Marinus' gang - Thanks to a great group! (Page 8)

Hey group - haven't been around for a bit so i'm trying to catch up now.  My run workouts are solid, swim workouts are improving and weight training is consistent.  Even got to run otuside a few times when it was about 40F.   Nice job on the 5 min PR.   I'm gettting a strong desire to run some races.  Have 2 - 5K's planned for March 1 and March 15.  Sounds like everyone is doing ok.  Today i had the day off and spent the morning at dentist - my mouth hurt so much all day, that i wasn't able to workout until 7PM.  Next time i schedule the appt for later in the day - i'd ratehr have a good painful feeling from hard workout than 75 minutes of dental work.

 Have a good week everyone - i think our forecast is calling for a blizzard this week.   Last February we set a few records for snowfall in wisconsin, so far we've been lucky in Jan/Feb. 

Cocky? Me?   But if the group wants to pick up the challenge I welcome it. After all, if this old man coming off a cold can do it...

But really... There's no big secret. Do the training, and find your desire, and ALL of you can achieve incredible things. I'm already proud of this group and the effort and heart you've all show. And I thank YOU for your support.

maybe you should've done an instant slow-mo replay for the lifeguard.  

no funny pool stories for me today, but had one of my lifetime best pool swims today.  I learned how to swim in 2003 and haven't worked too hard at it, bascially enough to get me out of water so I can on bike.  This year, i've worked on some things and have become stronger and more fit than in past.  That has really helped me in the pool.  I usually swim 1000yd workout and average around 2:30 - today i hit 1600 in 2:22 average followed that with 3.5M t'mill run. 

few weeks ago, i planned similar type workout - swim and run.  After the swim, i get my running shoes out of locker and notice i have 2 different shoes (similar saucony colors, but diff models), make it worse they were both for right foot.   Oh well - hit the shower and be  happy with the swim.  Mom always said 'things happen for reason'

Hey All,

Just hit my first commute home on the new Specialized Roubaix. First off, I beat my PB of 1 18' 44" by almost 4 minutes! I was pretty stoked. I wasn't expecting much from my ride since it's only the third ride of the season but it ended up being pretty decent... Just need to get back on it again! 

The bike itself was amazing. People told me that the full carbon frame would make a world of difference in the commute and does it ever. the road vibration and handling on this bike was supberb! My old Lamonde was a 53/39 but the new bike is a 50/39 and it sure makes cranking into 30 km range alot easier.

I'm looking forward to getting back on it again and building up my endurance. Hopefully in a few weeks I can get back to the point where I'm commuting both ways in a day again. 

Talk to you all later.

Gary 

I agree, Gary...sometimes the universe has different plans that we do.

Marinus...too funny. Same thing happened to a guy in my spin class. But in that case, he was really stuffed into them and probably shouldn't have even tried.

Steve...so jealous! I am looking forward to commuting on the bike. It'll be mid-April before it's feasible for me.

Otherwise, I'm busy increasing my training volume. I'm feeling good and progressing well. P90X is kicking my but in good way. And, I'm getting leaner...slowly but surely!

Hope everyone is well!

Hi group. I had a good master's swim session today and I thought I'd share it with you.

A national level coach commented to our group after watching us that we fell into a fairly typical training trap. He said that our slow swims were not slow enough.  Yes, that's right! Not slow enough. And even though we were better on our faster drills, our fast swims were not fast enough. Our coach therefore gave us the following drill. You might want to try it yourselves. Just make sure you do a proper warm-up and cood down as well.

1) Do 100m "strong". That's less than "hard" but still an elevated effort. Make sure you think about good technique and stroke rate. Remember your time for this. This is your reference time.

2) Do a set of 5 x 100m as:

a) Ref plus 20 seconds (ex: If ref = 1:40, do it in 2:00)
b) Ref plus 10 sec
c) Ref
d) Ref minus 5 sec
e) All out hard (should be faster than d)

Rest 30 sec. Repeat.

Give it a try a few times and let me know what you think.

what if my fast swim is my slow swim 

Today was pleasant and i ahd a recovery run planned - instead of going to gym and hitting the dreadmill, i decided to go outside.  It was 33F and jsut starting to snow lightly.  Was feeling good, and i resisted the temptation to push the pace.  Instead, i was enjoying the snow and added a loop onto my planned route.  Now i had now idea of distance and i could just settle into a relaxed pace.  It turned out to be 4.6M  - warm shower and cup of hot tea felt really good after.

Steve: Sounds like a very nice run. Some of the nicest days I've had running were when the snow was falling and we just ran easy. And the long hot showers were even better.

And remember, your speed is relative. You're always faster than someone on the couch!

