Hey, thanks. Really dopey question, but where IS the Boston Marathon forum? Is it the one labeled "Boston Marathon Assault Squad"? Still trying to figure out how to navigate and not sure if I'm missing it.
Hey, thanks. Really dopey question, but where IS the Boston Marathon forum? Is it the one labeled "Boston Marathon Assault Squad"? Still trying to figure out how to navigate and not sure if I'm missing it.
I'm Chris and I live in the Netherlands. I just ran my first marathon on Sunday in Rotterdam and had a great time. Several years ago I competed in several sprint distance tri's in Oregon and loved it. After learning to run distance over the last year, I decided to get back into triathlons. I've joined the local tri club here, and I will compete in the Amsterdam Oly in June, and then a 70.3 in Weymouth UK in September.
I'm interested in learning about the training philosophy and support offered here, especially what people like and dislike. I'd like to see if this is a good fit to support my training over the next five months and beyond.
I'm 46, mother of two boys, aged 15 and 11, married for almost 25 years. I work full time and love to swim, bike & run.
HI everyone, My name is Jason, 34, living in Chicago. Thankfully its warm enough to take my bike outside. Not too soon as Wildflower is coming up shortly. I joined EN to get help training for IM France and Louisville. Also to reduce costs. I was coached by a professional coach, which is very pricey, and I didnt feel as I was getting my moneys worth. the workouts were good, but there is more to coaching, i feel then moving data around. I really wanted the feel of a community. So I will be fairly active here
My name is Jason, 34, living in Chicago. Thankfully its warm enough to take my bike outside. Not too soon as Wildflower is coming up shortly. I joined EN to get help training for IM France and Louisville. Also to reduce costs. I was coached by a professional coach, which is very pricey, and I didnt feel as I was getting my moneys worth. the workouts were good, but there is more to coaching, i feel then moving data around. I really wanted the feel of a community. So I will be fairly active here
Jason -
Two words: BRING IT. The more active you are, the better your EN experience will be, hands down. We see it all the time. Thre are quite a few folks in our midwest sleeper cell, so you should have no shortage of folks to suffer with on the weekends!
I'm Chris and I live in the Netherlands. I just ran my first marathon on Sunday in Rotterdam and had a great time. Several years ago I competed in several sprint distance tri's in Oregon and loved it. After learning to run distance over the last year, I decided to get back into triathlons. I've joined the local tri club here, and I will compete in the Amsterdam Oly in June, and then a 70.3 in Weymouth UK in September.
I'm interested in learning about the training philosophy and support offered here, especially what people like and dislike. I'd like to see if this is a good fit to support my training over the next five months and beyond.
I'm 46, mother of two boys, aged 15 and 11, married for almost 25 years. I work full time and love to swim, bike & run.
CD -
Congrats on the marathon finish, that's awesome! Scanning the forums should help, but don't hesitate to click on someone's name, make them a friend, and ask them some questions via the Private Message service as well. You can also check out our Macro and Micro level feedback threads as that's where we as coaches help individuals on a daily basis!
I'm 36 year old father of 3 (8, 3 & 1) from South Carolina. I'm an attorney so my life, like most of those on here, is pretty hectic. My training time is limited and often has to be juggled due to last minute crises. I'm former military who has generally been active most of my life (e.g., sports in high school/college, etc).
My tri life began in 2007 for reasons I've forgotten. I've completed several sprints, 1 Oly and 1 HIM. I'm usually back-MOP who loves to try hard and compete but doesn't get too worked up over times. I've also competed in running events & cycling races. Currently I'm trying to come back from a partially torn calf I sustained training for Myrtle Beach marathon. The injury and attendant lack of training (mostly my fault) caused me to gain 20-25 lbs. I'm slowly working back into things and, knock on wood, have been fine for about 4 months now.
My EN interest is based on the fact that I don't have loads of time to put into slogging through miles and miles of Z1/Z2 base building. Very interested in the ROI on training theories and the EN focus on "quality" work.
Raced sprint end of March with Assault on the Carolinas (100k of hills in NC) last weekend. Current race plans include a C-level sprint in June and an A race HIM (Augusta 70.3) in September. I'm very interested in doing an IM next year and want to make sure I'm in as good a position as possible to do well. Seems like lots of folks here with high praise with the EN methodolgy. I'll keep checking things out and see where it takes me.
