Cycling performance tips

[Source: East Coast Cycos newsletter, in Tri-Rudy newsletter, January 30, 2008]

Energy Gels/Sports Drinks
Energy bars, energy gels, and sports drinks all provide carbohydrate supplements for the active athlete or cyclist, but with differing water content. Solid energy bars are easy to carry, but require conscious attention to maintaining hydration (drinking). Gels offer some alternative taste options, and are prefered by some who find themselves aspirating (and coughing) on the crumbs from a bar. Drinking is still mandatory to maintain hydration. Sports drinks are basically gels with water already added and thus provide the added advantage of helping maintain your hydration as they resupply your energy needs. Which one you choose to use depends more on personal preferences than performance advantages.

Energy gels (also called carbo gels) are a thick carbohydrate syrup or paste designed as an alternative snack supplement to extend your muscle glycogen stores and provide additional Calories and energy for rides of more than 2 hours. They contain a combination of simple and complex carbohydrates (usually maltodextrin, rice syrup, or polysaccharides) packaged in a palm sized packet of plastic or foil with a tear off end to allow the contents to be "sucked" out rather than chewed, and provide between 70 and 100 Calories (17 - 25 grams of carbohydrate) per packet. An additional advantage is that they are completely fat free minimizing any delay in gastric emptying. To provide the 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour usually suggested to supplement exercising muscle glycogen supplies, you would need a gel packet every 30 to 45 minutes.

Being semi-liquid, they should empty more quickly from the stomach providing a more rapid energy boost than solid sports bars, but at this time studies comparing solid and gel carbohydrate supplements haven't been published. And in a previous study of solid vs liquid carbohydrate supplements, cycling performance was similar in the two groups of cyclists using equivalent amounts of water and carbohydrate consumed either as a sport drink or as a solid sport bar with a water chaser. This suggests that aside from taste and ease of use, energy gels are a relatively pricey snack with little to recommend them over bagels or fig newtons as an on the bike carbohydrate supplement.

Yet I will regularly receive annecdotes such as this:

"I have to disagree with your point about no proven help from gels. I am an ultramarathon cyclist- having completed numerous double centuries. I train long, hard miles and have had to be extremely targeted in my Calorie intake for training. After trying a variety of products, I found my solution. *** and Sustained Energy drink from ***. I agree- gels don't make you fast. However, Calories must be replaced when cycling, and replacing calories with pure sugar has been a disaster for me (and many people I know). ** and ** provide the proper Calories without the sugar. All the endurance riders I know here in Northern California use the products. We swear by them. They do work. The only time we drink Coke is near the end of a ride when we need a spike of energy (and caffeine) and aren't worried about the side effects of sugar."

Is there any scientific data to back up this observation? I was able to find two articles that might provide some factual evidence. The first looked specifically at absorption rates of sugars in the small intestine. It failed to substantiate any difference in absorption rates of simple glucose versus a complex carbohydrate - assuming a normal intestinal tract. The second looked one step further along the absorption process by studying blood sugar levels (all complex carbs are broken down in the small intestine BEFORE being absorbed) to see if perhaps a difference could be demonstrated. Again, blood glucose levels were the same (both in terms of blood sugar levels and timing) with simple glucose and complex carbohysrates.

So what is the answer?? Perception of improvement, whether placebo or unproven fact, should not be ignored. However, the scientific literature offers no credible rationale to differntiate the benefits of the glucose from Coke versus a complex carbohydrate in the commercial product sold by ***. I wonder (unproven speculation) if the riders are really taking in equal amounts of carbohydrates per 15 minute interval when they use cola drinks with simple glucose versus complex carbs? Gels are easier to use, and less sweet per Calorie consumed. These two facts alone may be a subtle bias towards a more proactive and complete replacement of Calories used with a commercial product. For now the use of gels remains a personal choice, but without any hard facts to back up the marketing hype often encountered.

Most gels will also list additional ingredients. Some of the more common additives are:

medium chain triglycerides
caffeine
ginseng
amino acids
chromium
Do they add anything?? For comments see the author's editorial comments on gel/energy bar additives and the section on nutritional supplements. There is a nice comparison of commercial energy supplements at the University of Arizona website.

Or you can make your own energy gels.

Are energy gels worth it?? It is really a matter of personal preference. Some riders cannot chew and swallow a sports bar while pedaling. Others develop taste fatigue to sports drinks on long rides. For these individuals, gels provide another alternative. But aside from taste and texture, there are no PROVEN performance advantages no matter what the claims you've seen in their ads, and they are expensive if used on a regular basis on those long rides.

What about Dental Disease from Sports Drinks?

Q.Do you know of any recipes for sugar free sports drinks? My daughter is rotting her teeth, partly because of the dehydration from running, and partly because of sports drinks. We'd like to mix up something ourselves. Any ideas? Thanks! - Teresa

A.There has been ongoing speculation as to the role of acids in sports drinks in increasing the incidence of cavities (caries). One study from England suggested that sports drinks might be worse than colas, but lemon tea was even worse. The most recent review article, from 2005, identified only one study which implicated sports drinks as harmful to the athlete (which means that chance alone might have produced that single result as it has been unsupported by other studies). The review article also pointed out that poor saliva formation, perhaps aggravated by dehydration and mouth breathing in cyclists, might be the real culprit. Here are several other articles for those interested (article 1, article 2). Here is a short dental perspective - with a few thoughts on prevention.

To review, sports drinks provide:

Water - dehydration reduces saliva production, so drinking is key to keeping the mouth moist (with cyclist's tendency to mouth breath) and restoring a more normal pH.
Palatability (which helps maintain adequate rehydration) - any flavoring will do. Flavored waters (may are commercially available) would work just as well. But after 2 hours a cyclist may start to run out of carbs.
Electolytes (salt being the most common, then perhaps potassium) - but unless one is running 5 hour marathons, probably not a big deal.
Carbohydrates - to replace what is being metabolized, but only become important after two hours of continuous exercise. Carbs may be a contributor, along with a dry mouth, in promoting dental disease. A complex carb theoretically might be less of a problem (carboplex) but anything with simple glucose or sucrose is going to leave a sugar film on the teeth to aid the bacteria which cause decay.
Bottom line? If you are cycling less than 2 hours, water is just fine (perhaps flavored). Energy bars may be better for you if you need carbs, as there is less residue on your teeth after using them than from a gel, to aid cavity forming bacterial growth. Consider chewing gum while riding to stimulate saliva production, and brushing immediately after a ride might help.

