GrooveTime!group - CLOSED!!! (Page 272)

Also Anne/Steve,

I'm looking to get into the world of new bike shoes as well. March 26th the LBS I quite like is having a inside out duathlon they call it and a sale on gear. I've found a few pairs online but I think I'll wait for this sale and get them there in the hopes that if I have issues I can take them back. Maybe then I can get rid of a pair or two of the shoes I have now. The Pearl Izumi's never did it for me and I'm not really sure I could tolerate the mileage needed for a HIM in them.

Really glad to see how enthusiastically you are getting back into the world of triathlon.       As Steve said, unless you know for sure that the 'shoe fits', it's a good idea to buy locally.    There really are alot of nice shoes out there;  I almost bought a pair that I really liked (SIDI) but they had a resin sole, which apparently would be no good for HIM distance.   Kind of bugged me that the seller never bothered to mention it.  

Have fun shoe shopping.

Hey all ... time to resurface.  Still dealing with some motivational issues, I guess, but trying to keep up with all the news.  I have gotten back in the pool and am really enjoying some masters swim clinics.  The coaches are great and I've really enjoyed meeting some of the team.  Swims are held at a heated outdoor pool (fun swimming under the stars!) and a beautiful state of the art natatorium ... you wouldn't believe how beautiful this facility is.

Congrats to Anne and Denise (and possibly Shaun) on starting your HIM training!  I'll just live vicariously through you all.

Anne, you were asking about the Smart Coach plan on Runner's World awhile back.  I used that to train for my first couple of half marathons and it worked well for me.  I did run my slower training runs at a faster pace than the plan called for.  I know you will have a great time in the Caymans, what a great place for a recovery week.

Denise, I bought a pair of short fins a couple of weeks ago for my masters swim clinic.  These are the ones that I ordered online, I thought at a really good price (http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/23088.htm) and they work great.  I've been meaning to tell you that my daughter's tour went through Madison last month and she loved Madison.  Called me up and told me that should be one of the places we consider for retirement.

Shaun, glad to see you are back on track. I would highly recommend the swim clinic. I've learned some great new drills in mine and the coaches have been very helpful in critiquing my stroke.

Steve B, 38th still isn't too shabby!  I guess it's pretty quiet around your place right now.  Is it almost spring time up there yet?  Glad that you have Anne and Denise sitting on each shoulder trying to be your voice of reason.  One day off from training is not necessarily a bad thing!

LISA

STEVE B, as for your "fissures", have you ever tried Bag Balm (the salve they use on cow's udders)? It is supposed to work wonders for cracked skin.

LISA

Some more tragic news of a VERY good runner getting hit by a truck while on her bike...

http://racingnews.runnersworld.com/2011/03/march-9-molly-huddle-hopes-for-medal-upgrade-at-world-cross-country-la-marathons-100000-challenge-jordan-hasay-and-oregons-mile-trio-democrats-and-republicans-co-exist-for-three-miles.html

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/03/08/20110308arizona-athlete-killed-in-accident.html

I have officially caught up on all prior posts. I'm back!

SteveB,

In your post in response to the clinic from Sheila Taormina, I have found some links for you.

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Training/Swimming/Sheila_Taormina_s_Swim_Tips_250.html

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Training/Swimming/Propulsion_in_the_water_249.html

I will read over lunch today. Those are the only two I saw but there may be more...

My coworker brought her book ('Call The Suit')in for me to look over. Lots of pictures and other tid bits that stick out to me already as being a well put together book not a feely kind of book. I look forward to getting my own copy and reading.

I either didn't get it or deleted it by accident.   Could you forward to me.   Sitting here looking out at the ocean about 100 meters away from our picture window (3rd floor) waiting to go for my 'Phyto-Marine' body therapy session.   Had an awesome deep tissue massage yesterday.    Going on a an afternoon snorkelling adventure today.   Yesterday we played in the ocean, walked part of 7 mile beach and had an awesome dinner at The Wharf.     Although we will never be back to the Marriott on our own dime, I would recommend this island to anyone.   We're really not into spending 700-800 a day for food and lodging.    It is a very well-to-do island.    However, the massage therapist I had yesterday is from TO and has been here 4 years.   She says in November you can get more reasonable accommodation at some of the rental places further up the beach.   Much higher vacancy rate at that time.   End of November is supposed to be pretty nice and I think that is when they have their triathlon.

If all goes according to plan we are going for a 5km run after snorkelling today.   Ken found a little leaflet outlining a jogging route.   Not for the fitness aspect - strictly to see more of the island.   I realize now how silly it is for athletes who train virtually all year to continue with that regime while on a 1 week vacation.   

