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Barloworld Team Thread
BY: kaqphin on 2008-07-03 10:32 PM
Hi Barloworld,
Welcome to the Tour De France Bike Challenge 2008.
After making its first Tour De France appearance in 2007, this South African sponsored and UK registered team seemed destined to return to the Tour De France in 2008.
The team includes last years climbing sensation Juan Mauricio Soler who last year was crowned King of the Mountains and won stage 9 of the race.
South African rider Robbie Hunter also returns this year, after last year becoming the very first rider from the African continent to claim a stage win in the Tour De France. This year he will be backed up by another strong sprinter in Australian rider Baden Cooke making a powerful sprinting combination for the Barloworld team.
Goals in this years race for the team are expected to revolve around stage wins in the sprints and the overall king of the mountains prize.
In the BT Bike Challenge last year, Barloworld was a very chatty and supportive team environment which I hope to see again this year!
On BT, your team line up for the challenge is:
1. antti_asu
2. BunnyB
3. DoloresM2
4. ell-in-or
5. JoshKaptur
6. lastcall2003
7. rstocks3
8. TriAya
9. zipp1
Now you have found the team thread, introduce yourself to your team mates below with some information which could include name, goals or info on your current bike(s).
Reporting for the challenge over the next three weeks will take place in three blocks matching the Tour De France racing days. The dates are as follows:
Week 1: 5th – 14th July
Week 2: 15th – 21 July
Week 3: 22 – 27 July
Your team has a tracking spreadsheet set up and active in google spreadsheet.
To open the spreadsheet click on this link:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pfYL7DR_dx-BTcGYZWUEvAg&hl=enTo login to Google Docs:
Username: btchallenge
Password: challengeforum
You can update the spreadsheet at any time to track your own, and your teams progress. I will be grabbing each teams results to date and posting a challenge update that includes all of the teams progress and any interesting tid bits from the various team threads. This update will be posted at the end of the each reporting week listed above.
The winning team will be determined by the team with the highest percentage of goal achieved. No one can go over 100% of goal and if more than one team hits 100% then there is more than one winning team!
To remind everyone to post their updates, and I recommend that you nominate a team leader to help with reminding everyone to report in each week. But the job of inspiring and motivating your team mate really does rest with each individual so don’t forget to give everyone some regular encouragement here in the team thread and through inspires on training logs.
I will try to pop in regularly to see how your team is getting on. If there are any questions throughout the course of the challenge let me know, I will pop back in the next 24 hours with some additional information and rider profiles for your Tour De France team before the action kicks off on the roads of France.
Happy Pedaling
Cat
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"Just make it about bikes. Not that I'm trying to give away Cat's sweet spot or anything." - sesh
"Cat's middle name is TdF. She just has a passion 3 weeks a year" - TexOma -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: lastcall2003 on 2008-07-03 10:56 PM
w00t w00t!!!
The teams have been announced! It looks like we have a great lineup!
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Laughter is timeless -- Imagination has no age -- And dreams are forever~tinkerbell
Live today, await tommorow, remember yesterday... everything happens for a reason. life's too short... dance naked ~tinkerbell
Chlorine is my perfume. -Author Unknown -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: lastcall2003 on 2008-07-03 11:12 PM
Ok, intros-
I'm lastcall2003, aka Beth, aka Tinkerbeth -
This is my third season of triathlons.
I am a complete novice when it comes to the Tour de France, so I'm looking forward to learning about it!
My life is a little crazy right now, so sometimes you will see me a lot and sometimes not much at all.
I started a new job on Feb 4th, it's a bit complicated by the fact that my job is in PA, but my home and family are in NE. sooooooooo, most of the time during the week I am in PA and on the weekends I am in NE.
My training will be split between spinning classes during the week and biking on the weekends (travel and weather permitting).
If I remember correctly I signed up for 9 hrs and 9 stages.
I'm looking forward to the July challenge!
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Laughter is timeless -- Imagination has no age -- And dreams are forever~tinkerbell
Live today, await tommorow, remember yesterday... everything happens for a reason. life's too short... dance naked ~tinkerbell
Chlorine is my perfume. -Author Unknown -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: BunnyB on 2008-07-04 4:26 AM
Woot! Looks like we have a great team lineup. For me, there are several familiar faces and a few news ones as well. :)
It's crazy late (nearly 2:30am) and I should be sleeping. Here's aquickintro though:
My name is Melissa. I'm a divorced 44 year woman living in southern California. I was born & raised in rural middle Tennessee, but I've been living in the greater Los Angeles area for over 11 years. I currently work as a computer analyst in the aerospace industry.
As for triathlon, I'm a tri virgin. I've been intrigued by triathlons since I saw Kona for the first time on TV many years ago. Until last year, I had always just put it on the back shelf and just focused on running races. When my friend Terri (MrsUSMC here in BT) mentioned last fall she was interested in getting into triathlon, I decided to give it a go as well.
