Funked Up Triathletes - Season 2 - Olympic/Sprint Focus - Closed (Page 22)

Fortunately, this is not something I've had to mess with and I'm a little uneducated on the whole bit.

On my Shiv, I have (stock) 52/36 11/28. Compact cranks. Not exactly sure what this all means... : )

We have hills around here, but I've never had a mountain to climb. I have one hill in my neighborhood that I've used as my main training hill.

It's only .4 miles long and averages 8-9% grade, but has a couple sections in it that are 35%. It's a killer, but I doubt it compares to the long climbs that you do. Everything else is big rollers. I've never done any really long climbs. I did a gravel 50 mile race in January that was very hilly, but it was more like .5 mile long 8% grade hills. Sorry I can't be much help here.

Since I've been thinking of Savageman, I have done some checking and people have told me that my setup is perfect for a course like Savageman....but that's only by pure luck as I'm still running the Specialized stock drive train.

You do have some big chain rings on there, but you are saved a bit with your cassette at 11/28. That's a pretty good cassette for just about everything. The chain rings would be tough on super hilly course unless you're strong.
My tri bike is definitely set up for a fast, flat course....which I am definitely not going to be on. Waaaa. Hahaha. I don't have much power so I need to be able to spin....which I can't do right now on that bike. I may get an 11/28 cassette for my roadie and take it up some steeps to see if I like that (or can do it "easily") before I do it on my tri bike...otherwise I may have to splurge on the long derailleur and crazy 11/36 cassette.

I mean 11/32 cassette.

She did it. She signed up for Louisville, so now she's full on in IM training. I'm officially sherpa dad. ha ha!

This is awesome for her and I'm pretty excited for her. I plan to train for a Fall 70.3 and put Savageman on hold for at least a year. I don't feel we can swing two big fall Triathlon trips this fall, and keep up with everything else. Pretty sure I'll sign up for border wars in Alton, IL again. It's a fun weekend getaway for our family and I have unfinished business with that course.

How is your training going? What did you do for a training plan? I have her set up with a Full Ironman plan from Trainer Road. I think I'm going to try to follow the same plan, but will have to cut the longest workouts short. We'll see how it shakes out.

That is awesome!!! Good for her!!! She will have a ball on her new bike!!!
I'm using the Be Iron Fit book for the full ironman by the Finks. They have 3 plans in it - "Just Finish," " Intermediate," and "Competitive." I was doing the Competitive (which is similar to Intermediate) until I threw my back out. Now I'm focusing on Intermediate and trying to do a Competitve when I can. If life gets in the way I at least try to do the Just Finish workout for that day. It's based more on time than mileage which I have found I like - it's a mental thing.
So far I've liked it.

Tri bike is ready to be picked up! New chain rings 50/34 and a new cassette for them thar hills - 11/32. LBS had the hydration set-up I wanted so I'm picking all that up while I'm there and then should be set.
I don't have race wheels yet - looking at the next Flo sale in late June. I'm probably only going to get a rear wheel at this point - I'm tapped out money-wise.
Going to Tremblant on Friday to give it a go up Chemin Duplessis...wish me luck.

Have you considered just getting a deep front race wheel and an aero jacket for the rear? I ran this set up for a while and most of the aero geeks will tell you that the aero jackets gives you almost all the benefits of a disc and is always faster than a rear deep wheel (I know, I know....I don't have a cover on my 90MM rear...I really should. Just have not gotten around to it).

But it would give you the whole race-day wheel set up for the price (probably) of just one wheel.

(I had this and it worked well). http://www.wheelbuilder.com/aerodisc.html


Many pros (including Thomas Gerlach) run a cover. Gerlach runs a Catalyst cover, but I think he's sponsored by them. Just a thought.

There's also some How-To's on Instructables from people who have built their own. I think it'd be pretty easy, but for $100-120 for the Aerojacket, it may or may not be worth it to you.

Just a thought.

Just looked up Chemin Duplessis.....looks like a long slow grinding climb. The good think is, once you practice it, you'll have alot of confidence come race day.

I had never thought about a jacket! Hmm, food for thought! Thanks!

