Beth and Yanti's Newest Manatees - FULL (Page 15)

Thanks. I could use them. Enjoy your ride today. My bike has a flat right now. Gonna change it this morning so I can ride tomorrow.

CATHY.  bummer bout the flat.  get it fixed quick.  if you having near as nice a day as i am weather wise, man oh man, time to get a ridin'.

i just learned how to change flats.  my luck, ill get one.  [now that i know how to change one]


im all squirrly.  my brother just called to say that he's 'running late' [no surprise there]  hes taking all three of them fishing this weekend.  bless him.

and im waitin on my husband to come and pick me up.  he's doing career day at my sons school.

he's gonna 'drop me in' onto the trail in the city [wouldnt it be cool if it was from a helicopter???] and i have to pedal my way back home.  J/K

i just need to pedal my way to where we are meeting for an early dinner. taking some side trips along the way though. the REI store to look a bike schwag is on the list of MUST SEE attractions.

he couldnt take a 1/2 day off so he's making it to me by taking me out to dinner, to our favorite place, on our favorite street in Oakland.

isnt that sweet?

LIFE YOU GOTTA LOVE IT SOMETIMES.
stacieb

Edited by skrtrnr 2009-04-17 8:48 AM

ahhhhhh.

beautiful ride, theyre the best,
arent they BILL?

now get back to work
you SLACKER. 

Edited by skrtrnr 2009-04-17 8:45 AM

Hmmmm....I noticed you mentioned a wonderful bike ride, Bill...but how is the swimming going??!!     (Just taking my Manatee teammate role seriously!! LOL)

Hope the boss didn't catch you on BT!!

Okay....I am starting to feel really frustrated about this bike thing!  Not that I could ride today since we are getting a super wet snow!   We were in Cheyenne yesterday and within 2 hours they had 8"+!!   It was a long 90 miles home.  Stacie, I am jealous of your "incredibly sunny day"!!

So now back to the bike.   I went to two different LBS yesterday - one is a Specialized store, the other sells Jamis.   I really liked the guy at the Specialized...maybe because he is old like me!!!   I was measured again for standover height at both places and came up with 55/56.   They both also said I was most definitely a candidate for a WSD - the Jamis store had me sit on a GMT (??) WSD bike and said it fit well.   Anyway, new is most definitely TOO expensive!!!   Right at the end of our visit at the Specialized store, the salesman showed me the TriCross bike...and my dh thinks that is the way to go since we live on dirt roads and there are a lot of dirt roads/trails around.  The salesman said I could change out to smooth tires for the race but that this would be much more serviceable for now.   I looked today and it seems to have great reviews...only problem is that it doesn't come in a WSD.

Can you more experienced bike people answer a few questions that I don't want to ask at the LBS?  

-If I measure for a 56, can I make a 54 work?  (I was offered the Ruby Comp on the Classifieds here, but it is a 54, she came down to  $700 shipped with new tire!).   

-If I bought a Specialized TriCross (not WSD) could I change the handle bars to a women's specific?  My thinking is that the WS handlebars are narrower, brakes are closer to the bar, etc.

Any other thoughts or wisdom would be greatly appreciated!

This is one of those times it would be nice to live in a bigger city, close to LBS and more used bikes.

Sharie

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Amy - good luck on your race this weekend!

Yanti - thanks for the swim thoughts!   Yesterday I used a swimplan workout and it was great!   The only thing I noticed is that I need a bit more recovery time than was suggested.   10sec was ok at first but as the workout went on, I felt the need to rest 15 or 20sec sometimes.   I went ahead and listened to my body since this was only my 4th swim in many years! 

Thanks for the swim cap idea.  I will have to get one bought soon.

I have to tell you that I was really having second thoughts about all this yesterday.   On the way to Cheyenne I started thinking about the transitions and how much I have to learn still and I felt kind of panicked!   Then while looking at bikes, I kept hearing this little voice inside my head saying "what are you doing!!??"  I was feeling so overwhelmed with the choices, the $$, the shoes/pedals/gloves/helmet/shorts/shirts, etc!   The same little voice was there during my swim even though I was enjoying it and doing well with the training plan.   So please tell me I am not crazy for trying to TRI!!!     (That makes me think of something my dh once said to me : "you ask like-minded (i.e. crazy) people to tell you you aren't crazy!  What validity is there in that!?!") LOL

Sharie, good luck with the bike hunt! Bikes are awesome ... it's just too bad I'm scared of mine so don't spend much time on it. ;-)

Seriously - it's where we are supposed to be spending the majority of our training time (or so I'm told) ... so you have to make sure that not only is it a good fit, but is it comfortable and most importantly - does it match the tri gear you already have.

It'll all make sense once you cross that first finish line.

I see you are still "playing hookie" at the office, Bill!   But, I am glad for the quick answer.   The Ruby that was offered has 5000 miles on it....is that a lot for a bike???  

My dh really thinks I should go for the TriCross - there is one on Ebay for about the same money as the Ruby but it is a 54, too.   Also, would have men's proportions on handle bars, etc.

What to do...what to do....

Sharie

Last night I had an epiphany ... the low-energy, the headaches, the cold-can't-get-warm feeling, the shakes, the heart palps ... ANEMIA!
Diagnosed. Although by self.

I was severely anemic when I was a kid .. somehow outgrew that .. but since I went vegan last year I've been flirting with low iron levels off and on ... I'm usually very careful to get my leafy greens and peanuts and legumes into my diet every day ... lately - I haven't been so careful. Laziness combined with stress has led me down a dangerous path.

