2010 Tri Thread

[tiberius]

I did my first couple of triathlons on a old steel framed hybrid handlebar bike with toe clips before I ever got a "real" road bike and clipless pedals. Of course I saw an instant world of improvement when I upgraded, but I also knew I was likely to stick with triathlons by then as well.

Today I got in my first long swim (1600 yards) in my new wetsuit. I've had the wetsuit for a few months, but have only gotten to the point I could wear it in the last month or so. It took me a bit to get used to it, but I loved the buoyancy of it. (Yeah, I know, I shouldn't try something for the first time this close to a race, but at least I'm not using it for the first time during the race ).

 

[chimera]

Does the wetsuit help you swim, Richard? I don't know that I'll ever need one down here. Most of our tris don't start til this time of year.

Jen...congrats on getting out there. The chihuahuas definitely sound scary, especially clipped.

My clipless day was kinda like the 3 Stooges do Road Biking. I went out and practiced in the front yard and was having a hard time clipping out. I had to turn my legs and could only clip out on one side. I took it down the street a few times and could do it, but it seemed harder than it should be. DH got home and I stopped about the time my cleat separated from the shoe still in the pedal <sigh>. btw, they're really hard to get out when not attached to the shoe

DH put the shoes and cleats back together for me and they're much better! I can clip out easily, but have a nearly impossible time clipping in. I just can't seem to find the spot where the cleat meets the pedal. The weird thing is that I can only clip out one direction on the left. That's my bad ankle...bones are tethered together and I have little range of motion on that side. I can clip out by turning my foot toward the bike, but not the other way. Looks like I'll definitely have to rely on my right foot and hope I don't need to clipout quick on the left.

Any suggestions for clipping in? Seems like that should be the easy part.

 

[tiberius]

Mel - Do you know what kind of cleats you have? The in and out tension of mine are adjustable and yours may be as well. It took me a while before I could consistently get in and out easily, so you may only be getting used to it. When I started, I was only partly comfortable on my right foot, but now feel very comfortable with either foot.
FWIW, I am way far away from being any kind of expert on these things, but maybe I said something useful by accident.

As for the wetsuit, it made me very bouyant--more so than I even expected--and I swam faster than normall without even trying. There is some getting used to the tight feeling and range of arm motion, but overall it will be helpful. I would expect that I would generally save the wetsuit for long distance tri swims, as my weather is generally similar to yours (although the overall body compression is slimming ).

 

[BigEeyore]

Richard - Good luck in your HIM! That is just awesome. I just want to get my first sprint tri under my belt!
Jen and Mel - way to go with the clipless pedals! I just got my first road bike, so definitely not ready for that yet. Just trying to figure out shifting gears! The guy at the bike store swears that clipless are actually safer once you get used to it. I clip in for spin class, but you can't fall over on those bikes!
mgsmom - I just bought a Jamis entry level road bike for $625. Last years models were on sale for 20% off, but they did not have my size. Not much more than a hybrid bike, and since I'm using it to train for tri's it should suit me better.

Swam 3200m this am - the workout had a lot of kickboard laps in it, which I absolutely hate! I feel like I am going backwards with the kickboard.
I am excited b/c I have found a way to work around my knee issues when I run - ibuprofen and kt tape and I was good for 4 miles yesterday! I forgot who suggested the kt tape, but thank you!

 

[mgsmom]

I love reading all you guys and your pedal clipping stories - it is also nice to hear that others have training problems sometimes too!
Thanks for all the feedback on the bikes! I'm still saving my little pennies - and I hate to go shop until I'm ready - I'm too impatient to wait once I've seen what I want! ha ha ha

That's interesting about the wetsuit causing more buoyancy - but it makes sense too. I've never worn one. Our sprint tri is always in the pool - but if they ever move it to the lake...

I'm going to swim my usual today - is it terrible that I don't keep up with my laps much? I try to get my first fifteen laps done in fifteen min, then after that I just keep swimming until my hubby comes in after his run. Usually it's about a total of 45 minutes.

Next week, I'm going to start brick-ing 2 days a week.
I was thinking about starting with 8 mile bike then 1 mile run and work myself up from there. I still have 9 weeks, so I was thinking this would be good enough for a sprint tri.

Most of you guys could probably do my workouts in your sleep! I love coming to this board, though - it's nice to hear from other people who love to workout and stay fit and compete - on every level!

 

[BigEeyore]

Jen - you mentioned a tri at Disney? I did not know there was a Disney tri - are they still doing it?