So I did part of the ride. I got time crunched as I had to be back for my kid's soccer game and Montreal traffic proved to be yucky both ways so I only got to ride for 1.5 hours and follow it with a 2 mile cool-down run to stretch out before the long drive home.
I rode the Montee Ryan section and the dreaded Chemin Duplessis. Duplessis proved to be like climbing stairs - challenge, then a brief level off, steep, level, etc. Doing it twice will be less fun. Hahaha, but I did have fun with it while I was there.
3 three guys blew by me like I was standing still between Montee Ryan and Duplessis. It was very humbling. They were all wearing the same jerseys so I assume they're in a team of some kind. I felt pretty inadequate but reminded myself that I was there scouting, not going hard, trying a new cassette, new tri shorts, and Infinit for the first time and I didn't know the area at all. They were also all drafting. I did kick it up a notch though and they didn't get too far ahead of me on the climbs.
I hope to go back one more time before the race after some strength training and hill repeats. Holy cow. This race will build character if it doesn't destroy me! Hahahaha

Error on a previous post - new chain rings are 11/32....and I was very happy to have every gear.

Last night I signed up for the Toughman Tupper Lake Tinman this weekend. (Since when does signing up for a HIM become a last minute decision???). Temps will be in the high 80's for the race. I will be solo going to the race. Treating it like a training day and trying not to sweat times.

Ha! Nice training day!

Interestingly enough, I just did the Topeka Tinman tri this past weekend. It's a smaller race but is actually one of the longest running triathlons in the country. I think it's like in its 35th year.

We just trained through it too.


Good luck! Should be "fun"! This weekend, I've got the Bigfoot Triathlon Sprint in Lake Geneva WI. It's on our way to vacation in Upper Wisconsin. We'll be at some church camp for my in-law's 50th anniversary. This race is kind of special because my brother from MD is doing it with me and it's his 1st tri ever.

Very cool your brother is joining you!! That's great!
It's also great that it's right at the beginning of your vacation so you can relax after it. Nice!

That's so interesting about your Tinman! - the one I'm doing is in its 34th year and also boasts one of the longest running triathlons in the country! Too funny!
Congrats on doing it, by the way!! It's been hot everywhere - hopefully you had manageable temps to deal with.

Ok, I don't often brag in triathlon (I rarely have the opportunity!) so I will today.

Got back from vacation on Sunday night late. Had a great 4th. But the BigFoot Triathlon on 6/26.... I got on the podium! Finished 3rd in my AG. First time...ever (actually, I won my AG at a race once, but it only had 3 participants...so I don't count that one too much, haha).

This was a weird one. Because of weather, the swim was cancelled, so it turned into a bike run. The waves started in corrals outside transition. When the gun went off (in waves) the athletes ran into transition, grabbed bikes and then started the bike course. I was in a wave with all men 30-39. I was in the 4th wave (I think) and got the chance to ride through most of the field and was pretty confident that I was first off the bike. There were some guys in the under 25 wave that I never saw, but I wasn't concerned with them. It was fun racing at the pointy end and I really feel like I was much stronger because of this. I biked like I was being chased. It was driving rain the entire bike but I was having fun and finished with the best bike split in my AG.

Coming off the bike, I messed up my T2....I couldn't find my bike rack! (I'm not used to coming into an empty transition area!) and then I ran about 100yards without my race belt/number. Ha! I went back and got it. The run course was a trail run and much of it was longer/thick grass, mud puddles, etc. Definitely not an ideal terrain for me, but I'm not sure flat pavement would have benefited me either. I was passed by two runners that I could not hold with, but overall was pretty happy with my run. Even without the T2 mishap, I would not have beaten them.

Since the swim was cancelled, I saw lots of people leave and pull out of the race. They waited through a long delay, then decided to quit. Not sure what the thinking was. I am certain some talent left and didn't race, but you can only race those who show up, right? I was pretty happy with 3 out of 17 in my AG.

That is awesome!! Well done!!! Biking in the rain with a bunch of other people makes me nervous - you are tough!
I think that's funny you couldn't find your rack...I have certainly never had that problem!! Now I see why people count racks, etc. (the fast people).
Someone at the Tupper Lake race did exactly what you did - started to go without their bib. That's a tough one.
Congrats on what sounds like a tough race though!! That's great!

