GrooveTime!group - CLOSED!!! (Page 75)

LOL - If you only knew how close that was to the truth...ha more like trapezeing over blow downs (from the big wind this past weekend) at the bottom and in the middle of steep hills on narrow trails.  We had some very comedic wipe-outs and no bashed shins, so it was a success.  No good pictures of that though since I was part of the entertainment. 

Steve - help me set my neurotic mind at ease...I missed two long runs (10, 12) because of my calf issues, which seem to be fairly well resolved at this point - active (non-running) rest helped a lot. My major concern is re-injuring that calf, because I am sure that it has just quieted down, not gone away.  I did my middle distance runs, and ran my scheduled interval runs just as short easy runs (just to get out and test the calf).  I have 800 meter intervals, 6 mile tempo, and 13 LSD planned for this week, plus the biking and maybe a SWIM!!! YEAH.  SO - 1) I didn't screw up my marathon plans too much by skipping those two longer runs, did I? 2) Should I ramp back up to where I was? (thinking re-injury). Maybe I should lay off the intervals?  What would you do?

What I want to do is just do it all of course, like nothing ever happened (lalalala fingers in my ears).  I am a ram, I just put my head down and go, think about it later and say to myself, you know, that really wasn't very smart.  Reign me in if need be.

Cheers,
Mandy

Chile connection update -

Good news: my buddy Nick is accounted for in Chile.  He is on the Futalafu River guiding a multi-day trip (remote, no communications) and might not even be aware there was an earthquake - the place he works said they didn't feel a thing, and neither did the valley where he is.  He comes off the river Friday, but we are pretty sure he is good. 
Bad News: My friends family in Concepcion (you know, where the riots and looting and tear gas is?) we don't know about yet.  I am sure it is hard to get communications out right now, so I am hoping that is all it is. 

Thanks for the positive GrooveTime thoughts!

Mandy

Hi,

It's 37F and sunny here.  Everybody's walking around with big smiles.

Mandy - That's got to be scary - not knowing what's going on.

Diane - I live 2 blocks from the Paul Bunyan trail (110 miles long).  Most of it is sheltered by trees in our area-  so the wind isn't really a problem.  It's really great to bike/run on.  HOWEVER, the snowmobilers have it now.  The snow and ice won't be gone for another month probably.  Makes it hard to train outside for an early spring tri

Lisa - Is that the daughter that's an actress?

Hi,

Two goals for when I can bike outside:

1.  Get my clip-in/out working - I've been practicing on my trainer

2.  Running mount/dismount  -  I'm afraid of this but I've found some videos to study.


If I'm going to be practicing these 2 things, I feel like I should pad my entire body - haha

Denise

Denise,

I have the same goals, been trying it on the trainer, scared of the running mount/dismount, and have the same need for padding.  I wish I could find a field of Nerf to practice in....I am thinking I should video me trying either or both of these and I could make some good money on Funniest Videos or whatever it is called.  :P

Mandy

Hey all,

Great weekend of training and "recovery".  Bailed on the St. George trip, and stayed at home.

Friday:
swim/run as per normal for an early morning.  I knew I'd do my long run on Saturday, but wanted to get the miles in, so I ran Friday as well. 

Saturday:  gardened/trainer/run brick.  After the morning rains stopped, I dug holes for the gardenias in the front yard then headed to the trainer.  Half hour trainer then 1.5 hour run.  Plan was to do two hours, but I was running in a torrential downpour and after about 1.5 hours, could not get warm - started to shiver a bit on the downhill from Dixie Canyon.  I know, I said I'd back off the hill work, but, hey, I'm me - it's what I do.  LOL.  Anyway, shoes were very heavy from being waterlogged, and it was cold as hell, so I called it a day after about 10.5 miles.  Went home, ate and took a nap!  Woo-hoo!

Sunday:  Rode 69 miles, then half hour run brick.  Ride was very tough - legs were sore from the prior two days of running, and I hit Topanga Canyon 2x - 3,900 feet in climbing total.  It was a great workout in that it was physically challenging, but more of a mental challenge.  On the second climb of Topanga, I was out of gear quickly on the initial, steep climb.  It was funny, I was talking out loud to myself, "Stay calm, don't panic.   Keep turning, keep breathing.  Rock the bike, keep your line straight, look out for that car."  Brick was very uncomfortable.  Front of shins (the muscle, not the bone at all) was very tight and hurt like a son of a gun for about two miles.  Slowed me quite a bit - overall pace was down to 9-minute miles.  But it started to loosen up toward the end.  I think the third straight day of running was a bit much for the legs though, and I paid for it the last 10-minutes.  I had hoped to go further, but I was done with the first loop and my gait was not very smooth, so I called it a day as well.  Got a massage, installed a new sprinkler timer, and did some quality couch time.

