Post Ride Recovery... "What The Hell Should I Be Eating???"

I've gotten a number of requests for a blog covering this topic... THANK YOU!!!

 

I've discovered 2 critical things, as I've launched into this little Peanut Gallery blog venture

#1. I'm dumber than I thought I was... No really.  I know some stuff... but nothing of real value.  The majority of the stuff I write about, I have to spend the entire week “googling” on the topic, which as you all know, is a non-technical term for “research”... to figure out what the hell I'm talking about.

#2. As your guys learn... I'm learning as well... which is great!   It may come as a surprise to some of you.... but, I have some pretty miserable habits... Like my post ride recovery,  “what the hell should I be eating?????... It down right blows!  Sure I drink my Recoverite... but...

Here's a typical post ride, Sarvary scenario...

If left to my own devices, after a 50 mile hill ride...I'm standing in front of the fridge with the door wide opened, simply FAMISHED! 

So, I grab a beer and a bag of Oreos while considering my options...

 

 

I finish off the bag of Oreos... Still staring into the abyss of my fridge... The beer is gone in about 3 minutes... all the while, the door is still wide open to the fridge... I'm staring but really not seeing anything that's of much interest, I'm simply using the fridge at this point in time as a full body cooling device.

Ummm... So I grab another beer, snag some cheese, which I view as a sound protein food group and a handful of chips... a well researched carbohydrate and shuffle to the couch.  Once there, I'll further consider my options...

Before I know it, I doze off... then.... oops, one wrong move and both legs have just gone into spasms, and are totally locked up into a rigor that is normally reserved for someone... who's been dead about 10 hours!!

Next thing I know, I'm on the floor covered in potato chip crumbs, trying to get my legs to stop wailing, as I imagine, I hear a hearse pull into the driveway!!! They must be here for my legs... ugh! Tomorrow, I'll question why I feel like crap!!!!

 

Yeah.... I know, you all are wondering how the hell I've managed to win all those titles, right?   Answer: A great coach, great team, great crew, great shop!!!!

There is a plethora aka metric shit load of data and information covering nutrition... be it pre-ride, on the bike, or post ride/recovery nutrition. Some of it is fairly consistent, some of it is wildly contradictory...

I have done my best to grind though the info. and boil it down to what I feel is the

most consistent information available.

With the help of my good friend Matt Shoemaker, I've also provided you with a few helpful links to nutrition websites at the end of this blog.

So, let's get to it...

For Rides 90 minutes or longer

Post Ride Recovery “refueling”... should be viewed as a 2 stage process.

STAGE 1 - The Critical 30 Minute Window

Your glycogen stores are exhausted and you are very likely to have low blood glucose

You HAVE TO RELOAD your system during the first 30 mins after you get off the bike

with the proper carbohydrates. Current thinking holds that you should aim to take in one half gram of carbs per pound of body weight during that critical 30 minute window.

There is also some evidence that combining these carbs with protein may facilitate the glycogen production and storage process. The recommended ratio of carbohydrates to proteins 4 to 1.

Additionally... they pointed out that during the 30 minute window... “we should avoid alcohol (which includes beer) , because it interferes with the glycogen restocking period.”

HEY... I'm not happy about this either...it's only 30 minutes, stop whining!!!!

 

Peanut Gallery Solution:

The easiest way to get this done... is to have a pre-mixed bottle of recovery drink in your car waiting for you after your ride. That way... it's a no brainer.

Another quick and easy option to the pre-mixed recovery drink is low fat chocolate milk... Yup... but be sure to put it in a cooler. You don't want to slug down a container of that bad boy after it's been sitting in a hot car for 3 hours... or before you know it, you'll be seeing it again all over the inside of your windshield!

STAGE 2

All too often, we as cyclist are lazer focused on the amount of carbohydrates we consume post ride. While they are essential, before and during exercise, Numerous studies are now suggesting the importance that protein plays too...

Carbs may be the best riding fuel, but.... it seems that if we skimp on protein in our post ride recovery meal. We will suffer fatigue, muscle soreness and actually slow down the recovery process.

