Slornow and Wannabefaster's Summer Group-CLOSED (Page 36)

Randee- Jason can tell you about the IMMT course. Is there a specific reason that you're wanting to do that course? Location? Time of year? Vacation?

Does the timing of the race work with your life and work schedule? For example if you know that March/April is busy for tax season then signing up for a May/early June IM would not be the best idea. If you anyone in your family is involved in sports or activities you need to take that into consideration. I've never been able to sign up for IMLOU because it is the weekend that school starts.

What time of year do you want to be off recovering from an IM? I won't sign up for May/June IM's because I'd rather be training in the summer (teacher) than recovering from an IM. Which is the main reason that I always pick fall IM's.

There are tons of threads on BT about choosing an IM. I think a lot of people don't take into consideration the impact that it has on work and family when choosing a race. If your support team isn't on board then its going to be even harder to train. Have fun picking a race! I love training long!!

Well I did something really stupid the other night. Sliced off the tip of my thumb with a mandolin while making beet chips. I should have gone to the ER that night but didn't. When I took the bandage off last night it was still really bad. I went to the ER last night but they didn't check me in. Basically it is too late to sew or glue it back together. Now I'm not really sure what to do. I took the last 2 days off from the swimming. But with AG Nationals coming up really need to be back in the water. It doesn't look like this is going to heal anytime soon with a gaping hole. Ideas?

Jamie-where did you eat in Chattanooga? Tony's Pasta in the Bluff View Arts District is one of my favorites. Rembrandt's Coffe House in the same area has great coffee, breakfast and chocolates. Other good places from when we were spending alot of time there included Urban Stack and The Terminal Brewhouse. We had a condo on the North Shore across the bridge from downtown. There is a Whole Foods over there as well as lots of shops and other restaurants....family always liked Taco Mammasita, River Street Deli and Jane Darling donuts on that side of the river.

I suspect the portion of the run course on the North Shore near the country club will be tough.....some hilly areas there. Can't wait to hear how it goes. Lots of people from down here are doing it.

1. As a scuba diver I have put on a wetsuit hundreds of times. I have never had to worry about getting one off quickly however. My one and only tri back at the end of 2012 had the swim cancelled due to bad water conditions and my accident was just two weeks before my planned second event. So I have Body Glide but not at all clear on where the key areas are to use it. Body Glide- neck and around your wrists, ankles. If you wetsuit is really tight around the wrists and ankles you can cut it. Just don't cut it too short. I spray Tri Slide around my ankles to help get the wetsuit on and off.
Since it is so hot where I live we normally only wear wetsuits for out of state races. Everyone else may be able to help you more with the wetsuit stuff. There are also videos online that show how to get the wetsuit on and off quickly.

2. I am finding myself in between gears on the flats right now. One gear is slightly too low and the cadence jumps too high and the next higher gear is a struggle to keep a fast cadence. So do I spin faster or spin harder? I always choose the gear that feels the best at the time. I tend to like a certain amount of pressure on the pedals and gravitate to the harder gears. But that is just personal preference. I would suggest climbing in the easier gear and spinning more. The once you hit the crest of the hill shift into a harder gear and work the hill on the way down. It really just depends on what you prefer.

3. The ride is only 20k so I am thinking I will not carry anything to drink. I think it makes more sense for me to slam down a quick something in transition between the two 750 meter swims. Does that make sense since I am not quick at getting a drink on the move? I personally always carry a bottle of water or nutrition at short distances.  You never know when you're going to want something to drink. 20k doesn't seem like you'd need water/nutrition but you do. You probably normally don't swim before and after you ride 20k. Also you have to remember that you won't be drinking on the swim. Look at it this way:

Breakfast 4:30, Drive to and arrive at race site , Set up transition, bathroom, take in more nutrition, stop nutrition/GU about 20+ min before race, Swim 750 meters, T, Ride 20k, Swim 750 meters.

Then if you slam water down in transition it may make you feel sick on the bike and swim. Unless you're doing a beer mile slamming liquid in T isn't going to be your best idea. Most people normally wait a few minutes on the bike to start drinking water/nutrition and then they will stop drinking 10+ minutes out from T2 . Another reason to always have water on the bike is that you never know if you're going to need it to dump it on your head (heat), wash off blood, urine (hopefully not at the sprint/oly distance) or who knows what.

Are you comfortable drinking on the bike?

4. Socks? I really do not like to ride without them but I know it adds time to both transitions. Do I just suck it up and forget it for the short ride or take the time since that is what I am comfortable with? Thanks in advance for the help.