I am really annoyed that the Inside Triathlon web site still has not bothered to update their web site with information on the Great Floridian ironman distance race that was held this past Saturday. I’m getting the feeling that if it doesn’t say ITU or WTC or XTERRA, then it doesn’t get priority treatment. There is no excuse for an online publication to ignore the USAT age group championship race for ironman distance. The age groupers who competed at Great Floridian deserve better treatment. Cathy
Cathy, I agree and noticed this last year as well. There wasn’t even a mention of last year’s GFT in Inside Tri or Triathlete, it’s as if the race doesn’t exist. It’s a shame the race seems to be shunned by the sport’s media. As a vet of 3 GFT (including Saturday’s) and IM USA, I can honestly say that Fred Sommer puts on as well organized, supported, and challenging race as the M-dot folks. It’s reassuring to know that the GFT has a strong grassroots following and word-of-mouth reputation and IMHO will continue to thrive even without media coverage. Gordon (Yakabo) Fesenger GFT 98, 99, 00, IMUSA 99, 00 Before you buy.
I’m doing the Disney half….. (OK I’m a wimp) but I’ll buy some if the man decides to do a run of them… brian Keep in mind my idea..wearing them at the disney marathon….
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ok it seems many of you know of these shorts…some like them some dont… I’m a fat slob right now..I look silly running anyhow but I’d love to own a pair.. actually I’d spring for 2 pair…who else would like a pair????? Keep in mind my idea..wearing them at the disney marathon…. perhaps if the performance you give wont get you noticed…the shorts will… {the movie 101 Dalmations} John Hansen Sarasota Fl.
The Dalmatian shorts sounds like it is in keeping with the Disney spirit. However some of you may know Farol from Gainesville. He has had a Dalmatian costume for years. In fact we had Dalmatian head (arm) bands a couple of years ago so we could recognize each other. Dont let this dissuade you from getting the shorts, it lends to the festive atmosphere. Charlie
I’ve never seen them, but would be in the market for a pair or two. 
) Jeff Larson
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -ok it seems many of you know of these shorts…some like them some dont… I’m a fat slob right now..I look silly running anyhow but I’d love to own a pair.. actually I’d spring for 2 pair…who else would like a pair????? Keep in mind my idea..wearing them at the disney marathon…. perhaps if the performance you give wont get you noticed…the shorts will… {the movie 101 Dalmations} John Hansen Sarasota Fl.
I guess interest in these is not to great……oh well thanks for responding any way RST ers… John Hansen Sarasota Fl.
Good try J! I will keep asking on my end too. I will post RST if we make them so you get first crack at them. Emilio De Soto II Triathlete/President and Designer De Soto Sport Triathlon Clothing Email me for a free catalog
Just needed to vent to a group of people that would understand. Looks like no tri’s this year. Just Duo’s. I have a shoulder injury that is not healing. I think I tore something last year mountain biking during a fall and it chronically hurts. I can deal with the pain when running and riding…but swimming is a no go. And I was just going to do tri’s this year and recently started swimming again. And I was finally starting to get the knack of this hard as hell discipline of swimming. I just hope I am able to continue to train, work and compete in the duo’s. Well thanks for letting me vent Ted
Just needed to vent to a group of people that would understand. Looks like no tri’s this year. Just Duo’s. I have a shoulder injury that is not healing. I think I tore something last year mountain biking during a fall and it chronically hurts. I can deal with the pain when running and riding…but swimming is a no go. And I was just going to do tri’s this year and recently started swimming again. And I was finally starting to get the knack of this hard as hell discipline of swimming. I just hope I am able to continue to train, work and compete in the duo’s. Well thanks for letting me vent
Hang in there, Ted! I did something similar back in ‘94. A righteous biff on my MTB left me with a rotator cuff that still acts up from time to time. All you can do is let time heal the injury, and then take up some weight exercises to strengthen the shoulder. Good luck! — Tri-Baby _ – o ’ – __o – </_ ` ‘ – < – __/ /o_ – (()) (()) - / "Real triathletes don’t draft." http://www.stanford.edu/~brooksie *New to triathlon? Check out Hulaman’s Simple TriTips: http://www.hulaman.com/triathlon/tritips.html
I have a Timex Trialthalon Indiglo. When running, I hit the lap button at the end of each mile. If I run three miles, the first mile shows correctly. The second and third miles don’t show up separatrely, but it shows combined time, even though I hit the lap button after the second mile. I’ve tried to hit the stop button after the third mile and tried to hit the lap and then the stop button after the third and last mile with the same results; the last two miles show as a combined time. Thanks, Chris Bertolini High Country Communications, Inc.
I have a Timex Trialthalon Indiglo. When running, I hit the lap button at the end of each mile. If I run three miles, the first mile shows correctly. The second and third miles don’t show up separatrely, but it shows combined time, even though I hit the lap button after the second mile. I’ve tried to hit the stop button after the third mile and tried to hit the lap and then the stop button after the third and last mile with the same results; the last two miles show as a combined time.
I lost the instructions to my Ironman Triathlon watch and thought "hey I should check the web". It turns out that Timex has the instructions for a lot of their watches on their web page (http:\www.timex.com). Click on the Help/Instructions pull down at the top of the page. All of the instructions are in PDF. — Doug W. Douglas Findley "It is as hard to see one’s self as it is to (972) 575-5448 Henry David Thoreau
I have a Timex Trialthalon Indiglo. When running, I hit the lap button at the end of each mile. If I run three miles, the first mile shows correctly. The second and third miles don’t show up separatrely, but it shows combined time, even though I hit the lap button after the second mile. I’ve tried to hit the stop button after the third mile and tried to hit the lap and then the stop button after the third and last mile with the same results; the last two miles show as a combined time.
When you hit the lap button on the 100 meter Ironman Triathlon watch, the display freezes for about 10 seconds. The upper display shows the time for the lap just completed and the bottom display shows the cumulative time to that point. After the 10 seconds, the top display shows running time for the current lap and the bottom shows cumulative running time. Hit the stop button at the end of your run. You can then (or at any later time), hit the recall button (upper right position on watch) repeatedly to display total time, average lap time, best lap time, and individual lap times. It’s a bit confusing at first, but with a little practice one gets the hang of it. Good luck. Ron
After you hit the lap button hit it again right away. This will show the first lap and the total time and second lap time. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a Timex Trialthalon Indiglo. When running, I hit the lap button at the end of each mile. If I run three miles, the first mile shows correctly. The second and third miles don’t show up separatrely, but it shows combined time, even though I hit the lap button after the second mile. I’ve tried to hit the stop button after the third mile and tried to hit the lap and then the stop button after the third and last mile with the same results; the last two miles show as a combined time. Thanks, Chris Bertolini High Country Communications, Inc.
After you hit the lap button hit it again right away. This will show the first lap and the total time and second lap time.
