What are you going to do differently for next season?

This year I trained for my HIM basically without a plan except to be able to do each distance before the race. I managed to do pretty well, but I suffered on the bike and the run. I'd like to another HIM next year. So I'm planning on working up to longer bike rides, in the range of 70-80 miles, so I don't bonk at 45. I'd also like to do at least 12 mile runs a few times rather than just once. I may also try *again* to find a swim coach in this area.

What are you going to do differently in your training for next season? Or for those of you downunder who are just starting your season what did you do differently for this year?

I'm not going to spend three weeks hacking up a lung, six weeks before my HIM. :D

More long runs, more bricks. Even doing one brick would be more than I did this year. If I can get consistent with sub ten minute runs, I'll spend some time swimming. This year, I didn't swim hardly at all before my race. I think I swam twice in the eight months preceding my HIM, for a total of 4,000 yards. I guess I should be thankful I'm a good swimmer, but I think running is so much more important in tri and I can't help wishing I was a more gifted runner. Okay, truly I'd like to be gifted in all areas. :D

Veronica

train...

like I should and not like it's an afterthought. :rolleyes:


We're hiking the Grand Canyon and doing Pikes Peak Ascent (hopefully if we get in) so I'll be doing lots of climbing and hiking and probably less running/biking. I'm also going to be commuting as much as I can during the week.

I'm going to actually have a season! :)
I was busy being pregnant this year... I would like to do at least one oly and some sprints, seeing what time permits.

I hired a coach!

be really careful with the running so I don't end up injured again; put off plans for an Oly until 2011.

Improve my swimming and do an Olympic Distance Tri. Hired a coach to help teach me how to swim correctly.

Get back to swimming and REALLY figure it out. Maybe private lessons.
More OW time.
Actually train w/ all three disciplines (I only worked on the swimming last time)
Do a brick--or 2--or 3.
Oh yeah...sign up for that Tri.

I spent too much time dealing with asthma and life transitions this year. I'm ready to put that behind me!

I want to focus on swimming form and running this winter if I can find a good indoor track or figure out how to run when it's cold outside (cold air is an asthma trigger)

Maybe try to do two or three sprints next year.

Train smart, listen to my coach when he advises me to take it easy, and an Ironman!!!

Bring my own bike to the races...and forget about trying to rent or borrow one that falls apart in the middle of the race.

but seriously, RUN MORE.
Am going to try to do one 20k per month

Not so much do differently but goals I have:

1. Not be afraid to "blow-up." Need to dig really deep and find my breaking point.
2. Find out what I can tolerate nutrition-wise 1 hour before a race. My breakfast is fine. But I need to have something in the hour before I race - I need to determine that. (morning start races - which most of them are)
3. Bring up my bike speed.
4. Improve my run endurance.
5. Maintain my upper body strength over the summer

..a few PBs and a first place podium would be sweet......

...for which I will use Joe Friel's Triathlon Training Bible... I've been road bike riding for fun & fitness since 2002, taking a multi-day tour or two for a week or two each year, and have been successful building up to those -- but now I want more challenge! SO this May I am doing a sprint distance triathlon!

I haven't run since I was a child, and I'm 57 now, so I have a ways to go! I was stunned how little of my cycling translated to running -- I mean I was out of breath after only 20 SECONDS. Now I am 6 weeks into it (every other day only 3-4 days/week) and have built up to 240 SECONDS . I got Chi Running by Danny Dreyer and am trying to learn that way. Also, I have only been swimming the breast and side strokes for lo these many years, so I got Terry Laughlin's DVD to learn his crawl technique.

I love Team Estrogen -- so encouraging and inspiring!
happy season planning to all of you!
Sandy

Sandy, My hat's off to you, girl! I did my first sprint 2 years ago and hadn't gotten back in the water since. I'm swimming again due to a stress fracture in my foot from running and loving it. I'm going to train for another tri in May as well. I had fun doing it and think you will too. BTW, how are you doing with the Chi Running? My podiatrist recommended it to me but I just can't get into the book.

