Hey everyone. As this is my first post on the blog I reckon’ a short introduction is in order. My name is Evan Burkhart. I’m a Category 2 road racer and just started working with Zach a few weeks ago. I currently ride for the ITS-Kane Elite Cycling Team. If you desire more background follow the link to my blog, Saddle Up, a little further down.
Zach asked me to contribute to the blog and since he seems to have the technical and the nutritional covered, I’ll focus my thoughts elsewhere.
Since I’ve started working with Zach the name of the game has been pain. My total time on the road has decreased but every time I throw my leg over the bike I have to be prepared to hurt. At first I simply didn’t know what to expect. I would see a workout and say, “Man, that looks kind of hard.” Then I would find out. Do you know what it’s like to be dying a thousand deaths only to look down and realize you’ve just hit the half way mark of a workout? I do. I was pushing myself further than I ever had in training. These workouts were tough, physically and mentally. You might think that after a while knowing every workout was going to hurt, a lot, would get old and the motivation to push yourself to those limits would disappear. However, since I’ve been doing these workouts I’ve seen a huge jump in my fitness. I’ve never experienced gains this significant in such a short amount of time. Now I can’t wait to get on the bike and push it. I know the pain is making me stronger and I legitimately enjoy it. Then, when it’s all over, there is the rush of endorphins and the visualization of that moment when it is all going to pay off. So the next time you question how hard you should push yourself and if it is really worth it, just remember to make it hurt so good. I promise you will become a stronger cyclist and a stronger person for it.
Having said that, remember to have fun. It’s not always about torturing yourself endlessly. Enjoy the recovery rides and the time spent outdoors. Don’t forget why cycling is such a great sport and enjoy every aspect to its fullest. Ciao.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
CRAMPS
Another Great Article by our resident Nutritionist and PCC Athlete Jenny Ives.
Muscle cramps are most commonly associated with dehydration. If you are among the thousands that experience the excruciating pain of severe muscle cramps, you are likely wondering; why is this happening? How can I prevent it? Well because no one completely understands what leads to these muscle cramps, these unpredictable spasms remain somewhat mysterious. Given that muscle cramps occur when the muscles become fatigued, the problem may be related to nerve malfunction resulting in an imbalance between muscle excitation and inhibition, preventing the muscles from relaxing (Schwellnus et al 2004).
Cramps are most often related to overexertion, fluid loss, inadequate training, and electrolyte imbalance. Cramps, for the most part can be treated with massage and stretching, however sometime nutrition is involved. For an example a deficiency in any of the following can lead to cramping:
Water:
Cramps, commonly are associated with dehydration. Therefore in order to prevent dehydration induced cramps, be sure to drink enough fluids before, during, and after exercise. Your goal for hydration status should be clear, pale yellow, and copious urine. During a long exercise session an 150lb athlete may need about 8 oz of fluid every 15-20 minutes. It’s difficult to make a one-size fits all fluid recommendation, but the best hydration indicator is to check you urine; if it is dark and scanty you need more fluids or foods that have a high fluid content such as fruits, vegetables, cooked oatmeal, etc.
Calcium:
Calcium plays a vital role in muscle contractions, therefore often times athletes with cramping issues will notice a difference with an increased calcium intake. However, some scientist will argue that a calcium imbalance is an unlikely cause of muscle cramps because if a dietary deficiency were to occur, calcium would be released from the bones to provide the muscles with the proper amount of calcium needed for contracting. On the other hand, to rule out any potential link between a calcium poor diet and muscle cramps an athlete should consume adequate calcium through dairy products or other calcium sources (soy milk, fortified food products, or lastly supplements-this should be the last resort, try to get it from food) at least two times a day.
