Training stuff

Over the last week I have been reaching out to my friends for advice on how to train.  Plus reading as much stuff as I can about endurance training, weight lost and re-hydration.

First thing I have done is get religious about using my heart rate monitor.   Never been a big fan of these things (usually forget the strap at home or it's always too damn cold to put on).   I am sure that when my wife reads this about the monitor she will zing me with a bunch of "I told you so".

Several articles on endurance riding have stressed the need to "get rid of the macho bike technique" and slow down and to LSD or "long steady distance" ride.  

http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/heart-rate-monitor-training-for-cyclists-28838/

So I am giving this strategy a go.

This means 3-4 hour rides with my heart rate in Zone 2 (65-75%) of my max heart rate.  I will stick to this plan and occasionally add a 2 hour Zone 3 ride.  I got to tell you I feel like a snail riding like this.  When I stay in Zone 2 my average speed is 12-13 MPH.   (ed. note...  I live at the end of Cape Cod and the winds from the ocean have been averaging 15-25 mph.  So even if I wanted to go faster I couldn't).

Next, I am relaying on my good friend Bob Sullivan (best spin instructor in Boston) about weight loss and diet.

http://rsully.com/index.html

He gives all his personal training students the book "The Weight Loss Trad" by Dr. Thomas Halton.  Basically it says stay away from the bad things and focus on eating the good stuff.  A strategy that seems obvious - but given that I tend to do the opposite - must be obvious only to smart people.

The hardest part of my plan is to figure out re-hydration.  In the past after long training rides or marathons (before my rebuilt leg/knee), my re-hydration plan concentrated on drinking as many beers as I could immediately after the race.  Sadly, this seemed to work for me as every other liquid I tried did not work as well as the beer.

For getting the low down on re-hydration I reached out to Bob's friend, Olivier Boss who is chief scientist at Energesis Pahrmaceutical.  I figured he knew a bit more than me (not to mention his Phd).

Plus his new company is focused on finding drugs to fight obesity http://www.energesispharma.com/index.php?id=3)

so I figured I would get a "twofer" listening to Olivier's advice.

In a nutshell he basically told me that waiting to the end of the ride is too late; I should be replenishing with a good sport's drink along the ride; eat a shit load of bananas and to drink a carbohydrate-protein drink no later than 1-2 hours after my ride.  I am going to give this a try for the next 50 days.  Then figure out how to have my wife overnight ship as much of this stuff as she can to me during my ride.

For those that crave the technical details of what Olivier suggested here is an extract from his email to me.

The key in such an endeavor is to 1. optimize performance (with well-timed supply of "good" energy) during exercise/the stages, and 2. optimize recovery after each stage so you can perform (and have fun) the following day. You cannot overestimate the importance of recovery. Even small things can make a huge (metabolic) difference.

First, it's important that you take with you things that you like otherwise you won't eat/drink them.

1. During the stages (on the bike or during short stops) you need plenty of fluids.
Water is not optimal (it does not have enough sodium and glucose, needed for its absorption). It's OK but not optimal, and surely not enough when it's hot and when the exercise is longer than 1h.
You can drink some water but you should also have an isotonic drink: Gatorade (any flavor you like) eithe G series (normal) or G2 (very little sugar) or Isostar (available in most of the world but not in the US).
Note that Powerade is of very low quality (cheap), and uses high fructose syrup instead of sucrose or glucose (the best for exercise drinks - to consume during and just after exercise). I would avoid Powerade or similar crap.

Drinks with fructose (e.g. vitamin water) are OK (even if not optimal) but not in large quantity. Fructose causes gastrointestinal distress in large quantities (and some individuals are very sensitive).

Food: take small, easy to digest things like energy bars (e.g. PowerBars, PR Bars, MET-RX bars) and/or low fat, high carbohydrate snacks like rice with honey or fruit like bananas.

Overall, quicky-absorbed (simple) sugars can be, and should be, eaten/drunk during and just after (1-2-hour window) exercise/the stage. (Avoid high-fructose corn syrup, it's cheap crap and may contribute to the development of metabolic disease.)

2. Recovery after exercise/between stages:

To optimize recovery after exercise that has largely depleted your glycogen stores (in the liver and muscles), i.e. at least 1.5h at high intensity or 2h at medium intensity, you should consume simple carbohydrate - a drink (e.g. Gatorate, fruit juice) and food (e.g. energy bar(s), bread, honey, etc. or a carbohydrate-protein shake ("recovery drink") within 1h of the end of exercise.

