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Help w/ Tri training
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I have a triathlon question for anyone if you have a second. I just bumped up my training 10-15% as planned building to the Half IM on April 3rd and ran into a problem. Its only 7 weeks until my 1/2 IM I need some advice.....

I am riding 50 miles 3 times a week, running 7-8 miles 3-4 times a week(sometimes pushing a jogging stroller with my 2 year old in it), and swimming 3 times a week 1.2 miles. My swim and bike are usually on the same day, with one Brick (Bike to run) on Saturday. Not much rest time during the week. I occasionally take a day off (once a week) here or there but have been hitting it kinda hard (atleast for me).

I only know 1 person that has done 1/2 ironman or greater distances and am looking for advice.

On Friday I was 5 miles into an 8 mile run feeling strong, running hard(doing a little speed work), running hills and rocky trails when I stopped at a drinking fountian to wet my pallette. As soon as I stopped both of my calves locked up into knots! They are still in knots 3 days later! I did not feel the slightest bit of pain or hint of any problem until this happened.

If I jog lightly, it does not hurt. If I walk its really painfull. Throughout the day, the muscles loosen up a little but I can still feel them just walking around. If I sit at work for 30 minutes I am all locked up again. I have been lightly stretching constantly trying not to injure them worse.
I also tried a light jog on Sunday (5k with my wife) in hopes to loosen them up. I could jog lightly at a 9 minute pace and it felt ok(no sharp pain). As soon as I stopped, I was right back where I started. I would say that its slowly starting to heal and loosen up but this is killing me.

This is not what I needed two weeks before an Olympic distance Triathlon(XTERRA) and six weeks prior to the California 1/2 ironman. Any ideas, advice, comments? I am not above learning from anyone. Up to this point I have only done sprints and recently a 1/2 marathon. Never had any problems. I am I just over working my legs with a 15% increase in distance on all 3 sports at the same time?

Thanks,
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Re: Help w/ Tri training [629_club] [ In reply to ]
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In answer to the end of your post, yea you probably bumped it up too much all at once. Now, as to some help. How many rest days are you taking a week? and I mean rest days were you do not do anything? How often and how long do you stretch? And, do you ever get a theraputic massage? if so, how long ago was it? Also, what do you use for a recovery drink/meal?

Jim S


Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*
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Re: Help w/ Tri training [Jim] [ In reply to ]
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Just reread your original post and found the answers to some of my questions. It looks like you are not taking regular days off. Try going 2-3 days with nothing but some LIGHT stretching, I know you don't want to but your body is trying to tell you something, listen. I had the same expierence 2 years ago getting ready for the Detroit Marathon, ended up withdrawing from the race. Also if you don't have a fuel belt or hydration pack, get one, you get used to running with it on. I use mine on anything over 5 miles and am finishing the same runs at the same pace feeling much better phyisically.

JIm S


Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*
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Re: Help w/ Tri training [629_club] [ In reply to ]
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Are you riding three bike rides of 50 miles each per week? Or a total of 50 miles? Can you describe your cycling and running workouts in greater detail? Jim had some excellent advice/questions about rest and recovery. I am curious how much variety there is in your training. I have some friends who always train at what I call "medium-fast" speed and they wonder why they don't improve much.
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Re: Help w/ Tri training [Harkin Banks] [ In reply to ]
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Ok, that was fast. I'll try to cover everything. I do some decent stretching but I know its not as much as I should. I'm one of those tall linky guys who always has tight hamstrings. 15 years of motorcross and soccer beat up my back and ankles so I try to take care of them. This is my first 1/2 IM so I am new to the things that happen on some distance training. I learned any fool can go do a sprint and be ok, so I decided to step it up.

BIKE: 2 of my bike rides(road) are 45-50 miles each, (sat, tues). But until last week they were 35-40 miles (each). Mostly just a constant ride at a solid pace. Depending on the wind, traffics and hills I try to hold a 20 mph average. Never do, the last 10 miles always kills my average on the hills. Usually finish up at 18.5. Its pretty much the same work out each time. If I feel good, I'll go a little hard for short periods of time. From some of the reading I have done, I got the idea that I needed to build more base distance and back off the intensity. I started riding along a Marince base at Camp Pendleton & Trestles Bike path to avoid traffic. Usually I mix in 1 or 2 rides(Thurs, sunday) with my brother climbing mtns on a Mountain bike, usually only 15-20 miles, but with decent intensity. 25 minutes of it is straight climbing in the tallest gear(straight up), the rest is single track off road. Its alot of fun, but totally different riding.

RUN: (M-W-F) after swimming. First 3 miles is around a 3/4 mile lake on a dirt track. 8:45-9:30 pace just warming up (run with my wife and I push a jogging stroller). After 3 miles I split off and run another 4 (w/o stroller) either on the dirt path or on trails(rocky single track) with some hills. I try to do more of just a distance work one day, light work one day, and then a speed work day. Speed work only came on last week at the same time I added a mile and a half to my distance. The more I think about it, your comment about "medium-fast" speed seems more like me than I want to admit, especailly on the bike.

Thanks
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Re: Help w/ Tri training [Harkin Banks] [ In reply to ]
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Forgot, rest days? What are those? I try to put in one a week. But have been totally healthy, not sick and feeling great until now so I would get bored, and the itch to work out and... well... here I am....

I have been reading that more rest is better but I am having trouble holding on to that.
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Re: Help w/ Tri training [629_club] [ In reply to ]
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Okay, I know you will hate this but you have to take recovery days and rest days. The pros know it, the pros hate it, those of us here know it, we hate it. A quick explanation of how your workouts affect your body. I am going to simplify this just for brevity. Your workouts don't "build muscle" workouts tear down your body, rest and recovery allow your body to "rebuild" what was tore down and to make improvements so that you are stronger for the next time. You might want to get a book on tri training. I recommend "The Triathletes Training Bible" by Joel Friel. I teach martial arts, yoga, and am certified as a trainer, that book still taught me a lot. In the mean time, here is a little model schedule to give you an idea.



sun Brick

Mon Light recovery run (5miles at 9min pace)

Tues off (that means nothing, rest!)

Wed Swim, bike 45-50 (like your road rides have been)

Thurs Long slow distance run (for 1/2im at least 10m but at that 9min pace)

Fri swim,Light recovery run or bike (bike 20-30miles at 15mph)

Sat Long bike (for 1/2 iron I would say 4hrs at whatever pace you can last that long)

Now I am not saying do this schedule, I don't want to prescribe a workout over the net. but this would be pretty typical for a 1/2 iron schedule.

Jim S

Anybody else want to chime in and tell me I'm wrong feel free.


Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*
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