Jenny's Winter "Find What Drives You" Mentor Group - Open (Page 2)

Geez Erica, -19*!  I don't know how you Canadians do it!  Being in Texas, I start losing muscle function around 20*F and mind control at 10*F!

Jenny - I worked all weekend but still got in some running in (and football).  It's all good because today is my Friday!  We're looking at a high this week of 70 and lows in the 45-55 range.  I think I'll make time for the bike!!  

This week and next are my last two big weeks before I start tapering for my marathon.  Both are about 8-9 hours running with my two longest runs to date.  I'm getting a little nervous wondering if I'll make my goal on race day.  I guess the next two weeks will tell....

Hope you and everyone else had a nice weekend as well.

I would love to be part of this mentor group if you still have room.

Here's some info about me:Fechter99 on BT and myfitnesspal.com - Randi in real life!

 FOCUS - Fitness and if I am lucky, finally seeing the numbers drop on the scale

STORY - I just turned 45.  Where do I begin? Let's start with the weight loss (or lack thereof): I have always battled my weight and despite trying to lose weight, was never successful. I followed WW for 2 years and while it taught me to eat well, be healthy and love exercising, I was not able to lose much weight. I had multiple visits to endocrinologist testing for hypothyroid(family history), insulin resistance, etc, etc and all tests came back normal. This did not change the fact that I could not lose weight and felt horrible. About 2 years ago, I finally found a doctor that would treat the symptoms I was experiencing (something like 25 different symptoms of hypothyroid). After about 3 months on Synthroid I was finally feeling so much better. Unfortunately I still was not able to lose the weight and keep it off. I figured out how to maintain my weight really well. I lost and found the same pounds over and over again. My lowest since starting this journey to a healthier me was 185lb several years ago (highest was in March 2012 of 210lbs).

Triathlon story: In 2007, my family volunteered at the NJ State Triathlon. A friend of ours who is why we were there kept saying prior to that day that we would want to do the race the following year. You know the saying doth protest too much? That was my husband and me. We swore there was no way we would get out there to do a triathlon. Surprise, he was right and we got bit by the bug! The following day, I told Mike that I was going to do the triathlon the next summer and the rest, as they say, is history. I did the sprint distance race in 2008 and 2009. In 2010 and 2011 I did them as relays due to injuries - plantar fasciitis, runners knee, shin splints, arthritis in the shoulder irritating the rotator cuff. I took 2012 off to hopefully heal once and for all. We volunteered last year at the NJ State (have to add that we do volunteer each year during the race weekend) and it was at that moment that I swore I would be back out there racing again in 2013. I was not going to sit back and watch again. Unfortunately my shins, knees and feet still give me problems so running is a major issue for me. I love to swim and biking is getting easier. I did an aquabike race in 2010 and really enjoyed it - 3rd on the podium for Athena no less! Planning several aquabikes this year - running is painful despite me really wanting to get out there and run and on the advice of my orthopedist, not advised.

FAMILY STATUS - happily married to the love of my life for 22.5 years, Mike (mfechter67 here on BT). mom to two wonderful boys 16 and 12. in Central NJ. I am a stay-at-home mom who works 2 part time jobs (one as member services staff at my local Y and the other as Executive Director for the NJ State Municipal Prosecutors Assoc) Waiting to hear about a third position that I interviewed for recently. My entire family has the tri bug - Mike is training for a couple of races this year and the boys have both done several kids sprints in the past and planning to do at least one race each this year. My older son is now a swimmer on the H.S. Swim team and getting faster by the minute. He was also diagnosed with Crohns Disease in December 2011 which has been a emotional experience for all of us and adjusting to a new normal with a kid who has a chronic illness. Luckily he is feeling well and has a great attitude about life in general. My younger son unfortunately takes after me with his weight but hoping that our lifestyle changes will help him lose that weight as he matures. His doctor says for him not to lose weight but to avoid gaining more as he grows taller which seems to be working right now.

