Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN (Page 44)

2023-07-07 3:50 AM

in reply to: #5286087

Member

2952

Carbondale, Illinois

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Well folks…options a, b, and c did not work. :D. I did the dollar bill trick and made it 41’ before the rear tire flatted. Tried to swap front and back tires, but realized the front tire is still tubeless. Doh!!

Ugh…option d it is. It is Friday, the day off here, so I’m waiting around a bit until things open up in the afternoon. Fingers crossed I can get another tire/tube setup today. That 5 hour ride on the schedule for tomorrow is gonna suck on the recumbant. :D :D

2023-07-07 5:34 AM

in reply to: Rollergirl

Expert

4759

Middle River, Maryland

Silver member

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Originally posted by Rollergirl

Originally posted by jmhpsu93

Originally posted by Rollergirl

Originally posted by drfoodlove

Originally posted by jmhpsu93

Swim tomorrow morning then a 4k time trial (so about 6 minutes of hell).

Took me a hot minute to figure out this is a 4k bike time trial, not a 4k swim time trial. I was seriously confused at how the he!! you were going to swim 4k in 6 minutes! (don't judge, it is late at the end of a long week here!)

I was thinking it was a 4k run trial and I thought, wow, that’s fast! Also the end of a long day

So the two of you have me at somewhere around 18 minutes for a 4,000M swim / 4k bike / 4k run triathlon. I'll take that!!!

LOL, that’s about right! With transitions about 1h25

OMG - ouch. LOL

2023-07-07 9:39 AM

in reply to: jmhpsu93

Expert

4759

Middle River, Maryland

Silver member

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Stage 7 done. This morning was a bit of a "Gretchen"...typically on Friday mornings I drop off The Wife at the yoga studio for 6 AM class and go to the pool for about an hour, come pick her up and back home. Well today the yoga instructor slept through her alarm and never showed up (people were sal-ty), so we had to pivot and move our long walk to this morning and my swim to Sunday. It's weird...normally I'm really neurotic about the timings but it didn't phase me at all. Maybe I'm just delirious from all the bike training or I figured "well, at least I'm not being harassed on the street in a foreign country."

Then I had to jump on the bike for a long (30 minute-ish) warmup and then after five minutes of stretching back on the bike to destroy myself for about 6 minutes. Mission accomplished. First podium ever in Cat C (2nd out of 5 on the official results, and 3rd out of 8 on the unofficial - official results are you have to have a real power meter and use a HRM, plus be registered on Zwiftpower), averaged 298 watts over the six minutes. That hurt.

Almost 40 mile race tomorrow, which is by far the longest I've ever tried on Zwift.

@Gretchen: at this point with a week left before you leave I'd just bail on the ride - 5 hours on a recumbent!!!

@Andrew: glad you're recovering well, smart move!

@Nathalie: I'm not talking to you after that transition comment

2023-07-07 6:13 PM

in reply to: #5286089

Member

2952

Carbondale, Illinois

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Good news! Bike guy was able to come yesterday to get me a new tire/tube!! No recumbant for me!!

I mean…I’m still staring down 5 hours on my trainer, but at least there will be movies and footy.

2023-07-08 1:42 AM

in reply to: #5286096

Member

2952

Carbondale, Illinois

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

9:45 am and I’ve finished my 6 hr training blocks fb had coffee on the balcony. What do I do with the rest of my day?!?

And yes, I got up at 2 to be riding by 3 and running by 8:20 (and yes 3+5=8:20 in trainer time…I swear it is like a time hole…it is the stopping for water refills and saddle breaks, but still seems like it always takes way longer than it should!). It is never the legs or lungs that require a break, just the undercarriage and water. Needs must!

Good luck to Nicole in Tahoe this weekend!! (Right? Or is this week another wedding?—you go to a lot of weddings!)

Anyone else racing? I don’t think so…

2023-07-08 4:45 AM

in reply to: drfoodlove

1806

, Kronobergs lan

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Glad you got your tyre fixed! Well done on today’s workout. Just chill now, or go to bed

Good luck Nicole!

A 28k 3k 500m brwim on the menu for me today, followed by 9 holes of golf later this afternoon.

Have a nice weekend bdas!

2023-07-09 3:56 AM

in reply to: Rollergirl

Member

2952

Carbondale, Illinois

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

2000 yd swim this morning, followed by a 31' Z2 ride to make up for what was missed on Friday when my tire flatted (I know, I know...I'm supposed to let it go when things like that happen...I just...can't.). Had a horrible thought during the swim this morning...a double ironman sounds interesting.