This week will be a weird schedule.  Headed to visit mom and dad this weekend, so no long ride this weekend.  Will focus on trainer rides and swimming today - Wednesday, Thursday is a travel day, and then long runs on the country roads of Knoxville over the weekend. 

Running mount/dismount....I'm with you on that.  I think I've allocated that to the "If I should ever find myself in the general vicinity of maybe making a podium or a Kona slot one day, I'll need to learn to do this."  Same with peeing while riding the bike.  Until then, I'm deferring to my more klutzy and sanitary nature - I can just see me taking myself and 10 other riders out with this maneuver!  The mount/dismount - not the peeing.  LOL.

LOL oh man, I never even thought of peeing while riding (I guess I better look out next time I go to pass someone) haha.  Do people really do that? I mean, how does a guy not tip over, and well, I can't figure out how you would do it as a girl without just peeing in your britches....

Yep, whole threads about it on the IM distance forums.  I think consensus is that you pick up an extra water bottle on the road, let it rip then rinse off with the extra water.  As I am no threat for podium, Kona slot, or breaking 13 hours, I plan on getting off the bike, maybe reading the paper, having a sandwich, taking a nap....

whoa! I have to read those - I just never thought of that - I mean it is obvious, but I just didn't think about it.  Huh.  Ha.  Yeah, I am with you.

Hi,

I'm so slow that a running mount/dismount won't do much for my time - I just want to look cool - haha

Denise

Hi STEVE:

You gave me this great piece of advice a while back but I have to admit I've yet to try it (out of sheer laziness!) I promise I'll give this a try before my next 5-miler in a couple of weeks and will report back to you!

Thanks,

Tracey

Thanks MARK.

Makes my decision tougher! I may go see if I can test one out somewhere before taking the plunge. If I love it, I'm gonna grab it. If not, I think I'm going to go with the Fuji Roubaix road bike.

Thanks!

So glad to hear the good news Mandy!

"2. Running mount/dismount - I'm afraid of this but I've found some videos to study."

I'd better figure out what this means if I'm even thinking of getting a tri bike.

Tracey

TRACEY -

I'll start with you, which will be an easy response --- don't worry about the fancy mount/dismount REGARDLESS of what bike you get!
The vast majority of triathletes mount and dismount very conventionally, even those who have terrifically jaw-dropping bikes.

I do a full fancy dismount, but only a modified running/leaping/flying mount (and I'll explain this at-large later, now that it's come up as a topic), and I pay attention to how others do this stuff. Really and truly, it's unusual to be tricky with how one gets on and off their bikes at races. Trust me!

MANDY -

A neurotic mind, eh? Maybe I can help with that. (It takes one to know one?? )

First and foremost, scrap the intervals, and maybe too the tempo run. But definitely the intervals! Even if you are viewing Sugarloaf as a Boston qualifier, you don't need the intervals at this point, and adding that intensity just increases the chances that you will further strain/pull/tear/whatever your calf.

Second, in general, you can either adjust your intensity or your distance, and with the previous comment firmly in your mind, you can tell which way I'm leaning! And, for a while still, that's the way I'd keep it.

I'm looking at Basic Marathon Training program from the Canada Running Series, and this program "is designed for the first-time marathoner who wants to RUN the classic 42.2km distance.......There are no short cuts!" So, does this sound like you? I can't remember if this is your firts marathon, and if not that might change things a bit. However, injuries often cause one to downscale their goals and/or training plans a bit, and even if you have done a marathon or two or few before, the training plan I'm looking at might be suitable for your calf-compromised position.

Sugarloaf is 11 weeks away, which in the 14-week plan I'm viewing puts you at Week 3 -- which has as its long run a 13-miler. For the record, here is the long-run sequence for the whole 14 weeks: 6 - 10 - 13 - 13 - 13 - 16 - 16 - 13 - 16 - 13 - 19 - 22 - 10 - race. Yeah, that's kind of an odd one in my eyes, too, but not by a whole lot. But one thing that seems a bit strnage is the three straight weeks of 13-mile long runs, and it seems that for you it would be okay to slide back to another 10-miler this coming weekend, rather than the planned 13. The program in front of me, calls for the jump from 10 to 13 anyhow, so if you have any worries about the calf it might be best to just delay that jump by a week.