Tommy- welcome! What kind of law do you practice and were you JAG? I work with government contracting a lot which is why I ask. I also have been nursing a calf injury for many months now and finally coming off the injured list. You are in good company :-) Also- where do you live? I'm guessing south-east by the list of races. Finally, it was the ROI story that first brought me to EN as well (that, and seeing some outstanding performance by a friend who followed the 4-keys race methodology). It might be the thing that brings you here- but there's lots of other reasons you'll find to stay!!
Tommy- welcome! What kind of law do you practice and were you JAG? I work with government contracting a lot which is why I ask. I also have been nursing a calf injury for many months now and finally coming off the injured list. You are in good company :-) Also- where do you live? I'm guessing south-east by the list of races. Finally, it was the ROI story that first brought me to EN as well (that, and seeing some outstanding performance by a friend who followed the 4-keys race methodology). It might be the thing that brings you here- but there's lots of other reasons you'll find to stay!!
I'm in civil litigation, mostly insurance defense. I was Army Intel while in the service - I did my time, got my t-shirt, then came home to South Carolina for law school. Loads of family helping us with our brood.
I went ahead and took the plunge and joined the team. Hopefully won't sully the EN good name. I've started uploading my season race list and will see what RnP dole out training-wise.
Awesome! Nice to have another SouthEast Peep in the haus! I hope to see you at some "local" races (probably not this year- but maybe next year). You should check out the SE Rally that folks are trying to coordinate. Look in the SouthEast Forum folder for the thread.
Took the plunge and joined Team EN this morning - I'm really excited to finally be in the Haus (it looks much bigger from the inside - TARDIS effect?)! I'm a 48-year-old husband and father of two from Western MA (originally from SF CA). All my life I've been the unathletic desk-jockey nerd type, till a couple of summers ago during a visit to Switzerland when I looked around and realized with shock, "I have a pot belly - and not one of these Swiss guys does, not a single one".
At that moment I committed to a fitness lifestyle. I changed my eating habits and started exercising, via treadmill walking and hill climbs on a 40-lb commuter bike. I motivated myself by committing to post a swimsuit photo on Facebook at my 1-year fitness anniversary. That worked - I dropped my excess 30 pounds and kept them off - but I wanted a less vain motivation for Year 2 and beyond, and I also wanted to diversify my exercise portfolio. So having run exactly once and swum zero times since high school, with no road bike experience, and never having competed athletically in my life, well, triathlon was the obvious choice, wasn't it?
So by a show of hands, who else joined Team EN before doing their first triathlon?
I was really fortunate to come across EN early in my triathlon prep. All of those free resources RnP make available pointed me toward proper running form and got me focused on intensity over volume. Looking past this first season of local sprint tri's, I'm looking forward to the support and wisdom of Team EN to help me prepare for a successful HIM in 2011 and full IM in 2012. BTW, the definition of "successful" at this stage is crossing the finish line in great shape. Because my wife thinks attempting an IM at my age is pure insanity, and if I prove her right by ending up on a stretcher in the med tent, it won't matter how good my time was, I'll find it very difficult to continue with long-course triathlons. So I'm counting on you gals and guys to help me build the biggest possible box and then stay way the hell inside it come race day.
So as a beginner I have a few questions that I'd appreciate hearing from experienced IMers. I'm a 43 year old father of two girls (9 and 11), a (great) wife, and a demanding job.
I'm fortunate that I can afford some time off during the peak training times. I'm planning to take a day off per week the last 5 "big weeks". My question is a)should I take a specific day of the week off (e.g. always take Wednesday off) or am I better of spitting it and taking two half days per week off?
Oh and yes, I sometimes over think things so the real answer is that it might not matter. )
So as a beginner I have a few questions that I'd appreciate hearing from experienced IMers. I'm a 43 year old father of two girls (9 and 11), a (great) wife, and a demanding job.
I'm fortunate that I can afford some time off during the peak training times. I'm planning to take a day off per week the last 5 "big weeks". My question is a)should I take a specific day of the week off (e.g. always take Wednesday off) or am I better of spitting it and taking two half days per week off?
