Tri/tbay group - CLOSED (Page 11)

I have the Garmin 305 too. The only problem that I have, is it is not water proof.  For my races this year I am going to start my regular timex at the start of the swim.  Have the Garmin on the quick release on the bike, start it when I exit T1.  At T2 take it off the quick release and put it on the strap for the run.  I will probably take off the timex and put it my tri-top pocket so I am not wearing 2 watches, have HR data and still have a reference of total elapsed time on me.

With the huge price differences I just could justify the GT or 310XT.  Maybe I will change my mind after a couple of races.  

Brian

Thanks everyone for the info on watch/hr/gps monitors. I went to Sports Authority and saw the Timex Global Trainer That thing is enormous!!!!! It is almost the size of my fist!!!! The guy wouldn't open the box for me to see if it would even strap around my wrist (tiny wrists). Anyway I want one that does it all-- swim, bike, run tracking, so it looks like the 310xt from Garmin but I am still shopping around. Had a nice ride this morning on the new saddle, not too sore at all, and I feel really good on the position of the seat. I guess I was too low before. Well not much training planned this weekend, maybe a run tomorrow if my son cooperates, and then a ride Sunday after I take him to Thomas the Train!

Good Luck this Weekend Brett!!!!!!!! Can't wait to hear about it and then it is my turn nest weekend!

Train hard everyone!!!!,

Courtney

Hey group,

I have a ride planned for tomorrow morning.  Hopefully I get through with it before the wind gets to the 20-30mph that they are forcasting.

Brett,

Good luck this weekend!

Brian

AWESOME BRETT!!!!!, congrats on completing your first triathlon. You are a Triathlete. It is a great feeling finishing that first event, a great accomplishment and very exciting. You can now reflect on your performance, see where little bits of time are gained or lost, make some adjustments and be ready to go for the next one.

Great Job. Glad you had a good experience.

Congrats Brett!  The first one is the hardest

Courtney, get the 310XT.  Hands down the best GPS watch out there.  You will love it.  Yes it's big but hey, we're triathletes that run around in spandex, Lycra and calf compression socks.  It's not like we'd out to win a fashion award.

Had a pretty big training weekend.  Did just shy of 70 mile son the bike on Saturday (the winds were horrible) and then did a 9 mile run on Sunday.  The wife did the reverse.

Funny how some of my bests runs are the ones where I start off tired and unmotivated.  I think I was barely moving when I started on Sunday morning.  By the end I had PRed my 9 mile time by a good 5+ mins.

Great job Brett! 

Brian

Brett,

Congrats.... I can feel your excitement through the web here. Keep at it.

Things have been warming up here in MD/Annapolis. I am still taking it really easy.

Next week is spring break for the schools. My wife and I are coming down to FL - staying in Miami beach for 4 nights. (first vacation without child / time my wife and I will be away from the little one... for more than a night)

Normally during a vacation I have the whole thing planned with activities and stuff... (fishing, snorkeling, bikes... - active stuff depending on the location) - not this time. Beach / relax / reconnect - ok... maybe a couple morning runs.....

I know most of the FL group is not in the Miami area... but if you have been down there... any recomendations for dinner (non-tourist trap) in Miami Beach ? 

- Vin

Now that I am past my first triathlon, I am already thinking of improving.  I want to focus on the bike first.  I feel like my transitions were pretty decent right out of the gate with T1 at 1:11 and T2 at 0:33.  The bike is where I know I can get better.

What I wanted to ask is from a gearing standpoint.  I rode this race in the small chain on the crankset.  I did not go to the large ring at all.  I had myself in the gear I wanted to be in at the start so I was not spinning, but how do most of you seasoned triathletes race at the sprint distance?  Do you go between the small and large rings or generally stay in one the entire 10-15 miles?

