Question:

According to the results on the IM-FL web site, Jim Ward, who passed away several months ago, finished the swim in 1:55:42.  Is this a situation where race management allowed someone else to compete under his name?  Is so, race management should show a little class and at least change the name to the correct athlete.  Jim Ward does not deserve to be disrespected in this manner. TX

Response:

Is it possible that there is more than one person with the same name?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – According to the results on the IM-FL web site, Jim Ward, who passed away several months ago, finished the swim in 1:55:42.  Is this a situation where race management allowed someone else to compete under his name?  Is so, race management should show a little class and at least change the name to the correct athlete.  Jim Ward does not deserve to be disrespected in this manner. TX

Response:

What results are you looking at? 1999? Ken According to the results on the IM-FL web site, Jim Ward, who passed away several months ago, finished the swim in 1:55:42.  Is this a situation where race management allowed someone else to compete under his name?  Is so, race management should show a little class and at least change the name to the correct athlete.  Jim Ward does not deserve to be disrespected in this manner. TX

Ken Parker Runner’s Web http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html A running and triathlon resource site

Response:

You should go to ironmanlive.com for THIS YEARS race coverage. In 1999 Jim Ward did the swim in 1:55:42.

Response:

Question:

It can’t, but as I pointed out elsewhere in this thread, it doesn’t have to…that’s what a stopwatch and a measured distance are for. Cycling is somewhat different than the other two sports, in that environmental conditions/terrain have a much larger effect on pace (well, I suppose open water swim splits might be just as hard to interpret). For running and swimming, all you need to do to know your effective output is to time yourself over a given distance. In the big scheme of things, HR is really pretty irrelevant (e.g., most of the time we don’t even bother to measure it in our research studies, relying instead on actual power output on the ergometer, treadmill speed and grade, and/or VO2). And how exactly does the Power Tap measure your output while running, or swimming?

– Andrew Coggan Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

I find that email address a bit intimidating <grin, but I’m going to wade (he-he) in here anyway… : HR : actually stays fairly stable (Carl Foster just wrote a paper on this : in MSSE—I think) at LT, but power or speed can change

significantly. Didn’t you just make my point here?    The heartrate is stable at LT but power/speed are not.  So if you want to exercise below, at, or above LT, how are you going to use watts to specify the workout?

I think Sam’s point was that HR at LT doesn’t change much *w/ training*, whereas performance capacity obviously does. Tracking your HR at LT (regardless of how you measure it) therefore doesn’t really tell you how effective your training is – for that, you need to know your speed, or even better for cycling (where wind, hills, etc., have a huge impact), your power. OTOH, HR can change a lot *during a workout*, even if the physiological demand is constant. So, if you train solely by HR, you may be training at an appropriate intensity initially, but then slow down too much w/o knowing it. However, if you are monitoring power (or pace, which is what runners, swimmers, track cyclists, etc., have been doing for decades), you’ll know when your output is falling, and can adjust accordingly (increase the effort, cut the workout short, and/or pick a lower goal power the next time). But it sounds to me like you are going to specify my workout based on a scheduled amount of improvement regardless of whether I am capable of it.

I’m guessing that Sam would advocate specifying your workout based on what you are capable of doing in terms of actual performance capacity (power). Screw the HR – it is a dependent, not an independent, variable here. Or are you saying that the idea of training the aerobic system vs. the anaerobic system is not valid?

Maybe a better way of putting it is that this division is overly simplistic…I think the vast majority of coaches would argue, and I would tend to agree, that training at all sorts of intensities is necessary for optimal performance. Power (or pace) lets you do just that, whereas it is impossible, for example, to use HR to monitor/quantify/guide short-term, high intensity intervals aimed at increasing muscular power (since HR doesn’t respond rapidly enough). So he is simply going to attempt to put out N watts the whole way regardless of the terrain/wind?  I don’t think that necessarily optimizes the result, but I could be wrong.  And if what you are saying is that you simply want to average N watts, I submit the only way that measurement is going to be usable by the rider is if the course is dead flat and windless.  Nobody can integrate the area under the curve in their head in real time to determine what power they should be putting out for a given segment…what they could do however is be encouraged not to exceed LT for too long. If you are confident that real time watts on a given day can be used to prevent spending too much time in the red, then yes, it will probably work during the race as a tachometer.

As somebody with real-world experience racing with a Power Tap, I’d argue that although you’re right about many of the limitations, it is a bit more useful than the picture you paint. After just a few races I have a pretty good feel for just how hard I can go for how long, and so can adjust my effort depending on the demands of the course. I’ve also found it very useful in preventing me from starting out too hard initially, something that I expect is less of a problem for a triathlete than during a TT (I know that the first run in duathlons fatigued me enough that I was at much less risk of starting the bike leg too hard). Finally, the power data is very motivational – the goal is to never let your concentration wander, and knowing your actual power at all times is very good for that. Maybe this says it best: I like racing w/ the Power Tap so much that I just sold my Hed disc.   But I’m still not getting how it is going to work by itself as a training tool. Unless you are saying that you need a lactate analyzer to go along with it, in which case the $800 price tag is a bit specious.

Throw away the HRM, speedometer, and even the lactate analyzer, and just follow power…on easy days, don’t let your power exceed a certain value, so that they remain truly easy days. On hard days, use it to motivate yourself, and to track improvement. Basically, you’d use it the same way a runner would use a stopwatch and a track – of course you have to adjust "on the fly" depending on the response/perception/condition of the athlete, but at least you’re basing your training on what really matters, i.e., performance, and not some indirect variable like HR. I just don’t think that for the average triathlete it will magically supercede perceived exertion, HRMs, RHR/LT/AT/VO2MAX related zone training, etc.

I don’t think that it will, either. Or maybe I should say that it shouldn’t – it *might*, just like people have gotten way too carried away (IMHO) with HR-based "zone" training programs. And, we’ll be waiting a while for versions that attach to Zoomers and Sauconys.

I know this was meant in jest, but if I took you seriously my response would be "Why? You’ve already got what you need there, and that’s a stopwatch." Andrew Coggan Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Oh Lord. I hope these things never become affordable. I can see my Wednesday evening Spinervals workouts with Coach Troy now – everyone has to match the top wattage generator in the room. Who can get the largest sweat puddle is the normal contest, or who has the highest cadence without bouncing right off his/her bike. While we’re talking wattage, why doesn’t Bally’s hook all of those damned stationary bikes, stairmasters, and elliptical trainers to the electrical system in the workout room to provide electricity for all of those fancy neon lights and TV screens they’ve got going? What a waste of energy. You should be required to provide the electricity for the radios and TV’s you watch while working out.  That would be great! Can’t watch the tube unless you pedal to power the tube. Schwing

