GrooveTime!group - CLOSED!!! (Page 3)

Edited by midlifeinsanity 2010-05-23 7:10 PM

I will be sure to let her know about your dad. She is on a NOAA scholarship, and works part time at the weather center In Norman Oklahoma. X2 on the warm welcome and just have a good feeling

Edited by Dwayne 2009-12-19 10:04 AM

Edited by midlifeinsanity 2010-05-23 7:11 PM

Dee, if you are referring to me, I'm actually Shaun.

I grew up in Fonthill (parents still there) and went to high school in Welland (Dame). I reference Niagara Falls as everyone has an idea where that is. Welland or St. Catharines most people don't recognize either.

I won't be catching any of the flame craziness. I won't be in Niagara until Wed.

Is there still space in this group? I am 31 years old and almost a complete beginner in triathlon. Will post a biog after christmas, as I have a lot to cram in until then. For the moment am in off-season and just working on base aerobic condition + core strength, stability and flexibility.

Hepeoc

Steve,

I would love to join your group.

I just turned 63 yesterday - did my 1st two sprint triathlons last summer.

Will post better bio later.

LadyNorth (Denise)

SHAUN!

HEPEOC!

DENISE!


Yup, yup, yup! I'll be back to you all in a while, okay?

Steve

I'm hoping there is still room in your mentoring group, I'd love to join. It looks like you have a wealth of experience to share, and there is an interesting range of people already in.

I am a 45 year old, married, father of 3. I have been training for triathlon for about 4 years. I completed in 2 sprint distance races in 2007. Back surgery and some other minor but nagging injuries kept me from racing in 2008. I completed 2 sprint races and 1 olympic distance race in 2009.

I got interested in triathlon training to help with weight-loss, not thinking I'd do more than a short sprint just to say I did, but since getting started and completing that first race I've been hooked. I really enjoy the training, but with 3 girls (1 high schooler, 1 middle schooler & 1 elementary schooler) I focus on only 4-5 races per season.

The personal goals I hope to achieve in my races this year are a sub-2:35 Olympic time and bettering my times in my races from last year. My weakness is my overall conditioning (I still carry more weight than I would like) and I am slow on the run. My family is very supportive (though like to tease me that this is my "mid-life crisis", better than blowing money on a sports car I say). My oldest daughter is showing some interest in doing a sprint race with me, so I'm hoping I can nurture that interest into reality.

I was involved in a mentoring group last year and really enjoyed the camaraderie and training tips.

I'm excited for the upcoming season.

Mark

Edited by TriD64 2009-12-20 1:50 PM

TAKING STOCK

- or -

IS THERE METHOD IN MY MADNESS?



Hey, gang! Right now, at 3:14 eastern time, Saturday, Dec. 19 (my son's 23rd b-day!), there are 15 of you in the group. (I will list you all, later.)

How does that strike you? Sound like a good number? Too high? Too low?

I'm inclined to go a few more higher, because last year I "fulled" the group at 13, on about January 20.
From that initial baker's dozen, one person posted once and then vanished. Now 12. From there, three people stayed active for a month or two, and then disappeared. Now 9. (There was also a person who departed early on, but then resurfaced along about April.) And two people made it into April, but then also left. Seven.

Seven was okay, but some of the group (myself included) would've liked more. When we got "archived" in April, tere was some talk about whether we should re-open and take on few more keeners, but the consensus was that we were comfortable with ourselves, and that it might be daunting for someone to come into a group that was so well-formed. So, we went with the team we had.

Our last departure was mid-August, and even though the hard-core stragglers have kept going quite strong, I think we all could've benefitted from a bit more input at times.

HOOSLISA -- DOES THIS SOUND MOSTLY CORRECT SO FAR??

Based on that experience, then, I'm figuring that some of you MIGHT drift away. For a few who left last year, there were various issues - a new house being built, citizenship hassles, work and family pressures, sufficient funds, and so on. I sure hope that none of you will leave the group, but in an effort to keep it as supportive and active as possible, now is the time to build the numbers JUST IN CASE a few of you leave us, for whatever reasons.

From my end, I know I can do justice to a decent number of you. I did well even in the depths of winter when we were a fully functional twelvesome, so the thought of charging forth with 17-18 is not daunting at all. (Remember, I'm retired and am otherwise pretty much useless to society-at-large , so I have lots and lots of time to spend here, pecking away notes to you all! )

BUTBUTBUT -- PLEASE let me know if the ranks are growing to a point that is discomforting for you!

Okay??














Edited by stevebradley 2009-12-19 2:36 PM

MARK -

And you make it 16!

M -

Back to ya!

Firsat, i have edited my other post to you to add "like" between "just" and "that", so now it make sense - "...just like that."

Your daughter has done a good job raising you right -- encouraging you to do a triathlon. That was then, and look where you are now -- right in the midst of a passel of like-minded zanies!

So what was your pick -- the 2-mile or 6-mile option? Curious minds want to know!

