Mndymond and Disturbed275's Awesome SBR Mentor group---Full! (Page 7)

Welcome back Neal!  Glad to have you around!

Regarding the USAT membership- Usually I just do the calculation and see which one's cheaper.  I probably won't do it this year since I'm not planning on doing too many tris.

For the swimming question- I do what others have mentioned, and plan other gym-related activities (weights, yoga) if my plan called for a short swim.  That way, it was worth the trip there.

Updates on my end... I went cross country skiing this morning!  So excited!  This was our first real snowfall, so the first time I actually got to ski-train this year!!  I think I'm kind of screwed, though, since my 23k ski race is next month, so I just have about 6 weeks to train.  Hopefully the ground will be covered in snow the entire time from now until my race 

Planning on skiing more tomorrow, and possibly Sunday as long as the snow is still there.  Also planning on doing a ton of yoga since my hips are tight today, presumably from the skiing this morning!

Thx Melindy!

I am hoping to do IM Texas in 2013. Its just difficult to sign up a year in advance but I think I am just going to have to jump off that cliff. Unfortunately, IM Texas 2012 is the day after our son is to be born, so I won't be able to make it out for recon. I really feel like 2013 is my best time to do it. My body is not getting any younger and life is not going to be any easier. I have a few months to decide so we will see.

Training is going better than it ever has for me. I have been doing better with planned vs. actual. I took a rest day yesterday (family day/recovery) and really enjoyed it. School starts back for me on Monday. We'll see what adjustments need to be made.

I was telling Lindsey that it is amazing that you were able to squeeze in training with med school. Many people don't realize the amount of information and the time in which you have to 'know' it. High Five to you!

Congrats to everybody making progress!! It is inspiring to see everyone getting out and doing it! Statistics say we should have failed our New Year's Resolutions by now, so we are beating the stats!!

Keep on keepin' on!

OMG I decided to the 5430 sprint in Boulder but I'm about give up on the entry form.  Seriously it requires me to fill in an athletic background, major personal personal accomplishments, local TV channel.  It's a sprint Triathlon!  I think I'm just going to fill out random crap.  Is this normal?  I'm a middle aged mom, who cares if I swam D1 or was a class 5 kayaker?  Why did I enter the triathlon?  Can I write I got drunk on NYE and thought it would be a good idea?

What do people put on those forms?

BTW this question makes me want to write that I had to have a C-Section after 24 hours of labor  Have you ever dropped out during a race for medical reasons or received medical care during or after an event? *

I have never seen a form like that for a sprint! I sure would put down random things as well! Especially the C section!

You are very good at pep talks Sean! Haha. There is definitely a lot of information....everytime I start a new rotation I just feel like I am back to square 0 and know nothing. Medicine constantly intimidates me--someone is always judging you, watching you, telling you what to do now, next time. Don't do that, do this. Pimping you on random facts that no one cares about. I've been lucky this rotation, my preceptor is catering my experience to my likes rather than just telling me what I should do. I should write all your comments in my black book and take it out and read them when I get yelled at by the angry surgeons of Edmonton. (No offense to surgeons...just had a bad experience with one before Xmas where I got told "Well I can tell you arn't going to be a surgeon!"....I might be carrying that along with me...haha)

The only recon I had before IMLP last year was the Spinvervals Lake Placid ride. Haha. Well...my Mom took me for 1 loop of the course too the day before the race. I can't say it really gave a feel of the course. Haha. Feeling the grade of the hills is totally different than riding in a car over them pretending you could imagine it. But I got by...You just have to do some training of similar terrain for sure. Flat and windy? Do lots of biking on flats when it is windy. 

Glad your training is going well. It's great to have you in the group!

Lol. Like the C-section comment.

Never seen a form like that either. I've had to fill out accomplishments, etc before...but never all the medical stuff...

I'll just add my 2 cents to Melissa's good information.  It's unfortunate you can't volunteer this year.  I volunteered at Wisconsin the year before I participated and it was an incredible experience.  There's just so much energy from the spectators and athletes alike that it's just amazing to be a part of.  If you're going to sign up online better be safe and do it as soon as registration opens up.

As far as milestones go these can vary for each individual.  Personally I believe getting in a couple of 70.3s is a great idea.  I almost signed up for an IM after my first season, but waited another year and got a few more long races under my belt. I felt I was better prepared because of it.

For training goals in the year leading up to the IM it is all about the bike. You can be a great runner and have trained well for the marathon, but all will be for naught if you don't have the bike fitness.  Make sure you hit those long rides.  I was only comfortable after getting in 4-5 in preparation.  Now some people can get away with much less and survive okay, but if you can they do help.

I also did a "big day" about 4-5 weeks before the race.  This included 4000yds of swimming, followed by a century, and followed by 45 minutes of running.  This is a good test before the race. 

I looking at Chicago for the qualifier.  It's supposed to be flat and fast and as longs as it's not ungodly hot like it was a couple of years ago I like my chances

I think all that random personal information is so they can pick out a few random human interest stories for either a tv show or their website.  I go with frequent use of "NA" when face with those questions.  As far as extensive medical questions go I've never really seen that

Ya, Ironman registration makes you go through all that stuff for their human interest stories. I think I had to do it for a couple of Olympic distance too. Sometimes I put a random sentence or as Neal does "N/A"

I'm totally enjoying this first weekend of winter!  I've gone cross country skiing twice in the last two days!  Now I have to go to yoga next week because my legs are sore 

Nice!  If you do Chicago, I will cheer you on!  Unless I decide to race it myself (not trying to BQ or anything- just to get back into running).

Ya...I'm not a big winter fan...but I should probably dust off the cross country skis and go find new boots and bindings so I can use them since those are MIA. Would have done it sooner, but there just hasn't been any snow yet! Haha. I've also been debating running snowshoes. Its getting pretty popular up here and there are a lot of trail running snowshoe races around. I should embrace Canada.