Matt Gilmartin's Group- CLOSED~ we're swimming! (Page 13)

I have to share about my run yesterday, because it was EPIC.

I have a 10k road race on Saturday, so I wanted a nice easy 45 minute run to relax my way into the weekend.  What I got was something all together different.

I started out at the gym and ran around the block by softball fields like normal.  My Garmin told me I was going out faster than the pace I wanted, but that section is a slight downhill, so I figured I was okay.  Got down next to the lake, and sure enough my pace was right where I wanted it to be.  I cut down through a little park by the lake to get on a great single track trail I discovered last week.  I got about 1/4 mile down the trail and I saw ACUs.  It was a Army ROTC unit doing patrols through the woods, I picked up my pace a little to get out of their way and kept going.  Another 1/4 mile and I another unit walking slow giving silent commands.  My pace was already quickened, but I picked it up again.  I saw a "stop, turn..." hand signs as I went past their unit leader, but thought, 'he's not talking to me....right?'.  Then it happened, "gun shots" rang out from everywhere.  I had run my way into a fire fight, I ran hard as I heard, "don't hit the runner"/"watch out for civilians".  I ran hard, and kept my head down, and that unit laid down furious cover fire to get me to safety. (It was just a the ROTC cadets going "bang, bang" but I still didn't want to disrupt there drills/movements). 

Now I was out of the woods, literally, and back on the side walk.  I had gone about 3/4 of a mile trying to slow down my pace, when I heard what I though was the quietest horse every coming up from behind me.  I looked over my shoulder to find a small group of guy, shirtless, gaining on me.  I moved over and let them pass, and then cut into the rear of their pack.  It was the college cross country team, going for a nice long, slow run...at 7:00/mile!  I held on for about 1/2 a mile and realized I should hold back.  I slowed down, and thought that a trail run is what I had originally wanted, so that's what I was going to do.  I ran down to the Natural Areas Teaching Lab, a little piece of woods with wide trails that is sometimes used for biology or ecology labs.  I forgot however, that it is most a pine sandhill ecosystem.  Which means it is an area of hills, made of sugar sand.  Luckily, it the hills are small, but the sand is deep.  After a mile, I decided my calves had enough and ran out by the Harn Museum of Fine Art, where their new outdoor sculpture confused me, but it's art right?  After another loop around the softball fields and dorms, my 45 minutes was up.

The verdict, I ran though ROTC maneuvers,  with the XC team, and through sand and hills...so much for an easy run!  8:26/mile and 5.33 miles...maybe not the nice relaxing run I wanted.

D'oh~ I knew about that one, Wendy.  Sorry, I should have mentioned "besides Wendy"

Hahaha!  Thanks for the entertainment, Aaron.  Holy crap- way to get the bejeezus scared out of you!

Yet another instance where I wish this forum had a "like" button.  Thanks so much for sharing---will definitely get my hands on a copy.  I resigned myself a long time ago to quit "dieting" forever.  Really want to learn more about most effective ways to use food as fuel---and it's icing on the cake if some weight loss also occurs!

So Matt, as an FYI if you need my info for 2011, I am a beginner Triathlete (in the truest sense.)  I will be participating in my first Tri this year.

I also want to go ahead and do the half-ironman distance this year as well, so I will be training hard.

Now for the 'bad' news.

I recently got insurance back, and went to go see a chiropractor.  He's essentially grounded me from running or lifting for at least the next 3 weeks.  This threw a monkey wrench in my plans, since I was going to do a half marathon in 3 weeks (ING Miami Marathon)

I have to get an MRI on my knees and check for instability.   He's trying to downplay how bad my knees are but I'm holding my breath and hoping that I'm not shot down before I even get off the ground.

wendy109 - 2012-01-13 12:20 PM That is friggin amazing!! what a story to tell! haha! glad you made it out alive! thanks for sharing and thanks for helping out our men and women at arms!!

It was one of my more eventful runs!  My brother is a Captain in the US Army, so I can only imagine what he would say if someone ran through his manuevers!

It's actually the second time I've found myself in the middle of miliatry manuevers.  The first time was when I was hiking a section of the AT.  I woke up in the middle of the night and had to go pee, I walked away from our water source and camp about 100 yards.  Just as I started going, out of night 5 Army Rangers come walking by.  They silently walked right by me like I didn't even exist. 

Thanks Matt, I could definitely use the help. I don't know anything about choosing a bike. I won't be ready to buy for another month or so, but one that caught my eye recently was a Trek 420 XS for $300. "It has a 7 speed RSX drivetrain with a triple crankset- plenty of gearing for those hard hills. It has Shimano RSX STi shifters." Not that I know what any of that means. Another was a Specialized Vita Sport. I am trying to research them now so I can pick a good one when I am ready.

mcgilmartin - 2012-01-11 8:55 PM

Jenheaslip - 2012-01-12 5:28 PM Bikes must have been the thing to get this Christmas! My husband wants to get back into mountain biking but his bike is 15 years old, so I got him a nice one for Christmas, and we also got our 4-year-old son his first bike with training wheels (and a horn and Spider-Man helmet ) Now I am looking through Craigslist and other places for a used road bike - I am seeing a lot of Trek and Vita brands around here for women, are they pretty good?

Jen, I've never heard of Vita?  Trek's are generally pretty good... Lance Armstrong won the TDF 7 times on one.  I'm personally partial to Felt.  My road bike is a beauty, and it's treated me very well.  If you want to, post the description of what you're looking at and I'll give you a breakdown.  Bikes are complicated and can be intimidating to newbies.  We're doing this for fun, not to add stress to our lives

Me too! Maybe that would do it. Great story!

