kaburns1214 Mentor Group 2011 Part 2 - CLOSED (Page 51)

who doesn't want to escape the office/cubicle?  I still think I would make a teriffic professional beer drinker/oil boy for swim suit models.

  http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/bike_race.html

here is a little clip from an Urban downhill race in Chili. Pretty insane for me. Thought I'd share

I was thinking I could be the guy that takes the pictures for Victoria Secret or the SI Swimsuit issue.  No?  Really just looking for a job that involves something I'm passionate about.  So it's stay at home Dad or fitness. 

7.2 mile run for me this morning. Kept a little slower pace to keep the HR down. 139!!!!  Wooo hooooo

We have an indoor public pool in our town, but they only have 2 nights a week open for lap swim, and it's only 1  1/2 hours.  I am going to have to start making a list of pools around the state I can hit up during my travels for work.  Kelly, what's in the surrounding area's of Hartford with a clean pool, that don't whack you $10-$15 per use.  My home town only charges $3!!!

LOL! Grab those victories wherever you can, I say!

Maybe join a big box gym like LA Fitness.  Seems thier pools are generally empty and dues, around here at least, are close to $20 a month.  My neighborhood pool is free.  Wait..... no..... it's included in my ever increasing HOA dues. 

Kelly has asked I provide some information on Ohio Triple T. 

Ohio Triple T – Shawnee State Park

I have completed 5 ironman distance races and am training for number 6.  This was my second year on a co-ed team for Ohio Triple T. Ohio Triple T is more difficult than any ironman race I have completed.   I did not plan on racing this event this year – I remember last year too well.  LOL!  However, a friend of mine had his partner drop out on Wednesday night.  The first race is Friday evening which means leaving Cincinnati, Ohio on Friday morning.  My friend called me.  I guess there are not many people that are physically and mentally ready for Triple T at the last minute.  Of course I agreed to race. 

Triple T is tough!  It is a long, but fun, weekend.  It consists of 4 triathlons in 3 days.  Friday 5:00PM – super sprint, Saturday 7:30AM Olympic, Saturday 3:00 Olympic (bike, swim, run), Sunday 7:00AM– half iron.  Over 140.6 miles in the 3 days.  Each bike course is different.  The hills are HILLS!!!  I recommend using a 28 cassette.  I planned to do this after last year, but didn’t have time to swap out and rode on a 25 again.  The website state to “bring climbing gears.”  This is not a joke.  I will use a 28 next time (yes, I will go back).   :-)

 Race #1  (250m swim, 5 mile bike, 1 mile run) – Friday

Race # 2 (1500m Swim, 24.8 mi Bike, 6.55 mi Run) – Saturday morning

Race # 3 (24.8 mi Bike, 1500m Swim, 6.55 mi Run) –Saturday afternoon

Race # 4 (1.2 mi Swim - 55.5 mi Bike - 13.1 mi Run) – Sunday

 The water is cold.  Wear a wetsuit to prevent cramping.  This is very important for the 2^nd race on Saturday.  You will be hot from the bike (first) and not want to put on a wetsuit for the swim (second).  Slow down and take the time to put on a wetsuit.  The cold water and your increased heart rate off the bike will lead to cramping.  Advice – I wear a full wetsuit for Friday’s race, Saturday morning’s race, and Sunday’s race.  I use a sleeveless for Saturday afternoon’s race.  It is faster to put on a sleeveless and easier when you are hot and sweaty after the bike.  Another tip – place plastic grocery bags in the bottom of the legs of the wetsuit to help slide you feet through.  Also, I wear two swim caps for all 4 races. 

