MightyMojoMentorGroup -- (Full House!) (Page 191)

ANNE and JOHANNE -

These green drinks would romp through my system like Grant went through Richmond, I fear.    But, I have a fairly puny digestive tract, one that is neither bionic nor trustable.   That said, i can see the nutritional benefits of what you are doing, and if your G-I system can handle it, all the more power to you!

JEFF -

Mountain Bike Polo, eh?  Sounds fun, sounds like I wish I had thought of it when I was a kid with no qualms about doing anything physical, even if the threat of bodily harm was imminent.   Heck, i just wish there had been mountain bikes back then.  As it was, i did horrible things to my various Schwinn 3-speeds (and to myself in the process), but a MTB would've expanded that world so wonderously!

I read a description of real polo once, our sport didn't quite match, our mounts not withstanding. It was more of a Football/Rugby/Croquet hybrid.

Yep, that's the one. There will be some people I know going up there too. Perhaps that is the best choice for the initial race.

JEFF -

I was thinking of Irish Hurling -- a brutal game that involves lots of clubbing of opponents' heads.  (Actually, I saw a match about a year ago, and it was far tamer than when I first saw it back in '69 or '70.)

And please tell me that you have left those MTB polo deep in your past!!!

DOUG -

I truly think that you will get a more "honest" gauging of your h-m potential from Monumental, although you might have to do a fair bit of scurrying around people in the early going if the crowds are huge.  You'll end up using "chip time" as opposed to "gun time",  but even with that it might be a slower-than-planned-for first mile.  But that's not necessarily a bad thing, as it is generally wiser to try to make up for a slow(er) beginning later on, than to hope to withstand a too-fast beginning when the effects are felt along about miles 10-13.  (Been there!  Done that!  It hurts!)

Do you know aht the participant size usually is, and if both races start together?  (Wait, i'll go check that myself.)

DOUG again -

As I see it, both marathon and half-marathon start at 8.  Last year saw 7206 finishers in both races combined ---- so the start should be quite congested.  (Are you a patient man??)

And here is an example of a double-edged sword:  the spot just past mile 7 where the two races split.  For the half-marathoners, they are over halfway AND ON THE WAY HOME.  For the marathoners, they are about just a bit over 1/4 of the way in their day....and they can see the h-m folks heading back to the finish.  Kind of cruel, I think!

Really nice-looking race, though, and with some very fast times.  I'll have to compare those with some local ones around here.

DOUG once more -

The best runners in the Ottawa area did the course I managed a 1:37 at, in around 1:20, whereas the top times from Monumental last year were 1:05 and 1:06, and there were a whole lot of times under 1:15.  REAL fast course, it seems, and I'm sure it is aided and abetted by ample aid stations -- maybe every mile?  (I'll check that too; i could be doing this all night, various race-fantasizing!)

Sidenote:  Back around '00 and '01, when I was starting triathlons, there weren't a million like there are now.  But one of the tried-and-true group of races were put on by Tuxedo brothers -- who I see are scoring Monumental and about 100 other races each year.  good to see them still in the biz; do you know if they still run their own races?  When I did Muncie half-iron in '03 I thought about kicking around the area and doing a Tuxbro tri the following weekend, but Muncie took its toll on me and I just skedaddled back home (a 12-hour "skedaddle" doesn't really count as a skedaddle, but the intention was to skedaddle!).

Wow!  Took a fair bit of reading to catch up tonight.  Everyone seems to be continuing to do impressively well and it was nice to see Thomas and Doug are back again.

I finally got a good run this morning.  I had planned to run :05 and walk :01 to see how it would feel.  I started with :05 walk to warm up then carried on as I had planned.  The running felt hard for the 1st couple intervals but then it seemed to ease up and I started to feel like I could run faster (definitely a first for me) so I did push myself a bit.

In the end I ran about 6% faster than usual and I felt like I could've continued running longer so I'm thinking I'll try adding some time on Thursday and Saturday to see what I can do.  also on Saturday I'll be running with two of the fellows I've been swimming with.  I usually run alone so it will be interesting to see what difference, if any, that it will make.

I'm looking for slow steady improvement so I won't push too hard.

Steve,

I've never done a Tuxedo Brothers race but they are still active. They seem to do a lot of business from Indianapolis north.

