Question:

I am going to do a sprint triathlon in less than two weeks and was wondering does anyone have any advice on improving the transition from bike to run in so much that after I get off the bike I don,t experience cramp in my legs. ive practiced and found that it takes 3 km before I can start running at full speed and as the run is only 5 km you can see my predicament thanks in advance rob

Ah, the joy of the brick.  The only way to decrease the dead legs feeling off the bike it to do bricks in training.  With 2 weeks to go, a few workouts will probably not make much difference but a good habit to get into is to run after every bike ride, even if you just run 1-2 miles.  This will force your legs over time to become used to running off the bike.  Start the run with a quick but shorter stride and increase to your normal stride as your legs recover. Good luck, dont worry about your speed so much if its your 1st race just go out and enjoy it! Mark Roberts

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but a good habit to get into is to run after every bike ride, even if you just run 1-2 miles.  This will force your legs over time to become used to running off the bike.

There are varying theories on the topic of how often one should run just off the bike, but in general I agree with your idea. The other component (besides the physical aspect of feeling like your legs were replaced with your grandma’s) is the mental:  for the past (insert time spent on the bike here) you have been whizzing along at 18-25 mph; suddenly, you shift into what appears to be a running form and suddenly the scenery is no longer whizzing by you…it is just kind of sitting there.  It can be a strange sensation until you are used to it…if that makes any sense. Mike C

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I always find that it is good to periodically straighten your legs out toward the end of the ride by either standing or getting off the saddle and leaning forward slightly.  No matter what, your legs will probably feel dead.  I agree with Mark also that you shouldn’t worry so much about performance in your fist tri…have fun with it. Mike

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Question:

I find the Benijesrit litiany against fear quiet effective. Brian P "fear is the little death" Casey That’s Bene Gesserit, and the litany against fear is only effective for those who have proven themselves truly human by passing the Gom Jabbar.

I use that too! Outstanding. Although I have not passed the Gom Jabbar I have removed about 1000m of fixed ropes from the cave ‘Antre des Damnes’ (Lair of the Damned) in the Vercors with the help of only two other fools in a single trip. That beats any steenking Gom Jabbar. Rob ‘I will not fear’ Knell

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I find the Benijesrit litiany against fear quiet effective. Brian P "fear is the little death" Casey That’s Bene Gesserit, and the litany against fear is only effective for those who have proven themselves truly human by passing the Gom Jabbar.

C’mon Brian, everyone knows Gom Jabbar is a fictional character from Star Wars. Stop teasing people by setting tasks they can never complete. Who’s this Benny guy? I’ve never heard of him, though. Is he in The Phantom Menace? Greg Banner

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I find that beer works well though I feel it may impact on my race performance

Liquor is quicker.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I find the Benijesrit litiany against fear quiet effective. Brian P "fear is the little death" Casey That’s Bene Gesserit, and the litany against fear is only effective for those who have proven themselves truly human by passing the Gom Jabbar. I use that too! Outstanding. Although I have not passed the Gom Jabbar I have removed about 1000m of fixed ropes from the cave ‘Antre des Damnes’ (Lair of the Damned) in the Vercors with the help of only two other fools in a single trip. That beats any steenking Gom Jabbar. Rob ‘I will not fear’ Knell

The Gom Jabbar is not a test of courage, it is a test of awareness, about which your escapades prove little.  The test is whether one’s awareness of the consequences overcome one’s base instinct to withdraw from the pain.  Your hollow boastinga are worthy of a Harkonnen.

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ever read DUNE?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I find the Benijesrit litiany against fear quiet effective. Brian P "fear is the little death" Casey That’s Bene Gesserit, and the litany against fear is only effective for those who have proven themselves truly human by passing the Gom Jabbar. C’mon Brian, everyone knows Gom Jabbar is a fictional character from Star Wars. Stop teasing people by setting tasks they can never complete. Who’s this Benny guy? I’ve never heard of him, though. Is he in The Phantom Menace? Greg Banner

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ever read DUNE?

Self evidently not. Greg Banner – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I find the Benijesrit litiany against fear quiet effective. Brian P "fear is the little death" Casey That’s Bene Gesserit, and the litany against fear is only effective for those who have proven themselves truly human by passing the Gom Jabbar. C’mon Brian, everyone knows Gom Jabbar is a fictional character from Star Wars. Stop teasing people by setting tasks they can never complete. Who’s this Benny guy? I’ve never heard of him, though. Is he in The Phantom Menace? Greg Banner

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I have competed in about 30 sprint distance triathlons over the last 6 years and I still get the jitters.  I find it really important to ignore everyone around you and focus totally on your own performance.  When I know my only TRUE competitor is myself, I am more relaxed.  Plus, a little pre-race anxiety only makes the event sweeter when you cross the finish line and realize ‘you did it!’ * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

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Good advice for pre-anything jitters is to breathe deeply and concentrate on being calm.  Familiarity with whatever gives you the jitters will help – so by your third or fourth race hopefully you’ll feel like an old hand at it. Best of luck! johnwalt – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering what other people do to calm themselves down during pre- race.  I notice that I get nervous and worked up regardless of whether or not I am prepared.  I am looking for ways to remain calm as the ones that I am using now are only semi-effective Thanks Steve Before you buy.

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I have only completed two sprint distance races, so I don’t believe I’m qualified to comment on triathlon specific issues.  But, as an athlete of many years standing (track & field, Aust Rules football, karate, kayaking) I’ve learned over the past 30 years that I perform best when I treat each event as a training session.  My objective is to have my goals for the day defined before arriving at the race and focus on what I need to do to achieve those goals, not whether I’m going to finish 1, 2 or 3 (I wish) or whether I’m going to beat a particular individual.  The key to using this strategy successfully, is to set goals that you can clearly identify as your own, e.g. aim to finish the swim is x minutes or less, bike x hours/minutes or less.  Alternative goals might be simply to _finish_ each leg or, maintain your HR within certain parameters. I guess what all of this planning and goal-setting does in the long run is keep my mind to busy to worry about what anyone else is doing or what _might_ go wrong.  I know that when I get to race day, I will have done everything that I possibly can to allow me to achieve my goals and know that whatever transpires, there will not be anything that I could have forseen so if it happens: it happens.  I suspect you simply don’t have enough to do, mentally, in the final few minutes before the start. The other side of this particular coin though, is that you do not want to eliminate the pre-race nerves entirely, just control them.  My own experience tells me that a certain level of heightened excitement is desirable, I have had experiences in the dim, dark past where I have been so relaxed that I haven’t been able to perform anywhere near my potential.  So, control not elimination is the key. Andy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – .I was wondering what other people do to calm themselves down during pre- race.  I notice that I get nervous and worked up regardless of whether or not I am prepared.  I am looking for ways to remain calm as the ones that I am using now are only semi-effective Thanks Steve What methods are you using now? I try to pretend when I finish the race doesn’t matter and imagine that I am merely out for a fun day outdoors in the fresh air. I take deep breaths and look calmy out into the water. I try not to get caught up in the nervous energy of others by just focusing on my own body and energy Johanna "forever young" Young

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snip …. If i could just figure out how to over come the Peeing so much before the race.  I am still working on that one Ron C

Why do you think they start you in the water? John (I hate being in the last wave….)

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Actually, I *like* the jitters. I used to get very intense ones for ocean races; when that died down I had to escalate to triathlons to bring them back. They’re fading down again…but then my performances are improving, and I expect more of myself; that tends to bring them back up. No goals, no worries. Laurie made the very good point: Physiologically the body feels the same way when it is nervous as when it is excited.  So try to convince yourself that you are excited (positive reaction) instead of nervous (negative reaction).

This is very useful, and not just in this context either. Andrew http://www.cs.ucsb.edu/~aduncan

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I was wondering what other people do to calm themselves down during pre- race.  I notice that I get nervous and worked up regardless of whether or not I am prepared.  I am looking for ways to remain calm as the ones that I am using now are only semi-effective Say it with me: It just doesn’t matter!

I find the Benijesrit litiany against fear quiet effective. Brian P "fear is the little death" Casey

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snip …. If i could just figure out how to over come the Peeing so much before the race.  I am still working on that one Ron C Why do you think they start you in the water? John (I hate being in the last wave….)

And here I thought that warm feeling washing over me before the start was just the building excitement!  ; )

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I find the Benijesrit litiany against fear quiet effective. Brian P "fear is the little death" Casey

That’s Bene Gesserit, and the litany against fear is only effective for those who have proven themselves truly human by passing the Gom Jabbar.

