Ernesto's group - CLOSED (Page 79)

All I could fit in was 30 min on the drainer at 11:30 PM.

Gabe 28 days, 37:57'43"

Mark 29 days, 36:18':46"

Chris 27 days, 33:01'40"

Jackie 28 days, 33:05'39" (I think my total yesterday was wrong)

Ernesto 28 days, 30:45'17"

Barry 28 days 23:04'24"

Mitch 28 days, 18:54'00"

Scott 26 days, 19:40'50"

Jennie 26 days, 16:05'30"

Thanks Gabe! I don't know about the blast thing, there has been too many of them in Colombia , but I will try to have a good time!

'See you' all, in virtual sense, from Colombia! Salud!

I planned on getting my bike set up on my trainer last night.  I had bought a used wheel from a bike shop and a new 9 speed cassette from REI.  All I had to do was install the cassette and put my trainer tire on the wheel.  Never that easy.  The cassette went on very easy.  Glad to finally know how to do that.  The trainer tire is always a b$tch and the first time I installed it I had pinched the tube below the bead and the tube popped once inflated.  The second, third, and so on times I couldn't get the bead to sit properly in the rim...leaving me with a very pronounced low spot on the tire.  I ultimately gave up and will try again tonight - read online that spraying some soapy water on th sidewall of the tire can help it slide into place better.  We'll see....Very frustrating.

So this morning - I ran very slowly on the treadmill (30 minutes).  I agree with Chris - lots of aches and pains at this point.  I got my 100 miles for the month though (the November challenge and the 100 mile milestone are all that got me up this morning to workout).

Gabe 28 days, 37:57'43"

Mark 29 days, 36:18':46"

Chris 27 days, 33:01'40"

Jackie 28 days, 33:05'39"

Ernesto 28 days, 30:45'17"

Barry 28 days 23:04'24"

Mitch 29 days, 19:24'00"

Scott 26 days, 19:40'50"

Jennie 26 days, 16:05'30"

Does anyone have a good Half Marathon training plan or alternatively has anyone used the BT plan and willing to share their thougts?  I'm trying to put together my winter training that will culminate with a half-marathon on April 14th. 

I plan on starting the Jorge Winter Cycling program next week and that will finish up at the end of March.  That will be 3 days of cycling per week with an optional longer endurance ride on the weekend.  I also plan to start layering in swimming - 30 minutes 2 to 3 times a week until I get "used" to swimming again - then maybe increasing the amount of time. 

Thanks!  I've been in a similar situation before (and failed) but was hoping by training smarter I could handle the half-marathon plan on top of biking/swimming.  In the past I had an inordinate amount of minutes in zone 3 and 4 for my workouts compared to the last few months that are predominantly zone 2 with a small amount in zone 4 Thank you Ernesto).  I agree that it is hard to do and was thinking of converting some of the runs into bike workouts?

Well, the teammate that I train the most with is a heck of a runner and a part time triathlete (16 years of triathlons but only in the summer). He completely abandons swimming in the off season, and I have heard that in many training plans, like Endurance Nation coaches. The other thing that he does is replace some long runs with long rides, which you can do for much longer at the same HR, with much less impact (a four hour ride at 150BPM is normal but a four hour run at 150BPM is suicidal).

Therefore, you get the same aerobic training that will help you in the late miles of the marathon/half without the taxing and you get the specific run training from running (some) long runs, tempo, speed and fillers.

A custom plan can be put together, no biggie. We just need to discuss time availability (in realistic terms) and goals.

Today just a short 4 mile run in 33'06" between work and a dentist appt.

Gabe 28 days, 37:57'43"

Mark 29 days, 36:18':46"

Chris 29 days, 34:50'41"

Jackie 28 days, 33:05'39"

Ernesto 29 days, 31:19'23"

Barry 28 days 23:04'24"

Mitch 29 days, 19:24'00"

Scott 26 days, 19:40'50"

Jennie 26 days, 16:05'30"

One more day!! I can't believe it, everybody has done awesome.

Indoor bike ride on the trainer for me this evening.  16.39 miles in 1:04:39 (spinervals 18.0).  Jennie's feet are taped up from her visit to the podiatrist, so I'm just trying to help her hang in there until we can get her new shoes and possibly some custom orthotics.

Gabe 28 days, 37:57'43"

Mark 29 days, 36:18':46"

Chris 29 days, 34:50'41"

Jackie 28 days, 33:05'39"

Ernesto 29 days, 31:19'23"

Barry 28 days 23:04'24"

Mitch 29 days, 19:24'00"

Scott 29 days, 22:12'35"

Jennie 29 days, 16:05'30"

Hey gang, its almost over!  Chris, I hear you on being tired about the challenge and looking forward to having rest days again.  I unfortunately need to figure out a way to keep myself motivated as I need to keep the November challenge going all the way through May 19th!  

Today I was able to get a 6.77Mi / 1:03:46 run at lunch time and a 1:00 / 2000mts swim just now.

Gabe 29 days, 40:01'29" 

Mark 29 days, 36:18':46" 

Chris 29 days, 34:50'41" 

Jackie 28 days, 33:05'39" 

Ernesto 28 days, 30:45'17" 

Barry 28 days 23:04'24" 

Mitch 29 days, 19:24'00" 

Scott 26 days, 19:40'50" 

Jennie 26 days, 16:05'30" 

With the end of the challenge right around the corner, there's a few things I would like to mention:

- I believe Mitch takes the (imaginary) prize for the biggest breakthrough, finally walking the walk.

- Barry takes the one for the most incredible workout at 3:30AM.

- Chris takes the prize for the funniest post with the "15 seconds around the kitchen".

- Gabe was the big surprise pulling a stunt a week from the end of the challenge and getting far ahead of the pack, almost out of reach.

