Question:

Thanks for info.  I am fairly new here also.  My real name is Ethan Turner.  I use the handle because I have worked all my life at some type of radiological facility.  I am 31 years old with type 1.  I started having symptoms about 6 months ago or more (but was not initially aware of why I had them) and was officially diagnosed 2 months ago and started on insulin at that time.  I realized that I had a problem when I came home, walked up the street to my mother-in-law’s house, checked my blood sugar with her meter, and found it to be 306. This was (and still is) the worst blood sugar I have ever seen. Fortunately for me, I never went through a ketoacidosis-induced collapse and wound up in the hospital like so many with type 1.       My family doctor initially misdiagnosed it as type 2 and told me that it could be managed with a low-carb diet.  The problem (both with his diagnosis and remedy) was that I was and still am a competitive triathlete and I typically train 5 – 10 hours per week at the swimming, bike riding, and running.  I have no family history of diabetes and am not, nor was overweight.  People like myself are not supposed to get type 2, thus I was very skeptical of his diagnosis. Sure enough, the tests results from my endocrinologist confirmed my worst fears – that I really had type 1 and would likely spend the rest of my life insulin dependent.   For me, the most depressing time was when I was controlling my blood sugars with diet.  I felt as if everywhere I went, I was surrounded by poison and was limited to eating things like subway chicken salads and fried eggs.  Not that these things are bad, but when they become your only option, it is very tiresome.  For this reason, I actually felt better the day I started on insulin, since I could then start introducing some carbs into my diet again and also start swimming more than 2000 yds at a time. I have read and heard about brittleness and I am trying to do everything I can to avoid becoming brittle.  I believe the key is to preserve both residual beta cell function and counter-regulatory response.  I believe that my counter-regulatory response is improving now because I am much less prone to hypoglycemia during long swims and bike rides than I was when I first started using insulin.  I have also figured out that high intensity exercise (like 100 yd sprints in the pool) is less likely to cause hypoglycemia than the slow easy stuff. I am also looking into experimental drugs that will stop the destruction of residual beta cells. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hello,     My name is Darla Jean. I use jeana for news groups. I’m just lurking for now but wanted to introduce myself. I’m 38, look young and perfectly healthy for my age but don’t let the outside fool you. I’ve had brittle uncontrollable type 1 diabetes for 14 years now. My dad died at age 30 and his was so bad, when he was diagnosed at the age of 24 with type 1, they gave him two years to live. He lived to be 30 and took very good care of his self. Most people think that there are only type one and two but there are actually so many different types within those types and this disease is so diverse and complicated and not one diabetic is the same. I was on FIVE shots a day for years and did not improve. My A1c was so high. Then I went on the insulin pump and it has helped my glucose levels by 50%. However, i take about 13 prescription medications that I have to have to survive on due to diabetes complications just from having the disease all these years.     I recently lost my second dad this past Christmas Eve to pulmonary fibrosis and this has caused a lot of stress and I almost died in the hospital a couple of months ago. It’s been a night mare for the whole family this past year.     I take great care of myself but I have these blood diseases that makes your triglycerides extremely high no matter what you do. It comes with the type of diabetes I have. Several doctors have told me it doesn’t matter if i weighed 99 lbs or 500 lbs or what i ate, I would still have that problem because they have seen records of me very thin and heavier for many years and being thinner or eating better didn’t improve certain things. So don’t feel bad when you think your doing everything possible but still dont’ get results. Sometimes it’s just your body and chemistry is different and you have to try that much harder. My triglycerides were over 700 and then after seven months of taking two meds that they promised would bring them down like a power house, (zocor and zetia) my cholesterol and other lipids did come down, but my triglycerides went from 700 to over 2300. They don’t see how I can be alive by all medical records. Now they put me on advicore and in one month they went from 2300 to 491. They are getting better and im so happy but the side effects are so painful and hard to deal with.     I tell you this not to complain but to encourage ones that have a hard time and are tired of people telling them they aren’t doing right or they are cheating on their diet because until they’ve walked in your shoes, they need to keep their mouth shut. If you really are doing what your supposed to, You know and God knows. They used to accuse my real dad of cheating because his would go down as low as 20 and by law you should be dead at that glucose level and they checked his brain waves and never even had damage. His would go so high the machine couldn’t register it. It bounced around so much but when they would have him in the hospital, controlling every move he made and everything he ate, then they would see that he wasn’t like every diabetic they had dealt with and they would be fustrated because they couldn’t put him in a category with everyone else and didn’t know what to do. When a doctor don’t have an answer for something, they usually try to blame it on you. Make you feel like you are doing something wrong. Sometimes it may be true, but don’t buy into this guilt trip they try to lay on you when you know you are doing everything possible. It’s not easy and it’s a daily struggle as we all know so hang in there and encourage one another. Help each other with information we have and I pray each and every one of you have good family support because it’s very important.     Sorry if I went on too long. I will shut up now and lurk.     I’m inserting a pic of me below.

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I too lurk here, but being t2 I post in alt.support.diabetes. Welcome, these people here a wealth of information and advice. Take the best… ignore the rest… Good fortune and the best of synergy with the universe. quirque

Response:

hi Darla Jean…welcome to this newsgroup. I’m Steve and I was diagnosed with Type 1 when I was 6 yrs old. I have been diabetic for 36 years. I have fortunately been complication free – only last year trace amounts of microprotein started showing up in my urine so I put on an ARB. Two years ago I purchased a MiniMed 508 insulin pump and I hope all of these things will help me live a long and productive life. I am very sorry to hear about your recent tragedies and I would like you to know that you have many friends with open hearts and ears in this group. Welcome. — Steve Type 1 DM since 1967 Toronto, ON Canada

