ASPHALT JUNKIES Summer Bronzing Crew - CLOSED (Page 79)

I agree with Warren.  If the plan fits your schedule and you enjoy running said schedule, it's the right plan for you.  I also wouldn't disagree with using an elliptical as a method to support running.  We've said that being healthy is the first priority for all of us for a few years now, if an elliptical is the means to that end, it's the way to go.  I wouldn't necessarily count that as running miles but it could very well be the steps in the right direction to get you to where you want to be.

Also, 20 MPW isn't a small amount of miles!  If you are able to consistently run 20 miles a week that will bring you to over 1000 miles in a years time.  How many "runners" do you know that actually do that?  And then ride and swim on top of it.  You are no slouch at 20 MPW! 

To reach 20 MPW you can still apply a sort of Warrens favored 3:2:1 plan, and I would recommend that you do.  If you run 4 days a week start slowly and build to your goal.  You could do something like 2,2,4,6 to start and slowly increase from there.  With the history you've had it may warrant an even slower start to avoid injuries but take your time.  Nothing worth having comes easy, nor should it!  It's in great pains that we learn the significance of our achievements.

One other thing.  Shoes!  I know you love your shoes.  However, I think you should try to settle in on one or two pair and see where they lead.  If I remember correctly you have a lot of shoes that are used.  If you have had a successful pair of shoes that allowed you to run injury free in the past, I suggest you go back to them or the equivalent newer model.  With all of the changes you may be doing with shoes it may be compounding any issues you have.  If I am incorrect in my recollection that you have more than 2-3 pair of shoes you run in, and have for a while, disregard my comments.

I'm dying here!!!!!

It seems the trauma to my knee from the bike crash is more than I thought originally.  I had been doing well until this morning.  I had ridden last night and rode only moderately hard to allow some additional recover in my legs after feeling some ridiculous pain last weekend.  I had only ridden 25 miles yesterday but awoke to swelling in my knee this morning.  There wasn't a lot of swelling but it was somewhat painful for the walk down the stairs and the first 30-60 minutes today.  After that things loosened up and seem to be close to normal.

My treatment is to go back onto Nsaids and not run or ride tonight, then attempt to resume training tomorrow night.  I am just over 2 weeks away from my last scheduled race of the year (a HM) and I have been hoping to have a solid PR.  I have not done a stand alone HM for almost 2.5 years and I would really love to see if I've gained much at this distance.  On May 11, 2011 I went 1:33:20 over a moderately hilly course which was a 4:40 improvement over my last HM.  I am/was looking for under 1:30 and I may go out at a 1:28 pace (6:43).  this would likely be a near blow up pace if I chose to go out that fast.  But you never know what you can do until you push harder than you thought you could.

Welcome home, KARL!   Can't help you out with your questions on a new bike but I can sure be excited about it for you!

I get the feeling you like Bon Jovi just a wee bit, JOANNE.  

Nice to see you pop in here JEFF, you've been quite for a while and I've missed your sage advice.

DINA -  the guys gave you sound advice on your run milage questions.   If it were me, I'd try to find my happy place in running again - whether that be logging 2 miles in a week or 30.   I'm just hoping your body will heal enough that you can enjoy it again.

WILL - how are you handling life with B2B coming up next month?   Are you able to sleep at all or do you keep going over all the little details in your head?

TONY was absolutely right when he said that every single day I would think about something to do with IMWI.    I'm so in trouble ...  I was having a conversation with our mailman today and he asked me how old I was and I told him my racing age NEXT YEAR!!   It wasn't until he drove away that it hit me that wasn't right but that I'd been thinking of the age they'll body mark me next September.   Oh, boy, I'm already loosing my mind.  

I do want to stay w/ an Aluminum frame becuase the 2 or 3 oz I save is not worth the $$$ to me.

Aluminum vs Carbon isn't a huge difference in price.  If I had more money I would likely be riding carbon because it can be a smoother ride but my 2 aluminum bikes seem to bode well with me.  If you have questions about how fast a person can be on aluminum vs carbon I'll allow you to decide if the speeds I achieve on totally bottom end bikes are fast enough or is carbon worth the money.  For me, right now carbon isn't worth the money (and budget committee approval/arguments/battles and happiness of not being the one to always ask for something bigger and better).  "........contentment is great gain."  I chose to be content.

1, Is there a huge difference in Shimano 105 and Ultegra, is it worth the $$$$?

 I would not go the extra mile for any speed here.  Make the cheaper purchase (which would be the 105 group).  For the most part you would be paying for something that is lighter by a few grams.

2. Gearing, what is the 50 - 34 or whatever it is and what is best. I live in FL and bike some in Georgia with rolling hills, but nothing like Tennessee or Montana.

As Tony mentioned, 50/34 or 52/38 (what I ride) are the teeth on the chain rings up front.  I am going to guess you are riding a double crank instead of a triple too.  Stick with that unless you decide to ride some of the more hilly areas of Georgia and Tennessee, then a triple may be in order.  Even so, you can get around some of the necessity for this by purchasing a different cassette.

3. What about teeth in the gears or is that the same as #2 above.  Ya'll were discussing that w/ Tony for his Ironman and to be honest, it went in 1 ear and out the other.

Simply put the gear rings at the front are called chain rings and the gearing at the back is called a cassette.  For each of the gearing rings on the front and back will have a set number of teeth.  Counting these teeth will determine your gearing.  The front is easily determined, as stated in question one.  The cassette on the back is sized by giving the smallest number of teeth and the largest number of teeth.  So, on my TT bike, I ride a 12/25 cassette.  Meaning 12 teeth on the smallest cog and 25 teeth on the largest cog.

4. What kind of rims do I need and remember I'll never place in a race.

I'll let others comment here for the most part.  But, find a rim that is lightweight for the most part.  You can get deepset carbon wheels for some free speed but it would cost close to $1,000 for the cheapest sets.  I suggest you find an alloy wheel for cheaper since you don't want to break the bank.

What I'm looking for is something dependable that will not constantly be in the shop for tweaking... I want the diesel model, not the high peformance blow up model. What else should I ask at the shops?

This is a great video.  I am going to forward it to a couple of people I've been talking to about this principle that you began a few years ago and we've been successfully reinforcing since.  They seem to look at me funny every time I tell them this concept and then they leave and go run hard for all or most of their runs and come in and tell me how their feet or legs or..... hurt after running.........

..........I keep hitting myself with this hammer and it keeps hurting!  What should I do?"  I say; "keep hitting yourself with a hammer!"

I've been told that same concept except it was climbing a ladder.  Great news it is clicking! I also always think the one arm drills help me focus and think through the movements.

I give you credit for sticking with it. Watching and working with my friend who wants to attempt the HIM next year I have realized how difficult it can be. She can run a marathon in just a little over 3 hours but 400 yds in the pool exhausts her. I did not go through this, swimming has always been natural for me. My first time swimming for fitness as an adult I jumped in the pool and swam 10 laps straight. A mile in the workout no problem. I'm not bragging because I am not fast but it is hard to understand how she is struggling.  I compare it to my running. She gets frustrated but I told her "look, I've been working at running for 20 years. When you've put in that kind of time and still struggle, then you can quit."