Manatee Mentors 2016 - Closed (Page 109)

Originally posted by Jet Black lol Ben. Awesome stuff Adrienne. Kauai is my favorite place on the planet.

Originally posted by brigby1

What's your day off?

Originally posted by DaveL



I can see this question two ways so I will answer it both ways

1. I actually took 3 days off when I went away skiing and we had to take a hotel without a gym so I couldnt bike then. I have been able to catch up on the 3 missed workouts by doing 2 a days. While I wont have biked "every day" I figure that if I can get 366 rides in for the year I am doing pretty good.

2. If you mean that I should take a rest day each week I kind of do by doing an easy 1 hour ride each week.

3. Maybe I completely misread your comment - if so please let me know.

Originally posted by ceilidh

Hey all an AWOL fly-by.

I am home from the non-race, Vacation of Illness.  Of course, to top things off, I am still not well. I can eat, bland stuff, but food non-the-less. But I have chills and aches. So.... viral something? I do not know. I am so damn far behind in my training I am not sure I can catch up. I will, however, try. This is a huge volume week. I am gonna take the rest of it and make an "as much volume as I can do without hurting myself more" week and then see where I am later. I have determined I am race-cursed. Heck, at the Ocala race, it was all I could do to get up and just watch my friends race. I would have died trying it.

 as an aside, it is really sad that the HITS races seem to be very diminished on all levels with the change in race director. I can only speak for this race, but having been before and now, the difference is night and day. Sad because it is such a great opportunity for all levels of folks to get to race at the same time.

Originally posted by cdban66

How are you feeling, Robin? I hope a bit better every day.

I think that HITS has the same challenge all others have, which is IM branding. Much like Rev3 or Challenge Family, heck even B2B, any of the other companies that try to go (inter)national run into the 800 pound gorilla. That is not a complaint on my part, simply a business observation.

Originally posted by ponderingfox

Yay, my first race of the year is on Sunday!  It will be the first 5k of many this year.  I hope to start of with a PR and crack 21 minutes.

Originally posted by ceilidh

I am getting better bit by bit. Thanks.

The HITS had a really great race director. He was really "involved" and his presence was big during the whole weekend. The staff and volunteers were all told to reflect the race at all times. This year, the race director was there, but had little to no involvement in what was going on. He stood and just watched with hunched shoulders and didn't even acknowledge a HI as folks went by. The staff was non-helpful with one notable exception and the volunteers reflected this attitude. There was minimum support for racers (and volunteers). They had no plan set up for weather changes (it is Fla.. the weather is going to change, they should have known what to do). They changed the course at the last minute (from packed trail/road to totally trail (sandy). That is a big damn deal or 13 or 26 miles running. There was more... The thing about this series is it has a nitche that no other race series does so competition from other 'brands" is not as stiff. I hope they pull through it, but I would not bet on it after watching this one.  At least they kept their transition set up. It is the best transition area I have ever seen.

Originally posted by ponderingfox

Yay, my first race of the year is on Sunday!  It will be the first 5k of many this year.  I hope to start of with a PR and crack 21 minutes.

Originally posted by ponderingfox

Yay, my first race of the year is on Sunday!  It will be the first 5k of many this year.  I hope to start of with a PR and crack 21 minutes.

Originally posted by cdban66

How are you feeling, Robin? I hope a bit better every day.

I think that HITS has the same challenge all others have, which is IM branding. Much like Rev3 or Challenge Family, heck even B2B, any of the other companies that try to go (inter)national run into the 800 pound gorilla. That is not a complaint on my part, simply a business observation.

Originally posted by brigby1

Had someone at work ask the question of "What's a good bike brand that can ride in all types of conditions for under $500?"

Following that up with "What size should I get?" I'm at least 8" taller and opposite in body types.

It is a little weird not have that good of answers for someone with bike questions.

Originally posted by ponderingfox

Yay, my first race of the year is on Sunday!  It will be the first 5k of many this year.  I hope to start of with a PR and crack 21 minutes.

Originally posted by brigby1

Had someone at work ask the question of "What's a good bike brand that can ride in all types of conditions for under $500?"

Following that up with "What size should I get?" I'm at least 8" taller and opposite in body types.

It is a little weird not have that good of answers for someone with bike questions.

Originally posted by melbo55

Good luck breaking that PR and 21 minutes, Foxy Tom!  I can't wait to hear how it goes!

I'm racing tomorrow and it may be 'epic'*, depending on the weather.  Even if the weather isn't as bad as predicted, it will still be interesting!

*the use of epic was specifically for Chris

Originally posted by melbo55

Come on, Ben, you mean you don't have all the bike answers?    You aren't a human computer that spits out the ideal bike brand/size/price for any given person?  I kid, I kid.  

Or you mean like someone sending you a far away picture of a bike and asking, "Will this be a good bike for me?"  That happened to me this week.  My response: "Uh, maybe, if it's not too small for you and actually works."

Originally posted by popsracer

Good luck Tom and Melanie.  I hope you have both have 'epic' races.

I'm going to crack the ice too and run a 5k (well mostly run).  I'm not really ready but it is one of the best local races that goes right in front of my house and has great swag (I love engraved pint glasses).  It would be too painful to get up and stand in front of my house with a cup of coffee in hand watching the masses go by.

Originally posted by melbo55

Good luck breaking that PR and 21 minutes, Foxy Tom!  I can't wait to hear how it goes!

I'm racing tomorrow and it may be 'epic'*, depending on the weather.  Even if the weather isn't as bad as predicted, it will still be interesting!

*the use of epic was specifically for Chris

Originally posted by marysia83 Oh, I am so happy for you! I hope you enjoy it as much as you can )))) Melanie, I am running my very very first half-marathon tomorrow as well, and it may be epic as well as Chicago has welcomed plenty of snow this week. (funny how some folks skipped January race because of the snow and registered for April one hoping for spring-ish conditions...)

Originally posted by rrrunner

So excited for your first HM!!!!!!! Just dress in layers so you can peel stuff off as you go.

Originally posted by popsracer

Good luck Tom and Melanie.  I hope you have both have 'epic' races.

I'm going to crack the ice too and run a 5k (well mostly run).  I'm not really ready but it is one of the best local races that goes right in front of my house and has great swag (I love engraved pint glasses).  It would be too painful to get up and stand in front of my house with a cup of coffee in hand watching the masses go by.

Originally posted by marysia83 Thanks! I worry a little because I barely run in the last two weeks - I had a really bad cold for over a week and today I woke up with runny nose and sore throat again. Well, I do not worry about a cold as much as I worry about endurance and strength to run 13 miles if the most I completed was a bit less than 10 few weeks ago... But I am (surprisingly) staying very positive I will be running slower and will stop/walk at water stations (as per your advices). I will dress warmer, that's for sure. I don't want to end up with another cold. The best part I am excited about is BEER and PIZZA at the finish line! I hope all of us first-timers will have a great time this weekend despite the weather and other obstacles

Originally posted by melbo55

Reason enough to race right there!  Have fun out there, be smart, be safe, and enjoy the day, savoring the well-earned pizza and beer at the finish.  Come to think of it, pizza and beer are why I'm racing tomorrow, too.  2 'free' beers at the finish and a nearby coal fire hearthstone oven pizza place makes it all worthwhile!

Originally posted by marysia83 haha funny, because I also always thought Ben was a bike expert