left.right.repeat group -closed - Full of a bunch of winners...YEAH! (Page 18)

I was SO hoping for Yertle but Scarlett is a great choice and I love the contraction "Scar". There is actually a cycling group here in town that calls itself OSB - the Old Scarred Bastards.

Ironman in french would literally be "Homme de Fer" but I just looked at a race website in Quebec and guess what - they just use the english Ironman!

Flooding here in Fredericton is now at historic levels. Have a look at pictures on www.justfred.ca . I decided to ride my mountain bike to work rather than deal with the traffic chaos being experienced in town. My staff were teasing me today that I might have to do a triathlon to get home - bike to the water's edge, swim across the river and then run from the opposite bank to my house.

FBP

FBP - you know your porn dude....smile.  It is a Quintana Roo Seduza.  It is actually a raw carbon finish with black and red highlights.  Her name is incredibly important to me and  I am still working on it....she is one fast lady....smile.

Leston - I agree....Mav is our colorist and FBP is our name-ist (namist?).  All of these positions are soooooo important.  By the way, be careful with the name.  A bike will ride to it's name just like a boat (which is why I would never buy a boat named Titanic).  It is also why I would never name a bike "Lightning".

Leston - how was the ride?

Mav - you are right - she virtually pedals herself.  Tired at the extreme - OK, this gets kinda tricky but here goes - there are indications in your post of a bit of overtraining - tired, just couldn't go, etc.  That said you have to be careful that it is just not being mentally into it - the first step to the workout is hardest.  So what do you do?  Take a day off, or two....actually three won't hurt you really at all.  Here's a little science way to check if it is overtraining.  Take your resting heartrate every day before rising out of bed.  Move as little as possible before taking it.  It is a little crazy moistening the HRM strap laying in bed but you can do it - you are an athlete after all.  Then track your HR each day - an increase over your average of more than 10-12% indicates overtraining.  That said, there are some days you just need to bag the training and go eat ice cream instead of training...smile.

FBP - that bike group name is hilarious....and your commute necessity of a triathlon might just be one of the funnier things I have heard today.

See you at the finish line,

B

Pay attention here...this is a BIG one!

Because you are all so great, I have arranged for a very special guest to appear on our little forum from time to time (schedule permitting), and I would like to share this news with you tonight.  In the coming days you will see a new name on our group.

Late last year, while listening to a SimplyStu podcast, I had a chance to hear Coach Annie, the PRESIDENT of Train2Race, talk about her coaching business and the services they provide.  They do a specific, personalized plan for each of their athletes adjusting workouts to fit the individuals schedule.  Not only the plan, but Annie also provides a ton of educational articles to help us all learn more about nutrition, strength training, recovery (my specialty), and so on.  I hired Train2Race 12 weeks ago and our relationship began with a lengthy interview (probably longer because I talk a LOT) exploring my goals, dreams, current state of fitness, work schedule, training availability, etc.  I hired a coach because as I go longer, I want to be certain I am properly trained. When you hire a coach, you always wonder how it will work, what you will get, etc., I can tell you, I have definitely received value for the investment and Coach Annie is always there for an email or to kick my tail....she is a SLAVE DRIVER - smile - not really but this IS serious stuff....Coach Annie is a PROFESSIONAL.

All that leads to this, Coach Annie has agreed to join us a couple of times offering to answer any of your questions.  So here is the deal - start thinking of your questions, Coach Annie is going to post on the group with more information about her and then she will outline to best way to get your answers - it's probably going to be that she will be here at a specific time to answer what she can or something like that...she's the BOSS (see Coach, how nice I am....easy workouts next week right?  Come on....right?)

By the way, you can check out the website at www.Train2Race.com.

Juanita, Juanita, wherefore art thou Flipper? And hark, pray tell, ist Dan adrift or doth he merely lurk out yonder?

