Supplements from @SupplicityUK

I'm a big fan of small businesses and entrepreneurs bringing new products and services to market - even more so if they have a cycling related theme.  

Recently I came across a business called Supplicity which delivers supplements via the post.  Meeting the founder - Jonny Taylor - a personal fitness coach, I heard about the idea behind the business and was impressed by his energy and drive.  A young guy, with a big idea which he's worked hard to manifest.

As we all become busier, convenience is a major factor to creating new habits.  When something is to hand, it's often a key factor in creating the repetition needed to become the norm.  As a regular cyclist I was curious to understand what benefit it would have to me but also the wider benefits in terms of general wellbeing, so asked Jonny to pen a guest post which you can read below.

Having now used the Mojo box for a month, it's been no hassle atall just to grab a strip of a morning before I leave for work, it's second nature now.  As a person with a busy schedule, sustaining energy levels is key and that's the job of the supplements in this box.  Each box contains enough for 30 days and each strip is labelled with a day of the week - nothing to think about.

Cost wise, it works out at £4.50 a week, which is a little more than a daily Cappuccino at Starbucks, delivered to your front door once a month.  Think that's a very reasonable investment if it gives the body a boost.  Anyhow, over to Jonny.  You can find more about them at www.supplicity.co.uk.

DO CYCLISTS NEED SUPPLEMENTS?

Jonny Taylor, health and wellness professional and founder of Supplicity, says not necessarily – but they can make a difference.

Cyclists, just like any athletes and indeed most of the general public, don’t necessarily “need” dietary supplements. The optimal way to get enough nutrients is through a balanced and varied diet, and while supplements are a sensible way of ensuring you get all the vitamins, minerals and micro nutrients you require to support a healthy lifestyle, we would never sell them as a replacement for good diet, nor as a life-or-death essential.

So why might supplements be a good idea for a rider? Because unlike the most disciplined pros, the rest of us don’t live in the ideal world. Most of us don’t have time for the perfect training and diet programmes because we have so much else going on in our lives.

There is no doubt that better diet equates to better performance on the bike. Most of us have felt the immediate effects of sport-specific dietary aids such as energy gels, bars and recovery drinks. But what about those micro nutrients that, if neglected, could be detrimental to performance?

Here are some suggestions to think about:

·        Iron. This sport is all about the red blood cells: the better shape they’re in, the more oxygen gets to your muscles. This mineral plays a vital role in the hemoglobin molecule and thus oxygen carrying capacity.

·        Vitamin D. One of the best things about cycling is it’s a lifelong sport, you can enjoy it – and even compete – well into your old age. So healthy bones are essential, and vitamin D plays an important part in this.

·        B vitamins and magnesium. It’s not just about getting energy sources into your body, it’s also important to think about how you metabolise them – and these two nutrients are crucial for this.

·        Zinc and Vitamin C. These both play a role in immune system support – which is important for so many cyclists as they tend to “bury themselves” on hard rides, training sessions and races.

·        Ginseng. By no means a daily essential, but on dark winter mornings or in periods when you need a bit of a prod to get you out and riding, this is a great natural booster to put a bit of zing into you.

In summary, all of the basic essentials can, and should, be found in a proper diet. But we’ve found that getting into the habit of taking a daily supplement actually forms part of a wider set of healthy habits. When we take small steps such as taking good quality food supplements, we tend also to get into the mind-set of making small changes (marginal gains!) elsewhere too. So supplements end up being part of, rather than a replacement for, a better way of eating.

www.supplicity.co.uk

About supplicity: Supplicity was set up by a personal trainer and a doctor, It offers the best quality, British-produced, MHRA-certified food supplements, in a convenient monthly subscription plan through your letterbox

foto velodrome Exhibition at Manchester Velodrome

I get to meet and work with some great people in my day job aswell as get presented with some great opportunities in my day job as head of Brother UK Ltd.  One of those recent ones was the opportunity to sponsor a brand new exhibition of cycling photography at the National Cycling Centre.  

As a business that has been in Manchester since 1968 and a big contributor to the regional economy, it made perfect sense for me to support this initiative as many of the images on display have been printed on our A3 printers.

I know how important the velodrome is to cyclists across the country and this great sport needs to have it's best talent showcased, so we've backed it so that the thousands of people that visit the National Cycling Centre can appreciate all that is great not just about the building, but the experiences that get created within it.  I've asked the person behind the exhibition, Chris Keller-Jackson, to tell us a bit more about it.  Chris has supplied a few of the images from the exhibition, to feature in the post.

Guest Post by Chris Keller-Jackson of Crank Photo

There is so much to the amazing sport of cycling, so many disciplines, so many bikes and so many ways to enjoy the sport. Some people tinker with bikes, some people ride bikes, some people race bikes and some do other things, like work within the industry.

 

I happen to be in a very privileged position, (and I know that), I work within the industry as a Journalist and Photographer. I live and work in the North West of England, and work both on the 'Business to Business' side of cycling, (the makers, developers and sellers of bikes and components) and the consumer side of cycling (events, magazines and online content).

