MightyMojoMentorGroup -- (Full House!) (Page 204)

JOHANNE -

Most excellent on toughing-out that ride.  Now all you have to do is hope for similar conditions at IMAZ, just to jutify your commitment to the ride -- and to yourself.  I'd say chances are small of rainycoldwindy on race day, but if you want, i can work on generating some weather-mojo right along those lines.  Let me know --- just one of thsoe services I provide as a Full Service Mentor!

Are you SURE that's the last century ride?  It seems like you've said that a few times!

I was divorced 2 years, my kids were 4 and 6, The Cowboys were winning Superbowls until that year, I was one year into my mental health/substance abuse career working for $7/hr.  I think I started racing in '93 with one day Cat 5 licenses and my first "Ironbutt Texas" 24 hour race.

JOHANNE again -

We are still trying to craft a trip to CA in December, but it is all still elusive.  Due to our ancient dog getting sad and insecure when she's in a kennel too long, we are looking to "stagger" our trip, meaning one of us will go out a few days earier than the other, and the other will return a few days later.  But how and to whom the early and later stuff will work -- who knows?!?  We are also no longer looking at a renatl place, because that only works if Luna dies or I have what it takes to do the drive out there and back.

ANYHOW, i'd still love to get together with you and Dave for a meal or something, and about all I can tell you is that Lynn's conference is in Scott Valley from the 13-16, i think.  She will fly into SJ and then take a shuttle bus to SV, and then from there a cab up the mountain to whatever facility is being used.  That is Plan #27, subject to change ---- and where and when i enter the scene is anyone's guess.  ACK!!!!!

There is also Plan #73, which has her bagging the conference and the two of us just hunkering down here...but i think we want to make this work.  Somehow!

JEFF -

Were those Aikman days?  (Certainly not Staubach or Meredith -- or even Danny White!)

Is Ironbutt still alive?  (The race, not you, that is!)

JOE -

"Just chew and swallow", you say?  Oh, my!

That's a keeper, though -- "water based pretzel cereal with Bloks mixture"

Great cadence for the ride, and youer choice of rings and cassettes sounds perfect for you.  Nicely played!

Also nicely done -- REALY nicely done -- was your seemingly seamless increase in training miles.  You mention nothing about injuires, so I'm assuming you did all of this with impunity -- which bodes well for plans for B2B full.  That is exciting, especially since you now know the general course really well.  Way to pay those days on the same-mostly course!

Have you recoverd well this week, as in no residual aches and tweaks?

Yes, Aikman, Novacek, Michael Irvin Leon lett and the rest. That was the Barry Switzer era. Strangly enough he is some sort of hero in Oklahoma, still doing commercials and his face is on billboards there.

Ironbutt and Tibutt (12 hr) is gone, absorbed by the Texas State Time Trials includes  pretty much everything from a 40k TT to a 24 hour and 500 miler in late September.

http://www.tt24tt.com/

Snaaijer - 2012-10-25 6:10 PM 1994 I was eight! 

So was my current wife

There was freak weather a couple of years ago so I say this year will be perfect

That was totally the last century ride. I planned 4 and I did 4. Finished! I landed up doing 2-100's, a 103 and a 112. A few more workouts then a 20 mile run Sunday and Taper City

Hope your trip still works out. We have a big old dog that will be 13 next month. He's pretty lumpy but still happy. If one of our kids aren't around to take care of him when we travel, my parents will take him and he does well there. 

We'd love to get together. We're around most of December so if you two come out, we will make it work. I cycle over in Scotts Valley with my Wednesday girls. There are some great climbs there. Good running trails too in case you pack your running shoes

Keep me posted!

Johanne

JOHANNE -

I am so impressed at those four big rides.........and wonder how many came in somewhere between 50 and 90, say.  You've very much done the bike work for IMAZ, and even as I say that I'll quickly add that you've also done the swima nd run work. 

But I focus on the bike becasue that was the hardest part for me, just getting ouit there and doing those loooong rides for my irons --- an dthat was back in the days I didn't have a cell phone and my rides were in the middle of nowhere, so i was just nervous about some "mechanical" or something.  The best I did for both irons was two 100-plus for each.......and not many from 70-99!

We just found out that the conference closed out registration before she got in, so we now have to re-evaluate.  i think we're both in shock, as we'd ditherrd about it for so long and for so many hours.  Neither of us is real decisive (I'm horrific at it), so decisions happen as leisurely as the drifting of the continents, and sometimes we just miss the boat.  Sigh. 

We will now slog out of the Slough of Despond and see what we can work out that doesn't involve that particular conference.  (Bright light -- it was very, very difficult to fit in our other travel hopes around the conference, so in a way it might be good that we were put out of our misery.  maybe??)

