Training

Proper dietary preparation is essential to your best efforts.

An open dialogue about the problem of doping has been, up to this point, the third rail of cycling. Touch it and you die. The culture insists that anyone wishing to continue working in the sport remain silent on the issue, which perpetuates the problem. But the tide appears to be turning. Team managers and riders are not being immediately fired for admitting a prior history of doping in the era before EPO testing. Breaking the silence is a huge step towards solving the problem. As the biggest names in the sport are falling, the anti-doping movement seems to be throwing a haymaker at the

Dear Monique,In your April 25th column (More prepping for long rides), you mentionweighing before and after a ride. Is the weight differential entirely fluidor food in the stomach? Can you say a bit more about this differential?Should riders shoot for some change, no change, under what circumstances?Thanks,JoelHi Joel,The difference between your weight before and after a training riderepresents the amount of sweat that you did not replace with fluid intakeduring the ride. Even losing 2-percent of your body weight, about 3.5 poundsfor a 165-lb. cyclist can decrease your endurance, particularly

Dear Monique,I just finished reading large sections of your book, which I find fantasticand will highly recommend to friends. With regards to supplements, onethat I take, but did not see mentioned is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).Any thoughts on whether this is needed in a reasonably healthy diet? Iam an 80 kg, 46-year-old competitive road racer.Best regards,ChrisHi Chris,At this point there is no reason to add conjugated linoleic acid toa healthy diet or training diet as based on the current research. CLA hasbeen studied fairly extensively, but mostly in animals.  In theseanimal

Dear Monique,I have read your interesting and informative article posted on VeloNews.com on 28th march 2007 about EatingRight for Those Long Rides. I have one question relating to the amount of carbohydrate you should consume per hour during your long ride if you have had a pre-ride meal 3-4 hours, 2 hours, or 1 hour before the start of your ride. Do you consume different amounts of carbohydrate per hour during your ride depending on the size and timing of your pre-ride meal> For example, would you consume more per hour of the ride if you have only had a small pre-ride meal 1 hour before you

Solve the issue of cramping by trying out these tips.

With the 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

Many pros traveled to warmer environs early this in 2007 for early seasonteam training camps and plenty of quality miles on the open road. You mayalso have your own travel plans sometime over the next few weeks, in orderto train and get a jumpstart on your own race preparation. Chances arethat this cycling vacation includes plenty of restaurant eating, includingthe fast food, diners, and a variety of ethnic cuisines. Like the proswho have plenty of roadside eating experience, you too can make good foodchoices and prevent greasy platter predicaments that would normally thwartyour body

There were plenty of power meters being used at this year’s Tour of California, largely because it offered a unique early season opportunity for riders to test themselves against some of the world’s best. Indeed, four teams made racing with a power meter a very high priority at the eight-day California race, because this would be the best field the world would see prior to Paris-Nice. What better opportunity to start collecting crucial numbers? The professional teams Predictor-Lotto (Belgium), T-Mobile (Germany) and Slipstream (USA) as well as the U.S. National Team each stressed the

Cyclists in many parts of the country are ready to leave behind long rideson the trainer and eagerly await warmer weather and putting in some qualityroad miles. As you continue to train and prepare for the 2007 season, don’tignore a small, but essential component of your training diet. Adequateiron intake and optimal iron stores are essential to putting in full effortson the bike. Low iron stores can impair athletic performance, and correctingiron deficiency that has led to full blown anemia, can take several monthsto correct, potentially bringing an unwelcome halt to your training andracing

Dear Monique:I have read your column in VeloNews for a while and have bothenjoyed and appreciated the knowledge. I have a questions about weightloss and it’s effect on the immune system.For the past few years I have been competing in the sport of triathlon.This year I decided to race bikes for the first six months. I knew thatbecause of the importance of the power to weight ratio, I would need tolose both “after season” weight from last year and some additional bodyfat to be competitive in the climbs.I set out to lose most of the weight (was 180 lb.) during the first12 weeks. I wrote down

Hi Monique,
In your column about weight loss and body composition monitoring, you mentioned that scales that compute body fat should use a formula appropriate to athletes. Can you comment further about that means? What errors can be induced? I have an electronic scale that I know shows variability with hydration levels,but I was wondering what other errors could be involved.
Thanks,
DHDear DH,