Protein: Pros, Cons and Confusion

[Source: East Coast Cycos newsletter, in Tri-Rudy newsletter, January 30, 2008]

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD
For Active.com

Athletes who want to build muscles and recover well from workouts are often confused by ads for protein supplements. How much and what kinds of protein should athletes consume? And can egg whites and chicken can do the job? The following information can help you optimize your protein intake--and offer peace of mind.

Question: "I want to bulk up. I've started drinking three protein shakes per day between meals. Is this enough or too much?

Answer: To determine how many protein shakes you need, you should first determine how much protein your body actually can use. You need adequate protein to enhance muscle growth; excess protein is not better.

Most exercise scientists agree that one gram of protein per pound of body weight is a very generous protein allowance for athletes building muscle mass. (More likely, 0.5 to 0.75 grams of protein per pound will do the job if you are eating plenty of calories--but let's be generous.) This means a novice 180-pound body builder gets more than enough protein with 180 grams of protein per day. He can easily consume that much with one quart of skim milk, two cans of tuna (i.e., two sandwiches at lunch) and one large (eight-ounce) chicken breast at dinner. Consuming protein shakes on top of this simply adds (expensive) calories. You could more wisely get the calories from carbs to fuel your workouts.

Question: Is the protein in designer shakes more effective than egg whites, tuna, chicken and other standard foods?

Answer: With names like Protein Revolution and N-Large, the commercial protein products can leave you wondering if standard foods are an equal match. Plus, ads that rave "extremely bioavailable," "no cheap protein blends," and "highest quality protein" also leave the impression that tuna or milk don't quite make the grade. Doubtful.

The protein from natural foods works perfectly fine. Any animal protein is "high-quality" and contains all the essential amino acids you need to build muscles. Hence, eating balanced meals and then drinking protein shakes for "high-quality protein" is an outrageous concept--and expensive. For the $32 you spend on a box with 12 packets, you can buy lots of powdered milk--the least expensive protein power around. And you'll get not only high-quality protein, but also a whole package of balanced nutrition--perfectly designed by Nature.

In an overall well-balanced diet, engineered protein offers no advantages over chicken, beef, fish, eggs, milk and other standard protein-rich foods. As long as you are healthy and have a functioning digestive tract (as opposed to patients in the hospital with intestinal disease), you need not worry about your ability to digest or utilize protein. Digestibility and bioavailability are an issue in third-world countries where protein and calorie intakes are inadequate and every amino acid counts.

Question: Should I refuel with a protein shake after my workout?

Answer: No. You should refuel with a carb shake that has a little protein. As an athlete, your body needs a foundation of carbohydrates at each meal to fuel your muscles. While some protein is important to build and repair muscles, consuming too much protein displaces carbs. I counsel too many carb-deficient athletes who hurt their ability to train hard and get the most from their workouts because they choose a protein-based diet lacking in fruit, veggies and grains.

You should target three to five grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight. If you weigh 150 lbs, that's 150 to 200 grams carb per meal. If you chug a can of Ready-To-Drink Meal Replacement Shake with 40 grams of protein (at cost of about $3.60), you’ll get only 12 grams of carbs. A fruit smoothie (juice, yogurt, banana, berries) or chocolate milk would be better bets that offer more carbs and enough protein. If you prefer the protein shake, be sure to bolster your carb intake with a banana and a whole grain bagel as well.

Natural proteins offer all the amino acids touted by commercial products. Here’s how two amino acids stack up:

Protein source
Serving Size
Isoleucine (grams)
Leucine (grams)

Met-Rx Whey Protein
1 scoop
1.4
2.3 grams

Chocolate milk
16 oz
1.2
1.9

Tuna
6 oz can
2.0
3.5

Cottage cheese
1 cup
1.6
2.9


In general, engineered foods lack fiber, phytochemicals and other health-protective nutrients. No engineered food can match the complex balance of nutrients designed by Nature. Sure you can grab a meal-in-a-can for "emergency food" on hectic days, but trust that real food is best in the long run.

Question: How much protein should I eat right after I exercise?

Answer: A study with Marines during 54 days of basic training reports those who refueled with 100 calories of a recovery drink that contained only 10 grams (40 calories) of protein not only enhanced muscle protein deposition but also contributed to 33 percent fewer total medical visits, 28 percent fewer visits due to bacterial and viral infections, 37 percent fewer visits due to muscle and joint problems, and 83 percent fewer visits due to heat exhaustion. (Flakoll, Med Sci Sports and Exercise, 2004)

Seems amazing that just 100 calories of a recovery drink could make such a strong impact on health, muscle soreness and hydration, but the message is clear: proper fueling at the right times is worth the effort. Don't underestimate the value of refueling soon after you exercise. Cereal with milk, chocolate milk, fruit yogurt, turkey sandwich and spaghetti with meatballs are just a few suggestions that offer a foundation of carbs accompanied with some protein

THE HEALTHIEST CHOCOLATE FOR RUNNERS

[Source: East Coast Cycos newsletter, Tri-Rudy, January 22, 2008]


Three ways to indulge in this rich treat without guilt
By Liz Applegate Phd

No doubt, you're as happy as I am that chocolate is good for you. Research indicates that flavanols, the compounds found in cocoa, have antioxidant properties that help mop up the damage done by free radicals. These same compounds also relax artery walls and keep blood platelets from sticking to your arteries, thus reducing your chance of heart disease. (Too bad the serving size is 1.5 ounces--or about the size of a 1/3-inch stack of business cards--and not the whole bar.) To choose the healthiest chocolate, here's what to look for on the label.

Percentage of cocoa: The amount of cocoa can vary from 10 percent to as high as 94. Generally, the more cocoa, the more flavanols, although processing methods can lower flavanol levels. Aim for a bar with a minimum of 35 percent cocoa.

Calories: Most chocolates contain 220 to 280 calories per 42 grams, or about 1.5 ounces, so eat sparingly.

Ingredients list: Quality chocolate is made with cocoa butter and milk fat. If vegetable oil or hydrogenated oil is included, skip it.

Fat content: Look for zero trans fat. Total fat can be as high as 20 grams per serving because the more cocoa in a bar, the more fat it will contain.

Two bars you can love guilt free:

• Dove Rich Dark, $1.99 Strong chocolate flavor with a pleasingly creamy consistency

• Cadbury Royal Dark, $1.59 Pleasant, nutty notes and a smooth texture

The art of muscle care

[Source: East Coast Cycos newsletter, Tri-Rudy, January 22, 2008]

by Susan Casey, Tara Nolan

Self-help massage and preparation tips from US Postal-Berry Floor's chief soigneur
As chief soigneur of the US Postal-Berry Floor team, Freddy Viaene looks after Lance Armstrong and arguably the most powerful cycling team in the world. While talent and hard training is a big factor in USPS' successes, Freddy believes that how riders are looked after is also extremely important - and so is how you look after yourself.

