Todd's Tri Turtles 3 (Beginner, Sprint, 5K, 10K) Basically Closed (Page 7)

This user's post has been ignored.

A lot of what you a referring to has to do with your wallet. I will tell you that the #1 thing for me is always puncture resistance. A lot of the cost of a tire will be in the fact that most of the more expense ones are more puncture resistant and have a longer tread life. I can tell you that in my four years of doing this I went from buying off the shelf at Walmart, to middle of the road, to now purchasing High end Continentals. A lot has to do with puncture resistance but I also learned that I could put well over 1000 miles on them before even thinking of buying a new set, so the couple extra bucks is not really a big deal. If I had to buy a new set every month that would be different. So in summary, a lot of it is going to be up to you and what you think it's worth. If your planning on getting a road bike in the very near future you may not want to spend as much as if you are planning to use your mountain bike for the season. I did not really get into brands because everyone has their favorite. I will tell you that when you think you have the one you like, do a quick review search for it and see what others think of it.

This user's post has been ignored.

Once a month for the summer, one of my local running stores does a women’s fun run. They advertised raffles, refreshments and a nice grand prize at the end. We figure we wouldn’t win the grand prize since it was between all their stores. We decided to go because we figured it would be a nice change of pace from our usual run.

Turns out the runs are ach sponsored by a shoe manufacturer! You get to test run the shoes as well.
Last month was the first run sponsored by New Balance. Only 4 of us showed up, they don’t advertise well at all. One won a pair of shoes and the store raffled a sports bra which my running partner won.
Last night, the second monthly run was sponsored by Mizuno. Only 3 of us showed up this time. I test ran the Mizuno Wave Inspire. While comfortable and light, it was too light of a stability shoe for me. Anyway, I won the raffle and a brand new Mizuno Wave Paradox!. A full stability shoe which is comparable to the Brooks Adrenaline and Trance that I currently wear.

It was hot and humid. I ran a 4.2 mile course at an average 14:02 pace.
Last month I ran 3.70 miles on the same course at an average 13:22 pace.
I need to get acclimated to this weather. I drank 2-3 times more water during the run than last month due to the heat. I felt like my body was radiating heat from the inside out.

Tracy congrats on the raffle win and new pair of shoes. Yep the weather / heat certainly causes issues for all of us. Like my logs show this is the time of year that I try to get out and run in the heat, but do so in a run / walk fashion until I sense that my body is getting back use to it. You really have been picking up the run volume and are staying healthy which is the most important thing.

Kris I am so excited about this plan! Finally something I can work with!!!

Janjan1981, I am glad I could help. It really made a difference in my swim, although I'd like a intermediate version now, ha.

Lovey, congrats on the new mizunos, I'm jealous.

I'm finding myself feeling more comfortable in the water and able to complete 1000+ yards of lap swimming without being too tired. So my question is how should I now work on speed and finding the "right" pace for me?

Last night during some swim practice I finally was able to focus my 100 yard times. I wanted to see how long I could last swimming "hard" (what ever that is for me...) and I found that I could do a 1:45 pace for 300 yards. While being winded at the end, I'm very pleased with that pace and wonder what the best way to build my endurance while swimming that pace. 100 repeats at that pace with 15 second rests?

Since I've not had any open water swimming this all seems like make-believe being in the pool... It might all go out the window when swimming in a lake!

Oh, BTW my 1st tri is a sprint on Aug. 10th (.5 mile swim, 14 mile bike, 3.1 mile run).

How does everyone keep track of their pace?? What technology/device do you use?

Not that I'm worried about my pace right now; I'm more worried about completing 50 yards without feeling like I'm dying, but still, I hope eventually I get to the point where pace is my main focus and I'd like to be prepared.

One of the places I can swim has large digital clocks at each end of the pool. Each of these clocks shows the same time so I just used those when I am close enough to read them (I wear glasses so I'm pretty blind while in the pool). Two laps = 100 yards. Pretty easy.

Unfortunately, the pool I spend the MOST time in only has one old analog clock which I don't have a chance of seeing. I've tried to wear my regular wrist watch to time there but it hasn't worked out well for me. I'll likely pick up a cheap (waterproof) digital watch for the pool before too long.

Matt, congrats on setting your first sprint date. I really do get a nice jolt every time I hit submit for a race entry.

