Can Old Worn-Down BOPers Fit In Here?

Irnwmn

Just stopped by with a trial membership a few days ago to check out your place.  I'm a little concerned about the "fast then far" thing.  For the past 30 years, my thing is just finishing.  Done a ton of marathons & halfs, shorter tris, etc., etc., 63 year old woman with a semi-wrecked body, two fake hips, lost a bunch of weight, do this stuff cuz I like it and I'm here b/c I need some direction to finish an IM in late 2015.  Finish.  Like 16:59:59 type finish.   THAT would be something!

The thing is, if I were to go balls against the wall (had I balls) at this particular moment, I would flame out in a heartbeat.  I've sorta let this be known to the coach drafting my ATP.  The scary thing is that I think a 60 minute all-out effort on a bike or run in order to establish zones at this point would likely be my undoing before I even had my first "real" day as a member.

Just trying to be real.  Is there a place here for an aging BOPer who just wants to keep a toe on the finish line before they pack it away?  (I remember doing the Vegas marathon in February many moons ago.  They were closing down the cookie stops about a quarter mile before me.  I'm trucking along at my 16 m/m pace hollering "WAAAAAAIIIIIITTTTT ..." as I watched them packing away the hydration just out of hearing range.  I mean that's my pace. ... even with cookie motivation looming within striking range.  

What do you guys think?  Am I better off elsewhere where "fast" really isn't paramount?  Or are there others like me here too?

Thanks for your thoughts.

~~ kate

Edwin Croucher

Katherine

 The plans are set up for every level. Inside here, we do not actually do a 60 minute test. Very few athletes would ever complete those. The test times are 20 minutes and they are hard. However, they are hard by the individuals standard. You are not expected to achieve anyone else's standard. If you start the program and follow the plans, you will reach your goal. The only limiting factor here is how consistent an athlete can be with there training. In my part of the Country, much of the training is completed inside. This is where the dedication to reaching your goal is built. It takes a lot to ride and run inside. You will find that there are many members who share the same goals as you. However, you will also find that all of the members are very supportive and can offer a lot of information and motivation.

 

Good luck

tim cronk

Kate,

Welcome to EN...

As a MOP'er turned FOP'er through EN you may feel I am not qualified to give you an answer.... IMO someone who barely finishes in an IM in under 17hrs but gets it done is more impressive than a KQ'er in under 10hrs... These people just amaze me and yes they exist in EN... Yes I think you will fit in just fine around here.... Sounds like exactly what you need is a little bit of the fast (intensity) before the far (endurance) ...Yes the plans are hard but you have been at this for a very long time and sound very smart.... Think of it as self-coached with tons of guidance from coaches and peers... Apply common sense ( do not follow them into a brick wall if your fatigued or think its too much) to the plans and guidance and you will be fine and in the end faster for it! With your background you can probably handle more than you think you can.

The real value here is the forums and information.

One of my pet peeves is any race is when I see them closing/packing up or run out of food/water etc. at either the aid stations or finish line before the last finisher/deadlines for that race occur.... This absolutely drives me nuts.... The people who have been out there the longest need it the most... They also paid for and deserve the same treatment as the winner... Usually let the Race Director know via direct contact or through email/race questionaires.....

Tim,

Scott Giljum

Hi Kate,
I would agree with what the others have said in that the plans are designed around your level of fitness/ability to push, etc. The best way to think of it is that an hour of "intense" to you and to me (or anyone else) means different things. We are looking for you to find that starting point and build off of it in a smart way, not just throw out pre-ordained times or paces that don't make sense for you. Additionally you have access to the coaches and extremely smart folks (like Tim above) who can help when you have questions. That is one of the great advantages to EN in my opinion. I absolutely think there is a place for you around here, and welcome!

