Newbz' Spring Fling Mentor Group is FULL! (Page 48)

Definitely in the aero position.  Train how you'll race.

doesn't matter how you test, but if you want it to be accurate test how you are going to be training.
If you'll train and race in two dif positions then you'll need to either test both, or get used to the power dif (it may not be all that off depending on the two positions).

Yeah...I actually go the other way around with my FTP tests, but the only reason is that I use the numbers to train and I do 85% of my training right now on my road bike.  Once I get outside on the tri bike I will be doing some FTP stuff on that as well.  I would say that if you are always riding your tri bike then definitely do the test in Aero on that bike.  If you are using the outcome to train, you may be shorting yourself if you use the tri bike and then train on your road bike.

I tried out the longer reach idea last night in the pool.  I'm not sure I feel any speed difference at all, but I definitely feel it more in my shoulder.  You have to use a little bit more muscle each stroke to keep your hand out of the water.  I also started kicking drills.  I am going to work my way up because kicking tires me out like nothing else.  I managed 500 kicking last night, 200 with the kick board.  I used fins though....should I be sticking without the fins for now???

Also on the FTP, if you train on both bikes, and are ok on both, the dropoff wont be horrible. IE if you ride both enough you may not need to retest unless you want EXACT numbers. In other words training on both should be enough to give you an idea of what the dropoff, if any, is.

As an example, i was about 6 watts off FTP wise on a road bike vs tri bike, but i never tested both. All intervals of the same legnth, etc, were always a few watts lower on the tri bike

So essentially it doesn't matter which bike you test on?

Yeah...I get what David is saying.  It basically comes down to...why torture yourself through another test when you already know what the result is going to be...LOL.

I'm going to test on my TT bike on the aero bars...since that is my racing focus the next 4 months.  I'm really not to concerned about my FTP on the road bike at this point.

Edited by tri808 2011-02-24 12:42 PM

You using bodyglide or any sort of anti chafing cream???

Yes and no.

If you train almost always one on vs the other, i'd keep testing on the bike you train on, but as races roll around, either test on the other, or train enough to know the power offset (if there is one).

The larger the dif between positions, "normally" the larger the offset in power will be.

Not to be wildly graphic here, but here goes... (and if you dont want to answer this here, shoot me a PM).

There are two real types, and everything in between. One is the ingrown hair/swollen/zit type.
The other is more of a blister/rubbed off skin.

For the ingrown hair style of uglyness, things can be a bit more challenging. If it is like that, you'll hate yourself for this, but pop it. DO NOT stick something into it, but take a hot bath, and then go back to your teenage acne years, and squeeze it. it'll hurt like a mother, and then it'll go, and you'll see stars and swear like its your job for a min or two. hot washcloth after, and then some form of antibiotic cream (like neosporin). KEEP IT CLEAN.

If its the blister type, water will KILL. it'll hurt, but this will often go away as soon as you stop whatever pissed it off (i've had this happen in races a few times).
Again keeping it clean, and neosporin will do a lot to help it heal quickly.


As far as preventing/keeping it away/healing faster, these steps will all helps a lot

-Shower as soon as you can after (swimming also helps here, it'll both keep stuff out and dry it out with the pool chems)
-Make sure you keep bike/run clothing clean. I know a lot of us dont do that as much as we should, but it helps a lot.
-After you shower, looser fitting tech clothing will help. anything that breathes, is loose, and will not chafe.
-did i mention neosporin? It also makes a good lube when you need it for rides when things are getting nasty (yes i've done this a lot).
-Lastly, keeping dry while riding will help.

Figure out what caused it, loose shorts? bad saddle/saddle height? damp/dirty/overly salt coated clothes? bad shave job?

wow.....that sounds awful.  I think I'm going to double up on the bodyglide during long rides.

Unfortunately, yes.  Clean it clean it clean it clean it clean it.

I had more the ingrown hair type along the inside crease where my my pelvis.  I had this twice last year.  The first time was a week and a half before an Oly and I went to the doc.  He prescribed antibiotics and that did kill it but didn't do my stomach any good.

The second time I saw some recommendations to clean with Noxema.  This did seem to help (be careful to keep away from sensitive bits). 

After I healed up I kept on narrowing down shorts to ones that did not seem to cause the problem.  I'm still not positive about the culprit. 

Ok well first I am thinking of two things that may have caused this. First on my long run Monday I ran using my under armour compression shorts that have not been washed in a couple weeks and are also wearing down significantly in the crotch area. I am assuming this was where the damage started since I could feel problems already during the run. Then on Tuesday I used some old bike shorts that I haven't used in a couple years, fresh and clean, but not the couple of pairs I usually wear, since the bike ride it has been worse, but if anything I think my bike shorts just added to the problem. I won't use those shorts anymore and will change out my running shorts as well.

As for the problem itself it seems to be a blister or rubbed off skin. Stepping into the shower kills when water is in the area and when its dry usually only when skin or something else rubs against it. I have been wearing mesh shorts underneath all week to keep the breathing as high as possible. I stayed away from Body Glide as it seemed too dry for the area but I'll try with some neosporin today.

Is swimming ok for now? I passed yesterday thinking the chemicals would only harm the area, then again, I swam Tuesday morning with no problem. I have a run and swim scheduled today, and a bike tomorrow, but I think I will hold on the bike until everything has cleared.

Thanks for the advice, the day off completely yesterday solved some issues, but it is still lingereing and I want this sucker gone!

