My roommate, Rob, during the Elite PAC Tour was watching the Tour de France with his wife Nancy. She turned and asked him if we rode as many miles in the Elite PAC Tour as the pros in the Tour de France. He knew it was close, but had to check his data from his Garmin. Below are his stats of the Tour de France (T) vs Elite PAC Tour (E):
Miles - 2,280(T) vs 3,040(E) 33% more miles for ET
Days/Stages - 20(T) vs 19(E) A wash
Rest Days - 2(T) vs 0(E) (OK maybe we had 1/2 of a rest day if you count the La Veta Pass day)
Miles/Day - 114(T) vs 160(E) No contest
Longest Day - 142(T) vs 220(E) Not even close
Maximum speed - 50+(T) vs 50+(E) Maybe the TdF guys were faster here, but they get paid to go fast downhill
Elevation - 80,000'?(T) vs 100,000'(E) The TdF riders need to do Wolf Creek Pass and West Virginia. Hors category+
Fun facts to share (thanks Rob)! I did notice that he omitted the oveall average mph. For sure the pros in the TdF dominate us with an average of 25+mph verses our 16-20mph (on bike avg).
Hope you all are enjoying the TT stage of the TdF. It's been an exciting tour and inspiration to get out and ride.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
RAAM REGISTRATION OPENS AUG 1ST...
The date has been set for June 15, 2011 for the start of the solo men. If you need to get psyched about this event, please check out this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l8lHC8KK24
Thursday, July 8, 2010
VO2/BLOOD LACTATE TESTING
Making an attempt at a 3,000 mile, single stage bicycle race is no small task. You must do everything within your means to learn as much about the race and yourself as possible to properly prepare for the challenges ahead (and let's not forget about work, family and friends). My goal is to simply be an official finisher. The cutoff is 12 days (288 hours) from the start of the gun. My plan is to figure out how hard I can go each day to determine how much sleep would be available for me to take (along with any additional personal breaks). My initial feeling is that I will try to base my race on 300 miles per day. So if I'm able to cover the 300 miles in 20 hours, then I'd have 4 hours for sleep and breaks each day. The math is easy, but the rest is not.
So this requires another visit to SportFit Lab in the Worldgate Sport and Health. Doug and Beth Baumgarten would be my team of experts conducting the test, collecting the data and crunching the numbers to report training information for me to follow. I have had experience with VO2 max testing, but was excited about the additional feature of blood lactate testing to determine my lactate balance point (LBP).
My visit was on Saturday, July 3rd and this is how the testing process went:
The lab station is set up with all of the measuring devices, rubber gloves, blood test strips, etc. It really looks like I'm going into surgery.
My bike gets hooked up to the Computrainer, so Doug and Beth can adjust incremental resistance throughout the testing process. I strap on a transmitter to send my heart rate (HR) signal to the computer and mount the bike to go through a couple of calibration routines to make sure the wattage output is accurate and my HR is picked up. I then put on a ventilation mask and start my warm up. As I'm warming up, the Fitmate Pro is calibrating as well.
The initial effort is easy. But every 3 minutes the resistance is increased by 20 watts and I'm asked to state my perceived effort based on a Borg Perceived Exertion scale. Approximately 15 minutes pass and I can feel my breathing rate starting to increase. A couple of more increases and Beth starts to take blood samples at the tail end of each 3 minute effort. The blood samples are taken from your finger tips, alternating between the ring, middle and index fingers. As I approached my max heart rate reading of 195 bpm, Beth advised that my finger tips will be sore the next day (based on the number of blood samples she's taken so far).
My HR is allowed to drop to an aerobic level during my active recovery. Then the second effort begins. This is the phase at which the balance point is determined. As my effort increases, my blood lactate is monitored. My blood lactate levels continue to drop as my body consumes the lactate and reuses it for energy. A couple of more samples and Doug finds the balance point (5.4 mmol/l) at which my body is resynthesizing the production of lactate at the same rate it is producing what would be an excess. Raise the HR by 1bpm and my body starts to accumulate an excess of lactate in the blood stream.
