Manatees Roar into the 20s! CLOSED (Page 39)

I finally feel some fitness coming back.  I ran Sat morning, didn't feel great, but not terrible either.  HR didn't skyrocket so that was good.  Swam Sat evening and felt good.  Bike run brick yesterday (2:20 and :35).  Bike targets were tough, but do-able, and I kept a 5:35/km or better pace on the run for the first time in months.  Certainly not 'in shape' yet, but felt strong for the first time in awhile .  Yay iron supplements!

I definitely "embrace the suck," but peeing on the bike is one I STILL haven't managed.  Oddly, was thinking about it last night while day-dreaming about actually racing again.  Yep, we're an odd bunch!  Good on ya' both (but I definitely won't be drafting during a group ride with you)

I definitely "embrace the suck," but peeing on the bike is one I STILL haven't managed.  Oddly, was thinking about it last night while day-dreaming about actually racing again.  Yep, we're an odd bunch!  Good on ya' both (but I definitely won't be drafting during a group ride with you)

I am currently three pounds behind my goal on the weight loss, BUT there is a really positive note from it as well.  My Nutrition goal was to keep my blood sugar readings within 10% of the recommended ADA guidelines, which I  have managed to do that for all but the first week (before I actually started the JoGo and created that goal).

Even better, For the last 10 days I have actually been below the ADA's recommended fasting score in the mornings!

Good stuff, Mike, keep up the good work!

I saw this and it made me laugh. Nothing like setting the bar high!

Weight: 362, no sneakers, weighed in on the way to the pool, shorts and t-shirt only.  Of course, with the 1/2 stromboli I had for supper last night I'm not complaining.   I still have time to hit my 360 goal for Friday.

Hey all,

So, as I'm dipping the ol' toes back in the sport (and working through PT), I've been cleared back in hot to the pod!  Sooooo... a brief (not my specialty) bio.

Matt McManus. 51 yo. Kim is TBH (The Better Half or "DW"), three kids (DS1 in college, DD a senior in HS and DS2 a sophomore), four dogs (three are "ours" and one is a long term foster - really, we belong to the four of them) the smallest of which is ~70 pounds - don't ask about the biggest...  We live in Austin, TX and have for coming up on 6 years (originally a New Englandah).

Been doing tri since the early 90's, with a couple hiatuses.  Been a dabbler the last couple years, with the last year being the first with no tri in a long time (bad shoulder - just running races).  Yeah, so about that shoulder, got it fixed right up on 1/8 this year (a LOT of work on it, for better or worse).  Now coming back with PT but expect a full recovery in another 6-7 months.

So, probably will do some running races.  Getting back on the trainer presently, as I can mostly hold myself upright.  Cleared to run and start swimming again around 4/8, but will need to build the swim up sloooooowly.  Maybe (maaaaybe) get a fall tri in?  After a nice break (doing some FUN other stuff, even with a bum shoulder), I'm now more excited about training and getting back to racing than I have been in a while, which feels great.

I'm a "former" lots of things, but currently run a molecular diagnostics company (we make kits that hospitals and commercial labs buy to test their patients - largely in genetics and oncology).  We just got our most recent FDA clearance for a test for Fragile X syndrome (the most common genetic cause of autism, first line test in developmental delay, and a few other things) last week.  Not tri related, but has been fun...  Good thing about work is that I have a pretty flexible schedule when I'm not traveling.  

I think that's more than anyone (even me) cares to know about me, so I'll stop.  One of the downsides to typing quickly is that I do go on... so forewarned about my posts! 

Anywho, glad to be swimming (or walking and Zwifting atm) with the pod again.

Matt

Hey all,

So, as I'm dipping the ol' toes back in the sport (and working through PT), I've been cleared back in hot to the pod!  Sooooo... a brief (not my specialty) bio.

Matt McManus. 51 yo. Kim is TBH (The Better Half or "DW"), three kids (DS1 in college, DD a senior in HS and DS2 a sophomore), four dogs (three are "ours" and one is a long term foster - really, we belong to the four of them) the smallest of which is ~70 pounds - don't ask about the biggest...  We live in Austin, TX and have for coming up on 6 years (originally a New Englandah).

Been doing tri since the early 90's, with a couple hiatuses.  Been a dabbler the last couple years, with the last year being the first with no tri in a long time (bad shoulder - just running races).  Yeah, so about that shoulder, got it fixed right up on 1/8 this year (a LOT of work on it, for better or worse).  Now coming back with PT but expect a full recovery in another 6-7 months.

