Mad Manatees 2015.4 CLOSED (or Poptart/pet pic ticket) (Page 59)

Originally posted by laffinrock

Well, it's official.  My last day of work is Wednesday.  I'm feeling all kinds of emotions: sadness, anger, grief, relief, hope, anticipation.  I've been able to connect with some eHouse team members for runs and had a great time with TJ on Christmas.  It was a good way to get ready for the family drama I was expecting. Fortunately, the drama didn't happen and it was relatively calm.  We just focused all our attention on my 20 month-old niece and had a good time.  Or at least Alex and I did.  Not sure about everybody else but I'm just not going to worry about them!!!!

Stacey, my athletic goals for this year are to do my first HM in March, a sprint tri in June, an Oly in July or August, and possibly a HIM relay in September.  I don't know about the tris.  That depends on whether I can get back in the pool in time to get the training in.  If not, I'll probably do some duathlons instead.  I'd really like to focus on improving my bike strength.  I know I have a lot of potential to improve there and should be able to do it.  I'd like to work on my swimming too, but that just depends on how soon I'm able to swim without feeling like I'm going to throw up.

As for personal goals, I want to get back into social work.  I have a bunch of contacts I want to develop and plan to study for and take the licensure exam while I'm not able to work.  Hopefully I'll be able to get enough accomplished by the time I have to go back to work that I'll be able to get a job in that field.  I got my master's degree in social work in 2009 and haven't really used it since 2012.  It's time to get back to my passion and this is my opportunity to do it.

ETA: Our weather here is quite the opposite of yours.  It's generally been hovering in the teens and low 20's and dipping into the single digits at night.  A day in the 30's or 40's feels balmy, especially if the sun is shining.  It isn't supposed to get above freezing for the rest of the year.  I'm getting lots of practice dressing for running in the cold.  All those layers sure make for lots of laundry!!

Originally posted by Richardsdrr


We've just been getting battered by wind and rain over here. Lots of flooding going on and it's unseasonably warm, about 15 degrees C. In the day.

Originally posted by marysia83 After some beautiful spring this winter, Chicago got some snow shots. Accompanied by cold low temperatures. Thankfully, my car is parked in a weird spot where the wind do not direct too much snow. I was so happy about nice weather and opportunity to bike and run outside (I decided to run my very first half marathon in few weeks, ugh...), and now I'm screwed for over a week. AND the athletic center I go to train is going through major renovation (basically, they will make it twice as big) and the running track is closed for another... two years... So nicer weather is my only hope for training Mary

Originally posted by brigby1

Hope something works out for you. This last storm left a real mess even though it's just a few inches. I know lots of people don't like clearing snow, but getting rid of this is a serious PITA. Has to be broken apart, unstuck from the surface and then shoveled off. Takes a very deliberate effort to get off the walk ways. Seeing the neighborhood crew out right now trying to do this. Hopefully within a few days the sidewalks and pathways clear up some more. It's really not nice running conditions, more so than a typical snowfall.

Should have also said in the first post that the beaver and muskrats are still out swimming in the local lake. Ice forming at the edges and they're still out in it. Out there almost every time I've gone down the past few months.

Originally posted by mtnbikerchk

Have a great new years PODMATES!

I decided I deserve tomorrow off so there you have it.

ENJOY and be safe!

Originally posted by Richardsdrr So Janyne, how's Kevin getting along with the Snap? Did he sign up for Trainer Road yet. I've been reading about the Snap and how some of them have been having some issues with power reading inaccuracies due to spin downs and getting the correct tyre tension. I hope he has one with no problems. Did you and he manage to watch the Inspired to Ride documentary I sent you. Really good in my opinion. I've entered a race that is run by the guy that won the race that the film is about. He only lives about 16 miles from me. I entered it back in November and found out on Christmas day that I was one of the lucky 350 out of 1000 who entered that got in. I just hope I can do the race justice. For anyone wishing to follow, I've started a blog that will record my preparation, and hopefully my completion of the race at: http://longtimegone.blog.com/I'm having trouble accessing the blog editor at the moment, seems there are problems with the servers. In the future, I may shift it to another blog hosting site. If anyone can recommend one, that would be great.

Originally posted by laffinrock

Well, it's official.  My last day of work is Wednesday.  I'm feeling all kinds of emotions: sadness, anger, grief, relief, hope, anticipation.  I've been able to connect with some eHouse team members for runs and had a great time with TJ on Christmas.  It was a good way to get ready for the family drama I was expecting. Fortunately, the drama didn't happen and it was relatively calm.  We just focused all our attention on my 20 month-old niece and had a good time.  Or at least Alex and I did.  Not sure about everybody else but I'm just not going to worry about them!!!!

