Yanti & Salty MAD MANATEES Mentor Group - FULL POD (Page 17)

And I like that song! (Now I can't get it out of my head ... ) Welcome, Valerie! (rhymes with Manatee ... don'tcha think?)

Yep, it's a catchy, happy song, isn't it?

I apologize for just getting my bio on here now.  Wow, the number of group pages has doubled since I last checked!  Here's my story:

Valerie

Back in the summer of 2010, in a bit of a drunken dare situation, I declared that I was going to do the Cayuga Lake Sprint Triathlon with my friend Sue the following summer.  This despite the fact that my best version of a swim was a glorified doggie paddle, and I hadn't done more than sport my ancient mountain bike around on errands in years.  And even though I have run a few 10ks and half-marathons in the past, I don't really consider myself a runner (years ago, my labs "taught" me to run on hiking trails, and I still pretty much run like a dog - take off on a mad tail-wagging sprint, see something interesting, stop to check it out, forget I'm supposed to be running, saunter off, and eventually rip off again ).  Then at Christmas my resolve was solidifed when I opened "Slow Fat Triathlete" and my brother made the comment, "Are you sure that's a good idea?  I mean, you are pushing 50."  So I joined a triathlon training group at my gym that winter (feeling like a triathlon imposter the whole time) and completed an indoor/outdoor mini-tri at the end of that.  By summer, I still wasn't feeling confident with the swimming, though, and two nights before Cayuga Lake, I kept myself up the whole night reading articles about drownings during triathlons.  So on race day,  when I emerged from the lake and hadn't drowned, I was so happy to be alive that I grinned the whole rest of the race!

Family Status - I live with my long-time partner and two cat children.

Current Training - I am about the most undisciplined person in the universe, so my version of training is to just try to get at least 2 each of swim, bike, & run sessions, and one pilates, into each week (recorded with S, B, R, P on my  calender). I am currently taking an adult swim conditioning class at my  gym, which has really been great.  A few months ago, I never would have guessed that I would be doing up to 2500 yard swim workouts, and I'm actually looking forward to getting in the pool now!  I've also been working with subbing some of my run workouts with race walking (after having a race walker in my tri group passing me handily during some of our workouts).  However, I sprained my ankle hiking a few weeks ago, so the R workouts are temporarily on hold.  And the Bs are currently just spin classes.  Starting in June, my tri club will be having Tuesday night group SBR workouts with open water swims, so I will try to be hitting as many  of those as possible.

Last Year's Races - Cayuga Lake Sprint Tri, Crystal Lake Sprint Tri , and Harpoon Oktoberfest Road Race (gotta love being greeted with a mug o' beer at the finish line!)

2012 Races - Willow Creek Sprint Tri, Crystal Lake Sprint Tri (probably), Pain in the Alleghenies Sprint Tri, Harpoon Oktoberfest Road Race.  I am open to adding another sprint tri and maybe a half-marathon to this, but I also love going to music festivals and on backpacking and canoe trips, so I don't want to be committing all my weekends to racing and training!  This year I'm going to work on getting faster, because I am currently very, very slow.

Weight Loss - I've been technically overweight for years, but since it's never bothered me or stopped me from doing anything, I've never tried to lose.  This past winter, though, I gained 10+ pounds in a very short time, and my body is not comfortable with it.  I'm not even sure why - no snow and thus no  snowshoeing this winter?  or menopausal hormonal fluctuations?  Probably a bit of both.  Anyway, it's taken the form of a definite belly roll, and I'd like it to be gone.

Well, that's it for now.  I'll  try to be better about chiming in here, as well as recording my workouts (that'll be a challenge for me - I've usually forgotten what I've done as soon as I do it!)

Have a groovy day, everyone!