As a photographer I specialise in action sports, and if you have watched any of the Revolution Series Track Racing on Television,you'll have seen me, as I'm stood on the 'cote d'azure' (the dark blue bit on the track) often within feet of the riders as they hurtle past. I wear a distinctive black and orange pit shirt so I stick out like a sore thumb.

What's it like on the track ? Firstly, if you have never been on the boards then I'd suggest you give it a go, Manchester, Newport and Glasgow all offer taster sessions, then you'll get more of an idea. As a spectator on TV or sat in the seats you don't see and hear what I get to hear. 

There is danger and noise all around, with the click – clack of a tight chain over the fixed rear sprocket, the rumble of the boards moving around under the riders and the rush of air, so close to the action. Noise also comes directly from the riders, shouting, controlling the pack with instructions and the occasional scream as riders get too close and sometimes touch.

The worst noise on the track is the echoing bang and scrape of a fallen rider, the noise is tremendous, especially if it is close to you. This is often when riders hook bars or wheels touch, resulting in involuntary braking using skin friction and lycra clothing. Whatever, it burns.

Track riding is serene and pure, no gears, no brakes, no freewheels. Track racing is that too,but it is also brutal, unforgiving and very dangerous.

Being on the track is fascinating, you get to see the camaraderie of the riders, the skill and the hard work. Long events such as the Madison and 80 lap Points and Scratch races show just how much effort goes into competing at national and international level. It is also fascinating watching riders progress up the ranks, through youth and junior up to ODP and Track Stardom. Watch out for Emily Kay and Matt Rotherham is all I'll say.

In 2011 I had an exhibition based on Track Cycling photography, it was 'small' and went well, making its way from humble beginnings in Gatley, ending up in London, just off Carnaby Street. That was the pinnacle. Late last year however, I was contacted by the National Cycling Centre, and commissioned to create a new Gallery at the Velodrome. It's proved to be a trial, developing over 60 images, all based at Manchester, even more as I'm rather exacting in self editing. I'm thankful for the support of my family, friends and the sponsorship of Brother UK.

 

As I write this, the launch of the gallery is less than two weeks away. Everything is set (well, almost), the images are in place and all the preparation I can do is done. Much of the last minute activity is in the hands of others, PR, Catering and the venue organisation.

If you are reading this before Thursday 11^th April, why not come along to the launch event, and have a chance to mingle with Track Cycling stars. The event starts at 7.30 and admission is free.

You can follow me on Twitter @crankphoto or contact me directly at “contact@crankphoto.co.uk”, where you can also see a selection of images in the gallery. Search fotovelodrome to find my wordpess blog.

foto velo drome begins 11.04.13 and runs for a year, the gallery is located on the Spectator Concourse of Manchester Velodrome, Stuart St Manchester M11 4DQ.

Winter Training - Guest Post from @bodybullet

From time to time I invite someone that I rate to write a guest blog.  I'm pleased to welcome back Simon Vincent from www.totalcyclingperformance.co.uk to talk about winter training.  I can wholly endorse the points that Simon is making, having used one of his programmes to prepare for London to Paris earlier this year.

"ITS TIME TO CONSIDER THAT MILES IN THE SADDLE IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT"


As many people’s attention begins to turn to winter base training and how they are going to fit in all those anticipated ‘extra’ miles around their other “non-cycling” commitments, it is worth pointing out that base training is not all about the miles, and indeed more progress could be made with less focus on the miles and more focus on addressing the rest of the physiological components that make up “total cycling performance”.   We are only ever as strong as our weakest link and for many of my clients “cardiovascular fitness” is not an issue, yet they have been stuck on pretty much the same cycling speed for years.

Many would have ended the 2012 season with a fairly large amount of miles under their belts (alongside a high level of cardiovascular fitness) so after a well-deserved few weeks away from the bike, the time has now come to turn one’s attention to a type of ‘winter base training’ that will offer the most return on investment in respect of the time one is able to put into training.

The most important aspect of any that any plan should address if you are going to become a faster cyclist in 2013 is gaining ‘strength’ through the use of weights, and no before anyone thinks out loud “but weights will make you bulky and slow” trust me, bodybuilders look like they do because they eat many thousands of calories a day of protein and carbohydrate, whilst training each body part in isolation through vast amounts of sets/reps to the point of complete muscle breakdown.

When this practice is deployed and muscles given enough calories and time to recover, part of the healing process involves laying down additional muscle fibres to cope with the increased stress, hence the wacky pumped up appearance occurs.

To give an example of how strength training and not “bodybuilding” use of weights improves ones endurance performance, I would like to draw your attention to Mo Farrah’s performances during this year’s Olympics. Mo had spent several months in America working with a top coach who is very big on sprint finishes and strength training, and the last time I saw Mo run on television, he did not strike a pose that resembled anything Arnie would have put out in his hey-day. He was however able to put in a performance with an apparent ease not previously witnessed in a lot of his former winning performances.

Another fairly old school view of strength training is that it takes too long to do as it needs to be done nearly 3 – 4 times per week to be effective. This again is wrong and very successful strength progression can be achieved with just two 30 – 45 minute sessions per week, as part of a structured “progressive overload” training plan.