Forgot to mention that our flight was 4 hours late leaving on Wed!!!!     Actually had to change plans, after the capt and the maintenanace man deliberated for 2 hours what to do about smelling oil when they turned on the air conditioning.   Seems like a no-brainer to me!  

Still try to keep yourself busy?   When is Lynn back?

STEVE,

We are 100 meters from the ocean, not 100 meters from our picture window! 

My tenative 2011 race schedule:

4/30/2011 - 5k - Mount Clemens
6/5/2011 - Hawk Island - Lansing - Sprint (first tri ever last year)
6/15/2011 - Triceratops (part of a series) - Island Lake Park - Sprint (part of RunningFit series)
7/22/2011 - Pterodactyl (same series) - Island Lake Park - Sprint
7/31/2011 - Island Lakes of Novi - Novi - Sprint
8/17/2011- T-Rex (finale) - Island Lake Park - Sprint
8/28/2011 - Autumn Colours - Holly, MI - Olympic (partial trail run)  (3 Disciplines)
9/18/2011 - Michigan State Championships - Macomb, MI - Olympic (3 Disciplines)
10/2/2011 - Deer Creek - Mt. Sterlin, OH - HIM - (HFP Racing)
10/16/2011 - Detroit Marathon - Detroit - Half Marathon

With this plan I'd end up joining USAT since each race would charge another $10 for their insurance and FAST (http://www.swimfasttrifast.com/). FAST is a local club that has a discount at the bike shop I want on goods, services and bikes. They also put on the 7/31 race and get a discount on the state championship.

The other possibility is ditching Hawk Island and adding Anyone Can Tri on 6/26. Clare says she wants to do a tri and is working to doing a 5k on April 30th. Doesn't know if she will be ready for 6/5 or not. There are also other women only events or almost try-a-tri events she could do. She said she wanted to do one with me though. We've got to discuss more and maybe it ends up that its an event I don't race and support her instead.

What's everyone think?

ANNE, sounds like you are having a wonderful time.  Enjoy the warmer weather!!

SHAUN, that looks like a great schedule ... very ambitious!  My first couple of tris were women only events and I really enjoyed them.  Depending on how Clare feels about it, maybe she'd be more comfortable and then have you there to cheer her on (assuming it wouldn't conflict with your busy schedule!

STEVE B, no, I have nothing on my race schedule yet.  Just got an e-mail that the May 7th tri near my house only has a few spots left.  Although I would like to do it again, I haven't been on my bike since the fall.  And it looks like I'll be cruising Alaska at the time of the June tri I've done the last 3 years.  I'm taking the entire week off next week for an attitude adjustment in the Ozarks, so maybe I'll come back with some semblence of a schedule ... or not.  Trying to figure things out.

LISA 

stevebradley - 2011-03-11 10:13 PM ANNE - You're never too far removed from taking exquisite care of your body, are you? the way you treat it, it should NEVER revolt against you; it owes you SO much! So, deep-tissue and then phyto-marine.......would that be applications of seaweed? If a person likes thta, I guess they would kelp coming back for me. Eh? (I apologize for that dopey pun.....but not enough to delete it! ) Speaking of bodies and taking care of them, I had another chiro session today and she thinks my groing and hip problems are due to a badly aligned pelvis, which is significantly higher on the right than on the left. When I told her how I usually sit at the computer (think side-saddle, with legs crossed, righ over left, and pivioted to my left), she immediatley blamed my woes on that. So she gave me a quick adjustment, and I'm back there for two more next week. She prescribes regular hip stretches and a sensible way of working at the computer, so I guess I'm feeling some hope. The situation vis-a-vis hip/groin/pelvis has deteriorated in the past two weeks, so I needed a dose of optimism. She also thinks yoga would be great for me.....so I will finally avail myself of that two-week pass I have kept squirreled away for about four months now. But seeing as how it expires on the 17th........it seems like I will come up a bit short of the two weeks. Oops. Well, maybe they'll allow me an extension, which seems to me would be a compassionate act behooving yoga devotees. When we went to Belize I ran a couple of times and swam several. The foolwing year it was Mexico, and seeing as how I had only recently had my neuroma removed, running was out. I managed a few swims, however, but I was actually relieved to not be able to run. So, I guess I agree with you that going on a relax-focus vacation is not the time to try to squeeze in a run or three......but if it's just part of seeing the sights, then why not? Are you going to leave your watches and other performance-monitoring tools behind? (That'll be a test for you! ) Lynn is back a week from tomorrow. I'm still pretty empty without her; no biggie, just a low-grade sense of being directionless. i'd say that my moods have hovered between about 60% and 75%, so it's been 18 days now of no highs, but at least no real lows either. I've told her I feel out of sorts, but out of synch with myself might also work. Cayuga Lake has filled, making me feel clever for signing up when I did. I also listened to what you said about the campground......and booked into a motel instead. I'm now thinking about doing West Point Duathlon on April 3, inlarge aprt to get an idea of how I would've done on that course had I not flatted. But that's kind of daft, as what I do now, in April, wil be only a shadow of what I was capable of in August. So, that beggers the question about why do the du, doesn't it? Um, because it's there? ??

