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Boldly On Our Way to the Finish Line!

Congratulations for recommitting to the program and taking the second big step on your way to becoming a HERO.

Now, this is where Coach needs to get serious with you. We have 9 weeks left until our event in Austin! HOLY FUDGE!!! Folks, we are running out of time. If you think that you could finish an Olympic distance triathlon based on the training you have done up to this point, I would say that you would probably be correct. However, what kind of state would you be in as you pulled in across the finish line??? You would be in a world of hurt. I hate to be blunt, but the Olympic distance triathlon is not a cake walk. It will be anywhere from 2 hours and 45 minutes to possibly 4 hours of hard work in the hot sun. It will test both your physical and your mental limits. There will be times that you will want to stop and walk, or even crawl. You might even scream from the discomfort that you will be in. There could possibly be a time that you will begin to cry because you want it to end. Yes, I have seen grown men and women cry on the race course.

Are you getting a little nervous now? I have two major suggestions for you right now:

First, Start coming to the Monday night swim workout AND THE SATURDAY MORNING WORKOUT EVERY WEEK. Saturday attendance has been dismal. Yes, I know it has been cold, but those have been character building workouts for the people who did attend them. Sadly, some of you have missed out on getting to know your TEAMmates a little better and putting some deposits in the fitness bank account. Every workout we do from this point forward is no longer base building, but critical race preparation training. Be there as if your life depended on it because there is someone who is battling cancer right now who's life depends on you being there.

Second, Sign up to participate in the Lone Star Sprint Tri on April 4th or the CB&I Sprint Tri on May 2nd. You need to have at least one sprint distance tri under your belt for practice so that you will know what to expect on Memorial Day weekend. Sign up today, without delay and if you are so inclined, sign up for them both. Hit on the name of each race and it will send you to the race website for registration.

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Thursday Night Track Workout
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Please bring your own water and the Mentors will be at the Memorial Park Track at or before 6:30 p.m. Here is the workout:

Warm-Up:
2 min of small bouncing on the balls of the feet to warm up those lower leg muscles. 2 min of running in place focusing on picking the foot up off the ground as if you were running on hot coals.
6 forward lunges on each leg. Step out into the lunge and then step back in to alternate legs.
6 side lunges on each leg. Step out into the lunge and then step back in to alternate legs.

Workout:
Newbies to running--6 x 800 meters (2 laps around the track, 6 times)
Seasoned runners--8 x 800 meters
Hard-Core runners-- 9 x 800 meters

Take a full lap (400 meters) around the track jogging or walking, or a combination of the two to recover between each 800 meters.

Keep track of the time it takes you to do an 800 and try to keep all of your 800's at or around the same pace.

Don't chop off that last 400 recovery. Use it as your Cool Down. Stretch after the workout.

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Saturday Brick Workout
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This weekend is our first Brick Workout. A Brick is when you put a bike ride and a run together and you allow the legs to learn how to be fatigued coming off the bike and going off on a run. Here are the important details:

Location: Memorial Park Picnic Loop--located just off Memorial Dr. on Picnic Ln. There are three stop lights inside of Memorial Park on Memorial Dr. and Picnic Ln. is the second light. We will be parking near the bathrooms on the left and if there is no parking, there should be plenty over by the ball fields on the right.

Time: We are meeting at 7:30 am

Workout: The Picnic Loop is 1.2 miles long. We will be riding the loop for 45 minutes and running for 20 minutes.

Please do not be late! We are moving back over to our regular picnic table on Arnot Dr. for a Nutrition Clinic at 9 am with the Marathon TEAM. We have to be finished at 8:45 am and ready to pull out of the parking lot at the Picnic Loop to go over to the clinic. As always, we will go somewhere for breakfast after the workout.

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Sunday Social Do Over
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We could not get our act together last weekend so we are going to try it again!

Location: Sunday Social is at your TEAMmate Vickie Pons' casa. Vickie is sending out directions to her place.

