Running/Biking/Swimming

Go From The Couch To A Half Marathon In 6 Months! Free Half Marathon Training Schedule + Half Marathon Training Tips

Lynnette Walczak — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:37:31 +0000

For many people, running a half marathon seems like a daunting task.

Good news: Not only is it entirely possible for a couch potato to run a half marathon, but it can be accomplished within 6 months!

Here’s everything you need to be ready for your first half marathon…

Training For A Walking Event Like The Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk

Suzie — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 18:31:55 +0000

Okay, so you have your equipment and your fundraising is off to a good start, now it’s time to start training.

Yep, you need to train for walking.

The Susan G. Komen 3-Day site has a great section on training for an event like this, so be sure to read it thoroughly. The blog sites referred to in my earlier articles also share training tips.

Below, I will offer some tips that I learned firsthand after participating in my first Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk.

Training Gear & Equipment: Everything You Need For A Multi-Day Charity Walk Like The Susan G. Komen 3-Day

Suzie — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 19:57:45 +0000

I did my walk (the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk) in Chicago at the beginning of August — after training during the hottest summer on Earth — so my knowledge of this aspect only involves warm weather walking.

Obviously, you will need to determine what the temperatures are likely to be during your walk so you can plan accordingly.

It should also be obvious that I am female, therefore my suggestions and tips often cater only to women – sorry guys.

Fundraising Ideas + Things I Learned About Charity Events After Participating In The Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk

Suzie — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:04:13 +0000

60 miles? I can do that.

That’s the motto from the commercials for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day For the Cure 60-mile fundraising walk, and it sure grabbed my attention.

I spent a weekend watching movies on Lifetime and hearing that motto – and then I jumped off a cliff into the 3-Day world!

Once I decided to take on this challenge, I learned as much as I could about the 3-day event and how I would need to prepare.

Here is what I learned from my preparation and my experience on the walk…

DIY Cell Phone Bike Mount: How To Use A Phone Belt Clip To Hold Your GPS-Enabled Phone

Lynnette Walczak — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:08:32 +0000

In preparation for another year of biking, I took my bike in for a long-overdue tuneup.

It was at that time that I decided to remove my old (wired) cycling computer and use my Droid X cellphone to track all of my bike rides from now on.

Using an Android app and a GPS-enabled phone, you can track just about anything you want to know about your bike rides.

Android Apps To Track Bike Rides

First, I experimented with a couple of different Android apps to track the following:

mileage
speed
elevation
time
calories burned
saved maps (import/export)

My 2 favorites at this point are:

CardioTrainer

iMapMyRIDE

Both are pictured here in this post.

DIY Droid Bike Mount

Now that my phone does all that the things that my old bike computer used to do, all I needed was a bike mount — to keep my cell phone perched safely on my handlebar while cycling.

So I set out to find “the perfect bike mount” for my Droid phone.

First, I searched for official bike mounts for the Droid X online and found these:

I was leaning toward the Amzer.

But then I realized that I had what I needed already: the Droid X belt clip holder!

My husband had purchased the optional belt clip when he got his Droid X phone, but he didn’t use it. So it was just hanging out in the junk drawer.

Instead, I turned that phone belt clip into a bike mount.

How To Turn A Belt Clip Into A Bike Mount

I simply clamped the belt clip over the brake cables that criss-cross the front of my bike’s handlebar. Magically, it rests perfectly in place, and it’s at the right angle to read while I’m cycling.

To secure it in place (in case I hit a major bump), I use a self-gripping piece of velcro to hold it loosely in place widthwise.

Since I usually bike the same country roads most of the time, I know there aren’t any serious bumps to speak of — so this setup works find for me. But whenever I bike on roads that are new to me, I double-up with another piece of self-gripping velcro going the other direction (length of the phone).

You could also use rubber bands.

The best part about this DIY belt clip holder bike mount is the fact that it’s easy-on and easy-off. It’s not a permanent thing — so the phone can easily be attached to my bike and then removed in a jiffy without any altering of the phone or sticky residue (as there would be if you taped it securely in place).

More About The Droid X Phone & Biking

Bike Storage Solution: How To Choose & Install A Bike Hoist To Free Up Space In Your Garage

Lynnette Walczak — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:45:40 +0000

Bike hoists are a great storage solution to free up floor space in your garage or apartment.

Maybe there are several members of your family with bikes.
Or, perhaps you have a couple of different bikes yourself, but you don’t need access to each of them all the time.
Maybe you use one bike during a specific time of year and the other at a different time of year.
As a triathlete, perhaps you started with a traditional road bike, but now you spend most of your time on your new triathlon bike.
Or, maybe you’ve got one or more bikes, but you’re not actively cycling these days — due to health issues or any other number of reasons.

Whatever the scenario, a bike hoist can make your life with bikes even life easier.

It not only helps you keep your things tidier and more organized, it also prevents your bicycles from falling over and getting damaged.

If you’re considering a bike hoist as your bike storage solution, here’s what to look for plus how to install it…

A Collection Of The Best Cold Weather Training Tips For Running, Cycling & Swimming [Triathlete Winter Training]

Lynnette Walczak — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:13:44 +0000

It is recommended that triathletes have 2 different types of training regimes: a summer one and a winter one.

You should not plan to make any increases in mileage or add speed work to your training regime in the winter.

Try to plan your run [or bike ride] so that you start heading into the wind and come back with it at your back. If you do it in the reverse, you will be sweaty and the wind at your face will deep freeze you FAST. Source

What other things should you do (or not do) during your cold weather triathlon training?

Here are some winter training guidelines for triathletes…

VIDEO: Tips To Prepare You For The Open Water Swim At A Triathlon

Lynnette Walczak — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:27:44 +0000

In the following video, you’ll find some great tips to prepare you for the open water swim portion of a triathlon.

Some of the highlights:

A slow and steady entry into the water is better than an overly-anxious “mosh pit” approach with flailing body parts going every which way. So let everyone else exert their energy that way, while you remain calm and enter the water from the back or side instead.
Get comfortable with open water swimming before the day of the triathlon — because a 50-yard distances looks and feels a lot different in open water than it does in a swimming pool.
If panic sets in, try concentrating on anything other than the negative thoughts that are going through your mind. Instead, concentrate on your breathing, your strokes, or maybe even start humming.
With a lot of practice and a little patience, you can tackle the swim portion of your next triathlon with ease!

5K Races 101 – What To Expect At Your First 5K Run

Alexandra — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:32:30 +0000

5K events are great for triathletes to do in the off-season, or as smaller runs when building up your training schedule.

So, you’ve finally decided to sign up for your first 5K race. Your friends, family and co-workers happily pledge their support and help you raise money for a worthy cause.

But as the date approaches, you realize that you have absolutely no idea how the actual event is supposed to work.

Where should you park? What do you do with your purse? What should you wear?

Here are the answers to the most common questions that new 5K runners have…

Half-Marathon Training Tips: 4 Keys To Success For Your First Half-Marathon

Kim — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 17:38:49 +0000

As a triathlete in training, there are a number of reasons to participate in a half-marathon:

A half-marathon can be a valuable thing for a triathlete to do in the off-season.

Diversifying the kind of endurance events you do will help you to become a better triathlete.

A half-marathon is a great way to build your triathlon training around a specific event.

Working a half-marathon into your triathlon training schedule can help you make fast gains as a beginner triathlete.

As you train for triathlons, it’s likely you will include running events like a half-marathon, or cycling events like riding a century. These events, including the triathlons themselves, will introduce you to new places, people, and experiences. Source

So, now that you’ve got your heart and mind set on the goal of running a half-marathon race, the next question is how to start training for it…