More Manatee Mayhem - 2017 Edition - Closed (Page 4)

I'd have to put 1985 if that's the case

Yeah, IMMD has been a hot mess since WTC took it over.  When it was ChesapeakeMan they had it a week or two earlier which makes all the difference around here in September/October.

It doesn't help that where they have it is basically sea level, or at least level with the Bay anyway.  That whole are has been getting more and more underwater for years.  There was actually a big article in the Baltimore Sun about remediation strategies to combat the rising water (and sinking ground, apparently) in Blackwater (where the bike part is).

And my bio

NAME: Jen         

OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook and Instagram – @juniper_jen176, Garmin Connect jkolstein

STORY: I am 36 and have been involved in endurance sport since 2005 when I joined our local running shop’s 10k training clinic. I had no other background but fell in love with it immediately. I was solely into running for a while. I met my now husband at the LRS when we were both training for our first marathons and he was into tris. I didn’t swim or own a bike but I went with him to Ironman Canada in 2007 and I wanted to do that (you know you’re a little crazy when you want do it when you see it).

So in 2008 I started learning how to swim and it was a big undertaking. But I now really love it. I managed to do some short tris in 2009 but faced the panic of open water swim. I did my first HIM in 2010 and then did Ironman Mont Tremblant in 2012. Had an awesome day. Just about 10 months later I had a baby girl. Since she came along I’ve done two more HIMs and have every intention of finding a way to keep at it even with the craziness of small kids (2^nd is on the way) 

FAMILY STATUS: Married with a 3.5 year old daughter and a baby on the way – due at the end of April (we didn’t find out the sex)

CURRENT TRAINING: So far, just trying to stay active. Walking, don’t feel like running, some swimming and yoga, and whatever else floats my boat.

THIS YEAR'S RACES/EVENTS: My sister gave me an entry to a local women’s half marathon in September. Should be a good post-baby goal. With the baby due at the end of April, I am not likely to make it to the tri season – at least not locally. But I’ll definitely be back on the scene.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES/DESIRES: I love to keep up with awesome tri peeps like yourself and have an outlet for my ‘crazy’, er, passion.

WHAT MAKES YOU A GOOD MANATEE: I supporting others in their goals and discussing everything triathlon!!

Welcome back, Justin!

Age Group Nationals -- woo hoo!

Here goes

NAME: Robin

OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook (beware, I post political).

STORY: Never a true athlete. I did some mountain biking, kayaking, hiking etc. I was a smoker and finally got that monkey off my back but that helped to make me chubbier than I already was. I was midlife + and decided to lose weight and did. I  started running from ground minus zero, added swimming and someone mentioned tris. I tried and did, and it made me feel awesome. 9 years later and I am still a BOP tri-er. Olympic distance was as far as I have gone..... so far.

FAMILY STATUS: Married, 20years with two grown step kids and one brand new grand kid. 3 cats and soon to be dog mom (lost my sweetie of 12 years this summer )

CURRENT TRAINING: Catching up and trying to get consistent to hopefully do a HIM this may (or if not then, with Jaynine this summer).

THIS YEAR'S RACES/EVENTS: HIM in May and the NYC tri this summer are the goals. Some fun running races added in throughout the year.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES/DESIRES: to be consistent with my training.

WHAT MAKES YOU A GOOD MANATEE: I love the inclusiveness, information and banter.

And Since we are Manatees:

Thank you so much for participating in last year’s Virtual Save the Manatee 5K. We are very proud that last year we had almost 800 virtual participants from all 50 states, three Canadian provinces, and seven different countries. With our virtual and actual race, we were able to donate $26,000 to the Save the Manatee Club.

We are excited to again offer a virtual race option. As a virtual race, feel free to run, swim, canoe, kayak or walk at your pace wherever you like. The actual event is Saturday, May 20, 2017, but you can complete your virtual race at any time.

 To register, please visit: http://www.hughesregistrationservices.com/races/EVERAL/savethemanat... will start mailing race packets in April. Your packet will include your race t-shirt and manatee race bib. We are excited to also provide newly designed finisher’s medal this year.

