Omega 3

Lately I have really been hitting the Omega 3 hard! Eating lots of Salmon, Mackerel, Trout etc after my training sessions, and I have really been noticing some big benefits- particularly in my recovery times and muscle soreness the next day.

Here is a good article on why Omega 3 is essential to performance:
http://www.minami-nutrition.com/website/docs/PR_Omega-3%20in%20active%20sportspeople020610_EU.pdf

Cycling, Socialising and Cake

Cycling can be a very lonely sport! Battling away against the wind and rain on your own for upwards of 4 hours- all in the name of enjoyment!

Group at the club ride cafe stop

It can of course however, be a great way to socialise and make new friends. Joining a club and getting out for the weekend runs and competing in evening time trials has been one of the best decisions I have made!

It has provided a great boost to my fitness- riding with those stronger that you is the quickest way to develop and committing to a group of friends is a sure fire way to combat any motivation problems!

Carrot cake or Pecan pie??? Too hard a choice!

Oh and the major upside- cafe stops are a great way to try some of your local area's best cake! Careful mind- or you will have to keep cycling a lot longer to burn off all those calories!!

So get out there- find a club and get riding!

Michael Johnson- Survival of the fittest

Last night I watched a fascinating documentary by one of my all time heroes- Michael Johnson. Michael makes a personal genealogical and scientific journey to discover if African American and Caribbean athletes are successful as a result of slavery, and while it may not come to a definite conclusion, the theories it raises are very interesting. It also does a good job in highlighting the terrible injustices during the time of the slave trade.


Well worth watching: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/michael-johnson-survival-of-the-fastest

Need a challenge??

Ok, so you think you are fit? Maybe you have ran a marathon or two? But do you reckon you could run an ultra marathon..... and drag a donkey around whilst you runhttp://www.burrodays.com/pages/burro_race.htm
Got to be one of the craziest challenges out there!

Benefits of Fiber

http://news.yahoo.com/fiber-boosts-bowel-beneficial-bacteria-181708309.html

Great podcast available here on the benefits of fiber in your gut

Benefits of BCAA

I have been using Branch Chain Amino Acids for a while now. I take 3 supplements- Fish Oil, Vitamin D and the BCAA's. Here is a link to a very good article outlining the benefits associated with the supplement- well worth getting on board with this- I have found them a little difficult to get a hold of, but have found them in some health food shops but failing that you can find them online at places like MyProtein.

http://blog.metaboliceffect.com/2009/12/10/surviving-the-paleodiet/

Want to lose fat?

Another great article on nutrition here: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120626163801.htm

Even more evidence that goes against the popular culture that low-fat diets that are high in carbs and whole grains are good for you- surprise, surprise they are not!!

Life in the slower lane

There is a lot of high-intensity bias in fitness journalism. Many people will advocate the faster sessions like hill repetitions, speed intervals and time trials. These workouts are seen as being more interesting than slower, steadier sessions such as recovery and aerobic base workouts. The last thing people in my position want to do is bore our readers, so more often than not we overlook the vanilla low-intensity workouts and write about the sexy high-intensity ones.

In the aggregate this bias gives athletes the impression that high-intensity workouts are more important. This is unfortunate, because the opposite is true. Low- to moderate-intensity swimming, cycling and running are the foundation of the most effective triathlon training programs. The world’s best triathletes spend most of their training time working at very comfortable effort levels.

Many of the world's best athletes use the steady base run, ride or swim as the cornerstone to their training routine. Also the high intensity interval sessions require a certain amount of base level that you can only attain though steady state exercise. Moreover the high intensity sessions will take a lot out of your body and put a large stress on your recovery system meaning that they cannot be performed frequently. 

I have learnt the hard way not to neglect my base sessions- so yes while the speed sessions are necessary- don't forget to plod along every now and again!

Lets talk about sex!

People often shy away from this subject, but heavy endurance training can and often does have a quantifiable effect on our sex drive. I have experienced this myself- but never really know the reasons why, and what could be done about it.

Well, I have come across a very interesting article on the just this subject and the rigorous training places on our hormones and therefor on our sex drive. Well worth reading and it offers some good practical advice if you feel that the training you are doing is having a negative impact on you.

http://blog.trainingpeaks.com/posts/2012/6/25/endurance-training-and-sex-drive.html

Coffee Drinker? Good News!!

http://www.optimumnutrition4sport.com/?page_id=425

Great article on the effect of Coffee on athletes.

