Gray Guys/Girls Masters Focus Triathlete Forum--OPEN!

Hi Janet:

Of course....but the forum isn't approved yet. We still have to get the blessing from Ron, which should (hopefully) happen in the next two weeks. We'll stick with the old forum until then.

Glad to have you back!

Steve

Hi Robin:

I was caught off guard as well. But I should have known...the group forums and changed up every six months or so and they had already delayed the winter change over. Since I'm hot linked to our forum pages, I wouldn't have known either. Thankfully, Scott gave me a heads up.

Our old forum is still active. You can post there and I'm still checking, but I imagine we will restart with the new forum soon...hopefully with a lot of the same people as well as some additional new folks as well. We have lots of experience to share!

Thanks for posting and we'll hopefully be up and running soon.

Best,

Steve

Steve and other Grays,

Got your email about new groups. I'm still around , sorry for my limited posting the last month or so. didn't have much to add although I tried to keep up with what the other have writing.

Did two sprints and two open water swims so far, my goals were met other than the final results. This week I am competing in the Virginia Senior Games here in Newport News. Just finished two day of swimming ended up with five age group golds, wish there were more of my age group in the events. Three of my five times were below the age group qualifying standard for the 2015 Nationals, although a top four in your state also qualifies. Tomorrow are the cycling events a 5K time trial and a short 20K road race, there are 11 age groupers in the time trial and likely the same for the road race competition will be tough several have high rankings.

I have a break until June with a Olympic distance Aquabike, a mile ocean swim and a Sprint Triathlon.

I'll be cutting back on the swimming now and start stressing the bike. My goal still remains a 1/2 Iron man Aquabike this year. Any running I do will be at 5k or less.

I'd like to join this group. I am pretty new to BT & haven't been in any mentoring groups yet, so you'll have to please tell me how to join.
I did my first tri at age 62, and that was 5 years ago. I'm looking forward to sharing experiences with others.

Hi Deborah:

We'd be glad to have you as a participant. We've got a pretty good group with a range of experience. I don't think we'll really go live for a couple of weeks, but once we're up and running, all you have to do is jump in a join the conversation with your questions, ideas, training tips, etc.

Best regards,

Steve

Welcome back, Judi. Your training levels keep all of us humble. Glad to have you at whatever level you choose to participate.

Best,

Steve

This user's post has been ignored.

Welcome Townsley:

Glad to have you in the group again. Forget that back of the pack stuff. We're all equal in the parking lot!

Steve

I would love to join your group if you have room for one more gray?

NAME: Mountaindan Dan Wilson

STORY: Soon to be 52 and I've always been pretty active, although not really competitively. Ran just to stay in shape and pass my PT test and allow me to do things I like. Found out about triathlons about 5 years ago watching a local tri, registered the next year, joined the local tri club and fell in love with the people and the sport.
I haven’t done all that many tri’s, a couple sprints an Olympic, an aquabike (Back injury forced me to abandon the run) and finally a HIM last year.

FAMILY STATUS: Happily married 23 years in July, 4 children 2 grown boys and twin daughters just finishing their freshman year of college.

CURRENT TRAINING: Currently just running and swimming, I was doing strength training also, but hurt my elbow and had to curb that for a while. Currently unable to bike as I am deployed, I know it’s a tough one since I have both an outdoor and indoor pool ?.
2013: Pumpkinman HIM and a few mini tri’s with my local club

THIS YEAR'S PLANNED RACES: Well I had planned a marathon and a HIM in May and June, but had to drop those plans, currently still waiting to see what I can actually fit into what will be a busy summer. My goal for this year is to focus on next year where I plan on entering IM Lake Tahoe, big goal for my first Full, but I am originally from that area and figure that I would go big and go home!

WEIGHTLOSS: Definitely a priority for me, currently 6’3” and 235, would like to get down to 210-215, I know this would really help me in all aspects!

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: I love to learn from others and help others learn from my limited experience, I’m not afraid to try something new and I am always willing to listen to someone regardless of their experience, different perspectives are always welcome.

I am looking forward to getting home and getting on with my training.
Looking forward to joining the group if you feel I will fit in.

I'm back too Steve! What a great group!

Post more later.....