I'm a GOOD nutritionist.
Here I am - the health and fitness "expert" ... eek

I'm self-correcting, but I have an appointment with my doctor on Tuesday to double check my blood levels.

Just thought I'd fill y'all in. I'm taking the weekend to rest and eat better ... hopefully by Monday I'll be feeling great so I can go meet my tri club for a spin.

TR - you and I are in the same boat then....I am a bit afraid of bikes, too, although I hope that changes once I actually have one to ride!   

And as far as "Tri Gear"...well, I don't have any to speak of.   I own a Speedo swimsuit that I am training in and a good pair of running shoes + running clothes...that is it.  

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Don't even worry about transition yet. You're not crazy and you can do it! Just go slow. For now, you just need the bike and helmet. Even if you don't get new pedals & shoes at this point. You really don't need special clothes at this point, although a pair of bike shorts is nice. Academy sports near where I live has ladies shorts for $20 right now. They might not be state of the art, but they'll do for now. I had my road bike for 3 years before I went clipless. I have 1 bike jersey that I wore for my race. Usually I train in an old running shirt. I've never ridden in gloves. You can buy a swim cap for $5. When I did my first sprint, I had a hybrid. I wore running shoes for the bike ride & did the whole thing in a swimsuit. For now, just concentrate on finding a bike and making it safe (get a helmet). Then get used to riding it. Continue to get comfortable with your swim workouts and keep up your running. Don't get ahead of yourself. You're gonna do just fine.

Sharie,  I am sorry you are having a frustrating time finding a bike.  They can be expensive.  I used my old rusty mountain bike for 2 years (no competitions just training)  with slick tires.  When I couldn't shift through more than 5 out of 21 gears is when I decided to search for real.  Like I said earlier I was lucky to find a 4 year old trek 2000 wsd for $500.  I bought a computer, shoes, pedals, helmet, and just yesterday had to buy new tires because last Friday's flat turned out to be a more with a big hole in the actual tire.

I did look on the wyoming Craig's List and you are right, there really isn't much.   I could keep an eye out here in Santa Barbara, Ventura, LA area.  There are three different lists for this area.  Or you could look on Craig's List and I would be happy to mail you something if it looks right.

As far as the WSD goes,  I really don't know how much it matters.  In the back of my mind I think I might be able to go faster on a regular bike because on the WSD the tires are smaller.  (If the circumference of the tire is smaller, aren't I getting less distance per revolution?)  There must be a difference with gearing or something to make up for it, but, I don't really know.  When I had the flat I borrowed my friend's bike which is regular and I did notice the handlebars are a little wider.  I didn't really mind that and it almost felt good to be a little more streched out.  You can always raise the seat to accomodate longer legs and when you do find a bike your bike shop will be able to fit you to the bike.

I wish you good luck and don't get discouraged.  It is all part of the fun!

Laurie
 

Hi Manatees!

I'm back from the Big Apple and caught up on work!  Looks like you've been having a grea time.  I'll try and catch up this weekend!

I missed you all!



Edited by lastcall2003 2009-04-17 2:57 PM

Thanks for the positive thoughts on the bike, Laurie!    I keep thinking that the $700 on the '06 Ruby Comp is a pretty good deal - especially since it includes shipping and a new back tire.    BUT....it does have ~5000 miles on it.  Being a biking neophyte, I don't know if that is a lot, a little or even something to worry about.    Here is a link to the pics she sent me on the bike http://picasaweb.google.com/jes.kennedy/BikeForSale#532418374612560... />
Also, I got to thinking today that the one LBS measure my standover directly in line with the pedals and my rear touching the seat.   The other had me scoot way up next to the handle bars since he said the top bar slopes down on the WSD and gives an inaccurate reading...so maybe the 54 wouldn't be too far off.    I do think I am a candidate for the WSD because my legs are long - I have been truly amazed to see myself in this new light - and my torso is short.   I have very small hands - my children all pass me by in glove size by the time they are 10!   The LBS that put me on the WSD to do some quick measuring, had me hold the hand grips in different positions and said everything looked just right.

Oh and....I am not 'not' having fun     I just panic now and again that this race is only 10wks away now and I feel like I should be riding.    Yesterday I started thinking that I should just buy some junkie thing at a local garage sale.

Sharie

Edited by ranchrunner 2009-04-17 4:07 PM

Carole - I know how you feel!   I am sure you read my earlier post about having a panic about the whole thing yesterday.  When was your Tri?    Mine is June 28th.

I know we can get through this together!

Sharie

I think all of us deal with motivational issues from time to time.

One thing I do is make deals with myself. For example: you don't have to go to the pool--just put your swimsuit on and pack your swim bag, then see how you feel. Well, by then I'm ready to go so I always do

Actually, it's fun taking this bike buying journey with you--so many things to think about! So exciting!

The Spec Ruby Comp is a good deal, especially with shipping. 5000 miles is about a medium-used bike. 2000 miles is a lightly used bike. Think about is as kind of like 50,000 miles on a car.

Wow, both of us will be racing on Aug. 30th! That is very cool. I am definitely having a case of the holy-craps where IM is concerned--I really do feel like a newbie all over again.

The main thing is to take it one day at a time. What's on your calendar for today? Can you do that? If not, can you do part of it? I've really struggled with fatigue this week, so I turned my runs into brisk walks. That, I could do. I try not to think about the race too much--it's really just, what can I do today?

Pretty bike!  I did a quick search and read many positive things.  And free shipping!  I don't know much about milage & age so can't offer opinion on that.

I am also doing a sprint June 28.