So, Should We Ride Naked Today???

You know… I consider myself a somewhat responsible adult.

Sure… I tear the tags off my mattresses even though the label clearly states I could go to prison or something along those lines… but I figure… it’s my mattress!!  I can freaking burn the damned thing to a tiny little crisp if I damned well feel like it, and if they want to make a federal case out of it, then BRING IT ON!

Wow… It’s early in the blog and I’m already off track… so sorry about that, not enough coffee!

So, getting back to being a somewhat responsible adult… burning my mattress to a tiny little crisp doesn't sound too responsible now does it???

Well, in the vein of being responsible… As a somewhat responsible adult, for years… I have been dressing myself without any assistance.  My guess is… the same holds true for many of you…

That is… EXCEPT before a group ride or race…

I’m not sure how or why.  But, it seems when we arrive at the designated ride location, the second we crawl out of our vehicles, the minute we spot another rider... a circular dialogue starts to take place, amongst previously decisive adults.... and it starts out and usually ends something like this…

Rider #1 “So, what are you going to wear?

Rider #2 “Don’t know.. What are you going to wear?”

Rider #1 “ Hm, not sure… maybe a base layer… but it might be too hot for that, what do you think?”’

Rider #2 “Yeah you might be right.. might be too hot for a base layer, not sure. ”

Rider #1 “ Well.... let’s see, what the other guys are wearing.”

Rider #2 “ Ok.. Yeah, let's wait and see what the other guys are wearing."

The larger the group of riders... The greater the discussion of what to wear. Before long, you will see folks either rapidly disrobing or adding clothing, based on the outcome of the discussion.

I often wonder... if someone suggested to ride naked... and someone else agreed... if the group would in fact roll down the road naked. It's a possibility! There are naked races... I've been to a few!! I'm not quiet sure how the neighbors would react... guess it would depend on the neighborhood.

Now… here’s something else I’ve discovered. The higher the stakes.. (meaning if it’s a race vs. just a training ride)… the bigger the discussion of, “what to wear” amongst the riders.

Now, you would think we would “know” what to wear by now, wouldn’t you???? But it seems we don’t trust our own instincts… We have to huddle and discuss.

So… from time to time, I like to screw with my competitors a little right before a race by uttering 5 simple words and then walk away.   Those 5 words are...

“You gonna race in that!?”

That’s normally enough to cause my competitors' head to explode… second guessing their race kit choice.

I've actually seen folks go running back to their cars tearing off crap, thinking they've totally either over or under dressed.

Don’t get me wrong… I am not immune to the above circular dialogue. The truth is, the Flea and I normally have this very discussion while I am standing inside of the Blue Steel van… tossing clothing in so many directions it looks like the Tasmania devil was the interior decorator.

The Flea has gotten use to my chaotic organization skills. We finally land on the proper dress code for the day… which usually means… “ lets wait and see what everyone else is wearing”.

We just make our decisions in private!!! Without a herd of other riders listening in…

I will tell you this, it's advisable to listen to your instincts. Instincts are good. That's why God gave them to you. They are part of your survival skills.

Several years ago, I went for a training ride in Western MA in mid April with a group of 5 other guys and we had the circular dialogue... the day was sunny and based on the consensus, I shed my jacket and we headed out for a 50 miler.

An hour into the ride the sun totally vanished, the winds came up from nowhere and it started to sleet, and believe me things only got worse from that point on..

I swear if I had the energy, I would have thrown an absolute full on tantrum. I don't know what I was angrier about... the fact that I made the decision to leave my warm weather CRAP in my car or the fact that my lips were blue, my fingers were numb, we were scrounging through garbage cans trying to salvage newspapers and plastic bags to line the inside of our jerseys, shorts, and socks to try to hold in as much body heat as possible and to boot, I had no freaking clue where in the hell we were!

It was a toss up... I was just plain pissed about everything. I guess it was better to stay mad than to cry. So I focused on being mad.

We ended up riding like that for another 3 hours... hypothermia was an issue and we had to cut the pace down to keep everyone together... Oh... I forgot to mention, not a single Einstein bothered to bring a cell phone either. I'm surprised none of us become friends with the local Coroner.

Brother I will never forget that day!!!! That's why I look like a Sherpa when I ride... my pockets are full of crap, just in case it gets cold!!!

So... that's a MacGyver tip, that you hopefully don't want to have to use.

