Mad Manatee Mentors 2013: CLOSED (exc/ Pop Tart bribes) (Page 221)

WEEDS was excellent.

Generally it's the same model each time. I have a few types for various situations, like roads, trails, and treadmill. But primarily I'm on the roads so have a couple pairs of the same shoe model for that. I tend to have like 1 holdover pair from the last kind I was using and use that every once in awhile on a short, easy run for something a little different.

My feet seem rather hard to fit and I'm also rather particular about things on top of that, so it would be hard to get a variety even if I wanted to. It's driven some shoe salesman nuts, but I refuse to compromise on the fit. It has to feel right as I've had too many issues in the past. By doing this, various joint issues have gone away. I really don't get blisters. Can't remember having blackened or even mildly damaged toenails in years either.

Curious how the riding to various shows will go? At times when I don't ride to Sufferfest vids I'd always try to find something that carried some thrill or suspense throughout the episode or movie. Not just "good" shows for entertainment, but things that would help me push a bit more. Something like Prison Break was good for that. The Matrix series was actually hard to ride to in spite of the awesome action sequences. The space between was rather spread out for this and really slow paced, dragging down motivation to push. Something like the LOTR movies were much better as they had a much more continuous sense of thrill to them. I'd only be doing Z2 heavy rides on the trainer when I was really tired/burnt out or was going quite hard in one of the other disciplines. Otherwise I'm pushing somehow or other.

Well for me I'm training in Z2 constantly so I set the alert on my HRM which I can hear easily above the tv/computer.  I find I stay in the zone easily when I'm distracted by a good show.  Whatever it is!

Kate and Co.--

My oldest (herp lover) with a rat snake her dad found caving with them yesterday.

My kids are having a great summer--camp all week, every week with their dad, and now they've done their fist tris and loved them, two more on the schedule for them. Haha...you should hear them talk about bikes!  What have I done?! :)

And I'm officially taper crazy.

You will ROCK the HIM this weekend--no doubts.

Thanks Judi! 

The weather forecast is still good, and I just scored some race wheels (rented) and an aero helmet (purchased).  I have been cautioned severely to pace the bike, and that is my plan.

Anybody have any last minute tips for this first-time HIMer?

Keep moving along, but don't rush. It's not an IM, but it's still a long day. Generally I recommend trying to do well, but don't try to knock it out of the park on the first one. Things won't go perfectly, so just deal with them as they come up and move on.

Thanks Ben

That sounds like really good advice. 

I'm gonna try really hard to keep it non-rushed during the swim--get into a grove and hold.  Swim waves, so that should help.

Water temp is low 70s and I'm in a full, so I'm a little worried about getting hot, but I would never voluntarily do the swim without a wetsuit.

You know the whole nothing new on race day thing?  Um, yeah, like 12 new things.  Doh!

Have you had issues with getting hot in it before? I've been fine with low 70's in a full suit and I'm rather susceptible to heat. A swim race might be different because you'd be going harder, but here it should be more relaxed. At least I tend to swim them that way.

Feel like I should take a look at this race. Haven't really thought of it much in the past, but seems to have good reviews.

WHEEEE!!!

Just booked our flights to Raleigh for B2B!!!  Now I just need to also book the hotel, rent a car, and rent race wheels. 

And maybe do a tad more of that training stuff. 

My, that is exciting!

You guys are doing the full right?

I just looked at pics--there are no wetsuits on the swimmers.  No wetsuit for 2.4 OWS?  You're a sick, sick woman.

Now I know why your swim splits are so fast;)

Yep, doing the full 140.6!  Which is scaring the bejezus outta me at the moment, but oh well. 

Don't mess with me... There had BETTER be wetsuits! Tony did the race in 2009 and was wearing a sleeveless... which is what I'm planning on doing, though if the water is warm enough I may skip the wetsuit... because I'm a sick, sick woman. 

I would never mess with anyone intentionally about wetsuits.  Even I have limits, woman.

You would faching do it without one?

You might be my new hero.

Sicko.

Done without? Yes. A bit nerve racking, but slowing down and staying calm helps. At B2B, they time the tides as well. The goal is neutral, but seem to err on the side of current assisted. Monica has been strong enough in the swim that there is a very real possibility of going under an hour in this, maybe well under, the current can be that strong. I'd still go in not counting on that assist and take it as a bonus if it happened.

It's true, the swim is usually current assisted - but Janyne has a friend that monitors the tides and apparently it won't be as much help as it has been in previous years.  As an example - Tony did the swim at IMAZ in 1:43:xx (he's not a fan of swimming), but completed the swim at B2B in 2009 in about an hour (I'll have to check his race log for the exact time - ETA his swim time was 1:00:18).  Granted he trained a lot more for B2B, but the current was incredibly fast the year that he did B2B. 

Thank you for the swimming kudos - I've been really trying to make a difference in my swimming times, and it really has seemed to work.  Now if I could only get running to not hate me so much... 

I had the most ridiculously brutal workout on the track last night. It was pathetically funny, actually. 

I guess I was feeling a little cocky after my milk mile, perhaps a little invincible. I caved into a rather odd craving of McDonalds like 15 minutes before practice started. Oh yeah, and it was hot and muggy out too. I know some of you can sympathize with this.

I did a 30 mile bike ride earlier in the day and over 100 miles in the past 3 days. When I was warming up my legs felt super sluggish. I was telling my training partner, "Ah man, my legs are shot. This is going to be a slow workout."

And then, once I said that, I felt that I had to try and prove myself wrong or something? I dunno, I am weird like that.

So we do our usual warm-up quarter (I generally run 85-90 seconds as it's just a way to get your legs moving quicker) and I run it in like 79! Not the way you want to start a workout.

Then we get to the workout. 7 x 1000 @ 4:05 going down to 4:02

First rep: One shoe came untied, I had to step off, tie shoe and then run solo

Second rep: way too fast 3:55

Third rep: Stomach churning from mcdonalds

Fourth rep: Other shoe comes untied!!!

Fifth rep: Full on collision with some dude who walked into lane one talking on his cell phone!!! I straight up stiff armed him, I literally looked like the Heisman trophy. I have patience for pedestrians on the sidewalk who  walk in front of me but on a track that is totally fenced in???

Oh yeah, and I left my shirt at the track. I get out of the car and I suddenly feel that, "I think I am missing something." At some point, and I don't know what point exactly, but it's a little inappropriate to be seen by your neighbors in sweaty running clothes and no shirt.

Originally posted by JJ- The last registration opened today so I’m officially registered for all my Ironman Events. The last piece of the puzzle is now in place Now I gotta just put in the work. Let's go! Ironman Austin 70.3 – October 27, 2013 Ironman Texas 70.3 – April 6, 2014 Ironman Texas 140.6 – May 17, 2014

Enjoy riding the crazy bus on the Ironroads