KSH's Mentor Group! Let's do this! CLOSED (Page 8)

I went with the little kids and husband to a New Year's Party.  The 4 and 6yo were up until 1:30 happy but then woke in screaming hysterics at 7am.  Thankfully we all (eventually) got back to sleep and slept until noon.

I ran yesterday and swam today.  I'm working on what plan to use after I finish off my current one in mid-Feb.  Im going to switch from it right before it starts tapering for a non-existant race.

So far I'm looking at mostly at Gail Bernhart's faster sprint training, or maybe a BT plan with 3x running/cycling rather than just 2x.  I'm time constrained though with 4 kids and a fulltime job, even with a super-supportive husband.  I just hate how slow I am with the running and cycling.  I really want to get a solid 17mph on the roads by mid spring so I can ride with my tri group without getting dropped.

Here's a Gail-specific question:  if I stop after Week 10 of her Sprint for Athletes with Limited Fitness, where should I jump in with her 15 weeks to a faster sprint plan.  It looks like the first phase steps down from where I'd already have built to.  Any recommendations?

I'm still deciding whether I love my daughter enough to spend $40 for an anime convention pass and then also a hotel room.  Painful, even though I like anime - I'm just not nearly fanatic enough.  I'm thinking about trading her - I'll do the con, if she'll do the tri.  She's at the height of her high school swim season, she should survive...  If so, we'll be aiming at a late heat.  I'll decide within a couple of days.

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My hip is improving.  I'm continuing to have no pain while running or cycling.  I'm down to some twinges in the evening climbing stairs and aches in bed when I lie on that hip.  I'm going to give it another week or so, and then decide whether to see the dr.

I wasn't brave enough for the one-legged kicks today, but I did do some one-arm drills :-)

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I made all my training time/distance goals for my first 3 weeks back in training (as long as I ride an hour tomorrow )  The bike mileage is an underestimate.  My Cateye was out the first couple of weeks and I was just going by time.

December's totals:
Bike:	2h 55m 29s  - 17.83 Mi
Run:	52m 09s  - 4.72 Mi
Swim:	2h 54m 42s  - 8000 Yd
Bowling:	45m
Misc.:	30m
Walking:	5h 35m

Hello fellow mentees.  Hope everyone had a fun new years!  We gathered a few friends, had some beer and bbq, then home early.  I watched the ball drop, then off to bed. 

Had my long run for the week this morning, 16 miles.  I was glad to get it in, thought I was going to have to miss it.  I was in the upper 20s for the most part...too chilly for me!  I'm putting the bike on the trainer tomorrow...I refuse to ride when it is this cold...it's not for me.

Has anyone tried the new JET Blackberry GU yet?  I bought a couple of them today and hope they are good.  I like the orange and the strawberry banana, but the orange is hard to find and the strawberry banana is getting old!

Happy training~

Edited by crews 2010-01-02 10:46 PM

Hi everyone, Happy New Year! Sounds like everyone is settling well into 2010. I've had a busy weekend here with my little brother visiting but still managed to squeeze in a swim in the bay on New Year's morning and a trainer ride today. I have my 7 mile long run tomorrow and I'm a bit nervous since I haven't ran that far in about two years. I'm just going to take it slow and easy, I did 6.5 miles two weeks ago so I think I should be ok for 7 tomorrow. We'll see how it goes!

Well I picked my training plan out of the "Training Plans for Multisport Athletes" book because it looked like a good one.

Then I modified it to fit my lifestyle and strengths/weaknesses.

I didn't do the strength training as written in the plan- I couldn't find the time for it, so out it went. I knew I didn't need it.

Then I made sure to hit all the running and cycling required each week. Of course, I hate training plans that only use time... and since I have done all the distances and knew what I did to train for my first HIM... I translated the time requirements into distances... and then made sure I hit the distances I knew I needed.

I then had to work some half marathon training into my plan along with local sprint races. Again, I just modified the plan around that.

I also cut back on the swimming required by the plan. As swimming is my strength, I know how much I need to train to complete a 1.2 mile swim comfortably.


All of that brings me to this... for someone who is brand new to this sport... I think training plans can be hard to use to some extent. If you don't know what you need to do to train for tri's, it's hard to know what you can and cannot move around and still successfully complete/compete in races.

I think the two years that I used coaches was invaluable. Well worth every penny. Now I feel comfortable coaching myself, whereas before I would have been really lose and frustrated using some plan out of book.

For someone who has a busy life (who doesn't!) and who is overwhelmed or confused by a training plan out of a book/off a website and is having issues with moving stuff around- a coach is something to be considered.