Time is 2:00 pm

Don't forget, Coach is bringing that Transition Training DVD so we can start leaning how to do transitions. Come for the fun and leave with some knowledge.

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Monday Night Swim Workout
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Dad's Club @ 7 pm
You missed Birthday Cake for Ryan last week if you were not there. This week, Coach Liz has something that she is giving away for FREE. Don't miss out!

100 yds. 10/10 drill
100 yds. 6/6 drill (200)
50 yds. Fingertip drag drill (250)
50 yds. Flick drill (300)
50 yds. Catch Up drill (350)
100 yds. Zipper Drill *NEW* (450)

50 yds. Free (500)
100 yds. Free (600)
150 yds. Free (750)
200 yds. Free (950)
250 yds. Free (1200)
200 yds. Free (1400)
150 yds. Free (1550)
100 yds. Free (1650)
50 yds. Free (1700)

4 x 25 yd. Free sprints (1800)

I leave you with one last bit of training preparation that we will be doing in the next few weeks...


See you at the park this weekend!

GO TEAM!!!

Coach Liz

Weekly TEAM Update.

Recommitment is on Friday!

Coach Liz at the near the starting line of the Disney Princess Half Marathon on Sunday.

Howdy TEAM!  I had a great time at Disney World and I am ready to be back on track with our workouts.  Here is a look at the information that is contained in this post:

1. Thursday Track Night
2. Friday Recommitment Day
3. Saturday Bike Workout
4. Sunday Social
5. Monday Swim Workout
6. Tuesday Wetsuit Orders

That is a lot of information so please read carefully so you do not have any questions.

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Thursday Night Track Workout

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We are doing the same workout as last week.  Please bring your own water and the Mentors will be at the Memorial Park Track at or before 6:30 p.m.  Here is the workout:

Warm-Up:
2 min of small bouncing on the balls of the feet to warm up those lower leg muscles.
2 min of running in place focusing on picking the foot up off the ground as if you were running on hot coals.
6 forward lunges on each leg. Step out into the lunge and then step back in to alternate legs.
6 side lunges on each leg. Step out into the lunge and then step back in to alternate legs.

Workout:
Newbies to running--5 x 800 meters (2 laps around the track, 4 times)
Seasoned runners--7 x 800 meters
Hard-Core runners-- 8 x 800 meters

Take a full lap (400 meters) around the track jogging or walking, or a combination of the two to recover between each 800 meters.

Keep track of the time it takes you to do an 800 and try to keep all of your 800's at or around the same pace.

Don't chop off that last 400 recovery. Use it as your Cool Down. Stretch after the workout.

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Friday Recommitment Day

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Information was sent out to you with details about Recommitment. If you have ANY QUESTIONS, please call the TNT office at 713-680-8088 and ask to talk to Sarah Riesner. Sarah is the Campaign Coordinator for the Triathlon and Cycling TEAMs and she is fielding all questions while Amanda is on vacation in Chicago. 

Once you have your questions answered, you have filled out your paperwork, and you have filled out your wetsuit order form you can either fax the paperwork into the TNT office (call the office as well to alert someone you are faxing it in and to look for it), you can go to the LLS/TNT office on Mitchelldale and drop it off by hand, or you can bring it to practice on Saturday.

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Saturday Bike Ride

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The weather looks like it is going to be rainy and cold so be sure to dress warm and bring dry clothes to change into! If you have time to hit a bike shop or Sun & Ski Sports you might want to pick up a cycling rain jacket if you do not have a water repellent top or jacket. Bring your water bottles and one Gu, Clif Shot, Power Gel, or package of Clif Shot Bloks to try out on the bike. You can find gels over by the Power Bars in your local HEB or Kroger or pick some up at Sun & Ski Sports or a bike shop.

