Hi everyone,

so good to hear from all of you and about all your races! I am very happy for all of you guys!!!!

Penny, I will be patient... it is funny I still don't feel successful about my runs yet, but the times I am running are telling a different story :-) I was able to continuously improve my time on a 2.5 mile distance and yesterday I ran 3 miles for the first time. The route was more challenging as it also included hills (and yay, I was able to run the hills - I hadn't run any since my injury). And I ran a pretty good time, it was one of the better times I had run many years ago when I ran several 5ks. So far so good! I just have to feel better about my running! Thanks for your recommendation regarding the Diva cup. I am a little bit more concerned about the weakness and the heavy legs I always experience around that time of the month. But let's see what happens until November!

Mary Kay, congrats on finishing your first HM! I am very happy for you!  Glad to hear you understand my "anxiety" about running. It is not a real anxiety, more like a runner's block... I just can't truly enjoy my little successes over the shorter distances... and I am just a bit afraid that I will never be back at the level I was... or never reach my goal of running the HM! Regarding picking a training plan... I have to find a perfect one ;-) Fact is that most training plans I looked at so far include lots of  cross training. I do not have many opportunities of cross training. I can go mountain biking every other weekend, but otherwise my only way to exercise is running.

Eric, congratulations on running two races in two days, to me that is impressing and amazing! And how cool you got a new PR on your HM! Wow!

Andy, congratulations as well on your 25k. I love trail running and only did a 6k trail race so far. Running 25k in a trail race is impressing to me!

Igotwings, I hope you enjoyed running 4miles. I am currently -after an injury in Feb. - at 3miles.

I enjoyed a wonderful weekend in nature with Baby Kahuna :-) Both Saturday and Sunday I went mountain biking. It was an interesting experience :-) Both times I went on trails I had been trail running on and never perceived them as too difficult. Well, riding a bike on them was :-) the muscles I have from running sure did not help much for biking ;-) My first tour was 7.5 miles and the second one 6 miles... enough for me to feel tired but happy. I am starting to get used to the bike and really enjoy it. But I guess it will be a long process until I have enough endurance to ride my bike uphill... right now I can do this a little bit and then have to alternate between walking-pushing my bike uphill and riding it. I felt a little bit like an idiot having this fancy new bike and then pushing it uphill :-) But there weren't hardly any people around and I guess that's what it is in the beginning. Also I have to find easier trails to start with I guess. Regarding PT I started cutting it down to 1x a week  :-) We will see how that goes. Overall I only feel a little bit of discomfort/pain in my hip/groin. I wonder if it ever will go away....

Happy, successful runs to all of you!

Britta

Congratulations Penny!  Great to read your second HM was fun.  Looks like your fueling plan is working well for you, too.  I haven't used compression gear, but I'm thinking about buying some socks for post long run recovery. 

Penny, you and Mary are both asking the common mid-season question of how fast you can get back out on the course and that's great!  Your turn-around time between races will depend on some fairly sensible factors I've learned from experience: 

How long was the first race?  HM's and other long courses will really beat you down so expect 2 weeks or more to recover. 

What was your relative fitness before the race?  If you had to work to be able to handle the distance it's going to wear you down more.  I can do 5k's several times a week but a HM is still hard work.

How hard did you go at the first race?  If you push hard and give it all you can, expect a longer recovery.  Plan ahead on what your priority is and set your performance goals for each race accordingly.  Your second race at 2 weeks later will probably be harder if your first race was a long one so allow for that.  After last year's half ironman it took me nearly 6 weeks to get back up to speed again.

Compression gear doesn't have any scientific evidence that I know of but far too many friends swear by it so I'd say if you can find some on sale grab it.  I have some 2XU compression tights that I use after hard races or workouts and it seems to help speed recovery. 

I tried to take my dog for a run and didn't even make it half a mile.  I'm still worn out from my 2 races which were 2 weeks apart.  I put everything into the first one and would have preferred to wait another week before doing that 25k trail run but I finished so I'm still happy with my effort.  This is different for everyone but allow at least 2 weeks, and try for 3 after a HM. 

Britta, keep enjoying Baby Kahuna.  It's one of the best things you can do right now and you'll be that much more ready for your training sooner rather than later by riding.  You'll be running strong before long I'm sure.

Andy

It was a hot day but I enjoyed the race a lot in comparison to the Pig. Ran a lot more but could use training to build pace and stamina. Glad I did it! Feeling lazy and eating a lot but ready to train for a local 4 miler. Enjoy your runs this week everyone!

Mary Kay, congratulations on your 2nd HM! Cool medal!!!! :-)))))

Penny, so sorry to hear you had a bike crash! Hope you are feeling better by now!

I have been doing fine so far. After my first 3 mile run (the one with hills) my hip went out... PT told me that so far I shouldn't run hills, or better said, I can run hills but not downhill. Downhill I am supposed to walk. Also it seems I didn't use the hip belt correctly. Well, since then I have been fine, my pace has been improving a lot, for all the distances up to 3miles I am running a pace of 9min50-something seconds! This is amazing for me, I ususally always was between 10:30 and 11:30 mpm. So I am happy, it really seems I am stronger. The new running style (through which I learned to land on my front foot opposed to my heels) helps a lot! Also my PT suggested 6+1 running, meaning running for 6min, walking for 1. Although I don't like the walking part ( I always want to run everything, but I know that this way you build up endurance) I am very happy about it because I am able to run-walk 4 miles. And those 4 miles finally bring me a little bit to the limits, which I totally missed when running short distances. So I am constantly improving and very happy about it!

