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Re: What is a good cadence to maintain?

guest — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:49:51 GMT

90 is generally considered a good cadence to maintain. +/- 5 for each individual.

No one can tell you what a good pacing would be without knowing more about your expereince, current fitness, speeds you are racing at currently, etc.

Re: Event Reviews

guest — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 17:20:47 GMT

Brass read the posts? They approved the whole strategy to extend the brand into shorter distances and capture increased revenue per potential participant.

Let's not kid ourselves. WTC is about profit maximization, period. They are a corporate interest. I'm not saying that's good or bad, but that is the lens through which we should be viewing their actions, not as an advocate for the sport. They're not.

And we deserve it. If you don't like what they're doing, vote with your wallet. When we all flock to their races, we ask for this type of action.

Re: Training for a 10 miler, but there is a Half two weeks before it. Tackle them both?

guest — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 16:16:38 GMT

You're nearly there for a half mary anyway.

The down side is that you may not be as quick as you'd like in the 10 miler two weeks out, but here's what I'd do.

Add just a little bit to your long run starting now. I mean a little bit such that you are up to 12 two weeks before the half mary, dial back the long run to around 8-9 the week before, and then have fun at the half mary. The next two weeks would need to be a taper for the ten miler.

Again, you can definitiely do it. The biggest risk is that you push too hard at the half, aren't able to recover fully for the ten miler. But at that point you'll have 13.1 under your belt, so does the 10 mile race really matter as much?

Re: Clean eating

guest — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:55:50 GMT

A couple things to consider:

- Do you really need the agave to sweeten a smoothie that has fruit in it?

- Flax cereal? Good stuff, but maybe keep it out of the cereal.

- If you're looking for prep speed try it with a banana, frozen berries (just take the bag out of the freezer and pour some into the blender), yogurt, ice, and a splash of OJ. I'll then have the smoothie with an english muffin with peanut butter and honey on the side. Between the yogurt and peanut butter I'm getting enough protein so I don't need the powder, and I don't need the cereal in the smoothie since I'm having an english muffin. Wash down a mutivitamin and you're good to go.

Re: One year from Half to Full Ironman

guest — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 00:54:44 GMT

I hear you. It certainly wouldn't hurt to really focus on building run endurance over the winter. There are a lot of folks who don't believe you need to have done a marathon before going to IM. I'm sure that works just fine for some since the races are totally different, but I was glad that I had run the distance in a race before hand.

One thing we did that helped (at least psychologically):

- Three weeks out from the marathon, did our last long run of 20-21 miles

- Two weeks out from the marathon, we did a full Aquabike (2.4 swim, 112 ride)

- then tapered back and raced a marathon.

It was good for the head to know that we had done all of the distances in a short period of time. This was done before we started the actual IM training program, more of a capstone to the previous year.

Re: Getting started. 'Barefoot' running? Speed?

guest — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:27:14 GMT

Great response from Runningman400.

I think the big question is, "why consider running barefoot, and to what end?". It's very trendy right now, but that's not a very good reason (look at me! I ran a marathon barefoot!). I also find that it can be a very good training tool, but my objective is just to use the barefoot running to make changes in my running gait to be more efficient and less injury prone, then shod the feet again and try and replicate the same running gait.

One approach that might work for you.

1. Walk on the treadmill for awhile to get yourself used to moving.

2. Start to incorporate some light jogging. Go back and forth between jogging and walking. Don't worry about how much running you're doing, just try and increase it over time.

3. Eventually you'll get to the point that you're jogging a mile between short walking breaks.

I had some success on the tredmill by doing a good warmup in the shoes, and then taking off the shoes and jogging on the tredmill for a couple of minutes. Not ten minutes, 1-2. I dial down the pace, and really focus on how my feet are landing, how my legs are moving, etc. Then put the shoes back on a try and replicate that stride.

I'd rather use barefoot as a tool to improve efficiency and reduce injury risk that view it as an end in and of itself, but that's just me.

Re: First Marathon, Goal: 3hrs

guest — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:16:46 GMT

I'm more into tris than straight running races, but I've done my share of longer runs. From the pacing charts 3:00 seems to be a stretch but achievable goal. You'll definitely have your work cut out for you in your first one with an uphill bias the last 10K. That said, it's a great goal.

Two things:

1. You're correct to be concerned about hydration. I find that once the racing exceeds two hours, it's much more critical to nail the hydration and nutrition plan. I lose MUCH more time by trying to run through an aid station and sloshing water down my front and blowing up rather than walking through and getting 3-4 oz. in me. You'll need it. Fueling errors that are minor in a half become amplified at the longer distances.

2. For me, it's always better to taper more and show up well rested and a little undertrained than pushing for that "one last distance workout" and not getting an adequate recovery and taper. If you've already gone 20 miles, and are planning for 22 in the next few days, you're ready.

Re: under garment for tri's and cycling for men

guest — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:14:53 GMT

Just tri shorts.

The chamois in a bike short is going to take on a lot of water during the swim, and you'll end up feeling like you're biking and running in a diaper. Plus, holding that much water in your shorts isn't going to do your nether regions much good.

Also, I can't imagine that a j-strap is going to do much to help with pressure points on te bike, and a snug set of tri shorts is going to hold you in place anyway.

You probably just need to work up to longer distances slowly, or maybe consider a new saddle on the bike? I know you're just spinning now, but maybe pick up a saddle pad you can put on the spin bike?

Re: wetsuit recommendations

guest — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:16:49 GMT

Sleeves, or no sleeves, the eternal question.

Personally, I use a sleeveless wetsuit and I also cut short the legs to it's really a short john. Why? I race in the Midwest in lakes that are generally in the low 70s or flirting with the wetsuit legal temperature cut off. I'm a pretty streong swimmer so it's only to add some bouyancy.

You'll get some arguments that you can "grip" the water better in a full suit, but I don't think that's a huge factor.

I think it comes down to where you race and in what water temps, and also what you're comfortable in. If I was only going to buy one wetsuit, have it for 3-4 years, and plan to race in multiple geographic areas, I'd definitely get a full suit. They're a pain to get into, but there are plenty of simple tricks to get out of them. Just check on YouTube if that's the direction you take.

There isn't a correct answer, just an answer that's right for you.

Re: What do you eat?

guest — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:59:17 GMT

This is REALLY good stuff Ben, and something I need to pay much more attention to managing. I've noticed that when I push up the training volume I get some nasty sugar cravings later in the day. To your point, clearly an indication of not fueling properly earlier in the day, and need things that are easy to get, make, and consume. These look like the ticket.