How Deep Should You Squat?

How Deep Should You Squat?

Interesting reading and another opinion that there is no one-size fits all rule when it come to weight training- or any training!

Rest for results!

Ok so its been a few days since my last blog- but its because I have been very busy... resting.
Many times in my life I have been the victim of over-training. Pushing my body physically too far and not respecting it's needs to rest recovery and re-build stronger. I have learnt the hard way that more, harder or longer workouts don't always bring about the changes you search for.

So after my sportive on Sunday and a Time-trial on the Tuesday I have taken some time to re-charge my batteries and let my body adjust to the training I have done lately. The idea of resting is difficult as I want to get faster and get stronger, fitter, so resting seems like the last thing that I should be doing.

One notion which helped me to get my head around resting and recovery was the idea that the training sessions are simply the stimulus for your body to change and it is only in the recovery phase when your body makes changes that you get stronger and fitter. You can also think about it through weight training- when you rep out a heavy weight you are actually damaging and tearing the muscle- making it weaker, but the body then repairs that muscle and makes it larger and stronger! Clever body ei!?

So I guess the take home message would be to respect your body and that resting and nutrition after your sessions is just as important as the workout itself. Not to rest and get in the recovery shakes, meals and sleep is like self-sabotage and undoing the hard effort you have put it!

Happy Training..... and Resting!!

Tired, aching, hungry and totally elated is how I felt this weekend after the completion of my first every sportive! 103miles and 7,500ft of climbing after I began at 7am on a cold Sunday morning I had one of the biggest grins- oh and a funny walk too!

500 people tackled the route in total and I was very pleased to have recorded the 24th best time (6hr02m) and the 14th best time on the King Of the Mountains section- a 2mile timed climb around 20miles into the ride.

The biggest problem I seemed to encounter on the route was a fair amount of saddle soreness at the 80mile mark. I have done a few 90+ mile rides and seem to come into this problem a fair bit- I have tried a new seat, shorts, bike fit etc but I guess simply more time in the seat is required to become accustomed to the high mileage. My legs were actually feeling very strong towards the end- something I am very pleased with- just as well as I have a hill-climb race tomorrow night!

As far as nutrition plan- I kept it pretty simple- just water in my bottle and something similar to a banana or energy gel or half a bar every 60minutes for the first 2hr then every 45minutes after that. I saw a lot of people topping up on Gatorade and various other drinks and chomping down cheese sandwiches at the feed stations- needless to say those guys finished behind me!

Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt!!

Recovery meal in the local cafe after- Protein, High G.I carbs and some fibre!

All in all a mega event, seriously enjoyable and I recommend any keen cyclist to get out there and give a sportive a go!

Metabolic Effect

http://www.metaboliceffect.com/

These guys take a really new, refreshing approach to fitness and and lifestyle. I really subscribe to their way of thinking and their site is well worth checking out for anybody looking for the fundamentals on how to approach fitness and nutrition.

Sportive

As a keen cyclist I regularly rack up the miles in my training- but tomorrow I will be riding in my first sportive and I am really looking forward. It is a 102mile route in some very hilly terrain that involves 7500ft of climbing over the route- sounds like a bit of a leg breaker!! Check back for a blog to see how I get on!

Urbanspoon

Ok, so I love to eat and I love to eat out also- but when you are in somewhere new how do you know where to go?

Recently I started using Urbanspoon- it is a really helpful tool when you want to know where the nearest say Indian restaurant is or what diners think of the new cafe that has opened near you live. You can upload photos, post you reviews, converse with fellow diners and discover some hidden gems you might otherwise not notice. Check it out today- it's pretty much my number 1 port of call when I am somewhere new or am just plain hungry!

http://www.urbanspoon.com

Bustung the myth on fats and sugars

It was great to see on mainstream T.V last night a show outlining that the rise in obesity is down to increased sugar intake and has nothing to do with fat intake. Well worth a watch!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01jxzv8/The_Men_Who_Made_Us_Fat_Episode_1/

Also a great article here on how to include good fats in your diet:
http://www.crossfitharrogate.com/healthy-fats/

Gluten free crepes!

Gluten free crepes with chicken and spinach filling, a photo by bianchiboy22 on Flickr.

This is a great lunch I made for myself today! Gluten free- high in protein and you can fill them with whatever you like!!

