jetta-the-hut

well the other thread was no longer about water and needing to drink while running, which I still have to do. After the 1.5 mile mark I start getting stomach cramps that only water has helped with.

Anyway I am now in week 3 of my training, 5 left till race day!

I can run 2 miles in 18 1/2 minutes and thats a normal pace.

I am now riding 7 miles every other day.

I do understand what you guys meant by not running everyday its hurt me to run 2-2 miles stretches back to back.

I am really enjoying the running though which has made my cycling easier also.


I am thinking from here on out I'll run 1 day cycle the next and do that 6 days a week.

I did some walking tonight after my bike ride and walked a mile just to cool down.

what do you guys think about alternating?

I know "fail to plan, plan to fail" but I've already stated I'm not a traditional person- more of a bull headed charge in kinda person

Racingboo

Jetta, I found a good tri training programme for beginners on Tri Newbies Online. They have one to prepare for an olympic distance tri, and one to prepare for a sprint tri, both over 11 weeks. I sort of mashed them together to create something that suited my specific needs, and was fortunate enough to have a triathlon guy at my new gym check it out. He made one or two suggestions for changes, but mostly was quite impressed with the programme.

I'm sure a lot of people here would be able to either confirm or correct me on some basic points I worked around, but here is the foundation:

1. One day reasonably hard, one day easy, six days a week.
2. Three weeks training, one 'off' week (recovery week) where I still train, but very easy - e.g. walk instead of run, swim 1/3 less distance than usual, train only five as opposed to the usual six days.
3. I do:
- a long cycle on a Sunday (as that's my day off from the kids etc, my husband gets Saturdays and usually either goes hiking or rock climbing - god, we sound so cool and impressive but we're really not)
- Strength training on Mondays
- Run and swim on Tuesdays
- Bike and strength on Wednesdays
- Swim and WALK on Thursdays, will turn to a brick session from week six.
- Swim on Fridays
Saturdays are off days.

The gym guy said that was pretty balanced, I don't know what others would think.

jetta-the-hut

i like that schedule,thats kinda what I've been doing. uptill last week, Had a family emergency and haven't ran or cycled but 3 days in the last 9.

I did 7 miles and 2 miles on Thursday and then did 2 miles last night.
my diet is screwed from eating hospital food.

I'll get there, after 2 miles last night I felt good but didn't want to push it, its cold again so running is hard. It was 67 in florida Sat. when I was down there, came back home to 40 &30 degree weather.

jetta-the-hut

Is it normal for your mile times to slow down, all the while my overall time is getting worse?

I can run 2 to 2.25 miles without cramps or exhaustion now but I feel like I'm holding back to reserve myself for the longer distances.

4 weeks left and at the rate i'm going I need to loose 10 more lbs and be running 4-5 miles a night to get my times down.

2.25 miles in 20 minutes is my current time, I am training harder that a lady running a marathon on Sat. but her mile times are horrible compared to mine but then again shes running 26 miles where I'll be walking the end of my sprint event.

so what to do, run harder-risk injury?
run at pace-extend distance?
just run and leave it all on the course on TRI-day?

forgot to add I am still running 6 days a week so I average 13-15 miles a week

Plainsman

jetta - First, congrats on making it this far! You're almost there! Now, as far as the run is concerned...I think you are running too frequently. That may be the biggest issue right now. I (while not a coach) would not recommend running 6 days a week for a triathlete. While training six days a week is doable, you don't want to stress the exact same muscles in the exact same way day after day. Even if you are not running 6 miles a day, I would say your legs still need a breather. It also helps to think about your overall training in phases. You would typically start with a base phase (easy), then build, ramp up to your hardest workouts as you close in on race time, and then a taper. If you go hard all the time you aren't going to give your muscles time to recover, you will most likely see poorer times, and you risk injury.