 

[hoosmi]

There are 2 tris at Disney that I know of. Both are women only. The Danskjn one is in May (8?9?) and the Sally Edwards Trek one in Sept. I did the Trek one- my only disappointment was that the shirt/medal was not Disney related and there were no characters. We were just racing around Fort Wilderness. It was still fun to go to the parks after the race. My tri coach won her age group in the Danskin a few years ago and said her trophy was Disney themed, but she isn't a Disney nut. Our class will be swimming in the pond at her house soon. I may humiliate myself and ask to see it! Hope this makes sense... i'm on my phone pretending to watch the kids in the pool. LOL

jen

 

[tiberius]

I think there's also a half ironman tri in May.

 

[BigEeyore]

Thanks for the info Jen - I checked the Danskin tri website, looks like a good race (in the best place on earth!). I have just one stupid question - you do the swim in Bay Lake by FW? Ummm...I thought that you couldn't swim in that water, something about nasty amoebial infections or something? I guess it's safe though, if they have the race there every year!

 

[Duanerice]

Most of you guys could probably do my workouts in your sleep!

Probably because I do most of mine in my sleep too

 

[ghoulishgirl]

Big Eeyore Yeah, I believe what you're asking about is this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naegleria_fowleri

 

[thndrmatt]

The Ironman Florida 70.3 race has been in Bay Lake for the past several years, I personally did that one in 07, and then the Olympic distance one in 07 and 08, and out of the few thousand people that did each race I never saw or heard of anyone having any issues with anything in the water.

 

[hoosmi]

My tri coach (who's running Boston today and then flying back to Georgia at some point to teach our class tomorrow... could she be any more intimidating?!) said they sent an e-mail about the potential little creatures in the water the year she did the tri. They said something about wearing nose clips (she didn't and was fine). I think that was just a bad year though, because there was no mention of it last year. For the record, I remember at least one unfortunate gulp of the lake and didn't have any unusual side effects. The amoebas were the least of my problems!

Jen in GA

 

[chimera]

It's not the creatures in the Bay Lake waters that trouble me...it's all the gas and oil and trash from the boats and people.

 

[BigEeyore]

Hoping to hear a race report from Richard soon!
Does anyone use KT tape? I have been using it on my knees when I run, and I think it helps, but it always seems to start coming off toward the end of my run. I am cleaning my skin with alcohol before I put it on, the tape makes it for a few miles then starts to come off. Any other tips I can try?
Hope everyone's training has been coming along well! I am only running once a week b/c of my knee issues, but swimming twice and biking/spin class 2-3 times a week.

 

[jmasgat]

BigEeyore i have used the KT tape and have also had the same problem. The ends curl up pretty quickly and then the whole thing can start to unravel. Assuming you have clean dry skin, it could be ue to the amount of tension you use when you put the tape on. It seems like the ends are not supposed to be pulled taut. Let us know if you find something that works--I'd be interested to hear it.

Since my swimming has been so dreadful as of late, I decided to "just swim" yesterday. Meaning, no drills, no kickboards, no nothing. Seems like I needed to just go out and swim and see if I could just make it through a reasonable distance. So I went and did 1 mile. It was probably not pretty, and surely slow, but it was mine, and I made it.

I think tomorrow I will go on a solo bike ride "outdoors". Yes, it's true. I have not ridden my road bike by myself in the time I've had it (2 yrs this summer). I don't ride all that often, and when I do, it is with my DH or some friends. But now that I have time and the weather is nice, I think I'll venture out. If I can get a reasonable course around here with 15-20 miles, that would be nice. DH will know--he knows the roads really well.

Hope everyone else is doing well. And let's all cheer Richard this weekend!

Maura

 

[Duanerice]

Yea Richard is doing his HIM this weekend.

All my peeps came back from the New Orleans HIM with cool stories, battle scars, etc. As much as I enjoyed hearing it, I still felt left out. Next year!

Nothing but a few sprints coming up for me. Need to find an Oly close by.

enjoy,
Duane

 

[tiberius]

Yea Richard is doing his HIM this weekend.

I sure am!

I hope to be heading out of work early tomorrow to load up and get south of Houston before rush hour traffic sets in. I hoping to have tons of fun, and there are rumors swirling in local tri circles that Ironman will be announcing a new IM race in Texas that will practically be in my neighborhood. (I'm trying hard not to count this chicken before it hatches!) In any case, you guys can count on a race report when I am up to writing it.

 

[mgsmom]

Good luck!
We can't wait to hear about it!
Hope you have GREAT weather for it!

 

[ghoulishgirl]

Maura I'm also the same with the bike! There really isn't anywhere right out my front door to ride safely, so I load it up and take it to a bike path. Therefore, I rarely ride, because it's such a hassle. I did ride last Saturday 5.5 miles with a 5 minute run after and another 10 white-knuckled minutes on the rollers yesterday. The swim is my biggest worry!