GrooveTime!group - CLOSED!!! (Page 169)

Kasia - have a blast on your group ride!

I did my first OWS across Wyman Lake today - I don't know the water temp - must be around 55-58?  It is only about .4 miles but it was so fun to get out there.  SO the good news is, OWS season is open for me, and I am going to be rocking that and the bike for the next few weeks.  Look out hills, I am going to be climbing you like a madwoman!

WOOT!

Have a great weekend all!

Mandy

MANDY -

Yay for you and open water!! That's been a long time comin', huh?

I did my first today in the St.Lawrence, following four or five so far in the Rideau River in Ottawa. The temp in the latter might've been at about 62 twelve days ago, and maybe up to close to 70 yesterday. But the St.Lawrence today? Probably about 60. Definitely warmer than Wyman, so I will cease complaining!

Any timeline on a return to running? Do you consider it to be worse now than before Sugarloaf, or about the same except you are keeping off it now with nothing on the horizon until Pirate?

Anyhow, enjoy attacking those hills on the bike. GROWL!!!

SHAUN -

I'm not sure it's possible to get a bike HR as high as a run HR. I could only do it as an attempt to hit it --- and then back off immediately. And maybe not even then.

I've done some of those Spinervals in which Coach Troy wanders around and glances at some guy's HRM and says, :"Whoa, Cal is at 152 bpm right now!"......and I look down at mine and I'm at 120. Hmmmm.

SHAUN -

Is that a recon of Hawk Island? Cool beans! Enjoy immensely, and be ready to provide us with details!

And congratulations on whatever happened to you at work! (".....and some really darn good news from work...")


I'm not sure that what you're feeling about the run part of your racing stems from a fragile male ego as much as just garden-variety insecurity and worry. And for what it's worth, this is oh-so-common with triathlon. In fact, for many newcomers the worrieds and insecurities are two-fold -- the run AND the swim. So, if you are sitting there feeling pretty good about your swim and your bike, then you are doing quite well.

Males + ego = stupidity. Wars, rumors of war, everything -- comes from unchecked male egos. Period.

TRACEY, STEVE, KASIA -

It's bedtime; is tomorrow soon enough for responses?

G'night!

Wait!




CELTICS!!!!!

Celticscelticscelticsceltics!



CELTICS!!!!!!!!!

No problemo, Steve-o.

Quick post before I go to bed...

I went for a run tonight with the roomie and as we were finishing up our last run interval, this guy comes out on the sidewalk and goes, "You go ladies!"

And then we started walking. Haha. But that's just how the timing worked out

Either way, totally made my run. Maybe I don't hate it as much as I thought I did.

SteveB,

What do you mean by "spinning small circles"? Is it just being in the granny gear and spinning away consistently and methodically? If so, I think I know what you're talking about. And I'm sure I can find a hill out here to practice that on. I just don't want to. I'm not a huge fan of hills, but alas, maybe I'll fall in love with them around the same time I learn to like running.

Fitz' long hill workouts are essentially 5 min of climbing at VO2 followed by 3 minutes of active recovery, repeated a few times depending on the workout.

The roommate is doing this tri with me as well, as are a few other friends, so we may all head up there to ride the course one of these weekends since it's less than an hour away. That should help with settling some of the nerves so I at least know what to expect.

As for the downhills, numerous race reports have mentioned riders reaching speeds of 40 mph heading back. That's going to be awesome!

And no aerobars for me yet. Still working on getting comfortable in the drops.

I thought I'd posted this earlier, but here it is sitting in an open window all lonely. So here it is.

Kasia

Whoo hoo!!!! Onto tonight now, to root for Phoenix.

STEVE -

The late, great Mae West must've been a visionary. When she uttered her famous line "Is that a gun you have in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?", she must have been foreseeing the future and envisioning you, in your Forzas, and thinking "Is that a flask you have in your pocket. or.....?"

Anyhow, that model (the tri shorts, not Mae) does make flask-hauling easier, but I still prefer unobtrusive. It helps me with my regrets that you say that EFS shots are a bit harsh, as harsh is a real disincentive for me - except maybe at a sprint, when all those electrolytes aren't needed anyhow. I'm not even sure all that stuff is useful to me at an olympic, but at distances beyond that I'm looking for some serious reinforcements. If I can find EFS shots in two weeks, I will get a few.

Like you, I have trouble doing gels without getting gooped; not consistently, but often enough. I have had some real messy encounters during races, and only hope that the photos don't show me with smears of darker gel across my face! (As it turns out, no photos have shown that, although smear-faced I have been!)

