Rode 26 miles along the windy shore of Lake Michigan today: my mesh Shimano shoes did nothing to keep my toes warm. Most of the time I was thinking about how cold I was. Part of the time I thought about how pretty Lake Mich is.

Spring Training

I was very impressed with this email I got this morning
from one of the founding Ten Speed Heroes. A lot of
research must have gone into this:


With arrival of Spring and warmer weather for many
North American cyclists, longer weekend rides are an
enhanced and improved part of the training plan. While
you may be wisely planning on carrying plenty of
sports drinks and gels for the ride itself, what you
eat in the hours before and the day before the ride
can also provide an important nutritional boost.

Ideally, any long ride begins with adequate fuel
stores, namely muscle glycogen, liver glycogen, and
even adequate muscle fat or triglyceride levels.
Chances are most all of us are beginning this phase of
training with more than adequate adipose fat. Rest
assured that fueling prior to longer rides will only
allow you to train harder and longer. This translates
to more calorie burning, helping you to reach your
body composition goals for the race season.

Nutritionally speaking, preparing for your long
weekend ride begins after your last ride, which may
leave you a window of anywhere from 12 or 24 hours
recovery time. The less recovery time, the more
important it is for you to focus on eating properly
and replenishing your fuel stores.

Your Daily Diet
Eating well after your last training ride will
replenish your muscle glycogen stores at the start of
a full weekend of riding. Start the recovery process
within 30 minutes after your last training ride. Aim
for 0.5 g of carbohydrate for every pound of body
weight, about 80 gram for a 160-lb. cyclist. You can
also add in 15 g or more of protein to the mix. Start
rehydrating as well, about 24 ounces of fluid for
every pound of weight lost during the ride. (This is
also a good time to check on your hydration strategies
on the bike, if you are losing over 1.5 to 2 lb. per
ride, your fluid deficit is high). Adding some higher
sodium foods and fluids to the recovery mix can also
enhance the rehydration process. Real foods and
convenient recovery drinks are both effective fuel and
fluid replenishers.

Post-ride recovery nutrition simply allows you to take
advantage of the accelerated rate of muscle glycogen
resynthesis that occurs after hard exercise. But it is
also important that you continue this recovery process
by eating adequately the rest of the day. That 80 g of
carbohydrate (maybe a bit more or a bit less), only
got you started on your carbohydrate intake. Before a
full weekend of training, aim for 3 to 4 grams of
carbohydrate per pound of body weight. For example,
that some 160-lb. cyclist would need to consume
anywhere from 480 to 640 g of carbohydrate that whole
day to recover from a training ride lasting over 90
minutes to two hours, and to replenish for an even
longer ride the next day. Aim for some carbohydrate
intake at each subsequent meal or snack, with protein
and fat to round out your caloric intake. Your protein
needs are also moderately high, but easily met with a
balanced diet. A diet moderate in fat should be
adequate, though after rides four hours or longer you
need to focus on consuming adequate amounts of healthy
fats, about 0.5 g per lb. of body weight to replenish
muscle fat stores. Continue to hydrate adequately with
meals and snacks as well. If your urine is pale in
color, you are likely well hydrated.

The morning of the ride
Though your muscles may be ready to ride from proper
eating the day before, your liver glycogen stores can
be substantially reduced during your overnight fast
when sleeping. Liver glycogen is the all important
fuel supply that keeps blood glucose levels steady
during the night to maintain basic functions such as
breathing. Eating a good meal before the ride, usually
a solid breakfast, fills up your low liver glycogen
stores. This liver glycogen supply, along with the
carbohydrate you ingest from a sports drink during the
ride, keeps blood glucose levels steady during the
ride.

When you eat before the ride is a matter of
practicality and scheduling. What you eat is a matter
of metabolic, gastrointestinal, and personal
tolerances. And how much you eat is a matter of
timing. But as plenty of research shows, consuming
higher amounts of carbohydrate can improve your
training efforts on the bike.

Three to four hours before the ride
While weekend training may start in the early hours of
the morning, 3 to 4 hours is often the optimal time to
eat before hard training. You can consume a moderately
large meal, and still have plenty of digestion time.
This pre-ride timing is also a heavy favorite on race
day, so make sure to get in plenty of practice meals.
With the right timing and portions, eating right
during this time period will:

Restore liver glycogen to normal levels.

