Not much going on other than life, wedding planning, life, work, life, training some and just enjoying the temps being somewhat normal. Normal defined as 50's and 60's. We even had some 70's last week which makes me SO happy. I did the first of many TT's we have here in MN. There is a race a week should you want it. The road at BlackDog is particularly unsafe and pot hole laden so my goal really has to be to get a good workout. If i have to pull over to not become a hood ornament, so be it. As is my Hed Bars popped a bolt down there but no cracks in my Carbon rims. I know some people have more of a HTFU attitude to that road but I just think it is crazy. And yes I am crazy to go down there then, but will go with the understanding that I stay alive and not be out $$ for broken equipment. I had a great race effortwise and then ran 20 min HARD with my buddy Dave on the trails. We timed it so Dave would pass me in the final mile of the TT and I would meet him at the car to run. Thanks dave!
As for skills....One of my workouts last week had the "PRACTICE TRANSITIONS" label in it. I am new to this sport even though I have done some Du's and a token Tri here and there and in my 20's. So when I was told to practice transitions I was like "Um, Ok." After the meat of the workout I had convinced myself that I was just going to run out of T1 in my shoes. Who cares I mean really does it matter? Then Rich said to me, "Why not do it like the pros do it? I mean that big guns do it, why not try?" So I had a little freakout moment and said "If I dont ever try it in a race I will never get the confidence to do it." So over and over again I rubber banded my shoes to the frame and worked on getting on the bike, getting up to speed, getting my feet in the shoes and pulling the flaps. Getting off is easier for me with the behind the seat leg cross over etc...but the timing still freaks me out. Last week at Alex i planned to practice this but the T area with the mount and dismount was so short, serioulsy like 5 feet? that I didnt even bother on the way out and on the way back in I all the sudden was within a 5 foot jaunt to my rack so didnt even bother.
I realized part of what was freaking me out was the rubber bands. Once I ditched that, especially on the left shoe it was super fun. I did it over and over again and had a deja vu to my tennis days.
"ONE MORE." I felt like I was drilling skills, drilling forehands, drilling serves OVER and OVER again so much that you dont even think about it. That, to me, is the best thing in a sport and it is the first time I have felt that way in Tri. Yea cadence drills and pedal stroke drills... but that isnt the same as really executing and trying to create a motor pattern for a move or a series of moves.
Ok granted I am about 10% there, and the cross mount isnt gonna happen cuz my seat is so dang high, but never say never. Top tube distance from my seat to the Aero bars is just more severe than on my Cross bike so I am about 0% on that one. But if anyone has advice on mounts and timing and skills let me know. Will reimburse with cupcakes, salted nut rolls or PT advice!
8 comments:
Good luck on that. I don't do the shoes on the bike thing and I keep saying I'll learn, but I just can't do it right. I did the flying dismount thing today, was sort of fun.
Yeah, the flying dismount is okay...but running and jumping on. Um - yeah. That's why Nathaniel always hangs out at the BIKE OUT line...he sees the funniest things. :)
Great job with the TT. Those suckers hurt. AND nice job running hard after. THAT sucker probably hurt as well.
Ooohhh....cupcakes. Yum. (drool). Yum.
I can help you with that if you want, I'll be at TnT Tues. Top secret stuff!
Those cupcakes look sooo good! There is a Lululemon in MN, check it out!!
Yummy cupcakes! Flying dismounts I LOVE! Getting on is harder. At Wildflower I got to watch all of the pros mount and it might make you happy to know that they screw it up too - two of them lost shoes, another was SOOOOOO slow I swear they would have been better off putting shoes on in T1 :)
Yummmm - I love the cupcakes. I still NEVER practice transitions, know I need to, and might now considering you are offering the sweets.
MMMMMMMMM cupcakes. First off, that is a sweet ride ya got there. I have the same set up on my Elite in the front(HED bars and such)
One tip is roll your bike out way past the mount line. Trust me on this one. No need to get caught up in the mess of spastic triathletes try to mount their bike and most everyone feels compelled to hop on their bike RIGHT at that mount line. Give yourself some R-0-0-M and THEN jump on your bike. I aways make sure it's in an ez gear so when I start pedaling on top of my shoes with wet feet, I'm not struggling. Oh..and just STAY like that if there is a slight incline or downhill. I don't fiddle getting my feet in until I can get up to speed, coast a bit and keep looking foward so I don't crash! Eeeeeek!
I've never "practiced" transition, and that's why I'm always so freakin' slow going through. We'll see you on Sunday!! Matt and I will be ready to go, and Pharmie will be there to cheer!
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