chrisbowers group "Now We're Rolling!" - Full

Chris,

My name is Laken. This is my first triathlon.  My sister asked me to do one with her in DC on Sept 11/2011.  I just didn't know if you have any pointers as to where I can buy a proper bike, the suits we are to wear, and how I can tel what size I would be.  I can run and bike, but not sure how well I will do with swimming.  I can swim, just not so great.  I looked at the Olympic basic training program and I think i should be able to do it. And for weight training, can I use p90X as a part of the weight training, I dont have a gym membership, I can get one if I need to.

any pointers at all will be really really helpful. 

Thanks

Laken

Laken, welcome to BT and welcome to this mentor group. We can definitely help you get ready for your first tri in September. What a cool first to do the Nations tri on 9/11. This is actually one I seriously considered traveling to just because it looks like it will be a great race in a great place on a special day. Help me understand a little about your goals in triathlon and fitness, and that will help me better understand how to help you get ready for this race. Since you think that swimming is your weakest sport I would suggest you find a gym that has a lap pool, where you can join and have swim privileges. Some places will let you buy passes for the pool, if you don't want a full membership. You can do it on your own (I swam at my local gym on my own for at least 3-6 months, but would have been better if I got a little help), but if you can find a pool that offers a masters swim class to start and help you with your stroke and technique that would be helpful. The Olympic Plans here are great. Do you have the basic free membership or have you upgraded? Keep your workout log here on BT so others can help you along the way. My first clothing purchase was a pair of tri shorts and a tri top (found them on sale in my local running shop), you can probably find them on sale in a local run, bike or tri shop. If you buy your first set locally, you can try them on for sizing. As for the bike, go to a local bike shop and get fit for a size, see what they have available. I rode on a borrowed bike for the whole first year and a half that I did tri's (including an Olympic distance race). I look forward to talking with you.

Chris,

Please add me as the senior member (racing as a 63 year old) of your group.

Name: Tsvi (pronounced: sve)

Story: I was a swimmer in High School and kind of active in my earlier years, some biking, running and hiking.  About 15 years ago I was diagnosed with non-Hoskins Lymphoma went through the standard CHOP treatment but relapsed after 3 years and had a second and third round of chemotherapy.  I now have been in remission and pretty much a couch potato for 10 years.  So back in October I joined the local wellness center and started swimming.  By January I was doing 20 miles a month.  While I was looking for swim workouts a came across Beginner Triathlete.  Well swimming did not seem a problem, I once ran 5 and 10Ks , and I know how to ride a bike.   Why not?  So I checked with my Doctor and signed up for my first Triathlon.  Took out my 35 year old ten speed (a true 10 speed 5x2), bought a pair of running shoes and started to train using the 16 week Original Sprint program as a guide.  Ten weeks later I was in Smithfield for my first race and I finished, did more of a 5K walk than run but finished.

Family Status: Married, 2 Married Sons, 1 Daughter, and 1 grand daughter

Current Training: I have been training about 6 hours a week.  Have significantly decreased my swim workouts (now 10 miles/month) and have started increasing running and biking.  For me the running is the hardest.

2011 Races: Completed Smithfield Sprint, VA last week (2 Apr).  I hope to do two more this year The Triangle Triathlon Sprint, NC in July, the Patriot’s Sprint, VA in September.  I am also running a 5K next month for the pre-school my oldest (now 32 went) it was the first race I ran when he attended the school.

Weight Loss: I started at about 200 lbs.  I am currently 185 lbs.

Chris,  Please add me to the group.

Name: Adam

Story: I am a former high school athlete and college rugby player.  I have always been active and trained on and off but for the last few years i have become a guy who spends to much time on the couch.  So last year i bought a road bike thinking that would motivate me to get into shape but it really didnt work.  I would ride once a week but all flat and maybe 9-12 miles.  Recently i jumped back on it and a friend commented that i looked like i lost some weight.  He told me he was doing a tri and i should give it a shot with him.  He loves it and is a busy surgeon so i know i can find the time to train so i am going for it.

Family Status: Married two kids.  A daughter 8.5 and a son who is 6.

Current Training: I just started two and a half weeks ago but i have managed to run or bike 5-6 days a week.  Today i did a spin class at 5 am and than came home and ran 1.3 miles so i am active again.

2011 Races: Pumpkin Man Tri in Las vegas in October, Sprint.

Weight Loss: Two years ago i went from 210 down to 180.  i looked good and felt great, then work got crazy and i went up to 198, in the past 2.5 weeks i have gone down to 194.5.

Goals: Weightloss, a healthy lifestyle (i am 39 and take blood pressure meds) and to be competitive again.

I am looking forward to working with everyone and learning.

Wow Patrick! Talk about some commitment, I like that a lot. Welcome to BT and this group. Glad to have you.

I am not a expert on nutrition, but it is something that I read a lot about and I have done pretty well with in my racing career. I will tell you a couple of resources that I have useed to become more knowledgable on the subject: Hammer Nutrition Product's website has a wealth of educational articles and a great deal of the why's behind the supplementation and race nutrition that they recommend (I do not exclusively use their products, but their information is top rate to educate yourself), the nutrition articles here on BT are good and the forums here have real world experience behind them, I am also finishing up a book called Racing Weight that I have found to be very good, but it is more on nutrition in general rather than specific to race day and training nutrition. For your ironman race and training you will need to fuel with both carbs and protein as opposed to carbs alone in a shorter race. You will definitely want to experiment with the different choices in training to make sure you can tolerate what you are putting in and it is accomplishing what you need it to accomplish.

Adam, glad to have you here and welcome to BT. Your story sounds a lot like mine and we are the same age and in the same family situation. We will have a lot to talk about. I really know about the need to be competitive again. I felt that was one of the best things about triathlon for me. It also really helped me get healthy again to have goals out there. I just wasn't going to the gym or working out for my health alone until I started signing up for races.