Hey Dan:

Welcome to the group! Great to have you on board. As Wendy noted, we've got a really good group with several people back who are active participants on this forum. You'll find that like most things in life you get out of the forum what you put in. If you've got questions or ideas, post 'em up. We have a broad range of experience and you'll usually get back a lot of great feedback.

And I know we will want to hear your story/progress as you work toward IM Tahoe next year. That's an aggressive goal, but I'm sure you already know that!

We're kind of in a transition period now, moving off the old Gray Guy/Girlforum site that has been going for about six months but is moving to archives, so have patience and in a week or two we should be up and running.

Welcome to the group!

Best,

Steve

Good news, Wendy! Glad to have you back!

Thanks for participating!

Best,

Steve

Hey Brenda:

Glad to have you join. Welcome to the group.

Steve

I would love to join the group if there is room for a complete beginner (who also happens to be gray).

NAME: Scott Imlay (EchoLkScott)

STORY: 55 and trying to get back in shape. I had a chest-pain scare (not my heart, fortunately) last fall that got me thinking, so I started training at the beginning of the year. In high school I ran the 1/2 mile in track, and I ran 10K races into my early 30's just for fun, but I've never competed in either swimming or biking. My last few attempts at getting in shape by running ended with knee pain, so I'm hoping the cross-training with biking and swimming will help me stay healthy.

FAMILY STATUS: Happily married for 32 years with one grown daughter.

CURRENT TRAINING: I started on the BT 20-week Mini-Sprint training plan at the beginning of January. Swimming and biking are going well. I'm now swimming 3 to 4 times a week (1000 to 1500 yards each time) and biking to work (11 miles each way) twice a week. I'm also taking swimming lessons to improve my form (it's made a big difference). Unfortunately, I'm having trouble keeping my legs healthy for running. Each time I work up to a walk/run with a mile of running, I aggravate an old calf injury (ruptured plantaris tendon) and have to take a break. Very frustrating!

THIS YEAR'S PLANNED RACES: I'm hoping to do a local mini-sprint triathlon (Cottage Lake Tri: 400m swim, 9 mile bike, and 1.5 mile run) in June. It looks pretty low-key and I figure I can walk part of the 1.5 mile run if my calf isn't completely healed. I hope to work up to sprint distance by the end of the season.

WEIGHTLOSS: Definitely important. A major part of my motivation for becoming a triathlete is the combination of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and slightly elevated blood sugars uncovered by my visit with the cardiologist last fall. I'm 5'7" and started out the year at 185 lbs. I'm down to 160 lbs, and could stand to lose a few more.

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: I love to learn from the experience of others. I'm also think it will help me stay motivated if I'm a member of this group. I'm struggling a bit doing this all alone. On the flip side, as a total beginner I won't have a lot to offer to the group other than encouragement.

Thanks!
Scott

BTW Steve, I just spent a week in Chelan and flew gliders in East Wenatchee for many years. I love that area!

I'm not always this long-winded, but here goes:

NAME: ok2try (BT screen name)/Deb Bliss

STORY: I was born the same year as Kathrine Switzer, and like her found that the only competitive sports open to girls were field hockey and tennis (and swimming, but I failed to make the team). Like her, I participated in whatever sports I could (does anybody remember split-court girls’ basketball?) and ran a little for fun. Unlike Switzer though, when I went away to college I didn’t try to find a way to run seriously; I just partied and protested. For many years in my 20’s, I was a dedicated student of karate, but I became frustrated because females were not allowed to compete nor to move on into instructor training.
I include this not to claim pity for myself, but to indicate that right now I feel like I am finally giving expression to my “inner athlete.” It's never too late. (Also, so that younger women might know that their many opportunities in sport are there only because many people like Switzer fought for them.)
At 62 I did a Sprint relay with my 2 grown daughters. I was assigned the cycling because they live far away and couldn't bring a bike. At the time I didn’t even have a bike, or know if my knees would hold up. Nevertheless, it was so much fun I got totally hooked, and in the almost 5 years since then have done 12 Sprints Tris and two F-1 Duathlons, plus numerous 5k’s, four 10k’s, a cross-country season, and a 12k in East Africa! (One of the far-flung daughters lives there.)