Meeting Time--8:30 am
Meeting Location--Moody Gardens in Galveston, TX We will be meeting in the large parking lots to the left of the main entrance.
Route--We will be doing a 24 mile out and back route along the Seawall headed west towards Jamaica Beach.

After the ride--If you have time to hang out for lunch we will hit up Joe's Crab shack and put some money back into the Galveston economy.

Alex, Jake, Lori, and Nick were at the last bike workout. Where were you??? Don't miss the fun this weekend.

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Sunday Social

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This Sunday at 2:00 p.m. we will be getting together to socialize and have a good time and to watch a video on mastering the 4th element of the triathlon, the transition area. Location for our Sunday Social will be sent in an email with directions on Friday afternoon. If you are signed up for the Lone Star Sprint Triathlon, you will not want to miss this Sunday Social!

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Monday Swim Workout

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Dad's Club @ 7:00 p.m.

The pool is now set up for long course swimming.  Each length is 50 meters.  Down and back is 100 meters.

50 meters of the 10/10 drill (50)
50 meters of the 6/6 drill (100)
100 meters of the Finger Tip Drag drill (200)
100 meters of the Hand Flick drill (300)
100 meters of the Catch Up drill (400)
5 x 100 meters of Freestyle, breathing every third stroke. 15 seconds rest between each one. (900)
3 x 200 meters of Freestyle breathing every third stroke. 15 seconds rest between each one. (1500)
1 x 300 meters of Freestyle breathing every third stroke (1800)

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Tuesday Wetsuit Order

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Amanda is back in the office on Tuesday, March 17th and I will be stopping by the office to help her put together and put in the wetsuit order. We should get the wetsuits in enough time for you to practice with them a few times if you are doing the Lone Star sprint.

COACH'S RECOMENDATION--Order the LONG SLEEVE WETSUIT rather than the sleeveless one. Trust me, you want the added buoyancy and the added warmth. The sleeveless wetsuits let that cold water slide on in around your armpits. BURRR!!! The water temperature of Town Lake in Austin ranges anywhere from 68 to 76 degrees. It is still chilly.

Whew, that was a lot of information. Remember to give me, your Mentor, or Sarah Riesner at the TNT office a call if you have any questions and I will see you this weekend!

GO TEAM!!!

Coach Liz

Howdy TEAM!

There is a ton of important information in this post so please take the time to read through it. Sometimes you ask me questions that are answered in these posts. I will keep it short and to the point as much as I can. Here is the order of information:

• Thursday Track Workout


• Saturday Run Workout


• Monday Swim Workout


• Lone Star Sprint Triathlon Information


• (Re-) Commitment to Our Fight Against Cancer
  

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Thursday Night Track Workout
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Tonight at 6:30 PM at the track located across the street from the Memorial Park Tennis Center and Smoothie King, Ryan will be out there a little early to lead the Track Workout. You can do this workout on your own at a local school track, but if you want to meet up with some of your TEAM-mates, bring a water bottle and come on out tonight.

Directions to the Memorial Park Track:

From where we normally meet at the picnic table on Arnot St., turn right onto Memorial Park Loop and follow the road past the Golf Course entrance, past the Driving Range until you see the Tennis Center on your left. If you go too far, the road goes down to one way only and you will be forced to make a U-turn and head back towards the Tennis Center.
These workouts are designed to help you get a little faster with your running or run/walk combination. It builds upon what we have been doing for the past few weeks.

Warm-Up:
2 min of small bouncing on the balls of the feet to warm up those lower leg muscles.
2 min of running in place focusing on picking the foot up off the ground as if you were running on hot coals.
6 forward lunges on each leg. Step out into the lunge and then step back in to alternate legs.
6 side lunges on each leg. Step out into the lunge and then step back in to alternate legs.
Workout:
Newbies to running--5 x 800 meters (2 laps around the track, 4 times)
Seasoned runners--7 x 800 meters
Hard-Core runners-- 8 x 800 meters

Take a full lap (400 meters) around the track jogging or walking, or a combination of the two to recover between each 800 meters.

