SWBKRUN fast, furious, and closed (Page 143)

Just spent 4 days camping and boating...I wake-boarded for the first time!  Not sure how that affects my taper, but I really didn't do much.  Jeff spent more time behind the boat, and is a bit more sore!  Kids are clamoring for a boat.  We had a blast, and are thrilled that our friends-with-boats included us, but they seem to be a lot of work!

Countdown for Vineman.....and as Kim said, THRILLED with the weather forecast!  Jeff's a bit bummed, he's used to going out in the earlier waves, and he's 45 minutes behind me this year.  He'll get a bit more sun!

Some other news for the MG...

Big news for me: I am being transferred to Langley AFB, VA. Heading out there in late August.   Pretty stoked about the move; excellent opportunity career wise. 

Hopefully once I get settled, I can find a tri club, running club or the like to help fuel the inspiration fire (been getting a little dim lately).   I would like to meet any MGers that are in the area too...

Cool! North of me and South of Tony and Sam!

No racing for me, but will be hanging out in Martha's Vineyard and hope to get in some OWS with my wetsuit! 

Good luck to all the racers this w/e.  I'm envious!! 

Looking forward to reading the race reports!

Awesome news!!! Congrats!  Good luck with the move.  

Nothing special for me, probably some cycling and a running this weekend. 

Wishing best of luck to the racers!! :-)

Sorry to hear about your FIL George. {hugs}

I'm not racing... but my kids are! Division Champs meet for their summer league. My brute of a son, all 61 pounds of him (age 11) has proven himself a capable butterflyer and IM'er, so he's swimming 50 fly and 100 IM (plus relays). Daughter is rockin' the backstroke and freestyle. Me, I'll just be sporting my Mommy Pride big-time. Watching my kids succeed in the pool -- success, as measured by best times, or finishing a new event without being DQ'ed -- is better than any Ironman finish.

Have awesome races, peeps!!! Can't wait to stalk you all!!

you know what was filmed on the vineyard... right!

have fun swimming!!!!! 

yup!!

I've been meaning to work on my speed!!!!

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.  We appreciate it!

I am pretty sure Kris is going to race.  She is way to competitive to sit on the sidelines and watch!

x 2

That sounds like fun.  I think I will Race that one with you.......

Here Kim

Now I understand how you guys won the world series last year!

George, I am so sorry for your loss. 

To all those racing; good luck out there! 

Tuffli- I'll give a wave in the direction of MV as I do my 60 mi tour de Cape Cod this weekend.  Enjoy yourself.  I love MV and Nantucket.

I'm doing the celebration dance!!!! 

I have NEVER been able to get a Gatorskin tire on my wheel completely and have always given up thinking I would have to wait for SAG to save me.  Kim gave me the extra push to keep trying and BP gave me a couple of ideas....today, I did it.  I feel like maybe I did an hour of rock climbing.  That's how sore my hands are.....even used the darn CO2 Kiss successfully.  Will practice again tonight....hopefully one less thing to worry about.

Question:

For those who use the front mount option, when you have a flat, how do you deal with it?  The videos always show that you should lay your bike on it's side, but all my juice would fall out.....take the container off?

Yay!! What were the BP tricks that helped?

I have taken all bottles off the bike to flip it over -- not worth the risk of losing any precious liquids!! Of course this is in training, when there aren't any aid stations. But still, an ounce of prevention might be worth it!!

Two things:

1) press down as hard as you can on the wheel to give yourself a tiny more slack.  I never wanted to do this thinking I might bend the rim somehow.

2) grip both sides of the remaining part that isn't on with your palms and keep twisting it clockwise moving your hands closer and closer together as you get more tire on the rim. 

I can easily get on a normal Conti triathlon tire, but these Kevlar sides are a killer.  They are supposed to be flat proof, but I keep thinking one day my luck will run out...

Speaking of changing tires... Rp and I went for a ride last night...  I am notorious for not bringing anything to change a flat (i know... not smart).... We were about 3 miles out and he asked what I had this time... I said I've got it all today.  We are good to go!  He laughed with a surprised look (as did I!).  Well about 3/4 of the way through our ride my back tire flatted.  I like to think I am pretty quick at changing a flat so I got after it.  Shifted gears, popped the back wheel off, found the staples (from a staple gun) that I had ran over and took them out of the tire, went to grab my tube out of my bento box--- NO TUBE?!  Ryan laughed even harder this time and gave me his tube.... After upwrapping 17 layers of electrical tape from around the tube (no clue why he does this!) I popped the tube in grabbed my CO2 and fired away... HOWEVER the CO2 inflator was not sealed so I lost a bunch of air from that.  I grab RP's inflator and another one of my CO2's and PERFECT!!! Fills right up.  And hand the stuff back to RP and my tire is flat again !! WTH!!??  I give the tire to RP to make sure I didn't miss anything...He say's we are good!  Try ANOTHER CO2... This time if fills again with success.... GO to take the inflator off and BOOM!!! The seal breaks off on the inflator (and my tire is flat AGAIN!!).

At this point we had called Jill and warned her we may need a ride !  I find that I have another inflator in my Bento box (stay with me here... if your counting at home 1 tube 3 inflators, and now my 4th CO2 cartridge !!).  So I take the inflator out and another CO2 and fill it up again.  Fills up nice, but flat with 30 seconds.  Come to find out RP gives me a tube that already had a hole in it!!

Needless to say our ride was cut short and my sis in-law was nice enough to come pick us up.  Much to my shegrin she was on the phone with my wife (her sister) when she picked us up.... Kim being so great only called me an idiot (censored) for not bringing any tubes.... I BLAME RP for the whole mess!

Hope you all learn a lesson here!  Not sure why I had 4 CO2's 2 inflators and NO TUBES??!! But when you ride as little as I do, I forget to check these things before leaving !

Love this Kim.  Think I'm going to copy you.

WTG Suzy!!

     Have you ever thought of getting Speed Levers? They're AWESOME for getting the last bit in. Made mounting Conti GP4000s a snap on my Carbones. I find when I do the last bit normally, I break my nails terribly (soft nails, they've never been "hard"...that stinks! I blame genetics!).

Just find videos of it on youtube.

I do have the levers and I do try my best to get the last bit on with one of them.  Go find a Gatorskin and try it.  The Kevlar sidewall is a bear to get on.  Even one of our local tri shops only has two guys in the whole place that can do it.

My biggest question is why was RP carrying around a tube with a hold in it? Seems like a lot of extra weight....and if I recall correctly he was the one who took his water bottle cages off for a TT.