Ran a 10k in June (9 Viewers)

[tri-man 47]

Benson - in terms of training: You've mentioned swimming (and thoughts of a road bike), so you're doing some cross-training, which is very good. Some keys tend to be (a) give yourself an easier week once a month; (b) only have a couple of break-out training sessions each week where you're really pushing your limits - on the other workouts, keep it steady, but don't overdo (more of a maintenance mode). E.g., if you do a hard session of interval work on the track, maybe use the next day to swim and rest the legs. Or if you do a long, distance run, use the next day as a rest day or just an easy-paced recovery run. Some of the guys here use the FIRST program, which specifically targets weekly workouts of an interval day, one for mid-distance tempo, and a long run. You could do something like that and use other days for swimming, biking, weight training, or core/flexibility work. You'll see guys here post their workouts for a week, and feel free to do so. We're happy to pick it apart.

FUBAR - It does become more challenging to build a race schedule when it's a mix of running and tri's (or bike races, for BnB, liquors, etc.). When you start racing once a month or more (so more than 3-5 a year), I think you need to target a few races for a primary focus and treat the others as hard training efforts or 'fun' runs. Having a focus can affect 'off-season' training (whether you'll be building a strong running base, or cross-training for an early tri), so it helps to rough things out pretty early. As you can see, I've got six races on my schedule (not counting Boston yet). I'll probably add a fall 5K or two. More than that starts to cost too much and offer little extra benefit. I don't get folks who race every weekend.

Hey, prosopis, you survivin' the Arizona heat? Haven't heard from you in a while!

BnB - Sounds like you really did have a bad day. Frustrating, for sure!!! Sorry to hear.

 

[Sand]

Sand: Great race, and another FBG podium Your bike just looks fast! Is that a wheel cover on the rear? Also, as a Clemson grad, I agree that they are the most relevant Tigers

That is indeed a wheel cover. I don't want to spend on expensive wheels, so a cover will have to do. Given the money I'd be much more inclined to buy a powertap, but those are $$$$.And I turned off the TV yesterday with the Tigers up 19-4. Game 3 tonight!

Poppa: for a race report. NOTHING in this thread gets me more excited (except for maybe some good race-stalking") then seeing "Poppa" peek in!!!!

Lots of us waiting!

Today: I did my favorite short ride today (16.5 miles), but the winds beat me again. Today I should have taken the tri-bike out, but roughed on my road bike again. I tried to treat the ride as a TT = I wanted speed. I managed 30+ during two different stretches, but still only managed a 20.5 MPH average. The wind kicked my butt coming in, as I was averaging 22+ with just 6 miles left to go.

My wife freaks out when I tell her the speeds I hit. Nothing like the feeling of flying along at 30+. I love every chance I get to go that fast.

 

[pigskinliquors]

Sand: Great race, and another FBG podium Your bike just looks fast! Is that a wheel cover on the rear? Also, as a Clemson grad, I agree that they are the most relevant Tigers

That is indeed a wheel cover. I don't want to spend on expensive wheels, so a cover will have to do. Given the money I'd be much more inclined to buy a powertap, but those are $$$$.And I turned off the TV yesterday with the Tigers up 19-4. Game 3 tonight!

I just read about this on a cycling message board. Might be worth trying edited to add: this looks easier!

FYI: Clemson up 2-1 early!

 

[Sand]

Sand: Great race, and another FBG podium Your bike just looks fast! Is that a wheel cover on the rear? Also, as a Clemson grad, I agree that they are the most relevant Tigers

That is indeed a wheel cover. I don't want to spend on expensive wheels, so a cover will have to do. Given the money I'd be much more inclined to buy a powertap, but those are $$$$.And I turned off the TV yesterday with the Tigers up 19-4. Game 3 tonight!

edited to add: this looks easier!FYI: Clemson up 2-1 early!

I have the wheelbuilder one.Go Clemson! 5-1 now!!!

 

[2Young2BBald]

Nice little article for the 1st time triathlete. Also, DEXTER, if you don't get Triathlete Magazine, you should pick up this month's edition. I just got it in the mail & it is dedicated to off road triathlon. I am going to have to give one of these a whirl on my POS mountain bike some day!

 

[The_Man]

Sand: Great race, congrats on the podium

2Young: That was fantastic. Your race, your dunk, and your daughter. Awesome!

Poppa: nice job. Would love to hear more.

FUBAR: Do you live in Charlottesville?

I'm pretty much sitting on the sidelines right now, hoping my calf gets better before my conditioning goes away. Had a good 6-mile run Tuesday, but the calf really flared up again afterward. Did a 6-mile recovery run Friday, and that's been it for the past week. My leg does feel noticeably better today, though it's definitely still a little sore and weak.

I plan to do 4 easy miles tomorrow, and then a 30-minute tempo run Wednesday if the leg feels o.k. I'm pretty bummed to have this happen right before my race this Saturday. I've heard conditioning begins to go away after 3 consecutive off-days and today is my third. But I just don't want to really hurt myself right before beginning the marathon training - all my training for this weekend's 10-miler was really about laying down a good mileage base before starting my marathon prep at the end of June.

 

[pigskinliquors]

Go Clemson! 5-1 now!!!

Clemson went into the bottom of the 9th up 8-1. Five runs later (8-6) with runners on 2nd and 3rd and two outs, a long fly ball to left field = game over. WOW. My HR did not need that in the middle of the day.

 

[2Young2BBald]

Everyone, thanks for inspiring me to register for the Charlottesville International Tri! I also joined the Tri-club.

Looks like a cool event. A trail run at the end sounds like an excellent change of pace from a road run. Saw your post on number of events. My answer is, probably too many, but I discovered the whole running and tri thing a bit later in life and feel like I have some catching up to do. I am over the top addicted to racing. The way I look at it, I hate golf and did it just because everyone else was doing it. With the same $ and time, I am doing something I love that is benefiting my health so much more (and it doesn't hurt that my wife and kids have embraced these sports too). I even tried to register for another Oly on Sunday but lucky for me it is sold out (I had forgotten its father's day and we have plans ).