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : Was over at Joe Friel’s house this weekend where he showed me his : latest/greatest training device.  A rear wheel with technology : built into the hub that measured and recorded wattage output. His : computer measured average watt’s generated per hour and max. : wattage during the ride.  Joe’s opinion is that wattage training : will supercede what is now being done with heart rate monitors. : My only two comments here are: : 1) If this is important to you, start saving your pennies.  Current :    price for this rear wheel is ~$800. : 2) I’m glad I never bought into the heart rate craze because it :    sounds like HR’s are a thing of the past. Do you really mean supercede, or do you mean complement? I know Andrew likes his power tap and I can certainly see how it would be very informative, even useful, but how can you train the human body based solely on the amount of power it puts out and ignore its own internal metrics (whether you measure them via perceived exertion or actual heart rate)?   Is my coach going to (only) say "OK go ride today for 2 hours at 250 watts"? What if I can’t hold the power output today.  What if I can and in fact it’s too easy?  Where did the 250 watt figure come from?  I see the possible benefit in adjusting your training for terrain or wind (ie it would help you maintain a constant level of output when you hit a hill), but don’t exactly see how it will be used to _set_ those levels in the absence of other information.  Sure you can find an initial watt reading for an all out 40K TT, and call that the equivalent of Anaerobic Threshold for that individual, but then what do you do?   Specifiy training at, above and below that wattage without regard to how the body is reacting? Do people use Computrainers without HRMs or perceived exertion monitoring?  In what way? Of course, I have no CT, hardly ever wear my HRM, and so don’t really care, this is largely rhetorical.  I’m all about perceived exertion, and none too scientific about even that anymore.  It’s more like perceived pain, and more importantly perceived lack of pain.  Which could be why I suck.  An $800 device that would put me in the next age group 2 years early, that I could use . Wade

Response:

Who can get the largest sweat puddle is the normal contest,

Sorry to get perhaps too serious, but people who train indoors and judge the quality of their workout by the amount of sweat are in for a big shock if they get the PowerTap (or use a Computrainer indoors, as I do).  If the cool the room enough so no sweat puddles underneath you you can achieve far greater power efforts at any particular perceived exertion or heartrate than if the room temperature and lack of ventilation allow a lot of sweat to drip. That said, I suppose with all of you and "Coach Troy" in the same, too hot, room, relative amounts of sweat _might_ show who is working harder. JT Visit http://www.jt10000.com/ Cycling, Food and Stories

Response:

Some of our Spinverals participants have been known to squirt water from their water bottle onto the floor when Coach Troy isn’t looking! Not me, of course <g And yes, that room is stinky and hot! If you walk into it during the middle of spinervals the impression is that of burning rubber and body odor! If you were ever wondering what the trainer did to your rear tire you wouldn’t wonder anymore after that smell. Yuch. If you start out in there, fortunately you don’t notice it. BTW, I’ll be making my film debut in the very near future with the release of the next Spinervals video! (if I don’t get cut out) Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – That said, I suppose with all of you and "Coach Troy" in the same, too hot, room, relative amounts of sweat _might_ show who is working harder. JT Visit http://www.jt10000.com/ Cycling, Food and Stories

Response:

Some of our Spinverals participants have been known to squirt water from their water bottle onto the floor when Coach Troy isn’t looking! Not me, of course <g And yes, that room is stinky and hot! If you walk into it during the middle of spinervals the impression is that of burning rubber and body odor! If you were ever wondering what the trainer did to your rear tire you wouldn’t wonder anymore after that smell. Yuch. If you start out in there, fortunately you don’t notice it.

Sorry to get too serious <again but if you smell burning rubber you need to increase the contact between the tire and trainer-roller to prevent slippage.  That will fix the "problem", though it sounds like you guys enjoy it. JT Visit http://www.jt10000.com/ Cycling, Food and Stories

Response:

While I’d totally agree that for cycling power output measurement is better than using an HRM, unfortunately that’s only one part of the triathlon. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Was over at Joe Friel’s house this weekend where he showed me his latest/greatest training device.  A rear wheel with technology built into the hub that measured and recorded wattage output. His computer measured average watt’s generated per hour and max. wattage during the ride.  Joe’s opinion is that wattage training will supercede what is now being done with heart rate monitors. My only two comments here are: 1) If this is important to you, start saving your pennies.  Current    price for this rear wheel is ~$800. 2) I’m glad I never bought into the heart rate craze because it    sounds like HR’s are a thing of the past.  Rich Davis  Home Page: http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~twm/TTH.html

Response:

They were talking about it and showing it on the TV coverage of the HP race in Idaho. The coverage sucked ( awhole tour shown in an hour), but it was great it was on TV. And even cooler that it was on after coverage of Alcatraz. Great day of TV. Only thing that ruined a great triathlon of viewing was the TDF was not shown due to the Golf game ;-(. And golf is not really a sport after all. Ted

Response:

I took the USAT coaching certification last month, and Joe Friel presented this unit to us, as well.  I haven’t yet picked one up to try, but it appears to be the standard of the future. Yesterday, in the women’s challenge cycling race, one of the women was using it, and the sportscaster attempted to explain its use .  The resulting measurement is referred to as ‘Power". It will be interesting to see if and when this hits the mainstream. Apparently, it is a reliable training tool for coaching. The Heart Rate is part of the 3 line display. ..  Joe’s opinion is that wattage training will supercede what is now being done with heart rate monitors. My only two comments here are: 1) If this is important to you, start saving your pennies.  Current    price for this rear wheel is ~$800. 2) I’m glad I never bought into the heart rate craze because it    sounds like HR’s are a thing of the past.

I’ve purchase 4 or 5 of these, but each time I do, the tech changes, and I always buy the newer model.

Response:

I know Andrew likes his power tap and I can certainly see how it would be very informative, even useful, but how can you train the human body based solely on the amount of power it puts out and ignore its own internal metrics (whether you measure them via perceived exertion or actual heart rate)?   Is my coach going to (only) say "OK go ride today for 2 hours at 250 watts"?   What if I can’t hold the power output today.  What if I can and in fact it’s too easy?  Where did the 250 watt figure come from?

        What if the coach says I want you to ride for 2 hours at 150 bpm and you cannot hold it?  The same answer as with the power, you are fried and need to back off.  Same thing if it is too easy, that does not mean that you shuck your training plan.  The 250W (or whatever) comes from testing such as in the lab or from field testin. Where does your HR come from?     I see the possible benefit in adjusting your training for terrain or wind (ie it would help you maintain a constant level of output when you hit a hill), but don’t exactly see how it will be used to _set_ those levels in the absence of other information.  Sure you can find an initial watt reading for an all out 40K TT, and call that the equivalent of Anaerobic Threshold for that individual, but then what do you do?   Specifiy training at, above and below that wattage without regard to how the body is reacting?

        So do you always follow your HR?   If you are struggling yet your HRM says you are right where you are supposed to be, what do you do?  Do you follow your HR without regarding how your body is doing?         I have done a lot of lab testing on cycling and triathletes and find the power output at lactate threshold (the anaerobic threshold is neither:) to be the best indicator of improvement.  HR actually stays fairly stable (Carl Foster just wrote a paper on this in MSSE—I think) at LT, but power or speed can change significantly. Do people use Computrainers without HRMs or perceived exertion monitoring?  In what way?