If you get caught in a bad situation like the one I just described... use newspaper and trash bags. Stop in a grocery store if you have to... line the inside of your jersey and shorts, it will cut the wind and hold in body heat. It does make a difference. You see the guys grabbing newspapers and jamming them inside of their jerseys to this day, in the tour, when then come off the high mountains. They aren't grabbing the paper to catch up on the news... :)

So… with Mother Nature still straddling the fence and teetering between Spring and Winter… here are a few dressing tips.

As it's beginning to warm up...

As tempted as you may be in displaying the Quads that you have been working on all winter in the gym… don't go flying out the door in shorts and a short sleeve jersey so fast SKIPPY!!

The rule of thumb if the temps are below 60 degrees : You should always have a wicking base lay (topside) and at least knee warmers (to keep your joints warm) The fluid around our knees are slow to warm up… and our knees are critical to our riding, so you can’t treat them too kindly.

So... I'm really not sure what the point of my knee picture... but I thought it would be cool to have a picture of a knee for your to look at.

Oh... lookeee here... ya don't want to be a member of the Badknee club now do ya????

Apparel combinations to consider for your Cool/Cold weather riding:

Cool: 64 to 54 degrees

Cold degrees Freezing: 42 to 0 degrees

Head:

Cool/Cold: Castelli Thermo Skully or Gore Wind stopper head gear

Legs:

Cool: Riding shorts and leg or knee warmers or lightweight knickers

Cold: Super Tights / Bib Tights or Bib Knickers

Freezing: Stopper Tights or Bib tights with a poly base layer or padded short.

Feet:

Cool: Gore Wind Stopper Socks 
Cold: Lycra Booties or Toe covers with wool or Polyester wicking socks 
Freezing: Wind Stopper Booties, with wool socks

Hands:
 
Cool: Fingerless glovesCold: Thin full finger gloves or fingerless gloves with a liners beneath
Freezing: Wind Stopper gloves

Arms/Body:
 
Cool: Sleeves base layer, short sleeve jersey and arm warmers and leg/knee warmers
Cold: Full sleeve base layer and full sleeve jersey and a lightweight wind Jacket or wind/thermal Vest 
Freezing: Full sleeve base layer, jersey and a Wind Stopper Jacket

 

If you find yourself short on any cold weather clothing (including gloves)… we will be taking 20% off all of the cold weather clothing in the store during the upcoming TREKFEST SPRING SALE during the week of April 9th - April 14th. Quantities will be limited, so drop by early for best selections.  We'll be taking 10% off of everything else in the store (excluding bikes)... so, it will be well worth a trip in... if you need anything.
Have fun out, ride safe

I’ll take with you all soon

The Peanut Gallery

The Junk Yard Dog

Have you ever been on one of those group rides when a dog comes bolting down a driveway like a bat out of hell?


Just when your sphincter is beginning to slam shut, a guy you are riding next to calmly say’s, “don’t worry… the dog has an invisible fence, he won‘t bother us!”

Two seconds later… the dog with that “magical invisible fence”… comes racing into the street… causing the pack to scatter like a flock of foaming at the mouth screaming chickens, that just got blind sided by a rabid weasel.

So… I got to thinking…

I am a dog lover. I really, really do love dogs... BUT... there are two places I don’t like dogs much at all. It’s only two tiny, itsy, bitsy little places I would really prefer they keep away from.

#1. Out of my wheel

#2. Off of my calf


In my 25+ years of riding, I've come into contact with a ton of dogs while riding and I've decided that dogs fall in categories just like racers, and just like racers, as the category increases, so does the danger level and the chance of crash or injury.


So... here's how the categories break out 

Cat 1/2 - the porch lounger. Much like a Cat 1 / 2 Pro… this dog is low danger. A Cat 1 / 2 dog will simply lay on the porch, watch traffic, people, a rider or anything that goes by his porch.

On occasion he will get up, stretch… yawn… sniff around, even go take a pee. But, the porch is where they wants to be… and the porch lounger simply isn't interested in anything that isn't on their porch.

Cat 3 - The Happy Chaser.  These dogs are the equivalent to young racers who have just upgraded.  All paws, ears, tongue and tail.  These dogs are well intended… they just want to play and run along with you… however, some of them have faulty internal navigational devices… similar to a misguided nuclear warhead. 


Which makes some of them dangerous, because they can shoot off into your front wheel or turn off into their yard, but you don't know which... So, this makes them unpredictable!!