Stacey, my athletic goals for this year are to do my first HM in March, a sprint tri in June, an Oly in July or August, and possibly a HIM relay in September.  I don't know about the tris.  That depends on whether I can get back in the pool in time to get the training in.  If not, I'll probably do some duathlons instead.  I'd really like to focus on improving my bike strength.  I know I have a lot of potential to improve there and should be able to do it.  I'd like to work on my swimming too, but that just depends on how soon I'm able to swim without feeling like I'm going to throw up.

As for personal goals, I want to get back into social work.  I have a bunch of contacts I want to develop and plan to study for and take the licensure exam while I'm not able to work.  Hopefully I'll be able to get enough accomplished by the time I have to go back to work that I'll be able to get a job in that field.  I got my master's degree in social work in 2009 and haven't really used it since 2012.  It's time to get back to my passion and this is my opportunity to do it.

ETA: Our weather here is quite the opposite of yours.  It's generally been hovering in the teens and low 20's and dipping into the single digits at night.  A day in the 30's or 40's feels balmy, especially if the sun is shining.  It isn't supposed to get above freezing for the rest of the year.  I'm getting lots of practice dressing for running in the cold.  All those layers sure make for lots of laundry!!

Originally posted by juniperjen

So, we have tried a couple of models - one similar to the one you posted but had two bars for holding the bikes. the only issue with that style is the bikes do move around a bit. We noticed that even the pedals can hit the trunk and we've had it scratch. Not a problem but it's weird to see the front wheels turning on the bikes while you're driving. But it's easy to use. And other than the above we've driving something like 2000km with our bikes like that.

My DH is a buyer for a big retailer here and recently got a platform model to try out (and keep) and it's much more stable (the one in the link is not the same but the similar idea). the only issues with it are:

1. it blocks our licence plate (we haven't been stopped yet - it's the Euro Model so it actually has a spot to mount a European plate)

2. it fits only two bikes. 

But it's much more stable and really locks down the bikes. We went about 1800km each way to Nova Scotia this summer with our bikes on it. 

Originally posted by StaceyK Thanks for the rack advice guys. Normally I just put Andre in the back of my SUV, he fits easily. At the end of January all things going to plan I will need to fit myself, Yanti and Kingsley and our bikes and all our gear in my car (trust me if you have sherpaed for them you would know they have a lot of ) . But I think that my friend K has a 4 bike rack we can borrow for the weekend so problem solved. Without spending the $$$. Gotta love that.

Originally posted by lisac957

Happy New Year friends!

I am walking normally and weight-bearing without crutches, a boot or a brace. It's amazing . I am going to start swimming and biking ASAP - like tomorrow - as I'm cleared from multiple medical standpoints now, to do so. YAY!

I have to work tonight, so that's a bit of a bummer, but the introvert in me is secretly glad I have an excuse to not go out. Hope everyone has a great night, whatever your plans may be.

Originally posted by jmkizer

Wait!  What plans?!

Originally posted by cdban66

Are you in for the long haul, Lisa? I should be done by 1:00 at the latest, although I am hoping to be out by 11:45. Hoping, but not counting on it!

Originally posted by laffinrock

Lisa, yay for being bootless and crutchless!! 'Bout time, huh?  Does that mean you're officially off the DL??

Originally posted by jmkizer

Ben - clavical (need a progress report!)

Originally posted by lisac957

It appears so. Still have 3 hours of uncertainty and I could be off the hook at any moment, but for now I'm "on call" and on actual calls until probably 12:30 a.m.

I am not cleared to run yet, but I'm going to say I'm off the official DL  

Originally posted by lisac957

Happy New Year friends!

I am walking normally and weight-bearing without crutches, a boot or a brace. It's amazing . I am going to start swimming and biking ASAP - like tomorrow - as I'm cleared from multiple medical standpoints now, to do so. YAY!

I have to work tonight, so that's a bit of a bummer, but the introvert in me is secretly glad I have an excuse to not go out. Hope everyone has a great night, whatever your plans may be.

Originally posted by StaceyK well see when I sherpaed for Yanti to do Busso IM at the beginning of December they asked me what my race plans for the summer were. So I told them that my main goal race was the Busso Oly at the end of Jan. They were both obviously on a pre race high, or bored or something because they signed up to do it too. So all going well (or knowing Yanti even if it doesn't) the 3 of us are heading to Busso on 30th Jan to do the Oly on 31st. Kingsley and Yanti might have a longish wait for me at the finish line because I'm predicting a long race time for me (cause in 2015 I was a lazy ).