Allow you to store glycogen in the muscles if portions
are adequate.

Prevent hunger during training.

For every hour that you allow yourself some digestion
time, consume just under half a gram of carbohydrate
for every pound of body weight. You can safely consume
2 grams per lb. 4 hours before, and 1.5 grams per
pound 3 hours before training. At 3 hours before
training, the 160-lb cyclist could consume 240 g of
carbohydrate. Your favorite cereal with dairy or soy
milk and fruit are good choices. For easy digestion
try a bagel with jam, juice, and some low-fat yogurt.

Two hours before the ride
Early ride times may require that you time your meal 2
hours before training. Keep your carbohydrate intake
to 1 g per lb., 160 g for the 160-lb. cyclist. With
this close timing, liquid carbohydrate choices become
even more attractive as they are quickly digested, and
hydrating. Breakfast shakes, liquid meal replacements,
smoothies, and sports supplements often provide more
than 50 g of carbohydrate per serving, and can be
combined with easily digested solid items.

One hour before the ride
A variety of scenarios, such as wanting every last
possible minute of sleep, could necessitate consuming
food in this short window of time, though the amount
you can tolerate is relatively limited. When you eat
in the 30 to 60 minutes before training, you will have
a marked increase in blood glucose and insulin levels
before training. A decline in blood glucose during
training follows, though this effect is short-lived
and really produces no adverse symptoms or effects in
most athletes. In fact, many studies have confirmed
that consuming carbohydrate in the hour before
training can actually provide a performance boost.
Having 70 g of carbohydrate or more should maintain
blood glucose levels in individuals with exercise
hypoglycemia, other cyclists can consume from 50-70 g
in this time period. Obviously, you must be very
careful with your choices and may want to stick with
gels, energy bars, and high carbohydrate drinks.

Hydration before training
Of course hydration should be part of the plan before
any long ride. Pre-hydrate in the hours before you
start your ride as dehydration is on the most
significant performance-related problems that can
occur during training- long before you feel the
effects of fuel depletion. Despite your best attempts
to keep up with your sweat losses during training, it
is likely that you are not going to match 100 percent
of your fluid losses. Rehydrate adequately from the
last training session and consume fluid in the evening
before bedtime. Your early morning intake should
consist of 16 to 24 ounces of fluid. You can add
another 8 to 12 ounces of fluid if you have a few
hours time.

A few pre-ride meal suggestions
1.5 cups concentrate carbohydrate beverage
1 slice of toast
-------
90 g carbohydrate
380 calories
1 carbohydrate gel
24 oz sports drink -------
95 g carbohydrate
380 calories
2 slices toast or 1 small bagel
1 large banana
2 tbsp. Jam
8 oz juice
-------
120 g carbohydrate
520 calories
4 medium pancakes
½ cup fruit topping
½ cup syrup
8 oz fruit juice
-------
270 g carbohydrate
1030 calories
Fruit smoothie:
8 oz yogurt
8 oz milk
8 oz juice
1 cup frozen berries
1 large bagel
2 tbsp. jam
1 medium energy bar
-------
225 g carbohydrate
1185 calories
2 cups cooked cereal
1 serving instant breakfast drink
1 large banana
8 oz orange juice
24 ounces carbohydrate beverage
-------
300 g carbohydrate
1410 calories

Monday

The entire Ten Speed Hero gang went to the LBS to show off our beautiful bikes only to walk in on a shop full of busy mechanics working like elves - greasy elves - on various bike messenger bikes. Needless to say we were ignored and left with our tails, I mean beautiful bikes, between our legs.

Spring is getting closer

Finally, a day above 30 degrees. We went for our first ride (the previously mentioned crash ride was commuting) along Lake Michigan. At first I was thinking what a pain it was to ride through Chicago Traffic to get to the lake but then the traffic of runners, cyclists, and roller-bladers was even more of a pain to navigate.
It took me a few miles to warm up but I felt strong the second half of the ride. The other Ten Speed Hero was stronger at the beginning but re-gained energy for part two when a helpful rider gave him an unasked for lesson in bicycle etiquette: “You might want to look over your shoulder… just because you have a nice bike, blah, blah, blah. It is disappointing that as a cyclist you get yelled at by people in cars and cyclists. I know a guy in California who was spat on by a cyclist. I think the lesson here is that everyone is mean.

Oh yeah, I crashed again.