86 mile bike ride in the books today with 4,000' elevation gain. Stick a fork in me. I got on the floor to stretch and dozed off.

15 mile run in the pouring rain followed by a half hour on the trainer for 100+ cadence spin.
Got dinner ready, eaten, and cleaned up, now I'm headed in for an ice bath...or should I say hell in a tub. hahaha

Good job. Keep it up.. It sounds like you're getting into those big long workouts. Good stuff!

Froome with a brick!

Hoping everyone around the Tour de France stays safe!!

Ack, 85 miles today - nice and windy on a deep frame - a good workout. I had to split it between trainer and road due to childcare but I got it done. 5.5 hours - 3 on the trainer and 2.5 outside.
Long run tomorrow...
Monday starts the last two big peak weeks with the most time...this is when the self doubt creeps in...not feeling super confident in any discipline right now. I think that shows I have a healthy respect for the distance.. Hahaha. I am sore and tired and trying to schedule everything deserves a medal of its own. Hahaha

know anyone who wants to buy a Felt IA4? Great condition...get it before I throw it out the window....
Sorry, frustrated. I can't last 2.5 hours on it without being in pain...shoulder, hip, left glute, you name it. Hoping to get in to the LBS this week and get this figured out once and for all or I may have to defer my race. I just can't get comfortable on any bike. I've had two road bike fittings, a tri bike fitting, been through too many saddles and have a drawer full of bike and tri shorts. I haven't found the magic combination.
This too shall come to pass.
Can you tell I'm in the peak-weeks emotional abyss right now? hahahaha builds character...

Okay, I'm over it. hahahhaa.
I just got back from the LBS and we raised the aerobars up a smidge and slid them ever so slightly closer to me. I can already feel a difference just on their trainer and the slight change makes my saddle more comfortable as well. Yea!
I picked up a new toy......Powertap P1 pedals... Doh.
I needed something I could quickly swap between bikes and these fit the bill in addition to being cheaper than the Garmin pedals (of which I could have only afforded one.)
Now I need to spend the next 5 years learning about cycling with power...

lol. Good to hear things are a little better. I typed you a note of encouragement but evidently didn't hit "submit".

Gotta love triathletes....$3K for bike, hundreds for fittings, hundreds for saddles, hundreds here and there....."oh, those power pedals are cool, I need those.....". $1200 poof. $600 race fee here, $150 pedals there.

I'm not laughing at you...I'm laughing WITH you.

I want a power meter too, but haven't gotten the nerve yet to make a decision. I can 40% off the Garmins, but I'm still not sure if I want them or something else (I like the Power2Max). I'm very interested to hear how your p2's work out. Do you use Trainer Road? Can't remember.

OMG it is worse than a fixer-upper house!! Did you ever see "Money Pit?" Hahahaha. I'm treading lightly from here on out so hubby doesn't disown me! Haha. Though I did pick up another class to teach for the fall semester and have 2 flight students lined up so that will off-set my obsession.... For a while..

I don't use Trainer Road yet but have heard amazing things about it. I had one ride - yesterday, with them. It was hill repeats on the tri bike. The plan was to put the pedals on the roadie and use that but my tool to get them off is too flimsy...go figure, and the pedals are cranked on tight ( on both bikes)...so I just took the tri bike and figured, what the heck, this is what I'm going to race on anyway, right?! Now I need to decipher what all of these numbers mean...and I have no money left to buy "Training and Racing with Power." Hahaha...Christmas coming soon????

ok, you need to get Trainer Road right away and do a 20-minute test. That will help you establish your FTP. That's where it all starts. All the data is basically meaningless until that point. : )

You need: a trainer, a laptop, and an ant+ stick to plug into your laptop. Trainer Road is only $10 a month (maybe a 30-day free trial???). You can hide this.

Hahahaha. I think it uses Bluetooth too? I don't have ant+ as the 920 is Bluetooth and wifi. I'll look into it! Yes, I need to get on this if I want to make it worthwhile to use at Tremblant. I am not a strong cyclist and hope to become for effective and efficient.