O.k., what you are referring to kind of has to do with what Kristen posted from her last group. I can tell you that swimming period helps with endurance for all three legs. I can not offer a ton of swim knowledge other than what I have done myself and mine by most peoples accounts is wrong as I have stated (I am a jump in and swim kind of guy) What I have seen and read is that speed intervals are necessary to increase speed and endurance for distance. A masters swim group would be perfect for you if you could find one around you even if only one night a week. The one I was in sets up your workouts and keeps up with them as your doing them. (I hate having to keep up with or monitor 5 x this and 10 x this at 80% this and that) They monitor your stroke, tell you what you're doing right and wrong, and will generally show you what you need to do. I can tell you that for me I was doing my normal jump in and swim 2 days of the week and Master's 1 day of the week for speed, drills, and help. For me I have always been one of the simple thought that you can not do anything at a particular speed without practicing and training that way. Another words in the simplest of forms, how can a person who is running a 5K at an average of 11 min. miles, but can run 1 mile at 8 min., get to doing the 5K at an 8 Min. Average without running at that pace in training for more then 1 mile. What I'm saying is that sprints and interval work can help you get faster and improve endurance, but you are not running that 5K at an average of 8 without doing it.

Matt, the other thing here is that everyone's body will react differently to different training methods. For some just increasing effect for distance will get them the results they seek, while others may have to do specialized training and fix specific flaws in their cycling, swimming, and running. We are all different and have to approach our training as such. Continue to do what your doing, seek out advice in many ways, do internet research, speak to other swimmers, you will get to where you want to be. That is the other thing with Triathlon and Triathletes, everyone is trying for different things in this sport so some answers may be simple while others are difficult, from the podium person, to the I just want to finish doing a little training a possible. It is weird but this really is the only sport I can think of where the latter is on the same race course racing with a Pro, who's livelihood relies on finish at or near the top.

O'ya, almost forgot a little nugget of truth in reference to your question, which you likely already know but others may not have thought of. Just because you can do something at a particular pace / speed does not mean that you should do so in a race. You could kill the swim at an average of 1:00 per, but if you get out dead the rest of your race will suffer. For me it is the bike. I love cycling and while I would love to go at 25 mph through out, I know that I would be dead for the run portion, which is already my weakest leg.

Edit: I answered but didn't answer about pacing so here you go. Once again there is no concrete science, but I can tell you it is one reason why logging your workouts is super important. When you are documenting your times and how you felt afterwards you will develop a sense of where you need to be. You will not really have the chance to look at your watch during the race and even if you can some don't track properly. I can also tell you that at a certain point it is what it is for some people. What I mean is using myself as an example, I have always trained and done distance in the water. I now know that when I've been working out that I will do an average for around 1:50 per 100 for the Half Ironman Distance (1.2 miles) with little thought other than to tell myself "nice and easy". When it comes to bike pacing I go by heart rate. I make sure that I am at the high end of Zone 2 / Low End of Zone 3, which will leave me fresh for the run. Run pacing for me is the hardest thing as I always take off way to fast from the bike, but oddly I feel like I'm running slow. My biggest thing right now is that I want to do the entire run portion of the Half Ironman without a single walk break. For me thought the walking has more to do with a lack of run training / endurance. I run, but never enough to get me where I really don't have to think about it much.

Edited by Hunting Triathlete 2014-06-05 11:33 AM

I bought an timex ironman for 30 dollars. It works pretty good for pacing information. You have to click the button every split, but it works for me.

I did a week 4 workout today- that felt fine; I think I'll move up to week 5 next swim and go from there. I like the nice and simple format of it, and all the reminders on form!

Wow, thanks for all the info Todd!

I'm sure I'll be reading and re-reading this several times. I do expect in the next month to start putting the different legs of this together more. Currently I've only done some running after biking. I have not followed a swim session up with anything yet. I know I can *individually* ballpark what I can do in each leg, but I'm sure putting them all together will be an entirely different experience!

Right now I'm hoping my "overage" in each training discipline will give me enough oomph to get me through the three when combined!

You are pretty well correct Matt. A lot of people believed that you had to do all these brick workouts, but now more and more are believing that besides the occasional brick that you are better suited to do a long session of whatever discipline you are doing then the brick. I rarely do any brick workouts now and when I do, it just kind of to gauge where I am and how I feel at the start of the next leg. For instance, now if I just want to test out the legs after a long ride, I go for around a 1/2 mile jog and nothing more.

My Heart Rate Monitor is water proof and I use the stop watch function during swims

Todd's pretty well nailed it, but my 2c worth...

I've used my heart rate monitor (it's a Polar and records heartrate underwateras well as in air...cool little extra they offer) and recorded times for a lot of my swims, I've found this link very useful: www.swimsmooth.com/training.html. I saw the swimsmooth link in Kristen's thread too, it's a great resource.

More recently I've started training one squad morning-there are a few of us adult swimmers and also some young guns, so it's not really a masters group, but it works well. The coach pushes us to go a lot further and faster than we would otherwise, and gives us a lot of guidance on form. It's been a real boost to my swim fitness and I highly recommend squad/masters swimming if you can find a group. 

Edited by Taringa 2014-06-06 6:16 AM

so, a question I am sure has cmoe up many times, but here we go again.