The bike courses are hilly.  Friday’s race is a great little “hello” with the hills.  My favorite course is the Saturday afternoon course.  This course has a long climb, but it is much less technical than the other courses.  The other bike courses are very technical.  Steep climbs, fast descents, etc.  My bike handling skills are not great, so I ride the brakes.  Be careful on the course.  Both years I have seen some nasty accidents by overconfident riders.  The half ironman course (Sunday) is two loops.  There are NO aid stations on any of the bike courses.  For Sunday (half iron) they have an aid station back at transition.  Bring extra water bottles to fill with fluid.  Write your name & number of the bottle and leave on the table.  Also put your name on any other nutrition you may want.  They do have gels, banana and a few other things here.  This is great hill training. 

The run course is a trail run.  You will run the same run course for every race.  Yes, it gets very old by the second loop on Sunday!  The trail run is hilly.  It is pretty, but a tough course.  There are aid stations on the course.  This is an out & back course. 

Overall tips:

-       Eat & drink more than you think you need.  Eat and drink during the race and after. 

-       Sit in the cold creek after each race – perfect ice bath

-       Bring at least 2 pairs of running shoes.  They will be wet and muddy.

-       Bring several tri shorts (you are required to wear the given tri top for each race)

-       Rest between races & enjoy the company of other triathletes

-       Eat & drink more

-       There is no cell service in Shawnee State Park

-       Have fun

Ohio Triple T is such a unique event.  Although it is tough, it is an amazing experience.  It is a weekend to spend time with other triathletes.  The option to race with a partner is different and fun.  I went this year to pace my partner. He is faster on the swim, but I am faster on the bike and run.  We stayed together the entire race.  Some teams use strategy to advance their place/times.  We were there for fun and training.  As partners, you are required to start and finish the race together.   I have used this event as a training event now for two years.  It is a fantastic training weekend! 

If anyone has any specific questions, please contact me.  :-)

Amy Engel

Carrie had a question about Triple T, so I asked Amy to post.  Just so you guys know, Amy is a wicked fast AGer.  She my butt at IMKY in 2008 and we raced together at Long Course Nationals last year (she qualified for to repsent the U.S. at long course worlds this year). 

Are you crazy???  That DOES NOT sound like fun, that is pure torture!!!! 

Aren't you the one who pulled off a great HM time undertrained?   No, seriously, you've been putting the time in on the bike, so you ought to be fine.  Do you ride hills a lot in training?  I didn't know this was your first half....thought you had done several.  I think you'll do great!  Yes, enjoy the experience and share your race report with us.  Can't wait to hear about it!!!

Good luck to all you Rev 3 racers?  Kelly, Jeff, and Rudy - right?  

Is anyone else racing this weekend?   

It's been a quiet recovery week for me (hate recovery weeks..I get so antsy).  My body actually needed it.  I made huge fitness gains over the last few weeks, but, man, I was tired!  Next 3 weeks are an increase in volume again, so I'm really trying to enjoy the easy efforts.  My kindergartner is done with school now, and my preschooler is done tomorrow. We're going to my mother's house (only 3 hrs. away) for 5 days.  I'm going to take the bike and gear with me, as it's just too long to go without.  My first tri is next weekend, so I have some key workouts this week. 

I probably won't be on too much this weekend due to travel and family, but I will check in to see how you all did in your races. 

You say tomato.....

I think there are 2 TTT's, 1 in Ohio in May and 1 in the Carolina's in October.

I have read a race report from last year from my tri group and it hilarious because they get so physically fatigued they can't phyically do things like change a flat

I think Shaun is racing Rev3 also.

I am doing a Zoo 5k for fun.

a mini sprint, 2 olys in the same day and a half on day 3?  That is crazy.

At the Cape Cod Marathon they have the "Chowder Challenge" a HM on Saturday and Mary on sunday.  I cannot imagine doing Triple T or Chowder Challenge.  wow! 

HM in MArch was 1:56, not exactly great but i made it

Thanks! it will be interesting. 

1:56 is great to me.  I worked my a** off and got a 2:08.  I guess I was trying to say that you are underestimating yourself like you did back then.  I think you're prepared. 

Good luck to you & Shaun, too!