TRACEY -

In time, probably, you'll get used to swimming in weeds; in fact, you'll get used to swimming in anything. Even when the e-coli warning signs go up, I swim anyhow and never seem to be victimized. And a few days ago, sitting on the dock of the Ottawa Canoe Club all set to swim in the Rideau River, i looked down and there were zillions of teensy black bugs or larvae twirling and scooting through the water. If they were present throughout all 34 minutes of the swim, why, I probably ingested enough of them to meet all my protein needs until the end of August!

Anyhow, over the years I've found that standards I once adhered to have been jettisoned right, left, and center. Where I swim is one, how much gel I allow myself to "wear" (see last post to Steve) is another, how long I keep using a particular part of my gear (my 10-year old cleats come to mind.....) is another still.

ANYHOW, I hope you find a good swimming hole! My two are both in rivers, or bays attached to rivers, so the water flow is pretty good. Plus, neither of them are downstream from any major metropolitan areas, or factories that dump heavy metal wastes into the river, so that's all good.

And remember -- I have twice done the New York City Triathlon, which requires swimming in the mighty Hudson from 100th to 72nd, so that proves how null and void my selectivity really is!

TRACEY again -

I too want Phoenix to win......although the chant "Beat fee-NIX! Beat fee-NIX!" is not nearly as compelling as "Beat L.A.!"

Plus it's easy to hate L.A., whereas I like the Suns and love Steve Nash.

Going way back, however, as a mere sprout I liked the Minneapolis Lakers a lot, and of course that was a team name that actually worked. It has never made sense, Los Angeles Lakers, as L.A. is hardly known for its lakes. Duh!

I wonder about SteveA, however -- he might be a Lakers fan. Gotta check that!

Yo! Steve!

You a Lakers fan? If you want the NBA title, you're gonna have to come through me and Tracey!

Brace yourself!

ANNE -

Many thanks for the details on the Muskoka course, and also the additional thoughts that are in your BT log. I am still contemplating Muskoka Long (as opposed to Muskoka 70.3), which is why I was a bit startled at the thought that it might not be on the 25th. That race seems to be a rite of passage for Ontario triathletes.....and I haven't done it yet. Oh, my!

When you say you want to do it again and get it right, when are you thinking of re-riding it?

I see from your log that you are sticking firm to your resolve to give the knee and all a good race, and that's good! I've been thinking about your comment that cycling is your first love, and you're very fortunate that it's like that. For me, cycling is the least favorite of the three, and even though I am a mediocre swimmer and a strong cyclist, on any given day I'fd rather swim OWS than cycle. Cycling, for me, is too wrought with anxieties of flats and mechanicals, not to mention the safety issues. Mostly, though, it's the former that always worries me -- flats and mechanicals.

Anyhow, I guess if one is going to have to pass on an activity for a while, it's good that what their left with is their favorite one, yes?

And which day of Woodstock are you doing? Sunday, the longer of the two?

KASIA -

I'm trying to keep up with you, and have duly noted the recent question about "small circles", which I will address soon. Mostly, you have the idea correct, but I'll just try to explain it better.

Also duly noted is that "Y" is totally a vowel.......although where does that leave me? Bradlee? Bradlei? Hmmmm.

As for you nutrition question, first, did you see my summary of what I ate race morning and during Columbia last Sunday? I think that's on the previous page, maybe about 8th post down. That was me, last week. For you:

(1) Dilute is fine. The "best" formulation in the universe won't work if it can't be swallowed! I too cannot handle a drink that is too strong, and that was a mistake I made at Columbia alst week -- I mixed it too strong, and didn't check it beforehand. (Slow learner that I am, I commit this error frequently. )

(2) For an oly, you will need some decent calories. These will come the night before, the morning of, and during. Eat quite well the night before, and if the race is sponsoring a pasta feed, try to go to it. These are always good for getting into the vibe of a race, and the food is usually decent. If you're on your own, think about pasta, a roll or two, and maybe salad, which is waht a pasta feed will serve you (with variations). Morning of, go with a light breakfast -- no attempt of your own Shoney's buffet! Juice, bagel, toast, cereal -- the usually things that should sit okay in your stomach.

(3) In transition, sip from your drink-of-choice. have a botle designated for transition zone, and at least one for the bike alone. If you have two cages, use one for drink and the other for plain water. If you enjoy some of the energy bars -- Clif, Hammer, Power -- nibble away at one whenever you feel that a bite might feel good. The alternatives to this are endless, and for me have included bagels, fig bars, pretzels, muffins, and so on. Whatever you enjoy, and which won't come back to haunt you at mile 20 of the bike or mile 5 of the run, is good to just nibble at.