Bryan - really looking forward to "meeting" your coach. I used a coach to help me prepare for the NYC marathon and it was of great benefit  - someone to share info/progress with and someone to be accountable to. Fantastic that you've now committed to a HIM. That's my stretch goal for 2010. Sprints in 08, Olys in 09 and a HIM in 2010, the Lord willing.

Mav - stickers came from www.bikenames.com . Very slick order system and product quality seems great judging by the first pair I received. Can't wait to get my next two sticker sets that I ordered last weekend. BTW, can't express how impressed I am with your determination on the open water swim. Way to go !!

Leston - looking forward to a report on your big ride.

Just back from the pool where I did 1250m using the B-Man lap counting system . Two little pieces of plastic - one to count lengths and one to count groups of 10. I am thrilled with how the swim went because it establishes a new distance mark for me - previous record was 1000m.

Weekend plan is for a 30k bike ride tomorrow and then a 10-12k run on Sunday. Our Half Marathon is next weekend so this is a taper week.

Best of all though, we have a new BBQ !!!!! It was Mrs FBP's birthday yesterday and that's what she desperately wanted (our old one is dump-worthy at this point) so off to the hardware store we went and $500 later we have a lean mean grillin' machine on the back deck. She joked that I get a bike and she gets a BBQ ...

Have a great weekend y'all.

Oh and a question. Who amongst you know about Terry Fox? There's a reason for me asking but I won't reveal it until I hear back from EVERYONE in our group.

Awesome effort Leston !! You have to remind me where you live - for some reason I have Utah in mind but not sure that's right and if it is, where in Utah? I am shivering thinking about there still being snow and the cold temps that you faced on the climb.

You mentioned wishing you had a third ring at the front - I do but when I've used it I feel like such a wimp . I TOTALLY get it about the saddle. My butt has been so sore on recent rides but I haven't been on a bike in 6 months so I expect to get used to it in time.

BTW, you didn't answer my question in your post - do you know about Terry Fox ?

Cheers,

FBP

Annie - Train2Race - you are so cool.  I hope you get some great questions.

sTRIve - here is your chance...be ready with something better than "does Bryan whine when the workouts are tough?" - LOL

FBP - awesome swim dude....1250....keep moving those little plastic things along...it is amazing what you can do.  By the way, Debbie's birthday is Tuesday - if I got her a BBQ grill I would have a lot more time to train because there would be no family commitments...LOL.  Great workouts for the weekend.  I have a long brick tomorrow and then a fun run on Sunday.

Leston - I am going to call that an epic ride.  40 miles and 3000 feet of climbing is awesome.  No wonder the legs hurt...but I would have expected more quad discomfort than hammys....you might roll back to the bike shop and have them look at your fit again.  Also, I would be careful with that seat too far back, you are going to need those hammys on the run.  Going back and reading your post - you say your upper hammy - could that be your glute?  That would make some sense to me.  By the way, I got sunburned last weekend and you were getting snow....amazing country!

Saddle Soreness - if you don't ride for a few weeks your sit bones will make you pay.  Keep your sit bones happy - ride more.  You might also consider a different seat if the soreness continues or if you begin to get numb.

FBP - Leston -- don't hesitate in that small ring - no wimpness measured - keep the cadence high and don't try to push too big a gear....you will push those legs to wear out prior to the run.

Terry Fox - cancer patient and amputee - through his death has raised hundreds of millions of dollars to fight cancer....is this the Terry Fox you are referring to?  Are you going to run the run this year?

sTRIve little turtles sTRIve

In the now (in)famous words of one of your own ...

"Let me make one thing perfectly clear ..."

It was Mrs FBP who WANTED the BBQ. To understand fully, be aware that one year for xmas she ASKED for an electric drill and at the last two auctions we've attented she has purchased (1) a router; and (2) a PAIR of toolboxes. She also LOVES to fish. I love to cook so you might say we are a match made in heaven

Coach Annie - welcome to our circle. I hope to be able to attend your session on Tuesday but if I'm not on-line I have a good excuse. I am going to a presentation by a sports psychologist/coach, Dr. Peter Jensen, who works with many elite athletes in Canada. He is an alumnus of the university where I work and is doing some workshops to raise $$ for a new Athletics facility that is under construction. With the time change (I am +2 hours from you) I think I should be able to get home and join y'all. BTW, I have checked out your great website.