STEVE,

Not alot of swim/bike/run going on but lot's of cross training and planning for next year's season -trying out a ton of new stuff at the club.   You might not approve.      One of them was an Anti-Gravity Yoga - CRAZY class. Thought this was a restorative class but was total strength - cirque de soleil stuff - total body lifts, front and back somersaults, full body inversions, other 'fancy' stuff - scary, fun and a tough workout - thought I would be doing a strength session after it, but had nothing left to give.   

A 'Physique' class yesterday - more strength - based on the training ballet dancers do - ballet bars, weights, mats, balls, - fast paced and HARD.   Between the two classes, pretty much every muscle is saying something.  

Did 3.5 hrs of 3 different yoga classes on Monday.    It has taken me the whole month to get that left hip/glute, lower back area back to feeling somewhat normal.   Not quite there yet.   Feels great after the yoga classes, but get me on the bike for a couple of hours, run or strength training and it comes back.   Always AFTER the activity - not during - which, I guess, is a good sign?  

Next summer is starting to take shape.   We are already excited about it and have totally packed the 12 weeks already.   Have found several tri's that will work but recently came upon another site that has even more - got these ones from a site that rents tri bikes, TT bikes, etc.   Thinking of doing that for the London race.   This is our tentative plan so far - plus a couple of tri's here at home in June.   

Half Marathon, Ottawa (May)

Bournemouth Triathlon, July 8th

Boundary Breeze Tri, Cheshire, July 15th

Fort George Tri, Inverness, Scotland, August 4th

Walk Coast to Coast - St. Bees (Irish Sea) to Robin Hood's Bay (North Sea) 300km, 15 days (August)

Bicycle Snowdonia or Cumbria, 4-5 days; (August)

Newbiggen Tri, Northumberland, Sept 1st

WORLD'S,  London, Sept. 14th (Registered)

We've watched all A. Wainwright's Coast to Coast DVD's and read his book - probably more excited about this than the tri's.   Now we are thinking about cycling back from the North Sea to the Irish Sea on a "sea to sea" bike route, after the walk. 

Going to post this now.   Going to bike along the river for a couple of hours.   Talk to you later. 

Hope the body is still feeling good after your weekend.   

GEORGE -

Nice run plan/effort/result, and based on how it went I would say (a) you can safely add time tomorrow and Saturday and (b) you will really enjoy having those others guys to run with and pace against.  I'll be very interested to hear how that run goes (and tomorrow's as well).

How's your water out there?  The Rideau is rapidly cooling, and with today's high air temp of only 14C..........it'll be nippy.  Once the water gets to around 65F, it is pretty imperative that the air temp is at least a few degrees warmer just so my cold&wet hands aren't slicing through colder air each and every stroke cycle.  Sadly, i'm getting close to that time of year!

Soon, the kayak/canoe buoys will be taken up by the Rideauu Canoe Club, and as that will coincide with the kind of conditions I just described.......I will get defeated by the prospect of OWS.  I will do a couple of lackluster "directionless" ones in a bay, feeling cold and all alone out there, and after that I'll just retire from OWS for the year.  That time is rapidly approaching, although having said that, I usually make it to about Oct 12, say.  Sigh.

DOUG -

I couple days ago I mentioned a guy at Mainiac who was a terrific runner, 42 and a Clydesdale, and pondering how much the matter of weight really plays into running skill --- and if it does, then how much it can be "overcome" with years of training and experience.  I have no idea what that guy's (Jamie Loggins) background is, but I just know he's big -- and GOOD!

I went back into the results, and not only did he place first in the Clydes, but if he had just gone into the regular age group system, he would've been 3rd of 40-44.  As you know, that's usually a killer age group, so his skill set in way-high.  Mercy!

He's also pretty outrageous, and to get an idea of his size and his "style" (i.e., that would be his tri suit), you might want to go back to www.capstonephoto.com), go to Mainiac, and then search for bib 126 (or last name Loggins).  Or, perhaps, you have something (anything??) more important than a voyeuristic internet search..........but if you're intersted about how the big guys can look and perform as runners, then it might be worth the time.

Gotta do a Tuxbro race some day and tell me all about it!

