Jac's Group - The water is warm, join us! (Page 18)

Seoulgirl- oh, didn't know you had TWO jobs!or maybe you mentioned that earlier and i just forgot.... wow, it must really be tough finding time to train...I really give you credit for squeezing it in. I totally ate too much too on mother's day...oh well, I'm starting to feel a little nauseated when I look at food now too. I guess thats a good weight loss strategy, overindulge until you get sick and don't want to eat again.LOL! I'm struggling with keeping my body nourished well right now...I exercise in the afternoon/evenings which kills my appetite for dinner. But, I'm trying to get a good healthy lunch in everyday. I drink a protein shake every morning cause theres just no time for breakfast. 

PB- Way to hang in there and finish strong! Stay healthy though...don't want your knee to get injured so close to your race:-) Thanks for the info on transitions, I'll check the race reports on my sprint triathlon that I'm doing. I think it's gonna be a pretty gnarley transition from the ocean to the bike..theres a lot of reef in the race area.

Well, I ALMOST bailed on my swim workout yesterday....I was feeling so wiped out at work, probably from my sunday brick workout but i dragged myself to the pool and swam about 1600yards. There were a lot of other triathletes working out too, which motivated me a little. I felt so much better and am so glad I did it! My legs are looser today and I'm ready for my run this afternoon! 

Have a good one! p.s.- Finally got a new profile pic of me on my husband's bike this past sunday! 

Knee feels better today, ibprofin and iced it last night, that did the trick, so ran ok and biked well this morning.  Thought forsure I was going to get soaked as they where calling for late night thunder storms, yay I stayed dry.

Keep up the good work - when i think I'm going to bail it is best just to keep going and after 10 min or so your back into the swing of things.  Just push yourself to start!  You always feel great aftewrwards.

later all

I may not have mentioned my second job-I just started a couple of weeks ago doing some business admin and consulting work for the same company my husband works for in Seattle, except my work is all done by telecommuting and remote connections.  These last two nights have been long nights.  I get home around 530p and jump on the computer and work until 830 or 9p.  So, Tues and Weds were no workout days.  I told myself that has to stop!  I am going to get my butt in gear and start walking Max in the mornings and then swimming at night, then hitting the gym on alternate days for biking and running.  I'm just going to do it!! 

PB-I actually get along with my inlaws pretty well, maybe it's because I only see them every 3-4 years and it's usually not a long visit.  Seriously, though, they are great people and we always have a nice time when we're together.  I'm looking forward to having another day off!!  lol

BioFreeze is what I use for aches and soreness.  I swear by it.  A friend of mine turned me on to it when her mom got a little sample packet from the massage therapist.  It's like Icy Hot but 10 times better.  I used it a lot when I first started training in January and even though it didn't completely take away the serious aches and pains, it definitely helped me be more mobile than I would have been without it.  It's great stuff and I use it whenever I have the slightest ache.  It smells strong when you first apply it, but then the smell disappears within minutes and if you put in on your knee or foot and then cover it up with pants or socks, it makes it work even better.  I love the stuff.  It's not available over the counter, you have to purchase it through a medical provider.  Since I work for a medical office, I can order it whenever I need it.

You guys are doing great and it's wonderful to see your new profile pic, Tri!!  You look ready to race and you look confident and happy!!    I can't wait to read both of your race results.  My friend is a couple weeks away from finishing my bike and as soon as I get it, I'll post pics of it.  I'm excited but I'm even more excited to try it out.

Well, hope you two have a great Wednesday!!  Stay safe, stay strong and keep training!!

PB- Glad to hear your knee is better! yea, it's such a mental game when I hear that little voice inside telling me to just quit for the day and give up...I use to listen to it a lot but now I'm learning to ignore it and keep going. I always feel better after completing my workout and realize my body was just fine to do the workout. Its always just in my head now:-) I checked out the race reports for my race, found out there is a 100 yard beach run to the transition area from the ocean...YIKES! Almost everyone said they were winded in T1....I better get some beach running in soon. Keep up the great work!