Careful. That’s the case with older versions, but newer models just require one push. The display freezes on the split for several seconds, then continues with the next split time. I HATED the double push, so I like the newer method. But I’m sure there are others that hate it. Mike "TriBop" Tennent http://www.gate.net/~wbrunner/ WebRunner Running My Model Railroad ‘98 Ironman Canada IronVirgins Site
I just discovered that Leon’s Triathlon won’t be held this year because the State of Indiana refused to close the highway for the bike ride. It appears as if the gambling boats in Hammond are afraid of losing a few dollars in revenue from the Sunday morning gamblers who need that highway to get to their boats. I suggest that triathletes everywhere boycott the State, Donald Trump (who owns one of the boats), and any other misguided institutions or souls who came up with this feeble-minded policy. Am I pissed that I’ll miss my favorite race this year? You bet! John A. Franczyk/Park Ridge, Illinois
I certainly agree with you that it’s a shame the state GOVERNMENT can’t get it’s act together enough to have some sensible priorities. However…. I don’t think it’s fair to penalize the numerous race organizers who happen to have the bad luck to live in Cornfield County, Indiana. They do alot of great work to get questionable courses ready to race on. Those of us don’t have the fortune to live somewhere near a triathlon mecca have to take what we can get. Don’t expect all the Indiana-based races to just wither on the vine. If you really have a problem, take it out on the Indiana State Highway Department, by not driving on the Indiana Toll Road. Send a letter to a senator or state representative. Never go to the casinos in Hammond. But don’t punish race organizers and participants who want good competition by staying home just because of the geographic location of a race. Dave – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I just discovered that Leon’s Triathlon won’t be held this year because the State of Indiana refused to close the highway for the bike ride. It appears as if the gambling boats in Hammond are afraid of losing a few dollars in revenue from the Sunday morning gamblers who need that highway to get to their boats. I suggest that triathletes everywhere boycott the State, Donald Trump (who owns one of the boats), and any other misguided institutions or souls who came up with this feeble-minded policy. Am I pissed that I’ll miss my favorite race this year? You bet! John A. Franczyk/Park Ridge, Illinois
I just discovered that Leon’s Triathlon won’t be held this year <snip I suggest that triathletes everywhere boycott the State, Donald Trump and any other misguided institutions or souls who came up with this feeble-minded policy. Am I pissed that I’ll miss my favorite race this year? You bet! John A. Franczyk/Park Ridge, Illinois
I agree that the demise of Leon’s is a really sad moment in the history of US triathlon. But I am not sure that any boycott, especially of the Donald would even be noticable. Intereseted in letting state officials know your displeasure?? Write to the Governor’s Office (Hon. Frank O’Bannon) at http://www.state.in.us/gov/ and ask him why their State and local police departments can’t handle traffic management issue. Augie Calabrese
I just discovered that Leon’s Triathlon won’t be held this year because the State of Indiana refused to close the highway for the bike ride. It appears as if the gambling boats in Hammond are afraid of losing a few dollars in revenue from the Sunday morning gamblers who need that highway to get to their boats. I suggest that triathletes everywhere boycott the State, Donald Trump (who owns one of the boats), and any other misguided institutions or souls who came up with this feeble-minded policy. Am I pissed that I’ll miss my favorite race this year? You bet! John A. Franczyk/Park Ridge, Illinois
Hey, my parents and their three cute little dogs live in Indiana! How can I boycott them? (and Bobby Knight and Jonh Mellencamp and Michael Jackson?) Plus I have to drive through there this summer. Would hate to have to go around…. Seriously, this whole ordeal really sucks and I hope that the reason for the race’s cancellation is just a bad rumor (although it does not look that way…) -Mark Johnson IMC97 http://www.math.princeton.edu/~maejohns
Simple Solution: 1.) Elect new people. 98% get back in office so don’t complain. 2.) Come to Buffalo, NY July 20th for the 1st Buffalo Triathlon. Olympic and Sprint events.
How do you boycott an entire STATE? What if you live there already – would you have to move or just shop in Iowa or something. Then, how do you avoid paying state taxes without ending up some 250 lb mass murderer ’s little puppy in a 5 X 7 jail cell?
I agree with John. DO NOT take the cancellation out on the state of Indiana. Leon’s will be back one day I hope. But if we boycott Indiana then there goes Shelbyville, Warsaw, Muncie Cameron Springs as well as numerous other ones. Mark
So without Leon;s you’ll just have to do the Central Illinois Series, the Michigan Grand Prix Series, Mrs. T’s and the Galyan’s Triathlon Championship at Eagle Creek. Heck, with all those great races you won’t even miss Leon’s!! DAH
I heard through a nasty rumor that the Fairmount Park Triathlon which is an IronMan Qualifyer is not going to be held at Fairmount Park!!! It is goint to be held at Evergreen Lake which is only 1/3 of a mile around the perimiter. This can not be true, can it?
I did Fairmont Park 96. Although I enjoyed both the swim & run course the bike course was really bad. Thier was too much traffic, blind spots, peaple, and glass on the bike course. The only reason me & my training buddy from Dayton, Oh. did this race was that it was an Ironmann Q. I just found out to my delight that the race location was changed To the location you memtioned. I will probably race the new coarse. Hopfully it might be better than the previous. Roy Youngmann Ryoungmann.aol.com
<computerless bicycle riding/racing thoughts deleted I concur. I have not used a bike computer since, God knows when. I have found that my cycling splits have improved with the absence of a computer, since I am focused on me, not on a set of numbers. -Rolf — Rolf "Ironman" Arands, Ph.D. (Chemical Engineering) Dept. of Chem. and Biochem. Eng’g, Rutgers University –These are my highly opinionated views, not Rutgers’–
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I often have trouble pushing myself to give it my all during races, as I like you find myself often holding back to be sure I finish comfortably. <snip I’ll give the same advice (lecture ?) that I used to give my swimmers. For most of us, the reason we hold back (or not push ourselves) is the fear of failing (i.e. not finishing, bonking and finishing poorly, …) What you need to do is pick some mid-season race and do it for "fun". Fun was in double-quotes for a reason. I mean the work-hard-have-fun in some convoluted Vince Lombardi/Mark Allen way. In other words, change your race tactics… Push the swim hard, hammer the bike and see just how you react during the run. Conversely, maybe you want to save it for the run and then run like a gazelle for as long as you can. It is paramount that this be a non-critical race. Don’t worry about placing, beating your friends etc… This is experiment time. Mark your race calendar early so this race all-of-a-sudden doesn’t become important. You should definitely push yourself to new places (paces). Maybe you’ll blow-up, but just maybe you won’t. GO FOR IT! Bottom line, save experimenting for non-critical races so you can race "tactically" in the more important ones. Pat — W.Patrick Brug, Ph.D. _- -_ Los Alamos National Lab -__ __- / cis: 72410,3372 /
Pat, Thank you, that sounds like great advice. I’m already trying to decide when/what race to give this a try! I will probably try it in a mid-season sprint as there is a series over a course that I have competed on a number of times before. This will allow me to gage my time vs. past and/or future performances. I’ll report back and let you know how it works. Now do you have any good advice for achieving such an effect during high intensity workouts??? Thanks again and Happy Training. Lucy
I can tell you from experience that the opposite strategy is not a whole lot of a fun. I’m usually in the top 10% in my age group in the swim, middle third on the bike, and bottom third on the run. Needless to say, I rarely ever pass anyone in a triathlon!! Now, where can I find a reverse order triathlon!
