stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL (Page 231)

2010-07-12 8:13 AM

in reply to: #1896958

Master

1524

Reston, VA

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

hey folks!!

Jess, really sweet bike. that one has been a popular purchase in our team down here and people seem to love it. i also like how it comes with a rear cage to hold your pencils (see picture)

that's a bummer about michigan. i hope your grandfather is doing better, though!!

things here have been busy!!! the week of 4th of july was another 22+ hour training week. century ride frid, then swim. century ride saturday, then brick and then 16 mile long run on sunday. the long run was miserable. it wasn't even a slow run. we were supposed to do it at our "marathon" pace, which is 8:04s. somehow we did it. just when i think i can't do any more during this process, i surprise myself. i believe im training is changing my life in that i am really realizing there aren't limitations to what i can put myself through. it's really been a growing experience.

however, i just now feel like i am recovered from that week...just in time to do it again next week at lake placid. ...the bike during imloo will be our 7th century ride of the year!!!

i took a few steps back this past weekend, though. at mile 18.2 of a 20 mile long run on saturday i rolled my ankle on a curb and came up with a decent sprain. better now then in a month that is for sure, but it's still a bummer. i swam yesterday, but used a pull buoy the whole time. having my ankle flop around in the water just hurt too much. today, i will try to go for an easy ride, but even that might have to wait. it might be a swimming intensive week, which, at the end of the day, might not be such a bad thing. i am hopeful that i will be able to run by the week's end.

neil, i was hoping to hear that that boot was long gone, but getting a few rides in is progress for sure. i'll keep thinking of you and strong recovery!!

steve, what's new? how's training?

mindy, i enjoyed your FB and BT beach reports from a few weeks ago. are you starting to find the motivation to train/work out again?

hope you are all well.

mindymcc

2010-07-12 2:53 PM

in reply to: #2974572

Veteran

481

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

Nice bike Jess!

First week back from beach was crazy at work so starting TODAY I am back on an exercise routine. Plan to run the Atlanta 13.1 in October, just have not signed up for it yet for some reason... That is the plan though and if I can just have two back to back weeks of decent training behind me, I know I can do it. Today was hard though after being pretty sedentary for almost three weeks! I am back to running the treadmill though as outside at lunch is just unmbearable and probably part pf the reason I got in a funk. Anyway, hope everyone is well.

Lisa, that is a bummer about your ankle, but like you said, better now than in a month. I personally liked the pictures you posted on FB of your bruises from swimming! That may be a first!

ThatGirl

2010-07-12 8:01 PM

in reply to: #2974572

Expert

745

Bethesda, MD/Northern NJ

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

hooslisa - 2010-07-12 9:13 AM

Jess, really sweet bike. that one has been a popular purchase in our team down here and people seem to love it. i also like how it comes with a rear cage to hold your pencils (see picture)

that's a bummer about michigan. i hope your grandfather is doing better, though!!

Haha - a certified dork always needs to carry a pencil case. You never know when one will come in handy

Thanks - Grandpa is doing better. It was just a matter of getting his medication right - he's been through a lot this year, and a long trip to Michigan just wasn't in the cards.

Lisa- you're nuts

In a totally good way! Twenty-two hour training weeks just blow the mind. I absolutely cannot wait to see what you do race day. And I hope the sprain heals quickly - I loved your facebook post and the perspective on it. Any minor setbacks will only make you stronger race day when you have such an intelligent approach.

I have to tell you - I totally drew on your Eman attitude when I was running at Long Branch this weekend

It was hot on the run (maybe 90ish?), and lots of people were walking. I just put my head down and pushed. It's a lot easier to keep running hard when its only five miles as opposed to 13, but I kept thinking about how you would approach it and crush it

STEVE - you're also nuts! 21.5 mph average? Total insanity. And of course, congrats on the swim. I just checked your results - you were first in your age group in EVERY discipline except T2?! I bet you enjoyed having such a big AG for once. And you thoroughly dominated them

I hope you're basking in the feeling of having such a thoroughly successful race! And to have Lynn there with you

Must have been a fun weekend.

Neil - I love your new pic! Also, glad you're getting out on the bike. Boot-be-gone! Do you have any races planned for between now and IMAZ? I'm assuming you won't be doing the same disastrous HIM you did last summer?

Mindy - I too loved your FB updates about the beach. The pictures of the oil in Florida were super interesting - the one picture of the oil pooled near the berm was disturbing, but the fact that you saw only one tar ball is encouraging.