- Jackie showed a lot of perseverance, she's getting tougher by leaps and bounds.

- Mark has been extremely dedicated and went for gold despite knowing that he couldn't get the last day in.

- Scott and Jennie started late, but are strongly commited, getting workouts done in extreme weather and taking turns to watch after their sick child.

- I recovered a rythm and the joy of working hard again with work still getting in the middle, not to mention that the challenge blew life into the thread, everybody has been posting lately and I found myself anxious to log my workouts to post my progress to the gang

- Everybody that raced lately has PRd, we must be doing something right.

-We're the fourth busiest thread (out of thirty two) in the mentor program.

- I'm deeply proud of all of you.

Strength training and a 30 min. swim, 950 yards.

Gabe 28 days, 37:57'43"

Mark 29 days, 36:18':46"

Chris 29 days, 34:50'41"

Jackie 28 days, 33:05'39"

Ernesto 29 days, 31:19'23"

Barry 29 days 23:34'24"

Mitch 29 days, 19:24'00"

Scott 29 days, 22:12'35"

Jennie 29 days, 16:05'30"

Gabe 29 days, 40:01'29"

Mark 29 days, 36:18':46"

Jackie 29 days, 34:58'04"

Chris 29 days, 34:50'41"

Ernesto 29 days, 31:19'23"

Barry 29 days 23:34'24"

Mitch 29 days, 19:24'00"

Scott 29 days, 22:12'35"

Jennie 29 days, 16:05'30"

My last November Challenge post!  Hooya!  36 minutes on the bike (mounted on trainer).  Easy spinning - was only planning on 30 minutes but remembered I needed 36 to get to an even 20 hours for November.  Felt good to be back on bike. 

Ernesto - thanks for the kind words, you are right in that my takeaway from this exercise is that consistency and training smart so that you can maintain that consistency are probably two of the most important factors for success in our endeavors.  Learning to not try to go 110% in every workout has been key.  I'm really interested in maintaining the consistency and seeing what effect it will have on my races next year.  Thanks!

Gabe 29 days, 40:01'29"

Mark 29 days, 36:18':46"

Jackie 29 days, 34:58'04"

Chris 29 days, 34:50'41"

Ernesto 29 days, 31:19'23"

Barry 29 days 23:34'24"

Mitch 30 days, 20:00'00"

Scott 29 days, 22:12'35"

Jennie 29 days, 16:05'30"

***BIKE MAINTENANCE NOTE***

So yesterday I posted about the troubles I was having mounting my trainer tire on my rear wheel.  I was getting low spots in the tire because the bead wasn't sitting into the rim properly.  I researched it on the internet and learned a couple things that really worked - I thought I would share with the group for those who don't know these tricks already.

(1) Put some baby powder in a bag and place your tube in the bag - shake the bag coating the tube with a fine layer of baby powder.  This will lessen the chance of the tube getting caught between the tire and the rim and then popping.

(2) Mix up some dish soap and water.  Once the tire is on the rim, put some of the soapy solution on a rag/sponge and run around the tire between the tire and the rim.  This will help the tire slide into the groove on the rim when its inflated.  As I inflated the tire yesterday you could here the tire bead pop into the rim. 

Thanks for letting me share!

And the last day of the challenge is finally here!  Thanks Ernesto for pushing us with the challenge, it was not only productive and fun, but I'm positive we all learned and benefited from doing it.   In my case, I feel better prepared now to tackle the training for IM Texas!

Today, 1:00:50 indoor bike ride!

Gabe 30 days, 41:02'19" 

Mark 29 days, 36:18':46" 

Chris 30 days, 36:08'03" 

Jackie 29 days, 34:58'04" 

Ernesto 29 days, 31:19'23" 

Barry 29 days 23:34'24" 

Mitch 30 days, 20:00'00" 

Scott 29 days, 22:12'35" 

Jennie 29 days, 16:05'30" 

Make sure you schedule days off now. All that training that Ironman requires needs adequate rest too. The two key sessions in Ironman training are one long ride and one long run a week. The rest are fillers, swimming twice a week (at the very minimum) is also needed.

Since you're training with an EN plan, you have probably noticed that they recommend a day off between the long run and the long ride, unlike the traditional Saturday ride and Sunday long run.

I found the latter to work but I never had a chance to try the Thursday long run; but everybody that I know that does that has very fast marathons in Ironman. Food for thought...

You are just too damn funny!  I've been laughing for the last 20 minutes!  If you ever need another job, standup comedy would be my vote.

Now please give me some serious feedback about the half or I'm going to complain to our mentor.  And then I might run around the kitchen for 30 seconds.

Done!!! I am happy that I was able to do it all, I must confess I am not really happy about that one day I took off before the Trot, it looks like a fly in the soup of my perfectly pink training squares in my log, but it was within the rules. Tomorrow and Friday off, I need my body to catch up so I can run a decent race on Sunday.

BTW, today another four miler at subtempo pace in 31'10".

Gabe 30 days, 41:02'19" 

Mark 29 days, 36:18':46" 

Chris 30 days, 36:08'03" 

Jackie 29 days, 34:58'04" 

Ernesto 30 days, 31:49'33" 

Barry 29 days 23:34'24" 

Mitch 30 days, 20:00'00" 

Scott 29 days, 22:12'35" 

Jennie 29 days, 16:05'30" 

Good run for me today...6.4 miles in 51:02.  Avg HR 145.

Gabe 30 days, 41:02'19"

Mark 29 days, 36:18':46"

Chris 30 days, 36:08'03"

Jackie 29 days, 34:58'04"

Ernesto 30 days, 31:49'33"

Barry 29 days 23:34'24"

Mitch 30 days, 20:00'00"

Scott 30 days, 23:03'37"

Jennie 29 days, 16:05'30"