The most important aspect is that this overload is small but frequent. I have worked with clients who prior to consulting my services had used the gym for years and had never really increased the weights they lifted for the very fear of “getting bulky”.

 When explained to them about the myth and how difficult it is for men to put on lean muscle bulk, they quickly realised the error of their ways and with a bespoke training plan created for them, many have gone onto to double their leg strength during the first 8 weeks and, have been shocked to have lost inches around their waste despite the scales telling them that they had not lost any weight. Has this had any positive impact on their cycling speed? Well I will let you read the testimonies on my website for you to find out for yourself.

Muscle weighs more than fat but takes up considerably less space, hence the reason many are shocked once they realise the truth. Whilst there will always be cyclists out there who make great annual gains in cycling speed, strength and endurance through cycling alone, these are few and far between, and those that do make such gains tend to have the luxury of not having to juggle a 50 hour working week, alongside family and other commitments away from cycling.

Alongside strength training it is important to not let all that previously amassed cardiovascular fitness go to waste. However in this respect many cyclists make the mistake of trying too hard to often. The most important aspect in developing greater speed and efficiency as a cyclist is the ability to stay out of the “grey zone” whilst developing MAE (maximum aerobic efficiency)

The grey zone is present in the vast majority of “frustrated riders” training, when they are riding too hard to develop MAE, yet not hard enough to increase their blood lactate threshold, hence the reason, despite increasing their weekly mileage, increases in anticipated cycling speed simply fail to materialise.

This problem is made worse as riders begin to clock this speed stagnation and think the way to overcome this issue is by pushing harder or longer than before, alas they are not going to get any faster.

Quite the opposite is true and by spending more time in this “grey zone” many riders risk illness, burnout and frustration, as they fail to get any faster, despite attempting to put in more miles in order to compensate, which leads to further performance stagnation and frustration.

It is not the amount of miles that one puts into the saddle, but the quality of those miles that count, and many of my clients have made more progress during the 1st 8 weeks of their bespoke training plans than years previously, despite in some cases having the amount of miles they spend out on the bike cut in half.

The professional riders although very talented are still mere human beings and are able to ride like they do because more than anything else they train, rest and eat correctly.

With a bespoke training plan tailored around addressing all weaknesses present in your current performance, you too could enjoy considerable gains in cycling speed, strength and endurance. Whilst I can’t promise you will go onto to be the next Tour de France winner, I can promise a level of personal performance like you never imagined possible in less time each week than most old school coaches would tell you is just not feasible.

For a no obligation chat about your performance issues and goals for 2013 and beyond, please do not hesitate to contact me via www.totalcyclingperformance.co.uk or you can find me on Twitter @bodybullet.

Good luck and remember is #smarterNOTlonger training that will make you a better rider than you ever gave yourself credit for in 2013 and beyond.

Andy Tennant reviews Exposure Lights

Rapha Condor Sharp rider Andy Tennant has recently done a road test of Exposure lights.  I thought it would be really interesting to hear what an pro-rider thinks of kit which you can buy straight from a shop or on-line, so he's agreed for me to publish his review.  Read more about Andy Tennant on his website http://www.tennanto.co.uk/.  

Note from the Editor.  For the record, I use the "Flash and Flare" lights Andy had reviewed below and they've proved to be a great set of lights, highly visible, yet very small + re-chargeable.  Read on for Andy's comments: -

Andy Tennant

Andy Tennant tests Exposure lights

Being visible is absolutely vital when riding in low light conditions. Unfortunately, in these conditions, my presence on the road is not highlighted by my stylish Rapha-Condor-Sharp kit - black just doesn’t cut it.  Even when wearing high-vis attire, I still remain invisible to many road users. 

I am lucky enough to have been sent a variety of Exposure lights, thanks to Ultimate Sports Engineering, to test out. I was sent two types of lights- wired and battery operated. The wired take the power off the mains with a small cable from the rear light into the port where you would normally charge the lights; the battery operated ones can be used with rechargeable or disposable batteries.

Before I even placed the lights on my bike their sleek advanced design and power is obvious. Whilst playing with the lights in broad daylight, I installed temporary blindness into a fellow team mate as I powered up the MaXx-D which can run for up to 3 hours. On it brightest setting it’s duration it extended if you turn to a lower power setting. Even the lowest power setting is easily good enough at night.

Instantaneously, I could see these compact, lightweight lights had huge amounts of light power. On closer inspection, I found each of the individual lights display their power settings and estimated running time- a neat little feature great for long rides and differing lighting condition. The lights look well crafted, it’s clear a lot of thought has gone into conceiving these products, including sealed units to protect from the elements.

Placing the lights onto my bike and helmet was a simple procedure, completed by bolting the bracket to the handlebars and click the light onto the bracket. The dovetail design mounting makes the light totally secure on the handlebars, To work, double click to switch on, one click to cycle through the modes, and to switch off a hold of the button (confirmed by the light giving you a little flash). The rear light was easily attached; a rubber clip around the seat pin allowed for quick attachment and release.

