Left.Right.Repeat - CLoSED for the season - will reopen Jan 2013 (Page 11)

I only tell the boss/office about the big races (Ironman, HIM or marathon) because those usually require that I take time off for travel, so they kind of have to know.  I don't say anything about the 5ks, 10ks, sprints, etc., but they know that I race all the time, so if there is a local race they will usually ask me on Monday if I participated or not.  I have tried to get some co-workers to train for a half marathon, but they never will commit.

Great race report Bryan.  So inspiring how you inspire others during your race.

Nice race report - Inspirational as usual.  Too bad about not getting a medal for earning 2 medals.  Would you run the race again?  How's Sherpa Deb recovery?
Best wishes,

Kathy, I too will tell anyone who will listen about training and races because it has changed my life so I try to inspire others.  I am doing a HM with many of the nurses from work, the first for many of them!  I'm so excited for them!!

Bryan, so happy for your races and especially your wife's!!  My hubbie is now active!!  He is trying, no doing, the walk/run program and had been on the eliptical 9sp?)that we inherited.  He has lost some weight and is so encouraged.  Last night, he even thanked me for pushing him!  I see  a 5k in our near future and after that who knows.  As for my whining about my 9 mile run, I know it is a long run but there wasn't a brick involved or even a distance worthy of such pain.  I think I have known for about a week that I need some additional rest and that run was the price I paid for not listening.  Still think the "running shoes" may be part of the issue and plan to get back to the LRS (Local running shop)

As for me, I am officially trying to take 3 rest days from running.  My hip flexor has been really bad post running but always 80% better the next morning.  So duh, it seems like a need a little more rest.  I never thought not running would be so hard!  The first day. I did strength training, the second day, I did a 1.5 hr swim class and walked 3 miles with my hubbie and today, I am working 14 hours so it was a scheduled rest day.  I am also staying off the bike for these three days.  Thanks goodness I am working because it is so beautiful out today I bet I would have gone for a ride.

Still waiting to hear from Maria and still missing Suzie and Lena.

Irishod, have a great run this week end!!

Fit I would definitely do it again and I will -- but I will run the 10k and the half to get three medals this time.....

I ask each of you after you do several races (especially multiple ones at a specific distance) give your race to someone else.  Not your medal.  YOUR RACE....run it with them....encourage them....get them to the finish....and I promise you will look at the race through their eyes and see it all brand new again.  It is a lot like that for me seeing you all achieve new heights....I just wish I could be at every finish line.....

Bryan, very happy for Sherpa Deb on her finish, and you on your double.

You sir are the epitome of my mantra "Do It Like It Means Something...Because It Does!" Most people have not experienced seeing a race from that wheelchair athlete's perspective, so they will never know how much it meant to her to have you there. I don't mean the chair itself -- "normal" behavior is people run by because they are there to race. As a back-of-the-pack runner (and I use the term "runner" very loosely) I have the privilege of seeing a lot of folks who like me are just out there to enjoy, to participate.  In the Cap 10K last year, I was lucky enough to run alongside and support a wheelchair athlete, a 75-year-old man and an 81-year-old. I high-fived (softly) all the women spectators who were certainly my seniors, and much lower with the little folks.

Thanks for the inspirations.

Great Race reports Bryan.. Whoo Hoo.. threw some attitude in there too... Big congrats to Sherpa 26.2..

Group Kudo's to all the GroupMates who have generated some finish lines.. been missing a bunch of posts lately.. so sorry for no individual congrats!

As for what I tell people...its not an easy answer at this point...because:

a) if ya'll remember from a while ago, I am "captain" of Team Gulpener, a new "team" comprised of a bunch of beginners and a mix of previously successful triathletes, marathoners, and bikers.  Also, 4 people from my office are part of this team.. so.. we do talk about it a bunch as pertains to training.. i have also been Knee Deep in figuring out which races to sponsor, team uniforms, Logo's etc.. so for someone with no finish lines I have been living this stuff.. ha

b) with the "visible" weight loss, enough questions are posed that generally elicit a more detailed answer among people who haven't seen me in a month or two.

However, as I have yet to actually enter and finish ANYTHING, whether it be 5k, Sprint or whatever, I cannot actually say I am doing anything other than "training and getting in shape"..

ha..

As for bike names.. does my bike have to be a Girl?  I was thinking "Lance" as in the weapon, lancing thru the wind.. with a bit of the Livestrong Yellow kinda motive...

