GordoByrn's Group Full for the Spring (Page 22)

G
I have a question for you regarding a road bike with clip ons vs a tri bike.

I currently ride a custom Seven road bike and had clips ons installed two weeks ago.  I am slowly getting used to them, but not having the shifter close by is a pain.  On the other hand, I like the flexibility of using the drops or sitting up to climb and the brakes are pretty accessible. The bike fits me like a glove.  I am wondering as I get more used to the aerobars if I will want a tri bike.   My goal pre-season was a Carbon Seven tri bike, but that fell through when Seven realized they could not size it small enough for me.  I recently found out that a carbon tri Parlee is an option, although ridiculously expensive.  How do I cut through all the hype and assess whether riding a road bike with clip ons or a tri bike is best for me?  Assuming all goes well with the HIM, I want to do IM WI next year. 

I saw your Powertap comment to Ken.  Is it the same for me?  I have a CT and love it, but I have thought of getting a PT for the road.

Suzy

Race morning: Do 2 warm-ups. One before breakfast and one at the race site.

Wake up 2-3 hours prior, take in 8-12 oz water and go for an easy 7-15 minute jog with full sweats. Get a little sweat going. When you get back, take in another 8-12 oz water with a carbo-hydrate source of some solid food. A slice of wheat bread with peanut butter and a little honey along with a "carb-drink". Or, a very small bowl of oatmeal with a banana and carbohydrate drink. Nothing huge, but don't go empty. I'm a coffee drinker, so take in a small portion of coffee or tea if this works for you. Try to get your restroom needs taken care of here also. Pre-race always takes a little adjustment through time to see what works for you. It's great practice for your big day ahead.

At the race site: 30-35 minutes from race start.
1.) If your stomach feels up for it, take a power-gel, or a GU pack 30 minutes prior to the race. Take with 6-8 oz water. If it does not seem appealing, then don't worry about it, just avoid it. I have had some athletes say this actually helps to calm their nervous guts.

2.) With full sweats, easy jog 20-25 minutes. Elevate your warm-up pace to slightly under "race-pace" during the last 5 minutes. After the warm-up jog, take 3-5x75M striders with a 1 minute walk back. Go to the starting line with perspiration and a elevated HR.

You are ready jam and you already know the race plan. The race is already taken care of in this 2-3 hour warm-up phase after waking up. If you have a good warm-up, you are maximized to your full potential for that day. Most athletes you compete against will have already failed before the race even starts. Be a professional "Warmer-Upper".

S and G- thanks for the 5k info.  In the past I have only stretched.  I will work in some of these ideas for my next race.

Hey peeps - hope all are dong great. Suzy - congrats on your latest race. You are a racing machine! Justin - don't know if you care but I do flip turns because I can and I feel cool ;-) when I do them. I will say that if you are slower they are harder - I learned how by putting on fins and actually accelerating into the wall. Yeah, hard to do at first, that wall is pretty solid, but you need the momentum, or so I am told.

So, pretty sure I broke a toe yesterday, chasing my nine year old son around the house. Doh! Stoopit couch. Thinking I will do a swim/bike/swim GMGBVT this weekend. Maybe will call it the LimpingMan Tri. 

Take care everyone, B

OMG Justin, glad you are OK. And Suzy, you too!

In our area we have had some road rage incidents, in one part of the county particularly. These @#$%^& have deliberately run cyclists off the road. Do you think we are safer riding alone in the sense that an impatient motorist does not need to inconvenience themselves for too long in waiting to pass one bike as opposed to a long line of cyclists ? I try to ride the nice safe stationary whenever I can to get in bike workouts, figuring fewer hours on these country roads might make for a longer lifespan.

Do either of your areas have bike trails available? When we lived in the Boston area we would would ride for miles and miles on a multi-use trail which had its own limitations for sure but at least we were away from motor vehicle hazards. There is nothing of the kind here: if there was it would see good use.

Oh the foot is colorful. Kind of peacock blue with some hints of green and streaks of purple. Thanks for asking, though. Hey, this is a good opportunity to get back in the pool!

Justin - just driving around is dangerous, too. Hard to believe some of the a$$aholic moves some people do behind the wheel. Yesterday I saw this gansta dude who was driving while, um, lying down. And talking on the phone. Try to keep it in perspective and do what is possible to reduce dangers. Ride real early. Learn to *heart* the trainer. We have a stretch of road here that is not a bike trail but it is quite traffic free and I often retreat there for a safer though boring ride - back and forth back and forth - when I am feeling nervous. I know what you mean, though, about witnessing the aftermath of a crash. When I worked in the ER, people would send the bike accident patients to me to be Xrayed. And I guess it has been a factor to me of how many hours I am willing to spend on the bike in my risk/benefit analysis regarding how long a race I would ever consider training for. It was actually very freeing to find my limits - it helped me be happier and feel successful. Overall, you are doing great things for your cardiovascular system which is, let's face it, the #1 cause of death in this country. Take care and be careful out there.