Off day tomorrow, followed by the highest volume week of my plan and...the trip home. I have to leave for the airport at 11:45pm Friday night and will arrive home sometime around 8pm on Friday night, with an 8 hour time difference. It is a LONG day. Good thing I scheduled my rest day for that day!!

2023-07-09 4:27 AM

in reply to: drfoodlove

1806

, Kronobergs lan

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

A double Ironman, yeah, why not? How does that work? Is it one on the Saturday and one on the Sunday?

I read about a guy over here who did one a day in each and every Swedish county. That’s 21. And when I was looking it up right now to see how many days that was, I read an article about one dude doing 50.
Crazy but hey, whatever rocks your boat.

Wow, that’s cool, you arrive before you leave, no wasted time!

I enjoyed my brwim so much yesterday that I’ll do the same today, although shorter bike and longer swim.

Tomorrow, the local triathlon club is organising a training sprint so I’ll do that.

2023-07-09 7:22 AM

in reply to: Rollergirl

Member

2952

Carbondale, Illinois

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Originally posted by Rollergirl

A double Ironman, yeah, why not? How does that work? Is it one on the Saturday and one on the Sunday?

I read about a guy over here who did one a day in each and every Swedish county. That’s 21. And when I was looking it up right now to see how many days that was, I read an article about one dude doing 50.
Crazy but hey, whatever rocks your boat.

Wow, that’s cool, you arrive before you leave, no wasted time!

I enjoyed my brwim so much yesterday that I’ll do the same today, although shorter bike and longer swim.

Tomorrow, the local triathlon club is organising a training sprint so I’ll do that.

Double Ironman...generally done all swim, then all bike, then all run...but there seems to be a lot of variation. I'm still wrapping my head around how stupid of an idea it is, so will be reading more about it over the next few weeks.

Check out the Iron Cowboy documentary (last I saw, it was on Netflix). It shows the 50 IM in 50 days in 50 states insanity. I haven't gotten to that point (yet?).

No...I don't arrive before I leave. I leave at 11:45pm on Friday night and will get home at 8pm on Saturday night! It is a hell of a trip...and it gets harder every time I do it!

Have fun with the training sprint! Figure out how to get that T2 down to 20" :D

2023-07-09 5:16 PM

in reply to: Rollergirl

Regular

1638

Auckland, North Island

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Originally posted by Rollergirl

Originally posted by bulfrog
Is there a reason you want a new trainer specific bike? Or just following the N+1 rule?

So I can jump on any of them in a second rather than have to set up/take down the bike from the trainer. In the winter I do all my biking on zwift but the rest of the year I’d like to have the choice, if the weather is bad or if I need to do intervals.
Would be easier with a bike that stays there.

Fair enough I also have a dedicated trainer ride, but it is my old road bike which I already had not a specific purchase. If you're going to buy a bike I'm sure the thing to do is to buy a new race bike, and your current bike becomes the trainer stead?

Alternatively, for taking bikes off and on the trainer regularly, I lust after one of these: https://au.wahoofitness.com/devices/indoor-cycling/bike-trainers/kic...

2023-07-09 5:33 PM

in reply to: bulfrog

Regular

1638

Auckland, North Island

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Double Ironman...

There are several different types of 'longer than Ironman' distance races.

Standard Ironman distance on consecutive days, like the Iron Cowboy did
Multiday stage races like the Ultraman series. Day1 10km swim, 140km bike. Day 2, 280km bike, Day 3 84.4km run.
Non stop, 1 sport at a time. Swim 38,000m, bike, 1,800km run 422km. For these often the clock doesn't stop so you have to manage sleep too.

All are madness. But 100% inspirational.

I suppose it depends on what sort of suffering appeals, and what's available in your area. There aren't a lot of these races around the world to choose from. Or you could just go out the day after your Ironman and do a solo effort I guess?

If anyone is interested, there is a guy in the UK currently attempting 102 Ironman distances in 103 days. https://www.seanconway.com/iron102.html

2023-07-09 5:41 PM

in reply to: bulfrog

Regular

1638

Auckland, North Island

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

@Mike. Almost 300W for 6 minutes is awesome. Well done on the podium. But even more well done on having the mental strength to force yourself into that level of suffer.

@Gretchen. I probably would have taken the tire troubles as a sign from the gods to start packing up the bike for your trip home. But that is why you are the machine, and I am not. Great job with the 2am start to get it all done. When you're home, will you be able to move the longer rides to a more sensible starting time?