CURRENT TRAINING - a sprint to olympic bridge here on BT (minus the run workouts) as well as doing what I feel like doing at times - spin class, walking on the track, step aerobics, yoga, weight training. Had some moderate weather here in NJ and got out on the road with my husband for a ride last weekend. Felt great to be out there but it told me that I have lots more training to do before I can comfortably finish 26 miles. I love being able to train on the actual course for my A race. The race is 2 loops, we did one. Swim won't be a problem. I can already swim 1800 yards nonstop, not afraid of the lake and now focusing on getting faster.

THIS YEAR'S RACES - NJ State Olympic Aquabike ( A race -already registered - and doing the aquabike because of the leg issues), and have a couple other aquabikes on the radar but have not made a final decision as to which I want to do or fit into the schedule. I have even offered to do the sprint swim at the NJ State for a relay team if someone needs a swimmer. Sprint is Saturday, Olympic is Sunday. Keeping my fingers crossed that someone needs a teammate.2013 - Can't wait to see what it has to offer!

WEIGHT LOSS - I am 5'3 and weigh 195.4 but I have struggled with my weight my entire life. I got the Body Media Link armband and have since learned that I am just not eating enough and had put my body into starvation mode. Since doing this right after Thanksgiving, I have lost 4lbs and 4+ inches from my waist. It has been a long road and hoping I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel with the weight loss journey. I have really been trying to stay focused on the health aspect regardless of what the scale says. It is not always about what the scale sales but how I feel. It is strange to shift from trying to see the scale number shrink to really making it a lifestyle change but we are really getting there.

WHY THIS GROUP? - Seems like a perfect fit with others who have experienced many of the things I have with weight loss, injuries, former spin instructor, mom, etc.

Coach Jenny,

When I log my workouts, do i have to get the bronze membership and then upload to that, or can i just use those 'free-form" training logs? 

do you want imperial measures or do you care if its metric?

4 km sounds SO much better than 2.4 miles!

thanks!

Erica.

I can probably help with some of this.  

You do not need a paid membership to log your workouts.  The main reason I came to BT was because I could easily log all three sports as well as track sports history, mileage, and volume totals, all for free.

If you look under (click on) "Programs" at the top of your page you can sort training plans by membership level.  I did my first several tri's, Sprint and Olympic, off of the free programs and they worked just fine for me.

If you choose to use an existing program you would want to import that program into your Planned Calendar.  Doing so will ask for beginning date or race date and then popular your planned training calendar for you.  You can view that calendar and other by clicking "Training Log" then mousing over the "Jump to:" selection, Blog, Calendar, Week, Month, etc.  From there you can look at your actual, planned, comparison, ....  

You can also make your own plan as far out as you like.  Either in calendar view or blog view, which is a list of daily activities.  

There's several videos that can help under the red ? help button at the very top of this page.  Here's a link to one:

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=480

Hello everyone,

I'd like to join the group (if there's still room)

My name is Nora and I'm a full time college student. After being a couch potato for 17 years, I decided to start running, injured my knee and hamstring and started swimming and biking to add more variety to training and decrease the likelihood of repeating my injuries. My goal is to complete an Olympic distance triathlon in the summer, if time and budget allows.

Right now, I'm trying to build my running distance up 10 k and trying to get over my fear of road bikes.

Hello Jenny,

I would love to join your group. I sort of live in the sticks in Oklahoma and it's really hard to find training partners. I did my first tri last year (Route 66 sprint) and i loved it. Even though i'm a teacher by profession, i'm more of a "doer" instead of a planning-type individual. That's why i need support from racers with more experience- especially with workout and race planning. I just recently purchased a base model carbon tri bike (Quintana Roo) and now i'd like to justify that purchase by doing an olympic distance race. Thanks for your consideration.

Barry Hughes 

Hello everyone, and the new guys/gals!  

