Baowolf's Beginner Banquet -Sorry all tables are full no room.. (Page 12)

Below is from some TI information I had found on this.  The idea is to first have an efficient stroke (seen by a low SPL).  Then you work on increasing your stroke rate(SR) while keeping the same SPL to get faster.  Earlier I mentioned using a Tempo Trainer that is made for you to swim to the beat. 

There's actually a video on the site that mentions all of this.  I think this is it here.

That is amazingly fast IMO no matter what your experience is.  Maybe I'm just slow and anything seems fast for me.  I wouldn't mess with your swimming at all and focus more on my weaker points if I were you.

What is the tape for?

You can tape your gels to the top tube.  Pre-Cut the gels just a little tiny bit so that they peel away easily.  Then tape the top part to the bike.  When you need a gel just peel one off.  The top will remain attached to the bike and you are left with an open and ready to consume gel.  I did this last year for the first time and it worked perfectly.  The key is as I suggested to pre-cut it a little otherwise you may struggle to pull it away from the top tube.

Yup, I can't credit for it personally as it was something that was suggested to me.  It's freaking genious genius though.

ETA:  Corrected, now there is some irony...

A few more questions that might be different for each tri.

1. How do you keep somebody from stealing your bike and supplies in transition? 
2. How do they know you have your bike, do you number the bike?
3. Do you have a visible racer number on while you're swimming (on cap perhaps)?
4. Do most races provide you with a swim cap?

Dennis,

1. How do you keep somebody from stealing your bike and supplies in transition?   Most transition areas are closed to everyone except competitors.
2. How do they know you have your bike, do you number the bike? You will put your number on your bike. 
3. Do you have a visible racer number on while you're swimming (on cap perhaps)? You will have your number written on both arms and both thighs.  No number on your cap.
   
4. Do most races provide you with a swim cap?  Most open water swims will provide swim caps.  they normally use them to signify waves.  

1. How do you keep somebody from stealing your bike and supplies in transition? 
2. How do they know you have your bike, do you number the bike?
3. Do you have a visible racer number on while you're swimming (on cap perhaps)?
4. Do most races provide you with a swim cap?

So it is very bad form to steal anyones stuff from the transition area, don't do that. 

The transition areas are roped off and you can only get into the transition area if you have a race number on your person or a bracelet that has your name and race number on it.  Your race number is written on your body as well.  Your bike also has a race number on it so if your race number is 1074 and you are taking out bike 1055... they should call the Tri cops on you.  Your supplies are on a towl in a small area say 18 inches by 2 feet right next to your bike.  It is against the rules for someone to mess with your stuff.  It really doesn't happen because everyone brings their own stuff.  They may or may not mark your number on your swim cap, it depends on how formal the race is.  If you are doing a sprint near your home town, probably not, but if you are doing an IM brand IM then probably yes.  Nearly all races will provide you with a swim cap.  The color of the swim cap lets the folks in the kyacks know what gender/age group/wave you are in.  So if you are 30 minutes behind your age wave they know to keep an eye on you.  They also use the cap color for lining folks up to start the race by wave.  So if you have a red cap and you are in with all blue cap folks... they will know you are lost.  Most of the larger/ longer events have a manditory prerace meeting you are supposed to go to the day before the race so they can run over how thigns will work for that particular race, location of t1, t2, distance between water stops on the bike, etc.  

In general Tri folks have their own gear and don't go stealing other folks gear. It would be really bad joojoo.  I have never heard of someone stealing someone's bike from a triathlon, but I suppose it must have happened somewhere at some point in time.  If they were going to take someone's bike it would probably be one of the 15 to 25k bikes and not my bike. 

All good questions.   

Haha yeah I have been holding that fine German beer since I joined this site and it is getting a little heavy, maybe I do need a second one!  I am finally getting into a training groove that is uninturupted by assorted traveling and the weather is finally springish her in Minnesota so I am getting my rides in.  In light of the 'extended winter' I am going to skip my first tri and just do my second, third, fourth and my du.  It isn't that bad because my second tri is only 2 weeks after my first one and I hadn't actually signed up for my first one yet.  Hopefully I will be able to do some OWS practice and actually log some time in the saddle before this race. 

Best of luck on your race Dennis!!

Marcus

You know there are some things that should be put into everybody's training schedule that I've never seen in the many I've looked at online.  Pit stop practice.  I think you should weekly practice changing and patching tubes.  Wetsuit removal drill.  Mounting/dismounting bike.  I think those are things I should perhaps do on my off days and quite a bit during easy weeks (every 4th)

I have done 2 of those things tonight.