 

[wraith5]

I've got some catching up to do from the weekend, which I'll try to do tonight. Definitely have to acknowledge the fantastic races from 2Y and Sand tho - great job!

Last week was really a wipe-out for me overall in the work-out category, but given the Blackhawks win and the day-game at Miller Park in Milwaukee, I'll chalk it up to a "stepback/recovery week" and move on.

Got out for 10 miles on Saturday in 68 degrees and 87% humidity - 10 miles should not ever hurt that much for me! I was like a drowned rat by the time I was done (8:13s on an 8:06 target with a 175 ave HR).

Is there a calculator out there that equates pace targets in various heat/humidity conditions? If there isn't, there really should be...

Today was the first day I could hit the 50 yd outdoor pool and I was very excited - adult laps are 12-1 every day. I did 1900 yds but unfortunately, my times were surprisingly slow throughout (did 100, 100, 200, 700, 400, 200, 100, 100). Then I found out that the pool is a 50 METER pool, so I actually swam 2078 yards. That made me feel a little better about my times (the 700 equated to a 15:13, still very slow but better than a 16:39!). Guess I need to get used to the longer distance between turns!

 

[pigskinliquors]

Training in Heat/Humidity

HEART RATE

Here are the statistics of what these two elements can do to impact your running:

Heat

* Temperatures between 60-75°F will increase heart rate (HR) by 2-4 beats per minute

* Temperatures between 75-90°F will increase heart rate (HR) up to 10 beats per minute

Humidity

* Humidity levels between 50-90% will increase heart rate (HR) up to 10 beats per minute

When the two elements are experienced together the effect is magnified.

Let’s look at a typical Tennessee summer day and do the math on a 39 year old woman for an example. [To understand how to calculate your target heart rates, see RUNNING 101 – KNOL 2] You are going for a run outside and the weather is hot and sticky, here’s what it can do to your body…

Running HR in Moderate Conditions (60°F/30%): 140 beats per minute *

Temperature: 90°F (Add 10 beats/min for heat) +10

Humidity: 70% (Add 10 beats/min for humidity) +10

New HR in Extreme Conditions: 160 beats per minute

* 140 beats/min is 75% of Maximum HR calculation for 39 YO Woman.

The New HR of 160 beats per minute is approximately 87% of your maximum HR threshold. That percentage is very close to the High Risk Zone or Redline threshold of 90%. Running at this level can be dangerous. In this zone maximum physical effort is being exerted. The runner is breathless and the heart is pumping very hard. This level of activity can not sustain for very long without possible serious side effects. This is a sprinting zone, possibly a zone that would be hit during speed work. It is not a zone intended for running any long period of time.

Why does this happen?

One of the body’s core functions is temperature regulation, maintaining an average 98.6°F. In higher temperatures the skin absorbs the heat. To help keep the body in a normal state, the heart's oxygen output is diverted via blood flow to the skin to help dissipate the heat the body is collecting. When oxygen is diverted to another system of the body versus the muscles, a runner has less energy to burn running. If a runner continues to run at the same pace in these conditions, the heart and lungs have to work hard to try to compensate for the needed oxygen for both systems to work. This results in early exhaustion.

What about humidity?

Studies in Japan on ambient humidity result in the same effect because humidity prevents the body’s sweat from evaporating. Sweating is the body's method of keeping cool. When it is not functioning properly again the blood flow is diverted to the skin. This study shows that hot, humid environment at sea level is as much incapacitating as is hypoxia at high altitude. [Ref. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 40, Issue 2, 206-210]

 

[BassNBrew]

Well you got the Sunday story. Flated out at mile 13.3 of 17.1. Was running at 32-33 mph when I heard a crack like a .22 caliber rifle and 5 secs of hissing. Bike went immediately into a death wobble while I was in aero. Hung on for dear life and keep it upright. No spare tubbie so I ran 3.8 miles back to T2 in bike shoes in 90 degree weather so my partner could run the 5k. We finished 13th of 17. Would have been 2nd. Had myself at 25.2 mph at this time but that would have dropped under 25 mph with the dismount and one short hill left.

Saturday - The overview is that I finished 4th of 37 in division, 113th overall Missed 3rd by 6 sec, 4th by 17 sec, and 1st by 33 sec. Dreadful swim at 18:10 for 750 yards. Actually swam closer to 850 yards as my sighting sucked. Had the best bike time in division by 4 minutes. Was 13th overall of 412 males and roughly 800 totally people on the bike. Even managed to top a couple of the elites. 24.2 mph over 17.1 miles including mat to mount/dismount line. The run was on a trail. I posted a 27:30 5k time which I was pretty happy with. Most said their run time was off 1-2 minutes because of the hills and sections of fresh gravel. Transitions were average, but each featured 200-300 yards of running. My total time was roughly 1:32. My HR for the bike was 167, the 2nd transition 168, and the final run 166. My lacatic threashold is 167 so basically I had it pegged for the entire event. I'm probably most proud of that. I was passed by my competitors (at least 2nd and 3rd) inside a 1/2 mile. I tried to hang with them but I was already at max. That 6 seconds was 40 yards and I couldn't close the distance.

I've several minor events coming up before another huge local event mid August where the hammer is coming down on these guys. The bike at this event is a 30k or 18.6 miles and is moderately hilly and freshly paved. It's also on my home roads so I'll be dailed in where to burn the matches. The run is falt and on pavement where I do better.

The 5/5/5/5 plan is in effective. 5% lighter, 5% more watts on the bike, 5% fitter, and 5% straighter swim.

 

[tri-man 47]

Is there a calculator out there that equates pace targets in various heat/humidity conditions? If there isn't, there really should be...

Tell me about it. Sunday's forecast looks brutal - same conditions as last year's half-IM (when a quarter of the field, including me, had a DNF). Registration is much lower than last year, and it was already a small race ...about 115 signed up, versus 180 who started last year. I'm bracing myself for the possibility/likelihood that they'll cancel the race. It's a bit crazy to stage a several hour half-IM for 115 people when a dangerous heat index will drop the count before race-end. Not sure if I'd be or .