US Postal-Berry Floor maintains a staff of 16 to support the nine riders during a race: directors, doctors, mechanics, chefs. I have a staff of three experienced massage therapists. Not every rider can have a support team, but there is much you can do yourself and with your team-mates.
Too often riders and teams think riding is all they have to do to keep themselves at top performance. But your training can go sour and injuries ruin your season if you don't pay attention to protecting and repairing your muscles and giving your body the proper nutrition. All the members of the US Postal-Berry Floor Team from Lance Armstrong to the newest member understand that the muscle care we give them is as important being in top form as the days they put in riding.

The key to endurance, as well as quick recovery after an event is circulation. Tight, cold muscles squeeze the vessels and slow the blood so it can't do its job of renewing and protecting. Warm and flexible muscles reduce swelling and improve circulation through the muscles bringing them the nutrition they need and taking away the toxins that build up from fatigue.

Stretching, massage and balms all contribute to increasing circulation.

When I am in my hometown of Izegem, Belgium, in the off season, I work with my hometown football and triathlon clubs. I tell them what I know from experience is true, that massage, balms and stretching are the keys to winning.

Stretch
Be sure to stretch properly before training or events.

This is something we trainers preach constantly and I know how difficult it is for riders who are trying to find time to train and still meet the demands of family and work schedules. Take the time: it's worth it.

Stretching before and after a ride helps warm the muscles and speed recovery.

Stretching exercises are usually well known to the cyclist. Every member of US Postal-Berry Floor stretches for a long time before a race, particularly in the later stages. But even five minutes a day can help, especially if you combine stretching with the proper balms.

Even if you have only a short time, stretch slowly and hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Remember to breathe. And use your breathing to relax into your stretch. The object is to relax the muscles so pain is not the objective-it only tightens the muscles. So if you feel pain when stretching, you are pushing too hard.

Don't just concentrate on your legs. Your neck, shoulders, spine, lower back, groin and Achilles tendon are all vulnerable to injury and should receive attention.

Use balms and chamois cream

Balms help keep leg muscles warm

Recognize the importance of using balms: Use chamois cream all the time and warming balms in cool or rainy weather.

During a race, after breakfast and assuring that the day's race food and iced bottles are in the cars for the day's race, we give team members balms and chamois creams for the day. Applied before stretching, balms make the exercises more effective.

These are special balms I have devised over the years. In the early days, there were no commercial balms so I created my own and have continued to improve them in consultation with the team doctors. But conditions also dictate what we use. Because of the extreme heat during the Tour, for example, the rider received no balms. The skin had to breathe. But that's unusual.

As I write. I am preparing for the Vuelta in Spain. We will use a balm I have created for warm weather there and hotter balms with capisin for the cooler weather in the mountains to keep the rider's muscles flexible.

I experimented for years before I found a chamois cream that would really protect the buttocks and stay on. The real test is the race over cobble stones at Paris-Roubaix. When I had a chamois cream that protected the riders for that whole race, I knew I had the right formula.

Protecting the muscles during cooler and rainy weather can mean the difference between a yellow jersey and a rider who can't finish the day because of injury.

A good balm penetrates deeply through the surface of the skin and warms the leg muscles and, most important, is made to stay on and keep them warm and keep the blood circulating.

Warm muscles have elasticity and are supple so they are able to adjust to strain without soreness or injury. In addition to the legs, I recommend most riders rub the balm on the lower back and the chest, which are most exposed to the elements, as well as on the heels and feet.

Get a massage

Massage promotes recovery of sore muscles

Every two weeks and after heavy training or an event, have your legs massaged for at least 50 minutes. If you don't have a massage therapist available, learn self massage.

When the US Postal-Berry Floor team completes their race day, our work really begins. At the end of each day, I have a meeting with Jeff Spencer, the team Chiropractor and the other doctors as needed. Together we examine each rider and discuss massage techniques needed and how to treat different problems. Early in the season we use softer techniques as the riders are getting into condition, but during races we do deep tissue massages.

Each team member's legs and feet are massaged for 50 minutes. Sometimes I start with 20 minutes on the back, especially if they have injuries, tightness or sore muscles. This helps to relax the leg muscles.

The kind of extreme stress put on muscles during a race damages the muscles. Massage reduces swelling and stretches sore muscles increasing circulation to help the muscles repair themselves. Fully recovered muscles are less like to be injured in the next day's ride. Massage also enhances performance by decreasing muscle tension and increasing flexibility.

A rider without a massage therapist can learn self massage or work with another member of the team so they can massage each other. There are many good books on the subject. Self massage is really a combination of massage and stretching exercises.

DIY massage is a good alternative

Find a place where you can sit comfortably with your legs stretched out in front of you. Begin with the feet and work upward. Massage each toe and the arch of the foot. Stretch the Achilles tendon by gripping the toes and pulling the foot back toward you. The motion will also relax your calf muscles and stretch your lower back.

Apply massage oil and rub your calf muscles rapidly for a minute to warm them Do the same with the knees and thighs of both legs.

When your legs are warm, bring your knees up and hold your calf tightly with both hands. Move it back and forth until you feel the muscles stretching and continuing kneading it for several minutes. Do the same with the hamstrings, and thighs.

Be sure you also work the muscles in the buttocks and upper thighs to loosen your hips.

After their massages I give each team member a muscle relaxing balm I developed, to keep the muscles relaxed during the night. This is particularly helpful for sore or injured muscles.

Look after injuries
Take care of your injured muscles and you will be riding without pain sooner.

Icing after gentle massage is usually the most effective way to help an injured muscles heal. An injury or bruise should not be massaged for 48-72 hours. Apply ice as soon after it occurs as possible. Wrap the ice in a towel if you have one available with one layer separating the muscle from the ice. It is also important to elevate the injury to increase the flow of blood around the injury. Lay on your back with your legs propped up higher than your head while you are icing.

To get immediate treatment going while you are still on the course, you can rub ice directly on injured muscle for as much time as you have available.

