Active Community: Message List

Re: Rock 'n' Roll Marathon - San Diego, California

guest — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:22:50 GMT

The Rock N Roll Marathon such a smooth and fun event year after year. I have run it 2x, but this year I had to sit out. I think their course is perfect, b/c it has a great downhill section (not too steep), and it tends to go by pretty fast.

I did get to participate a little bit this year by going to the Pat Benatar concert the night of the race! I was thinking that Rock N roll is the absolute coolest idea for a marathon...you have music on the course, and then you get a FREE concert that night with a cool band or singer. I was able to zip in and out of the concert very easily...it was no hassle. Pat Benatar was AWESOME!!! I would highly recommend this race just for the concert alone No seriously, it is a great course, great weather, pretty scenery, good energy...and they do a good job of making it easy to access the course and to get out. I love the idea of a concert the night of the race. I am usually stoked just when I get a free t-shirt in my goody bag...so a concert is AMAZING!! I can't wait to see who performs next year.

Re: Can you change a road bike to tri bike geometry?

guest — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:27:46 GMT

I would try not to set-up a road bike for tri-bike geometry (if possible). Tri-bikes have different seat tube angles than road bikes as well as other geometry differences. A tri-bike is geared to place your hips at a different angle when you are in the aero position...if you put aero bars on a road bike, you close out your hip angle and that compromises strength and power. If you are going to get a road bike but you want to adapt it to tris, you may want to look at the road models geared for that such as the Cervelo Soloist or the Felt (Dual?).

A friend of mine has an article about this posted on his website about bike geometry. It is rather techy but informative. He is an engineer and just opened his bike shop a few months ago. I am sure he would not mind if you emailed him with a question: http://momentcyclesport.com/page.cfm?pageID=59

Good luck!

Elaine

Re: Are there any Lavaman participants around?

guest — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:26:24 GMT

I participated in Lavaman. I love your home of Kona by the way! Anyway...I think this would be a great event for a beginner. The swim is very calm..there was very light chop to no waves. I also could not feel a current. I remember it being one of the most peaceful swims I have ever encountered in a triathlon. This race does not allow wetsuits- so make sure you practice your swimming without a wetsuit, and that you can do the distance without the buoyancy of a wetsuit.

The bike is just an out and back, and the pavement is nice and smooth. The hills are light, so no real worries there.

The run goes down a road and then cuts through a hotel. You come out on rock/lava, and need to run to the finish. This happens around mile 4.5 or 5. It is not tough- the only trick is to be super careful not to roll an ankle as the terrain is pretty unsteady. I had an ACL injury as well- but had it fixed so I had no problems on this part of the run. If your ACL is still torn, you may want to take it super easy on this part or practic in the months prior to the race.

The Lavaman is a Team in Training destination race, so you will find beginners there..many of them racing in memory of a loved one. I found this race had all levels, unlike when I do an Xterra when everyone appears to be expert

The distance is longer than a sprint, so make sure to train for the distances so that you can have a comfortbale race. Swimming is my weakness, and I found that this was one of my best races/finishes.

Have fun at the Ironman and best of luck with your races! Big thumbs up for Lavaman!

Aloha,

Elaine

Re: Best Aero Bars to buy???

guest — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 15:57:41 GMT

Profile Design makes some reasonably priced good quality clip on aerobars. To look at the diff. types of aerobars and prices, you can check out a vendor website such as: http://www.trisports.com/aerobars.html

Careful in placing aerobars on a road bike- the new position can close your hip angle and really decrease your power. The geometry on a tri-specific bike is different, to keep the hip open and to maintain power by repositioning the rider's body on the bike. You will probably want to visit your local bike shop and get them to change your seat positioning, etc. to get you in the most effective aero position on a road bike to minimize any decrease in power transfer.

Good luck!

Re: 7 and Quitting?? help me please

guest — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 16:46:32 GMT

Hello, when I was small, I begged my parents to sign up for soccer (from about K to 1st). My mom finally signed me up, and I excelled at the sport just b/c I really wanted to be out there. After I got a little older (10 maybe), I got an invitation to sign up for a select (travel) team. In moving up to this level of play, I was physically the smallest kid on the team, and I also felt a lot of pressure. Consequently, my playing ability got much worse, and I didn't want to play anymore. My parents pulled me off the select team and put me back in recreation. My confidence really improved and I started to have fun again. I also (finally) grew, and I matched the size and stength of the other players. I then stepped back up to select and later went on to play in college.