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello,      My name is Darla Jean. I use jeana for news groups. I’m just lurking for now but wanted to introduce myself. I’m 38, look young and perfectly healthy for my age but don’t let the outside fool you. I’ve had brittle uncontrollable type 1 diabetes for 14 years now. My dad died at age 30 and his was so bad, when he was diagnosed at the age of 24 with type 1, they gave him two years to live. He lived to be 30 and took very good care of his self. Most people think that there are only type one and two but there are actually so many different types within those types and this disease is so diverse and complicated and not one diabetic is the same. I was on FIVE shots a day for years and did not improve. My A1c was so high. Then I went on the insulin pump and it has helped my glucose levels by 50%. However, i take about 13 prescription medications that I have to have to survive on due to diabetes complications just from having the disease all these years.      I recently lost my second dad this past Christmas Eve to pulmonary fibrosis and this has caused a lot of stress and I almost died in the hospital a couple of months ago. It’s been a night mare for the whole family this past year.      I take great care of myself but I have these blood diseases that makes your triglycerides extremely high no matter what you do. It comes with the type of diabetes I have. Several doctors have told me it doesn’t matter if i weighed 99 lbs or 500 lbs or what i ate, I would still have that problem because they have seen records of me very thin and heavier for many years and being thinner or eating better didn’t improve certain things. So don’t feel bad when you think your doing everything possible but still dont’ get results. Sometimes it’s just your body and chemistry is different and you have to try that much harder. My triglycerides were over 700 and then after seven months of taking two meds that they promised would bring them down like a power house, (zocor and zetia) my cholesterol and other lipids did come down, but my triglycerides went from 700 to over 2300. They don’t see how I can be alive by all medical records. Now they put me on advicore and in one month they went from 2300 to 491. They are getting better and im so happy but the side effects are so painful and hard to deal with.      I tell you this not to complain but to encourage ones that have a hard time and are tired of people telling them they aren’t doing right or they are cheating on their diet because until they’ve walked in your shoes, they need to keep their mouth shut. If you really are doing what your supposed to, You know and God knows. They used to accuse my real dad of cheating because his would go down as low as 20 and by law you should be dead at that glucose level and they checked his brain waves and never even had damage. His would go so high the machine couldn’t register it. It bounced around so much but when they would have him in the hospital, controlling every move he made and everything he ate, then they would see that he wasn’t like every diabetic they had dealt with and they would be fustrated because they couldn’t put him in a category with everyone else and didn’t know what to do. When a doctor don’t have an answer for something, they usually try to blame it on you. Make you feel like you are doing something wrong. Sometimes it may be true, but don’t buy into this guilt trip they try to lay on you when you know you are doing everything possible. It’s not easy and it’s a daily struggle as we all know so hang in there and encourage one another. Help each other with information we have and I pray each and every one of you have good family support because it’s very important.      Sorry if I went on too long. I will shut up now and lurk.      I’m inserting a pic of me below.

Response:

Question:

Hi, I am looking for a windows based application that allows to register all intermediary and final times of participants in a triathlon. Can anyone help me? — regards, David

Response:

Hi, I am looking for a windows based application that allows to register all intermediary and final times of participants in a triathlon. Can anyone help me? — regards, — groetjes, David

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Question:

   Well it is finally here, the day that triathlon becomes the most popular sport in the world. At around 9 p.m. EST when the first women’s olympic tri is finished over 40 billion (zillion, quadrillion) people will leap off their couch (bench, grass mat) and realize that they have witnessed the one thing that has been missing from their life… draft legal triathlon. Everyone that is except U.S. citizens who will see 5 minutes of the race next Thursday, in between Coke ads and features on koala bears and Paul Hogan.    Over the next couple of weeks shares of Litespeed and Saucony will become the darlings of Wall Street. Tiger Woods will become passe. Nike will feature "I want to be like Simon" (Lessing) ads. Wetsuits will become the fashion statement of the youth.    Races will start to fill up 1,2 and 3 years in advance.    If everything that Les, the ITU, the IOC and many apologists from RST have predicted is true the exposure that draft-legal triathlon gets tonight will knock the NFL off the sports page of the Des Moine Register along with every other newspaper in the world. I mean what other reason could there be to bastardize a sport except for this kind of recognition.    This newsgroup should attract thousands, no millions of new members with insightful questions on the zone diet, leg shaving and why Dan never uses capital letters.   And whoever wins tonight will be the greatest woman triathlete in the world. (Except for Lori, Heather, Paula, Melissa, etc.)   I am just happy to be alive and to have been involved in the beginning of the greatest moment in sports history. Now that Juan Antonio is stepping down I nominate Les as czar of the Olympic movement. Imagine what he could do for all the sports after what he’s done for triathlon.   Triathlon soon to be the world’s most popular sport (at least until archery is shown on Wednesday.) Bill (trying not to sound to cynical) Smith

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man, i’ve seen a few rants in my time, but I nominate this one for an RST emmy.  good job.  I’m rooting for paul hogan.  Tiger said he plans to compete age group next year anyway. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    Well it is finally here, the day that triathlon becomes the most popular sport in the world. At around 9 p.m. EST when the first women’s olympic tri is finished over 40 billion (zillion, quadrillion) people will leap off their couch (bench, grass mat) and realize that they have witnessed the one thing that has been missing from their life… draft legal triathlon. Everyone that is except U.S. citizens who will see 5 minutes of the race next Thursday, in between Coke ads and features on koala bears and Paul Hogan.    Over the next couple of weeks shares of Litespeed and Saucony will become the darlings of Wall Street. Tiger Woods will become passe. Nike will feature "I want to be like Simon" (Lessing) ads. Wetsuits will become the fashion statement of the youth.    Races will start to fill up 1,2 and 3 years in advance.    If everything that Les, the ITU, the IOC and many apologists from RST have predicted is true the exposure that draft-legal triathlon gets tonight will knock the NFL off the sports page of the Des Moine Register along with every other newspaper in the world. I mean what other reason could there be to bastardize a sport except for this kind of recognition.    This newsgroup should attract thousands, no millions of new members with insightful questions on the zone diet, leg shaving and why Dan never uses capital letters.   And whoever wins tonight will be the greatest woman triathlete in the world. (Except for Lori, Heather, Paula, Melissa, etc.)   I am just happy to be alive and to have been involved in the beginning of the greatest moment in sports history. Now that Juan Antonio is stepping down I nominate Les as czar of the Olympic movement. Imagine what he could do for all the sports after what he’s done for triathlon.   Triathlon soon to be the world’s most popular sport (at least until archery is shown on Wednesday.) Bill (trying not to sound to cynical) Smith

Before you buy.

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I agree, his post was indeed funny.  Also, in reading USA Today, noticed an article in there about NBC’s plans to "showcase" both triathlons in their coverage, with about an hour’s worth of the women and 50 or so minutes of the men…. But as in the old Stephen Wright joke, "…not in a row…" Should be interesting/maddening to watch… Mike C

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OUTSTANDING! My hat is off to you, sir.  Well put. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    Well it is finally here, the day that triathlon becomes the most popular sport in the world. At around 9 p.m. EST when the first women’s olympic tri is finished over 40 billion (zillion, quadrillion) people will leap off their couch (bench, grass mat) and realize that they have witnessed the one thing that has been missing from their life… draft legal triathlon. Everyone that is except U.S. citizens who will see 5 minutes of the race next Thursday, in between Coke ads and features on koala bears and Paul Hogan.    Over the next couple of weeks shares of Litespeed and Saucony will become the darlings of Wall Street. Tiger Woods will become passe. Nike will feature "I want to be like Simon" (Lessing) ads. Wetsuits will become the fashion statement of the youth.    Races will start to fill up 1,2 and 3 years in advance.    If everything that Les, the ITU, the IOC and many apologists from RST have predicted is true the exposure that draft-legal triathlon gets tonight will knock the NFL off the sports page of the Des Moine Register along with every other newspaper in the world. I mean what other reason could there be to bastardize a sport except for this kind of recognition.    This newsgroup should attract thousands, no millions of new members with insightful questions on the zone diet, leg shaving and why Dan never uses capital letters.   And whoever wins tonight will be the greatest woman triathlete in the world. (Except for Lori, Heather, Paula, Melissa, etc.)   I am just happy to be alive and to have been involved in the beginning of the greatest moment in sports history. Now that Juan Antonio is stepping down I nominate Les as czar of the Olympic movement. Imagine what he could do for all the sports after what he’s done for triathlon.   Triathlon soon to be the world’s most popular sport (at least until archery is shown on Wednesday.) Bill (trying not to sound to cynical) Smith