 Test rides

Conditions: Foggy;  Location: The Peaks;  Lights: ‘Red Eye’ and ‘Toro’

My greatest fear is people running up behind me and not seeing me. The 80 lumens beaming from the ‘Red Eye’, even if the main beam is on low, put these concerns to rest.  The front light in foggy conditions is all you need to be visible, and is easily powerful enough on the lowest setting, which gives you 24 hours.  The lights are small enough not to affect your ride. All I can say is, I am so impressed with the test run, that the lights have left my bike only to be charged. A trusty companion alongside my frame, pump and saddle bag for winter rides. They have become essential and for Winter rides, I believe these are the ultimate combination to be fully road detectable!

Exposure 'Toro' Light

 Conditions: Foggy;  Location: The Peaks;  Lights: ‘Flash and Flare’

The battery powered ‘Flash and Flare’ lights, are extremely petite, have no impact on the aesthetics of my race bike and are guaranteed to stay on my bike for the rest of the year. Attaching, and detaching, takes a matter of seconds and they easily offer enough light - even in dim to no light conditions. I would say these are the perfect emergency lights! The rear on its own is a must for any riders competing in time trials. Small, aerodynamic and add that extra visibility - perfect for early morning and late TTs. My ‘Flash and Flare’ lights are already in there rightful place aboard my TT bike!

Exposure 'Flash and Flare' lights

Conditions: Foggy;  Location: The Peaks;  Lights: ‘MaXx-D Mk.4A’ and ‘Diablo’

The ‘MaXx-D Mk.4A’ is definitely the ‘daddy’ of all bike lights and  I can safely say that during night rides, both these lights are faultless. The ‘MaXx-D Mk.4A’ is a refined, high quality light pumping out a blinding 1285 lumans, and you could be mislead to believe that it is in fact the middle of the day. This light gives me great confidence when riding in the dark. Perfect for the commute home or night time MTB riding. Both these lights have the ability for a rear light to be plugged in. Personally I feel the ‘Diablo’ has a great feature allowing for a rear light on the helmet, so you would not be missed by motorists behind you. 

Exposure 'MaXx-D Mk.4A' light

The Verdicts

Generally, I am always dubious in terms of how bike lights perform. There is a common theme whereby they begin their lives well but quickly falter as water gets into them and plays havoc with the electrics. 'Exposure’ lights do not have this problem. They performance is next to nothing, and I feel like they are now an essential part of my life.

Simple conclusion, I think they are an essential piece of kit every bike rider should possess.  Simple, yet extremely bike chic; all parts and accessories are included, even a USB lead so you can charge off a laptop or phone charger, perfect if you are a commuter or travelling - one less charger to travel with.

Below are my personal recommendations:

Flash/Flare.

Perfect for summer evening riding and dark mornings – dawn and dusk lights. These are great all rounders. Easily attached and removed. Web link here, SRP £85.00 for the pair.

Diablo / Red Eye.

Helmet and bike light great for short night rides or alongside a stronger (MaXx-D Mk.4A) for longer rides. Look great on the bike and slightly stronger than the ‘Flash’ but still cosmetically sleek. The red eye attachment on your helmet is ideal for commuting.  Diablo Web link here, SRP £199.00.  Red Eye Web Link here, SRP from £40.00.

Toro.

My new Winter light - perfect in all conditions. Simply paramount as a front light for road users.  Web link here, SRP £274.99.

MaXx-D Mk.4A .

For me personally, this is quite strong and is not quite the right light for my needs, but absolutely ideal if you ride in the dark, or outside residential areas e.g. MTB rides.  Web link here, SRP £324.99

Base Miles - A Coaches Perspective

Guest Blog by Colin Batchelor of www.totalcyclecoach.com.  Find Colin on Twitter @onthebanking.

 I’ve been following the excellent discussion on base miles and thought it worth putting in my views as a working coach.



As we ride the training effects/adaptations happens at different %’s of our Max’s. (That can be % or Max heart rate, VO2 max, Max minute power etc) Knowing what happens at what % can help us tailor our riding to meet a specific goal. If we get this wrong we can risk failure to develop in areas that need developing. So lets look at base in a little more detail.


Zone 2 – 65-75% of max heart rate


Zone 2 can best be summed up as the ‘improves efficiency’ zone. Here we see the best results for fat burning and the best increase in the ability to use oxygen to produce power. In other words if we ride a lot in zone 2 (and all else is equal) we will lose fat and be able to produce more power with the same level of effort. In Zone 2 the combination of high volume rides and cardiovascular overload provides core development of baseline aerobic endurance and improves biomechanical and physiological efficiency (your cycling will get better/easier).


Zone 2 is where new cyclists should start to train and provide the core endurance base for competitive and sportive riders. At zone 2 you should be able to hold a conversation, but at the same time be able to concentrate on developing your skills, for example cornering and riding close to other riders.