Seoulgirl- I'll have to look for that biofreeze again, I heard of it...I think my husband got some from his chiropractor once. Thanks! I've been using tiger balm but it doesn't help much. I need something a little stronger and long lasting. BTW, I have great in-laws too! They live in the bay area though, so I only see them maybe once a year but I love them, we're fortunate I guess cause I have a lot of friends who do not get along with their in-laws. Love your JUST DO IT attitude!!!!!! 

Did my bike and then short run yesterday...I think my feet are feeling the increase workload this week...I've got sore left arch and heel today. But, my knees are okay which is what worries me the most....they're a little wobbly today but still in tact and not sore. Nice short easy swim today...I'm so glad cause I gotta recover by tomorrow for my long run.

have a great day you two!

OMG - super busy today at work, feeling frantic.... but good news I rode my paper route in 60:59.

I was flying and riding around like a mad man.  Normally 70 to 80 min for the bike portion.  Not for sure why I was so fast but when I was done I was on a high and legs felt the workout.

Happy Thursday

I guess frantic work pressure produces good results! good thing you're in great shape to punch out a fast time like that:-) 

I've been completely obsessed with looking at my training schedule lately...the time is ticking down and I really want to make sure I get the mileage and time in for all three sports. I've been doing fine following the plan but am adding in more running through bricks on the weekend. I'm suppose to have a long run today but my body is kinda sore. I think I'm gonna listen to it and take today as my rest day and do my run tomorrow...I hope my body appreciates this and is in better shape to run tomorrow...

Have a great thursday! 5 more days of work for me!

Your logs looks great - I never add any comments - good job - you bet a long run can wait a day, you so going to be ready for your race.  Now you need to set those goals of time.  What will you do the swim in?  Bike?  Run?  add time for transitions and come up w/ that grand total.  Than you can compare this time w/ other race reports, maybe find last years web site finishers and place your self among the group.  W/ that info you may find that w/ alittle extra effort your in the top 20% or top 1/3rd or top 50%.  Trust me I know I'm always saying it is for fun and I race to complete not compete - but.......I would love to come back to work and say - yup finished the race and was in the top 50% of 900 racers.  Trust me no one understands anything about the sport - but when you can say - yup top 50% - that they get.

Soelgirl - I'm there w/ you about the 2nd job - don't you worry - your going to find that balance and get back to workin it out very soon.  Your head is in the right place - you want it - you can do it - you are stong, you are powerful - you are a ROCKSTAR!

Have a super weekend everyone - I'll be slaying them at my fencing tournament - so no long ride this saturday - later all - train hard.

pb

you are so right! this is my first triathlon and my goal is to finish without walking. But...as my confidence builds in being able to finish it, I start to wonder....hmmm...maybe I can finish well in my age group? have a decent time? lol!! too funny. 

A lot of race reports talk about how radical the swim was with all the kicking and pulling of legs. Is there a strategy to get around all this? I know not to line up front and center for the start. Any tips on positioning myself so I can actually swim and not battle with all the salmon swimming upstream? Is it wise to go way on the outside and just try to swim fast around the main pack? I may end up swimming a farther distance with this strategy though....

Well, small little setback, my plantar fascitis is acting up in my left foot...it's been non-existent all these months. I've had to deal with it since high school, it's mild but can get moderately sore if I really stress it. I guess the increase in running has aggravated it. I have custom orthotics which have helped but right now I'm gonna need to start taping I think. No time to just rest it. I have a high pain tolerance so I'll just manage it until my race. 

Thanks for the encouraging words! Have a great weekend training too!!!!

Tri - as far as the swim - it really sounds like you are a strong swimmer.  I say get right up front and go for it, 400 yrds (right) and it will be over in a blink of a eye.  Than you can settle down relax alittle on the bike and be ready for the run.  If you really want to avoid the pack than yes stay to the left or right, stay away from the life guard boats as this is where the slow uncertain people will cling to.  for the PF the wall streach really helps, wieght forward on wall 1 leg in 2nd leg back and pull that muscle, the PF goes way up the leg - these are what works best for me.  Also think about how may miles hours you have put into your shoes?  500 miles can go fast, each shoe is different, plus now is the time to get a new pair to break them in before the race.  New shoes is on my list this week.   Also could be that confidance builder we all need from time to time.