Here are my results based on my current age (51) and weight (64.5kg): VO2max = 51.9ml/kg-min; LBP HR = 169bpm; LBP Wattage = 200; and LBPwatts/Bodywt Ratio = 3.10
I will be scanning and posting my data sheets at a later date, as some of the numbers are still being evaluated for optimal training purposes. And again, if you have any questions about what I am doing, please feel free to ask. I'm hoping my experience may help guide some of you in your decision-making process, while trying to set up a strategy to accomplish your personal goals (whatever they may be).
For more elaborate details on the tests I described above, please visit SportFit Lab.
So this requires another visit to SportFit Lab in the Worldgate Sport and Health. Doug and Beth Baumgarten would be my team of experts conducting the test, collecting the data and crunching the numbers to report training information for me to follow. I have had experience with VO2 max testing, but was excited about the additional feature of blood lactate testing to determine my lactate balance point (LBP).
My visit was on Saturday, July 3rd and this is how the testing process went:
The lab station is set up with all of the measuring devices, rubber gloves, blood test strips, etc. It really looks like I'm going into surgery.
My bike gets hooked up to the Computrainer, so Doug and Beth can adjust incremental resistance throughout the testing process. I strap on a transmitter to send my heart rate (HR) signal to the computer and mount the bike to go through a couple of calibration routines to make sure the wattage output is accurate and my HR is picked up. I then put on a ventilation mask and start my warm up. As I'm warming up, the Fitmate Pro is calibrating as well.
The initial effort is easy. But every 3 minutes the resistance is increased by 20 watts and I'm asked to state my perceived effort based on a Borg Perceived Exertion scale. Approximately 15 minutes pass and I can feel my breathing rate starting to increase. A couple of more increases and Beth starts to take blood samples at the tail end of each 3 minute effort. The blood samples are taken from your finger tips, alternating between the ring, middle and index fingers. As I approached my max heart rate reading of 195 bpm, Beth advised that my finger tips will be sore the next day (based on the number of blood samples she's taken so far).
My HR is allowed to drop to an aerobic level during my active recovery. Then the second effort begins. This is the phase at which the balance point is determined. As my effort increases, my blood lactate is monitored. My blood lactate levels continue to drop as my body consumes the lactate and reuses it for energy. A couple of more samples and Doug finds the balance point (5.4 mmol/l) at which my body is resynthesizing the production of lactate at the same rate it is producing what would be an excess. Raise the HR by 1bpm and my body starts to accumulate an excess of lactate in the blood stream.
Here are my results based on my current age (51) and weight (64.5kg): VO2max = 51.9ml/kg-min; LBP HR = 169bpm; LBP Wattage = 200; and LBPwatts/Bodywt Ratio = 3.10
I will be scanning and posting my data sheets at a later date, as some of the numbers are still being evaluated for optimal training purposes. And again, if you have any questions about what I am doing, please feel free to ask. I'm hoping my experience may help guide some of you in your decision-making process, while trying to set up a strategy to accomplish your personal goals (whatever they may be).
For more elaborate details on the tests I described above, please visit SportFit Lab.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
KIDS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES THAT TALK ABOUT POOPY
Before you say anything, this is an import subject and you may not know of some of the material to come. So just give this post a chance and read it through.
Poopy and pee-pee are related to your intake...or lack thereof and if you monitor it closely enough (is that TMI?) you can certainly tell what's going on with your body and possible ways to correct some of the conditions. Instead of being too graphic on this blog, I thought I'd direct you to the poopy chart. It's self-explanatory. Some of you are really into the floaters verses the sinkers. I've heard that your poopy will float, if your diet has enough fiber. I tried this test for a short period of time and only manage a floater here and there. In my book, as long as you have an effortless, solid poopy, you're good to go.