Al Truscott

Katherine … I've been with EN > 5 years now, and am 2 years older than you. Here are some of my observations:

• The make-up of EN reflects the triathlon community at large. 
• I've watched the coaches do their thing closely during my time here - their approach and attitude is one of the primary reasons I stay around. They TRULY have the same interest and make the same effort with EVERYONE, no matter where on the spectrum, age wise or time wise, they might be. These guys live for seeing ALL of us, as individuals, achieve whatever level of success each of us personally strives for.
• The other reason I stick around is what Tim describes - the community of EN. We all support each other - the is the most positive place I've experienced as an athletic environment. We all learn from each other and take pride in our individual and collective achievements.
• As to the use of the term "fast" - think of it as meaning "intensity", not speed. The approach used by EN is especially useful for us OFs (Old Folks, Old Fogies, etc.) as we do better when we work harder for shorter times in our training, rather than slog thru endless long hours at slow speed. Again, like Tim says, the level of intensity one does in a work out is based not on some objective standard, but rather on what each of us can personally handle.
• The results in our OFs speak for themselves. We have a strong cadre of folks over 55 and over, including our own separate section in the EN forums. Their finish times reflect a broad spectrum, but one thing I do notice…EN OFs as a group do better than the community of older racers at large. Not only because of the training and team support, but also because of the knowledge about how to race (really, pace one's self) during a 17 hour event.

You certainly sound like someone who has set a firm goal for herself, and is willing and able to commit to the labors involved in getting there. I think EN is the BEST place you can find to help you get there. We all would love to help you.

Jacklyn Moore

Hi Kate!

My names Jacklyn and i've been with EN for 1 year. I've done 2 sprint tri's. As of January I couldn't run a block. No one here cares about how far you can run, or how fast. What we care about is you. We want to help you achieve what ever you want. The forums are wonderful. The support is there for the receiving. 

I had a hard time, in the beginning, believing that there was a place for me here. I've have since been corrected! What Tim and Al are saying is really true. These people are for real. I will give you a kindly warning, if you choose to join EN the forums are addictive. 

Whatever you decide. Thank you for spending the week with us. ~Jacklyn

Kerrie Freeborn

YES!!!  Kate, there is every type here - KQers to 16:59:59ers.  Think the diversity benefits us all. 

I am a finisher because of EN.  I started training for an IM with another program (which started with far then fast - big mistake).  I could ride all day but was so worried about making the time cut offs that I went to the EN IMLP camp to try riding the course to see if it was worth going to the race or if I should just withdraw and try again the following year.  I learned more at camp than I did in the entire other program - was still worried but Coach Patrick told me it was worth trying.  It was so helpful that there was no way I was quitting EN after that, even though the race was only about about 6 weeks away.  I was the last person that made the bike cut off and finished in 16:48 something.  No way would I have made the cut off, much less have finished if not for EN.  The fast then far is relative - you are not trying to match the KQers - a fast zone for you.  Fast then far, who knew - oh, right, the coaches and the EN teammates!  Wish I'd known that when I started training for my first IM!   

I had no idea how great the team component is.  You can get help about almost anything on the site, and there are teammates at an incredible number of races.  I thought EN was just a training program on the computer, but it is so much more I could have possibly imagined.

Let me (and your other teammates) know if there is anything I can do to help.   

Kerrie

Irnwmn

Edwin, Tim, Scott, Al, Jacklyn, and Kerrie,

You guys are terrific! Many thanks to each of you for your thoughtful comments. I really appreciate your insights and your acceptance. It's been a really long haul this past year just to get to the place where I can again visualize an IM finish line in my future and actually believe in the possibility of achieving that goal. I'm jumping in with both feet. Looking forward to the entire experience as it unfolds. The older I get, the more grateful I am for "one more chance."

Take care, and thanks again.

~~ kate

Joe Matchette

Kate - I am late to this conversation, but I can honestly say that you are making a wise decision. I have been here for 4 years now and still get lots of value, lots of support, and love the people.

We all look forward together to get to our respective goals.

Welcome aboard!

