Kenj - triathletes in training CLOSED (Page 62)

Thanks Brian!

foot is feeling good over the last few days (even after the long run).  Pulled out my ArchMolds shoe inserts  (the custom ones from the doc hurt worse than the PF) and am wearing them around the house again. Trying to remember to be stretch (which is harder than some might think!). Fingers crossed I can race the HM in a few weeks. 

Sounds like your foot is doing better too, yeah! - don't get lax on the stretching!

Good luck with the changes at work Bill!  You can always keep up with the training, just sleep less!

I struggle with the stretching too, but you are right Robin, it is important even if you arent working on rehabbing an injury.

Today's ride-VERY tough!!!    93 miles completed. It was probably the hardest ride I have ever done.

Elevation Gain: 7,192 ft
Elevation Loss: 7,011 ft
Min Elevation: 5,113 ft
Max Elevation: 9,297 ft 

I hope everyone had a good weekend.

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Hey there,

Attended IM Wis. last weekend as a volunteer at the finish line.  It was awesome.  Stayed and signed up for 2013.  I have a HIM a week from today in Branson.  Feeling good.  Bed in a $250 a night hotel in Madison tweaked my back but It's getting better.  Had my second cramp of the year in the pool during a lesson tonight.  But all good.  Tapering begins in earnest now so I'll be all healed and ready by Sunday.  I plan to take a ride on the course in the truck and stop to ride a couple of the hills to get a feel...take a light run...and a swim (short) on Friday....then get the bike turned in on Saturday, set up transition Sunday morning and go have fun. I'm a race-a-holic too.  The training is the bread and butter, but the race is the icing, the celebration, a chance to hang out with PEOPLE.  I see so damn few on the roads as I am riding.  

The bike - I had a Red rear derailleur put on because I got such a good deal on the Shiv to begin with I thought I'd spend some money to upgrade.  Ridden twice over the weekend and the crispness in shifting is noticeable.  Did't put on the front one because apparently SRAM made it only to work with their upgraded crank and I already have a Red compact on the bike.  No need for a new crank now.  I love that bike.  Really fun to ride.

Still figuring out next step on the tri coaching.  I have agreed to take on one guy and maybe will another for free to get experience to get them through their first sprints and olys.   Talking to a really good tri coach here who approached me asking if I would be interested in going in with him.  I said I would LOVE it.  He is strill sorting out what he wants to do.  

Anyway, that's the update.  Have a great week. 

I guess this ride would fall into the what doesn't kill you makes you stronger catagories!  Impressive ride Kathleen!  It should put you in a good place for IMFL. 

Ice, what rear derailler did you have?  I have the SRAM Force and have never been overly impressed with the way it shifted compared to the Dura Ace on my road bike. 

Good luck in Branson this weekend, with your training this season you are going to rock that race!

Ice/Ken, I've got Red on my P4 and Ultegra on my P3.  I can't say either is really better, it's really a matter of what feels good.  Shimano is more of definitive click and slam feel.  SRAM is smooth.  The only thing I will say is I had a a lot of problems with the SRAM red lever shifters.  There's an adjustment on them that kept letting the cables slip and it would go out of tune constantly.  My LBS either slathered lochtite all over it or something else because it doesn't do it anymore.  In hind sight, I should have gotten the RTC levers anyhow.

Kill it in Branson Ice!!!!

Hi all,

I'm happy that week is over....

Started off w/ a bad cold and was knocked out for a few days. I picked up the pieces w/ some short runs at the ends of the work week then did a 14 mile run on Sat and 72 mile ride on Sunday. 

Legs are feeling ok but I'm a little tired - stressful Monday!

2 weeks to my first HIM! Wow it only 4 years, although I'm not sure the first year should count......LOL

This is the first year I'm starting to enjoy racing. For some reason I've been more relaxed and confident doing the races. I guess it's just experience. 

But I love when I'm half way through a training program. Not impending doom w/ a race looming and no crazy scheduling gymnastics to try and get training sessions in. Just good mileage that's fun to do!

Sounds like some strong training this weekend Adam!  Nice!

Glad you are feeling better!  Cold bug is going around already it seems!

Oh boy, more upgrades!  Now I may have to rethink some things.  I am going to switch to the Quarq power meter and wasn't going to go to the red since it requires replacing the front derailleur to the Red.  I have been toying already with RTC shifters. 