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I find that beer works well though I feel it may impact on my race performance If you’re not a beer drinker, well I also find getting there early, having plenty of time and going for a decent warm up helps. I don’t hang around the transition area looking at all the other bikes/athletes nor do I spend more time on the beach at the swim start that is absolutely necessary. I’m often one of those idiots that gets back to the beach with about a minute to go having had a good swim warm up and bobbed about in the water peering back at the start for a while. I find hop tea works well the night before the race. (Thanks Hannes) Phil

| I was wondering what other people do to calm themselves down during pre- | race.  I notice that I get nervous and worked up regardless of whether | or not I am prepared.  I am looking for ways to remain calm as the ones | that I am using now are only semi-effective | | Thanks | Steve | | | Before you buy.

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I was wondering what other people do to calm themselves down during pre- race.  I notice that I get nervous and worked up regardless of whether or not I am prepared.  I am looking for ways to remain calm as the ones that I am using now are only semi-effective

Say it with me: It just doesn’t matter! IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER! *IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER!* *IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER!* **IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER!** **IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER!** ***IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER!*** ***IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER!*** Because all the cute girls will STILL only go out with the guys from camp Mohawk!

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I have only been doing TRI’s for about a year, but I have raced Motorcycles at the national level for about 10 years.  I have always found the positive visualization is good.  Before the race image yourself in each stage of the race, swimming, bikeing and running.  Keep all your thought positive like you are having the race of your life.  Go over your T1, and T2, and just relax. It really helps to block out everyone else around you.  You will also notice you are much more relaxed during the start of the swim.   I used to get very nervous before the start of the motorcycle races.  Once i started using these techniques my starts improved instantly.  I went from mid pack to the front.  There is a lot of difference injury wise between Tri’s and GNCC racing.  However i have found that the mental aspect between the two are very similiar.  It all boils down into beleiving in yourself and your preparation. If i could just figure out how to over come the Peeing so much before the race.  I am still working on that one Ron C

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I was wondering what other people do to calm themselves down during pre- race.  I notice that I get nervous and worked up regardless of whether or not I am prepared.  I am looking for ways to remain calm as the ones that I am using now are only semi-effective Thanks Steve

Hey, I love pre-race jitters. That’s part of the fun of racing! The anticipation of what’s about to happen, the unknown, being absolutely on the edge,  it’s all part of the fun and worth savoring every race.  Why stay calm? <g I’m serious. Don’t make it a negative. Look at it as a natural part of racing that’s going to happen and you can channel it into productive thinking. The best memory I have of IMC ‘98 is the last 10 minutes before the race. It’s indescribable.  A lot of fear, a lot of doubts, but over and above that, an awesome feeling of being blessed to just be there. And a sense of being absolutely alive right down to every fiber of my body and soul. That doesn’t happen very often. Enjoy the jitters. Mike Tennent "IronPenguin" Ironman Canada ‘98 16:17:03 Great Floridian ‘99, 17:13:38

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I’ve done 40 or so tris, and I still get the jitters at every race.  I think it is just part of the anticipation.  It doesn’t bother me EXCEPT: If I’m driving to the race on race day morning and something holds me up I’m a real bear.  Don’t get in my way!  But once I’m there I just accept the jitters as anticipation, so I expect it to be part of the overall event. Have fun! John

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering what other people do to calm themselves down during pre- race.  I notice that I get nervous and worked up regardless of whether or not I am prepared.  I am looking for ways to remain calm as the ones that I am using now are only semi-effective Thanks Steve Before you buy.

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I was wondering what other people do to calm themselves down during pre- race.  I notice that I get nervous and worked up regardless of whether or not I am prepared.  I am looking for ways to remain calm as the ones that I am using now are only semi-effective Thanks Steve

AHHHH…one of my favorite topics!  In 25+ years of competing I STILL am nowhere near conquering the pre-race jitters.  Just the thought of doing a tri ties my stomach up in knots.  I liken race day to a first date.  It is the uncertainty that causes the butterflies.  Both situations are full of promise and possibilities but also potential disappointment. Others have made great suggestions and some of mine overlap… Keep in mind that it is natural to be nervous.  Physiologically the body feels the same way when it is nervous as when it is excited.  So try to convince yourself that you are excited (positive reaction) instead of nervous (negative reaction).  Of course my mind always tells me something along the lines of "You can’t fool me – I KNOW it is nervousness not excitement!" when I try to convince myself I’m just excited. Having a pre-race strategy and feeling prepared can help ease nerves. Try to get to the race early, set up your transition area in a methodical way, and know what you will do if certain situations should arise during the race.  Have a plan.  If your goggles leak, what is your plan?  If you flat, what is your plan?  Know in advance whether you will wear socks.  All these things help get rid of some of the race day worries. One thing that works REALLY well for me is to focus on my own efforts and not be concerned too much about the competition.  You have no control over what they do so why worry about them?  Focus on what you want to acheive and let the competition HELP you do that by pushing you harder than you would on your own. Alternatively, sometimes it helps to have a friendly competition with a friend of equal abilities.  FRIENDLY is the key word here.  Pretend you are a kid again and are just having fun trying to beat your friend for bragging rights.  Joking around about it before the race helps ease the pressure.  Remember this IS supposed to be fun!  It is just play, not life or death. Don’t take yourself so seriously.  Nobody really cares nearly as much as you do about your performance.  Friends and family won’t think any less of you if you fail to meet your pre-race goals.  It can be a big help to wear a costume or a silly hat or paint your face.  Trust me, from personal experience, it is hard to take yourself too seriously when you are competing wearing dog ears and a cape! Pretending it is just practice is another great strategy.  You don’t normally get nervous when you work out, right?!  Put yourself in the same mindframe. Don’t take any caffeine!  I find I am already jittery enough before a race and coffee/tea/coke will only make that worse! Stretch and jump around a bit to get rid of some of the nervousness. Finally, keep in mind that the nervousness will be over as soon as the race starts and the fun(?!) begins! -hug(who’s still a pre-race headcase!) Before you buy.

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I was wondering what other people do to calm themselves down during pre- race.  I notice that I get nervous and worked up regardless of whether or not I am prepared.  I am looking for ways to remain calm as the ones that I am using now are only semi-effective Thanks Steve Before you buy.

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.I was wondering what other people do to calm themselves down during pre- race.  I notice that I get nervous and worked up regardless of whether or not I am prepared.  I am looking for ways to remain calm as the ones that I am using now are only semi-effective Thanks Steve

What methods are you using now? I try to pretend when I finish the race doesn’t matter and imagine that I am merely out for a fun day outdoors in the fresh air. I take deep breaths and look calmy out into the water. I try not to get caught up in the nervous energy of others by just focusing on my own body and energy Johanna "forever young" Young

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Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Other than Gulf Coast, looking for any 1/2 ironman races for the summer on East Coast to Mid West.  Any comments on Pigman or Buffalo Lake? I’ll second everyone’s recomendations and add one. Blackwater Eagleman, Cambridge MD, seemingly longish swim; flat, scenic, windy bike; flat, hot, out and back run (www.tricolumbia.org/eagleman.htm). Tinman Tri, Tupper Lake NY, nice swim, scenic out and back bike over rolling hills, varied run through town, forest, open highway (www.tupperlakeinfo.com/tinman.html). Odyssey Tri, Colonial Beach VA, haven’t done so I don’t know what it’s like (www.beastoftheeast.com/oar/index.html). Yakabo Before you buy.

Oh, yeah….how could I forget Florida Challenge in Clermont, FL, Lake swim, hilly bike, hot, mostly flat run. — Andrew Peabody/Karen Fisher Coconut Grove, FL

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16th Annual Florida Challenge Triathlon 1.2 swim – 56 bike – 13.1 run Sunday, September 24, 2000 Clermont, Florida Sign up now at cftsommersports.com

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Other than Gulf Coast, looking for any 1/2 ironman races for the summer on East Coast to Mid West.  Any comments on Pigman or Buffalo Lake?

I’ll second everyone’s recomendations and add one. Blackwater Eagleman, Cambridge MD, seemingly longish swim; flat, scenic, windy bike; flat, hot, out and back run (www.tricolumbia.org/eagleman.htm). Tinman Tri, Tupper Lake NY, nice swim, scenic out and back bike over rolling hills, varied run through town, forest, open highway (www.tupperlakeinfo.com/tinman.html). Odyssey Tri, Colonial Beach VA, haven’t done so I don’t know what it’s like (www.beastoftheeast.com/oar/index.html). Yakabo Before you buy.