Glad Bryan and Annie that you know of Terry Fox. I do have a reason for asking but it may take some time until I can get my plan in place. I will write more about him in the next while though.

Mav - have you heard of Terry Fox?

Mav - awesome swim. All the little lessons one learns in preparing for race day.

I'm just back from my ride - 31km - and I then did a short 1k run just to feel how the legs were - not too bad at all. I would have gone further but still have a 12k run to do tomorrow.

sTRIving as always

FBP 

Mav - nothing new on race day - nothing new on race day - nothing new on race day....your vaseline comments were perfect and were an indication of why we do nothing new.  As far as your butt impression, there are so many things my fingers want to type and my mouth wants to say but my heart just won't let me...dangit....

OWS - no open water swimming alone - NEVER - EVER - any questions?

Annie - if you can't be here leave her some questions and she can answer in a post.

FBP - great ride and run....you will be tapering this week I am sure so enjoy the relaxing week.

I did 1:30 on the bike today about 25 miles and then a 30 minute run of about 3 miles....I think next weekend will be a long one for me.  I am awaiting the arrival of the training plan.

Go for it....I see finish lines

Hey mav - you must've sent me the "good run vibes" because I did my 10k after church today and it felt great. Psychologically it was great not to be thinking about having to do 15 or 18k which is what the last few weeks have all been. I felt very comfortable throughout and my pace was great - 1:01 for the 10k. My goal is to be 2:10 for the HalfM next weekend so this is a good omen!

OK, about Terry Fox ...

As Annie and B-man wrote, he was a young man who lost a leg to cancer and then set out to do something remarkable - to run across our country. He wanted every Canadian to donate $1 for his Marathon of Hope. He ran the equivalent of a marathon a day for over 200 days until the cancer was found to have spread and he had to abandon the run in Northern Ontario. He died unable to complete the run but every fall in communities across the country and now in 60 countries around the world there are "Marathons of Hope" usually 5k or 10k and usually the third Sunday in September. Close to three quarters of a BILLION dollars has now been raised for cancer research. Terry has been voted one of the 2 greatest Canadians of all time - the other being Dr. Frederick Banting, co-discoverer of insulin.

Have a look at the following youtube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF8k8hpyp_A

So, now you know a little about Terry Fox. You'll have to wait for the rest of my plan to come to fruition.  

FBP 

Mav - you rock girl....keep up the good work

FBP - I think sTRIve should Terry Fox Run as a group if we have a Marathon of Hope in our town....we could all run "together"

Hopefully flipper will return.....I kinda feel like the little boy on the tv show tapping the side of the dock calling flipper home.....

Here are a couple of questions in anticipation of tomorrow evening's session with Coach Annie:

1. When I am pedalling, should the sole of my shoe be parallel to the ground throughout the full rotation of the crank or should it vary (ie. heel up vs. toe up) at different points in the roatation?
2. How do you learn to "feel" whether you are pulling up as well as pushing down on the pedals?
3. The event that I find to be the hardest is definitely the swim. I'd be interested in any "tips" in this discipline, ie. things that I should be thinking about, concentrating on, trying to do, etc. when I am at the pool. For example, I remember as a kid when they taught us side stroke it was "pick an apple, put in in the basket" as the visual for the stroke motion. Annything similar for how to most efficiently do the crawl - arm/hand position, when to start the head rotation, how far back to pull before starting forward again, kicking technique, etc. ?
4. Is it reasonable to think that I can do  a second sprint tri about 3 weeks after my first?
5. Is my plan to do sprint tri's this summer/fall, oly tri's next summer/fall and a HIM in the summer/fall of 2010 reasonable?