Baowolf's Fun In the Sun Mentor Group (OPEN) (Page 30)

Grats Isabella! I haven't ever gotten an award for athleticism other than races I have placed in, so Yay You!

I do not doubt that there are people who benefit more from compression during workouts than others. The general trend is recovery related to reduced swelling and bloodflow. If it works, it works.

Did Diva HM today. RR @ http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp... Top notch organization.

I'm gonna crew for my friend M Jan 3 and 4!!! So stoked. She is very self sufficient. We talked a lot and she doesn't respond to butt kicking but instead likes positive comments. Don't think that will be a problem (ince she is signed up for 48 freaking hours). Our friend D will also be there and plans to do 50K+ Saturday, stay in a hotel that night, and then try to get 50 miles or 100K total on Sunday before returning to work on Monday. She offered me a bed on Saturday night (race starts Saturday at 8am). I declined the offer of a room. I may not know much but I know that all, except aliens, experience a low from 3am to dawn. I don't know what to do or how to handle but by God, I will be there during that time doing whatever I think will help anyone. And then there will be Sunday which will be touch and go. I kinda think that M won't go past Sunday evening (either obtained her goal of 100 miles or decided it's not worth it) but if she needs/wants to continue, I'll be there. So excited and scared for her. So excited and scared for me.

Carol, 5 more days my friend. 5 more. Hang in there.

Pam, that is a decent pace for you right? I see 2 other HM around 2 hours and one um not that fast 8). You are in prime shape... and it is off season.

I am still soooo out of shape. I just wrote my IM plan for TX. I may tweak it a bit here and there, my build is always so much easier on paper than in real life for some reason. I am taking a touch off the distance on the build this year, not much just shaving a couple miles here and there with a slower gradual build and not more than 4-5 weeks at the top of the build.

Speaking of out of shape....no working out for the last two weeks. I got a nasty bug that was a combo of streph throat/mono that put me on my butt...then add in Thanksgiving and you have ugh. I tried to test myself last week by mowing a portion of my yard but that was a big fail....I was hacking and miserable. First day back was today...got in some lifting and 30 on the elliptical. High winds and 1-3 inches of rain kept me off the road today and likely tomorrow as well This is why I started early so these hiccups don't impact me as much as if I needed every second for my build up

Pam, congrats on your HM My offer still stands...just inbox me if you want me to reach out to my friend for advice on crewing an ultra event.

Jay, so sorry that you have been sick. Heal. And soon I'll PM you something for your friend. Thanks for the offer of helping me learn to crew.

Steve, yes, I was happy with the HM time for Diva. Last year you taught me so much about mental toughness and I have been trying to bring that to the races. And as for your build for IMTX, you will quickly be putting in those serious numbers. You are a total machine.

We found out Friday that my hubby ran his first marathon (last month) on a broken foot. We were floored that it was broken and now is he in a walking boot and none too happy. But I told him that he totally gets a Bad A-- Award. Now if I can keep him in the boot and not let his impatient mind hurt himself again.

We had our local ultra yesterday and since it was the last time at that locale with those RD, I signed up. Didn't think I was ready and had a loose goal of 7 hours. Had a breakdown even before halfway point and then got my mojo back. Finished with a PR of 5:54:4x and was first place grandmaster (only because the first place grandmaster finished before other masters so they gave her the masters and then me the grandmasters.) It was a gorgeous day with a lot of great friends there. But now, even my eyeballs hurt.

Edited by Pink Socks 2014-12-14 7:14 AM

Isabella, how cool! Fun to be recognized when you are just doing something that you love to do.

Steve, glad you are going to make it to TX! Flying of driving?

Pam, YOU are a machine. Enjoy that groove you are in girlfriend, you have earned it! Sorry about hubby's foot. You know I can relate/sympathize. Where is the fracture?

Jay, hope you are feeling better. Love how you are planning time into your workout plan for those inevitable things that come up. You have really grown in so many ways on this journey.

Finished up the job from #3 on Friday. Worst job of my career -- toxic and dysfunctional are the words that come to mind. Did have some beautiful moments seeing older people deal with the changes in their lives. Such grace that many of them exhibit. All of us in this group enjoy the physical aspects of life, but if we live long enough, that will decline. I just love seeing the people who embrace what they still CAN do, physically, relationally and spiritually. I want to be like them when I grow up .

Pam congratulations! I have to say what an amazing accomplishment you did! The GRAND champion. I am super proud of you!!

Spot on. I want to be like that when I grow up too.

Carol, so sorry about the toxic enviro but so glad that you are out. What are your new plans, Babe? I wish all the best for you.

Hubby's stress fracture is in the left heel. They prob gave it a technical name but I can't remember that stuff. So wonderful tho, our track club had a lecture series tonight and the topic was foot and leg issues. A panel of four - a PT, a running coach, a sports med major who also works in our running store, and ta-da, a doctor who specializes in foot and ankle injuries who just so happens to be who the doc who hubby has his followup appt with. It is definitely encouraging to know that your doctor is a runner and a triathlete who will work with you. Yes!

Linda, so glad to hear from you!!! How are you and your family doing? Still praying for all of you. Lots of hugs.

Grand Champion, very nicely done. And over an hour faster than anticipated.

