Fred D's triathlon training group CLOSED (Page 77)

The dangers of OWS : seagulls.

I did an OWS last night. Across the bay from my cottage, there is a small rock with a statue of the virgin Mary in memory of a guy who drowned in the area. It's about 950m away, so 1/2 a HIM distance. Perfect. I usually swim out to it, adjust googles, relax...and swim back

So I swim over last night and two seagulls are sitting on the rock. I arrive and they were obviously not happy to see me so start making their seagull screams but nothing else.

They were very annoying, so I splashed them. Big mistake!! They took off, started circling, sqwacking.....and next thing I know another 6 join them, start circling me and start diving lower and lower.

A scene from "The birds".

I got out of there ASAP.

I have never been scared of boats, cramps or others. But critters.....

Last year I came face to face with a beaver. At least he was as scared as me and dove. That kind of freaked me out

Where I train is pretty amazing for wildlife. I have crossed Snakes, Turtles, Beavers, Skunks, porky pines, Seagulls, Turkey vultures, a wolf, coyotes, a bear, deer, a Moose, cows and of course there are two horses that always run along side me for a 1km stretch on the road.

Every animal has been afraid of me. The seagulls were not afraid of me. I plan to do my OWS with my cycling helmet today.

i switch bikes all the time, but do ride the TT bike prior to Tri's just to make sure i am comfy on it.

Too bad i removed all the TT gear off it this weekend and changed it to a steep seat tube aero roadie.......

first ride in that config tomorrow to see how i like it.

I really want to ride it more,but to piggyback another question i saw, i ride 90% of the time in group rides with others, only once in a while do i get to ride alone.

majority is in group ride settings.

So Saturday i went for a group ride, and just before all the hills i broke the rear derailleur cable. I was able to get it into the 12 gear, but did the last 20 or so miles in the 36/12 or the 52/12 only. OUCH.

Sunday i volunteered for a local first time Half Iron for about 8 hours and then spent the afternoon with a buddy and my daughter as i gave the wife the day off from about noon on.

it has been very hot here the last 4-5 days.

A pretty good week of training for me last week with a good mix of volume and intensity.  I am planning to race an Olympic on Sunday.  Looking forward to really riding the bike hard at this distance and see what I can muster on the run.

I am really jealous of all that climbing that you guys are doing via Strava.  My area is so flat its ridiculous.  If I can find 700 feet over 1.5 to 2 hours that would be an achievement.

Marc:  I always worry about Swans when they are protecting their babys.  Those things are very protective.  They used to attack jet skis and seadoos on my parents lake and that was crazy to watch.  Never knew sea gulls were crazy like that LOL.

Rudy:  Yeah been crazy hot.  Luckily I live so close to Lake Michigan that the mid 60 degree weather keeps us pretty cool when we have the primarily west wind.  Although the humidity is still not fun to train in.

Anybody else racing this weekend?

My 910 is being delivered today.  Coming off the 305

Anyone got any hot tips and tricks for it?

First hour was just warming up riding solo from home...about 50% FTP

Next 45 minutes was still solo, but a long climb...about 70-75% FTP.

Met up with the group, then about 2 hours of tempo paceline riding on flat terrain.  About 60-75% when you're in the draft, and 100% when you're up front.  As one of the weaker riders, I was taking shorter pulls out of the 7 riders.  Maybe 30-45 second pulls with 7-8 minutes in the draft in between.

Once I got dropped before the last big climb, I was pretty much crawling up the hill for 30+ minutes at 50%. 

After the rest at the top, I felt a lot better and was closer to 60-75% the last hour...even a nice 30 second spurt at 500 watts in the last 2 miles to make sure I caught a traffic light.

I dunno.  I remember showing up at my first group ride with my old Trek 1200, downtube shifters (someone even said "old school!"), group had to wait for me then I turned around at about 8 miles, I was destroyed.  It's taken quite a while to become the god on two wheels that I am today.  Sometimes (I) forget what it's like to be a rank newbie.

I thought the thread wasn't complaining, but (assuming they actually like cycling) how can I get better.

Lord, Fred - after a bliss-filled week away you baited me back into the main forum. The OP seemed perfectly fine, but the shyte others get offended by....

And FWIW, I vote that from now on we change the name of this mentor group to "Douche Ducette's No-Drop Mentor Group." Come on Fred, you are in tight with Ron these days, can't you get him to change it?

LMAO...I was very tempted to take more of the bait in that thread.  Fred, I was actually pretty surprised to see your first (or at least the first I have seen) post back in the main forum to be so uncontroversial...I was pretty dissapointed...

I was actually shocked to see them waiting at the top of the last climb.  I told them to leave me as I was only 17 miles from home with a huge net downhill.  Four of them rode off, and 2 insisted to stay with me.

I think other posters started complaining for the OP...which I thought was funny.  I agree that the OP was very understanding about being told not to come back until stronger and was simply seeking advice.  Others took the thread in a different direction.

Ah, I didn't read the entire thread (that was for Fred).  I agree, I tend to get annoyed at the BT entitlement attitude from some.

I still get a kick out of seeing Bryan's Avatar.

A post that he started popped up today on the main page of the forum - I got all excited, but then saw it was just someone replying to a thread he started back in March.

Sigh.

Wouldn't it be hilarious if we bumped every single thread bryan has started.  Flood the whole first page of tri talk with his threads...LOL.