Ideally don’t have more than two zone 2 sessions back to back (Saturday, Sunday and rest on Monday) to allow your body to recover and to build back from your training, remember the holy trinity of training: Ride appropriately, Nutrition and Rest, miss any one of the triangle out and the other two are liable to falter.


Remember as you train more and get fitter your zones will start to slowly move out, so it’s well worth taking a baseline after 4 or 5 months of regular training.

7 Tips for a Top Triathlon

Triathlon is booming as as individuals look to test themselves with multi-discipline sport . I recently had the pleasure to meet former international tri-athlete Beth Borthwick at the Tour de France. I asked Beth whether she would share some of her learnings from an international career and she's ever so generously written these thoughts to share. Some great tips.

Over my career as a triathlete, and since as a physio; working with lots of athletes of all kinds of abilities, I’ve learnt plenty of lessons. Whether it is completing your first triathlon or whether it is striving for better times, there are always things that can be learnt – it may be different ways of training and preparing, or it may be reinforcing some of the things you do already. One thing is for sure, we can always get better.

1. Find a good training partner, but also train alone.

Training with friends or with a partner can really help. It can make things more enjoyable, it can help push you as different members of the group may have different strengths. This may allow you to learn from other people. Watch what they do, the good and the bad, and see how you think that may benefit you. You must remember, however, that when you’re running or biking in a group, you can draft or hang on to other people to keep you going through tough spells.

When you’re racing, however, you may not have those people around you, when you’re really battling, you may be on your own, especially if you’re doing an Ironman, and it is up to you to bring yourself through. So get to know yourself, get to know how much training you need to do on your own.

When I first started my career in triathlon, I got to a certain level by training with my buddies, in groups and non-structured environments. I then left for a while and came back with a whole new attitude. I found a coach I liked and really appreciated his ideas. So I committed myself to the training. I rarely trained with people.

Eighty-five to 90 percent of the training I did alone, which worked for me. I think athletes now have this notion to show off their fitness. They always want to be out in front when it should just be a training session. Training alone created self-confidence. I came out and won my first three back to back races by training alone, which were Ironbridge, Windsor and the European Junior Championships.

2. Do drills.

It goes without saying that when doing a long race, such as an Ironman, being as efficient as possible throughout the race will be a huge benefit in the latter stages. This is why I find it so surprising that so few people choose to neglect cycling and running drills. I felt I could be more efficient, and I worked to engrain my technique so that even in the most fatigued state, my technique would stay strong, I wouldn’t start falling apart in the latter stages.

The reality is you should be doing drills all the time, year in and year out, constantly striving to improve. As a physiotherapist now I am a true believer also that specific drills will also reduce the chance of injury. With the amount of training that you will be doing, your body will already be tested, why put more pressure on it by ignoring drilling and developing bad habits!?

My favorite drills included the water polo drill for swimming (where you spend time swimming with your head-up, as you will need to when sighting the buoy in an open-water swim), single leg cycling drills on the turbo and hamstring recoil pre activation drills for the run (especially important for after the bike when your quads are tired.

3. Be Specific – plan your training.

It’s clear that adhering to a structured training programme will reward you in the long run. However, you should also think about how specific your plan is. It is one thing to get lots of miles in your legs or meters in the pool, but how specific are you really being? If you are training for a particular race and are trying to improve your time, then be specific. Get to know the course and structure your training accordingly.

My coach had me train specifically for the long distance triathlon in Nice. When I trained for Nice, I'd incorporate rides and runs similar to that course. We developed a mammoth turbo session which replicated the cycle course. It was only on the third of 11 switch backs on the descent that I realized there was one aspect I was very much unprepared for!

A structured training programme should also ensure that adequate attention to given to recovery. We spend a lot of time thinking about when we’re going to get the miles done, but you must also ensure you get adequate recovery. This is when you must get to know how much recovery you need and when it best fits into your programme.

Monitor your training and record what you’ve done. I use the Garmin Forerunner to help me keep focus on my running. By recording what you’ve done, you can see the improvements and try to isolate what part of training gives you the greatest benefit.

4. Know your Body.

Listen to your body, understand it. If you’re starting to feel a niggle, it may be best to tweak your programme or even take a day off. Make sure this isn’t being used as an excuse, but in the long run, it may save you a lot of heartache. I’ve seen so many people who have felt a niggle, but have chosen to ignore it, until they can’t keep going and have to take a long spell on the sidelines. It may be something very simple that can be fixed quickly, so get it sorted.

It may be really helpful to design a short and simple exercise programme that will aid your programme. When training for three disciplines, swim, bike and run, it can seem that there just isn’t enough time in the day for all the training that needs to be done. It may appear that there really isn’t more time to be doing an exercise programme. The reality is however, that an exercise programme, if well-designed need not be too time-intensive, and if it keeps you healthy and performing to your best then it will be worth it in the long-run.

It doesn’t need to be complicated or have the need for lots of equipment, it may just need some thera-band to help with work on your shoulders, a foam roller for your thoracic spine after you’ve had long ride, or to help de-tone your ITB’s before a long-run. We can easily develop some imbalances that can lead to serious problems in the future, yet a few simple exercises can help prevent this.