What do you do???   My advice… Stop and tell the dog to “go home”… most of the time, they will give you a lick and happily comply.

Cat 4 - The mixed bag of car chasers, dogs on runs, chains, ties, etc. The larger the gauge of chain, the greater the concern…

You see, the reason these dogs are tied up,  is because they don’t like staying in their assigned location.  And in particular… their owners have discovered, their "pets" like chasing after moving objects… particularly… screaming moving objects, like hysterical bicycle riders!!!!

So… Assuming one of these escape artists has gotten off their restraining device… what do you do???? 

Well… this is a tricky one. In my experience, I have found that Cat 4 dogs are audible chasers… in other words, they bark the entire time they chase you.  So you have a fair bit of warning.

So, if you trust your sprinting skills ( and you have a head start)… you can always try to outrun him.   If he cuts you off (and I have had a dog snap a large gauge chain and cut me off in the road)… outrunning may not be an option. In that case...  Put the bike between you and the dog and start yelling your head off at the dog, to "go home!!".   Hopefully the owner will hear you and call the dog off, or the dog will get tired of screwing with you and head back to his yard.  

I have been bitten by these dogs, so be careful in which option you choose.  If you choose the sprint option… keep sprinting and don’t look back!!!


Cat 5 - The Junk Yard Dog. This dog is full on butt ugly. Helen Keller would recoil in horror, if her hands brushed the lumpy, matted head of one of these lost souls.

I swear if these dogs had thumbs, they would carry switch blades but then again… they wouldn’t need to, since they come equipped with a full set of fangs and claws… These dogs are the 4 legged version of a Street Thug.

The Junk Yard Dog is by far the scariest and without a doubt most dangerous of any dog you will encounter. They will track you progress and attack from an angle, make zero sound as they come up on you, and are fast as hell.

It’s not unusual to find them with a missing eye, ragged or totally missing ear, and 3 legs. Don’t let that missing leg fool you… I’ve been chased by a 3 legged, one eyed Junk Yard Dog for 2 miles and I almost crapped my cycling shorts trying to stay in front of this mangy snapping flea bag from hell!!

I would bet Junk Yard Dogs that chase cyclist, have tiny little trophy stashes of lycra swatches that they’ve snatched from the asses of riders they’ve chased over the years.

What do you do if you come across a Junk Yard Dog… RIDE LIKE YOU LIFE DEPENDS ON IT…

CAUSE IT DOES!!! These dogs are full on predators, that have unfortunately been mistreated all of their lives and don’t have that domestic sense ingrained into them… If you get cornered. Get your bike between you and the dog and do whatever you need to do, to protect yourself. This dog is not to be messed with.


PS,  If something like this is chasing you... don't stop to pet it! Something bad might happen.  Ugh, what an ugly dog... 

Have fun out there, ride safe.


I'll talk with you all soon.




The Peanut Gallery

Don't Roll Out Of The Door Without These!

I don’t know about you, but with the recent time change, and a string of warm weather days… I have a case of full blown Spring Fever!

Let me tee up a scenario for you.    I’m not saying you’ve done this… but as you will see, this has happened to me at least once.

The work day is over, it’s beautiful outside and I’m itching to ride.

 

As I’m driving home, I start to eyeball how much daylight I have left. 

I start calculating my drive time, factor in the traffic, add in the time to get dressed and get my bike ready... and the idea begins to bubble up... I have time for a ride... :)... not just "a ride"...  but the

"OKAY… I HAVE TIME TO GET IN A QUICK HOUR RIDE!!!!"  

Now isn’t it a magical thing… for me it’s always that hour mark. 

Not 45 minutes…

Not 57 mins…

It’s gotta be an hour to make it worth my while.  

Not sure why, but for me, that 1 hour ride is… 

I don’t know… “worth it”, anything less… Is a waste of time.  

So, even though deep down inside, I know that I really don’t have enough daylight left in the day and the traffic is at a total standstill… today’s ride, somehow has become something I cannot live without. 

I have now decided, that I MUST get home and get on the bike for my hour ride...  AT ALL COST!!! 

So... Now, I am a total menace on the road, not to mention, probably an exhibitionist.  Or something else bordering on close to illegal...   In addition to lead footing it home by ignoring the posted speed limit, I decide to save time by partially undressing in the car.

To my neighbors horror,  I roll up to the door of the house with half of my cloths in my hands.  I explode out of the car with my hair on fire and race into the house with a yard sale of stuff flapping behind me.