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I, too, am looking for and east coast 1/2 IM. If I come across any, I’ll post it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Organization: Giganews.Com – Premium News Outsourcing Newsgroups: rec.sport.triathlon Other than Gulf Coast, looking for any 1/2 ironman races for the summer on East Coast to Mid West.  Any comments on Pigman or Buffalo Lake?

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Eagleman is the way to go cause its a IMQ! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Other than Gulf Coast, looking for any 1/2 ironman races for the summer on East Coast to Mid West.  Any comments on Pigman or Buffalo Lake?

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We have one up here in New England. Bill Fisk of FIRM has had his half in Narragansett, RI for the past couple of years. It’s in September so it’s very good timing if you want to spend the season building up to it. Cathy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Other than Gulf Coast, looking for any 1/2 ironman races for the summer on East Coast to Mid West.  Any comments on Pigman or Buffalo Lake?

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I plan to compete (well, at least finish) in the Muncie (Indiana) Endurathon in July.  I have heard nothing but good reviews of this race from everyone I have spoken with.  Supposedly it is well run and has a nice (semi-hilly)course. Other than Gulf Coast, looking for any 1/2 ironman races for the summer on East Coast to Mid West.  Any comments on Pigman or Buffalo Lake?

– Kurt Estes http://www.geocities.com/Pipeline/Rapids/9048/index.html Before you buy.

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Other than Gulf Coast, looking for any 1/2 ironman races for the summer on East Coast to Mid West.  Any comments on Pigman or Buffalo Lake?

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Other than Gulf Coast, looking for any 1/2 ironman races for the summer on East Coast to Mid West.  Any comments on Pigman or Buffalo Lake?

Look into Blackwater Eagleman (Maryland) and Tupper Lake (upstate NY). cheers, Andrew — Andrew Peabody/Karen Fisher Coconut Grove, FL

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Question:

still trying to catch up on RST after a week away… I love reading race reports! A great race report — newbie or not.

Great report! Congratulations and welcome to the very addicting world of triathlon! As others have mentioned, don’t be ashamed of sprints. Thousands of people complete 5K runs every weekend. But how many could do that after swimming and biking??? Re: NYC Central Park is beautiful. I’ve been to NYC twice (both trips were for the Corporate Challenge championships — our team was first in Atlanta) and I still don’t like the city. But, that park is an exception! It sure is fun to run or walk through. David / FEY2K – IMCAL (remove spaces) at att dot net

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Congratulations Debbie! Noticed how you snuck your announcement in here. It should get a post of it’s own. How’d you do? What did you feel? Gonna do it again? What did you like best/worst? Come on, give us a race report! you earned it. SlowIronMike – proof that you don’t have to be fast to earn the title "Iron", just determined

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Todd! Congrats on your 1st tri!  I also just completed (today) my 1st in Cranberry Township, PA, also a sprint distance.  Don’t let anyone downplay a sprint-tri or any tri; you and I have just joined the ranks to title ourselves TRIATHLETES!!!!! Your commentary on your race was hilarious, I LOL’d many times.  I also saw alot of similarities in our experiences. Thanks for a great posting! Debbie Morgan, tri-newbie — Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com Exchange ideas on practically anything ™.

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Hey, Todd Really enjoyed your report — and congratulations.  I used to live full time in NYC and spent A LOT of time running in Central Park.  Now I get there only infrequently and really miss it.  Your report brought back so many images and memories.  Thanks! I did my first tri about a month ago, and share your enthusiasm.  See you at the races!

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Todd! Congrats on your 1st tri!  I also just completed (today) my 1st in Cranberry Township, PA, also a sprint distance.  Don’t let anyone downplay a sprint-tri or any tri; you and I have just joined the ranks to title ourselves TRIATHLETES!!!!! Your commentary on your race was hilarious, I LOL’d many times.  I also saw alot of similarities in our experiences. Thanks for a great posting!   Debbie Morgan, tri-newbie — Posted via Talkway – http://www.talkway.com Exchange ideas on practically anything ™.

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(stuff snipped) Do you really need to quote the entire 10k post that your were praising? JT Visit http://www.jt10000.com/ Cycling, Food and Stories

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Thanks for the race report.  I will tackle my first race on Sept. 12th in Dallas.  I’m getting really nervous since my swimming isn’t so great, but I might as well give it a try.  Hope to meet you there and good luck.                Derek " Never bet with anyone who has a deep tan, squinty eyes, and a one-iron in his bag."

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Awesome racr report. Don’t denigrate the distance. You said it yourself; you’ve got to start somewhere. More important than the distance, you quickly understood the essence of the sport. I hope you have many more years of similar enjoyment. –howard solomon

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Great job, Todd! We respect anyone that can muster up the ambition and committment that it takes to do that first race.  Glad you enjoyed it. Larry – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – DISCLAIMER:  I’m a newbie.  This will likely be laughable to those who have completed longer races, not to mention 1/2 or entire IMs.  (We newbies have to start somewhere, ya know?)

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Great post, Todd! I’ve got my first tri coming up in just  few days ,and was getting, uh, well, very nervous. Your post reminded me that the most important thing is that I get out there and *do* it and have fun! Thanks! Amy — Amy Snyder Hale, GSR Dept of Geology & Planetary Science

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I enjoyed reading your description of your first tri.  Mine will be coming up next month in Alcatraz.  I especially liked your point about everyone being on the same team.  "…And they say this isn’t a team sport.  I think maybe it IS a team sport, only there’s just one great big team made up of all the participants.  The opposing team is failure and its players are chilling water, long steep hills, lactic acid, burning sun, muscle fatigue and self-doubt, along with an entire bench of second-string players just waiting to stand in the way of success." -Frank the first timer

