Manatee Mentors 2016 - Part deux (Page 94)

Originally posted by jmkizer

Racing Manatees!!!

July 23-24
Adrienne - Sufferfest Idaho Mountain 10K on Sunday
Stacey - Swan River Run 14k on Sunday
Monica - TriWaco on Sunday

July 23 is Ann-Marie's birthday

We all have heavy hearts this week as we think of Steve.  I, for one, appreciate him letting us know what is going in.  We are working behind the scenes to do something for him.  If you are stalking this board, please feel free to touch base with any of the active Manatees to get more information.

Originally posted by IndoIronYanti

Living your dreams and making the most of every moment ...

I shared with the Manatees that I was off to Tour de France, but not in my wildest dreams could I have put my head around an event of that magnitude or the full-access immersion experience I had in every aspect of the tour. Even most of the top people associated with it generally don't get to do what we did, because they're busy running/working/doing their highly concentrated specialized part of it. And I was invited by Dimension Data, which not only runs all tech/timing/etc. for the tour but has a team IN the Tour. So, it was perfect.

I've been a Tour groupie/junkie/FANatic for 10 Tours now (Judi was part of the beginning of this obsession) ... to the extent that even some of the top guys involved with the Tour (and ex & current pro riders) called it creepy ... in a good way, right? Right? That became my nickname.

Highlights:

• Behind-the-scenes in-depth look at every aspect of Tour technology--timing system, tracking system, biometrics, telemetry, communications, the bicycles themselves, name it.
• Hanging out in the TdF Command Centre and checking out whatever (and whoever ) I wanted to
• Meeting with top Tour execs individually to discuss the Sentinel project--these guys were in the middle of running the FACHING TOUR DE FRANCE and they were so generous with their time with me!
• Group ride on actual Dimension Data team bicycles (they're Cervelos, by the way) with non-Tour Dimension Data pro cyclists. One of my friends got Cav's bike from last year ... I almost licked it. ("Creepy")
• Top VIP access to every part of Tour grounds (you could just walk up to any riders/principals/anybody, the team buses, check out the bikes that were being prepared for that day's Stage, the podium ... we spent a lot of time in both the departure village and at the end of the day the arrival village
• Being in one of the on-course Dimension Data team support cars during one of the stages--I may have spent most of it out of the top of the sunroof screaming my head off
• Going up in a Tour helicopter to follow the peloton during one of the stages

I couldn't have written a better script or even thought to ask for any of this. It is just beyond extraordinary. And now the real work starts

I took over 2000 pics and tons of video but have barely had time to touch them (also because the real work starts now!)

- team mechanic putting cheat sheet on Mark Cavendish's bike before Stage 15 (and the cheat sheet)
- me with Eddy Boss (Edvald Boasson Hagen) whom I've worshipped forever  
- in the TdF Command Centre
- the Tour chopper we went up in

Originally posted by Hot Runner I'm racing IM Calgary 70.3 tomorrow. (Assuming I can successfully get over to race HQ and catch the shuttle to the lake.....Calgary has turned out to be a real maze!) It's a point to point race and Mom is spectating, so there have been some logistical challenges getting things organized. Our road trip here has been a bit more time-consuming than planned owing to some delays on the road (construction, wrecks, etc.) so I haven't been posting much the past few days. Will have Steve in my thoughts tomorrow--some of you probably don't know this, but he helped me find another HIM last summer when my race in Danang went south due to illness. None of the summer IM brand races worked for me time-wise (or they were closed already), but my training had gone well, and I really wanted to see what I could do. He recommended a local event in western Washington, and I ended up doing a 25-minute PB there. We'd thought we might be able to meet there, but he ended up passing it up to take his son to a race in Bellingham--really regret missing the chance. Steve has given me a lot of encouragement and inspiration over the past few years. Best of luck to my fellow racers!

Originally posted by StaceyK Despite my extremely haphazard training for the last 2 months I survived my race today and beat my goal time by 7.5 minutes, so I'm pretty happy. Good luck everyone else racing this weekend.

Originally posted by Hot Runner

Beautiful! Thank goodness no swimming was involved!

All I can say is that Calgary is one humdinger of a brutal course. Wouldn't even know where to begin. I swear we climbed at least halfway to the continental divide and back, almost all of it on provincial highways with traffic on them, heavy at times. Can you believe an IM event with everyone racing on the shoulder of a highway, and a rumble strip to one side, so every time you make a pass, you go over the rumble strip? OMG. Cramped quite nastily at the beginning and end of run but still pulled off a decent one. 2nd in age group, 5:16:42 (I think). I'm TIRED!

But it was a stunningly beautiful course as well, and I did have Steve in my thoughts. I'm familiar with Bellingham, where he's from, and it's another area with awesome natural beauty. I felt happy that he's spent these years doing what he loves there and hope to never take health, the ability to do the wacko things we do, or the beauty of nature for granted.

Originally posted by Hot Runner Beautiful! Thank goodness no swimming was involved! All I can say is that Calgary is one humdinger of a brutal course. Wouldn't even know where to begin. I swear we climbed at least halfway to the continental divide and back, almost all of it on provincial highways with traffic on them, heavy at times. Can you believe an IM event with everyone racing on the shoulder of a highway, and a rumble strip to one side, so every time you make a pass, you go over the rumble strip? OMG. Cramped quite nastily at the beginning and end of run but still pulled off a decent one. 2nd in age group, 5:16:42 (I think). I'm TIRED! But it was a stunningly beautiful course as well, and I did have Steve in my thoughts. I'm familiar with Bellingham, where he's from, and it's another area with awesome natural beauty. I felt happy that he's spent these years doing what he loves there and hope to never take health, the ability to do the wacko things we do, or the beauty of nature for granted.