@ Barry, I train alone most of the time.  In fact, all the time mostly because of my shift work.  Groups like these and people I've met on BT help me a lot.  Grats on the Quintana Roo!

@ Jenny - I need a little advice, please.  First, this might be a little long, sorry.  

I've been shooting for a four hour marathon, now just four weeks away.  I know it's to late to "re-train", play catch up, or re-invent the wheel at this point.  Last week and this week are my two big ones before I start tapering.  I feel like the plan I've been on should have had me putting in longer runs earlier in the plan.  I've done a lot of 2 - 2.5 hour runs.  So, I've modified the plan with longer runs lately pushing 4 the hour mark last week.  It looked like this: 

As you can see I have three- one hour race pace runs with a small 5" break between and a WU/CD.  My Cardiac Drift went through the roof during the first part of hour 3.  It was much hotter than usual, full sun, elevations, and a little dehydrated by then.  I could have kept the 9:00 pace a little longer but I didn't want to risk it under those conditions so I slowed down.  My 20" CD was walking at 15:03 and still had a hard time dropping my HR.  Now, MY LEGS WERE WIPED OUT!  I totaled 23 miles and the idea of needing 3 more miles looked really daunting at the time!

To my question:  I have one more long run tomorrow or maybe Wed.  In your opinion do you think I should stick with my plan, a 9:00 m/m pace and see how it goes?  It seems my lack of leg endurance would risk running a much slower pace at the end.  Or maybe moving closer to a 10:00 m/m pace with plans of holding it the entire distance?  I would think testing one or the other this week and seeing how it goes, then making my plan for race day.

Any thoughts would be most welcome.   

Edit: I need to add that I was taking a GU gel and an electrolyte pill each hour as well as 24oz of Gatorade.  If I would have checked the weather before I went out I would have doubled the gels and pills as well as planted water along my course.

Thanks!!

1) Here's a link to the plan I'm using.  One note: This was coming off of a 70.3 HIM in Nov so I didn't start on week one.  Roughly you could say I've done the last 12 weeks of the plan.  After graphing my actual vs planned I have to admit I fell short more times than I thought.  

Plan

actual vs planned

2) I use mostly HR then pace.  I watch both very carefully.

3) Probably my biggest downfall.  I've never done a full LT test to see exactly where I am.  But I generally use formulas, RPE, etc.

Yes, 20 min warm up, 2 x 60" race pace, 5" rest was part of the plan.  I added an extra 60" because 2.5 hours seemed really low for this close to the race.

I understand what you're saying and sure appreciate the advice.  Most of my long runs are, have been, at a slower pace to build endurance.  I'll continue with that and do my long run on Wed as a progression (rain in the forecast for tomorrow). 

Not sure if you can access my planned calendar or not.  After this week, trapper, is mostly shorter endurance or speed drills until race day.  It's been a good plan overall.  I wonder if it's more for someone who's put in a marathon or two and not for a first timer.

Hi--

I am totally new to this, and decided that a tri might be a great goal for me this year.  I have ZERO experience with it, absolutely none.

I am a 48 year old female, who still has the drive to do this.  Ran 6 miles yesterday. 

The good news is that I can run, I can bike and I can swim.

I am currently a Registered Nurse, so I work three days a week (very long days), but it does give me more flexibility than most to train.

Currently, I have been trail running and I work with weights.  I work out 4 times a week.

Weight loss:  This is a killer for me.  I want to lose 30-40 pounds.  I need to lose 20 minimum, and I have had a terrible time finding the right combination to get it off.  I would like to focuse on a more vegan diet, (though I am not 100% there yet).  I bought a Vitamix at Christmas and have come up with a few vegetable/fruit combos that are delicious. As an example, I have logged quite a few miles of running/hiking, combined with weight training and have been monitoring my intake pretty closely, and yet virtually nothing has happened. 

Goals for 2013:  I would like to run a Tri in mid March.  It is a Sprint.  It is possible?  Yes, I think it is.

I need help!  That is what makes me a good mentoree.