left.right.repeat group -closed - Full of a bunch of winners...YEAH! (Page 86)

Hey all!
Well, proud of myself.  Last night swapped my Sora front Derail for an ultegra.  More of vanity than anything plus I guess it helps the resale value a bit.  Swapped it out, adjusted, rode (it was on the trainer, makes a great bike stand unless your working on the rear wheel), had the chain come off once when shifting to big chain ring.  Couple of adjustments later and it worked fine.  Probably need to oil it but planning on doing a bike cleaning this weekend.  Today is a SRD for me.

Shoulders have started to bother me more and am taking Friday off from Swimming.  Emailed my swim coach and she told me to rest than next week no gloves/paddles while pulling.  Will re-evaluate after that.  A bit too bad as my swimming seems to be getting better.  Speed has picked up to about 2:10/100meter and knocking out 200-300 is a good warmup (with all of my whining who would have thought I would say that!).  Still no major distances but getting my stroke down first is important.   Distance will come later.

WAEF - Great job on the marathon.  Awesome accomplishment.  I felt the same way after my first marathon.....go enjoy the off season - just work out consistently for fun....get plenty of cardio in and stay strong.

Diane - in 6 months you can definitely be ready.  I want you and Gary both to take some downtime after your last long event this year and then we will get after it.  By the way, I was ROFLMAO when you said you were "half" scared to death....by the way, last year Mav swore she would never do a half or a full IM....be careful people....this @%&^* is addictive.

Gary - awesome awesome awesome.....okay....I am climbing up on my soap box....I HATE PADDLES AND GLOVES....I know more people with shoulder issues as a result of them.  If your form is off 1 mm you want tear up your shoulder.  I refuse - refuse - to use them.  I will not take the risk.  Still on soapbox....if you would like to use something, let me give you an idea....swim with fists closed....not clenched, just closed....you will definitely feel the contact of the water on your forearms and you will go slow....but you will not crush your shoulders.   Gary, I would not swim until I had no pain and then I would start back up very slowly.....small distances....form drills......getting off soapbox now....

Offseason - everyone needs to stop down here in a few weeks and let the old engine oscillate....YOU CANNOT HOLD THIS LEVEL OF FITNESS AND WORKOUTS ALL WINTER...read that sentence again.....ok....no I mean it....go read it again.....NOW....read it one more time....NOW....here's what you need to know, if you oscillate properly, getting back to the level of fitness and beyond is actually pretty easy....we have all stressed ourselves pretty well this year....and you have to recover....or your body will force you too....at a time that is usually not opportune....

Long 2:20 run tonight after work....it was humid....but not too hot...the wind blew hard in my face on the way home....I ran out and back....tough after a full day of work but there are only a few weeks left....the timer on my blog says 44 days.....wow....more time more time I need more time....but as we know....IM waits for no man (or woman).

sTRIve

Wow, lots of developments since last I visited this chat thread. You guys and girls are killin' me with how energetic you all are, preparing and doing Halfs, Fulls, HIMs, etc. Way to Go!!

I was on the road much of last week - a conference in Nova Scotia and then some meetings in Toronto. Managed to get in 4 enjoyable runs over the 5 days I was away. Nothing accomplished this week though. Somehow I twinged my lower back and I am trying to let it rest.

It's Thanksgiving Weekend here in Canada. Our holiday is always on the 2nd Monday in October. We're heading to the family cottage in PEI tonight after work. We'l have 20 for turkey dinner on Sunday - yippee!! I've packed my running gear and am determined to get in a run on both Saturday and Sunday.

And congrats to your President on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. A little premature in my humble opinion but still a great honour. Some home country pride - a Canadian shared in the Nobel prize for Physics this year.

FBP

Hey all!!

LRR - I took Friday off from swimming, no pain yesterday but decided not to chance it and give myself a couple more days.  When I do start back I won't be using the gloves or paddles.   As for cutting back, I have a 1/2 mary in Nov then plan on taking a couple of weeks off before I start my HIM program.  Will give me a chance to recharge and the HIM plan starts off pretty slow compared to my regular training.

WAEF - Congrats on the marathon!

Pete - Yeah, I have to agree it was a bit pre-mature.  Hope the back is feeling better.

Rode 30 miles yesterday before the storm came thru.  Wind!!! uff!  At one point I am dropping gears pushing hard against the wind and look down and I am doing 15.9.  1 minute earlier I was at 19.  Hot/humid and drank a lot more than usual.  At the rate yesterday my aero bottle plus two on the tubes would last me 40 miles at best.  Normally I finish a bottle every 17 miles or 51 total. 

Anyone use Infinit?  Keep hearing about it and am starting to look at nutrition for the HIM.  Forecasting (probably optmistic) 6-7 hrs and that is a lot more calories than gels and gatorade can provide.

Not to get on a political bent here but I not only think it was premature, I think it is undeserved at this point.  My humble opinion....

Gary - good on you...I think you are really smart on the paddle/glove deal.  Also on taking a few weeks off before you get back on structured plan.

Infinit - I use it all the time.  It is ALL I use....okay, I will eat an apple cinnamon Hammer gel from time to time but it is pretty much all infinit these days.  I can send you a link to my custom blend if you would like or you can order a sample pack.  If you call the number and push 2 I think it is - for blending questions, they will help you immensely....they are great folks.  If you order, I like the orange and fruit punch for long endurance drink (has some protein), use lemon lime or orange for sprint type olympic type stuff - more carbs less protein and FRUIT PUNCH for the recovery drink flavor.....definitely -- this is the BEST recovery drink I have EVER tried.

