Question:

I have an Arena wetsuit (long leg and sleeve) used 2 times. It is a women’s medium but seems to run real small. I got it from someone who won it and had it laying around because it was too small for him. I used it 2 years ago and it does not fit my hulking body anymore. If you want some more info, email me and we can figure out if it might fit. Perfect condition. $35 D.J. Mosiniak            (IRONKID) I would be willing to trade for any dura-ace tri bike– even up;-)

Response:

Yea, I know—- $30 in subject.                 $35 in message. Maybe— $33.50—— if it fits, whatever you think is fair. D.J.  "not much of a salesman"   (IRONKID) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have an Arena wetsuit (long leg and sleeve) used 2 times. It is a women’s medium but seems to run real small. I got it from someone who won it and had it laying around because it was too small for him. I used it 2 years ago and it does not fit my hulking body anymore. If you want some more info, email me and we can figure out if it might fit. Perfect condition. $35 D.J. Mosiniak            (IRONKID) I would be willing to trade for any dura-ace tri bike– even up;-)

Response:

 It is a women’s medium but seems to run real small. I got it from someone

 who won it and had it laying around because it was too small for him. Is it purple?  Does your friend wear a triangle on his head? Didn’t Jerry tell you not to watch that program anymore.  Go to your room.  Do not pass Go.  Do not take any Triathlete special "issues" with you.  Do not talk to Jason. Ruth Kazez

Response:

Go to your room.  Do not pass Go.  Do not take any Triathlete special "issues" with you.  Do not talk to Jason. Ruth Kazez

Why Triathlete when Jason sent me Sports Illustrated;-) D.J.  "off skwool cause of snow and wanting to learn to paint" (IRONKID)

Response:

"Why Triathlete when Jason sent me Sports Illustrated;-) D.J. "off skwool cause of snow and wanting to learn to paint" (IRONKID)" Obviously the SWIMSUIT EDITION, Does Your FATHER know JASON’s sending you this SMUT!!! Never mind go to your room, YOU deserve a Spanking, I’ll be sending one of those Swimsuit models with the fancy paint job over there with a paddle to straiten you out.  I hope this teaches you a lesson, Steve "The Right Wing Smut Smasher" Adams

Response:

Question:

I’m new to triathlon’s. I did two sprints this summer, and am looking forward to the season when it starts again. I’m starting to plan my races now. I would like to attempt a 1/2IM. I live in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast Tri sounds good. My question is: What is the water temp like in May? Do I or would I require a wet suit that time of year? I would like

Response:

My question is: What is the water temp like in May? Do I or would I require a wet suit that time of year?

Water usually in the mid 70’s, pretty comfortable without the wetsuit. Of course, if you do have a wetsuit, put it on anyway. Those waves can knock even the heartiest of swimmers over.                           |26      | IMC’96: 10:36:37          |   Fe   |   IMNZ, IMC ‘99 IMC’97: 10:42:53          |        |                  "THE BEST ELEMENT OF RACING"

Response:

What is the water temp like in May? Do I or would I require a wet suit that time of year?

For the past four years it has been between 74 and 77 degrees.  Quite warm.  However, it has been as cold as 68, in the past ten years that i have been invcolved with the race. -Charlie Crawford

Response:

For the past four years it has been between 74 and 77 degrees.  Quite warm.

I looked on the website for the triathlon and saw where wetsuits may be required.  Does anyone know if it’s possible to rent a wetsuit?   After watching IMH yesterday I’ve decided I’d like to attempt the Gulf Coast Tri in 2000.  I’d really prefer to not have to buy a wetsuit for this one event. Also, any training tips would be appreciated, especially from folks who have already completed the Gulf Coast Tri. Take Care, Zack Jones

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : Oh yea, forgot to add, the M-Dot tattoo turned out great — I only got : tears in my eyes once! : And where did you get it? In Kona, of course. Madeleine "what a *dumb* question, Mike" Page snicker, snicker, teh, heh, heh—– Nice one — got him good!!!! D.J.        (IRONKID)

Don’t encourage her, kid. Mike "Now go to your room" Tennent "TriBop" ‘98 Ironman Canada, 16:17:03

Response:

Now, Mike, the kid was just displaying how quick he is! No need to ground him. (why is the thread starting to sound like an episode of "Leave it to Beaver") (oops, there I go again, making cultural references to the baby-boomer age ) Laura (whose stratigically placed M-Dot started this sitcom) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : Oh yea, forgot to add, the M-Dot tattoo turned out great — I only got : tears in my eyes once! : And where did you get it? In Kona, of course. Madeleine "what a *dumb* question, Mike" Page snicker, snicker, teh, heh, heh—– Nice one — got him good!!!! D.J.        (IRONKID) Don’t encourage her, kid. Mike "Now go to your room" Tennent "TriBop" ‘98 Ironman Canada, 16:17:03

Response:

Now, Mike, the kid was just displaying how quick he is! No need to ground him.

Oh grind him, grind him, every chance you get.  As Dan Empfield once said, we have to be *stern* with this IronKid.  To your room!  Right now!  We’ve had enough!  No car for you tonight. (P.S.He has a birthday coming up Oct.24.  We can expect a lot more talk-back soon.) Ruth Kazez

Response:

Now, Mike, the kid was just displaying how quick he is! No need to ground him.

Oh grind him, grind him, every chance you get.  As Dan Empfield once said, we have to be *stern* with this IronKid.  To your room!  Right now!  We’ve had enough!  No car for you tonight. (P.S.He has a birthday coming up Oct.24.  We can expect a lot more talk-back soon.) Ruth Kazez

Yo Ruth Have you met my best friend, future PROM DATE and probably smartest person on RST. Ruth meet Laura. D.J.         " Car? they ripped my go-cart off 2 weeks ago"  (IRONKID)

Response:

(P.S.He has a birthday coming up Oct.24.  We can expect a lot more talk-back soon.)

Oh, Lord….. Mike Tennent "TriBop" ‘98 Ironman Canada, 16:17:03

Response:

(P.S.He has a birthday coming up Oct.24.  We can expect a lot more talk-back soon.) Oh, Lord….. Mike Tennent "TriBop" ‘98 Ironman Canada, 16:17:03

You called Mr. Tennent?  Please call me D.J. D.J.    "off to the pool so I can part the water and run hills" (IRONKID)   Happy B-day to me…

Response:

Have you met my best friend, future PROM DATE and probably smartest

person on RST. Ruth meet Laura. D.J.         " Car? they ripped my go-cart off 2 weeks ago"  (IRONKID) LAURA is your prom date? What gives? Guys, who needs them!  735 days until DJ gets his driver’s license, anyhow. Like I’m going to get messed up going to the prom in a go-cart. Yeah, right. Ruth Kazez

Response:

Yea Ruth, he is MY prom date!!! Hope you aren’t too jealous, because you know how fickle men are –he will probably dump me in a week! Laura (who is wondering if she can buy an aero prom dress from DeSoto) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Have you met my best friend, future PROM DATE and probably smartest person on RST. Ruth meet Laura. D.J.         " Car? they ripped my go-cart off 2 weeks ago"  (IRONKID) LAURA is your prom date? What gives? Guys, who needs them!  735 days until DJ gets his driver’s license, anyhow. Like I’m going to get messed up going to the prom in a go-cart. Yeah, right. Ruth Kazez

Response:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, IRONKID !!!!!! SAVE A DANCE FOR ME, OKAY?

Response:

Great race, Laura! Turns out that Jason was also an "ocean virgin"! So, with somewhat foolish grins on our faces, we gingerly made our way down to the beach. He got in first. Ever the slow-poke, I sort of lagged behind, wary about the sea urchins and their spines that I had been warned about. Finally, dove in, did my usual open mouth in water —sputttter!!!! Oh yea, forgot. There is salt in that there "pond"! Yuk. Finally got a rhythim going and was amazed at how clear and boyant the water was.