~Valeriee Manatee

Valerie

Back in the summer of 2010, in a bit of a drunken dare situation, I declared that I was going to do the Cayuga Lake Sprint Triathlon with my friend Sue the following summer.  This despite the fact that my best version of a swim was a glorified doggie paddle, and I hadn't done more than sport my ancient mountain bike around on errands in years.  And even though I have run a few 10ks and half-marathons in the past, I don't really consider myself a runner (years ago, my labs "taught" me to run on hiking trails, and I still pretty much run like a dog - take off on a mad tail-wagging sprint, see something interesting, stop to check it out, forget I'm supposed to be running, saunter off, and eventually rip off again ).  Then at Christmas my resolve was solidifed when I opened "Slow Fat Triathlete" and my brother made the comment, "Are you sure that's a good idea?  I mean, you are pushing 50."  So I joined a triathlon training group at my gym that winter (feeling like a triathlon imposter the whole time) and completed an indoor/outdoor mini-tri at the end of that.  By summer, I still wasn't feeling confident with the swimming, though, and two nights before Cayuga Lake, I kept myself up the whole night reading articles about drownings during triathlons.  So on race day,  when I emerged from the lake and hadn't drowned, I was so happy to be alive that I grinned the whole rest of the race!

Family Status - I live with my long-time partner and two cat children.

Current Training - I am about the most undisciplined person in the universe, so my version of training is to just try to get at least 2 each of swim, bike, & run sessions, and one pilates, into each week (recorded with S, B, R, P on my  calender). I am currently taking an adult swim conditioning class at my  gym, which has really been great.  A few months ago, I never would have guessed that I would be doing up to 2500 yard swim workouts, and I'm actually looking forward to getting in the pool now!  I've also been working with subbing some of my run workouts with race walking (after having a race walker in my tri group passing me handily during some of our workouts).  However, I sprained my ankle hiking a few weeks ago, so the R workouts are temporarily on hold.  And the Bs are currently just spin classes.  Starting in June, my tri club will be having Tuesday night group SBR workouts with open water swims, so I will try to be hitting as many  of those as possible.

Last Year's Races - Cayuga Lake Sprint Tri, Crystal Lake Sprint Tri , and Harpoon Oktoberfest Road Race (gotta love being greeted with a mug o' beer at the finish line!)

2012 Races - Willow Creek Sprint Tri, Crystal Lake Sprint Tri (probably), Pain in the Alleghenies Sprint Tri, Harpoon Oktoberfest Road Race.  I am open to adding another sprint tri and maybe a half-marathon to this, but I also love going to music festivals and on backpacking and canoe trips, so I don't want to be committing all my weekends to racing and training!  This year I'm going to work on getting faster, because I am currently very, very slow.

Weight Loss - I've been technically overweight for years, but since it's never bothered me or stopped me from doing anything, I've never tried to lose.  This past winter, though, I gained 10+ pounds in a very short time, and my body is not comfortable with it.  I'm not even sure why - no snow and thus no  snowshoeing this winter?  or menopausal hormonal fluctuations?  Probably a bit of both.  Anyway, it's taken the form of a definite belly roll, and I'd like it to be gone.

Well, that's it for now.  I'll  try to be better about chiming in here, as well as recording my workouts (that'll be a challenge for me - I've usually forgotten what I've done as soon as I do it!)

Have a groovy day, everyone!

~Valeriee Manatee

Hi! I'm here and fine! A lot of my friends here felt the quake but the Funny Farm was taking an early evening nap through it and failed to notice. Thank you!

Big temblor and aftershocks in W. Sumatra (Bali's actually about 1700 miles away from there but it really was strong enough to feel all the way over here!) but it looks like everyone's all right and no major damage.

That's good! I was worried about you. 

During your last tune up, did they change any of your shifter cables?  It sounds like maybe the cable has stretched.  That's kinda normal.  Bring it back and they will dial it in again for you.  They should be able to make this adjustment while you wait if they aren't super busy.  (I'm assuming it was fine at first and then started to act up.)

Hi! I'm here and fine! A lot of my friends here felt the quake but the Funny Farm was taking an early evening nap through it and failed to notice. Thank you!

