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| (Image Source) |
Guess who is signed up to volunteer at the Ironman Florida this year? I think this means 2014 will be the year Mr HalfTRIing because Mr FullTRIing!! Crazy how things change in three years.
Friday, March 29, 2013
HalfTRIing becoming FullTRIing?!
Guess who is signed up to volunteer at the Ironman Florida this year? I think this means 2014 will be the year Mr HalfTRIing because Mr FullTRIing!! Crazy how things change in three years.
Monday, March 25, 2013
My Water Bottle Combination: eLoad & CarboPro Review
My Water Bottle Combination: eLoad, CarboPro, SaltStick Review
See my 70.3 nutrition schedule for a detailed description of my week long nutrition plan
http://halftriing.blogspot.
I met a fellow athlete this weekend who did his first 70.3 He had issues getting his nutrition correct. I got his email and sent him my nutrition plan that I have developed over the years. A local coach has a very similar plan that she gives to her athletes. All the products I use seem to work well for people with a sensitive stomach. I also do not like sweets so my goal is to cut down on the overly sweet tasting products.
Over the past two years I've learned that if all my calories come from energy gels I feel sick/nauseous by the end of the race. I also am so sick of sugar that the thought of consuming anything some what sweet make me nauseous. I also found that consuming most of my nutrition on the bike keeps me from bonking on the run.
On the bike I use a combination of Carbo-Pro, eLoad and SaltSticks. How much you use depends on how much nutrition you need based off your weight, fitness level, how hot it is outside, etc. I carry two bottles each has 2 scoops of CarboPro, 1 scoop of eLoad and one SaltStick cap. If it is going to be real hot I use 2 Salt Sticks in each bottle (remember I live in hot and humid Florida). I find this water bottle combination works great for me.
I met a fellow athlete this weekend who did his first 70.3 He had issues getting his nutrition correct. I got his email and sent him my nutrition plan that I have developed over the years. A local coach has a very similar plan that she gives to her athletes. All the products I use seem to work well for people with a sensitive stomach. I also do not like sweets so my goal is to cut down on the overly sweet tasting products.
Over the past two years I've learned that if all my calories come from energy gels I feel sick/nauseous by the end of the race. I also am so sick of sugar that the thought of consuming anything some what sweet make me nauseous. I also found that consuming most of my nutrition on the bike keeps me from bonking on the run.
On the bike I use a combination of Carbo-Pro, eLoad and SaltSticks. How much you use depends on how much nutrition you need based off your weight, fitness level, how hot it is outside, etc. I carry two bottles each has 2 scoops of CarboPro, 1 scoop of eLoad and one SaltStick cap. If it is going to be real hot I use 2 Salt Sticks in each bottle (remember I live in hot and humid Florida). I find this water bottle combination works great for me.
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| Carbo Pro (Image Source) |
CarboPro is nothing but maltodextrin (a simple sugar). I like simple products with very little ingrediants. It has no flavor at all and is not sweet so you can mix it with your favorite sports drink without noticing it. It is very easy on the stomach.
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| ELoad (Image Source) |
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| SaltStick (Image Source) |
Whats in your water bottle? Leave me a comment. I would be interested in knowing what works for you.
Friday, March 22, 2013
First 70.3 Of The Year
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| (IMAGE SOURCE) |
This weekend marks the first triathlon of the year for me. It will be a 70.3 distance race. It will be the HITS Triathlon Series in Ocala. I believe my swimming and running are up to par but I am a little unsure of my biking. This is strange because biking is usually my strong (or at least my most confident) part of any triathlon.
Since losing all that weight last year I just don't have power I use to have on the bike. I really need to get back to the gym and lift some weights. It is just a time issue. I have no time.
This year our Rotary president fought a losing battle with leukemia. The president elect took over the position but had to resign early due to some personal issue. That left me taking over the president position two years ahead of schedule. It also leaves me with a year and a half as president instead of the normal one year term. Between running the club, working full time, family and training I just have no time left and very little gas left in my tank.
Mentally I am preparing myself for the FULL Ironman FL in 2014. Bonnie signed us up to volunteer this year which means I will more than likely sign up for the race while volunteering.
Wish me luck this weekend!!
If you read this post do me a favor a post a comment. I just want to see who is reading my posts. I also would like to return the favor and read your blog.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Saucony Mirage 3 Men's Shoe Review
Saucony Mirage 3 Men's Shoe Review
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| Saucony Mirage 3 IMAGE SOURCE |
Details from the Saucony website. See here
I was asked to do a review of the brand new Saucony Mirage 3 men's shoe. Let me just state I am just a Joe Blow the runner. I know very little about shoe construction and all the technical details. I have included some reviews below to help fill in that void of knowledge.
I spent a week running in this shoe and here are my impressions Note: I do not work for Saucony. This is an honest review from a Joe Blow runner.
As soon as you pick up the Mirage 3 you notice they are very light (something like 8 ounces). This would be very nice on my long runs. They are much lighter than my current shoe.
Something also very unique about the shoe is the lack of any stitching. All the foot support pieces of the uppers are made of a cloth-like material. These supports are glued onto the shoe instead of being stitched on like most running shoes. This creates a seamless smooth outside and inside for the shoe. I believe this smooth inside design will help to reduce any foot rubbing and toe nail issues. It reminds me of the sock-less triathlon running shoes. I would be curious how this unique design holds up to months of wear and tear.
There is also no leather on this shoe. The entire shoe is almost entirely made of mesh and the cloth-like supports. This make for a light weight breathable shoe.