Finding a good plan and sticking to it is definitely the way to go. As far as building you run goes, an important thing to consider is that you can work on speed, endurance, or both, depending on what types of workouts you do. If you run less frequently and shift your focus to the type and intensity of the run I think you will see improvement. What are you doing bike and swim wise in addition to the current run schedule?

jetta-the-hut

I think you right, Wensday & Friday I took off, Thursday I did the eliptical for 25 minutes on the hardest setting, Eliptical again Saturday night for 20.

We got a good bit of snow so the run and cycling has been out since Friday, I'm going to cycle tonight and then maybe take a short run and try it a race pace but keep it to a mile or less.

Still losing weight but I think I had got in a rut with the runs, I still am only doing 20-25 minutes of running but Im getting in 2.25 miles.

I need to get back on my bike more its been a week!

GUGS

Jetta,

Just jumping in on this, not sure about another thread. It seems you are to worried about getting your time down. If this is your first sprint, then you just need to focus on finishing. At 4 weeks out you need to stick to your original plan as it really is to late to make any major adjustments. For your running you should consider just running for time vs a specific distance, on Mondays in the plan I have I run a specific time, Wednesdays are for distance, and Thursdays are a shorter distance at a more relaxed pace, and Saturday is a new longer distance at a relaxed pace. So, my hard run day is Wednesday. I have every Tuesday as a rest day. I have a long bike day on Sundays. Mix in swimming when I can.

I would suggest slowing down your run pace and increase your distance. You do not need to run 6 days a week. Note I only run 4 days a week.

jetta-the-hut

yeah I guess (heart on my sleeve) I am terrified of getting to the run and end up walking in between mile 2 and 3 so I have been obsesing about getting my distance to 3 miles by the end of this week.

My schedule is so wacked out I dont know where to pick it back up, snow,son in hospital,trip to florida,rain,having to go back to florida weekend before race, I know I cant make up for lost time but 2 and 3 days of not training makes me feel like I'll never get it back.

I'll slug thru the swim and cycling but I can't bring myself to walk in the last part, maybe if I can come to terms with walking at a faster pace in the middle and then have a strong run finish, but right now I can't even fathom that!

exRunner

I am chiming in late, so ...

Running used to be my thing (and only thing) so in a Tri it is still my thing. I only run 3 days a week, swim 1, and bike 2. Every other week I will do a brick, either bike run or swim run. I average 1200 m/60 mile/18 miles a week respectively, and I race up to HIM distance.

If running is your fear, there is not much you can do in 4 weeks that will have a significant impact on performance. There is one mental thing you can do. I assume that the run is 5K? Pick a day next week, skip a day or 2 of running, then go out and run 3 or 3.5 miles. For you it would be the equivalent of a "long run." Then bike or swim for a few days afterwards to recover. It will not help your fitness, but it will help you mentally. It will prove you can do it (which I have no doubt you can) and it will introduce you to what that point of a run feels like.

Also, keep this in mind: If you can keep yourself under control in the swim and most of the bike, the adrenalin and atmosphere will get you through the run.

One more thing: If you have not done a "brick" then you are going to be surprised when you start running. I tell first timers to consider walking for 100 m or so before running. You might consider doing the same.

Good luck, you will do fine.

Mark

Plainsman

And just by way of a good story - My wife competed in her first triathlon last March (still in the midst of her weight loss journey), never having run a full 5k even in training - she had come close, but not a full 5k. On race day what exRunner said held true - adrenaline carried her through the full 5k without walking, and it was a HUGE confidence booster. In April she ran the Cooper River Bridge run in Charleston (10k) and by August she had won her division (I know I've mentioned this before somewhere, but proud, so I'll say it again!). The point being - race #1 taught her a lot and was a great spring point.

Like exRunner, I'm typically only running 3 times a week - that has held for training for all distances, sprint through iron.

As far as the brick goes, you might try running just a mile, or even less once you hop off the bike. The feel of running right off the bike can vary - sometimes you get elephant leg, but sometimes I actually run faster off the bike than I do in training due to the high cadence I keep on the bike. My legs start turning over faster on the run than they might typically in training, in which case I have to back off or risk burning up.