Cypress Gardens, Fl. Usually in April. (I know you were joking, but the race really is a R B S format.) 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
Someone earlier made a comment on not racing with a computer anymore. I experienced computer failure in a race (alright, I mounted the wheel backwards after changing a flat, 15 minutes before race start) and therefore never knew how fast I went during the bike leg. I had one of my fastest bike splits! I think psychologically, I am intimidated by speeds above 30kph and start to tell myself that being above that speed should hurt. Indeed, my avg. speed was 35 kph althought I felt great during the race. Even though I love numbers, I am going to try racing without a computer this year, providing the race course has distance markers to at least help gauge the effort, and go by how I feel (and my HRM, if it ever decides to work on the bike). CharlesV
The same goes for swimming– where I swim right at my AT for the whole swim (now matter what the distance). I could probably slow down 20-30 sec, save a lot of energy. Would I recoupe the lost time in the run? I don’t know.
A couple of years ago, I mentioned to a tri-friend that I had never done a triathlon in which, at some point, I didn’t want to get off the bike and walk home. He suggested that I should not try to win the swim leg (as I had been doing). That year, I just swam comfortably hard, still came out with the leaders (if not *at* the front), and got onto the bike feeling really fresh. I had great bike legs in all the triathlons I did that year. Since the swim isn’t that important in triathlons, I think the key is to get out of the water as fresh as possible without giving up too much distance to the leaders (if your goal is to be a leader in your division). I’m cursious, how do people "plan" their various race paces or adjust them during the race?
This year (oops! *last* year!) I tried keeping my heart rate within a certain range on the bike. Unfortunately, each of the triathlons I did were on days with particulary nasty winds, so my heart was doing unusual things (e.g., six miles into a headwind, HR 5 beats above AT). I try to keep my HR below AT if there are spots where I will need to work harder (hills, headwinds, etc.), so that I have some headroom to maintain speed without going anaerobic. This worked really well at our district 40K TT: I broke my PR by 1:20, averaged right at my AT, and didn’t feel exceptionally miserable. On the run: I use experience to know how fast I can go for the whole distance, and I go that pace. I use competitors in front or behind to motivate myself to pick it up the last mile or so. I hate sprint finishes. Ken Lehner
I have also developed a tactic which, while not really influencing my overall placing much, makes the races so much more enjoyable for me. All I do is take my time in the swim. That way I finish the swim way behind even slower racers than myself (and that’s pretty slow). From that point onward I get to pass dozens of others on bike and run. I have even had one race where I was not passed by a single person for the entire race after the swim. I get to spend the whole race reeling in others. God, I love this sport. Oh, that reminds me. I have to go log the swim workout I missed yesterday. Dave Aggett
Dave, sounds like my racing 
Actually I try to play a few tactics when I racing as well (I think we all do). Having a cycling background I love it when the cycling course has lots of hills and/or lots of corners and turn arounds. I find that triathletes that have not had a lot of cycling experience tend to get bogged down on the hills with too big a gear- same goes for turn arounds. I find I can make up lost of time by having good turn arounds (I’ve done thousands of pylon turns from my TTT training) and acceleration out of the turn around. On a course with 3 loops (6 turns) you can make up a surprising amount of time. I other place I aim to make up time is cornering and the downhills. Practise and knowing your bike make the biggests differneces. My running tactics, attaack the hills and the most important ones… hang on, your almost done; you can’t drown on land cheers, jason Jason MacDonald Acadia University, Nova Scotia CANADA ** Jason’s Triathlon Web Site ** ‘<, ’ ,- URL http://dragon.acadiau.ca/~005963m/ (*)/(*) (*)/( )
I can tell you from experience that the opposite strategy is not a whole lot of a fun. I’m usually in the top 10% in my age group in the swim, middle third on the bike, and bottom third on the run. Needless to say, I rarely ever pass anyone in a triathlon!! Now, where can I find a reverse order triathlon!
Good thread(s) A couple of thoughts. I have picked up something from my son’s Jr. High cross country team: In the last mile of a race, never let anyone pass you unchallenged.
snip Another more traditional view of racing from the running community is that an even pace throughout a race will generally yield a faster time than a strategy of easy then hard or some other combination. One last little psychological game that I play, that has NO support in like to click to a higher gear right as I draw along.
snip Steve Rogers
I have also developed a tactic which, while not really influencing my overall placing much, makes the races so much more enjoyable for me. All I do is take my time in the swim. That way I finish the swim way behind even slower racers than myself (and that’s pretty slow). From that point onward I get to pass dozens of others on bike and run. I have even had one race where I was not passed by a single person for the entire race after the swim. I get to spend the whole race reeling in others. God, I love this sport. Oh, that reminds me. I have to go log the swim workout I missed yesterday. Dave Aggett
Now that it is the off-season (at least in the U.S.), I was doing some reflecting upon seasons of past. While there has been lots of discussion on r.s.t. about training, racing tactic type discussions have been noticeable absent.
I would hate to become a slave to my HRM but I definitely depend on it at this point. By occasionally performing Conconi Tests while biking and swimming, and having experimented during races and long training sessions, I feel I can pretty well rely on my Protrainer to keep me on track. I paid particular attention to my half way splits on run segments and though I haven’t managed t negative split yet, I am getting close and still have just enough steam to sprint the few hundred metres. Dave Aggett Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
My best race was when I did not have any speedometer or HRM, and just went on feel. I also started the bike a little easier, and tried to blast the first mile of the run all out. My worst races have been when I told myself to blast the bike (my strength) from the start and wound up having to back off and getting myself mentally defeated before the run starts. It may sound goofy, but when the going gets really tough, as I breathe out I let it turn into a low, soft growl, which slowly builds until it is quite audible, then I get a evil look on my face and pretend I am some sort of monster that thrives on pain, the more it hurts the better. I keep telling myself more! more! more! (pain, that is). I pick a point which I slightly doubt I can make it too before I will let myself let up, and then I go even further after that (more!). I pretend that I am sitting in an electric chair with a dial, and I can turn the dial to whatever intesity of pain I want, but the person who has it the highest the longest wins (sort of like who can stay underwater the longest). I keep asking myself "Can you turn it up another notch? CAN YOU TAKE THE PAIN????" I have no idea why people call us masochists. Save the flames. dan
I often have trouble pushing myself to give it my all during races, as I like you find myself often holding back to be sure I finish comfortably.
