MightyMojoMentorGroup -- (Full House!) (Page 163)

ANNE -

Yay!  Ya made it!

Today's Edmonton is not quite what it was back in '74 when I moved there.  It still had a very rough edginess to it, but that changed pretty quickly with the oil boom.  And even when that went south some, Edmonton managed to hold on and prosper; I think being a jumping-off point for Fort McMurray helped some. 

I have such fond feelings for Edmonton, partly because it was such a revelation being there (having come from living 25 years on the east coast), and partly cuz that's where I met Lynn.  Blow the city some kisses from me, please!

Yeah, well, uh, I was hoping the swim was in am improved spot from where they have done swims in the past.....which I think i have heard it referred to as "skanky".  Maybe it's "sleazy?  Or "scuzzy"?  All of the above??  Well, it ought to be over before you know it, and then it's on to the bike -- which I'm glad isn't near as bad as you feared.  I was pretty sure it would be mostly okay, and I'm sure you have ridden dozens of routes that are more taxing than Groat Road.  Yes?

I'm off again, just wanted to say hello and tell you i'm glad you made it in good order.  May the weather gods smile bountifully upon you for the next few days!!

Funny you mention the bricks.....during my base phase, I had one brick each week but now in my 10 week build, I have 2 a week. I actually like bricks. My legs are all warmed up. I just have to control my speed! I go out too fast and I know I couldn't maintain it for 26 miles

My niece just told me she got her volunteer spot in the T1 tent so it'll be nice to see a familiar face is she can spot me.

Dave and I have our last long day of training Saturday before Vineman coming up a week from Sunday. We were going to go to masters at 9:30 and then do our long ride with a short brick run but I convinced Dave to reverse it and do the bike/run first so we can stretch out in the pool and be done with 4 hours of training by 10:30! It's not the order we're supposed to do it but it's so appealing to be done by 10:30 and get on with the day

I'm feeling a little unprepared for Vineman since I haven't been training specifically for that distance but I'll get it done and just move forward from there. 

My boss gave me an acupuncture treatment today. I had never had one and we thought it would help me answer some of our patients basic questions to experience myself. It was interesting. I might have some follow up work

My birthday was yesterday on the 4th and I got a new computer! A new fun toy

Dave, do you work with a coach or what plan are you following? You have some good workouts coming up!

Thomas, welcome back!

Anne, glad to hear you made it. Looking forward to the next few days. Excited for you!

Doesn't being done at 10:30 sounds so much better than being done at 2:30! Haha! It's such a mind game for me There might not be a nap afterwards but I'm sure it'll be an early bedtime.

TV is the only way to go with long trainer rides. Where/when is your oly?

I just dropped in to catch up.  We've got company for awhile so I'm supposed to be visiting but a person has to have their priorities.

On a sad note - I haven't heard the official news yet but there was a cyclist killed here today.  It's not likely it was someone I know but I understand it was an experienced mature cyclist.

I just wanted to mention my ride today.  Summer finally hit and we hit 36 deg C (97F) out on the road.  Thats pretty hot for us especially after June-uary and we can expect Sunday to be 39 or 40!  Then I had my 1st ever flat tire out on the road.  It wasn't too bad changing tubes - just the time involved.  After the tube change my computor blanked on distance, speed and cadence (able to get it working at home later).

Then I crossed my 1st cattleguard and another 5 after that so I can comfortably handle that fear now.  Plus without my computor I lacked some speed awareness on the downhills and hit 63kph (almost 40mph) according to my brother-in-law's computor. 

As we approached the half-way point of my ride I started feeling hypoglycemic so I took a dextrose tablet (4g shot of dextrose when hypo), plus a honey stinger waffle (gotta get a few more of those for Sunday) and a half bottle of carbopro (altogether about 375cal).

Lots of other riders out today on the GranFondo route.  They're expecting 2600 riders for Sunday.

Johanne - I'd like to hear what you think of the accupuncture treatment when you're done.

GEORGE -

I just looked into the cyclist/car story, and have a decent idea of what happened.  Terrible stuff.

For your own ride, you did well!  Nice job on fixing the flat, better job on the nutrition!  There was a thread on the main forum a few days ago about Honey stinger waffles, and they were well-reviewed.  I looked 'em up online, and each has about 21g carbs -- not bad at all!  the people who love them REALLY love them!

