Gray Guys/Girls Master's Focus Triathlon Mentor Group--CLOSED (Page 49)

Scott - I hope your daughter is feeling better and well on her way to recovery.

Scott - I hope you're feeling better and getting some of your energy back.  Keep us informed on how you're healing.

Your explanation of tapering/peaking was excellent.  Far more clarity than anything else I can recall reading on the subject.  

Just out of curiosity what is typical winter weather for you?  

Thanks for your generous comment on my race report.

George,

I am reluctant to answer the question for fear I will be ostracized from the group so let me preface my answer with we are moving back to Indiana next year making this our last winter where seasons don't really exist.

Here in Southern California, our typical winter is predominate sunshine.  Highs in to the upper 70's with the occasional warm day into the 80's.  Of course we also get "cold" and will have a few days down into the upper 50's.  Unlike other areas of the country, if weather forces a move indoors to the trainer or dreadmill, heat is the likely cause.  The most challenging days are the ones where I am forced to go down to the cliffs at Oceanside and run on the beach or ride on the strand (bike path along the beach predominately used by triathletes for training rides) - It's very hard to concentrate in the bright sunshine with those waves breaking 50 yards away!

In all seriousness though, I actually miss running in snow and cold temps and am looking forward to again being able to enjoy trees changing colors and the change of seasons.

The weather prognosticators have said the strongest El Nino in recorded history has formed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and are predicting massive rainfall this winter.  The state desperately needs the rain but not the torrential downpours that typically accompany an El Nino year so this upcoming winter may be anything but typical.

Dan,

So how do I become a member of your club?

That sounds like an incredible day!  Out here, even finding Maine lobster is a challenge, and your cooking up 50 of them - jealous!

Upper 70s and running on the beach sounds pretty nice.  I run outside most of our winter and our two lakes only partially freeze-up.  We actually get very little snow here and I never get to run when it is snowing which I would love to do.

It will be interesting to see how the El Nino affects the weather.  Hopefully there won't be any extreme rainfall.

Let me make sure I have this right.  An age group athlete is caught cutting the course where the "prize" for the win would have been . . . bragging rights?  Oh that's right, a Kona spot, where she would have had . . . bragging rights?

There is no understanding people.  At least when Lance was creatively competing there was millions of dollars on the line - didn't make it right, but at least you could almost understand.  Finding yourself in the middle of a cheating scandal when the only thing you stand to gain is nothing is beyond comprehension.

Scott - I left a post in your race report.  Just a quick congrats.  Out of interest where was the swim?  How flat was the bike course?  Well done on your Half.  It sounds like it was a good day.  Any thoughts on where you might do your "full distance" race?  

Next year our local Challenge race will be the World Long-Course Championship distance of 3K Swim/ 120K bike/ 30K run.  The race is a qualifier for the 2017 World Championship races here in Penticton.  I'm thinking I could finish in about 10 hours (not thinking I can win - just thinking fun).

I've been slacking off since my last race.  I've run a couple times and today I ventured back into the lake for a swim today with a couple friends.  It was so cold only one of us finished the usual 2K swim (a 70 yr old Brit used to swimming in the English channel).  I got roughly half way and my feet, hands and ears were cold so I turned and headed back.  Felt like a wimp but when I started shivering as I changed I figured cutting it short was not so bad.  Coffee afterwards was very welcome.

So that's it for our summer.  Leaves are turning colour and the nights are getting longer and the lake is cold!

I am aiming to run a 20K race on November 1st.  Just a fun run up an old rail line then back down.

Just for anyone's interest - On the Challenge Penticton website there is a 3 minute video of this year's race.  It is a nice visual of our area if you'd care to see it.  In some respects it is very similar to Chelan.  

Scott - I'm not up to any racing this weekend.  My new struggle is to not gain weight now that I've stopped training.  I will get going again but I am finding too many easy excuses to allow me to procrastinate.

I was wondering whether your race swim was in a lake or a salt water swim.  Your race sounds very similar to our local Oliver Half that I'm considering for next year.

Between Whistler and Coeur d'Alene I don't know much about either but I recently read a thread on which race was preferable Whistler or Lake Placid.  I think it was in the Iron Distance Training Talk.  You might find the Whistler comments interesting to compare with what you know about CDA.  

As for the Penticton race.  It is quite different race distances but they are predicting a pretty large turnout.  Sort of a 3/4 distance race.  It should be fun.  But then I wonder if I should be aiming for a full distance race myself.  

You asked about the forest fires in our area.  We had some pretty bad fires just south of us and the big fire in Washington (I think they called it "Stickpin") came very close to the border and at one point about 50 Cdn firefighters joined the US fire fighters on that one.  For the week before Challenge we were smoked in so heavily that helicopters were grounded due to visibility below 1/2 km and they were warning athletes not to train outdoors.  We also got a lot of smoke from the Chelan  fire.

A couple of my friends are trying to cling to swimming in the lake as long as possible so they are holding out hope of a last swim on Monday.  The water is pretty cool about 15C/59F.  I suppose if they go in I'll suit up and swim a bit myself but I won't swim 2K I'll likely just swim half way.  One of the fellows only has a sleeveless wetsuit and he finds his arms get too cold so we probably shouldn't be swimming.  We'll see.  I don't feel strongly motivated. I know some people swim in cold water but I don't feel I need to.

I'm hoping to get running again tomorrow.

Scott,

Sorry I didn't respond to this sooner.  I had the absolute week from Hades last week.  Congrats on your first half!  Sounds like it was a great learning experience all the way around.  It has been a pleasure watching you progress this past season!

No races for me however I finally got out and ran a couple miles.  Boy THAT was an eye opener.  Note to self - don't be taking months off!  Just glad to finally be medically cleared to return to a full training schedule!

Hi All,  We just finally said goodbye to the last of our summer visitors.  I'm looking forward to getting active again although, so far, I've managed to keep my weight off and I have kept somewhat active.

Scott - I hope you're healing well and not pushing yourself too hard.  

Steve - I wouldn't mind running as fast as your "slow" 8:45/mile.  Yesterday I ran 10K at 11:30/mile and that is really good for me.  

Deb - Thanks for your great feedback on the race report.  I was just having fun.