Potassium:
Commonly electrolyte imbalance, for instance a lack of potassium, may contribute to muscle cramps. However, a potassium deficiency is not likely to occur as a result of sweat losses because the body can store much more potassium than a marathoner might lose during a hot sweaty race. However, if the potassium loss that occurs after a hard sweaty workouts isn’t consistently replaced this can overtime lead to a deficiency. Therefore to rule out this issue be sure to eat potassium rich foods such as potatoes, bananas, raisins.
Sodium
Believe it or not athletes are often found restricting their sodium intake during exercise, putting them at great risk for developing a sodium imbalance that could contribute to cramps. This is most often found in athletes who exercise hard for more than 4 hours in the heat such as cyclist, runners, triathletes. The risks increase for those that only consume water during the competition or training session or have not consumed sodium containing foods or beverages. Sports drinks (i.e. Heed, GU2O) are a great choice for those long and hot training or event days.
Magnesium
Muscles need calcium to contract and therefore need magnesium to relax. Magnesium has been shown to help reduce leg cramps that may occur in the middle of the night ( Roffe et al 2002). However, whether or not magnesium can help with exercise related cramps remains unclear. On the other hand it has been observed that most people do not meet the RDA for magnesium (320 mg for women and 420mg for men). The richest sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, legumes (1 cup of spinach has 155 mg, 1 cup brown rice 85 mg). I have often heard of endurance athletes consuming a few Tums as they contain 45 mg magnesium and 220 mg of calcium. These are a great source, but food is still the best source of any nutrient.
These are a few tips for resolving muscle cramps, but they are only suggestions, not proven solutions, therefore you may want to experiment with these dietary recommendations if you suffer from chronic muscle cramps. Making small changes such as consuming extra fluids, low-fat dairy products, potassium-rich fruits and vegetables, and adding a sprinkle or two of salt certainly won’t harm you and it may even resolve your issues. However, it may also be wise to consult with a physical therapist, trainer, or coach for stretching recommendations.
Muscle cramps are most commonly associated with dehydration. If you are among the thousands that experience the excruciating pain of severe muscle cramps, you are likely wondering; why is this happening? How can I prevent it? Well because no one completely understands what leads to these muscle cramps, these unpredictable spasms remain somewhat mysterious. Given that muscle cramps occur when the muscles become fatigued, the problem may be related to nerve malfunction resulting in an imbalance between muscle excitation and inhibition, preventing the muscles from relaxing (Schwellnus et al 2004).
Cramps are most often related to overexertion, fluid loss, inadequate training, and electrolyte imbalance. Cramps, for the most part can be treated with massage and stretching, however sometime nutrition is involved. For an example a deficiency in any of the following can lead to cramping:
Water:
Cramps, commonly are associated with dehydration. Therefore in order to prevent dehydration induced cramps, be sure to drink enough fluids before, during, and after exercise. Your goal for hydration status should be clear, pale yellow, and copious urine. During a long exercise session an 150lb athlete may need about 8 oz of fluid every 15-20 minutes. It’s difficult to make a one-size fits all fluid recommendation, but the best hydration indicator is to check you urine; if it is dark and scanty you need more fluids or foods that have a high fluid content such as fruits, vegetables, cooked oatmeal, etc.
Calcium:
Calcium plays a vital role in muscle contractions, therefore often times athletes with cramping issues will notice a difference with an increased calcium intake. However, some scientist will argue that a calcium imbalance is an unlikely cause of muscle cramps because if a dietary deficiency were to occur, calcium would be released from the bones to provide the muscles with the proper amount of calcium needed for contracting. On the other hand, to rule out any potential link between a calcium poor diet and muscle cramps an athlete should consume adequate calcium through dairy products or other calcium sources (soy milk, fortified food products, or lastly supplements-this should be the last resort, try to get it from food) at least two times a day.
Potassium:
Commonly electrolyte imbalance, for instance a lack of potassium, may contribute to muscle cramps. However, a potassium deficiency is not likely to occur as a result of sweat losses because the body can store much more potassium than a marathoner might lose during a hot sweaty race. However, if the potassium loss that occurs after a hard sweaty workouts isn’t consistently replaced this can overtime lead to a deficiency. Therefore to rule out this issue be sure to eat potassium rich foods such as potatoes, bananas, raisins.