Hey all, hope you are having a great day.  I had planned to go to the pool this morning but my bed was just too warm and cozy and I couldn't get out! Monday starts my training plan (still yet to be determined, that is tonights project) and healthy eating.  I hate that I'm on the New Years resolution bandwagon but I've got to start sometime! THIS time, I'm vowing to make lifestyle changes and not temporary fixes/diets because I don't want to keep yo-yo-ing. It's not healthy, nor is it good for my confidence level.  I've struggled with weight most of my life and now that I'm done with school I feel like I can focus on this fully.  I've done weight watchers in the past and I feel it keeps me accountable for what I eat.  I forget, any WW out there?   Do you modify the points at all while training?

Cheryl- just let me know about the tri, whatever you decide is cool.  I looked at the web site again and it might actually assign you a wave.  Now, I'm not sure if you can request a later wave due to your travel time and convention, that may become an option when you sign up and pay.




Edited by erin.kelsey 2010-01-03 2:04 PM

It's hard to get up sometimes. I understand that!

I too start on my healthy eating tomorrow!

I have found over the past 12 years that I have been focused on eating healthy and changing my lifestyle... is that it's like a roller coaster ride. I have good weeks/months and some bad ones. In the end... as long as I keep it within a 5-10 pound weight range, it's fixable.

I think Weight Watchers is great... for people who are NOT endurance athletes. It is hard to eat so few calories and to do the kind of workouts we do.

I have a friend who did it recently and it completely discouraged her... because she was not losing weight and in some instances gained it. She would stick to her points... and ride 120 miles... and not lose a pound. Why? Because she can't ride 120 miles on those points. Her body was in starvation mode and thus she was not losing weight.

IF you can stand to do it... I encourage you to log your calories. Start with a base of 1400 calories and then add 1/2 of what you burn exercising that day. Do that for 1 month and see how it's going. If you are losing weight, stick with that base. If you are gaining weight... then go lower. If you are not losing any weight, you might want to go up to 1500-1600 as your base.

So basically let's say you have a day where you run 4 miles... and burn 400 calories. With your base of 1400 you can eat 1600 calories that day.

Go for WW if you are comfortable with that... but I suspect it might not work out so well because of the exercise you will be doing and the amount of calories you will be burning.

If it doesn't work out... then switch to what I suggested. I like www.livestrong.com/The Daily Plate to log my food.


FINALLY... when you shop, always buy the LOWER CALORIE ITEM. That is how you should shop. Pick what you want and then look at all the options to get one with the lowest calorie. Do not buy items with SUGAR in it if you can help it! Do not buy any treats or bad food for the house. Make yourself have to go out to get it. It makes you think twice about what you are about to eat. AND (outside of cycling or running!) NEVER CONSUME CALORIES through LIQUIDS! Unless it's a meal replacement shake.

How did the run go! DO TELL!!!!

Great job on getting the training in!

All right, I am looking at the book (pgs. 66/67 and pgs.142-145) to find an answer to your question.

Before I can answer it though, I need to know what race you are using those training plans to train for... and why are you using both of those plans vs. just sticking with one? Is your race so far out one plan doesn't cover it?

This is for everyone! Getting faster on the bike!

I saw a comment in another post where someone stated they wanted to get faster on the bike. I think we can ALL relate to that comment. I know for me, I need to get my act together training wise on the bike and get faster!

I read a really interesting paragraph in a book the other day I want to share with all of you. I think it can speak to all of us.

"The Female Cyclist" by Gale Bernhardt (yes, this applies to MEN too!) Pg. 131:



I know I am guilty of the FIRST comment! I did better this year by having a fast Tues ride... a hill ride on Thurs and a long slow ride on Sat but I don't really focus on doing certain workouts on certain days like I do with running.

The book has different plans in there to help cyclists get faster. And it makes it a point to say the workouts are NOT gender specific... men can use them too. I think it's a great book... something to check out for sure.

It went really well! I tried to stay at a consistent steady pace throughout and didn't let myself look at my pace on my Garmin, since sometimes I'm a slave to my pace and try to push a bit too hard. I felt really good when I finished and like I could have kept going which is encouraging as the runs get longer over the next five weeks until the race. I'm starting to get excited!

I've done Weight Watchers since October 2006 (first year online, then meetings) and have lost 52 pounds in that time, so as you can probably suspect I'm a huge proponent of the program. I like it because it is easy and I've never been drawn to counting calories. But, I agree that it can be hard to do when training the amount we train.

The first 42 of the 52 pounds I lost when I was working out 3-4x a week at the gym (off the couch after 6 years), but was not putting in the volume of training I am now. I've only lost about 10 pounds in the past year (since I started tri training), partially because I'm only 10 pounds from my goal weight so it comes off more slowly, and partially because I'm less focused on weight loss right now so I take a bit more liberty with my points. I've found that I can lose while training if I use my whole weekly 35 points allowance and my all my activity points. I have a Garmin so I give myself one activity point for every 100 calories I burn (rounding down if I'm between two numbers). That has seemed to work for me.

Hey, I read your blog. You had a great run!

