QuincyF and Oriolepwr's Magical Mys-tri Tour for Newbies Has Begun (CLOSED) (Page 24)

but it would certainly help if I really had a clue how to use it- lol. it's too much watch for me right now but I'm reading and looking for tutorials etc, cause I'm determined to get the most out of it that I can. I swam with it today and yesterday and I'm loving the stroke count and swolf score. I spent 20min. yesterday just trying to beat my swolf score. Dh finally reminded me that I wasn't really doing my intended workout- lol. I still don't have the data fields and capabilities all figured yet though cause I've never had a gps/hrm watch so it's all totally new to me. I haven't used it for running yet because I haven't been able to run outside since it came and I have to do that to calibrate it or something of that nature. But I really am amazed at all it can do.

It's huge on my arm though. I cracked up laughing when I put it on. I feel like I have an ipad on my arm- lol. Dh says I'm crazy but that's never been in question- haha.

Shelly

It was raining at the start of my first marathon last year and I decided to leave my mp3 at home (not water proof) and was really worried I would not be able to finish without the music pushing me along, but I am so glad it happened that way...it was great being able to gather in the whole ambiance of the situation which I think I would have definitely missed out on with the headphones.

Not at all, but sometimes things sound different in my head than the way I communicate them. Those who know me call it Tedspeak so it was a preemptive explanation of my post to the group

On the topic of NOT saving $,  Registering for races you don't end up doing is a good way to throw away some cash. I had to bag my race this weekend cause my daughter has a real nasty middle ear infection. My wife works Saturday mornings and my kids were gonna sleep at a friends house Friday night so I could run on Saturday and they wouldn't be left home alone. My lil girl's definitely not gonna be up for the sleepover so I'm staying home with her. Looks like we're bagging the VT skiing as well. May try and go some place closer on Sunday or Monday if she's feelin better. I'm still planning on trying to get a 10 mile training run in to keep the commitment to myself...I know it's weird but somehow makes me feel like I didn't quit on the race.

On the plus side, I was able to transfer my registration to a friend of mine and a BT member who has really helped me alot over the last year. Very cool of the RD to let us do that.

Oh NO, so sorry about your girl! And props to the RD for allowing the transfer. That is NOT the norm, and if I were you, I would consider posting that story either in your state forum, or in Tri Talk to alert others to the awesomeness of the RD! You will be paying him/her back with lots of free good publicity. 

Hope you get your 10 and skiing in anyway (I bet you will).

UGH sorry to hear this Ted    Hope she feels better, and you manage to get some skiing in somehow.  

  Dang this winter season seems to to be the toughest that I remember for people RE: sickness etc.   Everyone seems to be getting sick!   And hard to shake stuff.  it's everywhere.

I so agree with you on this!   especially in big events   I will leave the Ipod at home.   Soaking up the atmosphere/ambiance is what I'm looking to do.  I like hearing the various sounds of the event.   I can listen to music anytime.    Training  sure.  But even then I rarely use music.      Important to note, that in Triathlon  headphones are not allowed.   (well USAT events anyhow)

Such an amazing group we have here!!  

I'm going to sign off here shortly and do not have the time tonight to respond to much of what has been posted here lately. 

  BUT  I've read it, and thinking about you all.

With all the activity  its intimidating to 'catch up'    I hope that no one ever feels left out or anything.   If you have missed a few days.   No worries, just hop back in and think nothing of it.    I'm really hoping the group stays together for a long time.   I want to see y'all succeed/progress throughout the race year.    

"night! 

Ted,

It's raining here (1h30 north of Stowe), so my thinking is that they are not getting much snow in Stowe or MRG. Don't think its going to be great ski conditions. If it turns out you can't make it up to VT, doesn't look like you'll miss much...

So yesterday, I got some coaching from a trainer at my gym (not my regular pers.trainer) on Swimming! Yay! I can't believe how much difference her tips made in my form! I found out she does triathlons and also coaches Team in Training tri so I asked her to give me some swim tips and it was so great.  Even more importantly, she was so encouraging and positive about where I was at and where I could get to with more practice.  Between her and you guys here, I know I can do this

Thanks Michel, raining down here as well. Crazy winter in the NE.

That's awesome !...  As they say "One stroke at a time".

That's great. It's amazing how just a few key changes can make such a difference. I know you can do it as well. If I can do it, anyone can-lol. It always impresses me to hear stories like this. Obviously this person has a passion for the sport and is willing to share her talents. That is one of the things I like so much about this sport. Kudos to both of you.