I'd really like to work up to 3X a week for each of the 3 sports. Being a math genius, I realize that that means 9 workouts over 7 days, and that's with no rest day- which leads us to two workouts on some days.

If you do that- how do you schedule them? Do you always do the same two together, always biking and swimming for example, or rotate them? One morning/one evening? brick them? Or am I crazy for trying to get that much in?

I have the usual scheduling issues- I have to work around the kids, work, and pool open times. Pool times being the most constraining sicne I swim at the college pool and it is only open certain times of the day. Any thoughts or suggestions?

To do a 3x balanced training, you have ro double up.
To get a rest day, you have to double up at least 3 days.

I typically do morning/ evening workouts during the week but back to back on the weekends due to kids schedule.
I usually
swim mornings, run evenings
swim followed by a run
I ran then biked last week and that was hard.

Try different combos and see what works for you.
My weekend swim was a class so whether I biked or run or both depended on my family's schedule. It is hard but doable.

You should have a rest day in there some where.


Edited by Lovey 2014-06-06 10:16 AM

Nancy, you said a lot when you were talking about scheduling issues. I think the first thing to do is assess what you can not do on what days or at what times, and what has to be done on a certain date or time. (I like to take out a calendar and mark things down and off like that when I am making my plans. If you have a plan through BT, who can go to that calendar and actually move around the workouts to suit your schedule). Ok so now that you know what you can't do you or have to do, start filling in the blanks. There is nothing wrong with having two workouts on one day, but try to make sure that if one discipline is a long workout the other is a short workout. You can do bricks but once again don't over do it. The biggest thing with training is to make sure that you don't get over use injuries. You don't have to do nine workouts a week, you may need to start with six. When you need to give up a workout or go less one week or on a more permanent bases I knock off the one that I feel affects my training the least and that I'm comfortable with (for me swimming). I really try to get in three runs, three bikes, and at least two swims. The bikes and runs are typical short, medium, and long (which depend on where I'm at in training) For instance this week I ran 3, 2, and will do 4.5 this weekend. I biked 11, 16, and will do 30ish this weekend. You will find that a lot of balancing has to take place, but little things can be done on your part to make it work and do so easier. Wake up earlier and run or swim, get a trainer for the bike so you can ride before or after the kids sleep, get a treadmill to run on before or after the kids sleep. Some days are not going to work and you are going to miss a workout, that's life. Don't stress or try to double up the next day. I was also told a while back that you can almost fabricate a rest day by the way your plan is set up. Example - You swim Monday Morning at 6 a.m. and then Run or Ride Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., you have effectively given yourself over a one day rest while working out two days in a row. The other thing is to listen to your body, just because it's on the calendar does not mean that it should be done. I'm not saying to give up a workout because your a little sore, but to many push when they should back off and injure themselves. Your schedule is your schedule and can be whatever you make of it. Another example is other than swimming I don't like to run or bike two days in a row. I will also at the peak of my training do 4 rides on week (M,W,F,Sun) and then next week do the same but with the run. I always reserve Saturday and Sunday for my long run and long ride, which are usually done very early to allow for house work and family time the rest of each day. I hope this helps, I can tell you that I have always kind of gone my own way as far as training, but always looked at plans to serve as a guide / aid for what I would need to do to accomplish the distance I was training for. I hope this answers your question if not let me know.

Does anyone want to throw out a challenge for this weekend?

I try to do a brick once a month just to gauge how my legs will feel after the bike. I hope that is enough.

So far this month so good with daily workouts. I do core/yoga on my rest day. Today may be a bust.

Yesterday I worked late, then got my hair done (4 hours) at my stylist's home, then supermarket shopping in the middle of the night, home by 2 am, unpacked groceries, repacked gym bag for this morning (I was still hoping), then off to bed by 2:45 am.

I woke up so exhausted and decided to just shorten my workout but opted out because I realized I have to go to work half day, pick up kid early from school and have a 4 hour drive to his lacrosse tournament location. Team meetings and dinner.

I don't see a workout in here. Maybe some core work before bed.

Tracy, I don't know how you have time to breathe in that scenario!

Edited by Hunting Triathlete 2014-06-06 10:31 AM

Does doing my 1st open-water swim count as a challenge? The weather looks good here and I think the water will be warm enough. No excuses, right?

I feel pretty lucky - my sister-in-law lives on a small lake which is less than 10 miles away from me. We keep kayaks there so my plan is to have another family member paddle with me as I swim *keeping an extra life jacket and rope* with them just in case! We'll have a GPS watch in the boat for time / distance measurement. I hope to follow the shoreline in one direction for 400 yards and then turn around. That's my plan anyway!

Edited by mbcoulter 2014-06-06 10:59 AM