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Todd:  Congrats on your first race but am I right in thinking that the swim took place in the Central Park Reservoir. I think you deserve a medal for bravery. I would think that the monster of the Lake Placid movie would have nothing on what may lurk in those waters. Stephen – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – DISCLAIMER:  I’m a newbie.  This will likely be laughable to those who have completed longer races, not to mention 1/2 or entire IMs.  (We newbies have to start somewhere, ya know?) BACKGROUND: I’ve been cycling since junior high (USCF licensed 2 yrs in high school), running very casually and swam for one year in high school.(really stank at it, but had a blast!)  After spending years enjoying riding in the hills of "Floyd’s Knobs" in Southern Indiana, my cycling took a back seat to pulling all-nighters in college in central Indiana for five years.  I’ve spent the last year and a half enjoying cycling once more in the Texas Hill country!  For the past may months, I’ve been preparing to enter the world of triathlon, appeasing yet another long-standing masochistic tendency. (Others include, cycling, rowing and a degree in engineering) After many bricks and other workouts in 95+ degree temperatures here in Austin, I registered for the 12th Annual Central Park Triathlon, a modified sprint distance event(shorter swim, longer run), in New York City.  I know what you’re thinking, "What kind of an idiot would travel from Texas to NYC for his first triathlon?!"  Having a couple friends from college in the city, I figured such a trip could serve multiple purposes.  Despite my extensive planning, I still underestimated the hassle of successfully transporting a bicycle via airplane.(In retrospect, there was nothing that the Houston airport could screw up that the folks at Laguardia couldn’t more than make up for.  Believe me, Houston tried!  Contrary to popular belief, EVERYONE I dealt with in NYC was GREAT!  Friendly, helpful, funny, etc. Houston, not so much.) To my dismay and confusion, I was faced with some very strange fatigue, dizziness and a fever for about two weeks, just prior to the race.  I had been reading RST for a while to catch various tips, etc. and decided to take first-hand advantage of the resource.  Thanks to Tri-Baby(Tricia), Sunraze(Spencer) and Sea2river(Bob) for your helpful input and suggestions.  A last-minute trip to the doctor confirmed that such discomfort was simply my body fighting off some obscure virus.  Doc told me that aside from discomfort, there was no serious risk, so, "…on to The Big Apple!"  I was SO psyched!!  I LOVE reading all of the great accounts of IMs and other events posted on RST!(So, please take this "rookie report" with an appropriately-sized grain of salt.)  By Friday at noon, the adrenaline-powered butterflies in my stomach masked almost all of my other ailments. REGISTRATION: Consistent with what I’ve read and experienced here on RST, the people I met at registration perpetuated the very friendly, fun-loving, helpful attitude that has made it so easy and so much fun to experience such a great sport for the first time.  I was a little nervous to learn that I was seeded in the first of 4 waves for the swim start the next morning.  After registration, my friends and I enjoyed some carbo-rich pasta at "Paesano of Mulberry Street" in Little Italy.  (GREAT food and service!) RACE DAY: After a semi-restful night’s sleep, I lugged my bike and equipment through the streets of the city that never sleeps to the subway at 5 in the morning.  Yes, I got some strange looks from those still finishing their Saturday nights as I walked through the subway with smooth legs and a bicycle.  By the time we reached Central Park, I was awake enough to realize that despite the almost triple-digit temperatures of the past few weeks, New York City was experiencing an acute cold snap this weekend.  As I nervously prepared my transition area, I introduced myself to some others in my area.  Once again, everyone was super friendly and helpful. SWIM: Now, I’ve raced in bike races while snow and ice were falling from the sky… but THIS WATER WAS COLD!!  Of course, in a bike race, we at least had sleeves, shoes, gloves, hats, etc.  With air temps around the high 60’s and a breeze at 7am, jumping into chilly water in a Speedo is an entirely new experience!  It was almost comical to see all the race marshals trying to get us all in the water to start the race.  I could quickly feel my ears doing strange things in such cold water.  And my muscles were really tight the whole time.  I finished the swim only about 15-20 seconds slower than I had estimated and headed to T1. T1: Battling my body’s tendency to shiver and shake, I clumsily donned my singlet, shoes, gloves and helmet and headed out for the bike. During the last moments of the swim, I began to worry about wind following such a cold water experience.  I think the excitement alleviated those concerns soon after I reached the saddle. BIKE: For the first couple of miles of the bike, my right calf twitched with each pedal cycle, threatening a monster cramp, no doubt just one of the remaining effects of my recent polar swim.  I could envision unrolling about a foot and a half of duct tape, holding one end and bouncing the remainder of the roll on the other end, just waiting for any two adhesive surfaces to randomly join, creating a great big useless wad.  Eventually, things calmed down and I really enjoyed what was the strongest stage for me.  What a way to see Central Park for the first time, huh?  It was absolutely beautiful, even at racing speed!  The first of the two laps of the park was somewhat of a mystery to me.  On the second I was able to really let loose and use the terrain more efficiently.  Race marshals, weekend runners and spectators provided encouraging cheers and motivation.  At one point, I rode past a small family; two adults and two small children, roughly 6-10 years old.  When they saw me coming, the adults started clapping and cheering and the little kids started jumping up and down and yelling, "GO TRIATHLON!!!"  WOW!!  I was fairly well prepared for the physical challenge(except for the COLD water!!); but I had really underestimated the emotional effect of such an event.  (I know, the experience of a spring distance is certainly NOTHING compared to IM!)  These people were cheering for ME?! I was able to use some tips learned here on RST to facilitate a smooth T2.  I stayed on the big ring and got out of the saddle during the last few minutes to get my legs used to supporting all my body weight again. T2: Very uneventful.  In retrospect, however, this was actually a key moment in the race.  For it was during T2 that I hastily removed all my cycling gear, including my *BELOVED* Oakley Eyeshades that I’ve had for a good 10+ years.  At some point, said eyewear found their way out of my "transition region", never to be seen again.  (Oh, the humanity!!) RUN: Of course, the first few steps were a little heavy, but all in all, the run was fine.  I’ve never been a particularly swift runner, so I didn’t expect to gain much time here.  I did, however, once again enjoy the incredible beauty of Central Park.  I also found myself marveling at the incredible camaraderie of triathletes as well.  It seems that each person who passed or was passed offered some sort of encouraging word.  I figured either a.) triathletes were, indeed, just intrinsically good people, or b.) my facial expression appeared so pained that a little verbal encouragement was the least that others could offer in the interest of my well-being.  I’m pretty sure that the former is more accurate. Even the spectators were excited!  I fell asleep last night still reveling in the awesome feeling of running through Central Park amid the cheers and excitement!  For once in my life, I was more than happy to be identified by a number.  For number 41 was a means for anonymous spectators to personally direct sincere encouragement to a total stranger! "Go 41!!!  You’re doing great 41!!  Keep it up!!"  I’ll never forget what that was like! There were tons of other runners in the park that weren’t part of the race.  As such, I was running very close to a bunch of other people at times.  At least 10-15 runners offered a word of encouragement as we passed.  It was GREAT!  At one point, a couple of older guys were jogging the opposite direction and as they passed, with a warm smile, one of them looked me straight in the eye and said, "You’re doin’ great 41!  You go on, son!"  Just something in the way they looked at me as he said that really thrilled me!! …And they say this isn’t a team sport.  I think maybe it IS a team sport, only there’s just one great big team made up of all the participants.  The opposing team is failure and its players are chilling water, long steep hills, lactic acid, burning sun, muscle fatigue and self-doubt, along with an entire bench of second-string players just waiting to stand in the way of success. While running the last few hundred meters I remember passing a couple of girls who were working as course marshals.  As I approached, they cheered me on and pointed me in the right direction.  As I passed, I overheard one saying to the other, "WOW!!!  That’s SO GREAT!  He looks so happy!!  They all look so happy!"  I know that I was probably smiling pretty big by that time, but that didn’t even begin to express how elated I was at that moment!  I can’t even begin to describe it! THE FINISH: For my first race, I was happy to finish 11th in my age group (25-29).  Yet ANOTHER great feeling was had when some of those same folks who were

… read more »

Response:

DISCLAIMER:  I’m a newbie.  This will likely be laughable to those who have completed longer races, not to mention 1/2 or entire IMs.  (We newbies have to start somewhere, ya know?) BACKGROUND: I’ve been cycling since junior high (USCF licensed 2 yrs in high school), running very casually and swam for one year in high school.(really stank at it, but had a blast!)  After spending years enjoying riding in the hills of "Floyd’s Knobs" in Southern Indiana, my cycling took a back seat to pulling all-nighters in college in central Indiana for five years.  I’ve spent the last year and a half enjoying cycling once more in the Texas Hill country!  For the past may months, I’ve been preparing to enter the world of triathlon, appeasing yet another long-standing masochistic tendency. (Others include, cycling, rowing and a degree in engineering)   After many bricks and other workouts in 95+ degree temperatures here in Austin, I registered for the 12th Annual Central Park Triathlon, a modified sprint distance event(shorter swim, longer run), in New York City.  I know what you’re thinking, "What kind of an idiot would travel from Texas to NYC for his first triathlon?!"  Having a couple friends from college in the city, I figured such a trip could serve multiple purposes.  Despite my extensive planning, I still underestimated the hassle of successfully transporting a bicycle via airplane.(In retrospect, there was nothing that the Houston airport could screw up that the folks at Laguardia couldn’t more than make up for.  Believe me, Houston tried!  Contrary to popular belief, EVERYONE I dealt with in NYC was GREAT!  Friendly, helpful, funny, etc. Houston, not so much.) To my dismay and confusion, I was faced with some very strange fatigue, dizziness and a fever for about two weeks, just prior to the race.  I had been reading RST for a while to catch various tips, etc. and decided to take first-hand advantage of the resource.  Thanks to Tri-Baby(Tricia), Sunraze(Spencer) and Sea2river(Bob) for your helpful input and suggestions.  A last-minute trip to the doctor confirmed that such discomfort was simply my body fighting off some obscure virus.  Doc told me that aside from discomfort, there was no serious risk, so, "…on to The Big Apple!"  I was SO psyched!!  I LOVE reading all of the great accounts of IMs and other events posted on RST!(So, please take this "rookie report" with an appropriately-sized grain of salt.)  By Friday at noon, the adrenaline-powered butterflies in my stomach masked almost all of my other ailments. REGISTRATION: Consistent with what I’ve read and experienced here on RST, the people I met at registration perpetuated the very friendly, fun-loving, helpful attitude that has made it so easy and so much fun to experience such a great sport for the first time.  I was a little nervous to learn that I was seeded in the first of 4 waves for the swim start the next morning.  After registration, my friends and I enjoyed some carbo-rich pasta at "Paesano of Mulberry Street" in Little Italy.  (GREAT food and service!) RACE DAY: After a semi-restful night’s sleep, I lugged my bike and equipment through the streets of the city that never sleeps to the subway at 5 in the morning.  Yes, I got some strange looks from those still finishing their Saturday nights as I walked through the subway with smooth legs and a bicycle.  By the time we reached Central Park, I was awake enough to realize that despite the almost triple-digit temperatures of the past few weeks, New York City was experiencing an acute cold snap this weekend.  As I nervously prepared my transition area, I introduced myself to some others in my area.  Once again, everyone was super friendly and helpful. SWIM: Now, I’ve raced in bike races while snow and ice were falling from the sky… but THIS WATER WAS COLD!!  Of course, in a bike race, we at least had sleeves, shoes, gloves, hats, etc.  With air temps around the high 60’s and a breeze at 7am, jumping into chilly water in a Speedo is an entirely new experience!  It was almost comical to see all the race marshals trying to get us all in the water to start the race.  I could quickly feel my ears doing strange things in such cold water.  And my muscles were really tight the whole time.  I finished the swim only about 15-20 seconds slower than I had estimated and headed to T1. T1: Battling my body’s tendency to shiver and shake, I clumsily donned my singlet, shoes, gloves and helmet and headed out for the bike. During the last moments of the swim, I began to worry about wind following such a cold water experience.  I think the excitement alleviated those concerns soon after I reached the saddle. BIKE: For the first couple of miles of the bike, my right calf twitched with each pedal cycle, threatening a monster cramp, no doubt just one of the remaining effects of my recent polar swim.  I could envision unrolling about a foot and a half of duct tape, holding one end and bouncing the remainder of the roll on the other end, just waiting for any two adhesive surfaces to randomly join, creating a great big useless wad.  Eventually, things calmed down and I really enjoyed what was the strongest stage for me.  What a way to see Central Park for the first time, huh?  It was absolutely beautiful, even at racing speed!  The first of the two laps of the park was somewhat of a mystery to me.  On the second I was able to really let loose and use the terrain more efficiently.  Race marshals, weekend runners and spectators provided encouraging cheers and motivation.  At one point, I rode past a small family; two adults and two small children, roughly 6-10 years old.  When they saw me coming, the adults started clapping and cheering and the little kids started jumping up and down and yelling, "GO TRIATHLON!!!"  WOW!!  I was fairly well prepared for the physical challenge(except for the COLD water!!); but I had really underestimated the emotional effect of such an event.  (I know, the experience of a spring distance is certainly NOTHING compared to IM!)  These people were cheering for ME?! I was able to use some tips learned here on RST to facilitate a smooth T2.  I stayed on the big ring and got out of the saddle during the last few minutes to get my legs used to supporting all my body weight again. T2: Very uneventful.  In retrospect, however, this was actually a key moment in the race.  For it was during T2 that I hastily removed all my cycling gear, including my *BELOVED* Oakley Eyeshades that I’ve had for a good 10+ years.  At some point, said eyewear found their way out of my "transition region", never to be seen again.  (Oh, the humanity!!) RUN: Of course, the first few steps were a little heavy, but all in all, the run was fine.  I’ve never been a particularly swift runner, so I didn’t expect to gain much time here.  I did, however, once again enjoy the incredible beauty of Central Park.  I also found myself marveling at the incredible camaraderie of triathletes as well.  It seems that each person who passed or was passed offered some sort of encouraging word.  I figured either a.) triathletes were, indeed, just intrinsically good people, or b.) my facial expression appeared so pained that a little verbal encouragement was the least that others could offer in the interest of my well-being.  I’m pretty sure that the former is more accurate. Even the spectators were excited!  I fell asleep last night still reveling in the awesome feeling of running through Central Park amid the cheers and excitement!  For once in my life, I was more than happy to be identified by a number.  For number 41 was a means for anonymous spectators to personally direct sincere encouragement to a total stranger! "Go 41!!!  You’re doing great 41!!  Keep it up!!"  I’ll never forget what that was like! There were tons of other runners in the park that weren’t part of the race.  As such, I was running very close to a bunch of other people at times.  At least 10-15 runners offered a word of encouragement as we passed.  It was GREAT!  At one point, a couple of older guys were jogging the opposite direction and as they passed, with a warm smile, one of them looked me straight in the eye and said, "You’re doin’ great 41!  You go on, son!"  Just something in the way they looked at me as he said that really thrilled me!!   …And they say this isn’t a team sport.  I think maybe it IS a team sport, only there’s just one great big team made up of all the participants.  The opposing team is failure and its players are chilling water, long steep hills, lactic acid, burning sun, muscle fatigue and self-doubt, along with an entire bench of second-string players just waiting to stand in the way of success. While running the last few hundred meters I remember passing a couple of girls who were working as course marshals.  As I approached, they cheered me on and pointed me in the right direction.  As I passed, I overheard one saying to the other, "WOW!!!  That’s SO GREAT!  He looks so happy!!  They all look so happy!"  I know that I was probably smiling pretty big by that time, but that didn’t even begin to express how elated I was at that moment!  I can’t even begin to describe it! THE FINISH: For my first race, I was happy to finish 11th in my age group (25-29).  Yet ANOTHER great feeling was had when some of those same folks who were strangers earlier that morning before the arctic swim noticed me after the race and we shared stories about our quests!  If I may, not unlike sharing these kinds of experiences with you guys on RST!  I hope to get to meet some of you in person as we all continue our triathletic (is that a word?) careers! Suffice to say, I’m still on cloud nine, having completed my first triathlon, short though it was.  I can’t wait to set my sights on an IM someday!  Until then, I’ve got a date with another sprint-distance on September 12th in Dallas.  Anyone else gonna be there? Thanks for your sharing and for lending an ear … read more »

Response:

Hey – GREAT first race report! Congrats and welcome to the clan. Stop poo-poo’ing sprint distance races! Many people think they’re tougher than longer races due to the higher intensities present in each event. (I’m not in agreement with that – having just completed my first Ironman). Every one of us started out at short distances, and some people (Hug – you listening?) even specialize in them. I firmly plan on doing nothing but sprints next year, I love them! I’m really looking forward to being called a sandbagger! Sorry to hear about the Oakleys. Brian Wagner can probably find you the best deal on new ones <g. I decided on the way home from my first race that someday I’d do an Ironman. Sounds like you did too. Have some fun with shorter stuff first. Great race, great report! Triathletes are a friendly bunch, and it’s been my experience that the longer the distance, the friendlier they are, but the excitement surrounding a whole race full of first timers is nothing short of spectacular. SchwingDing – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – DISCLAIMER:  I’m a newbie.  This will likely be laughable to those who have completed longer races, not to mention 1/2 or entire IMs.  (We newbies have to start somewhere, ya know?) BACKGROUND: I’ve been cycling since junior high (USCF licensed 2 yrs in high school), running very casually and swam for one year in high school.(really stank at it, but had a blast!)  After spending years enjoying riding in the hills of "Floyd’s Knobs" in Southern Indiana, my cycling took a back seat to pulling all-nighters in college in central Indiana for five years.  I’ve spent the last year and a half enjoying cycling once more in the Texas Hill country!  For the past may months, I’ve been preparing to enter the world of triathlon, appeasing yet another long-standing masochistic tendency. (Others include, cycling, rowing and a degree in engineering) After many bricks and other workouts in 95+ degree temperatures here in Austin, I registered for the 12th Annual Central Park Triathlon, a modified sprint distance event(shorter swim, longer run), in New York City.  I know what you’re thinking, "What kind of an idiot would travel from Texas to NYC for his first triathlon?!"  Having a couple friends from college in the city, I figured such a trip could serve multiple purposes.  Despite my extensive planning, I still underestimated the hassle of successfully transporting a bicycle via airplane.(In retrospect, there was nothing that the Houston airport could screw up that the folks at Laguardia couldn’t more than make up for.  Believe me, Houston tried!  Contrary to popular belief, EVERYONE I dealt with in NYC was GREAT!  Friendly, helpful, funny, etc. Houston, not so much.) To my dismay and confusion, I was faced with some very strange fatigue, dizziness and a fever for about two weeks, just prior to the race.  I had been reading RST for a while to catch various tips, etc. and decided to take first-hand advantage of the resource.  Thanks to Tri-Baby(Tricia), Sunraze(Spencer) and Sea2river(Bob) for your helpful input and suggestions.  A last-minute trip to the doctor confirmed that such discomfort was simply my body fighting off some obscure virus.  Doc told me that aside from discomfort, there was no serious risk, so, "…on to The Big Apple!"  I was SO psyched!!  I LOVE reading all of the great accounts of IMs and other events posted on RST!(So, please take this "rookie report" with an appropriately-sized grain of salt.)  By Friday at noon, the adrenaline-powered butterflies in my stomach masked almost all of my other ailments. REGISTRATION: Consistent with what I’ve read and experienced here on RST, the people I met at registration perpetuated the very friendly, fun-loving, helpful attitude that has made it so easy and so much fun to experience such a great sport for the first time.  I was a little nervous to learn that I was seeded in the first of 4 waves for the swim start the next morning.  After registration, my friends and I enjoyed some carbo-rich pasta at "Paesano of Mulberry Street" in Little Italy.  (GREAT food and service!) RACE DAY: After a semi-restful night’s sleep, I lugged my bike and equipment through the streets of the city that never sleeps to the subway at 5 in the morning.  Yes, I got some strange looks from those still finishing their Saturday nights as I walked through the subway with smooth legs and a bicycle.  By the time we reached Central Park, I was awake enough to realize that despite the almost triple-digit temperatures of the past few weeks, New York City was experiencing an acute cold snap this weekend.  As I nervously prepared my transition area, I introduced myself to some others in my area.  Once again, everyone was super friendly and helpful. SWIM: Now, I’ve raced in bike races while snow and ice were falling from the sky… but THIS WATER WAS COLD!!  Of course, in a bike race, we at least had sleeves, shoes, gloves, hats, etc.  With air temps around the high 60’s and a breeze at 7am, jumping into chilly water in a Speedo is an entirely new experience!  It was almost comical to see all the race marshals trying to get us all in the water to start the race.  I could quickly feel my ears doing strange things in such cold water.  And my muscles were really tight the whole time.  I finished the swim only about 15-20 seconds slower than I had estimated and headed to T1. T1: Battling my body’s tendency to shiver and shake, I clumsily donned my singlet, shoes, gloves and helmet and headed out for the bike. During the last moments of the swim, I began to worry about wind following such a cold water experience.  I think the excitement alleviated those concerns soon after I reached the saddle. BIKE: For the first couple of miles of the bike, my right calf twitched with each pedal cycle, threatening a monster cramp, no doubt just one of the remaining effects of my recent polar swim.  I could envision unrolling about a foot and a half of duct tape, holding one end and bouncing the remainder of the roll on the other end, just waiting for any two adhesive surfaces to randomly join, creating a great big useless wad.  Eventually, things calmed down and I really enjoyed what was the strongest stage for me.  What a way to see Central Park for the first time, huh?  It was absolutely beautiful, even at racing speed!  The first of the two laps of the park was somewhat of a mystery to me.  On the second I was able to really let loose and use the terrain more efficiently.  Race marshals, weekend runners and spectators provided encouraging cheers and motivation.  At one point, I rode past a small family; two adults and two small children, roughly 6-10 years old.  When they saw me coming, the adults started clapping and cheering and the little kids started jumping up and down and yelling, "GO TRIATHLON!!!"  WOW!!  I was fairly well prepared for the physical challenge(except for the COLD water!!); but I had really underestimated the emotional effect of such an event.  (I know, the experience of a spring distance is certainly NOTHING compared to IM!)  These people were cheering for ME?! I was able to use some tips learned here on RST to facilitate a smooth T2.  I stayed on the big ring and got out of the saddle during the last few minutes to get my legs used to supporting all my body weight again. T2: Very uneventful.  In retrospect, however, this was actually a key moment in the race.  For it was during T2 that I hastily removed all my cycling gear, including my *BELOVED* Oakley Eyeshades that I’ve had for a good 10+ years.  At some point, said eyewear found their way out of my "transition region", never to be seen again.  (Oh, the humanity!!) RUN: Of course, the first few steps were a little heavy, but all in all, the run was fine.  I’ve never been a particularly swift runner, so I didn’t expect to gain much time here.  I did, however, once again enjoy the incredible beauty of Central Park.  I also found myself marveling at the incredible camaraderie of triathletes as well.  It seems that each person who passed or was passed offered some sort of encouraging word.  I figured either a.) triathletes were, indeed, just intrinsically good people, or b.) my facial expression appeared so pained that a little verbal encouragement was the least that others could offer in the interest of my well-being.  I’m pretty sure that the former is more accurate. Even the spectators were excited!  I fell asleep last night still reveling in the awesome feeling of running through Central Park amid the cheers and excitement!  For once in my life, I was more than happy to be identified by a number.  For number 41 was a means for anonymous spectators to personally direct sincere encouragement to a total stranger! "Go 41!!!  You’re doing great 41!!  Keep it up!!"  I’ll never forget what that was like! There were tons of other runners in the park that weren’t part of the race.  As such, I was running very close to a bunch of other people at times.  At least 10-15 runners offered a word of encouragement as we passed.  It was GREAT!  At one point, a couple of older guys were jogging the opposite direction and as they passed, with a warm smile, one of them looked me straight in the eye and said, "You’re doin’ great 41!  You go on, son!"  Just something in the way they looked at me as he said that really thrilled me!! …And they say this isn’t a team sport.  I think maybe it IS a team sport, only there’s just one great big team made up of all the participants.  The opposing team is failure and its players are chilling water, long steep hills, lactic acid, burning sun, muscle fatigue and self-doubt, along with an entire bench of second-string players just waiting to stand in the way of success. While running the last few

… read more »

Response:

Question:

Well now I am 3 for 3. Yep, three races I desperately wnated to do this year I have been closed out of because of the field limit. I didn’t even get my Alcatraz application in before it closed. Then the Desert Quest adventure race closed. Now, the San Diego Rock and Roll marathon is closed. Maybe it is a sign to stop racing this season. All those rainy days trying to train through El Nino for naught. Boo Hoo !

Why not try some smaller, local (not neccesarly shorter) races?  There usually closer, cheaper and none of that drafting(much less anyway) than the big field races like the GCT.  The local races never fill up ( in my many experiences) I usually sign up race morning and I race almost every week.  I enjoy the small races more actually, I am able to be competitive.  Of course maybe out west you don’t have the numerous races we have in the northeastr, There’s usually 1-3 du’s or tri’s within a 2-3 hour drive of me every weekend from march to october. Tim Hignett Buaidh No Bas -Seeking HQ GD and JGB tape trades,YLGM-

Response:

I understand that there’s plenty of room in the Met-rx 1/2 I-man at Lake Perris in August.

Response:

Well now I am 3 for 3. Yep, three races I desperately wnated to do this year I have been closed out of because of the field limit. I didn’t even get my Alcatraz application in before it closed. Then the Desert Quest adventure race closed. Now, the San Diego Rock and Roll marathon is closed. Maybe it is a sign to stop racing this season. All those rainy days trying to train through El Nino for naught. Boo Hoo !

Response:

Well now I am 3 for 3. Yep, three races I desperately wnated to do this year I have been closed out of because of the field limit. I didn’t even get my Alcatraz application in before it closed.

If you didn’t get into the "Escape", try doing the Envirosports Alcatraz XVIII triathlon on August 15.  It’s called "Alcatraz XVIII" because Envirosports has been putting on this race for 18 years (they were the original Escape from Alcatraz).  The "24 Hour Fitness" people have only been putting their version on for 3 years, with a new race director each year. You can find info about the August 15th race at     http://www.envirosports.com/all_events.html#aug15 Good luck! Tri-Baby                                      _                                   –    o      ’             –  __o       –    </_  `     ‘         –    <         – __/    /o_         – (()) (())        -  / "REAL Triathletes don’t draft." *** Ironman Canada 1997 – 13:04:09 *** http://www.stanford.edu/~brooksie        

Response:

___MAYBE___ it’s a sign to stop procrastinating! <g Or, for the psychologists out there, maybe you really didn’t want to do them anyway. Or, the dog ate the apps, or the mailman threw them in a river in Chicago. (This was meant in a lighthearted manner – all of it) I did the opposite. I signed up for three races WAY WAY in advance, and now can’t do Columbia this weekend because of a bum hamstring. Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well now I am 3 for 3. Yep, three races I desperately wnated to do this year I have been closed out of because of the field limit. I didn’t even get my Alcatraz application in before it closed. Then the Desert Quest adventure race closed. Now, the San Diego Rock and Roll marathon is closed. Maybe it is a sign to stop racing this season. All those rainy days trying to train through El Nino for naught. Boo Hoo !