So I got myself, er my wife got me an early Christmas present FINIS Forearm Fulcrum Paddles. They are a little awkward to use, but I have found them very helpful. At $15-20 they don't break the bank and help you to keep a straight hand/forarm for the pull. My swim has been much better this past week or so using them. I warmup then do 100 yards with them 100 regular 100 with them in and then do the rest of my workout. It kind of reminds me how I should hold my arm for the pull at the beginning of each workout and then I try to not screw it up too much after that. I am just starting to get some endurance back this week. My long run was 8 miles, bike 45 miles and swim 1800 yards (12 ish hours total). My run pace did not drop off more than 20 seconds from the 2nd to the 8th mile which was good even though the pace was not blazing. The swim went with 50 yard sets going from 2:00/100 down to 1:46/100 and I am now ready for bed. At least the pool didn't eat my toes.

Some swim stuff I learned last night. Arm angle shoulder to wrist, bend at the elbow should be 100 to 120 degrees (not 90). The path of your hand in the water is under your shoulder not as close in as your nose or belly button. This varies but strokes per minute should probably be in the 55 to 60 per minute (county each hand into the water). If you are a non slow swimmer it may be faster I don't know. I tried to get my stroke rate up tonight and went from 52 per minute to 57 per minute which = about 14 seconds per hundred faster. Not that I could maintain that for very long. The video I watched had a woman swimming 44 strokes per minute and she slowly increased it (over a year) to 56 strokes per minute which she was then able to maintain on her 19K swim. She went from 2:16/100 to 1:35 per 100 in a sprint set.

On the run and bike front, I have focused on engaging my hamstrings on both. Try it out as you run or bike, consciously just putting a smidge more effort on your hamstring on the run from the transition from plant compression to push off and on the bike stroke it is the scraping the mud off the bottom or your shoe thing. Try this without putting a lot of downward thrust (lite feet) and have your foot move around the pedal rather than smash it down and coast the rest of the way around the stroke (which is mostly knee/ thigh engagement).

Good morning. I wanted to get a quick opinion on a headlamp. I've run at night from time to time and have never used them...however, I focus on staying on normally busy streets...hence better lighting. Do you really need one? Is it critical to have one if you're going to do an IM at some point. I realize that if I do one, I'll likely be running late at night and I can't determine my route. Anywho, thoughts are appreciated!

If you are going to do an IM and you plan to finish after dark you are going to need one. I have itty clip on ones for my hat brim for IMs. We don't have sidewalks let alone street lamps, so if I want to run outside after dark I have to use one. The strap around the head ones will get uncomfortable in a marathon, but are fine for 5-10 miles. They tend to provide more light. You can google away on headlamps there is a variety.

Thanks Steve. Can you tell me more about the clip on ones? I did a search for headlamps and found one that is made by REI that got very good reviews. It has a strap that goes around and over your head....I don't like anything on my head so it's going to be uncomfortable irregardless of what I do. Looks like 2015 mentorship groups are starting up. Are you in again?

Jay, here's an inexpensive solution: http://www.amazon.com/Cyclops-CYC-MHC-W-Micro-Mini-Light/dp/B001QCX...

If you can deal with wearing a visor or other hat with a bill on it, you can clip this on. Mine worked great for a trail race that started before dawn. So inexpensive and lightweight you could buy 2 or 3 of them and clip them all to your hat in case one fritzes out on you.

Job search has started. Scored an interview from the one resume I sent out last week . Sent out a few more resumes, got my reference list fully updated, talking to a recruiter and going to a job search group later this week. Training for Cowtown is 2 shorties on the weekdays + long walk on the weekend...up to 8 this weekend. Rebuilding career and workouts . I did some stretches for my back and glutes yesterday. Felt sooo much better for the rest of the day and night. I have trouble getting comfortable sleeping at night, so really need to get back on that regularly.

Noooooo we have been archived. Ok I applied to be a mentor again for next round. I will be going out of town for 2 weeks starting this Saturday, so not too sure of my posting ability while out of town. I did splurge and get a hotspot... shhh.. don't tell my kids. So hopefully I can get on at least a couple times a week. The new group should go live in about 2 weeks or so and once it is live I will post there and not here, so feel free to mosey on over.

Remember everyone is always welcome form old groups to new groups, I won't be closing the group unless we get like 40 people because I know that 20 will likely drop out after a couple of weeks. Hopefully we can catch a few that will stick like you guys.

Swim is back up to 2000 yards tonight, felling pretty good. I did another swim ladder and my base swim speed is 3 seconds faster than a month ago. So happy with that. I am still using that forearm thingy for 200 yards warmup each swim day.

Bike is so/so and run was just ugg today. For our OCD folks make sure your numbers are all nicely rounded for our year end totals, it so sucks to have a total run of like 999 miles for the year. Ya my wife doesn't understand that, but I am sure most of you do.

Hrm 8 more days until I need to start Christmas shopping, plenty of time.

Hey kids (at heart), just wanted to wish you all a great week! Hope you all enjoy your families and friends. Regardless of whether each of us is on a high or a low physically, monetarily, or otherwise, I pray that we will all feel the love of our God who sent his Son to make that real to us. Merry Christmas!

Whew, I've been a slug since my 50K. I haven't done any running for 9 days. I'm about to go out for a couple of miles tonight just to remember what it feels like. Day after Christmas, I start back.

I'm definitely in for the mentor group when it goes live.

I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah! Hope it is great, and meaningful, for all of you.

As usual I am late to the game (just found BT). Is it too late to be a part of this awesome group?