From that moment on… it’s a full on fire drill, grabbing everything and anything that vaguely resembles riding crap because now I figure I have only 40 minutes of actual daylight left, but damn it, I’m riding for my hour!!!!

I hit the door at full tilt, grab my bike, pivot and race out the door as if my life depends on it, I hop on my bike and I am now rolling down the street and I’m damned happy about it.  Because... you guessed it… I’m going for my one hour ride!!!!

8 miles into my ride guess what happens… you got it… I flat, not just a small hisser.  A major banger!  The type the leave the tube hanging out of the tire like a fish that just got  gutted.  You know what else…. Ohhhh, yeahhhh!  I dashed out the door without any of my reeeeeepaaaaairrrrrr crap!!!!!  

NO TUBE!  NO PUMP!!  NO PATCH KIT!!! NO CELL PHONE!!!  NO FLASHER!!!! NO NOTHING!!!!

Just little ole me…. And lots of these!

So guess what…  now?????   My nice little one hour ride, turned into a miserable 2 hour swear session thumping home on my rim!!!

What… What!!???  What was I suppose to do, pull a Magyver?   Sure…  If I had something, anything to work with... I might have had a freaking chance, but I was a complete idiot, I admit it. 

I was focused on getting in that one hour ride and completely forgot that I didn’t have anything I needed in the event of a break down.

So… here’s the deal! 

Now that the riding season is upon us, again.   It’s time to take stock of what you have in your repair kit or jersey pockets. 


Also keep in mind… take a flasher for the next few weeks, because day light drops faster than we anticipate.

I also did a bit of research on some pretty clever road side Magyver tricks that may come in handy that I will share with you.  


Don't leave home without this stuff


*  Tube or two
*  Patch Kit
*  Pump or CO2 w/head
*  Tire levers (2) 


Good Idea to have these along


*  Quick link
*  Multi - Tool
*  Chain Tool
*  Tire Boot
*  zip ties
*  Electrical tape/duct tape
*  ID (RoadID  Bracelet  (This is a great idea, just go to the RoadId web site)  It’s a way to have your contact info on you all the time in the event of a medical emergency and they need to contact your next of kin in case of emergency.
*  Cell Phone

Magyver Fixes

Slashed Tire -  Use a used Gu Pac, folded dollar bill, potato chip bag, coke can, anything you can get your hands on to line the inside of the tire and stop the tube from poking through.

Patch - if you've flatted and have no spare and no patch kit, this is where duct tape or a piece of electrical tape will work as a patch in a pinch.  You may have to stop and refill the tire a few times on the way home... but it will at least get you home.

Broken Spoke -  Wrap it around the spoke next door and open the brake so the wheel doesn't rub too badly and head home.  

TACO'D WHEEL - Odds are the wheel is toast and can't be fixed.  If the tire is still holding air the chances are that if you give the wheel a few good whacks you'll be able to straighten it out enough to get it straight enough to ride home.

Derailleur Hanger/Chain - if your derailleur hanger or your chain breaks you can set up your bike as a single speed, cut the chain to work as a one speed or by pass the derailleur and shorten the chain to fit.

Lost Bolts -  If you lose a bolt out of your cleats... try one of the bolts from your water bottle cage, it seems that many of the bolts are universal.

Forgot your tire levers -  Use the flat end of your sewers... just be careful... if you snap the skewer lever... you will be screwed, because you won't be able to get your wheel back on. 

If you are stuck out in the middle of “no where” with nothing and are forced to ride home on the rim… 

Exhale a lot

Don’t sit on the seat

Try to unweight the wheels 

Think light thoughts… and for god sake… 

Don’t be a boob and ride through any pot holes.  

That’s a great way to fold a perfectly good wheel. 

Have fun out there,  Ride Safe

I'll talk with you all soon

The Peanut Gallery

     

 

The Great Debate –   Heart Rate vs. Power Meter 

Many of you, out there in Peanut Gallery Land may think this Blog is a nonstarter… by saying…

“COME ON SARVARY!”  DON’T WASTE OUR TIME!  EVERYONE KNOWS HANDS DOWN THE POWER METER IS A WAY BETTER TRAINING OPTION!   NEXT TOPIC!!!!

Well you may be right… but then again, you may only be half right.

So before you get too comfortable sitting in your “I know everything on the subject of the Power Meter” chair… let’s be sure you do know everything… because I sure didn’t.