Well done too on the cattleguards.  So it was a hat trick of successes for you -- flat, food, cattleguard.  too bad on the computer....but can i guess that it was the front tire that flatted, and that in the change you nudged the magnet some?

Acupuncture is intriguing.  I have had it several times, and maybe the most notable was way back in '98 after my first marathon.  I developed a wicked case of ITB agony during the marathon itself, but in the process of a couple of weeks of massage-type therapy I also had acup, and I was back running about three weeks after the marathon.  that was very good recovery time for a bad bout of ITB.

I have also had it on a shoulder impingement issue.  No miracle with that, but I'm sure it helped and doubt very much it did any harm. 

GF, here you come!

Sad to hear about yet another cyclist.  A couple of months back we had 2 deaths and one serious injury all within the span of a few days.   Heard just before we left for Edmonton that a driver has been charged in one of the deaths.   There was a big blitz on car/cyclist safety after that and a really visible presence of police on the roads, in town and country, watching drivers.   Too bad that is what is takes. 

NICE ride yesterday.  I liked the name of your new month - June-uary.   

We seem to like alot of the same foods.  I love the honey stinger waffles and used them on my Centurion ride last year which was a pretty hot day (for September).   The only problem is they don't stand up well in the heat and get really crumbly, so I just had to stuff the whole thing in my mouth.  

A few years back I was doing acupuncture, initially to help with IT stuff and then kept it up on a regular 8-week basis for maintenance and re-balancing the body.   The guy moved to Hamilton and I didn't find anyone to replace him, although there are tons around.    I still use it occasionally, through my physio-therapist.  They treat alot of athletes and are OK with you calling up for a quick acupuncture treatment if something flares up.   He says it doesn't heal - just provides temporary relief, but I think it is healing.   And as with everything, each person responds differently.  

Hope you have a GREAT ride on Sunday.  

JOHANNE, 

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!   Nice present.     That's a lot of bricks you are doing.   Really nice run off the bike the other day, I see.   I don't do many - I guess because my plan right now is just for an Oly distance?   I do seem to be getting a BIT better at them.   

I'm starting to get antzy to get this race underway.   We got into Edmonton early, which was great, but it's tough now - wanting to keep the body moving and 'primed' but not wanting to do any hard workouts.   

That was a great idea to get the acupuncture treatment.  I've always felt strongly that people should learn about their company/work environment/job responsibilities both for their own benefit and those that they serve.   So many people these days don't have a clue about what they do. 

Will be thinking of you on Sunday and how hard you train, when I start to fade on those hill climbs.  

Hi Dave, 

Yeah, I get these crazy ideas now and then, spur of the moment, that I want to do something.   Decided I wanted to do a triathlon and didn't know how to swim, never ran, and didn't own a bike.    After a few try-a-tri's decided I wanted to qualify for Worlds Vancouver and did my first sprint at that event.   When I heard World's next year was in London at the same venue as the Olympics I didn't have to think twice about wanting to get there.  

The Edmonton race is called the Edmonton Triathlon Festival.   I don't know how long it has been running but they have had the same bike route for 15 years.   It SEEMS that is well run - we'll find out Sunday.   I like that the entire bike route is closed to traffic for the race.  

Thanks for the good luck wishes.  

That was a while ago that you lived here!   I wasn't expecting much and quite surprised at how nice it is.   Lots of interest in health and wellness, health food stores, organic groceries, etc.    We will make it back here again for sure when Ken is retired.   As we go through towns and cities we are making note of the places that are good for s/b/r and worth some further visits.   Also useful in route planning for the future.  

I can see why you have fond feelings for Edmonton.   I had forgotten you met Lynn here.  Kisses blown! 

On the swim - I checked the results from last year and they are VERY fast - so I have a feeling it might be a tad short.   I met a massage therapist for the ITU at Millenium Place yesterday.   She has 23 athletes competing.   She said they usually fill the 'lake' with chemicals to try and kill the crap.   But she also said they are trying to fix it up and make it into a REAL swimming lake for people.   I think I am like you and not really susceptible to getting sick from bacterial laden water.   Hope I'm right.  