Prolonged physical exertion can play havoc on the poopy. Depending on the duration of your event, poopies are usually non-existent and that's what many endurance athletes strive for to save time on the potty stops. Many endurance athletes successfully stick with a liquid fuel source and try to find the right balance of hydration to refrain from tinkling as well. I'm still in the mid-tuning stages with all of this, but my initial thought is that this is on the edge of being dangerous (though I'm not ruling it out completely).
I tend to produce type 1-3 poopy during heavy endurance days. And I do tend to dehydrate toward the end of endurance events. Though after the 3rd day of the Elite PAC Tour, I had no issues. So chalk one up for the poopy chart! The products I use have some protein in them. Protein requires more fluid to process and adds to my dehydration problem.
There is also the tinkle chart, which can provide useful guidelines in monitoring your pee. If you start seeing that dark brown pee mid way through your ride, you may be in trouble. You'll need to slow down and hydrate well. But be careful, although rare, it is possible to over hydrate and induce a condition called hyponatremia. It's all about balance and learning how your body responds to adverse conditions. It's trial and error (experience). And don't be afraid to ask questions, when you don't know the answer. Someone out there may know.
Mary and Al Delaney of Rehab to Racing (R2R) answered a question for me that had me puzzled for several years. In cooler temperatures (more specifically when rides start out warm in the daylight and then drop 20-30 degrees in the evenings) I would experience excessive and frequent urination. Almost as if I had just consumed 10 gallons of water (only I had not). This condition is known as Cold Immersion Diuresis. If I remember this correctly, as your extremities get cold the blood in your body moves to your core to protect the blood supply to the brain. Your body detects this increase in blood volume and tries to reduce it via urination, which may lead to dehydration. So keep drinking and put those layers on. A cold, continuous rain may also bring on Cold Immersion Diuresis, as I have experienced. Your body tries to compensate for many of the stresses that you subject to it. The more educated you can be on various subjects the better you're going to be at self-evaluating race day issues.
So in the future, if you're seated in a nice restaurant and you hear the table next to you talking about poopy and pee-pee -- give them a break. It may be someone you know...ME!
Poopy and pee-pee are related to your intake...or lack thereof and if you monitor it closely enough (is that TMI?) you can certainly tell what's going on with your body and possible ways to correct some of the conditions. Instead of being too graphic on this blog, I thought I'd direct you to the poopy chart. It's self-explanatory. Some of you are really into the floaters verses the sinkers. I've heard that your poopy will float, if your diet has enough fiber. I tried this test for a short period of time and only manage a floater here and there. In my book, as long as you have an effortless, solid poopy, you're good to go.
Prolonged physical exertion can play havoc on the poopy. Depending on the duration of your event, poopies are usually non-existent and that's what many endurance athletes strive for to save time on the potty stops. Many endurance athletes successfully stick with a liquid fuel source and try to find the right balance of hydration to refrain from tinkling as well. I'm still in the mid-tuning stages with all of this, but my initial thought is that this is on the edge of being dangerous (though I'm not ruling it out completely).
I tend to produce type 1-3 poopy during heavy endurance days. And I do tend to dehydrate toward the end of endurance events. Though after the 3rd day of the Elite PAC Tour, I had no issues. So chalk one up for the poopy chart! The products I use have some protein in them. Protein requires more fluid to process and adds to my dehydration problem.
There is also the tinkle chart, which can provide useful guidelines in monitoring your pee. If you start seeing that dark brown pee mid way through your ride, you may be in trouble. You'll need to slow down and hydrate well. But be careful, although rare, it is possible to over hydrate and induce a condition called hyponatremia. It's all about balance and learning how your body responds to adverse conditions. It's trial and error (experience). And don't be afraid to ask questions, when you don't know the answer. Someone out there may know.
Mary and Al Delaney of Rehab to Racing (R2R) answered a question for me that had me puzzled for several years. In cooler temperatures (more specifically when rides start out warm in the daylight and then drop 20-30 degrees in the evenings) I would experience excessive and frequent urination. Almost as if I had just consumed 10 gallons of water (only I had not). This condition is known as Cold Immersion Diuresis. If I remember this correctly, as your extremities get cold the blood in your body moves to your core to protect the blood supply to the brain. Your body detects this increase in blood volume and tries to reduce it via urination, which may lead to dehydration. So keep drinking and put those layers on. A cold, continuous rain may also bring on Cold Immersion Diuresis, as I have experienced. Your body tries to compensate for many of the stresses that you subject to it. The more educated you can be on various subjects the better you're going to be at self-evaluating race day issues.