 

[Dexter]

Nice little article for the 1st time triathlete. Also, DEXTER, if you don't get Triathlete Magazine, you should pick up this month's edition. I just got it in the mail & it is dedicated to off road triathlon. I am going to have to give one of these a whirl on my POS mountain bike some day!

I'll have to check it out. I missed out on the Big Fish triathlon (sold out) But I signed up for the anyone can Tri at Metro beach (previously called the Ronald McDonald Tri). Which is one of your planned tris. See you there!!!

ETA I'm going to be "that guy" and ride my mountain bike since I don't have a road bike

 

[pigskinliquors]

Is there a calculator out there that equates pace targets in various heat/humidity conditions? If there isn't, there really should be...

Tell me about it. Sunday's forecast looks brutal - same conditions as last year's half-IM (when a quarter of the field, including me, had a DNF). Registration is much lower than last year, and it was already a small race ...about 115 signed up, versus 180 who started last year. I'm bracing myself for the possibility/likelihood that they'll cancel the race. It's a bit crazy to stage a several hour half-IM for 115 people when a dangerous heat index will drop the count before race-end. Not sure if I'd be or .

BnB: FWIW, I wanted to leave 20 minutes ago, but saw that you were writing = GREAT race!!!!! I love the 5/5/5/5 plan. With as fast as you currently are on the bike, any speed gains elsewhere are going to make you tough to beat!! If you figure out how to swim straighter, let me know!

 

[2Young2BBald]

Well you got the Sunday story. Flated out at mile 13.3 of 17.1. Was running at 32-33 mph when I heard a crack like a .22 caliber rifle and 5 secs of hissing. Bike went immediately into a death wobble while I was in aero. Hung on for dear life and keep it upright. No spare tubbie so I ran 3.8 miles back to T2 in bike shoes in 90 degree weather so my partner could run the 5k. We finished 13th of 17. Would have been 2nd. Had myself at 25.2 mph at this time but that would have dropped under 25 mph with the dismount and one short hill left.

Saturday - The overview is that I finished 4th of 37 in division, 113th overall Missed 3rd by 6 sec, 4th by 17 sec, and 1st by 33 sec. Dreadful swim at 18:10 for 750 yards. Actually swam closer to 850 yards as my sighting sucked. Had the best bike time in division by 4 minutes. Was 13th overall of 412 males and roughly 800 totally people on the bike. Even managed to top a couple of the elites. 24.2 mph over 17.1 miles including mat to mount/dismount line. The run was on a trail. I posted a 27:30 5k time which I was pretty happy with. Most said their run time was off 1-2 minutes because of the hills and sections of fresh gravel. Transitions were average, but each featured 200-300 yards of running. My total time was roughly 1:32. My HR for the bike was 167, the 2nd transition 168, and the final run 166. My lacatic threashold is 167 so basically I had it pegged for the entire event. I'm probably most proud of that. I was passed by my competitors (at least 2nd and 3rd) inside a 1/2 mile. I tried to hang with them but I was already at max. That 6 seconds was 40 yards and I couldn't close the distance.

I've several minor events coming up before another huge local event mid August where the hammer is coming down on these guys. The bike at this event is a 30k or 18.6 miles and is moderately hilly and freshly paved. It's also on my home roads so I'll be dailed in where to burn the matches. The run is falt and on pavement where I do better.

The 5/5/5/5 plan is in effective. 5% lighter, 5% more watts on the bike, 5% fitter, and 5% straighter swim.

Sorry the weekend didn't workout as planned. Regarding that bolded part about improving the swim, I traded an email with a buddy that is a real good long distance triathlete. His last minute advice if the water was clear was "follow the bubbles". Simple, yet effective advice that about halved the number of sighting attempts needed and set up some real good drafting.

 

[2Young2BBald]

Nice little article for the 1st time triathlete. Also, DEXTER, if you don't get Triathlete Magazine, you should pick up this month's edition. I just got it in the mail & it is dedicated to off road triathlon. I am going to have to give one of these a whirl on my POS mountain bike some day!

I'll have to check it out. I missed out on the Big Fish triathlon (sold out) But I signed up for the anyone can Tri at Metro beach (previously called the Ronald McDonald Tri). Which is one of your planned tris. See you there!!!

ETA I'm going to be "that guy" and ride my mountain bike since I don't have a road bike

3D announced it is going to be a time trial swim for that event. It'll be nice to not have to worry about a thrash fest at the start. You won't be the only person on a mountain bike by any means. I passed a guy on Belle Isle yesterday on one who didn't even bother taking off the baby seat on the back.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Well you got the Sunday story. Flated out at mile 13.3 of 17.1. Was running at 32-33 mph when I heard a crack like a .22 caliber rifle and 5 secs of hissing. Bike went immediately into a death wobble while I was in aero. Hung on for dear life and keep it upright. No spare tubbie so I ran 3.8 miles back to T2 in bike shoes in 90 degree weather so my partner could run the 5k. We finished 13th of 17. Would have been 2nd. Had myself at 25.2 mph at this time but that would have dropped under 25 mph with the dismount and one short hill left.Saturday - The overview is that I finished 4th of 37 in division, 113th overall Missed 3rd by 6 sec, 4th by 17 sec, and 1st by 33 sec. Dreadful swim at 18:10 for 750 yards. Actually swam closer to 850 yards as my sighting sucked. Had the best bike time in division by 4 minutes. Was 13th overall of 412 males and roughly 800 totally people on the bike. Even managed to top a couple of the elites. 24.2 mph over 17.1 miles including mat to mount/dismount line. The run was on a trail. I posted a 27:30 5k time which I was pretty happy with. Most said their run time was off 1-2 minutes because of the hills and sections of fresh gravel. Transitions were average, but each featured 200-300 yards of running. My total time was roughly 1:32. My HR for the bike was 167, the 2nd transition 168, and the final run 166. My lacatic threashold is 167 so basically I had it pegged for the entire event. I'm probably most proud of that. I was passed by my competitors (at least 2nd and 3rd) inside a 1/2 mile. I tried to hang with them but I was already at max. That 6 seconds was 40 yards and I couldn't close the distance.I've several minor events coming up before another huge local event mid August where the hammer is coming down on these guys. The bike at this event is a 30k or 18.6 miles and is moderately hilly and freshly paved. It's also on my home roads so I'll be dailed in where to burn the matches. The run is falt and on pavement where I do better.The 5/5/5/5 plan is in effective. 5% lighter, 5% more watts on the bike, 5% fitter, and 5% straighter swim.