When it comes to the day though - it's all going to be about having the experience - enjoy it!

Plainsman

I appreciate your transparency. I can't speak for everyone, but I imagine most of us who have been racing for any amount of time have found ourselves at a walk at some point or another - I know I have. It can just happen, but it does not mean you didn't race and it doesn't diminish your accomplishment - it's just all part of this crazy juggling act we've all signed up for!

jetta-the-hut

yeah I went back thru my schedule and I think I can get back on track, I've done a 7 mile ride and the ran 2 miles right after. I suprised my self by being able to run faster,and felt better so I guess I can say Brick Running was easier for me.

I defintly think my adrenaline will carry me, the whole time I'm running I listen to my body, thinking about what feels funny,what hurts, my breathing, am I relaxing, then at the middle I look at my time, most nights I say I" i need to step it up to get 2 under 20!" When I get to the race I hope to be listening to the crowd and the atmosphere of the race instead of worrying about injuries and what muscles are doing

I will from here on out trade off my runs with days off and cycling and my eliptical machine. I just hope the weather gets better, and as always I have been strong on the bike I guess thats why I obsses about the run.

jetta-the-hut

my foot might be broke, I was at work and was putting my work gear up, I turned to close the door and felt a sharp pain in the top of my foot. My foot hasn't swollen but when I walk on it, it gives me some sharp pain and discomfort.

Now do I play the hard head,wait it out and see if it hurts tomorrow night on my run?
Go to the doctor and have them look at it?

I just ran 3 miles last night and felt strong, felt like I could do this, I rode 8 miles with a hurt foot tonight why, why now of all the times to get hurt!!!!!!!!!

EjustE

If the pain is on the top of your foot and fairly high, could be a couple of things:

-either a sprain or a stress fracture.

Are your work shoes tightly laced and is their toebox smaller than your running shoes? I am sure that unless you are working on running shoes, the material up there, does not give up...

You can do it. But you might want to ride with your running shoes.

Plainsman

You've invested a lot of physical, mental, and emotional energy in this. Once upon a time, I would just take my chances, try it out, wait...still not completely better...run, ride, swim some more at less than full strength, repeat....maybe worsen my injury...repeat... Now I've greatly simplified the process. Something gets hurt, I take it to the doc. I stress less, recover better, and have an overall better performance in the long run. Does it still hurt? I would get it checked out. That way you could at least know and reduce the mental/emotional fatigue factor.

(I trained six months for IM, and about 3 weeks out my shoulder got seriously inflamed and immobilized. Big downer. I pushed it a couple of times, then went to my doctor, took his advice, and did some therapy - and had one of the best swims of my life, a sub 1 hour, which for me was great. His advice was really hard to take 3 weeks out from race day - stop swimming entirely. I did. Only touched the water a couple of times right before my race with the blessing of my doc and massage therapist. I think if I had kept on pushing - which I had been doing before I went to see him - my cycle of increasing pain and decreasing mobility would have continued and I may not have even made it through the swim)

StanSeven

Do a google search on "stress fracture." Press your fingers on the area that's sensitive. If you feel pain over a bone, you might have one. The good news is rest is the secret to recovery. The bad news is you need to schedule another race.

Racingboo

Oh, Jetta, I feel for you so much! Really hope it's not too serious. Thinking of you.

jetta-the-hut

thanks for the kind words boo, right now I'm down but not out, I find out Tuesday how bad it is. 2 races in April so if I dont make the March race I'll be in 1 of the 2 in April.

Of course thats pending doctor approval

Tourmalet

A friend of mine ran two marathons in two days with a broken bone in his foot. It hurt, but the doctor told him the running wouldn't make the problem worse so he went for it.

It sounds like you are well on your way! Congrats! Don't forget to practice transition though! Your gains in the water and the bike could evaporate with a bad transition. Here's a nice guide:

https://www.adriansantic.com/blog/def...tml#Transition

jetta-the-hut

Transition whats that? lol!