Why you need protein

Prolonged and intense endurance training like cycling increases your protein requirements for two reasons. 
 
#1. You need more protein to compensate for the increased breakdown of protein during training... which typically begins to take place at about 60-90 minutes into an endurance ride.

#2. More importantly for cyclists, protein is vital for the repair and recovery of muscle tissue after a ride. 
 
It’s in this post-recovery phase that you may need to rethink what you’re eating. Not only should you be rebuilding your fuel stores immediately after a ride, but you also need to repair damaged muscle fibers as soon as possible.

Eat the wrong foods after training and you’ll end up exhausted with sore, aching legs. If you eat right then your body will get stronger, fitter and recover faster.



Depending on the amount and intensity of your cycling, the recommended range is 1.2-1.4g protein per kg of body weight per day. 
This compares to 0.8g/kg of body weight per day for the average person. So if you weigh 70kg you would need between 84-98g/day. In practical terms, a 100g (3 1⁄2 oz)

 

piece of meat or fish contains between 25-30g protein and vegetarian sources around 15-20g. So depending on your choices you would need 3-5 servings a day. 

Here is a list of good protein sources if you are drawing a blank...




 
 
So... what do you do if you want to lose weight while riding?????



Okay... Weight loss while training is always a bit of a slippery slope but not impossible. 
 
First... It ain't gonna happen overnight.

Second... Don't be a boob and try to diet while “on the bike”, as I've mentioned in earlier

blogs, you'll just end up ruining a perfectly good ride by bonking not to mention... a bonk ultimately tears down critical muscle mass... vs. fat, so you ultimately do more harm than good.  

Third... Studies show that the day after a ride, you are still burning fat... but it's important for you to not cut back on good carbs. They help in the important recovery process. The reduction in calories should take place in your fat intake. The studies have shown that cutting back in your fat intake didn't have any negative impact on recovery... so... Yup.... knock out the fries, onion rings... etc.



Peanut Gallery Solution:

In addition to the above... my personal little weight loss plan also calls for the following; Add 15 minutes to each ride, and knock 1 beer (or glass of wine/drink) out of your weekly intake. It all adds up Sports Fans!!

http://triathlon.competitor.com/2012/03/nutrition/triathlon-nutrition-whole-foods-for-recovery_276

http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/nutrition/recovery-nutrition.html

http://www.totalgaacoach.com/recovery-for-athletes

Suggestions for topics that are important to you... are in turn, important to me.  This Blog is ultimately for you guys... !!!

I'm thrilled when you ping me with an idea. Keep them coming You can either post your suggestions on facebook or send them to me at ksarvary@bluesteelcyclery.com

 

Have fun out there, Ride Safe

I'll Talk with you all soon

The Peanut Gallery

6 Things That Really Piss People Off In Group Rides

This blog idea was requested by a reader... thanks and keep the ideas coming!

Most of you have watched the Tour De France... Unless of course, you live under a rock or in some bunker in a remote desert, awaiting a nuclear attack.

Have you noticed how many crashes there are during the first few days of the tour????

Some of you might be thinking... what's the deal!!! These guys are pros, don't they know how to handle their bikes for Christ Sake????

Well they do... But, there are a million factors at play, causing these crashes.

Nerves for the first several days are high. The rookies are nervous as hell, in some cases... scared shitless. Nerves as you can imagine... impacts bike handling.

Also... pack dynamics are different for every pack. As a new pack, they have to settle in with each other... that takes several days.

A few squirrely moves, a bad line, a aggressive nudge and 10 guys go down in a blink of an eye.

The same thing, but to a lesser extent, goes on in the group rides we are involved in... and guess what??? Each time a new rider joins the group, the pack dynamics change again.

It's easy to lay the blame of the group ride at the feet of the group leader. But... the responsibility of the group ride, really belongs to all of the riders in the group.

The group leader, however ... Is responsible for 2 important things

#1. Communicating the rules of the ride to the group

#2. Taking a quick head count at each regroup point... and if anyone is missing, either waiting or sending out a search party.