However.. I can always keep thinking of girls names..

Ugh......Then I am going to call it Demi... :-)

Thank you Bryan for addressing that, not sure i could have done it quite as correctly!  Lance, have you lost your mind?  I couldn't leave well enough alone, could I.  That is a common problem that seems to haunt me on a regular basis.

I guess I will need to introduce you to Carmen Electra, my bike!!!!

Need I mention again that it was in reference to the Lance as a "Weapon"... not as in Armstrong!!

anyhoo... I am glad that there were at least some reactions generated by the Homophobes of the group... LOL...

Ok.. She will Be Demi... as in Moore Moore Moore... always had a crush on her since I was a youngun..

(PS.. sorry if i offended anyone... just apologizing in advance)

I love being a part of this group as you all can make me laugh at the little things.  

Maria!!!  Great Job!!  Great Finish Line....

I doubt that any race goes EXACTLY perfect... However.. you finished...and you should be proud!!

M.

Maria, great job on the finish.  What I like about doing something for the first time is that it is automatically a PR.  Fantastic.  

I am back from my trip to AZ and finally own a wet suit!!!  We went on a bike ride from our hotel and the plan was to go by some tri-shops in Scottsdale afterwards but we actually were really close to them so we veered off our bike path and went in while still biking.  The first store we went in had just awesome service.  It was triple-sport on Indina Hills and the owner (Cara) walked me thru how to put on a wetsuit and what to look for.  She did not mind I was sweaty to begin with and even sweatier after trying on 3 suits.  What a work out pulling those things on without making holes in them.  Anyway, ended up with a nice zoot suit at a 30% discount.  Pretty happy about that.  Oh and the pearl izumi outlet was pretty great as well...

Not so happy with all my traveling and what it does to my work out schedule.  But that should even out soon here starting April, or at least I hope so.  Sorry if I did not respond to specific things that have come up in the last weeks...  another effect of traveling, reading everything and laughing a fair amount so thanks for that!

Watching the awful reports on the bus accident with a Belgian bus in Switzerland.  This hits close to home as all my nieces and nephews also have gone on these school organized skiing trips (as did I when I was in 6th grade).  I just hope none of my friends kids who live in Heverlee are affected....  Belgium becomes very small when something like this happens...

Wetsuit information...........It is much easier to put the wetsuit on if you first put your feet inside the plastic walmart bags, then slide them into the legs.  I know its stupid, but trust me it works.

Again, that is all for now.

Good tip Billy!!! 

Another tip is to trim the cuffs on a diagonal.  When your ankle pulls out the hole becomes much larger without loosing much insulation.  Getting your foot stuck in the wetsuit in T1 sucks. 

I heard about the bags which I will definitely use esp putting on the suit on a beach... I had not heard about the diagonal for the feet, makes sense but not sure I am ready to put scissors in my suit yet

The store had gloves available for trying out the suits so that was nice.  And they had a fan in the changing area.  Taking off the suits was not that big a deal. But my hands and forearms were tired after trying on 3 plus a fourth one in another store...

It's very easy to put little holes in the suit with your finger nails when pulling the suit on.  You'll want to hold onto the suit by pinching folds of the suit with the flats of you fingers. Think more like - pulling up nylons, less like pulling on your skinny jeans.  Not that I would know anything about nylons.  Just saying.....

Storing your suit.... I took a heavy plastic hanger and covered the top with 2" foam pipe insulation from Home Depot.  The foam I wrapped with duct tape.  This protects the shoulder and neck area of the suit from stretching.  In my world the suit spends alot more time in the closet than in the lake.  The bit of foam left over I attached to the top of the shower down.  When the suit is not in the lake or the closet it hangs over the shower door dripping water.  Folds in neoprene tend to become permanent creases or thin spots.  I rented suits for 3 months and saw what abused suits looks like.

Billy am I missing anything?

Wow - skinny jeans - I guess I need to ramp up my training - don't think my big behind can get into skinny jeans!  Not that anyone would want to see it if I could.

I recently saw that trick about plastics bags recently also.  Good to hear it works.  I wish I knew about that last year. Before my first and only tri I stuck my foot through the leg of my brand new wetsuit. I still haven't repaired it yet.  Not even sure if the repair will work, since the hole is pretty big.

Maria, Congrats on your tri!  I popped on the run portion last year on that sprint tri. So don't feel too bad.