You have a 2h window after exercise (that depletes your glycogen stores) to get your glycogen stores refilled at high rate. This first, fast rate of glycogen replenishment is independent of insulin, requires that you drink/eat carbohydrates, and it's your best chance to recover your strenght/energy/performance within 24h in-between stages. After that window, the normal glycogen replenishment rate is much slower, necessitates insulin (produced by your body when you eat/drink carbohydrates) and necessitates more than 24h to get full.

Recovery drinks: some protein is good, especially if you want to use these as an important source of energy (a good idea for a multistage trip like yours). Best (nutritional quality) protein sources are whey and eggs - you can find good quality, essentially fat-free protein in powder form.

I like to make my own protein shakes (more flexibility and overall much cheaper), and my favorite as base high-quality protein is MET-Rx Protein Plus Vanilla (they have chocolate, too) - it's a powder, 2lbs boxes (I buy mine from AllStarHealth.com http://www.allstarhealth.com/f/met-rx-protein_plus.htm or Trader Joe's).

I have been using MET-Rx protein plus vanilla powder for about 15 years, and it's by far my favorite - in fact it's the only one I've kept using during all those years.

You can put 1-2 scoops of the powder with water (it's very soluble, does not clump and gives a shake that can be thick or liquid depending on how much powder you put). If you add honey or unrefined (dark brown) cane sugar (e.g. Rapadura, Panela, ) you have a great recovery drink - to drink right after the stage (and during the stage during short breaks too if you feel like).

You can add variety in your protein shakes (add different amount of protein powder) with various fruit like bananas, blueberries, etc. - to blend with a blender.

Later on (dinner) it's good to eat lots of carbohydrates, with fibers like whole-grain cereal (e.g. rolled oats, Shredded Wheat, Weetabix) and whole grain bread. You'll be better off staying away from too much fat sauces like bechamel/melted cheese sauce. Rice, pasta (a little grated cheese or pesto on it is good) and vegetables are good, too. Low fat meat (e.g. chicken, NOT fried, or fish) are OK if you need.


I tried to find Isotar in the US - but you can't get it.  So in a follow up email from Olivier he gave me some alternatives...

The original Gatorade (now called G series), in powder form, is good - same as Isostar. It's also called "Gatorade powdered drink mix".
(Illustration of the product here: http://www.amazon.com/Gatorade-Glacier-Freeze-Powdered-ounces/dp/B004LC6KV6/ref=pd_sxp_grid_i_0_2)

The ingredient list should contain: Sucrose (="regular" sugar), Dextrose (=glucose or "grape sugar" - this is the gold standard, the sugar that the body assimilates).
There will also be some minerals like: Salt, Sodium Citrate, Monopotassium Phosphate
and flavors (e.g. Natural Lemon and Lime Flavors With Other Natural Flavors)

A good range of sugar (total sugars) in the ready to drink mix (powder dissolved in water) during/after exercise is 5% (when very hot weather) to 8% (max. 10%).

Consider Gatorade powder to be 100% sugar (in weight) - same for Cytomax (see below).
For a half liter/16 fl oz of drink (ca. 500g) use 25g to 40g (1 oz to 2 oz) of powder. Usually, the recommended dosage on Gatorade powder boxes corresponds to the upper range (ca. 8%) of sugar content. It's good, and you can dilute a bit more if the weather is really hot.

If you want variety another good one is Cytomax (Cytomax Sports Performance Drink).
http://www.cytosport.com/products/cytomax/ctomax-powders

Don't believe all the B.S. about Polylactate, it doesn't make any difference. But they have interesting flavors (I loved their "Peachy keen" but can't find it anymore). and the sugars they use are good (maltodextrin, glucose=dextrose, fructose).

Maltodextrin is a polymer of glucose, absorbed a little less fast than glucose but it's good, too, during/after exercise (and in small quantity before exercise if you want - but minimize quick sugars before exercise, or eat some fiber with it, e.g. during breakfast).

The little bit of fructose is OK (not needed but OK).

Hope this helps fellow riders.  In any case this is my plan and I hope to stick with it!!!!!