Razorxp & KC Mentor team RFP CLOSED (Page 3)

Grant, just let me know.  Any reason why your looking for a small group? You will find most start out large and by the end there is a small core of posters.  Either way good luck!

Jen I'm not sure anyone in this group are great swimmers! Tim (not in here yet) is probably the best.  We will help all we can though.  When is the irongirl?

Welcome Brian, are you doing IMKY this year?  I love that race this will be the 1st year in 3yrs I have not done it.  I might be doing some training rides down there though as a couple of the guys I train with are doing it.    Good luck and fire away with any questions.

Your already good at the hardest part in the run! What is your A race in Tri's this year? is it a sprint/oly/half/full?

Welcome, I think we all would like to stay injury free.  Thats an inside joke in our name "sickies" most of us were sick multiple times over the winter and then all got injured.  Chocolate milk sounds good (my vice is Icecream).  I see your in Jackson one of my bestfriends just moved there, so far he loves it.  What do you do with crazy hours?

Welcome, I like your style with the HIM.  How do you like crit racing? I may try a couple this year but I think even the cat 5 guys will smoke me.  What is a vizla?  Good luck

Hey Team.

Keith - thanks for asking about the swim - just got home and it was good. I have not entered in my training log yet but will right after I post here.

Mary - nice workout day!

Charlie - Nice to meet you and awesome 2011 line up.

Caleb - welcome back and good luck this weekend, I think you will be the first of the our group competing?

Ok, weird thing happened to me on the way to the pool. I pulled into the parking lot and as I parked, I almost turned around and went home. I just felt like I just did not have it in me tonight. (ok, not so weird for me LOL ) Anyway, I sat in my car and convinced myself that since I drove there I may as well go in and get wet. Well, I went in and the craziest thing happened. It was a pretty quiet night for lap swim tonight so I got my suit on, put on the goggles, jumped in and while I was still fighting my mind I started my warm up. Then all of a sudden, one lap led to another and it may have been my best night of swimming ever. I won't share the particulars but I felt great and stayed for the entire hour. Needless to say, I am proud of myself and I don't mind saying it. I know most of you here can swim circles around me (or laps I guess LOL), but for me, it was a good night.

Tomorrow, busy at work but I am hoping to get a run and another swim in and I am actually looking forward to it.

Have a great night team.

KC

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Welcome, when is your 1st tri this year?  Big dogs are great running partners (except my boxer has no stamina).

Great to catch-up with all the post, now I have a presentation to work on for tomorrow (yippy).  

Nice job KC, way to kick but in the pool tonight.

jend702 - 2011-04-12 10:13 PM Iron Girl is on April 30. I think anyone on BT is a better swimmer then me. Right now it takes me 34-36min to swim 800m in the pool. I'll being attempting an OWS on the 20th...any advise or help is better then winging it (as I've been doing)

For anyone who has never OWS,  get in slow and float around if you get claustrophobic.  Also practice sighting in the pool as I have yet to swim in a lake with a lane marker or black line on the bottom :-).    Good drill is about every 5 strokes pop your head us just alittle to look for the buoy.  Biggest thing is relax and you will be fine.

Coach - thanks and a Vizla is one awesome dog.

Jen, trust me, you would beat me in a swim but I would be close

Seems like everyone here is a dog owner, I may have to go out and get another one soon. I put my Golden Retriever down 3 years ago after 14 awesome years and I miss her all the time.

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Nice swim Kevin.!!

I had a good swim today myself but was annoyed with the person in the lane with me. Not sure how I should have handled it but here is what happened. I swim during lunch and the pool is generally fairly busy. Normally two in each lane but rarely more than that.

There was an empty lane when I started so I hopped in and started swimming my first set, somebody else hopped in a few minutes after I did. Never asked but no big deal I moved over to share. Next thing I know the guy starts swimming fly like he owns the whole lane. We cross and I get nailed on the back. I figure he would realize there is not enough room for fly while sharing a lane but nope he goes on swimming his laps. We must have made contact a half dozen times. Once hard enough to leave a bruise on my forearm. I couldn't move to another lane until I was just about done because they were all being used by at least 2 swimmers. Never once did he apologize or even act like he knew I was there.