ThatGirl

2010-07-12 8:18 PM

in reply to: #1896958

Expert

745

Bethesda, MD/Northern NJ

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

As for me, I also had a very successful race yesterday

Long Branch long course is: 600 yd swim, 20 mile bike, 5 mile run.

I finished in 2:04:11 - over 5 minutes faster than last year (2:09:29). Also - last year's course was officially 3 miles shorter on the bike - it was 600 swim, 17 bike, and 5 run. So, if we had been doing the same course - I'd probably have seen more in the range of a 15 minute improvement (guessing that it takes just over 3 minutes for me to do a mile on the bike). So, that's crazy and awesome for such a short race

I'm loving seeing improvements over times I did last year!

A lot of the improvement came out of the swim - I did 10 minutes this year instead of 16 minutes last year. That is because the surf was a lot kinder this year. It was still totally insane - I've concluded that ocean swims are not for the faint of heart. But I was able to hold myself together better, and I think I'm in better swim shape than I was at that time last year.

The bike - I'm pretty sure that this is the first time, ever, that I've averaged over 18mph in a race

I was soooo happy when my timer clicked to 59:59 and I saw that I was already at 18.17. It's a super flat course, but my Garmin shows that last year I averaged 16.8 over 17.7 miles on the same course. Last year, it took me 1:03 to do the 17.7 miles, but this year I took 1:06 to do 20. So, I was really excited about that.

And, I held it together on the run! Finished in 42 minutes flat for 5 miles - so about an 8:28 average. Last year, I took 43:30 for exactly the same course.

So overall, I did well and was excited. Then I had a fabulous day relaxing at the beach with Mark's family.

mindymcc

2010-07-13 7:13 AM

in reply to: #2976548

Veteran

481

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

Congrats Jess on your impressive time improvements!

2010-07-13 8:22 AM

in reply to: #2974277

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

NEIL -

You look less like Neil Saxon than you do Fabian Cancellaria, I think!

Speaking of which --- Did you hear that Saxobank won't be spronsoring a team next year? It's just been announced that Sun God (don't ask, cuz I don't know) will assume the major sponsorship (they are minor), along with a too-be-named group.

That is appropriate for us who have viewed you as a southern Californian sun god for about 18 months now, so embrace your official elevation from Sax(obank) to Sun God! We genuflect in your genral direction!

And good on getting in two stright days of riding.......but that boot ghas been there for quite a while.

What is the timeline on its removal and your return to running?

2010-07-13 10:07 AM

in reply to: #1896958

Master

1547

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

July 27 the boot comes off. I have been cleared to bike (I think). Doc said I could get on the "stationary bike" but actually riding my bike with the carbon shoes is safer than the gym bike requiring me to wear gym shoes...the whole is idea is not bending the forefoot.

I have also been cleared to swim...but havnt made it there yet.

For the bike make it 3 days in a row now about 1hr30min each ride. A little sore today and blazing hot so perhaps this evening will make for a great swim.

I hadn't heard SaxoBank was ending it's sponsorship...glad I bought the last years jersey...hate to own the 2nd to last, the last one is nice.

Still unclear of when I will be able to run...doc said 3 months but not clear if he meant 3 months from the day of injury or day boot comes off.

2010-07-14 7:01 AM

in reply to: #2976548

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

JESS -

I coulda sworn I responded to your Long Branch report...but tere's nothing here! Is this another case of forgetting to hit the submit button, or losing my mind and thinking I did something I didn't? I don't know which is worse!

ANYHOW ----

That was a very clean sweep of improvements for you, with the bike and swim ones being especially devastatingly nice. Of course, had they stayed roughly the same as last year, then the 90-second improvement on the run would rise up as being impresssive all on ts own. I mean, it still is impressive......but just less so than how you improved on the bike and swim. The bike numbers are fabulous!

Are you still thinking of the next Long Branch, on Aug 14, or was this last-minute one the end of LB for you in '10? I still am contemplating it ---- and still haven't heard from them. What? They don't want me there?

I'm also still contemplating NJ State, but just don't think I can do it. But whenever I think about it, I get the triathlon version of sugar plums dancing in my head!

