MAD MANATEE Mentor Group (TriAya & lmscozz)--CLOSED! (Page 4)

mackjenn - 2010-12-23 3:53 PM

Mary / Louise - how long have you been riding?  Do you think the fear is from trying something new / out of comfort zone or more related to bad experience?

Do you have access to rollers, a mountain bike, country roads, and friends who also ride?

cggale
This reminds me of my terrifying bike experience two years ago.   My husband and I went on one of those organized bike trips to California.  Some of the rides had us going up some pretty long, winding, steep hills (mountains!).  Going up wasn't the problem, if was rather fun actually.  It was going DOWN the mountain that was absolutely terrifying!!  The descents were soooo steep and the blind curves were treacherous.   I was so scared I was going to ride off the mountain.  I had my hands gripped so tight on the brakes, they were numb and shaking by the time I reached the bottom.  I was always the last person to finish the downhill.  I guess it was the feeling of losing control that had me so scared. 

cggale - 2010-12-23 5:51 PM

Lagnar - 2010-12-23 4:47 PM

Is there going to be a final list with BT name so the can be added to our friends list?  Swim for me on Friday work on finishing swim goal for year. Happy Holidays.

jogo - 2010-12-23 7:22 AM

I have to share with the group the excitement of the morning.  I went on my running club forum and we are the official Michelob Ultra Pace Team for the Lets Move Festival of Races (1/2 marathon pacing).  I was asked to be the last chance pacer a month back.  At first, my ego was insulted, and thought, "dang is that all they think I can do".  I am not fast but I could've easily paced the 2:45 or 3:00 group.  Then the more I thought about it and read the request, it was because this group is special.  They need the most encouragement and fun.  I am the queen of sparkle lately.  After Chicago, I discovered sparkleskirts.com and proceeded to wear a sparkle skirt at all of my races and have been know to don a tiara or a santa hat.  There are races that are goal races for me but life is way  to short not to enjoy those that don't matter.  This race is free to pacers.  I get a finisher's medal and a shirt.  And to top it off I get a "sweet Michelob Ultra" pacer shirt.  I love doing runs that I can just enjoy with no pressure.   If you hear of a pacer dancing in the streets, it will be me.  I'm so excited for this group.  They usually have journeys to share and are such an inspiration.  They also bring me back to reality to celebrate and not be so critical of myself. 

 

Running for fun and not time or place is often THE most fun part of running. Congrats on your pace position! Maybe a photo will follow after the race?

reid15 - 2010-12-23 4:14 PM

I just wanted to stop by and let all you all know how lucky you are to have Yanti and Lynn as mentors!  They've both been a huge help to me as I tried to learn more about the sport and their wisdom and encouragement are unparalleled.

Good luck to you all and enjoy the ride!

Art (former manatee)

mackjenn - 2010-12-23 2:09 PM

Hey all - I just got some new training aids I won't go to the pool without - waterproof MP3 player (Diver 2 GB) and a sportcount chro 100.  Both through Amazon for about $40 a piece.  LOVED THEM!. 

The chrono is worn on your pointer finger and you just press the button with your thumb, 1 hand (1 finger) operation with no disruption in stroke.  Counts lap, gives you max and min lap time and what lap it was, and provides lap time for X# of laps (at least 50 because that was what I did today).  The MP3 is not the best player but heck, it plays music.  Ear buds also serve as ear plugs and did not cause any problems (slipped off my ear 1 time).

Anyone who has trouble using these little things ("it is too distracting or causes interference with my technique / slows me down") would be someone who I put in the class of those who used to drill their bike parts to save ounces and were usually 10 lbs overweight.

Anyway - not wanting to be a sales guy, but great training aids for the money.

kalico123 - 2010-12-23 2:13 PM Yeah! I am so excited to be a part of this group!! Yanti... I have read many of your posts and you always make me laugh! Thank you!! 

Although I've been a little side-lined for the past month with tendonites in my achilles - I'm hoping to be back at it all in the new year.  I am supper stoked to see the runners in the group - I know I have to start from scratch again and any/all advise is always welcome!  jogo... I would love to be running with you and your sparkles - that would be a blast!!  My goal is to run my first 1/2 mary in April. (fingers crossed!!)