As for "other critters in the water"........it's probably best not to dwell on that too much. As Exhibit A, I will cite the two times I have done the New York City Triathlon, which features the swim in the Hudson River. And there ARE things coursing down the current with you, but nothing bit more or tried to drag me under, so it was all fine. And last June hooslisa did her Eagleman swim in the company of lots of small jellyfish, but came out just fine. So, it's all good! Just remember that 99% of the critters in the water are more frightened of you than you are of them, so take a dominant attitude to go with your dominant position in the food chain!

As I think I've said twice already here, get comfort from the fact that you are not alone in feeling that swimming will be your weak link. There is a lot of that going around, to be sure, but some people adapt to swimming very quickly; hopefully, you'll be one of them! The glory of starting this all now, still in '09, is it gives you many months to work at a reasonable pace to develop your swimming skills. Right now it should just be about feeling comfortable in the water - working on your breathing patterns and your sense of "balance" in the water. There is no need for fancy sets or loooooong swims, so just get a pair of goggles that work (make take a few tries....) and plop in. Glub, glub!

And what do you have for swimming options? The other Steve has Malibu Beach; you're not so fortunate, are you? Is there a pool kinda sorta near where you live? And by the by - where DO you live? (Oh, wait! I just saw Omaha. Well, I guess that leaves out the winter open water swim option, huh?)

It sounds like you are doing great with keeping active in a number of intersting and challenging ways. Now, having said that I have to admit that I know nothing about P90X, but it sounds like it has options and offers good variety. Perfect! But I WILL look that up on-line, so when you talk about I won't be clueless. P90X. Kenpo. I'm on it!

Which triathlon is your daughter looking at, and is that one that you have in your sights as well? And then there is your son and HIS tri; also something you are considering?

And any time you want to trade, i'm game --- your hair with less-than-perfect color (or so you suggest) for my 423 remaining strands. Deal, or no deal??

HI I was wondering if there is one more spot left for an extreme newbie?
 

Can I join?

I am 32. Did my First 10k May 2007, first sprint August 2007, first olympic, HIM and IM summer/fall 2008, managed to lose about 45 lbs in the process. I have ran a couple 50km just for giggles.

Recent father of one, which makes my life busy. Always been a back of the packer, but never minded.

Goal for this year is to sub 4 hour a marathon in May. I want to be able to run fast and far. To that end I am running as much as I can. Trying to get to 50 miles a week but it is a tough thing to do.

Races....I have a HM and a 50k, back to back in February. My AAAAAA goal race in May, Marathon. A 146 km relay in July of which I am doing about 65km. 100km race in September. I might throw in a couple more trail marathons during training in July and August but we will see. Also, might work in a HIM in June or August or both, but we will see.

Suppose I would like to lose some more weight, maybe get down to 190 lbs from my current 205. Might help with my running.

I am from Calgary, I don't bike in the winter and hate the trainer, but I love to commute in the summer. Not much to for swimming right now.

Looking forward to a great year.

TRACEY -

HUGE congratulations on getting over the face-in-the-water freestyle hump! That is a very big one for so many people, and while any given triathlon will have a bunch of people who don't/won't/can't get their faces in the water (yet still manage to finish smiling), it is so much easier to do freestyle when the face is submerged - other than for that small matter of breathing! When the face is out of the water, that causes the bottom half of the body to tilt downwards, and immediately there is a large amount of drag to deal with. But you are past that now, so hallelujah!

Also congrats on knocking off some 5kms. Between those and your newfound swim skills, you are well on your way to doing the sprint you mention in August. For true!

is there currently a bike in the picture, or is that something that will enter the scene sometime between now and August. For what it's worth, I didn't get a bike until April of '00, and still found that was enough time to do my first tri around August 15 of that year. For me, I dutifully plied the waters throughout that winter, getting modestly adept at swimming, so I benefitted from holding off on a bike by channeling my energies elsewhere. But that is NOT to say that even if you have a bike now that you shouldn't be using it. Definitely, the more you are able to mix up your training, the more your body will thank you.

And the way you state your medium-range goals is good, with the sprint hopefully leading to more, and then hopefully on to an oly at some point. Some people do well with aggressive goals, but others are most comfortable with taking "smaller bites". As for now, the latter fits you, so as long as that remains a comfortable plan for you, stick with it!

SISTER HAZEL and DARREN -

You're in! Welcome! (And I'll get to you specifically before too long.)

GREAT!! Thanks Steve!
I really am a newbie...I sit here and read these bios and realize that the only thing I can brag about is that I recently ran 3 5ks in 10 days (and didn't die).
I do run 2-3 miles every day, plus take cardioboxing and spin classes, sometimes bootcamp.  I've lost 70 pounds in the last year. I may start small but hopefully I'll finish strong.

Robyn


 

ANNE -

Having just read your post, I have closed the group. It is listed as "CLOSED!!" on the main page, but is still listed as "OPEN" on the open groups page; so we'll see if anybody else trickles in, and how I respond.