(4) Eat a gel about 10-15 minutes before the swim start. I'm assuming you've experimanted with gels and know which ones agre with you and which ones nauseate you, but if you haven't done this yet, include it in your training between now and LL2L. And if you are just starting out with gels, experiment with shorter efforts....or maybe even just as a snack (of sorts....). You don't want to try anything new on a long ride, where if it doesn't agree with you 75 minutes into a 120-minute ride, you're dying for the duration.

(5) When you hit T1, take your time and make sure you have a decent gulp of the Gatorade mix you've left there. And if a bit of something solid is there, have some of that as well. Other than that, you can maybe wait about 15 minutes before you start drinking on the bike. You've had something in T1, and during the swim you will have taken in some water, so unless it's about 90 degrees, you shouldn't be dehydrated.

(6) A gel halfway through the bike will be good, and maybe a bit of bar if you've stored it in a pocket somewhere, or a Bento box. If your drink bottle is 20-24oz, try to get through most of it. Now, having said that, i am not good at getting through bottles in an oly, but in your case -- this being your first AND with your view of "surviving" the run -- having those calories, carbs, and electrolytes will make survival that much easier. But if you can't make it through a bottle, don't worry too-too much. It happens to all of us that some days we just can't get that stuff down!

(7) In T2, as with T1, take your time. Same routine -- a small bite of what you think will work, if you can, and aim for a gel as well. Stomach depending, have something at every aid station -- even the first, which will likley be right there as you exit transition. As long as my stomach is agreeable, I will try to have a bit of the on-course drink each station; if not, at least a sip of water. And do not feel you have to finish it all, each time! Sometimes for me it is just a tiny sip and then I throw away the rest. At this point it will become more a matter of MANAGING your nutrition (and your system!), and that will be on a station-by-station basis in all likelihood.

(8) If you've had a gel in T2, still carry another with you on the run. That will be useful at about mile 3 or 4, while another way to think of it is to count back 45 minutes from your projected finish time and have it then -- that'll help you make it to the finish in decent shape. (At least, that's the plan!)

(9) If it's a hot day, or if you're just feeling hot, don't be hesitant to grab a cup of water to douse yourself with. If you need to do that each mile, then do it each mile. (Even though Columbia was not warm, I did it twice.) And walk through the aid stations, which will ensure that more of the drink or water ends up in your mouth than down your front. And if you do the dousing thing, make sure you douse with water instead of the drink -- which happened to me in '08, I think. Gack!

Let me know if you want more refinement of that outline, okay? And if you haven't started working with gels, make that a priority as soon as possible!

MANDY -

WHEW! That's good to hear that the calf is no worse than before Sugarloaf, and if you are going to rest it between now and Pirate, then that ought to more than adequate. Sugarloaf was two weeks ago, right....and Pirate is two weeks from now.....and 2 plus 2 is 4.....so that's about a month between runs......PERFECT! (We hope!)

Nice fishing job! I think I posted here before that I hate fishing becasue all I coaughta s a kid were perch and sunfish in a 2:5 ratio or so. Once there was possibly a pickerel.........but I think that's just me inventing my past.

Scarred for life, I was, by those dippy little warm-water fish! Plus, I generally don't even like eating fish, unless it's fairly bland ocean guys such as halibut, cod, and haddock.

Anyhow, sounds like a nice morning with your dad! Very fine indeed!


OWS for me this morning, now off a bike whose distance will be determined as I go. La-di-da!!

KASIA again -

Nice story about the guy cheering you on. A fan-base ALWAYS help, doesn't it?

And being called "ladies" -- so dignified!

Two cheers for you and running!!

Bikes 'n' Bugs

In my riding years I have been stung by bees while on the fly (pun sort of intended), and had bees get inside my top and sting me, and various flying invertebrates have gone in my mouth, under my sunglasses to my eyes, and evn up my nose, along with smacking me at all angles. But today was a first -- something flew into my right ear while I was doing about 18mph. It quickly lodged itself at some depth, and I stopped quickly and tried to pry/prod it out with the end of my sunglasses, but it didn't budge.

I turned back for home and periodically i could feel it moving in there, and I could hear sort of squishly noises, and at one point I sensed it was working its way out.....but I think it is still there. I went to the local pharmacy and was told to just flush it with tap water, and then I ended up buying a product called Ear-i-gate, which is a saline spray. I tried it, biut I think the intruder is still in there.

