Shellback1998 2012 Group FULL (Page 21)

That's cool that you and your boss compare notes!  I don't discuss it for several reasons:  I am the youngest person at work by almost 20 years (lovely people, truly, just not exactly friends), I don't want to be that person who tells everyone about things they just don't care about and most importantly, tri is mine.  By "mine", I mean that although my family is incredibly supportive, they are all far away (1500+ miles); my husband is unenthusiastically tolerant (props to him in MANY other ways); none of my friends are tri people and I'm self-coached.  I started training on my own, out of a book; I found a training buddy on craigslist (can you believe it?!), I found BT by a random search.  I guess I'm a little possessive and control-freakish about it.  When I say it like that, I don't like how it sounds.  But I am one of those hopelessly agreeable and cooperative people in nearly every other way--for some reason, tri has hit my stubborn streak and I'm afraid of compromising it by involving people who know me in my hopelessly agreeable and cooperative state.

Now that's funny... be selfish all you want!

I don't talk about my ironman with anyone except my husband and here. School peers all compare notes about how much they study/research, act like they have no time for anything else, andI already don't fit in. Some of my professors feel I'm uncommitted because my first summer here I went home instead of staying on campus (My husband lives in Orlando, I went home to be with him). In all I have to be very careful about my image, so I find its easier to avoid it. I don't talk about it with family because I'm afraid of jinxing things. If everyone finds out I'm training and then I don't do it (injury)- I would feel more upset then if I was doing it just for me.

So between the hip injury (still hasn't healed enough to run. at least I can walk without pain 90% of the time) a random illness, and bronchitis (elevated heart rate and breathing problems even when not exercising) my training has been nonexistent for all basic purposes the last month. I'm starting a bike/swim regimine to try and get in the swing of things.

I'm excited for everyone else that has races coming up!

Well, just don't pass on the right... Leave about 6 bike lengths in front of you. If you going to pass someone do it. As soon as they pass they have to give up and drop back. If they prevent you from passing that's blocking and they get the penalty. Most IMPORTANT...  Enjoy yourself, you did all the hard work already. Just have fun!!!

Sprint? Since it's your first I'll assume so. On the swim don't go flying out. Take the first 100 moderate and speed up so your heart rate doesn't spike.

On the bike unless you're tailgating somebody for a long period it's unlikely you'll draw a penalty. My last race myself and this woman in her mid 20's and I kept swapping the lead back and forth the entire 26 miles. Every time we would pass each other we would say something to urge each other on. There's usually a good amount of camaraderie out there. When you do pass be sure to shout out on your left for safety. Remember that and you'll be fine.

The run in a sprint is exactly that. Give it all you've got.

Have a blast and don't stress out.

Good luck! I just finished my first one 2 weeks ago.  Follow the advice above in regards to the swim.... ease into it.  I also found it helpful to start to the side and towards the back so I didn't find myself in the middle of a billion people in the swim.   I made the mistake of putting on the anklet tag too tight, which ended up cutting off a bit of circultion - so make it snug, not tight!  Again... enjoy!

For lack of activity, here are my last weeks totals.  March has been tough for training (missed a week due to skiing and another to work). 

dhickman, enjoy your race!  it'll be awesome!

i'm in OR this week visiting my husband--can't tell you how happy i am about that!!!!  it means no swmming or biking, but i did go for a run this morning.  holy effin' hills!  up and down and back up and up and up.  ouch! 

We'll I got my first tri under my belt over the weekend, had a blast. All the competitors were very supportive and helpful, I have never seen that in any other sport. I'm hooked, can't wait until my next one. 

I did learn a lot. Like that I am a Clydesdale. I didn't know what this was until packet pick-up. I would of finished 5th in my division if I would of signed up for the right one. I signed up in age group instead.

Also I underestimated my swimming ability and started with slower swimmers. It was a pool swim and it got so congested in front of me that I could not pass. I had to stop and wait for it to clear out every length almost. 

My time was 1:40.36 but could of been better if I knew more about what I was doing. My transitions were to long and I had to walk a couple of times during my run because my right quad began to cramp on some of the hills.

I now know what to expect and how to train better for my next one. Thank you everyone on this site for your help and encouragement. 

Awesome Job man... You gotta make sure you are hydrated going into races...  Why did you underestimate your swim time? Haven't you tested that out by swimming an 800 TT? It will all come together. I am technically a clydesdale as well, but I have over 25 triathlons under my belt and I never raced that division once. I find AG is more competitive You need to make that call though... Once again great job!

Not I, however I definitely suggest doing so. It's an awesome time... I fly out to California tomorrow for my 70.3 on Saturday. 

Great job on your race.

Good luck at Oceanside.

I am not going to the Expo although I would like to go. You have to pick your battles on the home front and I was just gone for half a day running a half marathon.

Scott, are you upset for losing this morning?

When I saw what the workout was going to be I was upset I got up to do it. Next time it's one of those I'll skip for sure.

Agreed, but I emailed my coach and told me to do it as it's not that high of volume... So that's the only reason I did it. Otherwise, I would have swam at lunch!

Quick power question.

http://www.kreuzotter.de/english/espeed.htm

So the Kurt Kinetic power meter I use on the trainer which is made for their road machine I use says it calculates speed based off of body weight and a 1% incline with watts. So using the above link and entering 1% for slope with my current body weight of 187 pounds and 215 watts it comes out  to 18.4 MPH which is exactly what the KK power meter gives me for a number. Figuring a race like Patriot which is circular will have a 0% slope gain I make that adjustment and it comes out to 21.9 MPH. Now that seems very fast for me. If I change it to .5% it gives me 20.2 MPH which is doable.

What do you think that number should be?

I was toying around  with a pace calculater based off of recent training and my half marathon trying to project my Patriot time.

http://www.triathloncalculators.com/#

dhickman, congratulations!  That's awesome!  No way to learn but doing it--next time you'll know for the swim, but still--great job!  I haven't done a sprint yet; my first isn't til June, so I'm jealous

everlong--picking my battles too.  I'm only running this week because I don't have access to a pool or a bike--I'm sure it could be arranged, but I'd really like to keep my husband!  But it does twitch at the back of my mind...  I think you're making  wise decision; even if it isn't actually necessary and your other would be happy to tag along, it's wise to underestimate tolerance!  Congrats again on the half

EVERYONE:  How many of us are drinking the Pumpkin kool-aid now?  I know bigbeltz just signed on, I'm in, shellback is in...  anyone else?

Well tagging alone involves kids as well so not an option. Keeping the peace is worth it.

Are you talking about doing the Pumpkinman HIM? I'm signed up.

everlong--Oh right, I knew that!  My bad.  Kids are a whole different level of magnitude.  I'm impressed with anyone who can train and manage a family life.

Ok, these OR hills are kicking my tail.  I'm pretty pleased with myself for running up them anyway and NH isn't exactly flat, but OR neighborhoods don't really factor in ice or snow in planning road grades, so as long as your car can make it up them, that's good enough.  It's a different kind of challenge maintaining high HR on the downhills then too without feeling like you're careening out of control or that your quads are going to quit on you and your nose is going to end up in the next sidewalk crack.  Exciting times  

shellback--how goes the oceanside quest?