Mary Beth Ellis entered her 2016 season with an accomplished Ironman career. But sitting back on her successes and continuing down a steady path is not the type of competitor we know Mary Beth to be.
After victories at Ironman Maastricht and Mont Tremblant, Mary Beth has reached 11-career Ironman Championships. However, her success this season was far from easy.
Mary Beth's early season training started out strong after she began adding EnduroPacks micronutrients to her diet to help support her training and recovery. However, at training camp an unexpected challenge arose when Mary Beth was diagnosed with lyme disease in early June.
With treatment from her doctors, proper nutrition and rest, she was able to make a quick recovery. It wasn't long before Mary Beth was back to her training. She feels that the added benefit of daily nutrients helped support her immune system and accelerated her recovery time.
Ellis said, "The Enduropacks liquid Multi-Vitamin and Glutamine Recovery Complex have kept me battling through some obstacles, namely Lyme disease, this year. I find the liquid multi-vitamin absorbs better and have been surprised to find myself feeling more resilient than I have in years. I don’t think that is a coincidence."
To test her fitness level Mary Beth entered to race at Ironman Maastricht. She went into the race with apprehension as she hadn't raced the full Ironman distance since the 2015 World Championships. Those fears were put to bed early as she took an early lead in the swim and eventually cruised to an easy win, 22 minutes ahead of the next competitor, setting a course record.
Next up for Mary Beth was Ironman Mont Tremblant, a race she won the previous year, but with just two weeks to recover between races, what could she expect from this race? When asked about her training and preparation, MBE had this to say,
"I have noticed that in my late 30s that I need to be more careful about recovery and illness...I have responded very well to the load and been feeling great despite the demands I have put on my body. The recovery from training definitely seems faster, and my body has been durable. Enduropacks has helped me get the most out of my aging body this season."
Despite the cold and rainy conditions at Mont Tremblant, MBE was able to come away with another overall win and solidify her spot at the 2016 Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.
On October 8th, 2016 over 2,000 athletes, including 50 male and 35 female pros, will embark on a 140.6-mile journey that presents the ultimate test of body, mind and spirit to earn the title of IRONMAN.
2016 brings another competitive field of professionals to Kona, including last years winners Jan Frodeno and Daniela Ryf. Other top males to watch out for are: Tim O'Donnell, Andy Potts, Sebastian Kienle, and Tyler Butterfield. On the women's side: Rachel Joyce, Heather Jackson, Mirinda Carfrae, and Mary Beth Ellis.
Be sure to tune-in October 8th and watch the race online at Ironman.com.
Dehydration Results In Lower Blood Pressure And Slows Bodily Processes. Active individuals should be aware of the acute effects of dehydration on performance. With just a 2% loss of water in the body, heat regulation becomes impacted. With a 3% drop in body weight from water loss, muscle cell contraction is impacted. And at 4% loss, there is 5-10% reduction in overall performance that can last up to 4 hours.
We need to hydrate. But how can you hydrate and replace electrolytes without the harmful additives like sweeteners and artificial flavoring common in sports drinks that are harsh on your stomach?