't swim all that much over the summer), was in the first month swim a few times a week but limit intensity, and in the following months I was thinking I would gradually increase volume and/or intensity.  Which means in the beginning I wasn't really doing much speedwork, except maybe a couple of 100s here and there.  But, now with this elbow thing cropping up, I'm thinking I might go down to swimming once a week just to be on the safe side, which would give me extra time for biking which has been lackluster for me... err... I feel like I only started to feel the elbow thing when I did start the harder effort swimming... so maybe I should go back to all easy... I also think from googling around I have discovered what may cause the elbow irritation.

Will that is a loaded question, everybody in this group crazy! However you can definitely train for an IM without putting in tons of hours do it. I think you will probably want quality hours over quantity as well. I think alot of people get caught up in the number of hours needed to train to do and IM and wind up putting in a lot of junk miles. If you are just looking to finish you can do that with as little as 8 hours of training a week.

I have worked closely with my good friend and fellow BT'er who you may know Dream Chaser (aka Bobby). He's done 4 IM's and he has helped me put together a timeline and a plan for my run at the IM based on his knowledge and experience. I am going to be using a combination of the Don Fink Iron Fit training plans. There are three plans within Iron Fit, the just finish plan, the intermediate plan and the competitive plan. I will be using a combination of the intermediate and completitive plans. I would be more than happy to share that with you if it helps give you a better idea of figuring out what you need to do.

The other thing that I am doing is prioritizing what I feel I need to do in order to be successful. Since I'm doing Wisconsin my number 1 priority is to focus on the bike. The bike will make or break me there. The swim is a close second as a good fast and easy swim will set the tone for the rest of the race. Lastly I'm a runner already so that will take a back seat to the bike and swim but will not be neglected. I think I have a pretty well thought out plan I think it will be up to me to trust and execute it. Also since I don't know it all and am treding into unchartered territory I will be open to all advice and suggestions from the group and will of course share whatever I can with the group.

Warren, agreed and we are still in this thing so let's hope for the best and maybe they'll surprise us in Washington next weekend.

Karl and Jen that is awesome. I have had the great fortune of meeting other BT'ers and training with them especially doing my OWS with them and my prep training for my HIM last season. That wound up being tremendously helpful to me and hopefully it will be the same for you both.

Jen do you get nervous before you swim or is your issue just trying to get relaxed while you swim? I have an issue with both. Either I'm nervous before I go to the pool or I just can't get relaxed at times while swimming at the pool. The funny thing is when I do OWS I don't have any issues with that I am usually not nervous and pretty relaxed. Now before a race I am usually nervous but once I get going I settle in and I don't have problems with it.

It sounds like you can swim pretty well and if that is the case then doing the Olympic or the HIM should not be an issue for you. I struggled with this and had very little confidence in my swimming last season. I got together with other BT'ers and triathletes from a multisports club and started doing OWS with them. It greatly improved my confidence and swimming. I was able to complete both the Olympic and the HIM distances last season and I am not a what you would call a good swimmer although I am working to improve. I will say if I can do you certainly can too.

Thanks Dirk! Lots of great information in here and I'm going to try and fit it all into a weekly schedule. Btw, that trampoline exercise with the single leg on the bosu ball is a deceptive KILLER! No doubt about it.

I'm not sure how my knee is either. 2 days into the run; mostly easy 20-25 mins so far and it's held up OK with some icing. I'll keep you guys updated on it.

Jen- if you've got the time and money, I say go for it!  

Also, Merry Christmas everyone!  I ran 10 miles this morning so I can eat whatever I want, right Dirk?  ha!

Tony-

I am totally fine during pool workouts. In fact - a little too relaxed. My husband stopped by the pool a couple months back and watched me swim (he was hitting the weights at the Y while I was swimming laps). He said that I look great, but that I am very slow. He's no expert so I am sure there are several things I can work on when it comes to form. That's when I started working on pulling faster and as I pull faster, I am digging less and noticing that I am swimming more efficiently.

I grew up  with a surfing family and spent many years body boarding in the Pacific Ocean and have even body surfed in Hawaii where beginners should not swim.

My first Sprint last year was the FIRST time I had ever swam in a lake. The weather was not cooperating - raining and windy.The women swam after all the men, including Clydes and any other special needs. I was doing great on the swim till I rounded the first buoy and had to swim by men that were struggling. There was one gentleman in particular that needed to be rescued and I had to swim by him - I remember him looking at me and begging for help - the lifeguard was about 25' away and making his way toward the swimmer. I knew I should not help the swimmer cause he would've just pulled me under - a lesson learned from years of swimming in the ocean.

That experience carried over into the next Sprint. The three months in between the tri's I spent way more time in the pool (4, sometimes 5x a week) and my biking suffered. IN the next Sprint, I really concentrated on staying clam, but somethin happened when I hit the water.... I panicked, got short of breath, couldn't control my breathing, started screaming at myself in my head as the women in the front of the pack got further and further away. Then I got mad at myself for getting mad about that - Sheesh - I can't believe the gamut of emotions I went through during those 15 minutes. I spent most of the swim breast stroke or on my back and never did think about relaxing one time.

Thanks for the support - I am hoping to do some OWS with Karl when the temps get warmer. This is something I NEED to get over if I am going to go for a longer distance.

Will -

Thanks. Looks like I might be calculating a budget in early January while I give it more consideration. Merry Christmas to you and all the Asphault Junkies as well! Hope you are eating just a little bit of everything tasty.

Bhargavs-

I just wanted to mention one thing about swimming. I had my husband take videos of me in the pool a few times. I used my cell phone. He walked along the side of the pool and recorded me swimming. Then, we put the phone in an airtight Ziploc bag and he swam next to me and recorded me under water. I cannot tell you how helpful it is to see yourself swim. I highly recommend it. I think you can post a video of you swimming on BT and have your form analyzed as well. Can anyone else confirm?

That's a great idea, makes a lot of sense. Thanks Jen and David.

And, Merry Christmas to all of you! Hope you have a great time with your families. I'll be going over to my friend's place in Jersey to have some awesome food cooked by her mom