I got a real chuckle out of this – and Jason’s account of your mutual "deflowering". Since I grew up on the ocean (my father was a commercial fisherman),  it’s never really occurred to me that there is anything singular about salt water. Though come to think of it, at my first tri in a lake I thought the lake water tasted sort of funny… <g Mike Tennent "TriBop" ‘98 Ironman Canada, 16:17:03

Response:

Great race(s), LDL!  Yuo’re an ultimate IM trooper now! Chaz

Response:

: I got a real chuckle out of this – and Jason’s account of your mutual : "deflowering". Since I grew up on the ocean (my father was a commercial : fisherman),  it’s never really occurred to me that there is anything singular : about salt water. Oh no, you’ve got it all wrong.  ;-)  The deflowering occurred on Saturday night after IMH.  Eric Weiss may have stolen Tri Baby’s cherry, but I got to deflower her.  ;-)   (ask Tri Baby if you want an explanation  ;-) Good thing Skippy wobbled up (again, ask if you need an explanation) in the car soon after…. : Though come to think of it, at my first tri in a lake I thought the lake water : tasted sort of funny… <g Well, depending on the lake…  ;-) — Jason Mayfield     Arlington, VA "No.  Try not. Do or do not, there is no ‘try’" – Yoda 325 Days Until Ironman Canada ‘99

Response:

Laura, your race report is wonderful ! Loved the apt description of "blast furnace" ! You can be very proud;  you did a fantastic job out there !! Now, take it eeeeeasy !!<wink Lynne

Response:

the winds were far worse than at IMC. You literally saw people being blown on their bikes towards oncoming traffic.

Or blown completely off the road.  A few miles outside of Hawi I was on my way up a rise when I saw a rider coming the other way down the hill completely blown over.  A crosswind apparently caught him unawares, and he and his bike flipped literally head over heels off the side of the road. I saw him sit up, looking rather dazed and clutching at his shoulder in the telltale manner indicative of a broken collarbone.  Was about to pull over to help him but a race motorcycle came up behind me just at that moment and to the rescue. People were afraid to try to get fluids at the aid stations for fear that they would loose control of their bikes and crash. I talked to a number of people who couldn’t drink on the bike due to the wind gusts.

No lie, you didn’t want to take your hands from the bars for any reason—eating, drinking, applying sunscreen or lip balm.  Attempting to pour water into your JetStream was an adventure in and of itself!  You were lucky if a quarter of the fluid made it into the JetStream at times; most of it would just get blown away. I’m grateful to have survived with a respectable time. The worse that happened to me was being stung by a jellyfish on the swim

I had that happen too, and wondered what the hell it was because there was nothing to SEE.  Got a couple of stings on my arms, but the worst was the one smack on the end of my nose, ouch!  Nobody mentioned this hazard; I thought I was prepared for all of ‘em. — Tri-Baby                                      _                                   –    o      ’             –  __o       –    </_  `     ‘         –    <         – __/    /o_         – (()) (())        -  / "REAL Triathletes don’t draft." http://www.stanford.edu/~brooksie        

Response:

Hey you guys, the ocean"deflowering" was fun! I just never would have thought that Jason would still be a "virgin" *wink* I am definitely jealous of Tricia! Oh yea, forgot to add, the M-Dot tattoo turned out great — I only got tears in my eyes once! Laura – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : I got a real chuckle out of this – and Jason’s account of your mutual : "deflowering". Since I grew up on the ocean (my father was a commercial : fisherman),  it’s never really occurred to me that there is anything singular : about salt water. Oh no, you’ve got it all wrong.  ;-)  The deflowering occurred on Saturday night after IMH.  Eric Weiss may have stolen Tri Baby’s cherry, but I got to deflower her.  ;-)   (ask Tri Baby if you want an explanation  ;-) Good thing Skippy wobbled up (again, ask if you need an explanation) in the car soon after…. : Though come to think of it, at my first tri in a lake I thought the lake water : tasted sort of funny… <g Well, depending on the lake…  ;-) — Jason Mayfield     Arlington, VA "No.  Try not. Do or do not, there is no ‘try’" – Yoda 325 Days Until Ironman Canada ‘99

Response:

Oh yea, forgot to add, the M-Dot tattoo turned out great — I only got tears in my eyes once! Laura

And where did you get it? Mike "Inquiring minds, etc…" Tennent "TriBop" ‘98 Ironman Canada, 16:17:03

Response:

: Oh yea, forgot to add, the M-Dot tattoo turned out great — I only got : tears in my eyes once! : And where did you get it? In Kona, of course. Madeleine "what a *dumb* question, Mike" Page

Response:

: Oh yea, forgot to add, the M-Dot tattoo turned out great — I only got : tears in my eyes once! : And where did you get it? In Kona, of course. Madeleine "what a *dumb* question, Mike" Page

snicker, snicker, teh, heh, heh—– Nice one — got him good!!!! D.J.        (IRONKID)

Response:

That is for me to know and you to find out! See ya at the races!! Just look carefully at my right shoulder as I pass on the bike (how’s that for bravado Laura (who is still facing the unsavory task of opening up a bike case 9 days after the smelly contents were packed….) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Oh yea, forgot to add, the M-Dot tattoo turned out great — I only got tears in my eyes once! Laura And where did you get it? Mike "Inquiring minds, etc…" Tennent "TriBop" ‘98 Ironman Canada, 16:17:03

Response:

Aloha! Mahalo! Well, the reality of returing home to corporate America after IM is starting to sink in….Arrived this morning at 5:00 a.m. on the red-eye. I have so many vivid memories of Kona that I can’t recount all of them, but will try to give you some of the highlights. Got in late on Wednesday the 30th and headed straight for the hotel. Thursday a.m., bright and early, headed down to the infamous Dig Me beach for my first ever swim in an ocean. Yep, this land-locked Midwesterner had never dipped a toe in the ocean. Since I had a little 2.4 mile swim to do in it, thought I’d better get some practice in before. Wouldn’t ya know that the first person I ran into at the beach was Jason Mayfield! Turns out that Jason was also an "ocean virgin"! So, with somewhat foolish grins on our faces, we gingerly made our way down to the beach. He got in first. Ever the slow-poke, I sort of lagged behind, wary about the sea urchins and their spines that I had been warned about. Finally, dove in, did my usual open mouth in water —sputttter!!!! Oh yea, forgot. There is salt in that there "pond"! Yuk. Finally got a rhythim going and was amazed at how clear and boyant the water was. What a thrill to be swimming in the Pacific and at that beach! After crusing a 1/2 mile swim, got out and just enjoyed the "scene". Hard bodies everywhere, seems like each one was better than the previous. Ran into Greg Pressler, and lots of other folks. Wandered around Ali Drive. Wouldn’t ya know that on the way to the King K. there was Ms. Richter out for a spin on the bike!  She looked pretty tough, ready to take on the race. Rest of the morning was spent at registration in one long line after another. Sure seemed that the good folks could lear a thing or two from their cousins at IMC about how to run a registration/gear check-in table. Oh well, this is "Hollywood", so guess that they have the right to be very methodical about proceedures. The carbo-party Thursday evening was pretty much your typical fare. But the entertainment was very special, highlighting the past 20 years of Ironman. Gave you goosebumps just listening. Fast forward to the bike check-in on Friday afternoon. Deliberatly went late in the afternoon to see some of the pros check in. Saw Natasha, Fernanda, Spencer Smith, Hellreigel and Paula. Wouldn’t you know that Jason was here too! He was volunteering at the pro bike check-in. When Paula came through the line, I yelled at him to stand next to her, so I could get his picture with Paula (who was very gracious). Also got one of Fernanda with one of my training partners. Natasha seemed at the time to be extremely relaxed and friendly. Race day dawned. The usual 4:00 a.m. jitters. Could my body really do another Ironman only 4 weeks, 5 days after IMC??? Well, guess I would find out the hard way. I seeded back in the swim, keeping in mind that it was better to save energy for the long day ahead. When the cannon went off, it was truly amazing to be part of that churing. Remarkably, didn’t get kicked or shoved and got into a rhythym pretty soon. Took long, easy strokes and cruzed through the swim. Got out of the water, ran through the showers and then had a bit of a hard time getting my helmet unhooked from my bike –the strap got twisted in my Jetstream holder velcro!! Once that was dealt with, off on the bike. The first 15-20 miles were uneventful. But then….The only way I can describe the bike was to imagine yourself standing in front of a foundry blast furnace with a 40 mile per hour blast of hot air coming straight at you and a swirling, wicked cross wind. I watched my bike speed slow from 20 mph to 6. At times, it was so windy that I thought I would crash sideways. The volunteers at the aid stations were having a hard time standing up!! It was just plain dangerous. Cars out on the Queen K were swerving to avoid hitting riders who were being blown into the path of the cars (no joke). I was so disgusted, at a couple of times actually thought that it would be faster to get off the bike and walk it! It continued like this all the way to the turn-around at Havi. After the turn-around, got a sweet tailwind for about 20 miles. Then, bam! More cross winds. My neck and arms were so sore from fighting to keep my bike upright, I had tears in my eyes and a headache. By mile 80, it seemed to get a little better. Encouraged, I pressed onwards. Couldn’t wait to get to the bike transition and get off the bike. My bike split was 1 hour 15 minutes slower than at IMC 5 weeks earlier. But, I didn’t feel too bad, so after changing and drinking down some Race Day, I trotted off on the marathon. The marathon was a complete suprise! I felt great! I ran the entire course, at a comfortable pace. I figured that with my lousy bike split, that I was out of contention for an award anyway, so might as well really enjoy the experience and the spirit of the people who were volunteering and watching the race. It was a unique experience to run the last 8 miles in darkness. It was so black out there. The moon was behind clouds. All you could see were the errie glow of light sticks coming towards you. With each mile, I felt better and better and started picking up the pace. I saw both my training partners out on the course and we cheered and shouted words of encouragement to each other! We train together all year and all qualified — what a thrill to be doing the Ironman together! The last mile was so emotional. It is truly hard to find the words to describe the feelings I was experiencing. The crowds, the cheering, the tears welling up, the sudden urge to sprint the last half mile and the last step across the line. I did it! I did the IMC /IM double. Times? IMC 12:19:56 IM 13:30:26. Not a bad 5 weeks work. Mahalo, Laura