In recent days I have been thinking more seriously about returning to MightyMan. I could likely coerce Lynn into joining me for that, as there would also be a trip to visit Jane as part of it. I don't know how closely you have studied it, but it is a very spectator-friendly course as both the bike and the run are double-loops that pass right by t-zone. And t-zone is mere steps away from "downtown" Montauk, which makes for decent strolling for the friends and family. Of no mean note is a wonderful bakery, Right There!

I still feel great about Mussel, as it was perhaps the most complete race I have ever done. (Have I said this before, like a few days ago? WHERE IS MY MIND GOING?!?) I still haven't done a race report on it, but hope to in a while. That will likely be on the other site --- where the readership is larger!

2010-07-14 7:13 AM

in reply to: #2974572

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

LISA -

Great post -- especially the paragraph about the effect trianing is having on you. I am very envious of you, because for me I don't think it worked that way. I think I HOPED it would be like that, but it really turned out to be a slog of sorts, constantly worried about the spectre of injuries. At least that's how I remember it. I guess I was aware of losing the sense of limitations, but by that point I had done about ten half-irons and maybe five or six marathons, so it was mostly a cautious transition from those efforts to the full 140.6.

And, of course, your volume is massive compared to mine! Erik was well aware of my tendency to injure myself, so he toned down my training considerably over what Scott is setting for you. It is remarkable that LOO will be your SEVENTH century, but of course that means that you should be able to fly through it; that IS the plan, yes?

What you haven't said is the nature of your century rides compared to LOO; are you ttrying to do topographically tougher centuries than what you will find at LOO?

Moving on to your ankle.....has it gotten better in the past few days? You're right, though, tat if you have to do a swim-intensive week, that might be for the best!

Will I see you in Placid? Just checking!

As for me, training is going well, as is racing. I had a superb Musselman sprint on Saturday, and I will do a race report in a while, posted probably at the other site. As I've said to Jess, it was likely my most complete race ever -- paces 21.5 on the bike and 7:02 on the run, and the swim was 1/13 in my a.g. and would've been 2/18 if included in the 55-59. I don't know where THAT came from, but I'll take it!

Nurse that ankle, o floppy-footed one!

2010-07-14 7:21 AM

in reply to: #2975812

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

MINDY -

Good! I'm glad that is still in the plans for you! And good too on getting back on the 'mill --even if it didn't feel all that great. But if it makes you feel any better, for me it takes only about ten days between runs before the first one or two back at it have me feeling half-decent. So, get a few of them behind you and it'll all come back to you!

As for the nature vs. the 'mill, I'll mention your options again ---- 4am wake-ups with 4;30 run starts, or come up here for a few weeks! Actually, the last one has ceased to be a viable option for you, as the past 10 days or so have been really stifling. We have had two quite soft summers, but this one is miserable. One of the people from the other group lives near Houston, and suffered more when she recently visited her daughter in NYC than she did when she returned home. Jane came home for a few days around the 4th, and said that it is about the same here as in NYC. Ugh! No wonder why I'm feeling so drained after my workouts!

Regards to Ivan!

2010-07-14 7:25 AM

in reply to: #2977514

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

NEIL SUN GOD -

This year's jersey for them is very fine indeed! They are the team for me, mostly because of Jens Voight, but there are several of them who are admirable. It's a good squad!

my guess is that the three months includes the time in the boot; I'd be very surprised to hear otherwise. So, at least than two weeks until boot removal, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Ta-da! Be sure to tell us what he tells you on the 27th, okay?

Well done on stringing together those 90-minute rides. Are they proving to be marvelous therapy for you?

Illegitimum non carborundum!

2010-07-14 8:16 AM

in reply to: #1896958

Master

1524

Reston, VA

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

steve,

i must have missed the post about mussellman, but congratulations!!! what a great great race. you really are amazing and inspiring. you are still getting better every year!!! what do you attribute it to? has your training been different?

one of the things i am struggling with right now is that my "plan" has also loosely had us starting a family this coming year, BUT now that i have seen recent significant improvements in training, I am really tempted to postpone that another year and give myself one more IM year to (hopefully) qualify for kona. i'm afraid that if i don't do it now, i won't be able to replicate my times from this year again. i guess i have in my head that i'll just get slower with age and this is my one shot. i'm pretty sure all the data actually proves me wrong, and that speed improvements commonly happen into one's 40s. then there are cases like yours where you're improving still in your 60s!! it's just amazing. the times you are putting up in races aren't times that are "good for someone in their 60s" they are just awesome for anyone. period. it really is awesome. ....i so hope that i can be like you when i grow up

...but, seriously, what do you attribute it to? I think the thing that amazes me the most are your run times. a man 30 years your junior would be thrilled to run the paces you have hit this year.