        Yes.         In short, power is what matters in cycling.  With the effects of cardiac drift and the differences reported by Noakes and others on HR in lab or field testing vs. races, HR seems to have a lot of variables.  Boulay reported that in order to maintain the target HR for a time trial, the work load had to be reduced 17%!  So if you follow your HR, you will have to progressively slow down in order to maintain that HR.   In a competitive situation, if you need to average 480W (which is probably close to what Lance average during his spectacular TT) to win a race, then you need to average that regardless of what the HR says.  Power can be used as a threshold as easily and sometimes better than HR, IMHO.           Power meters will be the next gadget once some things get work out like the ability to put the Power Tap on a disc wheel (in the works I hear) and the price comes down which it will.  They also need to make a download system. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Of course, I have no CT, hardly ever wear my HRM, and so don’t really care, this is largely rhetorical.  I’m all about perceived exertion, and none too scientific about even that anymore.  It’s more like perceived pain, and more importantly perceived lack of pain.  Which could be why I suck.  An $800 device that would put me in the next age group 2 years early, that I could use . Wade  

Response:

: I find that email address a bit intimidating <grin, but I’m going to : wade (he-he) in here anyway… Don’t be intimidated – it’s a misleading address.  I really live on hobbes.ucsd.edu (UCSD vs SDSU, now that’s another matter – luckily UCSD has no football team so the rivalry is relatively benign) – I studied Economics at UCSD, Computer Science at SDSU, my physiology credentials are nonexistent and my cycling and triathlon performance credentials are quite…amateurish. I read the lay literature and do better (relatively speaking) in the cycling leg of most of my races but that’s about it. (The sciences host used to be called ’saturn’ when my grad student account appeared there way back when and even though these days I work at UCSD, I still use the SDSU account for news since it has a more consistent feed for some reason.) So, blaze away….your reply was splendid and clarified things. Wade Blomgren ps. regarding the swim/run power measure and you saying we already have one (stopwatch), you are quite right.  In fact I find myself doing much of my run speedwork using pace rather than HR, and of course the swim is the same way. So, you see, I’m on board with this, my devil’s advocate mood swings notwithstanding.

Response:

: call that the equivalent of Anaerobic Threshold for that : individual, but then what do you do?   Specifiy training at, : above and below that wattage without regard to how the body is : reacting? :       So do you always follow your HR?   If you are struggling yet : your HRM says you are right where you are supposed to be, what do you : do?  Do you follow your HR without regarding how your body is doing? Actually I hardly follow it at all these days, I’m just arguing for argument’s sake : and find the power output at lactate threshold (the anaerobic : threshold is neither:) to be the best indicator of improvement.  HR : actually stays fairly stable (Carl Foster just wrote a paper on this : in MSSE—I think) at LT, but power or speed can change significantly. Didn’t you just make my point here?    The heartrate is stable at LT but power/speed are not.  So if you want to exercise below, at, or above LT, how are you going to use watts to specify the workout?   Increased power at LT indicates improvement…  of course it does!   But it sounds to me like you are going to specify my workout based on a scheduled amount of improvement regardless of whether I am capable of it.  Or are you saying that the idea of training the aerobic system vs. the anaerobic system is not valid? : maintain that HR.   In a competitive situation, if you need to average : 480W (which is probably close to what Lance average during his : spectacular TT) to win a race, then you need to average that : regardless of what the HR says.   So he is simply going to attempt to put out N watts the whole way regardless of the terrain/wind?  I don’t think that necessarily optimizes the result, but I could be wrong.  And if what you are saying is that you simply want to average N watts, I submit the only way that measurement is going to be usable by the rider is if the course is dead flat and windless.  Nobody can integrate the area under the curve in their head in real time to determine what power they should be putting out for a given segment…what they could do however is be encouraged not to exceed LT for too long. If you are confident that real time watts on a given day can be used to prevent spending too much time in the red, then yes, it will probably work during the race as a tachometer.   But I’m still not getting how it is going to work by itself as a training tool.  Unless you are saying that you need a lactate analyzer to go along with it, in which case the $800 price tag is a bit specious. Don’t get me wrong – I want one!  I just don’t think that for the average triathlete it will magically supercede perceived exertion, HRMs, RHR/LT/AT/VO2MAX related zone training, etc.   And, we’ll be waiting a while for versions that attach to Zoomers and Sauconys. Wade

Response:

Was over at Joe Friel’s house this weekend where he showed me his latest/greatest training device.  A rear wheel with technology built into the hub that measured and recorded wattage output. His computer measured average watt’s generated per hour and max. wattage during the ride.  Joe’s opinion is that wattage training will supercede what is now being done with heart rate monitors. My only two comments here are: 1) If this is important to you, start saving your pennies.  Current    price for this rear wheel is ~$800. 2) I’m glad I never bought into the heart rate craze because it    sounds like HR’s are a thing of the past.  Rich Davis                          Home Page: http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~twm/TTH.html

Response:

Rich, Rich, Rich – where have you been? Training by power isn’t really new at all, it has just become much more accessible in the last half-decade or so with the introduction of devices like the SRM crank and now the Tune Power Tap. Before that, you had to train indoors on an ergometer to know your power, something that not everyone is willing to do. Even though I now own a Tune system, I still think there are certain advantages (and disadvantages) to indoor, power-based training, and have and will continue to make it part of my personal program. Was over at Joe Friel’s house this weekend where he showed me his latest/greatest training device.  A rear wheel with technology built into the hub that measured and recorded wattage output.

(snip) — Andrew Coggan Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

: Was over at Joe Friel’s house this weekend where he showed me his : latest/greatest training device.  A rear wheel with technology : built into the hub that measured and recorded wattage output. His : computer measured average watt’s generated per hour and max. : wattage during the ride.  Joe’s opinion is that wattage training : will supercede what is now being done with heart rate monitors. : My only two comments here are: : 1) If this is important to you, start saving your pennies.  Current :    price for this rear wheel is ~$800. : 2) I’m glad I never bought into the heart rate craze because it :    sounds like HR’s are a thing of the past. Do you really mean supercede, or do you mean complement? I know Andrew likes his power tap and I can certainly see how it would be very informative, even useful, but how can you train the human body based solely on the amount of power it puts out and ignore its own internal metrics (whether you measure them via perceived exertion or actual heart rate)?   Is my coach going to (only) say "OK go ride today for 2 hours at 250 watts"?   What if I can’t hold the power output today.  What if I can and in fact it’s too easy?  Where did the 250 watt figure come from?  I see the possible benefit in adjusting your training for terrain or wind (ie it would help you maintain a constant level of output when you hit a hill), but don’t exactly see how it will be used to _set_ those levels in the absence of other information.  Sure you can find an initial watt reading for an all out 40K TT, and call that the equivalent of Anaerobic Threshold for that individual, but then what do you do?   Specifiy training at, above and below that wattage without regard to how the body is reacting? Do people use Computrainers without HRMs or perceived exertion monitoring?  In what way? Of course, I have no CT, hardly ever wear my HRM, and so don’t really care, this is largely rhetorical.  I’m all about perceived exertion, and none too scientific about even that anymore.  It’s more like perceived pain, and more importantly perceived lack of pain.  Which could be why I suck.  An $800 device that would put me in the next age group 2 years early, that I could use . Wade  

Response:

2) I’m glad I never bought into the heart rate craze because it   sounds like HR’s are a thing of the past.

