swbkrun Mentor Group- CLOSED FOR BUSINESS!!! (Page 200)

Speaking of the tat... that's been an ongoing debate around here. I have none, and kinda like being at my age without one. My running partner girlfriend (college best friend) is all but demanding I get one -- threatened to get me drunk and drive me to the parlor. I told her I would maybe consider it when SHE does an IM with me.

Linda has an m-dot necklace and calls that her tat. That's probably more my style -- removable! Then I'm not a hypocrite when my kid want tats and I try to say no.

But anyway, for most people it's about a challenge and a hurdle and proving something, and that's awesome. For me, it was being a young swimmer and seeing the IM on TV and thinking it didn't look that hard and wanting to do it one day. I never thought it would be that hard until I got into tris 3 years ago. And the more I rode my bike the more I realized, "Um, yeah... it's kind-of a big deal. It will be hard." But "hard" doesn't stop me.

Some girlfriends and I (two in particular, who have done HIMs but not a full -- and both are excellent triathletes) have talked about this on rides.... that they sometimes feel that you can't really be a true triathlete without the IM, and that is just so NOT TRUE!! Like Kim said, a sprint is just as much of an accomplishment.

We all have our own goals, hurdles, and demons. Whether it's for health, to prove something to ourselves or others, to conquer a distance, to conquer a time, or to just say, "I did that," -- those are all valid and respectable reasons. Everyone should be proud of every step they take, every inch they pedal, and every stroke they swim. Because just by doing that you are already brave enough to do something many never will. But most importantly, you are making a choice about your health -- which, really, is the most important thing you will ever have. Because without that you might not be able to enjoy your families and your adventures and everything your life has to offer. 

So keep on keepin' on, folks. You are all so totally awesome!!!!!!!!!!! 

No race for me!! And this year for the 4th, we are going camping!! We leave Friday and have a huge group site around Gig Harbor and are going with about 7 other families & kids & dogs. It's gonna be great. We'll catch some fireworks on Saturday night. So yeah, pretty much lazing around for me. Drinkin', eatin', and not worryin' about Monday's long workout.

June's totals:
Bike:	33h 18m 02s  - 524.43 Mi
Run:	16h 31m 39s  - 97.26 Mi
Swim:	8h 48m 45s  - 31564 Yd

I will HATE seeing those numbers drop off dramatically. Honestly, I've thrived on watching those totals go up and the charts get longer... Run miles should start increasing, but bike will likely drop off. Swim? We'll see. I love the pool. I don't love 5:15am. Time will tell which love is stronger... 

X2.... DANG!

Hi Guys....well I am back from my big training day and it was rough.  What should have been a 56m bike turned in almost 70miles...we were on busy roads a lot so stopped and started a million times for traffic, got rerouted due to the Obama visit, hit construction and then got totally lost trying to avoid it...on top of it all my PT failed AGAIN!  Swim was really choppy, but not unexpected for Lake Michigan.  Run was tough after being on the bike way too long...I hope it had some benefit because I am really disappointed I couldn't/didn't execute my bike plan. ...guess it will happen race day.

June's totals:
Bike:	27h 12m 33s  - 483.14 Mi
Run:	10h 54m 40s  - 73.51 Mi
Swim:	16h 04m 31s  - 40561 Yd

Rob--Very sorry about your job situation.  I hope you find something you like soon.

you know that look your mom used to give you when she knew you were full of it but you didn't know you were full of it and then when it, whatever that it was, happened you for some reason remember her giving you the look and you realized you were full of it.

well, i'm giving you the look right now. 

No racing for me.  However, I am going to go swim and ride the Ironman Racine 70.3 course with the Tri Wisconsin and the Donkey's and hope we have a better day than Suzy did today.  I am not doing the race this year, but I love riding the race courses and this is a great group to ride and swim with.  First swim this year in Lake Michigan which is always much colder than it seems it should be, but is good practice.