I fell so much better, i rode my mountain bike with my daughter today -9 miles
we did a little foot race too about 500 yards and it didn't hurt- I think I popped a tendon or something, I'll find out for sure tuesday!

GUGS

If you can swim and bike then do those parts of the race and walk the last leg. You will get to do part of the race, see what it is like and be all the more prepared for the next race. Just consider this a training TRI.

jetta-the-hut

Back at it again ,did my 3 miles tonight after the Dr. cleared me, it hurts a little but I felt good.

Come to find out the tendon ripped and a little down time helped it heal back!

Yeah I'm back and plan on kicking but March 14th!!!!

is a Half Ironman realistic by November?

Plainsman I think you know which race I'm thinking about.

jetta-the-hut

I guess I need to just worry about finishing, I ran my 3.2 miles in 30 min 45 sec. Now granted I had the week off for a hurt foot and then another trip to Florida so I've only ran twice in the last 2 weeks but I'm not getting any faster.

I have lost 16lbs total though, I need another 11 by race day to be at my desired weight but I've almost givin up that too, thats 11 lbs in 2 weeks-lol!

Are you still supposed to hurt after your regular run? I still do, my legs and hips are soar, thats another reason I started to run every other day to recover.

Plainsman

That's the spirit! And, hehe, I think I do know the race you are talking about. Great course. A couple of little areas to look out for, but nothing major. Just a thought, but what about ramping up to Olympic by the end of this season, and make the 1/2 your goal for the next? White Lake is a FANTASTIC 1/2 in May, and not too far from you. If you come closer to my neck of the woods another great option in Nov. is Ironman Augusta 70.3. One of our FWE teammates did that one last year and loved the experience. Not that it isn't physically possible to do one this year, but I think the gradual progression would give you a more rewarding experience, both mentally and physically - it does take some time for the endurance to build. It's a pretty decent jump from sprints to a 1/2, but that's one guys opinion. Really glad to hear the foot is feeling better. Your run time of 30:45 is nothing to sneeze at, rock on!

If you want, feel free to shoot me a PM about your current nutrition plan. My wife is in the process of becoming a certified nutritionist, and is currently teaching a class on nutrition, sports fueling, and weight loss - may have some ideas for you if you aren't already doing them (she is rapidly approaching the 100lb weight loss mark herself).

You might try some icing after the run, that could help with the soreness. Two things I think most people don't do enough of are the following: 1. stretching post exercise. Go ahead and make a good cool down and stretch a habit. 2. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water - PLENTY. I suspect most people are dehydrated and don't know it. Not a major factor if you just sit a desk most of the time. On the other hand, if you are very active, as folks in this community are, hydration becomes more critical. Your hydration also plays a factor in your recovery, and being hydrated can help you stay "loose" as opposed to tightening up.

jetta-the-hut

Yeah I thought about white lake and that gives me a little over a year to train, all the plans I've seen online are 20 weeks plans but all involve 90 minutes of cycling and 90 minutes of running a day, I can't devote that much time at this point but maybe later in the year.

I am going to run a 5k in May, and a 10k in the summer to help with my running, also doing the MS150 in September.

My diet is up and down and a mess - 2 trips to Florida in Febuary & they were down and backs, and I can't refrain on the weekends, we eat out on Fridays & Saturdays.

Here is my diet during the week,

Breakfast- Fiber one bar, or 2 boiled Eggs
Snack- 16oz of raw almonds & or peanuts-Apple Or Orange
Lunch- Turkey & cheese on whole wheat sandwich bread & or Peanut Butter sandwich usually "2"
Snack- 16oz Almonds or peanuts- Apple or Orange
Dinner- what ever the wife is making,Pork Chops,Ribs,Pizza,Chicken Parmasgne, Taco's,

Nothing is fried and I only eat ground beef or beef at all in Steak and Taco's which is only a few times a month.
we eat more pork and chicken than anything else in our house. Even the Taco's are usually hamburger for the kids and a chicken breast cooked for me for my taco's.