Originally posted by IndoIronYanti

Living your dreams and making the most of every moment ...

I shared with the Manatees that I was off to Tour de France, but not in my wildest dreams could I have put my head around an event of that magnitude or the full-access immersion experience I had in every aspect of the tour. Even most of the top people associated with it generally don't get to do what we did, because they're busy running/working/doing their highly concentrated specialized part of it. And I was invited by Dimension Data, which not only runs all tech/timing/etc. for the tour but has a team IN the Tour. So, it was perfect.

I've been a Tour groupie/junkie/FANatic for 10 Tours now (Judi was part of the beginning of this obsession) ... to the extent that even some of the top guys involved with the Tour (and ex & current pro riders) called it creepy ... in a good way, right? Right? That became my nickname.

Highlights:

• Behind-the-scenes in-depth look at every aspect of Tour technology--timing system, tracking system, biometrics, telemetry, communications, the bicycles themselves, name it.
• Hanging out in the TdF Command Centre and checking out whatever (and whoever ) I wanted to
• Meeting with top Tour execs individually to discuss the Sentinel project--these guys were in the middle of running the FACHING TOUR DE FRANCE and they were so generous with their time with me!
• Group ride on actual Dimension Data team bicycles (they're Cervelos, by the way) with non-Tour Dimension Data pro cyclists. One of my friends got Cav's bike from last year ... I almost licked it. ("Creepy")
• Top VIP access to every part of Tour grounds (you could just walk up to any riders/principals/anybody, the team buses, check out the bikes that were being prepared for that day's Stage, the podium ... we spent a lot of time in both the departure village and at the end of the day the arrival village
• Being in one of the on-course Dimension Data team support cars during one of the stages--I may have spent most of it out of the top of the sunroof screaming my head off
• Going up in a Tour helicopter to follow the peloton during one of the stages

I couldn't have written a better script or even thought to ask for any of this. It is just beyond extraordinary. And now the real work starts

I took over 2000 pics and tons of video but have barely had time to touch them (also because the real work starts now!)

- team mechanic putting cheat sheet on Mark Cavendish's bike before Stage 15 (and the cheat sheet)
- me with Eddy Boss (Edvald Boasson Hagen) whom I've worshipped forever  
- in the TdF Command Centre
- the Tour chopper we went up in

Originally posted by JBacarella Yanti- that is one of the coolest experiences I have ever heard of. Congratulations! Today I did a 93 mile bike tour. the "Tour de Lumberjack" I had a good ride, and the new bike operated flawlessly. I did have some issues on the last 20 miles, but I think that was heat related. I am going to review my nutrition plan, and check my calorie intake. I am fairly sure the issue was heat. The Tour started with a comfortable 66 F, and mostly through national forest. The last leg went through a farming area on new blacktop. They literally they finished it last night. The temp had skyrocketed to 93 F. During that section I Poured the last little bit of water from one of my bottles on my head and it was uncomfortably hot, it is an insulated bottle that I filled with ice and then cold water this morning. Support was good and they had good volunteers. They also provided lunch from one of the local high end restaurants. It was probably one of the best post race meal I have ever had. Overall, it was a good training/test ride for my Ironman in October. It's not a race so no race report.

Originally posted by StaceyK Despite my extremely haphazard training for the last 2 months I survived my race today and beat my goal time by 7.5 minutes, so I'm pretty happy. Good luck everyone else racing this weekend.

Originally posted by StaceyK

Despite my extremely haphazard training for the last 2 months I survived my race today and beat my goal time by 7.5 minutes, so I'm pretty happy.

Good luck everyone else racing this weekend.

Originally posted by Hot Runner

Beautiful! Thank goodness no swimming was involved!

All I can say is that Calgary is one humdinger of a brutal course. Wouldn't even know where to begin. I swear we climbed at least halfway to the continental divide and back, almost all of it on provincial highways with traffic on them, heavy at times. Can you believe an IM event with everyone racing on the shoulder of a highway, and a rumble strip to one side, so every time you make a pass, you go over the rumble strip? OMG. Cramped quite nastily at the beginning and end of run but still pulled off a decent one. 2nd in age group, 5:16:42 (I think). I'm TIRED!

But it was a stunningly beautiful course as well, and I did have Steve in my thoughts. I'm familiar with Bellingham, where he's from, and it's another area with awesome natural beauty. I felt happy that he's spent these years doing what he loves there and hope to never take health, the ability to do the wacko things we do, or the beauty of nature for granted.

Originally posted by Hot Runner Beautiful! Thank goodness no swimming was involved! All I can say is that Calgary is one humdinger of a brutal course. Wouldn't even know where to begin. I swear we climbed at least halfway to the continental divide and back, almost all of it on provincial highways with traffic on them, heavy at times. Can you believe an IM event with everyone racing on the shoulder of a highway, and a rumble strip to one side, so every time you make a pass, you go over the rumble strip? OMG. Cramped quite nastily at the beginning and end of run but still pulled off a decent one. 2nd in age group, 5:16:42 (I think). I'm TIRED! But it was a stunningly beautiful course as well, and I did have Steve in my thoughts. I'm familiar with Bellingham, where he's from, and it's another area with awesome natural beauty. I felt happy that he's spent these years doing what he loves there and hope to never take health, the ability to do the wacko things we do, or the beauty of nature for granted.