Thanks for the feed back though, I have been a bit disappointed with the shifting on the bike.

Ask about the red front d.  They said I had to get new cranks to make the front Red d work and I already have great Red compacts. The standard front r that came on the Shiv is just fine.  Love my RTC shifters.  Well worth the money for comfort and safety.  hands are always in the same position.

Wow!  Guess its time for me to quit bellyaching and get pedalling.  That is a serious ride Kathleen.  Congrats!

In for a penny, in for a pound Ken!  You're not going to let a little front derailleur turn you when your going for a Quarq already, are you?  That's how they get ya....

I made the switch to the new FD when I went for the Quarq Red 2012 and love it.  I cant say if its the crankset or the FD since I switched them at the same time, but shifting is great and I suspect some of that comes from the FD.  Even for a cross-chaining fellow like me, shifting is very smooth.  Since I got my bike used with 2010 Red components, I cant speak for other groups.  And I don't have RTC, its time for me to leave the tri bike alone and save for a road bike so I'm not such a sore thumb at the group rides :-)

Oh boy, you're a bad influence Bill!

I will get through the next couple of weeks of running and extremely busy work schedule and figure it out.  One thing that has me concerned going the Red route is that to change all of this would require me using the LBS instead of some of the bargains on line as with my Speed Concept, cable routing is a huge challenge as it is all hidden and very touchy.  Great place, very good people to work with, but they are middle of the road on pricing, plus New York State gets their piece of the action as well. 

Hows the run training going Robin? 

Good luck racing Ice. And good training for all.

Great job Bill!  I am interested in what your thoughts are on how HITS runs a race. 

Good luck Ice, have a great race.

Meetings are over for this weekend, now for my race.  Not expecting a PR. 

Hows everyones weekend going?

The half took 16 minutes longer than the one 2 weeks ago but 10 minutes was in the swim which didn't have comparable distances, so 6 minutes of "real" time lost. I can live with that. I posted a RR, but here's my review of the HITS offering:

I thought they had all of their ducks in a row, they were organized, and i would do this race again (feel i have some business to finish with that bike course anyway). I dont think I would pay full freight again, but with the new pricing structure, it is very appealing. A big thing for me is that they allow race day packet pickup (but recommend coming out on Friday). Much of the benefit of a semi local race is lost on me if i have to make a separate trip.

The transition areas are really nice with slotted bike racks and stools for all, so no fighting for space on metal pole supported by sawhorses that always feel ready to tip over. Providing coffee was a nice perk too.

Support on the course was fine. The run aid stations supported the half and the full, so they had more offerings than i could think about on a half. There weren't as many volunteers as I am used to seeing, but for the number of folks on the course it was plenty. And I don't think they were local volunteers so much as employees and family of the organization. If they grow they should work on tapping local groups to support. Since this race was in their backyard, not sure how this works when they travel.

The one thing i knock them for and will bring it up with them is road signage. There was at least one police officer and a volunteer at each major intersections but there was a lot of open road between. I like to see signs like "caution-race in progress" on an open course so cars know what they are dealing with.

It was a pretty quiet race so if you like to see adoring crowds rocking the cowbells (and who doesn't?)you better bring your own....

I didn't stick around post race but they seemed to have plenty to offer, food, massage, medical...

There was one other thing i didnt like. They do an age group for every year, so not much of a group. So, with 40 finishers i was first among one male 37yrs old who finished. Not a big . As an amateur I'm always just racing myself.

Hope this helps, but i'm happy to go into more detail if you are thinking of doing one of their races.

Going well - I got a 9 mile run in today and hopefully I can get a 10 mile in over the weekend and be ready for the HM on Oct. 6.  Dealing with a little bursitis in the hip and of course my foot is something I am still working through.  I am starting to get a little nervous though as I can't find any info on registration for this run and can't get through to the LRS.  I will not be happy if it has been cancelled. 

I am probably not the person to respond as I still have pain and I am running.  I waited to run till it didn't feel like I was running on crushed glass. When I started running again it seemed that I would have good days and bad with the foot.  It would flare up for a few days and gradually get better (however this would happen whether I was running or not).  After awhile the flare ups would get less frequent and not last as long.  I still occasionally get one, but ice, advil and stretching usually calm it down within a day or so.

What does your PT say? I will say that at my last Ortho visit, the Doc said I could run even with my multiple foot ailments.

Good luck, you will get through it!