Fred D Mentor Group Part III (Page 2)

Can you go to a masters class more often for more structure?  My goal last summer was swim volume for the 10K, but I found that my speed suffered.  I've decided to continue to go to masters 2X/week, but to swim in the fast lane and have my a$$ handed to me on a twice weekly basis.

Masters is offered at my YMCA 2x a week, but the guy who runs it on Monday does too much talking.  He's a great coach, but caters more towards beginners.  We usually only end up swimming 600-800 yards in 1 hour, so it's not worth my time.

I actually find that I lose more weight when I swim more.  Maybe it's not the swimming, but simply less time spent where I could possibly be eating...LOL.

I'm back for round 3 and looking forward to it.  Will post bio later.

All of the above is so true!  I'm starting to swim with the local university team (first time this morning) and I'm hoping for some good old fashioned swims that involve a) b) c) above.    This morning was 3500 meters and I took it a bit easy (out of fear) but I was still pretty tired.  Haven't done that much fly in a long time!

The post swim munchies hit me hard this morning - my lunch had taken a serious beating by about 10:00am.  The key for me is to get in the hot tub for about 10 mins after a swim - that seems to curb things fairly well.  Didn't have time this morning though!

For me, it's going to be more volume through lots of swim days, but smaller chunks at a time since I get winded really quick right now.

I'm more of a late morning breakfast eater at work.  So when I swim mornings it's in a fasted state.  Might play a part in that.

The (whatevermonth)fish thread on ST usually has a whole lot of workouts. Not all are quality, but it's a good place to start to find some swim workouts.

So, just to catch everyone up on the last two months of my life plus a little background:

I spent June through August under the tutelage of Elaine who got me in incredible shape for two Olympic races (9/2 and 10/13). 

August 11, I was invited to friend’s wife’s birthday party up in the Bay area.  He and his wife are both multiple IM’ers and he’s raced Kona a couple of times.  About halfway through the party, a tall (6 foot tall, and God didn’t make enough of those) blonde walks in.  We’re introduced and instantly have a connection.  Since a lot of the people at the party were triathletes, I asked if she raced, and she said, very humbly, yes.  She asked if I had any races coming up and I told her about my Oly’s, and how excited I was for them.  Then I asked if she had anything coming up.  She said she “had a race in mid-October” that she’s been training for.  The party was wrapping up and I walked her to her car, trying to get the nerve to ask for her phone number or email (I haven’t dated much since the D).  And she says “that it would fun to train together sometime”.  Cool!  “Here’s my phone number, let’s stay in touch”.

The next day we start texting and trying to plan when we can see each other again.  She says that she’s racing that weekend and asked if I wanted to come up and watch her race.  Sure!  Then I get an email titled “If you’re up for it” with the link for me to register for the sprint.  I figure, “what the heck, I’m in good shape” (after I checked with my coach) I signed up. 

I drive up and meet her, we load the bikes, and head out to Sac for the race.  I asked if she’s done many sprints, since that’s what I sighed up for, and she said she was actually doing the half.  Um, okay.  The morning of the race, I ask her how long she expects to take, “Oh, this is a tough course, but I’d really like to break 5”.  HOLY COW, what have I gotten my self into?  I race the sprint and take 3^rd in AG, my first ever podium.  Note to everyone, to be fast at Sprints, train for Olympics!  Sure enough, she comes in 4^th OA and 2^nd in her AG in the half (didn't break 5).  This girl can race!  Date #1=Race.

So, we’re driving back and I ask her what her next race is.  Wait for it…”I’m racing Kona”.  I try to keep the car on the road.  “Really?  Where’d you qualify?” “Cozumel, I had a pretty good race” (Kinda, 3rd in AG!).

We make plans to see each other the next weekend, since I wanted to train on the Pacific Grove course and it’s halfway between our towns, we agree to meet in Monterey for a weekend.  She plans on meeting me for dinner, and I decide to ride the course.  Well, that was the plan, until I get taken out by a car and am laying on the side of the road with a busted face.  I call her from the side of the road, “Um, babe, hear those sirens?  Yeah, well, um, those are for me.  You should probably meet me at the hospital instead of the hotel”.  Date #2=Holding my hand in the ER for 7 hours!

Things have progressed nicely.  She has been amazing in helping with my convalescing and getting me back into training.  I've sag’ed for her on a couple of her long runs, and did a 2.4 mile OWS with her last weekend.  Things are going great!  So long story short, and I apologize, but my non-tri friends don’t get how cool this whole thing is…Date #6=Watching her race the Ironman World Championships in Kona! 

As a late comer to this wonderful group, I am really enjoying the Bios  

NAME: riorio/Sally Aston

STORY:  I was a runner and soccer player through college. I grew up in rural Scotland, moved to the USA in 1995 at age 21. I got into Triathlon after having my 2 kids. I was bored and injured from running. I discovered that I love to bike and suck at swimming but I kept trying. I did IMAZ in 2009 and I've done lots of halfs, Olys and Sprints. 