With the holiday season officially over, cyclists are back to work or school and planning ahead for the coming race season. Perhaps you ate and drank your way through December’s seemingly endless string of parties and events, with both your training volume and frequency in a state of consistent decline. Because of these calorically challenging dilemmas, mid- January often greets many cyclists with an extra and unwanted layer of adipose fat. But no need to panic, there is plenty of time to get your diet and nutrition plan in order for the 2007 season. Weight, fat, and goal settingFirst take

With 16 days of hard racing behind them, the peloton is headed for the last day in mountains. From a nutritional perspective, the biggest challenge of a three week stage race like the Tour de France is not only eating to achieve full muscle glycogen recovery off the bike, when riders have large team meals and recovery snacks available to them. But they must also meet the demands of glycogen depletion on the bike, an almost impossible task given the intricacies of race dynamics, stomach and intestinal tolerances, and the gargantuan fuel demands and fluid losses that occur during a

Dear Monique, I am thinking of eliminating sugar from my diet, but can’t find anything to replace my energy drink or gel with, have you come across any products that fit the bill?Soured on Sweets Dear Soured,There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding the best types of carbohydrates that should be consumed during exercise with some sports nutrition products promoted as containing “complex carbohydrates” versus the “simple carbohydrates,” often also referred to as sugars. But classifying a carbohydrate as simple or complex really doesn’t provide the complete picture regarding a

You may have heard about a study recently published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolsim that brought that old childhood favorite drink of chocolate milk into the headlines. This attention getting study did bring up a lot of practical questions regarding your best food and fluid recovery nutrition choices, and a good opportunity to clarify the proper use of various sports nutrition supplements. Let’s take a quick look at the study. Researchers provided subjects with either chocolate milk, a sports drink, or a commercially available recovery drink (there

Last season, Dr. Massimo Testa accepted two new clients: Gerolsteiner’s Levi Leipheimer and me, a cycling coach and amateur racer. Testa worked for over a decade as a sports doctor for pro teams including 7-Eleven, Motorola and Mapei, and is now a sports-medicine physician at the University of California-Davis. Under Testa’s coaching last year, Leipheimer won the Tour of Germany and finished seventh in the Tour de France. I didn’t reach all my personal goals, but did succeed in expanding my coaching abilities. I first tried to hire Testa years ago on an Andy Hampsten bicycle tour in Italy.

Dear Monique,I had heard recently that sports drinks are bad for our teeth and cancause dental erosion. Obviously we need to use sports drinks when we trainand race. Is this a valid concern and what can we do about it?JBDear JB,Thanks very much for your question. Obviously it is best for your dentalhealth to limit sugar in your daily diet. However, when it comes to trainingand racing, easily digested and readily absorbed sports drinks with severalcarbohydrate sources are essential to replace fluid and fuel during longerworkouts.The link between consumption of sports drinks and dental health

In mylast column we discussed proper meal timing around evening training. Many cyclists also train in the early morning hours with little time to eat and drink before heading out on the road. Let’s take a look at some nutritional strategies that address the food and fluid challenges of early morning training. One of the biggest dilemmas confronting morning training is that you wake up in the morning with low liver glycogen stores. A major function of your liver is to maintain a steady level of glucose in the blood. Your liver releases glucose into your bloodstream during exercise and

Dear Monique,I have heard from several people over the years that you should not eat after a certain time before going to sleep, and I am wondering, what if any truth there is to this assertion. In other words, is eating before bed more likely to cause those calories to go “unburned?” Conversely, is exercising after eating more likely to result in calorie burning?Thanks,Steven Dear StevenTo keep it simple, if the calories that you consume at night after dinner are in excess of your energy needs for the day, then yes, those calories are likely to be stored as fat. These are calories that

I had a recent experience in the medical care of an elite cyclist that,for me, became something of a baptism-by-fire education in sports physiology.Reviewing the results of an extensive set of blood tests on an elitecyclist who had recently fallen ill, I found myself at a complete lossto explain a mysterious abnormality that appeared on the charts.Was this a benign variation found in some elite cyclists or the firstdiagnosis of a serious or life-threatening illness? My God, could it alsobe doping? I felt I owed it to the athlete to figure it out. The investigationthat followed was a Pandora’s

For many of us, the next few weeks are likely to include many socialoccasions filled with an abundance of foods (many high in fat), an overflowof alcoholic beverages, and hectic schedules that often thwart the bestlaid plans for calorie burning workouts.  Keeping the holidays healthyand minimizing any havoc created by too much food and drink, is best approachedby a mindful approach that combines behavior strategies, nutritional awareness,and realistic goals around food and exercise.Goal SettingFirst, start by clearly defining your goals for this holiday season.Perhaps you are currently

