Mark Maurer Alaskaman Extreme Triathlon race report

Mark Maurer

I finally got around to finishing my race report. I would encourage anyone who wants to do an extreme triathlon to seriously consider this race. I talked to several people who had done either Norseman or Celtman and they said that this one was harder. Of course that was the day after the race so take that into account, but it was hard and it lived up to the extreme part in my mind. Ohttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1c8Sk4IT96eK0Nbsm6KwFhaeZImQ1bcD8eP2enumhI0c/edit?usp=drivesdk

Chris Ciannella

Wow - thanks for sharing. 

I'm a swimmer and that swim just scares the hell out of me - tough!

Congrats Mark - one helluva year

david ware

Great report Mark.  Sounds like you really are living the dream of doing cool things with your fitness!

Derrek Sanks

Congrats @Mark Maurer - what an awesome accomplishment!  Sounds too extreme for me, at least at this point in my endurance triathlon journey.  

Al Truscott

You are one tough mother, brother. "...a couple of days later I realized that I had done IM CDA where I qualified for Kona, finished Kona, placed 5th in my age group at IM Puerto Rico 70.3, and then did Alaskaman in less than 11 months." Talk about having fun with your fitness...keep doin' it 'til you can't, both on race day and in life. 

Larry Peters

Wow. Incredible. Thanks for sharing!

Shaughn Simmons

@Mark Maurer

WOW,  after reading that report I have decided to add this to my "Completely Crazy, what the hell was I thinking" list.

Really, I honestly can't get my head wrapped around the 40 degree swim, long bike uphill into the wind and 25% grade hike more than a marathon stats.....

Not sure how a guy in Texas could effectively train for that but you throw things like this out there which helps us all know what we really want to be when we grow up.

Was an honor to meet and bike with you in Aspen.

Congratulations on a HUGE day!

SS

Mark Maurer

Shaughn Simmons said:

@Mark Maurer 

Not sure how a guy in Texas could effectively train for that but you throw things like this out there which helps us all know what we really want to be when we grow up.

Shaughn, there were quite a few Texans that did the race and I'm sure they would be glad to give you some pointers. @Dave Gardner, another EN peep is from Quitman and it was his first IM distance race. You can and should do it.

Dave Gardner

@Shaughn Simmons


I totally agree with Mark, you can and should do it! I'd be happy to give you pointers that worked for me. I work out of the metroplex, it'd be great if we could get together some time to discuss.

Scott Alexander

Mark Maurer said:

Shaughn Simmons said:

@Mark Maurer 

Not sure how a guy in Texas could effectively train for that but you throw things like this out there which helps us all know what we really want to be when we grow up.

Shaughn, there were quite a few Texans that did the race and I'm sure they would be glad to give you some pointers. @Dave Gardner, another EN peep is from Quitman and it was his first IM distance race. You can and should do it.

My friend Eric Peters was up there!

Gabe Peterson

@Mark Maurer somehow I missed this earlier.  Way to do epic shit!  I love your race report!

This race is on my list of possible epic races for next year.  It looks like the race has moved to a lottery, so it will probably come down to whether I get in.  We have friends who live in Girdwood, and we've always wanted to visit Alaska.

The thing that scares the crap out of me is the swim.  Both you and @Dave Gardner had tough days in that icy water.  Anything you'd do differently to stay warm?

Mark Maurer

@Gabe Peterson, emphasize swim training to minimize the time in the water. Next year the swim is going to be on an incoming tide so it should be faster. I wore gloves and while l don't regret it they did add to the challenge because they got waterlogged and became really heavy. I didn't count on that because I hadn't swam with them for that long. I would definitely practice that more. My wife said that if I sign up for this again she's going to make me buy her a kayak and she's going to make me swim in the Puget Sound in January and February. That might help me acclimate better. I really think that it was the length of time in the water that set me back. I was watching the Norseman live stream this year and there was a physiologist who had done Norseman and others. He was talking about the swim and ticking off what happens when. According to him the effects of the cold water really starts hitting hard after 70 minutes and it gets steeper after that.

Gabe Peterson

@Mark Maurer awesome info and advice!  I'll definitely do ^^^ if I get into Alaskaman.  It would scare me into learning how to actually swim.  

Dawn Cass

@Mark Maurer
wow....thanks for sharing and many congrats on the race. Race report tells the story of an amazing day with fantastic results. Enjoy the success and look forward to hearing about the next adventure.