Sorry...didn't mean to suggest putting bodyglide on it now...I use it to prevent, not treat.  I would just keep applying the neosporin.  As far as the pool goes, it depends how bad it is.  If it's really raw, I would skip the exposure to chlorine.

yeah swimming is fine. will hurt for the first few sec but you'll be ok.

loose clothes as much as you can, put some sort of anti biotic cream on it twice a day and it'll be go fast.



Bike wise this type often happens with shorts that are wearing out/getting loose, or saddles too high (or both).
It's not an infection, but a matter of skin actually rubbing off.
At that point body glided will only really go so far.

if you have well fitting shorts/proper saddle height you should not need much else help (ie i never use it unless i'm riding a lot of long back to back days and thigns get a bit sore, then i prefer something like chamios creme).

Picked up a pair of size 14 zoot ultra tempo 3.0's from running warehouse.  First time in my life that my size was the only one on sale.  Let me tell you what...even if I can't run in them, that was a solid $90 well spent!  They are the most comfortable shoes I think I've ever put on.  I love the liner.  It's like a silk sheet!  I'll probably work my way into running with them.  They slip on really easily too.

3.5 mile run in 33:24. Not a great pace, but I wasn't feeling great after I got started.  I guess this turned into a not-so-Long, Slow Distance (NLSD?). Still, this is a better week than I've had in a couple of months, so I'll take what I can get.

I have a pair from two years ago that i still wear in very short races and as my everyday shoe now, love them! they are like slippers.

On the bike for 1:12, 19.4 miles. Felt good, mostly because I'm getting back into-the-groove.

We're supposed to have a high-wind warning for this evening, so I wanted to get out early. The Weather Channel has the High Wind Warning, but then says we can expect 25mph winds. For this region that's not "High Winds", that's "kinda breezy today, isn't it?". My GF jokes that, after living here for 4 years, a lack of wind throws her off mentally when she rides.

Woke up to 6-7 inches of new snow this morning... Hopefully the swim clinic isn't cancelled this afternoon!

gag, no talk of snow! Although it snowed here a few days ago its back up to 50 today.


Had an interesting run this morning. Once or twice a year i tend to find that tipping point with training and recovery, with the goal being to ride that line just on the safe side of pushing too far as long as i can before tapering to race, with the theory behind this if you are going easier you may be playing it a bit safe but you'll leave some on the table (probably smarter for most people), and if you push a bit over it your get hurt.

I think i came as close as i could to crossing that line and hopefully making it back this morning.
Last night i'd planned on an easy 10 miler around the loop here in philly. normal easy pace this time of year (easy defined as can carry on a FULL conversation, no talking issues, etc, legs totally fine). It's a great loop to run because its flat for the most part, largest hill is very gradual and maybe 25 feet tall, and there are mile markers every 400m.

Plan was to run down there (about a mile), and then run the 8 mile loop at that pace (this point in training around 6:50-7:10 pace). Didn't check splits at 400, 800, or 1200, but looked at hte mile, and felt like i was going a bit fast, struggling a bit. Watch said 8:29. Whoa, must have hit the start button early. will recheck at 1.5 mi. got there, and that next 800 put me right on 8:35 pace. ended up calling it quits and going home, thinking i just needed some food and sleep.

Got a good dinner in last night, a solid amount of good sleep for me, and woke up this morning, grabbed some food, and headed out to meet a friend. We were planning on 12 miles with 2x1mi @ 10k pace, and then 2mi @ 10k pace. Within about 10 min of walking out the door i knew the faster stuff was out, shins, lower legs both hurt, feet were sore, and i just overall didn't feel awsome. told him i'd run easy and just catch up on his rest, but ended up pulling the plug at 3.5 miles, and walked most of the way home.

So now i'm left trying to figure out what/where thigns went wrong, if anything, and why this happened. Felt pretty good, although tired on friday, and nothing else has really changed.

Listen to your bodies out there! They are smarter than we are;-)

I threw on my disc cover for the very first time today.  Didn't go for a ride, planning to on Tuesday, but noticed that the cover just slightly rubs against the last cog of the cassette near the hub.  So when the wheel is spinning free (cassette isn't turning) I can hear a faint rubbing sound.  Nothing major, but is that normal?

I have all the screws tightened down, but it seems like the cover could be "snugger to the spokes to allow slightly more clearance between the cover and the last cog of the cassette.

I also noticed that when the chain is in the last cog, it slightly rubs against the cover as well.  Again...nothing major as I would never be coasting while in the largest cog...but just wanted to know if that was normal or if there is a trick I can do to get the cover to rest a little more snug against the spokes.

Or...what I was thinking was that when traveling at speed, the air would naturally press the cover against the spokes to create that extra clearance?

Thoughts?

The last cog?  Egads, why would you ever use the last cog?

Seriously, are you sure that you put the correct side of the cover on the drive side of the wheel?  And are you certain that this disc cover is specific to this model/brand of wheel...meaning did you have them cut it specifically for this wheel?  In my experience these are the main reasons for the rub you mention.

The last cog.....really?  

and while I was thinking about it...some hub/cassette combinations are supposed to have a very narrow ( 1mm ) spacer, this might also be part of your problem.

Jason, I am going to try my cover tonight and see what it looks like.  What wheel are you using?  I didn't really think about the fact that there is a drive side to the cover.  At first glance they look the same.