tcovert's Winter 2009 Mentor Group - FULL (Page 13)

They just opened the Olympic triathlon signup for July 18.  I did it. So now have two, June 6th is the sprint.  I am so psyched or is that psycho?

Susie,

Let's make a deal ... you send me some of that soup, and I'll send you some of today's 70 degrees and sunny!  Seriously, I'm jealous of the soup AND the snow!

The first complete ones.  I did the bike on a LiveSTRONG relay team two years in a row. 

I biked an hour indoors, ran 3 miles indoors and swam 1200 yards.  Felt really good but for the run, time was good for me but I felt sluggish after an hour spinning.  Swimming on the other hand, felt really good.  Im just going to the gym tomorrow to spin a while and maybe do some strength stuff.

You can have the snow and ice. We are pretty tired of it already in Central Illinois this winter.   

I miss my bikes

Going to the gym in a few minutes to spin indoors again.  January and February in Illinois are tough on people who like outdoors.  We haven't had enough ice to cut holes and fish, only enough to cause wrecks and make walking hazardous to your health.  Where's global warming when you need it? (Just a joke.  Actually, our winters are getting warmer...hence the ice and not the snow we used to get when I was a kid.) 

I'm still contemplating bikes.  I think I'll get a TT if I can get fitted on one and it feels good.  Not enough choices here in town though.  Have to go somewhere to check them out. Most shops here have a couple TT bikes, always the top end and in weird sizes, or they have none at all.

Also will need a wet suit....the first tri here is always cold.  The second in July was below the cut off for wet suits too because of a wet winter.  I'll have to go somewhere for that too...no one sells tri wet suits locally, only snorkeling ones.

Here's a question?  Two piece or one?   

Scott,

Definitely get a one-piece suit.  You can get some great deals on a really nice suit for under $200 at a lot of places.  I got a QR Ultrafull for about $150, and I think Blue Seventy Sprint is about $200.  Both good suits, for the beginner or the pro.

BT.com has some great sponsors, and I have had an extremely great experience with trisports.com as an online store.  Really, I've gotten just about everything from them ... fast shipping, WONDERFUL customer service for returns, questions, etc.  I'm sure the others are good as well, this just happens to be the store that I went to.  And went back to many times! 

If you're serious about a tri bike, spend a couple hundred more on a plane ticket and come out to either LA or San Diego. We've got a really great store called Nytro (they also have a nice website and would be happy to ship for you), and I know LA has some good tri stores as well.  I know that if Nytro doesn't have what you want, they'll gladly order it for you.  And they take trade-ins, which a lot of places won't.

So, ticket from Midway to San Diego on Southwest ... if you travel Tuesday or Wednesday, you can go round-trip for $200!

Come out to the coast and get a bike in time for spring!  

Lordy, that is tempting!  I'll check out the web site.  Many thanks. 

One nice thing about studying to be a bike wrench is I don't have to worry about free maintenance by buying locally anymore.  I can do most of it in my own shop.  Haven't ever worked with bar-end shifters but I can figure it out.

Hi everyone! We just got back home from camping. I hate to brag...but I have to brag...it is SO AMAZING out today! Over 80 degrees and sunny and so clear you feel like you can reach out and touch Catalina! I love this weather. I don't have seasonal affective disorder...I don't think...but I do get a little down when it's cold and not sunny and I feel crazy excited today. Okay...maybe I do have seasonal affective disorder. Either way, today rocks!

I'm still on track for a great week. I've trained five of the six days. I got a run in while camping despite not really wanting to. I need to get out and ride and/or swim today. Will do so soon. I hope you're all having a great weekend!

Hi all!  Sorry for being quiet throughout the week...  my classes started up again, and I also started obedience classes with my little dog, so I have been working on balancing my time between all of that plus training.  On a good note... I hit every single one of my goals this week! (besides Thursday... I only ran two miles instead of the planned three)  I was really happy about it and I feel really good!

I glanced through the postings throughout the week and it looks like everybody is doing really well!  Congrats and thank you for providing so much motivation!!! 

I was reading the local community college list of classes one day and saw motorcycle maintenance and car maintenance and a little box that said if you had ideas for other classes, email so and so.  So I did.  What about bike maintenance?  They were all for it.  I got the guy who helped me build my first bike together with the school and the next thing we knew we had 16 weeks of bike repair from basics all the way up to building wheels offered in three sections.  I took all that, then another basic class with another teacher they got when the first moved to Tennessee to manage a Trek Store.   Check it out.  The local community college may have a class or be willing to start one.  Local bike shops have them too. 

Practice changing a a tire at home where it's safe.  Everyone should be able to adjust their own shifters and brakes and know what to do to get home if you blow a spoke.