FAMILY STATUS: Married to the same man for 35 years. We have 2 grown daughters, plus we adopted a teenager 3 years ago. Also, most weekends her 10-year old sister stays here as well, so young kids with all their joys and challenges are a big part of our lives.

TRAINING: When I started triathlon training, I was swamped in stress involving our family business. I needed an outlet at the end of each day or I would have imploded, and taking a walk would not cut it. To remain sane I needed to go out and pound my brains out on the bike or running. Not exactly a training strategy, but I got a little faster every year. Then I started reading a lot and throwing in different types of workouts; took classes in Chi Running and TI swimming and Zendurance Cycling. Everything was going great until I pushed too hard last year and in September hurt a bunch of things in my right leg. After a lot of PT and ART, as well as improvements to my running mechanics not to mention a commitment to stretching, the new & better athlete has emerged!
I figured that with all the time & effort I am putting into this, it was time for some actual coaching to get the most out of it. I researched around, and here I am at BT. So far so good! I believe there is a workout on the schedule here somewhere that says: ”now, go pound your brains out on that bike!.”
Actually, we recently sold the family business, and the teenager has totally mellowed, so I don’t really need that particular focus anymore. I’m just trying to do like Joy Johnson, and compete until I die. (Google her, as well at Kathrine Switzer, if you don’t know.)

2013 races:
Skunk Cabbage Classic 10K
Fly-by-Night Duathlon (Formula 1: R-B-R-B-R)
Keuka Lake Triathlon (Sprint)
National Senior Games Triathlon (Sprint)
Cayuga Lake Triathlon (Sprint)
Ithaca 5 & 10 (5 mile)
Pete Glavin Upstate NY Cross Country Series
USATF National Club Cross Country Championships
I’m not including my AG placings, because in F 65-69, I usually have to beat only 1 person, if that, to podium. In the National Senior Games I was proud to be 2nd of 13 in my AG, but much more impressed by the 88 year old triathlete. A new vision of aging!

2014 Races:
Nyungwe Marathon, Nyungwe Forest Preserve, Rwanda (I did the half-half, which was actually 12k. )
Skunk Cabbage Classic 10K; DONE
Fly-by-Night Duathlon (Formula 1: R-B-R-B-R) DONE
Empire Senior Games Cycling races (Time Trials & Road race. I’ve never done cycling races before.)
Empire Senior Games Triathlon (Sprint) These races are qualifiers for 2015 National Senior Games.
Broome Triathlon (Sprint)
Cayuga Lake Triathlon (Sprint)
Skinnyman Triathlon (Sprint)
Pete Glavin Upstate NY Cross Country Series
USATF National Club Cross Country Championships

If I get all that done, I may be ready for Olympic distance next year, & maybe a half-marathon.

Hey Scott:

Glad to have you in the group. Keep watching and we'll get things up and running next week. Welcome to the forum!

Steve

Hi Deb:

Welcome to the forum. We're glad to have you. You'll fit right in!

We'll look forward to getting to know you better.

Best,

Steve

Thanks for the welcome everyone, happy to be on the team!

I am looking forward to hearing everyones experiences and also sharing some of mine. It's good to be with a group that won't let some number stop us from enjoying life to the fullest!
I will get back to being more consistent on logging my training on BT, feel free to comment and any encouragement is always welcome, sometime just heading out the door after a long day is the biggest challenge. I am currently working long shifts stuck inside sitting all day and the legs feel like lead by time I get off and head out for a run.

Dan

I would love to join this group!

I just turned 50 last month and have finally stopped plucking the gray hairs off my head! (for fear of going bald)

I have just done my 4th Tri, a sprint, in March and am happy to be back-in-the-game after being injury plagued for a while.

I started training about 3 years ago and have been off and on. I am signed up for my first longer distance August 10th 70.3 Steelhead. OMG.

Family: Happily Married 16 years. Husband is a Marathoner.

Generally finding the journey as a 'gray girl' much tougher but SO much more rewarding! I have realized I am the only person who can make me feel old. Ah, maturity!

This looks like a wonderful group and I look forward to sharing in everyone's progress, setbacks, and ultimate joy-at-the-finish-line.

(that is if you'll have me, of course)