Fencing tounament went really well, I finished in top 10 - could have gone all the way but was taken out by a lefty.  Funny thing is I'm a lefty.  I just started to figure out what I needed to change to beat him just a few points to late.  Darn it!  I've beaten everyone else he battled for the finals so I'm alittle bumbed.  So Sunday I painted back porch - (wife hates color so I'll need to repaint :>(  )  any ways I really wasn't to sore Sunday - Saturday was a long long fencing day.  I beat my body up and OMG I feel it today.  Woke up alittle late and sore and stiff all over!  I'm a old man!  Looking forward to working out the sore everything on my long run tonight.  10 miles will be mine.   (I think I say that every week)  This time I'll do it!

Happy Monday

pb

Ok, yes! I'll line up in the front to the left or right. That sounds like a plan and I'm pretty confident i can get out in front early. It is only 400m..and I'm fairly comfortable swimming in ocean with choppy waves but hopefully it'll be calm that morning. I definitely need a good warm up though....I'll burn myself out if I start out strong without being warm enough. I'm also doing those stretches you mentioned...my muscles are pretty tight. 

Too bad that guy beat you!! oh well, you can slay him the next time 

10 miles is YOURS!! Have a good workout....when is your race? May 27th?

June 10th is the race - and yes 11.5 miles was mine!  9:53 mile - I've never run so well and felt stong the whole time.  After fencing I was whipped, and took my very first Ice bath.  I didn't use ice but just cold tub water - soaked in there for 10 min and than warm shower after.  So  I've never done it before but I think it helped, today I could still tell I ran 11 miles but legs where much better than I would have guessed they would be.  We'll see tomorrow - as it seems to take 2 days to feel my hard workouts.    I posted the question last week and got good feedback - cold water was thrown out there and of corse adding ice as well.   Good experiment and will do it again after long hard runs, and after the race - but will be adding ice.

Off to the shoe store this afternoon - All I need to do now is try the wet suit and see what that is all about.

Weight still inching up - but the WII said I'm still in the healthy weight zone :>  So I'm ok with it.  Cinco de myo holiday really got the beer buying back into the routine on the weekends.  Darn it!  I was really doing well but those darn caronas are so good and go down so easy.  I'll keep working on that one.

Have a super Tuesday everyone

pb

YES!!! WOOT! WOOT! to your 11.5 miles and feeling strong! That's great PB! Bravo on the ice bath too... I don't think I could do that:-) I think I would go into shock..lol!  I use to love coronas too...unfortunately, they really kill my stomach and GI system so beer has been off my diet for years now...but my stomach does fine with Margaritas!!haha. I haven't had any alcohol for a few months now...my body doesn't seem to like it at all with all this training so I just stopped. BUT, I will celebrate completion of my first tri with a margarita or two I'm definitely gonna celebrate.

I went to a runners shoe store yesterday and the guy told me my shoes were wasted already. I had no idea..so I got me a new comfortable pair and will start breaking them in today. Whew! I"m glad I did this yesterday since I've only got about 3 and half more weeks until my race. He said they should help absorb the shock and ease my plantar fascia pain. So I'm stoked.

happy training 

Yes new shoes in Michigan as well, so I put them on this morning and off I go, could tell the difference right away when running, bad news is I got them dirty on day 1.   darnit!

Street cleaner cleaned the roads downtown for a run they had there this weekend, nice pile of sand dirt pebbles going alond the side of the road, well of corse I didn't see this nice line of debree.  front tire went out into the junk and down I came.  Bumped my sholder but other than that ok.  Feeling alittle old, I didn't say anything yesterday, but I crashed on some wet dewy grass and went down as well. (doggy chashed me alittle and was off my normal line)  So 2 crashes in 2 days, now I'm not sure if the 11 miles is why I feel so beaten up or the crashing...lol

Looking forward to long weekend.  BIG honey dew list and 2 long rides planned.  Than bike maitenance.  I hope.  Work is sucking this week - so much todo and all I want todo is swim bike run.  My mind is overwhelmed.