And how exactly does the Power Tap measure your output while running, or swimming? I’d love to have a PowerTap, but then I’d love to have a Cheetah with powercranks, the powertap system, spinergy wheels, and every other whiz-bang-techno-gizmick that comes down the pipe, but I’m too financially challenged for all that . . . in the meantime, I’ll muddle thru with my Polar — TriathRon                                      _                                   –    o      ’             –  __o       –    </_ `     ‘         –    <         – __/    /o_         – (()) (())        -  / (ASCII art blatantly plagiarized from TriBaby’s sig . . . )

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Question:

I’m convinced that the ‘net has had a lot to do with the increased popularity of long-distance triathlon.  Before RST and DRS and other such expansive forums, it was harder for triathletes to find one another and communicate as much and as easily on a daily basis.  This wide-open and widely available forum has enabled triathletes to hear others’ stories of the IM distance, to share training advice, and to make the challenge of Ironman seem much more attainable and realistic for the average Joe.

It would be nice to think we have such power, but my experience doesn’t back up such an impression.  I know two worlds of triathletes: the seemingly little community of RST, composed apparently of quite like-minded men and a few women, and the great big real-world of triathletes of all different persuasions, who have never heard of this cyber-village and are not interested.  Of the 1500 athletes participating in IMH, were there a dozen from RST?  That hardly suggests an influence from us.  Frankly, the race reports I have read here tend, more often than not, to scare me off.  Perhaps it is for the sake of more drama that some races have been presented as hellish, but I suspect that more than a few readers have crossed those races off their lists.  For political reasons, I wish our voice were significant, but I don’t really think the ITU is perking up its ear when we speak. Ruth Kazez

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I’m convinced that the ‘net has had a lot to do with the increased popularity of long-distance triathlon.  Before RST and DRS and other such expansive forums, it was harder for triathletes to find one another and communicate as much and as easily on a daily basis.  This wide-open and widely available forum has enabled triathletes to hear others’ stories of the IM distance, to share training advice, and to make the challenge of Ironman seem much more attainable and realistic for the average Joe.

Well, for what it is worth. I wouldn’t have known about IMUSA or talked my buddy into going with me if it were not for hearing about it on this newsgroup. cheers,  Bob Walter

Response:

One of my friends just tried to sign up for Lake Placid IM. She was told that the race is already full and that there is now a wait list. That was pretty quick. Cathy

Response:

One of my friends just tried to sign up for Lake Placid IM. She was told that the race is already full and that there is now a wait list.

Cathy, It is my understanding they are not going to do a wait list.  Instead they have increased the number of spots to 1750.  According to there web site there were 285 spots left on Oct 26th. Regardless it indeed filled up fast.  Personally it will be my first Ironman and i cant wait. Rob

Response:

One of my friends just tried to sign up for Lake Placid IM. She was told that the race is already full and that there is now a wait list. Cathy, It is my understanding they are not going to do a wait list.  Instead they have increased the number of spots to 1750.  According to there web site there were 285 spots left on Oct 26th.

Unbelievable!! A first-time event, and it’s filled within two months of its announcement, nine months before the event itself! I think this speaks volumes about the health of the sport—at least, the long-distance version of it.  Of course, it also strongly reflects the esteem in which the Ironman Canada race organization is held:  triathletes know that with Graham Fraser at the helm, IMUSA is sure to be a first class event, even its first time out. I’m convinced that the ‘net has had a lot to do with the increased popularity of long-distance triathlon.  Before RST and DRS and other such expansive forums, it was harder for triathletes to find one another and communicate as much and as easily on a daily basis.  This wide-open and widely available forum has enabled triathletes to hear others’ stories of the IM distance, to share training advice, and to make the challenge of Ironman seem much more attainable and realistic for the average Joe. I’ve said it numerous times before, but I know for a fact that I never would have attempted an Ironman myself without the influence, inspiration, and support of the members of RST.  I’m certain that the ‘net has opened the eyes of many another average trigeek who never before would have considered Ironman as an option, but who then found on the ‘net stories and support from athletes across the country and around the world that inspired him to try it.  No, RST and the other forums can’t take full credit for this explosive growth, but I do believe they have had an enormous impact. Very cool. — Tri-Baby                                      _                                   –    o      ’             –  __o       –    </_  `     ‘         –    <         – __/    /o_         – (()) (())        -  / "REAL Triathletes don’t draft." http://www.stanford.edu/~brooksie        

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Question:

I was reading the paper this morning, and noticed a picture of a crash. The crash involved a couple Bianchi riders. It looked like they were riding 26inch (650c) wheels.  I also noticed a few other pics with what apppeared to be the smaller wheels. Does anyone know what the cyclists are riding? -Andrew

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I think your partially right, the pictures from the helicopter clearly showed that only their rear wheels were 650’s, and that they were  riding 700’s on the front. Mind you, I was watching the TV from an angle… — Joel Sylvester Me: www.roe.ac.uk/jswww/ Edinburgh Triathletes: www.roe.ac.uk/jswww/edin_tri – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was reading the paper this morning, and noticed a picture of a crash. The crash involved a couple Bianchi riders. It looked like they were riding 26inch (650c) wheels.  I also noticed a few other pics with what apppeared to be the smaller wheels. Does anyone know what the cyclists are riding? -Andrew

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From what I could tell, they looked like dual 650c’s. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I think your partially right, the pictures from the helicopter clearly showed that only their rear wheels were 650’s, and that they were  riding 700’s on the front. Mind you, I was watching the TV from an angle… — Joel Sylvester Me: www.roe.ac.uk/jswww/ Edinburgh Triathletes: www.roe.ac.uk/jswww/edin_tri I was reading the paper this morning, and noticed a picture of a crash. The crash involved a couple Bianchi riders. It looked like they were riding 26inch (650c) wheels.  I also noticed a few other pics with what apppeared to be the smaller wheels. Does anyone know what the cyclists are riding? -Andrew

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From what I could tell, they looked like dual 650c’s. I think your partially right, the pictures from the helicopter clearly showed that only their rear wheels were 650’s, and that they were  riding 700’s on the front. Mind you, I was watching the TV from an angle…

No, I saw the crash pictures, and I know FOR A FACT that all of the riders shown were riding 700’s on the back and 650’s on the front.  I have inspected the camera angles in the pictures very, very closely, and have determined that there is no optical illusion here. Greg Pressler

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No, I saw the crash pictures, and I know FOR A FACT that all of the riders

shown were riding 700’s on the back and 650’s on the front.  I have inspected the camera angles in the pictures very, very closely, and have determined that there is no optical illusion here. here we go again! i think if you stood on the grassy knoll you would see that there was in fact only one wheel!  hmmm, very tricky!