First my wetsuit came in.  Xterra Vortex 3(4 actually, just a name change not design).  I found a nice article about wearing and taking off the suit that had some nice tips; such as wearing socks while putting suit on, spraying Pam on calves and in arms of suit, etc.)

I also decided to practice removing my tire, changing tube and re-airing back up.  It takes me almost 10 minutes after 3 practice runs but I'm sure I can cut that in half with just a couple of weeks practice.  Anybody know where to buy cheap CO2 cartidges online?  I haven't practiced using those yet and obviously I should.

Thanks for all the info and words of encouragement.  What other non-SBR things should I be practicing?

That is a good idea to practice all that stuff and considering how much I bike you would think I would practice changing a tire... in all my touring I have yet to have to change one.  I know how to but the process would probably take me a good bit.

What is a non-SBR?

Marcus

I meant things I should practice during training that don't include the obvious things like swimming, biking, and running.  Such as what I mentioned before, changing a tire, transitions, bike mount/dismounts, etc.  I guess I just made that term up.

Steve, it is so hard to tell how any type of injury is going to go.  I think it's natural to think the worst when you are very focused on a goal as you are, but I'm hoping for a quick and well healing one for you!  Do you have access to a good physical therapist or sports chiropractor?

This week has been kind of "off", and this morning was more of the same.   Headed out for a ride, got to the park, and hit a dogs and people traffic jam on the park bridge.  Yay, managed to unclip and dismount quickly and without incident aside from a snarky look from the lady with the little terrier.  Walked it across the bridge, and decided to test my blood sugar.  All OK there, but managed to drop my vial of test strips (20 or so of them) on the ground in the process.  Had my bike leaned against me on a slope as I played "pickup sticks" and of course the bike went down the other way in the process.  Picked it up, dusted it off, and off I go....only to hear an abnormal wooshing sound, and thinking...geeee....sure seems harder to pedal, maybe some dirt I missed?  Get off, take a look, and realize my rear brake is rubbing against the rim.  Decide it's time to head back to the house and scour the internet for "how to adjust your bike brakes after you do stupid stuff".  Shifted from big ring to middle ring pending the big hill on the way home, and crank locked up on me.  Another quick dismount (hey, I'm getting better at this) and decided to walk it the remaining mile home....in my socks....to spare any wear on the new bike shoes.  So not much of a ride, but my first unwitting try at the barefoot running movement .  Hope everyone else is having better workouts! 

@Carol:  Wow, sounds like a rough day.  Sometimes it's just as well when everything is working against you to just call it a day.  Regarding your brakes you should be able to just move them around to re-center them over the rim.  Sometimes they get a little out of whack when you fall over. 

 ETA:  How is your back?  Where you able to get to specialist of some sort?

What a crazy day Carol!  Good on you being so collected and not getting real angry with everyone.  Good karma

Hey Brian, I was checking out your blog and that is pretty amazing what you have done in the past few years!  I was just curious though what happened to your goals in 2010?

Marcus

Thanks, I would address my Goals for 2010 but it would not be much more than excuses.  Bottom line, I did not get it done.  Probably a little ambitious based on my fitness level at the time but what can I say.

2011 Goals...

Bike 251/1500 Miles
Run 252/1000 Miles
Swim 35K/100K Meters

This year I evaluated my plan and based my goals on my experience from last year and what I see as attainable.  Probably still a little ambitious but I am not too far off since I tend to hit most of my peak training over the next 6 months.

I think those goals should be easily obtainable for you with your current totals.  I am about where you are as far as totals for everything except running which I have been slacking in.  I practically took all of April off so I am hoping to see a good boost in numbers for May.  With all that you have accomplished already I know you can hit those numbers!

Marcus

Looks like my training is on hold for a few days until I get this nasty cold out of the way.

Any tips on how long to rest so I don't knock myself out right away when I start back up?

I'm on day 2 of the cold. Horrible night last night..seems like it's slowly getting better, but still can barely breathe through my nose.

Markus

I have just started getting a cold myself.  Just taking it easy, lots of liquids, doubled up on vitamin C, and keeping hands clean and sanitized.

I also found a site I thought I'd share for making a race day checklist.

Edit: Hell, BT has a checklist creator also.

Thanks for the link and rest up and get better.