Manatee Mentors 2014--CLOSED (begging & bribes MAY work) (Page 27)

Originally posted by Asalzwed

Gah, been planning running routes for the upcoming trips I am taking (takes the guesswork out.)

This weekend:  Vegas

Maybe I can do my run with one of those 3' tall plastic vessels of margarita. 

Originally posted by mcmanusclan5

NAME: Matt McManus (although I'm called many things - including, most recently, Matt McManatee… which, in truth, cracked me up) 

STORY:  I love this sport!  Did my first tri back in the early 90's and stopped (all sorts of reasons, right?).  Kept running, but on and off - some years a LOT, some not so much.  Work colleague convinced me to buy one of those fancy new bikes (caaaahbon, as they say locally) to ride with him - I did and loved it!.  Since I always have swum for fun (never - EVER - competitively or coached) and was running some anyway, I decided to do a tri in the fall of 2012.  The Better Half (she swam through HS, had been running and just got a new bike) decided to do a couple sprints with me.  It was ON!  

Last year was my first full season of tri's.  Did 1 HIM, 2 Oly's and a bunch of sprints (plus a bunch of running races).  I've read that a few others here call it their mid-life crisis, and I'm in that boat - very happily (waaaaaaaay cheaper than most of the other flavors of crisis).  

FAMILY STATUS: Married to the Better Half (Kim), three kids (boy.girl.boy / 9.11.13), two labs (yellow and choco), a bazillion fish in a bunch of tanks (fresh and salt - my oldest loves fish, and he's converted us, too), some frogs, a hamster and gawd knows what else in the menagerie.  Family is the best and most important thing in my life - bar none.

CURRENT TRAINING: Just finished my first base block (of 3) and am on a rest & test week.  then 2 build blocks, a two week peak and a week taper for the first A race on June 8th.  A bunch of races (lots of running and a couple tris) on the way to that one.

THIS YEAR'S RACES/EVENTS:  New Bedford HM in March.  HIM in Grand Rapids June 8th.  Nantucket Oly in July.  Maybe AGN in August.  Probably Timberman in August.  A bunch of other races, too… as long as I don't get hurt!

2013 RACES/EVENTS: Many road races (PR'd every non-track distance but the mile and marathon - neither of which I attempted - so, a very good year!), a bunch of sprints, two Oly's and one HIM.  Was a great season, even if it felt a bit selfish at times (a struggle to make sure we get in family time, but we tried to mix in "tri-tourism" like spending the week on Nantucket around the race - not a bad way to go, but we didn't do some other stuff over the summer that we usually do - so, a different year, but a good one).

BODY COMPOSITION: Went from ~190 or so when I bought the bike 2 years ago to the low 160's currently.  I raced last season around 155-157 (lightest I've been since middle school, I think), and want to get there again this season.  I think I'm in a good place to slowly let the last 5-7 pounds come off with the increase in training I HOPE to put in.

There's a good chance I'll be in a new job soon, which will bollocks up my whole plan - but that's life and part of what makes it all fun.

I am very interested in and excited by the sport, so I'm looking forward to being part of the discussion here.  I'll forewarn that I have something of a dry (like sahara dry) sense of humor, so I probably abuse the emoticon thing to make sure people know I'm kidding and not busting ballz (unless that's needed, of course).     See what I did there?

So, Manatees - I'm psyched and just super happy to join the party!  Thanks for having me.  

Matt

Originally posted by copa2251

When I was a student we all went on a 26.2 mile sponsored walk - sponsored by Guiness!

At each aid station they had pints of Guiness to drink, nothing else. Needless to say the finish line was spectacular, almost like the famous Ironman footage from the 80's with competitors crawling across the finishing chute covered in Guiness and probably incontinent... Good times!

Originally posted by mcmanusclan5

I am very interested in and excited by the sport, so I'm looking forward to being part of the discussion here.  I'll forewarn that I have something of a dry (like sahara dry) sense of humor, so I probably abuse the emoticon thing to make sure people know I'm kidding and not busting ballz (unless that's needed, of course).     See what I did there?

So, Manatees - I'm psyched and just super happy to join the party!  Thanks for having me.  

Originally posted by amd723 That might get me back to marathons!

Originally posted by jmkizer

Maybe start small with the tap n run and work your way up?

Originally posted by blueyedbikergirl

Okay, a little rant... 

