Schedule, lifestyle, fitness

["v"]

By the way -

has anyone done the portland marathon??

V

 

[realityman]

How was the snow for the Antartica marathon?

LOL!! Actually, due to a warmer than normal summer down there, maybe you should have asked me how the MUD was for the Antarctic marathon!! Absolutely amazing place to go for a nice long run in though. Never done anything like it since. 1/2 a mile straight up a glacier, twice, on that course. Real lung-buster!

V, I've run the Portland marathon (assuming you're referring to Portland, Oregon). One of the best organized races I've participated in. Mostly very nice scenery. Great support. Really neat finisher's medals, plus you get a rose, and a tree sapling to plant. Fairly flat. One challenging uphill around mile 16 as you climb about 200 feet to cross a bridge over the Willamette. Great views across the bridge. I'd love to run that one again. But if you want a real challenge, look into the Crater Lake Rim Run in Oregon, run in August. Hint for this one: do at least some training at altitude! ;-)

 

[thunderworm]

len- is your bike the p2c or the p3c both are great rides. i have trianed for 2 ironmans and 4 marathons and other bike races all while having a 8 on 9 off schedule. it is not easy and you get frusterated when you are not able to keep a training schedule. i make mine very flexable and that takes the stress off of that part. i always pack my running shoes and googles with me as there is almost always a pool nerby. although sometimes the pool at the hotels is quite small and it is ridiculous to swim in a 20yrd pool but at least i can keep the dust off. i don't even bother with the crapy stationary bike in hotels as i do not want to hurt my knees doing those. most hotels have partnerships with reasonable gyms nerby even if they don't advertise this just ask. if anything i use the work as an excuse to get some rest in and concentrate on real quality wokouts when i am at home. always great to hear form other enthusiats who fly.

 

[Len]

Thunder- I'm a cat 3 road and cyclocross racer like bank & yank. I originally asked about tri's and marathons because the time commitment is similar for training. I can break legs on the bike but can't get out of my own way running! The bike is a Soloist Carbon but I sold it when Trek gave my race team a bike deal (Madone 5.5's). Some guy in Oregon is enjoying the Soloist now.I also have a Cervelo P3SL aluminium TT bike with Blackwell Research 100s wheels which I won the GA state cat 3 TT last with year, a Gary fisher Superfly mtn bike and a Lemond Poprad 'cross bike.

Someone said something about they were glad to see someone who watched out for their fitness... I say that if I weren't so competitive I'd be fat and on the couch! I could care less about fitness, I just want to win. Thats why I was asking about the training opportunities with the typical fractional schedule. Since I've been recently laid off, I was just wondering if you could maintain a reasonable training schedule while doing the job.

I don't post very often, it was cool to see all the replies. Its nice to see other pilots are out there killin' it!

 

["v"]

yep, portland oregon is the one.

I'm really looking forward to my FIRST marathon...... yikes.

How was the weather??

V

 

[realityman]

yep, portland oregon is the one.

I'm really looking forward to my FIRST marathon...... yikes.

How was the weather??

V

The weather was actually very nice for marathon running. Cool and dry.

First marathon? Run conservatively, and train exactly like you're going to run. Should make for a good first marathon for you.

Good luck!

 

[Flex-ible]

Len-

I found it tough to train properly with the Flexjet schedule, granted its not as good as NJ. I actually made sure to schedule my mil leave for this summer just so I could spend most of my training days here at altitude.

On the road, I just run, which doesn't do much for my mtn biking (primary race focus), and try to stay away from the hotel bar and food.

I think the biggest factor is working to make sure you make the big race dates. Scheduling your time off is very hard at Flex. Getting home from a trip at 9 pm and trying to race the next day is tough. It takes alot of prior planning and a wife that knows how to set out your race kit.

Good luck on your racing. And like most here have said, if you want to find the time, you will. At the least, you won't turn into one of those "big boys" sitting at the computer at the FBO.

Flex offers "PRS days" although the rules about them are about as clear as super-secret double probation. As I understand it, if you have a wedding, graduation, or Marine Corps Marathon scheduled ask your crew scheduler in advance to mark the day(s) as off limits in PBS. As long a you don't ask too many times, you can get it.

Doesn't help with the training - but at least you will get to the start line.

(Oh, and I am a member of the Navy 3 Mile Club!)

 

[illinipilot]

I ran the Portland marathon in 2006 just after I started at NJA. It was my first and a very good experience.

IP

 

[RNObased]

I won the GA state cat 3 TT last with year, a Gary fisher Superfly mtn bike and a Lemond Poprad 'cross bike.

Someone said something about they were glad to see someone who watched out for their fitness... I say that if I weren't so competitive I'd be fat and on the couch! I could care less about fitness, I just want to win. Thats why I was asking about the training opportunities with the typical fractional schedule. Since I've been recently laid off, I was just wondering if you could maintain a reasonable training schedule while doing the job.

I don't post very often, it was cool to see all the replies. Its nice to see other pilots are out there killin' it!

As a former CAT 3 road racer and expert class mountain bike racer. (Got into road riding as a way to train for mountain bike racing).
I went and looked at my training schedule and think it would be very hard to do the training schedule I used to do flying for NJA. You could always try though.

 

[av8trinabarrel]

I was doing the Xterra thing for a few years and found that I could get my run and a pseudo swim accomplished at the hotel. Most hotels have a pretty pathetic pool. Jumping in and treading water at a medium pace for 45 minutes and then heading out to the road for 45 minutes was enough too hold me over until I got home. You may get a few funny stares from people treading water for an hour, but it gets the job done. If you are creative and motivated, you can do it.