Now... I don't know about you... but there are 6 things that really irritate the hell out of me, that normally take place in group rides...

#1. Taking off like bats out of hell from the parking lot

This just irritates me to NO END!!! In the first 15 seconds of the ride... the group is already strung out all over the road and anaerobic, trying to catch the leaders who are motoring down the road at 25mph.

The Peanut Gallery Solution:

If you are in the lead don't be a moron!!! This is not the start of a race, start out the first 10 minutes of the ride at a steady pace... keep the group tight and safe. Let everyone warm up... then after 10 minutes steadily pick up the pace.

#2. Take No Prisoners, We're Here to Race Mentality

These are the guys and Gals who treat the training rides as races... They come to the group rides looking to tear the wings off their victims, attacking at every opportunity and totally screwing up the dynamics of the group.

The Peanut Gallery Solution:

Play by the rules of the group you are riding with... or go find a group of like mind souls of “ Take No Prisoners, We're Here to Race” and ride with them.

#3. Leaving Riders For Dead out on the Road

This is a cardinal sin of group rides... and never, never should happen. Regardless of the group ride... there should be designated regroup locations.

Top of climbs, Stop Signs, Stop Lights....

The Peanut Gallery Solution:

Each regroup points should be accompanied by a quick headcount. If someone is missing, then one of two things happens. The group waits... or 2 riders go back and look for the missing rider.


You don't leave anyone out on the road!!!! At least one of the 2 riders going back should have a cell phone... in case the rider back is hurt or has a disabled bike.

#4... Jumping onto a posted “No Bikes Allowed” Highway/as a shortcut – And other equally bush league moves.

The Peanut Gallery Solution:

Stay on the right side of the law... find a route the doesn't involve highways...!! If we want to be protected by the rules of the road... we HAVE to play by them... not play with them.

#5. Attacking the pace line from the back and then splintering the group to hell. This is a clear message that Mr “Joe Go Fast” doesn't feel the Pace Line is going fast enough... and needs to attack the entire group to make it go faster... brother, I really hate when that happens.

The Peanut Gallery Solution:

The next time Mr. Joe Go Fast has that “urge”... jump behind a vehicle and moto-pace at 45 mph for the next 20minutes and burn off a little excess energy and get it out of his system... but please don't wreak havoc with a pace line, that is up to that point working well together.

#6. Sprinting the final 2 miles to the parking lot.. and then crawling into your car after a 40 mile ride with your legs filled with lactic acid.


The image above is what happens when your system is filled with lactic acid... the image below is what happens when your system is properly cooled down. I would prefer to, warm down for 10 minutes... vs. crawl into the car with my system filled with the crap in the top picture... wouldn't you???

Have fun out there, ride safe

I'll talk with you all soon

The Peanut Gallery

Should You Double Down On Your Missed Training?

I went to Colorado State University, and like any University setting… some dorms were like the Marriott, and some dorms were like the Motel 6...

The dorm I lived in my freshman year better, resembled the Motel 6.

The day I moved in, there was hay spread the entire length of the hallway leading to the rooms.

I didn’t want to know what was under the hay, but I figured it was either to keep the smell of something undesirable down or to soak something very undesirable up... either way... there was lots and lots of hay and... it stayed there for the better part of a week.

I grew up as a Army brat, one of four kids… so, camping out was considered a vacation.

Motel 6 was fine by me but I wasn't totally thrilled with all that hay in the hall, but on the other hand, I figured as long as it wasn't in my room... I could live with it being in the hallway.

It seemed that all the kids who were housed in Motel 6 traveled in the same financial circle as I did... that being... the financial circle of broke... so I was in great company.

We were all working our way through school with part time jobs, student loans big enough to choke a horse, you know the deal...

It really wasn't so bad.... my part time job was autoclaving petri dishes that 3rd year biochem students had grown weird experiments in.

At the time I wasn't aware how hazardous the job was... for some odd reason, the little red warning indicator never went off in my tiny little brain.