Oh and yes, I sometimes over think things so the real answer is that it might not matter. )
Steve, please post this a separate question in the General Discussion forum, not as a post to this welcome thread. Thanks.
@Kevin- Welcome! Wish I could buy that type of motivation that you found in Switzerland. Not for me but for the vast majority of my patients. But then what would I do all day?? But you are not crazy for getting into this lifestyle. Triathlon, can take over your life, so be careful. You will need to learn about obtaining SAUs (Spousal Approval Units) so that when the heavy duty training kicks in, you are granted a pass. SAUs are best accumulated before they are needed. But learning to rest and relax is also part of EN training through the year. Enjoy it here!
I'm Jim, from the Albany, NY area. I'm 45 (46 in one week), married, with an 11 year old daughter. In my past I've played football and ran track in high school (not fast - pole vault and shot put, some longer distance events), played rugby in college and for many years after graduation, and have ran and lifted wieghts for general fitness for most of my adult life. As time went on, I found it harder and harder to do that just for the heck of it, with no goal in mind. Then, while watching the Lake Placid Ironman in the rain a couple of years ago, I found a new goal. Last year I got started triathlon and am totaly hooked on it. Last year I did two sprints and an olympic distance race. This year I have a few short races, with the A race being the Timberman 70.3 in New Hampshire at the end of August. My primary goal at the moment is the Lake Placid Ironman in 2011. I am already signed up as a volunteer this year to register for next year's race. I've been following EN for a while now, and have taken advantage of the free stuff you guys make available. It's great! I am planning on signing onto EN, if I can get in, sometime this fall to do start with the outseason plan and train with EN through Placid. I have two main questions:
1. This year I think I really benefited from several months of wieght training and plyometrics. I just seem to be faster and stronger than I was last year. After Timberman this year in late August, I'm thinking a week or two off, then a few months of weights and maintaining fitness, then the outseason plan, then the Ironman prep plan. Unfortunately, there are not enough weeks in a year for all of that! What if I did 16 weeks of the outseason plan, then after an easy week or two went to the 12 week ironman prep plan. Does that work? Or should I pass on the weight training block until after placid and do the full outseason and ironman plans?
2. My current bike is a Jamis Ventura road bike. Entry level for sure. However I had it professionally fitted and have aerobars on it. I like the bike! If funds were not unlimited, would it be best to invest in a tri-bike, or plan on using my current bike and put on a powermeter? Also, what bike specs would be best for an Ironman course like Lake Placid?
@Jim- Welcome from another up-stater. Hey, I think that was the year I got hooked on tri's, LP in the rain! I think the swim was the driest part of that race. I just did that race this past summer and had a blast. You'll love it. Glad to hear someone from upstate NY is in "da Haus". I'm from Oneonta. Not exactly next door, but not a long trip either. Always looking for someone to ride with. Even if its meeting on Rt. 7 somewhere riding some miles and going separate ways, I don't care. Enjoy your experience, I've only been here for technically a couple of weeks not including my 30 day trial this past fall.... I love it here. Great people and resources. Good luck to you!!
I'm Ben, born and raised in Flanders (Belgium) close to the French border and consequently, I can't climb very well, but love riding on flats and cobbles. LIved in the United Kingdom, Massachusetts, and now in Monrovia, CA. I work as a materials (polymer) scientist, maybe one day I'll make my own carbon fiber frame. ;-)
My triathlon experience is very limited, I did a sprint in 2000 and an olympic in 2001, both in Windsor, UK. I had developed my own swim stroke, which allowed me to keep my head out of the water the whole time, not very efficient to say the least (and it required a wetsuit for buoyancy :-D ). Last winter I decided to get back into it, try to get back into triathlon and do a few races (and took swimming lessons!). Did Arroyo Grande Olympic a few weeks ago, doing two more olympics and Vineman HIM in July. Also ran the Pasadena half marathon in February and plan on running the Los Angeles Rock & Roll Half marathon in October.
As part of my preparation for Vineman I listened to the Endurance Nation 'racing with a powermeter' webinar series, which were really great and learnful. I like the EN concepts and want to explore the possibilities a bit for when I'll sign up for my first full distance race, either in 2011 or in 2012, we'll see. I've also heard good stuff about the outseason plan, so in general, kind of like to explore Endurance Nation a bit, see what will be useful for me, and take it from there.