ANNE -

I approve of all those activities you are doing -- just as long as the Yoga and Physique rooms aren't festooned with rocks and roots!  But seriously, those two new activities (and the trhee different Yoga styles) sound just about perfect for the alunching of an off-season.  And probably even better if you can carry them through the entire winter.  I mean, if they are hitting just about every muscle in your body, it doesn't get much better than that!

As for the hip/glute/back problem, why yes -- I guess it's better that it surfaces post-workout rather than during.  There are four possible scenarios for problems, and from best to worst: (1) no prob during or after; (2) prob after but not during; (3) prob during but not after; (4) prob during AND after.  The diff between #2 and #3 is that #2 allows the workout, and as long as the porb is samll and goea awy in reasonable time --- no harm done.  Whereas, for #3, the workout doesn't get done -- which is the case for me with my bike "training".  It might be that I am now past the point of knee issues, but even on my last training ride, 14 days ago, there was "stuff' happening.  But at my last four races - Sept 1, 8, 15, and 16 - I have been symptom-free, and the only thing I can think of is that I do a race and don't think at all about how my feet and angled.

But I digress (this is about you, not me)!!  When you say your problem comes back after bike or run or strength, how long does it return for?  and you also talk about when you're on the bike for a couple of hours....but how about whn you ride for just an hour?

Finally, i don't know what to say about your itinerary for nex year.  I guess I could start with "spectacular", or "jaw-dropping", but those just scratch the surface.  I will continue to look at that post, which I will print off in a while, and dig out a GB map and start to piece it together -- just for my own vicarious thrills!  My only bit of advice is to contact each of those races and ask if and when they fill up.  I am sure i have read in the GB tri mags that people too often get shut-out of races (no different than many in North America, then), so it's probably worth covering your bases in that respect.

Finally-finally, even though I carp and moan about trail-running, i survived both my race-runs this past that both had trailish componenets to them.  Neither featured roots and ominously large rocks, but the first had many uneven stretches and dirt rods with loads of rocks, while the second, had two sharp downhills that were rutted and very rocky.  I enjoyed them not one single iota......but at least survived.  Whew!!!!!

Anne is planning 2013 already! Or has Canada already slipped into the depths of winter?

I have thought about next year but not knowing what my life will look like at this point it is hard to settle on a clear picture. I am still leaning seriously to specializing in sprints and some more cycling events. I have pretty much decided, for reasons even I don't under stand, that I want to go to Gettysburg and do the Gettysburg 5k. (no explanation) There is an annual state TT in September each year I have some interest in, it includes a 6, 12, and 24 hour race as well as the normal 20k/40k varieties. The Mother Road Marathon in October looks cool too-Joplin Mo into Ks then down into Oklahoma with a shuttle back to the start along a portion of the old rt 66.

But back to the present: I was up early to join a local guy who moved here recently and is unfamiliar with the local roads for a 25 mile ride. http://app.strava.com/rides/22378032

He is a strong rider so I probably worked harder than I should have but it was a confidence builder heading into OKC. Perhaps a 14-15 hour finish is in reach, or that will be me stumbling up to the line at 16:59:59

Wow, that guy is bigger than I am I think. He looks like a force of nature in that suit. Maybe if I shaved my head I would be as fast as he is.

ANNE had me thinking about next year's schedule a little bit, but an e-mail I got today from the Pittsburgh Triathlon offering a discount for registration may be pushing the timing of making some decisions. I had a lot of fun this year repeating a race I had done the prior year; seeing the indisputable year-over-year improvement on the same course was very satisfying. I also enjoyed adding a new challenge - stepping up to Olympic distance at Pittsburgh - as well as trying some new race venues. There was, however, a lull in my racing this year. (I blew a bunch of my racing cash and familial goodwill on going away to triathlon camp in June).

So what to do for 2013??! What will be the repeats? What will be the new challenge? What will be the new events? Here's a quick overview of the races I've done so far, my thoughts on repeating them, and some new potentials. I'm still not feeling the urge to travel beyond a couple hour car ride to race, but a destination racecation with the family isn't out of the question given the right location.

HAVE DONE:

CFH Indoor Triathlon (February super sprint) - This one irks me that I didn't win it this year due only to my flawed strategy on the spin bikes. Need revenge. Not much else going on in February. Likely repeat.

Pittsburgh Half Marathon (May)- not sure I want to run outside all winter again to get ready for this. I did meet some great people through the training group. Maybe shoot for a better time. Mild winter helps. On the fence.

