tcovert's Winter 2009 Mentor Group - FULL (Page 26)

New bike!!!!  YES! All other things are just toys.

As for the swimming, I keep imagining looking down in the clear salt water and seeing a big toothy shark and wonder if I'll have the power to avoid the jaws.  That's enough motivation for me, though I've missed masters twice this week for good reason.  I've had power testing on the bike with my cycling coach and have to be fresh. 

I got four days unpaid furlough along with everyone else..we've lost 20 people in the last three months, 50 in the last year.  Down from 250, so that's a bunch.  Still, Kathy said proceed with the bike build.  I feel awkward about that but the stuff was ordered anyway before I heard so stopping things would have been really hard.  Stay positive.  This too shall pass.    

i guess i missed some posts - todd, you won jeopardy???  wow

I think the correct phrasing is;

 "Who won Jeopardy?"

Correct answer:  Todd, the man with the new bike!

You want to know the truth that Shimano doesn't want folks to know?  The 105s work really good.  The difference is in weight and we know that we can dump pounds by pushing away from the table, why worry about a few grams.  I went through that discussion with people about Ultegra, Dura Ace or the SRAM products for the build.  I quickly decided first on the Ultegra because the performance is just as good as Dura Ace and they are much cheaper.  Then came a huge deal on SRAM Rival (the Ultegra equivalent) and that was a no brainer.   The key is in the tune up. Get everything set correctly and the shifting will be smooth.   

Great bike.  Congrats. 

Congrats, Todd ... GREAT looking bike!

I've got a soccer game tonight, and unless it's pouring cats & dogs with lightning and thunder, we will brave this So-Cal rain storm and play!  A little (very little) background ... our team sucks.  We haven't won a game yet (been playing since October), but last week we actually played competitively and were in it until the end.  We've made some switches and it looks like we've found a line up that works ... we actually think we might win tonight, and it will be great because it's against our rival.  Well, *we* think of them of a rival simply because of one loud mouth on their team that we all hate

Playing on this team has been an experience ... mostly an experience in pain.  We're all over 30 (some of us, ahem, well over 30), coed, and very few have played soccer since the '70s.  My problem is that I like contact, so I tend to run into people pretty hard.  This also tends to hurt ... me, usually.  But bigger than that is the fact that you use diffferent leg muscles in soccer.  I'm more used to pedaling and running in a straight line.  The side to side and sprints in soccer take a huge toll on my quads and I frequently pull/tear them.

So ... I've taken to running 2 miles on the treadmill before the game to loosen up, and it's been very beneficial.  I've also been buying Icy-Hot so much that I think it might be a good stock to look into

Early game tonight and we play at an outdoor arena at the YMCA, so I'll probably jump in the pool afterwards to get all you nags off my back!   (Seriously, thank you for that and keep it up!)

Hope you all have a great weekend, and run like the wind, Amber!

Run Amber, Run! Have a great race.

Niiiicceee bike Todd! Very cool.

good luck on your soccer game, Morgan. And btw-- swimming masters at Carlsbad Pure Fitness on Tuesday and Thursday ngihts at 7 and/or M,W,F at 11:45. Great swim session and some of them are former oly trial swimmers, USC, UCLA, you know the slouch swimming schools. I'm way, way in the back of the pack here. Get your s@@ to the pool.

A question  re:: bike tires. I had a nail go through my tire and it left a little slit on the back tire. Haven't gotten it replaced yet, but wondered what you bike pros might suggest to look at regarding tires. I'd like to get something a little faster if possible, but would like to just replace the back one and not the front if that's adviseable.

Scott -- Sorry about the unpaid furlough. Here in SD at the Union Tribune I've known several folks who've lost jobs, but it's good for the freelancers.  Do you have a regular colulmn or ??? Will you write about your IM journey? Seems like you're very upfront about your weight loss, AA and cancer journeys. It might be something your readers might like to follow, too IMHO. 

A good weekend to all...

Oh, one more thing. I did my first spin class ever and WOW it was really great. I loved it. Nice loud music, darkened room, lots of sweat and good motivating instructor who reminded us to drop our shoulders which is what I need to be reminded of. 

Okay--- now I'm done. 

i'm no bike expert lynn but, i do alot of riding.  i like to replace both tires at the same time vs. each one as they wear.  could be bologney but IMO the bike rides more evenly - of course that's pretty logical when you consider that both tires get changed at the same time.

i can't comment on brand because i'm assuming you ride a road bike and i don't.  i try  not to compromise on quality to save money because in the end you spend more replacing cheap stuff...hope this helps.

goooooooo amber!

all carbon.

what else can you say...sweet.

Hey Everyone!

This past week has literally been out of control.  Long story short - I left for the weekend on Friday (after a crazy stressful week) and I left my dogs in the care of my roommate.  I was driving back on Saturday when I found out that one of my dogs had gone missing that morning.  After freaking out for four days straight (as in barely eating, not being able to concentrate on my school work, crying constantly), I FOUND my dog!  I am definitely counting my lucky stars and I am so incredibly grateful to have her home.

With that all behind me now, I am incredibly nervous about Sundays race.  My training was great all the way through last Friday but I have not done a single bit of running, biking, or swimming since then.  I am going out for a 15 mile ride tomorrow, which I am really looking forward to.

Thanks for all of the luck that you all have been sending my way 

I promise to catch up with everyone in our group this weekend - I know that I have been slacking terribly - I am sooo sorry!