Yanti and Lynn, Mentors of the Manatee Melee: FULL (Page 12)

Glad you are laughing about it and that you aren't hurt!!

I had my swim lesson today.  I did a set of four lessons over 1 month in Jan/Feb, and it made a huge difference.  But, I haven't really seen any changes since the lessons stopped and then in the last two weeks I've started to have a lot of problems with running out of breath after 50 y (a problem I hadn't been having).

Well, the results were promising.  She said my stroke still looks good, but that when I'm breathing (mostly a prob on the right side) I'm breathing to late in my stroke and therefore not getting enough breath, which is why as I start to go a little further I get into trouble.  After we got that sorted out, we worked some on my  kick.  She had taught me how to kick correctly towards the end of my lessons last time, but apparently that lesson didn't stick.  When I was actually kicking correctly, my legs were burning!  Currently, I kick too  much and incorrectly.  So hopefully this will help improve my position in the water!  

I'm trying to find a way to squeeze in a few extra swims this week to practice this all.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

congratulations! both on the scar, but most importantly ... the battle to master the ever-wily clipless system ...

Ouch!!  I was always lucky enough to fall on the grass when unable to un-clip.  I also tried to keep knees in and rolled down my side to eliminate the knee first hit (assuming you went over sideways). 

Most discouraging part:  How quickly or easily your feet come out of the clips once your butt is on the ground.

i don't care who you are, cold kicks your azz in the water and 51 is a serious case of you HTFU'ed ... GREAT JOB!!!

I'm with Lynn on this. July is just too soon. However, if you foolishly (like I would have, for example) decided not to roll over, and actually are still considering doing it, lemme know and I can offer you some help.

Also, for the tri ... try to think of it as a delightful, mostly sight-seeing experience. It is amazing what you can get out of a tri in terms of sights, encouraging other participants, etc. if you're not so focused on your own performance, which, as you well admit in this case, would not be in your best interest to push.

Hahaha isn't that the truth!?!?! Good point about the keeping the knees in. I will remember that next time!

Looks like a very solid entry level bike to me.

Keep in mind you'll have to pay to have a bike store assemble it for you, probably spring for a new saddle, a forward-facing seat post, MOST IMPORTANTLY a bike fitting, and cheap clipless pedals and bike shoes. That's all still going to run into the $250 at cheapest range.

I also can't believe you have so many kiddos AND you work AND you tri. Super kudos to you!!!

Holy wow! that is too cold. Way to go-you're DA MAN!

Ahhh-see this is why I am still in cages!!! ouchy =0(

Here is what my screen looks like - I've not tried the "insert image" thing with the tree - I use the item circled in red.

(Screen Shot.jpg)

Holly - Golden is not that far from Grant Ranch - why not go down for a swim?  I actually enjoyed the learning experience and may go do it again this Sunday (but will drive up from Pueblo in the AM).  If nice, might be good for me to take the other bike out for a spin and save on gas.

http://www.milehighmultisport.com/open-water-swimming/about/

What out of all that do I actually "need"....hehe

My husband is going to say that he can put it together.  What is a forward-facing seat post?  And do I need the clipless pedals and bike shoes?    (can you tell i'm a cheap a$$?)

And just to make you all smile -- Here's a picture of me on the left when I was a baby - with my mom and my grandpa (dad's dad).  And on the right is a picture of my son AJ taken this past weekend.

Does he look like his momma or what? 

(Crystal_and_AJ_v2.png)

Ahhhhh, so cute!!!  My goodness you two do look exactly alike!!  

Perhaps because this one was the first time accident, you didn't realize that in an accident report, after declaring no deaths, then comes "Oh! God, but the bike is fine" and then the obligatory reporting of human injuries.  Respect the bike LOL

(I'm glad you're OK )

is he a bike builder and fitter? They're two different things.  If he can build it fine but if you're not properly fitted you're going to be a lot of pain in several parts of the body.  Fitting is extremely crucial to riding comfortably.  And it's not the fitting they do when you buy the bike, you know, when they let you ride it and such.  They may adjust something here or there.  But that's not a professional fitting.  With a PF you take your bike in and s/he mounts it on a trainer and begins a detailed evaluation of your pedal stroke/position/leg and arm extension/angles etc.  It usually takes 1 to 1.5 hrs.

And, yes, you need clipless and bike shoes. 

As to being a cheap a$$, well.....LOL    Don't worry friend.  You have come to the right sport to resolve your cheap a$$ ways.  This year you cry about clips and pedals.  Next year I'll see you crying, whining, screeching and imploding for your hubby to get you a real tri bike with ZIPPs.  Just wait.

After you posted the link I read a lot of reviews on the bike, since I thought it might be an okay choice for me.  There were a few "okay" reviews of the bike- for like commuting to work, etc. but most of the reviews were pretty poor.  When I asked a few local tri friends they said to either bite the bullet and get something in the 800-$1000 range because that is where things start to get really sturdy and worthwhile, or to get something nicer that is used.  I guess that's my plan but geesh, I don't know where I'm going to find extra money to make it happen.

Before finding all the reviews I also emailed the company asking for the specific measurements.  They replied with a lovely diagram of the bike with not a single number on it.  Yep, that's helpful.

So my bike question is this...

I go into LBS looking at entry level tri bikes (Under $800ish).  All the shops tell me to look at entry level road bikes.  I don't think to ask why but in googling it it appears that newbies are faster on road bikes than tri bikes?????  I'm not a total newbie- 3 sprints done- but my bike is junk and I need to upgrade to get serious about racing.

Thoughts?

If you're planning to use the aerobars, you need a bike fitting, and a ff seat post. Reason being that the aero position does not work well with a road bike (as oppose to tri bike) geometry. Too much strain on the lower back, and the hip angle is too small to most effectively use your core muscles and be able to get full power on the legs to pedal.

Putting a ff seat post and aerobars on a road bike essentially converts its geometry to more of a tri bike.

Honestly, if you're going to put any kind of mileage on the bike, a bike fitting is essential.

Yeah, you need clipless + shoes. Silly to put money into a fitting when you'd have to do it all over again with the clipless system. Cleat placement on the shoe, and something called 'pedal float' (how much 'wiggle room' the pedals have) is one part of a very complex set of interrelated factors in a bike fitting.

Now, all that said ... if you don't plan to put in more than say 30mi of biking a week in the near future, and you pretty much just want to stay with sprints, you don't even need a different bike than you've got. You're not going to suffer by waiting. You'll save more money and probably be able to get a better deal.

Also, you don't actually need aerobars or a tri bike geometry. You can get a plain old road bike, slap some clipless / shoes on it, get a road-cycling type fit ... a bunch of people go all the way through iron distance and even ultras with that.

You can get an outstanding and not-too-used road bike for $500-$700, and if you really bide your time, a new one for $800.

Oh I just remembered you're in PHOENIX! That's a major metro area and there are a gazillion cyclists/triathletes all over Arizona! I'd cool your heels and start some serious bargain hunting. We can help.

For starters, you need to do what's called a preliminary fitting to be measured for a bike. Since your a cheap azz like me (NOBODY, and I repeat NOBODY is more of a tri cheapskate than I am ... people have called me out for a phony on the board due to the deals I get ... then I prove it and they are SHAMED ), this you can do on your own. Let me hunt a little for an excellent website with clear directions and useful calculators that spit out good data.