RUNNING RIGHT: HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR STRIDE

[Source: Runner's World, “The Cutting-Edge Runner: How to Use the Latest Science and Technology to Run Longer, Stronger, and Faster”]

Efforts to improve technique through conscious control of movements are routine in sports ranging from baseball to the martial arts. Runners can do it too. The scope of such things is limited, though. You can't make your stride exactly like 5000-meter and 10,000 meter world record holder Kenenisa Bekele's just by consciously imitating it.

Following are 10 stride improvements that most runners can achieve through conscious control. Don't try to make all 10 of these changes simultaneously. Focus on one or two at a time, and make them second nature before you worry about the next refinement. Replacing deeply ingrained habitual neuromotor patterns with new ones takes time and discipline. Then you need to force yourself to repeat this new pattern with great precision on every stride of every run until it becomes automatic. Otherwise, it just won't stick. This is why casual attempts to improve one's stride seldom succeed, and why the myth that it's impossible to improve technique persisted for so long.

Eliminate your stance pause. Most runners pause briefly during the stance phase of their stride. It's a brief pause, but enough to cause significant deceleration. In the most efficient runners, on the other hand, this pause is nonexistent, or nearly so. The stance pause is when the foot is flat or almost flat on the ground, between the foot strike and toe-off phases. It is the moment when the body transitions from absorbing impact to generating thrusting force.

In efficient running, the objective is to collapse the elements of the stride footstrike, stance, and push-off into a fluid, unbroken movement with no stance pause. (Few runners can fully achieve this ideal, but any runner can move closer to it.) First, concentrate on retracting your leg as your foot approaches impact, a sort of pawing motion (the technical term in indeed pawback). By doing this, you are essentially beginning the push-off before your foot even lands, instead of passively letting your foot land and only then beginning to engage your muscles for stabilization and thrust. When you retract your leg properly, your foot feels as though it grips the ground rather than lands on it. From this point, all you have to do is keep thrusting backward, and you will have effectively minimized any stance pause and the deceleration that comes with it. In my experience, it is easy to distinguish that grip-thrust feeling from the usual land-stand-thrust feeling.

Run tall. Many runners tend to collapse in one way or another while their foot is in contact with the ground. The typical runner folds somewhat at the middle due to a combination of gravitational force and weakness in the core muscles. Often the pelvis tips too far forward, resulting in a slight but energy wasting "sitting-down" moment. In many runners, the pelvis also tips laterally, toward the side of the unsupported leg. To overcome this type of collapsing, concentrate on running more erectly. Imagine wires attached to your shoulders and pulling gently upward. Thrust your hips forward just a bit and gently engage the muscles of your lower abdomen. On impact,at the very instant of ground contact, strongly contract the muscles of your hip and buttock on the grounded side of your body and think "stability." Strengthening your core muscles through consistent resistance workouts will make it much easier to learn to run tall.

Relax your upper body. Most runners run with unnecessary tension in their arms, shoulders, neck, and even their faces, especially when running hard. All of this tension equals wasted energy. Your fingers, forearms, and upper arms should be loose, regardless of your speed or fatigue level. There should be no hunch in your shoulders, and your facial _expression should be placid. Use kinesthetic awareness to monitor tension levels in your upper extremity periodically as you run, and where you do find it, relax. Checking in on your upper-body tension level should become a part of the normal rounds you make with your conscious attention when you run. Extra vigilance will be required when you are running hard or fatigued.

Land on the midfoot. Landing heel first slows you down in three ways. First, it usually results from reaching too far ahead with the swing leg and consequently planting the foot far forward of the center of gravity, which increases the amount of energy you have to muster to lever your body forward. Second, when you land heel first, your foot sends force in a forward direction into the ground, which means that the ground sends an equal and opposite force in a backward direction into your foot, in the opposite direction you're trying to move. Third, landing heel first is less stable and increases the amount of muscle energy that must be used for stabilization.

Not every heel striker can transform himself or herself into a midfoot striker, but many can. A good way to begin the process is to practice running with shorter strides. Instead of reaching out far ahead of your body with the driving leg, lower your foot to the ground sooner, just ahead of your body. You will automatically land on, or nearer to, your midfoot. At first this will feel weird, as though you're shuffling instead of running. Keep doing it. When you get to the point where you can shuffle unconsciously, begin focusing on thrusting backward with greater force. In this way, you will begin to increase your stride length again without returning to overstriding. Now you can integrate the "grip-thrust" proprioceptive technique described above in point one, because it will complement your efforts to increase stride length through backward thrust instead of overstriding.

Use your big toe. The Metatarsophalangeal (MP) joint at the ball of the foot was designed to actively plantar flex (flex downward) during push-off. This squeezes a last bit of thrust out of this stride phase after the larger muscles on the rear of the leg have done their work. The rigidity of running shoes inhibits the MP joint from actively plantar flexing and over time more or less trains your foot to give up even trying. This reduces the power of your stride. You can get some of it back by consciously pushing off the ground with your big toe, beginning at its origin at the midfoot-forefoot juncture.

You will notice an immediate power increase when you do this, but you will also notice that your foot and ankle fatigue quickly (unless you let your mind wander, in which case you will automatically revert to not using your big toe). To make this change stick, as with all of the others recommended here, focus on repeating it with every stride of every run for some time.

Run Softer. The harder your feet land, the louder the noise they make. Because higher impact forces correlate with lower efficiency, when two runners are striding together at the same pace, chances are the one making less noise is more efficient. Some running coaches and physical therapists help runners reduce impact forces simply by telling them to make less noise when they run, and usually they can. The changes most often made (unconsciously) to achieve this effect are the beneficial ones of changing from heel striking to midfoot striking and reducing vertical oscillation.

Bounce less. Runners need to push themselves upward slightly in order to float between footstrikes. By becoming airborne, you can take longer strides than you do when you walk. In fact, faster runners spend more time airborne and less time in contact with the ground than slower runners. But as much as possible, you want to float forward rather than upward, and indeed faster runners tend to keep the top of their heads closer to the ground (relative to their height) than slower runners. The great English middle distance runner Sebastian Coe was especially well known for scooting straight ahead with minimal vertical displacement.

The problem of excessive bouncing tends to naturally dissipate with increasing running volume, but you can help it along with conscious control. Just concentrate on thrusting your body forward instead of upward. Tilting forward very slightly from the waist may help. If you study images of elite runners, you will see that their torsos are seldom ramrod straight.

Reduce torso rotation. Many runners rotate their torsos excessively to one or both sides while running. This is usually due to inflexibility in the shoulders or hips (the torso twists to further extend these joints) or weak abdominal muscles or some combination of these imbalances. So the best way to correct the problem of excessive torso rotation is to increase the flexibility of your shoulders and hips and to strengthen your abdominal muscles.

