Yanti & Salty Beyond Ridiculous Manatees PART 6--CLOSED (Page 39)

Asalzwed - 2012-11-10 9:18 PM Nice work Felicia and so sorry to hear about the course cutters. That frustrates me to no end. But hey, control the controllables (big sigh) right? My race was a lot of fun. We ran with a group of medical professionals (my friend organized it.) I rounded up the back and took pictures and did some cheer leading. There was an all you can drink beer garden (say what?) and we also convinced them to fill up our growler before we went home. Good times! I yeah, and it was snowing at the start. Yikes!

spudone - 2012-11-10 10:30 PM

It was too cold today!

jobaxas - 2012-11-10 11:04 PM

Ahem.....drum roll please.....

Second bike lesson - got an hour and a half, - turned on my IM Ho charm...

I can stop with aplomb - no more unladylike stumbles...

I can drink - without crashing or dropping the bottle...I can ride comfortably with one hand, either will do.

I can slalom in and out of white lines.  I can turn.

Of course i need to practice practice practice but i am sorted!  Booked another lesson coz the piglet deserves it!

Asalzwed - 2012-11-10 11:18 PM Nice work Felicia and so sorry to hear about the course cutters. That frustrates me to no end. But hey, control the controllables (big sigh) right? My race was a lot of fun. We ran with a group of medical professionals (my friend organized it.) I rounded up the back and took pictures and did some cheer leading. There was an all you can drink beer garden (say what?) and we also convinced them to fill up our growler before we went home. Good times! I yeah, and it was snowing at the start. Yikes!

Artemis - 2012-11-10 2:58 PM

Thanks, Yanti!! I finished my 8k in about 1 hour and 10 minutes - gun time was just under 1:13, so I'm guessing around 1:10 for chip time.  I ended up wearing pants, tshirt, arm warmers, hat, and gloves.  I was cold for the first 3 or so miles and at the end.  I'm glad I wore the pants even if it means wimping out.  

TriAya - 2012-11-11 9:36 AM

CONGRATULATIONS FELICIA!

That is a damned long race, and in all that wind!

Artemis - 2012-11-10 2:58 PM

Thanks, Yanti!! I finished my 8k in about 1 hour and 10 minutes - gun time was just under 1:13, so I'm guessing around 1:10 for chip time.  I ended up wearing pants, tshirt, arm warmers, hat, and gloves.  I was cold for the first 3 or so miles and at the end.  I'm glad I wore the pants even if it means wimping out.  

KansasMom - 2012-11-10 4:02 PM

I'm home.

Wow. The wind here is amazing today. Just horrible. The race is about 120 miles away. I used a quarter of a tank to get there and over a half a tank to get back (against the wind).

So, I didn't make my time goal. But at about mile 3, heading into the wind with another 2.5 miles against the wind to go, I reframed the race. I decided this race was going to be about mental toughness. And I needed it. I seriously wanted to quit half a dozen times. But I kept myself going by saying "walk" when the hills were steep and "now down" once I got up over the top of them. I don't want to see another hill. Ever. Even driving home, when I came to a hill, I groaned. "Another hill!"

Good parts of the race:

1)I have now run 15.5 miles. (Well, "run," but you know what I mean.)

2)I know that after 13 miles, I can still climb some hills (I didn't walk up all of them) and run at a good pace (for me). 

3)I can discipline myself. Early in the race, I was feeling pretty good, so I argued with myself, "Come on. You can just run up this hill. You're not going to make your time goal. You need to run up this hill." But I would tell myself, "If you run up this hill now, you will not only not make your time goal, but you might not be able to finish at the end." I kept putting myself off, "Get to the 15k aid station. See how you feel. If you want to start running some hills after that, okay."

Well, I actually felt fantastic at the aid station. I took about three minutes there. The RD re-filled my water for me, got me two (2!!!!) small cups of coke. I chatted with a couple racers and volunteers. Verified the rest of the route, and then I was off. But I was going to be running the next four miles with heavy cross winds and head winds. I decided it was not a good time to start running up the hills. Seriously. I felt like I was in a wind tunnel. I couldn't even keep my face straight into the wind; I had to keep it at the side. I lost count how many times I was almost blown over.

4) I got to run for a short time with a mule deer buck with a beautiful rack. He was running in the field, parallel to me. And close.

