Redman Full Distance Triathlon : Official Thread (Page 4)

I think a lot of the reasons I'm doing better is foam rolling and stretching everyday and slowing my pace way down. I feel like I'm running at a snails pace sometimes but I keep telling myself running is my strength so I just need to stay healthy and save my speed for race day.

Matt I would being doing back flips if I did a 5:10. All the times I put down was my goal times but I still have to add in transition times. I would be very pleased with a 5:20 or lower. Last year I ran a 5:35 but I lost 10min due to bike wreck and flat tire so would have come in 5:25 without the mishaps. So a 5:20 would be a 5min improvement in my mind.

I will start my taper next Monday. I plan on still putting in a big week this week and my first week of taper I still plan on a decent amount of training. The last week leading into the race I really start shutting it down.

Sunday I had a great bike ride. I woke up early and had the same breakfast I plan on eating on race day. My plan was to knock out 56miles at race pace using race day nutrient. I kept my HR dialed in right where I wanted it the entire ride and ended up averaging 20mph with a ton of stop signs and turn arounds during the ride.

I plan on taking my bike in for a tune up this Wednesday so I can get it back before Sundays long ride. So I will be riding my road bike for most of the week. I always like taking my bike in for its yearly tune up several weeks before my "A" race and have everything brakes, chain, wheels, etc looked over to make sure everything is race ready.

Next week I plan on breaking out my wetsuit and probably do 3-4 swims in my wetsuit before the race. Matt let me know how you wetsuit swim goes.

Matt where is your ankle hurting at? I've had problems with the post tib tendon on the inside of my ankle before and I have a tape job that pretty much alleviates all the pain. Do you have access to a pool with a deep end that you can aqua jog in? Keep us updated on how it is feeling.

Bib#'s are out. I'm 629.

I am #177. 2 weeks from today!

Matt

Sorry for the disappering act. I arrived back home from my deployment last month and I've been getting family time, work and training. Haven't been on here in a while. I'm still in this Bib# 787. Pretty excited and nervous. I've been swimming in Lake Thunderbird in Norman, OK. And biking home afterwards, it's like a 20 mile bike. I've just been having my wife watch me on the swim just in case anything happens. Still undecided on the wetsuit from a while back. I want to get one, but I just don't know how I feel about renting one and then swimming with it, without that much time swimming with one at all. I've just been swimming with my tri bottoms and tri top. I don't plan on breaking any records or anything and I expect my time not to be that fast in the swim at all. Where I live it's sort of hilly so I've been averaging like 14-15 on the bike, I might go to Hefner on Tuesday and ride around there to see how it is. I've also been having trouble with getting my bike in the biggest ring in the front. So I've been riding mainly in the middle ring. Which is ok, but it's aggrivating that I can't go to the biggest one. I've tried unscrewing a screw and it moved it to the big one, but it still grinds a little bit so I just stay in the middle one. Today I'll go for a 6 mile run after work, then tomorrow I will go for a swim then bike home afterwards. Besides competing amongst your PR's, are you guys going for any awards?

Glad everyone is progressing and most importantly know the tasks that need to be done like bike tune-ups and getting that front derailleur adjusted.

Emile - time sensitive thing: which Hoka shoe and do you still like it? How long to break in? did it cause you to change your stride length as I have read on the net. Did you consider the Altra shoes also? You can text me or call me to discuss 940-300-5808. It appears I have a stress fracture in my foot. I am not worried - did all the work and will miss a few runs. Won't cycle for a while or until pain is gone. Just need to think about shoe selection with this new development. Will sleep more and ice/elevate multiple times daily for 2 wks.

For all: I suggest we get in a wetsuit swim even if in pool to practice removing suit and such. I will try to swim on Friday of packet pick up at the lake so sighting on a landmark may help, if possible. Will also soft pedal the run course so I can see that. This is going to be so much fun!

Justin if you can borrow a wetsuit or if you can rent one it is well worth it. Also, if you can't get your bike into the big ring I would take it in for a tune up. It will be worth every penny. It will make your ride much more enjoyable. Redman is a pretty flat course and I probably rode in the big ring 90% of the ride both times I have done it.

I second Todd's suggestion of getting in a couple of swims with a wetsuit if you are planning on using one. I swam last Friday with my wetsuit and forgot how much different it feels than swimming in a pool. No more pool swims for me the next two weeks. I will do all my swims for the next two weeks with my wetsuit in the lake to work on sighting and getting use to the feel of the wetsuit again.

