Morning, ST, from NYC, where my recovering-from-a-stomach-bug pair of children (8 and 5) are physically bound to their iPads and we've all been up since 5. Not a complaint; a simple fact. I'm a morning person, which comes in handy for this tri business, to which just about a year ago I decided to jump in. My background: hubs and I are both early 40s, both take our fitness and health seriously primarily as sanity, secondarily vanity. He's a "monathlete" (his own word), a dedicated road cyclist training for a bucket-list endurance event. I'm a licensed massage therapist for 23 years, a Pilates teacher for almost 17, a yoga teacher for 13, and am certified as a personal trainer by NASM and ACSM. I lift heavy stuff, and break a sweat minimum 5 times a week, usually more like 9-10x. As I mentioned, about a year ago, apparently I was feeling restless, so I bought a USAT membership and signed up for three tri events over the summer- a sprint Memorial Day weekend, and Olympic distance mid-July, and a 70.3 in late August. I survived all 3 and learned a LOT. By any appraisal, I am slow AF, and I will not ever be middle or front of the pack athlete. I think though that I do have the capacity to move to the middle of the back, or maybe even the front third.
Prior to training for tri, I only knew how to swim so as not to drown, and hadn't ridden a bike in 11 years, nor had I ever clipped in, and while I have run 17 standalone half marathons and 4 standalone full M, my half PR was nine years ago, and it was fast for ME, and a blind drunk casual jog for most of you ST posters.
So my learning curve was STEEEEEEEEP. Oh, and I have a litany of injuries head to toe, none of which limit me in any significant way on a regular basis (this means I am better moving, so I don't stop!), but that are undeniably there.
My 70.3 was a massive learning experience. It was not a calm swim. I stayed calm, but I also sidestroked it. (I was far back enough that my sidestroke had ZERO imact on any fellow athletes.) Made it in under the cutoff by...ELEVEN minutes.
Bike, for having only done a few longer rides (combine a swiss cheese training schedule with an endurance athlete partner, a phobia of riding on NYC streets that I am still working on!!!!, and for having learned to eat and drink while riding only weeks before) was actually a moderate success. Jesus, no it wasn't fast. My goal was 3.5 hr. I did it in 3:26. I did not physically push myself. (Learning experience, remember?)
The run- haha it was an amble. I know I can shave 40 minutes off of it because I barely ran.
Transitions were an eternity. Total time 7:53:03.
Now: I want to do a 70.3 in under 7 hours, partly for it's own sake as a goal and MOSTLY because I want to qualify for SOS because I haven't ceased being restless and that brunch at Mohonk would be a thousand times more rewarding after a grueling multistage endurance event.
I think most of you know about SOS...It's almost an IM of swimming dividend among three lake swims, just about 19 miles of running (four runs) and the start is a 30 mile bike ride that is about 1/3 of genuine climbing.
I probs won't even make it in via the 3 minute fill-up time, but in case I do, and pay the #&%@^#%* (worth it) registration fee, what sayeth ST about the best focus in training?
I am thinking about Galveston 70.3 April 5 2020 (Texas is my home state). Fast, flat, might be humid (ugh my least favorite, but I do well with electrolytes and fluids and I train fasted when I work out in the morning, which is at least 50% of the time)
I'm about 75% compliant with training, and I do put in the effort, sometimes I have to rearrange days blah blah blah children blah blah blah NYC, blah blah blah I work at home, blah blah blah winter is coming. I swim in a pool (Y), and try to swim 3-4 times a week (25y pool) mostly working on 100-400y sets at varying tempos and TECHNIQUE TECHNIQUE TECHNIQUE, workouts are 2000-3000y. I've got my bike (real bike) set in to hubs' old Kinetic trainer, and my Peloton (FAKE BIKE!) right next to it. I run unless it's actually blowing snow, kind of hate but do value the treadmill, and know that I am going to have to continue to learn being uncomfortable.
Go ahead, ST, make my day...
(I am home for the second day with kids who have been sick. Seriously, do your worst, or best, and any of it will be an improvement)
Prior to training for tri, I only knew how to swim so as not to drown, and hadn't ridden a bike in 11 years, nor had I ever clipped in, and while I have run 17 standalone half marathons and 4 standalone full M, my half PR was nine years ago, and it was fast for ME, and a blind drunk casual jog for most of you ST posters.
So my learning curve was STEEEEEEEEP. Oh, and I have a litany of injuries head to toe, none of which limit me in any significant way on a regular basis (this means I am better moving, so I don't stop!), but that are undeniably there.
My 70.3 was a massive learning experience. It was not a calm swim. I stayed calm, but I also sidestroked it. (I was far back enough that my sidestroke had ZERO imact on any fellow athletes.) Made it in under the cutoff by...ELEVEN minutes.
Bike, for having only done a few longer rides (combine a swiss cheese training schedule with an endurance athlete partner, a phobia of riding on NYC streets that I am still working on!!!!, and for having learned to eat and drink while riding only weeks before) was actually a moderate success. Jesus, no it wasn't fast. My goal was 3.5 hr. I did it in 3:26. I did not physically push myself. (Learning experience, remember?)
The run- haha it was an amble. I know I can shave 40 minutes off of it because I barely ran.
Transitions were an eternity. Total time 7:53:03.
Now: I want to do a 70.3 in under 7 hours, partly for it's own sake as a goal and MOSTLY because I want to qualify for SOS because I haven't ceased being restless and that brunch at Mohonk would be a thousand times more rewarding after a grueling multistage endurance event.
I think most of you know about SOS...It's almost an IM of swimming dividend among three lake swims, just about 19 miles of running (four runs) and the start is a 30 mile bike ride that is about 1/3 of genuine climbing.
I probs won't even make it in via the 3 minute fill-up time, but in case I do, and pay the #&%@^#%* (worth it) registration fee, what sayeth ST about the best focus in training?
I am thinking about Galveston 70.3 April 5 2020 (Texas is my home state). Fast, flat, might be humid (ugh my least favorite, but I do well with electrolytes and fluids and I train fasted when I work out in the morning, which is at least 50% of the time)
I'm about 75% compliant with training, and I do put in the effort, sometimes I have to rearrange days blah blah blah children blah blah blah NYC, blah blah blah I work at home, blah blah blah winter is coming. I swim in a pool (Y), and try to swim 3-4 times a week (25y pool) mostly working on 100-400y sets at varying tempos and TECHNIQUE TECHNIQUE TECHNIQUE, workouts are 2000-3000y. I've got my bike (real bike) set in to hubs' old Kinetic trainer, and my Peloton (FAKE BIKE!) right next to it. I run unless it's actually blowing snow, kind of hate but do value the treadmill, and know that I am going to have to continue to learn being uncomfortable.
Go ahead, ST, make my day...
(I am home for the second day with kids who have been sick. Seriously, do your worst, or best, and any of it will be an improvement)