Sodium
Believe it or not athletes are often found restricting their sodium intake during exercise, putting them at great risk for developing a sodium imbalance that could contribute to cramps. This is most often found in athletes who exercise hard for more than 4 hours in the heat such as cyclist, runners, triathletes. The risks increase for those that only consume water during the competition or training session or have not consumed sodium containing foods or beverages. Sports drinks (i.e. Heed, GU2O) are a great choice for those long and hot training or event days.
Magnesium
Muscles need calcium to contract and therefore need magnesium to relax. Magnesium has been shown to help reduce leg cramps that may occur in the middle of the night ( Roffe et al 2002). However, whether or not magnesium can help with exercise related cramps remains unclear. On the other hand it has been observed that most people do not meet the RDA for magnesium (320 mg for women and 420mg for men). The richest sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, legumes (1 cup of spinach has 155 mg, 1 cup brown rice 85 mg). I have often heard of endurance athletes consuming a few Tums as they contain 45 mg magnesium and 220 mg of calcium. These are a great source, but food is still the best source of any nutrient.
These are a few tips for resolving muscle cramps, but they are only suggestions, not proven solutions, therefore you may want to experiment with these dietary recommendations if you suffer from chronic muscle cramps. Making small changes such as consuming extra fluids, low-fat dairy products, potassium-rich fruits and vegetables, and adding a sprinkle or two of salt certainly won’t harm you and it may even resolve your issues. However, it may also be wise to consult with a physical therapist, trainer, or coach for stretching recommendations.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The latest on Caffeine
Written By Jenny Ives BS in Nutrition - PCC Athlete and Associate
The latest on caffeine as it’s everywhere. It’s even starting to appear in energy gels, bars, etc, but why? Well to start caffeine is a very popular pre-exercise energizer and is well known to help athletes train harder and longer. Caffeine acts as a stimulant to the brain, contributing to greater concentration and clearer thinking. There are numerous studies involving the use of caffeine for both endurance exercises and higher intensity exercises. The vast majority of studies conclude that caffeine does enhance performance by roughly 11%, making those hard efforts seem easier. However, it does appear that endurance athletes notice a greater benefit that those doing short bouts of exercise.
If you rarely drink coffee/tea then you may notice a dramatic caffeine boost likely due to your body’s little tolerance to caffeine’s stimulant effect. Interesting indeed was a study compared regular caffeine users to nonusers and it showed that nonusers lasted 8.5 minutes longer when biking very hard to exhaustion, as compared to when they had no preexercise caffeine. The regular caffeine users exercised for only four minutes longer when they had caffeine fix (
However, what is important to understand is that everyone’s body responds to caffeine differently, therefore don’t assume you will perform better with a caffeine boost. You may end up nauseated, coping with the so called “coffee stomach” or suffering from the jitters at a time when you are already trembling with anxiety. Also beware: a cup of coffee may help with bowel movement, however precompetition it may lead to transit complications. Experiment during training to determine if caffeine or plain water is your best bet.
Is Caffeine Dehydrating?
This is the common question, however according to Dr. Larry Armstrong, an exercise physiologist at the
Should I get more Caffeine that I already get?
Although a cup or two of coffee before exercise may be helpful, more may have no effect. A study performed in 1995 showed that well-trained cyclists performed just as well with 350 milligrams as they did with 850 milligrams. What they found is that the second or third cup of coffee may do more harm than good (Pasman et al 1995). Small amounts of caffeine, such as those taken socially, may enhance performance, where high doses may be counter productive.