Admittedly…  I am a rabid fan of the Heart Rate Monitor.  I have trained and raced with one for years and despite owning a bike shop, I have found no reason to change what has been working for me up to this point.

With that said;  there are lots of folks, who have never trained with either a HR monitor, nor a Power Meter and are trying to make the decision on which direction to go…  and here are the pictures that may be popping up in their heads…

Power Meter….   Just like strapping an Acme Power Rocket to my butt!!!  Kick ass power!  Yeah, baby…  I want one of those!!!!   

OR

A Heart Rate Monitor….   Simple, elegant, no unnecessary weight.  Just me and the sound of my heartbeat to keep me company.  Let’s go drive our Lactate threshold through the roof and go get some prize money!!!

So…  Here’s what happens if you get overly enthusiastic and run out and buy either of these little babies and forget a few important points before the purchase.

Important note:  For the most part… I try to keep my language pretty clean in these blogs (for those of you who know me… that is no easy task) … but this is Wile E. Coyote’s sign… not mine, and it was just too funny to pass up.   So I am taking a bad language mulligan.

#1.  With either device… You are ultimately the motor.  Neither the Power Meter, nor the Heart Rate Monitor will “make you faster”.  They are important tools to help you improve and show you “how” to go faster.  But you and you 

alone are the motor.

#2.  Both Devices will require base lines for them to be useful to you.  Without a baseline, you will be shooting in the dark and will have no reference points in which to train by.

#3.  The data can be complicated (particularly with a Power Meter) to interpret.  Some of the more advanced (and higher priced) HR Monitors allow for lots and lots of data to be uploaded to the web or your computer, to be analyzed after your rides/races.  If that’s not what you are looking for… then you may be spending money for a device that turns into an overpriced bike computer.  

As a shop….

We build lots and lots of custom wheels with Power Taps, and other versions of Power Meters for our customers:

So, I know that Power Meters (along with Heart Rate Monitors) are both very popular training tools… so, I decided to do some research and do my very best in putting my personal opinions aside and take a very unbiased approach in providing you all with an overview of what I discovered…  

Okay, here’s the deal.

On the subject of Power Meters… there is/are a bunch of articles and of course like a certain part of our anatomy… it seems that everyone has an opinion on the subject (who would have guessed!).

I thought some of the articles were better than others… so as I have in other blogs, I will share a few links, paraphrased, shamelessly cut and pasted and given vague credit to the authors who did the real work.  Have I sufficiently covered my butt yet???   No… oh, whatever… 

Let’s first define what each device measures and then we’ll get into what my research uncovered.

Power Meters:    Measure Power output expressed in watts.  Power meters come in different shapes and sizes and different ways of measuring power; including bottom bracket torque, rear wheel hub torque and chain tension.

Pros

  Provides you with a second by second diary

     Power meters can reveal training weaknesses

Cons

     Can be prohibitively expensive

      Power Data can be complicated and difficult to interpret

     Is not 100% reliable and can malfunction

Heart Rate Monitor Measures:   Measures your heart rate based on workout intensity, and is expressed in number of beats per minute. 

Pros

    Heart rate has a direct correlation to lactate threshold

   Wearing a heart rate monitor is a non-invasive way to monitor this factor 

         For longer distances, heart rate is often used to determine optimal intensity

 Cons

        Heart rate monitor does not provide instant feedback, specifically during shorter intervals

      It is often worthless to use heart rate as an indication of “work” as it takes too long for the heart rate to catch up

       Conditions such as stress and other external factors can impact the HR monitor

    

Among all the opinions, pro and cons and general confusion on the subject... I did discover one huge AHHH HAAA! that I did not expect to find and some of you might find this interesting.

There were 2 separate “independent” studies conducted on the subject of HR Monitors and Power Meters trying to determine if one of the devices delivered better results over the other, for athletes:

One study took 21 athletes over four weeks, half the riders performed intervals at 80 percent of their peak power while the other group used their heart-rate readings that coincided with 80 percent of peak power. Their twice-a-week workouts consisted of eight four-minute intervals with 90 seconds of rest. The 

cyclists also rode 40 km time trials before and after the training period to assess their power and performance improvements. 

The Details of the second study were not shared but the results were the same…

Both studies, concluded that neither group performed better than the other.  Actually, the group of 21 Athletes (the athletes with HR Monitors, improved 2.5% over the group with Power Meters… but that’s too small of a % of improvement to count in my book).  