@Nathalie, your BRIwm workout followed by golf sounds like the perfect weekend. Nice.

@Nicole, How was the run? I trust you smashed it.

@Me. Rest is working. Mr Garmin has moved my training status from 'strained' to 'recovery' for the first time since June 17. HRV value has also moved from red back into orange, should be green tomorrow on current tracking. I've still got some cough/flu symptoms but much less than last week. If I wasn't already resting my symptoms are down to a level where I would probably ignore them.

At least another 2 days off to get a full 7 days, and will reevaluate then. But I totally expect to be back doing something productive by the end of the week.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

2023-07-10 12:33 AM

in reply to: bulfrog

Member

2952

Carbondale, Illinois

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

@Nicole--how'd the race go? Or did you get eaten by bears and that's why you haven't reported in?

@Nathalie--n+1!!!!! Get it! I also quite like Andrew's suggestion of a new racing bike and "retiring" your old one to the trainer.

@Mike--great job on your time trial! That just sounds painful!!

@Andrew--good to hear you are feeling better. Don't try to come back too soon, you could cause a relapse! Patience is key...says the woman who absolutely is not patient in anything at all...ever.

Rest day for me today. Actually feeling really good and like I could do something today, but will try not to. It is tempting to get one of the later workouts off my plate for the week to make room for packing and that stuff, but since I want to pretend that I'm not moving back at the end of the week (i.e., I haven't packed a darn thing, nor have I make any arrangements to get myself to the airport), I probably won't. I slept in today until all of 6:15. It feels weird getting up after the sunrise.

I talked with my wife about the double ironman. After she wrapped her head around what I was suggesting and mentioned her concern for my sanity, she is, of course, 100% on board. Okay...maybe she isn't 100% on board, but she's willing to be supportive and let me be insane. It probably helps that I told her I was not thinking about it for 2025 (or beyond). I'm thinking 2024 will be a year dedicated to getting stronger and getting a run coach to finally help me not be pathetic on the run. I can go for days at the same pace, but that pace is a little like molasses on a cold morning.

2023-07-10 11:16 AM

in reply to: drfoodlove

Expert

4759

Middle River, Maryland

Silver member

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Hey, all. Finished a heavy week with almost 700 TSS on Training Peaks and 8.5 hours in the saddle. Nine stages in so far and I'm at 215 miles. There's a seven-stage race on Zwift that I'm inserting into my tour and I'm currently 72nd out of 81 through three stages. This past Saturday was a 38.5 mile race which was brutal, though my daughter did it with me (Cat D) and she finished MOP so nice work. We were toast afterwards. Day off today then another short-ish (15 miles) flat stage tomorrow so hopefully I'll move up a little before getting destroyed on a two-hour climb on Friday.

@Andrew: I got a warning on TP for the first time yesterday that I might want to tone it down LOL; stupid electronics don't know what they're talking about!; glad you're almost all better now stay that way

@Nicole: where is our race report???

@Gretchen: I'd rather stab my eyes out with a fork than do a double-Ironman, and yes I thought your time travel scheme getting home was impressive but you always do manage to get a lot in

@Nathalie: sounds like your training is coming along quite nicely, and hell yes you need another bike; FWIW I just pull my Ridley on an off my Tacx as needed and throw on the rear wheel - takes about 30 seconds but I have rim brake clinchers so it's super easy; I've thought about putting my old Fuji bike on there but it's a ten-speed and I want to make it into a beater/gravel/cruising bike if I ever get around to it.

Hope everyone has a great week!

2023-07-10 3:42 PM

in reply to: 0

1806

, Kronobergs lan

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Glad you’re feeling better Andrew, like Gretchen says, do wait a couple more days and start again easy

Mike, that is a lot of saddle time, well done!

Wow Gretchen 6:15, that’s late! LOL here the sun rises at around 2:30-3:00 in the Summer. I don’t get up then of course but it would be much easier if I had to.

Can’t afford a new better bike right now, I would only be able to buy one similar and If it’s not an upgrade, what’s the point? Plus I like it too much to demote it to trainer bike already. I bought it in 2020 and didn’t use it much the first 2 years (pandemic, no races to train for so less training)

The training sprint started well but 18k into the bike, a rider in front of me was hit by a car so a few of us stopped to help, call an ambulance and give a statement to the police. That was scary. He’s not too badly hurt thank goodness. That was the first he was testing a triathlon, not sure if he’ll feel like trying again soon…

So I never got to attempt a 20’’ T2 (a very short transition aera, I could have pulled it off) nor try my new running shoes.

