Yanti and Lynn, Mentors of the Manatee Melee: FULL (Page 36)

Not really 'cause the swim/bike are my preferred legs.  But since I already have the 70.3 medal I wasn't really down about it.  Since last year, I've reduced my time for that distance from 58 mins (which includes drinking OJ before race%^&*$&,) to 43-45 mins without OJ--.  So, it would have been nice to race for that. 

Thanks! Lynn!

Not really 'cause the swim/bike are my preferred legs.  But since I already have the 70.3 medal I wasn't really down about it.  Since last year, I've reduced my time for that distance from 58 mins(which includes drinking OJ before race%^&*$&,) to 43-45 mins without OJ--.  So, it would have been nice to race for that. 

Okay, I've only skimmed the previous pages.  I've been a bit out of commission for the last week or week and a half and so I didn't want to read about all the fun everyone was having without me and make myself sad.   Got laid up with a knee injury.  You'd think I'd have mastered stairs by this point in my life, but a tricky poorly lit one got me.  Prolly just a sprain, so I started back at it today with an easy "run" and, if not quite perfect, it ain't bad.  Looks from skimming the previous pages as though injuries and accidents are kinda par for the course around here lately, so I feel in good company.  

.....

I notice that the question of nutrition was brought up and I'm glad cause if someone else hadn't done it, I was gonna.  Yanti mentioned KISS, which is kinda my problem with nutrition: for something we do several times a day, eating (right) is complicated.  I like to cook; I'm even pretty good at it; I just don't wanna do it all the time.  I'm a bachelor.  Cooking for one is a PITA.  Among these eating right resource suggestions, y'all got any that are just plain dead stupid simple?  [I was even considering NutriSystem just cause it comes all pre-planned. ]  Or am I just gonna have to bite the bullet and put a little brain energy into learning this stuff?

[I'll go back and read more thoroughly later, so sorry if that's been answered in an earlier post and I missed it.]

Tony! So that's where you've been, tiger!

Wait ... you're SINGLE??? How come you didn't mention this before?!

Okay, okay, nutrition. KISS was in reference to racing nutrition. I think. However, for the 99.999% of the time we're not racing, my favorite is: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

In other words, anything that's had too much done to it, has an ingredient list more than a few items long, and/or doesn't closely resemble its source should be eaten in great moderation.

CONGRATULATIONS to my fellow manatees on your fabulous achievments last weekend at your tris! 

Adrienne - you  kicked some serious butt out there! Way to go girl!!!

Carol - Congrats on tackling that race again and improving your time by such a HUGE amount! Wooohooo! And all that with the serious injuries you have been dealing with! I am not sure if your crazy  or just one tough cookie for putting your body thro those distances with what you've gone threw.  My hats off to you!  Good luck in getting yourself all heeled up and read to go - injury free - next time!!

I completed my last tri of the season this  last weekend as well and had a blast with my team in Riding Mountain.  Great way to end the season.  Won my age group (45-49)  and was able to complete the 5k run without taping my ankle and my achilles was pretty good at the end of it all!  Progress is finally being seen with the achilles.... however... I did withdraw from the 1/2 mary I was registered for in early Sept.    I really want to heel this thing and just don't feel it ready to push longer runs yet without making it worse.... so .... next year!

Re: the healthy eating.... I am curious if anyone knows anything about the "Eat Clean" diet by Tosca Reno.  I also am looking at making some changes with nutrition.... and just heard a bit about this on the tube last night.  ..... any thoughts???

Between that and your fanny pack, I can't stop laughing

Great RR and wicked wicked wicked fast!!!

An AG win!!!!!! That is so awesome! Congrats! Probably a good idea letting yourself get bettwe so that you can kill it next year! 

I haven't read "eat clean" but I can certainly say that the concept is right in line with "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." I think people get really caught up in the small things and get overwhelmed then give up. I believe it is much more effective to avoid processed foods and keep things simple. I even avoid the whole energy bar/gel crap. I don't believe they are any more advantageous than food other than being convenient. If I am in a pinch for time, sure, but overall just eat food! 

You can always cook more and just freeze or refrigerate and eat it for lunch or dinner another night. I generally cook for four (there are 2 of us) and then we eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. This keep me from eating out plus it's nice to have a warm meal because I get tired of sandwiches every day. It saves money doing it this was as well. You can also do all of your cooking on the weekend too, then all you have to do is heat it up during the week. 

Hehe...yes, it was quite a sh*t show. I proudly wore that fanny pack, I tell you!

I hope you had a blast and didn't aggravate anything! Actually, UPhill should be better as it doesn't pound the joints so much, but it sure can strain soft tissue.

First in your AG? SUPER CONGRATS!!! That deserves a ... superstar ...

haven't heard of Eat Clean, but I'll check it out and as you know, I'm always happy to share opinions on something I know very little about

Taking a little down time.... going to see my baby girl and  spend the week in Montreal with my daughter for a little bit of  "girl" time together before we both head back to work  and school.  (you know what that means.... shopping!!!... whoohoo!!)  

  Have a great week in training Manatees!!!

Thank you Kathy!   Just inching my way (over the next 40 yrs) to Kona LOL  And CONGRATULATIONS to you too for that podium!

Alright, more questions! 