Looks like we might actually have a decent weather day on Sunday, although super hot.   But I'm OK with heat.   And the winds are forecasted at only 10S.    I'm trying to finalize my strategy for getting the fastest speed I can on the bike and I know it's critical that I have a good average at the base of Emily Murphy.   What do you think I will lose going up the hill?   On my Hamilton climb at the same grade but for twice the distance, I was climbing at 10-11km/hr.   I will count on that and if I manage 12 then, Yeah!   

I should be able to gain 3km/hr average on the first Groat down hill and I don't think I will lose more than 1.5km/hr average on the Groat climb and then should gain back at least 3km/hr average again (based on my Collingwood ride with the same grade).   Was windier in Collingwood though -  head/cross on the downhill.   The 2nd Groat down hill is quite winding but if they give us both lanes it shouldn't be too bad.   I don't get nervous and brake too much but I do stay alert and cautious.  

Haven't checked the run out yet - won't do that till tomorrow.   Heading out to West Edmonton Mall now and clean the bikes and a few other errands. 

Talk to you later, 

Just waiting for a few minutes before going out to volunteer at GranFondo.  I'll be handing out packages to other registrants.  I figure it'll be a good social time - no hard work - just meeting riders from all over north america and everyone getting excited.  Last year I met an interesting fellow from Illinois.  He drove the whole way (like Anne to Edmonton) and he was just enthralled with the area and having a great time.  His enthusiasm was contagious.  I doubt he'll be back this year but I'll be watching for him.

My wife was working yesterday and she tells me my bib number will be 2480 and apparently there are quite a few riders in the 70yr old age group plus an 80yr old woman.  There will be 2600 riders doing one of 3 distances.  I'm guessing about 1600 will be doing the full distance and I'm hoping to finish about 1450-1500ish.  The big news for today (as I predicted yesterday) is that they are now calling for a balmy 40deg C (precisely 104F) and once we ride south to Oliver there is no shade whatsoever.  So it may be a "baking" kind of day.  I'm used to 30 deg but 40 is a whole new way of thinking.

They're having a breakfast for us in a park while watching the Tour de France on a big screen.  Eddie and Axel Merckx will be there as well. 

According to the news the fellow that was killed yesterday was 37.  Its shocking because it happened in an area just shortly after we rode by.  Plus, I imagine he has a wife, children and extended family. 

JOHANNE -

Hey!  Happy b-day!  You've done a swell job of keeping that a secret from me for two years now.....although with my memory firing on half-a-cylinder these daysweeksmonths, I probably woulda forgotten it anyhow.

Similarly sadly, I had also forgotten that Vineman is looming large for you.  And not only had I (temporarily??) forgotten you were doing Vineman, but i find it hard to think of it as a July event, after years of being in the second week of August.  Ack!  Ack!

I approve of your reshuffling of the plans to get things done earlier and in a way that is more body-friendly for you.  As I keep saying, plan-making is morer art than science....and what you're doing is the art part.  Plus, if you gave that day's prescribed workouts to 20 coaches and asked them to arrange them in some sort of sequence, 10 would've done it the "original" way, 10 would've done it your way.  (Hung jury!)

It's good you love bricks, and historically I can relate strongly to that sentiment.  I've been a long-standing brickophiliac, although this year I have done scant few.  That'll have to change in the next few days, as there is a chance I will be racing twice next weekend (once is more likely....although I'm currently registered for one each day).  Well, I guess I don't have to knock off any bricks -- but it/they sure would be useful!

Okay, maybe you haven't been training specifically for Vineman, but on the other hand you ahve done a lot of overtraining, Vineman-wise, for the past several months.  This'll be a good test as to how well seemingly unfocused training will present itself on race day.  I expect you to breeze therough the swim and bike......and we'll see how the run goes.  But all those long rides and very long swims should serve you well at Vineman.

Finally, I don't think I ever commented on this, but your France photos were wonderful.  It gave me a real flavor for your family......as well as the actual food-flavors you ate over there.  It's amazing how many places you ate at where "presentation" seemed central to the experience, and I found myslef very envious of that type of serving touch.  I am a quite good cook, preparation-wise......but it all falls apart for me when it comes to presentation; I just don't know how to serve stuff in "gourmand" kind of way.  Sigh.

Finally-finally, i hope you manage to see your niece in T1, but my experience at IMLP is that that might not happen.  The T1 tent scene can be unexpurgated bedlam, and it sure was for me at LP.  T2 was very sensible, however, but that makes sense because by then everyone has spread themselves waaaaayyy out throughout the bike and run courses.  It was kinda like being in a library!