So in the future, if you're seated in a nice restaurant and you hear the table next to you talking about poopy and pee-pee -- give them a break. It may be someone you know...ME!
ADVANCED BIKE FIT AT SPORTFIT LAB
SportFit Lab offers 3 levels of bike fit (basic, standard and advanced). Great options for all levels of cyclists/triathletes/duathletes. I was going through the advanced fit and this is how it went.
I first filled out a thorough athletic history report as Doug set up my bike on the Computrainer and took some measurements from by current bike setup.
Inseam and shoulder width measurements were taken to rule out any flagrant flaws in my current set up. Doug had noted that my bars were a little on the wide side and questioned my use of bar end shifters installed on the drops verses on the aerobars. Both were due to mechanical failures during earlier races that I completed in and I had not reconfigured the front end with new parts. Something to fine tune down the road.
Doug then checks for lower joint issues under load by having you sit on the edge of a chair and then has you slowly stand to an erect position, then slowly sit back onto the edge of the chair (repeat as needed). He visually evaluates your joint motion as you perform this test. He found an excessive amount of pronation in my feet (I do have flat feet) that can lead to knee issues and recommended firmer inserts. I will definitely pick up a couple of pair. I have to admit that I do experience knee pain with severe climbing and the inserts may be the solution.
I then hopped on the bike to warm up into a comfortable zone before Doug applied resistance. He turned on an overhead monitor (a huge 32" flat screen), that allowed me to follow the spin scan results. He reported that I have nearly perfect symmetrical pedaling through out my pedal stroke. I looked up at the monitor and asked him to explain. There were a series of bars indicating power output at 15 degree segments for both the left and right legs through 360 degrees (one pedal revolution). It showed the peaks and valleys of power delivery to the pedals. My numbers flowed between 49/51 and 50/50. I was happy to see that drill work does pay off. Typically, riders get more out of balance as resistance is increased. Oddly, mine improved as resistance increased.
While I was spinning, Beth was taking video of the session and assisting Doug as needed.
After a good sweat, Doug had me hop off the bike to take a few more measurements. He measures for strength and flexibility. I pass, but received good core strength tips in the process. He evaluated the motion video and pulled some measurements from the screen. I was slightly extended, but due to my level of comfort and no physical side effects, we opted not to change this position, but noted it for future reference.
Doug made a slight cleat adjustment to help smooth out a minor asymmetrical reading on a segment of my right leg. I jump back on the bike, warm back up and look back up at the monitor. The adjustment did the trick with no odd feeling to my pedal stroke. After further discussion of how I use my aerobars, Doug suggested a slight repositioning of the forearm pads. This took a little more pressure off my shoulders and made the position more comfortable.
I'll share the printed results once emailed to me. Overall, I did not have any huge flaws, which I was happy to hear (but expected that my position wasn't too far out). My form was better than I had anticipated and I was able to fine tune some adjustments for better power and efficiency through the cleat and pad adjustments, along with the use of inserts. I'm anxious to put these changes through some mileage tests. I'm planning on riding the Saratoga 24hr in July and hope to log at least 400 miles. We'll see how that goes.
I've been cycling off and on for over 30 years (both recreational and competitive), so your results will likely be different from mine. A good bike fit is a valuable tool if you plan on cycling for any amount of time on a regular basis. And a must for any serious triathlete or cyclist.
Doug and Beth performed one of the most thorough bike fits that I have ever experienced and I feel that I came away with a more powerful and efficient position. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my experience or check out Doug and Beth at SportFit Lab.
Good Luck in your race season and thanks for following my quest.
Here I have added the printed results (6/22/10):
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