Mad Manatees 2015.3 CLOSED (or Poptarts? Pet pics?) (Page 7)

Originally posted by melbo55

TJ - bandits?!  Interesting choice of terminology, but scary just the same!

Adrienne - you do the most awesome stuff.

Originally posted by melbo55

OK, honest thoughts of the manatees:  what would one's (ok, MY) biggest limiter be as far as running speed?  Weight?  Overall size? (I am NOT a small person, 5'10" and roughly 175 lbs)  Lack of natural running talent?  Form?  Breathing issues (EIA and VCD)?  A blend of all of the above?

I bring this up because in my last tri, I made some really nice gains in all disciplines including running, but running is still my most pathetic endeavour.  Swim and bike I finished top third and top half OA respectively (128/367 swim, 170/367 bike), top fourth women in both (28/122 swim, 29/122 bike).  Running I was in the back half of both OA and women (256/367 OA, 69/122 women).

It was very discouraging to be on the run, running my guts out, and being passed like I was standing still by so many people.

Originally posted by melbo55

So just keep running and maybe trying to run more?  Perhaps that can be some off-season focus for next year...

Originally posted by Jet Black I felt the same way as you. I decided mileage and weight were easily the lowest hanging fruit. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I've started the BarryP program to work my mileage up. I've temporarily stopped eating for "performance" (lol) and have focused on dropping a little bad weight (lost a few lbs so far). With the combination of these (not sure which gets more credit), I'm already seeing a decreased heart rate to maintain certain paces on my training runs. I'm guessing that means I'm making progress at becoming a better runner.

Originally posted by cdban66

Melanie, Any time I up the mileage/time spent running, I see improvement. It may not be much, but I do improve when I up the ante, be it more time or more mileage. More trips out the door can sound challenging, but even just a couple miles more a couple times a week makes a difference for me. I really need to make the weight adjustment that Sean mentions.  I think I read that you gain 10 seconds per mile per pound lost somewhere once, but I'm thinking that is bunk. I mean, I'd like to think that I can gain 200 seconds by doing what I need to do weightwise, but I'm just not sure I buy it. I probably ought to try though, what do I have to lose?

All that said, your last race was AWESOME, Podium girl!

Originally posted by Asalzwed

Going back to our gender discussion (don't worry, it's the "lite" version) I am on the corporate architecture team here at the BUX. One of the guys in more of the  standards side of the team just came over and was showing me some interesting exploration into restroom signage so that it's nondiscriminatory.  There were some CRAZY iterations and ideas but what someone came up with was so simple, and such a no-brainer. Just a simple image of a toilet. Duh. What's behind that door? Oh a toilet. That's all I need to know. 

Originally posted by rrrunner

The description of another trail down there mentioned several tarantula sightings. That's a whole different level of spider...

Originally posted by Asalzwed

Going back to our gender discussion (don't worry, it's the "lite" version) I am on the corporate architecture team here at the BUX. One of the guys in more of the  standards side of the team just came over and was showing me some interesting exploration into restroom signage so that it's nondiscriminatory.  There were some CRAZY iterations and ideas but what someone came up with was so simple, and such a no-brainer. Just a simple image of a toilet. Duh. What's behind that door? Oh a toilet. That's all I need to know. 

Originally posted by Asalzwed

You are probably more on track than I but for some reason I had this image:

Originally posted by StaceyK so I may have just arranged to take this for a test ride tomorrow I am promising myself that I am only going to buy it if I absolutely love the feel of riding it and if they will come to the party with some black pedals and some new bar tape (bright green maybe). It is already 20% off so I don't think that they will budge much on the price.

Originally posted by laffinrock

DH came across this in the NY Times:  Slushies v. Frozen Underwear.  And....discuss.

Originally posted by IndoIronYanti

MANATEES, mucho pleaso your help for a big favor.

Kingsley and I are still batting around (more like playing 9+ inning full mental games) developing a highly specified/specifiable location-tracking site (with mobile apps) and the compact wearable device. (My sister might also take a hacksaw to me if I get lost/crash/wander/stop too long on a race course yet again. Good luck finding me! Haha!)

No, it doesn't exist in a genuinely globally available dependable supported (and supportable for the future) form. The two closest things are:

- SPOT tracker http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=100 (downsides: too clunky, dep/up satellite technology which can be super great or super awful, so "real-time" in consistent intervals is actually significantly less dependable than cellular networks, $$$$$, not athlete-focused--focuses on safety/emergency functioning which is great & needed but a secondary rather than primary function in our purposes)

- http://www.myathletelive.com/ (downsides: works with 2g, been promising for nearly 2yrs you can buy it but you still can't, great out-of-the-box in the U.S. but hit-or-miss in other countries, esp. since most have fully migrated to 3G and at least partially 4G, costs to rent what we'd sell to buy)

Less close are the Samsung Gear S smartwatch (takes own SIM) and Garmin GT10 (discontinued). Believe me, we've done our research (and hired other professionals! same result).

