Sparrows Experiment

[flyinfree]

Kingdom Builders: Team India!

that is soooo cool!

careful with your crotch when you get your tri-suit, some kind of a wool type of pad or whatever..

FF

 

[sparrow]

that is soooo cool!

careful with your crotch when you get your tri-suit, some kind of a wool type of pad or whatever..

FF

haha. we don't actually get a tri suit, just a shirt. We're only funding 1/4 of a church. I'm with a bunch of working mothers who have gone back to school full time also. It was the best we could do for now.

I'm ripped up from that run today in a mere 70 degree weather. I have some work cut out for me.

 

[flyinfree]

I'm ripped up from that run today in a mere 70 degree weather. I have some work cut out for me.

you will learn pace, or you will not make your 70.3- PERIOD!

R
E
C
O
G
N
I
Z
E

you didn't even do the 3rd leg of your event. you will have spent 30 min- 1 hour in a swim and 3 hours on a bike, before you even start to run

a 12 mile run is nice- BUT IT IS NOT TO ENOUGH

you need to find out if you can handle
150 min- that's only 2.5 hours (March),
200 min (April),
240 min (May),
300 min (June),
350 MINUTES (July)

What are those lovely shoulders going to feel like when they have already worked for 4.5 hours?

OR- do you continue to train for another 3-4 months and TRY AGAIN?


welcome to the big leagues girlfriend

 

[sparrow]

you will learn pace, or you will not make your 70.3- PERIOD!

R
E
C
O
G
N
I
Z
E

you didn't even do the 3rd leg of your event. you will have spent 30 min- 1 hour in a swim and 3 hours on a bike, before you even start to run

a 12 mile run is nice- BUT IT IS NOT TO ENOUGH

you need to find out if you can handle
150 min- that's only 2.5 hours (March),
200 min (April),
240 min (May),
300 min (June),
350 MINUTES (July)

What are those lovely shoulders going to feel like when they have already worked for 4.5 hours?

OR- do you continue to train for another 3-4 months and TRY AGAIN?


welcome to the big leagues girlfriend

okay you love to provoke me don't you

Here is my brain chatter: I do believe I could go out any random weekend and do a 70.3 but would I do it gracefully? no. I could do the swim perfectly, I'd make it on the bike and I'd be hurting on the run for darned sure. My folly is perfection. I do not like to lose to myself. Once I get a number in my head I have to achieve it or I've failed. The running stuff is a mental challenge. I need to feel fast to feel fit. Its mental. If I'm not running fast I don't feel like I'm really running. This is certainly something I need to get over. The thrashed feeling from the run was not because I ran 12 miles. Its because I ran 12 miles too fast. When I ran with my friend in the hills doing the trails on Tuesday we were running at a 10 min pace and it was SO SO slow I think I could have walked. It was an eye opener that I need to actually feel comfortable slowing down to that pace and training there sometimes. Its part of training. Its smart. My garmin allows me to set my pace and it will beep at me if I go too either too fast or too slow (depending on the way I set it). Next weekend I'm going to set it for 9 min pace and make it yell at me if I go faster than that.

I also have this thing about races that I need to feel control and "good" the whole time or else I'm not "fit enough". Feeling uncomfortable is one thing but feeling like death warmed over is not acceptable to me. I need to be comfortable with the fact that I'm going to really hurt in something like a 70.3. Its par for the course, and I need to feel that, and be able to push beyond it-beyond myself into something very foreign for me.

I really feel like more than half my battle with the half ironman is going to be mental. Physically I am in good shape. I really do think I could do that race NOW but it woudln't be to my standard. Slowing down in a race like that is actually "speeding up". its the ones that pace themselves appropriatly that finish the strongest. At this point I'm not physically "mature" enough to handle the pacing. I'm also not ready to deal with the heat. I need a lot more practice in the high temperatures this summer practicing my hydrating and stuff. That was another thing I didn't do on the run today. I spent all night downing diet pepsi and popcorn (cheat meal day) which no doubt dehydrated me and then I went on my run with very little fluid stockpiled and none on the way

Anyway, defensive? yeah okay I am But only Cause I'm better than you and I want to make sure you know it. neener neener

How about you just come out for a little vacation and help me slow down to YOUR pace. hahahahahaha

 

[flyinfree]

okee dokee, your fngers are in great shape
a vaca just may be exactly what i need :jump1: I have been workin so hard :luxlove:

ok,, so for next weekend- provided this won't deplete your incredible fitness level, lets plan on hydrating well, stretching on Friday and then

Saturday, or Sunday-- at whatever time and whatever pace

RUN: for 2.5 hours (I will go 3.5 hours)- ONE SESSION, no excuses, no sickness, no learning lessons, and no dissapearing.

whatever pace you want. just prove to yourself, and ME, that you are good for 150 minutes. Then maybe I'll come school you on pace/endurance for reals...hehehee

 

[sparrow]

okee dokee, your fngers are in great shape
a vaca just may be exactly what i need :jump1: I have been workin so hard :luxlove:

ok,, so for next weekend- provided this won't deplete your incredible fitness level,

UGH you are SO MEAN!!

lets plan on hydrating well, stretching on Friday and then

Saturday, or Sunday-- at whatever time and whatever pace

RUN: for 2.5 hours (I will go 3.5 hours)- ONE SESSION, no excuses, no sickness, no learning lessons, and no dissapearing.

whatever pace you want. just prove to yourself, and ME, that you are good for 150 minutes. Then maybe I'll come school you on pace/endurance for reals...hehehee

YOU are ON BOY. I'd go do it NOW if I could. HHAHAHAHAHHA. Love ya FF :luxlove: Happy Easter

 

[sparrow]

HAPPY EASTER everyone! Its weird not going to church today. We went last night as a family, my husband has to "work" both services this morning (youth pastor) so we chose to go last night as a family rather than me sit alone today.

