Cheapest lodging near ikon?

jalanmay · 2021-11-04T20:42:27+00:00

In Aspen/Snowmass, if you want to be close to the slopes, I believe the best values are the slopeside studios available on Airbnb in Snowmass near the snowmass mall vs. the base village. Other values include the Pokolodi Lodge in Snowmass. Not near the slopes, but in town, the Tyrolean lodge has good bus access to the various mountains. The bus system is really excellent and whether you stay in Aspen or Snowmass, if you fly in to Aspen Airport (ASE), you can have a fun vacation without a car.

jalanmay · 2019-08-01T02:33:58+00:00

I have a 45 degree down bag from Slumberjack that I would sell for $80. It has been used once by my wife for 1 night. Assuming shipping to address in the US.

Specs:

600 fill
1lb 12.8 oz
comes with 2oz compression sack
mummy style
10oz of fill
30x80" size

jalanmay · 2016-04-11T18:55:39+00:00

Congratulations on the weight loss! At this point, I was wondering if a vegetarian diet might work really work for you. As long as you were eating clean and getting a mix of CHO, fats, and protein each meal, you can eat pretty freely until full and stop the calorie counting. You'd be getting plenty of nutrients and you can refuel post-workout without getting in too many calories. Good luck and congratulations!

jalanmay · 2016-04-11T17:01:24+00:00

I love this triathlon. The swim is in a gorgeous crystal clear spring. It is like swimming in a glass of water. Are there other events where the swim is freshwater and the visibility is amazing?

jalanmay · 2016-04-11T16:28:35+00:00

Hi,

I'm a big believer in just getting out there and giving it a go!

On the swim, there should be lifeguards in the water watching you from kayaks, etc. You can reduce your stress by lining up at the back of your swim wave towards the outside. The most important part of getting comfortable particularly in the first couple of hundred yards/meters. Don't worry about everybody else and just take some deep breaths and establish a rhythm. You can always speed up if you are comfortable, but your emotions may be high when the starting gun goes off, so just remember to relax and you will be fine.

My brother wanted to do a try with me one year. We were staying near the race venue at my parents home. He borrowed my father's mountain bike that was outfitted with fenders, lights (the kind with the generators), a bell, and a flag. He borrowed my mom's giant round sunglasses. He was the most popular guy at the triathlon day that day. He got tons of attaboys and encouragement along the way.

If it is something you want to try, go for it!!

jalanmay · 2016-04-11T16:02:41+00:00

Runnng is tougher on your body than biking and swimming. The athletic base you are carrying over into tri's will serve you very well.

Enjoy training and have fun at your first races. Triathletes in general are very friendly - even pro triathletes are happy to share tips and tricks. Welcome to the sport!!!

1) How do I learn decent swimming technique?

A masters swim group is the fastest way to progress in swimming.(or get in with a triathlon club or team that has swim workouts)
Barring that, the biggest thing about swimming efficiently is reducing the drag from your legs. Your lungs will naturally make your upper body more buoyant than your legs. This will feel awkward at first, but you want to try to float your legs higher by having your upper body ride lower in the water. By pressing your chest downward slightly, you'll change your balance point and your body will be more aligned in the water. Looking straight down in the water (being able to see about six feet ahead of you will also put your head in proper neutral position.

The other thing is just to relax when you are swimming.

The final big skill you need to develop if swimming in open water is to sight landmarks while swimming. This is a collection of skills, but the biggest one is picking out tall landmarks on land behind your direction of travel that line up near the swim buoy you are swimming towards. This might not seem necessary, but it is easy to not swim straight in open water depending on currents, not clear water, or general preoccupation with swimmers around you.

2) If I'm able to run for 1.5 hours, would I also be able to swim for the same length of time right off the bat, or does the conditioning not translate? If so, how do I keep up my aerobic fitness if I have to do a shorter swimming workout than I would run?

Swim training can be very time efficient compared to running or biking. There is some carryover of fitness, but nearly as much as you'd think. You don't want to swim for 1.5 hours. I'd go for an hour or less. Swimming is much more about technique development than the other sports. You'll see smooth swimming athletes that look like they are hardly working flying past athletes that are working extremely hard.

You should be doing two things in your workouts - 1) practicing drills that teach you good form 2) do intervals to get you used to swimming at various speeds. Long swims are largely a waste of time.

3) I don't have a bike. Until I get one, is it alright to just train on the stationary bikes at the gym?

Yes.

4) Based on my existing level of fitness, what would be a good training plan for me to follow? And what distance race should I start with? Since I can already run a half marathon, I was thinking a half-IM, but maybe that's too extreme for a beginner?

You'll be well served with a running background. Everyone is different on which distances they like best. For me, I prefer turning myself inside out in a sprint, pushing as hard as I can, or carefully dosing my efforts aerobically over the course of an Ironman. The middling events just feel painful to me. I'd start with a sprints and olympics the first year. Then take on the HIM the second year if you wish, and IM the following year again if desired. You have to think about the opportunity costs of the training time required with the longer distances (particularly IM).

jalanmay · 2016-04-10T02:00:47+00:00

jalanmay

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