People can, and a few do, take their smartphones with them on races--but a) who wants to do that?! and b) in many bike and most multisport races, it's illegal. Not too good for the swim, either! (our tracker would be waterproof but work intermittently in water, much like Garmins currently do).

Both Ironman and Challenge have their pros wearing such trackers in marquee races, but they aren't available to the public yet, and when they are, I can almost guarantee a) they'll be more expensive to rent than to buy our product would be, and b) they will make it proprietary to particular races.

Every week, there's a thread in Tri Talk (about every month even at ST!) by someone who wants exactly such an off-the-shelf tracking device.

Here's where we're at. Don't hit the floor.

To develop the site, apps, and device in a place where the software, hardware, and marketing will be protectable and protected by trade law and copyrights;With really good security and working security including hardware, backup hardware and servers;
Providing on-going service & support for at least two years;

It's going to cost US $400,000

We're looking at a buy-in of US $200 (device, programs, service, support). That's still significantly less than any other (not really comparable) product.

From when we have the funds to when consumers would have a working device in hand = 30 weeks. (Safe, could be as low as 20) Considering that includes shipping, acceptable or not?

We have a few big interested sponsors but the vast majority would be through fixed-funding crowdsourcing (means if we don't raise the total, you get your money back).

I think we can do it. The Indonesian market alone is massive. Indonesians drive Twitter, FB, instagram, you name it. We are the socialmediadrivingest people there are. Everybody wants to track everybody, but nobody wants to bring their expensive smartphone with them on a sweaty dirty half-marathon or anything longer or a triathlon.

SO THE BIG QUESTIONS ARE:

1. What are your initial thoughts?

2. Would you be interested in a product? What features? *for the highly data/option driven, please see attachment

3. Any advice in part or whole?

4. Please, any additional questions?

Or are we just fachmie crazy as usual?

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANY AND ALL FEEDBACK!

 

 

Originally posted by laffinrock

Just a little brag.  I ran a 5k cross-country race yesterday and gave an all-out effort.  I averaged 8:57/mile, the fastest I've ever done (total time 27:42).  My pace was also pretty consistent and my 3rd mi. was faster than the 2nd despite being mostly on grass instead of pavement/crushed rock path.  I finished low in the rankings (22/24 OA, 4/6 women).  Even so, I'm *really* proud of myself!!

Originally posted by jmkizer

What size would the device be?  Would it be similar to http://www.myathletelive.com/product/ but waterproof?

How would it upload the data?  I mean, if there is no cell phone coverage in the area (no/poor coverage on parts of the Vineman course, for instance. no.poor coverage in some areas around Asheville, NC.) or, say, you are an American athlete competing in Europe where they use different cell phone networks (or vice versa)? 

Originally posted by laffinrock

Just a little brag.  I ran a 5k cross-country race yesterday and gave an all-out effort.  I averaged 8:57/mile, the fastest I've ever done (total time 27:42).  My pace was also pretty consistent and my 3rd mi. was faster than the 2nd despite being mostly on grass instead of pavement/crushed rock path.  I finished low in the rankings (22/24 OA, 4/6 women).  Even so, I'm *really* proud of myself!!

Originally posted by laffinrock

Just a little brag.  I ran a 5k cross-country race yesterday and gave an all-out effort.  I averaged 8:57/mile, the fastest I've ever done (total time 27:42).  My pace was also pretty consistent and my 3rd mi. was faster than the 2nd despite being mostly on grass instead of pavement/crushed rock path.  I finished low in the rankings (22/24 OA, 4/6 women).  Even so, I'm *really* proud of myself!!

Originally posted by amd723

Interesting idea.  I know that in most of the larger races I've done the race does the athlete tracking.  Of course, that is only at certain points along the course; but wonder, is there a demand to have more contact with the racer?  Or is it an issue of if we build it they will come?  

Originally posted by laffinrock

Just a little brag.  I ran a 5k cross-country race yesterday and gave an all-out effort.  I averaged 8:57/mile, the fastest I've ever done (total time 27:42).  My pace was also pretty consistent and my 3rd mi. was faster than the 2nd despite being mostly on grass instead of pavement/crushed rock path.  I finished low in the rankings (22/24 OA, 4/6 women).  Even so, I'm *really* proud of myself!!

Originally posted by laffinrock

Just a little brag.  I ran a 5k cross-country race yesterday and gave an all-out effort.  I averaged 8:57/mile, the fastest I've ever done (total time 27:42).  My pace was also pretty consistent and my 3rd mi. was faster than the 2nd despite being mostly on grass instead of pavement/crushed rock path.  I finished low in the rankings (22/24 OA, 4/6 women).  Even so, I'm *really* proud of myself!!