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Wow. You know you’ve dropped of the edge when you get that from Brian… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OUTSTANDING! My hat is off to you, sir.  Well put.    Well it is finally here, the day that triathlon becomes the most popular sport in the world. At around 9 p.m. EST when the first women’s olympic tri is finished over 40 billion (zillion, quadrillion) people will leap off their couch (bench, grass mat) and realize that they have witnessed the one thing that has been missing from their life… draft legal triathlon. Everyone that is except U.S. citizens who will see 5 minutes of the race next Thursday, in between Coke ads and features on koala bears and Paul Hogan.    Over the next couple of weeks shares of Litespeed and Saucony will become the darlings of Wall Street. Tiger Woods will become passe. Nike will feature "I want to be like Simon" (Lessing) ads. Wetsuits will become the fashion statement of the youth.    Races will start to fill up 1,2 and 3 years in advance.    If everything that Les, the ITU, the IOC and many apologists from RST have predicted is true the exposure that draft-legal triathlon gets tonight will knock the NFL off the sports page of the Des Moine Register along with every other newspaper in the world. I mean what other reason could there be to bastardize a sport except for this kind of recognition.    This newsgroup should attract thousands, no millions of new members with insightful questions on the zone diet, leg shaving and why Dan never uses capital letters.   And whoever wins tonight will be the greatest woman triathlete in the world. (Except for Lori, Heather, Paula, Melissa, etc.)   I am just happy to be alive and to have been involved in the beginning of the greatest moment in sports history. Now that Juan Antonio is stepping down I nominate Les as czar of the Olympic movement. Imagine what he could do for all the sports after what he’s done for triathlon.   Triathlon soon to be the world’s most popular sport (at least until archery is shown on Wednesday.) Bill (trying not to sound to cynical) Smith

Response:

   Well it is finally here, the day that triathlon becomes the most popular sport in the world. At around 9 p.m. EST when the first women’s olympic tri is finished over 40 billion (zillion, quadrillion) people will leap off their couch (bench, grass mat) and realize that they have witnessed the one thing that has been missing from their life… draft legal triathlon. Everyone that is except U.S. citizens who will see 5 minutes of the race next Thursday, in between Coke ads and features on koala bears and Paul Hogan.    Over the next couple of weeks shares of Litespeed and Saucony will become the darlings of Wall Street. Tiger Woods will become passe. Nike will feature "I want to be like Simon" (Lessing) ads. Wetsuits will become the fashion statement of the youth.

        Considering Nike is about to sign Tiger to a $100 million (US) contract, I am thinking Lessing might crank up his driver! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    Races will start to fill up 1,2 and 3 years in advance.    If everything that Les, the ITU, the IOC and many apologists from RST have predicted is true the exposure that draft-legal triathlon gets tonight will knock the NFL off the sports page of the Des Moine Register along with every other newspaper in the world. I mean what other reason could there be to bastardize a sport except for this kind of recognition.    This newsgroup should attract thousands, no millions of new members with insightful questions on the zone diet, leg shaving and why Dan never uses capital letters.   And whoever wins tonight will be the greatest woman triathlete in the world. (Except for Lori, Heather, Paula, Melissa, etc.)   I am just happy to be alive and to have been involved in the beginning of the greatest moment in sports history. Now that Juan Antonio is stepping down I nominate Les as czar of the Olympic movement. Imagine what he could do for all the sports after what he’s done for triathlon.   Triathlon soon to be the world’s most popular sport (at least until archery is shown on Wednesday.) Bill (trying not to sound to cynical) Smith

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Question:

        Many elite triathletes use them during some training.   The resident triathletes at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs use them for some workouts. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : Is there anybody out there that is not an elite runner using this : thing? Does anybody now how many "elite" athletes are actually using HRM’s? Seems to me most of them would rely on their own feelings, rather than carry HRM – at their level of concentration, plus a coach working for you, most of elite runners wouldn’t need to rely on HRM – or at least I would assume so. — Oleg Shpyrko The opinions expressed are not necessarily yours.

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On another note:  check out www.gssiweb.com. You will need to go thru some of the site to find the article on HRMs but it is worth it.

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Oleg, I think that the higher use of HRM’s by triathletes is that, generally speaking, triathletes are really into having a lot of equipment kicking around. Running is by far a less complicated activity from a number of different perspectives. The "best time" to use a HRM is debatable.It certainly is helpful on the easy days and long run days in keeping the HR down, which is the whole point of the exercise. As for the hard days, personally, when I am training alone, I find it informative – knowing roughly where I am in terms of exertion. However, when I go out for a hard day with a group(intervals or tempo run), usually I just wear a wrist watch and don’t concern my self with HR. I find that this helps with pace knowledge and how to run in a group – drafting, leading, surging etc. . the kinds of conditions you find when racing. Steve Fleck Very nice post, basically confirms what I would have assumed. I also have a feeling that HRM’s are used by triathletes more than by runners or bikers. Why is that? Is it because Polar tries to use triathlon as an advertisement base (with millions people "jogging" thru marathons marathons are being replaced by triathlons – that’s where "Iron men" are. ? Or is it spesifics of a triathlon training? I would assume that HRM’s are very useful during interval training, or tempo runs. I personally don’t use HRM’s (yet) – during intervals it’s enough that I have to check my own splits pushing my watch buttons – I don’t want to waste time trying to get readings off HRM. Besides I believe it’s better to stay concentrated and

evaluate how you feel – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – all the time – after all heart rate is not everything. It would probably be a useful tool for recovery runs – to make sure that they are really "recovery" and not "slow tempo" runs Still, it’s probably nice hi-tech gizmo to play with for beginners who want to monitor their efforts. Oleg

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: Oleg, : : I think that the higher use of HRM’s by triathletes is that, generally speaking, : triathletes are really into having a lot of equipment kicking around. Running is : by far a less complicated activity from a number of different perspectives. : I think Stephen is at least partiallly right. It does seem like triathletes are very into trinklets and doo-dads Running is a less complicated activity from the perspective of technology, I think. CGYH

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POssible for advanced training. Helps with two kinds of problems: People who plateau because they don’t train hard enough.  You’ll find you may not be working your heart fast enough. People who train too hard, esepcially long runs for a marathon. You’ll may find you can run for tens of minutes longer without tiring, by just slowing 5 BPM or so.

