Penn State's mentor group - CLOSED! (Page 113)

GRB1 - 2010-10-08 10:21 PM I sent off an e-mail today asking about the application process for the IMWI protective service slots.  If I get one I'm in.  Fred this is all your fault!  Seriously it would be really cool and a great honor to race in this capacity.

If only we had a former USMC member, who is a member of this mentor group, who could apply, that would be really cool.  Anyone fit that description?

I hope that works out and you get in!! I agree, that would be a cool honor to race in that capacity!! 
Good luck!

I'm watching Kona at work!!!!!!  I think Chrissie Wellington made a GREAT decision not to race if she wasn't 100% on her game.  It's fantastic that Mirinda won, but I wonder how many others wonder if she could have beat CW?

Anyway, our club organized a 101 mile ride made up of several 7+ mile loops with a smaller at the end.  I tried one loop and quite after 1.5 miles.  Just wasn't worth trying to complete a full loop in pain if I don't have anything to train for.  

Monday is our club meeting. I'm really looking forward to it! We're almost done with our first year and I hope that we have people step up for next year...we could have SO much to offer if we had more hands! 

I'm watching Kona at work!!!!!!  I think Chrissie Wellington made a GREAT decision not to race if she wasn't 100% on her game.  It's fantastic that Mirinda won, but I wonder how many others wonder if she could have beat CW?

Anyway, our club organized a 101 mile ride made up of several 7+ mile loops with a smaller at the end.  I tried one loop and quite after 1.5 miles.  Just wasn't worth trying to complete a full loop in pain if I don't have anything to train for.  

Monday is our club meeting. I'm really looking forward to it! We're almost done with our first year and I hope that we have people step up for next year...we could have SO much to offer if we had more hands! 

One more weekend of big training and then the "taper" starts!  I am planning on heading up to a bike path that is about 70 plus miles round trip of fairly flat and traffic free (other than other bikes) on Saturday.  I'll go out and back to get another 40 or so to complete the 112 race rehearsal.  Then Sunday is the last 20 miler of this plan!

Taper is fairly gradual with most of the reduction the first week and a half in the long bike and runs on the weekend.

Pretty pleased with the way most of my training is going!

You guys in off season are really doing great keeping your training going!!

I hope you get feeling better Fred!

I know what you mean about being ready for a break.  I don't mind getting up for a workout during the week, but the 2nd workout of the day or having the alarm go off early on the weekends is getting a little old. 

It will all be worth it come race day!!!

It was a good report.

 I can't seem to get the idea of doing an IM out of my head.  There are moments when I think " I should give it a try, I think I could do this" Those times are usually when I am watching the BOPs' finishing the IM on TV or online. Then there are other times when I think "No way do I want to do that!" (I think this when I imagine being mauled in the swim, see the people collapsing at the finish line or read race reports where there has been extreme suffering to the point of multiple IVs and/or hospitalization. Also the amount of training seems a bit daunting. (of course doing anything beyond a sprint tri seemed that way at one point in my life).
I have to admit that another reason I have been thinking about this a lot is that I have a friend who is battling what looks like to be a losing fight with Cancer and she often speaks about the importance of living in the here and now, doing what you want to do now.. don't wait to live life.

I recently started working with a coach and am learning that what I thought was the beginning of burn out was really just me being VERY frustrated about the lack of running improvement and going through a season of training and racing "alone" (in the past years I had friends who did this with me. They stopped and I kept going) and with a medical issue (dental infection and two dental surgeries) that took a lot out of me in many ways. Once I got off the phone with the coach after our initial talk, I was excited again. It was like a light switch was turned on.  (that is a good sign I think).

I wonder if the fact that I go back and forth on the idea of an IM vs. saying with conviction "I want to do an IM" is an indicator that I should wait or if that is a normal reaction when contemplating something this big. I mean what is the rush right? 

And the other thing... what race would I do?   I don't know about to many of them (only what I read) and I am assuming most of the ones that have opened are already sold out.  I think about IM Arizona since it is close and flatter then many but then there is IM FL.  I don't know of any others that are still available.
Thanks for letting me ramble. I figured if any group of people would understand what I am thinking, you all would.
If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions, I would love to hear them.

I understand exactly where you are and have been there myself a few years ago!! Although I throw a negative post about the training volume every now and then, I do not regret this for one second.  The first one I did to finish, this one to improve.  There may be a 3rd or there may not, still deciding and it may come but not right away.

Having a coach that understands your goals and lifestyle or a plan that does the same is the key.  An understanding support system at home helps as well.  Other wise it is just time swimming/biking/running. 

Unless you are firm on doing a "branded" Ironman race, you still have lots of options as most of the independents don't sell out until much closer to race date.  Otherwise you only have FL and AZ at regular pricing, although there are probably community slots still available for some of the others.  They cost about twice as much.  I wanted the branded experience first and my second is as well, but I am thinking if I do a third it might be an idependent.

Good luck with your decision!

I sent in my application for the IMWI protective service slot today.  I have no idea when I will find out if I am selected or not.

Kathleen,

Just sending in the application gets me excited and nervous at the same time.  This still happens even 1 month out from finishing the same race I am hoping to attempt next year.