HILDEBEAST'S Mentor Group, CLOSED! (Page 8)

I've been having the same issues since I got back to swimming.  I've started alternating my laps - one regular freestyle, one with a pull buoy, repeat - it seems to be helping me somewhat.  The idea is to get my body to learn what it feels like to be a little more balanced (with the pull buoy) and then repeat that on the regular lap.  I also noticed that I tend to lift my head a little too much when I breathe instead of just rolling it to the side.  Don't know if that's an issue for you but might be something to consider.  Will you be wearing a wetsuit for your race?  If so, it will help with keeping your legs up. 

Hey Beasties!  Another slacker checking in (slacking on the posting/inspires, not on the training).  I hope to start checking in more often but posting at work is "discouraged" - boss isn't here today so I'm sneaking it in - and I'm not on my computer much in the evenings.  That's when I do most of my training and try to spend a little time with the husband.  But I'll do what I can!

Made it up for a swim this morning.  Was running a little late so it was a short swim but it felt good.  Even with only 1 day of swimming a week, I feel like I'm making some small improvements (less break time between laps, easier breathing, etc).  I know I should swim more often and I will once I start training at the end of Feb for my May race.  Right now it's more just trying to get back into it after being out of the water for almost 6 months.  Kind of like my bike training - more of just maintenance and trying to get used to it again. 

Seriously??  OMG, that is ridiculous! 

I am trying to remember a 'drill' I saw where you just practiced having a strong core.  Something along the lines of....

Float in the water on your belly (to the extent you can) arms forward on top of the water without engaging your core and lower back muscles...your legs will sink.

Then float in the water on your belly arms forward on top of the water and engage your core, lower back muscle, glutes, and butt...your legs should not sink as much.

If I can find the video I watched on this - I will post.  This is something close.

Here something you might find valuable.

I have some IM shorts but the logo is little so doesn't bother me.  

I would probably just wear them.  It's a brand and I don't think anyone will care.  If they ask, just tell them you're thinking about one and this outfit make you want to do one!

This would be awesome!  Please, lots of pictures.

Recovery run today.  Can't believe I was disciplined enough to stay in my recovery HR zone almost the entire time.  Felt super easy, which is the point.  Start easing back into things tomorrow as long as the schedules cooperate.

Good morning everyone.  I have been forced to take a 'step back' week due to some snow in our area.  Not very much but enough to kill two of my morning bike commutes.  Didn't get in my run yesterday either.

It is really cold here, relative to normal winter conditions, so lots of icy patches on my normal bike route.

Hope everyone has a great Friday and weekend training sessions are planned!

Happy Weekend  Beastie Peeps!!  What's on YOUR plan?  I have a 3 mie run this morning and then meeting up with a BT friend for a 25ish mile bike this afternoon.  10 miles tomorrow unless I can talk her OUT of doing the HM because I am just. not. feeling. it. 

On the AWESOME side of things, I took my bike to my LBS yesterday for a derailleur adjustment... the kid who worked on my bike after I finished my fitting a few weeks back, sucked to say the least.  The derailleur was totally off, AND  most of the screws were loose!  Including the ones on the seat post, WTF?  I only hope there was no slippage since then, since I paid big bucks for a FIT including setting the seat height.  But the AWESOME part was when I asked him what I owed him and told me, "Nothing! Just come back and see me!"  Wowser, you can bet I WILL be taking it back come tune up time in a few months!  I have mismatched cable covers... white on the front, green on the back and the stupid kid put some crazy spacer/adjuster things on the cables up front and, (you better sit down for this...), THEY DON'T MATCH!!!!!  Yeah, it's freaking me out a little!  So I'd like to get them all changed to basic black... I've gone from lime green bar tape and green colored tires, all back to black, gonna let just the bike frame pop...  there was a dude awhile back with the same bike as mine, Felt B16, 2011, who accessorized it all with HOT PINK... OMG it was a train wreck! 

I'm also looking at subbing a local duathlon for the half marathon, it's a week later, all women's, beginnerish, but a great way to start the season, and I'm trying to talk Louise into coming too.  It's a 1.5flat  run, 10 mile rolling hills bike, same 1.5 run.  And it's called the "Tough Cookie" so you get a cool shirt... I did it a couple of years ago and it was COLD that day.  I think it was my first race with Newton's and I felt so FAST!

Girlie night tonight with the daughter!  We buy junk food and watch cheesy movies and trash TV and are lucky if we stay awake past 10, ha ha.  Hubby likes to bond with the dogs over a huge grilled steak when I'm gone so it's a win-win for both of us!

Happy training Beasties!

Wow, you guys are doing great! 

I'm currently slacking.  I feel like I'm so busy with all of the things we've had going on the last few weeks.  I need to sit down and plan out the week so that I can have a much better week coming up.

Way to go on everything!  10 lbs already.  Congratulations.

Hmmm...maybe set up a doable plan for the week and then also a reward next Sunday for completing it.  A small reward like new sport socks or that teeny tiny little tub of Haagen Daaz ice cream in the store that always looks so good.

Hilde --- the duathlon sounds so much for fun that the HM.  

I had a nice trainer ride today.  Finally on the last episode of Games of Thrones.  Easy to watch this while on the trainer.  

Jim and I spent the morning bottling rye whiskey at a very small local distillery (Catoctin Creek).  It was really fun.  All of their bottling is done by volunteers.  Needless to say we brought one of the them home!

Tomorrow is a planned long battle with some hills.