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: Does anybody now how many "elite" athletes are actually using HRM’s? Anecdotal evidence only, but here goes… I’ve seen Doug Bell, one of the top master’s runners in the US, at several races.  He has always had on a HRM. One friend is a 2:18 marathoner.  Never used an HRM to my knowledge. One of his friend’s is a 2:12 (2:14?) marathoner.  In the years they ran together, he never used one, but then popped up in Runner’s World one day touting them. Jon Sinclair (American record holder at 12k) coaches several people locally.  He recommends an HRM (at least for east days). Another friend (female) is a 2:52 marathoner.  She uses one daily. I got one for Christmas.  For me, the benefits are not yet too clear.  I think it has helped me go easier on recovery days.  On hard days, right now I’m pretty much just collecting data. It probably is great for some, and not much help for others.  If I were a starving student, I wouldn’t bother.  If you have the disposable income to get one, it depends on how much you like toys. -pfrench

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: Is there anybody out there that is not an elite runner using this : thing? Does anybody now how many "elite" athletes are actually using HRM’s? Seems to me most of them would rely on their own feelings, rather than carry HRM – at their level of concentration, plus a coach working for you, most of elite runners wouldn’t need to rely on HRM – or at least I would assume so. —  Oleg Shpyrko The opinions expressed are not necessarily yours.

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: Is there anybody out there that is not an elite runner using this : thing? Does anybody now how many "elite" athletes are actually using HRM’s? Seems to me most of them would rely on their own feelings, rather than carry HRM – at their level of concentration, plus a coach working for you, most of elite runners wouldn’t need to rely on HRM – or at least I would assume so. —  Oleg Shpyrko The opinions expressed are not necessarily yours.

Elites/non-Elites and HRM use: From what I have seen HRM use amongst elite endurance athletes is that some do and some don’t. Some of the top triathletes for example seem to be slaves to their HRM. Always use it in training. Always use it when racing and always quote workouts in terms of HR%. Of course it has to be kept in mind that some of these guys are sponsored by Polar. On the other hand, have you ever seen a Kenyan wearing a HRM in training or in a race.These guys don’t even bother wearing wrist watchs most of the time. For some reason I can’t picture Dan Komen standing on the side of the track, after finishing a 800m interval,tapping his foot, waiting for his HR to drop back below his "training zone". For years I trained without one and I have achieved a modest amount of success(Consistant top 3 in age group at Ironman Canada). Recently I started using one. Although, my wife uses it more and it was for her that we really bought it. She was starting back to running after the birth of our first child and was worried about over doing it too soon. For this type of application – non elite concerned about exertion or does not know the various levels of exertion – I believe that the HRM can be a valuable tool. My wife has slowly been building up her long runs with out going too hard. Walking when she needs to and picking it up when the HR drops off. As for me, I found it interesting using the HRM for some of my benchmark workouts in cycling and running(the long day, the tempo workout, the interval session). All these years, I had been working out at roughly the right levels – the easy days were easy, keeping the HR down on the long days and the hard days were pushing the upper end towards my max – and it has showed in my performances. HRM’s can be a good training tool for anyone – elite, non-elite or people like me who fall somewhere in between. It’s not an absolute essential for effective training, but used wisely it can reveal some important information. Steve Fleck

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Yes Yes Yes.   I just bought a new Polar SmartEdge.  I works in conjuction with many of  the aerobic apparati at my gym  (stat. bikes, treadmills, stair climbers)  I cant tell you how much I have enjoyed knowing more about my body. I have lost 3-5 lbs of body fat in the last 2.5 weeks because I have forced myself into training within the IN TZ (monitor lingo) Do it man you will reap great benefits from the thing.  It will keep you going.   IF you buy buy Polar  I’ll get them to drop you a line keep me posted Mike

Response:

I wouldn’t be without "the option" of using a HRM. One can learn a lot about training effort, effect while using a HRM. There are  times when it’s just not worth being nagged by the darn thing too. Leave it behind and go out and run as you’re inclined. With / without ~~ each has its merits. Many, many runners use an HRM. Many don’t. There have been, and will continue to be, many dicussions about the merits (and inhibitions) of HRM. It’s just another tool. The more tools you have in your tool box, the more options you have! I’m rather new to running.  (8 months, 20 races including one marathon in 4:26) I’m considering buying a heart rate monitor for training. Is it worth the money, or just something most people buy and never use after the first week. Since I don’t know anyone using one, I can’t borrow one beforehand to test it. Is there anybody out there that is not an elite runner using this thing?

ME! Many others too. ;~}  Denny Anderson  To ERR is human… to ZIN, divine!

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I’m rather new to running.  (8 months, 20 races including one marathon in 4:26)

20 races in 8 months, that’s one helluva start!!! Congratulations. Is it worth the money, or just something most people buy and never use after the first week.

Good question. Without a doubt, used properly, an HRM is likely to be a useful *aid* in any long term training program. The real question is bang/buck. You can get most of the information easily and CHEAPLY with the most basic of HRM’s. Taking Polar (top quality), their Beat model pitches in at just 80 USD. Heck, that’s barely the price of one pair of shoes. That got to be of interest to any ’serious’ runner. However, even though it gives you the information you requre, who wants such a basic model??? Stopwatch would be nice?? NightLight?? Programmable Training Zones?? Coded Transmission?? Memory?? with average and max HR ?? Recovery Times?? and so the list goes on… Are all these non-essential but ‘nice-to-have’ features worth the extra??? You can easily pay more than twice the price of the basic model, but is your training going to doubly benefit??? Methinks there is some pretty astute marketing ploy at work here.   Miles — Cut the 0_fin~SPAM_  to email back to me

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I’m rather new to running.  (8 months, 20 races including one marathon in 4:26) I’m considering buying a heart rate monitor for training. Is it worth the money, or just something most people buy and never use after the first week. Since I don’t know anyone using one, I can’t borrow one beforehand to test it. Is there anybody out there that is not an elite runner using this thing? hendrik

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Question:

        I vote for running.  You will burn more calories in the same amount of time running as cycling.         But, it depends:  If you want to ride a century, get on a bike.  If you want to run a 10K, run.  If you want general fitness, do either for 30 minutes or so.  You can also alternate every other day (add swimming and I will soon see you on rec.triathlon!).         It is harder to get your heart rate to the same level cycling since you are not supporting your own body weight. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello     I was hoping you could share any relevant facts you may have on this subject.  If I run at 65-70 % of max heart rate vs. Riding my bike at 60-70% max heart rate for the same amount of time…. which provides a better workout.  Which of these will produce the most bang for the buck as far as physical conditioning? Thanks Dave Frenz

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Hello      I was hoping you could share any relevant facts you may have on this subject.  If I run at 65-70 % of max heart rate vs. Riding my bike at 60-70% max heart rate for the same amount of time…. which provides a better workout.  Which of these will produce the most bang for the buck as far as physical conditioning? Thanks Dave Frenz