So - good topic - are you planning on bike maitenance? - I know you are borrowing one but before the race - at least 1 week before the race you need to......clean that baby.  I've heard good things about simple green degreaser.  I use whatever I can find, and than regrease lube when I'm all done.  things to hit.

Check break pads, chain, derailer, anything that moves - clean it and than lube it.  Look for loose parts, peddals, nuts and bolts, shifter - is it shifting correctly?  I use Bike Park .com or ?biketutor.com.  It will at least point you in the right direction for advice.

Tires - any leaks?  replace the tube now.  Don't do patching for a race.

Do everything a week before just incase something goes wrong and you have some time to get it into a bike shop or buy a new part.  Usally my case.  I stink at fixing things, rubbing dirt and grease off - very good at - replacing parts on a 15 year old MTB - not so good at.

Wow that went long - ok off to work I go, hi ho hi ho.

l8r all

2 bike crashes in two days? whoa! lol! I came close to crashing once, making a hard left turn going to fast and my bike tire lost traction and skidded out a little. Fortunately I was able to recover okay.....I think it's my motorcycling skills that have helped me on handling a bike. It's been awhile since I was on a motorcycle but I guess you never really forget how

Yea, my new shoes are awesome! it's like running on fluffy clouds:-) and they're still sparkling clean! Thanks for the bike maintenance tip...I'll go to that website and check it out. I don't know much about maintaining a bike and neither does my husband but I'll figure it out. Is the degreasing and cleaning to help it go faster? I'm assuming, not just to look pretty..lol! 

One more day of work and then School is OUT! yea! we don't get paid much but I sure do like the summer vacations. I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions to ask you in the coming days...thanks for helping me out with these tips. This might be a silly question but are you allowed to wear jewelry like a necklace? It just occurred to me that I never see women triathletes with any jewelry on in the pics on the web or in magazines. I don't really know all the official rules of the sport too...I guess I better read up on this stuff. 

Have a good one!

Not really sure on the bling, i would think if you are not comeing in 1st no one is going to care much if you have earings on.  Necklace should be fine if your not going to hang yourself by it getting in the way.

Yes it is to make your bike look great! - Everyone will be riding a clean bike.  Removing built up grease and crud will make everything work better, we may never notice a difference - but I would think your bike will be happier and you'll know you did everything you could for a great performance.  I mean don't get crazy - but at least give 30min of love and grease the chain. 

legs finally recovered from long run - weather has been great this week in Michigan - 50's every morning - I'm not looking forward to the heat!  94 on Sunday.  88 today.  I love summer but the heat, and bugs are 2 things I could do with out.

School is out for the summer?  You go girl.  enjoy.

I did not abandon you!!!!!!  I just read all of your posts to catch up with what you guys have been doing.  I'm so inspired by the two of you-you both really have your stuff together.  Tri, I know you're probably concerned about doing everything "right" in your race, but, I have to say, your mental conditioning is right on track and that's what is going to push you through.  I have never done a race, but I was a competitive swimmer in high school and I can remember very clearly what kind of mental preparations we would do, both individually and as a team.  And when it comes down to it, when you're swimming, riding and running, it's all about YOU!!  My biggest weakness is comparing myself to others.  I don't think it's wrong to have someone to model yourself after or desire to be like someone, but I think we, as humans, set ourselves up for failure when we try to compare item for item.  Might be great when buying a new DVD player, but no so great when training. 

