Scott's Mentor Group-Closed for training. (Page 21)

Nicole,

I have always had Shimano components and I think the quality is excellent. They also make a magnificent reel for fishing rods- again, great quality.

Plus, I think they have a large % of the market.

Thanks for the information, guys!

I have to say that the fact that I've been riding this thing since 2008 (admittedly in a sporadic way) and still know almost nothing about it speaks to the fact that it was a good fit. I'm comfortable on my bike and haven't encountered and major issues (typing that makes me nervous-like I might jinx it). BTW, I paid between $800-$900 for it. I don't remember the exact amount but it was not even middle of the road as far as bikes of that caliber are concerned. I actually do have Shimano shifters so I guess that's good.

I really just brought all this up because as much as enjoy the fact that my bike is pretty low maintenance-it would be nice to have a small amount of technical knowledge. Also, we were due for a good discussion.

Scott-Awesome race and great report! You're so serious and that's a good thing but I hope you remembered to enjoy it. Very cool about the sponsorship thing-does that come with a lot of cool swag?

Love the bike pics, everyone, although Scott's was the cutest. I can't compete with that even if I get my cat to sit on my bike. Don't you have a roadie too-or are you doing all your training on the tri bike now?

Don't get me wrong Nicole, I had a blast and truly love this, otherwise I wouldn't be doing it.  I do strive though and with that comes an intensity that is often misunderstood by others.  I am my harshest critic, which at times is my greatest strength and weakness.  

With regards to the sponsorship: they would give me a racing kit and a boatload of Aquaphor to hand out at races and such.  I do believe they have cash prizes for performance, and I will find out the nitty gritty in a week or so.  I'm going to do it.  The guy I met at the race had nothing but good things to say about it.  

I'm glad you had fun. I get that the intensity is part of the fun-as long as you're not beating yourself up over your results-which by my standards are awesome, BTW.

So, I seem to be on a recovery week according to my plan. I actually wasn't crazy about the pool distances and increased them by a few hundred yards. the 5 mile bike on the schedule for tomorrow also seems a bit pathetic so I'll probably add to that as well. I already feel like my build on the bike has been too easy. Conversely, and I think this is the product of merging a run plan from a different site with a sprint tri plan from here, I start speedwork on the track tonight. Only 4 x 400 tonight. I'll probably jog 400 in between. I'm supposed to repeat that next week but I may try to make it a tempo run even though I don't have anyway to pace except feel. I may not hit my target but I think I will still benefit. I just have to hit that right amount of pain and hold on-right?

Good morning, everyone!

Let me start with Scott. Good race report. Second, a sponsorship! What step of the plan is that for world domination?? (insert laugh). That has to be super exciting! They make you hand stuff out at races? What is in a kit? they provide a tri suit and racing gear? Congratulations on your finish and pro future. Don't forget BT and all your groupies when you are jetting around the country on the Team Aquaphor tour.

Troy, I can't wait to hear how you smoked the Kenyans in your race. Send em packin! What is your goal for that bad boy coming up? There are many days when I feel stiff and clunky.

Speaking of stiff of clunky, my training schedule. It looks like swiss cheese. I don't know if I have gotten better since my tri in March. I have run some 5ks faster and can swim longer but I don't know how it will effect my sprint times.

I am going to hit the road for a bike or run today weather pending. Running makes me nervous. I thought I was all healed up after my groin injury. Then I go out and run 4 easy miles and I am mega sore for 2 days. I wonder if I should have jogged 1-2 easy miles to get back into it. I will do that this time. I hope I can get a solid month of training in for June.

What is everyone doing today?

32 mile ride - done.  Did some track work this weekend - quarters at 1:30 - was fun but it hurt......

Off to the city with a tie on.....

Nice report Scott - I can appreciate being your one's own critic.  We know what our potential is and if we are realizing it - get some therapy but don't stop!!  There are 6 people who's dreams you need to crush!

don't have pictures of bike but Trek Madone - luv it.

Thanks, Ashley. My goal before the ankle fiasco was sub 3:10:00 (current PR is 3:10:37). My training indicates that it was a legitimate goal but that it would be close. Everything would need to align perfectly. I think I can still give that a shot, but I have to decide ahead of time if I'm going to go out at a 7:15 pace. The weather is now predicting to be a hot day, although the humidity is currently predicted to stay relatively low. If it's a warm start, I may back off and go out at a 3:20:00 pace and then try for a solid negative split.

I probably won't decided definitively until the morning of. I think I signed up for Facebook updates if anyone is bored and wants to look for those. 

Nicole:  I do have a Specialized Secteur that I lent to my neighbor.  His was stolen and I am only riding the Cervelo now.  Last year I did a handful of Crits on the roadie, but this year I am sticking with just tri's.  

Ashley:  Team Aquaphor would provide me with tri suit as well as all the Aquaphor one would need in a lifetime from what I understand.  Being on the team also gets some pretty sweet discounts at online retailers.  Like I said, I think that there are some cash prizes for performance, but I'll find that out in a week or so.  Step 57 for galactic domination (Bwa ha ha ha ha)

Jeff:  Thanks.  I appreciate the understanding.  

Troy:  Good luck this coming weekend.  I will be checking out FB for those updates.  Stay strong and smart this week.  

That's really nice of you. Sucks that his was stolen.

Morning All

Just bit the bullett and registered for a sprint triathlon - the race is 3 weeks Sunday, the hope is that it will give me a short focus to continue my training, as am struggling to get motivated to train at the moment without having a focus for the training!!

The distance is 750 m lake swim, 20k bike ride, 5k run - will do the bike ride on my trusty mountain bike, as wont have time to adequately research and buy a road bike before then.