Swimming:

I need a plan of attack. I only have one more tri and then I will only be running. I'd like to slowly start swimming more as cross training for the run and then once my marathon is over, AMP up the swimming so I can get good...errrr decent over the off season. Where should I start? Just more time in the pool at first and then drills? I would prefer not to get a coach but if you REALLY think I need one I would consider.  I found that for running, when I started doing it more frequently (not necissarliy longer or further) my gains have been significant. Do you think this would be similar in swimming and then fine tune the details later?

Bicycling:

I know I can get faster and that will take some time and hard work on my part but at what point do things like aero bars and lighter wheel sets come into play? Personally, I don't like a bunch of fussy equipment. Hell, I don't even run with a watch. 

I am just an age grouper and I hate to get TOO caught up in the details. Hell, I'm not getting paid for this, I just want to get better. 

You're not a slow swimmer, which makes me think your form is pretty decent, so yes, more frequently, AND farther. You can ramp up swimming significantly (especially if your form is okay), unlike running. Nope, no need for a coach. But if there's any way you can get video of yourself (handheld camera above water is fine), it's an invaluable feedback tool. Check out swimsmooth.com. I love that place. Watch videos of Grant Hackett. Emulate.

Bike--if you have had a good cycling fitting done, I wouldn't worry about it. (Some people go all the way through IM on a cycling fit--no aerobars, no tri position, nothing). Need. Big. T.I.T.S. !!!

Don't worry about lighter wheels - they will primarily help in races where you are climbing or doing a lot of accelerating / decelerating.  Once you get up to speed, the aero capabilities are more important than weight, so deeper rims and less spokes (bladed spokes) help for time trials.  I do notice a difference between my race wheels and training wheels and my race wheels are not very fancy and are 10 years old.  Both are similar in weight but the race wheels are deeper and have less and bladed spokes.  Aero is more important than weight.

Aero bars are nice but it takes time again to get used to the position AND you have to have loose hammy's to get down properly.  I like mine since I can get in a positon where I can completely relax my upper body and shoulders (yea - I have ridden with my chin resting on my hand on longer rides - not long but enough to rest my neck some).

 Also - check if you can find an article on the web that compares $$$$ spent and speed gained.  I believe aero bars and wheels topped the list but like Yanti said - neither item is necessary and neither replaces miles. 

Finally - some guy was riding the peak Tri a few weeks ago on a mountain bike with knobbies (minimal knobbies) and was hanging well with the person he was "coaching / riding with.  Yea - violation of rules, but he had no aero and race wheels - was fine at 18-20 MPH.  So again - the motor is more important.

Way to go on all the great racing last weekend.  I've found myself it a bit of a motivation rut.  I'm still getting out there and training, but lacking a little of the spirit behind it.  But, I may have cured it today.  Wait for it, I finally bought a bike!  I have been riding on a loaner bike from my neighbor since last November.  It is a nice entry level bike, but I've never been fitted on it and well, it's not mine.  So after lots of craigslist stocking, I finally did it.  

Of course now I have a few questions for anyone that wants to weight in.  I've been thinking about trying to get aero bars (on the cheap).  I'm not really ready for them (yet), but I am planning to get a fit soon and thought it would make sense to have them in place before I get fit.  So my question is if I do plan to get aero bars some time in the next year, should I be getting them now before I get fit?  Thanks everyone!!!

PS - This is what Shane recommended on the main forum, if anyone has additional thoughts on this.

For a road bike, I highly recommend shorty (ITU style) aerobars as they are designed to be used with a road configuration while still maintaining the hoods and drops as viable positions. Some options are PD Jammers, PD T2+DL and VisionTech (forget the name right now). 

Well, you never asked.

Thanks for the concise rules.  Thousands of pages of nutrition books distilled down to just the good bits.  Sadly, making things too complicated for laymen and turning simple concepts into thousand page books seems to make the publishing world go round.  (Nobody buys pamphlets.)  You'd think, with all the lazy people in the world, that your straight-forward sort of advice would be more prevalent. 

I've condensed your maxim down to a checklist that I can write on my eating hand with a Sharpie (possibly to be upgraded to a tattoo later if it works really well).

• [ ]  Food?
• [ ]  Plant?
• [ ]  Too Much?
• [ ]  Beer?

[I added that last one; seemed relevant.]

Good suggestion.  Thanks.  I was doing that... a bit... for a while.  Guess it's time to dust off the crock pot. 

The bolded is so true of so many things.  This sport in particular has enough minutia to overwhelm most folks from even taking a first step.  I know it kept me at bay for a couple years.  Working on trying to KISS.

Wow, lots of good stuff!!  Been trying to catch up on everything.  Congrats on everone's races and podium finishes.  Great times!!!

I haven't swam since my HIM and have only biked a couple of times.  Right now I'm focusing on runnning.  I'm signing up for the Monumental Marathon in November.  I would like to maybe do one more triathlon before then, but just need the time to squeeze in swimming and biking.  School has started for my girls and I'm extra busy now.     No excuses I guess.  It just seems like all I have time for is running.  Perhaps I just need to sign up for a race and that will get my butt in gear. LOL.

Anyway nice to be back in the Manatee world.

They came through town yesterday.  At my level, I don't know whether seeing guys like that is more inspirational or intimidating: the pass I've been too chicken to tackle all summer is just one that they crush... in one day... at speeds I can't touch in the flats.  Cool to see, either way, though.

YAY for a new bike and YAY for T.I.T.S.!!!!!

Wait, have you gotten the fit yet? Why do I not see these posts for days? Bad Yanti Manatee, need spank.

Definitely get the aero bars before the fit. You'll be wanting to have a tri-specific fitting and bike configuration.

Shorties are fine