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Sam is right. As a triathlete I run to improve my aerobic fitness, and bike to improve my leg strength. Running gets the heart rate higher and keeps it there with the same perceived effort, and cycling usually has too many obstacles (downhills, traffic lights, etc.) to allow you to maintain the same consistent high output. For most people running is aerobics-limited–it is limited by your aerobic capacity. As a long-time cyclist and avid (but slow) runner, I find that cycling for me is strength-limited–my muscles run out before my lungs do. You can do intervals with either and get out of breath, that’s not the point. For distance or tempo workouts, though, running creates more improvement in cardivascular fitness, and cycling builds bigger muscles. Without running, my cycling would be aerobics-limited. I can run until I’m dead, and then get on the bike and ride for another hour. Unfortunately, most triathlons make me do the reverse. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    I vote for running.  You will burn more calories in the same amount of time running as cycling.    But, it depends:  If you want to ride a century, get on a bike.  If you want to run a 10K, run.  If you want general fitness, do either for 30 minutes or so.  You can also alternate every other day (add swimming and I will soon see you on rec.triathlon!).    It is harder to get your heart rate to the same level cycling since you are not supporting your own body weight. Hello     I was hoping you could share any relevant facts you may have on this subject.  If I run at 65-70 % of max heart rate vs. Riding my bike at 60-70% max heart rate for the same amount of time…. which provides a better workout.  Which of these will produce the most bang for the buck as far as physical conditioning? Thanks Dave Frenz

Rick Denney Take what you want and leave the rest.

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   I vote for running.  You will burn more calories in the same amount of time running as cycling.    But, it depends:  If you want to ride a century, get on a bike.  If you want to run a 10K, run.  If you want general fitness, do either for 30 minutes or so.  You can also alternate every other day (add swimming and I will soon see you on rec.triathlon!).    It is harder to get your heart rate to the same level cycling since you are not supporting your own body weight.

Agree with Sam, but here’s another aspect: Most long distance programs call for a large percentage of time at about 60%-70% MHR. It is less "abusive" to the body to do those 2-3 hours on a bike than by running.  The aerobic conditioning should be the same if you stay in the HR zone. Riding a bike for 2-3 hours will not train you to do a marathon, of course. Specific muscle endurance is a big factor,  but doing LSD training on a bike can contribute to the same overall aerobic conditioning while decreasing the chance of injury. But as Sam says, if you want to run 10Ks, then run. My suggestion makes a lot more sense to a triathlete than a pure runner. But casual runners might think about it also. Mike "TriBop" Tennent Remove "nospam." for email reply IMC ‘98 IronVirgins Website http://www.gate.net/~wbrunner/imc_iv.htm WebRunner Running Page http://www.gate.net/~wbrunner/running.htm My Model Railroad Layout http://www.gate.net/~wbrunner/srr.htm

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Question:

Has anyone done this race and could email/post a few comments about the race and the course? I will probably be in that area at that time and am thinking of racing this triathlon. Thanks in advance, Chris Mueller

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The race stars in Hawthorn park in Terre Haute, IN. A wetsuit swim. No waves in the lake. The shore is close for the timid. The bike is a slightly rolling for a few miles but basically a flat asphalt course. It is an out and back scenic route. The run is partially through the trails and woods and some ashpalt. Out and back too. This is the 11th year for the race 1k swim 40K bike and 8K run. Great awards and food. This triathlon is like the old triathlons used to be. No drafting and if you swim, bike, and run fast you will win or place in your age group. There is a limit of 250 for the race. Safety for the athletes is the our number one concern. Call 812-238-7311 for info.

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Has anyone done this race and could email/post a few comments about the race and the course? I will probably be in that area at that time and am thinking of racing this triathlon. Thanks in advance, Chris Mueller

I have been looking for entry info for this race.  Can somebody send me a phone number or email point-of-contact so that I can get entry info. Thanx.

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Question:

Hello there! I have a question… Do you have any idea of the qualifying time required in order to be able to be in the USA team for Sidney? Or the equivalent in time for each split… I know that you have to be very fast, but what is it? 1.5kS: 40kB: 10kR: Thanks — fabien "ZeBigFrenchMan" For the joy of Triing

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hello there! I have a question… Do you have any idea of the qualifying time required in order to be able to be in the USA team for Sidney? Or the equivalent in time for each split… I know that you have to be very fast, but what is it? 1.5kS: 40kB: 10kR: Thanks — fabien "ZeBigFrenchMan" For the joy of Triing

thinking of trying out fabien? how do you expect to get to sidney if you won’t even do coeur d’alene with us? k. — The opinions expressed in this message are my own personal views and do not reflect the official views of Microsoft Corporation.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – says… Hello there! I have a question… Do you have any idea of the qualifying time required in order to be able to be in the USA team for Sidney? Or the equivalent in time for each split… I know that you have to be very fast, but what is it? 1.5kS: 40kB: 10kR: Thanks — fabien "ZeBigFrenchMan" For the joy of Triing thinking of trying out fabien? how do you expect to get to sidney if you won’t even do coeur d’alene with us? k. — The opinions expressed in this message are my own personal views and do not reflect the official views of Microsoft Corporation.

Yeah right, me trying that? 15-16 minutes swim, 55 minutes bike and 30 minutes run? In another life time!!! — fabien "ZeBigFrenchMan" For the joy of Triing

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello there! I have a question… Do you have any idea of the qualifying time required in order to be able to be in the USA team for Sidney? Or the equivalent in time for each split… I know that you have to be very fast, but what is it? 1.5kS: 40kB: 10kR: Thanks — fabien "ZeBigFrenchMan" For the joy of Triing

If I’m not mistaken, the first requirement is to be highly ranked on the ITU draftathon cirquit. Only ITU ranked athletes will be allowed to be sent to the Olympics unless the policy changes between now and then. If they are qualified by the ITU they can be selected by their home country to compete. It has been expressed that under current conditions the USOC would probably not bother to send anyone since there are no Americans on the current ranking who would be highly probable of winning a medal(after all, medals are what it’s all about). There are currently 50 available spots allotted for the triathlon (I’m not sure if this is 50 total, or 50 men, 50 women). Odd, since ITU claims over 100 member nations, most of whom will be left out under this plan. Someone correct me if I’ve got my facts wrong, but this is how I interpret what I’ve read. Good luck, Fabien (BTW, figure a 1.5/40/10 time in the mid 1:40s) Andrew Peabody Miami Beach — Internet Communications Of America

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Question:

< However, I think <this whole phil bashing thing, is based on the fact? (facts are <getting very blurred in this thread) that Phil MAY have been <passing himself off as an MD. THIS is what most people here have <taken offence to.  < I know Phil isn’t a doctor, I also know he is right into <triathlon and improving performance of athletes Does anybody have any information as to if and when Maffetone passed himself off  with the title MD (medical doctor).  I agree that is a legitimate criticism if this were the case, it’s not if it isn’t the case.  Anybody have first-hand knowlege, when and where used the title MD? Then let Maffetone have an opportunity to respond on RST.  Also, wouldn’t be nice if the extremistl pro and anti maffetone forces could have a discussion on this issue in a civil manner? Wavespeed