Gordon Cherwoniak

Kate,

Welcome to EN.

I agree with the comments already posted.  In addition to the speed/intensity discussion.  EN provides some great direction on execution.  Talking what ever fitness level you have and utilizing it to the best of your ability on race day.  This in and of itself it well worth being here.  Not sure you have access to the wiki as a trial member but in there is a three year plan and the 1st year, execution is one of the key things.

Gordon 

 

Nate Parady

With out question, yes. All the plans can be tailored to each persons ability and goal. Everyone has an equal voice, if you are a 9 hour person or a 16 hour person, don't matter.

kimmydct

Hi I'm Kim and I'm slow. First IM in 2012 was IMFL, 16:29. I've been w EN for 4 ish years and def getting faster with EN. Plenty of nonKQ folks here. I promise u won't regret it!!

Mark Maurer

Hi Kate, I've been with EN a little over a year now and it's the first tan that I've been on that I've stayed with this long. The information is great as are the plans. I'm one of the OFs that All referred to and I've gotten faster over the year. One thing that I would caution, as Tom did, was to know yourself and not follow the plan into a brick wall. As an OF I find I do have to modify the plan to allow for recovery. Reach out to the coaches and the forums. There's a lot of smart athletes here who have a lot of experience and we're all willing to their in our two cents. Whether we should or not sometimes is debatable though!

Amy Ferguson

Sweet Kate, I so respect your honesty and transparency! Congratulations on your goal for a 2015 IRONMAN. I completely get your uncertainty, however, please let me assure you that the programs and environment inside Endurance Nation would be of great benefit to your season. The training plans are structured towards durability which we in our later season's benefit from. You set the paces that are appropriate for you. At no time have I ever pushed harder than I thought was safe for me and I have never felt intimidated by the teammates who are much much faster than me. On the contrary, they are so selfless and willing to help out with whatever you need. I have learned more in my 3 years with EN than I did with a personal coach. It is a safe, friendly and wicked smart environment. Come join in on the fun!!!!

Stuart Schwark

Kate - I echo the words the others have reflected. I joined the team after a hard and disappointing IM CDA in June, after having watched Endurance Nation for a couple of years. The off-season training has been hard but effective: I just did my 5k time trial after finishing the "run focus" training session. I did 8:48s, which I haven't seen since my knee surgery 2.5 years ago. As a 53 year old whose times aren't anything special that was nice to see.

Additionally the support from the team is superb - Al Truscott, the Wicked Smart Member, was responding to your post the day before he started at IM Kona! I'm so impressed with how everyone puts themself and the pre-race nerves aside to help others..... I'm glad I joined

Irnwmn

Thank you again for the warm welcome. This is gonna be a good place to call home.

AnthonyS

Hello Kate. I'm 44 now. I work a demanding job. I have two kids that I'm very active with, and I also have other hobbies. Top that off with my mother-in-law in a professional chef and my father-in-law is a serious wine head and foodie (he has Zagat's guide on him at all times). So I have access to too many calories and a lot of other commitments. Then to add insult to injury last year I injured my knee (not training) and had to have a twice torn meniscus repaired. Why did I join EN? To get the most out of my training time and quick feedback from coaches and members. So far it does not disappoint in any of those aspects. I was a BOPer improving on my own before the injury but it was too difficult and time consuming. Just making my own plans took a lot of time, and now it's done for me. I can focus on other things and just follow the proven plan instead. After my injury my goal with HIM TX in April is a BOP the finish. I will be happy with that. My goal for IMFL is to finish period as it's going to be my first IM. I'm slow, but I'm improving and that's all that matters.

Kate I'm honestly more inspired by my seniors that are getting it done than I am by the youngsters. I'm learning all too easily that as one ages, things become more difficult. Maintaining my health as I age is the best reason to train. Racing is just inspiration to train. Results are personal as are goals. I figure if I'm lucky to go long enough one day I might age into Kona or the 70.3 championship.