EmJayZA

It's a stunning bike. Hands down. I however did not claim to have any knowledge of the brand's heritage (or any other) for that matter. If I were more than just a weekend warrior, I would probably be riding around on such a bike. However, riding one now would just mean I have more money than sense... You guys may scoff at Merida, but it's a gateway into the sport, and enables the not so snobby (or is it "stylish?") access to the sport we all love.

She may have some cardiovascular fitness to help her, no doubt. But, sitting in the saddle for 4 to 5 hours can be really hard. I ride 100km regularly and only now I get off my bike with no pain (hand, back, arms or rear end). The body needs to adjust to sitting on a bike for that long. A little structure is not a bad thing, as getting on a trainer and just pedaling does nothing. She will probably need around 2 to 3 rides a week (two HIIT/tempo rides, and a long ride with undulating hills) to have a fun and comfortable ride. There is a lot of elevation for 94.7, so it's not an easy ride imo. 7 months is more than enough time to prepare, so maybe start her on a few 40/50km rides on the weekend and buildup the distance over the next few weeks. 4 months out from the race then maybe add in some IDT sessions to get a little more saddle time.

Did you pay an additional charge to take your bike? Suck man. Holding thumbs they find it quickly.

Just curious. Is it better to be a mid of the pack weekend warrior on a Dogma or C60?

What's wrong with riding a Merida? It still does the same job, does it not?

It's three months apart, so don't see why not. It's just another long training day for shaper.

Battling with motivation to train consistently. Last year I managed to train through the cold with no issues. This morning was almost impossible to get out of bed. Think work stress is a little out of hand. My running has been the only consistent part of my training. Saturday I had a 2.5 hour ride, and it just felt like was not worth the slog of packing everything and lugging it to the Cradle and back. The thought of sitting on a Wattbike is even less appealing. Most of my tri-club mates did IMSA, so they are not training, which makes it harder. Even the other 70.3 athletes in our group skipped their session today. 7 weeks and counting.

Well done! I think that is even a better victory than missing your target time. Still a blistering time, and you pushed through a hectic wall. That takes a huge amount of grit.

The pad in your cycling shorts can absorb a lot of water which will slow you down and could potentially be uncomfortable on the run. The cycling jersey also could potentially chafe you as they are not designed with running in mind. Chafing under the arm can become really painful. It's not an absolute requirement, but I would test it out before doing your 70.3 in full cycling kit. If the chamois in your cycling shorts is not too thick, it could work if you swap out your cycling jersey for a running shirt. You could also potentially do a full change. Just be aware that you will have to change in the tent however and this will add quite a bit of extra time. You can pick up a trisuit for around R1000 if you shop around carefully. Try Cycle Factory Outlet. They have some really good deals. Oh. I have to add. I bought a pair of Orca tri shorts and they are my favourite cycling shorts by far. I have done really long rides in them (120km) and would pick them over any other shorts every time. I snagged them at Sportsmans for R1000 on special iirc. That is another option instead of a one piece tri suit.

So it would be far better to buy the frame from Canyon and then the wheel and group sets locally?

https://www.facebook.com/SwimSmoothJoburg/ Jana Schoeman is great. She has squad at a pool in Craighall.

Susie Cheetham - give her a bells! See seemed like a cool human. Now it's confirmed. And how was that swim from Lucy Charles?

What a way to end your full IM journey though. Great effort ICM. From your splits, you were consistent. Maybe running less works better for you? Well done everyone. Some impressive results.

I was looking forward to getting a towel at EL. The towels at the expo went so fast I didn't even get a chance to pick one up. If you get a chance and want one, do so ASAP as they were sold out by Saturday morning at EL.