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First let me tell you that I am an M.D.  Phil Maffetone is a D.C. – Doctor of Chiropractic – or so I am told.  I do not think he passes himself off as an M.D.  It may be that he allows others to assume that he is an M.D. After all, he is properly addressed as Dr. Maffetone.  It would become tiresome to continually correct others about his credentials. I think most M.D.’s and PhD’s have a different problem with Dr. Phil.   Several alert R.S.T.-ers have commented that one cannot find any research under his name on Medline.  Medline is the world’s largest computerized database of medically-related research.  It references hundreds of thousands to millions of published articles on this research – including psychosocial, public health, orthopedic, sports medicine, etc, etc.  To be included, the research must be published by a peer-reviewed journal in an area of proven scientific validity. "Peer-reviewed" means that fellow scientists in the same field have reviewed the research. They have found that it is scientifically well done and that the conclusions are (therefore) reasonable.  This is why Medline does NOT include journals published by individuals, drug companies, or pharmaceutical industry publications.  It also does not include popular press magazines, such as "Triathlete" or "220", for the same reasons. "Proven scientific validity" means that the area of research has a firm scientific footing.  This is why Medline does not include journals dedicated to supernatural healing techniques.  Medline often includes discussions of such techniques written in scientific medical journals.  It is not uncommon to find reviews of alternative therapies in scientific journals.  Alternative therapies, by definition, have not been proven scientifically to be valid.  This is why no alternative therapy journals are (to my knowledge) included in Medline. Dr. Phil has no published articles on Medline to my knowlege.  This implies is that his theories are not generally accepted as scientifically proven.  It does not imply that they are wrong, just unproven.  For me this means CONSUMER BEWARE.  Use at your own risk. Training methods which are reasonable in the light of current knowlege are more likely to be beneficial than those without a firm basis in proven facts.  Sports mags (& R.S.T) are full of good facts, off-the-cuff theorizing, and anecdotes which may bear little general truth.  Just watch your wallet and your health. Byron

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After reading the posts regarding Maffetones credentials and related topics over the last few weeks/months it’s time for me to say something.  Seeing Philip Maffetone’s note today, and a few others has inspired me. Triathlon racing and training is a highly individual sport.  Everyone has different ways of racing and training.  Through processes of trial and error, we all find what works best for us.  Unfortunately, the american culture has inflicted us with a desire for the "quick fix, immediate gratification, magic pill…"  As a result, we want to know the best way to train, the best food to eat, the best ratios of food to eat, best bike to ride, etc.  If it works for some pro, we figure it will work for us.  If it works for the guy who wins our age group, we figure it will work for us.  The truth is, what’s best for someone else is exactly that, the best for someone else.  That does not necessarily mean it is the best for us. IMHO, the true magic and beauty of this sport is not the conquering of courses or victory over others, but what is learned about ourselves in this process of training and racing.  By learning about ourselves and our bodies we can begin to use all the data, scientific or not, to maximize our own performance.  There is a lot of information out there.  I read the books and magazines and apply some of what I read and hear and then see how it works for ME.  The fact that it doesn’t work for me does not mean that it is wrong.  It means simply that it doesn’t work for my body and my mind.  This information might come from a PhD or an article by a pro with no formal education at all.  Where it comes from is a moot point.  That it does or does not work for ME is what counts.   What it all comes down to is this.  Find what works for you.  Then do it.  Chances are you won’t be a superstar overnight as there is more to learn about yourself than you think.  Take in all the information you can and then experiment.  But at the same time, get off people like Maffetone and others.  These people are not forcing you to do what they say or even listen.  Those of us who want to hear what they have to say because it may help us find something inside ourselves have lost an excellent resource because of people’s animosity towards the un-degreed. Let’s keep RST as a forum for the exchange of information and ideas.  I see a lot of folks posting ideas regarding training here without recriminations even though they have no degrees.  The same should go for everyone.   These opinions are my own, which is the point! Craig

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Ditto to Craig’s sentiment.  I’m glad to see Maffetone back and, while I may or may not buy into some of his ideas, I certainly don’t mind reading a few more threads for some insight into performance.    

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Ditto to Craig’s sentiment.  I’m glad to see Maffetone back and, while I may or may not buy into some of his ideas, I certainly don’t mind reading a few more threads for some insight into performance.

Me too!  Intolerance for different viewpoints, especially in a nasty tone only conveys that the poster is very aware of their negative reaction and feels compelled to express it without any critical thought. Sure, we would all love to do that (and as children, we probably did) but this isn’t acceptable in the working world or personal relationships without a lot of conflict.   Carry on with the polemics, they make the best threads. Participation in the thread is voluntary, if you don’t learn or can’t contribute anything, or are just plain bored, move on to something else. Happy holidays!:) Lee http://www.slip.net/~leeway/ "What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding?"  Elvis Costello.

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stuff deleted There is a lot of information out there.  I read the books and magazines and apply some of what I read and hear and then see how it works for ME.  The fact that it doesn’t work for me does not mean that it is wrong.  It means simply that it doesn’t work for my body and my mind.  This information might come from a PhD or an article by a pro with no formal education at all.  Where it comes from is a moot point.  That it does or does not work for ME is what counts.   Let’s keep RST as a forum for the exchange of information and ideas. Craig

Craig   I agree with you that ideas can come from anywhere and that what’s good for the goose isn’t necessarily good for the gander. I also agree that Phil Maffetone has some pretty good ideas. Some of ideas may be suspect also. The jury is still out (basically back to not every thing is good for every one). However, I think this whole phil bashing thing, is based on the fact? (facts are getting very blurred in this thread) that Phil MAY have been passing himself off as an MD. THIS is what most people here have taken offence to.   I know Phil isn’t a doctor, I also know he is right into triathlon and improving performance of athletes. He gets extra credibility from me when I read an artilce by him since I believe him to be well intentioned. I’m also glad that Phil is back on RST and putting forth his ideas. Many of his ideas I’ve tried, some work, some don’t. It ain’t no thing. Go with what works. Don’t hassle Phil for his ideas, take them or leave them. If he is/was misrepresenting himself, then get on his case for that. Train hard and race hard…. TriDork

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Question:

Obviously, you’ve never been to Mexico. THe Yucatan Peninsula is comprised of three states:Campeche, Yucatan, and on the eastern coast, Quintana Roo.

Can’t a guy have a little fun? QRman

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The state of Quintana Roo is more northerly than any Central American country.  Still, I think it would be considered part of Central America. It is that state in which Cozumel, Chichen-Itza, Tulum, and Cancun are located.  It was named after Don Andres Quintana Roo, a Mexican statesman in the 18th century.  His picture appears on the 20 peso bill, however I’ll bet not one in 50 Mexicans know that.

I will bet 50 out of 50 Mexicans know Mexico is not part of Central America. Cesar Valverde

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cut…  Obviously, you’ve never been to Mexico. THe Yucatan Peninsula is comprised  of three states:Campeche, Yucatan, and on the eastern coast, Quintana Roo.  Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Cozumel all are found in the state of  Quintana Roo. And if you ask someone who speaks Spanish, its pronounced  "row". Sorry.