FAMILY STATUS  Married to a triathlete/mtn biker dude. 2 boys aged 10 and 13 that are into everything.

CURRENT TRAINING: Took a year off triathlon after having knee surgery last October (I chipped cartilage in my knee in a bike crash). I focused on cycling, especially group riding and made big improvements. I competed in my first ever Time Trial. I recently got a road bike and I continue to try and get better at mountain biking.

2012 RACES: I did a Sprint Tri this summer, a time trial and will run a 5k this weekend (likely to be ugly) and another sprint on Thanksgiving.

2013 RACES: Going to make a Tri comeback. I like cycling but I miss the Tri scene. I plan on doing some sprints, Olys and the Leadman 125k tri.

WEIGHTLOSS: My body is really happy at 135 but I am much leaner at 130. A recent flu got me a bit closer to that goal

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: I really enjoy connecting with people in the tri world and I enjoy getting training advice from different sources.  

All - quick question - I'm going to Army training for 5 months in January. I want to get faster on the bike. Would it be worthwile to do ride a bunch between now and then? Would any gains I make now really help after 5 months sans-bicycle? Or should I just focus more on running/strength training to help me through Basic and OCS?

I think I know the answer (Elaine - get your butt on a bicycle! Of course it would help!) but it'd make me feel better hearing it from those of you with experience - especially before I drop $$$ on a nice bike light ETA: and a saddle. That Adamo I demoed was pretty wonderful.

It'll certainly help but I wouldn't do it exclusively.  Maintain good running shape prior to basic.  I'd say at least 3 days a week.  You're probably in far better shape than a lot of others who'll be there, but it's a different animal when you're running, doing PT, running in formation at someone else's pace, running punishments.  Like I recall some squad runs where they had some of us running AROUND the squad as they jogged.  The military can get very creative in ways to ramp up the physical and mental stress load on you.

Oh and good luck

NAME: Arend teRaa 

STORY: I was a swimmer as a kid, up to second year of University.  I did no other sports during this time, never ran or cycled.  Once I stopped swimming, I was done with all types of exercise.  Fast forward about 14 years and I saw that some of my old swim buddies had done a local triathlon.  I thought to myself, "I can do that"!  My wife had started running at that time and I decided to give it a shot too.  Didn't have a great start, it took me probably 12-18 months before I could run without sore knees.  Spent a lot of time in Physio sorting out my crooked legs.  When I got back in the pool, I quickly picked it back up without too much effort.  I enjoyed cycling right from the start, it is definitely my favorite of the 3 sports.  Completed my first triathlon in 2009 and have done many more since then.

FAMILY STATUS: Married for 12 years, no kids, 3 dogs (lost a 4th to lung cancer in June)

CURRENT TRAINING: Currently building back into training after about a month of minimal activity after IMMT in August.  I decided to hire a coach for the first time (Hi Coach!) to see where that takes me in my training.

2012 RACES:
- 19k TT (beating the previous year's time by 2:20 or so),
- a 7k/27k/10k/19k Double Du
- small local sprint finishing 3rd OA,
- started Epic Dartmouth but was hit by a gastro bug the night before and pulled out of the race 40k into the bike
- Ironman Mont Tremblant was my first IM, finished in 11:47.  Great swim, good bike, run was what I expected - a big hurt!
- small local Du, again 3rd OA 

2013 RACES: So far, Mont Tremblant 70.3.  I'd like to add another HIM later in the season as well.  Also hoping to do a few more local races as I missed that this year with IM training.

WEIGHTLOSS: In March I was 177 lbs, dropped down to ~164 for IMMT although I was as low as 161.  I'm pretty happy with the low 160s although I think I could dip into the 150s if I really wanted to.

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MEMBER OF THE GROUP:  I love to learn from the experiences of others and to share whatever experience and information I can provide.

WINTER TRAINING GOALS: The run is where I think I stand to improve the most, hoping to see some gains there.  Also looking to improve power on the bike - followed Jorge's program last winter and saw big improvements in results this summer.  My swim is what it is, I'm happy with where it is at.  I don't have a ton of wiggle room to make big gains with it but I will take what I can get.  Swimming 2-3 days/week with a small university team this winter should be interesting.

Worst 2nd date ever!  

Best 6th date ever!  

That's a great story, I hope she has a great race and you continue to recover and get back into training!

I wish!  After college water polo, I did 0 swimming other than getting from where I crashed back to my wakeboard.  After all those years it most decidedly did NOT come back quickly, contrary to popular belief about people who swim at a young age.  Still working on it.

I'm in!!...thanks Fred and others in the group.