Steve,

I was lucky this year with no lower leg issues.  I think it finally clicked that running in temp over 80 is not for me so I shifted all my runs to early am, I also shifted to using compression guards on all runs over 6 miles, stretched a bit more, and limited speed (that is a very relative word btw ) workouts to only 1 per week and did not start those until the later part of the season.  Overall I think that helped.  The only unusual pain I have is in the area of my lower hamstring (Biceps Femoris) or possibly my LCL.  This is strange since it did not bother me at all in practice nor during the race.  I took Ibuprofen the day of and after the race and I did not notice anything.  But as soon as I stopped I noticed it.  It is located on the back side of my knee on the outside right were the knee is hinged. It almost feels like a single point.  The only thing I can attribute this to is a conscience effort to run more upright since I tend to hunch over around mile 8 or when I start to get tired.  Back on the Ibuprofen and will start with the ice. 

Anyway I am convincing myself the B2B IM is the race for me.  It is close with a fast swim, and pretty much a flat course which is all I have to train on around here.  Oh plus at a $390 entry fee you cannot beat it.

Joe

Trina,

Another option in addition to White Lake which Steve mentioned is a 50 or 100 miler in (lil) Washington, NC in Mid May for a modest $75 or $150 entry fee.  White Lake's swim is in a clear shallow lake that is usually wet suit legal by a couple of degrees.  It is not unusual for the course temp to be in the 85 range.  The bike route is on country roads that has a few rough patches so make sure your water cages are tight. The run is an out and back around the lake with great support from the local hotels and residents and is flat like the rest of the course. This is a popular race but do not stay in the local hotels.

Lil Washington I have not raced other than an Oly in July.  The swim is in a river and the course temp should be cooler in the mid 70s since it is located closer to the course.  Generally that is a flat section of the country also and the OLY had a nice run course along the river.  Generally these races are smaller and the 50 I will most likely pencil in my 2013 calender.

If you decide to run either race let me know and I will get you as much local  information as you need.

JK

We had our second club time trial this morning. It was 37f at the start. I had managed a bit of a warm up but lost it waiting my turn to go. I was last to start being the fastest finisher from last month to show up this month. My toes and fingers hurt even though I had some runners gloves and two pair of socks, 2 long sleeve compression tops, my tri suit, tights and a cycling jacket. Also a knit cap under my aero helmet.

There was a gentle North wind and the course is an out and back North then South. Even though the wind speed was very light it seemed to take alot out of everyone, including me. I was a little over 1mph slower than last month. (I was a little better trained for cycling last month too). The two Iron distance studs that dominated last month did not show up so I won this one but was only 8 seconds faster than my friend Chris on is old school steel road bike. In retrospect I probably could have ditched the jacket but might have opted for mitts instead of gloves and might consider shoe covers. It would also make sense to take my trainer and spend my time warming up on it instead of riding up and down the road. I had a holder and got the RD to do the count down in French for me, the last 3 seconds, so I could pretend it was July in France-troi, deux, un! He might have counted from 5 or higher but no one could remember the French words any farther than 3-this is Texas.

Fun stuff, feeling glad to hook up at least a little bit, with a club again.

 The rider; Ron Westervelt and his wife Tracie did IM Lake Placid this year-still have their numbers on their bikes

A short long run this afternoon-we will be back near 60 by then

Nice touch on the French countdown Although they cheat a little at the Tour letting them start on a nice podium I think (besides the obvious cheating but lets not start about that one!)

37 degrees yikes! We were at 44 yesterday and I thought that was cold already. I will be moving inside and on Trainerroad. Will be more time efficient and for some reason I like to look at watts, not having a real powermeter on my bike. 

I did a 15km (~9.3) run today, have been slowly building the long run as well as my overall mileage, which is at 40km over 4 runs now, will be at 45 and 5 runs next week. I bought some new shoes not too long ago and I'm really disappointed how quickly they are wearing down. My Mizuno's lasted me nearly 500 miles but my Saucony Guide's are almost as worn as them after less than 175 miles... They were nice shoes but the soles just wear too fast... So the search for shoes starts again.

JOHANNE,

I am REALLY impressed with your commitment to your training.   So disciplined and consistent.   Amazing intrinsic motivation.   Have you always possessed that?  

Thanks, I really appreciate that! To a degree, yes, I've always been like this When I find something I like, I invest myself into it. In this case, this is such a big distance for me that I feel that if I don't commit to the training I would set myself up for an awful race. Plus, this has had so many benefits!

How are you doing? What's new? Are you totally in your off season?