Response:

Question:

Hi all Has any one heard of running the marathon on as little as 3 miles a day. Someone gave me a training schedule that includes running, AT THE MOST, 21 miles a week, not including the long run.  However, you work up to 26 miles for your long run, which is three weeks prior to Marathon. This program is supposed to help cut down on injuries and prevent you from hitting the "WALL". I like it, on paper at least, because it allows me to fit in Cycling and swimming for my triathlon training, just wondering what you all thought. SCOTT R. — To EMAIL me, please Remove the *** at the end of my address.

Response:

<HTML As I have noted before, I ran a 3:50 marathon on about 2 miles a day, including my long run..&nbsp; (This was my first marathon, and I am a 47 year-old male.)&nbsp; Everyone seems to agree that the key to finishing the marathon is getting in long runs, and I made it up to 20 miles before my marathon.&nbsp; This means that I essentially did all quality runs, and I ran about 1.5 times per week.&nbsp; I also cross-trained, doing about 1.5 hours swimming every other week. <PSo, I think that the program will do exactly as it says.&nbsp; Your crosstraining should help too. <PBob Frick. <BR&nbsp;

<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITEHi all <PHas any one heard of running the marathon on as little as 3 miles a day. <BRSomeone gave me a training schedule that includes running, AT THE MOST, <BR21 miles a week, not including the long run.&nbsp; However, you work up to 26 <BRmiles for your long run, which is three weeks prior to Marathon. <PThis program is supposed to help cut down on injuries and prevent you <BRfrom hitting the "WALL". <PI like it, on paper at least, because it allows me to fit in Cycling and <BRswimming for my triathlon training, just wondering what you all thought. <PSCOTT R. <BR– <BRTo EMAIL me, please Remove the *** at the end of my address.</BLOCKQUOTE &nbsp;&nbsp;</HTML

Response:

Question:

 I was wondering if anyone ever heard about an event called "levi ride and tie" I have friend who did the women triathlon in Maryland and heard about a women by the name of sally Edward’s who competed in an event  called levi ride and tie. Please let where I can find information on such an event. Riaz

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my husband and I just completed the world championships in Ft Bragg California in June, it was a blast!!  you can get more info from their web site at www.rideandtie.org good luck and hope to see you on the trail!!! cheryl miller

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Question:

I heard via the grape line, that David hansen is running an enduro – double super sprint 2x(300m/6km/3km) – event on Monday 10th march – the labour day hoilday – at Mordialloc. This event has been put together suddenely, as a 2nd BRW race because the real BRW had so many entries, but I understand any can enter the enduro, although the closing date is thursday of the week before. Now, wouldn’t this be great fun, but how could you fit this into your training/taper a week before the long course….? Hmm, I think i’ll just have to try…. Cheers, Richard Triathlon Victoria: http;//www.vicnet.net.au/~trivic

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Richard, call it sharpening work and feel like you are doing the right thing, I wouldn’t stress as if you don’t recover relatively comfortably from that Frankston will be tough! By the way in regards to your other hat (tri vic) is it possible for you to get world long course qualifying forms on the web site? Stuart J. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I heard via the grape line, that David hansen is running an enduro – double super sprint 2x(300m/6km/3km) – event on Monday 10th march – the labour day hoilday – at Mordialloc. This event has been put together suddenely, as a 2nd BRW race because the real BRW had so many entries, but I understand any can enter the enduro, although the closing date is thursday of the week before. Now, wouldn’t this be great fun, but how could you fit this into your training/taper a week before the long course….? Hmm, I think i’ll just have to try…. Cheers, Richard Triathlon Victoria: http;//www.vicnet.net.au/~trivic

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Question:

From about 23rd Dec to 3rd Jan I’ll be in Sydney with family and my bicycle. I’m looking for someone to go riding and open water swiming with. I’ll be living in a place called Crows Nest which I’ve been told is just over the bridge from town. Thanks in advance…. Anthony Ham                                 __o      o Palmerston North, N.Z.                    _ <_     <

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Anthony, You should contact Triathlon NSW and get the phone numbers of some of the North Shore Clubs. Balmoral are not too far away and seem to be very active. Paul mentions Centennial Park. This is a large pack forms there and rides sunday mornings. There are also a number of groups that meet at Centennial park and ride south ( towards where I live). There is a good ride to a place called Waterfall, bike lane most of the way. From you can come back the same way or loop thru the Royal national Park, lots of good hills, extend down freeway to Wollongong etc — Ian Lilly                                         Phone  +61 2 879 9500 Marketing Manager                                 Home   +61 2 523 1509 Mining and Petroleum Industries                   FAX    +61 2 879 9585 Silicon Graphics Inc, Intercontinental Area       Voicemail       58890 Up and down the lane I go, day after day, year after year.       ,===/o__

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Question:

Last week I posted an article asking about a Triathlon Web page.  I didn’t get any response, save for those wanting to be cc’d any info I got.  I think it’s high time triathletes had this convenient/valuable resource available to them. I will volunteer to set up the server and build the first few documents for a triathlon web page.  But, I need people to help supply information and other ideas as to what a Web page should have available.  I’ve seen people post race announcments and results in this newsgroup; perhaps these same people could submit some of this and other stuff (even in HTML) for this project?

I’ve recently toyed with the same idea, since I finally got a SLIP connection   and Mosaic.  I was amazed to learn that it is not that difficult to compose the Web pages.  But, since you’re volunteering…  Maybe the best approach would be to ask people what they would like to see on some Web pages.  Good luck, and I’ll give you the address for my page if it ever gets completed!

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Last week I posted an article asking about a Triathlon Web page.  I didn’t get any response, save for those wanting to be cc’d any info I got.  I think it’s high time triathletes had this convenient/valuable resource available to them.

I didn’t respond because I have no clue what a "Web page" is. Can you describe this? Rolf Arands

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Last week I posted an article asking about a Triathlon Web page.  I didn’t get any response, save for those wanting to be cc’d any info I got.  I think it’s high time triathletes had this convenient/valuable resource available to them.

This would be cool. One idea I had was to have "locals" post race descriptions of various races around the country. This would be an easy place for someone from out of town or a beginner (or a new pro perhaps) get info on races. It would also let the local people (or people who have done the race already) not feel guilty for not responding every time someone asked about the race course. Just remember how many people wanted IMC course descriptions? I do. Also, I of course would be willing to write some things up for races I have been to. myke morgan —

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Last week I posted an article asking about a Triathlon Web page.  I didn’t get any response, save for those wanting to be cc’d any info I got.  I think it’s high time triathletes had this convenient/valuable resource available to them. I didn’t respond because I have no clue what a "Web page" is. Can you describe this? Rolf Arands

Lot of people may be able to describe this better than I can, but here’s my shot at  a description of the World Wide Web and various home pages. Have you ever used "HYPERCARD" on a macintosh, or any of the windows help files on a PC ?  Notice that you can click on a "button" or a string of text, and it takes you to another place in the file or program … (This is a real important concept, so if you don’t understand someone can probably explain it better or more fully.) Now imagine if there were a system that allowed you to do the same thing, click on a button or some high-lighted text, and instead of moving around in the same document/file you could move to another file, or even to a file on a completely different computer !!  That’d be a killer application wouldn’t it … ? Now imagine that someone has developed such a system and hands out the programs to access these documents for free, no charge, pub domain. If you want more of the technical details, read the faq in comp.infosystems. www.*** The one drawback to this system which is called the World Wide Web (www) or just the web, is that you need to really be on the INTERNET.  Some of the dial-up services such as aol don’t support running the clients (mosaic, lynx, etc.)  Others such as delphi may … The documents that you set up can be just text, or can also contain pictures or sound files.  If you follow me so far you can see that this allows you to have an on-line magazine, except better.  And if QRman wants to do some advertising he doesn’t have to even send all his advertisements to the "home page" location, he can just ask to have a widget on the home page which points to his web site.  If someone reading the r.s.t home page decides they want to see his stuff they just click on his button and "poof" (high tech computer lingo) they are now looking at pictures of me and Rolf in QR suits, spraying pam on each other, or pictures of JJ doing wheelies on his Kilo, and reading his new sales prices.  Click on another button and go someplace different on the Internet. It’s very hard to describe, but very cool and easy to use.  I suggest that you find some way to run mosaic and give it a test drive. PS – I have 5 whole months experience dealing with this stuff, and I suggest that we consider having the home page give you an option of a text only browser or mosaic, and very few in-line gifs.   Let me know if you want any help tagging. tony

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I didn’t respond because I have no clue what a "Web page" is. Can you describe this?