 I love this kind of trivia.  (yes, I’m easily amused) |       Ray Plotecia            | |       Image Control           |

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: :This may have been answered before but I’m just curious: What does :Quintana Roo mean?  Is it just a name that was pulled from the sky? : :Carlos :Coral Gables, Florida No, it’s the geographical name for a peninsula in Mexico, I think the one pointing into the Gulf of Mexico. But you could always ask QRman, of course… —                             Ulrich Porsch             Wer spricht vom Siegen, "Ubersteh’n ist alles  

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I thought it had something to do with the state in Mexico called Quintana Roo. That’s where they are having all of the revolts right now.  Probably not good for the wetsuit business.

   Oh, I think not. That would be the state of Chiapas.    A revolt in Quintana Roo would probably be something like refusing to take a siesta in place of your noon ride/run!    I’d bet that a local wetsuit business might be great for forestalling peasant revolutions! Viva las Islas de las Mujeres. Kurian Davis

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Hey, didn’t mean to offend, just trying to inform – in response to: "I love this kind of trivia.  (yes, I’m easily amused)

Anyway, your explanation is more interesting, and far more fun. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Obviously, you’ve never been to Mexico. THe Yucatan Peninsula is comprised of three states:Campeche, Yucatan, and on the eastern coast, Quintana Roo. Can’t a guy have a little fun? QRman

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Dan, can you please post a comprehensive list of all of your explanations for the origin of your company name?  This latest one is pretty good, but I need some basis for comparison.

I’m going to release each fallacious story over time, like a cold capsule. QRman

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This may have been answered before but I’m just curious: What does Quintana Roo mean?  Is it just a name that was pulled from the sky? Carlos Coral Gables, Florida

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This may have been answered before but I’m just curious: What does Quintana Roo mean?  Is it just a name that was pulled from the sky?

It’s actually kind of a funny story (I, being a long-time employee of the company, know this).  Our first building was previously occupied by this hispanic guy who did home repairs, specializing in ceilings and roofs, and when he left he did one of those "midnight moves".  Well, his sign was in disrepair, the last letter had fallen off, and we had no money for a sign (this being the early days), and we thought, hmmmm, Quintana Roo, sounds pretty funky. And the rest is history. QRman

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…cut…  hmmmm, Quintana Roo, sounds  pretty funky. I would never in a million years have thought that!  I always thought there was some Australian connection, what with "Roo" in it. I love this kind of trivia.  (yes, I’m easily amused) |       Ray Plotecia            | |       Image Control           |

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…cut…  hmmmm, Quintana Roo, sounds  pretty funky. I would never in a million years have thought that!  I always thought

there was some Australian connection, what with "Roo" in it. I love this kind of trivia.  (yes, I’m easily amused)

Obviously, you’ve never been to Mexico. THe Yucatan Peninsula is comprised of three states:Campeche, Yucatan, and on the eastern coast, Quintana Roo. Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Cozumel all are found in the state of Quintana Roo. And if you ask someone who speaks Spanish, its pronounced "row". Sorry.

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I would never in a million years have thought that!  I always thought there was some Australian connection, what with "Roo" in it. I love this kind of trivia.  (yes, I’m easily amused)

Then you might also enjoy this article that QRman posted a little over a year ago. Newsgroups: rec.sport.triathlon The state of Quintana Roo is more northerly than any Central American country.  Still, I think it would be considered part of Central America. It is that state in which Cozumel, Chichen-Itza, Tulum, and Cancun are located.  It was named after Don Andres Quintana Roo, a Mexican statesman in the 18th century.  His picture appears on the 20 peso bill, however I’ll bet not one in 50 Mexicans know that. QRman

So utilizing a little play on words, QRman could also make the claim that the number of athletes using non-Quintana Roo wetsuits at World’s this weekend will easily be surpassed by the number competing in Quintana Roo. But since that lets us count every athlete as competing in Quintana Roo (the state, not necessarily the wetsuit) and could be misleading, I wouldn’t expect him to do that.                                         — John — John Walker        Jackson & Tull Chartered Engineers, Seabrook, Maryland WWW:   http://rs733.gsfc.nasa.gov/~jntjw/

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Question:

This whole issue of "technology improvements" to enhance performance kills me.  It’s been a boil on the backside of this sport ever since people started taking it seriously.  

I kinda like the "technology side".  Some of the new stuff is pretty cool.  BTW, I’m not the only one with this opinion. 1st it we had the wetsuit issue.  Somehow, someone figured out they could go faster in a wetsuit then they could without one.  Now we see it all the time in triathlons.  It’s still a point of contention because the rules surrounding it are so vague.

Not anymore – wetsuits are allowed 100% of the time for age groupers. Until our "one season 78 degree" RULE last year all TriFed had were GUIDELINES.  The use of wetsuits was left 100% to race directors. Of course, TriFed still got all the grief . . . This issue has been beat to death for over a decade, and the sport still hasn’t figured out how and where to draw the line.  

As usual we hear lots of complaints and no suggestions.  What do you tell the 70 year old top age grouper who WILL get hypothermia swimming for 45 minutes in 74 degree water?  What do you say to the parents of the first-timer who drowns without a wetsuit? TriFed has put SAFETY FIRST wrt this issue.  That means wetsuits are allowed in most conditions.  It’s really a shame that wetsuits add safety AND speed but we can’t change physics. Next we had the bike equipment manufacturers invading the sport. They used it as a testing ground to exploit all the bullshit crap they wanted to market, but could’nt get exposure through the more traditional cycling markets.

And they dump tons of money into a somewhat starving sport. Why? Because the cycling world had well written, well defined rules that competitors could understand and follow.  Rules that kept the sport pure to a degree.

NOT TRUE!  Cycling and Triathlon have nearly identical rules wrt this stuff.  Trust me, we stole most of our "bike spec" rules from them!  The difference is "cultural".  Cycling tends to be full of "tradition and history".  Triathlon, being a lot younger is populated with a crowd with a different mindset. Did you read my post:  "Bikies care too!"?  UCI is battling exactly the same issues we are. Rules that guaranteed the best person will win.

Yeah, right.  As long as "best" means "best bike racer".  The "strongest rider" does NOT win most bike races.   Triathlons do NOT determine who is the best swimmer/biker/runner.  They determine the best person who covers the given course following the set rules. Triathlon is so conjested with technology it’s hard to understand where the competitive battle is taking place. Is it with the athlete, or is it with the technology?  The answer cannot be both!  I guarantee, if you striped away all the technology, and got back to the basics, you would see plenty of changes in the rankings, and results.  I for one would like to see the best person win!

Ok, so we go to a "staged indoor" format with no drafting possible on any of the legs and totally equal conditions for all and standard bikes?                           B O R I N G. Personally, I would like to see the sport remain somewhat protected from technology.  I’m a good enough swimmer, I don’t need a wetsuit.  And I enjoy riding a bike that looks like a bike, not some abstract rendition of a motorless street bike. To me, an aero bike with tri-spokes, aero- shifters, and bullet bars might look cool, to be the rider on it would automatically cause the label of "total geek" to be attached to the person claiming ownership.  And I don’t really want to be a geek.

