Triathlon Thread 2013

[JimB.]

Alright John! Haines City, see you there. Hot an hilly and I mean hilly!
Duane

Yes. Yes it is........... (but only the SECOND half (of the bike) and the first 1 1/2 miles of the (3x) run loop). mHopefully the wind will hold down.......

And I'll be there.........

But the really good thing is that the swim is so shallow if you get REALLY tired you can just stand up. Seriously.

 

[tiberius]

I'm now less than a week from my return to racing with a /70.3 tri in Galveston next weekend. It's been a long recovery after 10 broken bones, surgical repair of my clavicle and other associated injuries after my car-induced wreck back in October. I'm sure I'm not going to be strong enough to come close to a PR for this race, but I think I'm still feeling good enough to put a strong effort out, perhaps my second or third best 70.3 time.

With some luck I think I can finish in the mid 6 hour range and maybe a bit below that. In the long run, well 48 days to be more specific, I have my real test with Ironman Texas on my schedule. Back in October my surgeon thought I was crazy to think IM was possible in less than seven months. However, my recovery was such that he did clear me back in late January to begone training, and since then my coach says--and I can tell--that I am on schedule for being able to complete the race.

 

[John VN]

I'm now less than a week from my return to racing with a /70.3 tri in Galveston next weekend. It's been a long recovery after 10 broken bones, surgical repair of my clavicle and other associated injuries after my car-induced wreck back in October. I'm sure I'm not going to be strong enough to come close to a PR for this race, but I think I'm still feeling good enough to put a strong effort out, perhaps my second or third best 70.3 time.

With some luck I think I can finish in the mid 6 hour range and maybe a bit below that. In the long run, well 48 days to be more specific, I have my real test with Ironman Texas on my schedule. Back in October my surgeon thought I was crazy to think IM was possible in less than seven months. However, my recovery was such that he did clear me back in late January to begone training, and since then my coach says--and I can tell--that I am on schedule for being able to complete the race.

Super good luck with the race. Keep us posted.

 

[Duanerice]

Way to bounce back Richard. Didn't even know about your "incident". So glad you are back out there.
Duane

 

[tiberius]

Way to bounce back Richard. Didn't even know about your "incident". So glad you are back out there.
Duane

Thank! I guess that was due to my slow return back to the Tri Thread. The short story was that I was hit from behind by a vehicle's side view marrow, which caused me to flip over my handlebars and head/shoulder into the road, break bones in at least ten places including four places to the collar bone. The rest of the breaks we'e to the shoulder blade and ribs. My bike helmet was cracked completely through the padding in several places, likely saving me from worse injury

All told, I had some pretty bad injuries but I could have been much worse off. I may have had to tone back my high spring expectations, but at least I'm able to do this again, and I'm still hoping to do pretty well with what fitness I have reclaimed.

I'll be back to update after my race.

 

[John VN]

Thank! I guess that was due to my slow return back to the Tri Thread. The short story was that I was hit from behind by a vehicle's side view marrow, which caused me to flip over my handlebars and head/shoulder into the road, break bones in at least ten places including four places to the collar bone. The rest of the breaks we'e to the shoulder blade and ribs. My bike helmet was cracked completely through the padding in several places, likely saving me from worse injury

All told, I had some pretty bad injuries but I could have been much worse off. I may have had to tone back my high spring expectations, but at least I'm able to do this again, and I'm still hoping to do pretty well with what fitness I have reclaimed.

I'll be back to update after my race.

Amazing! I wouldn't be surprised if being in shape helped prevent even more serious injuries.

 

[tiberius]

Amazing! I wouldn't be surprised if being in shape helped prevent even more serious injuries.

That's been suggested to me, also that being in shape positively contributed to my speedier than usual recovery. Even my surgeon told me I was ahead of his best case scenario. Now he says he will be there to watch me do Ironman Texas in May.

 

[Duanerice]

That's been suggested to me, also that being in shape positively contributed to my speedier than usual recovery. Even my surgeon told me I was ahead of his best case scenario. Now he says he will be there to watch me do Ironman Texas in May.

Cool! Glad you're back.
Duane

 

[ironz]

Whoa, Richard! Way to make a comeback. So sorry about your crash!

We might be down at IM Texas to watch...have lots of friends and teammates doing it. Will let you know. Good luck this weekend at Galveston!

 

[garneska]

No lessons this week just practice. The good news I am a swimmer, and hubby verified for me. I still have a long way to go, but i have 2 months till the race so hopefully i can get better.

My training day today was excellent. I did cover 1/4 mile swim in the pool, if you count my laps with the kick board. Then went out and ran 2.6 miles. I can definitely tell my bread and butter is in the run. Tomorrow will go for a bike ride.

Am just so excited that i can make it to the end of the pool

 

[Duanerice]

Yea! That is a good feeling isn't it?