Shelly

HI Gang,  I haven't felt well the last few days, and not sleeping well either.  Hence, training suffered.  Great reading all the cost savings.  I'm seriously watching what I spend.  House is in foreclosure and income is way down.  After I bought the new shoes, that will be it for a while.  I'm glad I feel I'm a good swimmer and I'm happy working on my running and cycling.  I've made the decision that I will enter a race close to the last minute because money is so tight and I don't want to risk loosing $$'s if I don't go.  I may enter fewer ones, but my goal is to enter, at the very least, the one that will be 10 miles from home.

Tom

Yes hang in there Tom!    Its very hard to train with all the stress.  On the other hand it really helps with stress!   Sleep is so important.  I know its hard,  I struggle with sleep issues.     You are a positive person and I think you have the right idea.         I agree with Yvonne  you are doing really well!   

Here to support you. 

Anytime...

Keep on with your training, it's the best source of relieving the tension, no doubt.

He does have a really great attitude.  Not unlike the people here.      BT is great this way like you said.    The logging feature  really helped me understand how others trained.  

  I hung around BT for a while, and saw how other people would get through training/things/drama in their lives by way of their logs.   I would compare mine to theirs and see how they would train for the same event.   That told me if I was slacking off/doing well etc.     I was able to ask questions and get more comfortable.    It took me some time to make the adjustments'/efficiency in my life schedule to accommodate the   extra training time that was necessary for me to reach my goals. 

The friends/inspires and  checking up on each others logs really helped me to want to train more.   I would think when I was at the pool.  "well this person did this and that person did that,  and I KNOW  I'm going to hear about it from this friend.      All of this combined is powerful stuff.        

Logging training and visually seeing the peach days versus the yellow (its yellow if you have not trained but log some comments)      sometimes knowing ugh not another yellow day on my calendar makes the diff on getting some training in or not.    I like watching the training time/ mileage   add up over the course of the month.     I hate it when the month turns over and everything is back to zero.

You know much of the above sounds a lot like one of the entries in Quincy's blog.   Which when I read it, was the exact way that I feel about it.   (Maybe Q will post it?)

BT is awesome!  

You know its interesting.    People come to BT and Triathlon  often  to learn how to become an Ironman/woman.   

The people in this group already are already Iron (people?)  of life!     

ALRIGHT Alright!   Settle down people!   lol   we need a comedy break.

This fits the bill on two levels. 

There is an element of frugality, as it is a used item found on Craigslist. 

Its also about Yoga.  

Ok I'll be quiet for a sec.    Check this link out.  You will not regret it.  

I haven't been dominating the airwaves like usual. I had a rare and wonderful thing happen today. I got home from my 'aqua-jogging, or yogging', cooked up some crack cakes and to my wonder, my husband got his tools out and started working on our closet (one of the three main choke points in my house). I quickly put the kid crack TV on infinite loop and we kicked that closet's azz...so please forgive me for not being my usual runhermouthallthefreakingtime kind of girl. Here's the post I think Dave was talking about...this was before I met all of you...I was so excited, isn't it cute???

One of my favorite websites in the world is Beginner Triathlete (BT for short).  I log my workouts there, and about 95% of everything I've learned about triathlon has been from the forums there. The most amazing part of this "triathlon hive mind" is the Winter and Spring Mentor Groups. Basically folks who have been hanging around long enough volunteer to "show the ropes" to a new crop of wannabe triathletes.

Like any topic specific website/forum the same questions get asked over and over again, the same debates rage unabated, and a host of "the usual suspects" hangs out waiting for the next interesting thing to happen.

What sets BT apart from most other special interest websites is the mentor groups. They are cozy little learning cocoons where new guys can ask questions without worrying about looking dumb. But there's more to it than just a safe place to ask questions....you sort of get a built in little group of friends...you recognize a post by someone in your group so you are more likely to join in the conversation...you follow someone's daily path through a training routine and a race or two, and you realize you can easily do the same thing, or more...you do a race and you have all of these people who are excited for you because they've been following along with you.

Some of them have become my friends 'in real life.'

Some of these people are more real to me than Facebook friends I actually know 'in real life.'

Ok, that's weird in a 'social networking shouldn't be that profound' kind of way.

But that's just a little bit of why I LOVE BT.

And because it's free, and because I have just taken and taken and taken, and because I do appreciate everything I've learned from the site, I have 'applied' to be a mentor for the Winter 2012 Mentor Program!

I have some top secret plans for my mentor group (which I've dubbed QuincyF's Magical Mys-tri Tour for Newbies). Stuff I haven't seen in any other mentor groups. Dancing girls, ninjas rappelling from the ceilings, David Hasselhof. It's gonna be great. 

Tom, the good news is, working on the engine is free! I am in the same boat as far as entering races...I can't begin to figure out how my body is going to be acting, so if that means giving up a race that sells out to avoid losing the entry fee, so be it.

Congratulations, that is great news Peter! I believe weight loss is a kickstart for a lot of people to do lots of other things in their lives...positive change begets positive change! Congrats!