This si aplan that calls for 5 runs/week, with the bonafide long run on a Sunday and the secondary longish run on the Tuesday. Those are filled with 10s and 13s, and in fact weeks 6-11 are secondary runs of 13 miles. 13-13-13-13-13-13! Boring? Maybe slightly?

Anyhow, NO, I don't think you screwed up your marathon plans too much. You suffered a slight setback,, but with a whole 11 weeks until Sugarloaf, you have lots of times to adjust and compensate. No need to worry at all, to be sure! Re-wrap your neurotic mind and stow it away for some future situation!

The good thing about marathon plans is that there are about as many of them as there are stars in the Milky Way, so it's kind of like statistics --- you can always find something to support your argument or position! And that's what I just gave you -- a plan that doesn't emphasize big miles this far out from race day.

Another thing this plan has is no speed work until week 10 -- and not even fartleks until week 9. So if you need a supporting position for scraping the intervals this week, there you go!

I'm of the school wherein speedwork isn't emphasized unless it is going to be employed in the race itself. That comes from me having a lurid history of injuring myself when I do speedwork, so 83 times bitten, I figure it's time to take heed. What this means for me is that I NEVER do speedwork for runs that would be anything more than 10 miles. I will do long TEMPO RUNS often, but I avoid anything in which I have to accelerate dramatically and/or alter my stride perceptibly. This doesn't mean that in sprints and olys I won't crank things up a notch if necessary, but even though my running speed is pretty good, that is more through sustained effort/tempo than from bursts of speed.

Finally, a general rule of thumb is to not try to make up lost workouts, unless they are absolutely key ones. But in situations of long runs, I think it is prudent to take the step or two back -- especially when there is still lots of time before the race. Looking at the schedule of long runs above, I think it would really risk re-injury oif you went from a long run of 10 miles and then bopped right up to the 16-miler. I mean, that just goes WAY beyond the 10% guidelines that are just generally so smart to follow. wsa your last long run a 10-miler? Then if so you should PROBABLY stay around 10-11.5 for the next one, which is why I suggested allowing yourself another wek at the 10 before going to the 13er. Makes sense? At all?

Finally-finally, I love your self-description ---- "lalalala fingers in my ears.....I am a ram.....say to myself, you know, that really wasn't vey smart......" Believe me -- I've been there, done that!!

Ha ha - love it...

Thank you so much! I am glad to hear that I am still on track...I was trying to do the FIRST plan, but you convinced me to change to a more traditional program with emphasis on mileage, not so much speed - I reviewed my goals, they are as follows: 1) I want to get to the race healthy, 2) finish the race, 3) PR, 4) BQ - in that order.  SO, if I don't BQ, I am not all that dissapointed because it is a pie in the sky goal, but if I can't even get to the race (or finish the race) because of injury, I am one bummed out girl.  PR would be cool, but again, I want to run the race.  This is going to be my 5th marathon, but it has been 2 years since I did 26.2 (I call that one my Goofy Challenge Debacle - yes I finished both races, no, it wasn't in any way a pretty thing)...so it has been a while. 

I am Googling the program you suggested so I can take a look.  Thanks for that!  My last long run was 12 miles.  SO I won't go further than that this week (staying at my last long mileage as you suggested, and it sets me up well for 13 and still within the 10% rule that I might have been ignoring).

Off to internet world to check out some different programs...

Thanks again, you are awesome!

Mandy

Kasia,
I too am a bit weird shaped for some bikes.  Be sure to set aside some budget to get fitted for the bike.  If you're choosing between two stores/bikes, you may also want to give some weight to the one that gives you the best attention to fitting the bike to your body.  If they are just sitting you on a bike and saying, "yep, that's the one for you", you may want to consider another shop.  If they're not doing some basic checks on saddle height, reach, etc., you can likely get better service and fit elsewhere.

STEVE B

On your bio, you wrote: 2010 RACES: As with last year at this time, nothing is carved in stone; things should take shape within the next few weeks. Broadly, though, there will be 2-3 half-irons, 3-5 olympics, a couple of sprints..... and maybe one full iron, which would be my first since '05 (my first one was IMLP in '04). I am committing myself to racing no more than 10 times in '10, spending more time training seriously and purposefully. And as my body is hardly bionic (read: I am somewhat injury-prone), there's a lot to be said by keeping races short(er), so my heart is not exactly set on an iron. Stay tuned for further developments!