Response:

Great race report..and great race, Laura.  Double IM! Wow! –Lee Crumbaugh (Tri-Hard)

Response:

Awesome! — MB. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Aloha! Mahalo! Well, the reality of returing home to corporate America after IM is starting to sink in….Arrived this morning at 5:00 a.m. on the red-eye. I have so many vivid memories of Kona that I can’t recount all of them, but will try to give you some of the highlights. Got in late on Wednesday the 30th and headed straight for the hotel. Thursday a.m., bright and early, headed down to the infamous Dig Me beach for my first ever swim in an ocean. Yep, this land-locked Midwesterner had never dipped a toe in the ocean. Since I had a little 2.4 mile swim to do in it, thought I’d better get some practice in before. Wouldn’t ya know that the first person I ran into at the beach was Jason Mayfield! Turns out that Jason was also an "ocean virgin"! So, with somewhat foolish grins on our faces, we gingerly made our way down to the beach. He got in first. Ever the slow-poke, I sort of lagged behind, wary about the sea urchins and their spines that I had been warned about. Finally, dove in, did my usual open mouth in water —sputttter!!!! Oh yea, forgot. There is salt in that there "pond"! Yuk. Finally got a rhythim going and was amazed at how clear and boyant the water was. What a thrill to be swimming in the Pacific and at that beach! After crusing a 1/2 mile swim, got out and just enjoyed the "scene". Hard bodies everywhere, seems like each one was better than the previous. Ran into Greg Pressler, and lots of other folks. Wandered around Ali Drive. Wouldn’t ya know that on the way to the King K. there was Ms. Richter out for a spin on the bike!  She looked pretty tough, ready to take on the race. Rest of the morning was spent at registration in one long line after another. Sure seemed that the good folks could lear a thing or two from their cousins at IMC about how to run a registration/gear check-in table. Oh well, this is "Hollywood", so guess that they have the right to be very methodical about proceedures. The carbo-party Thursday evening was pretty much your typical fare. But the entertainment was very special, highlighting the past 20 years of Ironman. Gave you goosebumps just listening. Fast forward to the bike check-in on Friday afternoon. Deliberatly went late in the afternoon to see some of the pros check in. Saw Natasha, Fernanda, Spencer Smith, Hellreigel and Paula. Wouldn’t you know that Jason was here too! He was volunteering at the pro bike check-in. When Paula came through the line, I yelled at him to stand next to her, so I could get his picture with Paula (who was very gracious). Also got one of Fernanda with one of my training partners. Natasha seemed at the time to be extremely relaxed and friendly. Race day dawned. The usual 4:00 a.m. jitters. Could my body really do another Ironman only 4 weeks, 5 days after IMC??? Well, guess I would find out the hard way. I seeded back in the swim, keeping in mind that it was better to save energy for the long day ahead. When the cannon went off, it was truly amazing to be part of that churing. Remarkably, didn’t get kicked or shoved and got into a rhythym pretty soon. Took long, easy strokes and cruzed through the swim. Got out of the water, ran through the showers and then had a bit of a hard time getting my helmet unhooked from my bike –the strap got twisted in my Jetstream holder velcro!! Once that was dealt with, off on the bike. The first 15-20 miles were uneventful. But then….The only way I can describe the bike was to imagine yourself standing in front of a foundry blast furnace with a 40 mile per hour blast of hot air coming straight at you and a swirling, wicked cross wind. I watched my bike speed slow from 20 mph to 6. At times, it was so windy that I thought I would crash sideways. The volunteers at the aid stations were having a hard time standing up!! It was just plain dangerous. Cars out on the Queen K were swerving to avoid hitting riders who were being blown into the path of the cars (no joke). I was so disgusted, at a couple of times actually thought that it would be faster to get off the bike and walk it! It continued like this all the way to the turn-around at Havi. After the turn-around, got a sweet tailwind for about 20 miles. Then, bam! More cross winds. My neck and arms were so sore from fighting to keep my bike upright, I had tears in my eyes and a headache. By mile 80, it seemed to get a little better. Encouraged, I pressed onwards. Couldn’t wait to get to the bike transition and get off the bike. My bike split was 1 hour 15 minutes slower than at IMC 5 weeks earlier. But, I didn’t feel too bad, so after changing and drinking down some Race Day, I trotted off on the marathon. The marathon was a complete suprise! I felt great! I ran the entire course, at a comfortable pace. I figured that with my lousy bike split, that I was out of contention for an award anyway, so might as well really enjoy the experience and the spirit of the people who were volunteering and watching the race. It was a unique experience to run the last 8 miles in darkness. It was so black out there. The moon was behind clouds. All you could see were the errie glow of light sticks coming towards you. With each mile, I felt better and better and started picking up the pace. I saw both my training partners out on the course and we cheered and shouted words of encouragement to each other! We train together all year and all qualified — what a thrill to be doing the Ironman together! The last mile was so emotional. It is truly hard to find the words to describe the feelings I was experiencing. The crowds, the cheering, the tears welling up, the sudden urge to sprint the last half mile and the last step across the line. I did it! I did the IMC /IM double. Times? IMC 12:19:56 IM 13:30:26. Not a bad 5 weeks work. Mahalo, Laura

Response:

        Amazing Laura, what a way to end your excellent season. Those winds sound awful, I would hardly be bummed about your bike split. Yours David Barclay IMC 1997: 11:55:59 Triathlon: "Swim, Bike, Crawl"

Response:

Not bad at all Laura!  Great job, now enjoy some time off.   Mike Mike & Christy Mauldin Charlotte, NC

Response:

Thanks much David for the kind words. Not to be overly dramatic, but the winds were far worse than at IMC. You literally saw people being blown on their bikes towards oncoming traffic. People were afraid to try to get fluids at the aid stations for fear that they would loose control of their bikes and crash. I talked to a number of people who couldn’t drink on the bike due to the wind gusts. That, unfortunately made for bad marathons. Very scary. I’m grateful to have survived with a respectable time. The worse that happened to me was being stung by a jellyfish on the swim and getting a bad abrasion from the high neck swimsuit I wore. Now, it’s time to exercise those fine muscles in the right hand that control the remote!! Cheers! Laura (IMC ‘97, IMC’98, IM’98 and confirmed for IMC’99) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –         Amazing Laura, what a way to end your excellent season. Those winds sound awful, I would hardly be bummed about your bike split. Yours David Barclay IMC 1997: 11:55:59 Triathlon: "Swim, Bike, Crawl"

Response:

Question:

this that allows bobos like yours truly

See, I knew that "Tribobo" would stick, and being BWB is still a honorable position in any World (can I use that word) Championship. Dan,  (will try again, lottery loser)

Response:

I’ve had so many thoughts on this exact issue over the last couple of years. It’s kind of nice to be made to verbalize them. So here we go…the Aussie version, completely unedited for your reading pleasure. I have no greater dream than to qualify for IMH. The whole notion of the lottery somehow took (note the past tense) something away from the magic that surrounded this event. But I realize that there are many people like myself (Tribaby excused!!!) who will never make it into this event without some leg up on the competition. The lottery provides that edge. I do agree with Tribaby that there are still 1350 or so incredible athletes who have qualified for this magnificent event (certainly not to take away from the magnificence of those who have earned a lottery spot – congrats Carlos!!!). The whole notion of the "people’s race" is what keeps me going in pursuit of a spot in that starting line-up. Without it, I probably wouldn’t even blink an eye at the mention of IMH. The fairness of the lottery is certainly an issue though that needs to be addressed. Being an expat Aussie living in the U.S., you can probably work out where I’m going with this next thread.The equal inclusion of ALL nationalities is imperative for a true world championship. It’s like the World Series Baseball. I don’t recall any Aussie teams stepping up to the plate. Hence I have little respect for baseball at that level of competition. At this point, however, I still respect IMH. But being excluded from the lottery in the country that I am now calling my home is really a kick in the goonies. I am still an Aussie citizen but also a resident of this country. I am not going to give up my Aussie citizenship to compete in a race. It is too important to me. Besides, I still talk funny, I can’t be an American!!! I’m not letting this stop me though. I’m entered in IMC this year and plan on crossing the finish line (if that’s possible) with an Aussie flag clenched tightly in my sweaty, quivering fist. Just the fact that I have the opportunity to enter IMC under any means excites me. It would be incredible to have the opportunity to feel the same intimacy with IMH. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t know if I can wait until I reach the 70+ age group to have a chance at beating out the other three or four competitors in this country that want to compete in IMH. But it might be my only hope unless the lottery is opened up. So with that said, let me respond to some of your quotes directly.  

snip The alternative would be to create a U.S. mainland IM distance qualifier for lottery types who want to get that IM feeling.

Can’t agree with you. It would just be another qualifier and those of us outside the top five in our age-group would be screwed yet again. The answer: open up the lottery spots for IMH world-wide,

Definately… &/or rotate the ‘World Championships’ around the world to any of the current/future sanctioned IM races.

Nope!!! If It’s not Hawaii, it wouldn’t be the same. Can you imagine the Wimbledon tennis championships in Laguna Phuket??? Thanks, Gavin, for the provocation of cognitive juices. Hope to see you in Penticton. Good luck with the training. Happy training all. Gibbo

Response:

I actually forwarded some of the stuff, from a few months ago, to WTC. Probably means nothing, but it least it made me feel better that I hadn’t just sat there and done nothing other than complain. — MB.

Gavin: Do a DejaNews(www.dejanews.com) powersearch and you’ll find quite a long thread from just a few months ago that went into this same topic. I think one of the biggest points/revelations to those making the same complaint as you were that the Ironman series is privately owned by the World Triathlon Corp.  Since they run the series and not an international federation they can do qualifications however they please. I don’t mean to be abrupt, but any complaints fall on deaf ears unless they are made to WTC. Stacy Hills Reston, VA (USA)

|I’m sure this little ditty will provoke the the ire of some my |American neighbours to the south, but its intent is to generate |discussion regarding the ‘World Championship’ status of IMH. | |There is no doubt that IMH is truly an international world class event |whose profile has increased year after year. This being true, I |believe all competitors should, regardless of nationality, have equal |opportunity to compete in this prestigious event, & have the chance |to represent their nation in the world’s toughest single day sporting |event. | |By definition, ‘world championship’  means the best from around the |world representing their respective nations competing for title of |best in the world. Currently, U.S. citizens enjoy the unfair advantage |of entering a lottery to compete. Is this ‘World Championship’ worthy? | |I believe for IMH to be truly considered a ‘World Championship’, |lottery spots for U.S. citizens have to go. The alternative would be |to create a U.S. mainland IM distance qualifier for lottery types who |want to get that IM feeling. With world demand to get into IMH getting |ever more competitive, everybody who gets to Kona should have earned |their entry. | |On the other side of the coin, the argument that this is a ‘peoples |event’, read; NBC ratings, may prevent the race from ever becoming a |true ‘World  Championship’. The idea of not having some ‘common man’ |for the human interest story in amongst all the ‘freaks’  would send |the ratings people into a tailspin. The answer: open up the lottery |spots for IMH world-wide, &/or rotate the ‘World Championships’ around |the world to any of the current/future sanctioned IM races. Just think |NBC; new vistas, exotic locales… | |Just my $0.02 worth & some possible solutions. The status quo is no |longer valid & is unfair. | |Tri your best, | |Gavin. |IMC – ‘96; 11:40 |IMC – ‘98; ? |

Response:

Gavin: Do a DejaNews(www.dejanews.com) powersearch and you’ll find quite a long thread from just a few months ago that went into this same topic. I think one of the biggest points/revelations to those making the same complaint as you were that the Ironman series is privately owned by the World Triathlon Corp.  Since they run the series and not an international federation they can do qualifications however they please.  I don’t mean to be abrupt, but any complaints fall on deaf ears unless they are made to WTC. Stacy Hills Reston, VA (USA)

|I’m sure this little ditty will provoke the the ire of some my |American neighbours to the south, but its intent is to generate |discussion regarding the ‘World Championship’ status of IMH. | |There is no doubt that IMH is truly an international world class event |whose profile has increased year after year. This being true, I |believe all competitors should, regardless of nationality, have equal |opportunity to compete in this prestigious event, & have the chance |to represent their nation in the world’s toughest single day sporting |event. | |By definition, ‘world championship’  means the best from around the |world representing their respective nations competing for title of |best in the world. Currently, U.S. citizens enjoy the unfair advantage |of entering a lottery to compete. Is this ‘World Championship’ worthy? | |I believe for IMH to be truly considered a ‘World Championship’, |lottery spots for U.S. citizens have to go. The alternative would be |to create a U.S. mainland IM distance qualifier for lottery types who |want to get that IM feeling. With world demand to get into IMH getting |ever more competitive, everybody who gets to Kona should have earned |their entry. | |On the other side of the coin, the argument that this is a ‘peoples |event’, read; NBC ratings, may prevent the race from ever becoming a |true ‘World  Championship’. The idea of not having some ‘common man’ |for the human interest story in amongst all the ‘freaks’  would send |the ratings people into a tailspin. The answer: open up the lottery |spots for IMH world-wide, &/or rotate the ‘World Championships’ around |the world to any of the current/future sanctioned IM races. Just think |NBC; new vistas, exotic locales… | |Just my $0.02 worth & some possible solutions. The status quo is no |longer valid & is unfair. | |Tri your best, | |Gavin. |IMC – ‘96; 11:40 |IMC – ‘98; ? |            

Response:

Gavin, Let me first start out by saying that I am one of the lucky ones that got accepted into this year

Question:

6 years after my first triathlon.  Hawaii 1994

Response:

I did my first sprint triathlon in 1991, ran my first marathon in Dec 92, rode 50 miles on my bike for the first time in Jan 93 and 10 months later did IMH (93). That makes two years and a few months after my first triathlon. Sean

Response:

I was just wondering how long it takes to become an IRONMAN.  That is… after how many seasons (years) of triathlons and training did you do your first IRONMAN?? Thanks,        Salvador Santolucito III

First sprint, Nov, 1995. Sprints in 1996 Olympic/Intl distances in 1997 Half and full IM this year …so 3 seasons?  I’m such a wuss rookie compared to all these grizzled RST vets. Yeeikes. Chaz

Response:

I was just wondering how long it takes to become an IRONMAN.  That is… after how many seasons (years) of triathlons and training did you do your first IRONMAN?? Thanks,        Salvador Santolucito III

I would say that it really depends on what your short and long term performance goals are. Some people jump right up to the Ironman distance after a short time. Others wait a few years and get some experience at the shorter races. The problem with moving quickly up to the IM distance is that you get sucked in early on, into the vortex of the mileage grind, which is not a bad thing, but it can have a detrimental effect on how you perform later on, if that is a concern. Generally speaking, I would say wait 3 – 5 years before dong an IM and not until you are about 25 years old. Steve Fleck

Response:

First tri – 1989 First Ironman – Ironman Canada, 1993 I know of one person who did his first race at Wildflower.  Followed (the same season) by his first Ironman at IMC (sub-10:00, BTW) and his second Ironman 6 weeks later in Hawaii.

Response:

: I was just wondering how long it takes to become an IRONMAN.  That is… : after how many seasons (years) of triathlons and training did you do your : first IRONMAN?? 10/1993:  First Marathon 10/1994:  Second Marathon 05/1995:  First Sprint Triathlon 09/1995:  First 1/2 FeMan Triathlon (DNF) 08/1996:  First Ironman (Canada) 08/1997:  Second Ironman (Canada) Sprint Tris:  1995 (2)  1996 (1)  1997 (1) OD Tris:  1996 (1) 1/2 FeMan:  1995 (1) That’s it….I did 5 triathlons going into my first ironman, and finished.  :)  Maybe it was all the training I did…. — Jason Mayfield     Arlington, VA "Do or do not, there is no ‘try’"  - Yoda     102 Days Until Ironman Canada ‘98

Response:

I did my first sprint triathlon in 1991, ran my first marathon in Dec 92, rode 50 miles on my bike for the first time in Jan 93 and 10 months later did IMH (93). That makes two years and a few months after my first triathlon. Sean

….and this is the guy who did a 4:35 at Wildflower this year, copping an IMH slot in the process!  Wow!  You’ve come a long way, baby! Tri-Baby                                      _                                   –    o      ’             –  __o       –    </_  `     ‘         –    <         – __/    /o_         – (()) (())        -  / "REAL Triathletes don’t draft." *** Ironman Canada 1997 – 13:04:09 *** http://www.stanford.edu/~brooksie        

Response:

I did my first Ironman last year at IMC (13:26:23). I started doing tris the year before in 1996 — always was the impatient type! Laura (IMC ‘97, ‘98)

Response:

im doing my first ironman (IMC) this summer and this is the start of my third year in triathlon, and im 20. Steve, am i doomed??? scott

Response:

        One sprint and one Olympic in 1996.         Ironman Canada in 1997.         Why? I just knew I could do it. Not arrogance, just the feeling of immortality that us 20 somethings are blessed with. David Barclay IMC 1997: 11:55:59 Triathlon: "Swim, Bike, Crawl"

Response:

im doing my first ironman (IMC) this summer and this is the start of my third year in triathlon, and im 20. Steve, am i doomed??? scott

Scott, You are not doomed. It really depends on what your perfomance goals are in the sport of triathlon in the short term and in the long term. If you aspire to doing realy well in your age group or doing a "fast" time at an Ironman some day, I would suggest that you stick to the shorter races for a few years and really work on your skills, your speed and your power. Years 20 – 25 are the time to do that. Your power and speed are at their peak right now. Maximize your time. However, if you just want to finish an Ironman for the sake of it, and that is a very reasonable goal, then go fo it. Steve Fleck

Response:

read about hawaii       1995 first run                       may 95  (only ever done about 2 months running before for a fun run                              oct 94) first attempt at freestyle      may 1995 ( could do breathstroke, but not even 25m of freestyle) first time on race bike july 95 ( rode a bike as a kid, but never a race bike) first sprint            1995 first olympic distance  1996 first ironman           august 1998

Response:

 One sprint and one Olympic in 1996.         Ironman Canada in 1997.         Why? I just knew I could do it. Not arrogance, just the feeling of immortality that us 20 somethings are blessed with.

Ist tri: Baltimore ‘87 2nd tri: Hilton Head ‘87 5th tri: Ironman Hawaii ‘88 It was that feeling of mortality that told me I had better hurry and do it. Ruth Kazez

Response:

I was just wondering how long it takes to become an IRONMAN.  That is… after how many seasons (years) of triathlons and training did you do your first IRONMAN?? Thanks,         Salvador Santolucito III

For me … first 10K fun run 1995 first length front crawl 1995 first bike ride over 10miles 1995 first Tri (Olympic Distance) 1995 first 50 on bike 1997 first run over 15 miles 1997 first half IM 1998 first IM 1998 (watch this space!) first marathon – IM UK 1998! It’s not about number of years in tri, it’s about getting through the training. 17 may be a bit young, but don’t wait around forever thinking "just another year of olympic distance races and next year I’ll be fit enough". Next year never comes. Besides, the training is _completely_ different anyway, so olympics don’t help that much. Here’s the thing: ** THE AVERAGE AGE GROUPER CAN DO IRONMAN ** but you need to train right … Winning IM is a different matter. best wishes for you triathlon career. adrian

Response:

1st ever biking besides commuting to school – august 1993. 2 sprint tri’s followed in Sept/Oct ‘93 1st Marathon Jan. 1994. 1st 1/2IM GC May 1994. 1st IMH – Oct. 1994 From my experience, I wouldn’t say it was the best idea to go straight to Hawaii in my 1st full season, but I think that the fault was mine.  I was brand new to the sport, and I tried to compete in both the shorter distance races locally (International and sprint distances) and also train for the big one later that summer.  I ended up getting sick a lot, and just feeling about 10 years older than I was by the end of the summer. OTOH – if you have the opportunity, it’s always good to grab it.  Being fresh out of college, unattached, finally having a little $ from my new job, I really wanted to make the summer count.  Even though I didn’t finish Hawaii with my goal time (and still haven’t in 2 more attempts there), I did accomplish my very real ‘finishing goal’, and it really capped off an extremely good summer as far as new experiences, friends, competitions, and life goes. Vince – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was just wondering how long it takes to become an IRONMAN.  That is… after how many seasons (years) of triathlons and training did you do your first IRONMAN?? Thanks,        Salvador Santolucito III

Response:

Joe (Who, by note to SF, posted a "PW" last weekend at Bay to Breakers, but had a blast doing so)

Uh oh…what happened, Joe?  Did you get stuck in the crowd and take 20 minutes to cross the starting line?  Did Lame Man blind you with his golden aura reflecting the rays of the rising sun directly into your dazzled eyes?  Oh dear! Tri-Baby                                      _                                   –    o      ’             –  __o       –    </_  `     ‘         –    <         – __/    /o_         – (()) (())        -  / "REAL Triathletes don’t draft." *** Ironman Canada 1997 – 13:04:09 *** http://www.stanford.edu/~brooksie        

Response:

Establish the "5-year plan" First IM: Vineman 1997 Hooyah, hooyah! Regards, Kathy I *tri* because…I have many skills!

