Brian and the Tri Tarts Group - Full (Page 9)

Thanks for those thoughts.  I guess I just need to learn to adapt better.  I'm just gonna work on it and keep an eye on it.  I think my hardest problem is learning that I don't have to go all out every time.  I am getting better, but I still want to go 100%.  I'm getting better at doing lower intensity workouts though..just gotta keep working.

So I found out today that I don't have to worry about the travel this summer.  So right now, I'm researching tris   I'm just making a list of dates/distances, pros/cons and then I'm going to pick one.  I didn't realize there were so many relay tris, that looks like a ton of fun.  I definitely want to do some one of these days.  So hopefully, by the end of the week, I'll have registered for my first tri!  I say week b/c I may do the Reston tri, which opens on the 10th.

Okay, I need help.

I'm leaning towards the Richmond sprint tri that's october 12th.  It's a good distance of swim, bike, and run..and far off enough that the swim doesn't worry me as much.  It's far though, I'd have to go the night before and pay for hotel costs.  The other one is the Reston tri.  Benefit to this is that Reston is like 20 min from my house...so no extra cost of going over night.  Distances are about the same as the Richmond tri.  Disadvantage is that it's in June...so I have like 5 months to get my swim together.

I'm not so good at swimming yet.  I can do about 30/40 m freestyle before I crash.  If I alternate free/backstroke, I can do around 200 m almost continuously.  Although sometimes it's switching every length sometimes every 2 or 3. 

Two questions:

1. Which tri?!?! I'm really torn as to which to do.  I like them both as far as distance and that they are pool swims.  Where they fall in the calendar is the difference.  How much can I improve on my swim in 5 months?  How much time on my bike do I need pre-tri (I'm planning on putting one on layaway this weekend...no credit cards in 08...I'll probably have it 100% mine by mid/late feb).

2. New schedule would be:

 Feb 23 - Tri to Help indoor tri (not registered yet...thinking on it)

March 16 - St. Patty's day 5k (R)

April 6 - Cherry Blossom 5K ( R)

June 6 - Reston Tri (see above..thinking of this one..so this or 10/12 event) 

July 20 - swim portion of 3 sports tri (I think we've agreed on this one)

October 12 - Richmond sprint tri (see above...thinking of this one...so this or 6/6 event)

 Is this doing too much for a 1st year? There are big gaps between the 5Ks and the races...should I do another 5K in Aug or Sept if I do the Oct. tri? 

I used trifind.com, active.com (which is really randomly difficult to navigate), and i've used runningintheusa.com in the past to find races.  Maybe look in your state specific area on here and see if people post about races there too.

My vote is the Reston.  Five months is enough time to get your swim together for a 400m pool swim.  I was in the same boat (25m and out of breath) in Feb'06 when I signed up for a June '06 Sprint (400m OWS).  The same for a 12-mile bike ride.  More than five months and I think you'll be really itching to get that first tri.  You could also sign up for the Richmond later in the summer if it fits into your plan.  I think having the Reston "looming" will keep you nicely motivated to swim, bike and run.

With regard to a late summer 5k, I think you could go either way.  These generally don't fill up.  So, you could keep it tentively on the schedule for awhile.

Brian,

 That does make a lot of sense...just to do do the Reston and get the first one going.  And I guess there is plenty of time between to do the Richmond one if I want to do that one later too.  I hear the Reston one fills up fast, so I guess I'll have to hope to be 1st on the draw tomorrow night.

I'm registered for Reston!!!! I figured I'd do Athena catagory...why not.

Mind you that registration opened at 7pm...and I was already 198....

5 months to become a swimmer

Okay so seriously...races really sell out THIS fast????  It's now like 7:24 and I went back to the page and it's saying the race is open w/ 1 spot left!  I'm sooo glad had the heads up from here to be on top of registration for this one!!! 

Kim,

The fact that the Reston is selling out that fast is probably a good indication that its a great race.  Looks like you picked a winner.  Aren't you so psyched now?!?!  You've got something on a the horizon to set your sights on - go for it!!!

Brian.

I heard pretty much the same thing.  I have no scientific evidence to back it up.  My treadmill runs have been "easy" or "recovery" runs lately.  So, they have been basically flat (0.5 incl) while holding HR in the 135-145 range (upper Z1/lower Z2).  I guess, I just got in the habit of the 0.5 and don't change it up to gauge how my pace/HR is responding.