I think both of you have made such great improvements, even in the past month, it's really great to read all about them.  I, on the other hand, am hanging my head in shame...I haven't been to the gym in almost 3 weeks and walking hasn't worked out either because the weather has taken a turn and it's been too chilly to be outside.  I think I let my work schedules intimidate me too much and instead of pushing my way through it and finding a solution, I opted to take the easy route and not go to the gym.  I'm not feeling that great; mentally or physically.  I gave myself a pep talk yesterday and told myself to knock it off and get back in the gym.  So, I'm getting my workout plans organized and I'm going to get back in there starting June 1st!!  By then, my second job will have tapered back a bit and the local pool will be openining on the 11th and I'll be able to workout in the am and swim in the pm.  And that's just how it's going to be!!!

I hope you guys have a great 3 day weekend!!!  Keep up the fantastic work and I will not be absent as long as I was this past week!!  Happy Thursday and keep training hard!!

Hey Seoulgirl! nah, I didn't think you abandoned us.....glad to hear from you again! Sounds like things have been busy for you...your June 1st plan sounds good! I'm sure you'll get your mojo back in no time:-) You are so right about the mental preparation importance.....I feel like I've done the physical preparation to the best of my ability and now my mind is getting the intensity workout! Battling the self-doubt is always tough for me....especially if I allow myself to start comparing to others. I think the sport of triathlon is great for this because I really feel like I'm just competing against myself and not some other super athlete.....which I did most of my childhood in various sports. I think I really am gonna be smiling before, during and after this triathlon. I put a quote on my training log home page that says, The Journey is the Reward.....it really has been for me throughout this whole experience. The race will be over in a couple hours on June 17th but I will remember the months of training and all that I've learned and experienced from people the most.... AND more importantly what I've learned about myself throughout this whole experience. It's all good!

Have a great 3 day weekend too!

Ok, cleaning the bike a week before my race. Are you tapering the week before your race? I've had to tweak my plan because I started it too early and the race date was further away than the plan had it set for. I just added in a couple weeks more of training and then a taper the week before. I guess I'll just have to see how my body does and maybe stick in rest days when I know I really need  them to recover. My legs seem to take up to 2 days or more with the PF to recover after running long... we'll see....I hope it works!

Happy training! I've got a bike and swim to do today.....had to cancel my bike ride yesterday cause of wind and rain. 

Good job on the painting! Rain and wind has been cancelling my bike workouts over here too..It's beautiful everyday except the days I have a long bike scheduled..oh well. Ran 2.2 miles yesterday and felt okay. My plantar fascitis is getting better and I've been using KT tape to support it which really helps. I'm gonna do a swim/bike brick today and practice transition! Should be funny:-)

Good luck with the wetsuit! Have a good one!

Well I'm loving my paper route right now, cool mornings and the papers are coming on time for the most part.  I'm so lucky to start my day off w/ a hour ride and 20 min run.

Yes the porch is so clean and empty, almost don't want to move the funiture back.  That will happen this afternoon.  Blinds, new ceiling fan, and that baby is done!  BIG check mark on the summer todo list.

Alittle calm in my mind - not a bad thing but strange, as soon as the long run was over I just said, well I've done it, nothing more I can do for the run and for the bike as well, except clean her up.  less than 2 weeks togo, must hit that water but I don't seems worried anymore.  Wierd.  My mind is normally going 1000 MPH thinking planning  adding times.  poof all gone!

Have a super Wednesday. - good luck on the brick!

Well, it's been a weird week for training....I got my bike on my car and headed out towards the ocean to practice a swim/bike transition brick. As I sat at a light, a guy pulled up next to me and told me I had a bolt stuck in one of my tires. SO....I turned around and went home. Sure enough, there was a HUGE bolt stuck in the treads. My husband slowly pried it out and the air started hissing so he pushed it back in. We ended up putting on my spare so I never made it to the ocean. Just did a 45 minute bike ride around my neighborhood.

Today is find a service station to fix my tire day!

Good job on all the to-do list stuff!! Sounds like a lot of work got done:-)

Interesting....where your mind is at right now. I guess thats a good thing...keep calm until the race really gets close? Maybe it's because you know you've done everything you need to do to prepare? I'm still a little nervous with a ton of things going through my mind..but I think it's because I'm a newbie and don't know what to expect

Wow it's wednesday already? time is flying by!

Have a great day!