@Michele - Thanks for the welcome! Actually, you CAN buy your patients a big piece of my motivation, namely the book "Younger Next Year" by Crowley and Lodge, which my wife bought for me on the way home from Switzerland. It lays out all of the elements of a fitness lifestyle, and the science behind how each element counteracts aging. Extremely persuasive, motivating, and useful. Just what I needed at that moment.
Thanks Dan - Oneonta is not too far away. Also, if you are ever looking for some open water swim experience, the Capital District Triathlon Club has a swim at Crystal Lake (with a marked .7 mile course and lifeguards in boats) every Tuesday night during the summer, followed by optional bike and run. It is open to non-members for a fee.
@Ben, good to see you here . I need more sleeper agents to be inserted into PTC. Gonna put Jesse in a jersey, then you, and we'll drive the PTC A train from the front on Wednesdays
@Jim, thanks for the invite. I'll definitely consider it, I work for the first 6 weeks of the summer so I'll be tied up, along with 3 kids at home, none are of school age yet, so schedule is tight, but anything is possible.
I've been reading all these posts and poking around. It's amazing to see what a large fraction of people are pretty much in the same place I am... mid-40s guy with kids, etc. Good to know there will be lots of guys who also need to recover a little bit more than they used to, who coach their kids' soccer teams (and like that part of their lives, too!), etc etc etc. :-)
Guess it's time to say hello! I'm Richard, living in the Tacoma, WA area. Yup, mid-40's guy with kids, that's me (two boys, ages 11 and 8). Joined EN about 2 months ago, and am focusing on half-IM's this year with Pacific Crest and The Grand Columbian on the calendar. I've been a triathlete for 15 years, all distances from Sprint to IM, and joined EN to try to figure out a saner way to train instead of just pounding the volume. I still haven't figured out if I have the time/energy to do another IM, but I'm hoping to find out if it's possible with EN.
I guess I should introduce myself since the Beginner Open House is ending today. My name's Jim. I live in Norwich, CT. I'm 28, almost 29 and love triathlon! I'm doing my first HIM in Providence, RI on July 11. Over the past 7 years I've done sprint & Oly tri's, a slew of 5ks & 10ks, a marathon and a couple half marathons as well as some decent biking in the summers (RAGBRAI in '06 & '07). I'm pretty much a one speed triathlete and it drives me crazy! Every race I've done, my bike speed is around 18 mph. Last fall I bought my first tri bike (Cervelo P2) and then in January I won a sweet road bike from cyclingnews.com! So I have two sweet bikes that are much better than the steel Bianchi I had been riding. I'd join EN in a heart beat but money's kinda tight having just bought that new bike... oh, and supporting my wife through her PhD program.
I've eaten up all the free stuff that RnP put out, talked with P for a short bit at the Multisport Expo in Boston, and know it would be the right thing for me, but PhD programs cost money and it's either racing or EN. Sorry, but I gotta pick racing. Hopefully when my wife's done then I can join.
Comments
Thanks!
Yup- that's it!
I'm Chris and I live in the Netherlands. I just ran my first marathon on Sunday in Rotterdam and had a great time. Several years ago I competed in several sprint distance tri's in Oregon and loved it. After learning to run distance over the last year, I decided to get back into triathlons. I've joined the local tri club here, and I will compete in the Amsterdam Oly in June, and then a 70.3 in Weymouth UK in September.
I'm interested in learning about the training philosophy and support offered here, especially what people like and dislike. I'd like to see if this is a good fit to support my training over the next five months and beyond.
I'm 46, mother of two boys, aged 15 and 11, married for almost 25 years. I work full time and love to swim, bike & run.
My name is Jason, 34, living in Chicago. Thankfully its warm enough to take my bike outside. Not too soon as Wildflower is coming up shortly. I joined EN to get help training for IM France and Louisville. Also to reduce costs. I was coached by a professional coach, which is very pricey, and I didnt feel as I was getting my moneys worth. the workouts were good, but there is more to coaching, i feel then moving data around. I really wanted the feel of a community. So I will be fairly active here
Jason -
Two words: BRING IT. The more active you are, the better your EN experience will be, hands down. We see it all the time. Thre are quite a few folks in our midwest sleeper cell, so you should have no shortage of folks to suffer with on the weekends!