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Will take a look at the French TV (they are widely covering the event), but I’m not sure they ride with smaller wheels (they would be associated with triathlon with 650c wheels, and they do not like that at all) except for their time trial bikes.         Olivier – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was reading the paper this morning, and noticed a picture of a crash. The crash involved a couple Bianchi riders. It looked like they were riding 26inch (650c) wheels.  I also noticed a few other pics with what apppeared to be the smaller wheels. Does anyone know what the cyclists are riding? -Andrew

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I was reading the paper this morning, and noticed a picture of a crash. The crash involved a couple Bianchi riders. It looked like they were riding 26inch (650c) wheels.  I also noticed a few other pics with what apppeared to be the smaller wheels. Does anyone know what the cyclists are riding? -Andrew

Andrew, Andrew, Andrew… You should know by now that this is the wrong forum to ask that question It’s easier to see if a bike has different size wheels on TV, than if it has smaller or larger wheels. Often on a large frame 700c wheels look small. Just look at Eros Polli from Gan, and you’ll know what I’m talking about So far in this year’s TdF I haven’t seen any dual 650c bikes. Now on the prologue I saw quite a few 700c rear/650c front bikes, usually called funny bikes, and for some people in this newsgroup called dual 650c bikes )) Paulo

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Question:

This summer i would like to do a 7 mile swim and i would like to use my QR fullsuit.  Is it likely that any damage would be inflicted to the wetsuit?  Would it get too warm? — Logan Heinrich

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Logan: What temperature do you expect the water will be during your swim? Your fullsuit should work great during this distance depending on water temperature. Good Luck — Keith Simmons Ironman Triathlon Wetsuits (800) 897-6464 (804) 288-6000 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This summer i would like to do a 7 mile swim and i would like to use my QR fullsuit.  Is it likely that any damage would be inflicted to the wetsuit?  Would it get too warm? — Logan Heinrich

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Question:

Anyone have any maps or online resources about running in Cincinnati.  I will be spending about 2months there this coming summer and need some info. Any info about local clubs would be appreciated too. Joe

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     If you go out on the streets in Cinncinnati, you’ll be running for your life. Steve McDonald

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Anyone have any maps or online resources about running in Cincinnati.  I will be spending about 2months there this coming summer and need some info. Any info about local clubs would be appreciated too.

Cincinnati is one of the places that Runners World wrote about.  If this link doesn’t work, just go to their site and click "On the Road". http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1300,1-51-57-651,00.html I don’t know anything about it firsthand, but I thought I’d at least pass on the link.

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Anyone have any maps or online resources about running in Cincinnati.  I will be spending about 2months there this coming summer and need some info. Any info about local clubs would be appreciated too. Joe

Joe, Go to the local running authority:  Bob Roncker’s Running Spot.  They have a Cincinnati Running page – http://www.runningspot.com/CintiRunning/.  Check out the local links as well as the Weekly Running/Walking Groups.  When in town, you can pick up route maps from the Running Spot.  The Little Miami Bike Trail is one of the more scenic and popular running paths. If you get into town around May 2, you can tour the city via the Flying Pig marathon – http://www.flyingpigmarathon.com/. Mike

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you know you could substitute any large cities name that sentence and it would work. jOe

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –      If you go out on the streets in Cinncinnati, you’ll be running for your life. Steve McDonald

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2 months in Cincinnati?  You poor bastard.  I only know of one fun thing to do in Cincinnati.  Packing your bag, and travelling to a better town.

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I’m a runner from Cincinnati…what questions do you have?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –      If you go out on the streets in Cinncinnati, you’ll be running for your life. Steve McDonald

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I’m a runner from Cincinnati…what questions do you have?

Why do you live there?

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I was born here.  Not so bad during the summer but hate the fall and winter.  Anyone up for relocating me to say…San Diego or Atlanta?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m a runner from Cincinnati…what questions do you have? Why do you live there?

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I was born here.  Not so bad during the summer but hate the fall and winter.  Anyone up for relocating me to say…San Diego or Atlanta?

Well I was concerned for your well-being and mental condition, but since you WANT to leave I guess you’re ok.

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I’ll be there this summer from June to August and I’m looking for some good routes and places to run.  What are places to avoid due to traffic or road conditions?  I’ll be training for a marathon then so I’ll need some longer loops or courses to do. Right now I live in Milwaukee so I can’t imagine running there is too different? Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Joe

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m a runner from Cincinnati…what questions do you have?      If you go out on the streets in Cinncinnati, you’ll be running for your life. Steve McDonald

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I’ll be there this summer from June to August and I’m looking for some good routes and places to run.  What are places to avoid ?

Cincinnati is the best thing to avoid. I once spent a month there one weekend.

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I’ll be there this summer from June to August and I’m looking for some good routes and places to run.  What are places to avoid due to traffic or road conditions?  I’ll be training for a marathon then so I’ll need some longer loops or courses to do. Right now I live in Milwaukee so I can’t imagine running there is too different? Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Joe

Joe, A premature welcome to Cincinnati! Try some of the local running groups.  I have run with the Saturday Morning Running Group (SMRG) in the past.  Most of them are marathoners and will run 10-15 miles starting at 7am.  See the SMRG link here http://www.runningspot.com/CintiRunning/RunningGroups.htm. As for courses for long runs, your best bet is to stay off of the roads and stick to the paved running/biking trails.  Sharon Woods, Winton Woods, Miami Whitewater Forest all have paved loops.  My preference is Miami Whitewater. It has a 7.8 mile outer loop (Shaker Trace) and a 1.3 mile inner loop path through forest, fields and marsh (not much shade).  A horse trail parallels the main trail so on an early morning run you are likely to be passing wild turkey, ducks, horses and deer.  There is a portable toilet about half-way around and you’ll have to carry your own water although they just installed a drinking fountain at the nature overlook, about 2 miles from the parking area.  The two drawbacks are that it is 15 minutes west of downtown just off of I-74 and there is a $1 entry fee for this county park ($3 for an annual pass which covers Winton Woods, Sharon Woods and several other parks). Another favorite is the Little Miami Bike Trail.  This is a flat 72 mile path that occupies an abandoned rail line and follows the Little Miami River.  It is primarily a Southwest to Northeast route so shade is good for most of the day.  It starts/ends about 15 minutes east of downtown, in Milford.  This Sunday I’ll be competing in Morgan’s Little Miami Triathlon which uses part of the bike trail for the 10k run. A little closer to town is the 5.5 mile path at Lunken Airport/Playfield. Just a few minutes east of downtown, it loops around a small municipal airport, ball fields, and a golf course.  Not very well shaded.  Water and restroom facilities are available at the golf shop and airport terminal. Downtown, there is a riverwalk and pedestrian bridge that takes you over the Ohio River into Kentucky.  Not sure of the length of this route though. Go to Bob Roncker’s Running Spot http://www.runningspot.com/ when you get into town.  They would have the most concentrated amount of local running routes/maps. A premature welcome to Cincinnati! Mike

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Question:

(From Kurian Davis) Did anyone else catch this race? What did you think?<<<

I saw this and some of the other ITU 10Ks on ESPN.  I think they all suck, and that they are a huge disappointment.  The commentary is dull, I don’t like that ditz who does the interviews, and the editing doesn’t make sense.  The main problem, however, is that these races are a joke. But main reason for more interesting viewing was that there wasn’t much

drafting among the leaders on the bike. My memory fades quickly, so forgive me if I get the names wrong<<< Not much drafting?!  These races perfectly illustrate why draft legal races make a mockery of triathlon.  In all of the races I have seen, drafting has determined the outcome.  In the Cleveland race, it is true that Carney and Mouthon got out early, and that (among women) none of the various chase groups ever got too big.  But even they (C+M) worked hard to break from the others, before Carney took off.  I don’t slight her by the way, her victory was wholly convincing.  In the men’s race, however, the pack was truly huge.  The peloton would have done the Tour de France proud.  It was a joke.  The swim results were negated, and there were no bike results.   Coverage? Pretty lame overall. The female announcer was pleasant but

se= emingly stiff in front of the camera. (Former? triathlete, last name Davie= s) Great to see Nate Llerandi interviewed, his quick aside on race tactics=  was the ONLY mention made of the draft legality of the race! (He came in = 4th or 5th, I think.)    Verdict? Despite some mitigating circumstances, the huge pack bike fini= sh among the men took any steam the racing had built up right out from und= er it. The fastest runner quickly asserted himself, and ran away with the = race.=20<<< Two points about Nate Llerani and drafting approval: First, they interview him all the time and he never fails to comment on drafting, coming to its defense.  When he does I always shout at the TV "That’s because you can’t ride!"  Second, one of the good things about the Cleveland race was that for once the announcers did not go out of their way to try to put a good face on the drafting.  In the other races they praise the rule change, even as the viewer can see for himself what a mistake it is.  It is irritating that they think we are so stupid. Will I stay tuned?  Probably, since something is better than nothing. Besides, I just can’t stand the suspense: will the runners continue to dominate?  I guess there is just no way to tell… Steve Irish

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   I’ve been trying to catch ESPN’s Running & Racing whenever I can track = down it’s newest timeslot. Found it late Fri. night/Sat. morning at ~ 2 am= , then discovered that Fri. night’s airing is a repeat of the previous Su= n. morning show. So at ~10 am on Sun. morning I caught the end of the Crim= ’s 10k. Then whaddaya know? Coverage of the Cleveland ITU Wold Cup tour fo= llowed! OK, let’s see how the home country boys/girls handle the draft-leg= al hurdle.           A very impressive field, much discussed course (*16* = laps of the bike course!), and the midwestern heat & humidity. Well, Sanso=  pack off the bike. And I do mean PACK. Must have been at least 10 bikes i= n the peloton at the end of the course, likely more. Beven lead out on the=  run, Macedo ran steadily faster, passing him and taking the win. I think = MacMartin may also have passed Beven by the end, someone did. Beven commen= ted afterwards that though tired from a full race schedule, he’d also been=  pulling the paceline for much of the race, trying to push the pace, while=  no one else seemed interested in working, content to sit in.    Women’s race was more interesting, with Carol Montgomery leading the sw= im, taking a wrong turn!, then coming back to take the swim prime by 3 sec= onds. But main reason for more interesting viewing was that there wasn’t m= uch drafting among the leaders on the bike. My memory fades quickly, so fo= rgive me if I get the names wrong, But I believe it was Emma Carney pullin= g Isabelle Mouthon for a while before putting the hammer down and dumping = her(!), then holding off both Mouthon (#2) & Montgomery (#3)for the win. G= eez, Carol can run. It’s exiting just to watch her motoring along!    Coverage? Pretty lame overall. The female announcer was pleasant but se= emingly stiff in front of the camera. (Former? triathlete, last name Davie= s) Great to see Nate Llerandi interviewed, his quick aside on race tactics=  was the ONLY mention made of the draft legality of the race! (He came in = 4th or 5th, I think.)    Verdict? Despite some mitigating circumstances, the huge pack bike fini= sh among the men took any steam the racing had built up right out from und= er it. The fastest runner quickly asserted himself, and ran away with the = race.=20    WARNING: It’s probably dangerous to say this in public, but this race p= robably could have made very appealing viewing. Don Ryder, an announcer fr= om Kona whose work I’m learning to appreciate, was underutilized, and the = race narration was weak. Better production would have gone a long way towa= rds making it enjoyable. It didn’t come close to the St. Croix show. But n= either did last year’s St. Croix race! Point is, if ITU ever gets serious = about creating good TV viewing using TV tools as well as race regs, they c= ould put on a great show. And then try to justify their meddling with the = rules by the results. That crit format race in the hands of better produce= rs/directors could have been made exiting in spite of the drafting. And th= at’s not encouraging for participants.    So, also of interest was the quick mention that Cleveland is to be the = site of next year’s World Cup Championship Race, like this year’s Cancun e= vent. Hmmm. Drafting in America. Under Tri-Fed rules? Methinks this issue = can’t help but boil over by then.    Did anyone else catch this race? What did you think? Kurian Davis

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Question:

Could someone clear something up for me. About a month ago I slightly twisted my ankle while running. It’s a little swollen and refuses to go away. Of course, I can’t stop running since I’m addicted and it really isn’t that bad. It hurts a little for the first 1/4 mile then as it loosens up it’s fine.  But it is getting worse and I’ve decided I’d better start treating it….thus my question. Some say ice, some say heat. Can anyone out there that knows for sure…. tell me.  Thanks. —

Daryl: When you first injured it, the proper treatment would have been ice for 48 hours, then (according to some) – heat. And staying off it! Now, you’re possibly dealing with an injury that hasn’t healed and running is aggravating it. You’re not going to "run through it". You’re injured. Treat it as such. If it’s a simple sprain or strain, a couple of days off, treating with ice could do wonders. I sprained an ankle three days before a triathlon – couldn’t even walk the next day. I treated it religiously with ice and was able to run the tri. But I stayed off it until the morning of the race. If you keep running on it you risk more serious injury and longer recovery. Take a few days off now, rather than a few weeks later. Mike Tennent WebRunner Running Page — Southeast USA Race Calendar 200+ listings. Advertise your race. FTP Race Apps, FAQ   http://www.webrunner.com/webrun/running/running.html

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Could someone clear something up for me. About a month ago I slightly twisted my ankle while running. It’s a little swollen and refuses to go away. Of course, I can’t stop running since I’m addicted and it really isn’t that bad. It hurts a little for the first 1/4 mile then as it loosens up it’s fine.  But it is getting worse and I’ve decided I’d better start treating it….thus my question. Some say ice, some say heat. Can anyone out there that knows for sure…. tell me.  Thanks. — Daryl: When you first injured it, the proper treatment would have been ice for 48 hours, then (according to some) – heat. And staying off it! Now, you’re possibly dealing with an injury that hasn’t healed and running is aggravating it. You’re not going to "run through it". You’re injured. Treat it as such. If it’s a simple sprain or strain, a couple of days off, treating with ice could do wonders. I sprained an ankle three days before a triathlon – couldn’t even walk the next day. I treated it religiously with ice and was able to run the tri. But I stayed off it until the morning of the race. If you keep running on it you risk more serious injury and longer recovery. Take a few days off now, rather than a few weeks later.