I hope you are okay with the numbers we have, and I hope that you and others don't have trouble keeping up with all of the posts. The next little while should be a blizzard of activity......and then things will calm down as people settle into their patterns. It really should be quite manageable for all before too long.

Sometime in the spring it will pick up again as the realities of the fast-approaching season become patently obvious, but mostly it will still remain manageable. Right now even I am confused with who's who, and later tonight or tomorrow I will try to make sense of the group we have here, and post some initail pertinent info. I think that will help everyone begin to attach names to places to ages and so on.

And Muskoka in July! It was "in" for me a few weeks ago, then out, and now it just might have to find a way back in. I've never done Muskoka, and each year it beckons, like The Sirens on the rocks. Maybe '10 will be the year!

ROBYN -

Good! Glad to have your real name, as opposed to the "lyrical" one!

(Later, for more.)

SHAUN -

...and Ottawa misses you!

First, a knock on the noggin is something rightfully to be feared, but if you have a good helmet that fits well and is worn correctly, that will make for a world of difference. My crash in June was done at high speed, and I can still hear the sound my helmeted head made as it clobbered the pavement. But the helmet never came off, and although it was badly dented and cracked on the inner foam(?)-based lining, I suffered no head injureis beyond a mild headache for a few hours, and some tighness in my right jaw that was gone within about 48 hours.

So, if you are still in the market for a helmet, spend the extra dollars to get as good a one as you can afford, and have the guy at the bike shop check to make sure the fit is correct. And odn't wear it perched up on the top of your head, tilted back at a studly-angle!

The preceding unpaid advertisement was brought to you by the Brain Bucket Benevolent Society - dedicated to keeping your bread-winning brain safe from harm!

Second, that's an intersting litany of injuries you have going on there. Do you know how the shoulder tendonitis started? And how does that affect your swimming? As you probably know, the shoulder is a terribly complex bit of machinery, but even in its complexity it is none too stable. One thing that might help with your swimming is to keep your recovery (that is, when your arm is out of the water and moving forward to enter the water for the next stroke) low and a bit out from your body. For people with compromised shoulders, bringing the recovering arm up too high and too close to the body can exacerbate their shoulder woes. A lot of drills will have you recovering with a high arm, and for triathlon this is encouraged even further so as to prepare one for an open water swim in which there might be a fair amount of wild water where you will want to keep those arms high. BUT AVOID THIS FOR NOW! My shoulder impringement a few years ago came about from trying to recover with my arm very close to my body, and literally within about 100 yards the damage was done. Moreover, in all my triathlons I have faced really rough water just twice, and neither of those times required an unusually high recovery. So, try to came your arms relaxed, and think about reaching a bit wide(r) each time your arm exits at your thighs and while it moves towards the front.

And paddles! Stay away from paddles, as they put a great deal of load on the shoulders!

Moving on, wher are you feeling the IT band problems? When they are full-blown they are on the direct outside of the knee, and running through it is virtually impossible (unless you are a compulsive masochist). Also, going up and down stairs will hurt a lot, and you'll find about the only one to navigate stairs is with the affected leg stiff and either leading or following, with your body at a 45-degree angle to the stairs. The problem herevis that the IT band is fascia, which is not compliant like a muscle is; so. it is tough to stretch effectively for, as fascia doesn't really stretch! What will work is some direct massaging, and a foam roller or a kit from Trigger Point will serve well for this.

What running shoes are you in these days......and what type of foot do you have (high arch or low arch)? And my final IT band question concerns the spin bike -- does it hurt when you spin? Sometimes cyclists have a really hard time with their ITB, but a good fitting will often solve or alleviate the problem. If it hurts when you spin, you maigh wnat tp play around with the seat height on the bike.

Beyond all that stuff, you are progressing nicely. You are making some impressive gains in your fitness, and the dietary changes are very positive. (Oatmeal cookies -- still fully acceptable. Enjoy!) It is also good to keep your plans open-ended for now as you see how your body responds to training through the depths of winter. there are loads and loads of triathlons out there, and if one fills, therev is another one just around the corner somewhere. And your longer-range thoughts are very prudent, just seeing how things go and how you're feeling.

And no more "dancing" with those aggressive 8-pound barbells! Man never wins those battles!

Thanks Steve, great to be in. Although this post is a bit late, I agree with starting with a larger group. The group I was in last year started with around 12 and finished with 5. Nice to see a few northern climate folks in the group. We can share ways to train in pools and on treadmills & stationary bikes that keep it interesting.
Mark

HEPEOC -

Hmmmm. That user name doesn't seem to have anything in common with either your given or your surname, so I gave up! What does it refer to?

"....almost a complete beginner in triathlon." I'm curious about that, too!

But I can wait until post-holidays for your bio --- and in the meantime I will keep guessing about "hepeoc"!