P
CD -
Congrats on the marathon finish, that's awesome! Scanning the forums should help, but don't hesitate to click on someone's name, make them a friend, and ask them some questions via the Private Message service as well. You can also check out our Macro and Micro level feedback threads as that's where we as coaches help individuals on a daily basis!
Welcome and thanks,
Patrick
Reckon I'll throw my hat into the ring ...
I'm 36 year old father of 3 (8, 3 & 1) from South Carolina. I'm an attorney so my life, like most of those on here, is pretty hectic. My training time is limited and often has to be juggled due to last minute crises. I'm former military who has generally been active most of my life (e.g., sports in high school/college, etc).
My tri life began in 2007 for reasons I've forgotten. I've completed several sprints, 1 Oly and 1 HIM. I'm usually back-MOP who loves to try hard and compete but doesn't get too worked up over times. I've also competed in running events & cycling races. Currently I'm trying to come back from a partially torn calf I sustained training for Myrtle Beach marathon. The injury and attendant lack of training (mostly my fault) caused me to gain 20-25 lbs. I'm slowly working back into things and, knock on wood, have been fine for about 4 months now.
My EN interest is based on the fact that I don't have loads of time to put into slogging through miles and miles of Z1/Z2 base building. Very interested in the ROI on training theories and the EN focus on "quality" work.
Raced sprint end of March with Assault on the Carolinas (100k of hills in NC) last weekend. Current race plans include a C-level sprint in June and an A race HIM (Augusta 70.3) in September. I'm very interested in doing an IM next year and want to make sure I'm in as good a position as possible to do well. Seems like lots of folks here with high praise with the EN methodolgy. I'll keep checking things out and see where it takes me.
I'm in civil litigation, mostly insurance defense. I was Army Intel while in the service - I did my time, got my t-shirt, then came home to South Carolina for law school. Loads of family helping us with our brood.
I went ahead and took the plunge and joined the team. Hopefully won't sully the EN good name.
I've started uploading my season race list and will see what RnP dole out training-wise.
At that moment I committed to a fitness lifestyle. I changed my eating habits and started exercising, via treadmill walking and hill climbs on a 40-lb commuter bike. I motivated myself by committing to post a swimsuit photo on Facebook at my 1-year fitness anniversary. That worked - I dropped my excess 30 pounds and kept them off - but I wanted a less vain motivation for Year 2 and beyond, and I also wanted to diversify my exercise portfolio. So having run exactly once and swum zero times since high school, with no road bike experience, and never having competed athletically in my life, well, triathlon was the obvious choice, wasn't it?
So by a show of hands, who else joined Team EN before doing their first triathlon?
I was really fortunate to come across EN early in my triathlon prep. All of those free resources RnP make available pointed me toward proper running form and got me focused on intensity over volume. Looking past this first season of local sprint tri's, I'm looking forward to the support and wisdom of Team EN to help me prepare for a successful HIM in 2011 and full IM in 2012. BTW, the definition of "successful" at this stage is crossing the finish line in great shape. Because my wife thinks attempting an IM at my age is pure insanity, and if I prove her right by ending up on a stretcher in the med tent, it won't matter how good my time was, I'll find it very difficult to continue with long-course triathlons. So I'm counting on you gals and guys to help me build the biggest possible box and then stay way the hell inside it come race day.
OK? OK. This is gonna be fun!
I'm fortunate that I can afford some time off during the peak training times. I'm planning to take a day off per week the last 5 "big weeks". My question is a)should I take a specific day of the week off (e.g. always take Wednesday off) or am I better of spitting it and taking two half days per week off?
Oh and yes, I sometimes over think things so the real answer is that it might not matter.
Steve, please post this a separate question in the General Discussion forum, not as a post to this welcome thread. Thanks.