Bad break on your bike. However, great on your tri. Looks like u are going to be more prepared with that 5 plan moving forward.

 

[BassNBrew]

Sorry the weekend didn't workout as planned. Regarding that bolded part about improving the swim, I traded an email with a buddy that is a real good long distance triathlete. His last minute advice if the water was clear was "follow the bubbles". Simple, yet effective advice that about halved the number of sighting attempts needed and set up some real good drafting.

We were wave 7 on Sat. Picture 350 out, 50 left, and 350 back course. Wave four started the swim a the lead guys headed for the far diagonal bouy and the entire pack followed. They were just starting to run head on to people on the opposite side about 200 yd out before changing course to the correct bouy. Didn't help the the intermediate bouys were placed hap-hazarded to the point that we were allowed to swim on either side of the them as long as went went around the end bouys.My problem is that for every 10 yards forward I'd go a yard or two to the left or right. Too much pool swimming and only one open water swim this year. My swim coach had us do a drill in the pool where we closed out eyes. I hit the lane divider in 10 yards. That should have be a hint of the problems to come.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Sand: Great race, congrats on the podium

2Young: That was fantastic. Your race, your dunk, and your daughter. Awesome!

Poppa: nice job. Would love to hear more.

FUBAR: Do you live in Charlottesville?

I'm pretty much sitting on the sidelines right now, hoping my calf gets better before my conditioning goes away. Had a good 6-mile run Tuesday, but the calf really flared up again afterward. Did a 6-mile recovery run Friday, and that's been it for the past week. My leg does feel noticeably better today, though it's definitely still a little sore and weak.

I plan to do 4 easy miles tomorrow, and then a 30-minute tempo run Wednesday if the leg feels o.k. I'm pretty bummed to have this happen right before my race this Saturday. I've heard conditioning begins to go away after 3 consecutive off-days and today is my third. But I just don't want to really hurt myself right before beginning the marathon training - all my training for this weekend's 10-miler was really about laying down a good mileage base before starting my marathon prep at the end of June.

Best of wishes on a speedy recovery.

 

[BassNBrew]

Quick tip to the guys who don't give me space on the swim. I have a mean breast stroke that I can switch to at a moments notice.

Had a guy on the side of me that hit me twice. Two breast stroke kicks later I magically had some room. Another guy almost pulled my timing chip off.

 

[2Young2BBald]

Quick tip to the guys who don't give me space on the swim. I have a mean breast stroke that I can switch to at a moments notice. Had a guy on the side of me that hit me twice. Two breast stroke kicks later I magically had some room. Another guy almost pulled my timing chip off.

Let me know if you'd like me to teach you the two handed dunk, its quite effective too.

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Benson - in terms of training: You've mentioned swimming (and thoughts of a road bike), so you're doing some cross-training, which is very good. Some keys tend to be (a) give yourself an easier week once a month; (b) only have a couple of break-out training sessions each week where you're really pushing your limits - on the other workouts, keep it steady, but don't overdo (more of a maintenance mode). E.g., if you do a hard session of interval work on the track, maybe use the next day to swim and rest the legs. Or if you do a long, distance run, use the next day as a rest day or just an easy-paced recovery run. Some of the guys here use the FIRST program, which specifically targets weekly workouts of an interval day, one for mid-distance tempo, and a long run. You could do something like that and use other days for swimming, biking, weight training, or core/flexibility work. You'll see guys here post their workouts for a week, and feel free to do so. We're happy to pick it apart.

Thank you very much. I refuse to run until after my doctor's appointment with a sports medicine guy June 21st. But shortly thereafter I will have a consistent training(hopefully) program.

I would like to hear more about some of the training programs....yall can PM me if you don't want to clutter up the board.

TIA

 

[Poppa]

Who's racing this weekend?

gruecd: 06/12: Bellin Run (10K), Green Bay, WI

Sand: 06/12/10 - Buster Britton Sprint Triathlon

2Young2BBald: 6/13 Motor City Triathlon Detroit, MI Oly Tri (reg)

Poppa 'raced' Saturday - Indiana/Celina Challenge - and I still live.As slow as I am, I've never had an event where everyone had packed up and left for home by the time I finished!

Missus waitin' for me though, and that was all that mattered!



Temp 95F, humidity ungodly.

More to follow maybe...

Written to a special friend o' mine:I'm gonna run a race story past you, if I may. I mentioned to you that I always write a little something afterwards - that I might

remember the race by - and although this race, in particular, will never be forgotten...at the risk of censure for stoopid, I suppose...I'd like to tell my Saturday "Indian/Celina Challenge" tale...

The specifics outta the way first:

I still live - felt not always a certain thing then...

I won my age group - first time ever!

I was the oldest, and last finisher - one of only 19 outta 25 who started...

7:58 finish - 58 minutes after time limit - and phoned in to the race director after so as not to be considered and subsequently logged in

as a DNF!

All in all - I'm pretty happy!



Missus and I had decided, for logistical reasons, to camp nearby the Start/Finish line. No hotels near enough...race day would have us

driving in and parking 3 miles away and being shuttled back & forth...Missus likes to accompany her ol' man...and watch and wait for

me to come in - and what was she to do all day long - 'stuck' at the starting point with no 'stuff'!

We have no camping gear. No tent, no sleeping bags, stove, cooler, trailer - nothing! So - we bought a cooler, borrowed a tent (a 5'x6'

2 Cub Scout-size!) and away we went on our race weekend!

A near 5-hour drive down State highways to the Hoosier National Forest - where forecasts of thunderstorms and low temps in the 90's awaited - found us having arrived at the Race point, near dusk, in the middle of a ferocious thunderstorm...