I know I would not want to be in the large ring and just expend everything on a hill, but curious as to strategy.  My time in this triathlon for the 10 mile bike was 38:14 (avg of 15-16 mph).  Out of 76 males in the field, my bike time was only the 59th fastest...or should I say slowest.  In the Clydesdale group I ranked 5 out of 8 for the bike portion.

Being in FL (not a lot of hills) I tend to stay in the big ring up front 90% of the time.  However we do have brdiges and overpasses where I will drop to the small ring.

Most people will tell you is that you want to keep your cadence steady.  Most expert recommend 90-100 but everyone is different.

If you can keep that 90-100 going up the hill in the big ring then there is no need to shift, but realistically most people are going to need to.

Brett,

I have been working with my gear selection over the last 2 months.  As a general rule, If I am able to be in the smaller two gears on the cassette while on the small chain ring I will shift to the big chain ring and go to bigger gears on the cassette.  Likewise, if I am in on the biggest 2 gears on the cassette w? BCR and I am pushing to hold 85-90rpm or the elevation is starting to rise I will shift to the small chain ring and smaller gears on the cassette.   The last couple of rides I have  been experimenting with shifting down to the small chain ring when I hit a certain RPM to make the transition smooth, while climbing out of a downhill portion. For me it is 75rpm in BCR on smallest gear on rear. I quickly up down shift 2-3 gears on the rear and drop down to SCR this gets me back to 85-90 and allows me to keep down shifting to hold RPM while climbing. 

I hope that made sense!  I did find that these methods have made me faster. Bike experts.....what say you?

................................

Training:

This week is a recovery week for me.  Which is nice because I have my first race this Sunday!!

Nice easy run yesterday morning (sockless) with some weight training thrown in.  My pool was closed tuesday and will be closed for a few weeks, which sucks because I wanted to get in a few swims before my event....Oh well. ( I am envious of you guys that live in a place that is surrounded by warm water and not 56deg water). Instead of swimming I ran through transitions to find the fastest most efficient way to get my gear on. 

Any last minute transition tips?

Trainer ride this morning (sockless)

No problems with the feet on run or ride w/out socks.  No socks for me for my sprint!!

Sorry for the long post. 

Happy training,

Brian 

Brian, sounds like a good method.  Just be aware you do not want to tbe in the smallest ring on the back and biggest on the front or vice-versa.  This puits a lot of side load on your chain and can wear it out (along with your cassette) a lot faster.  It can also cause the chain to drop.

Plus it's noisy

I have something to admit to the group:  I listened to an iPod the other day during a run. (GASP!)

I had given up listening to music years ago while running as I wanted to concentrate on the running.  I got so used to it that I used to make fun of my wife for alwaysin having her iPod when she ran.  I'd tell her "you can;t have it during the race, why traing with it".  She rolls her eyes and igiones me.  I was kind of an anti-music-while-you-run snob.

Well I had a long run last weekend and I was WAY unmotivated.  So I said what the heck, let's try the iPod.  Worst case I'll just turn it off.  I'll probably hate it anyway.

Well I loved it.  So now today I have a 2 hour run and I'm eying the iPod.  Do I give in or hold fast with my convictions?

Hey Gang,

I had my first race of the season on Sunday -- a Duathlon in Nocatee just outside of Jacksonville.  It was a gorgeous day (albeit a little hot) and a great race, well run, plenty of volunteers, good swag and great food at the end.  The race is a 2.4 mile run, 14 mile bike and a repeat 2.4 mile run.  I had a pretty good race going through 12 miles on the bike when -- you guessed it -- flat tire.  I'm REALLY bad at changing tires, especially in the heat of a race, so I rode it in on the wheel.  It slowed me down quite a bit, but kept me moving.  Fortunately, no serious damage to the wheel, but had to get a new tire. 

No big surprise that my time wasn't that great, but it was reasonable even with the flat.  I was the first of seven in my age group to finish the first run leg , then 6th on the bike and 4th on the second run leg for an overall 4th place finish.  Both transitions were undedr a minute -- pretty good for me.  I still haven't mastered the shoes in bike transition.  I'll have to work on that.