Jenheaslip - 2012-01-13 7:55 PM

Thanks Matt, I could definitely use the help. I don't know anything about choosing a bike. I won't be ready to buy for another month or so, but one that caught my eye recently was a Trek 420 XS for $300. "It has a 7 speed RSX drivetrain with a triple crankset- plenty of gearing for those hard hills. It has Shimano RSX STi shifters." Not that I know what any of that means. Another was a Specialized Vita Sport. I am trying to research them now so I can pick a good one when I am ready.

mcgilmartin - 2012-01-11 8:55 PM

Jenheaslip - 2012-01-12 5:28 PM Bikes must have been the thing to get this Christmas! My husband wants to get back into mountain biking but his bike is 15 years old, so I got him a nice one for Christmas, and we also got our 4-year-old son his first bike with training wheels (and a horn and Spider-Man helmet ) Now I am looking through Craigslist and other places for a used road bike - I am seeing a lot of Trek and Vita brands around here for women, are they pretty good?

Jen, I've never heard of Vita?  Trek's are generally pretty good... Lance Armstrong won the TDF 7 times on one.  I'm personally partial to Felt.  My road bike is a beauty, and it's treated me very well.  If you want to, post the description of what you're looking at and I'll give you a breakdown.  Bikes are complicated and can be intimidating to newbies.  We're doing this for fun, not to add stress to our lives

I did a lot of bike research in preparing to buy my wife and I bikes.  One big thing is to check the model year of the bike.  The Trek 420's were made during the late 90's.  

Specialized "Vita"s have been make since the mid 2000's and are more of a "fitness" bike.  Basically, a very sporty hybrid.  I test rode the men's version, and could get up to 18-19 mph.

I would compare the conditions of each, and the price.  The 420 may take a little more care, and you may need to upgrade/replace some wear parts.  The Vita should be in good shape, the parts are fairly new, but it has a more upright position.  You can always flip the stem and get down more, which helps but you won't have as many hand positions.

I would get the year of each bike and look carefully at the condition, especially the forks and rear triangle.  Any good dent or ripple can cause a major structural failure.

Here is a good bike site to look them up:http://www.bikepedia.com/

I seriously know nothing about bikes, so I am taking notes and will start looking when I can.   I have noticed something about training on the cute little stationary bikes at the gym . . . Is it normal to feel like if you don't hold on to the handle bars, you're going to fall forward off the bike?  Despite my lack of experience, I can clearly tell you the seat doesn't fit my butt. I can get over that since I have to for right now, but seriously, I am constantly readjusting to where I am sitting farther back on the seat. The height of the seat is the only adjustment I can make.  There are a few recumbant bikes I don't want to bother with.  There is one bike that looks like what I would call a (tri bike?. . . ) I got on once, it was better but the only thing it had on it was an adjustment for how hard it was to pedal (no miles, timer, rpm, nothing). Whats the deal or is this normal and I am learning something new about biking. LOL

40 year-old Janet Evans qualifies for Olympic swim trials------LOVE IT!!

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/40-yr-evans-qualifies-olympic-swim-trials-15356056

I believe that the Olympic marathon trials are today and I'd really love to DVR them---anyone know timing or network?

So this is my bike (the XS frame):

<a href="http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2011&Brand=Fuji&Model=Absolute+2.0&Type=bike">2011 Fuji Absolute 2.0; Complete specs</a>

It was a gift and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.  One thing I know for sure----a new saddle is a MUST!  Can anyone dumb down the specs for me so that I understand the features of this bike?  Any suggestions on things I should be on the lookout for or modify on this bike?  I have adjusted the saddle to what is supposedly the right height for me but now it feels like I have to bend down too much to reach the handlebars (I have short legs but, proportionally, a longer torso).  The manual said that handlebar height can be raised by an authorized dealer.  Thanks for any feedback---I know NOTHING about bikes and am begrudgingly trying to learn, under protest.

Let me try that bike link again.

http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2011&Brand=Fuji&Model=Absolute+2.0&Type=bike

Okay, here we go.  Your bike is one of the higher end "fitness" or "performance hybrid" bikes that Fuji makes!  You have a good triple crank (3 front gears) with a wide range with a ratio ranging from 1.2-4.33!  That means you can go really fast on the flats (52/12) and have a really easy gear for climbing (30/25).  Those are very good things.  Your cassette (rear gears) have a good range that fits the triple crank well, you should have a good variety of gear ratios to test out and see which ones fit you best.

It seems like a quality bike, solid components and a good aluminum frame and carbon fiber forks.  

Really good news: you have short legs and a long torso, which means slapping clip on aerobars should put you a comfortable position, as opposed to someone that might be stretched out too far.  

I might leave the handle bars where they are for a little while, you might just need to gains some flexibility.  If you take a picture maybe some one who knows what they're doing can evaluate the fit.

Upgrades: bar ends (to add another hand position), clipless pedals/shoes, maybe clip on aerobars.

What gator said.. I was typing something and then saw his post and it was better than mine. I think with that bike your meant to be more upright than you would be with a bike with bullhorns. It will be a great bike in terms of quality to put the time in the saddle in. Your arms may suffer on longer rides but it will build stamina for sure.

Not sure I would try to upgrade the bars. Cause then you get into shifters, brakes, etc which can get pricey unless you find a good deal. Clipless pedals are a real treat that I suggest to everyone. They will make a slap fool out of you. Good for a solid laugh. I have them on my mtn bike and have had a few of the "just fell over" events.

Alright I hit the pool today and swam about 250 meters (stopping every 50) as I am not a swimmer. I realize that a) my heart rate monitor does not work in the pool. b) swimming is a not my sport and c) I need HELP!

My endurance is a work in progress and my strokes needs much improvement.

Suggestions welcome  - especially youtube videos that offer tips are greatly appreciated.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Bryan