I used to play waterpolo as a kid in highschool ... and my coach tells me I swim like a crab.... so altho I can swim fairly decently, I  need to continue to work on changing my stroke... which doesn't come easily for an ol' fart!  I have NOT been motivated to swim at all this fall/winter (maybe it's because it's -50C out there.. and I hate the thought of getting cold and wet and having to face those temps) but I could really use some motivation from you mad manatees who love the water!

Jenn.... I am so envious... enjoy your bike rides outside - mine will be on a trainer ... ALL WINTER LONG!!!

Lagnar - 2010-12-23 2:47 PM

Is there going to be a final list with BT name so the can be added to our friends list?  Swim for me on Friday work on finishing swim goal for year. Happy Holidays.

mackjenn - 2010-12-23 4:09 PM

Hey all - I just got some new training aids I won't go to the pool without - waterproof MP3 player (Diver 2 GB) and a sportcount chro 100.  Both through Amazon for about $40 a piece.  LOVED THEM!. 

The chrono is worn on your pointer finger and you just press the button with your thumb, 1 hand (1 finger) operation with no disruption in stroke.  Counts lap, gives you max and min lap time and what lap it was, and provides lap time for X# of laps (at least 50 because that was what I did today).  The MP3 is not the best player but heck, it plays music.  Ear buds also serve as ear plugs and did not cause any problems (slipped off my ear 1 time).

Anyone who has trouble using these little things ("it is too distracting or causes interference with my technique / slows me down") would be someone who I put in the class of those who used to drill their bike parts to save ounces and were usually 10 lbs overweight.

Anyway - not wanting to be a sales guy, but great training aids for the money.

lounav - 2010-12-23 9:02 PM

Mary / Louise - how long have you been riding?  Do you think the fear is from trying something new / out of comfort zone or more related to bad experience?

Do you have access to rollers, a mountain bike, country roads, and friends who also ride?

lmscozz - 2010-12-23 6:45 PM

lmscozz - 2010-12-24 8:50 AM

Yep -- I'll work on that!  

Here's a list -- please everyone check it and make sure your BT name is correct. Then maybe we can get links to everyone so we can just post into our blog. I'll work on my techie skills for that.

Mrschach - 2010-12-23 7:43 PM

Glad those things help you.  I have no desire to listen to music when I train at all.  I have no problem running 20 miles without music.  I just don't enjoy listening to music while I train.  I do find it distracting and I was kind of put off by your comment to be honest with you.  I guess I have learned that some things work for some and not for others.  To each their own but I am not going to think negative about someone who does not train the way I do.

TriAya - 2010-12-23 8:09 PM

thanks lynn!

holiday madness starts for me ... wait for it ... 5 4 3 2 1 NOW aaaaaaaaaargh

oh why oh why do i have to have such a large family and be reunited with them again after 16 years apart ...

lynn, if you want to make a manatee table, go nuts. the earliest i can get to it is late tonight, which means early dec 24th to the north american folks.

plus, we have a surprise manatee addition who, against all odds, has fulfilled the 'snarky' requirements i set forth for late entry, so ... well ... so much for being snarky. his name is SteveyD and he's from the U.K. He goes by Steephee which, even i'll admit, is pretty close to 'manatee.'

i'm going to need a table regardless because despite [more or less constantly, for all sorts of things] harassing the mods for an infinite number of friends, i think i'm limited to 200 or so.

mackjenn - 2010-12-23 9:41 PM Bike Riding Fear:  First - I think it is great that you are interested in overcoming your fears and getting out on the bike.

I'm not a professional cyclist, but was a licesned racer about 15 years ago and basically spent many hours on it growing up - mostly road, but also more recently mountain.  My top speed on a road downhill has reached 60 +mph, so no fear of speed now.  I've been heavy and was always the fastest one going down (made up for me being the slowest going up).

That said - take what you think will help:
First get comfortable on the bike.  If borrowed, it may not fit properly which will hurt control and comfort.  If the handlebars are too far from the seat, it shifts you weight to the front and can make the bike more unsteady when removing your hands for shifting (if necessary).  Old rule of thumb for road bike is that you should not see your front fork when in the drop position.  Get real low or high, it might not be, but it should be for netral position.  You may not want to be on a tri bike yet due to the extreme position - stick to a well fitted road bike or mountain bike.

