Marvelous Manatees - Stronger than Ever! (Page 16)

I use Tridot and think I like it....

...Finally price. With the pre-season project they gave you the Mark Allen edition for 2 months. It is not worth the extra price they wanted even at the discount they were given, so I am doing the $25/month version.... 

I for got a bout the DNA testing optimization.  I haven't done any DNA testing but am skeptical on this.   I also forgot about the environmental factor where TriDot adjusts your paces based on the weather.  It was early enough in the year that that didn't make any differences in my training.  The $15 or $25 plans are the way to go. 

I finally got my race report from the Boston Marathon complete.  It is HERE and includes photos.  

I bonked at mile 21.  This is the first race I have bonked at since 2018.  I thought I had figured out all the pacing and nutrition, so I expected to be able to run strong to the end and to feel good after crossing the finish line but that was not the case.   Despite a 9-minute positive split I still pulled off a sub-3 hour time so I guess you can bank time.  I wouldn't ever recommend it though.  The last 5 miles were painful and I felt half dead after finishing.  

I went back and analyzed my race data so see what went wrong.  I can't really say.  My pacing looks to be on point with other races.  I did get an upset stomach which required some adjustments to the nutrition plan, but I am not sure that was the problem.  I think I may have just been undertrained.  

There two things that really stood out to me.  1) there was no room to pass anyone for the first 12 miles.  That was pretty crazy to be boxed in for that many miles.  2) the last five miles I was passed by more than 1,000 people.  That was when it really hit me what it meant to be at the Boston Marathon.  At my qualifying Marathon a year ago I passed about 20 people after mile 18.  That was half the field that was in front of me so it was huge.  I felt like I was picking off people right and left.  No one caught me in those miles.  The same was true for the half marathon I did in March.  In the last 5 miles I just pulled them in one by one passing half the field that was ahead of me.  This was the opposite.  I had about 2,500 people ahead of me then had half that many people pass me at the end of the race. I was getting passed by rows of people 4-5 people wide and they were all going a minute a mile faster than me.  I felt like I was drifting wood floating in white water rapids. There was a furious flow moving passing all around me.  

So...this was defiantly a cool experience.   Next time I go to Boston it will not be for the experience.  It will be to race. 

Yes, I learned a lot.

There ended up being 15 people from the Cypress Running Club at Boston Marathon this year.  I saw four of the guys on the course.  One of them passed my with about two miles to go.  I took seven walk breaks in the last 3 miles. I would try to run for 100 steps then I would walk for 20-30 steps and then try to run for another 100 steps.  I was passed while on a walk break and the guy in my running club said, "Let's go."  I tried to stay with he and was able to make it 300 steps before my calves started to cramp and I had to take another walk break.  When I got to the 1-mile-to-go line.  I was at 2hr 51min  I had 9 minutes to go 1 mile to break three hours.  I was pretty confidant at that point I would make it.  I did it, but don't think I would have if the guy from my club hadn't come by when he did.  I might have lost 2-3 more minutes in the last two miles and ended up over 3 hours.

So, I learned a lot but also was help a lot by friend who had done the race a half dozen times before.   I don't know when I will be back, but it was cool to be at the Kona of Marathons and would definitely like to go again.

I finally got my race report from the Boston Marathon complete.  It is HERE and includes photos.  

I bonked at mile 21.  This is the first race I have bonked at since 2018.  I thought I had figured out all the pacing and nutrition, so I expected to be able to run strong to the end and to feel good after crossing the finish line but that was not the case.   Despite a 9-minute positive split I still pulled off a sub-3 hour time so I guess you can bank time.  I wouldn't ever recommend it though.  The last 5 miles were painful and I felt half dead after finishing.  

I went back and analyzed my race data so see what went wrong.  I can't really say.  My pacing looks to be on point with other races.  I did get an upset stomach which required some adjustments to the nutrition plan, but I am not sure that was the problem.  I think I may have just been undertrained.  

There two things that really stood out to me.  1) there was no room to pass anyone for the first 12 miles.  That was pretty crazy to be boxed in for that many miles.  2) the last five miles I was passed by more than 1,000 people.  That was when it really hit me what it meant to be at the Boston Marathon.  At my qualifying Marathon a year ago I passed about 20 people after mile 18.  That was half the field that was in front of me so it was huge.  I felt like I was picking off people right and left.  No one caught me in those miles.  The same was true for the half marathon I did in March.  In the last 5 miles I just pulled them in one by one passing half the field that was ahead of me.  This was the opposite.  I had about 2,500 people ahead of me then had half that many people pass me at the end of the race. I was getting passed by rows of people 4-5 people wide and they were all going a minute a mile faster than me.  I felt like I was drifting wood floating in white water rapids. There was a furious flow moving passing all around me.  

So...this was defiantly a cool experience.   Next time I go to Boston it will not be for the experience.  It will be to race. 

Congratulations, Sean! Boston is a beast.

I remember when I was there, I did a short run in the course the Saturday before the race.  I ran on a few of the hills towards the end and I was like, "Pfft! No problem." Well, on race day, it was a different story!

I'm glad that you had your Boston experience. Kudos!