Now I gotta throw in the fact that you ride a Zipp 2001 with Syntace bars. You are a top competitor in your age group.  Why aren’t you setting an example by riding a "traditional" bike?  If top age groupers and pros acted like this I bet the rest would follow suit. I just wish triathlon had a strong enough steering committee that could effectively manage the way the sport was governed.  Something I firmly believe the sport still needs.

Again, stop complaining and start suggesting.  The committees and boards of TriFed are populated with smart people (athletes, race directors, lawyers, bankers etc.  etc.  etc.)  If there were easy answers to these "problems" they’d of been fixed by now. Most of these issues (wetsuits, techno-geekery, drafting) are purely "no win" situations — no matter what the rule some %age of the triathlon population will get pissed off.  The problem TriFed has had, as I see it, is in not taking a SINGLE stand and sticking with it. —    LSC (aka Larry Chapman)    (303) 229-3117

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Again, stop complaining and start suggesting.  The committees and boards of TriFed are populated with smart people (athletes, race directors, lawyers, bankers etc.  etc.  etc.)  If there were easy answers to these "problems" they’d of been fixed by now. Most of these issues (wetsuits, techno-geekery, drafting) are purely "no win" situations — no matter what the rule some %age of the triathlon population will get pissed off.  The problem TriFed has had, as I see it, is in not taking a SINGLE stand and sticking with it.

You’re absolutely right on this one, unfortunately.  It’s a big tent, including those of us who would rather take our road bike to the triathalon/ duathalon without any modifications, and those who love their gadgets. My proposal is simple.  Allow aerodynamic improvements, after review for safety.  However, throw out the stupid "structural" rule for any fairing which replicates an accepted technology. Sort of like when they finally accepted wheel covers. If someone creates a monocoque frame which shields the rear wheel, fine.   Let someone else start stretching mylar over the rear triangle, or create mylar fenders for that matter.  If someone creates a bullet bar, as soon as you approve it you start allowing everyone to buy plastic shields to clip on their Scotts that do the same thing.  In short, make it so that the payback from these "improvements" is immediately eliminated by allowing people to undercut them with cheaper equivalent solutions. Why not? Phil

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I am one of those people in the back of the pack…my only virtue is persistence.  I must say that I am GLAD I am not a competitive amateur – it would be too expensive and I’d probably have to quit school and drop from a full time to a part time job… I aspire to improve, but the reason I love the sport is if you’re not in the front pack, its an entirely different experience.  I love to see women 4 times my age pass me on the run, because I can see there is hope for me –  I love to hear the other people encourage those who are struggling –  "Don’t walk now, run with me…" Its positive, inspiring and a lot of FUN!!!!! yeah…I’m probably going to buy a wetsuit this season…but only because I don’t have other bad habits (or good ones) to spend my money on! my $.02. —

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Now I gotta throw in the fact that you ride a Zipp 2001 with Syntace bars. You are a top competitor in your age group.  Why aren’t you setting an example by riding a "traditional" bike?  If top age groupers and pros acted like this I bet the rest would follow suit.

Of course, if the current top age groupers and pros acted like this, they’d quickly quit being the top age groupers and pros (well, ok, the pros would become the top age groupers)… Phil

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This whole issue of "technology improvements" to enhance performance kills me.  It’s been a boil on the backside of this sport ever since people started taking it seriously.   1st it we had the wetsuit issue.  Somehow, someone figured out they could go faster in a wetsuit then they could without one.  Now we see it all the time in triathlons.  It’s still a point of contention because the rules surrounding it are so vague.  This issue has been beat to death for over a decade, and the sport still hasn’t figured out how and where to draw the line.   Next we had the bike equipment manufacturers invading the sport. They used it as a testing ground to exploit all the bullshit crap they wanted to market, but could’nt get exposure through the more traditional cycling markets. Why? Because the cycling world had well written, well defined rules that competitors could understand and follow. Rules that kept the sport pure to a degree.  Rules that guaranteed the best person will win. Triathlon is so conjested with technology it’s hard to understand where the competitive battle is taking place. Is it with the athlete, or is it with the technology?  The answer cannot be both!  I guarantee, if you striped away all the technology, and got back to the basics, you would see plenty of changes in the rankings, and results.  I for one would like to see the best person win! Personally, I would like to see the sport remain somewhat protected from technology.  I’m a good enough swimmer, I don’t need a wetsuit.  And I enjoy riding a bike that looks like a bike, not some abstract rendition of a motorless street bike. To me, an aero bike with tri-spokes, aero- shifters, and bullet bars might look cool, to be the rider on it would automatically cause the label of "total geek" to be attached to the person claiming ownership.  And I don’t really want to be a geek. I just wish triathlon had a strong enough steering committee that could effectively manage the way the sport was governed.  Something I firmly believe the sport still needs. -RC

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I know this has been debated before, but how can it be argued that aero- equipment such as the bullet bar be illegal because it raises the cost of competing, when Tri-Fed has effectively required wet-suits for the same. In fact, the Triathlete/Winning Buyers’ Guide, aimed at beginners, called wet suits "The Open Water Necessity." Most of the article stresses the fact that with a 78deg limit, even a new triathlete must shell out $100-345 in order to compete. So the point is, why allow wet suits at 78deg? At this temp., which is NOT life-threatening at any triathlon swim distance nor "cold" ( (even by a native Floridian’s standards), the only purpose for a wet suit is to increase speed. Yet this is exactly the reason that the bullet bar is illegal (or at least the rationalization behind its ban). Why the inconsist-n ency? Acey Albert University of Florida Tri-Gators

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Acey Albert writes: I know this has been debated before, but how can it be argued that aero- equipment such as the bullet bar be illegal because it raises the cost of competing, when Tri-Fed has effectively required wet-suits for the same. In fact, the Triathlete/Winning Buyers’ Guide, aimed at beginners, called wet suits "The Open Water Necessity." Most of the article stresses the fact that with a 78deg limit, even a new triathlete must shell out $100-345 in order to compete. So the point is, why allow wet suits at 78deg? At this temp., which is NOT life-threatening at any triathlon swim distance nor "cold" ( (even by a native Floridian’s standards), the only purpose for a wet suit is to increase speed. Yet this is exactly the reason that the bullet bar is illegal (or at least the rationalization behind its ban). Why the inconsist-n ency?

What I really want to know is why I cant wear scuba-fins and webbed gloves to KEEP MY HANDS AND FEET WARM Everyone knows you loose most of your heat from your head,hands and feet. So why not fins and webbed gloves in the swim?   Every arguement infavor of wetsuits can be applied to fins and webbed gloves. Actually I don’t want to use fins or gloves (or wetsuits). I think wetsuits are for WIMPS. But since they can keep beginners from drowning, I can live with weiners that wear them for speed only – I still beat most of them!! Daniel

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