Hi Monique,Now that coffee has been recommended as a good source of antioxidants, in moderation, of course, do you have any information regarding how the decaffeinating process may affect the antioxidant effect of coffee?LW Dear LW,As you are aware there was a recent headline grabbing study, which was actually presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society this past summer. This study received widespread attention and Americans were informed that coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the American diet. As is often the case, this study begs that we once again “read the

Hi Monique:I have a question about measuring my Resting Metabolic Rate. I wouldlike to make some adjustments to my nutrition plan this winter. When itcomes to measuring my RMR, can I simply wear a heart rate monitor for a24 hour period to determine more accurately how many calories I burn ina given day? Isn't this method more accurate than using a formula?CD Dear CD,The upcoming winter season is definitely a great time to not only restand have some changes in your training program, but also to lose some bodyweight and body fat, and to incorporate some new foods and recipes intoyour diet.

Dear Monique,I have a very distended stomach after cycling for more than an hour. I used to think that it only happens on very long rides like the Leadville 100, but have noticed that it occurs on much shorter rides too. It doesn’t seem to matter if I only drink water or any combo of energy drinks and gel or bars. I am a bit concerned that the nutrition I take in isn’t getting past my stomach until I am done riding. I have experienced severe cramping in my legs about three-fourths of the way through a race and have wondered if the bloating is related and what to do about it. Thanks for your

Dear Velo,I can't believe I read at the beginning of the Tour that Tom Boonen was given an antibiotic for the "minor infection" that had caused a major toothache. In the dawn of time, when I was racing, an antibiotic would wipe me out for about two weeks, simply due to the fact that, as a broad-spectrum bug killer, it will kill intestinal flora, too. This means that I would get diarrhea and have poorer nutritional uptake from food. The same will be true for Tom. The other point to wonder about here (and I realize the difficulty of diagnosing from an article) is what caused the toothache?

With cyclists well into their race season, you likely have your favorite pre-race foods and fluids menu planned out, and are refining your on-bike drinking skills to maximize your race performance. But have you thought about your race recovery nutrition? At this time in the season your nutritional focus should be on nutritional strategies to improve race performance, and proper recovery so that you are prepared for your next race. Your training is likely focused on intensity, with a reduced training volume as you prepare for an upcoming race. Proper recovery is especially important if you

Dear Doctor Richardson,I am a 50-year-old former racer who has been riding for more than 20 years. I still ride between 8 and 10 hours a week. I had even planned to race this year but due to work conflicts I didn’t manage to pull it off. Nonetheless, I had been training and in hopes of competing later this year… that is until last week. My wife and I were on vacation and on the last day of our trip, I went for a 2.5-hour ride. I went early in the morning to beat the heat of the day. It was extremely humid, but the temperature was in the upper 60's when I left and may have been in the

Your race day nutritional preparation should be specific and well thought out so that when you arrive to the start line you are both optimally fueled and confident that your food and fluid choices are tolerated through the intensity of racing. Depending on the distance of your race, what you eat in the 24 to 48 hours before race day can allow you to maximize the muscle glycogen content of your trained muscles- an important fuel source at any racing intensity. Often referred to as “carbo-loading” this strategy is simply tapering or resting for the race as your training programs dictates and

Everyone wants to ride faster. Last week wediscussed VO2max and natural ability. Now we get to the good stuff – lactate threshold (LT). The burn. The reason we enjoy talking about LT is because it is highly trainable.Don’t get us wrong, natural ability still plays a huge role, both withVO2max and LT, but for almost every individual, training properly willramp up LT. Lactate Threshold?Lactate is a by-product of anaerobic metabolism that, despite common misconception, is produced across all exercise intensities. In fact, even when you stand up from sitting in a chair, lactate acid is

Riding fast is a matter of natural ability, training and desire. All three factors play an important role in keeping the big ring spinning. When discussing natural ability, many people throw around the term “VO2max,” which means maximum oxygen consumption. Many of our clients can recite the definition of VO2max, but few have a good grasp of what VO2max really means. To help clarify things, we will be writing a two part series of basic exercise physiology articles. Today is the first installment and will cover VO2max. Next week, we’ll jump into the world of lactate threshold (LT).