However, you should also use some conscious control and visual cues to maintain a neutral torso, because improving strength and flexibility will not automatically and completely correct a problem that is also a matter of habit. The conscious control cure is as simple a matter as engaging your abdominal muscles to prevent your torso from rotating. You can see whether you rotate to one or both sides by watching yourself in a mirror as you run on a treadmill.

Swing your arms symmetrically. No running stride is perfectly symmetrical, but the more symmetrical you can make your stride, the better. Visible asymmetries are always an indication that one or more parts of your anatomy are not doing their job correctly and are holding you back.

Many runners have an asymmetrical arm swing. One arm is bent more than the other, one swings farther across the front of the body than the other, or the two arms swing in disparate patterns. These asymmetries invariably bespeak left-right imbalances in the musculoskeletal system. These imbalances are often subtle and typically multiple, extending from neck to foot. Every runner should make efforts to learn his or her musculoskeletal imbalances and correct them through targeted strengthening and flexibility exercises. But again, these structural improvements need to be helped along through conscious control. It is very easy to practice running with a more symmetrical arm swing, especially if you start the process using the mirror to guide you. The aforementioned Sebastian Coe had an asymmetrical arm swing as a junior runner and was able to correct it by adulthood through conscious control.

Breathe right. If it is not already, your breathing should become one of the periodic stops on the rotating tour of your conscious attention when you run. Keep your breathing rhythmic and deep, but not artificially slow, drawing air from your diaphragm. Exhale with controlled force. When running hard, many runners who breathe properly at lower intensities allow their breathing to become shallow, excessively rapid, and wheezy. While you can't control how much oxygen you need when running hard, you can easily change your breathing style through consistent practice.

Tips for Racing and Training in the Heat and Humidity

[Source: Unknown]

Nothing will slow you down or stop you like heat and humidity. As the temperatures rise in Summer, so does the number of heat-related problems experienced by triathletes. Most experts agree that your body will acclimatize to heat and humidity – mostly in the first two to three weeks of exposure, and maximally after about two months. However there is a genetic limit on how much you can acclimatize.

We can’t all have the genetic gifts and ability that Dave Scott and Mark Allen had to tolerate the scorching heat and stifling humidity in the lava fields of Kona! But there are ways to improve the ability of the body to tolerate extreme temperatures and to move the process along by cautiously increasing your exposure to heat and humidity. The payoff will be safer and more tolerable running, swimming and cycling when training and racing.

Acclimate Your Body First

On the first hot days of late spring, start by prepping your body with a few bikes and runs during the heat of the day. I would recommend staying aerobic (below Lactate Threshold) during almost all of your heat acclimatization training. Do quality sessions during the cooler morning or evening hours.

As the weeks go by gradually increase the time, but not intensity, that you are training in the heat. Be sure that your buildup is progressive. Remember that in Spring and Summer it's heating up so you'll be acclimatizing in two ways: increasing your tolerance to heat/sun exposure and to rising temperatures and humidity.

Hydrate Early and Often

Top off your fluid stores with 16 ounces of sports drink an hour before you head out. Not all at one time but with small drinks before. Then toss down six to 10 ounces of sports drink about every 20 minutes while training or racing. Note: Dr. Timothy Noakes has done a tremendous amount of research on hydration and he cautions to, “NOT OVER DRINK!” And remember: Sports drinks beat water because they contain glucose and sodium (sugar and salt), which increase your water-absorption rate, replace the electrolytes you lose in sweat, and taste good, encouraging you to drink. It is very difficult to advise on the exact ratios of electrolytes, glucose, sodium, and protein to mix into your water bottles because it is so individual. My best advice again is to train using different types and ratios to see what works best for you -the athlete.

Note: When I was in Florida I saw athletes that were chronically dehydrated. Because of the weather they could train daily and were often about two quarts low on fluids all the time.

Determine Your Losses

Weigh yourself pre-and post-workout in each sport and be as specific as you can to the actual racing conditions to determine the exact amount of fluid you lose. There is a big difference between 80 degrees and 20 percent humidity and 80 degrees and 70 percent humidity. You need to know exactly how much fluid you are losing in each sport. Don’t guess!

If, for example, you lose two pounds during a 90 minute bike, it means you sweat about 32 ounces of fluid (remember to add in the fluid you drank during the ride). For future planning you can try to replenish your fluids at a rate of slightly less than 32 ounces per 90 minutes of cycling.

It is difficult on the run to replace the entire amount of fluid that you lose during exercising but you do need to replace about 75 percent of what you lose with small drinks. You want to avoid the sloshing and fullness associated with drinking too much. Your body just can’t absorb the fluids as fast as you lose them.

I would also recommend you do the same after some of your longer swims. We do lose water while swimming.

Dress for Success

Wear apparel that's light (white) in color, lightweight, and has vents or mesh. Microfibre polyesters, such as CoolMax and DuoFold, are good fabric choices. Keep the neck line loose and the shoulders covered. Cotton shirts are the worst choice. They hold water and are slow to evaporate. I prefer a visor so the head can breathe. A high percentage of heat is lost through your head so keep the heavy hats away and select a visor or hat that is well ventilated. You can put ice in a hat to help cool you off too. Also, be sure to wear sunscreen and sunglasses. Be careful though; applying too much sunscreen can actually cause you to heat up quicker by slowing the
ability of the skin to cool itself. You only cool yourself when the sweat evaporates.

Be Smart

Make speed adjustments during racing and training. Proactively adjust the pace when race day is warm. I’d suggest starting up to 30 seconds slower than your goal pace during the run. Then, if you are feeling good at the halfway point, gradually speed up. The loss of body water can bring the best triathletes to a slow crawl. I would also advise the same pacing strategy when the temperatures rise during your training runs and bike rides.

It’s all about Recovery and Rehydration

After the workout or race, rehydrate with a minimum of 16 to 24 ounces of sports drink for every pound of body weight you lose during exercise. Start this process as soon as your heart rate comes down or within the first 20 minutes. Don’t forget to take in easily digestible foods like fruit, to replace your glucose and electrolyte stores.

Age Does Makes a Difference

Young exercisers depending on their maturity rate often have not fully developed their sweat glands and internal cooling system. We see kids sweating on their face and head and assume they are cooling off, but not so. So take extra precautions with the young athletes. In older athletes we need to watch dehydration even more closely because the blood supply loses volume and creates a “thickening” of the blood making it more difficult for the heart to push. Watch the colour of your urine. The darker it is at any age the more you are dehydrated. In his book

“Performing in Extreme Environments,” Dr. Larry Armstrong has a developed a urine colour chart that is one of the best charts I have seen.

