swbkrun's group- CLOSED (Page 59)

My suggestion:  do it once... let it grow back and just see if you can avoid doing it again.  then you'll never quit.

Suzy, you have got to come out here someday!  We will go for a bike ride in Woodside and I will make the appt's for the mani/pedi's and we can get the full works AND have money left over for a delicious crab sandwich and your choice of beverage!

 Rob and Jeremy, you are invited too!!!!

I'll take you up on it someday.  We'll have to work in a tri so I can call it an 'official' travel date, not a vacation.

Hello all, just got back home, lol 2 hour race then a 6 hour bumper to bumper drive back home driving stick shift...

Suzy thanks again for that pace advice it worked like a champ.  Ran it in 1:58:20 and other than the last mile or so my HR stayed in Zone 2 the whole time, it was actually a pretty easy race.  I just looked at my watch and if I was within .2 of a mile marker and was over 9:09 pace for that mile I just ran hard for .2 to get it under. 

I could have probably gone harder the whole race but I am always paranoid that I won't have enough left for the finish so I tend to have a bunch left at the finish.

Picked up an early entry for Marine Corps Marathon at the expo so signing up tomorrow for that in October.

And thanks everyone else for the encouragement.

T

Whats UP!

Man...I leave for a couple of days and going back over the last couple of pages all I am reading is of pedicures and leg shaving.  HAVE YOU GUYS GONE SOFT ON ME?  Matt, I am glad your boys are adjusting to your new setup. 

Hope everyone had a good weekend.  We had a good weekend at the lake and I was able to manage a couple of good workouts.  The water was barely too cold to do a long swim but it was temting.  Not to cold for the kids to tube though...lots tougher than I.  I have a feeling that some of my soreness from running is starting to ease up.  I have been trying to run a little shorter but more frequently, and my calf is feeling much better during those runs. 

I will fess up to the pedicure....They are awesome gentleman!!! I've had a few, and your feet are sooo soft after. The best part is when you put your foot in the hot hot hot bag of parrafin wax. I had it done one time when my wife and I did a couples spa. Felt like it burned my foot for 1 second, but it felt good after that first second.

Nice work Tony!! Going to read you RR now if its there!

I will confess also, I just started shaving my legs, see my log for pictures of my spill last summer, hopefully shaving will help next time I drop my bike.

Not sure about a pedicure, I don't like my feet being touched, I laugh like a 5 year old...

 Thanks, just put up my RR. 

As well the Calgary weather report..............Got out on my bike yesterday...Did just shy of 40km..Was windy but had shorts on, and was a wee bit chilly when i got in but no biggee.

Woke up this morning to about a foot of snow! Welcome to Calgary!!

Tony congrats on the race. Great time.

Kim: if I am ever out that way I will take you up on the bike ride, ped and sandwich. And I will give the pedicure a try this year.

Trevor: Ain't it grand to live in Calgary. I was born and lived in Alberta for over 30 years so I understand about the abrupt changes in the weather.

ugh, too cold for me, though I think Virginia is too cold also.

It's tough today to try to get back into my Tri plan after really focusing on the run for the last 16 weeks.  My plan called for a 70 minute run today, think I might move that to another day this week.

Tony I think that would be smart to move your run... If you run, take it easy.  I suggest an easy spin, or swim! Again GREAT JOB YESTERDAY!!!

Rob, Jeremy, Suzy, Kim-- Pedi YES, Mani NO!! My first Pedi was the day I got back from climbing Mt. Rainer and she was not sympathetic to me!  I didn't like it until the "massage" came!  Then she was my friend!  I also shave my legs... Started 7 years ago, and haven't let the hair grow back once!  I can't stand it now when any hair shows, and frankly neither can my wife!

Trevor- Regarding your question about Ironman finishing that is really tough to put into words!!  Throughout the day you have a series of emotions!  Highs, lows, happy, sad, tired, ready to hammer it, etc... But what ALWAYS picks my spirits up is when I saw my family out of the course!  2 years ago my dad had to fly out the day before my race because is sister passed awayed!  This year he was a volunteer and right there when I came out of the water, and when I got off the bike he was still right there in transition!  Nothing like having a volunteer lube you up with sunscreen before you go out and run your marathon (LET ALONE YOUR DAD!  It goes a really long way)!  When you commit to something like the Ironman you make A LOT of sacrifices, but so does your FAMILY!  You have to remember that!  Then when they all take a weeks vacation to cheer you on---- THAT IS HUGE, and EXPENSIVE!  It meant a lot to me!  And I know that it means a lot to them as well!  I have been on both sides of the race with family and friends, and to me it is just as emotional each side!  Your proud on one side, and thankful on the other!

Now to the TRUE EMOTIONS!  That last mile where NOTHING HURTS!  Adrenaline has kicked in and you can't be beat!  Family waiting ahead screaming just as loud as they were 12 hours ago!  The finish line in sight with Loud music playing, and Mike Reilly announcing everyone's names has they come down the shoot!!! People pounding on the boards the last hundred yards-they don't know you from Adam, but they cheer you on like you are a brother, sister, mother, father!! I personally somehow get blinders on, and miss they finish chute (I guess that is just me saying always finish hard!)... But you don't really miss it... You can't!  It is loud, bright, exciting, and A DRUG!!! You cross the finish line and people are all over the place to help you... One person puts a medal around your neck, another grabs one arm, while someone else latches on to the other arm!!! 2 years ago one of those people happen to be my wife (yes I shed a tear-- I was happy to see her!!) They stay with you until you find your family and are settled in enough where they don't think you are in danger of collapsing (If ever volunteer at the ironman a finish line catcher is AWESOME! Highly recommend it!).