Based on the experience I had, I am thinking that the most important thing is to try and figure out why your daughter has lost interest. Even though she is young, if you ask her how she is feeling and what she likes and does not like about soccer, you may learn the root of the problem. Anything she would share with you would give you insight (the parents shout mean things; the kids were teasing me about not scoring, etc.). You could then ease her concerns and address her issues.

If you know of any local high school or college players, you could have them as a guest at one of your practices to discuss team work to the group, and how every player on the field is very important and has their own job.

Unfortunately I would not let her quit. It is a good lesson to prepare her for future challenges in life. I would support her and listen to her feelings for the rest of the season to help see her through. Hoefully you can find the root and maybe she will want to continue playing in the future if you can ease her concern.

Good luck! She is lucky to have such a caring mother.

Re: Clipless Pedals...any suggestions?

guest — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:14:21 GMT

Hi <((===<, you hit the nail on the head with regards to the stress on your knee. If the float is set to such a degree that your legs cannot go through the natural rotational patter, your knee will be pulled a little and stressed. I would consult with your local bike shop to see if they can get you on a trainer and take a look at your movement pattern and make the adjustments. The reason I mention the bike shop as a good resource...I have friends in San Diego (where I live) that work in bike shops here. The training they go through to properly fit someone on a bike is just incredible. They even measure your power output at different positions to get you in the optimal position. Fit costs can run pretty high ($150 range), but maybe your bike shop would give you a reduced rate if you just wanted them to look at your cleat positioning and not your aero position, seat height, etc.

Re: Clipless Pedals...any suggestions?

guest — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 20:48:20 GMT

I switched from the Look style to Speedplay in January of this year. I have had ACL recontruction on my left knee, so when I got my new bike I figured I would try out the Speedplays. I am not new to cycling...but I did find that the Speedplays allowed me to clip in and out much more quickly than my Looks. In terms of float- there is more float on the Speedplays...which is great if you have had knee problems. Your knees will not be pulled out of alignment. On the other side of the coin, your coach might be concerned that when you get out of the saddle on a climb, you may feel like you are on "ice". I asked a few people about that before I switched, and they said it is easy to quickly get used to it, and to be aware of proper mechanics. I might have noticed the new feeling for one ride, but then I felt in complete control thereafter. With any pedal system, there will be a learning curve. If you have never used clipless pedals, you will want to start on the trainer, then move up to the grass, then to your regular rides. Maybe check out the return policy with your local bike shop or see if they have any demos they can set-up on a trainer in the store for you. Good luck!

Re: Triathlon Gear

guest — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 21:55:51 GMT

I had to cut my running miles back to work more on the bike, and it has really helped. I have heard from many people that biking helps running, but running does not help biking. I do find that my run has not suffered (actually improved) after cutting running miles and adding in biking miles. Have fun at your race!

Re: HELP!

guest — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 21:31:58 GMT

Hi KimS, don't be too down on yourself for not feeling motivated. This is a normal response to grief..and when we try to process so many feelings and emotions...it can really zap us of our energy.

Try starting with small goals of just getting out the door and walking/jogging. Exercise has been shown to fight depression and boost mood, so the marathon you are doing in honor of your Dad may be also be a journey to help deal with his loss. Try to do a little more day after day, even if it is a big decrease from what you were doing before. Tracking this on a calendar often helps.

People deal with grief in all sorts of ways - I tend to want to be with people rather than alone. If you are like this too, there are many running groups that train for marathons together. You can look these up on Active or the Internet.

I wish you the best! You can do it!

Re: What is your favorite piece of gear and why?

guest — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 23:05:27 GMT

Hey Toby, think about the Catalina Eco Marathon! It looks beautiful. Anyway, my favorite piece of gear is my Specialized S Works Road Bike. Not only do I really love the weight of the bike, the geometry, and how it handles...I got it for a smokin' deal and I couldn't be happier. I was looking for months for a new bike. There were so many different choices, and my top picks were in the $3,000 range. I would always get so nervous...I could never pull the purchase trigger. Luckily, I ended up getting really sick and was in bed on a Saturday morning. I received the Tri Club classifieds on my laptop while laying there, and a pro female was selling one of her old bikes! She priced it really fairly, and she had all of the best parts on the bike. It is so light! I really enjoy it. I feel like I got the best deal...on wheels.