 

[hungrygreenhippo]

I'm looking for some advice on clipless shoes. I went to the local bike shop and tried on a bunch of different pairs. It seems like it's more common to see bike shoes with velcro straps, but oddly the pair that I found most comfortable has laces. I'm thinking that in a triathlon the velcro would be faster in transition, am I right? I'm not looking to be uber competitive in my first tri, so on one hand the few extra seconds it takes to lace up probably doesn't matter. But I was wondering how long a pair of bike shoes typically lasts? If I do end up liking triathlons and want to be more competitive in the future I don't want to regret my purchase. Maybe I should go with my second choice even though the shoes weren't quite as comfortable?

 

[paxsarah]

Hi all! I saw this thread and thought I'd pop in. I have my first tri of the season tomorrow, a sprint - it was my first ever triathlon a year ago, so I'm looking forward to an apples-to-apples comparison in my times.

Hungrygreenhippo, I would definitely skip the shoes with laces - I can't even imagine fumbling with those things in transition. Of course, this is coming from someone who bought bike shoes online never having tried them on. Bike shoes seem to be a long-term investment - I got mine over a year ago and they're still going strong.

 

[dewingedpixie]

I may be nixing my triathlons this year. 1 triathlons cost money and I will be spending enough money with a disney wedding. 2 I would like to really focus on my running. Running is my strongest leg.

I will be running my first marathon this year and I will be working with a coach (yes this costs money too). My reasoning is that in 18 months I'd like to qualify for boston before I cant. I'm having more and more issues these days with my joints and I've finished a half iron, I'm not sure I can con a full out of my medical team. Boston would mean a lot to me. It is a race of elites . I'd love to be able to say I qualified with arthritis.

 

[tiberius]

I came back to report that I survived the weekend 70.3 in Galveston. As was expected, I got slower across the board (given my injury recovery and all that) by 21 minutes but I still finished with my second fastest time of 6:13:04 in the distance. In reality this was probably a best case scenario for me: I got to race, I had fun and I finished well.

Next up is a local sprint tri in 4 weeks and then Ironman Texas a few weeks later if all goes well.

Thanks for all the support!

 

[John VN]

Richard-Great job!!!! Lots of success in the future events.

Pi}{ie-Even though you don't like me from that other thread, , I suspect you will also be successful in your endeavours and make Boston with time to spare. Good Luck.

McFlurry John

 

[dewingedpixie]

Richard-Great job!!!! Lots of success in the future events.

Pi}{ie-Even though you don't like me from that other thread, , I suspect you will also be successful in your endeavours and make Boston with time to spare. Good Luck.

McFlurry John

I like you fine we just have different opinions on things . Opinions are like voluntary anal sphincters we all have one so its best to accept that and move on.

I also don't have OA, I have RA/AS a very different animal. A very very crappy animal. Hence my urgency to get this done last couple of years have been a real uphill battle for me.

 

[Stitch_lover_Sith]

Pixi, I think you need to follow what you need to do. Last year I decided to focus on the run and went from a 2:40 half marathon to a 2:03 half marathon. I think this set me up for the best time to go for an Ironman. Boston is like Kona for me a very nice pipe dream. So go for what you think is best for you and your life.

Also just letting people know that soon you will be able to purchase champion system gear including the tri stuff in WISH.

 

[Duanerice]

I'm looking for some advice on clipless shoes. I went to the local bike shop and tried on a bunch of different pairs. It seems like it's more common to see bike shoes with velcro straps, but oddly the pair that I found most comfortable has laces. I'm thinking that in a triathlon the velcro would be faster in transition, am I right? I'm not looking to be uber competitive in my first tri, so on one hand the few extra seconds it takes to lace up probably doesn't matter. But I was wondering how long a pair of bike shoes typically lasts? If I do end up liking triathlons and want to be more competitive in the future I don't want to regret my purchase. Maybe I should go with my second choice even though the shoes weren't quite as comfortable?

Hey there,
I've never heard or laced bike shoes. Maybe they are for off road. Get the Velcro. And yes, they will last many years if you get a decent pair. Mine are on year 3. Funny but when I bought my first pair I was struggling paying, at that time $150 for a pair of bike shoes. Then I got to thinking, these would last years and I was buying a new pair of $120 running shoes every 6 months.
Duane

 

[Duanerice]

Nice race Richard. That is a decent time, nothing to scoff at.

John, nice riding with you last week. You blew the doors off. I knew I had to run, no way I could keep that pace and run too. See you at the race.

I'm heading to New Orleans 70.3 this week. Actually we are going for the food and there just happens to be a race Sunday Unfortunately my wife cannot make it so I am going alone. We usually make a vacation of it but not this year. That's OK as I will have some of my best friends there.
enjoy,
Duane