Response:

I was just wondering how long it takes to become an IRONMAN.  That is… after how many seasons (years) of triathlons and training did you do your first IRONMAN?? Thanks,         Salvador Santolucito III

first sprint triathlon: september 1996 first Ironman: Switzerland 1997 (second triathlon overall) no training before first triathlon. training for Ironman: two months with an average of five hours per week don’t try this yourself – it hurts  !!!    :-) Roth 98 confirmed — Marcus Faltysek

Response:

Kathy, that’s too funny— the ‘92 Danskin San Jose was my first tri too! Establish the "5-year plan" First IM: Vineman 1997

…and First IM:  IMC 1997, one month after you. Hooyah, hooyah!

You seddit! Tri-Baby                                      _                                   –    o      ’             –  __o       –    </_  `     ‘         –    <         – __/    /o_         – (()) (())        -  / "REAL Triathletes don’t draft." *** Ironman Canada 1997 – 13:04:09 *** http://www.stanford.edu/~brooksie        

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  One sprint and one Olympic in 1996.         Ironman Canada in 1997.         Why? I just knew I could do it. Not arrogance, just the feeling of immortality that us 20 somethings are blessed with. Ist tri: Baltimore ‘87 2nd tri: Hilton Head ‘87 5th tri: Ironman Hawaii ‘88 It was that feeling of mortality that told me I had better hurry and do it. Ruth Kazez

Geez, I feel like a sloth. I started running in 1985, 1st tri in 86, did a Half IM in 88, then backed off for a while. Family, job, injuries, etc. Then I got the feeling of creeping mortality (like Ruth) and I figure I’d better get it done now. IMC 98 – going for it. Mike "TriBop" Tennent http://www.gate.net/~wbrunner/ WebRunner Running My Model Railroad ‘98 Ironman Canada IronVirgins Site

Response:

first sprint triathlon: september 1996 first Ironman: Switzerland 1997 (second triathlon overall) no training before first triathlon. training for Ironman: two months with an average of five hours per week don’t try this yourself – it hurts  !!!    :-)

I vote this for THE MOST EXTREME JUMP in Triathlon Award!! Eeeyowzah!  This must have been a big time case of either Blind Faith or Ignorance is Bliss!  Either way, Marcus, you got cojones!!  Whew! Tri-Baby                                      _                                   –    o      ’             –  __o       –    </_  `     ‘         –    <         – __/    /o_         – (()) (())        -  / "REAL Triathletes don’t draft." *** Ironman Canada 1997 – 13:04:09 *** http://www.stanford.edu/~brooksie        

Response:

im doing my first ironman (IMC) this summer and this is the start of my third year in triathlon, and im 20. Steve, am i doomed??? scott

You’re doomed to be addicted to the sport. One thing about the iron distance. You respect it, and it will respect you. Keep the race to within your limits (go slow if you have to) and you will make it alive, with a big smile on your face.                           |26      | IMC’96: 10:36:37          |   Fe   |   ‘98 IMC, GCT, BSLT IMC’97: 10:42:53          |        |                  "THE BEST ELEMENT OF RACING"

Response:

I was just wondering how long it takes to become an IRONMAN.  That is… after how many seasons (years) of triathlons and training did you do your first IRONMAN?? Thanks,        Salvador Santolucito III

1990 – First Triathlon 1992 – First attempt at 1/2 Iron (DNF due to 102 degree temps) 1994 – First 1/2 Ironman finish 1994 – First attempt at full Ironman distance (DNF – spasms) 1996 – Completed Ironman (IMC) It’s been a bumpy road, but I finally made it.                           |26      | IMC’96: 10:36:37          |   Fe   |   ‘98 IMC, GCT, BSLT IMC’97: 10:42:53          |        |                  "THE BEST ELEMENT OF RACING"

Response:

Let’s see…….I did my first Ironman in 1995.I did my first tri back in try a Ironman.Sue started racing tri’s in 1991 and she did her first Ironman last year,so she did one off of 7 seasons.             Randy+Sue

Response:

I was just wondering how long it takes to become an IRONMAN.  That is… after how many seasons (years) of triathlons and training did you do your first IRONMAN?? Thanks,         Salvador Santolucito III

Response:

Question:

who’s going to this?  i’ll bring goodies. peggy

Response:

the entire UCSB tri team will be there!!! but dont worry about goodies for us, starving college students might break you. see ya sunday scott

Response:

who’s going to this?  i’ll bring goodies. peggy

I’ll be there (if it’s not rainy and cold). Ron Urman

Response:

I’ll be there as usual with the rest of my teamates. It’s nice having a race series in your back yard. Mark Rinaldi Inland Inferno Triathlon Club http://members.aol.com/infernotri/home.htm

Response:

I am going to see how the weather is Sunday morning. If the weather is nice – not raining- I will be there. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – who’s going to this?  i’ll bring goodies. peggy I’ll be there (if it’s not rainy and cold). Ron Urman

Response:

Question:

Hello,    Seeing as we’re in the heart of the triathlon season, I was wondering what everyone uses for all the small muscles strains, tendonitis, and other assorted aches and pains that we get while training.  I occassionally use ice to help with the inflammation, but wondered what worked better:  aspirin, tylenol, advil, aleve, etc. Thanks for your help.

Response:

Hello,    Seeing as we’re in the heart of the triathlon season, I was wondering what everyone uses for all the small muscles strains, tendonitis, and other assorted aches and pains that we get while training.  I occassionally use ice to help with the inflammation, but wondered what worked better:  aspirin, tylenol, advil, aleve, etc. Thanks for your help.

I use ibuprofin (advil).  Since most of my pain is related to inflammation, I will only use pain relievers from the NSAID drug class- that EXCLUDES tylenol (acetaminophen). I don’t use aspirin becuase of its effects on platelet aggregation.  I had a bad experiecne with it once.  In the bike crash where I tore my PCL, I came home and immediately began popping aspirin to keep the inflammation down.  i forgot aspirin prevents blood clotting, and it took over three days for the cuts on my knees to clot up.  I’ll never make that mistake again. I’ll use aleve or orudis in a pinch becuase they are also anti-inflammatories, but I prefer ibuprofin.  Aleve and orudis have such long half-lifes in my body that I don’t like the idea of them sticking around longer than I need them.  with the advil, I can take them as I need it. The Bertha Gary P. Chimes MD/PhD Student

Response:

800mg Ibuprofen and a Bud Light Results may vary, don’t try this at home. | Hello, |    Seeing as we’re in the heart of the triathlon season, I was wondering | what everyone uses for all the small muscles strains, tendonitis, and | other assorted aches and pains that we get while training.  I | occassionally use ice to help with the inflammation, but wondered what | worked better:  aspirin, tylenol, advil, aleve, etc. Thanks for your help. | | |

Response:

800mg Ibuprofen and a Bud Light

Leave out the ibuprofen and make it 2 Bud Lites.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello,    Seeing as we’re in the heart of the triathlon season, I was wondering what everyone uses for all the small muscles strains, tendonitis, and other assorted aches and pains that we get while training.  I occassionally use ice to help with the inflammation, but wondered what worked better:  aspirin, tylenol, advil, aleve, etc. Thanks for your help. I use ibuprofin (advil).  Since most of my pain is related to inflammation, I will only use pain relievers from the NSAID drug class- that EXCLUDES tylenol (acetaminophen). I don’t use aspirin becuase of its effects on platelet aggregation.  I had a bad experiecne with it once.  In the bike crash where I tore my PCL, I came home and immediately began popping aspirin to keep the inflammation down.  i forgot aspirin prevents blood clotting, and it took over three days for the cuts on my knees to clot up.  I’ll never make that mistake again. I’ll use aleve or orudis in a pinch becuase they are also anti-inflammatories, but I prefer ibuprofin.  Aleve and orudis have such long half-lifes in my body that I don’t like the idea of them sticking around longer than I need them.  with the advil, I can take them as I need it. The Bertha Gary P. Chimes MD/PhD Student

Hi Gary ! Sorry, but you are not quite right about that blood clotting thing. All of these analgetics effect the blood almost in the same way. If Ibuprofen, paracetamol, aspirin – same deal, difference is not so great, because all of these block the biochemical pathways at the same place. Blocking at that place triggers downgrading of pain, but by side effect always blood platelet function as well. Anyway, everyone should stay away from things like tylenol and novalgin. These can have serious side effects. And be careful using any kind of analgetic in a race: dehydration an drug side effects can be cause for serious kidney malfunction or damage. Best regards Hannes