In the heat and humidity, train and race smart. Follow the suggestions above and remember there are no exact rules that cover all athletes in extreme conditions because we are so individualized with our needs and ability to cope. But make no mistake – without fluids and taking steps to adjust to the heat and humidity, you will be going nowhere fast.

Exercise and effective salt replacement

[Source: East Coast Cycos newsletter, Tri-Rudy, January 17, 2008]

Advice from the Food Standards Agency of the UK is to limit salt intake to six grams of salt a day, an amount that would not cover what some footballers lose in an hour according to one study. Pamela Hinton, Assistant professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia, outlines the amount of salt that should be replaced during and after exercise and provides a recipe for a home-made sport drink has the optimum sodium content for sustained performance.

"If a training session or competition exceeds one hour, a commercial fluid replacement beverage that contains carbohydrates and sodium is superior to plain water."
- Pamela Hinton explains that sports drinks can be effective

General health guidelines in most countries advocate the reduction of salt intake for good health. However, this advice may be too simplistic for athletes who lose significant amounts of salt during exercise. A study (commissioned by the Salt Manufacturers Association) on professional footballers in the UK found that some players lose as much as 10 grams of salt in a 90-minute training session.

Athletes have higher fluid and sodium requirements than sedentary individuals. For the general population, the recommendation is to limit sodium intake to 2.3 grams per day, which is equivalent to 5.8 grams of salt. The rationale for this guideline, is that excessive sodium intake causes high blood pressure in individuals who are 'salt sensitive'. Because most people only require 1.5 grams of sodium per day, it makes sense from a public health perspective to recommend reduced intakes. Athletes, however, need significantly more sodium than their inactive counterparts; the exact amount varies greatly between individuals, depending on sweat volume and sweat sodium concentration.

Some athletes may require more than 10 grams of sodium per day to make up for the amount lost in sweat. Athletes also require more fluid than sedentary individuals - up to 10 litres per day. Both dehydration and sodium depletion adversely affect athletic performance. However, it is difficult to differentiate between the two because they occur simultaneously and have similar negative consequences.

Dehydration and hyponatremia
Dehydration due to an imbalance between fluid loss and intake is the most common cause of heat-related illness in athletes. Athletes may lose water at a rate of 0.5-1.5 L/h and up to 6-10 percent of their body weight. Water is lost from all fluid compartments, resulting in decreased sweating and impaired heat dissipation.

The decline in blood volume decreases blood pressure and cardiac output. Heart rate increases by 3-5 bpm for every one percent of body weight lost to compensate for decreased stroke volume. Skin blood flow is also decreased, further reducing the ability to decrease body temperature. Symptoms of heat-related illness are headache, nausea, dizziness, apathy, confusion, exhaustion and chills. Performance declines markedly due to decreased muscle perfusion. Paradoxically, gastric emptying is slowed, impairing fluid absorption and restoration of fluid balance. The risk of heat-related illness is increased by exercise in hot and humid environments, the use of diuretics, and by increasing age.

A disproportionate amount of fluid lost in sweat is from the extra-cellular fluid (ECF), the fluid outside of the cells, including the blood plasma. The average concentration of sodium in sweat is 1150 mg per litre, but can vary greatly (450 mg to 2300 mg per litre). Assuming a sweat rate of 1.5 litres per hour, an athlete with sweat of average saltiness would lose about 1700 mg of sodium per hour. Excessive sweating, combined with consumption of plain water in copious amounts (e.g., 10L in 4 hours), results in a sodium deficit, i.e., dilutional hyponatremia.

The symptoms of hyponatremia are disorientation, confusion, seizure, and coma. This condition is quite rare and most often occurs in marathon and ultra-marathon type events lasting longer than three hours and in individuals who ingest a large volume of fluid without electrolytes.

Exercise-associated muscle cramps (EMAC)
The belief that dehydration and the concurrent electrolyte imbalances, secondary to heat stress, cause muscle cramps is prevalent. However, if this were the case, one would expect widespread, as opposed to localised, muscle cramps. EMAC are usually localised to a specific muscle group, rather than globally affecting all skeletal muscles. A recent study of ultra-marathon runners found no differences in hydration status or blood electrolyte concentrations between runners who suffered cramps and those that did not. Similarly, a study of cramp-prone athletes found that the incidence of cramps was not affected by hydration status. An alternative explanation for EMAC, is that neuromuscular fatigue causes the muscle to become 'hyper-excitable' so that the muscle does not relax, but remains contracted. Regardless of the cause of cramps, dehydration and sodium depletion negatively affect performance.

Fluid and sodium intake during exercise
Ideally, athletes should drink 8-12 ounces (240-350ml) of fluid every 15-20 minutes during exercise. If a training session or competition exceeds one hour, a commercial fluid replacement beverage that contains carbohydrates and sodium is superior to plain water.

Exogenous carbohydrate maintains blood glucose concentrations, so glycogenolysis is delayed. Sodium increases the palatability of the beverage and enhances fluid consumption and replacing some of the sodium lost in sweat will reduce the risk of hyponatremia. The recommended concentration of sodium in a fluid replacement beverage is 500-700 mg per litre. Most sports drinks contain sodium, although the amount varies from 300 to 650 mg per litre.

An alternative to commercial fluid replacement beverages is easily prepared by adding ¼ - ½ teaspoon of salt to one litre (32 ounces) of water, which is equivalent to about 600 and 1200mg of sodium per litre. Salt (sodium chloride) tablets are available, but eight ounces of fluid (250mL) must be consumed with every 200mg of sodium so that the concentration of sodium in blood does not rise too rapidly. Salt tablets are more effective and better tolerated (they may cause gastrointestinal problems in some people) if they are crushed and mixed with water.

The fluid that is consumed must be emptied from the stomach and absorbed from the intestine to be of any benefit. The rate of gastric emptying can reach one litre per hour and is maximized when gastric volume is high (>600mL), solutions are hypotonic, and the carbohydrate concentration is 4-8 percent. The rate of fluid absorption is negatively affected by high intensity exercise (>80 percent maximal oxygen consumption, VO2max), carbohydrate concentrations that exceed 8 percent, and dehydration (>4 percent BW).