Got my last long ride in this morning and it went well. My hamstring has been a little tight all last week but it is all down hill from here. These last two weeks I plan on getting in a little work but my primary focus is going to be getting my body healthy and working on swimming.

Todd good luck with your foot! After talking with you I think it sounds like your going to be ok. Remember you have put in all the work and you are ready to go you just need to focus on getting your body healthy the next two weeks. Also, you can run almost the entire race on grass if you wish which should be a lot better on your foot then the concrete sidewalk.

thnks for the advice and conversation Emile. After a week of resting and ice, doing much better. Ran 6 off the bike today and did very well. We will be just fine.

Wetsuits can be rented guys. As Emile said - do it. Its like cheating for the most part. I will OWS again this week. Saturday will be epic. Remember simple is best and if you have an issue body wise, slow down, reestablish HR, then slowing get back in zone. If bloated, back off calories for 30-45 minutes, your sink is clogged (stomach). Let stuff pass thorugh. If you yack, that's ok/good. Start the hydration again - it's all good I promise.

Have faith, pray and dedicate your efforts to someone else.

See you boys Friday / Saturday I hope. I have a buzz cut. bwahahahha - I know 90% of do. Actually I am bald. Anyone swimming Fri? I may make it for the preswim. Will try

Todd glad to hear your foot is doing better! Did you end up buying any Hoka's or Altra's?

I've been struggling with my ow swimming. Although I went out today and did an easy 1000 yards and I felt really good. I'm finally starting to get comfortable again sighting and in my wetsuit.

I'm getting a little worried watching the weather. I sure hope the rain and wind misses us Saturday!

I chose the Hokas, but after a transition run and 6 miles on the track, I returned them! I felt they required additional energy to run in. Soft? yes fatigue resistant? yes Energy saver? I didn't think so. I was planning on walking out with Altras, but......I got a lighter pair of Newtons! Just stuck with what I have been running in. This makes pair #4 and they are light.

Plan on rain, more so in the afternoon I think (unprofessional opinion). You will likely be done and home eating pizza when it hits I imagine. Like you, I hope the wind stays away. I can handle a little rain, I prefer zero wind on the bike (as we all do). I am mentally imagining strong winds in the morning and rain after 11 am. If it is nicer than that, I will consider it a treat!

See you all Friday/Saturday

Todd probably a good move sticking with a shoe that you know.

Any tips for biking in the rain? Never done it. If it is raining I always go with the trainer. Do you wear eye protection when it is raining? I hate riding without glasses but I can't imagine having to look through glasses with water all over them.

I find it far better to have to look through glasses with water spots on them than try to see/squink with rain pelting your eye balls. Your helmet will not protect your eyes from getting hit with rain drops, so at least the glasses will keep the rain out of your eyes. With that said, I see plenty of people go without glasses when it is heavy overcast or raining, but i also wear contacts so i have to have my eyes covered or they will dry out on me with the wind hitting them non-stop.

I will also tell you to slow down on turns if it is raining or wet. We are using slick tires and the roads may have a little bit of an oil slick on them from motorists, and i have seen plenty of people go down on turns going too fast. Straight aways are fine to hammer it out, but keep an eye on fast turns.

I really hope it is not thundering in the morning and we can safely swim with no issues. I am ok with biking and running in the rain and some lightning, but I don't believe they will let us in the lake if there is lightning.

I just went and bought me some yellow safety glasses to wear on the bike if it is raining or overcast. I had trouble deciding between the clear and yellow but I thought the yellow will make things more visible. Also, I'm planning on treating the glasses with rainX.

Other things I plan on bringing in case it rains is a plastic bag to put my running shoes and socks in so they will be dry when I put them on in T2. I usually swim in tinted goggles outside but plan on bringing a pair of clear goggles in case of heavy cloud cover. Also, I always run with a hat on anyways but if you don't you might want to bring a hat to keep rain from running down into your eyes.

Anybody have any other tips for racing in foul weather?

Good luck tomorrow. Thanks for all the conversation and helpful information.

Matt #177

Congrats to everyone that finished yesterday! It was extremely tough conditions rough water in the swim, tough winds on the bike and sweltering heat on the run!

Thanks, the conditions were tough. The volunteers and staff were amazing all weekend.