Sean Hale is on the Every Man Jack Triathlon Team and lives in Katy, Texas 15 minutes to the south of me.  -Curtis Hale- 

I didn't think the hills were that bad until I started coming back down the back side of last hill after mile 21.  Coming down hill was painful. 

For the record the Payson Orchards Sprint Triathlon (Utah), the Wasatch Back Ragnar, leg 12 (Utah), and the Du Kona Duathlon (Oklahoma) all had hill that were bigger.  I think the placement of the hills is what is the killer at Boston.  Even on flat courses and down hill courses most people are going to hit the wall around mile 21.  Hitting it right at the longest hill and followed by the steepest down hill is just adding insult to injury.      

You know that Sean is a Manatee alum, right? Or do we say non-participating Manatee? 

Racing Manatees!!!

April 29
Anne - Driftless 100 (gravel)
Leanne - Tour de Pickle 75

Doooo eeeettttt!!!!!!

Is anyone else racing or doing anything else fun this weekend?

Racing Manatees!!!

April 29
Anne - Driftless 100 (gravel)
Leanne - Tour de Pickle 75

Doooo eeeettttt!!!!!!

Is anyone else racing or doing anything else fun this weekend?

I finally got my race report from the Boston Marathon complete.  It is HERE and includes photos.  

I bonked at mile 21.  This is the first race I have bonked at since 2018.  I thought I had figured out all the pacing and nutrition, so I expected to be able to run strong to the end and to feel good after crossing the finish line but that was not the case.   Despite a 9-minute positive split I still pulled off a sub-3 hour time so I guess you can bank time.  I wouldn't ever recommend it though.  The last 5 miles were painful and I felt half dead after finishing.  

I went back and analyzed my race data so see what went wrong.  I can't really say.  My pacing looks to be on point with other races.  I did get an upset stomach which required some adjustments to the nutrition plan, but I am not sure that was the problem.  I think I may have just been undertrained.  

There two things that really stood out to me.  1) there was no room to pass anyone for the first 12 miles.  That was pretty crazy to be boxed in for that many miles.  2) the last five miles I was passed by more than 1,000 people.  That was when it really hit me what it meant to be at the Boston Marathon.  At my qualifying Marathon a year ago I passed about 20 people after mile 18.  That was half the field that was in front of me so it was huge.  I felt like I was picking off people right and left.  No one caught me in those miles.  The same was true for the half marathon I did in March.  In the last 5 miles I just pulled them in one by one passing half the field that was ahead of me.  This was the opposite.  I had about 2,500 people ahead of me then had half that many people pass me at the end of the race. I was getting passed by rows of people 4-5 people wide and they were all going a minute a mile faster than me.  I felt like I was drifting wood floating in white water rapids. There was a furious flow moving passing all around me.  

So...this was defiantly a cool experience.   Next time I go to Boston it will not be for the experience.  It will be to race. 

Racing Manatees!!!

April 29
Anne - Driftless 100 (gravel)
Leanne - Tour de Pickle 75

Doooo eeeettttt!!!!!!

Is anyone else racing or doing anything else fun this weekend?

Racing Manatees!!!

April 29
Anne - Driftless 100 (gravel)
Leanne - Tour de Pickle 75

Doooo eeeettttt!!!!!!

Is anyone else racing or doing anything else fun this weekend?

I did the Bike MS150 on Saturday with my 13-year-old daughter.  She has been cycling for 10 weeks to train for the 50-miler.  She did amazing.  She is a mini-manatee.  So..two bucket list events in the books last month; Boston and MS150.  

Now I am get to enjoy a slow build for a few month.  there are two local Sprint Triathlons and a big Olympic triathlon 2 hours away this month but I think I am going to wait until October to race again.  There is a Doggie Splash & Dash in June that I have been thinking of doing.  My family rehomed our Corgi a year and a half ago, so I don't know who I can use for my team mate in the splash and dash.  I have two family pets to choose from.  I think the Chow-Chow is out.  He has too much wool and I think that it would soak up water like a sponge and pull him under.  It's too bad because his is the more trainable of the two dogs.  The other is a mix of possibly a Chinese Crested and who know what else (breeds?).  She is probably my best option.   Hmm...how to train?  Does anyone have any experience or tips on training for doggie aquathons?

I did the Bike MS150 on Saturday with my 13-year-old daughter.  She has been cycling for 10 weeks to train for the 50-miler.  She did amazing.  She is a mini-manatee.  So..two bucket list events in the books last month; Boston and MS150.  

Now I am get to enjoy a slow build for a few month.  there are two local Sprint Triathlons and a big Olympic triathlon 2 hours away this month but I think I am going to wait until October to race again.  There is a Doggie Splash & Dash in June that I have been thinking of doing.  My family rehomed our Corgi a year and a half ago, so I don't know who I can use for my team mate in the splash and dash.  I have two family pets to choose from.  I think the Chow-Chow is out.  He has too much wool and I think that it would soak up water like a sponge and pull him under.  It's too bad because his is the more trainable of the two dogs.  The other is a mix of possibly a Chinese Crested and who know what else (breeds?).  She is probably my best option.   Hmm...how to train?  Does anyone have any experience or tips on training for doggie aquathons?