Bottom line...  There was no significant training advantage found in the use of one training device over the other.   

 

The majority of the guys on the tour race with HR monitors and train with some combination of HR Monitor and Power Meter.

Bottom line, you can’t go wrong with either but as I mentioned earlier,  you must establish a base line to get anything out of the equipment you purchase.  It will make you a better rider.

I mentioned earlier in this Blog that I train with a HR Monitor… specifically, I train with a Garmin Edge 800 HR monitor.  That’s not what makes me go fast… what makes me go fast is that I train year in and year out on a program based on heart rate zone training. 

Remember when I said earlier that you need a base line???  Well, I had a base line test done on me, by my coach.  That base line test is called a Conconi Test…

A  Conconi-Test is a practical method, of defining your Lactate Threshold LT (as Heart Rate or Power Level at the anaerobic/aerobic threshold).  This can then be used to define your Training Zones.   

So, despite the known weaknesses of the HR Monitor (HR Lag, the fact that HR reading can be slightly elevated due to heat, stress, etc.) my training is totally centered around a HR Monitor system and my HR Zones.

Blue Steel Cyclery will be providing Base Line Testing in the very near future 

Our goal as a shop is to start with HR Monitor Base Line Testing (Conconi Testing) in the next few weeks and then over time add Base Line Power Meter Testing. 

So stay tuned, we’ll let you know as soon as we have that up and running.

Have fun out there, Ride safe.

Talk to you soon,

The Peanut Gallery

  Of all the articles I researched and referenced in this blog, the link below is one of the better ones…

http://thesportfactory.com/site/trainingnews/Should_I_Buy_a_Power_Meter.shtml

Peanut

The Starving Tape Worm Part 2

Have you ever tried to figure out what the heck you should be eating and taking to optimize your performance as an athlete? 

I have… simply put, there is enough information out there to choke a horse, not to mention stops you dead in your tracks going WTF???

So, as I promised last week, I did some research in hopes of weeding through what I realize to many folks is either a mind numbingly boring subject or simply too overwhelming due to the sheer volume of information.

The topic of nutrition, not to mention sport nutrition is a complicated one.

For example… if you were to ask different nutrition “experts”,   exactly which supplements, aka which minerals and vitamins, should you be taking???  My guess is… you would get a number of answers.

Someone in the group might even convince you that you would be better off chewing on a weird root that smells like it came from the wrong end of a baboon and tastes just as bad.   The pitch would be it grows  deep in a lush rain forest far, far away where the Pygmies harvest the roots…   and not to worry, that root stain around you mouth will fade in a month or so.

Other “expert’s”  will convince you to take 6 different supplements,  all in various shapes, sizes and colors… that you would have to choke down with gallons of water, to be spaced out during the day and timed to the second, so that they don’t interact with one another.  The annoying little side effect of bed wetting should stop after 2-3 weeks.  That will be $375 per month, thank you very much!

In addition to the complicated nature of vitamins and minerals… supplements, particularly the off the wall ones, can be prohibitively expensive.  So, I did a little vitamin and mineral research (you can check out the two sites below… both are good articles), what they said was surprisingly consistent…

http://www.usada.org/


httphttp://www.usada.org/://www.usada.org/

The bottom line… as long as you eat a balanced diet, other than perhaps a multi vitamin… you should be getting everything you need in your diet with the exception of 2 things… Calcium and Vitamin D.

So, I guess the big question we should all be asking ourselves is???? Are we all taking our daily Flintstone chewable???

Regarding Calcium and Vitamin D… Here’s what the PowerBar Article had to say about it (I simply did a little cut and paste):

Per the PowerBar Article:

Calcium and vitamin D work hand in hand when it comes to supporting bone development. Both tend to be in short supply in athletes' and nonathletes' diets alike, particularly in the diets of females. As an athlete, training and competing puts a stressor on your bones. You don't feel it, but your bones are constantly undergoing a remodeling process, where bone mineral is being dissolved away and then replaced. By having enough calcium in your diet, you help to ensure that you have enough calcium available to fully support the bone remodeling process. And having enough vitamin D helps to promote the absorption of calcium from your gut.

In the sports world there is another version of sports supplements … and I’m not talking about the version Alberto Contador took.  I’m referring to the products that are approved by the FDA and just as importantly, the USA and International Cycling Federations.  These products like any other products Hammer, PowerBar, GuEnergy put out on the market,  Go through extensive  testing, have to be approved by the various federations and then are allowed for athlete use.