You would have thought the little red warning indicator would have gone off at some point when they gave me my paper bio hazard suit, or when they gave me the rubber gloves, or the paper face mask, or even the stacks of waivers to sign... or even the big speech about never handling the petri dishes... or for GOD SAKE... never ingest what is the dish!!!

I've decided that little red warning indicator features matures in most women at age 32.

It attempts to develop in men at age 21, but then atrophies and dies due to neglect.

My red warning indicator light malfunctioned when I was young, my parents attempted to warranty it several times... I believe that's where the phrase... “Oh, for Christ Sake”... came from... but, I'm off topic...

One of my 4 roommates had a boy friend who was a self prescribed math wiz…

You see... Mr Math Wiz was responsible for the payment of year 2-4 ... Mr Math Wiz's Parents were going to pay for year 1.

Now... I would bet his parents had probably worked their butts' off for the better part of their adult lives, to save up one years worth of tuition to help this lazy meat head... and here’s where the story gets interesting.

You see… there was a dog track down the road…

So, this genius cooks up this hair brained plan… you guessed it…

He’s going to take his 1 year tuition to the dog track and decides he wants to turn it into a 4 year free ride tuition...

Brother… did this guy have a set on him or what????

And his genius mathematical strategy was???

To keep doubling his bet whether he won or lost until he hit his goal or went bust.

The crazy thing was… he actually pulled it off.

I kid you not!!!

He almost busted… I’m not sure how he picked his dogs, but there was a dog that he bet on that turned out to be a ringer and this kid honest to God made it happen…

And the really hysterical thing about this story is… His parents never had a clue that he took their hard earned money and bet it all at the DOG TRACK and then won his 4 year tuition!!!

He actually led them to believe, he was working a part time job and earning the money to pay for his tuition!!!

So my guess is, they continued to send him $20 bucks from time to time, here and there… As he slaved away at his part time job… BROTHER!!!

Wow… I have to tell you.

So… here’s the million dollar question today???

If you miss a workout… do you double down on your training?

In other words… do you try to make up for it in the next day by doing twice the workout or twice the “load“ or effort???


Here’s my thoughts on the subject.


Now this may fly in the face of what your coach may think… and that’s why I’m the Peanut Gallery… and your coach is your coach…


Doubling down is for the most part, is not a good idea. Particularly if you are on a training plan.


If you have a set training plan and you miss a work out… then “it is what it is…” you can’t make up for it.


You just pick up on your next day of training and continue on with your schedule.


If you start doubling down and adding what you’ve missed on top of your scheduled training… guess what, you are now altering your training schedule by a exponential factor, and that then has a significant ripple effect on your training plan, fatigue, rest, etc.


If you miss more than one day and try to then alter several days of training by doubling down or making other modifications… like… oh… let’s go for a 5 hour marathon hill ride with intervals tossed in and try to catch up on all of that missed training, due to work or whatever… then, why don’t you just go dig a big hole right after the ride and jump head first into the grave your just dug for yourself… because that’s about as much progress you’ve probably made for the week, with all that cram course double down training you’ve tried to do.

As a athlete, our work ethic can be a double edged sword. It is both our greatest strength and weakness.

We need to have the discipline to stop ourselves from trying to “make up” for lost work outs… there are no “make up sessions, your body won’t allow for that.

If a certain work out is that critical, than it should take the place of a work out… vs. doubling on top of a workout.

Trust me, I have tried to double down, do sneak training… even train and deny it to my coach… none of it works… it all comes back to haunt you in the end. You know why????

Your body is the ultimate gate keeper. It will break down when most need it and you least expect it to… So…. Take it from someone who knows…

The double down rarely works and if it does… only in Dog racing and in casinos…

This blog was inspired after a conversation with a friend and customer of the shop who is injured.

Regarding an injury....

Trying to figure out when to "return to play", test the injury, or make up for training is always the million dollar question.

The answer to the above question is always the same...

Listen to your doctor, coach, body. And... if it hurts... don't do it... your body is telling you something!