2010-07-14 8:26 AM

in reply to: #2976548

Master

1524

Reston, VA

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

ThatGirl - 2010-07-12 9:18 PM As for me, I also had a very successful race yesterday

wow, jess. these results are remarkable!!! a 5min pr at a shorter distance race is impressive to begin with, but adding in that it was 3 miles longer!!!! that is just silly! I can't wait to see you hooked up on your new bike!!! you'll see a great jump in results from that as well. the improvements just keep coming!!!

i'm also really impressed that you handle ocean swims so well. i have never done one. not in a race or for leisure. it scares the hell out of me, honestly. i have been in a low grade panci thinking about clearwater ever since eagleman. part me hopes the tar balls cause the swim to be relocated to inland, but then i think, "do i want to be swimming inland in florida?" i'm not sure which the lesser of the evils is there.

2010-07-14 9:16 AM

in reply to: #2979622

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

LISA -

I sympathize with your thoughts about family vs triathlon -- that is a very tough call. You have really found your groove, but most of all is the idea that the end isn't yet in sight. That is, if you can keep training and racing injury-free, what exactly ARE your limits?

But, having said that, it is true that many women become true dynamos into their 40s, and from a focus-on-male-results perspective, I see the 40-44 a.g. every bit as competitive as the 35-39. That is all by way of saying that the body can continue to improve, but there is no doubt that the commitments of having a family make really serious training quite difficult -- no impossible, just difficult.

I'm sure you know lots of stories like this, but my former coach, Erik, has pretty much put his tri careeer on hold as his two boys have entered the scene. One is about 9, the other 5 or 6, and he just cannot do even close to the volume of training that took him to Kona twice. He really is just patching together trianing here and there, and racing whenever he feels he might be able to survive the event.

My mom was about 32 when she had me (and look at how I turned out!

), and Lynn was 34 when she had Jane and approaching 37 with Peter. We mostly feel that we were still young enough to devote time to them and not feel remotely exhausted, and have no regrets about waiting so long to have them. We were able to be more footloose and fancy-free for longer, and those were pretty good years that couldn't've been replicated once the kids appeared.

But I have idly thought at times about your comment a year or so ago about starting a family, and wondering how your current progress and success and is affecting that decision. I guess I now know that you are thinking about the conundrum fairly frequently, yes?

As for me and recent successes.....I don't have any clear answer! Part of it is just Time Spent, and I often think of Erik's comment to me years ago that it takes the average person about six years to learn how to ride a bike. I think that was the case for me, and now I have refined it enough that I know how to run pretty well off it. I guess that all comes down to pacing, doesn't it?

Not trying to blow my own horn here, but as I look at results past and present, i am one of the few guys my age whose run seems to be improving. I always had the run as a strength, but now by comparative views it is more of a strength -- at least for the age group. I have to attribute most of this to the whole Newton experience: (1) reinventing my running form, and (2) learning how to make the shoe's trechnology work for me. Beyond that, the lugs have mostly eliminated my neuroma problems, so that has maybe even salvaged my running career. i often wonder what would've ahhpened if I hadn't gotten into Newtons.....and shudder to think of the options. Those would've been more surgical removals

, or simply quitting out of necessity

.

In terms of training, I think what has changed there is developing a "longer view". How this has manifested itself is in coming back down to shorter stuff and working at more of a pure speed level, with the hopes that I can continue to build that up through the longer distances. The rough goal this year was to hit the shorter stuff earlier, then focus on olys, then half-irons, and maybe an iron --- which is where B2B is entering the picture. I will do an couple of olys in August, and probably a half-iron at the end, then a couple more olys in Sept with a half-iron in early Oct.....and if the body is holding up, then B2B on Nov. 13. So, each race is to learn how speed feels and what I can get away with I employ it. I hope to have good olys in August, great ones in Sept, and that's what all this shorter stuff is about.

Ultimately, though, it all feels quite haphazard. My avowed goal last fall was to make 2010 the season in which I raced sparingly, trained seriously for each race, and made certain that each race COUNTED. Well, they still count, but I have ended up racing like a maniac, once again. I have some zany schemes in mind for August, and how they actually play out remains to be seen; I just can't resist a fetching, comely race!