4th of July, well, we live 5 house away from the main parade route in our little suburb of Milwaukee, so every year we do a camping style breakfast for about 40+ on the driveway with bacon, pancakes cooked in that bacon grease, homemade coffee cake (my weakness), fruit, etc.  Oh, and Spicy Bloody Mary's with a meal inside and a beer chaser (Miller of course!)....or a mamosa if you would prefer.  Then I usually end up sleeping all afternoon after the parade.....Hmmmmm, wonder why?  Just thankful that Monday is an off training day! 

Have a safe training and racing weekend.  Remember the troops that aren't home to celebrate, they are the reason we get to!

Dino

Edited by badgerintx 2010-06-30 9:42 PM

Here are my monthly numbers:

June's totals:
Bike:	15h 48m 37s  - 302.66 Mi
Run:	12h 11m 34s  - 78.2 Mi
Swim:	7h 24m 23s  - 19150 Yd
Strength:	1h 55m

Tell your kids they can have a tat when they complete an Ironman and only then!
Actually I am tat free as well. I never wanted to get one becuase I never really felt strongly enough about something to ink it on me.

My June totals:

June's totals:
Bike:	19h 10m 28s  - 281.02 Mi
Run:	12h 56m 02s  - 72.11 Mi
Swim:	7h 29m 44s  - 16332.8 M
Strength:	2h 20m

It's funny but this month I feel like I trained a lot more and harder than the totals show.  Maybe I was dreaming half of it!

Hey DJ

I did a HIM my second year of triathlons.  I think Tony said it well, if you have the time to put in 10-15 hours per week of training plus all the prep time--drive to and from run/bike route, stretch, prepare nutrition, etc.  there isn't a reason you couldn't do one.  I had the benefit of a strong running background so that helped me quite a bit.  Allowed me to focus on my weak links, swimming and biking.

Personally, I wouldn't sign up for an IM until I had at least one season of Olys/HIMs under my belt, but I am probably more conservative.  I wanted to give my body time to adjust to the high level of training and mentally I needed to know i could do the HIM distance multiple times with reasonable results before stepping up.  Everyone is different, I had two friends that did an IM as their first ever triathlon--crazy to me, but they both finished.  In terms of hours, I think they vary greatly depending on which plan you decide to follow or which coach you decide to use....realize there are lots and lots of full days of training...followed by more workouts on tired legs....I like it, but I have more free time that most.

Let us know whaty you decide!

I will be practicing the bike course for my next tri over the weekend with lots of running and swimming since the weather is great now.  My girls and I will run a July 4th 5K too.  I met Amby Burfoot this week at a small coffee shop in nearby Shepardstown, WV.  He won the Boston Marathon in 1968 and is the Editor for Runners World Magazine.  He gave an interesting talk about marathoning back then and now.  It is amazing that they did not die back then without hydration and fuel.

Linda

Is your bike still causing you issues?  If so we need to figure out a time and place to meet so I can fix it for you (before Hagerstown)

Yeah I thought about posting something about our MG on that thread.  Pretty amazing we all talk here e-mail, meet at races, etc.  LOL, my son asked us when we were driving to the DC Tri expo to meet William if he was nice and we said um, he seems nice on the internet...  oh and telling people we were meeting all out internet tri friends at Lonestar.

No racing for me this weekend.
Kids got out of school yesterday, so we are headed to meet up with my parents today.
Looking forward to relaxing and good 'ole family time (hope to get some runs in too).

Hope all racers have an awesome time out there this weekend...everyone else happy 4th and happy training.

Ironwomen, hope you are recovering well

Oh, my race report is done from last weekend...I just don't know how to link it.    

DP but wait for it

Edited by TrevorC 2010-07-01 9:52 AM

Couldn't agree more. This site, but more importantly this group has been invaluable to my development in this sport.
I would probably never have gotten the opportunity to eat a massive baked potato with BBQ beef, sour cream, and cheese unless i was in this group.

seriously?

no one?

fine

5000 th post in this this MG!!!
give it to me!!