5) Nutrition. Nailed it. (Almond butter and honey on Naan)

6) At the end, I was still smiling (barely)

7) The RD asked me if I would try the 50k next year, and I said no. He replied, "Hmm. Maybe I can figure out a 35k for you." AWESOME!!!

8) I was DFL in the 25k, and I don't even care. Not everyone who started the 25k and 50k races finished. So . . . I finished. Win for me. 4/4 (mixed gender/ages)

There was some drama (course cutting, I suspect), but I'm still processing it. One of the 50k racers was going home as I finished -- there is no way she didn't cut the course, so I'm assuming the RD figured it out, the lead 50k runner figured it out, or she just decided to go home. She wasn't listed on the finisher's board. The lead 50k guy was fast. I mean crazy fast. He was easily running twice as fast as I was. The girl was struggling. Still faster than I was running, but by only 20 minutes or so. Then, all of a sudden, I see her coming at me, flying, a full 10 minutes ahead of the previous 50k leader. I was like, "Whaaat??? No way." There is no way. She cut the course. I'm sure of it.

Asalzwed - 2012-11-10 11:18 PM Nice work Felicia and so sorry to hear about the course cutters. That frustrates me to no end. But hey, control the controllables (big sigh) right? My race was a lot of fun. We ran with a group of medical professionals (my friend organized it.) I rounded up the back and took pictures and did some cheer leading. There was an all you can drink beer garden (say what?) and we also convinced them to fill up our growler before we went home. Good times! I yeah, and it was snowing at the start. Yikes!

amd723 - 2012-11-11 10:56 AM

That is my kind of race!

KansasMom - 2012-11-11 11:02 AM

Hey, Ann-Marie, OT -- How did the election turn out for you? Did your boss win?

bcraht - 2012-11-11 1:42 PM

Ok, I need some help from you cyclist peeps.  I just got on trainerroad and did the FTP test yesterday.  I noticed that I couldn't keep the power as high when spinning at a higher cadence as I could when 'mashing' at a lower cadence (~70).  I do know that my regular cadence (the one my body naturally does) is around 75-80, so lower than many.  So, should I be trying to increase my power at my mashing cadence, or should I be trying to increase my cadence and then my power at that increased cadence.  Or should I stop overthinking it and just ride . 

I do have to say that the two rides that I have done on TR have been worth it--without it, I usually just end up being lazy...

jobaxas - 2012-11-12 11:55 AM

24hours - are you insane???

My peak will probably be around 17 maybe 20 hours....maybe....

bcraht - 2012-11-11 12:42 PM

Ok, I need some help from you cyclist peeps.  I just got on trainerroad and did the FTP test yesterday.  I noticed that I couldn't keep the power as high when spinning at a higher cadence as I could when 'mashing' at a lower cadence (~70).  I do know that my regular cadence (the one my body naturally does) is around 75-80, so lower than many.  So, should I be trying to increase my power at my mashing cadence, or should I be trying to increase my cadence and then my power at that increased cadence.  Or should I stop overthinking it and just ride . 

I do have to say that the two rides that I have done on TR have been worth it--without it, I usually just end up being lazy...

bcraht - 2012-11-12 1:42 AM

Ok, I need some help from you cyclist peeps.  I just got on trainerroad and did the FTP test yesterday.  I noticed that I couldn't keep the power as high when spinning at a higher cadence as I could when 'mashing' at a lower cadence (~70).  I do know that my regular cadence (the one my body naturally does) is around 75-80, so lower than many.  So, should I be trying to increase my power at my mashing cadence, or should I be trying to increase my cadence and then my power at that increased cadence.  Or should I stop overthinking it and just ride . 

I do have to say that the two rides that I have done on TR have been worth it--without it, I usually just end up being lazy...

TriAya - 2012-11-12 12:06 PM

No. Not really. There are innumerable pros, both cycling and tri, who average in the 70s.

Being able to ride at different cadences puts more tools in your box for varied purposes, conditions, terrain.

That said, it's a pretty common finding that newer cyclists will lose power with a higher cadence. But big T.I.T.S. is what lets you find your sweet spot where you're putting out the best power for your pedal. That's a very individual thing.

Nobody can really tell you what the lower threshold for too low a cadence is.

Mine is, when cycling uphill, if I can walk or run faster than I'm pedaling and I'm out of gears (this only ever happened at CA 70.3 ... when I had three gears ... not a triple ring, I mean THREE GEARS) ... I get off and walk.