Doing Ironman last year I wanted to get that same feeling of coming down the finish shoot!  I got to tell you it is sort addicting!  You will never get that "1st high" again, but it is pretty damn cool!

Hope this helps... A lot of rambling, and like I said very hard to put into words!  Just a good time, and a great achievement! 

Hi everyone.   Sorry Rob, but I am laughing at you. I owe you a few of those  Falling off a stationary bike is too funny! I know I'm a couple of posts behind but I've been away for a while and couldn't let that one go without a comment.

Pedicures, I hear the entire North Carolina basketball team gets monthly pedicures to take care of their feet.  But I think all the UNC boys are pansies so maybe that was a poor example. However, speaking as a woman, it is so much nicer to have a pedicured foot rub against you in bed.  Trust me guys, the ladies will be much more responsive if you don't scratch your name into her calf when you are trying to "put the moves on." 

I got a whole set of new toys for the bike and I am pumped.  New pedals, aero bars, new helmet, and new bike shorts.  Momma is hot now!   BTW, took the group's advise and chose to forego the aero helmet and got a Rudy road helmet instead. Very nice.  No wonder the car salesmen put you in the high class car first, you really notice the downgrades.  I never realized how uncomfortable my old cheapy helmet was.

Had a great workout yesterday. Did my first 10 milers without any walking!  That is the second time I have ever attempted that distance and I did so much better this time.  I even feel pretty good today so that tells me I am almost ready for my 1/2 iron.  Wow!!  I am actually getting excited!

Thanks Steve....Very cool. I am sucker for that kind of stuff. I bought this Ironman book, and it stories of finishers,non-finishers, etc,etc and its of people telling their story.Very motivating.

On a less fun note....It was announced today that the company I work for merged with anther. they are both huge oil & gas companies, and will form the largest in Canada and the 5th largest in the world! But, for the next 4 months or so we get to see what happens with jobs,etc. Should be a really fun time. I've been through this before, so at least i know what to expect. Good thing is, oil & gas companies up here take care of the employees. So if the worse happened, not like we're all out in the cold.....

How is everyone else's Monday?

Trevor: we'll keep our fingers crossed for the next few weeks on the job front for you (Except when swimming). Hope that snow disappears quickly for you.  For the Irnoman I don't know what it will feel like to finish that long a race yet but I wll know the feeling for the HIM in Sept. The training is getting better and I am getting morte confident about being able to finish it. I'm sure I could do an Olympic right now if there was a race at hand.

 Tracy: absolutely I owe you a few good laughs.  Speaking of new equipment I just went out and bought a new running belt so now I can run those longer distances and have hydration with me. (I don't like carrying water in my hands when running). Also bought a good pair of cold weather running pants and top. IOn sale half price what a great deal. I am going to look so good I may have to stop and look at myself in the store front windows

 I also booked my rental wetsuits for my three tri's this year. I think if I do any more I will just go without the suit. I mean the wetsuit Tracy.... not naked. I do want other people to race too.

Trevor - sorry to hear about your job issues.  I've been through that twice.  The first one wasn't bad - the company gave us a nice severance package that held me over until I could find another job.  The second one I knew wouldn't be the same so I found another job before I was officially laid off.  I hope things work out OK for you. 

Tony - congrats on the half!

As for me - things are going OK so far.  My swimming seems to be improving, at least the endurance part of it.  I hit 1000m for the first time last Friday.  I still need to work on the breathing thing (I think sometimes I try to breathe too often and I end up getting dizzy), but when I counted my strokes yesterday I was at about 18-20 for 25m when I take my time.  It goes up a little if I try to swim too fast.  I think I'll do OK with the swimming and running portions of my tri, now I just have to work on the bike.   

Speaking of which, I have a question (yes, another one).  I've been considering riding my bike to work or to the gym on occasion - it's about 6 miles to work and about 4 miles to the gym.  When you have to make a left turn, how do you do it?  Do you actually pull into the left turn lane where all the cars are or do you wait on the side of the road until you can safely cross (like a walker/runner would in the crosswalk)?  The 2 spots that I'm thinking of both have stoplights but are fairly busy streets.  I don't want to end up being a grease spot on the road because I tried to turn where I shouldn't. 

Janet: congrats on the swimming. Another milestone to add to your accomplishments. Keep going and you will definitely have no problems with the swim.

For your biking I would say that if you are not confident enough to travel in traffic at the intersection then pull over to the side and cross with the cross walk. We don't want any grease spots in our mentor group either

I personally put myself right smack dab in the middle of the turn lane and take up space.  I make sure I am watching behind me for cars to pull up and make sure that I have eye contact with the driver, or be ready to bail off the bike.

Though I ride on the street all the time and am very comfortable on my bike.  If I wasn't as comfortable I would probably do the crosswalk thing.

oops, haven't done that in awhile, forgot I was on my wife's laptop and typed a response.

Your husbands a dork!

How many of her posts are yours?

For me it depends on the intersection, most of the time I'm a turn lane user.  Granted, I don't live in a huge city and most of my rides are on relatively safe streets.  If I'm pulling a child in the trailer, I'm using sidewalks, crosswalks and side streets. 

Probably 10-15, she is in a mentor group so that has gotten her post count up.

She's in a mentor group but not ours!?  Is that a reflection on us or you?  Wait, I've spoken with you wife so I already know the answer to that one.  YOU, ALL YOU BABY!!!  (JJ)

HAHA I told her she could pick any group but this one.