Big temblor and aftershocks in W. Sumatra (Bali's actually about 1700 miles away from there but it really was strong enough to feel all the way over here!) but it looks like everyone's all right and no major damage.

Hi! I'm here and fine! A lot of my friends here felt the quake but the Funny Farm was taking an early evening nap through it and failed to notice. Thank you!

Big temblor and aftershocks in W. Sumatra (Bali's actually about 1700 miles away from there but it really was strong enough to feel all the way over here!) but it looks like everyone's all right and no major damage.

Heh. Thank you, sweet Manatees! Yes, Bali is actually tiny in the midst of enormous Indonesia--18,000 islands, some with great land mass, stretching out between China and Australia to a length and breadth equal to that of the continental U.S. It always floors me when I think about it, too.

Also, Indonesia is right after the U.S. in population and catching up.

Heh. Thank you, sweet Manatees! Yes, Bali is actually tiny in the midst of enormous Indonesia--18,000 islands, some with great land mass, stretching out between China and Australia to a length and breadth equal to that of the continental U.S. It always floors me when I think about it, too.

Also, Indonesia is right after the U.S. in population and catching up.

I am not too bad at geography but I only just this year realized Sumatra was part of Indonesia LOL 

Glad you are alright, Yanti! 

For a coffee lady ... is this forgivable?

I'm still trying to figure out kopi luwak ... one of the most successful (and continuing!) scams OF ALL TIME.

Seriously, whodahell was like, "Let's roast grind and brew what this CATSHAT!"

And whodahell was like. "I'll buy it! For more than any other coffee in the world costs!"

Yes, definitely glad to hear all is well in Bali, Yanti!

Question for the pod - I am new to swimming, but I've really taken to it.  When I swim in the pool with my masters group (it's a standard 25 yard, 4 ft down to 8 or 10 ft. deep pool), I feel pretty good, move through the water ok, its usually feels fairly easy.  But when I swim in the pool at my gym (same length but 4 ft deep all over) it feels like WORK.  I mean, like I am dragging a 50 lb. weight behind (in addition to the 140 lb weight that I am!) I had a theory that the shallow water doesn't "hold you up" as well as deeper water.  My coach wasn't convinced.  Any other theories as to why an ok  swimmer does well in one pool and then drags in another? it's so weird! And it makes it so that I don't want to go swim on my own at the pool, which isn't great for making improvements.  Thanks!!

Yes, definitely glad to hear all is well in Bali, Yanti!

Question for the pod - I am new to swimming, but I've really taken to it.  When I swim in the pool with my masters group (it's a standard 25 yard, 4 ft down to 8 or 10 ft. deep pool), I feel pretty good, move through the water ok, its usually feels fairly easy.  But when I swim in the pool at my gym (same length but 4 ft deep all over) it feels like WORK.  I mean, like I am dragging a 50 lb. weight behind (in addition to the 140 lb weight that I am!) I had a theory that the shallow water doesn't "hold you up" as well as deeper water.  My coach wasn't convinced.  Any other theories as to why an ok  swimmer does well in one pool and then drags in another? it's so weird! And it makes it so that I don't want to go swim on my own at the pool, which isn't great for making improvements.  Thanks!!

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.  I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who has experienced this - I felt like I was going crazy!  It's crazy how much little things can make a big difference.  I'll try to get into my gym pool more often (my goal is to swim 3x/week, and right now I have the masters AM class and then maybe a swim at the gym). 

I'm also looking forward to OW season, I think it will be good for me to swim somewhere without walls to really build endurance!  Although I'm not looking forward to a wetsuit (totally necessary in Mass)...I have a sneaking suspicion that it will feel claustrophobic and be mighty unflattering to boot!

For a coffee lady ... is this forgivable?

I'm still trying to figure out kopi luwak ... one of the most successful (and continuing!) scams OF ALL TIME.

Seriously, whodahell was like, "Let's roast grind and brew what this CATSHAT!"

And whodahell was like. "I'll buy it! For more than any other coffee in the world costs!"