Gluten free pancakes/ crepes:
1 egg
50g Gluten free flour
Enough whole milk for a loose batter.
Optional: 20g Protein Powder, Sugar

Combine all ingredients and pour the mixture in a hot non-stick pan and flip after 90 or so seconds- it's that easy! I find the amount here makes 3 good sized crepes.

They are seriously quick and simple and you can fill them with whatever you like- I had them for lunch stuffed with chicken and spinach, but they are great for breakfast also- I like to add chocolate protein powder to the mixture and some sugar and then fill them with cottage cheese and berries.
A great lunch or super way to start your day!

Gluten- try to avoid

Although I love my bread and pasta, I try to keep my Gluten in-take to a minimum often opting for gluten free alternatives. It often makes me feel sluggish, tired and retain water, but here is another good reason why to keep your gluten in-take low!http://paleozonenutrition.com/2012/06/08/unexplained-infertility-it-might-be-caused-by-gluten/

Carb Loading?

I hear on many a cycle or during my time in the gym of how people have filled up on the carbs before their session- great example is a huge bowl of porridge/ cereal or a bagel and jam.

Carrot or pecan??

IMG_0347, a photo by bianchiboy22 on Flickr.

Got to be one of the greatest perks of cycling. Great bikes, great companions, being in the great outdoors, but above all of these the excuse to consume a lot of coffee and cake!

Bianchi bicycles

Bianchi bicycles, a group on Flickr.

I have a huge passion for many things Italian and this expands into the world of cycling. Check out these gorgeous Bianchis- I am a proud owner!

Strava!!

Ok so there are a lot of very keen and competitive runners and cyclists out there- wouldn't it be great if you could see how you stack up against your friends and even pros on the local 10mile commute route or your 50mile Sunday ride course?

Blast on the indoor rower

Fancy something a bit different when you go into the gym? Lots of people only seem concerned with pounding away on the treadmills of lifting heavy weights.
The indoor rower is one of the best workout choices you can make. It's non weight bearing, low impact and is a great combination of strength and cardio.
This morning I knocked out 3x10 minute stints at my Threshold Heart Rate or race pace which for me is around 1:54/500m. I had a few good minutes of recovery in between with some easy jogging on a treadmill. That session was not for the faint hearted believe me!
I don't suggest you go for anything like that right away- build up gradually. When you are building up your levels of fitness and strength check out http://concept2.co.uk/ for some great ideas and some cool charts to see how you compare- sure way to fire up your motivation!
Ditch the hamster wheel and train smart!

Bored of the gym?

Why do you train? Ebbs and flows

Sometimes I am not sure why I hit the gym, go for a cycle or whatever may take my fancy that day. Is it always structured and towards a defined goal? Nope! Is it always relevant to my needs? Nope! Is it always fun? Nope!
People train for all kinds of reasons such as vanity, insecurity, for a competition, boredom, self-improvement, and of course enjoyment. For me there isn't many things better than a great cycle with a group of like-minded people, but other days there is nothing worse!
I think over the course of the year, what motivates me to get out and train is constantly varying as is my enjoyment, but one thing that remains stable and that is the pleasure you get when you have completed your workout and you can sit back with a big bowl of pasta and feel very smug indeed!

Gym chimps

Ok so I am not a massive guy with bulging biceps, thunder thighs and smashing down the protein shake after one rep on the bench press- and I am glad!!
All gyms have their 'chimps' or maybe 'queens' - I bet you can think of them in your gym? Talking loudly about the fight they got involved in recently, sprawling over the gym equipment, checking themselves out a LOT and preening themselves constantly.
Is this attractive to the opposite sex? They seem convinced, I am less so... Surely there can't be a bigger display of vanity and insecurity! That said I may be willing to try if it gets results!

Suffering!

The past few weeks I have 'raced' in a few time trials with my local cycling club. I think myself as much fitter than the average person and regularly cycle 75+miles on a weekend ride, so the thought of a series of trials on a weekday evening consisting of 10,25 and 6 miles respectively don't seem to difficult right?
Not so! To cut a long story short I have discovered to the detriment of my legs and pain threshold that no matter how short the races or how fit and prepared you are heading to these kind of things they hurt!
In fact if they don't hurt and you feel comfortable, then you are not trying hard enough- no matter what the race, long or short, fast or slow, if done right you will be suffering at the end!
So now I have established some decent PB's including 1h05m for the 25 on a standard beautiful Bianchi (with aero bars and a silly helmet) I am ready to start the next round of trials and suffer even more! All in the name of fun right....