Edited by Rollergirl 2023-07-10 4:05 PM

2023-07-10 4:47 PM

in reply to: Rollergirl

Regular

1638

Auckland, North Island

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

@Gretchen, It's such a triathlete sort of thing to do isn't it. You're in peak training for your goal race, so what do you do? you start planning for the next goal 12-18 months down the track. Good news on the ministry of wife approval, Ironman training is bad enough, no way you could consider a double without 100% buy in from the family.

Do you have a specific event in mind?

@Nathalie, you saw someone get knocked off the bike? Well first up great news you weren't a few riders up in the group, and that the guy knocked down is going to be alright. But man, that is traumatic. But another example of why I spend so much time on zwift. Outside is fun but put people in cars, and they become . Be careful out there everyone.

@Mike, Great work on 8 1/2 hours on the bike. That is a solid week in anyone's book.

@Nicole, don't leave us hanging... how was the Ragnar?

Me, more rest. Mr Garmin now has my training status as unproductive, and all the body health stats back in the green. Almost symptom free, but not quite. I want to go for a run tomorrow morning, but I'm going to listen to everyone's advice and have 1 or 2 more rest days. Make sure I'm properly ready.

I am still a sloth.

2023-07-11 4:37 AM

in reply to: 0

1806

, Kronobergs lan

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

yes, that was a wake up call. I will definitely be (even) more careful on the road, expect the unexpected. The idiot in the car turned left right in front of him (right hand traffic, the rider was on his side of the road minding his own business). Could have gone really bad.

better to be a sloth for a couple more days rather than get sick again. Patience

Edited by Rollergirl 2023-07-11 4:38 AM

2023-07-11 10:19 AM

in reply to: jmhpsu93

Member

2952

Carbondale, Illinois

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

@Nat--that's awful to hear about the rider. Hopefully he (?) is okay. I've seen riders hit and it shook me up--take care of yourself too!

@Andrew--hang in there man...this might be the roughest part of the recovery, when you start to feel a bit better

Good training day for me. I got up at 4am and ran to the pool, wherein I realized I forgot my flip flops, so I was rocking the swim suit and socks looks walking between the locker room and the pool (which means walking through the hotel lobby)--it was quite smashing, if I do say so myself. Then, of course, I had to wear my running shoes home, no socks, wet running shoes. Gross. Anyway, worked all day and then came home to do a strength training session. Everything felt great today. Looking forward to tomorrow, wherein I get up at 3am and do a 1:45 ride before I head to the pool, and then work for the whole day. It is my last day in the office with my friend (and colleague), so we'll probably end up there until midnight trying to finish everything up. Can't be thinking I'll escape for an afternoon session. Three more days in Egypt for me.

2023-07-11 11:20 PM

in reply to: #5283710

Member

2952

Carbondale, Illinois

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Super boring high Z1 ride for 1:45 this morning, followed by 2500yds in the pool. MS was 24x25 descending 1-4, repeated 6 times). A fun swim workout…my last at the Hilton Zamalek. No more staring at the fifth floor balcony that has the light installed on the south side of the joist instead of the north side…like the other 24 floors.

2023-07-12 5:01 AM

in reply to: drfoodlove

1806

, Kronobergs lan

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

2 days to go, have you started packing yet Gretchen?

You must be glad to be heading home, where you don’t have to get up at 2 am to avoid stupid people on runs, where the pool’s opening hours are more reliable…

2000m ish OWS yesterday, including 1500m non stop to see how fast I can do an oly swim. The answer is still slow but with drafting and race adrenaline, I should be able to do it under 35 minutes come race day (my oly is at the end of Aug)

Bike and swim focus for the last couple of weeks, not so much running other than interval training with the group. I’ve got that on the menu today, followed by an easy week as I am spending it with my mum in the South of France.
No bike (other than her stationary which I will use), no lake (a 4m long pool, which I will use) so it will be run focus but not too much because 1) it’s HOT over there (maybe not as hot as in Egyt though, what’s the temp like over there at the moment?) and 2) I don’t see her very often so I am not going to spend all my time training instead of with her.