I have NEVER heard of this shipping method before - EVER - but for the 2 kitty carriers that I ordered off of Amazon, I got a UPS tracking number (yay) which showed that the items made it to Chicago at 6:16am on Monday (more yay).  However, when I checked back later on Monday, the status had been updated to say "As requested by the sender, UPS has transferred this shipment to the local post office for delivery to the final destination".  

Um... What the what??  So, as the customer, I get to see that the items I purchased (and paid shipping for) have arrived in Chicago, but rather than actually delivering the items to my house they're now going to go to what might be the most incompetent government agency to (hopefully) be delivered within the next 48 hours.  Maybe.  If I'm lucky.  And I can't even track the items now that they've been given to the USPS for delivery???  

How does that make ANY sense whatsoever??  GAH!  

/rant... for now.  

Originally posted by StaceyK This is normal behaviour for a Manatee so you will be fitting right in

Originally posted by amd723 FACHMIE!!! Yesterday I thought, "I'm glad this has never happened to me". Today I find out it has and is. I ordered dog pills a while ago and just checked the status- FEDEX delivered them to the local USPS 2 days ago! I think you jinxed me Monica. I don't know how, but I just have that feeling

Originally posted by mtnbikerchk welcome Matt! Nice to have another New Englander! Have you ever done any of the Sun Multisport events? We are doing the Patriot HIM as a relay in June! And the Pumpkinman in Maine will be my first solo HIM in Sept. Timberman is on my list but not this year..

Originally posted by copa2251

When I was a student we all went on a 26.2 mile sponsored walk - sponsored by Guiness!

At each aid station they had pints of Guiness to drink, nothing else. Needless to say the finish line was spectacular, almost like the famous Ironman footage from the 80's with competitors crawling across the finishing chute covered in Guiness and probably incontinent... Good times!

Originally posted by mcmanusclan5

Aaaaahhh… I've found a home, too!  

Matt

Originally posted by melbo55

Funny video, Darren!  I saw a similar one previously that I think was about triathlon in general, not Ironman.

Welcome, Matt!  No doubt you will fit right in here!

Sympathies to those dealing with multiple, slow package delivery organizations.  My worst complaint was UPS delivered a package of mine to the empty house next door.  Must've been a new guy, the usual dude knows where to go.  Thankfully I knew what day to expect it and acutally watched him look from house to house then decide to deliver it to the wrong one with the wrong house number.

Originally posted by blueyedbikergirl

Ever since I heard of it, I've wanted to do the Marathon du Medoc... a marathon in Medoc, France with stops along the way for wine tasting & gourmet food...  Now that's my kind of race!!   :D  

Marathon du Medoc

 

Originally posted by amd723 Careful, I was smug thinking this had never happened to me and then Monica used one of her hex 101 curses against me and bam!

Originally posted by Triathlynne

Hey Matt WELCOME!!!!   Fun group of people here! No doubt lol

 

 

I got my GREEN CARD receipt in the mail yesterday. Just meants my appointment for biometrics is on it's way. Usually doesn't take very long here for some reason. This will be my THIRD green card (Thanks to the bastards that stole my last one).  Then hopefully I'm jetting off to Scotland 2nd week April.   Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?  Did I mention I hate flying?

Originally posted by Triathlynne

Hey Matt WELCOME!!!!   Fun group of people here! No doubt lol

 

 

I got my GREEN CARD receipt in the mail yesterday. Just meants my appointment for biometrics is on it's way. Usually doesn't take very long here for some reason. This will be my THIRD green card (Thanks to the bastards that stole my last one).  Then hopefully I'm jetting off to Scotland 2nd week April.   Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?  Did I mention I hate flying?

Originally posted by rrrunner

I received mine, safe and sound, yesterday.

Originally posted by melbo55

Congrats!!  What part of Scotland are you from and what part will you be visiting?  I'm asking because my great-grandmother immigrated here from Scotland and someday I'm hoping to visit the area where she was from, Aberdeenshire, and maybe do a little geneology/tracking down any living family members if they are still in the area.

Originally posted by kgore

2014 is NOT off to a promising start! I got over the flu last week, and this week I am in the midst of the stomach 'flu'---it seems to be on its way out (no pun intended) after 3 days!!! I am so tired of feeling much less than human! Ick. 'kay, that is all I have to share. 

Welcome new manatees, and Stacey, I am so sorry to hear/read about your pup.