I've signed up for my first super sprint tri coming up in October at San Diego. Terri will be doing it as her first tri as well, so it'll be nice having one of my best friends out there with me. Later that afternoon, we'll be hopping onto a plane and heading off to Waikiki for a week. I can't think of any better way to celebrate becoming triathletes. :)
Although, I must admit I'm getting very worried about it lately because I'm still have MASSIVE issues with the bike. I never learned how to ride as a child, so I (some might say foolishly) registered for my first event before actually learning how to ride. I figured I had nearly 7 months to go at the time I registered, so it shouldn't be a problem to learn to ride and work up to the necessary 8 miles for the race. Unfortunately, I'm beginning to fear I did not receive whatever gene is necessary for balancing on a bike. LOL
In addition to my triathlon dream, I'm also in the process of a major weight loss journey. I've lost over 75 pounds thus far using the Weight Watchers plan, but still have a long way to go. Training for running races and now for my first tri has been great for keeping me motivated to exercise.
On a side note, I've had the pleasure of meeting our teammates Dolores and Yanti in person. They are absolutely delightful ladies. If you ever get the chance to meet either of them, I highly recommend it. :)
As for the challenge, if memory serves, I've signed up for 10 stages and 360 minutes. It was determined by the biking portion of my current training plan for the October tri.
Ok, off to try and get some sleep. Thankfully tomorrow is a holiday here in the U.S., so I can sleep in. ;)
Edited by BunnyB 2008-07-04 4:28 AM
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Melissa
Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: JoshKaptur on 2008-07-04 6:13 AM
Hey team - fair warning now... I'm a barloworld veteran and I will suitably wizz off the other teams by posting my poo poos in their threads and they will come here with blood dripping from their fangs, so I hope we're ready to put our pedals where our (or at least my) mouth is! At the same time, I will be periodically showering you with encouragements here and in your blogs.
This is my second year of triathlon but I've been a lifelong runner and was a water baby from before I can remember. Last year was a big year for me in terms of getting back into endurance athletics, as I was always injury-prone as a 100% runner, but was able to work out much more and much harder by training between three disciplines. I got back down to my college weight (lost about 30 pounds) and by the end of the year completed in my first 70.3, Savageman no less. I'm still a bigger rider, and hills are not my friend... but I love getting out and hammering on the bike.
I committed to 10 stages and 21 hours I think (will have to double check that). I'm also in the middle of trying to re-lose some of that weight which I unfortunately gained back in the offseason during a recurrance of a lumbar disk herniation (I've already had one surgery and 5 epidural steroid injections). I'm in a major build phase now, as I'm getting ready for my second half ironman in september plus I'd like to show up to my brother's wedding (also in september) in a smaller tux than I can squeeze into at the moment.
If you guys need anything, from some training advice (I used to coach cross country and track and field and have done my share of research into the science of training) to a phone call to make sure you head out for your ride to just a quick nice note of encouragement don't hesistate to ask.
Just an appetite whet-er, but I can tell you that in last year's challenge I made some great friends doing this. It was supposed to be just a fun thing to do and to help me stay accountable for some of my training, and I walked away with some true friends - people who really matter to me and have truly touched my life.
Looking forward to having fun with you all doing this!
Josh
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RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: Jens on 2008-07-04 6:35 AM
Ah yes Barloworld. The team of smack talk and little else. When the CSC train leaves town, you won't be on it.
(I remember you Josh, consider this a preemptive strike )
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"I LOVE Jens...." - Super Cat 8th July 2010 -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: kaqphin on 2008-07-04 7:48 AM
Jens - 2008-07-04 9:35 PMAh yes Barloworld. The team of smack talk and little else. When the CSC train leaves town, you won't be on it.
(I remember you Josh, consider this a preemptive strike )
This actually made me giggle and smile.... although since Im on CSC maybe I should be a little scared.....
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"Just make it about bikes. Not that I'm trying to give away Cat's sweet spot or anything." - sesh
"Cat's middle name is TdF. She just has a passion 3 weeks a year" - TexOma -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: TriAya on 2008-07-04 9:56 AM
Jens - 2008-07-04 5:35 AMAh yes Barloworld. The team of smack talk and little else. When the CSC train leaves town, you won't be on it.
(I remember you Josh, consider this a preemptive strike )
Muah ha ha ... little else besides TdF stage wins and being the BT CHALLENGE CHAMPS even as total newbies!!! (It is possible that CSC trailed in a close enough second to have met 100% of their challenge goals. Pffft.)
Hi, I'm Yanti, and I'm a Barloholic (HI YANTI!) Seriously, it brings me near tears to see much of the old Barlo crew back (we actually had a BABY last year, do you remember?)
And for the rest of you getting on the Barlotrain this year ... suffice it to say that I know, and love, each member of this team. There's never been a finer group of athletes together on BT for anything, ever. Okay, well, Beth's and my mentor group is pretty awesome ... and there are four of us here, too.
Thank you ALL for the support and inspires. As you know, Internet connection is very slow and spotty here in Indonesia, but I'll do my best to at least check in and cheer here even if I can't leave individual inspires.
May the Tour begin! And may the best riders win (that's us, of course!)