Carbohydrate supplements Hi, Monique,Thanks for the info you pass along in your articles, they really help in trying to sort through the tons of info that’s out there on sports nutrition. One quick question for you, though: You refer to a "high-carbohydrate supplement" in your article; can you give me one or two examples of a supplement and what amount of carb/kg you would recommend for consumption one hour before training? Thanks.Peter Hi, Peter,Many of these high-carbohydrate supplements can be consumed in the hour before exercise for a handy source of pre-training fuel. They can

Remember the adage, “Start drinking before you get thirsty?” Perhaps this is a medical truism that isn’t. A surprising article about a study of hyponatremia among marathon runners in the April 14 New England Journal of Medicine may inspire Velonews.com readers to rethink how they drink. Thirteen percent of Boston Marathon finishers who participated in the study by Dr. Christopher Almond et al suffered hyponatremia (abnormally low blood sodium), mostly caused by overhydrating. 1 Three participants had dangerously low levels of blood sodium. The early symptoms of hyponatremia - confusion,

During the build phase of training, higher intensity and longer workoutsrequire more glycogen for fuel and what you eat the in the few hours beforetraining is essential so that you have adequate fuel to train. This isespecially important when you have two daily training sessions. A perfectlytimed and portioned pre-training meal or snack can replenish fuel depletedfrom a previous training session, provide early morning fuel, and superchargeyou for training later in the day.Metabolically speaking, there are two distinct time periods for pre-trainingmeal timing: 2-4 hours before and 30-60

As your training program progresses to a build phase and your trainingrides increase in time and especially intensity for development of speedand strength, your nutritional requirements also move up a notch. Hardertraining burns more fuel, and the amount of carbohydrate you consume hasa direct impact on your muscle glycogen levels and recovery. Hard trainingdays and heavy training weeks, also require a step-up in your protein intaketo build and repair muscle tissue. Putting it all together nutritionallyduring a build week in your training cycle, means not only consuming adequatecalories,

Depending on your current training cycle, resistance training or weighttraining is often part of the program, while the goals and emphasis ofthe resistance session may progress from an endurance to a power emphasisduring your season. Following specific nutrition guidelines for weighttraining can make the most of these muscle and power building sessions.Hormones in your body, specifically growth hormone, testosterone, insulin,and insulin like growth factor, largely control muscle growth. Nutritioncan very effectively support your efforts to increase lean body mass byaffecting these hormone

My father Joe and I had the great pleasure of visiting South Africa for two weeks in March. What started out as a business trip became an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience. We not only came face to face with lions, but also saw a cycling-crazed country and took part in a world class Ironman experience. The trip was organized by our friend Stewart Miller, who lives in Johannesburg and has started www.expertonline.co.za, a training web site for South Africa. Stewart contacted us to see if we would conduct some presentations the week of the Cape Argus bike race and the Ironman South

Dear Monique,Many thanks for all of the nutrition advice recently posted in yourweb column. I had a couple of follow-up questions that I hoped you couldhelp me with. What should my basic caloric intake be on the days that Ido not train or ride, and what should comprise the majority of these calories?I am currently at 145 lb. and want to maintain this weight.Jed H.Dear Jed,Your questions bring up the important consideration of nutritionalrecovery on rest or very light training days. On rest days most enduranceathletes are concerned about not overeating, and adjusting to a drop incalorie

As you continue your basic training and prepare for the coming raceseason, you appreciate the importance of matching training with the properamounts of energy, carbohydrate, protein and fats (See "TheFeed Zone: February 16th"). During this training cycle, you canalso focus on types of food choices you consume to provide quality nutritionand variety to your daily and training diet.Daily DietThis is one of the best times of the year to experiment with new foodsand recipes. While you can still keep convenience and time in mind (what’sgood, quick, and easy?), don’t keep falling into the same old

Dear Joe and Dirk,I seem to recall once reading about not going into the Red Zone too early in one’s training season. Although I am new to mountain biking - the season I am focusing on - I do have a couple years under my belt of triathlon and cyclo-cross racing, so this won’t be my first year of following a training program. Presently, I am in my Base 1 phase and I’m wondering about entering a “C-priority” race (or two) that fit into my Base 3 timeline (April). Will going into the red zone so early hurt my training program, which is being built around peaking in July for my “A-priority”

Many cyclists are currently building their aerobic endurance, muscularstrength, and flexibility in anticipation of more specific training inthe coming weeks and months. Just as this training cycle requires you followa specific mix of volume and intensity, your nutritional intake must matchup so that you have the required energy and fluids at the most optimaltimes for your training and recovery.As you continue to build your volume, your energy and carbohydrate requirementsincrease. During this base cycle, you may also be interested in losingweight. This is a good time of year to adopt