Hey All,

Jumped on the bike for a 3rd ride this week...it was friggin' cold. -5 with some wind chill. The ride was slow (avg. 23km) but good. Finished 33km in 1hr 20min. Just feels good to be back out testing out the knee and body. During the ride I tried to focus on pushing hard for a minute to build the lactate acid threshold...

It's been a decent week for running with all this sunshine! Planning on a swim session over the weekend, we have family in town so hopefully I follow through.

Marinus, how was the 5:30 run?

Have a great weekend all!

 Gary

Hey Marinus, that sounds like a familiar swim workout - our coach is a nat coach too and he is awesome!

Brr...time to have a hot bath. I'm chilled after today's run.

I gotta catch up on the team's blogs too.

Hope everyone is feeling good!

Hi All - been a few days since I posted last but I've been reading everyone else's to keep up. Swim tonight - can't seem to get up early enough to have food, digest for an hour and still get in a decent swim workout before work - don't know how you guys do it! - I have to go after work except on Sundays.  Was pretty decent for me - 1300 yards - with drill/swim warmup and intervals.  Tomorrow a 5 mile run (definitely outside) - I only use the dreadmill when it's really nasty out - tomorrow will be 20"s and sun!

This will be my first 5 miler since my hip scope in October - but I did my first 4 miler last week with no issues - so I'm just gonna keep following my current training program unless I have a problem - but so far so good.

My new Trek 1.2 bike is in - I went down last Saturday & was fitted to it - It's a 50" WSD & it fits like a glove.  Not only is this my first road bike - this is also my first set of clipless pedals - but I can't test out my new gear yet - too cold and icy around here so I'm jealous of all you team members that are out there biking already - I'm really chomping at the bit to get my first (and hopefully only) tumbling act with the new pedals out of the way! 

Sunday will be another Swim day - I've been averaging about 3000 to 3200 yards each week for a few weeks now - does anyone have any recommendations as to when or how or even if I should increase that?

I've also started incorporating an hour 2x per week of strength training for the last 5 weeks   - but I'm replacing one of the weight sessions with a pilates session and this week added a third strength session of yoga - I've read a few places that pilates & yoga are as beneficial, if not more so than weights, for strengthening for triathletes - what do you all think - is that true?  It seems to make sense but I'd be interested in what everyone else thinks and does for strength training.

Everyone have a great weekend - Later - Mary

Hi Mary. Good to hear from you. It sounds like your training is going very well especially with your swims. You're getting in some good distance. Keep doing what you're doing, and on days when you feel good just bump up your distance a bit. Maybe 10% or so. Look at what your target event & distance is, and build to that.

I'm like you about the bike. Waiting to get out. I'm actually sitting here right now looking at a sunny morning wanting to go, but it's very frosty right now so I have to wait at least a few hours before I can go. It's too early in my season to risk a slip.

Adding some strength is a very good idea. And so is stretching and range of motion. So I really recommend some pilates or yoga in addition to your regular weights etc. My wife & I both do a weekly pilates class in addition to free weights and core. So you've got the right idea. Keep it up!

Good morning everyone.  Just checking in.

Had a good week running with both a great Tempo and a great long run.  Just felt smooth and fast this week.  Swimming was strange yesterday though.  I actually felt like I forgot how to swim for the first half of the workout.  Felt good the last half though.  Swimming only once a week right now could have something to do with it. 

Marinus - there is no way I would be outdoors in 8 degree wether.  The coldest it EVER gets here is in the 20's and it is simply out of the question.  You cold weather folks are just plain TOUGH.  Chet

Hi group. My Sunday had an 18km run over a fairly hilly route and in the rain.  The calves are tight, but it felt good to get in some hills. How'd everyone else do today?

Hi All - thanks marinus for the input re: swim & strength training.  Today was a swim day & not too bad at that - I've started completing my workout lengths in a shorter time - 35 to 36 sec is now starting to become my normal average per lap - doesn't sound very fast for experienced swimmers - but when I started last year I was in the low to mid 40's - and I'm finding that I can reduce my 50's and 100's start times per swim set - so progress on that front. 

Strength training tonight - that's done and I'm done for the day!

5 Mile run yesterday - not bad here - temps in the 30's and sunny - good run and the first 5 miler since my hip scope last Oct. - felt pretty good and no lasting aches - that's always a good sign for me. 

Glad some of you are able to get out and start biking...soon for upstate ny i'm hoping!!  that stationary bike just doesn't cut it!!

Picking up my new bike tomorrow - supposed to be sunny & in the 40's in the afternoon - here's hoping - might actually be able to try out my clipless pedals for the first time!

3 mile tempo run this morning - not bad for the first tempo run since my scope - 8:26 pace - it's better than my best before the scope and the season's just starting!!  High hopes for this year as long as I don't push too far too fast.