Fluid and sodium intake post-exercise
Rehydration after exercise is important because most athletes do not consume enough fluids during exercise to replenish the fluid lost in sweat and respiration. In general, an athlete should consume 24 ounces of fluid (709 millilitres) for every pound of weight lost during an exercise session. The excess fluid consumption is to offset the 'obligatory urine losses' that occur when a large volume of water is consumed within a short period of time. Obligatory urine losses can be minimised by drinking a beverage that contains sodium and by eating foods that are high in sodium after exercise: pretzels, pickles, pizza, cheese, tomato sauce, soy sauce, tomato juice, canned soups, and ketchup.

Balancing Act

Whatever time of day you run, you have 60 minutes after your workout to properly refuel. Here's how to take it all in.

By Scott Douglas

If you're like a lot of runners, your post workout routine goes something like this: Stretch, drink water, shower, and get on with your day. Food? That can wait until you're hungry, right?

Not if you want to feel your best on your next run. When you run, you burn mostly glycogen, a fuel stored in your muscles. Your mission right after a run, therefore, is to eat, even if you don't feel hungry. And fast. No matter what time of day you run, the enzymes that are responsible for making glycogen are most active immediately postworkout-leaving you a 60-minute window in which those highly stimulated enzymes are at maximum capacity to produce glycogen.

"After exercise, especially following intensive or prolonged bouts, the body is primed to reload muscle glycogen," says Suzanne Girard Eberle, M.S., R.D., author of Endurance Sports Nutrition. Wait more than an hour to refuel, and your body's ability to make glycogen out of what you consume drops by an astounding 66 percent. And the longer you wait, the more likely you are to feel sluggish.

"Everything runners do is about how well we recover," says Lisa Dorfman, M.S., R.D., a sports nutritionist and marathoner. "That's when the gains from training come."

In that crucial first hour, shoot to consume 300 to 400 calories-ideally containing three grams of carbs to every one gram of protein. Your body's already primed to make glycogen out of simple carbs, and a little protein helps repair muscle-tissue micro damage. Of course, what you'll feel like eating (or drinking, or not) after a 7 a.m. run will probably differ from what you'll want after a run in the noon heat or between work and dinner. Here's how to maximize the refueling window, whatever time of day you run.

Early Risers

Byrne Decker, a 2:22 marathoner and law partner in Maine, runs early in the morning near his office and then eats back at his desk. "Breakfast is usually yogurt, cereal, and fruit," he says. Many breakfast foods have the perfect post run carb-protein mix. "Cereal with skim milk is a great recovery meal," Dorfman says. Choose a cereal with a few grams of protein. If you have time to cook, Dorfman recommends egg whites on toast. If you eat on the road to work, choose easily transported foods, like energy bars or a bagel with cheese.

The Lunch Shift

You've spent your lunch break running. Now you have to eat, but you're on the clock. Use the office refrigerator and microwave for tasty leftovers with the right nutritional balance (a small serving of pasta with red sauce, a turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread). Of course, if high noon means high temps, the heat might have zapped your appetite. "Drink your carbohydrates and protein," says Girard Eberle. "Flavored milk, fruit smoothie, meal-replacement beverage, or post workout sports drink."

After Office Hours

If you can't sit down to your evening meal within an hour of your run, graze on raw veggies, crackers, bread, and a little cheese to tide you over healthily until your fully restorative dinner. You'll want more of a glycogen-reloading plan if you run from the office and still have a long commute in front of you. Joe LeMay, who lives in Danbury, Connecticut, trained for his 2:13 marathon PR with evening runs from his office. He always had portable snacks on hand (apples, bananas, bagels) for the 45-minute drive home and was especially careful to rehydrate en route. "This would be the perfect scenario for a sports drink," says Dorfman. "Then you have dinner."

Night Moves

Finding good recovery-window foods after late-night running will involve some experimentation. "Try a carbohydrate-rich drink," Girard Eberle suggests. "Or eat half of your dinner before and the other half after." Anne Woodman, a 20-mile-a-week nighttime runner in Morrisville, North Carolina, has learned that a half to one cup of cereal does the job of restocking her muscles without interfering with her sleep. "The key is to end up not starving at dinnertime or after the run," says Eberle. "This will easily lead to overeating."

Keep these vital parts of your body healthy

by Ted Spiker

The powerhouse muscles of our hips and thighs drive us forward, ensure we land safely, and help keep our knees and feet in proper working order. To handle such a big job, hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes need to be in top form. Here's how to keep them healthy

Runners know how to rank their body parts. Most vulnerable? Knees, for sure. Most tortured? Feet. We've got the blisters and black toenails to prove it. Most powerful? When it comes to speed, endurance, and the diesel that gets us uphill, downhill, and everywhere in between, most of us would find it hard to credit anything other than our thighs. And for good reason. The powerhouse muscles that make up our upper legs drive our running--whether we're sprinting 100 yards or battling through 26.2.

Run enough hills and you'll develop an appreciation for the demands on your hamstrings (which power you up) and quadriceps (which steady you down). Three muscles make up the mighty hamstrings, which run down the back of the thigh and bend the knee and extend the leg at the hip. The quadriceps, on the front of the thigh, comprise four muscles that extend and stabilize the knee and decelerate the forces of impact when we land. Unlike most muscles, the hamstrings and the quadriceps cross two joints--the hip and the knee--which means that they assist with the function of both, making an injury to either muscle group extremely disruptive to running, says Brian Krabak, M.D., a sports-medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Johns Hopkins University. Both can be strained (or pulled) if they are overextended to the point that they rip slightly. A complete tear of the muscle is called a rupture (ouch!). These injuries usually come after a burst of speed, and with a popping sound or sensation. Overtraining, forceful stretching, excessive speedwork, or speedwork without a proper warmup can strain a muscle. Strength imbalances can also pose a threat. If the front of your leg is stronger than the back of your leg (this is especially common among triathletes and runners who cycle), the quadriceps can put extra strain on the hamstrings.

But even if you take great care of your hamstrings and quadriceps--regularly stretching, strengthening, and massaging--they won't necessarily be complaint-free. That's because the source of a lot of thigh issues often isn't in the legs at all. You have to go higher. "Many thigh injuries can be traced back to weak hip muscles, such as the gluteal muscles," Dr. Krabak says. The gluteus maximus and gluteus medius are the two large muscles in the buttocks that propel you forward and support the hip joint and the pelvis while running. "As soon as your foot hits the ground, your glutes should fire first, followed by hamstrings and then quadriceps," says Nancy Cummings, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, athletic trainer, and assistant professor of physical education and athletic training at Florida Southern College. "If the glutes aren't strong enough to activate, the quads and hamstrings will have to pick up the slack. This throws off the alignment and mechanics of the entire leg and can lead to knee and foot problems."

