SaintViper's Journal, 02 December 2010

Congrats!!! I intended to a run last night but between the headache (I think it's residual sinus stuff from last week's cold) and the cold wet tights from the previous night, I just couldn't do it. Ended up cooking a bunch of healthy food to last me for a few days though. And I did register for a triathlon in May! 

thank god the weather forecast for this weekend is supposed to be decent. Bike ride here I come! 

WTG SV!!!!  

Thanks guys. I'm pleased not only with the numbers but with how I look as too. HC seems to appreciate it as well. Nice weather for biking? I suppose for you that's anything but snowing.  

Have been doing some research on triathlons to start getting ready. Haven't quite figured out how the transition thing works yet. It looks like they make shorts that you can wear for the whole race. I can't imagine running in wet cycling shorts but if that's what they do I suppose I can give it a try. I figured out that I have almost enough spare parts lying around to build another bike. Performance sells a time trial frame/fork for under $250. Wondering if it would be fun to build a new bike up so that I don't have to demean my Litespeed with a set of aero bars. 

Could put my 'rain' wheels on it too. 

Well, you COULD build another bike, just to build another bike, but honestly, for a sprint tri, you'll not need your aerobars. 12 miles isn't gonna be long enough to need them. And they USUALLY try to throw a "hill" in there just to break up the pack a little. Yes, they do make tri shorts. The pad is VERY light/thin. Some of them it's not much more than a little piece of fleece really. So it's different than running around with a giant wet diaper like a regular pair or cycling shorts would be. There is a "technique" to the transitions. Best pieces of advice I can give you: 1) get, buy, borrow, rent, whatever "The Slow Fat Triathlete" It's a FABULOUS book. Not only because it's a HYSTERICAL read but because it has a lot of really great info about how to do a first triathalon. Things to and not to do. "Fred moves" etc. yes, it's written by a woman, but it's applicable to most anyone. You'll laugh, I promise. And learn some stuff. 2) see if you can find a tri clinic. I did one just before I did my first triathalon. It was VERY helpful. We pretty much did a dry run without the massive "rush" through the transitions. They can give you a bunch of really great little tips that you'd never think of otherwise. Oh, one other thing, of all of the transitions to practice, do the "brick" workouts of the bike to run if nothing else. You will be amazed at how your legs just don't wanna work after a bike ride when you start running. But if you practice it, it really does get easier.  

Hey thanks! They don't have that book at the library but Amazon has it used for $2 so I'll definately pick up a copy. There are a couple other ones at the library that I'll check out too. I suppose the TT bike thing was more for the fun of building up another toy than really needing one. I should really see how fast I can ride next summer before showing up on something like that and riding slow. Anything below 18 mph on something like that and I'd look like a Fred. 

not if you're climbing a hill or heading into a sic headwind!! LOL!! Did I tell you we're gonna build my new cross bike? I'm pretty stoked about that. 

Nice, what's the other bike? 

the cross bike you mean? or the new road bike? 

The road bike. 

2011 Kestrel Talon SL http://www.kestrelbicycles.com/Road/Talon-SL-Road.aspx 

ahhh, very nice!