Turtlegirl's group -for the slow and steady!--FULL! :)

Hi!  I'm interested in joining your group.  My RW name is Karla.

By profession, I am a horse trainer and riding instructor.  I just got married this past spring, and am looking at leaving the trainer world and becoming a one-horse owner myself in March.  I have friends who do triathlons and who got me into running last year.  This coming year, I'd like to plan an ambitious schedule starting with my first triathlon - a mini sprint at the end of March.  I have several goals, but avoiding injury is the biggest one.  I have had two injuries in the past which required long layoffs - an ACL reconstruction in 2005 and a pelvic stress fracture this year - and not being able to be active is VERY depressing.

 At the moment, I am focused on preparing for a half-marathon in February (did one last March, this will be #2).  I am also working hard to strengthen my swimming.  This past August, I couldn't swim two laps of freestyle, but I could do breast stroke okay. I have taken some swim lessons, and now I am starting to swim (very slowly) w/ our local master's group.  I am trying to keep up w/ some biking on an indoor trainer.  I have come up w/ an outline of a training plan for myself based on the Freil book (Triathalete's Bible).  I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I AM DOING, but I am having fun so far, and I am excited about the coming year.  I have entered the Mooseman Olympic length in June and have a bunch of other things I want to try to do.  I don't know if it is realistic to think that I could be ready to do the Patriot Half in Sept., but I am interested in talking about that.

 I had reached my goal weight and fitness level back in April when I got married, but since then, between a layoff w/ my stress fracture and some good-old-fashioned stress associated with giving up my business and preparing for a big career change, I gained a good bit of weight.  Now I feel like I am regaining some of my lost fitness, but I would love to loose 20 pounds.

 I welcome any and all advice that you are willing and able to offer.  I would love to have your help!

Hi everyone!  just found out that I was "live". I'm up in snowy albany for the weekend, so not much training going on!

I'm so excited to have you guys on board!  If I can make it through the sugar challenge, no DOUBT you guys can achieve your goals. (incidentally, day one without any diet beverages or sugar substitutes. done!)

NAME: Msmkaydee, name is Mary K. (like Mary Kay except without the pink caddy!)

STORY: I have always enjoyed sports and been involved with different activities like volleyball, soccer, and swimming but never committed myself to be called an athlete.  A year ago I hurt my back and was in the worst pain of my life for 7 months.  I had back surgery and refuse to be in that physical, mental, and emotional state again.  I am now 8 months post op and have been the healthiest ever in my life.  I weighed in at 235 pounds on my surgery day and have lost 45 pounds, 3 sizes, and gained 100+ pounds of confidence and determination to remain healthy and without injury.   

I used to loathe running (more like walk/jog), now I can't go a day without a quick one at the very least.  I want to do a triathlon (though it freaks me out to look at the lengths and details of the course) in 96 days, 23 hours, and 14 minutes not including the time it has taken me to type this- but whose counting

I am a high school special education teacher that also runs the after school program.  I am busy but committed to my health.  Because of my time constraints, husband, three kids, and not to mention the sleep that I need to squeeze in- my training sessions are usually in the morning or late evening.  I try to fit in circuit training during lunch at our weight room but even that gets hectic. 

FAMILY STATUS: married with very supportive husband and three kids who like to harrass me about being the workout freak but they do it with love.

CURRENT TRAINING: I swim, run (walk/jog), and indoor bike with a couple days of weight training.  I NEED GUIDANCE-- thats why I want to join your group.

THIS YEAR'S RACES: None but I won't be saying that next year!

2009 RACES:  Lavaman Triathlon, March 2009

WEIGHTLOSS: I have literally ALWAYS struggled with my weight.  My mom encouraged celebrating everything with eating out.  We were very busy people, had lots of people over the house, or were out in the community doing something.  Fast food, quick meals, big meals, parties, etc was the norm.  I don't want my own children to develop bad eating habits so I have been trying to get ALL of us to make healthy choices.  Training for a traithlon helps me stay focused and goal oriented.  Losing the weight is an added bonus while strengthening my back and keeping me from being miserable again.

Wow Rebecca!  you have a fantastic story!  congratulations on your weight loss. That is an incredible accomplishment.  You will have to tell me all about the New Orleans 70.3, I've been thinking of doing that!

Honestly, too many people jump the gun I think with tri's. I had two solid years of swimming before I did an Olympic, and I had about 5 years of running under my belt. The biggie for me was getting comfortable with biking!  I think most people should do the route I did, sprints for a year, Olys for a couple years, then think about the 70.3, and after 5 years or so, THEN think IM.

I'm not the fastest, but I've totally "been there, done that".  And half-mary's are my new love.  If i hadn't spent so much money this year, I'd have joined you at Disney!

Awesome story Sarah.  Don't worry, I got lost on a run portion of a race I had done 3 years prior.  It happens.

 Great idea to start with TNT! I'll be able to join you at the DC one since I'm 20 min outside of DC.  

The most important thing is just trying to do something active every day.  If you just get in two of each sport each week, you'll be money.  

Mary! I feel your pain. My mom can cook but we ALWAYS went out....geez, I've already failed the first day on my sugar challenge! I just can't give up the soda...but I'm so proud of myself for drinking about 4 bottles of water.

Its all in small victories!

You know what helps more than anything are people that you do check in with...my masters swimming peeps give me a hard time even if I'm swimming outside of masters times b/c they haven't SEEN me. So any chance you get to do something with a group of people, have at it!!  Guilt for workouts is a wonderful thing. 

katie, that sounds a lot like my story of my friend.  She is pursuing her first triathlon in April and has about 80 pounds to lose.  She is now having the time of her life, training with people that are pushing her to do things she never imagined.

