Racing Manatees - Better Together in 2022 (Page 49)

Originally posted by canadarn2001 Thank you so much! WOW! I am not sure what to say. I am still a little shocked that I not only PR'd but I placed first in my age group. The top 5 in my age group went under 5 hours. I took my slot for World's which will be next Aug in Lahti, Finland. I had not even dreamed that I would ever get the chance to get a slot so it had to be a quick decision. While I don't really feel I am at that level to compete with those ladies in my AG I figure it's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I will most likely never have the chance ever again. Plus, it will make for a nice trip!

Originally posted by BlueBoy26

 

I think I mentally checked-out after my Sprint Triathlon two weeks ago.  October races are usually the end of the Season for me and I usually take a month off before starting my Winter Maintenance indoor training plans.  This year I have a Marathon in December so last week I hit a 14 mile long run and this week the plan was a 16 mile long run.  I have been hitting the runs, but missing all my swims and only completing about half of my bike work outs.  Hmm?  I guess when I know I don't have any more races with a swim or a bike that It is hard to push hard in those disciplines.   That are actually really important my Marathon training plan though.  Without them I am not getting the volume that I need.  The long run this week was a good one though.  I joined another guy in my running club on Saturday that was doing a 17 mile run with Quantity (5) one-mile surges it it.  He did the first three a little slower than my tempo runs so they weren't too bad but he did the last two at my 10K race pace.  It was pretty crazy running 10K race pace (sub 6:00 min/mi for me) in the middle of a 17-mile run.  I enjoyed it though. It reminded me of some of the Triathlon training I have done that puts all the running speed work into the long run or brick runs where there aren't enough training sessions in a week to get to everything if they aren't combined in to fewer number of run.

Originally posted by amd723

Of course you had to accept the spot for World's and of course you are at the same level with the others going! Racing in Finland will be so much fun. 

Originally posted by canadarn2001



Thank you so much!

WOW! I am not sure what to say. I am still a little shocked that I not only PR'd but I placed first in my age group. The top 5 in my age group went under 5 hours.

I took my slot for World's which will be next Aug in Lahti, Finland. I had not even dreamed that I would ever get the chance to get a slot so it had to be a quick decision. While I don't really feel I am at that level to compete with those ladies in my AG I figure it's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I will most likely never have the chance ever again. Plus, it will make for a nice trip!

Originally posted by canadarn2001 Thank you so much! WOW! I am not sure what to say. I am still a little shocked that I not only PR'd but I placed first in my age group. The top 5 in my age group went under 5 hours. I took my slot for World's which will be next Aug in Lahti, Finland. I had not even dreamed that I would ever get the chance to get a slot so it had to be a quick decision. While I don't really feel I am at that level to compete with those ladies in my AG I figure it's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I will most likely never have the chance ever again. Plus, it will make for a nice trip!

Originally posted by melbo55

Oh my gosh, how fantastic!! Big congrats on the AG win and the ticket punched for Worlds in Finland!  For sure you should do that if you are able, truly a unique, special experience. 

Originally posted by jmkizer

Finland will be so amazing!

Originally posted by canadarn2001 

Thank you so much! WOW! I am not sure what to say. I am still a little shocked that I not only PR'd but I placed first in my age group. The top 5 in my age group went under 5 hours. I took my slot for World's which will be next Aug in Lahti, Finland. I had not even dreamed that I would ever get the chance to get a slot so it had to be a quick decision. While I don't really feel I am at that level to compete with those ladies in my AG I figure it's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I will most likely never have the chance ever again. Plus, it will make for a nice trip!

Originally posted by Hot Runner

Wow! Not sure what age group you are talking but if you are female and went under 5 hours and won your AG in a major race, then you definitely deserve to be at Worlds and will be in the mix. Hoping to see you there! It's me who doesn't belong there--I was getting close to 5 hours a few years ago and lately have barely been under 6. Sometimes partly a matter of hard course or tough conditions but also just slow. At Calgary, I think I got lucky with a combo of conditions I'm good at and no high flyers showing up--8th AG at Washington 70.3 and even discounting the yucky bike ride, 6th on swim and run so not really up there with the best in my AG competitively. Of course it helps to put in some serious training before June for races in late July and mid-September.....

I will really have to put in the training long-term and have some better luck with health to....well....not even a chance of being truly competitive-- in 50-55 one still needs to be at/under 5 hours to really be up there--but at least not totally humiliated.

Originally posted by canadarn2001   I am in 40-44 age group. It's pretty competitive. My goal for World's will be 'just to hold my own'. My focus for the winter is swim/bike. I noticed that most people who do REALLY well are stellar bikers. I was 30th out of 121 out of the water and 14th out of 121 on the bike. The run is my strength and saving grace. We will have to meet up in Finland (and get a pic!!) How exciting! Have you book accommodations yet?

Originally posted by ceilidh ^^^^^ ALL of this. What a great accomplishment and adventure.

Originally posted by melbo55

Last night my friends and I attended a benefit dinner to hear Chris Nikic and his dad speak.  It was very moving to hear Chris' story and he has such a sense of humor!  He went from a sprint triathlon in the Special Olympics to IM Florida to IM Kona.  (there was also a do-it-yourself 70.3 in there during COVID since the official one was cancelled). 