Computing CP zonesDear Joe and Dirk,My goals for the coming season are two centuries, so I have invested in a power meter. Now I am ready to start using a combo of heart rate and power to train. I am a bit overwhelmed with how to go about computing my different Critical Power zones. Do you have any advice?JTJT,The advantage of training with power is that you can make your training as objective as possible. I like to say training with power is like viewing the world in three dimensions instead of two, as most cyclists do. The addition of power to one's training metrics can elevate the

Cold and flu season are still lingering and with your training programswitching into higher gear for the 2005 racing season, nutrition strategiesfor staying healthy remain a top priority. You don’t want a viral infectionto slow down your workouts and hamper your fitness, so that you can berace ready for this season.  This column focuses on some nutritionalstrategies that you can practice in both your daily diet and nutrient supplementation,and specifically around training sessions in order to give your immunesystem a good boost.From a nutritional perspective, it is key to prevent deficiencies

Joe and Dirk answer questions on cross-country skiing for cross-training and shelving the competitiveness to get through base

Joe and Dirk answer questions on four-hour trainer sessions and how to count weight training

Joe and Dirk,You recently mentioned that it is a benefit to sleep at a higher altitude and train at a lower altitude, but what about the opposite?Riding in Colorado I often find myself at much higher elevations than my home and I had operated on the assumption that training at a higher altitude would help me out when I am back at a lower elevation. Do you care to set me straight on this matter?Mike Dear Mike,Training at a high altitude (8500 feet or higher) may have beneficial effects on your aerobic system. This is of great benefit within your base training especially. But training at a

Annual Training Plan ChallengeDear Joe and Dirk,I have a some teammates that are really into cyclo-cross racing. Theywill finish their last 'cross race the first week of December. The firstroad race will be in mid-February! Of course this will not be a "A" race for them. It won't be for me either.These guys typically do not race much in July, August and September sothey can transition and prepare for 'cross. How do you set up the AnnualTraining Plan when the last "A" race is on December 5th and their first Arace for road will be mid April? Do you skip the base periods or shortenall of them

Rest and RecoveryDear Joe and Dirk,Help me understand "recovery days." I know what all the training manuals,including yours, say, and my body sure seems to need them. My problem is,I never hear about pros having them. Every time I read about a pro's trainingschedule, it involves riding three to six hours a day, and none of it soundseasy. I asked a member of Sierra Nevada, our local pro team, about recoverydays and he looked at me like I was insane. Or, read Bob Roll's descriptionof training with Lance for a week in "Bobke 2" -- no recovery days there,I'll tell you. So are the pros just

Hi Joe and Dirk,I recently had arthroscopic surgery on my left knee to repair my medialmeniscus and to have some plicaeremoved. The cause of the damage is not known, although I'm pretty sureI did it in the weight room during the winter. The pain I felt in my knee did not manifest itself until late March/earlyApril when my cycling training was ramping up and I started hitting biggerhills (6- to 8-percent grades). I'm a relatively new cyclist (this is mythird season) and I have aspirations of road racing. I'm 29 years old, 6 foot 2 inches and I weigh about 185 pounds, withrelatively low body

Dear Dirk and JoeLast year I bought a copy of your "MountainBiker's Training Bible" and structured a training plan around the advisein your book. I contact you and you gave me some valuable information onhow to tweak the program to suit my needs. I participated in my first MountainBike stage race. The Cape-Epic race held in March 2004. The total distancecovered was 800 km over eight days and approximately 17,000m cumulativeelevation gain. The event is staged along the same lines as the Trans-Rockiesin Canada and the Trans-Alp in Europe. Incidentally the organizers of theCanadian and European

Dear Monique,In your recent article regarding daily fluid consumption (June 10, 2004) you briefly mentioned alcohol. I was wondering if studies have been made that confirm whether alcohol is beneficial or detrimental to athletic performance. I drink beer and wine regularly and am more concerned with the caloric aspect of the beverage rather than the chemical aspect. What are the effects on muscular recovery when consuming alcoholic beverages? Does consuming alcoholic beverages affect the body’s physiology during performance? What are the diuretic effects of alcohol

