Alta's Group - FULL (Page 7)

hey everyone! judytag, if you're doing a sprint or oly then want to add another soon afterwards...maybe wait about a month in between...guess it really depends on how you feel. it's good to do a 2 week recovery afterwards (for sprint/oly) with another build/peak...what races are you considering? frsully, know exactly what you mean about the winter blues...it took every bit of energy to get on my indoor trainer this past Sat (did a 4 hr indoor ride - mind numbing...bor-ring....i need to be outside!)

hey frsully - so sorry to hear that you have the blues. this is very normal & common to all athletes because we thrive on the sport - hang in there! what helps me when i get down is that i train with people...i find anyone who will hang out and do some low-key work. so sorry to hear that your injury is getting to you. when the pros have down-time from injuries, they use the time to focus & really work on technique in areas where it won't impact the injury. do high cadence spin ups or ladders on the bike...swim technique, etc. using the time to your advantage with focused technique work may help you get through the blues AND it will probably make you faster!!! let us know how you're doing....

Hello all! I completed the ING Miami Half Marathon yesterday. It was a brutal day. It started pouring down rain 30 minutes before the race started and drenched everyone. It stopped about 15 minutes after the race started. Despite some chaffing issues and soggy running shoes for the entire race, I managed to finish. 2:29:41. Not my best by any stretch, but I finished. I'm taking a day off today and will get back into the training tomorrow.

Hi Rocko - Congratulations!!!! Great job!!! - it's only January so your time is great!!! How do the legs feel???? Get some well deserved rest!!! Awesome!

Way to go Rocko!  You should be proud!  Your conditions were a bit different then your training so your time will differ a bit, but in all it is still a good time! 

Rocko!!!

Rocko,

Congrats on finishing the half! Sorry the conditions weren't better for you. (Actually, sounds kind of miserable to run while soaking wet...can you tell I don't have a lot of real world experience? LOL)

Hello everyone, figure with January coming to a close it would be a good time for a roll call of sorts....who is still around? how is training/racing going? Did you meet or exceed your January expectations?

Me, I am still here....riding and running a lot, swim--not so. But, I did just join a club and can probably get 2, 3 swims a week in during lunchtime now--not to mention run on an indoor track (beats treadmill when theres snow and ice out there). I have even managed to lose a couple pounds, but I am sure they will come back with Super Bowl festivities.

But for the last 7 days I am pretty happy with where I am right now. Work has been really busy this past week or so, and I have cut some corners (like stretching, situps). Things are looking up though, especially with new healthclub membership. That and I finally got my new wheels together, pity to use on a trainer, but they sure seem faster. Can't wait for spring and to ride outside.

So whats up with everyone else?

and GO BEARS

Thanks all for the kudos! I've got another one coming up here in 3 weeks. Looking forward to getting a better time hopefully. I've been doing well with the swimming and running. The bike is a different story. I haven't spent much time at all. I'm still looking to find a bike, so in the mean time I will start doing spinning classes and riding on the Trek 1200 trianer at the gym. Gotta start somewhere! I've lost 10 POUNDS since the first of the year! Hopefully, that trend will continue.

Well, for the roll call.......a little update on my progress. I have completed every workout I planned for January!!!! It feels great! On sunday I had a nice long run outside and my achillles were what gave me the most problems...painful during the run and sore afterwards. Also my lower back. If anyone has any suggestions as to how to aviod or remedy this, I would greatly appreiate it. All complaints aside it felt great to run for 50 minutes (after a 35 minute bike) and not be out of breath ONCE!

Now that Feb is upon us I plan to focus on my running - I need to pick up the pace and get outside more often. I also plan to focus on the swimming -form form form. I need to get some drills planned for the pool.

I just downloaded this Nike iTunes treadmill hill/interval training thing, there is a voice that coaches you and music and the whole deal - so I will let you all know how that works out. I have heard wonderful things about it. There are a ton of different workouts that you can download, I suggest you all take a look and find something - it's very motivational and also nice to try something new.

Well good luck to everyone in the coming month!

I'm thrilled with getting through January!! I only missed one workout and was at the gym or on the road 29 out of the last 30 days...very big achievement for me!!

I'm happy with my swim and bike progress, but running continues to be a struggle for me. I guess I just need to push through until it stops being so hard. I've talked to so many people who ran long enough and really started to enjoy and look forward to their runs. Let's hope!

Regarding the low back pain...I have that also. I had a pretty significant low back injury this summer and am seeing a chiropractor for it. The advice I've gotten from her is to ice the low back after running and whenever it starts to feel sore. Also, she really stresses core exercises to strengthen the low back and abs. So far its working for me (as a matter of fact I'm going to ice my back right now.

:::waving to everyone who's sticking with the training:::

Very good month. 29 of 30 is pretty good. I too have back issues every now and then. Core helps, since you strengthen everything around it, but be cautious about what you do core-wise. Ive found that some core exercises tend to flare up my back whereas others dont. With me its anything requiring twisting--i stay far away from that stuff.

Another thing that a PT told me is that in addition to core stuff really stretch the hamstrings, piriformas and hip flexors....often low back problems are exacerbated by tight hamstrings, etc. This REALLY helps.