Second - get used to shifting.  This is best done on a trainer so there is no possibility of crashing - a trainer where you mount your bike, not one that is completely different.  You want to learn how to shift your bike.  If no trainer, then do it in a grassy field, stick with low gears so it is easy to pedal.  I also liked the comment about using an empty parking lot.  Think about is as learning to drive again - you had similar concerns when starting to drive and the bike is no different.  What worked for you then?

Third:  do them together in controlled situations.  Get a parking lot and set-up a route that requires turning, shifting, and stoping.  Keep doing the course while trying to pick up your speed.  Go no faster than you are comfortable with, but the intent is to continue to get fasterwith each lap or session.  Protect yourself - long pants and shirts.  Elbow pads if you have them.  Crashing at low speed is not bad as you will learn about control each time.  No need to crash on purpose here (yet).

Now -in no particular order (it worked for ME - MAY NOT WORK FOR EVERYONE) - some drills:
- Crash.  Yea - crash.  Don't do a header on pavement, but go to a grassy field - wet one works great because you can skid some and ground is not as hard.  Lower you seat some and make the bike skid or slide around - make it fun and do it with friends (do it is a mud pit).  Be a child, be safe, but try to get the feel of loosing and regaining control of the bike.  We used to get old training bikes and try to knock each other off them in a field to get used to riding in a tight pack as well as getting used to physical contact when riding.  As bad as it sounds, fear reduces as you get familiar with losing and regaining.  PLEASE take this at a pace that you are comfortable with - if not ready, don't do it - getting hurt can be counter productive.

- Get rollers if you can.  They really really help with control and focus.  Although they are not good for doing intervals, they are great for control.  PLEASE - they are a little more advanced, but they are the best thing for bike control.  Great bike control = less fear.  Note that I've crashed more on my rollers than on the road.

- Miles, Miles, and Miles.  Find a rolling road that will require shifting with little to no traffic.  Think about base miles - just riding to get the feel of the bike. You will find yourself getting more and more comfortable on the bike.

- Get riding partners.  Someone who will ride with you at your pace but also capable of riding a little faster to help you get used to speed - do some intervals and play catch.  You go x and once reached, they try to catch-up.  You can also try to catch up to them (we called it leap frog).

- Do mini-sprints.  Pick a tree out and try to ride as hard as you can until you pass it.

- If your front wheel ever starts to wobble when going down hill, don't panic.  Apply more weight to the wheel (lean forward) and LIGHTLY start applying the brake.  Once you regain control - proceed to a bike shop to fix the issue.

Reading through some of the concerns, I get the feeling that most of the fear comes from losing control while doing something new, so you need to focus on improving control and knowing what to do to bring yourself back from the edge of control.  Sometimes the only thing you can do is to test yourself in this area - so do it in safe situations before you need it.

Any thoughts or clarificaiton?  I'm getting tired, so I may have rambled.  Any other suggestions?

mackjenn - 2010-12-23 9:41 PM Bike Riding Fear:  First - I think it is great that you are interested in overcoming your fears and getting out on the bike.

Reading through some of the concerns, I get the feeling that most of the fear comes from losing control while doing something new, so you need to focus on improving control and knowing what to do to bring yourself back from the edge of control.  Sometimes the only thing you can do is to test yourself in this area - so do it in safe situations before you need it.

lmscozz - 2010-12-23 10:30 PM

Good info John! One thing that really seemed to help me when I was first riding (just 3 years ago) was taking a cycling skills class. We have a killer biker chick here that taught a clinic where we got pretty familiar with the bike by doing drills, learning to lean and even riding with our arms around each other's shoulders. It was like playing when you were a kid and afterwards I seemed to have more confidence and a stronger comfort level. You might check around at bike shops or cycling clubs for some type of clinic like this. Ours was women specific, which made it even more "family friendly."

Mrschach - 2010-12-25 2:26 AM Hey Yanti...what is the tatoo on your leg?