As mentioned in the nutrition column for June10th, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Academy of Sciencesrecently made recommendations for sodium intake that are targeted primarilyfor sedentary Americans. In this column we will take a look at a few keypoints regarding sodium and sodium sweat losses as it relates to enduranceathletes.The IOM has recommended that sodium intake be at 1500 milligrams daily.This recommendation is based on the fact that research supports that reducedintake of sodium coupled with increased potassium intake can help preventthe increase in blood pressure

Dear Joe and Dirk,I am a first-year Category 2 racer. My training regime had followed, as closely as possible, given my work schedule, a program looking to peak in mid-June and then again in early August. Just as I was starting to build in much more intensity and longer interval work early in May, I began to find that my legs were not responding as I would have liked. I seemed to fall further into this hole, and now I am far behind where I was even a month ago. Basically, when I get on the bike, and try to put down any sort of sustained effort, it feels like I have been riding for three

In early 2004 the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) Food and Nutrition Boardreleased Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for water and sodium (potassium,chloride, and sulfate recommendations were also included in this report).You may have heard about these dietary guidelines for Americans and Canadians,which are designed for the average adult who may be sedentary or mildlyactive, not for triathletes and cyclist who training regularly, often formore than two hours per session. In establishing the guidelines, the expertpanel reviewed the scientific literature for quality of the research andthe

Dear Joe and Dirk,I am fairly new to the cycling world and compete in duathlons. I have an entry level Trek bike and would like to know what basic equipmentI should add to improve my time without spending a fortune. I was thinkingabout getting aero’ bars and clipless pedals. Is there anything else thatyou can recommend? I am still learning basic technique and ride two days per week, whilerunning the other days. My aerobic capacity is good, I just need to developmy skills and learn how to climb.Lisa Leggett Dear Lisa,Good question. I see you'd like to invest some money into new equipmentin

Dear Monique,I am aware that I need to consume a sports drink during training forboth fluid and fuel replacement. How do I know that I am meeting my fluidneeds? I have heard that significant weight loss after training means thatI am not keeping up with my sweat rate.Thanks,CBDear CB,Other than lab testing there is no exact way in which you can measuresweat losses, but you can make an educated estimation. In hot weather thesimplest calculation that you can make involves checking body weight changesbefore and after training, and correcting for fluid intake during training.Fluid loss from urine

Why can't I climb?Dear Joe,I'm a recreational roadie who spends some time on a mountain bike as well. I've been actively riding for four years. I put in 100-150 miles a week, with mostly mixed rides - by virtue of living in remote Wyoming, I don't get many flat, easy spins! Here is my challenge. I feel fit, but I cannot climb hills. I'm 5'11", approximately 160 pounds, resting HR of 44, no chronic illness, and I can't ride up hills! I do well on the flats between any rises, which means I make my pulls when riding with a group, I can spin around 22-24 mph, and am reasonably comfortable at

Hi, Monique:What is the best strategy for pre-training fueling in regards to timing and low and higher glycemic index foods? Thanks.DV DV,Often pre-training timing is a product of your work or school and training schedule. Depending on the timing of your workouts, you may decide to eat something two to four hours beforehand, or your schedule may even require that you ingest some fuel in the hour before training. Depending on the timing, you can adjust your food choices and portions. You can also decide if the glycemic index of foods is something that you also want to consider when making

LTHR testDear Joe and Dirk,I have read how you suggest testing for Lactate Threshold Heart Rate for either running or biking, but I have not yet have the chance to fit such a test into my training. I did recently run a half marathon, at a relatively even pace, with a fast last 2.1 miles. I can calculate a reasonably accurate average heart rate for the last 20 minutes of this race. Will this average be a good measure of my LTHR? Does it matter if the last three-fourths of a mile was fairly hilly (at least by southeastern Michigan standards)?C. Thomas LuddenBloomfield Hills, MichiganDear Mr.

Dear Monique,I have heard a lot about the glycemic index. There seems to be no low glycemic index sports drink on the market. I know that Gatorade is high glycemic, and that fructose is low glycemic. Wouldn’t a fructose only sports drink be better (provided it had the right balance of electrolytes)? It would be low glycemic and work for diabetics, and not raise insulin or blood sugar levels like sucrose. Wouldn’t this be a better alternative than a high glycemic product? I have heard some negatives things about fructose in relation to tolerance. Also, how important is the 4- to 8-percent

Joe and Dirk answer questions on rowing for cyclists and customizing a second peak