Keep track of the time it takes you to do an 800 and try to keep all of your 800's at or around the same pace.

Don't chop off that last 400 recovery. Use it as your Cool Down. Stretch after the workout.
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Saturday Run Workout
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This Saturday we are back at the Picnic Table at the front of the Memorial Park Pool Parking Lot on Arnot St. Please meet at 6:45 am to start your 4 mile run at 7:00 am. This is the same fun run we did two weeks ago. Ryan and Erich are leading your workout. Coach is absent this weekend as I will be running a half marathon at Disney World

SPECIAL SURPRISE!!!

Our Honored Teammate, Kathryn Geddie, will be at practice this Saturday and she will be running with you!!! If you have not heard Kathryn's story you really need to hear it. Kathryn is part of the Lone Star Tri Team so she is well aware of what you are going through with the training and the fundraising.

After the run, some of the TEAM have been known to go eat some breakfast tacos. At a $1.50 each, you get a great deal and some great post run fuel.

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Monday Night Swim Workout

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Dad's Club @ 7pm

The pool is now set up for Long Course swimming. Each length is 50 meters. Down and back is 100 meters.

1. 100 meters of the 10/10 drill (100)
2. 100 meters of the 6/6 drill (200)
3. 100 meters of the Finger Tip Drag drill (300)
4. 100 meters of the Hand Flick drill (400)
5. 100 meters of Finger Tip down and Hand Flick on the way back (500)
6. 100 meters of the Catch Up drill (600)
7. 100 meters of Freestyle, breathing every third stroke (700)
8. 2 x 200 meters of the following--Finger Tip on first 50M, Hand Flick on second 50M, Catch Up on third 50M, and Freestyle breathing every third stroke on the last 50M (1100)
9. 2 x 100 meters of Freestyle breathing every third stroke (1300)
   

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Lone Star Sprint Triathlon

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Your first opportunity to participate in a sprint distance triathlon is coming up on Saturday, April 4th. I highly encourage you to get at least one sprint distance race under your belt before we head to Austin in May. Besides Lone Star, there will be two other opportunities to get some experience in before the big event. Lone Star Sprint Triathlon is a very well run event and you will have a great time if you decide to participate in this race. By clicking on Lone Star, you will go to the event website and get information on registration. When you register for this event, you will be asked to provide a USA Triathlon Member Number. You will need to register as a new USAT member to do this. Please sign up for a yearly USAT membership rather than a one-day race pass because you will need to be a USAT member for the Cap Tex event as well as any other races that you choose to do. Wetsuits are recommended for this race and we will be placing the wetsuit order on March 17th and you will have them in time for the race.

If you would like to wait until May for the CB&I Sprint Tri or the Silverlake Sprint Tri, please make plans to come to Galveston to cheer on your TEAM mates or to volunteer for the event. You have the potential to earn $250 for your Pay Cor account by assembling a group of 10 people to volunteer at an aid station, directing traffic, helping at the finish line, or one of many other jobs that the race director and race staff needs help with. Amanda Duke from the office can give you all the details and let you know who you need to contact to get your group on the Volunteer list.

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(Re-)Committed to the Fight Against Blood Cancers

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We are all busy people. We are all dealing with a lot of personal and professional obligations. We are all tired at the end of the day. But what would you do if you found out tomorrow that your parent, sibling, spouse, or child was diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma? Would you do everything in your power to find the money to send them to the best doctors in the country? Would you tell people about what you are doing to get that special person the help that they need? Would you make some sacrifices of your time and energy now if you knew it would pay off in a few months?

