left.right.repeat group -closed - Full of a bunch of winners...YEAH! (Page 74)

B-man: congrats on your ride and thanks for having me as your "honouree" (or "honoree" as you would spell it    ). I would LOVE to visit Texas sometime and including a ride, run, swim or all three with you would be particularly cool!!

Mav - you are a swimming dynamo. I wish I had even half of your aquatic ability.

I had a great weekend. I flew to Toronto on Friday night and on Saturday morning I met up with Myra for our training session. She has a gorgeous Cannondale tandem bike - high end components, disc brakes, etc. Unfortunately my cycling shoes didin't fit her clipless pedals (my cleats are like a large triangle while the pedals were a smaller rectangle type). So, we changed out the pedals for regular flat pedals and I wore my running shoes. Probably just as well since this was our first ride together and we were for a time in pretty heavy urban traffic.

Before we started a really nice fellow, Alan, met up with us and gave me a quick lesson on piloting a tandem with a blind partner. He is a very experienced rider in his own rite and has piloted lots of tandems as part of a club for visually impaired athletes called "Trailblazers". Anyway, with his lesson and then him leading us through the city we met up with his riding partner (another blind lady) and off we went for a great ride. Myra is a strong pedaller so even though the tandem is heavy we managed well on the uphills and she LOVES to go fast so we bombed down the hills.

After the ride the four of us went to an outdoor cafe for lunch and then Myra and I headed home, dropped off the bike, picked up our swim gear and her guide dog and off we went to the U of T pool. It wasn't too busy so we were able to practise a coupl eof different methods but in the end I think we are going to have to just swim side-by-side and I will push or pull on Myra's side to indicate direction. She swims with a very pronounced veer to the right but fortunately I can do the breast stroke at about the same speed as she does front crawl so I can have my head up and see where we are headed and when she is off track.

I am really glad we had this practise because it has somewhat calmed my nerves about whetehr I am up to the task. I realize now that the swim isgoing to be much more of a challenge for her than for me because I find breaststroke to be very comfortable compared to the front crawl - akin to walking in lieu of running.

After our day of training I returned to the hotel where I met up with the other folks from across the country who were attending our National Advocacy Council meeting, we had a great supper, caught up on goings-on since our last meeting and then all day Sunday was our committee meeting. Arrived home at midnight after a long flight and am bleery eyed this morning!

I notice that some of you seem to be able to look at other folks' training logs. How do you do this?

Yeah Diane...Hardware is hardware!!! Congrats!!!!

Pete...if you look under one of my posts you will see a box that says "logs" if you click it , it will take you to my log. If you want to leave me a message just hit "inspire". If you want to go to your own log hit training log at the top of the screen.

OK ...can you believe I can actually do this on a computer??? Me, who cant even post a picture!!!!

2 more finish lines....with hardware....way to go girl!!!!

Gary - when you come in for the RnR we will need to get together for lunch or dinner or something....my brother is going to run the full and we will be there rooting him on....that is days before I leave for Arizona so I am sure I will be out of control geeked out.

FBP - you never cease to amaze me....I love that you are guiding a blind woman...you rock.

By the way, it is nice to see some activity here.

sTRIve

Had a great ride last night after work - roughly 40k.

If you're interested to see some info about the traithlon that I am doing, the website is:

http://pmhf3.akaraisin.com/common/event/home.aspx?seid=2094

My "personal page" is:

http://pmhf3.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=2094&mid=9&pid=131467

Have a great day everyone!

FBP

I have been thinking about attempting my first Oly but so far haven't done anything meaningful towards that goal. One possible race would be the "Lobsterman" event in Freeport Maine on Sept 12th. This is roughly 15 weeks from today.

The beginner Oly training programs are typically 16 or 20 weeks so I am already tight for time. Plus, the ones that I saw here at BT have schedules that I'm not sure are truly realistic for me with work, family, etc. The following schedule that I found at trifuel:

http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon-training/Olympic-Triathlon-Training.php

seems do-able and if I am counting back correctly I reckon that this weekend would be the end of Week 2.

My question - do y'all think that this training plan is a reasonable one such that I could be ready to finish (back of the pack is fine) an Oly on Sept 12th?

FBP

FBP - plan looks great....go for it.  I really think it looks good.  I would do a couple more bricks for the shorter workouts and that could work into some days off.  I would also try to run off the bike for 10 minutes or so several times just to know what the legs feel like.  As long as you can swim continuous about 30 minutes, bike 90 minutes and run 60 minutes, you will be fine....you will just do it all on race day.....GO FOR IT.  You have plenty of time to be ready for it.

Gary - maybe we can get together for lunch one day so something....at least a post race beer or coke.

Diane - if you want a plan that I have used more than once - check out www.jeffgalloway.com  He has marathon and half marathon plans (free) that are for both "just to finish" and "for time".  I have used both the full and the half plans and know several other people who have used them too.  They will really have you confident when you get to the start line.

I am jazzed to see many of you talking about new adventures.....go for it....sTRIve

Diane - during my half Ironman training I was also training for my first full marathon.  What I did was do the long run on Galloway's plan on the weekend along with one 30 minute run during the week - along with the swimming and cycling my other plan called for....I was told the fitness from cycling and swimming would transfer to the run and I do believe that had happened.  I would also say that when my tri was over, I did the two short runs and one long run per week.  I really didn't cross train much on the other days but I did do some spin classes as well as some outdoor rides.  Hopefully this helps.

Diane - that is exactly what happens...we run out of days.  One thought on your swim....on a day of the clinic (depending on length and intensity), you could take a break (10-15 mins) and then practice for a while.  That would get you to only one other swim.  I can tell you that every coach I have ever dealt with wanted their sport at least three times a week.  That said, most plans are 2 swims, 2 bikes, 2 runs and an optional strength day.  I try to double up on one day so I can get a day off in there.  I seem to do better when I have at least one day off.  Another thought on the clinic day, if you could go early and get a little practice that could count too.

This weekend....great workouts....Friday night was a swim and Pilates class, Saturday 2 spin classes with riding in between for a total of 2 hours 50 minutes and today was a 75 minute run.  My legs are tired...

sTRIve

Gary you make us proud......podium finish.....hardware.....you go!!!!

Finish line count updated....great race report Gary....

Mav - where is yours?  How was the swim?

Gary - I have one comment.  I know this was a small race and it is not a real big deal but might come in handy some day.  I love the end spot on a rack as well so understand I learned this the hard way.  I looked at your picture and it is exactly how I was set up.  Transition towel and stuff at very end and then bike about 12-18 inches from end of rack.  Some turd moved in and put his bike at the very end of the rack and then put his crap our in the running lane, also on top of mine and finally moved some of mine out of the way.  From that point forward, if I am fortunate enough to get an end spot (and I get up early for day of transition set up, or get there early in the racking time if it is the day before) then my bike is hanging on the VERY END.  My towel goes inside my bike and I actually set it under my hanging rear wheel when I can.  Finally, I always (try to) put my bike facing the bike out exit as I like as straight a shot as I can get.  That said I will run a little further to get an end slot.  By the way, at some big races they assign racking spots (Longhorn is one) so it doesn't matter when you rack.

sTRIve