BrotherTri’s - Triathlon Training Support Group - CLOSED (Page 12)

Joel, nice job on the family race. It is really cool when you can get out there with people that are really important in your life and have fun.

Karl, I am currently in a shoe with an 8 mm drop. I started out bigger than that and I agree, if I went back to those it would seem a bit on the clunky side.

Keep on keeping on everyone!

Joel, for me there are 3 things that continue to help. 1) Time/practice. Every time I get on the bike, I get better, it is just natural. 2) Bike skills class. One of the groups I joined at the beginning of this had a coach that gave a skills class one Saturday morning. While it was geared towards a bit lower level rider than I, I found things in it that helped me. 3) Group rides. I ride in group whenever I can. There are some real good riders there, and I try to pick up things by watching and simply being alert.

Keep riding, saddle time is of the utmost importance. Someday I hope to be a better rider, tomorrow will be that day. As will the day after.

Completely agree with Chris' advice.

I'd also add that desensitizing to it gradually can help.  Start with more modest hills and descend them until you are comfortable just coasting down them.  Then add some power while descending until you feel like it's "normal" to push on the pedals while going down.  Then add in some modest descents with easy turns and then sharper turns.

I'd say that only when you are comfortable on these kinds of descents should you start pushing into the steeper ones.  Sure, you should still ride wherever you want to ride, but don't PUSH the steep ones until you're comfortable on the moderate ones.  

So, a combination of just doing it more and a step-wise approach to pushing out your skill envelope should work.  Pretty soon, you won't be riding the brakes but pushing hard in aero for those few extra seconds (but PLEASE not until you feel comfortable with the bike under you!).  

Matt

Owww, so sorry to see this. 

And I'll add my PSA on skin cancer. If you do a lot of outside training, use sunscreen. Get checked at least once a year. And if you aren't outside much, use sunscreen more!

Joel, I was thinking about you this week on my 2 rides. 2 different bikes, 2 different "feels". For me there were 2 completely different thought processes as well. Just gotta keep riding!

Originally posted by jwthomas Thanks, hopefully I'll be able to get one or two short rides in this week before "My first Sprint Triathlon" this weekend. Regardless, my race plan is fairly simple: 1) take it easy 2) don't drown 3) don't crash the bike, 4) keep moving on the run 5) watch others/learn and 6) have a blast. If yall don't hear from me in about a week than the race might not have went as planned

Ha!

Have a great time!  Sounds like you have the right attitude going in - too many people get freaked out and don't enjoy the experience early on (speaking from experience).

Remember, Race Report or it didn't happen.  

Good luck and have a great time.

Matt

Yow - PODIUM!  That's a fantastic result - congrats!

Outdoor races are, at least to me, way more fun (although I have to admit I've never done an organized indoor race - only ever done that by myself out of curiousity - but it was not as fun at outdoors!), so you have that to look forward to.

As for the cramps/nutrition, it doesn't sound (to me, at least) like nutrition was the issue.  For races of about an hour to 90' or so (typical sprints), the body has enough energy.  I'll sometimes still take a GU on the bike, but often just use a drink with a little sugar in it, as during a short race you're going so close to "red-line" that the gut doesn't really want to take much in anyway.  On longer races, as the intensity drops and the gut is able to process more, you also need (or at least benefit from) more calories during the race - kinda nice how those overlap!

Usually, cramping is more due to pushing beyond where our fitness is at that point (although cramping is poorly understood in general, it seems more a conditioning issue - especially at shorter distances, where dehydration and total body cramps are less likely).  I've noticed that my quads, abductors and occasionally my calves/feet will cramp at the end of a swim if I've run or ridden first that day, and at distances in the swim where they wouldn't ever cramp otherwise.  Mostly when I come off the wall, too, so I only saw this during a pool swim at the end of a double (not an OWS).

So, your cramps might have just been a new kind of stress on the muscles (swim after a bike and run).  Either way, something to note and watch as you progress through the season.

Great result and sounds like it was a blast!  What else is on tap this season?

Matt

OK y'all (did I do that right?  still trying to figure out how to speak southern), what are your race plans for the season, now that we're a bit closer?

We just did a HM a couple weeks ago - first race of the year and we both (Better Half and I) PR'd, which was nice.  Might do a sprint to knock the rust off mid-May (brrrrr) before my first A race - the Grand Rapids HIM on 6/8.  Probably a few local 5k's with the Better Half and kids during the spring, but will have to see how a tweaked hamstring responds over the next month or so.  There are a couple other possible tri's (Oly in VT), but they might be hard to fit into the schedule...

Second half of my season has a July sprint (Falmouth) and Oly (Nantucket).  Toying with AGN sprint and oly in Milwaukee in August (logistics are tough on that one) and then Timberman HIM middle of August.  Would be badazzed to do the AGN's as the end of my "peak" weeks for the HIM and then taper into Timberman the next weekend, but that's a LOT of travel/racing over those weeks (and I have to remember I have a life, too!).

Fall will be a couple fun sprints with friends.  Thinking about trying CycloCross, too.  We'll see on all that...

What're you planning?

Matt

Dude, it's ya'll. 

OK, now that that's out of the way, let's get on to more important things, like what the season holds. I have no clue, other then it will probably end at Rev3 Venice, Oly distance. A few sprints during the summer will probably occur as well, along with a possible late season Oly distance. However, as you may have noticed, my schedule at this point is not exactly set in stone. My plan is to ride my bikes until I need new tires this summer and finally get in the water with some semblance of a plan and consistency. I think the part I want the most is improvement, and racing may not play large a part in this sesason. One more running race in mid April, then on to training all 3 sports.

Ever see Goodwill Hunting or hear a Kennedy speech?  Get a half dozen people that sound like each, and it's my Thanksgiving table.  Incomprehensible (even my kids have trouble with it sometimes, and my wife - who is from OH - is lost!).  I drop the occasional "r" - I can't say maRgarita to save my life - but for some reason have a relatively light Boston accent overall...

As for running, lifting, drinking, riding, etc. - hey, this is ALL about doing what you love.  I'm not putting any money on the table with tri's - I just do them because I like it.  When I don't like it so much anymore, I won't do them.  When you have a choice, do what is fun!  For sure, there are enough times when we all don't have that choice…  NO REGRETS!

Matt

Volunteering is pretty interesting stuff, I think everyone who races should give it a shot at some point. It is neat to see what all goes on and a great education experience. I did "bike concierge" for the Pros at Rev3 Half a couple years back and it was awesome. I rode in front of the first male runner and went ahead and alerted the aid stations and had stuff waiting for them. Starky led for almost 12 miles, until Jesse Thomas caught him. What a race. You watch those guys and really see the focus and desire during the race. 

Pretty cool that you'll be doing it at Boulder, I would think you'll get a real inside look at a few things. Take as many mental notes as you can.