If you've ever had Iliotibial Band syndrome (ITBS), you've experienced this trickle-down effect--probably without realizing it. Runners who develop ITBS tend to curse their knees because that's where they feel the pain. But weak glutes are often responsible. The iliotibial band runs from the pelvis down the side of the thigh to the knee, so when it's stressed, pain can radiate anywhere along its path--the glute, hip, thigh, or knee.

Piriformis syndrome is what Dr. Krabak calls "a catchy phrase for a pain in the butt." The Piriformis Muscle lies deep in your buttocks--so hidden that many runners don't even know it's there. But if you overtrain and understretch, the piriformis can become so tight that it'll restrict leg movement and irritate the sciatic nerve (the largest nerve in the body, responsible for motor and sensory function in the legs). Some older runners may experience hip pain due to osteoarthritis, the loss of cartilage in the joint. And others (especially women with low bone density) can be prone to stress fractures in the thigh or hip bones.

The majority of upper-leg issues in runners result from lack of strength and flexibility--with a dose of overuse and sudden changes in training. Fortunately, most of these problems are preventable, says Dr. Krabak, by following smart training tactics, namely, listening to your body and backing off when necessary. As extra insurance, work to strengthen your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.

EAT LIKE A CHAMPION

To run your best, you need to eat differently than the rest of the population. Elite coach Chris Carmichael explains what should be on your plate.

By Kristen Wolfe Bieler


In the months leading up to the Tour de France, every aspect of Lance Armstrong's training regimen has a purpose. And that includes eating. He ups his caloric intake from 3,000 to 6,000 calories per day. The percentage of carbohydrates in his diet also increases (from 60 to 70 percent of his calories), while he slightly decreases his protein and fat intake. This finely tuned nutritional balancing act, which has helped Armstrong win five consecutive Tours, was designed by Chris Carmichael, Armstrong's long-time coach, nutritionist, and friend.

As an Olympic trainer and a former competitive cyclist, Carmichael, the founder of Carmichael Training Systems, has learned that athletes need to match their nutritional intake to the demands of their training in order to achieve peak performance. In his new book, Food for Fitness: Eat Right to Train Right, due out this month, Carmichael applies his nutritional principles to all types of athletes, particularly runners.

According to Carmichael, runners need to take a holistic approach to eating and training. "Diet and training are so closely intertwined, they can't be separated," he says. Runners' diets, therefore, need to evolve throughout the year to correspond with particular workouts. Essentially, Carmichael takes the training technique known as periodization (you break your training year into "periods" with different goals, then concentrate on specific training) and extends it to the training table.

The concept of periodization naturally translates to nutrition, because the amount of energy you burn changes as you go through weeks, months, and a full year of training. If you're eating the same number of calories all year, there is most likely a portion of the year when you're eating more food than you need. Likewise, there will be times when your training burns more calories and demands more nutrients than you are consuming. So just as your training focuses on different goals in different months of the year, you need to make sure you're eating enough food--and the right kinds of foods--to support your workouts.

But it isn't as simple as just eating an extra granola bar or two when you're running longer or harder. "Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are tied together and linked to how you perform," says Carmichael. So on top of eating more calories as your training intensifies, the ratio of carbohydrates to fats to proteins in your diet needs to change as well. "If you are training for a half-marathon, for example, you need a greater percentage of carbohydrates in your diet than if you're just running for fitness," he explains. Like Lance Armstrong, when you're at the peak of your training, it's important to increase the percentage of carbs in your diet from about 60 to 70 percent to ensure you're giving your body enough fuel to enhance your workouts.

Not surprisingly, Carmichael cautions runners about popular low-carb diets. Slashing carbs can negatively affect a runner's health and performance. This is because carbohydrates are the body's high-octane fuel--the fuel it relies on for speed and power. Cutting carbs from your diet leads to depleted stores of glycogen (the form carbs take when stored in the body). Training in a glycogen-depleted state causes the body to struggle to maintain even low-intensity exercise, making it difficult to improve fitness.

Still, with all due respect to carbohydrates, Carmichael notes that protein is more important than once thought for distance runners because of the role it plays in helping to transport carbohydrates throughout your system. Protein is particularly crucial during your postworkout meal. "Recent evidence shows that adding protein to your high-carbohydrate postworkout meal enables the carbs to move more quickly into the muscles for faster refueling," he says. Carmichael advises a ratio of about 1 part protein to 7 parts carbohydrate, although it's more important simply to strive for a protein-carbohydrate combination than it is to achieve that specific ratio. A postrun meal of rice and chicken (heavier on the rice than the chicken) will get you what you need for a speedy recovery.

But good nutrition isn't about eliminating one type of food or nutrient in exchange for another. All foods have a place on Carmichael's table. It's just a matter of choosing the right foods, in the right proportions, at the right times, to yield the energy you need to run and live at an optimal level. His nutritional strategy even leaves room for indulgences, in moderation. Carmichael himself admits to bimonthly Ben & Jerry's binges. And Armstrong? It's said he goes for apple fritters whenever he can get his hands on them. Good luck finding those in France.

Periodization For Idiots

How do you apply the principles of periodization to your diet without complex nutrient calculations? Remember that the concept of eating more carbs during your heaviest training is more important than trying to adhere to specific numbers.

But when you're upping the miles, adding just one of these mini meals per day gives you the extra carbs you need to keep running strong.

1 cup vanilla yogurt + 1 cup fresh fruit (60 grams carbs)
Bonus Benefit: provides over 40 percent of your daily calcium needs

1 cup orange juice + 1 banana (52 grams carbs)
Bonus Benefit: packs almost 200 percent of the Daily Value for vitamin C

1 slice banana nut bread + 1 cup skim milk (about 45 grams carbs)
Bonus Benefit: gives you 25 percent of the Daily Value for calcium

1 PowerBar energy bar + 8 oz PowerBar Endurance sports drink (62 grams carbs)
Bonus Benefit: provides plenty of sodium and potassium to keep you well hydrated

Smoothie of 2 cups skim or soy milk + 1 1/2 cups strawberries + 2 Tbsp soy
protein (about 50 grams carbs)
Bonus Benefit: contributes about 5 grams of fiber

1 1/2 cups multigrain cereal + 1 1/2 cups skim milk (54 grams carbs)
Bonus Benefit: contains over 100 percent of the Daily Value for iron

1 bagel + 1 banana + 1 Tbsp nut butter (about 75 grams carbs)
Bonus Benefit: provides 12 grams of protein