I have done intervals on the TM.  For example: 1.5mi EZ, 0.5mi fast, 0.5mi EZ, 0.5mi fast.... 1.5mi EZ.  You could also do a hill work-out on a treadmill.  Actually these are great to do to make the time go faster.   30 minutes at a steady pace can be pretty mind-numbing.  By mixing it up (hills, pace) you can play around and make the time go by a little faster.  Still, try to limit the "Speedwork" if you're new to running.

Brian.

Try EASY, EASY, EASY, HARD, EASY, EASY, EASY, HARD, EASY, EASY EASY, HARD...  So you don't get INJURED, SICK, BURNED-OUT, INJURED, SICK, BURNED-OUT....

Seriously, to loose weight, you're better off doing six or seven 30-40min easy work-outs each week than three or four 20-30min hard work-outs.  Most fat-burning occurs when we work-out in our aerobic zones Z1/Z2/Z3.  By staying in Z1/Z2, where you can carry-on a conversation while biking, running, swimming (converse and swim?!?!) you burn more fat and recover more easily to come back the next day to do it all over again.  You're teaching your body to become efficient at converting fat to energy, building fitness and getting leaner.  Continuous high-intensity sessions will increase the likelyhood of injury (esp running) and inhibit your ability and/or desire to train consistently.

You're off to a great start.  Keep at it and train smart.  You will succeed!

Brian.

Hi All

I am back in SNOWVille! We came home to about 5" last night. Not exactly what I had hoped for, but oh well!

This link is a conversion rate between running on the TM and outside.  I have seen some refute it, but cannot seem to find that document.  I personally run at .5% and don't care too much about pace.  http://www.hillrunner.com/training/tmillchart.php

I agree with Brian on the best way to burn fat, longer slower workouts in your aerobic zone teaches your body to burn fat for fuel.  Working in your anaerobic zone will blow through your glycogen stores (basically burning carbs first) and leave you tired earlier.  You always need a little bit of stored carbs to burn fat as fuel which is very important in endurance sports which is why you stay in the lower HR zones.

Train well this weekend!

Suzy

Suzy, that makes a ton of sense.  And I know in reality that's what I should do...so hopefully I'll enter my first tri a little lighter (okay I hope a lot lighter...but I'm okay with a little lighter) than I am now. 

 Training this week has sucked.  Headaches all week off and on and I just haven't really done as much work as I should have.  I have swim class tomorrow, but after that...just planning on relaxing and not doing much but catching up on sleep and trying to organize my life.  I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I'm starting graduate school in a few weeks.  So I need to get a schedule together. 

 Okay, one last thing.  My tri is now june 1st,  should i stick with the program i have now or switch to a sprint one?

Hang in there Kim.  Awesome that you're starting grad school.  I did this while working full time several years back.  I had good timing because I graduated the same week our first child was born.

With regard to starting a Sprint Triathlon training program.  Are you planning on one of the BT plans?  I glanced over the Sprint programs today.  Boy, there sure are differences among them.  I suggest reading over each one and determining what is the best fit for you.  Note that they range from 12-22 weeks.  If you chose a 22 week plan, you better start now.  If the shorter plans make sense, continue the program you're on, but with focus on being prepared to start the planned tri-specific plan.  That is, if day one of the plan has a 800 yd swim session, you should work toward being able to complete that session and the rest of that 1st week with ease.

Great job by everyone sticking with their plans.  More importantly, I see that we're all encouraging each other.     

Last week was a "recovery" week for me, so I had only three runs, with the longest being 8.5 miles.  Note that the pace for all these runs were relatively easy (zones 1&2)

This week my key workout is a midweek (prob Wednesday) tempo run where I maintain a 7:25 pace for four miles - UGH!  All of my other workouts, including my longer weekend run (10-12mi) will be done at an easy to moderately easy intensity (zones 1&2).

Hi All 

I got my first brick of the new year in today, although it was all inside which is definitely not my preference! 

This is a step back week for me.  I am travelling for work three days this week so training is taking a back seat.  I do have two quality work outs in the cards -- a Fartlek tomorrow and a MP run this weekend (14m with 10m@MP pace of 8:10).  Other than that, it is whatever I can fit in the plan.

Happy training this week

Suzy