Hey all, I am about to jump on the drainer to do at least eight minutes on the bike and complete all my goals for January.  Feeling good.  February is going to be hard b/c I will be pulling 10 hr. days in the city leaving my house before six and not getting home until about 8.  Stinky.  I guess I will be doing evening workouts on the treadmill and bike and swim and run and spin on the weekends.  Boo hoo.  I feel really good about my training though and I think squeezing in what I can in Feb will be OK.  Have a great day all.  Julie

Well, I officially started my training on January 15th and so far so good. I only missed one of my scheduled training sessions (but for a a really good reason). I am encouraged and motivated to push knowing everyone else has their share of aches and pains - it makes me feel like I am not alone! I am also pleasantly surprised by my progress. Although I was doing other activities I was not consistently swimming, biking or running prior to committing to this training. It's nice when your cross training pays off a bit.

Shin splints are still my biggest hurdle physically. My double header hockey game on Monday didn't help, but I've got a freezer full of ice cups and I will keep on stretching!!

Thanks to everyone for your stories and encouragement! I'm looking forward to February.
And now if you'll excuse me... I need to get my arse on my bike for my last work out of January!

jt

Edited by judytag 2007-01-31 7:12 PM

Boy, did I jinx myself with talking about my back yesterday. I was feeling fine; I had just spent some time icing my back bacause it was feeling a little sore, then Boom...I got up off the couch and it suddenly felt awful. Last night was probably the worst night I've had with my back even including when I first injured it.

Luckily, it feels better this morning. I went to see my chiropractor and she thankfully doesn't think I have to stop training. She told me not to do my strength training today, and just rest. Tomorrow is bike and swim and she thought that would be fine. So I'm taking today off, and hopefully this flare-up will feel better in a day or two. Yikes!

When I got shin splints playing soccer, the trainer would wrap and tape up my calf from about my knee to my ankle. I know they have sleeves now that you can buy also for compression. That might help to have on when you are training.

HI GROUP!!! I need some help/inspiration here in COLD Iowa!! So here's the deal: I have been swimming 3-6 times a week for more than a month. I have taken 2 lessons with a great swim coach, who says my strokes are GOOD. I strength train 3 times weekly with a trainer. I run and/or bike at least 45 minutes 5-7 days a week as well as swimming. I have a VERY active job. I love endurance sports. BUT... I STILL can't swim distances!! I can go maybe 50 yards without stopping, but then I just seem to be so winded I have to stop! (Yet I can comfortably run a marathon!!). I asked my swim trainer and he didn't give me any answer. So what's the deal?? Should I just keep trying to swim farther without stopping?? What do I do to get some distances into my swims?? Sorry if this is a lame line of questions, but I sure could use your help!! THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH, GANG!!!!!! Stay warm!!!

ridenrundoc,

what is your breathing frequency? i.e. how many strokes before you take a breath? You may be inadvertently doing hypoxic swim training if you are keeping your breathing frequency too low. Try breathing every other stroke if you are not. The other thing about swimming is that the key is efficiency not turnover i.e. you want to get more distance per pool rather than more strokes/ time.

Really work on form and not just banging out distance. It's really not like running or biking where you gain a lot of benefit from just going the distance. Cardio wise you have the base...just work on form...google swim techniqe to get a concept of what ideal form should look like and work with your coach on this. Hope this helps...

THANKS for the breathing idea! I do try to breathe every 4 strokes, but then start switching to every other stroke (well, every time my right arm comes out) as I get winded. I am definitely concentrating on form, and my coach TOTALLY emphasizes gliding along on the outstretched arm. Maybe my form starts to crash as I think I'm getting tired??!! I'll try breathing more often from the beginning, as that sounds like a good idea!!

Checking in... still alive, still nursing ITBS...slooooow progress.

I'm in the same boat--I think its technique as well. Seems real easy to go anaerobic. Swim technique and breathing--exhale everything and get a full inhale. How hard are you pushing it? I couldnt do more than 50 to 100 yds w/o dying until I realized that I as sprinting. Now that I have slowed down a bit I can go much further w/o feeling cashed. Its still a riddle, but at least you have a coach to help you along.

Swimming is a real weak link for me, but that's what Ive noticed.

Hi everyone!

Speaking of swimming...
I downloaded one of the training programs and it only has me swimming twice a week. Then I read the article on the front page about how you should be swimming at least three times a week to prepare for competition. I am training for my first sprint length tri and although I am not definitely not real fast, but so far I can swim 1350 yards pretty comfortably. Should I squeeze in another day?

WHERE IS EVERYONE?????????????

judytag,

Sprint is only 500m swim so not sure how much time gain you will get out of an extra day's worth of swimming. Depends on where you think that you can gain the most time in. If you feel that if you hit another day in the pool would help you the best rather than the bike and run, go for it. I was listening to a great podcast on tri's and it really emphasized practicing transitions. They were saying that to gain a minute's worth of time in transition is the simplest thing you can do versus trying to gain a minute in the swim, the bike, or the run. Makes sense. The most salient point this guy made for me was that for the swim bike transition, everyone log jams right at the transition to jump on their bike. He stated to run past this area and jump on the bike further "downstream" so you bypass all the traffic. Also to make sure that your bike is an easy gear so you can spin up to top speed easily.

Since you can easily surpass the distance for the sprint now. If you do swim, start doing speed sets i.e. banging out intervals of 100's and 200's. You've got the stamina, now it's all about the speed.

Good luck on the sprint. I've got one coming up in less than a month. Yikes.