Chris had to learn how to do all three disciplines.  He couldn't swim freestyle (he had done a modified breast stroke/doggy paddle just to get around the pool), he couldn't balance on a bike, and couldn't run more than 100 yards.  That's where the '1% better' slogan came from - striving to do just a little bit better each day or each workout.  There are so many other factors he needed to overcome to achieve the goal of completing an Ironman.

It was enlightening to hear his dad's take on a few points: Chris doesn't have a learning disability, it's those who teach him that didn't know how to teach him and others like him (not just teachers or academics, his dad, too, teaching him anything).  He also brought up a very interesting point that if Chris studied or read or did some sort of pursuit that involved learning right after a good, hard, workout, he had tremendous results remembering/learning that info compared to not having worked out first.

He now earns his own money by having endorsements, writing a book, doing public speaking.  He recently bought (or put a down payment on) a house of his own and is engaged to his girlfriend.

My only negative takeaway from the talk was it seemed like it was more the dad's goal than Chris', or his dad had to convince him this was his goal.  The dad wanted him to achieve something no one else with DS has ever accomplished in order for him to get noticed, to get out there, to have a basis/reason for doing public speaking engagements. 

Overall a very good experience, though, and I would recommend hearing him if you get the chance! 

Originally posted by melbo55

Last night my friends and I attended a benefit dinner to hear Chris Nikic and his dad speak.  It was very moving to hear Chris' story and he has such a sense of humor!  He went from a sprint triathlon in the Special Olympics to IM Florida to IM Kona.  (there was also a do-it-yourself 70.3 in there during COVID since the official one was cancelled). 

Chris had to learn how to do all three disciplines.  He couldn't swim freestyle (he had done a modified breast stroke/doggy paddle just to get around the pool), he couldn't balance on a bike, and couldn't run more than 100 yards.  That's where the '1% better' slogan came from - striving to do just a little bit better each day or each workout.  There are so many other factors he needed to overcome to achieve the goal of completing an Ironman.

It was enlightening to hear his dad's take on a few points: Chris doesn't have a learning disability, it's those who teach him that didn't know how to teach him and others like him (not just teachers or academics, his dad, too, teaching him anything).  He also brought up a very interesting point that if Chris studied or read or did some sort of pursuit that involved learning right after a good, hard, workout, he had tremendous results remembering/learning that info compared to not having worked out first.

He now earns his own money by having endorsements, writing a book, doing public speaking.  He recently bought (or put a down payment on) a house of his own and is engaged to his girlfriend.

My only negative takeaway from the talk was it seemed like it was more the dad's goal than Chris', or his dad had to convince him this was his goal.  The dad wanted him to achieve something no one else with DS has ever accomplished in order for him to get noticed, to get out there, to have a basis/reason for doing public speaking engagements. 

Overall a very good experience, though, and I would recommend hearing him if you get the chance! 

Originally posted by Hot Runner So sad for me. Try as I might, the bike is just not my strength. I have done a lot of strength work, big-gear work, hill riding, but I never really seem to make solid progress. I'm on the lightweight, skinny side for the sport so really only have an advantage biking on a very hilly course, and/or at altitude. (Thus, Calgary LOL!). I am a strong swimmer (for a triathlete, not as an actual swimmer), especially for distance, but I don't always swim up to my ability in races--honestly no idea why. Same with run--I have a big run background and *should* dominate the run, but my times have been lackluster since my mid-40's. Not sure if it's due to aging, a near-constant series of low-grade niggles that sometimes limit volume or speedwork (probably also age-related), or just a lack of consistent quality training. I'm quite sure my fastest days are behind me, but still feel like I should be able to put together much better races than I often do. I guess it's the challenging of trying to put together good efforts in all three events on race day that keeps me going in the sport!

Originally posted by BlueBoy26

Ya...I was told that Triathlons are won on the bike.  That doesn't mean the person with the fastest bike split always wins though.  It just means the person that sets him or herself up the best on the bike for the run wins.

Originally posted by Hot Runner

Yes, that AG is crazy competitive! I was fifth AG at Calgary one year (on a MUCH faster course, but still....) with a 5:06! Even for 50-54 (I'm 53 now), at Seattle the first three were close to 5 hours. Yikes. You will do great!

Not sure you have been to Worlds before but if not.... Usually the best deal (well, the only deal??) is available with packages through a company called Nirvana which sort of has a monopoly on these events. They usually include everything but the flight. If you have good local knowledge and contacts you can try to do it freestyle which might be cheaper, but logistically tough to put all the pieces together.

Nirvana was supposed to be contacting qualifiers about the packages sometime soon. My guess is that they will probably wait until after 70.3 Worlds next month. But if I don't hear something by then, might check their website. I talked to some other qualifiers at Calgary and they said they'd checked already about accommodation in Lahti and nothing showed availability locally, probably because Nirvana had booked it all up. It doesn't look like a big place so maybe people will have to bus in from Helsinki or elsewhere??

I just don't have time to deal with this until our winter break. Also not willing to sink lots of investigation time into something that, honestly, might not happen, or might not happen in Finland. I'm glad I qualified and will go if it's doable, but with the ongoing Covid situation, possibility of stricter travel or entry policies in Europe if there's another wave, and/or problems with Russia (it's right next to Finland....), we need a certain amount of luck for this event to actually go off as planned. I would not be surprised if it ends up being moved elsewhere at some point, if it does take place. Sorry--my life over the last few years has not given me much reason for optimism. But if the event happens and I can get there, I will do my best to go.