I'm sitting here in my jammies with some coffee. SWEET! I never drink coffee...its GOOOOOOD.

I really want to go out and ride my bike. Its so gorgeous. I forget how much I love the beginning days of spring. They do turn HOT fast but I love this time for now. I am hoping I can bike or swim today. My lower back is just killing me. It hurt before my run yesterday, I think I did my bend-knee dead lifts wrong a few days ago Other than that, no aches or pains to speak of!

I am a week away from embarking on my official training plan for my half ironman. I'm ready! I feel like I have a good base under me. I have never gone above 13 miles running at one time, but I will do that next weekend per FF's request. I'm just AT 13 miles, I know I can do that much at a good pace. Now i need to slow down and go longer.

My only measurement of swimming is swimming a 6000 workout. Thats about as far as I can handle at once right now, with stopping and with sets that took me 2 hours. I've only been able to get in the pool about 1 time a week for an hour. I'm not worried about the swim.

Biking is the unknown. I'm not sure what I can do on that yet. I'm hoping I could go a good 2 hours comfortably and continuous. I've done a century without training for it and with training I've done 60 miles in about 3:20. That was last year.

Each alone I am pretty strong. Put some bricks in there and I'm sure It'll show my weaknesses. Anyway, I'm pumped up for all of it. My few immediate goals for this training are: figure out appropriate pacing per distance so that I don't get overtrained or injured. Figure out hydration and nutrition that works for me. I'm still not clear on my GI issues. I will need to take that into consideration also. I will know more after the endoscopy

just thinkin outloud.

 

[sparrow]

Took out my new toy yesterday (bike) and what a difference a bike that FITS makes. I was cruising at 19-20 and faster on the aeros. What an awesome ride. I went just 25 miles-its all I had time for. I may get to go out again today.

Swam 3000 this morning instead of spinning. Lordy, its been a bit too long since I've been in the pool thats for darned sure.

edit: went for a 12 miler. I had exactly a half hour before I needed to go get my kiddos from school. I did it in that half hour and I was flying. I'm having so much fun.

 

[g8r80]

Took out my new toy yesterday (bike) and what a difference a bike that FITS makes. I was cruising at 19-20 and faster on the aeros. What an awesome ride. I went just 25 miles-its all I had time for. I may get to go out again today.

Swam 3000 this morning instead of spinning. Lordy, its been a bit too long since I've been in the pool thats for darned sure.

edit: went for a 12 miler. I had exactly a half hour before I needed to go get my kiddos from school. I did it in that half hour and I was flying. I'm having so much fun.

You covered 12 miles in 1/2 hour? That is smoking, girlfriend!

 

[sparrow]

You covered 12 miles in 1/2 hour? That is smoking, girlfriend!

Yes but I could not have held that pace for another half hour. Thats the clincher.

I had exactly a half hour to bust it out. Knowing the end was near was the only reason I could do it.

Today I went to tri class and I kinda wished I hadn't. The tri class at our gym is geared more for entry level triathletes who have little to no experience and possibly even little to no fitness in the 3 disciplines. Its structured so individually we can really push as hard or soft as we want in what we do, but today I just felt like I could have done something much heavier. I still had "stuff" left when I was done with the workout.

45 min spin -I kept mine heavy the whole time. being on my road bike the past few days has made me realize how heavy I need my legs to be pushing almost the entire time to be at the pace I want so I'll be doing this in spinning more often.

30 min interval running (sprints) and drills outside-finally got my HR into the 170's.

20 min core/strength (squats, box jumps etc)

20 min lifting. I only got through 4 of my 11 tri strength exercises. I'll have to do the rest tomorrow or Thursday. I did finish with FOUR pull ups! Thats a record for me. Only cause I was egged on by some friends.

 

[sparrow]

45 min spin class
20 min run

Kind of an active recovery day. I realized as I started spinning that i've gone 4 days of biking in a row and that I really didn't need to be there this morning. I did it anyway and cut it just a hair short to go run. I should have just gone for a run today. I did almost 3 miles in the 20 min but I hate treadmills. That kind of workout almost doesn't count to me anymore. I want to be on the road where its just me and the ground.