Shoot! Ummmm....Whadda we gonna do? Missus doesn't wanna get wet...Mister doesn't wanna shell out a hundred bucks for a hotel - or sleep in the water either! And again - the 'problem' of the Missus' race day while she awaits her man runnin' vexes!

We choose to sleep in the car.

Our car? An '09 Honda Civic 2-door Coupe...

Wouldn'ta thought it could sleep two, but it did - kinda! Gave the steering wheel side to the smaller Missus...



Ohhhh jeez was it humid!

Stripped down to near-naked, the windows a foggin' like a couple o' teenagers at the sub races...

Soon the oxygen would be gone - and the calculations began on How much window need be open to have life-sustaining air come blowin' in - and the hordes of black flies not!

Poppa slept fitfully - and awoke an hour earlier than intended by an iPhone temporarily fooled by the cockamamie time zones of Indiana - to a dream whose main character was Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise...



I was ready enough, excited...



Walked to the starting point along the lake and was directed to the race table to complete registration. No bibs, no race numbers this

time. Instead I pro-offered my arm to the young lady, left one first, for a big, black magic marker 2502...then the right forearm- 2402.

Scratch the Four, make a Five - and I was good to go!

A real, bonafide athlete - with numbers on my arm an' everything!



Was giving essentially no thought to the humidity.

It's Indiana.

It's F'n humid in the Summertime in Indiana...

It was already near 90 though, but I was ready! CamelBak full o' Gatorade, plenty o' GU, peanutbutter sammich an' a 1/2, hard candy,

stick, hat, 2 bandanna's (always!) - one for eyes, and one for 'emergency' use - tourniquet, sucking chest wound, snot rag, whatever. It was to come in handy!



50 yards down the road and into the woods we go - me leading only the crazy couple pushing a bright red-headed boy sucking on his sippy cup in mom an' pop's 'jogging' stroller.

:dopes:

I always start at the most tail end of the gaggle. For the life o' me, I can't figure out why nobody carries a stick on these trail things, but I do, and so out of deference to the stickless - I stay outta the way early. ('Problem' is, anymore, I seem to be trending towards staying outta the way throughout - being the last runner allowed to finish in 2 outta my last 3 races!)



A 2-loop course, and advertised as having 6000' plus of altitude gain and loss...

It was hilly, but not so bad...

Trail was rocky, reeeally rocky - never a flat footfall, of course - but, not so bad...

Thick woods, nary a breeze to be found all day long...

It was HOT, ungodly humid, air verrry heavy, oppressive - hard to breathe...

Literally wrang my 'eye wiper' out 4 or 5 times - like a danged dishrag! Stunned me, the amount of sweat I was losing! Believe you me

- I logged that bit of information in my ongoing race log...

I drank and drank and drank - my own, and at every aid station. Handful after handful of ice in the Camelbak at the 1/2 way point.

Is there anything worse than bathwater temp backwashed Gatorade - when you'd kill for a cold one...of ANYTHING??!!

I ate only 1/2 a sandwich on the run - choked it down might be more precise - topping the banana I had for breakfast. Had no appetite for anything. Wanted only fluid...

Half way point Missus sent me off with a hearty "Enjoy"! She was near to tears, I could see plain enough...

Would expect that I looked a fright -my response...also near to tears..."It's already no fun..."



I wouldn't make 7 hours - that was certain! I've never been asked to 'leave the course'...and I've never left of my own accord - though

Saturday, at the half, as I approached the Director's table:

"You running the Full Marathon?"

"Yes Ma'am..."

"But yer gonna stop now?" (Unbeknownst to me at the time - 6 of 19 marathon'ers had already called it a day...)

"Oh no! I got another loop..."

(Momentarily mentally crushed, 'cause I'd surely pondered quitting...)

Too difficult!!

I began to walk as soon as I got into the woods and out of sight - not to 'run' again until I saw my Missus sittin' in the lawn chair, in the

shade along the lake - looking uproad for her crazy man to come in...

Race director 'swept' the course for stragglers - meeting me at 18 miles or so - and walked along with me for a bit. I was walking briskly yet - the dragging ### was still to come!

I assured him I was fine, would finish, that I was simply slow. He, gauging my fitness, asked if I had 'experience' in these things.

"Many", I replied...

He 'allowed' me to go on. (He was also to assure my wife of my 'fitness' too, as she waited and

waited and waited...)



Saw him again at 21 and suggested that he could pull his remaing aid station workers - high school students of his - as I was fine and yet fixed with goodies - and a phone...

2nd bandanna long a Lawrence of Arabia-style sun cover under my cap to keep the sun off my stoopid gourd...

Last couple miles were in God's hands - simply too difficult - beyond my capabilities.

Drink as I might I remained parched. Crossing streams I simply wished to lay down...

Wasn't sweating enough anymore - no bandanna wringing...

My feet were wet, on fire hot, and rocky hurt...

No appetite, no people and fighting despair - as I simply continued one slow slog at a time...

Remembered clearly Griz, an old Marine partner, who succumbed to heat stroke on a PFT, right in front of us - first slowing to a walk, then a stumbling, drunken stagger, a collapse to all fours, then a roll-over to unconsciousness - ultimately to die 6 weeks later. Though

nearly 30 years ago, I've never forgotten - and the memory was especially vivid for hours, as staying upright became my only goal, my

only priority...

Pondered briefly taking a shortcut. Who would know?

Me. I couldn't...

Rounding the final corner - I saw my Missus...and she saw me! The only one left connected with race - besides me...

"TOO DIFFICULT!!" I cried!!!

:(

I flung my Camelbak, my waist pouch with uneaten pb&j's, my watch, onto the hood of the car, and marched right into the lake - up to my chin - where I remained, holding onto the boating dock above, with my Missus on it to ensure my post-race survival - until I'd regained a sense of coherence of mind and a distinct lowering of body temperature...

And then I sat in the shade - resting, drinking, taking stock - and gave thanks to God for His race company...