<snip I’ll give the same advice (lecture ?) that I used to give my swimmers. For most of us, the reason we hold back (or not push ourselves) is the fear of failing (i.e. not finishing, bonking and finishing poorly, …) What you need to do is pick some mid-season race and do it for "fun". Fun was in double-quotes for a reason. I mean the work-hard-have-fun in some convoluted Vince Lombardi/Mark Allen way. In other words, change your race tactics… Push the swim hard, hammer the bike and see just how you react during the run. Conversely, maybe you want to save it for the run and then run like a gazelle for as long as you can. It is paramount that this be a non-critical race. Don’t worry about placing, beating your friends etc… This is experiment time. Mark your race calendar early so this race all-of-a-sudden doesn’t become important. You should definitely push yourself to new places (paces). Maybe you’ll blow-up, but just maybe you won’t. GO FOR IT! Bottom line, save experimenting for non-critical races so you can race "tactically" in the more important ones. Pat — W.Patrick Brug, Ph.D. _- -_ Los Alamos National Lab -__ __- / cis: 72410,3372 /
I I’m curious how people try and pace themselves (through the whole tri, not just each event). What works, what doesn’t. Are there any mental games that seem to work?
with distance I’m just a mid-packer, but I’ve found that if I’ve trained well enough that i don’t get into the spontaneous human combustible pace that you mention. I will just play with it. What I do find beneficial though is, during the last mile or so of the race when I’m really hurting and really trying to push for the finish to look at the person in front of me and remind myself that he isn’t any faster or stronger tha I am or he would already be finished. At htis point I make it my job to take away his finishing place because i know that he is hurting as much as I am. The only difference is that I don’t care. It’s only pain and it will all stop as soon as I cross thast line —in front of him.
Since aerodynamic resistance (and thus req’d power output?) increases as the square of velocity, a modest reduction in speed can allow a significant reduction in effort/lactic accumulation. At least, that’s my theory. (And I’m sticking to it. Until the next post at least.) I did make an effort to test this somewhat in later races and it did seem to yield much faster (and more comfortable!) runs. And surprisingly, my bike times were still pretty solid, not seeming to suffer much if at all for the easing off. Anyone else been helped in the run by backing off on the bike?
Last year’s fun race for me was Wendy’s (Ohio). It seemed the only way to be able to try something different was to remove myself from my "standard" competitors so I wouldn’t have a lot of pressure (to revert to my normal race plan). I swam somewhere around 70-80% effort. I was still in contact with the lead group, but the swim leader was off-the-front. This made it hard to slow down on the bike. I settled into a low-26 mph pace. Then Paul Barrford (sp? also an RSTer and eventual winner) came blasting past me. This motivated me to up my speed to the mid-26 mph range. The run for me went surprisingly well. I actually passed a few people (only one in my age group– the swimmer who went off the front) and felt strong– maybe too strong? I was definitely amazed at how well this worked. Pat W.Patrick Brug, Ph.D. _- -_ Los Alamos National Lab -__ __- / cis: 72410,3372 /
I use some manta, like "smooth," or "glide" which I say frequently to stay in control. While trying to maintain form and control, I strive to constantly accellerate. (sp?) This is often not possible, but try to slowly build pace throughout each leg. Gives me a feeling of confidence. I don’t mean starting out really slow and finishing hard. Rather, run 7:10, 7:10, 7:05, 7:02, 6:58; 6:55 and then run like hell to the finish. My best times always come from this kind of increasing pace. When it goes the other way around, or I run the same time throughout, it always wind up with a slower total time. Brian Sullivan
Pat Brug writes: I’m curious how people try and pace themselves (through the whole tri, not just each event). What works, what doesn’t.
Have a good swim and get out of the water in good position. HAMMER the bike, hold on during the run. How does your race strategy vary with distance?
In short races, i.e. olympic or less, food is not important for me as the amount of time I’m out there is only 1-2.5 hours in the best/worse case. Also, short races need FAST transitions. Practice these and take a minute or two off your time. Look at the transition times of the top ten and the difference in time with respect to places and this makes sense. For longer distances, it is VITAL that you eat and drink plenty on the bike because you just can’t take in that much during a 1/2 marathon or longer. Craig
I am a runner by trade. My swimming sucks, and my cycling is mediocre (no 27 MPH averages here). For me to have a good race, therefore, I must stay right at AT in the first two disciplines so that I can hammer the run. I have found over my 4 years of participating in multi-sports that the most critical aspect of training to achieve this is mind- numbing, cardiovascular strength. This is instilled by a weekly 80-100 mile ride in the Bay Area hills and a weekly 14-18 mile run in the Bay Area hills. Pat Brug has said it in the past, and I certainly echo it – work the hills, the flats will seem like a piece of cake afterwords. Of course, I mix in a weekly interval session in both disciplines, along with some tempo work. The usual masters swimming workouts round out the rest of my copious free time. By developing such cardiovascular strength, I am able to pursue the following race tactic for international distance races: AT my way through the first two disciplines and then be able to complete the 10K within 60 seconds of my fresh 10K time – i.e. average 10 seconds per mile slower after the first two legs. I’m not always successful, sometimes dropping up to 15 seconds per mile, but the cardio strength really pays off. Given that I’ve been a competitive runner for over 25 years, this usually results in a last leg split that is in the top 5-10% of the entire field, even though I’m one of the over 40 gang. As a competitive runner for a quarter century, I’ve learned that when you pass someone, whether on the bike or run, you’ve simply got to make it stick. The worst thing you can do is to let them catch up to you again, or worse yet, to pass you back. By doing so, you’ve not only given the competitor a mental advantage, but you’ve just knocked out a big chunk of your self confidence. Just think how you feel when someone goes by you looking fresh and confident. This is not helped so much by cardio strength, but by tenaciously doing intervals – i.e. training your body to flush accumulated lactic acid. Sure, doing intervals helps raise your AT over time, but they also prepare you for brief accumulations of lactic acid without you going completely anaerobic; this permits you to surge by your competition without committing suicide. One last observation that is causing me to look at some different race tactics – I’ve discovered in duathlons that I can go significantly anaerobic in the first run and still be able to recover on the bike leg. At first blush, this seems against all of the common wisdom. But I have noticed that I can run the first 5k right at my fresh 5k time and still be able to cycle along at 22-24 mph and run the second 5k within 30 seconds of my fresh 5k time. If I am able to schedule a sprint tri this year, I will try sprinting (for me) the swim, relying upon recovery on the bike leg. If this works, it should substantially improve my race results. Joe Sventek
First, the shorter the race, the longer the warmup! For sprint races I’ll warmup for 30-45 minutes, Olympic races 20-30 minutes, and anything longer I’ll just ride my bike to check out its gears and swim a little. I usually eat a PowerBar 2 hours before the start and swig Cytomax or Exceed during my warmup. I like to get to the scene early so I can relax before the start and avoid the lengthy portajohn lines. For sprint races I’m usually racing almost flat out, flat out being the point that your heart starts to ride up into your throat 8^). I frequently stand up on the bike to accelerate and run like it’s the last quarter mile interval of a track workout. For Olympic distance races, I usually try to "build up" my effort during each leg. That is, I’ll start out at a relatively comfortable pace and then slowly increase my effort until I’m going almost all out at the end of the leg. This usually means I get dropped at the beginning of most swim starts and lose some ground coming out of the transitions, but I’m usually passing people after the 1/3 to 1/2-way point. Also, by easing into the bike and run, I find I am able to control my breathing and stretch out my legs better than if I just started hammering at my goal pace. I try not to stand as much on the bike and save the really hard running for the last two miles. For long distance races I’m usually just surviving since I don’t really train for them. I swim at a comfortable pace (sightseeing is more like it!), try and minimize standing and high gear ratios on the bike, and just try to stay relaxed and smooth on the run. I just started racing with a HR monitor last year and found its useful to judge what kind of shape I’m in. When I’m sick or tired, I feel like I’m moving as fast as I can with a HR of 165-170. When I’m well rested and well trained, I can keep my HR around 175-185 easily and feel light on my feet. Todd Jensen o AT&T Bell Labs ___^o_ __o <| Naperville, IL _ <_ _
My problem (?) is that I wonder if I’m too aggressive on the bike. I generally can average in the 27 mph range and if anyone challenges me, then I really let go. Subsequently, I have a relatively slow run (the infamous 4 minute 10K differential as exemplified by a previous thread).