Now I'm struggling to find the right mix for the next training session.  My next A race is in late August so I have plenty of time to prepare.  The problem is that the beginner workout sessions are too light and the intermediate  workout sessions are too demanding for an old guy like me (with a full time job!).   Any recommendations how best to resolve this?  Should I plan the intermediate and just take it easy when I can't hack it or drop some of the training sessions or is it better to do another beginner package and push it harder?  I have about 7 hours a week to train and I plan to stick with Sprint distances,.  I'd like to get better, but that may not be in the cards for me at my age and training time available.  I welcome any recommendations!

Courtney -- I LOVE my Garmin 305.  I'm a bit of a data nerd and I track every workout and every heartbeat (except the swims).  It's fun for me and the Garmin downloads easily into my training log.  I'm sure you like the Garmin 310xt.  If you get it, please report back -- I may want to upgrade!

All for now.  Happy training and racing!

Mike

Hey Everyone,

Thanks so much for your info on the Garmin's my bday is coming and that is what I told the hubby I want! I think it will be the 310xt, atleast it is waterproof!

CONGRATS- Brett & Mike!

So excited for you Vin. I'm with Roy on checking out South Beach. I have only been there once and it was at least 10 years ago, but I am sure any restaurant on the strip will be awesome!

Did another OWS tonight and wouldn't you believe that it was rougher than 2 weeks ago before the big storm. Last week it was pool water flat when I couldn't swim (story of my life)!!!! Oh well, anyway Tuesday in the pool I started really concentrating on my stroke and usually it takes me 22-23 strokes to the end of the lane(25yds). Well I got it down to 17 strokes and felt like I was really getting this swim technique down.

OMG my race is in 3 days!!!!!!!!!!!

Well my goal is to cross the finish line in one piece!

Have a Great Weekend everyone!

Courtney

Thanks for the feedback everyone.  Roy, you are correct about my pedals.  Right now I am not clipless.  Just using pedals a friend gave me to get started.  At least these pedals have the straps on them, so that that helps with the up-stroke.  A friend of mine calls them rat traps.  Going clipless is where I will go to eventually.

All of the roads around where I live here in NC are nothing but rolling hills.  Flat is generally not found nearby, which is good for the hill work.  There are some steep ones nearby.  I will continue to work on the hills and the big ring.  I am sure there will be plenty of shifting back and forth from large and small rings going forward.

Courtney, good luck to you this weekend.  I will be thinking of you.  What is the name of the tri you are doing? 

I hope everyone else is having a great week.  I have had such a great time talking with my friend Jon who also did the sprint triathlon last weekend.  That was our first tri for both of us and we are so hooked.  Planning on 2-3 more sprints this year and maybe even an olympic.  Next planned one is the end of June and then one in September and October. 

Have a great weekend and once again, good luck Courtney.  Oh, since Courtney got us to start changing our profile pictures, I update my photo.  This was at the finish of the triathlon last weekend.  My wife was there at the finish and got some great photos.

Thanks Roy & Brett!

Brett- the tri is www.daytonafrogman.com

Roy, yeah I have been working on just relaxing and counting my strokes seems to help get my hr down. The good thing about the swim I think is that it is out, across, and back in. Hopefully I can catch some waves to help me in.lol. Also, I have read that some people swim in until their hands touch sand and then they get up and run, vs. running in waist, thigh deep water. What are your thoughts?

Oh and a fellow BTer I met on the Racelink for the tri lives there and although she is not racing she is going to come and watch the transitions before her 1st race in May. She also said that the weather and water should be beautiful, but we all know how that can change at the drop of a hat! She did say she was going to bring a BIG sign with my name on it to cheer me on! I thought that was so sweet and I don't even know her. I really am happy I found this site there are so many amazing people on here, and of course Tri/tbay group ROCKS!!!!!!!