Dear Monique,Since the beginning of the year, I've been exercising regularly to lose weight. As a former competitive cyclist, my preferred method, up to this point, has been to take part in "spinning" sessions, or riding my indoor trainer, four to five days per week. I've also recently started to mix in some moderate weight/resistance training two to three times per week. Here's my problem. Since the beginning of January, when I started my routine on a more regular basis, I have not been able to lose a single pound. According to my heart rate monitor, I've burned enough calories in four

Dear Joe,I am 41-years-old and I do just about any activity that involves cycling, including triathlons and duathlons. One of the things that I noticed is that I can maintain a higher heart rate running than I can while on my bike. Is there a different lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR) for running than there is for cycling?Thank you,Steven Crane Dear Steven,Yes. Actually, this is quite normal for an athlete to have differences in heart rate at lactate threshold for different sports. Part of the answer involves the amount of muscle fibers used within different sports. Running simply

Getting back on the horse that threw yaDear Joe,I'm a 60-year-old recreational rider (2500 miles per year) who endo-edand fractured my C1 and C2 vertebra last July.Ignoring the fact that everyone thinks I'm crazy to get back on thebike, what are some things to watch out for as I recondition my body aftera six-month layoff?My physical therapist has me doing isometric, stretching and weighttraining to increase my neck flexibility and strengthen my neck and backmuscles. I have some residual limitation in my neck movement as a resultof my injury. For example, it's hard for me to look left and

One January 1, 2004, caffeine was removed from the World Anti-DopingAgency prohibited list, after being a “controlled to restricted drug” inthe world of athletic performance for years, and moved to the “monitoringlist.” Prior to this change caffeine urine levels of greater than 12 microgramsper millimeter were considered illegal. The reason for this change, notesWADA, is really very practical. This old limit has always given caffeinea unique position as a “potentially” performance-enhancing drug, implyingthat higher doses of caffeine are required to improve performance. However,this is

Dear Joe and Dirk,Mine has to be a pretty common problem. With work, kids, a job, a mortgage… well you know the drill. When it gets down to it, I can really only ride maybe three days a week for two hours max. Some weeks it is only two days with one of the rides being on the trainer. With such minimal training time, should I spend a larger percentage of my time doing hard riding (intervals, etc) since I am less likely to over-train? How should you adjust the time spent in each zone when you have more than adequate recovery time?Thanks,Don Don,You are not uncommon and trying to get the

Krebs, carbs and crampsDear Joe and Dirk,Am I misunderstanding the current hypothesis on how cyclists are ableto fuel sustained high output or is it possible that we need to revisitour assumptions about how long the body can maintain maximum output givenonly fat as an energy source? I have often read descriptions of human metabolism that would lead meto believe that it is not possible to sustain high energy output withouteither loading up on or consuming a ready source of carbohydrates to deliverATP as fuel. This does not match with my experience. I am a type II diabeticand in order to stay

Dear Monique,Great stuff recently on earlymorning training sessions. What about the opposite end of the spectrumfor those who jump on the trainer and crank out a few intervals just beforebed? If doing one to two hours with some tempo or threshold work andthen heading to bed for the night, what is good post ride nutrition? Typically,if training during the day, I would have a good recovery shake after training,but drinking down a several hundred calorie shake just before bed doesnot seem like the best idea.Thanks!SR Dear SR,While training in the evening may not be ideal, it is of course

Editor's note: This article appeared earlier on VeloNews.com,but an off-the-cuff comment regarding new standards for caffeine and pseudoephedrinecreated some level of confusion. We have since checked with USADA and USACycling and feel comfortable with the original information included inthis column.At this year's training camp for the Health Net/ Maxxis team, riders andstaff hit me with an assortment of questions covering a wide range of medicaland scientific topics. The subject of recent changes in anti-doping regulationscame up repeatedly.“Why is the US government making ephedrine illegal

The road backDear Joe and Dirk,After taking about two years off the bike (young kids), I spent thiswinter preparing for a return to competitive cycling. Then, in lateJanuary, I had the bad fortune to endure a case of mononucleosis.Admittedly it was only after I had mono for four weeks that I bought theTraining Bible, but now I want to be sure I don't overdo it as I returnto the preparation phase.While I fear my racing season might be effectively done, especiallyafter two years off, can you offer any recommendations or cautions as Iproceed? I'm 39 and, now that I've had mono, am only a couple