(And for giving me a wife who accepts 'teh crazy', even if she doesn't understand...!)

(I don't understand either...)

We were done.

Happy, relieved...



Thanks for listening, dear - 'twas a heck of a Saturday!

 

[FUBAR]

FUBAR: Do you live in Charlottesville?

Moving there in 3 weeks. You?

 

[wraith5]

Benson - in terms of training: You've mentioned swimming (and thoughts of a road bike), so you're doing some cross-training, which is very good. Some keys tend to be (a) give yourself an easier week once a month; (b) only have a couple of break-out training sessions each week where you're really pushing your limits - on the other workouts, keep it steady, but don't overdo (more of a maintenance mode). E.g., if you do a hard session of interval work on the track, maybe use the next day to swim and rest the legs. Or if you do a long, distance run, use the next day as a rest day or just an easy-paced recovery run. Some of the guys here use the FIRST program, which specifically targets weekly workouts of an interval day, one for mid-distance tempo, and a long run. You could do something like that and use other days for swimming, biking, weight training, or core/flexibility work. You'll see guys here post their workouts for a week, and feel free to do so. We're happy to pick it apart.

Thank you very much. I refuse to run until after my doctor's appointment with a sports medicine guy June 21st. But shortly thereafter I will have a consistent training(hopefully) program.

I would like to hear more about some of the training programs....yall can PM me if you don't want to clutter up the board.

TIA

Good luck with the doc! I discovered the FIRST program about 18 months ago. The program was first reported in this Runners World article back in 2004. If you look at the information and think it's worth-while, I highly recommend picking up the "Run Less, Run Faster" book.

The concept boils down to making every mile count, instead of counting miles. 3 key runs each week: speedwork, tempo, and long run. All of your paces are predetermined by your 5k pace (your somewhat decent 19:50 will do... ). Lots of variety and different distances, but the purpose of each of the three runs remains the same. Mix in 2 serious cross-training days each week and you're good to go.

Overall, I think this program is great for someone who wants to do more than run (ie triathlon training), or someone who can't handle running 5 days / week, either physically or mentally.

 

[wraith5]

Training in Heat/Humidity

HEART RATE

Here are the statistics of what these two elements can do to impact your running:

Heat

* Temperatures between 60-75°F will increase heart rate (HR) by 2-4 beats per minute

* Temperatures between 75-90°F will increase heart rate (HR) up to 10 beats per minute

Humidity

* Humidity levels between 50-90% will increase heart rate (HR) up to 10 beats per minute

When the two elements are experienced together the effect is magnified.

Let’s look at a typical Tennessee summer day and do the math on a 39 year old woman for an example. [To understand how to calculate your target heart rates, see RUNNING 101 – KNOL 2] You are going for a run outside and the weather is hot and sticky, here’s what it can do to your body…

Running HR in Moderate Conditions (60°F/30%): 140 beats per minute *

Temperature: 90°F (Add 10 beats/min for heat) +10

Humidity: 70% (Add 10 beats/min for humidity) +10

New HR in Extreme Conditions: 160 beats per minute

* 140 beats/min is 75% of Maximum HR calculation for 39 YO Woman.

The New HR of 160 beats per minute is approximately 87% of your maximum HR threshold. That percentage is very close to the High Risk Zone or Redline threshold of 90%. Running at this level can be dangerous. In this zone maximum physical effort is being exerted. The runner is breathless and the heart is pumping very hard. This level of activity can not sustain for very long without possible serious side effects. This is a sprinting zone, possibly a zone that would be hit during speed work. It is not a zone intended for running any long period of time.

Why does this happen?

One of the body’s core functions is temperature regulation, maintaining an average 98.6°F. In higher temperatures the skin absorbs the heat. To help keep the body in a normal state, the heart's oxygen output is diverted via blood flow to the skin to help dissipate the heat the body is collecting. When oxygen is diverted to another system of the body versus the muscles, a runner has less energy to burn running. If a runner continues to run at the same pace in these conditions, the heart and lungs have to work hard to try to compensate for the needed oxygen for both systems to work. This results in early exhaustion.

What about humidity?

Studies in Japan on ambient humidity result in the same effect because humidity prevents the body’s sweat from evaporating. Sweating is the body's method of keeping cool. When it is not functioning properly again the blood flow is diverted to the skin. This study shows that hot, humid environment at sea level is as much incapacitating as is hypoxia at high altitude. [Ref. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 40, Issue 2, 206-210]

Interesting - if you read down a bit further, the article says, "(Jeff Galloway) suggests adding 30 seconds per mile slower for each 5 degrees of temperature increase above 60°F. This same logic would apply to humidity."

That seems a bit extreme, at least as you get to higher temps with high humidity (where you'd end up at a walking pace!) but conceptually it's not out of the ballpark. I think you said you add a minute per mile in higher temps/humidity, which sounds about right. This is something I want to do some more research on.

So do you think training closer to goal pace, whatever that pace might be, in higher temps/humidity is actually helping your overall training, since it requires a higher level of exertion?

 

[2Young2BBald]

So do you think training closer to goal pace, whatever that pace might be, in higher temps/humidity is actually helping your overall training, since it requires a higher level of exertion?

I know the question wasn't directed to me, but, yes I think it does. Before running the Copper Mountain 1/2 Marathon last year, I Googled up a few articles on how to acclimate to running at 10,000 feet of altitude when training at about 50 foot of altitude. Everything I read advised to try and run in as high a humidity as possible to simulate the reduced level of oxygen intake. It is similar, I guess, to some form of resistance training (like hill training on the bike and racing on a flat course). I can't see how this wouldn't render positive results (and its not like you can change the weather anyways).

 

[gruecd]

So do you think training closer to goal pace, whatever that pace might be, in higher temps/humidity is actually helping your overall training, since it requires a higher level of exertion?

I was actually thinking about this last night during my 8-miler, and I think the answer is "yes." I trained pretty hard last summer during the heat and humidity, and when I finally ran my goal race (Chicago) in dry, cool conditions, it reminded me of times in the past when I'd come back home after running somewhere at altitude.