If you answered yes to one or all of these questions then you are ready to fill out and submit your Re-commitment paperwork. You do not need to be at the half-way point of your fundraising to recommit to the fight against blood cancers. So you have been out of town and you could not make it to the practices. That is ok, you can still recommit to the fight. Maybe you are already at your fundraising minimum. Keep fundraising and see how much money you can raise to help people in need. Maybe you want to share some of that extra fundraising money with one of your teammates who only has a few hundred dollars in their Pay Cor account. Talk to Amanda on how you can help out one of your teammates. I want all 33 TEAM members to cross the finish line in Austin. All you need to do is remember why you signed up back in January and recommit to the fight.

By recommitting, we can get busy behind the scenes ordering your wetsuit, making your hotel reservation, getting you registered for Cap Tex, and arranging for your Inspiration Dinner and Victory Party tickets. If I was not convincing enough, read what Lance Armstrong has to say about commitment...

Have a great weekend TEAM and be sure to check back on Monday and I will post a picture of me at the Magic Kingdom at the end of my half marathon.

Coach Liz

Thursday Track Workout and Weekend Practice

Happy Thursday TEAM Cap Tex!

Here is the information contained in this post:

1. Thursday Night Track Workout
2. Saturday Bike Workout
   
3. Photos from last Saturday

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Thursday Night Track Workout

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Tonight at 6:30 PM at the track located across the street from the Memorial Park Tennis Center and Smoothie King, Ryan will be out there a little early to lead the Track Workout. You can do this workout on your own at a local school track, but if you want to meet up with some of your TEAM-mates, bring a water bottle and come on out tonight. It is warm so make sure to bring plenty of water with you.

Warm-Up:

2 min of small bouncing on the balls of the feet to warm up those lower leg muscles.

2 min of running in place focusing on picking the foot up off the ground as if you were running on hot coals.

6 forward lunges on each leg. Step out into the lunge and then step back in to alternate legs.

6 side lunges on each leg. Step out into the lunge and then step back in to alternate legs.

Workout:

Newbies to running--4 x 800 meters (2 laps around the track, 4 times)

Seasoned runners--6 x 800 meters

Hard-Core runners-- 7 x 800 meters

Take a full lap (400 meters) around the track jogging or walking, or a combination of the two to recover between each 800 meters.

Keep track of the time it takes you to do an 800 and try to keep all of your 800's at or around the same pace.

Don't chop off that last 400 recovery. Use it as your Cool Down. Stretch after the workout.

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Saturday Bike Workout

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This Saturday we are back at Bear Creek Park for our bike workout. We will meet at 7:00 am at Pavillion #6. Remember, directions to get to Bear Creek Park from Memorial Park, head west on I-10 past the Beltway to the Eldridge exit. Head north on Eldridge to Clay Rd. (third stop light) and turn left and head west on Clay Rd. Go to the second entrace into Bear Creek Park on Bear Creek Dr. and head into the park. Drive about a 1/4 of a mile down the road and you will see the golf course on your right and then a huge white dome shaped picnic pavillion on your left. This is Pavillion #6.

Bring your bike, a helmet, water bottle, and a tire pump if you have one. The weather looks to be warmer than the last time we were out there but make sure that you have some warmer clothes if you need them.

After our workout, we will go have breakfast at Taco Cabana on Clay Rd. Yummy!

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Fun Pictures !

Contact me if you have questions about the workouts,

Coach Liz

Monday Swim Workout

Howdy TEAM!!!

Great turnout for the workout this past weekend. So how many of you are a little sore from running on your mid to forefoot? The more you practice that running technique, the stronger your calf muscles will get and the longer you will be able to run with speed and without pain.

If you cannot make tonight's swim workout, here is what we are doing so you can get the workout in on your own. However, I hope to see you tonight because we have some fun planned. The Workout is in 2 parts. The first part will focus on kicking and the second part will focus on stroke work.