Holy smokes! 27 mph? Avg? You rock, dude! Seriously, I do pretty well on the bike, often having bike leg placings far above my overall, and I don’t know that I’ve ever avg’d better than 23-24 in a race. And I just read that it isn’t exactly flat where you are! Sheesh, who needs run training when you’ve got a bike leg like that?! The same goes for swimming– where I swim right at my AT for the whole swim (no matter what the distance). I could probably slow down 20-30 sec, save a lot of energy. Would I recoupe the lost time in the run? I don’t know.
This would never work for me. The faster I can force myself to go in the water, the better off I am. Early on, a full-effort swim would take something away from my bike, but this seems to be less the case as time and training progress. However, I tried something different last year. I descended each leg (by perceived effort). This seemed to work well and a set a few PR’s and I definitely finished strong.
I do more or less the same. I’m no swimmer, so I just try to give it a solid, earnest effort. I can blast on the bike , but have found it prudent to push just shy of that Jordanesque panting stage, any harder brings very slow run times. Then I go fast (for me) and steady for 3/4 of the run course, and give it whatever I’ve got left from there. I think I finally learned at Wildflower last year that hammering the bike hard just isn’t smart for me. I got caught up with another rider whose pace was quite fast but comfortable for me, and I think I paid for that during the last half of the run. Lesson: Comfortable club ride pace does not leave enough for a respectable run afterwards. Hint: Maybe I’ll try a run brick after some of those club rides this season? Since aerodynamic resistance (and thus req’d power output?) increases as the square of velocity, a modest reduction in speed can allow a significant reduction in effort/lactic accumulation. At least, that’s my theory. (And I’m sticking to it. Until the next post at least.) I did make an effort to test this somewhat in later races and it did seem to yield much faster (and more comfortable!) runs. And surprisingly, my bike times were still pretty solid, not seeming to suffer much if at all for the easing off. Anyone else been helped in the run by backing off on the bike? I’m curious, how do people "plan" their various race paces or adjust them during the race?
I just try to estimate what I think I can maintain. Basically following the earlier runner-type philosophy that a constant pace is best. Not that I’m particularly good at following my own advice! Great thread, thanks Pat. Kurian Davis
My problem (?) is that I wonder if I’m too aggressive on the bike. I generally can average in the 27 mph range and if anyone challenges me, then I really let go. Subsequently, I have a relatively slow run (the infamous 4 minute 10K differential as exemplified by a previous thread). The same goes for swimming– where I swim right at my AT for the whole swim (now matter what the distance). I could probably slow down 20-30 sec, save a lot of energy. Would I recoupe the lost time in the run? I don’t know. Another more traditional view of racing from the running community is that an even pace throughout a race will generally yield a faster time than a strategy of easy then hard or some other combination.
This is probably true for the whole triathlon as well. However, I tried something different last year. I descended each leg (by perceived effort). This seemed to work well and a set a few PR’s and I definitely finished strong. OBTW, I don’t use a HRM when I race, nor do I use a speedometer. A few years ago, I found myself concentrating more on digital readouts, than the race itself– with predictably poor results. I’m cursious, how do people "plan" their various race paces or adjust them during the race? Pat — W.Patrick Brug, Ph.D. _- -_ Los Alamos National Lab -__ __- / cis: 72410,3372 /
Good thread(s) A couple of thoughts. I have picked up something from my son’s Jr. High cross country team: In the last mile of a race, never let anyone pass you unchallenged. I have been on both sides of this, as a passer and as a passee. Many times the passer is looking to demoralize and hopes that the passee will quit. As a passee, it helps to latch onto a shoulder for a "pull" (run draft? oops!). Another more traditional view of racing from the running community is that an even pace throughout a race will generally yield a faster time than a strategy of easy then hard or some other combination. One last little psychological game that I play, that has NO support in like to click to a higher gear right as I draw along. The message I want to give is that I’m feeling strong as evidenced by the audible click of the shifters. Don’t know how others feel when I do it, but its a big lift for me. Steve Rogers
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Good thread(s): I think I am one of those people who always try to plan out a whole race before it happens. Of course, things never work out the way that I think they will, but I keep on trying. I am one of those geeks who has to have his HRM and his speedometer to refer to, and I am probably too much of a slave to them. This year I’m going to try to focus more on how I feel, and worry about the numbers later. I’ve had races where I’ve held back (esp. on the bike) at certain points out of "prudence," and later regretted it. Sometimes you have to just forge ahead with a certain pace, and find out whether or not you can hold it. Prior to the start I try to think about all the training I’ve put in and all the sacrifices I’ve made to get to the starting line. I especially like to think about all those really shitty, miserable workouts I endured in the winter. The thought of all those hours on the trainer usually makes me want to get out and show what I’ve accomplished. When I get into really painful stretches on the run I try to think about how hard I have already fought to get where I am in the race, and how I owe it to myself not to squander the good time I have already estasblished. Of course, it really helps if you see someone you know, and can try to go after him. Steve Irish
Steve, I often have trouble pushing myself to give it my all during races, as I like you find myself often holding back to be sure I finish comfortably. I’m really training hard this winter and am hoping for a break through in performance this coming season. Like you said enduring those winter workouts, especially when the season seems so far away, is hard. I am definitely going to try your tactic of reminding myself of these sacrifices and I’m betting that it will help me push myself. It sounds like great advice. The one thing that I have found which works for me when the going gets tough and also that I use to push myself harder is that I focus to trying to catch the person in front of me or trying to stay with the person who has just passed me. Although, I’m really only competing against myself out there, I find this technique helps me to push a little harder when my body says no. I’m curious to hear what others use to motativate themselves to bust it during a race. Any comments or thoughts out there? Lucy
Good thread(s): I think I am one of those people who always try to plan out a whole race before it happens. Of course, things never work out the way that I think they will, but I keep on trying. I am one of those geeks who has to have his HRM and his speedometer to refer to, and I am probably too much of a slave to them. This year I’m going to try to focus more on how I feel, and worry about the numbers later. I’ve had races where I’ve held back (esp. on the bike) at certain points out of "prudence," and later regretted it. Sometimes you have to just forge ahead with a certain pace, and find out whether or not you can hold it. Prior to the start I try to think about all the training I’ve put in and all the sacrifices I’ve made to get to the starting line. I especially like to think about all those really shitty, miserable workouts I endured in the winter. The thought of all those hours on the trainer usually makes me want to get out and show what I’ve accomplished. When I get into really painful stretches on the run I try to think about how hard I have already fought to get where I am in the race, and how I owe it to myself not to squander the good time I have already estasblished. Of course, it really helps if you see someone you know, and can try to go after him. Steve Irish