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Coach Y Tri Multisport
~ Ironman(R) Certified Coach, Founding Member
~ World Open Water Swimming Association Coach & Official
~ Triathlon Australia Professional Development Coach
~ American Swimming Coaches Association -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: lastcall2003 on 2008-07-04 10:21 AM
So does anyone on our team have the skills to put together one of the neat html tables?
trust me, it's not I!
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Laughter is timeless -- Imagination has no age -- And dreams are forever~tinkerbell
Live today, await tommorow, remember yesterday... everything happens for a reason. life's too short... dance naked ~tinkerbell
Chlorine is my perfume. -Author Unknown -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: TriAya on 2008-07-04 10:22 AM
P.S. My race report for the world's most amazing triathlon is finally up--with pics!!!
http://beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=122106
The triathlon itself was rated Best Destination Tri and Best New Tri by Competitor and Inside Triathlon, respectively.
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Coach Y Tri Multisport
~ Ironman(R) Certified Coach, Founding Member
~ World Open Water Swimming Association Coach & Official
~ Triathlon Australia Professional Development Coach
~ American Swimming Coaches Association -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: lastcall2003 on 2008-07-04 10:42 AM
Here's a list of team members by name and the links to their logs - I just don't know how to make it pretty
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Laughter is timeless -- Imagination has no age -- And dreams are forever~tinkerbell
Live today, await tommorow, remember yesterday... everything happens for a reason. life's too short... dance naked ~tinkerbell
Chlorine is my perfume. -Author Unknown -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: zipp1 on 2008-07-04 11:14 AM
Hello Barloworld!!
This is my second year on this awesome team, in fact last year's TdF challenge was my first foray into the challenge forum which has quickly become my home here on BT. I'm Judi. I have to look over my training plans for the 3 weeks to count up my hours planned still. I ride 3x a week anywhere from 1-2 hrs at a shot. I'll be volunteering at the HIM Josh is doing in September then racing my first OLY the next day. This is my second year in triathalon, last year I did 2 sprints and a mini sprint ladies only race (it was a blast too). This year I have done one sprint, and have another one in 2 weeks then the Oly in September.
I have grown to have a fondness for my bike...also known as Sweet Mama but still consider myself a runner/swimmer frist. So yes, put me in for 9 sessions but let me calculate my time for the final commitment.
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Judi
Not enough time in this life to make me a great swimmer.~~the bear
so many piglets, so little time ~~~rh8463 -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: lastcall2003 on 2008-07-04 3:21 PM
bump
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Laughter is timeless -- Imagination has no age -- And dreams are forever~tinkerbell
Live today, await tommorow, remember yesterday... everything happens for a reason. life's too short... dance naked ~tinkerbell
Chlorine is my perfume. -Author Unknown -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: lastcall2003 on 2008-07-04 3:22 PM
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I guess I could have made that a more meaningful post and said something like, we need to nominate a team captain, or something related to the challenge - LOL
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Laughter is timeless -- Imagination has no age -- And dreams are forever~tinkerbell
Live today, await tommorow, remember yesterday... everything happens for a reason. life's too short... dance naked ~tinkerbell
Chlorine is my perfume. -Author Unknown -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: kaqphin on 2008-07-04 4:42 PM
CHR15 TREE - 2008-07-05 12:59 AM Ha GaryBarlow world! TAKE THAT!LMAO - Classic! Not sure everyone will get the reference though!
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"Just make it about bikes. Not that I'm trying to give away Cat's sweet spot or anything." - sesh
"Cat's middle name is TdF. She just has a passion 3 weeks a year" - TexOma -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: kaqphin on 2008-07-04 4:42 PM
lastcall2003 - 2008-07-05 1:21 AMSo does anyone on our team have the skills to put together one of the neat html tables?
trust me, it's not I!
Sorry Beth thats the one thing I havent done for the teams... as you will know my skills dont stretch that far...
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"Just make it about bikes. Not that I'm trying to give away Cat's sweet spot or anything." - sesh
"Cat's middle name is TdF. She just has a passion 3 weeks a year" - TexOma -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: zipp1 on 2008-07-04 5:15 PM
okay team...I'm in for 12 hrs of biking this month.
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Judi
Not enough time in this life to make me a great swimmer.~~the bear
so many piglets, so little time ~~~rh8463 -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: D001 on 2008-07-04 6:59 PM
lastcall2003 - 2008-07-04 11:21 AM
So does anyone on our team have the skills to put together one of the neat html tables?
trust me, it's not I!
Yep. Trust her on that....
If no one here knows how to do a table -->
Put together the links and names....
Find a nice Barloworld picture....
And I'll put it together into a table for you.
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You should change your BT user name to Eletrici-Dee. -- GPOL
Dee, part of me very much wants to be on your team. And then the rest of me runs away screaming, and it kinda hurts when that happens. -- Slugger -
RE: Barloworld Team Thread
BY: D001 on 2008-07-04 7:07 PM
lastcall2003 - 2008-07-04 11:42 AM
Here's a list of team members by name and the links to their logs - I just don't know how to make it pretty
Oh look - a bunch of links.
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You should change your BT user name to Eletrici-Dee. -- GPOL
Dee, part of me very much wants to be on your team. And then the rest of me runs away screaming, and it kinda hurts when that happens. -- Slugger