Running Off The Bike

[Source: East Coast Cycos newsletter, in Tri-Rudy newsletter, May 19, 2011]

A common complaint I hear goes something along the lines of “I can run 38 minutes in a 10km road race, but in a triathlon I have an incredibly hard time breaking 45 minutes for the run.” Running fast off the bike is one of the seemingly great enigmas in triathlon.

The ability to run quickly off the bike, ironically, begins on the bike. Given two equal runners, the person who is more efficient on the bike will run faster every time. There have been many incredibly talented roadrunners who thought they could conquer the triathlon world only to find they are unable to replicate their fantastic runs during a triathlon. More often than not, the limiting factor for them or anyone struggling to run off the bike is the amount of energy spent on the bike. Runners who do not have a background in riding are inefficient on the bike, consuming valuable energy that could be otherwise used on the run.

This also helps to explain the emergence of crossover athletes like Steve Larsen. Larsen is extremely efficient on the bike and as a result, he has more energy left for the run portion of the race. His lack of experience in running is more than compensated for because he is able to ride quickly and, more importantly in triathlon, efficiently. So, if you are looking to improve your run, then don’t solely focus on running farther or faster, but also look at your riding efficiency. Improving your efficiency on the bike will allow you the opportunity to lay it all out on the run, rather than struggling to survive.

What follows are some thoughts on pedalling efficiency that you can use to help increase your ability to run fast off the bike. Using these techniques will also help you ride faster – a great win-win situation!

Pedalling Technique and Efficiency

Using a power meter we can determine the wattage a cyclist produces over any portion of a race or training ride. What is more interesting to see is how his/her power delivery fluctuates. Some would say 500 watts is 500 watts, no matter how you get it, but I think there's an important element they are not considering.

If you take a look at graphs of power delivery through a pedal stroke, you see that the vast majority of a cyclist's power is produced in the down stroke portion of a pedal stroke. Power production falls drastically as the pedals approach and pass through the top and bottom of the stroke. The power of the down stroke is so great that it negates the opposite leg's capacity to produce any power during the upstroke. The best a cyclist can do is to unweight the upstroke leg, or try to get it out of the way of the pedal coming up at it. In some senses, the upstroke leg can be seen as working against the rider. A portion of the force being applied in the down stroke is going to lift the opposing leg instead of propelling the bicycle forward.

Biomechanical efficiency is the element people miss when they say a watt is a watt, no matter how it is produced. For example, an inefficient cyclist needs to produce 350 watts to stay with the leading cyclists in a race, who are efficiently producing 300 watts. The inefficient rider is fighting his own forward progress from within his pedal stroke. In the final 10km run, he/she did not have the energy to stay with the leaders, whose superior efficiency allowed them to go the same speed with a lower sustained power output, thus saving their legs for the run. Through training, the inefficient cyclist’s mechanical efficiency can improve to the point where he/she can afford the energy cost of matching the race leaders pace, and have enough left to attack during the run.

The way to improve mechanical efficiency is to learn to apply force through as much of the pedal stroke as possible, especially through the top and bottom. Over geared, high-power, low-cadence workouts are essential. Climbing hills, seated, in a big gear forces a cyclist to keep force flowing to the pedals over the top and through the bottom of the stroke. It is the only way he/she can maintain enough momentum to keep the bike moving forward. Later on we add sprints up steep hills, again in a big gear and with slow, rolling starts.

During these workouts, the cyclist has to accelerate through increasing resistance. In races like the Ironman Canada, with unpredictable weather and many steep climbs, poor pedaling economy results in a spinning rear wheel, followed immediately by a dismount and a run in equally slippery cycling shoes. To avoid this scenario you need to learn to pedal efficiently. One way to do this is through getting out on your mountain bike occasionally.

Mountain bike racers were the most biomechanically efficient pedalers in recent tests done at the US Olympic Training Center. Their efficiency comes from having to apply high force in a 360-degree manner so the rear wheel won't break loose in steep, loose terrain. Doing one of your rides every couple of weeks on the trails instead of the road will help you master this technique. This in turn will aid your cycle efficiency in triathlons, which will leave you feeling fresher and ready for the run. So remember, the key to fast running in triathlon doesn’t always lie in doing more miles or more intervals; sometimes it comes down to the bike.

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.