You left off the important part:

Haha, oops you're right I forgot that part! It's really nice to see improvements over time as my fitness has improved.

Definitively guilty as charged. I will suggest to my friends to change it up. We don't have hills here. Maybe I will do some trainer sessions and do more sprint-type workouts.

Gerry

Well I am the same way. Honestly, instead of following a plan when I ride... I just go with my cycling club and I have a good time. I like training to be enjoyable. Not to mention, I fear riding the city streets alone.

I am going to try to focus on different bike workouts though in the off season so I can come back stronger when it warms up here.

Doing some interval work on the trainer would help some. By pushing your body to new limits you will get stronger on the bike overall.

Kind of like running... if you just run the same speed all the time, you will build a great base but probably won't get any faster. To get faster you to do tempo and fartlek work.

I started on my bike training plan tonight. The goal was to do one-legged drills for 5-7 mins on each leg. Uh that did not happen. I could only keep good form for 30 seconds.

So if you need a challenge on the bike trainer- do one-legged drills. It also makes you focus on doing a full rotation with your leg, versus only getting power when you push down during the pedal stroke.

Yep, those one legged drills are HARD!! I usually use spinervals videos, they are great.. I don't have to think about the workout, just follow along. Lots of variety depending on the video I decide to pop in that day and it keeps me sweating! I get very confused trying to follow some written bike plans..i need to learn more of the terms I think, same happens with some swim drills too..don't be surprised when I ask for definitions!! LOL!

I will try those one leg drills. Tomorrow a quick 30 min cold swim and a nice run. Have a good one!! 

Yes, my first race I'm looking at is mid-April.  Plus I'm looking at what I'll do through the summer race season, all sprints. 

The plan I'm using now is just a 12week plan that I started mid-Dec and don't need the last 2week taper, so I will finish it mid Feb.  I don't think I should just repeat it as it builds from 5min runs and 500yd swims.

Here are some training plan by Joe Friel. You have to pay for them... but they might be worth the cost. I'm not sure. Just figured I would share the link:

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/training-and-nutrition-plans/training...

Great job everybody on starting the New Years with new goals and motivation.

Well, now that the holiday's are over it's time for me to get serious about my training again. The past few months have been fun partying, eating like crap and taking a "laissez faire" work-out attitude, but I'm beginning to feel the effects of it all. Also, I'm beginning to start the half marathon training where it begins to make me a little nervous with the ramp up in milage. I've never run past 5 miles ever and Karen is yelling at me that I need longer runs.  I've got a 4 mile run Thursday and 5 mile run on Saturday. Then next Saturday will be my first 6.2 mile run. Not gonna lie, a little nervous.

Today my hip flexors, shins, calves are tight (definately felt them yesterday on my 100 breaststroke) I've been stretching and rolling out my legs but maybe not enough b/c I'm still all sore and tight.

Hey everyone,
sorry I've been MIA. We still don't have our computer up and running so I can only update my training log and make comments when I have time at work.  Thanks for all the dieting advice everyone! While I am comfortable with weight watchers, I think I am going to try Livestrong.com's the Daily plate to log calories and workouts.  karen, I liked your idea of have a base and then adding calories depending on my workouts for the day.  I thought a lot about it and I've been successful with weight watchers, but I definitely have a pattern of being diligent about keeping track of points and then falling off the wagon and gaining weight.  This has happened twice now.  So, we'll see how the new approach goes! I like the Daily Plate a lot so far.

Last night I did a nice swim workout.  I spent an hour in wintery traffic and I probably should have gone home due to the weather and my car acting up, but I was so stressed I knew  a nice pool workout would calm me down.  It sure did. I just love being in the water.  My hips have been bothering me since I've been working out more frequently.  So I might be contained to pool workouts to reduce the amount of stress on my hips.  I stand all day at both my jobs so that doesn't help either.  I have had bursitis in my hips before so I'm hoping it's not that, but I'm going to use the foam roller a few times a day and ice after workouts.  That has helped in the past.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

Let me know if you want some company on your 5 mile Saturday (at your pace, or I will pace you at whatever you want).  My training schedule says to run with friends at their pace and to tell Karen you ran farther and faster than you did.  And just think, you know I wouldn't yell at you like some people, hahahahha.  Andrea might be up for 5 also.

I haven't had much to say/ask...hhhmmmm let's see.... I have been enjoying getting back into the pool slowly and really looking forward to consistently start going again.  Going to start it off with lots of drills and get more efficient in the water this season, I actually got my stroke count under 10 the other week (but that was a lot of kicking going on).

Ok, came up with 2 questions.....Question 1....Keep it or Sell it??? Thinking about selling my road bike since my tri bike is a lot nicer and faster and haven't been on my road bike since I got the tri.....Question 2.....What are some good pool drills to swim straight in open water?  I swear my 1.2 swim was over 1.5...