PART ONE
1. Do two lengths kicking on your side, with or without the kickboard. Concentrate on having a relaxed but mostly straight leg. Rest as needed. (50)

2. Swim two 50’s of the 10/10 drill with stroke. Rest 15-20 seconds after each. (150)

3. Swim four 50’s of the 10/10 drill with stroke down to one end and swimming back breathing every third stroke. Rest 15-20 seconds between each one. (350)

4. Do two lengths kicking with kickboard or lying on your side. (400)

5. Swim two 50’s freestyle breathing every third stroke, then one 50 of the 10/10 drill with stroke. Rest 15-20 seconds between each 50. REPEAT. (700)

6. Swim four 25 yards easy freestyle, breathing every three strokes. Rest 15-20 seconds between each. (800)


All Freestyle sets will be done with breathing every third stroke.

When streamlining off the wall, hold on to wall with one hand and stretch out the other hand down the lane. Dip 12 inches under the water and push off the wall with the legs and lock the arms above the head with one hand on top of the other and the head slightly tucked down.

Fingertip Drag Drill requires that you drag your fingers over the surface of the water from the point where the hand comes out of the water by your hip all the way up past the head where the hand would enter the water.

PART TWO
1. Push off the wall, streamlined with 6 to 10 small kicks. Do this 5 to 10 times until you can do it every time with ease.

2. Push off streamlined with kicks, and do the 10/10 drill for a 25. Rest if needed, then push off streamlined and swim breathing every three strokes on the way back. Repeat. (100)

3. Push off streamlined with kicking and swim either four 25’s or two 50’s breathing every third stroke. (200)

4. Fingertip drag drill—four 25’s or two 50’s, streamlining off the walls and kicking. (300)

5. Swim six 50’s, concentrating on having a good stroke, streamlining off the wall and kicking at starts. Rest no more than 15 to 20 seconds between each one. (600)

6. Do a 25 of the 10/10 drill and a 25 of the fingertip drag drill. Repeat. (700)

7. Do two 75’s, streamlining off the wall and kicking at starts and turns or doing flip turns with kicking off the wall. (850)


Hope to see you tonight!

Coach Liz

Weekend Update #2

Howdy TEAM!



This post is in two parts with some fun pictures at the end.



Thursday Track Workout is on your own this week. The mentors all have a function that they are attending so you will need to find a local school track near your home to get this workout in. I am giving you the same workout as last week since many of you attended the Fundraising Workshop. This workout should only take you 30 to 40 minutes to complete.

The Basics--1 lap around the track = 400 meters.
Track Ettiquite--Slower runners and/or walkers should stay to the right of the track. No more than two abreast on the track.

Warm Up:
20 Overhead arm swings (think of doing an underhanded basketball toss)
20 Trunk circles, 10 in each direction (rotate the shoulders around the hips in a big circle)
2 minutes running in place with high knees (goofy drill from the video on Sunday)
2 minutes small bounces on balls of feet like you are jumping rope.

Work Out:
Newbies to running--3 x 800 meters (2 laps around the track)
Seasoned runners--5 x 800 meters
Hard-Core runners-- 6 x 800 meters

Take a full lap (400 meters) around the track jogging or walking, or a combination of the two to recover between each 800 meters.

Keep track of the time it takes you to do an 800 and try to keep all of your 800's at or around the same pace.

Don't chop off that last 400 recovery. Use it as your Cool Down. Stretch after the workout.


Saturday TEAM Workout--Memorial Park @ 6:45 am and running at 7:00 am. Please meet at the picnic table at the front of the parking area on Arnot St. next to the Memorial Park Pool and Fitness Center. This is the same place we met for our first workout. Call me if you get lost or need directions!

Route--We will be running 4 miles on Saturday. As soon as we finish our workout, Dr. Hassenbank from Spine and Sports Therapy will be stopping by to give us a stretching and injury prevention clinic. Bring a beach towel that you can throw on the ground and use while we stretch.


Make sure to finish up your arrangements for a bike in the next week. If you have any fundraising letters that you want free postage on, please bring them to practice on Saturday. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by phone or email. Keep telling people what you are doing and keep asking them to help you find a cure.

GO TEAM!!!

Coach Liz