Depending on the product, these supplements can help promote tissue repair (product name:  Hammer Tissue Rejuvenator), help hold off the burn of lactic acid when you are digging deep (product name:  PowerBar High intensity), Help support your system during high levels of work load… be it big training work load or important races (product name:  Hammer Race Caps Supreme), and there are others we can help you with.*  

‘FYI, I feel it imperative to point out that I do believe supplements are important.   But as is my mantra, as with anything else, in conjunction with your diet and training program.   I do take supplements and take specific supplements during training and incorporate additional supplements when I am racing (Most of which are Hammer Products, all of which I will share later in this Blog).   

As a shop we sell a ton of nutrition products, and throughout the season we help lots of customers with their nutrition questions and needs.

The typical customer falls into the category of…

“Hey... I'm tired of getting about ¾ of the way into a 2 hour ride, start feeling like crap; drag my butt home feeling even crappier.  Get up the next day and guess what…. Yup, before I get 10 miles into the ride, my legs feel crappier than they did the day before.  Can you help me fix that?”  

I generally ask them a few questions about what they do for a work out... what they eat and drink when they ride (and the amount), as well as what they do for recovery drink/fuel and then make some recommendations.  It's pretty easy once I have a little info to work with.

The second category of customer isn't as easy to assist, the reason being... they know way more about the product than anyone in the shop will EVER know.  They are actually students on the subject of nutrition. 

These guys typically blast into the shop and made a bee line for the Hammer section all the while talking out loud... mumbling something along the lines of…

“Hey... Jed, at Hammer research development said they were working on a product that was designed to anticipate the rate of replacement of Electrolytes  based on brain wave activity, brain synapse and rate of perspiration”...   Do you have that product yet??? 

My response... huh???

Customer's response... “Oh, never mind... you don't have the security clearance.”

At which point I fully expected  to see  him whip out his smart phone, put it up to his eye... do a retinal scan, which then speed dials Jed...  who is probably dressed in Hammer logo-ed hazmat gear, in some secure test site in Nevada, Bio Safely level 6!!!!...  for his product update.   

Uhhh... I'll be over here if you have any other questions... and by the way!  I don't want my eyeball anywhere close to that handheld device of yours, okay!  I may be a Cyclocross racer, but that just freaked me out!!!!

All kidding aside, there are a number of customers who do in fact know way more about the products than we will ever know... they take the time to do their research and come into the shop knowing exactly what they want.  I hold a great deal of respect for those folks. Nutrition is as critical as the training itself in a training program.  

I cannot stress enough, how important proper hydration and nutrition on the bike is.  Both in your training, as well as in your racing.  You can neither short cut nor fake it.  If you are trying to lose weight… do not attempt it by not properly fueling during a training ride.  You will do nothing by torch a perfectly good ride and bonk… force someone to come pick you up on the side of the road, or have your training partners tow your tired butt home.

I used the Hammernutrition and GUEnergy Website for my nutritional information source.  Hammer and GU have made a business of creating nutrition products for athletes by athletes. 

That is athletic scientists... they aren't just random riders whipping up powder drinks in the bathtub for God sake! Brother, I should quit while I'm ahead right???   Can you tell I’ve already exceeded my limit of allowable coffee, before the blog is totally off the hook??

Anyway, these guys have been in business a long time and they are experts at what they do.  I have been a long time customer and more importantly, my customers trust them.    As I’ve mentioned earlier, we sell a ton of Hammer and GU products, so I find them a very reliable sources when it comes to nutritional information. 

You will note that at times I have paraphrased, other times I have shamelessly cut and pasted what I thought to be most pertinent to today’s Blog.  That should cover me re: giving credit to my information sources.  I’m sure a lawyer would disagree… but… whatever.

If you folks want to go read the entire Hammer article, just Google  Hammernutrition.com and it will get you there.

Hammer has a ton of info out on their site and if you love detail… you’ll be in hog’s heaven and stay on the site for days.  If you are like me… Once you get to their site, your eyes will start to glaze over, your brain will seize up, and a tiny drop of drool will form in the corner of your mouth… your right hand will begin to tremble, as your right pointer finger starts to twitch and heads towards the escape key.

So, here’s the deal… 

It is critical to keep in mind that the body cannot replace fluids and nutrients at the same rate it depletes them.  

Your goal is to never try to replenish at your rate of loss…  Actually, when training, keep in mind when drinking and eating “less is best “!