Yesterday I went for my last long run, 20 miles, came home, had my recovery/lunch shake, get on the trainer for 1 1/2 hours, showered, went for an 1 1/2 hour  massage/stretch session (I had planned ahead as a treat after my peak week), came home and had a message from my sister that she had taken my Mom to the ER. So off Dave and I go and we didn't get home until they had admitted her at 10:30 last night. No dinner! I think I lost a couple pounds. Today's recovery day is going to include some good recovery eating My Mom is getting some tests today to see what's up but I think she'll be ok. I'm glad we live close so we can be there for them.

Johanne

Steve, 

I'm glad I got the 4 rides in too. It was mentally good for me. I have more mile this years then I've ever had! Even though I had a cell phone with me, I did all my rides as loops so that if I did have a mechanical I could call for help and help wouldn't have to go far to find me

Sorry the conference didn't work out. Maybe a trip anyway???

Johanne

JOHANNE -

Maybe a trip anyway; it's still on the table!

My last bout of long rides was way back in '05, and at the time I was unaware of a beautiful universe of great roada on which I could've constructed wonderful loops and parabolas and all sorts of other configurations that would've kept me from getting effectively 50 miles away from home at my furthest point!  

I went through a whole bunch of years where about all i did were rides that began form the end of our driveway --- i guess just because I could, seeing as how we live in the country.  Those seemed to work baest as out-and-backs, which in hindsight was just dumb.  But to give myself soem credibility, it was only in the last few years that the township to our south has spent gazillions of dollars espanding and widening roads, which now provides manymanymanymany miles of scantily-used roads that have 5-foot wide shoulders.  It is really unbelievable, and the only shame is that it's been a couple of years since my labrum has allowed me to ride long.

I am very excited about IMAZ for you.  Be nice and cautious over the next few weeks, with no bravado in the form of just......one.......more..........real.........long........ride........or.........run.  Your fitness is really sound and probably beautifully locked in place.  Not much more to do other than get psyched --- and make a list and check it twice!

ANNE -

Yo!

I was just about to whip off a PM or email to you, as it's been many weeks sicne you were last here --- and the last report had problems brewing.  All mostly okay?  FWIW, my labrum has taken a turn for the worser; not quite "the worst" yet, but badder than it's been!  Worser, badder, gnarlier -- they all apply, even in the lack of syntactical perfection!

Comfortably back into the seventies today

Johanne - So very impressed by all your hard work/training! Great long ride in the cold rain, followed by run the next day. You are a tough woman! So terribly sorry to hear that your mother is in the hospital. Hope everything works out for her. I bet you are glad your peak week is finished! 

A HIM in Napa Valley sounds absolutely divine. I've been there, but my husband hasn't and I'd love to vacation there with him. I think I will start dropping hints and see what his reaction is like. And WOW, the registration is only $75 right now! Hello! The only concern is just travel and lodging expenses. We are trying to save $ because we want to move into a historical, inner city house, totally gut it and restore it a la urban industrial style next year. But, darn banks won't loan more than the house is worth so all restoration will be up-front, out of pocket. Sooo, have that to consider. 

I didn't notice the date on the Texas HITS HIM. Will have to check it out. Thanks for the suggestion! 

Steve - 

Thanks for all the suggestions, I really appreciate it! I have been to the Galveston 70.3 - went there for my first sprint. It is super flat bike and run, but you are right, don't know if it's still in existence or not. That would be a great early season HIM; can't believe I forgot about that. Only thing is that it's typically windy on the bike, but I can handle wind way better than heat.

LOL, don't worry, I will not tell coach about your plans to corrupt my training schedule. She's a pretty cool person and I can't say enough good about her - I'm very lucky to have found her. (I sound like I'm dating her, eh?!?) Training for Dallas HM is going well, I seem to have gained a bit more run fitness over the past year. Went out for a 9 mile run last week and logged a time 8 minutes faster with a lower HR than at the same time last year (same course, too). That made me happy. I'm actually heavier right now than I was last year, but I continue to lose a bit more every week, so hopefully the run training will help shed those pounds. I think the HIM made me gain. In fact, I'm sure of it. I was starving all of the time. 

I do not have family in NC. Everyone still lives here in OK, except my nephew (Seattle) and my niece (Milwaukee). I could definitely do one in those places, with preference to Wisconsin because my niece is a lot nicer than my nephew. Love them both, just stating facts. 

I will check out your other suggestions and start forming a plan. Coach needs to know ASAP so I need to get on it.

Joe - Will look into your suggestion. 85F is pretty hot for me - will have to think about racing in that kind of heat, but thanks anyway! Always like receiving input from others about races in their area