Response:

Bud Lite?? eecccccchhhhhhhhh…nothing like foam,suds, and water to kill your pain. Now, if you’re after some real liquid pain relief, what you should be doing is consuming the NECTAR OF THE GODS….Guinness Stout. (first brewed in 1759 by Arthur Guinness..but you can read the label yourself) ;^) aag

Response:

Bud Lite?? eecccccchhhhhhhhh…nothing like foam,suds, and water to kill your pain. Now, if you’re after some real liquid pain relief, what you should be doing is consuming the NECTAR OF THE GODS….Guinness Stout. (first brewed in 1759 by Arthur Guinness..but you can read the label yourself) ;^) aag

Been there/Done that.  I found Guinness too heavy and tacoed my rims on my ride the next day!! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

garlicdude- I wasn’t suggesting it as a TRAINING aid…but as a "painkiller" in the tongue-in-cheek manner in which the original poster had suggested (gag) Bud Lite! AAG

Response:

Bud Lite?? eecccccchhhhhhhhh…nothing like foam,suds, and water to kill your pain. Now, if you’re after some real liquid pain relief, what you should be doing is consuming the NECTAR OF THE GODS….Guinness Stout. (first brewed in 1759 by Arthur Guinness..but you can read the label yourself) ;^)

Amen.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, like a freshly pulled pint of Guiness Stout (or any other good stout for that matter).  It could account for my temporary clydesdale qualification but it’s worth it!  I’ll just have to work out harder, longer, harder, longer.  I wonder why there is never any stout at the post race expos? Bob J Largo, FL

Response:

I might just have to return to England and have another pull of Guinness and swim back to loss the poundage. RegradE

Response:

The taste of a Guinness (St. Arnold’s also makes an EXCELLENT stout, although I don’t know if it’s available outside of Texas) is worth the extra mileage the next day!!! I guess the Bud Lite would be helpful at cleaning your cleats off??? ;^) Andrew

Response:

This is an unofficial survey that I thought would be interesting to post: I am a 34 male living and trying to train in Los Angeles (yeah, right..). I only have so much time to juggle between work, sleep, marriage and sport. Last June I wanted to compete in the Oceanside USTS Tri-olympic distance. A friend of mine challenged me to do it 1 month before the race- the last time I had done an olympic dist tri was 6 yrs ago. So, I logged everything- hrs spent training. It came out to a solid 12 hrs a week: 3 = swim 4 = run 5 = bike So, with only 4 weeks to trian I had an ok race and 2:26 was the final time. I was curious? How much time is everyone getting to train out there (i.e. hrs per week and on what)?  Who are you? Where are you training? And ith the amount of time you are spending what are the results (olympic dist time?)    This is all in the name of science- I know that what its really all about  is having fun and meeting some of the fittest and happiest people on the  planet!  thx-  cs

Response:

The taste of a Guinness (St. Arnold’s also makes an EXCELLENT stout, although I don’t know if it’s available outside of Texas) is worth the extra mileage the next day!!! I guess the Bud Lite would be helpful at cleaning your cleats off??? ;^) Andrew

Naw, it ain’t strong enough to dissolve mud.

Response:

Question:

A squeeze of fresh lemon makes plain water taste divine. Steve Fleck

Response:

I have found that I can hydrate well on diluted juice or sports drink beverages.  I usually use a cranberry-raspberry drink diluted 10x, or else Gatorade at 4x dilution.  Both hydrate me very well and very rapidly.  Sometimes I just do not want to drink straight water, so I flavor it a little as described.

I do the same thing. When my daughter was an infant, and too congested to drink milk, we bought Ribena (sort of a grape) flavour and Cordial Lime concentrates to add to her water to keep her hydrated. She loved it and guess what, so did I. Just a little splash to add colour and flavour and another glass of water is suddenly more appealing. Dalton | Life is too short             |          __o        |     _/_     | | to just watch!!!              |        _`<,_   o   |  _/\  //_  | |Dalton Cote                    | ___o_         _   |   __  __<   | |Calgary , Canada               | ~~~~~~          /   |      ||      | |http://www.ucalgary.ca/~djcote |                        IRONMAN 97  |

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<not sure who wrote what here… You’re just repeating what was said earlier — please explain what the difference is between being well hydrated with water and being well hydrated (ie enough that the urine is clear and copious) with something else.  I don’t believe there is any but if you can explain a difference I’d appreciate it.

I have found that I can hydrate well on diluted juice or sports drink beverages.  I usually use a cranberry-raspberry drink diluted 10x, or else Gatorade at 4x dilution.  Both hydrate me very well and very rapidly.  Sometimes I just do not want to drink straight water, so I flavor it a little as described.   I agree that water is excellent for hydration – AND – I agree that if one’s urine is clear, then one is well hydrated regardless of the method used.   You should always hydrate heavily 48 hours before a triathlon.  By race morning, you should be urinating clear. Good advice, but I think it’s crucial to training as well to be well hydrated _all the time_.

I agree with both of the above comments, and would add that one should begin hydrating perhaps even further out from a race (72 and even 96 hours before). I find it sometimes takes a while for the body to truly absorb all fluids ingested.   Subjectively and observationally speaking, of course (no scientific basis, that is).   -Rolf — Some call me Rolf…                             I tri…                                                  Looking to 1997…  IMC ‘94 – 14:06:47    IMC ‘95 – 11:58:35        IMC ‘97 – 10:45:00

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sorry Bob, According to my coach, exercise physiologist and 1993 amateur Triathlete of the Year Jeff Cuddeback, water is water, period.  Any other liquids are processed as food.  Try some of the natural fruit juices sold at the health food stores as a break but you still need lots of water. I find this very hard to believe — I often go for eight or nine months without drinking an ounce of plain water and don’t notice any problems. Apart from going to a gym that only allows plain water, I might never drink water again. JT Jeff says if your urine is clear, you’re properly hydrated.  If it’s yellow, you need more water.  High water foods do help but water is

the best thing.   You’re just repeating what was said earlier — please explain what the difference is between being well hydrated with water and being well hydrated (ie enough that the urine is clear and copious) with something else.  I don’t believe there is any but if you can explain a difference I’d appreciate it. You should always hydrate heavily 48 hours before a triathlon.  By race morning, you should be urinating clear.

Good advice, but I think it’s crucial to training as well to be well hydrated _all the time_. JT

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sorry Bob, According to my coach, exercise physiologist and 1993 amateur Triathlete of the Year Jeff Cuddeback, water is water, period.  Any other liquids are processed as food.  Try some of the natural fruit juices sold at the health food stores as a break but you still need lots of water. I find this very hard to believe — I often go for eight or nine months without drinking an ounce of plain water and don’t notice any problems. Apart from going to a gym that only allows plain water, I might never drink water again. JT

Jeff says if your urine is clear, you’re properly hydrated.  If it’s yellow, you need more water.  High water foods do help but water is the best thing.  You should always hydrate heavily 48 hours before a triathlon.  By race morning, you should be urinating clear. JOLF JOLF

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I know that I am supposed to drink lots of water during the day to stay hydrated (gotta pee clear at least once a day!). I keep a cup of water by my desk at work and am constantly drinking (and therefore making trips to the restroom). But, water is BORING. There is no "substance" to it like there is with milk, orange juice, coffee, sodas, etc. Anybody have any good tips on how to make my hydration routine a little more interesting?

Juice is OK, it is mostly water and has no diuretic effect.  add some lemon to your water for a little taste. try sports drinks and water them down. Sam Callan How long after New Year’s is it proper to still be wishing someone a Happy New Year? How many days before you write 1996 on a check?