Run more..........I worked so hard on the swim last time that I neglected the run. I plan to get in some 5k and 10k runs beforehand.

I'm going to train more consistently, do more road races and mtn biking to get me out of my comfort zone in into the RED zone. And I need to find out how to make the first half of my IM Mary as fast as my second half. Unfortuantely, that means a lot of long bricks, ugh.:p:p

I fell off my bike 2 weeks ago and broke my shoulder into several pieces. I'm in a sling for another 4-6 weeks. I'll start pt on the shoulder sometime in December.
any suggestions for starting totally from scratch? my whole body is deconditioned, and I can only walk 2 blocks right now.
I'm sure there are others out there who've had to do this.

There are lots Buffbabe but many of them don't hang here in the Tri area. I would start your own thread in the health section maybe.

I know a lot of the ladies here with upper extremity injuries ended up spending a lot of time on the trainer while they were healing.

As a PT, I can tell you that there will be lots of things that you will be able to do soon and things will seem much better in a few weeks.

Sorry to hear about your accident and I hope you heal quickly!!

I'm going to join in the fun!

I just signed up for my first sprint tri in May. Yay!

(now I'm looking for more and I haven't even done the first one yet!!:eek:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

I'm going to join in the fun!

I just signed up for my first sprint tri in May. Yay!

(now I'm looking for more and I haven't even done the first one yet!!:eek:)

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Welcome to our addiction! ;) :cool:

I am quite happy with my coach and training, and plan to keep right on doing that. So the two major changes for me, and they are linked: stepping up from sprint to Olympic length, and learning how to deal with the increased nutritional demands of a longer race, because I have pretty much been able to not worry about food during a sprint length.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

I'm going to join in the fun!

I just signed up for my first sprint tri in May. Yay!

(now I'm looking for more and I haven't even done the first one yet!!:eek:)

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You will have a great time!

Gee, I forgot to say I am thinking about getting a new bike for races.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bike Chick

...BTW, how are you doing with the Chi Running? My podiatrist recommended it to me but I just can't get into the book.

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The book is a bit of a slog...but the ideas in Chi Running do make sense to me. That's partly because I have been taking a weekly Tai Chi class for abt a year. Also, since I really haven't run at all in, oh, 47 years or so, I haven't any old running habits to change or, for that matter, any running experience at all to compare Chi running to. The biggest thing I am trying to unlearn is, like many (most?) westerners, I am used to thinking of my arms and legs doing the work to carry my body along. Both Chi Running and Terry Laughlin's swim technique (and Tai Chi) emphasize moving from the core.

good luck healing up your foot!

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Originally Posted by Sandy Borthick

The book is a bit of a slog...but the ideas in Chi Running do make sense to me.

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+1! I've taken to using it more as a reference book than anything else. It's just not "fun" reading, no matter how much I try! But the ideas make sense to my head....now if only I could get my body to cooperate ;)

I looked on the Chi Running site for certified teachers in my area and took an 8 week Learn to Run Chi Running class from one of them. Always easier for me to learn hands-on than from just a book. She was a good teacher and it worked very well.

Considering running barefoot in the sprint or oly tris. Until the snow fell, I was using VFFs 40-50% of the time on distances from 4-11miles & felt great. Once spring hits again I'll try going completely shoeless.

Would like to have more training rides with groups. It pushes me to go faster when I'm tired.

More OWS! Unfortunately the closest lake is 35+ miles away, but OWSing is like trail running for me, so much more enjoyable!

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Originally Posted by Urlea

Considering running barefoot in the sprint or oly tris. Until the snow fell, I was using VFFs 40-50% of the time on distances from 4-11miles & felt great. Once spring hits again I'll try going completely shoeless.

Would like to have more training rides with groups. It pushes me to go faster when I'm tired.

More OWS! Unfortunately the closest lake is 35+ miles away, but OWSing is like trail running for me, so much more enjoyable!

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That's also a part of my 2010 goals. I need to travel almost 50 miles to do OWS :(