Agreed in all respects. I twisted my ankle falling off a stile the Wednesday before a Marathon. Ice and cold bandages and rest got me to the start and I ran with no pain whatever.  A silly thing to do, nevertheless. The following Wednesday I crossed the same stile and fell off again ! This ankle has been weak for many years so I have to watch it carefully. Occasionally it hurts if I run over rough ground, but on roads I can usually ensure my foot is about to land straight.  When you get back to regular training, use roads and even paths so as to avoid the ankle turning again, and allow it to mend properly before stressing it. roy

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Hi Daryl: Ouch–I’ve done the ankle thing, although it wasn’t sprained, but over-pronated. I kept running on it without treatment and the tendon became inflamed. But I was able to get it healed while running with the advice of my coach and orthoped. Cut back on the running (don’t run every day) and add in cross-training. I think ankles like swimming, personally…. Take an anti-inflammatory (that doesn’t bother your stomach) for several weeks if necessary. I took Aleeve twice a day. Ice twice a day for 25 minutes, being careful to place something between the ice bag and flesh, also watch the ankle bone and don’t freeze it (I did that once and it REALLY hurts when it warms up), and do ankle-strengthening exercises. Get those from a physical therapist or former ice skater–they know lots of good ankle stuff, not surprisingly. Oh, and avoid any kind of shoes that bother your ankle. It takes time, TLC and lots of attention, but it can be done. As it improves, start increasing the running and using the ice and anti-inflammatory less, until only as needed. Good luck!

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Question:

I’m interested in people opinions about how they felt fairmount park went. I want to know the good and the bad so don’t just bash the race. Thanks to all of you for supporting us and look for my clearance specials coming soon!! thanks, steve                                     breakfast anymore! Steve’s Multisport  http://www.source.net/steves/index.html Pete’s BIKINDEX     http://www.temple.edu/~mudboy/bikindex.htm

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I’m interested in people opinions about how they felt fairmount park went. I want to know the good and the bad so don’t just bash the race.

It sounds like you are asking for opinions to be posted publicly. I am sensitive to the fact that, even with a race that has some problems, a lot of energy must go into planning, and, in general, I feel race directors and people involved in planning and running races deserve a lot more credit and appreciation than they sometimes get. That said, I will mention some personal impressions about things that were done well and not-so-well: GOOD: -Well organized swim start, appropriate-sized waves, well marked swim course, good decision not to allow wetsuits given incredibly warm water (and I say that even though I am a person who benefits quite a bit from wetwuit use). -Generally excellent bike course (only wish there had been a way to avoid the few big bumps that kept knocking bottles etc.. off bikes), WONDERFUL to have roads closed off to traffic — this was much appreciated! -Good volunteers, plenty of bottles handed off to cyclists at aid stations, and good presence of race people at major turns in course until the 5th lap (by which time it was easy to remember which way to go). – Generally not much drafting apparent and, as Kim’s note to rst suggested, apparently one pack was penalized. Good going! -Volunteers pulling us out of quicksand at end of swim were also appreciated. Perhaps some kind of ramp could also help there in future years(?) NOT-SO-GOOD: -The somewhat sparcely placed aid stations on the run course in 90+ degree heat might have been almost adequate, but the total lack of fluids — no water, no gatorade, nothing — at the aid station around mile 5 when I got there really hurt. I can see running out of one or the other, but both?   If a race wouldn’t subject its top competitors to nearly 3 miles without fluids in these conditions, why do it to middle-of-the-packers? -Pre-race thing on Saturday. The "meeting" must have been that "xgdvdhowlehcbhjnababa" over the PA system from which no recognizable words could be distinguished. In combination with the lack of pre-race information (see following point), this left an information void. Also, I love Mrs. T pierogies but, after that long line, to get 3 oily pierogies, a couple leafs of lettuce and nothing else — out of bread, out of gatorade, etc… not the pre-race feast one might have anticipated for a $90 entry fee. Perhaps people ahead in lines did better? -I’m *still* (Tuesday) waiting for the race packet. When I sent in $90 late entry a week and a half before the race, I called (and called again on Monday), was assured that the information was in the mail to me, and would get to me in plenty of time. When I still hadn’t gotten anything by Friday, I started doing everything I could (including e-mailing race director A. Cutts directly– he must have been swamped with things in the 2 days before the race, I realize) to find out where to go, etc… Never got any responses (and, even at the race registration, they didn’t have a copy of what they "sent out", which I’ve still never seen). If it hadn’t been for fellow participant Mike Llerandi, who graciously read me directions over the telephone, I would have had no way to find this thing. I realize that handling people who register in the last two weeks before a race is an extra burden, but better to just say "We’ll let you in the race, but we’re not going to send you any information, you’re on your own" than give assurance they did and not follow through. Afraid the "NOT-SO-GOODS" look longer because they required more explanation than the "GOODS" but, from my perspective, they balanced out and I thought it was not badly done, would give it "mixed" reviews; if I had been one of the elite folks who got fluids all the way through the run, got pre-race materials, etc… I would have probably given it a quite positive review. Please note too the earlier comments about credit deserved by those who go to the effort and trouble to put on races the rest of us can do. Hope these comments can be used constructively, as is my intent(you asked!). I appreciate the fact that this was another half-FeMan within a few hours drive that I could do in preparation for Lake Sunapee, so thank you to all those involved in putting it on. [Apologies, too, to distant rst-ers who could care less about these sort of details about a race here ] -Rory Stuart

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Thought race went well. My wife thought it one of the best I’ve been in.    Pre race ok- Didn’t like that we had to leave bikes outside- saw one that someone treid to steal. Luckily he couldn’t figure out the pedals.    Swim- I liked the open water start too. You had plenty of room, not the usual beating you take.    Bike – good loops, water stations about right. I have same complaint as everyone else- a few rough areas of pavement and joints that you couldn’t avoid.    Run- alot of water stations again but not spaced at 1 mile increments- thats ok but tough if you’re watching splits or just trying to count off how much longer you have to hang on.    Overall I would do this race again. Mike Crawford — NC Tridog

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I’m interested in people opinions about how they felt fairmount park went. I want to know the good and the bad so don’t just bash the race.

good: the swim start between two buoys out in the river.  helped spread everyone out, was a pleasant way to start the swim. to me, the water was fine.  i am a philly resident from long ago and had my doubts, but was pleasantly surprised. volunteers pulling folks out of the muck at the end of the swim. bike course closed to traffic.  felt very safe on the roads. even with 900+ cyclists out there, was really easy doing the loops. water bottle hand offs went well.  having 2 per loop was good, do not think one per loop would have been enough. bad: there were a couple bumps on the bike course that rattled my teeth the first time over them (lucky did not cause a snake bite) mile marks on the run were either hard to see, or sometimes missing.  would like to have big marks every mile so i can monitor run pace. memorial hall.  how about something with airconditioning ?? it was a real sweat box. pre-race meal was certainly on the skimpy side.  not only that, but the line got real long, real quick. pa system at pre/post race ceremonies was hard to understand. awards ceremony.  it took 2.5 hours.  how about doing the olympic distance race earlier so the half-ironman folks don’t have to wait thru them (guess which race i did). doug jones

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I’m interested in people opinions about how they felt fairmount park went.

