GrooveTime!group - CLOSED!!! (Page 254)

DENISE,

Just wanted to say hi and hope all is well with you.   How is the training coming?  

MANDY -

Does this mean you've emerged from the quagmires and deserts of Auditland? Do we get you all to ourselves now?

I can't figure out whether this will make you feel better or worse about Timberman, but even in the pre-WTC/"70.3" days, it managed to draw a good crop of pros. My last year doing it was '04, and then it had the Lovatos (as yet to be married) and Desiree Ficker, and a few others whose names escape me. (I tried to find the '04 results online, but struck out. I may have to go back to the Timberman forum for that year and see what it says about the pros attending.)

And that's another sad thing. Back in the day, the Timbeman forum was very active; now, it is practically defunct. The home page doesn't even list those four races, as I guess they are really no longer owned and operated by Keith. Discussions pop up about them on the forum, but it is really just a shadow of what it used to be.

All of this might be good for Keith, though, as his kids are getting older and he probably doesn't have time for all the frippery. And although he is a native Granite Stater, and proud of it, I think he is very happy to spend so much time in Texas, where his wife's family lives.

Well, beyond the fact that I am a nostalgic sap who deals very poorly with loss, none of what Keith does is any of my business, I suppose. Eh? (Fact: He's a HUGE Pats and Celts fan, very big Sox fan.....but not so much for the Bruins. Boo-hoo.)

Very nice about an extra T-man medal going to your mom. I'll bet that brings on a few sweet tears!

STEVE -

Belatedly, thanks from me also for the heads-up about the Xterra deal. But, after fantasizing for a couple of days, I'm not going to spring right now. Not only am I mostly okay with wetsuits, but as with Anne and Ken, Lynn would freak if I bought another wetsuit at the moment.

I have had two or three Xterra, with mixed results. I really like them for perfomance, but their durability is a big issue for me. I wetsuit-swim 3-4x a week for about 4-5 months, and that takes a toll of ANY wetsuit I have owned. With Xterra, they seem a bit more susceptible to finger-gouges, even though I am generally careful AND don't have much in the way of protruding nails to begin with.

My most recent Xterra had a red lining, and that did a number on any of my tri jersys that had white in them -- like, it turned them pastel-pink. A very gentle pastel pink, but still quite noticeable. But in the future if I knew they had one with a standard black lining, I would spring for it just to save wear-and-tear on my DeSoto westsuits.

ANNE -

Oh. Yeah. My foot/feet.

I saw the doc Tuesday evening, and I'm off from running for a while still. I last ran last Saturday, and that was the first time in ten days; so, I guess I'm in my running off-season!

He says that bunions won't improve if one keeps pounding them, so for now it is very conservative -- no running until I can walk without discomfort (that's 99% of the case anyway), and a "pulse" of anti-inflams, which means one three times a day for ten days. he also doesn't think i will ever need surgery on it; I guess he doesn't see it pointing inwards too agressively at all, which is my reading of it as well.

As for the other stuff (neuroma hints, metatarsal woes), that too is improving. I am wearing a pair of Newtons at all times, as opposed to my beloved Keen sandals (which seem to have very suddenly become aggravators of all this). I really am trying to be steadfast about this and treat it all as the running off-season. It seems to be working!

I swim four times since Monday, did strength stuff five times; I will likley do nothing much today and tomorrow. The last couple of swims have been good, with yesterday's even being promising -- maybe a small breakthrough, even?? We'll see if any of it translates into a swim on Monday!

All of this has me re-re-re-reconsidering next season. Following my initial excitement about the USAT Nationals and Sprint Championships being in VT, and the subsequent thought that I should jettison the half-iron emphasis for next season and focus on olys and sprints again, I swung back to following my heart and thinking about well-chosen and well-spaced half-irons. And then the foot stuff got extreme enough to make me wonder if I would EVER run again....and that maybe I would be better off just focusing on the shorter stuff afterall.