Now that it is the off-season (at least in the U.S.), I was doing some reflecting upon seasons of past. While there has been lots of discussion on r.s.t. about training, racing tactic type discussions have been noticeable absent. I firmly believe, no matter how fast you are, how many years experience you have, everyone fights-wins-loses personnal battles during every race. I’m also confident that every rst’er has a racing tip (whether they know it or not) that many of us would find useful. I’m curious how people try and pace themselves (through the whole tri, not just each event). What works, what doesn’t. Are there any mental games that seem to work? I’m sure everyone has come to some point in a race where they are at the "back-off-this-pace-or-die" feeling. How do people handle this? How hard can people bike and still run reasonably well (yet another pacing question) ? How does your race strategy vary with distance? There are probably a million permutations of these. Answer any of the above or come up with your own. Come on r.s.t., inquirying minds want to know 
! Pat — W.Patrick Brug, Ph.D. _- -_ Los Alamos National Lab -__ __- / cis: 72410,3372 /
: OK rec sport triathlon readers, here is a little fun in the Sierra’s, : from an article I write for my local paper. Saw the Motorola team training : in this area this week, so they too must know where the best riding is!!! : Enjoy. : Brad At last count there are four FORMER Motorola team riders living in the Sacramento area, not to mention many Motorola jersey owners from the above mentioned rider’s garage sales. However, the Motorola team has been in Europe since the end of January and their US training camp was in Texas. The ride you mention is an excellent one though. Kevin Metcalfe Davis, CA
OK rec sport triathlon readers, here is a little fun in the Sierra’s, from an article I write for my local paper. Saw the Motorola team training in this area this week, so they too must know where the best riding is!!! Enjoy. Brad Kearns Column like I see ‘em Auburn Sentinel#The Death Ride?The title of this article sounds ominous, but I am actually going to describe and take you through one of the most beautiful and challenging bike rides anywhere in the world, beginning right here in Auburn and proclaimed by this "wrider" (HA HA) "The Death Ride".My first completion of the Death Ride loop was in June of 1990, when I was just an innocent visitor to the area and still lived in Los Angeles. My wife Tracy and I came to visit her parents, who had recently moved from Southern California to Cool. It was one of six visits over the course of that year, the cumulative effect of which spurred us to make a move of our own out of the concrete jungle of Los Angeles and up to Cool by November of 1990. Of course my bike made the trip with us, and feeling restless one Saturday morning, I grabbed a triple A map out of the drawer and plotted out a bike course to explore the surrounding area. Isn’t it funny how you can read a onedimensional map of an area you have never been to and make crazy assumptions about roads being up or downhill with no factual basis? I know when I see a road on a map heading South, I assume(0*0*0*it is downhill for some reason. Maybe derived from common ?expressions like, "We drove down to LA from Sacramento." Once I headed out on the bike, I soon realized that I was in for more than I and my flat map had bargained for a total of 12,000 feet of climbing, according to my Avocet Altimeter bike computer at days end. hh#The ride begins heading out of Auburn to Foresthill on Foresthill Road. The highlight is crossing over the towering Foresthill bridge, affording an incredible view of the confluence of the North and Middle Forks of the American River 700 plus feet below. The lowlight is realizing on your first trip up to Foresthill that although the map says the town is 2000 feet higher than Auburn, you have to climb much more than that because of all the ups and downs. There is nothing more discouraging to a cyclist than climbing up a steep hill, only to descend back down before resuming climbing. Multiply that 10 times and you know what the first 20 miles of the Death Ride are like. I know many readers will never even attempt something as daunting as the Death Ride, but take notice next time your aredriving how unaware we are of the terrain when we don’t have to use our own power to negotiate it. Countless times I have taken preview drives over a bike course before a triathlon and thought, "piece of cake, no significant hills on the course". Completing the same course the next day on bicycle is always a rude awakening as my quads muscles vehemently disagree with the statement, "no significant hills".Reaching Foresthill I take the complete with little tables on the patio to sit down and have lunch with a magnificent view of the Sierra’s. Little did I know that this was the last available water stop for the next 3 and a half hours, quite a long time to go without while cycling in June. I had never experienced this phenomenon training in Los Angeles, because even on the most remote rides imaginable civilization is no more than an hour or two apart. Consulting my trusty map I saw the name of a town on the route ahead called "Uncle Tom’s cabin" no problem, I’ll just stop at their supermarket and refuel. Well, maybe that was possible in the Gold Rush days, but these days there ain’t nothing there but a few old cabins, probably belonging to Uncle Tom. Stay tuned next week as we head into the high Sierra’s and continue on the Death Ride loop….(0*0*0*Last week’s column on the Death Ride left off with a lunch break at the Foresthill Market in Foresthill. From Foresthill, the ride traverses several river canyons and ridges as I make my way South to Stumpy Meadows Reservoir and then down to Georgetown. The bulk of the climbing comes between Foresthill and Stumpy Meadows. After a 12 mile descent from Foresthill to the Oxbow Reservoir on the American River, elevation 1000 feet, you commence that most difficult climb I have ever encountered anywhere in the world, which I call the "Corkscrew Wall". Somehow somebody cut a road right into the canyon wall above Oxbow, which climbs up to Ralston Ridge in the high Sierra. The road climbs 2000 feet in 3 1/2 miles, first cutting across the canyon wall, then spiraling upward like a corkscrew to the ridgeline. Anyone who gets up this alive is a total stud!Of course by this time the water bottle has been reached for numerous times (like a pacifier for all the suffering of the climb) and with dwindling supplies, I grew delirious in the next two plus hours before staggering into Georgetown to raid the MarVal market. Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the highest point in the ride at 5000 feet, is reached at the 65 mile mark. Even though the ride is 100 miles, if you make it this far you are home free, because it is almost all steadily downhill or flat all the way to Georgetown, 24 miles away at 2650 feet elevation, then 16 more miles down to the confluence, passing through Greenwood and Cool.The ride is almost over 97 miles crossing the bridge over the American River. All that is left is a nice little 2.3 mile(0*0*0*climb up to Auburn to finish up piece of cake in an air conditioned car! Not so on a bicycle. Those last 3 miles have been some of the longest of my life, particularly in the summer when the temperature in the canyon is off the charts! I have taken training buddies accustomed to the flatlands of Sacramento on the Death Ride, and seen them actually near death at the top of the canyon!The feeling of satisfaction is overwhelming upon returning to Auburn. To gaze as far as the eye can see into the high Sierra’s and know that you traveled that far in one day on your own power is quite a powerful sensation. For competitive athletes like myself and my training partners who I have "initiated" on the route in the last few years since my maiden ride, completing the loop is a tremendous confidence builder. Anything offered in the way of hills on a typical triathlon course in an urban setting is scoffed at after completing such an unbelievable ride. If you try this ride, just remember that I warned you you will suffer big time, but it will be all worth it!