5. Get the right Equipment.

The commitment to training for a triathlon is huge, so the last thing you want to happen is to be hit with a mechanical failure on race day. Equipment can be expensive, but I’ve seen so many people have their goals destroyed by something relatively minor. Get new tyres or a new chain, but most importantly find a mechanic you trust with your equipment and make sure they give all your equipment a thorough examination.

Try and learn from them as well, you never know when you may need those skills. If you’re doing a race abroad and you’ve had to dismantle your bike for the flight, the last thing you want to do is not know how to deal with a problem the night before the race.

6. Figure out your nutritional plan.

The longer the race, the more important your nutrition plan is. This is a simple two-part strategy:

1) Figure out what works best for you
2) Train like you race.

And always remember to bring your own food. There's a good chance that the race won't have your preferred gel or drink and this can be a complete disaster.

I remember racing a half ironman in Switzerland and getting to kilometer 15 on the run and feeling my energy levels fading. I grabbed an energy gel from the next food station. This was like trying to swallow thick glue. Needless to say I coughed and splattered my way to the next drink station where I was then able to wash it down with water.

I stole my best secret race supplement from a former training partner. When I was training I loved to eat Snickers bars. Get the fun-size bars as they come individually prepackaged so they don't make a mess when you pack them in your food bag on your bike. If it was a hot race, I made sure to freeze them the night before so that they're ready to eat on the bike. Best of all they're about 270 calories each, making sure I got plenty of fuel into me quickly when I needed it. For me this is the perfect amount of fuel for a strong run time. Find what works best for you.

7. Remember the Little Things….

• Find a comfortable race outfit and train in it before the race – the last thing you need is chafing during the swim or to be uncomfortable half-way around the cycling course.
• Put your swim goggle strap under your swim cap – otherwise in a competitive open-water swim they may get ripped off.
• Wear you race number under your wetsuit – it will save you time in the first transition.
• Invest in a helmet with adequate air vents - especially if you’re racing in a warm climate.
• Elastic laces or toggles on your laces with powder in your shoes – means no need to tie your laces or put socks on, saving you time in the second transition.
• Practice your transitions – this is easy to do, it saves you time, and keeps your momentum in the race!

 About Beth Borthwick

Beth was born in Cottesloe, Perth, Western Australia and grew up a block away from Henk and Leon Vogel in a small suburb called Roleystone. She is a multiple state athletic and cross country champion, and completed her first triathlon after leaving school. From there she was selected in the Australian junior triathlon squad and finished 2nd in her first world junior triathlon championships.

Having British parents, she decided, after much deliberation to race for Great Britain. Beth competed as an international triathlete for eight years representing Great Britain at senior level; with career highlights including finishing 3rd in the Austrian Ironman and a world-ranking high of 5th. During this time she achieved a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science from Bath University before qualifying from Cardiff University as a Chartered Physiotherapist.

She has experience working as a senior clinician in the NHS and working as physiotherapist for the British Bobskeleton team. Beth currently works for Six Physio on Harley Street in London.

Career Highlights;

• Three time junior and senior member Great Britain Triathlon team 1997 - 2004.
• World Junior Championships 1997: 2nd; 1998: 3rd.
• European Junior Champion 1998.
• European Triathlon Cup Champion 1999.
• 15 International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Cup competitions; 6 top ten finishes
• 20 European Triathlon Union (ETU) competitions; 6 victories, 10 top five finishes, 4 top ten finishes
• Klagenfurt, Austrian Ironman 3rd; time 9hrs 29mins.
• World long distance Championships 2002: 8th; 2003: 5th.
• European long distance Championships 2003: 5th; 2004: 8th.
• World Triathlon long distance ranking 5th 2003; 5th 2004.

Coming back from a Cold

One of the great things about social media is the people you meet, who you would never have met in a million years - without the platform.

One such person is the brains behind Propulse fitness consulting and coaching - Niko.  He's been very helpful in offering me advice behind the scenes on how to recover from my recent episode of illness.

With winter fast approaching, I asked him if he'd pen a top ten tips to help other people in my situation, which he's generously agreed to do.  So, in return please follow him on Twitter here.

How did I get it? Why me? 

Prevention is better than cure.  Remember, over 75% of all colds we get from handshakes, door handles and lifts.  

•  Always wash your hands and avoid touching your face. 
  
• If flying, always wear a hat, even if the A/C over the seat is off, the ventilation is strong in a plane, creating a draft.  
• Echinacea prevents colds naturally, during the winter period, it is a supplement must. 

When you've got a cold, there’s still a chance to fight/prevent it, but you have to act asap, when that “strange” feeling starts, immediately take an aspirin - the real acetylsalic acid - together with 1000mg of Vitamin C.

While we are sick, there is nothing really serious we can do, we simply have to save energy and power, drink lots of water the whole time and eat light meals.