But now that I'm gradually improving............I'm considering wider options, yet again. So, who exactly knows?!? It helps, some, that I've already qualified a few different ways for the Nationals, so I'm in as long as I want to be. I guess that makes it kind of a no-brainer, although just because one qualifies for something doesn't mean they have to do it. Many people feel good enough just to qualify for Boston, or Kona, or Clearwater, without going through the headaches of actually traveling to those places and doing those races. I mean, I KNOW that part of that way of thinking can end up being quite hollow, but at leats it's something. I think.

I'm very glad you've had a good week -- now I have to go over to your logs and find out what all exactly has gone so good! I was worried about the opposite, seeing as how you've been kind of quiet, but maybe it was just all a case of "no news is good news"!

I finished "The Tempest last night, having done "A Midsummer Night's Dream" last week. Onward to "Othello", or "As You Like It", or "Henry IV, Part 1", or "Measure For Measure". Wheeeeeee!

Hey Anne,

All is well with me.  I've still easing into my winter maintenance program but I'm up to 4 hrs/wk now and will continue to increase - just easy laps and spins for the swim and bike - been concentrating on running the last few weeks cuz I've got a 10k with my daughter Thanksgiving morning.

I'm not as dedicated or consistent as you - but just wait 'til January rolls around - I'll be training gung-ho - haha.

Hope your running continues to go well.
Denise

A guy from my little town is doing his 1st Ironman tomorrow (AZ).  Can't wait to track him.  He's not really a friend but his wife used to teach my daughter and I chat with him at some of the local sprints.  He's always in the top 10 - I think he'll do well tomorrow.

Glad things are going well with you.   Don't be fooled by my performance of late.   This is the first winter where I have  been doing training in all 3 disciplines, this early or this consistent.   I think I have just been getting tired of slacking off in the winter and having to work so hard to gain it all back in the spring, and usually injuring myself in the process.   We'll see if this approach works and hope I don't burn out before spring.    

Trust me - if Ken and I didn't love to S/B/R we wouldn't be so 'dedicated'.   We're just 2 kids who wanna have fun.  

STEVE,

EVERYTIME I start to write to you my internet dies.  Hope I can get some thought to you before it happens again!   Sounds like the foot isn't a deal breaker and glad you are listening to him and giving the feet a rest.   I would never be able to take anti-inflams 3x per day.  

Geez, that's alot of strength.  I am having a real hard time fitting in more than 2xper week.   I would like 4 x. 

Just for selfish reasons, I'm hoping you lean the HIM way.   It will be more fun talking back and forth and also to be able to meet up at the races.   I'm sure you will waffle back and forth till you absolutely have to start booking the races.

SO, you like Shakespeare!   Is that what you taught?    Wasn't the easiest reading for me although I have enjoyed a few plays at Stratford.   I usually pick up reading again from October through April - mostly in the evening before bed. 

I was thinking earlier, that you may read my log and say OMG if this is a good week for her, I'd hate to see a bad one!  

Running again tomorrow.  No doubt, the problem hasn't resolved itself yet.  Will be interesting to see how much running I can do before it flairs up.   Going to do a swim post.  

Had lots of energy all week and didn't fade by weeks end due to amount of activity.   Made extra effort to ensure we ate properly pre and post training.   

TRACEY!

TRACEY!

TRACEY!


Whither art thou? How goest the rompilation this morning??

Well, not all to yourselves,  but you do get me more anyway!

I did enjoy T-man and would do it again, I just feel that WTC control over every 70.3 event is a good thing. 

Hope the foot keeps improving!  Are you watching the plays of Shakespear or reading?  I missed something somewhere..

Mandy

Well I didn't meet the goal that Denise set for me for a 9:55 pace. But I finished in 32:15, which is about 10:25-ish or so. So I'm pretty happy with that. Last year I had a finish of 38:23 with a pace of 12:23. I really enjoy this race since it's pretty flat throughout and is very scenic (going by Plymouth Rock and the waterfront).

TRACEY -

From 10:49 the other day to 10:25 today is a very nice swing back towards where you want to be. And then if you compare 32:15 to 38:23 a mere year ago (and 10:25 to 12:23), well, that's just mammoth progress!

Where exactly do you think you'll be next year? Care to make any predictions? (If not.......can I make one for you? )

You've gotta be pleased with all of this; tell me it's so!

And ----- anything else to tackle, or are oyu into race hibernation for a few months? (My guess is that you'll find some race with "frigid" or "frosty" or "frozen" in the name!)