Memorial Day Triathlon (May sprint) - this was a small, pretty poorly-run local race with a tough hilly course. Pool swim. One contestant was hit by a car. It was designated one of two kick-off races for our Club (Boardman is the other), so there were lots of familiar faces. Not sure I'd do it again though there's not a lot going on in May, particularly if I don't do the HM.

Search for Monongy (July 1.2 or 2.4 mile river swim) - great warmup for Pittsburgh tri. Likely do.

Pittsburgh Triathlon (July 27 sprint & July 28 Olympic) - my 1st race & my 1st Olympic. Event keeps getting better, particularly being split over two days. Would love the opportunity to improve on either my sprint or Olympic time. I also enjoyed volunteering at the sprint, but my legs were beat for the race after standing for hours. I've thought about racing Saturday (sprint) and volunteering Sunday (Olympic). I don't think you lose much by doing the sprint since the courses are nearly identical (two bike loops vs one). Must do, but which one?

North Park Triathlon (early August sprint) - my only repeat race so far. Well run local race on hard course with pool swim. Likely do again. Was 2 weeks after Pittsburgh this year, so plenty of rest.

Cranberry Township Aquathlon (August sprint) - my only duathlon so far. Came in 3rd. Small, disorganized race. Pool swim. Run hurt like hell but run was a 5 K PR. On the fence.

POSSIBLES - NEW TO ME:

Boardman Sprint Tri (May sprint), Mountaineer (Morgantown) Triathlon (Jun sprint, Olympic, & HIM), Jackie Kallal Triathlon (June sprint), PTARC Triathlon (June sprint), The Dam Tri (late June sprint & olympic) Davis Family YMCA Triathlon in Youngstown (July sprint), Presque Isle Triathlon (August sprint), Connellsville Triathlon (August sprint).

Rock & Roll HM - this event is new to Pittsburgh next year. Not sure about the wisdom of a HM in August, but, it was cheap, and I signed up. Should be a fun spectacle, and I'm sure a bunch of my HM training partners will do it.

Rev3 Cedar Point (August HIM) or Savageman (September HIM) - could a HIM be the big goal for next year? Not sure I want to dedicate that much time to training. By all accounts Cedar Point is a fantastic race, and it's flat. Great place to go with the family. 3.5 hours away. Savageman is the macho choice. Arguably the hardest HIM course. Would require stepped up bike training. Only 2 hours away. Also could be a nice family destination.

OR who knows? I have family in SoCA, NoCA, LA, ME, NJ, FL, AZ, so . . . Would be fun to do a race with an ocean swim!

ANNE - 

Saw your post about mountain biking. It's loads of fun and great cross training - definitely a step up in terms of effort from road biking. 

With that said, and I think STEVE has voiced his concerns, chances are you will crash at some point. Now, this doesn't have to be a big deal - mtb crashes on trails other than ones next to cliffs (Grand Canyon) are typically not life threatening or even severe, but you stand a chance of sustaining an injury that could stick around for a while. I've seen everyone that I ride mountain bikes with crash at least once. I flew over my handlebars and really whacked my shin once. One of the ladies on our Grand Canyon trip had to have stitches from crashing on a steep incline.

I've pretty much decided that I'm going to stick with the beginner and intermediate trails - I don't like the super technical stuff and I still get a fantastic cardio workout playing it conservatively. Also, and best of all, it gets me out of my head a lot more than road biking and even running for that matter....you have to concentrate at all times.

While we're on the subject: I think that our riding group is going to have a Halloween party on the mtb trails this year. Our favorite trails are in a pretty densely wooded area and there's a bootlegger's old homestead along the trail - just the footings and fireplace of the house are left but it's a perfect place to roast wieners and s'mores, and tell ghost stories. I'll probably be more scared of trail riding in the dark than I will be of ghosts, but we'll see 

ANNE again -

Your schedule for next year is the stuff dreams are made of. It all sounds so incredibly cool - I bet you guys are super excited!! Looking forward to hearing all about your races/rides. 

JEFF -

That makes for a pretty diverse core for a '13 schedule!  is the Gettysburg 5km the one named "Spirit Of Gettysburg", around about June 23?  And the Mother Road Marathon sounds very cool, and one I have never heard of.  Speaking of "spirit", may the spirit of John Steinbeck run at you side, if you do it!