 For more race information please visit www.savethemanatee5k.com or www.facebook.com/SaveTheManatee5K.

Welcome back Justin, Sean, Makus, Ben, Tom, Dave, Robin and Robin. It looks like we are shaping up to have a good group this year. I am hopeful that we get the opportunity to help some newer triathletes as well motivating the current crop of returnees. I know I can use all the motivation possible, since it truly seems my mojo has taken my discipline for a loooong walk.

Great idea!  I did this last year an I love the shirt :-D

Save the Manatee Virtual 5k

We seem to have fallen down on the job with recruiting newbies!  We have Sue who is a new Manatee but a BT old timer ;-)  Get recruiting, people!

Very nice! There are a decent number within about 4 hrs of him, so might be able to work something. Didn't see any well under 2, but might still go do something myself. Minnesota had a fair number at least.

Thanks.  I would like to know how to do it myself as there is a lot of flat riding around here. But, I also don't like greasy hands LOL.  Is an 11-28 larger than 12-25?!

Me too! I keep trying to find a race to get me motivated again but can't settle on one. I was excited about the MCM but DS2 thinks he won't be able to do it this year.  I'm tempted to register us both anyway, just in case. The down side is I have to travel there twice, once for the qualifier and once for the race.

With the 28t on there, yes, it will physically be a bit bigger. I don't think that really makes a difference in gripping it though.

As for the gear ratios, it spreads over a wider range so it's both bigger and smaller. The 11t is a bigger gear than the 12t even though it's physically smaller. The 28 is a smaller (or lower) gear than the 25. Some like to think the 11 for flats is better, but it's really more of a downhill gear unless you're really trying to move. Like bike sprint speed (not sprint tri speed) which I'd guess would only happen with a massive draft such as from a group of people booking it or from a vehicle. The tighter spacing of a 12-25 is usually more appreciated in flatter terrain.

As for greasy hands - yeah, that'll happen when changing the cassette.  But if you so from flat to terrain to hilly often, then it's worth the trouble buying the $30 worth of tools and learning how to do it.

Thank all of you for the primer in gearing and cassettes! I've ridden for years and managed to avoid gaining any knowledge of it of course, living where I do, it really hasn't been much of an issue.  

Assuming my hamstring ever heals and I can actually start riding ( and running) again, I will get the 11-28 and attempt to learn how to switch things out. Greasy hands be damned!!

The LBS is your friend. Bring a six pack, and a desire to learn and most of them are quite helpful. If all else fails, take a trip to Englewood on a Saturday 

And latex shop gloves can be helpful for your own use. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWKlQgTHi_c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-MYHOpzT5A

I just find the English accent appealing 

It's the other way around, front over back. The ratio is between what the front is doing over the back. The bigger this ratio is, the more the rear wheel will spin for 1 turn of the cranks.

50/28=1.79

50/11=4.55

In the 28, the rear wheel spins 1.79 times for every turn of the crank whereas with the 11 it will spin 4.55 times. So the 11 is meant to be used at faster speeds than the 28.

The term "hard" is often used, but do remember that it's more about matching up what you like to spin at for the speeds you expect to be going. Using the 28t to go 25 mph is also hard, just in a different way. The hard part is that you're trying to pedal at a cadence outside of what you're used to or best at. It comes up way more often for uphill as you have to keep putting out power to get over. You can slow down enough that you're working outside of normal (below normal in this case) even in the lowest gear. Going down hill you just stop pedaling and coast instead of pedaling crazy fast.

Not the best track record.  2014 I think it was, it got postponed for 2 weeks because of a hurricane.  

Last year it got held despite massive local flooding from a hurricane/storm system, removing the swim and shortening the bike and/or run, I believe.  Pictures from the ‘run’ showed people slogging through floodwaters that were mid-shin/knee deep. I’ve heard quite a few horror stories from last year.  I think it was still actively raining and blowing, too.

Late season tris on the east coast can be a crap shoot with weather.

Edited to add:  oops, I just saw a good handful of manatees just wrote the same thing.  Oh well, we're all driving home the point that it's maybe not the best choice...

Yes, because 28 is bigger than 25 ;-)

FWIW, 28 is the number of teeth on the cassette.