Hey Shaun
Good to see you back. Keep us posted on your surgery and the job.
Mark

Tracey
REALLY nice progress over the past year. I think it can be difficult to compare races in the same year (so many different variables - terrain, temp, etc), so I mainly look year to year. Knocking off 6+ minutes is great.
Mark

Hello to all, sounds like things are going well for most of you.  STEVE B, sorry to hear about your feet, and hope the renos are going well ... and SHAUN, here's hoping that your surgery and recovery goes well, and congrats on the new job!

TRACEY, great job on your last two races! It's always fun to go back and do the same race and see the improvement.  My running partner is having major issues with plantar fasciitis, so I was telling her how yours had improvement with the Newtons.  She's do for new shoes, so thought she might want to at least try those on.

MARK, I'm going to have to check out that Fitzgerald book, Brain Training for Runners, ... I am in desperate need of a mental adjustment at this point.

STEVE A, I'm with STEVE B, chocolate is GOOD for you ... stick with the dark chocolate (I love those dark chocolate Hershey bricks with almond, anioxidants and extra protein!) and chocolate milk!

MANDY, can't wait to hear how your swims go with your Ipod.  Please give us a review!

DENISE, good luck on your 10K on Turkey Day and have fun with your daughter!  I'm registered for a 5 mile run and hoping that the cool front they are promising for Thanksgiving comes in early.  It was 66 on my run this morning, with a high today of 80 ... isn't it November yet?

ANNE, sounds like your training continues to go well ... hoping that your feet are feeling better with your runs.  You were asking about my daughter and Mamma Mia.  She is doing the Broadway North American national tour.  She's in Thunder Bay right now, going to St. John's tomorrow, and then on to Halifax.  She will actually be in Kitchener in January!

My son just finished up his winter baseball season and his team finished up in 1st place again with 7 wins, 1 loss, and 2 ties.  So we're through with baseball until February or March.  It's been a crazy week at work, and my husband was out of town all week, so looking forward to a few days off next week.

LISA

Mandy,

I thought of you today when I saw pics of Chrissie Wellington breaking the World record in Arizona.  She did the Blazeman roll acoss the finish line.

Denise

One more quick note ... STEVE B, I wish I would have seen this post the other day!



I went to a baby shower today.  It was at a neighborhood clubhouse and I got there and didn't see one car.  I knew it was on November 20th, but for some reason I had in my head all along that the 20th was SUNDAY!!  Did I feel like an idiot when I had to let them know why I hadn't been there yesterday!  I told you, it's been a crazy week!!

LISA

LISA -

I'm cramming myself in here between Lynn's mammoth sessions, so I'll just amke two quick comments:

(1) Tracey's problem was a neuroma, not plantar fasciitis. I too found great relief for my neuroma with Newtons, HOWEVER........for p.f., your friend does notnotNOT want to go to Newtons. I had never had p.f. before I started wearing Newtons, but once in Newtons I sufferd through p.f. for close to a year. This is because Newtons encourage a more aggressive forefoot-stirke, and that recruits the calf muscles in a big way, and believe it or not, calf problems are the big culprit behind p.f. -- even though p.f. manifests itself in the heel and arch.

I can tell you a few things to tell her, including a simple taping technique that carried me through the '08 season quite well. In the meantime, tell her to go to www.tptherapy.com and see what they recommend for calf work to alleviate p.f. symptoms. That is the website for Trigger Point Therapy.

Let me know if she needs any small bits of advice. It's a bugger, but it is beatable.

(2) As for beatable........oh, how I wish your Texans were not beatable today. I really needed them to beat those despicable Jets, and like the rest of the world I thought they had in the bag. That secondary of theirs.....oh, my.


Lynn is snapping at my heels, so I'm outta here. Glad to have you back again!











Edited by stevebradley 2010-11-21 9:42 PM

LISA again -

I wear Newtons and love them, and am glad I stuck with them through the p.f. months, but they are not what someone should move to when they are having p.f. and/or achilles problems and/or calf issues.

And thank you for sharing your misadventure with the baby shower mix-up; it's nice to know I'm not the only addled one around here!