In keeping you up to date on Arizona training - I cut the ride short today as my left arm started swelling with fluid around the forearm.  I did however, have a divot where the aerobar pad was....seems the minor infection I have been battling decided to kick it up a notch.  After a visit to the doc, I am on some pretty hot antibiotics for staph/strep infection....hopefully it is not MRSA but hopefully we will know in about 48 hours or so.  This was not planned and is really ticking me off.

All will be fine.....all will be fine.....all will be fine....all will be fine

On a VERY positive note, Garmin "repaired" my 310XT for $99 with a brand spanking new one....AND apologized they had to charge me as they couldn't warranty my bike crash....those folks rock!!!

Hey y'all,

Had a great thanksgiving weekend and managed two decent runs (one in the pouring rain) which probably doesn't offset even half of the calories consumed - turkey, potatoes, dressing, gravy, desserts, etc.

B-man - we had some friends of friends using the cottage the week before we got there. One was from Texas and was kind enough to leave us a package of Texas pecans from Arlington I believe. Yum Yum !!

Today I am planning a run at lunch and then a swim after work.

FBP

Another finish line for you Bryan - Pumpkinman Sprint Triathlon - 1st place Athena 40+ (and there were more than 1) I ROCK!!!  No time to write Race Report... I have to go to work... but I'll write one when I get the chance...  Didn't know how good it feels to come in 1st... even if it's Athena... 
 

Diane - when you win first place it means you are the mentor next year......yes....YOU ROCK!!!!  way to go....and I want you to back to your earlier post of not being ready and just having fun.....see what happens when you relax and have a good time.....awesome.

FBP - my home town of Seguin, TX is the home of the world's largest pecan...it sits on the town square....well a replica does.....when I was young the town would wrap it up in a big old box and put a ribbon on it with a to/from card:  To the world's largest squirrel at Christmas....

HIM - Gary and Diane...you will both be FINE taking off two or three weeks and then starting on week four....in the off weeks you don't do nothing....just don't do anything too structured....and no LONG runs....let the bod heal....Gary-if you are going to "not drop the intensity much" then swimming is the sport to do it in....just swim long...not hard....Remember....you have to oscillate....

I was in Connecticut this week....running in the cooler weather was fun....I am 5 weeks away from race eve.....long ride tomorrow.....race rehearsal week coming up.....wow

sTRIve

Gary - what I was saying with "not dropping the intensity" was exactly what you are going to do....take a couple of weeks off totally or close to it.  My comment was that if you were not going to do that (take a couple of weeks off), then you needed to lower the intensity substanially but swimming would be one where you would not be hurt as bad by continuing the same level of work....hopefully this explains it....if not let me know and I will try again.

Diane - I am on my way to read your race report.....

Bike nutrition - Gary, in most halfs or fulls they have "hand ups" -- what this means is the volunteers are going to be there to hold bottles of water for you to take.  I STRONGLY recommend you SLOW DOWN for these.  I cannot get over the people who try to RACE through the aid stations.  I try to get spaced out from other riders (there are some serious idiots out there) and I slow way down....there is a lot of time to ride/swim/run as fast as you want to anyway.  If they are offering multiple drinks I make eye contact with a volunteer - ask for water and then reach to take it.  If one is all I need I check over my shoulder and then move out from the line of volunteers.  If I want another one (if it is hot) I will cage the first bottle and then make eye contact with another volunteer, ask for water (loudly) and then take it...I drink a big slug - a little more if there is time and then dump the rest on my head and toss the bottle at the drop portion of the aid station.  Quite often there is a hockey net or something to toss your drop bottles into - there is often an area at the front and back of the aid station.  So at the next aid station, you dump the trash and grab what you want.  Be careful of the wet pavement, it can be really slick.  I always ride with an empty cage from the start so I have room to pick up a bottle easily.  Once I am away from the aid station and others, I will open the bottle and refill my aerobottle - I wait until I am away fromt he confusion of the aid station.  So here is my setup for Ironman Arizona.  I am going to ride with water in the aerobottle and two feeder bottles of concentrated Infinit.  They will be 2 hour bottles (4 scoops) instead of the normal one hour bottles.  I will carry a refill Infinit powder with me and have one in my special needs bag (that would be enough for 8 hours at least).  I will pick up water every 10 miles or so at the aid stations in the manner listed above.  Also, do NOT be afraid to stop if you need to, or if you drop your nutrition, or if you need to stretch, or if you miss a hand up - if will cause you much more difficulty to do without nutrition than the couple of minutes lost by stopping.

Thanks very much for the question....seriously....this helps me solidify my race plan in my head for Arizona and I cannot stress the importance of KNOWING what you are going to do along the way....you don't want to have to think.  Your decision making faculties will be somewhat fuzzy.....if you know what I mean.....

sTRIve

Gary - good plan....

Long swim tonight.....1:15 continuous freestyle with no breaks....new for me....two more long swims to go before IMAZ....

Mav - you coming to AZ?????

where are you people????????????

I need you for the next 4 weeks.....

Race Rehearsal report coming later today

sTRIve

I am here!!!  Go LRR!  With 4 weeks?  Taper starting soon?  Race rehearsal, interesting idea, do you recruit others to do things like bike and run aid stations?  How do you handle the swim start?

Anyhow, light workout this week except for swimming on Friday.  Tough workout on Friday but loved it.  I have no doubt that my masters coach will have me ready for NOLA swimming wise.  Since there are several folks who will be doing NOLA she will modify the practices as we get closer.  Haven't ridden has much as I would like to this week but plan on riding outside today.  Purposefully went lite running as I have been doing back to back long run weekends.  Ride this weekend and then a 10 miler next weekend then taper for my 1/2 on Nov 15th.  Set my goals for the 1/2 mary:

Finish - obvious goal
2:17 - obtainable goal
2:11 - press to obtain
2:04 - not likely but its out there
2:00 - a magical tail wind pushes me