: Yep, it’s that time of year again. That blessed annual rite of receiving : Ye old fruitcake as a holiday gift. Since you can’t eat the darned : things, I’ve been pondering on whether they just might have other more : practical applications. [snip] Feel free to submit any other novel ideas. I feed them to hunters, who then die and hence do not mistake me for a white-tailed deer while I’m taking a dump in the woods.
You can use them to put under your front wheel when using a windtrainer without front fork brackets. But I usually use my notebook PC for that… because….(don’t flame me pleeeeeease)..I like fruitcake! jo Redondo Beach, CA
Yep, it’s that time of year again. That blessed annual rite of receiving Ye old fruitcake as a holiday gift. Since you can’t eat the darned things, I’ve been pondering on whether they just might have other more practical applications. [snip] Feel free to submit any other novel ideas.
I’ve found that they make an excellent lift for my front wheel when using my folding wind trainer. Christopher N. Baucom When you come to a fork in the road, Gastonia, NC take it! – Yogi Berra
writes: Yo tri-geeks/net-nerds, Yep, it’s that time of year again. That blessed annual rite of receiving Ye old fruitcake as a holiday gift. Since you can’t eat the darned things, I’ve been pondering on whether they just might have other more practical applications. Specifically, incorporation into my tri-training regimen. Here are some of my ideas so far. Feel free to submit any other novel ideas.
Great thread….. 1) Replacement arm pads for aero-bars 2) Better than Spenco Bio-gel for any of it’s uses — seats, gloves, etc.. 3) One fruitcake = lifetime supply of instant, tire patches. Just slap a small compressed wedge on your flat, inflate and go. 4) Much better than the "Thigh Master" 5) Holds tools, screws, and nuts for you while you work on your bike. No more, "Where did I put that damn nut". With the "fruitcake organizer", it’s easy. (Free-associating and having fun.)
Hmm, fruitcakes, eh? I have heard that fruitcakes are useful for… 1. Custom orthotics – they mold to your feet and last several years; plus if you bonk, you can eat ‘em. 2. Custom bar grips for mountain bike handles – warm ‘em up and they are as good as the expensive ones 3. Convincing your competition that they are the latest in nutritionally balanced, fat-burning, muscle building tri-geek energy foods. Egg nog anybody… Rolf — Rolf "Ironman" Arands, Ph.D.|"The world is made for those who are | – Sue Sarandon in BULL DURHAM
: Yep, it’s that time of year again. That blessed annual rite of receiving : Ye old fruitcake as a holiday gift. Since you can’t eat the darned : things, I’ve been pondering on whether they just might have other more : practical applications. Specifically, incorporation into my tri-training : regimen. Here are some of my ideas so far. Feel free to submit any other : novel ideas. How about for riding indoors on the wind/mag trainer: 1) prop your front tire up to level your bike. 2) prop your foot on one so that you can do single leg spins. Janet
Yo tri-geeks/net-nerds, Yep, it’s that time of year again. That blessed annual rite of receiving Ye old fruitcake as a holiday gift. Since you can’t eat the darned things, I’ve been pondering on whether they just might have other more practical applications. Specifically, incorporation into my tri-training regimen. Here are some of my ideas so far. Feel free to submit any other novel ideas. 1.) Lace up a pair and use them for training wheels. (Should provide a nice compliant ride.) Should I use bladed or double butted spokes? 2.) Slip one around each ankle and use them for leg weights on those early pre-season LSD and hill-training runs. 3.) Slip one around each ankle and use them for pull buoys. (Probably not that buoyant, but I’m sure their waterproof.) 4.) Strap a pair onto a sawed-off broom handle and use them for a dumbell so I can get that buffed and cut look I’ve always wanted. Well, let’s here your suggestions. Jammin’ Jeff Parting Thought: Duff Beer — Breakfast of Champions ! Endorsed by that most venerable cultural icon (Homer "The Man" Simpson) * Webster’s defines jammin’ as * * * Equivalent to `hammering’ in the * * * triathlon parlance with the exception * Shut up and take the pain ! * * that jammin’ is done whilst the * Taaaake the paaaiiinnn !!! * * participant is singing, humming, * Sgt. Barnes (Tom Berenger), Platoon * * whistling, or yelling their * * * favorite Pearl Jam tunes. * *
| I’d like to see what others are using for a running log on your Mac. | Filemaker Pro, Excel, etc… what’s everyone got? | | For me, I’m using a couple columns in Excel (one for time, one for | distance, one for date) and I’d like to keep more data than that. | What is everyone else tracking? | I also use Excel. In addition to the columns you use, I include three totals columns: annual milage, monthly milage and a seven day running total. I also include a brief course description in the right most column. —
For me, I’m using a couple columns in Excel (one for time, one for distance, one for date) and I’d like to keep more data than that. What is everyone else tracking?
I’m also interested in hearing what people are using to track their runs. I just started tracking my runs on my new (yay!) powerbook 280c. I use Excel and track the date, distance, total time, location (generally from/to), average lap time, best lap time, and then a comments field for anything else (new shoes, weather conditions, etc.) I plan on putting in a monthly total and graphing my monthly data (distance, speed, etc.) For those that might be wondering, most of my runs are two laps (i.e. from one point to another and back). And as for the times, I just got a nifty new watch (Timex IronMan Triathlon) that tracks my "laps" as part of the chronograph mode so I don’t have to sit there and compute best lap, avg lap, etc. If anyone is looking for a new watch and doesn’t want to shell out major bucks, I highly recommend it. I got mine for a little under $40 at Mervyn’s. -jon — |Santa Cruz, CA | DoD #97, AMA, NRA |’78 KZ1000LTD – "Beast" | "Poor people have access to the courts in the same sense that the Christians had access to the lions. . ." — Judge Earl Johnson Jr.
I’d like to see what others are using for a running log on your Mac. Filemaker Pro, Excel, etc… what’s everyone got?
This summer I’ve just started tracking my running and cycling on my Mac (LC520). Using Excel never even crossed my mind (but it sounds like a resonanable idea). I have looked at two programs so far. The Athlete’s Diary: I’ve only seen the demo pulled down off the internet (I think it was an anonymous ftp site at ftp.furman.com, or something like that). The only limitation on the demo seems to be a 25 entry limit. It seems like a nice program. But, it will not run under 32 bit addressing with RAMDoubler running. They tell me they are in the middle of a major upgrade which they hope will be out in 6 months and which they hope will solve this problem. Cost is about $50US. PC Coach: The name scared me a bit, but I decided to buy this since they have a 30 day money-back policy. I’m two weeks into this trial period. The software is about 6 months old and clearly seems to have be written for Windows, first, and then ported to the Mac. I found an awful lot of places where Apple’s Human Interface Guideline was not followed (this is very frustrating!). On the plus side, PC Coach allows you to plan workouts well in advance and mark them off when completed. I just finished faxing the authors a letter suggesting ways of making PC Coach more Mac-like. They have an upgrade release scheduled for this fall which I hope will address some of my concerns. I hope to talk with them in a few days about this upcoming release. FWIW, they claim about 33% of their sales are for the Mac. Cost is about $70US. Both programs are advertised in the back of Runner’s World. Anyone know what else it out there? Rob
Getting over my general dislike of Hypercard (blech)… I’ve seen a nice little card program called Exercise Log (look for it at your favorite info-mac-shadow in the apps folder) that’s shareware and is pretty decent. Right now I just use Excel. I’ve tried both PC Coach and The Athlete’s Diary, but didn’t like either of them (I like to make a lot of comments about my run- weather, training partners, etc)… Becky "There is nothing more certain than the defeat of a man who gives up. And, I might add, the victory of one who will not." – Dr. George Sheehan, M.D.