DENISE -

Yo! You've been away a while, and I was wondering if you were in the running for Chilly's job. Poor guy, I can't imagine what it must be like to be in the Hdome and have the hordes screaming for your head on a platter.

How did your local iron-guy do? I hear it was a rough time on the bike down there -- big winds and lots of rain, and coldish, too.

Live and learn! While I have always awarded myself lots of Twin Cities Bonus Points for knowing about Dinkytown, I was abashed to learn yesterday about Oar Folkjokeopus -- which I guess is a legendary music store, but which I only learned about in a book I bought for son Peter, "Record Store Days". So, I'm obviosuly not as Minny-savvy as I thought I was!

MANDY -

Okay, then -- we'll take whatever we can get of you!

I'm reading Shakespeare. We saw a performance of "Romeo and Juliet" about a month ago, and that got me reinvigorated this time around. It was a great performance, but just made me feel all over again that the best way to see anything by him is to read it first -- and freshly, if at all possible.

He works great for me, because 90% of my enjoyment of reading comes from the way words are used. Another way to say that is that I do not read for plot-line, and that the concept of a "page-turner" is pretty alien to me. I never read mysteries (I'm too dense and naive and to figure them out) or the stuff from the big superstars - Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, and other names that escape me right now (including someone truly huge who if-I-don't-think-of-his-name-soon-I'm-going-to-scream!!!!). There's nothing wrong with what they do, it's just not for me.

I'm best-suited to having a few editions of a Shakespeare next to me, and going through them almost langorously. I will check and double-check, and really enjoy the game of reading different interpretations of what he was getting at, and plumbing the differences between the Folio editions and various Quartos and the occassional conflated texts. His plots are often very cool, to be sure, but I'm mostly in it for the words!

I haven't asked yet.......but any changes in the swimming scene for you? That is, any closer options than what you had last winter?

Years ago I bought a Vasa Trainer (before they had the ergometer option).......and used in sporadically....and couldn't seem to make it work as a viable swim option for me. So, I then moved it out to the garage where it has sat, unloved and getting dusty and rusty, for about five years. Last week I dragged it back in and cleaned it up, and hope to use it a couple times a week for stroke-simulation refinements. I still have to figure out which pieces of it might need replacing. I think it is in pretty good shape, actualy, other than a couple of the rubbber cables which are slightly cracked.

The problem I had years ago was an injury one -- twanging my elbow somehow, likely improperly exaggerating a movement. That, and it just seemed fairly easy for me to get to actually water anyhow, so why rely on a Vasa? But I've got it and it's a potentially good tool, so I will try to give it some long-deserved loving again. And as this progresses, i will keep you apprised as to how it is going. In the future, it might be an option for you -- unless you can afford an Endless Pool! (Pant, pant!)

STEVE -

Wakety-wakety! I know you caught your last person only a few hours ago, but it's time to get up and join the line of volunteers-signing-up-for-'11. Before too long, you'll have your Game Plan in place! Ta-da!

Hi Steve -

Ahh, see as a voracious reader of everything (and being naturally curious about...EVERYTHING) I read a lot. If there is buzz about something, I read it to see what the buzz is about.  But I have read a lot of Shakespeare - talk about plot line and twists and turns, and bazillions of interpretations of each word, right?  I haven't read for a while, but now I am thinking I should dust off my copy.

My favorite playright is Arthur Miller, I have read so much of his stuff, but never seen a play of his...so sad.

Swimming - nothing closer - but I found a cheaper option the same distance away.  $146/year for full use of gym, pool, indoor track, everything.  I have been making it 1x/week.  I am trying to convince John that an endless pool would be a GREAT investment in his raft company...but he isn't buying my logic.  I have considered some dryland training, I just am not sure what works - let me know!

I have been averaging 6-8 hours/week of working out - with a 2 hour day once a week at this point.  I am slowly building...IMLP is like only, what, 245 days away or something??  I better get crackin. 

Off to the woods for me.

Mandy

STEVE B, thanks for correcting me on this. I'll let her know to check out that website.

Texans, who???

$146 per year?  That sounds like quite a deal, compared to the $32/month we pay (with no indoor track, I might add).