2023-07-12 7:38 AM

in reply to: Rollergirl

Expert

4759

Middle River, Maryland

Silver member

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Hey BDASers. Solid training continues here after a day off on Monday (really needed) with a 15 mile race on Zwift yesterday and a strength session, then this morning was a good 2500 yard swim in the pool. First time I felt good in the pool for a while so glad to get in a good swim workout during this cycling phase. Next up is a lunchtime ride...maybe 90-100 minutes as it's a course I haven't done on Zwift yet so not sure how long it will take. Mostly Z2 with some Z3/Z4 on the long climbs.

@Gretchen: just a couple of days to go and it seems you're going to finish your "Tour de Egypt" strongly. Nice work while you've been there - you will miss the drama and your workout descriptions will be far less amusing to us. I'm sure you'll find something.

@Nathalie: nice work OWS...at some point I need to really focus and train in the open water and I really don't have an excuse as my tri club does monthly supported OWS sessions 10 minutes from my house and I can swim 100-yard OWS "laps" there anytime I want in 4-5 feet of water; it's just really gross, though (brackish river); enjoy the time with your mum!

@Andrew: I'm sure you're bouncing off the walls right now but you're killing it recovering - the mental toughness to NOT train is probably harder than pushing through harder/longer workouts

I'm just under 4 weeks until my Oly - when are our main races again? Nathalie is in August (plus you have a couple of others, right?) and I'm sure Nicole will talk herself into doing The Baltimore Triathlon in October.

nicole14e

2023-07-12 10:54 AM

in reply to: jmhpsu93

2036

Baltimore, Maryland

Subject: RE: Beer Drinkers Appreciation Society (BDAS) 2023 Mentor Group - ALWAYS OPEN

Hi everyone! Sorry I have left you hanging!

The Ragnar was incredible. Easily the most difficult thing I've ever done. I need to type up the race report, but below is a little taste!

Race started Friday at 11:30am. There were only 15 or 16 teams doing the Black Loop and they all started at the same time. The green loop was first, which was about 3.5 miles and 500 ft of elevation. My partner was trying to go pretty hard on the hills, so I had to find a balance so as not to burn out too fast. We finished in 41 minutes.

The second loop, yellow, we could start between 3-3:30pm. We all aimed for 3pm. This one was about 5.3 miles and 1000 ft of elevation. There was one part that was a very long, steady ascent, then there was a very fast descent that was a bit rough. We finished this one in about 1 hr 10 min.

The red loop, which was about 6.3 miles and 1000 ft of ascent started at 9pm. We were in 2nd place in the mixed division at this point I think, but the top 3 teams were all within about a minute of each other. We finished in about an hour and a half. There was a very big ascent that was just straight up mud, so not the most pleasant. It also had the really fast descent again, which was even harder in the dark. I decided to try walking sticks for this one. It was interesting, and I definitely saw the benefit on some of the less steep climbs, but the really huge one I didn't really see much of the help, and my arms were pretty exhausted by the end.

We went back to our place pretty quickly after we finished to try to get sleep. Ended up only getting about 4 hours between eating, doing laundry, etc, but it was really nice to shower and sleep in an actual bed.

The Black loop was supposed to start at 7am the next day. It was staggered based on placement, and at this point we were actually in 1st place. We were a little late getting there so after a bit of stress and running around, it turned out they were also running behind so we ended up starting at 7:10am.
This loop was about 15.5 miles and 3k ft in ascent. We climbed no less than 4 mountain trails. It was pretty nuts. During the whole weekend, I was aiming to walk up most hills and run otherwise, though sometimes I really just couldn't catch my breath. I felt a bit like I was holding my partner back.
There was one point where the yellow and red trails split and the black loop was supposed to go with the yellow loop but there were flags for the black loop going both directions. Luckily I had the route on my watch and my partner had taken a photo of it, so we ended up going the right way, but at least 5 times went the wrong way...I feel really horrible for them. They ended up running about 1.5 miles extra.
Jeremy (my partner) and I just kept pushing. I had to keep reminding myself that everyone was going up the same mountains, dealing with the same elevation. We finished in about 3 hours 47 minutes. We got 1st in the mixed division and 3rd place overall!

Overall I'm really happy that I did this. It was really hard. Like, really freaking hard. Without a partner I don't know that I would've been able to do it, especially not at that pace. One of my friends got altitude sickness. They were still able to finish, but it got really rough at the end. I think I would've been in a similar boat without the medication.

That's it! I recovered shockingly quickly considering. We had a hot tub and also went paddle boarding Sunday so I soaked my legs in some nice cold lake water. I'm not sure I would do another one, but I honestly might. The views were AMAZING.