The ten tips to getting back on the bike again

1. Your system is still weak, joints and legs need time and light training again. Don’t be impatient, remember the rule, one day off, two training days needed. One week off, two weeks needed.  The better trained the body was, the faster it will return to the previous form.
2. Eat well and drink water. Protein from high amino acid food, like chicken breast, fish fillets, natural yoghurt and pure carbohydrates like rice and pasta and vitamins from fruit and salads will speed your recovery and bring back your strength and energy.  Extra electrolytes and aminoacids will support it more. Avoid coffee and tea. No alcohol.
3. Sleep well and early. An early sleep boosts your system to produce hormones and recover faster.
4. When you feel well enought to start training.  Nice and easy, smooth light gears, high rpm.
5. Only flat routes during the first week.  Avoid the big ring, ride out of the saddle frequently but only just to stretch.
6. Mind your heart rates. You will notice, that after being sick, your HR is much higher even with a little head wind, or riding up a small incline.
7. A safe training HR zone till your system will be fully recovered is between 135-140.  So you can return home with an average 120-130.
8. Check your resting HR every morning and evening and note when it starts getting lower again.
9. Start with 1-1,5 hrs and finish the week with a 3-3,5 hrs ride. The second week start increasing the quantity, but not the quality.
10.  After the second week your HR will be much better and your legs will start demanding heavier gears, now you can start back quality training.

TT Bike Project - Guest Post

One of my fellow riders at North Cheshire Clarion cycling club has just built a TT bike.  I know lots of people are going in for triathlons or TT, so I asked him if he's share his build story with the race-pace.net readers.  It's a stunning machine. 

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Back in the 90's I used to Time Trial, 10's, 25's and if my memory is correct just one very painful 50. My times weren't exactly stunning but I kept plugging away on my Reynolds 653 steel framed road bike assembled from a mish-mash of components working in a clumsy sort of harmony as race, TT and training machine rolled into one. Then one day I stopped, not just racing but riding bikes altogether, I'd had enough of not improving week after week despite my very best efforts.

That was 16 years ago, now I'm back and well into my second season of obscure lay-bys and asking complete strangers to pin my numbers on! This time it was going to be different. I'd got some quality miles under my belt with my NorthCheshire Clarion club mates, I'd been having regular ramp tests so new exactly where my strengths and weaknesses were (this being money very well spent at TheEndurance Coach) and importantly, I'd set some stretching goals for 2011 – to achieve all-time Personal Bests for every distance I competed in. 

But to turn the clock back over 16 years, I'd need the right tools for the job. I didn't want to (and didn't have the cash to) buy a bike off the shelf, so 'Project Stealth' was born, a long term project to give me a TT machine on time for the 2011 season.

Time trialling is the ultimate cycling test, man and machine against the clock, the race of truth, a race with literally nowhere to hide. From my ramp tests I knew exactly how much power my 'engine' could sustain and I figured that wasting any of this energy was just plain stupid. So where to start in building a bespoke Time Trial bike to my own specification? I thought long and hard and then remembered some basic physics, I needed to start from the bottom up, to conserve the energy I produce.

Every pedal stroke is precious, every joule expended has to count, so why waste that effort with an inefficient drive train? My first, and probably most strategic choice for the bike was a Hope Ceramic Bottom Bracket. Beautifully manufactured in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, ceramic bearings replace the usual stainless steel, minimising friction in what is arguably the most important component in any bike. Whilst definitely pricey, reducing energy loss nearest to its source (my legs) seemed to be a engineering no-brainer.

Hope Ceramic Bottom Bracket

I'd already decided on and purchased (in a Summer sale, £200 off) an Argon 18 E-80 - an aluminium, carbon forked TT frame made in Canada. Extremely well finished and great looking, my thinking was that aluminium, whilst not the lightest and most fashionable choice these days, would take being loaded and unloaded into the car, week after week, without me fretting about the occasional ding.

With the frame and bottom bracket sorted, next was the drive train itself. For me the choice was simple, go top end, go Shimano Dura-Ace. Again, why waste energy with inefficient shifting? There was absolutely no way I could afford new, so what started as a quick smash and grab online, became an epic eBay trawl. 

I was targeting roadies who were undertaking winter upgrades, their low mileage, well cared for kit was locked firmly on my radar. After a good few months of late night bidding, disappointing loses and crafty wins, I'd sourced a chainset, front and rear mech, cassette and bar-end STI shifters all for under £150! An incredible bargain, and apart from a few very minor scuffs, all in excellent condition.

With the drivetrain nailed, next up, the cockpit. An integrated set-up was essential to maximise the time gains of a single unfaltering riding position, undertaking optimal gear changes with those Dura-Ace bar-end shifters. In the end I went for the 3T ProMistral carbon wing bars with aluminium tri-bars which provide the aerodynamic position necessary, picked up with a matching aluminium stem using an online discount code. Another bargain!

3T ProMistral Bars with Dura-Ace Shifters

 With the component trawl largely complete - the hardest choice was yet to be made, wheels. Tubulars or clincher, carbon or aluminium, shallow or deep section, difficult choices indeed. In the end it was a practical compromise that emerged. A online Boxing Day sale saw me bag a pair of Mavic Cosmic Carbone SL wheels, £250 off - Santa came late to our house! 