I can't recall if you posted an updated schedule and with 90+ pages, I can't imagine the skimming necessary to find it.  Any updates on your race schedule this year and where we can see some of those podium photos coming from? 

STEVE -

Maybe just to amuse you all and torment myself, I'll post my current top-three, fave-rave possible schedules. When I set these things up, and then mull them over, and then shuffle them around, and do it ad nauseum, I begin to feel like a character from a Kafka story.

So, stay tuned!

(Stay tuned for what? Either schedules, or me turning into a cockroach? )

MANDY -

The website for that is www.canadarunningseries.com/crs/training/basicmar.htm

Reading about your marathon experience (but still want to know more about the Goofy Challenge debacle!!), a "basic" schedule might not fully satisfy you......but injuries can change one's goals some. So, have a look at it and see if it will suffice.

STEVE again -

Ah! I just discovered your various ones from a day or two ago!

Nice bit of weekend work for you -- and I'm thinking about tri stuff, not gardenias and sprinkler timers (although well done with those, too!).

What you did this weekend may not have been SG recon, but you certainly went well beyond that in what you accomplished. SG would've been good for your mind, but what you managed at home awas GREAT for your body. There was some heavy-duty stuff there!

What you say about the shin discomfort is much more along the lines of shin splints than a stress fracture. (WHEW!!!!) The fact that it was more soft-tissue AND that it improved as the run progressed is the m.o. of "shin splints", whereas a s.f. would have it get more and more debilitating the further you ran. Plus, of course, that you feel right along the bone -- no mistakes there!

Long runs around Knoxville, eh? I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but the toughest HIM I have done was Atomicman (right near Oak Ridge) in Sept. '02. Not only was my drive to and from sheer insanity, but I seriously messed up my wheels in a near-crash riding the course the day before. While I managed to get it into a bike shop in Knoxville and thought it was fixed, it created huge problems on race day. It was a real drain on me, and that translated into a big meltdown on the run -- my hairiest one ever. Had it not been for Hammer Gel at the ~mile 4 aid station, I might still be on that course! As near as I can tell, there aren't too many flat areas within about 700 miles of Knoxville, so you ought to get in some nice hilly runs. Give my regards to a part of the world that kicked my tokhis at Atomicman!

PEEING ON THE BIKE

Even though I didn't bring it up, I'm more than happy to contribute! And not only will I contribute, but I will elevate the discussion to include peeing in a wetsuit. This is what being a Full Service Mentor is all about, right? Elevating the discussions to undreamed-of heights?

In short, I have never done the former but frequently do the latter. And Steve's right about the proper way to pee on the bike (is that an oxymoron?), which is to be unobtrusive about it and to water-dowse after the fact. Most people apparently are unobtrusive, but many will just forego the formal rinsing and count on by-product rinsing happening through drinking/sloshing on the run.

I was all set to pee on the bike at IMLP, but after much mental wrestling betweeen miles 60 and 67, say, I opted instead for some bushes alongside a roadside rest area. I had good company there, with about 10 other like-minded souls. No regrets, really, although sometimes I think it is one of those rites of passage in becoming a true triathlete.

As for peeing in the wetsuit, all I can say is that once you do it, it makes sense just about every race. Those loooooong lines at the porta-potties? No problem! Just save the aggravation and do it in the water, in the wetsuit. Out of respect for my fellow competitors, I will do it as soon as I enter the water, and away from them. This means, ideally, during a warm-up swim, but if we are just marcshaled in and given two minutes befeore the horn blows, then I'll remove myself away from the masss and then sidle back to where I want to me in time for the start.

Next confesssion?

MANDY -

Two unrelated thoughts:
(1) Good news about Nick.....and hope to feel that the Concepcion connection is fine, just incommunicado at the moment.
(2) Have you seen the logo for the new L-A Duathlon? (It's a Tri-Maine race, so if you are on their mailing list you have seen it.) I'm a logo fanatic, and that one I like a lot. I also like old New England mill districts, and that is nicely featured in the L-A Du logo. When I first moved to manchester, NH, in '81 I lived in appartments that were being created in the old mill buildings. At that time the reconstituted mill scene of Manchester was just embryonic, and that area was a boit sketchy, but I really loved living in those buildings that fairly bled history -- even if that history was exploitative and not any too pleasant.