Well, unfortunately it does revolt, and it pisses me off.   Sorry to be rude, but jeepers, creepers.   Ken says I baby myself way too much and have unreal expectations about how my body should feel.   Maybe.    Because I am usuallly feeling good because of all the self maintenance, I have a major problem in that I keep pushing and pushing until I have pushed my body beyond its limits and then it revolts!    It might be better if I let it hurt a bit and then I would train within my limits. 

You are too puny.     Phyto-marine = mud.  

What you are describing about yourself is EXACTLY what I am going through right now.   Has happened a couple of times before and always from overdoing it on the bike with a badly aligned pelvis.   My right side likes to sit higher as well.   Although my sitting posture is good now, I had 30+ years of sitting improperly at desks, computers, etc.    I'm actually feeling worse right now for not doing much this past week - soft bed, not stretching, etc.   High humidity is really affecting me.   Didn't run last night. 

Had a great catamaran (I think that's what it was called) trip where we stopped and swam/walked with STINGRAYS - freaked me right out.   Ken has some great pictures I will load when we get home.   Then we moved to another spot by the barrier reef and snorkeled.   They had to sound the horn to get Ken out of the water!   They joked about being able to come back for him tomorrow and he wouldn't have known the difference. 

Glad you're seeing the chiro.   I'm sure that will help as will the stretches and yoga.   I haven't been doing the yoga for over 3 weeks now and I'm pretty sure that's why my hips are feeling like they do.  I'm just not getting that degree and consistency of stretching/hip opening any more.   Trying to do the yoga and the S/B/R and strength is just too many hours for me.   But I am going to have to incorporate some of it back into my routine, at home, over the summer and then back at the studio in the fall.

You'll be glad you didn't book a site at the campground.   You should drive through it just to check it out and see how nuts it is.  

It will be nice to have Lynn back at home and get your mind/body back in sync.    I understand and can feel exactly what you are describing about being sort of directionless; I get that when Ken is away on trips.  Makes you understand why when people have been together for 60+ years, often they will die within weeks of each other.   Although we haven't been married nearly that long, we have vowed we are going together. 

Heading into Georgetown later this morning (about a 20 minute walk).  Supposed to have some good history.    Had a dinner just with Ken last night and we walked back to the hotel quite late.   Very safe here.  I would never do what we are doing here, in Mexico.   Although loving the sun and water, and great food, we will be ready to get back home tomorrow night  and hope my body won't revolt too much when I put it back to work.   

Steve,

Small world - I just watched "The Girl who Kicked the Hornets' Nest" 2 days ago.  It's the 3rd movie in that trilogy.  I heard Hollywood is making English versions.  After seeing the same actress as Lisbeth in 3 movies, I can't imagine anyone else playing the role.

Denise

Anne/SteveB,

Question for you two in regards to bike touring and racing. Steve, I believe you've never done a tour but the ones I am looking at doing are quite close to some race dates for me.

The MS Society of Michigan is having 4 bike tours this year and 3 of them are reasonably close to me. 2 are overnighters doing 30-100 miles per day. One is a one day 12 - 24 miles. Now the 'issue' for me is they all fall fairly close to races I am planning on doing.

Mid Michigan (http://bikemig.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/MIGBikeEvents?fr_id=15103&pg=entry) July 16-17 with 60 - 100 miles per day or 30 / 50 miles one day. With the following Wednesday being Pterodactyl Tri which is a sprint. Also maybe early in the season to do 50 miles (maybe, don't know). Pretty sure I did 40 miles in 2 hours in May last year.

Fall Breakaway (http://bikemig.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/MIGBikeEvents?fr_id=15104&pg=entry) Sept 17 with 6 & 9 mile mountain bike or 12 and 24 mile road loops. Ride more if you want. With the Sept 18 being the Michigan State Championships - Olympic.

Bavarian Breakaway (http://bikemig.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/MIGBikeEvents?fr_id=15105&pg=entry) September 24 - 25 with 30, 50, 75 and 100 mile per day options. Do not have to ride 2 days. With 10/2 being Deer Creek HIM (one week later) and two weeks prior is the Michigan championship. 

What are your thoughts?