Scott - Congrats on an excellent race on the weekend, I think that is a phenominal time and you should be really proud, also congratulations on the sponsorship, if you want to give the freebies away to your groupies, then I can email you my address!!! hahahahha

Hope everyone has a good week and if you are competing this weekend, I hope it goes as well for you as it did for me last weekend

Stay safe

Gareth

Good morning, tri trainers!

Gareth, good job on registering for your second race! Just keep doing what you're doing and you'll be fine. 750 meters is a longer swim for a sprint. How are your times looking on that distance? You could focus on that distance for the next three weeks and work on your time. I believe focusing on 'race distances' a few weeks prior to the race gets you motivated and keeps you going. Then after the race, go back to longer endurance training and more distance. Thats just my .02.

Hit the road yesterday for a 20 mile ride. Cruised at just over 17mph. I am really stuck in this speed. I think some if it is mental. I start zoning out and thinking about life and responsibilities, work, etc. I don't focus on getting faster. Also, I battle a lot of wind resistance that slows me down. At my race in March, I averaged 20 mph+ and was pumped! It was not windy and conditions were good. It could be the longer distance. Maybe I should be happy keeping that speed at 20 miles.

I plan on hitting the pavement today for a short easy run. I am going to go 2 miles at a slow pace. My May training has been pathetic with two muscle strains. I tried to come back last week with an easy 4 miler and was sore for 2 days. I don't know what my 'come back' pace is after a long rest. Lets hope nothing is sore tomorrow and I can get in my first full week of training.

What is on tap today trainers??

I'm still excited that I completed my track workout last night. It was probably pathetic by most standards but I'm happy to be doing it. I don't want to be last place anymore.

Tonight-Biking. I'm going off plan because I don't feel like I need to back off that much. I think I'm just going to get out, push myself a bit there and see where I end up.

Gareth, Glad you found some motivation. The week after a race can be a little tough motivation wise because you're tired if you went all out.

I think my first tri won't be until the end of July. I had deceide to do the one in June until I realized it fell in the middle of my vacation. I'll sign up this week if I can avoid foolishly spending my whole paycheck on bills.

Hi Ashley

Did 750 metres in my first Tri, did it in 17min 33 seconds. Dont think I train for swimming properly as I just generally do laps, for 20 / 30 mins (depending on how busy the pool is).

I have googled tri clubs in my local area, and there are 2, both offering swim training on varying nights of the week, so may pop down to one and these and see how it goes.

Thinking bout a short 3 mile run tonite, gentle pace as we are experiencing very unusually high temperatures at the moment!

Gareth

Hey Everyone!

Scott - make sure you save some of that Aquaphor for Ashley. He's going to need it for the dual butt treatment! A million times better than Desitin! Must be very exciting to get a sponsorship offer? All that hard work is paying off. Congrats!

Paul - how did the surgery go? Prayers are with you.

Sorry I've been AWOL again, I'm traveling for work and I'm down in sunny, hot, humid and disgusting Orlando, FL. I swore this trip wasn't going to mess up my training and I went for a run Monday night when I got here at 7 PM hoping it would be cool enough. I sweated through everything before I even got to mile 2, and slipped/slogged through a 5K, not good times. I then hoped that maybe it would be better in the morning and tried to run at 6 AM, same result but I got in a messy drenched 4 mile run anyway. On a good note I have been able to get into the outdoor lap pool at the University of Central Florida and got in a 2000 yesterday early evening and an 1800 this morning, which I bricked with a 5k on their indoor air conditioned track (much better I only soaked everything at my normal pace this way!) I can't believe that people actually live/train in this kind of weather ... and it's only MAY!  Even though I've been able to get in some good training down here I'm missing my bike very much. It amazes me how I've only been gone for 3 days and I'm already freaking that I haven't gotten in a nice ride.

I'm really getting jealous of everyone getting in races. Good luck Gareth on the Sprint! I can't wait for my first tri, and it's finally in the final month countdown. 6/24/2012 can't come soon enough. LET'S DO THIS!

-Matt

Been there done that on the running in Orlando in May. My 1st HM training started about a month before a trip to Disney. All day in the sun and very little sleep because I would try to get a run in either at night or in the morning. I too discovered the treadmill after a few days and that was the end of running in the heat. Vacations can be rough when you're trying to train around them. My next one is 10 days in June-July in Quebec. Not as hot a florida and I worked my training plan around it a bit so I'll still be working out but a little lighter. Love the enthusiasm for the race.

Paul-I was thinking about you today, too. Hope all went well. Update us as soon as you're able.

I'm an idiot. I have been reading Scott's posts about Aquaphor and kept thinking Aquafina! I kept thinking how cool it would be to have unlimited bottled water! lol

Matt, thankyou, after reading your post about the butts and aquaphor, it hit me. Yes, that would come in handy. Scott, send me a case if you get too much. I use aquaphor on a daily basis already for my feet and hands.

While we are on the topic of sponsors, I'll plug mine. I'm a manufacturer's rep for a company called International Dunnage. They make air bags for the shipping and freight business. Back in January, I approached them about my plans to race and the idea of putting their logo all over my tri suit. The president supported me- more because I move a lot of his product than how much exposure the company would get. They provided me with a tri suit and a biking jersey. Here is a link to their website:

www.internationaldunnage.com

You can look at my pic and see their logo. I love my onesie!

I have a question for everyone.  

What do you tell yourself when you get to that dark place in either a training session or a race that will bring yourself out and perform?  Is it something specific?  or Does it change depending on the situation?  Just curious.  Have at it.