I should have said something but......

Wow I might have nudged him close fisted! lol  I would def say something though.

If there are no waves just high enough to see infront of you and find the buoy, I have done ocean races where you have to get your head up as high as possible. 

For the breathing they say its best to breath every 3 so you have balance in your body.  I train sometimes doing that but always breath every 2 while racing or doing long sets.  I just like to have more air.  For your first few races just do whats comfortable.   Some people (no names KC) have to do every three :-)..  It is good to practice your right side incase there is a bad wind messing up your breathing to the left.

For transitions come up with what you need and let us know that way we can help you through it.

Holy cow are you going to race on the fixie???? Thats sweet

Hi group,  I'd like to join if there's still room.

I'm Scott and I turn the big 5 O this summer. Married with two children in their early 20's.

I've been a long time runner, running mostly half marathons the last few years. Found out I have moderate arthritis in my hip this winter and Dr. says I can't put in the miles I used to. After a couple months of "mourning" the loss of my favorite activity I started reading about Triathlons. Got fired up for that and now i am really excited to jump into Tri's. Sprint for now (first one May 22) and we'll see how the hip holds up to running (I'd like to work up to the longer distance Tri's).

Working my self back into shape after very little activity from Dec - Feb due to the hip injury. Haven't done any swimming in 20 yrs so I'm taking a few lessons from a local college swim coach and have been biking for a couple weeks and I'm really enjoying it.

I'm looking to stay in shape and also for a new challenge.

I ran several 5,10,15 K's and three half marathons last year. Planning on about 4 Sprint Tri's this summer, maybe an Olympic distance if things go well.

I am excited to try this new adventure, learn more as I try to figure out this new sport!I'm sure I'll have lots of questions along the way.

Wow, big group, but seems like there are good reasons why.  I'd like to join if you'll have me.

Name: George

Story: 38, going on 39 this year. Moved to AZ from MA 2 years ago.  As motivation for our move, I jokingly said to my wife that I'd do a triathlon since the weather is nice pretty much year round.  (yes, i do enjoy the 120 degree summers)  Fast forward 2 years, and I still haven't done a tri yet.  A couple of weeks ago, I was surfing the web for something, and came across this site.  That triggered my thinking.  I did more research and found that there's a local sprint on 5/15.  So now, I'm on a 6-week plan to train to do the sprint on 5/15.  Six-week training to do a sprint - I think I'm crazy.

Family Status: Happily married with 3 kids - 1, 3, 5.  Yes, it's pretty insane at our house.  I don't feel like I have time for anything.  So how the heck can I squeeze 6-week of training in??

Current Training: Started my training on 4/4, following the plan 2x plan from this site.  Doing ok so far.  (you can check my log)  Last week (my first week), killed me.  Lots of doubts on whether I can do the sprint in a few weeks at all.  This week, I'm doing much better.  Feeling stronger.  A little more confident.

2010 Races: None in 2010, but doing the Tempe International Triathlon on 5/15/2011...I hope.  Haven't signed up yet - wanted to make sure I don't hurt myself training or that I can actually, maybe, finish.

Weightloss goals: No weight loss goals.  I'm at 182 now.  At 6'1", I'm happy with my weight.  Instead, looking to tone and maybe even bulk up a bit.

Anything else you would like to share: I've always been a "sprint" type of guy.  I played D III volleyball in college, play hoops recreationally.  Whenever someone is running, I'd always ask them what they're running away from.  That's how I viewed running.  Up to now, I just haven't been an endurance athlete.  I consider myself to be in decent shape.  I completed P90X a few months ago.  But got sick for a while and didn't continue.  I'm looking to get back into it.  Looking for any tips that'll help this tri-beginner, and develop that endurance that been lacking.  

Looking forward to this group...if you have room for one more.

I am sure he knows you are training for triathlon and wanted to give you some training for the madness at the beginning of the swim.  How thoughtful of him.

Name: Brian.