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Sorry Bob, According to my coach, exercise physiologist and 1993 amateur Triathlete of the Year Jeff Cuddeback, water is water, period.  Any other liquids are processed as food.  Try some of the natural fruit juices sold at the health food stores as a break but you still need lots of water. JOLF

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Sorry Bob, According to my coach, exercise physiologist and 1993 amateur Triathlete of the Year Jeff Cuddeback, water is water, period.  Any other liquids are processed as food.  Try some of the natural fruit juices sold at the health food stores as a break but you still need lots of water.

I find this very hard to believe — I often go for eight or nine months without drinking an ounce of plain water and don’t notice any problems. Apart from going to a gym that only allows plain water, I might never drink water again. JT

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writes: I know that I am supposed to drink lots of water during the day to stay hydrated (gotta pee clear at least once a day!). I keep a cup of water by my desk at work and am constantly drinking (and therefore making trips to the restroom). But, water is BORING. There is no "substance" to it like there is with milk, orange juice, coffee, sodas, etc. Anybody have any good tips on how to make my hydration routine a little more interesting?

Yeah, drink milk, orange juice, sodas. JT

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I know that I am supposed to drink lots of water during the day to stay hydrated (gotta pee clear at least once a day!). I keep a cup of water by my desk at work and am constantly drinking (and therefore making trips to the restroom). But, water is BORING. There is no "substance" to it like there is with milk, orange juice, coffee, sodas, etc. Anybody have any good tips on how to make my hydration routine a little more interesting? rjsjr

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Question:

        my bike seat stem has evidently rusted and merged itself to my frame.  i cannot get it out.  my bike frame is steel and the seat stem is aluminum.  i have been dripping liquid wrench down into it to no avail.  does anyone have any

Hate to nitpick but it’s a seat post, not a seat stem. That said, sometimes you can’t get them out with Liquid Wrench or even heating.  Too much twisting in the vise at the shop can damage the frame.  If it’s really and truly stuck then the only thing you can do is chop off the seatpost just above the frame, go in with a hacksaw blade and make two longitudinal cuts about 1/4" apart down the inside of the post, stopping just before you get to the frame.  Use a chisel or pliers to pull out the 1/4" section of post and the rest should come out cleanly.  It’s a long hard and potentially destructive job but sometimes there’s no other choice.  A steel frame and aluminum seat post (or stem) can bond very very tightly.   Next time keep that post greased! Scott —  Scott E. Anderson               —       __o        /

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I had a similar problem with a stem and took it to my local bike shop.  They said the liquid wrench type products will work, but not every time.  It think thye ended up heating up the frame and/or stem (Im not sure which), and the expansion/contraction caused by the heating and cooling apparently loosened

Whatever method used to get frozen seats out, you don’t want to be around when it is done.  I work in a shop, and we’ve pretty much seen/tried it all.  The old "bike-upside-down-seat-in-the-vice-three-people-tugging" method has worked, as has the mallet method, as has the get out the jig saw and cut the bastard right out of there. It always strikes fear into the eyes of the customers in the store at the time

-mark

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Jodi Hope Nashman said…        my bike seat stem has evidently rusted and merged itself to my frame.  i cannot get it out.  my bike frame is steel and the seat stem is aluminum.  i have been dripping liquid wrench down into it to no avail.  does anyone have any I had a similar problem with a stem and took it to my local bike shop.  They said the liquid wrench type products will work, but not every time.  It think thye ended up heating up the frame and/or stem (Im not sure which)

Heat is not a good idea when it is an aluminum seatpost inside a steel frame, because aluminum expands twice as much as steel when heated.  Ammonia is good for attacking the aluminum corrosion…Liquid Wrench works on rust, but aluminum doesn’t rust. I have an article on unsticking seatposts on my web site at: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/biz/hub/Stuck_Seatposts.html Sheldon "Urrrrrrgh!" Brown Newtonville, Massachusetts |    If brute force doesn’t work, you’re not using enough!    | |                                             –Bob Simon     |           http://www.sheldonbrown.com/biz/hub/ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts (617) 244-1040  FAX  244-1041

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Jodi Hope Nashman said…        my bike seat stem has evidently rusted and merged itself to my frame.  i cannot get it out.  my bike frame is steel and the seat stem is aluminum.  i have been dripping liquid wrench down into it to no avail.  does anyone have any

Liquid Wrench works on rust, but aluminum doesn’t rust. Ammonia is good for attacking the aluminum corrosion. I had a similar problem with a stem and took it to my local bike shop.  They said the liquid wrench type products will work, but not every time.  It think thye ended up heating up the frame and/or stem (Im not sure which)

Heat is not a good idea when it is an aluminum seatpost inside a steel frame, because aluminum expands twice as much as steel when heated.   I have an article on unsticking seatposts on my web site at: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/biz/hub/Stuck_Seatposts.html Sheldon "Urrrrrrgh!" Brown Newtonville, Massachusetts |    If brute force doesn’t work, you’re not using enough!    | |                                             –Bob Simon     |           http://www.sheldonbrown.com/biz/hub/ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts (617) 244-1040  FAX  244-1041

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Hope Nashman said…        my bike seat stem has evidently rusted and merged itself to my frame.  i cannot get it out.  my bike frame is steel and the seat stem is aluminum.  i have been dripping liquid wrench down into it to no avail.  does anyone have any

I had a similar problem with a stem and took it to my local bike shop.  They said the liquid wrench type products will work, but not every time.  It think thye ended up heating up the frame and/or stem (Im not sure which), and the expansion/contraction caused by the heating and cooling apparently loosened it up.  I don’t think I would try this at home, however, as they probably used pretty intense heat.  Any GOOD bike shop should be able to handle your problem at little expense.  Remember, bike repairs can be done at home, but sometimes you need to bring in the pro’s.  They can also chesk to see if there is any significant damage to the frame.  You wouldn’t want your seat tube peeling apart while you’re out on a ride. — Marty Miller Proprietor of The Triathlete’s Web http://w3.one.net/~triweb

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Question:

Victor, you indicated you would like stories about people that have had bypass surgery and are now running?  I would guess it has been over 2 years now since my heart attack and bypass surgery.  I was 42 at the time, smoked, and was fairly inactive. After going thru 12 weeks of cardiac rehab, I took 6 weeks to be able to run for 20 minutes without stopping.  I stopped smoking while I was in the hospital for several days and drugged up (mostly in the cardiac intensive care unit). I’m not to sure about running, however I seem to do a fair imitation of a slow jog.  Last September I did the local Corporate Cup 10-K in an hour, which impressed the heck out of me. I hope this message posts ok, since it is my first attempt to posting to a usenet news group, although I have monitored this newsgroup for several months. Regards Mike Enarson — Regards Mike

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Mike Enarson writes: Victor, you indicated you would like stories about people that have had bypass surgery and are now running? snip

Tell them to run at sunrise or sunset – I wish I could have had bypass surgery !! A sudden heart attack at the age of 35 killed the bottom 20% of my heart (blocked circumflex artery).  That was 7 years ago.  I now run 6 -7 miles   15-25 times a month .  Running at sunrise reminds me of the hope of a new beginning, and when I run at sunset, I give thanks for getting another day in which to experience life ( both the good days and bad!)  I run in the snow, at altitude ( near Boulder 5200 ft), even in the wind (yuck). I may not be the fastest of 41 year olds ( 9 minute miles), but I guarantee that I am the only runner who really knows the meaning of "half hearted" workouts Remember, most of us are in this position because of old lifestyle habits.  New habits give us a new life!  And no matter how fast or far, each journey ( and workout) begins with a single step. Rick Schaefer

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Would like to share war stories with CABG patients who are now running after their surgery Victor D. Cohen Birmingham, Alabama USA — "LIFE IS A ONE TIME GIFT–DON’T WASTE IT."—

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Apart from keeping me alive, my by-pass (quad. in 1985) enabled and encouraged the start of what has come to be a very satisfying athletic hobby.  I am not very fast or competitive but I have accumulated a closet full of t-shirts and have completed the last two Marine Corps. marathons. Goal for this summer is a half-iron man triathlon — and, of course, the Marine Corps. at the end of October.

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