Hello everyone,
I'm Jim, from the Albany, NY area. I'm 45 (46 in one week), married, with an 11 year old daughter. In my past I've played football and ran track in high school (not fast - pole vault and shot put, some longer distance events), played rugby in college and for many years after graduation, and have ran and lifted wieghts for general fitness for most of my adult life. As time went on, I found it harder and harder to do that just for the heck of it, with no goal in mind. Then, while watching the Lake Placid Ironman in the rain a couple of years ago, I found a new goal. Last year I got started triathlon and am totaly hooked on it. Last year I did two sprints and an olympic distance race. This year I have a few short races, with the A race being the Timberman 70.3 in New Hampshire at the end of August. My primary goal at the moment is the Lake Placid Ironman in 2011. I am already signed up as a volunteer this year to register for next year's race. I've been following EN for a while now, and have taken advantage of the free stuff you guys make available. It's great! I am planning on signing onto EN, if I can get in, sometime this fall to do start with the outseason plan and train with EN through Placid. I have two main questions:
1. This year I think I really benefited from several months of wieght training and plyometrics. I just seem to be faster and stronger than I was last year. After Timberman this year in late August, I'm thinking a week or two off, then a few months of weights and maintaining fitness, then the outseason plan, then the Ironman prep plan. Unfortunately, there are not enough weeks in a year for all of that! What if I did 16 weeks of the outseason plan, then after an easy week or two went to the 12 week ironman prep plan. Does that work? Or should I pass on the weight training block until after placid and do the full outseason and ironman plans?
2. My current bike is a Jamis Ventura road bike. Entry level for sure. However I had it professionally fitted and have aerobars on it. I like the bike! If funds were not unlimited, would it be best to invest in a tri-bike, or plan on using my current bike and put on a powermeter? Also, what bike specs would be best for an Ironman course like Lake Placid?
Thanks everyone! Can't wait to join you guys!
Jim
@Jim- Welcome from another up-stater. Hey, I think that was the year I got hooked on tri's, LP in the rain! I think the swim was the driest part of that race. I just did that race this past summer and had a blast. You'll love it. Glad to hear someone from upstate NY is in "da Haus". I'm from Oneonta. Not exactly next door, but not a long trip either. Always looking for someone to ride with. Even if its meeting on Rt. 7 somewhere riding some miles and going separate ways, I don't care. Enjoy your experience, I've only been here for technically a couple of weeks not including my 30 day trial this past fall.... I love it here. Great people and resources. Good luck to you!!
Dan
My triathlon experience is very limited, I did a sprint in 2000 and an olympic in 2001, both in Windsor, UK. I had developed my own swim stroke, which allowed me to keep my head out of the water the whole time, not very efficient to say the least (and it required a wetsuit for buoyancy :-D ). Last winter I decided to get back into it, try to get back into triathlon and do a few races (and took swimming lessons!). Did Arroyo Grande Olympic a few weeks ago, doing two more olympics and Vineman HIM in July. Also ran the Pasadena half marathon in February and plan on running the Los Angeles Rock & Roll Half marathon in October.
As part of my preparation for Vineman I listened to the Endurance Nation 'racing with a powermeter' webinar series, which were really great and learnful. I like the EN concepts and want to explore the possibilities a bit for when I'll sign up for my first full distance race, either in 2011 or in 2012, we'll see. I've also heard good stuff about the outseason plan, so in general, kind of like to explore Endurance Nation a bit, see what will be useful for me, and take it from there.
Thanks Dan - Oneonta is not too far away. Also, if you are ever looking for some open water swim experience, the Capital District Triathlon Club has a swim at Crystal Lake (with a marked .7 mile course and lifeguards in boats) every Tuesday night during the summer, followed by optional bike and run. It is open to non-members for a fee.
@Ben, good to see you here
. I need more sleeper agents to be inserted into PTC. Gonna put Jesse in a jersey, then you, and we'll drive the PTC A train from the front on Wednesdays 
@Jim, thanks for the invite. I'll definitely consider it, I work for the first 6 weeks of the summer so I'll be tied up, along with 3 kids at home, none are of school age yet, so schedule is tight, but anything is possible.
Richard
I've eaten up all the free stuff that RnP put out, talked with P for a short bit at the Multisport Expo in Boston, and know it would be the right thing for me, but PhD programs cost money and it's either racing or EN. Sorry, but I gotta pick racing. Hopefully when my wife's done then I can join.
Cheers!