Overall the shoe is very comfortable to wear. They are soft, lightweight and have no seams. There was some minor slippage in the heal but I solved this by lack locking the shoe. I have this issue with many other shoes I have run in the past. I believe this is due to my feet structure and not the shoes.
My biggest concern was the heal drop. The heal drop on this shoe is 4mm. I believe most shoes have an 8-12mm drop. My current shoe has a 12mm heal drop so this is a big difference. As soon as you run in the shoe you will notice a big difference (if are use to running in shoes with a more traditional/larger drop).
My foot seems to be striking more in the mid-sole and harder then I am use to. The harder strike I think is due to the lower amount of cushioning in the shoe than I am use to and the lower heal drop. The cushion is adequate for the shoe its just less than I am use to. At the beginning of the run the lower heal drop seemed to tire out my shines and calves a little more than normal. This issue went away quickly after getting a little more mileage on the shoes.
This may be in my mind but the shoes seem to retain more heat than my current but this must be all in my mind because this is a very breathable shoe.
Overall this is a great shoe and I highly recommend it for those looking for a lightweight, comfortable, minimalist shoe. Keep in mind the 4mm heal drop may not be for everyone and I would recommend gradually easing into the shoe.
Other Reviews
Real Run Review
A review of the Saucony Women's Mirage 3
"Health On The Runs" review of the Women's Mirage 3
Video Reviews From Others
Monday, March 4, 2013
Swamp House Half Marathon Review 2013
Swamp House Half Marathon Review 2013
The race website is here
This weekend I ran in the Swamp House Half Marathon. This race is held in DeBary, FL which is a is small cozy town about 40 minutes north of Orlando, FL.
Bonnie and I had to leave the house around 5:00 am in the morning to drive to the race. The weather was really cold (around 35F which is cold for Florida). It was so cold that the race officials set out drums and made a fire for all the runners huddled around. It was a funny site to see.
This is a really small race in a small town so don't expect a "Disney-like" race. The race does pull several hundred people and for being a small race in a small town it was really well supported and well run.
The race runs through DeBary and parts of Deland and the race is as flat as a pancake. Most of the race runs through the city but there are also some pretty country road that you run through. The only bad part is when you run in front of the water treatment plant. It kind of stinks in that area but it is over quick and you are then back on the pretty country roads.
The race is cheap. Early registration for the half marathon is $40 and goes up to $60 the later you register. Race day registration is $75.
There were plenty of waters stops along the route. Each had water, Gatorade and some had gels. The last race stop had someone handing out cans a beers. :-) I never saw that at a race before. I am not sure if it was a race volunteer or just a local homeowner being nice.
The end of the race had hot chicken noodle soup, muffins, bananas, beer, water, Powerbars and free massages. Not bad considering how small the race is. At the end of the race the mayor of Debary walked around and thanked me and others for attending the race. He seemed very thankful to have everyone out for the race
The results were quickly posted on a board. They also had a TV screen with the rolling results of the race. It was a really cool idea and made it easy for everyone to see their results.
Overall it was a great race and I may do it again next year. I really like small town races without all the hype.
The great news. Yesterday I got a new half marathon PR 1:51:31 with a 8:31/M overall pace. Yippie!!
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| Small and cozy race held in the small town of DeBary, FL |
This weekend I ran in the Swamp House Half Marathon. This race is held in DeBary, FL which is a is small cozy town about 40 minutes north of Orlando, FL.
Bonnie and I had to leave the house around 5:00 am in the morning to drive to the race. The weather was really cold (around 35F which is cold for Florida). It was so cold that the race officials set out drums and made a fire for all the runners huddled around. It was a funny site to see.
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| The race "bonfires". |
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| Bonnie warming up herself up next to the "bonfire". |
This is a really small race in a small town so don't expect a "Disney-like" race. The race does pull several hundred people and for being a small race in a small town it was really well supported and well run.
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| The race ends at a really pretty river that runs into Lake Monroe. |
The race runs through DeBary and parts of Deland and the race is as flat as a pancake. Most of the race runs through the city but there are also some pretty country road that you run through. The only bad part is when you run in front of the water treatment plant. It kind of stinks in that area but it is over quick and you are then back on the pretty country roads.
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| A very cold Mr Half TRIing. |
The race is cheap. Early registration for the half marathon is $40 and goes up to $60 the later you register. Race day registration is $75.
There were plenty of waters stops along the route. Each had water, Gatorade and some had gels. The last race stop had someone handing out cans a beers. :-) I never saw that at a race before. I am not sure if it was a race volunteer or just a local homeowner being nice.
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| Bonnie and I after the race |
The end of the race had hot chicken noodle soup, muffins, bananas, beer, water, Powerbars and free massages. Not bad considering how small the race is. At the end of the race the mayor of Debary walked around and thanked me and others for attending the race. He seemed very thankful to have everyone out for the race
The results were quickly posted on a board. They also had a TV screen with the rolling results of the race. It was a really cool idea and made it easy for everyone to see their results.
Overall it was a great race and I may do it again next year. I really like small town races without all the hype.
The great news. Yesterday I got a new half marathon PR 1:51:31 with a 8:31/M overall pace. Yippie!!
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| Chicken noodle soup, muffins, bananas, beer, water, Powerbars and free massages. |
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| He warming up after the race in the sun. |
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| Watch out for the gators during the run!! |
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| The Bling. It's a beer opener. |
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| Florida Snow (OK, it only frost but close enough for us)!! |
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| My green car is white from this mornings frost. |
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