I feel this is looking like the year to do an iron, but the Kiawah Marathon experience last December (IT band on my last long run, bailed on the race) is a real caution. I have to keep that firmly in my mind so that I don't make a (foolish?) commitment to a race that I won't be able to do because my body won't let me. So if it turns out that I become proficient at olys and half-irons at the upper limits of distance, then I think I can live with that. Which is good, because I might not have much say in the matter!

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AiJpljtaBqcvdDBqa3hNM21GRkJqbVduZ1ozcUdtQUE&hl=en&pli=1#gid=0

2010-07-14 12:52 PM

in reply to: #1896958

Master

1524

Reston, VA

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

lots more i want to write to you regarding your post from the previous page, but for now i wanted to get this to you:

this is our agenda for our Lake placid "training camp". i hope the link works. let me know if it doesn't

check it out and let me know what you want to jump in on!!! ...or if you just want to meet up at the expo one day and maybe have lunch, that is fine too.

for the runs, i've included a pace chart so you can see what speed we'll be going for that particular run if you want to join us.

there are 17 people in the FeXY house, most of which are NOT doing IMs this year. so, there will be a lot of people doing shortened hybrids of these workouts if you want something shorter.

if you choose to come Thursday, we are doing a team dinner that you would be more than welcome to come to. just let me know cause they're trying to get a head count together.

Jess!!!!! this applies to you too. i know you had mentioned possibily being interested. let me know!!

2010-07-15 7:27 AM

in reply to: #2980687

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

LISA -

The link works -- sort of. I can't get to the agenda, however, until I establish a google account. So, I will try that when I return from NH tomorrow evening. I'm heading down there to bike and run the Timberman course with a person from the other group, and that will happen tomorrow. For tonight, I swelter in a tent. Ugh.

2010-07-15 11:36 PM

in reply to: #1896958

Master

1547

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

Starting to feel better on the bike...put in 6hr30min since Saturday...will do another 1.5hr tommorow for a 8hr bike week first week...woohoo. Actually in a better mood too, which is good.

2010-07-16 6:35 AM

in reply to: #1896958

Master

1524

Reston, VA

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

great news, neil!! glad to hear it. what are your plans/hopes for arizona? are the docs saying anything?

2010-07-16 9:01 AM

in reply to: #1896958

Master

1547

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

I fully intend to race at this point. I am cleared to train swim/bike...might be a bit longer on the run but I can still work on the other two for now and maybe start running next month.

2010-07-17 12:30 AM

in reply to: #2984818

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

YO!

It's about 1:30, and I'm just back from New Hampshire where I led a friend through the Ti,meberamn bike and run courses -- the whole 56 miles of the bike, and one loop (so, 6.55) of the run. It was a great day until I got a flat in Montreal at about 10:30. That whole ordeal took about an hour, but it was resolved and here I am -- ready for bed.

But first............

2010-07-17 12:32 AM

in reply to: #2986646

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

LISA -

Many thanks for emailing the LP agenda, which I saw but haven't opened yet; I will do that first thing in the morning. (I am really tired!

Merci!

2010-07-17 12:34 AM

in reply to: #2986648

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

NEIL -

You bootless wonder, you --- CLOMP, CLOMP no more!

Great news about the resumption of two-pronged training, and even better news about the continued feeling-betterness on the bike.

IMAZ OR BUST!!!!!!

2010-07-17 12:44 AM

in reply to: #2986648

Champion

10618

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

LISA again -

I couldn't resist! (What's another 5-10 minutes at this stage of things?)

Who put that together? It's a work of wonderment!

I will study it tomorrow and see if anything fits for me. Thank you again!!!

(And apropos of nothing, my waking HR this morning in the tent in the campground was 37/38. I took it 12 times, and nine were at 38, three at 37. A few beats slower, and I could begin my devolution back to being a reptile!

)

(Usually it is 42-44, so I don't know why it was so low this morning. But when I sleep in the tent, which is seldom, I often have an abnormally low waking HR; why, I do not know.)

G'night!

2010-07-17 12:55 PM

in reply to: #1896958

Master

1547

Subject: RE: stevebradley's Mentor Group FULL

Still in the boot till July 27...but I come out of it to clip in (or clipless in...however that works). Having that firm carbon fiber sole makes cycling ok. Full boot removal coming.

In other news...I'm going swimming today!