Research has shown over the past 23 years, athletes who experience fueling success:

•             Consume at or under 28 fluid oz. /hr.

•             Salt (sodium chloride) intake between 300 mg and 600 mg/hr., with 400 mg/hr. being the most often reported dose

•             Caloric intake was at 280 call/hr or less

•             Minimal, if any, simple sugar intake, favoring complex carbohydrates instead

Now... how the heck do you translate the above into English

Here's how I would translate the above:

Sarvary’s 2 hour Ride fueling routine (if you are going for a 2+ hour ride… you would use a   Different Hammer product (Perpetuem) in place of HEED… designed for longer duration rides.  

•             2 large water bottles filled with Hammer Heed (2 level scoops each) 

•             1 GU or Hammer Jel right before I jump on the bike.

•             1 GU or Hammer 45 minutes into the ride.

•             1 hour into the ride... I should be through my first bottle of Heed 

•             20 mins later I will fire down another GU

•             All the while remembering to steadily drink... the goal is to drink before you are thirsty

•             Here is a very important point!!! As soon as I get to my destination... within 10 mins... I get out of my cycling shorts and I am drinking my recovery drink.  Which is AS IMPORTANT, as my on the bike FUEL.  2 level scoops of Hammer Recoverite.   

The Heed, GU/ Chomp combination above has fueled me successfully for many hard training rides; if it works for me... it may work for you.

Regarding Sport Supplements:

During the Training Season:  Hammer Endurolytes (During my longer rides)

During The Racing Season:   Hammer Race Cap Supreme, PowerBar High Intensity Caps   

Finally… Can’t have a nutrition section without covering off the biggest boo boos… can we???

Okay... everybody makes mistakes with regard to their nutrition and to help you avoid sticking your wheel in a nutrition pothole... I figured I would share the biggest ones with you.   

      The Top 5 – Biggest Mistakes Endurance Athletes Make

On the Hammer website they have the Top 10 biggest mistakes… but I just couldn’t bear to list them all… so I took the top 5… trust me, number 6 was too much solid food during exercise…PALLLLEEEEEEASE! Can I have fries with that burger… to go!   I’m in the middle a 6 hour mountain bike race and I’m leading the race… gotta go!   Just being a wise guy… but just wanted to let you know there were 5 others out there.

#1.  Excess hydration

We talked about this above.   Over hydrating will cause fluid to slosh around (a bit like a water buffalo… we’ve all had that happen, ultimately leading to  cramping, it could lead to worse  things link tossing your electrolytes in a tail spin and ever grimmer news if you happen to drink from a fire hose.  Bottom line, everything in moderation.

#2. Simple sugar consumption – sucking on a sugar cube won’t do it. 

The easiest simply sugar would be a gel, GU type product, Chomp, or Powder Mix like a Heed.

#3.  Improper amounts of Calories.  Too many athletes fuel their bodies with the number of calories they are burning, that’s too many.   250 - 280 calories per hour is sufficient.

#4.  Inconsistent Electrolyte Supplementation

Electrolyte supplementation is as important as calories and fluids… without it, debilitating cramping and spasms may impair your performance or ruin a workout.  Hammer has a product called Electrolytes, which comes in either a powder or capsule.. Both are inexpensive and easy to dose.

#5.  No protein during prolonged exercise

When exercise extends beyond about two hours, your body begins to utilize some protein to fulfill its energy requirements, as you begin to derive glucose from amino acids. This metabolic process helps to satisfy anywhere from 5-15% of your energy needs.

Solution:  Using Perpetuem Or GU Roctane as  your fuel during workouts and races longer than two to three hours will satisfy energy requirements from a precise ratio of complex carbohydrates and Soy Protein, the latter of which helps protect against excess muscle breakdown. You stay healthier, reduce soreness, and decrease recovery time.

In closing

An important note:   As an individual and shop owner I am neither subsidized nor sponsored by Hammer or GU or any other nutrition vendor.  I am a die-hard fan of both products have been using them for years.  I use them in both training and racing and have learned to both trust and count on them as part of my racing and training program.  If you want some help, swing by the shop,  we would love to talk with you about it.

Consistency is good, consistency is key.  I never blame the product when I don’t do well.  I only hold the rider responsible for the outcome of the race. 

I hope the past 2 weeks has been helpful… 

Ride safe out there, have fun

I’ll take to you soon,

The Peanut Gallery