In April 1993 (I think) the first product of months of development at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications was finally ready for release: Mosaic.  Like its predecessors, WAIS and Gopher, Mosaic was an information tool which employed two kinds of software – a server and a client. The former (which now has several varieties in the public domain) is software that _serves_ the user by transmitting information to his/her client software running at thier end (at home, work, etc).  This service, which has come to be the largest part the Internet information network (or "World Wide Web"), has been very successful because of its multimedia capabilities.  WAIS and Gopher are text-based whereas Mosaic displays pictures, animation, and plays sound. In order to access the Web you must configure your client software (or browser utility) for use on whatever platform you use.  IBM-PC, Mac and several kinds of UNIX systems are supported.  More information and executable files are available at the FTP site ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu.  For PC’s connected via modem, you must have access to SLIP or PPP protocol to use the WWW. Hope this answers everyone’s initial questions about the Web… R. Ross Holder, Jr.                  | DISCLAIMER: The views expressed above Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada           | by any organization I represent.

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Can you describe this? I second the request, what the %$#&$* is a WEB page?

WEB is a "pet name" for World-Wide Web (www or w3) Definition: WWW is a system for disseminating Internet resources through servers and retrieving hypermedia resources through browsers. What IS IT? The WorldWideWeb (W3) is the universe of network-accessible information, an embodiment of human knowledge. It is an initiative started at "CERN" (Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire = European Laboratory for Particle Physics, Geneva, Switzerland), now with many participants. It has a body of software, and a set of protocols and conventions. W3 uses "hypertext" and multimedia techniques to make the web easy for anyone to roam browse, and contribute to. WHAT IS HYPERTEXT Hypertext is text which is not constrained to be linear, a text which contains "links" to other texts. HyperMedia is a term used for hypertext which is not constrained to be text: it can include graphics, video and "sound", for example. Mosaic is the most famous www browser, but is not the only one. NCSA Mosaic is a client for network distributed hypermedia information. It exists for Windows (PC), Macintosh, X-Windows and NeXT. Other www Browsers: – Lynx  (for vt100-like terminals. only hypertext, no multimedia) – Samba (for Macintosh) – MacWeb (for Macintosh) – Viola (for X-Windows) and others. Another one is Netscape. It is by far better than Mosaic and has special features for newsgroups. It is still a Beta version though. WHAT A HELL IS A WEB PAGE? Now what is a HOME PAGE? A home page, or Web page, is just a hypertext document. It can have multimedia as well (sound, pictures…). When its address in the internet is known, anyone in the world connected to the internet can browse it, read, watch, hear, enjoy whatever is there in the page. This means that if a server (somewhere in the world) serves a triathlon home page, all of us (since we already are connected to the internet) can access it and read race results (almost in real time), FAQ, hints, triathlon clubs in the world, race schedules, etc. whatever you think might be usefull to know by triathletes Hope this helps. Try the web you’ll fall in love with it. PS: I already have the triathlon FAQ in my personal home page. It is accessible by anyone. The address is the following: http://fas.sfu.ca/1/cs/people/GradStudents/zaiane –Osmar           &         (o o) School of Computing Science| phone :  604 939 7574 |               e/  ATH Simon Fraser University    |    or :  604 291 4302 |  _^o    __o    |   LON V5A 1S6 Canada             |                       |        0/ 0       -o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-   http://fas.sfu.ca/1/cs/people/GradStudents/zaiane —           &         (o o)

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Last week I posted an article asking about a Triathlon Web page.  I didn’t get any response, save for those wanting to be cc’d any info I got.  I think it’s high time triathletes had this convenient/valuable resource available to them. I didn’t respond because I have no clue what a "Web page" is. Can you describe this?

I second the request, what the %$#&$* is a WEB page? —  Jack Birecree, Eastman Kodak Company  Phone (716) 726-9629  Any opinions expressed herein belong to me and not to my employer.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – (Rolf Arands) writes: I didn’t respond because I have no clue what a "Web page" is. Can you describe this? In April 1993 (I think) the first product of months of development at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications was finally ready for release: Mosaic.  Like its predecessors, WAIS and Gopher, Mosaic was an information tool which employed two kinds of software – a server and a client. The former (which now has several varieties in the public domain) is software that _serves_ the user by transmitting information to his/her client software running at thier end (at home, work, etc).  This service, which has come to be the largest part the Internet information network (or "World Wide Web"), has been very successful because of its multimedia capabilities.  WAIS and Gopher are text-based whereas Mosaic displays pictures, animation, and plays sound. In order to access the Web you must configure your client software (or browser utility) for use on whatever platform you use.  IBM-PC, Mac and several kinds of UNIX systems are supported.  More information and executable files are available at the FTP site ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu.  For PC’s connected via modem, you must have access to SLIP or PPP protocol to use the WWW. Hope this answers everyone’s initial questions about the Web… R. Ross Holder, Jr.                  | DISCLAIMER: The views expressed above Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada           | by any organization I represent.

Just to clarify… the above is true for Mosaic NCSA’s Web Browser (and .x versions of NCSA’s httpd (Web server). The first Web servers and clients were developed at CERN at least one year earlier. — Ed Furia                        University Computing (812) 855-3002                  Bloomington, IN

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I agree,it’s a great idea !!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I will volunteer to set up the server and build the first few documents for a triathlon web page.  But, I need people to help supply information and other ideas as to what a Web page should have available.  I’ve seen people post race announcments and results in this newsgroup; perhaps these same people could submit some of this and other stuff (even in HTML) for this project? R. Ross Holder, Jr.                  | Robert Zacharias & Ross Holder Consultant                           | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada I think this is a great idea!!  I don’t know how I might help but would be prepared to take some active role if you need an New Zealand connection. Some comments:: Race results/reports would be a great idea.                 A training tip/contribution page!                 New Gear review perhaps? Come on people, this is worth getting behind.

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I will volunteer to set up the server and build the first few documents for a triathlon web page. I think this is a great idea!! I agree,it’s a great idea !!

I also think it’s an awesome idea. Many sports already have their own home pages on the World Wide Web; tennis, soccer, etc. even running. But there is nothing for our favorite sport. When I started builing my home page, I searched in vain a http anchor for triathlon. I used the triathlon FAQ posted in this newsgroup in august and posted again by Larry Chapman october the 2cd to build a Triathlon frequently asked questions home page. You can access it through my home page: URL:   http://fas.sfu.ca/1/cs/people/GradStudents/zaiane with Mosaic or Lynx. Just click on "See what Osmar has to say…" then on "Triathlon". I’ll make it directly accessible (without going through my hp) as soon as figure out how the GN server and the cache file allow it. You’ll also be able to access it with gopher very soon. Regards, –Osmar           &         (o o) School of Computing Science| phone :  604 939 7574 |               e/  ATH Simon Fraser University    |    or :  604 291 4302 |  _^o    __o    |   LON V5A 1S6 Canada             |                       |        0/ 0       -o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-   http://fas.sfu.ca/1/cs/people/GradStudents/zaiane —           &         (o o)

Response:

Last week I posted an article asking about a Triathlon Web page.  I didn’t get any response, save for those wanting to be cc’d any info I got.  I think it’s high time triathletes had this convenient/valuable resource available to them. I will volunteer to set up the server and build the first few documents for a triathlon web page.  But, I need people to help supply information and other ideas as to what a Web page should have available.  I’ve seen people post race announcments and results in this newsgroup; perhaps these same people could submit some of this and other stuff (even in HTML) for this project? Again if there _is_ a triathlon Web pages somewhere else…could someone let me know before I start duplicating something that’s already been done? Thanks… R. Ross Holder, Jr.                  | Robert Zacharias & Ross Holder Consultant                           | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

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I will volunteer to set up the server and build the first few documents for a triathlon web page.  But, I need people to help supply information and other ideas as to what a Web page should have available.  I’ve seen people post race announcments and results in this newsgroup; perhaps these same people could submit some of this and other stuff (even in HTML) for this project? R. Ross Holder, Jr.                  | Robert Zacharias & Ross Holder Consultant                           | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

I think this is a great idea!!  I don’t know how I might help but would be prepared to take some active role if you need an New Zealand connection. Some comments:: Race results/reports would be a great idea.                 A training tip/contribution page!                 New Gear review perhaps? Come on people, this is worth getting behind.

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