 

[BassNBrew]

Hey Poppa, congrats on another notch in the stick. When's your next event?

 

[2Young2BBald]

Hey Poppa, congrats on another notch in the stick. When's your next event?

Hey Poppa, will Tri-Man & I see you in Hell (MI that is, we're doing the DWD Relay)?

 

[gruecd]

This guy is a friend of mine. Thought you guys might enjoy:

State man part of bronze-medal 24-hour world running team

 

[Poppa]

Hey Poppa, congrats on another notch in the stick. When's your next event?

Hey Poppa, will Tri-Man & I see you in Hell (MI that is, we're doing the DWD Relay)?

Missus and I will be in Hell, yes...

 

[The_Man]

Great run and an epic RR, Poppa.

I am bumming out today. Went back out to run after three days off -- the time had definitely helped my leg, as it still didn't feel quite "right" but was no longer painful. But it started acting up right from the get-go in my run. I was trying to do 4 miles at 7:40 pace (I know now I would have been better going slower, but wanted to test my fitness after 3 off days) - fitness felt very good but the leg not so much.

The instant it went from ache to pain, I shut it down. Did 3.25 at my goal pace, then literally limped home. The second I stopped running it really tightened up and was very sore. Ice, stretching and Advil have helped since. Guess I'll take tomorrow off, run 3 or 4 on Thursday, and still do the race Saturday but maybe lower my goals a little (or a lot, if it's really going to be 92 degrees like the current forecast says).

Today's Internet injury self-diagnosis is popliteal tendonitis. It's a small tendon that runs from the outside of the kneecap to the back of the leg, almost where the hamstring meets the calf. Everything I've read, from symptoms to causes (including overpronation and running a lot of hills) seems to fit. If I get through the race o.k. Saturday, I will seriously consider taking almost the entire next week off to rest before the 18-week marathon training begins.

 

[tri-man 47]

Hey Poppa, congrats on another notch in the stick. When's your next event?

Hey Poppa, will Tri-Man & I see you in Hell (MI that is, we're doing the DWD Relay)?

Missus and I will be in Hell, yes...

Great!! Poppa, thanks for the race report. That's a great inspiration, and I'll carry with me for my race on Sunday.

 

[2Young2BBald]

Hey Poppa, congrats on another notch in the stick. When's your next event?

Hey Poppa, will Tri-Man & I see you in Hell (MI that is, we're doing the DWD Relay)?

Missus and I will be in Hell, yes...

Great!! Poppa, thanks for the race report. That's a great inspiration, and I'll carry with me for my race on Sunday.

Hey Tri-Man, are you taking a cheering section to your HIM on Sunday? If so, will anyone have a smartphone that could keep us posted, possibly by FB mobile? It'd be awesome to get updates by legs (and or laps if it is a multiple loop course for the bike & run, and a special update on how long it takes for you to get your gloves on in T1 ). My tentative plan is to get up early and get a long ride in before family time in the afternoon. If someone is sending updates, I'll plan on popping the phone in the bento-box on the bike to check in a see updates on you CRUSHING each leg!

 

[The_Man]

found a couple of interesting things about heat and humidity affect running.

One is based on adding the temperature and dewpoint together:

90-100 is probably ideal, anything below 130 is pretty much OK to go for a fast time (maybe 120 for longer distances, say HM or above)

Between 130-150 will see a gradual slowdown in pace

Above 150, forget pace altogether and just focus on finishing

And here's another one based on dewpoint alone:

Dewpoint <55: Go for it!

Dewpoint in the 60s: Tough for racing, training runs OK

Dewpoint in the low 70s: Hard training will be tough

Dewpoint in the upper 70s: Anything other than a recovery run will be a struggle

Dewpoint in the 80s: Even a recovery run is tough

 

[pigskinliquors]

Poppa!!!!!: You made my day. Your race reports could not be more inspiring. Thanks a ton for sharing!!!

So do you think training closer to goal pace, whatever that pace might be, in higher temps/humidity is actually helping your overall training, since it requires a higher level of exertion?

I don't worry too much about goal pace in the heat/humidity. I solely look at HR to determine my speed = my goals are to keep my HR at certain levels for certain distances. What inevitably happens, is your speed increases as you acclimate to the change in temps over time = your fitness greatly improves. I typically am shocked how fast I run/ride in October after trudging through our temps/humidity all summer and through September. I'm hoping :fingerscrossed: that I can somehow finish all my HIM training through our worst weather (Aug/Sept.) to see the weather change for my race (Mid October). Today's run (= junk miles) is an example of how I HR train. I ran 6 miles, and my goals for my HR after each mile were to keep below: 155, 160, 165, 168, 170, 172. I ended up my run with:

Mile 1: 8:54 pace (HR 152)

2: 8:48 (158)

3: 8:40 (164)

4: 8:35 (167)

5: 8:28 (170)

6: 8:04 (172)

When I started my run, I anticipated running MUCH slower, but my HR was staying low = I'm becoming more acclimated and/or the temps weren't as bad as they've been. I'll have the same HR goal for all 6 mile runs (my Tuesday run) through the summer and will walk if my HR gets 2 beats above what I want it to be. For my interval runs (Thurs. runs); I try to have my last interval get my HR up to 188 (I then work back to target HR for each interval); and for my long run days (Sunday runs), I want my last mile to be under 180 bpm.

 

[GStrot]

Cool. Anyone want me to update the first post?

 

[Sand]

Cool. Anyone want me to update the first post?

Sure. Maybe upfront give it an explanation that this has become the defacto FFA running and triathlon thread and for new folks to head to the last page and join in.Heck, I wouldn't mind a new title making it the **Official FFA Running/Tri Thread**.

