RE-OPENED Birkierunner's 2013 mentor group - RE-OPENED!!! (Page 3)

I've never owned one, but I consistently see the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine cited as an excellent indoor trainer ($380 new).  Perhaps others in the group can comment on it or other brands.   I have a Computrainer Pro that I absolutely love and its bomb-proof.  But its very expensive at around $1700 new - they are offering 0% 12 month financing again.  Also, you could look on eBay or Craiglist or the BT or other tri forums For Sale section for used machines.  For time management purposes and for being able to devote quality time to bike training in winter I would suggest an indoor trainer if you can swing the $$

Great to have you on board Erik!  Duathlons are a great early season race format to get ready for triathlon season.  The Door County area is beautiful...I did the Fall 50 race up there a few years ago.  Welcome!

Submitted...and accepted! Welcome Elizabeth.  Ha!...I like the concept of the NYE/NYD half marathons to equal the longest marathon ever.  Oceanside 70.3 is a popular race in CA but I don't race much on the west coast so don't have any other recommendations.  The ironman.com website has all the 70.3 races listed on their site.  As for fitting in all the training...ah...the million dollar question.  Its always a challenge but its a matter of figuring out how many hours you realistically have available, what are your goals, designing a basic weekly pattern that you can repeat and making adjustments as your progress....we're here to help.

I never had my own kids so I'm not the best to ask.  Although my girlfriend has a 4 year old that has made me think outside the box.  We've done lots of runs with the type of baby carriage designed for runners. Maybe find a pool that has a kiddie section with lifeguards or kiddie classes while you get in a swim.  If they're old enough to ride bikes maybe have them ride with you as you run on a multi-use path or similar.   Get creative and have fun!

You're in Paul....and now we're approaching a FULL group.  Is St. John's in Newfoundland or is that St. John, New Brunswick??...sorry my Canadian geography is a little rusty.  I hear a lot of good things about the Muskoka race...one I'd like to do some day.  Sounds like you have some time management issues as well, so hopefully we can help you manage that.  Welcome!

Thanks for joining our group Tim!  Sounds like you're getting in a good mix of s/b/r training already so we should be able to help you reach your goals.  Congrats on the AG win!!

Craig, you're in too!! You are going to love IM Mont-Tremblant!!  Looking forward to the journey together.

Hi Jim,

I'm very new to this website/forum as well as triathlons.  I did two sprint ones last summer and did "ok" but I'm looking to get more competitive this summer and entering the longer distance races.  On top of that, I was also pretty busy getting my run on.  Between May and November I two marathons (NJ Marathon - my first - and Marine Corps) as well as two half marathons (Central Park's Grete's Gallop and Philadelphia).  I'm really excited about learning how to improve my swim, how to be more efficient on the bike, as well as quickly getting through the transitions.  I'll never be quick enough to place in a running race but I think I have a real shot at placing in a triathlon.  I also get overwhelmed with all of the nutritional information (eat this not that, have sugar but not too much or you'll get sugar belly, be sure to replenish salt, etc.); can't keep up

If you have room left in your mentor/training group I'd really like to be a part of it!

Thanks!

Jess
New Jersey 

I'd like to join in, if there's still room!

Name: mom2wildboys/Amy

Story: I'm a 46 yo married mother of two teenaged boys. I homeschool them because I am, apparently, a masochist.  About two years ago I decided to do something about my weight and started to train to walk a half marathon as a way to keep myself exercising over the winter.  I completed that race and swore I'd never do another.  So, of course I went on to do many more half marathons, a couple of full marathons, and then my first triathlons (both all-women sprint tris.)  I have evolved from being strictly a walker to doing run/walk intervals.  With all my training and racing and a switch to a lower carb diet I have lost approximately 80 pounds in the past two years (it was more than 80 before Christmas; now, who knows?! LOL!)   I still have some weight to lose and just bought my first wetsuit in a size smaller than I would currently wear, so I need to buckle down over these next couple of months to take off some more weight.

I have a lot of room for improvement in all three sports.  I am doing this for fitness and personal satisfaction and don't expect to ever win any awards.  I was DFL in my first half marathon, so I got that right out of the way up front.  However, I would prefer to not repeat that experience and am willing to work hard to do MY best.   

I have registered for my first Olympic distance tri.  It's at the end of August (Cranberry Trifest) so I have lots of time to prepare.  I anticipate doing a couple of sprint tris as part of my training.  Of course, I'll also be doing some half marathons, and am contemplating signing up for the Marine Corps Marathon for the fall.

That's my story!  Oh, and I live in Northern RI.

Amy

Good thing I signed up in the nick of time!

In typical Canadian fashion, I'm ploughing through around 8 inches of snow.  Started yesterday just after my 5K (terribly slow) run.  My daughter bought me a Nike+ GPS sports watch and it was easy to get it up and running.  Now I'm Googling to see how (and IF) I can export the GPS data so that I can use it on this site.  So far no luck with it.

Just running this week for me (pretty much all slow/easy/base miles), continuing my build for a March Marathon.  My wife expressed an interest in rediscovering swimming - she hasn't swam since HS - so Santa put some goggles in her stocking and off to the pool we went last night with the kids.  

It was actually fun to go to the pool and work with her, and "chase" the girls (5 & 8) while they swam their laps, rather than knocking out one of my structured workouts.  Both kids were wearing flippers and it was the  first time I couldn't catch my 8 y/o.  

Off to the beach for the weekend after a short day in the office today.  Will dust off  the bike & trainer when I get back though.  (The bike is still sticky from last event of 2012 season.)

I saw an add for one of those the other day....didn't know they had come out with that one.  Do they make it so that you can lock it in place if you want to so that it doesn't sway from side to side?  I know that defeats the purpose but sometimes you might not want that feature.

I believe that you can lock it.  I got a Kurt Kinetic as the daylight faded this fall and it was a huge step up from the trainer I had.  That thing is a beast of a work out.  I wouldn't trade it.  Just make sure you flop out the rear tire for a cheapy and don't wear out your good one!

Ride tonight.  If all goes well, a subscription to Trainer Road is in my future.

Took this Holiday week off pretty much except for a short swim and bike today.  Plan on some downhill skiing tomorrow.

I have the regular Kinetic bike trainer.  Can't compare it to anything else, but its worked well for me.  Easy to get the bike in and out.  Good suggestion about putting in a cheapo tire on the back - I've worried about that.

Yes, lots of people do it that way.  Others just use whatever tire they rode on the road with.  At first I put on a Continental trainer tire made especially for trainers (more durable than a road tire and better grip) but I got tired of switching it off of my wheel in spring when I'd go back and forth between riding outside or inside depending on the weather.  I bit the bullet and bought a cheap wheel and put on a spare cassette I had and then put the Conti trainer tire on that.  Now all I have to do is switch out my trainer wheel with my road wheel and in a few seconds I'm in business.