WHEN CAN YOU START: Immediately

NAME: bdesotell / Brian Desotell

STORY: This is my 3rd year in triathlon. I have always been a decent athlete and active; not Division I-worthy, but competitive enough. Lettered in track, cross-country and soccer in high school. Continued with intramural sports through college, mostly basketball and soccer. Have pretty much run on-and-off since high school, but never elite fast.  Spent the rest of the time in the gym lifting weights.  Did a few triathlons back in the day while in college, but went on a 15 year hiatus. Approaching my 40th birthday, I decided with my family to check the IM off of the bucket list. So, I signed up for the Great Floridian, bought a bike and began training (with my brother) using a BT plan, accomplishing one OD race in 2:28 along the way. Finished the IM 13:30 (inclusive of a disappointing 5 hour marathon), good enough for 8th out 25 in the M40-44 AG.  The fastest time in my age group was 11:37, so that gives a little idea of the difficulty of the race course.  Loved it so much that I signed up for the same race again...and got hurt. I went through it all: shin splints, plantars, stress fracture, etc. Thus, I dropped down to a modified half (which is what they have at the Great Floridian - 1.2m swim, 38m bike, 9.3m run) and finished in 3:54, good enough for 3rd out of 14, with the 4th fastest AG bike split and the 2nd fastest AG run split. So yes, I need to learn how to swim.  That was last year; this year I was planning on doing the B2B-full and got hurt again...are you noticing a theme and why I am here??...this time, the achilles. So, I am in for the B2B-half this year instead. Story conclusion? I love the lifelong nature of the sport, the competition and comraderie. I simply want to train smarter and better, perhaps get faster along the way, and do what I can to help grow the sport that we're all here for.

FAMILY STATUS: I have been married for 17 years.  We have four daughters, ages 14, 12, 9, and 8, two German Shepherds, two hamsters, two birds and two fish.  My daughters have all completed many more triathlons than I have, and two of them have already qualified for the IronKids Championship.  They race a lot; I typically do one race per year, maybe two. My wife cycles with me and is the family tri-sherpa - and amazing.

CURRENT TRAINING:  Tapering for the B2B-half.  So far for 2012, I have logged 1,310 miles running, 1,457 miles biking, and a mere 26,000 yards swimming. 

2012 RACES: B2B-half.

2013 RACES:  TBD. 

WEIGHTLOSS: 5'11" and 178 pounds.  Would like to race at 10 pounds less, but not sure I am in for what those last ten pounds will require.  

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MEMBER OF THE GROUP:  I believe I have a lot to learn and a lot to offer. I have immersed myself in the sport enough to be an asset to others, but also realize that there is much to absorb.

WINTER GOALS:  Pirated from a thread on ST and a repeat attempt at last year's winter goals: DEC to MAR - run 50 miles per week (BarryP), bike 2 times per week, swim 2 times per week.  I started this for December 2011 and completed the run portion of the goal, but failed on swimming (no surprise there) and biking twice each per week during through March 2012. This includes a "100 runs in 100 days" challenge starting in mid-December. I also used a modified BarryP plan; basically, I used the 15-10-5 (for the 3-2-1), but never quite hit the 15 mile runs more than once or twice. I typically made them up with another run, or by lengthening one of the 10's or 5's. Would like to try to pull it off in the 3-2-1 fashion this winter...and maintain the bike and swim.

OTHER:  I run in KSwiss, ride a Swift Carbon Aeronaut, and generally avoid the pool. This will have to change if I ever want to dream of KQ'ing. Really, my wife and I talk about KQ'ing a lot. I would love to put in the work and make it happen, but at the end of the day, this is just a hobby. It is a hobby that the entire family is involved in, but just a hobby nonetheless. My family comes first, and that may indeed keep me off the big island....and I'm OK with that.

Tank Boy! Good to "see" you.

Since it seems like a lot of you are familiar with each other and have participated in lots of previous conversations - please let me know if I'm asking something you've already covered (and then maybe point me to where I can read the answers).

After my disappointing results in my second HIM, I realized that my expectations for what I could do (on the amount of time I have ~11-13 hours a week) are probably not in line with what I want to do...Also - coming from a sedentary background, I have no experience with pushing the limit in training. Yanti mentioned that most swim sessions should be painful...I don't know if I have a yardstick for that in my vocabulary (not because I don't want it - I just don't have the experience)...should I be gasping after each set? Should I feel like I can't make it to the end of the set (or just barely)? What is the correct barometer for swim (I'll get to the correct barometer for the bike and run in later posts)?

If I were going to do a set of something like 20x100 that I expect to be very difficult, the progression of how I feel and the level of difficulty might go something like this:

1-5 - "I'm a rock star, I'm going to kill this"
6-10 - "Ok, this is going to be a good tough workout"
11-15 - "Was that #12 or 13 - I have to do 7 more??  Or is it 8, I can't think straight.  @#%!, I missed the sendoff time!"
16-17 - "I think I'm going to pass out, my heart is pounding out of my chest"
18-20 - This is where the mental fortitude needs to kick in, you have to dig deep, maintain your focus and your technique.  When you finish that last one you just hang on the side of the pool and motion to the lifeguards that you are ok.  After a few minutes, you drag yourself out of the pool feeling like a million bucks for having pulled it off.  

Now that's a bit of an extreme but doing a set like that on a regular basis will go a long way.