Dear Monique,In a previous article you discussed hypoglycemia symptoms follow apre-exercise meal of carbohydrates. I have experienced this on random periods-usually after my morning coffee and bagel, and then setting out on a run.Generally this happens a mile out, and may last for the next two milesbefore passing. During the reaction period I slow down and just try tomaintain activity. What should one really do when this happens?Thanks,K.Dear Monique,I train before work and get up, get dressed, and am immediately onthe bike, usually for 1-1.5 hours. So, should I slam down an orange juiceand

Dear Joe and Dirk,I am planning to work full time at a bicycle shop starting in Marchand am also working on upgrading to Category 2. Finding time to ride willnot be too much of an issue, but I am concerned about being on my feetfor seven to eight hours a day, four or five days a week. How much willthis affect my recovery and racing? Will it have a noticeable effect onmy peak fitness? Should I do harder workouts in the morning or after I have been standingall day? I look forward to hearing your input.CoreyNew Hampshire. Dear CoreyHaving a job in which you stand a great deal can be tough when

How is easier better?Dear Joe and Dirk,I have to confess that I don't really believe what I've been readingabout base-building.As I understand it, if I have two hours to ride on a given day, basetraining says I will achieve better conditioning if I ride at 6 percentof my maximum heart rate than I would were I to ride at 75 percent.Is that true, and if so, why? It seems counter-intuitive.Jack RawlinsDear Jack,The answer to your question really depends upon where your currentfitness levels are. Simply riding for two hours in a relatively easy state(heart rate zones 1-2) will not improve fitness

"I'm all alone." — Written on a note found at Marco Pantani’s bedside at the time of his death.

Racing at altitudeDear Dirk;I've got a few questions about altitude training and just general living.First, if I'm planning on racing at about 6000 feet above sea level,how long do I have to live at a similar altitude to become acclimated? Second, should I were to be required to take a blood test, is it advisableto get a blood test before living at altitude, and some midpoint to showan increase in hematocrit level?  Do you have any general suggestionsfor adjusting to altitude?  Any information would be appreciated,DevinDear Devin,It can take about two weeks to get fully acclimated to an

Dear Monique,This time of season many of us are including resistance training inour current training programs. What can I do nutritionally to maximizemy strength-building efforts? I am specifically interested in what I caneat before and after weight training. How do my nutritional strategiesdiffer after a long bike ride or run?ThanksBK Dear BK,For the cyclists and triathletes who opt to include resistance trainingin their program, nutritional considerations should include both one'sdaily training diet (especially when combined with your regular endurancetraining), and before and

Dear Joe and Dirk,I'm a mountain-bike racer and have just started my off season. I'dlike to do some running and maybe do a couple running races. I know thatif I do race these I will probably push it to the max. Is it counterproductive for me to be doingrun races in what is normally my off season?I know that working to maximum during these events will do little forme in June, but I'd like to stay active and keep things interesting.ThanksFeeling competitive in JanuaryDear January,We actually encourage cyclists to do cross training activitiessuch as running, snow shoeing, hikes, etc. As long as

Dear Monique,I am a 47 year old woman. I have heard for years that weight liftingwas beneficial to keep our bones dense, as was running and any other weightbearing sport.What confuses me is that they say cycling is not and yet when I am doinga long sustained climb, it sure feels like I'm doing leg press's. Samewith a long hard flat ride. My legs begin to burn and it often feels likeweight lifting after awhile.When climbing on the mountain bike, I lift on the bar-ends and use themotion of my arms and upper body to help me get up the climb. Why is thisconsidered not weight bearing when my arms

Dear Monique,What is the scoop on ZMA? I have been trying to find out about thisrelatively new supplement. Is it safe? Is it effective? Isn't ZMA essentiallya mixture of vitamin B6, zinc, and magnesium?DRDear Monique,In papers worldwide, there has been concern over THG and its relationshipto the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO). ZMA, a product relatedto BALCO and SNAC Systems is on the market. Is ZMA fuel safe and untaintedby illegal substances and anabolic precursors? Can you provide a breakdownof the product? Are there any benefits to taking the product? Thanks,KGDear DR and KG,ZMA

Dear VeloNews.com readers. Wishing you a New Year filled with good health and happiness. I look forward to your questions for 2004. Monique Dear Monique,Had a quick question about the rising levels of mercury found in our fish sources. I’m famous for my diet of canned tuna. I can easily go through a can or two of BumbleBee white albacore tuna in water a day. From what I’ve read, this could easily put me at risk for mercury poisoning. What’s the latest on this issue? Thanks,CP. Dear CP,That is a very good question, as the American Heart Association advises us to eat two fish meals per