(And remember ---- try not to sit down in T2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

DAVE -

I think I mentioned to you the crapola sold to me by the bike shop of my first serious bike, and how unsuitable it was for triathlon, so I hear your angst and agitation.  But it sounds like you've done a good job of filling in the gaps, and give that another Christmas or two.....and birthdays or two.....and fathers' day or two.....and you'll be well-equipped!

You're maybe lucky to have a body that can accommodate a one-piece tri suit.  Mine, which is extra-long in the torso, doesn't do one-piece well, what with counter-pulling on the shoulders and the crotch.  Ack!  that's one of the reasons why I cotton to the DeSoto 2-piece wetsuits, as many one-piece wetsuits really constrain my shoulder movement.  Dopey body.....

I think you've said before that the Pirates don't do much for you, but they should, they should!  It's pretty nice to be seeing them do so well, and I almost believe that this is the year they will finally emerge above .500 --- and can they possibly conceivably hold on to win the division?  Dare one hope?!?

ANNE -

Yup, moved there in Hanuary '74, and if you could search the weather records you would see that it was an incredibly cold and snowy winter.  I had lived all my life in New England, including the previous couple of year iin maine, and I liked to beliieve I knew all about cold.  Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!

New England did nothing to prepare me for what Edmonton threw at me, but then again -- it was rough for even lifelong Edmontonians.  The Edmonton Journal posted two front page photos along about May 7 of '75 -- top one of the one of the golf courses from that year, with people dressed golfishly and playing the links, and the other one from the same day the previous year, with the course buried under a foot or two of snow.  Diriculous!

Good wind forecast -- not much, but out of the south will be nudging you up Groat Road; perfect!

You will lose something, of course, going up that hill, but if you can settle into a rhythm and maintain it, you can cut those losses significantly.  And depending on the length of thsoe "plateaus", you might even be able to kick out of the saddle for a few seconds on each and re-establish a bit more momentum.  But if they are really quite short, you're probably better off to just do some subtle shifting and add a tad of momentum while sitting.  Or, you just may want to take thsoe plateaus as a few moments to regroup yourself!

You're estimates sound sound, and I'm sure you've locked in the data to make them viable.  I'm kind of surprised, though, that Collingwood wasn't quite a bit tougher than Groat.  Was this the same climb that John Salt's former race there utilized?

WEST EDMONTON MALL?!?!?  OMG, that's probably just about exactly the last place you want to be pre-race, just because it's so big and you might ebnd up doing way too much laborious walking.  I think I'm confidnet that betweent he two of you, you will limit your wlaking -- an heaven knows there can't be much at the food courts to entice your well-dsiciplined palates!

9904 87th Avenue was our second address there -- I think.  It was a bungalow on the NW corner if thsoe two streets -- if I even have THOSE correct.  I think I will fetch an Edmonton map from the garage and see if I'm even in the correct quadrant of the city with the above address!

I envy you being there.  Will you be coming back through Saskatoon?  I cried when I left Saskabush; seiously.  Beautiful little city -- although infinitely colder than Edmonton.  Seriously!   Edmonton doesn't get the chinooks that Calgary does...but it turns out that some residual chinookininess dribbles eastward from time to time and adds a faint hint of heat to Edmonton.  In Saskatoon, though --- nothing but arctci fronts pushing south from the NWT.  BRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

Mall rats, the two of you.  Sheesh......

The big day tomorrow is starting to become reality.

Looks like T1 and T2 times are included in the bike times so that is disappointing.   Hoping for 25km/hr avg w/o T times so maybe will end up with 23 km/hr average if I am lucky - really don't know how long T times will be but guessing at 7 minutes.   But everyone is in the same boat.  

Got body marked (531) (Ken, 535) and bikes racked.  Don't get timing chip until tomorrow.   Talked to an official who has done the race 3 times and she says the water is not as bad as we might think.   There are NO leeches, and it feels quite big when you are in the water and if you don't stand up (water is only 3 feet deep) you might think you were in a big lake.    

They have been putting treatments of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) into the water for the last 4 days at 4:00 p.m.   Plus flushing out the lake with water from 2 fire hydrants to cool it down and push the crap to the other side of the lake.  