Anyhow.........

Where are you now???  In OKC?  Approaching OKC?  Still at home and ready for an early morning toddle up to OKC?  I am doing a race Saturday instead of Sunday, partly in the hopes of being able to track your progress --- if tracking is available.  TRINA will be done by the time I get home, late afternoon, but I'm figuring that you'll be into the early stages of your run.  We'll see!!

Finally, your ride from the other day was probably perfectly-timed:  a decent-paced 25er severasl days out from the iron.  Nicely played, nicely executed!

Finally-finally, if you're incommunicado from now until post-race, just so you know -- I'll be thinking of you frequently on Saturday.  You deserve to have a good day out there, and just try to stay within yourself as much as possible.  And breathe!

DOUG -

Force of nature wearing anything, I suspect!  I will try to figure out a way to relate the start of the first run and what he did that was hilarious....but it might be one of those things where "you had to be there".  It was one of my race-related highlights, and I'll try to do justice to it!

And from one teacher to another, he was probably the kind of kid that you'd love to have in class, although he would be a constant attention-getter.  Possibly has the attention span of a fruit fly, but ultimately is good-intentioned, heart of gold, all those things.  Ever had one like that??

DAVE -

My votes would be for Mountaineer and Cedar Point.  The former has been around for about 7 or 8 years now, and has never been treated well in terms of drooling wannabe participants.  But the ones who have done any of the distances have reved about it, and HFP has a fine rep for doing fine races.  And the Mtneer, they have never been afraid to tinker with the courses in an attempt to keep making it better and better.

As for Cedar Point, the family-thrills aspect is the big selling point.  If your kids like thrills, the park will give it to 'em.  But if they like mountain-type scenery, then that would tip it towards Savageman.  this is maybe the fourth year of C.P., and at least for the first year they were offering ridiculous discounts for families wanting to do a day in the park, while mom or dad labored through the IM or HIM.  Is that deal still in place?

As for the others, I will have to check them up -- part of my craving to live vicariously through other people's races!

And finally, for those repeats, you must KNOW that I wouldn't ever want to do a pool-swim one.......so each time you do one of those I get less vicarious fulfillment.  ("Awwww!")

DAVE again -

And you also know how I feel about ocean swims, so the sooner you do one of thsoe, the better it is for me!

See further down for my next stab at an ocean swim, having been big-waved out of the one two weeks ago in Maine.  Actually, Saturday's is less pure ocean and more just about saltwater, as it takes place in long island Sound.  Sort of "sloppy seconds" compared to just being out there in the Atlantic, with a clean run over to Europe, but I have to take what's available to me, wheneve, huh?

TRINA -

Okay Redman "homey-girl" --- where is your anticipatory level at right now?????

You psyched.......and to what degree?   DETAILS, PLEASE!!!!!

GANG!

Having followed woefully behind with race reports (still ow for Mainiac, Cortland, and Buckman) doesn't deter me from assembling the makings of another, to wit:

Saturday, Sept 22 --- ITPman (0.5 - 15miles - 5miles), out of Darien, CT.  The swim will be in Long Island Sound (yay!!), the bike is hilly (yay!!), and the run will be a nice switch-up (yay!!) from my staple of 5km race-runs this season.

I had really wanted to do an oly, but the only one was a HITS one at Hunter Mountain, NY.  That's only about 4.5 hours away from me, as opposed to the 6.5 of ITPman, but i couldn't get past the fact of the entry fee being jacked (effective last Saturday) from $150 to $225.  But I weighed it back and forth until about 2 p.m. today, and made my decision in favor of ITPman.  I feel good about it, and am looking forward to it!

My oly choices, howefver, are limited to two:  Montauk (tip of Long Island) next weekend, which is expensive fee and expensive lodgings, a bit over 10 hours away, and Giant Acorn (oct 6) in VA, which is an inexpensive race --- but 12 hours away.  A third option is the Bugeye Classic, in Cambridge MD, also next weekend.  The problem there is that while the bike and run are oly-length, the swim is 1.2 miles --- easier to manage with a half-iron and full iron also happening that same day.

Blah, blah, blah -- the ramblings of an indecisive crazy guy!!

Anyhow, i'll be gone from tomorrow morning until Saturday evening; hopefully more like late afternoon, but who knows how the border will be?