When to replace your shoes:

The "Cyclists with a "Running" Problem" thread has so much valuable info in it, but it's hitting 500 pages now. Since we chat about running shoes so often, I thought it would be better to split these posts out into its own thread so others can find this info easily. I'll start. Found this interesting for the Asics fans: https://www.runningshoesguru.com/content/best-asics-running-shoes/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=asics_running_shoes_the_2018_updated_guide&utm_term=2018-04-06 Some reviews on the shoes I have used: New Balance Fresh Foam Lazr (Neutral Shoe) Terrible long distance running shoe. Ate the back of my feet and made my feet numb. The store assistant admitted that they are having issues with these shoes. Didn't play around with new lacing techniques as I returned them (got a full refund towards another set of New Balance). A nice looking shoe, and would work well in the gym and for cross fit style training as it feels flatter. They did feel nimble and fast though. New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v6 (Neutral Shoe) My very first pair of real running shoes. They didn't give me a single issue, not even a blister. Have 1000km on them and they still have some life left. No tears in the fabric and slight wear on the soles. I suspect I will get 1300km out of them. They do feel big and "boat" like as they have a wide toe box. They are also quite pricey though (around R2,500). New Balance Fresh Foam 880s (Neutral Shoe) This shoe is very comfortable, feels faster and smaller than the 1080s. Also looks nicer than the 1080s. These shoes however make my feet numb 20 minutes into a run, no matter which lacing pattern I use, or how loose they are. The tongue of this shoe seems to have more padding in it, which I think is what is causing the issue. I do have high arches, but not overly high, so I would be cautious.

I do not disagree with you. But, I did this for EL, and I was not run fit. Very far from it. I am fitter and a bit faster since EL, but I still don't feel confident of a stronger run off the bike in Durban. I can shave off 60 minutes from my EL time (60% from the run at least) if I can get my run consistent by June. Going to just go further, even if I have to slow down a bit. Will also make some trips to the bio to contain any niggles.

Safe travels everyone. And hope all our Hubbers have a cracker of a race. I will be cheering you on and trying to contain my FOMO on Sunday. Looking forward to the race reports - so make mental notes...

I had a set back in my training where I have been suffering from shin splints. That's healed up now and the cause was found to be new shoes I bought. I have 7 weeks to Durban. My longest long run in the last blocks was 15km. I want to run 16km this weekend, and then increase it by 1km each week until Durban to get to 21km, with my last long run being around 14km a week before Durban. Will keep doing the following sets: hills, threshold, 2 x bricks (20 min off HIIT bike and 5km after long ride). What do you guys think?

Sad to hear, but they did make a fatal flaw of specializing their business around one brand without having a contract to back up that business model. It was super risky, and sadly that risk worked against them. I would also be unhappy with my bike if it were the case, but it really is just business.

This case must conclude now. These families need some closure. Having said that, I am glad this guy is talking himself into a hole. He is guilty as sin. Just hope the wheels of justice turn in our favour.

Looking at those times they would lap me if I use my first sprint time. Insane. And 30 seconds for T1? I really, really need to work on my transition times...

Taper niggles coming out? Hope you get better soon. Going to be rooting for everyone! ICM - how are you faring? You have been very quiet lately. Assume you have been accosted by family and friends.

Wow. You really built up impressive fitness in a short time! I want to do a 2:20 at Durban, which will be 6:40 per KM. I managed to do that on my last 5km brick run after a punchy 55km ride, and a century ride the day before. So, if I can just keep my legs turning, I am sure I can do it. Going to try two brick runs per week from now until Durban. One will just be a 20min and then another longer run after my LSD ride.

Suggest you also ask on https://www.facebook.com/groups/190031251065777/ Check out the swimming article in the Ironman mag as well. Just stumbled across this now. How ironic. https://view.joomag.com/ironman-african-champs-2018-ironman-african-champs-2018/0890289001521827548?short https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/153222-cyclists-with-a-running-problem/page-489 Ask those guys. There are some seriously talented and experienced runners in that thread. Building up to 100km per week will take time. Rather take a structured and deliberate approach to getting to that distance. The 10% rule (increasing mileage by 10% every week) does not always work.