The Athlete’s Diary (TAD) had demos available by anon. ftp at furman.edu. It’s part of the drs archive, since the author, Steve Patt, is a drs member. The company is Steven’s Creek Software, which has an AOL Another drs member, Maurits Van Der Veen (?) has a hypercard stack which works quite well as an exercise log. polar bear — Strikeouts are fascist. Throw ground balls; they’re more democratic. – "Crash" Davis to "Nuke" LaLoosh in "Bull Durham"
I’d like to see what others are using for a running log on your Mac. Filemaker Pro, Excel, etc… what’s everyone got? For me, I’m using a couple columns in Excel (one for time, one for distance, one for date) and I’d like to keep more data than that. What is everyone else tracking? Rob 2 Concourse Parkway Suite 500 | Atlanta, GA 30075 | Don’t Panic!!! (404) 604-7942 |
I’d like to see what others are using for a running log on your Mac. Filemaker Pro, Excel, etc… what’s everyone got?
I
I’m a triathlon newbie with, not surprisingly, a question: Is it OK to swim with a breaststroke, or is it against regulations?
One thing I haven’t seen mentioned yet – It is much easier to kick someone when you’re whip/frog kicking. You might want to me a tad careful of your fellow competitors. — LSC (aka Larry Chapman) (303) 229-3117
| I’m a triathlon newbie with, not surprisingly, a question: | | Is it OK to swim with a breaststroke, or is it | against regulations? | | One thing I haven’t seen mentioned yet – | | It is much easier to kick someone when you’re whip/frog kicking. You | might want to me a tad careful of your fellow competitors. | I’ve been on the receiving end of this. A few years ago, early in the race, I was passing someone who (unbeknownst to me) was doing the breaststroke. They kicked me so accurately and so hard, that I was sure I had been neutered. After 3 minutes of the deadman’s float, I was able to resume swimming. It was the first and only swim where I very seriously considered DNFing. — Mike Gilson "For those who think, life is a comedy; for those who feel, life is a tragedy."
In a previous posting Jocelyn Cordell writes: Is it OK to swim the breaststroke?
It is OK to WALK the entire swim segment, provided of course, that the lake is shallow enough (you can do this at LEON’s Triathlon in Hammond, IN). The ONLY restrictions on the swim are that you cannot have any propulsive devices or flotation devices. The rest is pretty much left to your imagination on how to get from point A to point B. As long as I’m writing, I’ll take the time to say that this is an awesome newsgroup. I especially enjoy the race reports! John —
I’m a triathlon newbie with, not surprisingly, a question: Is it OK to swim with a breaststroke, or is it against regulations?
No. I know freestyle’s much faster, but it’s MY least efficient
FYI, freestyle in competitive swimming means that you can do anything you want. Most people do front crawl (nearly synonymous with freestyle– at least in the US) since it is there fastest stroke. Once in college a couple of us wanted to do 200 fly in the 200 free competition for practice. Our coach wouldn’t let us do it (not because it was against the rules but) because he had a bad experience during his collegiate swim days. During a dual meet against Indiana, he thought he had won the 200 free only to discover that *some* guy in the outside lane had smoked him be several seconds. Needless to say he felt pretty humilated. Later when he discovered that *some* guy was MARK SPITZ he didn’t feel so bad… That was a little bit of the point, but an amusing antedote… W.Patrick Brug, Ph.D. _- -_ Los Alamos National Lab -__ __- / cis: 72410,3372 /
writes: My understanding of the Triathlon regulations is that any type of stroke is acceptable in the swim portion of the Triathlon. I think the rules even state that it is permissible for the swimmers feet to touch the ground so I suppose you could even "walk" the swim portion if you were in a shallow enough lake.
Breast stroke is fine, but I’d sure prefer not to take a strong breast stroke kick in the groin! -Ed
I’m a triathlon newbie with, not surprisingly, a question: Is it OK to swim with a breaststroke, or is it against regulations? I know freestyle’s much faster, but it’s MY least efficient stroke. Given that my goals for the triathlon include: don’t drown don’t run into another biker/fall off the bike/ walk the bike don’t walk during the run & last finish You can see that I’m not preocuppied with time, merely with distance and endurance- so, is it OK? Thanks- Jocelyn
writes: I’m a triathlon newbie with, not surprisingly, a question: Is it OK to swim with a breaststroke, or is it against regulations?
No rule against it. Good luck, I’m sure you’ll do great. Scott Zagarino Tri Fed USA
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m a triathlon newbie with, not surprisingly, a question: Is it OK to swim with a breaststroke, or is it against regulations? I know freestyle’s much faster, but it’s MY least efficient stroke. Given that my goals for the triathlon include: don’t drown don’t run into another biker/fall off the bike/ walk the bike don’t walk during the run & last finish You can see that I’m not preocuppied with time, merely with distance and endurance- so, is it OK?
Jocelyn: It is certainly OK to do the breast stroke, side stroke, back stroke, etc. It is also OK to walk your bike or walk during the run if you have to. It is also OK to finish last. It’s best to organize your goals in levels. Your baseline goal should be one that you know you can accomplish, like finishing. The goals you listed are good higher-level goals. If you make them, great. If you don’t, you’ve still made your baseline goal. Setting different levels of goals is even helpful to elite racers. Remember, 99% of the population couldn’t finish at all! Finishing puts you in the top 1%. That’s quite an accomplishment in my book. Welcome to the sport. Dave LaPorte U. Minn.
LaPorte (Biochem)) writes:
The doggie paddle is OK, too. That’s what got me thru my first one.
I’m a triathlon newbie with, not surprisingly, a question: Is it OK to swim with a breaststroke, or is it against regulations?
Well, I for one will admit that I use breatstroke quite extensively (probably 2/3 of the swim) in tris. I can swim breatstroke almost forever and I’m not much slower than a lot of other age groupers doing freestyle. The other reason is that my arms tire out doing crawl for extended periods. The most important reason is my crawl tends to veer left all the time (I haven’t mastered looking ahead routinely and I forgot my goggles today making it even harder.). With breatstroke, I swim a shorter distance by keeping my eyes on the buoy and avoiding detours. It’s best to organize your goals in levels. Your baseline goal should be one that you know you can accomplish, like finishing. The goals you
My usual words of advice for any first timer is to finish and finish strong (ie Even if you have to walk part of the run leg, try to save enough energy for a running finish because that’s where all the spectators are.). This also applies to the first time doing a noticeably longer race. After one race, you can be confident in the knowledge that you’ve done it before. arthur — Choices don’t scare me. However, a lack of choices does.