I also have been enjoying Baby Kahuna. I had to bring her back to the store yesterday (nice short trip to the mountains) to get some things adjusted as I had noticed problems with shifting gears. I not only got lots of advice about my bike in the store, they even gave me a free lesson on how to change tires when you have flat. Mountain biking is lots of fun to me, I enjoy it very much. Riding on those trails, being out in nature and hardly seeing any people (but snakes, LOL!) it is just the best! Too bad I only can go mountain biking every other weekend! But I am hoping to move out of LA this summer onto the countryside/into the mountains.. I then could go running in nicer places and go mountain biking a lot :-)  We'll see! I am just happy about having discovered mountain biking. My endurance is still low though and I am lacking the right muscles for bike riding, but with every ride I went on it got better. Soon I hopefully will be able to ride all those hills up and not to hike my bike ;-)

Happy runs and bike rides to everybody!

Britta

Mary Kay, thanks! I am quite happy about my running at this point :-) Seems I am getting stronger and faster almost every single time I run. Yesterday I ran 4 miles again (so this week it has been 4 miles every other day now, yay, that's how I like it! :-) )  and I was surprised I improved again. I ran 4 miles in 40min12sec which improved to a pace of 10:03 mpm! I have never ran that fast on 4miles and also considering I walked for one minute every 6min... which of course slows it down (although I have to say I totally powerwalk that one minute). Anyway, I am happy. Finally feel like a runner again! :-) and I never thought I would be able to improve my pace, it always seemed I was stuck around that 10.30-11.30 mpm pace!

How was your 5k run/race? how do you like running in a group? I enjoy my runs and bike rides by myself a lot but sometimes I think it would be nice to know someone who enjoys long distance running and mountain biking.

How cool you are signing up for another HM! Can't wait for my first one.. I finally (after those successful 4 mile runs) feel more confident in running my first HM in November. Still 9 miles to go though ;-)

Happy runs!

Britta

Britta, just keep enjoying getting out and everything else will fall into place.  You'll keep getting stronger and reach the longer distances well before your race in November.  A no pressure approach is a great way to get up to speed.  Enjoying the journey as much as the destination keeps me going.

Penny, I had a quick look at Fuji's web site because I'm not familiar with the Aloha model.  My first impression is that it's not an entry level bike, it's styled for racing with the higher seat and aero-bar shifters.  I was also surprised to find the rear derailleur (shifter for the non-bike geeks like me) was only a 105 when the rest of the components are Tiagra.  In the Shimano component line up there are 8 levels with 1 being basic up to professional at 8.  Tiagra is level 5 while the 105 models are level 6 and normally considered entry level racing.  The Tiagra components would probably be ok but by comparison my road bike came with all 105 shifters and brakes.  I've since upgraded the shifters to the level 7 parts, the Ultegra range because they hold up better.  A friend of mine bought a Fuji road bike and has had many years of solid performance from it but it has all level 8 parts too (and cost more than some cars).  My overall recommendation would be to get a normal road bike with the ram horn shaped handle bars and add some aero bars if you feel that you'd benefit from the more aerodynamic position.  For sprints and even olympic distances unless you're going to be able to average at least 18 mph or better you'll probably get more use from a more standard road bike than a racer like the Aloha.  For the long distance races anything that helps is worth it but I've never used aero bars and feel that being using the lower handle bar position (aka - the drops) is enough for me.  If you're not into bike racing, get a bike with the seat and handle bars about even in height because they're far more comfortable to ride.  I hope that helps without being too long winded or technical.

Mary, you're doing great.  I got passed by some silver haired lady on my last trail run who looked a lot like Betty White.  I just had to smile and carry on while I watched her jog away.  I just tell myself she was probably on the short course!  Right now I'd say you're right where you want to be.  You can run anything you want to up to a HM and can just keep enjoying it while you get better.  Not much to argue with there.

I've signed up for a local 10k on June 24th.  I think it will be a good fun hour's run to keep everything going before my tri in July.  It is sponsored by Left Hand Brewing and Boulder Sausages so I'm looking forward to beer and brats after the race. 

Penny, you've probably been riding already but if you haven't you'll be fine. The longer you wait, the harder it will seem. Sounds like you have some great role models in the tri group! I may look into that next year.

Andy, your 10k sounds yummy! Wondering if there are any benefits to brewing left-handed.

Anyway, a friend tweeted his run yesterday using Runmeter. I was able to see the map of his run online, follow as he went and send him texts or tweets that the program converted into voice messages. Loved the idea so I downloaded the app on my iPhone and used it for my run. I usually use Endomondo so I ran both. They reported identical results but Runmeter is easier to read and has a lot more detail. It has pace zones and showed how much time I ran in each zone. Just an FYI for anyone using an iPhone.

Hope you are all enjoying this balmy weather. It's 75 degrees here! Have great runs this week! And rides!