The 'unofficial' word is that the thermometer is going to read a temp that allows wet suits for age groupers.   Elites will probably be no wetsuits.   

The way they have the races (alot of them) set up means that pretty much 500+ athletes will be on the road at one time, and on a 10km course with multiple loops, it will be interesting.   Because of all the races - juniors at 7:00 a.m. there is NO bike warm up, and NO swim warmup.   We have to be out of transition by 9:00 a.m.  

Found out we are heat 7, which is the first heat of the sprint athletes.   Waves are 5 minutes apart.   I am glad we are in the first wave.  We stand on a painted blue platform at the water's edge just like you see in the ITU events.    The official suggested stepping off (there is a little bit of sand initially) and then start swimming right away.  

Patricia, Ken and I are all close to each other in transition and in a pretty good spot.   Just inside the run in from the swim and right at the run out and just a short, clear distance to bike out and bike in.   Don't have to wear a race belt because they have our race numbers on both arms and both legs.  

At 5:00 p.m. forecast is 19 degrees and sunny in the morning with SE10km/hr winds with chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.  

ANNE -

It sounds okay, it sounds okay!  I think you'll be fine with that many on the bike course -- it's a lot, but not prohibitive.  (Well, that's assuming that all of Groat is closed to traffic!)

I have often wondered what i would do in one of those WTU-style swim starts.  My big fear is having my gogglers knocked askew upon contact with the water on the dive, and if I knew that most people were just gonna drop in the water, i would do that, too.  I'll be interested to find out how you and Ken end up doing it!

Good too on the earlier swim start!  that'll give you some pros and elites to shoot for, but at 5' intervals it's not likl;ey you'll catch any of those folk.  Mostly, though, it will help you hugely on the first loop of the bike, where you should get the bulk of it to yourselves.  it'll take a lo0ng time for many in the next couple of waves to catch you, and like I siad above -- you're not likley to gap any elites if they have a 5' head start.

Boo-hiss on T1&T2 being included with the bike time.  that's so.....somersaultish (but bless their hearts), and in a race of that magnitude they should be able to afford those extra timing mats.  Jeez, the YMCA sprint in Hazelton, PA, can afford extra mats, and it only gets, say, 87 participants at $55 each.  Go figure!

Stay safe!  Have fun!  And as for the fear of a flat -- BIG anti-flat mojo coming your way!!!

Awaiting news of everyone's races this weekend. Hope you all have less heat and humidity than we do.

On that subject, here's an interesting article about how it's really all about dew point: http://runningtimes.com/Print.aspx?articleID=23345

For our 11-mile run this morning the dew point was about 70 or in the "Expect pace to suffer greatly" category. Gross!

Although I was good this week and mostly kept it in HR Zone 2, much to the chagrin of my training partners.

The temperature/dew point spread and barometer reading are the most telling stats regarding all kinds of weather. You can fairly accurately estimate the altitude of the clouds based on a lapse rate of 1000 feet per 4.5 degrees F difference, so the closer the spread the lower the clouds and more humid the air becomes. Rarely though have I worried about the ceiling while riding. Unless there is an inversion. Hot humid weather often includes upper level instability as the day warms up-like yesterday as I turned and sprinted back home to avoid what promised to be a pretty good isolated thunderstorm.

Get that information and perhaps 24 hours of history and almost anybody can be a pretty good short term forecaster.

JEFF -

Too bad the major domos of WTC weren't paying close attention to evolving conditions at Muncie -- it might've saved a lot of people travel expenses getting there for what was "downgraded" to an oly.  If you've followed that debacle, you will have seen references to Kansas not being too far off Muncie's conditions -- and Kansas happened in all of its completeness, so why not Muncie?

GEORGE!   ANNE!

What's the (hopefully!) good news from our two most leftward provinces??

I followed some of it and was surprised. I appreciate it was hotter than people in that region are accustomed too, but not that hot! Weather conditions are part of the race, the big unknown. It would have irritated me as well.

201 miles cycling this week.

Details later.   VERY excited - I'm a National Champion.      1st out of three and a really good bike but I don't know the speed yet.   I think it was the same as Leamington.   Awesome, awesome event.   Going out for pizza now.     OH, and it was NO wetsuits allowed - my first time racing w/o (slower).  The water temp was 22.5 

Now we all know a celebrity!!!!   Congrats!!!