This is very disconcerting, although the pharmacist assured me that it wouldn't go in any further. I guess that makes some sense if the thing is dead, and the good news is that at least for now I am hearing okay (although Lynn isn't home, so I am just an audience of one), and my equilibrium seems fine. But it makes me feel sort of lopsided somehow!

And my ride was truncated. Bah.

Steve,

Ah.  This reminds me of a classic "Twilight Zone" episode.  If you never saw it I certainly won't give you the story because it would totally freak you out - haha

Denise

DENISE -

I just told a friend about this, and he said I would be fine as long as the bug didn't lay its eggs in there. Some friend!

And while I have you here.....
A few days ago I made some oblique reference to choosing races that will aid and abet USAT points, and also avoiding some races that might not help with the points at all. So, to be more specific, here are some thoughts.

Races to avoid:
-- if it is hosting some championship, such as state-level, or regional clubs, or Nationals
-- if it is hosting something such as "Best of the U.S." qualifiers
-- if it is a qualifier for Nationals, or 70.3 championship in Florida
-- if it is old and venerable, or has a reputation for being a great test of one's fitness

Races to choose:
-- small races
-- new races
-- races held on a weekend when a presitigious race is being held within reasonable proximity

So, if you learn that the Flotsamville YMCA is hosting a sprint for the first time, and Flotsamville is a little burg pretty far from the beaten path, then that's a good one to enter and hope for high USAT points!
And in the "to avoid" category, Columbia scores avoidance points with the 2nd and 4th situations.


Another way to choose is to pick races that play to one's strengths. As an example for me, in a few weeks I will likely be doing the shorter of the races at Tupper Lake, which is 0.5mile swim, 18.5-mile bike, and 10km run. That gives me a short swim of sprint length, a bike that is halfway between sprint and olympic, and a run that is olympic. Races that do not play to my strengths are those that have an overlong swim relative to the bike and run.

I love doing olys, but compare their distances to those of half-irons:
0.9 mile/24 mile/6.2mile
1.2 mile/56 mile/13.1mile

The swim for a HIM is only .3 mile further, but the bike and run are whoppingly longer -- good for us non-fish!

Sorry to bore you with all that, if that is what has happened.....

Too funny!   For my Peterborough race last year, I had the bright idea of opening all my gels to have them prepared for easy access, in my bento box.   WHAT a disgusting mess.   I still have what looks like some kind of artwork down both sides of the box.  

We are thinking of Thursday the 10th (I think) and then we will probably go and do it again a couple of weeks before the race.   It's only a 2.5ish hr ride from here so we will go up and back the same day.  

I was hoping you could give me some feedback where I am lacking in my cycling skills with how I have been handling the hills and what I might do to get better - asked some questions in that post.    

Yes I am really grateful that cycling is my strongest (at least it was) and I love it so much.  Although I am extremely careful on the bike and a defensive 'driver', I seem to have no fear and didn't think twice about coming down that hill at 63.5, but later at home when I actually thought about it, it was a bit disconcerting to realize just what could happen at that speed.   Ken hit 65.8.    I don't like flats and mechanical issues either so we took a weekend course on bike maintenance and repair and actually built a bike from scratch out of the box and had to take it apart again.   Doing the same for our trip to Vancouver really helped us too.   I don't like other people touching my bike (trust issues) so wanted to learn to be responsible for, and understand how my bike works.   I do have one person I trust though - the owner of True North who builds custom frames and bikes.   He helps me out a lot. 

Anyway, a long answer to explain why giving up running for now doesn't really bother me.   I'm just getting tired of nursing various complaints and never really letting anything heal and spending tons of money on practitioners at the same time.  

I went for my 2nd OWS today in a local, spring fed lake (not really big - 400 meters x 200 meters).   Better than Thursday's swim that was pretty pathetic.   Today I managed about 40 minutes of continuous stuff and by the end my pace was 2.15/100 meters.   Which was OK with me, I guess, considering we had just come off a 3.15 hour challenging hike on the escarpment of the Bruce Trail.   Ken said my sighting was BAD and I was going to the right.  

I found it tiring though - it is so much different (harder) than the pool and I have no plans to pool swim again, any time soon! 

If you could set me straight on some things to do to improve my chances on the Muskoka course, that would be great.

STEVEB,

Forgot to mention  - we are not doing Woodstock, or even Milton now.   However, we are cycling to Woodstock tomorrow (52km one way from our house) and then doing a lake swim w/o wetsuits, and then riding back home.  

ANNE -

Was that the question about short and steep vs long and gradual climbs? Oops! Sorry!

I'll get back to you about that tomorrow, I hope!









Edited by stevebradley 2010-05-29 10:34 PM