 

[Sand]

found a couple of interesting things about heat and humidity affect running.One is based on adding the temperature and dewpoint together:90-100 is probably ideal, anything below 130 is pretty much OK to go for a fast time (maybe 120 for longer distances, say HM or above)Between 130-150 will see a gradual slowdown in paceAbove 150, forget pace altogether and just focus on finishingAnd here's another one based on dewpoint aloneewpoint <55: Go for it!Dewpoint in the 60s: Tough for racing, training runs OKDewpoint in the low 70s: Hard training will be toughDewpoint in the upper 70s: Anything other than a recovery run will be a struggleDewpoint in the 80s: Even a recovery run is tough

Interesting. My tri this weekend was a combined 165. On the road I'm sure the temperature was higher - so 170+ on the run. Dewpoint was 80F that morning.

 

[tri-man 47]

The_Man - Keep your longer-term goals in mind. I.e., don't force the issue this weekend if you're still fighting an injury. You'd hate to lose the rest of the season because of it.

2Young - Did I mention that my biking gloves have individual, knuckle-high :fingers:? For a 56-mile, 3-hour'ish ride - particularly in high heat and humidity - yeah, I'll take ten seconds and pull on gloves instead of having my hands slide around.

My daughter should be there with me. I could give her your cell # and see if she can text along the way. The bike's a pure out-and-back, though, so she won't have much to report until around 11 a.m. cst. It still looks like the weather will be awful - hot and humid. I appreciate the earlier postings on the matter by a few of you!

 

[2Young2BBald]

2Young - Did I mention that my biking gloves have individual, knuckle-high :fingers:? For a 56-mile, 3-hour'ish ride - particularly in high heat and humidity - yeah, I'll take ten seconds and pull on gloves instead of having my hands slide around.

My daughter should be there with me. I could give her your cell # and see if she can text along the way. The bike's a pure out-and-back, though, so she won't have much to report until around 11 a.m. cst. It still looks like the weather will be awful - hot and humid. I appreciate the earlier postings on the matter by a few of you!

Ease up on the :fingers: Yoda, don't want you to fatigue them for Sunday! In all seriousness, I am hoping for the best for you on Sunday and look forward to hearing about the day. Please do share my cell with your daughter if you don't mind, I love to hear how the day is going (and the updates will likely motivate me to work harder on that day's workout). If you haven't seen this month's Triathlete Mag, you may want to get a hold of a copy. There is a GREAT article on salt loading and how to approach salt needs in high heat. Not saying try something new, but it may serve as a good reminder as you eat and hydrate the days before the event.

 

[2Young2BBald]

2Young - Did I mention that my biking gloves have individual, knuckle-high :fingers:? For a 56-mile, 3-hour'ish ride - particularly in high heat and humidity - yeah, I'll take ten seconds and pull on gloves instead of having my hands slide around.

My daughter should be there with me. I could give her your cell # and see if she can text along the way. The bike's a pure out-and-back, though, so she won't have much to report until around 11 a.m. cst. It still looks like the weather will be awful - hot and humid. I appreciate the earlier postings on the matter by a few of you!

Ease up on the :fingers: Yoda, don't want you to fatigue them for Sunday! In all seriousness, I am hoping for the best for you on Sunday and look forward to hearing about the day. Please do share my cell with your daughter if you don't mind, I'd love to hear how the day is going (and the updates will likely motivate me to work harder on that day's workout). If you haven't seen this month's Triathlete Mag, you may want to get a hold of a copy. There is a GREAT article on salt loading and how to approach salt needs in high heat. Not saying try something new, but it may serve as a good reminder as you eat and hydrate the days before the event.

 

[wraith5]

The_Man - I'm really sorry to hear you're still nursing the injury. There isn't much you can do about it but let it heal, so stay focused long-term and get healthy!

Thanks to everyone for the responses about training in the humidity (it was meant for everyone, not just PSL). I tend to agree that training in harsher conditions will prepare us for better runs/races later in the year. The challenge, at least for me, is finding the balance between pushing myself and pushing too hard (or going too easy, I suppose).

I really like PSL's solution (running by HR alone) but I don't think I can translate that plan to following FIRST, so for now I'm going to dial back my target paces to the last level I was at (which in all fairness I didn't change until the 5k I ran on 5/20, anyway). Hopefully that will result in somewhat less painful runs.

Speaking of which, speedwork this morning - 1k, 2k, 1k, 1k w/400 RIs. Target was 6:34s for the 1ks (hit 6:31, 6:36, 6:43) and 6:50 for the 2k (hit 7:05). 65 degrees and 85% humidity so it was another drenching run.

I was a little frustrated by not hitting my pace targets, until I realized 1) I would have beaten or hit all of my former pace targets (which I am going back to), and 2) I blew away the times from 4/13 when I did this same run. Guess I have less to complain about than I thought...

 

[wraith5]

Cool. Anyone want me to update the first post?

Hey there!! You doing any running? Changing the title a bit might be a good idea, but we still need to recognize who started this thing and why - can't forget our roots!!

 

[2Young2BBald]

Cool. Anyone want me to update the first post?

Hey there!! You doing any running? Changing the title a bit might be a good idea, but we still need to recognize who started this thing and why - can't forget our roots!!

I like it. How about something like:Ran a 10k in JuneTHE FFA Running & Triathlon Thread

 

[tri-man 47]

Cool. Anyone want me to update the first post?

Hey there!! You doing any running? Changing the title a bit might be a good idea, but we still need to recognize who started this thing and why - can't forget our roots!!

I like it. How about something like:Ran a 10k in JuneTHE FFA Running & Triathlon Thread

(with all respects to the bike-focused BnB ...though he's working his way into the dark side)

 

[GStrot]

Cool. Anyone want me to update the first post?

Hey there!! You doing any running? Changing the title a bit might be a good idea, but we still need to recognize who started this thing and why - can't forget our roots!!

I like it. How about something like:Ran a 10k in JuneTHE FFA Running & Triathlon Thread

(with all respects to the bike-focused BnB ...though he's working his way into the dark side)

Sounds good. Will update now. I am doing a lot of short running. Oddly enough my hips bug me on anything longer than 6 miles. I haven't done anything **official** but for a few 5ks here and there.

 

[2Young2BBald]

Hey Tri-Man, check your email!

 

[Sand]

Just a gentle reminder why triathlon is such a glorious sport.

And a bit of biking advice - try not to bike in quicksand.