Have fun out there, Ride Safe

I’ll talk with you soon.

The Peanut Gallery

DODGING BULLETS

Today’s blog is going to be different from my typical blogs…

This one is totally serious. No sarcasm, wise guy comments, or goofing around… the subject matter demands too much respect for that and I hope you all agree.  Ok... there will be sarcasm... but no goofing around! 

So, let’s get to it…

Earlier this week, I participated in a group ride with about 10 other fairly seasoned riders. We were about 10 miles into a 40 + mile ride. We were on a 2 lane back road, strung out single file… traveling at close to 25mph… we were all sitting as close to the solid white line as possible, so I can honestly say at the moment, we weren’t impeding traffic.

I was on the Fleas’ wheel and that’s when “it” happened.

A car passed at high speed, then abruptly cut out to the left and then just as abruptly cut in to the right and then alarmingly attempted to run over 4 of us, as she tried to get into her driveway.

At the last possible second she locked up her brakes, causing the tires to smoke like hell… and then she hammered the horn…

It all happened so fast!  I didn't have the chance to shout out a warning, never mind flip her off... I was too busy dodging the bumper of the car... all I saw was the Saab hood emblem...and felt the heat from the grill of her car.

She clearly felt it was our duty to have stopped and let her into her driveway.   She was pissed... we were pissed.... thank God no one was hurt or dead!  We just dodged a bullet.

Every year the sad reality is, cyclists get hurt or killed due to accidents just like what almost took place a few nights ago … some accidents due to the fault of the drivers, some accidents due the fault of the cyclists.

So… let’s talk about what we can do to protect ourselves… And the answer isn’t to start carrying  guns... although the state of NH would clearly allow us to do so. 

We as cyclist have to get smarter and be a little more courteous and yes… even a little less arrogant at times.  Because, there are situations where we do own some of the blame.  We are responsible for our own safety out there.


Last night was not our fault... and the jerk I described above and others like her, I despise... more than words can describe.  To be candid, there is very little that gets me angrier and can incite me to riot than an asshole behind the wheel of a car, who is so casual and careless with the lives of others.

But come on… There are some situations of bad road riding etiquette, that we unwittingly play into, that result in a butterfly effect:  The driver gets a case of the butt, makes a bone head move in their car, puts us in danger, other drivers in harms way, worse yet… they continue to take it out on some unsuspecting rider up the road who had nothing to do with anything… they just happened to be the dog that gets kicked because this moron had a bad moment.

We can't fix the drivers who will "never get it"... but we can each improve just a little and increase our own odds of dodging another bullet and that means another day of riding.

So... Let's work together on this...
As a reminder, here’s a few group riding rules of etiquette that are good to keep in mind:  

The Ride Leader should know how many people are in the group before the ride departs and take a count at each stop... know if they are leaving someone on the road

Although some state laws allows 2 abreast riding on roads, riding single file is the safest… use your heads when riding 2 abreast

Advise when a car is back

Advise when a pedestrian is on the road, or a car is parked on the road

Stay alert at all times... don't drone off into some weird zone

NO Time Trial bars in a group ride... EVER!

Hold your line

Don’t overlap wheels

Don’t look back! EVER!

Relax!! Over gripping the bars translates into twitching riding

Focus on the rider(s) ahead

Beware of pot holes in the road and shout them out

Don’t brake unless absolutely necessary

Pass carefully

Always move through the pace-line at a steady pace and make sure you are clear of the front rider before pulling off

Clothing removal, etc. should take place when you are in the back of the pace line…

If you are hassled by a car and have time to take a picture with your cell phone, of their license plate... take it and then send it to the local police department.   

The world of cycling is a family...  Let’s work hard at lowering the statistics of cyclists injuries and deaths this year by doing our part  
and lets keep dodging the bullets.

What we do is suppose to be fun. Let’s keep it that way. I would hate to have to deliver this blog to your hospital bed… or worse yet, write it from MY hospital bed!


Have a great Easter.

Have fun out there, ride safe.

I’ll talk with you all soon.

The Peanut Gallery