Get rid of the bike check-in, or have it at the bike transition area the day before the race and have the bikes racked after check in.  For those of us who fly to a race, it is a major pain to have to assemble the bike(s) from the airline case, partially dissassemble them to get them in a rental car, go to check in, put them back together, take them back apart, put them back in the car, take them to the transition, and put them back together.  If the purpose of the bike check in is to see if brakes are closed, wheels aligned and tight, etc., the purpose is defeated by the time the bike has finally made it to the transition area. Whew.  Glad to get that off my chest. I liked the course layout and felt it was a well run race. kbb Kim B. Blair, Ph.D.                     Senior Staff Scientist 1033 Massachusetts Ave                  (617) 354-3124 Cambridge, MA  02138                    (617) 491-4522 (fax)

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I’m interested in people opinions about how they felt fairmount park went. I want to know the good and the bad so don’t just bash the race.

one more thing that was very, very good. the hotel allowed late check-out (3 PM). for out-of-towner’s like myself, this is invaluable for packing a bike, cleaning up, etc.  was very, very helpful for them to allow this.  (plus, it was a last chance at air conditioning before heading back to memorial hall, ugh.).

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I am a middle of the packer and did the olympic distance tri at fairmount this past weekend.  Generally, I found the race to be well run and well worth my entry fee.  I would without hesitation do it again.  It reflected well on the race director, volunteer staff, and, if the packs were in fact penalized for drafting, on tri-fed as well. At the pre-race meeting, I would recommend a better PA system inasmuch as it was quite difficult to hear the pre-race announcements.  It was interesting to note that when tri-fed announced that drafting rules would be strictly enforced, there was a round of applause from the audience. When they announced that there would be no wetsuits due to the high water temp, no one clapped and I heard a few hisses.   The bike check-out and registration were both fast and efficient.  The lines were long for the food so I just skipped it. Race morning check in was straightforward. One improvement I would recommend is to have numbers for each individual bike on the the bike racks. I was in wave 8 of the swim start (30-34 male) and it was basically ok.   As usual, some guys crept out ahead of the start line before the horn sounded, trying to get an extra few yards or so on the rest of the field.   Regardless, I caught everyone within 100 yds an finished first in my wave by at least a minute (my background is competitive swimming).   About half way through the swim I caught up to the slow pokes from earlier waves and from then on it was an obstacle course of sorts.  I guess I finished in 18 plus change. On the bike course I saw some serious drafting.  I saw one group in particular (perhaps the same group mentioned by others) that was pure peloton.  I also saw a male tugging a female along (her number was 122) in what seemed to be a pre-arranged scheme. If she qualified for Kona that would be an injustice.  The first of two aid stations was intelligently placed at the top of the first hill so that no one lost momentum grabbing for water bottles.  I split about an hour, which for me was my best ever by far, even after adjustment for the short distance (22.4 vs 24.8). One major plus of this course, aside from the fact that it was closed to traffic, was that it was mostly shaded.  This cooled things off significantly and I’ll bet was a real plus for the Fe/2 competitors. Then the run.  The course was a flat straightforward out and back. I knew the entire course pretty well since I ran the loop often when I lived in Philly.  My aid stations had plentiful water and gatorade available.  In fact, one additional plus was that the stuff was ice cold.  In any event, I went about 49 minutes for the course. So I ended up finishing my first season with a 2:08+.  I translated this to a 2:15-2:16 for the full triathlon distance.   I was elated inasmuch as I started off at Columbia with a 2:40.     bill fallon P.S. Any chance we can get the full results for the FPCT – both races, with splits – out on the net ?  

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Question:

Ok, here are my plans/goals for  next year.  Please keep in mind that I work full-time AND go to grad school at night.  Hopefully, that will change in January so I can traing more, but right now my training time is limited. Comments and criticisms are welcome: Training plan, 1994 season. November – December, 1993 — Offseason   o  at least 30 minutes of running, swimming, biking a      week each                                                      1.5 hours   o  2 hours of rowing, stairs, etc a week                  1 – 2 hours   o  weight training 3 times/week, at least 30 min per      session                                                            1.5 hours January – Febuary, 1994 — Base training   o  increase swimming, biking, running to at least 2      hours per week each, depending on work/school      situation                                                         6+ hours   o  decrease rowing, stairs, etc. to nothing over this      time                                                              1 hour avg   o  weight training twice a week March – April  – Transition   o  Keep increasing time in biking, running, swiming       10 + hours   o  add some speed work, hills on bike and run, etc   o  keep weight training May (late April) – August — Racing season   o  decrease distances of swimming, biking, running       (only until late July for running, then I will increase        for Marathon training)   o  improve "quality" of training   o  weight training 1-2 times a week, non race weeks only   o  Race September – October (early Nov?) — Marathon training   o Marathon training and Race   o Ride and swim at least once a week   o weight training (upper body only) 1-2 times a week November – December — Offseason   o Rest!!! Goals (in order of importance)   o  Have fun   o  Complete Half Ironman (find one in late August or Sept)   o  Keep muscle tone, keep body fat at 6-7%   o  Improve times at races I did last year   o  Improve bike times (new bike if financially feasable)   o  Marathon PR in late October / early November Big Races   o  April        – St. Anthony’s (Olympic distance Tri.)   o  June        – Triangle Triathlon (.5m,16m,4m)                           (The big local race)   o  August    – NC Triathlon (Olympic)   o  Sept (?)  – Half Ironman (find one)   o  Oct         — Martthon  (which one?) sean butler research triangle park, nc

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I posted this earlier, but our server seems screwy.  Sorry if you see this twice. Anyway, here are my plans and goals for next season.  Please take into consideration that I work full time and go to grad school at night, so I may not have as much time as some of you.  Hopefully, that situation will change by January and I’ll have more time for training!!! Comments, questions, criticisms all welcomed. sean butler Training plan, 1994 season. November – December, 1993 — Offseason   o  at least 30 minutes of running, swimming, and biking a      week (each sport)                                                  1.5 hours   o  2 hours of rowing, stairs, etc a week                        1 – 2 hours   o  weight training 3 times/week, at least 30 min per      session                                                                  1.5 hours January – Febuary, 1994 — Base training   o  increase swimming, biking, running to at least 2-3      hours per week each, depending on work/school      situation                                                               6 + hours   o  decrease rowing, stairs, etc. to nothing over this      time                                                                    1 hour avg   o  weight training twice a week March – April  – Transition   o  Keep increasing time in biking, running, swiming       10 + hours   o  add some speed work, hills on bike and run, etc   o  keep weight training May (late April) – August — Racing season   o  decrease distances of swimming, biking, running       (only until late July for running, then I will increase        for Marathon training)   o  improve "quality" of training   o  weight training 1-2 times a week, non race weeks only   o  Race September – October (early Nov?) — Marathon training   o Marathon training and Race   o Ride and swim at least once a week   o weight training (upper body only) 1-2 times a week November – December — Offseason   o Rest!!! Goals (in order of importance)   o  Have fun   o  Complete Half Ironman (find one in late August or Sept)   o  Keep muscle tone, keep body fat % at 6-7%   o  Improve times at races I did last year   o  Improve bike times (new bike if feasable)   o  Marathon PR in late October / early November Big Races   o  April         — St. Anthony’s (Olympic distance Tri.)   o  June         — Triangle Triathlon (.5m,16m,4m)                            (The big local race)   o  August      – NC Triathlon (Olympic)   o  Sept (?)    – Half Ironman (find one)   o  Oct           — Martthon  (which one?)

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