RE-OPENED Birkierunner's 2013 mentor group - RE-OPENED!!! (Page 22)

Dave, how much time or how often you spend on the bike is really dependent on what those workouts consist of.  For sprint and Oly training you could get by with 3x/week on the bike if you have 2 of those workouts containing more intensity and then a longer bike for your third.  If you can squeeze in a 4th bike that would be great but if time management is an issue you may not be able to do that without impacting workout frequency in the other 2 disciplines. 

Starting with a masters group is great.  If you can do more than 1x a week with them, even better.  Good luck on prepping for Marine Corps...it was my first ever marathon so it has a special place in my heart.

Sorry I've been MIA lately.  Got in a good 2.5 hour ride on the trainer this morning.  When is it going to warm up in WI???  Got a couple questions regarding bike training and shoes.  I have been doing some spinerval DVD's and notice that I have a hard time keeping smy heart rate in zone 2 on the harder gears (even though the folks on the t.v. don't seem to be having that problem)  Is this just me? l or could it be the tension I have my trainer on?  I have no problem keeping the heart rate low and the cadence high on easier gears, just the harder ones. 

Also, I noticed this morning (my longest ride this year) that I began developing a cramp on the bottom of my right foot at the 2 hour mark.  I have new clipless pedals and shoes (speedplay).  If its a cramp I'm not really concerned; just don't want it to be something more serious.  Haven't experienced it running although sometimes my feet will feel a little numb.  Anybody else have a similar problem? 

Overall, feeling real good where I am at training wise.  Now if I could just figure out how to "Eat to train and not Train to eat"  I'd have it figured out!

-Todd

Todd, which spinerval DVD is it?  What is the intent of the workout?  Not being able to keep your heart rate in z2 may simply be a fitness issues but its hard to say.  Do you have your trainer tension set right?  What is Coach Troy saying to do at the point where your rate rate jumps out of z2?  If you're working hard maybe that is the intent of that portion of the dvd?  Hard to say without more info.

It may take you a while to get used to a new shoe/cleat system...although the float of the Speedplays should be make for a fairly comfortable ride.  Once you start getting up in the mileage for the first few times your feet may become uncomfortable and you may have some cramps....this is something that should go away once you get a few more longer rides under your belt.  You can always unclip the shoe/foot that is cramping and try to work it out while you are coasting.  Sometimes I will scrunch up my toes if my feet are getting a little numb at mile 80 or higher...helps to get the blood flowing in the foot or work out any cramping.  This assumes that you have the right fit for your shoe and that the cleat is mounted in the right position on your shoe.

Sounds like you're making good progress!

TTom - 2013-03-31 10:09 PM March is done.  Monthly totals bike 400 miles, run 56, swim 27650 yards.  More than I've ever done before. Hard to believe this is still early days.  Yikes!  Heel's feeling a lot better so debating giving it a mile on the treadmill as a test drive vs. giving it another full week on the elliptical.  Running is more fun, but I sweat out a lot more toxins on the elliptical.

Nice job on the totals!!

Birkierunner - 2013-04-01 9:45 AM

TTom - 2013-03-31 10:09 PM March is done.  Monthly totals bike 400 miles, run 56, swim 27650 yards.  More than I've ever done before. Hard to believe this is still early days.  Yikes!  Heel's feeling a lot better so debating giving it a mile on the treadmill as a test drive vs. giving it another full week on the elliptical.  Running is more fun, but I sweat out a lot more toxins on the elliptical.

Nice job on the totals!!

Always nice to check totals.  Looks like March was my biggest month since August.  I'm most happy about being able to get running again - now I need to stay injury free!

Not regretting the Easter Meal. But have been sick for the last 3 weeks, sinusitis and bronchitis, and my March totals are in the toilet. Im scrapping my 70.3 plans for June, but plan on soley focusing on IMFL.  Never thought a 3 week layoff from illness is like starting from scratch. 

Sorry to hear about your bout with illness.  Ive had similar bouts in the past and they just seem like they will never give up.  Scrapping a race can be a wise thing to do, especially if lots of travel dollars are involved.  IMFL is still a long ways away and plenty of time to get ready.  Take it easy getting back into training.

I really like the Nature Valley Protein Bars. 10g Protein 5g Fiber and only 5g sugar.....I'm no nutritionist but it seemed to me to be a better combination than cliff, balance, and some of the others. Granted I was more looking at the net carb affect.  I also have been eating smoked almonds on the road, I just keep a bag in my vehicle.  

not sure what trainer you have but try to find instructions in owner's manual or online at company website on proper tension settings

Tom, here is what we have athletes do to conduct a heart rate based bike test.  We also have a separate spreadsheet to take the test results to calculate zones for the athlete but I can't post that here.  There are lots of sites that allow you to plug in your test result to give zones.  Here is the one contained in Jorge's winter training program.  Here is the test:

Warm-up : 15 min @ zone 1, then 5 min as 30 sec @ zone 4/ 30 sec @ zone 2, then 5′ @ zone 2
Main Set: 20 min all out test (read details below)
Cool Down: 10 min @ zone 1
Total – 55 minutes

Details – The 20 minute Bike Time Trail Test — Remember that the goal of the test is for you to ride as fast as possible but at a pace which allows you to complete the entire 20 min test. Start the test and start recording your heart rate for the entire test but hit the split button at the start and end of the 20 minute main set.  The average for the 20 minute main set is what you’ll use to calculate your Heart Rate threshold. It is very important that you should finish knowing you gave it everything you had. It will be a good idea to be in a nice ventilated area, to have a fan to cool you down during the test, a towel and have fluids handy.

20 for both....and can also use the 5 min test (especially power) to get a power curve

Jim.  For the HR test, do you then multiple your 20 min average by .95 to get your threshold?

Oh, and for anyone that hasn't done one of these tests.  They are very informative, and also very diabolical...If anyone is curious what happens during the course of the test, this was my last one in December.  I'm overdue to test again.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/249132673

Jim, thanks for the feedback on the HR test.  I don't have a trainer, so will need to do this outdoors.  Living in the SF Bay area, I don't have many stretches where I can go all out on a fairly flat section without traffic lights, etc.  I do have one option close to home which is a bike/ped trail that runs right down to the Bay.  Early morning there is very little in the way of ped traffic as you near the Bay, the only hiccup is that I'd have to do a 180 when I get to the Bay.  I think I could do that at the 1/4-1/2 way point to avoid the ped traffic but the question is, would a quick 180 skew the results measurably?  Also, I don't have a power meter so think I will need to find another calculator than the one you linked in your previous post.

On a separate note, it's been a frustrating swimming week.  Monday got to the pool and it was closed for a mechanical issue with the pumps.  Today got there and it was fully populated with a swarm of water walkers, all lanes, multiple participants - not a scheduled class or anything, just bad timing.  I had a later commitment that wouldn't allow me to hang around for another 30 minutes or whatever it would have taken, so had to miss today as well.  WILL get a swim in tomorrow and Friday, but will have a net lost day for the week.  Boo.

Check the link again...there is one tab for POWER and another tab right next to it for HR

Yes, avg HR * 0.95 to get MLSS estimate.  They are a fun test aren't they?   Not