What else do you have planned for between now an October?

Hi Chris / all,

My name's Gary. I live in the UK and have just entered myself in a triathlon in August. I'm just starting my training but feel it would be great to join something like this to help with motivation.

I've managed to find answers to a few of my beginners questions but I'm sure I'll have some more that I can raise with you.

I'm 33, live with my girlfriend and have always been a reasonably active cyclist. I've just started riding my bike to and from work on a Friday and have started running again. The triathlon I've entered is a 1/4 mile swim, 15 mile bike and 4.5 mile run, so I'm concentrating most on the run at the minute.

Hope that's enough for now!

Gary.

Hi Chris,

My name is Scot. I'm currently 33 and plan on doing my first Tri (actually my first 3) this summer.

I was a high school (Football/Tennis) and college athlete (soccer/Crew) amd stayed relatively active through my mid 20's.  Unfortunately after going back to grad school I just got lazy and put on over 50lbs. since then my weight has had minor fluctuations 10-15 either way, but I just havent been active enough/good enough about eating right. Its time for that to change. Im currently 245 (6'1"). I'm doing this to have fun, challenge myself and hopefully lose some weight.

I've been training since mid Feb and I'm signed up for a Mini sprint on May 22 (500 yds/6mi/2.25 mi). With no experience to speak of, I want to just check it out and work the transistions before I do a "real" race.

My plan is to do a true sprint distance tri in July in further prep for an Olympic distance race in September. I haven't yet. decided which races I'm going to do for those.

I'm looking forward to my first season and to becoming a triathlete. Thanks for doing this.

Ive been logging my workouts here for a few weeks, I dont know if you have access to that or not.

Welcome Gary to the group and to BT. I think we can all help with motivation. Why have you decided to jump into tris? I think it is always good to work on the discipline that "limits" us the most, so stay after the run if that is your weakest. Any questions you have just let us know.

Scot, it is great to have you. Your story sounds a lot like mine. I have also struggled with my weight. One thing I have found is that dropping pounds has made everything in triathlon easier. I stilll have a work to do to get to my ideal "race weight" but I am headed in the right direction. As long as your logs are open for public viewing I can see them.

Hi Chris,

I'd love to join this group if there's room!  Here's my info (I copied someone's format, thanks!):

Name: Kristen

Story: I'm a total newbie, this will be my first tri season.  I'm 37 years old and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 9.  There is a sprint triathlon held in the town next to me where they raise money for type 1 diabetes, so that got my attention.  I've signed up to join their "TriTeam for Diabetes" team, which consists of type 1 diabetic athletes.  This tri is in June and will be my first. I've always been active/athletic - played soccer and tennis growing up.  I now live outside Boston (originally from upstate NY).  I've also registered for another sprint tri in Sept and am hoping to do a 1/2 marathon in October.  I've found that I love running!

Family Status: Married and mother of 3 young kids (5 years, 3 years and 15 months). 

Current Training: Doing the BT 20 week training program for sprint tri and following Hal Hidgon's training for 10K and 1/2 marathon.  I'm kind of using a hybrid of BT's and Hal Hidgon's schedules.

2011 Races: Currently registered for 2 sprint tris - 6/26 and 9/11.  Did a 4 mile road race in March, doing a 10K in May and Aug, 1/2 marathon in Oct.

Weight Loss: Not a huge priority for me, but would be happy to lose 5-10 lbs.

Goals: Keeping my training consistent and would love the support that a mentor group offers!  Maybe HIM down the road (2012??)....

A couple of discussion topics today to get conversation started:

1) What is your biggest unanswered triathlon related question?

2) What does your training plan look like for today and is it done?

I'll start:

1) I am constantly searching for how do I get faster in the swim?

2) I have an hour on the bike - easy smooth pedaling with HR in an aerobic zone, 30 minute - 1400 yard swim, 30 minute run with 6x400 yard repeats at a 10k pace. Bike is done this a.m.,still have to get swim and run. I am in a taper week for New Orleans 70.3 this Sunday.

Kristen there is defintely room, welcome aboard! I was beginning to think this group was going to be exclusively testoterone filled.

I think it is awesome that you are racing for a cause and one that has been such a part of your life.  How do you find time to schedule your workouts with the kids and everything else? Impressive!

For me:

1) Who will break down first, me or my 30year old bike?

2) Planned 2 miles on the treadmill followed by a short swim pool.  Did the 2 miles half at 12m/mile and half at 15m/mile. Pool was full so I passed on the swimming.  Hope that's not a sign of things to come.

I grew up outside of Albany and went to college in Hamilton, NY (not too far from Cazenovia).  I'm not a winter person either.  New England winters are not much better than upstate NY winters.  You had the right idea moving to Vegas! 

Adam, I totally understand the results being addictive as you up your intensity and training volume just know that rest days are on purpose and are very important!

You will get there on the swim. Are you following a specific plan?

So i decided not to train today and i feel good about it.  I have had five real good days in a row with two of those days being two a day workouts.

Chris, right now i am not following a specific swimming plan, in fact i am not following any real plan.  My goal was to just work hard to get back in some sort of shape and then start a specific plan  I have contact a swim coach but she is really expensive but i may just take 4 lessons from her to get up to speed.

1) I have lots! But I'm a bit worried about combining the three activities in a race - I did a bike ride then a run last Friday (first time I've ever done this) and got really bad cramps throughout my legs! Is this something that improves with practice or should I have a quick stretch inbetween?

2) I'm hoping to do a run tonight followed by a trip to the pool to learn front crawl again. (Was planning on doing breaststroke in the race but have read that could cause issues do to space).