I can only hope that you get the same enjoyment and satisfaction out of training and working out.  My huge challenge is better eating.  I promise to you that I'll work on that since training is the fun part for me, I have to WORK at eating better.  Even though its difficult (and as a teacher, I feel your pain about time!), we will definitely feel better each time we're able to make good decisions for our bodies!

Besides, you're probably twice the athlete I am! you can do it Katie.

I would like to participate as well!

Me:  LauraLynne, I live in Everett WA - just north of Seattle.  I am a drafter by trade but currently laid off.  I'm making ends meet by selling Partylite candles/home decor and working at my fiancee's shop selling car parts on Ebay.  I'm engaged to my best friend, we met almost 6 years ago and he proposed this fall in Glacier Park Montana.  Our wedding is August 30, 2009.  I have 2 teenagers from my first marriage. 

Story:  I like, no, LOVE to eat.  Therefore I swim/bike/run.  In May 2008, I found I had gained 30 pounds over the winter and I vowed to lose it in 30 days.  I started going to the gym every day.  for 30 days.  and I lost about 20 pounds.  Then, at church, I found a couch to 5k group and joined.  Even after 30 days of going to the gym, I couldn't run for 2 minutes in a row.  But I signed up for 3 races, all 5k's.  I trained and ran as far as possible then walked.  first race was in June, I wanted to finish in under 45 minutes.  I ran/walked and finished in 39 minutes.  I cried like a baby.  I went on to finish race #2 in July in 37 minutes and race #3 on my 40th birthday in August in 36 minutes.  Somewhere in there, a friend convinced me to try a tri.  I signed up for one that had the athena category and figured I would just do my best.  My friend backed out of that one and I found a second one to sign up for.  I finished my first sprint tri in 1:45 and my second one in 2:15 (if I remember right - too lazy to go look it up now).  in October I did a trail run I found randomly and pushed my comfort level even farther by signed up and completing the 10k run.  Then I lost all my marbles and signed up to do a half marathon.  I finished in 3:25 - first half in 1:24 and second half in 2:01 indicating just how poorly I had trained for a long run. 

weightloss - I've always been heavy and in 2001 I topped the scales at over 300 pounds - my scale stopped there.  I was in a bad marriage and had a variety of health problems due to both stress and weight.  I did a lot of soul searching and research and had RNY gastric bypass in November 2001.  I lost 130 pounds over 12 month by walking every single day and working out 3-4 days a week.  I've slowely put some of the weight back on and recently lost 30 of the "found pounds" again.  I still have 30 more to go. 

Anyway, now it's the off season, I'm running around like a mad woman trying to make ends meet and have completely neglected my training.  I need to get back on track.

Looking good guys!  when does everyone want to start?

 By the way, I had so much fun getting my friend to swim today. She did 1000 m and wasn't even out of breath.

If I can give you guys that are non-swimmers advice, its get private lessons!  By the end of our "lesson", she was swimming on her side, kicking gently, using her hip to turn.  Swimming efficiently is so much better than long distances!

Hope your holidays are well!  I'm going to close the group, I think we got a good group!

here's our group! When I can get to it, I'll add everyone as friends, and hope you guys do the same. Plus add a link on my site. Please inspire/pm me any time! I'll have only limited computer access while I"m house sitting the next two weeks, so I'll get back to you when I can. In the meantime, happy holidays, and get training!

jmc9mm

tricupcake

Lauralynne

lorijayne01

Sarah Ray

msmkaydee

carteroak

kcantrell3

reakbecca

Sarah Ray,

I use the Nike + system and a heart rate monitor.  My Nike+ seems to work pretty well, although the clock seems to be a little off compared to my watch - as much as 20 seconds on a long run.  I think the distance is pretty close to right.  I have checked it against Map My Run and it is close enought that feel fine using it to gradually increase my distance for my training plan and using it to measure a distance w/out mapping it out first, although I would not put money on the pace that it calculates.  I do not use it in races.

 As for the HR monitor, I got started on that in a strength training and exercise class that I have been doing for a couple of years.  The best thing for that was the testing that I did last year to find out my anaroebic threshold.  Now I have a better idea of my HR zones so that I can do the type of work out that I intend to be doing.  I also have a good idea of what is a sustainable effort in races, which can be really helpful in pacing myself in a new distance or new type of race.  It probably tends to make me a little conservative at the beginning of the race, but I can always push at the end and finish strong.  Once I have become familiar w/ what I am doing (5K, for example), then I seem to be able to reach a really good feel for where my HR should be at different points in the race.  The only thing is, my perceived rate of exertion cooresponds to VERY different HR's on the bike, vs. running, vs. swimming.  I feel like I use it most effectly in my running. I am interested in getting threshold testing on the bike for comparison. 

 Does anyone else have experience w/ threshold testing?  If so, what test do you recommend?

 I also use Map My Run.  I will often map a route and leave it on my computer screen for my husband when I am going out for 10 miles or more, just for safety sake.  I never save my routes, though.

-Karla

Hey - do you guys have room for one more???  Shucks, I saw your group on Xmas Eve but was at work and didn't want to feel guilty surfing the BT website for too long so figured I could sign up later when I went home - well, Christmas Eve turned into Christmas and then, what do you know -  your group is full. 

I did my first tri for my 50th birthday in '07 and shortly thereafter began overtraining and spent last year recovering from every "itis" you could get in your feet and ankles.  Now I'm healed and 10 pounds heavier and chomping at the bit to start training again - but need a group to keep me sane and not over do it.  If you're too full, I understand, but you sound like a really cool group - I'm horse lover myself (does that help?)  )

Tara