Went to a mongolian bbq place this afternoon with my mom who is in town. The type you load up raw veggies and meats and they grill in front of you. Since this GI/ulcer thing I've had trouble with high fiber...and so I'm really hurting right now. It could be worse though, I could be moaning because I ate too much ice cream or something

FF I'm thinking of doing my run on Friday instead of Sat because I'll be heading out of town for Fri night/Sat. Just keeping accountable

In my avatar I found a pic the photographer took from last season's first oly. This was near the end of the 10K run and I was in some pretty good pain. Because I had shin splints all season last year I went into all my tris with little to no running training. It killed my whole race. My pace was 10:30 minute miles! I'm hoping to shatter those last year times this year.

 

[flyinfree]

ok

sweat daily

 

[flyinfree]

so to clarify- and we are being "accountable" as we agreed. You are running for 150 minutes continuous; as best as you can manage. I suspect you may get winded a time or two, but maybe you'll be smart enough not to.

SO- you will step out the door or whatever and go- 1:15 minutes away, and then 1:15 back.

What is your plan for hydration during this 2.5 hour event? You could take your car an go drop 2 water bottles off at the 5 mile marker. (that'll be about 40 minutes into the run, then another 40 before you get back to that mark again) One water for on your way out, and one for on your way back. just hide them in a bush and remember your electrolites- either load up, or take some midway, to keep you from cramping that night.

REALIZE- if you pace 10 mm, you will run 15 miles.

PLEASE DARLIN! do not injur yourself over this.

AND- I owe you 3.5 hours on Saturday. I will probably do bike- i have put in alot of miles running this week with my stresses.

you're the best
a complete athlete
xoxoxoxoxo

FF

 

[sparrow]

my plan is to hit a few parks on my route. With the garmin I can really go wherever I want and it will track it so I'll have a tentitive idea of where I'm going to go but I'll plan to swing by 2-3 parks in route to get water. I will put one water bottle out at my house full of 6oz and NUUN for some electrolytes and swing by here about half way through.

I plan on using a gu or 2 also but I really hate to have anything in my stomach when I run. Its way too risky with the GI issues lately. I do better pretty empty provided I had a good dinner the night before.

I don't actually expect this to be very hard for me as long as I can keep my pace low..which the garmin can help me with. I'm going to set my pace for between 9:30 and 10 mm and if I go above or below that the garmin will beep at me.

Thanks for checking in. I won't be stupid, I promise.

 

[sparrow]

Here is the babe for the season. Shes upgraded and pretty fast. I'll have to give her back at the end, but it'll be fun while it lasts.

 

[flyinfree]

I am so happy for you. that is a great looking bike. almost as nice as mine!

those wide handles look noice too, like the spin class bikes.

GOOD FOR YOU SPARROW- you totally deserve to have that bike. beautiful!!!!

that lil square container thingy- can you put stuff in there?

 

[sparrow]

I am so happy for you. that is a great looking bike. almost as nice as mine!

those wide handles look noice too, like the spin class bikes.

GOOD FOR YOU SPARROW- you totally deserve to have that bike. beautiful!!!!

that lil square container thingy- can you put stuff in there?

Yeah thats a "bento box" and you should get one if you don't already have one. They are roomy enough for like 10 gels! lol. I put my keys and cell phone in there when I ride for now. very handy

 

[stingo]

mmm bento box... reminds me of Japanese food... Looks like you're doing well Sparrow - I'd comment otherwise, but your training is far beyond my experience, so I'll be content to cheer from the sidelines.

 

[sparrow]

mmm bento box... reminds me of Japanese food... Looks like you're doing well Sparrow - I'd comment otherwise, but your training is far beyond my experience, so I'll be content to cheer from the sidelines.

Thanks Stingo...Seems you are doing well also! I have been checking in on you.

I wanted to run today. I just wanted to get that 2.5 hr run out of the way before the weekend but my husband, who usually goes in late to work on Thurs, opted to go in early so he could get off early. SO I went to the darn gym with my little squirt. Speaking of her...she is quite the athlete herself lately. She goes to swim team daily and gymnastics pratice each week. I WAS worried about her swimming ability in a more competitive atmosphere but she has more than exceeded my expectations. She is a strong swimmer!

SO instead of torturing myself on the treadmill I went to spin again with the instructor who always does some wicked hills and throws us into breathlessness more than I care to venture...but I secretly love it. today was no exception. I've been using my heart rate monitor in order to get into a higher threshold of training. Its a great thing! This teacher trains us in zones (not all of them do that) zone 3 is aerobic threshold and 4 is anaerobic. My zone 2 (warm up) is 120-130ish heart rate, zone 3 is between 130-150 and zone 4 is around 160-169. I rarely see my heartrate in the 170s so I really still don't know my max. I tried to keep my heartrate above 150 most of the class. I was amazed how challenging it was to keep above that number. After that I went and swam 3K in the pool where I felt pretty strong for not swimming much the past month or so. Pretty soon my strength is going to become my weakness if I don't keep up enough to maintain in the water. Its hard to remember to actually get IN since I'm just out around the pool allllllll the time helping other people learn.

 

[g8r80]

Katie,

You did 12 miles in :30, which is a blistering time. Now, I see you did that on a tri bike. What would have been your time on "Precious"? I've heard that a tri bike can add 2 - 3 mph...