Story: 36 years old.  I am a runner plain and simple.  I have completed 6 marathons with a personal best of 3:30:36 in Indy last fall.  I told my wife that if I beat my goal of 3:30:00 I would not do a marathon this year and put my body under the same stress Ii have been for the past few years.  I felt like I missed my goal by 36 seconds, but others tried to convince me that a bathroom break at mile 17 meant that I really did hit my goal.  Anyway, a month after the marathon a friend asked me to do IM Louisville with him.  My wife saw the spark in my eye for the new challenge and has been a strong supporter of me doing this (as a once in a lfetime experience she says)  I have been faithfully doing s/b/r since December, and have gotten to the 20 week out portion of IM training.  I don't mind the swim - but still have to talk myself into getting out to the pool on occasion.  I really don't like riding - but am suffering through it nevertheless.

Family Status: Married to a supportive, in many ways, runner that does 3 or so 1/2 marys a year.  I have been a stay at home dad for 9+ years.  Have 2 daughters 9,7 and a stepson, 15.   You guys may eliminate me from the group because I do not have a dog, cat, fish or even a gerbil.  Since my time is almost up in the stay at home dad business this is a perfect time for  me to train becasue I have free time whil girls are in school.

Current Training: Doing the Don Fink "Be IRon Fit" competitive program.  11 weeks in to the 30 week plan

2010 Races:  Plainfield Sprint -June,  Indianapolis Sprint - July, IM Louisville - 8/28  Indy Marathon -November

Other: My favorite race type is Adventure Racing.  I have done 25 or so AR's ranging from a 3 hour race with my daughter to a few 24 hour races.  These race have running, biking, canoeing, ropes, etc, but they force you to think about the course you want to take.  Whether in the woods or on city streets I love the challenge of racing against faster teams, but beating them because my team navigates better than they do.

I would have definitely said something to him and if no satisfaction, then to the pool administration.   

Welcome to everyone.  Glad you are all here.  David has a good following.  Several of us were together early in the year.  Good to hear new voices. 

Sighting is best practiced in the pool with a green tennis ball on the deck in front of your lane.  It will appear much like a buoy far away.  Lift your head only enough to see the ball.  In the pool practice "Tarzaning" like Johnny Wissmiller lift way up in the event of waves.  But, one great piece of advice I got was to check out the course and see if you can sight on big landmarks on shore, a tree, a building, a cell tower, whatever is large and won't move.  See where it is in relation to the bouy and use it as your marker until the buoy is closer.

Also, OWS is not to be feared. But safety is a must. Though I am a former swim team member in high school 4 decades ago, I never swim alone.  Our club has a workout at a local lake once a week and I go there and swim in a group. 

Also, make certain you can comfortably do the distance in the pool that you face during the race.  You can do it.

And lastly, many triathlon organizers have a system to give people who feel the need a red swim cap so the kayakers and lifeguards in canoes can keep a special eye out.  Ask about that. 

I line up to the right side.  I let the fast folks go, tarzan for a bit to find an opening as people spread out, move over into the line in an open area, put my head down and think "easy, smooth, easy, smooth," the same mantra I use on the run.  I get hit less that way. 

Lessons are great.  Check out Masters Swimming in your area.  Here, about half or more of the athletes are triathletes.  Good networking.

I LOVE open water.  No turns!  Just get into the tempo of swimming and enjoy the hell out of it. 

One other thing.  When I swam in a couple of races my first year I got out off the water really ooozy.  I thought I was just overdoing it.  I would sway like a drunken sailor, have trouble keeping balance.  But then I read in Triathlon Life that those were symptoms some people have swimming in cold water. The water gets in the ear and cools the brain.  No kidding.  I started using ear plugs and absolutely no problem after that.  Ear plugs also do something else for me - the cut out all that pre-race nonsense, the head banging music, the jittery talk of other racers, the adrenaline, testosterone.   I can put them in, listen to my own breathing and thoughts, calm myself, focus on the fun ahead and hit the water with every one else. 

Today is a track workout with the run club after a recovery easy bike spin. 

Have a great day

Ice.