With aluminium braking surfaces and a 50mm carbon fairing these lightweight hoops spin up quickly and give the aerodynamics so essential on a TT machine. In the end I stuck with clinchers as I was familiar with them, pairing the wheels with Veloflex Master 22 tyres and featherweight Vittoria inner-tubes.

With a saddle retired from an old Felt road machine, SRAM TT brake levers and the nifty Tektro aero brakes which came free with the Argon frame, Jagwire cables completed the items necessary for the build, apart from one essential item, the chain.

This brings the component story full circle returning us to the principle of efficiency. No expense was spared here with a top of the line KMC 10 speed chain - no point having a Dura-Ace set up for it to be let down with clumsy shifting due to a dodgy chain. A few weeks waiting for a worthwhile discount code and this final item was snapped up.

After a few leisurely evenings building the bike up it was ready for its first test ride round one of my usual training haunts. What was immediately apparent was the transfer of power from my legs into immediate speed, pushing on the pedals literally made the bike leap forward. Gear changes were near seamless with Dura-Ace and whilst the bike was twitchy with its steep geometry, it was very responsive. Finally my engine had the equipment it needed!

The Completed Bike

 

Those first few rides threw up a few niggles with minor changes needed to get the tri-bar rests and length comfortable. One big problem however was the saddle. The old Felt saddle with its long nose was causing the seat post (which the option to alter the saddle angle) to slip during hard rides. Another quick eBay trip secured a nearly new Fi’zi:k Ares TT saddle, much shorter nose and ideal for the job. Problem solved.

And so into battle, armed with my new bike, Specialized TT helmet, skinsuit and overshoes, my first competition beckoned on the new bike, a ‘10’ on the D10/1 Rainford course. Boom! An all-time PB by 51 seconds, a 23:24, result!

It’s not just about the bike, it’s also about the quality miles, it’s about the careful diet, it’s about coaching and structured training. All those things have helped me achieve the goals I set myself and I’ve now secured PBs in 2011 at every distance I raced – the mid-week club 8.75 and open 10, 25 and 50 mile events – by considerable margins in each. I succeeded in turning the clock back 16 years!

What’s next? Well, the planning for 2012 has started already!

Specialized Allez Comp 2011 Review - Guest blog

My friend Rupert has just acquired a new bike.  Riding together the other week, I was interested to understand his selection process, to help others, and he agreed to write a short blog about it.  Follow Rupert on Twitter here.

I agonised over buying a new bike. It had been on my mind for about six months but I was overwhelmed by choice. Choice of frame material, brand and budget – the more I researched the more frustrated I became.


They all looked great, sounded great, but I had a big issue to overcome. The Trek 1200 I had been riding for eight years had never really felt right. I’d been through bike fits, three stems, all in search of the perfect position. I couldn’t find it.


In turn this had given rise to a fear of buying another one that wouldn’t fit. It’s a lot of money to spend, and it has to be right. Thankfully, frames have changed in the past decade and where the short head tube on my Trek had me bent double just to reach the drops, newer bikes come with more of a comfortable cockpit.


Following test rides that ended in disappointment, and expectations dashed, I went on holiday to Majorca still no closer to the purchase. My friend Richard, who lives on the island, had arranged to hire a couple of bikes and do a route into the hills. I didn’t give it much thought.


“I’ve got a couple of Specialized Allez, with triple chainsets,” he said on the phone. “We’ll need them round here.” Next day I was in the car and driving from Port Andratx to Soller to meet him. The plan, as I found out, was to try and ride “up to the reservoir”. To the rest of you that’s the ascent of Puig Major – 15km at 6.5 per cent – and one of the all time classic climbs on the island.


No sweat, I thought, it doesn’t matter how far we get – I’m on holiday and happy to just give it a go. But we did ride it – from sun drenched farmers’ fields at the base, through a hundred bends and into the cloud base and the rain.


It was an epic climb, the best I have ever done on a bike, and a good test. OK, so we were getting passed by most people, but I absolutely loved it. And loving it with me – the trusty Allez Comp that so far had cost just 20 Euros for a day’s hire.

Rupert (left) and Richard (right) on Puig Major

The bike just felt right. It whizzed up the hill, felt sporty, but tight, and predictable on the descent. My position, slightly more upright than I was used to, was very comfortable. I was impressed.


That was the only ride I did on the holiday but it had helped me get much closer to an important decision. When I returned to the UK, I paid a visit to Rick Green Cycles in Handforth - a family run business, with a decent reputation. It also sells the Specialized brand.


Following a brief chat about frame size and riding style, I was on a test ride. It was a far cry from the spiritual mountain bends of Puig Major – I was on a housing estate in Cheshire – but I felt exactly the same. Riding this bike bought a smile to my face. It was the bike I needed to buy. Because it felt right.


So now I own one – a 2011 Specialized Allez Comp. It’s white and blue – a wicked colour scheme - and it’s full Shimano 105. I have changed nothing out of the box, including the wheels, which are Mavic CXP – these are tight, straight and fast.


Quite simply, I love it, and have enjoyed hundreds of miles on the road like never before