So, probably will do some running races.  Getting back on the trainer presently, as I can mostly hold myself upright.  Cleared to run and start swimming again around 4/8, but will need to build the swim up sloooooowly.  Maybe (maaaaybe) get a fall tri in?  After a nice break (doing some FUN other stuff, even with a bum shoulder), I'm now more excited about training and getting back to racing than I have been in a while, which feels great.

I'm a "former" lots of things, but currently run a molecular diagnostics company (we make kits that hospitals and commercial labs buy to test their patients - largely in genetics and oncology).  We just got our most recent FDA clearance for a test for Fragile X syndrome (the most common genetic cause of autism, first line test in developmental delay, and a few other things) last week.  Not tri related, but has been fun...  Good thing about work is that I have a pretty flexible schedule when I'm not traveling. 

I think that's more than anyone (even me) cares to know about me, so I'll stop.  One of the downsides to typing quickly is that I do go on... so forewarned about my posts! 

Anywho, glad to be swimming (or walking and Zwifting atm) with the pod again.

Matt

First Impressions of my new Polar Vantage M training watch

PROS:

• Right off the bat, it's lightweight.  I mean it weighs even less than my standard watch, a Timex Ironman Classic 50.  Honestly, if this Polar lives up to expectations I don't really foresee the Timex getting much use in the future.  Maybe I will gift it to my 12 yr old GS, who I am going to try to tempt into starting to train for a triathlon next year.
• Recording laps in my pool were spot on.  In fact, it did better than I did.  Today's swim was a pyramid swim 1-6-6-1.  But somehow I miscounted and the watch said that both my 5 lap sets were in fact 6 laps sets.  I was a little disgruntled when I saw that on the watch, thinking it couldn't even count to 5 accurately.  Then I checked it on the mobile app and my laptop.  (sheepish grin)  Apparently it is I who cannot count to 5 accurately.  So, no more having to push the SPLIT button on my Timex.
• An unexpected bonus, it records the rest time between lap sets, so I don't have to do the math.  So when I reviewed the workout I see that the total duration was 59:14, but the actual working duration was only 51:04.  It even displays a timer in the bottom right of the display so I can keep consistent on my 30s rest pattern.
• I'm going to assume that the heart rate data is reasonably accurate.  It shows my HR rising at the start of each lap set, leveling off during it, and then recovering during my 30s rests.  I know DCR expressed dissatisfaction in his review, but that was a comparison of 4-6 different devices at the same time.  Personally, the data I got appears to be sufficient for my needs.
• The watch does come with a series of pre-loaded "apps"(?) for a variety of different sports.  These do include swimming, indoor cycling, cycling, triathlon; as well as walking, hiking, running, treadmill running, and trail running.  I will probably comment on those later, as I use them.

CONS:

• I HATE online user manuals!  Better suck it up cupcake, that is the way the entire world is going nowadays.  In fact, I  haven't even opened it on my laptop yet.  I really prefer hard copies.
• The learning curve.  There is a veritable paucity of online tutorials.  And the ones that are out there are for you fleet-footed runner types.  I found DCR's review of the Vantage while swimming, but nothing out there instructional.
• Even worse, I found NOTHING about setting it up or using it for either cycling or triathlon.
• Polar's own instructional videos are short, barely informational, and decidedly run focused.

All things considered, I suppose that is a fairly short list of CONS.  The one thing every reviewer mentions, and knocks them down for, is the lack of smartphone notifications.  I don't know about you, but when I am training I do not want to be bothered.  Leave me a voice mail and if I want to talk to you I will respond after I have finished.  I don't want anyone intruding on my "happy time".  WOW!  Never thought I would refer to sweating my butt off as "happy time".  But, of course, I grew up before cell phones, so I guess I am not dependent upon "instant access".

Welcome back, Matt! 

Sadly, we all have a lot of experience with PT and recovering from various things.  We have two shoulder surguries and and elbow recovery that I can think of off the top of my head. 

I look forward to seeing you on Zwift!

I saw this and it made me laugh. Nothing like setting the bar high!

This article is kind of interesting and seems to track with my personal experience. That being said, I use Nuun on shorter rides and Skatch on longer trainer rides.

Sorry, hard core athletes, those electrolytes don't help as much as you may think

"participants with EAH (exercise-associated hyponatremia) had, on average, shorter training programs, weighed more and took five to six hours longer to complete the race, the authors said"

In my experience, if I am less well trained for the distance or less well acclimated, I am more likely to have hydration issues. Also, on rides like Bike MS or Tour de Cure, if it's not and I can spend less time at rest stops, and therefore less time in the heat, I tend to feel better.

As with all things, your mileage may vary.

The article just said: Some runners took salt tablets every hour, while others diluted electrolytes in a water bottle

You may be correct, perhaps the electrolytes are too diluted.