The Recommendations:
The target dose is around 1.5 milligrams per pound (3milligrams per kilogram) (Doherty and Smith 2005). For an example a 145 lb athlete they would need approximately 218 milligrams. Great, so what are my caffeine sources?
| Source of Caffeine | Approximate Caffeine Content (mg) |
| Coffee-16 oz | |
| Brewed, generic | 275 |
| Starbucks, brewed, grande | 320 |
| Dunkin Donuts | 200 |
| Decaffeinated, brewed | 20 |
| Other Beverages | |
| Starbucks espresso (6.5 oz) | 150 |
| Espresso, generic(1 oz), shot | 50 |
| Hot cocoa (12 oz) | 15 |
| Tea-16 oz | |
| Tea, brewed | 175 |
| Starbucks Tazo Chai tea Latte | 100 |
| Snapple Lemon, Peach, Plain Tea | 42 |
| Soft Drink | |
| Mountain Dew(regular or diet) | 71 |
| Pepsi One | 54 |
| Mello Yellow(regular or diet) | 53 |
| Pepsi | 38 |
| Diet Pepsi | 36 |
| Coca-Cola(regular or diet) | |
| Energy Drinks | |
| Red Bull (8.3 oz) | 80 |
| Rockstar Energy Drink (8oz) | 80 |
Information taken from CSPI 2007. Adapted from Nutrition Action Healthletter
Many people drink a warm cup of coffee, not for an energy boost but because the warm liquid helps support regular bowel movement and helps empty the body before exercise. This could be the most justifiable reason for some people to include this beverage in their diet. However, as we all know if you are so tired that you turn to coffee for the stimulant effect to get you going for your workout, then you should probably be back to bed resting.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
A rodie does a Tri...
Today was the local World Championship Sprint triathlon in my hometown...Valdese, NC. I have watched this race for many years since it is 1/2 mile from my house and have always said "that looks like fun, I'm gonna try that one day". Well today was that day.
I now have a a ton of respect for multi sport athletes, especially the fast ones. Wow, the top 3 guys were moving! Anyway the race went like this.
1. Swim in a pool for 250 yards, short but fast...I am actually a decent swimmer as I use it to cross train in the winters..its awesome active recovery for the bike. Swim took me about 3:45 I think... not the fastest but no more than 20 seconds slower than the top guys.
2. Bike. YEAH! The course was only 9 miles..again super short and either up or down so there is some technique to riding that kind of TT while keeping in mind you have to run afterward. Bike time was good, probably the top 3 of the day... but not sure.
3. Oh yeah you have to run at the end of these things...THAT SUCKED. I can count on two hands the number of times I have ran in the last 5 years, and I am no good at it to begin with. It took about a mile for the legs to get into a rhythm and that first mile hurt...I actually considered stopping at that beer store we passed and calling it quits!...after that first mile, felt a little better and was able to hobble through the rest of the 5k without puking.
End result: 1st place in my age group (30-34) and 8th overall. I am really looking forward to my next tri, in 2025!
I now have a a ton of respect for multi sport athletes, especially the fast ones. Wow, the top 3 guys were moving! Anyway the race went like this.
1. Swim in a pool for 250 yards, short but fast...I am actually a decent swimmer as I use it to cross train in the winters..its awesome active recovery for the bike. Swim took me about 3:45 I think... not the fastest but no more than 20 seconds slower than the top guys.
2. Bike. YEAH! The course was only 9 miles..again super short and either up or down so there is some technique to riding that kind of TT while keeping in mind you have to run afterward. Bike time was good, probably the top 3 of the day... but not sure.
3. Oh yeah you have to run at the end of these things...THAT SUCKED. I can count on two hands the number of times I have ran in the last 5 years, and I am no good at it to begin with. It took about a mile for the legs to get into a rhythm and that first mile hurt...I actually considered stopping at that beer store we passed and calling it quits!...after that first mile, felt a little better and was able to hobble through the rest of the 5k without puking.
End result: 1st place in my age group (30-34) and 8th overall. I am really looking forward to my next tri, in 2025!
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